Wang Zhen'e was from Beihai. His grandfather, Wang Meng, whose courtesy name was Jinglue, was a general and minister under Fu Jian, who proclaimed himself emperor in Guanzhong. Wang Meng was held in high regard by the northern people for his abilities in both civil and military affairs. His father, Wang Xiu, served as the Prefect of Hedong. Wang Zhen'e was born on the fifth day of the fifth month, and his family considered it an unlucky day, so they considered giving him to distant relatives. But Wang Meng thought his grandson was extraordinary and said, "This child is not an ordinary child, just like Meng Changjun; although born on an inauspicious day, he can assist the lord of the Qi state. This child will surely bring glory to his family!" So he named him Zhen'e.
When Wang Zhen'e was thirteen years old, Fu Jian failed, causing chaos in Guanzhong, so the family fled to the Xiaoshan region and around Minchi. For a period of time, he stayed with the Li family in Minchi, where Li Fang treated him kindly. Wang Zhen'e said to Li Fang, "If I meet a worthy hero in the future and become a marquis, I will definitely repay you!" Li Fang replied, "You are the grandson of the Prime Minister; with such ability, are you still afraid of not becoming rich and noble? I’ll be happy if I can just be a county magistrate by then." Later, Wang Zhen'e followed his uncle Wang Yao back to the Jin dynasty and settled in Jingzhou. He enjoyed reading works from various philosophical schools and military treatises, often discussing national affairs. Although he was not good at horseback riding and archery, he had a keen strategic mind and was decisive in his actions.
After the Battle of Guanggu, someone put in a good word for Zhen'e to Emperor Gaozu. At that time, Zhen'e was the County Magistrate of Tianmen Linyi, and Emperor Gaozu immediately sent for him. After chatting with him, Emperor Gaozu felt that Zhen'e was different, so he invited him to stay the night. The next day, Emperor Gaozu told his advisors, "Zhen'e is Wang Meng's grandson—a true chip off the old block!" Therefore, he appointed Zhen'e as the Assistant Historian of Qingzhou, giving him a role in the military operations under the Central Military Marshal and putting him in charge of the affairs of the Front Office. Zhen'e fought against Lu Xun at Cha Pu, earning merit in several battles, which led to his promotion as a Fifth Rank Viscount of Bolu County.
Later, Gaozu planned to launch a campaign against Liu Yi. Zhen'e proposed, "If you are going to attack Xichu, please allow me to lead a hundred warships to scout the route first." In the eighth year of the Yixi era, Liu Yi fell ill and requested that Liu Fan, the Inspector of Yanzhou, be appointed as deputy general. Gaozu feigned agreement. In September, the army set out westward, and Gaozu promoted Zhen'e to a military advisory role and bestowed upon him the title of General Zhenwu. Upon reaching Gusu, Gaozu sent Zhen'e, leading General Longxiang Kuai En and a hundred warships, to depart on September 29. Gaozu also specifically instructed him, "If the enemy is aware of our approach, it will take them only a few days when the main army arrives. You should establish the army's formation on the shore and not to disembark lightly. When you arrive there, thoroughly assess the situation. If you can attack, destroy their ships by fire, allow the warships to moor at the water's edge, and wait for the main army to arrive. Reassure the people, proclaim the imperial edict and the amnesty decree, as well as the letters from me and the officials of the Guard House. Only the primary offender will be held accountable, and others will not be questioned. If the enemy is unaware and unprepared, you may launch a direct attack. When you depart, announce that Liu Fan, the Inspector of Yanzhou, has arrived."
