Chapter 2 · Enemy-Dealing Stratagems
李代桃僵
Lǐ dài táo jiāng
Sacrifice the Plum to Save the Peach
李代桃僵
plum · substitute · peach · wither
When you can't save everything, let a lesser piece take the blow so the piece that matters survives.
今 Today
Facing a regulator, the company loudly kills a small controversial product line — offering it up as a sacrifice — to keep the profitable core business off the chopping block.
反 When it backfires
Sacrifice the wrong plum and you've bled for nothing. Do it too often and your lesser pieces learn they're disposable and leave before you can spend them.