Biography of the Marquis of Huaiyin

淮陰侯韓信者，淮陰人也。始為布衣時，貧無行，不得推擇為吏，又不能治生商賈，常從人寄食飲，人多厭之者，常數從其下鄉南昌亭長寄食，數月，亭長妻患之，乃晨炊蓐食。食時信往，不為具食。信亦知其意，怒，竟絕去。

Han Xin, the Marquis of Huaiyin, was a native of Huaiyin. In his early days as a commoner, he was poor and lacked the conduct required for recommendation to an official post, nor could he earn a living as a merchant or trader. He constantly relied on others for meals, and most people found him tiresome. He frequently took his meals at the home of the Nanchang pavilion head in the district below his own, and after several months, the pavilion head's wife grew so vexed that she began cooking and eating breakfast in bed before he could arrive. When the usual mealtime came, Xin arrived as always, but no food had been prepared for him. Xin understood her meaning well enough. Furious, he left and never returned.

信釣於城下，諸母漂，有一母見信饑，飯信，竟漂數十日。信喜，謂漂母曰：「吾必有以重報母。」母怒曰：「大丈夫不能自食，吾哀王孫而進食，豈望報乎！」

Xin took to fishing beneath the city walls, where a group of washerwomen rinsed silk by the river. One of them, seeing that Xin was hungry, shared her meal with him. This continued for the dozens of days she spent washing there. Xin was grateful and said to the washerwoman, 'One day I will surely repay you handsomely.' The woman flared up in anger: 'A grown man who cannot even feed himself! I gave you food out of pity, young lord—do you think I was looking for repayment?'

淮陰屠中少年有侮信者，曰：「若雖長大，好帶刀劍，中情怯耳。」眾辱之曰：「信能死，刺我；不能死，出我袴下。」於是信孰視之，俛出袴下，蒲伏。一市人皆笑信，以為怯。

Among the young roughs in the Huaiyin marketplace, there was one who taunted Xin: 'You may be tall and fond of wearing a sword, but at heart you are nothing but a coward.' Before the crowd, the youth humiliated him further: 'If you have the nerve to die for it, then run me through.' If not, crawl between my legs.' Xin studied him for a long moment, then bent low, crawled between the man's legs, and lay prostrate on the ground. Everyone in the market laughed at Xin, convinced he was a coward.

及項梁渡淮，信杖劍從之，居戲下，無所知名。項梁敗，又屬項羽，羽以為郎中。數以策干項羽，羽不用。漢王之入蜀，信亡楚歸漢，未得知名，為連敖。坐法當斬，其輩十三人皆已斬，次至信，信乃仰視，適見滕公，曰：「上不欲就天下乎？何為斬壯士！」滕公奇其言，壯其貌，釋而不斬。與語，大說之。言於上，上拜以為治粟都尉，上未之奇也。

When Xiang Liang crossed the Huai River, Xin took up his sword and joined him, but he served in the ranks at Xi without ever distinguishing himself. After Xiang Liang's defeat, Xin attached himself to Xiang Yu, who appointed him a palace guard. He proposed strategies to Xiang Yu on several occasions, but none were adopted. When the King of Han entered Shu, Xin deserted Chu and went over to Han, but he still had no reputation and was given only the minor post of liaison officer. He was convicted of a crime and sentenced to death. The thirteen men in his group had all been beheaded already, and his turn was next. As Xin looked up, he caught sight of Lord Teng and called out, 'Does His Majesty not wish to win the empire?' Why then does he execute men of valor?' Lord Teng was struck by his words and impressed by his bearing, and ordered him released. After speaking with Xin at length, Lord Teng was greatly delighted. He recommended Xin to the king, who appointed him Colonel of Grain Management—but the king saw nothing remarkable in him.

信數與蕭何語，何奇之。至南鄭，諸將行道亡者數十人，信度何等已數言上，上不我用，即亡。何聞信亡，不及以聞，自追之。人有言上曰：「丞相何亡。」上大怒，如失左右手。居一二日，何來謁上，上且怒且喜，罵何曰：「若亡，何也？」何曰：「臣不敢亡也，臣追亡者。」上曰：「若所追者誰何？」曰：「韓信也。」上復罵曰：「諸將亡者以十數，公無所追；追信，詐也。」何曰：「諸將易得耳。至如信者，國士無雙。王必欲長王漢中，無所事信；必欲爭天下，非信無所與計事者。顧王策安所決耳。」王曰：「吾亦欲東耳，安能郁郁久居此乎？」何曰：「王計必欲東，能用信，信即留；不能用，信終亡耳。」王曰：「吾為公以為將。」何曰：「雖為將，信必不留。」王曰：「以為大將。」何曰：「幸甚。」於是王欲召信拜之。何曰：「王素慢無禮，今拜大將如呼小兒耳，此乃信所以去也。王必欲拜之，擇良日，齋戒，設壇場，具禮，乃可耳。」王許之。諸將皆喜，人人各自以為得大將。至拜大將，乃韓信也，一軍皆驚。

Xin had many conversations with Xiao He, who came to regard him as an extraordinary man. When the army reached Nanzheng, dozens of officers had already deserted along the way. Xin reckoned that Xiao He and others must have recommended him to the king several times by now. Since the king still refused to employ him, he too fled. When Xiao He learned that Xin had fled, he had no time to report the matter and rode off in pursuit himself. Someone reported to the king, 'Chancellor Xiao He has deserted.' The king flew into a rage, as though he had lost both his right and left hands. A day or two later, Xiao He returned and presented himself to the king. The king was furious and relieved in equal measure, and berated him: 'You deserted—why?' Xiao He replied, 'I would never dare desert. I was chasing after a deserter.' The king asked, 'Who were you chasing?' 'Han Xin,' Xiao He answered. The king cursed again: 'Dozens of generals have deserted, and you went after none of them.' Chasing Han Xin—that is a lie.' Xiao He replied, 'Those other generals are easy enough to replace.' But Han Xin is a man without equal in the realm. If Your Majesty is content to remain King of Hanzhong forever, then you have no need of Xin. But if you intend to contend for the empire, there is no one but Han Xin with whom you can plan such a campaign.' It all depends on what Your Majesty decides.' The king said, 'I too wish to march east. How could I stay cooped up here forever?' Xiao He said, 'If Your Majesty is determined to march east and can bring yourself to employ Xin, he will stay.' If you cannot employ him, he will desert again sooner or later.' The king said, 'For your sake, I will make him a general.' Xiao He replied, 'Even as a general, Xin will certainly not stay.' The king said, 'Then I will make him Supreme Commander.' Xiao He said, 'Excellent.' The king then prepared to summon Xin and appoint him on the spot. Xiao He said, 'Your Majesty has always been careless and lacking in courtesy. To appoint a Supreme Commander as though summoning an errand boy—that is precisely why Xin left.' If Your Majesty truly wishes to appoint him, you must choose an auspicious day, observe fasting and purification, erect an altar, and perform the full ceremony. Only then will the appointment carry weight.' The king agreed. All the generals were delighted, each one certain that he himself would be named Supreme Commander. When the appointment was made, it was Han Xin—and the entire army was thunderstruck.

