In the ancient land of China, King Wu of Zhou waved his army north, overthrew the rule of the tyrant King Su in one fell swoop, and opened a glorious chapter of the Zhou Dynasty.
However, heroes always die young, and after the death of King Wu, he left behind a young king and a prosperous country.
At this time, Zhou Gongdan, an auxiliary minister with both wisdom and virtue, took over the burden of history, and he examined the lessons of the previous dynasty with a profound vision, and established the primogeniture inheritance system to ensure the stable inheritance of the throne.
With the passage of time, six generations of kings changed like flowing water, and the Jiangshan Sheji of the Zhou Dynasty appeared to be particularly stable under the protection of this system.
However, the wheels of history are rolling forward, and there are always unexpected variables.
After the death of King Yi, the crown prince Xie, who was supposed to succeed to the throne, unexpectedly lost the crown, and an ambitious uncle, King Zhou Xiao, usurped the throne, an act like a thunderbolt from the sky, shaking the entire dynasty.
The usurpation of King Xiao of Zhou was not untargeted. Looking back at the period of King Zhao of Zhou, although the national strength was strong, the prestige of the royal family had been quietly damaged.
King Zhao was overjoyed, and although his frequent conquests expanded his territory, they also depleted the treasury, making the royal family's control over internal affairs weaken day by day.
The aristocracy indulged in a life of luxury, turning a blind eye to the sufferings of the people, and Zhou Tianzi's authority gradually dimmed like the afterglow of the sunset.
The ascension to the throne of King Xiao of Zhou was undoubtedly a serious challenge to the ritual system of the Zhou Dynasty, but his ambitions and intrigues also reflected the rifts within the dynasty.
In that changing era, an earth-shattering wave was set off in the political arena of Lu State.
Lu Yougong, a monarch who should have sat firmly in the country, was tragically poisoned by his younger brother Ji Fei and died in Huangquan. Ji Boil, the ambitious usurper, did not hesitate to establish himself as the king, known as the Duke of Lu Wei.
In "Historical Records: The Family of the Duke of Lu Zhou", this event is permanently engraved on the stone tablet of history.
Lu Weigong's behavior was undoubtedly a blatant provocation to the sacred inheritance ritual system of the Zhou clan, and according to common sense, Zhou Tianzi should stand up and lead the princes to join forces, sweep away rebellion, and revitalize the etiquette.
However, to everyone's surprise, King Zhou Zhao turned a deaf ear to this big case that shook the world, as if all this had nothing to do with him.
The rule of the Zhou Dynasty was originally based on the iron-clad Zhou rites, but now the ritual system has been trampled on, which is tantamount to shaking the foundation of the country.
Zhou Tianzi's silence made the princes feel unprecedented shock and puzzlement, and they did not understand why the former majestic Son of Heaven would turn a blind eye to such a major event.
With the passage of time, the princes became more and more emboldened, and the behavior of transgressing the etiquette system emerged in an endless stream, and the whole dynasty began to show signs of "etiquette collapse".
King Zhao of Zhou did not seem to be aware of this crisis, and he was still obsessed with the southern conquest and the northern war, trying to conquer the land of Jingman by force.
However, the cruelty of fate often came unexpectedly, and King Zhao suffered a crushing defeat in a southern expedition and eventually fell on top of the surging river.
The tragic end of this king is recorded in the "Records of the Zhou Dynasty", and his death has become a secret that has been deliberately concealed, leaving only endless regrets and mysteries.
In that war-torn era, Prince Zhao of Zhou led a large army south, intending to pacify the land of Jingban in one fell swoop.
However, the cruelty of fate often came unexpectedly, and King Zhao unfortunately fell in this campaign, and the "Eight Divisions of Chengzhou" led by him also suffered a devastating blow.
This battle not only made the military strength of the Zhou Dynasty collapse, but also rekindled the fire of resistance of the Rongdi tribe, which had already surrendered, and the fall of the Western Zhou Dynasty laid the groundwork.
The domestic situation was also turbulent, and the princes witnessed the decline of the Zhou family, and their hearts could not help but have different aspirations.
Some princes even began to openly challenge the authority of the imperial court, no longer worshipping and paying tribute, and the crisis of the Zhou dynasty's rule became more and more serious.
With the passage of time, the state of King Yi of Zhou became more and more weak, and the surrounding barbarians continued to invade, and the Zhou family fell into the dilemma of "Rong Di invaded, and the Zhou family declined".
In "Historical Records: Zhou Benji", the poet's sarcastic words are like a sharp dagger, piercing the heart of the royal family.
Against this backdrop, the ruling class of the Zhou dynasty began to seek change, and they longed to find a strong man who could turn the tide.
