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

Pang Juan was defeated at Guiling and enraged, especially by the fact that Sun Bin had escaped right under his nose. Suspecting Gongsun Yue's involvement, Pang Juan angrily questioned him, "How did Sun Bin escape? Did you help him?"

Gongsun Yue respectfully replied, "I am utterly loyal to the Marshal and would never aid his mortal enemy."

Pang Juan drew his sword, pointed it at Gongsun Yue, and shouted fiercely, "If you don't talk, I'll kill you!"

Gongsun Yue said frankly, "Even if you kill me, I still won't know."

Pang Juan stared directly at Gongsun Yue.

Gongsun Yue remained calm.

"Zhong Liqiu definitely knows. Call her here." With that, Pang Juan withdrew her sword.

"She doesn't know either."

How did you know?

"I never tell her anything about Zhong Lichun."

"This isn't Zhongli Chun's business; it's Sun Bin's business. She had feelings for Sun Bin, so she definitely knows about him. Call her here; I want to ask her about it in person."

Gongsun Yue remained unmoved: "It's precisely because she once loved Sun Bin that she doesn't know. If she knew Sun Bin was still alive, she would never have married me."

Pang Juan pondered for a moment and said, "What you said makes sense, but I still want to ask her in person."

When Zhongli Qiu heard that Sun Bin had led the Qi army to defeat Pang Juan, he clapped his hands with joy and said, "That's wonderful! I told you long ago that Mr. Sun would definitely achieve great things."

"Don't be so happy yet," Gongsun Yue glanced at her unhappily, "Pang Juan already knows about your sister's trip to Qi, and he's investigating who helped Sun Bin escape."

Zhong Liqiu blurted out, "Just say it's me. It has nothing to do with you. If he wants to kill someone, let him kill me."

"He doesn't want to kill just one person, but his entire family."

"I have no relatives in Wei, I am not afraid of killing my entire family."

"What about me? Aren't I your family?"

Zhong Liqiu was taken aback, then lowered her head and whispered, "You can run away. It's enough for me to die alone. I don't want to drag you into this..."

Gongsun Yue took Zhongli Qiu's hands in his, and said gently but firmly, "If you die, I will not live either."

Zhong Liqiu was moved by Gongsun Yue's words. She asked Gongsun Yue what to do, and Gongsun Yue told her to say this after she met Pang Juan...

Zhong Liqiu arrived at Pang Juan's residence. Pang Juan adopted a frank demeanor, "You probably already know, Sun Bin is still alive, and he's even become the military advisor of Qi..." As he spoke, he glanced at Zhong Liqiu, "You must be very happy, right?"

Zhong Liqiu coldly replied, "I'm not happy."

Pang Juan stared at Zhong Liqiu and asked, "Why are you unhappy?"

"I hate him, he deceived me." Zhong Liqiu revealed a resentful look and said bitterly, "I didn't care about his leg or his status, I was willing to marry him, but he deceived me, pretended to be crazy, and ran away, leaving me alone in Wei..."

"He was afraid I would kill him, so he pretended to be crazy and fled the State of Wei."

"The marshal will not kill him; if he wanted to, he would be long gone."

"Then tell me, why did he run away?"

"He took a fancy to my sister," Zhong Liqiu sobbed. "They ran away together to abandon me... I hate him, I hate my sister..." Her words touched a nerve, and suddenly tears welled up in her eyes: "I hate all of you! You all deceived me..." Zhong Liqiu couldn't continue and burst into tears.

Pang Juan stared at Zhong Liqiu for a moment, but found no flaws, so he believed Zhong Liqiu's words.

To avenge the defeat at Guiling, Pang Juan requested King Wei's permission to unite with Chu, Han, and Yan to jointly attack Qi. King Wei asked him how he could persuade Chu, Han, and Yan to send troops to attack Qi. Pang Juan confidently replied, "Your Majesty can promise Han the return of the cities it has occupied; promise Yan that you will share Zhao's lands with it; and promise Chu an alliance to jointly fight against Qin. Then they will send troops."

King Hui of Wei said in a deep voice, "I can agree to Chu and form an alliance with them; I can also agree to Yan and share Zhao's land; but I cannot agree to return the city to Han. It is the fruit of my soldiers' lives."

