卷五十七·绛侯周勃世家第二十七
卷五十七·绛侯周勃世家第二十七
司马迁
绛侯周勃者，沛人也。其先卷人，徙沛。勃以织薄曲为生，常为人吹箫给丧事，材官引强。
高祖之为沛公初起，勃以中涓从攻胡陵，下方与。方与反，与战，卻適。攻丰。击秦军砀东。还军留及萧。复攻砀，破之。下下邑，先登。赐爵五大夫。攻蒙、虞，取之。击章邯车骑，殿。定魏地。攻爰戚、东缗，以往至栗，取之。攻齧桑，先登。击秦军阿下，破之。追至濮阳，下甄城。攻都关、定陶，袭取宛朐，得单父令。夜袭取临济，攻张，以前至卷，破之。击李由军雍丘下。攻开封，先至城下为多。后章邯破杀项梁，沛公与项羽引兵东如砀。自初起沛还至砀，一岁二月。楚怀王封沛公号安武侯，为砀郡长。沛公拜勃为虎贲令，以令从沛公定魏地。攻东郡尉于城武，破之。击王离军，破之。攻长社，先登。攻颍阳、缑氏，绝河津。击赵贲军尸北。南攻南阳守齮，破武关、峣关。破秦军于蓝田，至咸阳，灭秦。
项羽至，以沛公为汉王。汉王赐勃爵为威武侯。从入汉中，拜为将军。还定三秦，至秦，赐食邑怀德。攻槐里、好畤，最。击赵贲、内史保于咸阳，最。北攻漆。击章平、姚卬军。西定汧。还下郿、频阳。围章邯废丘。破西丞。击盗巴军，破之。攻上邽。东守峣关。转击项籍。攻曲逆，最。还守敖仓，追项籍。籍已死，因东定楚地泗水、东海郡，凡得二十二县。还守雒阳、栎阳，赐与颍阴侯共食钟离。以将军从高帝击反者燕王臧荼，破之易下。所将卒当驰道为多。赐爵列侯，剖符世世勿绝。食绛八千一百八十户，号绛侯。
以将军从高帝击反韩王信于代，降下霍人。以前至武泉，击胡骑，破之武泉北。转攻韩信军铜鞮，破之。还，降太原六城。击韩信胡骑晋阳下，破之，下晋阳。后击韩信军于硰石，破之，追北八十里。还攻楼烦三城，因击胡骑平城下，所将卒当驰道为多。勃迁为太尉。
击陈狶，屠马邑。所将卒斩狶将军乘马絺。击韩信、陈狶、赵利军于楼烦，破之。得狶将宋最、雁门守圂。因转攻得云中守遫、丞相箕肆、将勋。定雁门郡十七县，云中郡十二县。因复击狶灵丘，破之，斩狶，得狶丞相程纵、将军陈武、都尉高肆。定代郡九县。
燕王卢绾反，勃以相国代樊哙将，击下蓟，得绾大将抵、丞相偃、守陉、太尉弱、御史大夫施，屠浑都。破绾军上兰，复击破绾军沮阳。追至长城，定上谷十二县，右北平十六县，辽西、辽东二十九县，渔阳二十二县。最从高帝得相国一人，丞相二人，将军、二千石各三人；别破军二，下城三，定郡五，县七十九，得丞相、大将各一人。
勃为人木强敦厚，高帝以为可属大事。勃不好文学，每召诸生说士，东乡坐而责之：“趣为我语。”其椎少文如此。
勃既定燕而归，高祖已崩矣，以列侯事孝惠帝。孝惠帝六年，置太尉官，以勃为太尉。十岁，高后崩。吕禄以赵王为汉上将军，吕产以吕王为汉相国，秉汉权，欲危刘氏。勃为太尉，不得入军门。陈平为丞相，不得任事。于是勃与平谋，卒诛诸吕而立孝文皇帝。其语在吕后、孝文事中。
