In the third year of Qin Xiaogong's reign, Shang Yang was appointed as the chief of Zuo Shu and implemented reforms. In the tenth year of Qin Xiaogong's reign, Shang Yang was promoted to Daliang Zao. Daliang Zao was the 16th level among the 20 levels of titles in the Qin State. He could be said to be a real high-ranking official in the court. It can be seen that Qin Xiaogong relied heavily on Shang Yang.
One of the goals of Qin Xiaogong's reforms was to defeat Wei. After Shang Yang was promoted to Daliang Zao, he personally led troops to attack Wei at the instruction of Qin Xiaogong and seized its Anyi (now northwest of Xia County, Shanxi) area. Although the scale of this battle was small, it declared to history that Wei was no longer Qin's opponent.
In the twelfth year of Qin Xiaogong's reign, Qin moved its capital to Xianyang. Xianyang is located to the east of Yongdi, the old capital. It occupies the dangerous mountains and rivers and is closer to the Wei State.
At this time, Wei still regarded itself as a powerful country and had not yet taken Qin seriously. However, the Qin State after the reform is no longer the Qin State that was often defeated by the Wei State in the past. The Qin State has spent ten years accumulating strength and is now able to rival the Wei State.
After moving the capital to Xianyang, Shang Yang began to implement the second reform in order to quickly surpass and defeat Wei.
The second reform is a supplement to the first reform. The reform still focused on national interests, focusing on attacking backward royal families and promoting emerging forces. The main contents are as follows:
First, fathers, sons, and brothers are prohibited from living in the same room, and men must support themselves. Shang Yang stipulated in the first reform that adult men who did not separate their families could make up for it by paying double taxes. In the second reform, the family happiness of the people of Qin had been completely trampled on, and Shang Yang completely cut off the people of Qin's ability to separate their families. At this point, it is self-evident that Shang Yang regards the people as a tool to realize the prosperity of Qin. Shang Yang forbade speech, but the people dared to be angry and dare not speak out. The anger was suppressed, and once it broke out, Shang Yang would definitely find it difficult to deal with the aftermath.
Second, merge towns and villages and unify the national administrative system based on counties. After the establishment of the Qin State, there were a total of 31 counties. Each county had a county magistrate and a county magistrate. The county magistrate was the main person responsible, and the county magistrate was the deputy of the county magistrate. During the first reform, Shang Yang established a unified household registration system to facilitate the management of the people; during the second reform, Shang Yang established a county system to manage the country on a regional basis.
After two reforms, the people of Qin were subject to dual restrictions on household registration and geography, and their personal freedoms were restricted. Shang Yang repeatedly restrained the people with only one purpose: to make the people focus on "farming and war" and to put an end to activities such as business, study, lobbying, and private fighting that were not conducive to centralization of power. China's great unification and centralization of power were pioneered by the Qin State, and Shang Yang's reforms made a great contribution.
Third, rectify the land across the country, divide the land on a unified scale, and encourage reclamation. As an outstanding representative of Legalism, Shang Yang strived to realize a set of standard standards. If land is divided on a unified scale across the country, there will be strict and unified standards for national tax collection. Taxation is the main source of national financial resources. Once taxation is guaranteed, Qin will have economic strength to fight.
Fourth, unify weights and measures to create conditions for the development of the national economy. Before Shang Yang's reform, the Qin State's measurement standards included buckets, barrels, weights, rulers, etc. There were many names, which was not conducive to market transactions and national taxation. After the reform, one set of standards is used across the country, making transactions easier.
The first reform brought Qin to the path of prosperity and power; the second reform took Qin to the path of centralization. Shang Yang was indispensable for the transformation of Qin from a weak country into a strong one. After two reforms, Qin has become like a thousand-mile horse capable of conquering and fighting. Shang Yang hoped that his thousand-mile horse could defeat other vassal states and unify the country just like the unification of weights and measures in Qin.
The new law had just put Qin on the road to hegemony, and someone violated the new law with bad intentions. Shang Yang had the fearless spirit of a reformer and would not show mercy to the prince, let alone others.
