趙四 THE STRATAGEMS OF ZHAO IV (B)
三國攻秦趙攻中山
The Three States Attack Qin and Zhao Attacks Zhongshan
三國攻秦，趙攻中山，取扶柳，五年以擅呼篺。齊人戎郭、宋突謂仇郝曰：「不如盡歸中山之新地。中山案此言於齊曰，四國將假道於衛，以過章子之路。齊聞此，必效鼓。」
When the Three States[1] attacked Qin, Zhao attacked Zhongshan and took Fuliu[2]. Within five years, it had annexed the Hutuo[3]. One-time Qi partisans Rong Guo[4] and Song Tu[5] spoke to Qiu He[6], saying[7], "You would do better to return all your newly acquired land to Zhongshan[8]. Zhongshan will use this pretext to say to Qi, 'The Four States[9] will use the route through Wey to take Master Zhang's[10] road.' When Qi hears about this, it will give you[11] Gu[12].'"
[1] Han, Qi and Wei. Halfway through this story Qi changes sides unremarked, and forms an alliance with Qin.
[2] Fuliu was in modern Jizhou, Hebei.
[3] The Hutuo River flows through Shanxi and Hebei.
[4] Rong Guo is not otherwise well-known. Presumably he was no longer a Qi partisan.
[5] Song Tu is not otherwise well-known. Presumably he was no longer a Qi partisan.
[6] Qiu He was also known as Qiu Ye. He was a Zhao bureaucrat and later served as Chancellor of Zhao. Presumably at this point he is still serving in Zhao.
[7] Reading 赫 for 郝 here, per the commentaries.
[8] The commentaries disagree regarding the correct reading of this sentence, the use of the character 地 here is their best guess.
[9] Han, Qi, Wei and Zhao - the implication seems to be that Zhao has given back the land in order to end its conflict with Zhongshan and join Han, Qi and Wei's fight with Qin.
[10] This may simply refer to a place (as the commentaries and Crump suggest) or it may involve preventing a deployment by someone called Zhang. His full name may have been Zhang Shu (张熟). Modern Chinese translations suggest that he was about to lead an attack on Yan, though it is not clear why.
[11] Zeng and Liu suggest 放 for 效 here.
[12] There were multiple places with this name, and it is not clear which is being referred to here.
趙使趙莊合從
Zhao Sends Zhao Zhuang to Build an Alliance
趙使趙莊合從，欲伐齊。齊請效地，趙因賤趙莊。齊明為謂趙王曰：「齊畏從人之合也，故效地。今聞趙莊賤，張懃貴，齊必不效地矣。」趙王曰：「善。」乃召趙莊而貴之。
Zhao dispatched Zhao Zhuang[1] to build an alliance for the purpose of attacking Qi. Qi begged to offer Zhao land instead. As a result, Zhao Zhuang became worthless to Zhao. Qi Ming[2] spoke[3] to the King of Zhao[4], saying, "Qi is afraid that you will manage to form an alliance[5], so it is offering you land. If it now hears that Zhao Zhuang is being treated with contempt and Zhang Han[6] has been ennobled[7], it will not hand over the land[8]."
The King of Zhao said, "Very well." Consequently, he summoned Zhao Zhuang[9] and ennobled him.
[1] Zhao Zhuang is not otherwise well-known.
[2] Qi Ming was a partisan of the anti-Qin alliance, and served in Zhou, Han and Chu.
[3] The commentaries suggest that the 為 here is superfluous.
[4] It is not clear which King of Zhao is indicated here.
[5] The commentaries suggest that the 人 here may be superfluous.
[6] It is not clear who this was.
[7] The commentaries suggest 漢 for 懃 here.
[8] I.e. Qi will feel that the alliance is now off the table, and - with no pressing threat - will renege upon its agreement.
[8] Zeng and Liu suggest 庀 for 莊 here, though it is not clear why. Moder translations do not accept the ammendment.
翟章從梁來
Di Zhang Arrives from Liang
翟章從梁來，甚善趙王。趙王三延之以相，翟章辭不受。田駟謂柱國韓向曰：「臣請為卿刺之。客若死，則王必怒而誅建信君。建信君死，則卿必為相矣。建信君不死，以為交，終身不敝，卿因以德建信君矣。」
Di Zhang[1] arrived from Liang and thoroughly ingratiated himself with the King of Zhao[2]. The King asked him three times to serve as Chancellor, but Di Zhang thanked him and declined. Tian Si[3] spoke to Generalissimo[4] Han Xiang[5], saying, "Your servant begs permission to assassinate him for you. If this visitor is killed, then the King will be enraged and will have Lord Jianxin[6] executed. With Lord Jianxin dead you will certainly be made Chancellor. If Lord Jianxin is not killed, you will be able to build an undying friendship with him[7] if you sieze this opportunity to put him in your debt[8]."
[1] Di Zhang is known principally via this story. Apparently he was an opponent of Lord Jianxin.
[2] Possibly King Daoxiang of Zhao (244 – 236 BC) was placed on the throne by Zhao bureaucrats worried that the Crown Prince showed pro-Qin sympathies. He won significant victories against Yan, taking land.