信拜禮畢，上坐。王曰：「丞相數言將軍，將軍何以教寡人計策？」信謝，因問王曰：「今東鄉爭權天下，豈非項王邪？」漢王曰：「然。」曰：「大王自料勇悍仁彊孰與項王？」漢王默然良久，曰：「不如也。」信再拜賀曰：「惟信亦為大王不如也。然臣嘗事之，請言項王之為人也。項王喑噁叱，千人皆廢，然不能任屬賢將，此特匹夫之勇耳。項王見人恭敬慈愛，言語嘔嘔，人有疾病，涕泣分食飲，至使人有功當封爵者，印刓敝，忍不能予，此所謂婦人之仁也。項王雖霸天下而臣諸侯，不居關中而都彭城。有背義帝之約，而以親愛王，諸侯不平。諸侯之見項王遷逐義帝置江南，亦皆歸逐其主而自王善地。項王所過無不殘滅者，天下多怨，百姓不親附，特劫於威彊耳。名雖為霸，實失天下心。故曰其彊易弱。今大王誠能反其道：任天下武勇，何所不誅！以天下城邑封功臣，何所不服！以義兵從思東歸之士，何所不散！且三秦王為秦將，將秦子弟數歲矣，所殺亡不可勝計，又欺其眾降諸侯，至新安，項王詐阬秦降卒二十餘萬，唯獨邯、欣、翳得脫，秦父兄怨此三人，痛入骨髓。今楚彊以威王此三人，秦民莫愛也。大王之入武關，秋豪無所害，除秦苛法，與秦民約，法三章耳，秦民無不欲得大王王秦者。於諸侯之約，大王當王關中，關中民咸知之。大王失職入漢中，秦民無不恨者。今大王舉而東，三秦可傳檄而定也。」於是漢王大喜，自以為得信晚。遂聽信計，部署諸將所擊。

After the ceremony was complete, Xin took his seat in the place of honor. The king said, 'The Chancellor has spoken of you many times. Tell me, General—what strategy do you counsel?' Xin expressed his gratitude, then asked the king, 'When you march east to contend for mastery of the empire, your rival is Xiang Yu, is it not?' The King of Han said, 'It is.' Xin asked, 'In your own estimation, how do you compare with Xiang Yu in courage, ferocity, benevolence, and strength?' The King of Han was silent for a long while, then said, 'I cannot match him.' Xin bowed twice and congratulated him: 'Indeed, even I would say Your Majesty cannot match him.' Yet I once served under him, so allow me to describe the kind of man Xiang Yu is. When Xiang Yu bellows in fury, a thousand men quail before him, yet he cannot delegate authority to able generals. This is merely the bravery of a common brawler. Xiang Yu treats people with courtesy and kindness, and speaks to them gently. When someone falls ill, he weeps and shares his own food and drink. Yet when a man has earned merit and deserves to be enfeoffed, he fingers the seal until its edges are worn smooth, unable to bring himself to part with it. This is what people call the benevolence of a woman. Although Xiang Yu made himself overlord of the empire and reduced the feudal lords to vassals, he did not establish himself within the passes but chose Pengcheng as his capital. He broke his compact with the Righteous Emperor and enfeoffed only his own kin and favorites as kings, leaving the other lords aggrieved. When the lords saw Xiang Yu banish the Righteous Emperor to the south of the Yangtze, they followed suit—each expelling his own overlord and seizing the best territories for himself. Wherever Xiang Yu passed, he left nothing but destruction. The whole empire is full of resentment. The common people do not rally to him out of loyalty; they submit only because they are cowed by his brute force. He bears the title of overlord, but in truth he has lost the hearts of the people. And so I say his strength can easily be turned to weakness. Now if Your Majesty can truly reverse his course—employ the bravest warriors in the empire, and what enemy cannot be vanquished? Reward your meritorious followers with cities and domains, and who will not submit? Lead a righteous army of soldiers who long to return east, and what force will not be swept aside? Moreover, the three kings now ruling Qin once served as Qin generals, leading the sons of Qin for years on end and sending untold numbers to their deaths. They then deceived their own troops into surrendering to the other lords. At Xin'an, Xiang Yu treacherously buried alive over two hundred thousand Qin soldiers who had already surrendered—only Zhang Han, Sima Xin, and Dong Yi escaped. The fathers and brothers of Qin hate these three men with a bitterness that reaches to the very marrow of their bones. Now Chu has imposed these three as kings by force. The people of Qin feel no love for any of them. When Your Majesty entered through the Wu Pass, you did not harm so much as a blade of grass. You abolished the harsh laws of Qin and made a covenant with the people—just three simple statutes. Every man and woman in Qin wishes for Your Majesty to be their king. By the covenant among the lords, Your Majesty should be King of the Land within the Passes, and every soul in the region knows it. When Your Majesty was cheated of your rightful throne and sent to Hanzhong, every person in Qin felt the injustice. Now if Your Majesty raises your banners and marches east, the three kingdoms of Qin will fall at the mere proclamation of your coming.' At this the King of Han was overjoyed, regretting only that he had not found Xin sooner. He adopted Xin's plan and deployed the generals to their assigned positions for the campaign.

八月，漢王舉兵東出陳倉，定三秦。漢二年，出關，收魏、河南，韓、殷王皆降。合齊、趙共擊楚。四月，至彭城，漢兵敗散而還。信復收兵與漢王會滎陽，復擊破楚京、索之閒，以故楚兵卒不能西。

In the eighth month, the King of Han raised his army and marched east through Chencang, conquering the three Qin kingdoms. In the second year of Han, he advanced beyond the passes and brought Wei and Henan under his control. The kings of Hann and Yin all surrendered. He joined forces with Qi and Zhao to mount a combined assault on Chu. In the fourth month, they reached Pengcheng, but the Han army was routed and fell back in disarray. Xin rallied the remaining troops and rejoined the King of Han at Xingyang, where he defeated the Chu forces in the area between Jing and Suo. As a result, the Chu army was unable to advance westward.

漢之敗卻彭城，塞王欣、翟王翳亡漢降楚，齊、趙亦反漢與楚和。六月，魏王豹謁歸視親疾，至國，即絕河關反漢，與楚約和。漢王使酈生說豹，不下。其八月，以信為左丞相，擊魏。魏王盛兵蒲阪，塞臨晉，信乃益為疑兵，陳船欲度臨晉，而伏兵從夏陽以木罌缻渡軍，襲安邑。魏王豹驚，引兵迎信，信遂虜豹，定魏為河東郡。漢王遣張耳與信俱，引兵東，北擊趙、代。後九月，破代兵，禽夏說閼與。信之下魏破代，漢輒使人收其精兵，詣滎陽以距楚。

After the defeat and retreat from Pengcheng, the King of Sai and the King of Di deserted Han and went over to Chu. Qi and Zhao likewise turned against Han and allied themselves with Chu. In the sixth month, King Bao of Wei begged leave to visit a sick relative. Upon reaching his own territory, he promptly sealed off the Yellow River crossings, revolted against Han, and concluded a treaty with Chu. The King of Han sent Li Yiji to talk Bao into submission, but he refused. In the eighth month of that year, Xin was appointed Left Chancellor and sent to attack Wei. The King of Wei massed his forces at Puban and fortified the Linjin crossing. Xin deployed decoy troops and lined up boats as though he intended to cross at Linjin, but meanwhile sent his hidden main force across the river from Xiayang using rafts made of wooden casks and jars, striking Anyi by surprise. King Bao of Wei, taken by surprise, hastily led his troops to meet the attack, but Xin captured him and subjugated Wei, establishing it as the commandery of Hedong. The King of Han dispatched Zhang Er to serve alongside Xin. Together they led their forces eastward and northward to attack Zhao and Dai. In the intercalary ninth month, they defeated the forces of Dai and captured the Dai general Xia Yue at Eyu. Each time Xin conquered Wei or defeated Dai, the King of Han would send officers to strip away his best troops and divert them to Xingyang for the defense against Chu.

信與張耳以兵數萬，欲東下井陘擊趙。趙王、成安君陳餘聞漢且襲之也，聚兵井陘口，號稱二十萬。廣武君李左車說成安君曰：「聞漢將韓信涉西河，虜魏王，禽夏說，新喋血閼與，今乃輔以張耳，議欲下趙，此乘勝而去國遠鬬，其鋒不可當。臣聞千里餽糧，士有饑色，樵蘇後爨，師不宿飽。今井陘之道，車不得方軌，騎不得成列，行數百里，其勢糧食必在其後。願足下假臣奇兵三萬人，從閒道絕其輜重；足下深溝高壘，堅營勿與戰。彼前不得鬬，退不得還，吾奇兵絕其後，使野無所掠，不至十日，而兩將之頭可致於戲下。願君留意臣之計。否，必為二子所禽矣。」成安君，儒者也，常稱義兵不用詐謀奇計，曰：「吾聞兵法十則圍之，倍則戰。今韓信兵號數萬，其實不過數千。能千里而襲我，亦已罷極。今如此避而不擊，後有大者，何以加之！則諸侯謂吾怯，而輕來伐我。」不聽廣武君策，廣武君策不用。

