This is a story from Three Kingdoms that happened before the Battle of Chibi. One night, Zhou Yu was thinking hard in his tent about how to defeat Cao Cao's army, when Huang Gai came in. He suggested attacking with fire. "Well, it's exactly what I mean to do." Said Zhou Yu. "That's why I'm keeping those two spies: to convey false information to Cao's camp. But I need a man to play the same game for us." Huang Gai said he was willing to do it. They decided¹ to carry out the trick of being flogged to win the enemy's confidence.

赤壁大战之前，周瑜苦思破曹之计。一日深夜，老将黄盖来到帐中，商议破曹以火攻为好。周瑜说："我也这样想，所以才留下假投降的蔡氏兄弟，只是无人去曹营诈降。"黄盖自告奋勇，甘愿领此重任。当夜二人定下"苦肉计"。

The next day Zhou Yu convened² a general assembly of his commanders outside his tent. He ordered the commanders to take three months's rations³ and prepare to defend their line. Huang Gai came forward and said: "We don't need three months. If not, we'd better throw down our weapons and sue for peace."

第二天，周瑜传各路将军帐下议事，命大将们各领三个月粮草，准备抗敌。黄盖反对说："不用三个月，如果这个月能破敌就破，不能破敌，早点投降！

Zhou Yu exploded in fury. "I bear our lord's mandate," he cried, "to lead our troops to destroy Cao Cao. How dare you weaken our morale⁴? Remove him and execute him!"

"周瑜听后大怒道："我奉命督军破敌，你敢动摇军心，推出去斩了。

Huang Gai proudly, "I have served the Southland through three successive reigns⁵. Where do the likes of you come from?"

"黄盖骄傲地说："我是东吴三世重臣，南征北伐时，你还不知在哪呢？"

The entire assembly got on their knees to intercede⁶ for Huang Gai. Zhou Yu said at last: "In consideration for the commanders' views, I shall not kill you. Give him one hundred strokes across the back!

"在场的将领们跪下替黄盖求情。周瑜狠狠地说："看在众将面上，饶你不死，打一百军棍！"

Huang Gai was forced facedown to the ground. Not yet at fifty blows of the rod, his skin was broken and his oozing（渗透） flesh was crossed with welts. He fainted several times.

武士们把黄盖推倒在地，没打到五十下，已皮开肉绽，鲜血直流，几次晕死过去。

Zhou Yu let Kan Ze, Huang Gai's friend, to deliver the letter of surrender to Cao Cao, which Huang Gai had prepared. Before long, Cao Cao received a letter from the two spies, saying "Look for a boat with a blue-green flag at the bow. That will be Huang Gai." In Huang Gai's boat there were combustibles . In this way,Huang Gai was able to set fire to Cao Cao's camp. When the red current of fire passed through the surface of the river,Cao Cao's ships,linked with chains, turned into ashes.

黄盖的好友阚泽，根据周瑜的安排，带着黄盖早已写好的投降书前去诈降。不久，曹操又接到蔡氏兄弟的密信，说只要见到插有青牙旗的船只就是黄盖来投降了。结果在赤壁一战中，黄盖引火船冲入曹营，大江之上一片通红，把曹操用铁链连起来的几千条战船烧成灰烬。