卷四十四·魏世家第十四
卷四十四·魏世家第十四
司马迁
魏之先，毕公高之后也。毕公高与周同姓。武王之伐纣，而高封于毕，于是为毕姓。其后绝封，为庶人，或在中国，或在夷狄。其苗裔曰毕万，事晋献公。
献公之十六年，赵夙为御，毕万为右，以伐霍、耿、魏，灭之。以耿封赵夙，以魏封毕万，为大夫。卜偃曰：“毕万之后必大矣，万，满数也；魏，大名也。以是始赏，天开之矣，天子曰兆民，诸侯曰万民。今命之大，以从满数，其必有众。”初，毕万卜事晋，遇屯之比。辛廖占之，曰：“吉。屯固比入，吉孰大焉，其必蕃昌。”
毕万封十一年，晋献公卒，四子争更立，晋乱。而毕万之世弥大，从其国名为魏氏。生武子。魏武子以魏诸子事晋公子重耳。晋献公之二十一年，武子从重耳出亡。十九年反，重耳立为晋文公，而令魏武子袭魏氏之后封，列为大夫，治于魏。生悼子。
魏悼子徙治霍。生魏绛。
魏绛事晋悼公。悼公三年，会诸侯。悼公弟杨干乱行，魏绛僇辱杨干。悼公怒曰：“合诸侯以为荣，今辱吾弟！”将诛魏绛。或说悼公，悼公止。卒任魏绛政，使和戎、翟，戎、翟亲附。悼公之十一年，曰：“自吾用魏绛，八年之中，九合诸侯，戎、翟和，子之力也。”赐之乐，三让，然后受之。徙治安邑。魏绛卒，谥为昭子。生魏嬴。嬴生魏献子。
献子事晋昭公。昭公卒而六卿强，公室卑。
晋顷公之十二年，韩宣子老，魏献子为国政。晋宗室祁氏、羊舌氏相恶，六卿诛之，尽取其邑为十县，六卿各令其子为之大夫。献子与赵简子、中行文子、范献子并为晋卿。
其后十四岁而孔子相鲁。后四岁，赵简子以晋阳之乱也，而与韩、魏共攻范、中行氏。魏献子生魏侈。魏侈与赵鞅共攻范、中行氏。
魏侈之孙曰魏桓子，与韩康子、赵襄子共伐灭知伯，分其地。
桓子之孙曰文侯都。魏文侯元年，秦灵公之元年也。与韩武子、赵桓子、周威王同时。
六年，城少梁。十三年，使子击围繁、庞，出其民。十六年，伐秦，筑临晋元里。
十七年，伐中山，使子击守之，赵仓唐傅之。子击逢文侯之师田子方于朝歌，引车避，下谒。田子方不为礼。子击因问曰：“富贵者骄人乎？且贫贱者骄人乎？”子方曰：“亦贫贱者骄人耳。夫诸侯而骄人则失其国，大夫而骄人则失其家。贫贱者，行不合，言不用，则去之楚、越，若脱躧然，柰何其同之哉！”子击不怿而去。西攻秦，至郑而还，筑雒阴、合阳。
二十二年，魏、赵、韩列为诸侯。
二十四年，秦伐我，至阳狐。
二十五年，子击生子罃。
文侯受子夏经艺，客段干木，过其闾，未尝不轼也。秦尝欲伐魏，或曰：“魏君贤人是礼，国人称仁，上下和合，未可图也。”文侯由此得誉于诸侯。
任西门豹守邺，而河内称治。
魏文侯谓李克曰：“先生尝教寡人曰‘家贫则思良妻，国乱则思良相’。今所置非成则璜，二子何如？”李克对曰：“臣闻之，卑不谋尊，疏不谋戚。臣在阙门之外，不敢当命。”文侯曰：“先生临事勿让。”李克曰：“君不察故也。居视其所亲，富视其所与，达视其所举，穷视其所不为，贫视其所不取，五者足以定之矣，何待克哉！”文侯曰：“先生就舍，寡人之相定矣。”李克趋而出，过翟璜之家。翟璜曰：“今者闻君召先生而卜相，果谁为之？”李克曰：“魏成子为相矣。”翟璜忿然作色曰：“以耳目之所睹记，臣何负于魏成子？西河之守，臣之所进也。君内以邺为忧，臣进西门豹。君谋欲伐中山，臣进乐羊。中山以拔，无使守之，臣进先生。君之子无傅，臣进屈侯鲋。臣何以负于魏成子！”李克曰：“且子之言克于子之君者，岂将比周以求大官哉？君问而置相‘非成则璜，二子何如’？克对曰：‘君不察故也。居视其所亲，富视其所与，达视其所举，穷视其所不为，贫视其所不取，五者足以定之矣，何待克哉！’是以知魏成子之为相也。且子安得与魏成子比乎？魏成子以食禄千钟，什九在外，什一在内，是以东得卜子夏、田子方、段干木。此三人者，君皆师之。子之所进五人者，君皆臣之。子恶得与魏成子比也？”翟璜逡巡再拜曰：“璜，鄙人也，失对，愿卒为弟子。”
二十六年，虢山崩，壅河。
三十二年，伐郑。城酸枣。败秦于注。三十五年，齐伐取我襄陵。三十六年，秦侵我阴晋。
三十八年，伐秦，败我武下，得其将识。是岁，文侯卒，子击立，是为武侯。
魏武侯元年，赵敬侯初立，公子朔为乱，不胜，奔魏，与魏袭邯郸，魏败而去。
二年，城安邑、王垣。
七年，伐齐，至桑丘。九年，翟败我于浍。使吴起伐齐，至灵丘。齐威王初立。
十一年，与韩、赵三分晋地，灭其后。
十三年，秦献公县栎阳。十五年，败赵北蔺。
十六年，伐楚，取鲁阳。武侯卒，子罃立，是为惠王。
惠王元年，初，武侯卒也，子罃与公中缓争为太子。公孙颀自宋入赵，自赵入韩，谓韩懿侯曰：“魏罃与公中缓争为太子，君亦闻之乎？今魏罃得王错，挟上党，固半国也。因而除之，破魏必矣，不可失也。”懿侯说，乃与赵成侯合军并兵以伐魏，战于浊泽，魏氏大败，魏君围。赵谓韩曰：“除魏君，立公中缓，割地而退，我且利。”韩曰：“不可。杀魏君，人必曰暴；割地而退，人必曰贪。不如两分之。魏分为两，不强于宋、卫，则我终无魏之患矣。”赵不听。韩不说，以其少卒夜去。惠王之所以身不死，国不分者，二家谋不和也。若从一家之谋，则魏必分矣。故曰“君终无適子，其国可破也”。
二年，魏败韩于马陵，败赵于怀。三年，齐败我观。五年，与韩会宅阳。城武堵。为秦所败。六年，伐取宋仪台。九年，伐败韩于浍。与秦战少梁，虏我将公孙痤，取庞。秦献公卒，子孝公立。
十年，伐取赵皮牢。彗星见。十二年，星昼坠，有声。
十四年，与赵会鄗。十五年，鲁、卫、宋、郑君来朝。十六年，与秦孝公会杜平。侵宋黄池，宋复取之。
十七年，与秦战元里，秦取我少梁。围赵邯郸。十八年，拔邯郸。赵请救于齐，齐使田忌、孙膑救赵，败魏桂陵。
十九年，诸侯围我襄陵。筑长城，塞固阳。
二十年，归赵邯郸，与盟漳水上。二十一年，与秦会彤。赵成侯卒。二十八年，齐威王卒。中山君相魏。
