Yan Zhu, from Wu County in Kuaiji, was the son of Mr. Yan. Some say he was a member of the family clan. At that time, the county recommended virtuous and talented individuals, with over a hundred people participating in the civil service examination. Emperor Wu was very impressed with Yan Zhu's answers, so he directly promoted him to a high-ranking official. Later, he served alongside a cohort of prominent figures, including Zhu Maichen, Wu Qiu Shouwang, Sima Xiangru, Zhufu Yan, Xu Le, Yan An, Dongfang Shuo, Meigao, Jiaocang, Zhongjun, and Yan Congqi around the emperor. During that time, the Han Dynasty was constantly expanding into territories inhabited by minority groups and engaging in frequent military campaigns. There were also internal reforms, and the court was very busy, so talented scholars and officials were frequently selected. Gong Sunhong rose from a commoner to become prime minister in just a few years. He also established the Dongge, inviting talented individuals to discuss state affairs together. When ministers brought their matters before the emperor, they often expressed their opinions on national issues. The emperor allowed Yan Zhu and the ministers to debate together, using well-reasoned arguments. Many ministers found themselves outmatched by Yan Zhu's refutations. The emperor's closest aides were Dongfang Shuo, Meigao, Yan Zhu, Wu Qiu Shouwang, and Sima Xiangru. Sima Xiangru often feigned illness to avoid responsibilities. Dongfang Shuo and Meigao spoke irrelevantly, and although the emperor found them somewhat like court buffoons, he kept them around. Only Yan Zhu and Wu Qiu Shouwang earned the emperor's trust, with Yan Zhu being the most highly regarded.
In the third year of Jianyuan, Minyue attacked Dongou, and Dongou sought help from the Han Dynasty. At that time, Emperor Wu was not yet twenty years old, and he asked the Grand Tutor Tian Fen about this matter. Tian Fen felt that it was normal for the Yue states to attack each other, and they were often prone to shifting alliances, so there was no need to send troops to their aid. He said they had been abandoned since the Qin Dynasty and did not fall under the jurisdiction of the Han Dynasty. Yan Zhu then argued against Tian Fen, saying, "We're only worried we're not strong enough to help them, and we haven't earned enough of their trust to protect them. If we can do it, why give up on them? Moreover, when the Qin Dynasty fell, it abandoned Xianyang. So we should just abandon the Yue states too? Now a small country is seeking our help due to poverty. If the Emperor doesn't step in, who else are they going to ask for help? How can we govern the world well?" Emperor Wu said, "I cannot accept the Grand Tutor's words. I've only just become Emperor and do not want to use the Emperor's token to mobilize the armies of the commanderies and kingdoms." So he sent Yan Zhu with the Emperor's token to Kuaiji to mobilize troops. The Kuaiji prefect refused to obey the order and send troops. Yan Zhu then made an example of a Sima to show he meant business, and only then did he mobilize the army and cross the sea to rescue Dongou. Before reaching Dongou, Minyue withdrew its troops. Three years later, Minyue again raised troops to attack Nanyue. Nanyue honored their treaty with the Han Dynasty and dared not send troops without permission, but instead reported to the court. The Emperor was pleased with Nanyue's actions, but enraged by Minyue's attack, so he sent two generals to attack Minyue. Prince Huainan Liu An advised in a memorial:
Your Majesty, you're a benevolent ruler, lowering taxes and punishments, caring for the poor and vulnerable. Your goodness reaches everyone, from your closest subjects to those in the far corners of the land. The world is at peace, people live in comfort and prosperity, never experiencing war in their lifetime. Now I hear that the court intends to send troops to attack the country of Yue, and I personally believe Your Majesty should consider this carefully. Yue's a far-off place, full of people with tattoos. You can't govern them by the same rules as the rest of the empire. For centuries, Yue and other tribes have resisted the empire. They cannot be conquered by force or intimidated by authority. Our ancestors figured these places weren't worth the trouble. Since the early days of the Han Dynasty's unification of the world, Wu and Yue have been at each other's throats for ages, but we've never interfered. I heard that Yue has no cities or villages; their people live scattered in the mountains and along the rivers. They're expert boatmen and fighters, and their territory is incredibly difficult to navigate. Even if a hundred of our men were sent, they might not stand a chance against one of theirs. The map makes Yue look close, but it's hundreds of miles of rough mountains and thick forests. It'll be a tough campaign.
These days, things are peaceful. Families are together, parents and children supporting each other, all thanks to the Emperor! Although the Kingdom of Yue is nominally our vassal state and sends tribute every year, their tribute doesn't even cover the cost of the army, let alone sending troops to save them. If they attack each other, and Your Majesty still sends troops to save them, shouldn't we spare the people of the Central Plains this burden? Furthermore, the Yue people are unreliable and unpredictable, and they've been breaking the law for ages. If we go to war with them over this, it'll never end.
