When Zhang Yi arrived in the State of Chu, he lived in poverty. His attendant, discontented, wished to leave. Zhang Yi said, "Surely it is because of my poverty that you wish to depart. In time to come, I shall surely repay you handsomely and procure a position for you." The attendant replied, "You are too poor—how could you procure a position?" Zhang Yi said, "Wait and see."
Zhang Yi then spoke to the King of Chu, saying, "Does Your Majesty have no needs from the State of Jin?" The King of Chu replied, "Gold, pearls, jade ornaments, rhinoceros horns, and ivory all come from Chu—I have no needs from Jin." Zhang Yi said, "Does Your Majesty not, perchance, delight in beauty?" The King of Chu asked, "What do you mean by that?" Zhang Yi said, "The women of the states of Zheng and Zhou, adorned with powder and rouge, standing at the crossroads of streets and lanes—anyone who sees them unawares would take them for celestial maidens descended to earth." The King of Chu said, "Chu is a remote and backward state, and I have never beheld such beauty among the women of the Central Plains. How could I not delight in it?" Thereupon, the King of Chu presented Zhang Yi with pearls and jade, commissioning him to seek out such beauties.
When Queen Nanhou and Zheng Xiu heard of this, they were greatly alarmed, and sent a messenger to Zhang Yi, saying, "We have heard that the General is bound for the State of Jin. Here we have prepared a thousand catties of gold, to be presented to those about you, for the fodder of your horses." Zheng Xiu likewise sent five hundred catties of gold.
Zhang Yi then took his leave of the King of Chu, saying, "The roads of the realm are not yet open, and I know not when I may again behold Your Majesty. I beg that Your Majesty grant me a farewell cup of wine." The King of Chu said, "Very well." A banquet was thus prepared. When Zhang Yi had drunk to the half point of intoxication, he bowed once more and made a request, saying, "There is no outsider here—I beg that Your Majesty summon those of your intimate circle to drink with us." The King of Chu said, "Very well." He then summoned Queen Nanhou and Zheng Xiu to offer wine.
Zhang Yi bowed again and confessed his fault, saying, "I have committed a crime worthy of death against Your Majesty." The King of Chu asked, "Why is that?" Zhang Yi said, "I have traveled throughout the realm and have never beheld such beauty as this. Yet I earlier spoke of seeking beauties for Your Majesty—that was my deception of Your Majesty." The King of Chu said, "Set your heart at ease, for I have always held that there are none in the world more beautiful than these two."
💡 商战启示录
Zhang Yi's strategy in the state of Chu stands as a classic exercise in the art of "information asymmetry." Keenly aware of the King of Chu's fondness for beauty, he dangled the allure of Zheng and Zhou maidens as bait, fabricating desire while subtly elevating his own standing. This maneuver compelled Queen Nan and Zheng Xiu to proactively offer bribes, ultimately turning peril into safety. This mirrors modern commercial warfare, where enterprises exploit information gaps and psychological expectations to sway rivals or clients. For instance, Apple often "leaks" unreleased product features or designs before launch, cultivating market suspense and anticipation, thereby securing immense attention and premium pricing at the official unveiling—a tactic akin to Zhang Yi's "phantom beauties." Another case is Tesla CEO Elon Musk's teasers of "major announcements" on Twitter, which trigger stock fluctuations; even when the eventual content proves underwhelming, it successfully captures attention and boosts brand momentum. Zhang Yi's brilliance lies not only in manufacturing demand but also in orchestrating a "two-way game"—promising the King while subtly threatening the harem—to maximize his gains. Modern enterprises similarly employ "triangular maneuvers," such as suppliers fostering competition between clients and rivals to secure better terms. Yet caution is warranted: overreliance on information manipulation can erode credibility. Zhang Yi ultimately ended with a "confession," and companies exposed for false claims face trust crises. Thus, strategy must be balanced with integrity.