文帝既立，以勃为右丞相，赐金五千斤，食邑万户。居月余，人或说勃曰：“君既诛诸吕，立代王，威震天下，而君受厚赏，处尊位，以宠，久之即祸及身矣。”勃惧，亦自危，乃谢请归相印。上许之。岁余，丞相平卒，上复以勃为丞相。十余月，上曰：“前日吾诏列侯就国，或未能行，丞相吾所重，其率先之。”乃免相就国。
岁余，每河东守尉行县至绛，绛侯勃自畏恐诛，常被甲，令家人持兵以见之。其后人有上书告勃欲反，下廷尉。廷尉下其事长安，逮捕勃治之。勃恐，不知置辞。吏稍侵辱之。勃以千金与狱吏，狱吏乃书牍背示之，曰“以公主为证”。公主者，孝文帝女也，勃太子胜之尚之，故狱吏教引为证。勃之益封受赐，尽以予薄昭。及系急，薄昭为言薄太后，太后亦以为无反事。文帝朝，太后以冒絮提文帝，曰：“绛侯绾皇帝玺，将兵于北军，不以此时反，今居一小县，顾欲反邪！”文帝既见绛侯狱辞，乃谢曰：“吏方验而出之。”于是使使持节赦绛侯，复爵邑。绛侯既出，曰：“吾尝将百万军，然安知狱吏之贵乎！”
绛侯复就国。孝文帝十一年卒，谥为武侯。子胜之代侯。六岁，尚公主，不相中，坐杀人，国除。绝一岁，文帝乃择绛侯勃子贤者河内守亚夫，封为条侯，续绛侯后。
条侯亚夫自未侯为河内守时，许负相之，曰：“君后三岁而侯。侯八岁为将相，持国秉，贵重矣，于人臣无两。其后九岁而君饿死。”亚夫笑曰：“臣之兄已代父侯矣，有如卒，子当代，亚夫何说侯乎？然既已贵如负言，又何说饿死？指示我。”许负指其口曰：“有从理入口，此饿死法也。”居三岁，其兄绛侯胜之有罪，孝文帝择绛侯子贤者，皆推亚夫，乃封亚夫为条侯，续绛侯后。
文帝之后六年，匈奴大入边。乃以宗正刘礼为将军，军霸上；祝兹侯徐厉为将军，军棘门；以河内守亚夫为将军，军细柳：以备胡。上自劳军。至霸上及棘门军，直驰入，将以下骑送迎。已而之细柳军，军士吏被甲，锐兵刃，彀弓弩，持满。天子先驱至，不得入。先驱曰：“天子且至！”军门都尉曰：“将军令曰‘军中闻将军令，不闻天子之诏’。”居无何，上至，又不得入。于是上乃使使持节诏将军：“吾欲入劳军。”亚夫乃传言开壁门。壁门士吏谓从属车骑曰：“将军约，军中不得驱驰。”于是天子乃按辔徐行。至营，将军亚夫持兵揖曰：“介胄之士不拜，请以军礼见。”天子为动，改容式车。使人称谢：“皇帝敬劳将军。”成礼而去。既出军门，群臣皆惊。文帝曰：“嗟乎，此真将军矣！曩者霸上、棘门军，若儿戏耳，其将固可袭而虏也。至于亚夫，可得而犯邪！”称善者久之。月余，三军皆罢。乃拜亚夫为中尉。
孝文且崩时，诫太子曰：“即有缓急，周亚夫真可任将兵。”文帝崩，拜亚夫为车骑将军。
孝景三年，吴楚反。亚夫以中尉为太尉，东击吴楚。因自请上曰：“楚兵剽轻，难与争锋。愿以梁委之，绝其粮道，乃可制。”上许之。
太尉既会兵荥阳，吴方攻梁，梁急，请救。太尉引兵东北走昌邑，深壁而守。梁日使使请太尉，太尉守便宜，不肯往。梁上书言景帝，景帝使使诏救梁。太尉不奉诏，坚壁不出，而使轻骑兵弓高侯等绝吴楚兵后食道。吴兵乏粮，饥，数欲挑战，终不出。夜，军中惊，内相攻击扰乱，至于太尉帐下。太尉终卧不起。顷之，复定。后吴奔壁东南陬，太尉使备西北。已而其精兵果奔西北，不得入。吴兵既饿，乃引而去。太尉出精兵追击，大破之。吴王濞弃其军，而与壮士数千人亡走，保于江南丹徒。汉兵因乘胜，遂尽虏之，降其兵，购吴王千金。月余，越人斩吴王头以告。凡相攻守三月，而吴楚破平。于是诸将乃以太尉计谋为是。由此梁孝王与太尉有卻。