Xin and Zhang Er, commanding tens of thousands of troops, prepared to advance eastward through the Jingxing Pass to attack Zhao. The King of Zhao and Lord Cheng'an, Chen Yu, learned that the Han forces were coming to attack them. They massed their troops at the mouth of the Jingxing Pass—two hundred thousand, by their own count. Lord Guangwu, Li Zuoche, counseled Lord Cheng'an: 'I hear that the Han general Han Xin crossed the West River, captured the King of Wei, seized Xia Yue, and has just now stained the ground with fresh blood at Eyu. Now, with Zhang Er at his side, he plans to take Zhao. He rides the momentum of victory and fights far from his base—his edge is impossible to withstand head-on.' I have heard it said: when grain must be hauled a thousand li, the soldiers go hungry; when firewood must be gathered before the fires are lit, the army never eats its fill. The road through the Jingxing Pass is so narrow that chariots cannot drive abreast and horsemen cannot ride in formation. After marching several hundred li along such a road, their supply train must inevitably be strung out far behind them. I ask that you give me thirty thousand men as a flanking force. I will take them by hidden paths to cut off their supply wagons. Meanwhile, you should dig deep trenches, raise high ramparts, fortify your camp, and refuse battle. Unable to advance into battle or retreat the way they came, with our flanking force cutting off their rear and nothing to forage from the countryside—within ten days, the heads of both their generals can be laid at your feet. I beg you to consider my plan carefully. Otherwise, you will certainly be taken prisoner by those two men.' Lord Cheng'an was a Confucian and had always insisted that a righteous army does not resort to deception or cunning stratagems. He said, 'The art of war teaches: when you outnumber the enemy ten to one, surround him; when two to one, give battle.' Han Xin claims to have tens of thousands of troops, but in truth he has no more than a few thousand. Having marched a thousand li to attack us, they must already be utterly spent. If we shrink from engaging such a feeble force, how will we face a truly powerful enemy when one comes?' The other lords would think us cowards and come to attack without hesitation.' He rejected Lord Guangwu's plan, and it was never carried out.

韓信使人閒視，知其不用，還報，則大喜，乃敢引兵遂下。未至井陘口三十里，止舍。夜半傳發，選輕騎二千人，人持一赤幟，從閒道萆山而望趙軍，誡曰：「趙見我走，必空壁逐我，若疾入趙壁，拔趙幟，立漢赤幟。」令其裨將傳飱，曰：「今日破趙會食！」諸將皆莫信，詳應曰：「諾。」謂軍吏曰：「趙已先據便地為壁，且彼未見吾大將旗鼓，未肯擊前行，恐吾至阻險而還。」信乃使萬人先行，出，背水陳。趙軍望見而大笑。平旦，信建大將之旗鼓，鼓行出井陘口，趙開壁擊之，大戰良久。於是信、張耳詳棄鼓旗，走水上軍。水上軍開入之，復疾戰。趙果空壁爭漢鼓旗，逐韓信、張耳。韓信、張耳已入水上軍，軍皆殊死戰，不可敗。信所出奇兵二千騎，共候趙空壁逐利，則馳入趙壁，皆拔趙旗，立漢赤幟二千。趙軍已不勝，不能得信等，欲還歸壁，壁皆漢赤幟，而大驚，以為漢皆已得趙王將矣，兵遂亂，遁走，趙將雖斬之，不能禁也。於是漢兵夾擊，大破虜趙軍，斬成安君泜水上，禽趙王歇。

Han Xin had sent spies to observe the enemy, and when they reported back that the plan had been rejected, he was overjoyed. Only then did he dare lead his troops forward into the pass. He halted and made camp thirty li from the mouth of the Jingxing Pass. At midnight he issued orders to break camp. He handpicked two thousand light cavalry, each carrying a red Han banner, and sent them by hidden paths to take up positions on the hillside overlooking the Zhao camp. He instructed them: 'When the Zhao forces see us flee, they will pour out of their fortifications to give chase. The moment that happens, rush into the Zhao camp, tear down their banners, and plant the red banners of Han.' He then ordered his officers to distribute a light meal, saying, 'Today we will crush Zhao, and then we shall feast together!' None of the generals believed him, but they feigned agreement, saying, 'Yes, sir.' He told his officers, 'Zhao has already seized the high ground and fortified it. Moreover, they have not yet seen our commander's standards and war drums, so they will not attack our vanguard—they expect us to hit rough terrain and turn back.' Xin then sent ten thousand men ahead to emerge from the pass and form up with their backs to the river. The Zhao army looked on and burst out laughing. At dawn, Xin raised the commander's standards and war drums and marched out of the Jingxing Pass with drums beating. The Zhao forces sallied from their fortifications to attack, and a fierce battle raged for some time. Then Xin and Zhang Er made a show of abandoning their standards and drums and fled toward the troops drawn up by the river. The river force opened their lines to receive them, and the fighting resumed with renewed ferocity. As expected, the Zhao troops poured out of their fortifications to seize the Han standards and pursue Han Xin and Zhang Er. But Han Xin and Zhang Er had already joined the river force. With the river at their backs and no route of retreat, every man fought with the desperation of the doomed, and they could not be broken. The two thousand cavalry Xin had sent out on the flanking mission watched and waited. The moment the Zhao troops abandoned their camp to chase the retreating Han forces, the horsemen galloped in, tore down every Zhao banner, and planted two thousand red Han flags in their place. The Zhao army, already failing to overcome the Han forces and unable to capture Xin and the others, tried to fall back to their camp—only to see it covered in red Han banners. Panic seized them. Convinced that Han had already captured the King of Zhao and his generals, the troops broke into chaos and fled in every direction. Though the Zhao officers cut down deserters, nothing could stop the rout. The Han troops then closed in from both sides, crushing and capturing the Zhao army. Lord Cheng'an was beheaded on the banks of the Zhi River, and King Xie of Zhao was taken alive.

信乃令軍中毋殺廣武君，有能生得者購千金。於是有縛廣武君而致戲下者，信乃解其縛，東鄉坐，西鄉對，師事之。諸將效首虜，（休）畢賀，因問信曰：「兵法右倍山陵，前左水澤，今者將軍令臣等反背水陳，曰破趙會食，臣等不服。然竟以勝，此何術也？」信曰：「此在兵法，顧諸君不察耳。兵法不曰『陷之死地而後生，置之亡地而後存』？且信非得素拊循士大夫也，此所謂『驅市人而戰之』，其勢非置之死地，使人人自為戰；今予之生地，皆走，寧尚可得而用之乎！」諸將皆服曰：「善。非臣所及也。」

Xin issued orders throughout the army that Lord Guangwu was not to be killed. A reward of a thousand pieces of gold was offered for his capture alive. Before long, a soldier brought Lord Guangwu in, bound. Xin personally untied his bonds, seated him in the place of honor facing east, and took the western seat facing him, treating him with the deference due a teacher. The generals came forward to present the heads and prisoners they had taken. (A pause in the narrative.) After the congratulations were finished, the generals asked Xin, 'The principles of war say to keep hills at your right and rear, and water and marshes to the front and left. Yet the General ordered us to form our line with our backs against the river, saying we would feast after destroying Zhao. We did not believe it.' And yet we won. What strategy is this?' Xin replied, 'This too is in the art of war—you gentlemen simply overlooked it.' Does it not say, "Cast them into a place of death, and they will fight to live; put them on ground where they must perish, and they will survive"? Moreover, my troops are not seasoned men who have trained under my hand. I was, as the saying goes, "driving men from the marketplace into battle." The only way was to place them where death was certain, so that each man would fight for his own life. Had I given them an easy escape route, every last one would have fled. How then could they have been made to fight?' The generals were all convinced and said, 'Brilliant.' This is beyond anything we could have conceived.'

