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Chapter 4 · Chaos Stratagems

假道伐虢

Jiǎ dào fá Guó

Borrow the Road to Conquer Guo

General Bao acting out Borrow the Road to Conquer Guo
General Bao demonstrates 假道伐虢 — Borrow the Road to Conquer Guo.
假道伐虢 borrow · road · conquer · Guo

Get access through a neighbour by promising it's about someone else — then use that access on the neighbour.

今 Today

A friend brings their charming new partner into the tight-knit group and vouches for them — opens every door, every invite. Six months on, the newcomer is the centre of everything, and somehow the friend who introduced them is the one left on the outside.

反 When it backfires

The borrowed road runs both ways. Take the access under false pretenses and a wary host can feed you exactly what they want you to see — then close the gate behind you.