Duke Xi's Twenty-fourth Year
In the twenty-fourth year, in spring, the first month of the Zhou calendar.
In summer, the Di people attacked Zheng.
In autumn, in the seventh month.
In winter, the Son of Heaven left the capital and resided in Zheng; Marquis Yi of Jin passed away.
In the twenty-fourth year, in spring, the first month of the Zhou calendar, Duke Mu of Qin escorted Chong'er back to the state of Jin. The Spring and Autumn Annals did not record this event because Qin did not formally notify Lu of Chong'er's return. When they reached the Yellow River, Zifan presented a jade disk to Chong'er, saying, "I have shouldered the horse's bridle and reins, following you on your travels across the realm. My offenses are many. Even I myself know this, let alone you. Please allow me to leave here." The prince said, "If I do not share the same mind with my uncle, let the waters of the Yellow River bear witness!" He cast the jade disk into the river. After crossing the Yellow River, they besieged Linghu, entered Sangquan, and occupied Jiucui. In the second month, on the day jiawu, the Jin army encamped at Liuliu. Duke Mu of Qin sent Gongzi Zhi to the Jin army, and the Jin army withdrew, encamping at Xun. On the day xinchou, Hu Yan formed an alliance with the grandees of Qin and Jin at Xun. On the day renyin, Chong'er entered the Jin army. On the day bingwu, he entered Quwo. On the day dingwei, he paid homage at the Wu Palace. On the day wushen, he sent men to Gaoliang to kill Duke Huai. The Spring and Autumn Annals did not record this either, because Jin did not formally notify Lu of the matter.
Lü Sheng and Xi Rui, fearing they would be persecuted, prepared to set fire to Duke Wen of Jin's palace and kill him. The eunuch Pi requested an audience. Duke Wen of Jin sent someone to rebuke him and refused to receive him, saying, "In the battle at Pucheng, the ruler ordered you to arrive in one night, and you came that very day. Later, when I was hunting with the Di ruler by the Weishui River, you came on behalf of Duke Hui to pursue me. Duke Hui ordered you to arrive after three nights, and you came on the second night. Although it was the ruler's command, why were you so swift? The sleeve you cut off is still here—you had better go!" The eunuch Pi replied, "I thought that after you returned to the state, you already understood the way of a ruler. If you have not yet understood, I fear you will again encounter disaster. To carry out the ruler's command without a second mind is the ancient principle. To remove those whom the ruler detests, one only looks to his own strength. At that time, you were a man of Pu and Di—what were you to me? Now that you have ascended the throne, could it be that there are no enemies like those of Pu and Di? Duke Huan of Qi set aside the matter of the arrow hitting his belt hook and made Guan Zhong his chancellor. If you change this approach, why should I trouble you to order me to leave? Those who will leave are many—how could I alone be the only mutilated one?" Duke Wen of Jin received him, and he informed Duke Wen of the impending disaster.
In the third month, Duke Wen of Jin secretly met with Duke Mu of Qin at Wangcheng. On the day jisi, the last day of the month, Duke Wen's palace caught fire. Xiasheng and Xi Rui, failing to capture Duke Wen, fled to the banks of the Yellow River. Duke Mu of Qin lured them over and killed them. Duke Wen of Jin welcomed his wife, Lady Ying, back to the state. Duke Mu of Qin gave Jin three thousand guards, all of whom were capable servants.
At the beginning, Tou Xu, a minor attendant of Duke Wen of Jin, was in charge of the treasury. When Duke Wen was in exile, Tou Xu stole from the treasury and fled, using everything to try to bring Duke Wen back to the state. When Duke Wen returned, Tou Xu requested an audience. Duke Wen refused to see him on the pretext of washing his hair. Tou Xu said to the attendant, "When one washes his hair, his heart is turned upside down; with the heart upside down, his thoughts are reversed, which is why I cannot be received. Those who remain in the state are the guardians of the state; those who follow abroad are the servants who run errands—this is also acceptable. Why must one necessarily blame those who stayed behind? If the ruler treats ordinary people as enemies, then those who fear will be many." The attendant reported these words to Duke Wen, who immediately received him.