In recent years, the harvest has been poor, and people are so poor, they're selling everything they own just to stay alive. Thanks to your generosity, they haven't starved to death. However, after four years of poor harvests, the fifth year brought locust disasters, and the people's lives have not yet recovered. Now we have to send troops again, marching thousands of miles to Vietnam. The journey is through dense jungle and treacherous waterways, and the summer heat will bring sickness and dysentery rampant. Lots of men will die before we even see a fight.
In the past, when the King of Nanyang rebelled, Your Majesty sent in the troops and quickly put down the rebellion, and they were resettled in Shanggan. But later, he rebelled again, coinciding with a hot and rainy summer. Half the army died from disease before they even saw the enemy. Families were torn apart, and people traveled thousands of miles just to bring their loved ones' remains home. The grief lingered for years, and the old folks still remember it. Before the war even began, the disaster had already reached this point.
They say a war always brings famine in its wake – the people's suffering upsets the cosmic balance, leading to natural disasters. The Book of Songs says, "The people are suffering." Your Majesty, your virtue is a beacon to the land, a shining example for all. Your benevolence extends even to the beasts and the plants. The death of any subject from hunger or cold would surely grieve Your Majesty deeply. Your soldiers lie dead, their bodies polluting the sacred valleys, a grim testament to this needless war. Your borderlands are gripped by fear. With all due respect, Your Majesty, I urge you to reconsider.
Outsiders unfamiliar with the southern terrain always assume that the people of Yue have a huge army and are incredibly strong, and can easily overrun the border towns. However, once Huainan was incorporated, many were border officials. I heard through the grapevine that the situation in Yue is very different from that in the Central Plains. Yue is cut off by towering mountains, barely inhabited, with roads too treacherous to travel. This natural barrier keeps the outside world at bay. If the people of Yue want to enter the Central Plains, they must pass through the Ling waterway. The mountains on both sides of the Ling waterway are steep, with a maze of rapids and treacherous shallows everywhere. Large boats can't get through, making food transport impossible. Any rebellion would require the Yue to first stockpile food near Yugan, then fell trees and build ships. Border guards are on high alert; any Yue caught felling trees faces immediate arrest and the burning of their supplies. Even with a massive army, they'd stand no chance against our border towns! Besides, the Yue are physically frail, poor land fighters, and lack proper weaponry like chariots, horses, bows, and crossbows. The Central Plains army can't conquer them because of the difficult terrain and the fact that we're not used to the climate and environment. I hear their army numbers in the tens of thousands; we'd need five times their numbers, and that's not counting transport and supplies. The hot, humid climate takes its toll; soldiers face constant exposure to snakes, wild animals, and disease. And even if we won, the losses would be too great to bear.
I heard that the brother of the King of Minyue, Jia, killed the King of Minyue and declared himself king. Jia was later executed, leaving his people leaderless and unsure of whom to submit to. If you wish to incorporate them into your territory, you can settle them in the Central Plains region, appoint high officials to guard them, show them kindness and generosity, and give rewards to win them over. They'll surely submit, bringing their families with them. If you do not wish to use them, then let them keep their kingdom and titles, managing them as vassals. This way, they will be obedient, and generations will offer tribute to the court. You only need a small seal and a generous gift of silk to show your power and generosity in the remote regions, without sending a single soldier or wielding a weapon.
Attacking them now will terrify them; they'll think the court wants to slaughter them and flee into the deep mountains and forests like mice. If you withdraw your troops after defeating them, they will regroup. If you station troops for defense year after year, the soldiers will become exhausted, and supplies will run low. Men won't be able to farm, women won't be able to weave, and the youth will be off to war. The elderly, weak, sick, and disabled will be left to transport supplies. With no food at home and no provisions on the road, the people will suffer unbearably, many will flee, and the pursuit will be endless, with bandits rising up.
As the old folks say, look what happened to the Qin when they tried this with Yue; they sent Wutu Sui to attack the state of Yue and sent Jianlu to dig waterways and build roads. The people of Yue fled into the deep mountains and forests, making them impossible to catch. The Qin army had to leave troops to guard the open areas, and over time, the soldiers became tired and exhausted, allowing the people of Yue to come out and attack them. As a result, the Qin army was defeated, and the Qin had to bring in more soldiers for defense.
At that time, the world was in turmoil; folk were starving and desperate. No one could come or go. Bands of robbers were everywhere, and thus the war in the Shandong region (referring to the Central Plains) began. As Laozi said, "where armies march, only thorns remain." Fighting is a dangerous affair. As long as there is trouble in one place, the surrounding areas will also suffer. I worry that worse things are brewing here. As the *Book of Changes* says, even King Gaozong's conquest of the tiny Ghost Fang tribe took three years. This shows just how serious war is. I hear the Emperor prefers a show of force to actual fighting; nobody messes with him. If even one soldier deserted during the campaign against Yue, and even if we got the Yue king's head, I'd still be ashamed for the Han Dynasty.
