Chapter 4: The army of Chu defeats the Qin army at the Battle of Changping, breaks through the Wu Pass, and Shang Yang flees to Huayin.
In 340 BC, Chu Xuan Wang died of illness and his son Xiong Shang succeeded him as King Wei of Chu. At the beginning of King Wei's reign, Shang Yang led a hundred thousand Qin troops to exit from Xiaoheguan to attack the southern army of Chu, but was defeated by the Chu general Qu Wu. The Qi army marched south to attack Linzi and Zaozhuang. The Chu army in Xuzhou rushed to rescue and repelled the Qi army.
In 338 BC, King Wei of Chu's second year, Qin Xiaogong died of illness and his son Huiwenjun succeeded him as Duke Huiwen of Qin. King Wei of Chu ordered a hundred thousand troops to move to Luohe and Zhoukou to strictly guard against the southern advance of the Wei army, and then personally led twenty thousand Chu troops to exit from Jingzhou and Xiangyang to march north to Nanyang and Zhechuan to attack Shang Yang's state of Shang. Shang Yang led twenty thousand Qin troops to exit from Xiaoheguan to fight against the Chu army in Shangnan, but was defeated by Qu Wu and retreated to defend Xiaoheguan.
King Wei of Chu ordered his troops to attack Xiaoheguan on one hand, and on the other hand, he ordered General Qu Wu to lead a hundred thousand Chu troops along the Dan River to attack the rear of Shang Yang's old nest, Shangdu (Danfeng). Duke Huiwen of Qin heard that King Wei of Chu was raising troops to attack Shang Yang, so he summoned his ministers to discuss the matter and said: "King Wei of Chu is leading a hundred thousand troops to attack the state of Shang. In my opinion, Shang Yang will certainly be defeated by the Chu army soon.
If the Chu army defeats Shang Yang, they will inevitably lead their troops to take over the state of Shang and roll up the land to Lonsouth. The states of Shang and Lonsouth, east of the Dan River and north of Shangdu, were already Qin territory during my ancestor Duke Xian's time. If the Chu army defeats the state of Shang and takes it from Shang Yang's hands, not only will Shangdu and Xiaoheguan be returned to Chu, but also the states of Shang and Lonsouth, as well as Danfeng, with a circumference of seven hundred li, will all belong to Chu. If the states of Shang and Lonsouth fall into the hands of the Chu army, my Qin state's Guanzhong and Xianyang will be severely threatened.
Therefore, I want to raise troops to help Shang Yang resist the Chu army outside Xiaoheguan. What do you think, gentlemen?"
Only then did the old minister Gan Long come out and say, "Your Majesty must not! In the past, Qin Xiao Gong knew that Chu Xuan Wang would definitely send troops to punish him, so he gave all 700 miles of Shangzhou to Qin Xiao Gong to establish his own country. The purpose was to divert the disaster. Now, Chu Wei Wang wants to recover the lost land and is determined to get it back. If Your Majesty raises an army against him, the armies of Chu and Qin will definitely fight to the death. At that time, the Wei army will take advantage of the situation and capture Huayin, directly threatening Guanzhong. Moreover, Chu has over a million soldiers now, and if Jingyang and Nanyang continue to increase their troops and generals, Qin's current military strength cannot resist the Chu army! I hope Your Majesty will think thrice before acting." Qin Huiwen Gong said, "According to your view, how should I handle this?" Gan Long said, "In my opinion, Qin Xiao Gong's possession of an army is a great rebellion. Your Majesty can send an envoy to Chu Wei Wang to re-establish the alliance between the two countries and revive the brotherly relationship of the past. At the same time, issue a decree stripping Qin Xiao Gong of his title and ordering him to hand over his military power. When Qin Xiao Gong sees the decree, he will definitely not obey and will rebel. Your Majesty can then use the excuse of punishing Qin Xiao Gong to take back Shangzhou and Shangyang, and re-establish the border agreement with Chu. This way, not only will the two countries turn their hostility into friendship, but also eliminate the great threat of Qin Xiao Gong. This is called 'one move, two gains.' Your Majesty should make a decision as soon as possible. If you delay, Qin Xiao Gong will definitely be defeated and escape, and the 700 miles of Shangzhou will all belong to Chu." Qin Huiwen Gong said, "Good!" He then sent an envoy to Chu Wei Wang to propose an alliance between the two countries and revive their brotherly relationship. At the same time, he issued a decree listing Qin Xiao Gong's ten great crimes, stripping him of his title, removing him from office, and ordering him to hand over all his military power to Xianyang.
