秦策二

Qi helped Chu attack Qin and took Quwo. Afterward, Qin wanted to attack Qi, but Qi and Chu were on good terms. King Hui was troubled and said to Zhang Yi: "I want to attack Qi, but Qi and Chu are close. Think of something for me — what can be done?"

Zhang Yi said: "Have a carriage and gifts prepared for me, and I will see what I can do."

Zhang Yi went south to see the King of Chu and said: "No one does our humble king admire more than Your Majesty. No one does Zhang Yi wish more to serve than Your Majesty. And no one does our humble king detest more than the King of Qi. No one does Zhang Yi detest more than the King of Qi.

"The King of Qi's offenses against our humble king are grave. We wish to attack him, but Your Majesty's great state is allied with Qi — therefore our humble king cannot carry out his plans, and I cannot serve as I wish. If Your Majesty would close your borders and sever ties with Qi, I will have the King of Qin present Your Majesty with the lands of Shangyu, six hundred li on each side. Qi will certainly be weakened, and once weakened, Qi will serve Your Majesty's purposes. Thus you weaken Qi in the north, earn Qin's gratitude in the west, and privately gain the territory of Shangyu for profit — one plan, three benefits."

The King of Chu was overjoyed. He announced to his entire court: "I have obtained the lands of Shangyu, six hundred li!" Every minister who heard the news offered congratulations.

Chen Zhen came in last and alone did not congratulate. The King of Chu said: "Without mobilizing a single soldier or injuring a single person, I have obtained six hundred li of Shangyu. I consider myself quite clever! All my officials offer congratulations — you alone do not. Why?"

Chen Zhen replied: "I see that the lands of Shangyu cannot be obtained and that calamity will certainly come. I therefore dare not offer empty congratulations."

The king said: "Why?"

Chen Zhen said: "The reason Qin values Your Majesty is that you have Qi as an ally. Now the territory has not yet been received but Qi has already been cut off — Chu is isolated. Why would Qin still value an isolated state? Moreover, for Qin to give away territory first and then have you break with Qi — that is clearly not Qin's plan. If you break with Qi first and then demand the territory, you will certainly be swindled by Zhang Yi. And once you are swindled, Your Majesty will be filled with regret. You will have created an enemy in Qin to the west and severed your alliance with Qi to the north — then both states' armies will march against you."

The King of Chu would not listen. He said: "My plan is settled! Shut your mouth and say nothing more — just watch my success."

The king sent an envoy to break with Qi. Before the envoy even returned, he sent another to break with Qi a second time. Zhang Yi returned to Qin. Qin secretly sent envoys to Qi, and Qi and Qin formed a covert alliance.

Chu then dispatched a general to receive the territory from Qin. When Zhang Yi arrived, he pleaded illness and did not attend court. The King of Chu said: "Does Zhang Yi think I have not broken with Qi?" So he sent a brave man to go insult the King of Qi to his face.

Once Zhang Yi confirmed that Chu had truly severed ties with Qi, he emerged to see the Chu envoy and said: "From such-and-such a point to such-and-such a point — six li, both in length and width."

The envoy said: "I was told six hundred li, not six li."

Zhang Yi said: "I am merely a minor person. Where would I get six hundred li?"

The envoy returned and reported to the King of Chu. The king was enraged and wanted to raise an army to attack Qin.

Chen Zhen said: "May I speak now?"

The king said: "You may."

Chen Zhen said: "Attacking Qin is not the right plan. Your Majesty should instead bribe Qin with a notable city and join Qin in attacking Qi. What we lose to Qin, we recover from Qi — the state of Chu comes out whole. But now you have already broken with Qi and seek to punish Qin for its deception — this will unite Qi and Qin against us, and the state will be gravely harmed."

The King of Chu would not listen. He raised an army and attacked Qin. Qin allied with Qi, and Han joined them. Chu's army was catastrophically defeated at Duling.

