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In ancient times, the three teachings and nine streams devised all sorts of bizarre schemes to acquire ill-gotten wealth. Among them, there were 36 heavenly schemes that could change the world, and 72 earthly schemes that could lead to wealth, later collectively referred to as the 108 schemes of the Thousand Doors.

In this article, I will reveal to everyone, through specific cases, the most cunning scheme among the 108 schemes of the Thousand Doors—"The Illusory Sparrow Confusing the Rabbit Scheme." This scheme is complex and adept at understanding psychology and manipulating human nature, and it has been passed down to this day, with countless victims.

During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, there was a merchant named Xu Rui in Yangzhou who opened a jewelry store, specializing in gold and silver jewelry, jade, pearls, and other products.

Yangzhou rapidly developed during the mid to late Ming Dynasty due to the relaxation of maritime trade restrictions and the revival of the salt industry, attracting countless merchants from all over the country.

However, Xu Rui was a cunning businessman. If a visitor was well-dressed, they must be a fallen noble; if they were a gambler's prodigal son, even better, as they would surely bring valuable items to negotiate a good price. However, the person before him, dressed like this, surely had no family heirlooms.

Xu Rui impatiently said, "Where did this beggar come from? We don't accept you, we don't accept you."

Zhang San remained unperturbed and humbly said, "Please take a look first, then decide whether to accept it." He then took out a rather old wooden box.

Upon seeing the wooden box, Xu Rui felt it had some age, and his attitude softened.

Zhang San took out a hairpin used by Taoist priests and said, "To be honest, someone in my family used to serve Wang Xizhi, and I was fortunate enough to obtain this hairpin from him. It has been preserved through generations, but in my generation, we have fallen into poverty and can no longer afford to keep it, so I want to sell it for some money."

Xu Rui examined the hairpin and indeed felt it had an ethereal quality.

Many people know Wang Xizhi from his calligraphy, but he was also a Taoist. During the Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, many prominent families were Taoist families.

The "Book of Jin" records: "Xizhi loved to wear and eat to nourish his nature" and "he practiced with the Taoist Xu Mai, collecting herbs and stones, not hesitating to travel thousands of miles." This shows that Wang Xizhi firmly believed in achieving immortality through nourishment.

Believing in Taoism also had a profound influence on Wang Xizhi's calligraphy. His calligraphy embodies a heart detached from the mundane, a thought transcending the world, and an essence desiring to be ethereal.

If this hairpin truly belonged to Wang Xizhi, it would undoubtedly be priceless. However, Xu Rui was not a fool and immediately said, "I don't believe this is Wang Xizhi's hairpin; I just feel a connection to it. Name your price!"

Seeing that there was a chance, Zhang San immediately said, "My father once instructed me that when Wang Xizhi sought immortality, he carried this hairpin, which absorbed some celestial energy, so that minor illnesses would not dare approach him. Therefore, he instructed me that unless absolutely necessary, I should not sell this hairpin. Unfortunately, I have developed a gambling addiction, lost all my family fortune, and owe a lot of money, so I have no choice but to sell this hairpin to pay off my debts. If you offer 6,000 taels, this hairpin will be yours."

When Xu Rui heard the price, he was taken aback: "What a broken hairpin, and you want 6,000 taels for it? That's even more expensive than my shop; the most expensive jewelry in my shop is only a few taels."

Seeing Xu Rui's expression, Zhang San immediately became anxious: "If the boss doesn't buy it, I'll go to another jewelry store."

Xu Rui, however, became interested and pressed down on Zhang San's hand, which was about to take back the hairpin, saying, "How about I offer 20 taels?"

Zhang San's hairpin, which he had priced at 6,000 taels, was suddenly cut down to 20 taels, making him furious, as if he were about to explode: "Don't insult me! Although I have no money, I still have my pride. Today, I will leave the hairpin with you, and you must place it in the most prominent position on the counter. No matter who wants to buy it, you must price it at 6,000 taels. If it sells, I will give you a 10% commission. If no one recognizes its value and it doesn't sell, I will give you 50 taels as a loss."

What people refer to as a "scheme" can also be called a strategy or a trick. In both Chinese and foreign history, wise men have left behind many schemes, each representing the essence of its time. Today, I will introduce three high-level schemes.

1. Two Peaches Kill Three Warriors

During the Spring and Autumn period, under the reign of Duke Jing of Qi, there were three great generals in the State of Qi: Gongsun Jie, Tian Kaijiang, and Gu Yezi. They all achieved great military successes for Qi but became arrogant and unruly, even swearing brotherhood with each other. Their behavior seriously threatened the stability of the state. At this time, the Prime Minister of Qi was the famous Yan Zi, who advised Duke Jing to eliminate these three threats early to prevent them from endangering his position in the future. Duke Jing then asked Yan Zi to arrange a scheme, which became the famous "Two Peaches Kill Three Warriors."

Yan Zi knew that the three were extremely proud warriors who valued honor, so he had Duke Jing invite them and told them that he had personally planted a peach tree and intended to prepare a precious peach for each of them. Unfortunately, the peach tree in the backyard only bore two peaches, so they had to be divided according to their merits, with the two most meritorious receiving the peaches. Gongsun Jie first claimed that he had fought wild boars and tigers in the mountains, so he deserved a peach. He boldly took one. Tian Kaijiang said he had repelled invading enemies twice, protecting the people and the land, so he also took a peach. Gu Yezi, seeing that the two had taken all the peaches, became furious and drew his sword to insult them, saying he had fought a giant turtle in the water to save the king, so how could their merits be greater than his? In the end, how could he not even get a peach?

Gongsun Jie and Tian Kaijiang, hearing Gu Yezi's words, felt ashamed. They valued honor more than life, and in the end, both drew their swords and committed suicide. Gu Yezi, seeing the bodies of the two, regretted humiliating his friends and felt ashamed, ultimately also drawing his sword and committing suicide. Yan Zi used only two peaches to eliminate three hidden dangers for the state, and the scheme of "Two Peaches Kill Three Warriors" became well-known.

2. Gongshu Cuo Drives Wu Qi

After the death of the Prime Minister of Wei, Tian Wen, Gongshu Cuo and Wu Qi competed for the position of Prime Minister. Eventually, Gongshu Cuo won and married the daughter of Duke Wu of Wei. However, even after ascending to the position, Gongshu Cuo remained wary of Wu Qi and hoped to drive him out of Wei. His courtiers devised a scheme for him.

Gongshu Cuo first met with Duke Wu of Wei and told him that Wu Qi was exceptionally talented but might not be willing to stay in Wei for long. He suggested that Duke Wu marry his daughter to Wu Qi. If Wu Qi was willing to stay, he would agree; if not, he would certainly refuse. Duke Wu agreed to Gongshu Cuo's suggestion.

Gongshu Cuo then hosted a banquet and instructed the princess of Wei to deliberately show anger towards him during the banquet. When Wu Qi arrived, everything unfolded according to the script, and the princess angrily insulted Gongshu Cuo, who pretended to be unable to defy her and silently endured. Wu Qi, seeing the princess's arrogance, formed a bad impression of her.

Not long after, Duke Wu invited Wu Qi to the palace, hoping he would marry his daughter. However, seeing how the princess treated Gongshu Cuo, Wu Qi politely declined. This incident made Duke Wu increasingly suspicious of him. In the following days, Wu Qi felt neglected and, fearing disaster, fled to the State of Chu.

3. Guan Zhong and Economic Warfare

Guan Zhong is regarded as the pioneer of economic warfare. During the Spring and Autumn period, he was able to use economic principles to seek benefits for the state.

