Jinnang 錦囊

In Chapter 54 of the Romance, when Liu Bei hesitates over the marriage to Sun Quan's younger sister, saying it is a scheme by Zhou Yu to harm him, Zhuge Liang says he has already settled on three stratagems, gives Zhao Yun three brocade bags and tells him to open them in order once he enters Eastern Wu. Zhao Yun keeps them deep in his bosom, against his skin. On reaching Nanxu in the 10th month, in the winter of the 14th year of Jian'an (209), Zhao Yun opens the first brocade bag and, following its stratagem, has the 500 soldiers of the escort spread word of the marriage in the city and has Liu Bei first call on Qiao Guolao. Romance, Ch. 54 §21 · 23–26

When Sun Quan furnishes the Eastern Mansion and holds Liu Bei there with music and women, Liu Bei gives no thought to returning to Jing Province. At the end of the year, Zhao Yun remembers the instructions to open the first bag on reaching Nanxu, the second at the end of the year and the third when in danger with no way out, tears open the second brocade bag, and hurries Liu Bei with word that Cao Cao is invading Jing Province. Liu Bei consults Lady Sun, and on the first day of the 1st month of the 15th year of Jian'an (210) they slip out of Nanxu on the pretext of sacrificing to his ancestors on the riverbank. Romance, Ch. 55 §6–15

At the border of Chaisang, with Xu Sheng and Ding Feng blocking the way ahead and pursuers coming from behind, Zhao Yun tears open the third brocade bag and presents it to Liu Bei. After reading it, Liu Bei confesses to Lady Sun that Sun Quan and Zhou Yu had used her as bait to confine him and seize Jing Province; Lady Sun drives her carriage out and denounces Zhou Yu, and Xu Sheng and Ding Feng make way. Romance, Ch. 55 §19–27

In Chapter 99, Zhuge Liang gives Jiang Wei and Liao Hua a brocade bag, telling them that if Wang Ping and Zhang Yi are surrounded by the Wei army and in grave danger, they should not go to the rescue but open the bag. When Sima Yi comes in person and surrounds the two, Jiang Wei and Liao Hua tear open the bag and, following its stratagem, divide their troops in two and raid Sima Yi's main camp; the alarmed Sima Yi turns his army back, and the Wei army suffers a great defeat. Romance, Ch. 99 §26 · 30–33

In Chapter 104, before his death, Zhuge Liang gives Yang Yi a brocade bag, telling him that after his death Wei Yan is sure to rebel and that he should open it when they face each other in battle. In Chapter 105, when Wei Yan attacks Nanzheng together with Ma Dai, Yang Yi tears open the brocade bag in the shadow of the gate banners and tells Wei Yan to shout three times, "Who dares to kill me?" Wei Yan shouts it once, and Ma Dai, standing behind him, beheads him. Zhuge Liang had given Ma Dai a secret plan on his deathbed. Romance, Ch. 104 §5Romance, Ch. 105 §17–21

The Romance also uses the same name for other bags. In Chapter 6, Sun Jian opens a brocade bag hanging from the neck of a woman's corpse pulled from a well south of the palace and obtains the Heirloom Seal of the Realm, and in Chapter 25 Cao Cao makes a bag of brocade and gives it to Guan Yu to wrap his beard in. Romance, Ch. 6 §24–25Romance, Ch. 25 §29