During the Warring States period, the seven heroes stood side by side, and the world was still in flames. After that, the State of Qin appointed Shang Martingale, changed the law to become stronger, and finally a foreign army sprung up, and Yu Lie, the Sixth Emperor, swept through the Six Kingdoms and clarified Yuyu. In the eyes of the public, the key to the unification of the Six Kingdoms by the Qin State lies in the Battle of Changping. In this battle, qin will completely annihilate 450,000 people in the zhao state, fundamentally changing the balance of power between the qin state and the six kingdoms.
In fact, however, the turning point of the Warring States was earlier than the Battle of Changping, which was the Battle of the Five Kingdoms in 284 BC. Before the Five Kingdoms cut down qi, the state of Qi was undoubtedly a big country that could keep pace with the state of Qin, it broke through the three Jin Dynasties in the west, it was difficult to break through the strong Chu, and one country swallowed the eighth largest country of the Warring States - the Song State known as the "Five Thousand Multiplied Song". After the whale swallowed the Song Dynasty, the national strength of the State of Qi was already superior to that of the nations, and even the State of Qin did not dare to contend with it.
However, under the joint operation of Le Yi, Meng Yijun and others, Yan, Qin, Han, Zhao, and Wei formed an unprecedented five-nation alliance, and finally broke through the Qi in a war, and the Yan state continuously attacked the 70 cities of the State of Qi, if it were not for Tian Shan's efforts to turn the tide, the State of Qi would be destroyed by the State of Yan. Although the State of Qi was preserved, due to the excessive losses in this war, the national strength was devastated, and it was closed to itself and no longer participated in the war between the nations. After the decline of the State of Qi, a situation of superpowers and many strengths was formed, and the advantages of the State of Qin were irreversible.
So why was the weak yan state able to continuously attack the 70 cities of the state of Qi? Why was the small Yan state able to form a powerful alliance with the Three Jins and the Qin state? And this, we have to start with Su Qin, the great cross-country.
Su Qin, a native of Luoyang, was a famous Chinese zhongheng scholar, diplomat, and great strategist. Because Qin Shi Huang's book burning pit Confucianism burned most of the historical materials about Su Qin, Sima Qian's writing of Su Qin was full of mistakes and omissions, which was widely criticized by posterity. It was not until 1973 that scholars found the long-lost "Warring States Zongheng Family Book" in the tomb of Mawangdui Han in Hunan Province, that we learned the true face of Su Qin.
Su Qin was the initiator of the Five Kingdoms. The decline and fall of the State of Qi was entirely due to Su Qin's single-handed plan, and Le Yi was just an executor.
Su Qin was a disciple of Ghost Guzi. In his early years, he traveled abroad to study, selling himself to King Xianwang of Zhou and King Huiwen of Qin respectively, hoping to get appointments. However, due to the lack of proficiency in learning, this trip failed, and he could only return home discouraged and discouraged. Poor students with no meritorious name, even their families look down on him, not only do not cook for him, but also laugh at him behind him.
The contempt of his relatives made Su Qin angry and strong, he hung his head over the beam, cone thorn strands, and studied hard every day, and finally achieved "divine skills". Su Qin observed the situation of the nations and found that the State of Qin was not only powerful in national strength, but also had dangerous terrain and rock obstacles, and could attack and retreat, which had already been vigilant by the six kingdoms of Shandong. Therefore, Su Qin formulated a strategy of combining the vertical and vertical, and instigated the Six Kingdoms Alliance to resist Qin.
In the end, Su Qin did indeed move the monarchs of the Six Kingdoms, helped Qi Chuyan, Zhao Han, and Wei to form an alliance of the Six Kingdoms, and was appointed as the "Chief of Covenant", with the Seal of the Six Kingdoms, threatening the world. Under his intimidation, the State of Qin suspended the pace of eastern invasion, and for fifteen years, even Hanguguan did not dare to take a step.
Although Su Qin organized the Six Kingdoms Alliance, it was to fight against the Qin State. However, Su Qin did not hate the State of Qin, on the contrary, he was even more disgusted with the State of Qi, which had given him a seal. It turned out that Su Qin had organized a Five Kingdoms expedition against Qin. Who knew that later, the State of Qi betrayed its allies for its own interests and joined forces with the State of Wei to attack the State of Zhao. As a result, the first conspiracy ended in failure. Because of this, Su Qin, who had originally served as a high-ranking official in the Zhao state, was expelled by the angry King Zhao. In desperation, Su Qin had no choice but to turn to the State of Yan.
