Lin Xiangru returned the biscuit to Zhao intact

In 283 B.C., King Zhao Xiang of Qin sent a messenger with a letter of state to King Hui Wen of Zhao, saying that the king of Qin was willing to give up fifteen cities in exchange for a precious piece of "Heshibi" in Zhao's collection, hoping that the king would agree.

King Huai Wen of Zhao discussed with his ministers whether to agree or not. If he wanted to agree, he was afraid that he would lose the Biscuit and not get the city; if he did not agree, he was afraid of offending Qin. After half a day of discussion, he could not decide what to do.

At that time, someone recommended Lin Xiangru, saying that he was an insightful person.

King Hui Wen of Zhao summoned Lin Xiangru and asked him to give him an idea.

Lin Xiangru said, "Qin is strong and Zhao is weak, so I can't say no."

King Huaiwen of Zhao said, "What if you send Heshibi and Qin takes it and does not give it to the city?"

Lin Xiangru said, "Qin gave fifteen cities in exchange for a piece of jade, which is a high value. If Zhao did not agree, the fault would be Zhao's. The king sent the jade to the king, but if Qin did not give up the city, then the fault was Qin. I would rather agree to let Qin take the blame."

King Huaiwen of Zhao said, "Then let me ask you to go to Qin. But what if Qin does not keep its word?"

Lin Xiangru said, "If Qin gives up the city, I will leave the wall in Qin; otherwise, I will bring the biscuit back to Zhao intact." (The original text is "return the biscuit to Zhao intact.")

Lin Xiangru arrived at Xianyang with Ueshiba. King Zhao Xiang of Qin proudly received him in a different palace. He offered the Biscuit to him.

King Zhaoxiang received the wall, looked at it, and was quite pleased. He handed the wall to the beauty and the courtiers on his left and right, and asked them to pass it around to see it. The ministers all congratulated King Zhao Xiang.

Lin Xiangru stood in the courtroom for a long time, but the king did not mention the change in the city. He knew that King Zhaoxiang was not sincere in exchanging the city for the biscuit. But the bronze was already in the hands of others, how could he get it back?

He said to King Zhaoxiang, "Although the biscuit is valuable, there is something wrong with it, which is not easy to see.

King Zhaoxiang believed it, so he ordered his attendant to hand the biscuit to Lin Xiangru.

As soon as Lin Xiangru got the biscuit, he took a few steps back and leaned against a large pillar in the palace, staring at the king and saying angrily, "The king sent an envoy to Zhao, saying that he was willing to exchange fifteen cities for Zhao's biscuit. The king of Zhao sincerely sent me to deliver the biscuits. However, the king did not have the sincerity to exchange. Now the biscuit is in my hand. If the king forces me, I would rather smash my head together with the biscuit on this pillar!"

With that, he took the Biscuit and smashed it against the pillar.

King Zhaoxiang was afraid that he would smash the biscuit, so he hastened to apologize to him and said, "Sir, don't misunderstand, how can I say no?"

He then ordered his minister to bring a map and showed Lin Xiangru the fifteen cities that he was going to exchange for Zhao.

Thinking that he would not be fooled again, Lin Xiangru said, "Before the king of Zhao sent the biscuits to Qin, he fasted for five days and held a very solemn ceremony in the court. If the king is sincere in exchanging the biscuit, he should also fast for five days and then hold a ceremony to accept the biscuit before I dare to present it to him."

King Zhaoxiang thought, "You can't get away with it anyway, so he said, "Okay, let's do that."

He ordered his men to send Lin Xiangru to the hotel to rest.

When Lin Xiangru returned to the guesthouse, he asked one of his attendants to dress up as a trader, hid the back close to him, and secretly ran back to Zhao through a small path.

After five days, King Zhao Xiang of Qin summoned his ministers and envoys from other countries to Xianyang to hold a ceremony in the courtroom to receive the biscuit and asked Lin Xiangru to come to court. He asked Lin Xiangru to come to the court, and he walked up to the court and bowed to King Zhao Xiang.

King Zhaoxiang said, "I have fasted for five days, now bring out the biscuit."

Lin Xiangru said, "Since Duke Mu of Qin, there have been twenty monarchs before and after him, and none of them has been faithful. I was afraid of being deceived and losing the wall and doing wrong to the king of Zhao, so I sent the wall back to Zhao. Please, Your Majesty, rule over me."

When King Zhao Xiang of Qin heard this, he was furious. He said, "Did you deceive me, or did I deceive you?"