Li Zhilian hails from Gao Yi in Zhao County and was the younger brother of Yi Shen, the provincial governor of Qizhou. He was very unambitious from a young age and never asked his family for anything as a child. His family once tried to give him gold and silver, but he always refused to take them; when they pressed them on him, he would simply throw them on the ground. The provincial governor admired his integrity at such a young age and thus gave him the name Zhilian. He was intelligent and eager to learn, and by the age of fifteen, he had extensively read the commentaries on the Five Classics. Later, when Ge Rong rebelled and chaos erupted in his hometown, he faced challenges to make his way to the capital. During the Yong'an period, he served as a court official. In the Putai period, the court appointed him as the chief secretary of the opening office, General Longxiang, and registrar of the Guangzhou Zhenan Prefecture, but he declined the position. Soon after, he was reassigned to serve as a military advisor in the opening office and as a general. During the Tianping period, Emperor Gaozu promoted him to chief historian of the Taizhou opening office and General Pingbei. Li Zhilian united the soldiers, and both the soldiers and civilians were very pleased. Emperor Gaozu visited Hedong several times and praised him. Later, he was promoted to chief historian of the Biaoqi office during Emperor Shizong's reign.
Because Jeju is located at a strategic point, controlling both waterways and land routes, and frequently receiving envoys from the Liang state, a highly suitable candidate was needed. Emperor Sejong recommended Li Zhilian, who was then appointed as the Chief Historical Officer of Jeju. He was later promoted to Chief Clerk of Yingzhou. When Emperor Gaozu passed through Jizhou, he wanted to organize the documents and archives of the six states in Hebei and verify the changes in the population records. Emperor Gaozu personally inquired about this matter, often handling it while on horseback, checking documents and offering guidance on state matters, which was a very complex task. Li Zhilian was able to respond quickly each time, always completing tasks ahead of schedule and handling them in a manner that fully met Emperor Gaozu's expectations, becoming a model for other states. Emperor Gaozu looked at Sima Ziru and said, "Look at how Zhilian handles things; it truly is impressive!" Therefore, Emperor Gaozu summoned tens of thousands of civil and military officials and had Langzhong Du Bi read the edict to commend everyone while questioning the Chief Clerks and officials of various states. Others all admitted their mistakes, but only Li Zhilian stepped forward to express his gratitude, earning him the admiration of everyone present. On that day, Emperor Gaozu rewarded him with cattle and wine. After returning to Bingzhou, Emperor Gaozu reported this to Emperor Sejong. Emperor Sejong was very pleased and said to others, "I finally know how to recognize talent!"
After Emperor Sejong ascended the throne, he summoned Li Zhilian to Jinyang and appointed him as a deputy in the Ba government. Sejong said to Du Bi, "Bingzhou is the foundation of the empire; we need a good Chief Clerk, so you all recommend talented people you know." At that time, everyone was bickering, recommending each other, but Sejong was not satisfied with any of them. After a prolonged silence, no one spoke. Sejong suddenly said to Chen Yuankang, "I asked you for a recommendation for a good Chief Clerk, and Li Zhilian is exactly that person!" As a result, Li Zhilian was appointed as the Chief Clerk of Bingzhou.
He often stayed at Sejong's residence, together with six others including Xin Shu from Longxi, and was referred to as "guests" enjoying the treatment of distinguished guests. During the Tianbao period, Li Zhiliang was appointed as the General of Annan and the Governor of Taiyuan. Once, Emperor Xianzhu summoned him and asked about his methods of local governance, discussing the balance of leniency and severity in law and punishment. The emperor favored strict law enforcement, but Li Zhiliang insisted that this approach was incorrect, which clearly displeased the emperor. To make matters worse, when discussing Yang Yin, Li Zhiliang mistakenly referred to him as "Master Yang," which completely offended the emperor. Due to his blunder, Li Zhiliang was demoted to Governor of Jiyin while also serving as Inspector of Xiyanzhou.
Later, he was again summoned by the court to serve as Deputy Minister of the Treasury, and shortly thereafter, he was promoted to Deputy Minister of Justice, and then further promoted to Chief of Staff. After Emperor Suzong ascended the throne, Li Zhiliang also concurrently served as a Regular Attendant and Provincial Ambassador. After returning from a mission, many of his proposals were adopted. Subsequently, he was appointed as Inspector of Hezhou, earning notable political achievements. Before his term was up, he was reassigned to Inspector of Huaizhou. After returning to court, he was appointed as Deputy Minister of the Imperial Household, and later promoted to Minister of Agriculture and Chief of Zhao Prefecture.
