秦策五

Someone addressed the King of Qin: "I am privately puzzled by Your Majesty's contempt for Qi, dismissal of Chu, and degrading treatment of Han. I have heard that a victorious king does not grow arrogant, and a hegemon who makes treaties does not grow resentful. By not being arrogant in victory, he can command the age; by not resenting constraints, he can lead his neighbors. Now Your Majesty lavishes favor on Wei and Zhao while carelessly losing Qi — that is arrogance. You conquer Yiyang and neglect the alliance with Chu — that is resentment. Arrogance and resentment are not the foundations of hegemony. I have privately considered this on Your Majesty's behalf and find it inadvisable.

"The Odes say: 'All have a beginning; few see it through to the end.' Therefore, what the former kings prized above all was the beginning and the end. How do we know this? Zhibo Yao destroyed the Fan and Zhonghang clans and besieged Jinyang, but in the end became a laughingstock for the three houses. King Fuchai of Wu drove Yue to refuge on Kuaiji, defeated Qi at Ailing, and held the assembly at Huangchi, where he was rude to Song — and then was captured by King Goujian and died at Gansui. The lord of Liang attacked Chu, defeated Qi, controlled the armies of Zhao and Han, and drove twelve lords to pay court to the Son of Heaven at Mengjin — but afterward his heir died, and he himself, wearing a commoner's cap, was detained in Qin. None of these three lacked achievements — they could begin but could not finish.

"Now Your Majesty has taken Yiyang, devastated the Three Rivers, and silenced the scholars of All-Under-Heaven. You have hemmed in the states, shifted West Zhou's borders, and no world ruler dares pass the fortress of Yanghou. You have taken Huangji, and the armies of Han and Chu dare not advance. If Your Majesty can bring this to a proper conclusion, the Three Kings would need a fourth and the Five Hegemons a sixth. But if you cannot finish well and future troubles arise, then I fear the lords of the realm and the men of the Yellow River and Ji will regard Your Majesty as another Wu or Zhi.

"The Odes say: 'He who travels a hundred li is only halfway at ninety.' This speaks of the difficulty of the final stretch. Now Your Majesty already shows signs of arrogance. From my observation, the affairs of All-Under-Heaven hinge on the calculations of the world's rulers — either Chu will face war, or Qin will. How do I know? Qin supports Wei to oppose Chu; Chu supports Han to oppose Qin. The armies of the four states are evenly matched and cannot resume fighting. Qi and Song stand outside this balance as the deciding weight. Therefore I say: whichever side wins Qi and Song first will prevail. If Qin wins Qi and Song first, Han dissolves, and Chu stands alone to face the blade. If Chu wins Qi first, Wei dissolves, and Qin stands alone to face the blade. If both sides follow this logic to its conclusion, both will become laughingstock to All-Under-Heaven."

The King of Qin argued with Zhongqi and lost the argument. The king was furious, and Zhongqi walked away without haste.

Someone interceded with the King of Qin on Zhongqi's behalf: "He is a bold man. Zhongqi was fortunate to have encountered an enlightened ruler — had he met a Jie or a Zhou, he would certainly have been killed."

The king therefore did not punish him.

Xian Ze said to Gongsun Xiao: "You are the most senior of the great ministers and have led many successful campaigns. The reason you have not been made chancellor is that the Queen Dowager does not favor you. Xin Rong is someone the Queen Dowager holds dear. He is currently a fugitive from Chu, residing in East Zhou. Why not use the weight of Qin and Chu to fund his appointment as chancellor in Zhou? Chu will certainly find this convenient. Once Xin Rong has the backing of both Qin and Chu, the Queen Dowager will be pleased with you, and your chancellorship will be assured."

Lou Wu brokered a treaty between Qin and Wei, with the Wei crown prince sent as a hostage. Fen Jiang wished to sabotage this. He told the Queen Dowager: "States that make treaties also break them. If the treaty damages Qin and benefits Wei, Wei will certainly betray it. On the day Wei betrays Qin, the crown prince will be worthless."

