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

After Gongsun Yue's burial, Zhongli Chun went alone to Gongsun Yue's house to visit her sister Zhongli Qiu, whom she hadn't seen for a long time. The sisters should have had a lot to say to each other, but Zhongli Qiu, dressed in white mourning clothes, sat blankly on the bed, remaining silent for a long time.

Seeing her younger sister like this, Zhong Lichun was also heartbroken. "Sister, I know you resent your older sister... but Gongsun Yue must be killed. He has harmed the State of Qi and Mr. Sun..."

Zhongli Qiu said calmly, "Gongsun Yue should have died long ago."

Zhong Lichun was silent for a moment, then said, "Little sister, from now on, you'll live with me, and I'll take care of you, okay?"

"I am not qualified to live in the palace, nor do I want to live in the palace," Zhong Liqiu coldly replied.

Zhong Lichun felt awkward for a moment, then said, "Sister, tell me, how do you want to live your life from now on? I will definitely help you."

Zhong Liqiu said defiantly, "I want to be with Mr. Sun. Can you get him to agree?"

Zhong Lichun was taken aback, unsure how to respond.

Zhong Liqiu gave a soft "humph" and said, "I knew you wouldn't agree."

Zhong Lichun said, "Besides Mr. Sun, whatever kind of man you're looking for, I can help you."

Zhong Liqiu gave a cold laugh: "Sister, you should know why I hate you. It's because you made me marry Gongsun Yue!"

Zhong Lichun murmured, "I did it for Mr. Sun..."

"Shut up!" Zhong Liqiu interrupted her hysterically, "You keep saying it's for Mr. Sun, but actually, it's for yourself! You're sending me away so you can marry Mr. Sun!"

"How...how could you say that..." Zhong Liqiu's words pierced Zhong Lichun's heart.

"This is not what I said, it is what Gongsun Yue said."

"Gongsun Yue is trying to sow discord between us sisters..."

"What he said is true. Doesn't my sister want to marry Mr. Sun?"

Zhong Lichun didn't know how to answer his sister.

Tears streamed slowly down Zhong Liqiu's cheeks.

Zhong Lichun gently wiped away her younger sister's tears, saying with a hint of guilt, "Sister, I did think that if you married Gongsun Yue, I could get Mr. Sun... But I only thought about it; I absolutely do not want you to marry Gongsun Yue..."

Zhong Liqiu sobbed, "Sister, please stop. I know what's in your heart. I was just saying things out of anger. I'm angry about my fate. Why does God make me suffer so much..." She then burst into tears again.

Seeing her heartbroken younger sister, Zhong Lichun lovingly embraced Zhong Liqiu, sighed, and said, "Sister, after hardship comes happiness. This time, your elder sister will definitely grant your wish..."

Zhong Lichun arrived at Sun Bin's residence at the Tian residence with a heavy heart and told Sun Bin that she had come to propose marriage. Sun Bin thought that Zhong Lichun wanted to leave the palace and did not agree, saying that it was too early.

"It's not for me," Zhong Lichun said, "it's for my sister, she's always been thinking of you..."

Sun Bin was stunned, not expecting Zhong Lichun to propose marriage for Zhong Liqiu. He stared at her blankly and said, "Then... what are you going to do...?"

Zhong Lichun forced a smile and said, "I will continue to be my queen, and a true queen."

Sun Bin was stunned and asked, "Miss Zhongli, did the King force you to do this, or...?"

Zhong Lichun said against her will, "No one forced me. It was my own choice. I feel that becoming queen is the best destiny for me."

Sun Bin shook his head and said, "No, you're unwilling... Tell me, why is that?"

Zhong Lichun feigned indifference and said, "For no reason, I really do want to. I've grown accustomed to palace life, to giving orders to everyone, including the King. I feel it suits my personality perfectly, and I don't want to change this kind of life..."

Sun Bin refused to believe that Zhong Lichun was speaking from the heart. He knew perfectly well the weight of the bond they had built through life and death in Zhong Lichun's heart. He looked at Zhong Lichun sincerely and said, "Zhong Lichun, I don't believe you want to stay in the palace forever. I'll wait for you."

