趙策一

Zhi Bo commandeers forces from Han and Wei to attack Zhao, besieging Jinyang and flooding it. The water rises to within three boards of the top of the walls. Xi Ci tells Zhi Bo: "The rulers of Han and Wei are certain to defect."

Zhi Bo asks: "How do you know?"

Xi Ci says: "From observing their conduct. They have committed Han and Wei troops to attack Zhao, but once Zhao falls, calamity will inevitably reach Han and Wei next. The current agreement is to divide Zhao's lands three ways. Now the city walls are nearly submerged, mortars and stoves are breeding frogs, men and horses are eating one another, and the city's surrender is days away — yet the lords of Han and Wei show no joy and wear worried expressions. If that is not the look of men about to turn, what is?"

The next day, Zhi Bo tells the lords of Han and Wei: "Xi Ci says you two are about to defect."

The lords of Han and Wei reply: "With Zhao defeated and its lands divided three ways, the city is about to fall. Stupid as we three houses may be, we would not throw away these fine profits, betray a sworn pact, and attempt something dangerous and impossible — the logic is obvious. Xi Ci is scheming on Zhao's behalf, trying to make you doubt us and slacken your siege. If you listen to a slanderous minister's words and sever your alliance with us two, we pity you for it." They stride out.

Xi Ci says to Zhi Bo: "Why did you go and tell the lords of Han and Wei what I said?"

Zhi Bo asks: "How did you know I told them?"

"The lords of Han and Wei stared straight at me and walked out fast."

Xi Ci, knowing his counsel will not be heeded, requests to be sent as envoy to Qi, and Zhi Bo dispatches him. The lords of Han and Wei do indeed defect.

Zhi Bo leads Zhao, Han, and Wei to attack the Fan and Zhonghang clans and destroys them. After resting several years, he sends men to demand territory from Han. Duke Kang of Han is inclined to refuse, but Duan Gui remonstrates: "You must not. Zhi Bo is by nature greedy and fiercely vindictive. If he requests land and you refuse, he will certainly bring troops against Han. Give it to him. Once he gets comfortable making demands, he will request land from other states too; when they refuse, he will march on them. Then Han can escape trouble and wait for circumstances to change." Duke Kang says: "Good." He sends an envoy to present Zhi Bo with a city of ten thousand households.

Zhi Bo is pleased. He then sends men to demand land from Wei. The Marquis Xuan of Wei is inclined to refuse. Zhao Jia remonstrates: "Zhi Bo demanded land from Han, and Han gave it. If he demands land from Wei and Wei refuses, then Wei will be seen as internally defiant and will externally anger Zhi Bo. His troops will certainly turn on Wei. Better to give." The Marquis says: "Agreed." He too presents a city of ten thousand households.

Zhi Bo is pleased. He then sends to Zhao demanding the territories of Cai and Gaolang. Zhao Xiangzi refuses. Zhi Bo secretly binds Han and Wei into an alliance to attack Zhao.

Zhao Xiangzi summons Zhang Mengtan and tells him: "Zhi Bo is outwardly friendly but inwardly hostile. He has sent to Han and Wei three times, and I alone refused him. He will surely move his troops against me. Where can I make my stand?" Zhang Mengtan says: "Dong E An Yu was a capable minister of Lord Jian, who governed Jinyang for generations. Yin Ze continued his policies, and the residual good governance still persists. You should make your stand at Jinyang."

The lord agrees and sends Yanling Wang ahead with chariots and cavalry to Jinyang, then follows himself. Upon arriving, he inspects the city walls, examines the treasury, reviews the granaries, then summons Zhang Mengtan: "The walls are sound, the treasury sufficient, the granaries full — but I have no arrows. What can I do?" Zhang Mengtan says: "When Dong Zi governed Jinyang, the walls of the ducal palace were all plastered with Di reeds and brambles, built up over a zhang in height. Tear them open and use the reeds." They tear them open and test them: the stalks prove as strong and resilient as fine bamboo. "Enough! But I am short on bronze — what about that?" Zhang Mengtan says: "When Dong Zi governed Jinyang, the pillars of the ducal chambers were all cast from refined bronze. Extract and use them, and you will have bronze to spare." "Excellent." Orders are issued and defenses prepared.

