Rituals and Legacies: Chronicles of Ancient Wei

In the seventh year of the Spring, during the first month of the King’s reign, Wei Xiangong passed away. In the third month, the Duke went to Chu. Shusun Yu went to Qi to negotiate an alliance. In the summer, on the first day of the fourth month, there was an eclipse. In the autumn, in the eighth month, the Marquis of Wei died. In the ninth month, the Duke returned from Chu. In the winter, on the eleventh month, Jisun Xu passed away. On the twelfth month, Wei Xiangong was buried.

In the spring of the seventh year, during the first month of the King’s reign, Wei sought peace with Qi. On the day of Gisi, the Qi Marquis stayed in Guo. The Yan envoy arrived, stating: “Our city admits guilt and dares not defy orders. We present the artifacts of our late ruler as a token of apology.” Gusun Xi responded: “Accepting the tokens and withdrawing, waiting for the opportunity to act, this can be considered.” On the day of Wuwu in the second month, an alliance was formed at Ruzhang. The Yan envoy returned without the Lady of Yan, despite offering jade jars, ivory utensils, and earthenware. When Lord Chu became the prime minister, he used royal banners to cultivate the fields. Yuyin Wu said, “A state with two rulers, who can handle it?” Upon ascending to the throne, he built the palace of Zhanghua and employed refugees to populate it. Yuyin’s doorkeeper entered it. Yuyin seized him; the judge refused to hand him over, stating, “Holding someone in the royal palace is a grave offense.” He detained and brought him to the king. The king was about to drink wine, but Yuyin declined, saying, “The emperor leads the expedition, and the princes seal the fief, an ancient custom. Within the fiefdom, who is not a lord? Who among the lords is not a minister? Therefore, the Book of Songs states, ‘Under the entire heaven, there is no land that is not ruled by the king. On the borders of the land, there is no subject who is not a minister.’ With ten days in the sky, there are ten ranks of people; those below serve those above, and those above share the same divinity. Therefore, a royal servant is a lord, a lord is a minister, a minister is a nobleman, a nobleman is a servant, a servant is a chariot, a chariot is a retainer, a retainer is a servant, a servant is an attendant, and an attendant is a platform. Horses are in stables, cattle are in pens, waiting for all affairs. Now the judge says, ‘Why are you holding someone in the royal palace?’ Where will he be held? King Wen of Zhou’s law states, ‘If there is loss, there is abandonment,’ the reason for gaining the world. My late grandfather King Wen established the rule of being an attendant, saying, ‘The device hidden by thieves, and the same crime as the thief,’ the reason for enshrining you. If you follow the judge, there will be no one to hold the fugitive. Flee and leave it, no accomplices. Is the king’s affair lacking? In the past, King Wu often criticized Zhou’s crime and said, ‘Zhou is the evasive master of the world, the gathering of the abyss.’ Therefore, the death of the victim. The king began to seek the princes, but why not? If the two laws are used to take it, the thief will be found. The king said, ‘Take it away, but the thief is favored, and it is not yet possible.’ Therefore, he was pardoned. The son of Chu Zi created the Zhanghua platform and hoped to fall with the princes. Waiqi Qiqi Zhang Gao said, ‘I can get Lu Hou.’ Waiqi Qiqi came to call the public, saying, ‘The late monarch is good, and I will make him look after Chu’s country and comfort his social security and peace.’ Qiqi Qiqi received orders from the people, saying, ‘The monarch is not forgetting the previous good deeds, and he will make Hengfu look after Chu’s country and comfort his social security and peace.’ Qiqi Qiqi refused to accept the order, saying, ‘The old king often Wang will also see the north, and the sun and moon will also wait for hope. The transmission sequence is handed over to the present. Good grace has not arrived, but Xianggong’s disgrace to me. My brother and two ministers, lamenting the loss of the map, the social security is not emperor, how can I remember the king’s virtue! Now, if the king steps on his jade toes and sees the king of Chu, it is an insult to the king of Chu, to trust the task of Shu, and to negotiate the gift of Chu, this is the king. King is also accepted, why does Shu dare to expect? The deceased is praised by the ghost, not only the king? If you are not going, please ask for the schedule. The king will receive the gift, but why not? The king’s affairs are not lost? King Wen has made a law, saying, ‘There is a loss, and a wasteland is’ to get the world. My ancestors are Wang Wen. I made the law of slavery and said, ‘There is a hidden instrument of the thief, and the same sin.’ If you follow the judges, you have nowhere to run away. Run away and leave, it is not a companion. Ma’s horse has a wall, and the cow has a shepherd, waiting for all the tasks. Now the judge said, ‘Why are you holding people in the king’s palace?’ Where to hold him? King Wen’s law says, ‘There is a loss, there is a loss’ to get the world. My late grandfather King Wen established the law of serving as an assistant and said, ‘The device hidden by the thief, and the same crime.’ If you follow the judge, there will be no one to hold the fugitive. Flee and leave it, no company. Is the king’s affair lacking? In the past, King Wu often criticized Zhou’s crime and said, ‘Zhou is the evasive master of the world, the gathering of the abyss.’ Therefore, the death of the victim. The king began to seek the princes, but why not? If the two laws are used to take it, the thief will be found. The king said, ‘Take it away, but the thief is favored, and it is not yet possible.’ Therefore, he was pardoned. The son of Chu Zi created the Zhanghua platform and hoped to fall with the princes. Waiqi Qiqi Zhang Gao said, ‘I can get Lu Hou.’ Waiqi Qiqi came to call the public, saying, ‘The late monarch is good, and I will make him look after Chu’s country and comfort his social security and peace.’ Qiqi Qiqi received orders from the people, saying, ‘The monarch is not forgetting the previous good deeds, and he will make Hengfu look after Chu’s country and comfort his social security and peace.’ Qiqi Qiqi refused to accept the order, saying, ‘The old king often Wang will also see the north, and the sun and moon will also wait for hope. The transmission sequence is handed over to the present. Good grace has not arrived, but Xianggong’s disgrace to me. My brother and two ministers, lamenting the loss of the map, the social security is not emperor, how can I remember the king’s virtue! Now, if the king steps on his jade toes and sees the king of Chu, it is an insult to the king of Chu, to trust the task of Shu, and to negotiate the gift of Chu, this is the king