So, after the death of King Zhou Yi, a power game was quietly staged. King Yi's uncle, with his influence and prestige in the court, skillfully seized the throne from the crown prince Xie and became King Xiao of Zhou.
The usurped crown prince Xie, faced with the critical moment of life and death, chose temporary forbearance.
He endured humiliation in silence while actively making friends among the princes, seeking their support and waiting for the time to come.
Finally, after the death of King Xiao of Zhou, Prince Xie, supported by the princes, returned to the throne and became King Zhou Yi.
"Historical Records of Zhou Benji" recorded this historical turning point: "The filial piety king collapsed, and the princes reinstated the crown prince of Yi, who was the king of Yi. ”
In the long history of the Zhou Dynasty, the accession to the throne of King Yi of Zhou was undoubtedly a turning point.
When he ascended the throne, the country's vitality was greatly damaged, the people were tired, and the prestige and strength of the Zhou family were not as good as before. Faced with such a mess, King Yi adopted a gentle strategy, trying to overcome rigidity with softness and stabilize his position.
At the beginning of his accession to the throne, King Yi ushered in the envoys of Shu and Ji, who came to pay tribute with precious Qiongyu.
King Yi was happy in his heart, but he also knew that his actions would cause controversy.
He decided to personally go to the shore of the Yellow River to greet him and treat him with courtesy, which was a violation of convention at that time and caused heated discussions among the government and the opposition.
There is a clear criticism of this in the "Book of Rites": "Li, the Son of Heaven does not descend to the rank to receive the princes. Degrading and receiving is a faux pas for the Son of Heaven. ”
"The Century of Emperors" and "Compendium of Easy Knowledge" also pointed out that this practice of King Yi undermined the traditional etiquette of kings and ministers and damaged the majesty of the Son of Heaven.
However, the princes were pleased with this approach of King Yi. They believed that King Yi was a virtuous king, and was willing to lower his status to associate with them on an equal footing.
"Imperial Century" mentions: "Princes of Lourdes", indicating that the princes spoke highly of this move of King Yi.
But this moderate policy of King Yi also made him pay the price. The authority of the Son of Heaven was gradually weakened, and the tributes between the princes became scarce, and there was even a situation of attacking each other.
"Historical Records: The Family of Confucius" records the chaos of this period: "When King Yi of Zhou, the royal family was small, and the princes were not in court, and they fought each other. ”
The most arrogant is Xiong Qu, the monarch of Chu. Not only did he proclaim himself king, but he also crowned his three sons kings, openly challenging the etiquette of the Zhou dynasty.
Xiong Qu's wild words, "I am a barbarian, and I don't have a relationship with China!" It directly shows his break with the Zhou Dynasty.
The reign of King Yi of Zhou was a time of challenge and controversy.
He tried to stabilize his position with a soft stance, but unexpectedly caused a series of negative effects.
This history, like a mirror, reflects the complexity and subtlety of the Game of Thrones, giving us a deeper understanding of the changes of that era.
In that era of fierce competition, the authority of the Zhou Chamber was being challenged like never before. The rise of the state of Chu was like a lion roaring in the land of the Central Plains, making the Zhou family feel deeply threatened but helpless.
The painful lesson of King Zhao's southern expedition is still vivid, and now the weakening of the national strength makes King Yi feel palpitations and dare not act rashly.
In this helpless situation, Zhou had no choice but to acquiesce in the arrogance of the Chu State.
Later historians felt this situation in their throats, and they tried to find an excuse to save face for the king of Zhou. There is such a record in the Book of Jin: "Chu is the king, and the princes do not think it is wrong, and they are also barbarians and animals."
If Qilu is called king, won't the princes cut it down!" This sentence reveals the contempt of the Central Plains princes for the Chu State, and they regard the Chu State as a barbarian land, which is not worth thinking too much about.
But if an orthodox prince like Qilu dares to take a step beyond Lei Chi, he will definitely be attacked by the joint crusade of other princes.
However, even orthodox princes like Qilu did not keep to themselves. Under the rule of the Duke of Qi Ai, the state of Qi became unruly.
For many years, the Duke of Qi Ai did not pay tribute, went on expeditions everywhere, and completely ignored the authority of the Zhou family, which made the situation of King Zhou Yi even more difficult.
But King Zhou Yi is not as weak as he seems on the surface. At the beginning of his ascension to the throne, due to the unstable position, he had to adopt a strategy of showing weakness to the princes.
However, as time passed, his throne gradually became secure, and he began to secretly plan how to re-establish the majesty of the Zhou court and how to restore the princes to obedience.
The State of Qi, as a great power in the east, if it can be subdued, then the other vassal states will also be in the wind.
Jiang Shang, the founding monarch of the Qi State, once assisted King Wu in the war, and made outstanding achievements, and was the founding father of the Zhou Dynasty, and was the father-in-law of King Wu and the grandfather of King Cheng.
