Volume 54 Biographies 42: Sun Teng, Gao Longzhi, Sima Ziru, Doutai, Wei Jing, Lou Zhao, She Digan, Han Gui, Duan Rong, Hu Lujin

孫騰高隆之司馬子如竇泰尉景婁昭厙狄干韓軌段榮斛律金

Sun Teng, Gao Longzhi, Sima Ziru, Dou Tai, Wei Jing, Lou Zhao, Kudigan, Han Gui, Duan Rong, and Hulü Jin

列傳第四十二

Biographies 42

孫騰高隆之司馬子如子消難裴藻兄子膺之竇泰尉景婁昭兄子睿厙狄幹孫士文韓軌段榮子韶孝言斛律金子光羨

Biographies 42 — Sun Teng, Gao Longzhi, Sima Ziru (and his son Xiaonan, Pei Zao, and his nephew Yingzhi), Dou Tai, Wei Jing, Lou Zhao (and his nephew Rui), Kudigan (and his grandson Shiwen), Han Gui, Duan Rong (and his sons Shao and Xiaoyan), and Hulü Jin (and his sons Guang and Xian)

孫騰，字龍雀，咸陽石安人也。祖通，仕沮渠氏，為中書舍人。沮渠氏滅，因徙居北邊。及騰貴，魏朝贈司徒。父機，贈太尉。騰少質直，明解吏事。魏正光中，北方擾，歸爾硃榮。尋為齊神武都督長史。神武為晉州，又引為長史，封石安縣伯。及起兵于信都，常以誠款預謀策。累遷郡公，入為侍中，尋兼尚書左僕射。時魏京兆王愉女平原公主寡，騰願尚之，而公主欲侍中封隆之。騰妒隆之，遂相間構。神武啟免騰官，俄而復之。與斛其椿同掌機密，隆之見忌慮禍，奔晉陽。神武入討椿，留騰行并州事。入為尚書左僕射，內外之事，騰咸知之。兼司空，除侍中，兼尚書令。時西魏攻南袞州，詔騰率諸將討之。騰性怯無威略，失利而還。又除司徒，餘官如故。初北境亂，騰亡一女。及貴，推訪不得，疑其為人婢。及為司徒，奴婢訴良者皆免之，願免千人，冀得其女。神武知之大怒，解司徒。尋為尚書左僕射、太保，仍侍中，遷太傅。

Sun Teng, whose style was Longque, came from Shian in Xianyang. His grandfather Tong had served the Juqu as a secretariat attendant. After the fall of the Juqu, the family resettled on the northern frontier. Once Teng had risen to power, the Wei court posthumously made Tong Grand Tutor. His father Ji was posthumously made Grand Commandant. In youth Teng was plainspoken and upright, with a clear grasp of administrative business. During the Wei Zhengguang era, as the north fell into disorder, he joined Erzhu Rong. He soon became chief clerk on the staff of Gao Huan, the future Duke of Qi. When Gao Huan took up the Jinzhou governorship, he again appointed Teng chief clerk and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Shian. When they raised arms at Xindu, his steady loyalty kept him in the inner circle of counsel. Promoted in turn to district duke, he entered court as Palace Attendant and soon added the post of Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs. The Princess of Pingyuan, daughter of the Wei Prince of Jingzhao Yu, was then a widow. Teng wished to marry her, but she favored Palace Attendant Feng Longzhi. Jealous of Longzhi, Teng set factions against him. Gao Huan had him dismissed from office, then soon restored him. He and Huqizong jointly held confidential affairs. Feng Longzhi, seeing himself targeted and fearing ruin, fled to Jinyang. Gao Huan marched in to punish Huqizong and left Teng to run Bingzhou. He returned as Left Vice Director, and nothing within the court or beyond it escaped Teng's knowledge. He also served as Minister of Works, was made Palace Attendant, and concurrently directed the Department of State Affairs. When Western Wei attacked southern Yanzhou, an edict ordered Teng to lead the generals against them. Timid by nature and without military authority, he met defeat and withdrew. He was again made Grand Tutor while keeping his other posts. During the early turmoil on the northern frontier, Teng lost a daughter. After he rose to power he searched in vain and suspected she had been sold into servitude. As Grand Tutor he freed every bond servant who sued for free status—he hoped to manumit a thousand people and thereby recover his daughter. Gao Huan was furious when he learned of this and stripped him of the Grand Tutorship. He was soon restored as Left Vice Director and Grand Guardian, kept Palace Attendant, and was promoted to Grand Preceptor.

初，博陵崔孝芬取貧家子賈氏為養女。孝芬死，其妻元更適鄭伯猷，攜賈于鄭氏。賈有色，騰納之為妾。其妻袁死，騰以賈有子，正以為妻，詔封丹陽郡君。復請以袁氏爵回授其女。其違禮肆情，多此類也。

Earlier, Cui Xiaofen of Boling had taken a poor family's daughter surnamed Jia as his foster child. After Xiaofen's death his widow of the Yuan clan remarried Zheng Boyou and brought Jia into the Zheng household. Jia was beautiful, and Teng took her as a concubine. After his wife Yuan died, Teng—because Jia had borne him a son—elevated her to principal wife; an edict enfeoffed her as Lady of Danyang. He also petitioned to have his late wife Yuan's noble title reassigned to his daughter. Such breaches of ritual and indulgence of private whim were typical of him.

騰早依神武，神武深信待之，置於魏朝，寄以心腹。遂志氣驕盈，與奪自己。納賄不知紀極，官贈非財不行。肴藏銀器，盜為家物，親狎小人，專為聚斂。與高岳、高隆之、司馬子如，號四貴。非法專恣，騰為甚焉。神武、文襄，屢加誚讓，終不悛改，朝野深非笑之。武定六年薨，贈太師、開府、錄尚書事，諡曰文。天保初，以騰佐命，詔祭告其墓。皇建中，配饗神武廟庭。

Teng had long served Gao Huan, who trusted him deeply, stationed him at the Wei court, and treated him as a confidant. His pride swelled until he himself decided who received favor and who did not. Bribes flowed to him without limit; no official favor moved unless paid for. He stole delicacies and silver from the stores for his household, kept company with petty men, and devoted himself to extortion. With Gao Yue, Gao Longzhi, and Sima Ziru he was known as one of the Four Exalted. Of those who abused power unlawfully, Teng was the worst offender. Gao Huan and Gao Cheng rebuked him again and again, yet he never mended his ways, and court and countryside alike mocked him. He died in the sixth year of Wuding and was posthumously made Grand Preceptor with an opening office and charge over the Department of State Affairs; his posthumous name was Wen. Early in Tianbao, in recognition of his service at the founding, an edict ordered sacrifices at his tomb. In the Huangjian era he was granted a place in the offerings at Gao Huan's temple.

子鳳珍嗣，性庸暗，卒於儀同三司。

His son Fengzhen succeeded him—a man mediocre and dull—who died holding the third-rank commissioner's protocol.

高隆之，字延興，洛陽人也。為閹人徐成養子。少時，以賃升為事。或曰父幹為姑婿高氏所養，因從其姓。隆之後有參定功。神武命為弟，仍雲勃海蓚人。幹贈司徒公。隆之身長八尺，美須髯，深沉有志氣。初，行台於暉引為郎中，與神武深相結托。後從起兵于山東，累遷并州刺史，入為尚書右僕射。時初給人田，權貴皆占良美，貧弱咸受脊薄，隆之啟神武，更均平之。又領營構大將，以十萬夫徹洛陽宮殿，運於鄴，構營之制，皆委隆之。增築南城，周二十五里。以漳水近帝城。起長堤以防泛溢。又鑿渠引漳水，周流城郭，造水碾磑並有利於時。

Gao Longzhi, styled Yanxing, was a native of Luoyang. He was the adopted son of the eunuch Xu Cheng. In youth he worked as a porter hired to carry loads upstairs. Some say his father Gan had been raised by his aunt's husband's Gao family and had taken their surname. Longzhi later earned merit in the founding settlement. Gao Huan treated him as a younger brother and had him recorded as a native of Su in Bohai. Gan was posthumously enfeoffed as Duke Grand Tutor. Longzhi stood eight chi tall, with a fine beard, a reserved depth of manner, and strong ambition. Yu Hui of the mobile secretariat first brought him in as a gentleman-attendant, and he and Gao Huan formed a deep bond. He followed Gao Huan in raising troops in Shandong, rose to governor of Bingzhou, and entered court as Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs. When land was first allotted, the powerful seized the best fields while the poor got the worst. Longzhi petitioned Gao Huan for a fairer distribution. As Grand Marshal for Construction he employed a hundred thousand men to dismantle Luoyang's palaces and move them to Ye; he controlled every detail of the rebuilding. He expanded the southern city to a circuit of twenty-five li. Because the Zhang River ran close to the imperial city, he built a long embankment against flooding. He also cut canals to channel the Zhang around the walls and built water mills—works of real benefit to the time.

魏自孝昌之後，天下多難。刺史、太守皆為當部都督，雖無兵事，皆立佐僚，所在頗為煩擾。隆之請非實邊要，見兵馬者，悉斷之。又朝貴多假常侍以取貂蟬之飾，隆之自表解侍中，並陳諸假侍中服者，請亦罷之。詔皆如表。自軍國多事，冒名竊官者，不可勝數，隆之奏請檢括，旬日獲五萬餘人。而群小訁雚囂，隆之懼而止。詔監起居事，進位司徒。武定中，除尚書令，遷太保。文襄作宰，風俗肅清。隆之時有受納，文襄於尚書省大加責讓。齊受禪，進爵為王。尋以本官錄尚書事，領大宗正卿，監國史。隆之性好小巧，至於公家羽儀，百戲服制，時有改易，不循典故。時論非之。於射堋土上立三人像，為壯勇之勢。文宣曾至東山，因射，謂隆之曰：「堋上可作猛獸，以存古義，何為終日射人？」隆之無以對。

After the Wei Xiaochang era the realm knew endless troubles. Every prefect and governor became a regional commander; even where there was no fighting they set up staffs, and the land groaned under the burden. Longzhi petitioned to strip military staffs from every post that was not a genuine frontier command. Many court grandees had falsely taken the title of Regular Attendant to wear the cicada insignia. Longzhi resigned his own Palace Attendant post and asked that all such false claimants be stopped as well. The edict approved all his requests. With military and civil affairs in chaos, impostors holding office were beyond count. Longzhi petitioned for a review and in ten days uncovered more than fifty thousand. Petty men raised an uproar, and Longzhi, afraid, abandoned the effort. He was ordered to supervise the recording of imperial activity and promoted to Grand Tutor. During Wuding he was made Director of the Department of State Affairs and then Grand Guardian. When Gao Cheng took power as chief minister, public morals were sharply tightened. Longzhi still took bribes at times, and Gao Cheng publicly rebuked him in the Department of State Affairs. When Northern Qi was founded he was advanced to prince. Soon he recorded Department affairs in his existing post, headed the imperial clan directorate, and supervised the national history. Longzhi loved petty novelties; he altered state regalia and the costumes of court entertainments without regard for precedent. Contemporaries criticized him for it. On the archery mound he set up three human figures in heroic poses. Emperor Wenxuan once visited the Eastern Hills and, while shooting, said to Longzhi, "The mound should hold beasts, as the ancients did—why spend all day shooting at men?" Longzhi had no answer.

先是，文襄委任崔暹、崔季舒等。及文襄崩，隆之啟文宣，並欲害之，不見許。文宣以隆之舊齒，委以政事。隆之子淫于楊遵彥前妻，帝妹也，故遵彥讒毀日至。崔季舒等仍以前隙，譖云：「隆之每見訴訟者，輒加哀矜之意，以示非己能裁。」文宣以其受任既久，知有冤狀，便宜申浟，何過要名，非大臣義。天保五年，禁止尚書省。隆之曾與元昶宴，語昶曰：「與王交遊，當死生不相背。」人有密言之者。又帝未登庸日，隆之意常侮帝。帝將受禪，大臣咸言未可，隆之又在其中。帝深銜之。因此大怒，罵曰：「徐家老公！」令壯士築百餘拳，放出。渴，將飲水，人止之，隆之曰：「今日何在！」遂飲之。因從駕，死于路中。贈太尉、太保、陽夏王，竟不得諡。

Earlier Gao Cheng had entrusted Cui Xian, Cui Jishu, and others. When Gao Cheng died, Longzhi urged Wenxuan to have them all killed, but the emperor refused. Wenxuan, honoring Longzhi's long service, still entrusted him with government. Longzhi's son had an affair with Yang Zunyan's former wife—the emperor's own sister—so Zunyan's slanders came daily. Cui Jishu and others, nursing old grudges, accused him: "Whenever Longzhi sees litigants he shows pity—to suggest that he cannot decide cases himself. The emperor replied, "He has served long and knows when men are wronged; he should simply grant relief. What fault is there in seeking a good name? That is not how a minister should act." In the fifth year of Tianbao the Department of State Affairs was sealed off. Longzhi had once feasted with Yuan Chang and told him, "In friendship with you, my lord, I would stand by you in life and death." Someone reported this in secret. Moreover, before the emperor took the throne Longzhi had often treated him with contempt. When the emperor was about to accept the abdication, the great ministers—including Longzhi—had all urged delay. The emperor bore a deep grudge. In his rage he cursed, "You old Xu-family wretch!" He had brawny men beat him more than a hundred blows with clubs, then released him. Thirsty, he started to drink; attendants tried to stop him. Longzhi said, "Where am I today? Then he drank it. He followed the imperial procession and died on the road. He was posthumously made Grand Commandant and Grand Guardian and enfeoffed as Prince of Yangxia, but was denied a posthumous name.

隆之雖不學涉，而欽尚文雅，搢紳名流，必存禮接。寡姊為尼，事之如母。訓督諸子，必先文義。世以此稱之。

Though Longzhi was no scholar, he revered culture and always received gentry and men of note with courtesy. His widowed elder sister had become a nun, and he treated her as he would a mother. When he tutored and disciplined his sons, he always began with letters and moral principle. On this account he won wide renown.

文宣末年，多猜害，追忿隆之，執其子司徒中兵慧登等二十人於前。慧登言乞命，帝曰：「不得已。」以鞭扣鞍，一時頭絕，並投之漳水。發隆之塚，出屍，其貌不敗。斬骸骨焚之，棄於漳流。天下冤之。隆之嗣遂絕。乾明中，詔其兄子子遠為隆之後，襲爵陽夏王，還其財產。

In Wenxuan's last years, when the court seethed with suspicion and slaughter, the emperor, still nursing wrath against Gao Longzhi, had Longzhi's son Huideng—chief clerk of the Minister over the Masses' household troops—and nineteen others brought before him. Huideng begged for his life. The emperor said, "It cannot be helped. He struck the saddle with his whip; in a single moment their heads were struck off, and all were thrown into the Zhang River. They opened Gao Longzhi's tomb and brought out the body—his face had not spoiled. They hacked the bones apart, burned them, and cast the ashes into the Zhang's current. The realm looked on and called it a monstrous wrong. Gao Longzhi's line was extinguished. During Qianming, an edict made his nephew Ziyuan heir to Gao Longzhi, restored the title Prince of Yangxia, and returned his estates.

隆之見信神武，性陰毒，儀同三司崔孝芬以結婚姻不果，太僕卿任集同知營構，頗相乖異；瀛州刺史元晏請托不遂。並構成其罪，誅害之，終至家門殄滅。論者謂有報應焉。

Gao Longzhi had won Gao Huan's confidence, yet his nature was covert and venomous. Cui Xiaofen, Honorary Three Grand Ministers, failed to secure a marriage tie with him; Ren Ji, Minister of Public Works, who shared charge of military construction, grew sharply at odds with him; Yuan Yan, governor of Yingzhou, likewise could not obtain what he sought by petition. Together they contrived his crimes and had him put to death, until his whole house was wiped out. Observers said retribution had come due.

司馬子如，字遵業，自雲河內溫人也，徙居雲中，因家焉。子如初為懷朔鎮省事，與齊神武相結托，分義甚深。孝昌中，北州淪陷，子如南奔肆州，為爾硃榮所禮，封平遙子，稍遷大行台郎。榮死，隨榮妻子與爾硃世隆等走出京城。節閔帝立，以前後功，進爵陽平郡公。神武入洛，以為大行台尚書，朝夕左右，參知軍國。天平初，除尚書左僕射、開府，與高岳、孫騰、高隆之等共知朝政，甚見信重。神武鎮晉陽，子如時往謁見。及還，神武、武明後俱有齎遺，率以為常。

Sima Ziru, styled Zunye, was a native of Wen in Henei who moved to Yunzhong and settled there. Ziru began as a clerk at Huaiyuan Garrison; he and Gao Huan pledged themselves to each other, and their bond ran very deep. In Xiaochang, when the northern provinces were lost, Ziru fled south to Sizhou. Erzhu Rong received him with honor, enfeoffed him as Marquis of Pingyao, and gradually raised him to secretary of the Grand Expeditionary Headquarters. When Rong died, Ziru fled the capital with Rong's wife and children, together with Erzhu Shilong and the rest. When Emperor Jiemin took the throne, his earlier and later merits were rewarded with promotion to Duke of Yangping Commandery. When Gao Huan entered Luoyang, Ziru was made minister of the Grand Expeditionary Headquarters, kept at his side day and night, and consulted on military and state affairs. At the opening of Tianping he was appointed Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and granted an opening office. With Gao Yue, Sun Teng, Gao Longzhi, and others he shared governance of the court, and was deeply trusted. While Gao Huan held Jinyang, Ziru would visit him from time to time. Each time he returned, Gao Huan and Lady Wuming both sent him gifts; it became his fixed custom.

