挟天子以令天下
xié​tiān​zǐ​yǐ​lìng​tiān​xià

to control the ruler to rule the country

  1. 挟 挾 xié
    to coerce
    To use force or power to control others; to hold hostage, threaten, or intimidate someone into doing something.
  2. 天子 tiān​zǐ
    emperor
    the ruler of the empire, literally "son of heaven"; in ancient times, the emperor was believed to have been granted the right to rule by heaven
  3. 以 yǐ prepositionconjunction
    in order to
    in order to; so as to; used to connect two phrases where the second is the purpose of the first
  4. 令 lìng noun
    to order
    to order; to command; a decree; a warrant or writ
  5. 天下 tiān​xià noun
    the world
    the whole world; all of society; everywhere on earth