Biography of Liu Pi, the Prince of Wu, Number 46

Wu Wang Liu Pi was the son of Liu Zhong, the elder brother of Emperor Gao of Han. In the seventh year after Emperor Gao pacified the world, he established Liu Zhong as the King of Dai. When the Xiongnu attacked the kingdom of Dai, Liu Zhong could not hold it, abandoned his fief, and fled, taking a byway to Luoyang, where he voluntarily surrendered to the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven, out of flesh-and-blood kinship, could not bear to punish him according to the law, merely deposing him from his kingship and enfeoffing him as the Marquis of Heyang. In the autumn of the eleventh year of Emperor Gao, the King of Huainan, Ying Bu, rebelled, moving east to annex the land of Jing, seizing its army, then crossing the Huai River westward to attack the kingdom of Chu. Emperor Gao personally led the army to campaign against him. Liu Zhong’s son, the Marquis of Pei, Liu Pi, was then twenty years old, strong and vigorous. As a cavalry commander, he followed Emperor Gao and defeated Ying Bu’s army at Qixian, west of the place called Huizhi; Ying Bu fled. The King of Jing, Liu Jia, was killed by Ying Bu and left no descendants. Emperor Gao, worried that the people of Wu and Kuaiji were frivolous and fierce, and that there was no strong king or marquis to govern them—his own sons being still young—then established Liu Pi as the King of Wu, ruling over three commanderies and fifty-three cities. After the seal of investiture was bestowed, Emperor Gao summoned Liu Pi and examined his physiognomy, saying, “Your appearance bears the mark of a rebel.” He regretted it in his heart, but having already enfeoffed him, he patted him on the back and said, “Fifty years after the founding of the Han dynasty, someone in the southeast will cause rebellion. Could it be you? Yet all under heaven share the same surname; never rebel!” Liu Pi kowtowed and said, “I dare not.”

During the reigns of Emperor Xiaohui and Empress Gao, the world had just settled, and the various princes and kings of the commanderies and kingdoms each devoted themselves to pacifying their own people. The kingdom of Wu had the copper mountains of Yuzhang Commandery, so Liu Pi recruited fugitives from across the land to mint coins and boil seawater to produce salt. Thus he levied no taxes on the people, and the state’s finances were extremely abundant.

During the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, the crown prince of Wu entered the court and was allowed to accompany the heir apparent of the Han emperor in drinking and playing the board game liubo. The tutors of the Wu crown prince were all men of Chu, frivolous and fierce, and had long been arrogant. During the game, they argued with the heir apparent over moves and were disrespectful. The heir apparent picked up the chessboard and struck the Wu crown prince, killing him. His coffin was then sent back to Wu for burial. When the coffin arrived in Wu, the King of Wu angrily said, “All under heaven share the same surname; if he died in Chang’an, let him be buried in Chang’an—why send him back for burial!” He then sent the coffin back to Chang’an for burial. From then on, the King of Wu gradually abandoned the rites of a vassal, claiming illness and not attending court. The capital knew he feigned illness because of his son’s death. Investigation confirmed he was indeed not ill, so whenever envoys from Wu were sent, they were detained, interrogated, and punished. The King of Wu grew fearful, and his thoughts of rebellion increased. Later, he sent someone to perform the autumn court audience in his place, and the emperor again interrogated the Wu envoy. The envoy replied, “The King of Wu is indeed not ill, but the Han dynasty has detained and punished several batches of envoys, so he feigns illness. Moreover, ‘to see clearly the fish in deep water is inauspicious.’ Now the King of Wu initially pretended to be ill, but when discovered and pressed hard, he sealed himself off further, fearing that the emperor would kill him. Thus he devised this desperate plan. I hope Your Majesty will drop the matter and give him a chance to reform.” So the Son of Heaven pardoned the Wu envoys and sent them back, and also bestowed upon the King of Wu a table and a staff, excusing him from court attendance due to old age. The King of Wu thus escaped punishment, and his rebellious intentions gradually subsided. Nevertheless, in governing Wu, because of the copper and salt, the people paid no taxes. When the people performed corvée labor, he always paid them fair wages. Every year, he regularly visited the virtuous and talented, and gave rewards to the villagers. When officials from other commanderies and kingdoms came to Wu to arrest fugitives, Wu collectively obstructed and refused to hand them over. This continued for over forty years, enabling him to command the service of his people.

