趙策四

A memorial is presented to the King of Zhao on Qi's behalf. The envoy, together with Fu Chou, says:

"I need only one audience, and I can make Your Majesty sit while All-Under-Heaven delivers its most precious treasures to you. I am puzzled that Your Majesty has not tried seeing me and instead leaves me stranded.

Your ministers must have told you I am incompetent — that is why Your Majesty is reluctant to see me. Those who call me incompetent are either people who want to use Your Majesty's troops for their own private ends, or people whose alliances are biased, or people whose judgment is insufficient, or people who want to frighten Your Majesty with the weight of All-Under-Heaven's affairs in order to gain influence.

If I use Qi to serve Your Majesty faithfully, you can destroy Yan, destroy Han and Wei, attack Qin, or isolate Qin. If Qi presents Your Majesty with an honored title, who in All-Under-Heaven will dare withhold their own? If Qi seeks recognition for Your Majesty from Yan, Han, and Wei, who will dare refuse?

My ability to deliver this — the evidence is already before you. Qi led the way in respecting Your Majesty, and therefore All-Under-Heaven respected you. Without Qi, All-Under-Heaven will certainly treat you with contempt. Qin, however powerful, only respects you because Qi does. Yan and Wei only respect you because Qi does. If Your Majesty has no Qi, how can you avoid losing the respect of All-Under-Heaven?

Therefore, those who advise Your Majesty to abandon Qi are either lacking in judgment or lacking in loyalty — or they wish to use your troops for private purposes, or they wish to diminish you while gaining leverage over you, or they hold high rank but low ability. I beg Your Majesty to weigh carefully the consequences of having or not having Qi."

Qi wishes to attack Song, but Qin sends Qi Jia to forbid it. Qi then enlists Zhao's aid to attack Song. The King of Qin is furious and directs his resentment at Zhao.

Li Dui organizes a five-state coalition against Qin, which achieves nothing. He stations All-Under-Heaven's troops at Chenggao while secretly negotiating with Qin. He then plans to join Qin in attacking Wei to resolve Qin's resentment and secure a fief for himself.

The King of Wei is not pleased. An envoy goes to Qi and tells the King of Qi:

"I told the King of Wei: 'All the Three Jin have Qin troubles. The current attack on Qin was for Zhao's sake. If five states attacked Zhao, Zhao would certainly perish. If Qin drove out Li Dui, Li Dui would certainly die. The attack on Qin was to save Li Dui from death.

"'Now Zhao stations All-Under-Heaven's troops at Chenggao while secretly selling out to Qin. Once they settle, Zhao will have Qin attack Wei to secure its own private fief. What has Your Majesty's service to Zhao gained you?

"'Moreover, Your Majesty once crossed the Zhang and personally attended court at Handan, holding Yin and Cheng, shouldering Hao, Ge, and Bei as shields for Zhao — yet Zhao has done nothing in return. Now Zhao enfeoffs its prince with Heyang and Gumi, then has Qin attack you to conveniently take Yin.

"'If Your Majesty would use half the effort you spend serving Zhao to cultivate Qi instead, would anyone in All-Under-Heaven dare plot against you? Your service to Qi involves no humiliation of attending court, no expense of ceding territory. Qi has emptied its state before Yan and Zhao for your sake, deployed troops two thousand li away, and in every siege and field battle has taken the first arrows and stones on your behalf. It won two capitals, carved up Hedong, and delivered everything to you. Since then, whenever Qin attacks Wei, Qi's troops have come to your border every year. May I ask: how have you repaid Qi?'

"The King of Wei was deeply chastened by these words. His desire to serve Your Majesty is great, and his resentment toward Zhao is deep.

"I wish Your Majesty to hear about Wei daily without showing displeasure. Allow me to redirect Wei's resentment toward Zhao. I hope Your Majesty will quietly increase Zhao's importance while concealing this from Qin. If Qin sees that you value Zhao, it will also value Zhao. Once both Qi and Qin value Zhao, Yan, Han, and Wei will follow suit — and none will dare challenge Zhao.

