Prince Xiaoyu of Henan Kangshu, Prince Xiaoheng of Guangning, Prince Xiaowan of Hejian, Prince Xiaoguan of Lanling Wugong, Prince Yanzong of Ande, and Prince Shaoxin of Yuyang, these six are all sons of Emperor Wenxiang of the Northern Qi dynasty. Prince Xiaowan of Hejian was born to Empress Wenjingyuan, Prince Xiaoyu of Henan was born to Lady Song, Prince Xiaoheng of Guangning was born to Lady Wang, the identity of Prince Changgong of Lanling's mother is not recorded, Prince Yanzong of Ande was born to Lady Chen, and Prince Shaoxin of Yuyang was born to Lady Yan.
Let's first talk about Prince Xiaoyu of Henan Kangshu, whose courtesy name is Zhide. He is the eldest son of Emperor Wenxiang. He was initially titled Duke of Henan Commandery, but after Emperor Gao Yang of the Northern Qi dynasty seized power, he was promoted to the rank of prince. Later, he also held high positions such as Minister of the Central Secretariat and Governor of Sizhou. He grew up in the Shenwu Palace, playing together with Gao Yang since childhood and having a particularly good relationship. When Gao Yang wanted to kill Yang Yin and others, Xiaoyu was also involved in the planning. After Gao Yang became emperor, he treated Xiaoyu with great favor. Once, when Gao Yang was in Jinyang, he even wrote a letter to Xiaoyu: "I had two good drinks by the Fen River; you should also have two drinks in Ye City!" This shows just how close their relationship was. Xiaoyu was tall, strong, handsome, humble, and kind-hearted. He also enjoyed reading and had an exceptionally fast reading speed, able to comprehend ten words at a time, and he never made mistakes in chess. Previously, Emperor Wenxiang built many gardens to the east of Ye City, and the customs of the time reflected this trend. Xiaoyu also built a waterside pavilion, dragon boat, and raised flags in his own home, often inviting his brothers to feast, drink, shoot arrows, and play together. When Gao Yang visited his house and saw these, he also liked them very much, which led to the palace becoming lively, with everyone following his example.
Gaoyang often had Heshikai play chess with Empress Hu. Xiaoyu cautioned him, "The Empress is the mother of the people; how can you go against the ministers?" Gaoyang listened to him. Later, Xiaoyu also mentioned that the death of Prince Zhaojun was abnormal and that he should not be approached. This caused both Heshikai and Gaoyang to harbor some misgivings about him. Heshikai secretly told Gaoyang that Xiaoyu was being too extravagant, and Gaoyang also heard that the common people in Shandong only knew of the Prince of Henan, not knowing who the Emperor was. Gaoyang started to feel wary of him.
There was a palace maid named Mo Nv, who served Gaoyang's mother. Xiaoyu was involved with her. Later, when the Crown Prince got married, Xiaoyu secretly talked to Mo Nv. Gaoyang was furious, drank 37 cups of wine in a single sitting, and gained so much weight that his waist measured ten spans. He ordered Xiaoyu to be placed in a carriage and poisoned him. When they arrived at Xihua Gate, Xiaoyu felt unwell and jumped into the water to take his own life. After his death, he was posthumously granted the titles of Grand Commandant and Director of the Imperial Secretariat, and his son Hongjie succeeded him in his titles.
Xiaoyu's mother was the granddaughter of Song Bian, the Minister of Personnel in the Wei Kingdom. Originally the Queen of King Bin of Yingchuan in the Wei Kingdom, she was later taken as a concubine by Emperor Wenxiang, who gave birth to Xiaoyu. After returning to her family home, Xiaoyu was honored with the title of Grand Concubine. Xiaoyu's wife was the daughter of the Lu family and the niece of Empress Hu, the wife of Emperor Wucheng. After Xiaoyu's death, Grand Concubine Song was framed by Xiaoyu's wife, Lu Fei, and subsequently executed by Emperor Wucheng.
Xiaoheng, Prince of Guangning, was the second son of Emperor Wenxiang. He held significant positions, including Governor of Sizhou, Prefect of the Imperial Secretariat, Minister of Works, Minister of War, Director of the Imperial Secretariat, Grand General, and Grand Marshal. Xiaoheng was very good at recognizing talents; his knowledge spanned the classics and histories, and he enjoyed writing and had considerable artistic talent. He once painted a portrait of a hawk on the wall of the hall, which looked so lifelike that onlookers believed it was real; he also painted portraits of officials in the court, which were regarded as some of the finest works of the era.
