Fishing

Fishing

A popular idiom, the trick of “passing off fish eyes as pearls,” in a military context refers to, respectively, false and actual manoeuvres. First, the commander offers the enemy some bait, which can be a body of weak troops, poorly guarded provision carts, or a herd of oxen or horses that seem to be unprotected. At the prospect of sure gain the enemy will advance to swallow the bait. In this way the able commander has gained initiative by manoeuvring the enemy of his own accord and so the victory is assured even before the battle is fought.

Give profit to the enemy to lure it. In warfare, the so-called baiting does not refer to poisoning the enemy’s food. Instead, any force used to tempt the enemy with the prospect of gain is called a bait army.

If, during an engagement, the enemy troops scatter oxen and horses, abandon property or jettison supplies, we must not seize them, for that would lead inevitably to our defeat. The principal goes, “do not swallow the bait army.”

When the enemy comes from far to mount a challenge it aims to entice you to advance. Abandon goods to throw the enemy into disorder, abandon troops to entice it, and abandon fortresses and land to encourage its arrogance. When it is expedient to apply abandonment, success can hardly be won with too much attachment.

One who is good at manoeuvring the enemy makes the move so that the enemy must make a corresponding move, offers bait so that the enemy must swallow it, or lures the enemy with the prospect of gain and waits for it with one’s main force.

Cao Cao’ s note: entice the enemy with profit , lead it away from its fortress, assume a vantage point, and attack when the enemy is weak and lacking in support.

(Strategy Seventeen in Art of War)

This excerpt from the Three Kingdoms will demonstrate this principle:

Zhuge Liang vs Sima Yi

Zhuge Liang: The camps remain the same, and the soldiers are unchanged. But with one glance, I can tell there is a new Grand Commander. 

Wei Yan: We already have Chenchang in our hands. With the supply lines open, what can Sima Yi do?

Zhuge Liang: You mustn’t think like that. Sima Yi knows the art of war well and is a master of strategy. He is my arch-nemesis.

Wei Yan: Your Excellency, pardon me for my poor understanding, but I really can’t tell how Sima Yi is a master of strategy. In the last northern campaign, your “empty city ruse” scared the wits out of him!

Zhuge Liang: Let me tell you about Sima Yi’s mastery of strategy. Sima Yi does not excel in attacking, but in defending. He is the best defense strategist in the realm. As for us, we detest their deep ditches, tall ramparts and their other defensive tactics, because time is not on our side, but on their side. Sima Yi hopes that we will attack each and every city by force. At this rate, we won’t arrive at Louyang for another 50 years. Now you should understand that defense is Sima Yi’s strategy. Though it may seem like a foolish move, it’s actually quite wise.

Wei Yan: I understand now. Your Excellency, what is your plan?

Zhuge Liang: If we can’t get rid of Sima Yi, we will never take the Central Plains. We need to lure Sima Yi out and engage him in a decisive battle. Jiang Wei, how is the enemy’s defense in the cities of of Longxi?

Jiang Wei: I have investigated that among the 15 cities of Longxi, Wudu and Yingping’s defenses are the weakest.

Zhuge Liang: Wei Yan, can you take down Wudu and Yingping?

Wei Yan: Your Excellency, there is no difficulty in capturing two small cities.

Zhuge Liang: Good. However it’s not as simple as just attacking the cities. You know what to do right?

Wei Yan: I do. First besiege without attacking, and then attack without occupying the city. Wait until Wei’s reinforcement’s come.

.................................

Sima Yi: Have you investigated the camp thoroughly? Does Shu really only have 3,000 men?

Reporting Scout: I’ve seen them very clearly. Shu troops are very few indeed. They might not even amount to 3, 000.

Sima Yi: Have you investigated the area surrounding the city?

Reporting scout: The Mountains surrounding the city have been investigated, and there are no hidden enemy troops.

Sima Yi: You may leave.

Sima Yi (addressing Generals next): Since I’ve just assumed command, I am eager to report victory to the Court. Generals, who among you is willing to bring me honor by destroying the Shu army at Wudu?

General Sun Li: I will go.

Sima Yi: Good Sun Li, you are truly courageous general. I will give you 3,000 men. Here are the conditions- If you seize Wudu, you will be granted riches and noble rank. If you do not, don’t return.

General Sun Li: Yes sir!

Sima Yi: All of you may leave, except Guo Huai.