Thus Chu's territory, population, and military strength were not inherently weak — but the state barely survived because it rejected Chen Zhen's counsel and fell for Zhang Yi's scheme.

After Chu broke with Qi, Qi raised an army and attacked Chu. Chen Zhen said to the King of Chu: "Your Majesty should cede territory to resolve matters with Qi in the east and make peace with Qin in the west."

The King of Chu sent Chen Zhen to Qin. The King of Qin said to him: "You are a Qin man. You and I are old friends. I am not talented enough to personally manage affairs of state, so you left me to serve the King of Chu. Now Qi and Chu are at war. Some say it is advantageous to intervene; others say it is not. Can you not loyally plan for your current master while also sparing some counsel for me?"

Chen Zhen said: "Has Your Majesty not heard of the man from Wu who traveled to Chu? The King of Chu was very fond of him. When the man fell ill, someone was sent to ask after him: 'Is he truly ill, or is he homesick?' The attendants said: 'We do not know whether he is homesick or not, but if he is, he will start humming Wu songs.' Now I will hum a Wu song for Your Majesty.

"Has Your Majesty not heard the story of Guan Yu? Two tigers were fighting over a man they had killed. Guan Zhuangzi was about to stab them when Guan Yu stopped him: 'The tiger is a fierce beast; the man is a sweet morsel. Now two tigers are fighting over the man. The smaller one will certainly die, and the larger will certainly be wounded. Wait for the wounded tiger and stab it — one stroke to claim both tigers. No effort of killing one tiger, but the fame of killing two.'

"Qi and Chu are now fighting. One will certainly be defeated. When that happens, Your Majesty raises an army to rescue the loser — gaining the benefit of saving Qi without the cost of attacking Chu. The only ruler capable of hearing a plan and knowing its outcome in advance is Your Majesty.

"Planning is the root of all affairs. Judgment is the pivot of survival and destruction. When plans go wrong and judgment fails, few can keep their states. Hence it is said: one who has considered two possibilities is hard to mislead; one who never loses sight of means and ends is hard to confuse."

After King Hui of Qin died, Gongsun Yan sought to destroy Zhang Yi. Li Chou said to Gongsun Yan:

"Better to summon Gan Mao from Wei, summon Gongsun Xian from Han, and elevate Chuli Zi within Qin. All three are Zhang Yi's enemies. If you employ them, the feudal lords will see that Zhang Yi has lost Qin."

The Lord of Yiqu went to Wei. Gongsun Yan said to him:

"The road is long, and I may not have another chance to visit you. Let me speak plainly about your situation. When the central states are not at war with Qin, Qin will burn and ravage your country. When the central states are at war with Qin, Qin will send light envoys and heavy gifts to court your country."

The Lord of Yiqu said: "I hear you clearly."

Before long, five states did indeed attack Qin. Chen Zhen said to the King of Qin: "The Lord of Yiqu is a worthy ruler among the frontier peoples. Your Majesty should bribe him to keep his goodwill."

The King of Qin said: "Good." He sent a thousand bolts of embroidered silk and a hundred beautiful women to the Lord of Yiqu.

The Lord of Yiqu assembled his ministers to deliberate and said: "This is exactly what Gongsun Yan predicted." He raised his army and attacked Qin, inflicting a major defeat on the Qin forces at Libo.

The physician Bian Que was received by King Wu of Qin. The king showed him his ailment, and Bian Que proposed to remove it.

The king's attendants said: "Your Majesty's illness is located in front of the ears and below the eyes. Removing it may not cure it, and it could leave Your Majesty deaf and blind."

The king told Bian Que. Bian Que threw down his stone needle in anger:

"Your Majesty consulted with someone who understands, then let those who do not understand ruin it. If this is how Qin's government works, Your Majesty could lose the state in a single blunder."

King Wu of Qin said to Gan Mao: "I want to drive my chariots through Sanchuan and look down upon the Zhou court. Will that make my name immortal?"

Gan Mao replied: "Allow me to go to Wei and arrange a joint attack on Han."

