Fan Ju, styled Shu, was a man from the state of Wei during the Spring and Autumn period. He initially served under Xu Jia, a senior official of Wei. Once, Fan Ju accompanied Xu Jia on a diplomatic mission to the state of Qi. King Xiang of Qi, hearing of Fan Ju's talent, sent him generous gifts, but Fan Ju repeatedly declined, afraid to accept them. However, Xu Jia insisted that Fan Ju had leaked Wei's secrets. Upon returning to Wei, Fan Ju was brutally beaten by the prime minister, breaking his ribs and knocking out his teeth. Feigning death, Fan Ju was rescued by a man named Zheng Anping and fled to the powerful state of Qin, where he gained the favor of King Zhao of Qin. Years later, Fan Ju became the prime minister of Qin. King Zhao gave him the alias Zhang Lu. Wei, unaware of this, believed Fan Ju had long been dead.
When the state of Wei heard that Qin was about to attack both Han and Wei, they were terrified and sent Xu Jia to Qin to gather intelligence.
When Fan Ju learned that Xu Jia had arrived in the state of Qin, he put on shabby clothes and went to meet him.
When Xu Jia saw Fan Ju, he was utterly shocked and asked, "Fan Shu, how have you been all this time?" "Fine," Fan Ju replied. Xu Jia laughed and asked, "Fan Shu, have you come to Qin as a persuader?" "No," Fan Ju answered. "I offended the prime minister of Wei long ago and fled here—how would I dare to go around persuading anyone?" "Then how do you make a living now, Fan Shu?" "I do some trading for others." Pitying Fan Ju's plight, Xu Jia invited him to drink. After a few cups, Xu Jia sighed deeply and said, "I never imagined Fan Shu would be reduced to such poverty!" He then took out a silk robe and gave it to Fan Ju.
Xu Jia asked Fan Ju about the Qin chancellor Zhang Lu, expressing a desire to meet him
Because Fan Sui remembered that Xu Jia had once given him a robe in friendship, he allowed Xu Jia to return to the state of Wei.
Later, the idiom "Such Extreme Poverty" came to describe being destitute beyond measure.
Source: *Records of the Grand Historian*, "Biographies of Fan Ju and Cai Ze"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "一寒如此" came to describe being destitute beyond measure.