Liu Bang, from Fengyi Zhongyangli in Pei County, whose courtesy name was Ji. His father was Liu Taigong, and his mother was Liu Mao. Legend has it his mother, Liu Mao, once rested by a swamp and dreamt she'd met a god. A storm raged, so Liu Taigong went to see what was happening and saw a dragon coiled over her. Later, Liu Mao became pregnant and gave birth to Liu Bang.
Liu Bang had a high nose bridge, a dragon-like face, thick and dense beard, and seventy-two moles on his left thigh. He was kind, helpful, and easygoing. He was naturally generous and never bothered with household chores. As he grew up, he served as a grassroots official and as the head of the Sishui Pavilion. He didn't give a damn about those officials and did as he pleased. He was a drinker and a womanizer. He often borrowed money from Wang Mao and Wu Fu to buy alcohol, and when he got drunk, he would sleep on the street. Wang Mao and Wu Fu always saw what looked like a dragon's shadow around him, which they found strange. Liu Bang always racked up huge bar tabs. Every year, those two just forgave his debts.
Liu Bang often went to Xianyang, wandering around and seeing the Emperor Qin Shi Huang's magnificent procession, with its glittering banners and countless soldiers. He'd sigh, "Now *that's* a real man!"
In Danfu, there was a man named Lü Gong who was very skilled in physiognomy. To avoid his enemies, he brought his family to live in Pei. The wealthy gentry and officials in Pei heard that a VIP had arrived and went to visit him. Xiao He, the chief official under the county magistrate, was in charge of receiving guests. He told the magistrate, "Anyone with a gift less than a thousand coins gets the bottom seats." Liu Bang was the local magistrate, usually getting along well with other officials. He convinced Xiao He he had given a gift of ten thousand coins, when in fact he hadn't brought a single coin. When he entered, Lü Gong was so surprised, he jumped up to greet him. Lü Gong was particularly skilled in physiognomy. After seeing Liu Bang's appearance, he respected him greatly and invited him to sit at the top. Xiao He said, "Liu Bang is all bark and no bite." Liu Bang intentionally joked with the other guests and ended up with the best seat, and nobody could stop him. As the banquet was ending, Lü Gong kept Liu Bang after everyone else left. As Liu Bang was leaving after his drink, Lü Gong said, "I've been reading faces my whole life, and I've never seen anyone like you. I have a daughter, and I thought she might make a good wife for you." After the banquet, Liu Bang's wife Lü Ao angrily asked Lü Gong, "You have always wanted to marry your daughter to a high-ranking official, and the magistrate of Pei treated you well, but you never agreed to him. Why are you now casually agreeing to marry her to Liu Bang?" Lü Gong replied, "That's something you wouldn't understand." In the end, Lü Gong married his daughter to Liu Bang. Lü Gong's daughter later became Empress Lü, mother of Emperor Hui of Han and Princess Luyuan.
When Liu Bang was a petty official, he often went home to work in the fields. Lü took her two sons to weed the fields, and an old man passed by asking for water to drink. Lü gave him water to drink. The old man divined Lü's fortune and said, "Madam will become the most noble person in the world." Then he read the fortunes of the two children. When he saw Liu Ying (Emperor Xiaohui), he said, "This son is the reason for your future greatness!" When he read the fortune of Liu Ruyi (Princess Lu Yuan), he also said she would be very noble. After the old man left, Liu Bang happened to return from a neighbor's house, and Lü told him in detail about what had just happened, saying that a guest had come to read their fortunes and all said they would be prosperous and influential. Liu Bang asked, "Is he gone?" He quickly caught up and found the old man. The old man said, "I just read the fortunes of Madam and the children. They all look like you. You will be rich and noble in the future, with unimaginable wealth and power!" Liu Bang quickly thanked him and said, "If your prediction comes true, I will never forget your kindness." Later, Liu Bang's fortunes changed dramatically, but he could never find that old man again. When Liu Bang was a petty official, he made a hat out of bamboo strips and had the Xue County jailers wear it to catch thieves, and he himself often wore it. Later, when he became emperor, he still wore this type of hat, which later became known as the Liu hat.
When Liu Bang was the stationmaster, he escorted prisoners to serve at Mount Li (骊山), and many of them escaped along the way. Liu Bang figured that by the time they reached their destination, everyone would have run off. Near Fengxian, at the western marshland, he stopped to drink, and in the evening, he secretly let all the prisoners go, saying, "Scram, I'm outta here too!" A dozen or so tough guys were willing to follow him. Liu Bang got drunk and, at night, crossed the marshland, with one man walking ahead to scout the way. The scout reported back, "There's a big snake blocking the road ahead, let's go back!" Liu Bang, inebriated, replied, "What's a little snake to a real man?" So he charged forward, drew his sword, and cut the snake in half, clearing the way. After walking a few miles, he got drunk again and fell asleep. Later, someone found an old woman crying near where the snake had been cut. When they asked her why she was crying, she explained she was crying because, "Someone killed my son." When they inquired how her son died, she claimed, "Her son was the White Emperor's son, a snake sent to block their path, and now he'd been killed by the Red Emperor's son." They thought she was nuts, about to rat her out, when poof! She vanished. Later, people arrived, and Liu Bang woke up. They told him what had happened, and Liu Bang secretly felt proud, thinking highly of himself, while his followers became more and more in awe of him. Qin Shi Huang was always going on about, "There's emperor mojo in the southeast!" So he went on an eastern tour to suppress it. Liu Bang was suspicious at the time and hid, lurking in the lakes, swamps, and rocks around Mangdang Mountain. Empress Lu's search parties always found him. Liu Bang was baffled and asked how she did it. Empress Lu replied, "There's always a cloud hanging over you, so I just follow the clouds." Word got around Peixian, and soon plenty of folks wanted in.
In the autumn of the first year of the Second Emperor Qin, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang started a rebellion in Qixian and then set up their kingdom in Chen, calling it "Zhang Chu." Counties all over the place killed their officials to show their support for Chen Sheng. The Pei County magistrate got scared and wanted to join in. The county clerks, Xiao He and Cao Can, said, "You're a Qin official now. If you start a rebellion and try to get the folks in Pei County to join you, they might not follow. You're better off rounding up a few hundred of those guys hiding out, and using them to strong-arm the rest. Then everyone will fall in line." So they sent Fan Kuai to get Liu Bang. Liu Bang already had a few hundred men with him.
The Pei County magistrate was kicking himself. He was scared stiff of a riot, so he slammed the city gates shut and got ready to deal with Xiao He and Cao Can. Scared out of their wits, Xiao He and Cao Can jumped the walls and ran to Liu Bang. Liu Bang wrote a letter, shot it onto the city wall with an arrow, and told the people of Pei County, "People have suffered enough under the Qin! Even though you're following the magistrate's orders to defend the city, various lords have risen up and are about to attack Pei County. If Pei County kills the magistrate, picks a suitable person to take his place, and responds to the lords' call, then everyone's families can be saved. If you don't do this, fathers and sons will be killed together, with no way out!"
The folks of Pei County, upon hearing this, killed the county magistrate along with their sons and other young men and opened the city gates to welcome Liu Bang, hoping he would become the county magistrate. Liu Bang said, "The world is in great chaos now, with all the rebel leaders raising armies. If we choose an unsuitable leader now, we'd all be toast. It's not that I'm scared of dying, but I ain't up to the job of protecting everyone. This matter is too big; we need to discuss it well and choose someone suitable." Xiao He, Cao Shen, and the others were all civil officials, worried about their necks and afraid of getting into trouble with the remnants of the Qin Dynasty, so they all gave the opportunity to Liu Bang. The folks of Pei County said, "We've heard that Liu Bang is capable, and he will definitely become a high-ranking official in the future. Moreover, everyone said he was lucky!" So Liu Bang declined several times. No one dared to take on this responsibility, so in the end, Liu Bang was appointed as Pei County's boss.
