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

The death of Prince Jiaoshi devastated the Queen Dowager, who cried and demanded that King Xuan of Qi return her son. King Xuan explained to the Queen Dowager, "In the midst of battle, weapons have no eyes; he died in the chaos, and there was nothing I could do."

The Empress Dowager persisted, her emotions escalating: "If you hadn't ordered troops to be sent to suppress the enemy at the suburban border, how could he have died in the chaos of battle? You are the culprit!"

King Xuan of Qi said helplessly, "As the ruler of a country, if I do not send troops to stop the rebellion, the country will be plunged into disaster. I will not be able to answer to my ancestors in the ancestral temple, nor will I be able to answer to the people of Qi."

The Empress Dowager wiped away her tears and said, "You can stop the rebellion, but you cannot kill Jiao Shi. If you don't return my son Jiao Shi, this old woman will die in front of you..."

As she spoke, she lunged toward the pillar, but King Xuan of Qi quickly grabbed her.

The Empress Dowager struggled with all her might, crying out, "Let me go, let me go, let me die..."

King Xuan of Qi held onto the Queen Dowager tightly, advising, "The dead cannot be brought back to life, Your Majesty, you should try to accept this..."

"The old woman is just being unreasonable. She can't live without her son!"

"Empress Dowager, isn't it enough that I apologize to you?"

The Empress Dowager said sadly, "It's too late. The tutor is already dead. This old woman must go to the underworld to accompany my son..."

At this moment, Zhongli Chun emerged from the inner chamber and said to the Empress Dowager, "Prince Jiao Shi instigated a rebellion, endangering the country, and died in the chaos of war. He brought it upon himself! If Your Majesty seeks to save the life of a traitor, how will the late kings in the ancestral temple view you?"

Knowing she was in the wrong, the Empress Dowager couldn't answer Zhongli Chun's direct question, so she said, "This old woman won't speak to you; this old woman will only speak to the prince."

Zhongli Chun calmly replied, "The King is not your son."

"How can Your Majesty not be my son? I raised Your Majesty myself."

"You do not treat the king as your own son."

"What do you know? When the king was sick, the old woman personally cooked medicine for him; when the king was cold, the old woman covered him with a blanket. The old woman treats the king like her own son."

Zhong Lichun smiled faintly and said, "The Empress Dowager was referring to the past, while I am referring to the present. If the Empress Dowager truly regarded the King as her own son, she should not have favored Prince Jiaoshi and allowed him to assassinate the King and rebel to usurp the throne."

The Empress Dowager was speechless.

Zhong Lichun glanced at the Empress Dowager's tear-streaked face, and softened his tone, saying, "Empress Dowager, Prince Jiaoshi is dead, but there is still the King. The King will surely treat you as he would his own mother..."

King Xuan also stepped forward to comfort the Queen Dowager, saying, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. Your Majesty treats me like your own son, and I should treat you like my own mother..."

The Empress Dowager paused for a moment, tears streaming down her face again. She said sadly, "It's just that this old woman will never see Jiao Shi'er again..."

As she spoke, she burst into tears.

After days of fierce fighting, Pang Juan led the Wei army to victory, finally defeating the Qin army and forcing them to retreat to Hangu Pass. The King of Han failed to cut off the Qin army's supply lines as promised, nor did he send troops to aid them, making the battle extremely difficult for Pang Juan. He hated the King of Han with a vengeance, vowing that he would not rest until he avenged himself! But he could not act now; his army was exhausted, Crown Prince Shen was still a hostage in Han, and there was also Sun Bin of Qi, his true adversary. He had no choice but to lead his army back to Daliang, the capital of Wei.

General Fei arrived in Daliang before Pang Juan. He came specifically to apologize. He said to Pang Juan, "This sinful general has failed to fulfill the important task entrusted to him by the marshal and has lost the marshal's trust. I beg the marshal to punish this sinful general."

Pang Juan magnanimously said, "I have already heard about the death of Prince Jiaoshi. This is neither your fault nor his. Neither of you are a match for Sun Bin... I, the Marshal, forgive you."

