Cao Mo, a man from Lu, was really depended on by Duke Zhuang of Lu due to his strong martial skills. Duke Zhuang particularly liked powerful men. Cao Mo became a general of Lu and fought against the state of Qi, but was defeated three times. Duke Zhuang became afraid and offered the territory of Suiyi to Qi to make peace. However, Cao Mo continued to serve as a general.
Duke Huan of Qi agreed to make a pact with Lu at the meeting in Kedi. After Duke Huan and Duke Zhuang completed their oath at the altar, Cao Mo suddenly pulled out a dagger and held it to Duke Huan's throat! None of Duke Huan's guards dared to move. Duke Huan asked him, "What do you want to do?" Cao Mo said, "Qi is powerful, and Lu is weak. It is too much for a powerful state to oppress a weaker one! Our walls are about to fall down, and we'll be right on your border! You need to find a solution!" Duke Huan had no choice but to agree to return all the land occupied by Qi back to Lu. After saying these words, Cao Mo threw away the dagger, left the altar, and walked among the ministers as cool as a cucumber. Duke Huan was very angry and wanted to break his word. Guan Zhong said, "You can't do that! Losing face over a little land will cost you the support of all the other states. It's not worth it!" Therefore, Duke Huan eventually returned all the land occupied by Qi back to Lu, and Cao Mo regained all the land lost in the three defeats.
Fast forward 167 years, and you have Zhu assassinating King Liao of Wu.
Zhuan Zhu was from Tangyi in the Wu kingdom. When Wu Zixu escaped from the state of Chu to the Wu kingdom, he heard of Zhuan Zhu's talents. After meeting with King Liao of Wu, Wu Zixu persuaded him to attack the state of Chu to benefit Wu. Prince Guang of Wu said, "Wu Zixu's father and brothers died in Chu, yet he wants to attack Chu. He's just out for revenge, not actually looking out for Wu." So King Liao dropped the idea. Wu Zixu knew that Prince Guang wanted to kill King Liao, so he said, "Prince Guang's got his own agenda, so forget trying to sway him right now." Therefore, Wu Zixu recommended Zhuan Zhu to Prince Guang.
Prince Guang's father was King Zhu Fan of Wu. Zhu Fan had three younger brothers: Yu Ji, Yi Mei, and the youngest, Ji Zha. Zhu Fan knew that Ji Zha was the most wise, but didn't make him crown prince. Instead, he passed the throne to his brothers one by one, intending to eventually pass the country to Ji Zha. After Zhu Fan's death, the throne passed to Yu Ji; after Yu Ji's death, it passed to Yi Mei; after Yi Mei's death, it should have gone to Ji Zha, but he ran off and refused the throne, so the Wu people made Yi Mei's son, Liao, king. Prince Guang said, "If we go by birth order, it should be Ji Zha's turn. But if it has to be a son, then I'm the rightful heir." Therefore, Prince Guang secretly gathered advisors and plotted to seize the throne.
Gongzi Guang treated Zhuan Zhu like royalty. After nine years, King Ping of Chu kicked the bucket. In the spring, King Liao of Wu took advantage of the funeral of Chu to send his two younger brothers, Gongzi Gaiyu and Gongzi Shuyong, to surround the Chu territory; at the same time, he sent Yanling Jizi to Jin to check out what the other nobles were up to. As a result, Chu sent troops to cut off the return route of Gaiyu and Shuyong, and the Wu army was stuck. At this time, Gongzi Guang said to Zhuan Zhu, "This is our shot. We gotta seize it, or we're sunk! Besides, I'm the rightful heir, and it's my birthright. Even if Jizi returns, he can't stop me." Zhuan Zhu replied, "We can take out King Liao. His mom's old and frail, his kid's a baby, and his brothers are bogged down in Chu with no way back. Wu's got problems with Chu on the outside, and there ain't no loyalists on the inside to stop me." Gongzi Guang immediately thanked him and said, "My life's in your hands, man."
