范雎蔡澤列傳

Fan Sui was a man of Wei, styled Shu. He travelled among the feudal lords practising persuasion and wished to serve the King of Wei, but his family was poor and he had no means to support himself, so he first entered the service of Xu Jia, a middle-rank grandee of Wei.

Xu Jia was sent by King Zhao of Wei on a diplomatic mission to Qi, and Fan Sui accompanied him. They remained for several months without receiving a reply. King Xiang of Qi, hearing that Fan Sui was an eloquent speaker, sent someone to present him with ten jin of gold along with beef and wine. Fan Sui declined and dared not accept. When Xu Jia learned of this, he was furious, concluding that Fan Sui must have disclosed Wei's state secrets to Qi and thereby earned these gifts. He ordered Fan Sui to accept the beef and wine but return the gold.

Upon their return to Wei, Xu Jia, still harbouring anger, reported the matter to the Wei chancellor. The chancellor was one of the ducal princes of Wei, named Wei Qi. Wei Qi flew into a rage and had his retainers flog Fan Sui with bamboo rods until his ribs were broken and his teeth smashed. Fan Sui feigned death, whereupon they rolled him in a bamboo mat and threw him into the privy. The guests, drunk from their banquet, took turns urinating on him — a deliberate humiliation intended as a warning against loose talk.

From inside the mat, Fan Sui said to the guard: "If you can get me out, I will surely repay you handsomely." The guard requested permission to remove and discard the dead man in the mat. Wei Qi, in his cups, said: "Very well." Fan Sui thus escaped. Later Wei Qi sobered up and regretted it, sending men to search for him, but Zheng Anping, a man of Wei, had already spirited Fan Sui away into hiding. Fan Sui changed his name and styled himself Zhang Lu.

At that time, King Zhao of Qin had sent the court usher Wang Ji on a mission to Wei. Zheng Anping, posing as an attendant soldier, waited upon Wang Ji. Wang Ji asked: "Are there any worthy men in Wei who might travel west with me?"

Zheng Anping said: "In my neighbourhood there is a Master Zhang Lu who wishes to meet you and discuss the affairs of the realm. But this man has enemies and dares not show himself by day."

Wang Ji said: "Bring him to me at night." That night Zheng Anping brought Zhang Lu to see Wang Ji. Before their conversation was even finished, Wang Ji recognised Fan Sui's talent and said: "Wait for me south of the Three Pavilions." They made a private arrangement and parted.

Wang Ji took his leave from Wei and picked up Fan Sui along the way, carrying him into Qin. When they reached Hu, they spotted a cavalcade approaching from the west. Fan Sui asked: "Who is that coming?"

Wang Ji said: "It is the Marquis of Rang, the Qin chancellor, travelling east to inspect his counties."

Fan Sui said: "I have heard that the Marquis of Rang monopolises power in Qin and detests foreign advisors from the feudal states. He is sure to humiliate me. I had better hide inside the carriage."

Shortly after, the Marquis of Rang arrived and greeted Wang Ji. Standing beside his carriage, he asked: "Any disturbances east of the Pass?"

"None," replied Wang Ji.

The Marquis then added: "You have not, by chance, brought any foreign advisors back with you? They serve no purpose — they only cause disorder in other men's states."

Wang Ji said: "I would not dare." They parted ways.

Fan Sui said: "I have heard the Marquis of Rang is a shrewd man, but he was slow to act on his suspicion. Just now he suspected someone was in the carriage but forgot to search it." Fan Sui then climbed down from the carriage and went on foot, saying: "He will surely regret it." After they had gone ten more li, the Marquis indeed sent horsemen back to search the carriage. Finding no passenger, they gave up. Wang Ji then proceeded with Fan Sui into Xianyang.

When Wang Ji had completed his mission, he took the opportunity to say: "In Wei there is a Master Zhang Lu, the finest debater in the realm. He says: 'The King of Qin's state is in danger, precarious as eggs stacked one upon another. Gain my service and it will be secure. But these matters cannot be committed to writing.' I have therefore brought him with me."

The King of Qin did not believe this. He lodged Fan Sui in rough quarters and fed him coarse provisions. Fan Sui waited for a summons for over a year.

At that time King Zhao had already reigned for thirty-six years. To the south, Qin had captured Yan and Ying from Chu, and King Huai of Chu had died in captivity in Qin. To the east, Qin had shattered Qi. King Min of Qi had once proclaimed himself Emperor but later renounced the title. Qin had repeatedly humbled the three states of Jin. The king was weary of the realm's persuaders and trusted none of them.

The Marquis of Rang and the Lord of Huayang were brothers of Queen Dowager Xuan, King Zhao's mother. The Lord of Jingyang and the Lord of Gaoling were both King Zhao's younger brothers by the same mother. The Marquis of Rang served as chancellor; the other three took turns commanding armies. All had fiefdoms, and on account of the Queen Dowager, their private households had grown richer and more powerful than the royal house itself. At this point the Marquis of Rang, acting as Qin's general, was about to bypass Han and Wei to attack Qi's city of Gangshou, intending to enlarge his own fief of Tao.

Fan Sui thereupon submitted a memorial:

"I have heard that when an enlightened sovereign establishes his government, those with merit cannot go unrewarded, those with ability cannot go unemployed; where the labour is great, the emolument is generous; where the achievements are many, the rank is exalted; where one can govern the multitude, the office is high. Thus the incompetent dare not presume upon office, and the capable cannot remain hidden.

"If Your Majesty finds my words acceptable, I beg you to put them into practice and further improve upon them. If you find them unacceptable, then keeping me here serves no purpose.

"A proverb says: 'A mediocre sovereign rewards those he loves and punishes those he hates. An enlightened sovereign is otherwise: he bestows rewards only on those who have merit and inflicts punishment only on those who are guilty.'

"My breast is not broad enough to serve as a chopping block, and my waist is not stout enough to withstand the executioner's axe — how would I dare test Your Majesty with dubious proposals? Even if you dismiss me as a base man and treat me with contempt, would you not at least take seriously the one who recommended me, lest he prove faithless to Your Majesty?