Pang Juan said, "As long as Qi is destroyed, Your Majesty will have no worries about the future. Then, I will lead troops to attack Han. Your Majesty will gain not just a few cities, but the entire Han state."

King Hui of Wei agreed with Pang Juan's suggestion. He warned Pang Juan, "General Pang, even with the assistance of the armies of three states, do not underestimate Sun Bin. His talent surpasses yours." He looked at Pang Juan and said, "I have also seen some of the grudges between you and Sun Bin. The reason I have not pointed it out and have always followed your lead is because you are from Wei and he is from Qi."

King Hui of Wei's words caused Pang Juan to break out in a fine sweat. He told King Hui, "Your Majesty, I will never fail you. I swear I will not rest until I have defeated Sun Bin."

"It's not about defeating Sun Bin, but about defeating the State of Qi, and defeating all the states."

At Pang Juan's invitation, the states of Chu, Han, and Yan launched an attack on Qi, capturing several border cities and advancing towards the capital, Linzi. The people of Qi were gripped by fear. King Wei of Qi summoned his ministers to inquire about strategies for repelling the enemy, asking twice, but the ministers remained silent. King Wei, somewhat annoyed, said, "You are all my advisors and wise ministers. In this time of great difficulty, you should be devising strategies for me. Why are you all silent?" Seeing that no one spoke, King Wei was about to erupt in anger when Tian Ji and Sun Bin, dressed in general's casual attire, hurriedly entered the palace. Sun Bin bowed respectfully, and Tian Ji knelt and said, "Your Majesty, your humble servant and the strategist left in haste and were unable to change into our court robes. Please forgive us."

"With a formidable enemy at hand, from now on, when the generals at the front meet me, they may not change into their court robes. Please rise," said King Qi Wei. "General Tian, ​​Military Advisor Sun, do you have any good strategies to repel the enemy?"

"Yes," Sun Bin said. "I discussed with General Tian our plan to divide and conquer them."

"How can we divide and conquer?" King Wei of Qi asked.

Sun Bin said, "Chu is sending troops because Wei promised to form an alliance with them to jointly fight Qin. Your Majesty can agree to make peace and form an alliance with Chu. Han is sending troops because Wei promised to return the cities to the King of Han. Your Majesty can send an envoy to Han to reason with them, saying that if Qi falls, Wei will have no worries about its rear, and Han will lose the cities it has gained. Yan is sending troops for the land of Zhao. Your Majesty can cede the land that Zhao gave you to Yan. Once Chu, Han, and Yan have achieved their goals, they will withdraw their troops. With the three states withdrawing, Pang Juan will be left alone. This is the strategy of attacking the enemy's alliances."

King Wei of Qi then asked, "What if the diplomatic alliance fails?"

"Abandon Linzi," Sun Bin said. "The three states of Chu, Han, and Yan have invaded our country for their own purposes. After they obtain Linzi, Wei will fulfill its promise. Once their objectives are achieved, they will automatically withdraw their troops. If our army voluntarily abandons Linzi, our strength and vitality will remain intact. If the Wei army obtains Linzi, they will become arrogant and underestimate us. An arrogant army is bound to be defeated, and we can take this opportunity to recapture Linzi and recover all lost territory."

No sooner had Sun Bin finished speaking than the physician Gao said, "Your Majesty, Sun Bin's idea is absolutely unacceptable. The ancestral temple of Qi is located in Linzi. If we abandon Linzi, Qi will cease to exist."

Sun Bin countered, "When the capital of Chu was captured by Wu, Chu was not destroyed. Yet, it was Wu that was later destroyed. How do you explain this?"

Dr. Gao was speechless.

Doctor Yan also objected: "Your Majesty, abandoning Linzi will bring untold suffering to its people. If Your Majesty cannot protect your own people, you will surely lose their trust. Your Majesty must not do this!"

Sun Bin said, "What we leave Pang Juan is an empty city, with no people and no food. Pang Juan will not be able to stay long."

Just as Zou Ji was about to speak, Minister Bao stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, whether it is an empty city or a full city, Linzi is the capital of Qi. To hand Linzi over to the enemy is to betray Qi!"

