Chapter 9: Duke Huan of Qi Ascends the Throne

In the eleventh year of King Zhuang of Zhou (686 BCE), the State of Qi forced the State of Cheng to surrender following a joint attack by the states of Qi and Lu. With this victory, Duke Xiang of Qi’s hegemony reached new heights; had he managed to convene the feudal lords, he would have been rightfully recognized as a hegemon. However, Duke Xiang never took that final step. A sudden internal revolt not only cost him his life but also temporarily derailed the path to Qi’s supremacy.

The origins of this conflict lay in Duke Xiang’s broken promise. Previously, he had dispatched two officials, Lian Cheng and Guan Zhifu, to garrison Kuiqiu, telling them, "Leave when the melons ripen, and you shall be replaced when the melons ripen again," implying a one-year rotation. When the year ended, the two men waited in vain for their relief force. Perplexed, they requested permission to return to Linzi, but Duke Xiang, having long since cast his promise to the winds, flatly refused. Life in the borderlands was harsh compared to the comfort of the capital, and resentment festered within the two men, leading them to plot a rebellion.

To topple Duke Xiang, they needed a legitimate successor, and they settled on his cousin, Gongsun Wuzhi. Wuzhi was the son of Yi Zhongnian, the younger brother of Duke Xi of Qi. During Duke Xi’s lifetime, he had doted on Wuzhi, providing him with the same standard of living as his own son, Prince Zhu'er—the future Duke Xiang—which had naturally caused the latter great irritation. Once Duke Xiang ascended the throne, he downgraded Wuzhi’s status, fueling his deep-seated animosity. When Lian Cheng and Guan Zhifu approached him, they found common ground and began their preparations in earnest. To ensure the success of the coup, Lian Cheng secured an inside agent: his cousin, one of Duke Xiang’s concubines who felt neglected. He persuaded her to join the conspiracy and relay the Duke’s movements, promising that if they succeeded, she would be married to Wuzhi as his primary wife.

A major rebellion was brewing, yet Duke Xiang remained blissfully unaware, perhaps blinded by his own vanity and indulgence as Qi’s power expanded. That winter, while Duke Xiang was touring Gufen and hunting at Beiqiu, he encountered a wild boar of abnormal size. Hunting such a beast was not unusual, but in the early Spring and Autumn period, people were deeply superstitious. His attendants, seeing the monstrous creature, panicked, believing it to be the vengeful spirit of Prince Pengsheng, whom Duke Xiang had previously murdered.

To maintain his illicit relationship with his sister, Wen Jiang, Duke Xiang had ordered his uncle, Prince Pengsheng, to kill the Duke of Lu while he was intoxicated. Later, to appease the new Duke Zhuang of Lu, he had framed and executed his own uncle. Pengsheng, embittered by this betrayal, had cried out before his execution that he would return as a vengeful ghost. Upon seeing the boar, Duke Xiang was overcome with a mix of fear and rage and fired an arrow at it. He struck the beast, but it did not die. Instead, the wounded boar reared up and let out a deafening roar, terrifying the already paranoid Duke so much that he fell from his chariot. Fortunately, his attendants rushed to his aid and carried him back.

Back at the palace, still seething and having lost his shoes in the chaos, Duke Xiang had the attendant in charge of his footwear whipped three hundred times. When the attendant, Fei, emerged from the palace, he found the city in an uproar, lights ablaze, and the sounds of clashing weapons. He was quickly seized by soldiers. Seeing that the Duke was injured and incapacitated, the conspirators had launched their coup. Fei, upon meeting them, feigned abuse by the Duke and offered to cooperate, urging them not to act rashly lest the Duke escape.

Gongsun Wuzhi and his cohorts believed him and set him free. However, Fei was deeply loyal; he immediately returned to the palace to warn the Duke and hid him behind a door. Realizing they had been deceived when Fei did not return, the rebels stormed the palace. Fei fought bravely but was eventually overwhelmed and killed at the gate.

Facing a prepared force, the Duke’s attendants were no match. The rebels easily entered the inner chambers and killed Meng Yang, who was lying in the bed disguised as the Duke. Searching the room, they spotted the Duke’s feet protruding from behind the door and finished him off. Thus, Duke Xiang died at the hands of his cousin—a fitting retribution for a man who lacked benevolence. Gongsun Wuzhi was then proclaimed the new ruler of Qi.

However, Wuzhi’s reign was short-lived. He was not a virtuous ruler; as a prince, he had abused the people of Yonglin. They harbored deep hatred for him, and when he visited their territory, they launched a surprise attack and killed him, along with Lian Cheng and Guan Zhifu.