"Moreover, I have heard that Zhou had the Whetstone Jade, Song had the Knotted Green, Liang had the Suspended Bramble, and Chu had He's Uncut Stone. These four treasures were produced from common earth and overlooked by skilled craftsmen, yet they became the most renowned vessels in the realm. Could it not be that what a sage king discards may still serve to enrich his state?

"I have heard that one who excels at enriching his house draws from the state, and one who excels at enriching his state draws from the feudal lords. When the realm has an enlightened sovereign, the feudal lords cannot monopolise its riches — why? Because he prunes their excess. A good physician knows whether a patient will live or die; a sage sovereign sees clearly into the workings of success and failure. What is profitable he pursues, what is harmful he abandons, and what is doubtful he tests cautiously. Were Shun and Yu to return to life, they could not improve upon this.

"The most essential things I wish to say I dare not commit to writing; the superficial things are not worth your hearing. Perhaps I am too foolish to make an impression on Your Majesty's mind. Or perhaps the one who recommended me is too lowly to be trusted. If neither is the case, I beg to be granted a brief audience during Your Majesty's leisure, that I might behold the royal countenance. Should a single word prove worthless, I will submit to the chopping block."

King Zhao of Qin was greatly pleased. He thanked Wang Ji and sent a courier carriage to summon Fan Sui.

Fan Sui was thus granted an audience at the detached palace. He pretended not to know his way and deliberately walked into the Yongxiang — the restricted inner corridor. When the king approached, a eunuch grew angry, drove Fan Sui away, and shouted: "The King is coming!"

Fan Sui feigned bewilderment and said: "How can Qin have a king? Qin has only a Queen Dowager and a Marquis of Rang."

His intention was to provoke King Zhao's indignation. When the king arrived and heard of his exchange with the eunuch, he welcomed Fan Sui and apologised: "I ought to have received your instruction long ago, but the Yiqu affair was pressing, and I was petitioning the Queen Dowager morning and night. Now the Yiqu matter is settled and I am at last free to receive your instruction. I am ashamed of my obtuseness and respectfully observe the courtesies of host and guest."

Fan Sui modestly deferred. Among all the ministers who witnessed Fan Sui's audience that day, not one failed to blanch and change his expression.

The King of Qin dismissed his attendants until the palace was empty. Kneeling upright, the king requested: "How will you favour me with your instruction, Master?"

Fan Sui said only: "Yes, yes."

After a pause, the king knelt upright again and asked: "How will you favour me with your instruction, Master?"

Fan Sui said: "Yes, yes."

This happened three times. The king knelt and said: "Will you truly not favour me with your instruction, Master?"

Fan Sui replied: "I would not presume. I have heard that when Lü Shang met King Wen of old, he was nothing but a fisherman angling on the banks of the Wei. Their acquaintance was slight. Yet once he spoke, he was made Grand Preceptor and rode home in the king's own carriage — because his words struck deep. Thus King Wen reaped the rewards of Lü Shang's counsel and ultimately ruled the realm. Had King Wen kept Lü Shang at a distance and not spoken with him deeply, Zhou would never have attained the virtue of the Son of Heaven, and Kings Wen and Wu would have had no one to help them achieve their royal enterprise.

"Now I am a wandering subject, a stranger to Your Majesty. What I wish to set forth concerns the rectification of your rule and touches upon the bonds between your own flesh and blood. I wish to offer my foolish loyalty but do not yet know Your Majesty's heart. This is why, though the king has asked three times, I have not dared to answer.

"It is not that I am afraid and dare not speak. I know that if I speak today, I may be executed tomorrow — yet I do not shrink from it. If Your Majesty truly acts on my words, death holds no terror for me, exile no anxiety, and smearing my body with lacquer to raise sores or loosening my hair to feign madness would be no disgrace.

"Consider: the Five Emperors, for all their sagacity — they died. The Three Kings, for all their benevolence — they died. The Five Hegemons, for all their excellence — they died. Wu Huo and Ren Bi, for all their strength — they died. Cheng Jing, Meng Ben, Wang Qingji, and Xia Yu, for all their valour — they died. Death is what no man can escape. If, standing in the face of the inevitable, I can be of some small service to Qin, that is my greatest wish — what more should I fear?

"Wu Zixu was smuggled out of Zhao Pass in a sack. He travelled by night and hid by day. When he reached the Ling River he had nothing to eat. He crawled on hands and knees, bared his flesh, kowtowed, slapped his belly, and played the reed flute, begging for food in the markets of Wu. In the end he raised Wu to greatness, and King Helü became hegemon. If I could carry out my plans as fully as Wu Zixu, even if I were thrown into a dungeon and never saw daylight again, my counsel would have been enacted — what would I have to worry about?

"Jizi and Jieyu lacquered their bodies to raise sores and loosened their hair to feign madness, yet it did their lords no good. If I could follow the path of Jizi and thereby benefit a worthy sovereign, that would be my supreme glory — what disgrace could there be in it?

"What I truly fear is this alone: that after my death, the realm will see how I gave my full loyalty and was killed for it, and men will seal their mouths and bind their feet and never again turn toward Qin.

"Your Majesty stands in awe of the Queen Dowager above and is beguiled by treacherous ministers below. You dwell deep within the palace, never leaving the hands of your nurses, and will remain confused your whole life with no one to expose the wrongdoing around you. At worst, the ancestral temples will be overturned; at best, your person will be left isolated and imperilled. This is what I fear. As for destitution, humiliation, death, and ruin — these I do not dare fear. If my death can bring order to Qin, then my death is better than my life."

The king knelt upright and said: "What kind of talk is this, Master! Qin is a remote and backward state, and I am dull and unworthy. That you, Master, have deigned to come here is Heaven using me, unworthy as I am, to trouble you and thereby preserve the ancestral temples of my forebears. That I may receive your instruction is Heaven showing favour to my late father and not abandoning his orphan. How can you speak like this? In all matters great and small, from the Queen Dowager above to the great ministers below, I beg you to instruct me fully. Do not doubt me."

