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

After Pang Juan led his defeated army back to Wei, he became increasingly angry. He hated Sun Bin, Zhongli Chun, and all those who had deceived him... He ordered his soldiers to arrest Zhongli Qiu.

"Zhong Liqiu, do you know why I invited you here?" Pang Juan sneered at Zhong Liqiu.

Zhong Liqiu shook his head, his face showing anger.

"Your sister humiliated me in front of everyone in Qi, making me unable to face anyone."

"That's her business, it has nothing to do with me."

"How can it be alright? You let Sun Bin go; it was Sun Bin who instructed her to do so."

"I did not let Sun Bin go."

"If it's not you, then who is it? Is it Gongsun Yue?" Pang Juan pressed.

"No, it wasn't him..." Zhong Liqiu firmly denied.

Pang Juan sneered and threatened, "If you don't talk, I'll hand you over to my soldiers and let them deal with you... Do you understand what I mean?"

Zhong Liqiu was furious: "You...you'll die a horrible death!"

"You're the one who'll die a horrible death," Pang Juan sneered. "Guards, take her to the military camp and let the soldiers take turns enjoying her."

The soldiers guarding the door came in, grabbed Zhong Liqiu, and prepared to take her away.

"Let me go, I'll talk!" Zhong Liqiu shouted at Pang Juan.

Pang Juan gestured for the soldiers to release Zhong Liqiu.

Zhongli Qiu said to Pang Juan, "It was I who let Sun Bin go."

Pang Juan asked, "Who else?"

Zhong Liqiu replied, "My older sister."

Pang Juan sneered, "You two can't do it."

Zhong Liqiu said disdainfully, "What's so difficult about that? I hid Mr. Sun in my house, threw his clothes into the river, and after the storm subsided, my sister drove Mr. Sun to the State of Qi..." Before she could finish speaking, Pang Juan slapped her hard, knocking Zhong Liqiu to the ground.

Zhong Liqiu struggled to her feet, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and said to Pang Juan, "Go ahead and hit me. Kill me. Mr. Sun will avenge me. You are no match for him. He will kill you sooner or later..."

Pang Juan was furious and ordered his soldiers to drag Zhong Liqiu to the marketplace and behead him as a warning to others.

Upon hearing that Pang Juan intended to kill Zhong Liqiu, Gongsun Yue rushed to the execution ground, seized the executioner's blade, and told them to wait a moment while he pleaded with Marshal Pang to spare Zhong Liqiu's life. Gongsun Yue arrived at Pang's residence, knelt before Pang Juan, and begged him to spare Zhong Liqiu's life.

Pang Juan glanced at Gongsun Yue and said coldly, "She let Sun Bin go, so I have no choice but to kill her."

"But Sun Bin wasn't released by her, it was Zhongli Chun," Gongsun Yue argued.

"She and Zhong Lichun released Sun Bin together."

"She didn't. It was Zhongli Chun and I who released Sun Bin."

Pang Juan gave a cold laugh: "Is it worth ruining your life for a woman?"

Gongsun Yue said decisively, "It's worth it. She's the woman I need most."

Pang Juan looked at him for a moment, then sighed, "Get up, I can release Zhongli Qiu."

Gongsun Yue was moved to tears and said to Pang Juan, "Marshal, I would go through fire and water for you!"

Pang Juan then said, "Gongsun Yue, I need you to help me get rid of Sun Bin."

"Okay, but don't let Zhongli Qiu know."

"You don't need to do it yourself; get someone else to take care of him."

"Give me your orders, how do I do it?"

"The reason I'm making such a big fuss today is to let everyone know that I'm going to kill Zhong Liqiu. If you take Zhong Liqiu to Qi, they certainly won't suspect you. Once you're in Qi, go find Zou Ji and try your best to gain his trust. Zou Ji has always been at odds with Tian Ji and Sun Bin, so you can use Zou Ji to get rid of Sun Bin." As Pang Juan spoke, a murderous glint flashed in his deep eyes.

Gongsun Yue clapped his hands in admiration and readily agreed.

Gongsun Yue took Zhongli Qiu away from Wei and headed to Qi. Zhongli Qiu was overjoyed on the journey, eagerly anticipating seeing her sister and Master Sun. As Gongsun Yue drove the carriage, he said, "When Sun Bin escaped, we made a pact: I helped him escape, and he helped me obtain you, swearing never to see you again."

