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卷71 列傳第36 誠節

Volume 71 Biographies 36: Sincere Men

Chapter 71 of 隋書 · Book of Sui
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1
西 使 簿
In the preface, the Book of Changes says: "The great treasure of the sage is the throne; by what means does one guard the throne? By benevolence. It also says: "The way to establish a person is benevolence and righteousness." Yet for a scholar to establish himself and win renown, it rests on benevolence and righteousness alone. Thus when the way of benevolence is near at hand, one gives one's life to fulfill it; when righteousness outweighs life itself, one yields life to uphold righteousness. Thus Long Feng gave his life for Xia Jie, Bi Gan exhausted his loyalty for King Zhou, Shen Kui severed his arm for Duke Zhuang of Qi, and Hong Yan offered his liver for Duke Yi of Wei. Down through Ji Xin and Luan Bu of Han, and Xiang Xiong and Ji Shao of Jin, every man who sought to make a name for himself aspired to do the same. As for facing peril without regard for one's own life, and meeting danger to surrender one's life — though this teaching has not been lost, those who put it into practice are surely few. One sees clearly what the gentleman holds dear: it is truly this. Unless a man carries a heart of iron and stone within and bears frost-defying integrity without, who could accept death as fate and go to meet it as though returning home? Huangfu Dan and his fellows, amid turmoil, faced occasions of certain death; when naked blades pressed their necks, they stood firm and unyielding. They were cypresses steadfast in winter's cold, hardy grasses in a fierce wind — a thousand years later they seem vividly alive. It is not only that upon hearing of Boyi even cowards resolve their wills; I also hope that gentlemen of the future may aspire to emulate them. Therefore I have gathered what I have heard and composed the "Biographies of Sincere Men." Liu Hong, styled Zhongyuan, was a native of Congting village in Pengcheng and a grandson of Liu Fang, Grand Minister of Ceremonies of Wei. From youth he loved learning, conducted himself with propriety, and prized integrity of character. He served the Northern Qi as an attendant of the branch headquarters, as governor of the three commanderies of Xiangcheng, Pei, and Guyang, and as inspector of Xichu province. When Qi fell, Emperor Wu of Zhou appointed him governor of his native commandery. During the rebellion of Wei Chidao, the latter sent his general Xi Pi to plunder Xu and Yan. Hong mobilized troops to resist him; for his merit he was granted the rank of Yitong, appointed governor of Yongchang, and made chief secretary of Qi province. His ambition lay in winning distinction on campaign; he was not content in a subordinate post. During the campaign to pacify Chen, he submitted a memorial asking to join the army and, as campaign chief secretary, followed the commander-in-chief Tuwenshu across the Yangzi. For his merit he was promoted to Senior Yitong, enfeoffed as Duke of Huoze county, and appointed governor of Quanzhou. When Gao Zhihui rose in rebellion and attacked the province with troops, Hong held the city for more than a hundred days, but relief never came. In repeated sorties half his men were killed; when provisions ran out they had nothing to eat. He and several hundred soldiers boiled rhinoceros-hide armor and belts and stripped bark from trees to eat, yet not one man deserted. The rebels, knowing their hunger, tried to induce them to surrender, but Hong's defiant integrity only grew fiercer. The rebels attacked with their full strength; the city fell, and he was killed. When the emperor heard of it he praised and mourned him at length, and bestowed two thousand bolts of goods. His son Changxin inherited his office and title. Huangfu Dan, styled Xuanyu, was a native of Wushi in Anding. His grandfather He had been inspector of Jiao province under Wei. His father Fan had been inspector of Sui province under Zhou. From youth Dan was firm and resolute, with breadth of vision and capacity. The King of Bi of Zhou recruited him as a staff officer in the warehouse bureau. When Emperor Gaozu received the abdication, he was appointed vice minister of the Bureau of Military Affairs. Several years later he was sent out to serve as chief secretary of Lu province. In the Kaihuang era he returned to the capital as vice minister of both the Department of Comparison and the Department of Punishments, earning a reputation for competence in each. He was promoted to supervising censor, and no court official failed to regard him with awe. Because many common people were fleeing, the emperor appointed Dan commissioner of the Henan circuit to investigate and register them. When he returned and reported, his account pleased the emperor, who was greatly pleased and ordered him to serve concurrently as vice president of the Court of Judicial Review. The following year he was promoted to right vice director of the Secretariat; soon afterward he left office upon his mother's death. Before the mourning period had ended, he was recalled and ordered to resume his duties. Soon afterward he was transferred to left vice director of the Secretariat. At that time Prince Han Liang was commander-in-chief of Bing province; the court took great care in selecting his staff, and successive chief secretaries and marshals were all eminent men of the day. Because Dan was famed for his integrity, the emperor appointed him marshal of the Bing headquarters; all administrative affairs were referred to him, and Liang held him in the highest regard. When Emperor Yang acceded and summoned Liang to court, Liang followed the counsel of his adviser Wang Xing and raised troops in rebellion. Dan repeatedly admonished him to desist, but Liang would not listen. Dan wept and said: "I venture to reckon that in military resources Your Highness cannot match the capital; moreover, sovereign and subject have fixed places, and the balance of legitimacy and rebellion is not in your favor. Though your troops and horses are elite, victory will be hard to win. I beg Your Highness to obey the edict and enter court, keeping a subject's integrity — you will surely enjoy long life like the immortals and glory for generations. If you delay further and fall into rebellion, once your name is entered in the criminal records you cannot even remain a commoner. I beg you to consider my humble sincerity and think of a plan for complete safety; I dare plead with my life. Liang in anger had him imprisoned. When Yang Su was about to arrive, Liang stationed troops at Qingyuan to resist him. Liang's registrar Dou Lu Yu released Dan from prison; together they plotted to close the city and resist Liang. Liang attacked and defeated them; both upheld their integrity and were killed. The emperor, because Dan had given his life for the state, praised and mourned him at length and issued an edict: "To honor and display integrity of name is a universal rule of states; to add posthumous rank and adorn the funeral is the established norm. Huangfu Dan, marshal of the Bing headquarters, was penetrating in intellect, upright in purpose, effective in office, and fully distinguished in reputation and achievement. When mad rebellion brought calamity and ferocious power blazed fiercely, he steadfastly died for his loyalty alone and would not follow the rebels. Though imprisoned by the enemy, his lofty purpose only grew fiercer; he secretly joined righteous men to hold the city and resist. Outnumbered, he suddenly met an untimely death. Let him be posthumously granted Pillar of State, enfeoffed as Duke of Hongyi, with the posthumous title Ming. His son Wuyi succeeded him.