Chao Cuo served as the household tutor of the heir apparent and gained his favor. He often took the opportunity to speak that the King of Wu had faults and that his territory should be reduced. He also repeatedly submitted memorials advising Emperor Xiaowen, but the emperor was lenient and could not bear to punish, so the King of Wu grew increasingly arrogant. By the time Emperor Xiaojing ascended the throne, Chao Cuo became the Imperial Secretary and advised the emperor: “Formerly, when Emperor Gao first pacified the world, his brothers were few and his sons young, so he richly enfeoffed members of the same surname. Thus he enfeoffed his concubine-born son, King Daohui, as the King of Qi, governing over seventy cities; his concubine-born younger brother, King Yuan, as the King of Chu, governing over forty cities; and his elder brother’s son, Liu Pi, as the King of Wu, governing over fifty cities. These three enfeoffed concubine-born sons took half of the empire. Now the King of Wu, because of the old grievance of his crown prince’s death, feigns illness and fails to attend court. According to ancient law, he should be executed. Emperor Wen could not bear to and bestowed on him a table and staff. Such profound grace should have led him to reform. Instead, he has grown more arrogant, minting coins from the mountains, boiling seawater for salt, luring fugitives from across the world, and plotting rebellion. Now, if his territory is reduced, he will rebel; if not reduced, he will also rebel. If reduced, he will rebel sooner, and the harm will be small; if not reduced, he will rebel later, and the harm will be great.” In the winter of the third year of Emperor Xiaojing, the King of Chu came to court. Chao Cuo took the opportunity to say that the King of Chu, Liu Wu, had committed adultery in the mourning hut during the mourning period for Empress Dowager Bo the previous year, and requested his execution. An edict pardoned him from death but punished him by reducing his Donghai Commandery. Then the Yuzhang and Kuaiji commanderies of Wu were also reduced. Additionally, two years earlier, the King of Zhao had committed a crime, and his Hejian Commandery was reduced. The King of Jiaoxi, Liu Ang, had his six counties reduced because of fraud in selling noble ranks.

The Han court ministers were then discussing the reduction of Wu’s territory. The King of Wu, Liu Pi, feared that his territory would be endlessly reduced, and so seized this opportunity to plot rebellion, intending to rise up. Considering that among the princes there was none worthy to conspire with him, he heard that the King of Jiaoxi was brave, fond of quarrels, and loved warfare, and that the princes of Qi all feared him. So he sent the Palace Grandee Ying Gao to tempt the King of Jiaoxi. Without carrying any written document, he merely conveyed a verbal message: “The King of Wu, unworthy as he is, has an urgent worry. He does not consider himself an outsider and has sent me to convey his good intentions.” The King of Jiaoxi said, “What instruction do you have?” Ying Gao said, “Now the sovereign is deceived by treacherous ministers, blinded by evil officials, fond of minor virtues, and listens to slander. He arbitrarily changes laws and decrees, encroaches upon the lands of the princes, and exacts more and more levies. He punishes and kills good people daily with increasing severity. As the saying goes, ‘Licking chaff will reach the kernels.’ The kingdoms of Wu and Jiaoxi are well-known among the princes. Once discovered, I fear they will not be able to rest easy. The King of Wu has suffered from internal illness and has not attended court for over twenty years. He has always feared suspicion and could not exonerate himself. Now, with his shoulders hunched and feet pressed together, he still fears he will not be pardoned. I have privately heard that Your Highness has been punished for selling noble ranks. From what I hear, the crimes for which other princes have had their territories reduced are not as serious as this. I fear this will not end with mere reduction of territory.” The King of Jiaoxi said, “Yes, this is so. What do you plan to do?” Ying Gao said, “Those who share hatred help each other; those who share likes keep each other; those in similar situations perfect each other; those with common desires pursue each other; those with common interests die for each other. Now the King of Wu considers himself to share a common worry with Your Highness. He wishes to follow the times and act according to reason, sacrificing himself to eliminate harm for the world. Does Your Highness think this is acceptable?” The King of Jiaoxi, startled, said, “How dare I do this? Now though the sovereign is strict, it is only a matter of death. How could I not support him?” Ying Gao said, “The Imperial Secretary, Chao Cuo, deludes the Son of Heaven, encroaches upon the princes, blocks loyal and good men, and stirs resentment in court and among the people. The princes all have thoughts of betrayal—human affairs have reached their extreme. Comets have appeared, locust plagues have occurred repeatedly—this is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. Sorrow and toil are precisely the reasons for the rise of sages. Therefore, the King of Wu wishes to punish Chao Cuo at home and follow behind Your Highness abroad, galloping across the land, unstoppable, and all who are pointed at will submit. No one under heaven dares disobey. If Your Highness can truly assent with a single word, then the King of Wu will lead the King of Chu to take Hangu Pass, hold the grain of Aocang in Xingyang, and resist the Han army. He will build quarters and await Your Highness. If Your Highness is fortunate enough to come, then the empire can be divided between two sovereigns—is that not also acceptable?” The King of Jiaoxi said, “Good.” Ying Gao returned and reported to the King of Wu, but the King of Wu was still worried that the King of Jiaoxi would not join. So he personally acted as an envoy, went to the kingdom of Jiaoxi, and formed an alliance with him face to face.