於是信問廣武君曰：「仆欲北攻燕，東伐齊，何若而有功？」廣武君辭謝曰：「臣聞敗軍之將，不可以言勇，亡國之大夫，不可以圖存。今臣敗亡之虜，何足以權大事乎！」信曰：「仆聞之，百里奚居虞而虞亡，在秦而秦霸，非愚於虞而智於秦也，用與不用，聽與不聽也。誠令成安君聽足下計，若信者亦已為禽矣。以不用足下，故信得侍耳。」因固問曰：「仆委心歸計，願足下勿辭。」廣武君曰：「臣聞智者千慮，必有一失；愚者千慮，必有一得。故曰『狂夫之言，聖人擇焉』。顧恐臣計未必足用，願效愚忠。夫成安君有百戰百勝之計，一旦而失之，軍敗鄗下，身死泜上。今將軍涉西河，虜魏王，禽夏說閼與，一舉而下井陘，不終朝破趙二十萬眾，誅成安君。名聞海內，威震天下，農夫莫不輟耕釋耒，褕衣甘食，傾耳以待命者。若此，將軍之所長也。然而眾勞卒罷，其實難用。今將軍欲舉倦獘之兵，頓之燕堅城之下，欲戰恐久力不能拔，情見勢屈，曠日糧竭，而弱燕不服，齊必距境以自彊也。燕齊相持而不下，則劉項之權未有所分也。若此者，將軍所短也。臣愚，竊以為亦過矣。故善用兵者不以短擊長，而以長擊短。」韓信曰：「然則何由？」廣武君對曰：「方今為將軍計，莫如案甲休兵，鎮趙撫其孤，百里之內，牛酒日至，以饗士大夫醳兵，北首燕路，而後遣辯士奉咫尺之書，暴其所長於燕，燕必不敢不聽從。燕已從，使諠言者東告齊，齊必從風而服，雖有智者，亦不知為齊計矣。如是，則天下事皆可圖也。兵固有先聲而後實者，此之謂也。」韓信曰：「善。」從其策，發使使燕，燕從風而靡。乃遣使報漢，因請立張耳為趙王，以鎮撫其國。漢王許之，乃立張耳為趙王。

Xin then turned to Lord Guangwu and asked, 'I intend to attack Yan to the north and Qi to the east. How should I proceed to ensure success?' Lord Guangwu demurred: 'I have heard it said that the general of a defeated army has no standing to speak of valor, and the minister of a fallen state has no right to plan for survival.' I am a prisoner from a defeated and ruined state. How could I be fit to counsel you on such great affairs?' Xin said, 'I have heard that Baili Xi served the state of Yu, and Yu perished; he served Qin, and Qin rose to supremacy. It was not that he was a fool in Yu and a sage in Qin—the difference lay in whether his advice was heeded or ignored.' Had Lord Cheng'an truly followed your plan, a man like me would already be a prisoner. It was precisely because he ignored you that I am able to sit here today.' He pressed further: 'I place my full trust in your counsel. Please do not decline.' Lord Guangwu said, 'I have heard that even a wise man, in a thousand deliberations, will make one mistake.' And even a fool, in a thousand deliberations, will hit upon one good idea. As the saying goes, "Even from the ravings of a madman, the sage finds something to choose." I fear my counsel may not prove equal to the task, but I will offer what humble insights I have. Lord Cheng'an possessed the reputation of a commander who never lost a battle. Yet in a single morning he threw it all away—his army destroyed at Hao, his life ended on the banks of the Zhi. Now the General has crossed the West River, captured the King of Wei, seized Xia Yue at Eyu, swept down through the Jingxing Pass in a single thrust, and before the morning was over, annihilated a Zhao army of two hundred thousand and put Lord Cheng'an to death. Your fame has spread across the land and your power shakes the world. Farmers have set down their plows and hoes, donned fine clothing, and eaten well, all straining to hear what you will command next. These are the General's strengths. Yet your troops are weary and spent, and in truth they are difficult to deploy further. If the General now leads his exhausted army to batter against the fortified cities of Yan, the siege may drag on without success. As your strength fades and your supplies run out, even weak Yan will refuse to submit, and Qi will use the time to fortify its own borders. With Yan and Qi both holding firm, the balance of power between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu will remain unresolved. This is the General's weakness. Foolish as I am, I believe a direct attack would be a grave mistake. A skilled commander does not pit his weaknesses against the enemy's strengths, but uses his strengths against the enemy's weaknesses. Han Xin asked, 'Then what course do you recommend?' Lord Guangwu replied, 'For the present, the best course is to rest your troops and set aside your armor. Pacify Zhao, comfort its war orphans, and within a hundred li have cattle slaughtered and wine delivered daily to feast the officers and give the soldiers a respite. Then turn your face north toward Yan, and dispatch eloquent envoys with brief letters making plain the force at your disposal. Yan will not dare refuse to submit.' Once Yan has yielded, send agents east to spread the word to Qi. Qi will bend before the wind and submit. Even the cleverest strategist would not know how to resist under such circumstances. If you proceed in this way, the whole empire can be brought within your grasp. In warfare, there are times when reputation must come before force. This is exactly such a case.' Han Xin said, 'Excellent.' He adopted the plan and dispatched envoys to Yan. Yan submitted without resistance. He then sent a report to the King of Han and at the same time requested that Zhang Er be made King of Zhao to govern and pacify the conquered territory. The King of Han agreed and installed Zhang Er as King of Zhao.

楚數使奇兵渡河擊趙，趙王耳、韓信往來救趙，因行定趙城邑，發兵詣漢。楚方急圍漢王於滎陽，漢王南出，之宛、葉閒，得黥布，走入成皋，楚又復急圍之。六月，漢王出成皋，東渡河，獨與滕公俱，從張耳軍修武。至，宿傳舍。晨自稱漢使，馳入趙壁。張耳、韓信未起，即其臥內上奪其印符，以麾召諸將，易置之。信、耳起，乃知漢王來，大驚。漢王奪兩人軍，即令張耳備守趙地。拜韓信為相國，收趙兵未發者擊齊。

Chu repeatedly sent raiding forces across the river to strike at Zhao. Zhang Er, now King of Zhao, and Han Xin went back and forth to repel these attacks, and in doing so brought Zhao's cities and towns fully under control, dispatching troops to reinforce Han. Meanwhile, Chu was pressing the King of Han hard at Xingyang. The king broke out to the south and made his way through the region between Wan and Ye, where he secured the allegiance of Qing Bu. He then retreated into Chenggao, but Chu laid siege once again. In the sixth month, the King of Han slipped out of Chenggao and crossed the Yellow River eastward, accompanied only by Lord Teng. He made for Zhang Er's army at Xiuwu. When he arrived, he spent the night at a courier station. At dawn, he announced himself as a Han envoy and rode at a gallop into the Zhao encampment. Zhang Er and Han Xin were still in bed. The king went straight to their quarters and seized their seals of command and tallies of authority. He then used the commander's standard to summon the generals and reassigned their posts. When Xin and Zhang Er awoke and discovered that the King of Han himself had arrived, they were stunned. Having taken command of both men's armies, the King of Han ordered Zhang Er to remain and defend the territory of Zhao. He appointed Han Xin as Chancellor of State and ordered him to gather the remaining Zhao troops for an attack on Qi.

信引兵東，未渡平原，聞漢王使酈食其已說下齊，韓信欲止。范陽辯士蒯通說信曰：「將軍受詔擊齊，而漢獨發閒使下齊，寧有詔止將軍乎？何以得毋行也！且酈生一士，伏軾掉三寸之舌，下齊七十餘城，將軍將數萬眾，歲餘乃下趙五十餘，為將數歲，反不如一豎儒之功乎？」於是信然之，從其計，遂渡河。齊已聽酈生，即留縱酒，罷備漢守御。信因襲齊歷下軍，遂至臨菑。齊王田廣以酈生賣己，乃亨之，而走高密，使使之楚請救。韓信已定臨菑，遂東追廣至高密西。楚亦使龍且將，號稱二十萬，救齊。

Xin led his army eastward, but before he crossed Pingyuan, he learned that the King of Han had sent Li Yiji, who had already talked Qi into surrender. Xin considered halting his advance. Kuai Tong, a persuasive rhetorician from Fanyang, counseled Xin: 'The General received orders to attack Qi, yet the King of Han separately sent an envoy to bring Qi to terms. Has there been any order telling the General to halt?' On what grounds would you stop your advance? Besides, Li Yiji is a single scholar who leaned on his carriage rail and wagged his three-inch tongue to win over seventy cities of Qi. The General commands tens of thousands of men and spent more than a year taking fifty cities in Zhao. After years of service as a general, are you willing to be outdone by the exploit of one petty scholar?' Xin was persuaded. He followed Kuai Tong's counsel and crossed the river. Qi had already accepted Li Yiji's terms. Its king was feasting and drinking, having dismissed his military preparations against Han. Xin struck the Qi army at Lixia in a surprise assault and pushed on to the capital, Linzi. King Tian Guang of Qi, concluding that Li Yiji had deceived him, had the envoy boiled alive. He then fled to Gaomi and dispatched messengers to Chu begging for rescue. After securing Linzi, Han Xin pursued King Guang eastward to the area west of Gaomi. Chu dispatched Long Ju at the head of a relief force that was said to number two hundred thousand.

