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

Upon returning to Linzi, Gongsun Yue heard that King Xuan of Qi had newly appointed an ugly woman of humble origins as queen. This queen had even forcefully ordered the execution of the beautiful queen, which Gongsun Yue suspected was suspicious. Regardless of how this woman entered the palace, observing her actions, it was clear that she couldn't have uttered such cryptic phrases, much less risen from servant to queen, without a shrewd advisor behind her. Gongsun Yue vaguely felt that Sun Bin was involved, and he even suspected that this mysterious queen was Zhongli Chun. To investigate, he once sneaked into the palace to observe, but was discovered by Zhongli Chun.

Zhong Lichun dared not delay and quietly left the palace to report to Sun Bin and others at Tian Ji's residence. Qin Hua deduced that Gongsun Yue would launch an attack the next day, accusing Sun Bin and Zhong Lichun of deceiving the king. Faced with this sudden turn of events, everyone was at a loss. Sun Bin instructed Zhong Lichun to return to the palace first, explain the truth to the King of Qi, appease him, and then devise a countermeasure.

Zhong Lichun returned to the palace and bowed gracefully to King Qi Xuan, saying, "Your Majesty, I have done something wrong. Please forgive me."

"What is it?" King Xuan of Qi asked curiously.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me first, and then I will speak."

"Very well, I forgive you. Speak."

"Your Majesty, my name is not Wu Yan Nu, but Zhong Li Chun. I have committed the crime of deceiving you..."

"It's just a name, what's the big deal about deceiving the king..." King Xuan of Qi laughed indifferently, then suddenly remembered something and pressed, "What did you say? What's your name?"

"Zhong Lichun".

King Xuan of Qi sized up Zhongli Chun standing before him: "Are you the one with exceptional skill and courage who captured Pang Juan alive amidst a vast army, forcing him to retreat?"

"That's right, it was me... Last time, when Young Master Jiao Shi tried to harm the King, I disguised myself as a palace guard and rescued the King from Jiao Shi's residence."

King Xuan of Qi, his face beaming with excitement, said, "That's right, that's right! I was wondering why you looked so familiar. It turns out you're my savior... Miss Zhongli... No, Queen, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Zhong Lichun replied, "I was once a servant of General Tian's household, and later followed Mr. Sun on his journeys abroad. If I were to use my real name, I fear that Zou Ji and Gongsun Yue would find out and speak ill of me to Your Majesty..."

"Your Majesty is overthinking it," King Xuan of Qi interrupted her, saying, "Your Majesty came to the palace to revitalize my country, and I will not believe anyone who speaks ill of you."

The next day at court, Gongsun Yue indeed launched an attack on Sun Bin, accusing Sun Bin and Zhongli Chun of deceiving the king. King Xuan of Qi said to Gongsun Yue, "Minister Gongsun, what you just said has already been told to me by the Queen. The Queen went into hiding to persuade me to revitalize the state of Qi. The Queen is not only innocent, but has also done a good deed."

"The Queen is hiding many things from Your Majesty, such as her relationship with Sun Bin..." Gongsun Yue said, glancing sideways at Sun Bin.

"The Queen also told me that Sun Bin is her good friend. Even if the Queen hadn't said it, I would have known."

"Your Majesty, the Queen is not only Sun Bin's good friend..."

"Sun Bin was also the Queen's teacher, a point the Queen herself has also made."

Gongsun Yue simply revealed everything, saying, "Sun Bin is not only a teacher, but also the Queen's lover."

Upon hearing this, the court officials began to whisper among themselves.

King Xuan of Qi, his face showing anger, said, "Minister Gongsun, the court is a place for discussing state affairs. One should not speak nonsense, much less slander the Queen."

Gongsun Yue said, "Your Majesty, I am not speaking nonsense. I have evidence. Sun Bin and the Queen are inseparable when they are traveling. Outsiders say they are a married couple."

