楚策四

Someone said to the King of Chu: "I hear that the Vertical Alliance advocates wish to unite All-Under-Heaven to pay court to Your Majesty. I urge Your Majesty to heed them.

"To turn setback into advantage, to bring old troubles to a successful end — this is what the brave call righteous. To convert disaster into fortune, to make little into much — this is what the wise devote their talents to. The reversal of retribution, the transformation of obscurity — only a great ruler can achieve this.

"Disaster and fortune are linked; life and death are neighbors. One who does not commit fully to either death or life cannot bear a great name. One who has no enemies to strike down cannot dominate an age.

"Qin abandoned virtue and severed bonds of trust long ago, yet All-Under-Heaven does not see it. The Horizontal partisans have honeyed mouths and sharp wits. They manipulate the ruler's heart above and exploit the common people below. They invoke the public interest while taking private profit. This is why state power has become lighter than a swan's feather, while accumulated disaster has grown heavier than a mountain."

The King of Wei presented a beautiful woman to the King of Chu. The king was delighted with her. The consort Zheng Xiu, knowing the king was pleased with the newcomer, showered the new woman with affection — selecting clothes and ornaments that the newcomer liked, choosing bedchamber furnishings that suited her. She loved the newcomer even more than the king did.

The king said: "A woman serves her husband through beauty, and jealousy is in her nature. Now Zheng Xiu knows I am pleased with the newcomer, yet she loves her more than I do. This is how a filial son serves his parents, how a loyal minister serves his lord."

Once Zheng Xiu knew the king believed she was not jealous, she said to the newcomer: "The king loves your beauty. However, he dislikes your nose. When you see the king, you should always cover your nose."

The newcomer covered her nose whenever she saw the king. The king said to Zheng Xiu: "The new woman covers her nose whenever she sees me. Why?"

Zheng Xiu said: "I know the reason."

The king said: "Even if it is unpleasant, you must tell me."

Zheng Xiu said: "It seems she finds Your Majesty's smell offensive."

The king said: "Insolent creature!" He ordered her nose cut off, and that no one should countermand the order.

The Queen of Chu died, and no successor had been appointed. Someone said to Zhao Yu: "Why do you not request the appointment of a new queen?"

Zhao Yu said: "If the king refuses, I will have gained nothing but will have made an enemy of whichever woman is eventually chosen as queen."

"Then why not buy five pairs of earrings, making one pair clearly superior, and present them to the king? The next day, see who is wearing the finest pair — and then request her appointment."

Zhuang Xin said to King Xiang of Chu: "Your Majesty has the Marquis of Zhou at your left and the Marquis of Xia at your right, with the Lord of Yanling and the Lord of Shouling following your carriage. You devote yourself entirely to debauchery and extravagance and give no thought to governance. The capital at Ying is certainly in danger."

King Xiang said: "Are you going senile, sir? Or do you mean to bring ill omens upon Chu?"

Zhuang Xin said: "I truly see that it must come to this. I would not dare speak of omens. If Your Majesty continues to favor these four and does not desist, Chu will certainly perish. I beg leave to withdraw to Zhao and wait there to see what happens."

Zhuang Xin departed for Zhao. Five months later, Qin indeed seized Yan, Ying, Wu, Shangcai, and Chen. King Xiang fled in distress to Chengyang. He then dispatched riders to summon Zhuang Xin from Zhao. Zhuang Xin agreed to come.

When Zhuang Xin arrived, King Xiang said: "I failed to heed your words. Now matters have come to this. What can be done?"

Zhuang Xin replied: "I have heard a common saying: 'To spot the hare and call the hounds is not too late. To mend the pen after losing the sheep is not too slow.' I have heard that Tang and Wu prospered from a territory of a hundred li, while Jie and Zhou perished despite ruling All-Under-Heaven. Though Chu is now diminished, patching together its remaining territory still amounts to several thousand li. Is that not far more than a hundred li?

"Has Your Majesty never observed the dragonfly? With six legs and four wings it flits between heaven and earth, dipping down to snap up gnats and mosquitoes, rising up to drink sweet dew. It considers itself free of danger, without quarrel with anyone. It does not know that a five-foot child is preparing his lead weight and silken line to drop it from four fathoms high, where it will be eaten by mole crickets and ants.