Sun Bin retorted sharply, "If we do not abandon Linzi, a bloody battle is inevitable. Outnumbered and outgunned, our chances of victory are extremely slim. Once Linzi falls, our army will suffer heavy losses, and we will be unable to retake it within several years. Abandoning Linzi is to retake it as quickly as possible; how can that be considered betraying Qi?"

Doctor Bao sneered, "Our Qi is a great power in the east. If we retreat without a fight, wouldn't we become a laughingstock? We'd rather die in battle than be frightened to death by the enemy. Your Majesty, you must not abandon Linzi!"

Most of the officials were unwilling to leave their homes, and King Wei of Qi was no exception. He said to the crowd, "I agree with the strategy of attacking the enemy through diplomacy. However, abandoning Linzi means abandoning my state, which I absolutely do not agree with. Anyone who speaks of abandoning Linzi again will be punished as a traitor."

With King Qi Wei's mind made up, Sun Bin could no longer insist on abandoning Linzi. He immediately sent Qin Hua and others to secretly persuade the generals of Chu, Han, and Yan to withdraw their troops. The generals of the three states were somewhat moved, and the general of Chu immediately agreed that even if it was inconvenient to withdraw his troops for the time being, he would not fight against the Qi army.

The envoy relayed the words of the Chu general to Pang Juan, and Gongsun Yue urged Pang Juan, "Marshal, time is of the essence. We should attack Linzi as soon as possible. Otherwise, once the Qi envoys persuade the generals of Han and Yan, we will be left helpless."

Upon hearing this, Pang Juan not only abandoned his plan to attack Linzi, but also prepared to withdraw his troops. Gongsun Yue was greatly puzzled and asked, "Linzi will fall soon; why does the commander-in-chief want to withdraw?"

Pang Juan laughed and said, "The withdrawal is conditional. Qi must hand over Sun Bin. Only after handing over Sun Bin will I lead my troops eastward."

"Would the State of Qi agree to this?"

"Yes, they will definitely agree."

Pang Juan sent someone to inform King Wei of the conditions for withdrawing the troops. King Wei immediately summoned Tian Ji and Zou Ji to the palace and said to them, "I have summoned you here because of a very important matter..." He paused for a moment and continued, "Pang Juan has offered to withdraw the troops on the condition that the Wei criminal Sun Bin be handed over within three days. What do you think should be done about this?"

Tian Ji said, "Your Majesty, this is Pang Juan's conspiracy. If Sun Bin is not here, Linzi will be difficult to defend."

Zou Ji retorted, "Even if Sun Bin were here, he wouldn't be confident of holding Linzi."

Tian Ji asked Zou Ji, displeased, "What evidence do you have that Sun Bin isn't confident?"

"If he were confident, he wouldn't have proposed giving up Linzi."

"Sun Bin said that if the strategy of attacking the enemy's alliance fails, then we should abandon Linzi. Now, the strategy of attacking the enemy's alliance is beginning to show results. The State of Chu has agreed not to fight us, and the States of Han and Yan also have this intention. With only Pang Juan's army, Sun Bin can not only defend Linzi, but also defeat Pang Juan's army."

"What if the State of Chu changes its mind?"

"That's impossible."

Zou Ji smiled and said, "When two armies clash, anything can happen. As a general, you must be prepared for anything."

Even if the State of Chu changes its mind, Sun Bin can still defend Linzi.

"Then why did he advocate abandoning Linzi?"

"Sun Bin made it very clear that he was doing this in order to preserve his strength and ultimately defeat the enemy."

Zou Ji shook his head: "You've only mentioned one aspect. On the other hand, Sun Bin wasn't confident in holding Linzi. If he were, he wouldn't have risked abandoning the ancestral temples and the people by leaving Linzi."

King Qi Wei nodded slightly.

Zou Ji continued, "Since he is not confident in guaranteeing the safety of Your Majesty and the people of Linzi, we must think of another way. Pang Juan's demand for us to hand over Sun Bin is a conspiracy, but as long as we hand over Sun Bin, Pang Juan will have no reason to retain the armies of the other three states. If the three states withdraw their troops, Pang Juan will find it difficult to conquer Linzi. At that time, he will have no choice but to withdraw, even if he doesn't want to."

