Zhang Liang, courtesy name Zifang, was of Han descent. His grandfather Zhang Kaidi served as the prime minister for Kings Zhao, Xuanhui, and Xiangai of Han; his father Zhang Ping served as the prime minister for Kings Li and Daohui of Han. Zhang Ping died in the twenty-third year of King Daohui's reign, when Zhang Liang was only twenty. Not long after that, Qin destroyed the Kingdom of Han. Zhang Liang never got the chance to serve Han. After the destruction of Han, his family had three hundred household servants, and his brother died without a proper burial. He spent his entire fortune hiring assassins to kill Qin Shi Huang and avenge Han, because his ancestors had served Han for five generations.
Zhang Liang once studied etiquette in Huaiyang, and later went to the east to meet Canghai, where he encountered a superhumanly strong man who could lift a 120-pound iron mace. When Qin Shi Huang went on an eastern tour and arrived at Bolangsha, Zhang Liang and his assassins ambushed Qin Shi Huang, but failed to hit the emperor and only struck the escort carriage. Qin Shi Huang was furious and ordered a nationwide manhunt for the assassins; the search was frantic. Zhang Liang then assumed a new identity and fled to Xiapi to lay low.
Zhang Liang was taking a relaxing walk on the bridge in Xiapi one day when an old man in coarse clothes approached him, deliberately threw his shoes off the bridge, and then turned to Zhang Liang, saying, "Kid, go down and pick up my shoes!" Zhang Liang was astonished and wanted to hit him, but considering his old age, he held back, went down to retrieve the shoes, and knelt to hand them to him. The old man took the shoes with his foot, smiled, and walked away. Zhang Liang was left flabbergasted. After walking a short distance, the old man returned and said, "You have potential. Meet me here at dawn five days from now." Zhang Liang found it strange but knelt and agreed, "Okay."
When the appointed day arrived, Zhang Liang went at dawn, but the old man was already there, fuming, "You're late, kid! Come, be earlier next time." Five days hence, Zhang Liang arrived at the crowing of the rooster, but again the old man was there, snapping, "Late again! Come, be even earlier next time." After another five days, Zhang Liang went in the middle of the night. A while later, the old man arrived, happily saying, "Now that's more like it!" He then took out a book and said, "With this, you'll advise emperors. Ten years from now, you'll rise, and thirteen years later, you will see me at the foot of Mount Gu under Jibei City. That yellow stone is me." After saying that, he left, disappearing without a trace. The next day, Zhang Liang opened the book and discovered it was "The Taigong's Art of War." He found it very mysterious and began studying and memorizing the book frequently.
During his time in Xiapi, Zhang Liang made friends with some knights. Xiang Bo, a murderer on the run, found shelter with Zhang Liang.
Ten years later, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang launched a rebellion, and Zhang Liang also gathered over a hundred young men. Jing Ju, who'd crowned himself King of Chu, was operating around present-day Ningling County, Henan Province. Zhang Liang wanted to join him but met Liu Bang on the way. Liu Bang, leading several thousand troops, was attacking Xiapi (now Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province), so Zhang Liang decided to throw in with him. Liu Bang appointed Zhang Liang as the stable master. Zhang Liang often explained military strategies to Liu Bang using Sun Tzu's Art of War, and Liu Bang liked it very much, often adopting his advice. Zhang Liang also shared these strategies with others, but it went right over their heads. Zhang Liang said, "Liu Bang was clearly destined for great things!" So he stayed with Liu Bang and never left.
When Liu Bang arrived in Xue County (now Tengzhou City, Shandong Province), he met Xiang Liang, and together they put their weight behind King Huai of Chu. Zhang Liang said to Xiang Liang, "You've already supported King Huai of Chu; the Prince of Han, Cheng, also known as Hengyang Jun, can be crowned King. This will help to build up our power." Xiang Liang sent Zhang Liang to find Han Cheng and installed him as King of Han. Xiang Liang appointed Zhang Liang as Han's chief minister, leading King Han and more than a thousand soldiers as they pushed west into Han territory, capturing several cities. However, the Qin army recaptured the cities, and Zhang Liang and his men were reduced to guerrilla warfare in Yingchuan (now Xuchang City, Henan Province).
Later, Liu Bang marched south from Luoyang to Hangu Pass (near modern-day Luoyang, Henan Province), with Zhang Liang leading the troops following him. They took a dozen or so Han cities and beat Yang Xiong's army. Leaving Han Wang Cheng behind in Yangzhai (modern Yuzhou, Henan Province), Liu Bang and Zhang Liang continued south, capturing Wancheng (now Nanyang City, Henan Province), and then heading west to enter Wuguan (now Danfeng County, Shaanxi Province). Liu Bang wanted to hit the Qin army at Hangu Pass with twenty thousand men. Zhang Liang said, "The Qin army is still very powerful; we should not underestimate them. I heard that the general of the Qin army is the son of a butcher, named Jia Shu, who can easily be tempted by benefits. Liu Bang should set up camp first, send people to prepare food for fifty thousand troops near Hangu Pass, and plant extra flags on the hills to make it look like a bigger army. Then let Li Shiqi take valuable gifts to bribe the Qin general." The Qin general was keen to join forces with Liu Bang and attack Xianyang. Liu Bang was considering agreeing to him. Zhang Liang said, "That's just the general; his troops might not follow him. If they don't listen to him, it will be very dangerous. Better to hit them while they're off guard." Liu Bang then led the troops to attack the Qin army, defeating them decisively. They chased them to Lantian (modern Lantian, Shaanxi Province), fought another battle, and smashed the Qin army. Then Liu Bang reached Xianyang, and the Qin prince, Ying, surrendered.
After Liu Bang entered Xianyang, he figured he'd just move right in and enjoy all the glitz and glamour of the palace: the gold, the horses, the women, the whole shebang. Fan Kuai quickly advised him, but Liu Bang didn't listen at all. At this time, Zhang Liang stepped forward and said, "The Qin Dynasty was so evil, only then did you achieve such great success today. Now you are eliminating evil for the world; you should dress more simply. You just entered Xianyang and started enjoying luxury—how is this different from helping the bad guy win? As they say, 'Good advice grates on the ear but is beneficial to action; good medicine tastes bitter but is beneficial to the illness.' I hope you can listen to Fan Kuai's advice." Liu Bang then ordered the army to return to Ba.
When Xiang Yu arrived at Hongmen and wanted to kill Liu Bang, Xiang Bo hotfooted it over to Liu Bang's camp in the dead of night and secretly met with Zhang Liang, wanting to escape together. Zhang Liang said, "I am escorting Liu Bang on behalf of King Han. The situation is urgent now; running away wouldn't be right." Then he told Liu Bang all the details. Liu Bang was frightened and asked, "What should we do?" Zhang Liang asked, "Do you really want to betray Xiang Yu?" Liu Bang said, "That Li Si advised me to hold onto Hangu Pass, not letting the other princes enter, saying I could become king of Qin, so I listened to him." Zhang Liang asked again, "Do you think you can defeat Xiang Yu?" Liu Bang was silent for a moment and said, "What should we do now?" Zhang Liang then found a way for Xiang Bo to meet with Liu Bang. Liu Bang and Xiang Bo drank together, toasted each other, became brothers, and had Xiang Bo deliver a message to Xiang Yu, saying that Liu Bang dared not betray him, and that holding onto Hangu Pass was to guard against other rebels. Later, Xiang Yu spared Liu Bang, and the rest, as they say, is history (you can read about it in the 'Biography of Xiang Yu').
In the first year of the establishment of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bang was made King of Han and ruled over the Ba Shu region. He also rewarded Zhang Liang with tons of gold and bushels of pearls, which Zhang Liang presented to Xiang Bo. Liu Bang had Zhang Liang shower Xiang Bo with gifts to get his help in securing Han Zhong. Xiang Yu agreed. When Liu Bang went to his fiefdom in Ba Shu, Zhang Liang saw him off to Baozhong before letting him head back to Han. Zhang Liang then advised Liu Bang to burn down the plank road to show Xiang Yu he was all in. So Liu Bang sent Zhang Liang back, and after Zhang Liang left, Liu Bang ordered the plank road to be burned down.