In the first year of the Tiantong era, Li Zhiliang was elevated to General of the Cavalry and Minister of Rites, and the public praised him for his integrity. Later, he served as Inspector of South Qingzhou, and shortly thereafter, he was summoned by the court to serve as Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. In March of the fifth year of Wuping, Li Zhiliang passed away in Jinyang at the age of sixty-seven years. The court posthumously conferred upon him the title of Minister of the Three Departments, Inspector of Xinyi and Erzhou, and Minister of Personnel.
Feng Shu, styled Junyi, hailed from Yexian in Hebei. His father, Feng Gui, had served as the Minister of Justice and the Governor of Jizhou, which were prestigious positions. Feng Shu showed exceptional talent from a young age and became a military staff officer at the age of eighteen in the Eastern Expedition Office of Jizhou. Later, when Gao Daomu became the Deputy Imperial Censor, he recommended Feng Shu for the position of Imperial Censor. Subsequently, he was promoted to the position of Registrar in the Office of the Prince of Qinghe and also served as the Chief Clerk in the Ministry of Works.
During the Tai Chang era, Feng Shu was appointed as a Minister of the Three Duke Offices because of his strong capabilities and reliable management of affairs. In the Tian Ping era, he was involved in revising the old laws and compiled the New Regulations of the Linzhi, with all the legal provisions in the book being revised and finalized by him. At that time, Lu Yanzi and Shen Jing, court officials of the Liang dynasty, visited the Qi state, and Feng Shu was dispatched as an envoy to the Liang dynasty. After his return, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Officer in the Grand General's Office under Shizong, responsible for overseeing affairs in the capital. In the fifth year of Wuding, he was appointed as the Prefect of Pengcheng and concurrently served as the Supervisor of the county, later being promoted to Governor of Dongxu Prefecture.
In the seventh year of Wuding, he was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Justice. In the eighth year, he also took on the role of Minister of the Yellow Gate. After the Emperor of Northern Qi usurped the throne, Feng Shu and eight others, such as Li Jiang, were appointed as special envoys to tour various regions, assess the people's conditions, and investigate their hardships. In the third year of Tianbao, he was appointed as the Prefect of Qinghe, and afterward promoted to the Left Chief Clerk in the Ministry of Works, overseeing the political affairs of the Eastern Capital, and soon after transferred to the Governor of Haizhou. In the first year of Danning, the court summoned him to serve as the Minister of Ceremonies. In the third year of Heqing, the Emperor ordered him to collaborate on the revision of laws and regulations alongside Minister Zhao Yanshen, Grand Historian Wei Shou, Minister Yang Xiuzhi, and National University Sacrificer Ma Jingde.
In the first year of Tiantong, he was promoted to the Minister of Revenue. Three years later, he was transferred to the Minister of War and was also honored with the title of 'Three Offices in Ceremony.' In the first year of Wuping, he was appointed as the Governor of South Yanzhou. After completing his term and returning to court, he was first appointed as the Left Grand Minister in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and later became the Minister of the Palace.
There was a man named Shu who was an official and a judge, knowledgeable about legal texts and fair in his judgments, which earned him the praise of the locals. However, he was particularly frugal and reluctant to spend money, even turning a blind eye to his close friends and relatives in need, which led to harsh criticism from both the court and the general public. While he had a respectable appearance, he was quite snobbish, always flattering and fawning, making him a target of ridicule. His first wife was a girl from the Sima family in Hanoi, and later he married the daughter of Li Shiyuan from Longxi, spending a considerable amount of money to arrange this marriage. Just before the wedding, he was still being petty and haggling over every little detail. Eventually, he suddenly pulled out a Buddha statue he worshipped and swore an oath in front of Li Shiyuan's portrait. Li Shiyuan laughed and said, "Lord Feng, you can find this emergency Buddha statue anytime; why swear at this moment?" In the end, Shu married a girl from the Lu family in Fanyang. After the marriage, he went to the government to lodge a complaint, complaining, "The horse you sent me has bad legs, the land assigned to me is poor, and the bronze utensils are old." All these problems were a result of his stinginess. His son Yuan served as a palace attendant during the Wuping era.