After the defeat in Jinzhou, the last emperor fled to Ye City and issued a decree for the princes and ministers to discuss countermeasures in Hangguang Hall. Xiaoheng believed that the enemy forces were strong, and flexibility was essential. He suggested that Prince Rencheng lead the army from Youzhou through Tumen Gate towards Bingzhou, with a grand march; he also suggested that Dugu Yongye lead the army from Luozhou towards Tongguan, marching towards Chang'an with great force. He himself requested to lead the troops from the capital region through Fukou to actively engage the enemy. If the enemy heard that armies were attacking from both the north and south, they would surely crumble. He also suggested rewarding the soldiers with treasures from the palace, but the emperor did not take this suggestion.
After Emperor Chengguang ascended the throne, Xiaoheng was appointed as the Grand Preceptor. Xiaoheng conspired with the Huyan clan, Modolu Jingxian, and Weixiangyuan. They agreed that on the fifth day of the first month, Xiaoheng would kill Gao Anagong at Qianqiu Gate, with Weixiangyuan coordinating with the Forbidden Army inside the palace, while the Huyan clan and Modolu Jingxian would lead troops from Youyu Garden to attack. However, Gao Anagong managed to enter the palace through a side gate, leading to the plan's failure.
Xiaoheng then requested to leave the city to resist the Western Wei army. He addressed Gao Anagong, Han Changluan, Chen Dexin, and the others, "The court does not send troops to fight the bandits. Are they afraid that I, Xiaoheng, will rebel? I defeated Yuwen Yong back then and entered Chang'an, making great contributions to the country. At this critical moment, you would suspect me like this!" Gao Anagong and Han Changluan were afraid that Xiaoheng would really rebel, so they demoted him to the position of Governor of Cangzhou.
In Cangzhou, Xiaoheng gathered five thousand troops and met with Prince Rencheng in Xindu to discuss plans to restore the dynasty. Prince Xian of the Zhou Dynasty attacked, but his forces were too weak to put up a fight. Xiaoheng shouted in anger, "It's all because of that villain Gao Anagong that I ended up in this situation!" Qi's traitor Qifu Ling stabbed Xiaoheng's horse with a long spear. His servant Baize protected him with his body, but Xiaoheng sustained multiple injuries and was ultimately captured.
King Qi Xian asked Xiaoheng the reason for the downfall of the Qi state. Xiaoheng described the country's difficult situation, becoming emotional with tears streaming down his face, yet he remained composed. King Qi Xian was moved by his demeanor, personally cleaned his wounds, applied medicine, and showed him great respect. Xiaoheng sighed and said, "Li Mushi once said that the Qi state could only last for twenty-eight years, and now it has indeed come true. Since the reign of Emperor Shenwu, none of my father, brothers, or siblings have lived to be forty years old. It's all just fate! The heir has no unique insights, the prime minister is not a pillar of the country; I truly regret not being able to control the military power, participate in national affairs, and fulfill my ambitions!"
Upon arriving in Chang'an, he was granted the title of Marquis of Kaifu as per tradition. Later, Emperor Zhou Wudi hosted a banquet in Yunyang for the officials of the Qi state, played the Hu pipa himself, and asked Xiaoheng to play the flute. Xiaoheng declined, saying, "The music of a fallen state is not worth hearing." Emperor Wudi insisted on him playing, and as Xiaoheng was about to put the flute to his lips, tears uncontrollably flowed down his face, sobbing incessantly, and only then did Emperor Wudi relent.
In October of that year, Xiaoheng's health deteriorated, and he requested to be buried in his hometown of Shandong. Emperor Wudi granted his request. Shortly after, he passed away and was later reinterred in Ye City.
