Cui Xian, whose courtesy name was Jilun, was from Anping, Hebei, and was a descendant of Cui Shi, who served as the Minister of Works during the Han Dynasty. His family was a prominent clan in northern China. His father, Cui Mu, served as the chief clerk in a province. In his youth, Cui Xian was a scholar who fled to Bohai to escape the chaos of war and even arranged for his sister to marry Gao Qian's brother, Gao Shen. Later, when Gao Shen was appointed Inspector of Lingguangzhou, he recommended Cui Xian to be his Chief of Staff. Subsequently, when Duke Zhao of Juncheng, Gao Chen, was stationed in Dingzhou, he invited Cui Xian to serve as his advisor.
When he accompanied Gao Chen to Jinyang, Emperor Gaozu found him to be quite likable and appointed him as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister. Before Emperor Gaozu launched his campaign to advance to Luoyang, he entrusted all rear operations to Cui Xian, asking him to assist Gao Chen. The emperor said to him, "The bond of friendship between us men isn't defined by how long we’ve known each other. Now that military matters are urgent, the work of guarding the rear is extremely important. My younger brother is still young and does not understand these matters; I will entrust everything to you from now on." The two shook hands and thanked each other repeatedly. Later, Cui Xian was promoted to Left Minister and served as a junior official in the Ministry of Personnel, tasked with drafting the "Lin Zhi Ge."
Cui Xian's relationship with the emperor improved increasingly; he was very good at recommending talented people. He told the emperor that Xing Shao was very suitable for the position of an official and in charge of confidential affairs. As a result, Emperor Shizong summoned Xing Shao and valued him highly. However, behind Cui Xian's back, Xing Shao was speaking ill of him. Emperor Shizong was very displeased and said to Cui Xian, "You say Xing Shao is very capable, yet he has been speaking ill of you; what a foolish person!" Cui Xian replied, "Xing Shao speaks ill of me, and I say Xing Shao is capable; these are all facts, and I don't mind." Later, when Gao Shen rebelled and had a conflict with Cui Xian, Emperor Gaozu wanted to kill him, but it was Emperor Shizong who saved him. In the early years of the Wuding period, Cui Xian was promoted to Deputy Censor-in-Chief, and he selected Bi Yiyun, Lu Qian, Song Qindao, Li Yun, Cui Zhan, Du Rui, Ji Ye, Li Baowei, Cui Ziwu, and Li Guang as censors. People at that time said he was very good at recognizing talent.
Emperor Shizong wanted to recognize Cui Xian, so in the presence of court officials, he had Cui Xian walk in proudly, with two officials holding open his robe. Emperor Shizong then stood up to welcome him. Cui Xian did not take a seat, and after a couple of rounds of drinks, he took his leave. Emperor Shizong said, "I only have simple food here; I hope you can stay a little longer." Cui Xian replied, "I just received orders to go to the Censorate to inspect work." After saying that, he left, and Emperor Shizong even came down the steps to see him off. A few days later, Emperor Shizong and his ministers took a trip to Dongshan, and on the way, they encountered Cui Xian. The rider ahead accidentally got struck by the red staffs of the ceremonial guard, and Emperor Shizong quickly reined in his horse to avoid the incident.
Cui Xian reported Sima Ziru, the Minister of Personnel, including Yuan Xian, the Governor of Yongzhou, and Murong Xian, the Governor of the same region. He also impeached the Grand Tutor, Prince of Xianyang, Wang Tan, and Zhu Hundao Yuan, the Governor of Bingzhou, clearly listing their crimes, and all these individuals were eventually dismissed from their positions. The number of other officials who were executed or dismissed is even greater.
Emperor Gaozu wrote to the ministers in Ye City, saying: "Cui Xian had been working with my brother when he was the Chief Historian of Dingzhou, and later my son served as a military advisor and was promoted to the Left Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. I still do not know his true abilities. As soon as he arrived at the Censorate, he boldly impeached officials so publicly. Prince Xianyang and Minister Sima were common folk I knew back in my hometown, and we were close. When these two made mistakes, I couldn't save them. You all need to be more careful in your future duties!"
