So the story goes, Jiang Taigong Lü Shang was from the East Sea. His ancestors had served as the top four ministers, assisting Great Yu in controlling the waters and achieving great success. Over the Xia and Shang dynasties, some of his family became nobles, while others were just regular folks. Lü Shang was a descendant of this family. His original surname was Jiang, but because his ancestors were enfeoffed in Lü Di, he was called Lü Shang.
In his younger days, Lü Shang struggled with poverty, but as he grew older, he made a living by fishing. Later, he assisted Zhou Xibo Ji Chang. It is said that when Zhou Xibo Ji Chang wanted to go hunting, he first divined a hexagram, which showed: "The prey is neither a dragon nor a phoenix, not a tiger or a bear, but a talented person who can assist the hegemon!" As a result, when Zhou Xibo went hunting, he met Jiang Taigong on the north bank of the Wei River, and they clicked right away. Zhou Xibo excitedly said, "My ancestors prophesied a wise man would help Zhou rise to power. You must be him! We've been waiting ages!" So Zhou Xibo gave him the name "Taigong Wang," took him back to Haojing, and honored him as a teacher.
People tell this story in a couple of ways regarding how Jiang Taigong helped Zhou Xibo out. Some say that Jiang Taigong was knowledgeable and had worked under King Zhou, but left because King Zhou was such a jerk. After trying unsuccessfully to persuade various lords, he finally went to Zhou Xibo. Others say that Lü Shang was a hermit who lived by the sea. When Zhou Xibo was imprisoned in Youli, San Yisheng and Hong Yao knew who Jiang Taigong was and went to get him. Jiang Taigong also said, "I heard that Xibo is wise and treats the elderly well, so I will go take a look." The three of them worked together, bribing the king with a load of hotties and jewels to redeem Zhou Xibo. Once Zhou Xibo was back, Jiang Taigong became his top military advisor.
In short, although there are different accounts of how Jiang Taigong assisted Zhou Xibo, he eventually became the chief military strategist of the Zhou Dynasty without a doubt. After Ji Chang emerged from Yi Li, he secretly planned with Jiang Taigong to implement benevolent rule and weaken the rule of the Shang Dynasty. They utilized many military strategies and clever tactics, so later students of Zhou Dynasty military strategy and statecraft regard Jiang Taigong as the originator. With the assistance of Jiang Taigong, Ji Chang ruled justly and effectively, resolved the disputes between the states of Yu and Rui, and was praised by poets as the heaven-ordained King Wen. He attacked Chongguo, Mixuguo, and Quanrong, and also undertook extensive construction projects in Fengyi. With the division of the world into three parts, the Zhou Dynasty occupied two-thirds, and Jiang Taigong's strategic contributions were invaluable. After King Wen of Zhou passed away, King Wu ascended the throne. Nine years later, King Wu sought to continue King Wen's legacy by marching eastward to see if the vassals would respond. When the army set out, Jiang Shang (Shi Shangfu) held a yellow battle-axe in his left hand and a white banner in his right hand, and made a solemn oath to the troops: "Hear me! All of you, heed my words! Those who arrive late will be executed!" They then arrived at Mengjin. Eight hundred vassals arrived, despite the lack of a pre-arranged time. All the vassals said, "We can now overthrow King Zhou of Shang!" However, King Wu said, "The time isn't ripe yet." Therefore, he withdrew his troops and together with Jiang Taigong, they drafted the "Great Oath."
Two years later, King Zhou killed Prince Bi Gan and imprisoned Ji Zi. King Wu prepared to attack King Zhou, but the divination results were very unfavorable, and a fierce storm blew in. Panic gripped the court, but only Jiang Taigong urged King Wu to continue the march, and King Wu finally made up his mind. In the eleventh year's first month, on the first day, King Wu pledged to attack King Zhou in the Mu field. King Zhou's army was routed; he fled to the Lu Tai, only to be hunted down and killed by King Wu. The next day, King Wu made sacrifices at the Sheji altar. The courtiers offered water for the ritual cleansing, Wei Kangshu laid out the mats, Jiang Shang led the sacrificial livestock, and Shi Yi chanted the liturgy, recounting the justifications for their attack on King Zhou. King Wu ordered the treasures on the Lu Tai and the food on the Ju Qiao to be distributed to the poor, built a tomb for Bi Gan, released Ji Zi, moved the Nine Tripods, set about reforming the Zhou government, and began to rebuild the nation. Most of these initiatives were Jiang Shang's ideas.
After King Wu pacified the Shang Dynasty, he proclaimed himself king of the world and appointed Jiang Shang as the lord of Yingqiu in the Qi Kingdom. Jiang Shang set off for Qi but made a leisurely journey, enjoying comfortable lodgings along the way. The people in the inn said, "I heard this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you don't want to miss it! You're enjoying yourself a bit too much for someone taking up a new post, aren't you?" Hearing this, Jiang Taigong hurriedly traveled through the night, arriving in the Qi Kingdom at dawn. As a result, the Marquis of Lai attacked the Qi Kingdom, competing with Jiang Taigong for Yingqiu. Yingqiu is located at the border between the Qi Kingdom and the Lai Kingdom. The Lai people, who were of Dongyi descent, seized the opportunity to challenge Jiang Taigong with the Shang fallen and the Zhou still consolidating their power.
After Jiang Taigong arrived in the State of Qi, he really got things done, went with the flow of local customs, simplified rituals, boosted commerce and handicrafts, and made fishing and salt-making easier. As a result, people poured into Qi, making it gradually stronger. When King Cheng of Zhou was still young, Guan Shu and Cai Shu rebelled, and the Huai Yi tribe betrayed the Zhou dynasty. King Cheng then sent for Duke Kang to order Jiang Taigong, "Everything east to the sea, west to the Yellow River, south to Mu Ling, north to Wu Di—all those vassal states were yours to conquer." That gave Qi the power to conquer, becoming a major power with its capital in Yingqiu.
Over a hundred years after Lu Shang (Taigong Wang) died, his son Duke Ding Lu Ji took over. Duke Ding died, and his son, Duke Yi, succeeded him. Then Duke Yi passed away, and his son, Duke Gui, inherited the throne. Next, Duke Gui died and was succeeded by his son, Duke Ai, but things didn't go smoothly for Duke Ai.
During Duke Ai's reign, Ji Hou badmouthed Duke Ai to the Zhou emperor, and the Zhou emperor had Duke Ai bumped off, replacing him with Duke Jing, also known as Hu Gong. Hu Gong moved the capital to Bogu during the reign of King Yi of Zhou.