On April whatever, Gongzi Guang hid the ambush soldiers in the house and then entertained King Liao. King Liao had his whole family guarding Gongzi Guang's place – the door, the steps, everywhere. Spear-carrying guards lined up on both sides. Once everyone was good and drunk, Gongzi Guang faked a sore foot, walked into the house, and had Zhuan Zhu bring a dagger hidden in a fish belly. Walking up to King Liao, Zhuan Zhu sliced open the fish, whipped out the dagger, and stuck King Liao. Dead as a doornail. The guards took Zhuan Zhu out too, and all hell broke loose. Gongzi Guang immediately led the ambush soldiers to attack King Liao's confidants, wiping them out, and then crowned himself king – Helu. Helu later made Zhuan Zhu's son a top official. Seventy-odd years later, there was the whole Yu Rang thing in Jin.
Yu Rang, a man from the state of Jin, used to work for the Fan and Zhongxing families in the past, but he wasn't well-known. Later, he worked for Lord Zhi, who treated him exceptionally well and valued him highly. However, when Lord Zhi went to attack Lord Xiang of Zhao, Lord Xiang, along with the states of Han and Wei, defeated Lord Zhi and divided his territory among themselves. Lord Xiang held a deep grudge against Lord Zhi and even turned his head into a wine vessel. Yu Rang fled to the mountains, thinking to himself, "A man would die for his best friend, a woman would do anything for the man she loves. Now that Lord Zhi understands me, I must avenge him and die; only then will I have repaid Lord Zhi and found peace." He then changed his name and identity, disguised himself as a criminal, and got a job cleaning the palace toilets, hiding a dagger with the intention of assassinating Lord Xiang. When Lord Xiang went to the privy and sensed something was wrong, he had the person cleaning the latrines, who turned out to be Yu Rang, interrogated. They found him with a knife and he said, "I will avenge Lord Zhi!" The guards wanted to kill him on the spot, but Lord Xiang said, "He is a man of loyalty. I was just being cautious around him. Besides, Lord Zhi left no descendants, yet his subjects still seek revenge for him. He is truly a rare loyal and righteous man in the world!" So Lord Xiang let him go. Talk about loyalty!
After some time, Yuran covered himself in lacquer again, making himself completely black and unrecognizable, begging in the streets. Even his wife didn't recognize him. Later, he met a friend who recognized him and said, "Aren't you Yuran?" Yuran replied, "Yes, it's me." The friend cried and said, "With your skills, you could easily seek refuge with Zhao Xiangzi; he will definitely use you well. If you gain Zhao Xiangzi's favor, you can do whatever you want. Isn't that easier than now? Why do you have to destroy yourself like this, trying to seek revenge in this way? It's too difficult!" Yuran said, "I have already started working for someone else; to go and kill him now would be betraying my master. And what I am doing is indeed very difficult! But I am doing this to make those who are two-timing their masters in the future feel ashamed."
Not long after Yuran left, Zhao Xiangzi was about to leave. Yuran was hiding under the bridge where Xiangzi must pass. When Xiangzi reached the bridge, the horse suddenly got scared. Xiangzi said, "This must be Yuran!" He had someone check, and sure enough, it was Yuran. Then Xiangzi scolded Yuran, "You served the Fan and Zhongxing families, didn't you? When they were wiped out by Zhibo, you didn't think of revenge; instead, you served under Zhibo. Now that Zhibo is dead, why are you still so desperate to avenge him?" Yuran replied, "I served the Fan and Zhongxing families; they treated me like an ordinary person, so I returned their kindness in kind. As for Zhibo, he treated me like a nobleman, so I must repay him as a nobleman." Xiangzi sighed deeply, cried, and said, "My God, Yuran! Your reputation for avenging Zhibo is already established; I have spared you, and that's enough. You better figure out a way yourself; I won't let you go again!" He ordered his men to surround him.
