Liu Bang, from Yangli Village in Fengyi, Peixian County, was a Liu. His mother once rested by the swamp and dreamed she met a god. The sky was dark, with thunder and lightning crashing, and his father Liu Taigong went to see and saw a dragon intertwined in the sky. Later, his mother became pregnant and gave birth to Liu Bang.
Liu Bang was a striking figure, with a high nose, handsome beard, and seventy-two black moles marking his left thigh. He was generous and easygoing, always exuding a regal air and never bothering with farm work at home. When he grew up, he was the chief of Sishui Pavilion. He treated officials with disdain, bullying them whenever the mood struck. He enjoyed a good drink and the company of women. He'd often drink with Wang Yao and Wu Fu, often falling asleep on the ground, dead drunk. Wang Yao and Wu Fu noticed something odd about Liu Bang. He always ran up huge bar tabs, far exceeding what he actually drank. After seeing this, they'd always tear up his IOUs at the end of the year.
Liu Bang once went to Xianyang and looked at Qin Shihuang from a distance, sighed deeply, and said, "Man, that's what a real man should be like!"
Lu Gong of Danfu, renowned for his skill in reading faces, was highly regarded by the magistrate of Pei County and invited to be a guest, so Lu Gong stayed in Pei County. The heroes of Pei County heard that the magistrate had invited an important guest and went to congratulate him. Xiao He was the chief official of the county office, responsible for receiving guests. He told the guests, "Anyone with a gift less than a thousand coins sits downstairs." Liu Bang was a local magistrate and had a good relationship with the officials. He sent word that he was contributing ten thousand coins, even though he didn't bring a single coin. When the messenger entered, Lu Gong was surprised and quickly got up to greet him. Lu Gong, who was skilled in physiognomy, respected Liu Bang even more when he saw his appearance and let him sit at the head of the room. Xiao He said, "Liu Ji is always boastful and has few achievements." Liu Bang deliberately teased the guests and ended up sitting at the top seat, and no one could argue with that. As the banquet was ending, Lu Gong gave Liu Bang a look that meant to keep him around. After the banquet dispersed, Lu Gong said, "I have always been interested in physiognomy since I was young and have met many people, but none like Ji (Liu Bang's style name). I hope Ji will take good care of himself. I have a daughter and am willing to let her be your concubine." After the banquet dispersed, Lu's wife was angry and said to Lu Gong, "You have always wanted to marry this daughter to high-ranking officials. The magistrate of Pei County treated you well, and you didn't even agree to him. How can you casually betroth her to Liu Ji?" Lu Gong said, "That's something you wouldn't understand." In the end, Liu Bang married Lu Gong's daughter, who later became Empress Lu and gave birth to Emperor Hui of Han and Princess Luyuan. And so began the rise of the Han dynasty, largely thanks to this unlikely match.
Liu Bang once returned to his hometown to work in the fields. Lady Lü was working in the fields with her two sons when an old man passed by and asked for a drink of water. Lady Lü gave him some water to drink. The old man looked at Lady Lü and said, "Lady, you're destined for great things!" Then he looked at the two children and pointed to one of them, saying, "It's this son who'll bring you all that honor, Lady!" He also looked at Princess Lu Yuan and said, "She's got a bright future ahead of her." After the old man left, Liu Bang came over from the nearby house, and Lady Lü told him, "A fella just stopped by and said me and the kids are gonna be real important someday!" Liu Bang asked, "Did he get far?" hurrying after the old man. The old man said, "That lady and her kids—they'll all be lucky because of you. You're gonna be somebody!" Liu Bang quickly thanked him, "You're right as rain! I won't forget this!" Later, when Liu Bang became emperor, he could never find that old man again.
When Liu Bang was the local official, he made himself a bamboo hat and wore it, letting his subordinate Xue Zhi catch thieves. He'd often wear it. Later, when he became emperor, he still wore this kind of hat, and it became known as the "Liu hat."
When Liu Bang was a low-level government official in charge of a small post station, he escorted prisoners to serve in Mount Li (Lishan), and many prisoners escaped on the way. Liu Bang estimated that before reaching the destination, the prisoners would all run away. When they arrived at a pavilion in the Fengxize marshes, they stopped to drink. In the evening, he released all the prisoners he escorted, saying, "You all go, I also want to escape from here!" Among the prisoners, a dozen or so burly fellows were willing to follow him. Liu Bang got drunk and led the group through the swamp at night, with one person walking in front as a lookout. The lookout came back and reported, "There is a big snake blocking the way ahead, let's go back!" Liu Bang, drunk, said, "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!" and rushed forward, drawing his sword and cutting the snake in half, clearing the way. After walking a few miles, he fell asleep drunk. Later, someone walked to where the snake was and saw an old lady crying at night. When asked why she was crying, the old lady said, "Someone killed my son!" When asked how her son died, the old lady said, "My son is the son of the White Emperor, turned into a snake to block the way, just now the son of the Red Emperor killed it, that's why I cry." Folks thought she was spinning a yarn and figured they'd give her a hard time, but the old lady suddenly disappeared. Later, people found Liu Bang, woke him up, and told him about this. Liu Bang was thrilled, feeling very proud of himself, and his men looked up to him even more.
Emperor Qin Shihuang once said, "There is an imperial aura in the southeast," so he traveled east to suppress that aura. Liu Bang hid between Mangdang Mountain and the swamp, and Lady Lü brought people to look for him everywhere, always able to find him. Liu Bang was very surprised and asked Lady Lü what was going on. Lady Lü said, "There is always a lucky cloud above where you live, so I can find you by following the cloud." Liu Bang was even more delighted when he heard this. Many young people in Peixian heard about this and wanted to throw in their lot with him.
In the autumn of 209 BC, in July, Chen Sheng rose up in rebellion in Qixian. When they arrived in Chen County, he crowned himself King of Chu and sent Wuchen, Zhang Er, and Chen Yu to attack the territory of the Zhao Kingdom.
In August, Wu Chen proclaimed himself King of Zhao. Many counties, following Chen Sheng's lead, killed their magistrates. In September, the county magistrate of Pei County wanted to join Chen Sheng in rebelling against Qin. The county clerks, Xiao He and Cao Can, advised the magistrate, saying, "You're a Qin official now. If you try to rebel and get the people of Pei County to follow you, they're not going to listen. Better to round up those escaped convicts hiding out – a few hundred should do – and use them to strong-arm the rest. Then everyone will fall in line." So the magistrate sent Fan Kuai to fetch Liu Bang. Liu Bang had already gathered a few hundred people at that time.
