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Tag: Zhao Gao

  • Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 71): A Deer or A Horse

    Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

    By Sima Guang

    Translated By Yiming Yang

    Annals of Qin Book 3 Scroll 8 (continued)

    The Tomb of The Second Emperor of Qin

    The 3rd year of the Second Emperor(207 B.C. continued)

    Earlier, the eunuch Chancellor Zhao Gao sought to establish absolute authority over the Qin empire but feared that other court officials might not be fully obedient. To test their loyalty, he devised a scheme. He presented a deer to the Second Emperor and said, “This is a horse.” The Emperor laughed and said, “Are you mistaken, Chancellor? You call a deer a horse?” The Emperor then asked those around him for their opinion. Some remained silent, others agreed it was a horse to appease Zhao Gao, while a few said it was a deer. Zhao Gao covertly persecuted those who called it a deer. From that point on, all the court officials were terrified of him, and no one dared to disagree with him.

    Zhao Gao often dismissed the uprisings east of Hangu Pass, saying, “They are merely burglars, not a serious threat.” However, after Xiang Yu captured General Wang Li, and General Zhang Han suffered a series of defeats, Zhang Han sent repeated requests for reinforcements. Meanwhile, many towns east of Hangu Pass rebelled against Qin officials and aligned with the other kingdoms. Generals from these kingdoms began leading their armies westward toward Qin.

    In August, the Duke of Pei led tens of thousands of troops through Wu Pass, annihilating all its defenders. Fearing that his lies had angered the Second Emperor and would result in his own execution, Zhao Gao feigned illness and stopped attending court.

    The Second Emperor had a troubling dream in which a white tiger bit and killed the leftmost horse of his chariot. Feeling uneasy, he sought the interpretation of a shaman, who told him, “The deity of the Jing River is the source of this trouble.” Disturbed by the dream, the Emperor began fasting and praying at Wangyi Palace, planning to appease the Jing River deity by sacrificing four white horses. Simultaneously, he sent a message reprimanding Zhao Gao for his mishandling of the eastern rebellions. This frightened Zhao Gao, who conspired with his son-in-law, Yan Le, the mayor of Xianyang, and his brother Zhao Cheng.

    Zhao Gao lamented to them: “The Emperor no longer heeds my counsel. Now, he blames me in his time of crisis. I intend to depose him and enthrone Ziying. Ziying is kind and prudent, and everyone speaks well of him.” He then ordered the court security chief, Zhao Cheng, to act as an insider. Zhao Gao fabricated a story that gangsters had infiltrated the palace, and Yan Le was to send his troops inside under this pretext. As leverage, Zhao Gao also took Yan Le’s mother hostage.

    Yan Le led a thousand officers and soldiers to the gates of Wangyi Palace, tying up the chief guard and the court attendants. He shouted, “Gangsters have entered the palace! Why did you stop them?” The chief guard retorted, “The palace is well-guarded at all times. How could gangsters have gotten in?” In response, Yan Le ordered the chief guard’s execution. His forces stormed the palace, firing arrows. Eunuchs and servants panicked—some fled, while others were killed. Dozens died in the chaos.

    Zhao Cheng and Yan Le penetrated the inner court, where the Second Emperor was praying. An arrow struck the Emperor’s curtains, enraging him. He called for his servants, but they were too paralyzed by fear to act. Only one eunuch remained by his side. The Emperor asked, “Why didn’t you tell me the truth earlier? Now it’s come to this.” The eunuch replied, “I have survived by staying silent. Had I told you the truth, I would have been killed long ago.”

    Yan Le confronted the Second Emperor, accusing him: “You are tyrannical and reckless. You’ve killed countless people without remorse, and the entire country has risen against you. What do you intend to do now?” The Second Emperor pleaded, “May I see the Chancellor?” Yan Le refused. The Emperor then begged, “I want to be a king of a commandery.” Again, the answer was no. He lowered his request: “I want to be a marquis with a fief of ten thousand households.” Yan Le still refused. Finally, the Emperor pleaded, “Let me be a commoner, living with my wife, like the other princes.”

