Let's first talk about the topic of the imperial relatives. Since the Han Dynasty, those royal relatives have seldom ended well; a look through historical records shows just how unfortunate they were and how often they rebelled. However, most of the imperial relatives during the Qi Dynasty managed to survive, with only Hu Changren suffering due to false accusations and Huli Guang being killed because of geographical circumstances, and neither of these were due to the fortunes of the empress's family. Next, I will narrate the story of the imperial relatives in the style of past historians.
First, let's talk about Zhao Meng, who hailed from the Tai'an Di people. His sister was the empress consort of Emperor Wenmu and gave birth to Prince Chen of Zhao. Zhao Meng was upright and highly capable. When Emperor Gaozu raised his army, he was promoted to the governor of Nanying Prefecture, but he later passed away.
Next is Lou Rui, whose courtesy name was Foren, and he was the nephew of Empress Wuming. His father, Lou Zhuang, was the southern minister of the Wei state. Lou Rui loved horseback riding and archery since childhood and was skilled in martial arts, having served as the commander of Emperor Gaozu's forces. He followed Emperor Gaozu to defeat Er Zhu Rong and gradually rose through the ranks, eventually becoming Chancellor and General of Cavalry. However, Lou Rui actually had no real abilities; he relied on his royal connections to gain favor and was infatuated with wealth and women, causing many to look down on him. During the Huangjian period, he was granted the title of Prince of Dong'an. When Gao Guiyan rebelled in Jizhou, the emperor dispatched Lou Rui to suppress the rebellion. Upon his return, he was appointed Grand Minister. Later, when the Zhou Dynasty army attacked Dongguan, Lou Rui led troops to provide assistance, winning several victories and capturing Zhou general Yang Ling among others. Consequently, he remained in Yuzhou for over a hundred days, plundering the wealth of the people and breaking the law, ultimately resulting in his dismissal. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed Grand Commandant and later passed away.
Er Zhu Wenchang was the fourth son of Er Zhu Rong and was initially granted the title of King of Changle. His sister was Empress Wei Xiaozhuang. After the Four Hu were eliminated, Emperor Gaozu (Emperor Xiaowen) welcomed the Er Zhu clan into the court, treating them with great favor, which resulted in Wenchang's appointment as the governor of Sizhou. His family was very wealthy, often entertaining guests, and leveraging their family status, they led an extravagant lifestyle. He maintained close relationships with figures such as Prime Minister Sima Renzhou, Chief Clerk Li Shilin, General Zheng Zhongli, and Fang Ziyuan. Outwardly, they seemed like nothing more than drinking buddies, but secretly, they plotted rebellion. In the Wei dynasty, there was an old custom to play the bamboo stick hitting game on the night of the Lantern Festival, where those who succeeded would receive rewards. Sima Renzhou instructed Zheng Zhongli to hide a knife in his trousers, intending to assassinate Emperor Gaozu during the festivities and then support Wenchang as emperor. However, a guest of the Renzhou family named Xue Jixiao tipped off Emperor Gaozu about this plot, and everyone involved in the conspiracy confessed. Since Wenchang's sister was the empress, only he faced punishment.
Er Zhu Wenchang's younger brother, Wen Lue, inherited the title of Prince of Liang because his elder brother Wen Luo had no sons. He should have faced repercussions due to his brother Wenchang's actions, but Emperor Gaozu showed him extra leniency. Wen Lue was intelligent and skilled in various arts. Emperor Shizong (Emperor Xiaowu) once had Zhang Yongxing ride on horseback and play the Hu pipa, performing over ten pieces in a row, and asked Wen Lue to remember the tunes. Surprisingly, Wen Lue managed to memorize eight of them. Emperor Shizong joked, “Smart people often don’t live long; you should be careful, Prince of Liang!” Wen Lue replied, “The length of life is in your hands.” Emperor Shizong sighed, “There’s no need to worry about that.” Previously, Emperor Gaozu had decreed that Wen Lue could be spared from execution, so he grew increasingly arrogant and frequently disdained others. Prince Pingqin had a prized horse valued at seven hundred li, and Wen Lue wagered a beautiful maid in exchange for the horse, winning it. The next day, when Prince Pingqin came to reclaim the maid, Wen Lue callously killed both the horse and the maid, sending the maid's head and the horse's carcass in two silver vessels to Prince Pingqin. Prince Pingqin reported this to Emperor Wenxuan, and Wen Lue was imprisoned in the great prison of the capital.
In prison, Wen Lue played the pipa, blew the flute, composed poetry and songs, and when he grew tired, lay down to sing elegies. After a few months, he even seized the guards' bows and arrows to shoot at people, saying, “Otherwise, the emperor won’t remember me.” After this incident was reported, Wen Lue was executed. Wen Lue had once given Wei Shou a great deal of gold, asking him to write a good biography for his father, and in that biography, Wei Shou compared Er Zhu Rong to Wei Xian, Peng Zu, Yi Yin, and Huo Guang; perhaps this was the reason for his fate.
Zheng Zhongli, from Kaifeng, Henan, was the son of an official named Yan who served in the Honglu Temple during the Wei Dynasty. He was bold and adventurous in his youth, and he was also very strong. Emperor Gaozu favored his sister, which made Zheng Zhongli a favored figure in the emperor's court and led to his promotion to the position of commander of the inner guard, essentially the chief guard beside the emperor. He frequently accompanied the emperor, carrying his bow and arrows. Later, Ren Zhou, a man who excessively drank and neglected his duties, was angrily criticized by Emperor Gaozu. Fearful, Ren Zhou conspired to rebel. Fortunately, Empress Wu Minglou interceded on his behalf, so when Zheng Zhongli passed away, his family was spared from any repercussions.
