Zhao's ancestors were of the same lineage as the Qin state. By the time of Zhongyan, he was the driver for Emperor Dahu Wu. Later, Feilian had two sons, one of whom was named E Lai and worked for King Zhou of Shang. He was eventually killed by the Zhou dynasty, and his descendants became people of the Qin state. E Lai's younger brother was named Ji Sheng, and his descendants became people of the Zhao state.
Ji Sheng had a son named Meng Zeng. Meng Zeng got on well with King Cheng of Zhou and was given the title of Zhaigao Lang. Lang gave birth to Hengfu, and Hengfu gave birth to Zao Fu. Zao Fu also prospered under King Miao of Zhou. Zao Fu got his hands on some fine steeds, and then, even better, pinched three beauties—Li, Hua Liu, and Green Ear—from the Taolin forest and presented them to King Miao. King Miao took Zao Fu west on a hunting trip, but they bumped into the Queen Mother of the West and completely forgot about heading back. At this time, Xu Yanwang rebelled, so King Miao hot-footed it on his speedy steed to attack Xu Yanwang and achieved a great victory. As a reward, King Miao gave Zhao City to Zao Fu, thus marking the beginning of the Zhao family's prosperity.
Six generations down from Zao Fu, there was Yan Fu, also known as Gong Zhong, who fought for King Xuan of Zhou and drove his chariot. During the Battle of Qianmu, Yan Fu even saved King Xuan. Yan Fu had a son named Shu Dai. At that time, King You of Zhou was a real dud, so Shu Dai led his Zhao clan out of Zhou and into Jin, working for Marquis Wen of Jin, thus establishing the Zhao family in Jin.
Five generations later, under Zhao Su, the Zhao family's power was immense. During the sixteenth year of King Xian of Jin, Zhao Su led troops to attack the state of Huo while Jin was attacking the states of Wei and Geng. The ruler of Huo wanted to escape to the state of Qi. A terrible drought hit Jin, and the diviners blamed Mount Huo. Therefore, Zhao Su was sent to bring back the ruler of Huo from Qi, restore the sacrifices of Huo, and bring prosperity back to Jin. King Xian gave Zhao Su the land of Geng as a reward.
Zhao Su's son, Gong Meng, was born in the first year of Duke Min of Lu. Gong Meng had a son named Zhao Shuai, with the style name Ziyu. Zhao Shuai divined for Duke Xian of Jin and other princes, all of which were unfavorable. However, when he divined for Prince Chong'er, it was very auspicious, so he followed Chong'er. Chong'er fled to the state of Dai due to the Li Ji affair, and Zhao Shuai followed him. When Dai attacked Qiangjiuru, they captured two women. Dai gave the younger woman to Chong'er and the elder to Zhao Shuai, who gave birth to Dun. Earlier, when Chong'er was still in Jin, Zhao Shuai's wife gave birth to Zhao Tong, Zhao Kuo, and Zhao Yingqi. Zhao Shuai followed Chong'er in exile for nineteen years before finally returning to Jin. Chong'er became Duke Wen of Jin, and Zhao Shuai became a powerful minister, based in Yuan, running the affairs of Jin. Duke Wen's ability to return and rule Jin was largely due to Zhao Shuai's strategies, which are recorded in Jin's historical records. After Zhao Shuai returned to Jin, Duke Xiang's wife insisted on marrying the wife of Dai and making her son Dun the heir. Duke Xiang's other three sons served him. After six years of Duke Xiang's reign, Zhao Shuai passed away and was given the posthumous name Chengji. Two years later, Zhao Dun succeeded Chengji, and Duke Xiang also passed away. Crown Prince Yigao was just a boy. Zhao Dun felt that the country faced many difficulties and wanted to make Duke Xiang's younger brother Yong the ruler. Yong was in the state of Qin at the time, so Zhao Dun sent people to welcome him. The Crown Prince's mother cried day and night, kneeling before Zhao Dun and saying, "What crime did the late Duke commit that you'd replace his rightful heir?" Zhao Dun was very troubled, fearing that his family and court would have him killed, so he ultimately made the Crown Prince the ruler, who became Duke Ling of Jin. He also sent troops to intercept those going to Qin to welcome Duke Xiang's brother. After Duke Ling ascended the throne, Zhao Dun held even more sway.
Duke Ling ruled for fourteen years, becoming increasingly arrogant. Zhao Dun advised him many times, but Duke Ling did not listen. Once, while eating an undercooked bear paw, Duke Ling killed the chef and publicly displayed the chef's corpse. Zhao Dun witnessed this scene with his own eyes. Duke Ling, fearing for his safety, wanted to kill Zhao Dun. Zhao Dun was known for his kindness; once, he saved a starving man while eating mulberries, and this man later saved Zhao Dun, allowing him to escape. Before he could flee the country, Zhao Chuan killed Duke Ling and made his brother, Hei Tun, the new duke, who became Duke Cheng. Zhao Dun returned to the state of Jin and continued to govern the country. People criticized Zhao Dun for not hunting down the killer after he came back, and so history records Zhao Dun as having "killed the ruler." During the reign of Duke Jing of Jin, Zhao Dun passed away and was posthumously named Xuan Meng. His son, Shuo, inherited his title.
Three years into Duke Jing's reign, in 547 BC, Minister Tu Anjia plotted to wipe out the Zhao clan. Earlier, when Zhao Dun was still alive, he had a dream in which his brother Shuai was weeping, clutching a weapon, before suddenly erupting into laughter, clapping, and singing. Zhao Dun sought divination, and the initial results were dangerous, but later turned out well. Zhao's court historians interpreted the dream, saying, "This dream is terrible. The disaster will not happen to you, but to your son, although it is also your responsibility. Your grandchildren will see the Zhao family's decline."
Tu Anjia, initially favored by Duke Ling of Jin, became the top cop during the reign of Duke Jing of Jin. He wanted to stir up some trouble, so he falsely accused Zhao Dun of being the one responsible for the assassination of Duke Ling of Jin. He went around telling the generals, "Although Zhao Dun may not have known about this incident, he is still the main culprit! The minister killed the ruler, yet his descendants are still officials in the court. What kind of punishment do they deserve? I request to wipe out the Zhao family!" Han Jue stood up and opposed him, saying, "When Duke Ling of Jin was assassinated, Zhao Dun just so happened to be out of the country. Our late ruler considered him innocent, so he was not killed. Now you want to kill his descendants? That's not what the old man wanted. Killing people willy-nilly is anarchy! I will report this major matter to the ruler, and if the ruler does not know about it, it is as good as having no ruler!" Tu Anjia flat-out ignored him.
Han Jue hurried to inform Zhao Shuo to run for his life. Zhao Shuo refused, saying, "As long as you keep the Zhao family going, I can die with peace of mind!" Han Jue promised him, so he feigned illness and stayed home. Tu Anjia never bothered to ask the king and secretly led the troops to attack the residence of the Zhao family in the lower palace, killing Zhao Shuo, Zhao Tong, Zhao Kuo, and Zhao Yingqi, and wiped them all out.
Zhao Shuo's wife, who was the sister of Duke Cheng of Jin, was pregnant with Zhao Shuo's posthumous child and secretly ran to the palace to hide. Zhao Shuo's friend, Gong Sun Chuju, found another friend, Cheng Ying, and asked him, "What are you still doing alive?" Cheng Ying replied, "There's still a kid in Zhao Shuo's wife's belly. If it's a boy, I'll raise him; if it's a girl, I'll just end it." Not long after, Zhao Shuo's wife safely gave birth to a boy.
Lord Tu'anjia heard about this and sent people to search the palace. Zhao Shuo's wife hid the child in her trousers and prayed, "If our family is doomed, cry; otherwise, be still." When the searchers arrived, the child indeed remained silent. After they left, Cheng Ying said to Gongsun Chujiu, "They missed him this time, but they'll be back. What're we gonna do?" Gongsun Chujiu replied, "Is it harder to save the kid or to die?" Cheng Ying said, "Dying's easy; keeping the kid safe is the hard part." Gongsun Chujiu said, "The old Zhao lord was good to you. You do the difficult task; I'll do the easy task. I will die first!"
They found another kid, dressed him up fancy, and hid him in the mountains. Cheng Ying went out and intentionally told the generals, "Anyone give me a thousand bucks, and I'll tell you where the kid is." The generals were stoked and promised to give him money, leading the troops to attack Gongsun Chujiu. Gongsun Chujiu cursed, "Cheng Ying, you rat! When it was so dangerous in the palace, you didn't die, you hid the Zhao family's orphan with me, and now you've sold me out! Even if you can't protect him, you shouldn't betray him like this!" He cried while holding the child, "God, have mercy! What did that poor kid do to deserve this? Kill me, not him!" The generals did not listen and killed Gongsun Chujiu and the fake orphan. The generals figured the kid was dead and were happy as clams. But the real Zhao kid was still alive, safe in the mountains with Cheng Ying.
Duke Jing fell ill and sought divination. The divination revealed that after the reign of Daye, the country's fortune would decline, and there was something wicked afoot. Duke Jing asked Han Jue what the story was. Han Jue knew that the orphan of the Zhao family was still alive, so he said, "After the reign of Daye, was it the Zhao family whose line died out? After Zhongyan, everyone had the surname Ying. The legendary Zhongyan, half-man, half-bird, once assisted Emperor Wu of Yin and also aided the Zhou Emperor, both with great merit. The kingdom only started to decline under Kings You and Li, and it was then that Shu Dai left the Zhou dynasty to come to Jin and served the late Duke Wen. Until Cheng Gong, the Zhao family has always had contributions, and their lineage remained unbroken. Now, our king has wiped out the Zhao family, and it's broken the people's hearts, so the divination result is like this. You need to think about this, Your Majesty!"
Duke Jing asked, "Does the Zhao family have descendants?" Han Jue then told Duke Jing everything. So Duke Jing and Han Jue discussed raising the orphan of the Zhao family and smuggling the boy into the palace. When the generals came to check on Duke Jing, he leveraged Han Jue's power to intimidate them and showed them the orphan of the Zhao family. The child's name was Zhao Wu. The generals were forced to say, "During the coup, it was Tu Anjia who did it. He forged the king's orders and commanded the ministers. If it weren't for Your Majesty's illness, we ministers would have long requested to establish the descendants of the Zhao family. Now that Your Majesty has given the order, this is what we ministers have wanted all along!"
So, everyone brought Zhao Wu and Cheng Ying and made them bow before the generals. Then, Zhao Wu, Cheng Ying, and Duke Jing together attacked Tu Anjia, annihilated his entire clan, and restored the Zhao family's lands to Zhao Wu.
After Zhao Wu grew up, Cheng Ying took his leave of the Jin ministers and said to Zhao Wu, "During that palace massacre, everyone died. It's not that I can't die, but I want to honor Zhao Xuanmeng and Gongsun Chuju's memory. Now that Zhao Wu has come into his own, I want to repay them." Zhao Wu cried and knelt, refusing to let him go, saying, "I'll dedicate my life to repaying you. How can you leave me and die?" Cheng Ying said, "No. They staked everything on my success and paid the ultimate price; if I don't repay them, my debt remains unpaid." After speaking, Cheng Ying took his own life. Zhao Wu mourned for three years, held biannual memorial services for Cheng Ying, and this practice continued for generations.
Eleven years after the Zhao clan was restored to power, Duke Li of Jin killed three Xishi officials. Luan Shu was afraid of being killed too, so he killed Duke Li and established Zhou, the great-grandson of Duke Xiang, as the ruler, who became Duke Dao of Jin. Since then, the Jin officials grew increasingly powerful.
Twenty-seven years after Zhao Wuzi succeeded Zhao Zong, Duke Ping of Jin came to power. After twelve years in office, Zhao Wuzi became the prime minister. A year later, the minister Yan Lingjizi of Wu visited the Jin state and remarked, "Jin's power's really in the hands of the Zhao, Han, and Wei families, huh?" After Zhao Wuzi's death, he was given the posthumous title of Wenzi.
Wenzi had a son named Jingshu. When Jingshu was in power, Duke Jing of Qi sent Yan Ying to visit the Jin state, where Yan Ying chatted with the Jin state's Shuxiang. Yan Ying said, "The Tian clan will end up running Qi." Shuxiang also said, "The six ministers will end up running Jin. Those six ministers are getting completely out of hand, and the king's powerless to stop them!"
After Zhao Jingshu died, his son Zhao Yang succeeded him, who later became Zhao Jianzi.
Under Zhao Jianzi's rule, in the ninth year of Duke Qing of Jin, Jian planned to station troops near the Zhou capital to consolidate his alliance with other feudal lords. The following year, he personally went to visit King Jing of Zhou to get his students court appointments.
In the twelfth year of Duke Qing of Jin, the six ministers, acting under the law, wiped out the Qi and Yang aristocratic clans, dividing their lands into ten counties, each minister installing family members as county magistrates. From then on, Jin's power further weakened.
Thirteen years later, Lu's rebel, Yang Hu, fled to Jin for protection. Zhao Jianzi accepted his bribe and treated him very favorably.
Later, Zhao Jianzi fell gravely ill, unconscious for five days, terrifying his ministers. The renowned doctor Bian Que came to treat him, and after examining him, Dong Anyu hurriedly asked for his diagnosis. Bian Que said, "It's a blood disorder; nothing unusual! Duke Miao of Qin had a similar illness before, and he woke up after seven days. On the day he woke up, he told Gongsun Zhi and Ziyu, 'The heavens were pleased with me. I was ill because the heavens were schooling me. Jin will be in turmoil for five generations; then it will rise to dominance, but its ruler will die young; his son will confound gender roles.' Gongsun Zhi recorded this prophecy of Qin. The internal strife of Duke Xian, the dominance of Duke Wen, and the defeat of the Qin army by Duke Xiang in the Battle of Yao, all of these were revealed to him by the heavens. His illness mirrors Duke Miao's; he'll recover within three days and then speak."
This is the account of Jian Zi's extraordinary dream, as recounted to his physician. After sleeping for two and a half days, Jian Zi woke up. He told the doctor, "I had a wondrous experience in God's presence, playing with the gods in Jun Tian, listening to grand music and watching thousands of people dance. It was completely different from the music of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties; the sound was particularly heart-shaking. A bear wanted to attack me, but God allowed me to shoot it, and I hit it, causing the bear to die. Then another bear came, and I shot it dead too. God was immensely pleased and rewarded me with two boxes for storing things, each filled with treasures. I also saw my son by God's side, and God entrusted me with a hunting dog, saying, 'When your son grows up, give this dog to him as a reward.' God also told me, 'The Jin State is about to decline, and after seven generations it will perish. The Ying clan will decisively defeat the Zhou army west of Fan Kui, but their rule will ultimately be short-lived. Now I remember the achievements of Yu Shun, and I plan to marry my daughter Meng Yao to the seventh-generation descendant of Yu Shun.'" Dong An Yu listened to Jian Zi's account and recorded these words for posterity. Jian Zi also relayed Bian Que's message to the physician, after which he rewarded Bian Que with forty thousand mu (approximately 6,667 acres) of land.
After a few days, Jian Zi went out and encountered someone blocking the road. No matter how he was persuaded, the person wouldn't move away. Jian Zi's men were very angry and wanted to kill him with a knife. The person said, "I want to see the ruler." The men reported this to Jian Zi. Jian Zi called him over and said, "I think I've seen you before." The person blocking the road said, "Get rid of everyone else; I want to report something to you alone." Jian Zi dismissed the others. The person blocking the road said, "When you were sick, I was with God." Jian Zi said, "Yes, I know about this. What happened when you saw me?" The person blocking the road said, "God had you shoot a bear and a boar, and you killed them both." Jian Zi said, "Yes, what of it?" The person blocking the road said, "Jin's in for a world of hurt, and you'll be the first to feel it. God wants you to take out two high-ranking officials, and the bear and boar are their ancestors." Jian Zi said, "God gave me two boxes full of stuff; what does this mean?" The person blocking the road said, "Your son will conquer the Di states; they're both Di." Jian Zi said, "I saw my son with God. God gave me a Di dog and said, 'When your son grows up, give this dog to him.' What does this mean?" The person blocking the road said, "'Son' refers to your son. 'Di dog' refers to the ancestors of the Dai state. Your son will inherit your title. When your grandkids govern, they will reform the government, change their clothes, and conquer the Di." Jian Zi asked for his surname and then arranged an official position for him. The person blocking the road said, "I'm just a nobody, here to deliver God's message." After speaking, he left. Jian Zi recorded this matter and kept it in the archives.
One day, Gu Bu Zi Qing went to visit Jian Zi. Jian Zi called all his sons and asked Qing to see which one was suitable to be a general. Qing said, "None of them are suitable to be a general." Jian Zi, upon hearing this, became anxious and asked, "Is that it for the Zhao family?" Qing said, "I saw a kid on the road, probably one of yours."
Jianzi, hearing this, immediately summoned his son, Ziwuxie. When Ziwuxie arrived, Ziqing immediately stood up and said, "Now *that's* a real general!" Jianzi, however, replied, "His mom was just a lowly servant girl from Zhai—big deal!" Ziqing countered, "He's destined for greatness, regardless of his mother's humble beginnings."
From then on, Jianzi called all his sons for a talk and found that Ziwuxie was indeed the most outstanding. So Jianzi told his sons, "I've hidden a treasure on Mount Changshan. First one to find it gets a reward!" All the sons quickly ran to Changshan to search, but none of them found it. When Ziwuxie returned, he said, "I have found the treasure." Jianzi asked, "Show it to me." Ziwuxie replied, "From Mount Changshan, Dai is ripe for the taking."
Jianzi finally saw Ziwuxie's talent, so he deposed the crown prince Boru and made Ziwuxie the crown prince.
Two years later, in the fourteenth year of Jin Dinggong, the Fan and Zhongxing clans revolted.
In the following spring, Jianzi said to the minister Wu from Handan, "Give me command of the five hundred Wei households; I'm moving them to Jinyang." Wu agreed, but when he went back, his father and brother disagreed, so he welched. Zhao Yang arrested Wu and imprisoned him in Jinyang. Then Zhao Yang told the people of Handan, "I'm gonna kill Wu quietly. Who do you want to run things?" So Wu was killed. Zhao Yang's brother Zhao Ji and She Bin led the rebellion in Handan. The Jin ruler called in the Qin to help besiege Handan. Xun Yin and Fan Jishe had a good relationship with Wu and refused to help the Qin, secretly plotting a rebellion. Dong Anyu found out about this.
In October, the Fan family and Zhongxing family attacked Zhao Yang (or Zhao Xiang, depending on the preferred romanization). Zhao Yang fled to Jinyang, where the Jin forces besieged the city. Fan Jishe, along with Wei Xiang (Xun Yin's enemy), and others conspired to drive Xun Yin away and have Liang Yingfu replace him; they also drove away Jishe and had Fan Gaoyi replace him. Xun Li told the Marquis of Jin, "You should have those rebels executed. Now these three are leading the rebellion, but only Zhao Yang was driven away. That's not fair; please drive them all away." In November, Xun Li, Han Buning, and Wei Duo attacked the Fan and Zhongxing families on the orders of the Marquis of Jin, but were unsuccessful. The Fan and Zhongxing families then attacked the Marquis, but he routed them. On Dingwei, the leaders of these two families fled to Chaoge. The Han and Wei families put in a good word for Zhao. On Xinwei in December, Zhao Yang returned to Jiang and pledged his allegiance to the Marquis of Jin in the public palace.
The following year, Zhibo Wenzhi told Zhao Yang, "Although the Fan family and Zhongxing family did indeed rebel, Dong Anyu knew about it in advance, which means he was in league with them. Jin law says leaders of rebellions get executed. The leaders of these two families have already been punished, but Dong Anyu has not." Zhao Yang was very anxious. Dong Anyu said, "Only when I die can the Zhao family be stable and Jin be at peace. I died too late." He then committed suicide. Zhao told Zhibo about this, and that finally settled things for the Zhao family.
Confucius, hearing that Zhao Jianzi had seized Wu of Handan without the Marquis's permission and held Jinyang, wrote in the Spring and Autumn Annals: "Zhao Yang rebelled at Jinyang."
Zhao Jianzi had a minister named Zhou She, who liked to speak his mind and give advice. After Zhou She died, Jianzi was always unhappy when attending court, and the ministers felt guilty. Jianzi said, "Gentlemen, you are not to blame. I have heard that a thousand sheepskins aren't worth a single fox's armpit. All I hear is 'yes, yes, yes.' I cannot hear the candid voice of Zhou She, so I am worried." As a result, Jianzi maintained control over Zhao territory and won the affection of the Jin people.
In 572 BC, Zhao Jianzi besieged the Fan and Zhongxing clans in Chaoge. Zhong Xingwenzi fled to Handan. The following year, Duke Ling of Wei died. Zhao Jianzi and Yang Hu escorted the Crown Prince Kuaikui back to Wei, but Wei did not allow him to return, so he stayed in Qidi.
In 569 BC, Zhao Jianzi captured Handan, and Zhong Xingwenzi fled to the state of Bo. Zhao Jianzi then besieged the people of Bo, and Zhong Xingwenzi and Fan Zhaoyu had to flee to the Qi state. As a result, Handan and the state of Bo fell into the hands of the Zhao clan, while Jin gobbled up the rest of Fan and Zhongxing's cities. Although Zhao Jianzi was nominally a high-ranking official of Jin, he actually wielded power in Jin, with a domain nearly as large as Jin's.
In 561 BC, Duke Ding of Jin and King Fuchai of Wu vied for leadership of the alliance at Huangchi. Zhao Jianzi sided with Duke Ding of Jin, and Jin eventually defeated Wu. In 557 BC, Duke Ding of Jin passed away, and Zhao Jianzi observed three years of mourning. In the same year, King Goujian of Yue destroyed the state of Wu.
In 548 BC, Duke Zhi attacked the state of Zheng. Zhao Jianzi was sick at the time, so he sent his crown prince Wu Xi to lead the troops to besiege Zheng. Duke Zhi, drunk as a lord, sloshed wine on Wu Xi. Wu Xi's ministers all requested to fight to the death for him. Wu Xi said, "The ruler gave me this command because he knows I can take it." But he was also very angry at Duke Zhi. Duke Zhi returned and told Zhao Jianzi that he wanted to depose Wu Xi, but Zhao Jianzi did not listen to him. As a result, Wu Xi harbored a grudge against Duke Zhi.
In 544 BC, Zhao Jianzi died, and his son, Mu Xi, became Zhao Xiangzi. In 543 BC, the state of Yue besieged the state of Wu. During the mourning period for his father, Zhao Xiangzi sent Chu Long to offer condolences to the King of Wu. Zhao Xiangzi's sister was previously the wife of the Duke of Dai. After Zhao Jianzi was buried, before Zhao Xiangzi had finished mourning, he traveled to the state of Dai to meet the Duke of Dai. He ordered the cook to kill the Duke and his officials using the bronze spoons during the banquet. When Zhao Xiangzi's sister heard about this, she cried out, then killed herself with a hairpin. The people of Dai sympathized with her and named the place where she committed suicide Mogi Mountain. Later, Zhao Xiangzi installed his nephew Zhou as the Duke of Dai. Zhou was the son of Zhao Xiangzi's deceased brother, the former Crown Prince, which is why he granted the land to his son. After ruling for four years, Duke Xiang of Jin, along with the Zhao, Han, and Wei families, and Zhi Bo, divided the old territories of the Fan and Zhongxing families. Duke Chu of Jin was furious about this and went to seek aid from Qi and Lu, hoping to unite them to attack the Four Great Families. The four powerful families were afraid and joined forces to attack Duke Chu of Jin, driving him away. Duke Chu of Jin fled to the state of Qi and died on the way. Zhi Bo then installed Jiao, the great-grandson of Duke Zhao, as the ruler of Jin, known as Duke Yi of Jin. Zhi Bo grew increasingly arrogant, extorting land from Han and Wei, who both gave in to him. He then demanded land from the Zhao family, but Zhao Xiangzi refused, still smarting from Zhi Bo's siege of Zheng. Enraged, Zhi Bo led Han and Wei to attack the state of Zhao. Fearing for his life, Zhao Xiangzi retreated to Jinyang and prepared for a siege.
At this time, a man named Yuanguo (原过) appeared. He first went to see someone (the original text did not specify who), and then went to Wang Ze, where he met three other people. The text mysteriously mentions that he carried something "visible above, invisible below," leaving us to wonder what exactly he was carrying. Yuanguo also had some cryptic interaction with bamboo, as it states that he and two sections of bamboo "did not communicate," which is rather baffling. In the end, Yuanguo received a message: "Give this to Zhao Wuxie and tell him not to fear." Upon arriving in Jinyang, Yuanguo delivered this message to Zhao Wuxie. Zhao Wuxie prepared for three days, personally opened the bamboo, and found red characters inside: "Zhao Wuxie, I am the envoy sent by Huo Taishan Shanyang Marquis. On the third day of the third month in the year Bing Xu, I will help you counterattack the Zhi clan. You'll rule a hundred cities, and I will grant you the land of Linhu. In the future, there will be wise kings among your descendants, with red and black banners, a dragon's face, and a deer-like beard..." Zhao Wuxie bowed, taking the message of the "Three Spirits" to heart.
The allied forces of the three states attacked Jinyang. Over a year has passed, and they are still trying to flood the city by diverting the Fenshui River, but the city walls are strong, only penetrating three layers of bricks. People cooked in hanging pots, driven to cannibalism in the desperate siege. Many ministers turned against him, becoming increasingly disloyal to Zhao Xiangzi, with only Gao Gong staying true. Zhao Xiangzi was very afraid, so he secretly sent Zhang Meng, his chancellor, to contact the Han and Wei families. The Han and Wei families agreed to Zhao Xiangzi's plan, and on that day in March, the allied forces turned against the Zhi family, dividing their land. Zhao Xiangzi rewarded Gao Gong first. Zhang Meng said, "Gao Gong didn't do much during the siege of Jinyang." Zhao Xiangzi replied, "During the crisis in Jinyang, the other ministers slacked off, but Gao Gong never forgot the etiquette of a subject, so that's why he's number one." As a result, Zhao gained control of the Dai territory to the north and seized the Zhi family's territory to the south, surpassing the Han and Wei families in strength. Zhao Xiangzi worshipped three gods in Baiyi and appointed someone to oversee the worship of Huo Taishan. Later, he married a woman from the Kong Tong family and had five sons. Because Boliu had no son to inherit, Zhao Xiangzi refused to make his son the heir, determined to pass the throne to Boliu's son, Daicheng Jun. Daicheng Jun died early, so Zhao Xiangzi appointed Daicheng Jun's son Huan as the Crown Prince. After ruling for 33 years, Zhao Xiangzi died, and Huan succeeded him, becoming Xianhou. Xianhou became king at a young age and governed the Zhongmu region. Zhao Xiangzi's brother Huanzi tried to overthrow Xianhou and seize the throne in the Dai territory, but he died within a year. People figured Huanzi's taking the throne wasn't what Zhao Xiangzi wanted, so Huanzi's son was killed, and Xianhou was reinstated. Ten years later, Duke Wu of Zhongshan ascended the throne. Thirteen years later, the Zhao Kingdom built Pingyi City. Fifteen years later, Xianhou passed away, and his son Liehou Ji succeeded him.
