This story from Three Kingdoms takes place before the Battle of Chibi. One night, as Zhou Yu pondered how to defeat Cao Cao's forces in his tent, Huang Gai entered and proposed a fire attack. "That is precisely my plan," Zhou Yu replied. "I am keeping two spies to feed false information to Cao Cao's camp. But I need someone to play a similar role for us." Huang Gai volunteered. They decided to use a self-injury trick—having Huang Gai flogged—to win the enemy's trust.
The next day, Zhou Yu convened his commanders. He ordered them to prepare three months' rations for a prolonged defense. Huang Gai stepped forward and objected, "We don't need three months. If we do, we should surrender now."
Zhou Yu feigned rage. "I have our lord's mandate to destroy Cao Cao!" he shouted. "How dare you undermine morale? Execute him!"
Huang Gai retorted proudly, "I have served the Southland for three generations. Who are you to judge me?"
The other commanders knelt to plead for him. Zhou Yu relented, "In deference to your pleas, I will spare his life. Give him one hundred strokes on the back!"
Huang Gai was forced to the ground. Before fifty blows, his skin broke, his flesh oozed, and he fainted repeatedly.
Zhou Yu then sent Huang Gai's friend, Kan Ze, to deliver a forged surrender letter to Cao Cao. Soon after, Cao Cao received a message from his spies: "Look for a boat with a blue-green flag at the bow. That will be Huang Gai." Huang Gai's vessel was loaded with combustibles. Using this ruse, he set fire to Cao Cao's fleet. As flames swept across the river, Cao Cao's chained ships were reduced to ashes.