子如性既豪爽，兼恃恩舊，簿領之務，與奪任情，公然受納。興和中，以北道行台巡檢諸州守令已下，至定州，斬深澤令；至冀州，斬東光令，皆稽留時刻，致之極刑。進退少不合旨者，便令武士頓曳，白刃臨頸。士庶惶懼，不知所為。轉尚書令。及文襄輔政，以賄為御史中尉崔暹劾，在獄一宿而發皆白。辭曰：「司馬子如本從夏州策一杖投相王，王給露車一乘，觠牸牛犢。犢在道死，唯觠角存。此外，皆人上取得。」神武書敕文襄曰：「馬令是吾故舊，汝宜寬之。」文襄駐馬行街，以出子如，脫其鎖。子如懼曰：「非作事邪？」於是，除削官爵。神武后見之，哀其憔悴，以膝承其首，親為擇虱，賜酒百瓶，羊五百口，粳米五百石。子如曰：「無事尚被囚幾死，若受此，豈有生路邪？」未幾，起行冀州事，能自改厲，甚有聲譽。詔復官爵，別封野王縣男。齊受禪，以翼贊功，別封須昌縣公。尋除司空。

Ziru was by nature bold and expansive, and, trusting in old favor besides, handled ledgers and appointments as whim dictated and took bribes openly. In Xinghe, as inspector of the Northern Route Grand Expeditionary Headquarters, he toured the provinces and examined officials down to prefects and magistrates. At Dingzhou he executed the magistrate of Shenze; at Jizhou he executed the magistrate of Dongguang—both for delays counted in hours, punished with the utmost severity. Whoever in bearing or speech fell even slightly short of his wish was seized and dragged by armed men, a naked blade at the throat. Gentry and common folk alike were terrified, not knowing what to do. He was moved to the post of Director of the Department of State Affairs. When Gao Cheng took charge of government, Cui Xian, Censor-in-Chief, impeached him for bribery. After one night in prison, his hair had turned entirely white. He said, "Sima Ziru originally came from Xiazhou leaning on a single staff to seek out the Prince of Xiang. The Prince gave him one open cart and a spotted hornless cow with her calf. The calf died on the road; only the spotted horns were left. Everything else came from gifts from my superiors. Gao Huan wrote Gao Cheng: "Sima is an old friend of mine. You should show him leniency." Gao Cheng halted his horse in the street outside, had Ziru brought out, and removed his fetters. Ziru said in alarm, "Was this not a matter for execution? Thereupon his offices and titles were removed. When Lady Wuming saw him, she pitied his haggard state, rested his head on her knee, picked lice for him with her own hands, and gave him a hundred jars of wine, five hundred sheep, and five hundred shi of polished rice. Ziru said, "Though I had done nothing, I was nearly killed in prison. If I accept this, what road to life remains? Before long he was restored to office to handle Jizhou affairs. He reformed himself sternly and won a strong reputation. An edict restored his offices and titles and separately enfeoffed him as Baron of Yewang County. When Northern Qi was founded he was separately enfeoffed Duke of Xuchang County for his supporting merit. Soon after he was appointed Minister of Works.

消難字道融。幼聰慧，微涉經史，有風神，好自矯飾，以求名譽。子如既當朝貴盛，消難亦愛賓客，邢子才、王元景、魏收、陸仰、崔瞻等皆遊其門。稍遷光祿卿，出為北豫州刺史。

Xiaonan, styled Daorong. From boyhood he was clever; he touched lightly on the classics and histories, carried himself with grace, and liked to polish his manner to win a name. Once Ziru stood at the height of court power, Xiaonan too loved to gather guests. Xing Zicao, Wang Yuanjing, Wei Shou, Lu Yang, Cui Zhan, and others all passed through his door. He rose gradually to Director of the Imperial Household, then went out as governor of North Yuzhou.

文宣末年，昏虐滋甚，消難常有自全之謀，曲意撫納，頗為百姓所附。不能廉潔，為御史所劾。又尚公主，而情好不睦，公主訴之。屬文宣在并州，驛召上党王煥，煥懼害，斬使者東奔，鄴中大擾，後竟獲於濟州。煥之初走，朝士疑赴成皋，云：「若與司馬北豫連謀，必為國患。」此言達于文宣，頗見疑。消難懼，密令所親人河東裴藻間行入關，請降。

In Wenxuan's last years, as cruelty deepened, Xiaonan often plotted how to save himself, bending to soothe and win people, and won no small attachment from the common folk. He could not keep himself clean; the censorate impeached him. He had also married a princess, yet affection between them was cold; the princess lodged complaint against him. At that time Wenxuan was at Bingzhou and summoned by post Prince Huan of Shangdang. Huan, fearing death, killed the messenger and fled east; Ye was thrown into uproar, and he was finally taken at Jizhou. When Huan first fled, court officials suspected he had gone to Chenggao and said, "If he joins Sima of North Yuzhou in conspiracy, he will surely become a danger to the state. This reached Wenxuan, and Xiaonan came under heavy suspicion. Xiaonan, in fear, secretly sent his trusted man Pei Zao of Hedong by hidden route through the passes to offer surrender.

入周，封滎陽郡公，累遷大司寇。從武帝東伐，還除梁州總管。大象初，遷大後丞，女為靜帝后。尋出為雲阝州總管。及隋文帝輔政，消難乃與蜀公尉遲回合勢舉兵，使其子永質于陳，以求援。隋文帝命襄州總管王誼討之，消難奔陳。位司空，隨郡公。

Entering Zhou, he was enfeoffed Duke of Xingyang Commandery and rose step by step to Grand Minister of Justice. He followed Emperor Wu on the eastern campaign and, on returning, was appointed governor-general of Liangzhou. At the opening of Daxiang he was moved to Grand Empress's Secretary; his daughter became empress to Emperor Jing. Soon after he was sent out as governor-general of Yunzhou. When Emperor Wen of Sui held the regency, Xiaonan joined Duke of Shu Yuchi Cong in raising arms, sending his son Yong as hostage to Chen to seek help. Emperor Wen ordered Wang Yi, governor-general of Xiangzhou, to suppress him. Xiaonan fled to Chen. He held the rank of Minister of Works and was Duke of Sui Commandery.

初，隋武元帝之迎消難，結為兄弟，情好甚篤，隋文每以叔禮事之。及平陳，消難至，特免死配為樂戶，二旬而免。猶以舊恩，特被引見。尋卒於家。

At first, when Emperor Wu of Chen received Xiaonan, they swore brotherhood and were deeply fond of each other; Emperor Wen of Sui always treated him with the courtesy due an uncle. When Chen was pacified and Xiaonan came in, he was specially spared death and assigned to the music-house registers; after twenty days he was released. Still on account of old favor, he was granted a special audience. Before long he died at home.

消難性貪淫，輕於去就，故世言反覆者，皆以方之。其妻高，齊神武女也，在鄴極加禮敬，入關便相棄薄。及赴雲阝州，留妻及三子在京。妻言于文帝曰：「滎陽公攜寵自隨，必不顧妻子，願防慮之。」及消難入陳，高母子因此獲免。子譚，即高氏所生，以消難勳，拜儀同大將軍，坐消難除名。

Xiaonan was greedy and licentious by nature and quick to change sides; hence when people speak of the fickle, they measure them against him. His wife was a Gao, daughter of Gao Huan. In Ye she had been treated with the greatest respect; once he entered the passes he cast her off coldly. When he went to Yunzhou, he left his wife and three sons in the capital. His wife told Emperor Wen, "The Duke of Xingyang takes his favorites with him and will surely not care for wife and children. I beg Your Majesty to guard against this. When Xiaonan fled into Chen, the Gao mother and sons were spared on that account. His son Tan, born of the Gao lady, was appointed Honorary Grand General for Xiaonan's merit, then struck from the rolls because of Xiaonan.

裴藻字文芳。少機辨，有不羈之志，為子如太傅主簿。消難鎮北豫，又以為中兵參軍。入周，封聞喜縣男，除晉州刺史。

Pei Zao, styled Wenfang. From youth he was quick and sharp, with an untamed spirit; he served as chief clerk to Ziru when Ziru was Grand Tutor. When Xiaonan held North Yuzhou, he was again made adjutant of the household troops. Entering Zhou, he was enfeoffed Baron of Wenxi County and appointed governor of Jinzhou.

子如兄纂。纂長子世雲，輕險無行。累遷潁州刺史，肆行奸穢。將見推，懼，遂從侯景。文襄猶以子如恩舊，免其諸弟死罪，徙北邊。世雲以侯景敗于渦陽，復有異志，為景所殺。世雲弟膺之。

Ziru's elder brother was Zuan. Zuan's eldest son Shiyun was light, reckless, and without principle. Raised step by step to governor of Yingzhou, he there gave free rein to lewdness and corruption. When impeachment was imminent, he took fright and went over to Hou Jing. Gao Cheng, still honoring Ziru's old tie, spared his younger brothers death and exiled them to the northern frontier. After Hou Jing was defeated at Woyang, Shiyun again harbored disloyal designs and was killed by Jing. Shiyun's younger brother was Yingzhi.

膺之字仲慶。美須髯，有風貌，好學，厚自封植，神氣甚高。曆中書、黃門侍郎。天平中，叔父子如執鈞當軸。膺之既宰相猶子，兼自有名望，所與遊集，盡一時名流。與邢子才、王景等，並為莫逆之交。及兄世雲陷於逆亂，期親皆應誅。膺之及諸弟並有人才，為朝廷所惜，文襄特減死徙近鎮。文宣嗣業，得還。齊受禪，子如別封須昌縣公，回授膺之。子如撫愛甚慈，膺之昆季，事之如父。性方古，不會俗舊。與楊愔同為黃門郎。至愔為尚書令，抗禮如初。愔嘗有從姊慘，尚書卿尹皆跪吊，膺之執手而出。曾路逢愔，威儀道引，乃於樹下側避之。愔于車望見，令呼謂曰：「兄何意避弟？」膺之曰：「我自避赤棒，本不避卿。」愔甚重之。然以其疏簡傲物，竟天保間，淪滯不齒。乾明中，除衛尉少卿，遷國子祭酒。河清末，拜金紫光祿大夫。患泄痢，積年不起。武平中，就家拜儀同三司。班台之貴，近世專以賞勳勤，膺之雖為猥雜，名器猶重。初，司徒趙彥深起自孤微，為子如管記，膺之甚相忽略，不為之禮。及彥深為宰相，朝士輻氵奏，膺之自念，故被延請，永不至門，每與相見，捧袂而已。太常卿段孝言，左丞相孝先之弟也，位望甚隆，嘗詣其弟幼之，舉座傾敬。膺之時牽疾，在外齋馮幾而坐，不為動容。直言：「我患痢久，太常不得致怪。」黃門郎陸杳，貴遊後進，膺之嘗與棋。杳忽後至，寒溫而已，棋遂輟。園宅閑素，門無雜客，性不飲酒，而不愛重賓遊。病久，不復堪讀書，或以奕棋永日。名士有素懷者，時相尋候。無雜言，唯論經史。好讀《太玄經》，又注揚雄《蜀都賦》。每云：「我欲與揚子雲周旋。」患痢十七年，竟不愈。齊亡歲，以痢疾終。

Yingzhi, styled Zhongqing. Fine of beard and whiskers, with a striking presence, he loved learning and cultivated himself deeply; his spirit stood very high. He served in succession as Secretariat Gentleman and Palace Gate Gentleman. In Tianping his uncle Ziru held the scales of power. Yingzhi was both a chief minister's nephew and a man of name in his own right; those who gathered with him were all leading figures of the day. With Xing Zicao, Wang Jing, and others he was on terms of the closest friendship. When his elder brother Shiyun fell into rebellion, all kin within the circle of mourning were liable to execution. Yingzhi and his brothers all had talent, and the court was loath to lose them; Gao Cheng specially reduced the sentence from death to exile at nearby garrisons. When Wenxuan succeeded to power, they were allowed to return. When Northern Qi was founded, Ziru's separate enfeoffment as Duke of Xuchang County was transferred to Yingzhi. Ziru cherished them with great tenderness; Yingzhi and his brothers served him as they would a father. His nature was upright and antique; he would not bend to the customs of the age. He and Yang Yin served together as Palace Gate Gentlemen. When Yin became Director of the Department of State Affairs, Yingzhi still treated him as an equal, just as before. When Yin mourned a paternal cousin, directors and senior officials of the secretariat all knelt in condolence; Yingzhi took his hand and walked out. Once on the road he met Yin with full ceremonial escort and stepped aside beneath a tree to avoid him. Yin saw him from his carriage and had him summoned. "Brother, why do you avoid your younger brother? Yingzhi said, "I was avoiding the red staves. I was not avoiding you at all." Yin thought very highly of him. But because he was aloof, plain in manner, and disdainful of others, he languished throughout the Tianbao era without standing among his peers. In Qianming he was appointed Vice Minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud and promoted to Director of the Imperial University. At the end of Heqing he was granted the title Grand Master of Splendid Happiness with Purple-girdle Privilege. He suffered from dysentery and for years could not get up. In Wuping he was appointed Bearer of the Three Special Equipments at his home. In recent times high office had been reserved chiefly to reward merit and service; though Yingzhi's appointment was unseemly, the insignia of rank still carried weight. At first Zhao Yanshen, Minister of Education, had risen from humble obscurity. When he served Ziru as chief clerk, Yingzhi greatly slighted him and showed him no courtesy. When Yanshen became chief minister, court officials flocked to him. Yingzhi remembered that he had once been invited, yet he never went to Yanshen's door; whenever they met, he merely clasped his sleeves in greeting. Duan Xiaoyan, Director of Ceremonies and younger brother of Left Chief Minister Xiaoxian, enjoyed great rank and prestige. Once when he called on his younger brother Youzhi, the whole company turned deferential. Yingzhi was then ill; he sat fasting in an outer hall, leaning on an armrest, and did not change expression. He said plainly, "I have long suffered from dysentery. The Director of Ceremonies must not take offense. Lu Yao, a Palace Gate Gentleman and scion of the noble clans, was a rising young man with whom Yingzhi had once played chess. When Yao arrived late, Yingzhi exchanged only brief greetings, and the game was abandoned. His garden and home were plain and quiet, and no casual guests came to his gate. By nature he did not drink, nor did he care for lavish hospitality. His illness dragged on; he could no longer bear to read, and sometimes passed whole days playing chess. Men of name with old affinities would from time to time call on him. There was no idle talk—only discussion of the classics and histories. He loved reading the Classic of the Supreme Mystery and also annotated Yang Xiong's Rhapsody on the Shu Capital. He often said, "I wish to keep company with Master Yang Yun. He suffered dysentery for seventeen years and never recovered. In the year Northern Qi fell, he died of dysentery.

膺之弟子瑞，為御史中丞，正色舉察，為朝廷所許。以疾去職，就拜祠部尚書。卒，贈儀同三司、瀛州刺史，諡曰文節。子瑞妻，陸令萱妹。及令萱得寵於後主，重贈子瑞開府儀同三司、中書監、溫縣伯。諸子亦並居顯職：同游，給事黃門侍郎；同回，太常少卿；同憲，通直常侍。同遊終為佳吏，隨開皇中，為尚書戶部侍郎，卒于遂州刺史。

Yingzhi's nephew Zirui served as Imperial Censor; with stern rectitude in investigation and accusation, he won the court's approval. He left office on account of illness and was appointed at home Minister of Sacrifices. When he died he was posthumously granted Bearer of the Three Special Equipments and Governor of Yingzhou, with the posthumous title Wenjie. Zirui's wife was the younger sister of Lu Lingxuan. When Lingxuan won favor with the Later Sovereign, Zirui was again posthumously granted Bearer of the Three Special Equipments with Bespoke Staff, Director of the Secretariat, and Baron of Wen County. His sons also all held prominent offices: Tongyou, Attendant Gentleman of the Palace Gate; Tonghui, Vice Director of Ceremonies; Tongxian, Regular Attendant. Tongyou in the end proved an excellent official; in Sui Kaihuang he served as Vice Minister of the Revenue Section of the Masters of Writing and died as Governor of Suizhou.

