齊策一

King Wei of Chu won a victory at Xuzhou and wanted to expel Ying Zi from Qi. Ying Zi was alarmed. Zhang Chou said to the King of Chu: "The reason Your Majesty won at Xuzhou was that Pan Zi was not employed. Pan Zi has merit in the state and the people serve him willingly. Ying Zi was incompetent — he used Shen Fu instead. Shen Fu is a man whom the great ministers and common people refuse to serve, and that is why Your Majesty was able to defeat him. Now if Ying Zi is expelled, Pan Zi will certainly be employed. He will reorganize the troops and engage Your Majesty again — and that will not be to your advantage."

The King of Chu therefore did not expel him.

Qi was about to enfeoff Tian Ying at Xue. The King of Chu heard of it and was furious, intending to attack Qi. The King of Qi was on the verge of abandoning the plan.

Gongsun Han said: "Whether the enfeoffment succeeds depends not on Qi but on Chu. Let me persuade the King of Chu to want the enfeoffment even more than Qi does."

Tian Ying said: "I entrust it to you."

Gongsun Han addressed the King of Chu: "The reason Lu and Song serve Chu while Qi does not is that Qi is large and Lu and Song are small. Your Majesty profits from Lu and Song being small — so why would you object to Qi being large? When Qi carves off territory to enfeoff Tian Ying, it weakens itself. I recommend you do not interfere."

The King of Chu said: "Excellent." And he did not interfere.

Lord Jingguo planned to fortify Xue. Many retainers remonstrated against it. Lord Jingguo told his doorkeeper to refuse them all entry.

A man from Qi requested an audience, saying: "I ask for only three words. If I utter even one more, I consent to be boiled alive."

Lord Jingguo agreed to see him. The visitor hurried forward and said: "Sea. Big. Fish."

Then he turned to leave.

The lord said: "Stay — go on."

The visitor said: "Your humble servant would not dare jest with his life."

The lord said: "Never mind that — speak."

The visitor replied: "Has my lord not heard of the great fish of the sea? Nets cannot hold it, hooks cannot pull it — but if it is washed ashore and loses the water, then even mole-crickets and ants can have their way with it. Now Qi is my lord's water. As long as you have Qi's protection, what do you need Xue for? Even if you raised Xue's walls to the sky, it would be of no use."

The lord said: "Excellent." He abandoned the fortification of Xue.

Lord Jingguo said to the King of Qi: "The accounts of the Five Offices must be reviewed daily and examined frequently."

The king said: "After hearing five of them, I grow weary." He handed the matter over to Lord Jingguo.

Lord Jingguo favored Qi Maobian. Qi Maobian was a man of many flaws, and the retainers disliked him. The Officer of Guard remonstrated with Lord Jingguo, but he would not listen. The Officer of Guard resigned and left. Lord Mengchang also privately urged his father to reconsider. Lord Jingguo erupted in fury: "I will slaughter your whole lot and ruin my own house before I give up Qi Maobian. Whatever he wants, I will do it without question."

He installed Qi Maobian in the finest quarters, had his eldest son drive his chariot, and served him meals morning and evening.

Several years later, King Wei died and King Xuan succeeded. Lord Jingguo's relations with King Xuan were very poor. He resigned his position and withdrew to Xue, taking Qi Maobian with him. Before long, Qi Maobian took his leave and asked to go see King Xuan.

Lord Jingguo said: "The king despises me. If you go, you will certainly be killed."

Qi Maobian said: "I never sought to live. Allow me to go."

Lord Jingguo could not stop him.

Qi Maobian traveled to the Qi capital. King Xuan heard he was coming and concealed his anger to await him. When Qi Maobian appeared before King Xuan, the king said: "You are the man Lord Jingguo listens to and dotes on."

Qi Maobian replied: "He dotes on me, yes. Listens to me, no. When Your Majesty was still crown prince, I told Lord Jingguo: 'The crown prince has the look of cruelty — jutting jaw and sidelong glare like a pig. Such a man will surely turn against you. Better to depose the crown prince and install the Lady of Wei's infant son, Jiaoshi, instead.' Lord Jingguo wept and said: 'I cannot. I have not the heart for it.' Had he listened to me, there would be no trouble today. That is the first instance.

