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列傳二百二十七
Biographies 227
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英桂宗室載齡恩承宗室福錕崇禮裕德
[Biographies of] Ying Gui, Zongshi Zailing, En Cheng, Zongshi Fukun, Chongli, and Yude
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英桂，字香巖，赫舍哩氏，滿洲正藍旗人。 道光元年舉人，以中書充軍機章京，晉侍讀。 授山東青州知府，遷登萊青道。 擢山西按察使，調山東，署布政使。 咸豐三年，擢河南巡撫。 粵匪擾湖北，英桂抵南陽籌防，匪踞安徽六安州，馳防汝寧。 捻首張洛行竄踞雉河集，命英桂督三省軍務，疊敗賊於三河尖、潁上，捕獲教匪陳太安、王庭貞。 遷山西巡撫。 同治元年，欽差勝保被逮，多隆河代領其軍，多所裁撤，部將宋景詩复叛。 英桂奏言：「勝保舊部雖多烏合降眾，久經戰陣。 多隆阿到營旬日，遣歸七起，未免操之過急，窮無所歸，乘機走險。 應遵前諭，如能隨同立功，仍準一體保奏，以安眾心。」 報聞。 遷福州將軍。
Ying Gui, styled Xiangyan, belonged to the Hesheli clan and came from the Manchu Plain Blue Banner. In the first year of the Daoguang reign (1821), he passed the provincial examination. Serving as a secretary, he was appointed a clerk in the Grand Council and later promoted to reader. He was appointed prefect of Qingzhou in Shandong, then transferred to serve as intendant of the Deng-Lai-Qing Circuit. He was promoted to judicial commissioner of Shanxi, transferred to Shandong, and served there as acting financial commissioner. In the third year of the Xianfeng reign (1853), he was promoted to governor of Henan. When Cantonese rebel bands raided Hubei, Ying Gui went to Nanyang to organize defenses. After the rebels seized Lu'an Prefecture in Anhui, he rushed to bolster the defenses at Runing. When Nian chieftain Zhang Luoxing fled and seized Zhiheji, Ying Gui was ordered to direct military operations across three provinces. He won a series of victories over the rebels at Sanhejian and Yingshang and captured the religious rebels Chen Tai'an and Wang Tingzhen. He was transferred to serve as governor of Shanxi. In the first year of the Tongzhi reign (1862), the imperial commissioner Sheng Bao was arrested. Duolong'a took command of his forces and carried out extensive cuts and dismissals, whereupon his subordinate Song Jingshi rebelled once again. Ying Gui memorialized to the throne: "Although many of Sheng Bao's former troops were loosely organized surrendered men, they had long seen combat. Duolong'a had been in camp barely ten days when he sent away seven groups of men — an approach that was inevitably too harsh. Driven to desperation with nowhere to turn, they seized the moment to take to outlawry. We should follow the earlier edict and allow that, if they serve together and win merit, they may still be recommended for reward on equal terms, so as to reassure the men." The memorial was noted by the throne. He was transferred to serve as general of Fuzhou.
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七年，署閩浙總督，奏言：「前督左宗棠議減兵者，為增餉也； 議增餉者，為練兵也。 應就地勢情形，以定經久之制。 浙省依山阻海，馬步水陸額兵三萬七千五十九名，而駐於杭、嘉、湖、寧、溫、紹、台海濱七府者三萬馀名，分駐湖、金、衢、嚴、處五府者七千馀名。 海疆偏重，形勢了然。 加餉為人情所原，減兵又為人情所難。 各屬形勢不同，參以變通，庶臻妥善。 今擬分別減兵增餉，以本省應裁之餉，加本省應存之兵。 至練兵擬照楚、湘兵制，整器械，精技藝，庶兵氣可揚，水師戰船，寬籌經費，期復舊模。」 又言：「輪船之設，利於巨洋。 駕駛之法，迥異長江。」 並擬定外海砲艇章程十二條，上均嘉納。 召為內大臣。
In the seventh year he served as acting governor-general of Fujian and Zhejiang and memorialized: "When the former governor-general Zuo Zongtang proposed cutting troop numbers, his purpose was to increase pay; and those who proposed raising pay did so in order to drill the troops properly. The lasting system should be determined according to local terrain and conditions. Zhejiang, shielded by mountains and hemmed in by the sea, had an authorized strength of 37,059 cavalry, infantry, and naval troops by land and water. More than 30,000 of them were posted in the seven coastal prefectures of Hangzhou, Jiaxing, Huzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Shaoxing, and Taizhou, while more than 7,000 were distributed among the five inland prefectures of Huzhou, Jinhua, Quzhou, Yanzhou, and Chuzhou. The priority given to the coastal frontier makes the strategic situation plain. Raising pay is what the men naturally want, while cutting troop numbers is again what they find hardest to accept. Since each region's strategic situation differs, flexibility must be applied if the arrangement is to be sound. We now propose to reduce forces and raise pay on a differentiated basis, redirecting the savings from eliminated quotas toward the troops that the province should keep on the rolls. For drilling troops, we propose adopting the Chu and Xiang systems: putting weapons and equipment in order and honing skills and tactics so that military spirit may be revived. For the navy's warships, we should allocate funds generously with a view to restoring their former strength." He also wrote: "Steamships are useful on the open sea. The methods of handling them are wholly unlike those used on the Yangtze." He also drafted twelve articles of regulations governing coastal gunboats, all of which the throne approved. He was summoned to serve as a grand minister of the interior.
