第二dì èr章zhāng、勾践gōu jiàn的de决定jué dìng ▸ 

▸ 公元前gōng yuán qián4943年nián，距离jù lí吴国wú guó与yǔ越国yuè guó的de那nà场cháng大战dà zhàn，已经yǐ jīng过去guò qù两liǎng年nián了le。

In 494 BC, two years had passed since the great war between Wu and Yue.

▸ 一yì天tiān，越yuè王wáng勾践gōu jiàn收到shōu dào消息xiāo xi：吴wú王wáng夫差fū chāi在zài日夜rì yè不停bù tíng地de训练xùn liàn军队jūn duì。

One day, King Goujian of Yue received word that King Fuchai of Wu was training his army day and night without rest.

▸ 从cóng收到shōu dào消息xiāo xi的de这zhè一yì天tiān起qǐ，勾践gōu jiàn就jiù有些yǒu xiē坐不住zuò bu zhù了le。

From the day he received the message, Goujian became restless.

▸ 美味měi wèi的de饭菜fàn cài失去shī qù了le味道wèi dào，柔软róu ruǎn的de被子bèi zi也yě无法wú fǎ让ràng他tā睡shuì个ge好hǎo觉jiào。

Delicious food lost its flavor, and soft quilts couldn’t help him sleep well.

▸ 这zhè天tiān深夜shēn yè，他tā做zuò了le一yí个ge决定jué dìng。

That night, he made a decision.

▸ “

▸ 去qù把bǎ范fàn大人dà ren请qǐng过来guò lái。”他tā对duì下人xià rén命令mìng lìng道dào。

“Please ask Lord Fan to come over,” he ordered a servant.

▸ 范fàn大人dà ren很hěn快kuài就jiù被bèi请qǐng来lái了le。

Lord Fan was soon summoned.

▸ 范fàn大人dà ren叫jiào范蠡fàn lǐ，今年jīn nián四sì十shí二èr岁suì，是shì越国yuè guó重要zhòng yào的de大臣dà chén。

Lord Fan’s full name was Fan Li. He was forty-two years old and an important official of the state of Yue.

▸ “大王dà wáng，您nín这么zhè me晚wǎn叫jiào我wǒ来lái，是shì有yǒu什么shén me事shì吗ma？”范蠡fàn lǐ问wèn。

“Your Majesty, what is the matter for which you have summoned me so late?” asked Fan Li.

▸ “夫差fū chāi在zài日夜rì yè不停bù tíng地de训练xùn liàn军队jūn duì，一定yí dìng是shì想xiǎng报仇bào chóu。

“Fuchai is training his army day and night without rest. He must be seeking revenge.

▸ 我wǒ打算dǎ suàn趁chèn他tā还hái没méi准备zhǔn bèi好hǎo，先xiān发兵fā bīng攻打gōng dǎ吴国wú guó。”勾践gōu jiàn说shuō。

I plan to attack the state of Wu before he’s fully prepared,” said Goujian.

▸ 范蠡fàn lǐ摇yáo了le摇头yáo tóu，

Fan Li shook his head.

▸ “大王dà wáng，战争zhàn zhēng关系guān xi到dào士兵shì bīng和hé百姓bǎi xìng的de生死shēng sǐ，要yào好好hǎo hǎo考虑kǎo lǜ。

“Your Majesty, war concerns the lives of soldiers and the common people. You must give it careful thought.

▸ 而且ér qiě，战争zhàn zhēng的de最终zuì zhōng目的mù dì是shì为了wèi le和平hé píng，

Moreover, the ultimate purpose of war is to achieve peace.

▸ 越国yuè guó现在xiàn zài身处shēn chǔ和平hé píng，更gèng不bù应该yīng gāi轻易qīng yì发起fā qǐ战争zhàn zhēng。”

Since the state of Yue is now at peace, we should be even less willing to start a war lightly.”

▸ “你nǐ的de意思yì si是shì不行bù xíng？”勾践gōu jiàn问wèn。

“Do you mean it’s not possible?” Goujian asked.

▸ “是shì的de，大王dà wáng，我wǒ认为rèn wéi不行bù xíng。”

“Yes, Your Majesty, I believe it’s not possible.”

▸ 勾践gōu jiàn有些yǒu xiē生气shēng qì，但dàn他tā忍住rěn zhù了le，只是zhǐ shì用yòng平静píng jìng的de语气yǔ qì说shuō：“可是kě shì我wǒ已经yǐ jīng决定jué dìng了le。”

Goujian was somewhat angry, but he restrained himself and said calmly, “But I have already made my decision.”

▸ “您nín这样zhè yàng发起fā qǐ战争zhàn zhēng，会huì给gěi越国yuè guó带来dài lái危险wēi xiǎn的de。”范蠡fàn lǐ有些yǒu xiē着急zháo jí。

“Starting a war like this will bring danger to the state of Yue.” Fan Li was somewhat anxious.

▸ “范fàn大人dà ren！”勾践gōu jiàn的de声音shēng yīn带dài着zhe强大qiáng dà的de压力yā lì，压yā得de范蠡fàn lǐ说shuō不bù出chū话huà来lái。

“Lord Fan!” King Goujian’s voice carried such overwhelming force that Lord Fan was left speechless.

▸ “我wǒ已经yǐ jīng决定jué dìng了le！”勾践gōu jiàn站zhàn起来qǐ lái，对duì门外mén wài的de下人xià rén大声dà shēng命令mìng lìng道dào：

“I have already decided!” Goujian stood up and shouted an order to the attendants outside the door.

▸ “让ràng大军dà jūn做zuò好hǎo准备zhǔn bèi！目标mù biāo——吴国wú guó！”

“Have the army ready! Target—the state of Wu!”

▸ 勾践gōu jiàn并不bìng bù知道zhī dào，这zhè个ge决定jué dìng将jiāng改变gǎi biàn吴wú越yuè两国liǎng guó的de命运mìng yùn。

Goujian did not know that this decision would change the fate of the states of Wu and Yue.

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