齊王廣、龍且并軍與信戰，未合。人或說龍且曰：「漢兵遠鬬窮戰，其鋒不可當。齊、楚自居其地戰，兵易敗散。不如深壁，令齊王使其信臣招所亡城，亡城聞其王在，楚來救，必反漢。漢兵二千里客居，齊城皆反之，其勢無所得食，可無戰而降也。」龍且曰：「吾平生知韓信為人，易與耳。且夫救齊不戰而降之，吾何功？今戰而勝之，齊之半可得，何為止！」遂戰，與信夾濰水陳。韓信乃夜令人為萬餘囊，滿盛沙，壅水上流，引軍半渡，擊龍且，詳不勝，還走。龍且果喜曰：「固知信怯也。」遂追信渡水。信使人決壅囊，水大至。龍且軍大半不得渡，即急擊，殺龍且。龍且水東軍散走，齊王廣亡去。信遂追北至城陽，皆虜楚卒。

King Guang of Qi and Long Ju combined their forces to confront Xin, but the two sides had not yet engaged. An adviser said to Long Ju, 'The Han troops are fighting far from home in a desperate campaign. Their edge cannot be blunted by a frontal assault.' Qi and Chu, on the other hand, are fighting on their own ground, where soldiers tend to scatter easily when things go badly. It would be better to dig in behind strong fortifications and let the King of Qi send trusted officials to rally the cities you have lost. When those cities learn their king still lives and that Chu has come to the rescue, they will turn against Han. The Han army, stranded two thousand li from home with every Qi city turned against them, will have no source of provisions. You can force them to surrender without a battle.' Long Ju said, 'I have known Han Xin all my life. He is easy enough to deal with.' Besides, if I save Qi merely by waiting for the enemy to surrender without a fight, what credit is there for me? If I fight and win, I can claim half of Qi. Why would I hold back?' He chose to fight, and the two armies drew up on opposite banks of the Wei River. During the night, Han Xin ordered his men to fill more than ten thousand sandbags and dam the upper course of the river. He then led part of his army across to attack Long Ju, feigned defeat, and fell back. Long Ju was delighted: 'I always knew Xin was a coward.' He plunged after Xin across the river. At that moment, Xin gave the signal to break open the sandbag dam, and the river came flooding down. More than half of Long Ju's army was stranded on the far side and could not cross. Xin struck hard and killed Long Ju. The portion of Long Ju's army east of the river broke and fled. King Guang of Qi escaped. Xin pursued the routed forces north to Chengyang, capturing the remaining Chu soldiers.

漢四年，遂皆降平齊。使人言漢王曰：「齊偽詐多變，反覆之國也，南邊楚，不為假王以鎮之，其勢不定。願為假王便。」當是時，楚方急圍漢王於滎陽，韓信使者至，發書，漢王大怒，罵曰：「吾困於此，旦暮望若來佐我，乃欲自立為王！」張良、陳平躡漢王足，因附耳語曰：「漢方不利，寧能禁信之王乎？不如因而立，善遇之，使自為守。不然，變生。」漢王亦悟，因復罵曰：「大丈夫定諸侯，即為真王耳，何以假為！」乃遣張良往立信為齊王，徵其兵擊楚。

In the fourth year of Han, all of Qi was brought to submission and pacified. Xin sent a message to the King of Han: 'Qi is treacherous and prone to rebellion, and its southern border adjoins Chu. Unless an acting king is appointed to hold it steady, the situation will remain unstable.' I request to be made acting king, as a matter of expediency.' At this very moment, Chu was pressing the King of Han hard at Xingyang. When Han Xin's messenger arrived and the king opened the letter, he flew into a rage: 'I am trapped here, hoping day and night that you will come to my aid, and instead you want to make yourself a king!' Zhang Liang and Chen Ping stepped on the king's foot under the table and whispered in his ear, 'Our position is precarious. Can we really afford to stop Xin from becoming king?' Better to go along with it, treat him generously, and let him hold Qi on our behalf. Otherwise, there will be trouble.' The King of Han caught on and, continuing his tirade, said loudly, 'When a real man conquers the lords, he becomes a true king—why bother being an "acting" one!' He then sent Zhang Liang to formally install Xin as King of Qi and summon his troops for the campaign against Chu.

楚已亡龍且，項王恐，使盱眙人武涉往說齊王信曰：「天下共苦秦久矣，相與力擊秦。秦已破，計功割地，分土而王之，以休士卒。今漢王復興兵而東，侵人之分，奪人之地，已破三秦，引兵出關，收諸侯之兵以東擊楚，其意非盡吞天下者不休，其不知厭足如是甚也。且漢王不可必，身居項王掌握中數矣，項王憐而活之，然得脫，輒倍約，復擊項王，其不可親信如此。今足下雖自以與漢王為厚交，為之盡力用兵，終為之所禽矣。足下所以得須臾至今者，以項王尚存也。當今二王之事，權在足下。足下右投則漢王勝，左投則項王勝。項王今日亡，則次取足下。足下與項王有故，何不反漢與楚連和，參分天下王之？今釋此時，而自必於漢以擊楚，且為智者固若此乎！」韓信謝曰：「臣事項王，官不過郎中，位不過執戟，言不聽，畫不用，故倍楚而歸漢。漢王授我上將軍印，予我數萬眾，解衣衣我，推食食我，言聽計用，故吾得以至於此。夫人深親信我，我倍之不祥，雖死不易。幸為信謝項王！」

With Long Ju dead, Xiang Yu was alarmed. He sent Wu She, a man of Xuyi, to persuade the King of Qi, Han Xin: 'The whole empire suffered under Qin for many years, and the lords joined forces to destroy it.' Once Qin was destroyed, territories were divided according to merit, and kings were installed in their domains so the soldiers could rest. Now the King of Han has raised his army again and marched east, encroaching on others' territories and seizing their lands. He has already conquered the three Qin kingdoms, led his troops beyond the passes, and rallied the forces of every lord for an eastern assault on Chu. He will not rest until he has swallowed the entire empire—his ambition knows no bounds. Moreover, the King of Han cannot be trusted. Time and again he has fallen into Xiang Yu's hands, and each time Xiang Yu took pity and spared his life. Yet the moment he was free, he broke every agreement and attacked Xiang Yu again. That is how little his word is worth. Even though you believe you share a deep bond with the King of Han and exhaust yourself fighting on his behalf, in the end he will turn on you. The only reason you have survived this long is that Xiang Yu still stands. At this moment, the struggle between the two kings hinges entirely on you. If you throw your weight to one side, the King of Han wins; to the other, Xiang Yu wins. If Xiang Yu falls today, you will be the next to be taken. You and Xiang Yu share a long acquaintance. Why not break with Han, ally with Chu, and divide the empire three ways among yourselves? To let this opportunity slip and pledge yourself to Han for a campaign against Chu—is that truly what a wise man would do?' Han Xin declined: 'When I served Xiang Yu, my rank was no higher than a palace guard, my position no more than a halberd-bearer. My words went unheard and my plans were ignored. That is why I left Chu and joined Han.' The King of Han gave me the seal of Supreme Commander and entrusted me with tens of thousands of troops. He took the clothes off his back to clothe me and pushed his own food across to feed me. He heeds my words and adopts my plans. That is why I have come this far. A man who trusts me so deeply—to betray him would bring down a curse. Even if it costs me my life, I will not waver. Please convey my apologies to Xiang Yu.'

