齊悼惠王世家

King Daohui of Qi, Liu Fei, was Emperor Gaozu's eldest illegitimate son. His mother was an unofficial consort surnamed Cao. In the sixth year of Gaozu's reign, Fei was made King of Qi, with seventy cities for his revenue, and all the people who spoke the Qi dialect were assigned to him.

The King of Qi was the elder brother of Emperor Hui. In the second year of Emperor Hui, the King of Qi came to court. Emperor Hui drank with the King of Qi at an informal banquet, treating him with the familiarity of family members and seating him as an equal. Empress Dowager Lü was furious and made preparations to execute the King of Qi. Terrified that he would not escape alive, the king adopted a plan from his Prefect of the Capital, Xun: he presented the Chengyang commandery to serve as the appanage of Princess Yuan of Lu. Empress Dowager Lü was pleased, and the king was permitted to take his leave and return to his domain.

King Daohui reigned for thirteen years and died in the sixth year of Emperor Hui. His son Xiang succeeded — this was King Ai.

In the first year of King Ai, Emperor Hui died. Empress Dowager Lü assumed direct rule, and all affairs of the realm were decided by her. In the second year, the Empress Dowager installed her brother's son, Lü Tai, Marquis of Li, as King of Lü, and carved out Qi's Jinan commandery as his appanage.

In the third year of King Ai, his younger brother Zhang entered service as a palace guard in the capital. Empress Dowager Lü enfeoffed him as Marquis of Zhuixu and married him to a daughter of Lü Lu. Four years later, she enfeoffed Zhang's younger brother Xingju as Marquis of Dongmou. Both served as guards in Chang'an.

In the eighth year of King Ai, the Empress Dowager carved out Qi's Langya commandery and made Liu Ze, Marquis of Yingling, King of Langya.

The following year, King You of Zhao came to court and was confined in his residence until he died. All three Kings of Zhao were deposed. The Empress Dowager installed members of the Lü clan as three kings, monopolizing power.

The Marquis of Zhuixu was twenty years old, powerfully built, and furious that the Liu clan was denied its rightful positions. Once, attending a banquet hosted by the Empress Dowager, she ordered the Marquis of Zhuixu, Liu Zhang, to serve as wine officer. Zhang volunteered: "I am a soldier's son — I request permission to enforce the drinking rules under military law." The Empress Dowager said: "Granted." When the wine flowed freely, Zhang led the company in drinking songs and dances. Then he said: "I beg leave to sing the Empress Dowager the Plowing Song." The Empress Dowager, who treated him as a child, laughed and said: "Your father may have known farming. But you were born a prince — what do you know of plowing?" Zhang said: "I know it." The Empress Dowager said: "Try singing it for me." Zhang sang: "Plow deep, plant thick — but let the seedlings stand sparse. What is not of the right seed — hoe it out and remove it." Empress Lü fell silent. Shortly after, one of the Lü clansmen got drunk and tried to slip away from the drinking. Zhang pursued him, drew his sword, and cut him down. He returned and reported: "One man fled the drinking — I have dutifully applied the law and executed him." The Empress Dowager's entire retinue was shocked. But since she had already granted him military authority, there was no basis to punish him. The banquet was ended. From that day on, the Lü clan feared the Marquis of Zhuixu. Even the great ministers rallied to him, and the Liu house grew stronger.

The following year, the Empress Dowager died. Lü Lu, King of Zhao, held the post of Supreme General, and Lü Chan, King of Lü, was Chancellor of State. Both resided in Chang'an, massing troops to intimidate the great ministers, intending to seize power. The Marquis of Zhuixu, Zhang, whose wife was Lü Lu's daughter, learned of their plot. He secretly sent a messenger to inform his elder brother, the King of Qi, urging him to mobilize and march west, with the Marquis of Zhuixu and the Marquis of Dongmou serving as agents within the capital, to destroy the Lü clan and install the King of Qi as emperor.

