Account of Joseon, Number 55

King Weiman of Joseon was originally a man from Yan. During the height of the Yan state, it had seized and occupied Zhenfan and Joseon, establishing officials there and constructing fortress barriers. After the Qin state destroyed Yan, Joseon belonged to the outer regions of the Liaodong Commandery. When the Han dynasty was established, because the area was distant and difficult to defend, the former fortifications of the Liaodong Commandery were restored, with the Pishui River as the boundary, and it was placed under the jurisdiction of Yan. When the King of Yan, Lu Wan, rebelled against Han and fled into Xiongnu, Weiman also fled, gathering over a thousand followers. Wearing their hair in topknots and dressed in barbarian clothing, they escaped eastward through the passes, crossed the Pishui River, and settled in the empty fortresses of the upper and lower regions of the former Qin territory. Gradually, he subjugated the barbarians of Zhenfan and Joseon, as well as former fugitives from Yan and Qi, making them his subjects. He proclaimed himself king and established his capital at Wangxian City.

At the time of Emperor Hui of Han and Empress Lü, the realm had just been stabilized. The Grand Administrator of the Liaodong Commandery made an agreement with Weiman, appointing him as an outer vassal of Han, tasked with protecting the barbarians beyond the passes and preventing them from raiding the borders. If any barbarian chieftain wished to come to the capital to pay homage to the Son of Heaven, he was not to obstruct them. The officials reported this to the emperor, who approved it. Thus, Weiman, by virtue of his military might and wealth, invaded and subjugated the smaller settlements around him. Zhenfan and Lintun all came to submit and obey, and his territory extended several thousand li in circumference.

When the throne passed to his grandson, Ugeo, he lured an increasing number of fugitives from Han and never came to the capital to pay homage. Many small states around Zhenfan wished to petition to pay homage to the Son of Heaven, but he obstructed and isolated them, preventing passage. In the second year of the Yuanfeng era, Han sent an envoy, She He, to reproach and admonish Ugeo, but Ugeo ultimately refused to accept the imperial decree. When She He departed, reaching the border near the Pishui River, he ordered his charioteer to assassinate the Joseon deputy king, Jang, who was escorting him. Then he crossed the Pishui River, galloped into the pass, and returned to report to the Son of Heaven, saying, "I killed a Joseon general." The Son of Heaven thought the reputation was good and did not question him, appointing She He as the Eastern Commandant of the Liaodong Commandery. Joseon, resentful of She He, sent troops to attack and kill him.

The Son of Heaven recruited criminals to attack Joseon. That autumn, he sent General of the Towered Warships, Yang Pu, to cross the Bohai Sea from Qi with fifty thousand troops, and General of the Left, Xun Zhi, to march from the Liaodong Commandery, to punish Ugeo. Ugeo raised troops to hold the strategic points. The Colonel of the General of the Left, Duo, leading the Liaodong troops, attacked first but was defeated and scattered. Duo fled back and was executed for breaking the law. The General of the Towered Warships led seven thousand troops from Qi and arrived first at Wangxian City. Ugeo defended the city, and learning that the General of the Towered Warships had few troops, he sallied forth and attacked him. The General of the Towered Warships' army was defeated and scattered. The general, Yang Pu, lost his troops and fled into the mountains for over ten days, gradually gathering his scattered soldiers and reorganizing them. The General of the Left attacked the Joseon army on the western bank of the Pishui River but failed to break through from the front.

Because the two generals had not achieved results, the Son of Heaven sent Wei Shan to use military might to admonish Ugeo. Ugeo, upon seeing the envoy, kowtowed and apologized, saying, "I originally wished to surrender, but feared that the two generals would deceive and kill me. Now that I see the imperial token, I request to submit." He sent the Crown Prince to the capital to apologize, offering five thousand horses and supplying army provisions. The accompanying retinue numbered over ten thousand, carrying weapons, and was about to cross the Pishui River. The envoy and the General of the Left suspected they might start a rebellion, saying that since the Crown Prince had already surrendered, he should order his men not to carry weapons. The Crown Prince also suspected that the envoy and the General of the Left would deceive and kill him, so he did not cross the Pishui River and led his men back. Wei Shan returned to report to the Son of Heaven, who executed him.