At this moment, Sun Bin spoke up: "Your Majesty, what Mr. Gongsun said is all untrue. The Queen is a solitary person and has not been with me, let alone been inseparable from me."

Gongsun Yue sneered, "Sun Bin, you may deny the facts, but I have witnesses: the Crown Prince of Han, Doctor Shen, Doctor Sima, General Wu... they can all testify."

Sun Bin calmly said, "Minister Gongsun can invite any one of them here. If they can testify to what Minister Gongsun said, Sun Bin is willing to let Your Majesty deal with them as you see fit."

Gongsun Yue sneered, "You know they can't come, that's why you say that... But don't be so smug, I'll bring the witnesses." As he spoke, he glanced at the silent Zou Ji.

Zou Ji pretended not to see it and remained silent.

Sun Bin said to Gongsun Yue, "I will be waiting for you at any time, Grand Master Gongsun."

"Enough, stop arguing!" King Xuan of Qi said impatiently. "I will not allow you to continue your nonsense and slander of the Queen! If there is nothing else, court is adjourned!"

After the court session, Sun Bin, Tian Ji, and Qin Hua discussed the matter. Qin Hua believed that as long as Gongsun Yue and Zou Ji were eliminated, Zhongli Chun's potential crisis would persist. Tian Ji, however, argued that Gongsun Yue and Zou Ji were different. Gongsun Yue was only interested in causing chaos in Qi, while Zou Ji did not intend to betray Qi; he had only fallen to such a state out of jealousy. They should be treated differently. Sun Bin then suggested a plan that would not only eliminate Zhongli Chun's crisis but also remove Gongsun Yue and force Zou Ji to relinquish his position as prime minister.

Following Sun Bin's plan, Qin Hua arranged to meet Zou Ji at an inconspicuous little inn. Zou Ji asked Qin Hua, "Mr. Qin, you invited me to the inn in disguise, surely it's about Zhongli Chun?" Zou Ji then smiled and said, "Mr. Qin, don't worry. As I've said before, Gongsun Yue and I are not on the same side, nor are we of the same mind. I can help with Zhongli Chun's matter."

Qin Hua said, "Zhong Lichun is innocent and has no need for the Prime Minister's help. I invited the Prime Minister to the inn because I wanted to help him."

Zou Ji laughed and said, "Mr. Qin, what makes you say that? I am not in any trouble right now and do not need anyone's help."

Qin Hua smiled slightly and said, "Confucius said: 'He who does not plan for the future will have trouble in the present.' When you took in Gongsun Yue, you never imagined that he would later rise above you and issue orders to you. So now you are controlled by Gongsun Yue in every way. This is something you cannot tolerate, is it?"

Zou Ji smiled and said, "Mr. Qin, you are overthinking it. Although Gongsun Yue is no longer my retainer, he is still my good friend. Besides, his position is only that of a Grand Master, how could he possibly be above me, the Chancellor? And from what right does he have the authority to give me orders?"

"The Prime Minister has repeatedly stated in front of others that he and Gongsun Yue are not on the same side. If the Prime Minister has no unspeakable secrets, why would he say such things?"

"That's just because I don't like some of his actions..."

"As the Prime Minister, second only to the Emperor, and with Gongsun Yue once being your retainer, you could have stopped him if you disapproved. Why did you repeatedly express your opinions to others?"

Zou Ji stammered, "I...I don't want to ruin the relationship between me and Minister Gongsun..."

Qin Hua shook his head and said, "The Prime Minister is not the kind of mediocre person who would disregard the interests of Qi for the sake of personal feelings; nor is he a petty person who would allow the country to decline for personal gain."

Zou Ji was somewhat surprised, and after a moment said, "Mr. Qin, you certainly know how to flatter people."