三十年，魏伐赵，赵告急齐。齐宣王用孙子计，救赵击魏。魏遂大兴师，使庞涓将，而令太子申为上将军。过外黄，外黄徐子谓太子曰：“臣有百战百胜之术。”太子曰：“可得闻乎？”客曰：“固愿效之。”曰：“太子自将攻齐，大胜并莒，则富不过有魏，贵不益为王。若战不胜齐，则万世无魏矣。此臣之百战百胜之术也。”太子曰：“诺，请必从公之言而还矣。”客曰：“太子虽欲还，不得矣。彼劝太子战攻，欲啜汁者众。太子虽欲还，恐不得矣。”太子因欲还，其御曰：“将出而还，与北同。”太子果与齐人战，败于马陵。齐虏魏太子申，杀将军涓，军遂大破。
三十一年，秦、赵、齐共伐我，秦将商君诈我将军公子卬而袭夺其军，破之。秦用商君，东地至河，而齐、赵数破我，安邑近秦，于是徙治大梁。以公子赫为太子。
三十三年，秦孝公卒，商君亡秦归魏，魏怒，不入。三十五年，与齐宣王会平阿南。
惠王数被于军旅，卑礼厚币以招贤者。邹衍、淳于髡、孟轲皆至梁。梁惠王曰：“寡人不佞，兵三折于外，太子虏，上将死，国以空虚，以羞先君宗庙社稷，寡人甚丑之，叟不远千里，辱幸至弊邑之廷，将何利吾国？”孟轲曰：“君不可以言利若是。夫君欲利则大夫欲利，大夫欲利则庶人欲利，上下争利，国则危矣。为人君，仁义而已矣，何以利为！”
三十六年，复与齐王会甄。是岁，惠王卒，子襄王立。
襄王元年，与诸侯会徐州，相王也。追尊父惠王为王。
五年，秦败我龙贾军四万五千于雕阴，围我焦、曲沃。予秦河西之地。
六年，与秦会应。秦取我汾阴、皮氏、焦。魏伐楚，败之陉山。七年，魏尽入上郡于秦。秦降我蒲阳。八年，秦归我焦、曲沃。
十二年，楚败我襄陵。诸侯执政与秦相张仪会齧桑。十三年，张仪相魏。魏有女子化为丈夫。秦取我曲沃、平周。
十六年，襄王卒，子哀王立。张仪复归秦。
哀王元年，五国共攻秦，不胜而去。
二年，齐败我观津。五年，秦使樗里子伐取我曲沃，走犀首岸门。六年，秦来立公子政为太子。与秦会临晋。七年，攻齐。与秦伐燕。
八年，伐卫，拔列城二。卫君患之。如耳见卫君曰：“请罢魏兵，免成陵君可乎？”卫君曰：“先生果能，孤请世世以卫事先生。”如耳见成陵君曰：“昔者魏伐赵，断羊肠，拔阏与，约斩赵，赵分而为二，所以不亡者，魏为从主也。今卫已迫亡，将西请事于秦。与其以秦醳卫，不如以魏醳卫，卫之德魏必终无穷。”成陵君曰：“诺。”如耳见魏王曰：“臣有谒于卫。卫故周室之别也，其称小国，多宝器。今国迫于难而宝器不出者，其心以为攻卫醳卫不以王为主，故宝器虽出必不入于王也。臣窃料之，先言醳卫者必受卫者也。”如耳出，成陵君入，以其言见魏王。魏王听其说，罢其兵，免成陵君，终身不见。
九年，与秦王会临晋。张仪、魏章皆归于魏。魏相田需死，楚害张仪、犀首、薛公。楚相昭鱼谓苏代曰：“田需死，吾恐张仪、犀首、薛公有一人相魏者也。”代曰：“然相者欲谁而君便之？”昭鱼曰：“吾欲太子之自相也。”代曰：“请为君北，必相之。”昭鱼曰：“柰何？”对曰：“君其为梁王，代请说君。”昭鱼曰：“柰何？”对曰：“代也从楚来，昭鱼甚忧，曰：‘田需死，吾恐张仪、犀首、薛公有一人相魏者也。’代曰：‘梁王，长主也，必不相张仪。张仪相，必右秦而左魏。犀首相，必右韩而左魏。薛公相，必右齐而左魏。梁王，长主也，必不便也。’王曰：‘然则寡人孰相？’代曰：‘莫若太子之自相。太子之自相，是三人者皆以太子为非常相也，皆将务以其国事魏，欲得丞相玺也。以魏之强，而三万乘之国辅之，魏必安矣。故曰莫若太子之自相也。’”遂北见梁王，以此告之。太子果相魏。
十年，张仪死。十一年，与秦武王会应。十二年，太子朝于秦。秦来伐我皮氏，未拔而解。十四年，秦来归武王后。十六年，秦拔我蒲反、阳晋、封陵。十七年，与秦会临晋。秦予我蒲反。十八年，与秦伐楚。二十一年，与齐、韩共败秦军函谷。
二十三年，秦复予我河外及封陵为和。哀王卒，子昭王立。
昭王元年，秦拔我襄城。二年，与秦战，我不利。三年，佐韩攻秦，秦将白起败我军伊阙二十四万。六年，予秦河东地方四百里。芒卯以诈重。七年，秦拔我城大小六十一。八年，秦昭王为西帝，齐湣王为东帝，月余，皆复称王归帝。九年，秦拔我新垣、曲阳之城。
十年，齐灭宋，宋王死我温。十二年，与秦、赵、韩、燕共伐齐，败之济西，湣王出亡。燕独入临菑。与秦王会西周。
十三年，秦拔我安城。兵到大梁，去。十八年，秦拔郢，楚王徙陈。
十九年，昭王卒，子安釐王立。
安釐王元年，秦拔我两城。二年，又拔我二城，军大梁下，韩来救，予秦温以和。三年，秦拔我四城，斩首四万。四年，秦破我及韩、赵，杀十五万人，走我将芒卯。魏将段干子请予秦南阳以和。苏代谓魏王曰：“欲玺者段干子也，欲地者秦也。今王使欲地者制玺，使欲玺者制地，魏氏地不尽则不知已。且夫以地事秦，譬犹抱薪救火，薪不尽，火不灭。”王曰：“是则然也。虽然，事始已行，不可更矣。”对曰：“王独不见夫博之所以贵枭者，便则食，不便则止矣。今王曰‘事始已行，不可更’，是何王之用智不如用枭也？”
九年，秦拔我怀。十年，秦太子外质于魏死。十一年，秦拔我郪丘。
秦昭王谓左右曰：“今时韩、魏与始孰强？”对曰：“不如始强。”王曰：“今时如耳、魏齐与孟尝、芒卯孰贤？”对曰：“不如。”王曰：“以孟尝、芒卯之贤，率强韩、魏以攻秦，犹无柰寡人何也。今以无能之如耳、魏齐而率弱韩、魏以伐秦，其无柰寡人何亦明矣。”左右皆曰：“甚然。”中旗冯琴而对曰：“王之料天下过矣。当晋六卿之时，知氏最强，灭范、中行，又率韩、魏之兵以围赵襄子于晋阳，决晋水以灌晋阳之城，不湛者三版。知伯行水，魏桓子御，韩康子为参乘。知伯曰：‘吾始不知水之可以亡人之国也，乃今知之。’汾水可以灌安邑，绛水可以灌平阳。魏桓子肘韩康子，韩康子履魏桓子，肘足接于车上，而知氏地分，身死国亡，为天下笑。今秦兵虽强，不能过知氏；韩、魏虽弱，尚贤其在晋阳之下也。此方其用肘足之时也，愿王之勿易也！”于是秦王恐。
