The Beauty Trap

Use a Beauty to Ensnare the Enemy Against an enemy of great military strength, attack his commanders; against a wise and resourceful commander, seek to shake his will and emotions. When the commander’s fighting spirit declines and the soldiers’ morale sinks, the enemy’s overall momentum will naturally wither and collapse. By such means to resist a foreign foe, one may smoothly preserve oneself. Allusion:In the late Spring and Autumn period, after King Goujian of Yue was defeated by King Fucha of Wu, he adopted Wen Zhong’s advice: “The high-flying bird dies of fine food; the fish in the deep spring dies of fragrant bait.” Catering to Fucha’s tastes, he selected peerless beauties such as Xi Shi and Zheng Dan from Yue and presented them to Fucha, while sending rare treasures as tribute year after year. After obtaining Xi Shi, Fucha indeed sank into wine and women, built the Gusu Terrace on a grand scale, and spent his days in pleasure with the beauties, gradually losing interest in state affairs and refusing even to listen to the remonstrances of loyal ministers such......