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十一年，授兵部尚書，兼總管內務府大臣。 調吏部，兼步軍統領。 光緒元年，協辦大學士。 三年，授體仁閣大學士。 四年，以病乞休。 五年，卒，贈太子太保，諡文勤。
In the eleventh year he was appointed minister of war and concurrently made superintendent of the Imperial Household Department. He was transferred to the Board of Civil Appointments and concurrently served as commander of the Metropolitan Garrison. In the first year of the Guangxu reign (1875), he served as associate grand secretary. In the third year he was appointed grand secretary of the Tirean Hall. In the fourth year he requested retirement due to illness. In the fifth year he died. He was posthumously granted the title Senior Guardian of the Heir Apparent and was given the posthumous name Wenqin.
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宗室載齡，字鶴峰，隸鑲藍旗，誠隱郡王允祉五世孫。 道光二十一年進士，改庶吉士，授檢討。 遷洗馬，累至內閣學士。 以題定郡王載銓息肩圖稱門生違例，鐫三級。 除光祿寺卿。 咸豐三年，擢都察院副都御史，授工部左侍郎。 粵匪北竄，踞河間、阜城，命載齡督防固安，匪南竄，撤防。 會川督裕瑞被劾，命載齡往勘。 因疏陳山西、陝西、四川捐輸款項侵蝕、濫銷諸弊，請敕各督撫嚴查參辦，併條上章程五則，議行。 時黔匪偪近蜀境，詔載齡嚴飭地方勸諭鄉團助聲勢。 尋署陝西巡撫。 調刑部侍郎，仍留陝。 五年，疏言：「前撫臣王慶雲請準遣戍新疆官犯捐輸，改發內地。 捐數無多，何裨國計？ 此端一開，行險徼幸之徒，將肆意妄為，絕無忌憚。 所得小而所失大，請停止以儆官邪。」 上韙之。
Zongshi Zailing, styled Hefeng, belonged to the Bordered Blue Banner and was a fifth-generation descendant of Prince Chengyin of the Second Rank, Yunzhi. In the twenty-first year of the Daoguang reign (1841), he passed the metropolitan examination, entered the Hanlin Academy as a bachelor, and was appointed reviser. He was transferred to serve as secretary of the Heir Apparent's household and rose through successive promotions to inner court academician. Because he had inscribed Prince Ding Zaiquan's painting Resting the Shoulders and styled himself the prince's disciple in violation of protocol, he was demoted three ranks. He was appointed director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments. In the third year of the Xianfeng reign (1853), he was promoted to vice censor-in-chief of the Censorate and appointed left vice minister of the Board of Works. When Cantonese rebel bands fled north and seized Hejian and Fucheng, Zailing was ordered to oversee the defense of Gu'an. After the rebels turned south again, the defensive force was withdrawn. When the governor of Sichuan, Yusui, was impeached, Zailing was ordered to go and investigate. In a memorial he detailed the abuses of embezzlement and reckless spending in the donation funds of Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Sichuan, and asked that all governors and governor-generals be ordered to investigate strictly and bring offenders to account. He also submitted five proposed regulations, which were approved and put into effect. At that time Guizhou rebels were pressing close to the Sichuan border, and an edict ordered Zailing to instruct local officials to rally village militia and strengthen the defensive posture. Shortly afterward he served as acting governor of Shaanxi. He was transferred to vice minister of the Board of Punishments while remaining in Shaanxi. In the fifth year he memorialized: "The former governor Wang Qingyun asked that official convicts exiled to Xinjiang be allowed to redeem their sentences through donations and be reassigned to serve within the interior. The sums donated are trifling — what real benefit do they offer the state treasury? Once this door is opened, men who gamble on fortune and seek unearned advantage will act with reckless abandon and without the slightest restraint. The gain is small and the loss great; I ask that this practice be halted as a warning against official corruption." The emperor approved his proposal.