Fan Kui brought Liu Bang. The county magistrate of Pei regretted his decision and, fearing trouble, closed the city gate and prepared to kill Xiao He and Cao Shen. Afraid, Xiao He and Cao Shen climbed over the wall and fled to Liu Bang. Liu Bang wrote on a piece of cloth and shot it onto the city wall, addressing the townsfolk of Pei County: "The common people have suffered under the Qin Dynasty for a long time. Although you are following the county magistrate to defend the city, the feudal lords have rebelled. If you don't join the rebellion now, Pei County will be slaughtered! We should get rid of the magistrate, choose a suitable person to lead us, and protect our homeland. Otherwise, my family and the people of Pei County will be killed, and we will gain nothing!" The townsfolk of Pei County killed the county magistrate together and opened the city gate to welcome Liu Bang, hoping he would become the magistrate. Liu Bang said, "With the princes in rebellion and the world in chaos, if we choose an unsuitable leader now and lose the battle, we will all be doomed. I am not afraid of death, but I worry that I am not capable of protecting my family and the people of Pei County. This is a major matter; I hope you can choose a suitable person." Xiao He and Cao Shen, being civil officials, were more concerned for their own safety. They feared that if things did not go well, the Qin would retaliate against their families, so they both gave the opportunity to Liu Bang. The townsfolk of Pei County said, "We've heard Liu Bang's a remarkable man, destined for greatness. And our divinations all point to him." Liu Bang declined several times, but everyone insisted, so he accepted and was appointed as Pei Gong. He worshipped the Yellow Emperor and Chiyou in the Yamen of Pei County and made offerings to the heavens by beating drums. His banners were red, a symbol of his rebellion. Young officials like Xiao He, Cao Shen, and Fan Kui began recruiting soldiers from Pei County, gathering a total of three thousand men.
In that month, Xiang Liang and his nephew Xiang Yu rose up in rebellion in the Wu region. Tian Dan and his nephews Tian Rong and Tian Heng rose up in the Qi region, with Tian Dan declaring himself the King of Qi. Han Guang declared himself the King of Yan. Wei Jiu declared himself the King of Wei. Chen Sheng's general Zhou Zhang advanced westward to Hangu Pass, reached Xixian, and was defeated by the Qin general Zhang Han.
In October of 208 BC, Liu Bang captured Huling and Fangyu, then returned to Feng County to station his troops. The regional governor of Si Chuan, Ping, led his army to besiege Feng County. Two days later, Liu Bang fought and defeated the Qin army. He then left Yongchi to guard Feng County.
In November, Liu Bang led his army to Xue County. The military prefect of Si Chuan, Zhuang, and his army were defeated by Liu Bang in Xue County and fled to Qixian, where they were killed by Liu Bang's second-in-command. Liu Bang's army returned to Kangfu and then to Fangyu. At this time, Zhao Wang Wuchen was killed by his own generals. In December, Chu Wang Chen She was also killed by his own censor Zhuang Jia.
Zhou Shi, a man from Wei, conquered and plundered cities in Feng County and Pei County. He sent a message to Yongchi, saying, "Feng County was originally settled by people from the Liang state. Now Wei has control of dozens of cities. If you submit to Wei now, we will appoint you as a marquis and let you continue to guard Feng County; if you do not submit, we will massacre the city!" Yongchi, who did not want to follow Liu Bang in the first place, double-crossed Liu Bang and switched sides to Wei. Liu Bang attacked Feng County but failed to capture it. He had to return to Pei County, feeling furious with Yongchi and the people of Feng County for betraying him.
In the first month, Zhang Er and others set up Zhao Xie, a descendant of the Zhao kingdom, as the king of Zhao. Dongyang Ningjun and Qin Jia made Jing Ju the king of Chu in Liuxian County (Liuxian). Liu Bang met Zhang Liang on his way to join them, and they went together to ask Jing Ju for troops to attack Fengxian. At this time, Zhang Han set out from Chen County (Chenxian), and his general Sima Xin led troops north to conquer Chu territory, destroying Xiang County (Xiangxian) and advancing to Dang County (Dangxian). Dongyang Ningjun and Liu Bang led troops westward, fought with the Qin army west of Xiaoxian, but were defeated and retreated to Liuxian.
In February, Liu Bang attacked Dang County and captured it in three days. He absorbed the army of Dang County, gaining six thousand soldiers, totaling nine thousand with his original army. In March, Liu Bang attacked Xiayi and captured it. He then went to attack Fengxian again, but failed to capture it. In April, Xiang Liang killed Jing Ju and Qin Jia, stationed in Xue County (Xuexian). Liu Bang met with him and received five thousand soldiers and five Wu-rank officers. After returning, Liu Bang attacked Fengxian again and finally captured it. Yong Chi fled to the state of Wei. In May, Xiang Yu captured Xiangcheng and returned with his army. Xiang Liang gathered his other generals.
In June, Liu Bang went to Xuedi and together with Xiang Liang installed the grandson of King Huai of Chu as the new King Huai. Zhang Han defeated and killed King Jiu of Wei and King Tian Dan of Qi in Linji. In July, torrential rains fell. Liu Bang attacked Kangfu. Zhang Han besieged Tian Rong in Dong'e. Liu Bang and Xiang Liang together rescued Tian Rong, resulting in a major defeat of Zhang Han in Dong'e. Tian Rong returned, and Liu Bang and Xiang Yu pursued the victory, advancing to Chengyang, overran the city, and killed many of its inhabitants. The army stationed east of Puyang then defeated Zhang Han again.
Zhang Han regrouped and defended Puyang, taking advantage of the surrounding river for protection. Liu Bang and Xiang Yu turned to attack Dingtao. In August, Tian Rong appointed his son Tian Shi as the King of Qi. Before Dingtao was captured, Liu Bang and Xiang Yu pushed westward, reaching Yongqiu, where they fought against the Qin army and achieved a great victory, even killing the prefect of Sanchuan County, Li You. They then went on to attack Waihuang, but were unable to capture it. Xiang Liang repeatedly defeated the Qin army and became overconfident. Song Yi advised him, but he did not listen. The Qin state sent reinforcements to Zhang Han. In September, Zhang Han, under the cover of darkness, ordered his soldiers to attack Dingtao, where Xiang Liang was located, defeating Xiang Liang's army and killing him. From July to September, it had been raining constantly. Liu Bang and Xiang Yu were attacking Chenliu at the time, and upon hearing of Xiang Liang's death, panic set in among the soldiers. They, along with General Lu Chen, led their troops eastward, moving King Huai of Chu from Xutai to Pengcheng. Lu Chen's army was east of Pengcheng, Xiang Yu's to the west, and Liu Bang's in Dangxian. Wei Juo's brother, Bao, self-proclaimed King of Wei. In late September, King Huai personally commanded Lu Chen and Xiang Yu's armies. He made Liu Bang the magistrate of Dang, creating him Marquis of Wu'an to lead the county's army; made Xiang Yu Duke of Lu, granting him the title of Marquis of Chang'an; and made Lu Chen the Minister of Works, with his father Lu Qing as the Minister of State. Zhang Han, having defeated Xiang Liang, considered the Chu army a negligible threat, so he crossed the Yellow River to attack King Xie of Zhao, defeating the Zhao army. King Xie retreated to Julu City, where the Qin general Wang Li besieged the city. Zhao requested assistance multiple times, so King Huai appointed Song Yi as the Chief General, Xiang Yu as the Second General, and Fan Zeng as the Third General to go north and rescue Zhao.
