So, there was this guy, Shuli Zi, and his name was Ji. He was the younger brother of King Hui of Qin, but they weren’t born of the same mother. His mom was Korean. Shuli Zi was both humorous and clever, and everyone in Qin called him "the brains."
In the eighth year of King Hui of Qin, Shuli Zi was appointed as the Right General. He attacked Quwo, taking the city and its people, and the territory became part of Qin. In the twenty-fifth year of King Hui of Qin, Shuli Zi was sent to lead troops against the State of Zhao, where he captured the general Zhuang Bao alive and also took Lincheng. The following year, he teamed up with Wei Zhang to attack the State of Chu, defeating their general Qu Gai and occupying the Hanzhong region. Qin made him a Yan Jun.
After King Hui of Qin died, Prince Wu Wang ascended the throne, showed Zhang Yi and Wei Zhang the door, and then appointed Shuli Zi and Gan Mao as his left and right hand men. Qin sent Gan Mao to attack the State of Han, capturing Yiyang. Then Shuli Zi was sent with a hundred chariots to the State of Zhou. The Zhou guys gave him a really respectful welcome. King Chu blew his top when he heard about this and rebuked the State of Zhou, saying they were valuing Qin’s guests too much.
A guy named You Teng analyzed the situation for King Chu: "Back when the Marquis of Zhi went after Chou You, he sent many chariots and followed the army, leading to Chou You’s destruction. Why? Because they were unprepared! Duke Huan of Qi attacked the State of Cai, claiming it was to punish the State of Chu, but really, it was an attack on Cai. Now, Qin is a country of tigers and wolves. Sending Shuli Zi with a hundred chariots to Zhou is dangerous. If the State of Zhou is as careless as Chou You or Cai, Qin will set up spears in front and strong crossbows in the back, saying it’s to protect Shuli Zi, but really, it’s to imprison him. Besides, can Zhou not worry about their own country? If one day it gets destroyed, you, my King, will be anxious too." After hearing this, King Chu finally calmed down.
After King Wu of Qin kicked the bucket, King Zhao took over, and Shuli Zi became even more influential. In the first year of King Zhao of Qin in 310 BC, Shuli Zi planned to attack Pu Yi. The Pu Yi garrison was terrified and scrambled to get Hu Yan's help. When Hu Yan arrived at Pu Yi, he said to Shuli Zi, "Are you attacking Pu Yi for the sake of Qin or for the sake of Wei? If it's for Wei, great; but for Qin, it'll be a disaster. The reason Wei has become a force is because Pu Yi acts as a barrier. Now that you are attacking Pu Yi and handing it over to Wei, the Wei people will definitely surrender to Wei. Wei can't take the land west of the Xihe River now because of insufficient troops. If Wei takes over Wei, it'll become a real powerhouse. Once that happens, the territory west of the Xihe River will be in danger. Moreover, the King's got his eye on you. If you damage Qin's interests and benefit Wei, the King of Qin will definitely blame you." Shuli Zi asked, "What should I do?" Hu Yan said, "Just back off from Pu Yi, and I'll smooth things over with the Wei king." Shuli Zi said, "Okay."
Hu Yan went to Pu Yi and said to the garrison commander, "Shuli Zi knows that Pu Yi is troublesome, and he has vowed to take it down. But I can make him give up attacking Pu Yi." The defender of Pu Yi was very scared and quickly thanked him, saying, "I'll pay you anything to help!" So he took out three hundred catties of gold and said, "As long as the Qin army withdraws, please make sure to speak a few good words for me in front of the Wei king, so I can get a plum job down south." Hu Yan pocketed the gold, and his standing in Wei shot up. Therefore, the Qin army withdrew and gave up attacking Pu Yi. Shuli Zi then tried Pi Shi, but they wouldn't budge, so he pulled out.
In the year 304 BC, during the seventh year of King Zhao of Qin, Shuli Zi died and was buried to the east of Zhangtai in Weinan. Before his death, he had said, "A royal palace would stand beside my tomb one hundred years later." Shuli Zi lived in a house in Weinan Yinxiang Shuli, west of the temple dedicated to King Zhao, while he was ill, which is why people called him Shuli Zi. After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, Changle Palace was built to the east of his tomb, Wuyang Palace was built to the west, and the armory was right in front of his tomb. There was a saying in Qin: "Ren Bi was strongest; Shuli Zi, wisest."