The armies of the three states assault Jinyang's walls and battle ensues. After three months without taking the city, they relax the siege into an encirclement, breach the Jin River, and flood the city. After three years of siege, the people inside live in nests above the water and cook with pots suspended from above. Supplies are nearly exhausted and the soldiers are sick and emaciated.

Xiangzi tells Zhang Mengtan: "Grain is gone, the city's strength is spent, the officers are ill. I cannot hold any longer. What if I surrender the city?"

Zhang Mengtan says: "If a man cannot preserve a state from ruin or secure it in danger, then what is the point of valuing wise counselors? Abandon that plan and never speak of it again. Allow me to go see the lords of Han and Wei."

Zhang Mengtan secretly meets the lords of Han and Wei: "As the saying goes, 'When the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold.' Now Zhi Bo leads your two states to attack Zhao. Once Zhao falls, you two are next." The two lords say: "We know it. But Zhi Bo is coarse by nature and shows little affection. If our plot is discovered before it succeeds, disaster will surely follow. What can we do?" Zhang Mengtan says: "The plan leaves your lips and enters my ears alone. No one else will know." The two lords then secretly agree with Zhang Mengtan on a joint military plan, set a date, and by night send him back into Jinyang. Zhang Mengtan reports to Xiangzi, who bows twice in gratitude.

Zhang Mengtan then goes to pay his morning call on Zhi Bo, and as he leaves, encounters Zhi Guo outside the camp gate. Zhi Guo enters and tells Zhi Bo: "The two lords are likely about to turn." Zhi Bo asks: "How so?" "I encountered Zhang Mengtan outside the gate — his bearing was proud, his step was high." Zhi Bo says: "Not so. My agreement with the two lords is firm. Once we break Zhao and divide the land three ways, they — whom I have personally befriended — would never deceive me. Put it out of your mind and say nothing more."

Zhi Guo goes out, observes the two lords, returns, and urges Zhi Bo: "Their expressions have shifted and their intentions have changed. They will certainly betray you. Better to have them killed." Zhi Bo says: "We have been camped at Jinyang three years. Any day now we will take it and enjoy the spoils. How could they have second thoughts? Impossible. Do not bring this up again."

Zhi Guo says: "If you will not kill them, then at least bind them closer." Zhi Bo asks: "How?" Zhi Guo says: "The chief counselor of the Wei lord is Zhao Jia; the chief counselor of the Han lord is Duan Gui. Both of these men can shift their masters' calculations. Promise the two lords that after Zhao is destroyed, each of these advisors will receive a county of ten thousand households. Then the two lords' hearts will not waver, and you will still get what you want."

Zhi Bo says: "After destroying Zhao and dividing its land three ways, to then give away a ten-thousand-household county to each of their two counselors — that leaves me too little. I refuse."

Zhi Guo, seeing his lord will not listen, goes out, changes his surname to Fu, and departs without looking back.

Zhang Mengtan hears of this and goes to Xiangzi: "I encountered Zhi Guo outside the gate and his eyes showed suspicion of me. He went in to see Zhi Bo and came out having changed his surname. If we do not strike tonight, it will be too late."

Xiangzi agrees: "Do it." He sends Zhang Mengtan to the lords of Han and Wei: "Tonight, at the appointed hour, kill the officers guarding the dikes and breach the flood against Zhi Bo's army." Zhi Bo's forces scramble to deal with the water and fall into chaos. Han and Wei strike from the flanks; Xiangzi leads his troops in a frontal assault. They rout Zhi Bo's army completely and capture Zhi Bo.

Zhi Bo dies, his state is destroyed, his lands are divided, and All-Under-Heaven laughs at him — the result of greed without limit. His failure to heed Zhi Guo was also a cause of his ruin. The entire Zhi clan is annihilated. Only the Fu clan survives.

