Young Master Gao? Call me Little Grand Secretary!

"I know Su Qin!" Gao Zhao showed a positive attitude, and said sarcastically, "He's the guy who learned his skills from Guiguzi, but couldn't find a job, and returned home destitute, disliked by his parents, brothers and sisters-in-law."

"Later, when he gained power, he became arrogant and asked his sister-in-law why she knelt before him, lamenting that if he had even two acres of land in Luoyang, he wouldn't be worthy of the seals of six prime ministers!"

"That's right! It's him!" The old man nodded, then asked, "And what happened next?"

"And then?" Gao Zhao was slightly taken aback. That was all he had heard of the story. The part about showing off and getting slapped in the face was over. Who would care about what happened next?

Seeing his appearance, the old man didn't delve into it further and slowly said, "When Su Qin was struggling, he traveled to various states to persuade them but failed, returning home dejected, just as you described! Afterwards, he secluded himself in his room and devoted himself to studying the *Yin Fu* (a classic text on divination). After more than a year, he finally achieved mastery!"

"What's done?" Gao Zhao blinked, clearly dissatisfied with the wording. What do you mean, "done"? These people just love to brag!

The old man paused, glanced at him, and smiled, "He's figured out a principle: you can't achieve great things by simply pandering to others; you have to instill fear in them!"

"During the Warring States period, there was constant warfare. Su Qin seized this opportunity and first went to the weakest of the states, Yan. He told the King of Yan that Qin was dangerous, but it was a thousand miles away. However, Zhao was only a hundred miles away. If Qin were to fall, Zhao would be vulnerable. Therefore, they should form an alliance with Zhao to jointly resist the powerful Qin! As a result, he gained the trust of the King of Yan and was sent as an envoy to Zhao."

Gao Zhao nodded. Su Qin had obtained the angel round by deception.

"Su Qin went to the State of Zhao and told King Su of Zhao that the reason Qin dared not attack Zhao was because Qin feared that Han and Wei would harass it from behind. If Han and Wei sided with Qin or were destroyed by Qin, Zhao would be in danger!"

The old man spoke calmly and slowly:

"At this point, he explained the advantages and disadvantages to Zhao Suhou: the armies of the six states far surpassed those of Qin, and only by forming an alliance could they resist. Zhao Suhou naturally agreed, appointing him as prime minister and bestowing upon him gold and silver to persuade the other four states!"

Gao Zhao suddenly realized, they had secured Series A funding!

"Su Qin then went to the other four states and did the same thing, either exposing their shortcomings or provoking them with words, and then promising them benefits, thus ending the alliance of the six states against the powerful Qin! As a result, the Qin state dared not leave the pass for fifteen years."

"Tsk! This guy's pretty impressive, stirring up a storm with just his words!" Gao Zhao exclaimed in amazement, then added, "But in the end, didn't he still get destroyed by Qin?"

The old man's lips curled up, revealing a mocking smile: "Later, the six states did not wait for Qin to attack, but instead disintegrated and began to fight each other!"

Su Qin, however, was executed by being torn apart by chariots for his secret affair with the Queen Dowager of Yan and his attempt to infiltrate the state of Qi. All his achievements vanished into dust.

Gao Zhao was about to echo the old man's sentiments when the old man continued, "I'm telling you this not to tell you how Su Qin stirred up the world, but to tell you the reasons for his failure!"

"I don't particularly like Sima Guang. Zhang Zihou once called him a country bumpkin, and I wholeheartedly agree! But I do agree with his use of Mencius and Yang Xiong's words to evaluate Su Qin in the Zizhi Tongjian!"

Mencius said: "A great man dwells in the broadest dwelling of the world, stands in the most upright position in the world, and walks the greatest path in the world. When he achieves his ambitions, he leads the people to follow him; when he does not achieve his ambitions, he walks his own path alone. He is not corrupted by wealth and honor, nor swayed by poverty and hardship, nor subdued by power and force."

Therefore, Su Qin and Zhang Yi, who only sought to please their rulers and gain wealth and power, changed their stance according to the rulers' likes and dislikes, and relied on those in power. This was contrary to moral principles and they were by no means true men.

