Sun Tzu's Art of War and the Thirty-Six Stratagems

After several days of bumpy travel, the carriages of Grand Master Shi Huang and Qin Hua were about to reach the capital of Chu. Qin Hua breathed a sigh of relief and said to Grand Master Shi Huang, "We're almost there."

Grand Master Shi looked around and asked Qin Hua, "Are Zhongli Chun's men still following us?"

Qin Hua calculated the time and said, "They have already left. Before they left, Zhong Lichun told me that they could hide in the deep mountains in five days. Once they were in the deep mountains, her people would no longer follow us."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Shi Huang Dafu suddenly drew his short sword and pressed it against Qin Hua's throat. The Chu entourage in the same carriage shouted to the caravan behind, "Stop the car!"

The convoy immediately stopped, and the Chu followers picked up their weapons, jumped off the carriages, and surrounded the fake Sun Bin and the Qi followers.

Qin Hua stared at Imperial Physician Shi in surprise and asked, "What...what are you doing?"

Grand Master Shi Huang sneered, "Do you think I'm a fool? You don't intend to pledge allegiance to me, but rather to keep an eye on me and prevent me from sending someone to inform the Chu army along the way to intercept Sun Bin."

Qin Hua retorted, "You're framing me... If I really wanted to keep an eye on you, I'd rather just kill you!"

The Imperial Physician laughed and said, "I don't care whether I'm wronged or not; I only care about how to report back to my sovereign."

He ordered his Chu followers to tie up Qin Hua and take him back to the Chu capital.

Qin Hua was bound hand and foot to a stone pillar in the courtyard, with two soldiers holding halberds standing beside him. He shouted, "King of Chu, your disrespect to the envoys of other countries will surely lead to an uprising by all the feudal lords of the land!"

The King of Chu approached and sneered, saying, "Envoys who come for friendship are treated with courtesy; those who come to deceive are treated with death. All the feudal lords in the world treat this way, and none of them will blame me for it."

"Your Majesty, I have not deceived you."

"What is releasing Sun Bin if not deception?"

"I didn't let Sun Bin go; he let himself go."

"Nonsense! How could he possibly let himself go?"

"Sun Bin has many brave men with him. If we don't let Sun Bin go, they will kill us. We can only watch helplessly as Sun Bin escapes."

"A scholar can be killed, but not humiliated. The King of Qi ordered you to hand over Sun Bin to me, but you, fearing death, allowed Sun Bin to escape. What is your punishment?"

"Your Majesty, if Sun Bin escapes, he will endanger both Your Majesty and my lord. Even if Qin Hua were to die, he would still spit blood on Sun Bin's face. However, his escape would only benefit Your Majesty, which is why Qin Hua allowed him to escape."

The King of Chu sneered, "That sounds nice, but what benefit would it bring me if Sun Bin escaped?"

Qin Hua replied, "If Sun Bin falls into Your Majesty's hands again, Pang Juan will demand him back. If Your Majesty refuses, Pang Juan will, as before, lead his army to coerce Your Majesty, and a great battle will be inevitable."

"I am not afraid of Pang Juan."

"Your Majesty is indeed not afraid of Pang Juan, but Your Majesty cannot ignore the Qin state. Qin is Your Majesty's formidable enemy. If Pang Juan invades Chu, Qin will surely take advantage of the situation and seize Your Majesty's territory. Sun Bin's escape has prevented Your Majesty from being attacked from two sides, which is an advantage."

"Hmm...go on."

"The generals of Qi have always harbored resentment towards Your Majesty for demanding Sun Bin. If Sun Bin leaves Chu safely, their resentment towards Your Majesty will subside. If Your Majesty encounters a powerful enemy and requests Qi's military assistance, the generals will do their utmost to help Your Majesty. This is the second benefit."

The King of Chu nodded slightly: "I have also thought of this."

Qin Hua continued, "The third advantage is that Your Majesty has obtained the treasures that Tian Ji has kept for many years. Tian Ji offered the treasures not willingly, but to prevent Your Majesty from harming Sun Bin. If Sun Bin hadn't left, Tian Ji would have used that as an excuse to demand the treasures; now that Sun Bin has escaped, Tian Ji will no longer mention these treasures. This fourth advantage..."

