Why did Zhou Yafu, a great man, quell the rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms and starve to death?

Zhou Yafu (former 199—— former 143), a famous soldier in the Western Han Dynasty, was the second son of the famous Jiang Hou Zhou Bo and a very famous strategist in history. Seven countries rebelled, commanded the Han army, and put down the rebels in three months. I finally starved to death in prison, which was embarrassing.

When she was the chief of Hanoi in Zhou Yafu, there was a woman fortune teller named Xu Fu, who was good-looking. On this day, Zhou Yafu invited her to the government to tell her fortune. Old lady Xu Fu said, "Fortune-telling is heartless, but compassion does not tell fortune. Your life is more noble, you can be a marquis in three years, and you can be a prime minister in eight years, and your status is noble. But good flowers don't last long. In another nine years, you will only be a hungry ghost. "

Zhou Yafu shook his head and said, "I can't be sealed, because my brother inherited his father's Marquis. Even if he dies, his nephew will inherit it, not me. It is impossible to say that I am hungry. You call me noble, how can I starve to death? " Three years later, Zhou Yafu's brother was deprived of the post of Marquis for murder. Emperor Wen, unwilling to deprive the Zhou family of the title, ordered the selection of Zhou Yafu, the best personality among the philosophers, to inherit the title. Zhou Yafu really fulfilled the soothsayer's words and inherited his father's title.

In 158 BC, that is, in the sixth year of Emperor Wendi, Xiongnu invaded the northern border, and Emperor Wendi hurriedly adjusted the border to guard the defense. In order to guard the capital, Wendi sent three troops to Chang 'an to resist the guards. Liu Lishouba, Zhu Xi and Li Shouxi, and Zhou Yafu, the satrap of Hanoi. A month later, the Xiongnu soldiers retreated. Emperor Wen ordered the three armies to withdraw. Because of his tight defense and meritorious defense, Emperor Wendi promoted Zhou Yafu to lieutenant, in charge of the relieving and guarding of the capital. After the death of Emperor Wendi, Emperor Jingdi named Zhou Yafu as a title of generals in ancient times. BC 154, that is, in the third year of Emperor Han Jing, the King of Wu and Liu Bi joined forces with the King of Jiaodong, Liu E and other seven countries to launch a rebellion, under the banner of "killing Chao Cuo, clearing the monarch's side".

Jingdi then promoted Zhou Yafu to Qiu and led the troops in counterinsurgency. When the rebels attacked Guo Liang, Zhou Yafu didn't send reinforcements, because the enemy's morale was low and the route for providing foodstuff was cut off. The rebellion was put down in March, and courtiers praised Zhou Yafu's strategy of fighting after the war. But because Zhou Yafu didn't rescue him in time, Liang Wang and he forged a deep hatred. It laid the groundwork for Zhou Yafu's later tragedy. After Prime Minister Tao Qing retired, Jingdi appointed Zhou Yafu as Prime Minister. At first, Jingdi attached great importance to him. Because he is honest and frank in Zhou Yafu, maybe the military attache can't be a civilian, and his personality is stubborn, and he is gradually alienated by Jingdi. Li Rong, whom Jingdi wanted to abolish. Liu Rong is the son of Li Ji, so he is called Prince Chestnut. However, Zhou Yafu's opposition caused Jingdi to be extremely dissatisfied with him. Liang Wang, who had been enemies with him, spoke ill of Zhou Yafu in front of the Queen Mother every time he went to Beijing, which was also very bad for him.

Once Jingdi asked him to enter the palace for a banquet to test whether his temper had changed, so he didn't put chopsticks in front of him. Zhou Yafu asked the steward for chopsticks unhappily. Jingdi smiled and said to him, "Isn't that enough for you?" Zhou Yafu felt ashamed and resentful, and knelt down to apologize to Jingdi. As soon as Jingdi said "get up", he immediately stood up. Before Jingdi could speak again, he turned and walked away. Jingdi sighed and said, "How can such a person help the young master?"

Sima Qian not only praised him in Historical Records, but also greatly regretted his stubbornness and disrespect for the emperor, which led to the tragic ending.