The Chu state's ancestor was Emperor Zhuanxu Gaoyang. Gaoyang was the Yellow Emperor's grandson and Changyi's son. Gaoyang had a son, Cheng, who had a son, Juanzhang, who had a son, Chongli. Chongli served under Di Ku High Xin as the Fire Official, doing an outstanding job, illuminating the land. Di Ku then gave him the title of "Zhurong." Later, Gonggong rebelled, and Di Ku sent Chongli to quell the chaos, but it was not completely resolved. The emperor, in a rage, executed Chongli on the Gengyin day, and then had Chongli's younger brother Wu Hui take his place, continuing to serve as the Fire Official, also known as Zhurong.
Wu Hui had a son, Lu Zhong. Lu Zhong had six sons, born in a unique way. The eldest was Kunwu, the second was Canhu, the third was Pengzu, the fourth was Huiren, the fifth had the surname Cao, and the sixth was Jilian, surnamed Mi, from whom the State of Chu is descended. The Kunwu clan held marquis titles during the Xia Dynasty, but were wiped out by Shang Tang during the reign of Jie. The Pengzu clan also held marquis titles during the Yin and Shang Dynasties, but were also extinguished when the Shang Dynasty fell. Jilian had a son, Fujv, who had a son, Xuexiong. After that, their descendants became more obscure, sometimes within China, sometimes in barbarian territories, and tracing their lineage through the generations is difficult.
During the time of King Wen of Zhou, a descendant of Jilian named Yuxiong appeared. Yuxiong's son served King Wen but died young. His son was Xiongli. Xiongli had a son, Xiongkuang, who had a son, Xiongyi.
During the reign of King Cheng of Zhou, Xiongyi, inheriting the excellent tradition of King Wen and King Wu's diligent governance and love for the people, was granted a fief in the land of the Chu barbarians by King Cheng of Zhou, with the surname Mi, residing in Danyang. At that time, Xiongyi, along with Lu Gong Boqin, Wei Kang, Duke of Wei, Jin Hou Xie, and Prince Ji of Qi, were among King Cheng's vassals.
The line of succession began with Xiong Yi, followed by Xiong Ai, Xiong, and finally Xiong Sheng. Xiong Sheng passed the leadership to his younger brother, Xiong Yang. Xiong Yang had a son named Xiong Qu.
Xiong Qu had three sons. During the reign of King Zhou Yi, the Zhou dynasty was weakening. Many vassal states refused tribute and fought amongst themselves. Popular in the Jianghan region, Xiong Qu launched campaigns against Yong, Yang, and Yue, pushing as far as E. Xiong Qu said, "We're barbarians; we don't need fancy titles and posthumous names like those Central Plains fellas." He appointed his eldest son, Kang, as the King of Judan, his second son, Hong, as the King of E, and his youngest son, Zhichi, as the King of Yuezhang. They established themselves as kings across the wild lands of the Chu region along the Yangtze. With the tyrannical King Zhou Li's ascension, Xiong Qu feared an attack from him and abdicated.
Xiong Wukang briefly succeeded him but died young. After Xiong Qu's death, his son Xiong Zhihong inherited the throne. After Xiong Zhihong's death, his brother killed him and took the throne, naming himself Xiong Yan. Xiong Yan had a son named Xiong Yong.
Xiong Yong ruled as king for six years. During the Zhou dynasty, there was internal strife and an attack on King Zhou Li, who fled to the Zhi region. After ruling for ten years, Xiong Yong died, and his brother Xiong Yan became king.
Xiong Yan ruled for ten years before his death. He had four sons: Bosuang (the eldest), Zhongxue, Shukan, and Jixun. Upon Xiong Yan's death, his eldest son, Bosuang, became king, also known as Xiong Shuang.
In the first year of Xiong Shuang's rule, King Zhou Xuan had just become king. After ruling for six years, Xiong Shuang died, and his three younger brothers vied for the throne. Zhong Xue died; Kan, his uncle, fled and hid in Pǔdì; his fourth brother Xiong Xun succeeded to the throne. After a reign of sixteen years, Xiong Xun died, and his son Xiong E succeeded to the throne. After ruling for nine years, Xiong E died, and his son Xiong Yi succeeded to the throne, known as Ruo Ao.
When Ruo Ao had been in power for twenty years, King Zhou You was killed by the Rong, and the Zhou dynasty moved east, while Duke Xiang of Qin began to be recognized as a feudal lord. After a reign of twenty-seven years, Ruo Ao died, and his son Xiong Kan succeeded to the throne, known as Xiao Ao. After ruling for six years, Xiao Ao died, and his son Xiong Xuan succeeded to the throne, known as Fen Mao. When Fen Mao had been in power for thirteen years, the state of Jin began to experience internal turmoil due to the influence of Quwo. After ruling for seventeen years, Fen Mao died. Fen Mao's brother Xiong Tong killed Fen Mao's son and succeeded to the throne himself, becoming King Wu of Chu.
In 1077 BC, the Marquis of Quwo in Jin killed Marquis Xiaohou—a significant event. In 1075 BC, the brother of the Marquis of Zheng rebelled, causing domestic strife. In 1073 BC, Zheng invaded Zhou territory, a brazen act. In 1071 BC, the state of Wei killed their ruler, Duke Huan; in 1065 BC, the state of Lu also killed their ruler, Duke Yin; in 1063 BC, the Grand Preceptor of Song, Huadu, killed Duke Shang. Those years saw a lot of assassinations and fratricide among the vassal states.
In 1059 BC, Chu attacked Sui. Sui protested, "What did we do?" Chu responded, "We are barbarians. Vassals are attacking and even killing each other. Although our equipment is simple, we want to see how the big boys do it and request the Zhou court to recognize our royal title." Sui even petitioned the Zhou court on Chu's behalf. In 1057 BC, enraged, King Xiong Tong declared himself King Wu, then allied with Sui and seized Pudi.
In 1025 BC, the Zhou court summoned Sui's ruler, repeatedly condemning Chu's self-proclaimed kingship. Infuriated by what it saw as Sui's betrayal, Chu attacked. As a result, King Wu of Chu died in the war, and the conflict ended. His son, Xiong Zi, succeeded him and established the capital at Ying.
In 1023 BC, King Wen of Chu attacked Shen, passing through Deng. The Deng people scoffed, "Chu's king is a pushover!" The Marquis of Deng disagreed. In 1019 BC, King Wen of Chu attacked Cai, captured Lord Ai of Cai, and later released him. Chu's power grew, terrifying the smaller states of the Jianghan region. In 1014 BC, Duke Huan of Qi began to dominate, and Chu also became powerful.
In 1013 BC, Chu attacked and destroyed Deng. In 1012 BC, King Wen of Chu died, and his son Xiong Jian succeeded him, becoming King Zhuang Ao of Chu. Five years into his reign, King Zhuang Ao tried to kill his brother, Xiong Yun. Xiong Yun escaped to Sui. With Sui's help, he killed Zhuang Ao and became King Cheng of Chu.
In the first year of King Cheng of Chu's reign, he began with a fair and just rule, got along well with the other lords, and even sent gifts to the Zhou king. The Zhou king rewarded him with many gifts, saying, "You are responsible for suppressing the rebellions of the southern tribes; do not invade the Central Plains." From then on, Chu's territory now stretched a thousand li.
In 1008 BC, Duke Huan of Qi led troops to attack Chu, reaching Xingshan. King Cheng of Chu sent General Qu Wan to fight back and formed an alliance with Duke Huan of Qi. Duke Huan of Qi kept bringing up that Zhou taxes were not delivered to the Zhou king, and Chu promised to do so, so Duke Huan of Qi withdrew his troops.
During King Cheng of Chu's reign, in the eighteenth year, he led troops north to attack Xuguo, and the ruler of Xuguo came to apologize, bare-chested, so King Cheng spared him. In the twenty-second year, King Cheng of Chu attacked Huangguo, and in the twenty-sixth year, he destroyed Yingguo.
In the thirty-third year, Duke Xiang of Song wanted to form an alliance and invited Chu. King Cheng of Chu was furious upon hearing this, saying, "He thinks he can invite me? I'll teach him a lesson!" So the Chu army set out, arrived at Yudi, captured and humiliated Duke Xiang of Song, then let him go. In the thirty-fourth year, Duke Wen of Zheng went to Chu to pay a visit, and King Cheng of Chu took the opportunity to attack Song in the north, defeated the Song army at Hong River, and even wounded Duke Xiang of Song, who later died from his injuries.
In the thirty-fifth year, Prince Chong'er of Jin fled to Chu, and King Cheng of Chu treated him like a proper guest, giving him many gifts and sending him to Qin. In the thirty-ninth year, Duke Xi of Lu came to Chu seeking troops to attack Qi, so King Cheng of Chu sent Lord Shen to attack Qi, seizing Qi's grain stores and detaining Prince Yong, the son of Duke Huan of Qi. All seven sons of Duke Huan of Qi fled to Chu, where King Cheng made them high officials. Chu also destroyed Kuiguo for failing to worship Zhurong and Yuxiong.
