The story of the Wei state begins with a lineage stretching back to the Zhou Dynasty. The ancestors of the Wei Kingdom are descendants of Bi Gonggao, who shares the same clan and surname as the Zhou Dynasty. After King Wu of Zhou defeated King Zhou of Shang, he enfeoffed Bi Gonggao in the Bi region, hence the Bi surname. Later, the noble title of the Bi family was lost, and they became common people, some staying in the Central Plains region, while others wandered to the frontier regions. Among their descendants was a man named Bi Wan, who served under Duke Xian of Jin.
In the sixteenth year of Duke Xian of Jin, Zhao Su served as the Master of the Chariots and Horses, while Bi Wan served as the Right-Wing Commander. Together, they attacked and destroyed the three countries of Huo, Geng, and Wei. Duke Xian of Jin enfeoffed the land of Geng to Zhao Su and the land of Wei to Bi Wan, making them nobles. A diviner named Bu Yan said, "The descendants of Bi Wan will surely prosper. 'Wan' represents a large number; 'Wei' is a resounding name. Now, bestowing land rewards, heaven has also opened the door for them. The emperor refers to his people as 'Zhaomin,' while princes refer to theirs as 'Wanmin.' The current grand rewards are in line with the meaning of 'Wan'; the descendants of Bi Wan will surely thrive." Initially, Bi Wan divined about his role in assisting the future of the Jin state, and the divination results were the hexagrams of "Tun" (屯), meaning accumulation or perseverance, and "Bi" (比), meaning union or alliance. After the divination, Xin Liao said, "A favorable omen. The 'Tun' hexagram represents solidity, and the 'Bi' hexagram represents unity. Can there be anything greater than good fortune? The descendants of Bi Wan will surely prosper."
After being enfeoffed in the Wei land for eleven years, Duke Xian of Jin passed away, causing his four sons to fight for the throne, leading to chaos in Jin. However, the Bi Wan family became stronger and stronger, adopting the surname of the country "Wei." Bi Wan's son was named Wuzi. Wuzi assisted Prince Chong'er of Jin. In the twenty-first year of Duke Xian of Jin, Wuzi followed Chong'er into exile. Nineteen years later, Chong'er returned to the country and ascended the throne, becoming Duke Wen of Jin. He reinstated Wuzi to his fief, confirming his noble status and appointing him governor of Wei. Wuzi's son was named Daozi.
Daozi moved his residence to the land of Huo. His son was named Weijiang.
Wei Jiang assisted Duke Dao of Jin. In the third year of Duke Dao, the feudal lords gathered in the state of Jin. Duke Dao's younger brother, Yang Gan, acted with unrestrained abandon, and Wei Jiang humiliated him severely. Duke Dao was furious: "I gathered the lords to show my authority, but you humiliated my brother!" He wanted to kill Wei Jiang. After some persuasion, Duke Dao relented. In the end, Duke Dao still valued Wei Jiang, assigning him to handle the diplomatic marriage with the Rongdi tribes, who all submitted to Jin. In the eleventh year of Duke Dao, he said: "Since I have valued Wei Jiang, in the past eight years, we have gathered the lords nine times, and the Rongdi tribes have also submitted. It's all down to you!" Duke Dao rewarded Wei Jiang with musical instruments, which Wei Jiang declined three times before accepting. Wei Jiang later relocated his seat of power to Anyi. After his death, he was given the posthumous title of Zhaozi. His son was named Wei Ying. Wei Ying's son was named Wei Xianzi.
Wei Xianzi assisted Duke Zhao of Jin. After Duke Zhao's death, the power of the six ministers rose as the royal family weakened.
In the twelfth year of Duke Qing of Jin, Han Xuanzi was old, and Wei Xianzi began to take control of Jin's affairs. The Qi and Yang clans of Jin, locked in bitter rivalry, were ultimately destroyed by the six ministers, their lands carved into ten counties, each minister installing his son as lord. Wei Xianzi, Zhao Jianzi, and Zhonghang Wenzi became the ministers of Jin together.
Fourteen years on, Confucius became Chief Minister of Lu. Four years later, due to a rebellion in Jinyang, Zhao Jianzi joined forces with the Han and Wei families to attack the Fan and Zhonghang clans. Wei Xianzi's son, Wei Chi, joined forces with Zhao Yang to attack the Fan and Zhonghang clans.