归，复置太尉官。五岁，迁为丞相，景帝甚重之。景帝废栗太子，丞相固争之，不得。景帝由此疏之。而梁孝王每朝，常与太后言条侯之短。
窦太后曰：“皇后兄王信可侯也。”景帝让曰：“始南皮、章武侯先帝不侯，及臣即位乃侯之。信未得封也。”窦太后曰：“人主各以时行耳。自窦长君在时，竟不得侯，死后乃其子彭祖顾得侯。吾甚恨之。帝趣侯信也！”景帝曰：“请得与丞相议之。”丞相议之，亚夫曰：“高皇帝约‘非刘氏不得王，非有功不得侯。不如约，天下共击之’。今信虽皇后兄，无功，侯之，非约也。”景帝默然而止。
其后匈奴王唯徐卢等五人降，景帝欲侯之以劝后。丞相亚夫曰：“彼背其主降陛下，陛下侯之，则何以责人臣不守节者乎？”景帝曰：“丞相议不可用。”乃悉封唯徐卢等为列侯。亚夫因谢病。景帝中三年，以病免相。
顷之，景帝居禁中，召条侯，赐食。独置大胾，无切肉，又不置櫡。条侯心不平，顾谓尚席取櫡。景帝视而笑曰：“此不足君所乎？”条侯免冠谢。上起，条侯因趋出。景帝以目送之，曰：“此怏怏者非少主臣也！”
居无何，条侯子为父买工官尚方甲楯五百被可以葬者。取庸苦之，不予钱。庸知其盗买县官器，怒而上变告子，事连汙条侯。书既闻上，上下吏。吏簿责条侯，条侯不对。景帝骂之曰：“吾不用也。”召诣廷尉。廷尉责曰：“君侯欲反邪？”亚夫曰：“臣所买器，乃葬器也，何谓反邪？”吏曰：“君侯纵不反地上，即欲反地下耳。”吏侵之益急。初，吏捕条侯，条侯欲自杀，夫人止之，以故不得死，遂入廷尉。因不食五日，呕血而死。国除。
绝一岁，景帝乃更封绛侯勃他子坚为平曲侯，续绛侯后。十九年卒，谥为共侯。子建德代侯，十三年，为太子太傅。坐酎金不善，元鼎五年，有罪，国除。
条侯果饿死。死后，景帝乃封王信为盖侯。
太史公曰：绛侯周勃始为布衣时，鄙朴人也，才能不过凡庸。及从高祖定天下，在将相位，诸吕欲作乱，勃匡国家难，复之乎正。虽伊尹、周公，何以加哉！亚夫之用兵，持威重，执坚刃，穰苴曷有加焉！足己而不学，守节不逊，终以穷困。悲夫！
Volume 57 · The Hereditary House of Zhou Bo, Marquis of Jiang, Twenty-seventh
司马迁
Zhou Bo, Marquis of Jiang, was a man of Pei. His forefathers were men of Juan and moved to Pei. Bo got his living by weaving the mats for silkworm frames, and he regularly played the flute for men at funerals; and as a picked soldier he drew the strong bow.
