Lu Zhonglian, a man from the state of Qi, liked brilliant, unconventional strategies but did not want to become an official. He preferred a life of principle. At that time, he was traveling in the state of Zhao.
Under Zhao King Xiaocheng, the King of Qin sent Bai Qi to defeat Zhao's army of over 400,000 at Changping. The Qin army then besieged Handan. King Zhao was terrified; no other state dared send reinforcements. Wei King Anli sent General Jin Bi, but fear of Qin kept his army stalled at Dangyin. King Wei secretly sent his courtier, Xinyuan Yan, to Handan to see Lord Pingyuan. He said, "The Qin state is eager to besiege Zhao because they previously contended for the title of emperor with King Min of Qi but later gave it up. Now that Qi is even weaker, only Qin is dominating the world. Their goal is not necessarily to covet Handan; they want to once again claim the title of emperor. If Zhao sends an envoy to recognize Qin's king as emperor, Qin will be pleased and will withdraw their troops." Lord Pingyuan remained undecided.
At this time, Lu Zhonglian was traveling in the State of Zhao and found Qin besieging Zhao. Hearing that the Wei envoy wanted Zhao to honor the King of Qin as emperor, he went to see Pingyuan Jun and said, "What's the plan?" Pingyuan Jun replied, "I daren't say a word! We've lost 400,000 men, and now Handan's under siege. There's nothing I can do! The King of Wei sent the guest minister Xinyuan Yan to have Zhao honor the King of Qin as emperor, and he's here now. How can I say anything?" Lu Zhonglian said, "I thought you were a true gentleman, but I was wrong. Where's that Wei minister, Xinyuan Yan? I'll help you persuade him to withdraw." Pingyuan Jun said, "I'll introduce you." He then went to see Xinyuan Yan and said, "There's a Mr. Lu Zhonglian in the east; he's here now. I'd like you two to meet." Xinyuan Yan replied, "I've heard of Lu Zhonglian; he's a renowned scholar from Qi. I'm a Wei official, following orders. I don't have time to meet him." Pingyuan Jun said, "I've already briefed him." Only then did Xinyuan Yan agree to meet.
When Lu Zhonglian met Xinyuan Yan, he just sat there, saying nothing. Xinyuan Yan asked him, "I see that the people in this city are all seeking help from Pingyuan Jun. But you have an extraordinary demeanor; you don't seem to be seeking help from him. Why do you stay in this besieged city for so long without leaving?" Lu Zhonglian replied, "They say Bao Jiao died for lack of praise, but that's rubbish. If people don't understand me, then I'll live only for myself. The State of Qin abandons propriety and righteousness, only emphasizing achievements. It treats its subjects as tools and its people as slaves. If Qin makes itself emperor and rules the world, I'd rather drown than live under its thumb! I'm here to help Zhao."
Xin Yuyan asked, "How do you plan to help Zhao?" Lu Zhonglian said, "I plan to have Liang and Yan help Zhao. Qi and Chu would naturally help Zhao." Xin Yuyan said, "I can help persuade Yan, but as for Liang, I am from Liang. How can you let Liang help Zhao?" Lu Zhonglian said, "Liang just hasn't seen the harm of Qin declaring itself emperor yet. As soon as Liang sees the harm of Qin declaring itself emperor, it will definitely help Zhao."
Xin Yuyan asked, "What exactly is the harm of Qin declaring itself emperor?" Lu Zhonglian said, "In the past, King Wei of Qi was all about being good and righteous, leading all the other lords to kowtow to the Zhou king. At that time, the Zhou king was broke and a nobody, and the other lords did not go to pay homage; only Qi did. After a few years, King Lie of Zhou died, and the ruler of Qi went to offer condolences again. The Zhou king got angry and scolded the Qi envoy, saying, 'The world's ending! The emperor is dead, and the eastern lords actually come during the condolences; they should be killed!' King Wei of Qi was furious and said, 'Outrageous! What are you!?' As a result, he became a total joke. Going to pay homage while alive, and still being scolded after death, it's really unbearable! If the Zhou king is like this, what about others? There's nothing to be surprised about."
Xin Yuyan said, "Man, haven't you seen those servants? Ten servants following one person, is it because their strength and intelligence are inferior to that person? It's because of fear!"
Lu Zhonglian said, "Hey! Is Liang like a servant compared to Qin?"
Xin Yuyan said, "Yes."
Lu Zhonglian said, "I will have the King of Qin have the King of Liang cooked and ground to bits!"
