On his sickbed, the wise minister Guan Zhong offered a timeless lesson.
When Duke Huan of Qi asked for his final advice, Guan Zhong warned: “Banish Yi Ya, Shu Diao, Chang Zhi Wu, and Prince Wei.” The Duke was puzzled. “Yi Ya cooked his own son to feed me—surely that proves his devotion?”
Guan Zhong replied: “A man who harms his own flesh and blood cannot truly love his ruler.”
The Duke then defended Chang Zhi Wu, who could predict death and cure illness. Guan Zhong said: “Life and death are fate; illness is natural. If you rely on such a man, he will manipulate you.”
Finally, the Duke spoke of Prince Wei, who had served him for fifteen years and didn’t even attend his own father’s funeral. Guan Zhong sighed: “If a man shows no love for his parents, how can he love anyone else?”
After Guan Zhong died, the Duke banished the four. But life grew unbearable, and after three years, he recalled them. The following year, when the Duke fell ill, they spread rumors, sealed his palace, and starved him to death.
Dying, the Duke wept: “I should have listened to Guan Zhong.”
Kind words may hide cruel hearts. True wisdom lies in seeing beyond appearances.