齐悼惠王世家 — Shiji

In King Ai's first year, Emperor Hui died and Empress Dowager Lü assumed imperial authority, deciding all matters of state. In the second year, she installed her nephew Lü Tai, Marquis of Li, as King of Lü, carving the Commandery of Jinan from Qi as his domain. In the third year of King Ai's reign, his brother Zhang entered the capital for palace guard duty, and Empress Dowager Lü enfeoffed him as Marquis of Zhuxu, marrying him to a daughter of Lü Lu. Four years later, she granted Zhang's brother Xingju the title of Marquis of Dongmou, both serving as guards in Chang'an.

Marquis Zhang of Zhuxu, not yet twenty years old but vigorous and resolute, resented the Liu family's loss of position. Once, during a palace banquet, Zhang attended with Empress Dowager Lü, who appointed him as wine steward. He requested: "I am descended from military men; pray grant me authority to enforce military law during the drinking." She agreed. When the wine had flowed freely, Zhang presented a song and dance. Then he said: "Permit me to sing a song of plowing for the Empress Dowager." She, having affectionately raised him as a child, laughed and said: "Your father knew the fields—when you were born a prince, how could you know anything of farming?" Zhang replied: "I do know." She pressed: "Then sing for me about farming." He sang: "Plow deeply, sow thickly; let the seedlings stand spaced apart; any plant that is not the proper seed, pull it up and cast it away." Empress Dowager Lü fell silent.

When Qi's Prime Minister Zhao Ping heard of this, he dispatched soldiers to guard the royal palace. Wei Bo deceived him: "The King wishes to raise troops, but without the Han tiger tally, there is no authorization. It is proper that you, Minister, surround the King. I ask to lead the guards to protect him." Zhao Ping believed him and ordered Wei Bo to encircle the palace. Once Wei Bo had command of the troops, he turned them against the Prime Minister's residence. Zhao Ping exclaimed: "Alas! As the Daoist saying goes: 'When one should decide yet hesitates, one suffers the disorder.' This is precisely such a case!" He took his own life.

The King of Qi then appointed Sijun as Prime Minister, Wei Bo as General, and Zhu Wu as Chief Administrator, mobilizing all Qi forces. He sent Zhu Wu eastward to deceive King Liu Ze of Langya: "The Lü clan has rebelled, and the King of Qi raises troops to march west and punish them. The King considers himself young and inexperienced in military affairs, so he wishes to entrust his entire realm to Your Majesty. Since Your Majesty was a general under Emperor Gaozu and versed in warfare, the King dares not withdraw his forces. He sends me to request that you come to Linzi to discuss matters, and together we shall lead Qi's armies westward to pacify the rebellion in Guanzhong." King Liu Ze believed him and hastened to meet the King of Qi. The King of Qi and Wei Bo detained Liu Ze, while Zhu Wu mobilized all of Langya's forces and assumed command of them.

Once Liu Ze realized he had been deceived and could not return to his kingdom, he reasoned with the King of Qi: "Liu Fei, King Daohui of Qi, was the eldest son of Emperor Gaozu; in truth, Your Majesty is the eldest grandson and should be enthroned. The ministers remain uncertain and undecided, but of the Liu family, Your Majesty is the eldest. The ministers await Your Majesty's decision. Keeping me here serves no purpose—let me go to the capital to settle matters." The King of Qi agreed and provided carriages to send Liu Ze on his way. Once Liu Ze departed, the King of Qi mobilized his forces and marched west against Lü Tai's domain of Jinan.

King Ai of Qi then sent a letter to all the regional kings: "Emperor Gaozu pacified the realm and enfeoffed his sons and younger brothers. King Daohui received Qi. When Daohui died, Emperor Hui dispatched Marquis Zhang of Luo Yang to install me as King of Qi. When Emperor Hui died, Empress Dowager Lü took power; though advanced in years, she heeded the Lü clan's proposals to depose those whom Gaozu had enthroned, and she executed the three Zhao kings, extinguishing the kingdoms of Wei, Yan, and Zhao to enfeoff the Lü clan, dividing Qi into four parts. Ministers remonstrated, but she was deluded and refused to listen. Now Empress Dowager Lü is dead, and the Emperor, young and unprepared to govern the realm, must depend upon his ministers. Yet the Lü clan has again appointed themselves to high office, assembled troops to project authority, coerced loyal ministers and marquises, and forged imperial decrees to command the realm, endangering the imperial ancestors. Now I lead my troops to eliminate those who should not be king."

When the Han court learned that Qi had mobilized westward, Prime Minister Lü Chan dispatched Supreme General Guan Ying eastward to intercept. Guan Ying reached Xingyang and reflected: "The Lü clan commands troops in Guanzhong, seeking to endanger the Liu family and make themselves kings. If I now defeat Qi and report back, I would only strengthen the Lü clan." He therefore kept his forces stationed at Xingyang, sending envoys to the King of Qi and the other kings, proposing alliance to await the Lü clan's uprising and destroy them together.