Guo Huai; do this task for me, but do not let the other generals know. Prepare 3, 000 coffins. Sun Li will not be returning. I don’t want their corpses exposed in the wild. Wudu is at the flank of our camp. How would Shu dare to attack the city with only 3, 000 troops? Zhuge Liang is trying to lure me out for an ambush. 

Zhang He: If you already knew that Sun Li wouldn’t succeed, why did you let him go?

Sima Yi: I have no choice. If I don’t send reinforcements and Wudu falls, the troops in the other cities will think I won’t save them when they are besieged. They will falter before the battle even begins, and thus all the neighboring cities will fall. If that comes to be, how will the main camp survive? Sun Li is loyal and brave. Just as mentioned sending reinforcements to Wudu, he eagerly volunteered. 

Sima Yi: Though I could not have explained things openly, the thought that such a courageous general should not return, I...my heart is racked with pain! 

Guo Huai: Grand Commander, please give me another 3,000 men. I’ll go and support Sun Li’s troops. I’m sure I can save him.

Sima Yi: Guo Huai , do you really dare to brave this danger?

Guo Huai: At worst, it’ll just be another 3, 000 coffins. As a general, I don’t fear death.

Sima Yi: Allow me to thank you. Go with peace of mind. I won’t let you die.

Guo Huai: Thank you, Grand Commander. 

........................................

Scout meeting the first contingent: General, Wudu is just 10 miles ahead. Shu troops are attacking the city.

Sun Li: Scout again. Then addressing the army, Brothers! The time has come for us to demonstrate our loyalty and our might! Follow me!

The way is blocked. 

Wei Yan: Listen up, I’m Wei Yan. The Prime Minister has instructed me to wait here for you. You petty scoundrels are not my match. Dismount and surrender now. 

Sun Li: Wei Yan, I Sun Li specialize in beheading generals! Your life is mine!

Wei Yan: Shoot them.

(The second reinforcements arrive just in time. )

Guo Huai: General Sun Li! Grand Commander has sent me to save you! Hurry, follow me!

Wei Yan: The enemy has sent reinforcements! Do not let the enemy generals flee! Charge!

Guo Huai: General Sun, I’ll bring up the rear!

Sun Li: General Guo, you came just in time! Fight your way out with me! Charge !

............................

(Sometime later, Wei Yan reporting back to Zhuge Liang)

Wei Yan: Your Excellency, the Wei troops have been routed.

Zhuge Liang: How many enemy troops did you kill?

Wei Yan: The Wei general, Sun Li , led 3,000 to rescue Wudu. I killed more than 2,000 of them. I was about to kill Sun Li, but unexpectedly, Vice Commander Guo Huai broke through and rescued him. I didn’t expect there to be another regiment behind the reinforcements.

Zhuge Liang: Sima Yi guessed my intentions.

Wei Yan: Your Excellency, why do you say that?

Zhuge Liang: I had you besiege Wudu and Yinping in order to attack the reinforcements. A rookie general would have seen right through such a simple ruse. How would Sima Yi be unable to guess my intentions? If he had chosen to abandon the cities, the Wei troops in the neighboring cities would lose all hope when we attack them. They might even surrender the cities to us.

Jiang Wei: However, Sima Yi didn’t abandon them. He sent men to their rescue.

Zhuge Liang: He sent that boor, Sun Li , to rescue Wudu, and then sent the Vice Commander to rescue Sun Li. The first rescue was clearly a ruse, a show for the Wei troops defending the cities. The second one was the real rescue. But Sima Yi would never lead the reinforcements personally. We need to lure Sima Yi out and engage him in a decisive battle.

Jiang Wei: That cunning fox, Sima Yi ...

Zhuge Liang: We can’t lure him out without attractive bait.

Wei Yan: Your Excellency, who should we send as bait?

Zhuge Liang: Me. Sima Yi dreams of taking my head.

Wei Yan, return to camp and prepare the troops for battle. Jiang Wei, tomorrow morning send 5,000 men with me to go reassure people of Wudu.

Jiang Wei: Your Excellency, it’s too dangerous.

Wei Yan: Your Excellency, if Sima Yi sends all his troops against us, I will not be able to rescue you in time.

Zhuge Liang: I Understand. Life and death are matters of fate. Return to camp and get ready.

....................................

(Back at Sima Yi’s command centre)

Spy: Grand Commander, Zhuge Liang is leading his troops towards Wudu.

Sima Yi: Drag this man away and execute him.

Spy: Grand commander, why do you want to kill me?

Sima Yi: Because you have reported false information. I truly despise liars.