Zhong Lichun was silent for a moment, then sighed softly and said, "Mr. Sun, your words are enough, but I can't... I've already promised my sister that you would marry him."

"Why did you agree to her? Have you forgotten our vows and no longer want to marry me?" Sun Bin couldn't believe it and became agitated.

With tears streaming down her face, Zhong Lichun said, "No... How could I not want to marry you? Before Gongsun Yue died, he begged me to marry Zhong Liqiu to you, but I refused... However, faced with my sister's tears and pain, I couldn't say no... It was my fault for letting her marry Gongsun Yue; I'm so sorry... I can't let her spend the rest of her life as a woman suffering..." Zhong Lichun wiped away her tears and continued, "Mr. Sun, please agree..."

Sun Bin paused for a moment, then said firmly, "Zhong Lichun, I can't let you wait all these years in vain. Tell Zhong Liqiu that I can't marry her."

Zhongli Qiu was leaving. She sold her house, packed her belongings, and headed to the State of Wei.

Zhong Lichun pleaded, "Sister, don't go. Let me try to persuade Mr. Sun again; he'll agree..."

Zhong Liqiu smiled faintly and said, "A forced marriage is never pleasant. Mr. Sun doesn't want to marry me, and even if we were together under duress, we wouldn't be happy, just like Gongsun Yue and I..."

"It's not that Mr. Sun doesn't want to marry you, it's that he's afraid... Gongsun Yue has only been dead for a short time, and if he marries you now, outsiders will say that he forced Gongsun Yue to his death because of you..."

"That's just an excuse. Even if he marries me in the future, people will still say the same thing."

"Sister, I can persuade the king to grant you a marriage to him... that way, no one will gossip."

"I appreciate your sincerity, sister..." Zhong Liqiu said sincerely to Zhong Lichun, "But I know in my heart that you also love Mr. Sun. For his sake, you are only pretending to be the queen now..."

"Absolutely not," Zhong Lichun quickly denied.

"Sister, don't hide it from me. I asked General Tian, ​​and this is what he told me."

"I... have changed my mind. I want to be the true queen... I've already told Mr. Sun..."

Zhong Liqiu was silent for a moment, then said, "Sister, you have such a kind heart..."

"It's not that I have a good heart, it's that I'm sorry, sister..."

"Let's not talk about the past... Sister, these past few days, I've been thinking a lot. Can lost things be found again? Can lost feelings be found again? Even if they are found, can they still be as beautiful as before... No, what's lost is lost. It's better to keep those beautiful feelings in our memories forever..." She paused for a moment, then said, "I still have Xiao Chunqiu. I will raise him to adulthood. Gongsun Yue and I were husband and wife after all. I must be worthy of him."

"Then... you don't need to go back to Wei. Stay in Qi, and I can help you..."

"Gongsun Yue died for Wei, and Wei should raise his child... Besides, staying in Qi would only bring back painful memories..."

Zhong Lichun was at a loss for words; whatever he said would hardly soothe his sister's wounded heart.

Before leaving, Zhong Liqiu instructed Zhong Lichun, "Sister, don't tell anyone I'm leaving, including Mr. Sun. I don't want to alarm them." Zhong Lichun agreed.

Zhongli Qiu brought the memorial tablets of Xiao Chunqiu and Gongsun Yue to the State of Wei. Pang Juan personally arranged a solemn mourning hall for Gongsun Yue. Pang Juan led his generals to kneel before Gongsun Yue's memorial tablet. With tears in his eyes, he looked at the tablet and wept bitterly, saying, "Master Gongsun, you were a loyal friend, a master strategist, and a swordsman who could wield unparalleled power. For my great cause, you disregarded life and death, venturing alone into the State of Qi, outwitting all the powerful figures... It's just a pity that you were careless and lost your life... This is Heaven's cruelty, leaving me heartbroken... I wish to see you again in the afterlife... But alas, the hegemony of Wei has not yet been achieved. With your departure, I alone bear the burden; if I leave, all our previous efforts will be in vain... Master Gongsun, may you be lonely in the afterlife for now, but once I have achieved my hegemony, I will surely join you..."

