Records of Zhou, Vol. 5
It begins in the year jichou and ends in the year yisi, spanning a total of seventeen years.
King Nan, continued
Forty-third year of King Nan (jichou, 272 BCE)
1. Chu sent the Left Tutor Huang Xie to attend the Crown Prince Wan as a hostage in Qin.
2. Qin established the commandery of Nanyang.
3. Han, Wei, and Chu together attacked Yan.
4. King Hui of Yan died. His son, King Wucheng, ascended the throne.
Forty-fourth year of King Nan (gengyin, 271 BCE)
1. Lin Xiangru of Zhao attacked Qi, reaching Pingyi.
2. Zhao She, a minor official in the field-revenue department of Zhao, was collecting land taxes. The household of the Lord of Pingyuan refused to pay. Zhao She enforced the law, executing nine of the Lord of Pingyuan's stewards. The Lord of Pingyuan was enraged and wanted to kill Zhao She. Zhao She said: "You are an honored noble son of Zhao. If you now tolerate your family's refusal to obey the public law, then the laws will be weakened; if the laws are weakened, the state will decline; if the state declines, the feudal lords will send armies to invade; thus there will be no Zhao. Where then could you preserve these riches? By virtue of your noble status, if you uphold the public law, then superiors and inferiors will be impartial; if superiors and inferiors are impartial, the state will be strong; if the state is strong, Zhao will be secure. And you, being a member of the royal clan, how could you be slighted by the world?" The Lord of Pingyuan considered him worthy and recommended him to the King of Zhao. The King of Zhao put him in charge of the state's taxes and revenues. The state's taxes and revenues became very fair, the people were prosperous, and the state treasury was well-stocked.
Forty-fifth year of King Nan (xinmao, 270 BCE)
1. Qin attacked Zhao, besieging Yanyu. The King of Zhao summoned Lian Po and Yue Cheng and asked them: "Can we rescue it?" They both said: "The road is distant, perilous, and narrow; it is difficult to rescue." He then asked Zhao She, who replied: "The road is distant, perilous, and narrow; it is like two rats fighting in a hole; the general who is brave will win." The King of Zhao then ordered Zhao She to lead an army to rescue it. After departing thirty li from Handan, he halted and issued an order to the army: "Anyone who dares to remonstrate about military matters will be executed!"
The Qin army was stationed west of Wu'an, beating drums and shouting as they drilled their soldiers, shaking the very roof-tiles of Wu'an. One of the Zhao army's military officers said to rescue Wu'an immediately; Zhao She promptly had him beheaded. He held his camp firmly for twenty-eight days without moving, and further reinforced the fortifications. A Qin spy entered the Zhao camp; Zhao She feasted him with fine food and drink before sending him back. The spy reported to the Qin general, who was overjoyed and said: "They left the capital thirty li and then halted, not advancing, but instead reinforcing their fortifications. Yanyu is no longer Zhao's territory!" After Zhao She had sent the Qin spy away, he rolled up his armor and marched with utmost speed, covering the distance in one day and one night. He camped fifty li from Yanyu, and the fortifications were completed. When the Qin army heard of it, they all donned armor and rushed over. A Zhao soldier named Xuli requested to remonstrate on military matters. Zhao She ordered him to enter. Xuli said: "The Qin people did not expect the Zhao army to arrive here. Their coming is fierce. You, General, must concentrate your forces and array them in battle formation to await them; otherwise, you will certainly be defeated." Zhao She said: "I accept your instruction!" Xuli requested punishment, but Zhao She said: "We will deal with that later; we will handle it after returning to Handan." Xuli again requested to remonstrate, saying: "Whoever first occupies the northern hill will win; whoever comes later will lose." Zhao She agreed and immediately sent ten thousand men to seize it. The Qin army arrived later and struggled to ascend the hill but could not succeed. Zhao She then launched his army to attack the Qin army. The Qin army was utterly defeated, and the siege of Yanyu was lifted. The King of Zhao enfeoffed Zhao She as the Lord of Mafu, equal in rank to Lian Po and Lin Xiangru, and appointed Xuli as the State Commandant.
2. The Marquis of Rang recommended the guest-minister Duo to the King of Qin and sent him to attack Qi, seizing Gang and Shou to enlarge his own fief of Tao.
Previously, a man from Wei named Fan Ju accompanied the Palace Grandee Xu Jia on a mission to Qi. King Xiang of Qi, hearing that Fan Ju was eloquent, privately gave him gifts of gold, cattle, and wine. Xu Jia suspected that Fan Ju had revealed Wei's secrets to Qi. After returning, he reported this to the Wei Chancellor, Wei Qi. Wei Qi was furious, had Fan Ju flogged, breaking his ribs and knocking out his teeth. Fan Ju pretended to be dead, was rolled up in a mat, and thrown into the latrine. He let drunken guests take turns urinating on him, to serve as a warning to others and to prevent anyone from speaking carelessly again. Fan Ju said to the guard: "If you can release me, I will surely reward you handsomely." The guard then requested that the dead man in the mat be thrown away. Wei Qi was drunk and said: "It is permitted." Thus Fan Ju was able to escape. After Wei Qi sobered up, he regretted his decision and sent men to search for him again. A man from Wei named Zheng Anping heard of this and took Fan Ju into hiding, changing his name to Zhang Lu.
The Qin receptionist Wang Ji was on a mission to Wei. Fan Ju went to see Wang Ji at night. Wang Ji secretly took him into his carriage and brought him back to Qin, recommending him to the King of Qin. The King of Qin received him in a detached palace. Fan Ju pretended not to know the palace corridors and walked straight in. The King of Qin arrived, and an eunuch angrily drove him away, saying: "The King is coming." Fan Ju deliberately said: "What King is there in Qin? There is only the Queen Dowager and the Marquis of Rang in Qin!" The King of Qin overheard these words, then dismissed his attendants, knelt down, and asked: "What instruction does the Master have for me?" Fan Ju replied: "Eh, eh." He did this three times. The King of Qin said: "Will the Master finally not instruct me?" Fan Ju said: "I dare not do so! I am a subject residing abroad, and my acquaintance with Your Majesty is slight. Yet what I wish to present are matters concerning the rectification of the ruler. They involve those who are your flesh and blood. I wish to offer my foolish loyalty but do not know Your Majesty's mind. That is why, though Your Majesty has asked me three times, I have not dared to answer. I know that today, having spoken before you, I may be executed tomorrow, yet I dare not avoid it. Moreover, death is something no one can escape. If I can die while being of some slight benefit to Qin, that would be my greatest wish. I only fear that after I die, all the world will close their mouths, wrap their feet, and refuse to come to Qin anymore!" The King of Qin knelt and said: "Master, what words are these! Now that I can see you, it is as if heaven has sent you to trouble you on my behalf, to preserve the ancestral temples of the former kings. In matters great or small, from the Queen Dowager above to the ministers below, I hope the Master will teach me without reservation and not doubt me!" Fan Ju bowed, and the King of Qin bowed in return. Fan Ju said: "With Qin's strength and the ferocity of its soldiers, to deal with the feudal lords is like driving the fierce hound Han Lu to catch a lame rabbit. Yet Qin has closed its passes for fifteen years, not daring to send its troops east of the mountains. This is because the Marquis of Rang has not been loyal in his plans for Qin, and Your Majesty's strategy has also been flawed." The King of Qin knelt and said: "I wish to hear about the flaws!" However, there were many eavesdroppers among those around him. Fan Ju dared not speak of internal matters, so he first spoke of external matters to observe the King's reaction. Then he said: "The Marquis of Rang, crossing Han and Wei to attack Gang and Shou in Qi, is not a good plan. King Min of Qi attacked Chu to the south, broke its armies and killed its generals, twice opening up territory a thousand li wide. Yet in the end, Qi did not gain a single inch of land. Was it that it did not want the land? It was that circumstances did not permit it. The feudal lords, seeing Qi exhausted, raised troops and attacked it, utterly defeating the Qi army. Qi was nearly destroyed, all because it attacked Chu but enriched Han and Wei. Now, Your Majesty would do better to befriend distant states while attacking those nearby. Every inch of land gained will be Your Majesty's inch of land; every foot of land gained will be Your Majesty's foot of land. Now Han and Wei are in the central region, the hub of the world. If Your Majesty wishes to dominate, you must befriend the central states and control this hub, thereby threatening Chu and Zhao. If Chu is strong, befriend Zhao; if Zhao is strong, befriend Chu. Once both Chu and Zhao submit, Qi will surely be afraid. Once Qi submits, then Han and Wei can be subjugated." The King of Qin said: "Excellent." He then appointed Fan Ju as a guest-minister and consulted with him on military affairs.