In the first year of Marquis Lie's rule, Marquis Wen of Wei attacked the state of Zhongshan and sent his crown prince to defend the state. Six years later, Wei, Han, and Zhao each established their own marquisates and posthumously conferred the title of Marquis Xian on Xianzi.
Marquis Lie loved listening to music. He said to the Prime Minister Gong Zhonglian, "I particularly like these two singers. Can we appoint them as officials?" Gong Zhonglian said, "We can give them money, but appointing them as officials wouldn't be appropriate." Marquis Lie said, "Okay. There are two famous singers in the state of Zheng, named Qiang and Shi. I will reward each of them with ten thousand acres of land." Gong Zhonglian said, "Alright," but he didn't do it. A month later, Marquis Lie returned from Dai and asked about the land for the two singers. Gong Zhonglian said, "I am still looking for the right people." After a while, Marquis Lie asked again. Gong Zhonglian never agreed and feigned illness to avoid attending court. When Fanwu Jun returned from his trip, he said to Gong Zhonglian, "You're always trying to do the right thing, but I don't know what you really want to do. You have been the Prime Minister of Zhao for four years. Have you recommended any talents?" Gong Zhonglian said, "Not yet." Fanwu Jun said, "Niu Chu, Xun Xin, and Xu Yue are all qualified." Only then did Gong Zhonglian recommend these three. After attending court, Marquis Lie asked again, "What about the land for the two singers?" Gong Zhonglian said, "I am still selecting someone suitable." Niu Chu served Marquis Lie with virtue, advising him to follow the righteous path, which pleased Marquis Lie. The next day, Xun Xin served Marquis Lie, discussing the selection of talents and employing those with abilities. On the third day, Xu Yue served Marquis Lie, discussing frugality and evaluating achievements. Marquis Lie was very satisfied with their suggestions. Marquis Lie sent word to the Prime Minister, "Let's postpone the reward of land for the singers for now." He then appointed Niu Chu as a teacher, Xun Xin as a military commander, Xu Yue as an official, and rewarded the Prime Minister with two sets of clothing.
Nine years later, Marquis Lie died, and his brother, Duke Wu, succeeded him. Duke Wu died after thirteen years in power, and the state of Zhao established Marquis Lie's son, Zhang, as the ruler, known as Marquis Jing. In the same year, Marquis Wen of Wei also died.
In the year 326 BC, also known as the first year of Jinghou, Prince Wu Chao's rebellion failed, so he fled to Wei. That's when Zhao finally moved its capital to Handan. The next year, we clobbered Qi at Lingqiu. In the third year, we rescued Wei at Linqiu, wiping out the Qi army. In the fourth year, Wei beat us at Tutai. We built Gangping City, gearing up to attack Wei. In the fifth year, Qi and Wei teamed up, snatching Gangping City. In the sixth year, we borrowed troops from Chu to attack Wei and captured Jipu. In the eighth year, we captured Wei's Huangcheng. In the ninth year, we attacked Qi, but they went to attack Yan, so we went to rescue Yan. In the tenth year, we hit Zhongshan at Fangzi.
Between 325 and 317 BC, things got pretty hectic for Jinghou in Zhao. In the eleventh year, Wei, Han, and Zhao together destroyed the state of Jin and divided its land. We also hit Zhongshan, another battle there. In the twelfth year, Jinghou kicked the bucket, and his son, Chenghou Zhong, took over.
This chronicle details the military campaigns and political events during the reign of Chenghou.
In 316 BC, the first year of Chenghou, Gongzi Sheng contested the throne with Chenghou, causing internal strife. In June of the second year, there was sleet. In the third year, Tai Wu, the Prime Minister, took office. Our attack on Wei yielded seventy-three towns, but we were defeated in Lindi. In the fourth year, we fought against Qin in Gao'an and emerged victorious. The following year, we launched an assault on Qi in Juandi, but once again faced defeat in Huaidi at the hands of Wei. We successfully attacked Zheng, winning the battle and transferring Zheng's territory to Han, who in turn granted us Changziyi. In the sixth year, Zhongshan constructed border fortifications. We defeated the Wei army in Nuoze and surrounded King Hui of Wei. In the seventh year, we invaded Qi, reaching its border fortifications. Together with Han, we attacked the Zhou Dynasty. In the eighth year, we divided the land of the Zhou Dynasty with Han. The ninth year saw us engaged in battle against Qi in Axia. In the tenth year, we attacked Wei and occupied Zhendi. In the eleventh year, when Qin attacked Wei, we came to Wei's aid at Shi'a. In the twelfth year, we responded again when Qin attacked Shaoliang of Wei. In the thirteenth year, Qin Xiangong sent Shuchangguo to assault Shaoliang of Wei, capturing the prince and a high-ranking official. We faced defeat in Huidi, where Wei occupied Pilao. Chenghou met with Zhao Hou of Han in Shangdang. In the fourteenth year, we joined forces with Han to attack Qin. In the fifteenth year, we assisted Wei in their campaign against Qi.
In 315 BC, the sixteenth year of Chenghou, we, Han, and Wei divided the land of Jin, subsequently installing the Jin ruler in Duanshi.
So, seventeen years in, Zhao's Duke Cheng and Wei's King Hui bumped into each other at Gexie. In the nineteenth year, Zhao, Qi, and Song joined forces at Pinglu, and also allied with Yan at Adi. In the twentieth year, Wei sent prime lumber, which Duke Cheng of Zhao used to build the Tan Tai. In the twenty-first year, Wei laid siege to Handan. In the twenty-second year, King Hui of Wei took Handan, but at the same time, Qi defeated Wei at Guilin. In year twenty-four, Wei returned Handan to us and allied with us at Zhangshui. Unfortunately, in that same year, Qin attacked our Lindi. In the twenty-fifth year, Duke Cheng died. Prince Ye and Crown Prince Su clashed for the throne, with Prince Ye losing and fleeing to Han.
In the first year of Duke Su's reign, he took over Duan Shi of Jin and moved the people to Tunliu. In the second year, he met King Hui of Wei at Yinjin. In the third year, Prince Fan attacked Handan but failed and died in battle. In the fourth year, Duke Su went to pay his respects to the Emperor. In the sixth year, Zhao attacked Qi and took Gaotang. In the seventh year, Prince Ke attacked Wei's capital. In the eleventh year, Qin's Duke Xiao sent Shang Yang against Wei, capturing the general Prince Yang of Wei. Zhao also took advantage of this to attack Wei. In the twelfth year, Duke Xiao of Qin and Shang Yang died. By year fifteen, Zhao built Shouling, and Wei's King Hui was dead.
Sixteen years in, Duke Su went out for a day of relaxation. When he came out of the Lu Gate, Dawu Wu stopped his horse and said, "Farming is urgent. If you don't work for a day, you will have nothing to eat for a hundred days." Duke Su quickly dismounted to apologize. In the seventeenth year, the State of Zhao besieged the Yellow Land of the State of Wei but failed to capture it, so they built defensive fortifications. In the eighteenth year, the States of Qi and Wei attacked the State of Zhao together. The State of Zhao decided to open the Yellow River's floodgates to flood them, and the enemy forces finally retreated. In the twenty-second year, Zhang Yi became the Prime Minister of the State of Qin. Zhao Ci fought against the State of Qin and was defeated. The State of Qin killed Zhao Ci in Hexi and took our Lintou and Lishi. In the twenty-third year, Han Ju fought against the States of Qi and Wei and died in Sangqiu. In the twenty-fourth year, Duke Su of Zhao passed away. The States of Qin, Chu, Yan, Qi, and Wei all sent ten thousand elite soldiers to attend his funeral. Duke Su's son, King Wuling, succeeded to the throne. In the first year of King Wuling's reign, Yang Wenjun Zhao Bao served as the Prime Minister. King Liang of Liang brought the Crown Prince, and King Xuan of Han brought the Crown Prince Cang to pay respects to the State of Zhao, arriving at the Xing Palace. King Wuling was still young and unable to handle state affairs, so he invited three learned teachers to teach him and arranged three attendant officials to supervise his mistakes. When King Wuling was able to handle state affairs, he first consulted the top official Fei Yi from the previous reign and promoted his position. For elderly people over eighty in the country, he paid them a monthly pension on time every month. In the third year, the State of Zhao built the walls of Houcheng. In the fourth year, the State of Zhao and the State of Han made a pact at Qushu. In the fifth year, King Wuling married the princess of the State of Han. It is said that in the eighth year, the State of Zhao fought against the State of Qin but was defeated and withdrew. At that time, the other five countries all proclaimed themselves kings, but the State of Zhao did not. King Zhao said, "Our strength is not enough; how dare we style ourselves kings!" So he let all the people in the country call him "Jun" (the traditional title for a ruler).
In the ninth year, Zhao, Han, and Wei attacked Qin, killing eighty thousand soldiers. Qi also defeated us in the Battle of Guanze (or Guan Ze). In the tenth year, Qin captured our capital, Zhongdu, and Xiyang. Qi defeated Yan, and Yan's prime minister usurped the throne, making the old king a subject. In the eleventh year, the King of Zhao invited Prince Zhi back from Han and made him the King of Yan, sending him back with a musical escort. In the thirteenth year, Qin captured our territory of Lindi and took General Zhao Zhuang captive. The Chu and Wei kings visited Zhao, passing through Handan. In the fourteenth year, Zhao He led an attack on Wei.