"The dragonfly is a small example. The same applies to the yellow sparrow. It dips down to peck at white grain, rises to nest in lush trees, flaps and soars, considering itself free of danger, without quarrel with anyone. It does not know that young lords and princes, with slingshots on the left and pellets on the right, are about to bring it down from ten fathoms, baiting their aims with its own kind. By day it roams the lush trees; by evening it simmers in the sauce pot. In a flash, it falls into the young lord's hands.

"The sparrow is a small example. The same applies to the yellow swan. It roams the rivers and seas, rests in the great marshes, dipping down to snap up eels and carp, rising to nibble water chestnuts and pondweed. It beats its six pinions and soars on the clear wind, drifting high above. It considers itself free of danger, without quarrel with anyone. It does not know that the archer is readying his crossbow, adjusting his corded arrows, preparing to strike it from a hundred fathoms. The stone arrowhead bites, the fine cord pulls taut — the swan tumbles through the clear wind and falls. By day it roamed the rivers; by evening it simmers in the cauldron.

"The yellow swan is a small example. The same applies to the Marquis Sheng of Cai. He roamed south to the high slopes, climbed north to Wu Mountain, drank from the Ru River, ate the fish of the Xiang, embraced young concubines on his left and favored women on his right, careening through the highlands of Cai and giving no thought to affairs of state. He did not know that Zifa had just received orders from King Xuan — to bind him in red silk and display him.

"The Marquis Sheng of Cai is a small example. The same applies to Your Majesty's situation. With the Marquis of Zhou at your left and the Marquis of Xia at your right, the Lord of Yanling and the Lord of Shouling following your carriage, eating the grain of your fiefs, wearing the gold of your treasury, careening through the wilds of Yunmeng, giving no thought to the state and All-Under-Heaven — you did not know that the Marquis of Rang had just received orders from the King of Qin to fill the pass at Min and cast you beyond it."

King Xiang heard this. His face changed color and his body trembled. He then bestowed the rank of Holder of the Jade Tablet upon Zhuang Xin, named him Lord of Yangling, and granted him the territory north of the Huai River.

Qi Ming tried to persuade Zhuo Hua to attack Qin. Zhuo Hua would not listen.

Qi Ming said to Zhuo Hua: "The reason I came was to assess alliances on behalf of Quli Ji. I have persuaded all of Chu's senior ministers to attack Qin, and they have all accepted — only you have refused. I now have my report for Quli Ji."

Zhuo Hua thereupon took the matter seriously.

Someone said to Huang Qi: "Everyone says you are on bad terms with Fu Zhi. Have you not heard how Laolai Zi taught Confucius about serving one's lord? He showed him his teeth — hard as they were, by sixty they had all worn away against each other.

"Now Fu Zhi is capable, and you persist in being on bad terms with him — this is mutual destruction. The proverb says: 'When you see the lord's chariot, dismount; when you see his staff, rise.' Now the king loves Fu Zhi, and you are on bad terms with him — that is disloyalty."

During the crisis at Changsha, the Chu Crown Prince Heng was held hostage in Qi. The King of Chu died. The Lord of Xue returned Crown Prince Heng, then followed with the armies of Han and Wei to attack the Eastern Territory.

The Crown Prince was frightened. Zhao Gai said: "It would be better to send Qu Shu to offer the new Eastern Territory as a peace settlement with Qi, in order to alarm Qin. Qin, fearing that Qi will absorb the Eastern Territory and extend its dominion over All-Under-Heaven, will surely come to our rescue."

The Crown Prince said: "Excellent." He immediately sent Qu Shu to offer the Eastern Territory as peace terms to Qi. The King of Qin heard of this and was alarmed. He sent Xin Rong to tell Chu: "Do not give Qi the Eastern Territory. I will commit our troops alongside yours."

Someone presented an elixir of immortality to the King of Jing. A gatekeeper carried it in. A palace guard asked: "May this be eaten?"

"It may."

The guard snatched it and ate it. The king was furious and ordered the guard's execution.

The guard sent someone to plead his case: "I asked the gatekeeper whether it could be eaten, and the gatekeeper said yes. I therefore ate it. I am without fault — the fault lies with the gatekeeper.

"Moreover, a guest presented an elixir of immortality. If I eat it and Your Majesty kills me, it is an elixir of death. If Your Majesty kills an innocent subject, it proves the guest deceived you."