Forty-sixth year of King Nan (renchen, 269 BCE)
1. Hu Shang, the Zhonggeng of Qin, attacked Yanyu in Zhao but failed to capture it.
Forty-seventh year of King Nan (guisi, 268 BCE)
1. The King of Qin, adopting Fan Ju's plan, sent Wudafu Wan to attack Wei, capturing the city of Huai.
Forty-eighth year of King Nan (jiawu, 267 BCE)
1. The Crown Prince Dao of Qin died while a hostage in Wei.
In the forty-ninth year of King Nan (, 266 BCE)
1 In summer, Qin conquered the cities of Xingqiu and Huai in Wei. Fan Ju grew increasingly close to the King of Qin and held great power, so he took the opportunity to persuade the King, saying: "When I lived east of Mount Xiao, I heard that Qi had Lord Mengchang, but I did not hear of the King of Qi; I heard that Qin had the Queen Dowager, the Marquis of Rang, the Lord of Gaoling, the Lord of Huayang, and the Lord of Jingyang, but I did not hear of the King of Qin. Only one who monopolizes the great power of the state can be called king, only one who decides benefit and harm can be called king, only one who controls the power of life and death can be called king. Now the Queen Dowager acts arbitrarily without scruples, the Marquis of Rang goes abroad without reporting to you, the Lord of Huayang and the Lord of Jingyang act and decide without avoidance, the Lord of Gaoling appoints and dismisses officials without seeking permission. With these four nobles in power, it has never happened that the state is not endangered. Under these four nobles, it is as if there is no king. The envoys of the Marquis of Rang wield your great authority, issue orders among the feudal lords, dispatch tallies throughout the world, and attack enemy states, and no one dares disobey; when they win a battle and capture territory, the benefit goes to his fief of Tao, but when they are defeated, the resentment falls on the people and the disaster returns to the state. I have also heard that when fruit is too abundant, it breaks the branches; breaking the branches harms the tree's heart. When fiefs are too large, they endanger the state; when ministers are too honored, they make the ruler lowly. Nao Chi controlled Qi, shot through the thigh of King Min of Qi, pulled out the King's sinews, hung him from a beam in the ancestral temple, and he died overnight. Li Dui controlled Zhao, besieged the Lord Father in Shaqiu Palace, and starved him to death in a hundred days. Now I see that the actions of these four nobles are exactly like those of Nao Chi and Li Dui. The reason the three dynasties of Xia, Shang, and Zhou perished was that the rulers completely entrusted power to their ministers while they indulged in drinking and hunting. Those entrusted with power envied the worthy, suppressed subordinates, and deceived the ruler to achieve their own private gain, not considering the ruler, yet the ruler did not realize it, thus losing the state. Now from those with official posts to the great ministers, down to those around the King, none are not the Prime Minister's men. Seeing the King isolated at court, I privately fear for the King. In the future, those who possess Qin will likely not be the King's descendants!" The King of Qin considered him correct. Thereupon, he deposed the Queen Dowager and expelled the Marquis of Rang, the Lord of Gaoling, the Lord of Huayang, and the Lord of Jingyang beyond the passes. He appointed Fan Ju as Chancellor and enfeoffed him as the Marquis of Ying.
The King of Wei sent Xu Jia to Qin on a mission. The Marquis of Ying, Fan Ju, wearing shabby clothes, went on foot to see him. Xu Jia said in surprise: "Fan Shu, you are safe after all!" So he kept him and sat down to eat, and took out a coarse silk robe to give him. Fan Ju then drove the chariot for Xu Jia to the Chancellor's residence and said: "I will go in first to announce you to the Chancellor." Xu Jia, finding it strange that Fan Ju did not come out for a long time, asked the gatekeeper, who said: "There is no Fan Shu here. The one who just entered is our Chancellor, Lord Zhang." Xu Jia realized he had been deceived, so he knelt and advanced on his knees, entering to confess his fault. The Marquis of Ying sat there, rebuked him, and said: "The reason you are spared death is because you gave me a coarse silk robe, still showing a little of an old acquaintance's feeling!" Then he set up a great banquet and invited guests from all states; he made Xu Jia sit below the hall, placed fodder and beans before him, fed him like a horse, and ordered him to go back and tell the King of Wei: "Quickly cut off Wei Qi's head and send it here! Otherwise, I will massacre Daliang!" Xu Jia returned and reported this to Wei Qi. Wei Qi fled to Zhao and hid in Lord Pingyuan's residence.
King Huiwen of Zhao died, and his son, King Xiaocheng, Dan, ascended the throne; he appointed Lord Pingyuan as Chancellor.
In the fiftieth year of King Nan (, 265 BCE)
(Winter, tenth month) The Qin Dowager Xuan passed away. (Autumn) In the ninth month, the Marquis of Rang, Wei Ran, was sent to Tao.
Your servant, Sima Guang, says: The Marquis of Rang, Wei Ran, supported and established King Zhao of Qin, eliminated the dangers around him, recommended Bai Qi as a general, took Yan and Ying to the south, extended territory to Qi in the east, and made the feudal lords of the world bow their heads and serve Qin. Qin grew increasingly powerful; this was the Marquis of Rang's achievement. Although his arrogance, indulgence, pride, and greed were enough to invite disaster, it was not necessarily entirely as Fan Ju said. As for this Fan Ju, he was not one who could truly plan loyally for Qin; he only wanted to seize the Marquis of Rang's position and power, so he seized him by the throat and snatched his place. This caused the King of Qin to sever the affection between mother and son and lose the kindness between uncle and nephew. In summary, Fan Ju was indeed a treacherous man!
The King of Qin established his son, the Lord of Anguo, as Crown Prince.
