Wisdom from a Deathbed
When the wise minister Guan Zhong lay dying, Duke Huan of Qi visited him and asked for counsel. Guan Zhong warned: "Beware of Yi Ya, Shu Diao, Chang Zhi Wu, and Prince Qi Fang."
The Duke was puzzled. "Yi Ya cooked his own son to feed me. Does this not prove his devotion?"
Guan Zhong replied: "If a man can be cruel to his own child, how can he truly care for his ruler?"
The Duke continued: "Chang Zhi Wu can foresee death and heal my illness. Can I not trust him?"
"Life and death are matters of fate," said Guan Zhong. "If you rely on others for what should be your own foundation, they will use this power against you."
The Duke then mentioned Prince Qi Fang, who had served him for fifteen years and did not attend his own father's funeral.
Guan Zhong sighed: "The closest bond is between parent and child. If he can abandon his father, he will abandon you."
The Duke heeded the warning and exiled the four. But without them, he lost his appetite, could not sleep, and grew restless. After three years, he recalled them.
Soon after, the Duke fell ill. Chang Zhi Wu spread rumors of his death. The four conspired, sealed his palace, and starved him to death.
As he lay dying, the Duke wept: "I should have listened to Guan Zhong."
True wisdom lies not in sweet words, but in seeing how people treat those closest to them. The heart is a mirror—watch carefully what it reflects.