The king sent Xiang Shou to accompany him. When Gan Mao reached Wei, he said to Xiang Shou: "Go back and tell the king: 'Wei has agreed to my terms, but I urge the king not to attack.' If the affair succeeds, I will give you all the credit."

Xiang Shou returned and reported. The king went to meet Gan Mao at Xirang. When Gan Mao arrived, the king asked for his reasoning.

Gan Mao said: "Yiyang is a major stronghold. Shangdang and Nanyang have supplied it for years. It is called a county, but in reality it is a commandery. Now Your Majesty would cross multiple mountain barriers and march a thousand li to attack it. This will be difficult.

"I have heard that when Zhang Yi annexed Ba and Shu in the west, took the lands beyond the West River in the north, and captured Shangyong in the south, the world did not praise Zhang Yi more — it praised the late king. When Marquis Wen of Wei sent Yue Yang to attack Zhongshan, it took three years to conquer it. When Yue Yang returned boasting of his achievements, Marquis Wen showed him a chest full of denunciations. Yue Yang bowed twice to the ground and said: 'This was not my achievement — it was my lord's strength.'

"Now I am a minister far from home. Chuli Ji and Gongsun Yan will use Han's situation to argue against me, and Your Majesty will listen to them. Then Your Majesty will have broken faith with Wei, and I will bear the resentment of Han's chancellor Gongzhong Shi.

"In ancient times Zeng Zi lived at Fei. A man at Fei with the same name and clan as Zeng Zi killed someone. Someone told Zeng Zi's mother: 'Zeng Shen has killed a man.' His mother said: 'My son would not kill anyone,' and went on weaving. Before long, another person said: 'Zeng Shen has killed a man.' His mother still wove calmly. Then a third person said: 'Zeng Shen has killed a man.' His mother was frightened — she threw down her shuttle, climbed over the wall, and fled.

"Now with Zeng Shen's reputation for virtue, and his mother's trust in him, three accusers still made a loving mother lose faith. My virtue is no match for Zeng Zi's, and Your Majesty's trust in me is not as deep as Zeng Zi's mother's. Those who will speak against me number far more than three. I fear Your Majesty will throw down the shuttle on my account."

The king said: "I will not listen to them. Let us swear an oath."

They swore an oath at Xirang.

The attack on Yiyang proceeded, but after five months the city had not fallen. Chuli Ji and Gongsun Yan pressed the king, who was about to listen to them. He summoned Gan Mao and told him.

Gan Mao replied: "The oath of Xirang still stands."

The king said: "So it does." He mobilized his full army and sent Gan Mao to attack again. Yiyang fell.

During the siege of Yiyang, Feng Zhang said to the King of Qin:

"If we do not take Yiyang, Han and Chu will exploit our exhaustion and the state will be in danger. Better to promise Hanzhong to Chu to keep it happy. If Chu is pleased and does not advance, Han will be isolated and helpless against Qin."

The king said: "Good." He sent Feng Zhang to promise Hanzhong to Chu, and then took Yiyang.

Afterward the King of Chu invoked Feng Zhang's promise and demanded Hanzhong. Feng Zhang said to the King of Qin: "Simply disown me. Tell the King of Chu: 'I never had any territory to offer the King of Chu.'"

Gan Mao attacked Yiyang. After three drum rolls the soldiers would not advance. Qin's Right General, an officer named Wei, said: "If you do not review your tactics, you will be in serious trouble."

Gan Mao said: "I am a man far from home who became Qin's chancellor by using Yiyang as bait for the king. If I attack Yiyang and fail, Gongsun Yan and Chuli Ji will undermine me at court, and Gongzhong will crush me from Han's side — I will never campaign again.

"Tomorrow, if the drums sound and the walls still do not fall, I will make Yiyang's outer wall my tomb."

He then spent his private funds to supplement the official rewards. The next day the drums sounded, and Yiyang fell.