Some ministers in the state of Jiaoxi, having heard of the king's plans, remonstrated with him, saying: "To serve one sovereign is the greatest joy. Now if Your Majesty joins the King of Wu in marching westward, even if the enterprise succeeds, two rulers will contend, and calamity will begin. The territories of the feudal lords together do not amount to even two-tenths of the Han commanderies, yet you would commit rebellion to cause the Empress Dowager anxiety—this is no long-term plan." The King of Jiaoxi did not listen. He then sent envoys to invite the Kings of Qi, Zichuan, Jiaodong, Jinan, and Jibei, and they all agreed, saying: "The City Yang Jing King was righteous; he attacked the Lü clan. Do not act together with him; after the matter is settled, we will allot him territory."

The feudal lords, having just been punished by the reduction of their territories, were shocked and fearful, and most of them resented Chao Cuo. When the edicts to reduce the commanderies of Kuaiji and Yuzhang from Wu arrived, the King of Wu first raised his troops. On the day _bingwu_ of the first month, the King of Jiaoxi executed the Han-appointed officials of the rank of two-thousand piculs and below, and the Kings of Jiaodong, Zichuan, Jinan, Chu, and Zhao did likewise, and they then marched westward. The King of Qi later regretted this, took poison and died, thus violating the covenant. The city walls of the King of Jibei were damaged and not repaired; his Master of the Palace Guard seized and guarded him, so he could not dispatch troops. The King of Jiaoxi acted as commander-in-chief, and the Kings of Jiaodong, Zichuan, and Jinan together besieged Linzi. The King of Zhao, Liu Sui, also rebelled, secretly sending envoys to contact the Xiongnu, intending to join forces with them.

When the seven states raised their troops, the King of Wu mobilized all his soldiers, issuing an order throughout his state: "I am sixty-two years old and will personally lead the army. My youngest son is fourteen years old and will also march at the head of the ranks. All those whose age equals mine, down to those who equal my youngest son, are to go on campaign." In total, he raised over two hundred thousand men. He sent envoys south to contact Minyue and Dongyue, and Dongyue also sent troops to follow him.