The Queen Dowager sat before the king and wept. The king consequently grew suspicious about the crown prince arrangement and ordered him to remain at Suanzao instead of proceeding to Qin. Lou Wu was alarmed.

Zhao Yan was serving as Zhou's envoy to Wei. Lou Wu told him the situation. Zhao Yan visited the King of Wei, who asked: "What news?"

"I hear Qin is about to attack Wei."

The king said: "But a fixed date has been set for the treaty with me."

"Qin suspects Your Majesty's commitment to the treaty because the crown prince has remained at Suanzao instead of going to Qin. The King of Qin is reasoning: 'If Wei will not honor the treaty, it must be planning to attack me. Rather than sit here waiting to be attacked, better to strike first.' When a state as powerful as Qin has humbled itself to make a treaty with an ally, I fear the consequences will fall on East Zhou."

Lü Buwei, a man from Puyang, was trading in Handan when he encountered the Qin hostage prince Yiren. He returned home and asked his father: "What is the profit from tilling fields?"

"Tenfold."

"And from dealing in pearls and jade?"

"A hundredfold."

"And from installing the ruler of a state?"

"Beyond calculation."

"Today, a man who works the fields with all his strength still cannot afford warm clothes or a full belly. But establishing a state and installing its ruler — the benefits can last for generations. I wish to pursue this."

Qin's prince Yiren was being held hostage in Zhao, living in Liaocheng. Lü Buwei went to him and said: "Prince Xi has a claim to succession and a mother at court. You have no mother at court and are stranded in a foreign state. If the treaty is broken one day, you become expendable. But if you follow my plan and seek to return, you can have the kingdom of Qin. Let me go to Qin on your behalf — I will certainly arrange for your recall."

He then approached the Marquis of Yangquan, the younger brother of the Queen Consort, and said: "Your offenses warrant death — are you aware of this? Everyone in your retinue holds high office, while no one in the crown prince's retinue is a person of distinction. Your treasury is full of pearls and jade, your outer stables overflow with fine horses, and your inner chambers are filled with beautiful women. The king is old. The day the mountain collapses, the crown prince takes power, and your position becomes more precarious than stacked eggs — you will not survive to see the morning. But there is a plan that could secure your wealth and status for ten thousand years, steady as Mount Tai on its four pillars, free from any danger."

The Marquis of Yangquan rose from his mat and asked to hear the plan.

Lü Buwei said: "The king is old and the queen has no son. Prince Xi has a succession claim and Shi Cang supports him. The day the mountain collapses and Prince Xi takes the throne with Shi Cang running affairs, the queen's household will be overgrown with weeds. Prince Yiren is talented and worthy, but abandoned in Zhao with no mother at court. He stretches his neck and gazes westward, longing to return. If the queen sincerely requests his return and establishes him as heir, then Yiren — who had no state — gains a state, and the queen — who had no son — gains a son."

The Marquis of Yangquan said: "Indeed." He went in and persuaded the queen, and the queen requested Zhao to return the prince.

But Zhao had not yet released him. Lü Buwei addressed the Zhao court: "Prince Yiren is Qin's favored son. He has no mother at court — the queen wishes to adopt him as her own. If Qin decides to destroy Zhao, it will not let one hostage prince deter it — you would be holding an empty hostage. But if you send Yiren home and he ascends the throne, and Zhao sends him off with generous gifts, he will not dare repay kindness with betrayal — you will have earned goodwill. The King of Qin is old. After his death, even having Yiren on the throne will not be enough to bind Qin to Zhao."

Zhao therefore released him.

When Yiren arrived, Lü Buwei had him dress in Chu-style clothing for his audience. The queen was delighted by his appearance and impressed by his intelligence. She said: "I am of Chu myself." She adopted him as her son and changed his name to Chu.

The king told the prince to recite texts. The prince said: "I was abandoned abroad as a child and never had a tutor — I am not practiced in recitation." The king excused him and let him stay.

