The Clever Peach Trick

In the State of Qi, three powerful generals— Tian Kaijiang, Gu Yezi, and Gongsun Jie— won countless battles, but their growing pride put them at odds with the court. Prime Minister Yan Ying saw another way to deal with them— not through force, but through strategy. With just two peaches, he set a test that would change everything.

Based on the classic “ Kill with a Borrowed Knife” stratagem from The Thirty-Six Stratagems, this thought-provoking tale explores the balance between power, pride, and wisdom in ancient China.

Mao Hongyan is the associate editor of Happy Chinese Language and Composition, a children’ s magazine. With a deep passion for children’ s literature, she is highly dedicated to children’ s growth and has extensive experience in children’ s book planning. She understands child psychology and cognitive development, crafting texts that align with young readers’ psychological characteristics. Her works are beloved by children and parents alike. She has published Interactive Sound Book: Fun with Chinese Idioms, produced by Lelequ. Chen Wei, born in 1979 in Taizhou, Jiangsu, graduated from the Design Department of Xi’ an Academy of Fine Arts. His notable picture books include A New Resident in Kano Town, The Mice of Rose Villa, and The Frog and the Boy. Among them, The Frog and the Boy won the Second Feng Zikai Children’ s Picture Book Award Jury Prize. His works have been translated and published in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea.