When Qin attacked Yiyang in the state of Han, the ruler of Eastern Zhou said to Zhao Lei, "What do you think of this matter?" Zhao Lei replied, "Yiyang will surely fall." The ruler of Eastern Zhou said, "Yiyang's walls encircle eight li, it holds a hundred thousand elite troops, and its grain can sustain it for several years. Han's Prime Minister Gongzhong commands two hundred thousand soldiers, and the great general of Chu, Jing Cui, also leads Chu forces, advancing near the mountains to rescue Han. Qin will certainly not succeed." Zhao Lei said, "Gan Mao is a guest minister residing in Qin. If he captures Yiyang, he will become a great minister like the Duke of Zhou; if he fails, he will lose his standing in Qin. The King of Qin, disregarding the opposition of his ministers and elders, has resolved to attack Yiyang; if it does not fall, the King will feel shame. Therefore, I say Yiyang will surely be taken." The ruler of Eastern Zhou said, "Devise a plan for me—what should I do?" Zhao Lei said, "You may say to Jing Cui: 'You hold the noble rank of Zhigui and the office of Zhuguo. If you win this battle, there will be no additional reward; if you lose, you will be executed. It would be better to turn away from Qin and aid Yiyang instead. When you send forth your troops, Qin, fearing that you will strike while it is weary, will surely offer treasures to appease you; and Gongzhong of Han, admiring you for acting on Han's behalf to exploit Qin's peril, will also present all his treasures.'" After Qin captured Yiyang, Jing Cui indeed sent out his troops. Qin, alarmed, hastily offered the city of Zhuzhao, and Han likewise presented precious treasures. Jing Cui gained cities from Qin and treasures from Han, and was deeply grateful to the ruler of Eastern Zhou.
💡 商战启示录
This strategy reveals the essence of "leveraging the situation" in commercial warfare. Zhao Lei's scheme for the ruler of Eastern Zhou—"watching from the other shore while the fires rage, reaping the spoils without lifting a finger"—is a recurring pattern in modern business competition. For instance, in the smartphone market, when Apple and Samsung were locked in patent litigation, competitors like Huawei refrained from direct intervention. Instead, they capitalized on the window of mutual attrition, intensifying R&D investment and launching differentiated products, ultimately carving out a commanding position in the premium segment. Similarly, in e-commerce, while Alibaba and JD.com fiercely contested for first- and second-tier city users, Pinduoduo targeted the lower-tier market, rising rapidly through social fission and avoiding head-on confrontation, yet achieving phenomenal success. The "fisherman's gain" in commercial warfare is not passive waiting; it demands precise assessment of the landscape, offering "counsel" to pivotal players at critical junctures to steer their actions, thereby creating favorable conditions for oneself. Zhao Lei's genius lies in his profound grasp of each party's core interests and fears—Qin dreaded exhaustion, Han feared annihilation, Chu coveted profit—enabling him to craft a multi-win scenario in which the weak Eastern Zhou emerged as the greatest beneficiary. Modern enterprises, too, should excel at analyzing the "pain points" of competitors and partners alike, seeking their unique value within the complex business ecosystem, and achieving leveraged growth through strategic alliances or informational advantages, rather than resorting to brute-force competition.