Having secured the Zhao ancestral line, expanded the borders, and raised a force of five hundred, Zhang Mengtan invokes the principles of Lord Jian to address Xiangzi: "In ancient times, the former lord's teachings held: 'The way to command All-Under-Heaven by keeping five hundred men is to constrain affairs so that the ruler controls his ministers, never allowing ministers to control the ruler. Those ennobled as marquises should not hold the prime ministership; those ranked general or above should not serve as inner counselors.'

Now my name is renowned and my person exalted. My power is great and the multitude follows me. I wish to relinquish my achievements and fame, shed my power and influence, and withdraw from the crowd."

Xiangzi says resentfully: "What is this? I have heard that those who assist their lord gain renown, those with great achievements gain honor, those entrusted with the state gain power, and those of proven loyalty win the people's allegiance. Are these not the principles by which the ancient sages built states and secured their altars? Why would you do this?"

Zhang Mengtan replies: "What Your Lordship describes is the beauty of completed achievement. What I speak of is the way to sustain a state. I have observed what has transpired and studied antiquity: wherever lord and minister held equal power, beauty has never lasted. 'What is not forgotten from past events becomes the teacher of future ones.' If you will not consider this, then my abilities are insufficient." His expression is sorrowful but resolved.

Xiangzi leaves him. After lying awake for three days, he sends someone to ask: "Under the government of Jinyang, what is the penalty for a subordinate who disobeys orders?" The answer: "Death." Zhang Mengtan says: "The Left Marshal has served the state and secured the altars of the soil and grain without fearing death, fulfilling his loyalty. Let Your Lordship carry it out." The lord says: "Attend to it yourself."

And so he permits it. Zhang Mengtan converts his generous emoluments into a comfortable retirement, surrenders his lands and offices to shed his power, and farms at the hills of Fuqin. Hence the saying: the conduct of a worthy man is the mark of an enlightened ruler's government.

After three years of farming, Han, Wei, Qi, and Yan conspire together to attack Zhao. Xiangzi goes to see Zhang Mengtan and tells him: "When Zhi Bo's lands were divided, Zhao received the largest share — ten cities more than the others. Now the feudal lords are plotting against me. What should I do?"

Zhang Mengtan says: "Strap on your sword, drive me personally to the capital, lodge me in the ancestral temple, and assemble your officials. I will try to devise a plan."

The lord agrees. Zhang Mengtan then acts: he sends his wife to Chu, his eldest son to Han, his second son to Wei, and his youngest son to Qi. The four states grow suspicious of one another and the conspiracy collapses.

Yu Rang, grandson of Bi Yang of Jin, first serves the Fan and Zhonghang clans but is not valued. He leaves and enters the service of Zhi Bo, who favors him greatly. When the Three Jin partition the Zhi clan's territory, Zhao Xiangzi — harboring the deepest grudge against Zhi Bo — has his skull lacquered and made into a drinking vessel.

Yu Rang flees into the mountains and declares: "Alas! A man dies for the one who truly knows him, as a woman adorns herself for the one who delights in her. I shall avenge the Zhi clan."

He changes his name and identity, poses as a convict laborer, enters the palace, and plasters the privy, intending to assassinate Xiangzi. Xiangzi goes to the privy and feels a sudden unease. He seizes and interrogates the plasterer — it is Yu Rang. Yu Rang grips his blade and says: "I mean to avenge Zhi Bo!"

The attendants move to kill him. Xiangzi says: "He is a man of honor. I shall simply be careful to avoid him. Zhi Bo is dead with no heir, yet this man, a mere retainer, goes so far as to seek vengeance — he is one of the most admirable men in All-Under-Heaven." He releases him.

Yu Rang then lacquers his body to produce sores, shaves off his beard and eyebrows, and mutilates himself to change his appearance. He begs as a street beggar. His wife does not recognize him but says: "His appearance does not resemble my husband, yet his voice — how closely it resembles my husband's!" So he swallows charcoal to destroy his voice.

A friend says to him: "Your path is extremely difficult and will come to nothing. That you have resolve — certainly. That you have wisdom — no. With your talents, if you served Xiangzi well, he would certainly take you into his inner circle. Once close, you could carry out your wish easily, and success would be assured."

