Real Histories
Speaking of these queens, there were Empress Lou, known as Empress Shenwu Ming, Empress Wenxiang, Empress Wenxuan, Empress Xiaozhao, Empress Wu Cheng, Empress Holu, Empress Hu, Empress Mu... Let's start with Empress Lou.
Lou Zhaojun was the daughter of the Minister of Internal Affairs. She was clever from a young age, and many noble families came to propose marriage to her, but she refused them all. Later, she saw Gao Huan (Emperor Shenwu) working on the city wall and exclaimed, "This must be my husband!" She had her maidservants deliver the message and even sent gifts to Gao Huan several times, asking him to marry her. Her parents could not oppose her, so they agreed to the marriage.
As for Gao Huan, he was determined to achieve great things and dedicated all his resources to befriending heroes and strategizing. Lou Zhaojun was always involved, providing advice and strategies. Later, Gao Huan was titled King of Bohai, and Lou Zhaojun had the final say in all matters concerning the queen.
Empress Gao was known for her strictness and frugality, traveling with no more than ten attendants. She was kind-hearted and never envious of others, treating the emperor's concubines and maidservants equally.
Once, when Emperor Shenwu was on a western expedition, Empress Gao gave birth to twins at night. People around her felt it was an urgent situation and advised her to quickly inform the emperor. However, Empress Gao disagreed, saying, "How can the emperor leave the army easily because of my situation? Life and death are destined; what does it matter what the future holds for the children?" When Emperor Shenwu heard about this, he was deeply moved.
After the Battle of Shayuan, Hou Jing repeatedly requested Emperor Shenwu to give him twenty thousand elite soldiers, promising to defeat the enemy. Emperor Shenwu, intrigued, shared this with Empress Gao. The empress said, "If we follow his plan, there will be no room for retreat. Getting the otter but losing the beautiful scenery, what good would that do?" Thus, Emperor Shenwu decided against it.
Later, Emperor Taizong considered marrying a Rouran princess to deal with the pressure from the Rouran, but he had not made up his mind yet. Empress Zhangsun said to him, "For the sake of the country, I hope you will not hesitate." When the Rouran princess arrived, the Empress voluntarily stepped aside, giving up her position as the main wife. Emperor Taizong felt deeply ashamed and sincerely apologized to the Empress, saying, "This matter may become known to others; I hope you will not interfere in the future."
Empress Zhangsun was very loving towards the children, treating them as if they were her own. She personally spun and wove fabric, making a robe and pants for each person. She also personally sewed military uniforms for the soldiers. Her brother, Yuwen Zhao, was promoted based on his merits and reputation, but she never asked for titles for any of her other relatives. She often said that talented individuals should be valued and that justice should not be compromised for personal reasons.
After Emperor Wenxuan ascended the throne, she was recognized as the Grand Empress. When Emperor Wenxuan wanted to accept the abdication of the Wei Dynasty, Empress Zhangsun strongly opposed, which prevented it from happening. In the early years of the Tianbao era, she was honored as the Empress Dowager, and her palace was called Xuanxun Palace. After Prince Jinan Yuwen Jue ascended the throne, she was honored as the Grand Empress Dowager.
The Minister of Works, Yang Yin, and others who received the posthumous edict to assist in governance pushed the princes aside and oppressed them. The Grand Empress Dowager secretly plotted with Emperor Xiaozhao and several generals to execute Yang Yin and others, and ordered the abdication of the Emperor. After Emperor Xiaozhao ascended the throne, she once more became the Empress Dowager. After Emperor Xiaozhao's death, she issued an edict to enthrone Emperor Wucheng.
In the second year of Daining in spring, the Empress Dowager fell gravely ill, and her clothes suddenly began to float. She believed a witch's words and changed her surname to Shi. On the day of Xinchou in April, she passed away in the Northern Palace at sixty-two. On the day of Jiashen in May, she was buried alongside Emperor Wen at Yiping Mausoleum.
The Empress Dowager gave birth to a total of six sons and two daughters. Each time she was pregnant, she would have dreams: when pregnant with Emperor Wen of Xiang, she dreamed of a fragmented dragon; when pregnant with Emperor Wen of Xuan, she dreamed of a huge dragon, whose head and tail connected the heavens and the earth, its mouth open and eyes glaring, exuding a formidable presence; when pregnant with Emperor Xiaozhao, she dreamed of a dragon slithering on the ground; when pregnant with Emperor Wucheng, she dreamed of a dragon bathing in the sea; when carrying Prince Xiangcheng and Prince Boling, they both dreamed of mice crawling under their clothes. Before the Empress Dowager died, people sang nursery rhymes saying, "Even after the mother of nine dragons dies, she remains unfilial." After the Empress Dowager's death, Emperor Wucheng shockingly refused to change into mourning attire, but continued to wear his red official robes. Not long after, he ascended the throne, hosted lavish banquets, and celebrated extravagantly. When a princess presented white mourning clothes, Emperor Wucheng was furious and threw the mourning clothes down the steps. He Shi Kai asked him to stop the festivities, which made Emperor Wucheng even angrier, and he violently struck He Shi Kai. Emperor Wucheng ranked ninth among his siblings, which likely fulfilled the nursery rhyme.
Emperor Wenxian held deep respect for his empress, Yuan Shi, the sister of Wei's Emperor Xiaojing. During Emperor Xiaowu's reign, Yuan Shi was granted the title of Princess Fengyi and later married Emperor Wenxian. She was not only beautiful but also possessed a noble character and demonstrated great respect and loyalty to Emperor Wenxian. When Prince Xiaowan of Hejian was born to Emperor Wenxian, who was then the crown prince, Emperor Xiaojing personally visited the crown prince's residence three days later, presenting a large amount of silk and cloth, totaling over ten thousand pieces. The crown prince politely declined and requested that these valuable gifts be distributed among the ministers, which resulted in ten rooms being filled with gifts. Later, two princesses were born. After Emperor Wenxuan seized the throne, he formally recognized Yuan Shi as empress and had her reside in the Jingde Palace. In the sixth year of Tianbao, Emperor Wenxuan gradually descended into incompetence and tyranny, moving the empress to a residence in Gaoyang and seizing her treasury, claiming, "My brother once violated my wife; now I seek revenge!" He then sexually assaulted the empress. Women of the Gao clan, regardless of their relationship, were commanded by him to commit immoral acts in public. He even had ropes woven from vines, with Wei Ande's wife atop, being pushed along, and commanded the Huns to humiliate her in the harshest manner. Emperor Wucheng personally publicly displayed these lewd acts to humiliate the populace. During the Wuping era, the empress passed away and was interred in the Yiping Mausoleum, alongside Emperor Wenxuan.
Li Zu'e, a native of Zhao County, was the daughter of Li Xizong. She was beautiful and of good character. Initially, she was the wife of the Taiyuan Duke. Later, Gao Huan wanted to establish a queen, but Gao Longzhi and Gao Dezhen believed that women from the Han Dynasty were not fit to be the mothers of the world and should be chosen anew. Yang Yin insisted on following the old customs of the Han and Wei dynasties and not changing the queen. However, Gao Dezhen persisted in deposing the queen to elevate Duan Zhaoyi, hoping to win over the nobility. In the end, Gao Huan did not listen to him and made Li Zu'e the queen. Gao Huan was known for scolding and beating his concubines, and he had even killed before, yet he respected Li Zu'e. In the tenth year of the Tianbao era, Li Zu'e was reappointed as Empress Ke He Dun. After Gao Yang ascended to the throne, Li Zu'e was demoted to Empress Zhaoxin of the Zhaoxin Palace. After Gao Zhan ascended the throne, he forced Li Zu'e into an incestuous relationship, threatening, "If you refuse, I will kill your son!" Li Zu'e was afraid and agreed. Later, when Li Zu'e became pregnant, her younger brother, Prince Taoyuan Wang Shaode, came to the palace to visit her but could not see her. He angrily said, "Sister, your belly is so big; why don't I see you?" Li Zu'e felt ashamed upon hearing this, leading her to not raise the daughter she gave birth to. Gao Zhan, brandishing a knife, exclaimed, "You killed my daughter; why shouldn't I kill your son!" Then he killed Shaode in front of Li Zu'e. Li Zu'e cried bitterly, which angered Gao Zhan even more. He stripped Li Zu'e bare, beat her, and her cries echoed like thunder. Gao Zhan wrapped her in a silk cloth, covered in blood, and threw her into a ditch. After a long time, she regained consciousness and was then transported to the Miaosheng Nunnery in an ox cart. As a devout Buddhist, Li Zu'e chose to become a nun. After the fall of Northern Qi, she returned to Guanzhong, and it was only during the Sui Dynasty that she returned to her hometown in Zhao County.
Empress Xiaozhao Yuan, the daughter of Yuan Man, the Minister of Works, was initially the consort of Prince Changshan. In the later years of the Tianbao era, she was granted the surname Boliugu. After Gao Yang ascended the throne, she was made empress. After Gao Yang died, her coffin was taken to Ye City. Just after crossing Fen Bridge, Gao Zhan heard rumors that the empress had a special medicine, so he sent people to search for it. When they couldn't find it, he permitted eunuchs to humiliate her in the carriage. She was then demoted to a concubine in Shuncheng Palace. After Gao Zhan killed Queen Le Ling, Yuan Shi was imprisoned and could not contact her family. Suddenly, rumors spread in the palace, and Gao Zhan ordered an investigation. Letters from Yuan Shi's parents and siblings were discovered, resulting in Yuan Man's dismissal. After the fall of Northern Qi, Yuan Shi entered the palace of the Zhou Dynasty. When Emperor Wen of Sui became the prime minister, he returned her to her hometown in Shandong.
According to legend, Empress Wucheng Hu was the daughter of Hu Yanzhi from Anding, whose mother was Lu Daoyue from Fanyang. When her mother was pregnant, a monk named Hu ran to their house and said, "There is a moon hidden in the gourd in this house!" After saying this, he left, and Hu was born shortly thereafter. During the Tianbao period of Northern Qi Dynasty, she was chosen as the consort of Prince Changguang. On the night she gave birth, there was an owl hooting above the delivery room tent. After Emperor Wucheng's death, she was posthumously honored as the empress dowager.
Later, Lu Ao and Shikai conspired to assassinate Gao Rui, the Prince of Zhao, and sent Lou Dingyuan and Gao Wen to be governors. Lu Ao and Shikai were extremely obsequious to the empress dowager, going to great lengths to curry favor. In fact, even during Emperor Wucheng's reign, the empress dowager had affairs with several eunuchs. Emperor Wucheng had a particular trust in Shikai, often engaged in playful activities with the empress dowager, wielding a spear, which eventually led to an affair.
After the death of Emperor Wucheng, the Empress Dowager often went to the Buddhist temple and became romantically involved with a monk named Tan Xian. She would scatter money under Tan Xian's seat and even hung the luxurious bed that Emperor Wucheng had used in Tan Xian's room. She also brought over a hundred monks into the inner palace, claiming she wanted to hear their teachings, but actually spending every day and night with Tan Xian. She even bestowed the title of "Zhaoxuan Tong" upon Tan Xian. The monks intentionally pointed and laughed at the Empress Dowager, even referring to Tan Xian as "Emperor Dowager."
When the Emperor first heard about the Empress Dowager's scandalous behavior, he did not believe it. Later, when the Emperor went to see the Empress Dowager, he saw two young nuns whom he found attractive and had them brought over, only to find out they were actually two men in disguise! This revelation exposed Tan Xian's affair, and they were all arrested and executed, along with the three lords Yuan, Shan, and Wang, who were also involved with the Empress Dowager.
The Emperor brought the Empress Dowager back to Ye City from Jin Yang, and as they reached the Purple Street, a strong wind suddenly blew. A retainer named Wei Sengjia who understood divination predicted that a rebellion was about to happen. The Emperor pretended that there was an urgent matter in Ye City, bent his bow, held his spear, and quickly rushed into the South City, ordering Deng Changyong to lock the Empress Dowager in the North Palace and forbidding any of her relatives from seeing her. After a long time, the Emperor finally brought the Empress Dowager back. At first, when the Empress Dowager heard that the messenger had arrived, she was frightened and anxious about what might happen.
Every time the Empress Dowager prepared a meal, the Emperor did not dare to eat. Later, when the envoy Yuan Wei from the Zhou Dynasty came to pay respects, he wrote a poem called "Describing the Journey," which told the story of Duke Zheng Zhuang defeating the Duan clan and moving the Jiang clan. Even though the poem was poorly written, it embarrassed the Emperor. After the fall of the Qi Dynasty, the Empress Dowager became even more reckless and engaged in all sorts of wrongdoing. She died during the Sui Kaihuang period.
It is said that the last emperor's wife, Empress Helü, was the daughter of Left Prime Minister Guang. Initially the Crown Princess, she became Empress when the emperor ascended the throne. In the third year of the Wuping era, she gave birth to a daughter. To win favor with her father Guang, the emperor pretended it was a son and even declared a general amnesty to celebrate. Unfortunately, Guang was later killed, and she was sent to the palace of cold, and later, she was forced to become a nun. After the fall of Northern Qi, she eventually remarried to Kaifu Yuanren.