2
輿
Wuyi soon became governor of Yuyang, where his administration won wide praise. When the Daye statutes took effect, old titles were abolished as a rule; because Wuyi was descended from a man of sincere loyalty, he was granted the title Marquis of Pingyu. He entered the capital as vice minister of the Department of Punishments and served concurrently as general of the Right Martial Guard.
3
祿 忿 退 殿 使 祿 祿 簿 使 使 使 祿
Earlier, when Prince Han Liang rebelled, prefectures and counties almost all joined him; but Lanzhou marshal Tao Mo and Fanzhi magistrate Jing Zhao both upheld their integrity and refused. Tao Mo was a native of Jingzhao. By nature he was intelligent and keen, with capacity and resolve. At the beginning of the Renshou reign he served as marshal of Lanzhou. After Liang rebelled, the inspector Qiao Zhongkui mobilized troops to join the rebellion. Mo resisted him, saying: "The Prince of Han plots treason. You have received the state's great favor and risen to regional governor — you ought to devote yourself utterly in return for that grace. How can the late emperor's coffin not yet be interred, and you become a source of calamity! Zhongkui turned pale and said: "Marshal, are you rebelling?" Zhongkui confronted him with troops, but Mo's tone did not bend; moved by his integrity, Zhongkui released him. A military officer stepped forward and said: "If we do not execute Mo, how can we suppress the troops' hearts? Thereupon he was imprisoned; all his property was seized and distributed among the partisans. When Liang was pacified, Emperor Yang praised him, granted him the title of Kaifu, and appointed him magistrate of Daxing. When Yang Xuangan rebelled, he led troops with Wei Xuan to attack him; for merit in the assault he was promoted to Silver-Gleaming Grand Master for Splendid Happiness and died in office. Jing Zhao, styled Jishan, was a native of Puban in Hedong. His father Yuanyue had been Central Grandee of the Bureau of Edicts under Zhou. During the Renshou reign Zhao served as magistrate of Fanzhi and earned a strong reputation for competence. When the rebels arrived, he fought fiercely until the city fell. The rebel leader Mo Bi plundered his property and confronted him with troops, but Zhao's tone did not bend. Moved by his integrity, Bi stopped and had him escorted to the rebel general Qiao Zhongkui. Zhongkui released him and appointed him marshal of the Daizhou headquarters, but Zhao with stern countenance refused him — again and again. Zhongkui said angrily: "Accept the office and you may live; otherwise you will be executed! Zhao replied: "I am unworthy to be a county magistrate; encountering rebellion, I could not advance to defend the territory nor retreat to die for integrity — my shame is already great. Why must you further press me with a false office? Life and death are fate's decree; the rest I will not hear." Zhongkui was greatly enraged; he stared hard at Zhao and said: "Are you not afraid of death?" He was about to kill him again. Just then Yang Yichen's army arrived; Zhongkui hurried out to give battle and was routed, and Zhao thus escaped. In the third year of Daye, when Emperor Yang took his summer retreat at the Fenyang Palace, the chief secretary of Daizhou Liu Quan and the marshal Cui Baoshan submitted his account to the relevant offices for commendation and reward, but Yu Shiji memorialized to block it and the matter stopped. Later he was transferred to magistrate of Chaoyi; before long he died. You Yuan, styled Chuke, was a native of Ren in Guangping and a great-great-grandson of You Minggen, one of the Five Elders of Wei. His father Baocang had risen to the rank of governor. From youth Yuan was clever; at sixteen the Minister of Education of Qi, Xu Xianxiu, recruited him as a staff officer. After Emperor Wu of Zhou pacified Qi, he successively served as magistrate of Shouchun and marshal of Qiao province, earning a reputation for competence in both. In the Kaihuang reign he served as palace attendant censor. When Prince of Jin Yang Guang was commander-in-chief of Yangzhou, he appointed Yuan legal affairs staff officer; Yuan left office upon his father's death. Later he served as director of the inner guard. When Emperor Yang succeeded to the throne, he was promoted to secretary of the Department of Revenue in the Secretariat. During the Liaodong campaign he served as chief secretary of the Left Martial Cavalry Guard and army supervisor of the Gaimou route; he was granted the title Court Gentleman for Consultation and served concurrently as drafting censor. When Yuwen Shu and the other nine armies were defeated, the emperor ordered Yuan to investigate the case. At that time Shu enjoyed imperial favor; his son Shiji had also married the Princess of Nanyang, and their power dominated the court. He sent a household slave to visit Yuan with a request for favor. Yuan refused to receive him. On another day he repeatedly confronted Shu, saying, "You stand among the emperor's kin and trusted worthies; the sovereign's deepest confidence rests on you. You ought to blame yourself and accept responsibility, setting an example of loyalty to the throne — yet you send someone to call on me. What do you mean to say? He pressed the investigation all the harder and submitted a memorial impeaching him. The emperor praised his integrity and granted him a full set of court robes. In the ninth year, while on mission at Liyang supervising transport, Yang Xuangan rebelled and said to Yuan, "The tyrant runs rampant; the scholar-officials of the realm lie slaughtered, their flesh smeared across the earth. He has plunged us into the farthest wilds and cut off our army's grain — this is Heaven's hour to destroy him. I now personally lead righteous troops to punish the lawless. What do you think? Yuan answered with a stern face, "Your honored father received the state's favor and blessing; his merit helped establish the dynasty; high office and rich stipends unmatched in recent memory. Your brothers wear purple and green in profusion — you ought to give your utmost loyalty and repay the sovereign's vast grace. Who would dream that while your father's grave is still fresh you would plot rebellion against your own house? I deeply deplore this course, my lord. Consider where blessing and ruin begin. I have nothing to offer but my death; I dare not heed your command. Xuangan in fury imprisoned him and repeatedly threatened him with arms, but Yuan would not break his integrity, and so was killed. The emperor greatly praised and mourned him, posthumously granting him Silver Radiance Grand Master of the Palace and bestowing five hundred bolts of silk. His son Renzong was appointed Grand Master of Correct Discourse and regional inspector of Yiyang commandery. Feng Ciming, styled Wuyi, was a native of Changle in Xindu. His father Zicong served the Northern Qi and rose to vice director of the Secretariat (right). In Qi, because of family connections, he became at fourteen an aide in the Prince of Huaiyang's headquarters. He was soon appointed chief clerk of Sizhou, then promoted to attendant of the Central Secretariat. When Emperor Wu of Zhou conquered Qi, he was granted the rank of commander-in-chief. When Emperor Gaozu accepted the abdication and opened the three offices, Ciming was appointed aide in the Revenues section of the Ministry of Works. He rose by