Yu Rang said, "I have heard that a good ruler values merit in others, and a loyal man may die for his lord. You have already forgiven me before, and everyone praises your kindness. Today, I deserve to die, but I hope you can lend me your clothes so that I can strike them to express my revenge; that way, even if I die, I will have no regrets. Of course, this is something I dare not expect. That's all I ask!" Xiangzi was moved by Yu Rang's devotion, so he sent someone to give Yu Rang his clothes. Yu Rang drew his sword, leaped three times, bringing his sword down on the clothes, saying, "At last, I've avenged Zhi Bo!" Then he committed suicide. On the day Yu Rang died, the Zhao loyalists wept uncontrollably.
More than forty years later, in Zhi County, there was the story of Nie Zheng. Nie Zheng was a man from deep in the wells of Zhi County. He'd killed a man and was on the run, and with his mother and sister, he made a living as a butcher.
It is said that Yan Zhongzi from Puyang was working for Marquis Ai of Han but fell out with Han Xiangxia. Afraid of being killed, Yan Zhongzi fled and sought someone who could avenge him.
He went to the Qi state and heard of a fearsome warrior named Nie Zheng, who, to evade his enemies, disguised himself as a butcher. Yan Zhongzi visited him several times and finally threw a feast for Nie Zheng's mother. After a good deal of drinking, Yan Zhongzi produced a hundred taels of gold and offered it as a gift for Nie Zheng's mother. Nie Zheng was flabbergasted, thinking it far too much, and refused repeatedly. Yan Zhongzi insisted on giving it, and Nie Zheng said, "I am fortunate to have an elderly mother. We are poor, and I work as a pig slaughterer to barely earn enough to support her every day. We're getting by, and I couldn't possibly accept such a generous gift."
Yan Zhongzi dismissed the others and spoke to Nie Zheng alone: "I have an enemy who is seeking revenge everywhere. I came to the state of Qi and heard that you are particularly loyal, so I sent a hundred gold pieces as a gift, hoping to invite you for a meal and make friends, with no other intentions!" Nie Zheng replied, "I'm just a humble butcher, slaving away to look after my old Ma. As long as my mother is alive, I dare not easily agree to others' requests." Despite Yan Zhongzi's repeated pleas, Nie Zheng refused to accept. In the end, Yan Zhongzi bid farewell according to the rules of hospitality and left.
After Ma's funeral, Nie Zheng said, "Man, I'm just a lowly butcher, barely scraping by; while Yan Zhongzi is a powerful dude, who came from afar to befriend me. I have nothing commendable to offer him, nor have I done any great deeds, yet he shelled out a hundred gold pieces for Ma's birthday. Although I did not accept it, this proves that he knows me very well! Smart guys will trust a down-on-his-luck guy, even if it's just for a little payback. Furthermore, I rejected him before because my mother was alive; now that my mother has passed away, I gotta return the favor." So, he traveled west to Puyang to meet Yan Zhongzi and said, "So who's the jerk you want to get back at? Let me handle it."
Yan Zhongzi laid out the whole story to Nie Zheng: "My enemy is Han's Prime Minister, Xia Lei. Xia Lei is also the uncle of the King of Han, with a powerful family and a heavily guarded mansion. I've been wanting to send someone to assassinate him, but I haven't been successful. Since you're willing to help, I'm ready to prepare a ride and some muscle for you as your assistants." Nie Zheng said: "Han's not far from Wei. Right now, we want to kill the Prime Minister of Han, who is also a relative of the King. Too many cooks spoil the broth. If word gets out, the whole of Han will be after you, Yan Zhongzi, and that would be too dangerous!" Therefore, he turned down Yan Zhongzi's offer of help and went to Han alone.
Nie Zheng, holding a sword, arrived in Han. Han's Prime Minister, Xia Lei, was sitting in his mansion, surrounded by many soldiers with weapons guarding him. Nie Zheng rushed in, climbed the steps, assassinated Xia Lei, and the mansion erupted in chaos. Nie Zheng shouted loudly, killed dozens of people, then brutally mutilated himself before dying.
Han put Nie Zheng's body on display in the marketplace, offering a reward for the killer, but nobody ever did. Han's counties posted notices, offering a reward of a thousand gold coins to anyone who could identify the killer of Prime Minister Xia Lei, but no one came forward for a long time.