Then, in the courtyard of Pei County, they worshipped the Yellow Emperor and Chi You, and they painted everything red. They painted everything red because Liu Bang had killed the White Emperor's kid (a white snake), and the guy who killed the snake was the Red Emperor's kid, so red it was! Subsequently, a bunch of ambitious young guys like Xiao He, Cao Shen, and Fan Kuai led two to three thousand young soldiers from Pei County to attack Huling and Fangyu, then returned to Feng County to guard it.
In the second year of the reign of Qin Er Shi, Chen Sheng's general Zhou Zhang led his troops to Xixian and then withdrew. At this time, the states of Yan, Zhao, Qi, and Wei all proclaimed themselves kings. The Xiang clan also raised troops from Wu territory. The guy running the county in Sichuan surrounded Feng County with troops, and after two days, clashed with the boss of Pei (Liu Bang), resulting in the defeat of the Qin army. The Qin army then had Yong Chi guard Feng County and led their troops to Xue County. However, the guy running the county in Sichuan in Xue County was also defeated by the boss of Pei, fleeing to Qixian where he was later captured and killed by Liu Bang's Left Marshal. Then Liu Bang marched his troops back to Kangfu, then on to Fangyu, but there wasn't any fighting.
Liu Bang sent Wei man Zhou Shi to recover lost territory. Zhou Shi sent someone to speak to Yong Chi, saying, "Feng County was originally where the people of Liang State lived. Now Wei has already recovered dozens of cities. If you surrender to Wei, the King of Wei will appoint you as a marquis and let you continue to guard Feng County. If you do not surrender, we will slaughter the city!" Yong Chi did not want to submit to Liu Bang in the first place, and now Wei came to recruit him. He rebelled against Liu Bang and guarded Feng County for Wei. Liu Bang attacked Feng County with soldiers but could not capture it and fell ill, so he had no choice but to return to Pei County. Liu Bang was very angry that Yong Chi and the inhabitants of Feng County betrayed him. Hearing that Dongyang Ningjun and Qin Jia had proclaimed Jing Ju as a pretender king in Liuxian, he went to seek refuge with them, hoping to borrow troops to attack Feng County.
At that time, Qin General Zhang Han came from Chen County, while another general, Sima Xin, led his troops north to pacify the Chu region, massacring Xiang County and reaching Dang County. Dongyang Ningjun and Liu Bang led their troops westward and fought the Qin army to the west of Xiaoxian, but failed to win. They withdrew their troops back to Liuxian, then attacked Dang County, which took three days to seize. After capturing Dang County, they recruited five or six thousand soldiers. They then attacked Xiayi and took it as well. The army then returned to Feng County. Hearing that Xiang Liang was in Xue County, Liu Bang took over a hundred cavalry to meet him. Xiang Liang gave Liu Bang five thousand soldiers and ten high-ranking officers. After returning, Liu Bang led his troops to attack Feng County again.
After following Xiang Liang for about a month, Xiang Yu had already captured Xiangcheng and returned. Xiang Liang summoned the other generals to Xue County. Upon hearing that Chen Wang had died, Xiang Liang appointed the grandson of Chu Huai Wang, Xiong Xin, as the King of Chu and established the capital at Xutai. Xiang Liang proclaimed himself as the Trustworthy Martial Lord. After a few months, Xiang Liang marched north to attack Kangfu, rescue Dong'e, and defeated the Qin army. The Qi army also returned, leaving only the Chu army to continue the pursuit. They sent Liu Bang and Xiang Yu to attack Chengyang, capturing and slaughtering the city. The Chu army fought the Qin army to the east of Puyang and defeated them again.
The Qin army regrouped, tenaciously defending Puyang, using the Puyang moat to their advantage. The Chu army withdrew to attack Dingtao but failed to take the city. Liu Bang and Xiang Yu pushed west, reaching Yongqiu, where they fought a battle against the Qin army and won a big victory, killing the Qin general Li You. They then attacked Waihuang but failed to take it.
After defeating the Qin army twice, Xiang Liang became a little cocky. Song Yi advised him, but he did not listen. The Qin state sent reinforcements led by Zhang Han, who ambushed Xiang Liang's army at Dingtao, defeating him and killing Xiang Liang. Liu Bang and Xiang Yu were attacking Chenliu. Upon hearing of Xiang Liang's death, they retreated east with General Lv Chen. Lv Chen's army was to the east of Pengcheng, Xiang Yu's army was to the west, and Liu Bang's army was stationed in Dangxian.
After defeating Xiang Liang's army, Zhang Han figured the Chu army was no longer a threat, so he crossed the Yellow River and attacked the Zhao state, defeating the Zhao army. At that time, Zhao Xie became the King of Zhao, while the Qin general Wang Li besieged him in Julu City, the so-called Hebei army.
In the third year of Qin Ershi, Chu's King Huai saw that Xiang Liang's army had been defeated and got scared. He moved the capital from Xutai to Pengcheng, taking command of Lv Chen and Xiang Yu's forces. He appointed Liu Bang as the Prefect of Dang County, making him the Marquis of Wuan'an and putting him in charge of Dang County's army. Xiang Yu was made Marquis of Chang'an and given the title Duke of Lu. Lv Chen was appointed as the Minister of Public Works, while his father Lv Qing was appointed as the Chief Minister.
Zhao Kingdom repeatedly sought help from Chu Kingdom. King Huai of Chu appointed Song Yi as the commander-in-chief, Xiang Yu as the deputy commander, and Fan Zeng as the rearguard general to go north to rescue Zhao Kingdom. At the same time, he ordered Liu Bang to expand westward and enter Hangu Pass. He also made an agreement with the other generals that whoever entered Guanzhong first would become king.
The Qin army was on a roll, winning every battle and relentlessly pursuing their enemies. Other Chu generals wanted to rush to enter Hangu Pass first. Only Xiang Yu, who resented the Qin army for defeating his uncle Xiang Liang, was very excited and volunteered to enter Hangu Pass from the west with Liu Bang. However, King Huai of Chu and the other old generals opposed it, saying, "Xiang Yu is too arrogant, cruel, and cunning! He attacked Xiangcheng before, wiping them out completely. He leaves a trail of carnage wherever he goes. Moreover, Chu Kingdom has failed several times in attacking Qin Kingdom, with former King Chen and Xiang Liang both failing. It would be better to send a respected elder statesman to persuade surrender and explain the pros and cons to the people of Qin. The people of Qin have long been fed up with Qin Er Shi's brutal rule. If a respected person is sent, without indiscriminate killing, they should be able to surrender. Xiang Yu's too brutal; no way we're sending him. Only Liu Bang has always been kind and compassionate, a wise elder, so he can be sent." In the end, they did not agree to Xiang Yu's request, but sent Liu Bang west to establish a new front and rally the remaining forces of King Chen and Xiang Liang.
Liu Bang fought his way to Dangxian, then arrived at Chengyang, where he ran into the Qin army in a narrow mountain pass and defeated two units of the Qin army. The Chu army also attacked Wang Li and totally wiped them out. Liu Bang led his troops westward and encountered Peng Yue in Pengcheng. They then attacked the Qin army together, but things went south, so they retreated to Li County. There, he ran into Geng Wu Hou's army and took them prisoner, which strengthened his own forces with over four thousand soldiers. He then, together with the Wei generals Huang Xin and Shentu Wupu, attacked Changyi, but that city was a fortress—no way they were getting in. After that, they headed west through Gaoyang. At that time, Li Shiqi was serving as a gatekeeper and observed, "He saw a lot of big shots passing through, but he figured Liu Bang was the real deal, a true leader." So he requested to meet Liu Bang. At that moment, Liu Bang was sitting on a bed, having his feet done by a couple of women. Li Shiqi did not kneel to pay his respects but instead bowed and said, "If you really want to take down the Qin, you shouldn't be seeing someone important while you're doing this." Upon hearing this, Liu Bang quickly got up, straightened his clothes, apologized to Li Shiqi, and invited him to sit down. Li Shiqi then suggested that Liu Bang attack Chenliu and seize the Qin army's provisions. Therefore, Liu Bang made Li Shiqi Lord Guangye and appointed Li Shang as a general, leading the army of Chenliu to attack Kaifeng with Li Shiqi, but they were unable to capture it. They headed west, clashed with Yang Xiong at Baima, then again at Quyue Dong, and totally routed the Qin army. Yang Xiong fled to Yingyang, where he was beheaded by an envoy sent by the Second Emperor of Qin. Liu Bang then attacked Yingyang, pretty much wiping out the city. Zhang Liang seized Handi Huan Yuan.