Fan Sui bowed. The King of Qin bowed twice in return.

Fan Sui said: "Your Majesty's state is a fortress enclosed on four sides. To the north you have Ganquan and Gukou; to the south the Jing and Wei rivers form your belt; to the right lie Long and Shu; to the left are the Pass and the Slopes. You can muster a million crack troops and a thousand war chariots. When the advantage is yours, you sally forth to attack; when it is not, you withdraw behind your defences. This is the land of a true king.

"Your people shrink from private quarrels yet are brave in battle for the state. These are the people of a true king.

"Your Majesty possesses both. With the valour of Qin's soldiers and the mass of your chariots and cavalry, to chastise the feudal lords would be like unleashing a Hanlü hound upon a lame rabbit. The enterprise of a hegemon-king is within reach — yet none of your ministers is equal to his post. That Qin has barred its passes for fifteen years and not dared to send its troops east of the mountains is because the Marquis of Rang has not planned loyally for Qin, and because Your Majesty's strategy has gone astray."

The king knelt upright and said: "I wish to hear where my strategy has erred."

But there were many eavesdroppers among the attendants, and Fan Sui was apprehensive. Not daring yet to address domestic affairs, he spoke first of external policy to gauge the king's reaction.

He continued: "For the Marquis of Rang to bypass Han and Wei in order to attack Qi's Gangshou is folly. If he sends too few troops, they will be insufficient to hurt Qi. If he sends too many, Qin itself will be harmed. I suspect Your Majesty's plan is to send a small force and make up the rest with Han and Wei's armies — but that would be dishonourable. Given that Qin's allies are not close, can it really be wise to leap over other men's states to attack?

"Consider the precedent of King Min of Qi. He attacked Chu to the south, shattered its armies, killed its generals, and twice extended his borders a thousand li — yet Qi did not gain an inch of the land, not because it did not want it, but because the strategic configuration would not allow it. When the other feudal lords saw that Qi was exhausted and its ruler and ministers at odds, they raised their armies and crushed Qi utterly. Its soldiers were humiliated and its forces spent. Everyone blamed the king, asking: 'Who devised this plan?' The king answered: 'Wen Zi did it.' A great minister then revolted, and Wen Zi fled. The reason Qi was so devastatingly defeated was that by attacking Chu it had fattened Han and Wei instead. This is what is called lending weapons to bandits and provisioning thieves.

"Your Majesty would do better to befriend the distant and attack the nearby. Every inch you gain is your inch; every foot is your foot. To abandon this principle and attack far-off states — is that not misguided?

"Moreover, the former state of Zhongshan had territory of five hundred li. Zhao swallowed it alone, and having accomplished this, its fame was established and the gains accrued to it — no state in the realm could harm it.

"Now Han and Wei occupy the centre of the realm and are the pivot of All-Under-Heaven. If Your Majesty desires hegemony, you must first draw the centre close and make it your pivot, in order to overawe Chu and Zhao. If Chu grows strong, ally with Zhao; if Zhao grows strong, ally with Chu. When both Chu and Zhao are on your side, Qi will surely take fright. Qi, frightened, will send humble words and lavish gifts to serve Qin. Once Qi is aligned with you, Han and Wei can be taken at will."

King Zhao said: "I have wanted to draw Wei close for a long time, but Wei is a fickle state and I have been unable to do so. How should I go about winning Wei over?"

Fan Sui replied: "Approach Wei with humble words and generous gifts. If that fails, cede territory to buy its goodwill. If that also fails, raise your army and attack it."

The king said: "I respectfully receive your instruction." He thereupon appointed Fan Sui as Guest Minister to advise on military affairs. In the end, the king followed Fan Sui's counsel and sent the Fifth-Rank Grandee Wan to attack Wei, capturing Huai. Two years later, Qin also captured Xingqiu.

Guest Minister Fan Sui again addressed King Zhao: "The territories of Qin and Han are interlocked like embroidery. For Qin, having Han embedded in its flank is like having woodworm in timber or a disease of the heart and bowels. If the realm remains at peace, it matters little; but should the realm be thrown into turmoil, which state poses a greater threat to Qin than Han? Your Majesty would do well to absorb Han."

King Zhao said: "I have long wished to absorb Han, but Han will not comply. What can I do?"

Fan Sui replied: "How can Han refuse? If Your Majesty marches south and attacks Xingyang, the road through Gong and Chenggao will be severed. If you cut the Taihang road to the north, the army of Shangdang will be unable to descend. A single campaign against Xingyang would split Han into three parts. When Han sees that destruction is certain, how can it refuse to submit? And once Han submits, the enterprise of hegemony can be planned in earnest."

The king said: "Excellent." He was about to dispatch an envoy to Han.

As Fan Sui grew daily more intimate with the king, he continued to offer counsel over several years. He then requested a private audience and said:

"When I lived east of the mountains, I heard that Qi had Lord Mengchang — I did not hear that it had a king. I heard that Qin had a Queen Dowager, a Marquis of Rang, a Lord of Huayang, a Lord of Gaoling, and a Lord of Jingyang — I did not hear that it had a king.

"One who holds sole authority over the state is called a king. One who controls what benefits and harms is called a king. One who wields the power of life and death is called a king. Now the Queen Dowager acts wilfully without regard for anyone; the Marquis of Rang dispatches envoys without reporting to the throne; the Lords of Huayang and Jingyang strike and decide without scruple; the Lord of Gaoling advances and retreats without seeking permission. When four such nobles hold sway yet the state remains safe — this has never happened. To be subordinate to these four nobles is what is meant by 'having no king.' If so, how can the balance of power not tilt? How can orders issue from the king?