stages to vice director of the Rites section of the Branch Headquarters. When Prince of Jin Guang served as overall commander of Bingzhou, he carefully chose his staff and made Ciming his administrative officer. He later served as assistant director in the Ministry of Personnel and concurrently as attendant of the Inner Secretariat. When Emperor Yang ascended the throne, Ciming left office to observe mourning for his mother. The emperor resented Ciming because he had first served at the princely residence and later at the central court; at this time he was demoted to deputy commander of the Yiwu garrison. Before he took up that post, he was transferred to assistant governor of Jiaozhi commandery. In the ninth year of Daye, he was summoned to the capital. At that time Vice Minister of War Qusi Zheng had fled to Goguryeo; when the emperor saw Ciming, he deeply comforted and encouraged him. He was soon appointed secretary of the War Bureau in the Secretariat and granted the rank Court Gentleman for Consultation. In the thirteenth year, he served as acting assistant governor of Jiangdu commandery. When Li Mi threatened the Eastern Capital, an edict ordered Ciming to pacify the Chan and Luo region and pursue the rebels to attack Li Mi. At Yanling he was captured by Cui Shu, a follower of Li Mi. Li Mi had Ciming brought to his seat, expressed sympathy for his hardships, and then said, "The Sui mandate is spent and the realm boils. I personally lead righteous troops and am everywhere victorious. The Eastern Capital is in peril and will fall within days. Now I mean to lead the armies of the four quarters to call the tyrant to account at Jiangdu. What do you say? Ciming replied, "I serve others by the straight path and have nothing to offer but my death. Words of unrighteousness I dare not answer. Li Mi was displeased but hoped Ciming would change his mind later, and treated him with generous courtesy. Ciming secretly sent a messenger to present a memorial at Jiangdu and wrote to the garrison commander of the Eastern Capital describing the rebels' strength. Li Mi learned of this but, judging the act righteous, released him again. At the camp gate the rebel leader Zhai Rang angrily said, "You came as an envoy and were captured by us. The Duke of Wei treated you with the greatest generosity — yet you show no gratitude. Have you no fear? Ciming flushed with anger and said, "The Son of Heaven sent me here to destroy you — I never expected to be taken by rebels. Why would I beg my life from you? If you mean to kill me, kill me — why revile me? Then he said to the rebels, "You originally had no evil hearts; hunger drove you here in search of food. When the government troops arrive, look to your own safety while you still can. Rang grew still angrier and thereupon hacked him to death. He was sixty-eight years old at the time. Yang Wang, regional inspector of Liang commandery, submitted a report; the emperor sighed in regret and posthumously granted him Silver Radiance Grand Master of the Palace. Both his sons Dun and Ping were appointed secretarial aides in the Secretariat. When Wang Shichong set up Prince of Yue Yang Tong as ruler, he posthumously re-granted him Pillar of State, Minister of Revenue, and Duke of Changli, with the posthumous title Zhuangwu.
4
西 使 使 使 使 退 祿 退 退 退 殿宿 祿 祿 使 使 殿 涿 祿涿 殿
His eldest son Chen was already in the Eastern Capital; when Wang Shichong defeated Li Mi, Chen was in the army and sent a slave to carry his father's coffin to the city — he did not go himself. Before long he also held a lavish wedding with flowers and candles. Public opinion reviled him. Zhang Xutuo was a native of Wen township in Hongnong. By nature he was fierce and resolute, with both courage and strategic skill. At twenty he followed Shi Wansui in campaigning against the Western Cuan; for his merit he was granted the rank Yitong and given three hundred lengths of goods. When Emperor Yang succeeded to the throne, Prince of Han Liang rebelled in Bingzhou; Zhang followed Yang Su in suppressing the rebellion and was granted the Opening of a Prefecture. During the Daye reign he served as assistant governor of Qi commandery. As the Liaodong campaign began, the people lost their livelihoods; famine struck that year and grain prices soared. Xutuo was about to open the granaries for relief, but his officials all said, "We must wait for an imperial edict; we cannot distribute grain on our own authority. Xutuo said, "The emperor is far away; sending messengers back and forth will take months. The people are in desperate straits; if we wait for permission, they will die in the ditches. If I am punished for this, I will die without regret. He opened the granaries first and then submitted a report; the emperor learned of it and did not blame him. The next year the rebel leader Wang Bo gathered tens of thousands of outlaws and raided the commandery. Government troops attacked them but mostly met defeat. Xutuo raised troops to oppose them; Wang Bo then led his army south and turned to raid Lu commandery. Xutuo pursued close behind and caught up with them below Mount Dai. Wang Bo, emboldened by recent victories, made no preparations. Xutuo selected crack troops and struck by surprise; Wang Bo's army was utterly routed, and pursuing victory Xutuo beheaded several thousand. Wang Bo gathered the scattered survivors into a force of more than ten thousand and prepared to cross the river northward. Xutuo pursued them to Linyi and defeated them again, beheading more than five thousand and seizing livestock by the tens of thousands. The realm had enjoyed peace for so long that most men were unskilled in war — Xutuo alone was resolute and excelled in battle. He was also skilled at winning and commanding men, earning the loyalty of officers and soldiers; commentators hailed him as a renowned general. Wang Bo again fought in the north, joining with the Douzi Yu rebels Sun Xuanya, Shi Zhicha, Hao Xiaode and others — more than a hundred thousand strong — to attack Zhangqiu. Xutuo sent river forces to cut off their crossing, personally led twenty thousand horse and foot in a surprise attack, routed them utterly, and the rebels scattered. When the rebels reached the crossing they were blocked again by the river forces; caught in disarray front and rear, they lost families and baggage beyond counting; Xutuo sent a victory bulletin reporting the triumph. The emperor was greatly pleased, issued a gracious edict praising him, and ordered envoys to paint his likeness and present it at court. That same year the rebels Pei Changcai, Shizi He and others — twenty thousand strong — suddenly appeared beneath the walls and let their troops plunder freely. Xutuo had no time to assemble troops; he personally led five horsemen into battle. The rebels rushed at him and surrounded him in layer upon layer; he took several wounds, yet his fighting spirit only burned fiercer. When troops from the city arrived the rebels fell back; Xutuo rallied his men and fought again, and Pei Changcai was defeated and fled. Several weeks later the rebel leaders Qin Junhong, Guo Fangyu and others combined forces to besiege Beihai with a sharp military edge. Xutuo said to his officials, "The rebels trust in their strength and think I cannot save Beihai — if I move swiftly now, I am certain to break them. He selected crack troops and marched