宋衛策

Qi attacks Song. Song sends Zang Zi to seek rescue from Chu. The King of Chu is delighted and promises aid with great enthusiasm.

Zang Zi returns looking worried. His charioteer asks: "You sought rescue and got it. Why the anxious face?"

Zang Zi says: "Song is small and Qi is large. To rescue small Song at the cost of offending large Qi — this is what any king should worry about. Yet the King of Chu was far too pleased. He intends to stiffen our resolve. If we hold firm and Qi grinds us down, Chu profits."

Zang Zi goes home. Sure enough, Qi attacks and takes five Song cities. The King of Chu never arrives.

Gongshu Ban builds siege engines for Chu, which intends to use them to attack Song. Mozi hears of this, walks until his shoes wear through and his feet blister, and goes to see Gongshu Ban.

He says: "I have come from Song to see you. I would like to hire you to kill a man."

Gongshu Ban says: "On principle, I do not kill people."

Mozi says: "I hear you have built cloud ladders and intend to attack Song. What crime has Song committed? On principle you refuse to kill one man, yet you will attack an entire state — that is refusing to kill the few while killing the many. May I ask: what principle justifies attacking Song?"

Gongshu Ban is persuaded and arranges an audience with the king.

Mozi sees the King of Chu and says: "Suppose there is a man who owns an ornamental carriage, but his neighbor has a broken-down cart — and he wants to steal it. He owns brocade and silk, but his neighbor has a rough hemp jacket — and he wants to steal it. He has fine grain and meat, but his neighbor has chaff and husks — and he wants to steal them. What sort of man is this?"

The king says: "He must have a compulsion for theft."

Mozi says: "Chu's territory extends five thousand li. Song's territory is five hundred li. This is the ornamental carriage versus the broken-down cart. Chu has the Yunmeng marshes, teeming with rhinoceroses, wild buffalo, elk, and deer. The Yangtze and Han rivers are full of fish, turtles, alligators, and softshell turtles — the richest in All-Under-Heaven. Song, as they say, has not even a pheasant, a rabbit, or a crucian carp. This is fine grain and meat versus chaff and husks. Chu has tall pines, patterned catalpa, bian, nan, and camphor trees. Song has no tall timber. This is brocade and silk versus a rough hemp jacket.

"I respectfully submit that Your Majesty's officials attacking Song falls into the same category."

The king says: "Well said! I will not attack Song."

Xishou is attacking Huang and passes through Wei's territory. He sends a man to tell the lord of Wei: "Our humble city's army is passing through your great state's outskirts, and there has not been so much as a single envoy to acknowledge us. May I inquire as to the offense? The city of Huang is about to fall. Once it does, I will move my troops to the base of your great state's walls."

The lord of Wei is frightened and prepares three hundred bundles of silk cord and three hundred yi of gold to send with the messenger.

Nan Wenzi stops him: "If he takes Huang, he certainly will not dare come here. If he fails to take Huang, he also will not dare come here.

"If he takes Huang, his achievement will be great and his reputation glorious — and upon returning he will face the scrutiny of his peers at court. Those at the center resent the scrutiny of the returning hero and will question his conduct. Bearing a great name and carrying a major achievement, he will need to sit carefully and await their judgment. Even if Xishou were a fool, he would not compound that situation by picking a fight with Wei on the way home.

"If he fails to take Huang, he will retreat in dismay. When he returns, he will be hard-pressed to avoid punishment. How would he dare attack Wei and add to the burden of his defeat?"

Sure enough, Xishou takes Huang, leads his army home, and does not dare pass through Wei.

The King of Liang attacks Handan and conscripts troops from Song. The lord of Song sends an envoy to the King of Zhao: "Wei's forces are powerful and its influence is heavy. Now it conscripts troops from our humble city. If we refuse, we fear for the state. But if we support Wei in attacking Zhao and thereby harm Zhao, we cannot bear it. We ask Your Majesty to instruct our humble city."

The King of Zhao says: "Indeed. I know that Song cannot match Wei. To weaken Zhao in order to strengthen Wei would not profit Song either. So what can I tell you that would help?"

The envoy says: "I ask that you cede us a border town. We will go slowly in our attack and drag out the campaign, waiting only until our subordinate officials have a city to show for it."

The King of Zhao says: "Good."

Song then raises troops, enters Zhao territory, and besieges a single city. The King of Wei is delighted: "Song is helping us attack!" The King of Zhao is also satisfied: "Song is stopping here."

