To deceive others by using seemingly reasonable or plausible methods; to trick someone with a cunning but justifiable-looking excuse.
推销员用一系列看似合理的理由说服了顾客购买昂贵的商品，这真是欺以其方。
The salesperson convinced the customer to buy expensive goods with a series of seemingly reasonable arguments, which was truly deceiving by plausible means.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
During the Spring and Autumn period, someone presented a lively, jumping fish to Zichan, a high-ranking official of the State of Zheng. Zichan couldn't bear to kill and eat it, so he instructed someone to put the fish into a pond to keep.
The pond keeper secretly cooked and ate the fish.
Afterward, he told Zichan that the fish initially moved sluggishly, then slowly swam, and finally darted away. Zichan happily exclaimed, "It found its proper place!"
The pond keeper, having deceived him with plausible methods, was secretly pleased with himself.
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