"I have heard that one who governs well consolidates his authority within and makes his power felt without. The Marquis of Rang's envoys wield the king's authority, issue decrees to the feudal lords, distribute tallies throughout the realm, and launch campaigns against states — none dare disobey. When battles are won and territory taken, the profits flow to Tao; when the state is exhausted from managing the feudal lords, the costs fall on Qin. When battles are lost, resentment falls upon the people and disaster upon the altars of soil and grain.

"The Odes say: 'When a tree's fruit grows too heavy, its branches break; when its branches break, its trunk is harmed. Enlarge a vassal's city and you endanger the state; exalt a minister and you diminish his lord.'

"Cui Zhu and Nao Chi controlled Qi — they shot their king in the thigh, pulled out his sinews, and hung him from the temple rafters, where he died overnight. Li Dui controlled Zhao — he imprisoned the Lord Father at Shaqiu, where he starved to death after a hundred days.

"Now I hear that in Qin the Queen Dowager and the Marquis of Rang hold power, with the Lords of Gaoling, Huayang, and Jingyang assisting them. In the end there is no King of Qin — this is another case of Nao Chi and Li Dui.

"Moreover, the reason the Three Dynasties lost their states was that their rulers handed over governance entirely, gave themselves to wine, racing, hunting, and hawking, and paid no attention to affairs of state. Those to whom they delegated were jealous of the worthy and envious of the able; they controlled those below and concealed things from those above, pursuing their private interests without planning for their lord. And the lord remained unaware — thus he lost his state.

"Now from the lowest salaried officials up to the great ministers, and down to the attendants at Your Majesty's side, every one of them belongs to the chancellor. I see the king standing alone at court, and I am secretly afraid for you. After ten thousand generations, it will not be Your Majesty's descendants who hold the state of Qin."

King Zhao heard this and was struck with great fear. He said: "Indeed." Thereupon he deposed the Queen Dowager and expelled the Marquis of Rang, the Lords of Gaoling, Huayang, and Jingyang beyond the passes.

The King of Qin then appointed Fan Sui as chancellor. He confiscated the Marquis of Rang's seal of office and sent him back to his fief of Tao, ordering the county government to provide carts and oxen for the move — the procession numbered more than a thousand vehicles. When they reached the pass, the inspectors examined his valuables. His treasures and curiosities exceeded those of the royal house.

Qin enfeoffed Fan Sui with the territory of Ying, and he was styled Marquis of Ying. This was the forty-first year of King Zhao of Qin's reign.

After Fan Sui became chancellor of Qin, the state knew him only as Zhang Lu. Wei had no idea, assuming Fan Sui had long since died. When Wei learned that Qin was about to march east against Han and Wei, it sent Xu Jia as envoy to Qin. Fan Sui heard of this and went out incognito, dressed in shabby clothes, walking on foot to the guesthouse to see Xu Jia.

Xu Jia saw him and exclaimed in surprise: "Uncle Fan! So you are well after all!"

Fan Sui said: "I am."

Xu Jia laughed. "Have you been presenting proposals to Qin?"

"No," Fan Sui replied. "I offended the Wei chancellor and fled here. How would I dare present proposals?"

Xu Jia asked: "What are you doing now?"

Fan Sui said: "I hire myself out as a labourer."

Xu Jia felt pity for him and invited him to sit and share a meal, saying: "Uncle Fan — reduced to such poverty as this!" He took one of his thick silk robes and gave it to him.

Xu Jia then asked: "The Qin chancellor Zhang — do you know him? I hear he is favoured by the king and that all affairs under heaven are decided by the chancellor. Whether my mission succeeds or fails depends on Chancellor Zhang. Do you perhaps know someone who is acquainted with the chancellor?"

Fan Sui said: "My master knows him well. Even I have been able to call on him. Allow me to arrange an introduction for you."

Xu Jia said: "My horses are sick and my axle is broken. Without a grand carriage and a team of four horses, I really cannot go out."

Fan Sui replied: "Allow me to borrow a grand carriage and team of four from my master."

Fan Sui went back and fetched a grand carriage with a team of four horses, then personally served as charioteer for Xu Jia and drove into the Qin chancellor's compound. As they approached, everyone who recognised Fan Sui hurried out of sight. Xu Jia found this strange.

At the gate of the chancellor's residence, Fan Sui said to Xu Jia: "Wait for me here. I will go in first and announce you to the chancellor." Xu Jia waited at the gate, holding the reins, for a long time. He asked an attendant: "Why has Uncle Fan not come out?"

The attendant said: "There is no 'Uncle Fan' here."

Xu Jia said: "The man who rode in with me just now."

The attendant said: "That is our Chancellor Zhang."

Xu Jia was thunderstruck. Realising he had been deceived, he stripped to the waist and crawled forward on his knees, begging through the gate attendants to be allowed to apologise. Fan Sui then received him in full state, with curtains and screens arrayed and a great retinue of attendants.

Xu Jia knocked his head on the ground and declared himself deserving of death: "I never imagined you could raise yourself to such heights above the clouds. I dare not read another book under heaven or meddle in another affair under heaven. My crime deserves the boiling cauldron. I beg to be banished to the lands of the Hu and Mo barbarians — my life and death are in your hands!"

Fan Sui said: "How many crimes do you have?"

"If you plucked out every hair on my head to count my crimes, it would still not be enough."

Fan Sui said: "You have precisely three crimes. In the time of King Zhao of Chu, Shen Baoxu drove back the Wu army for Chu. The king enfeoffed him with five thousand households in Jing, but Baoxu declined — because his ancestral tombs were in Jing. My own ancestors' tombs are likewise in Wei. Yet you denounced me to Wei Qi, claiming I had secretly sided with Qi — that is your first crime. When Wei Qi humiliated me in the privy, you did not stop him — that is your second crime. And then, drunk, you urinated on me — how could you bear to do such a thing? That is your third crime. The reason you have been spared death is that you gave me the thick silk robe. That lingering attachment to an old friend — that is why I release you."

He then dismissed Xu Jia, went in to report to King Zhao, and had Xu Jia sent home.

