Investiture as the supreme general Initially, after joining Liu Bang's army, Han Xin was not given any important roles. Once, he violated military law and was due to be punished by execution. When it was his turn to be beheaded, Han Xin saw
Xiahou Ying (one of Liu Bang's trusted generals) and said, "I thought the King wanted to rule an empire. Why, then, is he killing valiant men?" Xiahou Ying was surprised by his words and his looks, and spared Han Xin's life. After conversing with Han Xin, Xiahou Ying was greatly delighted and recommended Han Xin to Liu Bang. Liu Bang was not overly impressed but made Han Xin the Captain of Rations (治粟都尉) to be in charge of food supplies. During this time, Han Xin often met up with
Xiao He (Liu Bang's Chancellor), who was greatly impressed by him.In April of that year, Liu Bang faced a mass desertion of soldiers. Han Xin figured that despite both Xiahou Ying and Xiao He having recommended him to Liu Bang, Liu Bang did not use him, so he saw no reason to stay and also deserted. When Xiao He heard that Han Xin had left, he immediately rushed to personally find Han Xin and bring him back, and did not manage to inform Liu Bang in time. Xiao He eventually caught up with Han Xin and managed to persuade Han Xin to go back with him. This event gave rise to the saying, "Xiao He chases Han Xin under the moonlight" (). In the meantime, Liu Bang had a nervous breakdown after hearing that Xiao He had left him. When Xiao He returned after a few days, while Liu Bang was relieved, he was also furious. He angrily asked Xiao He, "Why did you run away?" Xiao He explained, "I did not run away; I was chasing down Han Xin." Liu Bang got angry again, saying, "There were dozens of deserters, yet you did not chase after them. When you say that you chased after Han Xin, you must be lying to me." Xiao He then explained Han Xin's talent and forcibly insisted that Liu Bang immediately promote Han Xin to the highest rank in the army, the Commander-in-Chief (大將軍). Xiao He also chided Liu Bang's usual ill-mannered behaviour, demanding that Liu Bang hold a formal ceremony for the event. Liu Bang relented and held a special ceremony for Han Xin's appointment.
Reconquering the Three Qins After the ceremony, Han Xin analysed the situation for Liu Bang and devised a plan to conquer Xiang Yu's
Western Chu kingdom. In late 206 BCE, Liu Bang's forces left
Hanzhong and prepared to attack the
Three Qins in
Guanzhong. Han Xin ordered some soldiers to pretend to repair the
gallery roads linking Guanzhong and Hanzhong, while sending another army to secretly pass through Chencang and make a surprise attack on
Zhang Han. Zhang Han was caught off guard and the Han forces emerged victorious, proceeding to take over
Sima Xin and
Dong Yi's kingdoms. The strategy employed by Han Xin, known as
mingxiu zhandao, andu Chencang (明修棧道, 暗度陳倉; lit. "appearing to repair the
gallery roads while making secret advances through
Chencang"), later became one of the
Thirty-Six Stratagems.
Crushing other kingdoms Although the
Guanzhong region had not yet been fully pacified, the overall situation was already settled. The King of Han, Liu Bang, therefore personally led his main army out through
Hangu Pass, stationing his forces at Shan County (west of today's
Sanmenxia,
Henan), where he set about pacifying the people east of the passes. At this time,
Zhang Liang, Minister of State of Han,
Zhang Er, King of Changshan, and
Shen Yang, King of Henan, successively came over to submit to Liu Bang, greatly strengthening the Han camp. With Zhang Liang at the center, devising strategy and planning operations, Liu Bang felt that he could manage even without Han Xin. Thus, in the eleventh month he returned to Guanzhong, revoked Han Xin's command authority, and redeployed his forces and generals. Liu Bang himself led the main Han army together with the troops of the surrendering feudal lords eastward to campaign against Western Chu. Xiao He and Han Xin, one civil and one military, remained behind to guard Guanzhong: Xiao He was responsible for restoring local administration, reviving production, and levying men from among the
former Qin populace to form a new army, while Han Xin was tasked with training this new force and eliminating the remaining troops of the former Qin kings. Liu Bang then allied with the other eighteen feudal lords and, while Xiang Yu was still in the state of Qi, led a coalition army of 560,000 men in 205 BCE to seize Xiang Yu's capital,
Pengcheng. Xiang Yu hurried back to Pengcheng with 30,000 troops. Liu Bang was unable to withstand him and suffered a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Pengcheng, retreating to Xingyang. Xiao He immediately mobilized the elderly, the infirm, and those not yet registered for service in Guanzhong and led them to rendezvous with the King of Han at
Xingyang. Han Xin gathered scattered soldiers and also joined Liu Bang. Thereafter, Liu Bang ordered