At that time, next to the State of Qi was the powerful State of Lu, famous for its silk, known as "Lu Gao." Guan Zhong suggested that Duke Huan of Qi and the ministers wear clothes made of Lu Gao, which sparked a craze for Lu Gao in Qi. Subsequently, Guan Zhong prohibited the people of Qi from weaving cloth and imported large quantities of Lu Gao from the State of Lu, providing subsidies to Lu merchants exporting Lu Gao. As a result, the entire State of Lu fell into a frenzy, with farmers abandoning their fields to join the textile industry. Meanwhile, Guan Zhong purchased large quantities of grain from neighboring states and hoarded it.

Before long, Guan Zhong saw that the time was ripe and ordered a ban on the import of Lu Gao. Although the State of Lu had hoarded a large amount of Lu Gao, it could not be sold. Due to the abandonment of farmland, there was no grain, and they could only import from abroad, while the surrounding grain had all been bought by Qi. Qi took the opportunity to raise grain prices, causing the State of Lu not only to lose the money they had previously earned but also to suffer significant losses.

Guan Zhong's ideas were far ahead of their time. With his assistance, it is no wonder that Duke Huan of Qi became the dominant power during the Spring and Autumn period.

Wherever there are people, there are rivers and lakes; wherever there are rivers and lakes, there are schemes. These stories never end, and the most advanced schemes are always in the future.

Yan Zi once went to the State of Chu as an envoy. Because he was short in stature, the State of Chu opened the small door next to the large gate to mock him. Yan Zi stood outside the city gate and refused to enter, saying, "If I were to be an envoy to a dog country, I should enter through the dog door. Today I am here as an envoy to the State of Chu, so I should not enter through the small door." The people welcoming him had no choice but to open the large gate for Yan Zi to enter the city. After entering the city gate, he met with the King of Chu, who asked Yan Zi, "Doesn't your State of Qi have anyone?" Yan Zi replied, "In our capital, Linzi, there are three hundred neighborhoods. If everyone were to spread their arms, it would be like a cloudy day; if everyone were to sweat, it would be like rain. The streets are bustling with people, how can one say there are no people?"

The King of Chu said, "Since there are so many people, why did you send you as an envoy?" Yan Zi replied, "When our State of Qi sends envoys, there is a rule: each person is sent to a different place. The virtuous are sent to virtuous rulers, while the unworthy are sent to unworthy rulers. As for me, Yan Ying, I am the least worthy in Qi, so I can only come to the State of Chu as an envoy."

When Yan Zi was about to reach the State of Chu, King Zhuang of Chu heard the news and said to his close ministers, "I have heard that this Yan Ying is a skilled speaker from Qi. Now that he is coming to our State of Chu, I want to humiliate him. What should I do?" One person suggested, "When he arrives, I will tie up a person and walk past you. Then you can ask who the tied-up person is, and I will say he is from Qi; when you ask why he is tied up, I will say it is for stealing." When Yan Zi arrived in the State of Chu, the King of Chu hosted a banquet for him. While they were drinking, two officials brought in a tied-up person. The King of Chu asked, "Who is this tied-up person?" The officials replied, "He is from Qi, because he stole something here." At this moment, the King of Chu looked at Yan Zi and asked, "Are all Qi people good at stealing?" Yan Zi stood up and replied, "I have heard that when oranges grow in Huainan, they are called oranges, but when they grow in Huabei, they become bitter oranges. Although their leaves are similar, the fruits they bear are completely different. Why is that? It is because of the different soil and water. The common people in Qi are honest and do not steal, but when they come to the State of Chu, they steal. Isn't it because the soil and water of the State of Chu make people good at stealing?" The King of Chu laughed and said, "A wise person cannot be mocked; I am humiliating myself!"

The internal cabinet officials of the Ming Dynasty worked in the Wenyuan Pavilion, where "external officials cannot enter without official business," so confidential matters were "not to be leaked." After Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty ascended the throne, he vigorously promoted the secret memorial system, making memorials an important means for the emperor and ministers to discuss state affairs and make decisions. This not only greatly reduced the number of people who knew the secrets but also allowed ministers to mutually restrain each other and focus on their work. The laws of various dynasties imposed severe penalties for leaking secrets by close officials. For example, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the attendant Yan Zhu and the King of Huainan were punished with death for discussing private matters. During the reign of Emperor Yuan of Han, the famous politician Jia Yi's great-grandson, waiting for the Jinma Gate, was punished for "leaking the words of the province," and Jia was "abandoned to the market," while Yang Xing was "reduced to a lesser punishment." During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang, the attendant Wang Gui was demoted for leaking secrets. During the reign of Wu Zetian, the Minister of Autumn, Du Jingjian, was demoted for leaking secrets. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, the attendant Zhang Tinggui was demoted for leaking secrets. During the reign of Emperor Xianzong of Tang, the left attendant Zhang Su was demoted for leaking secrets. The famous poet Yuan Zhen, who was as famous as Bai Juyi, suffered serious setbacks in his career due to a slip of the tongue while serving as a censor: "Four or five years ago, I was a censor, and the prime minister knew my memorial was not confidential." The "Great Ming Law" and the "Great Qing Law" both clearly stipulate: "Close officials who leak confidential matters will be executed; other officials who hand over matters to close officials will also be executed, and their wives and children will be exiled two thousand miles away." During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, the Grand Councilor Yu Minzhong and the eunuch Gao Yuncun leaked secrets, resulting in Gao being executed immediately, while Yu was dismissed and never reinstated, ending his promising political career.

Heavenly schemes and earthly schemes are all human schemes. Before discussing the stories of schemes, please ask yourself: Are you a person who "does things," or a person who "plots schemes"?

Doing things means doing a good job at something; it follows the "way" and emphasizes "technique."

First, you need to be clear about whether you are a person who "does things" or a person who "plots schemes."

Doing things means doing a good job quietly; it follows the "way of affairs" and emphasizes "skills."

Plotting schemes means setting up a system and strategizing; it follows "rules" and emphasizes "laws."

The Six Stages of Doing Things#

Let's first look at a person who does things, which can be divided into six stages:

1. The first stage is earning money through physical labor, such as workers moving bricks on a construction site.
2. The second stage is earning money through skills, such as workers with certain technical skills, maternity nurses, etc.
3. The third stage is earning money through experience, such as lawyers who have helped many people with lawsuits or doctors who have performed many surgeries.
4. The fourth stage is earning money through ability, such as bosses relying on management skills or entrepreneurs relying on entrepreneurial abilities.
5. The fifth stage is earning money through reputation, such as writers, painters, and artists; the more famous they are, the more valuable their work becomes.
6. The sixth stage is earning money through appearance; these people do not need physical strength, skills, or experience; they can earn money just by showing up, such as celebrities.

From the first stage to the sixth stage, the way of making money becomes increasingly easier, yet the money earned also becomes increasingly accessible:

People in the first stage are the hardest workers; they earn money through physical labor, are exhausted every day, and receive the least reward.
People in the second to third stages, and even those in the fourth stage, rely entirely on their abilities to make a living, but they are still very hard-working because they must produce results and speak with outcomes.

For example, designers, consultants, models, drivers, editors, accountants, lawyers, as well as small bosses, entrepreneurs, and professional managers all belong to this tier.

In fact, once a person reaches the fifth stage, where they can earn money through their name, they have essentially left the labor class and no longer need to work hard to earn money.

Once a person becomes famous, they can completely break free from the constraints of "skills" or "results." Others will pay for your name, and what you need is no longer to improve your skills but to operate your personal brand.

Becoming famous is a great way out. For example, both actors earn money through acting, but the pay for stars and extras is vastly different; similarly, famous designers are worth far more than ordinary designers, and top lawyers earn much more than regular lawyers; likewise, famous doctors require a lot of money to hire.

