Cai He 蔡和

In Chapter 34 of the Romance, Cai Mao, consulting Kuai Yue about doing away with Liu Bei, who has come to Xiangyang, says that he has already had his younger brother Cai He lead troops to guard the main road to Mount Xian at the east gate, Cai Zhong the area outside the south gate and Cai Xun the area outside the north gate. The west gate, he says, needs no guard because the Tan Stream blocks the way in front of it. Romance, Ch. 34 §35–36

In Chapter 46, when Cao Cao is fuming at having lost 150,000 or 160,000 arrows for nothing, Xun You proposes sending men to surrender falsely to Eastern Wu and act as agents on the inside, saying that although Cai Mao has been put to death, the whole Cai clan is in the army, and Cai Mao's younger kinsmen Cai Zhong and Cai He are now serving as lieutenants. That night Cao Cao summons the two into his tent and charges them to report secretly if there is any movement, and the two say that since their wives and children are all in Jing Province they would never harbor divided loyalties, and that they will cut off the heads of Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang and present them. The next day the two set out for the southern bank with 500 soldiers and a few boats. Romance, Ch. 46 §29–31

Before Zhou Yu the two call themselves Cai Mao's younger brothers and, weeping and bowing, say that since their elder brother was killed by Cao Cao though guiltless, they have come to surrender in order to avenge him, and ask to serve in the vanguard. Zhou Yu rewards them generously and makes them the vanguard together with Gan Ning, but he tells Gan Ning that since the two have not brought their families they have not truly surrendered and are spies sent by Cao Cao, that he should treat them courteously while keeping watch on them inwardly, and that on the day the army sets out he will first kill the two to consecrate the banners. When Lu Su says the two men's surrender must be false, Zhou Yu rebukes him, and Zhuge Liang explains to Lu Su that Zhou Yu means to turn their stratagem back on them and have them send news to the other side. Romance, Ch. 46 §32–35

Zhou Yu tells Huang Gai, who has come to urge a fire attack, that he is keeping Cai Zhong and Cai He, the feigned defectors, in order to pass information through them. Zhuge Liang tells Lu Su that Zhou Yu's harsh beating of Huang Gai is a ruse, and that he will have Huang Gai surrender falsely and have Cai Zhong and Cai He report the matter. In Chapter 47 Kan Ze, who has gone to Cao Cao's camp, watches Cao Cao rejoice on receiving a secret letter and thinks to himself that Cai Zhong and Cai He must have sent word that Huang Gai has been punished. Romance, Ch. 46 §36 · 43Romance, Ch. 47 §13

Back in Jiangdong, Kan Ze goes to Gan Ning's camp to observe Cai Zhong and Cai He. When Gan Ning grinds his teeth and pounds the table, saying he has been humiliated by Zhou Yu, and Kan Ze pretends to whisper in his ear, the two sound them out by asking what is troubling them, and Cai He asks whether they mean to betray Wu and go over to Cao Cao. When Gan Ning draws his sword, saying their secret has been discovered, Cai He confesses that they are men sent by Lord Cao to surrender falsely and that, if the two have a mind to come over, they will introduce them, and the two Cais say they have already informed the Chancellor of the humiliations suffered by Huang Gai and Gan Ning. Romance, Ch. 47 §14–18

In Chapter 49 Gan Ning and Kan Ze keep Cai He and Cai Zhong cajoled and detained inside the naval camp, drinking with them every day and not letting a single soldier go ashore. Before the army sets out, Zhou Yu tells Gan Ning to take Cai Zhong and the surrendered troops along the southern bank flying the northern army's banners and take Wulin, where Cao Cao has stored his provisions, but has Cai He alone kept below the command tent, saying he has a use for him. Romance, Ch. 49 §14 · 25

As dusk falls, Zhou Yu has Cai He brought out and orders the soldiers to bind him and throw him down. When Cai He cries out that he is guiltless, Zhou Yu says that he dared to come and surrender falsely, and that, lacking an offering to consecrate the banners, he will borrow his head. When Cai He cries out that Zhou Yu's own Kan Ze and Gan Ning took part in the plot too, Zhou Yu answers that he himself had them do it, and Cai He's regret comes too late. Zhou Yu has him dragged to the riverside beneath the black standard, pours a libation of wine, burns paper offerings and beheads him with a single stroke, and after consecrating the banners with his blood, he has the ships set out. Romance, Ch. 49 §43–44