Yu Rang laughs and replies: "That would mean betraying a later lord on behalf of a former lord — assassinating a new master while in his service — the greatest possible perversion of the duty between lord and minister. What I am doing, I do precisely to illuminate the meaning of that duty, not to take the easy path. To pledge oneself in service to a man while plotting to murder him is to serve one's lord with a divided heart. I choose the hard way so that, for all time, every minister who serves with a divided heart will feel shame."

Some time later, Xiangzi is due to go out, and Yu Rang hides beneath a bridge on his route. Xiangzi reaches the bridge and his horse shies. Xiangzi says: "This must be Yu Rang." He sends men to check, and indeed it is.

Xiangzi confronts Yu Rang face to face: "Did you not once serve the Fan and Zhonghang clans? Zhi Bo destroyed them, yet you did not avenge them — instead you pledged yourself to Zhi Bo. Now that Zhi Bo is dead, why do you pursue vengeance so deeply for him alone?"

Yu Rang says: "When I served the Fan and Zhonghang clans, they treated me as an ordinary man, so I repaid them as an ordinary man. Zhi Bo treated me as the foremost man in the state, so I repay him as the foremost man in the state."

Xiangzi heaves a great sigh and weeps: "Ah, Yu Rang! Your devotion to Zhi Bo has already made your name. And I have already shown clemency enough. Make your own plans — I will not spare you again." He orders soldiers to surround him.

Yu Rang says: "I have heard that an enlightened lord does not suppress another man's honor, and a loyal minister does not begrudge death to fulfill his name. You once generously released me, and All-Under-Heaven has praised your virtue for it. In today's affair, I willingly accept execution. But I beg to strike your robe with my sword before I die. Even in death I will have no regret. This is more than I could have hoped — I dare to lay bare my heart."

Xiangzi, honoring his sense of duty, has an attendant bring his robe to Yu Rang. Yu Rang draws his sword, leaps three times, strikes the robe crying out to Heaven: "Now I may face Zhi Bo!" Then he falls upon his sword and dies.

On the day of his death, every gentleman in the state of Zhao who hears the news weeps for him.

Marquis Wen of Wei seeks to borrow a passage through Zhao to attack Zhongshan. The Lord of Zhao is inclined to refuse.

Zhao Li says: "That would be a mistake. If Wei attacks Zhongshan and fails, then Wei will be exhausted, and Zhao's weight increases. If Wei takes Zhongshan, it certainly cannot hold territory on the far side of Zhao — so the one who fights is Wei, but the one who gains the land is Zhao. You should permit it. But if you permit it too eagerly, Wei will realize we stand to benefit and will call it off. Better to lend the road while making it look reluctant."

Qin and Han besiege Wei. Yan and Zhao come to rescue it. Someone says to the Lord of Shanyang: "If Qin defeats the three states, Qin will certainly overrun Zhou and Han and absorb Wei. But if the three states defeat Qin, their combined strength — though insufficient to conquer Qin — will be enough to take Zheng. The better plan is to organize the three states into an attack on Qin."

Fu Ji builds himself a grand mansion. Jing Gan reports this to their lord. The lord asks Fu Ji: "Why did you build such a grand house?"

Fu Ji says: "I am a sojourner here — my rank is high but my salary is modest, my dwelling is small and my household is not large. Although Your Lordship trusts me, the common people all say: 'If there is a crisis, Fu Ji will certainly not commit to this state.' My grand mansion is meant to win the people's confidence."

The lord says: "Well done."

Su Qin presents himself to Li Dui: "Su Qin of Chengxuan Ward, Luoyang — poor family, aging parents, no decent carriage or horse. With mulberry-wood wheels, a wicker case, and threadbare sacks, carrying books on my back and documents on my shoulders, through dust and frost, crossing the Zhang and the Yellow Rivers, calluses layered on my feet, walking a hundred li a day before resting — I have come to your outer gate, seeking an audience. I come to speak of the affairs of All-Under-Heaven."

Li Dui says: "If you have come to tell me the words of ghosts, fine. But if this is about human affairs, I already know everything there is to know."