The last time the prince violated the new law, his supervisor, Gongzi Qian, was punished. Gongzi Qian hated Shang Yang to the core. Four years after the second reform was implemented, Gongzi Qian broke the law again. Shang Yang took drastic measures and resolutely faced the punishment of the young master. Punishment is to cut off the nose. In order to reform, Shang Yang changed Gongzi Qian's face beyond recognition, which deepened Gongzi Qian's resentment.
Gongzi Qian is the prince's supervisor and is responsible for the prince's moral conduct. If the prince's behavior does not meet moral requirements, he has the right to correct him. Shang Yang cut off the prince Qian's nose and used the knife on the prince's moral supervisor, which was to cut the moral supervisor's face.
Shang Yang twice punished the prince's people without caring about the prince's face, which made the prince jealous of Shang Yang, which also laid the root of Shang Yang's disaster.
After the reform decree was promulgated, Shang Yang declared: Take the law as the teaching. Shang Yang will reward the docile people who act according to the new law. Most of the people who were rewarded were those who were good at farming and brave in fighting.
During the period of Shang Yang's reform, if you wanted to get promoted, you must have actual merit, such as being good at farming and being brave in battle. Where there are rewards, there are punishments. If you follow the new laws, you will be rewarded. If you violate the new laws, you will be punished.
Shang Yang would never tolerate those who violated the new law. Once, more than 700 prisoners violated the new law. Shang Yang raised his hand, and more than 700 heads immediately fell to the ground, splattering blood in the downtown area.
Qin is getting stronger day by day, but Wei is weakening day by day. Qin needs to seize the opportunity to deal with Wei. In the seventeenth year of Qin Xiaogong, that is, five years after Shang Yang's second reform, the Wei state was defeated at Maling, general Pang Juan was beheaded, and the country's national power declined greatly.
The next year, Shang Yang offered his advice and suggested that Qin Xiaogong take advantage of Wei's serious injury to attack Wei. The State of Wei is close to the State of Zhou and is the focus of competition among the princes. Once the country's power declines, many princes will look at it covetously.
Shang Yang told Qin Xiaogong that Wei's geographical location was crucial, and for Qin, it was like a thorn in his side. If Qin did not annex Wei, Wei would destroy Qin.
From the perspective of geographical environment, Wei State occupied Anyi, with dangerous mountains and rivers in the west as a barrier to protect the country, and fertile land in the east. If Wei is strong, it can invade Qin from the west; if it is weak, it can retreat to the east.
At this time, the State of Wei had just been defeated by the State of Qi and its strength was greatly reduced. Now was the best time to deal with the State of Wei. Therefore, Shang Yang suggested that Duke Xiao of Qin send out troops to drive the State of Wei to the east and seize the dangerous terrain of the Yellow River and Mount Laoshan as a A barrier that protects the country.
The Qin State was in the west, and its land was not as fertile as the Central Plains, and it was often invaded by ethnic minorities in the west. If Qin wanted to dominate the Central Plains, it would inevitably develop eastward. In the east, the Wei State was quite powerful and was the first to bear the brunt of Qin's march into the Central Plains. In any case, as long as Qin develops eastward, it must move away from the big stone of Wei.
In the past few years, Qin State was repeatedly invaded by Wei State because Wei State was afraid of Qin State's eastward development. After the reform, the Qin State's strength has greatly increased, and it will inevitably covet the weakening Wei State.
Duke Xiao of Qin relied heavily on Shang Yang, so he once again ordered Shang Yang to lead the army in battle. Shang Yang was a civil official rather than a military general. Qin Xiaogong asked Shang Yang to lead the army twice, which shows that Qin State lacked generals. Shang Yang is not a general and is not good at fighting. If he is asked to lead the army in battle, he can only win by his wits.
Wei was once defeated by Shang Yang, and when he heard that Shang Yang was leading an army to invade again this time, he sent his son Yan to lead the army to meet the enemy. "A hundred-footed insect is dead but not stiff." Wei was a big country in the past. When the army was launched, it was still majestic and frightening.
When the two armies met, the Wei army was well-arranged, and its laws were open and closed, showing the style of a great country. The soldiers of the Qin army were extremely brave, and everyone was in high spirits, eager to raise the flag and kill the generals, kill the enemy and achieve meritorious service. However, the Qin army was loosely deployed and did not unite its morale. They almost fought independently.