So, the story goes that at that time, the general of the Zhao Kingdom, Sima Ang, was preparing to cross the Yellow River into Guanzhong. Liu Bang first went north to attack Pingyin, blocking access to the Yellow River crossing. He then marched south and clashed with the Qin army east of Zhu, but lost the battle, so he retreated to Yangcheng and rounded up his cavalry. He then fought a battle with Nanyang Governor Yi, defeating him. Liu Bang then occupied Nanyang County, and Governor Yi fled and took refuge in Wancheng. Liu Bang continued westward with his army.
At this time, Zhang Liang advised him, saying, "Chief, although you want to quickly enter Guanzhong, the Qin army is still very strong and holds a good defensive position. If you don't take Wancheng now, with Wancheng attacking you from behind and the strong Qin army in front, that's way too risky!" Liu Bang thought it made sense, so he sneaked his army back around and changed his military flag. At dawn, he laid siege to Wancheng. The Governor of Nanyang wanted to kill himself. His subordinate, Chen Hui, said, "Dude, it's way too early to die!" Chen Hui then scaled the wall to see Liu Bang and said, "I heard that you made a deal with everyone that whoever enters Xianyang first will be king. But now you are staying to attack Wancheng. Wancheng's a huge prize – a major city, tons of people, and overflowing with supplies. Everyone there is terrified of surrendering; they'll fight to the death. If you continue to attack forcefully, there will definitely be a lot of dead guys among your soldiers; if you withdraw, Wancheng will definitely chase after you. You have lost the agreement to become king in Xianyang, and now you have a powerful enemy in Wancheng behind you. In my opinion, it is better to make a deal with them to surrender, make their governor a marquis, let them continue to defend the city, and then take their army to Guanzhong. Once other cities hear this news, they'll fall like dominoes, and you'll waltz right into Xianyang."
Liu Bang thought Chen Hui's words made sense, so he made the Nanyang governor the Marquis of Yin and appointed Chen Hui as the Marquis of a Thousand Households. Then he continued to march westward, conquering all the way, with every city surrendering without a fight. When he reached Danshui, Gaowu Marquis Sai and Xiang Marquis Wang Ling surrendered at Xiling. Liu Bang then attacked Huyang, where he encountered the Qin general, Mei Mao, who also surrendered. Xixian and Lixian also surrendered. Meanwhile, Liu Bang sent Wei Ningchang as an envoy to Qin, but he hadn't returned. At this time, Zhang Han had already led his army to surrender to Xiang Yu.
At first, Xiang Yu and Song Yi went north to rescue Zhao together, but later Xiang Yu killed Song Yi and became the general himself, with generals like Ying Bu listening to him. They defeated the army of the Qin general Wang Li, and Zhang Han also surrendered. The other lords pledged allegiance to Xiang Yu. After Zhao Gao killed the Second Emperor of Qin, he sent people to try to negotiate a division of Guanzhong with Liu Bang. Liu Bang thought it was a trick, so he used Zhang Liang's plan and sent Li Sheng and Lu Jia to persuade the Qin generals, bribing them with promises of wealth and power, and then took the opportunity to attack Wuguan and break through it. Then they fought against the Qin army south of Lantian, deliberately displaying more flags to confuse the enemy and stipulating that no looting was allowed wherever the army went. This pleased the Qin people, lulled the Qin army into a false sense of security, and led to their decisive defeat at the hands of Liu Bang. He followed up with another crushing defeat, effectively dismantling the Qin army.
In October, the first year of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bang's army arrived at Baxiang before the armies of the other princes. Prince Ying of Qin, dressed in plain white, rode up on a white horse, a rope around his neck, bearing the imperial seal and scepter, and surrendered at the roadside. Some generals suggested killing Prince Ying. Liu Bang said, "When King Huai sent me here, it was because I could be tolerant; besides, he has already surrendered, and killing him again would be bad luck." So he had Prince Ying taken into custody and then headed west to Xianyang. He wanted to rest in the palace, but Fan Kuai and Zhang Liang advised against it, so Liu Bang sealed the treasures and wealth of the Qin Dynasty and withdrew the army to Baxiang. He gathered the local leaders and townsfolk of each county and said, "The people have suffered from the harsh laws of the Qin Dynasty for a long time. Speaking out against the regime meant death for the whole family, and those who said even a few words were publicly executed. I made an agreement with the princes that the first one into Guanzhong gets to be king, and I should be the king of Guanzhong. But I made a promise to the people to only implement three laws: murderers will be executed, and those who harm others or steal will be punished. All other laws of the Qin Dynasty are abolished. All officials and locals will be treated as before—don't worry, I'm here to help, not to invade you! The reason I withdrew the army to Baxiang is to wait for the princes to arrive and discuss the regulations together." Then he sent people to go with the officials of the Qin Dynasty to announce these matters in various counties and villages. The people of Qin were very happy, bringing gifts of cattle, sheep, and food to reward the soldiers. Liu Bang declined, saying, "There is plenty of food in the warehouse; we don't lack anything, and I don't want to waste your generosity." The people of Qin were even happier, hoping Liu Bang would become king of Qin.
Someone told Liu Bang, "Qin's wealth was ten times that of any other state, and the terrain is also strategically important. Now it is said that Zhang Han has surrendered to Xiang Yu, who claims to be the King of Yong and has occupied Guanzhong. Xiang Yu is coming, and Liu Bang is afraid he won't get Guanzhong. The best plan is to send troops immediately to guard Hangu Pass, not allowing the armies of other princes to enter, while gradually building up his forces in Guanzhong to strengthen himself and resist Xiang Yu." Liu Bang thought this was a good idea and did so.
The following month, Xiang Yu indeed led the armies of the princes westward, wanting to enter Guanzhong, but Hangu Pass was tightly closed. Xiang Yu heard that Liu Bang had already controlled Guanzhong and was very angry, so he sent Ying Bu and others to break through Hangu Pass. A month later, Xiang Yu's army arrived at Xixian. Liu Bang's Left Sima (a high-ranking military officer) Cao Wushang heard that Xiang Yu was very angry and wanted to attack Liu Bang, so he sent someone to inform Xiang Yu, "Liu Bang wants to declare himself king of Guanzhong, and he has appointed Zi Ying as his prime minister; all the treasures of the Qin State belong to him." Cao Wushang was trying to get himself a better reward. Fan Zeng advised Xiang Yu to attack Liu Bang. Xiang Yu was rewarding his soldiers and preparing for battle the next day. At that time, Xiang Yu had 400,000 troops, boasting an army of a million. Liu Bang only had 100,000 troops, claiming to have 200,000; his strength was no match for Xiang Yu.
Xiang Bo set out to save Zhang Liang, so he secretly went to see Zhang Liang at night and also informed Xiang Yu of the situation, which made Xiang Yu stop. Liu Bang, with over a hundred riders, dashed to Hongmen to make amends with Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu said, "This was said by your Left Sima Cao Wushang; otherwise, why would I be so angry!" Thanks to Fan Kuai and Zhang Liang's help, Liu Bang was able to escape and return to his camp. Upon returning to the camp, Liu Bang immediately killed Cao Wushang.
Xiang Yu then marched westward, massacring and burning down the Qin Dynasty palace in Xianyang, leaving a trail of devastation. The people of the Qin State were utterly disheartened and terrified, left with no choice but to accept their fate.
Xiang Yu sent someone back to give King Huai an update. King Huai said, "Do as we agreed." Xiang Yu was furious that King Huai had sent him north to save Zhao instead of letting him join Liu Bang in Guanzhong, only agreeing to the alliance afterward. So Xiang Yu said, "King Huai was established by my family's Xiang Liang; he didn't contribute much. Why should he lead the alliance? It was me and the other generals who conquered the world!" He paid lip service to King Huai, calling him the Righteous Emperor, but ignored his orders.
