Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Zhou Book 3 Scroll 3 (continued)
The 2nd year of King Nan (313 B.C.)
A distinguished general of Qin, named Ji, spearheaded a military campaign against the kingdom of Zhao. He successfully seized the city of Lin and captured General Zhuang Bao, the defender of the city.
The king of Qin contemplated an invasion of the kingdom of Qi. However, he hesitated due to concerns about the close familial connections between the kingdoms of Qi and Chu. To address this issue, he dispatched Zhang Yi to persuade the King of Chu. Zhang Yi approached the king with a proposal: “Your Majesty, if you are willing to follow my advice, by closing off borders and severing the alliance with Qi, I will offer the vast territory of Shangyu, stretching six hundred miles wide, and propose a Qin princess to become a concubine to Your Majesty. Through these arrangements, Qin and Chu can fortify their bond through intermarriage and become allied states in the future.” The King of Chu found this proposition agreeable and accepted it.
Chu‘s court advisors and officials extended their congratulations to the King of Chu for gaining six hundred miles of land, yet Chen Zhen remained the sole figure in a state of mourning. Enraged, the King demanded an explanation, questioning why there was mourning when he had acquired significant territory without mobilizing troops. Chen Zhen responded, expressing a more nuanced perspective.
“Your Majesty, it’s not as straightforward as it seems. Shangyu does not rightfully belong to us, and in my view, Qin and Qi are moving towards reconciliation. With Qin valuing its relationship with Chu through Qi, severing ties with Qi has isolated us. Qin, being ambitious for more land, is unlikely to cede six hundred miles to us. Zhang Yi will likely renege on his promises upon returning to Qin. By cutting ties with Qi to the North, we are inviting trouble from Qin in the west. Soon, both kingdoms’ armies may reach our doorstep. It might be wise to maintain a clandestine relationship with Qi while publicly ending it. We have an agent following Zhang Yi. There’s still time to sever ties with Qi once Zhang Yi delivers the promised six hundred miles.”
The King of Chu then responded, “Please refrain from speaking further, Mr. Chen. Watch as I expand our territory.” He rewarded Zhang Yi by appointing him as the Prime Minister and offering him substantial rewards. Subsequently, the King sealed the pass to the Kingdom of Qi and officially severed relations with them. He also dispatched a general to accompany Zhang Yi back to the Kingdom of Qin.
Zhang Yi feigned injury by falling off his chariot and remained absent from court for three months. The King of Chu grew suspicious, wondering, “Does Zhang Yi believe I haven’t completely severed ties with Qi?” To test this, he sent a gladiator named Song Yi, who traveled through the state of Song and approached the Kingdom of Qi. Song Yi obtained a passport from the state of Song and managed to secure an audience with the King of Qi. In front of the King, Song Yi launched insults and curses, enraging the King of Qi, who, in response, humbled himself to placate the Kingdom of Qin. As a result, the Kingdom of Qin and Qi reconciled.
Afterward, Zhang Yi returned to court and encountered Chu‘s ambassador, taunting him, “Why haven’t you received your land yet? It’s just a vast stretch of six miles from here to there!” The ambassador felt humiliated and reported this to the King of Chu, who became infuriated and prepared to attack the Kingdom of Qin. Chen Zhen, however, offered an alternative suggestion, “May I share a few words? It would be wiser to offer a renowned city to bribe the Kingdom of Qin rather than attacking them. We could then unite with Qin to attack the Kingdom of Qi. The land we lost to Qin could be compensated for from Qi. By severing ties with Qi and accusing Qin of deceit, we’ve driven Qin and Qi into an alliance, attracting troops from all over the world to attack us. Our kingdom will suffer severe damage.”
Despite Chen Zhen‘s counsel, the King of Chu rejected this advice and appointed Qu Gai to lead an expedition against the Kingdom of Qin, while the Kingdom of Qin was led by General Wei Zhang in the counteroffensive.
The 3rd year of King Nan (312 B.C.)
The armies of Qin and Chu clashed in Danyang. Chu‘s forces suffered a devastating defeat, resulting in the loss of eighty thousand heavily armored soldiers. Among those captured were Qu Gai, along with seventy other marquesses and royalties. Additionally, Hanzhong, a Chu prefect, was taken by the kingdom of Qin. In response, the King of Chu mobilized another army to counter-attack Qin but faced yet another resounding defeat.
Taking advantage of Chu‘s vulnerable position, the kingdoms of Han and Wei dispatched their troops southward to raid Chu‘s territory. Their forces advanced toward the city of Deng. Faced with these challenges, the kingdom of Chu withdrew its troops and eventually reached a cessation of hostilities, ceding two additional cities as indemnity to Qin in the process.
The people of Yan crowned Prince Ping as King Zhao of Yan amidst the kingdom’s shattered state. King Zhao sympathized with the populace, mourning the families’ losses, sharing their weal and woe, and generously incentivizing talented individuals to aid in governing the state. King Zhao of Yan confided in Guo Wei that the kingdom of Yan was taken advantage of by the kingdom of Qi amidst internal turmoil, leaving Yan in a vulnerable and weakened state. He acknowledged this weakness, preventing the kingdom from seeking immediate revenge for past humiliations. Despite this, King Zhao expressed a strong desire to recruit intellectuals who could assist in governing the kingdom. His ultimate goal was to restore honor to the kingdom and seek redress for the previous king’s dishonor. He specifically requested Guo Wei to identify and recruit suitable candidates for this purpose.
Guo Wei responded with a story: “There was a lord who intended to buy an endurance stallion from Juan for a thousand ounces of gold. However, when the stallion died, the lord paid five hundred ounces for its skeleton. The lord was furious, but the buyer explained that he was willing to buy even dead horses, implying the availability of live stallions in the future. If your grace really wants to seek talents, please start with Guo Wei. Much greater talents would arrive from afar, undeterred by the distance.”
Impressed, King Zhao promptly erected a palace for Guo Wei and appointed him as the king’s professor. Word of Guo Wei‘s recruitment spread, attracting intellectuals to Yan. Notably, Yue Yi came from Wei, and Ju Xin arrived from Zhao. The King of Zhao honored Yue Yi with the second-highest nobility rank and entrusted him with the state affairs.In Han, King Xuan Hui passed away, succeeded by his son Cang, who ascended as King Xiang of Han.
Reflection by Rio Grande 
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