韓策三

Someone says to Gongzhong: "Twins who look alike — only their mother can tell them apart. Advantages and disadvantages that look alike — only a wise man can distinguish them.

Your state's advantages and disadvantages resemble each other as closely as twins. Handle them correctly, and the ruler is honored and you are safe. Handle them incorrectly, and the ruler is humbled and you are in danger.

Now, if the Qin-Wei reconciliation succeeds and you are not the one who brokered it, then Han will be plotted against. If Han follows Wei in accommodating Qin, Han becomes Wei's subordinate — Han's weight drops a level, and the ruler is diminished. Once Qin has made friends with Han, it will want to install its own trusted favorites to run Han's affairs — and you will be in danger.

But if you and the Lord of Ancheng broker the Qin-Wei reconciliation, success is good fortune and failure is also good fortune.

If the reconciliation succeeds and you are the broker, then Han becomes the gateway between Qin and Wei — Han's weight increases, and the ruler is honored. The Lord of Ancheng will be valued in the east by Wei and esteemed in the west by Qin. Holding the right half of the tally, he demands gratitude from both Qin and Wei on your behalf. To be enfeoffed with land and ranked among the feudal lords — that is within your reach. Or simply to stabilize Han and Wei and serve as chancellor for life — that is a lesser but still comfortable outcome. Either way, the ruler is honored and you are safe.

Qin and Wei will not always agree. If they quarrel, Qi, angry at losing Wei, will seek to court Han as a check on Wei. Wei, defying Qin, will seek to court Han as a shield against Qin. You will choose your cloth and cut as you please.

If Qin and Wei reconcile, both states are grateful to you. If they do not, both compete for your favor. This is what is meant by 'success is good fortune, failure is also good fortune.' I urge you not to hesitate."

Someone says to Gongzhong: "I have a single proposal that will be loyal to your ruler, convenient for the state, and profitable for yourself. I hope you will act on it.

When the world is divided and each state serves Qin individually, Han counts for the least. When the world unites and opposes Qin, Han is the weakest. When coalition and fragmentation alternate, Han is the first to face danger. This is the great peril for any ruler who governs the state and leads the people.

If you lead Han in being the first to align with Qin and the world follows, then Han has delivered All-Under-Heaven to Qin — and Qin's gratitude to Han will be immense. While Han and the rest of the world pay court to Qin, Han alone reaps a disproportionate reward. Implementing this plan is the ultimate loyalty to your ruler.

If the world does not align with Qin, and Qin's orders go unheeded, Qin will certainly raise armies to punish the disobedient. While Qin and the world exhaust each other in prolonged enmity, Han sits back, rests its people, and waits for opportunities. Implementing this plan is supremely convenient for the state.

In former times, Zhou Jiao used West Zhou's friendship with Qin to gain a fief at Gengyang. Zhou Qi used East Zhou's friendship with Qin to gain a fief at Pingyuan. Now if you use Han's friendship with Qin — Han outweighs both Zhous immeasurably, and the stakes today are ten thousand times greater than in the Zhou era. If you lead Han in being first to align with Qin, Qin will certainly make you a feudal lord to announce the policy to All-Under-Heaven. Implementing this plan is enormously profitable for yourself.

I urge you to redouble your efforts."

Han attacks Song. The King of Qin is furious, saying: "I love Song as much as Xincheng and Yangjin. Han Min has an alliance with me, yet he attacks a state I love. Why?"

Su Qin, speaking for Han, tells the King of Qin: "Han Min attacks Song precisely on Your Majesty's behalf. With Han's strength, augmented by Song's resources, Chu and Wei will certainly be alarmed. Alarmed, they will face west and serve Qin. Without breaking a single weapon or killing a single man, you gain Anyi — this is what Han Min hopes to offer Qin."

The King of Qin says: "I have always found Han inscrutable — one moment in the coalition, the next in alignment. What is the explanation?"

Su Qin replies: "All the states make Han predictable. Han has already attacked Song. If it faces west and serves Qin, it completes its position and strengthens itself. If it does not serve Qin, Song's territory will never be secure.

"The white-haired wandering scholars of the Central States all concentrate their wits on splitting the Qin-Han alliance. Those driving west have not one good word for Han. Those driving east have not one good word for Qin. Why does no one want Qin and Han united? Because the other states are clever and Qin-Han are being foolish. When the other states combine, they plot against Qin and Han. When Qin and Han combine, they can plot against the others. Let this settle the matter."

The King of Qin says: "Very well."