Shu's younger brother was Xun, whose courtesy name was Jingwen. He served as an official in the Northern Wei as a Yuanwaijiang and served as a legal clerk in the household of Wang Yong'an during the Wuding period. He was later promoted to Langzhong in the Ministry of Personnel, then became a San Gong official, subsequently being appointed as the governor of Dongping Commandery. He was later promoted to Changshi of Dingzhou, then served as the governor of Hejian Commandery, and finally returned to the court as the Left Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and eventually became the governor of Jinan. He died during the Kaihuang period of the Sui Dynasty. Xun was well-versed in the classics and history, known for his integrity, and demonstrated strong capabilities during his official career, achieving notable success in local governance. He was respected and adored by both the locals and officials.
Xu Dun, style name Jiliang, was from Xincheng, Gaoyang, Hebei. His father, Xu Hu, served as the governor of two commanderies in the Wei state, one was Gaoyang Commandery and the other was Zhangwu Commandery. Xu Dun was a particularly clear-headed person, quick to react, and very skilled in governance. He initially served as the chief clerk of the Minister of Works, and due to his strong capabilities and sound judgment, everyone gave him the nickname "Iron-Faced Clerk." He gradually rose through the ranks and became the governor of Yangping. At that time, the Wei state moved its capital to Ye City, which made Yangping Commandery a county near the capital, where various military and government affairs were conducted. Tax collection lacked standardized procedures, and on top of that, powerful officials and nobles often sought favors, making the situation very complex. However, Xu Dun managed these matters effectively using his own methods, and there were no complaints from either the higher-ups or the common people; his governance achievements ranked among the best in the nation. For this, the court specifically rewarded him, displaying his portrait in the palace and issuing a nationwide edict to honor him.
After that, he was promoted to the Governor of Wei Commandery, then served as the Inspector of Qizhou, and subsequently transferred to the Inspector of Liangzhou, where he excelled in every position. Later, he became the Minister of Agriculture. When the Hou Jing Rebellion broke out, Wang Sizheng occupied Yingchuan City, and the court sent troops to suppress it, with Xu Dun in charge of logistics, ensuring the army had sufficient supplies. The idea to flood the city with the Wei River also came from Xu Dun. He was later promoted to the Minister of the Palace. Xu Dun had an impressive beard that reached down to his waist, and everyone in the court referred to him as "Lord Long Beard." Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei once got drunk, grabbed Xu Dun's beard and praised him, and in a moment of excitement, he actually used a knife to cut Xu Dun's beard, leaving only a small tuft. Xu Dun was quite startled and from then on, he no longer dared to grow a long beard again, so everyone gave him a new nickname, "Lord Short Beard." After the death of Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei, Emperor Xiaoming of Wei ascended the throne, and Xu Dun served as the Deputy Censor-in-Chief, later becoming the Inspector of Jiaozhou. He was later posthumously granted the title of Minister of Agriculture, promoted to Minister of Rites, and later served as the Minister of Finance. He also held positions such as Prince's Protector, Senior Teacher, Grand Minister of Ceremonies, and was conferred the title of Marquis of Wannian County, with a fief in Dunpi. As he grew older, he retired to his hometown, where he passed away three years later.
Xu Dun was upright in his youth, but became cunning and worldly-wise in his old age. At that time, there was a system in the Qi Dynasty where the chief official of the prefecture was selected from court officials. His colleague from the same county, Xing Shao, was the Director of the Central Secretariat, highly respected and of noble character. Xu Dun competed with Xing Shao for this position, so he sought to curry favor with Song Qindao, manipulating circumstances to have Xing Shao reassigned to a distant governorship, an action that was scorned by the court ministers. Although Xu Dun had been in court for a long time and achieved a high rank in office, being colleagues with people like Xing Shao, Wei Shou, Yang Xiuzhi, Cui Jie, and Xu Zhicai, who engaged in discussions of classics, history, and poetry, often joking among themselves, Xu Dun could not participate in such elevated discussions and lacked substantial knowledge. Sometimes he would not say a word and at other times would just lean back in his chair to sleep, so those distinguished scholars looked down on him.
Zi Wenji served as a junior official during the Wu Ping period of Northern Zhou. His younger brother, Zi Wenjing, was diligent in his studies, principled, and never spoke frivolously or engaged in trivial pursuits. During the Wu Ping years of the Northern Zhou, he became an inspector in the palace. In the Kaohuang years of the Sui Dynasty, he served as an inspector and concurrently held the position of regular attendant in the Directorial Office, having once served as a deputy envoy to the Chen state, and later became the chief of the Bureau of Official Wine. He ultimately died while serving as the Long History official in Xiangzhou.
