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Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

By Sima Guang

Translated By Yiming Yang

Annals of Qin Book 1 Scroll 6 (continued)

The 1st year of the First Emperor(246 B.C.)

Meng Ao suppressed the riot in the city of Jinyang.

The king of Han wanted to deplete the resources of Qin to prevent them from attacking their neighbors in the east. He sent a hydrologist named Zheng Guo to the kingdom of Qin as an agent of Han. Zheng Guo oversaw a canal project that tunneled through Mount Zhong and the North Mountains, connecting the Jing River and Luo River to the east.

In the middle of the project, Zheng Guo’s identity was disclosed, and the king of Qin was about to execute him. Zheng Guo defended himself, saying, “I might have intended to extend the life of the Han by a few years, but the completion of the canal will benefit Qin for ten thousand generations.”

The king of Qin agreed and provided the resources to complete the project. The canal carried water with rich sediment into forty thousand acres of sodic soils, increasing crop yields significantly. The land to the west of Hangu Pass became more fertile and prosperous.

The 2nd year of the First Emperor(245 B.C.)

General Biao Gong of Qin led troops to raid the city of Juan, where they beheaded thirty thousand soldiers of Wei. 

General Lian Po was appointed deputy prime minister of the kingdom of Zhao and led an attack on the kingdom of Wei, capturing the city of Fangyang. When King Xiaocheng of Zhao died, his son was installed as King Daoxiang of Zhao. The new king replaced General Lian Po with General Yue Sheng, enraging Lian Po, who subsequently attacked Yue Sheng. Yue Sheng fled, and Lian Po went into exile in the kingdom of Wei. Despite his talents and long stay there, Lian Po was not utilized by Wei.

Meanwhile, the kingdom of Zhao suffered several attacks from Qin. The king of Zhao yearned for Lian Po’s return, and Lian Po also longed to serve Zhao again. The kingdom of Zhao sent an envoy to assess whether Lian Po could still meet the demands of warfare. However, Lian Po‘s nemesis, Guo Kai, bribed the envoy with gold and instructed him to belittle Lian Po. When Lian Po met with the envoy, he ate a gallon of rice and ten pounds of meat for dinner, then mounted a horse in full armor to demonstrate his readiness for battle. Despite this display, the envoy reported back: “Although General Lian is old, he still has a good appetite. However, he went to the restroom three times in the hour he sat with me.” Consequently, the king of Zhao did not summon Lian Po, believing him too old.

In response, the king of Chu quietly welcomed Lian Po, who became a commander in the kingdom of Chu. Lian Po did not achieve much there. He often expressed his wish to lead the soldiers of Zhao once more. Lian Po died in the city of Shouchun.

The 3rd year of the First Emperor(244 B.C.)

A famine struck the kingdom of Qin. 

General Meng Ao led a raid on the kingdom of Han, capturing twelve towns.

The king of Zhao appointed General Li Mu as the commander of the campaign against the kingdom of Yan. He successfully captured the cities of Wusui and Fangcheng. Known for his excellence in defending the northern border of Zhao, Li Mu had previously stationed in the regions of Dai and Yanmen to fend off the Xiongnu. He was granted the authority to appoint local officers and funnel the taxation from local markets into his coffers to fund provision for his soldiers. He ensured that several cows were slaughtered daily to feed his troops, and he instructed them to practice horse riding and archery, maintain vigilant bonfire communication, and conduct extensive reconnaissance.

Li Mu made his soldiers pledge: “When the Xiongnu come looting, hold back and consolidate inside the barracks immediately. Behead those who dare to be taken captive.” Whenever the Xiongnu approached, the soldiers of Zhao would watch the bonfire alarms and withdraw into bunkers to avoid combat. They maintained this strategy for several years, suffering few casualties. While the Xiongnu thought Li Mu was timorous, the soldiers of Zhao also began to believe their commander was a coward. Despite reprimands from the king of Zhao, Li Mu remained steadfast in his strategy, which displeased the king, leading him to replace Li Mu with another commander.

Over the next year or so, the new commander engaged in numerous battles with the Xiongnu, losing most of them, resulting in many soldiers being killed or defecting. Consequently, people near the borders could no longer farm and ranch as before. Realizing his mistake, the king of Zhao wanted Li Mu to return to defend the borders. Li Mu retreated home and feigned illness, but the king compelled him to come back. Li Mu demanded: “I will do the same as before if you must have me. Otherwise, I dare not obey.” The king of Zhao approved.

