Inner Collection of Sayings, Part One — The Seven Arts內儲說上七術

What the ruler uses is seven tactics, and what he examines is six subtleties. The seven tactics are these. The first is comparing many threads and viewing them together. The second is punishing without fail to make his awe clear. The third is rewarding faithfully so that ability is fully spent. The fourth is hearing each one singly and holding those below to account. The fifth is doubtful edicts and deceiving commissions. The sixth is asking while holding knowledge in reserve. The seventh is reversing his words and turning affairs about. These seven are what the ruler uses.

If seeing and hearing are not compared together, what is true is not heard; and if hearing has a gate, the ministers block it up. The explanation lies in the dwarf who dreamed that he saw a stove, and in Duke Ai saying, "Without a multitude one goes astray." It lies also in the man of Qi who showed him Hebo, and in Huizi's words, "He has lost his half." The trouble lies in Shuniu starving Shusun, and in Jiang Yi speaking of the customs of Chu. Duke Si wished to govern but did not know how, and so he set up men to stand against one another. For this reason the enlightened ruler reasons from the likes of heaped iron, and examines the trouble of a single market.

Comparing and viewing together is the first.

When love is abundant, the law is not established; when awe is scant, those below encroach on those above. For this reason, if punishment is not certain, prohibitions and orders are not carried out. The explanation lies in Dongzi traveling through Shiyi, and in Zichan teaching Youji. It lies also in Zhongni speaking of the frost that fell, and in the law of Yin punishing those who threw out ashes; and in the leader of the procession leaving Yue Chi, and in Gongsun Yang making light offenses heavy. For this reason the gold of the Li River was not guarded, and the fire at Jize was not put out. Cheng Huan weakened the state of Qi by too much benevolence, and Bu Pi ruined the king of Wei by kindness and favor. Guan Zhong knew this, and so he had a dead man cut up; Duke Si knew this, and so he bought a convict.

Punishing without fail is the second.

When rewards and praise are thin and empty, those below are of no use; when rewards and praise are thick and trustworthy, those below make light of death. The explanation lies in Wenzi saying, "like beasts and deer." It lies also in the king of Yue burning his palace, in Wu Qi leaning up a cart shaft, in Li Kui settling lawsuits by archery, and in the man of Chongmen in Song who wasted himself to death. Goujian knew this, and so he bowed to an angry frog; Marquis Zhao knew this, and so he stored away a worn pair of trousers. That thick rewards make men into Meng Ben and Zhuan Zhu can be seen from the woman who gathers silkworms and the fisherman who grips the eel.

Rewards and praise are the third.

If he hears each one singly, the foolish and the wise are not tangled together; if he holds those below to account, his ministers are not mixed in with one another. The explanation lies in "seeking Zheng" and in "blowing the yu." The trouble lies in Shenzi sounding his lord out through Zhao Shao and Han Ta. It lies also in the prince Si proposing to cut off Hedong, and in the Marquis Ying planning to loosen Shangdang.

Hearing each one singly is the fourth.

If he sees them often and keeps them waiting long without giving them charge, the crooked scatter like deer; and if he sends a man to ask about something else, they cannot sell their private dealings. For this reason Pang Jing sent the great officer of the duke back, and Dai Huan gave orders to watch for a covered carriage; the ruler of Zhou said he had lost a jade hairpin, and the grand steward of Shang spoke of ox dung.

Deceiving commissions are the fifth.

If he asks while holding knowledge in reserve, what he did not know becomes known; and if he knows one thing deeply, many hidden things all come out. The explanation lies in Marquis Zhao holding one fingernail. So by asking about the south gate without fail he got three districts; the ruler of Zhou searched for a bent staff and his many ministers were afraid; Bu Pi employed a young retainer, and Ximen Bao pretended to have lost a linchpin.

Holding knowledge in reserve is the sixth.

