The state of Qin attacked Zhao, and the King of Zhao appointed Zhao She as general to go to its rescue. After Zhao She's army had completed its encampment and fortifications, the Qin forces, learning of this, came in full strength. A soldier named Xu Li requested to offer military advice, and Zhao She said, "Let him in." Xu Li said, "The Qin army did not expect Zhao troops to arrive here, and their onslaught is fierce. You, General, must concentrate your forces and hold the line with utmost vigilance. Otherwise, defeat is certain." Zhao She replied, "I accept your counsel." Xu Li said, "Then let me submit to the penalty of the axe (for, under military law, speaking without permission merits death)." Zhao She said, "Wait until we return to Handan for the disposition of this matter." Xu Li then made another request to speak, saying, "Whoever seizes the northern hill first will prevail; whoever arrives late will fail." Zhao She agreed and immediately dispatched ten thousand troops to occupy the northern hill. The Qin army arrived afterward and, unable to take the hill in the ensuing struggle, was attacked by Zhao She's forces, who dealt them a great defeat. The Qin troops routed and fled, thus lifting the siege of Yuyu, and the Zhao army returned in triumph.
💡 商战启示录
Zhao She countered a formidable enemy with "massed formation," underscoring the paramount importance of resource concentration and strategic focus. In modern commercial warfare, when emerging competitors or industry giants suddenly enter the market, the common mistake enterprises make is dispersing resources across multiple fronts, leaving themselves constrained on every side. By contrast, successful companies—such as Huawei in its early days facing Cisco's pressure—did not launch an all-out counterattack but instead concentrated R&D strength on breaking through core telecommunications equipment, establishing local superiority through the "principle of concentrated pressure" before ultimately overtaking the rival. Xu Li's counsel to "seize the northern high ground first" reveals the wisdom of preemptive action and occupying critical nodes. In business, key resources, core technologies, or pivotal channel nodes often determine victory or defeat. For instance, when the short-video trend first emerged, ByteDance swiftly marshaled its algorithmic and traffic resources to launch Douyin ahead of others, whereas Tencent, though eventually responding with Weishi, found it impossible to shake Douyin's position once the first-mover advantage was lost. Zhao She's acceptance of Xu Li's advice also demonstrates that leaders should be adept at absorbing frontline intelligence and grassroots wisdom rather than making decisions in isolation. In the internet industry, many blockbuster products have arisen precisely from product managers' rapid responsiveness to user feedback. Finally, Zhao She enforced strict military discipline before battle yet handled Xu Li's "overstepping" suggestion with flexibility—embodying the balance between rules and adaptability. In corporate management, enterprises must establish standardized processes while also reserving room for innovation and urgent decision-making, so as to navigate sudden market upheavals.