11. The Nine Situations

61

By persistently hanging on the enemy's flank,

I understand the first four words to mean "accompanying the enemy in one direction." Ts`ao Kung says: "unite the soldiers and make for the enemy." But such a violent displacement of characters is quite indefensible.

we shall succeed in the long run

Literally, "after a thousand LI."

in killing the commander-in-chief.

Always a great point with the Chinese.