During the Spring and Autumn period, the powerful states of Jin and Chu frequently warred for supremacy over the Central Plains, with the small state of Zheng caught between them as a constant prize. To survive, Zheng was forced to curry favor with both sides.
In 608 BCE, Duke Ling of Jin launched a campaign against the Song state while also rallying allied states to attack Qi. Acting as the overlord of the feudal lords, he demanded bribes from all sides, sparking widespread resentment. Duke Mu of Zheng, deeply disillusioned, decided to switch allegiances and forged a pact with King Zhuang of Chu.
In the autumn of 607 BCE, civil strife erupted in the state of Jin, leading to the death of Duke Ling and the ascension of Duke Cheng. The following year, Jin launched a military campaign against Zheng. Facing this threat, Duke Mu of Zheng was compelled to sever ties with Chu and realign with Jin.
King Zhuang of Chu was furious at Zheng's repeated betrayals, so he launched several campaigns against Zheng, forcing them into an alliance. But on the day of the oath, Duke Xiang of Zheng secretly fled back to his state, enraging King Zhuang even further.
In 597 BCE, King Zhuang of Chu personally led a massive army to attack the state of Zheng. The weak Zheng was no match, and Chu forces soon breached its capital. Forced into submission, Duke Xiang of Zheng stripped to the waist, led a sheep to the main road, and pleaded before King Zhuang: "I failed to serve you wholeheartedly, which has brought your wrath and army upon us—this is entirely my fault. From now on, I will obey your every command. If you can spare Zheng from destruction, I will never forget your grace!"
King Zhuang of Chu agreed to Duke Mu of Zheng's request, allowing the state of Zheng to sign a peace treaty.
Later, people used the idiom "Willing to Follow Orders" to mean absolute obedience.
Source: *Zuo Zhuan*, "Duke Xuan's Twelfth Year"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "惟命是从" came to describe absolute obedience.