Qin Hua said solemnly, "I am not flattering the Prime Minister. When the Prime Minister assisted the late King, he played the zither to offer advice, was determined to reform, and worked diligently to govern the country. This is something that everyone in Qi has witnessed. Although General Tian and Mr. Sun have some differences with the Prime Minister, they have to admit these facts. General Tian said that since the Prime Minister promised the late King, he will not allow Qi to be in turmoil, much less collude with Qi's enemies."

Zou Ji was truly unwilling to be coerced by Gongsun Yue any longer. Since Tian Ji and the others viewed him this way, he should do something in return. He sighed and said, "Speaking of which, it's all my fault... I was instigated by a villain, fabricating charges to frame Mr. Sun and General Tian... causing us to never speak to each other again... I wonder if Mr. Sun and General Tian can forgive me?"

Qin Hua said, "I invited the Prime Minister here on the behalf of Mr. Sun and General Tian. They said that past events can be forgiven, but Qi is currently facing a powerful enemy abroad and internal rebellion. We should join hands to deal with Qi's enemies together."

Zou Ji nodded and said, "What you say is absolutely right, sir."

Qin Hua continued, "Qi's most dangerous enemy is Gongsun Yue, a spy sent by Pang Juan. If this man is not eliminated, Qi will face endless troubles."

Zou Ji sighed and said, "To be honest, Mr. Qin, many of my foolish actions were due to being forced by Gongsun Yue. I have long wanted to get rid of him, but because he presented beautiful women to the King and gained the King's deep trust, and because his swordsmanship is unparalleled, it is too difficult to get rid of Gongsun Yue..."

"I have a plan to get rid of Gongsun Yue, but only the Prime Minister can carry it out; no one else can."

"Speak, and I will do my utmost as long as it is within my power."

"Although Gongsun Yue is Pang Juan's spy, we have no evidence against him. The Prime Minister can induce Gongsun Yue to contact Prince Jiaoshi to plot a rebellion... Once we obtain the evidence, wouldn't it be easy to eliminate Gongsun Yue?"

Zou Ji worried that what Qin Hua said was a trap set by Sun Bin to make him and Gongsun Yue fight each other so that they could profit from it... But if he didn't use this opportunity to break free from Gongsun Yue's control, he feared he would have little chance to do again. After much deliberation, Zou Ji finally agreed to follow Qin Hua's plan.

Gongsun Yue paid a private audience with King Xuan of Qi and gave him a detailed account of the relationship between Sun Bin and Zhongli Chun. His account included some inaccuracies, claiming that Sun Bin and Zhongli Chun were actually husband and wife, and that Zou Ji could testify on his behalf. King Xuan was furious with Zhongli Chun, who denied any marital relationship with Sun Bin. King Xuan immediately summoned Zou Ji to the palace for a face-to-face confrontation with Zhongli Chun.

King Xuan of Qi, with a stern face, asked Zou Ji very seriously, "Prime Minister Zou, tell me the truth, have you ever heard anyone discuss the matter between the Queen and Sun Bin?"

Zou Ji replied, "I've heard of it..." He then bowed to Zhongli Chun, saying, "Your Majesty, please don't take offense. This humble subject would not dare to lie before the King."

Zhong Lichun coldly replied, "If you have a clear conscience, you have nothing to fear. Say whatever you want."

Zou Ji said to King Xuan of Qi: "Your Majesty, I have heard that when the Queen was still in Qi, she intended to marry Sun Bin. Sun Bin disagreed and used a diviner to refuse the Queen. The Queen left Qi in anger... Although the Queen helped Sun Bin many times afterward, she never mentioned marriage again."

King Xuan of Qi asked, "How do you know they haven't mentioned marriage? Are they afraid to say it in front of the Queen?"

Zou Ji said, "This is merely a deduction. The Queen is a woman of strong character. If she had proposed marriage to Sun Bin a second time, and he had refused again, she would have parted ways with him long ago. If Sun Bin had not refused, they would have become husband and wife long ago. Such famous people, if they had married, would have been known throughout the world. But there is no such rumor, and they have not parted ways. Doesn't this mean that they had no such intention from the beginning?"