at double speed; the rebels were caught unprepared; he struck and routed them utterly, beheading tens of thousands and seizing three thousand baggage carts. Inspector of Sili Pei Cao submitted a report; the emperor sent envoys to express concern and inquire after him. In the tenth year the rebel Zuo Xiaoyou encamped nearly a hundred thousand men at Squatting Dog Mountain. Xutuo deployed the Eight Winds camp formation to press them and divided troops to block their key positions. Hard pressed, Zuo Xiaoyou came to surrender with his hands bound. His followers Jie Xiang, Wang Liang, Zheng Dabiao, Li Wan and others — each commanding forces of around ten thousand — Xutuo suppressed and pacified them all; his renown shook Eastern Xia. For his merit he was promoted to regional inspector of Qi commandery and appointed commissioner for assessing, appointing, and pursuing bandits across the twelve commanderies of Henan circuit. Soon the rebel Lu Mingyue, with more than a hundred thousand men, was about to invade Hebei and halted at Zhu'e; Xutuo intercepted and attacked, killing several thousand. The rebels Lu Mingxing, Shuai Rentai, Huo Xiaohan and others — each with more than ten thousand men — harassed Jibei; Xutuo advanced and drove them off. He soon led troops against Zhai Rang, the rebel of Dong commandery; in more than thirty engagements he defeated and routed him each time. He was transferred to regional inspector of Xingyang. At that time Li Mi urged Zhai Rang to seize the Luokou granary, but Rang feared Xutuo and did not dare advance. Li Mi pressed him; Rang then joined Li Mi and led troops against Xingyang, and Xutuo resisted them. Rang fled in fear; Xutuo pressed the advantage and pursued the fleeing rebels for more than ten li. Li Mi had already hidden several thousand men in the forest and ambushed Xutuo's army; Xutuo suffered defeat. Li Mi and Rang combined forces to surround him; Xutuo broke through the encirclement again and again; not all his companions could escape, and Xutuo leapt on his horse and rode back in to rescue them. Back and forth four times — when all his men were scattered, he looked up to heaven and said, "The army defeated like this — with what face can I see the Son of Heaven? He dismounted and fought to the death. He was fifty-two years old at the time. The troops under his command wept and wailed all through the night; for days the mourning did not cease. Prince of Yue Yang Tong sent Left Grand Master of the Palace Pei Renji to rally and pacify his troops and transferred the garrison to Wulao. The emperor ordered his son Yuanbei to assume command of his father's troops, but Yuanbei was in Qi Commandery at the time, ran into bandits on the road, and never managed to take up the post. Yang Shanhui, styled Jingren, came from Huayin in Hongnong. His father Chu had served as administrator of Piling. In the Daye reign, Shanhui was magistrate of Yu County, where he earned a reputation for uprightness and clean government. Soon famine spread through Shandong, and people banded together as outlaws. Shanhui led a few hundred of his own men in pursuit, and every expedition ended in success. Then the bandit leader Zhang Jinching gathered a force of tens of thousands and camped on the county frontier, sacking towns and ravaging the countryside until no local government could stand against him. Shanhui rallied his command and met the bandits in battle. On some days they clashed several times, and each time he turned back their advance. Emperor Yang sent General Duan Da against Jinching. Shanhui proposed a battle plan, but Da rejected it, and the campaign ended in defeat. Duan Da made a full apology to Shanhui. When they fought the bandits again, Duan followed Shanhui's advice in every decision, and this time they won a crushing victory. Jinching then allied with the Bohai bandits Sun Xuanya and Gao Shida, raising a host of several hundred thousand. After storming Liyang they withdrew in triumph, and their army's momentum was overwhelming. Shanhui ambushed them with a thousand elite troops, broke their force, and was promoted to Gentleman Attendant at Court and assistant administrator of Qinghe. Jinching slowly rebuilt his strength and sent light raiders to plunder Guanshi. Shanhui joined Yang Yuanhong, acting administrator of Pingyuan, in a strike on Jinching's main camp with a force of several tens of thousands of foot and horse. Brave Guard General Wang Bian's army arrived as well. Jinching broke off the raid on Guanshi to relieve his camp and fought Bian at a disadvantage. Shanhui led five hundred handpicked men to the rescue; they swept aside every foe they met, and Bian's force recovered its footing. The bandits fell back to their camp, and the allied armies withdrew. All across Shandong men were turning to rebellion; recruits flocked to the bandits like buyers at a market, and weak counties and commanderies fell in succession. Shanhui alone could still hold the bandits at bay. In more than seven hundred battles he was never once beaten, yet he always lamented that his numbers were too few and that he could not wipe the bandits out. Grand Master of the Household Yang Yichen then marched against Jinching, was beaten again by the bandits, and fell back to defend Linqing. Following Shanhui's plans, he fought the bandits again and again until they were driven back. Pursuing their retreat, he overran their camp and took the entire force prisoner. Jinching escaped with a few hundred men, later returned to Zhangnan, and rallied the remnants of his following. Shanhui hunted him down, killed him, and sent his head to the emperor's camp. The emperor rewarded him with armor, spear, bow, and sword from the imperial armory and promoted him to acting administrator of Qinghe. That year he marched with Yang Yichen against the Zhangnan bandit chief Gao Shida, who was beheaded; the head was sent to Jiangdu Palace, and the emperor issued an edict commending him. Dou Jiande, a commander under Gao Shida, proclaimed himself King of Changle and attacked Xindu. The Linqing bandit Wang An kept several thousand armed men and coordinated his movements with Jiande. Shanhui struck at Wang An and killed him. Once Jiande had captured Xindu, he turned again on Qinghe. Shanhui marched out to block him, was beaten in turn, and shut himself inside the city walls. The bandits besieged the city for forty days until it fell and Shanhui was taken prisoner. Jiande freed him, treated him with respect, and offered to make him prefect of Beizhou. Shanhui cursed him: "You old brigand — how dare you presume to treat a servant of the state as one of your own! My only regret is that I was too weak to take you all captive. Do you take me for one of your butcher-and-tavern boys, that you dare offer me office under you? Even when they leveled weapons at him, his words and bearing never wavered. Jiande still wanted to keep him alive, but his men demanded his death; seeing that Shanhui would never serve him, Jiande had him killed. All Qinghe — officials and commoners alike — mourned him. Dugu Sheng was the younger brother of Dugu Kai, Duke of Shangzhu. He was fierce by nature and possessed both courage and nerve. While Yang Di was still heir apparent, Sheng served in his personal retinue and rose steadily until he became General of Chariots and Cavalry. After Yang Di took the throne, Sheng — an old companion from princely days — gradually won the emperor's trust and rose to General of the Right Tunwei Guard. When Yuwen Huaji rebelled, Pei Qiantong marched on the Chengxian Hall, and the palace guards threw down their weapons and ran. Sheng said to Qiantong, "What kind of troops are these? The whole situation has turned upside down!" Qiantong replied, "Things have already gone this far — this is no concern of yours, General. General, you had best stay out of it." Sheng roared, "You old traitor — what nonsense is this! Before he could arm himself, he and a dozen followers charged the mutineers and were cut down. After Prince of Yue Yang Tong assumed regency, Sheng was posthumously ennobled as Grand Master of Splendid Happiness and Duke of Ji, with the posthumous name Martial Integrity. Yuan Wendu was the nephew of Yang Jum, Duke of Xunyang. His father Yang Ze had served under Zhou as Junior Overseer of the Royal Tombs and as regional inspector-general of Jiangling. Wendu was blunt and upright by nature, sharp in argument, and gifted with both judgment and drive. Under Zhou he served as Attendant Gentleman of the Right. At the opening of the Kaihuang reign he became a palace secretary and served in turn as director of the treasury bureau and director of the merit bureau, earning a name for competence in each. He was promoted to left assistant director of the Department of State Affairs and then transferred to vice minister of the imperial storehouse. After Yang Di's accession, Wendu served as vice minister of revenue and then as censor-in-chief before being dismissed for an offense. Soon afterward he was made minister of the imperial storehouse. The emperor came to rely on him more and more, and he won wide esteem at court. In the thirteenth year of Daye the emperor traveled to Jiangdu Palace and left Wendu, Duan Da, Huangfu Wuyi, Wei Jin, and others behind to guard the Eastern Capital. After the emperor's death, Wendu joined Duan Da, Wei Jin, and the others in enthroning Prince of Yue Yang Tong. Tong made Wendu director of the secretariat, grand master of the palace with the rank of Opening the Prefecture with Equal Third Rank, grand master of splendid happiness, great general of the Left Xiaowei Guard, acting general of the Right Yiwei Guard, and Duke of Lu. Soon Yuwen Huaji set up Prince of Qin Yang Hao as emperor and marched on Pengcheng; his advance sent shock waves through every region he touched. Wendu persuaded Tong to send envoys to Li Mi. Li Mi then offered to submit. Tong granted him rank and title and received his envoys with lavish courtesy. Wang Chong took offense, and bad blood opened between him and Wendu. Wendu, aware of Chong's hostility, secretly plotted to kill him. Tong tried again to make Wendu censor-in-chief, but Chong blocked the appointment. Lu Chu told Wendu, "Wang Chong is only a field commander. He was never one of the capital's designated guardians — what right has he to meddle in our business! And after the rout at Luokou his crimes deserved execution without mercy. Now he dares swagger about and dictate policy. If we do not remove him, he will ruin the state. Wendu agreed and went before the throne with a secret memorial. On the eve of the move, someone tipped Chong off. Chong was at court when he heard. Fearful, he raced back to Hanjia City and began plotting revolt. Wendu sent for him again and again, but Chong pleaded illness and stayed away. That night he rose in revolt, broke in through the East Taiyang Gate, and bowed before the Ziwei Observatory. Tong sent a messenger to ask, "What is the meaning of this?" Chong replied, "Yuan Wendu and Lu Chu plotted my murder. Execute Wendu, and lay the blame on the Minister of Justice." Seeing Chong's forces swell and knowing escape was impossible, Tong told Wendu, "Go to General Wang yourself. Wendu lingered, weeping. Tong dispatched his appointed general Huang Taoshu to seize Wendu and escort him out. Wendu looked back at Tong and said, "If I die this morning, Your Majesty will die this evening. Tong wept as he sent him off, and everyone present fell silent in sorrow. At the Xingjiao Gate, Chong had his men hack Wendu to pieces. His sons were killed too. Lu Chu came from Fanyang in Zhuo Commandery. His grandfather Jingzuo had been an aide to the Wei minister of works. From youth Chu was gifted and learned, but he was blunt, hot-tempered, and afflicted with a stammer that made his speech slow and halting. In the Daye reign he served as director of the right bureau of the Department of State Affairs. Stern and unbending at court, he was widely feared among the senior officials. After the emperor left for Jiangdu, many Eastern Capital officials ignored the law. Chu kept filing charges against them and never pulled his punches. When Prince of Yue Yang Tong took the throne, he made Chu director of the secretariat, general of the Left Reserve Guard, acting left assistant director of the Department of State Affairs, and right grand master of splendid happiness, and enfeoffed him as Duke of Zhuo. He and Yuan Wendu and the others stood shoulder to shoulder in defense of the young emperor. When Wang Chong rebelled and stormed the Taiyang Gate, Martial Guard General Huangfu Wuyi broke through the gate and fled, urging Chu to come along. Chu told him, "Master Yuan and I pledged that if the throne were in peril we would die together. To leave now would be a betrayal. When the rebels broke in, Chu hid in the grand provisioner's office, but Chong's men found him and brought him before Chong. Chong shook out his sleeves and ordered him cut down. Blades fell from every side until his body was torn apart. Liu Ziyi came from Congting Village in Pengcheng. His father Bian had been military aide of Xuzhou under Qi. From youth Ziyi loved study, wrote passably well, and was stern, outspoken, and skilled in administration. Under Qi he served as a palace guard general. At the opening of the Kaihuang reign he became assistant magistrate of Nanhe and rose through several posts to judicial aide of Qin Prefecture. In the eighteenth year he entered the merit bureau. Yang Su, right vice director of the Department of State Affairs, was impressed and recommended him for appointment as attending censor. At the time Li Gongxiao, magistrate of Yongning, had lost his mother at four and been sent to live with others at nine. His father had later remarried and had now died. Liu Xuan of Hejian held that because Gongxiao owed his stepmother no debt of nurture, he should not be excused from mourning. Ziyi rebutted him as follows:
5
使 便