This is like upgrading from "making products" to "building brands." If you only stay at the "making products" stage, you will definitely encounter price wars and profit squeezes, but once you can form your own brand, you will no longer have to worry about these messy issues.

Once a person reaches the sixth stage, where they can earn money through their appearance, they can enjoy the fruits of their labor without needing skills, experience, or results; they only need to show up, and they are completely supported by society.

The Four Steps of Plotting Schemes#

Now let's look at those who plot schemes.

People who do things often rely on labor income; diligent and hard work is fundamental, while those who plot schemes often rely on channels, brands, investments, layouts, or systems.

Those who plot schemes are good at establishing systems; they excel at simplifying complex problems, quantifying simple problems, programming quantitative problems, and systematizing procedural problems. This is the basic logic of plotting schemes.

1. Trends
   Trends are like rivers, flowing vigorously; those who follow the trend prosper, while those who go against it perish.

2. Tools
   The greatest impact on traditional manufacturing and service industries comes from the internet as a tool. In the coming years, various cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and genetic revolutions will also serve as tools that can change the world.

3. Policies
   Those who plot schemes must learn to observe policies and cycles, just as farmers must watch the weather and seasons.

This is what a schemer does.

How to Perfectly Execute a Task?#

Those who do things need to think about the question: "Doing things correctly" or "Correctly doing things." This is a tactical-level issue.

The ten major scams of the rivers and lakes are: wind, horse, swallow, sparrow, porcelain, gold, evaluation, skin, color, and hanging, referring to the ten major techniques, and also to ten types of swindlers or gangs.

• Wind, also known as "bee," refers to gang activities.
• Like bees, they swarm in and scatter quickly, coming fast and leaving fast. For example, during the late Qing Dynasty, the officialdom was corrupt, and many officials who committed crimes would bribe their superiors and spend huge sums to seek disaster relief. A governor from Shanxi was reported for corruption and was in a panic. While preparing money to operate, he suddenly discovered that a group of strangers had come to the city and secretly stayed at an inn. These people were all dressed in extraordinary clothes and spoke with a Beijing accent. The governor realized: "These are inspectors from the capital! They are here to investigate me! I understand this method."

The next day, the governor sent someone to the inn to send a message, requesting a meeting. The person sent entered the inn and, while delivering the message, also observed the situation of those people. The group deliberately showed a vigilant demeanor, saying they had urgent matters and could not meet guests. The messenger was turned away and hurried back to report. The governor understood the situation and prepared 200,000 taels of silver to send the next day.

After the messenger delivered the 200,000 taels of silver, he received a "three-foot white silk." The governor was shocked: "This is the meaning from above—hang yourself." The governor racked his brains, piecing together another 200,000 taels, and before dawn, sent someone to deliver it.

This time, the messenger returned with a crown and a string of safety coins. The governor was relieved and thought, "Remove the crown and become a commoner."

However, having spent 400,000 taels of silver, he could not just become a commoner. He had to negotiate and take out the family's cat-eye jade bracelets and jade pendants to smooth things over, even if he could get a county magistrate's position. Over time, the scattered wealth returned.

The group received these items and knew that this governor had taken out all his possessions, so they quickly disappeared. The governor was still waiting for news, and soon the real inspectors arrived. The governor saw that the inspectors had come to his door, and the matter was naturally resolved. He hurriedly greeted them with a smiling face, saying, "I didn't know you were coming, and I failed to welcome you!"

The inspectors found this governor incredible; facing death, he was still so cheerful, showing extraordinary psychological resilience, like an old fox.

"Governor, why don't you speak for yourself?" The inspectors wanted the governor to confess. The governor heard this and was overjoyed, thinking he was being asked to choose an official position: "If you ask me, a fifth-rank prefect is enough! If that doesn't work, I'll just go back home and be a county magistrate."

The inspectors were stunned: "What are you talking about?"

"What do you mean, brother?"

"This person is confused and must be taken to the capital for further questioning!" The inspector ordered, and the Qing soldiers came up and bound the governor.

At this moment, the governor felt a sudden realization and shouted: "Black eats black, you are ruthless! You took my 400,000 taels of silver and turned your back on me!"

The inspector was so angry that his nose almost twisted: "You dare to slander me, beat him!"

At this time, the group of swindlers had long since fled, and later they were wanted nationwide for a long time, but they were never caught. This is "wind," coming and going in an instant.

• Horse refers to a lone swindler, corresponding to "wind" in gang swindling.

Such people either pretend to be Taoists or monks, giving people a sense of being transcendent. In the late Qing Dynasty, there was a case in Qiantang: a wealthy man named Zhang, known for his charity, one day encountered a person dressed as a monk who loudly shouted: "Give me 100 taels of silver!"

Zhang opened the door and asked, "Who are you? Why should I give you 100 taels of silver?"

"If you don't give it to me, I won't leave!" The monk sat down in front of Zhang's door. It was a cold winter day, with a biting wind and heavy snow.

Zhang said, "If the monk has something to say, please come in."

"No," the monk said, sitting cross-legged and closing his eyes. For three days and three nights, he remained motionless, without food or water. People thought the monk would freeze to death, but upon closer inspection, they found he was breathing evenly and had a rosy complexion, and everyone exclaimed: "A true monk! Most people would freeze to death or starve!"

Zhang still refused to give him money. The monk opened his eyes and said to Zhang, "Do you believe I can kill you with my divine palm?"

"Monks are compassionate; a great monk wouldn't kill me," Zhang laughed.

The monk glanced at Zhang: "Let me show you!" He then clasped his hands together, and suddenly, a blue flame enveloped his hands, yet the monk showed no signs of pain.

The onlookers were dumbfounded: "A deity!" Zhang still refused. The monk had no choice but to take out a bundle of rope, tie it to Zhang's door knocker, and then set it on fire, shouting: "I will burn you to death with my true fire!" After saying this, he got up and left.

People were astonished to find that the rope kept burning but would not break, and they hurriedly warned Zhang: "This is a true deity; you should comply with him."

Zhang still smiled and said nothing. Two days later, that monk quietly returned and knocked on Zhang's door.

"How did you see through me?" the monk asked.

Zhang smiled and said, "If you hadn't used these tricks, I might have given you some money. But you did this, and now I want to play with you. I, Zhang, am not foolish; if anyone came to my door, I would give them money, wouldn't that make me a fool?"

"Ha ha," the monk laughed.

"You sat for three days and nights without eating or drinking, and didn't die of hunger or freeze to death. Others may not know what's going on, but I noticed the number of the beads around your neck. When you first came to my door, you had 36 beads, but after three days, it became 30. Those beads are made of ginseng, which has the effect of keeping warm and preventing illness. You eat two a day, so you are fine. Most people wouldn't notice the number of beads around your neck, but I did."

"Ha ha ha!" the monk laughed heartily.

"With this intelligence, why not do something good?" Zhang said, taking out a tael of silver and handing it to him, "Do something good."

The monk took the silver and laughed as he left. Afterward, Zhang thought carefully: "Alas, I was still deceived."

• Swallow, also known as "face," refers to beauty, derived from the saying "face like jade."

"Swallow" refers to those who deceive using beauty, not only beautiful women but also handsome men, women deceiving men, and men deceiving women. Whenever lust arises, they will be deceived.

In the late Qing Dynasty, many sons of the Eight Banners were idle, and some princes wandered around the Eight Great Alleys all day. At this time, female swindlers could take advantage of the situation. Such swindlers are highly cultured and knowledgeable, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, able to recite poetry and discuss national affairs, and occasionally feign a state of being forced into the brothel.

