In the waning years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the empire crumbled. In 189 AD, the warlord Dong Zhuo seized Luoyang, deposed the young Emperor Liu Bian, and installed Emperor Xian, ruling with an iron fist. Later, Cao Cao brought Emperor Xian to Xuchang, made it the capital, and used the emperor's name to command the feudal lords.
At that time, Zhuge Liang lived in seclusion, farming the land, and often compared himself to the great statesman Guan Zhong and the brilliant general Yue Yi. Most people dismissed his claims as arrogance, but his close friend Xu Shu alone believed it to be true.
One day, Xu Shu visited Liu Bei and said, "Zhuge Liang is like a sleeping dragon. General, wouldn't you like to meet him?" Liu Bei replied, "Bring him along to see me." Xu Shu answered, "This man can only be visited by you; he cannot be summoned. It would be best for you to humble yourself and go to him."
Liu Bei wondered to himself, 'What kind of extraordinary talent is this? I must go and see for myself.'
Liu Bei visited Zhuge Liang three times before finally meeting him. Dismissing his attendants, Liu Bei asked privately, "The Han dynasty is in decline, traitors have seized power, and the emperor suffers humiliation. Though I am weak and lack talent, I am determined to uphold justice for the realm. Yet my shallow wisdom has led to repeated failures. Still, my resolve remains unchanged—what do you advise?"
Zhuge Liang smiled calmly, his plan already formed, and replied, "Since Dong Zhuo's rebellion, countless heroes have risen across the land, each seizing entire provinces and commanderies. Compared to Yuan Shao, Cao Cao had a lower reputation and fewer troops, yet he defeated Yuan Shao and turned weakness into strength—this was not merely due to favorable timing but also to human strategy. Now Cao Cao commands a million-strong army, holds the emperor hostage to command the nobles, and is truly impossible to challenge head-on. Sun Quan controls Jiangdong, a region his family has ruled for three generations, with natural defenses and loyal people; talented advisors serve him. He can be your ally, but you cannot annex him. Jing Province borders the Han and Mian Rivers to the north, reaches the southern seas, connects to Wu and Kuaiji in the east, and links to Ba and Shu in the west—it is a perfect base for military operations. Yi Province is surrounded by impassable fortresses, with fertile plains at its heart, yet its current rulers mismanage it—it is practically a gift from Heaven to you! As a descendant of the Han imperial family, renowned for trust and righteousness, you command the allegiance of heroes. If you take Jing and Yi Provinces, rely on their strategic terrain, make peace with the western tribes, pacify the southern Baiyue peoples, form an alliance with Sun Quan, and govern your lands well, then when the world changes, you can both attack and defend. Thus, you can achieve hegemony and restore the Han dynasty."
Liu Bei exclaimed, "Excellent!"
From that day forward, Liu Bei trusted Zhuge Liang completely, never questioning his advice, and their friendship grew closer with each passing day.
The idiom "holding the emperor hostage to command the nobles" means to control the emperor and issue orders to the nobles in his name. Later, it came to metaphorically refer to using the authority of a powerful figure to give commands.
Source: *Records of the Three Kingdoms*, "Biography of Zhuge Liang"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "挟天子以令诸侯" came to describe how using the authority of a powerful figure to give commands.