During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, there was a shrewd and capable prime minister named Kou Zhun. One day, the Liao Kingdom to the north suddenly launched a massive invasion, their fierce cavalry sweeping through the Central Plains like a knife through butter, quickly reaching Chanzhou in Hebei (west of present-day Puyang County, Hebei Province).
When Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty received urgent reports from the border, he immediately summoned all his civil and military officials to discuss a strategy.
Prime Minister Kou Zhun said, "Your Majesty, the enemy's forces are extremely formidable
Emperor Zhenzong found Kou Zhun's advice compelling and adopted it, personally leading the three armies to Chanzhou. With the emperor overseeing the battle, Song morale soared, and they decisively routed the Liao forces. Defeated, the Liao had no choice but to submit and sue for peace.
After Emperor Zhenzong of Song returned triumphantly to the capital, he trusted and favored Kou Zhun even more. Unexpectedly, the treacherous minister Wang Qinruo, consumed by jealousy, seized every opportunity to slander Kou Zhun.
Once, Wang Qinruo was gambling with Emperor Zhenzong and deliberately lost several rounds in a row before betting all his remaining money. When the puzzled emperor asked why, Wang replied, "Your Majesty, during the campaign at Chanzhou against the Liao army, didn't you also risk everything on a single throw? Chancellor Kou Zhun insisted you personally lead the troops, staking your life like a gambler's final wager. If our forces had lost, wouldn't your life have been in grave danger?"
Upon hearing this metaphor that compared his own life to a gamble, Emperor Zhenzong flew into a rage and immediately demoted Kou Zhun from Grand Chancellor to Prefect of Shanzhou.
From this story, people often use the gambling term "make a last-ditch effort" to describe concentrating all one's strength on a single matter, likening it to staking everything in a critical moment.
Source: *History of Song*, "Biography of Kou Zhun"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "孤注一掷" came to describe concentrating all one's strength on a single matter, likening it to staking everything in a critical moment.