Zhong Liqiu said, "Mr. Sun had no choice."

Gongsun Yue turned to look at Zhongli Qiu and sighed, "If a man truly loves a woman, he would rather die than refuse to see her again. A few days ago, Pang Juan forced me to make a choice: one was death, but I could be with you; the other was life, but I would lose you forever. I chose death because I truly loved you. Sun Bin didn't truly love you, so he chose life and will never see you again."

Zhong Liqiu remained silent, gazing into the distance, looking somewhat lost.

After arriving in Linzi, Gongsun Yue sought refuge with Zou Ji. Once they were seated, Zou Ji asked Gongsun Yue, "Why did you leave Pang Juan and go to the State of Qi?"

"Pang Juan wants to kill my wife," Gongsun Yue replied.

Why did Pang Juan kill your wife?

"My wife once helped Sun Bin escape from the State of Wei."

"Then you should seek refuge with Sun Bin, not come to me."

"My wife is in love with Sun Bin. If I were to go and serve Sun Bin, wouldn't my wife leave me and our home be torn apart?"

After pondering for a moment, Zou Ji said, "I can take you in, but you must not show your face in public for the time being."

Gongsun Yue said, "I understand. The Prime Minister needs to verify what I just said."

"It's not that I don't trust you," Zou Ji explained, "I not only need you as my advisor, but also as the advisor for the state of Qi. Therefore, I must act with caution."

Zou Ji sent someone to the State of Wei to inquire about Gongsun Yue's situation and confirmed that what Gongsun Yue had said was true. He then hosted a banquet for Gongsun Yue and apologized to him.

The two men toasted each other and chatted amiably. During the meal, Gongsun Yue said to Zou Ji, "Prime Minister, do you know why I have come to serve you?"

Zou Ji laughed and said, "I am the prime minister of Qi. I can bring you wealth and honor."

Gongsun Yue shook his head and said, "Gongsun Yue does not value wealth and honor. If it were only for wealth and honor, I would not have left Pang Juan."

"So what do you value?"

"Woman, my beloved woman."

"You already have one, don't you?"

"But she could return to Sun Bin at any time."

"How can I help you?"

"Eliminate Sun Bin."

How do you know I'd help you?

Gongsun Yue said, "Sun Bin once tied the Prime Minister up in the marketplace and humiliated him. The Prime Minister hates him to the core."

Whenever Zou Ji thought of this incident, he would tremble with rage, and he would grit his teeth and say, "I swear I will never let Sun Bin get away with this!"

Gongsun Yue continued, "To get rid of Sun Bin, we must first get rid of Tian Ji."

Zou Ji slammed his hand on the table: "Neither of them can be spared!" After saying that, he sighed and added, "Ever since Sun Bin and Tian Ji defeated Pang Juan, the king's trust in them has grown day by day... It's too difficult to get rid of them."

Gongsun Yue said sinisterly, "It's not difficult. What the king fears most is someone taking his throne, especially his relatives. Tian Ji is the king's relative and holds military power. As long as we make the king believe that Tian Ji has ambitions to seize the throne, that will be enough."

"Your Majesty will not believe that Tian Ji has such ambitions."

"We can persuade the king to believe it."

Zou Ji often played the game of pitch-pot with King Wei of Qi, with the loser drinking wine. One day, while they were having a good time, Zou Ji said to King Wei, "Your Majesty, people's hearts are unpredictable. Tian Ji and Sun Bin hold military power. Your Majesty must be wary."

King Wei of Qi said, "Tian Ji and Sun Bin are loyal to me and would not do anything to betray me."

Zou Ji continued, "Has Your Majesty forgotten that when the Wei army was pressing in, they ignored Your Majesty, were arrogant and disobedient, repeatedly defied Your Majesty's orders, and did not take Your Majesty seriously at all? We must be wary of such people."

King Qi Wei laughed and said, "That was for the sake of the war. They did the right thing, and in the end, they defeated Pang Juan for me."

Zou Ji returned to his residence and told Gongsun Yue that King Gongsun Yue did not believe that Tian Ji and Sun Bin had any ambitions.

Gongsun Yue said, "The Prime Minister has said it too few times. If once is not enough, say it twice, and if twice is not enough, say it three times. If you say it too many times, even if His Majesty does not completely believe you, he will have doubts."