In the sixteenth year, King Hui of Qin died. King Zhao visited Daling for recreation. One night, King Zhao dreamed of a beautiful girl playing the zither and singing, with the lyrics: "The beauty's radiance shines, her face like a blooming morning glory. Fate, oh fate, why do I not have a share of the Ying clan's fate?" The next day, while drinking and having fun, King Zhao repeatedly mentioned this dream, describing the girl's appearance. Upon hearing this, Wu Guang, using the queen's influence, arranged for his daughter, Meng Yao (also known as Ying Shi), to enter the palace. Meng Yao won King Zhao's favor and later became Queen Hui.
In the seventeenth year, King Zhao built a high platform outside the city to survey the lands of Qi and Zhongshan. In the eighteenth year, King Wu of Qin and Meng Shuo tried to lift a tripod; it proved too heavy, breaking both their legs and killing them. King Zhao dispatched Zhao Gu to escort Prince Ji back to Qin, where he was enthroned as King Zhao of Qin.
In the first month of the nineteenth year, King Zhao held a grand court meeting at the palace. He summoned Fei Yi to discuss state affairs, which took five days to complete. Afterwards, King Zhao toured north through Zhongshan territory, reaching Fangshi and Dai before continuing to the Yellow River and finally climbing Mount Huanghua. King Zhao summoned Lou Huan and discussed with him, saying, "Our late king seized the opportunity of the era, managed the southern vassal territories for a long time, relied on the strategic locations of Zhang River and Fuyang River, built the Great Wall, captured Lindi and Guolong, and defeated the Linhu people in Rendu, but the achievements are not yet complete. Now Zhongshan Kingdom is in our hinterland, with Yan Kingdom to the north, nomadic tribes to the east, Linhu, Loufan, Qin, and Han Kingdoms to the west, but we lack a strong army to defend ourselves. If we continue like this, our country will perish. What should we do? Famous people often have baggage from their past. I want to imitate the attire of the nomadic tribes." Lou Huan said, "Very well!" But other ministers did not agree. Fei Yi, serving on the side, said, "Think of the great achievements of Duke Jian and Duke Xiang, and look at the benefits of conquering the nomadic tribes and the Di people. As ministers, we should be filial, brotherly, and upright; at the same time, we should benefit the people and assist the monarch in achieving great accomplishments. This is the duty of a minister. I now want to inherit Duke Xiang's vision, expand the territory to the nomadic tribes and the Di people, but I'll likely never see that day. If the enemy is weak, we can achieve great success with little effort, thus avoiding overworking the people and building on our ancestors' achievements. Those who achieve great accomplishments often have to endure worldly criticism; those with unique insights often face the people's resentment. I'm planning to have the people adopt nomadic dress and horsemanship, but I know it'll draw criticism. What should I do?"
Fei Yi goes, "I've heard that if you're gonna waffle, you're gonna fail, and if you're gonna hem and haw, you'll never get anywhere. Since Your Highness has already made up your mind to bear the world's criticism, there's no need to pay attention to what others say. People with guts don't always get the credit, and big things rarely happen with everyone's blessing. Think about Shun, dancing with the Miao—not for fun, but to show he meant business. Or Yu, shirtless and working his butt off to save the country—not for a good time, but to get things done. Dumb people only see what's done, smart people see what's coming. Your Highness, what else is there to hesitate about?"
The king said, "It's not the clothes, it's what people will say! Some guys just don't care what people think, but smart people worry about it; idiots will laugh, but smart people get it. Even if the whole world laughs, I'm taking Hu and Zhongshan!" So he just put it on.
Wang Ye went to tell Gongzi Cheng, "The king wants to wear Hu clothing to meet the emperor and hopes that you will also wear Hu clothing. Filial piety at home, loyalty to the king in the state – that's the unchanging way of things. Sons do not disobey their parents, subjects do not disobey the king. That's just how things are. Now the king takes the lead in wearing Hu clothing, but you are unwilling to wear it. I'm afraid it'll cause a lot of gossip. Governing a country has rules, with the benefit of the people as the foundation; in politics, there are principles, with laws as the criteria. A wise ruler starts by assessing the needs of the common people, and in governance, trust of the nobility must be obtained first. Now the king is changing to wear Hu clothing not for pleasure, but to achieve a certain goal, to accomplish something. Success will justify the means. Now the king is worried that you are violating the principles of politics, so he wants to seek your opinion. Moreover, I have heard that those who serve the state honestly gain respect; those who rely on influence don't. The king hopes to emulate your noble character in completing this change of clothing. Let me visit you and ask you to wear Hu clothing."
Gongzi Cheng repeatedly kowtowed and said, "I have long heard that the king wants to wear Hu clothing. I am stupid and incompetent, and bedridden, unable to personally visit the king to show my loyalty. Since the king has given the order, I dare to respond and speak my foolish loyalty. I say: I have heard that the Central Plains is where the wise flourish, wealth abounds, sages teach, virtue thrives, and the arts flourish – a land of refinement and learning, a beacon to the world. Now the king is abandoning all this, imitating the clothing of distant peoples, undermining our ancient traditions, going against the wishes of the people, alienating scholars and driving them away from the Central Plains. Therefore, I hope the king will think twice before acting."
The messenger relayed Gongzi Cheng's words to the king. The king said, "I have heard that Gongzi Cheng is sick; I'll go see him myself!"
Wang went to visit Gongzi Cheng and took the initiative to say, "Clothing is for the convenience of wearing; etiquette is for the convenience of daily life. The sage observes local customs, adapts to actual situations, and formulates etiquette based on these conditions to benefit the people and strengthen the country. Look, the practice of hair-cutting and tattooing, crossing arms, and wearing clothes that fasten on the left are customs of the Ouyue region; black teeth, facial tattoos, tall hats, and roughspun clothes are customs of the Wu state. Therefore, although etiquette and clothing vary, their conveniences are the same. Practices and etiquette adapt to the region and the situation. Thus, the sage can make the country strong without adhering to a single practice and can ensure smooth proceedings without sticking to one form of etiquette. Students taught by a Confucian teacher may have different customs, and although etiquette may be the same nationwide, the education varies, not to mention the geographic advantages in mountainous and valley areas. Therefore, even wise individuals cannot achieve uniformity in choices and changes; even sages cannot achieve uniformity in clothing across regions. Remote areas have many different customs, and studying trivial matters will lead to many debates. Blind adherence to tradition, without questioning or critique of different approaches, is a manifestation of the public's pursuit of perfection. Your approach is outdated; mine is the path to reform. In our country, there are rivers and the Boluo River in the east, like the Qi state and Zhongshan state, where boats cannot be used. From Changshan to Daijun and Shangdang jun, the east is the territory of Yan state and Donghu, while the west borders Loufan, Qin, and Han. Currently, we do not have horsemanship skills. Therefore, without boats, how can the people living by the Boluo River defend the rivers? We should change to wear Hu clothing, learn equestrian skills, and defend against the Yan, Donghu, Qin, and Han invasions. Furthermore, in the past, Jianzhu did not block the gap in Jinyang and Shangdang jun, and Xiangzhu united with the Rongdi army to replace them to defend against the various tribes—a lesson learned by all. Previously, the Zhongshan state relied on the powerful military force of the Qi state to invade our land, harm our people, and besiege Houcheng with water. Only divine intervention saved Houcheng; otherwise, it would not have held out. The former kings detested this greatly but were never able to avenge the humiliation. Now, by learning equestrian skills, we can defend against the threats of Shangdang jun in the near term and exact revenge on Zhongshan for its aggression in the long term. Yet you cling to the customs of the Central Plains. You ignore the lessons of Jianzhu and Xiangzhu. You fear the stigma of changing clothes. You have forgotten the shame of Houcheng's siege. This is unacceptable."
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Gongzicheng prostrated himself again and said, "I'm afraid I didn't grasp Your Majesty's meaning. I only dare to speak of common talk, which is my fault. Now the king will carry on the work of Jianzhu and Xiangzhu, and fulfill the wishes of our ancestors. Of course I'll obey your orders!" Having prostrated himself once more, the king rewarded Gongzicheng with some Hu clothes. The next day, Gongzicheng wore Hu clothes to court. And so the order to wear Hu clothes went out.