When the King of Qi received this plan, he secretly plotted with his maternal uncle Si Jun, his Gentleman of the Palace Zhu Wu, and his Commandant Wei Bo to raise troops. The Chancellor of Qi, Zhao Ping, heard of it and deployed soldiers to surround the royal palace. Wei Bo deceived Zhao Ping, saying: "The king wishes to mobilize, but he has no imperial tiger tallies to authorize it. Your encirclement of the king is therefore proper. Allow me to take command of the troops guarding the palace on your behalf." Zhao Ping believed him and handed over command. Once Wei Bo had the troops, he turned them around to surround the chancellor's residence. Zhao Ping said: "Alas! The Daoist saying, 'When you should act decisively but do not, you will instead suffer the consequences' — this is exactly what it means." He then killed himself. The King of Qi thereupon appointed Si Jun as chancellor, Wei Bo as general, and Zhu Wu as prefect of the capital, mobilizing every soldier in the kingdom. He sent Zhu Wu east to deceive the King of Langya: "The Lü clan has risen in rebellion. The King of Qi has raised troops to march west and punish them. The King of Qi considers himself young and inexperienced in military matters, and wishes to entrust the entire enterprise to Your Majesty. Your Majesty served as a general under Emperor Gaozu and is experienced in warfare. The King of Qi dares not leave his army and sends me to invite Your Majesty to come to Linzi to plan the campaign and take combined command of Qi's forces for the western expedition to pacify the disorders in the capital." The King of Langya believed this, thinking it reasonable, and rode at speed to meet the King of Qi. The King of Qi and Wei Bo then detained the King of Langya while sending Zhu Wu to commandeer every soldier in Langya and absorb them into the Qi army.

Having been tricked and unable to return to his domain, the King of Langya, Liu Ze, persuaded the King of Qi: "King Daohui was Emperor Gaozu's eldest son. Tracing the lineage to its source, Your Majesty is Emperor Gaozu's eldest legitimate grandson and rightful heir. The great ministers are still hesitating and undecided. Among the Liu clan, I am the eldest in years — the ministers are naturally waiting for me to make the decision. Detaining me here serves no purpose. Better to let me enter the passes and settle matters." The King of Qi thought this reasonable and provided additional carriages to escort the King of Langya on his way.

Once the King of Langya had departed, Qi raised its army and marched west, attacking the Lü-held Jinan commandery. King Ai of Qi then sent a circular letter to the vassal kings: "Emperor Gaozu pacified All-Under-Heaven and enfeoffed his sons and brothers — King Daohui in Qi. When King Daohui passed away, Emperor Hui sent the Marquis of Liu, Zhang Liang, to install me as King of Qi. When Emperor Hui died, Empress Dowager Lü took power. Advanced in years, she let the Lü clan arbitrarily depose those Gaozu had installed, killed three Kings of Zhao, destroyed Liang, Yan, and Zhao to create kingdoms for the Lü, and split Qi into four. Loyal ministers remonstrated, but the sovereign was deluded and refused to listen. Now the Empress Dowager has died. The emperor is young and cannot govern All-Under-Heaven, relying entirely on the great ministers. Yet the Lü clan has arrogated high office to themselves, massed troops to project their power, coerced the marquises and loyal ministers, and forged imperial edicts to command All-Under-Heaven. The ancestral temples are thereby endangered. I now lead my army to punish those who should never have been made kings."

When the Han court heard that Qi had mobilized and was marching west, Chancellor of State Lü Chan dispatched Grand General Guan Ying to strike eastward against Qi. Guan Ying reached Xingyang but deliberated: "The Lü clan holds military power in the capital region and intends to destroy the Liu house and seize power. If I crush Qi and report back, I will only be adding to the Lü clan's strength." He therefore halted at Xingyang, sent envoys to the King of Qi and the other lords, formed a coalition with them, and waited for the Lü clan to make their move before jointly destroying them. When the King of Qi heard this, he recovered his former Jinan commandery in the west and also stationed his troops on Qi's western border to await the agreed signal.

