To act independently without coordination or regard for the overall situation, often leading to disunity or inefficiency.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
In 607 BC, the State of Zheng launched an attack on the State of Song. Song dispatched Hua Yuan as its commander to lead the Song army to battle.
Before the two armies clashed, Hua Yuan slaughtered sheep to boost morale and reward his soldiers. In the haste, he forgot to give a share to his charioteer, Yang Zhen, who then harbored a grudge.
During the battle, Yang Zhen said to Hua Yuan, "You were in charge of distributing the mutton, but today, I'm in charge of driving the chariot!" With that, he deliberately drove the chariot directly into the Zheng army's formation.
As a result, Hua Yuan, the esteemed commander of the Song army, was easily captured alive by the Zheng forces. Having lost their commander, the Song army suffered a crushing defeat.