Chun Shen Jun, whose name was Huang Xie, was a man from the state of Chu. He was an incredibly learned scholar and worked under King Qingxiang of Chu. King Qingxiang, impressed by his eloquence, sent him as an envoy to the state of Qin. Meanwhile, King Zhao of Qin had dispatched Bai Qi to attack the states of Han and Wei, and they were decisively defeated at Huayang, where the Wei general Mang Mao was captured. Han and Wei were forced into submission by Qin. King Zhao of Qin was planning to have Bai Qi join forces with Han and Wei to attack Chu, but before any action was taken, the Chu envoy Huang Xie arrived in Qin and learned of their plans. Previously, Qin had sent Bai Qi to attack Chu, seizing Wu and Qianzhong counties, capturing Chu's capital, Yanying, and pushing on to Jingling, forcing King Qingxiang's relocation to Chen County. Huang Xie witnessed the tragic death of King Huai of Chu, who was deceived by Qin and died as a guest in Qin. He feared a similar fate for King Qingxiang. Qin underestimated King Qingxiang and feared his rebellion, so Huang Xie wrote a letter to King Zhao of Qin to persuade him.
Huang Xie said in the letter: No country is stronger than Qin and Chu. Now I heard that you want to attack Chu; that's like two tigers fighting—the little dog always gets it. It's better to get along well with Chu. Let me explain my thoughts: I heard that when things reach a tipping point, they reverse. After winter comes summer, and after summer comes winter; when things go too far, they swing back. Now the territory of Qin is spread across the world, occupying half of it; this unprecedented prosperity, even with a million-strong army, has never been seen before. During the reigns of the former kings Wen Wang and Zhuang Wang, none of the three generations married into Qi, severing ties. Now you have let Sheng Qiao guard the Han territory, and Sheng Qiao has given it to Qin, which shows that you gained a hundred miles of land without using the army or showing power—truly impressive! You raised an army to attack Wei, broke through the gates of Daliang, occupied Henan, captured Yan, Suanzao, Xu, and Tao, and pushed into Xingdi; the Wei army fled everywhere, not daring to resist. Your accomplishments are considerable! You rested the army and nurtured the people, and two years later, you marched again, annexing Pu, Yan, Shou, and Yuan, approaching Ren and Pingqiu; Huang and Jiyang surrendered. You also took the land north of Pulei, controlled the strategic passes between Qi and Qin, isolating Chu and Zhao; even a united front wouldn't dare to intervene. Your renown is immense! If you can consolidate your gains, maintain your prestige, curb your expansionist ambitions, and cultivate benevolence and righteousness, you will be avoiding future troubles and surpassing even the Three Kings and Five Hegemons!
However, Your Majesty, if you rely solely on numbers and strength, and try to conquer all the neighboring states by force based on the recent victory over the State of Wei, I am worried that this will leave future troubles! As an ancient poem goes: "Few things endure, fewer still reach their end." The Book of Changes also says: "A fox crossing a stream will wet its tail." All of these indicate that it is easy to start something, but very difficult to persist until the end.
Why do I say this? In the past, Zhi Shi saw Zhao as ripe for the picking, but ended up suffering losses at Yuci; King Helu of Wu thought attacking the State of Qi would be advantageous, but was defeated in the Gansui battle. Both had known past glories, but they only focused on immediate benefits and neglected future dangers! The State of Wu trusted the State of Yue; together they attacked the State of Qi. Although they defeated Qi at Ailing, they were captured by the King of Yue at Sanzhu upon returning home. Zhi Shi trusted the States of Han and Wei, together they attacked the State of Zhao, besieged Jinyang City, and were on the verge of victory, but the States of Han and Wei rebelled and killed Zhi Bo Yao under the platform.
Now, Your Majesty, you envy that the State of Chu has not been destroyed, but forget that destroying Chu will only strengthen the States of Han and Wei. I believe Your Majesty's way of thinking is not advisable! This poem says, "Great warriors avoid prolonged campaigns far from home," from which we can see that Chu is a state we can win over, while Han and Wei are our enemies. The poem also says, "A nimble hare, still caught by the hound; others have their own designs, I must consider them carefully." Now, Your Majesty, you believe that Han and Wei have good intentions and want to help you, just like the State of Wu believed in the State of Yue. I have heard that enemies cannot be trusted, and opportunities cannot be missed. I am worried that Han and Wei are pretending to be humble and willing to avert disaster on the surface, but in reality, they want to deceive our great nation. Why do I say this? Your Majesty, there's no history of friendship between you and Han and Wei, only generations of hatred!