The Di people sent Ji Wei back to Jin, while requesting to keep her two sons. Duke Wen of Jin gave his daughter to Zhao Cui, and she bore Yuan Tong, Ping Ku, and Lou Ying. Zhao Ji requested to welcome Zhao Dun and his mother Shu Wei. Zhao Cui declined. Zhao Ji said, "To gain new favor and forget old ties—how can one employ others in the future? You must bring them." She insisted, and Zhao Cui agreed. When Shu Wei and Zhao Dun arrived in Jin, Zhao Ji, considering Zhao Dun talented, earnestly requested Duke Wen to establish Zhao Dun as the legitimate heir, placing her own three sons below him, and made Shu Wei the primary wife, with herself beneath her.
Duke Wen of Jin rewarded those who had followed him into exile. Jie Zhitui did not speak of emoluments, and emoluments were not allotted to him. Jie Zhitui said, "Duke Xian had nine sons; only the ruler is still alive. Dukes Hui and Huai had no close associates; both within and without abandoned them. Heaven did not cut off the fortunes of Jin; there must be a ruler. The one who presides over the sacrifices of Jin—who else could it be but the ruler? This is truly Heaven's arrangement, yet those men consider it their own strength—is this not deception? To steal another's property is still called theft, let alone to claim Heaven's merit as one's own strength. Those below take wrongdoing as righteousness, and those above reward their deceit. With mutual deception above and below, it becomes difficult to associate with them." His mother said, "Why not also seek reward? To die like this—whom can you resent?" Jie Zhitui replied, "Knowing it is wrong yet imitating it—the offense is even greater. Moreover, I have uttered resentful words; I can no longer eat his emoluments." His mother said, "Let him know of it as well—what of it?" Jie Zhitui replied, "Words are the adornment of the body. The body is about to hide—what need is there for adornment? This is to seek display." His mother said, "Can it be so? I will go into seclusion with you." Thereupon they went into seclusion and died. Duke Wen of Jin sent men to search for them but could not find them, so he granted the fields of Mianshang as Jie Zhitui's sacrificial estate, saying, "Use this to record my fault and to commend the good man."
When the men of Zheng entered Hua, the people of Hua submitted. After the Zheng army withdrew, Hua again attached itself to Wei. Zheng's prince Shi and Xiedu Yumi led an army to attack Hua. The Son of Heaven sent Bofu and Yousun Bo to Zheng to intercede for Hua. Duke Wen of Zheng resented that King Hui of Zhou, after returning to the state, had not granted the Duke of Li his rank, and also resented King Xiang of Zhou for helping Wei and Hua, so he did not obey the Son of Heaven's command and furthermore imprisoned Bofu and Yousun Bo. The Son of Heaven became angry and prepared to lead the Di tribes to attack Zheng. Fuchen remonstrated, saying: "This cannot be done. I have heard that the highest is to pacify the people with virtue, next is to be close to one's relatives, proceeding from near to far. In former times, the Duke of Zhou, grieving that Guan Shu and Cai Shu did not come to a good end, enfeoffed relatives to serve as a screen for the Zhou dynasty. Guan, Cai, Cheng, Huo, Lu, Wei, Mao, Dan, Gao, Yong, Cao, Teng, Bi, Yuan, Feng, Xun—these were the sons of King Wen. Han, Jin, Ying, Han—these were the sons of King Wu. Fan, Jiang, Xing, Mao, Zuo, Ji—these were the descendants of the Duke of Zhou. Duke Mu of Zhao, worried about the decline of Zhou virtue, gathered the clans at Chengzhou and composed a poem, saying: 'The flowers of the cherry-tree, their calyxes and stems are linked. Among the people of the world today, none are closer than brothers.' The fourth stanza of the poem says: 'Brothers quarrel within the walls, but together they can resist external aggression.' From this it appears that even if there are small grievances between brothers, they do not abandon their closest kin. Now the Son of Heaven cannot bear a small resentment and abandons the kinship of Zheng—what then is to be done? Repaying merit, being close to relatives, being near to close ministers, and honoring the worthy—these are the great virtues. Approaching the deaf, following the benighted, associating with the obstinate, and employing the treacherous—these are the great evils. Abandoning virtue and exalting evil—this is the great calamity. Zheng has the merit of assisting Kings Ping and Hui, and has kinship ties to Kings Li and Xuan. Duke Wen of Zheng has also abandoned his favorite ministers and employed the three good men; among the Ji clan, he is a close relative. All four virtues are present. The ear not listening to the harmony of the five sounds is deafness; the eye not seeing the brilliance of the five colors is benightedness; the mind not imitating the standard of virtue and righteousness is obstinacy; the mouth not speaking words of loyalty and trust is treachery. The Di tribes all manifest these things—all four evils are present. When the Zhou house had fine virtue, it was still said, 'It is not as good as brothers,' and therefore relatives were enfeoffed. When it was pacifying all under Heaven, it still feared external troubles might encroach. To resist external troubles, nothing is better than being close to relatives, and therefore relatives were used as a screen for the Zhou house. Duke Mu of Zhao also spoke thus. Now the virtue of the Zhou house has already declined, and in such circumstances to change the practices of the Dukes of Zhou and Zhao, to follow after all kinds of evil—I fear this cannot be done! The people have not yet forgotten calamity, and if the lord again stirs up calamity, how will he face Kings Wen and Wu?" The Son of Heaven did not listen, and sent Tuishu and Taozi to mobilize the Di army.