Your Highness, you treat the entire country as your territory, the Nine Provinces as your home, the eight marshes as your hunting preserves, and the Jianghan Plain as your pond. All the people in the world are submissive to you. Your people are numerous enough to support the court officials, and the tax revenue is sufficient to meet the royal expenses. Your thoughts are meticulous, following the wise ways of governing, sitting on the throne, listening to cases facing south, giving orders to the world, and your commands are obeyed throughout the land. Your Highness, your grace blesses the world, allowing the common people to live and work in peace. Your kindness will benefit generations to come. The stability of the world is as solid as Mount Tai. Those barbarian lands aren't worth the effort! As the saying goes, "Great King, you are lenient and righteous; the distant princes have all come to submit," indicating the great power of the royal way, even people from afar can feel its call. I've heard it said that a farmer's hard work feeds the scholar, and a wise man learns from a fool's folly. I am fortunate to guard the borders for Your Highness, to protect you with my life; this is the duty of a subject. A border alert demands courage, not cowardice; a true loyalist acts, not hides. I am privately worried that the generals treat the hundred thousand troops as a simple mission! At that time, when the Han army went out on an expedition, before they reached the border, they happened to encounter the younger brother of the King of Min Yue, Yu Shan, killing the surrendered King of Min Yue. The Han army then turned back. Your Highness praised the suggestion of the King of Huainan and also commended the achievements of the generals, so he sent Yan Zhu to convey Your Highness's will to Nanyue. The King of Nanyue bowed in apology, saying, "Your Highness, your swift action against the Min Yue king overwhelms me with gratitude! I could never repay such kindness, even if I died a hundred deaths!" He then immediately sent his crown prince to follow Yan Zhu to the capital to serve Your Highness.
Oh, and another thing, I specifically sent someone to Huainan to inform the King of Huainan: The Emperor heard you'd been talking to Court Physician Yu and wanted to know what was discussed. The Emperor said, "I've inherited the grace of the late Emperor. I'm burning the candle at both ends, but my abilities are limited, and I feel that my conduct is lacking. The country's in chaos. People are starving. The borders are under attack. I'm terrified. Now, King of Huainan, you need to think carefully and find a way to bring back the good old days, a country strong and united, to make up for my shortcomings. It's a lot to handle! I admire your thoughts, but I haven't fully understood them yet, so I sent the Court Physician to convey my meaning and ask you to explain in more detail."
Hey, listen, the Emperor heard you're leading troops to attack the kingdom of Yue, so he specially sent me to talk to you. You're far away and the situation is urgent, so the Emperor couldn't discuss it with you. Some political matters in the court haven't been handled well, which has got the Emperor pretty bummed about it. War is a dangerous matter; only a wise ruler uses caution. Ever since the days of the Five Emperors and Three Kings, there’s never been a ruler who didn’t use soldiers to govern the world, pacify rebellions, and maintain order. The Han Dynasty runs the whole show, calls the shots, and decides who lives and dies. The dangerous areas are hoping for stability, and the chaotic areas are hoping for peace. That Minyue king is a real piece of work, no respect for anyone or anything. He's killed his own family, stirred up trouble everywhere, and even attacked his neighbors—a real menace. He thinks he’s powerful and is getting into conspiracies, burning ships in Xunyang, trying to occupy Kuaiji, just like Goujian. Now there are reports from the border that the King of Minyue is teaming up with two other countries to attack Nanyue. To ensure long-term peace and security for the people, the Emperor sent word: "Everyone needs to chill out and mind their own business!"
There was courtly concern about the Min king's ambition, who wanted to take over the land of the Baiyue. If he defied the imperial decree, it would cause trouble for Kuaiji and Yuzhang Commanderies. Besides, punishing someone doesn't call for war; why inflict suffering on the people and bloodshed on the soldiers? Therefore, the Emperor stationed two generals on the border to demonstrate strength and deter rebellion. Before a shot was fired, the Min king died. The Emperor immediately ordered the troops to withdraw so as not to delay the farming season. The King of Nanyue, grateful for the imperial favour, sent envoys to offer thanks. His ill health prevented a personal audience, so he sent his son, Prince Yingqi, to represent him until his recovery. In August, the Min king rebelled at Yenan. His exhausted troops were defeated by the allied forces of the three kings, who exploited the rebellion of his brother, Yu Shan. With the Min kingdom now vacant, envoys arrived bearing the royal seals, requesting the Emperor to appoint a new king; they dared not do so themselves, awaiting his command. The victory came without the loss of a single soldier; the Min king was executed; Nanyue received imperial favour; and the Emperor's authority quelled the rebellion, saving the kingdom – all testament to his astute strategy. The outcome speaks for itself, so the Emperor sent me to brief you. Wang Anshi replied, "Even Tang's conquest of Jie, or Wen Wang's of Chong, were no greater feats. My rash words were a moment's folly. Your Majesty's leniency, and the honour of this embassy, deeply humbles me." Wang Anshi, having cultivated a friendship with the Prince of Huainan, then departed. The Emperor was well pleased.