King Xuan of Qi's expression softened considerably, and he said, "What the Prime Minister says makes sense..." With an apologetic look, he said to Zhong Lichun, "Your Majesty, I misunderstood you last night. Please do not hold a grudge against me."

Zhongli Chun said, "How could I possibly hold a grudge against Your Majesty? What I hate is Gongsun Yue. Gongsun Yue's slanderous remarks have not only tarnished my reputation but also damaged Your Majesty's reputation. Your Majesty should punish him severely."

King Xuan of Qi pondered for a moment and said, "You can't blame Minister Gongsun for this. You killed the beautiful princess, so he's angry. Once he's calmed down, he won't hold it against you anymore... Besides, he's also your brother-in-law. Please forgive him this once."

Zhongli Chun said, "I can forgive him, but if Gongsun Yue is not punished this time, there will be more and more people stirring up trouble in the court, which will be very detrimental to Your Majesty's country."

Zou Ji said to King Xuan, "What the Queen said is true. It would be detrimental to the country if Gongsun Yue were not punished... However, Gongsun Yue did not intend to tarnish the Queen's reputation. He was indeed acting rashly because of the death of the beautiful Queen. Therefore, Your Majesty must not leave him unpunished, but you must not punish him too severely either."

King Xuan of Qi asked, "According to the Prime Minister, what is the best course of action?"

Zou Ji said, "Demote him to the rank of Zhongdafu, and then send him to a remote capital to serve as a magistrate."

Upon hearing that he had been demoted to a remote capital, Gongsun Yue angrily questioned Zou Ji, "Prime Minister, what happened?"

Zou Ji said, "I suspect it was the Queen who did it."

Gongsun Yue asked, "What did you say when the King summoned you to the palace to testify?"

Zou Ji looked distressed and said, "That wasn't testifying, that was interrogation! I said what we had agreed on, but the king not only didn't believe me, but also said that you were instigated by me..." He sighed, "The king has been bewitched by Zhongli Chun."

Gongsun Yue said with some doubt, "No way, it seems the King has some dissatisfaction with Zhongli Chun."

Zou Ji explained, "That's because the King felt guilty towards the beautiful Queen in front of you... Minister Gongsun, you should be content. If it weren't for the late beautiful Queen, your head would have been chopped off long ago!"

Gongsun Yue said coldly, "Hmph, you think you can make me lose my head so easily?"

Zou Ji continued, "Zhongli Chun controls the harem. If you and I want to gain the king's trust again, it will be impossible... This time the king has treated you leniently, but next time, if Sun Bin and the others find another excuse, you and I may lose our lives... To save our lives, we can only borrow Pang Juan's power to get rid of the king and let Prince Jiao Shi take his place."

Gongsun Yue sized up Zou Ji and said, "Hasn't the Prime Minister always opposed the Prince's expedition to the suburbs?"

Zou Ji sighed, "Times have changed. If you, my lord, cannot take my place, my whole family's lives will be in danger."

"Alright, I can go to Marshal Pang and ask the Prime Minister to make extensive contacts with Prince Jiao Shi's cronies in Linzi. We can work together from the inside and outside to force the King to abdicate the throne."

"It would be best if Minister Gongsun sent someone with your personal letter to Pang Juan... I am alone in Linzi, outnumbered and outmatched, and I fear I am no match for Sun Bin..."

Gongsun Yue smiled slightly and said, "The Prime Minister's courage is getting smaller and smaller."

Zou Ji chuckled awkwardly, "It's not that I'm cowardly, it's just that Sun Bin is so cunning that I really can't deal with him."

Gongsun Yue said, "Alright, I'll stay... However, the Prime Minister also needs to write a letter."

Zou Ji was taken aback and said, "I...I don't know Marshal Pang, what use is writing a letter?"