When Lü Lu and Lü Chan attempted their coup in the capital, the Marquis of Zhuixu, together with Grand Commandant Bo and Chancellor Ping, destroyed them. The Marquis of Zhuixu was the first to cut down Lü Chan, and Grand Commandant Bo was then able to exterminate the entire Lü clan. The King of Langya also arrived in Chang'an from Qi.

The great ministers deliberated and wished to install the King of Qi as emperor. But the King of Langya and other ministers objected: "The King of Qi's maternal family, the Si clan of Si Jun, is vicious and violent — a tiger wearing a cap. We have only just nearly lost All-Under-Heaven because of the Lü clan. To install the King of Qi now would be to create another Lü clan. The King of Dai's maternal family, the Bo clan, are men of integrity and decency. Moreover, the King of Dai is a direct son of Emperor Gaozu, still living, and the eldest among the surviving sons. By lineage it is proper; by character the ministers can rest easy." The ministers therefore resolved to welcome and install the King of Dai, and dispatched the Marquis of Zhuixu to inform the King of Qi of the Lü clan's destruction and order him to stand down his army.

Guan Ying was at Xingyang when he heard that Wei Bo had originally encouraged the King of Qi to rebel. After the Lü clan was destroyed and Qi's troops disbanded, he summoned Wei Bo for questioning. Wei Bo said: "When a house is on fire, does one stop to inform the master before putting out the flames?" He then stepped back and stood at attention, his thighs trembling and knees knocking, so frightened he could barely speak, and added nothing more. General Guan Ying looked at him for a long moment, laughed, and said: "People called Wei Bo brave — he is nothing but a common fool. What harm could he do?" And dismissed him. Wei Bo's father had once gained audience with the First Emperor of Qin through his skill at playing the qin. When Wei Bo was young and wished to meet the Chancellor of Qi, Cao Shen, he was too poor to arrange an introduction. So he would rise alone, early and late, to sweep outside the door of the chancellor's steward. The steward, puzzled, thought it must be a ghost, and kept watch — and found Bo. Bo said: "I wish to see the Chancellor but have no connection, so I sweep your doorstep to earn an audience." The steward introduced Bo to Cao Shen, who took him on as an attendant. Once, while serving as Cao Shen's charioteer, Bo discussed affairs. Shen judged him capable and mentioned him to King Daohui. The king summoned Bo and appointed him Prefect of the Capital. At that time, King Daohui had the right to appoint his own officials of two-thousand-bushel rank. After King Daohui died and King Ai succeeded, Bo rose to power and outweighed the chancellor of Qi.

The King of Qi disbanded his army and returned. The King of Dai came from Dai and was enthroned — this was Emperor Wen.

In the first year of Emperor Wen, all the commanderies carved from Qi during Empress Lü's reign — Chengyang, Langya, and Jinan — were returned to Qi. The King of Langya was transferred to become King of Yan, and the Marquis of Zhuixu and the Marquis of Dongmou each received an additional two thousand households.

That year, King Ai of Qi died, and the crown prince succeeded — this was King Wen.

In the first year of King Wen of Qi, the Han carved Qi's Chengyang commandery to make the Marquis of Zhuixu King of Chengyang, and Qi's Jibei commandery to make the Marquis of Dongmou King of Jibei.

In the second year, the King of Jibei rebelled. The Han put him to death, and his territory reverted to the Han.

Two years later, Emperor Wen enfeoffed seven sons of King Daohui — Bajun and the rest — as marquises.

King Wen of Qi reigned fourteen years and died without an heir. The kingdom was abolished, and the territory reverted to the Han.

The following year, Emperor Wen used the sons of King Daohui whom he had previously enfeoffed to divide Qi into separate kingdoms. King Xiao of Qi, Jianglü, a son of King Daohui, became King of Qi as the Marquis of Yangxu. The former separate commanderies of Qi were all given to sons of King Daohui as kingdoms: Zhi became King of Jibei, Piguang King of Jinan, Xian King of Zichuan, Ang King of Jiaoxi, Xiongqu King of Jiaodong — together with Chengyang and Qi proper, seven kings in all.