武涉已去，齊人蒯通知天下權在韓信，欲為奇策而感動之，以相人說韓信曰：「仆嘗受相人之術。」韓信曰：「先生相人何如？」對曰：「貴賤在於骨法，憂喜在於容色，成敗在於決斷，以此參之，萬不失一。」韓信曰：「善。先生相寡人何如？」對曰：「願少閒。」信曰：「左右去矣。」通曰：「相君之面，不過封侯，又危不安。相君之背，貴乃不可言。」韓信曰：「何謂也？」蒯通曰：「天下初發難也，俊雄豪桀建號壹呼，天下之士雲合霧集，魚鱗襍遝，熛至風起。當此之時，憂在亡秦而已。今楚漢分爭，使天下無罪之人肝膽涂地，父子暴骸骨於中野，不可勝數。楚人起彭城，轉鬬逐北，至於滎陽，乘利席卷，威震天下。然兵困於京、索之閒，迫西山而不能進者，三年於此矣。漢王將數十萬之眾，距鞏、雒，阻山河之險，一日數戰，無尺寸之功，折北不救，敗滎陽，傷成皋，遂走宛、葉之閒，此所謂智勇俱困者也。夫銳氣挫於險塞，而糧食竭於內府，百姓罷極怨望，容容無所倚。以臣料之，其勢非天下之賢聖固不能息天下之禍。當今兩主之命縣於足下。足下為漢則漢勝，與楚則楚勝。臣願披腹心，輸肝膽，效愚計，恐足下不能用也。誠能聽臣之計，莫若兩利而俱存之，參分天下，鼎足而居，其勢莫敢先動。夫以足下之賢聖，有甲兵之眾，據彊齊，從燕、趙，出空虛之地而制其後，因民之欲，西鄉為百姓請命，則天下風走而響應矣，孰敢不聽！邦大弱彊，以立諸侯，諸侯已立，天下服聽而歸德於齊。案齊之故，有膠、泗之地，懷諸侯以德，深拱揖讓，則天下之君王相率而朝於齊矣。蓋聞天與弗取，反受其咎；時至不行，反受其殃。願足下孰慮之。」

After Wu She had left, Kuai Tong, a man of Qi, realized that the fate of the empire now rested with Han Xin. Hoping to sway him with an extraordinary stratagem, he used the art of physiognomy as his opening: 'I once studied the art of reading faces.' Han Xin asked, 'How good is the Master at reading faces?' Kuai Tong replied, 'Nobility and lowliness are written in the bones; joy and sorrow show in the complexion; success and failure depend on decisiveness. By cross-checking these three, I am right ten thousand times out of ten thousand.' Han Xin said, 'Very well.' How do you read me, Master?' Kuai Tong replied, 'I would prefer to speak in private.' Xin dismissed his attendants. Kuai Tong said, 'Reading your face, my lord, I see no more than a marquisate—and a precarious one at that.' But reading your back, I see a greatness too exalted to put into words.' Han Xin asked, 'What do you mean?' Kuai Tong said, 'When the empire first rose in revolt, ambitious heroes raised their banners and with a single cry rallied followers. Men of talent gathered like clouds and mist, rushing together like scales on a fish, swept forward as by fire and wind.' At that time, the only concern was the destruction of Qin. Now Chu and Han are locked in a struggle that has left the blood and entrails of innocent people smeared across the earth. Fathers and sons lie unburied in the open fields, too many to count. Chu launched its offensive from Pengcheng, driving the enemy back in battle after battle all the way to Xingyang, sweeping everything before it, its power shaking the entire world. Yet for three years now, its army has been pinned between Jing and Suo, pressed up against the western mountains, unable to advance. The King of Han commands hundreds of thousands of troops and holds the strategic points of Gong and Luo, shielded by mountains and rivers. Yet he fights battle after battle each day without gaining an inch of ground. Defeated and routed with no relief in sight—beaten at Xingyang, bloodied at Chenggao, forced to flee through the countryside of Wan and Ye—this is what it means when both wisdom and valor have reached their limit. Their fighting spirit has been blunted at the mountain passes, their granaries are empty, the common people are exhausted and resentful, drifting with no one to lean on. In my estimation, no one short of a truly great man can put an end to the calamity that grips the empire. At this moment, the fates of both rulers hang upon you. Side with Han, and Han wins. Side with Chu, and Chu wins. I wish to bare my deepest thoughts and lay my plan before you, but I fear you may not have the resolve to act on it. If you would truly heed my counsel, the best course is to preserve both sides, divide the empire into three, and establish a tripod balance—a configuration in which no party dares to move first. With your talents, your vast armies, and mighty Qi as your base, with Yan and Zhao at your back, you could strike from open ground to cut off the rear of both contenders. Rally the people's desires, face west, and intercede on behalf of the common folk—the entire empire would rush to your side like wind and answer like an echo. Who would dare refuse? Carve the great states down to size, establish new lords in their place, and once they are installed, the entire empire will look to Qi as the source of its good fortune. Holding Qi's ancient lands between the Jiao and Si rivers, embracing the lords with virtue and governing with gracious humility, you would see all the kings of the realm coming in procession to pay homage at your court. As the saying goes, "When Heaven offers and you do not take, you bring disaster upon yourself." "When the moment arrives and you do not act, you invite calamity." I urge you to think on this carefully.'

韓信曰：「漢王遇我甚厚，載我以其車，衣我以其衣，食我以其食。吾聞之，乘人之車者載人之患，衣人之衣者懷人之憂，食人之食者死人之事，吾豈可以鄉利倍義乎！」蒯生曰：「足下自以為善漢王，欲建萬世之業，臣竊以為誤矣。始常山王、成安君為布衣時，相與為刎頸之交，後爭張黶、陳澤之事，二人相怨。常山王背項王，奉項嬰頭而竄，逃歸於漢王。漢王借兵而東下，殺成安君泜水之南，頭足異處，卒為天下笑。此二人相與，天下至驩也。然而卒相禽者，何也？患生於多欲而人心難測也。今足下欲行忠信以交於漢王，必不能固於二君之相與也，而事多大於張黶、陳澤。故臣以為足下必漢王之不危己，亦誤矣。大夫種、范蠡存亡越，霸句踐，立功成名而身死亡。野獸已盡而獵狗亨。夫以交友言之，則不如張耳之與成安君者也；以忠信言之，則不過大夫種、范蠡之於句踐也。此二人者，足以觀矣。願足下深慮之。且臣聞勇略震主者身危，而功蓋天下者不賞。臣請言大王功略：足下涉西河，虜魏王，禽夏說，引兵下井陘，誅成安君，徇趙，脅燕，定齊，南摧楚人之兵二十萬，東殺龍且，西鄉以報，此所謂功無二於天下，而略不世出者也。今足下戴震主之威，挾不賞之功，歸楚，楚人不信；歸漢，漢人震恐：足下欲持是安歸乎？夫勢在人臣之位而有震主之威，名高天下，竊為足下危之。」韓信謝曰：「先生且休矣，吾將念之。」

Han Xin said, 'The King of Han has treated me with the utmost generosity—he lets me ride in his own chariot, clothes me in his own robes, and feeds me from his own table.' I have heard it said that he who rides in another man's chariot must share that man's burdens, he who wears another man's clothes must carry that man's cares, and he who eats another man's food must die in that man's cause. How could I turn my back on loyalty for the sake of personal gain?' Kuai Tong said, 'You believe you are on good terms with the King of Han and hope to build an enterprise that will last ten thousand generations. I humbly submit that you are mistaken.' In the beginning, the King of Changshan and Lord Cheng'an, when they were still commoners, swore an oath of friendship unto death. Later, a dispute over Zhang Yan and Chen Ze drove a wedge between them. The King of Changshan turned against Xiang Yu, presented the head of Xiang Ying, and fled to the King of Han. The King of Han borrowed troops and marched east, killing Lord Cheng'an south of the Zhi River—his head and body left in different places—until the pair became a laughingstock to the whole empire. These two men had once shared the closest friendship the world had ever seen. Yet in the end they destroyed each other. Why? Because disaster is born of unchecked ambition, and the human heart is impossible to fathom. Now you seek to cement your bond with the King of Han through loyalty and good faith, but your bond cannot possibly be as firm as theirs once was—and the stakes between you are far greater than those that destroyed them. I therefore submit that your confidence the King of Han will never turn against you is also a mistake. Consider Grandee Zhong and Fan Li, who saved Yue from destruction and made King Goujian a hegemon. They achieved great merit and lasting fame, yet one of them perished for it. When the wild game has all been caught, the hunting dogs are boiled. In terms of friendship, your bond with the King of Han does not compare with what Zhang Er and Lord Cheng'an once shared. In terms of loyal service, it does not exceed what Grandee Zhong and Fan Li gave to Goujian. These two precedents should be warning enough. I urge you to consider this deeply. Moreover, I have heard that a man whose courage and cunning overshadow his sovereign invites danger upon himself, and he whose accomplishments surpass all others goes unrewarded. Allow me to recount your achievements: you crossed the West River, captured the King of Wei, seized Xia Yue, led your troops through the Jingxing Pass, executed Lord Cheng'an, subjugated Zhao, overawed Yan, pacified Qi, crushed two hundred thousand Chu soldiers to the south, slew Long Ju in the east, and reported westward to your sovereign. Your accomplishments are without equal in the empire, and your strategic genius is a once-in-a-generation phenomenon. Now you bear a power that overshadows your sovereign and possess merit too great to be rewarded. If you go to Chu, the people of Chu will not trust you. If you remain with Han, the King of Han will tremble in fear of you. With such power in your hands, where can you safely go? To hold the position of a subject while possessing the power to overshadow a sovereign, with a reputation that looms over the whole world—I secretly fear for your safety.' Han Xin said, 'Please rest for now, Master. I will think it over.'