At the beginning, King Huai made an agreement with his generals that whoever got to Guanzhong first would be king. At that time, the Qin army was very powerful, always winning battles and chasing the enemy all the way. The other generals did not dare to take this risk and were all scrambling to be the first into Guanzhong. Only Xiang Yu, who was still furious about the Qin army killing Xiang Liang, fiercely requested to advance west to Guanzhong with Liu Bang. King Huai and the other old generals opposed, saying, "That guy Xiang Yu is a brutal, bloodthirsty maniac. When he took Xiangcheng, he slaughtered everyone; he leaves a trail of destruction wherever he goes. Moreover, Chu has attacked Qin several times, and the previous Chen Wang and Xiang Liang failed. Better to send someone respected and virtuous to get them to surrender, telling the people of Qin that their king is brutal and they have had enough. If a gentle person is sent, not to harm them, the people of Qin should surrender. No way should we send Xiang Yu; Liu Bang, with his kinder, gentler approach, is the better choice." In the end, Xiang Yu's request was not accepted, and Liu Bang was sent west to gather the remnants of Chen Wang and Xiang Liang. Liu Bang set out from Dang County, arrived at Chengyang and Gangli, attacked the Qin army's fortifications, and defeated two Qin army units.
Three years into the Qin Dynasty, in October, Tian Du, a Qi general, double-crossed Tian Rong and led his troops to help Xiang Yu rescue the state of Zhao. Liu Bang defeated the governor of Dongju in Chengwu. In November, Xiang Yu killed Song Yi, took over his military power, crossed the Yellow River, and made himself the top general, with guys like Ying Bu swearing their loyalty to him. In December, Liu Bang led his army to Lixian, ran into General Wuhou, captured more than four thousand of his soldiers, added them to his own troops, and joined forces with the generals of Wei, Huang Xin and Wu Man, to attack the Qin army and scored a huge win. Tian An, King Jian's grandson, also joined Xiang Yu's Zhao rescue mission from Jibei. Xiang Yu defeated the Qin army in Julu, captured Wang Li, and Zhang Han fled.
In the second month of the second year, Liu Bang headed north from Dang County to attack Changyi. Along the way, he encountered Peng Yue. Peng Yue helped him attack Changyi, but they couldn't take it. Liu Bang traveled west and passed through Gaoyang, where Li Shiqi was the gatekeeper. Li Shiqi said, "Many generals have passed through here, but I feel that Liu Bang is different." He then requested to meet Liu Bang. Liu Bang was sitting on a bed while two women washed his feet. Li Shiqi did not kneel to show respect, but instead bowed and said, "If you want to overthrow the tyrannical Qin, you should not act so informally in front of older men." Liu Bang immediately got up, tidied his clothes, apologized to Li Shiqi, and asked him to sit down. Li Shiqi advised Liu Bang to attack Chenliu. Liu Bang appointed him the Lord of Guangye, and his brother Shang as the general, commanding the army of Chenliu.
In March, Liu Bang attacked Kaifeng but failed. He then fought against the Qin general Yang Xiong at Baima and Dongyu, achieving a great victory. Yang Xiong fled to Xingyang, where he was killed by order of Qin Er Shi as a warning to others. In April, Liu Bang attacked Yingchuan in the south and killed many people there. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhang Liang also took Handi.
Next, Zhao's second-in-command, Sima Ang, was planning to cross the Yellow River into Guanzhong. Liu Bang then attacked Pingyin in the north, cutting off the Yellow River crossing. He then moved south to attack the east of Luoyang but got bogged down in battle and retreated to Yangcheng, rounding up his cavalry.
In June, Liu Bang fought a battle with the Nanyang commander and won! He then took control of Nanyang County, and the commander fled to Wancheng, where he held out. Liu Bang led his army past the west side of Wancheng. Zhang Liang advised him, saying, "Although you want to quickly enter the Guanzhong region, the Qin army is numerous and holds key strategic locations. If you don't take Wancheng now, it will attack you from behind, and there are strong Qin forces in front of you. That's far too risky!" So Liu Bang secretly led his army through another route at night, hiding their flags. When it was daylight, they surrounded Wancheng on three sides. The Nanyang commander wanted to commit suicide, but his subordinate Chen Hui said, "Now's not the time to die!" He then climbed over the wall to see Liu Bang and said, "I heard that you made an agreement with everyone that whoever enters Xianyang first will be king. But now you are staying here to attack Wancheng. The cities in Wancheng are connected, with dozens of them. The officials and people in the city think that surrendering will lead to death, so they are holding the city. If you keep attacking, there will be significant casualties; if you retreat, Wancheng will follow you. If you move forward, you will violate the agreement to enter Xianyang; if you retreat, you will have the trouble of Wancheng behind you. In my opinion, it's best to make a surrender agreement with them, appoint him as a marquis, let him continue to guard the city, and then take his army to Guanzhong. Once the other cities hear this news, they will eagerly open their gates to welcome you, and you can pass through without any trouble." Liu Bang said, "Good!" In July, the Nanyang commander surrendered and was appointed as the Marquis of Yin, while Chen Hui was appointed as a Commander of a Thousand Men. Liu Bang led his troops westward without any obstacles. At Danshui, the Marquis of Gaowu (Sai) and the Marquis of Xiang (Wang Ling) also surrendered. They then attacked Huyang and encountered Xiang Yu's general Mei Yan, and together they attacked Xixian and Lixian, both of which surrendered. Liu Bang strictly forbade looting, earning him the gratitude of the Qin people. He also sent Ning Chang of Wei to Qin as an envoy. This month, Zhang Han led his army to surrender to Xiang Yu, who appointed him as the King of Yong. Chu gained control of Xiqiu, Shenyang, and other areas.
In August, Liu Bang attacked Wuguan and entered the territory of the Qin Dynasty. The Prime Minister of the Qin Dynasty, Zhao Gao, was afraid, so he killed Qin Er Shi and sent someone to offer Liu Bang a portion of Guanzhong, but Liu Bang did not agree.
In September, Zhao Gao appointed his nephew, Ziying, as the King of Qin. Ziying then killed Zhao Gao and stationed troops at Yaoguan. Liu Bang wanted to attack Yaoguan, but Zhang Liang said, "The Qin army is still strong; we should not act rashly. First, we should plant flags on the mountains to deceive them, and then send Li Shiqi and Lu Jia to persuade the Qin general to surrender, sweetening the deal." The general was willing to negotiate, and Liu Bang was tempted to agree. Zhang Liang then said, "This is just the Qin general wanting to surrender; his soldiers may not listen to him. We should attack while they're vulnerable."
