Zhou Zui said to Shi Li, "Why not seize this opportunity to attack Qin? Now the six states of Zhao, Qin, Qi, Chu, Wei, and Han have all united to oppose Qin together. Qin is certain to be ridiculed by the world. It would be better for your state to align with Qin and secretly send a messenger to request, saying: 'We are willing to place our state under Qin's care.' Qin will surely be delighted, and you will thus fulfill your ambitions in the world. If you do not do this, the six states will inevitably attack Qin, Qin will inevitably perish, and you will inevitably be endangered." Shi Li replied, "Well said." Thereupon he aligned his state with Qin, and Qin was indeed greatly pleased, allowing Shi Li to achieve his ambitions.
💡 商战启示录
Zhou Zui's strategy reveals the wisdom of "reverse alliance" in commercial competition. When an industry forms a coalition to collectively resist a dominant giant, rather than confronting it head-on, it is wiser to proactively cooperate with the giant and leverage its momentum to rise. Shi Li's choice to ally with the State of Qin, seemingly betraying the Six States, was in fact a rational decision based on self-interest—avoiding being dragged into war by the coalition while gaining Qin's support. In modern business, similar cases abound: when numerous enterprises jointly boycott a platform, a few choose to go against the tide, forging deep cooperation with that platform instead, thereby securing traffic advantages and resource support to achieve a leapfrog overtaking. For instance, during the e-commerce "either-or" controversy, some small and medium brands opted for exclusive presence on a leading platform; despite condemnation from the alliance, they received platform-granted traffic and subsidies, rapidly expanding their market share. The core of this strategy lies in identifying the true locus of power and flexibly adjusting one's approach, rather than blindly following the collective. However, it must be noted that this strategy demands foresight from decision-makers, weighing short-term risks against long-term gains, and ensuring sufficient bargaining power—otherwise, one may be reduced to a mere appendage of the giant. Shi Li's success stemmed from his precise grasp of Qin's needs and his swift action, whereas modern enterprises must, within the bounds of compliance, transform "vertical and horizontal alliances" into a competitive advantage of differentiation.