Guanping Gong Sheng was Gao Huan's (Emperor Shenwu) great-uncle. He was generous and had the demeanor of an elder. When Gao Huan raised his army in Xindu, he appointed him as the Grand Marshal of the Central Army and granted him the title of Duke of Guangping. Later, he rose to the positions of Minister of Personnel and Grand Commandant. In the third year of Tianping, he died in office. After his death, he was posthumously awarded the titles of Grand Tutor, Grand Commandant, and ceremonial yellow seal, and was appointed to handle the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel. He had no sons, so his brother's son, Yuan Yuant, inherited his title. In the early years of the Tianbao era, his title was later changed to King of Pingchang, and he ultimately died in Weizhou.
Yangzhou Gong Yongle was the son of Gao Huan's distant cousin. In the early years of Taichang, he was granted the title of Count of Yangzhou and later promoted to duke. He rose through the ranks and eventually became the Governor of Beiyuzhou. During the Incident at Heyin, Minister Gao Ang retreated after defeat. Yongle defended the southern city of Heyang. Gao Ang came to request that the gates be opened, as the pursuing army of Western Wei was approaching, but Yongle refused to open the gates, which led to Gao Ang's capture by the Western Wei army. Gao Huan was furious and punished him with two hundred strokes. Later, Yongle was removed from his position as Inspector of Yuzhou, and he left no inheritance behind. When Gao Huan asked him what had happened, he said, "Pei Jian and Xin Gongzheng were serving as my Chief Clerk and Deputy Chief, and they are very honest; they won't even accept wine and meat." Gao Huan then appointed Yongle as Inspector of Jizhou, allowing Pei Jian and Xin Gongzheng to continue serving as his Chief Clerk and Deputy Chief. Gao Huan advised Yongle, "Be cautious about greed in the future; don't hesitate to accept small favors." After Yongle arrived in Jizhou, Pei Jian and Xin Gongzheng advised him not to engage in corruption, but he did not listen. They reported this matter to Gao Huan. Gao Huan showed the memorial to Yongle, which helped him see that these two were quite honorable, and he subsequently promoted them both. Yongle ultimately died in Jizhou. After his death, he was posthumously honored with the titles of Grand Tutor and Grand Commandant, and was appointed to handle the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel, receiving the posthumous name Wuzhao. He also had no sons, and his cousin Sizong's second son, Xiao Xu, succeeded him. In the early years of the Tianbao era, his title was later changed to King of Xiucheng County.
Zhang Bi, known as A Ga, was the younger brother of Yongle. He was known for his rough personality and for causing trouble throughout the city. He enjoyed fighting, earning him the nickname "A Ga Lang Jun" among the people. Due to his royal lineage, he was appointed as the Guangwu King. At that time, there was a Taoist named Tian En, who was notorious for his fierce demeanor and arrogant behavior on the streets. He later joined Zhang Bi's ranks, specializing in brawls. Emperor Wenxuan (Gao Yang) arrested them all and imprisoned them. Tian En and more than ten of his associates were all executed, while Zhang Bi received a punishment of a hundred strokes. He was later appointed as the governor of Nanyingzhou, but inexplicably fled and defected to the Turks, and his fate remains unknown.
Xiangle King, whose name was Xianguo, was the younger brother of the founding emperor. To be honest, he lacked any remarkable talents but was known for his honesty and kindness. In the first year of Tianbao in Northern Qi, he was granted the title of Xiangle King because of his royal status, and his official position advanced to Right Guard General. He later passed away peacefully.
Shangluo King, whose name was Sizong, was the nephew of the founding emperor. He was known for his gentle nature and had some military skills. During the Tianbao period of Northern Qi, he was appointed as the Shangluo County King. Later, he advanced to the ranks of Minister of Works and Grand Tutor, and he passed away while in office.
Ziyuan Hai Guan Yue continued his ascent through the ranks and eventually became the Cavalier In Regular Attendance. He originally wanted to retreat to the mountains to study Buddhist scriptures, and Emperor Wenxuan agreed. So he went to Linluo Mountain, where he lived for two years, completely isolating himself from worldly affairs. However, he could not persist and requested to return to the court. The court allowed him to return to his original position, but he began to indulge himself once more, drinking, seeking pleasure, and taking numerous concubines. He was later promoted to General of the Army; despite his limited abilities, he had ambitious aspirations and often considered himself quite strategic.
