Duke Huán of Qí (Qí Huán gōng 齐桓公) = an ambitious ruler
BÀO Shūyá 鲍叔牙 = his commander
Duke Zhuāng of Lǔ (Lǔ Zhuāng gōng 鲁庄公) of Lǔ = a neighboring ruler
CÁO Guì 曹刿 = a scruffy-looking wandering scholar
The state of Qí 齐 was a major power in the Spring and Autumn Period (period 04d). It’s leader, Duke Huán of Qí (Qí Huán gōng 齐桓公, monarch 04d-1), one day commanded his general BÀO Shūyá 鲍叔牙 to attack the neighboring state of Lǔ 鲁.
Duke Zhuāng (Zhuāng gōng 庄公) of Lǔ was horrified when he heard the news, since Qí was larger and more powerful than Lǔ, and Lǔ had little chance of defending itself.
A wandering scholar named CÁO Guì 曹刿 claimed to have a plan. Although Cáo was disreputable looking, Duke Zhuāng was desperate. So he listened, and Cáo’s ideas about warfare seemed to make sense. In the end, Cáo was put in charge of the Lǔ troops just as the forces of Qí began their invasion.
The invasion was a stylized affair, although held in difficult terrain, and the forces of Qí expected to march out and be met by the forces of Lǔ, whom they expected then to slaughter, ending the question of who should run Lǔ.
The armies were arrayed, and the Qí troops, with great fluttering of flags and banging of drums, sallied forth onto the plain to do battle. But Cáo Guì prohibited the Lǔ troops from joining combat. At length the Qí forces returned to camp, puzzled.
A second time, the Qí forces came forth from their camp for attack. And a second time Cáo Guì would not let the Lǔ soldiers go forth to fight. And a second time, the Qí forces returned to camp, tired and disappointed.
A third time Bào Shūyá led the Qí troops forth, certain that if the Lǔ soldiers were so easily intimidated by the first two sallies, the third would easily send them into flight. But the Qí men were wearied from the first two attacks, and they expected little resistance from any army that had twice failed to engage. As they were half-heartedly launching their attack, Cáo Guì gave the command for the Lǔ troops, fresh and eager, to counter-attack.
Lǔ trounced Qí easily, and the Qí forces returned in defeat, having wearied themselves on useless attacks and having let their guard down. In Lǔ, Cáo Guì was celebrated as a military genius.