A7.3|4
In July of the first year of the reign of the Emperor Qin II (209 BC), Chen She and others started an uprising in Daze Township. In September of that year, Yin Tong, the governor of Kuaiji County, said to Xiang Liang: "The areas west of the Yangtze River have all rebelled. This is also the time when the Heaven wants to destroy the Qin Dynasty. I heard that those who act first will be in control, while those who act late will be controlled. I want to send troops, you and Huan Chu will be leading them as generals." At that time, Huan Chu fled to the marshlands. Xiang Liang said: "Huan Chu is on the run, and no one knows his whereabouts, only Xiang Ji knows." Xiang Liang walked out and told Xiang Ji to wait outside with a sword. Xiang Liang walked in again, sat with the governor, and said: "Please summon Xiang Ji and let him accept the order to recall Huan Chu." The governor said: "Okay." Xiang Liang summoned Xiang Ji in. Moments later, Xiang Liang winked at Xiang Ji and said: "It's time to act!" So Xiang Ji drew his sword and cut off the governor's head. Xiang Liang held the governor's head and wore his official seal. The attendants were shocked and fell into chaos. Xiang Ji killed dozens or hundreds of people. Everyone in the government was intimidated by Xiang Ji, and no one dared to resist. Xiang Liang then summoned other powerful officials he knew and told them about the great deeds he was going to do, and then he mobilized the soldiers in Wuzhong. He sent people to recruit soldiers from the counties under the jurisdiction of Kuaiji County, and got 8,000 elite soldiers. Xiang Liang arranged the warriors in Wuzhong to serve as military officers, colonels, captains and lieutenants. There was one person who was not appointed, so he went to Xiang Liang in person to tell him. Xiang Liang said, "Not long ago, I asked you to host a funeral, but you were not capable of handling it well, so I did not appoint you." Everyone admired Xiang Liang very much. At this time, Xiang Liang served as the governor of Kuaiji County, and Xiang Ji was a deputy general, and they captured the counties under its jurisdiction.
Zhao Ping, a native of Guangling, was attacking Guangling for King Chen at that time, but he failed to capture it. He heard that King Chen was defeated and fled, and the Qin army was about to arrive, so he crossed the Yangtze River and falsely conveyed King Chen's order to appoint Xiang Liang as the Upper Pillar of the State (same position as the Prime Minister) of the King of Chu. Zhao Ping said: "Jiangdong, the East of the Yangtze River, has been pacified, quickly lead the troops west to attack the Qin army." Xiang Liang then sent 8,000 people across the Yangtze River to the west. When he heard that Chen Ying had captured Dongyang, he sent an envoy to join Chen Ying in the west. Chen Ying was originally the magistrate of Dongyang. He lived in the county and was always honest and cautious. He was known as a loyal and honest person. The young men of Dongyang killed their county magistrate and gathered thousands of people to choose a leader. But they couldn't find a suitable person, so they asked Chen Ying to be the leader. Chen Ying declined but couldn't refuse, so he was forced to become the leader. There were 20 thousand people following him in the county. The young people wanted to put him up to be king, for he was unique in wrapping his head with a green scarf. Chen Ying's mother said to Chen Ying: "Since I came to this family of yours as a daughter-in-law, I have never heard of any of your ancestors being prominent. Now you suddenly get a prominent name, which is not a good sign. It is better to join others. If you succeed, you can be made a marquis. If you fail, you can easily escape and will not be named by the world." Chen Ying did not dare to claim the throne. He said to the military officers: "The Xiang family has been generals for generations and is very prestigious in Chu. If we want to do great things now, we cannot do it without competent generals. We can definitely bring down the Qin Dynasty by relying on the famous and powerful families." So everyone listened to him and led their troops to join Xiang Liang. After Xiang Liang crossed the Huai River, Ying Bu and General Pu also led their troops to join him. Xiang Liang's army had a total of 60 to 70 thousand people and was stationed in Xia Pi.
秦二世元年七月，陈涉等起大泽中。其九月，会稽守通谓梁曰：“江西皆反，此亦天亡秦之时也。吾闻先即制人，后则为人所制。吾欲发兵，使公及桓楚将。”是时桓楚亡在泽中。梁曰：“桓楚亡，人莫知其处，独籍知之耳。”梁乃出，诫籍持剑居外待。梁复入，与守坐，曰：“请召籍，使受命召桓楚。”守曰：“诺。”梁召籍入。须臾，梁眴籍曰：“可行矣！”于是籍遂拔剑斩守头。项梁持守头，佩其印绶。门下大惊，扰乱，籍所击杀数十百人。一府中皆慴伏，莫敢起。梁乃召故所知豪吏，谕以所为起大事，遂举吴中兵。使人收下县，得精兵八千人。梁部署吴中豪杰为校尉、候、司马。有一人不得用，自言于梁。梁曰：“前时某丧使公主某事，不能办，以此不任用公。”众乃皆伏。于是梁为会稽守，籍为裨将，徇下县。
广陵人召平于是为陈王徇广陵，未能下。闻陈王败走，秦兵又且至，乃渡江矫陈王命，拜梁为楚王上柱国。曰：“江东已定，急引兵西击秦。”项梁乃以八千人渡江而西。闻陈婴已下东阳，使使欲与连和俱西。陈婴者，故东阳令史，居县中，素信谨，称为长者。东阳少年杀其令，相聚数千人，欲置长，无適用，乃请陈婴。婴谢不能，遂强立婴为长，县中从者得二万人。少年欲立婴便为王，异军苍头特起。陈婴母谓婴曰：“自我为汝家妇，未尝闻汝先古之有贵者。今暴得大名，不祥。不如有所属，事成犹得封侯，事败易以亡，非世所指名也。”婴乃不敢为王。谓其军吏曰：“项氏世世将家，有名于楚。今欲举大事，将非其人，不可。我倚名族，亡秦必矣。”于是众从其言，以兵属项梁。项梁渡淮，黥布、蒲将军亦以兵属焉。凡六七万人，军下邳。
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