The Art of Deception and Adrian's Tale Chapter 6

⒈ Arrow sawing method. Someone was shot by an arrow and asked a surgeon to treat him. The surgeon sawed off the arrow shaft and asked for a thank you gift. When asked why he didn't remove the arrowhead, he said: That's a matter for internal medicine, you should go see an internal medicine doctor. This is a story that has been passed down.

Now, all military and political organizations, as well as those who have accomplished great things, use this method. For example, in the review of a petition, "According to the situation presented by XXX, it is indeed illegal. I have ordered the county governor to investigate and deal with it strictly." The four words "illegal" are sawing the arrow shaft, and "the county governor" is the internal department. Or "submit it to the superior for review and approval", and the "superior" is the internal department. For example, if someone asks me to do something, I say, "I agree with this matter very much, but I still need to discuss it with XXX." The three words "I agree very much" are sawing the arrow shaft, and "XXX" is the internal department. Or, "I will do a certain part first, and the rest later." "Do it first" is sawing the arrow shaft, and "later" is the internal department. In addition, there are those who only saw the arrow shaft and did not order them to find the internal department, and there are those who do not even saw the arrow shaft and order them to go straight to the internal department. There are many differences. Please understand them by yourself.

⒉ How to mend a pot. The pot for cooking is leaking, so a pot mender is invited to mend it. The pot mender scrapes the soot off the bottom of the pot with a piece of iron, and says to the owner: "Please light a fire so I can burn the smoke." When the owner's back is turned, he knocks on the pot a few times with a hammer, and the crack grows a lot. When the owner turns around, he points to it and says: "The crack on your pot is very long, and it's greasy and invisible. I scraped the soot off and it became visible. You have to mend it with a few more nails." The owner lowered his head and looked at it, and said in amazement: "Not bad! Not bad! If I hadn't met you today, I'm afraid this pot would be unusable!" When the pot was mended, the owner and the pot mender left happily.

Duke Zhuang of Zheng indulged Gong Shuduan, causing him to commit many unjust acts, and then he raised an army to attack him. This is the method of patching the pot. There are many such cases in history. Some people say: "In many places, the reform of China is to cut the good meat to make it worse." This is the method of patching the pot used by the reform officials. In the officialdom of the Qing Dynasty, the method of sawing arrows was probably used. Since the Republic of China, the two methods of sawing arrows and patching pots have been used interchangeably.

The above two wonderful methods are the general rules for doing things. Regardless of ancient and modern times, in China and abroad, those who conform to these general rules will succeed, and those who violate these general rules will fail. Guan Zhong was a great politician in China, and he used these two methods to do things. When the Di people attacked Wei, Qi State did not move its troops, and waited until the Di people destroyed Wei before it came out to do the righteous act of "reviving the destroyed country and continuing the extinct generations". This is the method of mending the pot. In the Battle of Zhaoling, Chu State was not blamed for usurping the title of king, but only for its thatch and failure to pay tribute. This is the method of sawing arrows. At that time, Chu State was far more powerful than Qi State. Guan Zhong dared to persuade Qi Huangong to raise troops to attack Chu. It can be said that he was mending a pot after it was broken. When Chu State showed a resistance, he immediately sawed off the arrows and ended the matter. The Battle of Zhaoling started with the method of mending the pot and ended with the method of sawing arrows. Guan Zhong was able to mend the pot after it was broken, so he was called "the world's genius".

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the military officials surrounded Li Zicheng and deliberately let him out. They were trying to mend the pot, but they could not control him. The country was destroyed and the emperor died. The pot was broken and could not be mended. Therefore, they were called "incompetent officials who misled the country." Yue Fei wanted to restore the Central Plains and welcome back the two emperors. He had just thought of taking out the arrowhead when he was killed. Ming Yingzong was also captured. Yu Qian brought him back and took out the arrowhead. But he was still killed. Why? Because it violated public rules.

Wang Dao was the prime minister of the Jin Dynasty. There was a traitor, but he did not go to fight against him. Tao Kan blamed him, and he wrote back: "I will keep the traitor in my time and wait for you." Kan read the letter and laughed, saying: "He is nothing but 'keeping the traitor in my time'." Wang Dao's "keeping the traitor in my time" to wait for Tao Kan means that he kept the arrowhead and waited for the internal department. The famous scholars shed tears in Xinting, and Wang Dao changed color and said: "We should work together to help the royal family and recover the divine land. Why should we cry like prisoners of Chu?" He looked righteous, as if he was holding an iron hammer and going to mend the pot, but in fact, he could have done it by saying a few nice words. The two emperors were trapped in the north and would never return, and the arrowhead was never taken out. Wang Dao's behavior was a bit like Guan Zhong, so he was called "Yiwu of Jiangzuo" in history. If readers can follow my method, they will become the first great politician after Guanzi.

5. Conclusion

Having said a lot of things, I would like to tell readers a little secret at the end of this big melon: when using thick black, you must cover it with a layer of benevolence, righteousness and morality, and you cannot show it nakedly. Wang Mang's failure was due to the exposure of thick black. If he had never exposed it in his life, I am afraid that Wang Mang would still be eating cold pork in the Confucius Temple. Han Feizi said: "Use his words secretly and abandon his body openly." This method is also necessary. For example, if I write this book "Thick Black Studies", you should hide it in your pillow and not put it on the table. If someone asks you: "Do you know Adrian Li?" You should make a very solemn face and say: "This person is very bad. He teaches thick black studies. I don't recognize him." Although you say this, you should offer a "position of Adrian Li, the great sage and teacher" in your heart. If you can do this, your career in your lifetime will definitely be earth-shaking, and you will definitely eat cold pork in the Confucius Temple after your death. So every time I hear people scolding me, I am very happy and say: "My way is great."

There is another point. I said before: "On top of the thick black, there should be a layer of benevolence, righteousness and morality." This refers to meeting a Taoist scholar. If you meet a friend who teaches S3xology, wouldn't you be asking for trouble if you talk about benevolence, righteousness and morality with him? At this time, you should cover it with the four words "love is sacred". If you meet a friend who talks about Marx, you should cover it with the eight words "class struggle, labor dictatorship", won't he call you a comrade? In short, what should be covered on the surface is for scholars to follow the times and places, and follow the trend, while the thick black inside will never change. Ambitious scholars, experience it carefully!