"Stop talking," the King of Chu interrupted him. "I ask you, what benefit do you get from always thinking of me?"

Qin Hua respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, I am acting in your best interests to facilitate an alliance between Qi and Chu. Qi's greatest threat is Wei. If Qi and Chu form an alliance, with Your Majesty's assistance, Wei will not dare to underestimate Qi. Your Majesty will also reward and appoint you to a high position for this."

The King of Chu greatly admired Qin Hua and ordered his soldiers to untie him, then hosted a banquet in his honor.

When Sun Bin and Zhong Lichun arrived in the state of Han, Shen Dafu warmly received them and offered them lodging in his residence. Shen Dafu intended to recommend Sun Bin to the King of Han, but Sun Bin disagreed. He said, "It doesn't matter if the King of Han doesn't value me, but if he does, it won't be long before the news reaches the state of Wei, and Pang Juan will use this to make things difficult for the state of Han."

Doctor Shen laughed and said, "Master Sun defeated Pang Juan several times in the State of Qi. With Master Sun here, Pang Juan is no threat."

"No," Sun Bin analyzed. "The state of Han is weaker than that of Qi, and it is also threatened by Qin in the west. If it becomes an enemy of Wei, it will be extremely disadvantageous for Han."

Dr. Shen asked, "Is Mr. Sun unwilling to help South Korea?"

Sun Bin sighed, "I am a homeless man, and I am truly grateful to Doctor Shen for taking me in. I will do my utmost to help. The reason I am not showing my face for the time being is for the sake of the state of Han. I can help Doctor Shen devise strategies behind the scenes to help Han gradually become stronger. When that time comes, it will not be too late for me to step forward."

Located between the states of Wei and Qin, the state of Han was constantly raided by Qin to expand its territory, gradually encroaching on Han's border cities. King Han feared that if this continued, he would have nowhere to stand, so he summoned his court officials to discuss how to deal with Qin. The officials generally believed that Han's soldiers were undeniably brave, and its generals were not disloyal; the reason for the repeated defeats against the Qin army was the incompetence of the general commanding the troops. King Han proposed appointing the crown prince as general, but the officials objected, saying that the prince was brave but lacked strategy and was too stubborn to be competent.

The more the physicians discussed the matter, the more pessimistic they became. King Han couldn't help but feel sad and lamented, "Alas, I am incompetent, and my physicians are incompetent too... We can't even deal with Qin. If Wei and Chu come to seize my territory, my country will cease to exist..."

Doctor Shen could no longer contain himself. He told the King of Han that Sun Bin had arrived in Han. The King of Han was overjoyed and said, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Sun Bin was worried that if word got out and Pang Juan found out, Pang Juan would make things difficult for the king.

"With Sun Bin here, what is Pang Juan compared to him! Go quickly and summon Sun Bin to the palace... no, invite Sun Bin to the palace immediately."

Doctor Shen wanted to recommend Sun Bin to the King of Han, but Zhong Lichun firmly opposed it. She questioned Doctor Shen, "Master Sun made a prior agreement with you; why are you breaking your promise?"

Doctor Shen sincerely said, "It's not that I'm untrustworthy, but the current situation in Korea is too difficult... Without a skilled general, our territory is constantly being eroded by Qin. If this continues, Korea will cease to exist. Therefore, I had no choice but to recommend Mr. Sun to my lord..."

Zhong Lichun said coldly, "Pang Juan will then know that Mr. Sun is in Han. If he asks the King of Han for him, the King of Han may not dare to offend Pang Juan because of Mr. Sun."

Doctor Shen said, "Miss Zhongli, my lord is neither the King of Qi nor the King of Chu. No matter who comes to demand our people, my lord will not yield to their tyranny, because my lord understands that as long as we hand over the army to Mr. Sun, no country will dare to underestimate Han."

Zhong Lichun then scoffed, "Anyone can talk the talk, but when danger strikes, it's a different story."

