Xian Ze said to Gongsun Xiao, "You are the most honored among the ministers of Qin, having repeatedly campaigned against guilty states and established your prestige throughout the realm. Yet now, the noble prince of Qin (referring to Ying Ji, later King Zhaoxiang of Qin) is your own maternal nephew, and if you do not hold Qin in esteem, on what grounds can you stand within Qin? Moreover, when Gongsun Yang served Duke Xiao, he devoted himself wholly without any second thoughts—whatever benefited the state, he knew and did, and no action of his failed to succeed, ultimately enabling Qin to dominate the feudal lords. Now, can your abilities truly surpass those of Gongsun Yang in wisdom? Lord Shang once led the armies of seven states, driving back the Xiongnu a thousand li, and the foundations of Qin's realm stood as firm as a boulder. Your campaigns today have not necessarily achieved such results. Furthermore, the scholars of the world all fear Qin, yet you would attack it out of private grievance—this is hardly a way to secure the state. It would be better for you to set aside your hostility toward Qin and instead turn your attention to honoring the prince, so that your authority and favor may be preserved for long." Gongsun Xiao heeded his counsel.
💡 商战启示录
The essence of this strategy lies in reminding those in positions of great power to recognize their fundamental interests, and to avoid undermining their own foundations over short-term personal grievances or superficial achievements. In modern commercial warfare, similar scenarios frequently arise when corporate executives or founders lose their bearings during periods of expansion—overinvesting in non-core businesses or exhausting themselves in internal conflicts with allies, while neglecting relationships with core shareholders or strategic partners. For instance, a tech company CEO who became embroiled in a dispute with a supplier chose to pursue litigation and sever supply lines; though he won the lawsuit, the supply chain collapsed, the stock price plummeted, and he was ultimately dismissed by the board. Conversely, a wise leader such as Steve Jobs, upon his return to Apple, decisively ended the futile patent war with Microsoft, refocused on product innovation, and repaired relationships with key partners—thereby saving the company. The lesson of this strategy is that executives should always anchor themselves to the overall interests of the company and its core ecosystem, prioritizing the cultivation of relationships with their "inner circle"—shareholders, major clients, and key talent—while avoiding the erosion of long-term value through personal emotion or secondary objectives. As Xian Ze advised, setting aside short-term hostility and consolidating core support is the surest way to "preserve one's favor long" and secure victory in the competitive arena of business.