The king did not execute him.

A visitor said to Lord Chunshen: "Tang used Bo and King Wu used Hao — neither controlled more than a hundred li, yet they won All-Under-Heaven. Now Master Sun is the worthiest man alive, and you have given him a base of a hundred li. I privately consider this disadvantageous to you."

Lord Chunshen said: "You are right." He sent someone to dismiss Master Sun. Master Sun went to Zhao, where he was made a Senior Minister.

Another visitor said to Lord Chunshen: "In ancient times, Yi Yin left Xia and entered Yin — Yin became king and Xia perished. Guan Zhong left Lu and entered Qi — Lu grew weak and Qi grew strong. Wherever a worthy man goes, his lord is honored and his state flourishes. Master Sun is the worthiest man alive — why did you dismiss him?"

Lord Chunshen again said: "You are right." He sent someone to invite Master Sun back from Zhao.

Master Sun wrote a letter declining: "'A leper pitying a king' — this is a disrespectful expression. And yet it demands careful consideration, for it speaks of rulers who are coerced, assassinated, and destroyed.

"When a ruler is young and proud of his talents but lacks the methods to detect treachery, then powerful ministers will monopolize the state's decisions and prevent anyone from punishing them. They murder the wise and mature to enthrone the young and weak; they depose the rightful heir to install the illegitimate.

"The Spring and Autumn Annals warn of this: 'Prince Wei of Chu was traveling in Zheng. Before leaving the border, he heard the king was ill. He turned back to visit the sickbed, then strangled the king with his own cap-strings and enthroned himself. In Qi, Cui Zhu's wife was beautiful, and Duke Zhuang had an affair with her. Cui Zhu led his followers to attack. Duke Zhuang offered to share the state — Cui Zhu refused. The duke offered to kill himself in the ancestral temple — Cui Zhu refused. The duke fled over the outer wall; an arrow struck his thigh, and he was killed. Cui Zhu enthroned his brother, Duke Jing.'

"In more recent times, within living memory: Li Dui held power in Zhao and starved Lord Wuling at Shaqiu — he died after a hundred days. Nao Chi held power in Qi, tore out King Min's sinews, and hung him from the beams of the ancestral temple — he died before morning.

"Now leprosy, though it means painful sores and swelling, compared to ancient times does not mean being strangled or shot in the thigh; compared to recent times, it does not mean having one's sinews torn out or being starved to death. A ruler who is coerced and assassinated suffers mental anguish and physical torment that is surely worse than leprosy. Seen in this light, even a leper may pity a king."

He then composed a rhapsody:

"The Sui Marquis's pearl, a treasure — yet no one knows to wear it. Fine linen and silk — yet no one knows the difference. The beauties of the village — yet no one will be their matchmaker. The ugly Momo seeks a husband — and is overjoyed to find one. The blind are taken for the sighted, the deaf for the keen of hearing, Right is called wrong, good fortune is called disaster. Alas, O Heaven — will things ever be the same again!"

The poem concludes: "Heaven above is truly divine — bring not illness upon yourself."

The states formed a Vertical Alliance. Zhao sent Wei Jia to see Lord Chunshen of Chu. Wei Jia asked: "Do you have a commander?"

"I do. I intend to appoint Lord Linwu."

Wei Jia said: "When I was young I loved archery. May I use an archery analogy?"

Lord Chunshen said: "Please."

Wei Jia said: "Once, Geng Ying was with the King of Wei below the Jing Terrace. He looked up and saw a bird in flight. Geng Ying said to the King of Wei: 'Allow me to draw my bow, release an empty shot, and bring the bird down.'

The King of Wei said: 'Is archery skill really capable of that?'

Geng Ying said: 'It is.'

After a moment, a goose came from the east. Geng Ying drew and released with no arrow — and the goose fell.

The King of Wei said: 'Is archery skill really capable of that?'

Geng Ying said: 'This was a damaged bird.'

The king said: 'How did you know?'

Geng Ying replied: 'It flew slowly and cried mournfully. Flying slowly means an old wound still hurts. Crying mournfully means it has long been separated from its flock. The wound has not healed and the frightened heart has not recovered. When it heard the bowstring, it strained to fly higher — and the old wound caused it to fall.'

