Long and drawn-out; protracted; lasting a long time, often implying delay or waste of time.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
During the Warring States period, there was a man named Rong Fen, who was enfeoffed as Lord Gaoyang by the State of Yan and appointed as commander-in-chief to lead an army to attack the State of Zhao (present-day southern Hebei and northern Shanxi). Rong Fen was an excellent military strategist. Upon hearing this news, King Zhao was extremely worried and immediately convened his ministers to discuss countermeasures.
Prime Minister Zhao Sheng proposed a plan, saying, "Tian Dan, the renowned general of the State of Qi, is brave and resourceful. If we cede three cities to Qi as a condition to invite Tian Dan to lead our Zhao army, we are certain to achieve victory."
However, General Zhao She disagreed, saying, "Are there no great generals in our Zhao State? To cede three cities to Qi before even fighting the battle is unacceptable! I am very familiar with the Yan army's situation, why not let me lead the troops in resistance?"
Zhao She further analyzed, "Firstly, even if Tian Dan agrees to command the Zhao army, it's not guaranteed that we will win; he might not be able to defeat Rong Fen, which would mean inviting him for nothing. Secondly, even if Tian Dan is truly capable, he might not be willing to exert his full effort for our state, because if our state becomes powerful, wouldn't it be detrimental to Qi's hegemony? Therefore, he is unlikely to seriously deal with the Yan army for our benefit."
Zhao She continued, "If Tian Dan comes, he will surely drag our Zhao army on the battlefield, '旷日持久' (protracting the war for a long time), wasting time. If this continues for several years, our state's manpower, financial resources, and material wealth will be exhausted. The consequences would be unimaginable!"
However, King Xiaocheng of Zhao and Prime Minister Zhao Sheng did not heed Zhao She's advice. They still ceded three cities and invited Tian Dan from Qi to be the commander-in-chief of the Zhao army. As expected, Zhao State entered into a costly war of attrition, paying a huge price and only capturing a small city from Yan, failing to achieve the desired victory.