Wei Chi's grandson, Wei Huanzi, along with Han Kangzi and Zhao Xiangzi, attacked and destroyed Zhi Bo, dividing his territory among themselves.
Wei Wenhou was the grandson of Wei Huanzi. In the first year of Wei Wenhou, also the first year of Qin Linggong, he was a contemporary of Han Wuzi, Zhao Huanzi, and King Zhou Wei. In the sixth year of Wei Wenhou, Wei built the city of Shaoliang. In the thirteenth year, Wei Wenhou sent his son, Zi Ji, to lead the army to besiege the cities of Fan and Pang, and moved the people out. In the sixteenth year, Wei attacked the state of Qin and built the city of Yuanli at Linjin. In the seventeenth year, Wei attacked the state of Zhongshan, sending Zi Ji to defend the newly occupied land, with the assistance of Zhao Cangtang. Zi Ji encountered Wei Wenhou's teacher Tian Zifang in Chaoge, but the teacher was quite disrespectful. Zi Ji asked Tian Zifang, "Are the rich arrogant, or the poor?" Tian Zifang replied, "Nah, it's the poor who are arrogant! If a lord's arrogant, he loses his kingdom; if a noble's arrogant, he loses his fortune. But poor folks? They're rude and nobody listens to 'em, so they just hightail it to Chu or Yue—like they've shed their chains! They ain't got nothin' to lose." Zi Ji left, fuming. Later, the Wei army attacked the state of Qin in the west, reaching Zheng before turning back, and built cities in Luoyin and Heyang. In 22 BC, Wei, Zhao, and Han were officially recognized as vassal states. In the twenty-fourth year, Qin attacked, with the army reaching Yanghu. In the twenty-fifth year, Zi Ji had a son, Wei Ying. Wei Wenhou studied Confucianism under Zixia and made Duangan Mu a guest official. Whenever Wei Wenhou passed Duangan Mu's house, he'd dismount and walk. When Qin considered attacking, someone warned their king, "Don't! Wei Wenhou's a wise and gracious ruler, loved by his people for his fairness. They're united, from top to bottom. Now's not the time!" Wei Wenhou thus gained a good reputation among the vassal states. Wei Wenhou appointed Ximen Bao to manage the regions of Ye and Henan, and the area thrived under his rule.
Marquis Wen of Wei asked Li Ke, "An old saying goes, 'A poor family needs a good wife, a troubled country needs a good minister.' Now I've got to choose between Cheng Zi and Huang for prime minister—what do you think?"
Li Ke replied, "It's not my place to judge people above my station, and family shouldn't be judging family. I'm just someone waiting outside the palace now, so I dare not comment casually."
Marquis Wen said, "Old master, don't be modest, just speak directly."
Li Ke said, "You haven't observed carefully! Look at his friends and family. See who he shares his wealth with. Who does he promote? How does he handle hard times? What does he value when he's down on his luck? That's all you need to know."
Marquis Wen said, "You can go back; I have already decided on the prime minister." Li Ke hurriedly took his leave and walked to the door of Zhai Huang's house.
Zhai Huang asked Li Ke, "I heard that the ruler summoned you to decide on the prime minister. Who did you finally choose?"
Li Ke said, "Wei Cheng Zi is the prime minister."
Upon hearing this, Zhai Huang immediately became furious and said angrily, "What's my crime? What have I done to deserve this? Based on what I've seen and heard, where have I wronged Wei Cheng Zi? I recommended the Governor of Xi He; when the ruler was worried about Ye City, I recommended Ximen Bao; when the ruler wanted to attack Zhongshan, I recommended Leyang; after Zhongshan was captured, they needed someone to guard it, I recommended you; when the ruler's son had no teacher, I recommended Qu Houfu. Where am I inferior to Wei Cheng Zi?"
Li Ke said, "Are you recommending people to the king to compete with Wei Chengzi for high positions? The king asked me, 'If not Cheng, then Huang, what about the two sons?' I replied, 'You're not seeing the whole picture. Look at their friends, their spending, what they do, what they avoid, and what they won't accept. Five points is enough to judge a man—what's the point of asking me?' That's why I know Wei Chengzi will become the prime minister. Furthermore, you can't hold a candle to Wei Chengzi! He's got a fat salary, and he spends most of it on the state, not himself. That's why he has the talented Bu Zixia, Tian Zifang, and Duanganmu as his assistants. The king considers those three his teachers. As for the five people you recommended, the king only sees them as courtiers."