Zheng Zi heard that someone had assassinated the Prime Minister of Han, the assassin was not caught, and the country did not know his name. A fortune was offered to find the assassin's name, and the assassin's body was hung up for public display. Zheng Zi pointed at the body and said, "Is this my younger brother? Alas, Yan Zhongzi knows my younger brother!" She immediately ran to the market in Han, saw that the deceased was indeed her younger brother, and threw herself on his body, sobbing. She cried out, "This is Nie Zheng, the person from the Deep Well!" People in the market said, "That's the guy who iced our Prime Minister! The king is offering a fortune to find his name, haven't you heard? How dare you come to identify the body?"
Zheng Zi replied, "I have heard. But my brother Zheng was willing to endure humiliation and abandon himself among the common people in the market to keep Mom safe and to allow me to marry. Now that Mom has passed away peacefully and I am married, Yan Zhongzi discovered him and befriended him when my brother was destitute. This debt of gratitude is too heavy; what should I do? A real man dies for his friends. Now that I am still alive, he took the ultimate way out. What punishment do I have to fear for his death, ultimately destroying my brother's reputation?" The crowd was stunned by her words. She shouted three times to the sky, and finally died in grief next to her brother in the market.
When the states of Jin, Chu, Qi, and Wei heard about this, they all remarked, "Not only is Nie Zheng talented, his sister is also a badass. If Nie Zheng knew that his sister did not have a weak and timid heart and was not afraid to display his body in public, he would definitely overcome the dangers of a long journey to make a name for himself. Then the siblings died together in the market in Han; perhaps they would not have entrusted their lives to Yan Zhongzi. Yan Zhongzi can also be said to be good at recognizing and utilizing talents!"
Fast forward two hundred years, and you've got Jing Ke trying to off the Qin King.
Jing Ke was a man from the state of Wei. His ancestors were from the state of Qi but later moved to Wei, where the people called him Jing Qing. Later, he went to the state of Yan, where they referred to him as Jing Qing.
Jing Qing enjoyed reading and was a dab hand with a sword. He tried to win over the Duke of Wei with his abilities, but the Duke didn’t take him seriously. Later, the state of Qin attacked Wei, established the East County, and moved the Duke's family to Ye Wang.
Previously, Jing Ke had visited Yu Ci, where he dueled with Gai Nie. Gai Nie got angry and glared at him. Jing Ke left, and someone suggested bringing him back. Gai Nie said, "I just sparred with him and sensed he wasn't up to scratch, so I glared at him; let him try, he should leave, I dare not keep him." He sent someone to inform the host that Jing Ke had already left Yu Ci. The messenger returned and reported, Gai Nie said, "He's gone, I'm sure of it. I knew it the moment I glared at him!"
While visiting Handan, Jing Ke played chess with Lu Ju Jian. They clashed over something silly, and Lu Ju Jian got angry, scolding him loudly. Jing Ke didn't say a word and ran away, and they never met again.
After arriving in the state of Yan, Jing Ke became good friends with a butcher and the talented zither player Gao Jian Li. Jing Ke loved to drink, and every day he would drink with the butcher and Gao Jian Li in the market of Yan. They'd drink till they were blotto, then Gao would play his zither while Jing would belt out a song. One minute they'd be roaring with laughter, the next they'd be in tears, oblivious to everyone around them. Although Jing Ke spent his days with these drinkers, he was steady and loved reading. He made friends with respected figures in all the states he visited. When he arrived in Yan, the reclusive scholar Tian Guang treated him well, knowing he was not an ordinary person.