[3] Tian Si is mentioned in the Han Feizi, but is not otherwise well-known.
[4] The 柱國 title was used in Chu. Possibly this story was originally written down in Chu, or Han Xiang had previously served there. At the time of this story, he is in Zhao.
[5] Han Xiang is not otherwise well-known.
[6] Lord Jianxin was a politician and businessman in Zhao, and an enemy of Lü Buwei. He may also have been a lover of King Xiaocheng of Zhao. Apparently he was a known enemy of Zhai Zhang.
[7] Based upon Han Xiang having commissioned the assassination of one of Jianxin's enemies.
[8] Modern translations disagree regarding the precise interpretation of this sentence. This seems like the most likely version.
馮忌為廬陵君謂趙王
Feng Ji Speaks To The King of Zhao on Behalf of Lord Luling
馮忌為廬陵君謂趙王曰：「王之逐廬陵君，為燕也。」王曰：「吾所以重者，無燕、秦也。」對曰：「秦三以虞卿為言，而王不逐也。今燕一以廬陵君為言，而王逐之。是王輕強秦而重弱燕也。」王曰：「吾非為燕也，吾固將逐之。」「然則王逐廬陵君，又不為燕也。行逐愛弟，又兼無燕、秦，臣竊為大王不取也。」
Feng Ji[1] spoke to the King of Zhao[2] on behalf of Lord Luling[3], saying, "If Your Majesty has expelled Lord Luling, it must be on Yan's account."
The King said, "I care nothing for Yan, nor for Qin[4]."
Feng Ji replied, "The King[5] of Qin[6] has used Yu Qing[4] to speak for him three times, and you have not expelled him. Now Yan has used Lord Luling to speak for it once and you are expelling him. This being so, it must mean that while you care nothing for mighty Qin, you are impressed by weak Yan."
The King said, "I am not acting on Yan's behalf, I had already resolved to expel him."
"Very well. So you did not expel Lord Luling on Yan's behalf. In that case, you have expelled your beloved younger brother without even the incentive of a partnership with Yan or Qin to influence you. Your servant humbly suggests that this is unacceptable."
[1] Feng Ji was a Zhao General.
[2] King Xiaocheng of Zhao (265 – 245 BC) came to the throne relatively young, in the middle of a stand-off between Qin and Zhao over Shangdang. He almost immediately oversaw Zhao's defeat at the Battle of Changping, as well as the successful defence of Handan against Qin.
[3] Lord Luling was one of King Xiaocheng's brothers.
[4] Yan and Qin were engaged in a dispute at the time.
[5] Reading 王 for 三, per the commentaries.
[6] It is not clear which King of Qin is indicated here.
[7] Yu Qing was a writer and politician in Zhao, eventually rising to become Chancellor.
馮忌請見趙王
Feng Ji Begs For an Audience with the King of Zhao
馮忌請見趙王，行人見之。馮忌接手免首，欲言而不敢。王問其故，對曰：「客有見人於服子者，已而請其罪。服子曰：『公之客獨有三罪：望我而笑，是狎也；談語而不稱師，是倍也；交淺而言深，是亂也。』客曰：『不然。夫望人而笑，是和也；言而不稱師，是庸說也；交淺而言深，是忠也。昔者堯見舜於草茅之中，席隴畝而廕庇桑，陰移而授天下傳。伊尹負鼎俎而干湯，姓名未著而受三公。使夫交淺者不可以深談，則天下不傳，而三公不得也。』」趙王曰：「甚善。」馮忌曰：「今外臣交淺而欲深談可乎？」王曰：「請奉教。」於是馮忌乃談。
Feng Ji[1] begged for an audience with the King of Zhao[2], but when the attendant showed him in he merely folded his hands and bowed his head[3], wishing to speak but not daring to do so. When the King enquired as to the reason for this, he replied, "One of Master Fu's[4] guests once brought someone to see him, and - as soon as the audience was over - he begged to be told whether the visitor had committed any faults. Master Fu said, 'Your visitor only committed three faults: he looked me in the eye and laughed, which was overly familiar; he spoke without calling me Professor, which showed a desire to undermine me; he spoke of deep matters even though we only have a shallow relationship, which is irregular.' His guest said, 'Not so. To look you in the eye and laugh means that he is at ease with you; to speak plainly[5] without calling you Professor means that he regards you as an equal[6]; to discuss deep matters even though you only have a shallow relationship is a sign of his trustworthiness. In the past, Yao[7] met Shun[8] among the reeds and they sat together in the wilderness beneath the shade of the mulberry trees. By the time the shadows had shifted, Shun had been given absolute power over All-Under-Heaven[9]. Yi Yin[10] carried in the dishes of sacrifical meats to to serve Tang[11], and before he had even given his name he had been made one of the Three Dukes[12] of Shang. If no one spoke of deep matters to those with whom they had only a shallow relationship, then Shun would never have taken power over All-Under-Heaven and Yi Yin would never have become one of the Three Dukes.'"
The King of Zhao said[13], "Excellent!"
Feng Ji said, "Now your servant has come from abroad and though we have only a shallow relationship, I wish to speak of deep matters. Would this be acceptable?"