Tian Ji was not good with words, but he still insisted on his position: "With Sun Bin here, Pang Juan would not dare to underestimate the State of Qi; without Sun Bin, Pang Juan can play the State of Qi at will."

"Stop arguing," King Qi Wei stopped the two men's debate. "I know what you're thinking. Although you each have your own plans, I hope that with a formidable enemy at hand, you can prioritize the nation's interests. Therefore, I have decided to agree to Pang Juan's request to hand over Sun Bin within three days."

Tian Ji pleaded with King Wei of Qi not to hand over Sun Bin, but King Wei of Qi replied, "This is a delaying tactic. Within three days, Sun Bin must find a way to make the states of Chu, Han, and Yan withdraw their troops. Otherwise, I will hand over Sun Bin on schedule."

Tian Ji said with difficulty, "Your Majesty, three days... I'm afraid it will be difficult to make the three kingdoms withdraw their troops."

King Qi Wei coldly replied, "Since Sun Bin is so resourceful, he should be able to withdraw his troops within three days; if he cannot, what use is he to me?"

Two days of the three-day deadline had passed, and Sun Bin still hadn't come up with a good plan to repel the enemy. Tian Ji sighed and said to Sun Bin, "Mr. Sun, I'm truly sorry."

Sun Bin comforted him, saying, "Don't say that. I don't blame you. I can only say that Pang Juan's plan was brilliant."

At this moment, Zhongli Chun stormed into the tent, pointed his sword at Tian Ji, and demanded, "General Tian, ​​why did you hand Sun Bin over to Pang Juan?"

Sun Bin quickly stepped forward to stop Zhong Lichun: "Miss Zhongli, this is not General Tian's fault, it is the King's decision."

"I want to tell Your Majesty that even if the three kingdoms do not withdraw their troops, you can still defeat Pang Juan, and he will not be able to hand you over."

"The matter has been decided and cannot be changed."

"Then let's leave the ungrateful State of Qi and never return!"

Sun Bin advised, "If I leave, General Tian will not be able to explain to the King, nor will the State of Qi be able to explain to Pang Juan."

Zhongli Chun complained to Sun Bin: "Mr. Sun, you always think of others, but they never think of you! You have rendered such great service to the State of Qi, yet they want to hand you over to your enemy. Don't you feel disheartened?"

Sun Bin was speechless for a moment.

"Let's go, Mr. Sun," Zhong Lichun earnestly urged Sun Bin.

Tian Ji, standing nearby, also advised Sun Bin: "Mr. Sun, the State of Qi has wronged you greatly. You should leave."

Sun Bin asked Tian Ji, "If I leave, what will happen to the general? What will happen to the state of Qi?"

Tian Ji said with a wry smile, "If we hand you over to Pang Juan, we won't know what to do with the State of Qi."

Before Tian Ji could finish speaking, Tian Guo burst in with several generals. Tian Guo said to Tian Ji, "General, we know what to do."

"What should we do?"

"Charge into the palace and kill all the incompetent and foolish officials who advocate handing over the strategist..."

Before he finished speaking, Tian Ji struck Tian Guo hard across the face, and blood flowed from the corner of Tian Guo's mouth.

"You bastard!" Tian Ji cursed, "If outsiders hear this, your wife, children, and elderly parents will all lose their lives because of you!"

Tian Guodao said, "I'm not a scoundrel. I understand perfectly well that if we hand over the strategist, Qi will surely perish. If Qi falls, the lives of my wife, children, and elderly parents will also be in danger. It's better for my family to perish than for the country to fall and my family to perish. I'd rather my whole family be killed than let Mr. Sun remain in Qi and in the army!"

The generals beside Tian Guo said in unison, "We agree!"

Tian Guo stretched out his arm, which bore the sword scars left from the oath-taking ceremony. The other generals also stretched out their arms, all bearing sword scars from the oath-taking ceremony.

"We have sworn an oath to save Mr. Sun with our lives and those of our families!"

Large tears streamed from Sun Bin's eyes. Tian Ji also shed tears, turning his body away; Zhongli Chun couldn't help but cry out.

Sun Bin abruptly wiped away his tears and said to everyone, "None of you can die! Your wives, children, and elderly parents must not die either! I will definitely find a good plan to stop Pang Juan's conspiracy!"