Zou Ji said helplessly, "Words alone are not enough; we need evidence."

Gongsun Yue smiled and said, "That's the next step; we need to wait for the right opportunity."

Since Zhong Liqiu arrived in Qi, she had been staying at Zou Ji's residence. She missed her sister, Zhong Lichun, but Gongsun Yue wouldn't let her see her, saying she should wait some time. Many days passed, and Gongsun Yue still showed no intention of letting her see her sister. Zhong Liqiu said to Gongsun Yue, "I've already waited for several days; how much longer do you want me to wait?"

Gongsun Yue smiled wryly, "We're in Qi, a place we don't know anywhere else. We're all relying on the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and General Tian are at odds, and your sister is a guest of General Tian. If you go to see her now, what will the Prime Minister think when he finds out?"

"Then...when will I be able to see my sister?"

"After I gain the Prime Minister's trust..."

Zhongli Qiu instructed Gongsun Yue: "Well, you must work hard for the Prime Minister and earn his trust as soon as possible."

Ever since Zhong Lichun met Sun Bin, she had developed a deep admiration for him. She admired that Sun Bin did not give up on himself because of his disability, but instead became even more determined and capable. As time went by, her admiration gradually turned into love, especially after Sun Bin's ingenious strategies and brilliant tactics in defeating Pang Juan several times. This love intensified. She wanted to marry Sun Bin and spend her life with him, but being a young woman, she found it difficult to express her feelings.

One day, Qin Hua invited Zhong Lichun to play pitch-pot. While they were having a good time, Qin Hua asked her, "Miss Zhong Li, you are both beautiful and talented. What kind of husband do you wish to marry?"

Zhong Lichun did not answer.

Qin Hua then asked, "Do you... want to marry Mr. Sun?"

Zhong Lichun still did not answer.

Qin Hua laughed and said, "Not answering means admitting it."

Zhong Lichun hurriedly said, "I didn't admit it."

Qin Hua then asked, "So, who do you want to marry?"

Zhong Lichun said unhappily, "I don't know!"

"Miss Zhongli," Qin Hua probed, "if Mr. Sun doesn't intend to marry you, I would be willing..."

Zhong Lichun's face immediately darkened, and he said angrily, "I don't want to hear such words."

Qin Hua's words made Zhong Lichun unable to hold back any longer; she wanted to tell Sun Bin what was on her mind. That evening, she found Sun Bin, who was studying military strategy, and asked him bluntly, "Mr. Sun, do you want to get married?"

Sun Bin put down the bamboo slips and said, "I once promised Master Guigu that I would first achieve great things and then settle down."

"After you achieve great things, what kind of woman do you plan to marry?"

"I haven't thought about it yet."

"You're still thinking about Zhong Liqiu?"

Sun Bin quickly replied, "No, she is already someone else's wife."

"Then... did you think of me?" Zhong Lichun mustered her courage and asked in a low voice.

Sun Bin was taken aback and didn't know how to answer.

Zhong Lichun glanced at Sun Bin, whose face was flushed, and knowing he was easily embarrassed, said, "You don't need to answer immediately. I'll wait for you, as many days as you like, but you must give me a clear answer." Zhong Lichun stood up and said, "Mr. Sun, please rest early. I'm going back." With that, he turned and left.

After Zhong Lichun left, Sun Bin was in turmoil. He genuinely liked Zhong Lichun, not only because Zhong Lichun had saved his life... But, he was disabled, how could he let Zhong Lichun take care of him for the rest of his life? That night, Sun Bin barely slept.

The next day, Qin Hua came to see Sun Bin and asked him if he wanted to marry Zhong Lichun. Sun Bin pondered for a moment and said, "Miss Zhong Lichun has been very kind to me, but I am disabled and my life is very inconvenient. If I marry her, she will have to take care of me for the rest of her life. I am not worth her sacrifice."

Bird Slide: "If she's willing to take care of you for the rest of your life, how could you refuse?"

Sun Bin thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll say that her personality is too masculine; she's fine as a friend, but not suitable as a wife."

Qin Hua shook his head and said, "You can't say that. It hurts her pride too much. After all, she's still a girl."

"Then what should I say?"

Qin Hua thought for a moment and said, "I'll take you to have your marriage told. If the diviner says your marriage is unlikely to succeed, just tell her what she said. That way, both of you will have an explanation."

