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卷四十 補列傳第三二 尉瑾 馮子琮 赫連子悅 唐邕 白建

Volume 40 Biographies 32: Yu Jin (Northern Qi); Feng Zicong; Helian Ziyue; Tang Yong; Bai Jian

Chapter 40 of 北齊書 · Book of Northern Qi
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Yu Jin; Feng Zicong; Helian Ziyue; Tang Yong; Bai Jian
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Yu Jin, styled Anren. His father Qingbin had been Wei governor of Sizhou. From youth Jin was quick-witted, loved study, and sought what was good. He rose in turn to straight attendant. When Sima Ziru held power, Jin married his maternal niece of the Pi clan and was promoted secretariat vice-director. As Ziru's kin by marriage he often called on him and grew familiar with eminent elders and men of name. When Gao Cheng came to court, Jin was ordered to Ye's northern palace to manage confidential affairs with Gao Dezheng. When Gao Yan assisted in government, Jin rose repeatedly to minister of personnel. When Gao Zhan took the throne, Zhao Yanshen had been Ziru's guest-officer, and Yuan Wenyao and He Shikai were all old friends from the imperial hometown. They recommended him together, and his rank and favor grew heavier still. Personnel weighing and selection also rested with him; much was secret, and so he often heard the court's weighty affairs in advance. Soon he was also right vice director, acting in selection; before long the post was made formal. He died of illness while Gao Zhan was drinking at Santai. Wenyao reported it, and the emperor ordered the music stopped and the drinking ended.
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便
Outwardly Jin was eminent, but at home he lacked moral discipline; his inner quarters were foul and disorderly, and the age despised him. Yet he could humble himself before scholars and meant to draw in men of name—only he could not tell them apart. Once rank and burden grew heavy he turned harsh and quick to anger. Within the ministry, any lang who came to discuss business and crossed him was glared at and cursed on the spot; none could seek his counsel. Once he held the great selection he grew still more arrogant and cruel. His son Dezai succeeded him.
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簿 殿
Feng Zicong came from Xindu and was descended from Northern Yan's ruler Feng Ba. His father Lingshao was a lang in the revenue section. Zicong was clever by nature and read widely in books and records. He then entered official service. Gao Yan made him law staff in the general-in-chief's office, put him in charge of confidential affairs, and had him act in the treasury section. Gao Yan once reviewed ledgers and tested Zicong by having him recite them aloud. Zicong answered from memory without missing a single entry. Zicong's wife was the Hu empress's younger sister. He was promoted palace attendant and also made eastern palace recorder. By a separate edict he was to assist the crown prince with Hu Changcai and was transferred to heir-apparent subprefect.
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When Gao Zhan died, vice director He Shikai had long attended his illness and kept the mourning secret for three days without announcing it. Zicong asked He Shikai why he had not announced the mourning. He Shikai said that when Gao Huan and Gao Cheng first died, mourning had likewise been kept secret. The sovereign was young; he feared the princes and dukes might waver, and meant to gather everyone at the Cool Breeze Hall before discussing matters in full. At the time grand mentor and recorder of the masters of writing affairs, Prince of Zhao commandery Rui, had long lived inside the palace and shared counsel at the curtain. Zicong knew He Shikai resented Rui and general-in-chief of the guards Prince of Huai'nan Lou Dingyuan and feared they might forge the final edict to send Rui out on provincial duty and strip Dingyuan of the guard command. He answered, "The late emperor was Gao Huan's son, and the present sovereign too received the throne from his predecessor. Every minister's wealth came from the sovereign father and son. Leave the great men inside the court unchanged, and the princes and dukes below will surely have no other wish. Times and affairs differ; this cannot be compared with the founding reign. Moreover, sir, you have been outside the palace gates for days already, and news of the emperor's passing travels every road. Delay mourning too long and I fear some other turn may come." Thereupon mourning was announced.