On the day _jiazi_ of the first month in the third year of Emperor Xiaojing's reign, the King of Wu, Liu Pi, raised his troops at Guangling. He marched westward across the Huai River and then merged with the army of Chu. He sent envoys to deliver a letter to the various feudal kings, saying: "The King of Wu, Liu Pi, respectfully inquires of the Kings of Jiaoxi, Jiaodong, Zichuan, Jinan, Zhao, Chu, Huainan, Hengshan, Lujiang, and the son of the late King of Changsha: Instruct me! Because there are traitorous ministers in Han who have no merit toward the realm yet usurp and seize the territories of the feudal lords, sending officials to impeach, arrest, interrogate, and punish, making it a regular practice to insult the feudal lords, and not treating the flesh-and-blood relatives of the Liu clan with the rites due to a feudal lord. They cut off the meritorious officials of the late Emperor, promote and employ wicked men, delude the realm, and intend to harm the state. His Majesty is often ill and his mind confused, unable to perceive clearly. I intend to raise troops to execute them, and I respectfully await your instructions. Although my state is small, its territory is three thousand _li_ square; although its population is not large, I can levy five hundred thousand elite soldiers. I have long maintained relations with Nanyue for over thirty years, and the kings of Nanyue have not declined but have sent their troops to follow me, which can provide another three hundred thousand men. Although I am incompetent, I wish to personally follow the various feudal lords. Nanyue borders directly on Changsha, and relying on the son of the King of Changsha, we can pacify the area north of Changsha and drive straight west into Shu and Hanzhong. Inform Nanyue, the King of Chu, and the three Kings of Huainan to march westward together with me; the kings of Qi and the King of Zhao should pacify Hejian and Henei, some entering through Linjin Pass, others meeting me at Luoyang; the King of Yan and the King of Zhao originally had an agreement with the King of the Xiongnu; the King of Yan should pacify Dai and Yunzhong to the north and lead the Xiongnu troops through Xiao Pass, heading straight for Chang'an, to correct the Son of Heaven and stabilize the ancestral temple of Gaozu. I hope the various kings will strive. The son of the King of Chu Yuan and the three Kings of Huainan have gone for over ten years without bathing or washing their hair, their resentment is deep in their bones, and they have long desired to act, but I had not yet obtained the intentions of the various kings and dared not follow them. Now, if the various kings can restore what has been destroyed and continue what has been severed, support the weak and punish the violent, to stabilize the Liu clan, this is what the state hopes for. Although my state is poor, I have saved on clothing and food expenses, accumulated gold, repaired weapons, and stockpiled grain, day and night, for over thirty years. All of this is done in the hope that the various kings will strive to make use of it. Those who can capture or kill a general-in-chief will be rewarded with five thousand _jin_ of gold and enfeoffed with ten thousand households; a general of the ranks, with three thousand _jin_ of gold and five thousand households; a lieutenant-general, with two thousand _jin_ of gold and two thousand households; an official of two-thousand picul rank, with one thousand _jin_ of gold and one thousand households; an official of one-thousand picul rank, with five hundred _jin_ of gold and five hundred households—all will be enfeoffed as feudal lords. Those who lead troops or cities to surrender, with ten thousand soldiers or a city of ten thousand households, will be treated like capturing a general-in-chief; with five thousand households, like capturing a general of the ranks; with three thousand households, like capturing a lieutenant-general; with one thousand households, like capturing a two-thousand picul official; the lesser officials will receive ranks and rewards according to their grade. Other rewards will be doubled according to military law. Those who already have ranks and fiefs will receive additional grants, without following the old precedents. I hope the various kings will clearly inform their officers and gentlemen; I dare not deceive. My gold is found everywhere under heaven; it need not necessarily come from Wu. The various kings, using it day and night, will never exhaust it. If there is someone who should be rewarded, please inform me, and I will go and give it to him. I respectfully inform you of this."

The report of the seven states' rebellion was submitted to the Son of Heaven, who then sent the Grand Commandant, the Marquis of Tiao, Zhou Yafu, leading thirty-six generals, to attack Wu and Chu; sent the Marquis of Qüzhou, Li Ji, to attack Zhao; General Luan Bu to attack Qi; and the Grand General Dou Ying to station himself at Xingyang to oversee the forces of Qi and Zhao.