"Now Lord Linwu was once a victim of Qin — a damaged bird. He cannot serve as commander against Qin."

Han Ming sought an audience with Lord Chunshen, waiting and petitioning for three months before he was finally received. When the conversation ended, Lord Chunshen was greatly pleased. Han Ming wished to continue the discussion, but Lord Chunshen said: "I already understand you, sir. You may rest now."

Han Ming was startled and said: "I wish to ask Your Lordship a question, though I fear it is presumptuous. How does Your Lordship's sagacity compare to Yao's?"

Lord Chunshen said: "You flatter me. How could I compare to Yao?"

Han Ming said: "Then how does Your Lordship estimate my ability compared to Shun's?"

Lord Chunshen said: "You, sir, are Shun himself."

Han Ming said: "Not so. Let me finish my argument. Your Lordship's virtue is truly not equal to Yao's, and my ability does not match Shun's. Yet the worthy Shun served the sage Yao, and it took three years before they truly knew each other. Now Your Lordship claims to know me in a single meeting — meaning Your Lordship is wiser than Yao, and I am worthier than Shun."

Lord Chunshen said: "Well argued." He summoned the gate official and had Han Ming registered as a guest retainer, to be received every five days.

Han Ming said: "Has Your Lordship heard of the thoroughbred horse? When a thoroughbred grows old, it is harnessed to a salt cart and made to climb Mount Taihang. Its hooves split, its knees buckle, its tail drags, its skin ulcerates, sweat and froth splash the ground, white foam runs in streams. Midway up the slope it falters and strains at the shafts, unable to ascend. Bo Le encounters it. He descends from his carriage, embraces the horse and weeps, then removes his linen robe and covers it. The horse lowers its head and snorts, raises its head and neighs — a sound that reaches heaven, as if ringing from bronze and stone. Why? Because it recognizes in Bo Le one who knows its true worth.

"Now I am an unworthy man, stuck in some backwater district, burrowed in a dead-end alley, sunk in vulgar obscurity for a long time. Would Your Lordship not consider pulling me from the mud and letting me sing aloud for you from the high beams?"

King Kaolie of Chu had no son. Lord Chunshen was troubled by this and sought women likely to bear children, presenting many of them to the king. None bore a son.

Li Yuan, a man from Zhao, was grooming his younger sister to present to the King of Chu, but heard the king was unlikely to produce an heir and feared she too would fail to gain favor. Li Yuan sought employment under Lord Chunshen as a retainer. After some time he requested leave to go home, and deliberately returned late. When he came back and reported, Lord Chunshen asked why.

"The King of Qi sent an envoy to seek my sister's hand. I was drinking with the envoy, so I missed the deadline."

Lord Chunshen said: "Has the betrothal been finalized?"

"Not yet."

"May I meet her?"

"You may."

Li Yuan then presented his sister, and she became Lord Chunshen's favorite. When she discovered she was pregnant, Li Yuan and his sister plotted together.

Li Yuan's sister found a private moment and said to Lord Chunshen: "The king's favor toward you surpasses even that toward his own brothers. You have served as Chu's minister for over twenty years, yet the king has no son. After the king's death, a brother will be enthroned. Once that happens, each new king will elevate his own former allies — how will you retain your position? And it is not merely that: having held power for so long, you have slighted the king's brothers on many occasions. If a brother truly takes the throne, disaster will reach your person. How will you protect your ministerial seal and your fief in Jiangdong?

"Now I know I am with child, though no one else knows. I have been your favorite for only a short time. If, by virtue of your influence, you present me to the King of Chu, and the king takes me as his favorite — should Heaven grant me a son, then your child will be king. All of Chu's fiefs will be yours. Is that not better than facing unpredictable calamity?"

Lord Chunshen was fully convinced. He moved Li Yuan's sister to a proper residence and spoke of her to the king. The king summoned her, took her as his favorite, and she bore a son. The boy was made Crown Prince and Li Yuan's sister was made queen. The king honored Li Yuan, and Li Yuan took charge of affairs.

Once Li Yuan had installed his sister as queen and her son as Crown Prince, he feared Lord Chunshen would let the truth slip and grew increasingly arrogant. He secretly cultivated assassins, intending to kill Lord Chunshen to silence him. People in the state were somewhat aware of this.