Prince Hejian Xiaowan was the third son of Emperor Wenxiang and was granted the title of prince in the first year of the Tianbao era. During the Tiantong era, he was promoted all the way to the position of Minister of Works. It is said that when the Turks and the Western Wei army invaded Taiyuan, Emperor Wucheng wanted to flee east with the army. Xiaowan quickly stopped the emperor's horse, strongly urged him not to, and suggested handing over part of the army to Prince Zhaojun for command to ensure order. The emperor followed his advice. Just as Xiaowan was about to remove his helmet to prepare for battle, the emperor sent someone to call him back. After the Western Wei army withdrew, Xiaowan was appointed as the Inspector of Bingzhou.
Xiaowan, because he was the legitimate son of Emperor Wenxiang, was a bit proud and arrogant, with a bit of an air of superiority. When Prince Henan passed away, the other princes in the palace dared not make a sound; only Xiaowan wept loudly and then walked out. He was also dissatisfied with the ministers, so he made a straw figure and shot arrows at it. Shi Kai and Zu Jing seized the opportunity to slander him, saying, "He made a straw figure to allude to the emperor! Also, when the Turks attacked Bingzhou in the past, Xiaowan threw his helmet on the ground, saying 'I’m not some old lady; I don’t need to wear this stuff,' which clearly indicates he is defying the court!" In the early years of the Wei Dynasty, there was a rumor that spread: "Grains are sown in Henan, and life springs forth in Hebei, with the head of a white poplar tree and a golden rooster crowing." Zu Jing further fueled the rumors, saying, "Henan and Hebei refer to Hejian; the golden rooster crowing signifies that Xiaowan aims to establish a golden rooster to grant amnesty across the realm!" The emperor was somewhat convinced by it.
At that time, Xiaowan obtained a tooth relic and placed it in his own home. At night, the tooth relic would emit a sacred light. Zhaoxuan Dou Fashun wanted to report this to the emperor, but Xiaowan forbade it. When the emperor heard about it, he sent people to search Xiaowan's mansion and found hundreds of military flags and weapons. The emperor suspected Xiaowan was plotting a rebellion! So he questioned Xiaowan's concubines, and one of them, an unfavored concubine named Chen, falsely accused Xiaowan of painting a portrait of the emperor and weeping before it. In fact, it was a portrait of Emperor Wenxiang, and Xiaowan often wept in front of it. The emperor was furious and ordered General Heliangu Xuan to brutally whip Xiaowan with a horse whip. Xiaowan cried out "Uncle," and the emperor angrily said, "Who is your uncle? How dare you call me uncle?!" Xiaowan replied, "I am the legitimate grandson of Emperor Shenwu, the legitimate son of Emperor Wenxiang, and the nephew of Emperor Wei Xiaojing. Why can't I call you uncle?" The emperor became even angrier and broke both of Xiaowan's legs, resulting in his death. Initially, he was buried in Xishan, and only after the emperor's death was he reburied. His son, Zhenli, inherited the title and was intelligent from a young age, able to recite the "Spring and Autumn Annals of the Left." Later, when Northern Qi fell, Zhenli was relocated to Mianzhou, where he ultimately passed away.
Lanling Wang, originally named Gao Xiaoguan, was the fourth son of Emperor Wenxiang of Northern Qi. He rose through the ranks and eventually became the governor of Bingzhou. During a Turkic invasion of Jinyang, Lanling Wang fought valiantly. In the battle of Mangshan, he led five hundred cavalry troops as the commander of the central army, charging into the enemy camp and fighting all the way to the foot of Jinyang City, where he was heavily surrounded and in a dire situation. The soldiers atop the city walls didn’t recognize him until he removed his helmet, revealing his face. They quickly provided him with crossbow support, which led to a resounding victory. The soldiers even composed a song about it, which became known as the famous "Song of Lanling Wang’s Charge."
Later, Lanling Wang served as the governor of Sizhou, Qingying, and Erzhou, accumulating considerable wealth during this time. He was then appointed as Grand Commandant and, together with Duan Shao, attacked Baigu and captured Dingyang. After Duan Shao became ill, Lanling Wang took over his army. Thanks to his numerous military accomplishments, he was successively appointed as Marquis of Julu County, Marquis of Changle County, Marquis of Yueping County, Marquis of Gaoyang County, and so on. After the Battle of Mangshan, the last ruler of Northern Qi said to Lanling Wang, "You charged in too deep. If you had lost, you would have regretted it!" Lanling Wang replied, "I was thinking of my family." The Emperor grew wary of him for mentioning battlefield matters in terms of "family affairs" and began to fear him.