If he reverses his words and turns affairs about to sound out what he suspects, he gets at the truth of crooked doings. Thus Yangshan slandered Jiushu; Nao Chi made it appear that an envoy had come from Qin; a man of Qi wished to raise a revolt; Zizhi spoke of a white horse; Zichan set the parties to a suit apart; and Duke Si had a man pass the barrier market.

Reversing words is the seventh. The above is the guiding text.

One. In the time of Duke Ling of Wei, Mi Zixia enjoyed his favor and had the state of Wei to himself. Among the dwarfs there was one who saw the duke, and he said, "Your servant's dream has come true." The duke said, "What dream?" He answered, "I dreamed that I saw a stove, and it was a sign that I would see you." The duke grew angry and said, "I have heard that one who is to see a ruler dreams of the sun. Why do you say that in seeing me you dreamed of a stove?" He answered, "Now the sun lights all under heaven together, and no one thing can block it; a ruler lights the people of a whole state together, and no one man can take him in his arms. That is why one who is to see a ruler dreams of the sun. Now as for a stove, if one man warms himself before it, those behind have no way to see it. Is it not that some one man is warming himself before you now? Then although your servant dreamed of a stove, is that not fitting?"

Duke Ai of Lu asked Confucius, "A common saying goes, 'Without a multitude one goes astray.' Now when I take up an affair and weigh it with my many ministers, the state grows more disordered. What is the reason?" Confucius answered, "When an enlightened king asks his ministers, one man knows a thing and another does not. When it is so, the enlightened ruler is above and the many ministers debate straightly below. Now among your many ministers there is none who does not speak with one voice and run in the same track as Jisun, and the whole state of Lu has become one. Though you asked every man within your borders, you still would not escape disorder."

One account says: Yanzi paid a state visit to Lu, and Duke Ai asked him, "The saying goes, 'Without three men one goes astray.' Now I weigh matters with the whole state, and yet Lu does not escape disorder. Why is this?" Yanzi said, "What the ancients called 'Without three men one goes astray' means that when one man gets it wrong, two men set it right, and three men are enough to make a multitude. That is why they said, 'Without three men one goes astray.' Now the many ministers of Lu are counted by the thousand and the hundred, but they speak with one voice for the private interest of the Ji clan. It is not that their number is not many; the one who speaks is a single man. How can you get three?"

Among the men of Qi there was one who said to the king of Qi, "Hebo is a great god. Why do you not try meeting him? Your servant asks leave to have you meet him." So he made an altar ground above the great water and stood there with the king. After a while a great fish moved, and he said, "This is Hebo."

Zhang Yi wished to use the power of Qin, Han and Wei to attack Qi and Chu, while Hui Shi wished to lay down arms together with Qi and Chu. The two men contended over it. The many ministers and the attendants all spoke for Zhangzi and held that attacking Qi and Chu was profitable, and none spoke for Huizi. The king did indeed listen to Zhangzi and held Huizi's words to be not allowable. When the matter of attacking Qi and Chu was already settled, Huizi came in for an audience. The king said, "Sir, say no more. The matter of attacking Qi and Chu is indeed profitable. The whole state holds it to be so." Huizi thereupon said, "One cannot but examine it. If attacking Qi and Chu is truly profitable and the whole state holds it profitable, how are the wise so many? If attacking Qi and Chu truly cannot be profitable and the whole state holds it profitable, how are the foolish so many? Now planning is a thing of doubt. To be in doubt means that it is truly doubtful, half holding it allowable and half holding it not allowable. Now the whole state holds it allowable. This is your majesty losing his half. One who overawes a ruler is indeed one who has done away with his half."