In the summer, the State of Chu attacked the State of Song again. The State of Song sought help from the State of Jin, and the State of Jin sent troops to rescue them. King Cheng of Chu had no choice but to withdraw his troops. General Ziyu of Chu requested to continue the battle, but King Cheng said, "Chong'er has been in exile for so long, and eventually returned to his country as the ruler. This is destined by heaven; we cannot stop it!" Ziyu insisted on his request, and King Cheng had no choice but to let him lead the troops. As a result, Ziyu was defeated by the State of Jin at Chengpu, which made King Cheng furious, and he killed Ziyu.
In the forty-sixth year, King Cheng wanted to appoint Shang Chen as the crown prince and discussed it with Prime Minister Zishang. Zishang said, "Your Majesty is still young, and there are many beauties in the harem. It may cause trouble if the crown prince is appointed too early. Chu traditionally favored young rulers. Besides, Shang Chen has a shifty gaze and a harsh voice; he is ruthless and should not be appointed!" King Cheng did not listen and still appointed Shang Chen as the crown prince. Later, King Cheng wanted to depose Shang Chen and appoint Zhi as the crown prince. When Shang Chen heard the news, he felt uncertain and asked his teacher Pan Chong, "How can I stabilize my position?" Pan Chong said, "Go and flatter King Cheng's favorite concubine, Jiang Mi, and do not neglect her!" Shang Chen did as told. However, Jiang Mi angrily said, "No wonder the king wants to kill you and appoint Zhi as the crown prince!" Shang Chen went back and told Pan Chong, "She was right." Pan Chong asked, "Can you please her?" Shang Chen said, "No." "Can you escape?" "No." "Can you achieve something big?" "Yes!" In the winter of October, Shang Chen surrounded King Cheng with troops. King Cheng, denied his final request, took his own life. Shang Chen succeeded to the throne and became King Mu of Chu.
King Mu installed Pan Chong in the prince's palace, appointing him grand tutor, in charge of handling state affairs. King Mu ruled for three years and destroyed the State of Jiang. Four years later, he also destroyed the Six States and Liao, both descended from the ancient judge Gao Tao. In the eighth year, he attacked the State of Chen, and in the twelfth year, King Mu passed away. His son, King Zhuang, then took the throne.
King Zhuang reigned for three years, living it up and even ordering, "Anyone who dares to advise will be executed!" Despite this, Wu Ju still went to advise him. At that time, King Zhuang was surrounded by beauties from Zheng on one side and Yue on the other, amidst the music and merrymaking. Wu Ju said, "I have something to say." He spoke in riddles, "A bird that doesn't fly or sing for three years will take to the skies with a mighty roar when it finally does!" King Zhuang replied, "You can go now; I understand what you mean." Months later, King Zhuang's debauchery only worsened. Minister Su Cong went to advise again. King Zhuang asked, "Didn't you hear my order?" Su Cong replied, "I'd rather die than let you remain ignorant." King Zhuang then stopped his debauchery and began to handle state affairs, killing hundreds of people, promoting hundreds of others, and entrusting state matters to Wu Ju and Su Cong. The entire country rejoiced. That year, King Zhuang conquered the Yong State. Six years later, he attacked the Song State and seized five hundred chariots.
Eight years later, King Zhuang attacked the Lu Hun Rong, marching to the outskirts of Luoyang to inspect the troops of the Zhou Dynasty. At this time, King Ding of Zhou sent Wang Sunman to pay a courtesy call to King Chu. The King of Chu asked about the size and weight of the Nine Tripods, to which Wang Sunman replied, "The key lies in the virtue of the country, not in the size and weight of the Tripods." King Zhuang said, "Don't talk to me about the Nine Tripods! In the Chu Kingdom, even a crooked hook can be cast into Nine Tripods." Wang Sunman said, "Now, now, Your Majesty, please reconsider! During the prosperous times of the Xia and Shang dynasties, distant vassals came to pay tribute, contributing gold from the royal mines to cast the Nine Tripods, each adorned with various patterns to teach the people right from wrong. When Xia Jie was tyrannical, the Nine Tripods moved to the Shang Dynasty; when King Zhou of Shang was also cruel and oppressive, the Nine Tripods moved to the Zhou Dynasty. If the country's virtue is bright, even a small Tripod will seem heavy; if it is tyrannical and decadent, even a large Tripod will seem light. In the past, King Cheng set the Tripod in *Jiayi*, divining that the country's fortune could last for three hundred years, seven hundred years, as it was a matter predetermined by the heavens. Although the Zhou Dynasty has declined, Heaven's mandate endures. The weight of the Nine Tripods is beyond human understanding." Upon hearing this, the King of Chu returned.
Nine years later, King Zhuang suppressed the Ruo Aoshi family. Someone spoke ill of the Ruo Aoshi family in front of King Zhuang, causing Ruo Aoshi to fear being killed. They decided to strike first, attacking King Zhuang, but were defeated and their entire family was wiped out. Thirteen years later, King Zhuang conquered Shu.
Sixteen years into his reign, King Zhuang of Chu attacked the state of Chen and killed Xia Zhengshu. Xia Zhengshu had previously killed his own ruler, so King Zhuang killed him. After conquering Chen, King Zhuang made it part of Chu. All the ministers offered congratulations, except Shen Shushi, who was away on a diplomatic mission to Qi. King Zhuang asked him why, and Shen Shushi replied, "There's a saying: 'If a cow wanders onto your land, you can take it.' But to seize it just for passing through—isn't that a bit much? Moreover, King, you led the other princes to attack Chen because of their rebellion, but to attack in the name of justice and then take Chen's land for yourselves, how's that going to sit well with everyone?" Taking Shen Shushi's words to heart, King Zhuang reinstated Chen.
Seventeen years into his reign, in the spring, King Zhuang of Chu surrounded the state of Zheng and, three months later, took it. King Zhuang entered Zheng through the main gate of the palace, where the ruler of Zheng, Lord Zheng, greeted him stark naked, clutching a sheep, saying, "I am truly unworthy and have failed to serve you properly, causing your anger and the attack on our state of Zheng. It is all my fault. I'm at your mercy! Even if you exile me to the southern sea or gift me as a slave to other lords, I will obey you. If you'd show the same mercy as Kings Li, Xuan, Huan, and Wu, and spare our ancestral temple, allowing me to change rulers and serve you, I can only dream of such mercy. I am willing to speak from my heart." Chu's ministers urged him against it, but King Zhuang said, "A ruler this humble will win the people over. Why destroy him?" King Zhuang himself took command, waving his flag, and pulled his troops back thirty miles to camp. He then agreed to Zheng's request to submit to Chu. Pan and Chu made an alliance, and Ziliang was sent as a hostage to Chu. In the summer of the sixth month of that year, the state of Jin came to rescue Zheng and fought against Chu. The Chu army routed the Jin forces at the Yellow River, only returning after reaching Hengyong.
Twenty years later, King Zhuang of Chu surrounded the state of Song because Song had killed Chu's envoy. After five months, Song was starving. People resorted to cannibalism, even boiling bones for soup. The minister Hua Yuan of Song came out to explain the situation to King Zhuang, who said, "What a gentleman!" and then withdrew his troops.
King Zhuang died in his twenty-third year; his son, King Gong, took the throne.
In the sixteenth year of Gong's reign, Jin attacked Zheng. Zheng sought help from Chu, and Gong went to the rescue. Chu and Jin clashed at Yanling, with Jin routing Chu, even hitting Gong in the eye. Gong summoned the general Zi Fan. Zi Fan was a notorious drunkard, and his subordinate Shu Yanggu plied him with drink until he was insensible. Enraged, Gong shot Zi Fan dead and then withdrew his troops.
In the thirty-first year, Gong died, and his son Kang succeeded him. After reigning for fifteen years, Kang died, and his son Xiong Yuan succeeded him, known as Jiao Ao.
Kang especially favored his younger brothers: Prince Wei, Prince Bi, Prince Xi, and Prince Qiji. In the third year of Kang's rule, he appointed the youngest brother, Prince Wei, as the Minister of War. In the fourth year, Prince Wei was sent to Zheng, but upon hearing that Kang was ill, he hurried back. On the twelfth month's Jiyu day, Prince Wei went to the palace to visit Kang and killed him, along with Kang's son Mo Jiping Xia. He immediately sent word to Zheng. Wu Ju asked, "So, who gets the throne?" The answer was, "It's Prince Wei." Wu Ju then said, "Shouldn't it be Kang's eldest son, Prince Wei?" Prince Bi fled to Jin, and Wei then declared himself king, Chu Ling.
