Waihuang could not be conquered. After a few days, Waihuang finally surrendered. King Xiang was very angry and ordered all men over 15 years old to be sent to the east of the city, intending to kill them. The son of the retainer of the Waihuang County Magistrate was only 13 years old. He went to persuade King Xiang and said: "Peng Yue forced Waihuang to rebel with him by force. The people of Waihuang were very scared, so they temporarily surrendered to Peng Yue and waited for the king to come. Now the king has come and wants to kill them all. How can the people still want to submit to him? From here to the east, more than a dozen cities in Liangdi will be afraid and no one will surrender anymore." King Xiang thought his words made sense and pardoned those in Waihuang who were to be killed. The Chu army marched eastward to Suiyang. When the people heard about it, they all rushed to surrender to King Xiang.
As expected, the Han army repeatedly challenged the Chu army, but the Chu army did not go out to fight. The Han army sent people to insult for five or six consecutive days. The Grand Marshal was very angry and ordered the soldiers to cross the Sishui River. Just when half of the soldiers had crossed the river, the Han army launched an attack, defeated the Chu army, and seized all the Chu army's supplies. Grand Marshal Cao Jiu, Chief Clerk Dong Yi, and King of Sai Sima Xin all committed suicide on the bank of Sishui River. Grand Marshal Cao Jiu was originally a prison official in Qi County, and Chief Clerk Sima Xin was also a prison official in Liyang. They had been kind to Xiang Liang, so King Xiang trusted them. At this time, King Xiang was in Suiyang. When he heard that the army of Marquis Haichun was defeated, he led his troops back. The Han army was besieging Zhongli Mei in Xingyang. King Xiang arrived. The Han army was afraid of the Chu army, so they all withdrew to a place with steep terrain.
At this time, the Han army had many soldiers and sufficient food, while King Xiang's soldiers were tired and out of food. King Han sent Lu Jia to persuade King Xiang to release Taigong, but King Xiang refused. King Han sent Hou Gong to persuade King Xiang, and King Xiang agreed with King Han to divide the world equally, with the land west of the Honggou belonging to the Han State and the land east of the Honggou belonging to the Chu State. King Xiang agreed and immediately sent back the King of Han's parents, wife and children. The Han army all shouted "Long live the king". The King of Han then named Hou Gong the Lord of Pingguo, but Hou Gong hid himself and refused to see the King of Han again. The King of Han said, "This man is the best debater in the world. The country he goes to will be overthrown because of him, so he is named the Lord of Pingguo." King Xiang had reached a covenant, so he led his troops to retreat back to the east.
黄不下。数日，已降，项王怒，悉令男子年十五已上诣城东，欲阬之。外黄令舍人儿年十三，往说项王曰：“彭越强劫外黄，外黄恐，故且降，待大王。大王至，又皆阬之，百姓岂有归心？从此以东，梁地十余城皆恐，莫肯下矣。”项王然其言，乃赦外黄当阬者。东至睢阳，闻之皆争下项王。
汉果数挑楚军战，楚军不出。使人辱之，五六日，大司马怒，渡兵汜水。士卒半渡，汉击之，大破楚军，尽得楚国货赂。大司马咎、长史翳、塞王欣皆自刭汜水上。大司马咎者，故蕲狱掾，长史欣亦故栎阳狱吏，两人尝有德于项梁，是以项王信任之。当是时，项王在睢阳，闻海春侯军败，则引兵还。汉军方围钟离眛于荥阳东，项王至，汉军畏楚，尽走险阻。
是时，汉兵盛食多，项王兵罢食绝。汉遣陆贾说项王，请太公，项王弗听。汉王复使侯公往说项王，项王乃与汉约，中分天下，割鸿沟以西者为汉，鸿沟而东者为楚。项王许之，即归汉王父母妻子。军皆呼万岁。汉王乃封侯公为平国君。匿弗肯复见。曰：“此天下辩士，所居倾国，故号为平国君。”项王已约，乃引兵解而东归。
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