The King said, "Please offer up your instruction." Thus reassured, Feng Ji spoke to him.
[1] Feng Ji was a Zhao General.
[2] King Xiaocheng of Zhao (265 – 245 BC) came to the throne relatively young, in the middle of a stand-off between Qin and Zhao over Shangdang. He almost immediately oversaw Zhao's defeat at the Battle of Changping, as well as the successful defence of Handan against Qin.
[3] Reading 俛 for 免, per the commentaries.
[4] The modern Chinese translation gives this as 宓子, in which case this story is about Fu Buqi (宓不齊) one of Confucius' disciples.
[5] Reading 是 for 而, per the commentaries.
[6] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence. This is a best guess interpretation.
[7] Yao (c. 2188-2089 BC) was a semi-legendary Chinese founder.
[8] Shun was another semi-legendary founding father, and succeeded Yao.
[9] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[10] Yi Yin began his career as a slave, rising to become an advisor to Shang Tang, the founder of the Shang Dynasty.
[11] Shang Tang defeated King Jie of Xia, overthrowing the Xia Dynasty and establishing the Shang Dynasty.
[12] An equivalent to the position of Chancellor in early China.
[13] The commentaries suggest that the 趙王曰 here may be superfluous.
客見趙王
A Guest Comes to See the King of Zhao
客見趙王曰：「臣聞王之使人買馬也，有之乎？」王曰：「有之。」「何故至今不遣？」「未得相馬之工也。」對曰：「王何不遣建信君乎？」王曰：「建信君有國事，又不知相馬。」曰：「王何不遣紀姬乎？」王曰：「紀姬婦人也，不知相馬。」對曰：「買馬而善，何補於國？」王曰：「無補於國。」「買馬而惡，何危於國？」王曰：「無危於國。」對曰：「然則買馬善而若惡，皆無危補於國。然而王之買馬也，必將待工。今治天下，舉錯非也，國家為虛戾，而社稷不血食，然而王不待工，而與建信君，何也？」趙王未之應也。客曰：「燕郭之法，有所謂桑雍者，王知之乎？」王曰：「未之聞也。」「所謂桑雍者，便辟左右之近者，及夫人優愛孺子也。此皆能乘王之醉昏，而求所欲於王者也。是能得之乎內，則大臣為之枉法於外矣。故日月暉於外，其賊在於內，謹備其所憎，而禍在於所愛。」
A guest came to see the King of Zhao[1]. He said, "I have heard that Your Majesty was planning to send someone to buy horses. Have you found anyone yet?"
The King said, "I have."
"Why did you not send someone before now?"
The King said, "I had not yet recruited a specialist in horse-trading[2]."
The guest replied, "Why did you not send Lord Jianxin[3]?"
The King said, "Lord Jianxin has affairs of state to deal with, and besides he knows nothing about judging horses."
The visitor said, "Why did you not send Lady Ji[3]?"
The King said, "Lady Ji[4] is my consort; also she knows nothing about judging horses."
The guest replied, "If you buy some horses and they turn out to be of good quality, would that restore the state?"
The King said, "It would do nothing to restore the state."
The guest said, "If you buy some horses and they turn out to be of bad quality, would that endanger the state?"
The King said, "It would do nothing to restore the state."
The guest replied, "In that case, buying good horses no different from buying bad ones - neither can endanger or restore the state. Nevertheless, when you want to buy horses your feel it imperative to wait for a specialist. Now, All-Under-Heaven has no proper government[5] and your state is enitrely derelict, such that it cannot even provide sacrificial blood to nourish the spirits or earth and grain. Even so, you do not wait for a specialist, but hand it over to Lord Jianxin. Why?" Before the King could reply, the guest said, "In Guo Yan's[6] writings[7], he referred to what he called 'the tender spot'[8]. Does Your Majesty know of it?"
The King said, "I have never heard of it."
"Your tender spot is those close to you[9], your entourage and your sycophants - friends, lovers and children. All of these are capable of taking advantage of a King's moments of distraction to beg that he fulfill their desires. It is on account of their ability to achieve their ends in the inner chambers[10], that your principal private secretaries must resort to crooked practices in the outer precincts[11]. Thus, while the sun and moon illuminate your courtyards, your enemies lurk indoors. We take precautions against those we hate, but disaster waits among those we love."
[1] King Xiaocheng of Zhao (265 BC – 245 BC) inherited the throne at a young age, and almost immediately oversaw Zhao's greatest defeat by Qin at the Battle of Changping. While the state survived, it never regained its previous status.
[2] Reading 買 for 相, per the commentaries.
[3] Lord Jianxin was a politician and businessman in Zhao, and an enemy of Lü Buwei. He may also have been a lover of King Xiaocheng of Zhao.
[4] Lady Ji is not otherwise well-known.
[5] The commentaries suggest 將 (lead) for 治 (govern) here.
[6] Guo Yan was a diviner and politician in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumns period. He was a proponent of meritocracy.
[7] This may be a reference to a lost text, The Methods of Guo Yan.
[8] Reading 柔癰 for 桑雍, per the commentaries.
[9] Bao suggests 人 for 近者 here.