Someone says to the King of Han: "The King of Qin intends to move against Wei and attack Jiang and Anyi. What will Han's strategy be?

Qin's desire to attack Han in order to peer eastward at the Zhou royal domain — this is something it thinks about even in its sleep. If Han fails to perceive this and tries to accommodate Qin, it will bring catastrophe upon all the states east of the mountains.

Qin wants to attack Wei because taking Wei gives it a position overlooking Han. Fearing Wei will not comply, Qin seeks to weaken it through diplomatic pressure. If Your Majesty fails to perceive this and tries to remain neutral, Wei will be furious that Han has not joined it and will break and serve Qin instead. Then Han will be finished.

I urge Your Majesty to deliberate carefully. Better to send major embassies urgently to Zhao and Wei, renew the brotherhood pact, and have all the eastern states station their best troops along the western borders of Han and Wei. Without this, the eastern states have no way to avoid destruction. This is a plan for ten thousand generations.

Qin's intention to annex All-Under-Heaven and rule as king is unlike anything in antiquity. Even if you serve Qin as a son serves his father, it will still destroy you. Even if you conduct yourself like Bo Yi, it will still destroy you. Even if you conduct yourself like Jie and Zhou — it will still destroy you.

Serving Qin well gains nothing. It cannot preserve you; it only ensures your own quicker destruction. Therefore, if the eastern states cannot unite in a firm coalition as solid as one body, they will all surely perish."

Someone tells the King of Zheng: "Marquis Zhao Li was a brilliant ruler of his generation. Shen Buhai was a wise minister of his generation. Han and Wei were evenly matched states.

When Shen Buhai and Marquis Zhao Li held their tablets and paid court to the lord of Wei, it was not because they preferred humility over dignity, nor because their judgment was poor. Shen Buhai's calculation was: 'If I hold my tablet before Wei, Wei's lord will grow complacent about Han and will inevitably overextend himself abroad — which weakens Wei. The other feudal lords, resentful of Wei, will turn to Han. I will be beneath one man but trusted by ten thousand. To weaken Wei's army while increasing Han's influence — nothing works better than paying court to Wei.'

Marquis Zhao Li listened and acted on it — that is a brilliant ruler. Shen Buhai devised it and spoke it — that is a loyal minister.

Today's Han is weaker than the Han of that era, and today's Qin is stronger than the Qin of that era. Qin now has the same ambitions the lord of Wei once had. Yet Your Majesty and your ministers are not working to honor Qin in order to stabilize Han.

I humbly submit that Your Majesty's wisdom does not match Marquis Zhao Li's, and your ministers' loyalty does not match Shen Buhai's."

"In former times, Duke Mu won a single victory at Hanyuan and became hegemon of the western lands. Duke Wen of Jin won a single victory at Chengpu and stabilized All-Under-Heaven. Each used a single victory to establish authority and achieve fame throughout the world.

Now Qin has been powerful for several generations. Its major victories number in the thousands, its minor victories in the hundreds. Yet it has neither become king in the grand sense nor hegemon in the lesser. Its authority has nowhere to stand; its commands have nowhere to run.

The reason the Spring and Autumn Annals record military campaigns is not merely that rulers sought honor and fame throughout the world. The attacks of the former kings were of two kinds: those fought for reputation and those fought for substance. Those fought for reputation attack the enemy's spirit. Those fought for substance attack the enemy's physical form.

When Wu and Yue fought, the men of Yue were badly defeated and held out on Mount Kuaiji. The men of Wu entered Yue and went door to door to pacify them. The King of Yue sent Grand Officer Zhong to negotiate with Wu, offering to make the men slaves and the women concubines, and to carry birds and beasts in attendance upon Wu's lord. The men of Wu accepted these terms, made peace without a covenant — this was attacking the enemy's spirit.

Afterward, Yue and Wu fought again, and the men of Wu were badly defeated. They too offered to make their men slaves and their women concubines, reversing the protocol by which Yue had served Wu. The men of Yue did not accept. They destroyed the state of Wu and captured Fu Chai — this was attacking the enemy's physical form.

Now, will Qin attack the spirit? Then it should act like Wu. Will it attack the physical form? Then it should act like Yue. But Qin's attacks on physical form do not match Yue's, and its attacks on spirit do not match Wu's. Yet from ruler to minister, top to bottom, young to old, noble to base, everyone shouts 'Hegemon! King!'

I humbly think this is like being at the bottom of a well and saying: 'I shall go find fire for you.'"