When the report of the Wu and Chu rebellion came in, the armies had not yet set out, and Dou Ying had not yet departed, when mention was made of the former Wu chancellor Yuan Ang. Yuan Ang was then living at home in retirement, and the emperor issued an edict summoning him to an audience. The emperor was with Chao Cuo, deploying troops and commanders and calculating military provisions. The emperor asked Yuan Ang, "You once served as chancellor of Wu. Do you know the character of the Wu officer Tian Lubo? Now that Wu and Chu have rebelled, what do you think of it?" Yuan Ang replied, "It is not worth worrying about; they can be defeated right now." The emperor said, "The King of Wu relies on the mountains to cast coin, boils seawater to make salt, and lures the bold men of the empire until his hair turns white before rising. If his plans were not absolutely secure, how could he have acted? On what grounds do you say he can accomplish nothing?" Yuan Ang replied, "It is true that Wu has the convenience of copper mines and sea salt, but where could it attract bold men! If the King of Wu had truly obtained bold men, they would have assisted him in doing what is right, and he would not have rebelled. Those whom the King of Wu has lured are all worthless rogues, fugitive counterfeiters, and evil men, so they have banded together to rebel." Chao Cuo said, "Yuan Ang's analysis is excellent." The emperor asked, "What plan shall be settled?" Yuan Ang replied, "I wish that those attending be dismissed." The emperor dismissed those nearby, only Chao Cuo remained. Yuan Ang said, "What I have to say cannot be known to any subject." So the emperor dismissed Chao Cuo. Chao Cuo hurried away to the eastern chamber, filled with deep resentment. The emperor finally questioned Yuan Ang, and Yuan Ang replied, "Wu and Chu have exchanged letters, saying, 'The High Emperor enfeoffed the sons and younger brothers each with their own territories, but now the treacherous minister Chao Cuo has arbitrarily degraded and punished the feudal lords, stripping them of their lands.' So they use rebellion as their pretext, marching westward together to kill Chao Cuo, and when their original territories are restored, they will disband their troops. The only plan now is to execute Chao Cuo, send an envoy to pardon the seven states of Wu and Chu, and restore the lands that were stripped from them. Then the armies can be disbanded without bloodshed." The emperor was silent for a long time, then said, "But if it comes to that, I would not begrudge one man to apologize to the empire." Yuan Ang said, "My humble plan is no better than this; I hope your majesty will consider it carefully." So the emperor appointed Yuan Ang as Grand Master of Ceremonies, and the son of the King of Wu's younger brother, the Marquis of De, as Director of the Imperial Clan. Yuan Ang packed his belongings and prepared to depart. Ten days later, the emperor sent the Commandant of the Capital to summon Chao Cuo, tricking him into riding in a carriage to the Eastern Market. Chao Cuo, wearing his court robes, was executed in the Eastern Market. Then the emperor sent Yuan Ang to go as an envoy on behalf of the ancestral temple, with the Director of the Imperial Clan to assist him by virtue of kinship, and to inform the King of Wu according to Yuan Ang's plan. When they reached Wu, the Wu and Chu armies had already attacked the fortifications of Liang. Because the Director of the Imperial Clan was a relative, he entered Wu first and informed the King of Wu to kneel and receive the imperial edict. When the King of Wu heard that Yuan Ang had come, he also knew that he intended to persuade him, and he laughed and replied, "I have already become the Eastern Emperor; whom should I bow to?" He refused to see Yuan Ang and detained him in the army, wanting to force him to serve as a general. Yuan Ang refused, so the King of Wu sent men to surround him and guard him, intending to kill him. Yuan Ang escaped by night, fleeing on foot, and ran to the Liang army, then reported back to the court.

The Marquis of Tiao, Zhou Yafu, rode in six relay carriages and was to rendezvous with the armies at Xingyang. When he reached Luoyang, he saw Ju Meng and said joyfully, "The seven states have rebelled. I came here by relay carriage and did not expect to arrive safely. I also thought that the feudal lords had already obtained Ju Meng, but now Ju Meng has not acted. I have occupied Xingyang; east of there, there is nothing to worry about." When he reached Huaiyang, he asked Deng Duwei, a former retainer of his father, the Marquis of Jiang, "What plan shall be settled?" The retainer said, "The army of Wu is very elite; it is difficult to confront them head-on. The army of Chu is frivolous and cannot hold out for long. Now, for the general's consideration, it would be better to lead the army northeast to build fortifications at Changyi for defense, leaving Liang to Wu. Wu will certainly send out all its elite troops to attack Liang. The general should dig deep moats and raise high walls, send light troops to cut off the confluence of the Huai and Si Rivers, and block Wu's supply route. When Wu and Liang have worn each other out and their provisions are exhausted, then use your complete and strong forces to subdue their utterly exhausted troops; you will certainly defeat Wu." The Marquis of Tiao said, "Good." He followed this plan, so he held his position south of Changyi with fortified walls and sent light troops to cut off Wu's supply route.