[10] Reading 於 for 乎 here, per the commentaries.
[11] I.e. they are obliged to bribe members of the King's household to obtain a hearing, rather than following official procedure.
秦攻魏取寧邑
Qin Attacks Wei, Taking Ningyi
秦攻魏，取寧邑，諸侯皆賀。趙王使往賀，三反不得通。趙王憂之，謂左右曰：「以秦之強，得寧邑，以制齊、趙。諸侯皆賀，吾往賀而獨不得通，此必加兵我，為之奈何？」左右曰：「使者三往不得通者，必所使者非其人也。曰諒毅者，辨士也，大王可試使之。」
Qin attacked Wei, taking Ningyi[1], and the sovereign lords all sent their congratulations. The King of Zhao[2] also sent his congratulations[3], but his envoy was turned back three times and not allowed to deliver the message. The King of Zhao was ill-at-ease on account of this, and spoke to his entourage, saying, "Qin, by its strength, has conquered Ningyi, and will use it to control Qi and Zhao. The sovereign lords all sent their congratulations and my envoy was the only one not allowed to deliver his message. This must be because they intend to dispatch troops against me. What should I do to manage this?"
His entourage said, "If your envoy made three attempts and he was not permitted to deliver his message, it must be because you picked the wrong person for the task. There is a man called Liang Yi[4], a rhetorician and a scholar. Your Majesty should try sending him."
諒毅親受命而往。至秦，獻書秦王曰：「大王廣地寧邑，諸侯皆賀，敝邑寡君亦竊嘉之，不敢寧居，使下臣奉其幣物三至王廷，而使不得通。使若無罪，願大王無絕其歡；若使有罪，願得請之。」秦王使使者報曰：「吾所使趙國者，小大皆聽吾言，則受書幣。若不從吾言，則使者歸矣。」諒毅對曰：「下臣之來，固願承大國之意也，豈敢有難？大王若有以令之，請奉而西行之，無所敢疑。」
Liang Yi received his orders in person[5] and departed. Upon arrival in Qin, he submitted a memorial to the King[6], saying, "You have enlarged your territory to encompass Ningyi, and the sovereign lords have all congratulated you. The ruler of our humble state also took the liberty of expressing his joy - he would not have dared refrain. He sent his servant three times to offer gifts in your court, but his envoy was not permitted to deliver the message. If we have committed no offense, I hope that Your Majesty will allow us to share in your joy; if we have committed some offense[7], I beg to ask what it was."
The King of Qin sent a messenger to report back, saying, "As long as Zhao obeys my orders in all matters large and small, then I will accept your memorial and your gifts. If my instructions are not followed, then your envoy will have to return home."
Liang Yi replied, saying, "If I came here, it was out of a sincere desire to know the will of your great state. How would I dare cause trouble? If Your Majesty has any orders to give, we beg to hear and follow them[8]. There is no reason that we would dare to hesitate in this."
於是秦王乃見使者，曰：「趙豹、平原君，數欺弄寡人。趙能殺此二人，則可。若不能殺，請今率諸侯受命邯鄲城下。」諒毅曰：「趙豹、平原君，親寡君之母弟也，猶大王之有葉陽、涇陽君也。大王以孝治聞於天下，衣服使之便於體，膳啗使之嗛於口，未嘗不分於葉陽、涇陽君。葉陽君、涇陽君之車馬衣服，無非大王之服御者。臣聞之：『有覆巢毀卵，而鳳皇不翔；刳胎焚夭，而騏驎不至。』今使臣受大王之令以還報，敝邑之君，畏懼不敢不行，無乃傷葉陽君、涇陽君之心乎？」
This being the case, the King of Qin accorded the envoy an audience, saying, "Zhao Bao[9] and Lord Pingyuan[10] have deceived us numerous times. If Zhao can kill these two people, we will accept your embassy. If you cannot kill them, then we will summon the sovereign lords and lead them against the walls of Handan[11]."
Liang Yi said, "Zhao Bao and Lord Pingyuan are close to our Lord, being younger brothers born from the same mother[12], just like Your Majesty's own brothers, Lord Yeyang[13] and Lord Jingyang[14]. Your Majesty's filial attitude to government is spoken of throughout All-Under-Heaven. Whether it be the clothes that bring comfort to your body or the meals that fill your mouth[15], there is nothing you do not share with Lord Yeyang and Lord Jingyang. The robes that Lord Yeyang and Lord Jingyang wear and the carriages they ride in, they would have none of these things were not for you. Your servant has heard that 'Where nests are knocked down and eggs broken, no phoenix will ever fly. Where unborn creatures are cut from their mothers' wombs and juvenile game cooked, no qilin[16] will ever appear.' Now I have received Your Majesty's instructions and will return and report them to the lord of our humble state. I am afraid that he will not dare refuse to follow them. Will this not weigh upon the hearts of Lord Yeyang and Lord Jingyang?"[17]
秦王曰：「諾。勿使從政。」諒毅曰：「敝邑之君，有母弟不能教誨，以惡大國，請黜之，勿使與政事，以稱大國。」秦王乃喜，受其弊而厚遇之。
The King of Qin said, "So be it. Just prevent them from participating in political affairs."
