Le Yi, his ancestor was Le Yang. Le Yang was a general under Duke Wen of Wei, who conquered Zhongshan. Duke Wen of Wei then granted Le Yang lands in Lingshou. After Le Yang died, he was buried in Lingshou, and his family remained there. Later, Zhongshan was reestablished as a country, but it was not until the time of King Wuling of Zhao that Zhongshan was once again destroyed, and it was during this time that Le Yi emerged from the Le family.
Le Yi was a remarkable man, skilled in warfare, and was recommended by the people of Zhao. As a result of the Shaqiu Incident under King Wuling, Le Yi left Zhao and went to Wei. It is said that because of the rebellion of Crown Prince Dan, King Zhaowang of Yan was defeated by Qi, and he always bore a grudge against Qi, never forgetting to seek revenge. However, Yan was small in territory, remote, and not powerful enough to seek revenge. So King Zhaowang put aside his pride, honored the virtuous, and first invited Guo Kui to recruit talents. At this time, Le Yi was serving as an envoy of Wei to Yan, and the king received him with the courtesy due to a guest. After some initial refusal, Le Yi finally decided to devote himself to Yan and became a vassal of Yan. King Zhaowang appointed him as a high-ranking official, and over time, he became an integral part of the court.
At that time, King Min of Qi was particularly powerful. In the south, he defeated the general Tang Mei of Chu at Chongqiu; in the west, he defeated the armies of the Three Jin (Han, Zhao, Wei) at Guanjin. Then, he joined forces with the Three Jin to attack Qin, helped Zhao to destroy Zhongshan, defeated Song, and expanded his territory by over a thousand miles. He even competed with King Zhaoxiang of Qin for the title of Emperor but later gave up this title. The other vassal states were eager to abandon Qin and pledge allegiance to Qi. King Min's arrogance and pride became unbearable to his people.
At this time, King Zhao wanted to attack the state of Qi, so he asked Le Yi for advice. Le Yi said, "Qi's a huge, rich country, left over from the old hegemon, with tons of people. It's a tough nut to crack. If the king must attack, it's best to unite with the states of Zhao, Chu, and Wei." Therefore, King Zhao sent Le Yi to negotiate with King Huiwen of Zhao, and also sent people to contact the states of Chu and Wei. He even had Zhao send people to persuade the state of Qin to see the benefits of attacking Qi. Everyone hated King Min of Qi for being such a jerk, and they all jumped at the chance to join Yan in attacking Qi. After Le Yi returned and reported, King Zhao gathered all the troops, appointed Le Yi as the commander-in-chief, and King Huiwen even gave Le Yi his prime minister's seal. Le Yi then led the armies of Zhao, Chu, Han, Wei, and Yan to attack Qi, defeating the Qi army at Jixi. The other armies buggered off, leaving only the army of Yan, under the leadership of Le Yi, to continue pursuing, all the way to Linzi (the capital of Qi). After King Min got his butt kicked at Jixi and ran off to Judi, Le Yi stayed behind alone to attack Qi, with all the Qi cities refusing to surrender. Le Yi entered Linzi and hauled back all the loot from Qi. King Zhao was very pleased, going to the Ji River to cheer up the troops, giving them all a bonus, and making Le Yi Lord of Changguo. Then King Zhao took the loot back to Yan and sent Le Yi to mop up the rest.
Le Yi followed King Zhaoxiang of Yan since he was young. Later, he captured more than seventy cities of Qi, all of which became counties of Yan, except for Ju and Jimo. After King Zhaoxiang died, his son succeeded to the throne, becoming King Hui of Yan. When King Hui was the crown prince, he wasn't too fond of Le Yi. After he became king, Tian Dan learned about this and sent people to spread rumors in Yan, saying, "There are only two cities left in Qi that haven't been taken. The reason they haven't been captured earlier is that it's rumored Le Yi has a beef with the young king of Yan and wants to hightail it to Qi with the army to set himself up as king. Qi is most worried about switching to another general." King Hui already had some suspicions about Le Yi. Upon hearing this rumor, he replaced Le Yi with Qi Jie and summoned him back to the country.