Shusun was prime minister of Lu. He became noble and seized the power of decision. The one he loved was called Shuniu, and he too used Shusun's orders as he pleased. Shusun had a son called Ren (壬). Shuniu was jealous and wished to kill him, and so he went with Ren to where the lord of Lu was. The lord of Lu bestowed a jade ring on him. Ren bowed and received it, but did not dare wear it, and had Shuniu ask Shusun about it. Shuniu deceived him and said, "I have asked for you already. He says you are to wear it." Ren thereupon wore it. Shuniu then said to Shusun, "Why do you not present Ren to the lord?" Shusun said, "What is a boy, that he should be presented?" Shuniu said, "Ren has of course seen the lord many times already. The lord bestowed a jade ring on him, and Ren is wearing it already." Shusun called Ren in and saw him, and he was indeed wearing it. Shusun grew angry and killed Ren. Ren's elder brother was called Bing (丙), and Shuniu was jealous of him too and wished to kill him. Shusun had a bell cast for Bing. When the bell was finished, Bing did not dare strike it, and had Shuniu ask Shusun about it. Shuniu did not ask, and again deceived him, saying, "I have asked for you already. He says you are to strike it." Bing thereupon struck it. Shusun heard of it and said, "Bing struck the bell as he pleased and did not ask." He grew angry and drove him out. Bing went out and fled to Qi. After a year Shuniu made a show of apologizing to Shusun for him, and Shusun sent Shuniu to call him back. Again he did not call him, but reported, "I have called him already. Bing is very angry and is not willing to come." Shusun was greatly angered and sent a man to kill him. When the two sons were dead, Shusun fell ill. Shuniu thereupon tended him alone, sent the attendants away and let no one in, saying, "Shusun does not wish to hear the sound of people." He did not feed him, and starved him to death. When Shusun was dead, Shuniu did not announce the death, but carried off the heavy treasures of the storehouse until it was empty, and fled to Qi. To listen to the words of the one he trusted, and for son and father to be killed by another man, is the trouble of not comparing things together.

Jiang Yi went as envoy to Chu for the king of Wei, and said to the king of Chu, "When your servant entered your borders, he heard that the custom of your state says, 'A gentleman does not cover over what is fine in others and does not speak of what is evil in others.' Is it truly so?" The king said, "It is so." "Then if there were something like the revolt of the Duke of Bai, would you not be in danger? If it is truly like this, your servant will escape a capital crime."

Duke Si, who ruled the small state of Wei, gave weight to Ru Er and loved the lady Shi, and fearing that both of them would use that love and that weight to block him, he ennobled Master Bo to stand against Ru Er and honored the lady from the great state of Wei to pair with the lady Shi, saying, "By this they will compare with one another." Duke Si knew that he wished not to be blocked, but he had not got the method for it. Now if the lowly are not let discuss the noble, and those below must be held liable with those above, and one waits until power and weight are level before they dare discuss one another, then this is planting still more ministers who block him. The blocking of Duke Si began here.

Now if arrows come from one quarter, one heaps up iron to guard that one quarter; if arrows come from no fixed quarter, one makes a room of iron and guards against them all. Guard against them and the body is not hurt. So the one side, guarding against all, is not hurt; and this side, comparing all things together, has no crooked doings.

Pang Gong was going as a hostage to Handan with the crown prince, and he said to the king of Wei, "If one man now says there is a tiger in the market, will you believe it?" He said, "I will not believe it." "If two men say there is a tiger in the market, will you believe it?" He said, "I will not believe it." "If three men say there is a tiger in the market, will you believe it?" The king said, "I would believe it." Pang Gong said, "Now it is clear that there is no tiger in the market, and yet when three men speak, a tiger is made. Handan is farther from Wei than the market is, and those who will discuss your servant are more than three. I wish your majesty would examine it." Pang Gong came back from Handan, and in the end he did not get an audience.

Two. Dong Eyu was governor of Shangdi for Zhao. He was traveling in the hills of Shiyi. A ravine there was deep and sheer as a wall, a hundred fathoms deep. So he asked the people of the village beside it, "Has any man ever gone into this?" They answered, "There has been none." He said, "Have any infants, or the simple, or the deaf, or madmen ever gone into this?" They answered, "There has been none." "Have any oxen or horses or dogs or pigs ever gone into this?" They answered, "There has been none." Dong Eyu sighed and said with a great sigh, "I can govern. If I make my governing without pardon, so that it is like going into the ravine and surely dying, then no man will dare transgress. How should it not be governed?"