Liu Bang led his troops around Yaoguan, crossed Kuishan, and attacked the Qin army, defeating them south of Lantian. Then, they fought another battle with the Qin army north of Lantian, winning again.
In the first year of the Yuan era, in October, a cluster of five stars appeared in the Dongjing constellation. Liu Bang arrived in Bashang. The King of Qin rode a plain white horse, a rope around his neck, and presented the Emperor's jade seal, symbols, and seal to surrender on the roadside. Some generals suggested killing the King of Qin, but Liu Bang said, "King Huai of Chu sent me here to be lenient, and besides, he has already surrendered; it's bad luck to kill him." So, he left Ziying in his subordinates' custody.
Liu Bang pressed on to Xianyang, but Fan Kuai and Zhang Liang dissuaded him from resting in the palace, so Liu Bang ordered the sealing of the treasures and wealth of the Qin Dynasty, and then withdrew his troops to Bashang. Xiao He seized all the books and documents from the Prime Minister's mansion of the Qin Dynasty.
In November, Liu Bang summoned the good people of various counties and said, "Folks have been oppressed by the harsh laws of the Qin Dynasty for a long time. A wrong word meant death for your whole family; even a whisper could get you killed. I and the other warlords have agreed that whoever enters Guanzhong first shall be the King of Guanzhong, and I should be the King of Guanzhong. But I have only agreed on three laws with everyone: those who kill will die, and those who injure or steal will be punished. I'm scrapping the rest of those Qin laws. Officials and common people will live as they did before, so don't you worry, I'm here to help! The reason I have stationed the army in Bashang is to wait for the warlords to arrive and discuss important matters together." Then he sent people to various counties, townships, and villages with Qin Dynasty officials to announce these matters. The people of the Qin Dynasty were very happy, rushing to offer food and drink, even cattle and sheep, to reward the soldiers. Liu Bang declined and said, "There is plenty of food in the warehouse; I do not want to waste the people's food." They were overjoyed, terrified he might not become King.
Someone said to Liu Bang, "Qin was ten times richer than any other kingdom, and the terrain is very dangerous. Now it is said that Zhang Han has surrendered to Xiang Yu, and Xiang Yu claims to be the King of Yong, occupying Guanzhong. If Xiang Yu comes, Liu Bang may not get anything. It's best to quickly send someone to guard Hangu Pass, prevent other warlords' armies from entering, recruit some troops from Guanzhong to strengthen yourself, and then resist Xiang Yu." Liu Bang thought this was a good idea and followed it.
In December, Xiang Yu indeed led the armies of the warlords to enter Guanzhong from the west, 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 and fought all the way to Xixia. Liu Bang's Left Sima Caowu Shang heard that Xiang Yu was very angry and wanted to attack Liu Bang, so he sent someone to tell Xiang Yu, "Liu Bang wants to be the King of Guanzhong, and he even made Ziyang the Prime Minister, and all the treasures belong to him." He was just angling for a reward.
Fan Zeng, Xiang Yu's strategist, persuaded Xiang Yu, saying, "When Liu Bang was in Shandong, he was a bit of a womanizer and fond of the finer things in life. Now I hear that he has entered Guanzhong without taking any treasures or touching a hair on anyone's head. This shows he's got some serious ambition! I sent someone to observe his momentum, and they all say he looked every inch a king; this is the aura of an emperor! We need to strike while the iron's hot!" So Xiang Yu rewarded his soldiers, and the next day he prepared for war. At that time, Xiang Yu's army had four hundred thousand, claiming to be a million; Liu Bang's army only had one hundred thousand, claiming to be two hundred thousand—they were massively outnumbered.
As it happened, Xiang Yu's uncle, Xiang Bo, had a good relationship with Zhang Liang. He rode his horse at night to find Zhang Liang and told him the truth of the matter, wanting to leave together to save their skins. Zhang Liang said, "I was ordered by King Han to bring Liu Bang here; I can't just leg it without letting him know; that wouldn't be right." So he and Xiang Bo went to find Liu Bang. Liu Bang made an agreement with Xiang Bo to become family, saying, "After I entered Guanzhong, I haven't touched a hair on anyone's head; I only registered the people and officials, kept the treasury under lock and key, and waited for the general to arrive. The reason I'm guarding Hangu Pass is to keep other bandits out. I've been waiting for the general day and night—why would I rebel? Tell Xiang Yu I wouldn't dream of betraying him!" Xiang Bo agreed, and that night he went back and told Xiang Yu what Liu Bang had said, and also said, "Liu Bang has not defeated the army in Guanzhong first; can you easily enter Guanzhong? Moreover, he has made great achievements; attacking him now would be bad luck. We should just play along and back him." Xiang Yu agreed.
The next day, get this: Liu Bang took a hundred-plus horsemen to Hongmen to meet Xiang Yu. Liu Bang first said with a bow, "I worked with you to fight against the Qin state. You fought in Hebei, and I fought in Henan. Unexpectedly, I advanced to Guanzhong first and destroyed the Qin state, only to see you again. Now, someone's been badmouthing me to you, creating a rift." Xiang Yu replied, "This was said by my left-hand man, Cao Wushang. Otherwise, why would I come here?" Then Xiang Yu got Liu Bang tanked up. Fan Zeng kept giving Xiang Yu the stink eye, urging him to kill Liu Bang, but Xiang Yu ignored him. Fan Zeng stood up, walked to Xiang Zhuang, and said, "Hey, boss, this guy's a snake. When you go in to do your sword dance, take the opportunity to kill Liu Bang, or we're all toast!" Xiang Zhuang then went in to offer a toast. After three rounds of drinks, Xiang Zhuang said, "It's a real snooze-fest in camp. I'll do a sword dance!" With that, he drew his sword and danced. Xiang Bo also stood up to dance, always keeping his body between Liu Bang and Xiang Zhuang. When Fan Kuai got wind of things, he rushed in, very angry. Xiang Yu saw his momentum and threw him a drink. Fan Kuai took the opportunity to rebuke Xiang Yu. After a while, Liu Bang said he needed to take a leak, called Fan Kuai out, and left his crew behind as he rode away alone. Fan Kuai, Jin Qiang, Teng Gong, and Ji Cheng followed on foot. They took a back road back to their camp and left Zhang Liang to smooth things over with Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu asked, "Where is Liu Bang?" Zhang Liang said, "Word is, you wanted to personally grab him, so he hightailed it back to camp and sent me with this jade bi." Xiang Yu accepted the jade bi. Zhang Liang also presented a jade cup to Fan Zeng. Fan Zeng was furious, threw the jade cup to the ground, stood up, and shouted, "That sly dog Liu Bang played us all for fools!"