Duke Ai's brother, Shan, resented Hu Gong, so he rallied his supporters, led the people of Yingqiu against Hu Gong, and killed him, becoming the ruler of Qi, known as Duke Xian. In the first year of Duke Xian's reign, he drove away Hu Gong's sons and then moved the capital from Bogu to Linzi.
Nine years later, Duke Xian died, and his son Duke Wu succeeded him. After ruling for nine years, King Li of Zhou was driven away and fled to Zhi. Ten years later, the royal family of the Zhou dynasty was in chaos, and the ministers ruled the country together, a time of shared rule. Fourteen years later, King Xuan of Zhou finally ascended to the throne.
In two more years, Duke Wu died, and his son Li Gong Wuji took over. Li Gong was a real tyrant, so the Qi people returned to their homeland. They wanted to make the sons of Duke Hu their new rulers, so they teamed up with them to attack and kill Li Gong. As a result, the sons of Duke Hu also died in the battle. The Qi people then put Li Gong's son Chi on the throne, who became Duke Wen of Qi. They also killed the guys involved in Li Gong's murder, a total of seventy people.
After ruling for twelve years, Duke Wen died, and his son Cheng Gong Tuo took over. Nine years later, Cheng Gong died, and his son Zhuang Gong Gou succeeded him.
During Zhuang Gong's twenty-four-year reign, the Quanrong attacked and killed King You of Zhou, and the capital of the Zhou dynasty moved east to Luoyi. Qin became a vassal state. Fifty-six years later, Jin killed their own ruler, Duke Zhao.
Eight years later, Duke Zhuang died, and his son Li Gong Lufu took over.
After nine years of ruling, Lu Yin Gong became king in Lu. Ten years later, Duke Huan of Lu killed his brother Yin Gong and took over as ruler.
Five years later, the northern Rong invaded Qi. Zheng sent Crown Prince Hu to rescue Qi, and Qi wanted to wed him to their princess. Crown Prince Hu said, "Zheng is small, and Qi is large. I'm not worthy of the princess of Qi." So he refused.
Seven years later, Li Gong's younger brother Yizhong died. Yizhong's son was named Gongsun Wuzhi, and Li Gong liked him very much. He dressed him in official attire, provided him with good food and drink, and treated him almost as well as the crown prince.
One year later, Li Gong died, and Crown Prince Zhu Er took over, becoming Duke Xiang of Qi.
In the first year of Duke Xiang's reign, when he was still the crown prince, he had a fight with Gongsun Wuzhi. After becoming ruler, Duke Xiang reduced Gongsun Wuzhi's treatment, and Gongsun Wuzhi held a grudge.
Four years ago, Duke Huan of Lu took his wife to Qi for a visit. That old dog Xiang of Qi was shagging Huan's wife! This Lady of Lu is actually Xiang's sister; she married Huan back when Duke Li of Lu was around. As soon as Huan arrived, Xiang started flirting with her. When Huan found out, he was furious. His wife quickly spilled the beans to Xiang. So, Xiang got Huan drunk, had a strongman named Peng Sheng carry him onto a carriage, and offed him. Huan died as soon as he got off the carriage. The Lu people weren't happy about that, so Xiang killed Peng Sheng to make amends.
Eight years later, Qi invaded Ji, and Ji scarpered, abandoning all their cities.
Twelve years later, Xiang sent Lian Cheng and Guan Zifu to Kuiqiu to guard the pass. They swapped shifts yearly, right around melon harvest time. However, after guarding for a year, when it was time to harvest the melons, Xiang didn’t let them come back to switch shifts. Someone pleaded for them, but Xiang wouldn’t budge. Furious, the two of them teamed up with Gongsun Wuzhi to plot a rebellion. Lian Cheng had a sister who served in the palace but wasn’t favored. He asked her to tell Xiang, "If this works, you'll marry your sister off to Gongsun Wuzhi."
That December, Xiang went to Gufeng to play, then headed to Peiqiu to hunt. He spotted a wild boar—looked just like Peng Sheng, his men said. Xiang freaked, tumbled out of the carriage, and ended up with a twisted ankle and no shoe. He went completely bonkers and flogged the eunuch Fu, three hundred lashes, for losing his shoe. Fu escaped from the palace.
Wu Zhi, Liancheng, Guanzifu, and their allies heard that Duke Xiang of Qi was injured, so they led their troops to attack the palace. They encountered Fu, the eunuch who'd been flogged three hundred times. "Don't act impulsively," Fu warned. "It's not easy to attack the palace now!" Wu Zhi was skeptical, but Fu showed him his wounds, finally convincing him. They waited outside, sending Fu in ahead. Once inside, Fu hid in Duke Xiang's room. After a while, Wu Zhi and the others grew anxious and rushed into the palace. Fu, palace guards, and Duke Xiang's loyalists fought back. They were overwhelmed. All were killed. Wu Zhi rushed into the palace but did not find Duke Xiang. A foot protruded from a crack in the door. It was Duke Xiang. They killed him, and Wu Zhi declared himself the ruler of Qi.
In the spring of the first year of Duke Huan, Wu Zhi went to Yonglin to play. The people of Yonglin, long simmering with resentment, ambushed and killed him. Then they informed the officials of Qi, "Wu Zhi killed Duke Xiang of Qi and declared himself ruler. We have avenged this act and killed him. Please choose a new prince, and we're on board."
So, the story goes that Duke Xiang of Qi, when drunk, killed Duke Huan of Lu and even got it on with Duke Huan of Lu's wife. He killed too many people, was a total loose cannon, and often walked all over his ministers. His younger brothers were afraid of getting into trouble, so Duke Xiang of Qi's second son, Jiu, escaped to the state of Lu, where his mother was from. Guan Zhong and Shao Hu assisted him. Another brother, Xiao Bai, escaped to the state of Ju, where Bao Shuya assisted him. Xiao Bai's mother was from the state of Wei and was favored by Duke Li of Wei. Xiao Bai had a good relationship with the Qi state minister Gao Jie since he was young. Later, the people of Yonglin killed the clueless ruler of Qi, and a big debate broke out about who would be the next ruler. Gao Jie and the Guo clan secretly sent word to Xiao Bai in Ju, asking him to come. When they heard the news in Lu that the ruler was dead, they sent troops to bring Prince Jiu back, and sent Guan Zhong to stop Xiao Bai in Ju. Guan Zhong shot right at Xiao Bai's belt. Xiao Bai played dead, and Guan Zhong sent someone to quickly report to Lu. The Lu escort was slow as molasses, taking six days to reach Qi. By this time, Xiao Bai had already entered Qi, and Gao Jie backed him, and that's how Xiao Bai became Duke Huan of Qi.