In the third year of Ling Wang's reign, in the sixth month, the state of Chu sent envoys to notify the state of Jin, expressing their desire to hold an alliance in Shen and gather the other states. All the other states went to Chu to participate in the alliance. Wu Ju said, "In the past, Xia had a big party at Juntai, King Tang of Shang had a command at Jingbo, King Wu of Zhou had an oath at Mengjin, King Cheng had a hunt at Qiyang, King Kang had a court meeting at Fenggong, King Mu had an alliance at Tushan, Duke Huan of Qi had an army at Shaoling, and Duke Wen of Jin had an alliance at Jiantu. So, this whole alliance thing – who are you trying to be like?" Ling Wang said, "I want to learn from Duke Huan of Qi." At that time, the Duke of Zheng, Zi Chan, was also present. As a result, the states of Jin, Song, Lu, and Wei did not attend. After the alliance, Ling Wang got a big head. Wu Ju said, "Xia Jie held an alliance and the Mian people revolted; King Zhou of Shang held an alliance at Lishan and the Dongyi people revolted; King You of Zhou held an alliance at Taishi and the Rongdi people revolted. Your Majesty must be cautious!"
In the seventh month, the state of Chu led the other states' armies to attack the state of Wu, besieging Zhufang. In the eighth month, they captured Zhufang, took Qingfeng captive, and wiped out his family. Ling Wang paraded Qingfeng's head and said, "Qingfeng killed the king and the young lord, yet still dared to make an oath with the nobles!" Qingfeng's son retorted, "That's nothing compared to what your dad did! He killed his own brother and took the throne!" So Ling Wang sent Lord Qiji to kill Qingfeng's son.
In the seventh year of Ling Wang's reign, he built Zhanghua Terrace and ordered that those who had escaped from the palace be captured and brought back to fill in the construction.
In the eighth year, Ling Wang sent Lord Qiji to lead troops to destroy the state of Chen. In the tenth year, Ling Wang summoned the Marquis of Cai, got him drunk, and killed him. Then he put Qiji in charge of cleaning up Cai and made him king of both Chen and Cai.
So, King Ling of Chu, eleven years into his reign, led troops to attack the State of Xu to scare the crap out of Wu. King Ling set up camp at Qianxi, waiting for Xu to surrender. He sighed and said, "The states of Qi, Jin, Lu, and Wei all received prized possessions from the Zhou dynasty when they were founded as symbols, but my Chu state did not. I’m sending envoys to the Zhou court to request a tripod; will they give it to me?" Xi Fu replied, "I believe the Zhou dynasty will definitely grant it to you, Your Majesty! Way back when, our Chu ancestor Xiong Yi opened up our foundation at Jing Mountain; it was a brutal climb! He was roughing it in the wilds, serving the Zhou with nothing but peachwood bows and arrows. Qi is the Zhou dynasty's cousin state, and Jin, Lu, and Wei are brother states of the Zhou dynasty, so they have the enfeoffed sweet loot, while Chu does not. Now the Zhou dynasty and these four states are totally under your thumb; they will obey your orders. How could they be stingy with a tripod?" King Ling then asked, "My imperial ancestor, Uncle Kunwu, was promised land by the Zhou dynasty back then, but now the State of Zheng is hogging that land and refusing to give it back. If I go to demand it, will they give it to me?" Xi Fu said, "If the Zhou dynasty is not stingy with a tripod, how could the State of Zheng be stingy with that land?" King Ling continued, "In the past, the vassals stayed away from us, fearing Jin. Now I am building the cities of Chen and Cai on a large scale, raking in taxes by the thousands. Are they scared of me now?" Xi Fu replied, "Of course they are afraid!" King Ling happily said, "Xi Fu, you're a natural storyteller!"
In the spring of his twelfth year as king, King Ling of Chu was living it up at Qianxi, having no intention of leaving. The people were suffering greatly, toiling under the weight of endless corvée. Earlier, King Ling had assembled his army in Shendi, cruelly killing the Yue state official Chang Shouguo, as well as the official Guan Qi of the Cai state. Guan Qi's son fled to the Wu state, where he persuaded the King of Wu to attack Chu and secretly conspired with the remnants of Chang Shouguo's followers to rebel against Chu, acting as a mole for Wu. Pretending to be Prince Qiji, he summoned Prince Bi to Jin state. Prince Bi arrived in Cai state and teamed up with the Wu and Yue armies, planning to attack Cai. Prince Bi met with Qiji in Dengdi and formed an alliance with them. They launched their invasion of Chu, killed Prince Lu of King Ling, and put Prince Bi on the throne, with Prince Zixi as prime minister and Prince Qiji as marshal. They first destroyed the royal palace, and Guan Qi's son led the army at Qianxi, announcing to the Chu soldiers, "Get back before nightfall and you keep your land and titles; otherwise, you’re banished!" The Chu soldiers scattered, abandoning King Ling, and everyone fled.
Upon hearing of Prince Lu's death, King Ling jumped down, muttering, "Do people really love their sons that much?" His attendants replied, "Yes, very much." King Ling said, "I have killed many people's sons; will I not face retribution?" The Prime Minister suggested, "Let's go to the outskirts and listen to the people's opinions." King Ling said, "The people are furious and there’s nothing I can do about it." The Prime Minister continued, "Why not go into the city and ask the feudal lords for help?" King Ling said, "They've all abandoned me!" The Prime Minister then said, "Then let's flee to the feudal lords and hear the thoughts of the great nations." King Ling said, "This is it, buddy. No second chances, only shame."
Therefore, King Ling boarded a boat, planning to escape to the Yan region. The Right Yin estimated that King Ling would not accept his advice and, fearing death, followed him in his escape. King Ling was lost and alone in the mountains, the villagers too afraid to go near him. As King Ling walked, he met a former foundry worker he knew and said to him, "Help me find something to eat; I haven't eaten for three days." The foundry worker replied, "The new king's orders are strict – anyone caught feeding you would be punished, and besides, I haven't got anything to spare." King Ling drifted off to sleep on the man's thigh. The foundry worker used a clod of earth as a substitute for himself and ran away. When King Ling woke up and did not see him, he was hungry and tired and could not get up.
Shen Hai, son of Shen Wuyu, thought, "My father twice defied the king, yet lived. That's some debt of gratitude!" So he went to find King Ling and discovered him starving at Lize, so he took him home. In May, on the day of Guichou, King Ling died at Shen Hai's house, and Shen Hai and his two daughters were buried together.
At this time, although the State of Chu had already established Bi as the king, they were afraid that King Ling would return and had not heard that he had died. A minister said to the new king Bi, "Don't let Qiji live; otherwise, this victory will be our ruin." The king replied, "I cannot bear it in my heart." The minister countered, "Will people spare you?" The king did not listen and let Qiji go. Qiji returned to his country.
Terror gripped the land: "King Ling's here!" On the night of Yimao, Qiji sent boatmen to shout on the river, "King Ling's here!" The people of the country were even more terrified. He then sent Man Cheng to inform the new king Bi and the Prime Minister Zixi, "King Ling's here! The people want to kill you; the military commander is coming soon! Hurry up and protect yourselves; don't bring shame upon yourselves. The people are in a rage; it's like trying to put out a fire with water!" King Bi and Zixi killed themselves. On the day of Bingchen, Qiji ascended the throne and changed his name to Xiongju, who became King Ping of Chu.
King Ping used deceit to kill two kings and became the king himself. Afraid of the people and the other nobles rebelling, he began to do favors for the people. He returned the land of the Chen and Cai states to them, put their old rulers back in power, and returned the land that had been taken from the Zheng state. He cared about the people's suffering, cleaned up the government, and improved education. At that time, Wu used Chu's chaos to their advantage and captured five Chu officials. King Ping told his minister Guan Cong, "Go ahead and do what you want!" Guan Cong wanted to become the diviner, and King Ping agreed.
The story goes that King Chu Gong had five favorite sons, but no clear heir. So he went to worship the gods and asked them to choose who would inherit the throne and preside over the sacrifices. Secretly, he and Baji buried a jade bi in the house. Then he called his five sons to cleanse themselves before entering the palace. As a result, King Kang stepped over it, King Ling nudged it with his elbow, while Zibi and Zixi stayed far away. King Ping, the youngest, held the jade bi and bowed, breaking the button on it. Therefore, King Kang became king because he was the oldest, but his son did not inherit the throne; King Ling was killed because he was next in line; Zibi became king for ten days, Zixi did not become king, and both were killed. None of the four brothers had heirs. Only the overlooked King Qi later became king, that is, King Ping, ultimately continuing the sacrifices of the Chu state, as if the gods had chosen him all along.