Doctor Shen solemnly declared, "Miss Zhongli, if danger comes, whoever dares to wrong Mr. Sun, I will kill him! If you don't believe me, I swear to God."

As he spoke, Doctor Shen drew his sword, knelt on the ground, and pointed the sword to the sky. Sun Bin, who had been silent all along, quickly stepped forward, helped Doctor Shen up, and agreed to go to the palace to pay his respects to King Han.

When Queen Han heard that King Han intended to hand over the army to Sun Bin, she said to him, "Sun Bin is from Qi. If he is disloyal to Your Majesty, wouldn't that be like raising a tiger to cause future trouble?"

The King of Han explained, "At present, apart from Sun Bin, no one can lead an army to resist the Qin state."

"I have heard that Sun Bin was not a general who commanded the army in the State of Qi, but a military advisor. Your Majesty could let the Crown Prince command the army and let Sun Bin be his military advisor."

"The Crown Prince is too young and arrogant. I fear he will not heed Sun Bin's advice and will ruin my important plans."

Queen Han suggested, "If the Crown Prince does not adopt Sun Bin's strategy, Sun Bin has the right to report to the King and let the King make a decision. In this way, we can utilize Sun Bin's strengths without letting him control the military. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

The King of Han agreed with the Queen's reasoning and gladly accepted her opinion.

The Korean training grounds were set up in a dry, wide river valley. Hundreds of Korean soldiers fought in pairs, one wielding a halberd and the other a shield, attacking and defending. The Korean Crown Prince and Sun Bin stood on the riverbank, watching the soldiers' drills.

The Crown Prince of Han said to Sun Bin with no small amount of pride, "Mr. Sun, how are my soldiers? How do they compare to the soldiers of Qi?"

"Each has its strengths," Sun Bin replied. "Although the soldiers of Qi are not as fierce as those of Han, they treat military orders as divine mandate, obeying them strictly and without fear of making the slightest mistake."

Crown Prince Han's face darkened, and he gestured to the training officer beside him: "Stop training."

The training officer shouted "Stop!" to the soldiers on the field several times. Some soldiers heard him and stopped; others did not hear him and continued to practice.

The crown prince angrily ordered the training officer, "Go! Anyone who disobeys will be given fifty lashes!"

"General, wait a moment," Sun Bin interrupted. "The reason those soldiers disobeyed orders just now was not intentional, but because they couldn't hear the commands. The Art of War says that in battle, soldiers cannot hear commands by language, so drums and gongs are used; soldiers cannot see commands by actions, so flags and banners are used. Drums and gongs are used more often in night battles, and flags and banners are used more often in day battles. If flags and banners had been used to direct the soldiers during their drill, they wouldn't have been confused by the commands."

The crown prince retorted, "This is a drill, not a battle. There's no need for such trouble."

"Peacetime drills are for the purpose of preparing for actual combat," Sun Bin said solemnly. "If the commands during drills are unclear, the army will not develop the habit of obeying orders. If the army does not follow orders and prohibitions are not enforced, even if the general has the best strategies, they will be difficult to implement."

The Crown Prince pondered for a moment, then chuckled and said, "I can adopt the strategist's suggestion; in future drills, we will use flags and drums. But this time, as the Grand General, once the order is given, I cannot retract it, otherwise it will be difficult to convince the troops." He continued to the training officer, "Go, punish those soldiers who disobey orders as I have instructed."

News of Sun Bin's appointment as military advisor in the state of Han quickly reached the state of Wei. Pang Cong said to Pang Juan, "Uncle, we should go to Han and ask the King of Han for Sun Bin. Otherwise, once Sun Bin has established himself in Han, it will be difficult to get him back."

Pang Juan already had a plan on how to obtain Sun Bin. He said to Pang Cong, "Go to Han immediately, not to demand the man, but to invite the King of Han to a meeting with my lord in Chengzhou to jointly deal with Qin. Qin has always been a threat to Han, and the King of Han will surely agree to the meeting. Chengzhou was once the place where the Zhou emperor commanded the feudal lords, and although it is now only in name, if the meeting is held in Chengzhou, the King of Han will have no reason to object."