When Xu Jia took his leave, Fan Sui laid on a grand banquet. He invited all the envoys of the other states and seated them in the hall above, where the food and drink were lavishly served. But he seated Xu Jia below the hall, placed a wooden platter of beans before him, and had two branded convicts kneel on either side and feed him like a horse.

He admonished Xu Jia: "Tell the King of Wei for me: deliver Wei Qi's head at once! Otherwise I shall put Daliang to the sword."

Xu Jia returned and reported this to Wei Qi. Wei Qi was terrified and fled to Zhao, where he hid at the residence of Lord Pingyuan.

After Fan Sui became chancellor, Wang Ji said to him: "There are three things that cannot be foreseen and three things that cannot be helped. Should the royal carriage one day be delayed — that is the first thing that cannot be foreseen. Should you, my lord, suddenly depart this lodging — that is the second. Should I suddenly fill a ditch — that is the third. If the royal carriage is delayed, though you regret your debt to me, there is nothing to be done. If you suddenly depart, though you regret it, there is nothing to be done. If I fill a ditch, though you regret it, there is likewise nothing to be done."

Fan Sui was displeased at the bluntness but went in to address the king: "Were it not for Wang Ji's loyalty, no one could have brought me inside Hangu Pass. Were it not for Your Majesty's sagacity, no one could have elevated me. Now my office has reached that of chancellor and my rank is that of a full marquis, yet Wang Ji's post remains merely that of a court usher. This was not his intention when he brought me here."

King Zhao summoned Wang Ji and appointed him Governor of Hedong, where he served three years without submitting accounts. Fan Sui also recommended Zheng Anping, and King Zhao made him a general. Fan Sui then distributed his household wealth and repaid in full everyone who had helped him in his time of hardship. A favour of one meal he always repaid; a grudge from one glance he always avenged.

In his second year as chancellor — the forty-second year of King Zhao of Qin — Qin attacked Shaoqu and Gaoping in Han and took them.

King Zhao of Qin heard that Wei Qi was hiding at Lord Pingyuan's residence and was determined to exact revenge on Fan Sui's behalf. He sent a cordial letter to Lord Pingyuan, feigning friendship: "I have heard of your lofty principles and wish to become your friend as between commoners. If you would honour me with a visit, I should like to drink with you for ten days."

Lord Pingyuan feared Qin, and partly believed the invitation genuine, so he entered Qin and met King Zhao. After they had drunk together for several days, King Zhao said to Lord Pingyuan: "In ancient times, King Wen of Zhou found Lu Shang and made him Grand Duke. Duke Huan of Qi found Guan Zhong and called him 'Uncle.' Now Chancellor Fan is my own 'uncle.' His enemy is in your household. Send someone home to fetch the man's head; otherwise I shall not let you leave the pass."

Lord Pingyuan replied: "When the highborn make friends, it is for the sake of the lowborn; when the rich make friends, it is for the sake of the poor. Wei Qi is my friend. Even if he were there, I would not surrender him. And in fact he is no longer at my residence."

King Zhao then sent a letter to the King of Zhao: "Your brother is in Qin. Fan Sui's enemy Wei Qi is at Lord Pingyuan's house. Send someone at once with his head; otherwise I shall raise an army to attack Zhao, and I shall not release your brother from the pass."

King Xiaocheng of Zhao then dispatched troops to surround Lord Pingyuan's estate. In desperation, Wei Qi escaped by night and went to see the Zhao chancellor Yu Qing. Yu Qing judged that the King of Zhao could never be persuaded to resist, so he resigned his chancellor's seal and fled with Wei Qi. Travelling by back roads, they considered which of the lords they could reach quickly and turned back toward Daliang, hoping to go through Lord Xinling to flee to Chu.

When Lord Xinling heard of this, he feared Qin and hesitated, unwilling to receive them. He asked: "What sort of man is Yu Qing?"

Hou Ying, who was at his side, said: "It is never easy to know a man, and knowing men is likewise never easy. Yu Qing came wearing straw sandals and carrying a bamboo umbrella. After a single audience with the King of Zhao, he was given a pair of white jade discs and a hundred yi of gold. After a second audience, he was made Senior Minister. After a third, he received the chancellor's seal and was enfeoffed as marquis of ten thousand households. At that time all under heaven vied to know him. Now Wei Qi, in desperate straits, turns to Yu Qing. Yu Qing does not cling to his exalted rank and emoluments — he resigns the chancellor's seal, abandons his marquisate of ten thousand households, and flees by back roads. A man in mortal need turns to you, my lord, and you ask 'what sort of man is he?' It is never easy to know a man, and knowing men is likewise never easy!"

Lord Xinling was deeply ashamed. He took his carriage and went out to the countryside to welcome them. But Wei Qi, having heard that Lord Xinling had initially been reluctant to see him, was enraged and cut his own throat. The King of Zhao heard of it and sent Wei Qi's head to Qin. King Zhao thereupon released Lord Pingyuan to return to Zhao.

In King Zhao's forty-third year, Qin attacked Fenxing in Han and took it, then built a fortress at Guangwu on the Yellow River.

Five years later, King Zhao adopted the Marquis of Ying's stratagem and employed double agents to deceive Zhao. As a result, Zhao replaced Lian Po with the son of Lord Mafu as commander. Qin inflicted a devastating defeat on Zhao at Changping and then besieged Handan. Subsequently, Fan Sui fell into a rift with Lord Wu'an — Bai Qi — and spoke against him, leading to Bai Qi's execution.

Fan Sui then nominated Zheng Anping to command the attack on Zhao. But Zheng Anping was surrounded by the Zhao forces. In desperation, he surrendered with twenty thousand troops to Zhao. The Marquis of Ying knelt on his mat to beg forgiveness. Under Qin law, whoever recommended a man whose conduct proved treasonous was to receive the same punishment. By this standard, the Marquis of Ying's crime warranted the extermination of three clans.