When Emperor Gaozu returned to the capital, a large group of officials welcomed him at Zimo. He shook Cui Xian's hand and expressed his gratitude, saying: "Didn't the court have law enforcement officials before? Why are there so many corrupt officials in the world, yet no one dares to impeach them? You, as a Lieutenant, are devoted to the country and fearlessly face those in power, resulting in a clean government both inside and outside, with everyone adhering to the laws. There are many generals who charge into battle, but only now have I finally seen officials who dare to enforce the law impartially! The wealth and honor you enjoy now are all your own doing; my son Gao Huan and I cannot repay you." Emperor Gaozu rewarded Cui Xian with a fine horse, allowing him to ride alongside himself while they walked and chatted. Cui Xian bowed in gratitude, but the horse got spooked and bolted. Emperor Gaozu quickly caught him and handed him the reins.
Emperor Wei held a banquet at Hualin Garden and said to Emperor Gaozu, "Since I ascended the throne, there are far too many corrupt officials and local bureaucrats in the court, all oppressing the common people. If there is someone in the court who dares to uphold the law impartially and openly impeach officials, even without regard for relatives, could you persuade him to accept a drink?" Emperor Gaozu approached Emperor Wei, knelt down, and said, "Only the Inspector General Cui Xian dares to do so. I will certainly obey your command and respectfully offer him a drink, and I request to return the thousand bolts of cloth that Your Majesty has bestowed upon me." Emperor Wei said, "Inspector Cui enforces the law rigorously, which has improved the social climate." Cui Xian humbly replied, "This is thanks to Your Majesty's wise governance and the encouragement and support of General Gao Cheng." Emperor Shizong Gao Huan privately said to Cui Xian, "I am still afraid of Yuan Xian, let alone others!" From then on, Cui Xian's reputation grew more and more prominent, and there was no one in the court or the public who did not respect him.
When Emperor Gaozu passed away, before the mourning had even begun, Emperor Shizong promoted Cui Xian to Minister of Revenue and appointed him as Chief of Staff, which shows the level of trust he had in him by assigning him important responsibilities. Cui Xian was concerned about the major affairs of the state and regarded the safety of the realm as his own responsibility. Emperor Shizong lived extravagantly, frequently executed officials, and sometimes acted and spoke inappropriately. Cui Xian consistently advised him earnestly, and as a result, Emperor Shizong became somewhat more restrained. On one occasion, after imprisoning several hundred criminals, Emperor Shizong wanted to execute them all and urged the clerks to prepare the execution documents. Cui Xian intentionally delayed the time and did not report on schedule. By the time Emperor Shizong calmed down, those criminals were ultimately spared.
Since Cui Xian took office, he has returned home very late every day. He gets up early in the morning to check on his mother's well-being with his brothers, and in the evening, he personally samples the dishes and checks if his mother has gone to sleep before meeting friends and relatives. He has never taken care of household matters in his life. The Wei and Liang states had a friendly relationship, and high officials sent people to accompany envoys for trade, but Cui Xian only asked others to obtain Buddhist scriptures. Upon hearing this, Emperor Wu of Liang specifically had someone copy the scriptures and sent them, along with banners, flowers, and songs, to his residence. However, he also had a flaw: he had a tendency to boast and make inappropriate jokes. He secretly commissioned the monk Mingzang to write the "Theory of Buddha Nature," then signed his own name and spread it in the Jianghuai region. When his son Dan Na was thirteen, Cui Xian had the Confucian scholar Quan Hui teach him to explain the "two words" in the "I Ching," and then gathered court officials and notable figures to have Dan Na give a lecture on the "I Ching" from an elevated platform. Sui Zhong from Zhao Jun made Yang submit to Cui Xian, which made Cui Xian very happy, so he promoted him to the position of Zhonglang. As a result, the people of Ye City said, "You can become a Zhonglang just by saying a few words from the 'I Ching.'" These are all of Cui Xian's shortcomings.
