198 The First in Guanzhong is the King

A8.14…18

Xiang Liang once again defeated the Qin army, showing arrogance.  He refused to listen to Song Yi's advice. Qin sent Zhang Yi reinforcement with soldiers, attacking Xiang Liang quietly at night, caputured Dingtao, and Xiang Liang died. Pei Gong and Xiang Yu attacked Chen Liu, but upon hearing that Xiang Liang had died, they led their troops to join General Lü to the east. Lü Chen's army was stationed in the east of Pengcheng, Xiang Yu's army in the west of Pengcheng, and Pei Gong's army in Dang.

Zhang Han had already defeated the Xiang Liang army, he thought that the Chu army was not worth to worry about, so he crossed the Yellow River and launched a northern attack on Zhao, and he defeated Zhao. At that time, Zhao Xie was the king, and the Qin general Wang Li besieged the city of Julucheng, which was known as the army of Hebei.

In the third year of Qin the Second, King Huai of Chu saw that the Xiang Liang army had been defeated, and he got scared. So he moved the capital to Pengcheng from Xutai, and appointed Lü Chen and Xiang Yu's army to defend themselves. Pei Gong was appointed as the magistrate of Dang County, conferred the title of Marquis of Wu'an, and appointed as the general of Dang County. Xiang Yu was conferred the title of Marquis of Chang'an and given the title of Duke of Lu. Lü Chen was the Minister of Works, and his father Lü Qing was the Commander in Chief.

Zhao Shu asked for help. King Huai appointed Song Yi as the superior general, Xiang Yu as the second general, Fan Zeng as the last general, and to rescue Zhao in the north. Duke Pei was to march to the west border. An agreement was made between the generals, whoever enters Guanzhong first becomes the King.

At that time, the Qin army was strong, the Generals had no interest to enter the pass first,  so often took the advantage of the victory to drive north. Only Xiang Yu resented Qin for defeating Xiang Liang's army, and was willing to join Pei Gong in entering the western border. The old generals of King Huai all said, "Xiang Yu is a fierce cunning thief. Xiang Yu tried to attack Xiangcheng, leaving no trace of it, he killed all and all he passed through were destroyed. Moreover, Chu advanced a few times before, and both the former King of Chen and Xiang Liang were all defeated. It would be better to send elders who support righteousness and inform Qin fathers and brothers. They have been suffering from his master for a long time, and now they really have obtained the elders to come, without invasion or violence, and it should be easily taken down. Now Xiang Yu is fierce, he cannot be sent. Only Duke Pei is lenient towards the elders, so he can be sent." Then Xiang Yu wasn’t sent, but Duke Pei was sent to the west. Gathering the scattered soldiers from King Chen and Xiang Liang, Pei Gong arrived at Chengyang from Dang County, confronted the Qin army in Gangli, and then defeated the two armies of Wei. The Chu army sent troops to attack Wang Li and defeated him.

项梁再破秦军，有骄色。宋义谏，不听。秦益章邯兵，夜衔枚击项梁，大破之定陶，项梁死。沛公与项羽方攻陈留，闻项梁死，引兵与吕将军俱东。吕臣军彭城东，项羽军彭城西，沛公军砀。

章邯已破项梁军，则以为楚地兵不足忧，乃渡河，北击赵，大破之。当是之时，赵歇为王，秦将王离围之钜鹿城，此所谓河北之军也。

秦二世三年，楚怀王见项梁军破，恐，徙盱台都彭城，并吕臣、项羽军自将之。以沛公为砀郡长，封为武安侯，将砀郡兵。封项羽为长安侯，号为鲁公。吕臣为司徒，其父吕青为令尹。