In a private audience, the prince said: "When Your Majesty once passed through Zhao, the heroes and men of distinction there who came to know your name were not few. Now that Your Majesty has returned to your state, they all gaze westward. Yet Your Majesty has not sent so much as a single envoy to acknowledge them. I fear they all harbor resentment. I would suggest closing the borders early and opening them late."

The king considered this sound and was struck by the cleverness of the advice. The queen urged that he be established as heir. The king summoned his chancellor and declared: "Among my sons, none surpasses Chu." He installed him as crown prince.

When Prince Chu ascended the throne, he made Lü Buwei chancellor, entitled him Marquis Wenxin, and granted him the revenue of twelve counties in Lantian. The queen became Empress Dowager Huayang, and the lords of All-Under-Heaven all sent tribute to Qin.

The Marquis of Wenxin wished to attack Zhao in order to expand the Hejian territory. He had sent the Lord of Gangcheng, Cai Ze, to cultivate relations with Yan for three years, and the Crown Prince of Yan was now a hostage in Qin. The Marquis then asked Zhang Tang to serve as chancellor of Yan, intending to use the Qin-Yan alliance to jointly attack Zhao and expand Hejian. Zhang Tang refused, saying: "The road to Yan passes through Zhao, and the Zhao have put a price of a hundred li of territory on my head."

The Marquis left the meeting in a foul mood. The Junior Clerk Gan Luo said: "Why is My Lord so displeased?"

The Marquis said: "I had the Lord of Gangcheng spend three years cultivating Yan, and the Yan crown prince is already our hostage. Now I personally asked Zhang Tang to be chancellor in Yan, and he refuses to go."

Gan Luo said: "Let me handle it."

The Marquis snapped at him: "I asked him myself and he refused — what can you do?"

Gan Luo said: "Xiang Tuo was seven years old when he became Confucius's teacher. I am now twelve. Try me, my lord — why dismiss me so hastily?"

Gan Luo went to see Zhang Tang and said: "Whose achievements are greater — yours or the Lord of Wu'an's?"

Zhang Tang said: "The Lord of Wu'an's victories and conquests are beyond counting. My achievements cannot compare."

"You clearly know your achievements fall short of the Lord of Wu'an's?"

"I know it."

"When the Marquis of Ying controlled Qin's affairs, was he as powerful as the Marquis of Wenxin?"

"The Marquis of Ying was not as powerful."

"You clearly know this?"

"I know it."

Gan Luo said: "The Marquis of Ying wanted to attack Zhao, and the Lord of Wu'an objected. Seven li from Xianyang, he was strangled to death. Now the Marquis of Wenxin has personally asked you to serve as chancellor of Yan, and you refuse to go. I cannot predict where you will die."

Zhang Tang said: "I will go — guided by a child!"

He ordered the arsenal to prepare chariots, the stables to prepare horses, and the treasury to prepare gifts. A departure date was set.

Gan Luo said to the Marquis of Wenxin: "Lend me five chariots. Let me go ahead to Zhao on Zhang Tang's behalf."

He met with the King of Zhao, who received him with full ceremony outside the city. Gan Luo said to the King of Zhao: "Have you heard that Crown Prince Dan of Yan has entered Qin as a hostage?"

"I have."

"Have you heard that Zhang Tang is to be chancellor of Yan?"

"I have."

"That Yan's crown prince is in Qin means Yan will not betray Qin. That Zhang Tang is chancellor of Yan means Qin will not betray Yan. If Qin and Yan trust each other, then they will attack Zhao — and you will be in danger. The reason Qin and Yan trust each other is simple: they want to attack Zhao to expand Hejian. Now, if Your Majesty gives me five cities to expand Hejian, I will arrange for Yan's crown prince to be returned. Then strong Zhao can attack weak Yan."

The King of Zhao immediately ceded five cities to expand Hejian and the Yan crown prince was returned. Zhao then attacked Yan and took thirty-six counties of Shanggu, giving Qin a tenth of the spoils.

The Marquis of Wenxin fled and went to Zhao together with Sikong Ma. Zhao appointed Sikong Ma as acting chancellor. Qin dispatched armored troops to attack Zhao.

