During the Warring States period, Lu Zhonglian of Qi talked an envoy of Wei out of a plan to recognize the king of Qin as emperor. When the Qin general heard of it, he pulled his army back fifty li. Lord Pingyuan of Zhao wanted to give Lu Zhonglian a fief. Three times he declined. At a banquet, Lord Pingyuan offered him a thousand pieces of gold.
Lu Zhonglian laughed: “What the world values in a gentleman is that he removes troubles, ends hardships and settles disputes for others, and takes nothing. To take something is the business of a merchant.” He left and never saw Lord Pingyuan again. The dictionary Handian lists 鲁仲连 as a near synonym for a peacemaker.