As the sound of the Wei horses faded, the officials in Xicheng collapsed in relief, drenched in cold sweat. They asked Kongming how he knew it would work.
Kongming turned to his panicked subordinates with a calm, enigmatic smile. "Do not hide," he commanded. "Open the gates wide." 2 : Kongming Uses a Stratagem
"Sima Yi knows I am careful," Kongming replied, setting his instrument aside. "I used his own intelligence against him. He could not believe I would be so bold, so he convinced himself I was being clever." As the sound of the Wei horses faded,
When Sima Yi’s vanguard arrived, they stopped in their tracks. Instead of a rain of arrows, they saw four open gates and a few elderly men sweeping the dust. Above them, the legendary strategist sat alone, plucking a serene, elegant melody. "Do not hide," he commanded
He ordered his soldiers to dress as civilians and sweep the streets in front of the four gates, acting as if the city were merely waking up for a quiet morning. Then, Kongming donned his simple Taoist robe and climbed to the highest point of the gate tower. He sat down, lit a stick of incense, and placed his guqin (zither) across his lap.