Zhai Huang listened and repeatedly apologized, "I spoke out of turn. I was wrong. Consider me your student from now on."
In 26 BC, Guo Mountain came crashing down, blocking the Yellow River.
In 32 BC, the State of Wei attacked the State of Zheng, built the city of Suanzao, and defeated the State of Qin on the Zu land.
In 35 BC, the State of Qi attacked the State of Wei and took Xiangling.
In 36 BC, the State of Qin invaded the Yinjin area of the State of Wei.
In 38 BC, the State of Wei attacked the State of Qin, but the military operation failed. But we did learn something about their generals. In this year, Marquis Wen of Wei passed away, and his son Wei Ji succeeded him, becoming Marquis Wu of Wei.
In the first year of Duke Wu of Wei, Zhao Jinghou just ascended to the throne, and Prince Shuo's rebellion failed. Then, together with Wei, he attacked Handan, but the Wei army was defeated and withdrew. In the second year, Wei constructed the cities of Anyi and Wangyuan. In the seventh year, Wei attacked Qi, and the army reached Sangqiu. In the ninth year, Zhai defeated us at Huidi. Wei sent Wu Qi to attack Qi, and they reached Lingqiu. This year, King Wei of Qi ascended the throne. In the eleventh year, Wei, Han, and Zhao partitioned Jin's territory and eliminated the Jin lineage. In the thirteenth year, Qin Xiangong occupied Liyang. In the fifteenth year, Wei defeated Zhao's army at Beiling. In the sixteenth year, Wei attacked Chu and occupied Luyang. Duke Wu of Wei died, and his son, Wei Ying, succeeded him as King Hui.
In the first year of King Hui of Wei, here's what went down: Wei Wuhou had just died, and Wei Ying and Gong Zhonghuan were battling for the throne. Gongsun Qi came from the State of Song to the State of Zhao, and then from Zhao to the State of Han, saying to Marquis Yi of Han, "So, you've heard about Wei Ying and Gong Zhonghuan fighting for the throne, right? Now Wei Ying has the support of Wang Cuo, controls half the kingdom, and is basically running half the country. Take him out now, and Wei's ours! We can't pass this up!" Marquis Yi of Han believed him, so he joined forces with Marquis Cheng of Zhao to attack Wei, and they clashed at Zhuoze. Wei was defeated, and King Hui of Wei was besieged. Zhao told Han, "Off with his head! We put Gong Zhonghuan on the throne, grab some land, and everyone wins!" Han replied, "No way. Killing him makes us look like butchers, and grabbing land makes us look greedy. Let's split Wei in two. Split them, and they'll be weaker than Song or Wei—no more threats from them!" Zhao didn’t listen. Han got cold feet and pulled their troops out under the cover of darkness. In the end, King Hui of Wei did not die, and Wei did not split, all because they couldn't agree on a plan. If either had stuck to the plan, Wei would have been toast. So, like they say, "No heir, no kingdom."
In the second year, Wei defeated Hàn at Maling and Zhao at Huai. In the third year, Qi defeated us at Guan. In the fifth year, Wei and Hàn formed an alliance at Zhuoyang. Wei built the city of Wudu, which Qin later conquered. In the sixth year, Wei attacked Song and captured Yitai. In the ninth year, Wei defeated Hàn at Hui. Wei and Qin fought at Shaoliang, and our general Gongsun Rong was captured, while Pangdi was taken by Qin. Duke Xian of Qin passed away, and his son Duke Xiao of Qin succeeded him. In the tenth year, Wei attacked Zhao and captured Pilao. That year, a comet appeared. In the twelfth year, stars fell during the day and made sounds.
In the fourteenth year, I met with Zhao at Haodi. In the fifteenth year, the kings of Lu, Wei, Song, and Zheng all came to see me. In the sixteenth year, I met with Duke Xiao of Qin at Duping. Later, I attacked Huangchi of Song, and they recaptured Huangchi. In the seventeenth year, I fought with Qin at Yuanli, and they occupied our Shaoliang. After that, we surrounded Handan of Zhao. In the eighteenth year, we captured Handan. Zhao sought help from Qi, who sent Tian Ji and Sun Bin to aid them, and they defeated Wei at Guilin. In the nineteenth year, several vassal states besieged our Xiangling. To defend, we built fortifications and reinforced the defenses of Guyang. In the twentieth year, we withdrew from Handan, returning it to Zhao and forming an alliance along the Zhang River. In the twenty-first year, I met with Qin at Tongdi. That year, Zhao's Marquis Cheng passed away. In the twenty-eighth year, King Wei of Qi also passed away. Zhongshan's ruler surrendered to Wei.