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尋詔回京，授泰宁鎮總兵，兼總管內務府大臣。 以病乞休。 病痊，署禮部侍郎，授刑部，調吏部。 同治元年，擢都察院左都御史，遷兵部尚書。 九年，丁父憂，襲輔國公。 光緒三年，調吏部，協辦大學士。 明年，授體仁閣大學士。 六年，因病屢疏乞休，允之。 九年，卒，贈太子太保，諡文恪。
Shortly afterward he was recalled to the capital, appointed general of the Taining Garrison, and concurrently made superintendent of the Imperial Household Department. He requested retirement due to illness. After he recovered, he served as acting vice minister of the Board of Rites, was appointed to the Board of Punishments, and was then transferred to the Board of Civil Appointments. In the first year of the Tongzhi reign (1862), he was promoted to left censor-in-chief of the Censorate and transferred to minister of war. In the ninth year he entered mourning for his father and inherited the title of Duke Assisting the Nation. In the third year of the Guangxu reign (1877), he was transferred to the Board of Civil Appointments and served as associate grand secretary. The following year he was appointed grand secretary of the Tirean Hall. In the sixth year he repeatedly memorialized to retire due to illness, and his request was granted. In the ninth year he died. He was posthumously granted the title Senior Guardian of the Heir Apparent and was given the posthumous name Wenke.
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恩承，字露圃，葉赫那拉氏，滿洲正白旗人。 以筆帖式歷禮部郎中。 隨僧格林沁勦賊，賞四品京堂。 授侍讀學士，仍留營充翼長。 解山東滕縣圍，克沙溝營、臨城驛，破賊曹州，又敗之臨朐縣南。 晉三品京堂，授太常寺卿。 同治二年，捻首張洛行伏誅，賞黃馬褂，擢內閣學士，授鑲紅旗蒙古副都統。 以僧格林沁遇害，坐革職。 旋以剿奉天馬賊，復原官。 授理籓院侍郎。 七年，捻匪張總愚北竄，恩承總統神機營馬步兵往雄、霸扼防。 捻平，還京。 歷調工部、禮部、刑部、吏部。
En Cheng, styled Lupu, belonged to the Yehe Nara clan and came from the Manchu Plain White Banner. Beginning as a clerk, he rose through the ranks to become a director in the Board of Rites. He accompanied Sengge Rinchen in campaigns against the rebels and was rewarded with the rank of fourth-grade Beijing official. He was appointed reader of the Hanlin Academy while remaining in camp as wing commander. He lifted the siege of Teng County in Shandong, captured Shagou Camp and Lincheng Post Station, routed the rebels at Caozhou, and defeated them again south of Linqu County. He was promoted to third-grade Beijing official and appointed director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. In the second year of the Tongzhi reign (1863), Nian chieftain Zhang Luoxing was executed. En Cheng was awarded a yellow riding jacket, promoted to inner court academician, and appointed lieutenant-general of the Mongol Bordered Red Banner. When Sengge Rinchen was killed in action, En Cheng was punished by dismissal from office. Shortly afterward, for suppressing horse bandits in Fengtian, his former rank was restored. He was appointed vice minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs. In the seventh year, when Nian rebel Zhang Zongyu fled north, En Cheng took command of the Divine Engine Corps' cavalry and infantry to block him at Xiong'an and Bazhou. After the Nian were pacified, he returned to the capital. He was transferred in succession through the Boards of Works, Rites, Punishments, and Civil Appointments.