"At the Eastern Meng assembly, Nie Zheng and Yang Jian stabbed the chancellor and the ruler alike. Xu Yi kicked Duke Ai to death and installed himself as the lord of Zheng. None of Han's people refused to obey — because Xu Yi had been the first to act. Thus when Duke Ai became ruler, Xu Yi served as chancellor for life. And the people of Han revered Xu Yi just as they revered Duke Ai.

Today one cannot become lord of Zheng — even if offered the chancellorship multiple times, one would still decline it, some say. Is that not excessive caution?

In former times, Duke Huan of Qi convened the feudal lords nine times, always in the name of King Xiang of Zhou. Though he honored King Xiang, Duke Huan was the established hegemon. The assembled lords revered Duke Huan as much as they revered King Xiang.

Today one cannot become Son of Heaven — even if offered Duke Huan's position, one would decline, some say. Is that not excessive fastidiousness that fails to recognize honor?

Tens of thousands of Han's warriors all supported Duke Ai as their lord, yet Xu Yi alone obtained the chancellorship — for no other reason than being first. All the feudal lords served the Zhou court, yet Duke Huan alone achieved hegemony — for no other reason than being first.

Now a powerful state is poised to seize the imperial opportunity. To commit one's state to it first — this is the path of Duke Huan and Xu Yi. Can anyone call this anything but good strategy?

Align early with the powerful state's interests. If the powerful state succeeds in becoming king, I will certainly be its hegemon. If it fails, I will have used my early support to deflect its armies so it does not attack me.

If the powerful state's enterprise succeeds, I am established as its partner in empire. If it fails, it is still deeply grateful to me.

Commit to the powerful state: if it succeeds, there is fortune; if it fails, there is no harm. Therefore, to commit early to the powerful state is the calculation of a sage."

Han Yang is serving in the Three Rivers region and wishes to return. Zu Qiang persuades the King of Han on his behalf, saying: "The Three Rivers have been pacified. Is Your Majesty aware? The service is about to benefit certain noble princes."

The king thereupon recalls all the princes serving in the Three Rivers and brings them home.

Qin is a great state. Han is a small state. Han is quite estranged from Qin. Wishing to appear friendly to Qin, Han calculates that only gold will serve — so it sells a beautiful woman. The price of the beauty is so high that no other feudal lord can afford her. Qin buys her for three thousand gold.

Han then uses that same gold to pay tribute to Qin. Qin thus gets back its gold and Han's beauty as well. The beauty then tells Qin: "Han is quite estranged from Qin."

Viewed from this angle: Han has lost both its beauty and its gold, and its estrangement from Qin has become even more obvious.

A visiting advisor tells Han: "You would do better to cut your frivolous spending and use the savings to serve Qin directly. The gold will be accepted, and your estrangement from Qin will not be exposed. A beautiful woman knows the private affairs of the inner court. A creature that lives and schemes well should not be allowed to see what goes on inside."

Zhang Chou mediates a Qi-Chu peace on Wei's behalf. He tells Han's Gongzhong: "If you press your attack on Wei's supply lines now, Wei will be desperate and will buy off Qi and Chu with territory. So you should not attack. If Wei feels no pressure, it will fight. If it wins, you can take the supply base easily. If it loses, Wei will hand it over."

Gongzhong says: "Agreed."

Zhang Chou then tells Qi and Chu: "Han has already sided with Wei. If you doubt it, watch whether Gongzhong attacks."

Gongzhong does not attack. Qi and Chu are alarmed. They make peace with Wei and do not inform Han.

Someone says to Han's chancellor: "People value Bian Que because they have tumors. If they valued Bian Que but had no tumors, nobody would bother.

Now, the reason you cultivate the Lord of Pingyuan is to offset your bad relations with Qin. But cultivating the Lord of Pingyuan is precisely what makes your relations with Qin bad. I urge you to consider this carefully."

Gongzhong sends Han Min to Qin to request Wusui but fears Chu's anger. A guest from Tang tells Gongzhong: "Han's service to Qin is aimed at recovering Wusui — this is not something our humble city resents. Once Han has recovered Wusui, it will be in a position to befriend Chu.

"I have something to say, though I dare not claim to be strategizing for Chu. At present, the Han nobles with popular followings are not serving as chancellor. Han cannot stand alone and will inevitably have poor relations with Chu.

"The king could say: 'I wish to use the state's support to install Han Min as chancellor — would that work? The noble families hate Han Min, so Han Min will certainly rely on Chu to protect his position.'"

Gongzhong is pleased. He recommends the Tang guest to the other lords and puts him in charge of Han-Chu affairs.