During the reign of Emperor Xiaozhao, as his reign was nearing its end, Emperor Xiaozhao went to Jinyang, while Prince Wucheng stayed in Ye Cheng, and Ziyuan Hai was left as a confidential attendant in charge of secret affairs. Initially, when Emperor Xiaozhao executed Yang Yin and the others, he told Prince Wucheng, "Once the matter is done, I will appoint you as the Crown Prince." However, after Emperor Xiaozhao ascended the throne, he let Prince Wucheng command the troops in Ye Cheng and appointed Zibainian as the Crown Prince, which left Prince Wucheng feeling very aggrieved. Previously, Emperor Xiaozhao had left Prince Jinan in Ye Cheng, appointed General Shedi Fuli as the Governor of Youzhou, and appointed Hulufengle as the General of the Army, in order to weaken Prince Wucheng's power. However, Prince Wucheng kept Shedi Fuli there, refusing to let him take orders from Hulufengle.
Later, Prince Wucheng and Prince Xiaoyu of Henan pretended to go hunting while secretly plotting, and then returned discreetly. At that time, a children's rhyme was circulating among the people: "In Zhongxing Temple, there is a white rooster, listening stealthily from all directions; the Taoist priest heard it at midnight and rang the bell." At that time, the Prime Minister's Office was in the North City, which used to be Zhongxing Temple. The white rooster referred to Prince Wucheng's nickname Buluogu, the Taoist priest referred to Prince Jinan's nickname, and ringing the bell indicated the implication of impending death. Later, the Court Historian reported that the presence of imperial energy was reported in the North City. Emperor Xiaozhao interpreted this as a sign of Prince Jinan's impending arrival, so he sent Prince Pingqin to Ye Cheng to receive Prince Jinan in Bingzhou.
King Wucheng went to Ziyuan Hai to ask how he could ensure his safety. Ziyuan Hai said, "You don’t need to worry, Your Highness. The Empress Dowager is healthy, and the Emperor is filial." King Wucheng replied, "Is my sincere heart all just a façade?" Ziyuan Hai asked for a night to think it over. King Wucheng left Ziyuan Hai in the inner hall. Ziyuan Hai spent the whole night pacing back and forth by the bedside. As dawn approached, King Wucheng suddenly came out and asked, "Have you figured out a solution?" Ziyuan Hai said, "I've thought of three strategies, but I'm afraid they might not be very effective." Then he told the story of Prince Xiaowang of Liang fearing being killed and fleeing to Guanzhong, suggesting that King Wucheng bring a few men to Jin Yang, first plead with the Empress Dowager, then ask the Emperor for mercy, request to give up military power, and offer his life as a sacrifice to withdraw from court politics. This is the best course of action. If that doesn't work, he could submit a memorial claiming that his power is excessive and might draw criticism, requesting an appointment as the governor of Qingzhou and Qizhou, and keep a low profile to avoid trouble. This is the middle strategy. King Wucheng asked what the worst option would be, and Ziyuan Hai said, "Speaking out could get you executed!" King Wucheng pressed for more details, and Ziyuan Hai said, "The Prince of Jinan is the legitimate heir by heredity, and the Emperor seized his position under the pretext of the Empress Dowager's order. Now gather all civil and military officials, present the Emperor's edict, capture Hulü Fengle, kill the Prince of Ping Qin, enthrone the Prince of Jinan, issue orders to the world, and use the name of righteousness to suppress the rebels; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" King Wucheng was thrilled to hear this but hesitated and ultimately decided against it.
He again asked Zheng Daoqian for divination, and the results all said, "It is not advisable to start a war. It is auspicious to watch the changes quietly." He also summoned Cao Wei's ancestor and inquired about national affairs. The ancestor of Cao Wei said, "There will be signs of great calamity." At that time, there was a county magistrate named Pan in Linluo County who understood divination. He secretly told King Wucheng, "The royal carriage is about to meet its end, and Your Highness will become the ruler of the world." King Wucheng locked him up, biding his time for the right moment. He also had sorcerers divine, and most of them said there was no need to start a war, and there would naturally be great joy. Finally, King Wucheng issued an edict and only took a few hundred cavalry to escort King Jinan to Jinyang.