Some time later, Prince Dan of Yan was held hostage by Qin and escaped back to Yan. Prince Dan had previously been a hostage in Zhao, and King Zheng of Qin was also born in Zhao, so he had a good relationship with Dan when they were young. When King Zheng became King of Qin, Dan became a hostage in Qin once again. King Zheng treated Prince Dan poorly, so Dan was still angry about it and escaped back to Yan. When he got back, he wanted to seek revenge, but Yan was too small and wasn't strong enough. Later, Qin kept attacking states in the Shandong region, including Qi, Chu, and the Three Jins, slowly taking over more land. With Qin's armies nearing Yan's border, the King of Yan and his ministers were very afraid. Prince Dan was anxious and asked his teacher, Ju Wu, for advice. Ju Wu replied, "Qin controls a vast empire, its northern borders secured by strong passes, its southern lands rich and fertile, and its western territories brimming with resources. With a huge army and high morale, Qin could conquer anyone it wanted south of the Great Wall and north of the Yi River. Why risk angering the King of Qin over this insult?" Prince Dan asked, "What should I do then?" Ju Wu replied, "Let me offer a plan."
So, the story goes that General Fan Yuqi offended the King of Qin and fled to the state of Yan, where Crown Prince Dan sheltered him. Ju Wu advised the Crown Prince, saying, "No way! The King of Qin is so cruel and already harbors deep grievances against Yan. It's terrifying enough, especially now that he knows General Fan is in Yan. This is like throwing meat to a starving tiger, inviting certain disaster! Even with wise ministers like Guan Zhong and Yan Ying, they won't be able to help. I suggest that the Crown Prince send General Fan to the Xiongnu, let him die outside, silence him! Then we can unite with the Three Jins to the west, join forces with Qi and Chu to the south, and bribe the Xiongnu Chanyu to the north. Only then can we plan for the future."
The Crown Prince said, "Your Highness, your plan takes too long. I'm very anxious and afraid we can't wait that long. And this isn't the only issue. General Fan is now a marked man, seeking refuge with me. I can't abandon this poor friend out of fear of the powerful Qin state. Sending him to the Xiongnu would be a death sentence for me too! I hope you reconsider."
Ju Wu said, "You can't expect to get away with playing with fire! For the sake of a friend, disregarding the country's affairs, that's just pouring gasoline on the fire! It's like trying to burn charcoal with a feather; how can that possibly end well? Especially against the fierce and brutal Qin state, in their rage, they won't care about that much! Yan has Tian Guang, a wise and brave man; we can discuss strategies with him."
The Crown Prince said, "I hope to meet Tian through you. Is that possible?" Ju Wu said, "I will do my best." Ju Wu went to meet Tian Guang and said, "The Crown Prince wishes to plan for the country's affairs together with you." Tian Guang said, "Sure, I'd be happy to." And so he went to the Crown Prince's palace.
The prince welcomed Tian Guang, personally showing him the way and even knelt down to lay out a mat for him. After Tian Guang sat down and there was no one around, the prince avoided his seat and said, "The Yan State and the Qin State can't both exist. I hope you, mate, will think about this."
Tian Guang said, "I've heard that a thousand-mile horse can run a thousand miles in a day in its prime, but when it grows old, even a mediocre horse can run faster than it. Now the prince has heard of my deeds when I was young and strong, but he doesn't know that I'm old and weak now. Even so, I don't dare to get involved in state affairs, but I recommend a person—Jing Qing is capable." The prince said, "I hope to meet Jing Qing through you, mate. Is that possible?" Tian Guang said, "No worries, mate." After saying that, he stood up and walked out quickly. The prince saw him out, warning him, "What I told you, mate, is top secret. Keep it under your hat!" Tian Guang gave a little bow and smiled.
Tian Guang went to see Jing Qing with a hunched body and said, "Everyone in Yan knows we're mates. Now the prince has heard of my deeds when I was young and strong, but he doesn't know that I'm old now. He told me, 'Yan and Qin can't both exist,' and asked me to pass it on. I didn't keep it a secret privately; I recommended you to the prince, hoping you can go to the prince's palace to see him." Jing Ke said, "Right, I'll do it."
Tian Guang said, "I've heard that a real man doesn't act shifty, without causing suspicion. Now the prince has told me, 'It's top secret, you know. Don't go blabbing it,' which means the prince suspects me. Getting people suspicious isn't very smart." Tian Guang wanted to motivate Jing Ke to action by attempting suicide, saying, "Tell the prince I'm dead. That'll prove I didn't spill the beans." After saying that, he drew his sword and killed himself.