Su Qin replies: "Indeed, I have come with the words of ghosts, not the words of men." Li Dui grants him an audience.

Su Qin says: "I arrived late today and missed the city gates. I could find no lodging and spent the night in someone's field, beside a large thicket. At midnight, a clay figurine quarreled with a wooden figurine. The clay one said: 'You are not my equal. I am made of earth. If a storm comes with driving rain and I am smashed and dissolved, I simply return to the soil. But you — you are nothing but a root or a branch. If a storm comes, you will be swept into the Zhang and the Yellow Rivers, east to the sea, drifting forever with nowhere to stop.' I privately concluded that the clay figurine wins the argument.

"Now, you killed the Lord Father and exterminated his clan. Your position in All-Under-Heaven is more precarious than stacked eggs. Heed my plan and you live. Ignore it and you die."

Li Dui says: "Go to your lodging, sir. Come back and see me tomorrow."

Su Qin leaves. Li Dui's steward says to Li Dui: "I was observing your conversation with Master Su. His eloquence exceeds yours; his breadth of knowledge exceeds yours. Can you follow his plan?" Li Dui says: "I cannot." The steward says: "Then I beg you to plug both ears and refuse to listen to his arguments."

The next day Su Qin returns and talks all day before leaving. The steward goes out to see Su Qin off. Su Qin says to him: "Yesterday my pitch was rough and your lord was moved. Today it was refined and he was unmoved. Why?"

The steward says: "Your plans are too grand and your ambitions too lofty for my lord to use. It was I who asked him to plug his ears against your arguments. Even so, come back again tomorrow — I will see that you are generously supplied with funds."

The next day Su Qin returns. They talk, slapping their palms together in animated debate. Li Dui presents Su Qin with pearls bright as the moon, jade disks of the He clan, a set of black sable furs, and a hundred yi of gold. With these resources in hand, Su Qin travels west into Qin.

Zhao rallies All-Under-Heaven to attack Qi. Su Qin, writing on behalf of Qi, sends a memorial to the King of Zhao:

"I have heard that the wise rulers of antiquity did not extend their virtuous conduct throughout the realm, did not spread their benevolent instruction to all people, and did not make their sacrifices precisely match what the spirits desired. Yet sweet dew fell, wind and rain came in season, harvests flourished, and grain was abundant. The multitude rejoiced at this, while the wise ruler grew wary of it.

Now Your Majesty's military efforts have not repeatedly struck at Qin, and your accumulated resentment has not been deeply directed at Han. Yet I hear the private discussions of your ministers and officials — they all say that Your Majesty has been acting on the assumption that Qin loves Zhao and hates Han.

Looking at the matter from the outside, how could Qin possibly love Zhao and hate Han? Qin wants to destroy Han and swallow the territory of the Two Zhous. It uses Han as bait, making noise throughout the realm so that neighboring states will watch. Fearing its plan might not succeed, it deploys troops as a feint toward Zhao and Wei. Fearing that All-Under-Heaven might become alert, it undermines Han to keep it divided. Fearing that All-Under-Heaven might suspect its motives, it sends hostages as tokens of good faith. It proclaims virtue toward its allies while in practice attacking a weakened Han.

Moreover, all the persuaders' plans say the same thing: once Han loses Sanchuan and Wei loses Jin, and while Han has not yet been fully consumed, the calamity will reach Zhao next. Things that are differently situated may share the same peril; things that are similarly situated may face different perils.

If Qin takes all of Shangdang from Han and Wei, then the territory connecting to your capital and its dependent cities extends seven hundred li. With Qin's three armies and powerful crossbows stationed at Yangtang, the distance to Handan is a mere twenty li. And if Qin attacks Your Majesty's Shangdang and threatens the north, then everything west of Juzhu Pass will no longer be yours. If Juzhu Pass is blocked and Changshan defended, the three hundred li that connect to Yan's Tang and Quwu will be severed — meaning that the horses of Dai, the Hu steeds, cannot travel east, and the jade of Kunshan cannot come out. These three treasures will no longer be yours either.

Now, by following powerful Qin to attack Qi, I fear the disaster will come from precisely this.