Han Xin arrived in Han territory and heard that Xiang Yu did not allow the King of Han to return to his country because Han Xin had previously followed the Han King. Instead, Xiang Yu took him eastward to Pengcheng and killed the Han King. At that time, the Han King was back in Guanzhong, mopping up the Sanqin rebels. Han Xin wrote a letter to Xiang Yu saying, "The Han King has double-crossed you and wants Guanzhong. If he agrees to a ceasefire as planned, he won't dare to advance eastward again." He also wrote to Xiang Yu in the name of Qi saying, "Qi and Zhao are teaming up to take out Chu." As a result, Xiang Yu marched north to attack the Qi State. Han Xin secretly returned to the side of the Han King. The Han King appointed Han Xin as the Marquis Chengxin and had him accompany him on the campaign to the east to conquer the Chu State. In Pengcheng, the Han King's army got its butt kicked and retreated. In Xiayi, the Han King dismounted and sat on the saddle, asking, "I'm thinking of giving up the land east of Guanzhong. Who's gonna help me make some history?" Han Xin said, "Jiujiang's King Ying Bu – a top Chu general who's at odds with Xiang Yu – is one. And Peng Yue and Qi's King Tian Rong are already rebelling in Liang; we can reach out to them now." Of all my generals, only Han Xin can handle this. "Give them the land, and Chu is toast."
Liu Bang then sent Su He to persuade King Yingbu of Jiujiang, and at the same time sent someone to contact Peng Yue. When Wei King Bao rebelled, Liu Bang let Han Xin lead the army north to attack, and as a result, he conquered Yan, Dai, Qi, and Zhao. These three men were ultimately responsible for defeating Chu. Although Han Xin was often sick, he rarely led troops into battle alone. He often came up with strategies and occasionally participated in battles with the army.
In the third year of the Han Dynasty, Xiang Yu besieged Liu Bang in Xingyang. Liu Bang was really worried and discussed with Li Shiqi how to weaken the power of the Chu country. Li Shiqi said, "In the past, King Tang defeated Jie and established the Qi state for Jie's descendants; King Wu defeated King Zhou and established the Song state for Zhou's descendants. Now, the Qin Dynasty is tyrannical and has destroyed the six states, leaving them with no place to stand. Your Majesty, if you can reestablish the descendants of the six states as kings, they will all eagerly support your benevolence and righteousness, happily submitting to your rule. Your benevolent act is already in motion, so you can proclaim yourself king in the south, and the Chu country will definitely come to pay homage willingly." Liu Bang said, "Good! Get the seal made quickly, and you take the seal to put it into action."
Before Li Sheng had even set out, Zhang Liang came to see Liu Bang from outside. Liu Bang was eating and said, "Someone gave me an idea to deal with the power of the Chu country." He then detailed Li Sheng's plan to Zhang Liang and asked him, "How does this stack up against your plan, Zifang?" Zhang Liang said, "Who came up with this plan for Your Majesty? You're in deep trouble!" Liu Bang asked, "What's going on?"
Zhang Liang said: "Please let me borrow the chopsticks in front of you to figure things out. When King Tang and King Wu beat Jie and Zhou, they rewarded their descendants because they could control their life and death. You think you can control Xiang Yu's life or death, huh? That's a big no! After King Wu entered the capital of Yin, he showed respect – he honored Shang Rong, visited Ji Zi, and even took care of Bi Gan's tomb. You doing any of that? That's another big no! Giving away all that food and wealth from Jiu Bridge and Lu Tai to help the poor – can you do that? Can't be done! They smashed their weapons, turned the carts around, showing they were done with war. You doing that? Still a no! Letting the war horses rest south of Mount Hua to show there’s no intention to do anything – can you manage that? Forget about it! Letting the plowing oxen rest in the fields of Taolin, so the world no longer has to pay taxes – can you do that? Again, can't be done! These guys left everything – family, friends, even their ancestors' graves – to follow you. And now you're rewarding the descendants of the Six States, but ignoring the guys who actually fought for you! What can you do to fight the world with them? That's another no! Besides, Chu has no strong enemies now, and the six kingdoms will just turn around and depend on Chu. How can you make them submit? This plan? It'll be the end of you!"
Han Wang tossed down his chopsticks, spat out his rice, and yelled, "You egghead! You almost blew it!" He ordered the whole thing canceled, pronto!
Later, Han Xin captured the state of Qi and wanted to declare himself the King of Qi, which made the Han King very angry. Zhang Liang advised the Han King, who then asked Zhang Liang to give Han Xin the seal of the King of Qi. This event is recorded in the "Records of Xin"¹.
In the winter of the fifth year, the Han King pursued the Chu army to the south of Yangxia; the campaign faltered, and the troops were stationed in Guling with no reinforcements from the princes arriving. Zhang Liang advised the Han King again, and the Han King accepted his strategy, after which the princes all arrived. This event is recorded in the "Annals of Gao"².
In the sixth year of the Han Dynasty, the Emperor began to reward those who had made contributions. Zhang Liang had not previously achieved any military feats, so the Emperor said, "You planned victories from afar while remaining safely within your tent; this is your merit! You may choose a fiefdom of thirty thousand households in Qi." Zhang Liang replied, "When I first raised troops in Peixian and met you in Liu (present-day Peixian in Jiangsu), it was a gift from heaven that I became your subject. Your Majesty's successes using my strategies are reward enough; I dare not accept a fiefdom of thirty thousand households." Therefore, the Emperor made Zhang Liang the Marquis of Liu, along with Xiao He and others.
¹ Chapter titles from the *Records of the Grand Historian*.
² Chapter titles from the *Records of the Grand Historian*.
The emperor has already rewarded over twenty meritorious ministers, but the rest were endlessly vying for recognition, creating a stalemate in the reward process. From the Luoyang South Palace's elevated walkways, the emperor looked down and saw the generals whispering in small groups. The emperor asked Zhang Liang, "What are they talking about?" Zhang Liang replied, "Your Majesty, they're plotting a rebellion!" The emperor was very surprised, "With the kingdom pacified, why this rebellion?" Zhang Liang analyzed, "Your Majesty, you rose from humble beginnings, fighting alongside these men. Now that you are the emperor, the people you rewarded are your old friends and confidants like Xiao He and Cao Shen, while those you executed are the ones you had grudges with. These generals are now calculating their merits—and there simply aren't enough rewards to go around. They're afraid that Your Majesty will not be able to reward them all, and they're worried about being killed for their mistakes, so they're secretly plotting to overthrow you." The emperor was very worried and asked Zhang Liang, "What should we do?" Zhang Liang said, "Who's your most hated, most powerful enemy, the one everyone at court knows about?" The emperor replied, "Yong Chi. We have a long-standing feud. He's repeatedly insulted me—I've wanted to kill him, but his contributions have kept me from it." Zhang Liang suggested, "Make Yong Chi a Marquis. Let the others see it; seeing Yong Chi rewarded will reassure them." So the emperor immediately hosted a banquet, elevating Yong Chi to Marquis, then pressed the Prime Minister and Censors to expedite the rewards. After the ministers dispersed, they all happily said, "Yong Chi's a Marquis! What's left to worry about?"
Liu Jing suggested that the emperor make Guanzhong the capital, but the emperor hesitated. Most of the ministers around him were from Shandong and advised him to make Luoyang the capital, saying, "To the east of Luoyang is Chenggao, to the west are Yaoshan and Minchi, backed by the Yellow River; it's strategically located and well-defended." Zhang Liang, however, said, "Although Luoyang has good terrain, it's a small area, only a few hundred miles across, and the soil is poor. It's a terrible place to fight a war. Guanzhong is better. To the left are Yaoshan and Hangu Pass, to the right are Longshan and Shu land. It features vast plains and fertile fields for thousands of miles, rich resources from Bashu in the south, and grasslands for horse breeding in the north. Three sides are ringed by mountains, making it a natural fortress. If the vassals remain loyal, the Yellow and Wei rivers can transport goods to the capital. If the vassals rebel, they can easily transport military supplies downstream. It's the legendary 'thousand-mile golden city' – a land of plenty! Liu Jing had it right!" The emperor listened and ordered the capital to move west to Guanzhong that day.
Zhang Liang followed the emperor into Guanzhong. He was sickly, often ill, and used Daoist methods to regulate his body, living as a recluse for over a year, subsisting on a Daoist diet.