子瑞弟幼之，清貞有行。武平末，為大理卿。開皇中，卒于眉州刺史。

Zirui's younger brother Youzhi was pure, upright, and principled. At the end of Wuping he served as Director of Punishments. In Kaihuang he died as Governor of Meizhou.

竇泰，字世甯，太安捍殊人也。本出清河觀津胄。祖羅，魏統萬鎮將，因居北邊。父樂，魏末破六韓拔陵為亂，與鎮將楊鈞固守，遇害。泰貴，追贈司徒。初，泰母夢風雷暴起，若有雨狀。出庭觀之，見電光奪目，駛雨沾灑。寤而驚汗，遂有娠。期而不產，大懼。有巫曰：「度河湔裙，產子必易。」便向水所。忽見一人曰：「當生貴子，可徙而南。」泰母從之，俄而生泰。及長，善騎射，有勇略。泰父兄戰歿於鎮，泰身負骸骨歸爾硃榮。以從討邢杲功，賜爵廣阿子。神武之為晉州，請泰為鎮城都督，參謀軍事。累遷侍中、京畿大都督，尋領御史中尉。泰以勳戚居台，雖無多糾舉，而百僚畏懼。天平三年，神武西討，令泰自潼關入。四年，泰至小關，為周文帝所襲，眾盡沒，泰自殺。初，泰將發鄴，鄴有惠化尼，謠云：「竇行台，去不回。」未行之前夜，三更，忽有硃衣冠幘數千人入台，雲收竇中尉。宿直兵吏皆驚。其人入數屋。俄頃而去。旦視關鍵不異，方知非人，皆知其必敗。贈大司馬、太尉、錄尚書事，諡曰武貞。

Dou Tai, styled Shining, was a native of Taian Hanshu. His family originally came from Guanjin in Qinghe. His grandfather Luo was commander of the Tongwan garrison in Wei and settled in the northern borderlands. His father Yue, when at the end of Wei the rebel Boledu Buli raised disorder, held firm with the garrison commander Yang Jun and was killed. When Tai rose to eminence, his father was posthumously granted the title Minister of Education. At first Tai's mother dreamed that wind and thunder burst forth, as though rain were coming. She went out into the courtyard to watch and saw dazzling lightning and driving rain. She woke in a sweat of alarm and then conceived. The term passed without her giving birth, and she was greatly afraid. A shaman said, "Cross the river and wash your skirt—the birth will come easily. She went at once to the water. Suddenly a man appeared and said, "You are about to bear a noble son. Move southward. Tai's mother followed his advice, and soon afterward Tai was born. When he grew up, he excelled at horsemanship and archery and possessed courage and stratagem. Tai's father and elder brother died fighting at the garrison; Tai personally carried their bones back to Erzhu Rong. For following the campaign against Xing Gao, he was granted the title Baron of Guanga. When Gao Huan was prefect of Jinzhou, he requested Tai as commandant of the fortified city and staff adviser on military affairs. He rose through appointments as Palace Attendant and Grand Commandant of the Capital Region, and soon also served as Censor-in-Chief. As a meritorious kinsman holding the censorate, though Tai did not lodge many accusations, all officials feared him. In the third year of Tianping, Gao Huan marched west on campaign and ordered Tai to enter through Tong Pass. In the fourth year, when Tai reached Xiaoguan, he was attacked by Emperor Wen of Zhou; his entire force was destroyed, and Tai killed himself. At first, when Tai was about to set out from Ye, a nun of Huihua in Ye had a song that ran, "Commissioner Dou goes forth and does not return. On the night before he departed, at the third watch, several thousand men in vermilion robes and caps suddenly entered the censorate, saying they had come to take Censor-in-Chief Dou. The officers on night duty were all alarmed. The men entered several rooms. After a moment they departed. At dawn the locks and bolts were unchanged, and only then did they know the visitors were not human; all understood that Tai was doomed to defeat. He was posthumously granted Grand Marshal, Grand Tutor, and Manager of Affairs for the Masters of Writing, with the posthumous title Wuzhen.

泰妻，武明婁後妹也。泰雖以親見待，而功名自建。齊受禪，祭告其墓。皇建初，配享神武廟庭。子孝敬嗣，位儀同三司。

Tai's wife was a younger sister of Empress Wuming of the Lou clan. Though Tai was treated with favor as a kinsman, his fame and achievements were of his own making. When Northern Qi received the abdication, the court offered sacrifice and announcement at his tomb. At the beginning of Huangjian he was given shared sacrifice in Gao Huan's temple court. His son Xiaojing succeeded him and held the rank Bearer of the Three Special Equipments.

尉景，字士真，善無人也。泰、漢置尉堠官，其先有居此職者，因以氏焉。景性溫厚，頗有俠氣。魏孝昌中，北鎮反，景與神武入杜洛周中，仍共歸爾硃榮。以軍功，封博野縣伯。後從神武起兵信都。韓陵之戰，唯景所統失利。神武入洛，留景鎮鄴。尋進封為公。景妻常山君，神武之姊也。以勳戚，每有軍事，與厙狄幹常被委重。而不能忘懷財利，神武每嫌責之。轉冀州刺史，又大納賄，發夫獵，死者三百人。厙狄幹與景在神武坐，請作御史中尉。神武曰：「何意下求卑官？」幹曰：「欲捉尉景。」神武大笑，令優者石董桶戲之。董桶剝景衣曰：「公剝百姓，董桶何為不剝公？」神武誡景曰：「可以無貪也。」景曰：「與爾計生活孰多，我止人上取，爾割天子調。」神武笑不答。改封長樂郡公，歷位太保、太傅。坐匿亡人，見禁止。使崔暹謂文襄曰：「語阿惠，兒富貴，欲殺我邪？」神武聞之泣，詣闕曰：「臣非尉景無以至今日。」三請，帝乃許之。於是黜為驃騎大將軍、開府儀同三司。神武造景，景恚，臥不動，叫曰：「殺我時趣邪？」常山君謂神武曰：「老人去死近，何忍煎迫至此！」又曰：「我為爾汲水，胝生。」因出其掌。神武撫景，為之屈膝。先是，景有果下馬，文襄求之，景不與，曰：「土相扶為牆，人相扶為王。一馬亦不得畜而索也？」神武對景及常山君責文襄而杖之。常山君泣救之，景曰：「小兒慣去，放使作心腹，何須幹啼濕哭，不聽打邪？」尋授青州刺史，操行頗改，百姓安之。征授大司馬，遇疾，薨於州。贈太師、尚書令。齊受禪，以景元勳，詔祭告其墓。皇建初，配享神武廟庭，追封長樂王。

Wei Jing, styled Shizhen, was a native of Shanwu. Qin and Han established the post of frontier-signal officer; an ancestor had held that office, and the clan took it as their surname. Jing's nature was mild and generous, with something of the chivalrous spirit about him. In the Xiaochang era of Wei, when the northern garrisons rebelled, Jing and Gao Huan entered Du Luozhou's ranks, then together returned to Erzhu Rong. For military merit he was enfeoffed as Baron of Boye County. Later he followed Gao Huan in raising troops at Xindu. At the battle of Hanling, only the force under Jing's command suffered defeat. When Gao Huan entered Luoyang, he left Jing to garrison Ye. Soon he was advanced to enfeoffment as duke. Jing's wife was the Lady of Changshan, elder sister of Gao Huan. As a meritorious kinsman, whenever there was military business he and Kudigan were regularly entrusted with weighty duties. Yet he could not put wealth from his mind, and Gao Huan often reproached him for it. When transferred to Governor of Jizhou, he again accepted bribes on a large scale; he conscripted laborers for a hunt, and three hundred men died. Kudigan and Jing were in Gao Huan's presence when Kudigan asked to be made Censor-in-Chief. Gao Huan said, "Why do you seek so low an office? Kudigan said, "I want to catch Wei Jing." Gao Huan laughed loudly and had the actor Shi Dongtong mock him. Dongtong stripped Jing of his clothes and said, "My lord strips the common people—why should Dongtong not strip my lord? Gao Huan admonished Jing, "You really ought to stop being greedy." Jing said, "Let us reckon whose livelihood is greater—I take only from men above me, while you skim off the Son of Heaven's taxes." Gao Huan laughed and made no reply. His fief was changed to Duke of Changle Commandery; he rose through the posts of Grand Mentor and Grand Tutor. For harboring fugitives he was placed under detention. He had Cui Xian tell Gao Cheng, "Tell Ah Hui—now that the boy is rich and noble, does he mean to kill me? When Gao Huan heard this he wept and went to the palace, saying, "Your servant would never have reached this day without Wei Jing." After three petitions the emperor granted his request. Thereupon Jing was demoted to General of Agile Cavalry and Bearer of the Three Special Equipments with Bespoke Staff. Gao Huan visited Jing; Jing, furious, lay motionless and shouted, "If you're going to kill me, why not hurry up? The Lady of Changshan told Gao Huan, "The old man is close to death—how can you bear to torment him so!" She also said, "I drew water for you till calluses formed." And she held out her palm. Gao Huan comforted Jing and dropped to his knees for him. Earlier, Jing had a pony under five feet; Gao Cheng asked for it, but Jing would not give it up and said, "Earth piled together makes a wall; men who support one another make a king. Must I not even be allowed to keep a single horse without you seizing it? Gao Huan, in the presence of Wei Jing and the Prince of Changshan, rebuked Gao Cheng and had him beaten. The Prince of Changshan wept and interceded for him. Wei Jing said, 'The boy has grown spoiled; I allowed him to serve as my trusted confidant—why these loud tears and sobbing? Can I not even discipline him? He was soon appointed governor of Qing Province; his conduct improved markedly, and the people lived in peace. He was summoned and appointed Grand Marshal, but fell ill and died in office. He was posthumously made Grand Preceptor and Director of the Department of State Affairs. When Qi received the mandate, Wei Jing's founding merit was honored with an edict ordering sacrifice and announcement at his tomb. At the beginning of the Huangjian era, he was granted a place in the offerings at Gao Huan's temple and posthumously enfeoffed as Prince of Changle.

子粲，少曆顯職，性粗武。天保初，封厙狄幹等為王，粲以父不預王爵，大恚恨，十餘日閉門不朝。帝怪，遣使就宅問之。隔門謂使人曰：「天子不封粲父作王，粲不如死。」使云：「須開門受敕。」粲遂彎弓隔門射。使者以狀聞之，文宣使段韶諭旨。粲見韶，唯撫膺大哭，不答一言。文宣親詣其宅慰之，方復朝請。尋追封景長樂王，粲襲爵。位司徒、太傅，薨。

His son Can held distinguished posts from youth; he was rough and martial by nature. At the beginning of the Tianbao era, Kudigan and others were enfeoffed as princes. Can, furious that his father had been passed over, shut himself in for more than ten days and refused to attend court. The emperor was puzzled and sent an envoy to Can's residence to ask what was wrong. Through the closed door he told the envoy, 'If the Son of Heaven will not make my father a prince, I would rather die. The envoy replied, 'You must open the door to receive the imperial edict.' Can then strung his bow and shot at the envoy through the door. The envoy reported what had happened, and Gao Yang sent Duan Shao to explain the emperor's wishes. When Can met Duan Shao, he could only beat his breast and weep; he did not utter a single word. Gao Yang went in person to Can's home to console him, and only then did Can return to court. Wei Jing was soon posthumously enfeoffed as Prince of Changle, and Can inherited the title. He served as Minister over the Masses and Grand Tutor, then died.

子世辨嗣。周師將入鄴，令世辨率千餘騎覘候。出滏口，登高阜西望，遙見群鳥飛起，謂是西軍旗幟，即馳還。比至紫陌橋，不敢顧。隋開皇中，卒于浙州刺史。

His son Shibian succeeded to the title. When Zhou forces were about to enter Ye, Shibian was ordered to lead more than a thousand horsemen on reconnaissance. He passed through Fokou, climbed a high hill, and looked west; when he saw birds rise in the distance, he took them for Western army banners and galloped back at once. By the time he reached Zimo Bridge, he did not dare look back. During the Kaihuang era of Sui, he died in office as governor of Zhe Province.

婁昭，字菩薩，代郡平城人也，武明皇后之母弟也。祖父提，雄傑有識度，家僮千數，牛馬以穀量。性好周給，士多歸附之。魏太武時，以功封真定侯。父內幹，有武力，未仕而卒。昭貴，魏朝贈司徒。齊受禪，追封太原王。昭方雅正直，有大度深謀，腰帶八尺，弓馬冠時。神武少親重之，昭亦早識人雄，曲盡禮敬。數隨神武獵，每致請，不宜乘危歷險。神武將出信都，昭贊成大策，即以為中軍大都督。從破爾硃兆于廣阿，封安喜縣伯，改濟北公，又徙濮陽郡公，授領軍將軍。魏孝武將貳于神武，昭以疾辭還晉陽。後從神武入洛。兗州刺史樊子鵠反，以昭為東道大都督討之。子鵠既死，諸將勸昭盡捕誅其黨。昭曰：「此州無狀，橫被殘賊，其賊是怨，其人何罪？」遂皆舍焉。後轉大司馬，仍領軍。遷司徒，出為定州刺史。昭好酒，晚得偏風，雖愈，猶不能處劇務。在州，事委僚屬，昭舉其大綱而已。薨于州，贈假黃鉞、太師、太尉，諡曰武。齊受禪，詔祭告其墓，封太原王。皇建初，配享神武廟庭。

Lou Zhao, styled Pusa, was a native of Pingcheng in Dai Commandery and the Empress Wuming's younger brother on their mother's side. His grandfather Ti was a man of heroic stature and keen judgment; he kept thousands of household servants, and measured his cattle and horses by the bin. Generous by nature, he drew many gentlemen to his service. Under Wei Emperor Taiwu, he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Zhending for his achievements. His father Neigan was a man of martial prowess but died before ever holding office. Lou Zhao rose to high honor; the Wei court posthumously made his father Minister over the Masses. When Qi received the mandate, Lou Zhao was posthumously enfeoffed as Prince of Taiyuan. Lou Zhao was upright and refined, broad-minded and deeply strategic; eight feet around the waist, he stood unmatched in archery and horsemanship. From youth Gao Huan held him in close esteem, and Lou Zhao early recognized greatness in him and showed him every courtesy. He often accompanied Gao Huan on the hunt and each time urged that it was unwise to court peril on steep and dangerous ground. When Gao Huan prepared to march from Xindu, Lou Zhao endorsed the grand design and was at once made Grand Commander of the Central Army. He took part in the defeat of Erzhu Zhao at Guang'a, was enfeoffed Baron of Anxi, then Duke of Jibei, then Duke of Puyang, and appointed General of the Guard. When Emperor Xiaowu of Wei was about to break with Gao Huan, Lou Zhao pleaded illness and withdrew to Jinyang. He later followed Gao Huan into Luoyang. When Fan Zihu, governor of Yan Province, rebelled, Lou Zhao was made Grand Commander of the Eastern Route to suppress him. After Fan Zihu's death, the generals urged Lou Zhao to capture and execute all his followers. Lou Zhao said, 'This province has been wretchedly overrun by bandits—the bandits deserve hatred, but what crime have the people committed? He released them all. He was later made Grand Marshal while retaining command of the Guard. Promoted to Minister over the Masses, he was sent out as governor of Ding Province. Lou Zhao loved wine; in his later years he suffered a stroke, and though he recovered, he could no longer manage heavy affairs. In the province he entrusted affairs to his staff and attended only to the larger design. He died in office and was posthumously granted the golden axe, the titles of Grand Preceptor and Grand Commandant, and the posthumous name Wu. When Qi received the mandate, an edict ordered sacrifice at his tomb and enfeoffed him as Prince of Taiyuan. At the beginning of the Huangjian era, he was granted a place in the offerings at Gao Huan's temple.

長子仲達嗣，改封濮陽王。

His eldest son Zhongda succeeded him, and the title was changed to Prince of Puyang.

次子定遠，少曆顯職。外戚中，偏為武成愛狎，別封臨淮郡王。武成大漸，與趙郡王等同受顧命，位司空。趙郡王之奏黜和士開，定遠與其謀。遂納士開賄賂，成趙郡之禍，其貪鄙如此。尋除瀛州刺史。初，定遠弟季略，穆提婆求其伎妾，定遠不許。因高思好作亂，提婆令臨淮國郎中金造遠陰與思好通。後主令開府段暢率三千騎掩之，令侍御史趙秀通至州，以贓貨事劾定遠。定遠疑有變，遂縊而死。

His second son Dingyuan held distinguished posts from youth. Among the empress's kin he was especially favored by Emperor Wucheng and was separately enfeoffed as Prince of Linhuai. When Wucheng fell gravely ill, Dingyuan received the deathbed charge together with the Prince of Zhao and others, and held the post of Minister of Works. When the Prince of Zhao memorialized to remove He Shikai from office, Dingyuan joined the conspiracy. He then accepted bribes from He Shikai and brought ruin upon the Prince of Zhao—such was his greed and baseness. He was soon appointed governor of Ying Province. Earlier, Dingyuan's younger brother Jilue had a courtesan whom Mutipo demanded; Dingyuan refused. When Gao Sihao rebelled, Mutipo had Jinzao, director of the Linhuai principality, secretly communicate with him. The Later Lord ordered Duan Chang, honorary cabinet minister, to lead three thousand horsemen in a surprise raid, and sent Supervising Censor Zhao Xiu to the province to impeach Dingyuan for corruption. Fearing a trap, Dingyuan hanged himself.