"After he withdrew to Xue, Zhao Yang offered to trade several times the territory for Xue. I again advised: 'You must accept.' Lord Jingguo said: 'I received Xue from the late king. Even though the present king treats me badly, what would I say to the late king? Moreover, the late king's temple stands at Xue — how could I hand the late king's temple to Chu?' He again refused to listen. That is the second instance."

King Xuan heaved a great sigh and his expression changed. He said: "Lord Jingguo treated me with such devotion? I was young and did not know this at all. Would the guest bring Lord Jingguo back to me?"

Qi Maobian replied: "Respectfully, yes."

Lord Jingguo put on King Wei's robes, bore his sword, and set out. King Xuan went in person to welcome Lord Jingguo at the outskirts, and wept when he saw him approaching. When Lord Jingguo arrived, the king asked him to serve as chancellor. Lord Jingguo declined, but could not refuse. After seven days, he pleaded illness and firmly declined. His refusal was not accepted for three days, and then the king relented.

At that time, Lord Jingguo could truly be called a man who knew people. Because he knew people, he was not shaken when others criticized his judgment. This is why Qi Maobian was willing to risk his life, embrace hardship, and rush toward danger.

During the crisis at Handan, Zhao sought aid from Qi. Marquis Tian summoned his great ministers and asked: "Is it better to rescue Zhao or not?"

Zou Zi said: "Better not to rescue them."

Duan Gan Lun said: "If we do not rescue them, it will not be to our advantage."

Marquis Tian asked: "Why?"

"If Wei annexes Handan, how does that benefit Qi?"

Marquis Tian said: "Good point." He raised an army and said: "We will station our troops at the outskirts of Handan."

Duan Gan Lun said: "The advantage I seek is not that. If we rescue Handan by stationing our army outside it, then Zhao is not taken but Wei emerges unscathed. Better to attack Xianglin in the south to exhaust Wei. Let Handan fall, then strike Wei while it is spent — this way Zhao is broken and Wei is weakened."

Marquis Tian said: "Excellent." He raised an army and attacked Xianglin in the south. After seven months, Handan fell. Qi then struck at Wei's exhausted forces and inflicted a crushing defeat at Guiling.

During the crisis at Nanliang, Han requested aid from Qi. Marquis Tian summoned his great ministers and asked: "Is it better to rescue them early or late?"

Zhang Gai replied: "If we rescue them late, Han will be broken and absorbed by Wei. Better to rescue them early."

Tian Chensi said: "That will not do. If Han and Wei's armies are not yet exhausted and we intervene, we take Wei's blows in Han's place and end up taking orders from Han. Moreover, Wei is determined to destroy Han. When Han sees itself on the verge of annihilation, it will certainly appeal eastward to Qi. We should secretly bind Han to us and wait to strike Wei when it is spent. Then our state's weight will increase, profit will come to us, and our reputation will be elevated."

Marquis Tian said: "Excellent." He secretly reassured the Han envoy and sent him home.

Han, believing it had Qi's exclusive backing, fought five battles and lost all five. It appealed eastward to Qi. Qi then raised its army and struck Wei, inflicting a devastating defeat at Maling.

With Wei broken and Han weakened, the lords of Han and Wei came through Tian Ying to pay court, facing north, to Marquis Tian.

Lord Cheng Zou Ji served as chancellor of Qi, and Tian Ji served as general. The two did not get along.

Gongsun Han said to Zou Ji: "Why not advise the king to send Tian Ji to attack Wei? If he wins, the credit goes to your strategy and you gain merit. If he loses, Tian Ji will either fail to advance, or fight and fail to die — either way he can be charged with misconduct and executed."

Zou Ji agreed and persuaded the king to send Tian Ji against Wei. Tian Ji won three battles in succession.

Zou Ji reported this to Gongsun Han. Gongsun Han then sent someone with ten pieces of gold to consult a fortune-teller in the marketplace, saying: "I am one of Tian Ji's men. We have won three battles and our fame shakes All-Under-Heaven. We wish to undertake a great enterprise — will this be auspicious?"

After the fortune-teller came out, Gongsun Han had people arrest the man who had consulted the fortune-teller and verified his words before the king. Tian Ji was forced to flee.

Tian Ji, as general of Qi, captured Crown Prince Shen of Wei and took Pang Juan prisoner. Sun Zi said to Tian Ji: "Can the general undertake a great enterprise?"

Tian Ji said: "How?"