齐、楚相约而攻魏，魏使人求救于秦，冠盖相望也，而秦救不至。魏人有唐雎者，年九十余矣，谓魏王曰：“老臣请西说秦王，令兵先臣出。”魏王再拜，遂约车而遣之。唐雎到，入见秦王。秦王曰：“丈人芒然乃远至此，甚苦矣！夫魏之来求救数矣，寡人知魏之急已。”唐雎对曰：“大王已知魏之急而救不发者，臣窃以为用策之臣无任矣。夫魏，一万乘之国也，然所以西面而事秦，称东藩，受冠带，祠春秋者，以秦之强足以为与也。今齐、楚之兵已合于魏郊矣，而秦救不发，亦将赖其未急也。使之大急，彼且割地而约从，王尚何救焉？必待其急而救之，是失一东藩之魏而强二敌之齐、楚，则王何利焉？”于是秦昭王遽为发兵救魏。魏氏复定。
赵使人谓魏王曰：“为我杀范痤，吾请献七十里之地。”魏王曰：“诺。”使吏捕之，围而未杀。痤因上屋骑危，谓使者曰：“与其以死痤市，不如以生痤市。有如痤死，赵不予王地，则王将柰何？故不若与先定割地，然后杀痤。”魏王曰：“善。”痤因上书信陵君曰：“痤，故魏之免相也，赵以地杀痤而魏王听之，有如强秦亦将袭赵之欲，则君且柰何？”信陵君言于王而出之。
魏王以秦救之故，欲亲秦而伐韩，以求故地。无忌谓魏王曰：
秦与戎翟同俗，有虎狼之心，贪戾好利无信，不识礼义德行。苟有利焉，不顾亲戚兄弟，若禽兽耳，此天下之所识也，非有所施厚积德也。故太后母也，而以忧死；穰侯舅也，功莫大焉，而竟逐之；两弟无罪，而再夺之国。此于亲戚若此，而况于仇雠之国乎？今王与秦共伐韩而益近秦患，臣甚惑之。而王不识则不明，群臣莫以闻则不忠。
今韩氏以一女子奉一弱主，内有大乱，外交强秦魏之兵，王以为不亡乎？韩亡，秦有郑地，与大梁邺，王以为安乎？王欲得故地，今负强秦之亲，王以为利乎？
秦非无事之国也，韩亡之后必将更事，更事必就易与利，就易与利必不伐楚与赵矣。是何也？夫越山逾河，绝韩上党而攻强赵，是复阏与之事，秦必不为也。若道河内，倍邺、朝歌，绝漳滏水，与赵兵决于邯郸之郊，是知伯之祸也，秦又不敢。伐楚，道涉谷，行三千里。而攻冥阸之塞，所行甚远，所攻甚难，秦又不为也。若道河外，倍大梁，右上蔡、召陵，与楚兵决于陈郊，秦又不敢。故曰秦必不伐楚与赵矣，又不攻卫与齐矣。
夫韩亡之后，兵出之日，非魏无攻已。秦固有怀、茅、邢丘，城垝津以临河内，河内共、汲。必危；有郑地，得垣雍，决荧泽水灌大梁，大梁必亡。王之使者出过而恶安陵氏于秦，秦之欲诛之久矣。秦叶阳、昆阳与舞阳邻，听使者之恶之，随安陵氏而亡之，绕舞阳之北，以东临许，南国必危，国无害乎？
夫憎韩不爱安陵氏可也，夫不患秦之不爱南国非也。异日者，秦在河西晋，国去梁千里，有河山以阑之，有周韩以间之。从林乡军以至于今，秦七攻魏，五入囿中，边城尽拔，文台堕，垂都焚，林木伐，麋鹿尽，而国继以围。又长驱梁北，东至陶卫之郊，北至平监。所亡于秦者，山南山北，河外河内，大县数十，名都数百。秦乃在河西晋，去梁千里，而祸若是矣，又况于使秦无韩，有郑地，无河山而阑之，无周韩而间之，去大梁百里，祸必由此矣。
异日者，从之不成也，楚、魏疑而韩不可得也。今韩受兵三年，秦桡之以讲，识亡不听，投质于赵，请为天下雁行顿刃，楚、赵必集兵，皆识秦之欲无穷也，非尽亡天下之国而臣海内，必不休矣。是故臣愿以从事王，王速受楚赵之约，而挟韩之质以存韩，而求故地，韩必效之。此士民不劳而故地得，其功多于与秦共伐韩，而又与强秦邻之祸也。
夫存韩安魏而利天下，此亦王之天时已。通韩上党于共、宁，使道安成，出入赋之，是魏重质韩以其上党也。今有其赋，足以富国。韩必德魏爱魏重魏畏魏，韩必不敢反魏，是韩则魏之县也。魏得韩以为县，卫、大梁、河外必安矣。今不存韩，二周、安陵必危，楚、赵大破，卫、齐甚畏，天下西乡而驰秦入朝而为臣不久矣。
二十年，秦围邯郸，信陵君无忌矫夺将军晋鄙兵以救赵，赵得全。无忌因留赵。二十六年，秦昭王卒。
三十年，无忌归魏，率五国兵攻秦，败之河外，走蒙骜。魏太子增质于秦，秦怒，欲囚魏太子增。或为增谓秦王曰：“公孙喜固谓魏相曰‘请以魏疾击秦，秦王怒，必囚增。魏王又怒，击秦，秦必伤’。今王囚增，是喜之计中也。故不若贵增而合魏，以疑之于齐、韩。”秦乃止增。
三十一年，秦王政初立。
三十四年，安釐王卒，太子增立，是为景湣王。信陵君无忌卒。
景湣王元年，秦拔我二十城，以为秦东郡。二年，秦拔我朝歌。卫徙野王。三年，秦拔我汲。五年，秦拔我垣、蒲阳、衍。十五年，景湣王卒，子王假立。
王假元年，燕太子丹使荆轲刺秦王，秦王觉之。
三年，秦灌大梁，虏王假，遂灭魏以为郡县。
太史公曰：吾適故大梁之墟，墟中人曰：“秦之破梁，引河沟而灌大梁，三月城坏，王请降，遂灭魏。”说者皆曰魏以不用信陵君故，国削弱至于亡，余以为不然。天方令秦平海内，其业未成，魏虽得阿衡之佐，曷益乎？
Volume 44 · The Hereditary House of Wei, Fourteenth
司马迁
The ancestors of Wei were the posterity of Duke Gao of Bi. Duke Gao of Bi was of the same surname as Zhou. At King Wu's attack on Zhou the tyrant, Gao was enfeoffed at Bi, and thereupon took Bi as his surname. Afterwards the enfeoffment was cut off and they became commoners, some in the central states and some among the Yi and the Di. A distant offshoot of his was called Bi Wan, and he served Duke Xian of Jin.