Now, let's discuss another empress of the last emperor, Empress Hu, the daughter of Prince Changren of Longdong. Feeling remorseful for not being a good empress, she tried to please the emperor by dressing up and waiting for him in the palace. The emperor was pleased with her and immediately appointed her as Hongde Lady, later promoting her to Left Zhao Yi, who showed her great favor. When Empress Helü was deposed, there was a proposal to make Lady Mu the empress, but Empress Hu disagreed. Later, Zuxiao Zheng proposed to make Lady Hu the Empress, and she became the Empress. This Lady Mu not only did not support the appointment of Empress Hu but still had feelings for Lady Mu. Later, in front of the Empress Dowager, she rolled her eyes and remarked, "What a niece, speaking so rudely!" When the Empress Dowager asked what she said, she replied, "Can't say." When pressed by the Empress Dowager, she said, "She told everyone that many things you did were wrong and should not be taken as an example!" The Empress Dowager was furious and immediately shaved Empress Hu's head and sent her back home. The emperor missed her and often sent gifts to express his feelings. Later, both Empress Hu and Empress Helü were summoned back to the palace, but the city of Ye could not be defended for long. Empress Hu eventually remarried.
Empress Mu Xielili, the last ruler of Northern Qi, was originally a maidservant of Empress Hulv. Her mother, Qingxiao, was also a maidservant in the Mu household and later transferred to serve in the household of Song Qindao, where she became romantically involved with him and gave birth to Mu Xielili. As a result, Mu Xielili's family background remains ambiguous, with some claiming she might be Song Qindao's daughter. Mu Xielili was originally nicknamed Huanghua, but later changed her name to Sheli. Song Qindao's wife, consumed by jealousy, marked Qingxiao's face with the character "Song." After Song Qindao was killed, Huanghua entered the palace and gained the favor of the emperor, and everyone in the palace referred to her as "Eunuch Sheli."
Lu Lingxuan, the Minister of Ceremonies, recognized that Mu Xielili was in favor, so he raised her as his own daughter and recommended her for the title of Lady Hongde. In the first year of Wuping, in June, Mu Xielili gave birth to the crown prince Gao Heng. At that time, the emperor lacked an heir, and Lu Lingxuan worked behind the scenes to ensure someone could assume the vital responsibilities of governance. The current empress, Empress Hulv, was the daughter of Prime Minister Hulv Guang. Lu Lingxuan was worried that Empress Hulv would be resentful, so she arranged for Mu Xielili's mother to raise Gao Heng and declared him the crown prince. Utilizing her status in the imperial family, Lu Lingxuan worked with Mu Xielili's mother and petitioned the emperor to bestow the surname Mu upon Mu Xielili. Following the deposition of Empress Hu, Lu Lingxuan played a significant role in this matter, resulting in Mu Xielili being ultimately made empress and issuing a general amnesty for the populace.
In the beginning, General Yuan Zhenglie found a jade seal in the water east of Ye City and presented it to the emperor. The seal was engraved with the inscription "Heavenly King's Seal," reportedly crafted by the Shi family. The emperor issued a decree declaring this an auspicious sign for Lady Mu's ascension to empress. During the reign of Emperor Wucheng, a lavish pearl skirt and pants were created for Empress Hu at great expense, but they were eventually destroyed in a fire. After Empress Mu was established, a new set was crafted for her. Upon the death of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou's mother, Emperor Wu sent officials to offer condolences, as well as merchants carrying thirty thousand pieces of silk and the envoy of condolences to Northern Zhou, in hopes of acquiring pearls to craft a seven-treasure carriage for the empress. However, the Northern Zhou refused to engage in trade, so the carriage was ultimately constructed without the pearls.
A nursery rhyme went: "Yellow flowers are about to fall, toast with a full cup." This suggests that Lady Mu's reign (Huanghua) would be short-lived. After Empress Mu was established, she became enamored with alcohol and indulgence, hence the mention of "toast with a full cup" in the nursery rhyme. Lu Lingxuan's younger brother, Lu Tibo, adopted the surname Mu, and Lu Lingxuan also gained favor from Empress Mu. As Lady Mu acknowledged Lu Lingxuan as her mother and Lu Tibo as her brother, she disregarded Qingxiao. Qingxiao later tended to the scars on her face and wanted to see her daughter, but the empress dowager and Lu Lingxuan dispatched people to prevent her, and ultimately, she was unable to see her daughter.
The emperor of Northern Zhou, named Yuwen Wei, with the courtesy name Rengang, was the firstborn son of Emperor Wucheng. His mother, Empress Hu, once dreamed she was sitting in a jade basin on the sea, as the sun fell beneath her skirt, and shortly after, she became pregnant. On the fifth day of the fifth month in the seventh year of the Tianbao era, Yuwen Wei was born at his mansion in Bingzhou. He was strikingly handsome from a young age, and Emperor Wucheng especially favored him, designating him as the crown prince. After Emperor Wucheng ascended to the throne, on the bingxu day of the first month in the second year of the Dana era, Yuwen Wei was made the crown prince. In the fourth year of the Heqing era, Emperor Wucheng abdicated the throne in his favor.
In the summer of the first year of the Tian Tong era, on the fourth month, the Emperor officially ascended the throne in the Jinyang Palace, granting a general amnesty and renaming the fourth year of Heqing as the first year of Tian Tong. The next day, on the fifth day of the month, the Emperor appointed He Baoren as Grand Tutor, Hou Mochenxiang as Grand Guardian, Wang Run as Minister of Personnel, Wang Rui as Minister of War, and Wang Xiaowan as Prefect of the Masters of Writing. On the sixth day, he also appointed Wei Can as Grand Commandant, Holuoguang as Grand General, Lou Rui as Grand Commandant, and Zhao Yanshen as Left Chancellor. On the twentieth day of the sixth month, a comet appeared in the northeast of Wenchang, initially about the size of a hand, gradually stretching to over ten feet long, disappearing after a hundred days. On the seventh day, the Emperor Wu Cheng dispatched Wang Jigao as an envoy to the Chen Kingdom. On the eighth day of the seventh month, the Emperor Wu Cheng ordered the appointment of a Water Commissioner. On the twelfth day of the eleventh month, the Emperor Wu Cheng returned from Jinyang. On the twentieth day, he went hunting in the northern suburbs; on the twenty-eighth day, in the southern suburbs; on the thirtieth day, in the western suburbs; on the first day of the twelfth month, the Emperor Wu Cheng went to Jinyang; on the fifth day, the Emperor returned from Jinyang; on the seventh day, the relevant departments proposed renaming 'Emperor Gaozu Wenxuan' to 'Emperor Weizong Jinglie'. That year, Goryeo, Khitan, and Mohe all sent envoys to pay tribute, and there was a major epidemic in the Henan region. In a certain year (Bing Xu year, that year), on the first few days of the first lunar month, the Emperor went to the Yuanqiu to offer sacrifices. A few days later (Gui Si day), a grand sacrifice was held at the ancestral temple, with the Emperor ordering varied punishments for offenders. A few days later (Bing Shen day), Minister of Personnel Wei Jin was promoted to Right Chancellor. A few days later (Geng Zi day), the Emperor went to Jinyang for leisure.
At the beginning of the second month (Gengxu day), the former emperor returned from Jinyang. Then, on Renzi day, the Chen Kingdom sent envoys to offer tributes as a gesture of friendship. On the early days of the third month (Yisi day), the former emperor ordered the bestowal of the Three Platforms to the Xingsheng Temple. Due to a drought disaster, the emperor ordered a reduction in the punishments for offenders. In April, the emperor of the Chen Kingdom, Chen Wendi, passed away.
On the early days of the fifth month (Yiyou day), Prince Wuxing, concurrently serving as the Left Supervisor of the Secretariat, was appointed as the Prefect of the Secretariat. A few days later (Jihai day), the emperor conferred titles of kings to several of his sons: Dongping King (Yan), Qian King (Ren Hong), Beiping King (Ren Jian), Gaoping King (Ren Ying), and Huainan King (Ren Guang). In June, the former emperor ordered Wei Daoru, the Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary, to visit the Chen Kingdom.
By August, the former emperor returned to Jinyang. On the early days of the tenth month (Yimao day), the emperor adjusted the positions of a group of high officials: Hou Mochen was appointed as the Grand Tutor, Prince Rencheng was appointed as the Grand Protector, Lou Rui was appointed as the Grand Marshal, Prince Fenyi was appointed as the Grand Commandant, and Han Zunian was appointed as the Minister of Works. In November, heavy snow fell, and the emperor's garments were stolen from the ancestral temple! On the early days of the twelfth month (Yichou day), the Chen Kingdom sent envoys to offer tributes once again.
That year, Prince Xiaowan of Hejian was killed. Envoys from both the Turkic and Mohe tribes came to offer tributes. This year marked the first year of the Tianhe era of the Zhou Dynasty.
In a certain year (specific year not mentioned in the original text), in the early days of the first month, the former emperor returned from Jinyang. A few days later, heavy snow fell, with accumulations reaching two feet! Afterwards, the former emperor ordered officials in the capital and at various levels to recommend talents: officials of the third rank and above were to recommend three individuals each, officials of the fifth rank and above were to recommend two individuals each, and officials of the seventh rank and above as well as certain positions were to recommend one individual each. Unfortunately, the Nine Dragons Hall in the Yegong Palace caught fire, spreading to the west corridor.
On the first day of the second month, the emperor held a crown ceremony, declared a general amnesty, and promoted all artisans by four ranks and all officials by two ranks. In April, the Grand Empress Dowager sent Sima Youzhi as an envoy to the state of Chen. In May, the Grand Empress Dowager appointed King Yan of Dongping as the Minister of Personnel. On that day, a fierce wind blew, the sky turned dark, trees were blown down, and many houses were damaged. In June, the Grand Empress Dowager appointed King Renji as the King of Xihe, King Renyue as the King of Lelang, King Renjian as the King of Yingchuan, King Renya as the King of Anle, King Rentong as the King of Danyang, and King Renqian as the King of Donghai. In the intercalary month of June, the Left Chancellor Hulü Jin passed away. The next day, the Grand Empress Dowager appointed King Yan of Dongping to be in charge of the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel, Zhao Yanshen as the Minister of the Left, and Lou Dingyuan and Xu Zhicai as the Left and Right Deputy Ministers. In August, the Grand Empress Dowager made large-scale adjustments to the positions of court officials, appointing King Jie of Rencheng as the Grand Preceptor, King Run of Fengyi as the Grand Marshal, Duan Shao as the Left Chancellor, Heba Ren as the Right Chancellor, Houmochen Xiang as the Grand Chancellor, Lou Rui as the Grand Tutor, Hulü Guang as the Grand Protector, Han Zunian as the Grand General, King Rui of Zhaojun as the Grand Commandant, and King Yan of Dongping as the Minister of Works. In September, the Grand Empress Dowager ordered the disbanding of certain miscellaneous households tied to temple institutions, placing them under the management of counties and treating them like ordinary commoners. Later, the Grand Empress Dowager went to Jinyang. In the autumn of that year, Shandong experienced severe flooding, leading to numerous starvation deaths and corpses littering the roads. In October, envoys from the Turkic Khaganate, Da Moyou, Shiwei, Baekje, Mohe, and other countries all came to offer tribute. In November, the Great Ming Hall in Jinyang was completed, which resulted in a general amnesty, with civil and military officials all being promoted by two ranks, and the taxes in Taiyuan County, Bingzhou were all exempted. Afterwards, the Grand Empress Dowager returned to the capital. In December, the Grand Empress Dowager posthumously conferred honors upon the late Left Chancellor, Prince Chen of Zhaojun, granting him worship in the Temple of Divine Martial.
In a certain year, during the first month, the emperor issued a decree, stating that he wanted ten people, including the late Prince of Qinghe, Yue, and the Prince of Hedong, Pan Xiangle, to jointly participate in the sacrificial rites at Shenwu Temple. Then, on a specific date, the emperor ordered Zheng Dahuh, who also held the position of Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary, to be sent as an envoy to the State of Chen.
On the third day of the third month, the emperor issued another decree, appointing the Minister of Rites, Dongping Wang Yan, as the Grand General, the Prince of Nanyang, Chuo, as the Minister of Works, Xu Xianshu as the Minister of Works, and the Prince of Guangning, Xiaoheng, as the Prefect of the Masters of Writing. This was quite a series of personnel changes!
On the twenty-ninth day of the fourth month, alas, a disaster struck. The Zhaoyang Hall in the Palace of Ye caught fire, and other palaces such as the Xuanguang Hall and Yaohua Hall were also burned. This fire was truly tragic! A few days later, on the day of Xinsi, the emperor went to Jin Yang to escape the summer heat. On the fifth day of the fifth month, the emperor adjusted the court officials again, appointing Hu Changren, the Right Minister of Rites, as the Left Supervisor, and Shikai, the Director of the Palace Library, as the Right Supervisor. On the day of Renxu, the emperor returned from Jin Yang. It had not rained since the first month, until this month of May. On the first day of the sixth month, it finally rained heavily! On the day of Jia Shen, a strong wind blew, snapping the trees. This month, a comet appeared in the vicinity of the Eastern Well star.
On the day of Bingshen in September, the Zhou dynasty sent envoys to negotiate peace with us, and the emperor sent the attendant Hushi Wenlue to return the visit to the Zhou dynasty. In October, on the day of Xinsi, the emperor adjusted the officials again, appointing the Prince of Guangning, Xiaoheng, as the Recorder of the Masters of Writing, Hu Changren as the Prefect of the Masters of Writing, Shikai as the Left Supervisor, and Tang Yong as the Right Supervisor. The changes in the government were truly dizzying! On the day of Rencen in November, the emperor sent Li Zhu, who also served as the Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary, as an envoy to the State of Chen. This month, the Prince of Ancheng in the State of Chen deposed his ruler, Bozong, and declared himself emperor.
