韓傀相韓，嚴遂重於君，二人相害也。嚴遂政議直指，舉韓傀之過。韓傀以之叱之於朝。嚴遂拔劍趨之，以救解。於是嚴遂懼誅，亡去游，求人可以報韓傀者。

 

Han Gui[1] was serving as Chancellor of Han, but it was Yan Sui[2] who held sway with Lord of the state[3]; the two of them were irreconcilable. Yan Sui criticised Han Gui in the bluntest terms in the palace audience hall, bringing up all of his past mistakes, and Han Gui shouted him down. Yan Sui drew his sword and rushed upon Han Gui, who was only able to escape thanks to his supporters. Yan Sui, fearing execution as a result of this, fled into a rootless exile, seeking anyone who could help him get revenge on Han Gui. 

​

至齊，齊人或言：「軹深井里聶政，勇敢士也，避仇隱於屠者之間。」嚴遂陰交於聶政，以意厚之。聶政問曰：「子欲安用我乎？」嚴遂曰：「吾得為役之日淺，事今薄，奚敢有請？」於是嚴遂乃具酒，觴聶政母前。仲子奉黃金百鎰，前為聶政母壽。聶政驚，愈怪其厚，固謝嚴仲子。仲子固進，而聶政謝曰：「臣有老母，家貧，客游以為狗屠，可旦夕得甘脆以養親。親供養備，義不敢當仲子之賜。」嚴仲子辟人，因為聶政語曰：「臣有仇，而行游諸侯眾矣。然至齊，聞足下義甚高。故直進百金者，特以為夫人麤糲之費，以交足下之驩，豈敢以有求邪？」聶政曰：「臣所以降志辱身，居市井者，徒幸而養老母。老母在，政身未敢以許人也。」嚴仲子固讓，聶政竟不肯受。然仲子卒備賓主之禮而去。

 

When he arrived in Qi a local said to him, "Nie Zheng[4] of Shenjing[5] in Zhe[6], is a man of quality - brave and daring. To avoid his enemies, he is living secretly among the town butchers." Yan Sui discreetly reached out to Nie Zheng, eventually developing a rapport with him. 

Nie Zheng asked[7], "What use do you wish to make of me?"

Yan Sui said, "I only received you into my service a few days ago. What common cause have we such that I would dare request anything of you?" Yan Sui then proceeded to have some wine prepared and proposed a toast to the health of Nie Zheng's mother[8], also presenting him with a hundred yi[9] of gold with which to celebrate his mother's birthday. Nie Zheng was surprised and as his feeling of disquiet grew he resolved to decline the gift[10], but Zhongzi[11] was as determined to press it upon him as Nie Zheng was to refuse it.

Nie Zheng said, "You servant has an aged mother and a poor family, but living in exile and working as dog butcher, morning and evening I still manage to provide those close to me with sweet and succulent delicacies. As long as I can provide food for my family, I would not dare to accept such a gift from you."

Yan Sui sent his people away before saying to Nie Zheng, "Having made enemies, your servant left to wander among the states of the various sovereign lords, finally arriving in Qi. Having heard all about your high principles, it seemed that it would only be right to offer a hundred gold pieces for the purpose of covering the everyday expenses of such an individual[12], in the hope that it would bring some happiness[13]. How would I dare make any request?"

Nie Zheng said, "My modus vivendi has been to abandon ambition and accept a degraded existence, living as a butcher on the marketplace[14]. I have thus been fortunate enough to be able to support my mother[15]. As long as she is alive[16], then I cannot pledge my life to anyone else." Yan Zhongzi persisted in his offer, but Nie Zheng remained unwilling to accept it. This being so, Zhongzi observed the courtesies appropriate to a guest and left.

