to dinner with the emperor. Knowing that he still had great influence within the military, Zhou arrived late. The emperor then had a large piece of meat placed before Zhou, but no chopsticks were provided to him. Zhou requested chopsticks from the Imperial attendants. Emperor Jing looked at him smiling and said, "Are you not satisfied?" Zhou realised that this was a trap, and immediately apologized and withdrew. After he left, Emperor Jing made the comment, "This complainer is no subject for my son when he becomes emperor!" Later that year, Zhou's son, in anticipation of his death, purchased old armour and weapons from the imperial armoury to serve as burial decorations. When he refused to pay the delivery workers, they retaliated by accusing Zhou of treason because at the time unauthorised purchases of weapons were treated as treason and punishable by death. Emperor Jing sent investigators to interrogate Zhou, he refused to talk to them. Offended, Emperor Jing had Zhou Yafu arrested and interrogated in prison, and the interrogator, when told by Zhou that the armour and weapons were for burial purposes, accused him of "underground treason" -- i.e. he was ready to commit treason against the spirits of the emperors after he died. Zhou, who initially wanted to commit suicide when he was arrested but was persuaded not to by his wife, eventually committed suicide in prison through starvation. Legacy Zhou's legacy is mixed. Although he helped put down a rebellion, his personality would eventually lead to his terrible fate, for they caused him to offend powerful individuals that he could not afford to offend, including, the emperor himself. His death and life contrasts with the highly regarded reign of Emperor Jing. References 143 BC deaths Han dynasty generals Han dynasty prime ministers Year of birth unknown Suicides in the Han dynasty