赵数请救，怀王乃以宋义为上将军，项羽为次将，范增为末将，北救赵。令沛公西略地入关。与诸将约，先入定关中者王之。

当是时，秦兵强，常乘胜逐北，诸将莫利先入关。独项羽怨秦破项梁军，奋，愿与沛公西入关。怀王诸老将皆曰：“项羽为人僄悍猾贼。项羽尝攻襄城，襄城无遗类，皆阬之，诸所过无不残灭。且楚数进取，前陈王、项梁皆败。不如更遣长者扶义而西，告谕秦父兄。秦父兄苦其主久矣，今诚得长者往，毋侵暴，宜可下。今项羽僄悍，今不可遣。独沛公素宽大长者，可遣。”卒不许项羽，而遣沛公西略地，收陈王、项梁散卒。乃道砀至成阳，与杠里秦军夹壁，破魏二军。楚军出兵击王离，大破之。

197 Following Xiang Liang

A8.11|12|13

In the second year of the reign of Qin II (208 BC), Chen She's general Zhou Zhang led his army westward to Xishui and then returned. Yan, Zhao, Qi, and Wei all declared themselves kings. Xiang raised troops in Wu. Ping, the imperial censor of Sichuan (later its name changed to Pei County by Emperor Gaozhu, different from the Sichuan province of today), led his soldiers to besiege Fengyi. After two days, Pei Gong went out of the city to fight with him and defeated the Qin army. Pei Gong ordered Yong Chi to guard Fengyi, and he led his troops to Xue County. Sichuan County Governor Zhuang was defeated in Xue County and fled to Qi County. The left Sima of Pei Gong captured Zhuang and killed him. Pei Gong returned to Kangfu and came to Fangyu without a fight. King Chen sent Wei people Zhou Fu to attack the land. Zhou Shi sent someone to tell Yong Chi: "Fengyi, people from Daliang once migrated here. Now Wei has pacified dozens of cities. If you, Yong Chi, surrender to the King of Wei, the King of Wei will make you a marquis to guard Fengyi. If you don't surrender, I will massacre Fengyi." Yong Chi had always been reluctant to follow Pei Gong. When Wei State recruited him, he immediately rebelled and guarded Fengyi for Wei State. Pei Gong led his troops to attack Fengyi but failed. Pei Gong fell ill and returned to Pei County. Pei Gong resented Yong Chi and the young men of Fengyi for betraying him. When he heard that Dongyang Ningjun and Qin Jia had supported Jingju as the acting King of Chu in Liu County, he went to join them, hoping to borrow troops to attack Fengyi. At that time, Qin General Zhang Han was pursuing King Chen, and another general Sima Yi (or Ni, a rare word) led his soldiers to the north to suppress Chu, massacred Xiang County, and came to Dang County. Dongyang Ningjun and Pei Gong led their troops to the west and fought with them west of Xiao County, but failed. Pei Gong returned to gather the remaining soldiers in Liu County and led his troops to attack Dang County. He captured Dang County in three days. He took advantage of the situation to recruit soldiers from Dang County and got up to six thousand people. Attacking Xiayi, he captured it. Then he returned to Fengyi. When Pei Gong heard that Xiang Liang was in Xue County, he went to see him with more than one hundred cavalrymen. Xiang Liang reinforced Pei Gong with 5,000 soldiers and ten generals with the title of Wu Dafu. Pei Gong returned and led his troops to attack Fengyi. 

Pei Gong followed Xiang Liang for more than a month, and Xiang Yu had already captured Xiangcheng and returned. Xiang Liang summoned generals from all directions to Xue County. Hearing that King Chen was indeed dead, he established Xiong Xin, a grandson of King Huai of Chu, as the King of Chu and established his capital in Xutai. Xiang Liang called himself Lord Wuxin. After a few months, the Chu army attacked Kangfu to the north, rescued Dong'a, and defeated the Qin army. The Qi army returned to Qi, and Xiang Liang had the Chu army pursue north alone, sending Pei Gong and Xiang Yu to lead another army to attack Chengyang and it was slaughtered. Pei Gong and Xiang Yu were stationed east of Puyang, fought with the Qin army, and defeated the enemy. 

The Qin army regained its strength, held Puyang, and surrounded the city with water. The Chu army left and turned to attack Dingtao, but Dingtao was not captured. Pei Gong and Xiang Yu went west to capture land and fought with the Qin army, defeated the Qin army, and killed Li You. The army returned to attack Waihuang, but Waihuang was not captured.