    Yan Le replied coldly, “I have orders from the Chancellor to kill you for the good of the realm. Say as much as your honor wants, I cannot report back.” He then ordered his soldiers to advance. Cornered, the Second Emperor took his own life.

    Yan Le reported back to Zhao Gao, who then summoned all the court officials and royals to inform them of the Second Emperor‘s death. Zhao Gao declared, “Qin was originally a kingdom, and only the First Emperor became ruler of all under heaven, claiming the title of emperor. Now, with the six kingdoms restored and Qin’s territory diminished, it is no longer fitting to call ourselves an empire. Let us return to being a kingdom.” He then enthroned Ziying as the King of Qin, and the Second Emperor was buried as a commoner in Yichun Garden, south of Du County.

    In September, Zhao Gao ordered Ziying to begin fasting and praying in preparation for a ceremony in which he would worship at the ancestral temple and receive the royal jade seal. On the fifth day of fasting, Ziying devised a plot with his two sons. He said, “Chancellor Zhao Gao murdered the Second Emperor at Wangyi Palace. Fearing retaliation from the court, he pretended to seek justice by making me king. I have heard that Zhao Gao conspired with the Kingdom of Chu to eliminate all Qin royals and divide Qin into smaller kingdoms. His plan is to kill me when I go to the temple under the guise of this ceremony. I will feign illness, and when Zhao Gao comes to force me, we shall kill him.”

    Zhao Gao sent numerous messengers to urge Ziying to attend the temple ceremony, but Ziying refused. Eventually, Zhao Gao came in person, demanding, “The ancestral temple ceremony is the most important event for the kingdom. Why, as king, are you refusing to go?” At that moment, Ziying assassinated Zhao Gao in the palace where he had been fasting. He then ordered the execution of Zhao Gao’s entire family, setting an example to others.

    Ziying dispatched additional troops to defend Yao Pass. The Duke of Pei intended to launch an attack on the pass, but Zhang Liang advised caution: “The Qin army is still strong, and we should not underestimate them. We should set up banners and flags on the mountains to create the illusion of a larger force, then send lobbyists Li Yiji and Lu Jia to negotiate with Qin’s generals, offering them incentives.” The Qin generals, as predicted, were open to negotiations. The Duke of Pei was prepared to finalize the deal when Zhang Liang suggested another approach: “Though the generals may be ready to switch sides, their soldiers may not follow. Now that their guard is down, it is better to strike.”Following this advice, the Duke of Pei led his troops around Yao Pass, cleared Mount Kuai, and routed the Qin army south of Lantian. After taking Lantian, they fought another battle north of the town, decisively defeating the Qin forces again.

  • Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 60): Conspiracy at Shaqiu Palace

    Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

    By Sima Guang

    Translated By Yiming Yang

    Annals of Qin Book 2 Scroll 7 (continued)

    Terracotta Warriors in Mausoleum of the First Emperor

    The 36th year of the First Emperor(211 B.C.)

    A meteor fell in Dongjun Commandery, and someone engraved on the meteor rock: “The First Emperor dies and his land is divided.” The First Emperor ordered his justice minister to launch an inquisition around the stone’s landing place, but no one confessed. In response, the First Emperor decreed the execution of all the people who lived in the neighborhood. The rock was then incinerated.

    In response to an augury, the First Emperor relocated thirty thousand households to the regions of Yuzhong to the North of Yellow River. Each head of the household was promoted by one rank.

    The 37th year of the First Emperor(210 B.C.)

    The First Emperor was traveling in October of the winter.  He was accompanied by the Chancellor Li Si.  Vice Chancellor Feng Quji stayed behind in the capital.  Among the twenty or so sons, the First Emperor favored the youngest son Huhai.  Huhai pleaded to travel with the Emperor and his wish was granted.

    The First Emperor arrived in Yunmeng county in November. There, he held a rite to worship Emperor Shun while looking towards Jiuyi Mountains. Then he sailed down the Yangtze River, sightseeing at the town of Jike, watching an islet in the river, passing through Danyang county, and finally reaching Qiantang county. The waves were high and treacherous at the Zhe River. They traveled two hundred and twenty li westward to cross the river at a narrow point.