The Commentary says: "A stepmother is like a mother — the same as a mother. She is to be accorded the father's rank in honor, given the mother's place, and all rules for qi-staff mourning are the same as for a birth mother. It also states: "One who becomes another's heir observes one-year mourning for his birth parents." That one-year mourning is observed for one's birth parents; it does not treat birth and adoptive parents as fundamentally different. Although the father occupies the secondary place of honor, in the son's heart one must still honor the weight of the birth parent. Hence the statute reads: "One who becomes another's heir must resign office for both birth parents and observe inner mourning. If the father dies and the mother remarries, one who has become heir to the father, though not wearing formal mourning, still observes inner mourning. When a stepmother remarries, one is not required to resign office. That text was drafted solely with the case of remarriage in mind. One should understand that when the stepmother remains in the father's household, the regulations are the same as for a birth mother. If one argued that without nurturing grace she was no more than a stranger on the road, what mourning would there be at all? If formal mourning is required, how can inner mourning alone be treated differently? Reflect on the statute's intent again and again — its meaning is perfectly clear. To claim now that the statute permits one not to resign office — how utterly wrong! Moreover, an heir observes one-year mourning for his birth parents; there is no distinction drawn between birth and adoptive ties — and since those ties are equal, inner mourning cannot differ either. The Questions on Mourning state: "When the mother leaves the household, one wears mourning for the stepmother's kinsmen. Is this not because the departed mother's clan is cut off and pushed away, while the stepmother, paired with the father, is drawn near and treated as kin? Zisi said: "Being Ji's wife makes one Bai's mother. Ceasing to be Ji's wife means ceasing to be Bai's mother. From this it is clear that mourning rests on the weight of the name and affection follows the bond of father and mother — which is why the sages strengthened it with filial piety and kindness and exalted it through name and righteousness. This requires the son to wear mourning by name, equal to a birth mother, and to repay the stepmother by obligation, equal to the one who bore him. If one argued that the stepmother arrived only after the son had become heir, and that the regulations therefore differ in severity — search the classics and commentaries as one will, no such passage exists. Consider an adopted heir: if the person he succeeds dies first and the adopter arrives only afterward, could he, for lack of nurturing grace, refuse to wear heavy mourning? Formerly Wang Bi of Changsha, at the end of the Han went up to the capital on official business; then Wu and Wei were cut off from each other, and Bi remarried in the interior and had a son named Chang. After Bi died, Chang became Chancellor of Dongping; only then did he learn that his mother in Wu had died. At once his grief bound him to heavy mourning, and he refused to carry out his official duties. Those who discussed the matter at the time did not consider him in the wrong. Thus a stepmother and a former mother are no different in the affections owed them. If one insisted that mourning regulations arise only from the moment nurturing begins, what would Wang Chang's case prove? Further, Yang Hu, General Who Guards the South under Jin, had no son and took his younger brother's son Yi as his heir. When Hu died, Yi did not wear heavy mourning; Hu's wife submitted a memorial reporting this, and Yi replied: "My uncle raised and nurtured me — Yi dare not disobey. Yet without his father's command, he therefore returned to his birth lineage. Secretary Peng Quan argued: "A son given out for adoption must do so by the father's command; leaving without such command makes one a rebellious son." An edict was then issued adopting his view. Thus the regulations governing inner mourning cannot be created from nurturing grace alone.
6
使
The treatise says: "Rites accord with feeling to establish form and rely on righteousness to set up teaching. Apply this principle to clarify that other position. "Accord with feeling" means to accord with the feeling of being like a mother; "rely on righteousness" means to rely on the righteousness owed by a son. Only when name and obligation are settled can one honor the father and follow the proper name, exalt rites, and deepen reverence. If one held that nurturing grace alone first created the bond of mother and son, then grace would come from her and mourning from oneself — in which case a foster mother would be like a mother; why would one need to wait for the father's command? It also says: "Stepmother and foster mother are in origin truly strangers; yet by coming near and nurturing one, they become like flesh and blood. By that logic, if the son does not act through the father, then even with nurturing grace, how could she be treated like a mother? Foster and step mothers, though ranked below three-year mourning, stand above one-year qi mourning — rites have their gradations, and mourning accords with feeling. A stepmother wears mourning by name from the outset — how could that depend on whether grace is deep or shallow? As for a brother's son being treated like one's own son — private affection in the heart truly differs, yet the mourning regulations do not. In their argument they used yi for the lighter case and ru for the heavier — treating the two as different in themselves. Here the word ru, meaning "like the heavier case," uses the same language as the law for heavy mourning — if heavy and light were truly unequal, how could one say ru at all? The law says that one "equated with twisting the law" is only equated in offense, whereas one "treated as twisting the law" is subject to the actual penalty. Law employs penal standards; rites establish teaching; zhun denotes equating, while yi denotes identity. The characters ru and yi differ neither in meaning nor in use; the texts of rites and law guard against the same thing. Illumine the one by the other and the meaning is plain enough — like taking a model from a handle for an axe; what could be simpler?
7
使 使
The treatise also says: "Taking a son as heir is to maintain the ancestral temple and provide for oneself — one cannot send the heir back to his original home to serve the birth father's late wife as a son would. Yet the birth father's late wife obtains the title of mother through the father — if their view were correct, could the birth father also be free of inner mourning? Why single out only the father's late wife? The treatise also asks: "When rites speak of a former lord, is his honor still that of a lord? Having left office, he is no longer a pure minister — so one must say "former" to distinguish him. Because another obligation weighs upon him, it is no longer pure filial piety — hence the use of qi to indicate what is already present. The passage cites the wording "his father" — that is a difference of name only. This again is no sound argument at all. Why should one say so? The characters qi and jiu have different glosses and different uses — jiu denotes replacing the new, while qi is a pronoun pointing to the other party — how can they be treated as alike? Consider the Rites: "When his father split firewood, his son could not bear the load." The Commentary says: "Though Wei is small, its lord is there." If "his father" were meant differently here, would "its lord" also be meant differently there? Surely that is not so — surely that is not so. Now Xuan dares violate rites and defy statutes, insult the sages and transgress the law, making adoptees heartless toward their birth parents — damaging the division of name and obligation and harming public custom. Clinging to error in an enlightened age and forcibly sowing discord in the ritual canon, he seeks to display his talent — yet does not notice that his words violate reason itself.