After Emperor Xiaozhao died, Emperor Wucheng ascended to the throne and dismissed Yuan Hai from his official position, appointing him as a courtier, an official with the rank of "Governor of Three Offices," and a prince's counselor. In the second year of Heqing, Yuan Hai was given sixty lashes after being accused by He Shikai. Emperor Wucheng scolded him, "When you were in Ye City, you actually said my brother was going to rebel, that was incredibly unjust! The military forces in Ye City confronted Bingzhou, which was too brainless! You're neither loyal nor clever—how can I possibly trust you?" He then demoted Yuan Hai to the governor of Yanzhou. Yuan Hai's wife was the niece of Lu Taiji, so he was reinstated shortly after.
During the Wuping era, he and Zu Ting jointly controlled the court. Yuan Hai often told Zu Ting Lu Taiji's secret messages. Zu Ting wanted to be the general of the army, but Yuan Hai wasn't on board, so Zu Ting told Lu Taiji what Yuan Hai had told him. When Lu Taiji caught wind of this, she got furious and demoted Yuan Hai to be the governor of Zhengzhou. When Ye City was about to be lost, the court called him back to serve as the Minister of the Left. In the seventh year of Zhou Jiande, Yuan Hai hatched a rebellion in Ye City and ended up getting killed. Yuan Hai was a troublemaker who thrived on chaos, but he put on a façade of kindness, avoiding alcohol and meat.
During the Tianbao era under Emperor Wenxuan, Yuan Hai especially believed in those unorthodox beliefs, to the point where even livestock sacrifices at ancestral temples were abandoned, all of which were his ideas. Later, when he became the Right Minister, he advised the emperor to prohibit the slaughter of livestock and the sale of alcohol. In reality, he never truly intended to play by the rules, so in the end, he failed. Emperor Si had a younger brother called Si Hao.
Speaking of Si Hao, he was originally from the Hao clan of the Northern Wei royal family. He was on brotherly terms with Emperor Si, who was not particularly kind to him. When he was young, Si Hao trained in horseback riding and archery under Emperor Wenxiang (Gao Huan). When Emperor Wenxuan (Gao Yang) ascended to the throne, Si Hao was appointed Grand General of the Left Guard. His original name was Si Xiao, but in the fifth year of Tianbao, when he went to fight against the Rouran, Emperor Wenxuan was impressed by his bravery and remarked, "You fight as fiercely as an eagle catching a sparrow; you should change your name to 'Si Hao'!" So he changed his name to Si Hao. Later, he rose through the ranks to become Minister of Works, Governor of Shuozhou Circuit, Inspector of Shuozhou, General of Opening the Treasury, and Prince of Nan'an, and he was greatly loved by the people in the border regions.
Later, during the reign of Emperor Xiaozhao (Gao Yan), a fellow named Xu Guangbian was ordered to Shuo Prefecture. Sihao respectfully welcomed him, but Xu Guangbian was arrogant and disrespectful, which led Sihao to harbor resentment. In the fifth year of the Wuping era, Sihao finally raised an army to rebel. He wrote a letter to the ministers in Bingzhou, saying: "The Emperor is still young and lives in the deep palace, completely oblivious to people's true intentions. Those treacherous scoundrels take the opportunity to get close to him, while loyal ministers are alienated. As a result, those who should be executed hold high positions, while despicable and shameless individuals wield power in the court. They oppress the common folks and rob the markets, and the Emperor ignores loyal advice, only knowing how to indiscriminately slaughter the innocent. The Emperor even neglects his own mother in the deep palace, failing in his duty as a son; he cruelly killed his own brother, without a shred of brotherly love. What's worse, the Emperor's son steals horses from others at the East Gate, while Xu Guangbian catches eagles for fun at the West Market. Even characters like Bo Long can land the position of Yitong Sansi, living it up and enjoying the perks of a county lord, while those sycophants all hold high positions and live in luxury. The common folks can’t take this suffering anymore; I, Sihao, have no option but to rise up! Prince Rui of Zhao (Gao Rui) is a member of the royal family, and the weighty responsibility of the state is on his shoulders, along with the Left Chancellor Huli Mingyue, who have served the court for generations and are well-respected, yet were unjustly killed. As a royal family member who once enjoyed the Emperor's favor, I now lead the righteous army to get rid of the treacherous folks around the Emperor. I hope you all understand my grievances and have no doubts about my intentions." This letter was penned by Wang Xing, a lang of the xingtai.
