To Loot a House on Fire, 趁火打劫 - 36 Strategies
From World's Chinese Wiki
36 Strategies - Strategy No 5:To loot a house on fire, 趁火打劫
Original: 敌之害大，就势取利，刚决柔也。
Modern: 敌方出现危难时，就要乘机进攻夺取胜利。这是强大者利用优势，抓住战机，制服弱敌的策略。
English: When the enemy is in difficult situation, one must seize the opportunity to attack. This is how one can use momentum, to seize victory.
Contents |
Illustration
During the Spring and Aumtumn Era, the State of Wu and the State of Yue are always constantly fighting each other. After many years of fighting, Yue finally succumbed to Wu. Lord of Yue, Gou Jian was captured and sent to the Wu as a slave. Gou Jian vowed to resurrect his state. So on the front, he pretend to be obedient towards Lord of Wu, Fu Chai. He managed to gain the trust of Fu Chai and was released back to the Yue. At Yue, Gou Jian continued his pretence, paying tributes to Wu every year. This numbed Fu Chai's guard against Yue. Meanwhile, Fu Chai continue to strengthen Yue's military and economy.
On the other hand, Fu Chai was so overwhelmed by his repeated victories that he became very arrogant. He began to build lavish palaces, used incapable officials and suppressed advice and opinions against him, causing great chaos in Wu. In 473 BC, Wu suffered poor harvest. During that time, most of the stronger lords will attend a ceremony, that is in actual fact, a show of strength of each state. Wu being one of the strong states was no exception to the ceremony. Fu Chai brought most of his troops to the ceremony although provision was scarce due to poor harvest. Gou Jian took the opportunity to launch an attack on Wu and managed to seized it without much effort.
春秋时期，吴国和越国相互争霸，战事频繁。经过长期战争，越国终因不敌吴国，只得俯首称臣。越王勾践被扣在吴国，失去行动自由。勾践立志复国，十年生聚，十年教训，卧薪尝胆。表面上对吴王夫差百般逢迎，终于骗得夫差的信任，被放回越国。因国之后，勾践依然臣服吴国，年年进献财宝，麻痹夫差。而在国内则采取了一系列富国强兵的措施。越国几年后实力大大加强，人丁兴旺，物资丰足，人心稳定。吴王夫差却被胜利冲昏了头脑，被勾践的假象迷惑，不把越国放在眼里。他骄纵凶残，拒绝纳谏，杀了一代名将忠臣伍子胥，重用奸臣，堵塞言路。生活淫靡奢侈，大兴土木，搞得民穷财尽．公元前473年，吴国颗粒难收，民怨沸腾。越正勾践选中吴王夫差北上和中原诸侯在黄池会盟的时机，大举进兵吴国，吴国国内空虚，无力还击，很快就被越国击破灭亡。勾践的胜利，正是乘敌之危，就势取胜的典型战例。