Now I offer my humble strategy: send envoys to the State of Chu, lavish generous gifts on its influential ministers, and clarify how Zhao has deceived Qin. Exchange hostages with Wei to calm its intentions, then align with Han to campaign against Zhao. Even if Zhao unites with Qi, it will pose no grave threat.
Once these two states are subdued, Han can be settled merely by a formal letter. With one single maneuver, Qin will place Zhao and Qi on the verge of ruin, and Chu and Wei will surely submit of their own accord.
Hence the saying:
Weapons are ominous tools, and they must be used with extreme caution.
Qin stands opposed to Zhao, while Qi already leans toward the Vertical Alliance. If Qin further alienates Han without securing the loyalty of Chu and Wei, a single unsuccessful battle will stir up endless disasters.
Strategic planning determines the outcome of major affairs and must be examined with the utmost care. The balance of power between Han and Qin will be decided within this year. Moreover, Zhao has long plotted secretly with the other feudal lords against Qin.
A hasty military move that weakens Qin in the eyes of all lords is perilous. A flawed strategy that makes other states harbor schemes against Qin is extremely dangerous. Committing two major strategic oversights is no way to maintain supremacy among the feudal lords.
I sincerely beg Your Majesty to deliberate thoroughly. If you launch reckless campaigns and give the Vertical Alliance states room to scheme and divide, there will be no way to remedy the regret afterward.
Note
The core motto “Weapons are ominous tools” runs through the passage. It conveys that military force should only be used after full diplomatic preparation and thorough planning; reckless warfare will break alliances, isolate Qin, and bring irreversible disaster.
Qin, Zhao, Han, Wei, Chu, Qi
The six major feudal states of the late Warring States Period. Zhao was the core leader of the Vertical Alliance against Qin; Han was a weak neighboring state; Chu and Wei were key middle powers whose stance could decide the overall balance.
Influential Ministers of Chu
Powerful court officials who controlled Chu’s foreign policy, such as Jin Shang & Gongzi Lan. Bribing them was a common diplomatic tactic in ancient interstate politics to sway a state’s attitude.
These corrupt Chu officials took bribes from Zhang Yi, prime minister of Qin and slandered Qu Yuan who warns against Qin. Qu Yuan was then exiled and drowned himself when Chu’s capital fell.
Han Fei
Legalist strategist. He advocates diplomatic appeasement first, targeted military strike second, opposes blind warfare, and stresses careful overall strategic layout.
Hostage Diplomacy
Exchanging royal hostages between states was a common practice in the Warring States Period to guarantee trust and stabilize alliances.
“Weapons are ominous tools”
Ancient Chinese military and political wisdom: War is dangerous and costly, never to be launched on impulse; every military action must follow careful calculation and overall layout.
For example, Laozi once claimed: Weapons are objects of ill omen, reviled by the people. Thus, followers of the Dao abstain from employing them.
Vertical Alliance Strategy
The eastern states united to contain Qin. Han Fei’s plan aimed to split the alliance by bribing, stabilizing, and allying with different states one by one, avoiding fighting all rivals at once.
Strategic Prudence in Statecraft
Legalism emphasizes that national rise and fall depend on precise strategy. Two consecutive strategic blunders would expose weakness and invite surrounding states to plot aggression.
今賤臣之愚計：使人使荊，重弊用事之臣，明趙之所以欺秦者；與魏質以安其心，從韓而伐趙，趙雖與齊為一，不足患也。二國事畢，則韓可以移書定也。是我一舉，二國有亡形，則荊、魏又必自服矣。故曰：「兵者，凶器也，」不可不審用也。以秦與趙敵，衡加以齊，今又背韓，而未有以堅荊、魏之心。夫一戰而不勝，則禍搆矣。計者、所以定事也，不可不察也。韓、秦強弱在今年耳。且趙與諸侯陰謀久矣。夫一動而弱於諸侯，危事也；為計而使諸侯有意我之心，至殆也；見二疏，非所以強於諸侯也。臣竊願陛下之幸熟圖之。夫攻伐而使從者閒焉，不可悔也。
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