子子產嗣，位開府儀同三司。

His son Zichan succeeded him and held the rank of Honorary Grand General of Agile Cavalry, equal in status to the Three Preceptors.

厙狄幹，善無人也。曾祖越豆眷，魏道武時，以功割善無之西臘汗山地方百里以處之。後率部落北遷，因家朔方。幹鯁直少言，有武藝。魏正光初，除掃逆党，授將軍，宿衛於內。以家在寒鄉，不宜毒暑，冬得入京師，夏歸鄉里。孝昌元年，北邊擾亂，奔雲中，為刺史費穆送于爾硃榮。以軍主隨榮入洛。後從神武起兵，破四胡于韓陵，封廣平縣公，尋進郡公。河陰之役，諸將大捷，唯幹兵退。神武以其舊功，竟不責黜。尋轉太保、太傅。及高仲密以武牢叛，神武討之，以幹為大都督，前驅。幹上道不過家，見侯景，不遑食，景使騎追饋之。時周文自將兵至洛陽，軍容甚盛。諸將未欲南度，幹決計濟河，神武大兵繼至，遂大破之。還為定州刺史。不閑吏事，事多煩擾，然清約自居，不為吏人所患。遷太師。天平初，以幹元勳佐命，封章武郡王，轉太宰。幹尚神武妹樂陵長公主，以親地見待。自預勤王，常總大眾，威望之重，為諸將所伏。而最為嚴猛。曾詣京師，魏譙王元孝友于公門言戲過常，無能面折者，幹正色責之，孝友大慚，時人稱善。薨，贈假黃鉞、太宰，給轀輬車，諡曰景烈。

Kudigan was a man of Shanwu. His great-grandfather Yuedoujuan, under Wei Emperor Daowu, was granted a hundred li of land at Xilahanshan west of Shanwu for his achievements. He later led his tribe northward and made his home in Shuofang. Kudigan was blunt and upright, sparing of speech, and skilled in arms. At the beginning of the Zhengguang era, he was appointed to purge rebel factions, made a general, and served in the inner palace guard. Because his homeland lay in a cold country ill suited to fierce summer heat, he was permitted to enter the capital in winter and return home in summer. In the first year of Xiaochang, when the northern frontier fell into chaos, he fled to Yunzhong and was sent by Governor Fei Mu to Erzhu Rong. As an army commander he followed Erzhu Rong into Luoyang. He later followed Gao Huan in raising arms, helped defeat the Four Hu at Hanling, was enfeoffed Duke of Guangping, and soon raised to commandery duke. At the Battle of Heyin the other generals won a great victory, but Kudigan's troops alone fell back. Gao Huan, honoring his long service, did not blame or punish him. He was soon made Grand Guardian and Grand Tutor. When Gao Zhongmi rebelled from Wulao fortress, Gao Huan marched against him and made Kudigan Grand Commander in the vanguard. Kudigan, marching out, did not stop at home; he met Hou Jing but had no time to eat, and Hou Jing sent horsemen after him with provisions. At that time Yuwen Tai personally led an army to Luoyang, and his forces were arrayed in great strength. The other generals hesitated to cross south of the river, but Kudigan resolved to ford it; Gao Huan's main army followed, and they won a great victory. He returned and was made governor of Ding Province. He was unversed in civil administration and affairs often grew tangled, yet he lived plainly and was not harassed by clerks and underlings. He was promoted to Grand Preceptor. At the beginning of the Tianping era, for his founding merit and support of the new mandate, Kudigan was enfeoffed Prince of Zhangwu and made Grand Tutor. Kudigan married Gao Huan's sister, the Princess of Leling, and by virtue of this tie was treated with special honor. From his service in the rescue of the throne he often commanded the main army, and the generals bowed to the weight of his prestige. Yet among them all he was the sternest and most formidable. Once at the capital, Yuan Xiaoyou, Prince of Qiao, carried his jesting at the gate beyond all bounds, and none dared rebuke him to his face—until Kudigan sternly reproved him. Xiaoyou was deeply shamed, and men of the time praised Kudigan for it. He died and was posthumously granted the golden axe and the title of Grand Tutor, given the imperial hearse, and honored with the posthumous name Jinglie.

幹不知書，署名為幹字，逆上畫之，時人謂之穿錘。又有武將王周者，署名先為吉，而後成其外。二人至孫，始並知書。幹，皇建初配享神武廟庭。

Kudigan could not read; when he signed his name he wrote the character for Gan with the final stroke drawn upward in reverse, and people called it 'the piercing awl.' There was also the warrior Wang Zhou, who when signing his name first wrote the character for 'lucky' and then completed the rest. In both families literacy did not come until the grandsons' generation. Kudigan, at the beginning of the Huangjian era, was granted a place in the offerings at Gao Huan's temple.

子伏敬，位儀同三司卒，子士文嗣。

His son Fujing died while holding rank equal to the Three Preceptors; Fujing's son Shiwen succeeded.

士文性孤直，雖鄰里至親，莫與通狎。在齊，襲封章武郡王，位領軍將軍。周武帝平齊，山東衣冠多來迎，唯士文閉門自守。帝奇之，授開府儀同三司、隨州刺史。隋文受禪，加上開府，封湖陂縣子，尋拜貝州刺史。性清苦，不受公料，家無餘財。其子嘗啖官廚餅，士文枷之於獄累日，杖之二百，步送還京。僮隸無敢出門。所買鹽菜，必於外境。凡有出入，皆封署其門，親故絕跡，慶吊不通。法令嚴肅，吏人股戰，道不拾遺。有細過，必深文陷害。嘗入朝，遇上賜公卿入左藏，任取多少。人皆極重，士文獨口銜絹一匹，兩手各持一匹。上問其故，士文曰：「臣口手俱足，餘無所須。」上異之，別賞遺之。

Shiwen was solitary and upright by nature; even neighbors and close kin kept no familiar intimacy with him. Under Northern Qi he inherited the title Prince of Zhangwu and served as General of the Guard. When Emperor Wu of Zhou conquered Qi, the gentry of Shandong mostly came out to welcome the conquerors—Shiwen alone shut his doors and held himself apart. The emperor admired this and appointed him Honorary Grand General of Agile Cavalry, equal in rank to the Three Preceptors, and governor of Sui Province. When Emperor Wen of Sui received the mandate, he added further honorary rank, enfeoffed Shiwen as Viscount of Hubei, and soon made him governor of Bei Province. He lived in austere simplicity, took no official stipend, and kept no surplus wealth in his house. When his son once ate cakes from the official kitchen, Shiwen clapped him in the cangue for days, beat him two hundred strokes, and sent him on foot back to the capital. His servants and retainers did not dare step outside the gate. Whatever salt and vegetables he purchased had to be bought beyond the borders of his jurisdiction. Anyone entering or leaving had the door sealed and signed; kin and old friends ceased to visit; neither celebrations nor mourning calls were exchanged. The laws were stern and unyielding; officials and clerks shook with fear; lost goods lay untouched in the streets. Even for trifling offenses, he invariably twisted the statutes to ensnare and ruin people. On one visit to court he found the emperor admitting the chief ministers into the Left Treasury and letting each take as much as he pleased. Everyone else loaded themselves to the utmost; Shiwen alone took one bolt of silk in his mouth and one in each hand. The emperor asked why. Shiwen said, "Your servant's mouth and hands are already full; I want nothing more. The emperor was astonished and gave him a special reward before sending him on his way.

士文至州，發摘奸諂，長吏尺布鬥粟之贓，無所寬貸。得千人，奏之，悉配防嶺南。親戚相送，哭聲遍於州境。至嶺南遇瘴厲，死者十八九。於是父母妻子，唯哭士文。士文聞之，令人捕搦，捶楚盈前而哭孝彌甚。司馬京兆韋焜、清河令河東趙達，二人並苛刻，唯長史有惠政。時人語曰：「刺史羅殺政，司馬蝮蛇瞋，長史含笑判，清河生吃人。」上聞，歎曰：「士文暴過毒獸！」竟坐免。未幾，為雍州長史。謂人曰：「我向法深，不能窺候貴要，無乃必死此官！」及下車，執法嚴正，不避貴戚，賓客莫敢至門，人多怨望。

Once Shiwen reached his province, he rooted out flattery and deceit; senior officials guilty of even the smallest theft — a foot of cloth, a peck of grain — received no mercy. He uncovered a thousand offenders, reported them to the throne, and had them all sent to garrison Lingnan. Kinfolk came to see them off, and the sound of weeping spread across the entire province. When they reached Lingnan they met malarial plague, and eight or nine out of ten perished. Thereafter parents, wives, and children wept only against Shiwen. When Shiwen heard of it, he had them seized; beatings piled up before them, yet their wails of grief only grew louder. The Master of Records, Wei Kun of Jingzhao, and the Prefect of Qinghe, Zhao Da of Hedong, were both merciless; only the Chief Administrator governed with kindness. People of the time said, "The prefect governs like a demon of slaughter, the Master of Records glares like an enraged viper, the Chief Administrator passes judgment with a smile, and Qinghe Prefecture devours men alive. When the emperor heard this, he sighed, "Shiwen is savage beyond any venomous beast! In the end he was dismissed from office on that account. Before long he was appointed Chief Administrator of Yongzhou. He told others, "I have always been harsh in enforcing the law and cannot court the powerful and privileged — surely I am fated to die in this office! Once he took office, he enforced the law with stern impartiality and never shrank from the great and powerful; guests dared not cross his threshold, and many nursed grievances against him.

士文從妹為齊氏嬪，有色，齊滅後，賜薛公長孫覽。覽妻鄭氏妒，譖之文獻後，令覽離絕。士文恥之，不與相見。後應州刺史唐君明居母憂，娉以為妻。由是君明、士文並為御史劾。士文性剛，在獄數日，憤恚而死。家無餘財，有三子，朝夕不繼，親賓無贍之者。

Shiwen's cousin had been a consort of the Qi royal house and was beautiful; after Qi's fall she was given to Sun Lan, grandson of the Duke of Xue. Lan's wife, Lady Zheng, was jealous; she slandered the woman to Empress Dowager Wenxian and had Lan sever all ties with her. Shiwen was shamed by this and refused to see her. Later, when Tang Junming, governor of Yingzhou, was in mourning for his mother, Shiwen gave her to him in marriage. On this account both Junming and Shiwen were impeached by the censor. Shiwen was unyielding by nature; after several days in prison he died of rage and indignation. The family had no money left; with three sons they could barely eat from one day to the next, and neither relatives nor friends had anyone to support them.

韓軌，字伯年，太安狄那人也。少有志操，深沈，喜怒不形於色。神武鎮晉州，引為鎮城都督。及起兵於信都，軌贊成大策。從破爾硃兆于廣阿，又從韓陵陣，封平昌縣侯。仍督中軍，從破爾硃兆於赤谼嶺。再遷秦州刺史，甚得邊和。神武巡秦州，欲以軌還，仍賜城人戶別絹布兩疋，州人田昭等七千戶皆辭不受，唯乞留軌。神武嘉歎，乃留焉。頻以軍功，進封安德郡公，遷瀛州刺史。在州聚斂，為御史糾劾，削除官爵。未幾，復其安德郡公。歷位中書令、司徒。齊受禪，封安德郡王。

Han Gui, styled Bonian, came from Dina in Tai'an. From youth he had firm resolve and integrity; grave and reserved, he never let joy or anger show on his face. When Gao Huan governed Jinzhou, he took Gui on as commander of the garrison town. When Gao Huan raised arms at Xindu, Gui helped shape the grand strategy. He followed Gao Huan in defeating Erzhu Zhao at Guang'a and again at the battle of Hanling, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Pingchang County. He went on to command the center army and again helped defeat Erzhu Zhao at Chihong Ridge. He was transferred again to governor of Qinzhou, where he kept the frontier remarkably peaceful. When Gao Huan toured Qinzhou and planned to recall Gui, he granted every household in the city two bolts of silk and cloth; seven thousand households, including Tian Zhao and others, all refused the gift and asked only that Gui be allowed to remain. Gao Huan was delighted and moved, and so kept him in place. Through repeated military achievements he was promoted to Duke of Ande Commandery and transferred to governor of Yingzhou. In his province he amassed wealth; the censor impeached him and stripped him of office and rank. Before long his title as Duke of Ande Commandery was restored. He served in succession as Director of the Secretariat and Minister over the Masses. When Qi received the imperial abdication, he was enfeoffed as Prince of Ande Commandery.

軌妹為神武所納，生上党王渙，復以勳庸，曆登臺鉉，常以謙恭自處，不以富貴驕人。後拜大司馬，從文宣征蠕蠕，在軍暴疾，薨。贈假黃鉞、太宰、太師，諡曰肅武。皇建初，配享文襄廟庭。

Gui's younger sister was taken in by Gao Huan and bore Prince Huan of Shangdang; through repeated merit in founding the state he rose to the highest offices, yet always conducted himself with humility and never flaunted his wealth and rank. Later appointed Grand Marshal, he followed Emperor Wenxuan on campaign against the Rouran; in camp he was suddenly stricken with a grave illness and died. He was posthumously granted the ceremonial axe, the titles of Grand Tutor and Grand Preceptor, and the posthumous name Suwu. At the beginning of the Huangjian era he was granted a place in the offerings at Gao Cheng's temple.

子晉明嗣。天統中，改封東萊王。晉明有俠氣，諸勳貴子孫中，最留心學問。好酒誕縱。招引賓客，一席之費，動至萬錢，猶恨儉率。朝廷欲處之貴要地，必以疾辭，告人云：「廢人飲美酒，對名勝。安能作刀筆吏，披反故紙乎？」武平末，除尚書左僕射，百餘日，便謝病解官。

His son Jinming succeeded him. During the Tiantong era his title was changed to Prince of Donglai. Jinming had a chivalrous temperament; among the sons and grandsons of meritorious nobles, he was the most devoted to learning. He loved wine and lived with reckless abandon. He entertained guests lavishly; a single banquet often cost ten thousand cash, yet he still thought it mean. Whenever the court wanted to place him in an important post, he always declined on grounds of illness, telling people, "A worthless man should drink fine wine amid famous scenery. How could I become a clerk with brush and knife, poring over old paperwork? At the end of the Wuping era he was appointed Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, but after little more than a hundred days he pleaded illness and resigned.

段榮，字子茂，姑臧武威人也。祖信，仕沮渠氏。後入魏，以豪族徙北邊，仍家于五原郡。父連，安北府司馬。榮少好曆術，專意星象。正光中，謂人曰：「吾今觀玄象，察人事，不及十年，當有亂矣。亂起此地，天下因此橫流，無可避也。」未幾如言。榮初之杜洛周，因奔爾硃榮。及神武起兵，榮贊成之。神武南討鄴，留榮鎮信都，仍授定州刺史。時攻鄴未克，榮轉輸無闕。神武入洛，論功封姑臧縣侯，轉授瀛州刺史。榮妻，武明皇后長姊也，榮恐神武招私親之議，固推諸將，竟不之州。尋曆相、濟、秦三州，所在百姓愛之。神武將圖關右，榮稱未可，及渭曲敗，神武曰：「不用段榮言，以至於此。」尋除山東大行台，領本州流人大都督，甚得物情。卒，贈太尉，諡曰昭景。皇建初，配享神武廟庭。二年，重贈大司馬、尚書令、武威王。長子韶嗣。

Duan Rong, styled Zimao, came from Wuwei in Guzang. His grandfather Xin served the Juqu regime. Later, after entering Wei, the family was relocated to the northern frontier as a powerful clan and settled in Wuyuan Commandery. His father Lian served as Master of Records in the Northern Pacification Office. In youth Rong loved calendrical science and devoted himself to the stars. During the Zhengguang era he told people, "I have now read the heavens and watched affairs among men; within ten years turmoil will come. The upheaval will begin here, and the realm will be swept into chaos from it; there will be no escape. Before long events unfolded exactly as he had said. Rong first joined Du Luozhou, then fled to Erzhu Rong. When Gao Huan raised arms, Rong supported the enterprise. When Gao Huan marched south against Ye, he left Rong to hold Xindu and also appointed him governor of Dingzhou. At the time the assault on Ye had not yet succeeded, yet Rong's supply lines never faltered. When Gao Huan entered Luoyang, Rong was enfeoffed as Marquis of Guzang County for his merit and transferred to governor of Yingzhou. Rong's wife was the eldest sister of Empress Wuming; fearing that Gao Huan would be accused of favoring a relative, he firmly pushed the appointment onto other generals and in the end never took up the governorship. Soon he served in succession at Xiang, Ji, and Qin, and wherever he went the people loved him. When Gao Huan planned to move against Guanxi, Rong said the time was not right; after the defeat at Weiqu, Gao Huan said, "Had I heeded Duan Rong's advice, I would not have come to this. Soon afterward he was made Grand Commissioner of the Eastern Mountain region and head commander of displaced persons from his native province, and he won the people's hearts. He died and was posthumously made Grand Commandant with the posthumous name Zhaojing. At the beginning of the Huangjian era he was granted a place in the offerings at Gao Huan's temple. In the second year he was posthumously honored again as Grand Marshal, Director of the Department of State Affairs, and Prince of Wuwei. His eldest son Shao succeeded him.