Sun Zi said: "Do not disband your army, but march directly into Qi. Station exhausted and weak troops to hold the main roads — the narrow passages where axles scrape and chariots can barely pass. With weary troops holding these routes, one man can hold off ten, ten can hold off a hundred, a hundred can hold off a thousand. Then place your main force with Mount Tai at your back, the Ji River on your left, Tiantang on your right, your heavy baggage following from Gaowan, and send your light chariots and elite cavalry to charge through the Yong Gate. In this way the lord of Qi can be set right and Lord Cheng can be driven out. Otherwise, the general will not be able to return to Qi."

Tian Ji did not heed this advice, and indeed he was unable to return to Qi.

Tian Ji fled Qi and went to Chu. Zou Ji took his position as chancellor. Qi feared that Tian Ji would use Chu's power to force his way back into Qi. Du He said: "Allow me to arrange for him to stay in Chu."

He addressed the King of Chu: "The reason Zou Ji is hostile to Chu is that he fears Tian Ji will use Chu's power to return to Qi. If Your Majesty enfeoffs Tian Ji south of the Yangtze, it will demonstrate that Tian Ji will not return to Qi — and Zou Ji will use Qi to serve Chu generously. Tian Ji is a fugitive; if he receives a fief, he will be grateful to Your Majesty. If he does eventually return to Qi, he will use Qi to serve Chu. This is the way to use both Ji's to your advantage."

Chu did indeed enfeoff him south of the Yangtze.

Zou Ji served King Xuan and recommended many men for office. King Xuan was displeased. Yan Shou, though of high rank, recommended few men, and the king was pleased with this.

Zou Ji said to King Xuan: "I have heard that the filial devotion of one son is not as good as the filial devotion of five sons. How many men has Yan Shou actually recommended?"

King Xuan consequently blocked and marginalized Yan Shou.

Zou Ji was over eight chi tall, with a handsome figure and fine features. One morning he put on his court robes and cap, looked in the mirror, and asked his wife: "Who is more handsome — I, or Master Xu north of the city?"

His wife said: "You are far more handsome. How could Master Xu compare?"

Master Xu north of the city was the most beautiful man in the state of Qi. Zou Ji was not convinced and asked his concubine: "Who is more handsome — I, or Master Xu?"

His concubine said: "How could Master Xu compare to you?"

The next day, a guest came from outside. They sat and talked, and Zou Ji asked: "Who is more handsome — I, or Master Xu?"

The guest said: "Master Xu is not as handsome as you."

The following day, Master Xu came to visit. Zou Ji studied him carefully and concluded he himself was not as handsome. He looked in the mirror again — the gap was not even close.

That evening, lying in bed, he reflected: "My wife called me handsome because she is partial to me. My concubine called me handsome because she fears me. My guest called me handsome because he wants something from me."

He went to court and said to King Wei: "I know perfectly well that I am not as handsome as Master Xu. Yet my wife is partial to me, my concubine fears me, and my guest wants something from me — so all three told me I was more handsome. Now Qi's territory extends a thousand li and includes a hundred and twenty cities. The palace women and attendants are all partial to Your Majesty. The ministers at court all fear Your Majesty. Everyone within the four borders wants something from Your Majesty. Seen in this light, Your Majesty is profoundly deceived."

The king said: "You are right." He issued a decree: "Any minister, official, or commoner who can criticize my faults to my face shall receive the highest reward. Anyone who submits written remonstrance shall receive the middle reward. Anyone who discusses my errors in the marketplace such that it reaches my ears shall receive the lowest reward."

When the decree was first issued, ministers came forward to remonstrate and the court was as crowded as a marketplace. After several months, criticism came only occasionally. After a full year, though people wished to speak, there was nothing left to criticize.

Yan, Zhao, Han, and Wei heard of this and all came to pay court to Qi. This is what is called "winning the battle at court."

Qin borrowed passage through Han and Wei to attack Qi. King Wei of Qi sent General Zhang Zi to meet the threat. The two armies encamped facing each other, with envoys passing back and forth. Zhang Zi then altered his insignia to blend his troops in with the Qin army.

Scouts reported that Zhang Zi had defected to Qin with the Qi army. King Wei made no response. Shortly after, scouts reported again that Zhang Zi had surrendered the Qi army to Qin. King Wei made no response. This happened three times.

Officials asked: "Those reporting General Zhang Zi's defeat are different men telling the same story. Why does Your Majesty not send a replacement and attack?"

