Lord Xinling vs Qusayy ibn Kilab

Lord Xinling, a prince of Wei, stole the military tally (hubu) from the Wei king's bedchamber to command the Wei army to aid Zhao during the siege of Handan. He then led the Wei forces to break the Qin siege, saving Zhao from conquest.

When the Wei general Jin Bi refused to obey the stolen tally, Lord Xinling ordered his retainer Zhu Hai to kill Jin Bi. Lord Xinling then took command of the Wei army, an act of insubordination that saved Zhao but strained his relationship with the Wei king.

After stealing the tally, Lord Xinling remained in Zhao for ten years, fearing punishment from the Wei king. During this exile, he continued to build his reputation as a patron of retainers and a military strategist.

When Qin invaded Wei, Lord Xinling was recalled from exile. He organized a coalition of five states (Wei, Zhao, Han, Chu, Yan) and defeated the Qin army at the Battle of Hulao, temporarily halting Qin's eastward expansion.

Qusayy ibn Kilab gathered the scattered Quraysh clans in Mecca and established a unified tribal confederation. He organized the administration of the Kaaba and the city, creating a central authority that would control Mecca's political and religious life for centuries.

Qusayy ibn Kilab founded Dar al-Nadwa, the assembly house in Mecca where Quraysh leaders gathered to discuss political, military, and religious matters. This institution became the central council for Quraysh governance, managing alliances, declarations of war, and marriages.

Qusayy ibn Kilab secured the keys to the Kaaba and the rights to provide water and food to pilgrims. This gave his clan, the Banu Abd al-Dar, control over the most important religious and economic privileges in Mecca, solidifying his family's dominance.