117 Dukes Jing and Ai

A5.39|40 

In the fourth year of Duke Jing of Qin (573 BC), Luan Shu of Jin killed their king Duke Li of Jin. In the fifteenth year, Qin came to the rescue of Zheng and defeated the Jin army in Li. At that time, Duke Dao of Jin was the leader of the princes. In the eighteenth year, Duke Dao of Jin was powerful and held many alliances with the princes. He led the army to attack Qin and defeated the Qin army. The Qin army was defeated and fled. The Jin army crossed the Jing River and chased them to Yulin in their pursuit before withdrawing. In the twenty-seventh year, Duke Jing went to Jin and allied with Duke Ping of Jin, but soon the alliance was broken. In the thirty-sixth year, Prince Wei of Chu killed his king and established himself as King Ling of Chu. Houzi Qian, Duke Jing's brother of the same mother, was one of the king's favorites. He was very rich, and some people spoke ill of him, out of the fear that he could be killed, he fled to the State of Jin, his wealth filled up a thousand carts. Duke Ping of Jin asked, "Houzi, why did you flee when you are so rich?" He replied, "The King of Qin is a vicious man. I am afraid of getting killed. I want to wait till he dies before returning to Qin." In the 39th year, King Ling of Chu was powerful and held a meeting with the princes in Shen, became the leader and killed Qing Feng of Qi. Duke Jing died after 40 years in office, and his son Duke Ai succeeded him. Houzi returned to Qin.

In the eighth year of Duke Ai (529 BC), Prince Qi Ji of Chu killed King Ling and established himself as King Ping of Chu. In the eleventh year of Duke Ai, King Ping of Chu sent an envoy to Qin to ask for a Qin girl to be the wife of his crown prince Jian. Upon their arrival, King Ping saw that she was beautiful and took her as his own wife. In the fifteenth year, King Ping of Chu wanted to kill Prince Jian, but he escaped. Wu Zixu fled to Wu. The royal family of Jin was declining and the six nobles were powerful. They wanted to fight for power among themselves, so there was no war between Qin and Jin for a long time. In the thirty-first year, King Helu of Wu and Wu Zixu attacked Chu, and King Zhao of Chu fled to Sui, so the Wu army entered Ying. Shen Baoxu, a minister of Chu, came to Qin for help. He did not eat for seven days and cried from morning till night. So Qin dispatched 500 chariots to rescue Chu and defeated the Wu army. After the Wu army retreated, King Zhao of Chu was able to return to Ying. Duke Ai died in the 36th year of his reign. The crown prince was Duke Yi, who died very early and could not succeed to the throne. So Duke Yi's son was made king, Duke Hui of Qin.

景公四年，晋栾书弑其君厉公。十五年，救郑，败晋兵于栎。是时晋悼公为盟主。十八年，晋悼公强，数会诸侯，率以伐秦，败秦军。秦军走，晋兵追之，遂渡泾，至棫林而还。二十七年，景公如晋，与平公盟，已而背之。三十六年，楚公子围弑其君而自立，是为灵王。景公母弟后子针有宠，景公母弟富，或谮之，恐诛，乃奔晋，车重千乘。晋平公曰：“后子富如此，何以自亡？”对曰：“秦公无道，畏诛，欲待其后世乃归。”三十九年，楚灵王强，会诸侯于申，为盟主，杀齐庆封。景公立四十年卒，子哀公立。后子复来归秦。

哀公八年，楚公子弃疾弑灵王而自立，是为平王。十一年，楚平王来求秦女为太子建妻。至国，女好而自娶之。十五年，楚平王欲诛建，建亡；伍子胥奔吴。晋公室卑而六卿强，欲内相攻，是以久秦晋不相攻。三十一年，吴王阖闾与伍子胥伐楚，楚王亡奔随，吴遂入郢。楚大夫申包胥来告急，七日不食，日夜哭泣。于是秦乃发五百乘救楚，败吴师。吴师归，楚昭王乃得复入郢。哀公立三十六年卒。太子夷公，夷公蚤死，不得立，立夷公子，是为惠公。