When the King of Wu first raised his army, the Wu officer Tian Lubo served as Grand General. Tian Lubo said, "If the army concentrates on marching westward without any other unusual route, it will be difficult to succeed. I wish to receive fifty thousand men and separately advance along the Yangtze and Huai Rivers upstream, seize Huainan and Changsha, enter Wu Pass, and rendezvous with the Great King; this would also be a clever plan." The crown prince of Wu admonished, "Your Majesty has raised the army under the pretext of rebellion; such an army is difficult to entrust to others. If you entrust it to someone else, that person may also rebel against you—what then? Moreover, if you entrust exclusive command of troops to a separate route, there will be many other interests and dangers beyond prediction; it would merely waste your own strength." So the King of Wu did not agree to Tian Lubo's plan.

A young Wu general named Huan advised the King of Wu, saying, "Wu has many infantry, and infantry are suited to difficult terrain; the Han army has many chariots and cavalry, and chariots and cavalry are suited to flat ground. I hope that if your majesty encounters cities that cannot be taken on the way, you will abandon them directly and advance swiftly westward to seize the armory at Luoyang, take the grain from the Aocang granary, rely on the strategic passes of the mountains and rivers to command the feudal lords. Even if you do not enter Hangu Pass, the empire will in fact be settled. If your majesty advances slowly, stopping to attack cities, the Han chariots and cavalry will arrive, charge into the countryside of Liang and Chu, and the great undertaking will fail." The King of Wu asked the various veteran generals, and the veteran generals said, "This is merely a young man's plan for charging into battle—how would he understand grand strategy!" So the King of Wu did not adopt Huan's plan.

The King of Wu exercised sole authority and commanded his army alone. Before he had crossed the Huai River, all his guests were able to serve as generals, colonels, captains, or adjutants; only Zhou Qiu was not employed. Zhou Qiu was a man of Xiapi who had fled to Wu, sold wine, and had a bad character. The King of Wu, Liu Bi, despised him and did not employ him. Zhou Qiu sought an audience and advised the King of Wu, saying, "Because I am incompetent, I cannot serve in the army. I dare not ask to lead troops; I only wish to receive one Han tally from the Great King, and I will surely have something with which to repay you." The King of Wu gave him the tally. When Zhou Qiu obtained the tally, he rode swiftly into Xiapi by night. At that time, Xiapi had heard that Wu had rebelled and was all defending the city. Zhou Qiu went to the guesthouse and summoned the district magistrate. When the magistrate entered, Zhou Qiu ordered his attendants to kill him on a pretext. Then he summoned the leading men of the area and his close associates among the local petty officials and told them, "The Wu rebel army is about to arrive. When it arrives, slaughtering Xiapi will take no more than a meal. If you surrender now, your families will surely be preserved, and those with ability can be enfeoffed as marquises." These men went out and informed each other, and Xiapi all surrendered. In one night, Zhou Qiu gained thirty thousand men. He sent a man to report to the King of Wu, then led his army northward to seize cities. By the time he reached Chengyang, his army had grown to over a hundred thousand men, and he defeated the troops of the Chengyang Commandant. When he heard that the King of Wu had fled in defeat, he reckoned that there was no one with whom he could accomplish a great undertaking, so he led his army back toward Xiapi. Before he arrived, he died of a carbuncle that grew on his back.