Xin Yuyan was very unhappy and said, "Whoa, hold on a minute! Sir, what you said is too much! How can you let the King of Qin have the King of Liang cooked and ground to bits?"
Lu Zhonglian said, "Sure, I'll tell you. In the past, Jiu Hou, E Hou, and Wen Wang were the three ministers of King Zhou. Jiu Hou had a beautiful son, who was offered to King Zhou. King Zhou found him annoying and had Jiu Hou executed. E Hou argued vehemently and was killed. When Wen Wang heard about it, he sighed deeply and was locked in a window-side warehouse for a hundred days, hoping he would die. So how could a king meet such an end?
King Qi Min went to the state of Lu, with Yi Weizi (a title for an official) holding a scepter following him, and asked the people of Lu, 'How do you plan to treat our king?' The people of Lu said, 'We will use ten whole cows to sacrifice to welcome your king.' Yi Weizi said, 'Why do you use this kind of ceremony to welcome our king? Our king is the Son of Heaven! When the Son of Heaven toured, vassals had to vacate their homes, present musical instruments, dress formally, and watch him dine before they could leave.' The people of Lu threw away the guan yue and refused to offer it. King Qi Min did not enter the state of Lu and wanted to go to the state of Xue, passing through the state of Zou. At that time, the ruler of Zou had died, and King Qi Min wanted to pay his respects. Yi Weizi told the orphan of Zou, 'When the Son of Heaven pays his respects, the host must double the coffin, place it on the south side, and then the Son of Heaven can pay his respects on the south side.' The Zou officials basically said, 'We'd rather kill ourselves!' So King Qi Min did not dare to enter the state of Zou. The officials of Zou and Lu were disrespected in life and death, yet King Qi Min insisted on royal protocol. They simply wouldn't stand for it.
Now the State of Qin is a powerful force with a massive army, and the State of Liang is also a powerful force. Both sides possess great military strength and hold the title of kings. If the State of Qin wins a battle and seeks to declare itself emperor, does that not belittle the ministers of the Three Jin? Moreover, if the State of Qin declares itself emperor, it will have to replace the ministers of the vassal states. They'll purge the courts, installing their own favorites and dismissing anyone who displeases them. Their daughters and concubines will become princesses, residing in Liang's palaces.
Hey, King of Liang, what's with the relaxed attitude? And General, why the special treatment?
Xinyuan Yan suddenly knelt, profusely thanking, "At first, I thought you were just an ordinary person, but today I realize that you are a top talent in the world! I will withdraw my troops immediately and never mention the State of Qin again!" Upon hearing this, the Qin army immediately retreated fifty miles. Then, Wei's Prince Xianling Jun seized Jin Bi's army, surprising the Qin forces into a hasty retreat.
Then Lord Pingyuan wanted to reward Lu Zhonglian, but he declined three times and refused to accept. Lord Pingyuan had no choice but to set up a banquet. They were drinking happily when he stood up, took out a thousand gold as a gift to wish Lu Zhonglian a long life. Lu Zhonglian smiled and said, "The truly capable people in the world are those who help others solve difficulties and troubles without expecting anything in return. If you are looking for benefits, that's called doing business, and I can't do that!" And with that, he said goodbye to Lord Pingyuan, never to see him again.
After twenty-odd years, the Yan general captured Liaocheng. There were people in Liaocheng who spoke ill of him behind his back, and fearing for his life, the Yan general dug in at Liaocheng, too scared to go home. Tian Dan of Qi State attacked Liaocheng for over a year, with massive casualties, but Liaocheng still remained unconquered. At this time, Lu Zhonglian had a letter shot into the city by arrow, which was handed to the Yan general. The letter read:
"I hear tell that wise men don't miss opportunities and give up their interests; brave men ain't afraid of sacrifice or losing their reputation; loyal subjects don't put themselves before their monarch. Right now, because of a moment of anger, you're not loyal for ignoring that the King of Yan has no capable subjects to use; you might die to protect Liaocheng, but you can't convince Qi State, which ain't bravery; with failure looming and your reputation tarnished, future generations won't remember you, which ain't intelligence. No king ever liked that, and no historian'd ever write it down. So, wise men won't calculate further, and brave men won't fear death. This is your one shot at life, glory, and everything else. Don't blow it."
