Liu Bang received the title of "King of Han" and was relocated to the remote Bashu region (in present-day Sichuan), with Xiao He and his followers accompanying him. After plundering Xianyang and destroying the palace, Xiang Yu divided the former Qin Empire into the Eighteen Kingdoms. Liu Bang was forced to retreat from Xianyang later as Xiang Yu's army arrived and occupied the city. Main article: Chu–Han Contention Recommending Han Xin
Xiao He later explained that the documents were more valuable than riches and women, because they contained crucial information about the Qin Empire and would be useful in intelligence. Xiao He then brought a few men with him to collect all official documents in the office and bring them out safely. Upon entering the Epang Palace, Liu Bang and most of his men seized treasures and women for themselves, while Xiao He rushed to the chancellor's office and ordered it to be heavily guarded. Liu Bang's army occupied the Qin capital Xianyang. In 206 BC, the Qin dynasty collapsed after the last Qin ruler, Ziying, surrendered to Liu Bang. Liu Bang learnt from Xiao He later that actually all the ten pieces of paper contained his name, and Xiao had deliberately tampered with the system to help him. Liu Bang became known as the "Duke of Pei" and built his rebel army in Pei County, with Xiao He and his friends supporting him. Xiao He immediately grabbed the remaining pieces of paper, put them into his mouth and chewed them to shreds, after which he proclaimed Liu Bang as their leader. Liu Bang looked at Xiao He and wanted to decline again. Xiao He then asked Liu Bang to pick any piece from the pile, without seeing the name on it, and Liu picked his own name by chance. Xiao He was in charge of the process and he had the names of ten respectable men in town, including Liu Bang, written on separate pieces of paper and shuffled. However, Liu Bang expressed reluctance in taking up the leadership position and the people agreed to decide their leader by luck. The people responded to Liu Bang's call and killed the magistrate and welcomed him back into the city.Īfter returning to Pei County, the townsfolk wanted Liu Bang to lead them to overthrow the Qin dynasty. As suggested by Xiao He, Liu Bang had letters sent to the townsfolk, fired into the city on arrows, urging them to join him. As he was afraid that Xiao He and Cao Shen might open the gates for Liu Bang, he intended to have them executed, but Xiao and Cao escaped and joined Liu. However, he changed his mind later and denied Liu Bang's party entry into the city. The magistrate of Pei County considered rebelling as well, so he heeded Xiao He and Cao Shen's advice to invite Liu Bang back to support him. In 209 BC, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang started the Dazexiang Uprising to overthrow the Qin dynasty, and was followed by numerous other rebellions throughout China. He hid in an outlaw stronghold on Mount Mangdang (in present-day Yongcheng, Henan) and maintained secret contact with Xiao He and Cao Shen. Once, Liu Bang released some prisoners he was escorting to Mount Li to be labourers, and became a fugitive.
He was well versed in law and had a wide network of friends and acquaintances, among whom include Liu Bang, Cao Shen, Fan Kuai, Xiahou Ying and Zhou Bo. In his early days, he served as a gongcao (功曹 magistrate's secretary) in the administrative office of Pei County. Xiao He was born in Fengyi County, Sishui Commandery (present-day Feng County, Jiangsu).
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