The Collapse of Su Qin’s Grand Alliance Strategy

The political landscape of the Warring States period reached a critical juncture when Su Qin, the master strategist behind the Vertical Alliance (合纵), departed from the state of Chu in bitter disappointment. His ambitious plan to unite six states against the rising power of Qin had suffered a devastating setback in Chu, leaving the alliance fractured and his reputation tarnished. The once-promising cooperation with Qu Yuan and Lord Chunshen to stabilize Chu’s precarious position had dissolved into chaos, creating a situation where all parties – including Qin’s master strategist Zhang Yi – emerged as losers in the conflict.

Chu’s King Huai proved to be an unpredictable ruler, oscillating between moments of brilliant insight and periods of foolish indulgence. Qu Yuan’s uncompromising idealism and Lord Chunshen’s political maneuvering without firm principles created an environment where rational statecraft became impossible. The resulting turmoil saw Chu lose its newly trained army of 80,000 soldiers along with 20-30,000 veteran troops, while simultaneously making a powerful enemy that would haunt the state for generations.

The Return to Yan: Su Qin’s Last Refuge

Facing this comprehensive failure of his grand strategy, Su Qin retreated northward to Yan, the state where his political career had begun. This pattern of returning to Yan after major setbacks had become almost providential in Su Qin’s life – the weak state had nurtured him, just as the powerful Qin had shaped his rival Zhang Yi. As he approached the Yan capital of Ji, Su Qin encountered his younger brother Su Dai, who brought troubling news about Yan’s internal politics.

The political situation in Yan had deteriorated dramatically during Su Qin’s absence. King Yi of Yan, previously a vigorous ruler, had suffered a mysterious riding accident that left him paralyzed. Power had effectively shifted to Zi Zhi, the Minister of War, who now controlled both military and administrative affairs. Su Qin’s suspicions about the circumstances surrounding the king’s illness grew when he learned that the king’s Qin-born queen, Princess Liaoyang, had conveniently left for her homeland around the same time.

A Dying King’s Last Act

When Su Qin finally gained access to the ailing king, he found a shocking scene. The once-robust monarch had been reduced to a skeletal figure through what Su Qin recognized as barbaric Donghu medical treatments. Acting decisively, Su Qin ordered the removal of the suffocating curtains and medicinal filth that surrounded the king, creating a more dignified environment for his final moments.

In this poignant scene, the dying king performed his last political act – formally passing authority to his successor, Crown Prince Ji Kuai, while entrusting both Su Qin and Zi Zhi with guiding the new ruler. This carefully staged transition, witnessed by the newly arrived Crown Prince and the returning Princess Liaoyang (who dramatically asserted her rights as queen), created an uneasy balance of power that would shape Yan’s immediate future.

The New Reign and Mounting Tensions

With King Yi’s passing, Prince Ji Kuai ascended the throne as King Kuai of Yan. His first acts included confirming Su Qin as chancellor with expanded authority while granting Zi Zhi the powerful combined positions of Right Chancellor and Supreme General. Most controversially, the new king immediately named his thirteen-year-old son, Prince Ping, as crown prince – an unprecedented move in Warring States politics that raised eyebrows throughout the court.

This decision exposed growing tensions between Su Qin and his brother Su Dai, who had married into Zi Zhi’s family and become an ardent supporter of the ambitious general. Their heated argument revealed fundamental differences in political philosophy – Su Dai advocating for practical accommodation with rising powers like Zi Zhi, while Su Qin maintained his commitment to principle over expediency.

Su Qin’s Strategic Withdrawal

Recognizing Yan’s impending crisis, Su Qin made the difficult decision to leave the state temporarily. His stated purpose was to secure external allies who could help stabilize Yan when internal conflicts erupted, though he privately understood the limitations of this approach. In a revealing conversation with King Kuai, the monarch expressed surprising resignation about possibly losing his kingdom, prompting Su Qin to remind him that royal authority was a public trust, not personal property to be casually discarded.

Su Qin’s departure was carefully timed to coincide with a diplomatic mission from Qi regarding border disputes. This provided cover for his travels and led to a fateful meeting with Lord Mengchang of Qi, who shared startling news about Qi’s shifting foreign policy toward accommodation with Qin. Their discussion at the Yi River crossing marked another turning point in the complex web of Warring States diplomacy, as two of the era’s most prominent statesmen went their separate ways – Su Qin to Qi and Lord Mengchang to Qin.

The Gathering Storm in Yan

The political situation Su Qin left behind in Yan contained all the elements for explosive conflict. Zi Zhi’s growing power, the young and inexperienced King Kuai, the politically active Princess Liaoyang, and the newly designated child heir created a volatile mix. Su Qin’s brother Su Dai had clearly thrown his lot in with Zi Zhi’s faction, while other courtiers like Lu Maoshou positioned themselves for advantage in the coming struggle.

Most ominously, the military balance had shifted decisively in Zi Zhi’s favor, with his control of Yan’s cavalry forces giving him unprecedented coercive power. The stage was set for a confrontation that would test the very foundations of Yan’s political order, with profound implications for the broader balance of power among the Warring States.

Conclusion: The Unraveling of an Era

This critical juncture in late 4th century BCE China represented more than just another chapter in interstate rivalry. It marked the failure of the multi-state alliance system personified by Su Qin, the rise of a new generation of military-political leaders like Zi Zhi, and the weakening of traditional royal authority exemplified by King Kuai’s passive attitude toward his own potential overthrow.

The events unfolding in Yan would soon demonstrate the brutal realities of power in an era where military capability increasingly trumped diplomatic skill and where ambitious generals could challenge centuries-old dynasties. Su Qin’s departure from the scene symbolized the end of one approach to managing the Warring States conflict, just as figures like Zi Zhi heralded the emergence of a new, more ruthless political order.