"Once five states serve Zhao, Zhao will use the north-south coalition to unite with Qin, which will certainly elevate Your Majesty. Therefore I wish Your Majesty to leverage each state covertly while privately placating each one. Use Han, Wei, and Yan to pressure Zhao, with Dan placating them; use Zhao to pressure Han and Wei, with me placating them; use the Three Jin to pressure Qin, with Shun placating them; use All-Under-Heaven to pressure Chu, with Shun placating them.

"Then All-Under-Heaven will all pay tribute to Qin in order to serve Your Majesty, and none will dare act privately. Once the alliances are settled, Your Majesty may choose."

Qi is about to attack Song, but Qin and Chu forbid it. Qi seeks to ally with Zhao, but Zhao will not listen. Qi has Gongsun Yan persuade Li Dui to support the attack on Song and secure his fief through it.

Li Dui tells the King of Qi: "The reason I consolidated the Three Jin for an attack on Qin was not so that Qi could profit from Qin's damage — I wanted to enable the attack on Song. Song has set up its crown prince as king; the people below support those above, and the defense is firm. I therefore wished you to quickly bring your troops home and rest them.

"Now the crown prince has fled, and all those loyal to him are ready to die. If you attack again now, the state will certainly be in chaos — and with the crown prince abroad, this is the moment to take Song.

"I had Gongsun Yan tell Lord Fengyang: 'Your Lordship is growing old. Your fief must be settled soon. For a fief, nowhere is better than Song — no other state will work. Qin is greedy, Han and Wei are endangered, Yan and Chu are peripheral, Zhongshan's land is poor. Nothing compares to Yin. Miss this moment and it will not come again. Song's offenses are grave, Qi's anger is deep. Destroy chaotic Song, win great Qi's favor, and secure your fief — this is a once-in-a-hundred-generations opportunity.'

"Lord Fengyang was delighted. He only wants a grand fief; Qi's interests are not far different.

"I wish Your Majesty to make a great show of preparing the Song campaign without actually deploying troops yet. Wait until after the planting season, and observe how Lord Fengyang responds. Dangle Yin to entice him, maintain the threat from Yan to press him, and let me await my own loyal fief. The enterprise will certainly succeed.

"I also wish Your Majesty to grant some territory to Lord Xiang'an to fund my operations. If you destroy Song, this is the moment for both territories — why hold back? If you fail to achieve your aims in Song, your allies would not dare expect anything either. With these resources, I will work through Yan and watch Zhao — and Your Majesty will break through and determine All-Under-Heaven."

The five-state coalition against Qin fails and disbands at Chenggao. Zhao wants to make peace with Qin; Chu, Wei, and Han are prepared to follow. Qin, however, is unwilling.

Su Dai tells the King of Qi: "I believe you should meet with Lord Fengyang. I told Lord Fengyang:

'If All-Under-Heaven scatters and serves Qin individually, Qin will certainly seize Song. Wei Ran will certainly be jealous of your holding Yin. The King of Qin is greedy, Wei Ran is jealous — then Yin becomes impossible to obtain.

"Do not make peace. If you don't, Qi will certainly attack Song. If Qi attacks Song, then Chu, Wei, Yan, and Zhao will follow. With five states bearing down on Song, within a month or two Yin will certainly be yours. Obtain Yin first and then negotiate — even if Qin changes its stance, you will be safe.

"The world competing for Qin's favor produces six scenarios, all unfavorable to Zhao:

First: Qin receives coastal states and assembles favorable alliances to dominate the central states and extract profit from the Three Jin — unfavorable to Zhao, and you never get Yin.

Second: Qin installs its agents as chancellors in Han and Wei — unfavorable to Zhao, and you never get Yin.

Third: Qin courts both Qi and Zhao to pressure Wei for Anyi — once Qin has Anyi, Wei and Han submit, and Zhao has already lost — unfavorable, and you never get Yin.

Fourth: Qin firms up the Yan-Zhao alliance to attack Qi, absorbs Chu, then strikes Wei — unfavorable, and you never get Yin.