Later, the emperor wanted to replace the crown prince and make Lady Qi's son, Prince Zhao Ruyi, the new crown prince. Many ministers opposed this, but none could stop the emperor. Empress Lü was very afraid and didn't know what to do. Someone told her, "Marquis Liu (Zhang Liang) is really good at strategy, and the emperor trusts him a lot." So Empress Lü sent Marquis Chenghou Lü Ze to invite Zhang Liang, saying, "You've always been the emperor's strategist. Now the emperor wants to unseat the crown prince. What are you going to do about it?" Zhang Liang replied, "In the past, the emperor faced many troubles, and luckily my strategies were used. Now that the world is peaceful, he wants to replace the crown prince because of favoritism. This is a matter of family ties. A hundred of us talking won't change a thing." Lü Ze insisted, "Please help me come up with a solution!" Zhang Liang said, "Just talking ain't gonna cut it. Actually, there are four people the emperor particularly wants to win over. These four are older, and because they were slighted by the emperor, they escaped to the mountains and refuse to serve the Han Dynasty again. But the emperor values them greatly. If you throw money at the problem, have the crown prince write a humble letter, send a good carriage to welcome them, and then send a few smooth-talking guys to sincerely invite them, they'll definitely come. Once they're here, treat 'em like royalty and let them get face time with the emperor." So Empress Lü had Lü Ze send people with the crown prince's letter and a mountain of gifts to welcome those four people. Once they arrived, they bunked with Lü Ze.
In the 11th year of the Han Dynasty, King Yingbu rebelled, and the Emperor took a turn for the worse, wanting the crown prince to lead the army into battle. Four ministers privately discussed, saying, "Sending the crown prince to war is a recipe for disaster! It's very dangerous!" They went to find the Marquis of Jiancheng and said, "If the crown prince wins the battle, there’s no benefit to ascending the throne; if he loses, it’ll be a total disaster. Besides, the generals under the crown prince are all great generals who fought alongside the Emperor before. Now letting the crown prince lead them is like putting a lamb in charge of a pack of wolves; no one will listen to him, and they’ll definitely lose. We’ve heard that 'a mother loves her child and will hold the child in her arms.' Now Lady Qi serves the Emperor every day, and Prince Zhao often stays by the Emperor's side. The Emperor himself said he'd never let a useless son inherit – only his favourite. It’s clear he wants to depose the crown prince. Why don’t you hurry to plead with Empress Dowager Lü? Find a chance to cry in front of the Emperor and say, 'King Yingbu is a famous general, very good at fighting. These generals are all former brothers who fought alongside Your Majesty. If you let the crown prince lead them, they definitely won’t listen to him. Plus, if King Yingbu hears this news, he’ll definitely lead his army westward. Although the Emperor is ill, he still has to sit on the chariot and command from his sickbed so the generals won’t hold back. He’s doing it all for his family, after all!'"
That night, Lv Ze found Empress Lv. Empress Lv followed the advice of those four ministers and cried in front of the Emperor. The Emperor declared, "I see. That boy's unfit to command. I'll go myself!" So the Emperor personally led the troops to the east, while the ministers stayed in the capital, and all escorted the Emperor to Bashang. Despite his illness, Zhang Liang struggled to Quyou to see the Emperor, saying, "I should accompany you, but I am too ill. The Chu army is renowned for its swift and ferocious attacks; I hope the Emperor will be cautious and not engage in direct conflict with the Chu army." Zhang Liang then suggested that the Emperor appoint the Crown Prince as a general in charge of monitoring the troops in the Guanzhong region. The Emperor insisted, "Even ailing, Zifang must still support the Crown Prince." At that time, Shusun Tong had already become the Grand Tutor, and Zhang Liang was appointed as the Junior Tutor.
Twelve years into the Han Dynasty, the Emperor returned from outside, his health deteriorated, and he wanted to depose the Crown Prince. The ministers advised him, but the Emperor did not listen and did not attend court because of his illness. Shusun Tong, the Grand Tutor, was formidable, citing historical examples and arguing with the Emperor based on reason, almost risking his life just to protect the Crown Prince. The Emperor outwardly acquiesced, yet his heart remained set on deposing the Crown Prince.
In the evening, the Emperor held a banquet and drank, with the Crown Prince present. At this time, four elderly gentlemen arrived, in the Crown Prince's retinue. They were all over eighty years old, with white hair and eyebrows, dressed very elegantly. The Emperor was surprised and exclaimed, "Who are you?" The four elderly gentlemen introduced themselves. The Emperor was shocked and said, "I used to look for you, but you all avoided me. How come you are here with my son now?" The four elderly gentlemen replied, "Your Majesty, your volatile temper and frequent outbursts made it impossible for us to remain in your service, hence our seclusion. Now we have heard that the Crown Prince is benevolent, filial, and respects and cares for talents. The Crown Prince's reputation for benevolence and his respect for talent have drawn us to his service." The Emperor said, "Then I entrust the Crown Prince to your capable hands."
Four old men toasted the Crown Prince and then took their leave. The Emperor watched them depart and then called Lady Qi over, pointing in the direction of the four old men, and said, "I originally wanted to depose the Crown Prince, but with these four individuals assisting him, the Crown Prince has become too powerful; it's very difficult to move him now. The Lü family is really going to assume control." Lady Qi started crying, and the Emperor said, "Dance for me, and I will sing you a song from Chu." The Emperor sang, "The swan soars high, covering a thousand li. Wings spread out, ruling the world. Ruling the world, what more can be done! Even with obstacles, what can one do!" After singing several times, Lady Qi cried even harder. The Emperor got up and left, and the banquet dispersed. In the end, the Crown Prince was not abolished mainly because these four old men helped him.
Zhang Liang followed the Emperor in battle, coming up with many brilliant tactics, such as capturing Mayi and supporting Xiao He as the Chancellor. He discussed many national affairs with the Emperor privately, but these matters did not have much impact on the survival of the country, so they were not recorded. Later, Zhang Liang said, "My family has been assisting Han for generations. After Han was destroyed, I did not long for riches, but sought revenge for Han by striking at the powerful Qin state, shocking the world. Now, with my silver tongue, I have become the Emperor's teacher, being titled as Marquis of Ten Thousand Households. This is the highest achievement a commoner like me can reach, which is enough for me. I want to give up the worldly troubles and become Chisongzi's disciple." So he began studying Taoist thoughts, aiming for immortality. After the death of Emperor Gaozu, Empress Lü respected Zhang Liang, advising him to eat more, saying, "Life is as short as a passing white horse; why torture yourself so much!" Zhang Liang had no choice but to listen to Empress Lü's advice. Six years later, Zhang Liang died and was posthumously titled as Marquis Wen Cheng.
Legend has it that when Zhang Liang was young, he met an old man under a bridge in Xiapei, by the Sishui River, who gave him a military book. Later, when he was thirteen, he followed Liu Bang through Jibei and indeed found the yellow stone under Gu Cheng Mountain, treating it like a sacred object. After Zhang Liang's death, he was buried with the yellow stone. Whenever they held a ceremony, his family would go to Zhang Liang's grave to worship the yellow stone.
Unfortunately, Zhang Liang's son Zhang Buyi did not inherit the title of Marquis. In the third year of Emperor Wen of Han, his title was revoked due to disrespect towards the imperial court.
Now, Chen Ping was from Yangwu Huyou Township. When he was young, his family was very poor, but he loved reading and studying the teachings of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi. His family only had thirty mu of land (about 2 hectares) and he lived with his brother Chen Bo. Chen Bo was responsible for farming, allowing Chen Ping to focus on studying. Chen Ping was tall and handsome, and someone asked him, "Wow, you're really plump for someone so poor! How can you afford to eat so well?" His sister-in-law couldn't stand Chen Ping's lack of focus on work and said, "All you eat is bran and vegetables! You're eating like a bird! We'd be better off without you!" When Chen Bo heard this, he dumped his wife.
Chen Ping grew up and reached the age to marry, but wealthy families wouldn't give him the time of day, and he felt too proud to marry into a poor family. After a long time, in the village of Huyou, there was a wealthy man named Zhang Fu. His granddaughter had been married five times and lost all five husbands, and no one dared to marry her. However, Chen Ping wanted to marry her. During this time, the village held a funeral, and despite Chen Ping's poor family background, he really put in the effort to help out. Zhang Fu took notice of Chen Ping at the funeral, and Chen Ping deliberately left late. Zhang Fu followed Chen Ping to his home, which was in a remote alley on the outskirts of the city, with a flimsy mat door, yet there were lots of ruts from carriages in front of it. After returning home, Zhang Fu told his son Zhang Zhong, "I've decided to marry my granddaughter to Chen Ping." Zhang Zhong said, "Chen Ping's a deadbeat, always broke, and everyone in the county laughs at him. How can we marry our daughter to him?" Zhang Fu said, "Have you ever seen anyone so handsome and yet so poor?" In the end, his daughter was married to Chen Ping. Because Chen Ping was poor, Zhang Fu lent him money for the wedding gifts and also provided him with wine and meat, allowing him to properly prepare for the wedding. Zhang Fu also instructed his granddaughter, "Do not look down on others because of poverty. Treat your in-laws like your own parents." After Chen Ping married Zhang Fu's granddaughter, his living conditions improved, and his social circle expanded.