A few days after Liu Bang returned, Xiang Yu led his troops westward, captured Xianyang, killed the Qin's surrendering prince Ying, and burned down the palaces of the Qin Dynasty, reducing everything to rubble and disheartening the Qin people. Xiang Yu sent someone back to report to King Huai, who said, "Stick to the plan." Xiang Yu resented King Huai. He hadn't let Xiang Yu and Liu Bang advance west to Guanzhong together, then north to save Zhao. And now, Huai had the audacity to make a covenant for the whole world! Xiang Yu said, "My family put King Huai on the throne; he hasn't lifted a finger. What's his deal hogging all the credit? We generals won this world, not him!" In the first month of spring, Xiang Yu made Huai the 'Righteous Emperor,' but totally disregarded him.
In February, Xiang Yu proclaimed himself King of Western Chu, ruling nine counties in the Liang and Chu areas, with the capital in Pengcheng. He broke their agreement and also appointed Liu Bang as King of Han, ruling over forty-one counties in Ba, Shu, and Hanzhong, with the capital in Nanzheng. The Guanzhong region was divided into three parts, with three Qin dynasty generals becoming kings: Zhang Han as King of Yong with the capital in Feiqiu; Sima Xin as King of Sai with the capital in Liyang; Dong Yi as King of Zhai with the capital in Gaonu. Chu general Shen Yang became King of Henan with the capital in Luoyang; Zhao general Sima Ang became King of Yin with the capital in Chaoge; Xiang Yu's subordinate Ying Bu became King of Jiujang with the capital in Liu (in modern-day Anhui province); Gong Ao, a key advisor to King Huai, became King of Linjiang with the capital in Jiangling; Wu Rui, a nobleman from Fan, became King of Hengshan with the capital in Zhu (in modern-day Shandong province); Tian An, the grandson of Qi King Jian, became King of Jibei; Wei King Bao was relocated and appointed as King of West Wei with the capital in Pingyang; Yan King Han Guang was relocated and appointed as King of Liaodong; Yan general Zang Tu became King of Yan with the capital in Ji (in modern-day Beijing); Qi King Tian Shi was relocated and appointed as King of Jiaodong; Qi general Tian Du became King of Qi with the capital in Linzi (in modern-day Shandong province); Zhao King Xie was relocated and appointed as King of Dai; and Zhao Prime Minister Zhang Er became King of Changshan. Liu Bang was furious that Xiang Yu had broken their deal and wanted to attack him, but his Prime Minister, Xiao He, talked him out of it.
In April, after the different warlords had a pow-wow in Xixia (now Shangqiu City, Henan Province), they each returned to their own territories. Xiang Yu sent thirty thousand soldiers to escort Liu Bang, and lots of Chu folks and others from other states tagged along as they entered Shizhong (modern-day Lantian County, Shaanxi Province) from Dunan. Zhang Liang said goodbye to Liu Bang and returned to the Han Kingdom, while Liu Bang sent him to Baozhong (now Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province). Zhang Liang took the opportunity to suggest to Liu Bang to burn the plank roads to keep other armies from ambushing them and basically said Xiang Yu wasn't coming back east.
After arriving in Nanzheng, Liu Bang's soldiers were itching to get back east, and many of them skedaddled. Han Xin, who was then the guy in charge of food supplies under Liu Bang, also bolted. Xiao He managed to retrieve Han Xin and recommended to Liu Bang, saying, "If you wanna rule the world, you NEED Han Xin." So Liu Bang did the whole ritual thing, fasting, bathing, and sacrificing to heaven, appointed Han Xin as Grand General, and sought his advice. Han Xin said, "Xiang Yu stuck you way out in the boonies in Nanzheng to weaken you. Your guys are mostly from Shandong, and they're homesick as hell. You should seize this opportunity and make use of their eagerness to achieve great success. Once things calm down, you won't need them anymore. Just head east now." Han Xin then detailed strategies for attacking Xiang Yu and easily taking the Three Qins. Liu Bang was very pleased, took Han Xin's advice, started moving his troops, and left Xiao He in Bashu to handle taxes and supplies.
In May, Liu Bang launched a surprise attack on Yong territory by taking the original route. The Yong King (who was under Xiang Yu) Han Dan confronted Liu Bang's army in battle, resulting in a major defeat for the Yong army, who retreated; they were then routed again in Haoshi and escaped to Feiqiu. Liu Bang secured Yong territory. Next, his troops reached the gates of Xianyang, surrounding the Yong King's army at Feiqiu while sending other generals to attack other areas.
Tian Rong heard that Xiang Yu had moved the Qi King to Jiaodong, appointing Tian Du as the Qi King, which pissed him off. He led his troops to attack Tian Du, who fled and surrendered to the Chu state. In June, Tian Rong killed Tian Shi and declared himself King of Qi. At that time, Peng Yue was in Juye with over ten thousand men, independent of any faction. Tian Rong gave General Peng Yue an official seal, instructing him to rebel against Liang territory. Peng Yue killed the King of Jibei, An, and Tian Rong then annexed all of Qi. The King of Yan, Han Guang, refused to move to Liaodong. In August, Zang Tu killed Han Guang and took over his territory. The Kings Xin of Sai and Yi of Zhai surrendered to Liu Bang.
Initially, Xiang Liang appointed Han Cheng as the King of Han, with Zhang Liang serving as the Minister of Han. Xiang Yu, angry because Zhang Liang had sided with Liu Bang and Han Cheng had done little to earn his position, kept Han Cheng in Pengcheng, where he was eventually executed. Later, upon hearing that Liu Bang had taken over Guanzhong and that Qi and Liang had rebelled again, Xiang Yu became very angry. He then appointed Zheng Chang of Wu territory as the King of Han to confront Liu Bang. He also sent Xiao Gongjiao to attack Peng Yue, but Xiao Gongjiao's army was defeated by Peng Yue. At this time, Zhang Liang was raising an army in Han territory, writing a letter to Xiang Yu saying, "The Han King wants Guanzhong. If we stick to the agreement, he'll stop pushing east." Due to this reason, Xiang Yu gave up on going west and instead headed north to attack the Qi state.
In September, Liu Bang sent generals Xue Ou and Wang Xi to lead troops out of Wuguan, joining forces with Wang Ling's troops, departing from Nanyang to meet with Taigong and Empress Lu in Pei County. Upon hearing this, Xiang Yu led troops to Yangxia to intercept them, halting Liu Bang's advance.
In the second year, in October of winter, Xiang Yu sent King Yingbu of Jiujiang to kill Emperor Yi in Chenzhou. Chen Yu also resented Xiang Yu for being only concerned with his own kingship and ignoring Chen Yu's claims, so he and Tian Rong borrowed troops together to attack King Zhang Er of Changshan. Zhang Er was defeated and surrendered to Liu Bang, who treated him well. Chen Yu welcomed King Xie back to the state of Zhao, and Xie appointed Chen Yu as King. Zhang Liang secretly returned to Liu Bang from Handi, and Liu Bang made him the Marquis of Chengxin.
