During the Spring and Autumn period, Duke Huan of Qi sent a massive army to attack the state of Lu, and Duke Zhuang of Lu prepared to lead his troops into battle.
During the reign of Duke Zhuang of Lu, a warrior named Cao Gui—known for his courage and strategic mind—had once accompanied the duke to a meeting with Duke Huan of Qi at Ke. When Duke Huan treated Duke Zhuang with arrogance, Cao Gui drew his sword, seized Duke Huan, and forced him to swear an oath returning the lands Qi had taken from Lu. Now, hearing that Qi was again marching a massive army to invade, Cao Gui urgently requested an audience with Duke Zhuang, saying, "My lord, I have a plan to defeat the Qi forces."
"His fellow villager advised him, 'Why bother worrying about this? Let the high officials who eat meat handle it.'"
"The rise and fall of the nation concerns every commoner. Why are you stopping me?" Cao Gui said, "Those high officials who feast on meat are all shortsighted and lack real ability. Now that the nation is in peril, how can I stand by and do nothing!"
When Cao Gui requested an audience, Duke Zhuang of Lu received him. Cao Gui told the duke, "To win this war, you must first earn the people's trust and gain their support." He urged the duke to care for the people's hardships. The duke took his advice and did many practical and beneficial things for the common folk.
When the armies of Qi and Lu finally faced off at Changshao, Duke Zhuang of Lu was about to order an immediate charge, but his advisor Cao Gui stopped him, saying, 'Not yet, my lord—let them exhaust themselves first.' Only after the Qi forces had launched three failed assaults and their morale had crumbled did Cao Gui finally give the order to counterattack, leading to a decisive victory that sent the Qi army fleeing in defeat.
Later, the idiom "The Meat-Eaters Are Despicable" came to refer to those in high positions with generous salaries who are shallow in knowledge.
Source: *Zuo Zhuan*, Chapter "The Tenth Year of Duke Zhuang"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "肉食者鄙" came to describe those in high positions with generous salaries who are shallow in knowledge.