Chapter 5: Xu Chu defeats Chuchu and establishes military prestige, meeting with various lords in Xuzhou to compete for hegemony.

  In 336 BC, the fourth year of King Wu of Chu and the third year of Duke Huiwen of Qin, King Wu of Chu ordered General Qu Wuzi to lead an army of one hundred thousand men from Chu to defeat the Wei army at Yuzhou and Gucheng, expanding their territory to Xianyang Mountain. Then, General Qu Wuzi also defeated the Han army at Pingdingshan, Ruyang, and Ruizhou, expanding their territory by over three hundred miles.

  In the fifth year of King Wu of Chu (335 BC), he led a large army northward to attack Wei, ordering thirty thousand men from Zhoukou, Luhe, Fang, and Ye to converge on Xuchang and defeat the Wei army. The king of Wei asked for help, and then ordered ten thousand men from Yangdi and Gongyi and another ten thousand men from Daliang to go south and rescue Xuchang. The Marquis of Han also sent ten thousand men from Zhengzhou and Xinzheng to go south and support the Wei army in rescuing Xuchang.

  In August, the Wei army that marched south from Yangdi and Gongyi was defeated by General Qu Wuzi at Xianyang Mountain and Yuzhou, and retreated back to Yangdi. The Wei army that marched south from Daliang was intercepted by the Chu army marching north from Zhoukou, while the ten thousand Han soldiers who marched south were defeated by the Chu army marching north from Fang and Ye.

  In September, King Wu of Chu led the main force of the Chu army to defeat the main force of the Wei army at Xuchang and the Daliang Wei army east of Taikang. In October, the Chu army captured Xuchang, and the remaining Wei soldiers retreated hastily back to Daliang.

  In this year's Battle of Xuchang, the Chu army killed nineteen thousand Wei soldiers and over five thousand Han soldiers, capturing Xuchang from the Wei army and approaching the capital city of the Han state. The king of Han was already frightened.

  In the sixth year of King Wu of Chu (334 BC), Duke Huiwen of Qin saw that the Chu army had defeated the Wei and Han armies at Xuchang, expanding their territory by five hundred miles, and the power of the Wei state had greatly decreased. He then ordered Sima Cuo and Xiang Shou to lead twenty thousand Qin soldiers, dividing them into two routes, marching out of Xianyang, and advancing eastward along the west bank of the Yellow River.

  Xiang Shou defeated the Wei army at Hancheng, while Sima Cuo fought a great battle against the famous Wei general Wei Huo at Tongguan but was unable to gain victory. He then retreated with his army back to Huayin and confronted the Wei army at Tongguan.

  Wei Huizong Wang retreated back to Xuchang after a crushing defeat, knowing that the Chu army was much stronger than Wei. The Wei army was no match for the Chu army in a one-on-one battle. After the defeat at Xuchang, the Qi army took advantage of the situation and attacked the Wei army's Pu Yang, while the Zhao army attacked the Wei city of Hebi, and the Qin army pressed on from the west. It was a disastrous war, with four enemies attacking from all sides, leaving Wei exhausted.

  In 334 BC, Chu Wu Wang gathered an army of 400,000 at Xuchang and marched towards the Wei capital of Daliang. Wei Huizong Wang was terrified and offered to cede Pu Yang and three other cities to Qi, promising to hand over the Hegemon's crown to Qi Wu Wang and recognize him as the supreme ruler of China. He also asked Qi to withdraw its troops.

  Wei then ceded Hebi and several other cities to Zhao, and several cities in the west to Qin. Both Zhao and Qin withdrew their armies. Wei Huizong Wang then sent a message to Qi, Qin, Zhao, Han, Yue, Yan, and Song, announcing that he would hand over the Hegemon's crown to the most qualified ruler at Xu State the following spring.

  Wei had thus withdrawn from its position as the supreme ruler of China and was willing to recognize a new leader. However, in private, Wei Huizong Wang told Chu Wu Wang: "I was defeated at Xuchang, and I acknowledge that the Chu army is the strongest in China. I wanted to hand over the Hegemon's crown to you, but Qi Wu Wang has been pressuring me relentlessly. So, I will hand it over to the most qualified ruler at Xu State next spring.

  "If you want to be the new hegemon, you have the ability to take it from me then. Why bother pressuring me, an old and unfortunate hegemon? I know that even if you capture my capital Daliang, Qi Wu Wang will not let you take the Hegemon's crown, and the other rulers of China will not recognize you as the new leader.

  "Even if you conquer Daliang, your army will be exhausted. At that time, Qi Wu Wang will lead the other rulers to attack your weakened forces, and the Hegemon's crown you took from me will be lost again." Chu Wu Wang listened to this and felt it was reasonable, so he withdrew his troops, and Wei's capital Daliang was saved.

  In the spring of 333 BC, in the seventh year of King Wei of Chu, King Huiwen of Wei held a grand ceremony at Xuzhou to confer the title of "Hegemon" on himself. He said: "The Hegemon's crown is for those who have the ability and virtue to wear it. Today, facing the turmoil of the world, the state of Wei has no more power to shake the four directions, so I will present the Hegemon's crown to the most powerful and virtuous ruler in the world, to lead the vassals and bring blessings to the world. If anyone thinks they are worthy, they can come forward and take the crown from me." After finishing speaking, he took off his crown with tears streaming down his face. The vassals looked at each other, whispering to each other, but no one dared to step forward to take the crown.

  The states of Qin, Zhao, Yue, and Song had always been eyeing the Hegemon's crown, but they knew that only Qi and Chu were qualified to take it. King Wei of Chu was a wise man, and he quietly observed as the 700,000-strong armies of the seven states of Qi, Qin, Zhao, Yue, Han, Yan, and Song surrounded Xuzhou.

  King Huiwen of Wei saw the situation and said: "Gentlemen, you are too modest! Alas, I am no longer worthy of wearing the Hegemon's crown. Today, King Wei of Qi is virtuous and powerful, and his army is invincible. I recommend him as the Hegemon of the world. If anyone disagrees, they can come forward and compete with the Qi army." After finishing speaking, he held out the crown with both hands, and King Wei of Qi stepped forward to take it.

  King Wei of Qi said: "I have no ability or virtue, how can I lead the vassals and become the Hegemon? It's all thanks to the prestige of King Huiwen of Wei. In my opinion, the two kings should coexist and rule the world together. Who dares not to obey?" The various vassals were dissatisfied, but they feared the power of the Qi army, so they did not dare to speak out.

  King Wei of Chu saw that Qin and Zhao were silent, so he stepped forward and said loudly: "Wait! In the Battle of Maling, the Qi army was defeated by the Wei army, how can it be the strongest in the world? Sun Bin's clever strategy defeated Pang Juan, but that doesn't mean the Qi army is invincible." King Huiwen of Wei hastily said: "King Wei of Chu is right! The truly powerful army is the Chu army! In the Battle of Xuchang, the armies of Wei and Han were defeated."

  King Wei of Qi was furious, his face turned green with rage, and he shouted: "How dare you, King of Chu! You are too arrogant!" King Wei of Chu said: "Not at all! Let's have a one-on-one duel, either single combat or a battle to the death. If your Qi army can defeat my Chu army, then you can take the crown."

  Qin and Zhao cheered in unison, and Qin Huiwen Gong and Zhao Wen Wang shouted loudly: "Right! The strong will be the Hegemon, one on one!"