Lin Xiangru
Lin Xiangru () (died July 260 BCE) was a politician and general of the Warring States period, who served the state of Zhao. He figures prominently in two stories of the period, namely the episode and the namesake chengyu of "Returning the Jade to Zhao" (), as well as the story and the namesake chengyu of "Carrying Thorned Grass and Pleading Guilt" (). Background Lin Xiangru was born sometime in the reign of King Wuling of Zhao in present-day Mengmen town, Liulin County, Shanxi. Due to his intellect and superior skills, he rose quickly through the ranks of the Zhao bureaucracy. Returning the Jade to Zhao Emissaries from the King of Qin came over to the Zhao court one day, offering to exchange fifteen cities for the sacred Heshibi jade disk. At this stage of the Warring States period, Qin was the most powerful state, making it difficult to decline. On the other hand, the Kings of Qin had historically been untrustworthy, and King Huiwen of Zhao did not trust the King of Qin to keep his side of the bargain. Lin Xiangru volunteered to go to the Qin court with the He Shi Bi, promising to trade the jade