Duke Wen, 7th Year
In the seventh year, in spring, Duke Wen of Lu attacked the state of Zhu.
On the day jiaxu in the third month, he captured Xuju and then built walls at the city of Wu.
In summer, in the fourth month, Duke Cheng of Song, Wang Chen, died.
The people of Song killed their grandees.
On the day wuzi, the Jin army and the Qin army fought at Linghu.
Xian Mie of Jin fled to Qin.
The Di people invaded the western border of our state.
In autumn, in the eighth month, Duke Wen of Lu met with the feudal lords and a grandee of Jin at Hu to form an alliance.
In winter, Xu attacked Ju, and Gongsun Ao went to Ju to attend the alliance meeting.
In the seventh year, in spring, Duke Wen of Lu attacked Zhu, taking advantage of the troubles in Jin.
On the day jiaxu in the third month, he captured Xuju and placed the son of Duke Wen of Zhu there, which was contrary to ritual propriety.
In summer, in the fourth month, Duke Cheng of Song died. At that time, Prince Cheng served as Minister of the Right, Gongsun You as Minister of the Left, Yue Yu as Minister of War, Lin Guan as Minister of Works, Prince Dang as Minister of Public Works, and Hua Yushi as Minister of Justice. Duke Zhao of Song wished to eliminate all the princes. Yue Yu said, "This will not do. The ducal clan are the branches and leaves of the ducal house. If you remove them, the trunk and roots will have no shelter. Even the kudzu vine can shelter its trunk and roots, so the noble man uses it as a metaphor, let alone a ruler? This is what the proverb means: 'Shelter it yet indulge the axe that cuts it.' This is absolutely unacceptable. You should consider it. Use virtue to draw them close; they are all your limbs and ministers. Who would dare to have second thoughts? Why must you eliminate them?" The duke did not listen. The clansmen of Duke Mu and Duke Xiang led the people of the state to attack Duke Zhao, killing Gongsun Gu and Gongsun Zheng within the ducal palace. The six ministers mediated between the ducal house and the clans. Yue Yu voluntarily relinquished his post as Minister of War and yielded it to Prince Ang. After Duke Zhao ascended the throne, he buried Duke Cheng of Song. The Spring and Autumn Annals records, "The people of Song killed their grandees," without naming them, because many were killed and it indicates they were without fault.
Duke Kang of Qin escorted Prince Yong back to Jin, saying, "When Duke Wen of Jin returned to his state, he had no escort, which is why the disaster instigated by Lü Sheng and Xi Rui occurred." He then provided him with many infantry guards. Mu Ying daily carried the young heir apparent and wept in the court, saying, "What crime did the late lord commit? And what crime does his successor have? To abandon the legitimate son and not establish him, but instead seek a ruler from outside—what do you intend to do with this child?" When she came out from the court, she carried the heir apparent to the Zhao residence and kowtowed to Zhao Xuanzi, saying, "The late lord held this child and entrusted him to you, saying, 'If this child becomes accomplished, I will receive your favor; if he does not, I will hold you responsible.' Now the lord has passed away, but his words are still in your ears, yet you abandon him—why is this?" Zhao Xuanzi and the grandees were all afraid of Mu Ying and also feared being coerced, so they turned against Xian Mie and established Duke Ling, preparing to resist the Qin army. Ji Zheng remained to guard the capital. Zhao Dun commanded the central army, with Xian Ke as his assistant; Xun Linfu assisted the upper army; Xian Mie commanded the lower army, with Xian Du as his assistant; Bu Zhao drove the chariot for Zhao Dun, and Rong Jin served as the chariot-right. When they reached Jinyin, Zhao Xuanzi said, "If we accept the prince sent by Qin, then Qin is our guest; if we do not accept him, they are our enemy. Since we have already decided not to accept him, yet deliberately delay our advance, Qin will conceive other intentions. To strike first can seize the enemy's morale—this is a good strategy in warfare. To pursue the enemy as if chasing fugitives—this is a good method in managing an army." So he trained the soldiers, sharpened their weapons, fed the horses, and let the troops eat their fill, then secretly marched out at night. On the day wuzi, they defeated the Qin army at Linghu and pursued them as far as Kushou. On the day jichou, Xian Mie fled to Qin, and Shi Hui followed him.