Anyway, Chu State attacked Nanyang of Qi State, Wei State attacked Pinglu, but Qi State never intended to attack the south, thinking that losing Nanyang wasn't a big deal and it was more profitable to take Jibei. Therefore, they carefully considered how to deal with the situation. Now the Qin army is pressing in, and Wei State dares not look to the east; Qin's power is growing, and Chu State is in a precarious situation; Qi State abandoned Nanyang, ceding land to the right, with the sole intention of taking Jibei, and that makes sense. Furthermore, Qi State will definitely hold onto Liaocheng, so you should not consider anything else. Now that both Chu and Wei have withdrawn their troops from Qi State, and Yan State's reinforcements have not arrived, with Qi's whole army on him, and ignoring the bigger picture, he'll never take Liaocheng in a year.
Look, the state of Yan is a mess, with the king and his court making mistakes that have caused confusion everywhere. Their army's been wiped out five times, and Zhao's got Yan surrounded, leaving the king a laughingstock. The country's falling apart, plagued by disasters, and the people are desperate. You're throwing exhausted troops from Liaocheng at Qi's full army – it's a Mozi-style suicide mission! The people are starving, the soldiers are demoralized – just like Sun Bin said, it's a national disgrace.
So, here's what I think: hang onto your troops and head back to Yan. You roll back with your army, the Yan king'll be thrilled, and the people will greet you like a long-lost son – they'll be cheering you on. Help the king control his court, calm the people, boost morale, reform the country, and you'll be a legend.
Or, ditch Yan, head east to Qi, give up some land for a nice fiefdom – you'll be richer than Tao and Wei, and live happily ever after with Qi. So, pick one and make it happen.
I heard that those who sweat the small stuff cannot achieve great success; those who are afraid of looking bad cannot accomplish great things. In the past, Guan Zhong shot the clothes hook of Duke Huan, which was an act of defiance; he chickened out when it came to saving Lord Jiu from death; he was bound and imprisoned, which was a humiliation. These three things caused Guan Zhong to fall out of favor with the ruler and have a bad reputation in his hometown. If Guan Zhong had remained imprisoned and could not return to the state of Qi after death, his reputation would only be that of a total loser! Even slaves would feel ashamed to share his name, let alone others! Therefore, Guan Zhong did not care about being imprisoned, but cared about the disorder in the world; he did not care about failing to save Lord Jiu, but cared about Qi's reputation being damaged among neighboring countries. He overcame these three shortcomings and eventually became the leader of the Five Hegemons, renowned throughout the world, with his fame spreading to neighboring countries.
Cao Gui was a general of the state of Lu, losing three battles and retreating each time, losing five hundred miles of land. If Cao Gui had not reflected on his failures, had not reconsidered his strategies, and had chosen to commit suicide, his reputation would only be that of a failed general. However, Cao Gui swallowed his pride after those three defeats and returned to consult with the ruler of Lu on a strategy. Duke Huan summoned the vassals in front of the other states, and Cao Gui, with his passion, boldly advised Duke Huan at the altar, speaking with unshakeable conviction; he regained the lost land from the three defeats in just one day! The news sent shockwaves through the land, and the neighboring states were astonished as Qi's reputation spread throughout Wuyue. These two individuals did not just focus on trivial matters and minor details, but they believed that if they only sought to preserve their lives and gave up on their careers, they would find it difficult to achieve success in the end, which was not something wise people would do. So they abandoned resentment and established a lasting reputation; they gave up on nitpicking and achieved great accomplishments for generations. Therefore, their achievements can be compared to those of three generations of emperors, and their reputation can last as long as heaven and earth. So, what are you gonna do?
The general of Yan saw Lu Zhonglian's letter and cried for three days, paralyzed by indecision. He wanted to return to Yan, but there was already bad blood, and he was afraid of being killed; he wanted to surrender to the Qi state, but he had killed many Qi prisoners of war and feared being humiliated after surrendering. He sighed and said, "Rather than let someone kill me, I'd rather kill myself." So he committed suicide. After the chaos in Liaocheng subsided, Tian Dan carried out a massacre in Liaocheng. When Tian Dan returned, he wanted to commend Lu Zhonglian and reward him. However, Lu Zhonglian fled to the sea and lived in seclusion, saying, "I'd rather be poor and true to myself than rich and humiliated."
Zou Yang, a man from the Qi state, traveled around Liangguo (around Kaifeng, Henan) and hung out with people like Mr. Zhuang Ji from the former Wu state and Meisheng from Huaiyin. He also slipped his memorial in between those of the two ministers Yang Sheng and Gongsun Gui when writing to Liang Xiaowang. Yang Sheng and others envied Zou Yang and badmouthed him in front of Liang Xiaowang. Liang Xiaowang got angry upon hearing this and arrested Zou Yang, planning to have him killed.