Qin Hua and Sun Bin arrived at the old fortune teller's house in Tian Ji's carriage. After explaining their purpose, the old fortune teller cast a divination and said to Sun Bin, "Go back and tell that girl, it's not that I don't want you to be together, but it's your destiny. Like water and fire, although life cannot exist without them, if you force them to be together, they will ultimately be incompatible. Therefore, it's better for you not to be together... Do you understand?"

"Understood..." Sun Bin gave the old man a piece of silver.

While Sun Bin was having his fortune told at a diviner's house, Zou Ji, accompanied by Gongsun Yue, also planned to have their fortunes told there. On the way, Gongsun Yue said to Zou Ji, "I believe in strategy, not divination. If divination could predict victory or defeat, what would be the point of having strategists?"

Zou Ji explained to him, "You haven't been in Qi for long, so there are some things you don't understand. When important matters arise in Qi, the officials all come to this house for divination. I've had my fortune told several times, and each time it came true."

They arrived at the diviner's residence by carriage, only to find Tian Ji's carriage parked outside. Zou Ji frowned and told Gongsun Yue that Sun Bin and Tian Ji might also have come for divination. Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yue pondered for a moment and said to Zou Ji, "Prime Minister, the opportunity has arrived."

"What opportunity?"

Gongsun Yue whispered, "The Prime Minister just said that all the high-ranking officials in the court come to this house for divination when they have important matters to attend to. I will disguise myself as Tian Ji's attendant..."

Zou Ji understood what he wanted to say, but fearing that people on the street would overhear, he told him to go back to his residence and explain in detail.

Upon returning home, Gongsun Yue recounted his plan in detail to Zou Ji. Zou Ji clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Great idea! Let's do it this way!" Then, he hesitated, then added, "What if the King demands a confrontation between the two sides?"

Gongsun Yue said, "Explain the advantages and disadvantages to the King. Tell him that Tian Ji and his men hold military power. If we confront them, it will only alarm them and force them to rebel. Then the King will not dare to confront them."

That evening, Sun Bin came to Zhongli Chun's residence and told him what the old diviner had said. Before Zhongli Chun had even finished listening, he angrily said, "He's talking nonsense, he deserves to die!"

Sun Bin said, "You can't say that. His divination is very accurate, and all the officials in the court believe in him."

Zhong Lichun sneered, "Sun Bin, I remember you said that Sun Tzu never believed in divination when predicting the outcome of a war, but rather looked at whether the plan was thorough and whether the conditions were sufficient."

Sun Bin was at a loss for words.

"Marriage is like warfare; you should trust yourself, not rely on divination." Zhong Lichun bit her lip lightly and said, "Mr. Sun, tell me the truth, are you willing to marry me?"

Sun Bin pondered for a moment and said, "Miss Zhongli, we can be good friends, but we cannot be husband and wife."

"Why?" Zhong Lichun asked.

"Our personalities... are too different. If we become husband and wife, I'm afraid..." Sun Bin stammered.

"You don't need to say anything more," Zhong Lichun interrupted him. "I understand, you look down on me. You can leave."

"No, you've been incredibly kind to me..." Sun Bin tried to explain. Zhong Lichun didn't want to hear him continue, pushed him out the door, and slammed the door shut.

Sun Bin, speaking through the door, said to Zhong Lichun, "Miss Zhong Li, it's really not that I look down on you, it's just... sigh, never mind, you'll understand later."

The sound of Sun Bin's departing footsteps gradually faded away. Two lines of tears streamed down Zhongli Chun's face.

Sun Bin told Qin Hua about his plan to see Zhong Lichun. Knowing Zhong Lichun's temperament, Qin Hua went to her residence intending to persuade her, but found that Zhong Lichun had already left. Qin Hua immediately gathered several retainers and, carrying torches, went to find Zhong Lichun.

That night, Gongsun Yue, disguised as Tian Ji's attendant, knocked on the door of the old fortune teller and placed several pieces of gold in front of him. The old man was taken aback and asked, "What are you doing?"

Gongsun Yue said, "I am acting on General Tian's orders to ask you to perform divination for him."

The old man said, "I never charge this much money for divination."

Gongsun Yue said, "This divination is no small matter. My general is a relative of Your Majesty, holds military power in Qi, and is assisted by Sun Bin, making him a formidable figure throughout the land. Now, the general wishes to undertake a great undertaking. Please cast a divination to predict whether it will succeed. If it succeeds, I will give you a hundred taels of gold."