When Gaozu was Duke of Pei and first rose, Bo followed him as a household attendant in attacking Huling and taking Fangyu. Fangyu revolted, and he fought with them and drove the enemy back. He attacked Feng. He struck at the Qin army east of Dang. He brought the army back to Liu and to Xiao. He attacked Dang again and broke it. He took Xiayi, being first up the wall. He was granted the rank of Fifth Grandee. He attacked Meng and Yu and took them. He struck at Zhang Han's chariots and cavalry, and brought up the rear. He settled the land of Wei. He attacked Yuanqi and Dongmin, and going on as far as Li, took it. He attacked Nieshang, being first up the wall. He struck at the Qin army below E and broke it. He pursued them as far as Puyang and took the city of Zhen. He attacked Duguan and Dingtao, fell upon and took Wanqu, and got the prefect of Shanfu. By night he fell upon and took Linji; he attacked Zhang, and going forward as far as Juan, broke them. He struck at Li You's army below Yongqiu. He attacked Kaifeng, and being first to reach below the wall counted for much. Afterwards Zhang Han broke and killed Xiang Liang, and the Duke of Pei with Xiang Yu led their troops east to Dang. From first rising at Pei to coming back to Dang was one year and two months. King Huai of Chu enfeoffed the Duke of Pei with the style of Marquis of Anwu, as chief of Dang commandery. The Duke of Pei appointed Bo Prefect of the Tiger Guards, and with that commission he followed the Duke of Pei in settling the land of Wei. He attacked the Commandant of Dong commandery at Chengwu and broke him. He struck at Wang Li's army and broke it. He attacked Changshe, being first up the wall. He attacked Yingyang and Goushi, and cut off the He fords. He struck at Zhao Ben's army north of Shi. Southward he attacked Yi, governor of Nanyang, and broke the Wu Pass and the Yao Pass. He broke the Qin army at Lantian, reached Xianyang, and destroyed Qin.
Xiang Yu arrived and made the Duke of Pei King of Han. The King of Han granted Bo the rank of Marquis of Weiwu. He followed him in entering Hanzhong, and was appointed general. He went back and settled the Three Qin; and when he reached Qin he was granted a town to eat from at Huaide. He attacked Huaili and Haozhi, and was foremost. He struck at Zhao Ben and Bao the Interior Scribe at Xianyang, and was foremost. Northward he attacked Qi. He struck at the armies of Zhang Ping and Yao Ang. Westward he settled Qian. He came back and took Mei and Pinyang. He besieged Zhang Han at Feiqiu. He broke the assistant governor of Xi. He struck at Dao Ba's army and broke it. He attacked Shanggui. Eastward he held the Yao Pass. He turned and struck at Xiang Ji. He attacked Quni, and was foremost. He came back and held the Ao Granary, and pursued Xiang Ji. Ji being dead, he accordingly settled in the east the commanderies of Sishui and Donghai in the land of Chu, getting twenty-two counties in all. He came back and held Luoyang and Yueyang, and was granted Zhongli to eat from jointly with the Marquis of Yingyin. As general he followed Emperor Gao in striking at the rebel Zang Tu, King of Yan, and broke him below Yi. The troops he led counted for much in holding the highway. He was granted the rank of ranking marquis, and split a tally to be handed down generation after generation without being cut off. He had Jiang to eat from, eight thousand one hundred and eighty households, styled Marquis of Jiang.
As general he followed Emperor Gao in striking at the rebel Xin, King of Han, in Dai, and took Huoren by surrender. Going forward as far as Wuquan, he struck at the Hu cavalry and broke them north of Wuquan. He turned and attacked Han Xin's army at Tongdi and broke it. He came back and received the surrender of six cities of Taiyuan. He struck at Han Xin's Hu cavalry below Jinyang, broke them, and took Jinyang. Afterwards he struck at Han Xin's army at Shashi and broke it, pursuing the rout eighty li. He came back and attacked three cities of Loufan, and accordingly struck at the Hu cavalry below Pingcheng; the troops he led counted for much in holding the highway. Bo was promoted to Grand Commandant.