Zhao Wen, Zhao Zao, Zhou Shuo, and Zhao Jun, these ministers advised the king, saying not to wear barbarian clothes, but to adhere to ancient practices. The king said, "Did past kings live like commoners? Where did these ancient customs come from? The systems of emperors in past dynasties were all different, so why must we follow a set of rituals? Take Fu Xi and Shen Nong, for example; they educated the people without resorting to violence, and even the Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun showed no anger when carrying out executions. During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, laws, clothing, and tools were all practical and suited to the times. Therefore, rituals do not need to be rigidly followed, and a country's prosperity does not necessarily depend on adhering to ancient customs. The rise of sages does not mean that one can become king by simply copying the practices of their predecessors; the decline of the Xia and Yin dynasties was not due to changing rituals. Returning to ancient ways is good, but blindly following old rules isn't enough. Furthermore, strange clothing doesn't mean a lack of talent, as Zou and Lu demonstrate. If people dress uniquely, they are more likely to rebel; this doesn't imply that Wu and Yue lack outstanding individuals. Sages believe that clothing should fit well, and rituals should be convenient. Clothes and manners are for the common folk, not for judging the wise. Therefore, the common people should follow the mainstream, while the virtuous should keep up with the times. As the saying goes, 'Using books to control horses without understanding the horse's temperament is folly; governing the present with past systems without understanding the changes in circumstances is equally foolish.' Sticking to laws alone is not enough to achieve greatness; adhering to ancient customs alone is not enough to govern the present. You ministers are hopelessly out of date!" After speaking, the king put on barbarian clothes and encouraged horsemanship and archery.
After twenty years, the king attacked Zhongshan territory to the east, all the way to Ningjia; he attacked Hu territory to the west, all the way to Yuzhong. King Linhu also offered tribute of horses. After returning to his country, the king sent Lou Huan as an envoy to the state of Qin, Qiu Ye as an envoy to the state of Han, Wang Ben as an envoy to the state of Chu, Fu Ding as an envoy to the state of Wei, and Zhao Jue as an envoy to the state of Qi. Zhao Gu, a Zhao minister, supported the king in wearing Hu clothing and mobilizing troops.
In the twenty-first year, the state of Zhao attacked Zhongshan. Zhao Wei commanded the right army, Xu Jun commanded the left army, and Prince Zhang commanded the center army, with the king personally leading the army. Niu Jian led the chariot and cavalry forces, Zhao Xi led the Hu people and the army of the state of Dai. The Zhao army joined the king's forces in the mountainous region, combined in Quyang, and captured the towns of Danqiu, Huayang, and others. The royal army captured the cities of Hao, Shiyi, Fenglong, and Dongyuan. Zhongshan offered four cities for peace, which the king agreed to, and then withdrew his troops. In the twenty-third year, they attacked Zhongshan again. In the twenty-fifth year, Queen Hui died. The king had Zhou Wei, dressed in Hu clothing, tutor Prince He. In the twenty-sixth year, they attacked Zhongshan again, expanding their territory, advancing north to Yan and Dai, and west to Yunzhong and Jiuyuan.
One day in May, 324 BC, a grand court ceremony was held in the Eastern Palace, announcing the official investiture and officially enthroning Prince He as king. After the ceremony of worshipping the ancestral temple, the new king ascended to the throne. All the ministers submitted to him, and Fei Yi was appointed as the prime minister, assisting the new king. This new king was later known as King Huiwen, the son of Queen Hui's consort Wuwa. His father, King Wuling, once styled himself "Master Father" (a title indicating his authority).
King Wuling was determined to have his son take control of the government while he himself dressed in Hu clothing, leading his soldiers to the northwest to conquer the Xiongnu. He planned a southward attack on Qin, starting from Yunzhong and Jiuyuan. Disguised as an envoy, he secretly slipped into Qin. At first, King Zhao did not recognize him but later realized his bearing was far too grand for a mere minister, so he sent people to chase him away. However, Wuling had already fled on horseback and escaped from Hangu Pass. The Qin, upon discovering the truth, were stunned to find it was King Wuling himself!
Two years later, under King Huiwen, Wuling inspected the newly conquered land all the way to Dai, then traveled west to meet with King Loufan in Xiyue and brought King Loufan's army under his command. In the third year, the state of Zhao destroyed Zhongshan and moved the Zhongshan king to Fushi. They also built the city of Lingshou, stabilizing the northern border and clearing the road from Dai to Zhao. Back in Zhao, King Wuling showered his troops with rewards, declared a general amnesty, and threw a five-day feast. He also made his eldest son, Zhang, Lord of Dai'anyang. But Zhang, a naturally extravagant man, resented his brother's ascension. King Wuling then appointed Tian Buli to assist Zhang.
Li Dui said to Fei Yi, "Gongzi Zhang, that guy's strong, proud, always building his own little gang, and thinks he's destined for greatness. And Tian Boli? Ruthless and arrogant doesn't even begin to cover it. Those two are up to no good, scheming in the shadows, hoping to grab power by sheer luck. These guys are greedy, reckless, only focused on what's right in front of them, blind to the danger. They're all in this together, heading for a fall. In my opinion, this situation won't last long. You're in a powerful position, but that also makes you a prime target. When things go south, you'll be the first one they come for. You gotta be ready! Smart people see trouble coming and prepare for it. You ain't being smart, and you won't save this country. Why not call in sick and let Gongzi Cheng handle things? Don't be a scapegoat, don't let them use you."
Fei Yi replied, "Look, the old king put me in charge, told me to stay loyal until the day I die. Now, if I chicken out now because of Tian Boli, which is worse? Breaking my oath or failing the king's trust? Betray the king, you're dead. And even if you could come back to life, you'd still have to live with it. I've given my word, I gotta stick to it. Besides, being a loyal minister ain't easy. You gotta take your lumps. You've been good to me, but I gave my word, and that's that." Li Dui said, "Alright, do what you gotta do. I don't think you'll make it through the year." And with that, Li Dui walked away, all teary-eyed. He kept going to see Gongzi Cheng, trying to stay ahead of Tian Boli.
After some time, Fei Yi said to Xinqi, "I am really worried about the alarmingly close relationship between the young master and Tian. On the surface, the young master is outwardly kind to Fei Yi, but in reality, he harbors malicious intentions. He's disloyal to the monarch and disrespectful to his parents. I have heard that when the court is rife with treachery, the country suffers; when the monarch is surrounded by slanderers, he's doomed. This person is greedy and wants to do big things. He's a favorite of the monarch, but a tyrant outside the palace. He twists orders to his will and acts without authorization. This will inevitably lead to national disaster. I am very worried now, unable to sleep at night and unable to eat. We must be on guard against treachery. From now on, if someone summons the monarch, I must see the monarch first. I'll block his way; he's not to see anyone without my say-so." Xinqi said, "Very well, I will remember that!"
Four years passed, and one day at court, Lord Anyang himself also arrived. The Lord Father let Wang sit at the top and listen to the court meeting, while he observed the etiquette of the ministers and the royal family members on the side. He saw his eldest son, Zhang, stiff and awkward, actually facing the ministers with his back to the king, cringing before his younger brother. Pitying his son's subservience, he considered granting Zhang a portion of Zhao to rule, but changed his mind before making a decision.
After some time, the Prince Father and the King went on a pleasure trip to the Sand Dunes and stayed in a secluded palace. Prince Zhang took this opportunity to join forces with his subordinates and Tian Buli to rebel, faking an order from the Prince Father to summon the King. Fei Yi went in first and was killed. Gao Xin immediately fought with the King. Prince Cheng and Li Dui rushed from the capital and quickly mobilized the armies of four cities to come to the rescue, killing Prince Zhang and Tian Buli, quelling the rebellion, and stabilizing the royal family. Prince Cheng was appointed as the Prime Minister, who was also known as Lord Anping; Li Dui was appointed as the Grand Commandant. After Prince Zhang was defeated, he fled to find the Prince Father, but the Prince Father drove him away. Prince Cheng and Li Dui took the opportunity to surround the Prince Father's palace. After Prince Zhang died, Prince Cheng and Li Dui discussed, "Because of what Prince Zhang did, if we pull out now, we're dead men." So they continued to surround the Prince Father. They ordered the people in the palace, "We'll kill the last one out," and everyone in the palace ran out. The Prince Father couldn't come out, couldn't eat, so he was reduced to eating bird eggs he scavenged from his wine cup. After over three months of starvation, he died alone in the Sand Dunes palace. His death was finally announced to the public and the feudal lords. At that time, the king was still young; Prince Cheng and Li Dui held great power and were afraid of being punished in the future, so they surrounded the Prince Father. The Prince Father initially appointed his eldest son, Zhang, as the crown prince, but later fell in love with Wu Wa and did not attend court for several years. Wu Wa gave birth to a son named He, so Zhang was deposed and He was made king. After Wu Wa's death, the Prince Father's love for her diminished, and he began to pity the former crown prince Zhang, wanting both Zhang and He to be kings. Hesitating, a rebellion occurred, and in the end, both father and son died, becoming the laughingstock of the world—a truly heartbreaking tragedy for all involved.
When I was five years old, I was hanging around Yan, Maog, and Yi counties. When I was eight, I went south of town to Xing Tang. At nine, I fought alongside the Zhao and Liang armies, and with the Qi alliance, against Han, getting as far as Lu Pass. In the tenth year, Qin declared itself emperor, the Western Emperor. In the eleventh year, Dong Shu and Wei attacked the Song Kingdom together, taking Heyang from Wei. Qin captured Gengyang. In the twelfth year, the Zhao and Liang armies attacked Qi. In the thirteenth year, the Han and Xu armies attacked Qi, and my princess died. In the fourteenth year, Yue Yi became prime minister, leading a five-nation army (Zhao, Qin, Han, Wei, and Yan) against Qi, capturing Lingqiu and meeting with the Qin army in Zhongyang. In the fifteenth year, King Zhao of Yan visited me. The Zhao Kingdom, along with Han, Wei, and Qin, attacked Qi. The Qi king was routed, with only the Yan army pushing deep into Qi, taking its capital, Linzi. In the sixteenth year, Qin and Zhao repeatedly attacked Qi, leaving the Qi people miserable. Qi's Su Li wrote me a letter, saying: I hear that wise rulers of old didn’t just focus on their own country's success or only please the gods. If there is timely rain and abundant harvest, the people are healthy and everyone feels good, but wise rulers will find reasons to reflect on this.