On the twelfth day of the twelfth month of the Xinwei year, the former emperor passed away. On the day of Bingzi, the court declared a nationwide amnesty, promoting craftsmen by four ranks and court officials by two ranks. On the day of Wuyin, the former empress was posthumously honored with the title of Empress Dowager. On the day of Jiashen, the emperor ordered the dismantling of the spy system and the shutdown of workshops across the country. At the same time, palace maids from the Yeting, Jinyang, and Zhongshan palaces, as well as official servants from Yexia and the Tai Guan in Bingzhou, who were over sixty or suffering from illness, were allowed to retire. On the day of Gengyin, the emperor also ordered the pardon and return of those exiled due to their associations since the seventh year of Tianbao. That year, envoys from the Khitan and Mohe tribes came to pay tribute. In the first month of the year 566, the emperor ordered that the three platforms, including the Golden Phoenix, that had yet to be moved to the temple, be sent to the Daxing Temple. That month, the Governor of Dingzhou and Prince Boling, Ji, were executed. On the second day of the second month, the emperor ordered that all those facing palace punishment be exempted and reassigned as government laborers. He then ordered the prohibition of hunting falcons and hawks, as well as the trapping and release of those birds. A few days later, envoys from the Great Moro Kingdom arrived to pay tribute. Then, the Emperor re-designated the Prince of Dongping as the Prince of Langye. The Emperor also sent the attendant Chi Liechangcha to the Zhou Dynasty as an envoy. That month, the Grand Commandant, Prince Rui of Zhao County, was executed. On the third day of the third month, Xu Xianshou was appointed as the Grand Commandant, while Lou Dingyuan was demoted to the Minister of Works. That month, the Emperor visited Jinyang for leisure. On the second day of the fourth month, the Emperor ordered the conversion of the Shangshu Province in Bingzhou into the Daji Temple and the Jin Shrine into the Dachong Emperor’s Temple. A few days later, the Emperor returned from his visit to Jinyang.
At the beginning of July, the emperor ordered that those who erred should be punished based on the situation. A few days later, the emperor ordered officials to check on various states in Hebei, and in places that hadn't seen rain and were particularly dry, their taxes would be reduced. In early October, the emperor ordered a ban on brewing alcohol. In early November, the emperor promoted Hulü Guang to Grand Tutor, Wang Run to Grand Protector, and Wang Yan to Grand Marshal.
On a day in December, the emperor appointed Prince Changgong of Lanling as Minister of Personnel. He also appointed Wei Shou, the Director of the Palace Library, as Deputy Minister of Personnel. On the first day of the first month of the year 570 AD, the era name was updated. On this day, the Grand Preceptor, Governor of Bingzhou, and Prince Dong'an, Lou Rui, died. A few days later, on Wushen day, the emperor ordered the Imperial Attendant Pei Xianzhi to go to the state of Chen as an envoy.
On the ninth day of the second month, King Yuchang of Baekje was appointed Commissioner, Palace Attendant, General of Chariots and Cavalry, and Duke of Fangjun, with his royal title unchanged. On the day of Jisi, the Grand Tutor and Prince of Xianyang, Hulü Guang, was appointed Deputy Prime Minister; the Governor of Bingzhou, Deputy Prime Minister, and Prince of Anding, Heba Ren, was appointed Minister of Personnel; the Governor of Jizhou, Prince of Rencheng, Jiang, was appointed Grand Preceptor. On the day of Bingzi, the court commuted the sentences of prisoners not facing the death penalty.
On Wuxu day in the leap month, the Minister of Personnel, Prince of Anding, Heba Ren, also died. On the eighth day of the third month, Xu Zhicai of Kaifu Yitong San Si was appointed Deputy Minister of Personnel. On the sixth day of the sixth month, Prince Xiaoheng of Guangning was appointed Minister of Works. On the day of Jiachen, due to the birth of the crown prince, the court granted a general amnesty, with officials getting a two-level promotion across the board, and craftsmen from various states being promoted by four levels. On the day of Jiyu, the emperor appointed Tang Yong from Kaifu Yitong San Si as Deputy Minister of Personnel.
On the 10th day of the 7th month, Emperor Xiaozhao appointed his son Yanji as the Prince of Chengyang, Yankang as the Prince of Dingling, and Yanzhong as the Prince of Liangjun. On the day of Jiayin, the Grand Secretary and Prince Langong of Lanling was appointed as the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and the Central Army Leader, Shi Kai, was appointed as the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. On Guihai, envoys from the Mohe came to pay tribute. On Guiyou, Prince Huashan was appointed as the Grand Tutor. On the 8th day of the 8th month, the Emperor departed for Jinyang.
On the 4th day of the 9th month, the Emperor appointed his son Heng as the Crown Prince. On the 8th day of the 10th month, Prince Xiaoheng of Guangning was appointed as the Minister of Works, while the previous Minister of Works was appointed as the Minister of the Masses, and Prince Sizong of Luowang was appointed as the Minister of Works, and Xiao Zhuang was appointed as the Prince of Liang. On the day of Wuzi, prisoners in Beizhou who were sentenced to death had their sentences reduced. On the day of Jichou, the posthumous title of Emperor Weizong Jinglie was revised to "Emperor Xianzu Wenxuan." On the 27th day of the 12th month, the Emperor's procession returned from Jinyang. The Emperor ordered Prime Minister Huluguang to repair the city defenses along the route of Jinzhou.
In the year 577 AD, on the 14th day of the 1st month, the Emperor sent Liu Huanjun, who concurrently served as the Cavalry Attendant, as an envoy to the Chen Kingdom. On the 15th day, King Yuchang of Baekje was appointed as the Commissioner and Governor of Dongqingzhou. On the 9th day of the 2nd month, Prince Langong of Lanling, who was the Recorder of the Imperial Secretariat, was appointed as the Grand Commandant, and Zhao Yanshen was relieved of his duties as Recorder of the Imperial Secretariat and reassigned as Minister of Works; Shi Kai was promoted to Recorder of the Imperial Secretariat; Xu Zhicai was promoted to Minister of the Imperial Secretariat; Tang Yong was promoted to Left Deputy; and Feng Zicong was promoted to Right Deputy.
On the ninth day of the fourth month, Grand Protector Langye Wang Yan was appointed as Grand Guardian. On the eleventh day, the Chen Kingdom sent envoys requesting an alliance to attack the Zhou Dynasty together, but the court refused. In the sixth month, Duan Shao launched an attack on Fenzhou, capturing it, and also captured the governor Yang Fu. On the seventh day of the seventh month, Grand Protector Langye Wang Yan falsely claimed to issue an imperial edict and killed the Minister of Personnel and Scholar Shi at the South Platform. On the same day, he also executed General Shi Di Fuyan, Palace Attendant Wang Zixuan and others. Minister of Works Feng Zicong was also executed within the palace. On the sixth day of the eighth month, the emperor traveled to Jinyang. On the eighth day of the ninth month, Prince Rencheng Wang Jie was appointed as Grand Chancellor, and Prince of Fengyi Wang Run was appointed as Grand Tutor. On the sixteenth day, Prime Minister Pingyuan Wang Duan Shao passed away. On the twenty-first day, different punishments were given to criminals below the death penalty in the territory of Bingzhou. On the twenty-third day, Grand Protector Langye Wang Yan was killed. On the twenty-fifth day, envoys from the Chen Kingdom came to pay tribute. In October, the capital region was dissolved and incorporated into the military headquarters. On the sixth day, the emperor returned from Jinyang. On the twentieth day of November, the emperor dispatched Palace Attendant Helian Ziyue as an envoy to the Zhou Dynasty. On the twenty-third day, Xu Zhou Xingtai Guangning Wang Xiaoheng was appointed as Minister of Personnel. On the twenty-seventh day, Minister Guangning Wang Xiaoheng was appointed as Minister of Works. On the thirtieth day, Prime Minister Huluguang was appointed as Prime Minister. In a certain year (specific year not mentioned in the text), on the first day of the first month, the emperor went to the southern suburbs to offer sacrifices. A few days later, the deceased Langye Wang Yan was posthumously titled as King of Chu. On a day in February, the Bodhisattva Wei was appointed as Grand Commandant. A few days later, Minister Gao Yuanhai was reassigned as Right Minister of Personnel. A few days later, Left Minister Tang Yong was promoted to Minister of Personnel, and Palace Attendant Zuting replaced Tang Yong as Left Minister. In this month, the emperor ordered the compilation of "Xuanzhou Yuan Yulan," which was later renamed "Shengshou Tang Yulan."
One day in March, the emperor ordered officials of fifth rank and above to recommend a talented individual each. In the same month, the Zhou Dynasty executed their Chancellor Yuwen Hu. In April, the Zhou Dynasty sent people to visit our dynasty. One day in July, the emperor executed the Left Prime Minister, Prince Huluguang of Xianyang, and his brother, the Governor of Youzhou, Marquis Hulufengle of Jingshan. One day in August, Empress Hulu was deposed and demoted to commoner status. Then, Prince Rencheng Jai was appointed as the Right Prime Minister, Prince Fengyi Run Wang as the Grand Marshal, Prince Lanling Zhanggong as the Grand General, Prince Guangning Xiaoheng as the Grand General, and Prince Ande Yanzong as the Minister of Works. Envoys were sent to the Zhou Dynasty to foster goodwill. A few days later, the Mu clan was appointed as empress. A few more days later, Prince Beiping Renjian was appointed as the Minister of the Left, Xu Jiliang as the Deputy Minister of the Left, and Prince Pengcheng Baode as the Deputy Minister of the Right. Later, the emperor went to Jinyang for a visit. In that month, the "Imperial Collection of the Holy Longevity Hall" was finally completed, and the emperor ordered it to be preserved in the historical archives. The book was later renamed "Imperial Collection of the Repairing Hall." In September, the Chen Dynasty sent envoys for tribute. In October, the emperor showed great mercy and released all prisoners sentenced to death or lesser sentences. One day, the Mu clan was appointed as empress, and a general amnesty was declared. One day in December, Empress Hu was deposed and demoted to commoner status. That year, Silla, Baekje, Wujie, and the Turks all sent envoys for tribute. This year was the first year of the Jiande era in the Zhou Dynasty.
In a certain year AD, in the first few days of January, the emperor appointed Gao Anagong as the Recorder of the Secretariat, equivalent to acting as the Minister of the Left. A few days later, Cui Xiang was sent as an envoy to the Chen Kingdom. In that month, the capital and Bingzhou Province faced disturbances from fox spirits, and many people had their hair shorn, which was quite alarming.
In early February, the emperor appointed Mu as the empress. Soon after, he established the Wenlin Academy to cultivate talent. In a few days, Ren Jian was appointed as the Minister of Rites. Later, the emperor went to Jinyang for leisure. This month, envoys from the Zhou dynasty arrived seeking marriage alliances. In early March, Xinzhou was attacked by bandits; the governor and his men were killed, and the governor of Nanyanzhou, Xianyu Shihong, led troops to suppress the rebellion. The emperor finally arrived in Jinyang.
In early April, the emperor generously rewarded his subjects, with Prince Langong being promoted to Grand Preceptor, Prince Chu promoted to Grand Marshal, General Weipusa promoted to Grand General, Prince Yanzong promoted to Grand Commandant, Prince Wuxing promoted to Minister of Personnel, and Zhao Yanshen promoted to Minister of Justice. A few days later, mysterious wheel marks appeared in the sacrificial place in the palace, with no one around, a truly strange occurrence! The emperor said it was an auspicious sign, celebrated extensively, and announced the news to the entire nation. This month, envoys from the Zhou dynasty came for marriage alliances again.
In early May, the emperor ordered the court historian to compile a new edition of the "Book of Wei." Mu Tipo was appointed as the Left Minister of the Secretariat, and Duan Xiaoyan was appointed as the Right Minister of the Secretariat. This month, Weipohu and Changsun Honglue engaged in battle with Wumingche of the Chen kingdom, resulting in a major defeat. Weipohu fled, Changsun Honglue died in battle, and both Qinzhou and Jingzhou were occupied by the Chen army. Wumingche pursued the victory, capturing Hezhou and Hezhou. This month, the emperor also executed Prince Langong.
In June, Wu Mingche besieged Shouyang. The Emperor went to the Southern Garden for leisure, but sixty officials succumbed to heatstroke. Gao Anagong was promoted to the position of Minister of Works. A few days later, the Emperor dispatched Wang Shiruo as an envoy to the Zhou Dynasty. In September, the Emperor went hunting to the east of Ye City. In October, Wu Mingche captured Shouyang. The Emperor executed numerous officials, including Cui Jishu, Zhang Diaohu, Liu Ti, Feng Xiaoyan, Pei Ze, and Guo Zun. Afterwards, the Emperor went to Jinyang. In December, Gao Anagong was promoted to Prime Minister of the Right. That year, both Goryeo and Mohe sent envoys to pay tribute, while the Turks sent representatives to propose marriage.
In the spring of a certain year, on the first day of the lunar New Year, the Emperor selected two palace maids, one named Eying, and the other also named Eying (presumably different individuals with the same name). In February, the Emperor's chariot returned from Jinyang. Oh no, trouble erupted when the Governor of Shuozhou and Prince Sihao of Nan'an rebelled! In a few days, the Emperor went back to Jinyang. Fortunately, Minister of Personnel Tang Yong defeated Sihao, who drowned himself, and his body and wife Li Shi were burned together. A few days later, the Emperor returned from Jinyang. A few days later, the Emperor appointed Tang Yong as Acting Minister of Personnel, effectively serving as the Minister of Personnel. In the summer of that year, in May, there was a severe drought, and a dead drought spirit, only two feet tall, with two eyes on its face and head, was discovered in Jinyang! Upon hearing this, the Emperor ordered a wooden model of the drought spirit to be made and sent to him. That summer, the Emperor ordered a general amnesty. Oh no, forces from the Chen Kingdom launched an attack on Huai Bei. In August during the autumn, the Emperor went back to Jinyang. In a few days, the Emperor appointed Gao Mei as Deputy Minister of Works. That same year, the Emperor also executed Prince Chu of Nanyang.