Zichan was prime minister of Zheng. When he was ill and about to die, he said to Youji, "After I die, you will surely have charge of Zheng, and you must face men with severity. Now fire has a severe form, and so men are seldom burned; water has a soft form, and so many men drown. You must make your form severe, and let no one drown in your softness." Zichan died. Youji was not willing to make his form severe, and the young men of Zheng led one another into banditry and settled at the marsh of Huan, and were about to become a calamity for Zheng. Youji led out chariots and horsemen and fought them, and after a day and a night he could barely overcome them. Youji sighed and said, "Had I carried out the master's teaching early, I would surely not have come to this regret."

Duke Ai of Lu asked Zhongni, "The record of the Chunqiu says, 'In the twelfth month of winter frost fell but did not kill the beans.' Why was this written down?" Zhongni answered, "This says that it could kill and did not kill. Now when it ought to kill and does not kill, peaches and plums bear fruit in winter. When heaven loses its way, even grass and trees transgress against it; how much more a ruler of men!"

By the law of Yin, one who threw ashes into the street was punished. Zigong thought this heavy and asked Zhongni about it. Zhongni said, "This is knowing the way of governing. Now if one throws ashes into the street, he is sure to cover someone; when he covers someone, that man is sure to be angry; when he is angry, they fight; and when they fight, the three branches of the families are sure to harm one another. This is the road to harming three branches of a family, and though he be punished it is allowable. Moreover a heavy punishment is what men hate, and not throwing out ashes is what men find easy. To make men do what is easy and not fall into what they hate is the way of governing."

One account says: By the law of Yin, one who threw ashes on the public road had his hand cut off. Zigong said, "The offense of throwing out ashes is light and the penalty of cutting off a hand is heavy. Why were the ancients so harsh?" The answer was, "Not throwing out ashes is what is easy; having a hand cut off is what is hated. To do what is easy and not be caught by what is hated the ancients held to be easy, and so they carried it out."

Yue Chi, prime minister of Zhongshan, went as envoy to Zhao with a hundred chariots, and chose from among his retainers one who had wits and ability to lead the procession; but halfway there it fell into disorder. Yue Chi said, "I took you to have wits and so had you lead the procession. Now halfway there it has fallen into disorder. Why?" The retainer thereupon took his leave and departed, saying, "You do not know governing. Only one who has awe enough to make men submit, and profit enough to urge them on, can govern them. Now your servant is your young retainer. To set elders right as a young man, and to govern the noble as a lowly man, without being able to hold the handle of benefit and harm to control them, is why it fell into disorder. Try letting your servant do it. Let me be able to make the good among them ministers and prime ministers, and to cut off the heads of those who are not good. For what reason would it not be governed?"

The law of Gongsun Yang made light offenses heavy. Heavy offenses are what men find hard to commit, and small faults are what men find easy to give up. To make men give up what is easy for them and not fall into what is hard for them is the way of governing. Now if small faults do not arise, great crimes do not come; and so men have no offense and disorder does not arise.

One account says: Gongsun Yang said, "In carrying out punishment, make the light ones heavy. Then the light ones do not arrive and the heavy ones do not come. This is called doing away with punishment by punishment."

In the land south of Chu, gold is born in the Li River, and many men mined the gold in secret. The prohibition on mining gold was this: whoever was caught was at once torn apart in the market. The dead were very many, and the water was dammed and barred, and still men did not stop mining gold in secret. Among great crimes none is heavier than being torn apart in the market, and still they did not stop, because capture was not certain. So if someone said here now, "I will give you all under heaven and kill your body," even a common man would not do it. Now having all under heaven is a great benefit, and still he would not do it, because he knows he would surely die. Therefore, if capture is not certain, then though men are torn apart, mining gold in secret does not stop; and if death is certain, then though all under heaven were given, men would not do it.