His brother, Zi Wenji, had an older brother named Zi Xun, styled Zhongrang, who was exceptionally talented. During the Qianming years of the Northern Zhou, he served as the governor of Pingyuan and was posthumously granted the title of governor of Xinzhu. Zi Xun's son, Zi Wengao, held a position in the Ministry of Works.
Yang Lie, styled Xinqing, was from Juping in Taishan. He was the eighth-generation descendant of Yang Xiu, the Grand Commandant of the Jin Dynasty, and the son of Yang Zhi, the prefect of Liangzhou during the Wei Dynasty. His father, Yang Lingzhen, had served as a deputy official in Yanzhou during the Northern Wei. Yang Lie was exceptionally bright from an early age, studied hard, and displayed a mature demeanor. He enjoyed reading and was articulate, gaining fame for his expertise in Daoist metaphysics. During the reign of Emperor Xiaochang of the Northern Wei, his cousin Yang Kan became a prefect and rebelled. Yang Lie secretly became aware of his plans and was very afraid that it would implicate his family, so he hurried to Luoyang with another cousin, Yang Dun, the prefect of Guangping, to report his rebellion. The court initially intended to reward him generously, but he said to others, “It's like sacrificing a hand to save the whole body; what is preserved is the most important. How could I profit from my cousin’s failure?” Therefore, he ultimately accepted no rewards.
Around the age of twenty, he was summoned by the local government to serve as a chief clerk and concurrently as a staff officer. The prefect appreciated his ability to get things done. Later, he became a military officer under the Grand Tutor Wang of Xianyang and was promoted to Assistant Minister. In the early years of Emperor Xianzong of the Northern Zhou, he served as a military officer in charge of the Department of Granaries. In the early years of Tianbao, he was appointed as the prince's infantry captain and light cavalry general, soon promoted to the rank of Langzhong of Bingzhou and later transferred to serve as an official under the Minister of Education, serving repeatedly in the Department of Rites and as a Langzhong for the left and right people, earning high praise wherever he served. In the ninth year of the Jian De era of Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou, he was appointed prefect of Yangping, where he achieved significant political accomplishments. At that time, locust plagues frequently occurred, but Yangping was the only region that remained untouched, and the court issued an edict to commend him for this. In the second year of the Huangjian era, he was promoted to Minor Minister of Rites, additionally granted the title of General Longxiang and the rank of Grand Justice of Yanzhou, and further promoted to General Pingnan. During the Tian Tong era, he was appointed as a High Minister and concurrently served as Minor Minister of Rites. In the Wuping era, he was appointed as a General of Cavalry and prefect of Yizhou, but soon returned to his hometown due to age and ill health. He passed away during the Daxiang era of the Northern Zhou.
The Lie family has been a family of scholars for generations, with women in the family being virtuous and well-known in the local area, and the widows in the family never choose to remarry. During the reign of Wei Taihe, the Lie family established a nunnery in Yanzhou for those widows without children to become nuns, who all adhered to the precepts and engaged in diligent practice. By the time of Lie Zu in the Tian Tong era, the Lie family and the scholar-official Bi Yiyun quarreled over the position of Yanzhou Dazhongzheng. Bi Yiyun, boasting of his esteemed family background, arrogantly said, “My ancestors have all been provincial governors, while your Lie family was merely subordinate officials to us!” The ancestors of the Lie family responded powerfully, “Since your ancestor Bi Gui was killed, your family has failed to produce any distinguished figures! The recent provincial governors have all risen from the battlefield; whoever is capable gets to hold the position, what is there to argue about? How can you compare to our family? Our family had a Henan Yin during the Han dynasty and a Taifu during the Jin dynasty, with reputation, virtue, knowledge, and conduct that have been celebrated for generations! Moreover, our men are upright and honest, and our women are chaste and proper; this is what we should truly take pride in, far better than those superficial things!” This statement can be said to have sharply ridiculed Bi Yiyun's family values.
