张耳陈余列传

Zhang Er was a native of Daliang. In his youth he served as a guest of the Prince of Wei, Wu Ji. Zhang Er once went into exile and traveled to Waihuang, where he met a wealthy man's daughter of great beauty. She had married a common laborer, but left her husband and took refuge with her father's friend. The father, who knew Zhang Er well, told his daughter, "If you wish to find a worthy husband, marry Zhang Er." She followed his advice, obtained a divorce, and married him. At that time Zhang Er was a man with nothing to his name, but her family provided generously for him, and with this support he attracted guests from a thousand miles around. He later entered government service in Wei as the magistrate of Waihuang. His reputation for virtue grew accordingly.

Chen Yu was also a native of Daliang. He loved the Confucian teachings and frequently traveled to Zhao, staying at Kuxing. A wealthy man named Gongcheng gave his daughter to Chen Yu in marriage, for he too recognized that Chen Yu was no ordinary man. Chen Yu was young, so he treated Zhang Er as a father would, and the two became sworn brothers who had pledged to die for each other.

Chen Yu was also a native of Daliang. He loved the Confucian teachings and frequently traveled to Zhao, staying at Kuxing. A wealthy man named Gongcheng gave his daughter to Chen Yu in marriage, for he too recognized that Chen Yu was no ordinary man. Chen Yu was young, so he treated Zhang Er as a father would, and the two became sworn brothers who had pledged to die for each other.

When Qin conquered Daliang, Zhang Er was living in Waihuang. Liu BangLiu BangEmperor Gaozu of HanA village drunkard with no education and no family name — who somehow outlasted every rival to establish the greatest dynasty in Chinese history.View profile →, still a commoner at the time, had often traveled with Zhang Er as his guest, sometimes for months at a time. Several years after Qin conquered Wei, word spread of these two men as famous worthies of Wei, and the Qin authorities offered a reward of a thousand gold pieces for Zhang Er and five hundred for Chen Yu.

Zhang Er and Chen Yu changed their names and went together to Chen, where they became gatekeepers of their lane to earn a living. They lived across from each other. One day a local official caned Chen Yu for some offense. Chen Yu was about to rise in anger, but Zhang Er stepped on his foot, urging him to endure the punishment. When the official left, Zhang Er drew Chen Yu aside beneath a mulberry tree and reproved him: "What did I tell you when we first spoke? Now you wish to die over a small humiliation from a petty official?" Chen Yu acknowledged the wisdom of these words.

The Qin edicts offering rewards for their capture, however, the two turned the situation to their advantage by posing as the very messengers who carried the government's orders through the village.

When Chen She rose in Qi, advanced to Chen, and had assembled an army of several tens of thousands, Zhang Er and Chen Yu presented themselves to him. Chen She and his attendants had long heard of Zhang Er and Chen Yu's worth but had never met them. Upon seeing them, he was overjoyed. The local gentry and elders of Chen then addressed Chen She: "General, you have donned armor and taken up weapons, leading your soldiers to punish the violent Qin and restore the Chu state, preserving what was lost and continuing what was broken. Your meritorious service deserves the throne. Moreover, as one who rules over all the generals under heaven, you cannot do so without being king. We beg you to establish yourself as King of Chu."

When Chen She rose in Qi, advanced to Chen, and had assembled an army of several tens of thousands, Zhang Er and Chen Yu presented themselves to him. Chen She and his attendants had long heard of Zhang Er and Chen Yu's worth but had never met them. Upon seeing them, he was overjoyed. The local gentry and elders of Chen then addressed Chen She: "General, you have donned armor and taken up weapons, leading your soldiers to punish the violent Qin and restore the Chu state, preserving what was lost and continuing what was broken. Your meritorious service deserves the throne. Moreover, as one who rules over all the generals under heaven, you cannot do so without being king. We beg you to establish yourself as King of Chu."

Chen She turned to the two men for their counsel. They replied: "Qin has pursued an unjust path, destroying other states, extinguishing their ancestral temples, ending their lines, exhausting the people's strength and draining their resources. The general, with fierce determination and daring, has undertaken a plan that risks certain death to rid the world of this cruelty. Yet now, at the very start, to declare yourself king would show the world that you act for private gain. We urge you not to claim the title of king. Instead, move your forces west swiftly. Send envoys to restore the six former states, establishing allies for yourself and multiplying Qin's enemies. With many enemies, Qin's strength will be divided; with many allies, our forces will grow stronger. In this way, no battles need be fought in the countryside, no cities need fear siege, and you may punish the violent Qin, seize Xianyang, and command the feudal lords. When the lords, driven from their lands, are restored, they will be won over by your virtue, and the work of an emperor will be complete. But if you alone claim the title of king at Chen, the world will fall apart."

Chen She refused to heed this advice and declared himself king.

Chen She refused to heed this advice and declared himself king.

Chen She refused to heed this advice and declared himself king.

Chen Yu then pressed Chen She further: "Your Majesty has raised troops in Liang and Chu and marched west, seeking to enter the passes. You have not yet secured the territory north of the Yellow River. I once traveled in Zhao and know its heroes and terrain. I request a special force to march north and conquer the Zhao lands."

