Gong Zhong bore a grudge against Gan Mao due to the battle of Yiyang. Later, when Qin returned Yiyang to Han, Gong Zhong still harbored resentment toward Gan Mao and sought to oust him. Gan Mao said, "Gong Zhong resents me over the affair of Yiyang. Now that the King of Qin has restored Yiyang to Han, Gong Zhong will surely be pleased, and being pleased, he will no longer hold a grudge against me. Moreover, what Gong Zhong desires is precisely Yiyang, and now that he has obtained it, he will certainly feel gratitude toward me." Before long, King Wu of Qin passed away, and King Zhao of Qin ascended the throne. Gan Mao prepared to leave Qin and journey to Qi. When Gong Zhong learned of this, he unexpectedly sent generous gifts to Gan Mao and petitioned on his behalf to the court of Qi, whereupon the King of Qi appointed Gan Mao as Senior Minister.
💡 商战启示录
Gan Mao's wisdom lay in his profound insight into how shifting interests fundamentally shape human relationships. Gong Zhong's enmity stemmed from damaged interests—the loss of Yiyang—rather than personal grievance, and thus when those interests were restored, the hostility naturally dissolved. This offers a lesson for modern business: conflicts between competitors or partners often arise from the distribution of interests rather than emotional antagonism. Business leaders should, like Gan Mao, refrain from clinging to short-term enmity and instead foresee how the situation will reverse once the other party's core demands are met. For instance, in the internet industry, two companies once clashed over patent litigation, yet when one side obtained the technology it needed through cross-licensing, the two swiftly shifted from confrontation to collaboration, even jointly exploring new markets. On a deeper level, Gan Mao's strategy went beyond merely dissolving hostility—he actively transformed enmity into future alliance, as Gong Zhong later became instrumental in Gan Mao's entry into the state of Qi. Modern enterprise managers should learn to discern latent opportunities for cooperation within conflict, eliminating animosity by satisfying the other party's fundamental interests, and even converting former adversaries into resources for their own growth. This foresight grounded in strategic interest calculation holds far greater commercial value than emotionally driven confrontation—especially in merger negotiations, supply chain disputes, or cross-industry collaboration, where it can turn swords into plowshares and achieve win-win outcomes.