Shang Yang saw the decree and naturally refused to give up the honor and wealth in front of him, which he had struggled for half his life with a reputation for disloyalty and unrighteousness. So Shang Yang not only disobeyed but also openly rebelled. Qin Huiwen Gong followed the decree and ordered the execution of Shang Yang, and led 200,000 Qin troops to march east on the ancient road of Shanluo, taking Danyang and Shangzhou. Shang Yang saw this and sent someone to ask for peace from Chu Wei Wang. Chu Wei Wang saw that Shang Yang's words were sincere and hesitated for a long time. Qu Wu said: "Shang Yang has ability but no virtue. As a native of the state of Wei, he was stationed in the state of Wei, but when the states of Wei and Qi fought, Wei was strong and Qi was weak, so he betrayed his ancestors and sold out the state of Qi to surrender to the prince of Wei. Later, he broke off relations with the state of Qi and fawned on the state of Wei. When Qin and Wei were at odds, he did not repay the kindness of Prince Wei, but instead betrayed the state of Wei and surrendered to the Qin army, designing a plot to harm Prince Wei, who had shown him great favor. For the sake of fame and fortune, he was willing to do anything, and after achieving success, he established his own country and opposed Xianyang. Now, he not only disobeys the king's order but also openly rebels - is this what a subject should do? In the past, King Hui of Wei did not use Shang Yang because he saw that Shang Yang had a heart of treachery and unrighteousness, and said to him, 'Have you heard that benevolence has no enemies, and righteousness can overcome any obstacle?' Unfortunately, Prince Wei only knew about the wolf's ability but not its nature. I have heard that in Zhongshan, there is a wolf that begs for food from people when it is hungry and cold, but once it is warm and full, it harms its master. This is a lesson from history, Your Majesty should be cautious." Chu Wei Wang listened to this and refused Shang Yang's request for peace, ordering the Chu army to intensify their attack on Shaohu Pass.
A few days later, Wu's 100,000-strong Chu army sailed up the Dan River to arrive at Shangyi, and the less-fortified Guan was also breached by the Chu army. The two armies of Chu converged on Danfeng to attack Shangyi. Shang Yang was no match for them and led his troops in a hasty retreat northward, but was defeated again by Sima Cuo along the way. Under the protection of his personal guards, he crawled up the hills and escaped to Luonan. Qin Duke Huiwen then divided his troops to pursue Shang Yang, while Sima Cuo led the Qin army to attack Shangyi together with Wu's Chu army. Both sides refused to yield, arrayed their formations, and faced off against each other, almost starting a fierce battle. Just as they were about to clash, Chu King Wei and Qin Duke Huiwen arrived on the scene, and both sides ceased hostilities and shook hands in friendship. They agreed that from Shangzhou to Danfeng, Chu and Qin would divide the territory equally, with the south belonging to Chu and the north to Qin. The Qin army set up a customs post at Guan, while the Chu army set one up at Shangzhou as a pass for trade and human traffic between the two countries. Each side stationed 1,000 soldiers to guard the posts. After this, Chu King Wei led his troops back to Jingdu, and Qin Duke Huiwen also returned to Xianyang with his army.
Shang Yang led the defeated soldiers and generals, fleeing from Luoyang to Tongguan. With tears streaming down his face, he repeatedly begged Wei Gongzi to take him in. Wei Gongzi was already moved by Shang Yang's pitiful state. However, when he heard General Wei Jia say: "You treacherous villain! You've finally gotten what you deserved. You're a wolf from Zhongshan, even more ruthless and cruel. Isn't it enough that you plotted against my lord? I wanted to kill you, but I didn't want to sully my precious sword." Wei Gongzi listened and then turned away with a flick of his sleeve. Shang Yang had no choice but to lead the defeated soldiers and generals to Huayin, where he gathered his old troops and planned to make a last stand. Qin Wengong ordered Sima Cuo and Xiang Shou to lead 200,000 troops to surround and capture Shang Yang. Shang Yang refused to surrender and led his army into battle, but was defeated and captured. He was taken to Xianyang, where he was sentenced to death by being torn apart by five horses. After his death, a sudden thunderstorm struck, burning his remains. Alas! Although Shang Yang had great merit in the state of Qin, it was all for personal gain and fame, and he abandoned his conscience. It's not an exaggeration to call him a wolf from Zhongshan. What's even more tragic is that his entire family was implicated and executed in the market square of Xianyang.
Chapter 4: The army of Chu defeats the Qin army at the Wu Pass; Shang Yang flees to Huayin
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"Warriors of the Yangtze River"