After receiving orders to suppress the rebellion, they traveled day and night, taking shelter from the wind in Quezhou, Xunyang, Hekou, and Baling for a total of four days; on October 22nd, they reached Yuzhang's mouth, only twenty miles away from Jiangling City. Zhen'e boasted loudly along the way that it was Liu Yanzhou (Liu Fan) who had come, and Liu Yi fell for it without any suspicion. Zhen'e landed at Yuzhang, with the infantry advancing, followed by Kuai En's troops. They left several people to guard the ships, set up six or seven flags on the shore, and placed a drum at intervals. Zhen'e told the people left behind, "You need to stay alert and make it look like a large army is closing in." He also dispatched a team to set fire to the ships along the river behind them. Zhen'e personally led the attack on the city and instructed the vanguard, "If anyone asks, say that the Governor of Yanzhou, Liu Fan, has arrived." The defending soldiers and townsfolk by the river believed Liu Fan had arrived, without a doubt. When they were five or six miles away from Jiangling City, they encountered Liu Yi's general Zhu Xianzhi, who was preparing to head out from Jiangjin with a dozen cavalry and dozens of infantry. When we asked who he was, he replied, "Liu Yanzhou has arrived." Xianzhi hurriedly asked where Liu Yu was, and he replied, "He's behind us." Xianzhi saw the army but not Liu Yu, and saw soldiers carrying siege equipment. They noticed that the ships in Jiangjin had all been burned, thick smoke billowing, and the sound of war drums deafening, realizing this wasn't Liu Yu's main army. He quickly rode back to inform Liu Yi, "There's a sizable force out there, it looks like it's coming from downstream, and they're about to hit the city. All the ships in Jiangjin have been burned!" He then commanded to shut the city gates.
Zhen'e quickly arrived as well, and the army entered the city by way of the city wall. The city gate was still open when the east gate was opened. Inside the city, Liu Yi had a total of eight armies with more than a thousand armored troops, and they were already on guard. Kuai En entered through the east gate and attacked the archery range to the north, then proceeded to attack the east gate of Jincheng. Zhen'e entered through the east gate and launched a direct assault on the west gate of Jincheng. The army divided to attack the south gate of Jincheng. Inside Jincheng, to the east were six armies of more than a thousand soldiers from the former troops, and to the west, there were over two thousand soldiers led by generals and elite warriors. The battle began at noon and lasted until the afternoon, with most of the western forces either scattering and fleeing or surrendering.
After Zhen'e entered the city, he capitalized on the wind to set fire to the south gate and east gate. He also sent messengers with three letters for Liu Yi, including an imperial edict, a pardon letter, and a personal note from Liu Yu. Liu Yi burned them all without a second glance. The people of Jincheng also didn't believe that Liu Yu had come in person. There was a man named Wang Huan from Jiangling who had previously slain Huan Qian and earned Liu Yu's favor, and had been accompanying Liu Yu. He requested to return to the west to reunite with his family, and at that time, he arrived with over ten men to assist Zhen'e in the fight. In the afternoon, they dug a tunnel thirty paces north of Jincheng's east gate. Wang Huan led the charge into the tunnel, with Zhen'e and the others following closely behind, and then launched into close-quarters combat.
The soldiers under Zhen'e and the generals on Liu Yidong's eastern front included some of whom were actually fathers and sons, brothers, and other relatives and friends. They were allowed to talk while fighting, which caused their morale to wane when they learned that Liu Yu had come in person. Probably after midnight, the front line began to crumble, and Zhao Cai and other brave generals of Liu Yidong were also killed. Liu Yidong's troops continued to guard the east and west city gates, but Zhen'e feared that there might be infighting during the night, so he led the army to retreat, bypassed Jincheng, and opened the southern gate as a retreat route. Worried about potential ambushes in the south, Liu Yidong broke through the north gate with more than three hundred people after midnight. At first, the horse Liu Yidong usually rode was not in the city. In a desperate situation without a horse, Liu Yidong asked his son Sumin for a horse, but Sumin was unwilling to part with it. Zhu Xianzhi quickly grabbed the horse and handed it to Liu Yidong, saying, "If they want to catch your father, and you still can't bear to give the horse, where do you think you can escape to now?" As he charged out, he unexpectedly encountered Zhen'e's army and couldn't break through, so he turned to charge toward Kuai En's forces. The soldiers, having fought all day, were utterly exhausted, so Liu Yidong fled through the east gate to the Niumu Buddha Temple, where he took his own life. Zhen'e took five arrows, one striking the spear he held, shattering it. It wasn't until twenty days later that the main forces arrived after Jiangling was pacified.
As for Zhen'e, he began his career as a soldier in the government and was later promoted to the position of guardian of Anyuan and governor of Wuling. Due to his meritorious service in the campaign against Liu Yidong, he was appointed as the Marquis of Hanshou County, with a fief of five hundred households, making him a solid second-generation official. This tribal leader, Xiangbo, who had his base in Ruantou, was notorious for his evil deeds, plundering far and wide, and was a true tyrant. Zhen'e was tasked with taking him down. Before departing, he checked in with Governor Sima Xiuzhi, hoping Xiuzhi would send troops to support him and bolster morale. Xiuzhi readily agreed and dispatched his subordinate, General Zhu Xiang, to assist.
