Duke Ai, 17th Year

In the seventeenth year of spring, Duke Zhuang of Wei built a wooden pavilion with a tiger-shaped canopy in the Jipu Garden. After its completion, he sought a man of good reputation to share the first meal with him there. The crown prince requested that Hun Liangfu be summoned. Hun Liangfu arrived in a minister’s carriage drawn by two stallions, wearing a purple robe and a fox-fur cloak. He opened the cloak and did not remove his sword before eating. The crown prince had him dragged away, enumerated three crimes against him, and then killed him.

In the third month, King Goujian of Yue attacked Wu. King Fuchai of Wu resisted at Lize, and the two armies arrayed themselves across the river. The King of Yue organized two mobile units on the flanks, sending them at night alternately to the left and right, beating drums and shouting as they advanced. The Wu army divided to counter them. The King of Yue then secretly crossed the river with his three armies, charged against the Wu central force with drums, threw the Wu army into chaos, and thus defeated them.

Zhao Yang of Jin sent a message to Wei, saying, “When the ruler was in Jin, I, Zhifu, was his host. I request that the ruler or the crown prince come here, so that I may be exonerated from blame. Otherwise, our ruler might say that Zhifu was responsible.” The Marquess of Wei declined on the grounds of internal troubles, but the crown prince again sent someone to urge him. In summer, in the sixth month, Zhao Yang besieged Wei. Guo Guan and Chen Guan of Qi came to Wei’s aid and captured a Jin challenger. Ziyu (Chen Guan’s style name) had the man dressed in his own state’s clothes before receiving him, saying, “Guozi (Guo Guan) holds the authority of Qi and commanded me, ‘Do not avoid the Jin army.’ How dare I abandon his order? Why must you condescend to come here?” Zhao Yang said, “I divined about attacking Wei, but I did not divine about fighting Qi.” He then withdrew his troops and returned home.

When Bo Gong Sheng of Chu rebelled, the people of Chen relied on their accumulated resources to invade Chu. After Chu was pacified, they planned to harvest Chen’s wheat. King Hui of Chu consulted Taizi Zigu and Ye Gong Zhuliang about choosing a commander. Zigu said, “Youling Chaiche and Zuoshi Lao both assisted the Lingyin and Sima in attacking Chen; they can be sent.” Ye Gong said, “These two are lowly in status; the people will despise them and likely not obey orders.” Zigu replied, “Guan Dingfu was a captive of Ruo, yet King Wu made him a military commander, thereby conquering Zhou and Liao, subduing Sui and Tang, and greatly expanding the barbarian territories. Peng Zhongshuang was a captive of Shen, yet King Wen made him Lingyin, turning Shen and Xi into Chu’s districts, causing Chen and Cai to come to court, and extending the borders to the Ru River. As long as they are capable, what does low status matter?” Ye Gong said, “Heaven’s decree cannot be flattered. The Lingyin (Zixi) bore a grudge against Chen. If Heaven intends to destroy Chen, it will surely assist the Lingyin’s son. Why not abandon these two and employ him instead? I fear that Youling and Zuoshi have the lowly status of Guan Dingfu and Peng Zhongshuang but lack their virtue.” The King divined on this, and the omens for Wucheng Yin (Zixi’s son, Gongsun Chao) were auspicious. The King thus sent him with troops to harvest Chen’s wheat. The people of Chen resisted but were defeated, and so he besieged Chen. In autumn, on the ji mao day of the seventh month, Gongsun Chao of Chu led his army and destroyed Chen. The King of Chu and Ye Gong divined about Ziliang to make him Lingyin. Shenyin Zhu said, “Auspicious—it exceeds expectations.” Ye Gong said, “As a prince’s son assisting the state, if it exceeds expectations, what more can be done?” Later, on another day, they divined about Ziguo and made him Lingyin.