When the King of Qi heard this, he marched west to recover the former Commandery of Jinan and stationed his forces along Qi's western border awaiting the promised signal. Meanwhile, Lü Lu and Lü Chan attempted rebellion in Guanzhong, but Marquis Zhang of Zhuxu, together with Grand Marshal Zhou Bo and Chancellor Ping, destroyed them. Marquis Zhang struck down Lü Chan first; only then could Grand Marshal Zhou Bo and the others complete the extermination of the Lü clan. King Liu Ze of Langya also traveled from Qi to Chang'an.

The ministers debated whom to place on the throne. Both Liu Ze and the ministers argued: "The King of Qi's maternal family is the Sijun clan—wicked and violent, like a tiger in ceremonial robes. The realm was nearly destroyed by the Lü clan; to now place the King of Qi on the throne would be to invite another Lü usurpation. The King of Dai's maternal family, the Bo clan, are virtuous and upright men; moreover, the King of Dai is a son of Emperor Gaozu, still living, and the eldest among the surviving sons. To choose a son brings harmony; to choose a good man brings peace to the ministers." The ministers therefore resolved to welcome and enthrone the King of Dai, dispatching Marquis Zhang of Zhuxu to inform the King of Qi of this decision and to order him to disband his forces.

Wei Bo's father had been known for his skill with the qin in the court of the First Emperor. When young Wei Bo sought an audience with Prime Minister Cao Shen of Qi, he was too poor to gain entry. So he would rise early and sweep the area outside the Prime Minister's attendant's gate. The attendant found this strange and, watching carefully, discovered Bo. Bo explained: "I wished to see the Prime Minister but had no way to do so, so I sweep here hoping to attract notice." The attendant introduced Bo to Cao Shen, who made him an attendant. Bo served as Cao Shen's driver and was consulted on matters; Shen recognized his ability and recommended him to King Daohui of Qi. The King summoned Bo and appointed him Chief Administrator. Originally, King Daohui had the privilege of appointing officials of two thousand bushels himself; when he died and King Ai succeeded him, Bo wielded great influence, surpassing even the Prime Minister of Qi.

When the King of Qi disbanded his forces and returned home, the King of Dai arrived from his domain and was enthroned as Emperor Wen of Han. In Emperor Wen's first year, all the territories that Empress Dowager Lü had taken from Qi—Chengyang, Langye, and Jinan—were restored to the kingdom. King Liu Ze of Langya was transferred to Yan, and Marquis Zhang of Zhuxu and Marquis Liu Xingju of Dongmou each received an additional two thousand households.

Two years later, Emperor Wen enfeoffed all seven sons of Liu Fei, including Ba Jun, as marquises. King Wen of Qi reigned fourteen years and died without heir; his kingdom was abolished and its territory absorbed into the empire. A year later, Emperor Wen divided the former Qi domain among the sons of Liu Fei, establishing Yangxu Marquis Liu Xuli as King Xiao of Qi. Thus all the commanderies formerly belonging to Qi were given to Liu Fei's sons: Liu Zhi as King of Jibei, Liu Piguang as King of Jinan, Liu Xian as King of Zichuan, Liu Ang as King of Jiaoxi, Liu Xiongqu as King of Jiaodong—together with Chengyang, a total of seven kings of Qi.

There was a palace eunuch named Xu Jia, who served Empress Dowager Dou of Han. The Empress Dowager had a beloved daughter, Lady Xiucheng, who was not of Liu blood, and the Empress Dowager pitied her. Lady Xiucheng had a daughter named E, and the Empress Dowager wished to marry her to a regional king. Eunuch Xu Jia volunteered for a mission to Qi, promising that he would have the King write a petition seeking Lady E for himself. The Empress Dowager was pleased and dispatched Xu Jia to Qi.

At that time, the Qi native Zhufu Yan, who knew of Xu Jia's mission regarding the queen, also approached him: "If this succeeds, I would be grateful if you would mention that my daughter wishes to be among the King's consorts." When Xu Jia arrived in Qi, he subtly introduced both proposals. Empress Ji flew into a rage: "The King already has a queen, and the palace is complete. Moreover, you, Jia, are a poor man from Qi who became a eunuch serving Han—you are of no use, yet you seek to disrupt our royal house! And who is this Zhufu Yan? To want to thrust his daughter into the harem!" Xu Jia, thoroughly humiliated, reported back to the Empress Dowager: "The King is willing to marry Lady E, but there is one concern—he may act like the King of Yan." The King of Yan, having committed incest with his brother's son, was recently executed and his kingdom destroyed, so this allusion alarmed the Empress Dowager. She said: "Do not speak again of marrying the girl to Qi."