Pang Cong asked, puzzled, "Uncle, what does the alliance have to do with Sun Bin?"

Pang Juan raised the corners of his lips and said, "If we hold the alliance in Chengzhou, the shortcut will take us through the territory of Han. I can take this opportunity to occupy Chenggao, a key location in Han. Chenggao is the northern barrier of Han, and Han will never give it up. I will then use Chenggao to exchange for Sun Bin."

The State of Wei requested passage from the State of Han. The officials of Han debated the matter, with most disagreeing. The King of Han addressed his officials, saying, "If I do not grant passage, the King of Wei will say that I lack sincerity in our alliance."

Sun Bin said to King Han, "Your Majesty, more than two hundred years ago, there were two states, one called Yu and the other Guo. The state of Jin wanted to annex these two states, so it sent fine jade and horses to the ruler of Yu, requesting passage to attack Guo. The ruler of Yu was deceived by Jin's sweet words and agreed to let Jin pass. Jin's army passed through Yu's territory, destroyed Guo, and on its return journey, it took Yu by surprise and occupied it... This time, Wei's request for passage is very likely to be a case of imitating Jin in the past."

"Military Advisor Sun is overthinking things," said Crown Prince Han. "The Wei army participating in the alliance is only five thousand strong. If they want to plot against Han, they are overestimating themselves."

Sun Bin solemnly said to the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, this is not an overreaction. Although Pang Juan's army will not plot against Han, they can target Chenggao, which is Han's northern bulwark. If Chenggao falls, the enemy can advance directly into the heart of Han. If that happens, Han will be in grave danger."

Upon hearing that Sun Bin vehemently opposed Wei's route through Han, Pang Cong took the precious jade to see the Crown Prince of Han. The Crown Prince picked up the jade and examined it against the light, then said to Pang Cong, who was sitting to his side, "Indeed, it is a rare and precious jade… Isn't this gift too extravagant?"

Pang Cong laughed and said, "That depends on how you look at it. If a piece of precious jade can prompt Han and Wei to form an alliance to jointly deal with Qin, then this gift is too light; if it is only for the purpose of getting to know the General, then this gift is too heavy."

"Do you think this gift is too small or too large?"

"Of course it's lighter."

"So, does that mean I should accept this precious jade?"

"certainly……"

Before Pang Cong could finish speaking, the Crown Prince threw the precious jade away with a thud. The jade struck a bronze object, making a crisp sound, and shattered into pieces.

Pang Cong was about to explode, but he held back and said coldly to the Crown Prince, "If the General doesn't want the jade, he can return it to me. Why waste such a precious item?"

The crown prince smiled and said, "I have already accepted it, so I can do with it however I want."

The strategist who accompanied Pang Cong said, "The general doesn't love treasures, he loves fame—a reputation for integrity…that's truly rare and precious!"

Upon hearing this, Pang Cong pretended to realize what was happening and said with a humble expression, "What the General has done is truly admirable. However, as the commander of the Han army, if the General only has a reputation for integrity but no merit, the entire Han army will only know about Sun Bin and not about the General."

The crown prince smiled and said, "You don't need to worry about it. I will achieve fame and success, and I will certainly be no less than Sun Bin."

"No, Sun Bin was most afraid of others surpassing him in achievements. For example, regarding the alliance meeting, the reason Sun Bin strongly opposed it was because the Grand General agreed to the alliance meeting. If the alliance meeting succeeded, Han would be free from the threat of Qin, and the credit would belong to the Grand General."

"Sun Bin's objection is not to the alliance, but to the passage he is allowed to take. He fears that your Wei state will use this opportunity to occupy Chenggao, our country's territory."

"If my lord truly desires Chenggao, there is no need for him to borrow a route. Simply by allying with Qin, he can obtain not only Chenggao, but the entire state of Han. My lord's alliance with Han is not for Han's cities, but to prevent Qin from encroaching upon the Central Plains. Wei and Han are the shield of the Central Plains; our alliance is not only for ourselves, but also for the other states of the Central Plains. If the alliance between Han and Wei succeeds, all the states of the Central Plains will thank the General."

