战国时代，有一个叫蔺相如的人。
他因为立了大功，从一名默默无闻的门客被升为上卿。
赵国有一名将叫廉颇，他看到蔺相如的官位比自己的还高，心里很不服气，怀恨在心，想要报复，并声言不愿和蔺相如同在一起做事，有机会也要当面侮辱他一番。
这件事传到蔺相如耳里以后，他就尽量避开廉颇。
有一次，蔺相如乘车外出，远远看见廉颇的马车迎面而来，便叫人把车转到巷子里避开，让廉颇的马车先过。
随从们认为蔺相如害怕廉颇，非常气愤，纷纷求去。
蔺相如一再挽留，并解释说：“你们看，现在就算是强横的秦国都不敢来侵犯赵国，为什么呢？是因为赵国有我和廉将军两个人啊！如果我和他不合、闹起来，那时不正合了秦国的心意了？我之所以对廉将军处处忍让，并不是怕他，而是为了国家的安危，我必须把私事放在一边啊！”
蔺相如的这番话传到廉颇耳中，令廉颇十分惭愧。
于是，他脱去了上衣，在背上绑着荆杖，请人领到蔺相如家中请罪。
蔺相如见他这样，便亲自为他拿掉荆杖，请他穿上衣服，两人谈得十分愉快，从此成了一对生死相交的好朋友。
后来的人便根据这个情节引申为“负荆请罪”这句成语，用来形容对不起人家、向人家赔礼之意。
In the Warring States period, there was a man named Lin Xiangru.
Because he had made great achievements, he was promoted from an unknown guest to a high-ranking official.
Zhao State had a general named Lian Po. When he saw that Lin Xiangru's rank was higher than his own, he felt very dissatisfied and resentful in his heart. He wanted revenge and said that he did not want to work with Lin Xiangru. If he had the chance, he would insult him in person.
When this matter reached Lin Xiangru's ears, he tried his best to avoid Lian Po.
Once, when Lin Xiangru was riding in a carriage, he saw Lian Po's carriage coming towards him from afar. He asked someone to turn the carriage into an alley to avoid it, allowing Lian Po's carriage to pass first.
The followers thought that Lin Xiangru was afraid of Lian Po and were very angry, and they all asked to leave.
Lin Xiangru repeatedly tried to persuade them to stay, explaining: "You see, now even the overbearing Qin State dare not invade Zhao State. Why is that? It is because Zhao State has both me and General Lian! If I have a falling out with him and make trouble, won't that just suit Qin State's intentions? The reason why I am accommodating towards General Lian everywhere is not because I am afraid of him, but for the sake of the country's safety. I must put personal matters aside!"
These words of Lin Xiangru reached Lian Po's ears, making him feel extremely ashamed.
So, he took off his upper garment and tied faggots on his back, asking someone to lead him to Lin Xiangru's house to ask for forgiveness.
When Lin Xiangru saw him like this, he personally removed the faggots from his back and helped him put on his clothes. They talked happily and became close friends who shared life and death.
Later generations used this episode to derive the idiom 'bearing a load of faggots to ask for forgiveness', which means to apologize to someone.
