During the Western Han Dynasty, there was a man named Han Anguo, who originally served as a senior advisor to King Liu Wu of Liang. He had rendered meritorious service in quelling the "Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms," but later, for violating state laws, he was dismissed from his post and lived idly at home, leading a reclusive life of tending flowers and birds, detached from worldly affairs.
When Emperor Wu of Han ascended the throne, he appointed Tian Fen as Grand Commandant. Han Anguo, seeing an opportunity, bribed Tian Fen to recommend him. The emperor, aware of Han's talents, assigned him as Commandant of the Northern Territories and soon promoted him to Minister of Agriculture. Later, for his success in quelling a rebellion, Emperor Wu elevated Han Anguo to Imperial Counselor.
During the Han Dynasty, relations with the Xiongnu alternated between war and peace talks. One day, the Xiongnu suddenly sent an envoy to negotiate peace, leaving Emperor Wu uncertain how to proceed. He summoned his civil and military officials to discuss the matter together.
Among the ministers was a man named Wang Hui, who had served on the frontier for several years and knew the Xiongnu well. He argued that with the Han dynasty's military strength, they could surely crush the Xiongnu, so he opposed peace negotiations and urged Emperor Wu to immediately send troops to conquer them.
Most officials remained silent, but Han Anguo stepped forward and objected loudly, "The Xiongnu's forces grow stronger daily, and they move like ghosts—unpredictable and elusive. If we march a thousand li to encircle them, success is unlikely, and we'd hand them the advantage of waiting at ease for our exhausted troops. This is like an arrow at the end of its flight, unable to pierce the thinnest silk, or the tail of a gale, too weak to lift a feather. Launching a campaign against the Xiongnu now would be unwise. In my view, we should negotiate a peace treaty instead."
Everyone found his reasoning sound, so Emperor Wu of Han adopted Han Anguo's advice and agreed to negotiate peace with the Xiongnu. Thus, a potential war dissolved like ice and scattered like broken tiles.
Later, the idiom "an arrow at the end of its flight" came to describe a once-powerful force that has weakened and can no longer take effect.
Source: *Records of the Grand Historian*, "Biography of Han Changru"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "强弩之末" came to describe a once-powerful force that has weakened and can no longer take effect.