The Crown Prince was overjoyed and agreed to Pang Cong's suggestion to persuade the King of Han to grant passage to the State of Wei.

The crown prince met with the King of Han and explained the many benefits of granting passage to Wei, but the King still refused. He said to the crown prince, "My son, you are still young and do not fully understand the affairs between states. Now, the feudal lords are fighting each other, disregarding morality, engaging in deceit and treachery, and the law of the jungle prevails. Many small states have perished one after another, leaving only seven major states: Han, Wei, Zhao, Qi, Chu, Yan, and Qin, along with a few small states barely surviving. Among the seven states, Han is considered weak. Now, both Qin and Wei are eyeing our territory. If we relax our vigilance, they will take advantage of our weakness. Therefore, I must be wary of Wei."

The crown prince asked, "If that's the case, why does the State of Wei still want to form an alliance with my father?"

King Han said, "Previously, Qi and Chu formed an alliance to jointly deal with Wei. If Wei wants to focus all its efforts on dealing with Qi and Chu, it must keep Qin in check. The best way to keep Qin in check is to form an alliance with me, so that Qin will not dare to act rashly. My purpose in forming an alliance with Wei is also to resist Qin. This is called mutual benefit. Therefore, if Wei is truly sincere in forming an alliance, even if we do not grant them passage, they will not change their minds."

Although the King of Han disagreed with granting passage to Wei, the King of Wei still agreed to hold a meeting with the King of Han at the ancestral temple in Chengzhou. The King of Han was very pleased, believing that Wei was genuinely allied with Han, and thus, accompanied by his crown prince, arrived in Chengzhou as scheduled.

On the day of the alliance meeting, the ancestral temple of Chengzhou was solemnly decorated. The assistants placed the three sacrificial animals—ox, sheep, and pig—on the altar in front of the main hall, and the musicians played harmonious music. The King of Han and the King of Wei, dressed in sacrificial robes, along with the officials of the two countries who accompanied them, knelt solemnly on the altar.

King Hui of Wei raised the jade tablet with red characters on it high and said loudly, "Wei and Han are brotherly states, sharing the same ancestor, living together in the Central Plains, as close as lips and teeth, as connected by blood and flesh..." At this moment, King Hui of Wei suddenly swayed, his face showing pain, and he gasped for breath.

The King of Han glanced at the King of Wei beside him and asked in a low voice, "King of Wei, what's wrong?"

King Wei endured the pain with all his might, and after a moment said, "It's nothing..." He continued loudly, "The Qin state is like a tiger and wolf, invading my brothers and eyeing the Central Plains. As brotherly states, we should form an alliance to jointly defend against the enemy and share weal and woe. I am willing to form an alliance with Han."

The King of Han raised his jade tablet and proclaimed, "Han and Wei are fraternal states, inseparable as brothers, sharing both interests and dangers. One prospers, all prosper; one suffers, all suffer. Qin is tyrannical and desires to seize the Central Plains. To resist Qin and protect the Central Plains, fraternal states should form an alliance. I wish to form an alliance with Wei."

The assistant priests, dressed in black sacrificial robes, came over, took the jade tablets from their hands, and placed them on the altar.

The King of Han and the King of Wei performed a grand sacrificial ceremony before the altar. The King of Wei appeared to be struggling greatly during the ceremony.

After the ceremony, King Hui of Wei tried to stand up, but his body swayed again, and King Han quickly stepped forward to support him.

The King of Wei said in a low voice, "It's alright, I can manage..."

The two walked down the altar side by side. King Hui of Wei suddenly felt dizzy and almost fell. Pang Juan quickly stepped forward to support him, calling out anxiously, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

King Hui of Wei opened his eyes and said weakly, "The ancestral temple of the Son of Heaven must not be disturbed. Help me back..."

Pang Juan helped King Hui of Wei out of the ancestral temple courtyard.

