In the early Spring and Autumn period, Duke Xian of Jin conquered the Li Rong tribe and seized the beautiful Li Ji, bringing her back to his capital and making her his wife. Young and stunning, Li Ji knew exactly how to please the duke, bewitching him so completely that he plotted to depose his long-established crown prince, Shensheng, and replace him with Li Ji's own son, Xiqi.
Li Ji knew that Shen Sheng was the son of Duke Xian's deceased wife Qi Jiang, and his status as crown prince was already recognized throughout the state. Though she desperately wanted her own son Xi Qi to become heir, she feared the ministers would not accept it. So she feigned virtue, urging the duke to consider the greater good and not change the succession. The duke, believing her sincerity, praised her noble character. In truth, Li Ji also worried about Shen Sheng's two half-brothers, Chong Er and Yi Wu, who were closer than blood brothers.
Li Ji, seeking to consolidate her power, enlisted the help of the king's most trusted favorites, Liang Wu and Dongguan Wu. She plotted that the first step was to remove Prince Shensheng and his two brothers from the king's side, to weaken the bond between father and sons. Liang Wu and Dongguan Wu then advised the king, "Quwo is the site of our ancestral temple, while Pu and Qu are vital border fortresses. If the crown prince governs Quwo, and Chong'er and Yiwu oversee Pu and Qu, with you, my lord, commanding from the center, the realm will be as secure as a rock."
The two spoke so persuasively, painting a picture so vivid and enticing, that Duke Xian could not help but believe them. He ultimately transferred his three sons, Shensheng and his brothers, away from the capital, leaving only Xiqi by his side.
Imperial Architect Shi was ordered to oversee the construction of the cities of Pu and Qu. Suspecting that Lady Li was plotting to replace the crown prince and that Duke Xian of Jin was already leaning toward making Xiqi his heir, Shi hastily gathered some timber and finished the work carelessly. When Yiwu saw this, he was furious and reported Shi to Duke Xian. The duke had no choice but to put on a show, publicly reprimanding Shi.
The scholar knew it wouldn't be long before the state fell into chaos, so he said nothing more. Returning home, he sighed deeply and composed a poem: "Fox furs are ragged, three lords rule one land—whom shall I follow?"
The meaning of this poem is: this country has too many nobles, like having three leaders—one wants this, another wants that, so who am I supposed to listen to?
Indeed, the lack of unified authority in Jin eventually erupted into chaos. Li Ji's scheme succeeded as she slandered and caused the death of Crown Prince Shensheng, forcing Chong'er and Yiwu to flee into exile. Having eliminated her rivals, Li Ji achieved her wish by making her own son Xiqi the crown prince.
But this golden age was short-lived. After Duke Xian's death, his son Xiqi ascended the throne at just 11 years old, only to be killed by the minister Li Ke. Soon after, Li Ji was forced to drown herself in the river, and the state of Jin never recovered from the turmoil.
After fleeing to the Di state, Chong'er stayed there for 19 years, eventually returning to Jin with Duke Mu of Qin's help to ascend the throne, historically known as Duke Wen of Jin. He worked diligently to govern, gradually strengthening Jin until it became one of the "Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period."
Later, people used the idiom "One State, Three Dukes" to describe a situation where authority is divided, leaving people at a loss.
Source: *Zuo Zhuan*, "Duke Xi's Fifth Year"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "一国三公" came to describe a situation where authority is divided, leaving people at a loss.