How to translate the classical Chinese text "Looking at plum to quench thirst"?

During the Three Kingdoms period, when Cao Cao led troops to attack Zhang Xiu in Wancheng (now Nanyang, Henan), he passed a place called Meilinpu in Fangcheng County. It was noon, sunny and hot. Cao Cao sent people to look for water everywhere and ordered soldiers to dig wells on the spot, but there was never a drop of water.

The soldiers and the whole army are thirsty. In order not to delay the March, Cao Cao had a brainwave and stood on a high place, pointing to a hill in front and saying, ""

There is a large piece of merlin in front, bearing many plums. It is sweet and sour and can quench your thirst. "Hearing this, the soldiers mouth watering, not thirsty for a while. They all cheered up, sped up, and finally reached the place where there was water ahead.

Looking at plums to quench your thirst? king

Mayi

Man surnamed Zhang

kī

[Explanation] The original meaning is sour plums. People who want to eat plums will drool and quench their thirst. Metaphorically, after the wish can't be realized, comfort yourself with fantasy.

[Source] This idiom comes from Liu Yiqing's "False Talk about the World" in the Southern Song Dynasty: "Wei Wu went out to war and lost his way. All three armies were thirsty, so he ordered:"

There is a big merlin, Rao Zi, sweet and sour to quench your thirst. "

When the foot soldiers smell it, they can get the source with their mouths full of water. "