Qin attacked Zhao and captured three cities. The King of Zhao had newly ascended the throne, and the Queen Dowager was in power. (Qin intensified its attack.) Zhao sought aid from Qi. The people of Qi said: "We must have the Lord of Chang'an as a hostage." The Queen Dowager would not agree. The Qi army did not move, and the great ministers strongly remonstrated. The Queen Dowager clearly said to her close attendants: "Whoever speaks again about sending the Lord of Chang'an as a hostage, I, the old woman, will certainly spit in his face!" The Left Master, Chu Long, said he wished to have an audience. The Queen Dowager waited for him full of anger. Chu Long entered the palace, slowly walked with a hurried shuffle, and sat down. He apologized himself, saying: "Your old servant has a foot ailment (that prevents me from running fast), and for a long time I have not been able to have an audience. I privately forgave myself, but I feared that the Queen Dowager might have some discomfort, so I hoped to come and see you." The Queen Dowager said: "I, the old woman, get around by relying on a carriage." Chu Long asked: "Has your diet not decreased?" The Queen Dowager said: "I rely on eating porridge." The Queen Dowager's displeased expression softened slightly. The Left Master said: "Your old servant's worthless son, Shu Qi, is the youngest and is not talented, and your servant is already old, and privately dotes on him. I hope to have him fill a vacancy among the black-robed guards to protect the royal palace. I risk death to report this to the Queen Dowager!" The Queen Dowager said: "Very well. How old is he?" He replied: "Fifteen years old. Although he is young, I hope to entrust him to you before I die." The Queen Dowager said: "Do men also dote on their youngest sons?" He replied: "More than women do." The Queen Dowager laughed and said: "Women are especially so." He replied: "Your old servant privately believes that you love the Queen of Yan more than the Lord of Chang'an." The Queen Dowager said: "You are wrong! It is not as much as loving the Lord of Chang'an." The Left Master said: "When parents love a child, they make long-term plans for them. When you sent the Queen of Yan away in marriage, you held her heels and wept, thinking of her marrying far away, and also felt pity for her. After she left, you did not fail to miss her, but at sacrifices you prayed: 'Do not let her return!' Was this not making long-term plans for her, hoping that her sons and grandsons would succeed each other as kings?" The Queen Dowager said: "Yes." The Left Master said: "Counting up from now to three generations ago, among the sons and grandsons of the King of Zhao who were enfeoffed as marquises, are their successors still in power?" The Queen Dowager said: "No." The Left Master said: "(Not only Zhao, but among the sons and grandsons of other feudal lords who were enfeoffed as marquises, are their successors still in power?)" The Queen Dowager said: "I, the old woman, have not heard of it." (The Left Master said:) "This is because disaster falls on themselves in the near term, and falls on their sons and grandsons in the distant term. Is it that the sons and grandsons of rulers being enfeoffed as marquises is a bad thing? It is because their status is noble yet they have no merit, their stipends are generous yet they have no achievement, yet they possess a great number of valuable treasures. Now you make the Lord of Chang'an noble in status, and also enfeoff him with fertile lands, and give him many valuable treasures, yet you do not take advantage of the present to let him establish merit for the state. Once you pass away, on what basis will the Lord of Chang'an stand in Zhao? (Your old servant believes that your plans for the Lord of Chang'an are too short-sighted, so I consider that you love him less than the Queen of Yan.)" The Queen Dowager said: "Very well, I will let you dispose of him as you wish!" Then she prepared a hundred chariots for the Lord of Chang'an to go to Qi as a hostage. Only then did the Qi army move out, and the Qin army withdrew.
Tian Dan, the Lord of Anping of Qi, led the Zhao army to attack Yan and captured Zhongyang; then he attacked Han and captured Zhuren.
King Xiang of Qi passed away, and his son, Tian Jian, ascended the throne. Tian Jian was young, and all state affairs were decided by the Queen Dowager.
In the fifty-first year of King Nan (, 264 BCE)
Bai Qi, the Lord of Wu'an of Qin, attacked Han, captured nine cities, and beheaded fifty thousand men.
Tian Dan became Chancellor of Qi.
In the fifty-second year of King Nan (, 263 BCE)
The Qin state’s Military Lord of Wu’an, Bai Qi, attacked the state of Han, seizing Nanyang; he then attacked the Taihang Road and cut it off.
King Qingxiang of Chu was gravely ill. Huang Xie said to the Marquis of Ying, Fan Ju: “Now the King of Chu is gravely ill, and I fear he may not recover. It would be better for Qin to release the Crown Prince of Chu. If the Crown Prince succeeds to the throne, he will serve Qin with even greater devotion, and his gratitude to you, Chancellor, will be boundless. This would be to befriend an ally and reserve an heir to a ten-thousand-chariot state. If you do not release him, he will be nothing but a commoner in Xianyang. If Chu installs a different ruler, it will certainly not serve Qin. This would be to lose an ally and sever good relations with a ten-thousand-chariot state—it is not a good plan.” The Marquis of Ying reported this to the King of Qin. The King of Qin said: “Let the Crown Prince’s tutor go back first to inquire about the King of Chu’s illness, and after his return, we will consider the matter.” Huang Xie and the Crown Prince planned together, saying: “Qin detains the Crown Prince, seeking to gain advantage from this. Now the Crown Prince has no ability to bring profit to Qin, and the two sons of Yangwen Jun are in the state. If the King of Chu dies and the Crown Prince is not in the state, the son of Yangwen Jun will surely be established as heir, and the Crown Prince will not be able to offer sacrifices to the ancestral temple. It is better to flee from Qin and go out together with the envoy. I request to stay behind and bear the consequences with my death!” The Crown Prince then changed his clothes, disguised himself as a charioteer for the Chu envoy, and slipped through the pass; Huang Xie remained in the guesthouse, often claiming on the Crown Prince’s behalf that he was ill. Estimating that the Crown Prince had already gone far, he then went himself to say to the King of Qin: “The Crown Prince of Chu has already returned; he is already far away. I, Huang Xie, am willing to be put to death!” The King of Qin grew angry and was about to grant this. The Marquis of Ying said: “Huang Xie, as a minister, gave his life to serve his master. If the Crown Prince succeeds to the throne, he will surely employ Huang Xie heavily. It would be better not to punish him but to release him, in order to befriend Chu.” The King of Qin followed this advice. Three months after Huang Xie returned to Chu, in autumn, King Qingxiang passed away, and King Kaolie ascended the throne; he appointed Huang Xie as Chancellor, enfeoffed him with the region north of the Huai River, and titled him Lord Chunshen.
Fifty-third year of King Nan of Zhou (Ji Hai, 262 BC)
The people of Chu offered Xiazhou to Qin to seek peace.
