Cheat Against Cheat

Cheat Against Cheat

The troops of the State of Chu were going to withdraw after having failed to subdue the State of Song.

…Shen Shushi the charioteer then proposed to the ruler of Chu: “Build houses on the battlefields and send farm soldiers home to grow grain to sustain the protracted siege we have just begun. Eventually Song will have to surrender.”

The ruler of Chu did as suggested. This alarmed Song, and Hua Yuan was immediately charged with and important mission to go to the Chu camps at night. When Hua Yuan sneaked into the tent of the Chu commander Zi Fan, he dragged him out of the bed, saying: “I am sent by our ruler to tell you the truth about our precarious situation. But his message is: ‘My people have been exchanging their children and killing them for food, and dismembering the skeletons to serve as fue! . Nevertheless, we’d rather all die than conclude any treaty with you under coercion. We shall never sign anything imposed on us.’ Therefore, I advise you to withdraw your troops thirty li and we shall be prepared to accept your dictated terms.”

Zi Fan was shocked at Song’s resoluteness and agreed to negotiate. He told this to this sovereign, who gave orders to sound a retreat and withdraw thirty li as proposed.

Song and Chu soon began negotiations. Hua Yuan was then kept in the Chu camps as a hostage, and in the final agreement it was stated: “We shall not cheat you and you will not cheat us.”

中国成语故事——尔虞我诈

楚国的军队准备离开宋国。

…申叔时正在为楚庄王驾车，说：“可以让士兵在这里盖房舍、种田，装作要长期留下。这样，宋国就会因害怕而投降。”楚庄王听从了他的话。

宋国人很害怕，派华远夜里潜入楚国的军队中，登上了子反的 床。把他叫起来，说：“我们君王叫我把宋国现在的困苦状况告诉你，说：”‘国内已经交换儿子杀了当饭吃，用拆散的尸骨当柴烧。即使这样，你们想以此来压我 们订立丧权辱国的城下之盟，那么我们宁肯让国家灭亡也不会接受。如果你们能退兵三十里，宋国将完全听你们的命令。’子反听了这番话很害怕，与华远私下约定 后，禀告了楚庄王。楚兵退兵三十里。

宋国与楚国讲和。华为作为人质到楚国去。盟词写的是：“我不欺骗你，你也不欺骗我！”