It is said that Gao Sihao is very arrogant, self-styled Grand Prime Minister! He appointed himself a number of officials and even made Wang Shangzhi the Chief Historian; it's utterly outrageous. Over in Jinyang, Zhao Hai, commander of the Wuwei guards, was in charge of the troops. The situation was urgent at the time, and there was no time to report to the court, so they took the initiative to resist Gao Sihao. The soldiers remarked, "When Prince Nan'an arrives, we'll just shout 'Long live the Prince' to greet him!" When the emperor heard about this, he quickly ordered Tang Yong, Modolou Jingxian, Liu Taozhi, and She Dishiwen to Jinyang, and he himself followed with the troops. As a result, Gao Sihao was defeated, and he and Xing Si jumped into the water to commit suicide. His two thousand men were surrounded by Liu Taozhi, who both fought and tried to persuade them to surrender, but these people just refused to surrender and ended up dying in battle. While on the way, the emperor had Nushi'an send the battle report back to Pingdu from Jinyang, but halfway there, he ran into Husi Xiaqing. Xiaqing deceived Nushi'an into joining him for a meal, then he ran to the palace to report the news, which made the emperor very happy, and the entire court shouted 'Long live!' for a long time. Finally, Nushi'an finally clarified the situation. The emperor said, "You sent a message, but did you have to have a meal too?" So Xiaqing was rewarded and Nushi'an was pardoned. Gao Sihao's body was left on the street for seven days before being dealt with; then the body was flayed and then cremated. Wang Shangzhi was executed in Ye City, and Gao Sihao's concubine was shot by a eunuch in the palace and then burned. Five months before Gao Sihao rebelled, someone had already reported him for treason. Han Changluan's daughter married Gao Sihao's son, so Han Changluan said that someone was falsely accusing those high-ranking officials; the situation escalated to the point where it could only be resolved by his ex
Let's talk about Prince Pingqin Wang Guiyan, whose style name is Renying, and he is a cousin of Gao Huan. His father, Gui Hui, was sentenced to exile in Liangzhou for a crime during the late Wei dynasty. While traveling between the He and Wei rivers, he was ambushed by bandits, but later he was pardoned from his exile due to his military accomplishments. He stayed in Hezhou for several years and, because he could speak the Hu language, was appointed as an envoy to the Western Regions. He even brought back a lion from the Hu people as a tribute to the court, which led to him being appointed as the General of Hedong. Unfortunately, he passed away shortly thereafter. Gui Hui shared a particularly close relationship with Gao Huan. After Gao Huan subdued Jingluo, he received Gui Hui's remains and buried him with elaborate ceremonies, posthumously granting him the title of Situ and the posthumous name Wenzhuan.
Initially, Gao Guiyan's father, Gao Hui, visited Chang'an and became romantically involved with a woman named Wang, who gave birth to him. By this time, Gao Guiyan was already nine years old. When his father Gao Yang (the Shunwu Emperor) saw him, he felt both joy and sorrow. Later, Gao Yang promoted him to the governor of Xuzhou. Gao Guiyan was quite honest and straightforward as a child, but later his character underwent a drastic change; he became indulgent and particularly fond of pleasure, singing and drinking all day long. His wife was the daughter of Wang Yuantianmu of the Wei state. Although she was not particularly beautiful, she was extremely jealous and often quarreled with Gao Guiyan. She even secretly wrote letters to Emperor Wenzhuan, wanting to divorce Gao Guiyan, but her attempts were unsuccessful.
In the first year of the Tianbao era, Gao Guiyan was granted the title of Prince Pingqin. His biological mother and the woman Wang were both granted the title of Tai Fei. Gao Guiyan treated both mothers very well and was particularly filial, gaining a strong reputation. Later, he was appointed to a concurrent ministerial position and gained increasing favor from the emperor. Due to his successes in the campaign against Hou Jing, he was subsequently granted the title of Duke of Changle and became the Grand General. The position of Grand General gained significant importance with Gao Guiyan. After Emperor Wenzhuan executed Gao Dezhen, he bestowed all of Gao Dezhen's gold and silver treasures upon Gao Guiyan. In the early years of the Qianming era, Gao Guiyan was appointed as Situ and was also responsible for overseeing the Imperial Guards.