Chen She therefore appointed his close friend Wu Chen—a native of Chen—as General, with Shao Sao as Protector of the Army, Zhang Er and Chen Yu as Left and Right Commanders of the garrison troops, and gave them three thousand soldiers to march north and subdue Zhao. Wu Chen's forces crossed the Yellow River at Baima and advanced through the various counties, appealing to the local heroes: "Qin has governed with cruel laws and harsh punishments that have brought ruin upon the world—this for decades. To the north there are the projects of the Great Wall; to the south, the garrisons of the Five Ridges. The realm has been thrown into turmoil; the common people are exhausted. Taxes are levied like the scooping of grain, all to fund the military, until the treasury is empty and strength is spent. The people have no means to survive. Worst of all are the harsh laws and severe penalties that have set father against son. Yet Chen She has raised his arm as the first to stir the world, and the lands of Chu, stretching two thousand li in every direction, have risen in response. Every household burns with anger; every person fights. They repay old grudges and attack their enemies. Counties have slain their magistrates and inspectors; prefectures have killed their governors and commanders. Now the great Chu has been restored, with Chen She at Chen. Wu GuangWu GuangChen Sheng's co-rebelHe rose up with Chen Sheng at Daze Township and was killed by his own officer — the first martyr of the anti-Qin rebellion, whose death was more honorable than that of his comrade.View profile → and Zhou Wen lead a million soldiers westward to strike at Qin. In such a time, any man who fails to make a name and earn honors must be no hero at all. Consider this together, gentlemen! The world has long suffered together under Qin. By pooling the strength of all, let us attack this lawless ruler, avenge our fathers and brothers, and carve out territories of our own. This is the moment for men of valor. The heroes were persuaded by these words."

They marched forth, gathering soldiers until they had tens of thousands. They proclaimed Wu Chen "Lord Wu Xin." Ten cities of Zhao submitted, but the others fortified their walls and refused to yield.

Wu Chen's forces then marched northeast to attack Fanyang. A man of Fanyang named Kuai Tong addressed the Fanyang magistrate: "I have heard that you are about to die, and so I come to mourn. Yet I also congratulate you, for by meeting me you shall live."

Wu Chen's forces then marched northeast to attack Fanyang. A man of Fanyang named Kuai Tong addressed the Fanyang magistrate: "I have heard that you are about to die, and so I come to mourn. Yet I also congratulate you, for by meeting me you shall live."

Wu Chen's forces then marched northeast to attack Fanyang. A man of Fanyang named Kuai Tong addressed the Fanyang magistrate: "I have heard that you are about to die, and so I come to mourn. Yet I also congratulate you, for by meeting me you shall live."

The magistrate asked, "What grounds have you for mourning?"

The magistrate asked, "What grounds have you for mourning?"

The magistrate therefore dispatched Kuai Tong to see Wu Xin.

Kuai Tong said: "My lord, you believe you must fight before you can take territory, and conquer before you can hold cities. I believe this is mistaken. If you would follow my strategy, you could take cities without fighting, gain territory without battle, and settle a thousand li with a single dispatch of dispatches—would this not be preferable?"

Wu Xin asked, "What do you mean?"

Wu Xin accepted this plan and sent Kuai Tong to invest the Fanyang magistrate with a marquis's seal. When word spread through Zhao, more than thirty cities submitted without further fighting.

Wu Xin accepted this plan and sent Kuai Tong to invest the Fanyang magistrate with a marquis's seal. When word spread through Zhao, more than thirty cities submitted without further fighting.

At Handan, Zhang Er and Chen Yu heard that Zhou Zhang's army had entered the passes and reached Xi and Que. They also learned that the generals who had conquered territory for Chen She had mostly been slandered, convicted, and executed, and that they themselves were resentful because Chen She had not used their strategies—having made them mere garrison commanders rather than generals. They said to Wu Chen: "Chen She rose in Qi, advanced to Chen, and made himself king, without necessarily establishing any of the former rulers. General, you have taken dozens of Zhao cities with three thousand men. You stand alone in the north, and if you do not declare yourself king, you will have no way to hold these lands. Moreover, Chen She listens to slander. If he sends word back, you may not escape disaster. Better to establish one of his brothers—or if none survive, then a descendant of the Zhao royal house. Do not lose this moment; there is no time to spare."

Wu Chen heeded their counsel and declared himself King of Zhao. He appointed Chen Yu as Grand General, Zhang Er as Right Chancellor, and Shao Sao as Left Chancellor. He sent word to Chen She, who flew into a rage and wished to exterminate Wu Chen's entire family and launch an attack on Zhao.

Chen She agreed and followed this counsel. He moved Wu Chen's family into the palace and imprisoned them there, while also conferring on Zhang Er's son Ao the title of Lord of Chengdu. Chen She sent messengers to congratulate Zhao and order them to march west into the passes.

Chen She agreed and followed this counsel. He moved Wu Chen's family into the palace and imprisoned them there, while also conferring on Zhang Er's son Ao the title of Lord of Chengdu. Chen She sent messengers to congratulate Zhao and order them to march west into the passes.

The King of Zhao agreed and did not send troops west. Instead he sent Han Guang to conquer Yan, Li Liang to attack Changshan, and Zhang Yan to take Shangdang.

The King of Zhao agreed and did not send troops west. Instead he sent Han Guang to conquer Yan, Li Liang to attack Changshan, and Zhang Yan to take Shangdang.

The King of Zhao agreed and did not send troops west. Instead he sent Han Guang to conquer Yan, Li Liang to attack Changshan, and Zhang Yan to take Shangdang.

When Han Guang reached Yan, the people of Yan made him their King of Yan. The King of Zhao then went north with Zhang Er and Chen Yu to extend his rule along the Yan border.

The King of Zhao happened to go out alone and was captured by Yan troops. The Yan general imprisoned him, demanding to divide Zhao's territory in exchange for the king's freedom. Messengers were sent, but each time the Yan general killed them to pressure for more land.

The Yan general received him and asked, "What do you and your companions want?"

The servant replied, "You wish to get the King of Zhao back."