The king said: "It is clear he has not betrayed me. Why would I attack him?"

Soon after, word came that the Qi army had won a great victory and the Qin army was utterly routed. The King of Qin then presented himself as a vassal of the western frontier and apologized to Qi.

The king's attendants asked: "How did you know?"

The king said: "Zhang Zi's mother, Qi, offended his father, who killed her and buried her beneath the horse stalls. When I sent Zhang Zi out as general, I encouraged him: 'Fight hard, return with the army intact, and I will have your mother reburied with proper rites.' He replied: 'It is not that I cannot rebury my mother. But my mother offended my father, and my father died without ordering her reburial. To rebury her without my father's instruction would be to deceive my dead father. Therefore I dare not.' A man who will not deceive his dead father — would he deceive his living king?"

Chu was about to attack Qi, and Lu sided with Chu. The King of Qi was troubled.

Zhang Gai said: "Allow me to make Lu neutral." He went to see the lord of Lu on Qi's behalf.

The lord of Lu said: "Is the King of Qi afraid?"

"That is not for me to say. I have come to offer condolences to Your Lordship."

"Condolences? For what?"

"Your strategy is mistaken. You are siding with the loser rather than the winner — why?"

The lord of Lu said: "Which do you think will win — Qi or Chu?"

"Not even the ghosts could tell you that."

"Then why are you offering me condolences?"

"Qi and Chu are evenly matched. The outcome does not depend on whether Lu participates or not. Why not keep your army in reserve and join whichever side wins? If Chu wins a great victory over Qi, its best soldiers will be dead and its remaining forces will barely suffice to defend itself. If Qi wins, the same applies. If Your Lordship then combines Lu's fresh forces with the winner's exhausted remnants, the gratitude you earn will be immense — and the reward equally so."

The lord of Lu agreed and personally withdrew his army.

Qin attacked Wei. Chen Zhen united the Three Jin and then went east to address the King of Qi:

"In antiquity, kings who launched campaigns did so to set All-Under-Heaven right and to establish reputations for posterity. Today the six states — Qi, Chu, Yan, Zhao, Han, and Wei — exhaust themselves attacking each other. This is not enough to establish anyone's reputation — it only strengthens Qin and weakens everyone else. This is not the best strategy for the eastern states.

"The force that threatens the east is a strong Qin. Instead of worrying about a strong Qin, the eastern states exhaust and weaken each other, handing their kingdoms over to Qin on both hands. All-Under-Heaven carves itself up for Qin — and Qin never lifts a finger. All-Under-Heaven cooks itself for Qin — and Qin never provides the firewood. How is Qin so clever and the eastern states so foolish? I beg Your Majesty to consider this carefully.

"The Five Emperors, Three Kings, and Five Hegemons of antiquity attacked only the lawless. Qin's attacks on All-Under-Heaven are nothing like that — it seeks to overthrow states entirely. Rulers must face death and humiliation; people must face death and captivity. The eyes of Han and Wei have never been dry of tears — and if Qi's people have not yet wept, it is not because Qi is closer to those states but because Qi is farther from Qin. But soon Qi will be close!

"Qin now wants to attack Jiang and Anyi in Wei. If Qin takes Jiang and Anyi, it will descend the Yellow River eastward, holding both banks, and attack Qi all the way to the sea. Facing south, it will isolate Chu, Han, and Wei; facing north, it will isolate Yan and Zhao. Qi will have nowhere to turn. I beg Your Majesty to consider this carefully!

"The Three Jin have already united and renewed their brotherhood. They are deploying elite troops to defend Jiang and Anyi — this is the strategy for ten thousand generations. If Qi does not urgently commit elite forces to join the Three Jin, there will be grave consequences. If the Three Jin unite, Qin will not dare attack Wei — it will turn south against Chu instead. If Chu and Qin fight, the Three Jin will resent Qi for not joining them and will attack Qi from the east. This is why I say Qi faces great danger — better to commit troops to the Three Jin immediately."

The King of Qi respectfully agreed and did indeed commit his forces to join the Three Jin.