The relationship between the state of Qi and the royal family of Zhou was extraordinary, which also made the king of Zhou Yi more cautious and complicated in dealing with the issue of the state of Qi.
The reign of King Zhou Yi was an era full of scheming and wisdom.
In the glorious years of the Western Zhou Dynasty, there was a vast land waiting to be opened up in the East.
However, this territory was far from the heart of the Zhou Dynasty, and it was difficult for the Son of Heaven to shine directly there.
In order to consolidate the frontier, Zhou Tianzi needed to send a minister who was both loyal and capable to guard the land, and Jiang Shang, the wise and brave minister, was the best choice in the heart of the Son of Heaven.
Jiang Shang, who was canonized as the Marquis of Qi, shouldered the heavy trust of Zhou Tianzi and embarked on a journey to the East.
According to the "Historical Records of the Taigong Family of Qi", he was given almost supreme power to conquer the Quartet and rule over the five marquis and nine uncles. In this land, Jiang Shang began his great journey.
At first, the state of Qi was just a small and barren land, sparsely populated and resourceless. But under the careful governance of several generations of Qi marquis, earth-shaking changes have taken place here.
They annexed the surrounding small countries, expanding their territory several times, and attached importance to the development of agriculture and handicrafts, so that the profits of salt and iron became an important income for the national treasury, and the population multiplied, and the national power grew stronger day by day.
By the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the state of Qi had tens of thousands of soldiers and armor, becoming the leader among the vassal states, and its political and military strength should not be underestimated.
Time passed, during the reign of King Zhou Yi, the monarch of Qi was already the fifth grandson of Jiang Shang - Lu Buchen, Duke of Qi. He has Jiang Shang's blood flowing in him, but he also has his own ambition and arrogance.
Qi Aigong declared that according to his seniority, he was the elder of King Zhou Yi, so there was no need to pay tribute to his juniors.
The state of Qi was located on the eastern border, and it was difficult for Zhou Tianzi's authority to be directly exerted, which made Qi Aigong's disobedience seem to have become fearless.
The princes witnessed the arrogance and impudence of Qi Aigong without any punishment, and they couldn't help but have the idea of embodying it.
They began to ignore Zhou Tianzi's orders, no longer pay tribute, and even went around to fight and expand their territory like the Qi State. The authority of the Zhou Room is being challenged like never before.
This was an era of intertwined power and ambition, and the independent actions of the princes not only changed their own destiny, but also affected the pattern of the entire Chinese land.
And the State of Qi, once a small country in Dongyi, has risen to become a force to be reckoned with under the management of Jiang Shang and his descendants.
In the chess game of King Zhou Yi, a well-laid out drama is being staged. After three years of reign, King Yi of Zhou felt that the threat of Qi was looming, and he decided to set up a plan to test the loyalty of the princes.
According to the "Imperial Century", King Yi of Zhou claimed that he was seriously ill, and this news caused ripples like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.
When the princes heard of the Son of Heaven's illness, they were all anxious and went to worship one after another to express their loyalty and concern for Zong Zhou.
However, in this loyal performance, Qi Aigong's absence was particularly abrupt, he was indifferent to the Son of Heaven's illness and did not come to greet him according to etiquette.
The evaluation of Qi Aigong in history is quite negative, "Historical Records Suoyin" records that he was extravagant and indulged in field hunting, and "Poetry Qi Feng" is even more satirical about his insatiable greed and disregard for law and discipline.
These evaluations undoubtedly deepened King Zhouyi's dissatisfaction and hatred for Qi Aigong.
In this test of loyalty, the arrival of the monarch of the state of Ji provided a new turning point for King Zhou Yi.
Ji Guo and the Zhou family are related by blood, and Ji Hou's mother is the biological mother of King Zhou Yi, and the relationship between the two is close.
Although Ji Guo is weak, Ji Hou's worries are real, he has been living in the shadow of his strong neighbor Qi State, and he is worried that he will be annexed at any time.
Seeing Zhou Tianzi's dissatisfaction with the Qi State, Ji Hou took the opportunity to make a statement to the King of Zhou Yi, claiming that the Duke of Qi Ai had the intention of rebellion and hoped to weaken the Qi State with the help of the power of the Zhou royal family.
These words added fuel to the fire, and King Zhou Yi's determination was strengthened, and he decided to take action to eradicate the potential threat of Qi Aigong.
This is a contest of power and loyalty, the wisdom and determination of King Zhou Yi, the worry and wit of Ji Hou, and the arrogance and disregard of Qi Aigong, the game of the three parties is interwoven into a complex historical picture.
In the long history of the Western Zhou Dynasty, in the spring of the third year of King Yi of Zhou, an unprecedented alliance order resounded in the sky like spring thunder.