秦二世二年，陈涉之将周章军西至戏而还。燕、赵、齐、魏皆自立为王。项氏起吴。秦泗川监平将兵围丰，二日，出与战，破之。命雍齿守丰，引兵之薛。泗州守壮败于薛，走至戚，沛公左司马得泗川守壮，杀之。沛公还军亢父，至方与，未战。陈王使魏人周巿略地。周巿使人谓雍齿曰：“丰，故梁徙也。今魏地已定者数十城。齿今下魏，魏以齿为侯守丰。不下，且屠丰。”雍齿雅不欲属沛公，及魏招之，即反为魏守丰。沛公引兵攻丰，不能取。沛公病，还之沛。沛公怨雍齿与丰子弟叛之，闻东阳宁君、秦嘉立景驹为假王，在留，乃往从之，欲请兵以攻丰。是时秦将章邯从陈，别将司马夷将兵北定楚地，屠相，至砀。东阳宁君、沛公引兵西，与战萧西，不利。还收兵聚留，引兵攻砀，三日乃取砀。因收砀兵，得五六千人。攻下邑，拔之。还军丰。闻项梁在薛，从骑百余往见之。项梁益沛公卒五千人，五大夫将十人。沛公还，引兵攻丰。

从项梁月余，项羽已拔襄城还。项梁尽召别将居薛。闻陈王定死，因立楚后怀王孙心为楚王，治盱台。项梁号武信君。居数月，北攻亢父，救东阿，破秦军。齐军归，楚独追北，使沛公、项羽别攻城阳，屠之。军濮阳之东，与秦军战，破之。

秦军复振，守濮阳，环水。楚军去而攻定陶，定陶未下。沛公与项羽西略地至雍丘之下，与秦军战，大破之，斩李由。还攻外黄，外黄未下。

196 Pei Gong the Duke of Pei

A8.8|9|10

Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of Qin, often said, "There is the aura of the Son of Heaven in the southeast," and he toured the east to suppress the aura of the Son of Heaven there. Emperor Gaozu suspected that he was involved, so he fled and hid, living in seclusion among the lakes and rocks of Mountain Mang and Mountain Dang. Empress Lü and others searched for him, and they always found him. Emperor Gaozu was surprised and asked Empress Lü why. Empress Lü said, "There are always clouds gathering above where you are, so follow the clouds which will lead to you." Emperor Gaozu was very happy. Some of the children in Pei County heard about this, so most of them wanted to follow him.

In the autumn of the first year of Qin II (209 BC), Chen Sheng (Chen She) and others raised an army in Qi County, and after arriving in Chen County, they proclaimed themselves kings, known as "Zhang Chu". Many people in counties and prefectures killed local officials to respond to Chen Sheng. The magistrate of Pei County was very scared and wanted to raise an army in Pei County to respond to Chen Sheng. Xiao He, the chief official, and Cao Shen, the prison official, said, "You are an official of the Qin Dynasty, but now you want to betray the Qin Dynasty and lead the people of Pei County to revolt. I am afraid they will not obey. I hope you can recall those who have fled and get a few hundred people. Use them to coerce the people, and they will not dare to disobey." So the county magistrate ordered Fan Kuai to recall Liu Ji. Liu Ji's followers already had somewhere around hundreds of people.