In Duke Xian's sixteenth year Zhao Su was charioteer and Bi Wan the right-hand man, and they attacked Huo, Geng and Wei and destroyed them. He enfeoffed Zhao Su with Geng and Bi Wan with Wei, and made them grandees. Bu Yan said: "Bi Wan's posterity must surely be great. Wan is a full number; Wei is a great name. To begin his rewards with these — Heaven has opened the way for him. The Son of Heaven speaks of the million people, the feudal lords of the myriad people. Now to name him greatly, in accord with a full number, he must surely have a multitude." Earlier, when Bi Wan divined about serving Jin, he met the hexagram Zhun changing into Bi. Xin Liao cast it and said: "Auspicious. Zhun means firmness and Bi means entering; what could be more auspicious than that? His posterity will surely be numerous and flourishing."
Eleven years after Bi Wan's enfeoffment Duke Xian of Jin died, and four sons contended to be set up in turn, and Jin fell into disorder. And Bi Wan's line grew ever greater, and after the name of his state they were the Wei clan. He begot Wuzi. Wei Wuzi, as one of the sons of Wei, served Prince Chonger of Jin. In Duke Xian of Jin's twenty-first year Wuzi followed Chonger into exile. Nineteen years later they came back, and Chonger was set up as Duke Wen of Jin, and he ordered Wei Wuzi to succeed to the enfeoffment of the Wei clan's posterity, ranked him among the grandees, and had him govern at Wei. He begot Daozi.
Wei Daozi moved his seat of government to Huo. He begot Wei Jiang.
Wei Jiang served Duke Dao of Jin. In Duke Dao's third year he assembled the feudal lords. Duke Dao's younger brother Yanggan broke the ranks, and Wei Jiang disgraced and humiliated Yanggan. Duke Dao was angry and said: "To gather the feudal lords is a glory, and now you humiliate my brother!" And he was going to put Wei Jiang to death. Someone spoke to Duke Dao, and Duke Dao stopped. In the end he entrusted the government to Wei Jiang and had him make peace with the Rong and the Di, and the Rong and the Di attached themselves to him. In Duke Dao's eleventh year he said: "Since I employed Wei Jiang, in eight years I have nine times brought the feudal lords together and the Rong and the Di are at peace; this is your doing." He bestowed music on him, and after three declinings he accepted it. He moved his seat of government to Anyi. Wei Jiang died, with the posthumous title Zhaozi. He begot Wei Ying. Ying begot Wei Xianzi.
Xianzi served Duke Zhao of Jin. Duke Zhao died, and the six ministers were strong and the ducal house lowly.
In Duke Qing of Jin's twelfth year Han Xuanzi retired in old age, and Wei Xianzi took charge of the state's government. The ducal kin of Jin, the Qi clan and the Yangshe clan, fell out with each other, and the six ministers put them to death and took all their towns to make ten counties, and each of the six ministers had his own son made grandee of one. Xianzi, with Zhao Jianzi, Zhonghang Wenzi and Fan Xianzi, were together ministers of Jin.
Fourteen years afterwards Confucius was chancellor of Lu. Four years after that, Zhao Jianzi, because of the disorder at Jinyang, joined Han and Wei in attacking the Fan and Zhonghang clans. Wei Xianzi begot Wei Chi. Wei Chi with Zhao Yang together attacked the Fan and Zhonghang clans.
Wei Chi's grandson was called Wei Huanzi, and with Han Kangzi and Zhao Xiangzi he together attacked and destroyed the Earl of Zhi and divided up his lands.
Huanzi's grandson was called Marquis Wen, Du. Marquis Wen of Wei's first year was the first year of Duke Ling of Qin. He was contemporary with Wuzi of Han, Huanzi of Zhao and King Wei of Zhou.
In the sixth year he walled Shaoliang. In the thirteenth year he sent his son Ji to besiege Fan and Pang and drove out their people. In the sixteenth year he attacked Qin and built Linjin and Yuanli.
In the seventeenth year he attacked Zhongshan and sent his son Ji to hold it, with Zhao Cangtang as his tutor. His son Ji met Marquis Wen's teacher Tian Zifang at Zhaoge, drew his carriage aside to give way, and got down to pay his respects. Tian Zifang did not return the ceremony. His son Ji thereupon asked: "Is it the rich and honoured who are haughty to men? Or is it the poor and low who are haughty to men?" Zifang said: "It is the poor and low who are haughty to men. For a feudal lord to be haughty to men is to lose his state; for a grandee to be haughty to men is to lose his household. As for the poor and low: if their conduct does not fit and their words are not used, they leave for Chu or Yue, like slipping off a shoe. How can the two be the same!" His son Ji was displeased and went away. He attacked Qin in the west, reached Zheng and came back, and built Luoyin and Heyang.
In the twenty-second year Wei, Zhao and Han were ranked as feudal lords.
In the twenty-fourth year Qin attacked us and reached Yanghu.
In the twenty-fifth year his son Ji begot the son Ying.
Marquis Wen received the classics and arts from Zixia, and made a guest of Duan Ganmu, and never passed his lane without bowing over his carriage-bar. Qin once wished to attack Wei, and someone said: "The lord of Wei is ceremonious to worthy men, the people of the state call him humane, and high and low are in accord; it cannot yet be schemed against." Marquis Wen from this got a name among the feudal lords.
He appointed Ximen Bao to hold Ye, and Henei was called well governed.
