The following story comes from ‘Stratagems of the Warring States’.
In the State of Qi, there was a certain Feng Xuan who was so poor that he could not support himself. He got someone to request for him to join the household the Prince Meng Chang, desiring to dwell and be fed in his household. The Prince said, ‘What is his hobby?’ He was answered, ‘The guest has no hobby.’ The Prince then asked, ‘What is his special ability?’ He was answered, ‘He has no special ability.’ The Prince laughed and accepted him into his household, saying, ‘So be it.’ His attendants, thinking that he Prince thought meanly of Feng, fed him on the coarsest food. After a while, he leaned against a post, tapping his sword, and sang, ‘Long sword, let us go back. I have no fish when I eat.’ The attendants reported it and the Prince said, ‘Let him be fed like other guests in my household.’ After a while he again tapped on his sword and sang, ‘Long sword, let us go back. I have no carriage when I go out.’ The attendants all laughed at him and reported it. The Prince said, ‘Make ready a carriage for him as for those guests in my household who ride in carriages.’ Thereupon, he rode in his carriage, carried proudly his sword, went over to his friend and said, ‘The Prince Meng Chang treats me like a guest.’ After a while, he again tapped on his sword and said, ‘Long sword, let us go back. I have nothing for my home.’ The attendants all disliked him as they felt that he was too greedy and did not know when he had enough. The Prince asked, ‘Are Mr. Feng’s parents still alive?’ They replied, ‘He has an aged mother.’ The Prince then sent a messenger to give her enough food and supplies so that she should not be in want. Thereupon, Feng did not sing again.
Afterwards, the Prince Meng Chang put up a notice in which he asked, ‘Who among the guests in my households is experienced in accounts and can collect debts for me in Xue?’ Feng Xuan responded that he could. The Prince Meng Chang was surprised and said, ‘Who is this man?’ The attendants said, ‘It is he who sang “Long sword, let us go home.”’ The Prince Meng Chang laughed and said, ‘This guest has some ability after all. I have wronged him. I have not seen him before.’ He invited him to come and see him, and said thankfully, ‘I have been busy with and worried about my works. Moreover, I am naturally a weak and dull man. Being immersed in the business of the State, I may have offended you. Sir, is it true that you do not feel disgraced but have it in your mind to collect my debts for me in Xue?’ Feng said, ‘I am willing to do it.’ There upon he yoked his carriage, arranged his luggage, took with him the tallies and bonds, and before setting off, he asked, ‘When all the debts have been collected, what shall I buy to bring back?’ The Prince said, ‘See what my household has least of.’ He drove off quickly and came to Xue. He ordered his officers to summon all those people who owed debts to come and compare their tallies. When the tallies had been thoroughly compared, he issued an unauthorised order that the debts were to be remitted to the people, and accordingly burnt their tallies. The people exclaimed, ‘Long live the Prince.’
Doing the long journey quickly he came to Qi and on the following morning asked to see the Prince. The Prince marvelled at his speed, put on his robe and cap and granted Feng an audience. He asked, ‘Are all the debts collected? You have done it in such a short time’ Feng said, ‘The debts are all collected.’ The Prince asked, ‘What have you bought to bring back?’ Feng said, ‘Your Highness wanted something that the household has least of. As your servant, I presumed in your household, there are stores of valuable treasures, many dogs and horses fill your stables outside, and many beautiful women are ranged below you. What Your Highness’ household has least of is righteousness. And so I have purchased righteousness for Your Highness.’ The Prince said, ‘What do you mean by purchasing righteousness?’ Feng said, ‘Now, Your Highness possesses the small and unimportant place of Xue. You do not comfort and love its people as if they were your children; instead you make profit from them. Your servant issued an order on your behalf to cancel their debts and accordingly burnt their tallies. The people shouted “Long live the Prince.” And that is how your servant purchased righteousness for Your Highness.’ The Prince Meng Chang was displeased and said, ‘So be it, sir. You may retire.’
At the end of the year the King of Qi said to Prince, ‘I do not dare to employ the ministers of my predecessor as my own ministers.’ The Prince Meng Chang went to his own fief in Xue. When he was still a hundred li (0.5 km) away, the people, supporting their aged and leading little ones, came to meet the Prince on the way. When the Prince saw them, he said to Feng, ‘I see today the righteousness which, sir, you purchased for me.’ Feng said, ‘A wily hare needs to have three burrows and with that, it may just be able to escape death when attached. Now your Highness has just one burrow. It is not yet possible for you to sleep soundly. Allow me to prepare two more burrows for you.’ The Prince gave him fifty carriages and five hundred kilograms of gold. He journeyed westward to Liang, and said to King Hui, ‘Qi has banished its great minister – Prince Meng Chang. The king (duke) who welcomes him first will become rich and his army will become powerful.’ The King of Liang ordered the Chief Minister to vacate his post to become Commander-in-Chief of the army, and sent messengers with a thousand kilograms of gold and a hundred carriages to invite Prince Meng Chang to be his Chief Minister. Feng Xuan hurried on in advance and warned Prince Meng Chang, saying, ‘A thousand kilograms of gold is a valuable present, a hundred carriages are a brilliant convey. Qi is sure to know about it.’ The envoy from Liang returned three times but the Prince Meng Chang firmly refused the gifts and would not take up the post in Liang.
