楚元王世家

In the sixth year of Gaozu's reign, after he had captured the King of Chu, Han XinHan XinHere's the translation of "The General Who Won Three Empires" into English: **The General Who Conquered Three Empires** Alternatively, if you want a more literal translation: **The General Who Won Three Empires** Both are correct, but "conquered" might sound more natural in English depending on the context.From begging for meals at strangers' tables and enduring humiliation in the marketplace, to commanding a million troops—the greatest military genius of the early Han Dynasty, ultimately undone by his own emperor.View profile →, at Chen, he appointed his brother Jiao as King of Chu, establishing the capital at Pengcheng. King Jiao reigned for twenty-three years and died. His son, King Yi, then succeeded him.

Han forces severed the supply routes for Wu and Chu. The soldiers were starving, and the King of Wu fled while King Wu of Chu took his own life; the army surrendered to Han. When Han had pacified Wu and Chu, Emperor Jing intended to continue the line of the Duke of De with a son to inherit Wu, and to continue the line of the Prince of Wu with a son to inherit Chu. Empress Dowager Dou said, "The King of Wu is an old man and ought to be a compliant and virtuous member of the imperial clan. Now he has taken the lead among the seven states in causing chaos throughout the realm—how can we continue his line?" She refused permission for Wu but granted permission to establish a successor for Chu. At that time, Li was the Han Director of the Imperial Clan. He was therefore appointed King of Chu, to serve the ancestral temple of King Yuan—this was King Wen of Chu.

King Wen reigned for three years and died. His son An, King Dao, succeeded him. King An reigned for twenty-two years and died. His son Xiang, King Xiang, succeeded him. King Xiang reigned for fourteen years and died. His son Chun succeeded to the throne. During his reign, in the second year of the Dijie era, palace attendants submitted a petition accusing the King of Chu of plotting rebellion. The King committed suicide, the kingdom was abolished, and it became Pengcheng Commandery of Han.

Liu Sui, King of Zhao, was the second son of Gaozu. His personal name was You, and his posthumous title was King You. The King You died of grief, which is why he is called "You" (meaning obscured or troubled). When Empress Dowager Lü installed Lü Lu as King of Zhao, a year later she died. The ministers executed the various Lü relatives including Lü Lu, and installed Sui, the son of King You, as King of Zhao.

Sui had been King of Zhao for twenty-six years when, during the reign of Emperor Jing, he was implicated with Chao Cuo and appropriately punished by losing the Changshan commandery of Zhao. When Wu and Chu rebelled, King Zhao Sui conspired with them. His chancellor Jian De and the Interior Secretary Wang Han remonstrated with him, but he refused to listen. Sui burned and killed Jian De and Wang Han, dispatched troops to garrison the western border, and waited for Wu to advance west together. He also sent envoys north to the Xiongnu to propose a joint attack on Han. Han sent the Marquis of Qushou, Lu Zhi, to attack him. King Zhao Sui then returned, fortifying the city of Handan, where he held out for seven months.

Wu and Chu were defeated at Liang and could not advance westward. When the Xiongnu heard of this, they also halted, unwilling to enter Han's borders. Luan Bu, returning from his campaign against Qi, combined forces and diverted water to flood the city of Zhao. The walls of Zhao collapsed, and the King committed suicide; Handan surrendered. Thus the line of the King You of Zhao came to an end.

The Grand Historian remarks: When a state is about to flourish, there are sure to be auspicious signs; the gentleman is employed and the petty man retires. When a state is about to perish, the worthy man goes into hiding and the rebellious minister attains honor. Had the King of Chu not executed Shen Gong, but followed his counsel; had Zhao employed Fang Yu and the Master, would they have plotted treason and become a laughingstock to all under heaven? A worthy man! A worthy man! But without the inner character to match, how could such men have been truly used? How true it is that safety and danger lie in the issuance of orders, and survival and destruction lie in the choice of officials!

Han enfeoffed members of the imperial clan; Chu possessed a fine reputation. After Han XinHan XinHere's the translation of "The General Who Won Three Empires" into English: **The General Who Conquered Three Empires** Alternatively, if you want a more literal translation: **The General Who Won Three Empires** Both are correct, but "conquered" might sound more natural in English depending on the context.From begging for meals at strangers' tables and enduring humiliation in the marketplace, to commanding a million troops—the greatest military genius of the early Han Dynasty, ultimately undone by his own emperor.View profile → was destroyed, the kingdom was established at Pengcheng. Mu Sheng set out the sweet wine; Wei Meng composed the poem for Cheng. King Wu abandoned virtue and joined Wu in arms. By the Empress Dowager's decree, Li was installed—Chu's offense was light. Wen and Xiang succeeded one after another; their generations produced outstanding talent. How then did Zhao's line end, its ruler's fame destroyed! The signs of rise and fall—those in whom authority is vested must be wise indeed.