Spy: Grand Commander, I am not lying! I saw Zhuge Liang with my own eyes!

Sima Yi: How tall is Zhuge Liang? What was he wearing? Was he riding a horse or in a cart? Who were his guards? How many troops were with him? No hesitating. Reply at once.

Spy: Zhuge Liang had a feathered fan and silk cap. He sat in a four-wheeled cart, so I could not tell his height. He was guarded by Jiang Wei, who is just over six spans tall. They had around 5, 000 men with them. I followed them for more than 20 miles and saw Zhuge Liang enter the city.

Sima Yi: Indeed, you’re not a liar. On the contrary, you are bold and meticulous. I promote you to colonel and reward you with 3, 000 cash.

Spy: Thank you, Grand Commander! Thank you, sir!

Guo Huai: Grand Commander, can this be true? Zhuge Liang left his main camp for Wudu?

Sima Yi: I’ve studied Zhuge Liang for several years. This man has a habit. He has personally inspected every city, parapet and post that has capitulated to Shu, in order to comfort the officials and the people. I also have heard that Zhuge Liang prefers to handle these matters personally.

Zhang He: Grand Commander, this is an excellent opportunity to kill Zhuge Liang. Wudu is a small city that’s easy to attack but difficult to defend. I’ll lead 20,000 elite troops there at once. By dawn, I should arrive at Wudu. Before the end of the day, I will have either killed or captured Zhuge Liang.

Sima Yi: Though Wudu is a small city, it is surrounded by mountains, even if tens of thousands of soldiers were to hide there, they would be undetectable. Don’t forget, Wei Yan set an ambush there in the past.

Zhang He: Grand Commander, you are absolutely correct. Last time, Zhuge Liang used Wudu as bait. This time, he himself is the bait.

Sima Yi: Zhuge Liang is so bold. How impressive. How impressive... If I don’t take his bait, then Zhuge Liang will be like the man who picks up a rock to crush his own foot- Overly brilliant men are often victims of their own cleverness.

Zhang He: Instead of going after Zhuge Liang, we will attack them from behind- Attack the Shu camps directly!

Sima Yi: General, your experience in the battlefield shows. You see what truly matters right away. Their supplies and provisions are in the main camp. That is their lifeline. If we use this opportunity to attack and burn the main camp, Zhuge Liang’s army will crumble before us.

Zhang He: Grand Commander, it’s my turn to lead this attack. I volunteer to lead 20,000 elite troops to attack the Shu camp.

Sima Yi: General, you have served Wei for three generations. Your fame is well-known already. Let someone younger lead this battle.

Zhang He: I haven’t gone to battle for a long time. My sword is rattling with battlelust in its case, and my entire body is itching for a fight. I must be part of this battle!

Sima Yi: Please supervise this battle then. You don’t need to kill the enemies personally.

Zhang He: Attack the camp!

We’ve been tricked! Retreat quickly!

Zhang Bao: Charge ! Exterminate the enemy! Do not let their commanding general escape!

Zhang He: Brothers, we’ll fight our way out!

Zhang Bao: I’m General Zhang Bao! You are surrounded! Dismount and surrender!

Zhang He: Coward! Don’t you known that I am Zhang He?

Not even your father, Zhang Fei, was a match for me!

Guo Huai: General, there are too many enemies! We can’t break through!

Zhang He: Charge that way! Hurry!

..................

(Zhuge Liang observing the situation from far, asks)

Zhuge Liang: Who is fighting against Zhang Bao?

Jiang Wei: Zhang He.

Zhuge Liang: That explains it. Even 20 years ago, he was already one of Cao Cao’s top commanders. His bravery today is no less that it was then.

Jiang Wei: If that man is not killed, he’ll be a thorn in our flesh. Let me capture him.

Zhuge Liang: The road towards Jiange is just ahead, and is flanked by steep cliffs.

Zhuge Liang: Take 2,000 archers and set up an ambush. I’ll have Wei Yan leave an opening and lure Zhang He towards Jiange. Remember, do not let him get out alive

........................

Zhang He: What place is this? It’s so gloomy.

Jiang Wei: Zhang He! Considering your old age, I will ask you this: Will you surrender or not? 

Zhang He growls in defiance.

Jiang Wei: Shoot them.

..........................

Sima Yi: I’ve spent so many years of my life fishing that I consider myself an angling master. Yet, I’ve taken Zhuge Liang’s bait.

Sima Yi: But who in the world would set a hook like this?