Li Mu returned to the frontier and maintained his previous strategy. For several years, the Xiongnu gained little and began to believe that Li Mu was weak. Meanwhile, Li Mu‘s troops were well rewarded and prepared for battle. He equipped his forces with 1,300 chariots and selected 13,000 cavalry, 50,000 distinguished warriors who had been awarded 100 catties of gold, and 100,000 archers for training. He also employed herdsmen to tend livestock across the land.

In a small skirmish with the Xiongnu, Li Mu staged a fake collapse, leaving behind tens of soldiers to be captured. When Chanyu, the chief of the Xiongnu, heard this report, he led a large multitude to invade. Li Mu then laid out multiple defensive formations and attacked the Xiongnu’ flanks from both sides. The army of Zhao routed the Xiongnu, killing hundreds of thousands of their cavalry. They annihilated the tribe of Chanlan, thrashed the tribe of Donghu, and conquered the tribe of Linhu. Chanyu of the Xiongnu fled and did not come near the border of Zhao for decades.

Before this era, there were seven civilized kingdoms, three of which had borders with barbarian tribes. The kingdom of Qin faced the tribes of Mianzhu, Kunrong, Di, and Huan to the west of the Long Mountains. It also faced the tribes of Yiqu, Dali, Wushi, and Quyan to the north, in regions such as the Qi Mountains, Liang Mountains, Jing River, and Qi River. The tribes of Linhu and Loufan bordered the northern frontier of Zhao, while the tribes of Donghu and Shanrong bordered the northern frontier of Yan. These tribes spread across valleys, each with its own chief, and up to one hundred tribes could come together at times, though they never settled on a common leader.

Later, the tribe of Yiqu built their own castles for protection, but the kingdom of Qin began to encroach on their land. By the time of King Hui of Qin, twenty-five Yiqu castles had been conquered. During the reign of King Zhaoxiang of Qin, Queen Dowager Xuan duped the chief of Yiqu and killed him in the city of Ganquan. She then ordered an attack on the Yiqu tribe, ultimately wiping it out. Qin started building the Great Wall to fend off the barbarians along the western Long Mountains, stretching from the regions of Beidi to Shangjun.

King Wuling of Zhao defeated the tribes of Linhu and Loufan to the north and directed the construction of the Great Wall from Dai commandery to the foot of the Yin Mountains, building a pass at Gaojue. Zhao established administrations in Yunzhong, Yanmen, and Dai commandery. Later, General Qin Kai of Yan, who had been held hostage by the Donghu tribe and gained their trust, returned to Yan and led a successful campaign against them, forcing the Donghu tribe to retreat thousands of miles north. Yan also built the Great Wall from the town of Zaoyang to Xiangping and established administrations in Shanggu, Yuyang, West Beiping, and Liaodong Prefecture to resist the barbarians.  It was not until the end of the warring states period that Xiongnu became strong. 

Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

By Sima Guang

Translated By Yiming Yang

Annals of Qin Book 1 Scroll 6 (continued)

The 2nd year of King Zhuangxiang(248 B.C.) 

There was a solar eclipse in April. 

General Meng Ao of Qin raided the Kingdom of Zhao. He quelled the resistance in the city of Taiyuan and captured thirty-seven towns, including larger cities like Yuci and Langmeng.

Lord Chunshen spoke to the King of Chu: “The area to the north of the Huai River shares a border with the Kingdom of Qi and its defense is in crisis. Please establish a prefecture government there and grant the area to the east of the Yangtze River as my fief to supervise.” The King of Chu approved his request. Lord Chunshen built his hometown on the ruins of the Kingdom of Wu’s capital, constructing extravagant palaces.

The 3rd year of King Zhuangxiang(247 B.C.) 

General Wang He of Qin attacked several cities in the Shangdang region of Zhao. His troops captured all the cities and established the prefecture of Taiyuan.

General Meng Ao of Qin led a campaign against the kingdom of Wei and captured the cities of Gaodu and Ji. As the troops of Wei faced recurring defeats, the king of Wei grew increasingly distressed. He sent an envoy with a letter to Lord Xinling, who was living in exile in the kingdom of Zhao, asking him to return home. However, Lord Xinling still feared retribution for his previous act of taking over the army of Wei and rescuing the kingdom of Zhao. He ordered his followers: “Death penalty to whoever persuades me or speaks for the envoy from Wei.” No one dared to advise him on this subject, except for Mr. Mao and Mr. Xue. They spoke to Lord Xinling, saying, “Your grace is widely respected by the monarchs only because of the existence of the kingdom of Wei. Now, the kingdom of Wei is in crisis and the prince shows no concern. Once the capital Daliang is destroyed and your ancestral temple is erased, how will the prince hold his head high in the world?”