Liu Bang set up camp in the Shaanxi region, pacifying the people outside the passes. King Shen Yang of Henan surrendered, so Liu Bang established Henan County. He then sent Han Xin to attack King Han, Zheng Chang, who also surrendered. In November, Liu Bang appointed Han Xin as King Han. Liu Bang returned to Liyang, established his capital there, and sent his generals to battle and captured Longxi. Surrendering armies were rewarded with a marquisate for every 10,000 men. He also repaired the river defense line and transformed the Qin Dynasty's lavish pleasure grounds into good fields for the people to cultivate.
In the first month of spring, Xiang Yu attacked Tian Rong in Chengyang. Tian Rong was defeated and fled to Pingyuan, where he was killed by the local people. As a result, the state of Qi surrendered to the state of Chu. However, Chu burned down the cities of Qi, leading to a rebellion by the people of Qi. The Han army's generals captured Beidi and Prince Yong's brother, Zhang Ping. Liu Bang also ordered the amnesty of many criminals.
On the Guiwei day of the second month, Liu Bang ordered the people to demolish the altar of the Qin Dynasty and build the altar of the Han Dynasty. He rewarded the people with noble titles. The people of Shu and Hanzhong who had worked hard in military service were exempted from taxes for two years. The soldiers from Guanzhong who followed the army on expeditions were exempted from one year of forced labor. He also selected individuals over fifty years old with high moral character who could lead others in doing good deeds, appointing them as the "three elders" (a local official), with one person selected from each village. One of these village "three elders" was then selected to be the county "three elders," helping the county magistrate handle government affairs and exempting them from forced labor and military service. In October, they received a reward of wine and meat.
In the third month, Liu Bang personally led the army across the Yellow River from Jindi (a region in modern-day Shanxi). King Wei Bao surrendered, bringing his army with him. Liu Bang captured the Henei Commandery, captured King Ying, and then established the Henei Commandery. When he reached Xiuwu, Chen Ping escaped from the Chu Kingdom and surrendered. Liu Bang had a conversation with him, greatly appreciated him, and appointed him as his top lieutenant to supervise other generals.
Then Liu Bang crossed the Pingyin Ferry southward and arrived in Luoyang. Dong Gong, one of the three elders of Luoyang's new city, stopped Liu Bang and said, "I have heard that prosperity follows the Mandate of Heaven; ruin follows defying it, and without a just cause for war, success will not be achieved. Therefore, it is said, only by declaring him a rebel will the enemy surrender. Xiang Yu is truly too cruel; he actually killed the Righteous Emperor, making him a criminal in the world! You are both benevolent and courageous, just and strong; all the soldiers are willing to serve you. Just tell this to the feudal lords, call on everyone to join forces against Xiang Yu, and all the people will admire your benevolence. This is how Yao, Shun, and Yu ruled!" Liu Bang replied, "You are right! I wouldn't have known that without you." So Liu Bang held a funeral for the Righteous Emperor, tore off his robe, and wept, mourning for three days. Then he sent messengers to notify the feudal lords, saying, "The Righteous Emperor had the support of the entire world, all bowed to him. Now Xiang Yu has killed the Righteous Emperor in the south of the Yangtze River; this is an unforgivable betrayal! I will hold a state funeral, and the entire army will wear mourning. I will mobilize all the troops in Guanzhong, recruit soldiers from the Three Rivers region, and cross the Yangtze River and Han River to the south, hoping that all the feudal lords will join forces to attack the Chu state and avenge the Righteous Emperor!" In April, Tian Rong's younger brother Tian Heng gathered thousands of troops and crowned Tian Guang, Tian Rong's son, as the King of Qi. Although Xiang Yu heard that Liu Bang had gone east, he first attacked the Qi state, wanting to defeat it before dealing with Liu Bang. This gave Liu Bang the chance to win over the armies of five feudal lords and march east to attack the Chu state. When he reached Waihuang, Peng Yue led thirty thousand troops to submit to Liu Bang. Liu Bang appointed Peng Yue as Prime Minister of Wei and sent him to pacify the Liang region.
After Xiang Yu captured Pengcheng, he ransacked Liu Bang's palace, seizing his concubines and riches, then threw a victory bash. Upon hearing this, Liu Bang sent his generals to take on Qi while he led 30,000 elite soldiers from Lu territory, passing through Huling, arriving at Xiaoxian and Dingtai, then clashed with the Chu army at Sui River east of Lingbi in Pengcheng. The Chu army emerged victorious, with heavy casualties suffered by Liu Bang's forces; the Sui River ran red with blood, almost choked with the carnage. Xiang Yu surrounded Liu Bang on three sides. Suddenly, a strong northwest wind blew, breaking trees, overturning houses, causing a sandstorm, darkening the sky, and sending the Chu army scattering. Taking advantage of the chaos, Liu Bang fled with a handful of horsemen.
Upon reaching Peixian, Liu Bang sought his family, only to find his family vanished. During his escape, Liu Bang encountered Emperor Xiaohui and Princess Lu Yuan and scooped them up. Xiang Yu's cavalry pursued relentlessly, and things were looking grim. In order to save himself, Liu Bang dumped the Emperor and his sister. Fortunately, Teng Gong arrived in time to rescue them. Shen Shiqi had been sent to rally the other warlords on orders from Empress Lü and the Grand Dowager, but he encountered the Chu army on the way and was held captive by Xiang Yu. With the Han army routed, the other warlords scarpered. Sai's and Zhai's kings surrendered; Yin's king was killed.
Liu Bang's father-in-law (and powerful ally) Zhou Bo (brother of Empress Lü, Marquis of Zhou and Lü) was stationed in Xiayi at the time, and Liu Bang sought refuge with him. Gradually gathering some soldiers, he reorganized the army in Dang County. Liu Bang crossed the Yellow River to Yuxian, where he said to his attendant, Sui He, "Can you persuade King Ying Bu of Jiujiang to rebel against Chu? Xiang Yu will definitely lead his troops to attack him, and in this way, we can gain a few months of time. As long as we delay for a few months, I will be able to take over the world!" Sui He went to persuade Ying Bu and successfully convinced him to revolt against the Chu state.
In May, Liu Bang stationed in Xingyang, and Xiao He gathered the old, the weak, the sick, and the young from Guanzhong to join the army. Han Xin also led his troops to join, further strengthening the Han army. The Han army fought a series of fierce battles in the region of Xingyang, Nanjing, and Suo, defeating the Chu army. The Han army also constructed a canal connecting to the Yellow River, in order to transport food from Aocang. King Wei Bao left saying he was visiting sick relatives, but after arriving in Wei territory, he cut off the Yellow River crossing and surrendered to the Chu state.