Liang Yi said, "Though these may be our Lord's brothers by the same mother, they are not capable of instructing him in anything. If they have provoked the dislike of your great state, then I beg permission to have them dismissed and ensure that they find no further employment in political matters, in order that we may continue to call upon your great state." Thus the King of Qin was contented; he accepted the gifts[18] and entertained Liang Yi lavishly[19].
[1] Ningyi was somewhere in modern Hebi, Henan.
[2] King Huiwen of Zhao (298 – 266 BC) was a younger son of King Wuling of Zhao, who abdicated in Huiwen's favour. Wuling's elder son, Zhao Zhang, rebelled, but was defeated and pursued by Huiwen's Chancellor, Li Dui. Zhao Zhang fled to his father's residence, where Li Dui besieged them. Wuling killed Zhang in an attempt to convince Li Dui to let him out, but Li Dui starved him to death. King Huiwen had a successful reign, defeating Qin more than once.
[3] The commentaries suggest that the 往 here is superfluous.
[4] Liang Yi is known principally via this story.
[5] Yao suggests that the character 親 here is superfluous.
[6] King Zhaoxiang of Qin (306–251 BC) began life as a relatively minor prince, and served as a child hostage in Zhao before being sneaked out by Queen Dowager Xuan (his mother), her brother Wei Ran, and King Wuling of Zhao to assume the throne following the premature death of his brother, King Wu. Upon coming of age, he exiled Queen Dowager Xuan and Wei Ran, and worked with a succession of important figures of the age (Gan Mao, Fan Ju, Bai Qi...) to expand Qin's territory during the course of a long and successful reign.
[7] Reading 使者 for 使, per the commentaries.
[8] The commentaries suggest that the 西 here is superfluous.
[9] Zhao Bao was a brother of King Huiwen of Zhao. He played a key role in persuading King Xiaocheng of Zhao to accept the gift of Shangdang Commandery from Han, which led to the Battle of Changping.
[10] Lord Pingyuan was also known as Zhao Sheng, and was a successful Zhao general, having helped to lift the siege of Handan and push back Qin's forces.
[11] Handan was the capital of Zhao at the time. It is still called Handan and is in Hebei.
[12] The commentaries suggest that the 之 here may be superfluous.
[13] The commentaries suggest that this may actually refer to Lord Huayang (華陽君), also known as Mi Rong, who was actually one of King Zhaoxiang's uncles, being a younger brother of Queen Dowager Xuan.
[14] Lord Jingyang was also known as Ying Fei, and was King Zhaoxiang's younger brother
[15] The commentaries suggest that both incidences of 使 here are superfluous.
[16] A qilin was a mythical animal whose appearance foretold the emergence of a sage.
[17] I.e. if the Zhaoxiang is willing to demand that Huiwen kill his relations, his own relatives will begin to worry that they themselves may be subject to the same treatment.
[18] Reading 幣 for 弊, per the commentaries.
[19] In fact there was little love lost between Zhaoxiang and his mother's family, and it is probable that he would have liked nothing more than to have some of them killed. However, large numbers of them would have been present at this interview, and had he let on that this was the case his own life would have been in danger. Thus, Liang Yi is using his fear of his own relations against them. It is noteworthy that when Fan Ju put forward his plot to help Zhaoxiang rid himself of them, he insisted on having privacy before speaking.
趙使姚賈約韓魏
Zhao Sends Yao Jia to make an Accord with Han and Wei
趙使姚賈約韓、魏，韓、魏以友之。舉為姚賈謂趙王曰：「賈也，王之忠臣也。韓、魏欲得之，故之，將使王逐之，而己因受之。今王逐之，是韓、魏之欲得，而王之忠臣有罪也。故王不如勿逐，以明王之賢，而折韓、魏招之。」
Zhao sent Yao Jia[1] to make an accord with Han and Wei, but they[2] betrayed[3] the agreement. Mao[4] Ju[5] spoke to the King of Zhao on Yao Jia's behalf, saying, "Jia is Your Majesty's loyal servant, but Han and Wei both wish to employ him; they did this[6] to provoke you to expel him. They will then seize their chance and welcome him over to their side. If you expel him now, then Han and Wei will obtain their desires, and you will have turned a loyal servant into a criminal. Therefore, you would be better off not expelling him, thereby showing that you have the wisdom to prevent Han and Wei from bringing him over to their side."
[1] Yao Jia was a diplomat who worked for Qin and Zhao at different times.
[2] The commentaries suggest that the 以 here may be superfluous.
[3] Reading 反 for 友, per the commentaries.
[4] Reading 茅舉 for 舉 here, per the commentaries.
[5] This is not otherwise well-known.
[6] Yao suggests 反 for 故 here.