In former times, the kings of five states formed a horizontal alliance to attack Zhao, planning to divide Zhao's territory three ways, inscribing the terms on vessels and sealing them with oaths. The five states' armies had a set date — but then Han led troops west to check Qin, forcing Qin to issue a peace order, return Wen, Zhi, and Gaoping to Wei, and return the Three Dukes and Shiqing to Zhao. This Your Majesty knows well.

Han's service to Zhao ought rightly to be regarded as the highest form of alliance. Yet now you treat Han as a criminal and make it a target. I fear that those who might serve Your Majesty in the future will not dare count on your constancy.

If Your Majesty rallies All-Under-Heaven, it must be because they consider Your Majesty right. If Han risks its very state to serve Your Majesty, All-Under-Heaven will certainly respect Your Majesty. From above, Han will rally to Your Majesty's righteous cause with All-Under-Heaven; from below, Han will follow Your Majesty's leadership with All-Under-Heaven. The fate of a generation is in Your Majesty's hands. I beg Your Majesty to deliberate deeply with your ministers, consider the matter thoroughly, and plan it carefully before acting."

Qi attacks Song. Lord Fengyang is opposed. A retainer addresses Lord Fengyang: "Your Lordship's years are advancing, and your fief remains unsettled — you must consider this carefully. Qin is greedy, Han and Wei are endangered, Wey and Chu stand aside, Zhongshan's territory is poor. Song's offenses are grave and Qi's anger is deep. Smash chaotic Song, secure your own fief, earn the gratitude of mighty Qi — this is a once-in-a-hundred-generations opportunity."

The King of Qin says to Prince Ta: "In the affair at Xiao some years ago, Han served as the center army in the allied attack on Qin. Han shares a border with Qin for less than a thousand li, yet it shifts and twists and cannot be pinned to an agreement. When Qin and Chu fought at Lantian, Han sent its best troops to aid Qin — but when Qin fared poorly, Han immediately switched sides to Chu. It has no regard for alliances; it simply follows convenience. Han is a disease in my belly. I intend to attack it — what say you?"

Prince Ta says: "If Your Majesty sends troops against Han, Han will be terrified. Terrified, it can be made to yield territory without a battle." The king says: "Good." He raises troops: one army advancing on Xingyang, another on the Taihang Mountains.

Han is frightened and sends Lord Yangcheng to Qin to apologize, offering the territory of Shangdang as a peace settlement. He instructs Han Yang to tell the governor of Shangdang, Jin Huangzhong: "Qin has raised two armies against Han. Han cannot hold. The king now orders that Shangdang be surrendered to Qin as a peace offering. I am telling the governor — please comply."

Jin Huangzhong says: "There is a saying: 'Even the wisdom of a man carrying a small jug is enough not to lose what he has been set to guard.' The king has issued his order, but I am governor. Even if the king and you support this, I remain suspicious. Allow me to mobilize the full garrison to resist Qin. If we cannot hold, I will die here."

Han Yang hurries back to report. The king says: "I have already given my word to the Marquis of Ying. To renege now is to deceive him." He sends Feng Ting to replace Jin Huangzhong.

Feng Ting holds for thirty days, then secretly sends an envoy to the King of Zhao: "Han cannot hold Shangdang and is about to cede it to Qin. But the people all refuse to become subjects of Qin — they wish to be subjects of Zhao. There are seventy walled towns and cities. I respectfully offer to submit them to Your Majesty. I leave it to Your Majesty's judgment."

The King of Zhao is delighted. He summons the Lord of Pingyuan and tells him. Zhao Bao responds: "I have heard that sages are most wary of profit that comes without cause."

The king says: "These people embrace our righteousness — how is this without cause?"

Zhao Bao replies: "Qin has been gnawing at Han's territory, cutting it in two and preventing communication, precisely so that it could sit and receive Shangdang. The reason Han is handing this to Zhao is to transfer its disaster. Qin has done the work, and Zhao would receive the benefit. Not even a great power can take something from a weaker state this easily — so how can a weaker state take it from a stronger one? Can Your Majesty truly call this 'with cause'? Moreover, Qin farms with oxen, transports grain by water, stations its dead-ready soldiers in the uplands, enforces strict laws — you cannot fight them. Consider this carefully."