Han's Chancellor Gongzhong Min sends Han Chi to Qin to request an attack on Wei. The King of Qin is pleased. Han Chi is at Tang when Gongzhong Min dies.

Han Chi tells the King of Qin: "Wei's envoy told the new chancellor Han Chen: 'You must punish Han Chi on Wei's behalf.' Han Chen said: 'I cannot. The King of Qin employed him and made agreements with him.' The envoy said: 'Qin employed Han Chi to honor Gongzhong. Now Gongzhong is dead. If Han Chi goes to Qin, Qin will certainly not receive him. And if Qin does receive him, why would it use him to antagonize Wei?'

"Han Chen is worried and is about to comply. If Your Majesty does not summon me, I will be hiding in the mountains."

The King of Qin says: "Who would have thought I was so easily manipulated! As if I would let you hide." He summons Han Chi and employs him.

A guest minister speaks to the King of Qin on Han's behalf: "Han Min's counsel knows his own lord but not foreign lords; knows his own state but cannot fathom other states. Those who would suppress Gongzhong — Qin's power can bend them. As for Qin's strength, Han Min has been the foremost in resisting it.

He advanced Qi and Song's forces to Shouyu, pressing near Wei's capital walls. The reason they did not reach Wei was that he calculated to pass through Nanyang's route and lead four states westward against Qin. The reason this failed — everyone says it is because Yan fell to Qi, Wei fell to Qin, Chen and Cai fell to Chu. These were all cases where geography cut them off, ministers formed cliques to blind their rulers, and great ministers treated the state lightly on behalf of foreign lords.

Now Your Majesty's position is correct. Zhang Yi, despite his eminence, cannot overrule Gongsun Hao — this means junior ministers do not encroach upon senior ministers. Gongsun Hao, despite his eminence, cannot overrule Gan Mao — this means senior ministers do not encroach upon the king's intimates. When high and low do not encroach upon each other, each finding their proper place, all converging like spokes to serve the hub above — then the worthy and unworthy among your ministers can be known. This is Your Majesty's first clarity.

Gongsun Hao resented Qi and Han but was not promoted for it — this means great ministers will not dare treat the state lightly on behalf of foreign lords. Qi and Han tried to work through Gongsun Hao but were not received — this means foreign lords will not dare use your ministers as proxies. When external and internal affairs do not serve each other, the sincerity and duplicity of the feudal lords can be known. This is Your Majesty's second clarity.

Gongsun Hao and Chuli Ji urged against attacking Han. Chen presented four objections and withdrew. Yet Your Majesty still attacked. Gan Mao allied with Chu and Zhao and then showed deference to Wei — and while his peace was being negotiated, Your Majesty still evaluated his proposal to attack Yiyang independently.

Your ministers' intelligence does not approach Your Majesty's clarity. I therefore hope that Gongzhong's state may attend upon Your Majesty without being manipulated by those around you."

Han Min serves as chancellor of Qi. He orders officials to expel Gongchou Shu and is furious that Zhou has harbored the Lord of Chengyang.

Someone tells Han Min: "You consider these two men worthless. But whichever state takes them in will use them. Better that they remain in small states. Why? The Lord of Chengyang left Han for Qin's sake, and Gongchou Shu is in favor with the King of Chu.

Now you expel them. These two men will certainly go to Qin and Chu and will certainly become threats to you. Moreover, you are revealing to All-Under-Heaven that you have enemies. Everyone who dislikes you, and everyone who wants something from Qi, will rally around these men, use them against Qi, and leverage them against you."

Someone says to the Lord of Shanyang: "Qin enfeoffed you with Shanyang. Qi enfeoffed you with Ju. Qi and Qin did this not because they value Han, but because they respect your personal conduct.

Now Chu attacks Qi and takes Ju. At the highest level, it refuses to engage with Qi; at the next level, it fails to restore the land to you. This is to spite the authority of Qi and Qin while treating Han with contempt."

The Lord of Shanyang sends him to Chu.

Zhao and Wei attack Huayang. Han desperately requests aid from Qin. An unbroken procession of envoys with official caps and carriage canopies — yet Qin does not rescue them.

Han's chancellor says to Tian Ling: "The situation is desperate. Even though you are ill, please make the trip in a single night."

Tian Ling meets the Marquis of Rang. The Marquis says: "Is Han desperate? Why has the state sent you, of all people?"

Tian Ling replies: "Not yet desperate."

The Marquis of Rang is furious: "What kind of answer is that? If Han were not desperate, why would the king send you? An unbroken line of envoys comes to our humble city saying it is extremely urgent — and you say it is not. Why?"

