从前，楚灵王喜欢他的臣子们有纤细的腰身，谁腰细就让谁升官发财，不论他有没有才华。满朝文武看着那些腰细的人升官发财直眼红，可低头一看自己的腰就叹气：“唉，怎么我的腰就这么粗呢？唉……”
In the past, King Ling of Chu liked his courtiers to have slender waists, and whoever had a slender waist would be promoted and wealthy, regardless of their talent. Man Chaowen and Wu looked at those slim waisted people getting promoted and rich with envy, but when he lowered his head and looked at his own waist, he sighed:; Oh, why is my waist so thick? Alas… … ”
一天，一位名叫马二的大臣想了一个办法，他先屏住气，然后勒上腰带。上朝时，一名武将问马二：“马二，你怎么瘦了？”马二一时心血来潮，便得意洋洋地教那名武将“瘦腰大法”。一传十，十传百，大家都勒住了腰。马二一看：“坏了，还有比我腰细的人！如果我每天只吃一顿饭，准能瘦下来！”于是他开始减肥，谁知有人跟踪，马二的方法又被大臣们使用了……
One day, a minister named Ma Er came up with a solution. He held his breath and then put on his belt. During the court session, a military general asked Ma Er:; Ma Er, why have you lost weight? ” At a sudden impulse, Ma 21 proudly taught the military general; The slimming waist technique;. From one transmission to ten, from ten to a hundred, everyone tightened their belts. Ma Er looked at it and said:; It's broken, there's someone thinner than my waist! If I only eat one meal a day, I can definitely lose weight! ” So he began to lose weight, but to his surprise, someone was following him and Ma Er's method was used by the ministers again; …
一开始，大家都很好，可不久，许多大臣们走路有点踉跄，两个星期后，他们跪在地上爬不起来了，行个礼两条腿直发抖。
At first, everyone was doing well, but soon many ministers stumbled while walking. Two weeks later, they knelt on the ground and couldn't get up. They bowed and their legs trembled.
一个月以后，楚王上朝，大臣们向他行礼，只听见好几声摔倒的“扑通”声和“哎哟”的哀叫声，楚王很奇怪，他问：“你们怎么了，病了吗？外面最近有什么传染病吗？”马二趴在地上呻吟着回答：“么……么……”他饿得连说话也说不了了。
A month later, when the King of Chu went to court, his ministers bowed to him and only heard a few falls; Puff” Voice and“ Oh my; The mournful cries of the King of Chu were very strange, and he asked:; What's wrong with you guys? Are you sick? Is there any infectious disease outside recently? ” Ma Er lay on the ground, groaning and answering, '; What… … What… … ” He was so hungry that he couldn't even speak.
下朝后，马二的夫人和孩子来接他，架着他的胳膊扶他回家。一到家门口，一股浓浓的肉香从屋里飘了出来，马二鼻子使劲地抽着闻香味，好像在大口地吃那些肉。马夫人劝马二吃点肉，马二无奈地摇摇头，说：“胖……胖……，吃肉……胖……”马夫人只好给他盛了一些清汤和几片菜叶。马二狼吞虎咽地吃了下去，马夫人看了心里一阵难过。
After the court session, Ma Er's wife and child came to pick him up and supported him home with their arms. As soon as he arrived at the doorstep, a strong aroma of meat wafted out of the room, and Ma Er sniffed vigorously, as if he was taking big bites of the meat. Madam Ma advised Ma Er to eat some meat, but Ma Er shook his head helplessly and said; Fat… … Fat… … Eating meat… … Fat… … ” Mrs. Ma had to serve him some clear soup and a few vegetable leaves. Ma Er wolfed down the food, and Mrs. Ma felt a wave of sadness in her heart.
半年后，满朝文武上朝不是被妻子儿女扶起来的，就是一路爬来的。有些甚至趴在带轮子的木板上被妻子儿女拉过来的。每次上朝，楚灵王就再也没和大臣们谈过国家大事，一上朝就听见大臣们的肚子发出的咕咕声交响乐，听得人十分烦躁。减肥之后的大臣们在朝堂上东倒西歪，武将们上战场连兵器也拿不动。
Half a year later, the civil and military officials of the Manchu dynasty were either helped up by their wives and children or crawled all the way. Some even lay on wooden boards with wheels and were pulled over by their wives and children. Every time he went to court, King Ling of Chu never talked about national affairs with his ministers again. As soon as he went to court, he heard the gurgling symphony of the ministers' stomachs, which made people very annoyed. After losing weight, the ministers swayed around in the court, and the generals couldn't even carry weapons on the battlefield.
一年之后，许多大臣们都动不了了，之前扶墙能站起来的大臣们现在连胳膊也举不起来了，马二下定决心要坚持瘦腰，结果饿死了。
A year later, many ministers couldn't move anymore. The ministers who used to be able to stand on the wall couldn't even lift their arms anymore. Ma Er made up his mind to stick to slimming down his waist, but ended up starving to death.
现在，满朝大臣死的死，病的病，那些勉强还能上朝的大臣们脸色全部都是黑黄黑黄的了。难怪史书上记载“楚王好细腰，宫中多饿死”啊！
Now, the ministers of the Manchu dynasty have died, fallen ill, and those who barely managed to attend court have all turned black and yellow on their faces. No wonder it is recorded in historical books; The King of Chu has a slender waist, and many people in the palace starve to death; Ah。