韶字孝先，少工騎射，有將領才略。以武明皇后甥，神武益器愛之，常置左右，以為心腹，領親信都督。

Shao, styled Xiaoxian, was skilled in horsemanship and archery from youth and possessed the talent and strategy of a commander. As nephew of Empress Wuming, he was all the more prized and favored by Gao Huan, who kept him constantly at his side as a trusted confidant and made him Director of Trusted Attendants.

神武拒爾硃兆于廣阿，憚兆兵眾。韶曰：「所謂眾者，得眾人之死；所謂強者，得天下之心。爾硃裂冠毀冕，拔本塞原。芒山之會，搢紳何罪？殺主立君，不脫旬朔。天下從亂，士室而九。王躬昭德義，誅君側之惡，何往而不克哉！」神武曰：「吾雖以順討逆，恐無天命。」韶曰：「聞小能敵大，小道大淫，皇天無親，唯德是輔。今爾硃外賊天下，內失善人，智者不為謀，勇者不為鬥。不肖失職，賢者取之，復何疑也！」遂與挑戰，敗之。頻以軍功，封下洛縣男，後回賜父爵姑臧縣侯。芒山之役，為賀拔勝所窘，韶從傍馳馬反射，斃其馬，追騎不敢進，遂免。賜鞍下馬並金，進爵為公。及征玉壁，攻城未下，神武不豫。謂大司馬斛律金、司徒韓軌、左衛將軍劉豐等曰：「吾每謂孝先論兵，殊有英略，若比來用其謀，可無今日之勞矣。吾患危篤，欲委孝先以鄴下事，若何？」金等咸曰：「知臣莫若君，實無出孝先者。」仍令韶從文宣鎮鄴，召文襄赴軍顧命。文襄以孝先為托，令軍旅大事，並與籌之。及神武崩，侯景反，文襄還鄴，留韶守晉陽，委以軍事。加驃騎大將軍、開府儀同三司。文宣受禪，除尚書右僕射，遷冀州刺史。

When Gao Huan faced Erzhu Zhao at Guang'a, he feared the size of Zhao's army. Shao said, "What is called 'numerous' is winning men willing to die for you; what is called 'strong' is winning the heart of the realm. The Erzhu tore the cap and destroyed the crown, uprooted the trunk and choked off the source. At the assembly on Mangshan, what crime had the gentry committed? They killed the ruler and set up another in less than a month. The realm slid into chaos, and nine out of ten genteel households were swept under. Your Highness yourself embodies virtue and righteousness and punishes the evil at the ruler's side — where could you fail to prevail! Gao Huan said, "Though I march in righteousness against rebellion, I fear Heaven has not granted me the mandate. Shao said, "I have heard that the small can overcome the large, that a narrow way may yet run to excess, and that High Heaven shows no partiality — it assists only virtue. Now the Erzhu plunder the realm abroad and have lost good men at home; the wise will not counsel them, and the brave will not fight for them. When the unworthy lose their place, the worthy take it — what further doubt can there be! Thereupon they offered battle and defeated him. Through repeated military achievements he was enfeoffed as Baron of Xialuo County; later his father's title as Marquis of Guzang County was returned to him by imperial grant. At the battle of Mangshan, when hard pressed by Helü Ba Sheng, Shao galloped up from the side and shot back on the run, killing Sheng's horse; the pursuers dared not press on, and he escaped. He was rewarded with the saddle, the horse he had dismounted from, and gold, and his rank was advanced to duke. During the campaign against Yubi, when the city had still not fallen, Gao Huan fell ill. He said to Grand Marshal Hulü Jin, Minister over the Masses Han Gui, General of the Left Guard Liu Feng, and the others, "Whenever I discuss warfare with Xiaoxian, he shows truly brilliant strategy; had I followed his counsel all along, we might have been spared today's hardship. I am gravely ill and wish to entrust affairs at Ye to Xiaoxian — what do you think? Jin and the others all said, "No one knows a minister as his lord does; truly none surpasses Xiaoxian. He then ordered Shao to accompany Gao Yang in garrisoning Ye and summoned Gao Cheng to the army to receive his deathbed instructions. Gao Cheng entrusted affairs to Xiaoxian and ordered that all major military matters be decided with him. When Gao Huan died and Hou Jing rebelled, Gao Cheng returned to Ye, left Shao to hold Jinyang, and entrusted him with military affairs. He was promoted to General of Agile Cavalry and made Grand Master of the State with the honorific Three Divisions. When Emperor Wenxuan took the throne, Shao was made Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and then transferred to Inspector of Jizhou.

天保四年，梁將東方白額潛至宿豫，詔韶討之。既至，會梁將嚴超達等軍逼涇州，陳霸先將攻廣陵，尹令思謀襲盱眙，三軍咸懼。韶謂諸將曰：「自梁氏喪亂，國無定主，人懷去就。霸先外托同德，內有離心，吾揣之熟矣。」乃留儀同三司敬顯俊等圍宿豫，自倍道赴涇州。塗出盱眙，令思不虞大軍卒至，望旗而奔。進破超達軍。回赴廣陵，霸先遁走。旋師宿豫，遣辨士喻白額。白額開門請盟。盟訖，度白額終不為用，斬之，並其諸弟，並傳首京師。封平原郡王，曆司空、司徒、大將軍、尚書令、太子太師。以繼母憂，去職。尋起為大司馬，仍為尚書令，遷錄尚書事、并州刺史。後與東安王婁睿平高歸彥，遷太傅，仍蒞并州。為政不存小察，甚得人和。周文遣將率羌夷與突厥合眾逼晉陽，武成自鄴倍道赴之。時大雪，諸將或欲逆之，韶曰：「不如陣以待之。彼勞我逸，破之必矣。」遂大破之。進位太師。

In the fourth year of Tianbao, the Liang general Dongfang Baie stole into Suyu; the court ordered Shao to suppress him. Upon his arrival, Liang generals led by Yan Chaoda were pressing Jingzhou, Chen Baxian was preparing to attack Guangling, and Yin Lingsi was plotting a raid on Xuyi; all three armies were seized with fear. Shao told the generals, "Since the Liang dynasty collapsed into disorder, the realm has lacked a settled sovereign, and men everywhere are deciding whom to follow. Baxian puts on a show of unity, but in his heart he is already divided from us. I have taken his measure, and I know it well." He left Jing Xianjun, Equal in Rank to the Three Dukes, and others to continue the siege of Suyu, while he himself raced by forced marches to Jingzhou. When his route brought him through Xuyi, Yin Lingsi never imagined the main army would appear so suddenly; the moment he saw its banners he broke and ran. Pressing forward, he routed Yan Chaoda's force. He then swung back toward Guangling, and Baxian fled before him. After returning to Suyu, he sent a skilled persuader to reason with Baie. Baie opened the gates and asked to make peace under oath. Once the pact was sealed, Shao decided that Baie would never truly submit; he executed him along with all his brothers and sent their heads to the capital. He was enfeoffed as Prince of Pingyuan and rose in turn through Minister of Works, Minister over the Masses, Grand General, Director of the Department of State Affairs, and Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent. When his stepmother died, he resigned his posts to observe mourning. Before long he was recalled as Grand Marshal, retained as Director of the Department of State Affairs, and promoted to Recorder of the Department of State Affairs and Inspector of Bingzhou. Later he joined Prince of Dong'an Lou Rui in putting down Gao Guiyan, was promoted to Grand Tutor, and continued to govern Bingzhou in person. In administration he did not fuss over trifles, and he won broad goodwill among the people. Zhou Wen Di sent generals at the head of Qiang tribesmen and other frontier peoples, together with the Turks in a great combined force, to press Jinyang; Emperor Wucheng raced from Ye by forced marches to the rescue. Heavy snow was falling, and some of the generals wanted to meet the enemy at once. Shao said, "It is better to draw up in formation and wait. They are exhausted and we are fresh; if we hold our ground, victory is assured." They did so and won a crushing victory. He was advanced to Grand Preceptor.

周塚宰宇文護母閻氏，先配中山宮，護聞尚存，乃因邊境移書，請還其母，並通鄰好。韶以為護外托為相，其實王也。為母請和，不通一介之使，據移送書，恐示以弱。且外許之，待通和往復，放之未晚。不聽，遂遣使以禮將送。護得母，仍遣將尉遲迥等襲洛陽。詔蘭陵王長恭、大將軍斛律光擊之。軍次芒山下，逗留未進。武成召韶，欲赴洛陽圍，但以突厥為慮。韶曰：「北虜侵邊，事等疥癬；西羌窺逼，是膏肓之病。」帝仍令韶督精騎一千發晉陽，五日便濟河。遇周軍于大和谷，與諸將陣以待之。韶為左軍，蘭陵王為中軍，斛律光為右軍。上山逆戰，韶且卻引，待其力弊，下馬擊之，周人大潰。洛城圍亦即奔遁。除太宰，封靈武縣公。天統三年，除左丞相。四年，別封永昌郡公。食滄州幹。武平二年，出晉州道，到定隴，築威敵、平寇二城而還。二月，周師來寇，遣韶與右丞相斛律光、太尉蘭陵王長恭往。行達西境，有柏穀城者，敵之絕險，諸將莫肯攻圍。韶曰：「汾北河東，勢為國家之有，若不去柏穀，事同痼疾。計彼會兵在南道。今斷其要路，救不能來。城勢雖高，其中甚狹，火弩射之，一旦可盡。」遂攻之，城潰。仍城華穀，置戍而還。封廣平郡公。是月，周又遣將攻邊，斛律光先率軍禦之，韶亦請行。五月，到服秦城。西人于姚襄城南更起城鎮，韶抽壯士從北襲之，使人潛度河告姚襄城中，內外相應，進戰大破之。諸將咸欲攻其新城，韶曰：「此城一面陰河，三面地險，不可攻。不如更作一城，壅其要道。破服秦，並力圖之。」從之。六月，徙圍定陽。七月，屠其外城。時韶病在軍中，謂蘭陵王曰：「此城三面重澗，並無走路，唯慮東面一處耳。賊若突圍，必從此出。」長恭乃設伏。其夜，果如策，伏兵擊之，大潰。韶竟以病薨。賜溫明秘器、轀輬車。軍校之士，陣送至平恩墓所，發卒起塚。贈假黃鉞、相國、太尉、錄尚書事，諡忠武。

Yuwen Hu, Grand Minister of Zhou, had a mother, Lady Yan, who had earlier been consigned to Zhongshan Palace. Learning that she still lived, Hu sent a letter across the frontier asking for her return and proposing good relations between the two states. Shao argued that Hu called himself chancellor only in name while in truth he ruled like a king. To sue for peace on behalf of his mother without exchanging a single envoy, and to answer only a letter passed across the border, would reveal weakness, he warned. Better to agree outwardly, let negotiations run their course, and only then release her; it would not be too late. The court would not listen. Envoys were sent instead to return her with full ceremonial honors. Once Hu had his mother back, he nevertheless dispatched Yuchi Jiong and other generals to strike at Luoyang. An edict ordered Prince of Lanling Gao Changgong and Grand General Hulü Guang to repel them. The army camped below Mount Mang and hung back, refusing to advance. Emperor Wucheng summoned Shao, eager to march to lift the siege of Luoyang but worried about the Turks on the northern frontier. Shao said, "Barbarian raids in the north are a mere itch on the skin; the Western Qiang pressing in from the west are a sickness in the marrow. The emperor still ordered Shao to take command of a thousand picked horsemen out of Jinyang; within five days they had crossed the Yellow River. At Dahe Valley they encountered the Zhou army and, with the other generals, drew up in battle order to receive them. Shao took the left wing, the Prince of Lanling the center, and Hulü Guang the right. Shao climbed the slope to give battle, then feigned retreat to pull the enemy forward; when their strength was spent he dismounted and closed with them, and the Zhou army broke in complete rout. The besiegers at Luoyang likewise broke and fled. He was appointed Grand Mentor and enfeoffed as Duke of Lingwu County. In the third year of Tiantong he was appointed Left Chancellor. In the fourth year he received a separate enfeoffment as Duke of Yongchang Commandery. His income fief was assigned in Cangzhou. In the second year of Wuping he led a force out along the Jinzhou road, reached Dinglong, built the fortresses Weidi and Pingkou, and returned. In the second month, when Zhou armies invaded the frontier, Shao was sent out with Right Chancellor Hulü Guang and Grand Commandant Prince of Lanling Gao Changgong. When they reached the western border they came upon Baigu Fortress, an enemy stronghold of forbidding strength, and none of the generals would commit to besieging it. Shao said, "The lands north of the Fen and east of the Yellow River ought by rights to be ours. If we leave Baigu untaken, it will fester like an old wound. I expect the enemy will gather reinforcements along the southern road. Cut their lifeline now, and no relief can reach them. The walls are high, but the space within is cramped; a barrage of fire-arrows can destroy them in a single day." They attacked at once, and the fortress fell. They then built up Huagu, left a garrison, and withdrew. He was enfeoffed as Duke of Guangping Commandery. That same month the Zhou sent another force against the border. Hulü Guang marched out first to meet them, and Shao asked to join the campaign. In the fifth month they arrived at Fuqin Fortress. The Westerners had raised a new walled town south of Yao Xiang. Shao detached picked warriors to strike from the north, sent men secretly across the river to signal the garrison at Yao Xiang, and coordinated an attack from within and without that ended in a great victory. The generals all wanted to storm the new fortress, but Shao said, "It lies against the river on one side and sheer ground on the other three; it cannot be taken by assault. Better to erect another fort and choke off their line of supply. Once Fuqin falls, we can concentrate our strength and deal with it then." They accepted his plan. In the sixth month they moved the siege to Dingyang. In the seventh month they stormed and overran the outer city. Shao was then gravely ill in camp. He told the Prince of Lanling, "This city is hemmed in by deep gullies on three sides and has no way out anywhere save one opening to the east. If the enemy tries to break out, they will surely take that route." Changgong accordingly laid an ambush. That night events unfolded exactly as Shao had foreseen; the hidden troops fell upon the breakout force and put it to utter rout. Shao finally succumbed to his illness. He was granted an imperial lacquered coffin and a state funeral carriage. Officers and men of the army formed ranks to escort the body to the burial ground at Ping'en, and laborers were conscripted to raise the tomb mound. Posthumously he was honored with the yellow battle-axe, the titles Chancellor of State, Grand Commandant, and Recorder of the Department of State Affairs, and the posthumous name Loyal and Martial.

韶出總軍旅，入參幃幄，功既居高，重以婚媾之故，望傾朝野。而長於計略，善於禦眾，得將士之心。又雅性溫慎，有宰相之風。教訓子弟，閨門雍肅，事後母以孝聞。齊代勳貴家，罕有及者。然僻于好色，雖居要重，微服間行。魏黃門郎元瑀妻皇甫氏，緣瑀謀逆，沒官。韶美之，上啟固請，文襄賜之。別宅處之，禮同正嫡。尤嗇于財，親戚故舊，略無施與。其子深尚公主，並省丞郎在家佐事十餘日，事畢辭還，人唯賜一杯酒。

Shao commanded armies in the field and sat in the inner councils of state; his achievements ranked among the highest, and with marriage ties to the throne his standing overshadowed court and realm alike. He was gifted in strategy, adept at handling troops, and held the deep loyalty of officers and soldiers. By temperament he was gentle and careful, with the measured air of a true minister of state. He trained his sons and younger relatives with strict care; his household was orderly and dignified, and he was widely praised for the filial devotion he showed his stepmother. Among the great families of merit in Northern Qi, few could equal him. Yet he was given to womanizing; even while holding the highest offices, he would slip out in plain dress by back ways. Huangfu, wife of Yuan Yu, Yellow Gate Attendant of Wei, had been seized for the state when Yu was implicated in a plot of rebellion. Struck by her beauty, Shao memorialized the throne and pressed his request until Wenxiang granted her to him. He installed her in a separate mansion and honored her with the ceremony owed a lawful wife. He was notoriously tight with money and scarcely gave anything even to relatives and old companions. When his son Shen married a princess, an aide and directorate gentleman from the Bing provincial secretariat spent more than ten days helping with the household arrangements; when the work was done and they came to take their leave, Shao rewarded each man with a single cup of wine.