"Marshal, the subordinates of Prince Jiao Shi are eager to avenge him. Marshal, you can take advantage of this to launch a campaign against Qi and defeat Sun Bin, riding the momentum of defeating the Qin army."

"Although we won this fierce battle against the Qin army, we suffered heavy casualties. The army must rest and recuperate for a period of time before we can fight again."

"While the marshal is resting, the Qi army will also be able to rest. Once the Qi army has rested, it will be difficult to defeat them."

Pang Juan smiled mysteriously: "I won't let them get a rest." He clapped his hands as he spoke.

A man who looked quite like Gongzi Jiaoshi walked in.

Pang Juan asked General Fei, "Who do you think he is?"

General Fei stared blankly at the man who walked in, puzzled: "Young Master Jiao... this is impossible."

"Take another look."

General Fei carefully examined the man standing in front of him. The man seemed flustered and nodded in greeting.

General Fei asked Pang Juan with suspicion, "Could it be that Prince Jiao Shi is not dead...?"

Pang Juan said, "He is indeed dead. He was a minor official in the Qin army. I didn't kill him because he looked very much like Prince Jiaoshi."

General Fei seemed to understand somewhat and said, "The Marshal intends for him to disguise himself as Prince Jiaoshi and continue to oppose the State of Qi, so that the State of Qi will not be at peace and the army will not have time to rest."

Pang Juan smiled and nodded.

General Fei shook his head and said, "Marshal, he cannot impersonate Prince Jiaoshi. His soldiers all know that Prince Jiaoshi is dead."

Pang Juan laughed and said, "How many people saw Prince Jiaoshi die? You told his soldiers that it was Sun Bin's rumor, meant to demoralize the army."

"I'm worried the soldiers won't believe me..."

"Have General Gao take the fake prince to Linzi and find a way to meet the Empress Dowager, so that she can give him his true identity."

Since Jiao Shi's death, the Empress Dowager had been utterly despondent, unable to eat or sleep, constantly thinking of her son. Prince Xuan told her that Jiao Shi had been buried in the royal cemetery east of the city, and offered to accompany her to visit him. The Empress Dowager refused outright; she insisted on going alone, unwilling to let anyone hear her speaking to her son.

Gongzi Jiaoshi's tomb is on a small hillside, where trees are dense and grasses grow thickly, with only Jiaoshi's square grave exposing the dark yellow new soil.

Supported by two palace maids, the Empress Dowager walked towards the tomb of Jiao Shi, followed by several palace guards. Reaching her son's grave, she was overcome with grief. She knelt before his tomb—a mother shouldn't kneel before her son, yet she did, feeling utterly ashamed that she had failed him in protecting him. She cried out, "My dear Jiao Shi, your death was so tragic, so tragic..."

The palace maids and guards also knelt down behind the Empress Dowager.

A man staggered out from behind the tree; it was Uncle Wei. Uncle Wei walked to the grave, knelt beside the Empress Dowager, and cried out loudly, "Young Master, you shouldn't have died! You shouldn't have… Heaven, open your eyes! Let the Young Master come back… We need him, he can't die, he can't…"

The Empress Dowager was completely bewildered by Wei Shu's actions and stared at him blankly.

A palace guard stood up, walked to Uncle Wei's side, grabbed Uncle Wei's collar, and scolded, "Get away, this is not a place for you to cry."

Uncle Wei said, feeling wronged, "What are you saying? You're allowed to cry, but I'm not?"

The palace guard's face immediately darkened: "Enough nonsense, get out of here!"

Uncle Wei turned to the Empress Dowager and said, "Your Majesty, I am a friend of Prince Jiaoshi. I was devastated to hear of his untimely death and traveled a long way to come here just to have a good cry... Your Majesty, please don't let them send me away, okay...?"

Although the Empress Dowager didn't know what Uncle Wei did for a living, she knew he was weeping for the Suburban Prefect, and weeping so bitterly, so he must be a friend of the Prefect. She waved her hand to the palace guards: "Dismissed."

The palace guard explained, "Empress Dowager, he is just a commoner; he cannot kneel beside you..."

"Enough nonsense, step back." The Empress Dowager didn't want to hear his nonsense and interrupted him without any room for argument.

