The King of Chu intended to release Zhang Yi back to Qin, yet he feared that once Zhang Yi returned, he might undermine Chu's interests and cause the kingdom to lose Qin's support. Thus, he hesitated in deliberation. Chen Zhen said to the King of Chu, "Why does Your Majesty not allow me to secretly forge ties with Qin? I beg to undertake a mission to Qin on Your Majesty's behalf, and I shall surely win the trust of the King of Qin. I plan to make my request through Zhang Yi, and I hope Your Majesty will follow my arrangement." The King of Chu said, "Very well." Chen Zhen added, "Then I pray Your Majesty first release Zhang Yi, and afterward I shall set forth." The King of Chu thereupon released Zhang Yi.
When Zhang Yi arrived in Qin, the King of Qin was greatly pleased, and at that moment Chen Zhen also arrived. The King of Qin asked him, "Now that you have left Chu and returned to Qin, is there anything you wish to instruct me in?" Chen Zhen replied, "I have heard that those whom a ruler cherishes are his ministers, and those who are loyal to a ruler are likewise his ministers. Now that I have departed from Chu, if Your Majesty does not regard me as a minister, I privately fear that Your Majesty may cast me aside. Moreover, I have heard of the King of Chu's design: he intends to employ Zhang Yi in the service of Qin, but Your Majesty is not yet aware of this. Now that Your Majesty has released Zhang Yi, the King of Chu will surely keep Zhang Yi as a hostage in Qin, while secretly allying with Qin to oppose Qi. Qi, in fear, will inevitably seek peace with Chu, but Chu will certainly refuse; thus the bond between Qi and Chu will be severed, and Qin shall reap the benefit therefrom. Your Majesty would do better to rely upon me: let the King of Chu release Zhang Yi, and allow me to return to Chu, so that I may observe the shifting circumstances there. If the King of Chu does not release Zhang Yi, then I shall beg to remain in Qin and serve Your Majesty; if he does release him, then Chu will surely trust me, and I shall be able to return to Chu, thereby secretly forging ties with that kingdom, and Your Majesty may then pursue your designs accordingly."
The King of Qin said, "Very well." He thereupon detained Zhang Yi and sent Chen Zhen back. When Chen Zhen returned to Chu, the King of Chu indeed released Zhang Yi, and in the end Chen Zhen served the King of Chu, employing his efforts to strengthen the bond between Qi and Chu, so that Qin was never able to do harm to Chu.
💡 商战启示录
Chen Zhen's strategy stands as a classic example of the ancient art of the "double agent" and the strategic deployment of information asymmetry. In the modern arena of commercial warfare, its core wisdom lies in "advancing by retreating, and leveraging circumstances to set the board." When Chen Zhen volunteered to journey to Qin, his intent was not genuine loyalty to that state, but rather to shroud himself in a fog of misinformation, leading the King of Qin to believe he could be used to check Chu—thereby securing his own passage back to Chu. This mirrors the business negotiation tactic wherein a company deliberately signals a potential shift to a rival supplier, compelling the other party to concede, or channels ambiguous market intelligence through third parties to unsettle a competitor's decision-making. For instance, a tech firm, during talks with a supplier, might privately hint that another vendor has offered a lower quote—even without any actual contact—thereby forcing the original supplier to cut prices. This is Chen Zhen-esque bluff and bluster. On a deeper level, Chen Zhen understood the virtue of "leaving room for maneuver": he offered the King of Qin the option to "observe Chu's shifting stance," while simultaneously reinforcing the Qi-Chu alliance for the King of Chu, rendering himself an indispensable linchpin among multiple parties. Modern corporate leaders, too, should cultivate this mindset of "multilateral gaming"—in environments where cooperation and competition coexist, they ought not to stake everything on a single side, but rather weave intersecting networks of information and interest to position themselves at the pivotal hub. Yet caution is warranted: this strategy hinges on profound trust and precise judgment. Should information leak or the other party see through the ruse, the backlash can be severe. Therefore, its execution demands, as Chen Zhen demonstrated, that every step preserve a path of retreat, ensuring one can "strike when advancing and hold firm when falling back," thereby seizing the initiative throughout the dynamic contest.