The state of Qin urged Zhao to attack Wei, whereupon Wei dispatched an envoy to the King of Zhao, saying: "Wei is a state of but a hundred chariots, Zhao possesses a thousand, while Qin stands as a mighty power of ten thousand. Now Qin commands Zhao to strike Wei—this is a scheme to weaken Zhao, not merely to humble Wei alone. Should Zhao attack Wei, Wei would surely offer its cities in service to Qin; what benefit could Zhao gain thereby? Moreover, Zhao and Wei are as lips and teeth—when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold. If Zhao now fails to rescue Wei, Wei shall be devoured by Qin, and then peril shall befall Zhao itself. I pray Your Majesty to ponder this matter with great care." The King of Zhao replied, "Well spoken." Thereupon he declined the envoy of Qin and refrained from attacking Wei.
💡 商战启示录
The essence of this strategy lies in discerning the strong party's scheme of "borrowing a knife to kill," while underscoring the interdependence among allies, as lips and teeth depend on each other for warmth. In modern commerce, enterprises frequently encounter analogous games—for instance, an industry leader may incite another firm to attack a third party, secretly aiming to weaken both and reap the spoils as a fisherman does. A sagacious decision-maker should perceive the adversary's deeper intentions and avoid becoming a pawn in another's strategic chessboard. Meanwhile, players along the industrial chain or within an ecosystem are often bound by mutual reliance, such as chip manufacturers and terminal device makers; if one is maliciously suppressed, the other cannot thrive in isolation. Companies like Huawei and Xiaomi have faced similar provocations, yet through rational judgment and ecosystem collaboration, they have safeguarded their shared interests. This strategy reminds enterprises that amid competition and cooperation, they must always proceed from the perspective of overall benefit, guard against transient temptations, and fortify alliances to withstand external risks.