The Marquess of Wei dreamed in the Northern Palace that he saw a man ascend the Kunwu Terrace, with disheveled hair, facing north and shouting, “I climb this Kunwu ruin, where melons grow in endless succession. I am Hun Liangfu, crying to Heaven of my innocence.” The Duke himself divined by milfoil, and Xumi She interpreted the hexagram, saying, “There is no harm.” The Duke granted him a fief, but Xumi She settled the fief and then fled to Song. The Marquess of Wei then divined by turtle shell, and the oracle verse said: “Like a fish with a red tail, swimming sideways across the current, hesitating at the edge. A great state will destroy it; when about to perish, it closes the door and stops the holes, but leaps out from behind.” In winter, in the tenth month, Jin again attacked Wei and entered the outer city. When about to enter the inner city, Zhao Yang said, “Stop.” Shuxiang had a saying: “Those who rely on calamity to destroy another state will have no descendants.” The people of Wei expelled Duke Zhuang and made peace with Jin. The Jin people installed Banshi, grandson of Duke Xiang of Wei, as ruler and then returned home. In the eleventh month, Duke Zhuang of Wei entered the capital from Juan, and Banshi fled. Earlier, Duke Zhuang of Wei climbed the city wall to look out and saw Rongzhou. He asked what place it was, and someone told him. Duke Zhuang said, “I am of the Ji lineage—where are there any Rong people?” He then sent men to raze Rongzhou. Duke Zhuang had long employed artisans harshly, and he also intended to expel Shipu, but before he could act, disaster struck. On the xin si day, Shipu relied on the artisans to attack Duke Zhuang. Duke Zhuang closed the gate and begged for mercy, but Shipu refused. Duke Zhuang fled over the northern wall and broke his leg. The people of Rongzhou attacked him. The crown prince Ji and Prince Qing followed Duke Zhuang over the wall, and the Rongzhou people killed them. Duke Zhuang fled to the house of the Jis in Rongzhou. Earlier, Duke Zhuang had seen from the city wall that the wife of a Ji had beautiful hair; he had it shaved off to make a wig for Lü Jiang. When he entered the Ji house, he took out a jade disc and showed it, saying, “Save my life, and I will give you this jade.” The Ji said, “If I kill you, where will the jade go?” So he killed Duke Zhuang and took the jade. The people of Wei again brought back Gongsun Banshi and installed him as ruler. In the twelfth month, the Qi army attacked Wei, and the people of Wei sought peace. The Qi people installed Prince Qi as ruler, seized Banshi, and placed him in Lu.

Duke Ai of Lu and Duke Ping of Qi met at Meng and formed an alliance. Meng Wubo served as the ritual assistant. Duke Ping of Qi performed the kowtow, while Duke Ai of Lu merely bowed in obeisance. The Qi people grew angry. Meng Wubo said, “Unless it is the Son of Heaven, our ruler has no ritual of kowtowing.” Meng Wubo asked Gao Chai, “At the alliances of the feudal lords, who holds the ox’s ear?” Gao Chai said, “At the Zouyan alliance, it was Prince Gucao of Wu; at the Fayang alliance, it was Shi Zhui of Wei.” Meng Wubo said, “Then this time it is I.”

Huang Yuan of Song had a son named Mi, who had a friend named Tian Bing. Mi seized the fief of his elder brother Chan Ban and gave it to Tian Bing. Chan Ban left in anger and reported this to Ziyi Ke, a retainer of Huan Sima. Ziyi Ke went to Song and told the wife of Duke Jing of Song, saying, “Mi intends to receive the Huan clan.” Duke Jing of Song inquired of Zizhong about this matter. Earlier, Zizhong had intended to make Feiwo, the son of Qi Si, his heir. Mi said, “You must establish the eldest; he is good material.” Zizhong grew angry and did not follow his advice. So Zizhong replied, “The Youshi (Huang Yuan) is already old; I cannot fathom Mi as a person.” Duke Jing of Song seized Mi. Huang Yuan fled to Jin, but Duke Jing of Song summoned him back.