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The Chinese idiom 兵不厌诈 (bing1 bu4 yan4 zha4) literally means in war no soldier objects or nothing is too deceitful. It is one of many popular Chinese idioms relating to war and combat.
The idiom was first used by a general, Yu Xu, who lived during the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220). Under the rule of Emperor An, the Qiang people in the northwestern border areas organized a revolt and started to invade the inland provinces. General Yu Xu was ordered to crush the rebellion.
The rebels heard on the grapevine that General Yu was heading toward them with 3,000 soldiers. Since the rebel army numbered in excess of 10,000 soldiers, the rebels decided to prepare an ambush to nip this problem in the bud. However, while marching to meet the rebels, General Yu's agents uncovered the planned ambush. Before they reached the valley wher the ambush was planned, General Yu ordered his troops to halt and asked a number of local people to help spread the word that he was requesting reinforcements.
The rebels were fooled by this deception and withdrew from the positions. General Yu and his troops quickly passed throught the valley and into the heartland of Gansu. As General Yu continued to march toward the rebel stronghold he continued to do things (such as leaving behind more field stoves with each passing night) designed to give the impression that his army was continually being reinforced with new troops.
Since the rebels outnumbered General Yu's army 3 to 1, General Yu initially tried to avoid a direct confrontation with the rebels. He bided his time until he found a favourable location for a decisive battle. He then ordered his soldiers to first use their weak bows to entice the rebels to move closer. When they did, General Yu's men switched to their strong bows and cut a swathe through the enemy.
The fact that General Yu's tactics were so unconventional prompted one of his aides to ask him what principle he used to determine them. The General responded:
In war, nothing is too deceitful
Application of the expression is not limited to military combat. The equivalent English idiomatic expression is: all's fair in love and war.