In the spring of the second year, on a day in March, the emperor returned to Jin Yang in his carriage. In a few days, a notorious thief named Zheng Zirao was executed in the city. This month, the Zhou Dynasty came to make peace with us. In the summer of that year, on a day in April, the emperor appointed Yang Xiuzhi, the Director of the Imperial Secretariat, as the Right Chancellor of the Ministry of Personnel. A few days later, envoys from the Mohe country came to offer tribute. In July of that summer, the emperor went to Jin Yang again. In August, six provinces including Ji, Ding, Zhao, You, Cang, and Ying suffered from flooding! That month, the Zhou army advanced into Luoyang, camped at Mang Mountain, and launched a fierce assault on Luoyang, even using fire ships to burn the pontoon bridge, severing Luoyang's ties with the outside world. On a day in the intercalary month, the emperor dispatched Prime Minister Gao Anagong from Jin Yang to confront the Zhou army. The Zhou army faced off against Gao Anagong in Heyang, but they fled in the middle of the night. A few days later, the emperor appointed Zhao Yanshen as the Minister of Works and Holu Aleruo as the Minister of War. A few days later, due to a shortage of military funds, the emperor imposed taxes on passes, ships, vehicles, forests, salt and iron, shops, and more, with different tax rates. At the same time, the prohibition on alcohol was lifted. In the first few days of January in the year 577 AD, the emperor ordered that those who had suffered from disasters and hunger since autumn and could no longer survive were to be handed over to major temples and wealthy families for assistance, so they could get by for the time being. A few days later, the emperor declared a general amnesty. Afterwards, the emperor's carriage finally arrived in Jin Yang.
One day in February, the government rounded up all unmarried women aged 14 to 20 to register in the provincial capital. If anyone was caught hiding, their family would face execution. A few days later, a fierce wind from the northwest uprooted houses and toppled trees, blowing for five days before finally dying down. On June 1st, the sky darkened as a solar eclipse occurred. Situ Zhaoyanshen died. In July, relentless heavy rain fell. Because of the flooding, the emperor sent people to provide aid to the displaced. In August, the emperor went to Jinyang. During this time, a wild chicken flew onto the emperor's throne and was captured, but the officials in charge were too afraid to report it to him. The emperor ordered the building of Handan Palace. In October, the emperor went hunting at Qilian Lake. Meanwhile, the Zhou army launched an attack on Jinzhou. A few days later, the emperor returned to Jinyang. Later, the emperor positioned his troops and faced off against King Xian of Qi from the Zhou Dynasty at Jiqi Plain. The two sides held off from battle until nightfall, at which point the Zhou army retreated. In November, Emperor Wu of Zhou pulled his troops back to Chang'an, leaving a small contingent behind in Jinzhou. Gao Anagong and others besieged Jinzhou. The emperor reached the outskirts of Jinzhou. One day in December, Emperor Wu of Zhou arrived to rescue Jinzhou. The two sides clashed in a major battle south of the city, and we faced a crushing defeat. The emperor was the first to flee, abandoning his army. The emperor returned to Jinyang, overcome with anxiety and fear, unsure of what to do next. Later, the emperor declared a general amnesty.
The emperor asked his ministers, "The Zhou army is too powerful, what should we do?" The ministers all said, "The mandate of heaven has not changed; victory and defeat are common in warfare; it has always been this way since ancient times. We should stop all kinds of taxes, pacify the court and the people, gather the remnants of defeated soldiers, fight with our backs against the wall, and protect the country!" The emperor hesitated and thought about fleeing north to Shuozhou. So, he left Prince Ande Yanzong, Prince Guangning Xiaoheng, and others to guard Jinyang. If Jinyang could not be defended, he planned to escape to the Turks. The ministers all disagreed, but the emperor did not listen. The Imperial officials He Baifu'en, Feng Fuxiang, Murong Zhongkui, and more than thirty other ministers serving the emperor secretly went over to the Zhou army. The emperor ordered the recruitment of soldiers, with Prince Ande Yanzong leading the left army and Prince Guangning Xiaoheng leading the right army. Yanzong went to see the emperor, who told him he wanted to go to Shuozhou. Yanzong pleaded and advised against it, but the emperor did not listen. The emperor secretly sent Wang Kangde and Qi Shao to escort the empress dowager and the crown prince to Shuozhou. The emperor visited the army camp south of the city to comfort the soldiers. He planned to escape in secret that night, but the generals disagreed. The next day, the emperor ordered a general pardon and changed the era name to Longhua. On the same day, Mutipo surrendered to the Zhou dynasty. The emperor appointed Prince Ande Yanzong as the Prime Minister to defend against the enemy, and Yanzong tearfully accepted the appointment. That night, the emperor secretly fled from Wulong Gate, wanting to escape to the Turks. Most of the officials who had followed him dispersed. General Meisheng Lang stopped the emperor's horse and advised him, so the emperor returned to Ye City. At that time, only Gao Anagong and a handful of others remained with the emperor; Prince Guangning Xiaoheng and Prince Xiangcheng Yandao later caught up, and a total of several dozen people traveled together. After a few days, Yanzong followed everyone's advice and ascended the throne in Jinyang, proclaiming the era of Dechang.
In a certain year (Gengshen year) AD, the emperor entered Ye City. The next day (Xinyou year), Yan Zong's army fought a battle with the Zhou forces in Jinyang, suffering a crushing defeat and being captured by the Zhou forces. The emperor ordered the recruitment of soldiers, promising rewards and promotions, but despite all the talk, nothing concrete happened. Prince Xiaoheng of Guangning suggested rewarding the soldiers with women and treasures from the palace, which did not sit well with the emperor. Hulü Xiaqing mediated the situation to help smooth things over, donning his armor to take charge of the situation, and suggested that the emperor personally comfort the soldiers. He even drafted a speech for the emperor, urging him to be heartfelt and generous to win people's hearts. However, when the emperor stepped out to speak to the crowd, he forgot the prepared speech completely and burst into laughter, prompting others to join in the laughter, leaving the soldiers utterly bewildered.
Afterwards, starting with the Grand Chancellor and extending downward, the positions of Grand Preceptor, Three Masters, Grand Marshal, Grand General, and other high-ranking officials were expanded and promoted. Some even juggled multiple positions at once, and there were so many it was hard to keep track.
Two days later (Jiazi day), the empress dowager made her way back from the north. The emperor summoned officials of the first rank and above to the Zhu Hua Gate, hosted a banquet and handed out paper and pens, and asked everyone for their thoughts on how to handle the Zhou Dynasty. The ministers chimed in with their opinions, but the emperor found it hard to make a decision. He then called upon ministers such as Gao Yuanhai, Song Shisu, Lu Sidao, and Li Delin to talk about passing the throne to the crown prince. Earlier, a fortune teller had predicted significant upheaval, so in line with the traditions of the Tian Tong Dynasty, the emperor handed the throne over to the young emperor.
The young emperor, Heng, is the emperor's eldest son. His mother is Empress Mu, who was born in June of the first year of Wuping in Ye City. In October of the same year, he was proclaimed Crown Prince. In the second year of Longhua, in the first month, the eight-year-old emperor ascended the throne, changing the reign to Chengguang, granting amnesty throughout the realm, bestowing the title of Grand Empress Dowager upon the Empress Dowager, while his father was named the Grand Emperor and his mother the Grand Empress. Then, the Yellow Gate Chamberlain Yan Zhitui, the Privy Councilor Xue Daoheng, and the Palace Attendant Chen Dexin advised the Grand Emperor to recruit soldiers and gather horses from beyond the river, plan carefully and, if necessary, escape to the Chen Kingdom. The Grand Emperor agreed. A few days later, the Grand Empress Dowager and the Grand Empress first set out from Ye City to Jizhou.
The Zhou army closed in, and the young emperor quickly fled east from Ye City. When the Zhou army reached Zimo Bridge, they set fire to the city's west gate. The Grand Emperor fled east with over a hundred riders and finally crossed the Yellow River to Jizhou. That day, the young emperor abdicated the throne in favor of the Grand Chancellor, Prince Rencheng Jie, and ordered the Palace Attendant Huluxiaoqing to deliver the abdication documents and the imperial seal to Yingzhou. However, Huluxiaoqing delivered these items directly to the Zhou Dynasty. Prince Rencheng also issued a decree, honoring the Grand Emperor as the Supreme Emperor and the young emperor as the Guardian King. The Grand Empress Dowager remained in Jizhou, with Gao Anagong remaining as regent. The Grand Emperor fled to Qingzhou with the Empress and the young emperor, accompanied by Han Changluan, Deng Yu, and several dozen others.
When he arrived in Qingzhou, the Grand Emperor immediately began planning to go to the state of Chen. As a result, Gao Anagong unexpectedly conspired with the Zhou army, planning to capture the King of Qi alive. They kept sending messages claiming that the Zhou army was far away and had already burned the bridges, so the Grand Emperor kept stalling. Unexpectedly, the Zhou army suddenly arrived in Qingzhou. The Grand Emperor was frantic, preparing to flee to Chen State, even stuffing gold into saddlebags and bringing along Han Changluan, Shufei, and a dozen others, fleeing to Deng Village south of Qingzhou. They were soon captured by the Zhou general Wei Chi Gang and taken to Ye City. Emperor Wu of Zhou even followed them with a set of rituals of loyalty between ruler and subject, escorting the Grand Emperor, the young emperor, and other princes to Chang'an, and granted the title of Duke of Wenguoguo to the Grand Emperor.
In the seventh year of Jiande, Emperor Wu of Zhou falsely accused him of conspiring to rebel with the governor of Yizhou, Mutipo, and executed him along with dozens of others, regardless of their age. Few descendants of the Qi royal family remained. During the reign of Daxiang, Yang Xiuzhi, Chen Deshin, and others requested the Duke of Sui to grant the Grand Emperor a proper burial. The Duke of Sui agreed and laid him to rest by the Hongdu River in the northern plains of Chang'an.
The Emperor was bright and clever from a young age and even learned to write articles as he grew older. He established the Wenlin Pavilion, attracting many scholars. However, he had a stutter, lacked any grand ambitions, and did not like to meet court officials. Unless they were very close favored courtiers, he would not speak to them at all. He was weak-willed and couldn't handle others staring at him, becoming angry and throwing tantrums. When ministers came to report to him, even the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers avoided making eye contact and had to report the situation briefly before quickly leaving. In times of disaster, theft, drought, and other events, he didn't hold anyone responsible; instead, he focused on setting up altars for sacrifices, claiming it was for cultivating virtue. He was deeply superstitious and had a strong belief in sorcerers, trusting unreliable methods of prayer.
At the beginning, King Langya raised an army to rebel, and some mistakenly reported that it was She Di Fuyan who had rebelled. The emperor remarked, "It must be Renwei (King Langya)!" After the death of Huluguan, many military officials recommended Gao Sihao as the Grand Marshal, but the emperor claimed, "Gao Sihao is planning to rebel," and he was proven right. The emperor felt increasingly proud and indulgent, thinking he could predict everything. He even composed a piece titled "Wu Chou," playing the pipa and singing along with more than a hundred people. The common folk referred to him as the "Wu Chou Emperor." Once, he saw a group of troublemakers outside the palace, and he had them all executed, even skinning some to inspect. He appointed Lu Lingxuan, He Shikai, Gao Anagong, Mutipo, and Han Changluan to help govern the realm. Chen Dexin, Deng Changying, and He Hongzhen also participated in court affairs. These people formed their own factions, promoted their allies, and purchased official positions with bribes. The emperor's misrule and the suffering of the people were beyond counting. In the palace, there were over ten thousand slaves, eunuchs, merchants, foreigners, commoners, entertainers, and fortune tellers who struck it rich; more than a hundred commoners were elevated to kings, far too many to keep track of. Almost a thousand people held ministerial positions, and the number of Yitong Sansi officials was staggering. There were over twenty military leaders, and when reviewing memorials, they simply wrote "as per the directive," without names, so no one knew who approved them. The ancestors of those high-ranking officials could receive posthumous promotions each year until they reached the highest rank. All the palace maids could be elevated to the rank of county princesses, with more than five hundred maids adorned in gold and silver, living extravagantly. One dress required thousands of bolts of fabric, a dressing table valued at a fortune. They constantly competed with each other, wearing outfits one day and tossing them aside the next.
