The state of Chu attacked Yongshi in Han, and Han sought aid from Qin. Qin did not dispatch troops immediately but sent Gongsun Mei to Han. Gong Zhongchi asked, "Do you think Qin will rescue Han, or will it not?" Gongsun Mei replied, "The King of Qin said that troops would be sent from Nanzheng and Lantian to attack Chu, while stationing forces in the Sanchuan region to await your arrival—surely not merely massing at the border." Gong Zhongchi said, "Then what should be done?" Gongsun Mei said, "Qin will certainly rescue Han. Allow me to convey your intentions to the King of Qin on your behalf. When the King of Qin hears of Han's peril, he will surely come to its aid. Nevertheless, Han is weak and Qin is strong, strong enough to withstand Chu—I hope you will plan swiftly. Now Qin intends first to make Han incur Chu's enmity, and only then rescue Han; this is Qin's scheme, and it does not benefit you. You would do better to have Han ally with Qi and Chu, for Qi and Chu will surely entrust their state affairs to you. What you detest is Zhang Yi; now the King of Qin has in fact already banished Zhang Yi and entrusted state affairs to you—this benefits you. Moreover, if Chu attacks Yongshi, Han will surely face ruin; if Han faces ruin and Qin does not rescue it, that is Qin profiting Chu. You would do better to ally eastward with Qi and southward with Chu, to ease Chu's assault, and then Qin will certainly come to rescue Han. If Qin rescues Han, then Chu will cease attacking Yongshi." Gong Zhongchi said, "Well said." Indeed, he sent envoys to ally with Qi and Chu, and Chu thereby slackened its assault on Yongshi.
💡 商战启示录
This strategy exemplifies the art of diplomatic maneuvering amidst multi-party contention, offering profound insights for modern commercial warfare. When an enterprise faces fierce attacks from competitors (as Chu besieged Yongshi) while potential allies (such as Qin) remain ambiguous in stance, seeking to reap benefits from the sidelines, one must not rely solely on external rescue. Instead, one should proactively adjust strategic positioning and introduce new variables (such as allying with Qi and Chu) to reshape the dynamics of the game. Gong Zhongxi, heeding Gong Sunmei's counsel, forced Qin into action by uniting with the adversary's opponents, thereby defusing the crisis. This parallels the business realm: when enterprises encounter price wars or market compression, rather than waiting for industry giants to intervene, they should proactively forge strategic alliances across the supply chain or with other competitors, creating interlocking interests to enhance their bargaining power. For instance, in the ride-hailing sector, smaller platforms facing subsidy wars waged by giants like Didi can bolster their competitiveness through cross-industry collaborations with automakers and map service providers, compelling the giants to take them seriously or even forcing negotiation. Concurrently, one must remain vigilant against allies' schemes of "provoking resentment before offering rescue," clarifying core interests in partnerships to avoid being reduced to a pawn. In sum, within complex commercial environments, one must deftly employ strategies of vertical and horizontal alliances, transforming passivity into initiative, to remain invincible.