Gongsun Yue slightly curled the corners of his lips and said, "This is not for Marshal Pang, but for Prince Jiao Shi, to let him know your stance. The Prime Minister is a veteran minister of the late King. If the Prime Minister agrees to assist Prince Jiao Shi, Prince Jiao Shi will gain more confidence in seizing the throne."

Zou Ji hesitated.

Gongsun Yue stared at him and asked, "Is the Prime Minister worried that this letter might become a handle I use to blackmail him in the future?"

Fearing that Gongsun Yue would see through his ruse, Zou Ji quickly said, "No, our fates are already intertwined. If one of us is in trouble, both of us will perish. Neither of us has any reason to blackmail the other."

"Then what are you still worried about?"

"It's not a concern, I'm thinking about how to write this letter..."

The messenger sent by Gongsun Yue to deliver the message was captured by Tian Guo, who was lying in ambush outside the city, as soon as he left Linzi. Gongsun Yue's letter to Pang Juan and Zou Ji's letter to Gongzi Jiaoshi both fell into Sun Bin's hands. Sun Bin delivered Gongsun Yue's letter to King Xuan of Qi, who was both shocked and furious. He ordered Tian Ji to immediately surround Gongsun Yue's house, arrest him, and have him torn apart by five horses.

Sun Bin said to King Xuan of Qi, "Gongsun Yue's swordsmanship is unparalleled. If we surround his house, he will fight to the death like a trapped beast. This will not only be quite troublesome, but will also endanger the Queen's sister, Zhongli Qiu. Your Majesty can issue an edict to summon him to the palace. Officials are not allowed to bring weapons into the palace. I will lay an ambush in the palace and capture the unarmed Gongsun Yue as easily as taking something out of a bag."

When Consort Jiang summoned Gongsun Yue to the palace on King Xuan's orders, Gongsun Yue was playing happily in her courtyard with her son, Xiao Chunqiu. Zhongli Qiu sat nearby, sewing baby clothes while silently watching her son and husband. She felt content; she had never felt her home so warm and cozy. Consort Jiang, seeing such a harmonious family, couldn't bear to send Gongsun Yue away, but the king's command was inviolable; Gongsun Yue had to go.

Gongsun Yue followed the eunuch into the palace. King Xuan of Qi had already left, and Zhongli Chun was now seated on the throne. Zhongli Chun smiled slightly at Gongsun Yue and said, "Mr. Gongsun, we meet again."

Gongsun Yue sneered, "I never expected you to become the queen."

"There are many things you haven't considered... Do you know why the King summoned you to the palace?"

"I don't know, maybe it's to persuade me to reconcile with the Queen."

"It's not about making peace, it's about demanding an explanation."

Zhong Lichun clapped his hands twice as he spoke. Two palace guards escorted the messenger, who was bound hand and foot, into the room. Gongsun Yue was taken aback. Zhong Lichun waved his hand, and the palace guards took the man away again.

Zhong Lichun said calmly, "Mr. Gongsun, you've been caught red-handed. What else do you have to say?"

Gongsun Yue gave a cold laugh and said, "You can't catch me!"

Zhongli Chun laughed and said, "Gongsun Yue, stop being so self-righteous... Summoning you to the palace was Mr. Sun's scheme. There are archers lying in ambush inside and outside the main hall. If you try to escape, you will be riddled with arrows."

Gongsun Yue glanced around warily, and could vaguely see the figures of archers outside the palace window.

Zhong Lichun added, "If you don't believe me, you can try."

Gongsun Yue remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Zhongli Chun, you win."

"It wasn't me, it was Mr. Sun."

Gongsun Yue sighed deeply and said, "No wonder Pang Juan wouldn't let Sun Bin go; Sun Bin's strategies are unfathomable!"

Zhong Lichun smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Gongsun, there's no need for such sentimentality. Mr. Sun said that capturing you this time only required a trivial trick, nothing to mention."

"I'm not talking about this time, I'm talking about our years-long struggle..."