Gan Mao was from Xiacao and studied different philosophies under the guidance of Shi Ju, also from Xiacao. Later, he met King Hui of Qin through Zhang Yi and Shuli Zi. King Hui of Qin admired him and appointed him to lead the troops, assisting Wei Zhang in conquering Han Zhong.
After King Hui of Qin passed away, King Wu ascended to the throne. Zhang Yi and Wei Zhang left Qin and went to Wei. The Marquis of Shu Hui and Xiang Zhuang rebelled, and Qin sent Gan Mao to bring the region of Shu under control. Upon his return from pacifying Shu, Gan Mao was appointed as the Chief Minister (Left), while Shuli Zi was appointed as the Chief Minister (Right).
In the third year of King Wu of Qin, he said to Gan Mao, "I want to open up the Three Gorges to chariot traffic, to scout out the strengths and weaknesses of the Zhou Dynasty, so that I can make a name for myself even after my death." This meant that he wanted to investigate the situation of the Zhou Dynasty in order to strengthen Qin and secure his place in history.
Gan Mao suggested, "Then talk to Wei about agreeing to attack the Han Kingdom together, and have Xiang Shou assist you." Gan Mao went to Wei and told Xiang Shou, "Go back and tell the king that Wei has agreed to my request, but I hope the king will not actually attack the Han Kingdom. You'll get all the credit if it succeeds." Xiang Shou returned and relayed this message to King Wu of Qin, who went to greet Gan Mao at Xirang. When Gan Mao arrived, King Wu of Qin asked him why he had done this.
Gan Mao replied, "Yiyang is a very large county that has long controlled the Shangdang and Nanyang regions. Although it is called a county, it is almost as big as a prefecture. Now, my lord, you have to cross several steep mountains and travel thousands of miles to attack it, which is very difficult. In the past, there was a man with the same name as Zeng Can who killed someone in Feidi. Someone told Zeng Can's mother, 'Zeng Can killed someone,' but she was still weaving and didn't pay attention. Later, someone told her again, 'Zeng Can killed someone,' but she continued weaving. Eventually, someone told her again, 'Zeng Can killed someone,' and finally, she dropped her shuttle, her face pale with fear, and fled. Even someone as wise as Zeng Can had his mother believe in him, but after hearing suspicions three times, she grew afraid. I'm no Zeng Can. And your trust in me is far less than his mother's. There are more than three people who doubt me, and I fear that you will panic like Zeng Can's mother and quickly give up attacking Yiyang. In the past, Zhang Yi conquered Bashu in the west, expanded his territory north beyond the Xihe, and took Shangyong in the south. People all over the world praised him for his wisdom, not for his territory. Marquis Wen of Wei sent General Leyang to attack Zhongshan, and he conquered it in three years. When Leyang returned to report his military achievements, Marquis Wen showed him a box of criticisms. Leyang bowed deeply and apologized, saying, 'This credit is not mine; it is your lordship's credit.' I am now just a low-ranking official, and Chuli and Gongsun Shi are joining forces in Han to oppose this matter. If you believe them, it would deceive the King of Wei, and I will have to bear the resentment of Gong Zhongchi."
King Wu of Qin said, "I will not listen to them, let's just do it!" In the end, Prime Minister Gan Mao was sent to attack Yiyang with the army. After five months of fighting, they still couldn't capture it, and Chun Yuzi (an official) and Gongsun Shi (another official) began to oppose the decision. King Wu of Qin summoned Gan Mao and wanted to withdraw the troops. Gan Mao said, "The opportunity is right before us." King Wu of Qin replied, "I know." So King Wu of Qin concentrated his forces and let Gan Mao lead the attack. As a result, they slaughtered 60,000 of them and captured Yiyang. King Xiang of Han sent Gong Zhongchi to apologize and make peace with Qin.