Jing Ke finally met Prince Dan and said that Tian Guang had died, then conveyed Tian Guang's last words before his death. Prince Dan immediately knelt down, prostrated himself, and cried before saying, "Tian entrusted you not to disclose this matter to achieve this great cause! Now Tian uses his death to prove his loyalty; wasn't that my hope?" Jing Ke sat down, and Prince Dan quickly gave up his seat, bowed again, and said, "Tian didn't know that my talent was insufficient, but he gave me the opportunity to meet you. It's like heaven itself is looking out for Yan and me! Now the Qin State's greed is insatiable; they won't stop until they rule the whole darn world. They've already taken Han, pushing south into Chu and north towards Zhao. Wang Jian's got hundreds of thousands of men around Zhanghe and Yecheng, and Li Xin's attacking from Taiyuan and Yunzhong. Zhao can't hold out against Qin; they'll surrender soon enough. If Zhao surrenders, that'll be the end of Yan. Yan's small, weak, and constantly under attack. The other states are all cowering before Qin; nobody's gonna stand up to them. I figured, why not find the bravest warrior we can, bribe the Qin king—he's greedy enough, right?—and either kidnap him to force him to give back the land he's stolen, or just kill him. If we can get Qin's generals fighting amongst themselves and stir up some trouble at home, maybe the other states will finally get their act together and fight back. I'm desperate, and you're the only one I can trust with this."
Prince Dan went on and on, and Jing Ke replied, "This is too big a job for me." The prince stepped forward and kowtowed again, repeatedly asking Jing Ke not to refuse. Jing Ke finally agreed. Therefore, the prince honored Jing Ke as the chief minister, and he lived in a superior residence. He showered Jing Ke with gifts—lavish meals, precious jewels, the works. The prince visited Jing Ke's mansion every day, providing everything Jing Ke could desire, including chariots, horses, and beautiful women.
After a long time, Jing Ke still had no intention of setting off. The Qin general Wang Jian had defeated the Zhao state, captured the Zhao king, occupied all of Zhao's land, and then advanced northward, reaching the border of the Yan state. The prince was very afraid, so he said to Jing Ke, "The Qin army could cross the Yi River any minute now. By then, even if I want to serve you well, it may be too late!" Jing Ke replied, "If you hadn't reminded me, I really hadn't thought about this. I will go to the Qin state now. If I don't get the king's trust first, I won't even get a meeting. Besides, there's a huge bounty on General Fan's head. If I can present General Fan's head and a map of the Yan state to the Qin king, he will definitely be happy to see me, and then I can repay your great kindness, Prince." The prince said, "General Fan sought refuge with me because of poverty. I can't betray this old man's trust for my own selfish reasons. Please reconsider!"
Jing Ke knew that the prince was soft-hearted, so he secretly went to see Fan Yuqi and said, "Qin's really done you dirty, General. Your parents and relatives have all been killed. Now I heard that the King of Qin is offering a king's ransom and a huge estate for your head. What's the plan?" Fan Yuqi looked up to the sky and sighed, tears streaming down his face. "Every day I think about this, it pains me deeply, but I'm at my wit's end!" Jing Ke said, "Now there’s a way to resolve the crisis of Yan and avenge you. What do you think?" Fan Yuqi quickly asked, "How do we do that?" Jing Ke replied, "I hope to present your head to the King of Qin. He will surely be pleased to meet me. I'll grab his sleeve with my left hand and stab his chest with my right hand. That'll get you your revenge and clear Yan's name. Are you willing?" Fan Yuqi lifted his clothes and stood up, saying, "This is what I've been dying for; today, I finally heard your guidance!" After speaking, he committed suicide. Prince Dan heard the news and rushed over, crying bitterly on Fan Yuqi's body, grieving to the extreme. So, he had no choice but to box up Fan Yuqi's head. The prince thought of finding the best dagger in the world and finally found one in Zhao called Mrs. Xu, spending a fortune—one hundred gold pieces. Then he found a craftsman to refine it with medicine. After testing it, one drop of blood, and you're dead! That's how deadly it was! Then the prince decided to let Jing Ke take this dagger to stab Qin. There was a warrior in Yan named Qin Wuyang, only thirteen years old, who had killed people, and no one dared to look him in the eye. So the prince appointed Qin Wuyang as Jing Ke's assistant. Jing Ke was still waiting for one more person to go with them, but that person lived far away and had not arrived yet. Jing Ke was getting his gear ready for him.
