谈笑自若 — “To remain calm and composed”

During the Three Kingdoms period, Gan Ning, a famous general of Eastern Wu, was appointed Grand Administrator of Xiling and General of Fierce Might for his military achievements. After Cao Cao's defeat in the Battle of Red Cliffs, the allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei pursued him to Nanjun. Cao Ren, a Wei general stationed in Nanjun, with his well-rested troops, defeated the vanguard of the Wu army.

Grand Commander Zhou Yu was furious and prepared to engage Cao Ren in a decisive battle. Gan Ning stepped forward to dissuade him, arguing that Nanjun and Yiling were strategically interdependent, like horns on a head, and that Yiling should be taken first before attacking Nanjun. Zhou Yu accepted his advice and ordered him to lead troops to capture Yiling.

Gan Ning led his army directly to the foot of Yiling City, engaging in fierce combat with Cao Hong, the Wei general defending the city. Cao Hong was defeated and fled, and Gan Ning ordered his subordinates to quickly seize Yiling. At that time, his forces were very small, only a few hundred men; after entering the city, he immediately recruited more soldiers, but still had no more than a thousand.

That evening, Cao Ren, the Wei general stationed in Nanjun, dispatched Cao Chun and Niu Jin to join Cao Hong, forming a combined force of over five thousand men, completely surrounding Yiling City. Cao's army erected scaling ladders to attack the city, but they were repelled by Gan Ning's defenders. The next day, Cao's army piled up earth to construct high towers, from which they shot arrows into the city. Arrows fell like rain, killing and injuring many Wu soldiers.

The officers and men were all terrified, but only Gan Ning remained as usual, talking and smiling very naturally. He ordered his men to collect the tens of thousands of arrows shot by Cao's army, selected excellent archers, and had them return fire against the Wei army. Thanks to Gan Ning's calm and tenacious defense, Cao's army was unable to breach the city.