This matter gradually reached the Son of Heaven. Zhufu Yan, having clashed with Qi, now gained the Emperor's favor. In his official capacity, he stated: "Linzi has a hundred thousand households, its market revenues amount to a thousand catties of gold, its population is vast and prosperous, exceeding even Chang'an. Such a domain should not be given to anyone who is not the Emperor's own brother or son."

Now the King of Qi had grown ever more estranged from his imperial relatives. Someone remarked casually: "During Empress Dowager Lü's time, Qi nearly rebelled, and during the Wu-Chu uprising, the filial King nearly caused turmoil. Now I hear that the King of Qi has been conducting himself improperly with his sister."

The Son of Heaven thereupon appointed Zhu Fu Yan as Chancellor of Qi to investigate the matter. Upon arriving in Qi, Zhu Fu Yan hastened to interrogate the palace eunuchs who had facilitated the king's meetings with his sister, the Lady Weng. Their testimony implicated the king directly. The king, still young and terrified of being seized by officials and executed for so grave a crime, drank poison and died. He left no heir.

At this time, the King of Zhao feared that Zhu Fu Yan's expulsion from Qi would lead to his gradual alienation from the imperial family. He therefore submitted a memorial accusing Zhu Fu Yan of accepting bribes and of slandering others. The Son of Heaven thereupon imprisoned Zhu Fu Yan. Gong Sun Hong observed: "The King of Qi died of anxiety and left no heir; his state has passed to the Han. If we do not execute Zhu Fu Yan, we will have no way to satisfy the expectations of the realm." Zhu Fu Yan was accordingly executed.

Qi Li Wang reigned for five years, died without heir, and his territory passed to the Han.

Chengyang Jing Wang Zhang was a son of Qi Daohui Wang. As Marquis of Zhuxu, he joined the ministers in executing the Lü conspirators, and personally led the strike that killed the Director of the Lords of the Realm, Lü Wang Chan, in the Weiyang Palace.

Jinan Wang Xingju was a son of Qi Daohui Wang. As Marquis of Dongwu, he aided the ministers in executing the Lü conspirators, but his achievements were lesser. When Emperor Wen arrived from Dai, Xingju said: "I request that, together with the Grand Coachman Ying, we enter the palace to purify it." They deposed the young emperor, and together with the ministers, respectfully enthroned Emperor Wen.

When the ministers first executed the Lü family, the achievements of the Marquis of Zhuxu were especially great, and it had been promised that all of Zhao would be given to enfeoff the Marquis of Zhuxu, and all of Liang to enfeoff the Marquis of Dongwu. When Emperor Wen took the throne, he heard that the Marquis of Zhuxu and the Marquis of Dongwu had initially wished to enthrone the King of Qi, so he diminished their achievements. In the second year, when the emperor enfeoffed his own sons, he granted only two commanderies of Qi to Zhang and Xingju. Zhang and Xingju felt they had been robbed of their proper status and achievements.

When the Son of Heaven heard of this, he dismissed the Chancellor and the deployed forces, recalling all to Chang'an. He sent General Chai, Marquis of Jipulou, who defeated and captured the rebel King of Jinan. The king took his own life, and his territory passed to the Han as a commandery.

Eleven years later, when the Wu-Chu rebellion erupted, Zhi held firm in his defense and did not join the conspirators' plans. When the Wu-Chu rebellion was suppressed, Zhi was transferred and made King of Zichuan.

Jinan Wang Piguang was a son of Qi Daohui Wang. In the sixteenth year of Emperor Wen's reign, he was made King of Jinan as Marquis of Lue. Eleven years later, he joined the Wu-Chu rebellion. Han forces defeated and killed him, and Jinan was made a commandery, its territory passing to the Han.

The Son of Heaven thereupon transferred the King of Jinan, Zhi, to be King of Zichuan. Zhi was also a son of Qi Daohui Wang, and had been King of Jinan as Marquis of Andou. When the King of Zichuan rebelled and left no heir, Zhi was transferred from Jinan to be King of Zichuan. He reigned a total of thirty-five years. His posthumous title was Yi Wang. His son Jian succeeded him as Duke Jing. Duke Jing reigned twenty years. His son Yi succeeded him as Duke Qing. Duke Qing reigned thirty-six years. His son Zhonggu succeeded him as Duke Si. Duke Si reigned twenty-eight years. His son Shang succeeded him as Duke Xiao. Duke Xiao reigned five years. His son Heng succeeded him, and in the third year of the Jian Shi era, at the age of eleven, died.

Jiaoxi Wang Ang was a son of Qi Daohui Wang. In the sixteenth year of Emperor Wen's reign, he was made King of Jiaoxi as Marquis of Changping. Eleven years later, he joined the Wu-Chu rebellion. Han forces defeated and killed him, and his territory passed to the Han as the commandery of Jiaoxi.