Qi was left leaderless, and as the saying goes, a state cannot go a day without a ruler. Duke Xiang had no heirs, and the surviving sons of Duke Xi were Prince Jiu and Prince Xiaobai. The new ruler had to be one of them. At this critical juncture, however, both were in exile. Duke Xiang’s erratic and murderous behavior had long caused the high officials to fear for their own lives; if he could kill his own uncle, who was safe? Prince Jiu and Prince Xiaobai had fled in terror, Jiu to Lu and Xiaobai to Ju.

Though abroad, they kept a close watch on events. When news of the internal chaos and the deaths of the two rulers reached them, they both realized the throne was within reach. But there can only be one king; whoever reached the capital first would hold the advantage. The future of Qi remained uncertain.

In the twelfth year of King Zhuang of Zhou (685 BCE), dust billowed on the road from Ju to Linzi as dozens of chariots raced toward the northwest. In the center chariot stood a young man in white robes, gripping the railing and looking forward with anxiety. Beside him, a stout, honest-looking man held a long spear, scanning the surroundings with tension. The young man was Prince Xiaobai, and his companion was Bao Shuya, a Qi official and his loyal attendant. Their objective was the vacant throne of Qi.

After the coup, the people of Yonglin had declared their action a purge of traitors and urged the officials of Qi to install a virtuous ruler. The Gao and Guo families were the most powerful clans in Qi. The Gao family, descendants of Jiang Ziya, held great influence, and Gao Xi, a high minister under Duke Xiang, secretly contacted Xiaobai and urged him to return quickly.

Xiaobai was the youngest son of Duke Xi, born to a princess of Ju. Little was known of his early life, and he was not highly regarded at the time. When Duke Xi had appointed Bao Shuya as his attendant, Bao had been so disappointed that he initially refused, believing his talents were being wasted. Only after the persuasion of his friends, Guan Zhong and Zhao Hu, did he accept.

Guan Zhong, also known as Guan Yiwu, was said to be a descendant of King Mu of Zhou, though his family had since fallen into poverty. In those turbulent times, it was common for noble descendants to fall into destitution. In his youth, he had partnered with Bao Shuya in business. Guan Zhong would often take a larger share of the profits, and while others complained, Bao Shuya understood that Guan Zhong’s family was in dire need. Later, when they fought together for Qi against Wei, Guan Zhong appeared cowardly, drawing scorn from his comrades. Again, Bao Shuya defended him, explaining that Guan Zhong had an elderly mother to support. Because of Bao Shuya’s steadfast loyalty and integrity, Guan Zhong thrived and eventually became an official in Qi.

Though he appeared greedy and cowardly, Guan Zhong was no ordinary man. Unlike the honest Bao Shuya, Guan Zhong had a sharp, agile mind. He clearly understood the chaos of Duke Xiang’s reign and had his own unique vision for the succession.

Upon receiving the secret message, Xiaobai borrowed chariots from Ju and set off for Qi under the cover of night. But his ambition faced a sudden obstacle: as they raced toward Linzi, a force intercepted them. In the lead chariot stood a commander. Bao Shuya’s face turned pale as he ordered his driver to halt, blocking the way with his spear. The man was none other than Guan Zhong.

Guan Zhong had correctly anticipated that Xiaobai would move quickly. Realizing he could not escort Prince Jiu back in time, he had decided to intercept Xiaobai on the road. Bao Shuya, knowing Guan Zhong’s brilliance, prepared for a fight, but Guan Zhong merely bowed to Xiaobai with a smile, asking, "Where might the Prince be headed?" Before Xiaobai could respond, Bao Shuya snapped, "Yiwu, hold your tongue! My lord’s affairs are none of your concern!" The soldiers of Ju shouted in anger, ready to attack.

Guan Zhong remained unfazed and smiled, "In that case, I shall take my leave." As he turned his chariot to depart, he suddenly drew his bow and fired an arrow at Xiaobai. Xiaobai let out a cry, collapsed, vomited blood, and fell unconscious. Bao Shuya and the others were stunned, rushing to save the Prince and ignoring Guan Zhong, who laughed and rode away.

Guan Zhong believed he had succeeded, but even the wise can err. The arrow had struck Xiaobai’s belt buckle. Xiaobai, quick-witted, had bitten his tongue to fake his death and deceive his attackers. Once Guan Zhong was gone, he rose, and he and Bao Shuya took a shortcut back to Qi. By the time the Lu army arrived to escort Prince Jiu, Xiaobai had already been enthroned with the support of the Gao and Guo families—this was the famous Duke Huan of Qi.

Prince Jiu was forced to return to Lu and beg Duke Zhuang for assistance. Enraged, the Duke of Lu invaded Qi. That autumn, the armies met at Qianshi. The Lu army was soundly defeated, and Duke Zhuang fled in disgrace, leaving behind his chariots. The Battle of Qianshi marked the end of the internal chaos in Qi, and Duke Huan secured his position. However, his rise to hegemony had only just begun, for the other protagonist of this story, Guan Zhong, was still in Lu.