After Pang Juan finished crying, he kowtowed and offered sacrifices.

Upon seeing this, the generals couldn't help but shed tears.

Pang Juan ordered his men to take good care of Zhong Liqiu and her child, without the slightest negligence. Pang Cong said to Pang Juan, "Uncle, you must be wary of Zhong Liqiu; she may very well be a spy for the State of Qi."

Pang Juan sighed, "Whether she is a spy or not, I must take good care of her. I will take good care of her for two reasons: first, for Gongsun Yue, and second, to make those who follow us feel that whether they live or die, their wives and children will be taken care of. Only in this way will they be determined to follow us to fight across the north and south and contend for the Central Plains."

One day, King Xuan of Qi ordered Tian Ji and Sun Bin to recapture the border cities and quell the rebellion of Prince Jiao Shi. Sun Bin advised King Xuan, "Prince Jiao Shi's rabble dares to oppose the state because he has Wei as his backer. Qin is a formidable enemy of Wei. Your Majesty can send an eloquent persuader to Qin to persuade the King of Qin to form an alliance with Qi and request Qin to send troops to attack Wei. Han and Zhao have long intended to ally with Qi, but they did not form an alliance because of our previous internal strife. Your Majesty can send envoys to Han and Zhao to confirm the alliance, and then ask Han and Zhao to send troops at the same time. If all three states send troops, Pang Juan will have no time to deal with Prince Jiao Shi. In addition, Your Majesty should send another envoy to Chu and promise to cede cities to Chu, so that Chu will no longer be on good terms with Wei, and Wei will become even more isolated. At this time, we can easily send troops to recapture the border cities."

King Xuan of Qi asked Sun Bin who would be most suitable to be an envoy to these states. Sun Bin replied, "Qin Hua is exceptionally intelligent and eloquent, and can be sent to Chu and Han. He can persuade the fickle King of Chu to change his mind again due to greed, and he can also make the shrewd but indecisive King of Han see the advantages and disadvantages and send troops to help. Your Majesty can send Gao Dafu as an envoy to Zhao. Gao Dafu's upright character will easily convince the King of Zhao of our sincerity. Finally, Your Majesty can send Zou Ji as an envoy to Qin..."

"Wait a minute," King Xuan of Qi interrupted Sun Bin, puzzled. "Zou Ji resigned to take responsibility. He may not say it, but he must be very dissatisfied. If we appoint him as an envoy, it's a small matter if he doesn't return. What if he intends to ruin my important plans?"

Sun Bin laughed and said, "No, Zou Ji has been in the position of prime minister for many years and is not used to being an ordinary citizen. He wants to find an opportunity to show his talents in order to gain the king's appreciation and return to the court. If the king gives him this opportunity, he will do his best."

King Xuan of Qi asked, "Why must we give him this opportunity? I can easily send someone else to Qin."

Sun Bin said, "In this diplomatic campaign, Qin is the most important state, because only Qin can contend with Wei. If Qin sends troops, Pang Juan will be forced to attend to the west while unable to attend to the east. Your Majesty has sent Zou Ji, who has lost his position as prime minister, to Qin. Without needing to say much, the King of Qin will be able to discern Your Majesty's magnanimity from this. Any ruler, unless muddle-headed, would prefer to ally with a magnanimous ruler rather than with a petty and calculating one—this is one reason. Secondly, Zou Ji will do his utmost to persuade the King of Qin, which will make the King feel that even someone who was once Your Majesty's enemy is so devoted to the country, indicating that the country's situation must be very stable. No country wants to ally with a crisis-ridden and unstable one unless that country has ulterior motives. Furthermore, Zou Ji speaks with impeccable discretion, displaying the demeanor of an envoy from a great power. Therefore, no one but Zou Ji is suitable to be the envoy to Qin."

King Xuan of Qi sincerely admired Sun Bin's magnanimity and his ability to employ people, and agreed to send Zou Ji as an envoy to the State of Qin.