Lie Zhi, a grandson of the Lie family, attained the rank of Zhongshu Ling in the Wei state. Lie Zhi's son, Lie Su, gained renown for his scholarship and held the position of ritual official in the Eastern Pavilion of the Grand General's residence. In the early years of Qianming, he held the position of Zhizhong in Jizhou. Later, when the Prince of Zhao took on the role of inspector-general, he dismissed Lie Su for being slow in his duties. However, the ministers in court believed that Lie Su had committed no wrongdoing, and he was quickly reinstated. In the early years of Tian Tong, he was promoted to the position of Changshi of Nanyanzhou. By the time of Wuping, he was reassigned to the Wenlin Academy to write, and later, he was appointed as the governor of Wude Prefecture.
Lie Xiu, the younger brother of the Lie family, was very talented and passed away while serving as the Left Minister during the Da Ning period. His son, Lie Xuanzheng, held the position of Deputy Director of the Imperial Workshop during the Wu Ping period and was appointed Deputy Minister of Civil Affairs during the Kaihuang period of the Sui Dynasty, and ultimately passed away while serving as the Governor of Longxi Prefecture.
Yuan Biao, known by his courtesy name Wenzong, was from Xiping Leidu. His father, Yuan, served as the Chief of the Imperial Secretariat and Minister of Works in the State of Wei, and was a renowned scholar. Wenzong was a diligent student from a young age and was quick-witted, earning him early fame. During the Yong'an period of Emperor Xiaozhuang of Wei, thanks to his father's accomplishments, he was granted the title of Earl of Linying County and appointed as a Gentleman of the Imperial Horse. In the fourth year of the Tianping era of the Western Wei Dynasty, he was appointed Grand Justice of Liangzhou. After his father's death, he resigned from his post to observe the mourning period.
When the initial years of the Wuding period of the Northern Zhou arrived, after his mourning period ended, the Ministry of Personnel recalled him to serve as the Secretary to the Minister of Education, and he was also promoted to the rank of General of Eastern Pacification. Later, Emperor Shizong personally selected officials, weeding out the incompetent ones, and Wenzong was appointed Director of the Ministry of Rites while continuing to serve as Secretary to the Minister of Education. He was subsequently promoted to Prince's Horsekeeper. By the first year of the Tianbao era, he was promoted to Prince's Chamberlain. In the early years of the Qianming era, he was assigned as Prefect of Fan Yang Prefecture. In the second year of the Huangjian era, he was appointed Inspector of Jingzhou.
Wenzong was a generous person, well-liked by the people, and the border regions enjoyed great peace; neighboring countries respected him greatly. Many people who had been plundered before were returned by him. In the early years of the Northern Zhou Tian Tong era, he returned to the court and served as the Minister of Personnel, later promoted to Deputy Censor-in-Chief, still responsible for selecting officials. Not long after, he was promoted to a Regular Attendant and concurrently served as the Minister of Personnel, also being granted the title of General of the Cavalry. At that time, the governor of Qinzhou, Song Song, passed away, and the court felt that Qinzhou was located at the border, so they sent Wenzong to manage Jingzhou. He performed excellently there and the court even sent an official to personally escort him to his new post, granting him a ceremonial escort. Wenzong's governance in Qinzhou was as outstanding as it had been in Jingzhou.
Once, when Li Xiaozhen visited the Chen dynasty, the emperor of the Chen dynasty said to him: "The Qi dynasty actually sent Yuan Jingzhou (referring to Yuan Biao) to Guabu; this is truly a sign of harmonious relations!" Later, Yuan Biao was further promoted to the position of Minister of the Three Departments of State. In the second year of Wuping, he was summoned back to the court to serve as the Grand Academician. Three years later, he was promoted to the Secretary Supervisor.
Wu Mingche led troops to attack Huainan, and Liyang and Guabu were quickly breached. Zhao Yanshen discreetly approached Emperor Wenzong and said, "That Wu Mingche is so arrogant to actually come here! I've always been overlooked, Zhao Yanshen, and I'm very anxious in my heart. Now, what should we do about Wu Mingche?"
