Myth

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The proverb comes from a story in Stratagems of the Warring States.

Lord Mengchang of the Qi State in the Warring States Period had a hanger-on named Feng Yuan.

Once, Feng was sent to the area of Xue to collect debts.

When he got there, he found that all obligors were poor,

so he cancelled the debts in the name of Lord Mengchang and burned all of the bonds .

On his return, Feng told Lord Mengchang that he had bought benevolence and unrighteousness for the latter.

The idiom literally means that a wily hare prepares several burrows to hide.

It is used to indicate having more hiding places or methods.