In the village, there was a village association, and Chen Ping became the leader, distributing meat fairly. The elders in the village said, "Chen Ping's a great leader!" Chen Ping said, "If I ran the whole country, I'd be just as fair!"
Later, Chen Sheng rebelled and declared himself king, sending Zhou Shi to battle, appointing Wei Jiu as the King of Wei, and engaging in a battle with the Qin army in Linji. Chen Ping had already bid farewell to his brother Chen Bo. When he was young, he followed King Wei Jiu and served as the chief steward. He advised King Wei Jiu, but the king did not listen. Someone spoke ill of Chen Ping in front of the king, so Chen Ping fled.
Xiang Yu reached the banks of the Yellow River, pacified the area, and then returned. Later, after defeating the Qin army alongside Xiang Yu, he was appointed as a lord. After Xiang Yu became King Xiang Yu of Chu in Pengcheng, Liu Bang returned to Guanzhong to pacify the Three Qins and then marched east. After the King of Yin rebelled against Chu, Xiang Yu appointed Ping as Lord Xinwu, leading the Wei King's troops in Chu to attack the King of Yin, who surrendered, and he returned. Xiang Yu appointed Xiang Han as Ping's commander and rewarded him with twenty catties (approximately 24 pounds) of gold. Shortly after, Liu Bang captured the land of Yin. Xiang Yu was furious and wanted to kill the men who took Yin. Ping, afraid of being killed, hid the gold and seal, sent them back to Xiang Yu, then secretly fled with his sword.
He reached the banks of the Yellow River, where the ferryman, suspicious of this tall, handsome stranger traveling alone, thought he might be a runaway general hiding treasure and wanted to kill him. Ping, frightened, quickly took off his clothes and helped row the boat. Once the ferryman saw he had nothing on him, he let him go.
Ping finally arrived in Xiuwu and surrendered to Liu Bang. He requested to see Liu Bang through Wei Wuzhi, and Liu Bang summoned him to the palace. At the time, Wan Shijun, a close attendant of Liu Bang, received Ping. Ping and nine others were summoned, and they were given food. Liu Bang said, "Alright, you all can go back and rest." Ping replied, "I came this time to report an important matter; it must be said today." So Liu Bang chatted with him, liked him more and more, and asked, "What official position did you hold in the Chu State?" Ping answered, "Military Prefect." That day, Liu Bang made Ping a Military Prefect and appointed him his deputy in charge of the cavalry guard. The other generals muttered their discontent, saying, "Your Majesty, you just received a deserter from the Chu State today. You haven't figured out his abilities yet, and you let him ride in the same chariot with you and be in charge of the guards. Isn't this a bit rash, Your Majesty?" After hearing this, Liu Bang valued Ping even more, so he took him with him to the east to attack Xiang Yu. However, they were defeated by the Chu army in Pengcheng and had to retreat. They regrouped their forces in Xingyang, and Liu Bang appointed Ping as a deputy general to assist Han Xin, the King of Han, in guarding Guangwu.
The Marquis of Jiang, Guan Ying, and others spoke ill of Han Xin behind his back, essentially saying: "Although Han Xin may look the part, he might not actually be very capable. It’s said that when he was young, he stole from his sister-in-law; he failed to thrive under the King of Wei and then fled to the State of Chu, where he wasn’t valued either, before escaping to the Han Dynasty. Now, Your Majesty has given him a high position and a generous salary, even allowing him to command the army. We’ve heard that when Han Xin commands his generals, those who offer more get the good positions, while those who offer less end up in the bad ones. Han Xin is fickle and a traitor. We hope Your Majesty will consider this carefully." Liu Bang began to have some doubts, so he asked one of his courtiers, "Is this true?" The courtier replied, "Yes." Liu Bang then asked, "Then why do you say he’s talented?" The courtier answered, "When I said 'talented,' I meant his skills; you were asking about his character. But in a war, even the most virtuous man won’t help if he can’t win battles. Your Majesty, why insist on using them? Now, with Chu and Han in conflict, I recommend talented individuals with clever strategies. As long as their strategies are truly beneficial to the country, that’s all that matters. Besides, who cares if he stole from his sister-in-law or took bribes?"
Liu Bang summoned Han Xin and asked him, "I heard you didn't do so well in Wei, then went to Chu, and now you're looking to join up with me. Are you a bit of a job-hopper?" Han Xin replied, "I worked under the King of Wei, but he didn't take my advice, so I left to sign on with Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu is distrustful and only favors his own relatives. Even talented people aren't given a chance with him. I heard in Chu that you, King of Han, are good at employing people, so I came to join you. I came with nothing, so I need a bit of cash to get by. If my plans work, great. If not, here's your money back. I'll hand in my badge and go home." Liu Bang then apologized, rewarded him with many gifts, appointed him as the top general, and put him in charge of all the other generals. After that, the other generals kept their mouths shut.
So, anyway, the Chu army really laid into the Han army, cutting off the supply route and cornering the Han king in Xingyang. The Han king was freaking out and wanted to hand over the land west of Xingyang to the Chu army to seek peace. However, Xiang Yu did not agree. The Han king, looking glum, said to Chen Ping, "This whole mess... when's it gonna end?" Chen Ping analyzed, "Xiang Yu appears respectful and loving on the surface, attracting honorable scholars to join him. However, he’s a tightwad when it comes to rewarding and allocating land, causing many scholars to be unwilling to be loyal to him. Look, Your Majesty, you’re a bit of a jerk, so those upright scholars will naturally not come to your side. However, if you can hand out titles and land like candy, those money-grubbers will flock to you. If you can use what you've got, you could have the whole world in your pocket! However, Your Majesty, you always snub people, so you can’t attract any of those upright scholars. But there are weaknesses within the Chu state that can be exploited. Xiang Yu's top guys, like Fan Zeng, Zhongli Mo, Long Qie, and Zhou Yin, are only a few in number. If you can provide a mountain of gold, conduct a bit of sneaky sabotage, and turn them against each other, Xiang Yu, who is a sucker for gossip, will surely eat himself alive. At that time, when the Han army attacks again, the Chu state will surely perish!" The Han king thought that made sense, so he gave Chen Ping forty thousand catties of gold to do what he gotta do.
After Chen Ping obtained the gold, he used a large amount of money to conduct a double agent scheme within the Chu army, spreading rumors everywhere that generals like Zhongli Mo had achieved amazing feats on the battlefield for Xiang Yu, but never had the opportunity to be made kings. They wanted to unite with the Han army to eliminate the Xiang family and then divide Xiang Yu's territory. Xiang Yu indeed became suspicious and sent messengers to the Han camp to gather information. The Han king threw a huge feast, warmly welcomed the Chu envoy, and then feigned surprise, saying, "I thought it was an envoy sent by my father, but I didn't expect it to be sent by Xiang Yu!" Then, he sent away the Chu envoy and treated him to some really basic grub. After the Chu envoy returned and reported everything to Xiang Yu, Xiang Yu really started to distrust his advisor, Fan Zeng. Fan Zeng suggested that Xiang Yu quickly attack Xingyang City, but Xiang Yu did not believe him and refused to listen to his advice. When Fan Zeng heard that Xiang Yu suspected him, he became very angry and said, "The great event in the world is about to succeed, but Your Majesty is ruining it yourself! I want to request retirement and return home!" Before he could return to Pengcheng, he died from a nasty boil on his back.
Chen Ping took advantage of the night and sent two thousand women out as bait from the east gate of Xingyang. The Chu army indeed pursued. Chen Ping and the Han king then fled from the west gate of the city. They entered Hangu Pass, gathered more troops, and then returned to the east.
The following year, Han Xin defeated the Qi state, declared himself the fake King of Qi, and sent envoys to inform Liu Bang. Liu Bang hit the roof and nearly marched his army on Han Xin himself. Later, Liu Bang calmed down and was super nice to the Qi envoy, even sending Zhang Liang to formally confer the title of King of Qi on Han Xin. Then, Liu Bang rewarded Chen Ping by giving him the title of Huyouxiang. All thanks to Chen Ping's brilliant plan, the Chu were finally wiped out.