In mid-February, the King of Wu’s army had already been routed, and he fled in defeat. Thereupon the Son of Heaven issued an edict to the general, saying: “I have heard that those who do good are rewarded by Heaven with blessings, while those who do evil are repaid by Heaven with calamities. The High Emperor personally manifested merit and virtue, enfeoffing the feudal lords. The Kings You and Daohui had no heirs to continue their lines. Emperor Xiaowen, taking pity on them, extended his grace, enfeoffing King You’s son Liu Sui and King Daohui’s son Liu Ang as kings, allowing them to maintain the ancestral temples of their former kings, serving as vassal states to Han. Their virtue matched Heaven and Earth, and their brightness rivaled the sun and moon. Liu Pi, the King of Wu, turned his back on kindness and violated righteousness, enticing and harboring fleeing criminals from across the empire, disrupting the empire’s currency, feigning illness and failing to attend court for over twenty years. The relevant officials repeatedly requested punishment for Liu Pi’s crimes, but Emperor Xiaowen pardoned him, hoping he would reform and turn to good. Now he has conspired with Liu Wu, the King of Chu; Liu Sui, the King of Zhao; Liu Ang, the King of Jiaoxi; Liu Piguang, the King of Jinan; Liu Xian, the King of Zichuan; and Liu Xiongqu, the King of Jiaodong, to rebel, acting with great treason, raising troops to endanger the ancestral temples, murdering high ministers and Han envoys, coercing and seizing the common people, killing the innocent prematurely, burning and destroying their homes, and digging up their graves, acting with extreme cruelty. Now Liu Ang and the others have further increased their great treason, burning ancestral temples and seizing imperial items. I am deeply pained. I have put on plain clothes and avoided the main hall. The general should encourage the officers and troops to attack the rebels. Those who attack the rebels, penetrating deep into enemy territory and killing many, shall be credited with merit. Among those beheaded or captured, all with stipends of three hundred piculs or more shall be killed, not one spared. Anyone who dares to criticize this edict or act contrary to it shall be punished by waist-chopping.”

Initially, the King of Wu crossed the Huai River and, together with the King of Chu, marched westward, defeating the Han army at Jibi. Pressing forward with their victory, their momentum was extremely fierce. King Xiao of Liang, frightened, sent six generals to attack the Wu army, but the Wu army again defeated two of Liang’s generals, and their soldiers all fled back to Liang. Liang repeatedly sent envoys to seek aid from the Marquis of Tiao, Zhou Yafu, but the Marquis of Tiao refused. Liang again sent envoys to the emperor to speak ill of the Marquis of Tiao. The emperor sent word ordering the Marquis of Tiao to rescue Liang, but the Marquis of Tiao still held out for a favorable opportunity and would not deploy his troops. Liang sent Han Anguo and Zhang Yu, the younger brother of the Chu chancellor who had died for his state, as generals, and only then were they able to slightly defeat the Wu army. The Wu army wanted to march westward, but Liang’s city defenses were strong, and they dared not advance westward. Instead, they turned to attack the Marquis of Tiao’s army, encountering them at Xiayi. The Wu army wanted to engage in battle, but the Marquis of Tiao held his fortifications firmly and refused to fight. The Wu army’s food supplies were cut off, and the soldiers grew hungry. They challenged the Han army repeatedly, then at night raided the Marquis of Tiao’s camp, creating a disturbance in the southeast. The Marquis of Tiao deployed troops to guard the northwest, and the Wu army indeed attacked from the northwest. The Wu army was utterly defeated, and most of the soldiers died of starvation, then scattered in desertion. At this time, the King of Wu, along with several thousand of his elite troops, fled by night, crossed the Yangtze River, and escaped to Dantu, where he sought refuge with the Eastern Yue. The Eastern Yue army numbered about ten thousand men, and they sent men to gather and collect the fleeing soldiers. The Han court sent men to entice the Eastern Yue with profit. The Eastern Yue then deceived the King of Wu. When the King of Wu came out to inspect the troops, the Eastern Yue sent men to stab him to death with spears and halberds, packed his head, and reported it swiftly by relay carriage. The King of Wu’s sons, Liu Zihua and Liu Ziju, fled to Minyue. After the King of Wu abandoned his army and fled, the army disintegrated and gradually surrendered to the Grand Commandant and the Liang army. The army of Liu Wu, the King of Chu, was defeated, and he committed suicide.

