Zeng Congzi was skilled at appraising swords. The Lord of Wei bore a grudge against the King of Wu. Zeng Congzi said: “The King of Wu is fond of swords. As an expert on swords, I ask to go and appraise weapons for him. When I draw a sword to show him, I will assassinate him on your behalf.”
The Lord of Wei replied: “You plan to do this not for righteousness, but for gain. Wu is strong and wealthy, while Wei is weak and poor. If you go there, I fear you will be won over by the King of Wu and turn against me.” He then drove Zeng Congzi away.
Note
One’s true purpose decides their conduct. Those who act merely for profit cannot be trusted. A wise leader sees through selfish intentions and guards against potential betrayal.
Late Warring States Legalist philosopher, using this story to analyze human motives. This text is excerpted from Han Feizi, Chapter: The Forest of Persuasions (Part I).
Zeng Congzi
A sword appraiser who proposed an assassination plot, driven by personal interest.
Lord of Wei
Ruler of the State of Wei, astute in judging others’ intentions.
King of Wu
Monarch of the powerful State of Wu, a rival of Wei.
Sword Appreciation
Sword collection and appraisal were popular among nobles in the Warring States period, and skilled appraisers were valued.
Assassination as a Political Means
Assassination was sometimes used by weak states to confront powerful rivals, yet it carried huge risks. For example, Crown Prince Dan of Yan sent Jing Ke to assassinate King Zheng of Qin, but the mission failed.
Judging by Motive
The core logic: distinguish between actions driven by morality and those driven by profit. Self-interested people often shift allegiance for benefits.
Strength Gap between States
The huge disparity in national power decided that mercenary people would tend to side with the stronger party.
曾從子，善相劍者也。衛君怨吳王，曾從子曰：「吳王好劍，臣相劍者也，臣請為吳王相劍，拔而示之，因為君刺之。」衛君曰：「子為之是也，非緣義也，為利也。吳強而富，衛弱而貧，子必往，吾恐子為吳王用之於我也。」乃逐之。
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