In the sixth year of the Han Dynasty, someone accused the King of Chu, Han Xin, of rebellion. Liu Bang asked his generals what to do, and they all said, "Quickly send troops over and take him out!" Liu Bang didn't respond. He then asked Chen Ping, who simply asked, "What did the generals say?" Liu Bang told him what the generals had said. Chen Ping asked, "Did anyone else hear about this accusation against Han Xin?" Liu Bang said, "No." Chen Ping then asked, "Does Han Xin know that someone has accused him?" Liu Bang said, "He doesn't know." Chen Ping figured, "Are our armies better than the elite forces of Chu?" Liu Bang said, "We're not stronger than them." Chen Ping continued, "Among our generals, is there anyone who can defeat Han Xin?" Liu Bang said, "No." Chen Ping said, "Our army isn't as good as Chu's elite forces, and our generals can't match Han Xin. If we rashly send troops now, it would be setting ourselves up for a fall. I'm worried for Your Highness!" Liu Bang asked, "What should we do?" Chen Ping said, "In ancient times, the emperor would go on tours and meet the lords. In the south, there is the Yunmeng Marsh. Your Highness can pretend to go play in the Yunmeng Marsh and meet the lords in the Chen territory. Chen territory is the western border of Chu. When Han Xin hears that the emperor is coming out to play, he will definitely come out to meet you outside the city. At that time, you can capture him. It'll be a piece of cake!" Liu Bang thought Chen Ping's idea was good and sent messengers to inform the lords to come to Chen territory, saying, "I am going to the southern Yunmeng Marsh to play." Liu Bang set off with a large group of people. When they arrived in Chen territory, King Han Xin of Chu did indeed come to meet them halfway. Liu Bang had already set up an ambush on the road, and as soon as he saw Han Xin, he immediately arrested him. You can read all about it in *The Biography of Han Xin.*
So Liu Bang summoned the lords in Chen. After returning to Luoyang, Liu Bang and his best men discussed the rewards, making Chen Ping the Marquis of Huyou, a hereditary title. Chen Ping declined, saying, "I don't deserve the credit." Liu Bang replied, "I won those battles thanks to your plans, don't you think?" Chen Ping responded, "If it weren't for Wei Wuzhi being such a clueless oaf, I never would've gotten noticed!" Liu Bang said, "That's what I call loyalty!" So Wei Wuzhi was also rewarded handsomely.
The following year, Liu Bang went to war against his former ally, Han Xin, but was surrounded by the Xiongnu in Pingcheng and starved for seven days. Liu Bang used Chen Ping's clever plan to have the Hun chief's wife help break the siege. After Liu Bang's victory, this strategy remained a secret, lost to history. Later, as Liu Bang traveled south through Quni, he climbed a city tower and was amazed by the big houses in the city, saying, "Wow, what a great town! I've been around, and I've only seen such grandeur in Luoyang and this place." Then Liu Bang asked the imperial censor, "How many families live in Quni?" The censor replied, "Back in the Qin Dynasty, there were over thirty thousand households, but after several wars, lots of people ran off, so now there are only over five thousand households." So Liu Bang made Chen Ping the Marquis of Quni and forgave his taxes.
From the beginning, Chen Ping had been with Liu Bang, and after the world was pacified, he continued to serve as the Chief Military Officer, accompanying Liu Bang to fight against Zang Tu, Chen Xi, and Ying Bu. He cooked up six clever plans in total, each time increasing his land grants. Most of these plans remained secret, lost to history.
After Liu Bang's campaign against Xiang Yu, he was severely injured and slowly limped back to Chang'an. At this time, King of Yan, Lu Wan, rebelled, and Liu Bang sent Fan Kuai as the Grand Chancellor to lead troops to suppress the rebellion. Just as Fan Kuai left, someone started whispering nasty things about him in front of Liu Bang. Upon hearing this, Liu Bang became angry and said, "That guy wants me dead!" At this time, Chen Ping came up with an idea and leaned in close to whisper to Marquis of Jiang, Zhou Bo, "Get rid of Fan Kuai." Zhou Bo and Chen Ping received the order, and before they even reached the camp, they began to discuss, "Fan Kuai's the Emperor's old pal, a big shot with a ton of clout. He's married to the Empress Dowager's sister, so he's practically family. The Emperor's just pissed right now, but he'll regret this later. Let's just grab him and take him back to Chang'an; let the Emperor decide." Before they reached the military camp, they set up an altar and summoned Fan Kuai with the Emperor's seal. Fan Kuai received the order, immediately gave up, and was taken to Chang'an in a prisoner's cart, while Zhou Bo replaced him to put down the rebellion in Yan.
When Chen Ping heard that Liu Bang had died, he was worried that the Empress Dowager and her sister would get him, so he quickly sent a fast horse ahead. Along the way, he met a messenger who ordered Chen Ping to stay at Xingyang with Guan Ying. After receiving the order, Chen Ping immediately rode a fast horse back to the court, weeping bitterly. During Liu Bang's funeral, he laid his heart bare to the Empress Dowager, who sympathized with him and said, "You can go back and rest now!" Chen Ping was afraid of being framed by others, so he firmly requested to stay in the palace as a guard. The Empress Dowager then appointed him as the Head Eunuch, teaching the young Emperor every day. From then on, Lu Xu's slanderous words no longer had any effect. Fan Kuai was later pardoned, and his titles and land were restored. In the fifth year of Emperor Han Huidi, then Cao Shen, the Grand Chancellor, kicked the bucket, and the Anguo Marquis, Wang Ling, took over as the Right Chancellor, while Ping became the Left Chancellor.
Wang Ling was from Pei County, just a small-time landowner. Liu Bang looked up to him like an older brother even when he was destitute. Later, when Liu Bang started his rebellion in Pei County and marched on Xianyang, Wang Ling raised a force of several thousand men and sat it out in Nanyang. Only after Liu Bang beat Xiang Yu did Wang Ling finally give up his troops. Xiang Yu captured Wang Ling's mother and detained her in the camp, hoping to get Wang Ling to switch sides. They seated Wang Ling's mother in the east, hoping to trick him. Wang Ling's mother slipped the messenger some silver, then cried and said, "Please tell my son to assist the King of Han well. He's a good man, a righteous king. Don't let me hold you back. If my son is in a dilemma because of me, I will die to atone for it!" After speaking, she killed herself. Xiang Yu was furious and killed Wang Ling's mother. Later, Wang Ling followed Liu Bang in winning the war and eventually established the Han Dynasty. Because he had a good relationship with Yong Chi, who was an enemy of Liu Bang, Wang Ling initially did not want to follow Liu Bang. Therefore, Liu Bang later made him the Marquis of Anguo, a relatively low-ranking title given the circumstances.
Wang Ling, a rough-around-the-edges sort but with a strong will, likes to speak his mind. He served as the Right Chancellor for two years, and Emperor Hui of Han kicked the bucket while he was in office. Empress Lu wanted to make the Lu clan kings, so she asked for Wang Ling's opinion. Wang Ling said, "Emperor Gaozu once made an oath before the White Horse, saying: 'If the descendants of the Liu clan do not become emperors, the people of the world will unite to attack them!' Now, wanting to make the Lu clan kings, ain't that breaking his oath?" Empress Lu was very unhappy. She then asked the Left Chancellor Ping and Marquis Zhou Bo, who both said, "When Emperor Gaozu conquered the world, it was the royal family who worked together; now that you, Empress Dowager, are in power and want to let the Lu clan's descendants become kings, that's perfectly fine." Empress Lu was very pleased upon hearing this. After court, Wang Ling criticized Ping and Zhou Bo, saying, "You were both there when Gaozu made his blood oath, weren't you? Now that Emperor Gaozu has passed away and the Empress Dowager is in power, you're breaking your oath just to kiss up to her. How'll you look Gaozu in the eye after this?" Ping replied, "I might not be as good as you at calling people out in court, but when it comes to keeping the country and the Liu family in power, you can't hold a candle to me." Wang Ling was speechless for a moment, unable to respond.
So, Lu got rid of Wang Ling by pretending to promote him to Grand Tutor—a clever way to take away his power. Wang Ling was furious. He faked an illness, quit, and shut himself away. He died ten years later. After Wang Ling was dismissed, Empress Lu appointed Ping as the Right Chancellor and appointed Marquis Shiqi as the Left Chancellor. Shiqi was also from Peixian County. When the Han King failed in the Battle of Pengcheng and the Chu army took the Empress Dowager and Empress Lu as hostages, Shiqi was serving as an attendant to Empress Lu at the time. Later, he followed Liu Bang to defeat Xiang Yu and was enfeoffed as a marquis, gaining the trust of Empress Lu. However, after becoming Chancellor, he did not handle state affairs properly and spent his days wandering around the palace, acting like a royal favorite, and everything had to go through him.