After Zibi returned from the state of Jin, Han Xuanzi asked Shuxiang, "Can Zibi succeed?" Shuxiang replied, "No." Han Xuanzi said, "Birds of a feather flock together, so why wouldn't he succeed?" Shuxiang replied, "Without like-minded individuals, who will associate with those who share their flaws? There are five difficulties in seizing control of a country: favor without competent allies; having people without support; support without a good strategy; a good strategy without popular backing; and popular support without virtue. Zibi spent thirteen years in Jin, and there has never been any communication between Jin and Chu, indicating a lack of support; his family is in decline, and relatives have betrayed him, further demonstrating his isolation; he has launched actions without justification, showcasing a lack of strategy; he has been bound by others for a lifetime, reflecting a lack of popular support; and he has shown no acts of kindness, revealing a deficit of virtue. The ruler is a tyrant, unconstrained by fear; Zibi has violated these five difficulties and seeks to kill the king—who can help him succeed? But what of Qiji in Chu? Will they overlook him? The monarch governs Chen and Cai, and the areas outside Fangcheng are all loyal to him. There is no harsh tyranny; thieves remain hidden, personal desires align with the will of the people, and the populace bears no grievances. The spirits of his ancestors command him, and the people believe in him. If the Mi clan is in chaos, Qiji will surely inherit the throne, as is customary in Chu. As Right Yin, Zibi was merely a commoner, lacking both status and influence; according to the will of the spirits, he is distanced from power, and the people do not feel a sense of belonging to him—how can he establish himself?
Han Xuanzi said, "Isn't this the case with Huan of Qi and Wen of Jin as well?" Shuxiang replied, "Huan of Qi was the son of the Princess of Wei and was greatly favored by Duke Li. He had Bao Shuya, Bin Xuwu, and Xi Peng assisting him, with the states of Ju and Wei as allies, and Gao and Guoshi providing domestic support. He was eager to listen to others' opinions and never tired of bestowing favors. Didn't he deserve to rule? Our Wen, on the other hand, was the son of Hu Jiji and was greatly favored by Duke Xian. He was always eager to learn. During his seventeen years of reign, he had five wise men assisting him, with Ziyu and Zifan as close advisors, Wei Chou and Jia Tuo as trusted officials, and the states of Qi, Song, Qin, and Chu as allies, along with Luan, Xi, Hu, and Xian as internal allies. In his nineteen years of reign, his determination to pursue his goals became even stronger. Hui and Huai abandoned the people, and the people left with them. So shouldn't Wen be able to have a country? Zibi showed no kindness to the people, had no external support, left the state of Jin, and was not welcomed back by Chu. How could he have a country?" Zibi ultimately did not succeed, and the one who inherited the throne was Qiji, just as Shuxiang had said.
In the year 700 BC, King Ping of Chu sent Fei Wuji to the state of Qin to choose a wife for the crown prince. Fei Wuji returned to Chu before the Qin woman's family even arrived, telling King Ping, "The girl from Qin is good; you should marry her yourself, and the crown prince can choose another one." Upon hearing this, King Ping indeed married the Qin woman himself, and they had a son named Xiong Zhen. Only then did they choose a wife for the crown prince. At that time, Wu She was the crown prince's teacher, and Fei Wuji was the tutor. Disliked by the crown prince, Fei Wuji constantly badmouthed him to the king. At that time, Crown Prince Jian was only fifteen years old, his mother was from the state of Cai, and she had no status with the king, who grew increasingly estranged from the crown prince.
Six years later, King Chu Ping sent his crown prince Jian to guard the border at Chengfu. Fei Wuji kept reporting to King Chu Ping every day about the crown prince's behavior, saying, "The crown prince has resented Fei Wuji ever since his marriage to a Qin woman and may harm you. You must be vigilant. Besides, the crown prince is now in Chengfu, commanding an army and conspiring with other vassal states; he might be planning a rebellion!" King Chu Ping called the crown prince's teacher, Wu She, to reprimand him. Wu She knew that Fei Wuji was up to something behind the scenes, so he said, "Your Majesty, would you cast aside your own son based on the word of a mere servant?" Fei Wuji replied, "If you don't deal with him now, you'll live to regret it!" King Chu Ping believed Fei Wuji's words and had Wu She arrested. Then he sent Sima Fenyang to summon Crown Prince Jian, intending to kill him. Upon hearing this, Crown Prince Jian immediately fled to the state of Song.
Then Fei Wuji said, "Wu She has two sons. Keeping them both alive would spell disaster for Chu. It is better to spare Wu She first, call him, and he will surely come." So King Ping of Chu sent someone to tell Wu She: "Come back with your two sons, and your father goes free. If you can't bring them back, you will die." Wu She said, "Shang will surely come, but Xu won't." King Ping of Chu asked, "Why?" Wu She replied, "My son Shang is upright, dutiful, and righteous. He'd come regardless of the risk when he hears I can be released. My son Xu is clever, bold, and ambitious. He knows he will die if he returns, so he won't come. But Xu, in the long run, would be the greater threat to Chu." So King Ping of Chu sent someone to summon Wu Shang, saying, "Come back, and your father goes free." Wu Shang said to Wu Xu, "Look, if we don't go now, it'll look like we're not filial. If Dad's killed and we don't avenge him, that's weak. This is our chance to do something, to be smart about this. You go; I'll stay and face the music." Wu Shang then went back. Wu Xu drew his bow and came out to meet the messenger, saying, "My father is guilty; why summon my son?" He nocked an arrow, and the messenger, frightened, ran away. Wu Xu also fled to the State of Wu. When Wu She heard that Wu Xu had fled, he said, "Xu has fled; Chu is in danger!" Finally, Chu executed both Wu She and Wu Shang.
Ten years ago, Prince Jian's mother lived in Juchao. At that time, the State of Wu was expanding its power. Wu sent Gongzi Guang to lead troops to attack the State of Chu, defeating the States of Chen and Cai along the way, and even capturing Prince Jian's mother. Chu panicked and hastily reinforced Ying's city walls. The root cause of this incident was actually quite small. Kids from Beiliang, a Wu village, and Zhongli, a Chu village, brawled over mulberry leaves, which escalated and eventually led to the destruction of Beiliang. The Beiliang magistrate was furious and led troops to attack Zhongli. When the King of Chu heard about this, he was also angry and sent troops to destroy Beiliang. The King of Wu was even more furious and led troops to attack Chu. Gongzi Guang took advantage of the situation with Prince Jian's mother and attacked Chu, capturing Zhongli and Juchao. This made Chu afraid, so they quickly reinforced the defenses of Ying.
Three years later, King Ping of Chu died. General Zichang said, "Prince Zhen is still young, and his mother is the woman who Prince Jian was originally supposed to marry." He proposed Zixi as the next king. Zixi was the younger half-brother of King Ping and an honest man. Zixi said, "That'd break all the rules, mate. Switching kings now would cause a right royal mess, and I'd get my head chopped off for even suggesting it." In the end, Prince Zhen was made king, becoming King Zhao of Chu.
The first year of King Zhao's reign? The Chu people were *furious* with Fei Wuji, believing he had framed Prince Jian and caused the deaths of Wu She and his son and Xi Wan. Xi Wan's relatives, the son of Bo Shi, Bo Pi, and Wu Zixu, fled to the State of Wu. Wu frequently attacked Chu, and the people of Chu hated Fei Wuji. So Lord Zichang offed Fei Wuji to keep the peace, and that calmed things down.
Four years later, three princes from the state of Wu sought refuge in Chu. Chu rewarded them and had them resist Wu's attacks. Five years later, Wu decisively defeated Chu and occupied the territories of Lu and Qian in Chu. Seven years later, Chu sent Zi Chang to attack Wu, but Wu decisively defeated him at Yuzhang.
Ten years later, that winter, King Helu of Wu, Wu Zixu, Bo Pi, along with the armies of the states of Tang and Cai, launched an attack on Chu. Chu was badly defeated, and the Wu army directly entered Yingdu, even insulting King Ping's tomb in his quest for revenge. When the Wu army attacked, Chu sent Zi Chang to confront them, deploying their forces along the Han River. The routed Chu army was pursued relentlessly, culminating in five battles before the Wu army reached Yingdu. King Zhao fled on Jimao; by Gengchen, Yingdu had fallen to the Wu army.
King Zhao fled to Yunmeng Marsh, where the people did not recognize him as the King of Chu and shot him. Talk about bad luck! With no choice, the king had to escape to the state of Yun. Yun's ruler's brother, Huai, was ruthless and said, "King Ping killed my father; now I will kill his son. That's only fair, isn't it?" The ruler of Yun quickly stopped him, but fearing he might really kill King Zhao, they fled together to the state of Sui.
