Baili Xi (approximately 726 BC - 621 BC), a famous prime minister of Qin during the Spring and Autumn Period, can be regarded as an eternal example of a late bloomer. In his early years, he was homeless and traveled to Qi, Zhou, Yu and other countries. He suffered from hunger and cold, and even became a herdsman in Chu State. Duke Mu of Qin heard that he was a virtuous man and redeemed him with five black sheepskins, and he was known as "Doctor Wuxi" in his later generations. He was over seventy years old when he became prime minister, but he pioneered the path to the rise of the Qin State: he promoted the policy of focusing on the people, deposing people to sacrifice, encouraging farmers to make mulberry trees, and educating people; he made diplomatic contacts with distant and close enemies, and assisted Duke Mu to complete the great cause of "merging twelve countries and expanding the territory thousands of miles away", allowing Qin to dominate Xirong; he also recommended talented people such as Uncle Jian to form a strong team to govern the country. His strategy of "benefiting the princes and bringing eight armies to serve" laid the foundation for Qin to unify the world a hundred years later, and was hailed as the founder of Qin's hegemony.