He inherited the luxurious lifestyle of Emperor Wucheng, feeling that this was the way an emperor should be, and he ramped up the construction of palaces, gardens, and hunting grounds, as well as military and literary platforms. In the palace, he built Mirror Hall, Treasure Hall, and the Jade Hall, all adorned with exquisite paintings and carvings, featuring the finest craftsmanship of the era. He also built twelve palaces in Jinyang, even more magnificent than those in Ye City. His favored concubines were always changing, sometimes in favor, other times cast aside, in a continuous cycle. They worked by firelight at night, using hot water and mud in winter, and the craftsmen worked tirelessly day and night. He had a massive Buddha statue carved into the western mountain of Jinyang, burning over ten thousand pots of oil in a single night, illuminating the entire palace. He also built the Great Mercy Temple for Hu Zhaoyi, but before it was completed, he changed it to the Great Baolin Temple for Empress Mu, exhausting all his creativity, moving mountains and filling seas, and costing countless lives of people and livestock. His horses were pampered with blankets and fed more than ten different types of food, and during mating, a green tent was set up with lavish food and wine, which he personally supervised. His dogs dined on rice and meat. Horses and falcons were given titles equivalent to high-ranking officials, such as the Red Leopard Yitong, the Carefree County Lord, and the Lingxiao County Lord, which the Gao Si's Book of Good Thoughts refers to. Dogs riding on horses even had cushions to sit on, and fighting cocks were also given the title of Kaifu. Dogs, horses, chickens, and falcons all ate grain from the county. When raising falcons, they were first fed with dog meat, and a few days later, the dogs died. He even built a "Poor Village," dressing in rags and pretending to be a beggar to get food, and he also built a "Poor People's Market," personally buying and selling goods. He built fortresses on the borders, had soldiers dress in black to impersonate Qiang soldiers, to intimidate them, and he would personally lead the eunuchs in resistance, sometimes even really bending bows and shooting arrows. He rode a single horse on an eastern tour from Jinyang, galloping so fast that he returned with his clothes in disarray and hair flying. He also liked to do useless things, once spending an entire night hunting for scorpions, only to find three liters by dawn. He especially liked things that were out of season, demanding them urgently, needing them today and having them delivered tomorrow, letting those in power exploit the situation and take advantage of the people. Taxes became heavier, and corvée labor increased, leading the people to the brink of survival and draining the national treasury. He permitted those corrupt officials to sell titles and positions, some obtaining two or three counties, others obtaining six or seven counties, distributing fiefs and counties, even the local official positions were secretly appointed by the emperor, hence the existence of "Imperial Appointments for County Registrars" and "Imperial Appointments for County Magistrates." As a result, the officials in the states and counties were all wealthy merchants and tycoons, each greedy and indulgent, making it tough for the people to get by. From Ye City to various states and counties, there were excessive levies and miscellaneous taxes everywhere. These corvée labor and taxes had started during the reign of Emperor Wucheng, but became even more severe under his rule. However, he wasn't as debauched and shameless as Emperor Wucheng, and in this area, he was a bit better.
In the beginning, towards the end of the Qinghe era, Emperor Wucheng dreamed that a huge hedgehog broke through the city of Ye, so he sought to gather all the fat in the country to block it. Those who were knowledgeable believed that the name of the later ruler was very similar to that of the hedgehog, foreshadowing the destruction of the Qi state. At that time, women shaved their heads and wore wigs, looking fierce, like soaring birds. If viewed from the south, the top of their hairdos pointed west. This trend started in the palace and spread throughout the country, as if heaven was signaling that the ruler's hair was cut off and danger was imminent, so they had to escape to the west. At that time, the knife blades were very thin, called "Jinshi." When children played games, they liked swinging a rope on the ground with both hands and jumping up while singing "Gaomo," which signifies the end of the Gao dynasty. Therefore, the fall of the Qi state was foretold.
Speaking of Emperor Wudi, he was elegant and extraordinary, talented in governing the country and military affairs. Both civil and military officials devoted themselves to him wholeheartedly, a true emperor in the making! Unfortunately, he favored those incompetent people excessively, entrusted them with the power of the court, and indulged in a lavish lifestyle, leading to excess. Isn't this a sign of destruction? Later, strange celestial events occurred, and he passed the throne to his crown prince. Although he changed the reign title, in reality, he still had the ultimate authority. It might have appeared prosperous on the surface, but it actually contradicted the ancestral traditions. He was very clever, but it was all too easy for him to deceive the people. And the kings of Henan, Hejian, and Leling were all killed under mysterious circumstances, some for minor offenses, others out of the emperor's suspicion. Can this really be called "understanding the will of heaven and following its path"?
As for the Crown Prince, who later became the emperor, he was indecisive and easily swayed by unscrupulous individuals. From childhood to adulthood, he received an education that was fundamentally misguided. From infancy to inheriting the throne, he was surrounded by unscrupulous individuals who cut off all avenues for virtue. The ideas he was exposed to from a young age were all unorthodox and corrupt. Coupled with the instigation from the empress and palace eunuchs, he indulged in carnal pleasures, reveling in luxury and wallowing in debauchery. As the saying goes, "easily corrupted." When Emperor Wu was alive, the situation had already deteriorated significantly; he rarely met with ministers, ignoring state affairs, and entrusted all matters to those unscrupulous individuals. The eunuchs in the palace held great power in court, issuing ruthless decrees, ambitious and oppressive, exploiting the people, insatiably greedy, selling positions and imprisoning for their own profit. Even worse, he heavily relied on generals who brought disaster to the nation, killing loyal ministers and generals, signaling the decline of the state, on the brink of collapse. Zhou Wu Emperor seized the opportunity and swiftly annihilated the state; alas, truly lamentable! The fall of tyrants like Jie and Zhou happened in the blink of an eye; this is simply the way of the world! Zheng Wenzhengong Wei Zheng summarized: The founding emperor of Qi established his dominance through exceptional talent and strategy; his son, Emperor Wenxiang, employed astute tactics to quell rebellions and bring distant territories under control. At that time, a new ruler immediately succeeded after the death of the sovereign, and military campaigns were conducted in accordance with the law. In the Battle of Heyin, he defeated Yuwen Hu with ease, as if flipping his hand; in the Battle of Guoyang, he eliminated Hou Jing effortlessly, as one would pull out dead grass. As a result, Qi was able to intimidate its western neighbors and gain renown in the south, ensuring stability for the royal family and bringing peace to the eastern Xia region.
Emperor Wenxuan inherited the legacy built by his ancestors during a time of peace and prosperity, and due to its strategic location, he moved the capital to Wei County. He was cunning and versatile, employed unexpected wisdom, gathered talented individuals, and had a keen insight into the situation, and both civil and military officials served him faithfully. He took command of the army at the frontier, dispatched generals to guard the Yangtze River, defeated the Chanyu at Longcheng, welcomed the Changjun into Liangguo, and the nation was stable both domestically and internationally, with no border conflicts. The northern tribes halted their incursions, and the Qin State dared not look east. However, later on, he indulged excessively and abandoned all restraint, and even when he performed good deeds, he could not escape death, leaving behind enough harm to impact future generations. He was fortunate to have died peacefully in old age; however, his descendants did not enjoy lasting glory and wealth, which was to be expected.
When Emperor Xiaozhao ascended the throne, the country was in a critical survival situation, and he adopted a strategy of first compliance and then resistance, promoting education abroad and planning major initiatives domestically, with the aim of strengthening his rule and unifying the nation. Unfortunately, he did not live long enough to realize his ambitions. If fate had granted him more time, both the Qin and Wu States would have been stretched thin. When Emperor Wucheng ascended the throne, the nation was in decline, and the legacies of Emperors Xiaozhao and Wenxiang had vanished. By the time of the last emperor, there was internal disunity and external moral decay; the army faced defeat at Pingyang, and he was captured in Qingtu. The ways of fate are profound and unpredictable, and perhaps hard to articulate; success or failure ultimately hinges on human actions, and this is certainly a topic worth exploring.
During the heyday of the Qi state, it controlled a vast territory, stretching from the Fen River and Jin River in the west, to the Yangtze River and Huai River in the south, to the eastern coast and the northern desert. Of the six states, Qi controlled five and four of the nine provinces. When comparing the strengths of both sides, as well as the gains and losses of the state treasury, there's no need to elaborate on the advantages and disadvantages of each side. However, the strategic terrains of the Taihang Mountains and the Great Wall still remain, as do those of the Yangtze and Fenjin rivers. The state treasury has not seen a decrease in taxes, and there is no lack of soldiers and military forces. However, while previous generations of rulers managed to maintain surplus resources, the later ruler struggled to retain these resources. What accounts for this?
In previous generations, the rulers of the country were diligent and benevolent, loved the people, provided relief to disaster victims, and administered rewards and punishments fairly. They enabled the people to live and work in peace, shared both joys and hardships with the people, and thus were able to live and die with them. However, the later ruler was quite different. He was solely focused on his own pleasures, harmed the interests of the people, and sought personal gain for himself. He built luxurious palaces, indulged himself day and night in wine and women, and the palace was filled with extravagance. The signs of debauchery in the harem were evident both inside and out. He completely ignored state affairs, believing he could have and do whatever he pleased. He turned a deaf ear to loyal advice while easily falling for slander. He treated the people as mere weeds, committing crimes with the same ease as breathing. Deceitful villains held power, palace maids and eunuchs manipulated the court, selling offices and practicing tyranny. Loyal and righteous individuals were persecuted, while the sycophants rose to power and wealth. The wicked gained power, laws were in name only, with over a hundred people urging him to drink, and more than one seeking favor by currying favor. As a result, the country collapsed amidst internal strife and external rebellion. Everyone wanted to escape from the country, but the ruler indulged even further in his extravagance, believing he could deceive the people and mask his crimes with a façade of virtue. He initiated a war doomed to fail, and the foundation built over five generations crumbled in a single day. Isn't it true that what is carved in stone is hard to erase, while it's all too easy to destroy what has decayed?
I have also heard: Heaven is impartial, only favoring those with virtue; good timing is less important than a favorable location, and a favorable location is less important than harmony among people. From the time of Heqing to the end of Wuping, the State of Qi continuously carried out infrastructure projects, continuously sought beautiful concubines, exhausted their taxes, depleted their manpower, and lacked material supplies, and even the rivers and seas could not quench their insatiable desires. It's like a fire that is already roaring, yet still demands more fuel; even as things reach their end, they continue to commit wrongs to accelerate their own destruction, hoping to prevent the building from burning down and delay its inevitable collapse. This shows that the downfall of the State of Qi was caused by human folly, not by fate.
Emperor Wu Cheng of Northern Zhou, known as Yuwen Zhan, was the ninth son of Emperor Shenwu of Northern Zhou and the younger brother of Emperor Xiaozhao. He was handsome and charming, who was particularly favored by his father, Emperor Shenwu. At that time, Emperor Shenwu was busy expanding the territory and specifically arranged for Yuwen Zhan to marry the daughter of the Rouran prince, An Luochen, bestowing upon her the title of "Princess Linhe." At just eight years old, Yuwen Zhan wore formal attire and displayed a calm and composed demeanor; even foreign envoys were full of praise for him. Later, during the Yuanxiang period, he was appointed as the Duke of Changguang County; during the Tianbao period, he was promoted to king and also held the position of Minister of Works, eventually rising to the rank of Grand Commandant.
During the Qianming period, Yang Yin and others, envious of him, secretly transferred him to Beizhou as the Inspector to distance him from the center of power, holding the title of Inspector of Beizhou while also serving as Grand Marshal. In reality, Yuwen Zhan had long been conspiring with his brother, Emperor Xiaozhao, to eliminate the corrupt officials in power. Later, he was promoted to Grand Tutor, overseeing the affairs of the Secretariat, while also serving as the Grand Commander of the Capital Region. During the Huangjian period, he ascended to the esteemed position of Right Prime Minister. On one occasion, when Emperor Xiaozhao traveled to Jinyang, Yuwen Zhan stayed in Ye City to handle government affairs as Emperor Xiaozhao's younger brother. Emperor Xiaozhao had great trust in him and entrusted him with numerous responsibilities. Two years later, Emperor Xiaozhao passed away, leaving behind a decree that Yuwen Zhan was to succeed him as emperor.
Yuwen Zhan arrived at the Jinyang Palace and held a funeral for Emperor Xiaozhao in the Chongde Hall. The Empress Dowager ordered the reading of the will, and the Left Prime Minister, Hulü Jin, along with other officials, repeatedly urged Yuwen Zhan to ascend to the throne. After three requests, Yuwen Zhan agreed. On Guichou day in the eleventh month of the first year of Danning, Yuwen Zhan ascended the throne in the Southern Palace, issued a general amnesty throughout the empire, and changed the year to the first year of Danning. After his ascension, he quickly appointed several officials, including: Gui Yan, the Minister of Works and Prince of Ping Qin, as the Grand Tutor; Rui, the Supervisor of the Right of the Masters of Writing and Prince of Zhao Jun, as the Prefect of the Masters of Writing; Wei Can, the Grand Commandant, as the Grand Protector; Duan Shao, the Prefect of the Masters of Writing, as the Grand Marshal; Lou Rui, the Governor of Fengzhou, as the Minister of Works; Yan, the Grand Tutor and Prince of Pingyang, as the Grand Preceptor; Yu, the Grand Protector and Prince of Pengcheng, as the Grand Chancellor, in charge of the affairs of the Masters of Writing; Wang Ji, the Governor of Jizhou, as the Grand Commandant; Jie, the Director of the Palace Library and Prince of Rencheng, as the Supervisor of the Left of the Masters of Writing; Hulü Guang, the Governor of Bingzhou, as the Supervisor of the Right of the Masters of Writing; and he also granted titles to the sons of Emperor Xiaozhao as Princes of Leling. He then ordered envoys to travel throughout the country to inspect and select talents. This year marked the first year of Baoding during the reign of Emperor Wu of Zhou.
In the first year of Heqing, which marked the beginning of spring, the emperor's carriage returned from Jinyang. A few days later, the emperor sacrificed to Heaven and Earth at the Southern Suburbs, then went to the ancestral temple to pay respects to his ancestors. After a few more days, the emperor named Hu Shi as the Empress and his son, Wei, as the Crown Prince. He then declared amnesty, with all officials being promoted by one rank, and those who had lost their titles due to their fathers' deaths were posthumously promoted by one rank. A few days later, Run, who had previously served as the Governor of Dingzhou and Prince of Fengyi, was appointed as the Supervisor of the Left of the Masters of Writing. The emperor also ordered a ban on the slaughter of livestock to honor the beauty of spring.
