"Romance of the Three Kingdoms" can be described as a well-known classic in China. The author Luo Guanzhong depicts many lifelike heroes of the Three Kingdoms with vivid brushwork, weaving a wonderful storyline.
Among them, the chapter "Empty City Strategy" is even more breathtaking.
In this chapter, Kong Ming led a small city of 3,000 troops, and faced an army of 150,000 under Sima Yi, which seemed to be weak.
However, Sima Yi hesitated and wandered under the city, and finally chose to withdraw his troops. The reader is full of doubts about this plot, is Sima Yi really stupid?
If we were in the middle of it, would we have the courage to go into the city?
In Luo Guanzhong's description, on the west city, Kong Ming sat leisurely and played the piano, the scholar next to him held a sword and shook a fan, the city gate was open, and the old man was sweeping the streets.
The entire Xicheng seemed to have entered another quiet and uninhabited world, and only the sound of Zhuge Kongming's piano echoed. And Sima Yi under the city carefully observed and found that these seemingly ordinary old men had received military training.
He began to wonder if these people were military modifications, and if there was a hidden murder motive in the city.
Particularly striking are the two scholars behind Kong Ming.
Despite their young age, they showed extraordinary composure and were undaunted by an army of 150,000. This made Sima Yi feel unusual, could it be that these children were ambushed soldiers in the city?
So, realizing that there might be an ambush in the city, he hastily ordered the withdrawal of his troops. The 150,000-strong army retreated without knowing it, and did not stop until it was dozens of miles away.
At this moment, the resourceful man Kong Ming and Sima Yi launched a psychological game. Zhuge Liang used the old army to clean the streets through meticulous layout, creating an illusion of reality, which gave Sima Yi the illusion of retreat.
Sima Yi keenly sensed the unusualness of the city through his observation of various details in the city.
In the end, the two wise men played with each other in the details, and Sima Yi reluctantly withdrew his troops and fell into Kong Ming's empty city plan.
This story reminds us that no matter when and where, the key to a successful strategy is often to observe and grasp the details.
It's not just a military showdown, it's a celebration of the nuanced insights that resourceful people use in their lives.
What makes the Empty City Plan so fascinating is that every detail carries a spark of wisdom.