Knowing the Empress Dowager's temperament, the palace guards turned around and retreated to their original positions without saying a word.

The Empress Dowager said to Uncle Wei in a gentle tone, "Child, cry as much as you want."

Uncle Wei glanced at the palace guards and maids not far behind him and said to the Empress Dowager, "Empress Dowager, could you please have them move further away? I don't want them... to hear me cry."

The Empress Dowager ordered the palace guards and maids behind her, "You all step back."

The palace guards and maids stood up and took more than ten steps back.

Uncle Wei continued, "Your Majesty, we need to go even further. I want to cry to the heavens, I want to curse the earth, I want to curse those who murdered the prince... But I'm too timid to let them hear..."

The Empress Dowager understood his feelings and shouted at the palace guards, "Get back further away, outside the woods! This old woman doesn't want to see you!"

The head of the palace guards hesitated for a moment, then led the palace guards and maids away from the cemetery.

The Empress Dowager said to Uncle Wei, "Alright, go ahead and cry, go ahead and curse, no one will hear you."

Uncle Wei revealed a simple and honest smile and said, "Empress Dowager, I was just pretending to cry."

"What did you say?" The Empress Dowager was taken aback.

"Your Majesty, the young master is not actually dead."

The Empress Dowager simply didn't believe it, saying, "You...you're not just making fun of this old woman, are you?"

At this moment, General Gao emerged from behind the tree, bowed to the Empress Dowager, and said, "Your Majesty, what he said is true."

The Empress Dowager looked at General Gao in surprise and said, "General Gao... are you trying to comfort this old woman?"

General Gao said, "No... Empress Dowager, the young master is nearby, and he wants to see you."

"Is what you're saying true?" The Empress Dowager still found it hard to believe.

General Gao nodded: "Your Majesty, I will take the Empress Dowager to see the young master immediately."

General Gao led the Empress Dowager to a thatched hut in the woods. In the dim light, the Empress Dowager saw a man who looked remarkably like Jiao Shi. Their eyes met in silence.

The Empress Dowager could hardly believe her eyes and murmured, "Master Jiao, is it really you?"

The fake tutor stepped forward, knelt before the Empress Dowager, and kowtowed, saying, "Your unfilial son pays respects to Your Majesty."

The Empress Dowager embraced the fake tutor's head and cried, "My dear tutor, I've missed you so much..."

"I miss my mother too..."

Time seemed to stand still, with only the birds chirping outside.

After a moment, the Empress Dowager stroked the fake tutor's head and said, "Why doesn't your voice sound as pleasant as before?"

The fake teacher feigned sadness and said, "My son escaped death, wandered from place to place, and slept in the open. How could he possibly have a beautiful voice anymore?"

Tears welled up in the Empress Dowager's eyes again: "Master Jiao, you have suffered so much..." she said, and then broke down in tears.

"Your Majesty, now is not the time to cry," General Gao stepped forward and advised. "The young master has come to see Your Majesty at great risk because he has an important matter to ask of you."

The Empress Dowager wiped away her tears and said to the fake tutor, "My son, tutor, tell me what you need me to do. If I can do it, I will do it; even if I can't, I will do my best for you."

"Mother, I wish to become the King of Qi."

The Empress Dowager shook her head and said, "You almost lost your life for the throne. You might as well not have it."

The fake Taoist priest said, "A man should live to achieve something great; I'd rather die than be a king!"

The Empress Dowager said to the fake suburban advisor with some concern, "You are no match for Pijiang. He has Sun Bin, Tian Ji, and the support of a large army..."

The fake Jiao Shi said, "I can use the power of Wei to defeat Pi Jiang."

The Empress Dowager wanted to say something more, but she didn't. Not wanting to trouble her unfortunate son, she asked, "What do you want your mother to do?"

The fake suburban teacher blurted out, "I beg Mother to issue an order to abolish Pijiang and establish me as the King of Qi."

The Empress Dowager smiled wryly and said, "Master Jiao, have you been so angry with them that you lost your mind? Your mother has no right to abolish Bijiang."

"Although Mother has no power, she has prestige. If Mother writes an edict to depose Pijiang and establish me as king, I can use this as proof to gather my old subordinates and fight against Pijiang, ultimately forcing him to abdicate."