Lü Lu often badmouthed Prime Minister Ping in front of Empress Lü, saying how he'd given Emperor Gaozu bad advice about arresting Fan Kuai, and constantly slandering him, claiming he was a drunkard who neglected his duties and chased skirts. When Ping heard about this, he went all out. Empress Lü was secretly thrilled when she heard about it. She confronted Lü Lu, saying, "They say you can't trust a daughter-in-law. Tell me, what really happened? Don't worry about Lü Lu's lies."
After Empress Lü's death, Ping played along, but he had other ideas. He conspired with Grand Commandant Zhou Bo to wipe out the Lü family and support Emperor Wen to the throne. After Shěn Shíqí was removed from the position of Prime Minister, Emperor Wen ascended the throne and reinstated him as Prime Minister. Zhou Bo personally led the troops to kill the Lü family, achieving great success. Ping wanted to give up his position as Prime Minister to Zhou Bo, pretending to be sick. When Emperor Wen asked why he was ill, Ping said, "When Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang was alive, Zhou Bo's achievements were not as great as mine; now, after the extermination of the Lü family, my achievements are not as great as Zhou Bo's. I want to give the position of Prime Minister to him." So Emperor Wen appointed Zhou Bo as the Right Minister, ranking first, while Ping became the Left Minister, ranking second. Emperor Wen also rewarded Ping with a thousand pounds of gold and added three thousand households to his estate.
After a while, the emperor became increasingly knowledgeable about national affairs. One morning, he asked the right prime minister Zhou Bo, "How many cases are tried in the country in a year?" Zhou Bo said he didn't know. The emperor asked again, "What is the income and expenditure of money and grain in the country in a year?" Zhou Bo still didn't know. Zhou Bo was sweating bullets, ashamed to answer. The emperor then asked the left prime minister Chen Ping. Chen Ping said, "These matters are handled by responsible officials." The emperor asked, "Who are these responsible officials?" Chen Ping replied, "Your Majesty, if you ask about the trial of cases, you should ask the chief justice; if you ask about money and grain, you should ask the minister of finance." The emperor said, "If there are responsible officials for all these, then what do you prime ministers manage?" Chen Ping replied, "I manage the officials! Your Majesty, you don't understand the intricate relationships involved, and yet you let me, a prime minister, bear the responsibility. My job is to keep things running smoothly. I make sure the emperor's got the right people in place, that the country's prosperous, and that everyone's doing their bit!" The emperor praised him. Zhou Bo felt very ashamed and, after leaving, reprimanded Chen Ping, saying, "Why didn't you teach me earlier?" Chen Ping smiled and said, "You hold an important position, yet you don't know your responsibilities? Besides, if the emperor asks how many thieves there are in Chang'an City, would you also bite the bullet and answer?" Now Zhou Bo understood that his abilities were far inferior to Chen Ping's. Not long after, Zhou Bo resigned from his position as prime minister, and Chen Ping became the sole prime minister. In the second year of Emperor Xiaowen's reign, Chen Ping passed away and was posthumously titled the Marquis of Xian. His descendants fared less well; his great-grandson He was executed for kidnapping, while Wang Ling's line was stripped of its title due to the Zuijin incident. The Marquis of Biyang's title had a turbulent history, passing to his son Ping after the father's murder, only to be revoked after Ping successfully quelled a rebellion.
At the beginning, Chen Ping said, "I am a person with too much scheming and trickery, which is prohibited by Taoism. If my family declines, then so be it. It will never flourish again, because I have done too many wicked deeds." Later, his great-grandson Chen Zhang, because of his connection to the Wei clan, wanted to continue inheriting the title, but ultimately did not succeed.
Zhou Bo was from Pei County. His ancestors were from Juan County and later moved to Pei County. Zhou Bo was a mat weaver and often played the flute at funerals. Later, due to his strong build, he was conscripted into the army.
When Liu Bang first started his army, Chen Sheng followed him to attack Huling and routed the enemy. Later, when Huling rebelled, Chen Sheng fought against them again and repelled their forces. Next, they attacked Feng County, defeated the Qin army in Dong, and returned near Xia County to assault Chong County again, capturing it. After taking Xiayi, Chen Sheng made significant contributions and was appointed as a Five Daifu (a low-ranking official). They then captured Meng County and Yu County, fought against Zhang Han's army, achieved great success, and basically pacified the Wei region. Their campaign continued with the capture of Yuan County, Qi County, Dongyuan County, and all the way to Li County, taking them all. When attacking Niesang, Chen Sheng was the first to charge the city walls. They also defeated the Qin army at Axia and pursued them to Puyang, capturing Qi County. They then took Duguan and Dingtang, launched a surprise attack on Wanqu, and captured the magistrate of Danfu County. They raided Linji at night, attacked Shouzhang, and continued to Juan County, defeating Li You's army in Yongqiu. When assaulting Kaifeng, Chen Sheng was always the first to charge towards the city. Later, Zhang Han defeated Xiang Liang, and Liu Bang and Xiang Yu led their troops east to Chong County. From the beginning of Liu Bang's uprising to returning to Chong County, it took a total of one year and two months. King Huai of Chu appointed Liu Bang as the Marquis of Wu'an and made him the magistrate of Chong County. Liu Bang appointed Chen Sheng as the magistrate of Xiangben County.
After helping Liu Bang mop up Wei, he attacked the army of the Eastern County Prefect in Chengwu and routed them. In the assault on Changshe, Chen Sheng was the first to breach the city walls. He also attacked Yingyang and Goushi, severing access to the Yellow River crossings. He defeated Zhao Ben's forces and headed south to confront the governor of Nanyang, capturing Wuguan and Yaoguan. He defeated the Qin army in Lantian and finally arrived in Xianyang, where he destroyed the Qin Dynasty. After Xiang Yu arrived, he appointed Liu Bang as the King of Han, who in turn made Chen Sheng the Marquis of Weiwu. Following the King of Han into Hanzhong, Chen Sheng was appointed as a general. After pacifying the Three Qins, the King of Han rewarded Chen Sheng with a fiefdom. He was the first to reach Huaili and Haozhi, and he headed north to attack the armies of Zhao Ben and Neishi Bao, again being the first to arrive. He went north to rescue Qixian, defeating the armies of Zhang Ping and Yao Yang along the way. He pacified Qianxian to the west and returned to Meixian and Pinyang. He surrounded Zhang Han's army in Feiqiu and defeated him. He also defeated the army of Yi Yi to the west and attacked Shanggui. He guarded Yaoguan to the east and even fought against Xiang Yu. He was the first to arrive at Quyu and then returned to guard Aocang while pursuing Xiang Yu. After Xiang Yu died, Chen Sheng pacified the Si River and Donghai County in Chu territory to the east, capturing a total of twenty-two counties. He returned to guard Luoyang and Liyang, and together with the Marquis of Yingyin, they were rewarded with a fiefdom in Zhongli. As a general, he defeated King Zang Tu of Yan and captured Yixian. Most of the soldiers he led traveled on the main road. He was appointed as a marquis, with the title being inherited for generations. His fiefdom comprised 8,280 households.
Let's first talk about the exploits of General Zhou Bo. He followed Emperor Gaozu to fight against King Xin of Han, which took place in Dai territory, where he brought the Huo people under his control. Later, he went to Wuquan and fought against the Hu cavalry, defeating them in the north of Wuquan. Next, he attacked Han Xin's army at Tongdi and won the battle. On the way back, six cities in Taiyuan surrendered. He then battled Han Xin's Hu cavalry at the foot of Jinyang, achieving a great victory and capturing Jinyang. Afterwards, he fought against Han Xin's army at Yakeshi, winning again and pursuing them for eighty li. He captured three cities in Loufan and defeated the Hu cavalry at Pingcheng. His soldiers were all over the place celebrating! For these victories, Zhou Bo was promoted to Grand Commandant. Later, he went to fight against Chen Xi and razed Mayi. His soldiers killed Chen Xi's mount, and Chen Xi surrendered. Then, Zhou Bo defeated the three armies of Han Xin, Chen Xi, and Zhao Li in Loufan, capturing Chen Xi's generals Song Zui and the Yanmen defender Kuang. In Yunzhong, he captured the defenders Su, Jiyi, and Bo. As a result, seventeen counties in Yanmen Commandery, twelve in Yunzhong, and nine in Dai were pacified. He also defeated Chen Xi's army in Lingqiu, killing Chen Xi's prime minister Cheng Zong, general Chen Wu, and Commander Gao Yi. Zhou Bo's military prowess secured him a place among the most celebrated generals of the Han Dynasty.