The princes would be intrigued: "Why does the girl sigh and lament?"

"Your Highness, you don't know, I am from XX, but my family has fallen on hard times, which is why I have ended up here, becoming a person of the dust." The prince's mind suddenly sparked: "How about I redeem you?"

"How could I dare, how could I dare, I am but a humble person."

"The girl is too modest; you just can't enter my main residence. I can only buy a house in the suburbs, and you can only be a concubine." The prince plotted.

"Then... I am willing to serve you like a cow or horse!" The female swindler knelt down, tears streaming down her face.

"Get up quickly! I have 500 taels of silver here; take it to redeem yourself!"

"Thank you!" The girl took the silver and ran out, where her husband was waiting outside to help her change clothes and disguise herself. The two escaped the capital overnight. By dawn, the prince realized the girl had not returned and sensed something was wrong, but it was too late!

• Sparrow, the most cunning of all!

"Sparrow," also known as "gap," refers to positions in the officialdom; wherever there is a vacancy, someone will step in to fill it. Such a grand scheme requires mobilizing many elements and connecting many people. The schemer strategizes until the scheme is completed, then leaves with a fortune.

This scheme is generally composed of the following types of people:

• Beautiful young women, stunningly beautiful, knowledgeable, and outwardly gentle, but with a heart as poisonous as a snake.
• The secretary, whose true identity is often the husband or lover of the beautiful young woman, both of whom collude and conspire together.
• The props master, skilled in making seals and official stamps.
• The killer, often played by the secretary himself, or a specialized killer, but must be someone close to the beautiful young woman and the secretary, usually a disciple or biological son.
• The fool, a down-and-out scholar, full of patriotic aspirations but with no way to realize them.

In the early years of the Republic of China, such a scam occurred in western Sichuan. The secretary first gathered intelligence to see which county magistrate was about to be transferred. Once a vacancy arose, it meant a new county magistrate would come to fill the position. At that time, buying and selling official positions was rampant; sometimes one person would serve as the county magistrate for seven or eight counties, and new and old county magistrates came and went, leaving the common people utterly confused about who the county magistrate was. Moreover, at that time, the county magistrate would take office with just a letter of appointment and could start working with the secretary, making it impossible to distinguish between genuine and fake.

The secretary would first find out where the county magistrate was about to take office, then gather information and addresses of some down-and-out scholars nearby, and then begin to set up the scheme. On the day the new county magistrate took office, the secretary arranged for the killer to ambush the county magistrate on the road to his new post, burying a landmine to kill the magistrate and then taking the official credentials to leave.

After killing the county magistrate, they would start looking for the previously targeted down-and-out scholar. The scholar was at home, idly passing the time, when a knock came at the door. The scholar opened the door, and the secretary stepped forward, saying, "Sir, my wife has fallen into misfortune; may I borrow a place to stay for one night?"

Scholars are often sentimental, and seeing the beautiful young woman behind him, he felt pity: "Come in and talk."

"What do you all do? Why have you fallen to this state?" the scholar asked.

"Alas..." The lady wept as she entered the inner room.

"Alas!" The secretary began to speak, "Sir, please listen to me. We have come to take up the position of county magistrate. My lord spent 40,000 taels to buy this position. I am the secretary of my lord, and today I accompanied my lord's family to take office. Unexpectedly, we encountered bandits in the mountains, and my lord's sedan was blown up, my lord was killed, and all the money was robbed, leaving only the lady and her underage son."

"Oh," the scholar nodded, feeling pity, "this is truly tragic."

"Now that my lord is gone, we do not know what to do." The secretary wept, then asked, "What do you do, sir?"

The scholar sighed: "I am the last scholar of the Qing Dynasty; later, I failed the imperial examination, and later the examination was abolished. Now I am over thirty and have achieved nothing."

"Oh?" The secretary said in surprise, "You are a well-read person!"

"How could I dare, how could I dare," the scholar blushed.

The secretary pretended to think for a moment, then suddenly shouted: "Lady, there is hope, there is hope!"

This startled the scholar: "What do you mean, old man?"

The secretary tearfully said, "Sir, only you can save my lady."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Sir, please listen to me. My lord spent half his life savings to buy this official position, and he died without even serving a day; this is too unjust. We have spent the money, and the connections have been established, but we are just waiting to take office. Now my lady is left alone with her son, without money or support. If... if you do not mind, you could marry my lady, and then take the official credentials to take office. You are a well-read person, surely you know how to govern this small county as easily as cooking small fish! This way, we will not have wasted our money, and my lady will have someone to rely on. After you take office, you can display your talents and fulfill your long-cherished ambitions, wouldn't that be a win-win situation?"

After the secretary finished speaking, he looked at the scholar. The scholar, hearing this, was so happy that he almost wet himself, but he coldly said: "Old man, what are you talking about! Your lady is in trouble, and you, as a secretary, do not think of a way to save her, but instead conspire to arrange this shameless matter. What is your intention?"

This group of swindlers had thoroughly studied the psychology of down-and-out scholars. The secretary thought to himself: "What are you pretending to be!" At this moment, the lady lifted the curtain and walked out, tears streaming down her face, saying to the secretary: "Sir is a well-read person with high moral integrity; I, a fallen woman, am not worthy of him."

The scholar saw that he could no longer pretend and quickly said: "Lady, you flatter me! I have no intention of looking down on you... it's just... just..."

The lady wiped the tears from her eyes and affectionately called out: "Sir—" The scholar was completely smitten.

The secretary laughed heartily: "Heaven does not abandon people; the heavens have favored us, the heavens have favored us!"

Thus, the scholar and the lady became intimate, and then he took office, full of ambition, looking around with authority, eager to display all his talents and realize his long-cherished ambitions.

In the accounts office, the secretary and the lady were secretly plotting. After the scholar took office for a few months, the two cleverly devised ways to extort over 100,000 taels from the treasury.

The scholar worked during the day and embraced the beauty at night, living in bliss. Later, the secretary presented him with a smoking gun, claiming it would invigorate and enhance his vitality, and the scholar began to smoke opium.

After a year of this, the scholar was exhausted from the paperwork and the bed struggles, plus the harm from the opium, leaving him skin and bones, on the verge of death. The secretary and the lady saw that this young man had lost his utility, and while he was in a stupor at night, they smothered him with a pillow, then took all the silver notes and fled.

The local people did not see the county magistrate for several days, and complaints arose. The higher authorities heard the news and quickly sent people to investigate. They pushed open the county office's door, finding it empty. Upon entering the inner hall, a foul smell greeted them; the scholar had already rotted and was infested with maggots.

This is a true case. Later, the National Government investigated this matter, but ultimately could not find the group of swindlers. Alas, all the evil deeds committed in the past stem from endless greed, anger, and ignorance. The Buddhist scriptures are not wrong; human nature is fragile. When greed, ignorance, and anger arise together, they open the door to evil. The "Four Teachings of Liao Fan" states: "Fate is determined by heaven, but establishing fate is in human hands; blessings and disasters have no door, only humans summon them." All disasters are self-inflicted.

The "Heavenly Schemes" and "Earthly Schemes" are all human schemes. Before discussing the stories of schemes, please ask yourself: Are you a person who "does things," or a person who "plots schemes"?

Doing things means doing a good job at something; it follows the "way" and emphasizes "technique."

First, you need to be clear about whether you are a person who "does things" or a person who "plots schemes."

Doing things means doing a good job quietly; it follows the "way of affairs" and emphasizes "skills."

Plotting schemes means setting up a system and strategizing; it follows "rules" and emphasizes "laws."

