Chapter 204: Old Huang Imparts the Book

Chapter Two: Picking Up Shoes in Xiapi, Huang Shigong Imparts a Book

The attempt to assassinate Qin failed, and Zhang Liang became a nationally wanted major criminal.

He concealed his surname and identity, fleeing to Xiapi (now Suining, Jiangsu).

Life was hard, the future bleak, and revenge seemed far out of reach.

One day, he was strolling on the Yiqiao Bridge (a stone bridge) in Xiapi.

An old man in tattered brown robes (Huang Shigong) deliberately tossed a shoe onto the bridge below and shouted at Zhang Liang:

"Kid, go down and pick the shoe up for me!"

Zhang Liang was startled, saw the man's age, restrained his anger, and went down the bridge to retrieve the shoe.

The old man lifted his foot again: "Put it on for me!"

Zhang Liang thought, since I picked it up, I might as well wear it.

He knelt and put the shoe on for the old man.

The old man laughed heartily, said nothing, and turned to walk away.

Not far away, he turned back: "Come see me on this bridge five days from tomorrow morning."

Zhang Liang found it odd, but agreed.

Five days later at daybreak, Zhang Liang rushed to the bridge; the old man was already there, angrily saying:

"How can you be late for a date with an old man? Come back in five days!"

He said that and left.

Five days later, as soon as the rooster crowed, Zhang Liang went.

The old man arrived first again and raged: "Why are you late again? Come back in five days!"

This time, Zhang Liang ran to the bridge in the middle of the night to wait.

After a while, the old man walked over slowly, saw him, and smiled: "Now that's proper."

He produced a book and handed it to Zhang Liang: "Study this and you shall become a king's teacher. In ten years the realm will rise. In thirteen years a youth will see me at Ji Bei, beneath Gu Cheng Mountain; Huang Shigong will be me."

Having spoken, he drifted away and never appeared again.

That book was the Grand Duke's Military Strategies.

Zhang Liang treasured it as a priceless treasure, studying it day and night.

From noble son to wanted criminal, then to a down‑and‑out youth tested by the strange old man at the bridge.

A twist of fate sometimes hides in the most unremarkable arrogance and endurance.

Zhang Liang swallowed his resentment and took up the key to overturn the world.

Chapter Three: Choosing a Lord in Pei County, One Word Determines Guanzhong

At the end of Qin, the world fell into chaos; Chen Sheng and Wu Guang rose in rebellion, and the old aristocrats of the Six Kingdoms scrambled to restore themselves.

Zhang Liang also gathered a hundred and ten men, but he did not go to seek the Chu king Jing Ju, nor did he join the more powerful forces of Xiang Liang and Xiang Yu.

He heard of a Pei County commandant named Liu Bang, who led a band of ragged soldiers to seize Pei County, called himself Lord Pei, was open‑minded and listened to others.

Zhang Liang went with his men to meet him and had a chat.

After this conversation, Zhang Liang had a clear sense.

He explained the Grand Duke's Military Strategies to Liu Bang; others did not understand, but Liu Bang grasped it immediately and was eager to adopt it.

Zhang Liang sighed to others: "Lord Pei is almost a heavenly gift."

(Lord Pei's wisdom is probably bestowed by heaven.)

He burned the documents he had intended to use to join Jing Ju, and wholeheartedly followed Liu Bang, who at the time seemed an inconspicuous "grass‑head king."

Liu Bang advanced west toward Xianyang, but stalled near Luoyang.

Zhang Liang said: "A direct assault won't work; the Qin troops guarding the passes are butchers and merchants' sons, and can be bought with money."

Liu Bang gave him gold and silver; he sent men to bribe the gate commanders, and it proved effective.

Upon reaching Yao Pass, the commander was a famed Qin general.

Zhang Liang added: "The commander is greedy, we can lure him with profit, then flank him from behind the pass for a pincer attack."

It succeeded again.

Offering strategies all the way, Liu Bang entered Guanzhong smoothly, enacted the "Three Articles of Law", and won the people's hearts.

A good bird chooses a suitable tree to perch.

Zhang Liang chose the "coarse man" Liu Bang, who could best understand his words and provide the greatest stage for him.

This discernment was the first, and most crucial, step of his scheming.

Chapter Four: The Feast at Hongmen, A Leisurely Move Between Life and Death

Liu Bang entered Xianyang first, angering the colossal Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu stationed his troops at Hongmen, set a feast, intending to kill Liu Bang.

This is the famous Feast at Hongmen.