Guan Ying to reorganize the former Qin cavalry, appointing Li Bi and Luo Jia as his deputies. Liu Bang then appointed Guan Ying as Palace Grandee, with Li Bi and Luo Jia serving as Left and Right Colonels to assist him. Together they led the cavalry to engage the Chu cavalry east of Xingyang and succeeded in defeating Xiang Yu's forces. The King of Wei, Wei Bao, defected to Chu and rebelled against Han. Liu Bang appointed Han Xin as Left Chancellor and entrusted him with command of the campaign against Wei. Cao Can served as infantry commander and Guan Ying as cavalry commander, both under Han Xin, and together they attacked Wei Bao. Wei Bao led his main forces to garrison Puban, blocking the
Yellow River crossing at Linjin Pass. Han Xin deployed decoy troops and arrayed warships, feigning an attempt to cross at Linjin, while in fact leading his army to cross the river at Xiayang using wooden jars and earthenware containers. He then launched a surprise attack on the Wei capital, Anyang. Caught off guard, Wei Bao rushed out with his troops to meet Han Xin but was defeated; Han Xin pacified the territory of Wei, captured Wei Bao, and escorted him to Xingyang. Liu Bang subsequently established
Hedong Commandery in the former Wei lands. After this campaign,
Cao Can was granted the fief of Pingyang. Afterward, Han Xin and others led their armies to defeat the
state of Dai, capturing Xia Shuoyan at Yu. At the Battle of Jingxing, with his troops backed against the river, Han Xin used thirty thousand soldiers to defeat a Zhao army of two hundred thousand. Han Xin then followed the advice of Li Zuoche, Lord of Guangwu, dispatching envoys to the state of Yan and successfully persuading the King of Yan to submit to the King of Han.
Annexation of the north ,
Jingxing County, near the place where the
Battle of Jingxing took place. In the ninth month of the second year of Han (205 BCE), Han Xin and others captured
Wei Bao, King of Wei, and pacified the Wei territories. In the intercalary ninth month of the same year, the armies of Han Xin and Zhang Er defeated the forces of the state of Dai and captured Xia Shuo (夏說) alive at Yu. After Han Xin had subdued
Wei and
Dai, Liu Bang dispatched envoys to transfer Han Xin's elite troops to Xingyang to confront the Chu forces. In the winter, tenth month of the third year of Han (204 BCE), Han Xin sent envoys to request 30,000 troops from the King of Han, proposing to destroy Yan and Zhao in the north, strike Qi in the east, and sever Chu's supply routes in the south. Liu Bang approved the request and assigned troops to Han Xin. Upon hearing that the Han army was about to attack Zhao, King Xie of Zhao and Lord Cheng'an, Chen Yu, concentrated their forces at Jingxing Pass, claiming an army of 200,000.
Li Zuoche, Lord of Guangwu, advised Chen Yu that although the Han army was formidable, it had marched a thousand li and would be constrained by the narrow terrain of Jingxing Pass, inevitably causing its supply lines to lag behind the troops. He proposed that Chen Yu assign him 30,000 picked troops to move along hidden paths and intercept the Han army's supply convoys, while the King of Zhao should dig deep trenches, build high ramparts, and hold firm without engaging the enemy. Chen Yu, adhering to Confucian principles, was unwilling to employ deception and stratagems. Believing his forces outnumbered the enemy ten to one and fearing that avoiding battle would invite contempt from the other feudal lords, he rejected Li Zuoche's advice. Han Xin secretly gathered intelligence and learned that Chen Yu had not adopted Li Zuoche's plan. He then led his army into Jingxing Pass and halted to camp thirty li from the exit. At midnight, Han Xin selected two thousand lightly armed cavalrymen, each carrying a red banner, and sent them by concealed paths into the mountains, instructing them: "When the armies engage, the Zhao forces will see our troops feigning defeat and will pursue in full force. You are then to rush into the Zhao camp, remove their banners, and raise the Han red banners." Han Xin further told his officers, "The Zhao army has already fortified favorable ground. If they do not see our commander's banners and ceremonial standards, they will not attack our advance units, fearing that we might withdraw once we reach dangerous terrain.” Han Xin sent troops out of Jingxing Pass and arrayed them with their backs to the river. When the Zhao army saw this, they burst into laughter. At dawn, Han Xin raised the commander's banners, beat the war drums, and advanced out of the pass. The Zhao army finally opened their fortifications and attacked. After fierce fighting, Han Xin and Zhang Er feigned the abandonment of banners and drums and fled back toward the river formation. As anticipated, the Zhao forces pursued en masse, scrambling to seize the Han banners and drums and chasing the commanders. At that moment, the two thousand cavalry previously dispatched by Han Xin charged into the now-empty Zhao camp, replacing the Zhao banners with Han red banners. Unable to overcome the Han troops fighting with their backs to the river, the Zhao army attempted to retreat, only to discover their camp filled with Han banners. Shocked and believing their generals had been captured, the Zhao forces fell into chaos and scattered in flight. Even executions by Zhao officers failed to stop the rout. The Han army then attacked from front and rear, utterly