Fifth: Qin firms up the Three Jin to attack Qi, then pivots and strikes Wei for Anyi — unfavorable, and you never get Yin.

Sixth: Qin acts as champion of righteousness, restoring destroyed states — then Zhao and Song share the same fate, and Yin becomes irrelevant.

Therefore: refuse to make peace, and Yin will certainly be yours.'

"Lord Fengyang said: 'Good.' He then broke off negotiations with Qin and joined with Qi and Wei to take Yin."

Lou Huan is about to depart on a mission. He prostrates himself, takes his leave, and says to the King of Zhao: "Though I exhaust my strength and drain my wisdom, I will never see Your Majesty again in this life."

The king says: "What kind of talk is that? I will certainly write to you and treat you generously."

Lou Huan says: "Has Your Majesty not heard of Prince Mouyi in Song? He would eat nothing but meat. Wen Zhang was on good terms with Song and hostile to Prince Mouyi — intensely so. Now my relationship with Your Majesty is not as close as Song's with Prince Mouyi, yet those who hate me surpass Wen Zhang. Therefore I will die without seeing Your Majesty again."

The king says: "Go with my best wishes. You and I have sworn an oath."

Lou Huan departs.

Later, he uses the city of Zhongmou to rebel and enters Wei. Informants come to report, but the king will not listen, saying: "I already gave my word to Lou Huan."

Yu Qing asks the King of Zhao: "Human nature being what it is — would a man rather have others attend his court, or attend another's court?"

The king says: "Obviously he would rather have others attend his court."

Yu Qing says: "Wei is the leader of the coalition, and the one who opposes it is Fan Zuo. If Your Majesty can offer a hundred li of territory and request that Wei execute Fan Zuo, then once Fan Zuo is dead, the coalition leadership can shift to Zhao."

The king agrees. He sends an envoy to Wei offering territory in exchange for Fan Zuo's execution. The King of Wei assents and orders Fan Zuo arrested — but has not yet executed him.

Fan Zuo submits a memorial to the King of Wei: "I hear that the King of Zhao has offered a hundred li of territory to have me killed. To execute an innocent Fan Zuo — that is because I am insignificant. To gain a hundred li — that is a great profit. I privately consider this a fine deal for Your Majesty.

"However, there is one problem: if the hundred li cannot actually be obtained, and the dead cannot be brought back to life, then Your Majesty will certainly be laughed at by All-Under-Heaven. I humbly suggest that trading with a live man is better than trading with a dead one."

He also writes to Lord Xinling, who is about to become chancellor: "Zhao and Wei are rival states. The King of Zhao sends a brief letter and the King of Wei lightly agrees to kill an innocent man. Though I am unworthy, I was formerly on the short list for Wei's chancellorship. I once incurred Zhao's displeasure on Wei's behalf. A state that has no useful ministers internally cannot hold territory externally. The one who can currently defend Wei is you. If the king agrees to Zhao's demand and kills me, and then Qin follows Zhao's example and demands twice the concessions, how will you stop it?"

Lord Xinling says: "He is right." He immediately speaks to the king and has Fan Zuo released.

Yan enfeoffs Rong Fen of Song as Lord of Gaoyang and sends him to lead an attack on Zhao. The King of Zhao responds by ceding three cities east of the Ji — Linglu, Gaotang, and the Pingyuan district — plus fifty-seven towns and market settlements, giving them all to Qi in exchange for obtaining Lord Anping to command Zhao's defense.

The Lord of Mafu tells the Lord of Pingyuan: "How desperately short of talent is this state! To recruit Lord Anping as commander, you cede three cities and fifty-seven towns to Qi — the kind of territory normally taken only when you defeat an enemy army and kill its general. Now you simply hand this to Qi in exchange for one general. The state could not be more bereft!

"Moreover, why not appoint me? I once committed a crime and was exiled to Yan, where Yan made me governor of Shanggu. I know Yan's valleys and strategic passes intimately. Within a hundred days — before any other state's troops have gathered — I can take Yan."