As a result, it just so happened that Gaozu was about to march west to attack Sima Xiuzhi. Suddenly alarmed, Zhen'e said to his subordinates, "Everyone knows that the imperial army has already come, and Zhu Xiang is in cahoots with Sima Xiuzhi. We are surrounded by enemies on all sides; we can’t win this fight!" So he made a quick decision, leading his troops to flee under the cover of night along the river. Even with the rushing waters, they ran like the wind and covered hundreds of miles in no time at all, directly occupying the commander's stronghold. Upon arrival, Zhen'e ordered his men to fill bamboo baskets with stones to block the waterway. When Zhu Xiang's army arrived, Zhen'e launched a pincer attack from both sides, decapitating Zhu Xiang and killing over a thousand people.
Zhen'e was quite formidable, but his flaws were also evident, namely his greed. After defeating Zhu Xiang, he stopped to plunder the barbarian tribes, completely ignoring orders and going rogue. By the time he reached Jiangling, Sima Xiuzhi's side had already been pacified. Gaozu was furious and didn't want to see him for a while. Zhen'e, however, stayed calm, smiling and saying, "As long as I see you, everything will be fine!" Gaozu later summoned him to the city, and Zhen'e, with his eloquence and wit, managed to talk his way out of it, and Gaozu eventually let it go.
Sima Xiuzhi and Lu Zongzhi fled to Xiangyang, and Zhen'e, along with generals such as Kuai En, pursued them by water. They chased them all the way to Qiang territory, relentlessly pursuing them to the border before turning back. Later, he was appointed as a guerrilla general.
Twelve years ago, the founding emperor wanted to launch a northern expedition, promoted Xie Shi to be a military counselor, and also appointed him as General Longxiang, leading the vanguard troops. Before setting off, the former general Liu Muzhi encountered Xie Shi at the Hall of Accumulated Crossbows and said to him, "You feel for the displaced people and are determined to eliminate the rebels. Back then, Jin Wenwang entrusted the critical task of conquering Shu to Deng Ai. Now, he also entrusts the war in Guanzhong to you. I hope you strive to achieve great things and not let this trust go to waste!" Xie Shi resolutely said, "If I can't capture Xianyang, I swear not to return to Jiangnan!"
Once Xie Shi entered the enemy's territory, he was unstoppable in battle. The enemies in Shaoling and Xuchang were scared and fled when they heard his name. He broke through Hulao and Baiguwu, and even killed the enemy general Zhao Xuan. When the army reached Luoyang, the pretender Duke Yao Guang of Chenliu surrendered. When they reached Minchi, Xie Shi went to visit his old friend Li Fang. He paid his respects to Li Fang's mother as he entered the house, presented her with numerous gifts, and appointed Li Fang as the county magistrate of Minchi on the spot. He then sent Sima Maodezu to attack the pretender Hongnong Prefect Yin Ya in Licheng, captured Yin Ya alive, and then took over as the Hongnong Prefect himself. The army pressed on and swiftly occupied Tongguan.
The pretender General Yao Shao led his forces to resist at Tongguan, digging deep trenches and erecting high walls for defense. Xie Shi led his army deep into enemy territory. With the supply lines faltering and facing a long standoff with the enemy, the soldiers were left without food. Xie Shi had to personally go to Hongnong to gather food from the locals. The locals generously donated food, resolving the army's supply issues. At the beginning, the founding emperor and Xie Shi had agreed that if they captured Luoyang, they would wait for the arrival of the main army before taking action, and not act impulsively. However, Xie Shi and his troops charged straight for Tongguan, where Yao Shao blocked their path, leading to food shortages. They quickly sent a messenger to the emperor for assistance, requesting food and reinforcements.
At that time, Gaozu's army marched along the Yellow River, with the Suolu occupying the riverbank, preventing the army from advancing. Gaozu called the scouts he had sent to seek reinforcements, opened the windows on the north side of the ship, pointed across the river at the Suolu, and said, "I command you not to act rashly, yet you have recklessly ventured into enemy territory. If the riverbank is like this, how can I send troops over?" Although Xie Shi was able to collect food on his side, Yao Shao died of illness, and the pseudo-general Yao Zan took over from Yao Shao to defend the crucial pass, and the enemy's strength was still considerable. When Gaozu reached Hucheng, Yao Zan retreated.