Thirty years into his reign, the state of Wei attacked the state of Zhao, and Zhao sought help from the state of Qi. King Xuan of Qi adopted Sun Tzu's strategy, saved Zhao, and in turn defeated Wei. Wei then mobilized a large army, appointed Pang Juan as the general, and made the crown prince Shen the general. When the army reached Waihuang, a man named Xu Zi said to the crown prince, "I have a foolproof strategy." The crown prince asked, "Can you share it with me?" Xu Zi replied, "I am willing to offer my strategy. Attack Qi, take Ju, and your wealth will rival the king's. Fail, and Wei is finished!" The crown prince said, "Alright, I will withdraw the troops according to your advice." Xu Zi cautioned, "Your Prince, you may want to withdraw the troops, but it may be difficult. There are too many people urging you to attack; they all hope to share in the spoils. It may be very hard to withdraw." The crown prince originally wanted to withdraw the troops, but his charioteer said, "Attacking and retreating is pointless, like running in circles." In the end, the crown prince still fought against the people of Qi and was defeated by the Qi army at Maling. Qi captured the Wei crown prince Shen, killed the general Pang Juan, and the Wei army was completely defeated.
In the thirty-first year, the states of Qin, Zhao, and Qi attacked our state of Wei together. The Qin general Shang Yang used deceit to trick our general Gongzi Ang, ambushed his army, and defeated us. Qin promoted Shang Yang and expanded its territory to the east of the Yellow River, while the states of Qi and Zhao repeatedly defeated us. Anyi was too close to Qin, so we moved the capital to Daliang and appointed Gongzi He as the crown prince.
In the thirty-third year, King Xiaogong of Qin died, and Shang Yang fled Qin and sought refuge in Wei. Wei, out of anger, did not accept him. In the thirty-fifth year, I met with King Xuan of Qi at Ping'a and we reached a reconciliation.
King Hui was always at war, bending over backward to attract talent by kowtowing and showering them with gifts. Zou Yan, Chunyu Kun, and Mengzi all came to the state of Liang. King Hui of Liang said, "I am not capable, having lost three battles, the crown prince captured, the general dead, the state's coffers empty, shaming our ancestors. I feel very troubled. I'm honored you gentlemen have come so far to this humble place of mine; how do you plan to help the state of Liang?" Mengzi said, "Your Majesty, you cannot only think of benefits. If you and the ministers only think of benefits, and the common people also think of benefits, everyone fighting for benefits, the country will be in danger! As a ruler, as long as you do what's right, what else do you need to consider?"
Thirty-six years later, King Hui met with King Qi in Zhen. King Hui died that year, and his son King Xiang ascended the throne.
In his first year as king, King Xiang met with the vassals in Xuzhou and became the leader of the alliance. His father King Hui was given a posthumous title of king.
Five years later, the state of Qin defeated our 45,000 Longjia troops in Diaoyin and surrounded Jiao and Quwo. We ceded the land west of the river to Qin.
Six years later, we met with Qin in Ying. Qin took our Fenyin, Pishi, and Jiao. The state of Wei defeated the state of Chu at Xingshan. The following year, Wei gave all of Shangjun to Qin. Qin occupied our Puyang. In the eighth year, Qin returned Jiao and Quwo to us.
In the twelfth year, Chu defeated our army in Xiangling. The chief ministers of the vassal states and Qin's Zhang Yi met at Niesang. In the thirteenth year, Zhang Yi became the prime minister of Wei. Can you believe it? A woman in Wei turned into a man. Qin took away our Quwo and Pingzhou.
In the sixteenth year, King Ai succeeded King Xiang. Zhang Yi returned to Qin. In King Ai's first year, five states joined forces to attack Qin, but they were defeated and retreated.
In the second year, Qi defeated our army at Guanjin. Five years later, Qin sent Chuli Zi to attack us, taking Quwo, and Xishi, the commander, fled to Anmen. In the sixth year, Qin came to support Prince Zheng as the crown prince. We made an alliance with Qin at Linjin. In the seventh year, we attacked Qi. We also attacked Yan together with Qin.