In June, Liu Bang returned to Liyang. On the day of Renwu in the lunar calendar, Liu Bang named his crown prince and issued a general amnesty. He ordered all the princes and sons of princes in Guanzhong to gather in Liyang to serve as his guards. The Han army irrigated Feiqiu with water, and the city surrendered, with Zhang Han committing suicide. Yongdi was pacified, and more than eighty counties submitted to Han rule. Liu Bang established He Shang County, Weinan County, Zhongdi County, Longxi County, and Shang County. He also ordered the establishment of officials for sacrifices, to perform regular sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, the four directions, the gods, and the mountains and rivers. Liu Bang also mobilized soldiers from Guanzhong to guard the border. At that time, Guanzhong suffered from severe famine, with the price of a bushel of rice soaring to ten thousand coins, and even people resorted to cannibalism. Liu Bang ordered the people to migrate to the Shu region and Hanzhong area to escape the famine.
In August, in the autumn, Liu Bang arrived in Yingyang and said to Li Shiqi, "Hurry and persuade King Wei Bao to surrender. If you can make him surrender, I will make you a marquis with ten thousand households under your command." Li Shiqi went, but King Wei Bao did not agree. So Liu Bang appointed Han Xin as the Left Chancellor, and together with Cao Can and Guan Ying, they attacked the Wei Kingdom. When Li Shiqi returned, Liu Bang asked him, "What kind of generals does the Wei Kingdom have?" Li Shiqi replied, "The commander-in-chief of Wei is Bai Zhi." Liu Bang said, "This kid is still a greenhorn; he's no competition for Han Xin. What about the cavalry commander?" Li Shiqi said, "It's Feng Jing." Liu Bang said, "He is the son of the Qin general Feng Wuze. Although he is considered talented, he can't hold a candle to Guan Ying. What about the infantry commander?" Li Shiqi said, "It's Xiang Ta." Liu Bang said, "He is also no match for Cao Can. It seems we don't need to worry."
In September, Han Xin captured King Wei Bao and brought him to Yingyang. After Wei was pacified, Liu Bang established three new counties: Hedong, Taiyuan, and Shangdang. Han Xin asked Liu Bang for 30,000 men, saying he wanted to first conquer Yan and Zhao, then attack Qi, and finally cut off Chu's food supply. Liu Bang agreed to his request.
In the winter of the third year, in October, Han Xin and Zhang Er marched east to Jingxing, attacked Zhao, killed Chen Yu, and captured King Zhao Xie. Afterwards, they established Changshan County and Dai County. On the last day of the Jiaxu month, a solar eclipse occurred. On the last day of the Guimao month in November, another solar eclipse occurred. At this time, Sui He successfully persuaded Ying Bu to surrender, and Ying Bu launched an attack against Chu. Chu sent Xiang Sheng and Long Qie to confront Ying Bu, but Ying Bu defeated them. In December, Ying Bu secretly contacted Sui He and surrendered to Liu Bang. Liu Bang gave him some troops, and then they marched together to Chenggao.
Xiang Yu repeatedly invaded the Han army supply lines, causing the Han army to run low on food and supplies. Liu Bang and Li Shiqi discussed how to weaken the power of the Chu state. Li Shiqi wanted to support the old nobles of the Six States to resist Xiang Yu. Liu Bang even had a seal made and prepared to send Li Shiqi to handle this matter. Liu Bang mentioned this to Zhang Liang, who listed eight difficult obstacles. Liu Bang put down his bowl, spat out the food in his mouth, and angrily said, "This pedant almost ruined my big plan!" Then he had the seal destroyed. Liu Bang then consulted Chen Ping, adopted his plan, and gave Chen Ping a large sum of gold (around forty thousand catties) to sow discord (using a strategy of divide and conquer) among the Chu state officials.
In April of the following year, Xiang Yu besieged the Han army's camp in Xingyang. Liu Bang requested a ceasefire and ceded the land west of Xingyang to Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu's advisor, Fan Zeng, urged Xiang Yu to quickly attack Xingyang, which worried Liu Bang greatly. At this time, Chen Ping's strategy of sowing discord had taken effect, and Xiang Yu began to suspect Fan Zeng. Enraged, Fan Zeng left Xiang Yu and died shortly after.
In May, General Ji Xin told Liu Bang, "We're in deep trouble! I request to deceive the Chu army so you can escape." So, Chen Ping secretly released more than two thousand women from the east gate at night, causing the Chu army to chase after them. Ji Xin then rode in the Han king's chariot, with a yellow cover and the army flag on the left, telling the Chu army, "We're out of food! The Han King has surrendered!" The Chu army cheered and ran to the east of the city to watch, allowing the Han king to escape with a handful of cavalry from the west gate. Before leaving, Liu Bang ordered the imperial censor Zhou Ke, Wei Bao, and Zong Gong to guard Xingyang. When Xiang Yu saw Ji Xin, he asked, "Where is the Han king?" Ji Xin replied, "He has already left." Xiang Yu then burned Ji Xin to death. Zhou Ke and Zong Gong discussed and said, "How can we defend a city for a king who's betrayed us?" So they killed Wei Bao.
Liu Bang escaped from Yingyang and arrived at Chenggao. From Chenggao, he entered the Hangu Pass and regrouped his army to prepare for advancing eastward once again. Yuan Sheng presented a plan to Liu Bang, saying: "The Han Dynasty and the Chu Kingdom have been deadlocked in Yingyang for several years, with the Han Dynasty always at a disadvantage. I hope that Your Highness can leave Wuguan; Xiang Yu will definitely lead his troops south. You should hold the city and let the Yingyang and Chenggao areas rest temporarily. Have Han Xin and others retake Hebei and Zhao. Secure alliances with Yan and Qi. Then, return to Yingyang. This way, the Chu army will have to divide their forces to defend multiple areas, leaving them vulnerable. After the Han army has rested, we can fight them again and surely defeat them." Liu Bang accepted his plan and marched to Wan and Ye, joining forces with Ying Bu to regroup the army.
Upon hearing that Liu Bang was in Wan, Xiang Yu indeed led his troops south. Liu Bang remained steadfast and did not engage in battle. This month, Peng Yue crossed the Huai River, fought against Xiang Sheng and Xue Gong at Xiapi, defeated and killed Xue Gong. Xiang Yu sent Zhong Gong to guard Chenggao, while he himself went east to attack Peng Yue. Liu Bang led his troops north, defeated Zhong Gong, and retook Chenggao.
In June, Xiang Yu had already defeated and expelled Peng Yue. Upon hearing that the Han army had retaken Chenggao, he led his troops west to attack Yingyang City and captured Zhou Ke alive. Xiang Yu said to Zhou Ke: "If you serve me, I will appoint you as the General and grant you vast lands." Zhou Ke cursed: "If you hadn't been such a fool, you'd be a prisoner now! You're no match for Liu Bang!" Xiang Yu killed Zhou Ke, as well as Zong Gong, and captured Han King Xin. He then besieged Chenggao. Liu Bang made a daring escape from Chenggao, grabbing Teng Gong and fleeing through the Yumen gate, crossed the Yellow River, and stayed overnight in Xiaoxiuwu. He posed as an envoy, rushed to the camps of Zhang Er and Han Xin at dawn, and took over their armies. He then had Zhang Er head north to retake Zhao.
