固若金汤 — “An impregnable fortress”

Towards the end of the Qin dynasty, Chen Sheng, a leader of the peasant uprising, dispatched Wu Chen to attack the Zhao territory. After Wu Chen led his troops north to attack Zhao, he cleared obstacles along the way, and heroes from all corners responded to his call. The rebel army quickly occupied most of the Zhao kingdom. Wu Chen himself was honored with the title of Wu Xin Jun. At this point, Wu Chen's army laid siege to Fanyang city.

The Fanyang magistrate, Xu Gong, prepared to defend the city to the death, constructing fortifications everywhere and readying for a staunch resistance. At that time, there was a highly eloquent debater in Fanyang named Kuai Tong. Upon learning that Wu Chen's army had arrived at the city gates, he went to visit Xu Gong.

He began by offering condolences, then immediately congratulated him, which left Xu Gong utterly bewildered, prompting him to ask for an explanation. Kuai Tong explained, “For over a decade as Fanyang magistrate, you have engaged in killing and plundering, forcing people to be separated from their families and causing widespread resentment. It was only the strict Qin laws that previously protected you from disaster, leaving the common folk helpless. Now, with the empire in chaos and Qin law no longer effective, won't the people flay you alive to avenge their past grievances? However, if Your Excellency listens to my advice, you will not only avoid death but also attain wealth and honor.” Hearing this, the Fanyang magistrate promptly asked for his counsel.

Kuai Tong then set off to seek an audience with Wu Chen. Wu Chen was actively recruiting heroes from all directions and was very willing to meet him. Kuai Tong addressed Wu Chen, saying, “You have come here, and you will certainly have to defeat the Fanyang magistrate before you can occupy Fanyang city, which seems unnecessarily troublesome. I now have a strategy that will allow you to gain Fanyang city without expending a single soldier, and with just one proclamation, you can acquire thousands of miles of land. Are you interested in hearing it?” Wu Chen eagerly replied, “With such a brilliant plan, how could I not want to hear it?”

Kuai Tong continued, “The Fanyang magistrate, upon hearing of your approach, is currently mobilizing his forces and is determined to defend the city. However, he is a man who greatly fears death and covets his official position. The reason he has not yet surrendered is because you previously captured ten cities and executed all the defending officials. He feels that surrendering means death, and defending also means death, and he believes Fanyang city is '固若金汤' (impregnable), making it difficult for you to conquer it by force. Furthermore, even if the people of Fanyang detest their magistrate and kill him in an uprising, they might not necessarily be willing to pledge allegiance to you, Wu Xin Jun; they might even defend the city fiercely rather than surrender. My suggestion for you is to pardon the Fanyang magistrate and grant him a marquis's seal. Delighted with this newfound wealth and honor, he will naturally open the city gates and surrender. The people of Fanyang will also not dare to harm him. In this way, you can easily gain Fanyang city. You can even use luxurious carriages to transport the Fanyang magistrate and have him tour the nearby cities. Officials in those neighboring cities will then realize that surrendering to you will not lead to execution but to glory and prosperity, and they will swiftly surrender. This way, you can gain control of the realm without any effort, and without war, the four quarters will submit. This is the brilliant strategy I spoke of, to pacify the land with just a single proclamation!”

Wu Chen, after listening to Kuai Tong's plan, found it very sound and proceeded according to his advice. Indeed, not long after the Fanyang magistrate surrendered, officials from hundreds of miles around also successively surrendered to Wu Chen.