Wang Anshi served the emperor quite comfortably. When the emperor asked about his hometown, Wang Anshi replied, "My family is very poor and often bullied by wealthy in-laws." When asked what official position he wanted, he expressed his wish to be the Prefect of Kuaiji. So the emperor appointed him as the Prefect of Kuaiji. Several years passed, and the emperor did not inquire much about him. Later, the emperor wrote to him, saying, "To the Prefect of Kuaiji: I hear you're tired of court life and missing home, so I've appointed you magistrate. Kuaiji is located to the east facing the sea, to the south near the land of the Baiyue people, and to the north along the Yangtze River. During this time, you have rarely reported on the situation. Brush up on your *Spring and Autumn* Annals – and lay off the political maneuvering, unlike that Su Qin fellow." Wang Anshi was very afraid and quickly wrote a letter of apology saying, "In *Spring and Autumn*, it is recorded that when the King lived in the state of Zheng, he could not fully serve his mother with filial piety, so the relationship was severed. I serve the emperor like a son serving his parents, so I should be put to death. Your Majesty, I beg you to show leniency, and I hope to be allowed to complete the three-year assessment." The emperor agreed and allowed him to remain in the court. If there were any strange events, he was to write about them, and he wrote dozens of odes and hymns in total.
Later, Prince Huainan came to pay his respects and gave many gifts to Wang Anshi. The two of them had private meetings. When Prince Huainan rebelled, the situation implicated Wang Anshi. The emperor wanted to give him a light sentence and not kill him. However, the Chief Justice, Zhang Tang, strongly opposed this, believing that Wang Anshi, who had access to the palace and was close to the emperor, was secretly interacting with the vassals outside, and if he was not killed, how could they possibly govern? In the end, Wang Anshi was put to death.
Zhu Maichen, courtesy name Wengzi, was from Wu County. His family was poor, but he loved reading and wasn't interested in a regular job, often cutting and selling firewood to make a living. He carried firewood and studied while walking. His wife followed him, carrying firewood, and repeatedly advised him not to sing on the road. However, Zhu Maichen kept singing even louder, and his wife felt ashamed and left. Zhu Maichen smiled and said, "When I'm fifty, I'll be rich and successful. I'm already in my forties now. You've put up with a lot, and I'll make it up to you when I'm rich." His wife angrily replied, "Someone like you will never amount to anything! How could you possibly become wealthy?" Zhu Maichen couldn't keep her, so he had to let her go. After that, Zhu Maichen sang alone on the road, carrying firewood through the graveyard. His ex-wife and her family went to the grave together, saw Zhu Maichen hungry and cold, and brought him food and water.
After a few years, Maichen followed an official to become a soldier, pulled a heavy cart to Chang'an, and submitted a memorial at the gate of the palace, but received no response for a long time. Running out of food in the palace, he had to beg for food from other officials and soldiers. At that time, a Chang'an man named Yan Zhu, who was favored by the emperor, recommended Maichen to the emperor. The emperor summoned Maichen, listened to his explanation of the "Spring and Autumn Annals," and heard him recite the "Chu Ci." The emperor was very pleased and appointed Maichen as a mid-level official, allowing him to serve the emperor in the palace with Yan Zhu. At that time, the court was building the Shuofang City, and Gongsun Hong advised against it, saying it would waste the country's money and hurt the Central Plains. The emperor asked Maichen to refute Gongsun Hong, and this incident is recorded in the "Biography of Gongsun Hong." Later, Maichen was dismissed for a small mistake, but was summoned back to serve in the palace after some time.
Meanwhile, the Dongyue region was plagued by repeated uprisings. Mai Chen said to the emperor, "Previously, the Dongyue king lived in Baoquan Mountain, which was impregnable; even a massive army couldn't take it. Now I hear that the Dongyue king has moved south, 500 miles away from Baoquan Mountain, now ensconced in a vast swamp. We should launch a seaborne assault, strike Baoquan Mountain directly, and then sweep through their southern territories. That'll wipe them out." The emperor then appointed Mai Chen as Kuaiji governor. The emperor said to Mai Chen, "You're getting rich and famous, but you're not back home to share it. It's like wearing fancy clothes in the dark – what's the point?" Mai Chen gratefully bowed. The emperor ordered Mai Chen to get started, to build warships, stock up on supplies and weapons, and to get his troops ready to roll as soon as the order came down.
At first, Maichen was just an ordinary official, living off the land at the Kuaiji Prefecture. Later, he was appointed as the Prefect by the court, getting promoted and rich. However, he still wore his old clothes, carrying his seal, and walked back to the prefecture alone. When he arrived, the officials of Kuaiji were drinking together and didn't notice him at all. Maichen walked straight into the house and ate with the guards. After eating his fill, the guards finally noticed the seal around his waist and, feeling strange, quickly picked it up to see that it was the seal of the Kuaiji Prefect! The guards about jumped out of their skins and quickly informed the other officials. Those who were drunk shouted, "Nonsense!" The guard said, "Check it out!" Although he had a good relationship with Maichen before, the person who always looked down on him went in and immediately ran out shouting, "It's true!" Everyone in the house went silent, quickly reported to the steward, and then lined up in the courtyard to welcome the new Prefect. Maichen walked out. After a while, officials from Chang'an came in a four-horse carriage to greet him, and Maichen left in the carriage.