Liu Bang took over a hundred men to the feast, among them Zhang Liang.

At the banquet, Xiang Zhuang performed a sword dance, aiming at Lord Pei.

On Liu Bang's side, Fan Kuai burst into the tent, devouring pork leg, the tension reaching its peak.

Liu Bang used the excuse of going to the restroom to slip out, intending to flee directly.

Zhang Liang stopped him: "If the Great King leaves like this, wouldn't it be disrespectful to King Xiang?"

Liu Bang hurriedly asked: "Then what should we do?"

Zhang Liang said: "You go first, take the side path back to the camp. I'll stay to handle things."

Liu Bang slipped away.

Zhang Liang, after estimating the time was about right, re‑entered the tent and said to Xiang Yu: "Lord Pei cannot hold his liquor, so he cannot bid farewell in person; allow me to present a pair of white jade discs and a pair of jade goblets, offered to the Great King and Ya Fu (Fan Zeng)."

Xiang Yu seized the white jade disc.

Fan Zeng, furious, threw the jade cup onto the ground, drew his sword and smashed it, shouting, "The brat is not worth consulting!"

How did Zhang Liang lay the groundwork in advance?

He had long ago used wealth to befriend Xiang Yu's uncle, Xiang Bo.

Xiang Bo praised Liu Bang in front of Xiang Yu, and at the banquet he shielded Liu Bang with his own body.

This seemingly insignificant 'idle move' saved Liu Bang's life at the crucial moment.

True stratagems are often already laid out before danger arrives.

Zhang Liang's 'calculations' accounted for human hearts, the situation, and even the contingency of a chance for survival.

【Chapter 5: Xia Yi Scheme, Threefold Bow】

In the Chu–Han struggle, Liu Bang was beaten by Xiang Yu into a head‑cowering flight, his wife and father captured, and he himself almost got eliminated at Pengcheng.

Fleeing to Xia Yi, Liu Bang, despondent, asked Zhang Liang:

"I am willing to divide the lands of Guandong to anyone who can help me defeat Xiang Yu. Who can do it?"

Zhang Liang drew three circles on the map: "There are three people we can use."

"Ying Bu, King of Jiujiang, is a valiant Chu general but has a conflict with Xiang Yu;

Peng Yue, who rebels against Chu in Liang, can be allied;

Among the Han forces, the only great general who can stand alone is Han Xin."

He proposed a strategy:

Grant the lands of Guandong to Ying Bu and Peng Yue, letting them restrain and harass Xiang Yu in the south and east;

Give Han Xin free rein to lead his own army northward, subduing Zhao, Dai, Yan, and Qi, and encircling from the north.

Thus, Xiang Yu's main force would be occupied in the west, while we face enemies on the north, east, and south, exhausting them, and the strategic initiative would be in our hands.

That is the 'Xia Yi clever scheme.'

Liu Bang adopted it, sent envoys to successfully persuade Ying Bu, contacted Peng Yue, and gave Han Xin free rein to open a northern battlefield.

The Chu–Han situation reversed from then on.

When everyone focused on the immediate gains and losses of each city and territory,

Zhang Liang had already seen the whole world's board and set a three‑piece chain, a trap that would corner the true dragon for Liu Bang.

【Chapter 6: Gaixia Ten Sides, Four Sides of Chu Songs】

In 202 BC, the final Chu–Han battle took place.

Han Xin, Peng Yue, Ying Bu and other great armies converged at Gaixia, surrounding Xiang Yu.

Zhang Liang offered a plan again.

Militarily,

He helped Han Xin perfect the 'Ten‑Sided Ambush' formation, setting layered encirclements that prevented Xiang Yu's elite cavalry from breaking out.

Psychologically,

He deployed a killer move—the 'Four Sides of Chu Songs.'

He had Chu‑origin soldiers in the Han army circle the Chu camp at night, singing folk songs of Chu.

The mournful hometown melodies drifted repeatedly, stirring the Chu troops' homesickness, making them think their homeland had been seized by the Han, and their morale collapsed completely.

Xiang Yu, hearing the Chu songs at night, exclaimed in shock, "Has the Han already taken all of Chu? How many Chu people are there!"

Realizing the tide had turned, he broke through to the Wu River and slit his own throat.

The art of war says: attacking the heart is supreme.

Zhang Liang elevated 'psychological attack' to an artistic realm.

The Ten‑Sided Ambush is an iron wall; the Four Sides of Chu Songs are the final straw that breaks the camel's back.