张昭曰:“今曹操远来,必须先挫其锐气。”
"It would be well to inflict a defeat upon Cao Cao's army before they recover from the long march.
It would dishearten them," said Zhang Zhao.
权乃问帐下曰:“曹操远来,谁敢当先破敌,以挫其锐气?”
Looking around at the officers in his tent, Sun Quan said, "Who is bold enough to go forth and fight this Cao Cao and so take the keen edge off the spirit of his army?”
两个就在孙权面前争竞起来。
and he and Gan Ning began to wrangle even in the presence of their chief.
乃命凌统带三千军出濡须口去哨探,遇曹兵,便与交战。
Finally he gave the commission to Ling Tong with his three thousand, bidding him reconnoiter just outside Ruxu, and fight the enemy if he met him.
尘头起处,曹兵早到。
Ling Tong very soon saw a great cloud of dust, which marked the approach of an army.
先锋张辽与凌统交锋,斗五十合,不分胜败。
As soon as they came near enough, Zhang Liao, who led the van, engaged with Ling Tong, and they fought half a hundred bouts without sign of victory for either.
孙权恐凌统有失,令吕蒙接应回营。
Then Sun Quan began to fear for his champion, so he sent Lu Meng to extricate Ling Tong from the battle and escort him home.
甘宁见凌统回,即告权曰:“宁今夜只带一百人马去劫曹营;若折了一人一骑,也不算功。”
When Ling Tong had come back, his rival Gan Ning went to Sun Quan and said, "Now let me have the hundred horsemen, and I will raid the enemy's camp this night.
If I lose a soldier or a mount, I will claim no merit."
孙权壮之,乃调拨帐下一百精锐马兵付宁;又以酒五十瓶,羊肉五十斤,赏赐军士。
Sun Quan commended his courage and chose a hundred of his best veterans, whom he placed under Gan Ning's command for the raid.
Sun Quan also gave him as a feast for the soldiers fifty flasks of wine and seventy five pounds of mutton.
甘宁回到营中,教一百人皆列坐,先将银碗斟酒,自吃两碗,乃语百人曰:“今夜奉命劫寨,请诸公各满饮一觞,努力向前。”
Returning to the tents, Gan Ning drew up his little force and made them sit down in rows.
Then he filled two silver goblets with wine and solemnly drank to them.
Next he said, "Comrades, tonight our orders are to raid the camp of the enemy.
Wherefore fill your goblets and call up all your strength for the task."
众人闻言,面面相觑。
But the men did not welcome his words.
Instead they looked one at another uncertain.
甘宁见众人有难色,乃拔剑在手,怒叱曰:“我为上将,且不惜命;汝等何得迟疑!”
Seeing them in this mood, Gan Ning adopted a fierce tone, drew his sword and cried, "What are you waiting for?
If I, a leader of rank, can risk my life, cannot you?”
众人见甘宁作色,皆起拜曰:“愿效死力。”
Moved by the angry face of the leader, the men rose, bowed their heads and said, "We will fight to the last!"
甘宁将酒肉与百人共饮食尽,约至二更时候取白鹅翎一百根,插于盔上为号;都披甲上马,飞奔曹操寨边,拔开鹿角,大喊一声,杀入寨中,径奔中军来杀曹操。
Then the wine and meat were distributed to them and each one ate his fill.
The second watch was chosen as the hour to start, and each man stuck a white goose plume in his cap whereby they could recognize each other in the darkness.
At the time appointed they buckled on their armor, mounted and, galloping away, quickly came to Cao Cao's camp.
Hastily throwing aside the thorny barriers, they burst in with a yell that rose to the very heavens.
They made straight for the center, hoping to slay Cao Cao himself.
原来中军人马,以车仗伏路穿连,围得铁桶相似,不能得进。
But the troops of the leader's brigade had made a rampart of their carts within which they were sheltered as if in an iron tun, so that the raiders failed to find a way in.
甘宁只将百骑,左冲右突。
However, Gan Ning and his small force dashed hither and thither, cutting and slashing,
曹兵惊慌,正不知敌兵多少,自相扰乱。
till Cao Cao's men were quite bewildered and frightened.
They had no notion of the number of their assailants.
All their efforts only increased the confusion.
那甘宁百骑,在营内纵横驰骤,逢着便杀。
Wherefore the hundred men had it all their own way and rushed from point to point slaying whomever they met.
各营鼓噪,举火如星,喊声大震。
But soon the drums beat in every camp and torches were lit and shouts arose, and it was time for the raiders to get away.
甘宁从寨之南门杀出,无人敢当。
Gan Ning led his little body of troops out through the south gate with never a soldier trying to stop him, and rode for his own camp.
甘宁百骑劫魏营 左慈掷杯戏曹操
Gan Ning's Hundred Horsemen Raid The Northern Camp;Zuo Ci's Flung-Down Cup Fools Cao Cao.
却说孙权在濡须口收拾军马,忽报曹操自汉中领兵四十万前来救合淝。
Sun Quan was occupied in ordering his army at Ruxu when he heard of the coming of Cao Cao from Hanzhong with four hundred thousand troops to the relief of Hefei.
甘宁将百骑回到濡须。
but the need had not arisen, and the hundred heroes with their leader rode back in triumph.
操兵恐有埋伏,不敢追袭。
There was no pursuit.