Marquis Wen of Wei said to Li Ke: "You once taught me, sir, that 'when a household is poor one thinks of a good wife; when a state is in disorder one thinks of a good chancellor.' Now the one to be appointed is either Cheng or Huang; how are the two of them?" Li Ke answered: "Your servant has heard that the lowly do not deliberate for the honoured and the distant do not deliberate for the near kin. Your servant is outside the palace gates, and dare not take up the command." Marquis Wen said: "Sir, do not decline when the matter is before you." Li Ke said: "It is only that my lord has not looked closely. In his dwelling, look at whom he is intimate with; in wealth, look at whom he shares with; in eminence, look at whom he raises up; in straits, look at what he will not do; in poverty, look at what he will not take. These five are enough to settle it; what need to wait on Ke!" Marquis Wen said: "Sir, go to your lodging; my chancellor is settled." Li Ke hurried out and passed Zhai Huang's house. Zhai Huang said: "Just now I heard that my lord had summoned you, sir, to divine for a chancellor; who has it turned out to be?" Li Ke said: "Wei Chengzi is to be chancellor." Zhai Huang, flushing with anger, said: "By what my eyes and ears have seen and noted, in what am I inferior to Wei Chengzi? The governor of the Western He was brought forward by me. My lord was troubled within about Ye, and I brought forward Ximen Bao. My lord planned to attack Zhongshan, and I brought forward Yue Yang. Zhongshan being taken, there was no one to hold it, and I brought you forward, sir. My lord's son had no tutor, and I brought forward Quhou Fu. In what am I inferior to Wei Chengzi!" Li Ke said: "And your recommending Ke to your lord — was that to form a faction and seek a great office? My lord asked, in appointing a chancellor, 'It is either Cheng or Huang; how are the two of them?' Ke answered: 'It is only that my lord has not looked closely. In his dwelling, look at whom he is intimate with; in wealth, look at whom he shares with; in eminence, look at whom he raises up; in straits, look at what he will not do; in poverty, look at what he will not take. These five are enough to settle it; what need to wait on Ke!' And by this I knew that Wei Chengzi would be chancellor. And how can you match yourself with Wei Chengzi? Wei Chengzi, out of a thousand measures of emolument, has nine parts in ten outside and one part in ten at home, and by this he got from the east Bu Zixia, Tian Zifang and Duan Ganmu. These three men my lord has all taken as teachers. The five men you brought forward my lord has all made his subjects. How can you match yourself with Wei Chengzi?" Zhai Huang drew back and bowed twice, saying: "Huang is a coarse fellow and answered wrongly; I should like to be your disciple to the end."
In the twenty-sixth year Mount Guo collapsed and dammed the He.
In the thirty-second year he attacked Zheng. He walled Suanzao. He defeated Qin at Zhu. In the thirty-fifth year Qi attacked and took our Xiangling. In the thirty-sixth year Qin encroached on our Yinjin.
In the thirty-eighth year he attacked Qin, and they defeated us below Wu and got his general Shi. In that year Marquis Wen died, and his son Ji was set up: this was Marquis Wu.
In Marquis Wu of Wei's first year Marquis Jing of Zhao was first set up, and Prince Shuo made a rebellion; not prevailing, he fled to Wei, and with Wei made a surprise attack on Handan, and Wei was defeated and went away.
In the second year he walled Anyi and Wangyuan.
In the seventh year he attacked Qi and reached Sangqiu. In the ninth year the Di defeated us at the Hui. He sent Wu Qi to attack Qi and reach Lingqiu. King Wei of Qi was first set up.
In the eleventh year with Han and Zhao he divided the land of Jin in three and destroyed its posterity.
In the thirteenth year Duke Xian of Qin made Yueyang a county. In the fifteenth year he defeated Zhao at Beilin.
In the sixteenth year he attacked Chu and took Luyang. Marquis Wu died, and his son Ying was set up: this was King Hui.
In King Hui's first year — earlier, when Marquis Wu died, his son Ying and Gongzhong Huan had contended to be heir apparent. Gongsun Qi went from Song into Zhao and from Zhao into Han, and said to Marquis Yi of Han: "Wei Ying and Gongzhong Huan have contended to be heir apparent; has my lord heard of it too? Now Wei Ying has got Wang Cuo and holds Shangdang, and has in truth half the state. Take this occasion to get rid of him, and the breaking of Wei is certain; the chance must not be lost." Marquis Yi was pleased, and thereupon joined forces with Marquis Cheng of Zhao and combined their troops to attack Wei, and they fought at Zhuoze, and the Wei clan was greatly defeated and the lord of Wei besieged. Zhao said to Han: "Let us get rid of the lord of Wei, set up Gongzhong Huan, cut off land and withdraw; we shall gain by it." Han said: "It cannot be. Kill the lord of Wei, and men will surely call it violent; cut off land and withdraw, and men will surely call it greedy. Better to divide it in two. Wei divided in two would be no stronger than Song or Wei, and we should then be for ever free of trouble from Wei." Zhao would not listen. Han was displeased, and with its own few troops went away by night. The reason King Hui's person did not perish and his state was not divided was that the two houses' plans did not agree. Had they followed one house's plan, Wei would surely have been divided. Therefore it is said: "When a lord has no rightful heir to the end, his state may be broken."
In the second year Wei defeated Han at Maling and defeated Zhao at Huai. In the third year Qi defeated us at Guan. In the fifth year he met Han at Zhaiyang. He walled Wudu. He was defeated by Qin. In the sixth year he attacked and took Song's Yitai. In the ninth year he attacked and defeated Han at the Hui. He fought with Qin at Shaoliang, and they took our general Gongsun Cuo prisoner and took Pang. Duke Xian of Qin died, and his son Duke Xiao was set up.
In the tenth year he attacked and took Zhao's Pilao. A comet appeared. In the twelfth year a star fell by daylight, with a sound.
In the fourteenth year he met Zhao at Hao. In the fifteenth year the lords of Lu, Wei, Song and Zheng came to court. In the sixteenth year he met Duke Xiao of Qin at Duping. He encroached on Song's Huangchi, and Song took it back.
In the seventeenth year he fought with Qin at Yuanli, and Qin took our Shaoliang. He besieged Zhao's Handan. In the eighteenth year he took Handan. Zhao asked rescue of Qi, and Qi sent Tian Ji and Sun Bin to rescue Zhao, and they defeated Wei at Guiling.
In the nineteenth year the feudal lords besieged our Xiangling. He built a long wall and blocked Guyang.
In the twentieth year he gave Handan back to Zhao and covenanted with them by the Zhang river. In the twenty-first year he met Qin at Tong. Marquis Cheng of Zhao died. In the twenty-eighth year King Wei of Qi died. The Lord of Zhongshan was chancellor of Wei.
In the thirtieth year Wei attacked Zhao, and Zhao appealed urgently to Qi. King Xuan of Qi used Master Sun's plan and rescued Zhao by striking at Wei. Wei thereupon raised a great host, sent Pang Juan to command, and ordered the heir apparent Shen to be supreme general. As they passed Waihuang, Master Xu of Waihuang said to the heir apparent: "Your servant has an art of a hundred battles and a hundred victories." The heir apparent said: "May I hear it?" The guest said: "Indeed I should like to offer it." He said: "If the heir apparent himself commands and attacks Qi, and greatly conquers and annexes Ju, then he will be no richer than by having Wei, and no more honoured than by becoming king. And if the battle does not conquer Qi, then for ten thousand generations there will be no Wei. This is your servant's art of a hundred battles and a hundred victories." The heir apparent said: "Very well; let me certainly follow your words and turn back." The guest said: "Though the heir apparent may wish to turn back, he will not be able to. Those who urge the heir apparent to fight and attack, wishing to sip the broth, are many. Though the heir apparent may wish to turn back, I fear he will not be able to." The heir apparent accordingly wished to turn back, and his charioteer said: "For a general to go out and turn back is the same as a rout." The heir apparent did indeed fight with the men of Qi, and was defeated at Maling. Qi took the Wei heir apparent Shen prisoner and killed the general Juan, and the army was thereupon greatly broken.