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光緒元年，兼總管內務府大臣，擢都察院左都御史、正藍旗漢軍都統，遷禮部尚書。 命與侍郎童華往四川查辦總督丁寶楨等被劾案，覆奏寶楨交部議。 恩承言：「從古言利之臣，咸以不加賦而財用足，為動人聽聞之具。 溯自軍興以來，川省釐、捐兩項，協撥餉需，以千百萬計。 苟非國家深仁厚澤，何以人樂輸將？ 方今軍務肅清，民氣未復，乃川省設立官運局，所徵正款，已暗寓加釐； 所收雜款，更巧為攤派。 下與小民爭利，而司、道兩庫懸欠百萬有奇。 正款反形支絀，似於國計民生兩無裨益。」 疏入，敕部覈覆。 復命赴雲南查辦事件，以侍郎閻敬銘劾恩承入川時失察家人需索，部議革職留任。
In the first year of the Guangxu reign (1875), he concurrently served as superintendent of the Imperial Household Department, was promoted to left censor-in-chief of the Censorate and commander of the Hanjun Plain Blue Banner, and was transferred to minister of rites. He was ordered, together with Vice Minister Tong Hua, to proceed to Sichuan to investigate the impeachment of Governor Ding Baozhen and others; in their report they recommended that Baozhen be referred to the ministry for deliberation. En Cheng wrote: "From antiquity, ministers who spoke of profit have all held up the ideal of making revenues sufficient without raising taxes as the argument most likely to win men's ears. Since the outbreak of the rebellions, Sichuan's lijin transit duties and voluntary donations have forwarded military funds amounting to tens of millions. Had the state not shown such deep benevolence and forbearance, how could the people have been willing to contribute so readily? Now that military affairs have been pacified and popular morale has not yet recovered, Sichuan has nevertheless established a government transport bureau. The regular levies it collects already covertly include added lijin; and the miscellaneous sums it collects are further ingeniously apportioned among the people. While the bureau competes for profit with common people below, the treasuries of the provincial and circuit administrations show outstanding deficits of more than a million taels. Regular revenues in turn appear strained — a policy that seems to benefit neither state finances nor the people's livelihood." When the memorial was submitted, an edict ordered the ministry to verify and report back. He was again ordered to proceed to Yunnan to investigate affairs. When Vice Minister Yan Jingming impeached En Cheng for failing to detect extortion by his household staff during his mission to Sichuan, the ministry deliberated dismissal from office with retention in post.
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回京，授步軍統領。 十年，遷刑部尚書，調吏部，協辦大學士。 明年，授體仁閣大學士。 十三年，命赴廣西、湖南、河南按事。 十五年，轉東閣。 十八年，卒，諡文恪。
On returning to the capital, he was appointed commander of the Metropolitan Garrison. In the tenth year he was transferred to minister of punishments, then to the Board of Civil Appointments, and served as associate grand secretary. The following year he was appointed grand secretary of the Tirean Hall. In the thirteenth year he was ordered to proceed to Guangxi, Hunan, and Henan to investigate affairs. In the fifteenth year he was transferred to the Eastern Pavilion. In the eighteenth year he died and was given the posthumous name Wenke.
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宗室福錕，字箴庭，隸鑲藍旗，理密親王允礽六世孫。 咸豐九年進士，授吏部主事，晉員外郎。 光緒四年，授右庶子，遷侍讀學士，擢太僕寺卿。 六年，賞副都統，充西寧辦事大臣。 八年，召授兵部侍郎，歷調刑部、戶部。 十年，擢工部尚書，兼步軍統領。 命在總理各國事務衙門行走，兼管內務府大臣。 調戶部，協辦大學士。 以部駁機器鼓鑄，福錕議革職，改留任，旋复官。 十五年，加太子太保，詹事府右庶子。 崇文疏劾大學士張之萬交納外官，命福錕偕尚書潘祖廕勘之，奏言：「之萬住居湫隘，門無雜賓。 樞臣接見外僚，藉以考覈人才。 不得以因公謁見，謂為接納營私。 惟僧靜洲以方外浮屠往來仕宦之家，易招物議，請驅逐回籍。」 報可。 十七年，授體仁閣大學士。 二十年，皇太后萬壽，賞雙眼花翎。 時京師盜風甚熾，福錕初禁步軍訊盜用嚴刑，盜益肆。 至是奏請變通緝捕章程，允之。 二十一年，疏請乞休。 卒，諡文慎。
Zongshi Fukun, styled Zhenting, belonged to the Bordered Blue Banner and was a sixth-generation descendant of Prince Limi, Yunsi. In the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign (1859), he passed the metropolitan examination and was appointed a principal clerk in the Board of Civil Appointments, later promoted to department director. In the fourth year of the Guangxu reign (1878), he was appointed right assistant expositor of the heir apparent, transferred to reader of the Hanlin Academy, and promoted to director of the Court of the Imperial Stud. In the sixth year he was awarded the rank of lieutenant-general and appointed commissioner for Qinghai affairs at Xining. In the eighth year he was