When the army arrived at Tongguan, everyone was debating their attack strategy. Zhen'e suggested leading the navy to enter the Wei River from the Yellow River. At that time, the pseudo-general Yao Qiang had stationed his troops by the Jing River. Zhen'e dispatched Mao Dezhu to defeat him, pushing all the way to Wei Bridge. Zhen'e rode in a type of small, swift boat, and everyone on board was inside the cabin. The Qiang people saw the boat going upstream and couldn't see a soul outside the boat. Having never seen a boat before, they were completely stunned, feeling as if immortals had descended from the heavens.
After taking down the city, General Zhen'e ordered his soldiers to wrap up their meal and immediately abandon the ships to go ashore. The Wei River was flowing rapidly, and before they knew it, all the ships drifted away with the current. At this time, Yao Hong's army was still outside Chang'an City, with tens of thousands of soldiers. General Zhen'e comforted his soldiers, saying, "Your homes are all in Jiangnan. We are now outside the north gate of Chang'an City, thousands of miles from home. Our ships, clothes, and food have all drifted away with the current. Is there any way out of this? Only by fighting desperately can we achieve great success. Otherwise, it'll all be over for us!" He then led the charge, and everyone knew there was no turning back, so they rushed forward. Yao Hong's army fell apart in no time, and Chang'an City was breached. Yao Hong himself fled and surrendered with his family the next day. There were over sixty thousand households of Yi and Jin people in the city. General Zhen'e promoted the emperor's grace, pacified the newly surrendered people, enforced strict discipline, and ensured the people lived peacefully and happily.
As Emperor Gaozu was approaching, General Zhen'e went to meet him at Bashang. Emperor Gaozu praised him, saying, "It is truly you who have helped secure my rule!" General Zhen'e repeatedly thanked him, saying, "What have I done to deserve this?" Emperor Gaozu smiled and said, "Do you want to learn from Feng Yi?" At that time, the Guanzhong region was prosperous, with overflowing warehouses. General Zhen'e carefully gathered the spoils of war, including gold, silver, treasures, and captives, countless in number. Emperor Gaozu didn't look into it further because of his major contributions and promoted him to General Conquering the Barbarians.
Someone accused General Zhen'e of hiding Yao Hong's imperial carriage after capturing Chang'an, suggesting he had ulterior motives. Emperor Gaozu secretly sent someone to find out where the imperial carriage was. It was found that Yao Hong's imperial carriage was decorated with gold and silver, which General Zhen'e had taken off and left by the city wall. Upon hearing this, Emperor Gaozu felt reassured.
Ah, speaking of this matter, our founding Emperor Gaozu sent his second son, Li Yizhen, Duke of Guiyang, to Chang'an to serve as the General of Anxi, Governor of Yongzhou, and Governor of Qinzhou, to oversee the region. He then appointed Li Zhen'e as the Marshal of Anxi and concurrently the Prefect of Fengyi, tasking him with defending against western enemies.
At that time, the western Xirong tribes, especially the Fofu tribe, were particularly strong, and Yao Xing's group frequently came to harass the northern border, resulting in the deaths of countless soldiers. When Emperor Gaozu had just arrived in Chang'an, the Fofu tribe was initially intimidated and hesitated to act recklessly. However, as soon as Emperor Gao's main army withdrew eastward, they immediately resumed their raids on the northern region. Li Yizhen then sent his junior military advisor, Shen Tianzi, to repel the enemy. Facing overwhelming enemy forces, Shen Tianzi set up camp at Liu Hui Fort and sent someone back to report the situation to Li Zhen'e.
Upon receiving the messenger sent by Shen Tianzi, Li Zhen'e said to his Chief of Staff, Wang Xiu, "The Emperor has entrusted us with such an important task, and we should give it our all. But they are not advancing with the troops; how are we supposed to fight this battle?" The messenger brought Li Zhen'e's words back to Shen Tianzi. Shen Tianzi, who already had a strained relationship with Li Zhen'e, grew even angrier. The two had always been suspicious of each other, constantly trying to outmaneuver one another.
As a result, Li Zhen'e led his troops to the northern region, only to be killed by Shen Tianzi, as noted in the "Biography of the Xun Family"! He was only forty-six years old that year. Even more tragically, Shen Tianzi killed Li Zhen'e's brothers Ji, Hong, Zun, Yuan, as well as his cousins Zhao, Lang, Hong, a total of seven people! This occurred on the fifteenth day of the first month in the fourteenth year.