Emperor Xianzu had just ascended the throne when Sima Ziru and others took the opportunity to air old grievances, arguing that Cui Xian was guilty of serious crimes and should be punished. Gao Longzhi also suggested that the emperor should loosen the legal restrictions, reduce harsh penalties, and remove Cui Xian to win the people's support. Emperor Xianzu heeded their advice. After Emperor Xianzu took the throne, those who defamed Cui Xian persisted in their slanders. The emperor ordered Governor Chen Shan and others to investigate Cui Xian's household, and they found that his family was extremely impoverished, finding over a thousand letters exchanged between Emperor Gaozu, Emperor Shizong, and Cui Xian, most of which discussed state affairs. After reading these letters, the emperor held him in high regard. However, he could not quell the public outcry, so he exiled Cui Xian to Macheng, where he was forced to labor during the day and confined to a dungeon at night. More than a year later, a servant accused Cui Xian of plotting rebellion, and he was escorted to Jinyang, but no evidence was found, leading to his release and some words of comfort. Shortly thereafter, Cui Xian was promoted to Minister of Rites. The emperor told his officials, "Cui, the Minister of Rites, is honest and incorruptible—truly unmatched; none of you can hold a candle to him!"
At first, Emperor Shizong wanted to marry his sister to the son of King Sian (Cui Sian), but Emperor Shizong suddenly passed away, and the matter was left unfinished. Later, one day, Emperor Xianzhu held a banquet at Xuanguang Hall, where many children of high-ranking officials were present. Emperor Xianzhu conversed with each of them individually and personally wrote a letter to King Sian during the banquet, stating, "Your son Danna is truly a talented and learned person! My late brother's daughter, Princess Le'an, is also the niece of the Wei Dynasty emperor, and she is respected both inside the court and outside it, far better than my other sisters. I wish to fulfill my brother's original wish." As a result, the princess was married to Danna. During the Tianbao era, Danna became the Right Minister. Emperor Xianzhu once remarked to his attendants, "Cui Sian advised me to drink less, but what harm is there in my drinking?" King Changshan privately remarked to King Sian, "The Emperor sometimes drinks too much, and even the Empress Dowager cannot dissuade him. We brothers remain silent, but only you, the Right Minister, dare to speak candidly, and both within the court and outside it are very grateful to you." Ten years later, King Sian passed away due to illness, and the Emperor wept bitterly as he touched his coffin, posthumously granting him the title of governor.
Danna was gentle and kind, prudent and meticulous, very knowledgeable and learned, and held the position of Minister of
Gao Dezhen, styled Shizhen, was a native of Cuxian County in Bohai. His father, Gao Hao, had once served as the governor of Cangzhou during the Northern Wei dynasty. Gao Dezhen was bright from a young age, with a dignified appearance. Emperor Xianzhu summoned him to serve as an official in the military, allowing him to manage official documents, and became very close to him. Emperor Gaozu further promoted him to the position of an official in the Prime Minister's office, entrusting him with significant duties, and later he was promoted to the position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. After Emperor Shizong ascended to the throne, he traveled to Jinyang, while Emperor Xianzhu remained in the capital to oversee state affairs, allowing Gao Dezhen to participate in handling confidential matters, and trusted him even more. When Emperor Shizong suddenly passed away, the situation became very urgent, and there was widespread panic among the people. Those generals with achievements believed that the matter of succession was extremely important and advised the emperor to hurry to Jinyang. The emperor was hesitant and unsure, and in the middle of the night, he called together Yang Yi, Du Bi, Cui Jishu, and Gao Dezhen to discuss countermeasures, ultimately deciding that Yang Yi would stay behind in the capital. Dezhen had a close relationship with the emperor, and they talked about everything. At that time, there was a certain Xu Zhicai, a palace attendant, and a certain Song Jingye, a guest scholar, who were knowledgeable about astronomy and prophecies, and with Yang Zishu also joining in, they all urged the emperor to abdicate. Dezhen persistently persuaded him. The emperor had no choice but to personally write a letter to Yang Yi, clearly outlining the views of these individuals urging him to abdicate.