Right away, in January, Xiang Yu declared himself the Hegemon King of Western Chu, ruling over the nine counties of Liang Chu, with his capital in Pengcheng. He couldn't be trusted; he also appointed Liu Bang as the King of Han, ruling over Bashu and Hanzhong, with his capital in Nanzheng. As for Guanzhong, he divided the territory among three generals of the Qin Dynasty: Zhang Han became the King of Yong, with his capital in Feiqiu; Sima Xin became the King of Sai, with his capital in Liyang; and Dong Yi became the King of Zhai, with his capital in Gaonu. Shen Yang, a general of Chu, became the King of Henan, with his capital in Luoyang; Sima Ang of Zhao became the King of Yin, with his capital in Chaoge; the former King Xie of Zhao was moved to be King in Dai; Prime Minister Zhang Er of Zhao became the King of Changshan, with his capital in Xiangguo; and Lord Yang became the King of Jiujiang, with his capital in Liuye. Guo Ao, the pillar of King Huai, became the King of Linjiang, with his capital in Jiangling; Fan Jun Wu Rui became the King of Hengshan, with his capital in Zhu; Zang Tu, a general of Yan, became the King of Yan, with his capital in Ji; the former King Han Guang of Yan was driven to Liaodong to be king, but he was unhappy and was killed by Zang Tu.
And that wasn't all; Chen Yu was also appointed to rule over the three counties of Hejian, residing in Nanpi, while Mei Ju received a massive fiefdom.
In April, the war finally ended, and all the warlords returned to their own territories. Liu Bang returned to Hanzhong, and Xiang Yu sent thirty thousand men to escort him. Chu and other warlords also sent many people to follow. Their route took them from Dunan to Shizhong. When Liu Bang left, he had the plank road burned to prevent other warlords from attacking him, also a clear message to Xiang Yu that he wasn't planning on going east. After arriving in Nanzheng, many generals and soldiers secretly ran back, singing songs about going home all day long. At this time, Han Xin said to Liu Bang, "Xiang Yu's made all his top guys kings, but you're stuck here in Nanzheng. What gives? Your army's all from Shandong—they're itching to get home! Strike while the iron's hot, lead 'em east, grab the whole damn country! Once things settle down, they'll be happy enough, but you won't be able to count on them later. So let's get moving, march east, and take over!"
Xiang Yu maneuvered Emperor Yi out of his position and sent someone to say, "In ancient times, an emperor must have a kingdom covering at least a thousand miles and must live in the upper reaches." So he sent people to move Emperor Yi to Chen County in Changsha and urged him to leave quickly. As a result, Emperor Yi's officials deserted him, and Xiang Yu ordered the assassination of Emperor Yi in Jiangnan, instigating the King of Hengshan and the King of Linjiang. Xiang Yu had it in for Tian Rong and appointed Tian Du as the King of Qi. Tian Rong was very angry, declared himself the King of Qi, killed Tian Du, and then rebelled against the Chu kingdom. Xiang Yu also gave General Peng Yue a seal and sent him to launch a rebellion in Liang. The Chu kingdom sent Xiao Gongjiao to attack Peng Yue, but Peng Yue defeated Xiao Gongjiao. Chen Yu resented Xiang Yu for not appointing him as king, so he sent Xia Shuo to contact Tian Rong and request troops to attack Zhang Er. Qi sent troops to Chen Yu, defeated King Changshan Zhang Er, who fled and sought refuge with Han King Liu Bang. Liu Bang brought Zhao Wang Xie back from Dai territory and reinstated him as Zhao Wang. Zhao Wang then appointed Chen Yu as the King of Dai. Xiang Yu was very angry and marched north to attack the Qi kingdom. In August, Han King Liu Bang used Han Xin's strategy to return from the original route and attack Prince Yong Zhang Han. Zhang Han fought Liu Bang in Chencang, and the army of Yong kingdom was defeated and fled; they were defeated again at Haoshi and fled to Feiqiu. Liu Bang then pacified the Yong region. He advanced east to Xianyang, surrounded Prince Yong in Feiqiu, and sent other generals to pacify Longxi, Beidi, and Shangjun. He also ordered generals Xue Ou and Wang Xi to lead troops out of Wuguan to cooperate with Wang Ling's Nanyang troops to welcome Taigong and Empress Lv back to Peixian. When the Chu kingdom heard about this, they sent troops to stop them at Yangxia but were unsuccessful. Liu Bang also appointed the former Wu magistrate Zheng Chang as the King of Han to hold off the Han army.
In the second year, Liu Bang expanded his territory to the east, and the Sai king Xin, the Zhai king Yi, and the Henan king Shen Yang all surrendered. King Chang of Han refused to submit, so Liu Bang sent Han Xin to defeat him. This led to the establishment of Longxi, Beidi, Shang, Weinan, Heshang, and Zhongdi counties; Henan County was also established beyond the pass. Han Xin was reinstated as King of Han. Generals who surrendered with 10,000 men or a whole county were made marquises. Liu Bang also repaired the defenses along the river. The old Qin hunting parks and gardens were redistributed as farmland. In the first month, the younger brother of the Prince of Yong, Zhang Ping, was captured. And there was a general amnesty.
Liu Bang left Guanzhong for Shaanxi, pacifying the people outside the pass. On his return, Zhang Er came to see him, and Liu Bang warmly received him.
In the second month, they ordered the destruction of the Qin ancestral shrines and the construction of Han ones.
In March, Liu Bang crossed the Yellow River at Linjin, with Wei king Bao's army in tow. They seized Henei County, captured the Yin king, and established new counties there. Then they crossed south to Pingyin and reached Luoyang. In Luoyang, Dong Gong, one of the city's three elders, stopped Liu Bang and informed him about the death of Emperor Yi. Hearing this, Liu Bang ripped off his robe and wept aloud, then held a funeral for Emperor Yi and mourned for three days.
After that, he sent messengers to inform all the feudal lords, saying:
- "Emperor Yi was unanimously supported by the people of the realm, and everyone paid homage to him facing north.
- Now Xiang Yu has killed Emperor Yi in the south, which is a great act of treachery.
- I personally mourn for him, and all the feudal lords should wear plain clothes to show mourning.
- I will mobilize all the troops in the pass, recruit soldiers from the Three Rivers region, cross the Yangtze River and Han River, and hope that all the feudal lords will join me in attacking the Chu state to avenge Emperor Yi!"
Meanwhile, Xiang Yu was attacking Qi in the north, fighting with Tian Rong in Chengyang. Tian Rong was defeated and fled to Pingyuan, where he was killed by the locals. As a result, Qi surrendered to Chu. Chu took the opportunity to burn Qi's cities and capture its women and children. This sparked another Qi rebellion. Tian Rong's brother Tian Heng and Tian Rong's son Tian Guang declared themselves Kings of Qi, leading a rebellion against Chu in Chengyang. Though he knew Liu Bang was gaining power in the east, Xiang Yu had allied with Qi and wanted to crush them before tackling Liu Bang. Liu Bang seized the chance to bring the five princes' armies under his banner, then headed straight for Pengcheng. Hearing this, Xiang Yu withdrew from Qi, marching through Ludi, Huling, and Xiaoxian, and fought Liu Bang a decisive battle east of Lingbi, on the Sui River. He routed Liu Bang's army, slaughtering so many the Sui River ran red and still. Xiang Yu also captured Liu Bang's parents and wife, keeping them hostage in his camp. Seeing Chu's power and Liu Bang's defeat, the princes all switched sides. Sima Xin, King of Sai, also fled to Chu. Lü Hou's brother, Zhou Lü Hou, a Han general stationed at Xiayi, was sought out by Liu Bang, who gathered stragglers and formed an army at Dangxian. Then, Liu Bang marched through Liangdi to Yuxian. He sent an envoy to Ying Bu, King of Jiujang, saying, "General, if you revolt, Xiang Yu'll have to send troops after you. That'll buy us a few months, and I'll take the whole damn country!" The envoy convinced Ying Bu, who promptly switched sides. Chu sent Long Qie against him.