The emperor said, "Former Anxi Sima and General Wang Zhen'e was an upright, courageous, and strategic person. Since enrolling in the state exam, he has made numerous significant contributions. When there was turmoil in the southern part of Jingzhou and enemies occupied the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, it was difficult to deal with those powerful ethnic minorities. The court was also worried about internal rebellions. Wang Zhen'e, lightly equipped and simple, took the lead and quickly arrived like lightning, resolving the urgent situation for the court and swiftly quelling the chaos. Later, the imperial army marched west to pacify the Central Plains. Wang Zhen'e led the army straight to Luoyang, quickly pacifying the regions of Huzhou and Shaanxi. In the Battle of Weishui, his command was unstoppable, quickly capturing Xianyang and the enemy's false queen. His contributions were incomparable and crucial to the safety of the state, a talent that the court urgently needed to rely on. Recently, the remnants of the northern nomadic tribes looted on the north bank of the Weishui River. Wang Zhen'e led the army to confront them. After the enemy fled and stationed themselves by the Jing River, General Longxiang, Shen Tianzi, suddenly went mad and killed Wang Zhen'e. Wang Zhen'e's loyal contributions had not yet been fully recognized when he unexpectedly faced this tragic fate. This is a great loss and truly tragic! Your Majesty, you must also feel sad and sorrowful. Shen Tianzi, who went mad and killed, has already been punished by the law. Wang Zhen'e's contributions were immense, comparable to the famous generals of the past, but he passed away at a young age, his achievements unfinished. He should be posthumously honored to recognize his contributions. I hope Your Majesty will order the relevant departments to discuss conferring him a posthumous title."
Therefore, the emperor posthumously conferred Wang Zhen'e as Left General and Governor of Qingzhou. The emperor also ordered him to be posthumously titled Marquis of Longyang County, with a fief of 1,500 households, and the posthumous title of "Zhuanghou," allowing him to be honored alongside the ancestors in the ancestral hall.
Wang Zhen'e's son Wang Lingfu inherited his title and became the Right Army Adviser to King Shuo of Nanping. After Wang Lingfu's death, his son Wang Shuzu inherited the title. After Wang Shuzu's death, his son Wang Rui inherited the title. Later, during the Qi dynasty usurpation, the title of the Wang family was revoked.
Lao Kang's older brother, General Zhen'e, stayed in Guanzhong. When Gaozu launched a northern campaign, Zhen'e led the vanguard, while Lao Kang secretly fled to the countryside. When Zhen'e reached Tongguan, Lao Kang hurriedly went to find him with his family. Gaozu appointed Lao Kang as General of Pengcheng. Later, Zhen'e was killed, and Lao Kang narrowly escaped due to his concealment. He left Luoyang with his family and sought refuge with Gaozu at Pengcheng. Gaozu immediately appointed Lao Kang as Chancellor. Lao Kang requested to return to Luoyang to see his mother, but discovered that Guanzhong had fallen. He then joined forces with refugees from Chang'an, including Zhang Ganchou and Liu Yun, to rally over a hundred people and lead more than seven hundred refugee households to defend Jinyong City and prepare to resist the enemy.
At that time, a man named Shao Ping, along with his followers and over a thousand households of refugees from Bingzhou, camped in the south of the city and appointed the fugitive Sima Wenrong as the leader. Another fugitive, Sima Daogong, brought three thousand troops from Dongyuan to camp in the west of the city, while another fugitive, Sima Shunming, camped with five thousand troops at Lingyuntai. Shunming sent someone to assassinate Wenrong, and then everyone appointed Shunming as the leader. In addition, Sima Chuzhi camped at Baiguwu, while the cavalry of Suoluo and Yeban Shuzhu Heishao Gong attacked from Mangshan, as the situation grew increasingly dire. Lao Kang held the fort for sixty days.
Jinyong City was secured, and Lao Kang was appointed General of Ning Shuo and Prefect of Hedong. The court sent General Jiang Wei of Longxiang to lead troops for rescue, and the fugitives scattered. Gaozu admired Lao Kang's loyalty and righteousness, ennobling him as the Lord of Xiping County with a fief of three hundred households, promoting him to General Longxiang, and bringing his family back to the capital. Lao Kang encouraged farming, and the people relied on him. In the first year of Yongchu, Lao Kang passed away in Jinyong City at the age of forty-nine, buried in the west of Yanshi City, and posthumously honored as Deputy General of Fuguo. Since he had no sons, his brother's son, Tiangyou, inherited his title. In the twenty-seventh year of the Taizu Yuanjia era, Tiangyou died in battle while accompanying Liu Kangzu in the campaign against the Suolu, and his son, Huaizu, inherited his title.