crushing the Zhao forces, capturing large numbers of troops, killing Chen Yu by the Zhi River, and taking King Xie of Zhao alive. After the great victory, Han Xin issued orders forbidding the killing of Li Zuoche. When Li Zuoche was captured alive, Han Xin treated him with the respect due to a teacher. Li Zuoche advised that the Han army, having come from afar, should not continue fighting but instead stabilize Zhao, care for its people, and rest the troops, while taking advantage of the victory to persuade Yan to surrender. Han Xin accepted this advice and sent envoys to Yan, which indeed surrendered upon hearing the news. Han Xin then reported to Liu Bang and requested that Zhang Er be installed as King of Zhao to pacify the region. Liu Bang approved and enfeoffed Zhang Er as King of Zhao. Chu repeatedly dispatched surprise forces across the
Yellow River to attack Zhao. Zhang Er and Han Xin frequently coordinated relief efforts, and while maneuvering their troops, they seized all Zhao cities along their route, thereafter sending forces to support the King of Han. In the twelfth month of the third year of Han (204 BCE), Sui He successfully persuaded
Ying Bu to submit to Han, whereupon Ying Bu raised troops to attack Chu. Chu sent Xiang Sheng and Long Ju to attack Ying Bu, who suffered defeat. Ying Bu and Sui He then took hidden paths to seek aid from Liu Bang. Liu Bang dispatched reinforcements, and together they withdrew to Chenggao. Chu forces again swiftly besieged Chenggao. In the sixth month, Liu Bang escaped from Chenggao with Xiahou Ying, crossed the Yellow River eastward, and arrived at the camp of Zhang Er's army at Xiuwu. At dawn the next day, Liu Bang entered the Zhao camp claiming to be an envoy of the King of Han. While Zhang Er and Han Xin were still asleep, Liu Bang entered their quarters, seized their seals and tallies, summoned the generals, and reassigned their commands. When Zhang Er and Han Xin awoke and learned that Liu Bang had already come and gone, they were greatly alarmed. Liu Bang took over their troops, ordered Zhang Er to remain and defend Zhao, appointed Han Xin as Chancellor of State, and instructed him to gather the Zhao troops not transferred to Xingyang and lead them in a battle against Qi.
Enfeoffment as King of Qi ,
Haikou In 204 BCE, Liu Bang dispatched
Li Yiji to persuade the
state of Qi (today's
Shandong province) to form an alliance.
Tian Guang, King of Qi, agreed and retained Li Yiji with generous hospitality. Earlier, Han Xin had already received Liu Bang's orders to attack Qi. After learning that Li Yiji had successfully secured Qi's submission, Han Xin initially intended to withdraw his troops. However, Kuai Che argued that since Liu Bang had issued no edict ordering a retreat, Han Xin was obliged to carry out the original command and proceed with the campaign so as to eliminate Qi's military strength entirely. Han Xin accepted this reasoning and launched an attack on the unprepared Qi forces. Enraged upon hearing the news, Tian Guang had Li Yiji executed by boiling. Han Xin, together with Guan Ying and Cao Can, defeated the Qi army. Tian Guang led his troops eastward in retreat and sought aid from Xiang Yu. Han Xin then joined forces with Chen Wu, Cai Yin, Ding Fu, Wang Zhou, and Chen Juan, and
defeated the combined armies of Tian Guang and the Chu general
Long Ju; Long Ju was killed in battle. Han Xin subsequently occupied Qi territory in succession.
Final campaign against Chu In 203 BCE, citing the unsettled popular sentiment in Qi, Han Xin requested appointment as Acting King of Qi (假齊王) so that he could govern the region effectively. At the time, Liu Bang was locked in a stalemate with the Chu forces. Upon hearing the request, he angrily exclaimed, “I am trapped here, waiting day and night for you to come to my rescue, and yet you want to make yourself king!” Zhang Liang and Chen Ping then stepped on Liu Bang's foot and whispered that the Han position was presently unfavorable and that it was impossible to prevent Han Xin from assuming kingship; it would be better to consent outright. Liu Bang immediately grasped the point and changed his tone, declaring, "If a true man can pacify the feudal lords, then he should be made a real king—what need is there for an 'acting' King of Qi?" He thereupon formally enfeoffed Han Xin as King of Qi. Aware that the situation was turning against him, Xiang Yu sent Wu She to persuade Han Xin to defect from Han. Han Xin refused, citing Liu Bang's past kindness toward him. Kuai Che, however, believed that Liu Bang would eventually move against Han Xin and repeatedly urged him to seize the moment, break away from the Han king, and establish an independent power to create a tripartite balance. Han Xin, confident in his merits, insisted that “Han will never take Qi away from me."
Kuai Che (蒯徹) warned in reply that "those whose valor and strategy make rulers feel threatened place their lives in danger; those who render world-shaking service often fail to receive their due rewards." Yet Han Xin steadfastly held to the belief that "Han will never betray me", and could not bring himself to rebel. ==After the establishment of Han dynasty==