At first, Gao Guiyan journeyed from Jinyang to Ye City. Yang Yin, acting on the emperor's orders, quietly stationed five thousand troops in the west to prepare for emergencies. A few days after arriving in Ye City, Gao Guiyan learned of this and began to harbor resentment towards Yang Yin and Yan Ziwen. Yang Yin and Yan Ziwen wanted to eliminate the two princes and came to ask Gao Guiyan for his opinion. Gao Guiyan feigned delight and said he would discuss it with Yuan Hai. Yuan Hai appeared to agree but inwardly disagreed and quickly sent someone to inform Prince Changguang, Gao Zhan. As a result, Prince Changguang killed Yang Yin, Yan Ziwen, and others. When Emperor Xiaozhao (Gao Yan) wanted to enter Yunlong Gate, the commander, Cheng Xiuning, blocked his path and did not allow him to enter. Gao Guiyan persuaded him, which ultimately permitted Emperor Xiaozhao to enter. It was the same when entering Baige and Yongxiang. After Emperor Xiaozhao ascended the throne, he held Gao Guiyan in even higher regard; every time he entered the palace, Gao Guiyan was above Prince Pingyuan, Duan Shao. Emperor Xiaozhao appointed him as Minister of State and concurrently as the Minister of Personnel. According to the system of the Qi Dynasty, only the emperor could wear a silk hat in the palace, while ministers wore military hats. Emperor Xiaozhao made an exception and granted Gao Guiyan a silk hat to show his favor.
After Emperor Xiaozhao died, Guiyan went from Jinyang to Ye City to welcome Emperor Wucheng. After Emperor Wucheng ascended the throne, he promoted Guiyan to Grand Tutor and concurrently held the position of Minister of Education, also making an exception allowing him to bring three personal bodyguards and wear a sword to court. Upon Emperor Wucheng's return to the capital, the high-ranking officials and nobles vied to curry favor with him. Wherever he went, the atmosphere instantly became lively, and everyone wanted to get close to him. Because of his high status and great power, Guiyan became a bit arrogant, acting as though he were above everyone else, being very overbearing and domineering. Many people were discussing that he had too much power and held a disdainful attitude towards everyone, and it was only a matter of time before trouble would arise. The emperor also began to revisit his past misdeeds and gradually grew suspicious of him. Gao Yuanhai, Bi Yiyun, Gao Qian, and others frequently brought his actions to the emperor's attention.
One day, the emperor went to Gu Yan's house as a guest and asked Wei Shou to draft an edict on the spot, intending to promote him and appoint him as Chancellor. Wei Shou quickly told Gao Yuanhai, "The emperor originally intended for the position of Chancellor to symbolize his ascension to the throne. Now that Gu Yan has grown too powerful, the emperor has removed him from the position. How can he be given this position again?" So, the emperor changed Gu Yan's title to Grand Preceptor and Governor of Ji Province and then instructed Gao Gan and his team to draft the edict. During the day, the emperor specifically instructed the palace guards to prevent Gu Yan from entering the palace without permission. At that time, Gu Yan was heavily intoxicated at home, sleeping for several days straight, until the next morning when he intended to attend court. He found out at the palace gate that the emperor had ordered him not to enter the palace, and he quickly turned back and went home. Later, Gu Yan sent a formal apology card, and the emperor ordered him to leave the capital quickly, rewarding him with a substantial amount of money, musicians, and medical supplies, ensuring that all arrangements were made properly. The emperor also ordered the military officers and generals to escort him all the way to Qingyang Palace before he was allowed to depart. Along the way, no one dared to speak with him. Only Prince Rui of Zhao County exchanged a few words with him, and no one knew what they talked about at that time.
Upon arriving in the province, Gu Yan felt restless and began plotting a rebellion. He planned to wait until military affairs were settled, settle the rewarded soldiers, and then, like when he marched to Jinyang, exploit the court's vulnerability to attack Ye City. Consequently, his Langzhongling, Lu Sili, reported this plan, and the emperor ordered King Duan Shao of Pingyuan to lead a campaign against him. Gu Yan had previously established a secret outpost in the south, and upon hearing the news that the army was coming to besiege him, he immediately reported the situation and then defended the city.
Earlier, Yu Wen Zhongluan, the Chief Official of Jizhou, Sima Li Zuyi, Chen Jiqiu, the Attendant, Fang Zibi, the Middle Official, Wei Puxing, the Prefect, and others suspected Gui Yan of having rebellious intentions, so they wrote a joint letter to secretly report him. Gui Yan later arrested them; not only did he ignore their advice, but he also killed all five. The army was already closing in on the city, and Gui Yan climbed the city wall and shouted, "When Emperor Xiaozhao had just died, a million troops were under my command. I personally led the troops to meet Your Majesty at Ye City, and at that time I did not rebel; why would I have any other intentions today? What I truly hate are Gao Yuanhai, Bi Yiyun, and Gao Qian; they deceived the Emperor and marginalized loyal officials. If these three are killed, I will immediately take my own life on the city wall!"