During his time in Dingyang, Wei Xiang said to Prince Lanling, "You are now a high-ranking official of the court; how can you be so corrupt?" Prince Lanling did not speak. Wei Xiang continued, "Is it because of the great victory at Mangshan that you are worried about the Emperor suspecting you because of your great achievements, so you deliberately engage in wrongdoing to cover your tracks?" Prince Lanling said, "Yes." Wei Xiang said, "If the court really suspects you, and you have made a mistake now, you will definitely be punished. Trying to protect yourself will only lead to disaster." Hearing this, Prince Lanling cried and knelt, pleading with Wei Xiang for advice on how to save his life. Wei Xiang said, "You've already made significant contributions and won battles; your prestige is now too high. You should feign illness and rest at home, and stop participating in military affairs." Prince Lanling agreed with his words, but still couldn't step back.
Later, a rebellion occurred in the Jianghuai region, and Prince Lanling was worried that he would be sent to fight again. He sighed, "My face was swollen last year; why hasn't it gone down yet?" From then on, he feigned illness and refused treatment. In the fifth month of the fourth year of Wuping, the Emperor sent Xu Zhifan to bring him poisoned wine. Prince Lanling said to his wife Zheng, "I have served the Emperor faithfully; how unfair it is that Heaven would treat me this way, wanting to poison me!" Zheng asked, "Why don’t you go see the Emperor?" Prince Lanling said, "How can I see the Emperor?" After saying this, he drank the poisoned wine and died. He was posthumously granted the title of Grand Commandant.
Prince Lanling is good-looking and strong, and has a great character. He is very caring and always shares good things with his soldiers, never keeping them for himself. When he first arrived in Yingzhou, his colleague Sun Jun falsely accused him of corruption, but Sun Jun was dismissed from his position. Later, when Lanling went to conquer Dingyang, Sun Jun was also present and feared retaliation. Lanling said he never intended to take revenge and instead deliberately gave Sun Jun a light punishment to ease his fears. Once, after his attendants left while he was at court, he returned alone without blaming anyone. Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi appreciated his achievements and wanted to buy him twenty concubines, but Lanling accepted only one. He burned all his IOUs before his death.
Prince Gaoyanzong of Ande was the fifth son of Emperor Wenxiang; his mother was a singing girl named Chen from the Guangyang Wang family. Raised by Emperor Wenxuan, at the age of twelve, he even urinated in his father's belly button while riding on him, with Emperor Wenxuan saying, "What a pity, I have only this one son." When asked what kind of king he wanted to be, he said he wanted to be the King of Heaven. Yang Yin suggested he be content with a feudal title, so he was named Prince Ande. While serving as the governor of Dingzhou, he defecated from a balcony, making people catch it in their mouths below. He also fed his subordinates a mixture of steamed pork and human feces, and whipped anyone who looked disgusted. When Emperor Xiaozhao heard of this, he sent Zhao Daode to punish him with one hundred lashes, which was later increased to one hundred and thirty due to his lack of remorse. He even used prisoners to test the sharpness of his swords. He committed many illegal acts. Eventually, he was whipped, and nine of his associates were killed on the orders of Emperor Wucheng, after which he genuinely repented.
Prince Lanling returned from a victorious battle at Mangshan and personally reported on the battle to everyone. His brothers all admired him, except for Yanzong, who said, "Fourth brother (referring to Prince Lanling) is not a real man. Why did he not pursue the enemy and attack directly at Huanglong? If it were me, I would have already brought peace to Guanxi!" After Prince Lanling's death, his wife Zheng donated the pearls on her neck to a Buddhist temple. Prince Guangning wanted to redeem them, but Yanzong wrote a letter to dissuade him, with tears in his eyes. When Prince Hejian died, Yanzong was also heartbroken. He even made a scarecrow to stand in for Emperor Wucheng, whipping it and questioning it, "Why did you kill my brother?" A servant reported this, and Emperor Wucheng pinned Yanzong to the ground, whipping him with a whip two hundred times, nearly beating him to death. Later, he rose to the positions of Minister of Works and Grand Commandant.