It is said that after eight years of fighting, the state of Wei attacked the state of Zhao and captured Liecheng. The king of Wei was beside himself with worry. A man named Ru Er said to the king of Wei, "Can we make peace with Zhao and let Chengling off the hook?" The king of Wei replied, "If you can really do it, I promise that Wei will listen to you for generations."
Then, Ru Er went to see Lord Chengling and said, "Back then, when Wei attacked Zhao, broke through Yangchang, occupied Yuyu, and forced Zhao to cede land and pay compensation, they almost destroyed Zhao. Zhao survived in the end because it submitted to Wei. Now Wei is on the brink of collapse and plans to surrender to Qin. Instead of letting Qin swallow Wei, it is better to let Wei swallow Wei. In this way, Wei's gratitude to the Wei king will never end." Lord Chengling agreed.
Next, Ru Er went to see the King of Wei and said, "I have a suggestion about Wei. Wei, though a small state descended from the Zhou dynasty, possesses many treasures. Now Wei is about to be wiped out, but it has not brought out any treasures. Why is that? Because they think that if they attack Wei and annex it, Wei will not treat them as masters, so even if they bring out treasures, the King of Wei will not accept them. In my private analysis, the first person to propose annexing Wei will get Wei in the end."
After Ru Er finished speaking, he left, and Lord Chengling went in and relayed Ru Er's words to the King of Wei. The King of Wei believed Ru Er's words, ordered the troops to be withdrawn, and relieved Lord Chengling of his guilt. And that was the last anyone ever saw of Lord Chengling.
Nine years ago, I met the King of Qin in Linjin. Zhang Yi and Wei Zhang both defected to Wei. With the death of Wei's Prime Minister, Tian Xu, Chu worried about the ambitions of Zhang Yi, Xishi, and Xue Gong. The Prime Minister of Chu, Zhao Yu, said to Su Dai, "Tian Xu is dead; I fear one of them – Zhang Yi, Xishi, or Xue Gong – will become Wei's next Prime Minister." Su Dai asked him, "Who do you hope will become the Prime Minister?" Zhao Yu replied, "I hope the Crown Prince will become the Prime Minister himself." Su Dai said, "Let me go to Wei once, and I will definitely make him the Prime Minister." Zhao Yu asked, "How will you achieve that?" Su Dai said, "Just promise to be the King of Liang (another name for Wei), and I will explain it to you later." Zhao Yu asked again, "How will you explain it?" Su Dai said, "I came from the State of Chu, and Zhao Yu was very worried, saying, 'Tian Xu is dead; I fear one of them – Zhang Yi, Xishi, or Xue Gong – will become Wei's next Prime Minister.' I said, 'Liang, as the senior ruler, wouldn't promote Zhang Yi. If Zhang Yi became Prime Minister, he would prioritize Qin, neglecting Wei's interests. If Xishi became Prime Minister, he would favor Han first, then Wei. If Xue Gong became Prime Minister, he would favor Qi first, then Wei. Liang, as the senior ruler, wouldn't agree to their appointments.' The King of Liang asked, 'Then who should I appoint as Prime Minister?' I said, 'Why not let the Crown Prince become the Prime Minister himself? If the Crown Prince becomes the Prime Minister, these three will all believe that he is the true Prime Minister and will do their best to inform Wei of their own country's affairs, wanting to obtain the Prime Minister's seal. With Wei's strong power and a massive army to assist, Wei will definitely stabilize. Therefore, it's better to let the Crown Prince become the Prime Minister.'" So Su Dai went to Wei, relayed this argument to the king, and secured the Crown Prince's appointment as Prime Minister.
Ten years later, Zhang Yi died. Eleven years later, I met with King Wu of Qin in Yingdi. Twelve years later, the Crown Prince went to Qin to do obeisance. Qin attacked our Pi region, but withdrew before conquering it. Fourteen years later, Qin returned King Wu's concubines. Sixteen years later, Qin conquered our cities of Pufan, Yangjin, and Fengling. Seventeen years later, I met with Qin in Linjin. Qin returned Pufan to us. Eighteen years later, I joined Qin in attacking Chu. Twenty-one years later, I, along with Qi and Han, defeated the Qin army at Hangu Pass.