In the thirty-first year Qin, Zhao and Qi together attacked us, and the Qin general the Lord of Shang deceived our general Prince Ang and made a surprise attack and seized his army and broke it. Qin employed the Lord of Shang and its eastern lands reached the He, and Qi and Zhao repeatedly broke us, and Anyi was near Qin; and thereupon he moved his seat of government to Daliang. He made Prince He heir apparent.
In the thirty-third year Duke Xiao of Qin died, and the Lord of Shang fled Qin and came home to Wei; Wei was angry and would not take him in. In the thirty-fifth year he met King Xuan of Qi south of Ping'e.
King Hui had repeatedly suffered in his campaigns, and with humble ceremony and rich gifts he called in worthy men. Zou Yan, Chunyu Kun and Meng Ke all came to Liang. King Hui of Liang said: "I am without ability; my troops have been broken three times abroad, my heir apparent taken prisoner, my supreme general dead, and the state is thereby left empty; I have brought shame on my former lords' ancestral temples and altars of soil and grain, and I am much ashamed of it. You, venerable sir, not thinking a thousand li far, have condescended to come to our poor town's court. What will profit my state?" Meng Ke said: "My lord may not speak of profit thus. If the lord desires profit, then the grandees desire profit; if the grandees desire profit, then the common people desire profit; and when high and low contend for profit, the state is in danger. For one who is a lord, there is humaneness and righteousness and no more; what has he to do with profit!"
In the thirty-sixth year he met the King of Qi again at Zhen. In that year King Hui died, and his son King Xiang was set up.
In King Xiang's first year he met the feudal lords at Xuzhou, styling one another king. He honoured his father King Hui posthumously as king.
In the fifth year Qin defeated our Long Jia's army of forty-five thousand at Diaoyin and besieged our Jiao and Quwo. He gave Qin the lands west of the He.
In the sixth year he met Qin at Ying. Qin took our Fenyin, Pishi and Jiao. Wei attacked Chu and defeated it at Mount Xing. In the seventh year Wei gave the whole of Shang commandery in to Qin. Qin brought our Puyang to surrender. In the eighth year Qin gave us back Jiao and Quwo.
In the twelfth year Chu defeated us at Xiangling. The feudal lords' ministers in office met with Qin's chancellor Zhang Yi at Niesang. In the thirteenth year Zhang Yi was chancellor of Wei. In Wei a woman changed into a man. Qin took our Quwo and Pingzhou.
In the sixteenth year King Xiang died, and his son King Ai was set up. Zhang Yi went back to Qin.
In King Ai's first year the five states together attacked Qin, and went away without prevailing.
In the second year Qi defeated us at Guanjin. In the fifth year Qin sent Chulizi to attack and take our Quwo, and drove Xishou off from Anmen. In the sixth year Qin came and set up Prince Zheng as heir apparent. He met Qin at Linjin. In the seventh year he attacked Qi. With Qin he attacked Yan.
In the eighth year he attacked Wei and took two towns of its line of walls. The lord of Wei was troubled by it. Ru Er saw the lord of Wei and said: "If I get the Wei troops broken off and the Lord of Chengling dismissed, will that do?" The lord of Wei said: "If you can truly do it, sir, I ask that generation after generation Wei may serve you." Ru Er saw the Lord of Chengling and said: "Long ago Wei attacked Zhao, cut off Yangchang and took Eyu, and agreed to carve up Zhao so that Zhao was divided in two; and the reason it did not perish was that Wei was head of the alliance. Now Wei is already pressed to perishing and is going to ask west to serve Qin. Rather than have Qin release Wei, better that Wei release Wei; and Wei's gratitude to Wei will surely be without end." The Lord of Chengling said: "Very well." Ru Er saw the King of Wei and said: "Your servant has something to lay before you about Wei. Wei was formerly a branch of the house of Zhou; though it is called a small state, it has many treasure vessels. Now the state is pressed by trouble and yet the treasure vessels do not come out; its heart is that in the attacking of Wei and the releasing of Wei it does not take my lord for the master, and therefore though the treasure vessels come out they will certainly not come in to my lord. Your servant privately reckons that whoever first speaks of releasing Wei will surely be the one who receives Wei." Ru Er went out, and the Lord of Chengling came in and saw the King of Wei with just that proposal. The King of Wei heeded his argument, broke off his troops, dismissed the Lord of Chengling, and to the end of his life did not see him.
In the ninth year he met the King of Qin at Linjin. Zhang Yi and Wei Zhang both came home to Wei. The Wei chancellor Tian Xu died, and Chu was troubled about Zhang Yi, Xishou and the Lord of Xue. The Chu chancellor Zhao Yu said to Su Dai: "Tian Xu is dead; I fear that one of Zhang Yi, Xishou and the Lord of Xue may be chancellor of Wei." Dai said: "Then whom would you have as chancellor to suit you?" Zhao Yu said: "I should like the heir apparent to be his own chancellor." Dai said: "Let me go north for you, and he will surely be made chancellor." Zhao Yu said: "How?" He answered: "Be you the King of Liang, and let Dai try persuading you." Zhao Yu said: "How so?" He answered: "'Dai has come from Chu, and Zhao Yu was much troubled and said: "Tian Xu is dead; I fear that one of Zhang Yi, Xishou and the Lord of Xue may be chancellor of Wei." Dai said: "The King of Liang is a seasoned ruler and will surely not make Zhang Yi chancellor. If Zhang Yi is chancellor he will surely favour Qin and slight Wei. If Xishou is chancellor he will surely favour Han and slight Wei. If the Lord of Xue is chancellor he will surely favour Qi and slight Wei. The King of Liang is a seasoned ruler and it will surely not suit him."' The king will say: 'Then whom shall I make chancellor?' Dai will say: 'Nothing is so good as the heir apparent being his own chancellor. If the heir apparent is his own chancellor, then these three men will all take the heir apparent for no permanent chancellor, and will all strive to serve Wei with their own states, wishing to get the chancellor's seal. With Wei's strength, and three states of ten thousand chariots supporting it, Wei will surely be secure. Therefore I say nothing is so good as the heir apparent being his own chancellor.'" So he went north and saw the King of Liang and told him this. The heir apparent did indeed become chancellor of Wei.
In the tenth year Zhang Yi died. In the eleventh year he met King Wu of Qin at Ying. In the twelfth year the heir apparent paid court in Qin. Qin came and attacked our Pishi, and broke off without taking it. In the fourteenth year Qin came and sent back King Wu's queen. In the sixteenth year Qin took our Puban, Yangjin and Fengling. In the seventeenth year he met Qin at Linjin. Qin gave us Puban. In the eighteenth year with Qin he attacked Chu. In the twenty-first year with Qi and Han he together defeated the Qin army at Hangu.
In the twenty-third year Qin again gave us the lands beyond the He and Fengling for peace. King Ai died, and his son King Zhao was set up.
