Gongsun Tong, a scholar from the late Qin to early Han dynasties, was summoned as a court academician by the Second Emperor of Qin for his vast knowledge.
Soon, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang raised the banner of revolt, and from all directions people responded, swiftly capturing the counties of Qi and Chen.
When the Second Emperor of Qin heard the news, he summoned over thirty scholars including Shusun Tong to the palace and asked, "Chen Sheng has rebelled—what good strategies do you have?" All thirty-plus scholars replied, "Subjects must not gather in crowds; gathering in crowds is rebellion. Rebels should be executed. We urge Your Majesty to quickly send troops to suppress them."
When the Second Emperor of Qin heard this, his face darkened with anger. The quick-witted courtier Shusun Tong stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe these officials are mistaken. Now that the empire is united under one rule, the late emperor has ordered all weapons destroyed and forbidden their use. With a wise ruler like you establishing perfect laws, everyone obeys their duties and the realm is at peace—who would dare to rebel? In my view, Chen Sheng and his followers are nothing but petty thieves, hardly worth mentioning. Simply order the local governors to arrest them; there is no need to worry, let alone dispatch troops to suppress them!"
After hearing this, Qin Ershi happily praised, "Well said!"
Qin Er Shi then questioned each of the over thirty court scholars one by one. Some insisted that Chen Sheng was leading a rebellion, while others echoed Shusun Tong's view, calling Chen Sheng and his followers mere bandits. The emperor ordered the imperial censor to review each statement: those who said it was a rebellion were handed over to officials for punishment, while those who called it banditry were dismissed from their posts. Only Shusun Tong received praise, along with a reward of twenty bolts of silk, an official robe, and a promotion by one rank.
Shusun Tong left the palace, and the dismissed scholars accused him of flattery. He said, "You don't understand—if I hadn't spoken that way, none of us would have escaped death!"
That night, Shusun Tong fled to his hometown of Xue and joined Xiang Liang's rebel army. Later, he switched allegiance to Liu Bang, the King of Han. After Liu Bang founded the Han Dynasty, Shusun Tong devised court rituals for him and was appointed Grand Master of Ceremonies.
Later, the idiom "He Zu Gua Chi" (not worth mentioning) came to describe something insignificant and not worth dwelling on, used to express politeness.
Source: *Records of the Grand Historian*, "Biography of Liu Jing and Shusun Tong"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "何足挂齿" came to describe how something insignificant and not worth dwelling on, used to express politeness.