184 Rebel in Qi

A7.22|23

In April of the first year of the Han Dynasty (206 BC), the princes withdrew from Xixia and returned to their respective fiefdoms. King Xiang also returned to his fiefdom and sent people to relocate Emperor Yi, saying: "In ancient times, the emperors owned a thousand miles of land and must live in the upper reaches." So he sent deputies to escort Emperor Yi to Chen in Changsha County. King Xiang urged Emperor Yi to leave early, and the ministers gradually developed a rebellious heart, so King Xiang secretly ordered the King of Hengshan and the King of Linjiang to kill Emperor Yi on the Yangtze River. King Han Cheng had no military merits, so King Xiang did not allow him to return to his fiefdom and took him to Pengcheng, deposed him as a marquis, and soon had him killed. Zang Tu returned to his fiefdom and took the opportunity to expel Han Guang to Liaodong. Han Guang refused to obey, so Zang Tu killed Han Guang in Wuzhong and annexed his fiefdom. 

Tian Rong heard that Xiang Yu changed the title of King of Qi Tian Fu to King of Jiaodong and made Qi General Tian Du the King of Qi, so he was very angry and did not want the King of Qi to go to Jiaodong. He took the opportunity to rebel in Qi and fight Tian Du. Tian Du fled to Chu. The King of Qi Tian Fu was afraid of Xiang Yu, so he fled to his fiefdom in Jiaodong. Tian Rong was very angry and sent troops to pursue him, killing him in Jimo. Tian Rong therefore proclaimed himself the King of Qi, attacked westward to kill Jibei King Tian An, and annexed the three Qi regions. Tian Rong gave Peng Yue the seal of the general and asked him to rebel in Liangdi. Chen Yu secretly sent Zhang Tong and Xia Shuo to persuade the King of Qi Tian Rong, saying: "Xiang Yu as the master of the world has been unfair in dividing the princes. Now the kings of the original six countries are all enfeoffed in bad places, and his ministers and generals are all enfeoffed in good places, and his original monarch is expelled. The King of Zhao is living in Dai County in the north. I think this is not right. I have heard that the King Your Majesty has raised an army and refused to obey the crooked orders. I hope the king will support my army and let me attack Changshan to restore the status of the King of Zhao and that way Zhao could be used as a barrier for Qi." The King of Qi agreed and sent troops to Zhao. Chen Yu mobilized all the soldiers from the three counties and joined the Qi army to attack Changshan, defeating the Changshan army. Zhang Er fled and joined the King of Han. Chen Yu went to Dai County to welcome Xie, the former King of Zhao and made him return to Zhao. The King of Zhao took the opportunity to make Chen Yu the King of Dai.

之元年四月，诸侯罢戏下，各就国。项王出之国，使人徙义帝，曰：“古之帝者地方千里，必居上游。”乃使使徙义帝长沙郴县。趣义帝行，其群臣稍稍背叛之，乃阴令衡山、临江王击杀之江中。韩王成无军功，项王不使之国，与俱至彭城，废以为侯，已又杀之。臧荼之国，因逐韩广之辽东，广弗听，荼击杀广无终，并王其地。

田荣闻项羽徙齐王巿胶东，而立齐将田都为齐王，乃大怒，不肯遣齐王之胶东，因以齐反，迎击田都。田都走楚。齐王市畏项王，乃亡之胶东就国。田荣怒，追击杀之即墨。荣因自立为齐王，而西杀击济北王田安，并王三齐。荣与彭越将军印，令反梁地。陈余阴使张同、夏说说齐王田荣曰：“项羽为天下宰，不平。今尽王故王于丑地，而王其群臣诸将善地，逐其故主，赵王乃北居代，余以为不可。闻大王起兵，且不听不义，愿大王资余兵，请以击常山，以复赵王，请以国为扞蔽。”齐王许之，因遣兵之赵。陈余悉发三县兵，与齐并力击常山，大破之。张耳走归汉。陈余迎故赵王歇于代，反之赵。赵王因立陈余为代王。

