Wei Zao said, "You are a good general, you should know better the saying that the right time is not as important as the right place, and the right place is not as important as harmony among people."
He said, "Qingzhou City is not low, the moat is not shallow, the armor is strong and sharp, and there is no shortage of grain. So why do we keep retreating? It's because geographical advantage is not as good as people's unity. General Gou Chun has lost the people's support in Qingzhou, and further attacks would be difficult. It would be better for the Great General to take a step back."
Gou Xi was stubborn by nature and immediately rejected the idea, but his advisors, who were more thoughtful, asked, "What does General Wei mean by taking a step back?"
Wei Zao said, "Divide Qingzhou in two, but incorporate Luo'an County into Yan State."