He struck at Chen Xi and slaughtered Mayi. The troops he led cut down Chengma Chi, a general of Xi's. He struck at the armies of Han Xin, Chen Xi and Zhao Li at Loufan and broke them. He got Xi's general Song Zui and Hun, governor of Yanmen. Thereupon he turned and attacked and got Su, governor of Yunzhong, the chancellor Ji Si and the general Xun. He settled seventeen counties of Yanmen commandery and twelve counties of Yunzhong commandery. Thereupon he struck at Xi again at Lingqiu and broke him, and cut down Xi, and got Xi's chancellor Cheng Zong, his general Chen Wu and his commandant Gao Si. He settled nine counties of Dai commandery.
When Lu Wan, King of Yan, revolted, Bo as Chancellor of State took Fan Kuai's place in command, and struck at and took Ji, and got Wan's great general Di, his chancellor Yan, his governor Xing, his Grand Commandant Ruo and his Imperial Secretary in Chief Shi; and he slaughtered Hundu. He broke Wan's army at Shanglan, and struck at and broke Wan's army again at Juyang. He pursued them as far as the Long Wall, and settled twelve counties of Shanggu, sixteen of Youbeiping, twenty-nine of Liaoxi and Liaodong, and twenty-two of Yuyang. His tally in following Emperor Gao: he got one Chancellor of State, two chancellors, three generals and three officials of two thousand piculs; and separately he broke two armies, took three cities, settled five commanderies and seventy-nine counties, and got one chancellor and one great general.
Bo as a man was wooden and stiff, honest and thick-set, and Emperor Gao held that great matters might be entrusted to him. Bo was not fond of letters and learning; whenever he summoned scholars and men of persuasion, he would sit facing east and charge them: "Make haste and speak to me." So blunt was he, and so short on letters.
Bo having settled Yan and come back, Gaozu had already passed away, and as a ranking marquis he served the Emperor Xiaohui. In the Emperor Xiaohui's sixth year the office of Grand Commandant was set up, and Bo was made Grand Commandant. Ten years later the Empress Dowager Gao passed away. Lü Lu as King of Zhao was Han's Supreme General, and Lü Chan as King of Lü was Han's Chancellor of State; they held Han's power in their grip and wished to endanger the house of Liu. Bo was Grand Commandant and could not get in at the army gate. Chen Ping was Chancellor and could not be charged with business. Thereupon Bo and Ping laid plans, and in the end put the several Lüs to death and set up the August Emperor Xiaowen. The tale is in the matters of the Empress Lü and of Xiaowen.
The Emperor Wen having been set up, he made Bo Chancellor of the Right, granted him five thousand catties of gold and ten thousand households to eat from. After a month and more someone urged Bo: "You, sir, having put the several Lüs to death and set up the King of Dai, your authority shakes the empire; and you receive rich rewards and hold an honoured place, being so favoured, that in time calamity will reach your person." Bo was afraid, and himself also felt his danger, and so made his excuses and asked to give back the chancellor's seal. His Majesty granted it. A year and more later the Chancellor Ping died, and His Majesty again made Bo Chancellor. Ten months and more later His Majesty said: "The other day I decreed that the ranking marquises should go to their states, and some have not been able to set out. The Chancellor is a man I weigh heavily; let him lead the way for them." So he was relieved of the chancellorship and went to his state.