That night, the moon was high in the sky. Sun Bin sat alone in his tent, gently plucking the strings of a zither before him. Outside, Tian Ji, Zhongli Chun, Tian Guo, Qin Hua, and others sat around the campfire, their faces etched with anxiety and unease. No one spoke, only glancing occasionally at the tent behind them. Slow, strained music drifted from the tent, then abruptly stopped for a moment. Almost simultaneously, everyone turned to look at the tent, their eyes filled with anticipation. But the music resumed, still slow and strained. The expectation on their faces vanished instantly, replaced by their previous anxiety and unease.

Tian Guo finally couldn't hold back any longer and said dejectedly, "I see the strategist is helpless. No wonder, even a god couldn't help us!"

"I'm wondering if Mr. Sun is intentionally delaying..." Qin Hua said at this moment.

Everyone was taken aback. Tian Ji asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Mr. Sun did not want to implicate the general and all of us present. He wanted to keep us calm and stall until the final deadline, so that he could die for his country."

"We can't let him do this!" Tian Ji said, suddenly standing up. Tian Guo and Zhong Lichun also stood up immediately.

"Don't be impatient, this is just my estimate..." Qin Hua said, listening to the music drifting from inside the tent. Suddenly, the music became smoother. Qin Hua jumped up excitedly and exclaimed, "General, the strategist has been found!"

The crowd rushed excitedly into the tent, asking Sun Bin if he had any ideas. Sun Bin stopped playing his instrument, smiled slightly, nodded, and said to everyone, "Promise Pang Juan that you will hand me over to him on time, but demand that he accept me in front of the other three kingdoms' generals. On that day, find two incredibly brave and fearless generals to escort me to Pang Juan's place. Let him verify my identity, and we will seize the opportunity to capture Pang Juan. We will then threaten him with death to force him to agree to our conditions in front of the three kingdoms. The three kingdoms have already intended to withdraw their troops, but they haven't acted on it because they haven't had a dignified opportunity. As long as Pang Juan publicly agrees to withdraw, they can leave Qi openly and legitimately. Pang Juan will then have no face to remain within Qi's territory, and Qi's predicament will be easily resolved!"

Tian Guo clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Great plan! Great plan!"

Tian Ji said with great concern, "This plan is too risky. If it fails, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Qin Hua was also very worried and said to Sun Bin, "Mr. Sun, the General is right. If we make a mistake, we will lose everything. Do you have any other plans?"

Sun Bin said, "This is the only feasible strategy. It is precisely because it takes an unconventional approach that Pang Juan was caught off guard. This is just as Sun Tzu said: 'Attack where the enemy is unprepared, appear where the enemy is not expecting you.' Therefore, this will be the safest strategy."

Zhong Lichun said, "Could we find someone to impersonate you, just like when you fled Wei?"

"No," Sun Bin shook his head. "Last time, I was able to get away with it because Pang Juan didn't expect it. This time, Pang Juan will definitely be on guard. Besides, I've been Pang Juan's classmate for three years, and he knows my every move very well. If he sees through me, then we'll lose everything." After a pause, Sun Bin smiled at Tian Ji and said, "General, you should trust me. I won't do anything I'm not sure of. I've considered all the steps, including the people who will escort me. Make your decision."

"Okay, let's do it that way." Tian Ji nodded.

The handover of Sun Bin took place on the plain in front of the two armies, where a high earthen platform stood, upon which the banners of Wei, Chu, Han, and Yan fluttered. In front of the platform, on one side stood neatly arranged Wei soldiers, and on the other side, soldiers from the other three states. The soldiers, wielding long halberds, formed an impenetrable wall. A long passage was formed between the two ranks of soldiers. Pang Juan and the generals of Chu, Han, and Yan stood beneath their respective banners. Gongsun Yue was also present, standing on one side of the platform with the other Wei generals.

Two carriages approached from afar, followed by many Qi soldiers. The first carriage carried Tian Ji and Sun Bin, while the second carriage carried Tian Guo and Zhong Lichun. Zhong Lichun was once again disguised as a man, wearing the same general's attire as Tian Guo.

The carriage stopped a hundred paces away from the earthen platform. Tian Guo and Zhong Lichun helped Sun Bin down from the carriage and escorted him toward the platform.