Lord Xinling blushed before they finished their sentences. He immediately jumped into his carriage and headed back to the kingdom of Wei. When they met again, the king of Wei held Lord Xinling‘s hands and wept. He appointed Lord Xinling as his commander-in-chief. Lord Xinling sent out a plea for help to all the monarchs. When the monarchs saw that Lord Xinling was in command, they sent troops to aid the kingdom of Wei. Lord Xinling led troops from five kingdoms in the region of Hewai and defeated General Meng Ao. Meng Ao and his troops fled, Lord Xinling pursued all the way to Hangu Pass before returning.

A resident of the state of Anling named Suo Gao had a son who worked for the kingdom of Qin. Suo Gao’s son was in charge of the defense of the city of Guan. Lord Xinling could not break into the city of Guan, so he sent an envoy to Lord Anling, the head of state where Suo Gao lived, and said, “If you send Suo Gao to my camp, I will promote him to a high official and a tally-carrying general.”

Lord Anling was non-committal: “Anling is a small state, and we don’t force our people to do things. Your envoy had better go and ask him in person.” He ordered his official to lead the envoy to Suo Gao’s residence. The envoy passed on the message from Lord Xinling. Suo Gao responded, “Lord Xinling gives me too much credit. He asks me to attack the city of Guan. It is absurd for a father to attack a city his son defends. If my son saw me and surrendered, he would betray his lord. Lord Xinling would not like it if a father taught his son to betray his lord. I am sorry, but I cannot oblige.”

The envoy reported back to Lord Xinling, who was furious. He sent someone to the house of Lord Anling with this message: “Anling is a vassal state of Wei. Now I cannot overcome the resistance of the city of Guan. When the troops of Qin come back at me, our state of Wei will be in peril. I hope you deliver Suo Gao tied up to me. If you don’t, I will send one hundred thousand troops to the gate of your city!”

Lord Anling rebutted, “My father, Marquis Cheng, took over the state according to the decree from King Xiang of Wei. He handed the constitutional law from the central government to him. The first part of the law states: ‘Sons killing their fathers and subjects killing their lords are unpardonable crimes. Even a state-wide amnesty would not pardon a soldier who surrendered a besieged city or ran away from the battlefront.’ Now, Suo Gao has declined a high-ranking job to preserve the bond between father and son, and you ask me to tie him up and deliver him to you. You are asking me to break the constitutional law and the decree of King Xiang. This is something I dare not do, even under the threat of the death penalty.”

Suo Gao heard the exchange and sighed, “Lord Xinling is a violent and self-centered person. The rejection from Lord Anling will result in trouble for the state of Anling. I have upheld my principles and my duty to my lord. I do not want disaster to fall upon my lord.”

He went to see the envoy and, in front of him, slit his own throat. When Lord Xinling heard the story, he mourned Suo Gao’s death by donning a mourning gown and moving out of his main residence. He sent an envoy to Lord Anling to beg for forgiveness, saying, “Wuji is an immoral man. I offended Lord Anling because I was troubled by the difficult situation. I apologize for my sins.”

The king of Qin spent ten thousand catties of gold to sow discord in the kingdom of Wei and oust Lord Xinling. He found a former attendant of General Jin Bi to gossip about Lord Xinling in front of the king of Wei: “Prince Wuji spent more than ten years outside the country. Now he is in charge, and all the monarchs answer his call. They all hear about Lord Xinling, and no one cares about the king of Wei.” The king of Qin even sent letters to Lord Xinling, taunting him: “Have you become king of Wei yet?”

As the rumors spread, the king of Wei could not resist their influence. He released Lord Xinling from command and sent others to replace him. Realizing this was the second time he had been dismissed, Lord Xinling stopped attending court, claiming illness. He indulged himself in alcohol and sex, and he died four years later.

The king of Han requested to attend his funeral, and Lord Xinling‘s son felt honored. He mentioned it to Zishun, who advised him, “You should not host the king of Han based on protocol. The protocol states: ‘The king must be the host when a neighboring king comes to mourn.’ The king has not delegated this right to you. Therefore, you should not accept the king of Han.” Following this advice, Lord Xinling‘s son declined the king ‘s request.