summoned to the capital and appointed vice minister of war, then transferred in succession through the Boards of Punishments and Revenue. In the tenth year he was promoted to minister of works and concurrently served as commander of the Metropolitan Garrison. He was ordered to serve in the Zongli Yamen and concurrently to supervise the Imperial Household Department. He was transferred to the Board of Revenue and served as associate grand secretary. When the ministry rejected machine-struck coinage, Fukun was deliberated for dismissal from office, the sentence was changed to retention in post, and shortly afterward his rank was restored. In the fifteenth year he was given the additional title Senior Guardian of the Heir Apparent and appointed right assistant expositor in the Household of the Heir Apparent. Chongwen memorialized impeaching Grand Secretary Zhang Zhiwan for cultivating ties with outside officials. Fukun was ordered, together with Minister Pan Zuyin, to investigate and reported: "Zhiwan's dwelling is cramped and narrow, and his gate admits no miscellaneous visitors. Grand councillors receive outside officials in order to assess talent. Official audiences on public business cannot be treated as evidence of cultivating private connections for personal gain. Only the monk Jingzhou, as a Buddhist cleric from outside the official world who frequented officials' households, was liable to invite public criticism; I request that he be expelled and sent back to his native place." The report was approved. In the seventeenth year he was appointed grand secretary of the Tirean Hall. In the twentieth year, on the empress dowager's birthday celebration, he was awarded double-eyed peacock feathers. At that time theft in the capital was rampant. Fukun had at first forbidden the Metropolitan Garrison to use severe torture in interrogating thieves, and crime grew still bolder. He now memorialized requesting flexible changes to the regulations for apprehending criminals, and his proposal was approved. In the twenty-first year he memorialized requesting retirement. He died and was given the posthumous name Wenshen.
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崇禮，字受之，姜氏，內務府漢軍正白旗人。 咸豐七年，以拜唐阿為清漪園苑丞。 文宗巡幸，嘗詢以事，奏對稱旨，嘉獎之。 由員外郎歷內務府卿，加內務府大臣。 光緒元年，授山海關副都統，乞病歸。 五年，歷遷內閣學士，命在總理各國事務衙門行走，補禮部右侍郎。 坐事，議革職，改降三級。 九年，授光祿寺卿。 歷理籓院侍郎，轉兵部、戶部。 二十年，加太子少保，賞黃馬褂。 旋擢理籓院尚書。 出為熱河都統，再乞病。 二十四年，授刑部尚書，兼步軍統領。
Chongli, styled Shouzhi, belonged to the Jiang clan and was a Hanjun of the Imperial Household Department in the Plain White Banner. In the seventh year of the Xianfeng reign (1857), he served as a baturu and was appointed director of the Qingyi Garden park. When the Wenzong Emperor made an imperial tour, he once questioned Chongli on affairs. Chongli's replies pleased the emperor, who praised him. From department director he rose through the ranks to director of the Imperial Household Department and was given the additional rank of minister of the Imperial Household Department. In the first year of the Guangxu reign (1875), he was appointed lieutenant-general at Shanhaiguan and requested leave to return home due to illness. In the fifth year he was promoted in succession to inner court academician, ordered to serve in the Zongli Yamen, and appointed right vice minister of the Board of Rites. He was punished for an offense: dismissal from office was deliberated, then changed to demotion by three ranks. In the ninth year he was appointed director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments. He served in succession as vice minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs and was transferred to the Boards of War and Revenue. In the twentieth year he was given the additional title Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent and awarded a yellow riding jacket. Shortly afterward he was promoted to minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs. He was appointed governor-general of Rehe and again requested leave due to illness. In the twenty-fourth year he was appointed minister of punishments and concurrently commander of the Metropolitan Garrison.