魏敗楚於陘山
Wei Defeats Chu at Mount Xing
魏敗楚於陘山，禽唐明。楚王懼，令昭應奉太子以委和於薛公。主父欲敗之，乃結秦連楚、宋之交，令仇郝相宋，樓緩相秦。楚王禽趙、宋，魏之和卒敗。
Wei defeated Chu at Mount Xing[1], capturing Tang Ming[2]. The King of Chu[3] panicked and ordered Zhao Ying[4] to take the Crown Prince and offer him to the Duke of Xue[5] in exchange for a non-aggression pact[6]. The King of Zhao's father[7] wanted to ensure that this agreement would fail, so he strengthened Zhao's ties with Qin and reinforced its relations with Song[8]. He had Qiu He[9] made Chancellor of Song[10] and Lou Huan[11] made Chancellor of Qin. Thus the divisions between the King of Chu, Zhao and Song persisted[12], and Chu's attempt to make peace with Qi[13] failed in the end.
[1] Mount Xing is near Xinzheng in Henan.
[2] This may be a reference to Tang Mei (唐 昧), who was killed in a joint attack by Qin, Qi, Han and Wei against Chu.
[3] King Huai of Chu (328 - 299 BC) was known for having been the object of various poetic complaints by Qu Yuan. He was captured by Qin in 299 BC and his son King Qingxiang took the throne. He made one attempt to escape, but was recaptured and died in 296 BC.
[4] This person is not otherwise well-known.
[5] Lord Mengchang, also known as Tian Wen, was Qi's greatest general at the time. He served most of his career in Qi, but left to work in Wei for some years in response to King Min's poor human resources policy.
[6] The Crown Prince will thus serve as a hostage in Qi, becoming the foundation of an alliance between Chu and Qi.
[7] King Wuling of Zhao (325 – 299 BC) oversaw Zhao's transition to light cavalry tactics, a move that won them several significant victories and was rapidly followed by the other states. He later abdicated in favour of his son, King Huiwen, but continued to take an active part in politics. Eventually, his younger son, Zhao Zhang, rebelled and then took refuge with Wuling following a defeat by Huiwen and his Chancellor, Li Dui. Li Dui then proceeded to besiege both of them. Wuling killed Zhang in an attempt to life the siege. It did not work and he was starved to death.
[8] According to the commentaries, 楚 is superfluous.
[9] Qiu He was also known as Qiu Ye. He was from Zhao, but served as Chancellor in Song.
[10] Reading 赫 for 郝, per the commentaries.
[11] Lou Huan was dispatched to Qin by King Wuling of Zhao, where he became Chancellor and served as the architect of an alliance between Qin and Zhao.
[12] Bao suggests 合 for 禽 here, which would make the sentence read "the King of Chu formed an alliance with Zhao and Song", and could possibly imply that Wuling's strategy was a successful attempt to force Chu to rely upon Zhao instead of Qi. Modern translations accept the sentence as it is.
[13] Reading 齊 for 魏, per the commentaries.
秦召春平侯
Qin Summons Marquis Chunping
秦召春平侯，因留之。世鈞為之謂文信侯曰：「春平侯者，趙王之所甚愛也，而郎中甚妒之，故相與謀曰：『春平侯入秦，秦必留之。』故謀而入之秦。今君留之，是空絕趙，而郎中之計中也。故君不如遣春平侯而留平都侯。春平侯者言行於趙王，必厚割趙以事君，而贖平都侯。」文信侯曰：「善。」因與接意而遣之。
Qin summoned Marquis Chunping[1] to its court, and then took the opportunity to detain him. Xie Jun[2] pleaded[3] with[4] Marquis Wenxin[5] on his behalf, saying, "Marquis Chunping is greatly beloved of the King of Zhao[6], and everyone in the palace is jealous of him. Therefore they schemed among themselves, saying, 'If Marquis Chunping goes to Qin, Qin will certainly detain him.' Thus they plotted to send him to Qin. If Your Lordship detains him now, you will be severing your relations with Zhao for no reason, while furthering the plots of the Zhao palace staff. Therefore it would be better if you sent Marquis Chunping back and detained Marquis Pingdu[7]. Whatever Marquis Chunping says will be acted upon by the King of Zhao, and he will certainly see to it that Zhao will cede substantial amounts of land to Your Lordship to ransom Marquis Pingdu."
Marquis Wenxin said, "Very well." He siezed upon the proposal and sent Marquis Chunping home.
[1] Marquis Chunping was also known as Zhao Chu. He was a son of King Xiaocheng of Zhao, and was made Crown Prince after his elder brother died. Xiaocheng died while Chunping was detained in Qin, but Chunping was not able to return in time to claim the throne before his elder brother, Zhao Yan, who became King Daoxiang.
[2] A politician in Qin.
[3] Reading 泄 for 世, per the commentaries.
[4] Reading 請 for 謂 here, following Yao.
[5] Marquis Wenxin was also known as Lü Buwei. He began his career as a businessman in Wey, but formed a relationship with Prince Yiren of Qin when the latter was serving as a hostage in Zhao. Wenxin helped Yiren take the throne as King Zhuangxiang, and served as Chancellor for many years, before being obliged to commit suicide in King Zheng's house-clearing operations after he came of age.
[6] King Xiaocheng of Zhao (265 BC – 245 BC) inherited the throne at a young age, and almost immediately oversaw Zhao's greatest defeat by Qin at the Battle of Changping. While the state survived, it never regained its previous status.
[7] This person is not otherwise well-known.