A year and more later, every time the governor and commandant of Hedong went their round of the counties and came to Jiang, Bo, Marquis of Jiang, fearing of himself that he would be put to death, would always put on armour and have his household hold weapons when he saw them. After this someone sent up a document denouncing Bo for wishing to revolt, and it was sent down to the Commandant of Justice. The Commandant of Justice sent the case down to Chang'an, and Bo was arrested and tried. Bo was afraid and did not know how to frame his words. The officers pressed and humiliated him more and more. Bo gave a thousand pieces of gold to a prison officer, and the prison officer then wrote on the back of a tablet and showed it to him, saying: "Have the Princess bear witness." The Princess was the Emperor Xiaowen's daughter, and Bo's heir Shengzhi had married her; and so the prison officer taught him to call her as witness. The increase of Bo's fief and the gifts he received he had given entirely to Bo Zhao; and when he was held in close confinement, Bo Zhao spoke for him to the Empress Dowager Bo, and the Empress Dowager too held that there had been no matter of revolt. When the Emperor Wen came to court, the Empress Dowager flung her headcloth at the Emperor Wen and said: "The Marquis of Jiang held the imperial seal in his hand and commanded troops in the Northern Army; he did not revolt at that time, and now that he lives in one small county he wants to revolt indeed!" The Emperor Wen, having seen the Marquis of Jiang's deposition, made his excuses, saying: "The officers are just now clearing him and letting him out." Thereupon he sent an envoy with the tally to pardon the Marquis of Jiang and restore his rank and town. The Marquis of Jiang, having come out, said: "I have commanded a million men in the field, and yet how was I to know how honourable a prison officer is!"
The Marquis of Jiang went back to his state. In the Emperor Xiaowen's eleventh year he died, with the posthumous title Marquis Wu. His son Shengzhi succeeded to the marquisate. Six years later, having married the Princess and not getting on with her, he was charged with killing a man, and the state was abolished. After it had been cut off for a year, the Emperor Wen then chose the worthiest of the sons of Bo, Marquis of Jiang, Yafu, governor of Henei, and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Tiao, to carry on the line of the Marquis of Jiang.
Yafu, Marquis of Tiao, when he was not yet a marquis and was governor of Henei, was read by Xu Fu, who said: "You, sir, will be a marquis three years hence. Eight years a marquis, you will be general and chancellor, and hold the state's power, and be honoured and weighty, without a second among a ruler's servants. And nine years after that you, sir, will starve to death." Yafu laughed and said: "My elder brother has already succeeded my father as marquis; and if he should die, his son will succeed: what is this about Yafu being made a marquis? And if I am already to be honoured as you say, what is this again about starving to death? Point it out to me." Xu Fu pointed to his mouth and said: "There are vertical lines running into your mouth: this is the pattern of starving to death." Three years later his elder brother Shengzhi, Marquis of Jiang, committed an offence; and when the Emperor Xiaowen chose the worthiest of the Marquis of Jiang's sons, all put Yafu forward, and so he enfeoffed Yafu as Marquis of Tiao, to carry on the line of the Marquis of Jiang.
In the sixth year of the Emperor Wen's latter period the Xiongnu came in great force across the border. So he made Liu Li, Director of the Imperial Clan, general, encamped at Bashang; Xu Li, Marquis of Zhuzi, general, encamped at Jimen; and Yafu, governor of Henei, general, encamped at Xiliu: to guard against the Hu. His Majesty went himself to comfort the armies. He came to the armies at Bashang and Jimen, and drove straight in, and from the general down they rode out to see him off and welcome him. Presently he went to the army at Xiliu, where the officers and men were clad in armour, their blades sharpened, their bows and crossbows drawn and held at full stretch. The Son of Heaven's outriders came up and could not get in. The outriders said: "The Son of Heaven is about to arrive!" The commandant of the camp gate said: "The general's order is: 'In the army one hears the general's orders, one does not hear the Son of Heaven's decrees.'" Not long after, His Majesty arrived, and again could not get in. Thereupon His Majesty sent an envoy with the tally to decree to the general: "I wish to go in and comfort the army." Yafu then passed word to open the wall gate. The officers and men at the wall gate said to the carriages and horsemen of the suite: "The general's rule is that in the army there is no galloping." Thereupon the Son of Heaven pressed down the reins and went slowly. Reaching the camp, the general Yafu, holding his weapon, made a bow with folded hands and said: "A man in helmet and mail does not kneel; I beg to be seen with the rites of the army." The Son of Heaven was moved by it, changed countenance and bowed against the crossbar of his carriage. He sent a man to express his thanks: "The Emperor respectfully comforts the general." The ceremony completed, he departed. When he had come out of the camp gate, the officials were all astonished. The Emperor Wen said: "Ah, this is a true general! Those armies at Bashang and Jimen just now were mere children's play; their generals could certainly be taken by surprise and captured. But as for Yafu, could anyone get at him!" And he praised him for a long while. A month and more later the three armies were all dismissed, and he appointed Yafu Commandant.