Tan Shao, whose courtesy name was Lingsun, was from Jinxiang in Gaoping, and his ancestors had lived in Jingkou for generations. He initially served as a local official, later becoming Chief Clerk of the West Office and Marshal of Fuguo. When Gaozu raised his army, Tan Shao, along with his brothers Tan Zhi and Tan Daoji, fought in the battle to pacify the capital, fighting alongside Gaozu as General of Jianwu. After the capital was secured, he was appointed Military Advisor, promoted to General of Ningyuan and Prefect of Donghai, then promoted to General of Jianwu, and subsequently to General of Longxiang and Prefect of Qinqu, and ultimately became the Neishi of North Chenliu. In recognition of his contributions during the campaign against Huan Xuan, he was granted the title of Marquis of Baqiu with a fief of five hundred households; he then took part in the operations of the General of Chariots and Cavalry, promoted to General of Longxiang, then further promoted to General of Xiaohu, Middle Army Counselor, and finally to General of Ning Shuo.
He participated in the battle to attack Guanggu, leading fifty men, including Xiang Mi and Hu Fan, to capture Linqu City. During the siege of Guanggu, Murong Chao set fire to the camp where Tan Shao was stationed in the middle of the night, and he was demoted to Hengye General. On the day Guanggu City was breached, Tan Shao led his men to be the first to scale the city wall. Afterwards, he was appointed Prefect of Beilangye, promoted to Ning Shuo General and Langye Neishi. In the battle against Lu Xun in Zuoli, he also made military achievements. Because of his merits in the battles of Guanggu and against Lu Xun, he was reappointed as the Marquis of Yiyang County, with a fief of seven hundred households. Although his official position was promoted by one level, his fief was reduced by half to only two hundred and fifty households, and the court awarded this portion of the fief to Tan Zhen, the son of Tan Zhi. He once rode the emperor's carriage in and out of the Six Gates, dressed in white but held an important position. In the seventh year of the Yixi era, he was appointed as the Fuguo General. In the eighth year of the Yixi era, his mother passed away, and he returned home to observe the mourning period. After the mourning period ended, he was appointed as the Champion General. The following year, he was appointed as the Neishi of Langye, the Prefect of Huainan, with his position as General unchanged, guarding Gushu. Shortly afterwards, he was promoted to Left General, concurrently serving as the Grand Central Secretary of the province. In the twelfth year of the Yixi era, he was appointed as the Commander of the military affairs of Xiyang and Xinchai in Jiangzhou and Yuzhou, and the Inspector of Jiangzhou, with his position as General unchanged. Later, he was dismissed from office due to a mistake.
After Gaozu's ascension to the throne, due to Tan Shao's contributions during his rise to power, the court awarded him an additional eight hundred households, bringing his total to one thousand five hundred households. Tan Shao was a heavy drinker, greedy, rude, and overbearing. He did not accomplish much during his time in office, but because his entire family followed Gaozu in rebellion, and his brother Tan Daoji had great military achievements, the emperor favored him and granted him many official titles. In the second year of Yongchu, Tan Shao passed away in the capital at the age of fifty-six. The court posthumously appointed him as General of Annan and added the title of Court Attendant. His son Tan Xu inherited his title. After Tan Xu passed away without a son, his title was stripped. Tan Zhi's son Tan Zhen inherited Tan Zhi's title. After Tan Zhen passed away, his son Tan Xia inherited the title, but it was revoked when the Qi dynasty received the abdication. Both Tan Zhi and Tan Daoji have their own biographies.
Xiang Jing, styled Fengren, nicknamed Mi, was a native of Shanyang in Henan. Since his name was the same as Gaozu's ancestors, he used a nickname. His family had lived in Jingkou for generations, and he had been friends with Gaozu since childhood. He followed Gaozu in pacifying the capital and took part in establishing the military during the Jianwu era. Later, after pacifying the capital, he was appointed as a military commander and promoted to General of Ningyuan. Although the capital was pacified, banditry continued to flourish in various regions. Together with Liu Fan and Meng Longfu, he launched expeditions and defeated Huan Xin, Huan Shikang, and Shi Sui at Baimao, and successfully captured Shouyang.