Xiang Yu defeated Liu Bang in Pengcheng, and Liu Bang hightailed it west. He even sent people back to find his family, but they had vanished. After the defeat, only Liu Bang's son Liu Ying survived. Six months later, Liu Bang named Liu Ying crown prince and granted amnesty to the whole country. He then sent the crown prince to guard Liyang, where local bigwigs from the Guanzhong region gathered to protect him. Liu Bang led his troops to attack Feiqiu, swamped the city, and Feiqiu surrendered, while Zhang Han committed suicide. Liu Bang renamed Feiqiu as Huaili. Afterwards, Liu Bang ordered officials to offer sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, the deities of the four directions, mountains, and rivers, and to perform sacrifices on time. He also built roads and passes in the Guannei region.
King Ying Bu of Jiujiang fought against Long Qie and lost, then slipped away back to the Han army with Sui He. Liu Bang gradually gathered his troops, along with soldiers from the Guanzhong region, beefing up his army. As a result, he beat the Chu army in Xingyang and took the Chu capital and Suojian.
Three years later, King Bao of Wei claimed he was going home to see his sick parents, but when he reached the Yellow River crossing, he rebelled and joined the Chu state. Liu Bang sent Li Sheng to persuade King Bao of Wei, but he wouldn't listen. Liu Bang then sent Han Xin to attack King Bao of Wei, crushed the Wei army, and captured King Bao. He then took Wei and set up three new commanderies: Hedong, Taiyuan, and Shangdang. Afterwards, Liu Bang ordered Zhang Er and Han Xin to keep pushing east to attack Jingxing, defeated the state of Zhao, and killed Chen Yu and King Xie of Zhao. The following year, Liu Bang made Zhang Er King of Zhao.
Liu Bang's army, south of Xingyang, built a supply road to the Yellow River to get supplies from Aocang. They and Xiang Yu slugged it out for over a year. Xiang Yu kept hitting the Han army's supply lines, starving them out and eventually surrounding them. Desperate, Liu Bang used Chen Ping's plan, giving Chen Ping forty thousand catties of gold to stir up trouble between the Chu king and his court. This made Xiang Yu suspicious of Fan Zeng. Fan Zeng urged Xiang Yu to take Xingyang quickly, but the suspicion got to him, so he stormed off, demanding to retire, only to die before reaching Pengcheng.
Starving, the Han army sent two thousand women dressed as soldiers charging out the east gate at night. The Chu army, thinking it was a full-scale attack, swarmed them. General Ji Xin, dressed as Liu Bang, fooled the Chu army. They cheered, rushed to the east gate, and Liu Bang and a handful of cavalry slipped out the west gate. Liu Bang left the Imperial Censor Zhou Ke, Wei Bao, and Zong Gong to defend Xingyang. The rest were trapped. Zhou Ke and Zong Gong conferred, "Can't defend the city with that traitor, the Wei king!" So they bumped him off.
Liu Bang withdrew his troops from Yingyang and returned to Guanzhong, preparing to advance eastward again. A strategist named Yuan gave him an idea, saying, "The Han and Chu forces have been deadlocked in Yingyang for several years, and we've been on the losing end. Pull your troops back from Wuguan! Xiang Yu will definitely lead his troops south. Dig in and give Yingyang and Chenggao a breather. At the same time, let Han Xin and the others recover the land of Hebei and Zhao, then unite with Yan and Qi. When the moment's right, you can return to Yingyang; it's not too late. That'll spread their forces thin. We'll regroup and then wipe them out!" Liu Bang accepted his advice and withdrew his troops to the area of Wancheng and Yexian, reorganizing their army with Ying Bu.
Hearing Liu Bang was in Wancheng, Xiang Yu marched south. Liu Bang dug in and did not engage with them. At this time, Peng Yue crossed the Sui River and fought a battle with Xiang Sheng and Xue Gong in Xiapi, where Peng Yue crushed the Chu army. Xiang Yu had to lead his troops east to attack Peng Yue. Liu Bang also led his troops north, returning to Chenggao. After Xiang Yu defeated Peng Yue, he heard that Liu Bang had returned to Chenggao, so he moved his troops west, took Yingyang, killed Zhou Ke and Zong Gong, captured Han Wangxin, and besieged Chenggao.
Things were looking grim, so Liu Bang came up with a plan. He slipped out of Chenggao's Yumen gate with Teng Gong, crossed the Yellow River, and rushed to Xiuwu overnight. He passed himself off as a messenger and early in the morning ran to Zhang Er and Han Xin's camp, grabbing control of their armies! He then ordered Zhang Er to continue north to recover the land of Zhao and Han Xin to attack Qi to the east. Liu Bang regained Han Xin's army, greatly increasing his strength. He led his troops to the banks of the Yellow River, rewarded the army to the south of Xiuwu, and prepared to fight the Chu army again. At this time, a high-ranking official named Zheng Zhong advised Liu Bang, "Hey, Your Majesty, let's not rush into this. We should build strong defenses and hold our ground first." Liu Bang followed his advice, sending Lu Wan and Liu Jia with 20,000 infantry and a few hundred cavalry across the White Horse Ford, entering the territory of Chu, and once again defeating the Chu army with Peng Yue, taking back over ten cities west of Yan and Guo.
Han Xin was ordered east, but hadn't even crossed the plains yet. Liu Bang sent Li Sheng to negotiate with King Tian Guang of Qi, but Tian Guang switched sides and joined forces against Xiang Yu. Han Xin followed the advice of Kuai Tong and directly captured Qi. King Tian Guang had Li Sheng boiled alive and fled to Gaomi. When Xiang Yu heard that Han Xin had conquered Qi and Zhao and was heading for Chu, he freaked out and sent Long Qie and Zhou Lan to attack Han Xin. Han Xin fought against them, and his cavalry smashed through the Chu army, killing Long Qie. King Tian Guang went to seek help from Peng Yue, who was harassing the Chu army in Liangdi, starving them out.
After four years, Xiang Yu told Cao Jiu, the Marquis of Hai Chun, "Hold onto Chenggao for me, okay? If the Han army challenges us, don't fight them, and don't let 'em get past to the east. I'll take Liangdi within fifteen days and then come back to help you." Then Xiang Yu led his troops to attack Chenliu, Waihuang, and Suiyang, and took them all. As a result, Liu Bang's army kept picking fights with the Chu army, but the Chu army refused to fight, and they got a load of heckling for days. Cao Jiu flipped his lid, so he led his troops across the Sishui River. But before they'd even gotten halfway across, Liu Bang attacked, and the Chu army was defeated, and Liu Bang cleaned them out, grabbing all their gold, silver, and jewels. Cao Jiu and the Grand Marshal's Chief Historian Xin both killed themselves out of shame on the banks of the Sishui. When Xiang Yu got to Suiyang, he heard Haichunhou had lost, and hightailed it back. Liu Bang's army was besieging Zhonglimo east of Xingyang. Xiang Yu showed up, and they scarpered to safety.
After conquering the state of Qi, Han Xin sent a message to Liu Bang, saying, "Qi borders Chu and is weak. If you don't make me king, I can't hold onto Qi." Liu Bang was planning to attack Qi. Zhang Liang suggested, "Why not just make him king and let him handle it?" So Liu Bang sent Zhang Liang with the seal and ribbon to appoint Han Xin as the King of Qi.
When Xiang Yu heard that Long Qie had died in battle, he became fearful and sent the Xutai person Wu She to persuade Han Xin to surrender, but Han Xin ignored him. The Chu-Han War was a stalemate, and the people were really suffering. Soldiers were killing each other, and the old folks and kids were starving. Liu Bang and Xiang Yu met near Guangwu and had a chat. Xiang Yu wanted a duel with Liu Bang.