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宿 便
Yuan Wenyao, because Zicong was the empress's brother-in-law, feared he would encourage her to meddle in government. He persuaded Prince of Zhao commandery and He Shikai to send him out, made him governor of Zheng, and ordered him to take up the post at once. Zicong's provincial appointment was not what the Later Sovereign had first intended; the central edict was warm and earnest, and he was specially given rear guard musicians, fifty more troops, and leave to bring goods across the passes. Not long after he reached the province, the empress dowager took Zicong's eldest daughter as consort for Prince of Qi'an. Zicong asked leave to go to Ye and was then made minister of personnel. His wife relied on kinship and acted without restraint; favors and audiences went openly, and bribes piled high. For prefects and magistrates the price in cash and silk was fixed first and only then reported upward. Whatever they sought through him was granted, and Zicong did not restrain them. Before long he was promoted right vice director of the masters of writing and still acted in selection. He Shikai had long held power; Zicong had once relied on him, spoke humbly, bowed low, and consulted him on every matter. He Shikai's younger brother Xiu married into the Lu clan; Zicong hurried about at the wedding no differently from He Shikai's own staff. At the time many inner appointments came from He Shikai's proposals. Zicong, relying on inner kinship and also holding the selection office, monopolized favor and power, and friction grew between them. Prince of Langye Yan killed He Shikai; Zicong took part in the affair and strangled him inside the inner secretariat. Zicong had some discernment, but as rank and renown rose his old intent suddenly changed. He promoted unworthy men and treated them as close friends; he indulged his sons and younger brothers, giving offices out of proper order; he also specialized in arranging marriages, choosing only great houses, and routinely promised office and rank that were confirmed within ten days. His son was Cizheng.
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便 便 滿
Helian Ziyue, styled Shixin, was descended from Helian Bobo. In Wei's first Yong'an year he was made Jizhou separate-assistant for military merit. When Gao Huan raised the righteous army, Hou Jing was governor. Jing had been Erzhu Rong's trusted man; Ziyue urged him to join the uprising, and Jing followed. He was appointed defender of Linyu. Gao Cheng was bound for Jinyang and passed through the commandery, so he asked what was inconvenient. Ziyue answered, "The counties of Linshui and Wu'an lie far from the seat; mountains pile up and travel by cart or on foot is hard. If they were placed under Wei's commandery to the east, the land would be level and the road short." Gao Cheng laughed and said, "You only know how to ease the people and do not see the harm to the trunk. Ziyue answered, "What I said follows the people's hardship; I dare not let private gain outweigh my heart." Gao Cheng said, "You can be like this—excellent, excellent." He then ordered the change carried out as proposed. When his commandery term ended he was summoned again as magistrate of Linzhang. Later he was made governor of Zheng. The region had just suffered the Heqing great flood; many people had fled. Ziyue went in person to comfort them, households increased, and his governance ranked first in the realm. He entered court as director of the ministry of justice. More than eight hundred men of Zheng asked to raise a stele praising his virtue, and an edict permitted it. Later, while keeping his original office, he was additionally made acting in the personnel directorate. In office Ziyue held himself only by purity and diligence. He had neither learning nor bearing, and in judging men he fell ever farther short—yet once he stood at the head of weighing and selection, he drew heavy criticism. Thereupon he was made director of the ministry of rites and died.
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Tang Yong, styled Daohe, came from Jinyang in Taiyuan; his ancestors had moved there from Jinchang. His father Lingzhi was Wei magistrate of Shouyang. Yong was bright and keen from youth and had the talent to order an age. In the first Taichang year someone recommended him to Gao Huan, who had him attend the outer military affairs bureau and manage written registers.