Qi has been slow to send troops to recapture the border cities. Pang Juan estimates that Qi intends to send envoys to persuade Han, Zhao, Chu, and Qin to join forces against Wei. He says to Pang Cong, "This is a tactic often used by Sun Bin, which military strategists call 'diplomatic warfare.' Pang Cong, if you were me, how would you counter Sun Bin's strategy of diplomatic warfare?"

Pang Cong pondered for a moment and said, "The states of Zhao and Han fear you, Uncle. You can send envoys to intimidate them. If they ally with Qi, the Wei army will march straight to their capital. The King of Chu is a greedy and arrogant man. You can give him jewels and words of praise, and he will not help Qi. Qin is an insatiable state. Han gave Qin cities for the Battle of Chenggao, but Qin is still not satisfied. You can agree to let the King of Qin divide Han's land together, and Qin will certainly not ally with Qi."

"Pang Cong, you've made great progress," Pang Juan said with a satisfied smile. "However, you underestimate Han and Zhao. Sun Bin's conquest of Shangdang, which united Han and Zhao, was merely intimidation and couldn't stop them from allying with Qi. We should divide and rule them. We can intimidate Zhao, and we can use both kindness and force with Han. After being trained by Sun Bin, Han's army is no longer as vulnerable as it used to be. As for Qin, we shouldn't easily agree to their conditions. Qin has always wanted to expand eastward, and no matter what conditions you agree to, you can't satisfy their desire to advance eastward. The only way is to respond with force."

Pang Juan sent Pang Cong as an envoy to the State of Han. He instructed Pang Cong, "The State of Han is very important to us. If we can persuade the State of Han to form an alliance with us, the State of Qin will be no threat. If we cannot persuade the State of Han, things will become troublesome."

When Pang Cong arrived in Han, Qin Hua also arrived. The envoys from Qi and Wei had both come to form an alliance. The King of Han was undecided and asked the court officials what to do.

Shen Dafu agreed to uphold the alliance with Qi but opposed making peace with Wei. He said to the King of Han, "Wei is ambitious and untrustworthy. It has always wanted to annex Han and Zhao, but it has not succeeded because of Qi in the east and Qin in the west. We cannot form an alliance with such a country."

The opinion of the Left Grand Physician was completely opposite to that of the Shen Grand Physician. He said to the King of Han, "I do not deny that Wei has ambitions. All great powers have ambitions. As long as we are good at maneuvering among the great powers, they will not be able to destroy Han. The reason we agreed to form an alliance with Wei is to deal with them so that Wei has no excuse to use force against us. Otherwise, if things get too tense, and Wei really uses its army against us, Qi will be in internal strife and unable to help us. Han will then be unable to defend itself."

The King of Han did not want to fight Wei to the end, but he was also worried that Wei would break its promise. He wanted a solution that would satisfy both sides.

Sima Dafu said, "Your Majesty can tell the envoy from Wei that if Crown Prince Shen of Wei comes to Han as a hostage, Han will form an alliance with Wei. Crown Prince Shen is the most favored son of the King of Wei. With Crown Prince Shen as a hostage, Wei will not dare to invade Han."

Pang Juan was reluctant to agree to Han's harsh conditions, but when his spies told him that Qi's envoy to Qin was Zou Ji, he said to Pang Cong, "Sun Bin is too good at choosing people. With Zou Ji as the envoy to Qin, Qin will definitely form an alliance with Qi. If Han takes the opportunity to stir up trouble, we will have a hard time dealing with them... Let's agree to the King of Han's demands for now, and then we'll find a way to bring the Crown Prince back later."

When the State of Han agreed to form an alliance with the State of Wei, Minister Shen felt guilty towards Sun Bin and Qin Hua, who had traveled a long way. He specifically apologized to Qin Hua. Qin Hua comforted him, saying, "Master Sun never expected Han to help the State of Qi. As long as Han does not send troops to help the State of Wei, my purpose for this trip will be achieved."

Doctor Shen said, "Mr. Qin, you can rest assured. Although the State of Han has not formed an alliance with the State of Qi, the officials in the court, including the King, all regard the State of Qi as a friendly country and will never send troops to help the State of Wei attack the State of Qi."