When the King of Qi heard of it, both he and his ministers were afraid and sent the Chief Tutor to present a thousand kilograms of gold, two decorated carriages with a team of four horses each, the personal sword of the King, and a sealed document in which he said the Prince, ‘I have been unfortunate, under the evil influence of my ancestral temple, sunk in the flattery of my ministers, and have offended Your Highness. It’s my entire fault. I wish Your Highness would have regard for the temple of my royal predecessor, come back to the State, and take charge of its affairs.’
Feng Xuan warned the Prince Meng Chang, saying, ‘I wish you would ask for the former king’s sacrificial utensils and erected an ancestral temple in Xue.’ When the temple was completed, Feng reported it to the Prince Meng Chang and said, ‘The three burrows are now ready. Your Highness may sleep soundly and rejoice.’
That the Prince Meng Chang was Chief Minister for several tens of years without any misfortune was due to the good advices and strategies of Feng Xuan.
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冯谖买义的故事来自《战国策》。
齐人有冯谖者，贫乏不能自存，使人属孟尝君，愿寄食门下。孟尝君曰：“客何好？”曰：“客无好也。”曰：“客何能？”曰：“客无能也。”孟尝君笑而受之曰：“诺。”左右以君贱之也，食以草具。
居有顷，倚柱弹其剑，歌曰：“长铗归来乎！食无鱼。”左右以告。孟尝君曰：“食之，比门下之鱼客。”居有顷，复弹其铗，歌曰：“长铗归来乎！出无车。”左右皆笑之，以告。孟尝君曰：“为之驾，比门下之车客。”于是乘其车，揭其剑，过其友，曰：“孟尝君客我。”后有顷，复弹其剑铗，歌曰：“长铗归来乎！无以为家。”左右皆恶之，以为贪而不知足。孟尝君闻：“冯公有亲乎？”对曰：“有老母。”孟尝君使人给其食用，无使乏。于是冯谖不复歌。
后孟尝君出记，闻门下诸客：“谁习计会，能为文收责于薛乎？”冯谖署曰：“能。”孟尝君怪之，曰：“此谁也？”左右曰：“乃歌夫‘长铗归来’者也。”孟尝君笑曰：“客果有能也，吾负之，未尝见也。”请而见之谢曰：“文倦于事，愦于忧，而性愚，沉于国家之，开罪于先生。先生不羞，乃有意欲为收责于薛乎？”冯谖曰：“愿之。”于是约车治装，载券契而行，辞曰：“责毕收，以何市而反？”孟尝君曰：“视吾家所寡有者。”驱而之薛，使吏召诸民当偿者，悉来合券。券遍合，起，矫命以责赐诸民，因烧其券，民称万岁。
长驱到齐，晨而求见。孟尝君怪其疾也，衣冠而见之，曰：“责毕瓿乎？来何疾也！”曰：“收毕矣。”“以何市而反？”冯谖曰：“君云‘视吾家所寡有者，’臣窃计，君宫中积珍宝，狗马实外厩，美人充下陈。君家所寡有者，以义耳！窃以为君市义。”孟尝君曰：“市义奈何？”曰：“今君有区区之薛，不拊爱子其民，因而贾利之。臣窃矫君命，以责赐诸民，因烧其券，民称万岁。乃臣所以为君市义也”孟尝君不说，曰：“诺，先生休矣！”
后期年，有毁孟尝君于闵王，齐王谓孟尝君曰：“寡人不敢以先王之臣为臣。”孟尝君就国于薛，未至百里，民扶老携幼，迎君道中。孟尝君顾谓冯谖：“先生所为文市义者，乃今日见之。”冯谖曰：“狡兔有三窟，仅得免其死耳。今君有一窟，未得高枕而卧也。请为君复凿二窟。”孟尝君予车五十乘，金五百斤，西游于梁，谓惠王曰：“齐放其大臣孟尝君于诸侯，诸侯先迎之者，富而兵强。”于是，梁王虚上位，以故相为上将军，遣使者，黄金千斤，车百乘，往聘孟尝君。冯谖先驱，诫孟尝君曰：“千金，重币也；百乘，显使也。齐其闻之矣。”梁使三反，孟尝君固辞不往也。
齐王闻之，君臣恐惧，遣太傅赍黄金千斤，文车二驷，服剑，封书谢孟尝君曰：“寡人不祥，被于宗庙之祟，沉于谄谀之臣，开罪于君，寡人不足为也。愿君顾先王之宗庙，姑反国统万人乎？”冯谖诫孟尝君曰：“愿请先王之祭器，立宗庙于薛。”庙成，还报孟尝君曰：“三窟已就，君姑高枕为乐矣。”
孟尝君为相数十年，无纤介之祸者，冯谖之计也。
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