Su Qin, advocating the north-south coalition on Zhao's behalf, addressed King Xuan of Qi:

"Qi has Mount Tai to the south, Langya to the east, the Qing River to the west, and the Bohai Sea to the north — it is what is called a state defended on four sides. Qi's territory extends two thousand li, with armored soldiers numbering in the hundreds of thousands and grain piled like mountains. Qi's chariots are the finest, its soldiers from the five families are swift as arrows, fight like thunder and lightning, and disperse like wind and rain. In all its military campaigns, it has never had to retreat beyond Mount Tai, cross the Qing River, or ford the Bohai Sea.

"Within the capital Linzi there are seventy thousand households. I estimate that even the poorest household has three adult males — three times seventy thousand is two hundred and ten thousand. Without mobilizing a single distant county, Linzi alone provides an army of two hundred and ten thousand.

"Linzi is extremely rich and prosperous. Its people all play the mouth organ, the great zither, the zhu, and the qin. They fight roosters, race dogs, play liubo, and kick balls. The roads of Linzi are so crowded that chariots collide, shoulders rub, robes joined together form curtains, sleeves raised form canopies, and the sweat shaken off falls like rain. Every household is solid and wealthy; every spirit is high and proud.

"With Your Majesty's wisdom and Qi's strength, no state under Heaven can match you. Yet you face west and serve Qin — I am privately ashamed on Your Majesty's behalf.

"The reason Han and Wei fear Qin is that they share a border with it. When their armies meet, within ten days the question of victory, defeat, survival, and destruction is decided. If Han and Wei fight Qin and win, half their army is destroyed and their four borders are undefended. If they fight and lose, destruction follows immediately. That is why Han and Wei consider war with Qin grave but submission light.

"But if Qin attacks Qi, the situation is entirely different. It would have to cross the territory of Han and Wei, take the road through Weiyang and Jin, pass through the narrows of Kangfu where chariots cannot ride abreast and horses cannot walk side by side — a hundred men guarding the pass could hold off a thousand. Even if Qin wished to advance deep, it would glance back like a wolf, fearing Han and Wei would strike at its rear. Thus Qin blusters and threatens, postures and stamps, but dares not advance. That Qin cannot harm Qi is perfectly clear.

"To fail to understand that Qin cannot touch us, and instead to face west and serve Qin — this is your ministers' miscalculation. With no name of serving Qin but the reality of a strong state, I earnestly wish Your Majesty would reconsider."

The King of Qi said: "I am not clever. But since you bring the King of Zhao's instruction, I respectfully commit the state to the coalition."

Zhang Yi, advocating the east-west alignment on Qin's behalf, addressed the King of Qi:

"No state under Heaven is stronger than Qi. No state has ministers, elders, and kinsmen who are more prosperous and content. And yet those who advise Your Majesty plan only for the moment and disregard the long-term interest. The coalition advocates who address Your Majesty invariably say: 'Qi has strong Zhao to the west, Han and Wei to the south, and the sea at its back. Its territory is vast, its people numerous, its soldiers brave — even a hundred Qins could not prevail!' Your Majesty accepts their arguments without examining the underlying reality.

"The coalition advocates form cliques and factions, and every one of them considers the north-south coalition feasible. But I have heard this: Qi fought Lu three times and Lu won all three — yet Lu's state was in peril and destruction followed close behind. It had the name of victory but the reality of ruin. Why? Because Qi was large and Lu was small.

"Today Zhao's relation to Qin is like Lu's to Qi. Qin and Zhao fought above the Zhang River — Zhao won twice. They fought below Fanwu — Zhao won twice. After four victories, Zhao had lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers and Handan barely survived. Zhao had the name of defeating Qin, but the state was shattered. Why? Because Qin is strong and Zhao is weak.

"Now Qin and Chu have exchanged sons and daughters in marriage and are brother states. Han has offered Yiyang. Wei has ceded its territory beyond the Yellow River. Zhao has come to pay court at Mianchi, ceding Hejian to serve Qin. If Your Majesty does not serve Qin, Qin will drive Han and Wei to attack Qi's southern territories, send all of Zhao across the river pass, aim at Boguan — and neither Linzi nor Jimo will remain yours. Once the state comes under attack, even if you wish to serve Qin, you will no longer have the chance. I earnestly beg Your Majesty to consider this carefully."

The King of Qi said: "Qi is a remote and uncouth place, tucked away on the Eastern Sea. I have never heard of the long-term interests of the state. Now the honored guest has condescended to instruct me. I respectfully commit the state to serving Qin."

He ceded three hundred li of fish-and-salt territory to Qin.