一国三公 — “One country, three dukes”

In the early Spring and Autumn period, the state of Jin expanded by annexing smaller neighboring states, becoming a powerful entity. One year, Duke Xian of Jin acquired a beautiful woman named Li Ji during a war and made her his consort. Soon after, Li Ji gave birth to a son named Xi Qi.

Li Ji was a very calculating woman. Young, beautiful, and adept at flattery, she was deeply favored by Duke Xian, who even contemplated deposing Crown Prince Shen Sheng to make Xi Qi the heir. While this was Li Ji's true desire, she feigned modesty and advised the Duke against such a change, which only increased his affection for her.

Li Ji had another concern: Crown Prince Shen Sheng was close to his two half-brothers, Chong'er and Yi Wu. Therefore, she secretly conspired with Duke Xian's favored ministers, Liang Wang and Dong Guan Wang, to alienate these three princes and pave the way for her son Xi Qi to inherit the throne. After much deliberation, they decided to first distance the three princes from Duke Xian, weakening their father-son bond. Liang Wang and Dong Guan Wang suggested to Duke Xian that the Crown Prince should be stationed in Quwo, where the ancestral temple was located, while Chong'er and Yi Wu should be sent to guard the vital border strongholds of Pu and Qu respectively. They argued that with the Duke at the center of command and the three princes defending key strategic points, the state would be perfectly secure.

Convinced by their glib arguments, Duke Xian eventually agreed. As Pu and Qu were desolate areas, a minister named Shi Fen was tasked with overseeing the construction of these two cities. Shi Fen suspected that this was a scheme by Li Ji to establish Xi Qi as the crown prince, so he deliberately built the cities shoddy and hastily completed the work. Prince Yi Wu, unaware of the underlying plot, complained to Duke Xian about Shi Fen's poor performance. Duke Xian summoned Shi Fen and asked why the construction was so careless. Shi Fen replied, "I have heard that sorrow without cause will surely lead to sorrow, and building cities without war will surely lead to them being used by the enemy. Now I am commanded to build cities for the two princes. If I do not build them strongly, I would be guilty of disrespect towards the princes. But if I build them strongly, I would provide strongholds for the enemy, making me disloyal to Your Majesty. If I lose both loyalty and respect, how can I continue to serve Your Majesty?” Shi Fen then quoted a poem from the Book of Odes:“With virtue, peace endures; descendants are like strong walls.” He concluded, “I believe there will be war there in three years.”

Returning home, Shi Fen composed another poem. Its meaning was: “Noblemen in fox fur coats are as numerous as dragon’s bristles; a country has three rulers, whom should I obey?” Shi Fen’s prophecy proved true. Later, Duke Xian, swayed by Li Ji’s malicious words, forced Crown Prince Shen Sheng to his death. Chong’er and Yi Wu were falsely accused as accomplices, and Duke Xian dispatched troops to attack Pu and Qu. The two princes were forced to flee into exile. Li Ji’s conspiracy succeeded, and Xi Qi became the Crown Prince of Jin.

However, Li Ji’s good fortune was short-lived. After Duke Xian’s death, the newly enthroned Xi Qi was assassinated by the minister Li Ke. Li Ji herself was soon driven to suicide by drowning. Jin fell into great chaos. Prince Chong’er, after 19 years of exile, finally returned to assume the throne. He became the famous Duke Wen of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period.