| Annals of Xiang Yu: |
Chu's Chief Minister of the Left Xiang Bo, Xiang Yu's uncle, was a friend of Zhang Liang, Marquis of Liu. Zhang Liang worked for Pei Gong at the time. Xiang Bo hence rode to Pei Gong's camp under the cover of the night, met Zhang Liang privately, told him about the assault and asked him to escape, saying: "You will die if you stay." Liang said: "I was appointed as Pei Gong's servant by the king of Han. Now that Pei Gong is in danger, it is not justifiable for me to escape. I have to warn him."
So Liang came to Pei Gong and told him everything. Pei Gong was surprised and scared, he said: "What should I do?" Liang asked: "Who gave you the idea?" Pei Gong said: "Someone told me to guard the pass and keep off other lords in order to be king of the Qin territory. I took that advice." Liang asked: "Can your troops rival King Xiang?" Pei Gong remained silent for a while, and then said: "Of course we cannot, what should I do?" Liang said: "Please go and tell Xiang Bo that you dare not betray King Xiang." Pei Gong asked: "How do you know Xiang Bo?" Liang answered: "We were old friends in the Qin times, he was guilty to murder and I saved his life. So today he came to save mine in emergency." Pei Gong asked: "Who of you is elder?" Liang said: "He is elder than me." Pei Gong said: "Call him in for me. I will treat him as elder brother."
Zhang Liang went out and invited Xiang Bo. So Xiang Bo came in to see Pei Gong. Pei Gong honored him with a toast and promised him a marriage, saying: "After I came to Guanzhong, I dare not touch anything. I recorded officers and citizens [of the city], sealed the treasury, waiting for the general (Xiang Yu). I guarded the pass only to restrain bandits and for security. I have been expecting the general day and night, how could I betray him? Please tell the general that I dare not do such unvirtuous things!" Xiang Bo promised, he said to Pei Gong: "Tomorrow you have to apologize to King Xiang early." Pei Gong said: "Yes." So Xiang Bo rode back to the camp (of King Xiang) in the night, and told King Xiang what Pei Gong had said. Xiang Bo said: "If it were not for Pei Gong, how could you so easily come to Guanzhong? It is not a noble thing to kill a man of merit. We had better treat him well." King Xiang agreed. |