Tian Ling says: "If Han were truly desperate, it would have switched sides."

The Marquis of Rang says: "You need not see the king. I will order the army deployed to rescue Han."

Within eight days, Zhao and Wei are badly defeated at Huayang.

Qin invites Chu to join in attacking Qi. Leng Xiang tells Chen Zhen: "The King of Qin will surely be looking outward. The pro-Qi faction in Chu, knowing Chu is not aligned with Qin in the west, will work to unite Chu with Qi. If Qi and Chu unite, Yan and Zhao will not dare refuse. With Qi leading four states against Qin, Qi will not be defeated."

Leng Xiang says: "If the King of Qin truly intends to attack Qi, it would be better to first win over the pro-Qi faction in Chu. Once the pro-Qi faction in Chu actively works to unite Chu with Qi, then Chu will certainly join Qin instead. With mighty Qin holding Jin and Chu, Yan and Zhao will not dare refuse — and Qi will be isolated.

"Allow me to make this argument to the King of Qin on your behalf."

Han expels Xiang Jin, who goes to Zhou. Zhou Chenghui tells the King of Wei on Xiang Jin's behalf: "Zhou will certainly be lenient and allow him to return. Why not speak first on his behalf? Then Your Majesty will have Xiang Jin's loyalty at Zhou."

The King of Wei says: "Agreed."

Chenghui then tells the King of Han: "It was Han that expelled Xiang Jin, but it is Wei that will restore him. Would it not be better for Han to restore him directly? Otherwise Wei will have Xiang Jin's loyalty at Zhou, and Your Majesty will have lost him."

The King of Han says: "Very well." He too requests Xiang Jin's restoration.

Zhang Deng petitions on behalf of Fei Xie. He says: "Have Prince Nian tell the King of Han: 'Fei Xie is hated by West Zhou and treasured by East Zhou. His family is worth ten thousand gold. Why not summon him and make him Governor of the Three Rivers? Fei Xie, using the Three Rivers as a base to stand guard against West Zhou, will spend his entire fortune serving Your Majesty. West Zhou, alarmed, will offer up the late kings' ritual vessels to stop you.'

The King of Han will certainly do it. When West Zhou hears of it, it will pardon your offense and settle your affairs."

The inspector of Anyi dies. His deputy fears he will not be promoted. An intermediary tells the Commandant of An: "Gongsun Qi has petitioned the king on someone else's behalf for the inspector's post. The king said: 'Does the position not have a designated successor? It would be hard for me to break the rules.'"

The commandant immediately installs the deputy.

The King of Wei proposes the Nine-Li Covenant, planning to restore the Son of Heaven. Fang Xi tells the King of Han: "Do not agree to this. Great states resent having a Son of Heaven, while small states benefit from it. If Your Majesty and the other great states refuse, how can Wei establish one with small states alone?"

The Lord of Jianxin slights Han Xi. Zhao Ao tells the Lord of Jianxin: "The state whose geography keeps it alive or kills it is Wei. The state that cannot be dispensed with in any coalition is Han.

You are slighting Han Xi because you prefer to cultivate Chu and Wei. When Qin sees that your alliances favor Chu and Wei, it will certainly move to co-opt Han with great urgency.

In the coalition, Han counts for little; in alignment with Qin, Han counts for much — so there is no benefit in making Han feel undervalued.

If Qin deploys troops in the Three Rivers, it will surround Yan to the south, and the roads through Cai and Shao will be cut. Wei, under pressure, will be slow to rescue Zhao. If Qin then raises its full army and breaks Handan, Zhao will certainly perish.

Therefore, winning over Han will keep you out of danger."

Duan Chan says to the Lord of Xincheng: "A man walking at night may commit no crime, yet he cannot stop the dogs from barking at him. I serve in the inner court. I may never speak against you to the king, but I cannot stop others from speaking against me to you. I hope you will look into the matter."

Duangan Yueren says to the Lord of Xincheng: "A disciple of Wang Liang was driving a chariot, claiming he could cover a thousand li. He met a disciple of Zaofu. Zaofu's disciple said: 'That horse will not make a thousand li.'

Wang Liang's disciple said: 'The horse is a thousand-li horse. The harness is a thousand-li harness. Why can it not cover a thousand li?'

The reply: 'Your nose-rope is too long. The nose-rope is one ten-thousandth of the whole operation, yet it prevents the thousand-li journey.'

Now I may be unworthy — in Qin's affairs, I am one ten-thousandth. But when the chancellor receives me, he does not relax his guard. This is the nose-rope being too long."