Wanderings of Zhang Er: A Tale of Fortune and Fate

Zhang Er hailed from Daliang, as Chancellor Zan declared, “Now, Daliang in Chenliu is his home.” In his youth, he served as a guest to Wei’s Gongzi Wuji. Zhang Er once lived in exile, roaming Outer Huang. The region, as the geographical records show, belonged to Chenliu. In Outer Huang, a wealthy maiden captivated him, widowed by her husband and returned to her father’s household. Her father, acquainted with Zhang Er’s virtues, advised her, “If you seek a worthy husband, follow Zhang Er.” She listened, eventually arranging their union, despite Zhang Er’s wandering state. Her family generously supported Zhang Er, thus elevating his status as a thousand-li guest. He later served as magistrate in Wei’s Outer Huang, further enhancing his renown.

Chen Yu, another native of Daliang, was fond of Confucian studies and often journeyed to Zhao’s harsh terrains. The wealthy Gongshi married his daughter to him, recognizing Chen Yu’s exceptional qualities. When young, Chen Yu’s father introduced him to Zhang Er, and they became sworn brothers, pledging loyalty unto death.

During the Qin’s conquest of Daliang, Zhang Er’s family resided in Outer Huang. During his time as a commoner, Liu Bang frequently accompanied Zhang Er on his travels, staying as his guest for several months. Several years into the Qin’s subjugation of Wei, they had already heard of the fame of these two men from Wei, offering a thousand pieces of gold for Zhang Er and five hundred for Chen Yu. Zhang Er and Chen Yu then changed their names and surnames and moved to Chen, supporting themselves as community supervisors. The two met each other and once, when a local official wrongly flogged Chen Yu, Zhang Er intervened, allowing himself to be flogged in his place. Once the official left, Zhang Er took Chen Yu to a mulberry tree and said, “When we first spoke, what did you think? Now you suffer this slight and wish to die at the hands of a mere official?” Chen Yu agreed. The Qin government offered rewards for their arrest, but they manipulated local officials to control the community instead.

Chen Sheqi rose in Qishan and reached Chen. At that time, he had been widely heard of by Chen Sheqi’s great men and old men and said to Chen Sheqi, “General, your body is strong and tough, and you lead your soldiers to exterminate the Qin’s tyranny, restore the Chu’s social stability, and continue the cause of life and death, and you should be a king. In the world, the generals of the Shang Dynasty, who are not kings, cannot be the kings, and the general should be the king. Although the general is a general, the general is a man of the Chu, and the general is a man of the Chu. Now the first to Chen and the king, show the world the private. The general should not be a king, he should be a man of war, he should be a man of the world, and he should be a man of the world. He should be a man of war, he should be a man of war, he should be a man of war, and he should be a man of war. He should be a man of war, he should be a man