King of Qi sent an envoy to pay respects to Queen Dowager Zhao. Before the royal letter was even opened, Queen Dowager Zhao asked the envoy, "How is the harvest in Qi this year? Are the people safe and well? And is the King of Qi in good health?" The envoy, displeased, replied, "I was sent by the King of Qi to pay respects to you. Yet now you ask not first of the King, but of the harvest and the people—is this not to place the lowly before the noble?" Queen Dowager Zhao said, "Not so. Without a good harvest, how could there be people? Without people, how could there be a sovereign? Thus, how could one ask questions that abandon the root for the branches?" She then further inquired, "There is a recluse in Qi named Zhongli Zi—is he well? This man feeds those who have grain and those who have none alike; clothes those who have garments and those who have none alike. He is helping the King of Qi nurture his people—why has he not yet been given office? And Ye Yangzi—is he well? This man pities widowers and widows, cares for orphans and the elderly, relieves the destitute, and supplements those in want. He is helping the King of Qi ensure the flourishing of his people—why has he not yet been appointed to a post? And the daughter of the Beigong family, Ying'er—is she well? She has set aside her ornaments, never married, and devoted her life to serving her parents. This is guiding the people toward filial piety—why has she not yet been summoned to court and honored? These two worthy men go unappointed, and this filial daughter unrewarded—how can the King of Qi govern his state and nurture his myriad people? And is Zizhong of Yuling still alive? This man, toward his sovereign above, shows no submission; toward his own household below, he brings no order; and in between, he seeks no friendship with the feudal lords. He is guiding the people toward uselessness—why has he not yet been executed?"
💡 商战启示录
Queen Zhao Wei's order of inquiry reveals a strategic mindset akin to modern business principles: "customers and employees before shareholders." She prioritized agricultural harvests (the product/market foundation) and the common people (customers/employees) over the King of Qi (management), emphasizing that if the foundation is unstable, the grand edifice will collapse. In the modern corporate world, Amazon's Jeff Bezos long championed "customer obsession," even at the expense of short-term profits, investing heavily in user experience and logistics infrastructure—ultimately achieving a trillion-dollar market valuation. This exemplifies the principle of "harvest first, people second, king third." Conversely, companies that cater exclusively to shareholders, neglecting product quality and employee welfare—such as those that have faced quality scandals due to excessive focus on short-term financial reports—ultimately damage brand reputation, and shareholder interests crumble in tandem. Queen Zhao Wei also emphasized "discerning and employing the worthy," inquiring whether Zhonglizi and Yeyangzi had been appointed and whether Ying'er had been enfeoffed, warning modern leaders to identify and elevate those who genuinely create long-term value, rather than merely judging by surface-level performance. She advocated for the removal of the useless or even harmful "Zizhong," which corresponds to the corporate imperative of decisively eliminating employees or business units that fail to create value or even undermine culture. In the arena of commerce, leaders must emulate Queen Zhao Wei: first solidify the foundation of customers and employees, then speak of profits and expansion, while establishing a clear framework for evaluating talent's value—only then can an enterprise achieve enduring success.