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崇禮勤於職事，太后念先帝識拔，頗推恩遇。 及政變起，太后復訓政，參預新政。 楊銳等獲罪，崇禮以案情重大，請欽派大學士、軍機大臣會同審訊，始命軍機會刑部、都察院嚴審。 已，又傳旨即行正法。 二十六年，調戶部，協辦大學士。 二十九年，授東閣大學士，轉文淵閣。 三十一年，以病乞罷。 又二年，卒，諡文恪。
Chongli was diligent in his duties. The empress dowager, remembering how the late emperor had recognized and promoted him, showed him considerable favor. When the political coup of 1898 arose and the empress dowager resumed regency, he participated in the new policies. When Yang Rui and others were condemned, Chongli, judging the case grave, asked that grand secretaries and grand councillors be specially appointed to conduct a joint investigation; only then was an order issued for the Grand Council, together with the Board of Punishments and the Censorate, to conduct a strict inquiry. Shortly afterward, another edict ordered their immediate execution. In the twenty-sixth year he was transferred to the Board of Revenue and served as associate grand secretary. In the twenty-ninth year he was appointed grand secretary of the Eastern Pavilion and transferred to the Wenyuan Pavilion. In the thirty-first year he requested dismissal due to illness. Two years later he died and was given the posthumous name Wenke.
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裕德，字壽田，喜塔臘氏，滿洲正白旗人，湖北巡撫崇綸子。 光緒二年進士，改庶吉士，授編修。 累遷侍讀。 八年，充咸安宮總裁，偕詹事府少詹事寶昌等疏請整頓咸安宮官學凡六事，下部議行。 五轉至內閣學士，督山東學政。 十六年，擢工部侍郎，調刑部。 二十年，授都察院左都御史，命偕侍郎廖壽恆赴四川按事。 二十四年，遷理籓院尚書，調兵部。 二十八年，赴哲里木盟查辦事件，因條上領荒招墾事宜，如所議行。 二十九年，協辦大學士，授體仁閣大學士。 三十年，充會試總裁。 明年，改東閣。 卒，諡文慎。
Yude, styled Shoutian, belonged to the Xitala clan, came from the Manchu Plain White Banner, and was the son of Hubei Governor Chonglun. In the second year of the Guangxu reign (1876), he passed the metropolitan examination, entered the Hanlin Academy as a bachelor, and was appointed compiler. Through successive promotions he rose to reader of the Hanlin Academy. In the eighth year he served as director of the Xian'an Palace studies and, together with Junior Mentor Baochang and others, memorialized requesting six reforms of the Xian'an Palace official school; the memorial was referred to the ministries for deliberation and adopted. After five transfers he reached the post of inner court academician and was appointed educational commissioner of Shandong. In the sixteenth year he was promoted to vice minister of the Board of Works and transferred to the Board of Punishments. In the twentieth year he was appointed left censor-in-chief of the Censorate and ordered, together with Vice Minister Liao Shouheng, to proceed to Sichuan to investigate affairs. In the twenty-fourth year he was transferred to minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs and then to the Board of War. In the twenty-eighth year he proceeded to the Zhelimu League to investigate affairs and submitted regulations on opening wasteland and recruiting settlers; they were adopted as he proposed. In the twenty-ninth year he served as associate grand secretary and was appointed grand secretary of the Tirean Hall. In the thirtieth year he served as chief examiner of the metropolitan examination. The following year he was transferred to the Eastern Pavilion. He died and was given the posthumous name Wenshen.
15
裕德持躬謙謹，禮賢下士，有一得之長，譽之不容口，時皆稱之。
Yude conducted himself with modesty and caution, treated the worthy with courtesy, and honored scholars. Whenever anyone had even a single merit, he praised them without cease, and contemporaries all spoke well of him.
16
論曰：大學士滿、漢並重，非有資望，不輕予大拜。 內閣不兼軍機者，不參機務，相業無聞焉。 英桂諸人或起軍功，或承世廕，或嫺文學，或優政事，雖未能顯有名績，而舊德老成，雍容台鼎，亦不愧宰相之器者歟！
The commentary says: Grand secretaries, whether Manchu or Han, were equally esteemed, and without reputation and standing the great appointment was not lightly bestowed. Those in the Grand Secretariat who did not concurrently serve on the Grand Council did not participate in confidential affairs, and their achievements as chief ministers went unremarked. Ying Gui and the others had risen through military merit, inherited hereditary privilege, excelled in letters, or distinguished themselves in administration. Although they could not display famous achievements, as elders of established virtue who bore themselves with dignity at the pinnacle of state, they were surely not unworthy of the measure of a prime minister!