At this time, Fan Kuai followed Liu Ji back. The magistrate of Pei County regretted it and was afraid of accidents, so he closed the city gates for defense and wanted to kill Xiao He and Cao Shen. Xiao He and Cao Shen were very scared, so they climbed over the city wall to join Liu Ji for protection. Liu Ji wrote a letter on silk and shot it into the city, informing the elders of Pei County: "The people of the world have been suffering from the tyranny of the Qin Dynasty for a long time. Although the elders are now defending the city for the Pei County magistrate, the princes have all risen up to resist the Qin Dynasty and are about to massacre Pei County. Now the elders of Pei County should kill the county magistrate together, select their sons who can be the leader and nominate him to respond to the princes, so that their lives and property can be preserved. Otherwise, both father and son will be slaughtered, and it will be a waste of life." The elders led their sons and daughters to kill the Pei County magistrate, opened the city gates to welcome Liu Ji in, wanting to make him the Pei County magistrate. Liu Ji said: "The world is in chaos, and the princes have all risen up to rebel against the Qin Dynasty. If the generals we choose now are incompetent, we will be defeated. I dare not begrudge my life, but I am afraid that my talent is shallow and I cannot save the lives of my father, brothers and sons. This is a big deal, and I hope to choose another suitable person." Xiao He, Cao Shen and others were all civil servants. They were stingy with their lives and were afraid that if the matter did not succeed, the Qin Dynasty would exterminate them, so they all recommended Liu Ji. The elders said: "We often hear about Liu Ji's strange things. Liu Ji will definitely get rich and noble. Moreover, according to divination, no one is more auspicious than Liu Ji." So Liu Ji declined many times. Everyone was afraid to take the responsibility, so they recommended Liu Ji as the Duke of Pei. Everyone sacrificed to Huangdi and Chiyou in the courtyard of the Pei County government office, smeared the blood of livestock on the drums and flags, and dyed the flags red. Because the snake killed was the son of Baidi, the white emperor, and the person who killed the snake was the son of Chidi, the red emperor, so they admired the color red. At this time, young men and powerful officials in Pei County, such as Xiao He, Cao Shen, and Fan Kuai, gathered their young men for Pei Gong, and got close up to three thousand people. Together they attacked Hu Ling and Fang Yu and retreated to Fengyi.

秦始皇帝常曰“东南有天子气”，于是因东游以厌之。高祖即自疑，亡匿，隐于芒、砀山泽岩石之间。吕后与人俱求，常得之。高祖怪问之。吕后曰：“季所居上常有云气，故从往常得季。”高祖心喜。沛中子弟或闻之，多欲附者矣。

秦二世元年秋，陈胜等起蕲，至陈而王，号为“张楚”。诸郡县皆多杀其长吏以应陈涉。沛令恐，欲以沛应涉。掾、主吏萧何、曹参乃曰：“君为秦吏，今欲背之，率沛子弟，恐不听。愿君召诸亡在外者，可得数百人，因劫众，众不敢不听。”乃令樊哙召刘季。刘季之众已数十百人矣。

于是樊哙从刘季来。沛令后悔，恐其有变，乃闭城城守，欲诛萧、曹。萧、曹恐，逾城保刘季。刘季乃书帛射城上，谓沛父老曰：“天下苦秦久矣。今父老虽为沛令守，诸侯并起，今屠沛。沛今共诛令，择子弟可立者立之，以应诸侯，则家室完。不然，父子俱屠，无为也。”父老乃率子弟共杀沛令，开城门迎刘季，欲以为沛令。刘季曰：“天下方扰，诸侯并起，今置将不善，壹败涂地。吾非敢自爱，恐能薄，不能完父兄子弟。此大事，愿更相推择可者。”萧、曹等皆文吏，自爱，恐事不就，后秦种族其家，尽让刘季。诸父老皆曰：“平生所闻刘季诸珍怪，当贵，且卜筮之，莫如刘季最吉。”于是刘季数让。众莫敢为，乃立季为沛公。祠黄帝，祭蚩尤于沛庭，而衅鼓旗，帜皆赤。由所杀蛇白帝子，杀者赤帝子，故上赤。于是少年豪吏如萧、曹、樊哙等皆为收沛子弟二三千人，攻胡陵、方与，还守丰。

195 Emperor White or Emperor Red

A7.5|6|7

When Liu Bang was serving as a village head, he often asked for leave to go home. Empress Lü was weeding in the fields with her two children. An old man passed by and asked them for water, so Empress Lü gave him some food. The old man read Empress Lü's face and said, "Madam is the most noble person in the world." Empress Lü asked him to read the fortunes of the two children. The old man looked at Xiaohui and said, "The reason why Madam will be noble is because of this boy." After a fortune-teller's look at Princess Lu Yuan, he said that she would also be a noble person. The old man had already left. Liu Bang happened to come over from his neighbor's house. Empress Lu told him in detail that a guest had passed by and told her of her nobility and that of their son and daughter. Liu Bang asked, and Empress Lü said, "He hasn’t gone far yet." Liu Bang chased up and asked the old man. The old man said, "The lady and the baby just now look very much like you. The nobility of your appearance is beyond description." Liu Bang thanked him and said, "If it is really as you said, I will never forget your kindness." When Liu Bang became a prominent figure, no one knew where the old man was.