King Wu eventually died in the Zhou capital. His brother succeeded him, becoming King Zhao. Dowager Queen Xuan, Zhao's mother, was from the state of Chu. King Huai of Chu had always resented Qin's victory over Chu in Danyang, especially since Han did not come to help. Therefore, he surrounded Han's Yongshi City with his army. Han sent Gong Zhongchi to seek help from Qin. King Zhao of Qin had just ascended the throne, and his mother was from Chu, so he wasn't keen on sending troops to help Han. Gong Zhongchi then approached Gan Mao of Qin, who spoke on behalf of Han to King Zhao, saying, "Han's Gong Zhongchi dares to defy Chu because he is counting on Qin to help him. If Yongshi City remains besieged and Qin's army does not come to the rescue, Gong Zhongchi will soon lose face with the king, and Han will be forced to give up their southern lands. If Chu and Han unite, Wei will have to obey as well, putting Qin in a vulnerable position. So, should we sit back and let them hit us, or should we go on the offensive?" King Zhao of Qin agreed and sent troops to rescue Han in Xie (a place name). Only then did Chu's army withdraw.
And so, the crisis in Han was resolved. This incident illustrates that political decisions are sometimes influenced by many factors, such as the personal emotions of the monarch, or even the queen mother's influence, all of which can affect the direction of national affairs. Gan Mao's lobbying demonstrated brilliant political strategy, as he skillfully analyzed the interests involved, ultimately convincing King Zhao of Qin to avoid a larger war. This situation involved considerations of geopolitics as well as a precise understanding of human weaknesses, making it a classic political case.
Qin sent Xiang Shou to take Yiyang and also sent Chuli Zi and Gan Mao to attack the Pi clan of the Wei Kingdom. Xiang Shou was a relative of Queen Xuan and had grown up with King Zhao since childhood, so he was highly valued. When Xiang Shou arrived in Chu, he was treated with special courtesy upon hearing that Qin valued him highly. Xiang Shou was responsible for defending Yiyang for Qin and preparing to attack Han. Gong Zhong of Han sent Su Dai to meet Xiang Shou, who said, "Even a cornered rabbit will bite! If you conquer Han, Gong Zhong will lose face. If he can regain the country and serve Qin again, he will surely be rewarded with a title. You have now drawn a boundary with Chu and appointed a minor official, Du Yang. If Qin and Chu join forces to attack Han, Han will surely be doomed. If Han is destroyed, Gong Zhong may personally lead his private army to confront Qin. Just something to think about, eh?"
Xiang Shou said, "I'm teaming up with Chu, not to take on Han. Tell Gong Zhong Qin and Han can make peace." Su Dai replied, "I’d like to make a suggestion. They say, 'A man's as good as his goods.' The King favors Gongsun Shi more than you, and Gan Mao's more talented. Neither of them's in the King's good graces, yet you're running the show. Something's fishy. Gongsun Shi's a Han man, Gan Mao's a Wei man – that's why the King doesn't trust 'em. Qin and Chu are at each other's throats, and you're siding with Chu. That's just like Gongsun Shi and Gan Mao – what makes you any different? Everyone knows Chu's unreliable. Why are you sticking your neck out for them? Talk to the King. Switch gears, make nice with Han to keep Chu in check. That's your safest bet. Han'll go with Gongsun Shi first, then Gan Mao. Han's your enemy, so playing nice with them to watch Chu makes you look clean."
Xiang Shou said, "Right, I'd really like to make peace with Korea." Su Dai replied, "Gan Mao promised to give Wu Sui to Gong Zhongwu and also bribed the people of Yiyang. It'll be a tough ask to buy them off now." Xiang Shou asked, "So, we're not going to get Wu Sui then?" Su Dai said, "Why don't you just demand Yingchuan back from Chu for Korea? This is Korea's old territory. If you get it, it will establish your prestige in Chu and make Korea grateful to you. If you fail, Korea and Chu will remain resentful and both end up siding with Qin. Then Qin and Chu will be at odds, and we can gradually bring Korea into line via Chu. That'll be good for Qin." Xiang Shou asked, "What should I do?" Su Dai said, "That's a brilliant plan. Gan Mao wants to use Wei against Qi, and Gong Sunshi wants to use Korea against Qi. Take Yiyang, keep Chu and Korea sweet, and expose Qi and Wei's wrongdoing – then Gong Sunshi and Gan Mao will be safe."