8
使 退 沿 祿 鹿 使 西 退
When the matter was submitted to the throne, the court finally adopted Ziyi's view. During the Renshou era he served as Magistrate of Xinfeng and earned a reputation for competence. In the third year of Daye he was appointed Chief of the Court of Review and enjoyed great renown at the time. He was promoted to Investigating Censor, and whenever the court faced doubtful questions, Ziyi analyzed them — often with conclusions that surpassed what others had imagined. He accompanied the emperor on the journey to Jiangdu. When the empire fell into great chaos the emperor still failed to see it; Ziyi remonstrated sharply while attending him, and for this gave offense and was appointed Administrator of Danyang. Soon afterward he was sent to oversee transport on the Upper Yangtze and was captured by the bandit Wu Qizi. Ziyi persuaded him and thereby became leader of the bandits. He was again sent to lead the bandits in pacifying the Qing River region. When Emperor Yang was killed, the bandits learned of it and told him. Ziyi refused to believe it and executed the man who reported it. The bandits also wished to install him as their leader, but Ziyi refused. The bandits brought Ziyi to the foot of Lincheng's walls and forced him to tell the city, "The emperor is dead." Ziyi said the opposite of what they commanded, and for this he was killed at the age of seventy. Yao Junsu was a native of Tangyin in Wei commandery. When Emperor Yang was still Prince of Jin, Junsu served in his personal retinue. When Yang succeeded to the throne, Junsu rose through repeated promotions to Colonel Who Strikes Hawks. At the end of the Daye era bandits swarmed forth and people fled in great numbers, yet Junsu's jurisdiction alone remained intact. Later he followed Grand General of the Valiant Guard Qu Tu Tong in resisting the righteous army at Hedong. Soon afterward Tong withdrew his troops south; because Junsu had courage and strategic ability, he was appointed Acting Administrator of Hedong. The righteous army sent generals such as Lü Shaozong and Wei Yijie to attack the city, but they could not take it. When Tong's army was defeated, he came beneath the city walls and called out. When Junsu saw Tong, he sobbed and wept, overcome with grief; those around him all choked with tears; Tong too wept until his collar was wet, and said to Junsu: "Our army is defeated; wherever the banner of righteousness points, none fail to respond. The situation is what it is — you should surrender soon and win wealth and honor. Junsu replied: "You bear the trust of fang and claw — you are a great minister of state; the sovereign entrusted you with Guanzhong, and the Prince of Dai entrusted you with the altars of soil and grain; the rise and fall of the dynasty hangs upon you. How can you fail to think of repaying that trust and come to this pass? Even if you cannot feel shame before the sovereign far away — the horse you ride was a gift from the Prince of Dai — how can you bear to ride it still!" Tong said: "Alas! Junsu — I came because my strength was spent." Junsu said: "Your strength is not yet spent — what need for so many words?" Tong withdrew in shame. The siege grew desperate and supplies were cut off; Junsu fashioned a wooden goose, fixed a memorial at its neck detailing the situation, and set it adrift on the Yellow River to float downstream. The guard at Heyang retrieved it, and the message reached the Eastern Capital. When Prince of Yue Yang Tong read it he sighed; thereupon, by imperial order on behalf of the throne, he appointed Junsu Grand Master of Splendid Happiness with Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon and secretly sent envoys to express sympathy and encourage him. Gate-keeping Direct Attendant Pang Yu and Martial Guards General Huangfu Wuyi had successively surrendered from the Eastern Capital; both came beneath the walls to explain what was to be gained and lost. The Tang court also granted him a gold tally of pardon, assuring him he would not be executed. Junsu remained utterly unwilling to surrender. His wife came to the walls as well and said, "The Sui dynasty is already gone, and Heaven's mandate has found its bearer. Why do you afflict yourself and invite ruin? Junsu replied, "Worldly affairs are no concern of a woman's. He drew his bow and shot her; she fell the instant the string sounded. Junsu knew as well that the cause was lost, yet he was resolved to hold the city unto death without wavering; whenever he spoke of the empire, he could not keep from sighing and weeping. He once told his officers and men, "I am an old servant from the prince's household who was repeatedly honored and promoted; when great duty is at stake, there is no choice but to die. Our grain will hold for years yet. When it is gone, we will know how the world stands. If the Sui truly falls and Heaven's mandate passes elsewhere, I shall cut off my head and give it to you. The people had long suffered under Sui rule, and with the righteous armies rising, they hoped at last for relief from their burdens. Yet Junsu was so firm a leader that his men could not turn against him. After more than a year they took several captives from outside, and the city learned faint word that Jiangdu had fallen. Food ran out altogether; life became unbearable, men and women turned to cannibalism, and panic spread through the ranks. A white rainbow appeared at the prefectural gate, and at night the points of every weapon glowed with light. A little over a month later, Junsu was killed by his own companions. Chen Xiaoyi of Hedong — Chen Xiaoyi had held high aspirations from youth and, by the time he came of age, was known for unyielding integrity. Early in the Daye reign he served as judicial secretary of Lu Commandery, where he was known throughout the prefecture for integrity and fair dealing. Prefect Su Wei once wished to execute a prisoner. Xiaoyi repeatedly remonstrated — again and again — but Wei refused to relent. Xiaoyi stripped off his robe and asked to be executed in the prisoner's place. After a long pause Wei relented, apologized, and sent him away, treating him with growing respect thereafter. When Wei rose to Director of the Chancellery, he recommended Xiaoyi for appointment as attendant censor. Later he left office to mourn his father, observing the rites of mourning with exceptional devotion. A white deer came tamely to his hut, and people of the day regarded it as Heaven's response to his filial devotion. Before his mourning term had ended, he was recalled and appointed assistant administrator of Yanmen Commandery. In office he ate plain food and lived as though still in mourning, grieving from dawn till dusk. Each time he broke into lament he fainted outright; stripped to skin and bone, he moved all who saw him to pity. Government and law grew daily more corrupt, and most senior officials were thieves in office, but Xiaoyi's integrity only grew fiercer. He uncovered hidden crimes as though guided by a god, and officials and commoners alike praised him. When Emperor Yang traveled to Jiangdu, Liu Wuzhou of Mayi killed Prefect Wang Rengong and