On a day in February, the Emperor appointed Yan Diao, who was serving as the Grand Preceptor and Prince Pingyang, to be the Governor of Qingzhou, and also appointed him as the Grand Tutor and Minister of Works. At the same time, Gu Yan, who was the Grand General, Grand Master, and Prince of Ping Qin, was appointed as the Grand Preceptor in the central government, also concurrently serving as the Inspector of Jizhou. A few days later, Ren Cheng, who was also serving as the Minister of Rites, was appointed as the Minister of Works. The Emperor also sent the Cavalier Attendant, Cui Zhan, to visit the state of Chen. In April, the Empress Dowager Lou passed away, which was a great tragedy. The Inspector of Qingzhou reported good news, saying that on the Gengyin day of this month, the Yellow River and the Ji River were both crystal clear! Because of the clear waters, the Emperor decided to change the era name from "Second Year of Daning" to "Clear River," and at the same time meted out varying degrees of punishment to those who had erred. In May, Empress Wuming was laid to rest in the Yiping Mausoleum. Later, the Supervisor of the Right of the Masters of Writing, Huo Luoguang, was promoted to Prefect of the Masters of Writing. In July, alas, trouble struck! Grand Preceptor, Inspector of Jizhou, and Prince of Ping Qin, Gu Yan, actually rebelled in Jizhou! The Emperor quickly ordered Grand Marshal Duan Shao and Minister of Works Lou Rui to quell the rebellion. In a few days, Gu Yan was captured, and along with his three sons and over twenty accomplices, he was executed. After that, the Emperor conducted a major personnel reshuffle: Grand Marshal Duan Shao was promoted to Grand Tutor, Minister of Works Lou Rui was promoted to Minister of Works, Prince Pingyang Yan was promoted to Grand Preceptor, Huo Luoguang was promoted to Minister of Works, Prince Rui of Zhao was promoted to Prefect of the Masters of Writing, and Prince Xiaowan of Hejian was promoted to Supervisor of the Left of the Masters of Writing. In the autumn, the Emperor visited Jinyang, and envoys from Chen also came to pay their respects. In November of winter, the Emperor sent the Cavalier Attendant, Feng Xiaoyan, to visit the state of Chen. In December, the Emperor's entourage returned from Jinyang. In that year, the Emperor also executed Prince Shaode of Taiyuan.
In a certain year in the spring, on the first few days of the lunar new year, the emperor ordered a personal examination of the scholars in the court. Then, Wei Shou, the Prince's tutor, was appointed as the Right Minister of Personnel. In a few days, Wei Shou was dismissed from office for protecting and condoning others' mistakes. A few days later, the emperor posthumously honored Empress Wuming, and she was to participate in the sacrifices at the North Suburb together. Afterwards, the emperor personally visited the prisoners in Duting Prison and reduced the sentences of the criminals in the capital city.
On the first few days of the third month, the emperor ordered Minister of Works Huluguang to supervise the soldiers of the five camps in building fortifications at Zhiguan. After a few days, envoys from the Shiwei Kingdom came to pay tribute. A few days later, Zhao Yanshen, who was also the Right Minister of Personnel, was promoted to the Left Deputy. In April, the five states of Bingzhou, Fenzhou, Jinzhou, Dongyongzhou, and Nanfenzhou faced pestilence and drought, leading to poor harvests. The emperor sent relief aid to the affected areas. In the same month, the Chen Kingdom sent envoys to establish friendly relations with us. On the first few days of May, the emperor ordered the empty garden next to Shuangtang in the southern part of the city to be rebuilt into Dazongchi Temple.
On the first few days of June, reports from Qizhou claimed that eight dragons were spotted ascending to the sky at the confluence of the Ji River and the Yellow River! A few days later, the emperor sent Cui Ziwu, the Cavalier Attendant, as an envoy to the Chen Kingdom. A few days later, Xiaoyu, the Governor of Sizhou and Prince of Henan, passed away. On the first few days of August, the emperor ordered the transformation of Sannai Palace into Daxingsheng Temple. At the end of the year in December, envoys from the Chen Kingdom returned to pay tribute. A few days later, General Yang Zhong of Zhou led over twenty thousand troops, including the Turkic Ashina Khan, to launch attacks from Hengzhou, slaughtering officials and civilians indiscriminately. During that period, heavy snow and rain persisted for several months, with snow several feet deep blanketing the plains for miles in every direction, frost during the day, and even blood rain reported in Taiyuan, which was truly terrifying.
Later, the emperor arrived in Jinyang. The Zhou army quickly surrounded Banzhou, and the Zhou state sent Grand General Daxi Wu to lead tens of thousands of troops to Dongyongzhou and Jinzhou, cooperating with the Turkic forces. That year, the Shiwei, Kumoxi, Mohe, and Khitan all sent envoys to pay tribute. In a certain year, on the first day of the first month, Gengshen Day, which was New Year's Day, the Zhou army came to the city in grand fashion, and we fought in the west of the city. As a result, we suffered a disastrous defeat with countless casualties, with human and animal bodies piled high like mountains, stretching for hundreds of miles—an appalling sight. The emperor ordered Duan Shao, the King of Pingyuan, to pursue to the frontier and then return. On the third month, Xinyu Day, the court ordered a general amnesty throughout the country, which was a welcome piece of news! However, on Jisi Day, a terrible event occurred: someone actually killed the Grand Tutor and Prince Yu of Pengcheng! On Gengchen Day, the emperor appointed Huluguang as the Minister of State for Works, and Prince Wuxing Pu as the Cavalry Minister. On Jiashen Day, King Fengyi Run was appointed as the Chief Secretary of State. On Ximao Day in April, the emperor sent Huangfuliang to the Chen state as an envoy, also serving as a scattered cavalier attendant. On Jiazi Day in May, the emperor returned from Jinyang. On Renwu Day, the emperor appointed Prince Zhaojin Rui as the Chief Secretary of State, and promoted the former Minister of State for Works, Lou Rui, to the Grand Commandant of State. On Jiashen Day, Duan Shao was promoted to Grand Tutor. On Dinghai Day, Prince Rencheng Jie became the Grand General of State. On Renchen Day, the emperor returned to Jinyang. On Gengzi Day in June, it rained heavily, day and night, until Jiachen Day. In this month, rumors spread in Jinyang, claiming that ghost soldiers had appeared, frightening the people into banging on copper and iron objects to ward off the ghost soldiers, which led to the death of Prince Leling. By the way, the matriarch of the Yuwen clan was also sent back to the Zhou state.
On the 9th day of the 9th month, the Emperor conferred the title of Nanyang King to Prince Chuo and Dongping King to Prince Yan. This month, the matriarch of the Yan family was returned to the Zhou kingdom. The Chen kingdom sent envoys to arrange a marriage alliance with us. The Turks invaded again, reaching Youzhou and breaching the Great Wall, looting before fleeing. On the 1st day of the intercalary month, the Emperor sent twelve envoys to inspect the severely affected states and counties, exempting them from taxes. On the 9th day of the 5th month, the Turks invaded Youzhou again! The Zhou army also mobilized, launching attacks from three directions, with Yu Chijiong assaulting Luoyang, Yang Nai targeting Zhiguang, and Quan Jingxuan engaging Xuanhu. By the 11th day of November, Yu Chijiong had surrounded Luoyang. On the 10th day of the 5th month, the Emperor sent Liu Di as an envoy to the Chen kingdom, also serving as a cavalier attendant. On the 1st day of the 1st month, our Grand Marshal Lou Rui achieved a significant victory at Zhiguan, capturing Yang Nai alive, a major triumph! On the 12th day of the 12th month, Wang Shiliang, the governor of Yuzhou, surrendered along with his city to the Zhou general Quan Jingxuan. On the 14th day, the Emperor departed from Jinyang to initiate a southern campaign. On the 16th day, the Grand Chancellor and King Pingyang, Yan, passed away. On the 19th day, Grand Tutor Duan Shao defeated Yu Chijiong and his forces, lifting the siege of Luoyang. On the 23rd day, the Emperor arrived in Luoyang, exempting the people of Luozhou from taxes owed due to the Zhou army's occupation, and pardoning all non-capital offenders in the city. On the 25th day, the Emperor appointed Duan Shao as Grand Chancellor, Hulü Guang as Grand Marshal, and Prince Chang Gong of Lanling as Minister of State. On the 28th day, the Emperor arrived at Wulao, passing through Huatai and stopping at Liyang, and along the way, he also commuted the sentences of some criminals. On the 30th day, the Emperor's entourage returned from Luoyang.
This year, Goryeo, Mohe, and Silla all sent envoys to pay tribute. Unfortunately, a major flood occurred in the Shandong region, resulting in countless deaths from starvation and freezing. The emperor ordered disaster relief, but it was ultimately not carried out.
On the first day of the first month of the year 564, on the day of Guimao, Prince Xiaowang Yuanjie was appointed as the Grand Marshal, a very high official position. A few days later, on the day of Xinwei, the emperor traveled to Jinyang for leisure. On the first day of the second month, on the day of Jiayin, the emperor ordered the enthronement of the King of Silla, Jin Zhenxing, as the Imperial Envoy, Colonel of the Eastern Yi, and Marquis of Lelang Commandery, while retaining his title as King of Silla, a highly favorable honor! On the day of Renshen, due to the poor harvest that year, the court ordered a ban on brewing alcohol, presumably to save food. On the day of Jimao, another order was issued to reduce the salaries of officials, with distinctions based on their rank. On the day of Wuzi in the third month, the emperor ordered the distribution of food to the poor and destitute people severely affected by the floods in Xiyanzhou, Liangzhou, Cangzhou, Zhaozhou, as well as the eastern counties, Yangping, Qinghe, Wudu under Sizhou, and Changle, Bohai under Jizhou. The amount of food distributed varied based on local conditions, but each household could only receive a few dou of grain, and many places did not receive any.
During this month, there were indeed many strange occurrences! A comet appeared in the sky, and something fell from the palace resembling a red-painted drum with a small bell attached; stones in the palace moved on their own, aligning with one another; in a cave in front of the Wanshou Hall in the backyard, a giant deity appeared, with an enormous head and exceptionally white teeth protruding from its lips. The emperor, concubines, and other palace residents, with a total of over seven hundred witnesses, all witnessed this! The emperor even dreamt of it!
On the fourth day of the fourth month of the Wuyou year, General Lou Rui, the Prince of Dong'an, was dismissed for committing an offense. On the day of Yihai, the Chen Kingdom sent envoys to pay tribute. The court astrologer reported unusual astronomical phenomena, signaling a change of dynasty. On the day of Bingzi, the Emperor appointed Duan Shao as the Grand Preceptor and concurrently as the Grand Commandant, transferred the imperial seal and authority to the Crown Prince, issued a general amnesty, and changed the reign title to Tiantong, making corresponding adjustments to the ranks and punishments of officials. The Emperor also declared the Crown Prince's consort, Hulvshi, as Empress. The ministers respectfully referred to the Emperor as the Retired Emperor, and all major state affairs had to be reported to him. At the start of the abdication process, an eunuch was dispatched on a swift horse to deliver the edict to Ye City. As the eunuch departed from Jinyang City, he noticed someone on horseback following him, but in the blink of an eye, the rider vanished. Before he reached Ye City, the news had already spread. On the Xinyou day in the twelfth month of the fourth year of Tiantong, the Retired Emperor died at Qianshou Hall in Ye Palace at the age of thirty-two, posthumously honored as Emperor Wucheng, with the temple name Shizu. On the Jiashen day of the fifth year, he was interred at Yongping Mausoleum.
Emperor Xiaozhao, whose name was Yuanyan and courtesy name Yan'an, was the sixth son of Emperor Shenwu and the younger brother of Emperor Wenxuan. He was exceptionally intelligent from a young age, displaying extraordinary talent early on, and was greatly favored by Empress Dowager Wuming. In the first year of Wei Yuanxiang, he was titled Marquis of Changshan. When Emperor Wenxuan came to power, he sent the Grand Secretary, Li Tonggui, to the capital to teach the imperial princes. The emperor always focused on the main ideas of the texts he studied, rather than on flowery language. He would often sigh and say, "Even in the critical moments of the Battle of Mengjin, when the horses on the left side of the chariot were startled, the army did not collapse." He believed this exemplified true talent. He then devoted himself to reading the "Book of Han," and when he read the biography of Li Ling, he always admired his actions. He was exceptionally intelligent, and as long as he was aware of someone's taboos, he would never offend them. After Li Tonggui passed away, he appointed Diao Rou, a military officer from the Imperial Household Department, to replace him. Diao Rou was strict and ill-suited as a teacher, so the emperor eventually sent him away. When the emperor saw Diao Rou off, his expression was grave, with tears streaming down his cheeks, and those around him wept in sorrow. His respect for his teachers and old friends demonstrated his character.
Emperor Xiaozhao, originally named Yuan Yan, with the courtesy name Yan'an, was the sixth son of Emperor Shenwu and the younger brother of Empress Wenxuan. He was exceptionally talented from a young age, displaying imperial qualities early on, and even the Empress Dowager Wuming doted on him. In the first year of the Wei Yuanxiang era, he was given the title of Marquis of Changshan. Later, when Empress Wenxuan ruled, she appointed the Minister of the Central Secretariat, Li Tonggui, to teach the princes. Yuan Yan focused on practicality in his studies, without pursuing flowery language. He often said, "Even in critical moments like the Battle of Mengjin, when the horses on the left became startled, the army did not collapse." He believed this exemplified true ability. He dedicated himself to studying the "Book of Han," and when reading the biography of Li Ling, he always admired Li Ling's conduct. He was very intelligent, remembering the taboos of everyone he interacted with, never offending anyone throughout his life. After Li Tonggui passed away, he appointed Diao Rou, a strict and harsh teacher, to replace his teacher, but Diao Rou was not suitable for teaching the princes and was ultimately dismissed by the Emperor. He wore a solemn expression and shed several tears when bidding farewell to Diao Rou, making those around him feel sorrowful. It is evident how much he respected his teachers and friends! In the early years of the Tianbao era, he was granted the title of king. Five years later, he was appointed as the Governor of Bingzhou. He was adept at handling state affairs, with excellent literary talent and ability, earning both respect and fear from the people of the province. In the seventh year, he accompanied Empress Wenxuan back to Ye City. When Empress Wenxuan dealt with memorials, he often held differing opinions on various matters, so he had the Emperor and court officials discuss the right and wrong of the matters before they were officially submitted. He was highly knowledgeable in politics, always adept at identifying key issues, which earned him great admiration from Empress Wenxuan.