When the Emperor Xiaowen was about to pass away, he admonished the heir apparent: "If there should be any urgency, Zhou Yafu is the one who may truly be charged with commanding troops." The Emperor Wen passed away, and Yafu was appointed General of Chariots and Cavalry.
In the Emperor Xiaojing's third year Wu and Chu revolted. Yafu went from Commandant to Grand Commandant, and struck eastward at Wu and Chu. Thereupon he asked of His Majesty himself: "The Chu troops are swift and light, and it is hard to strive with them for the point of the blade. I would give Liang up to them and cut off their grain road; then they can be mastered." His Majesty granted it.
The Grand Commandant having gathered his troops at Xingyang, Wu was just then attacking Liang; Liang was hard pressed and asked for rescue. The Grand Commandant led his troops north-east and made for Changyi, and held it behind deep walls. Liang sent envoys daily to entreat the Grand Commandant; the Grand Commandant held to what was expedient and would not go. Liang sent up a document to Emperor Jing, and Emperor Jing sent an envoy with a decree to rescue Liang. The Grand Commandant did not carry out the decree, but held his walls firmly and did not come out, and sent light cavalry under the Marquis of Gonggao and others to cut off the food road behind the Wu and Chu troops. The Wu troops lacked grain and were hungry, and several times wished to provoke a battle, but in the end he would not come out. At night the camp took fright, and they attacked one another within in confusion, even to below the Grand Commandant's tent. The Grand Commandant lay still throughout and did not get up. In a while it settled again. Afterwards Wu made a rush at the south-east corner of the wall, and the Grand Commandant had the north-west guarded. Presently their crack troops did indeed rush at the north-west, and could not get in. The Wu troops being now starved, they drew off and left. The Grand Commandant sent out crack troops and pursued and struck them, and greatly broke them. Pi, King of Wu, abandoned his army and fled away with several thousand stout fellows, and took refuge at Dantu south of the Jiang. The Han troops accordingly rode the victory, and in the end took them all prisoner and received the surrender of their troops, and put a price of a thousand pieces of gold on the King of Wu. A month and more later the men of Yue cut off the King of Wu's head and reported it. In all, three months of attack and defence, and Wu and Chu were broken and put down. Thereupon the generals held that the Grand Commandant's plans had been right. From this Xiang, King Xiao of Liang, had a rift with the Grand Commandant.
On his return the office of Grand Commandant was set up again. Five years later he was promoted to Chancellor, and Emperor Jing weighed him very heavily. When Emperor Jing deposed the heir apparent Li, the Chancellor contended firmly over it and did not prevail. Emperor Jing from this grew distant from him. And King Xiao of Liang, whenever he came to court, would always speak to the Empress Dowager of the Marquis of Tiao's failings.
The Empress Dowager Dou said: "Wang Xin, the Empress's elder brother, may be made a marquis." Emperor Jing declined, saying: "At the beginning the Marquises of Nanpi and Zhangwu were not made marquises by the former Emperor, and it was when your servant came to the throne that they were made marquises. Xin may not yet be enfeoffed." The Empress Dowager Dou said: "A lord of men each acts according to his own time. While my own elder brother Dou Changjun was alive, he never got to be a marquis, and only after his death did his son Pengzu get to be one after all. I greatly regret it. Let the Emperor make haste to enfeoff Xin!" Emperor Jing said: "Let me talk it over with the Chancellor." The Chancellor talked it over, and Yafu said: "The August Emperor Gao's covenant was: 'Any who are not of the Liu clan may not be kings; any who have no merit may not be marquises. Whoever does not abide by the covenant, let the empire strike him together.' Now though Xin is the Empress's elder brother, he has no merit; to make him a marquis is not according to the covenant." Emperor Jing fell silent and let it be.