183 Hegemon-King of Western Chu

A7.21

King Xiang sent someone to ask King Huai for instructions. King Huai said, "Do as agreed." Xiang Yu then honored King Huai as Yidi the Righteous Emperor, or Emperor Yi. King Xiang wanted to be king himself, so he first enfeoffed the generals and ministers as kings first. He said to everyone, "When the people of the world first started the uprising, they temporarily supported the descendants of the princes as kings to attack the Qin Dynasty. However, I personally wore armor and held a sharp weapon, took the lead in the uprising, and lived in the wind and rain for three years. The destruction of the Qin Dynasty and pacification of the world totally relied on the strength of the generals and ministers and me. It's just that the Righteous Emperor has no merit, so his land should be divided and enfeoffed to you as kings." All the generals said, "Okay." King Xiang then enfeoffed the world and made the generals kings and princes. King Xiang and Fan Zeng had the suspension that Pei Gong had the idea of ​​seizing the world, but they had already reconciled with him. They didn't want to break the agreement and were worried that the princes would betray him, so they secretly discussed and said, "The roads in Ba and Shu are difficult, and the criminals exiled by the Qin Dynasty all live in Shu." So they said, "Ba and Shu are also in Guanzhong." So Xiang Yu enfeoffed Pei Gong as the King of Han, ruling the three counties of Ba, Shu and Hanzhong, and establishing his capital in Nanzheng. He divided Guanzhong into three parts and gave them to the surrendered generals of the Qin Dynasty to stop the King of Han. King Xiang then made Zhang Han the King of Yong, ruling the area west of Xianyang and making Feiqiu his capital. The Chief Clerk Sima Xin, who had previously served as a prison official in Liyang, had been kind to Xiang Liang. The Commandant Dong Yi was the one who first persuaded Zhang Han to surrender to Chu. Therefore, King Xiang made Sima Xin the King of Sai, ruling the area east of Xianyang to the Yellow River, with Liyang as his capital. He made Dong Yi the King of Di, ruling Shangjun, with Gaonu as his capital. King Wei Bao was renamed the King of Western Wei, ruling the Hedong area, with Pingyang as his capital. Shen Yang from Xiaqiu was Zhang Er's favorite minister. He first conquered Henan and welcomed the Chu army at the Yellow River. Therefore, King Xiang made Shen Yang the King of Henan, with Luoyang as his capital. King Han Cheng established a country in the old capital, with Yangdi as his capital. Sima Ang, a general of Zhao, pacified Henei and repeatedly created military exploits, so he was made the King of Yin, ruling the Henei area, with Chaoge as his capital. The title of King Xie of Zhao was changed to King of Dai. Zhang Er, the prime minister of Zhao, had always been virtuous and followed King Xiang into Guanzhong, so Zhang Er was made King of Changshan and ruled Zhao, with Xiangguo as his capital. Ying Bu, the Lord of Dangyang, served as a general of Chu and was often the bravest among the troops, so Ying Bu was made King of Jiujiang and his capital was at Liuxian. Wu Rui, the Lord of Po, led the Baiyue to assist the princes and followed King Xiang into Guanzhong, so Wu Rui was made King of Hengshan and his capital was Zhuxian. Gong Ao, the pillar of the Yi Emperor, led his soldiers to attack Nanjun and created many military exploits, so Gong Ao was made King of Linjiang and his capital was Jiangling. Han Guang, the King of Yan, was changed to King of Liaodong. Zang Tu, the general of Yan, had followed the Chu army to rescue the Zhao army, so he followed King Xiang into Guanzhong, so Zang Tu was made King of Yan and his capital was Jixian. Tian Fu, the King of Qi, was changed to King of Jiaodong. Qi general Tian Du had followed the Chu army to rescue Zhao, so he followed King Xiang into Guanzhong, so he was named King of Qi, with Linzi as his capital. Tian An, grandson of King Jian of Qi who was destroyed by Qin, captured several cities north of the Jishui River when Xiang Yu crossed the river to rescue Zhao, and led his army to surrender to Xiang Yu, so he was named King of Jibei, with Boyang as his capital. Tian Rong had failed Xiang Liang many times, and was unwilling to lead his army to follow the Chu army to attack the Qin army, so he was not named. Chen Yu, Lord of Cheng'an, left his general seal and did not follow King Xiang into Guanzhong. However, King Xiang had always heard that Chen Yu was very capable and had made contributions to Zhao, and when he heard that Chen Yu was in Nanpi, he also named him three counties around Nanpi. Mei Xuan, a general of Lord Fan, had many military exploits, so he was named Marquis of 100 thousand households. King Xiang established himself as the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, ruling nine counties with Pengcheng as his capital.