Qin Hua explained, "When I say 'sending troops,' I don't mean helping Wei attack Qi, but helping Wei deal with Qin. If Qin sends troops to attack Wei and Han doesn't send troops to help, Pang Juan will be unable to attend to both east and west, and we can take the opportunity to recover the border cities and quell the rebellion."

Doctor Shen hesitated for a moment and said, "Qin has always threatened Han and still occupies Han's border cities. Your Majesty dreams of taking back the border cities. If Wei goes to war with Qin, I estimate that Your Majesty will have no choice but to send troops."

Qin Hua smiled slightly and said, "Reclaiming the border city may not necessarily require sending troops. With just a word, the King of Qin will return the border city to Han."

"Oh? Please enlighten me, Mr. Qin."

"When Qin attacks Wei, it will inevitably pass through Hangu Pass. When Qin troops leave Hangu Pass and engage the Wei army, Han can station troops on the Qin-Han border to threaten Hangu Pass. Then, Han can send someone to tell the King of Qin: If Qin returns the border city to Han, Han will remain inactive. If Qin does not return the border city, Han will send troops to cut off Qin's supply lines and retreat. Qin will then have no choice but to return the border city."

Doctor Shen exclaimed, "Excellent! Excellent plan! Mr. Qin's wisdom is comparable to that of Mr. Sun!"

Qin Hua smiled and said, "To be honest, this was Mr. Sun's idea. When I came here, Mr. Sun told me to tell you that as long as Han does not help Wei this time, Qi will definitely not stand idly by if Han is in trouble."

Doctor Shen bowed to Qin Hua and said, "Please tell Mr. Sun that as long as the border city can be recovered, my lord will never help the State of Wei."

Qin Hua's mission to the State of Han went smoothly, and everything also went well for Zou Ji. Qin agreed to form an alliance with Qi, and 300,000 troops marched out of Hangu Pass to press on Wei. Pang Juan led the Wei army to meet the Qin army, determined to fight them to the death. Before departing, Pang Juan was still thinking about Prince Jiao Shi of Qi. He instructed General Fei, who was stationed on the Qi-Wei border, "It is better to lose the border cities of Qi than to lose Prince Jiao Shi. As long as Prince Jiao Shi is alive, Qi will not be at peace."

King Xuan of Qi would never allow Prince Jiao Shi to challenge his authority. He ordered Tian Ji and Sun Bin to immediately recapture the border cities and quell the rebellion. When the Queen Dowager of Qi heard of this, she questioned King Xuan, "I heard you are again planning to send troops to attack Jiao Shi?"

King Xuan of Qi explained, "It's not a punitive expedition, but a request for the disciples to return to the Queen Mother's side."

Empress Dowager Qi sneered, "What invitation? Don't try to fool this old woman! I know what's going on. Your Majesty, I'll say it again: I don't concern myself with the affairs of the state, but I cannot ignore the matters between you brothers. No matter what your reasons are, you cannot harm Jiao Shi. If you harm Jiao Shi, I will die in front of you."

Under the Queen Dowager's coercion, King Xuan of Qi had no choice but to promise, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I have already given the order that you are only allowed to recover the border cities, and you must not harm the suburban army. Anyone who harms the suburban army will be buried with the suburban army."

"What if Tian Ji and Sun Bin disobey?"

"Disobeying the king's orders is a capital offense."

Tian Ji and Sun Bin led the Qi army to besiege the cities of Linqiu, Fancheng, and Maling, which were occupied by Prince Jiaoshi. Relying on the support of the State of Wei, Prince Jiaoshi resisted stubbornly, ordering his rebel army to defend the cities to the death, and a bloody battle seemed inevitable.

Tian Ji said to Sun Bin, "Master Sun, the border city is surrounded by Qi soldiers, some of whom are even neighbors and relatives. The best strategy would be to recapture the border city without bloodshed. Do you have a brilliant plan, strategist?"

Sun Bin said, "Attack the mind."

How to win someone's heart?

