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曹操是中國歷史上以聰明奸詐而聞名的杰出人物。
一天，他頂著烈日在山區(qū)行軍，迷失了路徑，天氣炎熱而路途又遙遠，士兵們在長時間的疲勞行軍后，口渴難耐。于是眾人都對曹操的領導表示不滿，士兵的反抗情緒異常緊張，即將形成背叛的狀態(tài)。下級官長不知如何應付這危機。曹操在這緊要關頭機敏下令：士兵行至前面的梅林休息。并且準許士兵盡量吃多汁的酸梅，不受約束。
士兵們想著酸梅的味道，口渴就立刻緩和下來，反抗情緒也安定了。
后人用上面的故事作成成語“望梅止渴”來比喻一個人幻想目的已經到達了以安慰自己的情況。
參考譯文：
Of all Chinese historical figures, the one who stands out the most, whether it be fore intelligence or treachery, is Cao Cao.
One hot day, he marched his troops under a burning sun through mountainous terrain, but he got lost. The journey was long and the sun was scorching. After their fruitless and tiresome march, the men began to complain about Cao Cao’s leadership. They bitterly complained of their great thirst. Bad feelings among the soldiers were growing fast and they were on the verge of staging a mutiny. The subordinate officers were helpless to cope with the situation.
Cao Cao, however, in the nick of time, cleverly and treacherously gave orders to his troops to march to the nearby plum trees for a rest and announced that soldiers would be allowed to eat as much of the sour, juicy fruit as they desired.
At the thought of the sour fruit the soldiers forgot about their thirst and complaints.
Based on the story, later generations formed the proverb to quench one's thirst by looking at plums, to describe situations where one takes comfort in believing that they have already attained that which was expected or desired.