Twenty-three years later, Qin returned the areas beyond the river and Fengling to us, making peace. King Ai of Wei died, and his son King Zhao succeeded him. In 278 BC, Qin captured our Xiangcheng. The following year, our war with Qin yielded no gains. In the third year, we helped Han in attacking Qin, but suffered the catastrophic loss of 240,000 troops at the hands of General Bai Qi at Yique. By the sixth year, we ceded 400 li of land in Hedong to Qin, with Meng Mao's schemes exacerbating our losses. In the seventh year, Qin captured sixty-one of our cities. In the eighth year, King Zhao of Qin and King Min of Qi each declared themselves Emperor, the former Western and the latter Eastern, but both reverted to kings within a month. In the ninth year, Qin captured our cities of Xinyuan and Quyang.
Ten years later, Qi destroyed Song, and the King of Song died in our Wendu. Twelve years later, we, along with Qin, Zhao, Han, and Yan, attacked Qi and defeated them at Jixi, with King Min fleeing and Yan forces occupying Linzi. Following this victory, I met with the King of Qin in Xizhou. In the thirteenth year, Qin captured our Ancheng, only to withdraw later. By the eighteenth year, Qin captured the capital of Chu, forcing the King of Chu to relocate to Chen. In the nineteenth year, King Zhao of Wei died, and his son King Anli succeeded him.
In the first year of King Anli's rule, the state of Qin took two of our cities. In the second year, Qin seized another two of our cities, and their army once again approached the Daliang capital. The state of Han came to our rescue, and we had to surrender Wend to Qin in order to seek peace. In the third year, Qin conquered four more of our cities and killed a staggering 40,000 people. In the fourth year, Qin defeated us, Han, and Zhao, killing a massive 150,000 people, and our general Mang Mao also fled. General Duanganzi of the state of Wei suggested giving up Nanyang to Qin to seek peace. Su Dai said to the King of Wei, "Duanganzi's after the royal seal, and Qin wants our land. Now, Your Majesty, you let those who want the land decide on the royal seal, and those who want the royal seal decide on the land. If we keep giving up land, it'll never end. Besides, giving them land to appease them is like trying to put out a fire with firewood—it'll never work." The King of Wei said, "You are right. However, the die is cast." Su Dai replied, "Your Majesty, don't you know why gamblers are so keen on owls? They eat when there's profit and stop when there's none. Now, Your Majesty, saying 'the situation has already begun, and there is no way to change it' is not as wise as an owl, is it?" Nine years later, Qin took Huai. In the eleventh year, the crown prince of Qin died while being held hostage in Wei. In the twelfth year, Qin captured Qiuqiu. King Zhao of Qin asked his attendant, "Of Han and Wei, which one's stronger now, compared to back then?" The attendant replied, "Neither's as strong." Zhao Wang then asked, "Now, between Han's Ru'er and Wei's Qi, and the previous Mengchangjun and Mang Mao, who is more formidable?" The attendant replied, "Not even close."
King Zhao said, "Meng Changjun and Mang Mao, such powerful figures, led the strong states of Han and Wei to attack Qin, but they couldn't defeat me. Now, with mediocre leaders like Ru and Wei Qi leading the weakened states of Han and Wei to attack Qin, it's a no-brainer that they won't be able to defeat me!" The guards all agreed.
At this time, General Feng Qin of the central army stood up and said, "Your Majesty, you're overestimating the situation. When the six Jin clans were battling for control, the Zhi clan was the strongest. They defeated the Fan clan and the Zhongxing clan, and even led the armies of Han and Wei to surround Zhao Xiangzi in Jinyang. They diverted the Fen River to flood the city walls of Jinyang, and the water rose three stories high. Zhi Bo personally ordered the flooding, Wei Huanzi drove the carriage, and Han Kangzi sat beside him. Zhi Bo exclaimed, 'So *that's* how you destroy a country!' The Fen River irrigated Anyi, and the Jiang River irrigated Pingyang. In the end, Wei Huanzi secretly elbowed Han Kangzi, and Han Kangzi kicked Wei Huanzi. They started elbowing and kicking each other, and the Zhi clan's land was divided; Zhi Bo himself was killed, the country was destroyed, and became the butt of everyone's jokes. Although the army of Qin is strong now, they are still not as strong as the Zhi clan back then; and although Han and Wei are weak, their strength is much greater than when they were besieged at Jinyang. Now is the time for Han and Wei to attack each other; I hope Your Majesty will not underestimate them!"
King Zhao was spooked after hearing Feng Qin's words.