後數日，蒯通復說曰：「夫聽者事之候也，計者事之機也，聽過計失而能久安者，鮮矣。聽不失一二者，不可亂以言；計不失本末者，不可紛以辭。夫隨廝養之役者，失萬乘之權；守儋石之祿者，闕卿相之位。故知者決之斷也，疑者事之害也，審豪氂之小計，遺天下之大數，智誠知之，決弗敢行者，百事之禍也。故曰『猛虎之猶豫，不若蜂蠆之致螫；騏驥之跼躅，不如駑馬之安步；孟賁之狐疑，不如庸夫之必至也；雖有舜禹之智，吟而不言，不如瘖聾之指麾也』。此言貴能行之。夫功者難成而易敗，時者難得而易失也。時乎時，不再來。願足下詳察之。」韓信猶豫不忍倍漢，又自以為功多，漢終不奪我齊，遂謝蒯通。蒯通說不聽，已詳狂為巫。

Several days later, Kuai Tong pressed him again: 'Good judgment is the scout that reads the field; sound planning is the trigger that seizes the moment. Those who misjudge and misplan, yet still enjoy lasting peace, are exceedingly rare.' A man whose judgment is sound in nearly every case cannot be swayed by clever words. A man whose plans never lose sight of essentials cannot be confused by fine arguments. He who contents himself with the duties of a stable groom forfeits the power of ten thousand chariots. He who clings to a petty salary will never rise to the rank of minister or chancellor. The wise man is defined by his decisiveness. Hesitation is the ruin of great affairs. To fuss over trifling calculations while letting the grand design of the empire slip through your fingers—to see clearly what must be done and yet lack the courage to act—that is the source of every disaster. As the proverb says: "A fierce tiger that hesitates is no match for a wasp that strikes." "A thoroughbred that balks is no better than a plow horse that plods." "The mighty Meng Ben, paralyzed by doubt, accomplishes less than an ordinary man who simply acts." "Even with the wisdom of Shun and Yu, a man who merely mutters and never speaks up does less good than a deaf-mute who points the way." These maxims are valued because they spur men to action. Great achievements are hard to build and easy to destroy; the right moment is hard to seize and easy to lose. Opportunity, oh opportunity—once it passes, it will not come again. I beg you to weigh this with the utmost care.' Han Xin wavered. He could not bring himself to betray Han, and he was confident that given the magnitude of his achievements, the King of Han would never strip him of Qi. In the end, he declined Kuai Tong's counsel. When Kuai Tong's arguments were rejected, he feigned madness and became a shaman.

漢王之困固陵，用張良計，召齊王信，遂將兵會垓下。項羽已破，高祖襲奪齊王軍。漢五年正月，徙齊王信為楚王，都下邳。

When the King of Han was trapped at Guling, he adopted Zhang Liang's plan and summoned the King of Qi, Han Xin, who then led his forces to join the final battle at Gaixia. After Xiang Yu had been destroyed, Emperor Gaozu swooped in and seized the King of Qi's army. In the first month of the fifth year of Han, the King of Qi was transferred and made King of Chu, with his capital at Xiapi.

信至國，召所從食漂母，賜千金。及下鄉南昌亭長，賜百錢，曰：「公，小人也，為德不卒。」召辱己之少年令出胯下者以為楚中尉。告諸將相曰：「此壯士也。方辱我時，我寧不能殺之邪？殺之無名，故忍而就於此。」

When Xin arrived in his kingdom, he summoned the washerwoman who had fed him and rewarded her with a thousand pieces of gold. He also sent for the Nanchang pavilion head from his old district and gave him a hundred copper coins, saying, 'You are a petty man—your kindness was never carried through to the end.' He summoned the young man who had humiliated him by making him crawl between his legs, and appointed him a captain of the guard for Chu. He told his generals and ministers, 'This is a brave man.' When he humiliated me, could I not have killed him? Killing him would have gained me nothing, so I endured the disgrace—and that is how I reached where I am today.'

項王亡將鐘離眛家在伊廬，素與信善。項王死後，亡歸信。漢王怨眛，聞其在楚，詔楚捕眛。信初之國，行縣邑，陳兵出入。漢六年，人有上書告楚王信反。高帝以陳平計，天子巡狩會諸侯，南方有雲夢，發使告諸侯會陳：「吾將游雲夢。」實欲襲信，信弗知。高祖且至楚，信欲發兵反，自度無罪，欲謁上，恐見禽。人或說信曰：「斬眛謁上，上必喜，無患。」信見眛計事。眛曰：「漢所以不擊取楚，以眛在公所。若欲捕我以自媚於漢，吾今日死，公亦隨手亡矣。」乃罵信曰：「公非長者！」卒自剄。信持其首，謁高祖於陳。上令武士縛信，載後車。信曰：「果若人言，『狡兔死，良狗亨；高鳥盡，良弓藏；敵國破，謀臣亡。』天下已定，我固當亨！」上曰：「人告公反。」遂械系信。至雒陽，赦信罪，以為淮陰侯。

Zhongli Mo, a fugitive general of Xiang Yu, had his home at Yilu and had long been on good terms with Xin. After Xiang Yu's death, Zhongli Mo fled to Xin for refuge. Emperor Gaozu bore a grudge against Zhongli Mo, and upon hearing that he was in Chu, issued an edict ordering Chu to arrest him. When Xin first arrived in his kingdom, he toured the towns and counties with a military escort. In the sixth year of Han, someone submitted a memorial accusing the King of Chu, Han Xin, of plotting rebellion. On Chen Ping's advice, the emperor announced a royal tour and summoned all the lords to assemble at Chen, sending out word: 'I shall make an excursion to the Yunmeng marshes.' His true intention was to seize Xin, who knew nothing of the plot. As the emperor drew near Chu, Xin considered raising troops in revolt. Yet he judged himself innocent and wanted to go to the audience—but feared he would be arrested. Someone advised Xin, 'Execute Zhongli Mo and present yourself before the emperor. The emperor will surely be pleased, and you will have nothing to fear.' Xin went to see Zhongli Mo and discussed the matter with him. Zhongli Mo said, 'The only reason Han has not attacked and seized Chu is because I am here with you.' If you mean to hand me over to curry favor with Han, know this: the day I die, you will follow close behind. Then he cursed Xin: 'You are no man of honor!' And with that, he cut his own throat. Xin took the head and presented himself before Gaozu at Chen. The emperor ordered his guards to seize and bind Xin and place him in the rear carriage. Xin said, 'It is just as people say: "When the cunning hare is dead, the good hound is boiled."' "When the birds that fly high are gone, the fine bow is put away." "When the enemy states are destroyed, the strategists perish." The empire is settled—of course I was bound to be boiled!' The emperor said, 'You have been accused of rebellion.' He then had Xin put in shackles. Upon reaching Luoyang, the emperor pardoned Xin but stripped him of his kingdom, making him Marquis of Huaiyin.

