Stratagem of Suffering
During the Southern Song Dynasty, the Jin army, led by Prince Jin Wushu, invades the Central Plains with hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses. They cross the Yellow River and approach the heavily fortified town of Zhuxian.
The patriotic general Yue Fei orders a northern counter-attack against the Jin forces, leading 200,000 troops to resist at Zhuxian Town. A major battle erupts between the Song and Jin armies.
Jin Wushu, unable to achieve victory, sits in his tent. Meanwhile, his foster son, Lu Wenlong, arrives from the northern camp and learns of the defeats. He asks to discuss the battle strategy with the Song camp.
Lu Wenlong receives approval and leads his troops to the Song camp, boasting about his might and challenging them to a fight. Upon hearing this, Yue Fei sends two generals to confront him.
Lu Wenlong, skilled in dual spears, fights fiercely. The two Song generals are no match for him, and one of them is quickly defeated.
Upon learning of the defeat of his two generals, Yue Fei knows Lu Wenlong is brave and skilled. He orders Yue Yun and four others to fight, employing the “Wheel Battle” tactic to take turns attacking.
Yue Yun and the four generals take turns fighting Lu Wenlong from dawn until dusk. Neither side wins, and both armies retreat to their camps.
Unable to defeat Lu Wenlong, Yue Fei orders a “No Battle” sign to be hung outside the camp. Then he returns to his quarters to think deeply about a good plan to break the enemy.
One of Yue Fei’s officers, Wang Zuo, is filled with patriotic zeal and anxiety. Seeing the unfavorable situation on the battlefield every day, he cannot eat or sleep well, worrying deeply about his commander, Yue Fei.
Wang Zuo thinks late into the night and finally devises a plan: the “Stratagem of Suffering.” After making up his mind, he decisively cuts off his own arm with a knife and wraps it with an old battle robe…