In 260 BCE, after the Qin army crushed the Zhao forces at Changping, they pushed east and soon besieged the Zhao capital, Handan. King Xiaocheng of Zhao, seeing his kingdom on the brink, sent envoys to Wei and Chu for aid. King Anxi of Wei dispatched General Jin Bi with troops to rescue Zhao, while Lord Chunshen of Chu also led an army to help. When King Zhaoxiang of Qin learned this, he personally oversaw the siege at Handan and sent a message to King Anxi: "Handan is about to fall. Whoever dares to send troops to save Zhao, I will strike first!" Terrified, King Anxi ordered Jin Bi to halt his advance. Lord Chunshen, upon hearing this, also stopped his army.
King Zhao of Zhao, seeing no reinforcements arriving, sent another envoy to plead with King Wei of Wei for aid. The Wei general Xinyuan Yan advised King Wei, "Qin's attack on Zhao is not merely to conquer it but to demonstrate its power and claim the title of emperor. If Zhao acknowledges King Zhao of Qin as emperor, Qin will surely withdraw its troops."
When the King of Wei heard this, he sent Xin Yuan Yan to the state of Zhao, urging King of Zhao and his prime minister, Lord Pingyuan, to honor King Zhao of Qin as emperor. The King of Zhao deliberated with his ministers, all hesitant and uncertain. Lord Pingyuan, at a loss, could not decide what to do.
At this time, Lu Zhonglian of Qi happened to be in Handan. He was a eloquent but reclusive scholar who disdained officialdom. Hearing that Xinyuan Yan wanted Zhao to honor King Zhao of Qin as emperor, he was displeased and went to seek an audience with Lord Pingyuan at his residence, asking, "I hear Zhao plans to honor the King of Qin as emperor—is this true?"
“I am like a bird wounded by an arrow, utterly disheartened and lost. How dare I propose such a plan? It was King Wei who sent General Xinyuan Yan to suggest this,” said Lord Pingyuan.
Lu Zhonglian requested a meeting with Xinyuan Yan, and Lord Pingyuan agreed, escorting Lu to Xinyuan's residence. Upon seeing him, Xinyuan remarked, "With enemy forces at our gates, I notice many in the city remain only because they seek favors from Lord Pingyuan. But you don't seem to need anything from him—why haven't you left?"
“I have no request of Lord Pingyuan, but I do have one of you!” Lu Zhonglian declared. Xin Yuanyan asked, “What is it you want from me?” Lu Zhonglian replied, “I ask you to help Zhao and not honor the King of Qin as emperor.” Xin Yuanyan pressed, “How, sir, do you propose to help Zhao?” Lu Zhonglian answered, “I will arrange for Yan, Wei, Qi, and Chu to send troops together to rescue Zhao.” Xin Yuanyan laughed, “I don’t know about Yan, but I know Wei won’t rescue Zhao. What makes you think you can get Wei to act?” Lu Zhonglian said, “Wei hasn’t seen the harm in Qin declaring itself emperor. If it did, it would surely send troops.” Xin Yuanyan asked, “Then tell me—what harm would Qin becoming emperor bring?”
Lu Zhonglian declared passionately, "The state of Qin is a nation of tigers and wolves that disregards propriety and righteousness, bullying others through brute force, cheating through intimidation, and slaughtering the innocent. If it were to claim imperial rule, it would surely be ten times more brutal than now. I would rather drown myself in the East China Sea than become its subject! And would King Wei and the General willingly become its subjects?"
"We are not unwilling, but afraid and helpless!"
Lu Zhonglian warned, 'If that happens, the day when the King of Wei is minced into meat paste by the King of Qin is not far off. Consider this: once King Zhao of Qin proclaims himself emperor, he will be even more brutal than King Zhou of Shang. In the past, King Zhou slaughtered feudal lords as if it were child's play. If the King of Qin becomes emperor and summons the King of Wei to court, the King of Wei will be butchered like the Marquis of Jiu. Once the King of Wei is killed, General, how can you possibly protect your own rank and wealth?'
Xin Yuan Yan, impressed by Lu Zhonglian's reasoning, bowed and said, "You are truly a noble scholar of the world. I will return and tell our lord to drop the matter of honoring King Zhao of Qin as emperor."
Xin Yuan Yan took his leave and returned to Wei. When the King of Qin learned that Lu Zhonglian, a man of such remarkable talent, was in Handan, he withdrew his forces to the Fen River. Soon after, Lord Xinling of Wei devised a plan to steal the military tally and led troops to rescue Zhao, lifting the siege of Handan. The Lord of Pingyuan was deeply grateful to Lu Zhonglian and offered him a high official post, but Lu Zhonglian firmly refused, saying, "What is truly valuable for a scholar under heaven is to solve others' troubles without seeking anything in return. If one seeks reward, that is the way of a merchant—and I will never be such a man."
Later, the idiom "Pai Nan Jie Fen" came to be used to describe mediating disputes or conflicts between two parties.
Source: *Strategies of the Warring States*, "Strategies of Zhao III"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "排难解纷" came to describe mediating disputes or conflicts between two parties.