In King Zhao's first year Qin took our Xiangcheng. In the second year he fought with Qin, and it went ill with us. In the third year he aided Han in attacking Qin, and the Qin general Bai Qi defeated our army at Yique, two hundred and forty thousand. In the sixth year he gave Qin the Hedong lands, four hundred li square. Mang Mao rose in weight by his deceptions. In the seventh year Qin took sixty-one of our cities, great and small. In the eighth year King Zhao of Qin became Western Emperor and King Min of Qi Eastern Emperor, and a month or more later both went back to the style of king and gave up the title of Emperor. In the ninth year Qin took our cities of Xinyuan and Quyang.
In the tenth year Qi destroyed Song, and the King of Song died in our Wen. In the twelfth year with Qin, Zhao, Han and Yan he together attacked Qi and defeated it west of the Ji, and King Min fled out. Yan alone entered Linzi. He met the King of Qin at Western Zhou.
In the thirteenth year Qin took our Ancheng. Its troops reached Daliang and went away. In the eighteenth year Qin took Ying, and the King of Chu moved to Chen.
In the nineteenth year King Zhao died, and his son King Anxi was set up.
In King Anxi's first year Qin took two of our cities. In the second year it took two more of our cities and encamped below Daliang; Han came to the rescue, and he gave Qin Wen for peace. In the third year Qin took four of our cities and cut off forty thousand heads. In the fourth year Qin broke us and Han and Zhao, killed a hundred and fifty thousand men and drove off our general Mang Mao. The Wei general Duan Ganzi asked to give Qin Nanyang for peace. Su Dai said to the King of Wei: "The one who wants the seal is Duan Ganzi; the one who wants land is Qin. Now my lord has the one who wants land control the seal and the one who wants the seal control the land; until the Wei clan's land is all gone it will not stop. And to serve Qin with land is like carrying firewood to put out a fire: until the firewood is gone the fire is not put out." The king said: "That is so. Even so, the business has been set going and cannot be changed." He answered: "Has my lord not seen why in the board game the owl piece is valued? When it serves, one eats with it; when it does not serve, one holds off. Now my lord says, 'the business has been set going and cannot be changed' — how is it that my lord's use of wits is less than his use of the owl?"
In the ninth year Qin took our Huai. In the tenth year the Qin heir apparent, hostage abroad in Wei, died. In the eleventh year Qin took our Qiqiu.
King Zhao of Qin said to those about him: "Which are stronger, Han and Wei now or at the beginning?" They answered: "Not so strong as at the beginning." The king said: "Which are worthier, Ru Er and Wei Qi now, or Mengchang and Mang Mao?" They answered: "Not so worthy." The king said: "With the worth of Mengchang and Mang Mao, leading a strong Han and Wei to attack Qin, they still could do nothing to me. Now with the incapable Ru Er and Wei Qi leading a weak Han and Wei to attack Qin, it is likewise clear that they can do nothing to me." Those about him all said: "Just so." Zhongqi, leaning on his zither, answered: "My lord's reckoning of the empire is mistaken. In the time of Jin's six ministers the Zhi clan was strongest; it destroyed the Fan and the Zhonghang, and further led the troops of Han and Wei to besiege Zhao Xiangzi at Jinyang, and cut the waters of the Jin to flood the city of Jinyang, so that there were but three courses of bricks unsoaked. The Earl of Zhi went to inspect the water, with Wei Huanzi driving and Han Kangzi as third in the chariot. The Earl of Zhi said: 'I did not know at first that water could be used to destroy a man's state; now I know it.' The waters of the Fen could flood Anyi, and the waters of the Jiang could flood Pingyang. Wei Huanzi nudged Han Kangzi with his elbow, and Han Kangzi trod on Wei Huanzi's foot; elbow and foot met upon the chariot, and the Zhi clan's lands were divided, its lord dead and its state lost, and it was the laughing-stock of the empire. Now though Qin's troops are strong they cannot surpass the Zhi clan; and though Han and Wei are weak, they are still better off than they were below Jinyang. This is just their season for using elbow and foot; I wish my lord would not take it lightly!" Thereupon the King of Qin was afraid.
Qi and Chu made an agreement together and attacked Wei, and Wei sent men to ask rescue of Qin, cap and canopy within sight of one another, and Qin's rescue did not come. There was a man of Wei called Tang Ju, ninety years old and more, and he said to the King of Wei: "Let your old servant go west and persuade the King of Qin, and have the troops set out before your servant." The King of Wei bowed twice, and thereupon made ready a carriage and sent him off. Tang Ju arrived and went in to see the King of Qin. The King of Qin said: "Venerable sir, in a daze you have come this far; it is hard on you indeed! Wei has come asking rescue several times, and I know Wei's straits already." Tang Ju answered: "That your great self already knows Wei's straits and yet sends out no rescue — your servant privately thinks the ministers who frame your policy are not up to their charge. As for Wei, it is a state of ten thousand chariots, and the reason it faces west and serves Qin, calls itself an eastern march, receives cap and girdle and offers the spring and autumn sacrifices, is that Qin's strength is enough to be an ally. Now the troops of Qi and Chu have already joined on the outskirts of Wei, and Qin sends out no rescue; you must be relying on their not being hard pressed yet. Let them be hard pressed indeed, and Wei will cut off land and make the Vertical Alliance — and what rescue will my lord have then? If you will wait for their straits and only then rescue them, that is to lose Wei, one eastern march, and to strengthen two enemies, Qi and Chu; and then what profit has my lord?" Thereupon King Zhao of Qin at once sent out troops to rescue Wei, and the Wei clan was settled again.
Zhao sent men to say to the King of Wei: "Kill Fan Cuo for me, and I ask leave to present seventy li of land." The King of Wei said: "Agreed." He sent officers to arrest him, and they surrounded him and had not killed him. Cuo thereupon got up on the roof and sat astride the ridge, and said to the envoy: "Rather than bargain with a dead Cuo, better to bargain with a living Cuo. Suppose Cuo dies and Zhao does not give my lord the land — what will my lord do then? So it is better to settle the ceding of land first, and then kill Cuo." The King of Wei said: "Good." Cuo thereupon sent up a letter to the Lord of Xinling: "Cuo is a former dismissed chancellor of Wei; Zhao with land would kill Cuo and the King of Wei listens to it. If it should happen that the strong Qin too takes up Zhao's wish, what will my lord do then?" The Lord of Xinling spoke to the king and got him let out.
The King of Wei, because Qin had rescued him, wished to be friendly with Qin and attack Han, so as to seek his old lands. Wuji said to the King of Wei:
Qin has the same customs as the Rong and the Di; it has the heart of a tiger and a wolf, is greedy and cruel and fond of gain and without good faith, and does not know ritual, righteousness or virtuous conduct. If there is gain in it, it does not regard kin or brothers, but is like a bird or beast; this is what the whole empire knows, and it is no dispenser of generosity or accumulator of virtue. Thus the Queen Dowager was his mother, and she died of grief; the Marquis of Rang was his uncle, and no merit was greater than his, and in the end he drove him out; his two younger brothers were without guilt, and twice he took away their states. Being thus toward his own kin, how much more toward a state that is his enemy? Now my lord joins Qin in attacking Han and so brings the Qin peril the nearer; your servant is much bewildered by it. And for my lord not to see it is to be unenlightened, and for the body of ministers not to bring it to his hearing is to be disloyal.
