Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, had a remarkable talent for using people, and through this skill, he ultimately defeated countless rivals to ascend the dragon throne.
Xiao He, the prime minister, was a fellow townsman of Liu Bang
After several rebel armies struck from all sides, the Qin dynasty finally collapsed. At that time, the most powerful leader, Xiang Yu, declared himself Hegemon-King of Western Chu and enfeoffed Liu Bang as the King of Han, granting him forty-one counties in Ba, Shu, and Hanzhong.
At that time, Han Xin came to seek refuge with Liu Bang. Han Xin possessed great military talent, and after speaking with him several times, Xiao He recognized his abilities and repeatedly recommended him to Liu Bang, hoping he would be given an important post. However, Liu Bang, seeing no major achievements in Han Xin's past record, dismissed Xiao He's endorsements and only assigned Han Xin a minor role as a warehouse officer.
Han Xin, lamenting that he had yet to meet a worthy ruler, grew deeply discontent. At that time, Liu Bang, enfeoffed in Hanzhong, ordered his troops to prepare for departure to Nanzheng, but many officers, homesick and unwilling to go west, slipped away almost daily. Han Xin thought to himself, "Here under Liu Bang, I have no chance to rise. Why not seize this opportunity to flee and seek my fortune elsewhere?" So one night, without a word of farewell, he too left.
That night, Xiao He happened to visit Han Xin, wanting to discuss how to build strength after moving to Hanzhong. Arriving at Han Xin's quarters, he found no one there. A soldier said, "Could Han Xin have fled as well?"
This reminded Xiao He, who urged everyone to search more carefully; they soon discovered that Han Xin's sword was no longer hanging by his bedside, and his white horse was gone from the stable.
"It must be an escape, no doubt."
Xiao He was utterly alarmed. How could he let such a military genius slip away? Without even informing Liu Bang, Xiao He immediately mounted his horse and raced off at breakneck speed to chase after Han Xin.
The next day, Liu Bang did not see Xiao He and found it very strange. Someone reported to Liu Bang that Xiao He had fled. Liu Bang was extremely anxious, because he regarded Xiao He as indispensable as his own two hands. But he couldn't understand: "I have treated the Chancellor with nothing but kindness—how could he also run away?"
Two days later, Xiao He caught up with Han Xin and earnestly promised him, 'I will do everything in my power to recommend you so that the King of Han entrusts you with a vital role.' Moved by this, Han Xin agreed and returned together with Xiao He.
When Xiao He came to see Liu Bang, Liu Bang asked, "Why did you flee?" Xiao He replied, "How could I flee? I went to chase after the fleeing Han Xin!" Then Xiao He detailed Han Xin's extraordinary talent, advising Liu Bang, "A general like Han Xin is unmatched in the entire realm. If you wish to contend for the empire, you must entrust him with great responsibility."
Deeply moved, Liu Bang listened as Xiao He, despite his own frail age, had raced through the night to chase down Han Xin for the sake of Liu Bang's cause. So Liu Bang heeded Xiao He's advice and appointed Han Xin as Grand General.
Xiao He truly had an eye for talent, proving why Liu Bang regarded him as his right hand. Indeed, Han Xin later helped Liu Bang conquer half the empire, defeat Xiang Yu, and unify the realm.
Later, the idiom "like one's left and right hands" came to be used as a metaphor for a capable assistant.
Source: *Records of the Grand Historian*, "Biography of the Marquis of Huaiyin"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "如左右手" came to describe a capable assistant.