Li Zusheng, from Pingji, Hebei, was the brother of Empress Li, wife of Emperor Xianzhu. His father, Li Xizong, had once served as the governor of Shangdang County. Li Zusheng was very handsome, tall and leggy, and was known for his friendliness and helpfulness, as well as his impressive literary skills. He held the position of governor of Qizhou but ultimately fell victim to rebel forces. His brother, Li Zuxun, was appointed secretary after Emperor Xianzhu took the throne. Later, Li Zuxun's daughter became the Princess of Jinan, and he was promoted to chamberlain and given the title of Prince of Danyang. After the Princess of Jinan was deposed, he was demoted to governor of Guangzhou. Li Zuxun was known for his greed and laziness, while his wife from the Cui clan was arrogant and domineering, which caused people at the time to scorn them. Later, he was dismissed from his position due to repeated discoveries of embezzlement and bribery. Lacking any real talent, he depended solely on the empress's connections throughout his career, ultimately passing away without leaving any notable legacy.
Yuan Man was the stepson of the Grand Chancellor of the Wei dynasty, King Jiangyang, and the father of Empress Yuan, Emperor Suzong's wife. He once held the position of Minister of Ceremonies. In the tenth year of the Tianbao era, the court carried out a large-scale massacre of the Yuan clan. Emperor Suzong pleaded desperately for Yuan Man, which spared him from punishment, and he was granted the surname of Bu Liu Gu. Shortly after, he died of illness.
Hu Changren, whose courtesy name was Xiaolong, was from Linjing in Anding and was the brother of Empress Wucheng. His father, Hu Yanzhi, had served as the Minister of the Interior of the Wei state. Hu Changren rose through the ranks and eventually became the Right Chancellor. After the death of Emperor Shizu, he participated in court affairs and was granted the title of King of Longdong.
Hu Changren was particularly close to Zou Xiaoyu, the Left Minister, and two others, Junior Minister Lu Renhui and Lu Yuanliang. Every time Hu Changren attended court, Zou Xiaoyu would follow him, acting as if they were equals. With numerous court affairs and mountains of documents, over a hundred officials sought Hu Changren's instructions daily. Zou Xiaoyu would seize quiet moments to have private discussions with Hu Changren, and after court, he would continue to follow him, while Lu Renhui and Lu Yuanliang would seize the opportunity to join them in discussing official matters. Contemporaries referred to the three of them as "the Three Flatterers." Hu Changren also liked to secretly attend private gatherings and enjoy leisure activities.
Zou Xiaoyu encouraged Hu Changren to seek higher positions. He Shikai, who disapproved of their group, reported them to the emperor, resulting in Zou Xiaoyu's demotion to governor of Zhangwu County, while Lu Renhui and the others were also expelled. Zou Xiaoyu then told Hu Changren, "Wang Yang is bedridden, and He Shikai will definitely go to visit him. At that time, we can kill him. Even if the Empress Dowager learns of it, you'll likely lose your position within a hundred days at most, and then I can take your place." When He Shikai learned of their plot, he demoted Zou Xiaoyu to an even more distant place—Beiyingzhou, Jiande County, to take up the governorship.
Later, Hu Changren, relying on his status as a royal relative, became increasingly arrogant and unrestrained, fearless in the face of trouble. He had He Shikai appointed governor of Qizhou. Hu Changren was dissatisfied and secretly plotted to assassinate He Shikai, but his plot was uncovered, leading to his execution. Not long after, the emperor made Hu Changren's daughter the empress and bestowed him posthumous honors. He and his brothers, seven people in total, were all granted titles of nobility, and the Hu family quickly rose to prominence and power.
My ancestor was Changcan. His father was Sengjing, the uncle of Emperor Xiaojing of Wei, who held the high position of Sikong. Changcan was clever and intelligent from a young age, and because of his royal connections, he initially served as a courtier and was later promoted to Huangmen Shilang. After the emperor ascended the throne, Changcan was ordered to enter and exit the palace with Huangmen Feng Zicong, specifically tasked with handling memorials.
After Emperor Shizu passed away, he engaged in state affairs alongside General Lou Dingyuan, Minister Zhao Yanshen, He Shikai, Gao Wenyao, General Qilian Meng, Gao Anagong, and Minister Tang Yong, and were collectively known as the "Eight Nobles." Later, Lou Dingyuan and Gao Wenyao left the court, while Tang Yong was in charge of foreign military affairs, and Qilian Meng and Gao Anagong managed military power. Changcan stayed close to the emperor, tasked with delivering imperial edicts and accompanied the emperor to Jinyang.
After the emperor ascended the throne, he grew older and entrusted many matters to Changcan, who faithfully assisted the emperor, earning him a solid reputation, eventually being promoted to Shizhong. His brother Changren always wanted to enter the core power structure of the court and wished to become a minister, but the emperor refused. Changren believed Changcan was standing in his way and harbored deep resentment towards him. Thus, Changren went to the empress dowager to complain, revealing Changcan's private affairs and demanding that Changcan be assigned to a local post. The emperor had no choice but to agree.
Chang Can was appointed as the prefect of Zhao Prefecture. When he was about to leave, he broke down in tears, and the emperor felt a deep sense of regret. Once he arrived in Zhao Prefecture, he washed his hair but could barely lift his hands and was unable to speak; he soon passed away.