Lord Chunshen had served as Chu's minister for twenty-five years when King Kaolie fell ill. Zhu Ying said to Lord Chunshen: "The world has unexpected blessings, and it has unexpected disasters. Now you exist in an unpredictable world, serving an unpredictable lord. How could there not be unpredictable men?"

Lord Chunshen said: "What are the unexpected blessings?"

"You have served as Chu's minister for over twenty years. Though your title is prime minister, you are in practice the King of Chu. Your five sons all serve as ministers in other states. Now the king is gravely ill and may die any day. The Crown Prince is young and weak. Should the king die and you serve as regent to a young ruler, you could assume authority like Yi Yin or the Duke of Zhou. When the king comes of age, return power; if not, simply face south and call yourself sovereign, and Chu is yours. These are the unexpected blessings."

"What are the unexpected disasters?"

"Li Yuan does not govern the state — he is merely the king's brother-in-law. He holds no military command, yet he has secretly maintained assassins for a long time. When the king dies, Li Yuan will be first through the gate. He will seize the initiative, control the deliberations, and cut off your fate — wielding power to kill you and silence you. These are the unexpected disasters."

"What are the unexpected men?"

"Appoint me first as a palace guard. When the king dies and Li Yuan enters first, I will stab him through the chest and kill him for you. These are the unexpected men."

Lord Chunshen said: "Let it go, sir. Say no more. Li Yuan is a soft, weak man. And I am on good terms with him. How could things come to that?"

Zhu Ying was frightened and fled.

Seventeen days later, King Kaolie died. Li Yuan did indeed enter first. He stationed assassins inside the Thorn Gate. Lord Chunshen entered after, and at the Thorn Gate, Li Yuan's assassins attacked from both sides, stabbed Lord Chunshen, cut off his head, and threw it outside the Thorn Gate. Officials were then sent to exterminate Lord Chunshen's entire family.

Li Yuan's sister — who had first become pregnant by Lord Chunshen and then been presented to the king, whose newly born son was in fact Lord Chunshen's — saw that son enthroned as King You of Chu.

That same year, the First Emperor of Qin had been on the throne for nine years. Lao Ai had also staged a rebellion in Qin; it was discovered, his three clans were exterminated, and Lu Buwei was deposed.

Yu Qing said to Lord Chunshen: "I have read in the Spring and Autumn Annals: 'In safety, think of danger; in danger, plan for safety.' Now the King of Chu is advanced in years, and you must settle the matter of your fief early. The best strategy for securing your fief is to place it far from Chu.

"Duke Xiao of Qin enfeoffed Lord Shang. When Duke Xiao died, the next ruler had Lord Shang killed. King Hui of Qin enfeoffed Ran Zi. When King Hui died, the next ruler stripped his fief. Lord Shang was a meritorious minister; Ran Zi was a relative by marriage. Yet neither escaped destruction — because their fiefs were close to the capital.

"The Grand Duke Wang was enfeoffed in Qi, and Duke Shao Shi in Yan — precisely because those lands were far from the royal court. Now Yan has committed grave offenses and Zhao is deeply angered. You should march north to earn Zhao's gratitude, trample disordered Yan, and secure a distant fief for yourself. This is a once-in-a-hundred-generations opportunity."

Lord Chunshen said: "The route to attack Yan must pass through either Qi or Wei. Both Qi and Wei are newly angered at Chu. Even if Chu's ruler wished to attack Yan, by what route would the army pass?"

Yu Qing replied: "Let me persuade the King of Wei to allow it."

Lord Chunshen said: "How?"

"Let me go to Wei and demonstrate why it is in their interest."

He then said to the King of Wei: "Chu is strong and powerful, without equal in All-Under-Heaven, and is about to attack Yan."

The King of Wei said: "A moment ago you said Chu has no equal, and now you say it is merely going to attack Yan. Why?"

Yu Qing replied: "A horse is strong and powerful — that much is true. But say it can pull a thousand jun? That is not so. A thousand jun is not a horse's burden. Likewise, to say Chu is strong is true, but to leap over Zhao and Wei to fight in Yan — is that really within Chu's capacity? If Chu attempts what is beyond its capacity, it will exhaust itself. An exhausted Chu means a stronger Wei. Is that not to Your Majesty's advantage?"