The Qin state’s Military Lord of Wu’an, Bai Qi, attacked the state of Han and captured Yewang. The passage to Shangdang was cut off, and the Governor of Shangdang, Feng Ting, planned with the local people, saying: “The road to the Han capital of Zheng is already severed; the Qin army is drawing nearer day by day, and Han cannot provide aid. It would be better to submit Shangdang to Zhao. If Zhao accepts us, Qin will surely attack it; if Zhao is attacked by Qin, it will surely befriend Han. If Han and Zhao unite, they can resist Qin.” Thereupon, he sent an envoy to inform Zhao, saying: “Han cannot hold Shangdang and plans to offer it to Qin, but the officials and people all wish to submit to Zhao and are unwilling to be subjects of Qin. There are now seventeen cities and towns, which we respectfully wish to present to the King.” The King of Zhao reported this to the Lord of Pingyang, Zhao Bao, who replied: “The sage regards unearned benefits as great calamities.” The King of Zhao said: “The people are drawn to my virtue—how can it be called unearned?” He replied: “Qin has been nibbling away at Han’s territory, cutting it off in the middle to prevent communication, and originally thought it could sit and wait to receive Shangdang. The reason Han does not offer Shangdang to Qin is to shift the calamity onto Zhao. Qin has labored, and Zhao gains the benefit; even a strong state could not obtain such advantage from a weak one—how could a weak state obtain such from a strong one! How can this be called not unearned? It would be better not to accept.” The King of Zhao reported this to the Lord of Pingyuan, who requested acceptance. The King of Zhao then sent the Lord of Pingyuan to receive the territory, enfeoffing the Governor of Shangdang with a city of thirty thousand households, granting him the title Lord of Huayang, enfeoffing each county magistrate with a city of three thousand households, granting them the title of marquis, and promoting officials and people by three ranks of nobility. Feng Ting wept and refused to see the envoy, saying: “I cannot bear to sell my lord’s territory and seek emolument from it!”
Fifty-fifth year of King Nan of Zhou (Xin Chou, 260 BC)
The Qin state’s Left Chief of the Shuhang, Wang He, attacked Shangdang and captured it. The people of Shangdang fled to Zhao. Zhao’s Lian Po stationed troops at Changping to settle the people of Shangdang. [Summer, fourth month,] Wang He took the opportunity to attack Zhao. The Zhao army fought several engagements but was defeated, losing one deputy general and four Commandants. The King of Zhao consulted with Lou Chang and Yu Qing. Lou Chang requested sending an important envoy to seek peace. Yu Qing said: “Now the initiative in seeking peace lies with Qin. Qin is determined to defeat Your Majesty’s army; even if we go to sue for peace, Qin will not agree. It would be better to send envoys with precious gifts to befriend Chu and Wei. If Chu and Wei accept, then Qin will suspect that the feudal lords of the world are forming a vertical alliance, and peace can then be achieved.” The King of Zhao did not listen but sent Zheng Zhu to Qin to seek peace, and Qin accepted him. The King of Zhao said to Yu Qing: “Qin has received Zheng Zhu.” Yu Qing replied: “Your Majesty will certainly not achieve peace, and the army will be defeated. Why? The congratulations for victory are all gathered in Qin. Zheng Zhu is a noble man; the King of Qin and the Marquis of Ying will surely honor and respect him to show him to the world. When the world sees Your Majesty suing for peace with Qin, they will certainly not come to rescue Your Majesty. When Qin knows that the world will not rescue Your Majesty, then peace cannot be achieved.” Soon after, Qin indeed honored Zheng Zhu but refused to make peace with Zhao.
The Qin army repeatedly defeated the Zhao army, and Lian Po held his fortified camp and did not give battle. The King of Zhao thought Lian Po had suffered heavy losses and was too timid to fight, and was very angry, repeatedly rebuking him. The Marquis of Ying also sent someone with a thousand catties of gold to Zhao to sow dissension, saying: “What Qin fears is only Ma Fu Jun Zhao She’s son Zhao Kuo serving as general! Lian Po is easy to deal with, and he is about to surrender!” The King of Zhao then replaced Lian Po with Zhao Kuo as general. Lin Xiangru said: “Your Majesty appoints Zhao Kuo based on his reputation, like gluing the zither’s bridge to play it. Zhao Kuo can only read his father’s military books; he does not understand adapting to circumstances.” The King of Zhao did not listen.
Initially, Zhao Kuo studied military strategy from a young age and thought no one in the world could match him. He once discussed military affairs with his father, Zhao She, who could not refute him but did not think highly of him. Zhao Kuo’s mother asked the reason, and Zhao She said: “War is a matter of life and death, yet Zhao Kuo speaks of it lightly and easily. If Zhao does not employ Zhao Kuo as general, that is fine; but if it must employ him as general, the one who will cause the Zhao army’s defeat is none other than Zhao Kuo.” When Zhao Kuo was about to set out, his mother submitted a memorial, saying that Zhao Kuo should not be employed. The King of Zhao asked: “Why?” She replied: “Formerly, I served his father. At that time, he was serving as general, personally offering food to dozens of people, treating hundreds as friends. What the King and the royal clan bestowed as rewards, he distributed entirely to the officers and scholar-officials in the army. From the day he received his commission, he ceased to concern himself with family affairs. Now Zhao Kuo has suddenly become a general, facing east to receive the officers; none of the military officials dare to look up at him. What the King rewards in gold, silver, and silk, he takes home and hoards, and daily he looks at cheap fields and houses to buy if possible. Your Majesty thinks he resembles his father, but their hearts are completely different. I hope Your Majesty will not dispatch him!” The King of Zhao said: “Madam, drop this matter; I have already decided!” Zhao Kuo’s mother then said: “If in the future he proves unworthy, I request not to be punished by association.” The King of Zhao agreed.
When King of Qin heard that Zhao Kuo had already assumed command of the Zhao army, he secretly appointed Lord Wu’an as supreme general, while making Wang He his deputy, and issued an order to the army: "Whoever dares to leak that Lord Wu’an is the commanding general shall be beheaded on the spot!" Zhao Kuo arrived at the army, completely altered the army’s regulations and restrictions, replaced and reassigned military officers, and launched an attack on the Qin army. Lord Wu’an feigned defeat and fled, deploying two flanking forces to intercept the Zhao army. Zhao Kuo pursued the victory, pressing straight on to the Qin camp. The camp was fortified and could not be breached; the Qin flanking force of 25,000 men cut off the Zhao army’s retreat, and another 5,000 cavalry severed the passage between the Zhao camps. The Zhao army was split into two parts, and their supply lines were cut off. Lord Wu’an sent light troops to attack them. The Zhao army fought unfavorably, so they built fortifications and held their ground, awaiting reinforcements. When the King of Qin heard that the Zhao army’s grain route had been severed, he personally went to Henei and conscripted all males over the age of fifteen to go to Changping, intercepting Zhao’s reinforcements and food supplies. Qi and Chu came to Zhao’s aid. The Zhao army lacked food and requested grain from Qi, but the King of Qi did not consent.
Zhouzi said: "For Qi and Chu, Zhao is like a shield, just as lips protect teeth; if the lips are gone, the teeth feel cold. If Zhao perishes today, calamity will reach Qi and Chu tomorrow. Rescuing Zhao is as urgent as carrying a leaking jar to water a scorched cauldron. Moreover, rescuing Zhao is a noble act of righteousness; repelling the Qin army is a glorious achievement of prestige. With righteousness, we rescue a state on the verge of destruction; with might, we drive back the powerful Qin army. Not to pursue these actions but to begrudge grain—this is truly a mistake in planning for the state!" The King of Qi did not listen.