    The First Emperor ascended Mount Kuaiji and held a ritual in honor of Emperor Yu the Great, looking towards the South Sea. The First Emperor installed another tablet with inscriptions praising his virtue. On the way home, the First Emperor passed through the State of Wu, crossed the Yangtze River at Jiangsheng County, and sailed north on the East Ocean, reaching Mount Langya and Mount Zhifu. There, they saw a huge fish in the sea, and the First Emperor shot the fish with a crossbow. They sailed west along the coast and reached a crossing called Pingyuanjin, where the First Emperor fell ill.

    The First Emperor hated the word “death,” and none of the ministers dared to mention the subject. As his illness worsened, he ordered his chief dispatcher of central command, Zhao Gao, who was in charge of the royal seal, to write a letter to his eldest son Fusu: “Come to my funeral, come to Xianyang for my entombment.” The letter was sealed and held by Zhao Gao, but had not been given to a messenger yet.

    In July of the autumn, the First Emperor died at the Palace of Shaqiu in the village of Pingtai. Chancellor Li Si, fearing possible power wrangling among the princes with the Emperor dying away from the capital, kept the news of his death a secret. The Emperor’s coffin was insulated in his wagon to keep the temperature low, and the same favorite eunuchs drove and escorted the wagon. Whenever they traveled to a new place, food and local officials were brought to the wagon as usual. The eunuchs processed the reports and dealt out decrees as before. Only Huhai, Zhao Gao, and five or six of the most trusted eunuchs knew of the Emperor’s death.

    The First Emperor was fond of the Meng clan and trusted them deeply. Meng Tian, the top general, was stationed on the frontier as the army commander, while Meng Yi served in the court as chief of staff, holding the title “The Faithful.” Other ministers and generals dared not challenge their dominance.

    Zhao Gao was castrated at birth. The First Emperor, hearing that Zhao Gao was a capable administrator and knowledgeable about criminal laws, appointed him as the court dispatcher and asked him to teach Huhai how to judge legal cases. Huhai developed a predilection for Zhao Gao. Once, Zhao Gao committed an offense that Meng Yi deemed punishable by death. However, the First Emperor pardoned Zhao Gao because of his administrative efficiency and reinstated him to his position. Zhao Gao, having Huhai’s favor, harbored ill feelings toward the Meng family.

    Zhao Gao advised Huhai to kill Prince Fusu and install himself as crown prince using a forged will of the First Emperor. Huhai approved the plot. Zhao Gao then told Huhai, “I am afraid this plot won’t work without the consent of the Chancellor.” He approached Chancellor Li Si, saying, “His Majesty had a letter for his eldest son. The letter and the royal seal are both in the possession of Huhai. Who the crown prince will be is a matter of what Your Excellency and I decide.”

    Li Si was startled and responded, “Why do you talk about a topic that could jeopardize the fate of this empire? It is not a subject that servants like you and me are supposed to discuss!” Zhao Gao reasoned with him, “In terms of capability, strategic thinking, military achievements, popularity, and trust from the eldest son of the emperor, how do you compare to Meng Tian?” Li Si conceded, “I am not as good as Meng Tian in all aspects.”

    Zhao Gao continued, “If the eldest son succeeded his father as emperor, he certainly would appoint Meng Tian as his Chancellor. It is obvious that Your Excellency would not retire to your hometown with the seal of Marquis Tong. Huhai is a kind and magnanimous person and a good successor to the emperor. I wish Your Excellency could think long and hard to make the decision.” Li Si yielded under pressure.

    They colluded to forge an edict from the First Emperor, designating Huhai as the crown prince. They also fabricated a letter from the First Emperor to Prince Fusu. The letter reprimanded Fusu for not expanding the frontier enough, yet causing significant attrition of soldiers. It listed several instances where Fusu wrote to his father, rudely criticizing the Emperor and constantly bickering about not being able to return home and become the crown prince. The letter accused General Meng Tian of not rectifying Fusu’s behavior and being a co-conspirator. It granted the death penalty to both Fusu and Meng Tian, ordering them to pass command of the army to Meng Tian’s lieutenant, General Wang Li.