In summer, the Di attacked Zheng and captured the town of Li. The Son of Heaven, grateful to the Di, prepared to take the daughter of the Di ruler as his queen. Fuchen remonstrated, saying: "This cannot be done. I have heard: 'The one who repays is already weary, but the one who bestows is not yet satisfied.' The Di are by nature greedy, and the lord further guides them. A woman's virtue has no limit, a woman's resentment has no end; the Di will surely become a calamity." The Son of Heaven again did not listen.
Formerly, Prince Zhao of Gan was favored by Queen Hui, and the queen intended to establish him as heir, but she died before it could be done. Prince Zhao of Gan fled to Qi. The Son of Heaven allowed him to return to the state, and he then committed adultery with Wei. The Son of Heaven deposed Wei. Tuishu and Taozi said, "It was we who caused the Di to send out their army; the Di will surely resent us." So they served the Grand Prince, leading the Di army to attack the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven's guards were about to resist, but the Son of Heaven said, "What will the former queen say of me? Better let the feudal lords find a way." The Son of Heaven then left the capital and reached Kankan, but the people of the capital took him back again.
In autumn, Tuishu and Taozi served the Grand Prince, leading the Di army to attack Zhou, greatly defeating the Zhou army, and capturing Zhou Gong Jifu, the Earl of Yuan, the Earl of Mao, and Fuchen. The Son of Heaven left the capital and went to Zheng, lodging at Fan. The Grand Prince and Wei dwelled in Wen.
Zicang, son of Zheng's Zihua, fled to Song and was fond of collecting caps adorned with kingfisher feathers. When Duke Wen of Zheng heard of this, he detested him and sent robbers to lure him out. In the eighth month, the robbers killed him between Chen and Song. The junzi said: "Clothing that does not match one's station is a calamity for the body. The Odes say: 'That man there, his garments are not fitting.' Zicang's attire was indeed unfitting! The Odes say: 'He himself brings sorrow upon himself.' This refers to Zicang. The Book of Xia says: 'The earth is settled, Heaven perfects.' This is what is meant by fitting."
Song made peace with Chu. Duke Cheng of Song went to Chu, and on his return, he entered Zheng. Duke Wen of Zheng prepared to host him with a feast and asked Huang Wuzi about the rites. Huang Wuzi replied: "Song is the descendant of Shang, and in Zhou they are guests. When the Son of Heaven sacrifices, he sends them sacrificial meat; when there is mourning, he offers condolences. To treat them generously is permissible." Duke Wen of Zheng followed this advice, and when he entertained Duke Cheng of Song, the rites were especially lavish—this was in accordance with propriety.
In winter, the Son of Heaven sent an envoy to report the calamity, saying: "I, lacking virtue, have offended the son beloved of my mother, Dai, and now I am humbly dwelling in Fan in Zheng; I respectfully report this to my uncle." Zang Wenzhong replied: "The Son of Heaven is exposed to wind and dust abroad; how dare I not hasten to attend upon his attendants?" The Son of Heaven sent Jian Shifu to report to Jin, and sent Zuo Yefu to report to Qin. There is no such thing as the Son of Heaven fleeing; the Spring and Autumn Annals records: "The Heavenly King went out and lodged in Zheng," because he was avoiding the calamity caused by his mother's younger brother. The Son of Heaven wore mourning garments and lowered his title—this was in accordance with propriety.
Duke Wen of Zheng, together with Kong Jiangchu, Shi Jiafu, and Hou Xuanduo, went to Fan to inspect the Son of Heaven's lodging and utensils, and then heard reports on Zheng's government affairs—this was in accordance with propriety.
The men of Wei were preparing to attack Xing. Lizhi said: "Without obtaining their city officials, the state cannot be taken. I request that my brother and I go and serve as officers there." So they went to Xing and obtained official positions.