In the winter of 204 BC, Han King Liu Bang personally led his troops to hold Xingyang against Xiang Yu's Chu army.
Relying on the city's formidable defenses, Liu Bang would rain arrows and hurl stones whenever the Chu army approached the walls, preventing them from gaining any advantage. But the Hegemon-King Xiang Yu refused to give up; trusting in his overwhelming military might, he personally oversaw his troops and launched relentless assaults on Xingyang. He amassed 100,000 soldiers, determined to capture Xingyang in a single decisive strike.
Fan Zeng, Xiang Yu's cunning strategist, knew that storming Xingyang with only 100,000 troops would be tough due to the terrain. He advised Xiang Yu, "Liu Bang holds Xingyang only because of the Aocang granary. Cut off his supply routes, and the city will fall."
Xiang Yu, finding the advice sound, adopted it and dispatched his general Zhongli Mei with 10,000 elite troops to raid the Han army's supply convoy, succeeding in their mission. When Zhou Bo, the Han commander guarding the Aocang granary, led his forces out to counterattack, he too suffered defeat. Seizing the momentum, Xiang Yu marshaled his army and marched straight on Xingyang. The situation at Xingyang grew dire—once the city's provisions ran out, it risked falling without a fight.
King Liu Bang of Han was burning with anxiety. Seeing that Xingyang was about to fall, and with his strategist Zhang Liang absent and Wang Ling ill, the situation was dire. What could be done? Remembering that his advisor Li Yiji had offered many useful suggestions before, he immediately summoned Li Yiji to discuss countermeasures. Li Yiji said to the king:
When King Gaozu of Han asked his advisor Zhang Liang for counsel, Zhang Liang replied, "When Tang, the founder of the Shang dynasty, overthrew Jie, the last ruler of the Xia, he enfeoffed the descendants of the Xia to stabilize the realm before launching his campaign to victory. Similarly, when King Wu of the Zhou dynasty overthrew Zhou, the last ruler of the Shang, he enfeoffed the descendants of the Shang. Now that Qin has conquered the six kingdoms and unified the world, their descendants have been left homeless, stripped of their status and dignity. Since you have been named the King of Han, why not enfeoff the descendants of the six kingdoms as kings? This would inspire gratitude and reverence among all subjects and people, isolating Xiang Yu's forces and compelling them to recognize you as their sovereign."
Liu Bang, upon hearing Li Yiji's proposal, immediately shifted from worry to delight, praising Li Yiji's brilliant strategy and ordering him to carry it out at once. Li Yiji, having received the Han king's command, hurried back to hasten the engraving of royal seals, preparing to enfeoff the descendants of the six warring states.
Liu Bang, thinking the situation was settled, breathed a sigh of relief and felt much more at ease. Just then, Zhang Liang came to see him, and the Han King immediately called out, "Zifang, you've come at the right time. I have something to discuss with you. Sit down quickly."
After Zhang Liang sat down, Liu Bang told him about Li Yiji's proposal to reinstate the descendants of the six former kingdoms. Zhang Liang was shocked, and upon learning it was Li Yiji's idea, he saw the king's troubled expression and urgently asked what was wrong. Seizing Liu Bang's chopsticks in his haste, Zhang Liang said, "Great King, allow me to use your chopsticks to analyze the current situation." He then pressed, "When King Tang of Shang overthrew Jie and enfeoffed the Xia dynasty's descendants, it was because Tang had the power to put Jie to death. Does Your Majesty now have the certainty to put Xiang Yu to death?"
King of Han shook his head. Zhang Liang gestured with his chopsticks and said, "This is the first reason. Similarly, when King Wu attacked Zhou, he was certain of victory. Are you now sure you can kill Xiang Yu?"
The Han King shook his head again. Zhang Liang nodded and said, "This is the second objection. Moreover, the heroes of the realm have followed you through campaigns north and south, all for some benefit. Now if you enfeoff the descendants of the six states, their hearts will scatter, each returning to their own lord. Who will then help you conquer the world?"
Upon hearing this, the King of Han felt as if waking from a dream
Later, people used the idiom "Borrowing Chopsticks to Plan" to mean planning on behalf of others.
Source: *Records of the Grand Historian*, "Biography of the Marquis of Liu"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "借箸代筹" came to describe planning on behalf of others.