项王使人致命怀王。怀王曰：“如约。”乃尊怀王为义帝。项王欲自王，先王诸将相。谓曰：“天下初发难时，假立诸侯后以伐秦。然身被坚执锐首事，暴露于野三年，灭秦定天下者，皆将相诸君与籍之力也。义帝虽无功，故当分其地而王之。”诸将皆曰：“善。”乃分天下，立诸将为侯王。项王、范增疑沛公之有天下，业已讲解，又恶负约，恐诸侯叛之，乃阴谋曰：“巴、蜀道险，秦之迁人皆居蜀。”乃曰：“巴、蜀亦关中地也。”故立沛公为汉王，王巴、蜀、汉中，都南郑。而三分关中，王秦降将以距塞汉王。项王乃立章邯为雍王，王咸阳以西，都废丘。长史欣者，故为栎阳狱掾，尝有德于项梁；都尉董翳者，本劝章邯降楚。故立司马欣为塞王，王咸阳以东至河，都栎阳；立董翳为翟王，王上郡，都高奴。徙魏王豹为西魏王，王河东，都平阳。瑕丘申阳者，张耳嬖臣也，先下河南，迎楚河上，故立申阳为河南王，都雒阳。韩王成因故都，都阳翟。赵将司马卬定河内，数有功，故立卬为殷王，王河内，都朝歌。徙赵王歇为代王。赵相张耳素贤，又从入关，故立耳为常山王，王赵地，都襄国。当阳君黥布为楚将，常冠军，故立布为九江王，都六。鄱君吴芮率百越佐诸侯，又从入关，故立芮为衡山王，都邾。义帝柱国共敖将兵击南郡，功多，因立敖为临江王，都江陵。徙燕王韩广为辽东王。燕将臧荼从楚救赵，因从入关，故立荼为燕王，都蓟。徙齐王田市为胶东王。齐将田都从共救赵，因从入关，故立都为齐王，都临菑。故秦所灭齐王建孙田安，项羽方渡河救赵，田安下济北数城，引其兵降项羽，故立安为济北王，都博阳。田荣者，数负项梁，又不肯将兵从楚击秦，以故不封。成安君陈余弃将印去，不从入关，然素闻其贤，有功于赵，闻其在南皮，故因环封三县。番君将梅鋗功多，故封十万户侯。项王自立为西楚霸王，王九郡，都彭城。

182 Monkeys Wearing Hats

A7.19|20

After Pei Gong left, King Xiang sent the lieutenant Chen Ping to call him back. Pei Gong said, "We are leaving now without saying goodbye. What should we do?" Fan Kuai said, "When doing great things, one should not care about trivial etiquette. When upholding great principles, one cannot avoid small blame. Now others are knives and chopping boards, and we are fish and meat to be slaughtered. Why do we still say goodbye?" Then they left. Before leaving, Pei Gong ordered Zhang Liang to stay and apologize. Zhang Liang asked, "What did the king bring when he came?" Pei Gong said, "I brought a pair of white jades to present to King Xiang and a pair of jade cups to present to Yafu. They were angry at the time, so I didn't dare to present them. You present them to them on my behalf." Zhang Liang said, "Yes, sir." At this time, King Xiang's army was at Hongmen, and Pei Gong's army was at Bashang, 40 miles away. Pei Gong abandoned his chariot and escaped on horseback alone. Fan Kuai, Xiahou Ying, Jin Qiang and Ji Xin ran with swords and shields, from the foot of Li Mountain, and took a small road through Zhiyang. Pei Gong said to Zhang Liang, "It's only about 20 miles from this road to my camp. Wait until you think I'm back to my army camp, then you go in." Pei Gong took a small road back to the army. After that, Zhang Liang went in to apologize and said, "Pei Gong had too much to drink and was unable to say goodbye. He asked me to present a pair of white jades to the king and a pair of jade cups to the general." King Xiang asked, "Where is Pei Gong?" Zhang Liang said, "He heard that the king wanted to blame him, so he left alone and has now returned to his camp." King Xiang took the jade and placed it on the seat. Yafu took the jade cup, left it on the ground, drew his sword, and chopped it into pieces, saying, "Alas! The damn kid is not worth working together! It must be Pei Gong who will seize the world from King Xiang. We will all be captured by him." Pei Gong returned to the army and immediately killed Cao Wushang.