King Wu heard that King Zhao had fled to Sui, so he immediately led his troops to attack, telling the Sui people, "Wipe out every last Zhou dynasty lord between the Yangtze and the Han!" This King Wu clearly intended to kill King Zhao. King Zhao and his minister Qi quickly hid King Zhao, while Qi pretended to be King Zhao and said to the Wu people, "Just hand me over to King Wu!" The Sui's diviners said it was bad luck to give Qi up, so they refused King Wu, saying, "King Zhao has fled and is not in Sui." King Wu wanted a personal search, but Sui flat-out refused, so he had no choice but to leave in disappointment.
When King Zhao escaped Yingdu, he sent Shen Baoxu to Qin for help. Qin sent five hundred chariots to aid Chu, and Chu also gathered the remaining scattered soldiers to fight against Wu alongside Qin. Eleven years of fighting, and finally, in June at Jidi, they smashed Wu. Then, Wu's brother Fu Gai saw the defeat, hightailed it back, and declared himself king. King Helu heard this and scrambled back to deal with Fu Gai. Fu Gai got beat and ran back to Chu, where they made him lord of Tangxi.
After King Zhao of Chu destroyed the State of Tang, he finally returned to Yingdu after nine months. Twelve years later, though, Wu attacked again and took Fandi. Scared stiff, Chu ditched Yingdu and moved north to Yuedi, making it their new capital.
Sixteen years later, Confucius became Lu's chief minister. Four years later, Chu took Dun and Hu. The next year, King Helu attacked Yue and got himself shot dead by King Goujian. That settled it with Yue, and Wu never had the chance to hit Chu again.
Spring, 506 BC, the state of Wu attacked the state of Chen, and King Zhao of Chu went to rescue Chen, with his army stationed in Chengfu. In October, King Zhao took a turn for the worse in the military camp, and crimson bird-shaped clouds danced around the sun. King Zhao inquired with the historians of the Zhou dynasty, and they said, "This means trouble for the King, but it can be deflected onto the generals." Hearing this, the generals offered their lives to appease the spirits and save the king. King Zhao said, "Guys, you're my right-hand men. I can't sacrifice you like that!" So he did not agree to their request.
Later, the diviners predicted trouble from the Yellow River, and the ministers requested to offer sacrifices to it. King Zhao said, "My ancestors were given this land, and it's nowhere near the Yellow River. Why would it punish us?" Confucius was in the state of Chen at the time, and upon hearing this, he said, "King Zhao really gets it! He'll keep his kingdom, no doubt about it!"
King Zhao fell seriously ill, and he gathered the princes and ministers to say, "I've messed up twice, bringing shame on the Chu army. At least I'm dying in my bed. Lucky me!" He offered the throne to his younger brother, Prince Shen, who refused to accept. He then tried to give the throne to the next younger brother, Prince Jie, who also refused. He named his next brother as heir, Prince Lu, a total of five times before someone finally accepted the throne.
With war looming, King Zhao died in his camp on Gengyin day. Prince Lu said, "The king was dying, and gave me the throne. I took it to honor his wishes. Now that he's gone, I won't forget what he wanted." So he, Zixi, and Ziqi set an ambush, blocked the roads, and put the Yue princess's son on the throne. That's how King Hui came to power. Then the Chu army went home and buried King Zhao.
In the year 540 BC, in the second year of King Huai of Chu, the minister Zixi brought back Sheng, the son of Prince Jian of the deposed King Ping, from Wu and appointed him as an official in Chaoyi. People called him Bai Gong. Bai Gong was particularly warlike and good at rallying common soldiers. He was out for revenge. In the sixth year, Bai Gong requested Zixi to lead troops to attack Zheng. Bai Gong's father Jian had been killed in Zheng, which caused him to flee to Wu. Later, Zixi brought him back, so Bai Gong always harbored hatred towards Zheng and wanted to take the opportunity for revenge. Although Zixi agreed, he never ordered the troops to attack.
In the eighth year, Jin attacked Zheng, and Zheng sought help from Chu. Chu sent Zixi to rescue Zheng, but after receiving bribes, he withdrew the troops. Bai Gong was furious and, with several brave warriors such as Shi Qi, attacked and killed Zixi and Ziqi in the court, then held King Hui captive and locked him in Gaofu, intending to kill him. There was a man named Qu Gu beside King Hui who escaped with him to the queen's palace. Bai Gong declared himself king. However, a month later, Ye Gong came to Chu's rescue with his troops, and King Hui's subordinates and Ye Gong attacked Bai Gong together and killed him. King Hui was restored to the throne. That year, Chu destroyed Chen and turned it into a county.
By 522 BC, Wu's King Fuchai was powerful and oppressed Qi and Jin, even attacking Chu. In 515 BC, Yue destroyed Wu. In 488 BC, Chu destroyed Cai. In 486 BC, Chu destroyed Qi and made peace with Qin. At this time, although Yue had destroyed Wu, it didn't have the power to control the area north of the Yangtze, while Chu expanded eastward, its territory reaching as far as the Si River.
In 473 BC, King Huai of Chu died, and his son King Jian succeeded to the throne. In the first year of King Jian's reign, he launched a war to the north and destroyed the state of Ju. Eight years later, Wei, Han, and Zhao were now officially recognized as major states. In 456 BC, King Jian died, and his son King Sheng succeeded to the throne. King Sheng ruled for six years before being killed by assassins, and his son King Dao Xiong Yi succeeded him. In the second year of King Dao's reign, the Three Jin states attacked Chu, reaching Chengqiu before pulling back. In the fourth year, Chu attacked the Zhou dynasty. Zheng killed Zi Yang. In the ninth year, Chu attacked Han and seized Fu Shu. In the eleventh year, the Three Jin states attacked Chu again, and Chu was defeated in Liangdi and Yuguang. Chu sent a large amount of bribes to Qin and patched things up with them. In 439 BC, King Dao died, and his son King Su succeeded to the throne.
In 435 BC, Shu attacked Chu and conquered Zifang. Chu then built defenses in the passes to resist the Shu army. Ten years later, Wei took over Lu Yang from Chu. In 434 BC, King Su died without a son, so his brother Xiong Liangfu succeeded him, becoming King Xuan of Chu.
In 381 BC, during the sixth year of King Xuan of Zhou's reign, the King of Zhou sent gifts to Duke Huan of Qin. At that time, Qin was just beginning to rise in power, while the three Jin states (Han, Zhao, Wei) were also becoming stronger, especially powerful were Wei Huiwang and Qi Weiwang. Thirty years later, Qin gave Shang Yang Shangyi and then attacked Chu from the south. In the same year, King Xuan of Zhou passed away, and his son King Wei Xiong Shang succeeded to the throne.
In 375 BC, during the sixth year of King Wei's reign, King Xian of Zhou bestowed the sacrificial gifts to King Hui of Qin.
In 374 BC, Mengchangjun, the father of Tian Ying from the state of Qi, offended the state of Chu. King Wei of Chu led his troops to attack Qi, defeated the Qi army in Xuzhou, and demanded that Qi must expel Tian Ying. Frightened, Tian Ying sent Zhang Chou to convince King Wei of Chu, saying, "Your Majesty, the reason you won the battle in Xuzhou is that Qi didn’t use Tian Pan (Tian Ying's less capable son). This kid is highly respected in the country, and everyone listens to him. This old geezer, Tian Ying, doesn’t heed advice and insists on using Shen Ji. Nobody respects him, and no one listens to him; that's why you won! Now, if you drive Tian Ying away, once he’s gone, Tian Pan will definitely come out to take charge. If he leads the army against you, you'll be in trouble!" King Wei of Chu listened and found it reasonable, so he did not insist on expelling Tian Ying.
In 370 BC, King Wei died, and his son, King Huai, Xiong Huai, succeeded to the throne. The state of Wei heard that the king of Chu had died, so they took the opportunity to attack Chu and even took away that Xingshan mountain of ours.
In 329 BC, in the first year of King Huai's reign, Zhang Yi became the Qin king's top advisor. Four years later, King Hui of Qin declared himself king.
