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

Upon hearing of the fall of Chenggao, the Crown Prince of Han angrily denounced Pang Juan for breaking his promise. Ignoring the advice of his generals, he vowed to retake Chenggao. Chenggao had been lost under his command; if he couldn't recapture it immediately, where would his reputation as Crown Prince be? Therefore, the Crown Prince led his 10,000 troops to attack Chenggao, only to be severely defeated by Pang Juan's army at the city walls and forced to retreat. Pang Cong requested permission to pursue the fleeing Crown Prince and capture him alive, but Pang Juan declared that he wanted not the Crown Prince, but Sun Bin.

The 100,000 Wei troops who had been stationed on the border between Han and Wei were stationed around Chenggao according to Pang Juan's plan. Pang Juan ordered Pang Cong to go to the Han capital to ask the King of Han for people.

Pang Cong arrived in the capital of the State of Han and said to the King of Han, "As long as Your Majesty agrees to our Marshal's conditions, the Marshal will immediately return Chenggao."

The King of Han asked, "What are the conditions?"

Pang Cong said, "It's very simple, just hand Sun Bin over to the State of Wei."

King Han was furious about Pang Juan's scheme to seize Chenggao, and he refused Pang Cong, saying, "No, I cannot agree to this condition."

"Your Majesty, please do not say no yet. Wait for your minister to finish explaining his reasons before making a decision."

"No matter what your reasons are, I will not agree," King Han said impatiently.

Pang Cong calmly replied, "Your Majesty's purpose in keeping Sun Bin is simply to deal with the Qin state."

"And then there's the State of Wei," King Han said coldly.

Pang Cong remained unperturbed and continued, "Has Your Majesty considered whether Sun Bin alone can contend with the two powerful states of Qin and Wei?"

"This... is possible. He understands 'The Art of War' and can win every battle." King Han was somewhat unsure of himself.

"Your Majesty, those are all legends and should not be believed."

"You may not believe it, but I do."

"Even if Sun Bin were capable, could South Korea's national strength and military power afford to sustain such a conflict?"

The King of Han did not answer.

Pang Cong then said, "If Your Majesty hands over Sun Bin, our marshal will not only return Chenggao, but will also help Han resist Qin."

King Han said in a deep voice, "Pang Juan is a man of no integrity. He claimed to be borrowing a passage, but instead seized my Chenggao. I cannot believe his words."

"Your Majesty, Marshal Pang's temporary deployment to Chenggao is for the sake of Sun Bin. Sun Bin is a wanted criminal of Wei. If we cannot capture Sun Bin, the Marshal will not be able to explain to you."

"That's your problem. Even if you come up with a thousand reasons, I will not hand over Sun Bin. Please leave."

Pang Cong's expression changed, and he threatened, "Your Majesty, when I came here, Marshal Pang instructed me to tell Your Majesty that the Wei army is gathering at Chenggao. If Your Majesty does not hand over Sun Bin, the Marshal will lead the army south until Your Majesty agrees to hand over Sun Bin."

The King of Han sneered, "I am not afraid of your threats!"

Pang Cong said with a smile, "I know Your Majesty is not afraid, but if Qin takes advantage of the situation, it will be very disadvantageous for Your Majesty."

The King of Han had a gloomy expression.

Pang Cong glanced at King Han and said, "Your Majesty, please think twice before you act."

The King of Han summoned his senior ministers to discuss exchanging Sun Bin for Cheng Gao. Two factions emerged in the court, one led by the Left Grand Master and the other by the Grand Master of the Army.

The Left Grand Master said, "Sun Bin defeated Pang Juan several times when he was in Qi. If Sun Bin leads his army to defeat Pang Juan again, not only can Chenggao be recaptured, but it will also deter Qin from taking any rash actions against Han. Therefore, it is in Your Majesty's interest not to hand over Sun Bin."

The Grand Master Sima said, "Although Sun Bin has defeated Pang Juan several times in Qi, he may not be able to win in Han now. First, Han's military strength is not as great as Qi's; second, Chenggao is well-fortified, and Pang Juan is holding firm, making the outcome difficult to predict. If Sun Bin is defeated by Pang Juan, Pang Juan could invade the south and penetrate deep into Han's territory. If Your Majesty then seeks peace with Pang Juan, you will inevitably have to cede more cities. Your Majesty would be better off handing over Sun Bin. This way, not only can Chenggao be returned to Your Majesty's hands, but you can also make peace with Pang Juan and use his strength to deal with Qin."