By the ninth month, the Zhao army had been cut off from food for forty-six days. Within the camp, soldiers secretly killed and ate one another. The Zhao army fiercely attacked the Qin camp, attempting to break out in four columns. They charged repeatedly four or five times but could not break through. Zhao Kuo personally led elite troops in close combat, and the Qin army shot him dead with arrows. The Zhao army was utterly defeated, and 400,000 soldiers all surrendered. Lord Wu’an said: "Qin has already taken Shangdang, but the people of Shangdang were unwilling to submit to Qin and instead turned to Zhao. The Zhao soldiers are fickle; if not all are killed, they may cause rebellion." So he used deceit to bury all the surrendered troops alive, sparing only 240 young men to be sent back to Zhao. In total, 450,000 people were killed or captured, and the people of Zhao were greatly shaken.
In the fifty-sixth year of King Nan of Zhou (renyin, 259 BC).
Winter, tenth month: Lord Wu’an divided the army into three parts. Wang He attacked Zhao’s Wu’an and Pilao, capturing them. Sima Geng marched north to pacify Taiyuan, fully occupying the Shangdang region. Han and Zhao were terrified, and sent Su Dai with generous gifts to persuade the Marquis of Ying, saying: "Is Lord Wu’an about to besiege Handan?" The Marquis of Ying said: "Yes." Su Dai said: "If Zhao is destroyed, then the King of Qin can become king of all under heaven. Lord Wu’an will be ranked among the Three Dukes. Could you bear to be beneath him? Even if you do not wish to be beneath him, you will have no choice. Qin once attacked Han, besieged Xingqiu, and trapped Shangdang. The people of Shangdang all turned to Zhao instead. The people of the world have long been unwilling to be subjects of Qin. Now, if Zhao is destroyed, the northern lands will go to Yan, the eastern lands to Qi, and the southern lands to Han and Wei. Then the people you will gain will be few. It would be better to seize territory at this opportunity, without letting it become Lord Wu’an’s merit." The Marquis of Ying said to the King of Qin: "The Qin army is weary. Please allow Han and Zhao to cede territory and seek peace, and let the troops rest for a time." The King of Qin followed his advice, took Hanyong from Han and six cities from Zhao, and made peace. Spring, first month: Both sides withdrew their troops. From then on, Lord Wu’an and the Marquis of Ying were at odds.
The King of Zhao was about to send Zhao He to Qin to handle peace terms, ceding six counties. Yu Qing said to the King of Zhao: "Did Qin attack Your Majesty because it was exhausted and withdrew, or does Your Majesty think that its strength could have continued but it spared Your Majesty out of goodwill?" The King of Zhao said: "Qin has used all its strength; it certainly withdrew because it was exhausted." Yu Qing said: "Qin used its strength to attack what it could not take, and returned exhausted. Now Your Majesty gives it what its strength could not take—this is helping Qin attack yourself. If Qin comes again next year to attack Your Majesty, you will have no salvation." The King of Zhao’s plan was not yet decided when Lou Huan arrived in Zhao, and the King of Zhao discussed the matter with him. Lou Huan said: "Yu Qing knows only one side, not the other. Zhao and Qin have become enemies, and the feudal lords are all pleased—why? They say: 'We will rely on the strong to bully the weak.' Now Zhao should quickly cede land to seek peace, thereby confusing the feudal lords and appeasing Qin’s heart. If you do not, the feudal lords will take advantage of Qin’s anger and Zhao’s exhaustion to carve up Zhao. Zhao will be destroyed—what then is there to plot against Qin?" When Yu Qing heard this, he again went to see the King of Zhao and said: "Lou Huan’s plan is extremely dangerous! Doing so will only increase the confusion of the feudal lords—how can it appease Qin’s heart? Does he not mention that this shows Zhao’s weakness to the world? Moreover, I advocate not ceding land, not out of stubborn refusal. Qin demands six cities from Your Majesty, but Your Majesty could give those six cities to bribe Qi. Qi is a bitter enemy of Qin. It will heed Your Majesty’s request before the words are finished. Thus, Your Majesty will lose something to Qi but gain compensation from Qin, and show the world that Zhao is capable of action. If Your Majesty issues a proclamation with this authority, then before the Qin army even spies the Zhao border, I foresee that Qin’s heavy bribes will arrive, and it will come to seek peace with Your Majesty. If you comply with Qin and make peace, when Han and Wei hear of it, they will surely respect Your Majesty. Thus, with one move, Your Majesty will win the friendship of three states and exchange positions with Qin." The King of Zhao said: "Good." He sent Yu Qing east to see the King of Qi to plan against Qin. Before Yu Qing returned, Qin’s envoy had already arrived in Zhao. When Lou Huan heard this, he fled. The King of Zhao granted Yu Qing a city as a fief.
When Qin first began attacking Zhao, the King of Wei asked his high officials, and they all thought that Qin attacking Zhao was beneficial to Wei. Kong Bin said: "Why do you say that?" The officials said: "If Qin defeats Zhao, then we will submit to it accordingly; if Qin cannot defeat Zhao, then we can take advantage of its exhaustion and attack it." Zishun said: "That is not correct. Since Duke Xiao of Qin, Qin has never lost a battle in war. Now it also has excellent generals—where is there any exhaustion to exploit?" The officials said: "Even if Qin defeats Zhao, what harm does it do to us? A neighbor’s disgrace is our state’s good fortune." Zishun said: "Qin is a greedy and cruel state. If it defeats Zhao, it will surely make demands on other states. I fear that Wei will then suffer its army’s attack. The ancients had a saying: Swallows and sparrows nest in a house, mothers and young feed each other, chirping and taking delight, thinking themselves safe. The flames from the stovepipe shoot upward, and the roof beams are about to burn, but the swallows and sparrows do not change their expression, not knowing that disaster will soon befall them. Now you do not understand that after Zhao is broken, calamity will reach you. Can humans be like swallows and sparrows?" Zishun was the sixth-generation descendant of Confucius.