A few days later, Xiang Yu led his troops westward to slaughter Xianyang, killed the surrendered Qin King Ziying, and burned the Qin palace to the ground, and the fire did not go out for three months. He also confiscated treasures and looted women and went east. Someone dissuaded Xiang Yu, saying: "Guanzhong is surrounded by mountains and the Yellow River, surrounded by passes, and the land is fertile and rich. You can make it your capital to create hegemony." Xiang Yu saw that the Qin palace was all scorched to pieces, and he missed his hometown and wanted to return to the east. He said: "Getting rich and noble but not returning to my hometown is like wearing embroidered clothes and walking at night. Who will know!" The person who dissuaded Xiang Yu said: "People say that the Chu people are just monkeys wearing hats. It's true." When Xiang Yu heard this, he boiled the man to death.

沛公已出，项王使都尉陈平召沛公。沛公曰：“今者出，未辞也，为之柰何？”樊哙曰：“大行不顾细谨，大礼不辞小让。如今人方为刀俎，我为鱼肉，何辞为。”于是遂去。乃令张良留谢。良问曰：“大王来何操？”曰：“我持白璧一双，欲献项王，玉斗一双，欲与亚父，会其怒，不敢献。公为我献之”张良曰：“谨诺。”当是时，项王军在鸿门下，沛公军在霸上，相去四十里。沛公则置车骑，脱身独骑，与樊哙、夏侯婴、靳强、纪信等四人持剑盾步走，从郦山下，道芷阳间行。沛公谓张良曰：“从此道至吾军，不过二十里耳。度我至军中，公乃入。”沛公已去，间至军中，张良入谢，曰：“沛公不胜桮杓，不能辞。谨使臣良奉白璧一双，再拜献大王足下；玉斗一双，再拜奉大将军足下。”项王曰：“沛公安在？”良曰：“闻大王有意督过之，脱身独去，已至军矣。”项王则受璧，置之坐上。亚父受玉斗，置之地，拔剑撞而破之，曰：“唉！竖子不足与谋。夺项王天下者，必沛公也，吾属今为之虏矣。”沛公至军，立诛杀曹无伤。

居数日，项羽引兵西屠咸阳，杀秦降王子婴，烧秦宫室，火三月不灭；收其货宝妇女而东。人或说项王曰：“关中阻山河四塞，地肥饶，可都以霸。”项王见秦宫皆以烧残破，又心怀思欲东归，曰：“富贵不归故乡，如衣绣夜行，谁知之者！”说者曰：“人言楚人沐猴而冠耳，果然。”项王闻之，烹说者。

