Duke Xiang's Eleventh Year
In the eleventh year, in spring, in the first month of the Zhou calendar, the three armies were established.
In summer, in the fourth month, four divinations for the suburban sacrifice were all inauspicious, so the sacrifice was not performed.
Gongsun Shezhi of Zheng led an army to invade Song.
The Duke of Xiang met with Duke Dao of Jin, Duke Ping of Song, Duke Xian of Wei, Duke Cheng of Cao, the Crown Prince Guang of Qi, the Viscount of Ju, the Viscount of Zhu, the Viscount of Teng, the Earl of Xue, the Earl of Qi, and the Lesser Viscount of Zhu, and attacked Zheng.
In autumn, in the seventh month, on the guisi day, they formed an alliance north of Bocheng.
The Duke of Xiang returned from the place where they attacked Zheng.
King Gong of Chu and Duke Jian of Zheng attacked Song.
The Duke of Xiang met with Duke Dao of Jin, Duke Ping of Song, Duke Xian of Wei, Duke Cheng of Cao, the Crown Prince Guang of Qi, the Viscount of Ju, the Viscount of Zhu, the Viscount of Teng, the Earl of Xue, the Earl of Qi, and the Lesser Viscount of Zhu, attacked Zheng, and assembled at Xiaoyu. The Duke of Xiang returned from the place of the alliance.
Chu arrested Liang Xiao, the diplomatic envoy of Zheng.
In winter, the people of Qin attacked Jin.
In the eleventh year, in spring, Ji Wuzi was about to establish the three armies. He told Shusun Muzi, saying, "Allow me to establish the three armies, each collecting its own army's taxes." Muzi said, "Government affairs will fall upon you, and you will certainly be unable to bear it." Wuzi insisted on his request. Muzi said, "Since it is so, then let us swear an oath." So they swore an oath at the gate of the temple of Duke Xi and uttered curses at the Five-Father Thoroughfare. In the first month, the three armies were established, dividing the duke's army into three parts, each of the three families taking one army. Each of the three families disbanded their own private armies. The Ji family ordered that among the members of his private army, those who provided military service and fiefs were not to be taxed; those who did not provide were taxed doubly. The Meng family made half of his private army into slaves, either taking their sons or taking their brothers. The Shusun family made all of his private army into slaves, and not doing so, they would not abandon the original private army organization.
The men of Zheng, worried about the affairs of Jin and Chu, the various high officials said, "If we do not submit to Jin, the state will almost perish. Chu is weaker than Jin, and Jin is not eager for us. If Jin becomes eager for us, Chu will avoid them. How can we make the Jin army fight desperately against us, so that Chu dares not resist, and then we can firmly attach ourselves to Jin?" Zizhan said, "If we make an enemy of Song, the feudal lords will surely come, and we will form an alliance with them. When the Chu army arrives, we will follow them again, and then Jin's anger will be even greater. Jin can come frequently, but Chu will not be able to, and then we can firmly attach ourselves to Jin." The high officials considered his words correct, so they ordered the border officials to provoke Song. Xiang Xu of Song invaded Zheng and captured many. Zizhan said, "We can now send out troops to attack Song. If we attack Song, the feudal lords will surely attack us urgently, and we will follow their orders, and at the same time inform Chu. When the Chu army arrives, we will form an alliance with them and heavily bribe the Jin army, and thus we will avoid disaster." In summer, Zizhan of Zheng invaded Song.
In the fourth month, the feudal lords attacked Zheng. On the jihai day, the Crown Prince Guang of Qi and Xiang Xu of Song arrived first at Zheng and attacked the eastern gate. That evening, Xun Ying of Jin arrived at the western outskirts of Zheng and attacked eastward into old Xu. Sun Linfu of Wei attacked the northern border of Zheng. In the sixth month, the feudal lords assembled at Beilin, the army camped at Xiangyou, and then turned back and camped at Suo. They besieged Zheng, displayed their military strength at the southern gate, and then crossed the Jisui River westward. The men of Zheng were afraid and sought peace. In autumn, in the seventh month, they formed an alliance at Bo. Fan Xuanzi said, "If we are not careful, we will surely lose the feudal lords. The feudal lords have traveled a long way and are weary, yet without any accomplishment, can they be without disloyalty?" So they formed an alliance. The covenant text said: "All of us allied states shall not hoard grain, shall not monopolize profits, shall not shelter evil men, shall not harbor criminals, shall relieve famine, shall pacify turmoil, shall unify likes and dislikes, and shall assist the royal house. If anyone violates these commands, let the gods of inspectors, the gods of covenants, the famous mountains, the famous rivers, the various spirits, the various sacrifices, the former kings, the former dukes, and the ancestors of the seven clans and twelve states, the bright spirits, curse him, causing him to lose his people, lose his life and clan, and overthrow his state."