At that time, King Wei heard that Zishun was worthy and sent an envoy bearing gold and bolts of silk to invite him to serve as prime minister. Zishun said to the envoy: “If the king can trust and adopt my proposals, my proposals can indeed govern the realm, and even if I eat coarse grain and drink plain water, I would be willing to serve. If he merely wants me to submit to his authority and bestow high office and generous emoluments upon me, then I am nothing more than an ordinary man—does King Wei lack an ordinary man?” The envoy persisted in his request, so Zishun went to Wei; King Wei welcomed him in the outskirts and appointed him prime minister. Zishun dismissed favored officials, appointed the worthy, revoked the stipends of those without merit, and bestowed them on those with merit. Those who lost their positions and stipends were greatly displeased and spread slander. Wen Zi reported this to Zishun. Zishun said: “The common people cannot be consulted at the outset of affairs—this is an eternal principle! In ancient times, those skilled in governing could not avoid slander at the beginning. When Zichan served as prime minister in Zheng, slander ceased only after three years; when my late ancestor (Confucius) served as prime minister in Lu, slander ceased only after three months. Now I handle governance and renew it daily—though I cannot match the worthies, why should I fear slander?” Wen Zi said: “I wonder what slander my late ancestor endured?” Zishun said: “When my late ancestor served as prime minister in Lu, the people sang: ‘Wearing a deerskin robe with a knee-cover, cast him out and there is no fault; wearing a knee-cover with a deerskin robe, cast him out and there is no error.’ After three months, when the government and teachings were complete, the people sang: ‘Wearing a fur robe and a cap, indeed I have found my place; wearing a cap and a fur robe, he bestows grace without partiality.’” Wen Zi said joyfully: “Now I understand that you, sir, are no different from the sages and worthies.” Zishun served as prime minister in Wei for nine months in total, but his major strategies were never adopted. He sighed and said: “My proposals are not adopted—that means my proposals are unsuitable. If my proposals do not suit the ruler’s intent, yet I hold another’s office and enjoy another’s stipend, that is to occupy a position and eat without working—my fault is grave indeed!” So he resigned on grounds of illness. Someone said to Zishun: “The king does not employ you heavily—are you going to leave?” Zishun replied: “Where can I go if I leave? The states east of the mountains will all be swallowed by Qin. Qin practices unrighteousness; a righteous man is unwilling to go there.” So he closed his gate and stayed at home. Xin Yuan Gu came to visit Zishun and said: “Where a worthy resides, he can surely revitalize teachings and achieve good governance. Now you served as prime minister in Wei, but I have heard no outstanding achievements, and you resigned on your own. I suspect your ambitions were not fulfilled—why did you leave so quickly?” Zishun said: “Precisely because there were no outstanding achievements, I resigned on my own. Moreover, for a fatal illness there is no good physician. Now Qin harbors the ambition to swallow the realm; to serve it with righteous principles will never bring peace. There is no time to rescue it from peril, let alone revitalize teachings! In former times, Yi Yin was in Xia and Jiang Taigong was in Shang, yet those two states were not well governed—was it because Yi Yin and Jiang Taigong did not wish to govern? It was that circumstances did not permit it. Now the states east of the mountains are exhausted and defeated; the three Jin have ceded territory to seek peace; the Eastern and Western Zhou have already submitted and surrendered to Qin; Yan, Qi, and Chu have also become vassals. From this perspective, within no more than twenty years, the entire realm will likely be swallowed by Qin!”
King Qin wished on behalf of the Marquis of Ying (Fan Ju) to avenge his wrong by all means. He heard that Wei Qi was hiding with Lord Pingyuan, so he lured Lord Pingyuan to Qin with sweet words and detained him. He sent an envoy to King Zhao, saying: “Unless I obtain Wei Qi’s head, I will not release your younger brother from the Hangu Pass!” Wei Qi, at his wit’s end, fled to Yu Qing. Yu Qing abandoned his seal of office and fled together with Wei Qi. When they reached Wei, they wished to go through Lord Xinling to escape to Chu. Lord Xinling hesitated and was unwilling to see them. Wei Qi, enraged, committed suicide. King Zhao ultimately took his head and sent it to Qin, and Qin then released Lord Pingyuan. (In autumn,) in the ninth month, the fifth-rank grandee Wang Ling again led troops to attack Zhao. Lord Wuan (Bai Qi) was ill and could not go on campaign.
King Nan’s fifty-seventh year (Gui Mao, 258 BCE)
(In spring,) in the first month, Wang Ling attacked Handan but made little progress. King Qin sent reinforcements to aid Wang Ling; Wang Ling lost five camps of troops. Lord Wuan recovered from his illness. King Qin wished to send him to replace Wang Ling. Lord Wuan said: “Handan is indeed not easy to take; moreover, the allied relief forces from the feudal lords arrive daily. Those feudal lords have long harbored resentment against Qin. Although Qin won the victory at Changping, more than half of its soldiers died, and the state is empty within. To cross distant rivers and mountains to seize another’s capital, with Zhao responding from within and the feudal lords attacking from without, will surely defeat the Qin army.” King Qin personally ordered him, but he did not agree; so he sent the Marquis of Ying to urge him. Lord Wuan ultimately pleaded illness and refused to set out; thus, Wang He was sent to replace Wang Ling.
The King of Zhao sent the Lord of Pingyuan to seek aid from the state of Chu. The Lord of Pingyuan arranged to select twenty retainers, both civil and military, from his household to accompany him. He chose nineteen, but none of the remaining were suitable. Mao Sui recommended himself to the Lord of Pingyuan. The Lord of Pingyuan said, "A worthy man in the world is like an awl placed in a sack—its sharp point immediately protrudes. Now, sir, you have been in my household for three years, and none of those around me have praised you, nor have I heard of you. This shows that you have no ability. Sir, you cannot go; stay here!" Mao Sui said, "Today I am merely asking to be placed in the sack! If I had been placed in the sack earlier, the entire awl tip would have emerged, not just the point." The Lord of Pingyuan then took him along, and the other nineteen exchanged glances and sneered at him.
When the Lord of Pingyuan arrived in Chu, he discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the Vertical Alliance with the King of Chu. They talked from morning until noon without reaching a decision. Mao Sui, grasping his sword, ascended the steps and said to the Lord of Pingyuan, "The pros and cons of the Vertical Alliance can be decided in two sentences! Today, we started in the morning and still haven't decided by noon—why is this?" The King of Chu angrily rebuked him, saying, "Why don't you withdraw! I am speaking with your master; what business do you have here!" Mao Sui, gripping his sword, stepped forward and said, "The reason Your Majesty rebukes me is because you rely on the numbers of Chu. But now, within ten paces, Your Majesty cannot rely on the multitudes of Chu! Your Majesty's life hangs in my hands. My master is right before you; why do you rebuke me? Moreover, I have heard that King Tang of Shang, with only seventy li of territory, became king over the realm, and King Wen of Zhou, with a hundred li, caused the feudal lords to submit. Was this because their soldiers were numerous? Truly, it was because they could wield power according to circumstances. Now Chu has territory five thousand li square and a million soldiers bearing halberds—this is the capital for becoming a hegemon or a king. With Chu's strength, no one under heaven can withstand it. Bai Qi is nothing but a petty fellow. Leading a few tens of thousands of troops, he marched against Chu. In the first battle, he took Yan and Ying; in the second, he burned Yiling; in the third, he insulted Your Majesty's ancestors. This is a century-old enmity. Even Zhao feels ashamed of it, yet Your Majesty does not know to hate it. The Vertical Alliance is for Chu's sake, not for Zhao's. My master is right before you; why do you rebuke me?" The King of Chu said, "Yes, yes, it is truly as you say, sir. I respectfully offer my entire state to follow the Vertical Alliance." Mao Sui said, "Is the Vertical Alliance decided?" The King of Chu said, "It is decided." Mao Sui said to the King of Chu's attendants, "Bring the blood of a dog, a horse, and a rooster!" Mao Sui held a bronze basin, knelt, and presented it to the King of Chu, saying, "Your Majesty should smear blood to seal the alliance oath, then my master, and then I." So they swore the Vertical Alliance in the hall. Mao Sui, holding the basin of blood in his left hand, beckoned to the nineteen with his right and said, "You men also smear blood below the hall! You are all mediocre fellows—what are called people who rely on others to accomplish things." After the Lord of Pingyuan had sealed the Vertical Alliance and returned to Zhao, he said, "I dare not judge the worth of scholars under heaven again!" Thereupon he honored Mao Sui as a guest of the highest rank. Consequently, the King of Chu sent Lord Chunshen to lead troops to rescue Zhao, and the King of Wei also sent General Jin Bi with a hundred thousand troops to rescue Zhao.