After Huan Gong of Qi was shot, he pretended to be dead to deceive Guan Zhong. He was quickly carried onto a fast carriage and rushed back to Qi with the help of Gao Xi and others. This allowed him to enter Qi ahead of others and become ruler. Later, Huan sent troops to attack the state of Lu. In the autumn, the armies of Qi and Lu clashed at Qianshi, with the Lu army being defeated and fleeing. The Qi army cut off their escape route. Qi sent a letter to Lu saying, "We won't kill the prince's sons; you deal with them. Guan Zhong and Zhao Hu are ours; let us butcher them to honor our dead king. Otherwise, Lu is surrounded." The people of Lu were afraid, so they killed the prince's sons at Shengdu (a place in Lu). Zhao Hu committed suicide, and Guan Zhong requested to be imprisoned. After Huan Gong ascended to the throne, he sent troops to attack Lu, intending to kill Guan Zhong. At this time, Bao Shuya said, "I am fortunate to be able to follow you, and you have finally ascended. Your majesty, I cannot add anything more. If you want to govern Qi, Gao Xi and I are enough. But if you want to dominate the vassal states, Guan Zhong is indispensable. Wherever Guan Zhong is, that state will be strong. We cannot afford to lose him!" So Huan Gong followed his advice.
Huan Gong pretended to summon Guan Zhong, feigning the intention to chop him into mince meat, but actually intended to reappoint him. Guan Zhong saw through his intentions, so he requested to go to Qi. Bao Shuya welcomed Guan Zhong and unlocked his shackles at the palace gate, bathed and clothed him before allowing him to meet Huan Gong. Huan Gong received him grandly, appointed him as a high-ranking minister, and put him in charge of governing the country. With Guan Zhong, Bao Shuya, Xi Peng, and Gao Xi, Huan Gong reformed Qi's government. They united five states' armies. They introduced a fairer tax system and a salt and iron monopoly to help the poor. They promoted talented people. Life was good in Qi.
So, the story goes that in the second year of Huan's reign in Qi, he attacked and wiped out Tan, and the Tan ruler fled to Ju. But to understand this, we gotta go back to when Huan was a young buck. When he passed through Tan, the people of Tan didn't give him a very warm welcome, so this time he paid them back.
Five years later, Huan attacked Lu, and the Lu army got defeated. Duke Zhuang of Lu quickly sought peace and offered the city of Sui to Huan. Huan agreed, and the two sides met at Ke for a covenant. Just as they were about to sign it, Cao Mo suddenly pulled out a dagger, held Huan hostage at the altar, and shouted, "Return the land that was taken from Lu!" Huan had no choice but to say yes. After getting the promise, Cao Mo immediately put down the dagger, returned to his spot, and bowed and scraped like a good little subject. Later, Huan regretted it and wanted to go back on his promise, not return the land to Lu, and even kill Cao Mo. Guan Zhong quickly persuaded him, "If you go back on your promise and kill him, although it might feel good for a minute, you'll lose the trust of the princes and the support of the people. This is a big loss!" So, Huan ultimately returned all the land taken from Lu. When other princes heard about this, they trusted Qi even more and wanted to side with Qi. Seven years later, the princes met at Zhen for a covenant and elected Huan as the hegemon. This was when Huan truly began to dominate the princes.
In the fourteenth year, the son of the Duke of Chen, Wan, also known as Jing Zhong, fled to Qi seeking refuge. Huan wanted to make him a minister, but he declined and was eventually appointed as the master builder. And guess what? This guy was actually the ancestor of Tian Chengzi.
In the twenty-third year, the Shan Rong invaded Yan, so Yan asked Qi for help. Duke Huan of Qi led troops to rescue Yan, using the opportunity to attack the Shan Rong, pushing all the way to Gu Zhu before turning back. Duke Zhuang of Yan wanted to escort Duke Huan of Qi out of Yan's territory, but Duke Huan of Qi said, "Only the Emperor gets that kind of send-off; I can't break with tradition." Therefore, Duke Huan of Qi set boundaries, gave back the land Yan's duke had reached, and ordered Duke Zhuang of Yan to restore Shao Gong's old system and pay tribute to the Zhou, like they did under Kings Cheng and Kang. Other states copied Qi.
In the twenty-seventh year, Ai Jiang, Duke Min of Lu's mother and Duke Huan's sister, was sleeping with Prince Qing Fu, who then murdered Duke Min. She wanted to make Qing Fu king, but the Lu people picked Duke Li instead. Duke Huan had Ai Jiang brought back to Qi and executed.
In the twenty-eighth year, Wei asked Qi for help because the Di were causing trouble. Duke Huan of Qi led the armies of the vassal states, built Chuqiu City, settled things down, and put Wei's ruler back on the throne.
In the twenty-ninth year, Duke Huan of Qi and his wife Lady Cai were playing on a boat. Lady Cai loved splashing around and she did it on purpose, soaking Duke Huan. Duke Huan of Qi got scared and told her to stop, but she didn't listen and jumped into the water. Duke Huan of Qi became angry and sent Lady Cai back to the Cai state, but didn't dump her. Lady Cai was also angry and married her daughter to someone else. When he heard, he was furious and attacked Cai.
Thirty years ago, in the spring, Duke Huan of Qi led the armies of various vassal states to attack the state of Cai, routing its army. Subsequently, the Qi army went on to attack the state of Chu. King Cheng of Chu sent a messenger to question Duke Huan: "Why have you come to our land of Chu?" Guan Zhong replied, "Duke Kang once instructed our ancestor, Duke Tai, that if you really want to conquer the nobility, you should assist the Zhou royal family. Duke Kang also granted our ancestor a piece of land, extending from the East Sea to the Yellow River, and from Mu Ling in the south to Wu Di in the north. Chu's tribute of mats is overdue, and the items for the Zhou king's sacrifice are incomplete, so we're here to collect what's owed. Furthermore, King Zhao of Chu's campaigns often left him absent from court, so we have come to inquire clearly." King Chu said, "It was my fault that the tribute has not been sent; I will make sure to make it up. As for the matter of King Zhao going on expeditions and not returning, try asking around the river; you might find something." The Qi army advanced to Xingdi. In the summer, King Chu sent Qu Wan to lead the army to resist the Qi army, which retreated to Zhaoling. Seeing Qu Wan's massive army, Duke Huan grew overconfident. Qu Wan said, "Your Majesty, let's reason this out. If not, good luck breaching Chu's defenses – Fangcheng and the Yangtze are not easily crossed!" So Duke Huan of Qi made an alliance with Qu Wan and then withdrew his troops. When the Qi army passed through the state of Chen, Yuan Taotu of Chen tried to deceive the people of Qi, attempting to lead the Qi army east, but they saw through his trick. In the autumn, Qi attacked the state of Chen. That same year, Jin killed its crown prince, Shen Sheng.
