In Shiji, “er(而)” , different from its common usage as a conjunction, displays three types of pragmatic function. First, “er” can be used in certain contexts to highlight subjective evaluation and strengthen the contrast in the context. Second, it is used to introduce and connect two hidden causal events in sequence. Last, it can also point out and arrange independent events, playing a role in laying out the narrative. From a functional perspective, the general conjunction “er” focuses on the syntactic function, while the special “er” highlights its pragmatic function. Therefore, it should be regarded as a special type of discourse markers.