    Fusu opened the letter and burst into sobs. He went into his bedroom, preparing to commit suicide. Meng Tian stopped him, saying, “His Majesty is away from home. The position of crown prince has not been designated. His Majesty entrusted me with commanding three hundred thousand troops on the frontier and appointed you as the supervisor. That is a tremendous responsibility to the country. Now a messenger arrives, and you are going to kill yourself! Do you know whether this is not trickery? Let’s submit a memorandum to the throne for verification first; then it won’t be too late to die.”

    The envoy pressed Prince Fusu several times. Fusu said to Meng Tian, “A father grants his son death; what else do we have to verify!” He then killed himself. Meng Tian refused to comply. The envoy handed him over to the local wardens and imprisoned him in the town of Yangzhou. The envoy appointed a minion of Li Si as the supervisor of the army and went back to report to Zhao Gao and Li Si.

    Huhai learned that Prince Fusu had died and intended to set Meng Tian free. Meng Yi happened to come to debrief the Emperor after performing sacrificial ceremonies for mountains and rivers on the First Emperor’s behalf. Zhao Gao spoke to Huhai, “The late emperor had long meant to pick the best and make you the crown prince, but Meng Yi advised against it. It would be better to get rid of Meng Yi.” Meng Yi was then incarcerated in Dai commandery.

    The cortege arrived at Jiuyuan Commandery from Jingjing County during the intense heat of mid-summer. The wagon began to emit a terrible stench. To cover up the smell, they forged another edict to obtain one picul of abalone for the emperor. Eventually, they got on the thoroughfare and reached Xianyang, where they announced the funeral and Huhai usurped the throne.

    In September, the First Emperor was sepulchered at the Lishan Mausoleum. Three layers of aquifers were blocked around the tomb. It was filled with treasures and rare stones transported from all over the country. Booby-trapped crossbows were installed to shoot any trespassers. Mercury was injected into the tomb to symbolize rivers and seas. The ceiling of the tomb was decorated with celestial bodies, while the base was laid with geographical models. The concubines who had not yet borne children were ordered to die with the emperor in the tomb. When someone reminded the authorities that the technicians who made the mechanisms knew the key to the treasure and could leak the secret, all the technicians were shut in the tomb when the burial was completed.

    The Second emperor wanted to execute Meng Tian and his brother. The son of his elder brother, Ziying, advised against it: “King Qian of Zhao killed General Li Mu and promoted Yan Ju; King Jian of Qi killed his father’s loyal servant and replaced him with Hou Sheng. Both lost their kingdoms in the end. The Meng family has contributed elite ministers and strategists to the kingdom of Qin for generations, yet Your Majesty would discard them at once. Executing loyal ministers and replacing them with someone lacking character would cause ministers to lose faith within the court and dishearten warriors outside the court.”

    The Second Emperor disregarded this advice. He ordered the execution of Meng Yi and pursued Meng Tian, who was the interior minister. Meng Tian said, “From my grandfather onward, the Meng family has served the kingdom of Qin for three generations. Though I am in jail today, my influence over the three hundred thousand soldiers under my command would be enough to incite a mutiny. I keep my faith knowing I will die for this, because I do not want to tarnish my ancestors’ reputation and I have not forgotten the trust of the late emperor.” He then committed suicide by taking poison.

    Yang Xiong commented in his book Exemplary Figures: “Someone asks, ‘Meng Tian was loyal and was killed, what is the benefit of being loyal?’ The answer is: ‘From Lintao county to Liao River, he flattened mountains and filled ravines. He did not make the empire more prosperous yet left many cadavers behind. Being loyal is not good enough to be a prime minister.’”

    Sima Guang‘s comments: When the First Emperor was ravaging the country, Meng Tian was his enabler. Meng Tian was not a benevolent and wise person. However, Meng Tian maintained his loyalty to his lord and would rather die than rebel despite being innocent. This act is commendable.