However, in the State of Yan, Su Qin helped the newly succeeded King Yi of Yan to return the ten cities captured by him to the State of Qi, and made a great contribution. But soon after, Su Qin was involved in two major incidents.
First of all, the minister of the State of Yan made a rumor to King Yi of Yan, saying that Su Qin had betrayed the country, was capricious, and was about to cause trouble. In the end, Su Qin persuaded the King of Yan with his tongue and avoided a senseless disaster.
But another thing almost really made Su Qin ruined. It turned out that in 324 BC, Su Qin did not know which string was missing in his brain, but he had an affair with the mother queen of King Yanyi, and this matter also reached the ears of King Yanyi. People who had had adultery with the empress dowager since ancient times had a bad end, and even if Su Qin was as clever as a reed, he could not get rid of the crime of wearing a green hat on the former king Yan Wenhou.
Just when Su Qin was worried and worried, afraid of being killed, King Yan Yi instead gave him a knighthood and a generous gift. King Yan Yi not only did not punish Su Qin, but gave him a generous gift, did he want Su Qin to be his stepfather? Of course not.
In fact, King Yan Yi wanted to give grace to Su Qin. As a great zongheng family, Su Qin has a wide range of contacts and has the ability to stir up the world. As the saying goes, "When the princes are angry, the princes are afraid, and the world rests in peace." The reason why King Yi of Yan spared Su Qin twice was because Su Qin was available and could help the Yan kingdom resist the invasion of the nations.
Just as the so-called money debt is good to repay, the debt of human feelings is not easy to repay. Moreover, Su Qin not only owed the Yan King money debt, but also owed a human debt.
King Yan Yi's complaint against virtue really made Su Qin feel very embarrassed. In order to make up for the loss of the sheep as soon as possible and repay the favor of the King of Yan, Su Qin said to the King of Yan:
"I am in the Yan country, and I can't make the Yan country strong." But in the country of Qi, I will certainly be able to make the country of Yan strong! ”
It turned out that with the strength of the neighboring state of Qi, the national defense and security of the State of Yan were severely challenged. As early as the time when King Yi of Yan succeeded to the throne, the State of Qi took advantage of the mourning of the State of Yan to take advantage of the fire and robbery and captured ten cities. In order to preserve the Yan state, it was necessary to weaken and divide the state of Qi. Therefore, Su Qin volunteered to go to the State of Qi to prepare for the attack on the State of Qi. And Su Qin was in the State of Qi, staying for decades.
In the "Records of History", there is no record of how Su Qin actually destroyed the State of Qi. It is only said that Su Qin suggested that the King of Qi overhaul the mausoleum and palace, depleting the financial resources of the State of Qi. However, according to the Warring States Chronicle, Su Qin mainly relied on his diplomatic skills to provoke relations between the State of Qi and other countries, especially with the Three Jins. In 288 BC, Su Qin unkindly advised the King of Qi to annex the Song state alone, which was the most fatal to the State of Qi.
At that time, the State of Song underwent the reform of the royal government of King Kang of Song, and its strength gradually increased, known as the "Five Thousand Multiplied Strength Song". After that, the Song state attacked on all sides, defeating the State of Qi, the State of Wei, and the State of Chu in succession. Subsequently, Qi, Wei, and Chu formed a coalition to jointly destroy the Song state and divide its homeland. However, under the influence of Su Qin, the King of Qi Tang brazenly waged war against Wei and Chu, and swallowed up all the Land of the Song State that belonged to them.
Thus, under the operation of Su Qin, Han, Zhao, Wei, and chu all went to the opposite side of the State of Qi, and the State of Qi was isolated from then on. According to the "Warring States Zhongheng Family Book", just after the Qi state destroyed the Song Dynasty, Su Qin's plot for Yan's "Inter-Qi" was exposed. In the end, King Qi Tang split Su Qin's car and died. However, although Su Qin died, he succeeded in making the State of Qi the target of all the nations.
Su Qin died in 284 BC, and it was in this year that the State of Yan successfully formed the Five Kingdoms and jointly cut down qi. Under the command of Le Yi, the State of Yan attacked 70 cities of the State of Qi and almost destroyed the State of Qi. Although the State of Qi eventually recovered its territory, it could no longer pose a threat to the State of Yan. King Yan Yi used his mother and dignity in exchange for Su Qin's 40 years of loyalty, and finally completed the great cause of breaking Qi. In any case, as a strategist, Yan Yiwang is quite clever.