King Yan Lu Wan rebelled, and Zhou Bo, as the Prime Minister, replaced Fan Kuai to lead the expedition. They captured Ji City and seized Lu Wan's generals Di, Yan, Duo, Ruo, and Shi Tu Hun. They also routed Lu Wan's army in Shang Lan and later in Ju Yang. They chased them to the Great Wall, pacifying twelve counties in Shanggu, sixteen counties in Beiping, twenty-nine counties in Liaodong, and twenty-two counties in Yuyang. In summary, Zhou Bo fought alongside Emperor Gaozu, gaining the title of Prime Minister, several high-ranking officials, and many positions of rank two thousand shi. Additionally, they defeated two armies, captured three cities, pacified five commanderies, and seventy-nine counties, and took prisoner a Prime Minister and a general.
Zhou Bo, an unassuming and honest person, was trusted with important tasks by Emperor Gaozu. Zhou Bo disliked reading, and whenever he met scholars or advisors, he would sit to the side and say, "Spit it out!" He was completely ignorant of culture.
After pacifying the Yan region, Emperor Gaozu had passed away, and Zhou Bo served Emperor Hui as a marquis. In the sixth year of Emperor Hui's reign, the position of Grand Commandant was established, and Zhou Bo was appointed to this position. Ten years later, Empress Dowager Lu passed away. Lu Lu was named King of Zhao and appointed as Grand General of Han, while Lu Chan was named King of Lu and appointed as Prime Minister. They held great power and posed a threat to the Liu clan's rule. Zhou Bo, along with Prime Minister Ping and Marquis Zhu Xuhou Zhang, executed the Lu clan. For more details, refer to the "Records of Empress Dowager Lu."
It is said that some plotted, "The Young Emperor, King Jichuan, King Huaiyang, and King Hengshan are not Emperor Hui's biological sons. Empress Dowager Lu manipulated and replaced other children as Emperor Hui's sons, killing their biological mothers and raising them in the palace, having Emperor Xiaohui recognize them as his sons and emperor to consolidate the power of the Lu clan. Now that the Lu clan has been eliminated, the Young Emperor is getting older and starting to rule; we generals will no longer be useful. It's better to find a capable prince to become emperor." So, they put the Prince of Dai on the throne – that's how we got Emperor Xiao Wen.
Dong Mouhou Xingju, the younger brother of Zhu Xuhou Zhang, said, "I didn't do much to get rid of the Lü family. Let me clean out the palace." So, he and the Stable Master, Ruyinhou Teng Gong, entered the palace together. Teng Gong walked up to the young emperor and directly said, "You ain't no Liu, you shouldn't be Emperor!" After saying this, he gestured for the guards to leave. Most of the guards obediently left, but a few refused to go. Eunuch Zhang Shi was ordered to persuade them to leave. Teng Gong had the emperor's carriage brought over and escorted the young emperor out. The young emperor asked, "Where are you taking me?" Teng Gong replied, "We’ll first take you to the Imperial Lesser Treasury." They escorted the young emperor there and reported, "The palace is secure and ready." When they arrived at Weiyang Palace, ten palace officials with weapons stood at the gate and questioned, "The emperor is here, who are you?" They did not let the Marquis of Dai enter. The Grand Commandant came out to explain, and the officials withdrew, allowing the Marquis of Dai to enter. That night, they executed the kings of Jichuan, Huaiyang, and Changshan, along with the young emperor.
After Emperor Wen ascended to the throne, he appointed Zhou Bo as Prime Minister, rewarded him with five thousand pounds of gold, and granted him ten thousand households. Months later, someone advised Zhou Bo, "You got rid of the Lü family, supported the Marquis of Dai, and received such high rewards and a prestigious position. You're askin' for trouble!" Zhou Bo became afraid upon hearing this and felt that his situation was dangerous, so he requested to resign from his position as Prime Minister. The emperor agreed. A year later, Prime Minister Chen Ping passed away, and the emperor reappointed Zhou Bo as Prime Minister. Months later, the emperor said, "I previously summoned the marquises back to their fiefs, and some have not returned. As my trusted advisor, I want you to lead and urge the marquises to return to their fiefs!" So Zhou Bo was dismissed and returned to his fief.
More than a year later, every time the Hedong prefect came to inspect Jiang County, Zhou Bo, the Marquis of Jiang, was always afraid of being killed. He wore armor and had his family meet him armed. Later, someone accused Zhou Bo of plotting a rebellion, and the case went to court. Terrified, Zhou Bo couldn't defend himself, and the jailer harassed him. Zhou Bo gave the jailer a lot of money, and the jailer slipped him a note, saying, "The princess can vouch for you." This princess was the daughter of Emperor Xiaowen, and Zhou Bo's son Zhou Shengzhi married her, so the jailer let him use this as evidence. Zhou Bo had given his extra land to Bo Zhao. With Zhou Bo in jail and in trouble, Bo Zhao appealed to the Empress Dowager Bo, who also believed that Zhou Bo was not plotting a rebellion. Before Emperor Wen, the Empress Dowager dabbed his brow with cotton, saying, "Zhou Bo once held the imperial seal, commanded the northern army, and did not plot a rebellion at that time. Now he is just an official of a small county. Would he still think of rebelling?" After reading Zhou Bo's testimony, Emperor Wen sighed and said, "These jailers are outrageous!" He then sent a messenger with the emperor's token to pardon Zhou Bo, restoring his title and land. After Zhou Bo came out, he exclaimed, "I commanded an army, and these jailers are running the show!"
Zhou Bo returned to his fiefdom, and in the eleventh year of Emperor Xiaowen's reign, he died and was posthumously titled Marquis Wu. His son Zhou Shengzhi inherited the title, but he clashed with the princess and was executed for murder, ending the line. A year later, Emperor Wen chose Zhou Yafu, Zhou Bo's capable son, the prefect of Henan, as the new Marquis.
When Zhou Yafu served as the governor of Hé'nèi (a historical region in modern-day Henan province), Xu Fu gave him a divination and said, "Three years later, you will become a marquis. Eight years after that, you will rise to the rank of general, holding immense power and unparalleled prestige among the court officials. Nine years later, you will starve." Zhou Yafu laughed and said, "My brother's practically dead from inheriting Father's title. If my son inherits it, why would *I* boast about becoming a marquis? And if I'm destined for such glory, why would I worry about starving? Go on, point to me!" Xu Fu pointed to his mouth and said, "Your words will bring you misfortune; this is a sign of your starvation!" Three years later, when Emperor Wen's brother-in-law, Zhou Sheng, committed a crime, the Emperor sought a capable replacement from among Zhou Bo's sons, and Zhou Yafu was unanimously recommended.
In the sixth year of Emperor Wen's reign, the Xiongnu invaded the border on a large scale. The court appointed Zongzheng Liu Li as a general stationed in Basha (location unspecified), Zhuzihou Xu Li as a general stationed in Jimen (location unspecified), and Zhou Yafu, the governor of Hé'nèi, as a general stationed in Xiliu (location unspecified) to guard against the Xiongnu. The Emperor made a personal visit to boost the morale of his troops. When he arrived at the Basha and Jimen military camps, he simply rode in, and all the cavalrymen below the rank of general came out to greet him.
Finally, they reached the Xiliu encampment, where they saw soldiers and officers all wearing armor, their weapons honed to a razor's edge, bows and crossbows strung and cocked, ready for action. The emperor's advance troops arrived but were not allowed in. The advance troops said, "The emperor will be here soon!" The camp commander retorted, "In the camp, we only follow the general's orders, not imperial orders." After a while, the emperor arrived but still could not enter. So the emperor sent a messenger with a token to deliver a decree to the general, saying, "I've come to inspect the troops." It was only then that General Zhou Yafu ordered the camp gates to be opened. The guards at the gate halted the imperial carriage and said, "The general has a rule that no galloping is allowed in the camp." So the emperor had to hold back the reins and walk slowly. When he reached the central camp, General Zhou Yafu bowed and said, "Armored soldiers do not prostrate themselves; please allow me to greet you with military courtesy." The emperor, deeply impressed, sat respectfully in his carriage and sent someone to thank the general, saying, "The emperor respectfully rewards the general." With the formalities concluded, he departed.
As they left the camp gate, the courtiers were very surprised. Emperor Wen said, "Now *that's* a real general! Those troops at Ba Shang and Ji Men were a joke; their leaders could easily be attacked and captured. As for Zhou Yafu, who would dare to offend him!" The ministers praised him for a long time. A month later, the three armies were disbanded. Then the emperor made Zhou Yafu a lieutenant.
