Chapter 24 23 Wu Zixu passes Zhaoguan

In the struggle for hegemony among the princes and big countries, the big countries merged with small countries and expanded their land.However, the princes of the big country had to entrust the newly acquired land to the doctors who had made great achievements.The power of the doctor has grown.There are also frequent fights between them.The internal contradictions of major powers have become acute, and they all want to temporarily stop the war for hegemony. For this reason, Xiang Shu (sound shu), a doctor of the State of Song, traveled between Jin and Chu to act as a mediator. In 546 BC, the Jin and Chu countries and several other countries held a "Mission Conference" in the Song State (Mi Yin mi, Mi Bing means to stop the war).At this meeting, the doctors of Jin State and Chu State made peace on behalf of the two groups of the North and the South and signed a covenant.It is stipulated that except for the two big countries of Qi and Qin, all small countries must pay tribute to Jin and Chu.Jin and Chu divided the hegemony equally, and there was no major war for more than 50 years.

After the grandson of King Chuzhuang, King Chuping, came to the throne, the state of Chu gradually declined.In 522 BC, King Ping of Chu wanted to abolish the original Prince Jian.At this time, Prince Jian and his teacher Wu She were guarding Chengfu (in the west of Xiangcheng, Henan).King Ping of Chu was afraid that Wu She would not agree, so he called Wu She first and falsely said that Prince Jian was plotting a rebellion. Wu She refused to admit anything and was immediately thrown into prison. King Ping of Chu sent people to kill Prince Jian, and at the same time forced Wu She to write to his two sons, Wu Shang and Wu Zixu, asking them to come back so that they could be eliminated together.The eldest son Wu Shang returned to Yingdu (northwest of Jiangling, Hubei today, Ying sounded ying), and was killed by King Ping of Chu along with his father Wu She.Prince Jian got wind of it in advance, and fled to Song State with his son Gongzi Sheng.

Another son of Wu She, Wu Zixu, also escaped from Chu State. He rushed to Song State and found Prince Jian.Unfortunately, civil strife broke out in Song State, and Wu Zixu fled to Zheng State with Prince Jian and Prince Sheng, and wanted to ask Zheng State to help them avenge them.But Zheng Dinggong, the king of the state of Zheng, did not agree. Prince Jian was eager for revenge, and he colluded with some ministers of Zheng Guo to seize the power of Zheng Dinggong, and was killed by Zheng Dinggong.Wu Zixu had no choice but to escape from the state of Zheng with his son Sheng, and defected to the state of Wu (the capital is now Suzhou, Jiangsu).

King Ping of Chu ordered a reward for the capture of Wu Zixu long ago, and asked someone to draw Wu Zixu's portrait, hang it at the gates of various cities in Chu State, and ordered officials from all over the country to interrogate him. After Wu Zixu escaped from the state of Zheng with his son Sheng, he hid during the day and traveled at night to Zhaoguan (in the north of Hanshan County, Anhui today) at the junction of Wu and Chu.The officials who closed the gate checked very closely.It is said that Wu Zixu was so worried that he couldn't sleep for several nights, and even his hair turned gray.Fortunately, they met a kind-hearted man, Duke Donggao, who sympathized with Wu Zixu and took him into his home.Donggao has a friend who looks a bit like Wu Zixu.Donggao asked him to pretend to be Wu Zixu to pass the test.The guards caught the fake Wu Zixu, but the real Wu Zixu was thrown out of the gate because his hair was all white and his face changed, so the guards couldn't recognize him.

When Wu Zixu left Zhaoguan, he was afraid of pursuers, so he hurried forward.Ahead is a big river blocking the way.Wu Zixu was in a hurry when an old fisherman on the river came with a small boat and took Wu Zixu across the river. After crossing the great river, Wu Zixu was very grateful, took off the sword beside him, gave it to the old fisherman, and said: "This sword was given to my grandfather by the king of Chu, and it is worth one hundred taels of gold. I give it to you now, at least to show my heart. " The old fisherman said: "In order to hunt you down, the king of Chu offered a bounty of 50,000 shi for grain, and promised to confer the title of doctor on the informer. I don't covet this bounty or title. Would I want your sword?"

Wu Zixu hurriedly apologized to the old fisherman, took away the sword, bid farewell to the old fisherman and left. When Wu Zixu arrived in the state of Wu, Guangzheng, the prince of Wu, wanted to seize the throne.With the help of Wu Zixu, Prince Guang killed Wu Wangliao (sound liao) and proclaimed himself king.This is Helu (sound helu), king of Wu. After King Helu of Wu came to the throne, he appointed Wu Zixu as a doctor to help him deal with state affairs; he also appointed a general, Sun Wu, who was a great military strategist who was good at using troops.Relying on Wu Zixu and Sun Wu, the King of Wu reorganized his army and annexed several neighboring small countries first.

In 506 BC, King Helu of Wu worshiped Sun Wu as a general, and Wu Zixu as his deputy. He personally led the army to attack the state of Chu. At that time, King Ping of Chu was dead, and his son King Zhao of Chu also fled.Wu Zixu hated King Ping of Chu so much that he dug his grave, dug up King Ping's body, and beat him severely. Wu Jun occupied Yingdu.Shen Baoxu, a native of Chu State, fled to Qin State and asked Qin State for help.Qin Aigong did not agree to send troops.Shen Baoxu lingered outside the gate of the Qin Palace, crying bitterly day and night, for seven days and seven nights.Qin Aigong was finally moved and said: "Although the state of Chu is tyrannical and lawless, but there are such good ministers, how can we see them perish!"

Duke Ai of Qin sent troops to rescue Chu and defeated the army of Wu, so King Helu of Wu withdrew his troops and returned home. He Lu, the king of Wu, returned to the capital of the state of Wu, and gave Sun Wu the first major contribution.Sun Wu didn't want to be an official, so he went back to his hometown and lived in seclusion.The "Art of War by Sun Tzu" left by him is the earliest outstanding military work in our country.