Gan Mao spoke a few words to King Zhao of Qin, which resulted in King Zhao agreeing to return Wu Sui to Korea. Xiang Shou and Gong Sunshi tried everything to get Wu Sui back, but no luck. They were frustrated and started badmouthing Gan Mao in front of King Zhao of Qin. Gan Mao got scared and quickly stopped the attack on the Pu Ban of Wei and fled. Chuli Zi negotiated a truce with Wei.
Gan Mao, on the lam, bumped into Su Dai in Qi. Su Dai was serving as an envoy from Qi to the state of Qin at that time. Gan Mao said to Su Dai, "I pissed someone off in Qin and had to make a run for it. Now I'm stuck. I heard this story about two girls spinning thread, one rich, one poor. The poor girl said, 'I don't have money to buy candles; your candlelight is more than enough. Can you share a little light with me? You wouldn't miss it, but it'd be a lifesaver for me.' I'm in a right pickle, and you're Qi's envoy to Qin – you're practically running the show over there. My family is still in Qin; I hope you can help me, just like sharing a little light, save them." Su Dai agreed. So Su Dai headed to Qin. After arriving in Qin, Su Dai advised the king of Qin, "Gan Mao's no slouch! His family's been big cheese in Qin for generations; he is very familiar with the geography of Qin from the border to Guigu. If he teams up with Qi, Han, and Wei against us, we're in deep trouble." King Zhao of Qin asked, "What should we do?" Su Dai said, "Why not shower him with gifts and bring him back? After he returns, place him in Guigu and let him stay there for the rest of his life." King Zhao of Qin said, "Great idea!" He immediately made Gan Mao a top official and sent someone with the official seal to fetch him. Gan Mao did not go. Su Dai told King Min of Qi, "Gan Mao is a talented person. Now Qin has appointed him as a high official and sent someone with the seal to welcome him. Gan Mao's clearly smitten with the Qin King's offer, so he stayed put. What do you reckon you should do with him now?" King Min of Qi said, "Okay." So, Gan Mao became a top official in Qi, too. Qin later bought up all Gan Mao's stuff in Qi.
The state of Qi sent Gan Mao to the state of Chu. King Huai of Chu was just newly married to the state of Qin and was very happy. However, when Qin heard that Gan Mao was in Chu, they sent someone to tell King Huai, "We want Gan Mao back." King Huai asked Fan Ju, "I want to appoint a minister in Qin; who would be suitable?" Fan Ju replied, "I'm not sure." King Huai asked again, "Can I send Gan Mao?" Fan Ju said, "No. This Shi Ju, a lowly gatekeeper from Xiacao County, is useless; he can't even run his own household. He's a notorious scumbag. However, Gan Mao gets along well with him. Even under the best of rulers, like Kings Hui and Wu, or even the silver-tongued Zhang Yi, Gan Mao can serve them and hold ten official positions without making any mistakes. Gan Mao is a real go-getter, but he’s not suitable to be a minister in Qin. A strong Qin ain't good for Chu. Furthermore, when you sent Shao Hua to the state of Yue before, because Yue messed up its own affairs, it fell apart, and Chu held onto Liji Gate. Your achievements were made possible because of Yue's turmoil and Chu's stability. You used Yue's chaos to your advantage, but you're forgetting about Qin. That's a big mistake. Therefore, if you want to appoint a minister in Qin, it’s better to send Xiang Shou. Xiang Shou's practically family with the Qin king; they grew up together, did everything together. So King Huai sent word to Qin, asking them to make Xiang Shou their Prime Minister. Qin eventually appointed Xiang Shou. Gan Mao never made it back to Qin, dying in Wei instead. Gan Mao's grandson, Gan Luo, started serving under the Qin Prime Minister, Lü Buwei, at the tender age of twelve.