In the battle of Pingyang, the Qi emperor personally led the troops and commanded General Gao Yanzong to lead the right army in the vanguard, leading to the capture of Zong Ting, a minister of the Zhou dynasty. After the official start of the war, Gao Yanzong led his soldiers to charge into the Zhou army camp twice, causing the Zhou army to break apart and run. While the rest of the Qi forces were defeated, Gao Yanzong's army remained intact. The Qi emperor planned to escape to Jinyang, but Gao Yanzong insisted, "Everyone stay put in the camp and hand over the military authority to me. I can defeat them!" The emperor did not listen to him.
Upon reaching Bingzhou, it was heard that the Zhou army had entered Queergu. Gao Yanzong was then appointed as Prime Minister and Governor of Bingzhou, commanding the military forces in Shanxi. The Qi emperor said, "Bingzhou was lost by my brother himself. I am leaving now." Gao Yanzong said, "Your Majesty, for the safety of the state, please don't act rashly. I will fight to the death for you!" Luo Tipoe said, "Your Majesty's plan has been decided; Your Highness shouldn't change your mind so easily!" In the end, the Qi emperor ultimately fled to Ye City.
The generals all pleaded, "Your Majesty, if you don’t take the throne, we’ll have no way to fight for you!" Gao Yanzong reluctantly accepted the title of emperor. In his imperial edict, he proclaimed, "The Wuping regime is corrupt, with eunuchs holding all the power, chaos reigns in the court, and bandits are rampant on the borders. The emperor fled at night, and no one knows where he went. The empire our forefathers fought for is on the verge of collapse! The nobles and ministers are left with no choice but to accept me as their emperor. I hereby declare a general amnesty, and the seventh year of Wuping is changed to the first year of Dechang." He appointed Prince Tang Yong of Jingchang as the prime minister, Prince Modolou Jingxian of Qichang, Prince He Yuzi of Shuyang, General of the Right Guard Duan Chang, General of the Wuwei Xiangli Sengjia, Han Guhu, and Houmo Chen Luozhou as important generals.
Upon hearing this, people flocked to him without needing to be summoned. Gao Yanzong was tall and imposing, often lounging back in his seat or reclining at an angle, much to the amusement of others. Yet, he was a remarkably capable leader—energetic, brave in battle, and as swift as the wind on the battlefield. He rewarded his soldiers with the palace's treasures and the beauties of the harem, and confiscated over a thousand households from the palace. The last ruler of Qi remarked to his close aides, "I’d prefer the Zhou army seize Bingzhou than let Gao Yanzong claim it!" Everyone around him nodded in agreement. Gao Yanzong personally shook hands with the soldiers, introduced himself, and was moved to tears. Everyone pledged their undying loyalty to him, even children and women scrambled onto rooftops, waving their sleeves and hurling stones at the Zhou army.
The special envoy and governor, Na Lu Ansheng, was in charge of guarding Tai Gu, and he defected with ten thousand troops. The Zhou army surrounded Jin Yang, which, from a distance, resembled a dark cloud. Gao Yanzong ordered Mo Duolou Jingxian and Han Gu Hu to guard the south of the city, while He A Yuzi and Duan Chang guarded the east. Gao Yanzong personally took to the north of the city to face King Qi of Zhou, wielding a large spear, moving back and forth to oversee the battle, and proving unstoppable. The Minister of State, Shi Jushan, was quite hefty and strong, fighting with a longsword, and killed many enemies. Both Wu Wei Lan Furong and Qi Lian Yanchang fell in battle. He A Yuzi and Duan Chang surrendered to the Zhou army with a thousand cavalry.