This was an important assembly at the national level, not only a demonstration of Zhou Tianzi's authority, but also a test of the loyalty of the princes.
Huimeng, this ancient ritual, carries both political and military significance.
It is not only a pilgrimage of the princes to the Zhou royal family, but also a nationwide assembly of armed forces.
In this alliance, Zhou Tianzi will inspect the armies of the vassal states to assess their combat effectiveness, and it will also be a test of the imperial court's organizational ability.
Recalling the "Mengjin Watching Soldiers" before King Wu's war, 800 princes responded unanimously and witnessed the glorious moment when King Wu became the co-lord of the world.
Now, King Yi of Zhou also hopes to rebuild the majesty of the Zhou royal family and consolidate the relationship between the central and local governments through this alliance.
However, at this critical moment, Qi Aigong's attitude is unpredictable.
Although he had always been arrogant, in the face of Zhou Tianzi's orders, he also had to set foot on the road to Hojing.
His heart may be full of reluctance, but on the surface, he still has to make a loyal appearance.
When Qi Aigong finally arrived in Hojing after a long journey and stepped into the palace hall, his fate was already sealed.
Under the order of King Zhou Yi, Qi Aigong was taken down left and right, and ruthlessly threw himself into the boiling tripod. This descendant of Jiang Ziya, a generation of Qi Hou, was brutally killed in front of everyone.
This incident has left a strong mark in ancient Chinese historical materials. "Historical Records of Zhou Benji" records: "When mourning the duke, Ji Hou Zhen Zhou, Zhou cooked mourning the duke."
The ancient book "Bamboo Book Chronicle" also mentions: "In three years, the king sent to the princes, and cooked all the mourning princes in Ding."
This move of King Zhou Yi was undoubtedly a stern warning to the other princes, and he wanted everyone to know that anyone who dared to challenge the authority of the Zhou royal family would be punished with the most severe punishment.
The death of Qi Aigong also marked a change of power in the Qi State. King Yi of Zhou established the half-brother of Duke Ai of Qi as the new Marquis of Qi, that is, Duke Hu.
"Historical Records: The Family of Taigong Qi" records: "When mourning the duke, Ji Hou Chen's Zhou, Zhou cooked the mourning of the duke and set up his younger brother Jing, which was for the Duke of Hu. Sima Qian believes that it was Ji Hou's slander that led to the tragedy of Qi Aigong.
Behind the glory of the Spring and Autumn Five Hegemons, there is a deep hatred that spans the centuries. The tragic ending of Qi Aigong has become an unhealable scar in the history of Qi State.
Since that day, the grievances and hatreds between Qi and Ji have hung over the heads of the two countries like a sharp double-edged sword.
In 707 B.C., the Duke of Qi waved his army south, trying to make a comeback, but fate did not seem to be on his side, and the journey of the war did not come true.
However, the Qi State did not give up because of this, and the fire of their revenge burned more and more in their hearts.
In 695 BC, the Duke of Qi Xianggong once again provoked a war, vowing to avenge his ancestors.
This time, Ji Guo almost perished, but fortunately, Lu Guo came forward to mediate, so he was able to take a temporary respite. But Qi Xianggong did not stop there, and he vowed to carry out his revenge to the end.
In 693 BC, Qi Xianggong attacked again, this time he no longer showed mercy and captured the three cities of Ji, and the land of Ji began to tremble.
Finally, in 690 BC, the Qi army led by Xianggong of Qi broke through the capital of Ji, the temple of Jiguo was destroyed, the Ji State was destroyed, and the hatred of Qi IX was revealed.
This history of revenge, which spanned 178 years, is like a tragic epic, which moved future generations. The exclamation in "The Legend of the Ram" even expresses the determination of the people of Qi: "The ninth generation can still take revenge, although it can be a hundred generations." ”
This passage is not only an affirmation of the revenge of the country, but also an adherence to the dignity of the country and the honor of the king.
This period of history of the Qi State has had a profound impact on later generations. When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty decided to take a tough stance against the Xiongnu, he used Qi's revenge as an example.
He firmly believed that only by washing away the shame of the country can the country become strong. Emperor Wu of Han's Northern Expedition eventually turned the Han Dynasty into a glorious empire.
However, the atrocities of King Yi of Zhou did not restore the decline of the Zhou dynasty. After his son King Zhou Li succeeded to the throne, his tyranny led to a rebellion among the countrymen, and he eventually died in exile.
Historically, the evaluation of King Yi of Zhou is not high, and it is believed that his immorality is the starting point of the decline of the Western Zhou Dynasty. Killing a Qi Marquis did not solve the fundamental problem, but accelerated the demise of the Western Zhou Dynasty.