Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Han Book 1 Scroll 9 (continued)
The 2nd year of Emperor Gaozu(205 B.C. continued)
The King of Han returned to his capital, Yueyang, in June. On June 6, he designated his son, Liu Ying, as the Crown Prince and declared an amnesty for all criminals in the kingdom.
The Han army besieged and flooded the city of Feiqiu, leading to its surrender. General Zhang Han, seeing no escape, committed suicide. The Kingdom of Yong, which came under the control of the Han, was divided into three commanderies: Zhongdi, Beidi and Longxi.
During this time, a severe famine struck the Guanzhong region, causing the price of a bushel of rice to soar to ten thousand money units (about half a kilogram of gold). In desperation, some people resorted to cannibalism. The Han government encouraged the starving population to relocate to the more fertile regions of Shu and Hanzhong commandery.
When the Qin Empire fell, the wealthy hoarded gold and jade. However, Mr. Ren from Xuanqu focused on stockpiling grain in his family cellars. As the Chu and Han armies engaged in prolonged warfare near Xingyang, preventing farmers from tending their fields, the value of food soared. The wealthy soon traded their gold and jade to Mr. Ren in exchange for grain, leading his family to amass substantial wealth that sustained them for generations.
In August, the King of Han traveled to Xingyang. He assigned Xiao He to remain in Guanzhong to oversee the care of the Crown Prince, granting him full authority over legislation, the construction of altars for ancestral worship, royal palaces, and the administration of counties and towns. Xiao He was empowered to make decisions promptly without the need to consult the King, with the understanding that these decisions would be ratified upon the King’s return. Xiao He also created a comprehensive registry of all households in the Guanzhong region, and he efficiently managed the transport of food supplies and conscripts to the army, ensuring that the forces never faced shortages.
The King of Han sent Li Yiji to persuade Wei Bao, the King of Wei, to return to Xingyang. However, Wei Bao refused, saying, “The King of Han is rude and abusive. He treats his allies and ministers as if they were slaves. I cannot bear to face him again!”
In response, the King of Han appointed Han Xin as Vice Chancellor, with Guan Ying and Cao Shen as his lieutenants, and tasked them with leading the campaign against the Kingdom of Wei. The King of Han then inquired of Li Yiji, “Who is the commander-in-chief of Wei?” Li Yiji replied, “Bo Zhi.” The King of Han dismissed this with disdain, saying, “Bo Zhi is just a child, still wet behind the ears! How could he stand up to Han Xin?”
He continued his inquiry, asking, “Who is their cavalry commander?” Li Yiji answered, “It is Feng Jing.” The King of Han remarked, “He is the son of Feng Wuze, a general of Qin. He is capable, but he will not be able to defeat Guan Ying.” Then he asked, “Who is their infantry commander?” Li Yiji responded, “It is Xiang Tuo.” The King of Han relaxed, saying, “He is no match for Cao Shen. I have no worries.”
Han Xin also questioned Li Yiji, asking, “Is the commander-in-chief of Wei not Zhou Shu?” Li Yiji assured him, “No, it is Bo Zhi.” With that reassurance, Han Xin felt relieved and commented, “He is just a juvenile.” Confident in their advantage, Han Xin initiated the campaign against the Kingdom of Wei.
The King of Wei, Wei Bao, positioned his forces at Puban to defend against the Han army stationed at Lijin Pass. Han Xin executed a tactical ruse by deploying decoy troops and displaying numerous boats at Linjin Pass, creating the illusion of a large-scale crossing of the Yellow River. Meanwhile, he secretly sent another force across the river at Xiayang county using pontoons constructed from tree logs and ceramic urns. This surprise attack force swiftly advanced on Anyi County.
Caught off guard, Wei Bao quickly led his troops to confront Han Xin‘s forces but was defeated. In September, Han Xin captured King Wei Bao, who was then taken to Xingyang. With the fall of Wei Bao, the entire territory of the former Kingdom of Wei came under the control of the King of Han. The conquered region was reorganized into three commanderies: Hedong, Shangdang, and Taiyuan.
When the Han army suffered a major defeat to the west of Pengcheng, Chen Yu discovered that Zhang Er was still alive. Upon this realization, he immediately turned against the King of Han. After successfully taking control of the Kingdom of Wei, Han Xin proposed leading a force of thirty thousand elite troops to launch a campaign against the northern Kingdoms of Yan and Zhao, as well as the eastern Kingdom of Qi. He also aimed to cut off the supply lines of the Chu forces from the south. The King of Han approved Han Xin‘s strategic plan and assigned Zhang Er to assist him on the mission.
Han Xin‘s army advanced eastward before turning north to attack the Kingdoms of Zhao and Dai. During the leap month of September, Han Xin decisively defeated the army of Dai and captured Xia Yue, the Prime Minister of Dai, in the town of Yuyu. Following these rapid victories over Wei and Dai, the King of Han ordered Han Xin‘s elite troops to return to Xingyang to reinforce defenses against the advancing forces of Chu.
Reflection by Rio Grande 
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