To cross the sea without heaven’s knowledge, one had to move openly over the sea but act as if one did not intend to cross it. Each military maneuver has two aspects: the superficial move and the underlying purpose. By concealing both, one can take the enemy completely by surprise…. [If] it is highly unlikely that the enemy can be kept ignorant of one’s actions, one can sometimes play tricks right under its nose. THE WILES OF WAR: 36 MILITARY STRATEGIES FROM ANCIENT CHINA, TRANSLATED BY SUN HAICHEN, 1991
