In the late Spring and Autumn period, the troubles of the state of Chu traced back to a scandal within the royal family – a father seizing his son’s bride.
King Ping of Chu had arranged for his crown prince, Jian, to marry a woman from the state of Qin. But the treacherous minister Fei Wuji, who was sent to escort the bride, observed her beauty and urged the king to take her for himself. Lustful and weak, King Ping did so, and gave the prince a different wife instead. Fei Wuji thus gained great favour, yet he feared that Prince Jian would take revenge once he ascended the throne. So he slandered the prince and his tutor, Wu She, accusing them of plotting rebellion. King Ping believed the lies, imprisoned and killed Wu She, and ordered the arrest of Prince Jian. The prince fled and wandered to the state of Zheng. Meanwhile, Wu She’s son, Wu Zixu, escaped to Wu, vowing to avenge his father.
In the state of Wu, Wu Zixu did not receive favour from King Liao of Wu. He then allied himself with Prince Guang, and together they conspired to assassinate King Liao. Prince Guang thus seized the throne and became known as King Helü of Wu. Wu Zixu, in turn, naturally assumed the position of prime minister (chancellor).
Prince Jian, while in Zheng, became involved in local politics. But when his secret collusion with Jin was exposed, the Duke of Zheng had him executed. After Prince Jian’s death, his young son – Xiong Sheng – was escorted by Wu Zixu to Wu, where he lived in dependence for more than thirty years.
Later, King Ping died, and after his son King Zhao, the throne passed to his grandson King Hui of Chu. Upon King Hui’s accession, the chief minister Zi Xi – against the strong opposition of Lord Ye (Shen Zhuliang) – recalled Xiong Sheng from Wu and enfeoffed him at Bai Yi. Hence he became known as Bai Gong (Lord Bai) or Bai Gongsheng. After his return, Bai Gongsheng never forgot to avenge his father and repeatedly petitioned to attack Zheng, but Zi Xi always refused. Resentment festered in his heart and gradually turned into hostility toward the Chu court.
In 479 BC, Bai Gongsheng defeated an invading Wu army. Using the pretext of presenting war trophies to the capital, he marched his troops straight into Ying, the capital. Once inside, he staged a coup, killing Zi Xi and the commander Zi Qi, and took King Hui hostage. For a moment, he held all power in his hands.
However, Lord Ye quickly raised an army from his fief of Ye to restore the king. His forces won wide popular support, and the city’s inhabitants flocked to his side. The rebels were swiftly crushed. Bai Gongsheng fled into the mountains, and with no way out, he hanged himself. After the rebellion was quelled, Lord Ye rescued King Hui and briefly took charge of state affairs, but he soon retired, refusing any credit.
Though short-lived, this upheaval confirmed Lord Ye’s earlier prophecy: Bai Gongsheng was cunning and treacherous – his return to Chu would surely bring disaster. And its deepest roots lay in the injustice done to Prince Jian by King Ping and Fei Wuji – that shameful act of seizing a son’s bride, which finally culminated in a grandson’s rebellion and ruin, epitomising the deep rifts within the Chu royal clan.
Leave a Reply