Eventually, the city was breached. Gui Yan fled north alone on horseback but was captured upon reaching Jiajin and escorted to Ye City. The Emperor instructed Prince Rui of Zhao to privately inquire about the reason for his rebellion. Gui Yan said, "How could I not rebel when those brats are leading me by the nose?" The Emperor asked, "Who are those brats?" Gui Yan replied, "Gao Yuanhai and Gao Qian—how can they be considered senior officials of the court? If they were like the old ministers of the Zhao family, how could I hold a grudge?" The Emperor then tried to persuade him once more. Gui Yan said, "Gao Yuanhai received Bi Yiyun's house, was appointed as the provincial governor, and even had a band at the rear. As a Prince and Grand Preceptor, I don’t even have my own band; I just want to kill Yuanhai and Yiyun!"
The Emperor ordered Commander Liu Taozhi to bring him in. Gui Yan still spoke as before, trying to find a way out. The Emperor ordered a trial, and everyone said he could not be pardoned. Ultimately, they used a prisoner cart to transport Gui Yan, had him bite down on a wooden block, tied his hands behind his back, and Liu Taozhi held a knife before him, drumming as they marched. Gui Yan and his fifteen descendants were executed. After his death, he was posthumously honored as the Provincial Governor of Renzhou.
During the Wei Dynasty, a landslide occurred, and two horn-shaped stones were dug out from the mountain, which were then kept in the military storehouse. Later, Emperor Wenxuan entered the military storehouse and rewarded the officials and soldiers who followed him with weapons, specifically giving these two horn-shaped stones to Gui Yan. Emperor Wenxuan said to Gui Yan, "If you go to Changshan to fight, you won't return; but if you go to Changguang to fight, you will come back alive. If you come back alive, use these two horns to frighten the Han!" Gui Yan had three prominent ridges on his forehead, which made wearing a hat uncomfortable. Emperor Wenxuan once saw this and was very angry, so he struck Gui Yan's forehead with a horsewhip, leaving him bleeding profusely, saying, "If you come back alive, use the bones on your forehead to scare the Han!" Eventually, Gui Yan returned alive, just as Emperor Wenxuan had predicted.
Prince Pu of Wuxing, also known as Deguang, was Gui Yan's brother Gui Yi's son. He had a generous and mild temperament. At the age of nine, he came to Luoyang from Hezhou with Gui Yan, and at that time Emperor Shenwu even let him play with his own sons. In the early years of the Tianbao period, he was appointed as the Prince of Wuxing County. In the second year of Wuping, his official position continued to rise, ultimately becoming the Minister of Construction. He was later appointed as the Prefect of the Yuzhou Circuit. Later, when the last Northern Qi emperor fled to Ye City, Pu was promoted to Grand Preceptor. When the Zhou army approached Ye City, he surrendered. He ultimately passed away in Chang'an and was posthumously honored as Upper Household and Inspector of Yuzhou.
Changle Commandant Lingshan, styled Jingsong, was a distant cousin of Emperor Shenwu. He had been with Emperor Shenwu since the uprising in Xindu and eventually became the Commandant of Changle. After his death, he was posthumously honored as Grand General and Minister of Construction, receiving the posthumous title of Wenxuan. His son Lingyi died while serving as a military officer in Wuping Town without having any sons, so Emperor Wenxuan appointed Lingshan's paternal cousin, the Inspector of Qizhou, Jianguo, as his heir.
Fu Hu, courtesy name Chen Yuan, though he had a basic understanding of literature, cannot be considered a true scholar. In the early years of the Tian Tong era, he continuously rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the Deputy Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. Fu Hu served in several dynasties and was involved in crucial state matters, but he had a deep-seated addiction to alcohol, frequently getting drunk and making errors. In his later years, his drinking escalated to the extent that he would sometimes go days without eating, devoting himself entirely to drinking, leading to disorientation, and ultimately succumbing to his alcoholism. After his death, he was posthumously awarded the title of Governor of Yanzhou. His title was inherited by his grandson Fu Yi, who had been quite prudent since childhood. At the end of the Wu Ping era, he served as the Deputy Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. During the Kaihuang reign of the Sui Dynasty, he achieved the rank of Minor Minister of Finance but later met his demise due to misconduct.
