scholars who believe the traditional account of "the three strategies"' transmission trace its origins directly back to the taigong, assuming that it was written after "the six secret teachings", after jiang ziya was enfeoffed as duke of qi. this theory assumes that the old man who gave the book to zhang must have been a descendant of jiang and/or a retired scholar of the recently conquered state of qi. his action of giving the book to a young fugitive known to have attempted the assassination of qi's conqueror is explained as an understandable and appropriate gesture.