Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer and the
whole Empire says, “Well done!”
True excellence being, as Tu Mu says: 陰謀潛運攻心伐謀勝敵之日曾不血刃
“To plan secretly, to move surreptitiously, to foil the enemy’s
intentions and baulk his schemes, so that at last the day may be
won without shedding a drop of blood.” Sun Tzŭ reserves his
approbation for things that
“the world’s coarse thumb
And finger fail to plumb.”