When the people of Kuaiji heard that the Prefect was coming, they quickly organized manpower to repair the road, and all the county officials came out to welcome him, forming a whole convoy of carriages, easily over a hundred. When they entered the territory of Wu, Maichen met his ex-wife and her new husband, who were repairing the road. Maichen stopped his carriage and sent some of the others back to fetch them. When they arrived at the Prefect's mansion, he put them up in the garden and fed them. A month later, Maichen's wife killed herself. Maichen got the money from her husband for the burial. After that, Maichen gathered all his old friends and benefactors, throwing a feast to thank them.
After more than a year, General Maichen led the troops by imperial decree and, together with General Han Shuo of Henghai, defeated Dong Yue, achieving great success. The court summoned him back to Chang'an, appointing him as the Commander of the Marquisate, ranking him among the Nine Ministers. Several years later, due to a crime, he was dismissed from his position, but later became the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister. At that time, Zhang Tang was the Imperial Inspector General. In his early years, Maichen and Yan Zhu both served the Emperor in the palace, holding great power, while Zhang Tang was just a minor official who was frequently at the beck and call of Maichen and his colleagues. Later, Zhang Tang became the Minister of Justice, responsible for handling cases in Huainan, and set up Yan Zhu, causing Maichen to hold a grudge against Zhang Tang. When Maichen became the Chief Secretary, Zhang Tang frequently handled political affairs on behalf of the Prime Minister, and knowing that Maichen had held a high position of power before, he intentionally treated him with disrespect. Deeply resentful, Maichen wouldn't even bother to bow to Zhang Tang, even when he was sitting down. Maichen harbored deep resentment and always wanted to take Zhang Tang down. Later, he reported Zhang Tang's crimes to the court, leading to Zhang Tang committing suicide, and Maichen being executed by the Emperor. Maichen's son, Maishan, later became a county magistrate and even served as the Prefect of Youfu.
There was a man named Wuqiu Shouwang, with the courtesy name Zigan, who was from the state of Zhao. When he was young, he was skilled in martial arts and was summoned by the Emperor to serve as a guard in the palace. The Emperor also had him study the "Spring and Autumn Annals" with the famous scholar Dong Zhongshu. With exceptional talent, he quickly excelled in his studies. He was later promoted to be an Imperial Attendant but was dismissed from his position due to a minor mistake. He wrote a letter to the Emperor admitting his mistake and expressing his desire to serve as an Imperial Horse Guard, but the Emperor did not agree. He then expressed his wish to guard the border and defend against foreign invasions, but the Emperor still did not agree. After a long time, he submitted a petition to lead troops against the Xiongnu, and when the Emperor asked for his thoughts, Shouwang responded well, leading the Emperor to be pleased with Shouwang's answer and reinstating him as a court official.
He got another promotion. Just as the eastern commandery was in turmoil with bandits, the emperor sent him to be the Commandant of the eastern commandery. After appointing him as Commandant, the governor's position remained vacant. With constant warfare and poor harvests, banditry was rampant. The emperor even wrote him a letter, saying, "You shone in my court, a man of unparalleled brilliance. I believed you to be without equal in the land. Yet, in the East, governing a dozen cities and a four-thousand-stone post, you've failed to control the bandits. This is quite unlike you. Explain yourself!" Prince Shou quickly apologized and explained.
Later, he was summoned back to the court and appointed as a high-ranking court official. Prime Minister Gongsun Hong submitted a memorial, saying, "Civilians shouldn't own crossbows. Ten bandits with crossbows can rout a hundred soldiers. They strike, escape, and suffer little consequence. Banning civilian crossbow ownership forces them into close-quarters combat, where our numbers will prevail. This will make banditry unprofitable and far less appealing. Bandits will think twice. I believe this is the solution." The matter was hotly debated, when Prince Wuqiu Shou spoke:
They say that in ancient times, the five types of weapons were not made to harm each other, but to quell rebellions and vanquish evil. In peacetime, they hunted beasts; in wartime, they defended the realm. When the Zhou Dynasty declined, there were no wise kings above, and the vassals ruled independently; the strong preyed on the weak, the many tyrannized the few, the whole country lay in ruins, and deceitful behavior prevailed. Therefore, the smart outmaneuvered the dumb, the bold bullied the weak; winning was all that mattered, and morality was tossed aside. Thus, there were countless traps and ingenious weapons designed to kill.
After the Qin Dynasty unified the country, they ditched the old ways and pursued their own selfish agendas. They burned the classics, enforced brutal laws, and ruled by fear, razing cities, slaughtering heroes, and destroying weapons. Soon, people were fighting with farm tools, crime exploded, and convicts and bandits roamed free, leading to the nation's collapse. Wise rulers knew that education, not brute force, was the true foundation of a strong nation.