Dezheng was concerned that Yang Yin was hesitating, so he took the initiative to request to rush to the capital, claiming he had other matters to attend to, but in reality, it was really just to have a good talk with Yang Yin and win his support. As a result, before Dezheng even arrived, the emperor left Jinyang and arrived in Pingcheng, called all the generals together, and announced his intention to abdicate. Upon hearing this, the generals were all stunned, and none of them dared to say a word. At that time, Du Bi was the chief clerk, and he secretly told the emperor, "Those folks in Guanshi are our nation's biggest enemies. If we accept the abdication from Wei now, they might use the guise of righteousness to strong-arm the lords by holding the emperor hostage. What do we have to deal with them?" Upon hearing this, the emperor called Du Bi over and also summoned Xu Zhicai to discuss together. Xu Zhicai said, "The folks vying for power all secretly want to be emperor, like chasing a rabbit in the market; whoever catches the rabbit, everyone will feel at ease. If we accept Wei's abdication first, those people in Guanshi will naturally quiet down. Even if they dare to act out, at most they will just compete with us for the position of emperor. We should seize the moment to take the lead, so we’re not dragged along later." Du Bi was left speechless and had no reply.
The emperor has sent someone to urgently deliver a message to Ye City for Grand Marshal Gao Yue, Chancellor Gao Longzhi, General Lou Rui, Attendant Zhang Liang, Yellow Gate Zhao Yanshen, and Yang Yin. Upon receiving the message, Gao Yue and the others hurried to Gaoyang Post, where the emperor's envoy informed them, "I understand your intentions; there’s no need for you to come." Only Yang Yin came, while Gao Yue and the others turned back. The emperor, noticing the lack of consensus among them, recalled the empress dowager's words: "Your father is like a dragon, and your brother like a tiger; they both lived out their lives as ministers. Why do you think you can learn from Shun and Yu to abdicate the throne? This is not your idea; it is Gao Dezheng who taught you." Some also mentioned that King Wu of Zhou began his revolution after holding a sacrificial ceremony at Mengjin, so the emperor returned to Jinyang. Since then, the emperor has been feeling gloomy. Xu Zhicai, Song Jingye, and others were there every day to read fortunes and interpret omens, saying that May was a good time to follow the will of heaven and the people, and Dezheng was continually advising him. The emperor also sent someone to summon Wei Shou to draft the edict for abdication, the ceremony for the Nine Bestowments, and the memorial to promote the succession.
On the first day of May, the emperor set off from Jinyang. Previously, while handling state affairs in Ye City, Dezheng reported some matters to the emperor, who then instructed Chen Shan to ride swiftly and deliver these memorials and secret letters to Yang Yin. The general idea was for him to draft the ceremonial protocols for the abdication while also keeping an eye on the various princes of the Wei Dynasty. Chen Shan arrived in Ye City in May, and Yang Yin immediately gathered Tai Changqing Xing Shao, Minister of War Cui Xian, Minister of Revenue Lu Cao, Grand Historian Wang Xin, Yellow Gate Attendant Yang Xiuzhi, and Central Secretariat Attendant Pei Rangzhi to discuss drafting the abdication ceremony. After six days, they gathered the Grand Tutor of Wei, the Prince of Xianyang, and others, brought them into the Northern Palace and settled them in the Eastern Chamber, planning to send them home once the abdication ceremony was complete.