Le Yi knew that King Hui wanted to get rid of him and feared being killed, so he hightailed it to the state of Zhao. Zhao sealed Le Yi in Guanjin and gave him the title of "Lord of Guanjin." The treatment of Le Yi by Zhao shocked both Yan and Qi.
Tian Dan later fought against Qi Jie, tricked the Yan army, defeated Qi Jie in Jimo, and then pursued the Yan army all the way to the Yellow River. They swept through the occupied Qi cities and even brought King Xiang back to Linzi from Ju!
King Yanhui regrets replacing Le Yi with Qi Jie, leading to military defeat, the general's death, and the loss of Qi. He also resented Le Yi's defection to Zhao, fearing that Zhao would take advantage of Le Yi and attack Yan while it was weak. King Yanhui sent someone to blame Le Yi and apologized, saying, "The late king entrusted the entire country to you. You defeated Qi for Yan, avenged the late king, and shocked the world. How could I possibly forget your achievements so quickly? It's just that the late king passed away, and the ministers were all sad. I'd only just taken the throne, and my advisors gave me bad advice. I let Qi Jie replace you because you'd been away for so long; I called you back for a rest and to discuss things. However, you misunderstood and thought I had a grudge against you, so you abandoned Yan and went to Zhao. I understand you looking out for yourself, but how do you repay the late king's kindness?"
Le Yi replied to King Yanhui: "Look, I'm not capable of always doing what you want and keeping everyone happy. That would let down the late king and damage your reputation, so I escaped to Zhao. Now you’ve sent someone to accuse me of my faults, and I'm worried your officials don't understand why the late king favored his favorites or how loyal I was, so I'm writing to explain."
I heard that a wise monarch does not appoint favorites based on personal relationships, but rewards merit and punishes wrongdoing, arranging positions based on talent. Therefore, a successful monarch is one who can appoint officials based on ability; a person of high standing chooses friends based on character. I privately observed the former king's ambition, which is why I was appointed to a high position in the Wei Kingdom to better observe the situation in the Yan Kingdom. The former king valued my talent, seated me among the guests, yet above the other officials, regardless of my background, directly appointing me as a junior minister. I didn't understand it at the time, but I figured it was an order, so I accepted without question.
The former king once told me, "I have had a long-standing grudge against Qi and am furious. However, considering Qi's great strength, I want to make it my target." I replied, "Qi is the foundation left by a dominant power and is the most powerful remaining force. They are proficient in military strategy and skilled in warfare. If the king wants to attack Qi, he must unite all the other states. The best way to achieve this is to form an alliance with Zhao. Moreover, Chu and Wei both coveted Huai and Song. If Zhao agrees to the alliance, our four states can attack Qi together and achieve great victory." The former king liked my idea and sent me with a token to visit Zhao. After returning, I immediately raised troops to attack Qi. Thanks to Heaven and the former king's legacy, the region of Hebei responded to the call and raised troops to support us. The Ji army, following orders, decisively defeated the Qi army. Our light infantry swept through their defenses and struck at the Qi capital. The Qi king fled to Ju, escaping with his life; we seized Qi's treasures, war machines, and riches. Qi's treasures now adorned our palaces and temples. No one since the Spring and Autumn period had achieved such a victory! The former king was very satisfied and rewarded me with land and titles, putting me on par with other princes. I just did as I was told; what else could I do?
I hear that those clever kings, once they have established their achievements, will not be abandoned, so they are recorded in the "Spring and Autumn Annals"; those who became famous early, once their reputation is established, will not be destroyed, so they will be praised by future generations. Just like the ancient kings, who avenged their enemies, destroyed powerful vassal states, and recovered their ancestors' eight-hundred-year legacy. Even on the day he abdicated, his teachings did not decline; the officials in power revised laws, handled various matters carefully, and looked after the common folk, all of which can serve as examples for future generations.
I hear that doing a good job doesn't guarantee success; starting well doesn't mean a good ending. In the past, Wu Zixu was highly valued by King Helu, resulting in King Helu of Wu launching an expedition against the State of Chu, all the way to the capital of Ying; but King Fuchai was different; he had Wu Zixu sewn up in a sack and tossed him in the river. King Helu didn't see that Wu Zixu's advice could have led to great things, so he killed Wu Zixu without regret; Wu Zixu also did not see through the monarch's fickleness early on, so he ended up being thrown into the river and disappeared without a trace.