When Liu Bang was a village head, he wore a hat made of bamboo skin. He asked his subordinates, the thieves-hunting officials, to make it in Xue County. He often wore it and he also wore it often when he became an important official. This is the so-called "Liu's crown".

Liu Bang, as a village head, was escorting prisoners from Pei County to Mount Li. Many prisoners escaped on the way, and he estimated that all the prisoners would have run away by the time they arrived at Mount Li. When they reached a large swamp west of Fengyi, they stopped to drink, and at night they released the prisoners they were escorting. Liu Bang said: "You all can go, from now on I will also have to run away." There were a dozen strong men among the prisoners who were willing to follow him. Liu Bang was drunk and took advantage of the night to cross the swamp from a small path.

Liu Bang was drunk and went straight through the swamp at night, having someone exploring the way ahead. The man who was in front of him came back and reported, "There is a big snake blocking the road ahead, I want to go back." Liu Bang was drunk and said, "What is there to be afraid of wherever a warrior goes!" So he went forward, drew his sword and cut the snake. The snake was split into two pieces, and the road was clear. After walking a few more miles, he was so drunk so lay down on the ground. The people behind him came to the place where the big snake appeared and saw an old woman crying in the night. People asked her, and the old woman said, "Someone killed my son, so I am crying here." People asked, "How was the lady's son killed?" The old woman said, "My son is the son of the White Emperor, who shaped into a snake and blocked the road. Today, he was cut into two pieces by the son of the Red Emperor, so I am crying here." People thought the old woman was dishonest and wanted to punish her, but the old woman suddenly disappeared. Then the people behind caught up and Liu Bang woke up. They told him these things, and he was secretly happy and thought he was great. His followers became more and more in awe of him.

(Translation note. According to the Chinese theory of five elements, the red fire of the south destroys the white metal of the west to produce the yellow earth of the center.)

高祖为亭长时，常告归之田。吕后与两子居田中耨，有一老父过请饮，吕后因餔之。老父相吕后曰：“夫人天下贵人。”令相两子，见孝惠，曰：“夫人所以贵者，乃此男也。”相鲁元，亦皆贵。老父已去，高祖適从旁舍来，吕后具言客有过，相我子母皆大贵。高祖问，曰：“未远。”乃追及，问老父。老父曰：“乡者夫人婴儿皆似君，君相贵不可言。”高祖乃谢曰：“诚如父言，不敢忘德。”及高祖贵，遂不知老父处。

高祖为亭长，乃以竹皮为冠，令求盗之薛治之，时时冠之，及贵常冠，所谓“刘氏冠”乃是也。

高祖以亭长为县送徒郦山，徒多道亡。自度比至皆亡之，到丰西泽中，止饮，夜乃解纵所送徒。曰：“公等皆去，吾亦从此逝矣！”徒中壮士愿从者十余人。高祖被酒，夜径泽中，令一人行前。行前者还报曰：“前有大蛇当径，愿还。”高祖醉，曰：“壮士行，何畏！”乃前，拔剑击斩蛇。蛇遂分为两，径开。行数里，醉，因卧。后人来至蛇所，有一老妪夜哭。人问何哭，妪曰：“人杀吾子，故哭之。”人曰：“妪子何为见杀？”妪曰：“吾子，白帝子也，化为蛇，当道，今为赤帝子斩之，故哭。”人乃以妪为不诚，欲告之，妪因忽不见。后人至，高祖觉。后人告高祖，高祖乃心独喜，自负。诸从者日益畏之。