King Huai of Chu was about to let Zhang Yi return to the State of Qin, yet he harbored misgivings that Zhang Yi might, upon his return, devise schemes detrimental to Chu. He thus addressed his courtiers, saying, “Now that Zhang Yi has come, I intend to humiliate him, so as to display the might of our Chu.” The courtiers all voiced their assent. When Zhang Yi learned of this, he said to his retainers, “I have heard that the King of Chu wishes to humiliate me. I must devise a means to avert this.” Thereupon he went first to see the King and said, “I have heard that Your Majesty intends to humiliate me. I beg that Your Majesty allow me to die.” The King asked, “Why is this?” Zhang Yi replied, “I have heard that Your Majesty believes I have wronged Chu and therefore wishes to disgrace me. I beg to die to prove that I have not deceived Your Majesty.” The King said, “Do not do thus; I was merely jesting with you.” Zhang Yi responded, “I have heard that a loyal minister does not fear death, but rather uses it to perfect his sovereign’s renown. Now, if Your Majesty wishes to humiliate me, and I do not even fear death, what shame could I dread? Yet I have a plan that could rid Chu of all anxiety to the east, while Your Majesty reaps the benefits. I hope Your Majesty will deign to hear it.” The King asked, “What plan do you have?” Zhang Yi said, “If Your Majesty truly adopts my strategy, I can cause Han and Wei to offer their territories, Qi and Zhao to present tribute, and Yan and Dai to come to court—thus Chu may attain hegemony.” The King said, “Excellent. I shall appoint you as Chancellor of Chu.” Zhang Yi replied, “I dare not accept such honor; allow me to return to Qin and serve as Chancellor there.” The King of Chu then bestowed upon him lavish gifts and sent him back to Qin.
💡 商战启示录
When Zhang Yi faced the hostility and the scheme to humiliate him devised by the King of Chu, he did not meet the conflict head-on or offer direct self-justification. Instead, he first retreated in order to advance—voluntarily offering his own life—thereby defusing the other party's aggressive intent. He then presented an even greater lure of benefit (the grand blueprint of hegemony), transforming crisis into opportunity. This reveals a core strategy in business negotiation: when the counterparty harbors hostility or holds preconceived positions, direct rebuttal often intensifies the conflict. By first acknowledging or accommodating the other party's emotions—such as admitting fault or displaying vulnerability—and then shifting the focus to shared interests or a larger vision, one can effectively dissolve confrontation. In modern business, for instance, during merger and acquisition negotiations, when the other side resists cooperation due to historical grievances or market conflicts, an experienced CEO will first acknowledge possible misunderstandings on their own part ("We understand your concerns"), and then propose post-integration market synergies or technology sharing, redirecting the conversation from "who was right or wrong in the past" to "how we can achieve mutual success in the future." Similarly, in the patent litigation between Apple and Samsung, although the two parties clashed fiercely in court, Apple nonetheless emphasized the value of supply-chain cooperation in private negotiations, avoiding a complete rupture. Zhang Yi's wisdom lies in not clinging to the immediate outcome of victory or defeat, but in using a higher-dimensional interest to redefine the relationship. The lesson for modern business is this: when faced with hostility, the most brilliant response is neither defense nor counterattack, but rather redefining the agenda—offering a larger "pie" that the other party cannot refuse, ultimately achieving win-win results or securing a position of dominance.