Zhongli Chun looked at Gongsun Yue for a moment and said, "Mr. Sun said that apart from Pang Juan, you are his most difficult opponent."

Gongsun Yue smiled wryly, "If Sun Bin says so, then Gongsun Yue has not lived in vain... Zhongli Chun, I have a favor to ask of you, can you agree?"

"Speak."

"The person I loved most in my life was Zhong Liqiu, and the person I wronged the most was also Zhong Liqiu. She married me to save Sun Bin. In these past few years, although she was by my side, her heart was still with Sun Bin. After I'm gone, please help them both, so that the lovers can be together in the end, okay?"

Zhong Lichun remained silent.

Gongsun Yue looked at Zhongli Chun and said, "Zhongli Chun, I know you also care about Sun Bin, but you are now the Queen, and you cannot give up your position as Queen."

Zhong Lichun said with a gloomy face, "Gongsun Yue, my affairs are none of your concern!"

"I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about Sun Bin. Your position as Queen can help Sun Bin achieve great things... Zhongli Chun, if you really like Sun Bin, you should help him achieve great things. There is nothing more gratifying and satisfying for a man in this world than accomplishing something great."

"Mr. Sun is sure to achieve great things. Not only will I help him, but Your Majesty, General Tian, ​​and many others will also help him."

"So, you've agreed to Zhong Liqiu's request?"

Zhong Lichun remained silent.

Gongsun Yue sighed, "Poor Zhongli Qiu, while I'm alive, you can't be with Sun Bin; even in death, you still can't..." He said to Zhongli Chun, "Zhongli Chun, after I'm gone, please visit Zhongli Qiu often, okay?"

Zhong Lichun nodded and said, "Okay."

Gongsun Yue bowed to Zhongli Chun, then looked up to the sky and shouted, "Zhongli Qiu, take good care of our child!" After shouting, he suddenly leaped to the side... His head slammed heavily against a pillar, blood splattered everywhere, and he fell to the ground dead.

After Gongsun Yue's death, Qin Hua went to see Zou Ji. Zou Ji applauded Gongsun Yue's demise, then asked Qin Hua, "Mr. Qin, in order to lure Gongsun Yue into a trap, I wrote a letter to Gongzi Jiaoshi. Did you find it?"

"Found it." Qin Hua took out a piece of silk.

Zou Ji breathed a sigh of relief: "I'm relieved now..." he said, stepping forward to take it.

Qin Hua quickly retrieved the silk and said, "Prime Minister, don't be hasty. I have a condition."

"What are the conditions?"

"The Prime Minister is no longer fit to be the Prime Minister. If the Prime Minister resigns from the position, I will return this letter to you; if you do not agree, we will give this letter to the King."

Zou Ji was furious, trembling with rage, never expecting Qin Hua to pull such a stunt: "You...you had this planned all along!"

Qin Hua said earnestly, "We are doing this for the sake of the Prime Minister... In order to eliminate dissidents, the Prime Minister colluded with the Wei spy Gongsun Yue. Even without this letter, we could have reported this to the King, and in that case, the Prime Minister's entire family would have been in danger... The reason we are doing this is to protect the lives of the Prime Minister and his family." Qin Hua looked at Zou Ji, who was bowing his head and remaining silent, and continued to persuade him, "Prime Minister Zou, please agree... If the Prime Minister agrees, we guarantee that we will not pursue this matter any further."

Zou Ji understood that things had come to this point and he had no choice but to comply. He reluctantly agreed to resign from his position as prime minister.

Note: "The Chain Stratagem" is the thirty-fifth of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, meaning that multiple stratagems are used in combination, each linked to the next, and each interconnected. To eliminate internal troubles in the court, Sun Bin first sowed discord between Zou Ji and Gongsun Yue; then, he used Zou Ji to lure Gongsun Yue into submission; finally, he used the Gongsun Yue incident to force Zou Ji to resign from his position as prime minister. To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter: "Distant Alliances and Nearby Attacks."