After a few years, in the summer of the thirty-fifth year, Duke Huan of Qi summoned the feudal lords to a meeting at Kuiqiu. King Xiang of Zhou sent Zai Kong with valuable gifts of ceremonial bronze vessels, red bows and arrows, and a large jade disc to reward Duke Huan of Qi, instructing him not to perform grand ceremonies. Duke Huan of Qi wanted to agree, but Guan Zhong said, "No!" So Duke Huan of Qi performed a kowtow and accepted the gifts. In the autumn, Duke Huan of Qi again summoned the feudal lords to a meeting at Kuiqiu, this time behaving even more haughty. King Zhou sent Zai Kong to attend the meeting again. Many feudal lords began to defect from Qi. The Marquis of Jin fell ill, and later, he met Zai Kong. Zai Kong said, "Duke Huan of Qi is too arrogant, and your brother is weak." The Marquis of Jin followed Zai Kong's advice. That year, the Marquis of Jin died, Li Ke, having killed Xi Qi and Zhuo Zi, and Duke Mu of Qin married his daughter to Prince Yi Wu, supporting him as the ruler of Jin. Duke Huan of Qi then sent troops to restore order in Jin; the army arrived at Gaoliang and sent Xi Peng to assist Prince Yi Wu's ascension before returning to the country.
At that time, the Zhou Dynasty was weak, with only Qi, Chu, Qin, and Jin holding significant power. Jin had just begun to participate in the feudal lords' meeting when the Marquis of Jin died, causing chaos in the country. Duke Mu of Qin adopted a strategy of befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones, not participating in the alliance of Central Plains feudal lords. King Cheng of Chu had just begun to subdue the Jing barbarian areas, and those barbarians readily submitted. Only the state of Qi participated in the alliance of Central Plains feudal lords, and Duke Huan of Qi was able to demonstrate his virtue, so all the lords came to pay their respects to Duke Huan of Qi.
Then Duke Huan of Qi boasted, saying, "I have fought as far south as Zhaoling, seeing Xiongshan from afar; fought as far north as Shanrong, Lizhi, and Guzhu; fought as far west as Daxia, crossing the shifting sands. I pulled up my chariot and dismounted, climbed Taihang Mountain, and reached Beier Mountain before returning. None of the princes have disobeyed my orders. I have held three major military conferences, six smaller meetings, and nine assemblies of the princes, bringing peace to the land. The Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties all had the Mandate of Heaven—but what about me? I want to go to Mount Tai for the Fengshan ceremony and sacrifice to heaven and earth at Liangfushan." Guan Zhong strongly advised against it, but Duke Huan of Qi did not listen; later, Guan Zhong told Duke Huan that only by obtaining rare treasures from afar could the Fengshan ceremony be carried out, and Duke Huan then gave up the idea.
In the thirty-eighth year, the brother of King Xiang of Zhou joined forces with the Rongdi people to attack the Zhou dynasty, and Qi sent Guan Zhong to put down the rebellion of the Rongdi. King Zhou wanted to receive Guan Zhong with the etiquette of a high-ranking official, but Guan Zhong bowed and said, "I am just a subject; how dare I accept the etiquette of a high-ranking official!" After three refusals, he finally accepted the etiquette of a lower-ranking official to meet King Zhou. In the thirty-ninth year, the brother of King Xiang of Zhou fled to Qi. Qi sent Zhongsun to ask King Zhou to forgive his brother, but King Xiang was furious and refused.
In the forty-first year, Duke Mu of Qin captured Duke Hui of Jin but later let him go. That year, both Guan Zhong and Xi Peng kicked the bucket. When Guan Zhong fell ill, Duke Huan of Qi asked him, "Among my ministers, who can replace you?" Guan Zhong replied, "No one understands me better than you do." Duke Huan of Qi asked, "What about Yi Ya?" Guan Zhong answered, "He killed his own son to please you—that's just messed up and can't be trusted." Duke Huan of Qi then asked, "What about Kai Fang?" Guan Zhong replied, "He abandoned his parents to please you—that's just messed up and not someone you can rely on." Duke Huan of Qi then asked, "What about Shu Dao?" Guan Zhong replied, "He castrated himself to please you—that's just messed up and not someone you can rely on." After Guan Zhong's death, Duke Huan of Qi did not heed his advice and ended up trusting these three villains, who then ran the place into the ground.
Then, in year forty-two, the Rongdi (nomadic tribes) attacked Zhou again. Zhou cried out for help, and Qi told everyone to send troops. That year, Prince Chong'er of Jin arrived in Qi, and Duke Huan of Qi married him off to his daughter.
For 43 years, Duke Huan of Qi reigned, and during that time, he had several wives, including Wang Ji, Xu Ji, and Cai Ji, but none of them bore children. Duke Huan was known for his fondness for women; in addition to these three wives, he had six concubines: Chang Wei Ji (son: Prince Wuguai); Shao Wei Ji (son: Prince Huiyuan); Zheng Ji (son: Prince Zhao); Ge Ying (son: Prince Pan); Mi Ji (son: Prince Shangren); and Song Huazi (son: Prince Yong). Duke Huan and Guan Zhong once recommended Prince Zhao to Duke Xiang of Song, hoping to make him crown prince. Later, a woman named Yong Wu, favored by Wei Gong Ji, used the eunuch Shudao to curry favor with Duke Huan, also gaining his attention. Duke Huan even promised to make Wuguai his heir. After Guan Zhong's death, the five sons all vied for the throne. Duke Huan of Qi died on the day of Yihai in the tenth month of winter. Yi Ya and Shudao, exploiting their influence, murdered several officials and installed Prince Wuguai as ruler. Prince Zhao fled to the state of Song.
When Duke Huan fell seriously ill, his five sons vied for the throne. After Duke Huan's death, they started fighting, plunging the palace into chaos and leaving his funeral arrangements unattended. Duke Huan's body lay on the bed for sixty-seven days, with the stench of decay attracting insects that even crawled out of the palace. Wu Gui finally ascended the throne in the twelfth month; only then could the burial proceed. He was finally buried on the night of Xin Si. Duke Huan had more than ten sons, five of whom competed to be his successor: Wu Gui's short reign ended after three months without a posthumous title; next came Duke Xiao, whose rule was marked by conflict; then Duke Zhao; followed by Duke Yi; and finally Duke Hui. In the first year of Duke Xiao, Duke Xiang of Song led the vassal armies to escort Prince Zhao of Qi back to his country while also attacking Qi. Fearful of further unrest, the Qi people swiftly disposed of Wu Gui. The people of Qi planned to support Prince Zhao, but the other four sons attacked him, forcing Prince Zhao to flee back to Song. Song then intervened, battling the four princes of Qi. In May, Song defeated the four princes and supported Prince Zhao as the ruler, who became Duke Xiao of Qi. Duke Xiang's intervention stemmed from Duke Huan and Guan Zhong's earlier recommendation of Prince Zhao. Due to the war, Duke Huan of Qi was not buried until August.