信知漢王畏惡其能，常稱病不朝從。信由此日夜怨望，居常鞅鞅，羞與絳、灌等列。信嘗過樊將軍噲，噲跪拜送迎，言稱臣，曰：「大王乃肯臨臣！」信出門，笑曰：「生乃與噲等為伍！」上常從容與信言諸將能不，各有差。上問曰：「如我能將幾何？」信曰：「陛下不過能將十萬。」上曰：「於君何如？」曰：「臣多多而益善耳。」上笑曰：「多多益善，何為為我禽？」信曰：「陛下不能將兵，而善將將，此乃言之所以為陛下禽也。且陛下所謂天授，非人力也。」

Xin knew that the emperor feared and resented his abilities. He often feigned illness to avoid attending court or accompanying the emperor. From then on, Xin seethed with resentment day and night. He was perpetually sullen, ashamed at being ranked alongside the likes of the Marquis of Jiang and Marquis of Guan. Once Xin paid a visit to General Fan Kuai. Fan Kuai knelt and bowed in greeting, addressed him as 'Your Majesty,' and said, 'How kind of the great king to honor his humble servant with a visit!' As Xin left, he laughed bitterly: 'So this is what my life has come to—keeping company with the likes of Fan Kuai!' The emperor would sometimes chat at leisure with Xin, appraising the abilities of the various generals—each rated differently. The emperor asked, 'In your judgment, how large an army could I command?' Xin replied, 'Your Majesty could command at most a hundred thousand.' The emperor asked, 'And what about you?' Xin replied, 'For me, the more the better.' The emperor laughed: 'If the more the better, then how is it that I captured you?' Xin said, 'Your Majesty may not be skilled at commanding soldiers, but you are skilled at commanding generals. That is why I was taken by you.' Moreover, Your Majesty's power is bestowed by Heaven—it is not something that human effort can match.'

陳豨拜為鉅鹿守，辭於淮陰侯。淮陰侯挈其手，辟左右與之步於庭，仰天嘆曰：「子可與言乎？欲與子有言也。」豨曰：「唯將軍令之。」淮陰侯曰：「公之所居，天下精兵處也；而公，陛下之信幸臣也。人言公之畔，陛下必不信；再至，陛下乃疑矣；三至，必怒而自將。吾為公從中起，天下可圖也。」陳豨素知其能也，信之，曰：「謹奉教！」漢十年，陳豨果反。上自將而往，信病不從。陰使人至豨所，曰：「弟舉兵，吾從此助公。」信乃謀與家臣夜詐詔赦諸官徒奴，欲發以襲呂后、太子。部署已定，待豨報。其舍人得罪於信，信囚，欲殺之。舍人弟上變，告信欲反狀於呂后。呂后欲召，恐其黨不就，乃與蕭相國謀，詐令人從上所來，言豨已得死，列侯群臣皆賀。相國紿信曰：「雖疾，彊入賀。」信入，呂后使武士縛信，斬之長樂鐘室。信方斬，曰：「吾悔不用蒯通之計，乃為兒女子所詐，豈非天哉！」遂夷信三族。

When Chen Xi was appointed Governor of Julu, he came to take his leave of the Marquis of Huaiyin. The marquis took his hand, dismissed the attendants, and walked with him through the courtyard. He looked up to the sky and sighed, 'Can I speak openly with you?' There is something I wish to tell you.' Chen Xi said, 'I await the general's instructions.' The Marquis of Huaiyin said, 'Your post commands the finest troops in the empire.' And you are one of His Majesty's most trusted and favored officials. If someone accuses you of treason the first time, the emperor will certainly not believe it. If the accusation comes a second time, he will begin to doubt. A third time, and he will be enraged and take the field himself. When that day comes, I will rise from within the capital to support you, and the empire can be ours.' Chen Xi, who had long known of Xin's abilities, believed him and said, 'I will follow your instructions to the letter.' In the tenth year of Han, Chen Xi did indeed rebel. The emperor took personal command of the campaign. Xin pleaded illness and did not join him. He secretly sent a messenger to Chen Xi, saying, 'Raise your troops without hesitation—I will support you from within the capital.' Xin then conspired with his household retainers to forge an imperial edict in the night, pardoning convicts and government slaves, intending to mobilize them for an attack on Empress Lu and the Crown Prince. The arrangements were in place; he awaited word from Chen Xi. One of his retainers had offended him. Xin threw the man into prison and intended to have him killed. The retainer's younger brother reported the conspiracy and informed Empress Lu of Xin's plan to revolt. Empress Lu wanted to summon Xin but feared his confederates would not let him come. She conferred with Chancellor Xiao He and devised a ruse: a messenger was dispatched pretending to come from the emperor, announcing that Chen Xi had been captured and killed. The marquises and ministers all came to offer congratulations. The Chancellor sent word to Xin: 'Even though you are ill, you must come to offer your congratulations.' When Xin entered the palace, Empress Lu had her guards seize and bind him, and he was beheaded in the bell chamber of the Changle Palace. As the blade fell, Xin cried, 'I regret that I did not follow Kuai Tong's counsel—to be brought down by a woman's trickery! Was this not the will of Heaven?' Xin's three clans were then exterminated.

高祖已從豨軍來，至，見信死，且喜且憐之，問：「信死亦何言？」呂后曰：「信言恨不用蒯通計。」高祖曰：「是齊辯士也。」乃詔齊捕蒯通。蒯通至，上曰：「若教淮陰侯反乎？」對曰：「然，臣固教之。豎子不用臣之策，故令自夷於此。如彼豎子用臣之計，陛下安得而夷之乎！」上怒曰：「亨之。」通曰：「嗟乎，冤哉亨也！」上曰：「若教韓信反，何冤？」對曰：「秦之綱絕而維弛，山東大擾，異姓并起，英俊烏集。秦失其鹿，天下共逐之，於是高材疾足者先得焉。蹠之狗吠堯，堯非不仁，狗因吠非其主。當是時，臣唯獨知韓信，非知陛下也。且天下銳精持鋒欲為陛下所為者甚眾，顧力不能耳。又可盡亨之邪？」高帝曰：「置之。」乃釋通之罪。

When Emperor Gaozu returned from the campaign against Chen Xi and learned that Xin was dead, he felt both relief and pity. He asked, 'What did Xin say before he died?' Empress Lu replied, 'He said he regretted not following Kuai Tong's plan.' Gaozu said, 'That is the rhetorician from Qi.' He then issued an edict ordering Qi to arrest Kuai Tong. When Kuai Tong was brought before him, the emperor asked, 'Was it you who urged the Marquis of Huaiyin to rebel?' Kuai Tong replied, 'Indeed I did.' The fool refused to follow my counsel, and so he brought destruction upon himself. Had the fool taken my advice, would Your Majesty ever have been able to destroy him?' The emperor said in fury, 'Boil him alive!' Kuai Tong cried, 'Alas! How unjust to be boiled!' The emperor said, 'You urged Han Xin to rebel. What is unjust about it?' Kuai Tong replied, 'When the bonds of Qin snapped and its restraints collapsed, the east descended into chaos. Men of every name rose up, and heroes flocked together like ravens.' Qin lost its hold on the empire—the deer was loose, and the whole world gave chase. The swiftest and ablest were the first to catch it. The dog of the robber Zhi would have barked at the sage Yao—not because Yao lacked virtue, but because a dog barks at anyone who is not its master. At that time, the only master I knew was Han Xin. I did not yet know Your Majesty. Moreover, countless men across the empire sharpened their blades and longed to accomplish what Your Majesty has accomplished—they simply lacked the ability. Would you boil them all?' The emperor said, 'Let him go.' And so Kuai Tong was pardoned.

太史公曰：吾如淮陰，淮陰人為余言，韓信雖為布衣時，其志與眾異。其母死，貧無以葬，然乃行營高敞地，令其旁可置萬家。余視其母冢，良然。假令韓信學道謙讓，不伐己功，不矜其能，則庶幾哉，於漢家勳可以比周、召、太公之徒，後世血食矣。不務出此，而天下已集，乃謀畔逆，夷滅宗族，不亦宜乎！

The Grand Historian remarks: When I visited Huaiyin, the people there told me that even when Han Xin was a commoner, his ambitions set him apart from ordinary men. When his mother died, he was too poor to give her a proper burial, yet he chose a high, open site for her grave—a place spacious enough that ten thousand families could be settled around it. I visited his mother's tomb and saw that it was indeed so. If only Han Xin had cultivated humility and restraint, had refrained from boasting of his achievements and parading his abilities, then his contributions to the House of Han might well have rivaled those of the Duke of Zhou, the Duke of Shao, and the Grand Duke—and his descendants would have received sacrificial offerings for generations. Instead, he failed to take this path. When the empire was already united, he plotted treason and rebellion, bringing the annihilation of his entire clan upon himself. Was this not fitting?

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