King Wu of Zhou, facing a difficult military situation involving a besieged city and a separate enemy army, consults Jiang Taigong, a renowned strategist. Jiang Taigong advises a multi-pronged approach: isolating the city by cutting off supplies and creating a perception of escape routes to lure the enemy into disadvantageous positions, while simultaneously managing the external threat. The strategy emphasizes psychological warfare to encourage surrender and minimizing civilian harm to ensure swift victory and pacification. The dialogue highlights the importance of careful planning, tactical flexibility, and benevolent leadership in warfare.