趙太后新用事
The Queen Dowager of Zhao Takes Charge of Affairs
趙太后新用事，秦急攻之。趙氏求救於齊。齊曰：「必以長安君為質，兵乃出。」太后不肯，大臣強諫。太后明謂左右：「有復言令長安君為質者，老婦必唾其面。」
The Queen Dowager of Zhao[1] had only just taken charge of affairs when Qin launched a surprise attack. The Zhao family begged for aid from Qi, but Qi said, "You must send Lord Chang'an[2] as a hostage, then we will dispatch troops." The Queen Dowager was unwilling to do so, and her principal private secretaries remonstrated vehemently with her.
The Queen made her position clear to her entourage: "If anyone speaks again of sending Lord Chang'an as a hostage, this old lady will spit in their face."
左師觸讋願見太后。太后盛氣而揖之。入而徐趨，至而自謝，曰：「老臣病足，曾不能疾走，不得見久矣。竊自恕，而恐太后玉體之有所郄也，故願望見太后。」太后曰：「老婦恃輦而行。」曰：「日食飲得無衰乎？」曰：「恃鬻耳。」曰：「老臣今者殊不欲食，乃自強步，日三四里，少益耆食，和於身也。」太后曰：「老婦不能。」太后之色少解。
The Consul of the Left[3], Chu Long[4] requested an audience with the Queen Dowager, who[5] was irritated but bowed to welcome him. He entered, moving slowly[6]. Arriving before her, he apologised, saying, "Your old servant's feet are aching. I can no longer move quickly so I have not come for an audience in a long time. I selfishly refused to take myself to task for this, but I was afraid that Your Majesty's health was failing, so I wanted to set eyes upon you."
The Queen Dowager[7] said, "I rely upon a wheelchair to get about."
Chu Long said, "Have you been eating and drinking less lately?"
The Queen Dowager said, "I get by on rice porridge."
Xie Long said, "Recently I found myself wanting to eat noticeably less, so I forced myself to start walking three or four li every day, and my desire to eat[8] returned a little. I'm more comfortable now."
The Queen Dowager said[9], "I couldn't do that," but her expression relaxed a little.
左師公曰：「老臣賤息舒祺，最少，不肖。而臣衰，竊愛憐之。願令得補黑衣之數，以衛王官，沒死以聞。」太后曰：「敬諾。年幾何矣？」對曰：「十五歲矣。雖少，願及未填溝壑而託之。」太后曰：「丈夫亦愛憐其少子乎？」對曰：「甚於婦人。」太后笑曰：「婦人異甚。」對曰：「老臣竊以為媼之愛燕后賢於長安君。」曰：「君過矣，不若長安君之甚。」左師公曰：「父母之愛子，則為之計深遠。媼之送燕后也，持其踵為之泣，念悲其遠也，亦哀之矣。已行，非弗思也，祭祀必祝之，祝曰：『必勿使反。』豈非計久長，有子孫相繼為王也哉？」太后曰：「然。」左師公曰：「今三世以前，至於趙之為趙，趙主之子孫侯者，其繼有在者乎？」曰：「無有。」曰：「微獨趙，諸侯有在者乎？」曰：「老婦不聞也。」「此其近者禍及身，遠者及其子孫。豈人主之子孫則必不善哉？位尊而無功，奉厚而無勞，而挾重器多也。今媼尊長安君之位，而封之以膏腴之地，多予之重器，而不及今令有功於國。一旦山陵崩，長安君何以自託於趙？老臣以媼為長安君計短也，故以為其愛不若燕后。」太后曰：「諾。恣君之所使之。」於是為長安君約車百乘質於齊，齊兵乃出。
The Consul of the Left said, "I have a son named Shuqi10], the youngest of my children. He's a worthless boy, but I'm declining and I indulge my affection for him. I hope you will send word that he should have his black robes repaired in order to serve as a palace guard. I wanted you to hear this before I die[11]."
The Queen Dowager said, "I respectfully accord my assent. How old is he?"
He replied, "Fifteen years old. He is young, but I wish to entrust him to you before I am laid in the ground."
The Queen Dowager said, "Men love their young sons too, don't they?"
He said, "Even more than women do."
The Queen Dowager laughed[12] and said, "It's completely different for women."
He replied, "I privately believed that you[13] were fonder of Her Excellency the Queen of Yan[14] than of Lord Chang'an."
The Queen Dowager said, "You were mistaken. I am not nearly as fond of her as I am of Lord Chang'an."
The Consul of the Left said, "When parents love their children, then they make deep, far-reaching plans for them. When you sent the Queen of Yan off, you clung to her heels weeping as you contemplated your sorrow at having her so far away, and we too pitied her. After she went, you did not stop thinking of her, but when you sacrificed and prayed for her, you begged, 'Please do not let her be sent back!' Weren't you making far-reaching plans, that her children and grandchildren should go on to be kings?"
The Queen Dowager said, "That is so."
The Consul of the Left said, "Now during the past three generations, or even since Zhao became Zhao, did any sons or grandsons of the former sovereigns of Zhao who were ennobled retain their domains?"
The Queen Dowager said, "None."