The bait is at Wudu, but the hook is in their camp!

Guo Huai: There were 37 arrows found in the body of General Zhang He!

Sima Yi: Why are you crying? Though General Zhang He fell in battle, the morale of our troops has been resurrected. Did you know? Of the 20,000 elite troops by General Zhang He, not one fled from the enemy. This is our victory! With such strong resolve in our rank the Shu army will certainly be defeated! Sima Zhao; Slaughter my horse and use its hide to wrap General Zhang He’s body! I will personally lead the whole army to send him off one last time!

Fin

Kill the Chicken to Scare the Monkey

Kill the Chicken to Scare the Monkey

Compared with the chicken, the monkey is much more difficult to kill, but it can be scared into submission by the killing of the chicken.

A military commander can scare two kinds of people into submission: his own troops or power groups without formal allegiance.

In the latter case, he must have an advantage over the people he wants to frighten. For instance, when a leader of an alliance of bandit groups wants to bring the various group leaders into total submission, he can pick out the most powerful of those groups and destroy it completely. He will not choose to destroy all of them, partly because they are useful to him, but mainly because it is beyond his capacity to fight with all of the at once.

The strategy may also be used to strengthen military discipline, when the commander severely punishes someone whose high connections make him irreverent of military rules and defiant of the commander.

When fighting with the enemy, our soldiers will advance and dare not back up if they are more afraid of us then the enemy. If they dare back up but not advance, that is because they’re afraid of the enemy but not of us.

Authority and rigor compel the soldiers to go through fire and water without disobedience. The principal goes, “when severity surpasses solicitude, victory is certain.” In warfare, make our soldiers dare advance but not retreat when encountering the enemy. Those who retreat for a single step must be severely punished. In this way, victory can be achieved.

The principal goes, “use execution to prohibit fear. When fear is excessive, refrain from execution but treat the troops kindly and inform them of the way of survival.” There will be a victory in the soldiers are more afraid of their commander then the enemy, and defeat if soldiers are more afraid of the enemy than of their commander.

The way to predict victory or defeat is to compare the soldiers’ fear for the commander and for the enemy.

Fin

With Lips Gone, Teeth are exposed to Cold

With Lips Gone, Teeth are exposed to Cold

(From: Spring and Autumn Annals) 

Re-written by BoSt

Long ago, Duke Xian of the state of Jin wished to expand his realm and power; the Duke hence, bade Xun Xi to launch an expedition against the powerful State of Guo. The great distance however was of some concern and the campaign’s success depended on traversing the State of Yu. At the time there was a tentative alliance with Yu so Duke Xian asked Xun Xi for his counsel on this matter. 

“In order to secure Duke Yu’s promise to let our army pass .... Hmm...” Xun Xi remained hesitant for a moment, before resuming, “The surest way My Lord, would be to present Duke Yu with our Chuji Jade and good number of Quchan steeds.”

(Note: Xhuji in Xhanxi Province was famous at the time for producing excellent jade stones and Quxhan in Shanxi Province was renowned for its fine breed of horses.)

“Is there no other way?” The Duke Xian was displeased with the suggestion. “The stone is an inherited treasure and should remain so for the next generations. And the idea of losing my steeds to that loathsome, pompous Lord is quite unacceptable. “Duke Xian grumbled, “Perchance, what if Duke Yu accepted our gift but refused our request, what then?”

Xun Xi braved Lord’s fury with this quick riposte: “Well my Lord, if Lord Yu refuses the fine gifts, we can be certain of his veiled hostility and look elsewhere for the safe passage. If however, his Lordship does accept it, we’d only be allowing his Lordship temporary custody of the treasures. What is there to be worried about?”

Duke Xian nodded with approval and soon after sent Xun Xi to the State of Yu to negotiate the army’s safe passage. 

Xun Xi was quick to gain admittance to the Yu court. He presented a splendid figure in his fineries holding the large precious stone before him. Many courtiers gasped witnessing the magnificent steeds that were corralled into the courtyard, dazzling everyone.

Duke Yu greedy for the fine gifts, was about to make the emissary of Jin Xun Xi a rash promise when one of his loyal subjects, Gong Ziyi, came forward to protest: “My Lord, I beg a private council with you, if you please.”

“What, now?” Duke Yu was annoyed.

“How preposterous an intrusion! Has propriety and good sense left Gong Ziyi” Many courtiers grumbled under their breath.

