79 The Republic

A4.32|33|34|35

Prince Jing of King Li was hiding in the house of Duke Zhao. When the people heard about it, they surrounded Duke Zhao's house. Duke Zhao said, "I have advised the king many times before, but the king did not listen, which led to today's disaster. If I kill the king's prince now, the king may think that I am venting my anger because of a grudge. When serving the monarch, one should not bear grudges even in danger, and should not vent resentment, let alone serve the king!" So he replaced the prince of King Li with his own son, and the prince finally escaped.

The two ministers, Duke Zhao and Duke Zhou, jointly managed the state affairs, which was called "Republic". In the 14th year of the Republic, King Li died in Zhui. Prince Jing grew up in the home of Duke Zhao, so the two ministers jointly supported him to become the king, and this was King Xuan. When King Xuan was in throne, the two ministers assisted him in reforming politics, following the legacy of King Wen, King Wu, King Cheng, and King Kang, and the princes once again regarded Zhou as their suzerain. In the 12th year of King Xuan’s reign, Duke Wu of Lu came to pay homage.

King Xuan did not personally cultivate the land in Qianmu. Duke Wen of Guo advised him not to do so, but King Xuan did not listen. In the 39th year of his reign, the royal army was defeated in the battle of Qianmu by the Jiang clan, the descendants of Siyue.

After King Xuan lost his army in the southern expedition, he counted the population in Taiyuan. Zhong Shanfu advised him not to do so, saying, "The king cannot directly count the population." King Xuan did not listen and eventually counted the population.

厉王太子静匿召公之家，国人闻之，乃围之。召公曰：“昔吾骤谏王，王不从，以及此难也。今杀王太子，王其以我为雠而怼怒乎？夫事君者，险而不雠怼，怨而不怒，况事王乎！”乃以其子代王太子，太子竟得脱。

召公、周公二相行政，号曰“共和”。共和十四年，厉王死于彘。太子静长于召公家，二相乃共立之为王，是为宣王。宣王即位，二相辅之，脩政，法文、武、成、康之遗风，诸侯复宗周。十二年，鲁武公来朝。

宣王不脩籍于千亩，虢文公谏曰不可，王弗听。三十九年，战于千亩，王师败绩于姜氏之戎。

宣王既亡南国之师，乃料民于太原。仲山甫谏曰：“民不可料也。”宣王不听，卒料民。