Now the Han clan, with one woman supporting one weak ruler, has great disorder within and abroad faces the troops of a strong Qin and of Wei; does my lord suppose it will not perish? Han perishing, Qin will have the lands of Zheng and will border on Daliang; does my lord suppose he will be secure? My lord wishes to get his old lands, and now takes on the friendship of a strong Qin; does my lord suppose this profitable?
Qin is not a state that sits idle; after Han perishes it will surely turn to other business, and in turning to other business it will go for what is easy and gainful; and going for what is easy and gainful, it will surely not attack Chu or Zhao. Why so? To cross mountains and rivers, cut through Han's Shangdang and attack a strong Zhao, would be to repeat the affair of Eyu, and Qin will surely not do it. To go by way of Henei, with Ye and Zhaoge behind it, cut across the Zhang and the Fu, and settle matters with the troops of Zhao on the outskirts of Handan, would be the Earl of Zhi's disaster, and Qin again dares not. To attack Chu, it must go by the She valley, marching three thousand li, and attack the barrier of Ming'e; the march is very long and the attack very hard, and Qin again will not do it. To go by way of the lands beyond the He, with Daliang behind it, Shangcai and Zhaoling on its right, and settle matters with the troops of Chu on the outskirts of Chen — Qin again dares not. Therefore I say Qin will surely not attack Chu or Zhao, and will not attack Wei or Qi either.
Then after Han perishes, on the day its troops go out there is nothing to attack but Wei. Qin already has Huai, Mao and Xingqiu, and walled Guijin so as to overlook Henei; Gong and Ji in Henei must be in peril. It will have the lands of Zheng and get Yuanyong, and cut the waters of the Xing marsh to flood Daliang, and Daliang must perish. My lord's envoys went out and overstepped and spoke ill of the Anling clan to Qin, and Qin has long wished to put them to death. Qin's Yeyang and Kunyang border on Wuyang; let it listen to the envoys' ill words and follow the Anling clan in destroying them, and go round north of Wuyang and overlook Xu from the east, and the southern country must be in peril: will the state then be unharmed?
To hate Han and not love the Anling clan may pass; but not to be anxious about Qin's not loving the southern country is wrong. In other days Qin was in the Jin lands west of the He, the state a thousand li from Liang, with the He and the mountains for a barrier and Zhou and Han between. From the army at Linxiang down to now, Qin has attacked Wei seven times and five times entered the Preserve; the border cities have all been taken, the Wen Terrace thrown down, Chuidu burned, the forest trees felled, the elk and deer finished, and the capital besieged next. It has also driven far north of Liang, east as far as the outskirts of Tao and Wei, north as far as Pingjian. What we have lost to Qin is south of the mountains and north of the mountains, beyond the He and within the He, several tens of great counties and several hundreds of famous towns. And Qin was then in the Jin lands west of the He, a thousand li from Liang, and the disaster was like this; how much more if Qin were to have no Han before it and hold the lands of Zheng, with no He or mountains for a barrier and no Zhou or Han between, a hundred li from Daliang — the disaster must come of it.
In other days the Alliance did not come off because Chu and Wei were in doubt and Han could not be got. Now Han has borne war for three years; Qin has bent it toward a settlement, and Han, knowing it means destruction, would not listen, but sent a hostage to Zhao and asked to take the empire's place in the flying-goose line and blunt its blades; Chu and Zhao will surely bring their troops together, for all of them know that Qin's desires are without end, and that unless it destroys every state in the empire and makes vassals of all within the seas it will certainly not rest. Therefore your servant wishes to serve my lord with the Alliance. Let my lord quickly accept the agreement with Chu and Zhao, and hold Han's hostage so as to preserve Han, and ask for the old lands, and Han will surely deliver them. This is to get the old lands without wearying officers and people, and its merit is more than joining Qin in attacking Han — and than the disaster of having a strong Qin for a neighbour besides.
To preserve Han, secure Wei and benefit the empire — this too is my lord's Heaven-sent season. Open Han's Shangdang through to Gong and Ning, and make the road by Ancheng, and tax what goes in and out: this is Wei holding Han's Shangdang as a heavy pledge. Having its taxes now would be enough to enrich the state. Han will surely be grateful to Wei, love Wei, give weight to Wei and fear Wei, and Han will surely not dare turn against Wei; and then Han is Wei's own county. Wei getting Han as a county, Wei, Daliang and the lands beyond the He must be secure. Now if Han is not preserved, the two Zhous and Anling must be in peril, Chu and Zhao greatly broken, Wei and Qi much afraid; and it will not be long before the empire faces west and gallops to Qin to come to court as its vassals.
In the twentieth year Qin besieged Handan, and the Lord of Xinling, Wuji, by forgery seized the general Jin Bi's troops to rescue Zhao, and Zhao was kept whole. Wuji accordingly stayed in Zhao. In the twenty-sixth year King Zhao of Qin died.
In the thirtieth year Wuji came home to Wei and led the troops of five states in attacking Qin, and defeated them beyond the He and drove off Meng Ao. The Wei heir apparent Zeng was hostage in Qin, and Qin was angry and wished to imprison the Wei heir apparent Zeng. Someone on Zeng's behalf said to the King of Qin: "Gongsun Xi certainly said to the chancellor of Wei: 'Let Wei strike hard at Qin; the King of Qin will be angry and will surely imprison Zeng. The King of Wei will be angry in turn and strike at Qin, and Qin must be hurt.' Now if my lord imprisons Zeng, that is Xi's plan hitting its mark. So it would be better to honour Zeng and join with Wei, and so make Qi and Han suspect him." Qin then let Zeng alone.
In the thirty-first year the King of Qin, Zheng, was first set up.
In the thirty-fourth year King Anxi died, and the heir apparent Zeng was set up: this was King Jingmin. The Lord of Xinling, Wuji, died.
In King Jingmin's first year Qin took twenty of our cities and made them Qin's Eastern Commandery. In the second year Qin took our Zhaoge. Wei moved to Yewang. In the third year Qin took our Ji. In the fifth year Qin took our Yuan, Puyang and Yan. In the fifteenth year King Jingmin died, and his son King Jia was set up.
In King Jia's first year the heir apparent Dan of Yan sent Jing Ke to stab the King of Qin, and the King of Qin found him out.
In the third year Qin flooded Daliang and took King Jia prisoner, and thereupon destroyed Wei and made it commanderies and counties.
The Lord Grand Astrologer says: I went to the ruins of the old Daliang, and a man among the ruins said: "When Qin broke Liang, it drew off the channel of the He and flooded Daliang; after three months the walls fell, the king asked to surrender, and Wei was thereupon destroyed." Those who discuss it all say that Wei, because it did not employ the Lord of Xinling, was whittled away and weakened until it perished. I think it was not so. Heaven was then making Qin bring the realm within the seas to order, and its work was not yet done; though Wei had got a helper like the Aheng, what good would it have done?