​

久之，聶政母死，既葬，除服。聶政曰：「嗟乎！政乃市井之人，鼓刀以屠，而嚴仲子乃諸侯之卿相也，不遠千里，枉車騎而交臣，臣之所以待之至淺鮮矣，未有大功可以稱者，而嚴仲子舉百金為親壽，我雖不受，然是深知政也。夫賢者以感忿睚眥之意，而親信窮僻之人，而政獨安可嘿然而止乎？且前日要政，政徒以老母。老母今以天年終，政將為知己者用。」

 

Some time later Nie Zheng's mother died. As soon as she was buried and he had put off his mourning dress, he said, "Ah, that I should be a denizen of the marketplace, brandishing my blade only for butchery, but Yan Zhongzi - who has been Chancellor to the feudal lords - did not consider a thousand li too far to travel, tiring his carriage horses, to make my acquaintance. The manner in which I received him was profoundly inadequate[17]. Though I have done nothing that can be said to be of great merit, he offered me a hundred gold pieces to celebrate my mother's birthday. While I did not accept it[18], this fact shows the depth of his appreciation for me. If this sage was so moved to fury by his grievances that he would show trust and affection to a poor outcast, how can I simply sit here in silence? Previously, when he wanted me, I was devoted to my mother. Now that my mother's time is over, I will put myself at the disposal of one who appreciates me."

​

遂西至濮陽，見嚴仲子曰：「前所以不許仲子者，徒以親在。今親不幸，仲子所欲報仇者為誰？」嚴仲子具告曰：「臣之仇韓相傀。傀又韓君之季父也，宗族盛，兵衛設，臣使人刺之，終莫能就。今足下幸而不棄，請益具車騎壯士，以為羽翼。」政曰：「韓與衛，中間不遠，今殺人之相，相又國君之親，此其勢不可以多人。多人不能無生得失，生得失則語泄，語泄則韓舉國而與仲子為讎也，豈不殆哉！」遂謝車騎人徒，辭，獨行仗劍至韓。

 

Accordingly, he went West to Puyang[19] and sought an audience with Yan Zhongzi, saying, "Previously I could not commit myself to you, having a parent still living. Now, sadly, she is dead[20]. Who is the enemy upon whom you seek to avenge yourself?"

Yan Zhongzi told him everything, saying, "Your servant's adversary is Gui, the Chancellor of Han[21], who is also uncle to the Lord of Han[22]. Their lineage is flourishing and armed guards surround them. Your servant has sent people to assassinate Han Gui, but none managed to get near to him. I am fortunate that you have not abandoned me now. Please allow me to supply you with chariots, horses and brave men to help you on your way." 

Zheng said, "The distance between Han and Wey is not that great[23]. The person I am going to kill is Chancellor, and on top of that a relation of the Lord of the state. Given the circumstances, I should not arrive with a large entourage. When many people are involved, mistakes are inevitable, and when that happens word of what we are doing will leak out. When word of what we are doing leaks out then the Han family will mobilise their entire state in pursuit of their feud with you. Is this not a risk?" Accordingly, he declined the chariots, horses and followers, and took his leave, setting off alone for Han with his sword in his hand.   

​

韓適有東孟之會，韓王及相皆在焉，持兵戟而衛者甚眾。聶政直入，上階刺韓傀。韓傀走而抱哀侯，聶政刺之，兼中哀侯，左右大亂。聶政大呼，所殺者數十人。因自皮面抉眼，自屠出腸，遂以死。韓取聶政屍於市，縣購之千金。久之莫知誰子。

 

At the time Han happened to be holding a meeting at Dongmeng[24], at which the chief ministers of the King of Han[25] were all present, along with their crowds of retainers and men-at-arms[26]. Nie Zheng entered directly and mounted the steps to kill[27] Han Gui[28]. Han Gui ran and flung himself[28] upon Marquis Lie[29], but Nie Zheng stabbed both of them. The attendants fell into chaos and Nie Zheng, letting out a great war cry, killed dozens of them[30], and then took advantage of the panic to slash at his own face, put out his eyes, and eviscerate himself[31]. Thus he died. The Han family took Nie Zheng's corpse and exposed it in the marketplace[32], announcing reward of a thousand gold pieces for information about him, but time passed and no one admitted to knowing who he was[33].

 

政姊聞之，曰：「弟至賢，不可愛妾之軀，滅吾弟之名，非弟意也。」乃之韓。視之曰：「勇哉！氣矜之隆。是其軼賁、育而高成荊矣。今死而無名，父母既歿矣，兄弟無有，此為我故也。夫愛身不揚弟之名，吾不忍也。」乃抱屍而哭之曰：「此吾弟軹深井里聶政也。」亦自殺於屍下。

 

Zheng's elder sister, Ying[34], heard about this and said, "My brother was an exceptional man. I cannot, for the love of my own life, allow his reputation to fade. This is not what he would have wanted." Thus she set off for Han.

