笑里藏刀
Stratagems of Defending · 敌战计Maintain friendly relations while secretly preparing to strike. Charm and trust-building mask your true hostile intentions.
Gongsun Yang of Qin used friendship and trust-building to lure the Wei general into a false sense of security. After establishing warm relations, he struck at the unprepared Wei forces during what was supposed to be a friendly meeting.
Microsoft partnered with Nokia as the exclusive Windows Phone manufacturer, appearing to be a friendly alliance. Microsoft then acquired Nokia's phone division, effectively consuming its partner. What looked like cooperation was actually absorption.
Japanese diplomats continued peace negotiations in Washington right up until the attack on Pearl Harbor. The friendly diplomatic posture masked military preparations that were already in motion. The deception was so complete that the envoys themselves were unaware of the attack.