The Six Stages of Doing Things#

Let's first look at a person who does things, which can be divided into six stages:

1. The first stage is earning money through physical labor, such as workers moving bricks on a construction site.
2. The second stage is earning money through skills, such as workers with certain technical skills, maternity nurses, etc.
3. The third stage is earning money through experience, such as lawyers who have helped many people with lawsuits or doctors who have performed many surgeries.
4. The fourth stage is earning money through ability, such as bosses relying on management skills or entrepreneurs relying on entrepreneurial abilities.
5. The fifth stage is earning money through reputation, such as writers, painters, and artists; the more famous they are, the more valuable their work becomes.
6. The sixth stage is earning money through appearance; these people do not need physical strength, skills, or experience; they can earn money just by showing up, such as celebrities.

From the first stage to the sixth stage, the way of making money becomes increasingly easier, yet the money earned also becomes increasingly accessible:

People in the first stage are the hardest workers; they earn money through physical labor, are exhausted every day, and receive the least reward.
People in the second to third stages, and even those in the fourth stage, rely entirely on their abilities to make a living, but they are still very hard-working because they must produce results and speak with outcomes.

For example, designers, consultants, models, drivers, editors, accountants, lawyers, as well as small bosses, entrepreneurs, and professional managers all belong to this tier.

In fact, once a person reaches the fifth stage, where they can earn money through their name, they have essentially left the labor class and no longer need to work hard to earn money.

Once a person becomes famous, they can completely break free from the constraints of "skills" or "results." Others will pay for your name, and what you need is no longer to improve your skills but to operate your personal brand.

Becoming famous is a great way out. For example, both actors earn money through acting, but the pay for stars and extras is vastly different; similarly, famous designers are worth far more than ordinary designers, and top lawyers earn much more than regular lawyers; likewise, famous doctors require a lot of money to hire.

This is like upgrading from "making products" to "building brands." If you only stay at the "making products" stage, you will definitely encounter price wars and profit squeezes, but once you can form your own brand, you will no longer have to worry about these messy issues.

Once a person reaches the sixth stage, where they can earn money through their appearance, they can enjoy the fruits of their labor without needing skills, experience, or results; they only need to show up, and they are completely supported by society.

The Four Steps of Plotting Schemes#

Now let's look at those who plot schemes.

People who do things often rely on labor income; diligent and hard work is fundamental, while those who plot schemes often rely on channels, brands, investments, layouts, or systems.

Those who plot schemes are good at establishing systems; they excel at simplifying complex problems, quantifying simple problems, programming quantitative problems, and systematizing procedural problems. This is the basic logic of plotting schemes.

1. Trends
   Trends are like rivers, flowing vigorously; those who follow the trend prosper, while those who go against it perish.

2. Tools
   The greatest impact on traditional manufacturing and service industries comes from the internet as a tool. In the coming years, various cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and genetic revolutions will also serve as tools that can change the world.

3. Policies
   Those who plot schemes must learn to observe policies and cycles, just as farmers must watch the weather and seasons.

This is what a schemer does.

How to Perfectly Execute a Task?#

Those who do things need to think about the question: "Doing things correctly" or "Correctly doing things." This is a tactical-level issue.

The ten major scams of the rivers and lakes are: wind, horse, swallow, sparrow, porcelain, gold, evaluation, skin, color, and hanging, referring to the ten major techniques, and also to ten types of swindlers or gangs.

• Wind, also known as "bee," refers to gang activities.
• Like bees, they swarm in and scatter quickly, coming fast and leaving fast. For example, during the late Qing Dynasty, the officialdom was corrupt, and many officials who committed crimes would bribe their superiors and spend huge sums to seek disaster relief. A governor from Shanxi was reported for corruption and was in a panic. While preparing money to operate, he suddenly discovered that a group of strangers had come to the city and secretly stayed at an inn. These people were all dressed in extraordinary clothes and spoke with a Beijing accent. The governor realized: "These are inspectors from the capital! They are here to investigate me! I understand this method."

The next day, the governor sent someone to the inn to send a message, requesting a meeting. The person sent entered the inn and, while delivering the message, also observed the situation of those people. The group deliberately showed a vigilant demeanor, saying they had urgent matters and could not meet guests. The messenger was turned away and hurried back to report. The governor understood the situation and prepared 200,000 taels of silver to send the next day.

After the messenger delivered the 200,000 taels of silver, he received a "three-foot white silk." The governor was shocked: "This is the meaning from above—hang yourself." The governor racked his brains, piecing together another 200,000 taels, and before dawn, sent someone to deliver it.

This time, the messenger returned with a crown and a string of safety coins. The governor was relieved and thought, "Remove the crown and become a commoner."

However, having spent 400,000 taels of silver, he could not just become a commoner. He had to negotiate and take out the family's cat-eye jade bracelets and jade pendants to smooth things over, even if he could get a county magistrate's position. Over time, the scattered wealth returned.

The group received these items and knew that this governor had taken out all his possessions, so they quickly disappeared. The governor was still waiting for news, and soon the real inspectors arrived. The governor saw that the inspectors had come to his door, and the matter was naturally resolved. He hurriedly greeted them with a smiling face, saying, "I didn't know you were coming, and I failed to welcome you!"

The inspectors found this governor incredible; facing death, he was still so cheerful, showing extraordinary psychological resilience, like an old fox.

"Governor, why don't you speak for yourself?" The inspectors wanted the governor to confess. The governor heard this and was overjoyed, thinking he was being asked to choose an official position: "If you ask me, a fifth-rank prefect is enough! If that doesn't work, I'll just go back home and be a county magistrate."

The inspectors were stunned: "What are you talking about?"

"What do you mean, brother?"

"This person is confused and must be taken to the capital for further questioning!" The inspector ordered, and the Qing soldiers came up and bound the governor.

At this moment, the governor felt a sudden realization and shouted: "Black eats black, you are ruthless! You took my 400,000 taels of silver and turned your back on me!"

The inspector was so angry that his nose almost twisted: "You dare to slander me, beat him!"

At this time, the group of swindlers had long since fled, and later they were wanted nationwide for a long time, but they were never caught. This is "wind," coming and going in an instant.

• Horse refers to a lone swindler, corresponding to "wind" in gang swindling.

Such people either pretend to be Taoists or monks, giving people a sense of being transcendent. In the late Qing Dynasty, there was a case in Qiantang: a wealthy man named Zhang, known for his charity, one day encountered a person dressed as a monk who loudly shouted: "Give me 100 taels of silver!"

Zhang opened the door and asked, "Who are you? Why should I give you 100 taels of silver?"

"If you don't give it to me, I won't leave!" The monk sat down in front of Zhang's door. It was a cold winter day, with a biting wind and heavy snow.

Zhang said, "If the monk has something to say, please come in."

"No," the monk said, sitting cross-legged and closing his eyes. For three days and three nights, he remained motionless, without food or water. People thought the monk would freeze to death, but upon closer inspection, they found he was breathing evenly and had a rosy complexion, and everyone exclaimed: "A true monk! Most people would freeze to death or starve!"

Zhang still refused to give him money. The monk opened his eyes and said to Zhang, "Do you believe I can kill you with my divine palm?"

"Monks are compassionate; a great monk wouldn't kill me," Zhang laughed.

The monk glanced at Zhang: "Let me show you!" He then clasped his hands together, and suddenly, a blue flame enveloped his hands, yet the monk showed no signs of pain.

The onlookers were dumbfounded: "A deity!" Zhang still refused. The monk had no choice but to take out a bundle of rope, tie it to Zhang's door knocker, and then set it on fire, shouting: "I will burn you to death with my true fire!" After saying this, he got up and left.