The Left Grand Master countered, "Pang Juan is fickle and untrustworthy. Even if Sun Bin is handed over, he will not sincerely help Your Majesty. The Cheng Zhou Alliance is a case in point."

Sima Dafu countered sharply: "At the Chengzhou Alliance, Pang Juan's intention was to seize Chenggao and exchange it for Sun Bin. Once he obtains Sun Bin, he will sincerely help Your Majesty, and he needs to join forces with Han to deal with Qin."

The two argued incessantly. King Han was a man who hesitated to consider all possibilities, and he thought that what Sima Dafu said made more sense, so he planned to hand Sun Bin over to the State of Wei.

When Shen Dafu heard that King Han wanted to hand over Sun Bin, he was extremely anxious. He said to King Han, "Your Majesty, you must not hand over Sun Bin. If Sun Bin is alive, even if Chenggao is lost, we can eventually take it back; if Sun Bin is not alive, even if we gain Chenggao, we will lose it again."

King Han slowly said, "Minister Shen, I understand the reasoning you have given. However, Pang Juan's army has gathered at Chenggao and is poised to invade the south. If Sun Bin cannot defeat Pang Juan, Han will be in imminent danger. For the sake of Han, I have no choice but to act cautiously."

"Your Majesty, I can guarantee with my life that Sun Bin will definitely be able to recapture Chenggao."

"Dr. Shen, even if you guarantee it with the lives of your entire family, I dare not take the risk."

Zhong Lichun was furious at the King of Han's actions, cursing, "From the King of Qi to the King of Han, each one is more short-sighted and untrustworthy than the last... They all deserve to die!"

"Miss Zhongli, let it go," Sun Bin said. "There's no use complaining now..."

Dr. Shen remained silent with his head down. Suddenly, he silently stood up, picked up the sword hanging on the wall, and said with a grave expression, "Mr. Sun, may I borrow your sword for a moment..."

"Dr. Shen, what are you trying to do?" Sun Bin was taken aback.

Doctor Shen calmly said to Sun Bin, "Mr. Sun, I have sworn that if danger comes, I will kill anyone who wrongs you." With that, he turned to leave.

"Doctor Shen, calm down!" Sun Bin stopped him, saying, "If you kill the King of Han, not only will your whole family perish, but the State of Han will also fall into chaos, giving Pang Juan an even greater opportunity to take advantage of the situation."

"Besides," Zhong Lichun interjected, "even with your abilities, you couldn't kill him..."

Doctor Shen looked up to the sky and sighed, saying, "If I cannot kill the King of Han, I will be breaking my promise. If I cannot keep my promise, what face will I have to live in this world?!"

After saying this, Doctor Shen attempted to commit suicide to express his gratitude, but Zhong Lichun reacted quickly and knocked the sword out of Doctor Shen's hand with a single palm strike.

"If I don't die today, I'll die sooner or later, unless Your Majesty changes your mind!" Doctor Shen said in grief and indignation.

The Crown Prince of Han was a man who valued his reputation more than his life. When he heard that the King of Han wanted to hand over Sun Bin in exchange for Chenggao, he personally drove his carriage from the military camp outside the city back to the capital to plead with the King to spare Sun Bin. He said to the King with shame, "The fall of Chenggao was my fault, and I cannot let Sun Bin suffer the consequences in my place."

"Sun Bin didn't take the blame for you; Pang Juan seized Chenggao precisely to obtain Sun Bin," said King Han.

"I don't care what Pang Juan thinks. If Father hands over Sun Bin, the world will laugh at my incompetence. That's why I used Sun Bin to replace Gao."

"This is my decision, and the world will not blame you."

"Your subject is your father's son. People will say that your father handed over Sun Bin to cover up your subject's incompetence."

"Whoever says that, I will punish them. Is that acceptable?"

"If everyone says so, how will Father punish us?"

Unable to answer, the King of Han asked in return, "Then, what do you suggest we do?"

"Please allow me to lead troops to retake Chenggao," the Crown Prince volunteered.

"You are no match for Pang Juan."

"Your Majesty, I do not wish to argue with you. The facts will prove me right. Please give me this opportunity."

"Things that have already been discussed by the court officials cannot be changed casually."