In the eleventh year of King Xiao of Qi, King Bi of Wu and King Wu of Chu rebelled, raising troops and marching west, declaring to the lords: "We will execute the traitorous minister Chao Cuo to secure the ancestral temples." Jiaoxi, Jiaodong, Zichuan, and Jinan all independently mobilized in support of Wu and Chu. They called on Qi to join them, but King Xiao of Qi hesitated, defending his walls and refusing. The three kingdoms' armies jointly besieged Qi. The King of Qi sent the Grand Master Lu Zhong to inform the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven sent Lu Zhong back with a message: "Hold firm — my armies are already destroying Wu and Chu." When Lu Zhong arrived, the three kingdoms' forces had surrounded Linzi in multiple layers and there was no way in. The rebel generals seized Lu Zhong and forced him to swear an oath: "Tell them the Han has been defeated. If Qi quickly surrenders to the three kingdoms, they will not be slaughtered." Lu Zhong agreed, but when he reached the base of the city walls and caught sight of the King of Qi, he called out: "The Han has mobilized a million men and dispatched Grand Commandant Zhou Yafu, who has crushed Wu and Chu. They are now leading a relief force to Qi — Qi must hold fast and never surrender!" The rebel generals executed Lu Zhong.

When the siege first closed in, Qi had secretly been in communication with the three rebel kingdoms, though no agreement had been finalized. Then word came that Lu Zhong had arrived from the Han court, and the king was relieved. His senior ministers again urged him not to surrender. Shortly after, Han generals Luan Bu, the Marquis of Pingyang, and others arrived with their armies, smashed the rebel forces, and lifted the siege of Qi. But then they learned that Qi had initially been in contact with the rebels, and they prepared to turn their troops against Qi. King Xiao of Qi, terrified, drank poison and killed himself. When Emperor Jing heard of this, he judged that Qi had fundamentally been loyal and that its contact with the rebels had been made under duress, not by its own will. He installed King Xiao's crown prince, Shou, as King of Qi — this was King Yi — continuing the Qi line. The Kings of Jiaoxi, Jiaodong, Jinan, and Zichuan were all put to death and their territories reverted to the Han. The King of Jibei was transferred to rule Zichuan. King Yi of Qi reigned twenty-two years and died. His son Cijing succeeded — this was King Li.

King Li of Qi — his mother was Empress Dowager Ji. The Empress Dowager took a woman from her own Ji clan as King Li's queen. The king did not care for the Ji woman. The Empress Dowager, wishing to increase her family's favor, had her eldest daughter, the Princess Ji, enter the palace to supervise the harem and prevent other women from approaching the king, hoping to force him to love the Ji queen. Instead, the king began an affair with his own elder sister, the princess.

A eunuch of Qi named Xu Jia had entered the service of the Han Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager had a beloved stepdaughter called the Lady of Xiucheng, who was not of the Liu clan but whom the Empress Dowager pitied. The Lady of Xiucheng had a daughter named E. The Empress Dowager wished to marry E to a vassal king. The eunuch Xu Jia volunteered to go to Qi, promising he would get the king to submit a formal request for E. The Empress Dowager was pleased and sent him. At that time, the Qi man Zhufu Yan learned that Xu Jia's mission was to arrange the marriage, and told Xu Jia: "If the matter succeeds, please mention that my daughter would like to serve in the king's harem." When Xu Jia arrived in Qi and hinted at the proposition, Empress Dowager Ji flew into a rage: "The king already has a queen and a full harem. Xu Jia is nothing but a poor man from Qi who became a eunuch out of desperation and entered Han service without contributing anything — and now he wants to meddle in my son's household! And who is this Zhufu Yan that he dares try to place his daughter in the harem!" Xu Jia, thoroughly rebuffed, returned and reported to the Empress Dowager: "The king was willing to marry E, but there is one concern — I fear it may turn out like the case of the King of Yan." The King of Yan had committed incest with his siblings and had recently been condemned to death, his kingdom abolished. By invoking Yan, Xu Jia planted suspicion in the Empress Dowager's mind. The Empress Dowager said: "Say no more of marrying E to Qi." The matter gradually reached the Son of Heaven's ears. Zhufu Yan, for his part, now bore a grudge against Qi.