When the Kings of Jiaoxi, Jiaodong, and Zichuan besieged Qi’s Linzi, they could not capture it after three months. When the Han army arrived, the Kings of Jiaoxi, Jiaodong, and Zichuan each led their troops back. The King of Jiaoxi then bared his upper body, went barefoot, sat on a straw mat, drank water, and apologized to the Grand Dowager. The King of Jiaoxi’s heir-apparent, Liu De, said: “The Han army has come from afar; I see that they are already exhausted. We can attack them. I hope to gather Your Majesty’s remaining troops to strike them. If the attack does not succeed, we can flee into the sea, and it will not be too late.” The King of Jiaoxi said: “My soldiers are already routed; they cannot be mobilized again.” He did not listen. The Han general, the Marquis of Gonggao, Han Tuidang, sent a letter to the King of Jiaoxi, saying: “I have received the imperial edict to punish the unrighteous. Those who surrender will have their crimes pardoned and their former positions restored; those who do not surrender will be annihilated. What does Your Majesty intend to do? I await your decision to act.” The King of Jiaoxi bared his upper body and came to the Han camp, kowtowing, and sought an audience, saying: “Your subject Liu Ang did not observe the law carefully, disturbing the common people, and has caused the general to laboriously come this far to this impoverished small state. I dare to beg for the punishment of being chopped into mincemeat.” The Marquis of Gonggao, holding a golden drum, received him, saying: “Your Majesty is troubled by military affairs. I wish to hear the reason for Your Majesty’s raising of troops.” The King of Jiaoxi kowtowed and advanced on his knees, replying: “Now, Chao Cuo is a powerful minister of the Son of Heaven, altering the laws of the High Emperor and encroaching upon the lands of the feudal lords. Liu Ang and others considered this an unrighteous act, fearing he would disrupt and ruin the empire. Therefore, the seven states raised troops to execute Chao Cuo. Now that I have heard Chao Cuo has been executed, Liu Ang and others cautiously withdraw their troops and return.” The general said: “If Your Majesty considered Chao Cuo misguided, why did you not report it to the emperor? Without an imperial edict and a tiger tally, you raised troops on your own authority to attack a righteous state. From this, it is clear that your intention was not merely to execute Chao Cuo.” Then he produced the imperial edict and read it aloud to the King of Jiaoxi. After reading it, he said: “Your Majesty, consider this yourself.” The King of Jiaoxi said: “People like Liu Ang deserve to die and still not atone for their crimes.” Then he committed suicide. The Grand Dowager and the heir-apparent both died. The Kings of Jiaodong, Zichuan, and Jinan all died, and their states were abolished and taken over by Han. General Li besieged Zhao for ten months before capturing it, and the King of Zhao committed suicide. The King of Jibei, because he had been coerced, was not executed and was transferred to be the King of Zichuan.

Initially, the King of Wu was the first to rebel, simultaneously leading the Chu army and allying with Qi and Zhao. They raised troops in the first month, and by the third month they were all defeated, with only Zhao being captured last. The court then enfeoffed the youngest son of King Yuan of Chu, the Marquis of Pinglu, Liu Li, as the King of Chu, to continue the line of King Yuan of Chu. The King of Runan, Liu Fei, was transferred to the former territory of Wu to become the King of Jiangdu.

The Grand Historian says: The King of Wu was able to be enfeoffed as a king because his father’s title had been demoted. He was able to lighten taxes and employ his own people, relying on the benefits of the mountains and seas. The sprouts of his rebellious disorder began with his son. Because of a quarrel over a game of chess, disaster arose, and he ultimately lost his foundation. He drew close to the Yue people while plotting against the imperial clan, and thus perished. Chao Cuo, deeply strategizing for the state, brought calamity upon himself. Yuan Ang, skilled in maneuvering and persuasion, was initially favored but later disgraced. Therefore, in ancient times, the territories of the feudal lords did not exceed a hundred li, and mountains and seas were not used for enfeoffment. “Do not draw near to the barbarians, thereby estranging your own kin” — this probably refers to the King of Wu! “Do not be the leader of schemes, or you will suffer calamity instead” — does this not refer to Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo?