The King of Qi sent an envoy to pay his respects to Queen Dowager Zhao. Before the letter was even opened, the Queen Dowager asked the envoy, "How fare the harvests of Qi this year? How fare the people? And how fares the King of Qi as well?" The envoy, displeased, replied, "I have come by the King of Qi's command to pay my respects to Your Grace. Yet now you ask not first of the King, but of the harvests and the people—is this not to place the lowly before the noble?" The Queen Dowager said, "Not so. Without the harvests, how could there be people? Without the people, how could there be a sovereign? Thus in asking, how could one set aside the root and inquire first of the branches?" Then she went further, asking, "There is a recluse in Qi named Zhongli Zi—is he well? This man's conduct is such: to those who have grain, he gives food; to those who have none, he also gives food. To those who have clothing, he gives garments; to those who have none, he also gives garments. This is to aid the sovereign in nurturing his people—why has he not yet been summoned to office to achieve merit? And Yang Yang Zi—is he well? This man's conduct is such: he pities widowers and widows, comforts orphans and the childless aged, relieves the destitute, and supplies those in want. This is to aid the sovereign in giving the people peace and prosperity—why has he not yet been brought into service? And the daughter of the Beigong family, Ying'er Zi—is she well? She has removed her ornaments, and to the end of her days will not marry, in order to tend to her parents. This is to lead the people in the way of filial piety—why has she not yet been granted an audience at court? These two worthy men remain unsummoned to office, and one filial daughter remains unadmitted to court—by what means does the King of Qi rule his state and cherish his myriad people? And Zi Zhong of Yuling—is he still alive? This man's conduct is such: above, he does not serve the sovereign as a minister; below, he does not govern his own household; in between, he does not befriend the feudal lords. This is to lead the people toward uselessness—why has he not yet been executed?"
💡 商战启示录
Queen Zhao Wei's sequence of questioning reveals a core business wisdom: customers and employees are the foundation, while management is secondary. In modern business, many enterprises invert this priority, placing CEO or shareholder interests above all else while neglecting frontline employees and end customers, ultimately leading to brand collapse. For instance, a well-known technology company once cut customer service costs in pursuit of excessive profits, resulting in a surge of user complaints, declining reputation, and plummeting stock prices—until it regained its footing by prioritizing user experience. What Queen Wei emphasized—"the harvest and the people"—corresponds to "market conditions and employees/customers" in business. Only with a solid foundation can an enterprise sustain growth. Furthermore, Queen Wei's recommendations to appoint Zhong Lizi and Ye Yangzi highlight the importance of talent identification and motivation—enterprises should proactively seek out and elevate those who contribute quietly and create social value, rather than merely judging by titles or seniority. Her criticism of Zi Zhong, meanwhile, serves as a warning for enterprises to eliminate the "useless ones" who are passive, disruptive, and corrosive to organizational culture, thereby maintaining vitality. In sum, managers should, like Queen Zhao Wei, first ask about "the harvest" and "the people" before asking about "themselves"—that is, first examine market feedback and team morale, then review leadership decisions. This is the true path to enduring success.