The king is furious: "We have deployed a million troops for campaigns lasting year after year without gaining a single city. Now seventy cities come without using any troops — why would we refuse?" Zhao Bao withdraws.

The king summons Zhao Sheng and Zhao Yu and tells them. Both reply: "Fighting for years without taking a single city, and now cities come to us sitting down — this is a great windfall!" Zhao Sheng is sent to accept the territory.

Zhao Sheng arrives and says: "The King of our humble state has sent his envoy, your servant Sheng. By decree from the governor, I am to say: 'We request to enfeoff the governor with a capital of thirty thousand households, the county magistrate with a thousand households, all officials with a raise of three ranks, and every family among the people who can gather together will receive six jin of gold.'"

Feng Ting weeps and says with effort: "In this I find myself guilty of three injustices: serving my lord as guardian of his territory and being unable to die for it, but instead giving it to another — that is the first injustice. My lord ordered it surrendered to Qin, and I disobeyed — that is the second. Selling my lord's territory and profiting from it — that is the third." He declines the enfeoffment, returns to Han, and tells the King of Han: "Zhao heard that Han could not hold Shangdang and has already dispatched troops to take it."

Han informs Qin: "Zhao has raised troops and seized Shangdang."

The King of Qin is furious and orders Gongsun Qi and Wang Yi to meet Zhao's forces at Changping.

Su Qin goes to Qin as envoy for the King of Zhao. Upon his return, he cannot get an audience for three days. He says to the King of Zhao:

"Recently, when passing Pillar Mountain, I came upon two trees. One was calling to its companion; the other was weeping. When asked why, it said: 'I have grown large and my years are many. I dread that the carpenter will come with his ink line, square, and compass to carve and chisel me.' The other tree said: 'That is not what I dread — that is simply what trees are for. What I dread is the iron drill bit: it enters by itself and emerges through someone else.'

"Now I have served as Your Majesty's envoy to Qin and cannot get an audience for three days. Could it be that someone has been telling you I am a drill bit — boring my way in for someone else's benefit?"

Gan Mao has negotiated with Wei on Qin's behalf to attack Han's Yiyang, and then travels north to Zhao. Leng Xiang advises the ruler of his state: "It would be better to have Zhao detain Gan Mao and refuse to release him, then use him as a bargaining chip with Qi, Han, and Qin simultaneously. The King of Qi wants to rescue Yiyang and will certainly offer the county of Hushi. Han wants to keep Yiyang and will certainly bribe Zhao with Lushe and Duanshi. The King of Qin wants to take Yiyang and will spare no treasure — and with Gan Mao detained, he will have to rely on Gongsun He and Chuli Ji instead."

Someone addresses Chancellor Pi: "Zhao is weak and relies on Lord Jianxin, who regards She Meng as an enemy — why? Because he believes the north-south coalition has achieved results. But if Qi refuses to join the coalition, Lord Jianxin will realize the coalition has accomplished nothing. And how can he afford to antagonize Qin on the basis of no results? If he cannot, then he will send troops to help Qin attack Wei, and use Chu and Zhao to carve up Qi — and that will be the end of it.

If Lord Jianxin and Lord Chunshen join the coalition, it will achieve nothing and will antagonize Qin. But if Qin carves up Qi and Qi destroys Wei, then there will be real results and good relations with Qin. So which of the two lords will choose 'results' and which will choose 'no results' — and which do you think is wiser?"

Someone addresses Chancellor Pi: "Wei killed Lu Liao and armed its garrison; it lost Beiyang and Daliang is endangered. The fief at Hejian is unsettled and Qi is endangered. Lord Wenxin has not achieved his aims — this is the Three Jin's shared worry.

Now Wei's humiliation is not yet avenged and Zhao faces a new crisis. Lord Wenxin's anxieties are great indeed. If Qi does not join the coalition, the Three Jin's resolve will waver. Those with great worries act rashly and make deals; those with wavering resolve rush to serve Qin. An accommodation between Qin and Wei will be reached without requiring any territorial cessions. Then Qin, leading Chu and Wei, will attack Qi while swallowing Zhao alone — and both Qi and Zhao will certainly perish."