Eight years later, he was promoted to the position of Minister of Works, overseeing the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel. Nine years later, he was appointed as Grand Marshal, still overseeing the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel. At that time, Emperor Wenxuan was indulging in pleasure, causing the emperor's worry and distressed appearance. Noticing this, Emperor Wenxuan remarked, "As long as you are here, why can't I enjoy myself?" The emperor could only kneel in tears, speechless. Emperor Wenxuan was equally saddened; he smashed a wine cup on the ground and said, "If you hate me for this, then anyone who dares to toast me in the future will be killed!" Then he smashed and threw away all the wine cups. Later, Emperor Wenxuan became increasingly indulgent, sometimes visiting the homes of officials and nobles to wrestle and fool around, regardless of their status. Only when Prince Changshan arrived did everyone quiet down. The emperor privately drafted a memorial, intending to advise him, but his friend Wang Xi advised against it. The emperor did not listen to him and ended up angering Emperor Wenxuan with his blunt private advice. Emperor Shuncheng, a descendant of the Northern Wei imperial family, was someone Emperor Wenxuan wanted to distance the emperor from, so he secretly amassed beautiful women for the emperor, hoping to divert his affections. Although the emperor complied with the order to take concubines, his bond with Emperor Shuncheng only grew stronger.
The emperor was quite strict. If the Shangshu Langzhong made a mistake, he would punish them harshly. If his subordinates committed deceitful crimes, he would immediately conduct a severe investigation. Emperor Wenxuan had the emperor sit in front of him, pointing a knife ring at those who had been punished, and forced them to confess the emperor's faults. None of them could speak up, which clarified everything. Since then, Emperor Wenxuan no longer permitted corporal punishment for the Langzhong. Later, Emperor Wenxuan rewarded him with some palace maids from the Wei Dynasty. When the emperor woke up from drunkenness, he forgot about the reward and thought he had taken them himself. He then used a knife to lash out, injuring himself. The empress dowager was in tears all day, while Emperor Wenxuan did not know what to do. His friend Wang Xi, who had been previously banned, was later released to serve the emperor. A month later, the emperor's injury gradually healed, but he no longer dared to advise the emperor.
When Emperor Wenxuan died, the emperor was in mourning in the palace. The young emperor took the throne, and he attended court. He was appointed as Grand Tutor and Recorder of the Imperial Secretariat, with the final say on government affairs. A month later, he moved back to the fiefdom, and many decrees no longer needed his sign-off. Someone advised him, "A fierce bird leaving its nest is bound to risk having its eggs stolen! With your current position, why do you keep going out?"
In the first year of Qianming, he accompanied the deposed emperor to Ye City and stayed at the military headquarters. At that time, Yang Yin, Yan Zixian, Ke Zhuhun Tianhe, Song Qindao, and Zheng Zimo, worried about the emperor's high prestige and power, proposed that he be appointed Grand Preceptor, Governor of Sizhou, and Recorder of the Secretariat; and appointed Prince Changguang Zhan as Grand Marshal, Recorder of the Secretariat, relieving him of his duties as Commander of the Capital Region. The emperor felt sidelined and suspicious due to his good relationship with his relatives, so he arranged to go hunting with Prince Changguang to discuss countermeasures in the wilderness.
On the 3rd of March in the year of Jiaxu, the emperor held court for the first time. He set out early in the morning from the Ministry of War, but a fierce storm arose, damaging the curtains of his carriage, which made him very unhappy. When he arrived at the court, all the ministers were present. After sitting down and having a few drinks, he called for the Minister of Personnel Yang Yin, the Minister of Works Yan Zixian, General Zhu HUntianhe, and the Palace Attendant Song Qindao. The emperor, dressed in armor, entered the hall with the King of Pingyuan Duan Shao, the King of Pingqin Gao Guiyan, and General Liu Honghui, where he encountered the Cavalier Attendant Zheng Zimo at the Ministry of Personnel's gate, and had him arrested and killed in the palace.
As the emperor reached the gate of the Eastern Pavilion, Commander Cheng Xiuning drew his sword to attack him. The emperor sent Gao Guiyan to persuade him, but Cheng Xiuning shouted loudly and refused to stop. Gao Guiyan, who was a former military leader and was highly respected by the soldiers, successfully persuaded the soldiers to lower their weapons. Cheng Xiuning sighed and finally stopped. The emperor entered the Zhao Yang Hall, where the young prince, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress were all present. The emperor detailed the crimes of Yang Yin and the others and requested to take responsibility for the abuse of power. At that time, there were more than two thousand guards in armor waiting for orders in the courtyard and on both sides of the corridors. The warrior E Yongle was highly skilled in martial arts and was highly regarded by Emperor Wenxuan, and was poised with a knife, ready to strike. The deposed emperor spoke hesitantly and hurriedly, unsure of what to say. The Empress Dowager swore on behalf of the Empress, saying that the emperor had no ulterior motives but just wanted to escape from the forced situation. Gao Guiyan ordered the guards to lay down their weapons, and E Yongle finally put away his knife and cried. The emperor ordered Gao Guiyan to take the guards to the Hualin Garden, let the military of the capital guard the palace gates, and ordered E Yongle's execution in the garden. Then he issued a decree appointing him as the Grand Chancellor, Commander of all military forces, and Recorder of State Affairs, and all the officials in the imperial household were promoted by one rank. The emperor soon went to Jinyang, and he determined all major court affairs.
After the emperor ascended to the throne, he took it upon himself to manage everything, carefully studied the beneficial traditions left by his ancestors, validated various assertions, and then ensured that the deposed emperor would obediently follow his directives. The Empress Dowager then ordered the removal of the young emperor, allowing this emperor to inherit the throne. In the first year of the Huang era, on the Renwu day in August, the emperor ascended to the throne in the Xuande Hall in Jinyang, issuing a general amnesty and changing the first year of Qianming to the first year of the Huang era. The emperor honored the Empress Dowager with the title of Empress Dowager, posthumously conferred the title of Empress Wenxuan upon her, and Zhaoxin Palace was designated as the Empress Dowager's palace. On the day of Yiyou, the emperor ordered that since the founding of the dynasty, if the descendants of meritorious officials had died without heirs, thereby breaking the national lineage, the government should conduct a thorough investigation to identify any close relatives and establish descendants to inherit the family line. Officials from various counties and regions were granted official titles, rewarded with yellow hats and ivory staffs.
The emperor also ordered that those who dared to speak frankly and offer advice could come to see him and present their issues; soldiers who laid down their lives for the country on the battlefield should be promptly recognized and honored; those who were well-regarded and held high positions in court but did not receive posthumous honors during the Tianbao era should also be recorded and given posthumous titles; it was also mandated that the Judicial Department, the Censorate, and other law enforcement agencies should strictly enforce the law, not engage in legal loopholes or bend the law for personal gain; officials, slaves, and servants over the age of sixty could be exempted from servitude and become commoners. On the day of Wuzi, Grand Tutor Changguang Wang Zhan was appointed as the Right Chancellor, Grand Commandant Pingyang Wang Yan was appointed as Grand Tutor, and Prefect Yuzhang Wang You was appointed as Grand Marshal. On the day of Renchen, the emperor ordered envoys to be dispatched to various regions to gather public sentiment, assess local conditions, and scout for talent.
On the Jia Wu day, the emperor issued a decree saying: "After King Wu destroyed the Shang Dynasty, he first bestowed titles upon two descendants of the Shang Dynasty. The Han Dynasty, Wei Dynasty, Former Jin, and Later Jin all followed this rule. However, during the Yuan Dynasty, this rule was not followed. I have inherited the imperial authority and wish to uphold and enhance the ancient rituals and systems. However, the accounts of the 'Two Kings and Three Kneelings' are different in ancient books. Let’s discuss this and report back to me with the findings. I would also like you to discuss the related ceremonial systems." The emperor also ordered that the Imperial Academy should be equipped with complete officials and students to continue teaching classics and hold regular examinations. The stone scriptures brought by Emperor Wenxiang should be displayed in the academy. The universities in each state should also be urged to take their teaching seriously. On the day of Bing Shen, the emperor ordered that those who have made great contributions in the nine states may pass their titles down to their descendants as a gesture of favor. On the day of Ren Shen in September, the emperor ordered to settle on the ritual music and dance for honoring the three ancestors.
On the 11th day of the 11th month of winter, Empress Yuan Shi was named Crown Prince, and Crown Prince Bai Nian was established as Crown Prince. Titles were conferred upon those who honored their fathers across the realm. On the day of Gui Chou, the officials reported that the Emperor was to perform the 'Wu De' music and 'Zhao Lie' dance at the Temple of the Martial Emperor; the Emperor was to perform the 'Wen De' music and 'Xuan Zheng' dance at the Temple of Emperor Wen Xiang; the Emperor was to perform the 'Wen Zheng' music and 'Guang Da' dance at the Temple of the Manifest Ancestor. The Emperor approved the performances. On the day of Geng Shen, the Emperor ordered the posthumous titles for twelve individuals to be honored at the Temple of the Ancestor Emperor, seven individuals to be honored at the Temple of the World Emperor, and three individuals to be honored at the Temple of the Manifest Ancestor. In this month, the Emperor personally led his army northward against the Kumo Xi, crossed the Great Wall, and the Kumo Xi fled. The Emperor divided his troops to pursue and captured a large number of cattle and horses, bringing back the spoils of war to the Jin Yang Palace. On the day of Bing Wu in the twelfth month, the Emperor's chariot returned to Jin Yang.
In the second year of the Christian era, on the Xin Hai day in spring, the Emperor went to the Yuan Qiu to offer sacrifices. On the day of Ren Zi, the Great Sacrifice was conducted at the ancestral temple. On the day of Gui Chou, the Emperor issued a decree outlining different punishments for various crimes.
On the day of Ding Chou in the second month, the Emperor issued another decree requiring all officials above the fifth rank, as well as the chief clerks from the three ministries, the recorders, the literati of the princes, the imperial secretaries, the officials of the Ministry of Justice, the deputy secretaries of the Imperial Academy, and the secretaries of the Imperial Library, to recommend a talented individual every two years. On the day of Bing Zi in the tenth month of winter, the Emperor appointed Liu Shu, the Shangshu Ling and Prince of Pengcheng, as Grand Guardian, and Liu Can, the Prince of Changle, as Grand Commandant. On the day of Ji You, a wild pheasant unexpectedly settled in the courtyard before the main hall.
On November 1st, the Emperor issued a decree stating: "I have fallen gravely ill and have suddenly reached a critical condition. My son is still young and does not yet understand how to manage state affairs. National affairs are of utmost importance and must be entrusted to someone who possesses both virtue and talent. The Prime Minister, Prince Changguang Sima Zhan, is wise and astute, well-versed in the art of governance. He is a paragon among men, held in high esteem across the nation. We are of the same lineage, and the nation depends on him. Therefore, I have dispatched the Minister of the Left, Prince of Zhao, Sima Rui, to inform him of his succession to the throne. The funeral arrangements will adhere to the standards set by Emperor Wen of Han, during which all official duties will be suspended for thirty-six days, and the construction of the tomb will be kept simple and frugal." Prior to this, the Emperor had been in declining health yet continued to manage state affairs diligently. This month, the Emperor passed away at Jinyang Palace, at the age of twenty-seven.
In the first year of Daning, on the day of the intercalary twelfth month, the Emperor's coffin returned to Ye City, and he was posthumously titled Emperor Xiaozhao. On the day of Gengwu, he was interred in Wenjing Tomb.
This Emperor was intelligent and perceptive, profound and decisive, often leaving others unable to fathom his thoughts. He stood eight chi tall, with a waist measuring ten chi, and possessed a strikingly majestic appearance. As a provincial official, he was deeply engaged with state affairs, managing them so effectively that other officials struggled to keep pace. Upon ascending the throne, he diligently pursued effective governance, reducing taxes and showing compassion for the people's hardships. There were no favored concubines in his harem, and he actively sought talent from outside. Even his brothers were promoted alongside other officials, without any preferential treatment. He worked late into the night each day before attending court, striving to understand the strengths and weaknesses of his officials, frequently seeking counsel from his close advisors, hoping to receive candid and honest feedback.
Once, he asked his courtier Pei Ze what people outside were saying about him. Pei Ze replied directly, "Your Majesty, you are wise and fair, fully comparable to ancient wise rulers. However, some knowledgeable people say you focus too much on details and lack a broader vision as an emperor." The emperor smiled and said, "You are right! When I first began handling state affairs, I didn’t think things through enough, which is why it has come to this. This approach can't last long, and I worry I’ll still face criticism for my oversights." Pei Ze thus gained the emperor's favor. It can be seen how eager this emperor is to listen to criticism!
Prince Zhao Rui and She Di Xian'an accompanied the emperor. The emperor said, "I need to promote my cousins. Xian'an is my close cousin, so let’s set aside the formalities of ruler and subject according to family etiquette, and tell me what my shortcomings are." Xian'an said, "Your Majesty, you’ve been rambling a lot." The emperor asked, "What do you mean?" Xian'an replied, "Your Majesty, you used to think it was wrong when Emperor Wenxuan whipped people, so isn’t it hypocritical for you to do the same?" The emperor held his hand in gratitude and encouraged him to keep speaking his mind. Xian'an further said, "Your Majesty, you focus too much on details. An emperor shouldn’t handle every little matter like a minor official." The emperor said, "I know, but I can’t change it overnight; I plan to gradually adopt a hands-off approach." The emperor also asked Wang Xi, whose response was similar to Xian'an, and the emperor accepted them all gladly.
