One spring, Guan Zhong and Xi Peng followed Huan Gong, King of the State of Qi, in an expedition against the State of Gu Zhu. The war didn't come to an end until winter. On their way back, they lost their way. Guan Zhong said:

　　有一年春天，管仲、曝朋跟隨齊桓公討伐孤竹國。戰(zhàn)爭持續(xù)到冬天才結(jié)束。返回時(shí)，他們迷路了。管仲說:

　　"Old horses are wise animals who know their way. Let them lead the way for us!"

　　“老馬是一種有智慧的動(dòng)物，能認(rèn)路，讓老馬來給我們帶路吧!”

　　Thereupon, they let several old horses lead in front and the army followed behind. Finally they found their way home.

　　When the army entered the hills, they ran out of water. Then Xi Peng said:

　　于是，他們就讓幾匹老馬走在前面，軍隊(duì)尾隨在后，終于踏上了歸途。

　　"In winter, the ants stay on the south side of a hill, and in summer, on the north side. There is sure to be water source under their nest."

　　軍隊(duì)走進(jìn)山里，水沒有了。這時(shí)限朋說:

　　Thereupon, the soldiers exerted strenuous efforts to dig the ground. Sure enough, they found water under the ants' nest.

　　“螞蟻冬天住在向陽坡，夏天住在背陰坡，螞蟻窩的下面一定有水源。”

　　Men of great learning like Guan Zhong and Xi Peng, when coming across difficulties, would also seek help from horses and ants of lower intelligence than human beings to find a way out.

　　于是，士兵們奮力挖土，果然在螞蟻窩的下面挖到了水。

　　像管仲、矚朋這樣學(xué)識(shí)淵博的人，在遇到困難時(shí)，也會(huì)求助于智慧不及人類的馬和螞蟻來解決問題。