"My father is the ruler of the country. If he is willing to change his mind, the officials in the court can only obey."

The King of Han hardened his face and said in a stern voice, "State affairs cannot be handled with emotion. You may return!"

"So, Father is determined not to change his mind?" The Crown Prince's expression changed slightly.

"I will not change it," King Han replied firmly.

The crown prince drew his sword and said to King Han, "If Father does not agree, I will cut off my left index finger."

The King of Han was furious and said, "How dare you threaten me?!"

"It's not a threat, it's an expression of my confidence in defeating Pang Juan."

"No matter how confident you are, I will not agree..."

Before the King of Han could finish speaking, the Crown Prince raised his sword and slashed down, his left index finger flying off, blood immediately flowing from the severed finger.

Queen Han, who was hiding in the inner chamber, could no longer bear it. She rushed in, threw herself at the Crown Prince, and cried, "My son, how could you do this?!"

The crown prince pushed the queen aside and turned to King Han, saying, "Father, if you still do not agree, I will cut off my middle finger; if you still do not agree, I will cut off my left arm."

The queen desperately grabbed the prince's sword-wielding hand and pleaded with King Han, "Your Majesty, please grant my request..."

The King of Han shouted sternly, "What do women know? If Han is defeated, the country will perish!"

The Crown Prince calmly replied, "If Father does not agree, I will not live."

"Your Majesty, please give the Crown Prince a chance," the Queen said, wiping away her tears. "If we cannot retake Chenggao, it will not be too late to hand over Sun Bin."

The King of Han shook his head and said, "By then it will be too late."

The Crown Prince replied, "It's not too late. Father, you can shift the blame onto me. I will take Sun Bin with me to see Pang Juan."

The King of Han remained silent.

The queen continued to plead, "Your Majesty, please give our son a chance. If our son achieves great things, no one will be able to take away the future of Han."

The prince nodded and said, "Father, please give me this chance. I will never let you down."

Faced with his beloved wife's tearful eyes and his son's blood-soaked hands, the King of Han sighed helplessly and said, "Very well, I'll take this gamble, I'll gamble with my kingdom..."

King Han urgently summoned Sun Bin and Minister Shen. He said to Sun Bin, who was sitting to one side, with an air of seriousness, "Master Sun, I did not actually intend to hand you over to Pang Juan. The reason I agreed to Pang Juan's request in court today was to see how the ministers would react to this matter. I did not expect that they were all opportunists. Only the Crown Prince and Minister Shen are truly thinking of my best interests."

The Crown Prince Han stood to the side with a smug look on his face.

"Furthermore," King Han continued, "this is also a plan of mine to mislead Pang Juan and make him completely unguarded against me." As he spoke, King Han looked at Sun Bin and Minister Shen, "I wonder if you, Master Sun and Minister Shen, can understand my good intentions?"

Sun Bin remained silent. Minister Shen pondered for a moment, then said with a hint of self-deprecation, "Your Majesty is truly farsighted. I, your humble servant, was short-sighted and failed to grasp Your Majesty's good intentions before. Now, after hearing Your Majesty's explanation, I understand completely. If I still cannot understand Your Majesty's good intentions, wouldn't I be worse than a pig or a dog?"

King Han glanced at the unmoved Sun Bin and said, "Master Sun, Minister Shen, I am determined to retake Chenggao. Master Sun will remain my military advisor, and Minister Shen will be my deputy general, advancing on Chenggao alongside the Crown Prince." Seeing that Sun Bin still showed no reaction, King Han asked, "Master Sun, are you still angry with me?"

Sun Bin said, "No."

The King of Han then asked, "Then why have you remained silent regarding the advance on Chenggao?"

"Your Majesty, I am confident that I can retake Chenggao, but I lack the necessary conditions..."

"Whatever the conditions, as long as it's within my power, I will grant them."

Sun Bin replied, "When I was in the State of Qi, the King of Qi promised that all military operations must be approved by the military advisor before they can be carried out. If the military advisor does not agree, the general has no right to act. This is exactly the condition I want."

King Han agreed, but the crown prince was unwilling. King Han put on a stern face and said to the crown prince, "I have made my decision and it cannot be changed." He turned his gaze to Sun Bin, waiting for Sun Bin to express his opinion.

Sun Bin nodded and said he had another request: "Please send an envoy to the State of Qin and agree to cede two cities to Qin in exchange for a temporary truce."