The Empress Dowager hesitated, "But... Qi will be thrown into turmoil as a result..."

The fake Taoist priest said, "I have no intention of destabilizing the country. I am forced into this situation. Pijiang has been trying to get rid of me all along. If I do not seize the throne, he will kill me sooner or later."

For the sake of her son, and to ensure his survival, the Empress Dowager granted his request.

With the Empress Dowager's decree, the fake Prince Jiao Shi brazenly proclaimed himself King of Qi in Chui Du. The rebel army in Chui Du was overjoyed; they were no longer a rabble. They had hope. One day, if Prince Jiao Shi succeeded, they would possess high positions, riches, gold, land, and unparalleled glory. Led by General Gao, the rebels knelt before the fake Prince Jiao Shi and swore an oath: "We will obey Your Majesty's commands, even unto death!"

The first royal decree issued by the false king was to seize Maling, a border city of Qi, so that he could issue orders from his own territory. The soldiers guarding the city gates of Maling were caught off guard and were taken off guard by the three Wei brothers disguised as civilians. The city gates were opened wide and the rebels swarmed in.

The urgent report of the fall of Maling arrived at the palace that evening. King Xuan of Qi immediately summoned Tian Ji and Sun Bin to the palace and said with a grave expression, "An urgent report came from Maling, saying that Prince Jiaoshi is not dead. He led the rebel army to capture Maling and declared himself king there. Many of the fleeing rebels have returned to his command..."

"Your Majesty," Tian Ji said, "General Tian witnessed with his own eyes that Prince Jiaoshi died under the hail of soldiers' spears; when his body was placed in the coffin, I also personally examined the body, and it is impossible for him to still be alive. It must be Pang Juan's men impersonating him."

"Hmm...very likely." King Xuan of Qi nodded thoughtfully and continued, "General Tian, ​​Military Advisor Sun, we cannot allow this fake prince to continue to bewitch the people and challenge my authority. I order you to immediately lead an army of 100,000 to retake Maling, annihilate the rebels, and eliminate the fake prince."

Sun Bin said to King Xuan, "Your Majesty, Pang Juan is doing this to restrain us and prevent the Qi army from having time to rest. It is not advisable to mobilize a large army for this trip to Maling. General Tian and I with 50,000 troops are enough. General Tian Ji can stay in Linzi to rest the army and prepare for a major battle with Pang Juan."

Tian Ji was still worried. He said to Sun Bin, "Fifty thousand men are too few. If Pang Juan leads a large army to reinforce Maling, your fifty thousand men will be unable to cope."

"General Tian, ​​rest assured, 50,000 troops are a bit too few to launch a direct assault on Maling, but the Maling rebels are a rabble. Once the fake prince is exposed, the rebels will lose their will to fight, and taking Maling will be a piece of cake. If Pang Juan's army reinforces Maling, I will not fight a losing battle; I will withdraw immediately." After a pause, Sun Bin continued, "I actually hope that Pang Juan's army reinforces Maling, so that it will be Pang Juan, not us, who will not get a rest."

The King of Qi agreed with Sun Bin's reasoning and agreed to send 50,000 troops.

Tian Ji disagreed. He said to King Xuan, "Your Majesty should not act rashly. Even if Pang Juan's army does not support Maling, there are still tens of thousands of Wei troops in Chuidu. What is most worrying are the Wei brothers. They are incredibly brave. Last time, General Tian lost hundreds of soldiers but still failed to capture them... They will endanger the life of the strategist!"

King Xuan of Qi hesitated again and asked Tian Ji, "General Tian, ​​what do you suggest we do?"

Tian Ji said, "It would be better to send more troops."

Sun Bin shook his head and said, "It's not worth sending more troops for a few assassins, and it might not even be effective."

King Xuan of Qi asked, "According to the strategist, how should we deal with the Wei brothers?"

Zhongli Chun emerged from the inner chamber and said to King Qi Xuan, "Your Majesty, I know how to deal with the Wei brothers."

King Xuan of Qi said eagerly, "Please speak, Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty, I will accompany the military advisor on this expedition."

