The story of Zhuge Liang's straw boats borrowing arrows is that Zhuge Liang took advantage of Cao Cao's suspicious character and mobilized 20 straw boats to lure the enemy, and finally "borrowed" more than 100,000 arrows.
During the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Cao led an army of 800,000 to conquer Soochow. Sun Quan and Liu Bei planned to join forces to resist Wei. There was a general under Sun Quan named Zhou Yu who was both wise and brave, but a bit narrow-minded and very jealous of Zhuge Liang's talents. Because arrows were needed for fighting in the water, Zhou Yu asked Zhuge Liang to make 100,000 arrows within ten days. Unexpectedly, Zhuge Liang only needed three days, but he was still willing to issue a military order and be punished if he failed to complete the task.
Zhou Yu thought that it was impossible to make 100,000 arrows in three days, so he took advantage of this opportunity to get rid of Zhuge Liang. So on the one hand, he asked the military craftsmen not to prepare all the materials for making arrows, and on the other hand, he asked minister Lu Su to find out Zhuge Liang's truth.
There was heavy fog on the river that day, and no one could be seen on the other side. When the boat approached Cao Jun's water stronghold, Zhuge Liang ordered the boats to line up and asked the soldiers to beat drums and shout. Cao Cao thought that the enemy was coming to attack, and because of the heavy fog, he was afraid of being ambushed, so he sent 6,000 archers from Hanzhai to shoot arrows into the river. Arrows like raindrops hit the grass targets one after another. After a while, Zhuge Liang ordered the boat to turn around again and let the other side receive the arrow. The sun came out and the fog was about to lift. Zhuge Liang ordered the boat to go back quickly. At this time, the wind was flowing smoothly, and it was too late for Cao Cao to pursue him.
At this time, the grass targets on both sides of the boat were densely packed with arrows. There were at least five or six thousand arrows on each boat. There were 20 boats in total, and the total number far exceeded one hundred thousand.
Zhuge Liang's character profile
Zhuge Liang (181-October 8, 234), courtesy name Kongming and nickname Wolong, was born in Yangdu, Langya, Xuzhou (now Yinan County, Linyi City, Shandong) , the Prime Minister of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period, an outstanding politician, strategist, diplomat, writer, calligrapher, and inventor.
In his early years, he followed his uncle Zhuge Xuan to Jingzhou. After Zhuge Xuan's death, Zhuge Liang lived in seclusion in Longzhong, Xiangyang. Later, Liu Bei visited the thatched cottage three times to invite Zhuge Liang, and joined forces with Sun Yat-sen to fight against Cao Cao, and defeated Cao's army in the Battle of Chibi. Forming the power of the Three Kingdoms, they also captured Jingzhou. In the 16th year of Jian'an (211), Yizhou was captured. Then he defeated Cao Jun and captured Hanzhong.
In the first year of Shu Zhangwu (221), Liu Bei established the Shu Han regime in Chengdu, and Zhuge Liang was appointed prime minister to preside over the government. Liu Chan, the empress of Shu, succeeded to the throne, and Zhuge Liang was granted the title of Marquis of Wuxiang and led the herding of Yizhou. Be diligent and prudent, handle all political affairs personally, and strictly enforce rewards and punishments; alliance with Soochow to improve relations with all ethnic groups in the southwest; implement the policy of farming and strengthen war preparations. Six Northern Expeditions to the Central Plains were carried out, but most of them used food to achieve no success.
He eventually became ill due to overwork and died of illness in Wuzhangyuan (now Qishan, Baoji, Shaanxi) in the twelfth year of Jianxing Shu (234) at the age of 54. Liu Chan posthumously named him Zhongwuhou, and later generations often called Zhuge Liang the honorific name Wuhou. The Eastern Jin regime named him King Wuxing because of his military prowess.