In his commentary on the Fayan, Yang Xiong wrote: "Su Qin and Zhang Yi were deceitful men, and the sages abhorred them! This has two layers of meaning: first, their motives were purely selfish, seeking wealth and power rather than bringing peace to the people; second, their methods relied entirely on deception, instigation, and scheming!"

"What you say is very insightful, sir!" Gao Zhao nodded repeatedly, then weakly raised his hand and said, "But I also see a story in the Records of the Grand Historian about Zigong causing chaos in the Spring and Autumn Period! He saved Lu, disrupted Qi, defeated Wu, strengthened Jin, and became the hegemon of Yue..."

The old man's face stiffened, then he shouted, "How...how can they be the same?!"

Gao Zhao laughed and said, "What's the difference? It's all the same thing!"

"How can they be the same! Su and Zhang acted for personal gain, while Zigong acted for the greater good..."

The old man hurriedly tried to explain, then went on to talk about things like "the way of the king" and "righteousness," which made Gao Zhao laugh heartily, filling the air with a joyful atmosphere...

After a long while, the old man crushed another stone, and the two returned to their harmonious master-disciple relationship.

The old man dusted off his hands and stroked his beard, saying, "I'm telling you this story today to warn you against empty talk about gaining profit. It corrupts social morals and causes endless harm. Gaining temporary advantage through power and manipulation is ultimately not a long-term solution. Know that those who scheme and plot will inevitably die because of their own schemes!"

Gao Zhao quickly rose and bowed respectfully: "I will follow your teachings, sir!"

"You're a promising young man!" The old man nodded with satisfaction, saying with delight, "Since we're about to part, let me give you a gift!"

"How could I possibly let you spend so much, sir!" Gao Zhao quickly declined, his eyes darting around as he said, "If you really wish to give me something, just teach me this method of crushing stones!"

The old man looked down at the stone dust on the ground, shook his head, and said, "There's nothing much to pass on; strength is all that matters..."

"Then teach me the method to cultivate this strength!" Gao Zhao interrupted him before he could refuse.

The old man shook his head and said, "You cannot learn my method. It comes from the profound Dao, and is so mysterious that it cannot be explained in words!"

Gao Zhao's face immediately fell, his eyes filled with suspicion, wondering if the old guy was just showing off!

"You have your own path, why should you imitate mine?" The old man smiled wryly, took a bundle from beside him, and handed it to Gao Zhao, saying with a smile, "This garment is for you!"

"Clothes?" Gao Zhao's face darkened even more. Who needs clothes? This is so insincere!

He disregarded etiquette, took the bundle, and opened it directly. Inside was a purple robe, embroidered with gold thread and woven with dragons and clouds, exquisitely beautiful and obviously very valuable!

nice one!

These aren't clothes! They're clearly my master's love for me!

"This disciple thanks Master for bestowing these clothes upon me!" Gao Zhao's eyes welled with tears, and he quickly bowed his head.

"Since you call me your master, I will accept you as my disciple!"

The old man smiled slightly and nodded abruptly, saying, "This parting may be the last. Let me bestow upon you a name."

"Your name is Zhao, which means bright sunshine that illuminates all things. It implies that you are naturally intelligent and have clear vision and a discerning mind."

However, the wise and intelligent are most prone to cunning and opportunism. Once they understand how to adapt to changing circumstances, they become fond of seeking personal gain and avoiding harm, and of using deception for personal benefit!

"Now that we are parting, I will give you a name to complement your name and guide your conduct." The old man stroked his beard, his words clear and resonant: "I hereby bestow upon you the name: Gongming!"

Gao Zhao was shocked. Gongming? Then from now on, everyone will have to call me Brother Gongming...

Just then, a hurried shout came from behind: "Young Master, the Grand Commandant summons you back to the manor!"

Gao Zhao turned his head and saw Gao Yi and Lu Qian hurrying over.

He turned back to say goodbye, but the old man had vanished without a trace!