King Zhao, reluctant to wound the Marquis of Ying's feelings, issued a decree throughout the state: "Anyone who dares speak of the Zheng Anping affair shall be punished with his crime." He increased the chancellor's food and gifts daily, to soothe his mind.

Two years later, Wang Ji, as Governor of Hedong, was found to have been in secret communication with the other states and was executed according to law. The Marquis of Ying grew increasingly uneasy.

King Zhao held court and sighed. The Marquis of Ying stepped forward and said: "I have heard it said: 'When the ruler worries, his ministers are shamed; when the ruler is humiliated, his ministers should die.' Now Your Majesty sighs in the midst of court — I beg to know what crime I have committed."

King Zhao said: "I have heard that Chu's iron swords are sharp and its jesters are clumsy. Sharp swords mean brave soldiers; clumsy jesters mean far-sighted counsel. With far-sighted counsel directing brave soldiers, I fear Chu may be plotting against Qin. Matters that are not prepared in advance cannot meet emergencies. Now Lord Wu'an is dead and Zheng Anping and others have defected. We have no able generals within and many enemy states without. That is why I worry."

His intent was to spur the Marquis of Ying to action. The Marquis of Ying was alarmed and did not know how to respond. When Cai Ze heard of this, he set out for Qin.

Cai Ze was a man of Yan. He had travelled widely, studying and soliciting employment from lords great and small, but met with no success. He went to the physiognomist Tang Ju and asked: "I have heard that you read Li Dui's face and told him that within a hundred days he would hold the reins of state. Is that true?"

"It is."

"And what of someone like me?"

Tang Ju studied him carefully and laughed. "Sir, you have a turned-up nose, enormous shoulders, a protruding forehead, a squashed bridge, and bowed knees. I have heard that a sage transcends physiognomy — you must be the one they mean."

Cai Ze knew Tang Ju was mocking him and said: "Wealth and rank I shall provide for myself. What I do not know is my lifespan — that is what I wish to hear."

Tang Ju said: "Your remaining lifespan from this day forward is forty-three years."

Cai Ze laughed, thanked him, and departed. He told his charioteer: "If I can eat fine millet that sticks between my teeth and grows me fat, ride spirited horses at a gallop, carry a seal of yellow gold, tie purple ribbons at my waist, and conduct myself with courtly deference before a sovereign — forty-three years of such rich living is more than enough."

He went to Zhao, where he was expelled. He went to Han and Wei, where thieves robbed him of his cooking pots on the road. Then he heard that the Marquis of Ying's protégés Zheng Anping and Wang Ji had both committed grave crimes in Qin and that the Marquis of Ying was inwardly ashamed. So Cai Ze headed west into Qin.

Cai Ze intended to see King Zhao, but first he had agents spread word designed to provoke the Marquis of Ying: "The Yan guest Cai Ze is the most brilliant and formidable debater under heaven. Once he sees the King of Qin, the king will surely corner you and strip you of your position."

The Marquis of Ying heard this and scoffed: "The affairs of the Five Emperors and Three Dynasties, the theories of the Hundred Schools — I know them all. The eloquence of every mouth — I have crushed them all. How could he corner me and take my position?" He sent for Cai Ze.

Cai Ze entered and gave a casual bow. The Marquis of Ying was already displeased. When he saw him, Cai Ze was again insolent. The Marquis rebuked him: "You have been proclaiming that you intend to replace me as chancellor of Qin. Is this true?"

"It is."

"Let me hear your argument."

Cai Ze said: "Alas, how slow you are to see it! In the sequence of the four seasons, that which has completed its work departs. A man born with all hundred parts of his body strong, with nimble hands and feet, keen eyes and ears, and a mind of sagely wisdom — is this not the ideal that every man of ambition desires?"

The Marquis of Ying said: "It is."

Cai Ze continued: "To possess a nature of benevolence, to uphold righteousness, to practise the Way and spread virtue, to achieve one's ambitions throughout the realm so that all under heaven cherish, take joy in, revere, and admire you, all wishing to make you their king — is this not the fulfilment that wisdom and eloquence aspire to?"

The Marquis of Ying said: "It is."

Cai Ze went on: "Wealth, honour, fame, and glory; to bring all things to their proper order so that each finds its place; to live long and complete one's natural years without untimely death; to have the realm continue your line, guard your legacy, and transmit it without end; to have your name and substance remain pure, your beneficence flow across a thousand leagues, praised by every generation without ceasing, enduring as long as heaven and earth — is this not the seal of virtue and what the sages called an auspicious and good thing?"

The Marquis of Ying said: "It is."

Cai Ze said: "And as for Shang Yang of Qin, Wu Qi of Chu, and Grand Officer Zhong of Yue — would you also wish for their final end?"

The Marquis of Ying saw that Cai Ze was trying to corner him with argument, but deliberately gave a perverse answer: "Why not? Gongsun Yang in serving Duke Xiao devoted his entire being without a second thought, gave everything to the public and disregarded his own interests. He established the knife and saw to suppress villainy, made rewards and punishments trustworthy to achieve good governance. He opened his heart, revealed his true feelings, bore resentment and blame, deceived an old friend, captured Prince Ang of Wei, secured the altars of Qin, benefited the people, and in the end captured enemy generals, routed enemy armies, and expanded the territory by a thousand leagues.

"Wu Qi in serving King Dao would not allow private interests to harm the public, nor slander to obscure loyalty. His words sought no easy agreement, his conduct sought no easy approval. He would not alter his course for danger, nor avoid hardship in the pursuit of righteousness. Thus he made his lord a hegemon and his state strong, never shying from calamity.

"Grand Officer Zhong in serving the King of Yue — though his lord was humiliated and besieged, he remained utterly loyal without flagging. Though his lord was on the brink of extinction, he exhausted his abilities without abandoning him. He achieved success without boasting, attained wealth and rank without arrogance or sloth.