Yiyang had not yet fallen and Qin's casualties were heavy. Gan Mao wanted to halt the campaign. Zuo Cheng said to Gan Mao:

"At court you are under attack from Chuli Ji and Gongsun Yan. Abroad you have made an enemy of Han's Gongzhong Shi. If you now withdraw without success, you are finished.

"Better to press the attack on Yiyang. If Yiyang falls, your achievement will be enormous — and Chuli Ji and Gongsun Yan will have nothing to say, while the Qin public's resentment will all be directed at them."

During the siege of Yiyang, Chu betrayed Qin and allied with Han. The King of Qin was afraid.

Gan Mao said: "Although Chu has allied with Han, it will not fight on Han's behalf first. Han, for its part, fears that if it fights, Chu will change sides behind its back. Han and Chu will hold each other in check. Chu has declared for Han but has not expressed any grievance against Qin — that is how I know they will restrain each other."

The King of Qin said to Gan Mao: "The envoys Chu sends are all formidable debaters who argue me into corners. I am frequently at a loss. What should I do?"

Gan Mao replied: "Do not worry, Your Majesty. When they send a formidable envoy, refuse to grant his requests. When they send a meek one, grant everything. Then the meek envoys will be promoted and the formidable ones sidelined — and Your Majesty controls their appointments."

Gan Mao fled Qin, heading for Qi. At the pass he encountered Su Dai and said:

"Have you heard the story of the maidens by the river? A group of maidens spun thread together by candlelight. One was too poor to bring a candle. The others talked among themselves about sending her away. As the poor maiden was about to leave, she said to them: 'Because I have no candle, I always arrive first, sweep the room, and lay out the mats. The excess light that shines on the walls — what does it cost you to share it with me? How does it harm you? I believe I am useful to you all. Why send me away?' The maidens discussed this, agreed she was right, and kept her.

"Now I am an unworthy man, cast out of Qin and passing through the frontier. I am willing to sweep the room and lay the mats for you. Please do not send me away."

Su Dai said: "Very well. I will build your reputation in Qi."

He then went west and told the King of Qin: "Gan Mao is a man of exceptional ability, not an ordinary person. His family has served Qin for generations — he knows every pass, gorge, and geographic advantage from Yao to the frontier. If he uses Qi to coordinate with Han and Wei and plots against Qin, that is not in Qin's interest."

The King of Qin said: "What should I do?"

Su Dai said: "Better to offer him rich gifts and a generous salary and invite him back. When he arrives, confine him to Huaigu Valley and never let him leave. Then no one in the world can use him against Qin."

The King of Qin said: "Good." He offered Gan Mao the rank of Senior Minister and sent a chancellor-level invitation to Qi.

Gan Mao declined to go. Su Dai then went to the King of Qi and said: "Gan Mao is a man of great ability. Qin has offered him the rank of Senior Minister and a chancellor's invitation, but he is grateful for Your Majesty's hospitality and refuses to go — he wishes to remain your servant. How will Your Majesty honor him? If you do not keep him, he will not feel grateful. And if Qin obtains a man of Gan Mao's ability and gives him command of its powerful army, that will be hard to counter."

The King of Qi said: "Good." He granted Gan Mao the rank of Senior Minister and gave him a permanent position.

Gan Mao was chancellor of Qin. The King of Qin was fond of Gongsun Yan and had secretly agreed to appoint him. The king said to Gongsun Yan privately: "I am going to make you chancellor."

One of Gan Mao's subordinates overheard this on the road and reported it to Gan Mao. Gan Mao went in to see the king and said: "Your Majesty has found a worthy chancellor — I respectfully offer double congratulations."

The king said: "I have entrusted the state to you. Where would I find another worthy chancellor?"

Gan Mao replied: "Your Majesty is about to appoint Xishou."

The king said: "Where did you hear that?"

Gan Mao said: "Xishou told me."

The king was furious at Xishou for leaking the secret and expelled him.

Gan Mao arranged for Qin and Wei to jointly attack Chu. Chu's representative in Qin, Qu He, negotiated peace on Chu's behalf, and Qin opened its passes to receive Chu's envoy.

