Borrowing Arrows from Straw Boats Text Analysis

Text of "Borrowing Arrows from a Straw Boat"

Zhou Yu saw that Zhuge Liang was quite talented and felt very jealous.

One day, Zhou Yu asked Zhuge Liang to discuss military affairs and said: "We are about to fight Cao Jun. In a water battle, what weapon is best?" Zhuge Liang said: "Bows and arrows are best." Zhou Yu said: " Yes, Sir, I think so. The army is short of arrows, and I would like to ask you to be responsible for making 100,000 of them. I hope you will not refuse.” When will the ten thousand arrows be used?" Zhou Yu asked, "How many days will it take to build it?" Zhuge Liang said, "Since we are going to fight, if we build it in ten days, we will miss the big event." Zhou Yu asked, "How many days do you think it will take to build it?" Okay?" Zhuge Liang said: "It only takes three days." Zhou Yu said: "The military situation is urgent, so we can't joke." Zhuge Liang said: "How dare you joke with the governor? Zhou Yu was very happy and asked Zhuge Liang to issue a military order in person, and set up a banquet to entertain him. Zhuge Liang said: "It's too late today. From tomorrow to the third day, please send five hundred soldiers to the river to carry arrows." Zhuge Liang drank a few glasses of wine and left.

Lu Su said to Zhou Yu: "How can one hundred thousand arrows be made in three days? Is Zhuge Liang telling a lie?" Zhou Yu said: "He said it himself, I didn't force him to do it." Him. I have to tell the military craftsmen to deliberately delay the preparation of the materials for making arrows. If they can't make them by then, he will have nothing to say. Go and find out. What is his plan? Come back and tell me."

Lu Su met Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang said: "I have to make 100,000 arrows in three days, so I have to ask you to help me." Lu Su said: "You found it yourself, how can I help you?" Zhuge Liang said: " Lend me twenty boats, each with thirty sergeants, covered with green cloth, and more than a thousand straw handles arranged on both sides of the boat. I will take care of it on the third day. I’ll keep one hundred thousand arrows, but I can’t let the governor know about it. If he finds out, my plan will be over.”

Lu Su agreed. He didn't know what Zhuge Liang's borrowed boat was for. When he came back and reported to Zhou Yu, he didn't mention the borrowed boat. He only said that Zhuge Liang didn't use materials such as bamboo, feathers, and glue paint. Zhou Yu became confused and said, "Let's see what he does on the third day!"

Lu Su secretly allocated twenty fast boats, each with thirty sergeants. According to Zhuge Liang's words, The green cloth curtains and straw handles were arranged and waited for Zhuge Liang's arrangement. On the first day, no movement was seen from Zhuge Liang; on the second day, there was still no movement from Zhuge Liang; until the fourth watch on the third day, Zhuge Liang secretly invited Lu Su into the boat. Lu Su asked him: "What did you ask me to do?" Zhuge Liang said: "Please go and get the arrows together." Lu Su asked: "Where to get them?" Zhuge Liang said: "No need to ask, you will know when you get there." He ordered the twenty boats to be connected with ropes and sailed towards the north shore.

At this time, the sky was filled with heavy fog, and it was impossible to even see face to face on the river. Before dawn, the boat was already approaching Cao Jun's water stronghold. Zhuge Liang ordered the bow of the boat to face west and the stern to face east. He also ordered the sergeants on the boat to beat drums and shout loudly. Lu Su was surprised and said: "What if Cao's soldiers come out?" Zhuge Liang smiled and said: "The fog is so thick, Cao Cao will not dare to send his troops out. We just drink and have fun, and go back at dawn."

When Cao Cao heard the sound of drums and shouts, he ordered: "The fog on the river is very thick, and the enemy suddenly attacks. We can't see clearly what is true, so don't move out easily. Just ask the archers and crossbowmen to shoot at them, and don't let them get close." He sent people to Hanzhai to mobilize 6,000 crossbowmen to the river to support the navy. More than 10,000 crossbowmen fired arrows into the river together, and the arrows seemed to rain. Zhuge Liang ordered the boat to be turned around again, with the bow facing east and the stern facing west. Still beating drums and shouting, he approached Cao Jun's water stronghold to receive arrows.

The sky is getting brighter, but the fog has not cleared yet. At this time, the straw handles on both sides of the boat were filled with arrows. Zhuge Liang ordered the sergeants to shout "Thank you, Prime Minister Cao, for the arrow!" and then ordered twenty ships to sail back to the south bank. Cao Cao knew that he had been fooled, but the ship here was going smoothly, and it had already sailed more than 20 miles like flying, and it was too late to catch up.

When more than 20 ships docked, five hundred sergeants sent by Zhou Yu happened to come to the river to carry arrows. Each ship has about five to six thousand arrows, and the total number of twenty ships is more than one hundred thousand. Lu Su met Zhou Yu and told him how he borrowed the arrow. Zhou Yu sighed and said, "Zhuge Liang is so clever and clever, I really can't compare to him!"