黥布列传

Qiángbù was a native of Liù, with the surname Yīng. During the Qin dynasty he was a commoner. In his youth, a physiognomist told him, "You will be punished and then become a king." When he reached adulthood, he was punished by law with tattooing. Qiángbù laughed cheerfully and said, "A man told me I would be punished and become a king—is that what this means?" When others heard this, they all joined in mocking him.

When Chén Shèng rose in rebellion, Qiángbù went to see the Chief of Pó and persuaded his followers to rebel against Qin, assembling several thousand troops. The Chief of Pó gave his daughter to Qiángbù in marriage.

When Xiàng Jì assassinated Sòng Yì by the river, the King of Chu installed Jì as Supreme Commander, and all the generals came under Xiàng Jì's command. Xiàng Jì sent Yīng Bù across the river first to attack Qín, and Yīng Bù won several victories. Xiàng Jì then led the entire army across to follow him, and they defeated the Qín forces, causing Zhāng Hán and others to surrender. The Chu army was always victorious, and its achievements surpassed those of all the other vassals. The vassal armies submitted to Chu specifically because Yīng Bù had repeatedly defeated larger forces with smaller ones.

When Xiàng Jì assassinated Sòng Yì by the river, the King of Chu installed Jì as Supreme Commander, and all the generals came under Xiàng Jì's command. Xiàng Jì sent Yīng Bù across the river first to attack Qín, and Yīng Bù won several victories. Xiàng Jì then led the entire army across to follow him, and they defeated the Qín forces, causing Zhāng Hán and others to surrender. The Chu army was always victorious, and its achievements surpassed those of all the other vassals. The vassal armies submitted to Chu specifically because Yīng Bù had repeatedly defeated larger forces with smaller ones.

When Xiàng Jì assassinated Sòng Yì by the river, the King of Chu installed Jì as Supreme Commander, and all the generals came under Xiàng Jì's command. Xiàng Jì sent Yīng Bù across the river first to attack Qín, and Yīng Bù won several victories. Xiàng Jì then led the entire army across to follow him, and they defeated the Qín forces, causing Zhāng Hán and others to surrender. The Chu army was always victorious, and its achievements surpassed those of all the other vassals. The vassal armies submitted to Chu specifically because Yīng Bù had repeatedly defeated larger forces with smaller ones.

When Xiàng Jì assassinated Sòng Yì by the river, the King of Chu installed Jì as Supreme Commander, and all the generals came under Xiàng Jì's command. Xiàng Jì sent Yīng Bù across the river first to attack Qín, and Yīng Bù won several victories. Xiàng Jì then led the entire army across to follow him, and they defeated the Qín forces, causing Zhāng Hán and others to surrender. The Chu army was always victorious, and its achievements surpassed those of all the other vassals. The vassal armies submitted to Chu specifically because Yīng Bù had repeatedly defeated larger forces with smaller ones.

When Xiàng Jì led the army west to Xīn'ān, he again ordered Yīng Bù and others to attack by night, massacring over two hundred thousand surrendered Qín soldiers under Zhāng Hán. When they reached the passes, they could not enter, so Xiàng Jì ordered Yīng Bù and others to break through the defending army below via a secondary route, enabling them to enter. Upon reaching Xiányáng, Yīng Bù always served as the vanguard. Xiàng Jì divided the empire among his generals, installing Yīng Bù as King of Jiǔjiāng, with his capital at Liù.

In the fourth month of the first year of Hàn, the vassal lords all disbanded their forces and returned to their respective states. Xiàng Jì installed the King of Chu as Yìdì and relocated him to Chángshā, but secretly ordered King Yīng Bù and others to eliminate him. That autumn, Yīng Bù sent generals to attack Yìdì, pursuing and killing him at Chén County.

In the second year of Hàn, the King of Qí, Tián Róng, rebelled against Chu. Xiàng Jì marched to attack Qí and demanded troops from Jiǔjiāng. The King of Jiǔjiāng claimed illness and did not go, sending generals with only a few thousand troops instead. When Hàn was defeated by Chu at Péngchéng, Yīng Bù again claimed illness and did not assist Chu. Xiàng Jì resented him for this, repeatedly sending envoys with harsh summons. Yīng Bù grew increasingly frightened and dared not go.

Xiàng Jì was worried about Qí and Zhào to the north and troubled by Hàn to the west. His only ally was the King of Jiǔjiāng, and he valued Yīng Bù's abilities, wanting to rely on him. For this reason he did not attack.

Upon arrival, Suí Hé waited three days without an audience, blocked by the chamberlain. He then persuaded the chamberlain: "The King of Huáinán refuses to see me—this must mean he considers Chu strong and Hàn weak. That is precisely why I was sent as envoy. If I am granted an audience and speak what is favorable, it will be what the King wishes to hear. If what I say is unfavorable, these twenty men of mine shall be executed in the marketplace of Huáinán, demonstrating that the King sides with Chu against Hàn." The chamberlain reported this to the King, who agreed to see him.