"No," King Han refused. "Qin is a land of tigers and wolves, greedy and insatiable. If they get two cities today, they will want three or four tomorrow, or even the whole of Han."

"Your Majesty, the State of Han is now besieged on two fronts. If we do not stabilize the State of Qin, we cannot focus our efforts on dealing with the State of Wei. The State of Wei is a powerful state. If we do not exert all our strength, how can we possibly win?"

"But... how can I let Qin so easily seize my territory..."

"What we lose today is for what we can take back tomorrow. By defeating Wei, Han will become a force to be reckoned with in the Central Plains, and all the other states will respect Your Majesty. At that time, when we ask Qin to return the border city, Qin will not dare to refuse. Your Majesty, not only can I reclaim Chenggao, but I will also make the whole world respect Your Majesty."

After listening to Sun Bin's words, the King of Han seemed to see a future where all the feudal lords would fear him. Although the King of Han ruled a small country, he also harbored ambitions to dominate the world. Therefore, the King of Han agreed to Sun Bin's offer to exchange territory for a temporary truce from the Qin state.

Sun Bin mobilized his troops, preparing for war with the State of Wei. The Crown Prince of Han said to Sun Bin, "Do you know why the King ultimately changed his mind and spared your life?"

Sun Bin shook his head.

The crown prince extended his injured left hand and said, "It is because I remonstrated with my life that I lost the index finger of my left hand."

"I will never forget the kindness of the Great General," Sun Bin said, bowing with his hands clasped in gratitude.

"No need," the Crown Prince waved his hand, "Then please give me this opportunity, strategist, to command the attack on Chenggao."

"The attack on Chenggao was originally commanded by the Grand General; I was merely responsible for making the decisions."

"What I mean is that I should also be the one to make the decisions."

"What the king has decided cannot be changed."

The crown prince's face darkened, and he said, "You don't trust me!"

"It's not that I don't trust the general. I've fought Pang Juan many times and know him inside and out. As Sun Tzu's Art of War says: 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.'"

Doctor Shen stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "General, regardless of who made the decision, the greatest credit for defeating Pang Juan belongs to you, General, because you are the commander of the army."

Sun Bin nodded and said, "Doctor Shen is right. The commander of the Korean army is the Grand General. The victory of the Korean army is the victory of the Grand General."

The Crown Prince was much happier and said to Sun Bin, "Strategist, you can make the decisions, but once the battle plan is finalized, I will announce it to the generals."

Sun Bin agreed.

The crown prince asked him how to attack Chenggao. Sun Bin took the military map, pointed to the markings on it, and said, "Minister Shen will lead 30,000 troops toward Chenggao, making a show of force along the way. If Pang Juan advances south, we must not engage him in battle, but immediately retreat and defend the capital. General, you and I will lead 50,000 troops across the border and head straight for Zhongmu in Wei. Zhongmu is the shield of Wei's capital, Daliang. If we take Zhongmu, Daliang will fall in no time. We will exchange Zhongmu for Chenggao. If Pang Juan refuses, the King of Wei will have to exchange him."

"Excellent! This feint attack tactic is brilliant!" The prince clapped his hands in admiration.

Shen Dafu led 30,000 Han troops toward Chenggao. Pang Juan, suspecting Sun Bin was bluffing, remained stationary at Chenggao. Sun Bin and the Crown Prince's 50,000 troops crossed the Han-Wei border. Pang Juan immediately deduced Sun Bin's intention: to attack Zhongmu, then threaten the capital Daliang, staging another "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao" strategy, or exchanging Zhongmu for Chenggao. Pang Juan smiled disdainfully and immediately ordered the Wei army to march on the Han capital. He said to Pang Cong, "Pang Cong, let's also stage a 'besieging Han to rescue Wei' strategy."

Zhong Lichun, who was sent to Chenggao to gather information, rode a fast horse to the Han army camp outside Zhongmu City and said to Sun Bin, "As you predicted, Pang Juan's army has left Chenggao and is heading straight for the capital of Han."

The crown prince was displeased and said, "Strategist, since you had already foreseen Pang Juan's attack on our capital, why didn't you tell me?"

Sun Bin replied, "What is expected may or may not happen. If it does not happen, it is better to say it."

The crown prince asked with a grim face, "What do we do now?"