Looking at the Qin army, we only see the individual bravery of the generals, but not the overall military power. Shang Yang saw that the Wei army was powerful and orderly, like a thousand-year-old forest, and he immediately thought of a plan.
Taking advantage of his experience of staying in Wei for a period of time, Shang Yang wrote a letter to the general of the Wei army, Gongzi Yan. Shang Yang said that he was on good terms with Young Master Yan. They were both generals and could not bear to attack each other. He hoped to see Young Master Yan, make peace over a glass of wine, and then part ways.
Having just lost to Qi and offended other vassal states, if Wei opened fire with Qin, it would be equivalent to setting fire to itself. If other vassal states take advantage of the great war between Wei and Qin, take advantage of the situation, and send troops to attack Wei one after another, Wei will perish.
The provocateur took the initiative to make peace, but the young master did not get what he asked for, so he agreed immediately.
This time Qin's army was mobilized, it was very expensive. Of course, Shang Yang would not easily withdraw his troops based on emotional factors alone, not to mention that he always paid attention to law and rationality. Besides, when Gongshu Cuo recommended Shang Yang, King Wei Hui was blind and ignored him. This injury has eliminated his nostalgia for Wei.
Young Master Yanshuang came to the banquet without any sense of precaution. When facing the enemy, you should always be vigilant. If you relax even a little bit, you will inevitably make irreparable mistakes. Shang Yang and his son Yin were drinking and reminiscing, but secretly they had arranged for generals to attack the Wei army. Prince Xian believed in Shang Yang, but he was detained by Shang Yang.
The general was detained and his life or death was uncertain. Faced with a sudden attack by the Qin army, the Wei army was in chaos. If they fight alone, the morale of the Wei army is not as good as that of the Qin army, and they will only lose, not win. After the Wei army's formidable military formation was disrupted, the Qin army rushed in in large numbers, like tigers and wolves rushing into a flock of sheep, running rampant and invincible. Shang Yang's decree emphasized that those who beheaded the enemy's leader could be honored and honored. For the sake of fame and title, the Qin soldiers fought extremely bravely.
King Hui of Wei saw that the Wei army was defeated, so he requested to cede territory and negotiate peace. A general without a plan and a king who is cowardly are signs of a country's downfall.
Qin Xiaogong requested to take back the land west of Hexi, and Wei agreed to return it.
Occupying the land west of Hexi, everything went as Shang Yang expected, and Qin's door to hegemony in the Central Plains was opened. The land west of Hexi refers to the area west of the Yellow River. After the Qin State occupied it, it was closer to the Wei State. Anyi, the capital of the Wei State, was very dangerous.
If the Qin army crosses the Yellow River, Anyi will be defeated in one blow. Once the capital is broken, the Wei state will inevitably disappear completely. The State of Qin is like a covetous tiger, occupying a high hill, and may pounce on Anyi at any time.
Facing a powerful enemy, King Hui of Wei was incompetent and would only give in. After ceding the land west of Hexi, King Wei Hui made another stupid decision and moved the capital eastward. Wei State moved its capital to the remote Daliang this time. Because of the move of the capital, King Hui of Wei was also called King Hui of Liang.
Wei was first defeated by Qi, and then by Qin. Other vassal states that had grievances with Wei wanted to take advantage of the situation and devour Wei alive. After its power weakened, the Wei State, which was originally in the treasure land of the Central Plains, felt that it was surrounded by enemies from both sides, with the wolf-like Qin State in the west and the tiger-like Qi State in the east. The weak Wei State has fallen into a dilemma of survival. It will be beaten to the west and to the east.
Living in the fiercely competitive Warring States Period, if you miss out on talents, you are throwing away your own future. When Wei abandoned Shang Yang, a great country declined immediately; when Shang Yang assisted Qin Xiaogong, a great country rose rapidly. Shang Yang's survival proves the truth that talents make a country strong.
Facing the rise of Qin, King Wei Hui said a sad word: "I wish I could not use Gongshu Cuo's words." ("Historical Records: Biography of Shang Jun")
Qin Xiaogong was very happy to take back the land west of Hexi, and granted Shang Yang the title of "Shang Yang". The ancients liked to call people by place names. The "Shang" in Shang Yang comes from the "Shang" of Shangdi.
