Taking Chencang by Using a Clever Strategy

　　This is a story from the novel Three Kingdoms. Zhuge Liang led 300，000 Shu State troops in a march towards Chencang， the vital communication stronghold of the Wei State. It was his second expedition against the Wei State. Hao Zhao， the general guarding the city dug the trenches deep and built the fortress strong. He waited for the attack. Everyday， Zhuge Liang sent soldiers to challenge the Wei army in battle， but the Wei troops held fast to their position and refused to come out. One day， a scout came back to report that Hao Zhao was seriously ill. Zhuge Liang thought that the chance had come at last. He ordered Wei Yan and Jiang Wei to take 5，000troops and surround Chencang in three days. They were to attack the city when they saw a fire inside the city. After that， he gave Guan Xing and Zhang Bao secret instructions. As the health of the Wei State general Hao Zhao was deteriorating， suddenly it was reported to Hao Zhao that the troops from Shu State had arrived outside the city. Hao Zhao hurriedly ordered officers and soldiers to defend the city in their position. Unexpectedly， a fire broke out on each of the city's towers. There was chaos inside the city. Hao Zhaowas frightened to death. The troops of the Shu State smashed all enemy resistance and advanced into the city. Three days later when Wei Yan and Jiang Wei led their troops to the gate of the city， they heard somebody shouting from the top of the city wall， “You have come too late！” The two generals fixed their eyes upon the person. It was the Prime Minister of the Shu State， Zhuge Liang. The two generals got down from their horses hastily and saluted. Zhuge Liang said， “The reason that I asked you to attack the city in three days is to keep the doldiers calm. In fact， Ihad already sent Guan Xing and Zhang Bao to secretly leave the center area of Han the same night as I ordered you. By disguising myself， I hid among the soldiers and set out for Chencang by starlight. We gave the enemy a surprise attack. The fire was set on at my instruction and it threw the city into confusion. This is called “taking the enemy by surprise and striking when it is unprepared.”

计取陈仓

　　诸葛亮带领三十万大军再度伐魏，直奔交通要塞陈仓而来。守将郝昭在这里挖深沟筑堡垒，以守待攻。诸葛亮每天派人叫阵，魏军坚守不出。有一天，派出去的探子回来报告，说陈仓守将郝昭病重。诸葛亮觉得时机已到，马上叫魏延、姜维三天之后带五千人马围住陈仓，待见到城中起火，协同攻城。然后又唤关兴、张苞附耳暗授机密。魏将郝照病势严重，忽然接到报告，说蜀军已到城下，急命将士上城把守。此时各城楼突然大火四起，城中顿时大乱。郝照当即吓死。蜀兵势如破竹，直入城中。三天后，魏延、姜维领兵来到陈仓城下，见城上有人大喊：“你二位来迟了！”二人定眼一看，不是别人，正是丞相诸葛亮。二人急忙下马行礼。诸葛亮说：“我叫你二人三天后领兵攻城。是为了稳住军心，其实我已叫关兴、张苞连夜暗出汉中，我化装藏在军中，星夜赶奔陈仓，让敌人一点准备都没有。那些城内放火的人是我早就安排好的。一着火，城内必然不战自乱，这叫出其不意，攻其不备.”