Zhufu Yan was at that time in high favor with the Son of Heaven and wielded great influence. He remarked: "Qi's capital Linzi has a hundred thousand households, its market taxes bring in a thousand catties of gold, its people are numerous and wealthy — larger than Chang'an itself. No one but the Son of Heaven's own brothers or beloved sons should rule such a kingdom. Yet the present King of Qi grows ever more distant in kinship." He then added casually: "During Empress Lü's time, Qi tried to rebel. During the Wu-Chu rebellion, King Xiao nearly joined the insurgents. Now I hear the King of Qi is conducting an affair with his own sister." The Son of Heaven thereupon appointed Zhufu Yan as Chancellor of Qi, with orders to investigate the matter. Once Zhufu Yan arrived in Qi, he aggressively prosecuted the palace eunuchs who had facilitated the king's liaisons with the Princess Ji, forcing their testimony to implicate the king directly. The king was young and terrified that he would be arrested and executed for a capital crime. He drank poison and killed himself, leaving no heir.

At that time, the King of Zhao, fearing that Zhufu Yan's destruction of Qi in a single stroke might be the start of a campaign to thin out the imperial kinsmen, submitted a memorial accusing Yan of taking bribes and other offenses. The Son of Heaven had already imprisoned Yan. Gongsun Hong argued: "The King of Qi died of anxiety with no heir, and his kingdom has reverted to the Han. Unless Yan is executed, there is no way to satisfy the expectations of All-Under-Heaven." Yan was put to death.

King Li of Qi reigned five years before his death. He left no heir, and the kingdom was absorbed into the Han.

After the extinction of King Daohui's main line, two kingdoms descended from him remained: Chengyang and Zichuan. Zichuan's territory bordered the old Qi heartland. The Son of Heaven, pitying Qi, and because King Daohui's tomb and ritual park were within that commandery, carved out the eastern portion of Linzi surrounding the tomb and granted it all to Zichuan, to maintain the sacrifices to King Daohui.

King Jing of Chengyang, Zhang, was a son of King Daohui of Qi. As the Marquis of Zhuixu, he had joined the great ministers in exterminating the Lü clan, and Zhang himself was the first to cut down the Chancellor of State, Lü Chan, King of Lü, in the Weiyang Palace. After Emperor Wen was enthroned, he increased Zhang's fief by two thousand households and bestowed a thousand catties of gold. In the second year of Emperor Wen, Qi's Chengyang commandery was used to establish Zhang as King of Chengyang. He reigned two years and died. His son Xi succeeded — this was King Gong.

King Gong reigned eight years before being transferred to rule Huainan. After four years, he was restored to Chengyang. He reigned a total of thirty-three years and died. His son Yan succeeded — this was King Qing.

King Qing reigned twenty years and died. His son Yi succeeded — King Jing. King Jing reigned nine years and died. His son Wu succeeded — King Hui. King Hui reigned eleven years and died. His son Shun succeeded — King Huang. King Huang reigned forty-six years and died. His son Hui succeeded — King Dai. King Dai reigned eight years and died. His son Jing succeeded, and in the third year of the Jianshi era died at age fifteen.

Xingju, King of Jibei, was a son of King Daohui of Qi. As Marquis of Dongmou, he assisted the great ministers in exterminating the Lü clan, though his contribution was minor. When Emperor Wen arrived from Dai, Xingju said: "I request permission to enter the palace with the Grand Coachman Ying to cleanse it." They deposed the boy emperor and, together with the ministers, elevated Emperor Wen.