When Emperor Wen was about to pass away, he warned his son, saying, "In a crisis, Zhou Yafu is the man for the job; let him lead the troops." After Emperor Wen's death, Zhou Yafu was promoted to Grand Commandant.
In the third year of Emperor Jing, the seven states of Wu and Chu rebelled. Zhou Yafu, already a lieutenant, was appointed Grand Commandant and led the army to the east to suppress the rebellion. He actively suggested to the emperor, "The Chu army is too swift to engage directly. I propose using Liang to cut off their supply lines; only then can we crush them." The emperor agreed to his suggestion.
Zhou Yafu set out and arrived at Bashang, where Zhao She stopped him and said, "General Zhou, this time you are going to attack Wu and Chu. If you win, the imperial ancestral temple will be secure. If you lose, the world will be in danger. Can you accept my advice?" Zhou Yafu dismounted and respectfully asked him what was going on. Zhao She said, "The King of Wu has always been wealthy and has long been secretly recruiting death squads. He knows that you are coming, General, and will definitely set up spies between Min, Yi, and Xiang (the areas near modern-day Shaanxi). Moreover, military operations require speed and secrecy. General, why not go right from here, detour through Lantian, pass through Wuguan, and head straight to Luoyang? This way, it will only delay you a day or two at most. You can directly station yourself in the arsenal and beat the war drum. When the vassals hear this, they will think that you have appeared out of nowhere!" Grand Commandant Zhou Yafu followed his plan. When he arrived in Luoyang, Zhou Yafu sent people to search between Min and Yi, and indeed caught the army of the King of Wu. So, Zhou Yafu asked Zhao She to serve as his military advisor.
Zhou Yafu arrived in Yingyang and joined the army. At this time, the Wu army was attacking Liangguo, and Liangguo was in danger, requesting reinforcements. Zhou Yafu led his troops northeast to Changyi, fortified the city, implemented a scorched-earth policy, and maintained a strong defense. The King of Liang sent envoys to request Zhou Yafu to send troops, but based on the situation at the time, Zhou Yafu believed it was not appropriate to send troops, so he did not go. The King of Liang then wrote to Emperor Jing, and Emperor Jing issued an edict for Zhou Yafu to go to the rescue of Liangguo. However, Zhou Yafu did not obey the edict, remained steadfast in his defensive strategy, and sent light cavalry, such as Gong Gao Hou, to cut off the rear of the Wu and Chu army, severing their food and supply lines. The Wu and Chu army, lacking food and exhausted, wanted to retreat and challenged Zhou Yafu multiple times, but Zhou Yafu remained resolute and did not leave.
One night, pandemonium erupted in the camp, with soldiers attacking each other and the ruckus even reaching Zhou Yafu's tent. However, Zhou Yafu remained lying on his bed without moving. After a while, the chaos subsided. The Wu troops bolted for the southeast corner, so Zhou Yafu had his men lock down the northwest. Sure enough, the Wu elite tried a breakout from the northwest, but they were stopped cold. The worn-out Wu-Chu army retreated. Zhou Yafu sent in his best troops, routing King Bi of Wu. King Bi ditched his army, escaping with a few thousand men to Dantu in Jiangnan. The Han army pursued, capturing the rest of the Wu army, retaking Wu's cities, and putting a 1,000 gold bounty on King Bi's head. A month later, a Yue messenger delivered King Bi's head. Three months later, the Wu-Chu rebellion was crushed. So, the generals all agreed the Grand Commandant's strategy was spot on. This started a feud between King Xiao of Liang and Zhou Yafu.
Upon returning to the capital, Zhou Yafu once again became the Grand Commandant. Emperor Jing thought highly of him. Later, when Emperor Jing deposed Crown Prince Li, Zhou Yafu's objections fell on deaf ears. As a result, Emperor Jing grew distant. At court, King Xiao constantly badmouthed Zhou Yafu to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager said, "The Emperor's brother-in-law, Wang Xin, deserves a title, don't you think?" Emperor Jing replied, "Look, Nanpi and Zhangwu didn't get titles until after I took the throne. Wang Xin's time will come."
Empress Dowager Dou said, "Everyone has their own opportunity in life. During Dou Changjun's lifetime, he was not able to be made a marquis, but after his death, his son Pengzu was able to receive a title. I regret this very much. Your Highness, please make Wang Xin a marquis quickly!" Emperor Jing replied, "I want to discuss this with the Prime Minister first." Zhou Yafu said, "Emperor Gaozu established the rules: 'Only the Liu clan can be called king, and only those with merits can be given a title. If this agreement is not followed, the whole country will rise up against us.' Although Wang Xin is the Empress's brother, he has no contributions. Making him a marquis would be a violation of the agreement." Emperor Jing said nothing, clearly displeased.
Later, the Xiongnu king Xu Lu and four others deserted their own king and came over to us, surrendering to the Han Dynasty. Emperor Jing wanted to make them marquises to encourage others. Zhou Yafu said, "If Your Highness makes them marquises, how can we blame those who are not loyal to themselves in the future?" Emperor Jing said, "I'm not taking the Prime Minister's advice." So he made Xu Lu and the others marquises. Zhou Yafu then resigned from his position as Prime Minister due to illness.
Some time later, Emperor Jing summoned Zhou Yafu in the palace and gave him food. However, there was just a huge slab of meat, no cutlery provided. Zhou Yafu was very unhappy and turned to the attendants, saying, "Bring me some chopsticks." Emperor Jing saw this and laughed, saying, "That's not very prime-ministerial, is it?" Zhou Yafu took off his hat and apologized to Emperor Jing. Emperor Jing said, "You may rise." Zhou Yafu quickly left. Emperor Jing watched him leave and said, "That man’s too stubborn to be a good advisor to a young emperor."
Soon after, Yafu prepared to buy five hundred sets of high-quality armor for his father's burial. He hired laborers to work but didn't pay them. The laborers, figuring he'd ripped off the government, held a grudge and reported him, implicating Yafu. News of this reached the Emperor, and all hell broke loose. The officials grilled him, but he clammed up. The emperor scolded him, saying, "Get out of my sight!" They hauled him in and accused him of plotting a rebellion. Yafu replied, "I bought these things to bury my father; how is that considered rebellion?" The officials said, "So you're saying you're not rebelling *now*, but you are after you're dead?" They really started piling it on. They came to arrest him, and he tried to kill himself, but his wife stopped him. So, off to jail he went. He went on a hunger strike, and after five days, he coughed up blood and died. They stripped him of his title, too.
A year later, the emperor reinstated Zhou Jian, the son of the Marquis of Jiang, as the Marquis of Pingqu, continuing the title of the Marquis of Jiang. It later passed to Zhou Jiande, who became the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince and was dismissed from office due to the Zhuijin case (a scandal involving corruption and mismanagement). He later committed another crime and had his title revoked. Yafu starved to death. After Yafu's death, the emperor appointed Wang Xin as the Marquis of Gai. Two years later, under Emperor Ping, Zhou Bo's title was finally restored, and his great-grandson Zhou Gong was appointed as the Marquis of Jiang, with a fief of one thousand households.
The book says: It is said that Zhang Liang is both intelligent and brave, so one would think he must be a giant, but unexpectedly he looks like a woman. Therefore, Confucius said, "You can't judge a book by its cover." Many scholars are skeptical about the existence of ghosts and gods. For example, it's a bit of a stretch that Zhang Liang received books from his old father. Gaozu repeatedly escaped from difficulties, and Zhang Liang always helped; it must have been fate! Chen Ping's ambition can be seen from his actions; he played both sides between Chu and Wei, eventually throwing his lot in with the Han Dynasty and becoming a strategist for them. When Empress Lu Hou was in power, things got really messy, but Chen Ping made it through using his brains. Wang Ling argued in the court, then shut himself away; these people each have their own ambitions. Zhou Bo was once a commoner, rough around the edges, but later he was able to help the emperor, save the country from danger, take down the Lü clan, and support Emperor Xiao Wen, becoming like a Han Dynasty Yi Yin and Duke of Zhou—truly remarkable! When Empress Lu Hou asked Gaozu for his choice of prime minister, Gaozu said, "Chen Ping is wicked smart; although Wang Ling is a bit naive, he can assist Chen Ping; and the one who can keep the Liu family in power must be Zhou Bo." When asked about the next choices, he said, "Beyond that, they are not capable." Gaozu was right on the money!