People were astonished to find that the rope kept burning but would not break, and they hurriedly warned Zhang: "This is a true deity; you should comply with him."

Zhang still smiled and said nothing. Two days later, that monk quietly returned and knocked on Zhang's door.

"How did you see through me?" the monk asked.

Zhang smiled and said, "If you hadn't used these tricks, I might have given you some money. But you did this, and now I want to play with you. I, Zhang, am not foolish; if anyone came to my door, I would give them money, wouldn't that make me a fool?"

"Ha ha," the monk laughed.

"You sat for three days and nights without eating or drinking, and didn't die of hunger or freeze to death. Others may not know what's going on, but I noticed the number of the beads around your neck. When you first came to my door, you had 36 beads, but after three days, it became 30. Those beads are made of ginseng, which has the effect of keeping warm and preventing illness. You eat two a day, so you are fine. Most people wouldn't notice the number of beads around your neck, but I did."

"Ha ha ha!" the monk laughed heartily.

"With this intelligence, why not do something good?" Zhang said, taking out a tael of silver and handing it to him, "Do something good."

The monk took the silver and laughed as he left. Afterward, Zhang thought carefully: "Alas, I was still deceived."

• Swallow, also known as "face," refers to beauty, derived from the saying "face like jade."

"Swallow" refers to those who deceive using beauty, not only beautiful women but also handsome men, women deceiving men, and men deceiving women. Whenever lust arises, they will be deceived.

In the late Qing Dynasty, many sons of the Eight Banners were idle, and some princes wandered around the Eight Great Alleys all day. At this time, female swindlers could take advantage of the situation. Such swindlers are highly cultured and knowledgeable, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, able to recite poetry and discuss national affairs, and occasionally feign a state of being forced into the brothel.

The princes would be intrigued: "Why does the girl sigh and lament?"

"Your Highness, you don't know, I am from XX, but my family has fallen on hard times, which is why I have ended up here, becoming a person of the dust." The prince's mind suddenly sparked: "How about I redeem you?"

"How could I dare, how could I dare, I am but a humble person."

"The girl is too modest; you just can't enter my main residence. I can only buy a house in the suburbs, and you can only be a concubine." The prince plotted.

"Then... I am willing to serve you like a cow or horse!" The female swindler knelt down, tears streaming down her face.

"Get up quickly! I have 500 taels of silver here; take it to redeem yourself!"

"Thank you!" The girl took the silver and ran out, where her husband was waiting outside to help her change clothes and disguise herself. The two escaped the capital overnight. By dawn, the prince realized the girl had not returned and sensed something was wrong, but it was too late!

• Sparrow, the most cunning of all!

"Sparrow," also known as "gap," refers to positions in the officialdom; wherever there is a vacancy, someone will step in to fill it. Such a grand scheme requires mobilizing many elements and connecting many people. The schemer strategizes until the scheme is completed, then leaves with a fortune.

This scheme is generally composed of the following types of people:

• Beautiful young women, stunningly beautiful, knowledgeable, and outwardly gentle, but with a heart as poisonous as a snake.
• The secretary, whose true identity is often the husband or lover of the beautiful young woman, both of whom collude and conspire together.
• The props master, skilled in making seals and official stamps.
• The killer, often played by the secretary himself, or a specialized killer, but must be someone close to the beautiful young woman and the secretary, usually a disciple or biological son.
• The fool, a down-and-out scholar, full of patriotic aspirations but with no way to realize them.

In the early years of the Republic of China, such a scam occurred in western Sichuan. The secretary first gathered intelligence to see which county magistrate was about to be transferred. Once a vacancy arose, it meant a new county magistrate would come to fill the position. At that time, buying and selling official positions was rampant; sometimes one person would serve as the county magistrate for seven or eight counties, and new and old county magistrates came and went, leaving the common people utterly confused about who the county magistrate was. Moreover, at that time, the county magistrate would take office with just a letter of appointment and could start working with the secretary, making it impossible to distinguish between genuine and fake.

The secretary would first find out where the county magistrate was about to take office, then gather information and addresses of some down-and-out scholars nearby, and then begin to set up the scheme. On the day the new county magistrate took office, the secretary arranged for the killer to ambush the county magistrate on the road to his new post, burying a landmine to kill the magistrate and then taking the official credentials to leave.

After killing the county magistrate, they would start looking for the previously targeted down-and-out scholar. The scholar was at home, idly passing the time, when a knock came at the door. The scholar opened the door, and the secretary stepped forward, saying, "Sir, my wife has fallen into misfortune; may I borrow a place to stay for one night?"

Scholars are often sentimental, and seeing the beautiful young woman behind him, he felt pity: "Come in and talk."

"What do you all do? Why have you fallen to this state?" the scholar asked.

"Alas..." The lady wept as she entered the inner room.

"Alas!" The secretary began to speak, "Sir, please listen to me. We have come to take up the position of county magistrate. My lord spent 40,000 taels to buy this position. I am the secretary of my lord, and today I accompanied my lord's family to take office. Unexpectedly, we encountered bandits in the mountains, and my lord's sedan was blown up, my lord was killed, and all the money was robbed, leaving only the lady and her underage son."

"Oh," the scholar nodded, feeling pity, "this is truly tragic."

"Now that my lord is gone, we do not know what to do." The secretary wept, then asked, "What do you do, sir?"

The scholar sighed: "I am the last scholar of the Qing Dynasty; later, I failed the imperial examination, and later the examination was abolished. Now I am over thirty and have achieved nothing."

"Oh?" The secretary said in surprise, "You are a well-read person!"

"How could I dare, how could I dare," the scholar blushed.

The secretary pretended to think for a moment, then suddenly shouted: "Lady, there is hope, there is hope!"

This startled the scholar: "What do you mean, old man?"

The secretary tearfully said, "Sir, only you can save my lady."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Sir, please listen to me. My lord spent half his life savings to buy this official position, and he died without even serving a day; this is too unjust. We have spent the money, and the connections have been established, but we are just waiting to take office. Now my lady is left alone with her son, without money or support. If... if you do not mind, you could marry my lady, and then take the official credentials to take office. You are a well-read person, surely you know how to govern this small county as easily as cooking small fish! This way, we will not have wasted our money, and my lady will have someone to rely on. After you take office, you can display your talents and fulfill your long-cherished ambitions, wouldn't that be a win-win situation?"

After the secretary finished speaking, he looked at the scholar. The scholar, hearing this, was so happy that he almost wet himself, but he coldly said: "Old man, what are you talking about! Your lady is in trouble, and you, as a secretary, do not think of a way to save her, but instead conspire to arrange this shameless matter. What is your intention?"

This group of swindlers had thoroughly studied the psychology of down-and-out scholars. The secretary thought to himself: "What are you pretending to be!" At this moment, the lady lifted the curtain and walked out, tears streaming down her face, saying to the secretary: "Sir is a well-read person with high moral integrity; I, a fallen woman, am not worthy of him."

The scholar saw that he could no longer pretend and quickly said: "Lady, you flatter me! I have no intention of looking down on you... it's just... just..."

The lady wiped the tears from her eyes and affectionately called out: "Sir—" The scholar was completely smitten.

The secretary laughed heartily: "Heaven does not abandon people; the heavens have favored us, the heavens have favored us!"

Thus, the scholar and the lady became intimate, and then he took office, full of ambition, looking around with authority, eager to display all his talents and realize his long-cherished ambitions.

In the accounts office, the secretary and the lady were secretly plotting. After the scholar took office for a few months, the two cleverly devised ways to extort over 100,000 taels from the treasury.

The scholar worked during the day and embraced the beauty at night, living in bliss. Later, the secretary presented him with a smoking gun, claiming it would invigorate and enhance his vitality, and the scholar began to smoke opium.