Qin Shi Huang sent Cai Ze to Yan State, and three years later, King Xi of Yan sent Crown Prince Dan to Qin State as a hostage. Qin State sent Zhang Tang to Yan State as Prime Minister, intending to join forces with Yan State to attack Zhao State and expand their holdings in Hejian. Zhang Tang told Marquis Wenxin, "I used to fight for King Zhao of Qin against Zhao State. Zhao State hates me and said, 'Whoever catches Zhang Tang will get a hundred li of land.' Now I have to pass through Zhao State to go to Yan State; I can't go." Marquis Wenxin was furious, but couldn't make him budge.
Gan Luo asked, "What's got your knickers in a twist, my lord?" Marquis Wenxin replied, "I personally asked Zhang Tang to be Prime Minister of Yan, but he flat-out refused." Gan Luo said, "I'll give it a go." Marquis Wenxin scolded, "Get lost! If *I* can't persuade him, what makes you think *you* can, you little whippersnapper?" Gan Luo said, "Daxiang Tuo became Confucius' teacher at the age of seven. I am twelve now; let me try, why scold me?"
So Gan Luo went to see Zhang Tang and asked him, "How do your achievements stack up against those of Wu'an Jun?" Zhang Tang said, "Wu'an Jun defeated the powerful Chu State in the south, deterred Yan State and Zhao State in the north, won many battles, and captured many cities. My achievements cannot compare to his." Gan Luo asked again, "Between the power of Ying Hou in Qin State and Marquis Wenxin, which one is greater?" Zhang Tang said, "Ying Hou doesn't hold a candle to Marquis Wenxin." Gan Luo said, "You know that Ying Hou's power is not as great as Marquis Wenxin's, right?" Zhang Tang said, "I know." Gan Luo said, "Ying Hou wanted to attack Zhao State, but Wu'an Jun opposed it, and Du You, seven li outside Xianyang, died. Now Marquis Wenxin personally invited you to go to Yan State as Prime Minister, and you still refuse to go. I don't know where you're planning on kicking the bucket!" Upon hearing this, Zhang Tang said, "Alright, I'll listen to the kid." And then he prepared to depart.
One day, Gan Luo said to Marquis Wenxin, "Can I borrow five carts? I need to get a message to Zhao."
In the court of the First Emperor, Wen Xinhou made a bold proposal: "Although Gan Luo, the grandson of Gan Mao, is young, he comes from a prestigious family, and all the noble houses have heard of him. Zhang Tang wants to feign illness and not go, but Gan Luo persuaded him to go. Now Gan Luo wishes to travel to the state of Zhao to deliver a message; please grant him permission." The First Emperor summoned Gan Luo and sent him to the state of Zhao.
King Zhao Xiang personally went outside the city to welcome Gan Luo. Gan Luo said to King Zhao, "Have you heard that Crown Prince Dan of Yan has gone to Qin as a hostage?" King Zhao replied, "I have heard." Gan Luo then asked, "Have you heard that Zhang Tang has become the prime minister of Yan?" King Zhao said, "I have also heard." Gan Luo said, "Crown Prince Dan going to Qin as a hostage shows that Yan does not deceive Qin; Zhang Tang becoming the prime minister of Yan shows that Qin does not deceive Yan. If Yan and Qin do not deceive each other, then attacking Zhao becomes dangerous! Since Yan and Qin aren't deceiving each other, it means they're teaming up to attack Zhao and expand Hejian's territory. Why not give me five cities to expand Hejian's territory, and then ask Qin to send back Crown Prince Dan, so that we can attack the weak Yan together with the powerful Qin?"
King Zhao immediately ceded five cities to expand Hejian's territory. Qin sent Crown Prince Dan back. Zhao attacked Yan, capturing thirty cities in Shanggu, and Qin also gained eleven cities. After returning to Qin, Gan Luo was appointed as a high-ranking minister by the King of Qin and was rewarded with Gan Mao's estate.
Simaqian said: Shuli stuck to his guns because of his family, which makes sense, but the Qin folks thought he was clever, so they listened. Gan Mao, a nobody from Xia Cai, became a big shot among the lords, so Qi and Chu were both scared of him. Young Gan Luo came up with a brilliant plan that made him famous. He wasn't exactly a saint, but he was still a famous strategist back then. Back then, when Qin was on top, everyone was all about scheming and trickery!