"The troops split into two groups: one group immediately returned to the country to relieve the siege of the capital; the other group traveled by day and night, heading straight for Chenggao."

The crown prince then asked, "So, you're saying we won't attack Zhongmu?"

Sun Bin said, "General, to be honest, I never intended to attack Zhongmu in the first place."

The crown prince was even more displeased and said coldly, "If you didn't intend to attack Zhongmu, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Sun Bin said, "General, you are young and impetuous and not good at disguising yourself. I am afraid that if you know the truth, you will not be able to urge your subordinates to act swiftly as usual, and Pang Juan's spies will see through your disguise."

The crown prince felt that Sun Bin was underestimating him and said defiantly, "I am the commander of the army, and I have the final say in mobilizing the troops! I will continue to attack Zhongmu, and I will return to the country after I have conquered Zhongmu."

Sun Bin grew anxious and said, "General, the safety of the nation and the army rests on the shoulders of the two of us. We must not act out of spite!"

"I'm just being stubborn, what can you do about it?"

"Although I can't do anything to you, Pang Juan will destroy the state of Han because of your spite!"

"It's not that serious."

"General, Sun Tzu once said, 'The best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans; the next best is to besiege cities.' He listed besieging cities as the worst strategy because it takes a long time and consumes a great deal of manpower and resources. If we penetrate deep into Wei territory and fail to capture Zhongmou after a prolonged siege, we will be defeated by the enemy. If the Crown Prince's army is defeated, how can Han not perish?"

"What about Chenggao? If we can't take Zhongmu, how can we get Chenggao back?"

"The purpose of advancing into Zhongmu is to lure Pang Juan out of Chenggao and then seize it."

"Doesn't capturing Chenggao also require besieging the city?"

"Although both are sieges, they are very different. General, your army has penetrated deep into Wei territory, and the Wei army in Zhongmu cannot be unprepared. Chenggao is different. We will send an elite army, lightly equipped, to attack them by surprise. In addition, the Wei army defending the city is not numerous, so we will be able to take it quickly."

The crown prince was finally persuaded by Sun Bin, and he agreed to lead the army back to the country. He said to Sun Bin, "Strategist, I will definitely teach Pang Juan a lesson."

Sun Bin said, "Your Highness, you must not rush into battle with Pang Juan on the return journey."

The crown prince, puzzled, asked, "What would I do if I returned to my country if there was no war?"

"Restrict Pang Juan and prevent him from launching a full-scale attack on the capital. Once the general's army returns to Han, immediately choose a defensible location to set up camp, forming a pincer movement with Shen Dafu, and await Pang Juan's arrival."

"What if Pang Juan's army doesn't come?"

"If he doesn't come, send a small force to harass him."

"What if he returns to Chenggao with his troops?"

"You can then follow behind and continue your harassment."

The crown prince, wanting to provoke Sun Bin, said leisurely, "What if I don't do as you say?"

Sun Bin's expression changed drastically, and he said, "Warfare is like a game of chess; one wrong move and the whole game is lost! Your Highness must not treat this lightly."

Following Sun Bin's plan, the Crown Prince led the Han army to withdraw from Zhongmu and return to Han to rescue the capital. Pang Juan believed that Sun Bin had fallen for a trap, so he ordered a halt to the attack on the Han capital, leaving a portion of his army to monitor the Han troops in the capital, while leading the majority of his army to surround and annihilate the Han army on their return journey.

Sun Bin led 5,000 Han soldiers, traveling by day and night, secretly arriving outside Chenggao City. Zhong Lichun, with dozens of elite soldiers, stealthily made their way to the east gate of the city under the cover of darkness. Zhong Lichun took the lead, scaling the city wall with ropes. Before the Wei soldiers guarding the east gate could even figure out who the enemy was, they were killed by his sword.

As dawn broke, Sun Bin's army successfully captured Chenggao.

Note: "Feinting to the East while Attacking in the West" is the sixth of the Thirty-Six Stratagems. Its meaning is to use deception to mislead the enemy, making them unable to discern our true intentions and thus leaving them defenseless, allowing us to easily secure victory in our attack. Sun Bin's "feinting to the east while attacking in the west" allowed him to recapture Chenggao. Pang Juan would not take this lightly. To find out how Sun Bin and Pang Juan would clash again, please read the next chapter: "The Empty City Stratagem."