In July, autumn arrived, marked by an ominous celestial event: a star blazed unusually brightly near Canopus. Liu Bang gained the army of Han Xin, significantly bolstering his forces.
In August, Han Wang led his troops to Xiuwu, in Henan, reorganized the army, and prepared for another battle. Zheng Zhong, a high-ranking officer in the army, advised Han Wang not to rush into battle, suggesting they build high city walls and deep moats, and not confront the Chu army head-on. Han Wang listened to his advice and sent Lu Wan and Liu Jia with twenty thousand infantry and hundreds of cavalry to cross the Bai Ma Ford into Chu territory to support Peng Yue, burn the Chu army's supplies, and ultimately defeated the Chu army, capturing seventeen cities including Suiyang and Waihuang.
In September, Xiang Yu told his Grand Marshal Cao Jiu, "Hold Chenggao and don't budge. If Han Wang challenges you, do not fight with him; don't let him get to the east. I'll take Liangdi in fifteen days, and then come back to help you." Xiang Yu himself led troops east to fight against Peng Yue. During this time, Han Wang also sent Li Shiqi to persuade King Guang of Qi to withdraw his troops and join the Han Dynasty to confront Xiang Yu together.
In the winter of the fourth year, in October, following Kuai Tong's plan, Han Xin launched a surprise attack and defeated Qi. King Guang and Li Sheng fled to Gaomi. Xiang Yu heard that Han Xin had defeated Qi, and Han Wang was planning to attack Chu, so he sent Long Qie to rescue Qi. Han Wang deliberately provoked the Chu army several times in Chenggao, but the Chu army refused to engage in battle. Han Wang had his men hurl insults at them for days, and Grand Marshal Cao Jiu finally couldn't bear it and led his troops across the Sishui. The Chu army was routed halfway across the river, and the Han army captured a large amount of gold and silver treasures from Chu. Cao Jiu and his chief of staff, Xin, were so ashamed they killed themselves by the Sishui. Han Wang pursued the victory, crossed the Yellow River, recaptured Chenggao, and then stationed his troops in Guangwu, supplying them from the Aocang granaries.
Xiang Yu controlled over a dozen cities near the Liang region. When he heard that Han Xin had defeated the Chu army in Huainan, he retreated with his troops. At that time, the Han army was besieging Zhongli Mo east of Xingyang. When they heard Xiang Yu was coming, they hightailed it to safety. Xiang Yu also stationed himself in Guangwu, confronting the Han army. People were suffering; the men were at war, and even the elderly and infirm couldn't manage the supply lines. The King of Han and Xiang Yu met in Guangwu and had a parley. Xiang Yu wanted to challenge the King of Han to a one-on-one fight, but the King of Han hit him with ten counts: "You broke your promise and dumped me in Shu Han, which is the first charge; you killed the champions and declared yourself king, which is the second charge; you should have led the troops back to rescue Zhao, but you hijacked the armies of the feudal lords, which is the third charge; King Huai forbade plundering after entering Qin, but you burned the Qin palaces, dug up the First Emperor's tomb, and helped yourself to the loot, which is the fourth charge; you also killed the surrendered Prince Ying of Qin, which is the fifth charge; you tricked 200,000 Xin'an Qin soldiers into a trap and slaughtered them, along with their commanders, which is the sixth charge; you gave the good territories to your subordinates, drove away the original owners, and let them fight each other, which is the seventh charge; you drove away the Righteous Emperor, proclaimed yourself king, occupied the land of the King of Han, merged Liang and Chu, and were greedy, which is the eighth charge; you sent someone to assassinate the Righteous Emperor, which is the ninth charge; you, as a subject, killed your own sovereign, slaughtered those who had surrendered, acted politically unfair, and broke your promises, and the world cannot tolerate you—you're a traitor! That's the tenth charge! I led the righteous troops and the feudal lords to punish the cruel criminals; why do you want to challenge me?" Upon hearing this, Xiang Yu exploded, loosing a crossbow bolt that found its mark.
Han Wang was struck by an arrow, clutching his chest and exclaiming, "Oof! I'm hit!"
After Liu Bang was injured and lying in bed, Zhang Liang kept at him to get up and comfort the army, stabilize their morale, and stop the Chu army's pursuit. Liu Bang endured the pain and inspected the army, but he felt worse, so he dashed off to Chenggao.
In November, Han Xin and Guan Ying defeated the Chu army, took down the Chu general Long Qie, pursued all the way to Chengyang, and captured King Tian Guang of Qi. Prime Minister Tian Heng declared himself the King of Qi and fled to Peng Yue. Liu Bang appointed Zhang Er as the King of Zhao.
After Liu Bang recovered from his illness, he headed straight for Guanzhong and arrived at Liyang. He comforted the local people, threw a feast, and even showed off Sai King Xin's head in the Liyang market. After staying in Liyang for four days, Liu Bang returned to the camp and stationed in Guangwu. The Chu army in Guanzhong kept getting bigger, while Peng Yue and Tian Heng were struggling in Liangdi, unable to handle the Chu attacks, and they ran out of supplies.
Han Xin had already defeated the Qi state and sent someone to report: "Qi is close to Chu, my power is weak; if I'm not made a puppet king, it may be difficult to stabilize Qi." Liu Bang was angry upon hearing this and wanted to attack Han Xin. Zhang Liang said, "Why don't we just make him king and let him defend Qi himself?" So, in the second month of the following year, Liu Bang sent Zhang Liang with the seal and officially appointed Han Xin as the King of Qi.
In July of the autumn, Liu Bang also appointed Ying Bu as the King of Huainan. In August, Liu Bang began to implement the tax system. The northern tribes and the people of Yan sent troops to support the Han army. Liu Bang also ordered that if soldiers unfortunately die in battle, the government must provide clothing, coffins, burial, and send the bodies back to their hometowns. Everyone in the country rallied behind Liu Bang.
Xiang Yu himself also realized that he was low on manpower and running low on supplies. Han Xin led troops to attack the Chu Kingdom, which worried Xiang Yu greatly. Liu Bang sent Lu Jia to persuade Xiang Yu to release Taigong, but Xiang Yu did not agree. Liu Bang then sent Hou Gong to persuade Xiang Yu, and this time Xiang Yu agreed to negotiate, agreeing to split the country in half, with the west belonging to Han and the east to Chu. In September, Liu Bang brought back Taigong and Empress Lü, and the whole army roared "Long live!" Liu Bang also made Hou Gong the ruler of Pingguo. Xiang Yu retreated east. Liu Bang wanted to return to the west, but Zhang Liang and Chen Ping advised him, saying, "Now the Han Dynasty has occupied most of the country's land, and all the vassals had submitted. The Chu army is exhausted and supplies are running out. Heaven was clearly against Chu. We cannot miss this opportunity. If we do not take advantage of this chance to completely eliminate the Chu Kingdom, it would be like raising a tiger!" Liu Bang listened to their advice.
