[1][2] Despite his short time as ruler, King Wu played a part in Qin's wars of unification, mainly through his efforts against the Han state.
In the fourth year of King Wu's reign, his minister Gan Mao (甘茂), suggested an attack on the Han fortress of Yiyang to open up a path to invade the eastern powers.
The campaign succeeded and Qin subsequently gained control of the key roads to the Eastern Zhou capital of Luoyang.
While visiting Luoyang, King Wu, a keen wrestler, decided to try powerlifting a heavy bronze cauldron in the Eastern Zhou palace as a show of his own physical strength, urged on by a strongman he favoured named Meng Yue (孟說).
Since King Wu died young without issue, it threw Qin into a succession crisis, with multiple brother-princes contending for the throne.