Nevertheless Guo Ziyi was a well respected, loyal minister and Lord Yu was bit intrigued. He signalled Guo to advance and gave him permission to speak his mind.

Guo Ziyi was most direct. “There shall be no promise of any kind, your Grace.” His strong, resounding voice simply ripped through the stone cold silence that had enveloped the court.

“What Yu is to Guo is like gums to the cheeks. Gums are closely related to cheeks and cheeks to gums; which is exactly the present situation of Yu in relation to Guo. As the old ancestral saying goes, ‘If the lips are gone, the teeth will be exposed to cold.’ The fact that Guo is able to exist depends on Yu while Yu’s ability to survive hinges on Guo. This inter-dependency will be jeopardized, if we make way for Jin army, allowing Guo to perish. Their demise will transpire in the morning to be followed by Yu in the evening.”

Guo again spoke in good strong voice: “Why should we ever let Jin pass? Why seek a small gain, only to harm vital interests?”

Duke Yu, however refused to listen to reason and, blinded by greed, in the end still gave the Jin army convenient access to Guo.

Thus Xun Xi attacked Guo and conquered it, and on the way back attacked Yu and conquered it too.

Xun Xi then triumphantly returned to Jin. The jade and the horses were once again restored to Duke Xian who, greatly pleased, said in good humor: “The jade remains the same, but he horses have got some more teeth!”

Fin

In the Hands of Destiny

In the Hands of Destiny

A great Japanese warrior named Nobunaga decided to attack the enemy although he had only one-tenth the number of men the opposition commanded. He knew that he would win, but his soldiers were in doubt.

On the way he stopped at a Shinto shrine and told his men: "After I visit the shrine I will toss a coin. If heads comes, we will win; if tails, we will lose. Destiny holds us in her hand."

Nobunaga entered the shrine and offered a silent prayer. He came forth and tossed a coin. Heads appeared. His soldiers were so eager to fight that they won their battle easily.

"No one can change the hand of destiny," his attendant told him after the battle.

"Indeed not, said Nobunaga, showing a coin which had been doubled, with heads facing either way.

The Art of War -Strategy Four- Positioning

The Art of War -Strategy Four- Positioning

It is possible to lead the enemy into an impasse without fighting.

The offensive and the defensive are the two fundamental elements in warfare. You may think that the aggressor initiating the offensive has the advantage over the other who is forced into defensive mode. But actually this strategy is more about the advantages of being a defender

One who arrives first at the battlefield to wait for the enemy remains reposed, whereas one who arrives late has to give battle in haste even though fatigued. Therefore, a good commander maneuvers the enemy and is not maneuvered himself.

Similarly, never engage an enemy whose formation is in good order and whose spirit is high. Even if the enemy gives challenge by creating serious incidents, avoid action. Wait in good form while the enemy howls and utters treats; rest, eat and wait for the other to weaken in resolve.

The principal goes, “when secure, remain immobile.”

Keep in mind also that, figuratively speaking, the enemy is certainly intrepid in the morning, relaxes as the day draws on, and prepares to retreat at night. Therefore an able general shuns intrepidity of the enemy and waits for its decline and retreat. This is the method for handling the troops’ morale.

To reiterate, by taking a position that the attacker cannot bypass and securing ample reserves, the defender can conserve its strength and wait it out until the enemy’s strength and superiority is sapped. Meanwhile the enemy can be played: first, by tempting them with a perceived advantage to undertake a hasty charge, and then forestalling it with an impasse. When they are properly demoralized then you can pick the time for an effective counterattack. 

The End.

The Tunnel

The Tunnel

Once upon a time in a frontier town the brash young son of a Warrior, named Doku, desiring to experience more of life after the death of his father, left his rigid and regulated circumstance and embarked on a long journey towards the Capital.

He was a agile and strong young man and highly skilled in sword fighting. Halfway to the Capital he came upon a large estate on the periphery of a prosperous town. 

The estate holder, Esquire Zaven’s first wife had died suddenly at childbirth leaving behind a squalling son. The property was enormous with many fields surrounding it that constantly needed tending. The historic mansion perched on a hilltop, supported a large household. As Zaven was always away on business, he’d been forced to re-marry in haste, acquiring a seemingly competent spouse to run the groundskeepers and the household staff in his absence. Doku, carrying exemplary credentials had no trouble securing the recently vacated position of a head Steward. Unfortunately during the course of his stay there he became enamored of the beautiful young wife of Esquire Zaven. Doku was a fetching young man with a fine physique that before long caught the eye of the young wife. 