When she saw the corpse she said, "Such a hero! "Such a hero, such a proud and noble spirit - outstripping Ben[35] and Yu[36] and surpassing[37] Cheng Jing[38]! Now he is dead and no one even knows his name. His mother and father have also passed on, and he has no brothers. He arranged this for my sake[39], but seeing my brother's name lost simply to preserve my own life is something I could not endure." Then she embraced his body, weeping, and said, "This is my brother, Nie Zheng of Shenjing Village in Zhe." Then she killed herself, falling upon his broken corpse.

 

晉、楚、齊、衛聞之曰：「非獨政之能，乃其姊者，亦列女也。」聶政之所以名施於後世者，其姊不避菹醢之誅，以揚其名也。

 

As news of this spread throughout Jin, Chu, Qi and Wey, people said, "It is not simply that Zheng was accomplished man, but his sister was an exemplary woman too[40]." The reason future generations will know Nie Zheng's name is because his sister was not one to shrink from a horrifying death[41] if it would secure his immortal name.

​

[1] Han Gui, also known as Xialei, was a member of the ruling house of Han, and a politician. 

[2] Yan Sui was also known as Yan Zhongzi, and was politician in Han.

[3] Marquis Ai of Han (376 BC - 374 BC) led the family during the break-up of Jin, and also oversaw the annexation of Zheng.

[4] Nie Zheng is famous mainly as a result of this story, of which several versions exist in literature. 

[5] Shenjing was to the South of Jiyuan in Henan.

[6] Zhe is now Jiyuan in Henan.

[7] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear. 

[8] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear. 

[9] A yi was a measurement used for weighing gold, but it was not standardised, meaning that it is hard to tell what quantity is implied here. Nevertheless, it was a huge amount, so large that this is almost certainly an exaggeration.

[10] The commentaries disagree on this sentence, but the general sense is clear. 

[11] I.e. Yan Sui. 

[12] The commentaries disagree on this sentence, but the general sense is clear. 

[13] The commentaries disagree on this sentence, but the general sense is clear. 

[14] Reading 屠者 for 者, per the commentaries.

[15] Reading 幸以 for 徒幸而 here, per the commentaries. 

[16] Reading 在前 for 在, per the commentaries. 

[17] According to the commentaries, the 鮮 here is superfluous. 

[18] Bao suggests 義 for 雖 here, in which case the sentence would read "while I could not in good conscience accept it". 

[19] Puyang was the capital of Wey. It is still called Puyang, and is in Henan.

[20] Reading 不幸而死 for 不幸, per the commentaries.

[21] The commentaries disagree on this sentence, but the general sense is clear. 

[22] Though the text itself goes on to suggest that this was Marquis Ai of Han, the commentaries and other texts argue that it was in fact Marquis Lie (399 - 387 BCE). Both were involved in similar assassination plots and even the primary sources frequently confuse the two.

[23] The commentaries disagree on this sentence, but the general sense is clear. 

[24] It is not clear where this was. 

[25] I.e. Marquis Lie. 

[26] The commentaries suggest 衛侍 for 衛 here. 

[27] The commentaries suggest 刺殺 for 刺 here. 

[28] This seems to have been a known strategy for evading assassination. Wu Qi, about to be shot by his enemies at the funeral of King Dao of Chu, flung himself upon the corpse, knowing that any stray arrows hitting the body would render his attackers culpable of lèse-majesté.

[29] Reading 列 for 哀 here, following the commentaries. 

[30] The commentaries suggest 所擊 for 所 here. 

[31] The commentaries do not agree on this sentence, but the general sense is clear. The idea behind it is that he's making himself unrecognisable so that the Han family will not be able to take revenge upon his family.

[32] The commentaries do not agree on this sentence, but the general sense is clear.

[33] The commentaries do not agree on this sentence, but the general sense is clear.

[34] Reading 姊嫈 for 姊 here, per the commentaries. Nie Ying is known principally via this story. 

[35] Meng Ben was a celebrated fighter in Qin. 

[36] Xia Yu was a celebrated fighter in Wey. 

[37] The commentaries suggest that 而 here is superfluous.

[38] Cheng Jing was another famous figher of the age.

[39] I.e. he made sure that he would be unrecognisable in death to protect his sister from reprisals. 

[40] The commentaries do not agree on this sentence, but the general sense is clear.

[41] The commentaries suggest 葅酢 for 菹醢 here.