The emperor had just set off in front of the pavilion when his horse suddenly collapsed. The emperor felt uneasy and remained silent for a long time. Upon reaching Pingcheng, the emperor decided he didn't want to continue. Dezheng and Xu Zhicai pleaded with the emperor, "Chen Shanti has already left; if word gets out, everything could fall apart!" So the emperor sent Sima Ziru and Du Bi to ride ahead and assess the situation. On the seventh day, Sima Ziru and the others arrived in Yecheng, and everyone saw that the matter was already decided, so no one dared to voice any opposing opinions. On the eighth day, Yang Yin conveyed the emperor's intentions to Wang Xu of Xiangcheng in Wei, as well as to Sikong Pan Xiangle, Shizhong Zhang Liang, and Zhao Yan, the palace attendant, asking them to enter the palace to report the matter. Emperor Xiaojing of Wei received them in Zhaoyang Hall. Xu said, "The cycles of the five elements are in motion, and prosperity and decline follow a pattern. King Qi's virtuous governance is evident, and the people are united in their hearts. We come before you at great risk, hoping Your Majesty will emulate Yao and Shun in abdicating." Emperor Xiaojing's expression darkened, and he said, "This matter has been discussed among us all; I am prepared to abdicate." He then said, "In that case, we should draft an edict." The Deputy Minister of the Central Secretariat, Cui Jie, said, "The edict has already been prepared." He then handed the edict to Yang Yin for presentation to Emperor Xiaojing. The edict had around ten clauses, all clearly stated. Emperor Xiaojing asked, "Where will I be staying? How will I leave?" Yang Yin replied, "There's another residence in the north, and they'll arrange for the ceremonial escort in accordance with the usual practice to see you off."
Emperor Wei Xiaojing stepped down from the throne, walked to the east corridor, and recited a line from Fan Weizong's "Praise of the Book of the Later Han": "Offering my life at an inauspicious time, my body scattered among the nation's troops; for four hundred years I shall endure, forever a guest of Yu." The relevant officials quickly petitioned for Emperor Wei Xiaojing's departure. He said, "Can I say goodbye to my family?" He then went inside to bid farewell to the empress, concubines, and palace maids and eunuchs one by one, and everyone was in tears. Concubine Li of Zhao recited a line from Cao Zhi's poem: "May the king cherish the jade body, both enjoy the longevity of yellow hair." Emperor Wei Xiaojing boarded the carriage and exited through the Wanchun Gate, with Grand Historian Zhao Daode by his side in the carriage, while the officials bid farewell outside the gate. He was taken to the southern side of Sima Zirou's residence in the northern city. The emperor arrived at the southern encampment. On the day of his abdication, Dezheng was appointed Palace Attendant and soon after was made Duke of Lantian. Seven years later, he was promoted to Right Prime Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and concurrently served as Palace Attendant, holding a fief in Bohai Commandery. Dezheng worked on state affairs with the Minister of Personnel Yang Yin and accomplished many beneficial deeds.
In his later years, Emperor Xizhu often drank to excess and committed numerous offenses. Gao Dezheng repeatedly advised him, hoping he would reform and get back on the right track. Later, the emperor called Gao Dezheng for drinks, but Gao Dezheng chose not to go, instead directly advising him, saying: "Your Majesty, you previously said you would reform, yet now you are even worse than before. What will happen to the country? And what about the Empress Dowager?" The emperor was very displeased upon hearing this. He also told those around him: "Gao Dezheng always uses his spirit to oppress me." Fearing for his safety, Gao Dezheng pretended to be ill and hid out in a temple to practice meditation, hoping to avoid trouble.
The emperor asked Yang Yin, "I am very worried about Gao Gezheng. How is he doing?" Yang Yin knew that Gao Gezheng spoke frankly and that the emperor actually feared him. So he said, "If Your Majesty makes him the governor of Jizhou, his illness will naturally improve." The emperor agreed. When Gao Gezheng saw the appointment letter, he immediately stood up. The emperor became furious and called for Gao Gezheng, saying, "I heard you are ill; let me give you acupuncture!" He then personally took a knife and stabbed him, causing blood to spill everywhere. After that, he ordered someone to drag him away and had his toes severed. Liu Taozhi, the executioner, held the knife but did not dare to strike. The emperor went up the steps and harshly reprimanded Liu Taozhi, "Your head's on the line!" The emperor himself picked up a large knife and was about to come down the steps to do it. Only then did Liu Taozhi chop off three of Gao Gezheng's toes. The emperor's anger still did not subside, and he had Gao Gezheng locked at the palace gates. That night, the palace gates were opened, and Gao Gezheng was carried back home.