Your Majesty, you're a great ruler, bringing peace and prosperity to the land. You've promoted outstanding talents and established schools, and even commoners are rising through the ranks and rewarded with land. The whole country is developing rapidly, and even the far-flung regions are thriving, yet thieves still exist. It's not the possession of bows and crossbows that's the problem for county and state officials. The *Book of Rites* says that when a boy is born, he's lifted with a mulberry bow and arrows – a symbol of his future duty to defend the country. Confucius himself said archery was a vital skill. The *Classic of Poetry* emphasizes the importance of accuracy in archery, describing the scene: "The great marquis raises his bow, the string is drawn, the archers stand ready – show us your skill!" I'd argue that the wise king holds the archery ceremony to educate the people; I've never heard that bows and arrows are used to ban thieves. Moreover, what needs to be banned is the act of robbery by thieves. The crime of robbery should be punished by death; however, thieves continue to be rampant because even the worst criminals aren't deterred by harsh penalties.
I worry that evil people will cause chaos using bows and arrows, while officials are unable to stop them. Honest citizens hold bows and arrows for self-defense, thus violating the law, which only serves to empower thieves and deprive the people of their right to self-defense. I believe that this approach is of no benefit in eradicating evil, but instead abolishes the rites and rituals of the former kings, disrupting a long-held tradition and preventing the proper training of future generations.
The memorial has been submitted, and the Emperor found it a tough call and consulted Prime Minister Hong, who had no choice but to agree.
So, Emperor Wu of Han gets this awesome tripod in Fenying and is totally stoked. He put it on display in the ancestral temple, then stashed it away in Ganquan Palace. The ministers in the court all came to congratulate him, saying, "Holy moly, Your Majesty, that's the Zhou Dynasty tripod!" Only Prince Shou said it wasn't the tripod of the Zhou Dynasty. When Emperor Wu heard this, he immediately called him to ask clearly, "I got a Zhou tripod, everyone says so, but you’re the only one who says it’s not. Spill it, or you’re a goner!" Prince Shou quickly replied, "No way, I gotta tell you! I’ve heard that the Zhou Dynasty, man, they were HUGE. It started with Hou Ji, built up by generations, and by the time of King Wu and Duke Zhou, they were ruling the roost, totally blessed by the heavens. That’s why this tripod is such a big deal. Now, since the time of the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty, we’ve inherited the aspirations of the Zhou Dynasty, ruling with a good heart and bringing peace and prosperity to the whole darn empire. Under Your Majesty's reign, the ancestral legacy has been inherited and developed further, with merits flourishing day by day, and various auspicious signs and treasures appearing. Even Qin Shi Huang couldn't find this thing, but here it is, a gift from the heavens to the Han! This is a treasure bestowed by the heavens to the Han Dynasty; it’s the Han Dynasty's precious tripod, not the Zhou Dynasty's!" Emperor Wu listened and said, "You are right!" The court went wild! Emperor Wu was so stoked, he gave Prince Shou ten whole catties of gold. Unfortunately, Prince Shou was later killed for committing a crime.
Meanwhile, there was this guy, Zhu Fu Yan, from Linzi in the state of Qi. When he was young, he learned the ropes of diplomacy and studied the classics and other philosophies. While studying in Qi, the Confucian scholars there ganged up on him, and he had to get out of Qi. He was broke, couldn't even borrow a dime. So he hit the road, heading north to the states of Yan, Zhao, and Zhongshan, but couldn’t find a job and life was rough.
Because he felt that he couldn't get anywhere in the lesser states, in the first year of Yuanguang, he went west to Guanzhong to visit General Wei. General Wei recommended him to the emperor several times, but the emperor paid no attention to him. Zhufu Yan stayed in Chang'an for a long time due to lack of money, and the other nobles and guests gradually became tired of him, so he directly handed in his memorial to the emperor. In the morning, he submitted the memorial, and in the evening, he was summoned to the palace. His nine proposals—eight of which became law—included a recommendation to attack the Xiongnu. In the memorial, he wrote: "I've heard that smart rulers don't mind honest advice to keep communication open; loyal guys aren't scared to speak their minds, even if it means getting in trouble. That's why history has no regrets in strategies, and achievements are remembered through the ages. Now, I dare not hide my loyalty or evade punishment, and I offer my humble opinion, hoping Your Majesty can forgive my boldness and consider my suggestion." According to the *Sima Fa*, "Even if a country is strong, it will perish if it loves war; even if the world is peaceful, forgetting war will inevitably be dangerous." After peace was restored, the emperor was very happy; peacetime didn't mean neglecting war preparedness. He hunted in spring and autumn, while the lords drilled their troops accordingly. Moreover, anger goes against nature, war is dangerous, and fighting is trivial. When an ancient monarch lost his temper, there would be rivers of blood and mountains of corpses, so wise kings placed great importance on codes of conduct. Obsessing over winning and military might always backfires.