On May 23 of the summer, the king of Qin died. His son Zheng was installed as the new king at the age of thirteen. All state affairs were delegated to Marquis Wenxin, whom the new king addressed as “Uncle.”

A riot broke out in the city of Jinyang.

Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

By Sima Guang

Translated By Yiming Yang

Annals of Qin Book 1 Scroll 6 (continued)

The 52nd year of King Zhaoxiang(255 B.C.) (continued)

Lord Chunshen of Chu appointed Xun Qing as the administrator of Lanling County. Xun Qing, also known as Xun Kuang, was originally from the kingdom of Zhao. He discussed warfare with Lord Linwu in front of King Cheng of Zhao. The king asked, “What are the key elements of conducting wars?”

Lord Linwu began, “Master timing and weather from the above; knowing the terrain and geographic features from the below. Then it is watching the enemy’s movement closely: Moving after your enemy moves and reaching the destination before your enemy. These are the key elements of conducting wars.”

Xun Kuang started his discourse, saying, “I don’t think so. From what I have learned from studying history, the key element of warfare lies in the people. If a bow and arrows are not calibrated well, even an excellent archer like Hou Yi would not be able to hit a small target. If the six horses on a chariot do not run at the same pace, even a great driver like Zao Fu would not be able to go very far. If the soldiers and people are not well organized, even a military leader like Shang Tang or King Wu of Zhou would not be able to secure victory. Therefore, a leader who is good at latching onto people is also a military commander who is good at conducting wars. That’s why the key element of warfare is uniting people.”

Lord Linwu refuted, “That is not true. Military strategy emphasizes taking momentum and advantage; military tactic uses trickery and innovation. The masters of the art of war change pace so quickly and hide actions so well that you cannot anticipate their next move. Sun Zi and Wu Qi were so adept at this that no rival could compete with them. Who had the time uniting people?”

Xun Kuang responded, “I disagree. What I am talking about is a troop of the benevolent; a troop with the will of their supreme leader at heart. You value trickery and taking advantage of the situation. A troop of the benevolent will not be tricked. On the other end, a troop of snobbish soldiers can be fooled; a troop of sloppy men can be fooled; a nation where the lord and its subjects are alienated can be fooled. Xia Jie may trick another man like him and get lucky depending on his craft. Jie’s trying to trick Emperor Yao is like hitting rocks with eggs or churning boiling water with your fingers. Doing so is like jumping into fire or flood—you get burned or drowned immediately. Therefore, a troop of the benevolent unites for one purpose; all groups of armies drive in the same direction. The relationship between countrymen and their monarch is equivalent to that between subordinates and their superiors: It works just like sons serving their father; like younger brothers respecting their elders; like hands and arms protecting the head and eyes and then covering the chest and belly.”  

“A sneak attack on such a country is the same as alarming them and then attacking them. A state of the benevolent with ten miles of territory will have the awareness of a hundred miles; a state with a hundred miles of territory will have the awareness of a thousand miles; and a state with a thousand miles of territory will have the awareness of the whole world. This state will be perceptive and vigilant and fight together as one. Thus, the troop of the benevolent will be in formation when they congregate and spread out like wings when they disperse. They expand like the sharp blade of a Moye sword, cutting through anything in its path. They thrust like the tip of a Moye sword, piercing through anything in its way. When they station in a circle or square formation, they are solid as rocks. Those who ram into them will break their horns and run away.”

“Moreover, with the tyrant rulers of violent nations, who will they reach out to? Those they reach out to must be their people. If their people regard us as close and beloved as parents, and cherish us as fragrant as pepper and orchids; As they look back at their superiors, they view them as if they were branded criminals, as if they were enemies and foes. The nature of people, even those like Jie and Zhi(the bandit), is similar. Would they willingly harm what they love and help what they hate? This is like making one’s descendants harm their own parents. They will certainly come to report to us, so how can deception be possible? Therefore, when a benevolent person governs a state, the state will become more enlightened, whereas other states will be more secure to comply with it first. Those who comply later will be in danger, those who oppose will be weakened, and those who rebel will perish.  The Book of Songs says: ‘When King Wu set forth, with a reverent grasp of the battle-ax, like a blazing fire, no one dared to stand in the way.’ This is what it means.”