For ten generations, the Qin have been slaughtering the people of Han and Wei – fathers, sons, brothers, the whole lot! Han and Wei are rubble. Their temples are smashed, their people butchered – guts spilled, necks snapped, heads rolling, corpses rotting, skulls piled high as mountains. Old men, women, and children, chained together like dogs. Even the gods weep for them, forgotten and unmourned. The survivors are scattered, enslaved, and desperate. So, unless Han and Wei are wiped out, Qin's in danger. Your Majesty, are you serious? Helping *them* attack Chu?
And how, exactly, do you plan to attack Chu, Your Majesty? You gonna ask your enemies, Han and Wei, for a route? And what if they cut off our retreat? Then we're just handing them a victory. If not, you're stuck attacking the Sui River's east bank. But that's just swamps and mountains – uninhabitable. You'll win a battle, but not the war. It's a pointless attack.
Word on the street is, if you attack Chu, the other four countries will definitely come to help. Although the armies of Qin and Chu are fighting fiercely, they’re still secretly working together. Wei will take advantage of the situation to attack places like Liu, Fangyu, and several others in that region. Song's done for. If Qi hits Chu from the south, the north of the Si River will join in. It's all flat, fertile land, easy to move around in. But you want to take on Chu alone? That's nuts. After defeating Chu, you’ll just make Han and Wei stronger in the Central Plains, which will only boost Qi's power. With Han and Wei getting stronger, they’ll be able to compete with Qin. Qi has the Si River as a barrier to the south, the sea to the east, and the Yellow River to the north. There's no need to worry about the rear at all. Among all the countries in the world, there’s no one stronger than Qi and Wei. Once Qi and Wei get land and benefits, they’ll govern their countries more stably. In a year, even if you’re not emperor yet, they’ll be powerless to stop you. Qi and Wei will be so strong, nobody will be able to touch you.
Your Majesty, with your vast territory and strong army, that ill-advised attack on Chu has made Han and Wei less keen on backing your imperial ambitions, pushing them towards Qi instead. In my opinion, Your Majesty should get cozy with Chu. If Qin and Chu unite to confront Han, Han won't dare lift a finger. By utilizing the strategic locations of Mount Dongshan and the convenience of the Qu River, Han will be completely under our thumb. With Zheng garrisoned, Liang will be scared stiff, Xu and Yanling will cower, and Shangcai and Zhaoling won't dare breathe a word to each other. Wei will fall in line too. If Your Majesty establishes good relations with Chu, these two vassal states with twenty thousand chariots each will give Qi their land, allowing for easy acquisition of the eastern territories. Once you control both coastal regions, you will have command over the most important strategic points. In the future, Yan and Zhao will rely on Qi and Chu, and Qi and Chu will rely on Yan and Zhao. By applying a little pressure, Yan, Zhao, Qi, and Chu will fall into line without a fight. So King Zhao said, "Sounds good!" and called off Bai Qi, apologized to Han and Wei, sent gifts to Chu, and made friends with them.
Huang Xie was ordered to return to Chu. Chu sent Huang Xie and Crown Prince Wan to Qin as hostages. Qin held onto them for years. King Qingxiang of Chu fell ill, and Crown Prince Wan couldn't return to Chu. However, the relationship between the Crown Prince of Chu and the Marquis of Qin was good. So Huang Xie persuaded the Marquis, saying, "Marquis, you really value the Crown Prince of Chu, don't you?" The Marquis replied, "Yes." Huang Xie said, "Looks like the King of Chu's probably on his deathbed. Why doesn't Qin send the prince back? If the Crown Prince becomes the ruler, he'll owe Qin big time, and you'll be in his good books forever. This'll improve relations with Chu and get us chummy with a major power. If he doesn't return, he'll just be another nobody in Xianyang. If Chu gets a new prince, they'll ditch Qin. Losing Chu's friendship and a powerful ally? Bad move. Give it some thought." The Marquis told the King what Huang Xie said. The King of Qin said, "Let's send the prince's tutor to check on the king first, then we'll decide."
