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[Ch'en Hao alludes to Li Kuang-pi's night ride to Ho-yang at the

head of 500 mounted men; they made such an imposing display with

torches, that though the rebel leader Shih Ssu-ming had a large

army, he did not dare to dispute their passage.]

27. A whole army may be robbed of its spirit;

["In war," says Chang Yu, "if a spirit of anger can be made to

pervade all ranks of an army at one and the same time, its onset

will be irresistible. Now the spirit of the enemy's soldiers will

be keenest when they have newly arrived on the scene, and it is

therefore our cue not to fight at once, but to wait until their

ardor and enthusiasm have worn off, and then strike. It is in

this way that they may be robbed of their keen spirit." Li Ch'uan

and others tell an anecdote (to be found in the Tso Chuan, year

10, § 1) of Ts'ao Kuei, a protege of Duke Chuang of Lu. The

latter State was attacked by Ch'i, and the duke was about to join

battle at Ch'ang-cho, after the first roll of the enemy's drums,

when Ts'ao said: "Not just yet." Only after their drums had

beaten for the third time, did he give the word for attack. Then

they fought, and the men of Ch'i were utterly defeated.