元妃所生三子：懿、深、亮，皆宦達。

The three sons borne by Lady Yuan—Yi, Shen, and Liang—all rose to high office.

懿字德猷，尚潁川長公主，拜駙馬都尉，襲封平原王。位行台右僕射，兼殿中尚書，卒。子寶鼎，尚中山長公主。隋開皇中，開府儀同三司。大業初，卒于饒州刺史。

Yi, styled Deyou, married the Long Princess of Yingchuan, became Commandant of the Feathered Forest, and inherited the title Prince of Pingyuan. He held the posts of Right Vice Director of the Mobile Headquarters and Palace Secretary concurrently, and died in office. His son Baoding married the Long Princess of Zhongshan. Under the Sui, during Kaihuang, he served as Equal in Rank to the Three Dukes with an open office. At the opening of the Daye reign he died while Inspector of Raozhou.

深字德深，美容貌，寬謹有父風。天保中，受父封姑臧縣公。尚東安公主，位侍中。韶病篤，詔封深濟北王，以慰其意。入周，拜大將軍、郡公，坐事死。

Shen, styled Deshen, was handsome in face and figure, open and careful in manner, and carried himself in his father's mold. During Tianbao he inherited from his father the title Duke of Guzang County. He married the Princess of Dong'an and rose to Palace Attendant. When Shao lay near death, an edict enfeoffed Shen as Prince of Jibei to ease his final days. After Qi fell and he entered Zhou service, he was made Grand General and a commandery duke, but was later executed for a crime.

亮字德堪。隋大業初，位汴州刺史。卒于汝南郡守。

Liang, styled Dekan. At the beginning of the Sui Daye reign he served as Inspector of Bianzhou. He died in office as Administrator of Runan Commandery.

韶弟孝言，少警發，有風儀。齊受禪，其兄韶以別封霸城縣侯授之。曆中書黃門侍郎。典機密。又曆秘書監、度支尚書、清都尹。

Shao's younger brother Xiaoyan had been sharp and alert from boyhood and carried himself with natural dignity. When Northern Qi was founded, his elder brother Shao gave him a separate enfeoffment as Marquis of Bacheng County. He rose through service as Secretariat Yellow Gate Attendant. He oversaw state secrets. He later held in turn the posts of Director of the Secretariat, Minister of Revenue, and Prefect of the capital district of Qingdu.

孝言本以勳戚致位通顯，驕奢無憚。曾夜過其客宋孝王家，呼坊人防援，不時赴，遂拷殺之。又與諸淫婦密遊。其夫覺，又拷掠而殞。時苑內須果木，課人間及僧寺備輸，孝言悉分向其私宅種植。又殿內及園中須石，差車從漳河運載，復分車回取。事發，出為海州刺史。累遷吏部尚書。祖珽執政，將廢趙彥深，引孝言為助，加侍中。孝言待物不平，抽擢非賄則舊。有將作丞崔成於眾中抗言：「尚書，天下尚書，豈獨段家尚書也！」孝言元辭以對，唯厲色遣下。尋除中書監，加特進。又托韓長鸞共構祖珽之短。及珽出後，孝言除尚書右僕射，仍掌選。恣情用舍，請謁大行。敕浚京城北隍，孝言監作。儀同三司崔士順、將作大匠元士將、太府少卿酈孝裕、尚書左戶郎中薛叔昭、司州中從事崔龍子、清都尹丞李道隆、鄴縣令尉長卿、臨漳令崔象、成安令高子徹等，並在孝言部下典作。日別置酒高會，諸人膝行跪伏，稱觴上壽，或自陳屈滯，更請轉官。孝言意色揚揚，以為己任，皆隨事報答，許有加授。富商大賈，多被銓擢，所進用人士，咸是險縱之流。尋遷左僕射，特進、侍中如故。孝言富貴豪侈，尤好女色。後取婁定遠妾董氏，大耽愛之。為此內外不和，更相糾列。又于晉陽監作，坐事除名，徙光州。隆化主敗後，有敕追還。

Xiaoyan had risen to prominence through battlefield merit and imperial connection, and once there he grew proud, lavish, and utterly without restraint. One night he stopped at the home of his guest Song Xiaowang and summoned the ward warden Fang Yuan. When Fang failed to come promptly, Xiaoyan had him tortured and killed. He also carried on secret liaisons with various loose women. When their husbands found out, he tortured the women again until they died. When the imperial park needed fruit trees, levies were imposed on commoners and monasteries to furnish them. Xiaoyan diverted the whole supply to plant at his own estates. When stone was needed for the palace halls and gardens, carts were sent to haul it from the Zhang River. Xiaoyan again diverted carts to haul loads back for his own use. When the affair was exposed, he was demoted and sent out as governor of Haizhou. He rose in succession to Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. When Zu Ting held the reins of government and set out to remove Zhao Yanshen, he brought Xiaoyan in as an ally and had him appointed Palace Attendant. Xiaoyan showed favoritism in all he did. Advancement went only to men who paid bribes or were old cronies. Assistant Director of Palace Construction Cui Cheng spoke up boldly before the assembly: "Minister! There are ministers throughout the empire—surely the office is not the Duan family's private preserve? Xiaoyan could find no answer. He only scowled and had Cui removed. Before long he was made Director of the Secretariat and granted the rank of Honorary Grand Counselor. He also enlisted Han Changluan to help fabricate accusations against Zu Ting. Once Zu Ting had been driven out, Xiaoyan was appointed Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and retained control over official selection. He appointed and dismissed officials as he pleased, and solicitation of favors became rampant. When an edict ordered the northern moat of the capital dredged, Xiaoyan was put in charge of the project. Supervising General of the Third Rank Cui Shishun, Grand Master of Palace Construction Yuan Shijiang, Vice Director of the Imperial Storehouse Li Xiaoyu, Left Household Section Director Xue Shuzhao, Middle Staff Officer of Sizhou Cui Longzi, Assistant Magistrate of Qingdu Li Daolong, Magistrate of Ye County Wei Zhangqing, Magistrate of Linzhang Cui Xiang, Magistrate of Cheng'an Gao Ziche, and others all served under Xiaoyan as overseers of the project. Every day they laid out wine for lavish banquets. The men crawled forward on their knees, offered cups to wish him long life, or pleaded their grievances and begged for new appointments. Xiaoyan looked thoroughly pleased, as though it were his rightful duty. He answered each man according to the occasion and promised promotions. Wealthy merchants were often chosen and promoted. The men he put in office were all reckless and dissolute. He was soon promoted to Left Vice Director, while retaining his posts as Honorary Grand Counselor and Palace Attendant. Xiaoyan lived in wealth and splendor, and above all he loved women. Later he took Lou Dingyuan's concubine, Lady Dong, and became utterly infatuated with her. This brought discord inside and out, and the parties began denouncing one another. Later, while supervising construction at Jinyang, he was stripped of office for misconduct and exiled to Guangzhou. After the fall of the Lord of Longhua, an edict ordered him recalled.

孝言雖黷貨無厭，恣情酒色，然舉止風流。招致名士。美景良辰，未嘗虛棄；賦詩奏伎，以盡歡洽。雖草萊之士，粗關文藝，多引入賓館，與同興賞。其貧躓者，亦時乞遺。時論復以此多之。齊亡入周，位上開府。

For all his insatiable greed and his indulgence in wine and women, Xiaoyan's manner remained elegant. He gathered celebrated men of letters to him. On fine days in beautiful seasons, he never let a moment go to waste; he composed poetry and staged performances until the pleasure of the gathering was fully spent. Even humble men with some modest literary talent he often invited into his guest house to share in his pleasures. Those who were poor and in distress he also sometimes gave handouts. Public opinion again spoke well of him for this. After the fall of Qi he entered Zhou territory and rose to the rank of Upper Supervising General.

斛律金，字阿六敦，朔州敕勒部人也。高祖倍侯利，魏道武時內附，位大羽真，賜爵孟都公。祖幡地斤，殿中尚書。父那瑰，光祿大夫。贈司空。金性敦直，善騎射，行兵用匈奴法，望塵知馬步多少，嗅地知軍度遠近。初為軍主，與懷朔鎮將楊鈞送蠕蠕主阿那環。環見金獵射，歎其工。及破六韓拔陵構逆，金擁眾屬焉，署金為王。金度陵終敗，乃統所部叛陵，詣雲州。魏除為第二領人酋長，秋朝京師，春還部落，號曰雁臣。仍稍引南出黃瓜堆，為杜洛周所破。與兄平二人脫身歸爾硃榮，為別將。孝莊立，賜爵阜城男。位金紫光祿大夫。神武密懷匡復，金贊成大謀。太昌初，為汾州刺史，進爵為侯。從神武破紇豆陵於河西。沙苑之役，神武以地厄少卻，軍為西師所乘，遂亂。張華原以簿帳曆營點兵，莫有應者。神武將集兵便戰，金曰：「眾散將離，其勢不可復用，宜急向河東。」神武據鞍未動，金以鞭拂馬，神武乃還。於是大崩，喪甲士八萬。侯景斂。西魏力人持大棒守河橋，衣甲厚，射之不入。賀拔仁候其轉面，射，一發斃之。是役也，無金先請還，幾至危矣。及高仲密西叛，周文攻洛陽，從神武破之。還，除大司馬，改封石城郡公。

Hulü Jin, styled Aluodun, came from the Chile tribe of Shuozhou. His ancestor Beihouli submitted to Wei allegiance under Emperor Daowu, rose to the rank of Dayuzhen, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Mengdu. His grandfather Fandijin served as Director of the Palace. His father Nagui held the post of Grand Master for Splendid Happiness. He was posthumously granted the title Grand Minister of Works. Jin was plainspoken and upright, and skilled in mounted archery. On campaign he used Xiongnu methods: from the dust he could tell how many horse and foot soldiers were moving; from the scent of the ground he could judge how far off an army lay. At first he served as a military commander. Together with Huaiyuan garrison commander Yang Jun, he escorted the Rouran ruler Anahuan. When Anahuan watched Jin hunt and shoot, he marveled at his skill. When Bohai Ba Ling rebelled, Jin brought his followers over to him, and Ling made Jin a king. Seeing that Ling was bound to fail, Jin rallied his own troops, broke with Ling, and went to Yunzhou. Wei appointed him second-rank tribal chieftain. Each autumn he came to court in the capital; each spring he returned to his tribes. He was called a "wild-goose minister." He then gradually led his people south to Huangguadui, where Du Luozhou defeated him. He and his elder brother Ping escaped together and submitted to Erzhu Rong, serving as a separate commander. When Emperor Xiaozhuang took the throne, Jin was enfeoffed as Baron of Fucheng. He rose to the rank of Grand Master of Golden Radiance and Purple Splendor. Gao Huan secretly harbored plans to restore order to the realm, and Jin helped him carry the great design through. At the opening of the Taichang era he became governor of Fenzhou and was promoted to Marquis. He followed Divine Wu in defeating Gedouling west of the river. At the Battle of Shazha, Divine Wu withdrew slightly because the ground was cramped. The Western army seized the moment, and the formation broke apart. Zhang Huayuan went through the registers and called out through the camps for troops, but no one answered. Divine Wu was about to rally the men and fight at once. Jin said, "The troops are scattered and the generals are pulling away. This force cannot be used again. We must turn quickly toward Hedong. Divine Wu sat in his saddle and did not move. Jin struck his horse with a whip, and only then did Divine Wu turn back. Then came the great collapse. Eighty thousand armored soldiers were lost. Hou Jing gathered in the dead. Western Wei strongmen with great clubs guarded the river bridge. Their armor was so thick that arrows could not penetrate it. Heba Ren waited until one of them turned his face, shot, and dropped him with a single arrow. In that battle, had Jin not been the first to urge retreat, disaster would have been close at hand. When Gao Zhongmi defected to the west and Zhou Wen attacked Luoyang, Jin followed Divine Wu and defeated him. On his return he was appointed Grand Marshal and enfeoffed as Duke of Shicheng commandery.

金性質直，不識文字。本名敦，苦其難署，改名為金，從其便易，猶以為難。司馬子如教為金字，作屋況之，其字乃就。神武重其古質，每誡文襄曰：「爾所使多漢，有讒此人者，勿信之。」及文襄嗣事，為肆州刺史。文宣受禪，封咸陽郡王。天保三年，就除太師。四年，解州，乙太師還晉陽。車駕幸其第，六宮及諸王盡從，置酒極夜方罷。帝欣甚，詔金第二子豐樂為武衛大將軍，賜帛五千匹。謂曰：「公元勳佐命，父子忠誠，朕當結以婚姻，永為籓衛。」仍詔金孫武都尚義甯公主。成禮之日，帝從皇太后幸金宅，皇后、太子、諸王皆從。其見待如此。後蠕蠕為突厥破散，慮其犯塞，詔金屯兵白道以備之。多所俘獲，並表陳虜可取狀。文宣乃與金共討之。進位右丞相，食齊州幹。遷左丞相。帝晚年敗德，嘗持槊走馬以擬金胸者三，金立不動，於是賜物千段。

Jin was plain and direct by nature and could not read. His original name was Dun. Because the character was hard to write when signing documents, he changed his name to Jin for convenience, yet even that he still found difficult. Sima Ziru taught him to write the character jin, built a pavilion for him to practice in, and only then did he learn to form the character. Divine Wu prized his rough honesty and often warned Wenxiang, "Most of those you employ are Han Chinese. If anyone slanders this man, do not believe them. When Wenxiang took over affairs of state, Jin became governor of Sizhou. When Wenxuan accepted the abdication, Jin was enfeoffed as Prince of Xianyang commandery. In the third year of Tianbao he was appointed Grand Preceptor while remaining in office. In the fourth year he was relieved of his provincial post and returned to Jinyang as Grand Preceptor. The emperor visited his home. The six palaces and all the princes came with him. Wine was poured, and the feast did not end until deep into the night. The emperor was delighted. By edict he made Jin's second son Fengle General of the Military Guard and granted five thousand bolts of silk. He said, "You, Duke, have served the founding of the dynasty with great merit, and your house is loyal through father and son. I shall bind our houses by marriage and make you a bulwark of the realm forever. An edict also arranged the marriage of Jin's grandson Wudu to Princess Yining. On the day the wedding rites were completed, the emperor came with the empress dowager to Jin's residence. The empress, crown prince, and all the princes followed. Such was the honor in which he was held. Later, when the Rouran were broken and scattered by the Turks, the court feared they would raid the frontier. An edict ordered Jin to station troops on the White Road to guard against them. Many captives were taken, and he repeatedly memorialized the throne with reports on how the enemy might be seized. Wenxuan then marched against them together with Jin. He was promoted to Right Chancellor and granted income from the revenues of Qi province. He was transferred to Left Chancellor. In his later years the emperor's conduct deteriorated. Once he galloped up and thrice levelled his spear at Jin's chest. Jin did not stir. The emperor then granted him a thousand rolls of goods.

孝昭踐阼，納其孫女為皇太子妃。詔金朝見，聽乘步挽車至階。武成即位，禮遇彌重，又納其孫女為太子妃。金曾遣人獻食，中書舍人李若誤奏，雲金自來。武成出昭陽殿，敕侍中高文遙將羊車引之。若知事誤，更不敢出映廊下。文遙還覆奏，帝罵若云：「空頭漢，合殺！」亦不加罪。

When Xiaozhao ascended the throne, he took Jin's granddaughter as crown prince consort. By edict Jin was summoned to court and permitted to ride a hand-drawn carriage right to the steps. When Wucheng came to the throne, the honors grew even greater, and again Jin's granddaughter was made crown prince consort. Once Jin sent a man to present food. Secretariat Reviser Li Ruo mistakenly reported that Jin himself had come. Wucheng came out of Zhaoyang Hall and ordered Attendant-in-chief Gao Wenyao to bring a sheep-drawn cart to fetch him. When Ruo realized the mistake, he did not dare come out from beneath the corridor. Wenyao returned and reported again. The emperor cursed Ruo, saying, "Empty-headed Han—you ought to be killed! Yet no punishment followed.