Huang Xie advised the prince, saying, "Qin's holding onto the prince is all about self-interest. That's what worries me. Yang Wen and Junzi are still in Chu. If the King of Chu dies and the prince is not present, Yang Wen and Junzi will likely seize power, and the prince won't be able to inherit the throne and worship his ancestors. You should escape Qin with the envoy; I'll stay and take the fall." The prince disguised himself as a member of the Chu envoy's retinue and slipped out of Hangu Pass, while Huang Xie stayed at the residence, pretending to be ill. Once the prince was safely away, Huang Xie went to see King Zhao and said, "The prince is back in Chu, and long gone. Kill me." King Zhao flew into a rage and was ready to let him die. Ying Hou said, "Huang Xie risked his life for his lord. Once the prince ascends the throne, he will definitely use Huang Xie. It's better to pardon him, send him back, and strengthen our ties with Chu." Qin then released Huang Xie. Three months later, King Qingxiang died, and the prince took the throne as King Kaolie. In the first year of King Kaolie, Huang Xie was made prime minister, given the title Chunshen Jun, and granted twelve counties in Huainan. Fifteen years later, Huang Xie said to the king, "Huainan borders Qi, and the situation is critical. It should be made a province." He ceded Huainan's twelve counties to Chu and asked for land in Jiangdong. King Kaolie agreed. Chunshen Jun built himself a capital on the ruins of old Wu. As Chu's prime minister, Chunshen Jun was locked in a talent war with Qi's Mengchang Jun, Zhao's Pingyuan Jun, and Wei's Xinling Jun—each vying for the best brains in the land to bolster their own power.
Chunshen Jun served as the Prime Minister of Chu for four years, during which time the Qin state defeated a massive army of over 400,000 soldiers at Changping. Five years later, Qin surrounded Handan. Handan appealed to Chu for help, and Chu sent Chunshen Jun with reinforcements. Only then did the Qin army withdraw, and Chunshen Jun returned. As Prime Minister, he spent eight years leading the northern expedition that destroyed the state of Lu and appointed Xun Qing as the magistrate of Lanling. At that time, Chu became strong once again.
The Prime Minister of Zhao sent envoys to visit Chunshen Jun, who accommodated them in the finest guesthouse. The Zhao envoys, trying to show off, wore tortoiseshell hairpins and jade-and-pearl-encrusted sword hilts when meeting Chunshen Jun's guests. With over 3,000 guests, the high-ranking ones donned pearl-encrusted shoes to meet the Zhao envoys, leaving them mortified.
After serving as Prime Minister for fourteen years, King Zhuangxiang of Qin ascended the throne, appointing Lv Buwei as Prime Minister and granting him the title of Marquis of Wenxin, which resulted in the destruction of Eastern Zhou.
After twenty-two years as Prime Minister, the various vassal states grew concerned about Qin's constant attacks. They united to launch an offensive against Qin, with the King of Chu as the leader and Chunshen Jun in charge of the operations. When they reached the Hangu Pass, Qin counterattacked, causing the allied forces to retreat in defeat. King Kao blamed Chunshen Jun for the defeat, and that was the end of his influence.
There was a strategist named Zhu Ying who said to Chunshen, "Everyone thinks that the state of Chu is very powerful, but you believe that Chu is weak. I don't see it that way. In the past, Chu and Qin got along for twenty years, and Qin didn't attack Chu. Why is that? Because Qin would have to cross the difficult Mi Pass to attack Chu, which is very inconvenient. If they had to go through the Zhou states, betraying Han and Wei on the way, it wouldn't be possible. But now things are different. Wei might fall apart any day now, unable to protect the territories of Xu and Yanling, and may very likely cede these territories to Qin. Qin's army is just 160 li from Chen. I believe that Qin and Chu are gonna go to war soon!" So Chu ditched Chen and made Shouchun its new capital, while Qin moved Wei to Yewang and set up the Eastern Commandery. Chunshen was then enfeoffed in the state of Wu to continue handling political affairs.
King of Chu had no sons, which really worried Chunshen. He had people find women who were good at having babies and sent them into the palace, but still no luck. There was a man named Li Yuan, a man from Zhao, who wanted to send his sister into the Chu palace, but he heard that she wasn't easily able to conceive and was worried she'd lose favor over time.