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便 簿
Yong was skilled at reckoning and accounts, remembered silently, and was known for practical ability. He was promoted staff officer in Gao Cheng's grand general's office. When Gao Cheng died, affairs broke out in haste. Gao Yang deployed generals and soldiers to hold the four quarters, summoned Yong at night to arrange matters, and at once it was done. Gao Yang valued him greatly. Year after year Gao Yang went beyond the frontier; Yong always accompanied him and specialized in military plans. His discernment was clear and unhurried, his reception quick. From supervising generals down and army clerks up, merit and service followed the thread and none was unfamiliar; whenever he was asked, he answered like an echo. Sometimes the emperor reviewed troops before him; though three or five thousand men, Yong often held no ledger and recited office, rank, and name from memory without error. In the seventh year, at the Yangfen embankment, he lectured on military affairs and ordered Yong to command discipline for all armies. When the affair ended he still oversaw the review feast and archery ritual. That day Gao Yang took Yong's hand, led him before the empress dowager, seated him above chancellor Hulü Jin, and told her, "Tang Yong is strong and capable—one man equals a thousand." He then separately bestowed brocade, silk, cash, and goods. Yong was not only strong, capable, bright, and discerning; he also knew how to read the sovereign's intent and had many paths of advance, so favor grew daily and commission grew heavier. Gao Yang also once told the empress dowager before Yong, "Tang Yong distinguishes clearly and remembers strongly. On great military affairs he writes documents by hand, gives orders by mouth, and listens with his ear at once—truly a different man." In a single day he was given gifts six times. He also once removed the blue sable coat he was wearing and gave it to Yong, saying, "My intent is that carriages, horses, clothes, and furs be worn out together with you." In the tenth year, on the progress to Jinyang, Yong was made acting attendant of the yellow gate and leading secretariat vice-director. Gao Yang once climbed Tongzi Buddhist temple, looked toward Bingzhou city, and said, "What sort of city is this?" Someone said, "This is a metal rampart and boiling moat—the realm's heavenly storehouse." The emperor said, "I say Tang Yong is the metal rampart; this is not the metal rampart." Such was the weight in which he was held. Afterward he said to Yong, "Your toil has been long. I wished to make you governor of a province and repeatedly ordered Yang Zunyan to find another man who could replace you. Zunyan said that having searched civil and military men everywhere, a man like you truly cannot be found, and so this intent was stopped. You should strive on. Gao Yang sometimes sharply rebuked attending ministers who missed his intent: "Watch how you comport yourselves—you are not fit to be Tang Yong's slaves." His favor and treatment were mostly of this sort.
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宿
When Gao Yan was made chief minister, Yong was made attendant of the yellow gate. At the Hualin Garden archery review he was specially given five hundred kinds of gold belts, precious vessels, robes, playthings, and miscellaneous goods. Early in Tiantong he was made regular attendant and great rectifier of Bing, and again appointed general of the guards; the rest of his offices remained as before. Yong thought military and civilian field-hunt instruction, which by statute ran three hunts each month in the twelfth month, wore out men and horses, and memorialized for two hunts each month. Gao Zhan approved it. Later he went out as governor of Zhao; his other offices remained as before. Gao Zhan said to Yong, "No court minister has yet held regular attendant, general of the guards, and great rectifier while serving as governor; this move is because of you. I give you more than a hundred days' rest; in autumn I shall recall you at once. He was transferred to right vice director, then again to director of the masters of writing, enfeoffed as Prince of Jinchang, and made recorder of the masters of writing affairs. When Zhou troops came to raid, Chancellor Gao Anaigong led an army to relieve the siege; Tang Yong's supply allotments were not fully approved, and the two fell out. Anaigong slandered him and sent Attendant-in-Ordinary Hulu Xiaoxiaoqing with an edict of rebuke; Tang Yong was held in custody, then soon released. As the emperor was about to visit Jinyang, an edict put Hulu Xiaoxiaoqing in overall charge of cavalry expenditures; he decided most matters himself and did not consult or report upward. Tang Yong relied on having held pivotal posts since the hegemonic court, served six emperors, and enjoyed heavy favor—yet was suddenly slighted by Xiaoxiaoqing; bitter and sullen, he showed it in speech and face. After the emperor's defeat at Pingyang, he fled back to Ye in disarray. Tang Yong feared Anaigong would slander him again and resented Hulu Xiaoxiaoqing's slight; he stayed at Jinyang and, with Moduolou Jingxian and others, elevated the Prince of Ande as emperor. Within a day or two the city fell; Tang Yong surrendered to Zhou and, by precedent, was made Pillar of State and grand general. He died as governor of Feng Province.