Once when Esquire Zaven was away on business, Doku chanced a clandestine meeting with the lady in which he professed his deep affections for her. She was an easy conquest and the two became instant lovers. The Esquire however returned unexpectedly early from his recent trip and so the illicit affair was exposed. Confronting the enraged husband, the culprit Doku slew the outraged Zaven in self-defense. Faced with this dire circumstance and facing certain death, the two lovers ran away. 

Always on the run and with scant options for survival, Doku became a highwayman. His skill was unmatched and any resistance was swiftly squashed. 

The spoils provided the couple with many luxuries. But still, it was never enough for the former wife. Greed dulled the appeal of this once beautiful woman and her demands, by degrees, caused Doku to grow increasingly disgusted with her. Finally he left her and resumed his journey, but not to the Capital. 

Eventually he settled down to a frugal life in a remote frontier town at the base of a mountain, where he became known as a solitary mendicant.

As he matured he felt increasing remorse for his past sins. Ghosts regularly haunted his dreams calling for him to atone for his crimes, particularly the felony that had started it all. Finally, after all this soul searching, Doku’s thoughts centered on the dangerous cliff road over the mountain and the countless souls it had caused death and injury to.

“Yes, I shall do it.” He nodded resolutely. As his atonement for all his past crimes he resolved to cut a tunnel through the mountain. He knew it would be a most ambitious feat but he desperately needed to accomplish a good turn that may, in part, eradicate some of his sins.

He set to work the very next day. From then on during the daylight hours Doku worked tirelessly doing any sort of labor, no matter how dangerous or loathsome. At night, after a modest meal and a brief repast, he hefted his pick and packed his shovel then traveled on horseback to the foothills. He spent the first several weeks surveying the region’s topography. From a hidden cave opening he started digging the tunnel until daylight broke. He made good use of the existing natural caverns, connecting them by digging short tunnels between them. By the time thirty years had gone by, the length of the tunnel reached 2,280 feet. Doku had almost achieved his goal of creating a secure pathway deep under the mountain. In a two more years he would reach his goal.

Before the work was complete however, the slain Esquire’s son Bron, who had become a skilled swordsman caught up with Doku. Bent on revenge, Bron lay in wait behind a huge boulder on a deserted stretch of path to spring his ambush. Doku with his experience as a highwayman had naturally sensed the presence of danger and dismounted. Holding the reins, Doku took the rocky path in bold strides that caused Bron to hesitate.

Bron paralleled the path for a time waiting for another opportunity to strike, then, brandishing his sword, jumped in front to block Doku’s way. Proclaiming his name, he shouted: “I’m here to avenge my father Esquire Zaven Ko, whom you’ve so foully murdered.  Be prepared to die, vermin!"

On the verge of receiving the death blow, Doku maintained his calm composure and stated his protest, “"I will give you my life willingly; only, let me finish this crucial work first. On the day of its completion, I swear I will stand ready to receive my punishment."

Doku’s courage and earnest demeanor convinced the son to postpone his revenge to a later time. And so Bron temporarily set aside the blistering rage swelling his chest and, night after night, followed Doku to the tunnel and watched him work. In all that time, even with a death sentence hovering over his head Doku’s diligence never once wavered. He removed the rock with his pick and then constructed post and beam supports from the surrounding trees to buttress the walls of the tunnel. In this way several months passed. Doku, even when sick worked hard at the dig.

Eventually Bron grew tired of doing nothing but watch Doku. In order to keep fit and to hasten the end result, he simply showed up with a pick. No words were exchanged as he worked alongside Doku on the dig.

After he had helped for more than a year, keeping a close eye on the other even during the day, Bron gradually came to admire Doku's strong will and steadfast character. Bron witnessed firsthand many of other’s charitable ways: his unwavering assistance to the sick and old and the countless anonymous generous donations to the needy, even though it meant at times going without food and clothing. He took note how Doku most brave in defending the weak: so many lives were spared fending off the local hoodlums and many widows and orphans fared better or survived their harsh circumstance, because of Doku’s cavort aid.

At long last couple hours before dawn the tunnel was finally complete. Now the people could use it and travel in safety. Covered in dust and dirt, Doku now prostrated himself before Bron in readiness for death. 

“Thank you for your patience and help. Now you may cut off my head. I bear you no ill will. My work is done."

"How can I cut off my own teacher's head?" asked Bron lowering his head with tears brimming in his eyes.



The End.