The King of Qin sent someone to say to the King of Wei, "I am attacking Zhao; it will fall any day now. If any feudal lord dares to rescue them, after I take Zhao, I will surely turn my forces and attack him first!" The King of Wei, frightened, sent someone to stop Jin Bi, stationing the army at Ye, nominally to rescue Zhao, but in reality watching from the sidelines. He also sent General Xinyuan Yan via a small path into Handan, who, through the Lord of Pingyuan, urged the King of Zhao to honor Qin as emperor together, in order to make the Qin army withdraw. Lu Zhonglian of Qi was in Handan and heard about this. He went to see Xinyuan Yan and said, "That Qin is a state that discards ritual and righteousness and exalts the merit of beheading heads. If it presumptuously calls itself emperor over the world, then I, Lu Zhonglian, would only jump into the East Sea and die rather than become its subject! Moreover, Wei has not yet seen the harm of Qin becoming emperor. I will make the King of Qin boil the King of Wei into mincemeat!" Xinyuan Yan was very displeased and said, "How can you, sir, make the King of Qin boil the King of Wei into mincemeat?" Lu Zhonglian said, "Of course I can. I will explain the reasoning. In ancient times, the Marquis of Jiu, the Marquis of E, and King Wen were the three dukes of King Zhou of Shang. The Marquis of Jiu had a beautiful daughter and presented her to King Zhou, but King Zhou thought her ugly and had the Marquis of Jiu made into mincemeat. The Marquis of E argued vehemently and spoke too urgently, so he was made into jerky. King Wen heard of this and sighed deeply, so he was imprisoned in the storehouse at Youli for a hundred days, with the intention of killing him. Now Qin is a state of ten thousand chariots, and Wei is also a state of ten thousand chariots. Both hold the title of king. How can they, after seeing Qin win one battle, wish to submit and honor it as emperor, ultimately ending up as jerky and mincemeat! Moreover, if Qin, without restraint, calls itself emperor, it will implement the rites of the Son of Heaven to command the world, and it will replace the feudal lords' ministers. It will take away those it dislikes and give to those it likes; it will take away those it hates and give to those it favors. It will also send its own sons and concubines skilled at slander to become the consorts and concubines of the feudal lords, dwelling in the palaces of Wei. How could the King of Wei remain at peace! And how could you, General, preserve your former favor!" Xinyuan Yan rose, bowed twice, and said, "Now I know that you, sir, are a scholar of the world! I beg to leave and dare not mention honoring Qin as emperor again!"
King Wucheng of Yan died, and his son, King Xiaowen, ascended the throne.
3. Previously, the Wei nobleman, Lord Wei Wuji (Prince Wuji), was benevolent in character, treated worthy men with courtesy, and gathered three thousand retainers. There was a recluse in Wei named Hou Ying, seventy years old, from a poor family, who served as a gatekeeper at the Yimen gate of Daliang. The prince set up a banquet, feasting many guests. When everyone was seated, the prince, with his chariot and attendants, left the left seat empty and personally went to welcome Master Hou. Master Hou adjusted his worn-out cap and clothes, directly mounted the prince's chariot, and sat in the honored seat without any courtesy. The prince held the reins, his demeanor even more respectful. Master Hou then said to the prince, "I have a friend who is a butcher in the market. I hope you will condescend to take your chariot and make a detour to visit him." The prince drove his chariot into the market. Master Hou got down to see his friend Zhu Hai, looking sideways, deliberately standing for a long time, talking with his friend, while secretly observing the prince. The prince's expression became even milder. Then Master Hou took leave of his friend, mounted the chariot, and went to the prince's residence. The prince led Master Hou to the honored seat and introduced him to all the guests. The guests were all astonished.
When Qin besieged Zhao, the wife of the Lord of Pingyuan, Zhao Sheng, was the sister of Prince Wuji of Wei. The Lord of Pingyuan's envoys came to Wei in an endless stream, reproaching the prince, saying, "Zhao Sheng willingly formed a marriage alliance with you because of your noble righteousness and ability to relieve others in distress. Now Handan will surrender to Qin any day, yet Wei's rescue troops have not arrived. Even if the prince despises Zhao Sheng and abandons him, can he not pity his sister?" The prince was troubled by this. He repeatedly asked the King of Wei to order General Jin Bi to rescue Zhao. He also had his retainers and orators argue with various reasons, but the King of Wei never listened. The prince then gathered his retainers, assembled over a hundred chariots, and intended to rush to the battlefield, to die together with Zhao. Passing by Yimen, he saw Master Hou. Master Hou said, "Prince, strive on! Your old servant cannot follow!" The prince left, and after going a few li, feeling unhappy, he returned to see Master Hou. Master Hou smiled and said, "I knew the prince would come back! Now the prince has no other plan but to rush at the Qin army. This is like throwing meat to a hungry tiger—what effect could it have!" The prince bowed twice and asked for a plan. Hou Ying dismissed the others and said, "I have heard that the tally for Jin Bi's troops is kept in the King of Wei's bedchamber, and Lady Ruqi is his most favored consort; she can enter there and is capable of stealing it. I have also heard that the prince once avenged Lady Ruqi's father's murder, and she is willing to die for the prince without hesitation. If the prince truly asks her, he can obtain the tiger tally, seize Jin Bi's army, go north to rescue Zhao, and drive back the Qin forces to the west. This would be the achievement of a Five Hegemons." The prince followed his advice and indeed obtained the tally.
When the prince set out, Hou Sheng said, “A general in the field may decline to obey even the ruler’s command. If Jin Bi verifies the tally but does not hand over military authority and instead reports back to the King of Wei, the matter will become dangerous. My friend Zhu Hai is a man of great strength; let him go with you. If Jin Bi complies, that is best; if he does not, let Zhu Hai kill him!” Thereupon the prince invited Zhu Hai to accompany him. When they reached Ye, Jin Bi verified the tally but grew suspicious. Raising his hand and looking at the prince, he said, “I command a hundred-thousand-strong army stationed at the border, bearing the heavy responsibility of the state. Now you come with a single carriage to replace me—what is the meaning of this?” Zhu Hai drew a forty-jin iron mallet from his sleeve and struck Jin Bi dead. The prince then took command of the army and issued an order: “If father and son are both in the army, the father shall return; if brothers are both in the army, the elder brother shall return; if a man is an only son with no brothers, he shall return home to support his parents.” He selected eighty thousand elite troops and led them forward.
Wang He had long besieged Handan but could not capture it. The feudal lords came to its aid, and after several battles, they were defeated. When Wu’an Jun Bai Qi heard of this, he said, “The king did not follow my plan—what now?” When the King of Qin heard this, he was furious and forcibly ordered Wu’an Jun to rise. Wu’an Jun claimed severe illness and refused to set out.
In the fifty-eighth year of King Nan (Jiachen, 257 BCE),
(Winter), in the tenth month, the King of Qin demoted Wu’an Jun to the rank of a common soldier and exiled him to Yinmi. In the twelfth month, additional troops were sent to garrison near Fencheng. Wu’an Jun was ill and could not depart. The feudal lords attacked Wang He, who suffered repeated defeats; messengers reported this daily. The King of Qin then sent men to escort Wu’an Jun away, forbidding him to remain in the city of Xianyang. When Wu’an Jun had gone ten li west of Xianyang’s west gate and reached Duyou, the King of Qin, together with Marquis Ying Fan Ju and his ministers, discussed the matter, saying, “Bai Qi, though exiled, remains discontented and utters resentful words.” The king then sent a messenger to present him with a sword, and Wu’an Jun committed suicide. The people of Qin pitied him, and villages and towns all offered sacrifices to him.