In the second year of Emperor Wen, Qi's Jibei commandery was used to establish Xingju as King of Jibei, installed at the same time as the King of Chengyang. After two years, he rebelled. When the ministers had first destroyed the Lü clan, the Marquis of Zhuixu's merit had been the greatest. They had promised him all of Zhao's territory as his kingdom, and all of Liang's territory for the Marquis of Dongmou. But when Emperor Wen took the throne and learned that Zhuixu and Dongmou had originally wanted to install the King of Qi, he downgraded their contributions. In the second year, when he enfeoffed his sons as kings, he merely carved two commanderies from Qi for Zhang and Xingju. Both felt they had been cheated of their rightful reward. After Zhang died, Xingju heard that the Xiongnu had launched a major invasion and that the Han had mobilized large forces, sending Chancellor Guan Ying to repel them while Emperor Wen himself went to Taiyuan. Xingju believed the Son of Heaven had gone to fight the Hu in person and seized the moment to rebel in Jibei. When the Son of Heaven heard of this, he recalled the chancellor and all the field armies to Chang'an, then sent the Marquis of Jipu, General Chai, to attack and destroy the King of Jibei. The king killed himself, and his territory reverted to the Han as a commandery.

Ten years later, in Emperor Wen's sixteenth year, he again enfeoffed a son of King Daohui — Zhi, Marquis of Andu — as King of Jibei. In his eleventh year, when Wu and Chu rebelled, Zhi held firm and refused to join the conspiracy. After Wu and Chu were pacified, he was transferred to rule Zichuan.

King Piguang of Jinan, a son of King Daohui of Qi, was made King of Jinan from the Marquis of Le in Emperor Wen's sixteenth year. In his eleventh year, he joined the Wu-Chu rebellion. The Han crushed him, killed Piguang, and converted Jinan to a commandery under direct imperial control.

King Xian of Zichuan, a son of King Daohui of Qi, was made King of Zichuan from the Marquis of Wucheng in Emperor Wen's sixteenth year. In his eleventh year, he joined the Wu-Chu rebellion. The Han crushed him and killed Xian.

The Son of Heaven then transferred King Zhi of Jibei to rule Zichuan. Zhi was also a son of King Daohui, who had ruled Jibei as Marquis of Andu. Since King Xian of Zichuan had rebelled and left no heir, the King of Jibei was transferred there. He reigned a total of thirty-five years and died, receiving the posthumous title King Yi. His son Jian succeeded — King Jing. He reigned twenty years and died. His son Yi succeeded — King Qing. He reigned thirty-six years and died. His son Zhonggu succeeded — King Si. He reigned twenty-eight years and died. His son Shang succeeded — King Xiao. He reigned five years and died. His son Heng succeeded, and in the third year of the Jianshi era died at age eleven.

King Ang of Jiaoxi, a son of King Daohui of Qi, was made King of Jiaoxi from the Marquis of Changping in Emperor Wen's sixteenth year. In his eleventh year, he joined the Wu-Chu rebellion. The Han crushed him, killed Ang, and converted his territory to Jiaoxi commandery.

King Xiongqu of Jiaodong, a son of King Daohui of Qi, was made King of Jiaodong from the Marquis of Baishi in Emperor Wen's sixteenth year. In his eleventh year, he joined the Wu-Chu rebellion. The Han crushed him, killed Xiongqu, and converted his territory to Jiaodong commandery.

The Grand Historian remarks: Among all the vassal kingdoms, none surpassed King Daohui's Qi. Because All-Under-Heaven had just been settled, there were few sons and brothers available, and as a corrective to Qin's policy of granting not an inch of land to its kinsmen, the Han lavished great fiefs on members of the same surname, to steady the hearts of the people. That the kingdom was later fragmented was simply the natural course of events.

The Han corrected the Qin system, planting shields to strengthen itself. The great kingdom by the sea — all was given to the King of Qi. When Empress Lü vented her fury, Chengyang was offered up. King Ai succeeded, but overestimated his strength. Zhuixu served the Han — great in merit, far-sighted in strategy. Dongmou received his reward, but named himself rebel and brought calamity. Jiaodong and Jibei — Xiongqu and Piguang. Though Qi yielded seven kingdoms, those loyal and filial prospered.