Sikong Ma addressed the King of Zhao: "When the Marquis of Wenxin served as Qin's chancellor, I served under him as Secretary and learned Qin's affairs. Now Your Majesty has given me a minor office, and I have learned Zhao's affairs. Allow me to stage a hypothetical war between Qin and Zhao, and let us see who would win.

"Is Zhao larger than Qin?" — "No." "Is its population greater?" — "No." "Is it wealthier in gold, money, and grain?" — "No." "Is its governance better?" — "No." "Is its chancellor more capable?" — "No." "Are its generals more skilled?" — "No." "Are its laws and regulations clearer?" — "No."

Sikong Ma said: "Then in every measure Your Majesty's state falls short of Qin. Your state will be destroyed."

The King of Zhao said: "You have not disdained Zhao and have given us the full benefit of your counsel. I wish to hear your plan."

Sikong Ma said: "If Your Majesty tears off half of Zhao and bribes Qin with it, Qin gains half of Zhao without fighting — Qin will be delighted. Internally, Qin worries about Zhao's ability to defend the remainder; externally, it fears the other lords may come to Zhao's rescue. Qin will accept the offer. Qin takes the territory and withdraws its army; Zhao defends half its state and survives. Qin, enriched by the bribe, grows stronger — the eastern states will be alarmed. Seeing Zhao diminished and themselves endangered, the lords will be frightened. Frightened, they will rescue each other, and the north-south coalition can be formed. I ask Your Majesty to organize the coalition. If the coalition succeeds, then Your Majesty will have nominally lost half of Zhao but in reality gained all the eastern states to oppose Qin — and Qin will not be able to destroy you."

The King of Zhao said: "Previously, when Qin attacked Zhao, we bribed them with twelve counties of Hejian. Our territory was diminished and our army weakened, yet we still could not escape Qin's aggression. Now you propose ceding half of Zhao to strengthen Qin further — we would be too weak to survive and would simply perish. I wish you to reconsider."

Sikong Ma said: "I was raised as a minor clerk in Qin, advanced through the bureaucracy to small offices, and have never commanded armies. But allow me to mobilize all of Zhao's forces and lead them into battle."

The King of Zhao would not appoint him as general.

Sikong Ma said: "I have offered my humble plans and Your Majesty has not used them. I have nothing more to contribute. I beg leave to depart."

Sikong Ma left Zhao and crossed at Pingyuan. The ferry commander at Pingyuan, Guo Yi, greeted him and asked: "Qin's troops are descending on Zhao, and you, an honored guest, have come from Zhao — how do things stand?"

Sikong Ma told him of the plans he had offered the King of Zhao and how none were adopted. Zhao would certainly fall.

The ferry commander asked: "In your estimation, when will Zhao fall?"

Sikong Ma said: "If Zhao's general is the Lord of Wu'an, within a year. If they kill the Lord of Wu'an, within half a year. The King of Zhao has a minister named Han Cang who ingratiates himself through flattery. The king is very close to him, but this man is by nature jealous of the worthy and envious of meritorious ministers. Now that the state faces destruction, the king will certainly heed his words, and the Lord of Wu'an will certainly die."

Han Cang did indeed slander the general, and the king sent someone to replace him. When the Lord of Wu'an arrived at court, Han Cang was sent to enumerate his crimes: "When Your Excellency won the battle and the king toasted you, you raised a dagger in the king's presence while offering a toast — this warrants death."

The Lord of Wu'an said: "I suffer from a spinal condition — my torso is large but my arms are short, and I cannot reach the ground. When sitting and rising I cannot show proper respect, and I feared committing an offense before the king. So I had a craftsman make a wooden extension for my hand. If you do not believe me, I beg to show it." He drew it from his sleeve and showed it to Han Cang — it was shaped like a ladle-handle, wrapped in cloth. "I beg you to go in and explain this to the king."

Han Cang said: "I have received orders from the king: you are granted death, with no pardon. I dare not speak."