The Lord of Pingyuan says: "Please let it go. I have already spoken to my lord about it, and he has agreed."

The Lord of Mafu says: "You are wrong! The reason you want Lord Anping is that Qi and Yan are mortal enemies. But if Lord Anping is foolish, he cannot match Rong Fen. If he is wise, he will not willingly fight Yan's people. He must be one or the other.

"Suppose he is wise: then why would he want Zhao to become strong? A strong Zhao means Qi can never dominate again. With Zhao's powerful army at his disposal, he will drag out the campaign for years, exhausting both sides — and then march home. Exhausting two states' armies without anyone noticing — nothing could be more clever."

In summer, the army is reduced to cooking with suspended pots. The three cities gained are so small that none exceeds a hundred zhi in walls — exactly as the Lord of Mafu predicted.

Three states attack Qin while Zhao attacks Zhongshan, taking Fuliu. After five years, Zhao dominates the Hutuo River region. The Qi men Rong Guo and Song Tu tell Qiu Hao: "Better to return all of Zhongshan's newly taken territory. Then Zhongshan will report to Qi that four states plan to borrow a passage through Wey. When Qi hears this, it will certainly hand over Gu."

Zhao sends Zhao Zhuang to organize the coalition with the intention of attacking Qi. Qi offers to cede territory as a preemptive settlement. Zhao then demotes Zhao Zhuang.

Qi Mingwei tells the King of Zhao: "Qi fears the coalition forming, which is why it offers territory. But now it hears that Zhao Zhuang has been demoted — Qi will certainly stop offering territory."

The King of Zhao says: "Good point." He recalls Zhao Zhuang and restores his status.

Di Zhang comes from Wei and greatly pleases the King of Zhao. The king offers him the chancellorship three times; Di Zhang declines each time.

Tian Si tells the Pillar of State, Han Xiang: "Allow me to assassinate Di Zhang for you. If the guest dies, the king will certainly be furious and execute Lord Jianxin. With Lord Jianxin dead, you will certainly become chancellor. If Lord Jianxin does not die but is merely implicated, you gain his lasting gratitude — either way you benefit."

Feng Ji, speaking on behalf of Lord Luling, tells the King of Zhao: "Your Majesty's expulsion of Lord Luling is done for Yan's sake."

The king says: "What I value is freedom from both Yan and Qin."

"Qin has three times demanded the removal of Yu Qing, yet Your Majesty has not expelled him. Now Yan makes one demand regarding Lord Luling, and Your Majesty expels him. This means Your Majesty takes mighty Qin lightly but takes weak Yan seriously."

The king says: "It is not for Yan's sake. I intended to expel him anyway."

"In that case, the expulsion is not for Yan and not for Qin. You are expelling your beloved younger brother while gaining nothing from either. I privately consider this ill-advised."

Feng Ji requests an audience with the King of Zhao. The usher brings him in. Feng Ji clasps his hands and bows, wanting to speak but not daring.

The king asks why. Feng Ji says:

"A guest was once introduced to Master Fu, who afterward listed his three faults: 'He looked at me and smiled — that is presumptuous. He spoke without citing his teacher — that is disrespectful. The acquaintance is shallow yet his words are deep — that is disorder.'

The guest replied: 'Not so. Looking at someone and smiling is being friendly. Speaking without citing one's teacher is being original. A shallow acquaintance speaking deep words is being loyal.

In ancient times, Yao encountered Shun among thatch huts, and as the shadow moved, he transmitted All-Under-Heaven. Yi Yin shouldered a cauldron to approach Tang, his name still unknown, and received the rank of the Three Dukes. If shallow acquaintances were forbidden to speak deeply, All-Under-Heaven would never have been transmitted.'"

The King of Zhao says: "Excellent."

Feng Ji says: "Now, I am a visiting minister whose acquaintance with Your Majesty is shallow, yet I wish to speak deeply. May I?"

The king says: "Please instruct me." And Feng Ji speaks.