The next morning, Gao Gezheng's wife took out four beds piled high with treasures, intending to use them to bribe others. At that moment, the emperor suddenly arrived at Gao Gezheng's house and, upon seeing the treasures, was furious, exclaiming, "My treasury does not even have so many things!" He questioned where these treasures came from, and it turned out they were all bribes received by Gao Gezheng. The emperor then ordered that Gao Gezheng's wife be dragged out and executed. Gao Gezheng's wife knelt down and pleaded for mercy, but she was also beheaded, and even their son, Bo Jian, who was a scholar, was killed as well. After Gao Gezheng's death, Emperor Xianzhu said to the officials, "Gao Gezheng always said that Han people should be heavily employed and that Xianbei people should be exterminated. This is the reason he deserved to die. He also incited me to kill those powerful nobles, and now that I have killed him, it can be considered revenge for those nobles." Later, the emperor regretted it and posthumously granted Gao Gezheng the title of Taibao, and his legitimate grandson Wang Chen inherited the title.
Cui Ang, courtesy name Huaiyuan, was from Anping, Hebei. His grandfather, Cui Ting, had served as the Inspector of Youzhou in the State of Wei. Cui Ang lost his parents when he was seven. His uncle, Cui Xiaofen, the Minister of Personnel, once told relatives and friends, "This child will definitely achieve great things in the future; he is our family's rare talent!" Cui Ang was an upright and modest person, calm and composed, with considerable insight and strategy, and his will was strong and difficult to shake. He loved studying poetry and literature from a young age and was quite talented in writing.
Later, Emperor Shizong opened the government offices widely and summoned him as a military aide, entrusting him with significant responsibilities as a trusted confidant. After Emperor Shizong became involved in assisting the administration, he promoted Cui Ang to the Chief of the Office of the Chancellor. At that time, the relatives and friends of the meritorious ministers and generals were quite unruly in the capital, causing a lot of trouble, especially the families of Sun Teng and Sima Ziru, who were particularly brazen. Emperor Shizong secretly ordered Cui Ang to use the law to rectify them, and soon, both the court and the public became much more orderly. Subsequently, Cui Ang was promoted to Left Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and concurrently held the position of Minister of Revenue in the same year. It was unprecedented for anyone in modern times to hold both positions at the same time, earning him widespread praise from both the court and the public.
In the sixth year of Wuding, divine dew fell upon the imperial palace, and civil and military officials celebrated in the Xianyang Hall. Emperor Wei asked Chancellor Cui Xian and Minister Yang Yin, "Since ancient times, how many times has this auspicious sign, divine dew, appeared in the Han and Wei dynasties? Can you tell me where divine dew has fallen before and the reasons for its appearance?" Then the Emperor asked Cui Ang, who replied, "According to the 'Furui Tu' records, if an emperor's virtue moves heaven, divine dew will fall. Good or bad fortune can't be predicted just by these signs; that's why the 'Book of Documents' states, 'the mulberry and the pheasant serve as a warning.' In fact, it marked the beginning of the state's revival; a small bird can give birth to a large bird, but I've never heard of it bringing any blessings. I hope Your Majesty will not stop progressing despite your achievements!" Hearing this, the Emperor's expression turned serious as he replied, "I have no virtue; how could such an auspicious sign appear?"
After Qi Shouchan became emperor, he promoted him to Palace Attendant and also held the positions of Minister of Finance and Minister of Agriculture. These two departments were responsible for national finances and resources, resulting in a heavy workload that everyone found difficult to manage. However, Qi Ang was highly organized and used effective methods, so no one dared to pull any tricks under him. Every matter he managed and every detail he observed was handled properly, and the court praised him for his fairness and integrity. He also presented a memorial to the Emperor, listing 314 wasteful practices in the Hengshi, and the Emperor promptly ordered a study of solutions based on Qi Ang's suggestions. That year, he also worked with the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor Xing Shao to develop the state's early ceremonial system and was granted the title of Marquis of Huayang.