King Xiaocheng of Zhao and Lord Linwu both concurred: “Good speech! May we ask, what principles and actions make a troop of the benevolent?”

“In general, if a ruler is wise, his country will be well-governed; if the ruler is incapable, his country will be in chaos. A country that emphasizes ritual and values righteousness will be well-governed; a country that neglects ritual and despises righteousness will be in chaos. A well-governed country is strong; a chaotic country is weak—this is the root of strength and weakness. If the upper ranks are respectable, the lower ranks can be employed effectively. If the upper ranks are not respectable, the lower ranks cannot be employed effectively. When the lower ranks can be employed effectively, the country is strong; when they cannot be employed effectively, the country is weak—this is the abiding principle of strength and weakness.”

“A state is strong where scholars are appreciated and weak where scholars are disliked. A state is strong where the people are taken care of and weak where the monarch does not care about them. A state is strong where policies are believed in and weak where policies are not enforced. A state is strong where wars are the last resort and weak where wars are treated casually. A state is strong where executive powers are concentrated in one place and weak where executive powers come from two different places. This is the abiding principle of the strength and weakness of a state.”

“The people of Qi overstate martial arts, a combat skill. They exchange four hundred grams of gold for every chopped head, which is not the appropriate reward for winning a war. They may get away with it when the war is small-scale and the enemy is weak. But when the war is significant and the enemy is tough, the martial artists will disperse and run away. They scatter like birds; they flip-flop in no time. They are the troops of a crashing state. There are no weaker troops than they are. They are not far from the troops you hire from a market and take to war.”

“The valiant soldiers from the kingdom of Wei are recruited based on strict measures. Each soldier must put on full armor, operate a twelve hundred-pound crossbow, carry fifty arrows, hold a dagger-ax, wear a helmet, carry a sword at his side, and three days of food on his back. The fully loaded soldier must walk fifty li[half of a kilometer] in a day. Once a soldier passes the test and is chosen, his family is exempt from taxes and awarded land and houses. These benefits won’t be rescinded even when the soldier’s stamina diminishes from his prime. There is no recalculation of benefit. Therefore, the state would be short on revenue even with a large territory. This armed force presents a peril to the state.”

“The elite of Qin make their people’s lives difficult and drive them with draconian rules. They force the people to fight through coercion, poverty, reward, and punishment. The people have no choice but to fight for their rulers. They reward and promote those who accomplish military feats. Those who behead five enemy soldiers rule five families back home. This is how they maintain a large and formidable army. They have been winners for four generations. That’s not luck but preordained. Therefore, the martial artists of Qi are no match for the valiant soldiers of Wei; the valiant soldiers of Wei are no match for the super warriors of Qin. The super warriors of Qin cannot resist the troops disciplined by Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin; the troops disciplined by Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin cannot resist the army of justice led by King Tang of Shang and King Wu of Zhou. If you really want to make them clash, it would be like hitting rocks with brittle wood. The armies of these states are made up of people who seek rewards and benefits, who sell their bodies for hire, not those who respect the monarch, are comfortable with the legal system, and strive for righteousness. If a monarch could nurture his army with sophistication, his army would pose a great threat to these states, by annexing them one day.”

“That’s why all the advertising, recruiting, and selecting which highlight benefits and potentials are mere allurements. In contrast, education that teaches benevolence and righteousness aligns the people’s mindset. Using allurements to counter allurements is a matter of crafty versus cumbersome; using allurements to counter alignment is like trying to bring down Mount Tai with a chisel. That’s why King Tang of Shang and King Wu of Zhou easily led a coalition of states, many of them violent and powerful, to dethrone King Jie of Xia and King Zhou of Shang, and to kill them like they were pariahs. The term ‘Pariah Zhou’ in the Book of Document, chapter Taishi, refers to this history. Total alignment of the people’s minds is sufficient to conquer the world, while significant alignment is enough to overcome neighboring enemy states. The troops assembled by allurements are uncertain of winning or losing, deflated at times, inflated at others; surviving one time, perishing the next, one no better than the other. Thus, it is said that wise men do not rely on troops like bandits.”

King Xiaocheng of Zhao and Lord Linwu agreed: “Well said! May we ask how to be a commander?”