"You?" King Xuan of Qi was taken aback.

Zhong Lichun nodded and said, "I am more than capable of dealing with the Wei brothers and protecting Military Advisor Sun."

Tian Ji, standing to the side, said, "Your Majesty, the Queen is absolutely right. Only the Queen can deal with the Wei brothers."

King Xuan of Qi remained silent in deep thought.

Zhongli Chun pleaded, "Your Majesty, Military Advisor Sun is too important to the State of Qi. Please allow me to go."

Tian Ji also pleaded, "Your Majesty, please let the Queen go. If the Queen can accompany the army, the strategist will be safe and sound."

King Xuan of Qi, unwilling to contradict the Queen directly, asked Sun Bin, "Military Advisor Sun, what is your opinion?"

Sun Bin secretly wanted Zhongli Chun to accompany the king, but worried that King Xuan would become suspicious, so he said in a deep voice, "It is inappropriate for the queen to accompany the army, and there has never been a precedent for this in Qi."

King Xuan of Qi nodded and told Sun Bin to go back and think of a better solution.

After Sun Bin and Tian Ji left the palace, Zhongli Chun said to King Xuan, "Your Majesty, I am going on this expedition not only for Military Advisor Sun, but also for the sake of the country."

King Xuan of Qi said, "Going on a military expedition would be mortal danger, and I am worried about it."

"Your Majesty has witnessed my swordsmanship firsthand. I have fought on the front lines of the two armies many times, risking my life, yet I have never been harmed by a single hair. Your Majesty need not worry."

"If you walk by the river often enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet eventually... What if something happens to you?"

"If I make any mistake, Your Majesty, I am willing to accept any punishment."

King Xuan of Qi said irritably, "Queen, what are you saying! If anything goes wrong, the Queen will lose her life. How can I punish you then?"

Zhongli Chun said very seriously, "Your Majesty may punish Mr. Sun, punish General Tian, ​​and punish the state of Qi. I am only going to war with the army for their sake."

King Xuan of Qi was speechless; he did not know how to refute Zhong Lichun.

"Your Majesty, please say something..." Zhong Lichun urged.

"I have only one word for you: you must not go."

"Are you still worried about me?"

"Yes and no."

"Why is that?"

King Xuan of Qi hesitated for a moment, then said, "I cannot say it outright, but you should understand."

Zhong Lichun understood the unspoken meaning behind King Xuan's words, something she least wanted him to think. She said to the king, "Is Your Majesty worried that because Gongsun Yue once slandered me for having an affair with Sun Bin, I might rekindle our past relationship while accompanying Sun Bin on his campaign...?"

"If you already know, why ask?" King Xuan of Qi interrupted her with a gloomy face.

"Your Majesty, Gongsun Yue is a spy from Wei, who only wants to see Qi in chaos. Why do you still believe his words?"

"Not only Gongsun Yue, but there was another person who also said this to me."

"This person must have the same goal as Gongsun Yue."

"On the contrary, this person has no ill intentions; he is doing it for your own good."

"who is he?"

"I promised him that I would never tell his name to a third person."

"I suspect that this person does not exist at all."

"I swear that this person not only exists, but is also your good friend."

Zhong Lichun couldn't immediately guess who King Xuan was referring to, but she understood that King Xuan knew everything… She desperately wanted to leave Qi with Sun Bin, but Sun Bin wouldn't agree. Qi still needed him; he would definitely go to Maling, and going to Maling would certainly be dangerous. She didn't know what to do. How could she protect the person she loved?

The moon had risen high in the sky. Zhongli Chun sat on King Xuan's bed, gazing at the moon outside the window, lost in thought.

King Xuan of Qi took off his outer robe, sat down beside Zhong Lichun, and said to her, "Queen, don't bother. You'll never guess who he is... Go and rest."

Zhong Lichun sat on the couch without moving.

Seeing this, King Xuan of Qi said, "Go, Queen. If you don't leave, I can't rest. I'm tired."

Zhong Lichun made a difficult decision, saying, "Your Majesty, I will not leave tonight..."

"Your Majesty, let's talk about this tomorrow. You must be tired; go and rest."