The people of Lu burned off the marsh of Jize. The wind in the sky was from the north and the fire leaned to the south, and it was feared that it would burn the capital. Duke Ai was afraid, and himself led the crowd and hurried to put out the fire. There was no one at his side; they had all gone chasing beasts, and the fire was not put out. So he called Zhongni and asked him. Zhongni said, "Now those who chase beasts have pleasure and no punishment, and those who put out the fire have hardship and no reward. This is why the fire is not put out." Duke Ai said, "Good." Zhongni said, "The matter is urgent, and there is no time for rewarding. If you reward all who put out the fire, the state will not be enough to reward the people with. Let punishment alone be carried out." Duke Ai said, "Good." Thereupon Zhongni sent down an order: "Whoever does not put out the fire is counted with the crime of surrendering to the enemy and running away; whoever chases beasts is counted with the crime of entering forbidden ground." The order had not gone all round before the fire was already out.

Cheng Huan said to the king of Qi, "Your majesty is too benevolent, and too unable to bear harming men." The king said, "Too benevolent and too unable to bear harming men: is that not a good name?" He answered, "This is the goodness of a minister, not what a ruler should practice. Now a minister must be benevolent before one can plan with him, and unable to bear harming men before one can keep him close. If he is not benevolent, one cannot plan with him; if he can bear harming men, one cannot keep him close." The king said, "Then where am I too benevolent, and where too unable to bear?" He answered, "Your majesty is too benevolent toward the lord of Xue, and too unwilling to bear against the many of the Tian. Being too benevolent toward the lord of Xue, your great ministers have no weight; being too unwilling to bear against the many of the Tian, your fathers and elder brothers transgress the law. When great ministers have no weight, the army is weak abroad; when fathers and elder brothers transgress the law, government is disordered at home. An army weak abroad and government disordered at home are the root of a lost state."

King Hui of Wei said to Bu Pi, "What have you heard my repute to be?" He answered, "Your servant has heard that your majesty is kind and generous." The king was glad and pleased and said, "Then how far will my achievement reach?" He answered, "Your majesty's achievement reaches to ruin." The king said, "Kindness and generosity are the doing of good. To do them and be ruined, how is that?" Bu Pi answered, "Now the kind cannot bear to harm, and the generous love to give. If he cannot bear to harm, he does not execute those who have faults; if he loves to give, he rewards without waiting for merit. When those who have faults are not punished and those without merit receive rewards, then though he be ruined, is that not fitting?"

The state of Qi loved lavish burials. Cloth and silk were used up on clothes and coverlets, and timber was used up on inner and outer coffins. Duke Huan was troubled by it and told Guan Zhong, "When cloth and silk are used up, there is nothing to cover with; when timber is used up, there is no making ready of defenses. And the people do not stop burying lavishly. How is it to be forbidden?" Guan Zhong answered, "Whatever men do, if it is not for a name it is for gain." Thereupon an order was sent down: "Whoever's coffins exceed the measure, let his corpse be disgraced and let the one who has charge of the funeral be punished." Now to disgrace the dead brings no name, and to punish the one in charge of the funeral brings no gain. For what reason would men do it?

In the time of Duke Si, who ruled the small state of Wei, a convict fled to the great state of Wei and treated an illness for the queen of King Xiang. When Duke Si heard of it, he sent a man to ask to buy him for fifty pieces of gold. Five times they went back and forth and the king of the great state would not give him up, and so he exchanged the town of Zuoshi for him. The many ministers and the attendants remonstrated, "Is it right to buy a convict with a whole town?" The lord said, "This is not what you know. Now in governing there is nothing small, and in disorder there is nothing great. If the law is not established and execution is not certain, then though one had ten towns like Zuoshi it would be of no benefit; if the law is established and execution is certain, then though one lost ten towns like Zuoshi it would do no harm." The king of the great state heard of it and said, "When a ruler wishes to govern and one does not listen to him, that is not auspicious." So he put the man in a cart and sent him off, and simply presented him.