Zou Yang, on a trip, was framed and arrested. He was afraid of being killed and worried about implicating others, so he wrote a letter to King Liang Xiao in prison, saying: They say loyalty's rewarded, honesty's believed. I always thought that was true, but now it seems to be just empty words! In the past, when Jing Ke offered a plan for Yan Dan's loyalty, a white rainbow pierced the sun – an omen that even the crown prince found terrifying; Mr. Wei proposed a strategy to attack Changping for the Qin State, and Venus obscured the star Miao – another bad omen that made King Zhao suspicious. Yet these brilliant plans were misunderstood, a real tragedy! Now I am doing my best to offer strategies to the king, sharing all my thoughts, but the king's close ministers cannot understand. In the end, they arrested me for questioning, making people all over the world suspect me. So, are Jing Ke and Mr. Wei's deaths meaningless, and those kings still learning nothing? I hope the king thinks carefully!
In the past, Bian He offered the jade, only to have the King of Chu chop off his feet; Li Si did his best to assist Qin Shihuang, but Hu Hai put him to death. So Ji Zi feigned madness, and Jie Yu hid himself away – to avoid such fates. I used to think the stories of Bi Gan's heart being ripped out and Wu Zixu drowned in a sack were just stories. Now I know better! I hope the king considers the fates of Bian He and Li Si, as well as the actions of the King of Chu and Hu Hai, and not let me be laughed at like Ji Zi and Jie Yu.
There's a saying: "Old friends are like new, and new friends can become old friends." It's all about finding someone who truly understands you.
Imagine this: Fan Yuqi escaped from the state of Qin to the state of Yan, using Jing Ke's head to repay Prince Dan of Yan's kindness; Wang She left the state of Qi to join the state of Wei, killing himself to save Wei from Qi. Wang She and Fan Yuqi did not become good friends as soon as they arrived in Yan and Wei. They left Qin and Qi because their actions matched the rulers' ambitions, and their loyalty knew no bounds.
Even though other countries didn't trust Su Qin, he served Yan loyally until the very end; despite losing six cities in battle, Bai Gui was able to capture Zhongshan for Wei. Why is this? It was all about trust between them! Su Qin assisted Yan, and although Yan's people badmouthed Su Qin to the king, the king chewed them out and kept Su Qin on; Bai Gui was a big shot in Zhongshan, but the people of Zhongshan spoke ill of him in front of Marquis Wen of Wei, who still gave him a priceless jade.
This is all because these four guys—rulers and ministers—trusted each other completely; they didn't give a damn about gossip!
It is said that whether a woman is beautiful or not, once she enters the palace, she will invite jealousy; whether a man is talented or not, once he enters the court, he will attract envy. In the past, Sima Xi had his leg tendons cut in the State of Song, but eventually became the Prime Minister of Zhongshan; Fan Sui had his ribs broken and teeth knocked out in the State of Wei, but eventually became the Marquis of Ying. Both of these individuals firmly executed their own plans, ignoring their political connections, and rose to high positions alone, which inevitably led to being double-crossed by jealous colleagues. Thus, Shentu Di threw himself into the river, and Xu Yan jumped into the sea with a stone on his back. They weren't popular, yet they stuck to their principles, butted heads with the court, and tried to convince the king. Conversely, Baili Xi begged for food on the road, while Miugong entrusted him with important tasks; Ning Qi sang under a cart, yet Huan Gong put him in charge of governing the country. Were these two individuals really kissing up to eunuchs in the court to gain the favor of two monarchs? They were loyal and steadfast, inseparable as brothers, so how could they be misled by the opinions of the public? Therefore, listening to gossip breeds trouble, and ruling by whim leads to disaster. In the past, the State of Lu believed the slander of the Jisun clan and drove Confucius away; the State of Song believed Zihan's scheme and captured Mozi. Even talented and eloquent individuals like Confucius and Mozi could not avoid the harm of slander, leading to both states falling into danger. Why? Because a bad reputation can ruin a person! Therefore, the State of Qin valued the Rong people Youyu and thus dominated the Central Plains; the State of Qi valued the Yue people Meng and thus became strong and renowned. Did those countries really let gossip and flattery dictate their policies? They kept their ears open and listened to everyone, which is why their names are immortalized in history. Therefore, it is said that if a king and his people are united, even outsiders can be friends. But if they're divided, even family will be cast aside, as seen in the examples of Zhu, Xiang, Guan, and Cai.