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, followed by a voice saying, "Elder, I am from the Prime Minister's residence. The Prime Minister has important business to discuss with you."

Gongsun Yue held the old man at sword length and whispered, "What I just said must not be revealed, or I will kill you."

The old fortune teller nodded repeatedly.

The old fortune teller followed Zou Ji's entourage to the Zou residence. On the way, they encountered Qin Hua, who was searching for Zhong Lichun. The old fortune teller took the initiative to greet Qin Hua. Because of Zhong Lichun's departure, Qin Hua was angry with the old man and coldly replied before hurriedly passing by.

The old fortune teller came to Zou Ji's residence and asked Zou Ji what business he had with him. Zou Ji asked, "I heard that someone from Tian Ji's residence came to you for divination. May I ask what they want to ask?"

The old man replied, "It concerns marriage."

Zou Ji sneered: "If it were about marriage, they would never give you so much gold."

Upon hearing this, the old man couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

Zou Ji then asked, "I've heard that Tian Ji is eyeing the throne and plotting something wicked. Surely he's not asking about that?"

The old man was startled and quickly kowtowed, saying, "Your Excellency is wise; I did not perform divination for them."

Zou Ji, accompanied by the old man, entered the palace that very night and told King Wei of Qi about Tian Ji's divination. Zou Ji said to King Wei, "Your Majesty, Tian Ji holds military power. If Your Majesty does not make a decision soon, your throne is doomed!"

Despite the old diviner's testimony, King Wei of Qi remained suspicious. He ordered Zou Ji to take the old diviner to Tian Ji's residence to find the person who had gone for divination. Zou Ji said, "Your Majesty, Tian Ji holds military power. Openly searching for him will surely alarm him. What if he becomes desperate and acts rashly?"

"Hmm... Your Majesty's concerns are quite valid."

Zou Ji then said, "Your Majesty should act decisively and arrest Tian Ji and Sun Bin."

King Wei of Qi shook his head and said, "Tian Ji and Sun Bin are meritorious officials of Qi. I cannot punish them based solely on the diviner's one-sided account."

Zou Ji said, "Your Majesty, if you don't deal with them, they will deal with you. Wasn't the dethronement of Duke Kang of Qi by Duke Tian a lesson in itself?"

King Qi Wei remained silent in deep thought.

The next day, after the court assembly, Tian Ji and Sun Bin traveled back to their residence in the same carriage. A short distance behind them was another carriage carrying two palace guards. Sun Bin glanced back and whispered to Tian Ji, "General, the more I think about it, the more uneasy I feel. The King suddenly announced that any mobilization of troops requires his order, and he even sent people to monitor us. Someone must be slandering us to the King."

"It must be Zou Ji... He has offered the king many good strategies for governing the country, and the king trusts him very much. Only he could persuade the king to be so suspicious of us."

"Why is Zou Ji such a petty person now?"

"Jealousy damaged his character," Tian Ji sighed helplessly.

"I understand," Sun Bin sighed, "He and Pang Juan both suffer from the same illness..."

On their way back to their residence, the two passed by the old fortune teller's house, where a large crowd had gathered, as if something had happened. Sun Bin got out of the carriage and asked the old man's neighbors, only to learn that the old fortune teller had been murdered the previous night. According to the neighbors, the old man had never offended anyone, and they didn't know who had done it. Sun Bin's expression turned serious. He stepped forward and lifted the burlap sack covering the old man, revealing a glaring sword wound on his neck. As he froze, he heard Zhong Lichun's furious voice from the previous night: "He's talking nonsense, he deserves to die!" Could it be Zhong Lichun?

News of the diviner's death quickly reached the palace, and Zou Ji believed that Tian Ji had killed him to cover it up. King Wei of Qi became increasingly suspicious of Tian Ji and ordered the palace guards to summon Tian Ji to the palace immediately.

Note: "Creating Something from Nothing" is the seventh of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, originally meaning to fabricate or frame someone out of thin air. In warfare, this stratagem involves first deceiving the enemy with a false appearance, then creating the truth within that falsehood. Gongsun Yue and Zou Ji used this stratagem to make King Wei of Qi suspicious of Tian Ji and Sun Bin, paving the way for their elimination. To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter: "Using a Borrowed Knife to Kill Someone."