The King of Chu said to Chen Zhen, "I wish to draw closer to Han and Wei, and then attack Qin—what do you think of this plan?" Chen Zhen replied, "If Your Majesty wishes to attack Qin, you must first secure the support of Han and Wei. Yet the rulers of Han and Wei are by no means foolish; they will not lightly abandon their own states to cling to Qin. Now Your Majesty desires to befriend Han and Wei, but their rulers fear that you might collude with Qin to deceive them. If Your Majesty proceeds against Qin without heeding these concerns, I privately deem this strategy misguided. In former times, the Earl of Zhi, wishing to attack the state of Chouyu, first presented them with a great bell, conveyed upon a massive carriage, while secretly following with his army—and Chouyu was ultimately destroyed precisely because they were caught unawares. Now Your Majesty seeks to attack Qin, yet Qin is bound to Han and Wei as intimately as one body. If Your Majesty wishes to gain the allegiance of Han and Wei, but first displays sincerity toward them, then Han and Wei will surely incline toward Chu, and Qin will surely be enraged. Once Qin is enraged, Han and Wei will take fright; and in their fear, they will unite with Qin to oppose Chu. This is what I mean by 'peril.' Better that Your Majesty seize the occasion to treat Han and Wei with generosity, cement your bond with them, and then slowly devise against Qin at leisure—this is the strategy of absolute safety."
💡 商战启示录
Chen Zhen's counsel reveals the core wisdom of "alliance and timing" in commercial competition. He warned the King of Chu against hasty success, for Han and Wei vacillated between Qin and Chu—if wooed too eagerly, they might instead be driven into alliance with the stronger foe. This mirrors modern business: when enterprises vie for partners, revealing intentions too early or exerting undue pressure may frighten the other party away, even pushing them into the arms of competitors. For instance, during the fierce subsidy war between Didi and Uber China in 2016, Didi did not directly force its rival to retreat; rather, through capital maneuvers and strategic cooperation, it gradually consolidated resources and ultimately achieved a merger, averting a lose-lose outcome. Chen Zhen's emphasis on "strengthen Han and Wei to cement their loyalty, then slowly contend with Qin" corresponds to the business strategy of first building mutual trust and consolidating relationships, then gradually eroding market share or weakening competitors. When Huawei expanded into overseas markets, it often first engaged in deep cooperation with local operators, offering customized services to establish long-term trust, rather than rushing to seize market share—thereby circumventing trade barriers and local resistance. This circuitous strategy of "ally first, scheme later" proves more robust than direct confrontation, lowering risk and enabling sustainable growth. True masters of commercial warfare understand that in complex games, patience and sincerity secure strategic depth, whereas momentary impulses achieve nothing.