181 The Sword Dance

A7.18

The next day, Pei Gong led a cavalry of over 100 men to come to meet King Xiang. When arriving at Hongmen, he apologized first and said, "The general and I joined forces to attack the State of Qin. The general fought in Hebei the north side of the Yellow River and I fought in Henan the south side. However, I did not expect to be able to enter the Pass first defeat the Qin army, and get to meet the general here again. Now some villains have made false accusations, causing conflicts between the general and me." King Xiang said, "This was said by Cao Wushang, the left Sima of Pei Gong. If it were not so, why would I come here?" King Xiang kept Pei Gong to have a banquet with him that day. King Xiang and Xiang Bo sat facing east. Yafu sat facing south. Yafu was Fan Zeng. Pei Gong sat facing north, and Zhang Liang sat with him facing west. Fan Zeng gave King Xiang the look many times and raised the jade ring he was wearing to signal King Xiang many times, but King Xiang remained silent and did not respond. Fan Zeng stood up, went out to find Xiang Zhuang, and said to him: "The Majesty Himself is not cruel enough. You go in and toast. After the toast, ask to dance with a sword, and take the opportunity to attack Pei Gong who is sitting, and kill him. Otherwise, you will all be captured by him." Xiang Zhuang went in and made a toast. After the toast, he said: "Your Majesty and Pei Gong are drinking. There is no entertainment in the army. Please allow me to do a sword dance." King Xiang said: "Okay." Xiang Zhuang drew his sword and danced, and Xiang Bo also drew his sword and danced, always using his body to protect Pei Gong, so Xiang Zhuang had no chance to attack Pei Gong. At this time, Zhang Liang came to the military gate and saw Fan Kuai. Fan Kuai said: "What is the situation today?" Zhang Liang said: "It is very critical. Now Xiang Zhuang draws his sword and dances to assassinate Pei Gong." Fan Kuai said: "This is too urgent. Please let me go in and fight with them!" Fan Kuai immediately entered the military gate with a sword and a shield. The guards holding their halberds tried to stop him from entering, but Fan Kuai used his shield to knock him over, and the guards fell to the ground. Fan Kuai then entered the tent, opened the curtain, and stood facing west, staring at King Xiang, his hair standing up, his eye sockets about to burst. King Xiang immediately reached out to grab the sword, straightened his upper body, and said, "What is the guest doing?" Zhang Liang said, "This is Fan Kuai, the attendant of Pei Gong." King Xiang said, "Brave man, give him a cup of wine." The guards gave him a large cup filled with a bucket of wine. After Fan Kuai thanked him, he stood up and drank it all while standing. King Xiang said, "Give him a pig's leg." The guards gave him a raw pig's leg. Fan Kuai put his shield on the ground, put the pig's leg on the shield, drew his sword, and cut the meat to eat. King Xiang said, "Brave man, can you drink more?" Fan Kuai said, "I am not afraid of death, so how can I refuse a glass of wine? The King of Qin has a heart of a tiger and a wolf. He kills people as if he is worried that he can't kill them all, and punishes them as if he is worried that he is not severe enough. The people of the world have betrayed him. King Huai and his generals agreed that ‘whoever defeats the Qin army and enters Xianyang first can be the king of Guanzhong.’Now Pei Gong was the first to defeat the Qin army and enter Xianyang, but he dared not accept any money or property. He also closed the palace and returned to Bashang to camp, waiting for the king to come. The reason for sending soldiers to guard the pass is to prevent other thieves from entering and exiting and accidents. Such hard work and great achievements, not only did not reward him with a title of nobility, but he also listened to gossip and wanted to kill the meritorious people. This is just walking the old path of the fallen Qin Dynasty. I humbly think that the king's approach is not advisable." King Xiang could not respond, but just said, "Please sit down." Fan Kuai sat down next to Zhang Liang. After sitting for a while, Pei Gong got up to go to the toilet and called Fan Kuai out.

沛公旦日从百余骑来见项王，至鸿门，谢曰：“臣与将军戮力而攻秦，将军战河北，臣战河南，然不自意能先入关破秦，得复见将军于此。今者有小人之言，令将军与臣有卻。”项王曰：“此沛公左司马曹无伤言之；不然，籍何以至此。”项王即日因留沛公与饮。项王、项伯东向坐。亚父南向坐。亚父者，范增也。沛公北向坐，张良西向侍。范增数目项王，举所佩玉玦以示之者三，项王默然不应。范增起，出召项庄，谓曰：“君王为人不忍，若入前为寿。寿毕，请以剑舞，因击沛公于坐，杀之。不者，若属皆且为所虏。”庄则入为寿，寿毕，曰：“君王与沛公饮，军中无以为乐，请以剑舞。”项王曰：“诺。”项庄拔剑起舞，项伯亦拔剑起舞，常以身翼蔽沛公，庄不得击。于是张良至军门，见樊哙。樊哙曰：“今日之事何如？”良曰：“甚急。今者项庄拔剑舞，其意常在沛公也。”哙曰：“此迫矣，臣请入，与之同命。”哙即带剑拥盾入军门。交戟之卫士欲止不内，樊哙侧其盾以撞，卫士仆地，哙遂入，披帷西向立，瞋目视项王，头发上指，目眦尽裂。项王按剑而跽曰：“客何为者？”张良曰：“沛公之参乘樊哙者也。”项王曰：“壮士，赐之卮酒。”则与斗卮酒。哙拜谢，起，立而饮之。项王曰：“赐之彘肩。”则与一生彘肩。樊哙覆其盾于地，加彘肩上，拔剑切而啗之。项王曰：“壮士，能复饮乎？”樊哙曰：“臣死且不避，卮酒安足辞！夫秦王有虎狼之心，杀人如不能举，刑人如恐不胜，天下皆叛之。怀王与诸将约曰‘先破秦入咸阳者王之’。今沛公先破秦入咸阳，毫毛不敢有所近，封闭宫室，还军霸上，以待大王来。故遣将守关者，备他盗出入与非常也。劳苦而功高如此，未有封侯之赏，而听细说，欲诛有功之人。此亡秦之续耳，窃为大王不取也。”项王未有以应，曰：“坐。”樊哙从良坐。坐须臾，沛公起如厕，因招樊哙出。