Standing on the earthen platform, Pang Juan looked at Sun Bin as he approached, a smug sneer appearing on his face.

Tian Guo and Zhong Lichun escorted Sun Bin to the soldiers. One soldier blocked their path with a halberd and ordered, "Put down your weapons."

Tian Guo and Zhong Lichun handed their swords to the soldiers beside them.

The soldiers made way, and Tian Guo and Zhong Lichun, carrying Sun Bin empty-handed, continued walking towards the earthen platform.

When the three from Tian Guo arrived at the foot of the earthen platform, a general stopped them, saying, "Alright, hand Sun Bin over to us."

Tian Guodao said, "The General has ordered that we must personally hand Sun Bin over to Marshal Pang. Only after Marshal Pang has verified his identity can we return to report."

Pang Juan, standing on the earthen platform, said to the generals below, "Let them come up."

The general stepped aside, and Tian Guo and Zhong Lichun escorted Sun Bin onto the earthen platform.

Gongsun Yue, standing on one side of the earthen platform, recognized Zhong Lichun and was taken aback. He secretly gripped the sword at his waist with his right hand. Gongsun Yue thought to himself that Zhong Lichun, disguised as a general, was escorting Sun Bin and must have some kind of conspiracy. He wanted to step forward and expose Zhong Lichun, but he was also worried that Zhong Liqiu would part ways with him because of this.

While Gongsun Yue was still hesitating, Tian Guo had already brought Sun Bin to Pang Juan.

Tian Guo bowed to Pang Juan and said, "Please, Marshal Pang, verify Sun Bin's identity."

Pang Juan walked over, looked at Sun Bin, and said, "Sun Bin, raise your head."

Sun Bin raised his head, looked at Pang Juan with disdain, and said, "Junior brother, do you think I'm lying?"

Pang Juan smiled smugly at Sun Bin and said, "You often say that warfare is based on deception, so I dare not be careless..."

Before Pang Juan could finish speaking, Tian Guo suddenly stepped forward, punched Pang Juan to the ground, and swiftly drew a dagger from his sleeve, holding it to Pang Juan's throat. At the same time, Zhong Lichun reached out and snatched Pang Juan's sword, protecting Tian Guo.

The entire process was completed in the blink of an eye.

Those on and off the stage were stunned for a moment before several generals reacted, drawing their swords and stepping forward. Zhong Lichun, quick as lightning, slashed down the general at the very front with a single stroke.

Tian Guo shouted, "Don't move! If you move again, I'll kill Pang Juan!"

The generals immediately stopped, unsure of what to do.

Gongsun Yue had already drawn his sword, but then he thought to himself, "Zhongli Chun has already succeeded, and she won't give up until she gets what she wants. Besides, if I were to take action, I might not be able to save Pang Juan, and I might even lose Zhongli Qiu..." So he put his sword back.

Pang Juan lay on the ground and said viciously to Sun Bin, "If you kill me, none of you will survive!"

Sun Bin calmly said to Pang Juan, "Pang Juan, none of us wanted to live, especially me. Rather than be killed by you, I'd rather watch you die first and then be killed by someone else."

Pang Juan was so angry that he was panting heavily and speechless for a moment.

Sun Bin continued, "If you don't want to die, you must agree to our conditions."

After a brief standoff, Pang Juan slowly said, "Alright, go ahead and speak."

"First, the armies of the four states shall immediately withdraw; second, return the border cities of Qi to us; third, we guarantee that we will not invade Qi again."

Pang Juan remained silent.

Sun Bin smiled and said, "Pang Juan, you are a man destined for greatness. It would be such a pity if you died at our hands before you could achieve it."

Pang Juan bit her lip hard, and after a moment, she said reluctantly but helplessly, "Okay, I agree..."

Note: "Capture the King to Capture the Thirty-Six Stratagems" is the eighteenth stratagem, meaning that by destroying the enemy's main force and capturing their leader, the enemy's overall strength can be disintegrated. Sun Bin used this stratagem to force Pang Juan to retreat, temporarily escaping the crisis for the State of Qi. Pang Juan, having suffered such a great humiliation, would certainly seek revenge against Sun Bin. To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter: "Waiting at Ease for the Exhausted Enemy."