The General of the Left broke through the Joseon army upstream on the Pishui River, then advanced and reached the city, surrounding its northwest. The General of the Towered Warships also came to join him, encamping south of the city. Ugeo then held the city firmly, and it could not be captured for several months.

The General of the Left had previously served in the palace and was favored. He led troops from Yan and Dai, who were fierce and, taking advantage of their victories, grew arrogant. The General of the Towered Warships led troops from Qi, who had already suffered many losses in the sea crossing. He had previously fought Ugeo, suffered defeat and humiliation, and lost many soldiers. The soldiers were fearful, and the general felt ashamed. While besieging the city, he often advocated peace negotiations. The General of the Left attacked fiercely, and the Joseon ministers secretly sent someone to privately arrange surrender with the General of the Towered Warships. They negotiated back and forth but had not yet made a final decision. The General of the Left repeatedly set dates with the General of the Towered Warships for a joint attack, but the General of the Towered Warships, wanting to expedite the peace agreement, did not join him. The General of the Left also sent people to seek opportunities to induce Joseon to surrender, but Joseon refused, their hearts inclined toward the General of the Towered Warships. Thus, the two generals could not get along. The General of the Left suspected that the General of the Towered Warships had previously been guilty of losing troops and now was secretly friendly with Joseon, yet Joseon would not surrender. He suspected him of plotting rebellion but dared not act. The Son of Heaven said the generals were incompetent. Previously, he had sent Wei Shan to admonish Ugeo to surrender, and Ugeo sent the Crown Prince to the capital. Wei Shan could not act decisively and, with the General of the Left, made miscalculations that ultimately ruined the peace agreement. Now the two generals were besieging the city but were at odds with each other, so it could not be resolved for a long time. He sent the Grand Administrator of Jinan, Gongsun Sui, to handle the matter, with authority to act as he saw fit. When Gongsun Sui arrived, the General of the Left said, "Joseon should have been captured long ago; the reason it hasn't been captured is thus." He said the General of the Towered Warships had repeatedly set dates but not shown up, and told Gongsun Sui all his usual thoughts, saying, "If we do not arrest him now, I fear it will become a great disaster. Not only the General of the Towered Warships, but he might also join with Joseon to destroy our army." Gongsun Sui agreed and, using the imperial token, summoned the General of the Towered Warships into the General of the Left's camp to discuss matters. Then he ordered the General of the Left's subordinates to arrest and bind the General of the Towered Warships, annexing his army, and reported back to the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven executed Gongsun Sui.

After the General of the Left merged the two armies, he immediately attacked fiercely. The Prime Minister of Joseon, No In; another Prime Minister, Han Eum; the Minister of Nijae, Cham; and the General, Wang Gap, discussed together, saying, "We originally wanted to surrender to the General of the Towered Warships, but he has now been arrested. Only the General of the Left commands the army, and the fighting is more intense. We fear we cannot withstand him, and the king refuses to surrender." Han Eum, Wang Gap, and No In all fled and surrendered to Han. No In died on the road. In the summer of the third year of the Yuanfeng era, Minister Cham sent someone to kill the King of Joseon, Ugeo, and surrendered. Wangxian City had not yet fallen. A former minister of Ugeo, Seong Gi, rebelled again and attacked the officials. The General of the Left sent Ugeo's son, Jang Hang, and the son of Prime Minister No In, Choe, to proclaim and admonish the city's inhabitants. They killed Seong Gi, and thus Joseon was finally pacified. Four commanderies were established. Cham was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Huoqing, Han Eum as the Marquis of Diju, Wang Gap as the Marquis of Pingzhou, and Jang Hang as the Marquis of Gi. Choe, because his father died in this matter and he had considerable merit, was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Wenyang.

The General of the Left was summoned back to the capital. He was executed in the market for the crime of competing for merit, jealousy, and making misguided plans. The General of the Towered Warships was also sentenced to death for, when his army reached the Liekou, failing to wait for the General of the Left and launching an attack prematurely, resulting in heavy losses. He was allowed to redeem himself and became a commoner.

The Grand Historian says: Ugeo relied on the strength of his terrain, and so his state's sacrifices were cut off. She He falsely reported merit, becoming the fuse of war. The General of the Towered Warships acted narrowly and met with calamity. He regretted losing Panyu but was instead suspected. Xun Zhi competed for merit and, along with Gongsun Sui, was executed. Both armies suffered disgrace, and none of the generals were enfeoffed as marquises.