The Zhou army launched an assault on the east gate, and by evening, they finally breached the city. They set fire to Buddhist temples and houses as flames soared into the sky. Gao Yanzong and Jingxian charged out from the city gate, flanking the Zhou army, creating tremendous chaos as they scrambled to escape through the city gate, trampling one another, while the Qi army cut them down from behind, killing more than two thousand. Nearly all of Emperor Wu of Zhou’s personal guards were slain, and he himself had no way to escape. The chief cavalryman, Zhang Shou, quickly seized the reins of his horse, and He Ba Fo'en lashed out at those behind him, barely managing to escape, nearly getting caught by the Qi army. To the east of the city
Gao Yanzong believed that Emperor Wu of Zhou had perished in the chaos of battle and sent men to search through the pile of corpses for his beard, but did not find it. At this point, the Qi army had already secured victory, entered the city, celebrated with drinks, getting drunk and falling asleep. Gao Yanzong was unable to rally his troops. Emperor Wu of Zhou escaped outside the city, starving and contemplating escape. Prince Xian of Qi and King Yi of Zhuguo persuaded him, saying that he would definitely not escape if he fled. The rebel general Duan Chang also mentioned that the city was empty. Emperor Wu of Zhou then halted his horse, sounded the horn to recall his troops, and after a while, rallied their spirits again. The next morning, they attacked the East Gate once more, captured it, and then assaulted the South Gate. Gao Yanzong was defeated and fled to the north of the city, where he was captured in a private home. Emperor Wu of Zhou dismounted and held his hand. Gao Yanzong said, "How could a dead man's hand dare approach Your Majesty?" Emperor Wu of Zhou replied, "What grievances could there be between the two emperors of our nations? It is all for the people! Do not be afraid, I will not harm you." He then had someone assist him in changing his clothes and hat and treated him very politely. Earlier, there was a mountain in Gao Du County, with cliffs near the river, where suddenly black inscriptions appeared, reading "Qi perishes, Yanzong." After cleaning, the inscriptions became clearer. Emperor Wu of Zhou had someone copy it, and the messenger changed "perishes" to "rises." This incident came to pass. Before Gao Yanzong's defeat, in the government office of Ye City, he saw two suns appearing to merge, and on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, he received orders to guard Bingzhou, and the next day he proclaimed himself emperor. Within days, he found himself surrounded, and overnight, he was defeated by the time he was to eat. The era name was Dechang, and some people said he had seen two suns. Later, Emperor Wu of Zhou asked him about the strategy to attack Ye City, and he said, "Officials of a fallen state cannot plot to restore the country; this is beyond my capability." Emperor Wu of Zhou insisted he answer, and he said, "If Prince Rencheng came to rescue Ye City, I do not know what would happen. If the King himself defended it now, Your Majesty could capture Ye City without losing a single soldier."
After arriving in Chang'an, Emperor Wu of Zhou and officials from the Qi state drank together and even made Qi's last ruler, Xiao Yi, dance. Xiao Yuanming, the younger brother of Xiao Yi, felt particularly uncomfortable at that time and couldn't help feeling sad. Several times he wanted to drink poison to commit suicide, but fortunately, his servant girl persuaded him not to do so. Not long after, Emperor Wu of Zhou falsely accused Xiao Yi and others of colluding with Muti Po to rebel, and then ordered them all to be executed. They all protested their innocence, with Xiao Yuanming rolling up his sleeves in despair, unable to utter a word through his tears. In the end, they were gruesomely suffocated by having chili peppers stuffed into their mouths. The following year, Consort Li had them collected and buried.
When the last ruler of Qi passed the throne to his crown prince, a man named Sun Zhengyan whispered to others, "During the Northern Zhou Wuding era, when I was an official in Guangzhou, I heard Cao Pu from Xiangcheng say that among the sons of King Gao (Xiao Daocheng), A Bao (Xiao Tianbao) would become emperor, Gao De (Xiao Dechang) would inherit his throne, and then their dynasty would fall." This "A Bao" refers to Xiao Tianbao, while "Gao De" refers to Xiao Dechang, indicating the fate of the last ruler of Qi, Chengguang. Remarkably, all of his predictions came to pass.
Xiao Shaoxin, the Prince of Yuyang, was the sixth son of Emperor Wenxiang. He held various titles including Special Envoy, Chief of Staff, Commander of the Central Army, Guard Commander, and Governor of Qingzhou. While passing through Yuyang, he sat on a bed with a wealthy man called Zhong Changming. When the Prefect of Yuyang, Zheng Daogai, came to visit, Zhong Changming wanted to stand up, but Xiao Shaoxin stopped him and said, "What’s so special about this nobody? Why should the host get up?" Xiao Shaoxin then became sworn brothers with Zhong Changming, and their wives became sworn sisters. Xiao Shaoxin also demanded gifts from all the members of Zhong's family, leaving them completely broke. Eventually, the state of Qi fell, and Xiao Shaoxin passed away in Chang'an.
