92 Gaodu to Zhou

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When the Eastern Zhou and Western Zhou were at war, Han sent troops to rescue the Western Zhou. Someone persuaded the King of Han on behalf of the Eastern Zhou: "The Western Zhou was originally an angelic country with many valuable artifacts and treasures. If you do not take action, you can show favor to the Eastern Zhou and you will definitely get all the treasures of the Western Zhou." 

King Nan was called Cheng Jun. Chu surrounded Yongshi, and Han asked Eastern Zhou for soldiers and food. The Lord of Eastern Zhou was very scared and summoned Su Dai to tell him about the situation. Su Dai said: “Why do you worry about this? I can stop Han from requisitioning soldiers and food from Eastern Zhou, and I can also allow you to obtain Gaodu." The lord of Zhou said: "If you can really do it, this country will listen to you." Su Dai went to see the Prime Minister of Han and said to him: "Chu State has been besieging Yongshi. It was originally expected to take it down in three months, but now it has been five months and it has not been taken down. This shows that Chu State has suffered serious losses. Now the Prime Minister is calling on Eastern Zhou to send soldiers and food to announce to Chu that Han has also suffered heavy losses.” The Prime Minister of Han said, “You are right. But the messenger has already set out.” Su Dai said: "Why not give Gaodu to Dong Zhou?" The Prime Minister of Han was furious and said, "It is good enough that I do not ask Eastern Zhou for soldiers and food. Why should I give Gaodu to Eastern Zhou?" Su Dai said: "If we give Gaodu to Eastern Zhou, Eastern Zhou will turn to Han. When Qin hears about it, it will be furious and hate Eastern Zhou from then on and cut off ties with it. In this way, we can exchange the damaged Gaodu for a complete Eastern Zhou. Why not do that?” The Prime Minister said, "Okay." As expected, Gaodu was given to the Zhou State. 

东周与西周战，韩救西周。或为东周说韩王曰：“西周故天子之国，多名器重宝。王案兵毋出，可以德东周，而西周之宝必可以尽矣。”

王赧谓成君。楚围雍氏，韩徵甲与粟于东周，东周君恐，召苏代而告之。代曰：“君何患于是。臣能使韩毋徵甲与粟于周，又能为君得高都。”周君曰：“子苟能，请以国听子。”代见韩相国曰：“楚围雍氏，期三月也，今五月不能拔，是楚病也。今相国乃徵甲与粟于周，是告楚病也。”韩相国曰：“善。使者已行矣。”代曰：“何不与周高都？”韩相国大怒曰：“吾毋徵甲与粟于周亦已多矣，何故与周高都也？”代曰：“与周高都，是周折而入于韩也，秦闻之必大怒忿周，即不通周使，是以弊高都得完周也。曷为不与？”相国曰：“善。”果与周高都。

91 Shi Yan Said

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The State of Qin intended to borrow a road between the Eastern and the Western Zhou in preparation for attacking the State of Han. The Zhou had its fear, that there would be retaliation from Han if they do; or the retaliation would come from Qin if they don't. Shi Yan said to the Lord of Zhou: "Why don't you send someone to tell Duke Shu of Han: 'Qin dares to borrow the road from Zhou to attack Han because it trusts Eastern Zhou. Why don't you give Zhou some land and send a hostage to Chu?' The Qin State will certainly be suspicious of the Chu State, distrust the Zhou State, and will not attack the Han State anymore. Then he said to Qin, ‘Han State forcibly gave land to Zhou State in order to make Qin State suspicious of Zhou State, so Zhou State dared not refuse to accept it.’ Qin would have no reason to ask Zhou to reject the proposal, and thus it could obtain land from Han without arousing Qin's suspicion.“

The lord of Western Zhou was summoned by Qin, but he was unwilling to go. So he sent someone to tell the King of Han, “Qin summoned Western Zhou because it wanted Western Zhou to attack your Nanyang. Why don’t you send troops to Nanyang? The King of Zhou would use this as an excuse not to go to Qin. As long as Lord of Zhou does not go to Qin, Qin will not dare to cross the Yellow River to attack Nanyang."

秦借道两周之间，将以伐韩，周恐借之畏于韩，不借畏于秦。史厌谓周君曰：“何不令人谓韩公叔曰‘秦之敢绝周而伐韩者，信东周也。公何不与周地，发质使之楚’？秦必疑楚不信周，是韩不伐也。又谓秦曰‘韩强与周地，将以疑周于秦也，周不敢不受’。秦必无辞而令周不受，是受地于韩而听于秦。”

秦召西周君，西周君恶往，故令人谓韩王曰：“秦召西周君，将以使攻王之南阳也，王何不出兵于南阳？周君将以为辞于秦。周君不入秦，秦必不敢逾河而攻南阳矣。”

90 Su Dai Persuasion

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Prince Gong of Duke Wu of the Western Zhou died. He had five illegitimate sons and no legitimate son to serve as heir. Sima Jian said to the King of Chu: "Why not use the land to support Prince Ju and ask for the position of Crown Prince for him?" Zuo Cheng said: “No. If the Zhou disagrees, not only will your plan fail, but it will also alienate the relationship between Chu and Zhou. It would be better to ask Lord Zhou to secretly tell Sima Jian who he has in mind for the crown prince. Then let Sima Jian ask for permission for Chu to support him with land." As expected, the Zhou appointed Prince Ju as the crown prince.

In the eighth year (307 BC), Qin attacked Yiyang, and Chu came to rescue. Chu suspected that Zhou had helped Qin, so was preparing to attack Zhou. Su Dai persuaded the King of Chu on behalf of Zhou: "Why do you think Zhou is helping Qin? Those who said that Zhou helped Qin more than Chu wanted Zhou to completely ally with Qin, so there is a saying that "Zhou State helped Qin State." The State of Zhou knew that there was no escape, so it would definitely surrender to the State of Qin. This was a clever plan to help the State of Qin conquer the State of Zhou. I am just thinking for the king. If Zhou State leans towards Qin State, Chu State should treat Zhou State nice. If Zhou State does not lean towards Qin State, Chu State should also treat Zhou State nice. Only in this way can Zhou State and Qin State be alienated. If Zhou cuts off ties with Qin, it will certainly turn to Chu."

西周武公之共太子死，有五庶子，毋適立。司马翦谓楚王曰：“不如以地资公子咎，为请太子。” 左成曰：“不可。周不听，是公之知困而交疏於周也。不如请周君孰欲立，以微告翦，翦请令楚贺资之以地。”果立公子咎为太子。

八年，秦攻宜阳，楚救之。而楚以周为秦故，将伐之。苏代为周说楚王曰：“何以周为秦之祸也？言周之为秦甚于楚者，欲令周入秦也，故谓‘周秦’也。周知其不可解，必入于秦，此为秦取周之精者也。为王计者，周于秦因善之，不于秦亦言善之，以疏之于秦。周绝于秦，必入于郢矣。”