Mr. Liu nodded with satisfaction, “Let’s start the lesson.” As he spoke, he picked up the textbook and slowly said, “I believe both the young master and the young lady have read ‘The Art of War.’ Just now, the elder miss mentioned ‘Before the emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are aroused, it is called the state of equilibrium. When these emotions are expressed, and all are in harmony, it is called the state of unity.’ Do you know how this relates to the ‘Thirty-Six Stratagems’ ‘Smiling Tiger’ strategy?”
This “Smiling Tiger” strategy comes from an ancient tale where a Song general named Cao Wei, upon hearing of a betrayal, did not show fear but instead acted calmly, not pursuing the traitor, allowing the enemy to mistakenly think the traitor was sent to attack, thus eliminating them. But how does this relate to self-discipline? Qingqing slowly explained, “These two lines seem unrelated at first, but upon closer examination, they hide profound connections.” Qingqing smiled at the two, continuing, “Warfare relies on secrecy. Self-discipline and a smile are both excellent ways to conceal one’s true intentions. Just as Mr. Liu once taught me, the smartest kind of intelligence is the one that others can’t see, and one must know how to disguise oneself.”
Lin Hong continued, “In that case, I must be cautious with the sweet words from Mr. Liu and my elder sister in the future, treating them as mere talk, and be wary of the hidden strategies you might employ.”
