5.古诗词三首

Lesson Five

To Borrows Arrows with Thatched Boats

1. Zhou Yu is jealous of Zhuge Liang.

2. One day, Zhou Yu asked Zhuge Liang to discuss military affairs, saying, “We are going to fight with Cao troop.

3. What weapon is the best for fighting on water?”

4. Zhuge Liang said, “It is best to use bows and arrows.”

5. Zhou Yu said, “Yes, sir, I agree with you.

5. Now there is a shortage of arrows in the army, so I want to ask you to take charge of making 100,000 arrows.

6. This is business. I hope you won’t turn it away.”

7. Zhuge Liang said, “I will certainly do it as you ordered.

8. I wonder when these 100,000 arrows will be used.”

9. Zhou Yu asked, “Will it be made in ten days?”

10. Zhuge Liang said, “Since there is going to be a war, it must be finished in ten days.”

11. Zhou Yu asked, “How many days can you expect to make it?”

12. Zhuge Liang said, “It only takes three days.”

13. Zhou Yu said, “The military situation is urgent, please stop joking.”

14. Zhuge Liang said, “I’m serious.

15. I am willing to write a written pledge to fulfill a military order. If it is not done well in three days, I will be severely punished.”

16. Zhou Yu was very happy. He asked Zhuge Liang to write a written pledge to fulfill a military order face to face and set up a banquet to entertain him.

17. Zhuge Liang said, “Today is too late.

18. From tomorrow to the third day, please send 500 sergeants to the river to carry arrows.”

19. Zhuge Liang drank several glasses of wine and left.

20. Lu Su said to Zhou Yu, “How can one hundred thousand arrows be built in three days? Zhuge Liang is lying, isn’t he?”

21. Zhou Yu said, “He said it himself, but I didn’t force him.

22. I will command the craftsmen that they will delay deliberately, and that the materials for the arrow will not be ready for him.

23. If it is not done in time, he will be convicted definitely.

24. Go and see what he intends to do, and come back and tell me.”

25. Lu Su met Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang said, “I need your help to make 100,000 arrows in three days.”

26. Lu Su said, “You asked for it. How can I help you?”

27. Zhuge Liang said, “You lend me twenty boats, and each boat needs more than thirty sergeants.

28. The ship is covered with green cloth curtains, and lined with more than 1,000 straw-made scarecrows on both sides of the ship.

29. I have my own way.

30. On the third day, he will get 100,000 arrows.

31. But don’t let the governor know.

32. If he finds out, my plan will be over.”

33. Lu Su agreed. He didn’t know what the boats will be used for. When he came back to report Zhou Yu, he didn’t mention that, but said Zhuge Liang didn’t use bamboo, feathers and glue paint.

34. Zhou Yu was puzzled and said, “Everything will be clear on the third day!”

35. Lu Su privately allocated 20 clippers, each with more than 30 sergeants. According to Zhuge Liang’s instructions, he arranged green cloth curtains and scarecrows, and waited for Zhuge Liang to dispatch them.

36. On the first day, he didn’t see any movement of Zhuge Liang; nothing happened on the second day either; in small hours of the third day, Zhuge Liang invited Lu Su for a boat ride.

37. Lu Su asked him, “What do you want me to do?”

38. Zhuge Liang said, “Please go to get the arrow together.”

39. Lu Su asked, “Where?”

40.Zhuge Liang said, “You will know when you are there.”

41. Zhuge Liang ordered to connect the twenty boats with ropes and headed for the north bank.

42. A thick mist had spread over the surface of the river. People could hardly see each other on the river.

43. At the five watches of the night, the boats were already close to the water village of Cao camp.

44.Zhuge Liang ordered the bow to face the west and the stern to face the east, laying out one word at a time, and ordered his soldiers to shout and beat drums to fake an attack.

45. Lu Su said in surprise, “What if Cao Troop comes out?”

46. Zhuge Liang said with a smile, “The fog is so heavy that Cao Cao must be afraid to send troops out.

47. We just drink and have fun, and we’ll go back when the fog clears.”

48. When Cao Cao learned of the movement on the river, he ordered, “The fog on the river is very heavy, and the enemy suddenly comes to attack, and there must be an ambush. We can’t see the actual situation clearly, so don’t go out easily.

49. Let the water army crossbowman to shoot arrows at them.”

50. Then, he sent people to the dry village to recruit 6,000 crossbowmen to the river to support the water army.

51. More than 10,000 crossbowmen threw arrows at the river, which seemed to rain.

52. Zhuge Liang had his fleet turned around to expose the other side of the scarecrows, and still braying and shouting, approaching the water village of Cao camp and receiving arrows.

53. When the fog dispersed, Zhuge Liang ordered to return.

54. The scarecrows on both sides of the boat are filled with arrows.

55. Zhuge Liang commanded the sergeants to shout “Thank you, Cao Cao, for your arrows.”

56. Cao Cao knew that he had been taken in, but Zhuge Liang’s boat was light and urgent, and it was too late to chase after him.

57. By the time twenty boats docked, 500 sergeants sent by Zhou Yu to carry arrows were already waiting by the river.

58. Each ship has five or six thousand arrows, and there are more than 100,000 ships in twenty boats.

59. Lu Su met Zhou Yu and told him about borrowing arrows.

60. Zhou Yu was shocked and sighed, “Zhuge Liang is so smart and clever that I can’t compare with him!”