Six years later, in the spring, Qi attacked Song because Song had not formed an alliance with Qi. In the summer, Duke Xiang of Song died. In the seventh year, Duke Wen of Jin ascended the throne. In the tenth year, Duke Xiao died. Duke Xiao's brother Pan, conspiring with Wei's Prince Kai Fang, murdered his nephews and seized the throne as Duke Zhao. Duke Zhao was Duke Huan's son, and his mother was Ge Jiang. In the first year of Duke Zhao, Duke Wen of Jin defeated the State of Chu at Chengpu, then gathered the vassals to pay homage to the Zhou king at Jiantu, and the king allowed Jin to dominate. In the sixth year, the Di people invaded Qi. Duke Wen of Jin died. The army of Qin was defeated in the Battle of Xiao. In the twelfth year, Duke Mu of Qin died.
In May, 19 years after Duke Zhao's reign, he passed away, and his son She succeeded as the ruler of the Qi state. She’s mother was not favored when Duke Zhao was alive, so nobody was really scared of him. Duke Zhao's younger brother, Duke Shangren, failed in his attempt to inherit the position of Duke Huan, so he cultivated support among the wise and the people, who all backed him. When Duke Zhao passed away, his son She ascended to the throne. Young and unpopular, he was dead within ten months, murdered at his father's tomb. Duke Shangren then became the ruler himself, known as Duke Yi. Duke Yi was the son of Duke Huan, and his mother was named Mi Ji.
Duke Yi ruled for four years, and in the spring, the following events occurred: when Duke Yi was still a prince, he went hunting with Bingrong's dad. They fought over prey, but Bingrong lost. However, after Duke Yi became the ruler, he had Bingrong's foot chopped off and made him his servant. There was a man named Yongzhi, whose wife was beautiful. Duke Yi brought her into the palace and made Yongzhi his charioteer. In May, Duke Yi went to play at Shenchi, where he bathed and joked with Yongzhi and Bingrong. Yongzhi and Bingrong shouted in unison, “You chopped off my father’s foot! And you stole my wife!” Both of them held a grudge because of these words. They ambushed him in the bamboo grove, killing him in his carriage and dumping the body before escaping.
During Duke Yi's rule, he was arrogant and the common people did not support him. The Qi people ousted his son and installed Prince Yuan, from Wei, as Duke Hui. Duke Hui was also Duke Huan's son, and his mother was from the state of Wei, named Shao Wei Ji, who had been staying in Wei to avoid the chaos in Qi.
In the second year of Duke Hui's rule, Prince Chengfu repelled the Chang Zhai invasion, killing their leader and burying him at the north gate. Meanwhile, in Jin, Zhao Chuan assassinated his own ruler, Duke Lingong.
Ten years later, Duke Hui kicked the bucket, and his son Duke Qing succeeded to the throne. At first, Cui Zhu was a real favorite of Duke Hui, but after Duke Hui's death, the Gao and Guo families were scared stiff of Cui Zhu's power and gave him the boot, forcing him to flee to the state of Wei.
In the first year of Duke Qing's reign, King Zhuang of Chu was a powerhouse and took on Chen; in the second year, he laid siege to Zheng, and Zheng's ruler surrendered, but King Zhuang let him back on the throne later.
In the spring of the sixth year, the state of Jin sent Xi Ke as an envoy to the state of Qi, and the Qi lady peeped at him from behind her curtain. When Xi Ke met her, the lady actually laughed in his face. Xi Ke said, "I wouldn't cross the Yellow River again if it wasn't for revenge!" Upon returning to Jin, Xi Ke requested to attack the state of Qi, but the Jin Marquis said no. Later, Qi sent envoys to Jin, and Xi Ke nabbed four Qi envoys south of the Yellow River and offed them.
Eight years later, Jin finally sent troops to attack the state of Qi. Qi used Prince Qiang as a hostage to make peace with Jin, and the Jin army then withdrew. In the spring of the tenth year, Qi attacked the states of Lu and Wei. The Lu and Wei bigwigs all ran to Jin for help, going through Xi Ke. Jin sent Xi Ke to command the central army (800 chariots!), with Shi Xie leading the vanguard and Luan Shu the rearguard, to rescue Lu and Wei and to attack Qi. The Jin and Qi armies met at the foot of Mi Ji Mountain on the Ren Shen day of the sixth month, and lined up for battle at Andi on Gui You day. Pang Choufu was Duke Qing of Qi's second-in-command. Duke Qing of Qi said, "Charge! Wipe out the Jin army, then we feast!" During the battle, Xi Ke was shot and blood was running down to his feet. Xi Ke wanted to retreat to the camp, but his charioteer said, "I just got here; if I get hit again, I can't exactly call in sick—bad for morale, you know? Hang in there!" So Xi Ke continued to fight.
During the battle, the Qi army launched a fierce attack. Pang was worried about Jing's safety, so he quickly changed positions, letting Jing sit on the right side. Their chariot got snagged on some branches and stalled. A young general from Jin named Han Jue hid in front of Jing's chariot and said, "Our lord sent me to rescue the states of Lu and Wei," taking a dig at him. Pang told Jing to get some water, using the opportunity to escape back to his own troops. Xie Ke of Jin wanted to kill Pang. Pang said, "Die for your lord and still get insulted? Who'd be loyal after that?" After hearing his words, Xie Ke let him go, and Pang managed to escape back to Qi. The Jin army pursued the Qi army to Ma Ling. The Qi lord tried to buy them off with treasures, but Xie Ke refused; he insisted on capturing Xiao Tong's uncle, who had laughed at him, and making him farm the eastern Qi fields. Xie Ke said, "That's the Qi lord's mother! What are you gonna do with her, the same as you'd do with the Jin lord's mother? You claimed it was a righteous war, but you're ending it with violence? Is that right?" So Xie Ke agreed, ordering Qi to return the land it had occupied from Lu and Wei.
Eleven years later, after Jin set up its Six Ministers, Jing visited Duke Jing of Jin for the saddle he gave him. He wanted to make Duke Jing of Jin king, but Duke Jing of Jin did not dare to accept, so he returned. After returning to his country, Jing eased up on park rules, reduced taxes, visited the widows and sick, and used the accumulated grain to relieve everyone, making everyone happy. He also treated other vassals well. When Duke Jing died, the people mourned him, and no other state dared attack Qi. Duke Jing died in his seventeenth year; his son, Ling Gong, took over.