Liu Bang listed the ten major crimes of Xiang Yu: "At the time, we received the order from King Huai of Chu together, saying that whoever took Guanzhong first would be king. However, you violated the agreement and drove me to Shu Han; this is the first crime. You killed the lords and crowned yourself king; this is the second crime. After saving the Zhao state, you should have returned to report, but instead you led the vassal armies into Guanzhong; this is the third crime. King Huai's agreement forbade burning, killing, and looting after entering Qin, but you burned the palaces of the Qin Dynasty, dug up the tomb of Qin Shihuang, and privately took the treasures inside; this is the fourth crime. You also killed the surrendered Prince Ying of Qin; this is the fifth crime. You killed hundreds of thousands of Qin soldiers in Xin'an and murdered their generals; this is the sixth crime. You divided the best lands among your generals, drove away the original lords, and let his ministers fight amongst themselves and rebel; this is the seventh crime. You drove Yi the Emperor out of Pengcheng, moved in yourself, seized the land of the King of Han, annexed the lands of the states of Liang and Chu, and enriched yourself; this is the eighth crime. You sent someone to assassinate Yi the Emperor; this is the ninth crime. You, as a minister, killed your sovereign, killed those who had surrendered, acted unfairly in politics, did not abide by treaties, and the people of the world cannot tolerate you; this is high treason, this is the tenth crime! I lead the righteous army, following the vassals to punish you for your cruelty, to kill you; why bother fighting you alone?"
Upon hearing this, Xiang Yu was furious and shot Liu Bang with a crossbow arrow. Injured, Liu Bang touched his toes and said, "Damn, I got shot in the toe!" His injury confined Liu Bang to his bed, and Zhang Liang strongly urged him to get up to comfort the army, stabilize morale, and prevent the Chu army from pursuing. Liu Bang reluctantly got up to inspect the army, but his condition worsened, so he hurriedly went to Chenggao.
After recovering from illness, Liu Bang marched west to Guanzhong, arrived in Liyang, comforted the local people, and celebrated with a feast. He then cut off the head of Xin, the former King of Sai, and displayed it in the market in Liyang. He stayed in Liyang for four days before returning to the camp and stationed in Guangwu. The troops in Guanzhong also began to move out to support.
At that time, Peng Yue stationed his troops in Liangdi and fought fiercely with the Chu army, cutting off their supply lines. Tian Heng also went to help him. Xiang Yu attacked Peng Yue several times, and Prince Qi Xin came to assault the Chu army. Xiang Yu, afraid, made a pact with Han Wang to divide the world, with the west of the Honggou going to Han and the east to Chu. Xiang Yu also sent Han Wang's parents and wife back, and Xiang Yu's army erupted in cheers before he returned.
Xiang Yu withdrew his troops to the east. Han Wang first planned to retreat west, but after listening to the advice of Liu Hou and Chen Ping, he led his troops to pursue Xiang Yu, stopping at the south of Yangxia, and agreed with Prince Qi Xin and Marquis Jiancheng Peng Yue to attack the Chu army together. But when they got to Guling, they found them gone. The Chu army attacked the Han army, routing them. Han Wang retreated to the camp and dug in for defense. After listening to Zhang Liang's advice, Han Xin and Peng Yue both arrived. Once Liu Jia entered Chu territory and surrounded Shouchun, Han Wang, after being defeated at Guling, sent envoys to summon Grand Marshal Zhou Yin to lead the army from Jiujang to meet the Martial King, fighting their way to Chengfu, and then Liu Jia, Qiliang, and other vassals gathered at Gaixia. Xiang Yu was buried in the Valley of the Duke of Lu. Liu Bang became King of Huainan.
Five years later, Liu Bang, the founder, led the armies of various feudal lords to attack the Chu army and had a decisive battle with Xiang Yu at Gaixia. Han Xin, the Marquis of Huaiyin, commanded 300,000 troops to face the enemy, with his flanking generals on the left and right wings, and Emperor Liu Bang in the rear, accompanied by Marquis Zhou Bo and General Chai. Xiang Yu's army had about a hundred thousand soldiers. Han Xin launched the attack first but withdrew without gaining an advantage. His flanking generals took advantage of the situation and launched a fierce attack, overwhelming the Chu army. Han Xin pursued the enemy and won a decisive victory at Gaixia. Hearing the Han army singing Chu songs, Xiang Yu's troops thought the Han army had completely taken over the Chu territory, leading to Xiang Yu's flight in defeat and a major loss for the Chu army. General Guan Ying was sent to chase Xiang Yu to the eastern city, where 80,000 heads were taken, thus pacifying the Chu territory. The people of Lu defended their territory and refused to surrender. Liu Bang, displaying Xiang Yu's head, led the allied forces north; Lu surrendered. Finally, Xiang Yu was given a duke's burial at Gu Cheng. Liu Bang returned to Ding Tao and stormed King Qi's camp, seizing his army.
In the first month, many lords and ministers urged Liu Bang to accept the emperorship. Liu Bang said, "I've heard only a virtuous man should be emperor. I don't dare to take on this title if it is just empty words." Everyone said in unison, "Your Majesty, you started as an unknown commoner, fought all the way, eliminated tyrants, and pacified the world. Those who served you well have been ennobled. If you do not become emperor, we will all doubt whether you can continue to lead us. We'll back you to the death!" Liu Bang declined three times, but eventually said, "Fine, if you all insist, I'll do it for the good of the country!" On the 15th of the first month, Liu Bang became emperor on the banks of the Fanyu River.
The emperor pointed out that King Huai of Chu had no heirs. Han Xin, who had been King of Qi, was accustomed to the customs of Chu, so he made Han Xin king of Chu, establishing its capital at Xiapei. He also appointed Peng Yue, the Marquis of Jiancheng, as King of Liang, with its capital at Dingtao. The former King Han Xin remained King of Han, based in Yangdi. King Wu Rui of Hengshan was made king of Changsha, with the capital at Linxiang. Mei Yan, one of Fan Jun's men, made great achievements and followed Liu Bang into Wuguan, so Liu Bang rewarded Fan Jun. King Ying Bu of Huainan, King Zang Tu of Yan, and King Zhang Ao of Zhao remained in their original positions.
Peace reigned, and Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang established the capital at Luoyang, with all the princes submitting to him. However, King Huan of Linjiang betrayed the Han Dynasty and joined Xiang Yu. Liu Bang sent Lu Wan and Liu Jia to besiege him, but they did not succeed. A few months later, King Huan of Linjiang surrendered and was killed in Luoyang.
By May, the army had disbanded and returned home. The sons of the princes in the Guanzhong area were exempt from military service for twelve years; in other areas, they were exempt for six years. All soldiers were given a year's supply of rations.
Liu Bang held a feast at the South Palace in Luoyang, meeting with his subordinates and saying, "Generals, tell me the truth. Why was I able to conquer the world? Why did Xiang Yu lose?"
Gao Qi and Wang Ling replied, "Your Majesty, you're rough around the edges and tend to push people around, while Xiang Yu was known for his benevolence and care for the common people. However, Your Majesty conquers territories and shares the benefits with your subordinates, benefiting together. But Xiang Yu was jealous of talent, punished or suspected his most capable men, and never rewarded success or shared the spoils—that’s why he lost."
Liu Bang said: "You only see one aspect, but not the other. When it comes to strategizing within the tent and deciding victories from thousands of miles away, I am not as good as Zhang Liang; when it comes to pacifying the people, managing the country, ensuring logistics, and maintaining the food supply without interruption, I am not as good as Xiao He; when it comes to commanding a million-strong army, winning battles, and conquering cities, I am not as good as Han Xin. These three guys are all top-notch, and I can use them, which is why I am able to conquer the world. Although Xiang Yu had a strategist like Fan Zeng, he did not use him well, which is why I was able to capture him."
Liu Bang wanted to establish the capital in Luoyang, but Liu Jing from the Qi state advised him, while Zhang Liang also suggested moving the capital to Guanzhong. Liu Bang packed up and moved the capital to Guanzhong that very day. In June, there was a nationwide pardon. In October, King Zang Tu of Yan rebelled and attacked the Dai territory. Liu Bang personally led the troops to fight, captured Zang Tu, and then appointed Lu Wan as the King of Yan, ordering Prime Minister Cao Shen to lead the troops to attack the Dai territory.