So the troops withdraw when the operation is done. Song earns gratitude from Wei without incurring resentment from Zhao. The name goes one way; the substance goes another.

Someone says to the Grand Steward: "The lord is growing up. When he starts managing affairs himself, you will have nothing to do. You would do better to have Chu congratulate the lord on his filial piety — then the lord will not take affairs away from the Queen Dowager, and you will remain in charge of Song's affairs indefinitely."

Song and Chu are allied as brother states. Qi attacks Song. The King of Chu announces he will rescue Song. Song then offers to sell out Chu's interests at a high price to negotiate peace with Qi. Qi refuses.

Su Qin, speaking on Song's behalf, tells the Qi chancellor: "You should accept the deal. This will demonstrate to everyone that Song sold out Chu's interests at a premium to buy Qi's favor. Chu will be furious and will certainly break with Song and align with Qi. Once Qi and Chu are allied, attacking Song becomes easy."

The Wei crown prince is personally leading an army and passes through Waihuang in Song. A man called Xu Zi of Waihuang says: "I possess a technique for winning a hundred battles out of a hundred. Is the prince willing to hear it?"

The prince says: "I would like to hear it."

The man says: "I am glad to share it. The prince is personally leading an attack on Qi. If you win a great victory and annex Ju, your wealth cannot exceed possessing Wei and your rank cannot rise above being its king. If you lose the battle, Wei is lost for ten thousand generations. This is my technique for winning a hundred battles out of a hundred."

The prince says: "Agreed. I will certainly follow your advice and turn back."

The man says: "Even if the prince wishes to turn back, he may not be able to. Those who profit from the prince fighting — who want to see their ambitions fulfilled through his campaign — are many. Even if the prince wishes to turn back, I fear he will not be allowed to."

The prince boards his chariot and tries to turn back. His charioteer says: "To march out and then turn back is the same as a defeat. Better to continue."

He continues. He fights the men of Qi and is killed. Wei never becomes his.

In the time of King Kang of Song, a sparrow hatches a hawk on the corner of the city wall. The king has his diviner interpret the omen. The diviner says: "The small gives birth to the great — this means certain hegemony over All-Under-Heaven."

King Kang is overjoyed. He proceeds to annihilate Teng, conquer Xue, and seize the lands north of the Huai. Emboldened, he grows ever more confident and wants his hegemony completed quickly. He shoots arrows at heaven and flogs the earth. He chops down the altars of soil and grain and burns them. He declares: "I have cowed the ghosts and spirits of All-Under-Heaven."

He curses the elders who remonstrate with him. He makes a faceless cap to display his fearlessness. He has a hunchback's spine split open. He has the shins of a man who waded a river at dawn cut and examined. The people are horrified.

Qi hears of this and attacks. The people scatter, the walls are not defended. The king flees to the residence of the lord of Ni, where he is captured and killed.

He saw an auspicious omen but did not make it auspicious — he turned it into a catastrophe.

Zhibo plans to attack Wei. He sends four hundred wild horses and a piece of white jade to the lord of Wei. The lord of Wei is greatly pleased. All his ministers offer congratulations — except Nan Wenzi, who looks worried.

The lord of Wei says: "A great state shows us great favor, yet you look worried. Why?"

Nan Wenzi says: "Rewards without merit, gifts without cause — these must be scrutinized. Four hundred wild horses and a piece of white jade — this is a small state's tribute, yet a great power is sending it to us. Your Lordship should think carefully about this."

The lord of Wei relays Nan Wenzi's words to the border garrisons. Zhibo does indeed raise troops and launches a surprise attack on Wei, but when he reaches the border he turns back, saying: "Wei has a worthy minister who anticipated my plan."

Zhibo plans to raid Wei. He pretends to banish his crown prince and has him flee to Wei.

Nan Wenzi says: "The crown prince, by reputation, is a gentleman — deeply loved and favored. If he flees without having committed a great crime, there must be a reason behind it." He sends men to meet the prince at the border with instructions: "If his retinue exceeds five chariots, do not admit him."

Zhibo hears of this and abandons the plan.

Qin attacks Wei's city of Pu. Hu Yan says to Chuli Ji: "Is your attack on Pu for Qin's benefit or for Wei's? If it benefits Wei, fine. If it is for Qin, then it is not worthwhile.