Qi and Chu united to attack Wei. Wei quickly sent envoys to Qin for help. A constant stream of envoys, their carriages and horses a blur, travelled to Qin, but Qin refused to send troops to help. In Wei, a nonagenarian named Tang Ju approached the king. "I shall go to Qin, plead with their king, and secure our salvation," he said. The Wei king, deeply bowing, dispatched him immediately. Tang Ju arrived in Qin and went to see the king. The king of Qin said, "My word, old man, what a journey! I know Wei has come for help many times, and I understand their situation is urgent." Tang Ju replied, "Your Majesty, knowing Wei's plight, yet withholding aid, speaks volumes about your advisors' incompetence! Wei, a nation of ten thousand chariots, submits to Qin in the west, calls itself a vassal in the east, accepts the Qin crown, and performs the Spring and Autumn rituals—all because Qin is powerful, and they have no choice but to rely on you. Now the armies of Qi and Chu have joined forces and attacked the border of Wei, but Qin still does not send troops for rescue. You're waiting for Wei to be utterly broken before you act. If Wei is desperate enough to sue for peace, why bother saving them at all? Waiting until Wei is at its last resort would mean losing a vassal state in the east and instead strengthening the two enemies, Qi and Chu. What's in it for you, Your Majesty?" Upon hearing this, King Zhao of Qin immediately ordered troops to rescue Wei. Ultimately, Wei was saved.
Zhao sent someone to tell the king, "Do me a favor and get rid of Fan Po, and I'll offer seventy miles of land." The king agreed. So officials were sent to arrest Fan Po, who was surrounded but not yet killed. Fan Po took the opportunity to climb onto the roof, sitting astride the ridge, and said to the messenger, "Instead of using my death to trade for land, it'd be better to trade my life for the land. If I'm dead and Zhao doesn't deliver, what then? So let’s agree on the land first, and then you can kill me." The king thought this made sense and agreed. Fan Po then wrote a letter to Xin Ling Jun, saying, "I am Wei's ex-prime minister, and Zhao wants to trade land for my life, and the king actually agreed. If Qin does the same thing, what will you do?" Xin Ling Jun handed the letter to the king, who then released Fan Po.
The king wanted to cozy up to Qin because they had once saved him, so he attacked Han to regain the land he had lost. Xin Ling Jun said to the king:
"Qin is as brutal as the Di, greedy and treacherous, breaking promises like twigs, and utterly without shame or honor. As long as there's profit to be gained, they don't care about family or friends. Everyone knows what they're like – and it's not because of their virtue! The king's own mother died in sorrow; his uncle, despite his great accomplishments, was driven away; and the king's two brothers, who did nothing wrong, were stripped of their fiefdoms. If they treat their own like this, how much worse will they treat their enemies? Now, if you join Qin in attacking Han, you'll only bring Qin's threat closer. I really can't understand! If you can't see that, you're not being very smart. And if your advisors aren't warning you, they're failing you."
The King of Han has installed a woman as queen mother to assist a young monarch. The kingdom is teetering on the brink of collapse, facing the might of Qin and Wei. Your Majesty, do you honestly think Han stands a chance? Should Han fall, Qin gains Zheng, Daliang, and Ye—all at once! You dream of reclaiming lost lands, yet you cozy up to mighty Qin? Your Majesty, do you think that's a good idea?
Qin's ambitions know no bounds. After Han falls, Qin will definitely invade again, choosing its easiest, most lucrative target. That target is definitely not Chu or Zhao. Why is that? Attacking Zhao directly would be a fool's errand—too risky, too costly. If Qin were to attack south along the Yellow River, bypassing Han's Shangdang region and cutting off the water routes of Zhanghe and Fuhe, it would be repeating past mistakes, which Qin will not risk. Attacking Chu involves a long journey of over three thousand miles, with treacherous terrain and great difficulty, which Qin will avoid. So, Qin's next target is obvious: it won't be Chu, Zhao, Wei, or Qi.
After the destruction of Han, once the Qin army makes a move, Wei will not be able to survive. Qin originally occupied Huai, Mao, and Xingqiu, built a fortress at Chengguo Jin, and controlled Henei, including Gong and Ji, which are now on the brink of collapse; Qin has taken over Zheng, occupied Yuan and Yong, and if they flood Daliang by diverting the waters of Yingze, Daliang City will surely be submerged. Our king's envoy pissed off the Anling clan in Qin, and Qin has long wanted to get rid of them. The cities of Yeyang, Kunyang, and Wuyang in Qin are adjacent, and using the envoy's lies as an excuse, they wiped out the Anling clan, bypassing the north of Wuyang and threatening Xuguo to the east. The southern states will all face danger; this is a disaster waiting to happen!