Duke Ling ruled for nine years, and Luan Shu, a Jin minister, killed Duke Li of Jin. Ten years later, Duke Dao of Jin attacked the state of Qi, and Prince Guang of Qi was sent to Jin as a hostage. In the nineteenth year, Duke Ling of Qi made Prince Guang crown prince and appointed Gao Hou to assist him, also sending him to Zhongli to pledge allegiance with other lords. In the twenty-seventh year, the state of Jin sent Zhonghang Xianzi to attack Qi. Qi forces were defeated, and Duke Ling fled to Linzhi. Yan Ying advised Duke Ling to surrender, but Duke Ling refused. Yan Ying said, "You're such a scaredy-cat!" The Jin army then surrounded Linzhi, and Linzhi's defenders wouldn't fight. The Jin army burned the outskirts and withdrew.
In the twenty-eighth year, Duke Ling of Qi married a woman from the state of Lu and had a son named Guang, whom he made crown prince. Duke Ling also had his favorite concubine, Rong Ji, who gave birth to a son named Ya, whom she entrusted to take care of. Rong Ji requested to appoint Ya as crown prince, and Duke Ling agreed. However, Zhong Ji (the birth mother of the crown prince) said, "No! Guang has already been recognized as crown prince by the lords. Dumping him now will be a huge mistake!" Duke Ling said, "I call the shots!" As a result, Duke Ling banished Prince Guang east and appointed Gao Hou to assist Ya as crown prince. Duke Ling fell ill, and Cui Zhu welcomed the original crown prince Guang and made him Duke Zhuang. Duke Zhuang killed Rong Ji. On May Rengchen, Duke Ling died, and Duke Zhuang ascended the throne, killing Prince Ya on the hill of Judou. In August, Cui Zhu killed Gao Hou. When the state of Jin heard of the chaos in Qi, they attacked Qi and reached Gaotang.
In the third year of Duke Zhuang's reign, the Jin minister Luan Ying fled to Qi, where he received a warm welcome from Duke Zhuang. Yan Ying and Tian Wenzi advised against it, but Duke Zhuang did not listen. In the fourth year, Duke Zhuang sent Luan Ying to infiltrate Jin's Quwo as a spy, while he led troops to follow him, crossing the Taihang Mountains and entering Mengmen. Luan Ying's plan failed, forcing the Qi army to retreat and occupy Chaoge.
Six years prior, Tang Gong's wife was alive, but after his death, Cui Zhu seized her. Duke Zhuang of Qi also slept with Tang Gong's wife, often causing trouble for the Cui family, even bestowing Cui Zhu's hat upon another. The guards said, "That's not cool!" Cui Zhu was very angry. While Qi was preparing to attack Jin, Cui Zhu plotted to ally with Jin and attack Qi from within, but he could not find an opportunity. One time, Duke Zhuang laid into the eunuch Jia Ju, and although Jia Ju continued to serve him, he held a grudge and took the opportunity to inform Cui Zhu, seeking revenge.
In May, the ruler of the State of Ju came to Qi to pay a visit, and Qi hosted a banquet for him on the Jiaxu day. Cui Zhu pretended to be sick and did not handle government affairs. On the Yihai day, Duke Zhuang went to check on Cui Zhu's condition but ended up going to Cui Zhu's house and slept with Cui Zhu's wife. Cui Zhu's wife went into the house, closed the door with Cui Zhu, and no one was seen. Duke Zhuang stood outside, leaning against a pillar and singing. The eunuch Jia Ju stopped Duke Zhuang, led the guards into Cui Zhu's house, and closed the door. Cui Zhu's men rushed out from inside with weapons. Duke Zhuang stepped up to request an explanation, but his pleas for an explanation, an oath, even a ritual suicide at the ancestral temple, were all refused. Cui Zhu's men said, "Our master Cui Zhu is sick and cannot follow your orders. He is very close to the palace. The attendants are arguing over who should go and arrest those who have improper relationships, not knowing whose orders to follow." Duke Zhuang scaled the wall to escape, but was shot in the thigh, fell to the ground, and Cui Zhu finished him off.
Yan Ying stood outside the gate of Cui Zhu's house and said, "A ruler who dies or perishes for the state, so be it. But death or ruin for personal gain? Who would take responsibility for that?" The gate opened, and Yan Ying went in, weeping over Duke Zhuang's body, and only came out after bowing three times. Someone said to Cui Zhu, "He must be executed!" Cui Zhu replied, "He's the people's hope; keeping him will secure their loyalty."
On the day of Dingchou, Cui Zhu supported Duke Zhuang's half-brother Chujv as the new ruler, who became Duke Jing of Qi. Duke Jing's mother was the daughter of Sun Xuanbo from the Lu State. After Duke Jing ascended the throne, he appointed Cui Zhu as Chief Minister on the right and Qing Feng as Chief Minister on the left. The two ministers were concerned about possible rebellion, so they made an oath with the people of Qi, saying, "Anyone who refuses to cooperate with Cui Zhu and Qing Feng will be executed!" Yan Zi sighed, "My only loyalty is to the ruler and the state!" He refused to participate in the oath. Qing Feng wanted to eliminate Yan Zi, but Cui Zhu said, "He is a loyal minister; spare him." Cui Zhu had the historian executed for recording his crime. The historian's brother recorded this incident, so Cui Zhu killed him too. Only when a third brother recorded it did Cui Zhu finally relent.
In 505 BC, when Duke Jing of Qi had just become Duke, Cui Zhu's sons, Cui Cheng and Cui Qiang, were born. After their mother passed away, Cui Zhu remarried a Dongguo woman and had a son named Cui Ming. This Dongguo woman was scheming with her ex-husband Wujiu and his brother Yan behind the scenes, wanting to seize control of the Cui family's inheritance. Later, when Cui Cheng committed a crime, Wujiu and Yan seized the opportunity to try to make Cui Ming heir. Cui Cheng had no choice but to ask to retire and return to his hometown, which Cui Zhu agreed to, but Wujiu and Yan disagreed, saying, "The Cuis are Qi royalty; you can't do this!" Cui Cheng and Cui Qiang hit the roof and ran to Qingfeng. Qingfeng and Cui Zhu were already at odds, and he was just waiting for the Cui family to fall.