"Your Majesty, I will accompany you to rest..." After saying these words, Zhong Lichun felt her heart sink to the bottom.

King Xuan of Qi was taken aback: "Queen, you..."

Zhongli Chun calmly said to King Xuan, "Your Majesty, since we became husband and wife, we have not yet enjoyed the intimacy of husband and wife. Tonight, I wish to...become your true husband and wife..."

King Xuan of Qi found it hard to believe and said, "Queen, didn't you say... that after the state of Qi is revitalized, then..."

Zhongli Chun said softly, "During this time, Your Majesty has distanced yourself from treacherous officials and appointed virtuous ministers and generals; you have restrained yourself from indulging in pleasures and banquets, and you are determined to strive for strength. I have seen it all. The revitalization of Qi is just around the corner, and I... do not need to wait any longer..."

King Xuan of Qi held Zhongli Chun in his arms, overflowing with tenderness. He had been looking forward to this day. He gently laid Zhongli Chun down on the bed...

The moon outside the window shyly hides behind the clouds; it wants to look, yet cannot bear to—this is the happiest, yet most helpless, scene on earth…

In that short moment, Zhong Lichun seemed to have lived a lifetime, a difficult lifetime. With her hair disheveled, Zhong Lichun lay on the bed, tears slowly streaming down her face.

King Xuan of Qi gently wiped away Zhong Lichun's tears and comforted her, "Your Majesty, don't cry. It's normal for girls to feel this way the first time..."

Zhong Lichun murmured, "That's not why..."

"Why is that?"

Zhong Lichun remained silent.

"Is it because I have wronged you and Mr. Sun...?"

Zhong Lichun remained silent.

King Xuan of Qi said regretfully, "If I had known you were a woman, I wouldn't have... Queen, I apologize to you..."

Zhong Lichun let out a long breath. King Xuan would never know why she did it. It was for love, a love that was etched into her bones. After giving everything for love, she would never have it again...

The next day, Zhong Lichun, disguised as a man and dressed in guard's attire, arrived at Sun Bin's residence. Sun Bin was taken aback and asked, "Does Your Majesty agree?"

Zhong Lichun nodded.

Sun Bin then asked curiously, "How did you persuade the king?"

Zhong Lichun tried her best to hold back, but finally couldn't. She threw herself into Sun Bin's arms, tears streaming down her face, and choked out, "Mr. Sun... the King and I... I'm so sorry..."

Sun Bin looked at Zhong Lichun, who was weeping bitterly in his arms, and couldn't say a word... He knew that everything Zhong Lichun had done was for him... He didn't know how to comfort this girl who loved him so deeply. He only hoped to complete his mission in Qi as soon as possible, and elope with his beloved girl to live their own lives. But unexpectedly, it became a beautiful but unattainable dream.

Just as Sun Bin arrived at Maling with 50,000 troops, Qin Hua hurriedly rode up on horseback and said to Sun Bin, "Sir, the King has ordered you to cease your attack on Maling."

Sun Bin asked, "What happened?"

Qin Huadao said, "The king says that Prince Jiaoshi is not dead; he is in Maling."

Tian Guo said, "That's impossible. I saw with my own eyes that Prince Jiao Shi died under the soldiers' spears. How could he not be dead?"

Qin Huadao said, "The king said that the person you killed was a bodyguard who looked very much like Gongzi Jiaoshi."

"This is a rumor!" Tian Guo couldn't believe it no matter what.

Zhongli Chun, standing to the side, asked, "Who told Your Majesty this?"

"Empress Dowager," Qin Huadao said, "she said that a few days ago, Prince Jiaoshi went to see her."

Sun Bin immediately understood and said with a faint smile, "Pang Juan's seemingly mediocre move has become brilliant because of the Empress Dowager."

Note: "Borrowing a corpse to revive a soul" is the fourteenth of the Thirty-Six Stratagems. It originally refers to something already dead appearing in another form. Pang Juan used a fake Prince Jiao Shi to replace the deceased Prince Jiao Shi, causing the rebellious forces in Qi to rise from decline. To find out how Sun Bin quelled the rebellion in Qi, please see the next chapter: "Drawing the firewood from under the cauldron."