Startle the Snake by Hitting the Grass, 打草惊蛇 - 36 Strategies
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36 Strategies - Strategy No 13: Startle the snake by hitting the grass, 打草惊蛇
Original: 疑以叩实，察而后动。复者，阴之媒也。
Modern: 发现可疑情况就要弄清实情，只有在侦查实情以后才采取行动；反复了解和分析敌情，发现阴谋的重要地方。
English: If something look suspicious, seek to find out the truth. Take actions only when the truth has been found. Only by repeatedly analysing your enemy, then you can find the critical point in their strategy.
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Illustration
In 627 BC, Lord Mu of State of Qin decided to launch an attack on State of Zheng. Beforehand, Lord Mu had placed a spy inside the State of Zheng. Advisor Jian Shu advised against the expedition as the Qin troops would have to travel a very long distance to the State of Zheng. By the time the Qin forces reach the State of Zheng, the Zheng forces would be well-prepared. But the advice fell on deaf ears, Lord Mu sent Meng Ming as the commander-in-chief of the expedition.
When the Qin troop are setting off, Shuo Shu cried and said," I am afraid you guys might not come back victorious and worse, may be ambushed by the State of Jin at Xiao Mountain. As expected by Jian Shu, when the State of Zheng heard about the expedition, they expelled the spy that was planted by Qin and made preparation. On seeing that they are unlikely to be victorious, Meng Ming decided to retreat.
On reaching the Xiao Mountain, Meng Ming remember what Jian Shu had said. He did not make any preparation because the State of Qin had a strong relationship with the former Lord of State of Jin. Little did he realised that there were a lot of Jin troops lying in ambush at Xiao Mountain. One hot afternoon, the Qin forces discovered a small troop of Jin. Meng Ming was furious and ordered to his troops to chase them. They lost sight of the Jin troop when they reach a narrow valley of the Xiao Mountain. On seeing the terrain is very treacherous, Meng Ming realized his mistake, but it was too late. Jin soldiers came out from all over the places and captured most of the Qin forces and its general, including Meng Ming. Why the Qin forces lost is because they startle the "snake" which is the State of Zheng that leads to the defeat at the hand of the Jin forces.
公元前627年，秦穆公发兵攻打郑国，他打算和安插在郑国的奸细里应外合，夺取郑国都城。大夫蹇叔以为秦国离郑国路途遥远，兴师动众长途跋涉，郑国肯定会作好迎战准备。秦穆公不听，派孟明视等三帅率部出征。蹇叔在部队出发时．痛哭流涕地警告说，“恐怕你们这次袭郑不成，反会遭到晋国的埋伏，只有到崤山去给士兵收尸了。”果然不出蹇叔所料，郑国得到了秦国袭郑的情报，逼走了秦国安插的奸细，作好了迎敌准备。秦军见袭郑不成，只得回师，但部队长途跋涉，十分疲惫。部队经过崤山时，仍然不作防备。他们以为秦国曾对晋国刚死不久的晋文公有恩，晋国不会攻打秦军。哪里知道，晋国早在崤山险蜂峡谷中埋伏了重兵。一个炎热的中午，秦军发现晋军小股部队，孟明十分恼怒，下令追击。追到山隘险要处．晋军突然不见踪影。孟明一见此地山高路窄，草深林密，情知不妙。这时鼓声震天，杀声四起，晋军伏兵蜂涌而上，大败秦军，生擒孟明视等三帅。秦军不察敌情，轻举妄动，“打草惊蛇”终于遭到惨败。当然，军事上有时也可故意“打草惊蛇”而诱敌暴露，从而取得战斗的胜利。