Thus, to take a long and circuitous route, after enticing the enemy
out of the way, and though starting after him, to contrive to reach
the goal before him, shows knowledge of the artifice of _deviation_.
Chia Lin understands 途 as the _enemy’s_ line of march, thus: “If
our adversary’s course is really a short one, and we can manage to
divert him from it (迂之) either by simulating weakness or by
holding out some small advantage, we shall be able to beat him in
the race for good positions.” This is quite a defensible view,
though not adopted by any other commentator. 人 of course = 敵,
and 後 and 先 are to be taken as verbs. Tu Mu cites the famous
march of 趙奢 Chao Shê in 270 B.C. to relieve the town of 閼與
O-yü, which was closely invested by a 秦 Ch‘in army. [It should be
noted that the above is the correct pronunciation of 閼與, as given
in the commentary on the _Ch‘ien Han Shu_, ch. 34. Giles’
dictionary gives “Yü-yü,” and Chavannes, I know not on what
authority, prefers to write “Yen-yü.” The name is omitted
altogether from Playfair’s “Cities and Towns.”] The King of Chao
first consulted 廉頗 Lien P‘o on the advisability of attempting a
relief, but the latter thought the distance too great, and the
intervening country too rugged and difficult. His Majesty then
turned to Chao Shê, who fully admitted the hazardous nature of the
march, but finally said: “We shall be like two rats fighting in a
hole—and the pluckier one will win!” So he left the capital with
his army, but had only gone a distance of 30 _li_ when he stopped
and began throwing up intrenchments. For 28 days he continued
strengthening his fortifications, and took care that spies should
carry the intelligence to the enemy. The Ch‘in general was
overjoyed, and attributed his adversary’s tardiness to the fact
that the beleaguered city was in the Han State, and thus not
actually part of Chao territory. But the spies had no sooner
departed than Chao Shê began a forced march lasting for two days
and one night, and arrived on the scene of action with such
astonishing rapidity that he was able to occupy a commanding
position on the 北山 “North hill” before the enemy had got wind of
his movements. A crushing defeat followed for the Ch‘in forces,
who were obliged to raise the siege of O-yü in all haste and
retreat across the border. [See 史記, chap. 81.]