The Lord of Wu'an bowed twice facing north, accepting the death decree. He drew his sword to kill himself, then said: "A minister may not kill himself within the palace." He passed through the Sikong Gate, moving very quickly, and exited through the Thorn Gate. He raised his sword in his right hand to strike himself, but his arm was too short to reach. He took the sword in his teeth and drove it into a pillar to impale himself.

Five months after the Lord of Wu'an's death, Zhao fell.

The ferry commander of Pingyuan, whenever he met officials, would always say: "Ah, Sikong Ma!" He would add that Sikong Ma was expelled from Qin not because he lacked knowledge, and he left Zhao not because he lacked ability. Zhao dismissed Sikong Ma and the state perished. When a state perishes, it is not for lack of worthy men — it is for the inability to use them.

Four states united with the intention of attacking Qin. The King of Qin summoned sixty ministers and guests and asked them: "Four states have united to plot against Qin. I am pressed within and my people are exhausted without. What is to be done?"

None of the ministers responded.

Yao Jia spoke up: "I am willing to go as envoy to the four states. I will certainly break their alliance and neutralize their armies."

He was furnished with a hundred chariots, a thousand catties of gold, dressed in fine robes, capped and girded with a ceremonial sword. Yao Jia took his leave, broke the coalition, halted their armies, and established friendly relations — then returned to report to Qin. The King of Qin was greatly pleased, enfeoffed Yao Jia with a thousand households, and appointed him Senior Minister.

Han Fei learned of this and said: "Yao Jia took pearls and precious treasure, traveled south to Jing and Wu and north between Yan and Dai for three years. The four states' alliance may not even have been solid, yet the pearls and treasure have been spent. Yao Jia used the king's authority and the state's treasures to build his own connections with the lords abroad. I beg Your Majesty to look into this. Moreover, he is the son of a Liang gatekeeper, once a thief in Liang, a vassal in Zhao who was expelled. To take the son of a gatekeeper, a great thief of Liang, an expelled vassal of Zhao, and share with him the counsels of state — this is no way to inspire your ministers."

The king summoned Yao Jia and asked: "I hear you used my wealth to build connections with the lords. Is this true?"

"It is."

"How do you dare show your face before me again?"

"Zeng Shen was filial to his parents, and All-Under-Heaven wished to have him as a son. Wu Zixu was loyal to his lord, and All-Under-Heaven wished to have him as a minister. A virtuous and skilled woman — All-Under-Heaven wishes to take her as a wife. Now I am loyal to Your Majesty and Your Majesty does not realize it. If I do not return to the four states, where else would I go? If I were not loyal to my lord, why would the kings of the four states have any use for me? Liang heeded slander and executed its best general; Zhou heeded slander and killed his loyal minister — both ended in personal death and national ruin. If Your Majesty heeds slander, you will have no loyal ministers."

The king said: "But you are a gatekeeper's son, a great thief of Liang, an expelled vassal of Zhao."

Yao Jia replied: "The Grand Duke Wang was a rejected husband in Qi, a failed butcher in Zhaoge, an expelled retainer of Ziliang, and an unwanted laborer at Jijin — yet King Wen employed him and became king. Guan Zhong was a petty merchant from the provinces, a destitute prisoner in Nanyang, and a pardoned captive of Lu — yet Duke Huan employed him and became hegemon. Baili Xi was a beggar from Yu, sold for the price of five sheepskins — yet Duke Mu made him chancellor and received the submission of the Western Rong. Duke Wen of Jin employed a thief from Zhongshan and won the battle of Chengpu. These four men all bore shame and disgrace and were widely reviled — yet enlightened rulers employed them, knowing they could achieve great things. If rulers only employed men like Bian Sui, Wu Guang, and Shentu Di, what use would they ever get? Therefore an enlightened ruler does not reject a man for his stains or heed accusations against him — he examines whether the man is useful. One who can preserve the state, though he be reviled abroad, is heeded; one who bears a lofty reputation but has not a foot of achievement is not rewarded. Thus none of the ministers dares approach the throne with empty ambitions."

The King of Qin said: "So be it." He continued to employ Yao Jia — and had Han Fei executed.