After a year of this, the scholar was exhausted from the paperwork and the bed struggles, plus the harm from the opium, leaving him skin and bones, on the verge of death. The secretary and the lady saw that this young man had lost his utility, and while he was in a stupor at night, they smothered him with a pillow, then took all the silver notes and fled.

The local people did not see the county magistrate for several days, and complaints arose. The higher authorities heard the news and quickly sent people to investigate. They pushed open the county office's door, finding it empty. Upon entering the inner hall, a foul smell greeted them; the scholar had already rotted and was infested with maggots.

This is a true case. Later, the National Government investigated this matter, but ultimately could not find the group of swindlers. Alas, all the evil deeds committed in the past stem from endless greed, anger, and ignorance. The Buddhist scriptures are not wrong; human nature is fragile. When greed, ignorance, and anger arise together, they open the door to evil. The "Four Teachings of Liao Fan" states: "Fate is determined by heaven, but establishing fate is in human hands; blessings and disasters have no door, only humans summon them." All disasters are self-inflicted.

The "Heavenly Schemes" and "Earthly Schemes" are all human schemes. Before discussing the stories of schemes, please ask yourself: Are you a person who "does things," or a person who "plots schemes"?

Doing things means doing a good job at something; it follows the "way" and emphasizes "technique."

First, you need to be clear about whether you are a person who "does things" or a person who "plots schemes."

Doing things means doing a good job quietly; it follows the "way of affairs" and emphasizes "skills."

Plotting schemes means setting up a system and strategizing; it follows "rules" and emphasizes "laws."

The Six Stages of Doing Things#

Let's first look at a person who does things, which can be divided into six stages:

1. The first stage is earning money through physical labor, such as workers moving bricks on a construction site.
2. The second stage is earning money through skills, such as workers with certain technical skills, maternity nurses, etc.
3. The third stage is earning money through experience, such as lawyers who have helped many people with lawsuits or doctors who have performed many surgeries.
4. The fourth stage is earning money through ability, such as bosses relying on management skills or entrepreneurs relying on entrepreneurial abilities.
5. The fifth stage is earning money through reputation, such as writers, painters, and artists; the more famous they are, the more valuable their work becomes.
6. The sixth stage is earning money through appearance; these people do not need physical strength, skills, or experience; they can earn money just by showing up, such as celebrities.

From the first stage to the sixth stage, the way of making money becomes increasingly easier, yet the money earned also becomes increasingly accessible:

People in the first stage are the hardest workers; they earn money through physical labor, are exhausted every day, and receive the least reward.
People in the second to third stages, and even those in the fourth stage, rely entirely on their abilities to make a living, but they are still very hard-working because they must produce results and speak with outcomes.

For example, designers, consultants, models, drivers, editors, accountants, lawyers, as well as small bosses, entrepreneurs, and professional managers all belong to this tier.

In fact, once a person reaches the fifth stage, where they can earn money through their name, they have essentially left the labor class and no longer need to work hard to earn money.

Once a person becomes famous, they can completely break free from the constraints of "skills" or "results." Others will pay for your name, and what you need is no longer to improve your skills but to operate your personal brand.

Becoming famous is a great way out. For example, both actors earn money through acting, but the pay for stars and extras is vastly different; similarly, famous designers are worth far more than ordinary designers, and top lawyers earn much more than regular lawyers; likewise, famous doctors require a lot of money to hire.

This is like upgrading from "making products" to "building brands." If you only stay at the "making products" stage, you will definitely encounter price wars and profit squeezes, but once you can form your own brand, you will no longer have to worry about these messy issues.

Once a person reaches the sixth stage, where they can earn money through their appearance, they can enjoy the fruits of their labor without needing skills, experience, or results; they only need to show up, and they are completely supported by society.

The Four Steps of Plotting Schemes#

Now let's look at those who plot schemes.

People who do things often rely on labor income; diligent and hard work is fundamental, while those who plot schemes often rely on channels, brands, investments, layouts, or systems.

Those who plot schemes are good at establishing systems; they excel at simplifying complex problems, quantifying simple problems, programming quantitative problems, and systematizing procedural problems. This is the basic logic of plotting schemes.

1. Trends
   Trends are like rivers, flowing vigorously; those who follow the trend prosper, while those who go against it perish.

2. Tools
   The greatest impact on traditional manufacturing and service industries comes from the internet as a tool. In the coming years, various cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and genetic revolutions will also serve as tools that can change the world.

3. Policies
   Those who plot schemes must learn to observe policies and cycles, just as farmers must watch the weather and seasons.

This is what a schemer does.

How to Perfectly Execute a Task?#

Those who do things need to think about the question: "Doing things correctly" or "Correctly doing things." This is a tactical-level issue.

The ten major scams of the rivers and lakes are: wind, horse, swallow, sparrow, porcelain, gold, evaluation, skin, color, and hanging, referring to the ten major techniques, and also to ten types of swindlers or gangs.

• Wind, also known as "bee," refers to gang activities.
• Like bees, they swarm in and scatter quickly, coming fast and leaving fast. For example, during the late Qing Dynasty, the officialdom was corrupt, and many officials who committed crimes would bribe their superiors and spend huge sums to seek disaster relief. A governor from Shanxi was reported for corruption and was in a panic. While preparing money to operate, he suddenly discovered that a group of strangers had come to the city and secretly stayed at an inn. These people were all dressed in extraordinary clothes and spoke with a Beijing accent. The governor realized: "These are inspectors from the capital! They are here to investigate me! I understand this method."

The next day, the governor sent someone to the inn to send a message, requesting a meeting. The person sent entered the inn and, while delivering the message, also observed the situation of those people. The group deliberately showed a vigilant demeanor, saying they had urgent matters and could not meet guests. The messenger was turned away and hurried back to report. The governor understood the situation and prepared 200,000 taels of silver to send the next day.

After the messenger delivered the 200,000 taels of silver, he received a "three-foot white silk." The governor was shocked: "This is the meaning from above—hang yourself." The governor racked his brains, piecing together another 200,000 taels, and before dawn, sent someone to deliver it.

This time, the messenger returned with a crown and a string of safety coins. The governor was relieved and thought, "Remove the crown and become a commoner."

However, having spent 400,000 taels of silver, he could not just become a commoner. He had to negotiate and take out the family's cat-eye jade bracelets and jade pendants to smooth things over, even if he could get a county magistrate's position. Over time, the scattered wealth returned.

The group received these items and knew that this governor had taken out all his possessions, so they quickly disappeared. The governor was still waiting for news, and soon the real inspectors arrived. The governor saw that the inspectors had come to his door, and the matter was naturally resolved. He hurriedly greeted them with a smiling face, saying, "I didn't know you were coming, and I failed to welcome you!"

The inspectors found this governor incredible; facing death, he was still so cheerful, showing extraordinary psychological resilience, like an old fox.

"Governor, why don't you speak for yourself?" The inspectors wanted the governor to confess. The governor heard this and was overjoyed, thinking he was being asked to choose an official position: "If you ask me, a fifth-rank prefect is enough! If that doesn't work, I'll just go back home and be a county magistrate."

The inspectors were stunned: "What are you talking about?"

"What do you mean, brother?"

"This person is confused and must be taken to the capital for further questioning!" The inspector ordered, and the Qing soldiers came up and bound the governor.

At this moment, the governor felt a sudden realization and shouted: "Black eats black, you are ruthless! You took my 400,000 taels of silver and turned your back on me!"

The inspector was so angry that his nose almost twisted: "You dare to slander me, beat him!"