Your Majesty's virtue and accomplishments now eclipse those of Qin; your resentment towards Qi did not arise suddenly. Qin and Zhao are allied states, but they used Han troops to attack Qi. Qin's supposed alliance with Zhao is a sham; its true target is Qi. Things have developed to this point, and a wise ruler should see clearly. Qin does not love Zhao and hate Qi, but rather wants to destroy Han, annex the two capitals of the Zhou dynasty, and therefore uses Qi to deceive the other princes. It fears that their plan may backfire, so it threatens Wei and Zhao with military force; it fears that the other princes may fear it, so it offers hostages as a peace offering; it fears that the other princes may soon rebel, so it uses Han troops to bully them. While preaching benevolence and righteousness, Qin secretly attacks weak Han. I believe Qin's plan must be like this. Appearances can be deceiving, but the outcome is always the same. Chu long attacked Zhongshan, and Zhongshan was eventually destroyed; now Qi has been under attack for a long time, and Han will surely be destroyed as well. Victory over Qi will let Your Majesty share the spoils with the other states; but by destroying Han, Qin can keep all the spoils for themselves. By recapturing the two Zhou capitals and seizing their sacred vessels, Qin can also enjoy them alone. Consider the spoils: how much for Your Majesty, and how much for Qin?
An advisor warned, "Han lost the San Chuan region, Wei lost to Jin, and the court has not changed much; we're already in deep trouble." Yan took back 300 miles of territory south from Shaqiu and Julu; the Shangdang area of Han is only 100 miles from Handan. Yan and Qin conspired to divide your land, with only 300 miles between them. Qin's army, drawn from three counties, attacked your Shangdang territory. The area west of Yangchang and south of Juzhu is beyond your control. If you cross Juzhu Mountain and occupy Changshan County for defense, you will connect with Yan within 300 miles, and the flow of horses and hounds to the east will cease; the jade from Kunsan will no longer be exported. You'll lose these three valuable assets. Your campaigns against Qi and your support of Qin's attack on Han will bring ruin. Think carefully on this, Your Highness!
Furthermore, Qi attacked us to please you; every lord in the land is trying to curry favor. Yan and Qin have already agreed, and the day of the invasion is approaching. Five nations have carved up a third of your kingdom, but Qi has violated the agreement of these five nations to bear your disaster. The western army is used to restrain the powerful Qin, who abolished the imperial throne and requested submission, then took Gaoping and Genrou from Wei and Jinfen and Xianyu from Zhao. Qi should have set the example of loyalty, but now they're taking the fall. I fear no one will ever serve you again.
Now, Sire, do not attack the state of Qi together with the other feudal lords. The other lords will see you as the righteous one. Qi's become our ally and is bending over backwards to please you. The other lords will respect you even more. If you make the other lords think Qin is good, while secretly using them to curb Qin's power, you'll gain lasting glory. So Zhao stopped attacking Qi, apologized to Qin, and promised not to attack again.
You met with the King of Yan. General Lian Po led the army to attack Xi Yang of Qi and captured it. Later, General Yue Yi led the army of Zhao to attack Bo Yang of Wei. Qin, angry that Zhao hadn't joined them against Qi, attacked and took two of our cities. The following year, Qin captured our city of Shi. You again led an attack on Wei, diverting the Yellow River's flow... The flood raged, and the Zhang River overflowed. Wei Ran came to assist Zhao. In the nineteenth year, Qin captured two of our cities. Zhao and Wei joined forces at Bo Yang. General Zhao She led the army to attack Mai Qiu of Qi and captured it.
In the twentieth year, General Lian Po led the army to attack Qi. You met with King Zhao of Qin outside the West River. In the twenty-first year, Zhao diverted the Zhang River towards the west of Wu Ping. In the twenty-second year, a great epidemic occurred. Prince Dan was established as the crown prince.
In the twenty-third year, General Lou Chang failed to take Ji Cheng of Wei. In December, General Lian Po attacked Ji Cheng and successfully captured it.
In the second year, which was the twenty-fourth year, General Lian Po led troops to attack a Wei city, and after capturing it, he withdrew his troops. Next, he went on to attack Anyang and also captured it. In the twenty-fifth year, Yan's General Zhou attacked Changcheng and Gaotang, and both were captured. Then, Zhao and Wei joined forces to attack Qin. Unfortunately, Qin's General Bai Qi defeated Zhao's General Huayang and even captured a Zhao general.
In the twenty-sixth year, our Zhao conquered the Oudai region of Donghu. In the twenty-seventh year, they diverted the Zhang River to flow towards the south of Wuping. At the same time, Zhao Bao was appointed as the Lord of Pingyang. That year, a major flood devastated the land.
In the twenty-eighth year, Lin Xiangru led troops to attack the Qi state and advanced to Pingyi. After that, we demolished the city's nine northern gates. That year, Yan's General Sun Cao killed his own king. In the twenty-ninth year, Qin and Han started a war, and even laid siege to the city of Yuyu. Zhao sent General Zhao She to battle, and he defeated the Qin army at Yuyu. The Zhao king even bestowed upon him the title of "Lord Mafu" to honor his achievements.
Finally, in the thirty-third year, King Huiwen passed away, and Crown Prince Dan ascended the throne, becoming King Xiaocheng.
In the year 245 BC, the Qin state attacked and quickly occupied three of our cities. King Zhao had just ascended the throne, and the Dowager Empress held great power. Taking advantage of their victory, Qin launched a fierce attack on Zhao. Zhao urgently sought help from Qi, which said, "We must take Lord Chang'an as a hostage before we send troops." The Dowager Empress disagreed, and the ministers earnestly advised against it. In front of everyone, the Dowager Empress said, "Anyone who dares to mention taking Lord Chang'an as a hostage, I'll smack you silly!"
At this time, an old timer named Chulong wanted to see the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was angry and finally agreed, though she wasn't happy about it. After Chulong went in, he slowly walked over and sat down, first introducing himself: "My old legs ain't what they used to be, so I'm a bit slow on my feet these days. Long time no see! I felt bad you might be worried about me." The Empress Dowager said, "I only travel by carriage these days." Chulong then asked, "Are you eating well?" The Empress Dowager replied, "Just porridge." Chulong said, "I had a rotten appetite lately, so I forced myself to walk three or four miles every day, and as a result, my appetite improved, and I felt much better." The Empress Dowager's face softened a little after hearing this.
Chulong continued, "My youngest son, Shuqi, isn't doing so hot, and I am getting old. I really feel sorry for him and want him to become a palace guard, even if it's just the lowliest job. Could you do this for me?" The Empress Dowager said, "Okay, how old is he?" Chulong replied, "Fifteen years old. He's young, but I want to get him a job while he's still young." The Empress Dowager asked, "Do men also love their youngest sons this much?" Chulong said, "Even more so than women do!" The Empress Dowager laughed, "Women don't love their youngest sons this much." Chulong said, "I think you love Yanhou more than Chang'an Jun." The Empress Dowager said, "You are wrong, I love Chang'an Jun more."
Chu Long said, "Parents who love their children should plan for their children's future. When you sent Princess Yan to the State of Yan, you wept as you saw her off to her distant marriage. After sending her off, you still missed her. During sacrifices, you prayed, 'please do not let her return.' Wasn't that all for the long-term good, to ensure your descendants would remain kings for generations to come?" The Queen Mother said, "Yes." Chu Long asked again, "Think about it, three generations ago, did any descendants of the King of Zhao become princes?" The Queen Mother said, "No." Chu Long continued, "Not only in the State of Zhao, but in other states as well?" The Queen Mother said, "I have not heard of it." Chu Long explained, "This shows that close problems hurt you; distant ones hurt your kids. Does it mean that the offspring of a ruler must not become princes? He's got prestige, perks, and power, but contributes nothing. Now, you have granted Lord Chang'an a prestigious position, rewarded him with fertile land, and given him much power, but do not allow him to contribute to the country. When you're gone, how will Chang'an survive in Zhao? You're not thinking this through, Your Majesty. Your love for Chang'an pales in comparison to your love for Princess Yan." The Queen Mother said, "Alright, I will do as you say." So she sent Chang'an to Qi as a hostage – a hundred carriages worth – and Qi sent troops. Upon hearing this, Ziyi said, "If even the king's own son can't keep his cushy job, his pay, and his riches without earning them, what chance do I have?" Anping, Lord of Qi, and his Zhao army took Zhongyang in Yan and Zhu Di in Han. Two years later, after Queen Huiwen died, Tian Dan became prime minister.