"These three men exemplified the ultimate in righteousness and the highest standard of loyalty. Therefore the noble man dies for righteousness in the face of danger and views death as a homecoming. To live in disgrace is worse than to die in glory. A gentleman may well sacrifice his life to make his name. When righteousness demands it, one may die without regret. What could be objectionable?"

Cai Ze said: "A sage ruler with a worthy minister — that is the supreme blessing of the realm. A perspicacious lord with an upright minister — that is the blessing of a state. A loving father with a filial son, a faithful husband with a chaste wife — that is the blessing of a family.

"Thus Bi Gan was loyal but could not preserve Yin. Wu Zixu was wise but could not save Wu. Shensheng was filial yet Jin fell into chaos. In every case there were loyal ministers and filial sons, yet the state was destroyed. Why? Because there were no enlightened lords or worthy fathers to heed them. Therefore the world condemns their lords and fathers while pitying their ministers and sons.

"Now Shang Yang, Wu Qi, and Grand Officer Zhong — as ministers, they were right. Their lords were wrong. Hence the world praises these three for their achievements yet deplores their lack of gratitude. But would anyone truly aspire to die unrecognised by the age?

"If one must die before one can establish loyalty and achieve a name, then the Viscount of Wei was not truly humane, Confucius was not truly a sage, and Guan Zhong was not truly great. When a man establishes achievement, does he not hope to emerge whole? To preserve both one's person and one's name — that is the highest. To die but leave a name worthy of emulation — that is the next. To keep one's body but leave a name of shame — that is the lowest."

At this, the Marquis of Ying commended his reasoning.

After a pause, Cai Ze pressed his advantage: "As for Shang Yang, Wu Qi, and Grand Officer Zhong — their utter loyalty and outstanding service are indeed admirable. But Hong Yao serving King Wen, and the Duke of Zhou assisting King Cheng — were they not equally loyal and wise? Comparing these as ministers, whose example would you rather follow: Shang Yang, Wu Qi, and Grand Officer Zhong, or Hong Yao and the Duke of Zhou?"

The Marquis of Ying said: "Shang Yang, Wu Qi, and Grand Officer Zhong do not compare."

Cai Ze said: "Then let me ask: is your lord benevolent, trusting of loyal ministers, faithful to old friendships, bound in loyalty to meritorious servants as inseparably as lacquer and glue? How does he compare to Duke Xiao of Qin, King Dao of Chu, or the King of Yue?"

The Marquis of Ying said: "I am not sure."

Cai Ze said: "At present, your lord's devotion to loyal ministers does not surpass that of Duke Xiao, King Dao, or Goujian. And your own ingenuity — your ability to secure the state, reform government, impose order on chaos, strengthen the army, fend off threats, expand territory, increase harvests, enrich the state, empower the ruler, honour the altars and ancestral temple, so that none under heaven dare affront your lord, whose prestige shakes the realm and whose fame shines ten thousand leagues away and will be transmitted for a thousand generations — how does it compare to Shang Yang, Wu Qi, and Grand Officer Zhong?"

The Marquis of Ying said: "It does not match theirs."

Cai Ze said: "Your lord's devotion to loyal ministers and remembrance of old ties does not match Duke Xiao, King Dao, or Goujian. Your own accomplishments, the trust and favour you enjoy, do not match Shang Yang, Wu Qi, or Grand Officer Zhong. Yet your emoluments and rank far exceed theirs, and you have not retired. I fear your peril exceeds theirs as well. I am privately anxious for you.

"The proverb says: 'When the sun reaches its zenith it declines; when the moon is full it wanes.' Flourishing leads to decline — this is heaven and earth's constant pattern. Advancing and retreating, waxing and waning, changing with the times — this is the sage's constant way. Hence: 'When the state has the Way, serve; when it lacks the Way, withdraw.' The sage says: 'The dragon flies in heaven — it is advantageous to see a great man.' And: 'Wealth and rank gained without righteousness are to me as floating clouds.'

"Now your grudges are all avenged and your debts of gratitude all repaid. Your desires have reached their limit, yet you have no plan to change course. I privately consider this unwise.

"The kingfisher, the swan, the rhinoceros, the elephant — they do not lack the instinct to flee from death, yet they die because they are lured by bait. Su Qin and Zhi Bo were not lacking in wit to avoid disgrace and death, yet they died because they were deluded by greed and could not stop.

"Therefore the sage established ritual to regulate desire, took from the people with moderation, employed them in season, and used resources within limits. Thus his ambition did not overflow, his conduct did not grow arrogant. He kept always to the Way and never lost it, and so the realm continued without end.

"In ancient times Duke Huan of Qi united the lords nine times and rectified all under heaven, but at the Kuiqiu assembly his spirit grew proud and arrogant, and nine states revolted. King Fuchai of Wu had an army without rival under heaven, but his aggressive disdain for the lords led to his death and his state's destruction. Xia Yu and Grand Scribe Jiao could terrify three armies with a shout, yet they were killed by ordinary men. All of them rode the crest of supreme power without returning to the Way, without dwelling in humility and frugality.

"Shang Yang, for Duke Xiao of Qin, clarified the laws, suppressed the roots of villainy, made rank and reward certain, made crime and punishment certain, standardised weights and measures, regulated currency, broke open the field paths, stabilised the people's livelihoods and unified their customs, encouraged farming and productive use of the land, ensured that each household had but one occupation, promoted diligent tillage and accumulation, and trained the people in military formations. Thus when the army moved the territory expanded; when the army rested the state grew rich. Qin was without rival under heaven, its authority established over the lords, its state enterprise accomplished. His achievement was complete — and then he was torn apart by chariots.

"Chu's territory spanned thousands of leagues with a million halberd-bearers. Bai Qi led a force of tens of thousands against Chu: in one battle he took Yan and Ying and burned Yiling; in a second he annexed the lands south to Shu and Han. Then he crossed Han and Wei to attack mighty Zhao, burying Lord Mafu's troops in the north, slaughtering over four hundred thousand, annihilating them beneath Changping. Blood flowed until it formed rivers, and the sound of agony roared like thunder. He then besieged Handan, giving Qin the foundation of empire. Chu and Zhao were the mightiest states under heaven and Qin's bitterest enemies, yet after this they cowered and dared not attack Qin — all because of Bai Qi's power. He subdued over seventy cities. His achievement was complete — and then he was given a sword and died at Duyu.