Three. The king of Qi asked Wenzi, "How is a state governed?" He answered, "Now the way of reward and punishment is a sharp instrument. My lord should grip it firmly and not show it to others. One like your servant is as beasts and deer are, going only where the good grass is."

The king of Yue asked the grandee Wen Zhong, "I wish to attack Wu. May I?" He answered, "You may. Our rewards are thick and trustworthy, and our punishments are severe and certain. If my lord wishes to know it, why not try setting fire to the palace?" So he set fire to the palace, and no one came to save it. Then he sent down an order: "Those who die putting out the fire are counted with the reward for dying against the enemy; those who put out the fire and do not die are counted with the reward for defeating the enemy; those who do not put out the fire are counted with the crime of surrendering and running away." Those who smeared their bodies with mud and put on wet clothes and ran into the fire were three thousand on the left and three thousand on the right. This is how he knew he had the force that must win.

Wu Qi held Xihe for Marquis Wu of Wei. Qin had a small watchpost close against the border, and Wu Qi wished to attack it. If it were not removed, it was very harmful to those who farmed; but to remove it was not enough to call out armored troops. So he leaned a cart shaft outside the north gate and gave an order: "Whoever can move this to outside the south gate will be given good fields and a good house." No one moved it. When there was one who moved it, he gave him the reward at once, as the order said. Soon after, he also set a bushel of red beans outside the east gate and gave an order: "Whoever can move this to outside the west gate will be given as before." Men vied to move it. Then he sent down an order: "Tomorrow we attack the watchpost. Whoever can climb up first will be made a grandee of the state and given good fields and a house." Men vied to hurry to it. So they attacked the watchpost and took it in a single morning.

Li Kui held Shangdi for Marquis Wen of Wei, and wishing the people to be good at archery, he sent down an order: "Whoever has a lawsuit that is doubtful and hard to decide shall shoot at a target. The one who hits wins and the one who misses loses." When the order came down, the people all practiced archery in haste and did not rest day or night. When it came to fighting the men of Qin, they defeated them greatly, because the people had become good at fighting and shooting.

A man of the Chongmen ward in Song wore mourning and wasted himself until he was very thin. Those above held that he loved his parents tenderly, and raised him up to be an officer and teacher. The next year those who wasted themselves to death were more than ten each year. A son wearing mourning for his parents does it out of love, and yet he can still be urged on by reward; how much more a ruler with his people!

The king of Yue, planning to attack Wu, wished his people to make light of death. Going out he saw an angry frog, and he bowed to it from his carriage. His attendant said, "Why do you show respect to this?" The king said, "Because it has spirit." The next year those who asked to present their heads to the king were more than ten each year. Seen from this, praise is enough to kill men.

One account says: King Goujian of Yue saw an angry frog and bowed to it from his carriage. His driver said, "Why do you bow?" The king said, "The frog has spirit like this. Can I not bow to it?" When the gentlemen heard of it they said, "The frog has spirit, and the king still bows to it. How much more a gentleman who has courage!" That year there was a man who cut his own throat and died and had his head presented. So the king of Yue, about to pay Wu back, tested his teaching. He set fire to a tower and had the drums beaten, and the people ran into the fire, because the reward lay in the fire; he stood by the river and had the drums beaten, and men ran into the water, because the reward lay in the water; he came to battle and men cut off heads and cut open bellies with no thought of turning back, because the reward lay in arms. How much more, then, when one holds to the law and advances the worthy: the urging on is greater than these.

Marquis Zhao of Han had a man store away a worn pair of trousers. His attendant said, "My lord is not benevolent. You do not bestow the worn trousers on your attendants, but store them away." Marquis Zhao said, "This is not what you know. I have heard that an enlightened ruler is sparing of a single frown and a single smile: when he frowns there is a reason for the frown, and when he smiles there is a reason for the smile. Now as for trousers, how are they merely a frown or a smile! Trousers are far apart from a frown or a smile. I must wait for one who has merit, and so I gather them up and store them and have not yet given them."