The emperor asked him if he had any ideas. Zhao Yanshen said, "I am grateful for your majesty's generous favor, but I have not had the chance to repay it. I have some thoughts I must share. The court will certainly not easily entrust elite soldiers to generals; if only a few thousand soldiers are given, it will not be enough to confront the armies of Wu and Chu. Sending troops into battle would only serve as bait for the enemy. You know people like Wei Pohu well. We cannot take the initiative to attack, nor can we easily retreat; it's only a matter of time before we start losing battles. Your majesty can send and withdraw troops, and both the court and the people trust you. If there is even a slight hesitation, it will be too late to regret it afterward. We can't afford to delay any longer given the current situation. The state treats Huainan like weeds on the roadside. I believe the best approach is to give all authority to Wang Lin, to let him recruit 30,000 to 40,000 troops from Huainan. The locals share similar customs and habits, which makes it easier for them to follow him loyally. We should also bring in the veteran generals from Huabei with their troops; this way, we can secure Huainan. Moreover, Wang Lin has a poor relationship with Tan Xu, so he will definitely not surrender to Wu Mingche. I truly believe this is the best plan. If your majesty doesn't fully trust Wang Lin and sends others to hold him back, it will only lead to disaster faster, with serious consequences." Zhao Yanshen sighed and remarked, "My brother's strategy is excellent and could turn the tide, but unfortunately, after ten days of speaking, no one has listened. Now that the situation has developed to this point, what else is there to say?" After saying this, the two brothers embraced and wept bitterly. In the early years of the Sui Dynasty during the Kaihuang era, he was appointed as the governor of Juzhou, but he soon fell ill after arriving and had to resign. He passed away in the sixth year of Kaihuang, at sixty-six years old. Emperor Wenzong promoted him to court because he was a nobleman by birth and possessed great talent, strong skills, and shrewdness. However, he liked to mingle with the powerful, which led people to believe he was quite skilled at flattery.
His son Zhao Shi loved to study from a young age, was intelligent and capable, and had great insight, especially skilled in handling government affairs. In the early years of Heqing, he served as a military advisor to the Minister of War, and later held positions as an imperial censor, Deputy Minister of Rites, and Left Military Minister of the Ministry of War. During the Kaihuang period of the Sui Dynasty, he served as the Minister of Rites and the Deputy Minister of Assessment. In the early years of the Daye period of the Sui Dynasty, he passed away while serving as the Deputy Minister of Dali.
Wenzong's younger brother Wenzhu was also a capable person, serving as the Deputy Minister of Rites and a Senior Official with a rank of 2000 Stones, and the Prefect of Dingzhou, while also concurrently serving as the Governor of Zhongshan Commandery. He eventually passed away while serving as the Chief of Staff at the Grand Commandant's Office.
Wenzong's uncle Kai, whose courtesy name was Nayuan, was very capable and excelled in cursive and clerical script. He served as the Left Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, an imperial censor, the Governor of Changle and Zhongshan Commanderies, the Chief of the Capital, and the Palace Attendant, and was also awarded the title of General of the Three Departments.
After the fall of the Qi Dynasty, many prominent ministers in the court flocked to the capital of the Zhou Dynasty, such as Yuan Xiubo, the Minister of Revenue. He was a descendant of Emperor Wen of Wei, recognized for his integrity, simple lifestyle, broad knowledge, and sound principles. He held many important positions in his youth, such as Minister of the Interior, an imperial censor, Left Chief of Staff, and governor of several commanderies and prefectures, excelling in every role. Later, he became the Minister of Revenue, coinciding with a period of national turmoil, economic decline, and an empty treasury, coupled with heavy taxation and corvée labor. Xiubo was anxious and worried about the country as if it were his own family, empathizing with the hardships of the people, striving to solve the pressing issues facing the nation, frequently consulting with the chancellors and working diligently each day, collaborating with the Minister of the Interior, Tang Yong, to assist each other, achieving significant results. The Zhou Dynasty conferred upon him the title of General of the Three Departments and Grand Minister. His deeds were not recorded in historical accounts, so he was not included in the biographies.
In the late Qi Dynasty, there were also the Minister of the Interior from Bingzhou, Longxi Xin Tuan, and the Imperial Attendant from Changle, Pan Ziyi, both of whom were renowned for their exceptional talents. They later held high positions during the Zhou and Sui Dynasties.
In summary, Li Zhiliang and his peers have earned a distinguished reputation wherever they go due to their talents and abilities. In contrast, Feng Shu and his associates, driven by greed for wealth, ultimately brought ruin upon themselves through their stinginess; Ji Liang faced obstacles due to his limited knowledge; while Wen Zong became infamous for his sycophantic behavior. Therefore, the virtues of the two worthy individuals, Yang and Li, are worthy of our admiration. In both our personal and professional lives, we must exercise caution!
Praise: Only a handful of worthy individuals remain steadfast in their pursuits. In life, they are dressed in fine silk, but in death, they are wrapped in simple cloth. Feng, Yuan, and Xu ultimately became a burden to themselves.