Initially, when Xian Mie was sent as an envoy to Qin, Xun Linfu advised him, saying, "The lady and the heir apparent are still within the state, yet you seek a ruler from outside—this will surely not succeed. How about pleading illness and declining to go? Otherwise, disaster will involve you. Sending an acting minister is sufficient—why must you go? To serve in the same office is to be colleagues. I was once your colleague—how dare I not exhaust my heart for you?" Xian Mie did not listen. Xun Linfu then recited the third stanza of the "Ban" poem for him, but Xian Mie still did not heed him. When Xian Mie fled, Xun Linfu sent his wife, children, and all his utensils and goods to Qin, saying, "This is because we were colleagues."
Shi Hui was in Qin for three years and did not visit Xian Mie. His attendant said, "You were able to flee with him to Qin, yet you cannot see him here—what meaning is there in this?" Shi Hui said, "I share the same crime with him; I do not consider his actions right—why should I see him?" When Shi Hui later returned to his state, he also never visited Xian Mie.
The Di people invaded the western border of our state, and Duke Wen of Lu sent a report to Jin. Zhao Xuanzi sent Jia Ji to interrogate Feng Shu and to reproach him. Feng Shu asked Jia Ji, "Between Zhao Cui and Zhao Dun, who is more worthy?" Jia Ji replied, "Zhao Cui is the winter sun; Zhao Dun is the summer sun."
In autumn, in the eighth month, the Marquis of Qi, the Duke of Song, the Marquis of Wei, the Earl of Zheng, the Viscount of Xu, the Earl of Cao, and Zhao Dun of Jin met at Hu to form an alliance, because the Marquis of Jin had been newly established. Duke Wen of Lu arrived late, so the Spring and Autumn Annals does not record the names of the participating lords. Whenever there is a meeting of the feudal lords, if the names of the participating lords are not recorded, it is because they arrived late. If they arrive late, their states are not recorded, in order to avoid ambiguity about the reason for their lateness.
Mu Bo took a wife in Ju, named Dai Ji, who bore Wen Bo; her younger sister, Sheng Ji, bore Hui Shu. After Dai Ji died, Mu Bo again sought a marriage alliance with Ju. The people of Ju refused on the grounds that Sheng Ji was a secondary wife, so Mu Bo sought a marriage for Xiang Zhong with Ju.
In winter, Xu attacked Ju, and the people of Ju came to request an alliance. Mu Bo went to Ju to attend the alliance meeting, and also to welcome the Ju woman for Xiang Zhong. When he reached Yanling, he ascended the city wall and saw the Ju woman. Finding her very beautiful, he took her for himself. Xiang Zhong requested to attack Mu Bo, and Duke Wen of Lu was about to agree. Shu Zhong Hui Bo advised him, saying, "I have heard that war occurring within is called disorder, and war occurring without is called invasion. Invasion can still harm others, but disorder harms oneself. Now if a minister creates disorder and the ruler does not stop it, it will invite external invasion. What then?" Duke Wen of Lu then stopped Xiang Zhong. Hui Bo mediated the matter, making Xiang Zhong abandon the Ju woman and ordering Gongsun Ao to send her back, so that the two could be reconciled as brothers as before. They complied.
Xi Que of Jin said to Zhao Xuanzi, "In the past, Wei was not submissive, so we seized their lands. Now they have submitted, so we can return them. If they rebel and we do not punish them, how can we display authority? If they submit and we do not pacify them, how can we display care? Without authority or care, how can we display virtue? Without virtue, on what basis can we preside over alliances? You are the chief minister, overseeing the affairs of the feudal lords, yet you do not devote yourself to virtue—what then? The Book of Xia says: 'Admonish him with good governance, oversee him with authority, encourage him with the nine songs, and do not let him become corrupt.' The virtues of the nine achievements can all be sung, and these are called the nine songs. The six treasuries and three affairs are called the nine achievements. Water, fire, metal, wood, earth, and grain are called the six treasuries; rectifying virtue, facilitating use, and enriching livelihood are called the three affairs. Acting in accordance with righteousness and putting them into practice is called virtuous ritual. Without ritual, there can be no joy, and that is the root of rebellion. If your virtue has nothing to be sung about, then who will come to submit? Why not let those who have submitted sing your praises?" Zhao Xuanzi was very pleased.