Qin Shi Huang relied on the power of war, conquered all under heaven, swallowed up the warring states, unified the country, and his achievements were comparable to those of the emperors of the three dynasties. However, he continued to pursue victory and wanted to attack the Xiongnu. Li Si advised, "No way! The Xiongnu have no cities, no fixed settlements, no supplies, and no defenses. They migrate everywhere, as elusive as birds, difficult to catch and hard to subdue. If we send troops deep into their territory, we'll run out of food. If we transport food, our movements will slow down and hinder combat. Even if we conquer their land and people, we'll gain nothing and be unable to govern them. After winning a battle, we will have to give up eventually. The Xiongnu are not your subjects; this will only exhaust the country and make the Xiongnu feel more justified. This is a recipe for disaster!" Qin Shi Huang did not listen and sent Meng Tian to attack the Xiongnu. They seized a thousand miles of territory, using the Yellow River as a boundary. The area was low-lying, with a lot of infertile, salty soil, not suitable for growing crops. So, they mobilized young men nationwide to guard north of the Yellow River. After more than ten years of large-scale warfare, innumerable people died, but they still could not advance north of the Yellow River. The problem wasn't a lack of manpower or supplies; it was the impossible situation itself! People from all over the country were urgently transporting food, starting from coastal counties such as Huang, Zhuo, and Langye, and transporting it north of the Yellow River. It took thirty carts, on average, to move a single stone of grain. Despite the men's tireless farming and the women's ceaseless weaving, there was still not enough food or cloth for the army. The people were exhausted; orphans, widows, old people, and children could not take care of each other. People were dropping dead of starvation on the roads, and rebellions erupted across the land.
When Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang pacified the world, he had only just stabilized the frontier and heard that the Xiongnu were gathering north of Daijun, intending to attack. The Imperial Censor Cheng strongly advised against this, saying, "That would be unwise! The Xiongnu are like a pack of wolves, one moment a unified threat, the next, vanished like smoke. Chasing them is like pursuing shadows. It is very dangerous to attack the Xiongnu with such a massive show of force." Gaozu did not listen and ended up besieged in Pingcheng. Regretting his decision, Gaozu sent Liu Jing to negotiate peace with the Xiongnu, finally bringing the conflict to an end.
Military texts state, "Keeping an army of a hundred thousand men costs a king's ransom every single day." The Qin Dynasty often hoarded hundreds of thousands of troops. Although they defeated armies, killed generals, and captured Xiongnu chieftains, it only led to deep-seated enmity and did not compensate for the country's military expenses. The Xiongnu have always lived by plundering; it's their nature. Since the time of Shun, Yu, Tang, and Wen, they have always been like this, never properly managed, treated like animals, not even considered human. We do not follow the governance strategies of Shun, Yu, Tang, and Wen, but instead pursue recent mistaken practices. This is precisely why I fear for the empire, and why the people suffer. Furthermore, prolonged warfare leads to chaos, and when things get complicated, it's easy to overlook details. The people on the border are exhausted, generals are suspicious of each other, and external forces are causing trouble. This is why Wei Tao and Zhang Han were able to seek personal gain, the policies of the Qin Dynasty could not be implemented, power was divided between two sons, and this illustrates the reality of gains and losses! The "Book of Zhou" states it well: "A kingdom's safety rests on its commands, its survival on the men it employs." Your Majesty, please think carefully about this and look into it properly.
Next, Xu Le and Yan An submitted memorials on current affairs. After submitting their memorials, the emperor summoned the three of them and said, "Ah, all three of you have arrived. It has taken some time." The emperor, pleased, appointed Dong Yan, Xu Le, and Yan An as langzhong. Dong Yan frequently memorialized the emperor on matters of state and was later promoted to yezhe, zhonglang, and zhongdaifu, achieving four promotions within a year.
Dong Yan said to the emperor, "In ancient times, the territories of feudal lords were only approximately a hundred miles, making control of their strength and weakness easy. Nowadays, some feudal lords have dozens of cities connected, with territories spanning thousands of square miles. If they are comfortable, they are prone to self-indulgence and debauchery; if they are pressured, they will unite to resist the court. Legal measures to weaken them would only invite rebellion, as recent court debates have shown. Currently, there are over ten sons and grandsons of feudal lords, but only one can inherit the throne, while the other siblings, even if they are close relatives, do not have fiefdoms. As a result, benevolent governance is impossible. I hope Your Majesty allows the feudal lords to divide land among their descendants, making them feudal lords. This would bring widespread contentment. It would allow the emperor to demonstrate his benevolence. More importantly, it would subtly weaken their power, leading to their eventual decline." The emperor accepted his suggestion. He also said to the emperor, "With the recent completion of Maoling, all those powerful and troublesome individuals disrupting the peace could be relocated to Maoling. This would enrich the capital while eliminating these threats bloodlessly." The emperor also accepted his suggestion.
The Empress Wei and the King of Yan's affair was exposed, and Gongsun Hong gained merit as a result. Court officials were all scared stiff of him, showering him with gifts worth a king's ransom. Some advised Gongsun Hong, saying, "You are too arrogant!" Gongsun Hong replied, "I have been traveling and studying everywhere since I was young. It has been over forty years, and I have never achieved success. My parents do not treat me as their son, my brothers are not close to me, and my friends have all abandoned me. I have been poor for a long time. A bloke's gotta live large sometime, right? And I'm making up for lost time! I am old now, so I act recklessly."
