Han Fei advises Qin: use diplomacy to win Chu/Wei, ally with Han, strike Zhao. War is risky; reckless moves isolate Qin and court disaster.
Han Fei blames Qin’s ministers for three blunders: sparing collapsing Zhao, failing to take Handan, wasting strength. Now Qin is weak, rivals unite.
The collapse of Yuan Shao’s once-mighty coalition – ruler of four northern provinces and commander of over 100,000 troops – was not sealed by his defeat at the Battle of Guandu alone, but by the self-destructive infighting among his sons after his death.