Now, if monarchs can emulate the approach to employing people of Qi and Qin, no longer trusting slander like those of Song and Lu, then the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period would be easily surpassed, and it would be easy to exceed the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Therefore, wise kings can recognize this clearly, abandon selfish thoughts, and not feel uneasy because of the talents of Tian Chang; they will reward the descendants of Bi Gan and restore the tombs of those who died in childbirth, so that their achievements can spread throughout the world. Why? Because they pursue the relentless pursuit of virtue! Duke Wen of Jin employed his enemies and eventually became the overlord of the vassals; Duke Huan of Qi employed his enemies and ultimately brought order to the world. Why? Because they are kind and benevolent, treating people sincerely, which cannot be replaced by mere rhetoric.
The state of Qin weakened the states of Han and Wei with the laws of Shang Yang, had a powerful army, was invincible, but still ended up being dismembered; the state of Yue defeated the powerful state of Wu with the strategies of Daifu Zhong, dominated the Central Plains, but was also killed in the end. So Sun Shu'ao did not regret resigning as prime minister three times, and Ling Zi Zhong resigned as Grand Preceptor to grow vegetables. Now, if monarchs can shed their arrogance and ruthlessness, have the willingness to repay others, open their hearts, show their true feelings, demonstrate sincerity, practice generosity, and ultimately share their fortunes and misfortunes with their subjects, not favoring any ministers, then even Jie's dog can make Yao afraid, and Zhi's friend can assassinate Confucius; let alone having the power of a king with ten thousand chariots, with the talent of a sage-king? The fates of Jing Ke, who stabbed the king of Qin and implicated seven generations, or Li, who stabbed the king of Wu and burned his wife, then, pale in comparison.
I have heard that if you secretly give away the Mingyue Pearl and Yeguang Bi to someone, they will definitely pull a knife on you. That's because you acted without building trust first! The foundation of a mighty tree, with its intricate roots, is what makes it strong and enduring. That's because someone has already laid the groundwork for it. Therefore, acting rashly without first establishing a good relationship, even if you bring out the Suihou Pearl and Yeguang Bi, will only invite resentment and not show your benefits. So, someone communicates first; even the most insignificant person can still establish merit and not be forgotten.
Nowadays, the common people, even if they are poor, possess the governance wisdom of Yao and Shun, the eloquence of Yi Yin and Guan Zhong, and the loyalty of Long Feng and Bi Gan, wanting to be loyal to the current king. However, they do not have a foundation. Even if they try their best to express loyalty and assist the king in governing the country, the king will definitely pull a knife on them, making it impossible for the common people to have the opportunity like a dead tree stump.
Therefore, a wise king who governs the world and controls the people should only listen to the principles of cultivation and refinement and not be constrained by petty gossip and dissent, nor swayed by numerous opinions. So, Qin Shihuang believed the words of his son Meng Jia and the advice of Jing Ke, and was assassinated; King Wen of Zhou went hunting at the Jing River and Wei River and returned with Lv Shang, eventually achieving his royal business. Thus, the Qin state trusted those around them and faced destruction, while the Zhou state appointed Lv Shang and became king. Why is that? Because they were able to transcend those who were stuck in the details, abandon the discussions from outside, and see the clear way forward!
Now kings are easily influenced by sycophants, swayed by the words and actions of palace concubines, reducing those unrestrained wise men to the status of ordinary people. This explains why Bao Jiao is disillusioned with the world and does not yearn for wealth and status!
I heard that those who wear gorgeous clothes to pay court to the emperor will not compromise their principles for profit; those who strive to cultivate their reputation will not undermine their conduct for personal desires. Therefore, the county named "Shengmu" was not entered by Zengzi; the city named "Chaoge" was turned away by Mozi. You seek to intimidate ambitious men with your power and prestige, so they turn around and engage in actions that harm their own integrity to please those flatterers and curry favor with the powerful. Men of principle and learning simply hide in the mountains and wilds; where will there be loyal subjects to come and see you?
This memorial reached King Xiaowen of Liang, and he let Zou Yang go, welcoming him as an honored guest in the end.
Sima Qian said: While Lu Zhonglian's views might have been unorthodox, I greatly admire him for being able to pursue his ambitions freely in the position of common people, not bowing to princes, daring to speak out and criticize at that time, and even being able to refute those high-ranking officials and nobles. In his account of Zou Yang in "The Family of King Xiaowen," although his writings might seem impertinent, what he expresses through analogies indeed kindles indignation and can be said to reflect uncompromising integrity. Thus, I included him in the biographies. Sima Qian's admiration for Zou Yang's courage and integrity is evident in his acknowledgment of the challenges he faced.