After a while, they still hadn't set off, and the Crown Prince started to get anxious, suspecting that Jing Ke might be having second thoughts. He sent someone to ask, "It's getting dark, has Jing Ke changed his mind? Can we let Qin Wuyang go first?" Jing Ke was furious upon hearing this and shouted at the Crown Prince, "What do you mean by this, Crown Prince? Those who leave and never return are all cowards! I am going to the powerful state of Qin with a dagger; it's like walking into a hornet's nest! The reason I am still waiting here is that I am waiting for my friend to leave together. Now you, Crown Prince, are stalling; I have decided not to go!" With that, he turned and left.
The Crown Prince and the guests who knew about this all wore simple white clothes to see him off. When they reached the edge of the Yi River, after the sacrifices were made and they were ready to leave, Gao Jianli began to play the zither, and Jing Ke sang along, singing a mournful, high-pitched melody, causing everyone to cry. Jing Ke then sang another song, "The wind is howling, the Yi River is cold, the hero is gone and will not return!" He sang passionately, and everyone listened with wide eyes, their hair standing on end. Then Jing Ke got on the carriage and left without looking back.
Upon arriving in the state of Qin, Jing Ke brought many precious gifts and bribed the favored courtier of the king, Meng Jia. Meng Jia first went to the king and spoke favorably, "Your Majesty, the King of Yan is practically trembling in his boots before your awesome power! He dares not raise an army against your forces. He is willing to offer the entire country to you as an inner minister, like the other vassals, paying tribute on time, governed as a mere county, only hoping to continue to serve the ancestral temple of the former king. He is too scared to come in person, so he specially put the head of Fan Yuqi and the map of the Yan state in a box, personally delivered in the palace, and sent someone to inform your majesty, whatever you say, Your Majesty."
King Qin was thrilled. He immediately put on court clothes, prepared a grand reception, and received the envoy from the Yan Kingdom in Xianyang Palace. Jing Ke held a box containing Fan Yuqi's head, and Qin Wuyang advanced one after the other with a box containing a map. When they reached the steps, Qin Wuyang's face changed drastically, his fear so palpable it startled the court. Jing Ke turned back, smiled, and comforted Qin Wuyang, then explained to King Qin, "This man's from the far north; he's not used to courtly life, so he is afraid. Cut him some slack, Your Majesty, and let him finish his business." King Qin said to Jing Ke, "Give me the map." Jing Ke took the map and presented it to King Qin, revealing the hidden dagger inside. Jing Ke grabbed King Qin's sleeve with his left hand and stabbed with the dagger in his right hand. Before he could stab King Qin, King Qin leaped back, his sleeve ripped in the struggle. He drew his sword, which was stubbornly stuck in its scabbard and wouldn't budge. Jing Ke chased after King Qin, who ran around a pillar. The ministers were stunned, utterly unprepared for the chaos that erupted, and panicked. The laws of the Qin Kingdom stipulated that no weapons could be brought into the main hall by the ministers serving there; the guards' weapons were all outside the hall, and there was no decree allowing them to enter. In the urgent situation, there was no time to summon the guards outside, so Jing Ke was able to chase after King Qin. Panicked and unarmed, the ministers could only fight with their bare hands. At this time, the court physician Xia Wuqie used the medicine pouch in his hand to block Jing Ke. King Qin ran around the pillar, at a loss in the chaos, when someone shouted, "Your Majesty! Your sword!" King Qin had a sword on his back, so he drew it and stabbed Jing Ke, cutting off his left leg. Jing Ke fell but still tried to stab King Qin with the dagger, missing and hitting the pillar instead. King Qin stabbed Jing Ke several times, inflicting eight knife wounds. Leaning against the pillar, Jing Ke smiled, spread his legs, and cursed, knowing his mission had failed. "It failed because I needed the token to appease the crown prince." The attendants then killed Jing Ke, and King Qin's face darkened for a long time. Afterwards, rewards were given out, with different rewards for the ministers and those who participated in the battle. Xia Wuqie received two hundred pounds of gold. "Wuqie," the King said, "You saved my life!"