Six years ago, the Chu Kingdom sent General Zhaoyang to lead troops to attack the Wei Kingdom. They defeated the Wei army in Xiangling and captured eight cities. Then, they sent troops to attack the Qi Kingdom, causing the Qi King to worry. At that time, Chen Zhen was serving as an envoy from the Qin Kingdom in the Qi Kingdom. The Qi King asked him, "What should we do?" Chen Zhen said, "Don't sweat it, Your Highness. I'll find a way to make them withdraw their troops." So Chen Zhen went to Zhaoyang's camp and asked him, "I want to ask about the customs of the Chu Kingdom. What rewards can one receive for winning battles and killing enemy generals?" Zhaoyang proudly said, "One can be appointed as the highest-ranking official, receive the highest title, and even carry a jade sceptre!" Chen Zhen asked again, "Is there a higher reward than this?" Zhaoyang replied, "Only the Prime Minister." Chen Zhen said, "You are already the Prime Minister now, which is the highest position in the Chu Kingdom. Let me give you an example. It's like someone giving their servants a jug of wine, and they decide to draw snakes on the ground. Whoever finishes drawing first gets to drink alone. One person says, 'I finished drawing my snake first!' He picks up the wine cup to drink and says, 'I can even draw feet on it!' Before he could add the feet, someone else grabbed the wine and drank it, saying, 'A snake doesn't have feet to begin with. By drawing feet on it, it's no longer a snake!' Now, you have attacked the Wei Kingdom for the Chu Kingdom, defeated the enemy, and killed enemy generals. Your achievements are already the greatest, and you have received the highest position. Now, if you attack the Qi Kingdom and win, your position and title won't rise any further; if you lose, you may lose your life and be mocked by the Chu Kingdom. It's like drawing feet on a snake, not worth the risk! It's better to withdraw your troops and treat the Qi Kingdom with kindness and fairness. This is like knowing when to quit while you're ahead." Zhaoyang thought Chen Zhen made sense and ordered the troops to withdraw. The rulers of Yan and Han also began to call themselves kings. Qin sent Zhang Yi to broker an alliance at Nie Sang with Chu, Qi, and Wei.
In the eleventh year, Su Qin joined forces with the six states of the east to attack the state of Qin, with King Huai of Chu as the leader. When the army reached Hangu Pass, Qin sent troops to counterattack, and the other five states retreated, leaving Qi as the rearguard. In the twelfth year, King Min of Qi defeated the combined forces of Zhao and Wei, while Qin also defeated the state of Han. Qi and Qin were locked in a struggle for dominance.
Sixteen years ago, Qin wanted to attack Qi, but Chu had a good relationship with Qi, which made King Hui of Qin anxious. Therefore, he publicly announced the dismissal of Zhang Yi and sent him to Chu to meet with King Huai. He said to him, "There is no one whom our King of Qin admires more than you, Your Majesty; even I, Zhang Yi, would prefer to serve you! There is no one whom our King of Qin dislikes more than King of Qi; even I dislike him the most. Your Majesty has a good relationship with Qi, so our King of Qin can't properly attend to Your Majesty's needs, and I can't even hope to be your gatekeeper. If Your Majesty breaks ties with Qi for my sake, I will immediately send envoys with you to the west to reclaim the Shangyu land (600 li) that Qin had ceded to Chu in the past, weakening Qi. This way, the north weakens Qi, the west pleases Qin, and taking back Shangyu land makes Chu prosperous. One stroke, three benefits!"
King Huai was delighted when he heard the news. He immediately gave Zhang Yi the seal and started partying with him every day, going on and on about: "I have regained the land of Shangyu!" The ministers congratulated him, but Chen Zhen was the only one who sighed. King Huai asked him, "What's the matter?" Chen Zhen replied, "The reason Qin values Chu is because of Chu's good relationship with Qi. Now that we haven't obtained the land yet, our relationship with Qi has already been severed, leaving Chu isolated. Why would Qin value an isolated country? They will definitely look down on Chu! Moreover, we should have obtained the land first and then cut ties with Qi, so Qin's plan would fail. If we cut ties with Qi first and then try to obtain the land, we'll definitely be deceived by Zhang Yi! If you hate him, it means making enemies of both Qin and Qi. That's why I sighed!" King Huai didn't listen to his advice and sent a general to the west to receive the land. When Zhang Yi arrived in Qin, he pretended to be drunk and fell off the carriage, then claimed to be ill and didn't leave the house for three months, not making any move on Qin's territory. King Huai thought to himself, "Does Zhang Yi think I'm not up to par for giving up the alliance with Qi?" So he sent a brave warrior, Song Yi, to humiliate the Qi king. The Qi king blew a gasket, dumped Chu, and allied with Qin instead. When Qin and Qi formed an alliance, Zhang Yi finally appeared in court and said to the Chu general, "What's the hold-up? It's only six li." The Chu general replied, "I was supposed to get six hundred li, not six measly li!" He hurried back to report this to King Huai. King Huai hit the roof and immediately mobilized his army to attack Qin.
Chen Zhen hurriedly persuaded, "Attacking the State of Qin is not a good idea! Why don't we just hand over a city to Qin and then team up with them to take on Qi? This way, even if we lose to Qin, we can get some payback from Qi, and the country can be preserved. Now that you've ticked off Qi and accused Qin of being crooked, it's like pushing Qin and Qi into an alliance against us. The whole country will suffer in the end!" King Huai of Chu did not listen, cut ties with Qin, and attacked Qin.
In the spring of the seventeenth year, Chu and Qin fought a battle in Danyang and got their butts kicked, with eighty thousand soldiers dead. General Qu Mai, his deputy, and seventy others were taken prisoner. Qin also seized Hanzhong. King Huai was furious, threw everything he had at Qin again, and they fought another battle in Lantian, where Chu got clobbered again. When Han and Wei heard Chu was in a jam, they invaded from the south, pushing all the way to Dengcheng. So Chu had to pull their troops back.
In the eighteenth year, Qin sent envoys to make peace, offering to share Hanzhong. King Huai of Chu said, "I want Zhang Yi, not your land!" Upon hearing this, Zhang Yi volunteered to go to Chu. The King of Qin asked, "Do you think they'll just roll over for you?" Zhang Yi replied, "I'm good at working the people around King Huai, especially Jin Shang. He can sweet-talk Zheng Xiu, the King's favorite, and whatever she says, the King does. I screwed up with that Shang Yu deal, costing Chu big time. Now, with this war going on, I need to go to Chu and set things straight. Besides, you're still in charge, so they won't touch me. If killing me helps, then go ahead." So, Zhang Yi went to Chu.
Wow, Zhang Yi arrived in Chu, but King Huai unexpectedly didn't see him. Instead, he had him thrown in jail and wanted him dead! Zhang Yi secretly sought help from Jin Shang, who then went to King Huai and said, "If you kill Zhang Yi, the Qin king will be furious. Everyone will think Chu and Qin are enemies, and they'll look down on you!" He then whispered to Zheng Xiu, the king's wife, "The Qin king's really sweet on Zhang Yi. If you kill him, Qin will throw in Shangyong's six counties, a bunch of hot babes to marry you, and even palace singers as your maids. Once Chu gets that land, the Qin princess will be super important, making your position as queen shaky. You should tell the king to let Zhang Yi go." Upon hearing this, Zheng Xiu hurried to speak to King Huai, who then released Zhang Yi. After his release, the king was surprisingly friendly towards him, and Zhang Yi took the opportunity to persuade King Huai to reconcile with Qin and even suggested a royal marriage.
The minute Zhang Yi left, Qu Yuan returned from the State of Qi and hurriedly advised King Huai, "Your Majesty, why didn't you kill Zhang Yi?" That's when King Huai realized his mistake and sent people to chase after Zhang Yi, but they couldn't catch up. That same year, the Qin king died.
After twenty years, King Qi Min sought to rule supreme. He was deeply concerned by the close relationship between the Chu Kingdom and the Qin Kingdom, so he sent someone to write a letter to King Huai of Chu, saying, "I have always worried that the Chu Kingdom has misjudged the situation. Now that King Hui of Qin has died, King Wu has succeeded him, Zhang Yi has fled to the state of Wei, and Chuli Ji and Gongsun Yan are in power, yet the Chu Kingdom still maintains a good relationship with the Qin Kingdom. If the Chu Kingdom continues to be friendly with the Qin Kingdom, the states of Han and Wei will surely be alarmed. They will undoubtedly attempt to persuade Chuli Ji and Gongsun Yan to forge a strong alliance with the Qin Kingdom, and then Yan and Zhao will follow suit. If all four states are allied with the Qin Kingdom, will not the Chu Kingdom become a mere county of the Qin Kingdom? Your Majesty, why not join me, unite with the vassals of Han, Wei, Yan, and Zhao, support the Zhou Dynasty together, restore order and prosperity, and command the realm? Disobedience will only enhance your reputation! If you lead the vassals to strike against the Qin Kingdom, victory is assured! You can seize Wuguan, the Shu region, and Hanzhong, plunder the wealth of Wu and Yue, control the resources of the Jianghai, and with Han and Wei ceding Shangdang, extend your influence all the way to Hangu Pass in the west, making the Chu Kingdom formidable! Furthermore, Your Majesty, you have been deceived by Zhang Yi, lost Hanzhong, and suffered a defeat in Lantian; the people are outraged on your behalf! Do you still wish to flatter the Qin Kingdom now?! I urge Your Majesty to give this matter your most careful consideration!"