Li Yuan first worked as a low-level official under Chunshen, then returned home for a visit, which resulted in a delay. When he got back, Chunshen asked him what had happened, and Li Yuan said, "The Prince of Qi sent messengers asking for my sister. I went out drinking with the messengers, so I was delayed." Chunshen asked, "Has it been settled?" Li Yuan replied, "Not yet." Chunshen then asked, "Can I meet her?" Li Yuan said, "Sure."
So Li Yuan got his sister a position with Lord Chunshen. When he found out that his sister was pregnant, Li Yuan discussed it with her. Seizing the opportunity, Li Yuan's sister said to Lord Chunshen, "King Chu favors you especially, even more than his own brothers. You have assisted King Chu for over twenty years, but the King has no sons. If he kicks the bucket and wants to make his brother the king, the new king of Chu will definitely favor his own people. Will you still be in the good graces of the new king? Besides, you're too powerful; you're bound to make enemies of the King's brothers. If they become kings, you will be in danger! How will you hold onto your power and land then? Now I am pregnant, and no one knows yet. I have not served you for long. If you use your power to send me to the palace of King Chu, the King will definitely favor me. If I have a son, he will be your son, and in the future, he will be the King of Chu. The entire Chu country will belong to you. This is a far better plan, wouldn't you say?"
Lord Chunshen saw her point, so he sent Li Yuan's sister to King Chu. The King summoned her, favored her, and she indeed gave birth to a son, who was made the crown prince. Li Yuan's sister also became the queen. King Chu trusted Li Yuan greatly, and Li Yuan began to wield power.
With Li Yuan's sister as queen and her son as crown prince, Li Yuan was worried Lord Chunshen would spill the beans. And Lord Chunshen got even more full of himself. So Li Yuan secretly hired some hitmen to take out Lord Chunshen, but word got around.
After serving as prime minister for twenty-five years, King Chu Kao Lie fell ill. Zhu Ying said to Lord Chunshen, "Life's full of surprises, good and bad. You're living in crazy times, serving a crazy king, so expect crazy people."
Chun Shen Jun asked, "What is considered unexpected good luck?" Zhu Ying replied, "You have been the prime minister of Chu for over twenty years; although in name you are the prime minister, in reality, you are the king of Chu! Now that the King of Chu is seriously ill and on his deathbed, if you assist the young prince in ascending the throne and then, like Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou, return the power to the young king when he grows up, or simply proclaim yourself king and possess the entire Chu, that's unexpected good luck."
Chun Shen Jun then asked, "What is considered unexpected bad luck?" Zhu Ying said, "Li Yuan does not participate in state affairs, but he is your enemy, and he has long kept loyalists. If the King of Chu dies, Li Yuan will definitely rush in to usurp the throne and eliminate you. That's unexpected bad luck."
Chun Shen Jun continued, "What is considered an unexpected ally?" Zhu Ying replied, "If you keep me by your side as a physician, when the King of Chu dies, Li Yuan will definitely rush in, and at that time, I will kill Li Yuan for you. That's an unexpected ally."
Chun Shen Jun said, "Don't worry about it; Li Yuan's a pushover, and I have a good relationship with him; it won't come to that!" Zhu Ying, seeing that Chun Shen Jun did not listen to advice and fearing for his own safety, fled.
Seventeen days later, King Zhao of Chu died, and Li Yuan stormed the palace, ambushing loyalists inside the Jimen Gate. When Chun Shen Jun entered the Jimen Gate, Li Yuan's loyalists attacked him, cut off his head, and threw it outside the Jimen Gate. Afterwards, the government exterminated Chun Shen Jun's entire family. Li Yuan's sister had previously had an affair with Chun Shen Jun and bore a child, who was later enthroned as the king, known as King You of Chu.
That year marked the ninth year of the reign of Qin Shi Huang. Lao Ai rebelled in the state of Qin, and after the plot was exposed, he and his entire family were executed, and Lv Buwei was dismissed.
Sima Qian says: I once visited the old city of Chun Shen Jun in the state of Chu, and that palace was something else! Back then, Chun Shen Jun persuaded King Zhao of Qin and managed to get the Chu crown prince back home. He was a genius! However, he was later double-crossed by Li Yuan, which is such a waste! As the saying goes, "If you don't cut your losses, you'll only make things worse." I wonder if he should have listened to Zhu Ying?