He was very filial. When the Empress Dowager fell ill, he moved to Nangong to live. He dressed plainly, looked haggard, and wore his clothes without unfastening them, hardly resting properly for almost forty days. Nangong was more than five hundred steps away from the imperial palace, and he would set off at cockcrow every day, returning around 7 a.m., all on foot without using a carriage. Whenever the Empress Dowager's condition worsened slightly, he would immediately sleep outside her chamber, taking care of her meals and medicine personally. The Empress Dowager often endured unbearable pain, and the Emperor would stand in front of the curtain, pinching his palms with his nails until blood soaked his sleeves. He was extremely affectionate towards his brothers, treating them as equals. He was talented and ambitious during a prosperous and powerful era for the country. He wanted to erase the grievances left by the Divine Martial Emperor, planning to personally lead an expedition to Pingyang as a strategy for further conquests. Sadly, this grand ambition ultimately went unfulfilled.
At first, he made an agreement of non-aggression with King Jinan. Later, the emperor's army was stationed in Jinyang, and King Wucheng guarded the city of Ye. Observers of celestial phenomena said that the city of Ye had the presence of imperial energy. The emperor was always worried that King Jinan would revive, so he secretly ordered someone to poison him. King Jinan did not drink it and was ultimately strangled to death. He later felt profound regret for this. He often felt hot and frequently consumed medicinal soups. At that time, Zhao, the Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel, saw Emperor Wenxuan, Yang Yin, Yan Zixian, and others heading west in Ye City, claiming they were heading west to seek revenge. The emperor and Lady Mao also spotted them at Jinyang Palace. Consequently, the emperor's health began to deteriorate. He performed many rituals to avert disasters and drive away enemies, such as boiling oil and sprinkling it in all directions, or holding torches to burn away ghosts. Those fierce ghosts emerged from the palace beams, rode on the roof, sang and shouted, appearing calm and unafraid. When a celestial dog appeared, he went to the training grounds to make sacrifices for peace. Once, a rabbit startled his horse, causing him to fall and break a rib. The empress dowager paid him a visit and asked him three times where King Jinan was, yet the emperor remained silent. The empress dowager angrily said, "He ignored my advice and deserves to die!" In his final moments, he clung to the bedpost and kowtowed, pleading for mercy. He sent a messenger to decree that Prince Changguang should inherit the throne, writing, "My wife and children should be settled in a good place, unlike those of the previous dynasty."
Speaking of it, Gao Huan brought peace to the realm and held power firmly. After moving the capital to Ye City, although he had many capable subordinates, he personally issued all the decrees. Emperor Wenxuan inherited the empire he had established, and both the court and the people supported him. The entire Eastern Wei rallied around him with joy, and not long after, he became emperor. At first, he was determined to govern well, and the social atmosphere was good. However, later on, he became increasingly indulgent in wine and women, his behavior became more and more unrestrained, and he became incompetent and cruel to an unprecedented degree. As a result, the country soon declined, all because of his own actions.
After King Jinan of Jinan ascended to the throne, he vigorously reformed the previous shortcomings, and the social climate underwent a transformation. Everyone felt very fortunate. Those ministers who assisted him, although very loyal, failed to help him enhance his moral character, manage his relationship with the imperial family, or plan ahead for the emperor's safety. When decisions needed to be made, they often hesitated, and in the end, they reaped what they sowed. Ministers were executed, and the emperor was deposed, all due to improper personnel decisions.
Emperor Xiaozhao served in the court when he was young and was well-versed in court affairs, handling all matters big and small. After Emperor Wenxuan's death, he vigorously reformed the previous shortcomings. After becoming emperor, he dedicated himself even more diligently, and his contemporaries admired his intelligence, but also criticized him for being too meticulous. He had a passion for studying ancient texts, conducted all his actions in accordance with ritual laws, planned to honor the imperial relatives of the previous dynasty, emphasized school education, and recruited many talents, both civil and military, to gather around him.
At that time, the political power in Northern Zhou was concentrated in the hands of the prime minister, and there was growing mutual suspicion among the generals, making the situation increasingly precarious. Emperor Xiaozhao turned his attention to Guanzhong, with ambitions to annex the region. His strategy was far-sighted, marking him as one of the few wise monarchs of his time, but unfortunately, he died young. Why did this happen? Was it a form of retribution? Was the foundation of the Qi dynasty nearing its end? He aspired to strengthen the country, but alas, fate had other plans.
Fei Di Yin, styled Zhengdao, was the eldest son of Emperor Wenxuan, whose mother was Empress Li. In the first year of the Tianbao era, he was appointed Crown Prince at the age of six. He was an exceptionally bright and clever child. When he first started learning antonyms, he annotated the character "迹" with "self-opposite." The attendants serving him at the time did not understand the meaning, so the Crown Prince explained, "The character '迹' has '足' next to it, which also represents '迹'; isn't this 'self-opposite'?" Once at the Northern Palace banquet, he purposely did not allow the Prince of Hejian to attend. When asked why by his attendants, the Crown Prince said, "The site of Emperor Shizong's assassination—how could the Prince of Hejian possibly be there?" Emperor Wenxuan often remarked that the Crown Prince possessed the qualities of the Han Dynasty emperors, unlike himself, and wanted to depose him and appoint Prince Taiyuan as the Crown Prince. Initially, Emperor Wenxuan appointed Imperial Academy Scholar Li Baoding as the Crown Prince's teacher. After Li Baoding passed away, the Imperial Academy Scholar Xing Zhi was appointed to teach the Crown Prince. Despite his young age, the Crown Prince was gentle, generous, cheerful, and open-minded, exuding the demeanor of an emperor, was well-read, took an interest in state affairs, and earned a stellar reputation. In the winter of the seventh year, Emperor Wenxuan hosted a banquet in the palace for court officials, scholars, and officials of ritual studies, where they engaged in debates using the classics, while he listened attentively. The Crown Prince's performance in the debate was exceptional, marked by eloquent speech and insightful answers, leaving everyone in awe. In the ninth year, while Emperor Wenxuan was in Jinyang, the Crown Prince served as regent, summoning Confucian scholars to expound on the "Classic of Filial Piety."
Now Yang Yin conveys the will of Emperor Wen Xuan and asks the assistant instructor at the Imperial Academy, Xu Sanchou, "Sir, how do you support yourself?" Xu Sanchou replied, "I have avoided women since childhood, focusing solely on studying, and I don't even realize that I am getting older. I just want to live this way for my whole life." The Crown Prince listened and said, "Yan Hui lived in a simple house to maintain his integrity, and Liu Xiaohui remained faithful, but they are not as good as this old gentleman who has never married in his life!" So he rewarded him with one hundred pieces of silk. Later, Emperor Wen Xuan ascended the Golden Phoenix Terrace and let the Crown Prince personally execute the prisoners. The Crown Prince was very sad; he looked distressed and couldn't bring himself to do it several times. Emperor Wen Xuan was very angry and struck the Crown Prince three times with a riding crop, resulting in the Crown Prince experiencing palpitations, a stutter, and fluctuating mental health.
In October, ten years had passed, and Emperor Wen Xuan passed away. On the Guimao day, the Crown Prince ascended the throne in the Xuan De Hall in Jinyang and became the emperor. A general amnesty was declared nationwide, all officials were promoted by one rank, and those who had lost their positions and titles were reinstated. On the Gengxu day, the emperor conferred the title of Grand Empress Dowager on the Empress Dowager and that of Empress on the Empress. He also ordered that all soldiers over seventy years old be given honorary positions, and all military officials over sixty or those who were disabled and unable to serve were dismissed. All civil engineering projects, including those dealing with gold, silver, copper, and iron, were halted.
On the Yimao day in November, the emperor implemented a significant personnel reshuffle: he appointed Prince Xianyang Hulv Jin as the Left Prime Minister, Prince Changshan Yan as the Grand Tutor, Prince Changguang Zhan as the Grand Commandant, Duan Shao as the Minister of Works, Prince Pingyang Yan as the Minister of War, Prince Gaoyang Shi as the Left Supervisor of the Secretariat, Prince Hejian Xiaowan as the Governor of Sizhou, and Yan Zixian as the Right Supervisor of the Secretariat. On the Wuyou day, the emperor dispatched envoys to inspect different regions of the country, evaluate the effectiveness of governance, investigate the customs and traditions of the people, and gather information about the hardships faced by the common people. This was certainly a significant initiative!
On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month of the year of Wuxu (戊戌年), the emperor changed the titles of some kings: Shao Ren, the King of Shangdang, was changed to the King of Yuyang; Shao Yi, the King of Guangyang, was changed to the King of Fanyang; Shao Lian, the King of Changle, was changed to the King of Longxi. This was the first year of Wucheng during the reign of Emperor Wu of Zhou.
In the first year of Qianming, on the first day of spring in the Gengchen year, the emperor changed the era name. On the day of Jiwei, the emperor ordered a reduction in corvee and taxes. On the day of Guihai, the King of Gaoyang, Shi, passed away. In that month, the emperor's chariot returned from Jinyang.
In the second month, on the twenty-fifth day, the emperor appointed Wang Yan, the Prince of Changshan, as the Grand Preceptor, in charge of the affairs of the Ministry; appointed Wang Zhan, the Prince of Changguang, as the Grand Marshal, also in charge of the affairs of the Ministry; appointed Wang Guiyan, the Prince of Pingqin, as the Minister of Works; appointed Wang Rui, the King of Zhaojun, as the Deputy Minister of the Secretariat. The emperor ordered the release of all prisoners who had been confiscated into the palace or given to others. On the day of Jiachen, the emperor went to Fanglin Garden to personally hear the cases of the prisoners, and those with sentences below death were either reduced or pardoned based on the circumstances. On the day of Yisi, the Grand Preceptor, Wang Yan, unlawfully issued an imperial edict and killed the Prefect of the Secretariat, Yang Yin; the Deputy Minister of the Secretariat, Yan Zixian; the Chief General of the Army, Zhu Hantianhe; the Palace Attendant, Song Qindao; and the Cavalier Attendant, Zheng Zimo. On the day of Wushen, the emperor appointed Wang Yan, the Prince of Changshan, as the Grand Chancellor, in charge of the national army and the affairs of the Ministry; appointed Wang Zhan, the Grand Marshal, as the Grand Preceptor, responsible for the defense of the capital region; appointed Duan Shao, the Minister of Works, as the Grand General; appointed the former Minister of Works, Wang Yan, as the Grand Marshal; appointed Wang Guiyan, the Minister of Works, as the Minister of Works; appointed Wang Yu, the King of Pengcheng, as the Prefect of the Secretariat. He also appointed the Crown Prince of Goryeo, Tang, as the Commissioner with Credentials, the Colonel of Eastern Yi, the Duke of Liaodong Commandery, and the King of Goryeo. That month, Wang Lin faced defeat by the Chen Dynasty, and Xiao Zhuang retreated to Hezhou.
On the first day of March, the emperor ordered all major military and state affairs to be reported to Jinyang and to follow the instructions of the Grand Chancellor, Wang Yan. On Ren Shen day, the emperor conferred the title of Prince of Guangning on King Wenxiang's second son and the title of Prince of Lanling on his third son. On the day of April Gui Hai, the emperor ordered relief for nine provinces, including Henan, Dingzhou, Jizhou, Zhaozhou, Yingzhou, Cangzhou, Nanjiaozhou, Guangzhou, and Qingzhou, due to locust infestations and flooding that severely damaged crops. That month, Emperor Zhou Ming died. On Ren Zi day of May, the emperor appointed Liu Honghui as the Right Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. On Ren Wu day of August, the Empress Dowager ordered the emperor's deposition and declared him King of Jinan, with income limited to one county, and then passed the throne to Grand Chancellor Wang Yan. That day, the new emperor resided in a different palace. In the ninth month of the second year of Emperor Huangjian, he died in Jinyang at the age of seventeen.
The emperor was exceptionally intelligent from a young age, with a generous, kind nature, and great wisdom. He was well-regarded during the reign of Emperor Xiaowu. After inheriting the throne, he was supported by Yang Yin, Yan Zixian, Song Qindao, and others. Grand Chancellor Wang Yan held a prominent position in court and was highly respected both within and beyond its walls. Additionally, on the day Emperor Wenxuan died, the Empress Dowager originally intended to make him emperor, so Yang Yin and others held resentment against him. Grand Chancellor Wang Yan was very worried and uneasy, so he asked the Empress Dowager to execute those who were disloyal. At that time, Prince Yu Wenguiyan of Qin was also involved in this conspiracy.
In the autumn of the second year of the Huangjian reign, unusual celestial phenomena occurred. Yuwen Guiyan was dispatched to Jinyang Palace to execute King Changshan. After King Changshan's death, Emperor Xiaozhao fell ill, fearing that the ghost of Emperor Wenxuan was haunting him. Despite employing various methods, Emperor Xiaozhao's condition showed no improvement. Three months after King Changshan's death, Emperor Xiaozhao also passed away. In the second year of the Daning reign, King Changshan was buried to the northwest of Wuning and posthumously honored as King Mindao.
Initially, Emperor Wenxuan instructed Xing Shao to name the emperor Yin, with the style name Zhaodao. The emperor expressed dissatisfaction, stating, "The Yin family has many brothers, and the character 'Zheng' has only one interpretation. My son won't be able to use this name after I die." Fearing the consequences, Xing Shao requested a change. Emperor Wenxuan did not allow it, declaring, "This is the will of heaven!" He then instructed Emperor Xiaozhao, "You can take his throne, but under no circumstances are you to harm him!"
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