Moreover, I have heard an old saying:
Be cautious and trembling in mind, growing more prudent day by day. If one upholds the right way with caution, the whole realm may be obtained.
How do we know this is true?
In ancient times, King Zhou of Shang ruled as Son of Heaven and commanded a million armored soldiers under heaven. His troops drank from the Qi River on the left and the Huan River on the right; their multitude nearly dried up the rivers. He rose to defy King Wu of Zhou.
Yet King Wu led merely three thousand simply armored warriors. In a single day of battle, he overthrew King Zhou’s state, captured his person, seized his land and ruled his people – and no one under heaven pitied King Zhou.
Zhi Bo once led the troops of three allied states to besiege Lord Zhao Xiang at Jinyang. He diverted rivers to flood the city for three months, and the stronghold was on the verge of falling. Lord Zhao Xiang consulted divination by tortoise shell and milfoil, examining omens to judge gains and losses, wondering which state he should surrender to.
He then sent his minister Zhang Mengtan to slip secretly out of the city. Zhang Mengtan broke Zhi Bo’s alliance, won over the other two states, and turned their armies against Zhi Bo. Finally Zhi Bo was captured and killed, and Lord Zhao Xiang restored his original domain.
Today Qin’s territory, measured by adjusting irregular borders, stretches several thousand li, with elite troops numbering hundreds of thousands. No state under heaven can match Qin in its decrees, reward and punishment system, or advantageous terrain. With such strength to contend with all realms, the whole world can be annexed and possessed.
Risking death, I earnestly wish to have an audience with Your Majesty, to explain the strategy to break the Vertical Alliance of the eastern states, conquer Zhao, destroy Han, make Chu and Wei submit, befriend Qi and Yan, establish the fame of a hegemon, and bring all neighboring feudal lords to pay homage.
If Your Majesty truly accepts my counsel, yet in one campaign the Vertical Alliance remains unbroken, Zhao unconquered, Han undestroyed, Chu and Wei unsubmissive, Qi and Yan unallied, hegemonic fame unattained, and neighboring lords unwilling to come to court – then Your Majesty may have me executed and displayed to the realm, as a warning to those who serve the king with disloyal schemes.
Note
This passage employs three classic historical lessons:
The tyrant with great force falls; the righteous small army prevails; the arrogant strong foe is undone by strategy and diplomacy.
Han Fei concludes that Qin already has unmatched geographical, military, and institutional advantages, and only needs a precise strategy to end the Vertical Alliance and complete unification. His death oath embodies the loyal spirit of ancient political advisors.
King Zhou of Shang
The last tyrant king of the Shang Dynasty. He possessed enormous military strength but indulged in arrogance and tyranny, losing popular support and eventually being defeated by King Wu.
King Wu of Zhou
Founder of the Zhou Dynasty. With a small but disciplined and righteous army, he overthrew the corrupt Shang regime, representing the triumph of justice over brute force.
Zhi Bo
A powerful aristocrat of the Spring and Autumn Period. Arrogant and overconfident in military strength, he besieged Zhao but was outwitted by diplomatic intrigue and finally defeated and killed.
Lord Zhao Xiang
Ruler of the Zhao clan. When trapped in Jinyang, he remained calm, used divination for psychological guidance, and sent envoys to disintegrate the enemy alliance, saving his state from ruin.
Zhang Mengtan
Loyal and resourceful minister of Zhao. He undertook secret diplomatic missions to split the coalition against Zhao, turning the tide of the crisis.
Han Fei
Leading Legalist thinker. He uses historical precedents to prove that strength alone cannot guarantee victory; prudent governance and wise strategy are decisive. He volunteers his political strategy to the King of Qin at the risk of death.
*Be trembling and prudent day by day*
Ancient Chinese political maxim, reflects the traditional political wisdom that rulers must stay humble and vigilant, never relying solely on military power.
Royal Divination Culture
Rulers in ancient times used tortoise shell and milfoil divination to predict fortune and crisis when facing life-or-death national situations, as a spiritual and decision-making reference.
Hegemony and Unification Ideology
Warring States politicians aimed to break alliances, annex rival states, establish hegemony, and eventually unify the whole realm.
Minister’s Loyalty Pledge
It was a traditional political custom for upright ministers to stake their life on the validity of their strategies; if the plan failed, they accepted execution to prove sincerity and loyalty.
且臣闻之曰：“战战栗栗，日慎一日，苟慎其道，天下可有。”何以知其然也？昔者纣为天子，将率天下甲兵百万，左饮于淇溪，右饮于洹溪，淇水竭而洹水不流，以与周武王为难。武王将素甲三千，战一日，而破纣之国，禽其身，据其地而有其民，天下莫伤。知伯率三国之众以攻赵襄主于晋阳，决水而灌之三月，城且拔矣，襄主钻龟筮占兆，以视利害，何国可降。乃使其臣张孟谈。于是乃潜行而出，反知伯之约，得两国之众，以攻知伯，禽其身，以复襄主之初。今秦地折长补短，方数千里，名师数十百万。秦国之号令赏罚，地形利害，天下莫如也。此与天下，可兼而有也。臣昧死愿望见大王，言所以破天下之从，举赵，亡韩，臣荆、魏，亲齐、燕，以成霸王之名，朝四邻诸侯之道。大王诚听其说，一举而天下之从不破，赵不举，韩不亡，荆、魏不臣，齐、燕不亲，霸王之名不成，四邻诸侯不朝，大王斩臣以徇国，以为王谋不忠者戒也。
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