Four years later, the king had a dream. He dreamed he was wearing tattered clothes and riding a flying dragon, but he fell before he could reach the sky. Then he saw a mountain of gold and jade. The next day, the king called for the royal astrologer to ask about the dream's meaning. The astrologer said, "Tattered clothes mean bad times ahead; riding a flying dragon but falling short shows a grand appearance without substance; a mountain of gold and jade suggests troubles are on the horizon."
Three days later, the governor of Sangdang County in Han, Feng Ting, sent envoys, saying, "Han is about to lose Sangdang County to Qin and wants to cede it to Zhao instead. However, the officials and people of Sangdang County all wish to belong to the Zhao state and not to the Qin state. There are seventeen cities here, and we are willing to give them to Zhao as a gift. Please reward these officials and people." King Qi was very pleased to hear this and called Pingyang Jun, asking him, "Feng Ting is offering us seventeen cities. Should we accept?" Pingyang Jun replied, "Wise men say that benefits obtained without reason often bring disaster." King Qi said, "They are offering the cities because they value our grace. How can it be said that there is no reason?" Pingyang Jun said, "The Qin state is encroaching on Han's land, deliberately cutting off Han's connections with other countries, secretly planning to enjoy the land of Sangdang County. Han does not want to offer Sangdang County to the Qin state, but rather wants to shift the disaster onto the Zhao state. The Qin state exerts great effort, while the Zhao state reaps the benefits. It's hard enough for a strong country to take land from a weak one; it's impossible for a weak one to take land from a strong one. How can this not be considered benefits obtained without reason? Furthermore, Qin uses the Niutian waterways to ship grain, encroaching on the lands of other countries and seizing land with their strong military force. They're a force to be reckoned with, and we absolutely cannot accept." King Qi said, "Now we have mobilized a million troops to attack, but after more than a year, we haven't captured a single city. They're handing us seventeen cities on a silver platter! That's a huge win!"
Zhao Bao left the palace, and the King of Qin quickly summoned Pingyuan Jun and Zhao Yu to discuss the matter with them. Pingyuan Jun and Zhao Yu said, "We've been banging our heads against a wall for over a year, and haven't taken a single city. Now the other party is actively offering seventeen cities and towns—this is a gift from the gods! We cannot miss this!" The King of Qin listened and thought it made sense. "Good!" he said, sending Zhao Sheng to accept the land. Then, the King of Qin sent someone to talk to Feng Ting: "Our Qin State has sent envoy Zhao Sheng to you, on behalf of our king, to grant you a prefecture of 10,000 households and a county of 1,000. These titles are hereditary, and everyone gets a three-rank promotion! Just keep your nose clean, and you'll get rich. Six gold coins for every household!" Upon hearing this, Feng Ting burst into tears and refused to even meet the Qin envoy, saying, "Three things I just can't do: First, I failed to defend my city, and that's already a betrayal; second, surrendering to Qin is a betrayal; third, selling my lord's land is the ultimate betrayal!" As a result, Zhao State still attacked Shangdang. General Lian Po led the army to camp at Changping. Seven months later, Lian Po was dismissed, and Zhao Kuo replaced him. The Qin army surrounded Zhao Kuo's army, and he was defeated and captured, with over 400,000 Zhao soldiers all killed. The King of Qin regretted not following Zhao Bao's advice in the first place. That's why Changping was such a disaster! Back home, the King of Qin ignored his own advisors and laid siege to Handan again. Handan's officials Fu Bao, Wang Rong, and Su She led a Yan rebellion. Zhao gave Lingqiu to Chunshenjun, the Chu prime minister. Eight years later, Pingyuan Jun went to Chu State for help. After returning, Chu State sent troops to assist Zhao State, and the son of Wei also came to help. Only then did the Qin army lift the siege of Handan.
Ten years later, Yan attacked Changzhuang and captured it in May. General Le Cheng and Qing She of Zhao attacked the Xinliang army of Qin and defeated them. The Crown Prince of Zhao died. At the same time, Qin attacked the Western Zhou and conquered it. Tufu Qi fled. In the eleventh year, Zhao built Yuanshi City and established Shangyuan County. Wuyang Jun Zheng Anping of Zhao died, and Zhao reclaimed his fiefdom. In the twelfth year, there was a big fire in Handan. In the fourteenth year, Lord Pingyuan Zhao Sheng passed away.
Fifteen years ago, Zhao gave the title of Xinping Lord to General Lianpo. The King of Yan sent Prime Minister Li Fu to bribe the King of Zhao, sending five hundred gold as a gift, saying it was to buy wine for him. After Li Fu returned, he reported to the King of Yan, "The Battle of Changping wiped out Zhao's fighting men; only boys remain. We can attack!" The King of Yan then sought the opinion of Lord Changguo Lejian. Lejian said, "Zhao is a country surrounded by enemies, and the common people have all been trained in warfare. It's not easy to defeat them." The King of Yan said, "I have more people than Zhao; can I fight them with a two-to-one advantage?" Lejian said, "No." The King of Yan asked again, "What about a five-to-one advantage?" Lejian still said, "No." The King of Yan became angry, but the ministers all thought it was possible to attack. Yan sent out two large armies, two thousand chariots, with Li Fu leading one to attack 鄗 (Yì), and Qing Qin leading one to attack Daijun. General Lianpo fought and defeated Li Fu, capturing Qing Qin and Lejian.
In the sixteenth year, Lianpo surrounded Yan. Zhao appointed Le Cheng as Lord Wuxiang. In the seventeenth year, Zhao sent Lord Wuxiang, the great general, to attack Yan, completely encircling it. In the eighteenth year, Yanling Jun led troops to support Xinping Lord, helping Wei attack Yan. However, at the same time, Qin captured thirty-seven cities of our Zhao. In the nineteenth year, Zhao and Yan exchanged territories: Zhao ceded Longdui, Fenmen, and Linle to Yan, while Yan ceded Ge, Wuyang, and Pingshu to Zhao.
In the twentieth year, King Zheng of Qin had just taken the throne. Qin took Jinyang from us.
In the twenty-first year, King Xiaocheng of Zhao died. General Lian Po then attacked Le Cheng, forcing him to flee, and Lian Po himself escaped to Wei. King Daoxiang of Zhao ascended the throne.
In the first year of King Daoxiang, Zhao prepared for war aggressively, attempting to open a route between Pingyi and Zhongmou, but failed.
In the second year, General Li Mu led troops to attack the state of Yan, capturing Wusui and Fangcheng. Qin summoned Chunping Jun under false pretenses and then held him captive. Xie Jun said to Lord Wenxin, "King Zhao favored Chunping Jun, but other ministers were jealous. They reasoned that Qin would surely retain him if he went there, so they secretly sent him. Now that Qin has him, their goal is achieved. Release Chunping Jun and seize Pingdu instead. King Zhao trusts Chunping Jun and will surely cede land to regain Pingdu." Lord Wenxin said, "Good idea!" So Chunping Jun was released. At the same time, Zhao built the city of Hangao.
In the third year, General Pang Nuan led troops to attack the state of Yan and captured their general, Juxin. In the fourth year, General Pang Nuan led the combined elite forces of Zhao, Chu, Wei, and Yan to attack the city of Zui in Qin, but failed to capture it; later, they turned to attack the state of Qi and captured Rao'an. In the fifth year, General Fu Di stationed in Pingyi; General Qingshe led the army outside Dongyang River, defending the river crossings. In the sixth year, Zhao granted the territory of Rao to Lord Chang'an. Wei and Zhao fought at Ye City.
In the ninth year, Zhao attacked the state of Yan, occupying Li and Yangcheng. Before the Yan campaign concluded, Qin seized Ye City. King Daoxiang of Zhao died, and his son King Youmiao succeeded to the throne.
In the first year of King Youmiao's reign, they built the Bairen city walls. In the second year, Qin attacked Wucheng; General Hu Ze led a rescue force, but they were defeated, and he was killed in battle. In the third year, Qin attacked Chilie and Yian; General Li Mu led the army to battle against the Qin army at Feixia and repulsed them. King Zhao appointed Li Mu as Wuan Jun. In the fourth year, Qin attacked Fanwu, and Li Mu fought against them again, driving back the Qin army. In the fifth year, a major earthquake struck Dai. The quake devastated the region from Lexu west to Pingyin, collapsing most houses and walls and opening a 130-step-long fissure. In the sixth year, there was a severe famine, and the people spread rumors that "Zhao is going to perish, and Qin is going to succeed. If you don't believe it, just wait and see!" In the seventh year, Qin attacked Zhao; General Li Mu and General Sima Shang of Zhao led the army to meet them. Li Mu was killed, Sima Shang was dismissed, and Zhao hastily appointed Zhao Cong and Qi's General Yan Ju as replacements. Zhao Cong's army was defeated, and Yan Ju fled. King Zhao surrendered to Qin. In October of the eighth year, Handan City was captured by Qin. Sima Qian said: I heard Feng Wangsun say: "King Zhao Qian, his mother was a singer, favored by King Daoxiang. King Daoxiang deposed his legitimate son Jia and made Qian the king. Qian was not capable, and he believed in slander, so he killed the great general Li Mu and promoted Guo Kai." This seems quite accurate! After Qin captured King Zhao Qian, the remaining ministers of Zhao enthroned Jia as king. Jia reigned for six years, but Qin sent troops to attack and defeated Jia, finally conquering Zhao and making it a prefecture.