Prince Wuji of Wei defeated the Qin army beneath the walls of Handan. Wang He lifted the siege of Handan and fled. Zheng Anping was surrounded by the Zhao army and surrendered with twenty thousand men to Zhao. Marquis Ying Fan Ju was implicated and punished.
Prince Wuji, having preserved Zhao, dared not return to Wei. He remained in Zhao with his retainers, sending his generals to lead the army back to Wei. The King of Zhao, consulting with Lord Pingyuan, planned to enfeoff the prince with five cities. The King of Zhao swept the roads, personally welcomed him, and, acting as host, guided the prince up from the western steps. The prince stepped aside, declined, and ascended from the eastern steps, stating his own crimes, acknowledging that he had failed Wei and had no merit toward Zhao. The King of Zhao drank with the prince until evening, but because of the prince’s modesty, he could not bear to mention the offer of the five cities. The King of Zhao gave the prince the town of Hao as his fief. Wei also continued to enfeoff the prince with Xinling. The prince heard that there were two recluses in Zhao: Lord Mao, who hid among gamblers, and Lord Xue, who hid among wine sellers. He wished to see them, but the two refused to meet him. The prince then changed into plain clothes and walked to associate with them. When Lord Pingyuan heard of this, he considered it improper. The prince said, “I heard that Lord Pingyuan was worthy, so I abandoned Wei to rescue Zhao. Now the associates of Lord Pingyuan are merely men of bold and aggressive actions—they do not seek true scholars. I, Wuji, associate with these two men and still fear they may not accept me, yet Lord Pingyuan considers this shameful?” He then packed his belongings and prepared to leave. Lord Pingyuan removed his hat and apologized, and the prince remained.
Lord Pingyuan wished to reward Lu Zhonglian. Messengers were sent three times, but Lu Zhonglian consistently refused to accept. He also offered Lu Zhonglian a thousand jin of gold as a birthday gift. Lu Zhonglian smiled and said, “What the world’s scholars value is to remove calamities, resolve difficulties, and settle disputes for others without taking anything. If they take something, that is the conduct of a merchant. I, Lu Zhonglian, cannot bear to do this!” He then took leave of Lord Pingyuan and departed, never seeing him again for the rest of his life.
The crown prince of Qin had a consort named Lady Huayang, who bore no son; Lady Xia bore a son named Yiren. Yiren was a hostage in Zhao. Qin repeatedly attacked Zhao, so the people of Zhao treated him with discourtesy. As a grandson by a concubine, Yiren was a hostage in a feudal state; his carriages and daily allowances were insufficient, and he lived in straitened circumstances, frustrated and unfulfilled.
A great merchant from Yangdi, Lü Buwei, happened to come to Handan. Seeing Yiren, he said, “This is a rare commodity that can be hoarded!” He then went to visit Yiren and urged him, saying, “I can enlarge your gate.” Yiren laughed and said, “You should enlarge your own gate first!” Lü Buwei said, “You do not understand—my gate awaits the enlargement of your gate before it can be enlarged.” Yiren understood the implication and invited him to sit down for a thorough discussion. Lü Buwei said, “The King of Qin is old. The crown prince dotes on Lady Huayang, who has no son. Your brothers number over twenty. Zi Xi has the potential to inherit the state of Qin, and Shi Cang assists him. You are among the middle sons, not greatly favored, and have long been a hostage in a feudal state. When the crown prince ascends the throne, you cannot contend to be the heir.” Yiren asked, “What should I do then?” Lü Buwei said, “The one who can establish the rightful heir is only Lady Huayang. I, Lü Buwei, though poor, request to use a thousand jin to go west for you to Qin to persuade them to establish you as the heir.” Yiren said, “If your plan truly succeeds, I am willing to share the state of Qin with you.” Lü Buwei then gave five hundred jin to Yiren to enable him to cultivate guests. He used another five hundred jin to purchase rare treasures and curiosities, carried them himself, and went west. He met with Lady Huayang’s elder sister and presented the curios to Lady Huayang, taking the opportunity to praise Ziyiren as worthy, saying he cultivated guests throughout the world, constantly wept day and night, and longed for the crown prince and the lady, declaring, “Ziyiren also regards the lady as Heaven!” The lady was greatly pleased. Lü Buwei then had her elder sister persuade the lady: “Those who serve others through beauty find their favor wanes when their looks fade. Now you are favored but have no son. Why not, while you are still in your prime, early on select a worthy and filial son from among the many, establish him as the rightful heir, so that when your looks fade and favor diminishes, even if you wished to speak a single word, could you? Now Ziyiren is worthy, and he knows he is a middle son who cannot become the rightful heir. If you, my lady, truly elevate him at this time, then Ziyiren will go from having no state to possessing one, and you, my lady, will go from having no son to having one—thus you will enjoy lifelong honor and favor in Qin.” Lady Huayang agreed and took the opportunity to say to the crown prince, “Ziyiren is exceedingly worthy, and all who come and go praise him.” Then, weeping, she said, “I am unfortunate to have no son. I hope to establish Ziyiren as the heir to entrust my remaining years!” The crown prince consented, and together with the lady, he carved a jade tally, pledging to establish Yiren as the heir. He then lavishly bestowed gifts on Yiren and asked Lü Buwei to be his tutor. Yiren’s fame spread widely among the feudal lords.
Lü Buwei married a woman of exceptional beauty from Handan and lived with her, knowing she was pregnant. When Yiren drank with Lü Buwei, he saw the woman and asked Lü Buwei to give her to him. Lü Buwei feigned anger but then presented her. The woman completed her term of pregnancy after a full year and gave birth to a son named Ying Zheng. Yiren then established her as his consort. When Handan was besieged, the people of Zhao wished to kill Yiren. Yiren and Lü Buwei bribed the guards with six hundred jin of gold, escaped to the Qin army, and thus managed to return to Qin. Yiren dressed in Chu-style clothing to see Lady Huayang, who said, “I am a woman of Chu; I should regard you as my own son.” She then changed his name to Chu.
In the fifty-ninth year of King Nan (Yisi, 256 BCE),
The Qin general Jiu attacked Han, capturing Yangcheng and Fushu, and beheading forty thousand men. He attacked Zhao, capturing over twenty districts and beheading or capturing ninety thousand men. King Nan, in fear, turned against Qin, formed a vertical alliance with the feudal lords, led the elite forces of the world out through the Yi Gate to attack Qin, preventing Qin from reaching Yangcheng. The King of Qin sent General Jiu to attack Western Zhou. King Nan entered Qin, kowtowed to confess his crimes, and surrendered all his thirty-six cities and thirty thousand inhabitants. Qin accepted his submission and sent King Nan back to Zhou territory. In that year, King Nan died.
The state of Chu extinguished the state of Lu, relocated Duke Qing of Lu to the region of Ju, demoted him to a commoner, and cut off his ancestral sacrifices.