Xun Kuang replied: “The greatest wisdom has no suspicion; the greatest action has no blunder; the greatest achievement has no regret. Doing something with no regret left is the pinnacle of doing it, and is not a necessity. Therefore, the order and policy of the command must be rigorous and authoritative; the reward and punishment of the command must be fair and honorable; the barracks and logistics of the command must be solid and secure; the movement of the troops must be both safe and deliberate, both nimble and speedy; the reconnaissance of the enemy’s action must be stealthy and thorough; the decisive battles must be based on reliable intelligence, not suspicious information. These are the six tactics.”

“Not being a commander yet afraid of being recalled; not craving victory yet forgetting that failure is lurking behind; not being complacent at home yet underestimating external threats; not coveting profits only yet neglecting harms; planning carefully and executing freely within the budget. These are the five measures.”

“A commander has three cases where he does not have to follow his lord’s order: never put your troops in an insecure position even under the threat of the death penalty; never engage your troops in a no-win battle even under the threat of the death penalty; never allow your troops to mistreat civilians. These are the three high principles.”

“As soon as he assumes duty as the commander, he must tour the three fronts of the army. When all parts of the army are in order, and all the officers are in position, then all other issues will fall into place. The lord could not make him proud; the enemy could not make him angry; that is the most competent commander.”

“Think through first before taking action; take what you do seriously; be as cautious towards the end as in the beginning; being consistent throughout from beginning to end gives the best chance of success. Most successes come from due care, and most failures come from negligence. Therefore, warfare is promising when due care overcomes negligence; warfare is hopeless when negligence overcomes due care. Warfare goes smoothly when planning overcomes craving; warfare runs amok when craving overcomes planning. Attacking should be as cautious as defending; marching should be as vigilant as fighting; taking achievements as being lucky. No slack when planning; no slack when going to battles; no slack when dealing with officers; no slack when treating soldiers. No slack when fighting enemies. I call these the ‘five no-slacks’.”

“A commander who can practice these six tactics, five measures, and three principles with due care and no negligence is world-class and truly blessed.”

King Xiaocheng of Zhao and Lord Linwu were nodding: “Well said! May we ask what the system of command and control is for the king of the world?”

Xun Kuang continued: “It is honorable that generals die while drums beat; charioteers die with the leash in their hands; officials die on their duty; and warriors die in echelons. It is imperative to forge ahead on hearing the drum and to retreat on hearing the gong. Following the order is the top quality; performing well is the second. Moving forward when told not to is as guilty as pulling back when told to stay put. Do not kill the old and the weak; do not loot the crops; do not imprison those who have surrendered. Do not forgive those who are still resisting; do not hunt those who fled. Do not kill people; kill those who agitate people if you have to kill. Those people who protect the troublemakers are troublemakers themselves. Whoever goes along with our sword lives, those who go against our sword die, and those who run away are pardoned.”

“Weizi of Shang submitted to King Wu of Zhou and was awarded the fief state of Song. Cao Chulong of Shang was beheaded on the battlefield when he resisted King Wu of Zhou. The people of Shang who conceded to the kingdom of Zhou lived no differently from the people of Zhou. That is the reason why people near the kingdom of Zhou sang praise to King Wu of Zhou and expressed their happiness, and people from afar made the trek to relocate in the kingdom of Zhou. Even those states lying in remote and secluded areas were happy to obey King Wu of Zhou. The whole world was like a big family, and all the people whom communication could reach deferred to the same king. They called him the role model. The lyric ‘From the west to the east, from the south to the north, no one thought to defy’ talked about this in the Book of Songs.”

“The king of the world punishes criminals but not by waging wars; he would rather defend than attack; he would congratulate his enemy if they treat their rank and file nicely. The king of the world would not raid a city; he would not launch sneak attacks; he would not leave his troops to occupy other states; he would time-box the warfare. Therefore, the people of states in political turmoil would prefer the king of the world to their own lords. They wished his troops would come to their states.”

Lord Linwu exclaimed, “Well said!”

Chen Xiao asked Xun Kuang: “Your theory of warfare is based on humanity and ethics. Humanity is about love; ethics is about rules and reasons. Why do people go to wars in the first place? Most wars are jockeying for things.”

Xun Kuang retorted: “You don’t understand. Humanity is about loving people, then loathing those who hurt people. Ethics is about following the rules and morals, then loathing those who violate rules and morals. Wars are to stop atrocities against people and morals, not to jockey for other things.”

King Xiao of Yan died. His son Xi was installed as the king. People of Zhou fled to the east. The people of Qin took their treasures. They moved the Duke of West Zhou to a village named Danhuju.