The King of Han visited the ailing King Hui of Wei at his residence in Chengzhou. Pang Juan hurriedly entered and presented him with an urgent letter from his homeland. The letter stated that the states of Qi and Chu had stationed troops on the border, intending to invade Wei. The Crown Prince urged King Hui of Wei and Pang Juan to return to the capital, Daliang, immediately.

King Hui of Wei planned to depart for his country the next day, but Pang Juan disagreed. He said, "The journey is long and arduous. Your Majesty is unwell. If something were to happen to you on the way, how could I explain it to the people of the country?"

King Hui of Wei insisted on leaving, but his body was indeed unable to continue. He sighed, "I am no longer fit to serve... If I delay the affairs of state because of me, I will be ashamed before my ancestors."

The King of Han, who had remained silent until now, thought to himself that since Wei and Han were now allies, he could not turn a blind eye to Wei's predicament. He said to King Hui of Wei, "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. Rest for two days. I will grant you passage through Han's territory and take the shortcut back to Daliang."

King Hui of Wei looked troubled and said, "How can this be? I heard from Marshal Pang that the doctors of Han had some objections when we came here because of the matter of borrowing a road... I think it's better not to lend it to them."

The King of Han said, "Now that Wei and Han have formed an alliance, we are like brothers, and brothers should not be strangers."

Pang Juan said to King Han, "Your Majesty, I don't mean to be a stranger, but I'm afraid that after Your Majesty returns to the country, it will be difficult to explain to the ministers."

The King of Han was somewhat displeased and said, "I am the ruler of a country, and I do not need to explain my decisions to anyone." He turned to the King of Wei and declared, "King Wei, when our allies are in danger, Han will never stand idly by. Not to mention lending passage, even lending troops, I will not utter a word of refusal."

The Grand Master Sima, who accompanied King Han to the alliance meeting, firmly opposed granting passage to the State of Wei. He said to King Han, "The State of Wei asked for passage when they came, and they want passage again when they return. There must be a conspiracy involved."

The Korean crown prince, who had come with them, said, "Even if Wei has a conspiracy, we are not afraid. They only have five thousand men, and I will lead ten thousand men to follow closely behind. If they dare to make any rash moves, I will make sure they never return home!"

Sima Dafu said, "Pang Juan is skilled in military strategy. Five thousand men in his hands are like thirty thousand. If he were to do anything rebellious, the Crown Prince's ten thousand men would be no match for him."

The Crown Prince was displeased and accused Sima Dafu of encouraging others while diminishing his own prestige. The two argued endlessly.

King Han said, "Stop arguing. My words have already been spoken and cannot be taken back. Let's do as the Crown Prince wishes."

Before the Crown Prince's army set off, King Han instructed the Crown Prince, "What Minister Sima said is not without reason; you must be very careful."

The Crown Prince of Han led his army closely behind Pang Juan, remaining extremely vigilant and not daring to slacken his guard in the slightest. After the army passed Chenggao, they still saw no signs of Pang Juan's malicious intent, and the Crown Prince of Han breathed a sigh of relief.

That night, the Wei soldiers lit a bonfire in the open space between their tents. Pang Juan and his soldiers drank, sang, and danced around the fire, reveling in their joy. Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince of Han completely relaxed his guard and allowed his soldiers to drink, sing, and enjoy themselves as well.

The next morning, the Koreans discovered that Pang Juan's army had abandoned their baggage and disappeared. The Korean crown prince was puzzled when the general defending Chenggao, covered in blood, suddenly burst into the prince's tent, crying and telling him that the Wei army had successfully launched a surprise attack on Chenggao.

The crown prince was stunned. Only then did he realize that King Hui of Wei's fainting at the altar was most likely a ruse, intended to take the route through Han and seize Chenggao.

Note: "Borrowing a Path to Conquer Guo" is the twenty-fourth of the Thirty-Six Stratagems. This stratagem uses the pretext of borrowing a path from the enemy to achieve the goal of eliminating them or seizing their strategic locations. Pang Juan used this stratagem to occupy Chenggao in the state of Han, intending to use it to coerce Han into handing over Sun Bin. To find out if Pang Juan's conspiracy will succeed, please read the next chapter: "Feinting to the East While Attacking in the West."