"The reason Wei remains Wei is because it has Pu. If Pu falls to Wei, then Wei must submit to the larger Wei. The larger Wei lost the lands west of the Yellow River and could not recover them because it was too weak. If you add the smaller Wei to the larger Wei's territory, the larger Wei becomes strong. On the day Wei becomes strong, the lands west of the Yellow River are in danger. Moreover, the King of Qin is watching your actions. If you harm Qin's interests to benefit Wei, the king will surely resent you."

Chuli Ji says: "What should I do?"

Hu Yan says: "Withdraw from Pu and do not attack. Allow me to go in and warn the Pu garrison on your behalf — thereby earning the gratitude of the lord of Wei."

Chuli Ji says: "Good."

Hu Yan goes into Pu and tells the garrison commander: "Chuli Ji knows Pu's weakness. He has said: 'I will certainly take Pu.' But I can make him withdraw and not attack."

The garrison commander bows twice and offers three hundred yi of gold, saying: "If Qin's forces truly withdraw, I will see that the lord of Wei rewards you generously."

Hu Yan takes the gold from Pu and uses it to enhance his own standing with Wei. Chuli Ji also receives three hundred pieces of gold and withdraws — while also gaining credit for showing mercy to the lord of Wei.

The smaller Wei sends a guest-retainer to serve in the larger Wei. For three years he cannot obtain an audience. The Wei guest grows anxious and visits Master Wuxia, promising him a hundred pieces of gold.

Master Wuxia says: "Agreed." He goes to see the King of Wei and says: "I hear Qin has mobilized troops, though their destination is unknown. The Qin-Wei relationship has gone unmaintained for too long. I urge Your Majesty to make a broad effort to serve Qin — there is no alternative."

The King of Wei says: "Agreed."

Master Wuxia hurries out, reaches the corridor gate, then turns back and says: "I fear Your Majesty may be too late in serving Qin."

The king says: "Why?"

Master Wuxia says: "Men are too eager about what serves themselves and too slow about what serves others. If Your Majesty is slow about what serves yourself, how can you be prompt about serving others?"

"How do you know I am slow?"

"The Wei guest-retainer has been seeking an audience with Your Majesty for three years without being received. From this I know Your Majesty is slow."

The King of Wei immediately grants the Wei guest an audience.

Lord Si of Wei falls ill. Fu Shu says to Yin Shunqie: "Listen to my words and use them to persuade the lord — add nothing and subtract nothing — and the lord will certainly favor you.

"What a man does in life differs from what weighs on his mind at death. Throughout his life, the lord's pleasure has been dining with courtesans. The men he has employed are Xiecuo and Nabo. All his ministers believe the lord takes the state lightly and cares only for pleasure, so none dares discuss affairs of state with him.

"Tell the lord: 'Your Lordship's conduct in All-Under-Heaven has been deeply mistaken. Xiecuo controls all decisions of state, while Nabo assists him. From this day forward, the Gongsun clan will certainly lose its ancestral sacrifices.'"

The lord says: "You are right." He gives Yin Shunqie the chancellor's seal and says: "When I die, you take control."

Lord Si dies. Yin Shunqie uses the lord's order to install Gongqi as chancellor. The clans of Xiecuo and Nabo are all expelled.

In the time of Lord Si of Wei, a convict laborer flees to the larger Wei. The smaller Wei offers to ransom him for a hundred pieces of gold. The larger Wei refuses. So the smaller Wei offers to trade the city of Zuoshi.

The ministers remonstrate: "To trade a city worth a hundred pieces of gold for a single convict laborer — is that not unacceptable?"

The lord says: "In governance, nothing is too small to matter. In disorder, nothing is too large to ignore. If moral instruction is understood by the people, a city of three hundred households is enough for good governance. If the people have no sense of integrity or shame, even ten cities like Zuoshi would be useless."

A man of Wei fetches his new bride. The bride climbs into the carriage and asks: "The side horse — whose horse is that?"

The driver says: "Borrowed."

The bride tells the groom's servant: "Pat the side horse gently. Do not whip the shaft horse."

When the carriage reaches the gate, the bride is helped down. She instructs the woman who escorted her: "Put out the kitchen fire — it is about to spread."

Entering the house and seeing a mortar, she says: "Move it beneath the window — it is blocking the walkway."

The household laughs at her. All three of her remarks are sensible. But the reason she is laughed at is that her timing is wrong.