Gongsun Jie, Tian Kaijiang, and Gu Yezi served Duke Jing of Qi. All three were legendary warriors who could fight tigers bare-handed. One day, the brilliant minister Yanzi passed them and showed respect with a quickened step, but the three did not rise - a grave insult. Yanzi reported to the duke: 'These men are a danger to the state.' He devised a plan: present the three warriors with two peaches and tell them to divide them by merit. Gongsun Jie and Tian Kaijiang each took a peach, boasting of their deeds. Gu Yezi, furious, drew his sword and recounted his own greater feats. The other two, shamed, returned their peaches and slit their own throats. Gu Yezi, seeing them dead, said: 'They are gone and I live - that is not righteous.' He too took his own life.
公孙接、田开疆、古冶子三人侍候齐景公，都能赤手空拳和老虎搏斗，因而以勇力而闻名。有一天，晏子从他们身旁经过时，小步快走以示敬意，但这三个人却不起来，对晏子非常失礼。对此，晏子极为生气，便去进见景公说：这些是祸国殃民之人，不如赶快除掉他们。于是便乘机请景公派人赏赐他们两个桃子，对他们说道：你们三个人就按功劳大小去分吃这两个桃子吧！公孙接、田开疆各拿一个桃子。古冶子大怒，拔剑而起，历数自己的功劳。公孙接、田开疆说：我们勇敢赶不上您，功劳也不及您，拿桃子也不谦让，这就是贪婪啊。于是他们都交出了桃子，刎颈自杀。古冶子看到这种情形，说道：他们两个都死了，唯独我自己活着，这是不仁。他也放下桃子，刎颈自杀了。
Reflection & Analysis · 寓意解读
Core Wisdom
Two peaches, three proud warriors - and Yanzi needed no sword. The idiom describes using clever manipulation to destroy others, turning their own pride into their weapon.
Two peaches, three proud warriors - and Yanzi needed no sword. The idiom describes using clever manipulation to destroy others, turning their own pride into their weapon.