公子虔 / Gongzi Qian

公子虔 / Gongzi Qian appears in 《资治通鉴·周纪》23丨魏惠王 悔不用公叔之言 as the leader or emblem of the Qin faction that accuses 公孙鞅 / 商鞅 of rebellion after 秦孝公 dies and 嬴驷 succeeds.

The episode treats him as part of 战国变法反噬. Shang Yang’s reforms had offended entrenched, high-status groups under Qin Xiao Gong’s protection; once that ruler dies, Gongzi Qian’s accusation turns accumulated hostility into a charge that makes Shang Yang flee.

《资治通鉴·周纪》25丨赵良对商鞅说：你不配 adds Gongzi Qian to 赵良’s warning list. Zhao Liang says Gongzi Qian suffered under Shang Yang’s punishment and did not go out for eight years, making him one of the concrete people through whom reform enforcement becomes stored vengeance. Five months after the warning, his accusation against Shang Yang confirms the episode’s 权力退场困境 reading.

Connections

• 公孙鞅 / 商鞅 - accused reformer.
• 秦孝公 and 嬴驷 - ruler transition that changes Shang Yang’s political safety.
• 秦国 - state setting.
• Shang Yang Reforms / 商鞅变法 and Warring States Reform Backlash / 战国变法反噬 - reform package and backlash pattern.
• 民心型政治安全, 权力退场困境, and 作法自毙 - social-support, exit, and legal self-trap branches after the accusation.