"Wu Qi established laws for King Dao of Chu, diminishing the power and prestige of the great ministers, dismissing the incompetent, abolishing the useless, eliminating unnecessary offices, blocking private-door petitions, unifying Chu's customs, prohibiting idle wanderers, refining warriors for farming and warfare, annexing Yangue to the south and Chen and Cai to the north, shattering horizontal alliances and scattering vertical ones, silencing the travelling persuaders, prohibiting factional cliques to inspire the common people, and settling Chu's government. His army shook the realm and his authority awed the lords. His achievement was complete — and in the end he was dismembered.

"Grand Officer Zhong devised deep and far-reaching plans for the King of Yue, rescuing him from the crisis at Kuaiji, turning ruin into survival and disgrace into glory. He cleared wasteland and built settlements, opened land and increased harvests, rallied warriors from all quarters, focused all efforts high and low, supported the worthy Goujian, avenged the wrong done by Fuchai, and finally captured mighty Wu. He made Yue a hegemon. His achievement was manifest and proven — yet Goujian betrayed him and had him killed.

"These four men achieved their greatest works but did not withdraw, and disaster followed. This is what is meant by 'extending credit until one cannot be repaid, advancing until one cannot return.' Fan Li understood this, transcended the world, and lived long as Lord Tao Zhu.

"Have you never watched men at the gaming table? Some wish to stake everything on one great throw; others prefer to secure partial winnings. You understand this well. Now you are chancellor of Qin, planning without leaving your mat, strategising without leaving the court, directing the lords from your seat, extending your reach to the Three Rivers, filling Yiyang, breaching the perilous Yangtang Pass, blocking the Taihang roads, severing the routes of the Fan and Zhonghang clans, preventing the six states from forming a vertical alliance, and building plank roads a thousand leagues long to connect Shu and Han. All under heaven fears Qin; Qin has obtained what it desired. Your achievements have reached their summit. This is the time for Qin to share out its winnings. If you do not retire now, you will become another Shang Yang, another Bai Qi, another Wu Qi, another Grand Officer Zhong.

"I have heard: 'Those who look into water see their own face; those who look into other men know fortune and misfortune.' The Documents say: 'Beneath the weight of accomplished success, one cannot long remain.' The disaster of the four men — where do you stand among them? Why not use this moment to return the chancellor's seal, yield to a worthier man, retire to dwell among cliffs and gaze upon rivers? You will surely be credited with the integrity of Bo Yi and will remain the Marquis of Ying forever, your line addressed as lords through the generations, possessed of the self-denial of Xu You and the Prince of Yanling, with the longevity of Qiao and Song. Is that not better than ending in disaster?

"Where do you stand? If you cannot bear to detach yourself, if you cannot bring yourself to decide, the four men's disaster will surely be yours. The Changes say: 'The dragon that flies too high will have cause for regret.' This speaks of one who rises but cannot descend, who advances but cannot yield, who goes forth but cannot return. I beg you to consider carefully!"

The Marquis of Ying said: "Excellent. I have heard that 'he who desires but does not understand will lose what he desires; he who possesses but does not understand will lose what he possesses.' You have been kind enough to instruct me, and I, Sui, respectfully accept your counsel."

He then invited Cai Ze in to sit and treated him as his most honoured guest.

Several days later, Fan Sui went to court and addressed King Zhao of Qin: "A guest has recently come from east of the passes, named Cai Ze. He is a formidable debater, well versed in the affairs of the Three Kings, the enterprises of the Five Hegemons, and the shifting customs of the age — capable enough to be entrusted with the governance of Qin. Of all the men I have met in my life, none surpasses him. I am not his equal. I venture to bring this to your attention."

King Zhao summoned Cai Ze, conversed with him, and was greatly pleased. He appointed him Guest Minister. The Marquis of Ying then pleaded illness and asked to return the chancellor's seal. King Zhao pressed the Marquis of Ying to remain, but the Marquis insisted that his illness was grave.

Fan Sui was relieved of the chancellorship. King Zhao, newly delighted by Cai Ze's strategies, appointed him Chancellor of Qin. Cai Ze went on to annex the Zhou royal domain in the east.

Cai Ze served as chancellor of Qin for only a few months before others began to slander him. Fearing execution, he pleaded illness and returned the chancellor's seal. He was given the title Lord Gangcheng.

He remained in Qin for over ten years, serving King Zhao, King Xiaowen, and King Zhuangxiang. In the end he served the First Emperor, acting as Qin's envoy to Yan. Three years later, Yan sent Crown Prince Dan to Qin as a hostage.

The Grand Historian remarks: Han Feizi said, "Long sleeves make for graceful dancing; ample capital makes for shrewd trading." How true these words are! Fan Sui and Cai Ze are what the world calls consummate debaters, yet they wandered among the lords until their hair turned white without finding employment. This was not because their strategies were clumsy, but because the force behind their persuasions was insufficient.

Once these two entered Qin as foreign wanderers, they followed one another in seizing the chancellorship and left their achievements hanging over the realm. This was simply because the balance of power between strong and weak states was different there. And yet even for men of ability, success depends on fortunate conjunction. How many men as talented as these two never fulfilled their ambitions? They are too many to count. But then again — had these two not endured hardship and desperation, how could they have been driven to such heights?

The Marquis of Ying began in hardship, smuggled westward in a carriage. His counsel was adopted and his stratagems established; Ping was elevated and Ji was honoured. Leaning on Qin to pressure Zhao, he at last avenged himself on Wei Qi. Lord Gangcheng was brilliant in debate and wisdom; Fan Sui beckoned and he came. Power and profit shift and are seized — a single word can open a path where none existed.