Therefore, Cui Cheng and Cui Qiang killed Wujiu and Yan in Cui Zhu's house, sending the rest of the Cui family scattering. Cui Zhu was livid, with nobody left to turn to, so he sent a eunuch to beg Qingfeng's help. Qingfeng agreed to help and let Cui Zhu's enemy, Lu Pugui, lead troops to attack the Cui family, killing Cui Cheng and Cui Qiang, wiping out the Cui family, and causing Cui Zhu's wife to commit suicide. Cui Zhu's elderly mother, seeing her son's family destroyed, also committed suicide. Qingfeng took the opportunity to become the prime minister of Qi, holding all the power. Man, talk about a power grab gone wrong! That's some serious backstabbing!
Three years later, in October of 502 BC, Qing Feng went out hunting. Ever since killing Cui Zhu, Qing Feng had become more and more arrogant, spending his days drinking and hunting, completely neglecting state affairs. Qing Feng's subordinate, Qing She, also began to make moves against him, leading to conflicts between them. Tian Wenzi warned Huan Zi, saying, "Things are about to go south!" The Tian, Bao, Gao, and Luan families joined forces to deal with Qing Feng. Qing She surrounded Qing Feng's palace with soldiers, and the four families launched an attack, ultimately crushing Qing Feng's forces. Qing Feng fled and could not return to the Qi state. He first escaped to the Lu state, and later Lu sent him to the Wu state. The King of Wu gave him the place called Zhu Fang to settle down, and as a result, he actually did better in Wu than he'd done in Qi. That autumn, the Qi state reburied Duke Zhuang and put Cui Zhu's corpse on display in the marketplace to scare everyone straight.
In 496 BC, Duke Jing of Qi sent Yan Ying as an envoy to the Jin state. Yan Ying told Uncle Xiang privately, "The Tian family are gonna run this show eventually. They haven't done anything amazing, but they use their power to help the people, so everyone loves them." In 493 BC, Duke Jing of Qi paid another visit to Jin, hoping to team up with them against Yan. In 487 BC, he visited Jin once more, meeting with Duke Zhao of Jin. In 479 BC, Duke Jing went hunting on the outskirts of Lu state and also picked the brains of the Lu people about proper etiquette, along with Yan Ying. In 475 BC, Duke Zhao of Lu fled to the Qi state to escape persecution from the Ji family. Qi wanted to give Duke Zhao a thousand households of land, but the powerful Zijia family put a stop to it. Duke Zhao had no choice but to request Qi to attack the Lu state and grab Yun and give it to him to live in.
In 543 BC, a comet appeared in the sky. Duke Jing of Qi sat in his cedarwood palace and exclaimed, "Wow, what a spectacular sight! Imagine having something like that!" The ministers burst into tears, except for Yanzi, who laughed, which made Duke Jing very angry. Yanzi explained, "I found their fawning amusing." Duke Jing said, "The comet appeared in the northeast, right over Qi's territory. I am worried about this!" Yanzi asked, "You've built extravagant palaces, taxed your people relentlessly, and imposed brutal punishments. With the omen of disaster about to appear, why are you afraid of what the comet might do?" Duke Jing asked, "Can disasters be eliminated through sacrifices?" Yanzi replied, "If the gods can be summoned through prayer, they can also be sent away through sacrifices. But with the people so angry, a single sacrifice is pointless. You can't silence them with a single offering." At that time, Duke Jing was obsessed with building palaces, amassing dogs and horses, living in extravagant luxury, and ruling with an iron fist, which is why Yanzi used this method to advise him.
In 533 BC, King Helu of Wu stormed Ying, the capital of Chu.
In 528 BC, Yang Hu of Lu rebelled, attacked his own lord, failed, fled to Qi, and requested Qi to send troops to attack Lu. Baozi advised Duke Jing, who then imprisoned Yang Hu. Later, Yang Hu managed to escape and fled to the state of Jin.
In 527 BC, Duke Jing of Qi and Duke Ding of Lu met in Jiagu. Li Ju advised, "Confucius is a stickler for etiquette but perhaps lacking in decisiveness. We can have the band from the kingdom of Lai perform, seize Duke Ding of Lu to achieve our aims." Duke Jing feared that Confucius would assist the kingdom of Lu and also worried about Lu's rise, so he followed Li Ju's plan. During the meeting, the band from Lai performed, and Confucius stepped forward, ordering officials to seize the Lai musician and have him executed as a gesture of deference to Duke Jing. Duke Jing felt ashamed, returned the land occupied by Lu, and then left. That year, Yan Ying passed away.
In 515 BC, the Fan clan and Zhongxing clan rebelled in the kingdom of Jin. The Jin army attacked them fiercely, sought help from the kingdom of Qi, and requested food supplies. Tian Qi wanted to take advantage of the situation, gained the support of the rebellious ministers, and advised Duke Jing, "The Fan clan and Zhongxing clan have repeatedly helped Qi; we cannot remain indifferent." Therefore, Tian Qi was sent to rescue them and supply food.
In the summer of 58 BC, the son born to Duke Jing's legitimate wife, Yan Ji, died. The son born to his favored concubine, Rui Ji, named Tu, was still young. Given his mother's low social standing and questionable behavior, the ministers worried that he would inherit the throne and advised Duke Jing to choose a capable prince from among the other princes to be the crown prince. Duke Jing, being old, disliked discussing the issue of succession and particularly favored Tu's mother, wanting to make Tu the crown prince but dared not say so directly. So he said to the ministers, "Let's focus on enjoying ourselves for now. Surely the kingdom won't collapse for lack of a ruler?"
In autumn, Jing Gong fell ill and ordered Guo Huizi and Gao Zhaizi to make his young son Tu the crown prince, driving away the other princes and sending them to Lai. After Jing Gong died, Tu ascended to the throne, known in history as Yan Ruzi. In winter, before Jing Gong was buried, the princes who had been driven away were afraid of being killed and all fled. Tu's half-brothers, Gongzi Shou, Gongzi Ju, and Gongzi Qian, fled to the state of Wei, while Gongzi Zou and Gongzi Yangsheng fled to the state of Lu. The people of Lai sang mocking songs, saying, "Jing Gong's dead, but they weren't there to bury him; big decisions, they weren't consulted; what a mess! Whose cronies are these?"
In the spring of 505 BC, Tian Qi was in the state of Qi, putting on a big act everywhere. He rode in a magnificent carriage to court every day, telling the king, "Ever since you took the throne, the ministers are all scared stiff, plotting rebellion, I tell ya!" He also told other ministers, "Gao Zhaizi is too dangerous; we gotta get him before he gets us!" The ministers all listened to him. In June, Tian Qi and Bao Mu led the ministers and troops to storm the palace and attack Gao Zhaizi. Upon hearing the news, Gao Zhaizi and Guo Huizi protected the king. The king's army got their butts kicked, and Tian Qi's men chased them. Guo Huizi fled to the state of Ju, while Gao Zhaizi was killed. Yan Yu escaped to the state of Lu. In August, a new king was officially enthroned in Qi. Tian Qi eliminated two main opponents and had Yangsheng brought back from Lu, keeping him stashed at his place.