"If any of your neighbors or relatives are in the city, have them write a letter. In the letter, in addition to reminiscing about the past, tell your neighbors and relatives in the city that if they abandon the darkness and turn to the light, we will forgive their past transgressions. Then shoot the letter into the city with a bow and arrow."

Tian Guo, who was standing nearby, spoke up: "But if we send the letter this way, it will fall into the hands of others."

Sun Bin smiled slightly and said, "This is exactly the result I wanted. In this way, one letter will spread from one to ten, from ten to a hundred, and the rebels in the city will all know our attitude. The Art of War says, 'Throw them into a place of certain death, and they will live; trap them in a deadly situation, and they will survive.' I will use the opposite approach, giving the rebels a way out. The will to survive is human nature. As long as there is a way out, most soldiers will lose their will to defend the city, and their morale will inevitably waver. Even if the generals have the greatest abilities, they will not be able to control the army. If we attack the city now, even if we cannot achieve victory without bloodshed, it will be a piece of cake."

Tian Ji exclaimed, "Excellent! A letter is worth more than an army of 100,000!"

As the psychological warfare letters fell into the hands of the rebels, the news spread like wildfire, causing unrest among the rebel troops defending the city. More than half of the rebels in Linqiu deserted, and the rebel general of Fancheng surrendered. The rebel leader, General Gao, said to Prince Jiao Shi, "Sun Bin's strategy of attacking hearts and minds rather than attacking cities shows that he is indeed more cunning… However, it also shows that he dares not act rashly against you, my lord. As long as you are here, we have hope. Perhaps you could do me a favor and announce to the entire army that those who wish to leave can go, and those who wish to stay can follow you to Wei. Once Pang Juan's army returns in triumph, we can launch a counterattack."

Gongzi Jiaoshi's face darkened, and he flicked his sleeve, saying, "I'm not going to Wei!"

General Gao said, "Sun Bin's military strategy is divine; we are no match for him. We should avoid his sharp edge for now..."

Gongzi Jiaoshi interrupted him, saying, "You're all afraid of Sun Bin, but I'm not! I want to see just how capable he really is!"

"My lord, now is not the time to act recklessly. If we are defeated this time, even if you miraculously survive, you will never be able to gather such a large army again, let alone seize the throne!"

"Does hiding in the State of Wei really give you a chance to seize the throne? Eating their leftovers, having to watch their every whim, being bossed around like a stray dog—does that feel good?"

"Today you obey others so that you can command them in the future when you seize the throne. My lord, those who achieve great things must be able to endure humiliation and hardship. Prince Chong'er of Jin wandered abroad for more than ten years, suffering all kinds of hardships and humiliations, but finally returned to his country and not only became the ruler of a country, but also a hegemon, leaving his name in history. Why can't you become a second Chong'er?"

Gongzi Jiaoshi, feeling that General Gao was right, still complained, "I really can't stand the arrogant attitude of the Wei people, especially Pang Cong..."

General Gao comforted him, saying, "Confucius once said, 'A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan.' For the sake of the throne, my lord, please bear with it..."

Prince Jiao Shi ultimately heeded General Gao's advice and led his remaining troops to abandon the city and flee. The Qi army showed leniency and spared Prince Jiao Shi's life.

Tian Ji felt some regret and said to Sun Bin, "If it weren't for the king's order, I would never have let Prince Jiao Shi go!"

Sun Bin gazed into the distance and said, "He will come back. Next time, he will be doomed."

Note: "Distant Alliances and Nearby Attacks" is the twenty-third of the Thirty-Six Stratagems. "Distant Alliances" means forging ties with distant states; "Nearby Attacks" means conquering neighboring states. This stratagem aims to divide and weaken enemy alliances, defeating them one by one. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, feudal lords frequently used this stratagem to achieve their goals. In the late Warring States period, the strategist Fan Sui summarized the strategies of his predecessors and proposed "Distant Alliances and Nearby Attacks" when persuading the King of Qin, hence the name of the stratagem. Sun Bin used the "Distant Alliances and Nearby Attacks" strategy to form alliances with Qin, Han, and other states, quelling domestic rebellions and fundamentally changing the passive situation. To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter: "Startling the Snake in the Grass."