The King of Zhao enfeoffs Lord Mengchang with the city of Wucheng. Lord Mengchang selects retainers to serve as officials there, and before sending them off says: "Does the common saying not go, 'He who borrows a carriage drives it recklessly; he who borrows a robe wears it carelessly'?"

They all reply: "It does."

Lord Mengchang says: "I strongly disagree. The people you borrow carriages and robes from are either close friends or brothers. To race a friend's carriage or soil a brother's robe — I consider that wrong. Now the King of Zhao, not knowing my unworthiness, has enfeoffed me with Wucheng. When you gentlemen go there, do not cut down the trees, do not tear apart the buildings. Govern quietly so that the King of Zhao may awaken to what kind of man I am. Take care to keep Wucheng intact and returnable."

Someone advises the King of Zhao: "When the Three Jin are united, Qin is weak; when the Three Jin are divided, Qin is strong — this is obvious to All-Under-Heaven. Qin uses Yan to attack Zhao, uses Zhao to attack Yan; uses Wei to attack Zhao, uses Zhao to attack Wei; uses Chu to attack Han, uses Han to attack Chu — this too is plain for all to see. Yet the states east of the mountains cannot change their course, because their armies are weak. Weak and unable to unite — how is this Chu's wisdom and the eastern states' folly? This is what I worry about for the eastern states.

"A tiger approaches its prey. The prey, not knowing the tiger is coming for them, fight each other until both are exhausted — and hand their deaths to the tiger. If the prey knew the tiger was approaching, they would certainly not fight each other. The rulers east of the mountains do not know Qin is coming for them, and still fight each other until both are ruined, handing their states to Qin. Their understanding is far inferior to that of animals. I beg Your Majesty to consider this carefully.

"Now there is an urgent matter. Qin's desire to conquer Han and Wei and to peer east at the Zhou royal domain is extreme — it dreams of nothing else. Its current southern campaign against Chu is because it fears the Three Jin might form a grand coalition. After five years of attacking and pacifying Chu, Qin has seized over a thousand li of territory. Now it tells the King of Chu: 'If you will grace us with your presence, we will certainly make Chu a brother state, certainly attack Han and Wei on Chu's behalf, and return Chu's former territories.' The King of Chu, charmed by Qin's words and angered that Han and Wei did not rescue him, will certainly go to Qin.

"Meanwhile, Qin has deliberately provoked Zhao, using Yan as bait to lure Zhao and split the Three Jin. Now Your Majesty, charmed by Qin's words, wishes to attack Yan. But if you attack Yan, before you have finished eating you will find disaster upon you. Once the King of Chu enters Qin, Qin and Chu become one, and they turn east to attack Han. Han, with no Chu to the south and no Zhao to the north, will not even wait to be attacked — it will grab what it can and run west to submit. Once Qin has Han, the disaster shifts to Wei. With Qin's power plus Chu and Han, Wei will not need attacking either — it too will submit. Once Qin has Han, Wei, and Chu, plus Yan's hostility toward Zhao, the territorial demands will be severe. That this state faces such a situation is why I have come. Therefore I say: there is urgent business to attend to.

"Before the King of Chu enters Qin, the Three Jin should draw close and stand firm, dispatching elite troops to garrison Han and Wei's western borders. If the King of Chu hears of this, he will certainly not go to Qin. Qin will then be angry and continue attacking Chu — keeping the disaster on Chu, which benefits the Three Jin. And even if the King of Chu does enter Qin, Qin — seeing that the Three Jin have formed a solid bloc — will certainly not release the King of Chu but will demand heavy territorial concessions from him, again keeping the disaster on Chu, which benefits the Three Jin. I beg Your Majesty to consider this with utmost urgency."

The King of Zhao thereupon raises troops and garrisons the western borders of Han and Wei to the south. Qin, seeing the Three Jin standing firm, does indeed refuse to release King Huai of Chu, and demands large territorial concessions.