The King of Wei intended to attack the state of Han, but his minister Hua Jun admonished him, saying: "Han is a close ally of Wei. If Your Majesty now attacks it, this would sever our bonds of kinship and friendship. Moreover, the strength of Han is sufficient to resist Qin; by attacking Han, Your Majesty would only be aiding Qin. I have heard it said that when the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold. If Han should perish, Wei will surely suffer calamity in its wake. I beg Your Majesty to consider this matter carefully." The King of Wei paid no heed, and forthwith dispatched troops to attack Han. Han appealed to Qin for aid, and Qin sent its army to rescue Han, whereupon the Wei forces suffered a great defeat. The King of Wei, filled with regret, summoned Hua Jun and offered his apologies, saying: "It was because I did not follow your counsel that I have come to this pass. What is to be done now?" Hua Jun replied: "I have heard it said that one who cannot endure small vexations will bring ruin upon great designs. Now, if Your Majesty wishes to avenge the grievance against Qin, the better course would be to lavish Qin with generous gifts and forge a bond of friendship with Han. Should Han draw close to Wei, then Qin would not dare to treat Wei lightly." The King of Wei heeded this advice, and thereupon made peace with Han, and Qin dared not wage war against Wei again.
💡 商战启示录
This strategy reveals the core of "niche thinking" in commercial warfare: short-sighted competition often creates opportunities for a common enemy, while the construction of strategic alliances is the path to enduring success. When the King of Wei attacked Han, it mirrored enterprises suppressing rivals for market share while overlooking more formidable external threats—such as disruptive technologies or monopolistic giants—resulting in mutual exhaustion and allowing a third party to reap the spoils. A modern parallel: early video platforms engaged in chaotic battles, burning capital to poach talent, only to let Netflix rise on the strength of streaming technology. Conversely, Alibaba and Tencent compete fiercely in payments, yet form tacit alliances when confronting external regulation or making joint investments. Hua Jun's counsel to "generously appease Qin while allying with Han" corresponds to the business concept of "co-opetition"—collaborating with competitors on critical resources to collectively withstand industry risks. For instance, Apple and Samsung are rivals in the smartphone market, yet maintain chip supply partnerships to avoid being strangled by other suppliers. The King of Wei's eventual remorse demonstrates that leaders must possess "systems thinking," discerning the interdependencies within the chain of interests rather than indulging in fleeting triumphs. In commercial warfare, the greatest threats often arise beyond industry boundaries; hence, enterprises should prioritize building "moat alliances" over destructive infighting. The modern lesson of this strategy: periodically assess the "invisible enemies" within the competitive landscape, and through strategic investment, technology sharing, or standard co-creation, transform potential adversaries into allies—only then can enduring prosperity be secured.