On the Wuzi day of the tenth month, Tian Qi invited all the ministers, saying, "Mom's having a sacrifice today—fish, beans, the works! Come on over for drinks!" The ministers promptly bowed. Tian Qi hid Yang Sheng in a large bag placed in the center of the seating area. Then he opened the bag, invited Yang Sheng out, and said, "This is the ruler of the Qi state!" The ministers quickly paid their respects. Just as Tian Qi was about to swear an oath with the ministers to support Yang Sheng, Bao Mu got drunk, and Tian Qi framed him, saying, "Bao Mu and I were plotting to put Yang Sheng on the throne!" Bao Mu got angry and replied, "Have you forgotten Duke Jing's dying wish?" The ministers exchanged uneasy glances, second-guessing themselves. At this time, Yang Sheng stood up, bowed, and said, "Make me king if you will; otherwise, forget it." Bao Mu, fearing a scene, added, "They're all Duke Jing's sons—what's the big deal?" So everyone swore an oath together and supported Yang Sheng as the ruler, who became Duke Dao of Qi. Once on the throne, Duke Dao had Yan Ruozi exiled to Dai and murdered under a tent, then banished Ruozi's mother. Ruozi's low status and young age meant they were powerless, and the people of Qi largely ignored them. In the first year of Duke Dao's reign, Qi attacked Lu and took over Huandi and Chandi. When Yang Sheng was on the run in Lu, Jikangzi married him off to his sister. After Yang Sheng returned to Qi as king, he demanded Jiji back from Lu. But Jiji had been fooling around with Jifenghou, and Lu, knowing this, refused to send her back. That's why Qi attacked Lu and eventually brought Jiji back. Jiji became a favorite, and Qi eventually returned the land they had taken from Lu.
Baozi didn't get along with Duke Dao and were constantly at odds. After four years, Wu and Lu teamed up to attack the southern part of Qi. Baozi killed Duke Dao and then fled to Wu. Fuchai, the king of Wu, wailed outside the camp for three days, preparing to launch a naval assault on Qi. The Qi army routed the Wu army, forcing their retreat. Zhao Yang of Jin also attacked, pulling back at Lai.
The Qi people installed Duke Dao's son, Ren, as the new Duke Jian. Four years into his reign, Duke Jian and his father, Yang Sheng, were both in Lu, where Jian Zhi was a real favorite. After Duke Jian ascended to the throne, he let Jian Zhi take control. Tian Chengzi was very wary of him and often observed Jian Zhi in court. Yang, the royal minister, warned Duke Jian, "The Tian family and Jian Zhi cannot coexist; you must choose one." Duke Jian did not listen. One night, Tian's men secretly killed someone, and Jian Zhi was caught and arrested. The powerful Tian clan faked Jian Zhi's illness, plied his guards with drink, then killed the guards and sprung Jian Zhi.
Ziwo then allied with the Tian clan. Initially, Tian Bao, mourning a family death, declined to be a minister of Ziwo. Later, Tian Bao became a minister and was highly favored by him. Ziwo offered Tian Bao, "I'll wipe out the Tians and make you Duke. What do you say?" Tian Bao replied, "I've cut ties with them, and it's just a handful of rebels. Why wipe them out?" So Tian Bao told this to the Tian family. Zixing, who lived in the palace, warned, "If you've got the ruler's ear, but don't strike first, you're asking for trouble."
On the Ren Shen day of the fifth month, Tian Chengzi and his brothers brought four carriages to visit the prince. Ziwo was in the tent and came out to greet them. Then they went in and closed the door. Eunuchs went to serve them, and I killed the eunuchs. The prince and his wife were drinking while on the platform, and Tian Chengzi moved them to the bedroom. The prince picked up a spear to strike Tian Chengzi, and Tai Shi Ziyu said, "This is not a bad thing; it's about eliminating a threat." Tian Chengzi ran to hide in the warehouse and heard that the prince was still angry and planned to come out, saying, "As if there aren't rulers everywhere!" I drew my sword and said, "Don't hesitate, or you'll regret it. Who isn't one of us? If it weren't for being one of us, I would have killed him long ago." So Tian Chengzi stopped. I escaped, and his subordinates attacked the palace gates and main gates but failed to capture them, so they fled. The Tian family chased after him. The people of Fengqiu captured me and reported to the Tian family, and I was killed at the Guoguan. Tian Chengzi wanted to kill Dalu Zifang, but Tian Ni pleaded for him, so he was spared from death. Following the prince's orders, Tian Chengzi took the carriage on the road and left Yongmen. Tian Bao sent him a carriage, but he refused, saying, "Tian Ni pleaded for me, and Tian Bao sent me a carriage again. This looks bad on me. I am working for Ziwo, but have selfish motives towards his enemies. How can I face the scholars of Lu and Wei?"
In 685 BC, Tian Chang captured Jian Gong in Juzhou. Jian Gong said, "I listened to the advice of Yuyang early on, but unfortunately, I didn't follow through!" In 681 BC, Tian Chang killed Jian Gong in Juzhou. Then Tian Chang made Jian Gong's brother Ao the prince, who became Qi Ping Gong. After Ping Gong ascended the throne, Tian Chang became the prime minister, taking control of the political power of Qi, and also allocated the land east of Anping in Qi to the Tian clan as a fiefdom.
In the eighth year of Ping Gong's reign, Yue conquered Wu. After twenty-five years of reign, Ping Gong died, and his son Xuan Gong Ji succeeded him. After fifty-one years of reign, Xuan Gong died, and his son Kang Gong Dai succeeded him. At this time, Tian Hui launched the Lin Qiu Rebellion.
In the second year of Duke Kang's reign, the states of Han, Wei, and Zhao were just newly elevated to vassal states. Duke Kang ruled for nineteen years, and it was during this time that Tian He, the great-grandson of Tian Chang, became a vassal lord. The Tian family forced Duke Kang into exile by the sea.
After ruling for twenty-six years, Duke Kang passed away, and the Lu family's rule in Qi ended. The Tian family eventually took control of Qi, with Tian He becoming King Wei of Qi. As a result, Qi became powerful and famous throughout the land.
Sima Qian said: I traveled through Qi, from Mount Tai to Langya, all the way up to the coast. Two thousand miles of fertile land! The people are cheerful and open, but they're masters at keeping their own counsel – it's just how they are. Think about it: with the wisdom of Tai Gong laying the foundations, and the strength of Duke Huan of Qi's good governance and leadership of the other states, Qi's success was a given, right? It was truly magnificent – a real powerhouse!