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Tang Yong was intelligent and keen by nature, understood current affairs, and throughout Northern Qi held command of military affairs. Troops of the nine provinces, valiant recruits from the four quarters, their strength and numbers, rotations, the quality of weapons, and the state of grain stores—he tracked all of it with keen care and knew it thoroughly. From the Daning era on, luxury and waste ran rampant; by the end of Wuping the treasury was gradually empty. Tang Yong's revenue and expenditure decisions brought great benefit. Yet once in favor his pride grew; many times he reviewed memorials without going through the offices, and the Censorate and left vice-director impeached him—all were pardoned by imperial note. Feng Changye, attendant of the Ministry of Works, and Ping Tao, secretary in the Grand Commandant's office, both exceeded the recruitment-money limit; Tang Yong had each flogged on the back twenty strokes. In Qi no chancellor had yet beaten a court gentleman; this greatly shocked public opinion.
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Tang Yong had three sons. His eldest son Junming held the rank opening ritual, equal to the three dukes. At the beginning of Sui's Kaihuang era he died as governor of Ying Province. His second son Junche was a secretariat gentleman and governor of Shun and Rong under Sui; in the Daye era he died as martial guard commandant. His youngest son Junde was executed because Tang Yong had surrendered to Zhou.
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In Northern Qi, when the Grand Ancestor became chancellor, the grand chancellor's external military bureau and cavalry bureau divided control of troops and horses. When Tianbao received the mandate, all office supervisors went to the Masters of Writing, but these two bureaus remained; Tang Yong and Bai Jian headed them, called the External Troops Department and Cavalry Department. Later Yong and Jian rose higher; each became head of his department, with secretariat gentlemen to divide their affairs—hence the age called them Tang and Bai.
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退使 便
Bai Jian, styled Yansu, was from Yangyi in Taiyuan. He first entered the grand chancellor's cavalry bureau, kept the clerical registers, understood accounts, and was promoted by colleagues in the same office. In the tenth year of Tianbao he was additionally made secretariat gentleman. When Suzong was regent he was appointed cavalry adjutant in the grand chancellor's office. In the third year of Heqing, when Turks raided the border, the Dai and Xin herds—all fine horses, tens of thousands together—hid from bandits in Cypress Valley north of Mount Wutai. After the raiders withdrew, an edict sent Jian to inspect; messengers kept coming for him to take the horses and send them to Ding Province for the people to raise. Jian judged the horses had long gone unfed and were thin; a long haul would kill many, so he disobeyed the edict, acted as expedient required, and distributed them nearby to soldiers. He reported; the emperor learned and approved by edict. The war horses suffered no loss—Jian had credit for this. At the end of Wuping he rose through special advance, attendant-in-ordinary, and chief minister of the secretariat.
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簿
Jian had no other talent but was diligent in public affairs. As the royal enterprise was just beginning and military trust was weighty, Jian and Tang Yong both reached minister and chancellor by holding charge of troops and horses. Jinyang was the realm's lower capital; each year the emperor visited, and levies and corvée fell on the provinces and commanderies. Retainers and magistrates of his original domain came to consult and petition—they had no rest. Though his sons were still young, all became provincial chief clerks; when the new ruler made appointments, they were always summoned first. Sons' marriages and daughters' weddings all matched leading families. The age took this as the height of honor and favor. In the seventh year of Wuping he died.
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The full text uses the Zhonghua Shuju first edition of the Book of Northern Qi (November 1972) as the base for collation.
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