129 Zhao Zheng

A6.1

Qin Shi Huang was the son of King Zhuangxiang of Qin. King Zhuangxiang was a hostage of Qin in Zhao State. When he saw Lü Buwei's concubine, he liked her very much and married her, giving birth to the first emperor. He was born in Handan in the first month of the 48th year of King Zhao of Qin (259 BC). His birth name was Zhao Zheng. When he was thirteen years old, King Zhuangxiang died and Zhao Zheng was established as the King of Qin. At that time, Qin had annexed Ba, Shu, and Hanzhong, crossed Wan County and occupied Yingdu, and Nanjun was set up already; the Qin army attacked the area east of Shangjun to the north, occupied Hedong, Taiyuan, and Shangdang, and marched east to Xingyang, destroyed the two Zhous in the east and west, and set up Sanchuan County. Lü Buwei served as the prime minister, with a fief of 100,000 households and the title of Marquis Wenxin. Lü Buwei recruited guests and scholars, hoping to annex the world. Li Si was his retainer, and Meng Ao, Wang Xi, and Duke of Biao served as generals. The King of Qin was still young and had just ascended the throne, so he entrusted state affairs to his ministers.

司马迁·史记卷六·秦始皇本纪第六

秦始皇帝者，秦庄襄王子也。庄襄王为秦质子于赵，见吕不韦姬，悦而取之，生始皇。以秦昭王四十八年正月生于邯郸。及生，名为政，姓赵氏。年十三岁，庄襄王死，政代立为秦王。当是之时，秦地已并巴、蜀、汉中，越宛有郢，置南郡矣；北收上郡以东，有河东、太原、上党郡；东至荥阳，灭二周，置三川郡。吕不韦为相，封十万户，号曰文信侯。招致宾客游士，欲以并天下。李斯为舍人。蒙骜、王齮、麃公等为将军。王年少，初即位，委国事大臣。