Sima Yi rode to the front, squinting at the tower. He knew Kongming was a man of extreme caution who never took unnecessary risks. He listened to the music; it was steady, flawless, and devoid of any agitation.
As the sound of the Wei horses faded, the officials in Xicheng collapsed in relief, drenched in cold sweat. They asked Kongming how he knew it would work.
The drums of the Wei army thundered, a rhythmic death knell echoing through the gates of Xicheng. , known as Kongming, stood atop the city wall, watching the horizon. His main army was away on a campaign; he was left with only a handful of civil officials and 2,500 exhausted soldiers. 2 : Kongming Uses a Stratagem
This became known as the —the ultimate victory of psychological warfare over physical might.
Kongming turned to his panicked subordinates with a calm, enigmatic smile. "Do not hide," he commanded. "Open the gates wide." Sima Yi rode to the front, squinting at the tower
"Sima Yi knows I am careful," Kongming replied, setting his instrument aside. "I used his own intelligence against him. He could not believe I would be so bold, so he convinced himself I was being clever."
Approaching him was , leading a massive force of 150,000 elite troops. To fight was suicide. To flee was impossible. As the sound of the Wei horses faded,
When Sima Yi’s vanguard arrived, they stopped in their tracks. Instead of a rain of arrows, they saw four open gates and a few elderly men sweeping the dust. Above them, the legendary strategist sat alone, plucking a serene, elegant melody.