The eel is like a snake and the silkworm is like a caterpillar. When men see a snake they are startled, and when they see a caterpillar their hair stands up. Yet women gather silkworms and fishermen grip eels. Where profit lies, they forget what they hate and all become Meng Ben.

Four. The king of Wei said to the ruler of Zheng, "At first Zheng and Liang were one state, and afterward they were parted. Now I wish to get Zheng back and join it to Liang." The lord of Zheng was troubled, and called his many ministers and planned with them how to answer Wei. A prince said to the lord of Zheng, "This is very easy to answer. Answer Wei and say, 'If Zheng may be joined to you because it was once Wei, then our poor town also wishes to get Liang and join it to Zheng.'" The king of Wei thereupon stopped.

When King Xuan of Qi had men blow the yu, there were always three hundred of them. A retired scholar of Nanguo asked to blow the yu for the king, and King Xuan was pleased with him and fed him from the granary with the portion of several hundred men. King Xuan died and King Min ascended the throne. He liked to hear them one by one, and the retired scholar fled.

One account says: Marquis Zhao of Han said, "Those who blow the yu are many, and I have no way to know which of them are good." Tian Yan answered, "Hear them one by one."

Zhao sent a man through Shenzi to ask Han for troops, meaning to attack Wei. Shenzi wished to speak of it to his lord, but feared his lord would suspect him of trading with the outside; and if he did not, he feared he would be hated by Zhao. So he had Zhao Shao and Han Ta sound out the look on his lord's face, and only then spoke of it. Within, he knew the mind of Marquis Zhao; without, he had the merit of winning Zhao.

The troops of three states reached Han, and the king of Qin said to Lou Huan, "The troops of the three states are deep in. I wish to cut off Hedong and make peace. How would that be?" He answered, "Now to cut off Hedong is a great expense, and to free the state from trouble is a great merit. This is a charge for fathers and elder brothers. Why does your majesty not call the prince Si and ask him?" The king called the prince Si and told him, and he answered, "Make peace and you will regret it; do not make peace and you will regret it as well. If your majesty now cuts off Hedong and makes peace and the three states go home, you will surely say, 'The three states were about to leave anyway, and I have sent them three cities for nothing.' If you do not make peace and the three states enter Han, then the state will surely be greatly taken, and your majesty will surely greatly regret it and say, 'I did not offer the three cities.' So your servant said: make peace and you will regret it, do not make peace and you will regret it." The king said, "Since I shall regret it either way, I had rather lose three cities and regret it than be endangered and then regret it. I have decided on peace."

The Marquis Ying said to the king of Qin, "Your majesty has got Wan and She and Lantian and Yangxia, and has cut off Henei and brought Liang and Zheng into straits. The reason you are not yet king over all is that Zhao has not submitted. Loosen Shangdang and hold it as one, and look down from it on Dongyang, and Handan is a louse in the mouth. Your majesty may fold his hands and all under heaven will come to court, and those who are late may be struck with troops. But the ease and pleasure of Shangdang, the place they are in, is very great, and your servant fears they will not listen when it is loosened. What is to be done?" The king said, "I shall surely loosen it and change it."

Five. Pang Jing was a district magistrate. He was sending off a man who was going to the market, and he called the great officer of the duke and sent him back. He kept him standing a while, had nothing to say to him, and at last sent the man on his way. The man going to the market thought that the magistrate had said something with the great officer, and they no longer trusted one another, so that there were no crooked doings.

Dai Huan was grand steward of Song. At night he sent a man and said, "I have heard that for several nights there has been someone riding a covered carriage to the gate of the clerk Li. Watch for it carefully for me." The man he sent reported, "I did not see a covered carriage. I saw someone holding up a box and speaking with the clerk Li, and after a while the clerk Li took the box."