Look, I get it. We didn't like the King of Han, and we weren't fans of Anling Jun. But don't worry too much about Qin's intentions toward our southern neighbors; it's serious, and we need to pay attention. In those days, Qin bordered Jin in the west, a thousand miles away from our Liang country, separated by mountains, rivers, and Zhou and Han acting as buffers. From the Battle of Linxiang until now, they've repeatedly ravaged Wei, leaving its cities in ruins and its people destitute. Qin has even marched to the north of Liang country, east to the outskirts of Tao and Wei, and north to Pingyang and Jiandi. They've conquered everything from the Yellow River to the mountains, taking dozens of towns and hundreds of cities. If Qin were to destroy Han and acquire the land of Zheng, without mountains and rivers as barriers, without Zhou and Han as buffers, only a hundred miles from our Daliang, the consequences would be unimaginable!
We tried to stop Qin, but no luck. Chu and Wei were dragging their feet, and Han was no help. Now, Han has been under attack from Qin for three years. Qin stalled Han for three years. Ignoring all advice, the Han king sent hostages to Zhao, begging for help against Qin. Chu and Zhao will definitely send troops; they see through Qin's ambitions. Qin won't stop until they've conquered everyone. So listen to me: Grab that alliance with Chu and Zhao, use Han's hostages as leverage, get their land back, and Han will owe you big time. The people get their land back without a fight – way better than siding with Qin and ending up their neighbor.
Saving Han and keeping Wei steady is good for everyone. Link Shangdang to Gong and Ning, open up trade, rake in the taxes, and Wei will be all over Han. Han will be so grateful, they'll be Wei's puppet state. If Wei treats Han as a vassal, the western regions will be safe. Lose Han, and the whole kingdom crumbles. Zhou and Anling fall, Chu and Zhao are crushed, everyone else panics, and Qin marches right into the capital.
Twenty years later, Xinling Jun snuck around General Jin Bi, grabbed his army, saved Zhao, and stayed there. Qin's Zhao Wang kicked the bucket twenty-six years later.
Thirty years ago, Lord Xinling, Wei Wuji, returned to Wei with an army from five allied states to attack Qin. They defeated the Qin army east of the Yellow River, sending Qin general Meng Ao running. Later, Crown Prince Zeng of Wei was taken hostage by Qin. The Qin king was angry and wanted to imprison him. An advisor told the Qin king, "Gongsun Xi once told the Prime Minister of Wei, 'If we use Wei to attack Qin, the Qin king will definitely be angry and will surely capture the Crown Prince of Wei. The King of Wei will also be angry and will attack Qin, causing Qin to suffer losses.' Imprisoning him plays right into Gongsun Xi's hands! So it's better to treat him well, let him unite with Wei, and confuse Qi and Han." After hearing this, the Qin king abandoned the idea of imprisoning Crown Prince Zeng.
In the thirty-first year, the Qin king had just ascended to the throne.
In the thirty-fourth year, King Wei Anli died, and Crown Prince Zeng succeeded him, becoming King Jingmin of Wei. Lord Xinling, Wei Wuji, also passed away.
In the first year of King Jingmin's reign, Qin seized twenty cities from Wei, making them part of Qin's eastern province. The following year, Qin next seized Chaoge. Wei was forced to move its capital to Yewang. In the third year, Qin took Jixian from Wei. In the fifth year, Qin took Yuancheng, Puyang, and Yanshi. Fifteen years later, King Jingmin of Wei died, and his son, King Jia, succeeded him.
In the first year of King Jia's reign, the Crown Prince of Yan sent Jing Ke to assassinate the Qin king, but the Qin king discovered the plot.
Three years later, Qin flooded Daliang, captured King Jia, and wiped out Wei, making it just another Qin county.
Sima Qian said: I once visited the ruins of Handan, and the people there said, "When the Qin State broke through Handan, they flooded the city with the Yellow River. Three months later, the city walls crumbled, the King of Wei requested surrender, and Wei was thus destroyed." Many people say that the reason for Wei's downfall was that they did not value Xinling Jun. But I don't think it was like that. It was simply Qin's destiny to unify China. The Qin State's hegemony had not yet been completed. Even with a brilliant strategist like Xinling Jun, it wouldn't have made a difference.