King Chu originally wanted to make peace with the State of Qin, but after receiving a letter from King Qi, he had second thoughts. He then summoned his ministers to discuss. Some ministers suggested making peace with Qin, while others recommended following Qi's advice. Zhao Ju spoke up and said, "Although Your Majesty has taken some land from the State of Yue, this isn't enough to get some respect from the other states; only by taking land from the State of Qin can you show those other guys who's boss. Your Majesty should improve relations with Qi and Han, thereby boosting Chuli Ji's power so that you can demand land from Qin with the support of Qi and Han. Qin has captured Yiyang from Han, but Han still serves Qin because the tomb of the former king of Han is in Pingyang, which is seventy miles away from Wusui in Qin. Han was terrified of Qin. Otherwise, if Qin attacks Sanchuan, Zhao attacks Shangdang, and Chu attacks the surrounding areas, Han would surely perish. Although Chu tried to save Han, it couldn't prevent Han's destruction. In the end, Chu bought Han some time. Han has already obtained Wusui from Qin, and with the Yellow River and mountains as barriers, it is most grateful to Chu. I believe Your Majesty must act quickly on this matter. Qi trusted Han since the son of Han is the prime minister in Qi. If you buddy up with Han and use the power of Qi and Han to strengthen Chuli Ji's influence, once Chuli Ji has the support of Qi and Han, his king wouldn't dare dump him. With Chu's support now, Chuli Ji will definitely persuade Qin and get our land back from Qin." So King Huai took Zhao Ju's advice, ditched the peace talks with Qin, and teamed up with Qi and improved relations with Han.
After twenty-four years, Chu betrayed Qi and allied with Qin. King Zhao of Qin, who had just ascended the throne, showered Chu with gifts. Chu sent people to welcome the princess of Qin. In the twenty-fifth year, King Huai of Chu personally went to Qin to swear an oath with King Zhao at Huangji. Qin also ceded the Shangyong region to Chu. In the twenty-sixth year, Qi, Han, and Wei united with Qin against Chu for betraying their alliance, and the three states attacked Chu together. Chu sent the prince (the crown prince) to Qin as a hostage to request assistance. Qin then sent Keqing Tong (a high-ranking official) to lead troops to rescue Chu, prompting the three states to withdraw their forces.
A Qin minister in 277 BC privately fought with the prince of Chu, resulting in the prince killing the minister and fleeing back to Chu.
In 276 BC, Qin attacked Chu again, along with Qi, Han, and Wei, crushing Chu in a major battle that killed 20,000 of their men, including General Jing Que. King Huai of Chu was terrified and quickly sent the prince to Qi as a hostage in hopes of seeking peace.
In 274 BC, Qin once again attacked Chu, capturing eight cities in one go. King Zhao of Qin wrote a letter to King Huai of Chu, stating: "We were brothers, sworn at Huangji, and your crown prince came to Qin as a hostage; our relationship was quite good. However, your prince unexpectedly killed my important minister and fled without a word. I was really angry, so I sent troops to invade your borders. Now I hear that you have sent your prince to Qi as a hostage for peace, and I am also quite upset. Qin and Chu are neighboring countries and have always had good relations and intermarriage. Now that our relationship is strained, we cannot command the other vassal states. I hope to meet you at Wuguan to discuss a new alliance. So that's my proposal; let me know what you think."
King Huai of Chu got King Zhao of Qin's letter and was all torn up about it. He wanted to go, but was scared of getting tricked; but if he didn't go, he was scared of Qin's wrath. Zhao Ju was all, "Your Majesty, don't go! Quickly mobilize troops and strengthen defenses! Qin's like a pack of wolves – you can't trust 'em. They aim to annex all the vassal states!" However, King Huai's son Zilan advised him to go: "How can we just cut ties with Qin?" So King Huai went to meet with King Zhao of Qin.
King Zhao of Qin pulled a fast one, secretly sending a general with troops to ambush at Wuguan, pretending to be the king of Qin. When King Huai arrived at Wuguan, the Qin army closed the city gates and then escorted King Huai to Xianyang, where he was treated like dirt, showing no respect. King Huai was furious and regretted not listening to Zhao Ju. Qin seized the chance, holding King Huai hostage and forcing him to hand over Wu and Qianzhong counties. King Huai angrily said, "Qin not only deceives me, but also forces me to cede land!" He refused Qin's demands.
Chu's ministers were in a panic. They privately discussed, saying, "Our king's been held hostage by Qin, and there's no sign of him coming back. Qin also wants a chunk of our land, while the crown prince is held hostage in Qi. If Qi and Qin team up, we're done for!" So they planned to install King Huai's son. But Zhao Ju argued, "Our king and crown prince are both in the clutches of other states. Ignoring the king and crowning another prince is a bad idea." So he faked a run for Qi. King Min of Qi asked his prime minister, "Why not hold onto the crown prince and trade him for Chu's Huaibei region?" The prime minister replied, "That's a bad idea. If Yingdu gets a new king, we'll be holding an empty hostage, and that's not right." Someone suggested a deal: "Give us Dongguo, and we'll help you get rid of the prince; otherwise, we'll back him." King Min took his minister's advice and sent the prince back. He became king, known as King Qingxiang. Chu told Qin, "Thanks to the gods, we've got a new king!"
In King Xiang's first year, Qin wanted to obtain land from King Huai but was unsuccessful. Chu established a new king to deal with Qin, which angered King Zhao. Qin sent troops to attack Chu from Wuguan, and the Chu army was defeated, with fifty thousand soldiers slain. Qin also seized fifteen Chu cities before withdrawing its troops. In the second year, King Huai fled and tried to return to Chu. Qin discovered this and blocked the roads to Chu. Fearing for his life, King Huai took a detour to seek help from the state of Zhao. The ruler of Zhao was in Dai at the time, and his son, King Hui, had just ascended the throne and was dealing with state affairs. Fearing for his own safety, he refused to offer King Huai sanctuary. King Huai then tried to escape to the state of Wei, but Qin's troops caught up with him, and in the end, King Huai was brought back to Qin by Qin's envoys. King Huai fell gravely ill as a result. In the third year of King Xiang, King Huai died in Qin, and Qin sent his funeral back to Chu. The people of Chu mourned him deeply, as if he were their own kin. As a result, the vassal states no longer trusted Qin, and the relationship between Qin and Chu was severed. In the sixth year, Qin sent Bai Qi to attack the state of Han at Yi Que, achieving a great victory, with twenty-four thousand slain. Qin wrote to the King of Chu, saying, "Chu has betrayed Qin, so Qin will lead the vassal states to attack Chu and fight for Chu's very existence. I hope the King can organize the army and prepare for battle." King Xiang of Chu was very worried about this and planned to reconcile with Qin again. In the seventh year, Chu gave a princess in marriage to Qin, and Qin and Chu reconciled. In the eleventh year, both Qi and Qin briefly declared themselves emperors before reverting to the title of king a month later. In the fourteenth year, King Xiang of Chu and King Zhao of Qin met amicably in Wancheng and became in-laws. In the fifteenth year, the King of Chu, along with Qin, the Three Jin (Han, Zhao, Wei), and the state of Yan, attacked the state of Qi and carved out a significant territorial gain north of the Huai River. This was a major campaign, and Chu also reaped the benefits.
Sixteen years on, King Chu met with King Zhao of Qin in Yandi. In the autumn, he met with the King of Qin again in Rangdi. The two kings were practically inseparable, always meeting. These "good meetings" weren't just for show; they led to close ties, royal weddings, and joint military action between the two countries. In the fourteenth year, King Qingxiang of Chu met with King Zhao of Qin in Wan, forming a marital alliance. In the fifteenth year, King Chu, along with Qin, the Three Jin, and Yan, attacked Qi and captured the northern Huaihe region. In the sixteenth year, he met with King Zhao of Qin in Yandi. In the autumn, he met with the King of Qin again in Rang. These "good meetings" pretty much decided Chu's future strategy. Eighteen years earlier, some bloke from Chu was mad keen on shooting wild geese with a pathetic little bow and arrow. When King Qingxiang heard about it, he sent for the chap.
