at　weapons　are　the　best？〃

〃On　a　great　river　arrows　are　the　best；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

〃Your　opinion　and　mine　agree。　But　at　the　moment　we　are　short　of　them。　I　wish　you　would　undertake　to　supply　about　a　hundred　thousand　arrows　for　the　naval　fight。　As　it　is　for　the　public　service；　you　will　not　decline；　I　hope。〃

〃Whatever　task　the　mander…in…Chief　lays　upon　me；　I　must　certainly　try　to　perform；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。　〃May　I　inquire　by　what　date　you　require　the　hundred　thousand　arrows？〃

〃Could　you　have　them　ready　in　ten　days？〃

〃The　enemy　will　be　here　very　soon。　Ten　days　will　be　too　late；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

〃In　how　many　days　do　you　estimate　the　arrows　can　be　ready？〃

〃Let　me　have　three　days。　Then　you　may　send　for　your　hundred　thousand。〃

〃No　joking；　remember！〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃There　is　no　joking　in　war　time。〃

〃Dare　I　joke　with　the　mander…in…Chief？　Give　me　a　formal　military　order。　If　I　have　not　pleted　the　task　in　three　days；　I　will　take　my　punishment。〃

Zhou　Yu；　secretly　delighted；　sent　for　the　secretaries　and　prepared　the　mission　then　and　there。

Then　he　drank　to　the　success　of　the　undertaking　and　said；　〃I　shall　have　to　congratulate　you　most　heartily　when　this　is　acplished。〃

〃This　day　is　too　late　to　count；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃On　the　third　from　tomorrow　morning　send　five　hundred　small　boats　to　the　river　side　to　convey　the　arrows。〃

They　drank　a　few　more　cups　together；　and　then　Zhuge　Liang　took　his　leave。

After　he　had　gone；　Lu　Su　said；　〃Do　you　not　think　there　is　some　deceit　about　this？〃

〃Clearly　it　is　not　I！　It　is　he　who　has　signed　his　own　death　warrant；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃Without　being　pressed　in　the　least；　he　asked　for　a　formal　order　in　the　face　of　the　whole　assembly。　Even　if　he　grew　a　p