金長子光，大將軍。次子羨及孫武都，並開府儀同三司，出鎮方嶽。其餘子孫，皆封侯貴達。一門一皇后，二太子妃，三公主，尊寵當時莫比。金嘗謂光曰：「我雖不讀書，聞古來外戚梁冀等，無不傾滅。女若有寵，諸貴人妒；女若無寵，天子嫌之。我家直以立勳抱忠致富貴，豈藉女也？」辭不獲免，常以為憂。天統三年薨，年八十，贈假黃鉞、相國、太尉公，贈錢百萬。諡曰武。子光嗣。

Jin's eldest son Guang was a grand general. His second son Xian and his grandson Wudu were both Supervising Generals of the First Rank, holding frontier commands. The rest of his sons and grandsons were all enfeoffed as marquises and rose to high rank. One house produced one empress, two crown prince consorts, and three princesses. No family of the age knew such honor. Jin once said to Guang, "I may not read books, but I have heard that in old times maternal kinsmen such as Liang Ji were invariably overthrown and destroyed. If your daughter wins favor, the great families grow jealous; if she wins no favor, the Son of Heaven turns against her. Our house has grown rich and noble by merit and loyalty alone. Why should we depend on daughters? Unable to refuse the imperial matches, he always took them as a source of dread. In the third year of Tiantong he died at the age of eighty. Posthumously he was granted the Ceremonial Yellow Ax, the title Grand Mentor of State and Duke of Grand Commandant, and one million in cash. His posthumous title was Martial. His son Guang succeeded him.

光字明月，馬面彪身，神爽雄傑，少言笑，工騎射。初為侯景部下，彭樂謂高敖曹曰：「斛律家小兒，不可三度將行，後奪人名。」以庫直事文襄。從出野，見雁雙飛來，文襄使光馳射之，以二矢俱落焉。後從金西征，周文帝長史莫孝暉在行間，光年十七，馳馬射中之，因禽於陣。神武即擢授都督，封永樂子。雙嘗從文襄於洹橋校獵。雲表見一大鳥，射之正中其頸，形如車輪，旋轉而下，乃雕也。丞相屬邢子高歎曰：「此射雕手也。」當時號落雕都督。齊受禪，別封西安縣子。皇建元年，進爵钜鹿郡公。時樂陵王百年為皇太子，求妃。孝昭以光世載醇謹，納其長女為太子妃。歷位太子太保、尚書令、司空、司徒。河清三年，周大司馬尉遲迥、齊公憲、庸公王雄等眾十萬攻洛陽。光率騎五萬馳往，戰於芒山，迥等大敗。光親射雄殺之，迥、憲僅而獲免。仍築京觀。武成幸洛陽策勳，遷太尉。

Guang, styled Mingyue, had a long face like a horse and a body like a tiger's. He was spirited and heroic, spoke little and laughed little, and was skilled in mounted archery. At first he served under Hou Jing. Peng Yue said to Gao Aocao, "That boy of the Hulü house—do not let him lead troops three times. After that he will take credit that belongs to others. He served Wenxiang as a palace attendant. Once on an outing to the wilds, a pair of geese flew past. Wenxiang had Guang gallop after them and shoot. Both birds fell to two arrows. Later, on a western campaign with Jin, Zhou Wendi's chief clerk Mo Xiaohui was in the enemy ranks. Guang, seventeen years old, galloped forward, shot him, and took him captive on the field. Divine Wu at once promoted him to commander and enfeoffed him as Viscount of Yongle. Guang once accompanied Wenxiang on a hunting expedition at the Huan Bridge. A great bird appeared above the clouds. He shot it square in the neck. Shaped like a carriage wheel, it spun down—it was an eagle. Chancellery Aide Xing Zigao sighed and said, "This is a true eagle-shooter. At the time men called him the Eagle-Felling Commander. When Qi received the abdication, he was separately enfeoffed as Viscount of Xi'an county. In the first year of Huangjian he was promoted to Duke of Julu commandery. At that time Prince of Leiling Wang Bainen was crown prince and sought a consort. Xiaozhao, considering the Guang family pure and careful through generations, took Guang's eldest daughter as crown prince consort. He rose in succession to Crown Prince Grand Tutor, Minister of the Department of State Affairs, Minister of Works, and Minister over the Masses. In the third year of Heqing, Zhou Grand Marshal Yuchi Jiong, Duke of Qi Xian, Duke of Yong Wang Xiong, and others led a force of one hundred thousand against Luoyang. Guang led fifty thousand cavalry in haste to the scene and fought at Mangshan. Jiong and his allies were routed. Guang himself shot Xiong dead. Jiong and Xian barely escaped alive. He then erected a victory mound from the enemy dead. Wucheng came to Luoyang to record merit and distribute rewards. Guang was promoted to Grand Commandant.

初，文宣時，周人常懼齊兵之西度，恆以冬月，守河椎冰。及帝即位，朝政漸紊，齊人椎冰，懼周兵之逼。光憂曰：「國家常有吞關、隴之志，今日至此，而唯玩聲色！」先是，武成納光第二女為太子妃，天統元年，拜皇后，光轉大將軍。三年六月，父喪去官。其月，詔起光及弟羨，並復位。秋，除太保，襲爵咸陽王，遷太傅。十二月，周軍圍洛陽，壅絕糧道。武平元年正月，詔光率步騎三萬禦之，鋒刃纏交，周將宇文桀眾大潰，直到宜陽。軍還，擊周齊王憲等眾大潰。詔加右丞相、并州刺史。其年冬，光又率步騎五萬於玉壁築華谷、龍門二城，與憲相持，憲不敢動。二年，率眾築平隴等鎮戍十三所。周柱國枹罕公普屯威、柱國韋孝寬等來逼平隴，光與戰于汾水，大破之。周遣其柱國紇幹廣略圍宜陽，光率步騎五萬赴之，戰於城下。取周建安等四戍，捕千餘人而還。軍未至鄴，敕令便放兵散。光以功勳者未得慰勞，若散，恩澤不施。乃密表，請使宣旨，軍仍且進。朝廷發使遲留，軍還將至紫陌，光駐營待使。帝聞光軍營已逼，心甚惡之，急令舍人追光入見，然後宣勞散兵。拜左丞相，別封清河郡公。

Earlier, in Wenxuan's day, the Zhou people had always feared that Qi armies would cross westward and every winter broke the river ice to block them. After the emperor came to the throne, court affairs gradually fell into disorder. Now it was the Qi who broke the ice, fearing that Zhou armies would press in. Guang said in distress, "The state has always meant to swallow Guan and Long. Now matters have come to this, and all we do is indulge in music and women! Earlier Wucheng had taken Guang's second daughter as crown prince consort. In the first year of Tiantong she became empress, and Guang was transferred to grand general. In the sixth month of the third year, upon his father's death he left office. That same month an edict recalled Guang and his brother Xian, and both returned to their posts. In autumn he was appointed Grand Tutor, inherited the title Prince of Xianyang, and was transferred to Grand Preceptor. In the twelfth month Zhou armies besieged Luoyang and severed the supply lines. In the first month of the first year of Wuping, an edict ordered Guang to lead thirty thousand foot and horse against them. Blades locked in fierce combat, Zhou commander Yuwen Jie and his force were routed, and Guang pressed on to Yiyang. On the return march the army struck Duke of Qi Xian and his allies and routed them completely. By edict he was additionally appointed Right Chancellor and governor of Bingzhou. That winter Guang again led fifty thousand foot and horse to build the fortresses of Huagu and Longmen at Yubi and held Xian in check. Xian did not dare stir. In the second year he led his forces in building thirteen garrison posts, including Pinglong. Zhou Pillar of State Duke of Baohan Putun Wei, Pillar of State Wei Xiaokuan, and others pressed Pinglong. Guang fought them on the Fen River and won a great victory. Zhou sent its Pillar of State Qigan Guanglue to besiege Yiyang. Guang led fifty thousand foot and horse to the relief and fought below the walls. He took four Zhou garrisons including Jian'an, captured more than a thousand men, and returned. Before the army reached Ye, an edict ordered the troops dismissed immediately. Guang said that men who had won merit had not yet been rewarded. If the army were dismissed now, no grace would reach them. He then sent a secret memorial asking that an envoy be dispatched to proclaim the imperial message while the army continued to advance for the moment. The court's envoy was slow in coming. As the army was returning and nearing Zimo, Guang halted camp to wait for him. When the emperor learned that Guang's camp was already pressing close to the capital, he was deeply displeased. He urgently ordered a palace attendant to summon Guang to audience, and only then proclaimed rewards and dismissed the troops. Guang was appointed Left Chancellor and separately enfeoffed as Duke of Qinghe commandery.

光嘗在朝堂，垂簾而坐。祖珽不知，乘馬過其前。光怒，謂人曰：「此人乃敢爾！」後珽在內省，言聲高慢，光過聞之，又怒。珽知光忿，賂其從奴搕頭。曰：「自公用事，相王每夜抱膝歎曰：'盲人用權，國必破矣」珽省事褚士達夢人倚戶授其詩曰：「九升八合粟，角鬥定非真，堰卻津中水，將留何處人。」以告珽。珽占之曰：「角鬥，斛字；津卻水，何留人，合成律字；非真者，解斛律於我不實。」士達又言所夢狀，乃其父形也。珽由是懼。又穆提婆求娶光庶女，不許。帝賜提婆晉陽之田，光言於朝曰：「此田，神武以來，常種禾飼馬，以擬寇難。今賜，無乃闕軍務也？」帝又以鄴清風園賜提婆租賃之。於是官無菜，賒買於人，負錢三百萬，其人訴焉。光曰：「此菜園賜提婆，是一家足；若不賜提婆，便百官足」。由是祖、穆積怨。周將韋孝寬懼光，乃作謠言，令間諜漏之于鄴曰：「百斗飛上天，明月照長安。」又曰：「高山不推自崩，槲樹不扶自豎。」珽讀之曰：「盲老公背上下大斧，饒舌老母不得語。」令小兒歌之于路。提婆聞，以告其母。令萱以饒舌為斥己，盲老公謂祖珽也，遂協謀，以謠言啟帝曰：「斛律累世大將，明月聲震關西，豐樂威行突厥，女為皇后，男尚公主，謠言可畏」帝以問韓長鸞。鸞以為不可，事寢。光又嘗謂人曰：「今軍人皆無褌袴，後宮內參，一賜數萬匹，府藏稍空，此是何理？」受賜者聞之，皆曰：「天子自賜我，關相王何事？」珽又通啟求見，帝使以庫車載入，珽因請間，唯何洪珍在側。帝曰：「前得公啟，即欲施行，長鸞以為無此理，未可。」珽未對。洪珍進曰：「若本無意，則可；既有此意，不決行，萬一事泄，如何！」帝然洪珍言，而猶預未決。珽令武都妾兄顏玄，告光謀為不軌；又令曹魏祖奏，言上將星盛，不誅，恐有災禍。先是天狗西流，占曰秦地。案秦即咸陽也。自太廟及光宅，並見血。先是三日，鼠常晝見光寢室，常投食與之，一朝三鼠俱死。又床下有二物如黑豬，從地出走，其穴膩滑。大蛇屢見。屋脊有聲，如彈丸落。又大門橫木自焚。擣衣石自移。既而丞相府佐封士讓密啟云：「光前西討還，敕令便放兵散，光令軍逼帝京，將為不軌，不果而止。家藏弩甲，奴僮千數，每使豐樂、武都處，陰謀往來。若不早圖，恐事不可測。」帝謂何洪珍曰：「人心亦大聖，我前疑其欲反，果然。」帝性怯，恐即有變，令洪珍馳召祖珽告之。又恐追光不從命。珽因請賜其一駿馬，令明日乘至東山遊觀，須其來謝，因執之。帝如其言。光將上馬，頭眩。及至，引入涼風堂，劉桃枝自後撲之，不倒。光曰：「桃枝常作如此事，我不負國家。」桃枝與力士三人，以弓弦肙其頸，遂拉殺之，年五十八。血流於地，剗之跡終不滅。於是下詔稱其反，族滅之。

Once Guang was in the court hall, seated behind the lowered curtain. Zu Ting did not know and rode past in front of him. Guang was furious and said to others, "This man actually dares to behave like this! Later, when Ting was in the inner secretariat speaking in a loud and insolent voice, Guang passed by, heard him, and grew angry again. Ting knew Guang was enraged and bribed his attendant Yaotou. He said, "Since you took power, the Prince every night sits with his knees drawn up and sighs, 'A blind man wielding power—the state will surely fall.'" Zu Ting's secretariat clerk Chu Shida dreamed of a man leaning against the door and giving him a poem: "Nine sheng eight he of grain, horn and dou surely not true, dam the water in the ford, what person will remain." He reported the dream to Ting. Ting interpreted it and said, "'Horn and dou' forms the character hu; dam the ford's water, what person will remain' together forms the character lü; not true' means to remove Hulü, who is false toward me. Shida also said that the figure in the dream had taken the form of his father. Ting was therefore afraid. Mutipo also asked to marry Guang's daughter by a concubine, and Guang refused. The emperor granted Mutipo fields at Jinyang. Guang said at court, "Since Divine Wu's day these fields have always been sown with grain to feed horses against enemy raids. To grant them now—will that not cripple military readiness? The emperor also granted Mutipo the rental income of Qingfeng Garden in Ye. Thereafter the government had no vegetables and bought on credit from private suppliers. It owed three million in cash, and the creditor brought suit. Guang said, "This vegetable garden granted to Mutipo is enough for one household; if it were not granted to Mutipo, all the officials would have enough." From this Zu and Mu nursed deep grievances against him. Zhou commander Wei Xiaokuan feared Guang. He composed a song and had spies leak it in Ye: "A hundred dou fly up to heaven; Bright Moon shines on Chang'an. And again: "A high mountain collapses without being pushed; an oak tree stands upright without being braced." Ting read it and said, "The blind old man carries a great axe on his back; the glib old woman may not speak." He had small children sing it in the streets. Mutipo heard it and told his mother. Lingxuan took "glib tongue" as an attack on herself and "blind old man" as a reference to Zu Ting. They therefore plotted together and reported the song to the emperor, saying, "The Hulü for generations have been great generals. Mingyue's fame shakes the western passes; Fengle's authority extends among the Turks. His daughter is empress; his sons marry princesses. The song is terrifying." The emperor asked Han Changluan. Changluan said it could not be so, and the matter rested. Guang also once said to others, "Today the soldiers lack even trousers, while inner attendants of the rear palaces receive tens of thousands of bolts in a single grant. The treasury is being drained. What principle is this? Those who had received grants heard this and all said, "The Son of Heaven granted it to us himself—what business is it of the Prince?" Ting again submitted a memorial requesting audience. The emperor had him brought in on a treasury cart. Ting then asked for a private meeting. Only He Hongzhen was present. The emperor said, "When I received your earlier memorial I meant to act on it, but Changluan said there was no such principle and it could not be done. Ting did not answer. Hongzhen stepped forward and said, "If there had never been such intent, that would be one thing; but since there has been such intent, if you do not decide and act, and the matter leaks out, what then! The emperor agreed with Hongzhen, yet still hesitated and could not decide. Ting had Wudu's concubine-born elder brother Yan Xuan accuse Guang of plotting rebellion; he also had Cao Weizu submit a memorial saying the general's star was blazing bright; if Guang were not executed, he feared calamity would follow. Earlier the celestial dog had moved westward. Divination said it pointed to the Qin region. Investigation showed that Qin meant Xianyang. Blood appeared both at the imperial temple and at Guang's residence. Three days earlier rats had often been seen in daylight in Guang's bedchamber. He regularly threw food to them, and one morning all three died at once. Again, beneath the bed were two creatures like black pigs that burst out of the ground. Their burrow was greasy and slick. Great serpents were seen again and again. On the roof ridge came sounds like pellets falling. Again the crossbeam of the great gate burst into flame by itself. The stone used for beating clothes moved by itself. Before long, Chancellor's Office aide Feng Shirang submitted a secret memorial saying, "When Guang earlier returned from the western campaign, an edict ordered the troops dismissed at once. Guang made the army press toward the capital, intending rebellion, and stopped only because he failed. Crossbows and armor were stored in the house, and slaves and retainers numbered in the thousands. He often sent Fengle and Wudu back and forth in secret plotting. If he is not dealt with soon, I fear the outcome cannot be foreseen. The emperor said to He Hongzhen, "Human hearts are great sages too. I earlier suspected he meant to rebel, and indeed it is so." Timid by nature, the emperor feared sudden upheaval and ordered Hongzhen to gallop off and summon Zu Ting to tell him. He also feared that if Guang were summoned he would refuse to obey. Ting therefore asked that a fine horse be granted Guang, so that the next day he would ride to Dongshan on an outing. When Guang came to give thanks, they would seize him. The emperor did as he proposed. Just as Guang was about to mount his horse, his head swam. When he arrived, they ushered him into the Cool Breeze Hall. Liu Taozhi struck him from behind, yet he did not fall. Guang said, "Taozhi often does such things. I have not betrayed the state. Taozhi and three strongmen looped a bowstring around his neck and strangled him to death. He was fifty-eight. Blood pooled on the floor, and no matter how it was scraped clean, the stains never vanished. An edict was then issued declaring him a rebel, and his entire clan was destroyed.

