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