Treatise on Armament Technology, Volume 9

When Zhao Kuo The son of the famous general Zhao She; his name has since become a byword for "armchair generalship." personally went out to engage in hand-to-hand combat, the Qin army shot and killed him. His army of four hundred thousand men surrendered, but they were all buried alive original: "坑之" (keng zhi). This mass execution at Changping remains one of the deadliest events in ancient military history..

The King of Wei sent Jin Bi to rescue Zhao. However, the King of Qin sent an envoy to tell Wei: "I am attacking Zhao, and it will fall any day now. If any of the feudal lords dare to rescue them, I will certainly move my troops and strike them first." The King of Wei was terrified and ordered Jin Bi to halt his advance, remaining stationed at Ye A strategic city in the border region of Wei and Zhao..

The wife of Lord Pingyuan of Zhao was the elder sister of Prince Wuji of Wei Prince Wuji is better known by his title, Lord Xinling, one of the famous "Four Lords of the Warring States" known for their many talented retainers.. Envoys from Zhao traveled in constant succession to Wei, rebuking the Prince for not helping. The Prince was deeply distressed by this. He repeatedly requested the King of Wei to order Jin Bi to rescue Zhao, and he employed his many retainers and skilled orators to try every possible argument to persuade the King, but the King ultimately would not listen.

The Prince then gathered his own retainers, assembling about a hundred chariots and riders, intending to charge toward the pass to die in battle alongside Zhao. As he passed through the city gate, he went to see his guest, Hou Sheng An elderly gatekeeper who was one of the Prince's most respected advisors.. Hou Sheng said: "You have no other plan, Prince, and yet you wish to charge at the Qin army? ...... This is like throwing meat to a hungry tiger. What success could come of that?"

The Prince bowed twice and asked for a better plan. Hou Sheng said: "I have heard that Jin Bi's Military Tally original: "兵符" (bingfu). These were tiger-shaped bronze tokens split in two; one half stayed with the King and the other with the General. Only when the two halves matched could troops be mobilized. is kept in the King's bedchamber..."