A visitor says to the King of Zhao: "I hear Your Majesty has sent someone to buy horses. Is that so?"

"It is." "Why has the purchase not been made?" "I have not found a skilled appraiser." "Why not send Lord Jianxin?" "He has state affairs and does not know horses." "Why not Lady Ji?" "She is a woman and does not know horses."

"If the purchase goes well, what benefit to the state?" "None." "If it goes poorly, what harm?" "None."

"So whether the horse purchase goes well or poorly, there is no consequence for the state. Yet Your Majesty insists on a skilled appraiser. But for governing All-Under-Heaven — where errors mean the state becomes a ruin and the ancestral altars go unfed — Your Majesty does not wait for a skilled person but entrusts it to Lord Jianxin. Why?"

The king makes no reply.

"In the laws of Yan Guo, there is something called 'mulberry parasites.' These are the favorites, attendants, and intimates around the ruler — including the consort's beloved young attendants. These can exploit the king's drunkenness or drowsiness to obtain what they want. If they succeed inside, then the great ministers will bend the law for them outside. Thus the sun and moon shine abroad, but the threat lies within. Guard carefully against what you hate, for the disaster lies in what you love."

Qin attacks Wei and takes Ningyi. All the feudal lords send congratulations. The King of Zhao sends congratulations too, but the envoy is turned back three times.

The king is worried: "Qin has taken Ningyi and can now dominate Qi and Zhao. All the feudal lords are received; I alone am turned away. This means Qin will attack me."

His attendants say: "The wrong person was sent. There is one Liang Yi, a skilled debater — try sending him."

Liang Yi arrives in Qin and presents a letter: "Your Majesty has expanded your territory. All the feudal lords congratulate you. Our humble lord rejoices too and sent a minister bearing gifts three times to your court, yet was not admitted. If the envoy has no fault, I beg you not to cut off our goodwill. If he has committed an offense, I beg to be informed."

The King of Qin replies: "If Zhao obeys my word in all matters, I will accept. Otherwise, the envoy may return."

Liang Yi says: "I have come precisely to receive your instructions."

The King of Qin then says: "Zhao Bao and the Lord of Pingyuan have repeatedly deceived me. If Zhao executes these two men, that is acceptable. If not, I will lead the feudal lords to your capital."

Liang Yi says: "Zhao Bao and the Lord of Pingyuan are the maternal brothers of our lord — just as Your Majesty has Lord Yeyang and Lord Jingyang. Your Majesty is known for filial governance. You have never failed to share with your own brothers. Their carriages, horses, and clothing are all from your own wardrobe.

"I have heard: 'When nests are overturned and eggs destroyed, the phoenix will not fly there. When wombs are cut open and the young burned, the qilin will not come.'

If I carry Your Majesty's command home — and our lord, in fear, dares not disobey — would this not wound the hearts of Lord Yeyang and Lord Jingyang?"

The King of Qin says: "Very well — but do not let them participate in governance."

Liang Yi says: "Our lord has brothers he has failed to instruct properly, who have given offense to your great state. I request they be barred from political affairs, in accordance with your wishes."

The King of Qin is pleased, accepts the gifts, and treats the envoy generously.

Zhao sends Yao Jia to negotiate with Han and Wei. Both states befriend him. Ju Mao tells the King of Zhao: "Yao Jia is Your Majesty's loyal minister. Han and Wei wish to recruit him — that is why they befriend him, planning to make you expel him so they can receive him. Better not to expel him — this demonstrates your wisdom and thwarts their scheme."

Wei defeats Chu at Xingshan and captures Tang Ming. The King of Chu is alarmed and orders Zhao Ying to bring the crown prince to Lord Xue to sue for peace.

The Lord Father wishes to sabotage this. He binds Qin and connects with Chu and Song, appointing Qiu Hao as chancellor of Song and Lou Huan as chancellor of Qin. The King of Chu seizes the Zhao and Song envoys, and Wei's peace deal collapses.