At this time, the group of swindlers had long since fled, and later they were wanted nationwide for a long time, but they were never caught. This is "wind," coming and going in an instant.

• Horse refers to a lone swindler, corresponding to "wind" in gang swindling.

Such people either pretend to be Taoists or monks, giving people a sense of being transcendent. In the late Qing Dynasty, there was a case in Qiantang: a wealthy man named Zhang, known for his charity, one day encountered a person dressed as a monk who loudly shouted: "Give me 100 taels of silver!"

Zhang opened the door and asked, "Who are you? Why should I give you 100 taels of silver?"

"If you don't give it to me, I won't leave!" The monk sat down in front of Zhang's door. It was a cold winter day, with a biting wind and heavy snow.

Zhang said, "If the monk has something to say, please come in."

"No," the monk said, sitting cross-legged and closing his eyes. For three days and three nights, he remained motionless, without food or water. People thought the monk would freeze to death, but upon closer inspection, they found he was breathing evenly and had a rosy complexion, and everyone exclaimed: "A true monk! Most people would freeze to death or starve!"

Zhang still refused to give him money. The monk opened his eyes and said to Zhang, "Do you believe I can kill you with my divine palm?"

"Monks are compassionate; a great monk wouldn't kill me," Zhang laughed.

The monk glanced at Zhang: "Let me show you!" He then clasped his hands together, and suddenly, a blue flame enveloped his hands, yet the monk showed no signs of pain.

The onlookers were dumbfounded: "A deity!" Zhang still refused. The monk had no choice but to take out a bundle of rope, tie it to Zhang's door knocker, and then set it on fire, shouting: "I will burn you to death with my true fire!" After saying this, he got up and left.

People were astonished to find that the rope kept burning but would not break, and they hurriedly warned Zhang: "This is a true deity; you should comply with him."

Zhang still smiled and said nothing. Two days later, that monk quietly returned and knocked on Zhang's door.

"How did you see through me?" the monk asked.

Zhang smiled and said, "If you hadn't used these tricks, I might have given you some money. But you did this, and now I want to play with you. I, Zhang, am not foolish; if anyone came to my door, I would give them money, wouldn't that make me a fool?"

"Ha ha," the monk laughed.

"You sat for three days and nights without eating or drinking, and didn't die of hunger or freeze to death. Others may not know what's going on, but I noticed the number of the beads around your neck. When you first came to my door, you had 36 beads, but after three days, it became 30. Those beads are made of ginseng, which has the effect of keeping warm and preventing illness. You eat two a day, so you are fine. Most people wouldn't notice the number of beads around your neck, but I did."

"Ha ha ha!" the monk laughed heartily.

"With this intelligence, why not do something good?" Zhang said, taking out a tael of silver and handing it to him, "Do something good."

The monk took the silver and laughed as he left. Afterward, Zhang thought carefully: "Alas, I was still deceived."

• Swallow, also known as "face," refers to beauty, derived from the saying "face like jade."

"Swallow" refers to those who deceive using beauty, not only beautiful women but also handsome men, women deceiving men, and men deceiving women. Whenever lust arises, they will be deceived.

In the late Qing Dynasty, many sons of the Eight Banners were idle, and some princes wandered around the Eight Great Alleys all day. At this time, female swindlers could take advantage of the situation. Such swindlers are highly cultured and knowledgeable, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, able to recite poetry and discuss national affairs, and occasionally feign a state of being forced into the brothel.

The princes would be intrigued: "Why does the girl sigh and lament?"

"Your Highness, you don't know, I am from XX, but my family has fallen on hard times, which is why I have ended up here, becoming a person of the dust." The prince's mind suddenly sparked: "How about I redeem you?"

"How could I dare, how could I dare, I am but a humble person."

"The girl is too modest; you just can't enter my main residence. I can only buy a house in the suburbs, and you can only be a concubine." The prince plotted.

"Then... I am willing to serve you like a cow or horse!" The female swindler knelt down, tears streaming down her face.

"Get up quickly! I have 500 taels of silver here; take it to redeem yourself!"

"Thank you!" The girl took the silver and ran out, where her husband was waiting outside to help her change clothes and disguise herself. The two escaped the capital overnight. By dawn, the prince realized the girl had not returned and sensed something was wrong, but it was too late!

• Sparrow, the most cunning of all!

"Sparrow," also known as "gap," refers to positions in the officialdom; wherever there is a vacancy, someone will step in to fill it. Such a grand scheme requires mobilizing many elements and connecting many people. The schemer strategizes until the scheme is completed, then leaves with a fortune.

This scheme is generally composed of the following types of people:

• Beautiful young women, stunningly beautiful, knowledgeable, and outwardly gentle, but with a heart as poisonous as a snake.
• The secretary, whose true identity is often the husband or lover of the beautiful young woman, both of whom collude and conspire together.
• The props master, skilled in making seals and official stamps.
• The killer, often played by the secretary himself, or a specialized killer, but must be someone close to the beautiful young woman and the secretary, usually a disciple or biological son.
• The fool, a down-and-out scholar, full of patriotic aspirations but with no way to realize them.

In the early years of the Republic of China, such a scam occurred in western Sichuan. The secretary first gathered intelligence to see which county magistrate was about to be transferred. Once a vacancy arose, it meant a new county magistrate would come to fill the position. At that time, buying and selling official positions was rampant; sometimes one person would serve as the county magistrate for seven or eight counties, and new and old county magistrates came and went, leaving the common people utterly confused about who the county magistrate was. Moreover, at that time, the county magistrate would take office with just a letter of appointment and could start working with the secretary, making it impossible to distinguish between genuine and fake.

The secretary would first find out where the county magistrate was about to take office, then gather information and addresses of some down-and-out scholars nearby, and then begin to set up the scheme. On the day the new county magistrate took office, the secretary arranged for the killer to ambush the county magistrate on the road to his new post, burying a landmine to kill the magistrate and then taking the official credentials to leave.

After killing the county magistrate, they would start looking for the previously targeted down-and-out scholar. The scholar was at home, idly passing the time, when a knock came at the door. The scholar opened the door, and the secretary stepped forward, saying, "Sir, my wife has fallen into misfortune; may I borrow a place to stay for one night?"

Scholars are often sentimental, and seeing the beautiful young woman behind him, he felt pity: "Come in and talk."

"What do you all do? Why have you fallen to this state?" the scholar asked.

"Alas..." The lady wept as she entered the inner room.

"Alas!" The secretary began to speak, "Sir, please listen to me. We have come to take up the position of county magistrate. My lord spent 40,000 taels to buy this position. I am the secretary of my lord, and today I accompanied my lord's family to take office. Unexpectedly, we encountered bandits in the mountains, and my lord's sedan was blown up, my lord was killed, and all the money was robbed, leaving only the lady and her underage son."

"Oh," the scholar nodded, feeling pity, "this is truly tragic."

"Now that my lord is gone, we do not know what to do." The secretary wept, then asked, "What do you do, sir?"

The scholar sighed: "I am the last scholar of the Qing Dynasty; later, I failed the imperial examination, and later the examination was abolished. Now I am over thirty and have achieved nothing."

"Oh?" The secretary said in surprise, "You are a well-read person!"

"How could I dare, how could I dare," the scholar blushed.

The secretary pretended to think for a moment, then suddenly shouted: "Lady, there is hope, there is hope!"

This startled the scholar: "What do you mean, old man?"

The secretary tearfully said, "Sir, only you can save my lady."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Sir, please listen to me. My lord spent half his life savings to buy this official position, and he died without even serving a day; this is too unjust. We have spent the money, and the connections have been established, but we are just waiting to take office. Now my lady is left alone with her son, without money or support. If