The ruler of Zhou lost a jade hairpin and had his officers look for it, and for three days they could not find it. The king of Zhou had a man look for it, and he found it in the roof of a commoner's house. The ruler of Zhou said, "My officers do not attend to their work. They looked for the hairpin and for three days did not find it; I had a man look for it, and before a day had passed he found it." Thereupon the officers were all startled and afraid, and held their lord to be divine and clear-sighted.

The grand steward of Shang sent a young retainer to the market, and when he came back he asked him, "What did you see in the market?" He answered, "There was nothing I saw." The grand steward said, "Even so, what did you see?" He answered, "Outside the south gate of the market there were a great many ox carts, so that one could barely get through." The grand steward then warned the messenger, "Do not dare tell anyone what I asked you." Then he called the market officer and rebuked him, saying, "Why is there so much ox dung outside the market gate?" The market officer thought it very strange that the grand steward knew of it so quickly, and he was afraid at his post.

Six. Marquis Zhao of Han held his fingernails and pretended to have lost one, and searched for it very urgently. His attendants thereupon cut their own nails and presented them. By this Marquis Zhao examined whether his attendants were sincere or not.

Marquis Zhao of Han sent a horseman to a district. When the messenger reported, Marquis Zhao asked, "What did you see?" He answered, "There was nothing I saw." Marquis Zhao said, "Even so, what did you see?" He said, "Outside the south gate there was a yellow calf eating the young grain on the left of the road." Marquis Zhao said to the messenger, "Do not dare let out what I asked you." Then he sent down an order: "In the season of the young grain there is of course an order forbidding oxen and horses to enter men's fields, and the officers do not attend to it, and oxen and horses enter men's fields in great numbers. Take their number quickly and send it up. If you do not get it, I shall make your punishment heavy." Thereupon three districts took the count and sent it up. Marquis Zhao said, "It is not complete." They went again and looked into it, and then they got the yellow calf outside the south gate. The officers held Marquis Zhao to be clear-sighted, and all were afraid at their posts and did not dare do wrong.

The ruler of Zhou sent down an order to search for a bent staff, and the officers searched for several days and could not find it. The ruler of Zhou privately had a man search for it, and before a day had passed he found it. Then he said to the officers, "I know that my officers do not attend to their work. A bent staff is a very easy thing, and my officers could not find it; I had a man search for it, and before a day had passed he found it. How can they be called loyal!" The officers thereupon were all afraid at their posts, and held their lord to be divine and clear-sighted.

Bu Pi was a district magistrate. His censor was corrupt and had a concubine he loved, and Bu Pi had a young retainer pretend to love her, and by this he knew the censor's hidden doings.

Ximen Bao was magistrate of Ye. He pretended to have lost the linchpin of his carriage and had the officers search for it, and they could not find it; he sent a man to search for it, and he found it in the roof of a commoner's house.

Seven. Lord Yangshan was prime minister of Wei. Hearing that the king suspected him, he falsely slandered Jiushu in order to find out.

Nao Chi heard that the king of Qi hated him, and he faked the coming of an envoy from Qin in order to find out.

Among the men of Qi there was one who wished to raise a revolt. Fearing the king would learn of it, he falsely drove out the one he loved, and had him run to the king so that the king would learn of it.

Zizhi was prime minister of Yan. Sitting down, he pretended to say, "What is that going out of the gate, a white horse?" The attendants all said they had not seen it. One man ran and chased after it, and reported back, "There was one." By this Zizhi knew that his attendants were not to be trusted.

When there were men suing one another, Zichan set them apart and did not let them get word to one another, and told each the other's words reversed, and so found it out.

Duke Si of Wei sent a man to pass the barrier market as a traveler. The barrier market made it hard for him, and so he served the officer of the barrier market with gold, and the barrier officer then let him go. Duke Si said to the barrier officer, "At a certain time a traveler passed your place and gave you gold, and you thereupon sent him on." The barrier market was then greatly afraid, and held Duke Si to be clear-sighted.