Impose Strict Rewards And Penalties

Duke Wu Hou inquired, "Is it sufficient to ensure victory by imposing strict rewards and penalties?"

Wu Qi replied, "The principle of strict rewards and penalties is something I cannot elaborate fully. Though crucial, it cannot be relied upon solely. When issuing commands, people should be willing to obey; when going to war, people should be eager to participate; when charging into battle, people should be ready to sacrifice their lives. These three points are what a ruler should rely on."

Duke Wu Hou asked, "How can we achieve this?"

Wu Qi answered, "When selecting meritorious individuals, you should hold grand banquets to honor them. This will also serve as encouragement for those who have not yet distinguished themselves."

So, Duke Wu Hou held a banquet at the ancestral temple, arranging seats in three rows for the officials and scholars. Those who had rendered great services sat in the front row, enjoying superior banquets and precious tableware, with pork, beef, and mutton served. Those with secondary merits sat in the middle row, with inferior banquets and tableware. Those without merits sat in the back row, with only banquets but no precious tableware. After the banquet, they were rewarded outside the temple gate, with their parents and wives also receiving rewards according to their merits. For the families of fallen soldiers, annual visits and rewards were sent to their parents, showing that they were not forgotten.

Three years after implementing this method, the state of Qin invaded the western border of Wei. Upon hearing this news, countless soldiers of Wei voluntarily donned armor and braved the enemy without waiting for official orders.

Then, Duke Wu Hou summoned Wu Qi and said, "The method you taught me before has now borne fruit."

Wu Qi said, "I have heard that people have shortcomings and strengths, and morale has highs and lows. You might consider sending fifty thousand soldiers who have not yet rendered any services and let me lead them to confront the Qin army. If we do not prevail, we will be ridiculed by the other states and lose our authority in the world. [But this will not happen. That is why I dare to try.] For example, if a thief sentenced to death hides in the wilderness and a thousand people are sent to pursue him, none of them would dare to be careless. Why is this? It is because they fear that he might suddenly jump out and harm them. So, one desperate person can make a thousand people tremble. Now, these fifty thousand soldiers of mine are like that thief. Leading them to fight the enemy will make it difficult for the enemy to resist."

So, Duke Wu Hou adopted Wu Qi's suggestion and added five hundred chariots and thirty horses, defeating five hundred thousand Qin soldiers. This was the effect of motivating morale.

The day before the battle, Wu Qi ordered the three armies, "All officers and soldiers should obey orders and fight the enemy. Whether charioteers, cavalrymen, or infantrymen, if the charioteers cannot capture the enemy's chariots, the cavalrymen cannot capture the enemy's cavalry, and the infantrymen cannot capture the enemy's infantry, even if the enemy is defeated, it will not count as a merit." Therefore, on the day of the battle, his commands were few, yet the battle results were splendid, and his prestige shook the world.