He said, "Zhao is not alone. Are there any descendants established by the other feudal lords that have maintained their positions?"
The Queen Dowager said, "I have not heard of any."
"Of these, some brought disaster directly upon themselves, while others handed it down to their descendants. Could it be that the sons and grandsons[16] of the lords of men are inherently unskillful? In fact, it is because they are are established in high ranking positions on the basis of no achievements, they are enriched without having to work, and they clasp to themselves all the appurtenances of state power. Now you given Lord Chang'an's a respected position. You have endowed him with fertile domains and given him great treasures, but until now you have not let him accrue any achievements on behalf of the state. One day the sun will rise upon your sealed tomb, and how then will Lord Chang'an manage in Zhao, with only himself to rely upon? I felt that your plans for Lord Chang'an were aimed at securing short-term benefits, and therefore I concluded that you did not love him as much as the Queen of Yan."
The Queen Dowager said, "Very well, My Lord, you may order this as you see fit." This being done, Lord Chang'an was allocated a hundred chariots and sent to serve as a hostage in Qi, and Qi dispatched its troops accordingly.
子義聞之曰：「人主之子也，骨肉之親也，猶不能恃無功之尊，無勞之奉，而守金玉之重也，而況人臣乎？」
Zi Yi[15] heard about this and said, "If the children of the lords of men - though they may be flesh and blood relations of their rulers - should not expect to receive respect unjustified by achievements, prosperity that they have not worked for, or stockpiled gold and jewels, is this not all the more true of public appointments?"
[1] Queen Dowager Wei of Zhao (266 - 265 BC) served as regent for her son, King Xiaocheng, but apparently died a year after taking office. At this point she was probably in her early 30s
[2] Lord Chang'an was Xiaocheng's younger brother, another of Queen Dowager Wei's sons.
[3] An relatively high-ranking position used in Zhao, Song and some other states.
[4] Reading 觸龍 for 觸讋, per the commentaries. This person is not otherwise well-known.
[5] The commentaries disagree regarding the reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[6] The commentaries disagree regarding the reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[7] According to the commentaries, the 太后 here may be superfluous.
[8] Reading 嗜 for 耆, per the commentaries.
[9] The commentaries disagree regarding the reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[10] This person is not otherwise well-known.
[11] The commentaries disagree regarding the reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[12] Some of the commentaries suggest omitting 笑.
[13] The commentaries suggest that this may be intended to read 太后 for 媼, in which case the sentence sounds more formal.
[14] Queen Dowager Wei's daughter, name unknown, who married King Wucheng of Yan and became Queen of Yan.
[15] Zi Yi was an official in Zhao.
秦使王翦攻趙
Qin Sends Wang Jian to Attack Zhao
秦使王翦攻趙，趙使李牧、司馬尚禦之。李牧數破走秦軍，殺秦將桓齮。王翦惡之，乃多與趙王寵臣郭開等金，使為反間，曰：「李牧、司馬尚欲與秦反趙，以多取封於秦。」趙王疑之，使趙蔥及顏聚代將，斬李牧，廢司馬尚。後三月，王翦因急擊，大破趙，殺趙軍，虜趙王遷及其將顏聚，遂滅趙。
Qin sent Wang Jian[1] to attack Zhao, and Zhao dispatched Li Mu[2] and Sima Shang[3] to forestall him. Li Mu inflicted repeated defeats on Qin's army and killed its general, Huan Yi[4]. Wang Jian hated Li Mu, so he offered gold to Guo Kai[5], a favourite of the King of Zhao[6], and various others. He had them stir up dissent, saying, "Li Mu and Sima Shang will mutiny against Zhao and join Qin, thereby gaining vast domains from Qin." The King of Zhao grew suspicious and sent Zhao Cong[7] and Yan Ju[8] to replace Li Mu and Sima Shang[9]. Li Mu was beheaded[10] and Sima Shang was exiled. Three months later[11], Wang Jian took advantage of this to intensify his attacks, inflicting immense destruction upon Zhao and massacring its army. He captured King Qian of Zhao and General Yan Ju and went on to wipe out Zhao.
[1] Wang Jian was a celebrated general and led the conquest of Chu.
[2] Li Mu was Zhao's greatest general of the age, winning key victories against Yan and the Xiongnu, and managing to hold off Qin's troops following Zhao's defeat at the Battle of Changping.
[3] Sima Shang was another Zhao general who worked with Li Mu.
[4] Huan Yi was a Qin general. He was not, in fact, killed by Li Mu, but fled to Yan, and later joined Jing Ke's assassination attempt against King Zheng of Qin.
[5] Guo Kai is known principally for this story.
[6] King Youmiu of Zhao (235–228 BC), also known as Zhao Qian, was the penultimate King of Zhao, and ended his reign in exile after the capture of Handan by Qin forces.
[7] Zhao Cong was another Zhao general.
[8] Yan Ju (颜聚) was originally from Qi, but defected to Zhao where he served as a general.
[9] The commentaries disagree on the correct spelling of both Zhao Cong and Yan Ju.
[10] According to an alternative story, Li Mu was obliged to commit suicide.
[11] The commentaries suggest 五 (five) for 三 (three) here.