Suí Hé said, "The King of Hàn sends me to present this letter respectfully to Your Majesty. I am puzzled that Your Majesty is so close to Chu." The King of Huáinán replied, "I submit from the north and serve Chu." Suí Hé responded, "If Your Majesty, as an equal among the vassal lords, submits from the north and serves Chu, you must consider Chu strong enough to entrust your state to. When Xiàng Jì attacked Qí, he shouldered boards and carriedearth, placing himself at the head of his soldiers. Your Majesty should have mobilized all the troops of Huáinán and personally led them as the vanguard of Chu's army—yet you sent only four thousand troops to assist. Is this how one submits from the north and serves a superior? When the King of Hàn fought at Péngchéng and Xiàng Jì had not yet left Qí, Your Majesty should have mobilized Huáinán's troops to cross the Huai and join battle at Péngchéng day and night. With ten thousand men at your disposal, not a single soldier crossed the Huai. You stood by and watched to see who would prevail. Is this how one entrusts one's state to another? Your Majesty invokes the name of Chu for prestige while seeking to establish yourself independently—I consider this unworthy. The reason Your Majesty does not abandon Chu is that you consider Hàn weak.

Suí Hé said, "The King of Hàn sends me to present this letter respectfully to Your Majesty. I am puzzled that Your Majesty is so close to Chu." The King of Huáinán replied, "I submit from the north and serve Chu." Suí Hé responded, "If Your Majesty, as an equal among the vassal lords, submits from the north and serves Chu, you must consider Chu strong enough to entrust your state to. When Xiàng Jì attacked Qí, he shouldered boards and carriedearth, placing himself at the head of his soldiers. Your Majesty should have mobilized all the troops of Huáinán and personally led them as the vanguard of Chu's army—yet you sent only four thousand troops to assist. Is this how one submits from the north and serves a superior? When the King of Hàn fought at Péngchéng and Xiàng Jì had not yet left Qí, Your Majesty should have mobilized Huáinán's troops to cross the Huai and join battle at Péngchéng day and night. With ten thousand men at your disposal, not a single soldier crossed the Huai. You stood by and watched to see who would prevail. Is this how one entrusts one's state to another? Your Majesty invokes the name of Chu for prestige while seeking to establish yourself independently—I consider this unworthy. The reason Your Majesty does not abandon Chu is that you consider Hàn weak.

"Chu's forces, though strong, bear the world's condemnation for unrighteousness—because they broke faith and murdered the Yìdì. Yet the King of Chu, relying on his victories, grows arrogant, while the King of Hàn rallies the vassal lords, returns to defend Chénggāo and Xíngyáng, and controls the grain of Shǔ and Hàn. He fortifies deep trenches and walls, stations soldiers to guard the strategic passes—Chu's returning forces, moving through the Liang region, penetrate deep into enemy territory eight or nine hundred li, unable to fight when they wish, and lacking strength to storm cities. The old and weak must transport provisions thousands of li; Chu's forces reach Xíngyáng and Chénggāo, but Hàn holds firmly and does not budge. Advance and they cannot attack; retreat and they cannot disengage. Thus Chu's forces cannot be relied upon. If Chu defeats Hàn, the vassal lords will grow fearful and aid one another. Chu's strength merely attracts the world's armies. Therefore Chu is inferior to Hàn—the situation is clear. Your Majesty rejects a secure Hàn and places yourself in Chu, which is doomed. I consider this bewildering.

"Chu's forces, though strong, bear the world's condemnation for unrighteousness—because they broke faith and murdered the Yìdì. Yet the King of Chu, relying on his victories, grows arrogant, while the King of Hàn rallies the vassal lords, returns to defend Chénggāo and Xíngyáng, and controls the grain of Shǔ and Hàn. He fortifies deep trenches and walls, stations soldiers to guard the strategic passes—Chu's returning forces, moving through the Liang region, penetrate deep into enemy territory eight or nine hundred li, unable to fight when they wish, and lacking strength to storm cities. The old and weak must transport provisions thousands of li; Chu's forces reach Xíngyáng and Chénggāo, but Hàn holds firmly and does not budge. Advance and they cannot attack; retreat and they cannot disengage. Thus Chu's forces cannot be relied upon. If Chu defeats Hàn, the vassal lords will grow fearful and aid one another. Chu's strength merely attracts the world's armies. Therefore Chu is inferior to Hàn—the situation is clear. Your Majesty rejects a secure Hàn and places yourself in Chu, which is doomed. I consider this bewildering.

"Chu's forces, though strong, bear the world's condemnation for unrighteousness—because they broke faith and murdered the Yìdì. Yet the King of Chu, relying on his victories, grows arrogant, while the King of Hàn rallies the vassal lords, returns to defend Chénggāo and Xíngyáng, and controls the grain of Shǔ and Hàn. He fortifies deep trenches and walls, stations soldiers to guard the strategic passes—Chu's returning forces, moving through the Liang region, penetrate deep into enemy territory eight or nine hundred li, unable to fight when they wish, and lacking strength to storm cities. The old and weak must transport provisions thousands of li; Chu's forces reach Xíngyáng and Chénggāo, but Hàn holds firmly and does not budge. Advance and they cannot attack; retreat and they cannot disengage. Thus Chu's forces cannot be relied upon. If Chu defeats Hàn, the vassal lords will grow fearful and aid one another. Chu's strength merely attracts the world's armies. Therefore Chu is inferior to Hàn—the situation is clear. Your Majesty rejects a secure Hàn and places yourself in Chu, which is doomed. I consider this bewildering.

"I do not claim that Huáinán's forces alone can destroy Chu. But if Your Majesty sends troops against Chu, Xiàng Jì must remain. If he is occupied for several months, Hàn's conquest of the realm will be assured. I beg to bring my sword and return to Hàn—Hàn's King will certainly grant you territory and titles, to say nothing of Huáinán itself, which will surely be yours. Therefore the King of Hàn respectfully sends me to present this humble plan, and I hope Your Majesty will consider it."