That autumn, Li Ji rebelled, and Liu Bang once again led the troops to fight. Li Ji escaped. Li Ji was a subordinate of Xiang Yu. After Xiang Yu's defeat, Li Ji became the King of Chen but did not follow Xiang Yu. He later surrendered to Liu Bang, who enfeoffed him in Yingchuan. Later, Liu Bang returned to Luoyang, summoned all the marquises, and Li Ji freaked out and rebelled.
In the sixth year, Liu Bang visited Taigong's house every five days and treated them like his own family. The steward of Taigong's house advised Taigong, saying: "You can't have two suns in the sky, or two bosses in the house. Although Liu Bang is your son, he is also the emperor, and you are his father but only a subject. How can you make the emperor kneel to you? If this continues, the imperial authority will not be upheld!" Later, when Liu Bang went to meet Taigong, Taigong held a broom and approached him, startling Liu Bang, who quickly knelt down to help Taigong up. Taigong said: "The emperor is the ruler; how can he disturb the order of the world because of me!" So Liu Bang made his dad the Grand Emperor and gave the smart steward 500 catties of gold for the advice.
In December, someone reported that Han Xin was planning a rebellion. The emperor asked those around him what to do, and everyone wanted to immediately nab him. Later, Chen Ping's plan was adopted. The emperor pretended to go to Yunmeng Marsh for a little R&R and also met with the vassals in Chen's territory. Han Xin rushed to meet him but was quickly arrested. That day, the emperor ordered a general amnesty. Tian Ken came to congratulate the emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, having captured Han Xin and secured Guanzhong, has achieved greatness. Consider Qin: a vast, mountainous land, counties separated by thousands of miles, a million-strong army, yet controlling barely a fifth of its territory. Its strategic position makes subduing rebels as easy as pouring water from a rooftop. And Qi? Rich lands to the east, protected by Mount Tai to the south, the Zhuo River to the west, and the Bohai Sea to the north. With a land area of two thousand li and a million soldiers, it governs only one-twelfth. Qin and Qi are crucial, Your Majesty! Only your son is fit to rule Qi!" The emperor replied, "You are right!" and rewarded him with a mountain of gold.
More than ten days later, the emperor made Han Xin the Marquis of Huaiyin and divided his fiefdom into two countries. The emperor said, "General Liu Jia has repeatedly achieved military merits, so he will be appointed as the King of Jing, ruling the lands east of the Huai River; my brother Liu Jiao will be the King of Chu, ruling the lands west of the Huai River; my son Liu Fei will be the King of Qi, ruling over more than seventy cities, and all Qi-speaking people will be under the jurisdiction of Qi." Then, the emperor rewarded the merits and, together with the marquises, handed out the seals of office. Han Xin was exiled to Taiyuan.
Seven years later, the Xiongnu attacked King Han Xin's base at Mayi, and King Han Xin conspired to rebel with Taiyuan. He allied with Baitu Manqiuchen and Wang Huang, installing former Zhao general Zhao Li as their king. The emperor personally led the troops to suppress the rebellion. By the time they reached Pingcheng, it was bitterly cold; two or three out of ten soldiers lost their fingers to frostbite. The Xiongnu besieged Pingcheng, lifting the siege after seven days. The emperor left Fan Kuai to pacify Dai and installed his brother, Liu Zhong, as its king.
In the second month, the emperor passed through Zhao and Luoyang on his way back to Chang'an from Pingcheng. With the completion of Changle Palace, all officials below the rank of prime minister relocated to Chang'an.
In the eighth year, the emperor went on an eastern expedition, defeating the remnants of the rebels led by King Han Xin in Dongyuan. Prime Minister Xiao built the Weiyang Palace for Emperor Gaozu of Han, and constructed the Dongque, Northque, Front Hall, Armory, and Granary. When Emperor Gaozu returned and saw the magnificent palace, he got angry and yelled at Xiao He, "With the whole country at war, people slaving away for years, and the outcome still uncertain, you build a palace like this? Are you out of your mind?!" Xiao He calmly replied, "The empire's still unsettled, Your Majesty. Now's the time to build it. Besides, a ruler needs a proper palace to command respect. And this one'll be the grandest ever built." Emperor Gaozu thought it made sense and his anger subsided.
During Gaozu's eastern tour, he passed by Bairen, where the prime minister of Zhao, Guan Gao, and others conspired to kill Gaozu. Getting a bad feeling, Gaozu cut his visit to Bairen short. King Liu Zhong of Dai abdicated and fled to Luoyang, only to be reduced to Marquis of Heyang.
Nine years later, the conspiracy of Guan Gao and others in Zhao was exposed, and their entire family was wiped out. King Zhao Ao was also deposed and titled as the Marquis of Xuanping. That same year, the Chu clans (Zhao, Qu, Jing, and Huai) and the Qi Tian clan were all moved to Guanzhong.
Weiyang Palace is finally completed! Emperor Gaozu of Han solemnly summoned all the bigwigs and officials to celebrate with a feast in front of the main hall of Weiyang Palace. Emperor Gaozu raised his jade cup, stood up to toast the Retired Emperor for his longevity, and said, "My father used to say that I, his son, was incompetent, unable to run the family estate, not as good as my younger brother Liu Zhong. So who's done better, me or my brother?" The ministers in the hall all shouted "long live" in unison, amidst a roar of laughter and cheers.
In the tenth month of the tenth year, the kings of Huainan, Liang, Yan, Jing, Chu, Qi, and Changsha all paid their respects at Changle Palace. Spring and summer passed peacefully.
In July, the Retired Emperor passed away at Liyang Palace. The Kings of Chu and Liang attended the funeral. Emperor Gaozu ordered the release of prisoners from the Liyang prison and that Liyi was renamed Xinfeng.
In August, Zhao's Prime Minister, Chen Xi, rebelled in Dai territory. Emperor Gaozu said, "Chen Xi used to be my subordinate and was very reliable. Dai territory is also a strategic location for me, so I appointed him as a Marquis to serve as Prime Minister to guard Dai territory. But then he goes and teams up with Wang Huang and the rest to loot Dai! The officials and people of Dai territory have not committed any crimes, so pardon them!" In September, Emperor Gaozu personally led the army eastward and arrived at Handan, happily saying, "Chen Xi did not occupy advantageous terrain south of Handan to block the Zhang River. I knew he was in over his head." It was said that Chen Xi's generals were all former business associates, so Emperor Gaozu said, "I know how to deal with him." He showered Chen Xi's generals with gold and silver, and many of them surrendered.
Eleven years ago, Liu Bang was busy putting down Chen Xi's rebellion in Handan. While this was still ongoing, Chen Xi's subordinate Hou Chang led tens of thousands of troops running amok, Wang Huang was also in revolt, and Zhang Chun crossed the Yellow River to attack Liaocheng. As a result, Guo Meng and the Qi army smashed them in a major battle. Zhou Bo stormed out of Taiyuan and pacified Dai. When they reached Mayi, the city held out, so Liu Bang leveled the place.
Zhao Li held Dongyuan, and Liu Bang couldn't crack it. After a month of siege, the city's defenders were still giving Liu Bang lip, which really pissed him off. Finally, Dongyuan surrendered, and Liu Bang had every last one of those who'd mouthed off executed, sparing those who did not. Liu Bang then carved out the northern Zhao territory for his son, Liu Heng, the new King of Dai, with Jinyang as his capital.
In the spring, Han Xin, the Marquis of Huaiyin, tried to revolt and got his whole family wiped out.
In the summer, Peng Yue, King of Liang, also rebelled, got exiled to Shu, tried again, and then got his whole family wiped out. Liu Bang then appointed Peng Yue's son Liu Hui as the Prince of Liang and his son Liu You as the Prince of Huaiyang.
In the seventh month, Ying Bu, King of Huainan, revolted, grabbed Jing's territory, crossed the Huai, and scared the Chu king into fleeing to Xue. Liu Bang personally led the troops against him, and afterwards, Ying Bu's son became the new King of Huainan.
By October of the twelfth year, Liu Bang had crushed Ying Bu, who ran off, only to be chased down by Liu Bang's other generals.