The emperor ordered him to revise and amend the laws, improve the ritual and music system, and have Shangshu You Pushe Xue Xuan and forty-three others discuss and make decisions together at the Lingjun Office. The emperor also specifically told Qi Ang, "If those people disagree with your opinion, just report the situation directly to me." Qi Ang smiled and said, "That's exactly what I've always wanted to do!" Qi Ang was already diligent and cautious, and after receiving the emperor's order, he became even stricter with himself, carefully reviewing and modifying the legal provisions one by one, comparing ancient and modern texts, with about seventy to eighty percent of the content revised. Later, he was promoted to the position of Minister of Justice, in charge of criminal justice. Qi Ang was known for his integrity and severity, and he was particularly irritated by greedy people, so he handled cases very strictly, and his judgments were also relatively severe. People of the time thought he was somewhat harsh and lacked tolerance.
When the emperor arrived at the Dongshan Palace, all the officials attended a banquet held at the Shengshe Hall. The emperor called Cui Ang to the throne and said, "Many old ministers have been sent out to serve as local officials; I want to reinstate you in the court as an important official. Don't think about being a governor. After you turn sixty, I will let you return to your hometown to serve as an official, but serving in those localities in between might not be feasible." Later, the ministers above the rank of Jiuqing dined with the emperor in the East Palace. The emperor pointed to Cui Ang, Wei Jin, and Sima Ziru and said to the crown prince, "These few are the pillars of the state; you must keep them in mind." Not long after, the emperor hosted another banquet at the Jinfeng Terrace, evaluating each minister and noting their shortcomings. When it was Cui Ang's turn, the emperor said, "Cui Ang is an upright minister, and Wei Shou is a very talented person; I have pardoned their family's transgressions."
In the tenth year of the Tianbao era, the Emperor appointed Cui Ang as a Ceremonial Official of the Three Departments. Swallows were presented, and all officials lined up to participate in the ceremony, with Cui Ang included in the ranks. The Emperor specifically summoned Cui Ang to his presence and said, "I have carefully considered that you, Cui Ang, are the only person in court capable of keeping the officials in check and managing palace affairs." That same day, he was additionally appointed as the Right Chancellor. A few days later, when Cui Ang went to brief the Emperor on his work, the Emperor said to the Chancellor Yang Yin, "I didn't directly give Cui Ang a formal position earlier because some officials said he was promoted too quickly and wanted to wait until next year to appoint him. In any case, he will eventually receive a formal position, so what's the difference whether it's sooner or later? Just appoint him as the Right Chancellor!" The next day, Cui Ang was officially appointed as the Right Chancellor. When Yang Yin was young, he had a poor relationship with Cui Ang, and after the death of Emperor Xianzu, Yang Yin removed Cui Ang from his position as Right Chancellor and reassigned him to the role of Ceremonial Official of the Three Departments. Later, Cui Ang was dismissed due to misconduct. Ultimately, he rose to the position of Minister of Rites.
Cui Ang was very talented and knowledgeable, renowned for his integrity and fortitude. However, he was also skilled at reading the Emperor's mind and winning his favor, sometimes even reporting on the private affairs and mistakes of others, which earned him the Emperor's appreciation and favor. The Emperor always spoke for him, and others could hardly speak ill of him. Many matters related to the court's regulations, secret cases in the capital region, and important court affairs were entrusted to him. He was strict and liked to use a whip on people; although those punished suffered greatly, he remained calm and unperturbed. Previously, Cui Xian and Ji Shu were his supporters, and later Gao Dezheng also became his backer. He often bullied others with his power and had an arrogant attitude, which led to his unpopularity among the elite. His son, Cui Ye, succeeded him in his title.