Gongsun Hong strongly advocated for the development of the northern frontier, saying that the land was rich, the terrain defensible, and with the Yellow River as a barrier and city walls to defend against the Xiongnu, beefing up internal transport and waterways, expanding the Central Plains, was the key to wiping out the Xiongnu. The emperor read his memorial and handed it over to the court ministers for discussion, but everyone said it was not feasible. Gongsun Hong said, "The Qin tried to build the Northern River with 300,000 men – and failed miserably." Zhu Maichen also opposed Gongsun Hong's views, but in the end, they abandoned the development of the northern frontier according to Gongsun Hong's plan.
Under Yuanshuo, Gongsun Hong accused the King of Qi of wrongdoing, so the emperor appointed him as the Prime Minister of Qi. Once in Qi, he rounded up his brothers and mates, handed each of them 500 gold pieces, then said, "When I was poor before, my brothers did not give me food, and my friends did not associate with me. Now that I am the Prime Minister of Qi, some of you have come from afar to welcome me. So, that's it. Consider our friendship kaput. Stay away from my place!" Then he sent someone to inform the King of Qi about the incestuous relationship between him and his sister. The King of Qi, fearing the same fate as the King of Yan, killed himself.
When Gongsun Hong was young, he traveled and studied in Yan and Zhao. When he became powerful, he ratted out Yan. The King of Zhao feared that he would become a threat to the country, so he wanted to report Gongsun Hong's secret dealings, but he held back, being in court and all. When Gongsun Hong became Qi's top dog and left the court, the King of Zhao sent someone to report that Gongsun Hong had taken bribes from neighboring states, resulting in many sons of those states being made nobles. When news of the King of Qi's suicide spread, the Emperor blew his top, believing that Gongsun Hong had coerced the King of Qi to kill himself, so he had him arrested and questioned. Gongsun Hong admitted to accepting money from the neighboring states, but he did not coerce the King of Qi to commit suicide. The Emperor wanted to spare his life, but Gongsun Hong insisted, "The King of Qi killed himself, leaving no heir. Qi's gone, swallowed up by the Han. I'm to blame. Not killing me would be a slap in the face to everyone." So Gongsun Hong and his entire family were wiped out. When Gongsun Hong was in power, he had thousands of guests, but when he was taken out, no one came to see him; only Kong Che saw to his burial. When the Emperor heard about this, he believed Kong Che was a stand-up guy. Xu Le, a man from Yan, wrote:
They say that the greatest calamity in the world comes from a catastrophic collapse like a landslide, rather than gradually crumbling like old tiles. This has been the case throughout history. What is a collapse like a landslide? This was the situation at the end of the Qin Dynasty. Chen Sheng was originally just a nobody with no powerful forces or territory, not a noble or aristocrat, unknown in his hometown, not a sage like Confucius or Mozi, nor a wealthy man like Tao Zhu or Yi Dun. But he rose from the slums, wielding thorny weapons, wearing ragged clothes, shouting loudly, and the people rallied to his cause. Why? Because the people were suffering, rulers were indifferent, grievances went unheard, society was chaotic, and the government did not govern. These were the reasons for Chen Sheng's uprising. This is what is called a complete societal collapse. In contrast, slow disintegration poses less of a threat.
What is slowly falling apart like broken pottery? The armies of the states of Wu, Chu, Qi, Zhao, and others are examples. The seven states conspired to rebel, each claiming to have massive armies, with enough prestige to intimidate the region and enough wealth to motivate the people. However, they failed to seize even an inch of land and were defeated by the armies of the Central Plains. Why? Not because their power was weaker than Chen Sheng's, or their armies were weaker. At that time, the people still remembered the good old days under the previous emperor, and they were content with the status quo, preferring a peaceful life, so the princes lacked external support. This is what is called disintegration.
So, you see, if there’s a total societal collapse, even common folks in their coarse clothes from remote villages might be the first to rise up, threatening the whole realm. Chen Sheng is a case in point, not to mention those other kingdoms. Even if things are shaky, as long as we avoid total collapse, powerful nations and armies won’t easily fail. Wu and Chu are examples; can we really expect some ministers and common people to spark any major chaos? These two situations are what matters most, and wise rulers should keep a close eye on these things.
Recently, the east has faced several years of poor harvests, leaving people impoverished. Plus, there’s all that border trouble. If you think about it, people are probably getting restless. And restless people cause trouble, which can be as terrifying as everything falling apart. So, smart rulers will see what’s really going on, understand the key to stability, and start addressing the problems before they blow up in court. The main thing is to keep things peaceful, before everything goes to hell. So, Your Majesty, you can still enjoy your hunting, your birds, your gardens—everything will be fine. Music always playing, jesters always around—and no worries about the kingdom. Who cares if it’s another Yu the Great or Cheng-Kang era?
But privately, I reckon Your Majesty's a right softie, a real gent. If you truly care about the world, you'd be in the same league as Yu and Tang, bringing back the glory days of the Kang dynasty, and that’s not a difficult task. Once you get those two things right, you'll be famous, everyone will bow down, and your legacy will live on – that's what you really want, isn't it? I've heard tell that failing to conquer the world can actually bring lasting peace. With peace, what couldn't you have? Who wouldn't bend the knee?