Qin summons Lord Chunping and detains him. Shi Jun tells Lord Wenxin: "Lord Chunping is deeply loved by the King of Zhao, but the palace guards are jealous and conspired to send him to Qin, knowing Qin would detain him.

If you detain him, you sever relations with Zhao and the guards' scheme succeeds. Better to release Lord Chunping and detain Lord Pingdu instead. Lord Chunping has the king's ear — he will arrange generous concessions to ransom Lord Pingdu."

Lord Wenxin agrees, arranges the exchange, and releases him.

The Dowager Queen of Zhao has recently taken charge. Qin presses its attack. Zhao seeks help from Qi. Qi says: "Lord Chang'an must be sent as a hostage. Only then will we dispatch troops." The queen refuses. Her ministers urge her strongly. She declares: "If anyone again suggests sending Lord Chang'an as a hostage, I will spit in his face."

The Left Tutor, Chu Zhe, requests an audience. The queen receives him bristling with anger. He enters slowly, shuffling, and apologizes: "My old legs are ailing. I can barely walk. I feared Your Majesty's health might also have declined, so I wished to see you."

The queen says: "I depend on a palanquin." "Are your meals holding up?" "I survive on porridge." "Lately I have had no appetite. But I force myself to walk three or four li a day, and it slightly improves my desire for food." The queen says: "I cannot manage that." Her expression softens slightly.

The Left Tutor says: "My worthless youngest son, Shu Qi, is fifteen. I am old and love him dearly. I wish to have him join the palace guard while I still can."

The queen says: "Certainly. How old?" "Fifteen. Though he is young, I wish to see him settled before I fill my grave."

"Do men also dote on their youngest sons?" "More than women do." The queen laughs: "Women are far worse!"

"I privately believe Your Majesty's love for the Queen of Yan exceeds your love for Lord Chang'an." "You are wrong — it does not compare to my love for Lord Chang'an."

The Left Tutor says: "When parents love a child, they plan far ahead. When you sent the Queen of Yan away, you held her heel and wept, grieving at the distance. But once she had gone, every time you made sacrifices, you prayed: 'Above all, do not let her be sent back.' Was this not planning for the long term — so that her children and grandchildren would succeed as kings?"

"Yes."

"Going back three generations to Zhao's founding — among the rulers' children and grandchildren who were enfeoffed as lords, are any of their lines still continuing?" "None." "Not only in Zhao — among all the feudal lords?" "I have not heard of any."

"Some met disaster in their own persons; others, in their children and grandchildren. Is it that rulers' descendants are necessarily bad? No — their rank was high without merit, their stipends generous without labor, and they held too many precious tokens of power.

Now Your Majesty has elevated Lord Chang'an's rank, enfeoffed him with rich lands, and given him many treasures — yet you have not arranged for him to render service to the state. The day the mountain collapses, what will Lord Chang'an have to sustain his position?

I believe your planning for Lord Chang'an is shortsighted. That is why I consider your love for him less than your love for the Queen of Yan."

The queen says: "Very well. Dispose of him as you see fit." A hundred chariots are prepared. Lord Chang'an is sent as hostage to Qi. Qi dispatches its troops.

Zi Yi comments: "He is the son of a ruler, flesh and blood — yet even he cannot rely on rank without merit and stipends without labor. How much less can an ordinary minister!"

Qin sends Wang Jian to attack Zhao. Zhao sends Li Mu and Sima Shang to resist him. Li Mu repeatedly defeats and routs the Qin forces and kills the Qin general Huan Yi.

Wang Jian, unable to defeat Li Mu on the battlefield, lavishes gold on Guo Kai and other of the King of Zhao's favorites, employing them as agents of disinformation: "Li Mu and Sima Shang intend to defect to Qin and betray Zhao, seeking rich enfeoffment from Qin."

The King of Zhao grows suspicious and sends Zhao Cong and Yan Zui to replace the generals. Li Mu is executed; Sima Shang is dismissed.

Three months later, Wang Jian launches a rapid attack, shatters the Zhao army, captures King Qian of Zhao along with his general Yan Zui, and annihilates the state of Zhao.