rose in rebellion. Xiaoyi joined Rapid Tiger Guard General Wang Zhibian in leading troops against him. They fought at Xiàguǎn Fort and were defeated. Wuzhou then turned on neighboring commanderies, and the people grew unruly, on the verge of revolt. Former Assistant Administrator Yang Changren, Yanmen Magistrate Wang Que, and others — all fierce and cunning men whom local ruffians looked to — plotted to join Wuzhou. Xiaoyi learned of the plot in secret and had their entire families executed. The commandery trembled, and none dared harbor dissent. Soon Wuzhou marched to attack, but Xiaoyi held him off and won victory after victory. Yet he held a lone city with no aid from outside, and Xiaoyi resolved to die rather than yield. He repeatedly sent messengers to Jiangdu, but the roads were severed and no answer ever came. Xiaoyi knew as well that the emperor would never return. Morning and evening he prostrated himself before the vault of imperial edicts and wept until all who stood by were moved. After more than a hundred days under siege, food ran out. Captain Zhang Lun killed him and surrendered the city to Wuzhou. Zhang Jixun of Jingzhao — his father Xiang had been noticed by Emperor Gaozu in youth and was later appointed a staff officer to the Chancellor. During the Kaihuang reign he rose through repeated promotions to Vice Prefect of Bingzhou. Near the end of the Renshou reign, Prince Yang Liang of Han rebelled and sent his general Liu Jian to overrun Yan and Zhao. At Jingxing Pass, Xiang mustered his troops to hold the city. Liu Jian assaulted it and set fire to the suburbs below the walls. Seeing the people in terror, Xiang noticed a Temple of the Queen Mother of the West beside the city. He climbed the wall, bowed toward it twice, and cried out through his tears, "What crime have these people committed, that they should suffer such burning! If the gods are truly present, send rain to deliver us! Hardly had he finished when clouds gathered above the temple. In moments a downpour fell, and the fire was put out. The soldiers melted at his devotion, and every man fought as ordered. The siege lasted more than a month until Li Xiong's relief force arrived and the rebels withdrew. For his service he was granted the rank of Bureau General, served successively as Prefect of Ruzhou and Governor of Lingwu, and was appointed Director of the Directorate of Waterways before dying in office. Jixun was high-spirited and principled from youth. In the closing years of Daye he served as Eagle Strike Guard General, holding Jishan as his stronghold in contact with Luokou. When Li Mi and Zhai Rang took Granary City, they sent envoys to summon him. Jixun reviled Li Mi in the bitterest terms. Enraged, Mi sent troops against him, but for years they could not take the position. Li Mi's army of hundreds of thousands camped below his walls while Jixun, cut off on every side with only a few hundred men under his command, held all the more steadfast to his vow to die rather than submit. Three years on, supplies ran dry. With no firewood to be had, they tore down buildings for fuel and lived in dug-out shelters, yet Jixun cared for his men and not one deserted. When food gave out, his weakened, ailing soldiers could fight no longer, and the stronghold fell. Jixun sat in his hall, his face as composed as ever, while Mi sent men to seize and bring him in. The rebels dragged Jixun forward and tried to make him bow to Li Mi. Jixun said, "Though I am a defeated general, I remain an officer of the emperor's own guard — how dare I bow to a rebel! Li Mi was so impressed that he set him free. Zhai Rang came to him demanding gold, and when Jixun refused, killed him. He was twenty-eight.
9
His younger brother Zhongyan served as magistrate of Shangluo in the closing years of Daye. When the righteous armies rose, he rallied officials and townspeople to hold the city, but his own men killed him to surrender. Zhongyan's brother Cong served in the Thousand-Ox Guard and was killed in Yuwen Huaji's rebellion. The Zhang family had long been known for loyalty and valor; the brothers all died in the empire's ruin, and commentators held them in high esteem. Song Yun of Beihai — Song Yun was by nature stern and resolute, valued honor above all, and served as squad leader of Shimen Prefecture. In the final years of Daye, the bandit Yang Hou gathered a following and attacked Beihai County; Yun marched with the commandery forces against him. Yun rode out lightly to scout the enemy and was captured by Yang Hou, who forced him to tell the city that the commandery army had been destroyed and should surrender at once. Yun pretended to agree. At the city wall he shouted, "I am Song Yun! I was scouting for the government army and was taken by surprise — I have not been beaten in fair fight! The government army is coming in force and is already here! The rebels are few and weak — they will be crushed within days. There is nothing to fear! The rebels rammed blades into his mouth and dragged him off, beating him as they went. Yun cursed Yang Hou: "You old villain — how dare you disgrace an upright man! Ruin will find you yet! Before he could finish, the rebels cut him in two at the waist. Those in the city who witnessed it wept and clenched their fists in grief, and their fighting spirit doubled. Beihai held out to the end. Emperor Yang sent Household Affairs Secretary Guo Zijian against Yang Hou and defeated him. Deeply moved by Yun's martyrdom, the emperor memorialized the throne on his behalf. An edict of special commendation was issued, and he was posthumously granted the title Gentleman for Promoting Virtue and Vice Administrator of his home commandery. Comment by the historian: The ancients held that the empire is immeasurably vast and the individual body small by comparison — that life is precious, yet cheap when weighed against righteousness. Thus death may outweigh Mount Tai when life is preserved only at the cost of principle, and life may weigh less than a goose feather when death upholds righteousness. Yet death cannot be undone and life cannot be reclaimed — which is why holding one's ground without surrendering one's principles is so hard. When Yang Liang, Yang Xuangan, and Li Mi had already risen in open rebellion and their power was at its height, Huangfu Dan, You Yuan, and Feng Ciming faced peril without flinching and welcomed death as though going home — men who truly dared to walk the path of righteousness. Dugu Sheng, Yuan Wendu, Lu Chu, and Yao Junsu surely knew that what Heaven had cast aside no mortal could restore — yet they willingly accepted being torn limb from limb to uphold their loyal devotion. Though they saved neither altar nor throne, their virtue outshines those who merely saved themselves — reaching through the three luminaries of heaven, earth, and man, and penetrating even to the depths of the underworld. Xu Tuo and Shan Hui bore the spirit of Wen Xu; Ziyi and Song Yun matched the fiery loyalty of Jie Yang. "When the state falls into turmoil, loyal ministers emerge" — how true that saying is.
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