Zinang of Chu requested troops from Qin. The Right Grandee Zhan of Qin led an army to follow King Gong of Chu, preparing to attack Zheng. Duke Jian of Zheng welcomed them. On the bingzi day, they attacked Song.
In the ninth month, the feudal lords mobilized all their armies and again attacked Zheng. The men of Zheng sent Liang Xiao and Grand Steward Shi Bi to Chu, reporting that they were about to submit to Jin, saying, "For the sake of the state, we cannot cherish the king. If the king can use jade and silk to appease Jin, or otherwise use military force to intimidate them, that is our wish." The men of Chu arrested them. The Spring and Autumn Annals records them as "travelers," meaning they were envoys.
The feudal lords' army displayed their military strength at the eastern gate of Zheng. The men of Zheng sent Wangzi Bolian to seek peace. On the jiaxu day, Zhao Wu of Jin entered Zheng and formed an alliance with Duke Jian of Zheng. In winter, in the tenth month, on the dinghai day, Zizhan of Zheng went out of the city and formed an alliance with Duke Dao of Jin. In the twelfth month, on the wuyin day, they assembled at Xiaoyu. On the gengchen day, they pardoned the prisoners of Zheng, all treated with courtesy and sent back. They withdrew the scouts and prohibited plundering. Duke Dao of Jin sent Shuxi to inform the feudal lords. The Duke of Xiang sent Zangsun He to reply, saying: "For all of us allied states, if a small state has a crime, the great state punishes it; if there is something to rely on, rarely is it not pardoned. Our ruler has heard the command."
The men of Zheng presented to Duke Dao of Jin: Shi Kui, Shi Chu, and Shi Juan; broad chariots and garrison wagons, fifteen of each kind, with armor and weapons complete; a total of one hundred chariots; two sets of song bells, with the accompanying bo and qing; and sixteen female musicians. Duke Dao of Jin gave half of the musical instruments to Wei Jiang, saying: "You taught me to unite the various Rong and Di tribes, to regulate the central states, and in eight years, I have assembled the feudal lords nine times, harmonious like music, with no discord. I wish to share these musical instruments with you." Wei Jiang declined, saying: "Uniting the Rong and Di is the blessing of the state. In eight years, assembling the feudal lords nine times, with the feudal lords without evil, this is the majesty of the ruler and the merit of several high officials. What strength do I have? But I hope the ruler will both be at ease with this joy and think of its end. The Book of Songs says: 'Joyful are the noble men, they pacify the states of the Son of Heaven. Joyful are the noble men, they share blessings and emoluments. They govern those near, and are thus compliant.' That music is used to strengthen virtue, to treat it with righteousness, to practice it with ritual, to maintain it with trustworthiness, to inspire it with benevolence, and then one can pacify the states, share blessings and emoluments, attract distant people, and this is what is called joy. The Book of Documents says: 'Dwelling in ease, think of danger; thinking of it, there is preparation; having preparation, there is no disaster.' I respectfully offer this as a warning." Duke Dao said: "Your teaching, how dare I not accept the command. But without you, I could not handle the Rong, nor cross the Yellow River. Rewards are the statutes of the state, stored in the covenant house, and cannot be abandoned. You should accept it." From then on, Wei Jiang had metal and stone music, and this was in accordance with ritual.
The Chief of the Lineage Bao and the Chief of the Lineage Wu of Qin led an army to attack Jin, in order to rescue Zheng. Bao first attacked within the borders of Jin. Shi Fang resisted him, thinking the Qin army was small and not being on guard. On the renwu day, Wu crossed the Yellow River from Fushi and attacked the Jin army from both sides with Bao. On the jichou day, the Qin and Jin armies fought at Li, and the Jin army was greatly defeated, because they had underestimated the Qin army.