Liu Bang returned to Pei County and made himself at home. He held a feast in the palace of Pei County, inviting his old buddies, neighbors, and family to come and drink like there was no tomorrow. He also brought in 120 children from Pei County and taught them to sing. While everyone was enjoying the wine, Liu Bang picked up a zither and sang a song: "A great wind blows, the clouds fly high, my power spans the land, I've come home at last. Oh, where can I find brave men to guard the realm?" He then had the children learn to sing along. Liu Bang stood up to dance, overwhelmed with emotion, a mix of joy and sorrow, shedding tears several times. He told the elders of Pei County, "Those who travel far from home always miss their hometown. Although I'm now the emperor in Guanzhong, even after I die, my soul will still think of Pei County. Furthermore, it was from Pei County that I rose up to overthrow the tyrannical Qin, leading to the world we have today. Therefore, I'm making Pei County a special place, giving you all a great life." The elders of Pei County, along with Liu Bang's old friends, drank, laughed, and reminisced, having a whale of a time together.
More than ten days later, Liu Bang wanted to leave, but the locals of Pei County strongly requested him to stay. Liu Bang said, "There are too many people following me; you wouldn't be able to handle all of us." So Liu Bang prepared to leave. However, the people of Pei County all ran to the west of the county to give him a send-off. Liu Bang stopped again, hosted a banquet, and stayed for three more days. The locals kept bowing down and said, "We are very grateful that Pei County has been restored, but Feng County has not yet recovered; we hope Your Highness can have mercy on Feng County." Liu Bang said, "Feng County is where I grew up; of course, I will not forget it. It's just that Yong Chi betrayed me and joined up with the Wei Kingdom, so I didn't restore Feng County first." After repeated requests from the locals of Pei County, Liu Bang finally ordered the simultaneous restoration of Feng County, making it equal to Pei County. Later, Liu Bang also made Liu Pi King of Wu, with his territory in Pei County.
The Han generals fought Chen Sheng's army separately on both banks of the Tao River, winning big and finally killing Chen Sheng in Poyang. Fan Kuai led the army to take care of Dai and killed Chen Di below the city.
In November, Liu Bang returned to Chang'an with his troops from the front lines.
In December, Liu Bang then announced, "Qin Shihuang, King Chen of Chu, King Anli of Wei, King Meng of Qi, King Daoxiang of Zhao, are all gone; I will give ten households the job of guarding their tombs. Qin Shihuang will have twenty households, and Prince Wu Ji of Wei will have five households." Then, he issued a pardon to the people and officials who had been robbed by Chen Xi and Zhao Li. The surrendered generals said that when Chen Xi rebelled, Prince Lu Wan of Yan were in cahoots with Chen Xi. Liu Bang then sent the Marquis of Biyang to meet Lu Wan, but Lu Wan said he was sick. When the Marquis of Biyang returned, he reported in detail that it was clear Lu Wan was planning a rebellion.
In February, Liu Bang sent Fan Kuai and Zhou Bo to subdue King Lu Wan of Yan, and at the same time pardoned all the Yan officials and commoners involved in the rebellion. Afterwards, Liu Bang installed his son, Liu Jian, as the new King of Yan.
When Liu Bang fought Xiang Yu, he was hit by a stray arrow and collapsed on the road. He was deathly ill, so Empress Lü frantically summoned the best physician she could find. The doctor went in to treat Liu Bang, who asked if he could be cured. The doctor said, "I can cure you." As a result, Liu Bang started cursing at him, saying, "I, a nobody with a three-foot sword, conquered the world! Isn't this fate? My life is in the hands of heaven. Even if the legendary Bian Que showed up, it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference!" So Liu Bang threw fifty catties of gold at him and sent him packing. After a while, Empress Lü asked Liu Bang, "Your Majesty, when you're gone, when Xiao He dies, who should take over for him?" Liu Bang said, "Cao Can can." Empress Lü asked about the next one, and Liu Bang said, "Wang Ling's a bit of a dimwit. However, Chen Ping can help him. Chen Ping is exceptionally intelligent, but he cannot be left alone in charge. Zhou Bo is steady, though not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, but he will keep the Liu dynasty safe. Make him Grand Commandant." Empress Lü asked about the next successor, and Liu Bang said, "Future's a mystery to me."
Lu Wan had a few thousand cavalry hanging around the border, waiting for Liu Bang to get better so he could personally apologize.
Early in April, Gaozu died in the Changle Palace. It took four days before word got out. Empress Lü and Shenshi Qi discussed, "Those military commanders used to be fellow villagers with the emperor. Now they have to serve him as subjects. They're probably seething. Now that the emperor has passed away and the crown prince has ascended to the throne, if we don't take them out, we'll have a real problem on our hands!" Someone overheard this and went to inform General Li Shang. General Li Shang found Shenshi Qi and said, "I heard that the emperor has died, and the news wasn't announced for four days. They're probably planning to use this to off those generals. If that's the case, we're in deep trouble! Chen Ping and Guanying are guarding Xingyang with 100,000 troops, Fan Kui and Zhou Bo are guarding Yan and Dai with 200,000 troops. If they find out that the emperor has died and the military commanders have been killed, they will surely bring their armies back to rebel against Chang'an. If the court rebels and the princes rise up, the whole country will collapse!" Shenshi Qi told Empress Lü about this, so on Dingwei, the death of Gaozu was announced to the public, and they declared a general amnesty.
Lu Wan heard that Gaozu had died and fled, to hook up with the Xiongnu.
On Bingyin, Gaozu was buried. On Jisi, the crown prince ascended the throne and went to the imperial ancestral temple. All the courtiers said, "Gaozu rose from humble beginnings, pacified the chaos of the world, and established the Han Dynasty. What a guy!" Therefore, Gaozu was posthumously honored as Emperor Gao. The crown prince inherited the title of emperor, becoming the later Emperor Xiaohui. He also ordered that temples for Gaozu be built throughout the country, where they'd hold regular sacrifices.
In the fifth year of Emperor Xiaohui's reign, he remembered the past events of Gaozu in Pei County and turned the Pei County palace into Gaozu's ancestral temple. The 120 songstresses trained by Gaozu during his lifetime kept performing music and dance. If one left, they'd replace her.
Gaozu had eight sons: Liu Fei, the King of Qi, his eldest son, though born out of wedlock; the second was Emperor Xiaohui, the son of Empress Lü; the third was Liu Ruyi, the King of Zhao Yin, the son of Consort Qi; the fourth was Liu Heng, the King of Dai, his son, who would later become Emperor Xiaowen, the son of Empress Bo; the fifth was Liu Hui, the King of Liang, whom Empress Lü had moved to Zhao and made King Gong; the sixth was Liu You, the King of Huaiyang, whom Empress Lü had moved to Zhao and made King You; the seventh was Liu Chang, the King of Huainan; the eighth was Liu Jian, the King of Yan.
Sima Qian argued that the Xia Dynasty's focus was loyalty. But excessive loyalty breeds villainy. The Shang, therefore, prioritized fear. However, excessive fear leads to deception, so the Zhou Dynasty emphasized ritual and culture. Yet, even that can be exploited. The cycle, then, returned to loyalty. Between the Zhou Dynasty and the Qin Dynasty, it can be said that the disadvantages of civilization had already appeared. The rule of the Qin Dynasty did not change these disadvantages, but instead intensified torture and harsh laws—how ridiculous is that? Therefore, after the rise of the Han Dynasty, it inherited the previous disadvantages but promptly made changes, preventing discontent and thus securing the throne. Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang of the Han Dynasty ascended to the throne in October. He rode in a yellow chariot, his procession bearing left banners. He was buried at Changling.
This passage argues that the governing philosophies of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties formed a cyclical process, each having its pros and cons. The Xia's loyalty, the Shang's reverence, and the Zhou's civilization all have their drawbacks, eventually all needing a return to loyalty. The Qin dynasty inherited the Zhou's shortcomings but failed to improve upon them, making things even tougher under their rule, which ultimately led to their downfall. The Han dynasty, on the other hand, learned from past mistakes and built on what they inherited, reforming their approach and ultimately succeeding, culminating in the reign and eventual burial of Han Gaozu, Liu Bang.