使二千石郎邢祖信掌簿籍其家。珽於都省問所得物，祖信曰：「得弓十五張，宴射箭一百，貝刀七口，賜槊二張。」珽又厲聲曰：「更得何物？」曰：「得棗子枝二十束，擬奴僕與人鬥者，不問曲直，即以杖之一百。」珽大慚，乃下聲曰：「朝廷已加重刑，郎中何可分雪？」及出，人尤其抗直。祖信慨然曰：「好宰相尚死，我何惜餘生！」祖信少年時，父遜為李庶所卿，因詣庶，謂庶曰：「暫來見卿，還辭卿去。」庶父諧杖庶而謝焉。

Xing Zuxin, a gentleman of the Two-Thousand-Bushel rank, was ordered to inventory the family's property and records. At the ministry headquarters Zu Ting asked what had been seized. Zuxin replied, "Fifteen bows, one hundred banquet arrows, seven shell knives, and two imperial spears. Zu Ting demanded again in a harsh voice, "What else did you find? He answered, "Twenty bundles of jujube switches. They were meant for when slaves and servants brawled with others: without inquiring who was right or wrong, Guang would have them beaten a hundred strokes. Zu Ting was deeply shamed and softened his tone: "The court has already inflicted severe punishment—how could a gentleman speak in his defense? When he left, everyone praised his fearless honesty. Zuxin said with feeling, "Even a fine chancellor was put to death—why should I cling to what life remains? When Zuxin was young, his father Xun had been favored by Li Shu, so he went to visit Li Shu and said, "I have come only for a brief call and will take my leave when I go. Li Shu's father Xie thrashed Li Shu with a staff and offered an apology.

光居家嚴肅，見子弟若君臣。雖極貴盛，性節儉，簡聲色，不營財利，杜絕饋餉。門無賓客，罕與朝士交言，不肯預政事。每會議，常獨後言，言輒合理。將有表疏，令人執筆，口占之，務從省實。行兵用匈奴卜法，吉凶無不中。軍營未定，終不入幕，或竟日不坐。身不脫介胄，常為士卒先。有罪者，唯大杖撾背，未嘗妄殺。眾皆爭為之死。宜陽之役，謂周人曰：「歸我七年人，不然取爾十倍。」周人即歸之。在西境築定誇諸城，馬上以鞭指畫，所取地皆如其言，拓地五百里而未嘗伐功。板築之役，鞭撻人士，頗稱其嚴。自結髮從戎，未嘗失律，深為鄰敵懾憚。罪既不彰，一旦屠滅，朝野惜之。周武帝聞光死，赦其境內。後入鄴，追贈上柱國、崇國公。指詔書曰：「此人若在，朕豈得至鄴？」

At home Guang was stern and solemn, treating sons and younger kinsmen with the formality of sovereign and subject. Though he rose to the highest rank and splendor, he was frugal by nature, kept music and women at arm's length, sought no profit, and refused all gifts. No guests passed his gate; he seldom spoke with court officials and would not involve himself in politics. In every council he usually spoke last, and his words were always sound. When a memorial or report was needed, he had someone hold the brush while he dictated, always aiming for brevity and plain truth. On campaign he used Xiongnu divination, and his readings of fortune and misfortune never missed. If the camp was not yet in order, he would not enter his tent; sometimes he went the whole day without sitting. He never doffed his armor and always marched at the head of his men. Offenders received only heavy blows on the back with a staff; he never killed without cause. Every man under him would have died for him. At the battle of Yiyang he told the Zhou forces, "Return the men I have held for seven years, or I will take ten times as many of yours. The Zhou men returned them immediately. On the western frontier he built the cities of Ding, Kua, and others. From horseback he traced boundaries with his whip, and the land seized matched his word. He expanded the realm by five hundred li yet never boasted of the feat. During corvée work on rammed-earth walls he flogged officials and commoners alike, and many spoke of his strictness. From the day he first bound his hair and entered the army, he never broke discipline, and neighboring foes feared him deeply. His guilt had never been made clear, yet he was butchered in a single day; court and countryside alike grieved for him. When Emperor Wu of Zhou learned of Guang's death, he proclaimed an amnesty throughout his realm. Later, upon entering Ye, he posthumously enfeoffed Guang as Supreme Pillar of State and Duke of Chong. Pointing at the edict, he said, "If this man had still lived, how could I ever have taken Ye?"

長子武都，位特進、開府儀同三司、梁、袞二州刺史，所在唯事聚斂。光死，遣使於州斬之。

His eldest son Wudu held the ranks of Supereminent Grandee, General of the Palace Gate with Equipage Equal to the Three Ministers, and Inspector of Liang and Yan provinces; wherever he was posted he did nothing but hoard wealth. After Guang's death, an envoy was dispatched to the province to behead him.

小子鐘，年甫數歲，獲免。周朝襲封崇國公。隋開皇中，卒于車騎將軍。

The youngest son Zhong, only a few years old, was spared. Under the Zhou dynasty he inherited the title of Duke of Chong. During the Kaihuang era of Sui he died in office as General of Chariots and Cavalry.

羨曆事數帝，以謹直稱，雖極榮寵，不自矜尚。以合門貴盛，深以為憂。武平元年，乃上書推讓，乞解所職。詔不許。其年秋，進爵荊山郡王。羨慮禍，使人騎快騾迎至鄴，無日不得音問。後二日鄴使不至，家人乞養憂之。又夢著枷鎖，勸豐樂速奔突厥，羨不從。占其夢曰：「枷者加官，鎖者鎖鎖吉利。」及光誅，敕中領軍賀拔伏恩等十餘人馳驛捕之，遣領軍大將軍鮮于桃枝、洛州行台僕射獨孤永業便發定州騎卒續進。伏恩等既至，門者白羨曰：「使人衷甲馬汗，宜閉城門。」羨曰：「敕使豈可疑拒！」出迎之，遂見執，死于長史査事。謂其妻曰：「啟太后，臣兄弟死自當知。」臨刑歎曰：「富貴如此，女為皇后，公主滿家，常使三百兵，何得不敗？」並害五子，年十五已下者宥之。羨未誅前，忽令其在州諸子五六人，鎖頸乘驢出城，闔家泣送之至閣，日晚而歸。吏人莫不驚異。行燕郡守馬嗣明，道術之士也，為羨所欽，竊問之，答云：「須有衤襄厭。」數日而有此變。

Xian served several emperors in turn and was known for cautious honesty. Though he enjoyed the greatest honors, he never prided himself on them. The entire family's rank and power weighed on him, and he was deeply anxious. In the first year of Wuping he submitted a memorial yielding his honors and asking to be relieved of office. An edict denied his request. That autumn he was promoted to Prince of Jingshan commandery. Fearing calamity, Xian sent riders on swift mules to Ye every day for news; not a single day passed without a report. Two days later no courier from Ye came, and his family and household dependents were filled with dread. He also dreamed that he wore cangue and fetters. Someone urged Fengle to flee at once to the Turks, but Xian refused. One who read the dream said, "The cangue means added rank; the fetters mean 'locks'—and 'locks' is lucky. When Guang was executed, an edict ordered Helaba Fu'en and more than ten others, as Central Army Commander, to ride post relays in pursuit and seize him; Border Array Grand General Xianyu Taozhi and Luozhou Executive Commander Dugu Yongye were sent at once to mobilize cavalry from Dingzhou in support. When Fu'en and his party arrived, the gatekeeper reported to Xian, "The envoys are armored beneath their robes and their horses are lathered—you should close the city gates. Xian said, "How could I suspect and turn away an imperial envoy! He went out to receive them and was seized on the spot, dying in the Chief Clerk's custody while the case was being handled. He told his wife, "Report to the Empress Dowager: as brothers, we know we must die when our time comes. At the moment of execution he sighed and said, "With fortune like this—a daughter as empress, princesses throughout the house, three hundred soldiers always at our call—how could we not be ruined? Five sons were killed with him; those fifteen and younger were spared. Before Xian was executed, he suddenly had five or six sons then at the prefecture led out of the city with iron collars, mounted on donkeys. The whole family wept as they escorted them to the yamen gate and returned only at nightfall. Officials and commoners alike were stunned. Ma Siming, Administrator of Xingyan commandery, was a practitioner of occult arts whom Xian admired; Xian questioned him in private, and he answered, "There must be a ritual of exorcism to avert ill fortune. Within days the calamity arrived.

羨及光並工騎射。少時獵，父金命子孫會射而觀之，泣曰：「明月、豐樂用弓不及我，諸孫又不及明月、豐樂，世衰矣。」每日令出田，還即效所獲。光獲少，必麗龜達腋；羨獲雖多，非要害之所。光恆蒙賞，羨或被捶。人問其故，云：「明月必背上著箭，豐樂隨處即下手，數雖多，去兄遠矣。」聞者服其言。

Xian and Guang were both masters of mounted archery. When they were young and out hunting, their father Jin gathered the descendants for an archery contest and watched. In tears he said, "Mingyue and Fengle cannot draw the bow as well as I, and the grandchildren fall short of Mingyue and Fengle—the line is fading. Each day he sent them into the field, and on return they had to display what they had taken. When Guang's bag was light, every shot pierced the turtle mark and drove the arrow to the armpit; though Xian's bag was heavy, none of his shots struck a vital spot. Guang always won praise; Xian was sometimes thrashed. When people asked why, Jin said, "Mingyue always drives his arrow into the back; Fengle shoots wherever he can. However high the count, he is far behind his elder brother. All who heard it accepted his judgment.

金兄平，少便弓馬。神武起，以都督從。皇建初，封定陽郡公。後為青州刺史。卒，贈太尉。

Jin's elder brother Ping was adept with bow and horse from boyhood. When Divine Martial rose to power, Ping followed him as a commander. At the beginning of Huangjian he was enfeoffed as Duke of Dingyang commandery. Later he served as Inspector of Qingzhou. He died and was posthumously appointed Grand Commandant.

論曰：齊神武以晉陽戎馬之地，霸圖攸屬，練兵訓旅，遙制朝權，鄴都機務，情寄深遠。孫騰、高隆之、司馬子如等俱不能清貞守道，以康亂為懷，而厚斂貨財，填彼溪壑。昔蕭何之鎮關中，荀彧之居許下，不亦異於是乎！賴文襄入輔，責以驕縱，厚遇崔暹，奮其霜簡；不然則君子屬厭，豈易聞焉。子如徒以少相親重，情深昵狎，義非草昧，恩結寵私，勳德莫聞，坐致台輔。消難去齊歸周，義非殉國，向背不已；晚又奔陳，一之謂甚，胡可而再。膺之風素可重，幼之清簡自立，有足稱者。竇泰、尉景、婁昭、厙狄幹、韓軌等，並以外戚近親，屬雲雷之舉，位非寵進，功籍勢成，附翼攀鱗，鬱為佐命之首；定遠以常人之才，而因趙郡忠正，將以志除朝蠹，謀逐佞臣，而信納奸凶，反受其亂。遂使庸豎肆毒，賢戚見誅，敗政害時，莫大於此。鄙語曰：「利以昏智」，況定遠非智者乎。段榮以姻戚之重，遇時來之會，功伐之地，亦足稱焉。韶光輔七君，克隆門業，每出當閫外，或任處留台。以猜忌之朝，終其眉壽；屬亭候多警，為有齊上將，豈其然乎！當以志謝矜功，名不渝實，不以威權禦物，不以智數要時，欲求覆餗，其可得也。《禮》云「率性之謂道」，此其效歟！斛律金以神武撥亂之始，翼成王業，忠款之至，成此大功，故能終享遐年，位高百辟。視其盈滿之戒，動之微也，才及後嗣，遂至誅夷。既處威權之重，蓋符道家所忌。光以上將之子，有沈毅姿，戰將兵權，暗同韜略，臨敵制勝，變化無方。自關、河分隔，年將四紀，以高氏霸王之期，屬宇文草創之日，出軍薄伐，屢挫兵威。而大寧已還，東鄰浸弱，關西前收巴蜀，又殄江陵，葉建瓴而用武，成併吞之壯志。光每臨戎誓眾，式遏邊鄙，戰則前無完陣，攻則罕有全城；齊氏必致拘原之師，秦人無復啟關之策。而世亂讒勝，詐以震主之威；主暗時艱，自毀籓籬之固。昔李牧之為趙將也，北翦胡冠，西卻秦軍，郭開譖之，牧死趙滅。其議誅光者，豈秦之反間歟？何同術而同亡也！內令諸將解體，外為強鄰滅仇。嗚呼！後之君子，可為深戒者歟！

The appraisal says: With Jinyang, a land of warhorses, as the seat of his hegemonic design, Qi Divine Martial drilled armies, held court power from afar, and placed the weight of Ye's urgent affairs in hands he trusted deeply. Sun Teng, Gao Longzhi, Sima Ziru, and the rest could none of them remain pure and upright or make restoring order their concern; instead they amassed wealth until ravines and gullies overflowed. In earlier ages Xiao He held Guanzhong and Xun Yu held Xuchang—were they not worlds apart from this! Only when Wenxiang entered as regent, rebuking their arrogance and excess, honoring Cui Xian, and wielding his icy censor's rod, was disaster avoided; otherwise worthy men would have been destroyed to the last—would that have been anything rare? Ziru owed his rise solely to youthful intimacy and personal favor; affection ran deep and familiarity bred indulgence. His loyalty did not come from shared hardship in founding the state—private favor bound him instead. No merit or virtue was ever heard of, yet he sat idle until he reached the highest ministerial rank. Xiaonan's desertion of Qi for Zhou was no martyrdom for the state; his shifting allegiances never stopped; and in his later years he fled again to Chen—once was already too much; how could it be tolerated twice! Yingzhi's integrity deserves respect, and Youzhi's purity, restraint, and self-reliance are also worthy of note. Dou Tai, Wei Jing, Lou Zhao, Kudigan, Han Gui, and the rest were all close affinal kin. They joined when the thunderclouds of revolution gathered; their offices were not mere favor—they rode the momentum of power already made. Clinging to wings and climbing dragon scales, they rose to become the foremost founders of the dynasty; Dingyuan had only ordinary ability, yet leaning on the Prince of Zhao commandery's loyalty and rectitude, he meant to purge the court's parasites and drive out sycophants—only to trust wicked men and be ruined by them in turn. Thus base men ran amok with malice, worthy kinsmen were put to death, and nothing did more harm to government and the age than this. A common saying has it, "Profit clouds the mind"—and Dingyuan was no sage. Duan Rong, through the weight of marriage ties, seized the moment when fortune turned; in lands won by force of arms, he too deserves mention. Shao and Guang served seven sovereigns and enlarged the family estate. Whenever one marched out to hold the frontier command, the other remained at the capital on duty. In an age of suspicion they lived out their full span to old age; when frontier beacons flared again and again, to have such generals of Northern Qi—is it not exactly so! Surely it was because they renounced ambition and refused to boast of merit, their reputations never outran reality, they did not meet the world with intimidation and power, and did not grasp the times with cunning stratagems—who, seeking to overturn the cauldron and spoil the feast, could have succeeded against men like these? The Book of Rites says, "To follow one's nature is called the Way"—is this not the proof of it! Hulü Jin, from the moment Divine Martial quelled chaos, helped complete the royal enterprise. Loyalty and sincerity at their fullest won this great merit, so he lived out his years in honor, standing above the hundred ministers. Recall his warning against fullness when the vessel brimmed—the stir was slight, yet when it reached his descendants it ended in execution and extinction. Once they held such crushing authority, it was precisely what the Way warns against. Guang, born of a great general, had a bearing of deep resolve. As a field commander wielding military power, his hidden mastery matched the finest stratagems; facing the enemy he always prevailed, shifting without fixed pattern. Since the Pass and the River were divided, nearly four decades had passed. The Gao clan's age of hegemony coincided with the Yuwen house's first founding days; whenever armies marched west on punitive campaigns, Northern Qi's martial prestige was repeatedly blunted. But after the Da Ning era the eastern neighbor grew steadily weaker; the west had already taken Bashu and destroyed Jiangling. Abandoning the posture of pouring from a high eave, Zhou took up arms and nursed the grand ambition of swallowing all under heaven. Whenever Guang mustered his army and swore before the ranks, he checked the frontier. In battle no enemy formation stood whole before him; in siege scarcely a city remained intact. Northern Qi could always pin Zhou armies on the open plain; the men of Qin had no further strategy for forcing the passes. Yet in a chaotic age slander won out; treachery wielded a majesty that overawed the throne. The ruler was dark to peril, the times were dire, and he tore down the very bulwark that guarded him. Long ago Li Mu served Zhao as a general: he destroyed the Hu in the north and drove back the Qin in the west—until Guo Kai slandered him; when Li Mu died, Zhao perished with him. Were those who urged Guang's execution not Zhou's agents of subversion? How alike their gifts—and how alike their ruin! Within, they broke the army apart; without, they destroyed a foe for a powerful neighbor. Alas! Later gentlemen—let this be a warning taken deeply to heart!

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