The man said, "I usually enjoy hunting wild geese and small birds with tiny arrows. What skill is that? How can it compare to you, Your Majesty? Besides, the state of Chu is vast, and you, Your Majesty, are so wise; what you aim at must be far more significant than these trivial targets. The three sovereigns and five emperors of ancient times aimed for moral principles, while the five hegemons set their sights on vassal states. Thus, Qin, Wei, Yan, and Zhao are akin to wild geese; Qi, Lu, Han, and Wei resemble teal ducks; and Zou, Fei, Tan, and Pi can be compared to small birds. Other countries aren't even worth the effort of a shot. What benefit could you possibly gain from spotting six pairs of birds? Why not use the sage as your bow and the brave as your arrows, seizing the opportunity to strike? These six states are ripe for the taking! This pursuit is far more enjoyable than daily hunting, and the rewards would far exceed those of wild ducks and geese! If you were to launch an assault from the south of Wei's capital, and then direct your strike towards Han with your right arm, you could sever the routes in the Central Plains and break through Shangcai County. Then, attack from the east of Yudi to weaken Wei's left flank, followed by an assault on Dingtao; the eastern region of Wei would then be abandoned, and Dazhong, Fangyu, and two counties would also fall into your hands. In this way, Wei's two arms would be severed, leaving it on the brink of collapse. Then, by targeting Tan, the capital would easily be yours. You just need to set up a bow on the Lan Terrace and let your horses drink from the West River, and you can seize the capital of Wei—this is the harvest of a single arrow! If you truly enjoy hunting, take out your precious bows and arrows, strike down the flying birds of the East Sea, and then build the Great Wall as a defensive fortification. Shoot at Dongju in the morning, Peiqiu in the evening, and attack Jimo at night, securing Wudao; in this manner, the lands east of the Great Wall and north of Mount Tai will all belong to us. Next, ally with Zhao to the west and reach Yan to the north; these three states united can easily succeed without negotiation. Then, venture north to inspect Liaodong in Yan and south to survey Kuaiji in Yue—this would yield the harvest of two arrows! As for the twelve vassal states in the Sishui River basin, we can flank them and capture them all in a single day! Now that Qin has attacked Han, Chu is understandably worried. Although Qin has taken some cities, it does not dare to hold them; its efforts against Wei have yielded no significant results, and it is too preoccupied to deal with Zhao. This indicates that both Qin and Wei's strength has waned, and the territories lost in Hanzhong, Xi, and Li can all be reclaimed! You simply need to take out your precious bows and arrows, sharpen new arrowheads, cross the Hangu Pass, and wait for Qin to tire; then, the regions of Shandong and Henan can be unified. This would lighten the burden on the people, allowing them to recuperate, and you would be able to sit securely on the throne! Therefore, Qin is like a great bird, dominating the entire country, facing east, with its left wing occupying the southwest of Zhao and its right wing allied with the capital of Chu. It attacks Han and Wei, looking down upon the Central Plains, benefiting from a superior geographical position and advantageous circumstances. Its wings spread wide, its influence stretches over three thousand li; thus, Qin is not to be trifled with, nor attacked under cover of darkness."
There is no text provided for translation.
This person was trying to provoke King Xiang of Chu, that's why he said such things. King Xiang then summoned him for a conversation, and the man continued: "Our former king was deceived by the state of Qin and died as a stranger in a foreign land. This hatred is too great! If an ordinary person can seek revenge when they have hatred, how much more so for a powerful king? Bai Gong and Zi Xux are examples. Currently, the land of Chu covers five thousand miles, with a million soldiers. We have the ability to stir up trouble in the Central Plains, yet we are just doing nothing. Personally, I feel that Your Majesty should not act this way!" King Xiang then sent envoys to contact the various vassal states, preparing to attack Qin. When Qin heard about this, they sent troops to attack Chu.
Chu wanted to join forces with the states of Qi and Han to attack Qin, and also planned to annex the Zhou dynasty. King Nan of Zhou sent Duke Wu to speak with the Prime Minister of Chu, Zhao Zi, saying: "If these three states use force to carve up Zhou's territory for easier transport, and use Zhou's sacred vessels to boost Chu's prestige, I believe this is not right. Killing the sovereign and submitting to the vassals won't bring the great state closer; threatening weaker countries with superior military might won't make smaller states subservient either. Without the great state coming closer and the small states being subservient, there will be no fame or actual benefits. Without fame and actual benefits, the people can't be pacified. Attacking Zhou will ruin our reputation!"
Zhaozi said, "We did not intend to attack the Zhou Dynasty. However, why shouldn't we attack the Zhou Dynasty?" Duke Wu replied, "We don't attack with less than 50,000 men, and we don't besiege a city with less than 100,000. The entire Zhou Dynasty is only as large as twenty Jin states. Han once lost a 200,000-man army to Jin, suffering a humiliating defeat; elite soldiers died in battle, and ordinary soldiers were injured, yet the Jin state was not breached. You do not have as many troops as one hundred Han states to attack the Zhou Dynasty; everyone knows this. Now, tension is high between the two Zhou states, blocking the roads of Zoulu, cutting off relations with the Qi state, and tarnishing their reputation throughout the world. This matter is too dangerous! Attacking both Zhou states to control the Three Rivers will weaken our flanks. Why do I say this? The land of the Western Zhou, even stretching it, is only about a hundred li. Although the Zhou Dynasty is nominally the ruler of the world, seizing its land and troops won't make us stronger. Not attacking is the same as killing the king. Ambitious rulers and aggressive ministers always target Zhou. Why? They covet Zhou's sacrificial vessels, ignoring the crime of regicide. Now, Han has placed the sacrificial vessels in the state of Chu; I am afraid that people throughout the world will resent Chu because of this. Think of a tiger—nobody likes the meat, but everyone goes after its claws and teeth. A swamp deer in tiger skin attracts more attacks than a real tiger. Killing the king, grabbing the ancestral heirlooms, and taking over all that land—isn't that just plain greed? 'The Book of Zhou' says ambition leads to ruin. Moving those vessels south will bring disaster." So Chu abandoned this plan.
In 19 years, Qin wiped the floor with Chu. Chu gave up Shangyong and northern Han to Qin. The following year, General Bai Qi of Qin captured our Xiling. In year 21, Bai Qi captured our Yingdu as well and burned down the tomb of the former king in Yiling. King Xiang's army scattered; they were totally demoralized and retreated to Chencheng. In year 22, Qin also took our Wujun and Qianzhong Jun.
Man, that was brutal! We lost so much land, our power was shot. It wasn't until year 23 that King Xiang scraped together a hundred thousand troops, wanting to reclaim the fifteen cities along the river that Qin had taken and to establish counties to resist Qin. In year 27, Chu sent 30,000 troops to help the Three Jin states attack Yan, then made peace with Qin and sent the crown prince as a hostage. Chu also sent Zuo Tu to Qin to take care of the crown prince.
In 36, King Qingxiang got sick, and the crown prince snuck back to Chu. In the autumn, King Qingxiang passed away, and the crown prince Xiong Yuan ascended the throne, becoming King Kao Lie. King Kao Lie appointed Zuo Tu as Prime Minister and granted him the land of Wu, with the title of Lord Chunshen.
In Kao Lie's first year, he gave up some land to Qin to keep the peace. By then, Chu was on the ropes. In the sixth year, Qin besieged Handan, and the State of Zhao sought help from Chu. Chu sent General Jingyang to assist Zhao. In the seventh year, the Chu army reached Xinzheng, but the Qin army withdrew. In year 12, King Zhao of Qin kicked the bucket, so King Kao Lie sent Lord Chunshen to offer condolences. In the sixteenth year, King Zhuangxiang of Qin passed away, and King Zhao Zheng ascended the throne. In year 22, Chu, along with other vassal states, attacked Qin together but failed to win and had to retreat. Chu moved its capital east to Shouchun, still calling it Yingdu.
Man, Chu was really going downhill! In the twenty-fifth year, King Kao Lie kicked the bucket, and his son, King You, took over. Li Yuan killed Lord Chunshen. In the third year of King You's reign, the states of Qin and Wei attacked Chu together, and the Prime Minister of Qin, Lv Buwei, also died. In the ninth year, Qin conquered the state of Han. In the tenth year, King You of Chu died, and his half-brother, Yu, succeeded to the throne, becoming King Ai of Chu. King Ai of Chu reigned for just over two months before being murdered by his older half-brother Fu Chu, who then crowned himself king. That year, Qin also captured King Qian of Zhao.
In Fu Chu's first year of reign, Crown Prince Dan of Yan sent Jing Ke to assassinate the King of Qin. In the second year, Qin sent generals to attack Chu, defeating the Chu army and capturing over ten cities. In the third year, Qin conquered the state of Wei. In the fourth year, Qin general Wang Jian defeated our army in Qidi and also killed our general Xiang Yan. Total disaster!
In five years, Qin generals Wang Jian and Meng Wu finally defeated Chu, captured King Fu Chu, destroyed the state of Chu, and turned it into a commandery.
According to Sima Qian, King Ling of Chu once gathered the vassals in Shen and killed the Duke of Qing of Qi, built the luxurious Zhanghua Terrace, and even wanted to obtain the Nine Tripods of the Zhou dynasty. At that time, his ambition was relatively modest; he just wanted to rule the world. But he ended up starving to death at the house of Shen Hai, becoming a joke. His actions are truly regrettable! Power sure corrupts, huh? You gotta be careful with it. King Huai of Chu, due to his poor health, rushed into choosing an heir and got all lovey-dovey with Qin women, which was really terrible, almost leading to the downfall of the kingdom twice!
