Kongming turned to his panicked subordinates with a calm, enigmatic smile. "Do not hide," he commanded. "Open the gates wide."
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
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. Kongming turned to his panicked subordinates with a
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. , known as Kongming, stood atop the city
"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."
He ordered his soldiers to dress as civilians and sweep the streets in front of the four gates, acting as if the city were merely waking up for a quiet morning. Then, Kongming donned his simple Taoist robe and climbed to the highest point of the gate tower. He sat down, lit a stick of incense, and placed his guqin (zither) across his lap.
Fearing a massive counter-attack hidden within the city's alleyways, Sima Yi ordered a total retreat. The 150,000 soldiers turned and marched away in a cloud of dust.