At that time, King Qin was absolutely livid, and he sent more troops to attack the state of Zhao, also ordering Wang Jian to lead troops against the state of Yan. Ji City fell in under three months. King Xi of Yan and Crown Prince Dan fled to Liaodong with their best troops. Qin general Li Xin pursued relentlessly, and Dai Wang Jia wrote a letter to King Xi of Yan, saying, "Qin's hot pursuit of Yan was all because of Prince Dan! If you kill Dan and offer him to the King of Qin, he will definitely cease fire, and Yan would be saved." Later, Li Xin pursued Crown Prince Dan, who was in hiding by a river, so King Xi sent someone to kill him and offer him to Qin. However, the Qin army continued its attack. Five years later, Qin wiped out Yan, and King Xi of Yan was captured.
The following year, Qin unified the world, and King Zheng of Qin declared himself Emperor. So Qin went after Dan and Jing Ke's crew, and everyone fled. Gao Jianli changed his name, disguised himself as an ordinary person, and hid in the home of Song Zi as a servant. After a long time, he'd had enough of living in hiding. One day, he heard a guest playing the zither, and he was so excited he could barely stand still. He always said, "He's a mixed bag." The servant told this to the master, who replied, "This servant understands music and is evaluating the quality of the music." The master had him play, and everyone loved it. He even got a drink! Gao Jianli felt that he'd had enough of living in hiding, so he retired, took out his cherished zither and fine clothes, changed his appearance, and reappeared. The guests were stunned. They all stood and bowed, treating him like royalty. He played the zither and sang, and every guest was in tears. Song Zi told others about this, and the news reached the ears of Qin Shihuang.
Qin Shi Huang summoned him, and someone recognized him, saying, "This is Gao Jianli!" Qin Shi Huang greatly admired his exquisite skill in playing the ch'in, pardoned his crimes, but blinded him. Qin Shi Huang kept him playing the ch'in, showering him with praise each time. Gao Jianli gradually approached Qin Shi Huang, hiding lead in the ch'in. When he got close, he raised the ch'in and smashed it, but unfortunately missed. So Qin Shi Huang killed Gao Jianli and never approached the guests of the vassals again.
Lu Jujian heard about Jing Ke's assassination of the King of Qin and privately said, "Man, Jing Ke really should've honed his assassination skills!" I really don't understand him! Before, I criticized him, and he actually thought I was a bad person!
Sima Qian said that the evaluations of Jing Ke by the people, claiming he simply accepted the order from Crown Prince Dan, are pure fantasy, just like saying "rain of millet, horse with horns," which is completely false. Also, the claim that Jing Ke wounded the King of Qin is untrue. I’ve talked with Gong Sunji Gong, Dong Sheng, and Xia Wuqie about this; they all understand the truth of the matter, just like I do. From Cao Mo to Jing Ke, these five individuals had varying degrees of success in their actions, but their intentions were very clear. What they thought in their hearts was completely in line with what they did, and their names have been passed down through the ages—how could it all be false?
From Cao Mo to Jing Ke, these five brave warriors, some succeeded while others failed, but their original intentions were so firm, persevering to the end, leaving their names in history—this was no accident. Those exaggerated statements, like "rain of millet, horse with horns," are simply unreliable. I’ve heard the truth of the matter from Gong Sunji Gong, Dong Sheng, and Xia Wuqie; they were there or know the details, so they know what they're talking about.
