The Case of the Eunuch Pi Reporting Lü Sheng and Xi Rui's Plot to Burn the Ducal Palace

In 636 BC, shortly after Chong\'er returned to Jin as Duke Wen, former officials Lü Sheng and Xi Rui, who had served under the previous ruler Duke Hui, plotted to burn down the ducal palace to assassinate Duke Wen and avoid retribution. The eunuch Pi, once ordered to kill Chong\'er during his exile, sought an audience to disclose the conspiracy. Despite initial rejection due to old enmity, Duke Wen eventually met him. Warned of the imminent attack, the duke secretly left the palace and fled to Duke Mu of Qin for safety. With Qin support, he returned to Jin, exposed the plotters, and had them seized.

Lü Sheng and Xi Rui were convicted of high treason and executed. Eunuch Pi was pardoned and rewarded for his loyalty, symbolizing Duke Wen’s magnanimity in rising above personal grudges.

Whether the eunuch Pi, a known former assassin of Duke Wen, could be trusted; whether a ruler should pardon and heed a former enemy’s warning, weighing personal vengeance against state security.

The case eliminated internal enemies and stabilized Duke Wen’s nascent reign. It showcased the duke’s forgiveness and political wisdom, strengthening his legitimacy. The episode became a historical model of repaying injury with justice and helped consolidate Jin’s power, laying the foundation for Duke Wen’s hegemony over the states.