After this five Xiongnu kings, Weixu Lu and others, surrendered, and Emperor Jing wished to make them marquises so as to encourage others afterwards. The Chancellor Yafu said: "Those men turned their backs on their lord and surrendered to Your Majesty; if Your Majesty makes them marquises, how then are you to call to account the servants of a ruler who do not keep faith?" Emperor Jing said: "The Chancellor's opinion cannot be used." And he enfeoffed Weixu Lu and the rest all as ranking marquises. Yafu thereupon excused himself on grounds of illness. In the third year of Emperor Jing's middle period he was relieved of the chancellorship on grounds of illness.
In a while Emperor Jing was in the forbidden quarters, and summoned the Marquis of Tiao and granted him food. He set out only a great chunk of meat, with no meat cut up, and set out no chopsticks either. The Marquis of Tiao was put out at heart, and turned and told the officer of the mats to fetch chopsticks. Emperor Jing looked and laughed and said: "Is this not enough for you, sir?" The Marquis of Tiao took off his cap and made his excuses. His Majesty rose, and the Marquis of Tiao thereupon hurried out. Emperor Jing followed him with his eyes and said: "This sullen fellow is no servant for a young ruler!"
Not long after, the Marquis of Tiao's son bought for his father, from the Office of Works and the Imperial Workshop, five hundred sets of armour and shields such as might be used for a burial. He drove the hired men hard and did not give them their money. The hired men knew that he had bought the government's gear by stealth, and in anger denounced the son for treason, and the affair touched and stained the Marquis of Tiao. The document having reached His Majesty, His Majesty sent it down to the officers. The officers put the charges to the Marquis of Tiao from the register, and the Marquis of Tiao did not answer. Emperor Jing cursed him, saying: "I have no use for you." He was summoned before the Commandant of Justice. The Commandant of Justice charged him: "Does my lord marquis wish to revolt?" Yafu said: "The gear your servant bought was burial gear; what talk is this of revolt?" The officer said: "Though my lord marquis may not mean to revolt above the ground, he means to revolt below it." The officers pressed him more and more urgently. At first, when the officers were arresting the Marquis of Tiao, the Marquis of Tiao wished to kill himself; his wife stopped him, and for this reason he did not get to die, and so went into the Commandant of Justice's hands. Thereupon he ate nothing for five days, vomited blood and died. The state was abolished.
After it had been cut off for a year, Emperor Jing then enfeoffed instead another son of Bo, Marquis of Jiang, named Jian, as Marquis of Pingqu, to carry on the line of the Marquis of Jiang. He died after nineteen years, with the posthumous title Marquis Gong. His son Jiande succeeded to the marquisate; after thirteen years he was Grand Tutor to the heir apparent. He was charged with a fault in the wine-offering gold, and in the fifth year of Yuanding, having committed an offence, his state was abolished.
The Marquis of Tiao did indeed starve to death. After his death, Emperor Jing then enfeoffed Wang Xin as Marquis of Gai.
The Lord Grand Astrologer says: Zhou Bo, Marquis of Jiang, when he was first a man of common cloth, was a coarse and plain person, and his talents and abilities did not go beyond the commonplace. But when he had followed Gaozu in settling the empire, and was in the place of general and chancellor, and the several Lüs wished to make a rising, Bo set right the state's calamity and brought it back to the straight. Even Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou — what could they have added to it! As for Yafu's use of troops, his holding to authority and weight, his grasp of a firm blade — what could Rangju have added to it! Sufficient unto himself and unlearned, keeping his principle and yet unyielding, he ended in extremity. How sad!