Gan Mao said to the King of Qin: "If you give in to Chu's overtures without letting Wei control the peace terms, Chu will say: 'Qin sold out Wei.' Wei will be displeased and join Chu — if Chu and Wei unite, the state will be harmed.

"Better to let Wei control the peace negotiations. Wei will be gratified. If Your Majesty does not alienate Wei, the territory entrusted to your care will only grow."

In the affair at Xingshan, Zhao was about to join Qin in attacking Qi. Qi was alarmed and ordered Tian Zhang to offer Yangwu to Zhao, sending Prince Shunzi as a hostage.

The King of Zhao was pleased. He halted his troops and informed Qin: "Qi has given our humble state Yangwu and sent us a hostage prince, hoping to stave off the attack. I dutifully report this to your officials."

The King of Qin sent Prince Ta to Zhao, who said to the King of Zhao: "Qi allied with your great state to rescue Wei and then broke its oath — it cannot be trusted. Your great state acted improperly and informed our humble state, and we gave you two districts' land for your ancestral rites. Now you halt your troops and intend to make terms with Qi and accept its territory — this is not what I was sent here to accept. I request an additional forty thousand armored troops. Your great state may decide."

Su Dai, on Qi's behalf, submitted a letter to the Marquis of Rang:

"I hear from travelers that Qin plans to add forty thousand troops to Zhao's forces to attack Qi. I have privately assured my humble king: 'The King of Qin is wise and skilled at calculation; the Marquis of Rang is clever and experienced in affairs. They will certainly not add forty thousand troops to Zhao to attack Qi.'

"Why? First: the Three Jin have formed a league — they are Qin's mortal enemies. They have betrayed Qin a hundred times, cheated Qin a hundred times. To destroy Qi and fatten Zhao — Zhao, Qin's deep enemy — is not in Qin's interest.

"Second: Qin's strategists will say, 'Destroy Qi, weaken the Jin states, then control the contest between Jin and Chu.' But Qi is already exhausted. Attacking it with all the world's forces is like using a thousand-catty crossbow to burst a boil. How could the King of Qin then control Jin and Chu?

"Third: if Qin sends few troops, Jin and Chu will not trust the commitment. If Qin sends many, Jin and Chu will use them against Qin. Qi, in its fear, will not run to Qin but to Jin and Chu.

"Fourth: if Qi cedes territory to Jin and Chu to buy peace, Jin and Chu are satisfied. If Qi raises troops to fight on Jin and Chu's behalf, Qin ends up the target.

"Fifth: the result is that Jin and Chu use Qin to destroy Qi, and then use Qi to destroy Qin. How clever Jin and Chu are, and how foolish Qi and Qin!

"If Qin holds Anyi and maintains good relations with Qi to stabilize it, there will be no problems. With Anyi in hand, Han and Wei will certainly lose Shangdang. Compare: seizing the Three Jin's vitals versus sending troops abroad and fearing they will not return — which is more profitable?

"Therefore I have privately assured my humble king: 'The King of Qin is wise and skilled at calculation; the Marquis of Rang is clever and experienced. They will certainly not add forty thousand troops to Zhao to attack Qi.'"

Queen Dowager Xuan of Qin was in love with Wei Choufu. When the Queen Dowager fell ill and was near death, she issued an order: "When I am buried, Wei Choufu must be buried with me."

Wei Choufu was terrified. Yong Rui spoke to the Queen Dowager on his behalf:

"Does Your Majesty believe the dead have consciousness?"

The Queen Dowager said: "They do not."

"If Your Majesty's divine wisdom clearly understands that the dead have no consciousness, why bury someone you love alive with an unconscious corpse?

"And if the dead do have consciousness — the late king has been accumulating rage for a long time now. Your Majesty will barely have time to apologize for your transgressions. How will you find leisure for a private affair with Wei Choufu?"

The Queen Dowager said: "You are right." She rescinded the order.