Therefore, protecting myself and building on the successes of past rulers is my best strategy; but I fear nothing more than being falsely accused and damaging their legacy. I won't risk my neck for uncertain gains.
Back in the day, even if a gentleman fell out with a friend, he wouldn't badmouth them; a loyal minister leaving the country will not slander the country's reputation. Although I am not talented enough, I have received teachings from noble men many times. I'm worried the king's yes-men will blind you to my loyalty and dedication, so I'm taking a chance and writing to you, hoping you'll give it some thought.
King Yan later appointed Le Yi's son, Le Jian, as Marquis of Changguo. Meanwhile, Le Yi maintained contact with Yan and Zhao, both treating him as an honorary official. Le Yi eventually died in Zhao.
Le Jian lived in Yan for over thirty years. King Yan adopted his military counsel and wanted to attack Zhao, seeking advice from Le Jian. Le Jian said, "Zhao is a country surrounded by enemies, with people skilled in martial arts. Attacking them is a bad idea." King Yan did not listen and still attacked Zhao. Zhao sent Lian Po to resist, defeating the army led by Le Jian and capturing Le Jian and Le Cheng, who was Le Jian's kinsman. Le Jian fled to Zhao, prompting Zhao to besiege Yan. Yan had no choice but to sue for peace and cede territory, allowing Zhao to lift the siege.
It's a pity that King Yan did not heed Le Jian's advice! Since Le Jian was already in Zhao, King Yan wrote to him saying, "During the reign of King Zhou of Shang, Ji Zi, although not well-regarded, persisted in remonstrating, hoping to be heard by King Zhou; Shang Rong, although unable to convince him, was willing to endure humiliation in hopes of changing King Zhou's tyranny. Only when the people were fed up and prisoners broke out did these two wise ministers choose to retire. Thus, despite King Zhou's reputation as a tyrant, Ji Zi and Shang Rong were remembered for their loyalty and integrity. Why? Because they had fulfilled their responsibilities, worrying about the country and the people to the utmost. I may be far from perfect, but I'm certainly no King Zhou; although Yan is in chaos, it is still better off than the situation of the Yin and Shang dynasties. Every household has its own difficulties and grievances that can only be shared with neighbors. I will not treat my subjects like King Zhou of Shang did."
Le Jian and Le Cheng were dissatisfied with King Yan's refusal to listen to their advice, and ultimately stayed in the state of Zhao. Zhao appointed Le Cheng as Marquis Wuxiang. The next year, Le Cheng and Lian Po led Zhao forces in a siege of Yan. Yan quickly offered substantial tribute to secure peace, and the Zhao army withdrew. Five years later, King Xiaocheng of Zhao died. King Zhao Xiang appointed Le Cheng to replace Lian Po. Lian Po then attacked Le Cheng, forcing him to flee, while Lian Po himself escaped to Wei. Sixteen years later, the state of Qin conquered Zhao.
Over twenty years later, Liu Bang, the Han Gaozu Emperor, passed through Zhao and asked, "Are there any of Le Yi's descendants still around?" Someone replied, "There is Le Shu." Liu Bang then appointed him as Marquis Hua Cheng. This Marquis Hua Cheng was the grandson of Le Yi. In the Le family, there were also Lord Le Xia and Lord Le Chen, who fled to Gaomi in the state of Qi on the eve of Qin's conquest of Zhao. Lord Le Chen was skilled in studying the teachings of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, and earned great respect in Qi as a virtuous teacher.
The historian Sima Qian said: The letter Le Yi wrote to King Yan moved Qi scholars Kuai Tong and Zhu Fu Yan to tears, as they reportedly wept openly. Lord Le Chen studied the teachings of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, and his teacher was a man known only as Heshang Zhangren, whose origins were unknown. Heshang Zhangren taught An Qisheng, who taught Mao Xigong, who taught Lord Le Xia, who taught Lord Le Chen, who then taught Lord Gai. Lord Gai lectured in Gaomi and Jiaoxi in Qi, and even tutored the Marquis of Caoxiang.
