“In former times the palace women numbered less than a hundred; for years past they have exceeded a thousand. This is an extravagant waste of treasure. The courtiers render no disinterested service, but are split into cliques and cabals. The honest are injured and the good driven away. All these things undermine the state and weaken the people. I beg Your Majesty to reduce the number of officers and remove grievances, to dismiss the palace women and select honest officers, to the joy of the people and the tranquillity of the state.”
But the Ruler of Wu was displeased, and showed his contempt for the minister's remonstrance by beginning to collect material for the building of a new palace complex to be called the Reflected Light Palace. He even made the officers of the court go into the forest to fell trees for the work.
The Ruler of Wu called in the soothsayer Shang Guang and bade him take the cast and inquire as to the attainment of empire.
Shang Guang cast a lot and replied, “All is propitious, and in the year of the 'mouse' your blue umbrella will enter Luoyang.”
And Sun Hao was pleased.
He said to Minister Hua Jiao, “The former rulers listened to your words and sent generals to various points and placed defensive camps along the rivers. And over all these was set Ding Feng. Now my desire is to conquer Han and avenge the wrongs of my brother, the Ruler of Shu. What place should be first conquered?”
Hua Jiao replied, “Now that Chengdu has fallen and the Throne there been overturned, Sima Yan will assuredly desire to absorb this land. Your Majesty should display virtue and restore confidence to your people. That would be the best plan. If you engage in war, it will be like throwing on hemp to put out a fire; the hemp only adds to the blaze. This is worthy of careful consideration.”
But Sun Hao grew angry and said, “I desire to take this opportunity to return to my real heritage. Why do you employ this ill-omened language? Were it not for your long service, now would I slay you and expose your head as a warning.”
He bade the lictors hustle Minister Hua Jiao from his presence, and Hua Jiao left the court.
“It is pitiful,” said Hua Jiao. “Ere long our silky, beautiful country will pass to another.”
So he retired. And the Ruler of Wu ordered Lu Kang, General Who Guards the East, to camp his army at Jiangkou in order to attack Xiangyang.
Spies reported this in Luoyang, and it was told the Ruler of Jin. When Sima Yan heard that the army of Wu threatened to invade Xiangyang, he called a council.
Jia Chong stood forth, saying, “I hear the government of Wu, under its present ruler, Sun Hao, is devoid of virtue and the Ruler of Wu has turned aside out of the road. Your Majesty should send Commander Yang Hu
to oppose this army; and when internal trouble shall arise, let him attack, and victory will then be easy.”
The Ruler of Jin issued an edict ordering Yang Hu to prepare, and so he mustered his troops and set himself to guard the county.
Yang Hu became very popular in Xiangyang. Any of the soldiers of Wu who desired to desert to the other side were allowed to come over. He employed only the fewest possible troops on patrol duty. Instead he set his soldiers to till the soil, and they cultivated an extensive area, whereby the hundred days supplies with which they set out were soon increased to enough for ten years.