In the third year of Yixi, he was promoted to Jianwu General and Prefect of Qin, and later served as the Inspector of North Chenliu, stationed at Tangyi. Due to his achievements in pacifying the capital, he was granted the title of Fifth Marquis of Shanyang County. Later, he followed the army to campaign against the Xianbei, and a major battle occurred in Linqu, with no decisive outcome for several months. Mi and others led a portion of the army to launch a surprise attack on Linqu City. Mi, wearing armor, was the first to climb the city wall, causing the enemy's defenses to crumble instantly. He killed the enemy's standard-bearer, leading to a rout of the enemy. When Guanggu was captured, Mi was also the first to climb the city wall.
Lu Xun occupied Cai Zhou and appointed his confidant Ruan Ci as the Inspector of Yuzhou, attacking Gushu. Mi led Zhao Hui, the Inspector of Qiaoguo, to confront them. At that time, the Deputy General Mao Xiuzhi was stationed in Gushu and continued to send urgent requests for assistance. Mi simultaneously coordinated the march and the battle, defeated Ruan Ci, and captured his supplies. He was then appointed as the Adviser to the Central Army, while retaining his position as General. After Lu Xun fled and Gaozu launched a southern expedition, Mi served as the vanguard and secured significant victories in the battles of Nanling, Leichi, and Zuoli. Upon the army's victorious return, he was appointed as the Adviser to the Grand Commandant and Prefect of Xiaoping, while retaining his position as General.
In these eight years, my father (Mi) quickly climbed the ranks of officialdom, first serving as a Guerrilla General, then overseeing military operations in Huai Xi, and also serving as Dragon Cavalry General and Protector of the Southern Tribes. He even served as Prefect of Anfeng and Ruyin Counties, as well as Inspector of Liangguo, before ultimately being stationed at Shouyang. Due to his suppression of rebellions in Guanggu and Lu Xun, the Emperor granted him the title of Marquis of Annan County, with a fief of five hundred households.
Ten years later, he was promoted to General Champion, High Yang's Interior Minister, and Governor of Linhuai, also in charge of the affairs of Shitou Shu. Later, Emperor Gaozu went on a campaign to the west with Sima Xiuzhi, and my father was appointed as the Governor of Wuxing, retaining his military rank. The next year, Emperor Gaozu launched a northern expedition, and my father accompanied him, but stayed behind in Qiaoao, later moving to Shimen and Baigu. After that, he was promoted to oversee military affairs in Beiqingzhou as its Governor, his military rank remaining unchanged. After Emperor Gaozu was declared emperor, in recognition of my father's contributions, he was titled as the Marquis of Qujiang County, with a fief of one thousand households. Later, he was further promoted to the position of Left Guard for the Crown Prince, along with the additional title of Cavalier Attendant. Unfortunately, two years later, my father passed away at fifty-nine. He was posthumously granted the title of Former General. My father was very frugal, never building houses or owning land, shops, or other properties, and people of that time praised him.
My older brother, Zhi, inherited the title, but sadly, he had many flaws and did not listen to my mother's advice, which led to his title being revoked. Later, the title was given to my younger brother, Zhen, but Zhen was stripped of his title for murder. My other brother, Liu, styled Xuanji, was well-educated, upright, and never tried to show off, getting along well with various famous scholars. He was friends with Grand Commandant Yuan Shu, Minister of Works Xu Zhanzhi, and Governor of Dongyang Yan Jun. He served as a military advisor to Prince Wang Jun of Shixing, and later as the Neishi of Shixing and the magistrate of Nankang. Later, Zang Zhi staged a rebellion and summoned my brother to Xunyang to help put down the rebellion. Zang Zhi was defeated, surrendered, and ultimately imprisoned and executed.
My uncle (Shao) served as the Prefect of Xuan Cheng during the Yongchu period. My uncle's son (Liang) killed my mother (Shi) due to personal grievances and falsely claimed that it was done by the family's servants. In a fit of anger, my uncle killed Liang, my father's concubine, and seven or eight maids in the graveyard. He secretly hid this from the authorities, but it was later discovered. The emperor did not pursue the matter much. In the early years of Yuanjia, my uncle passed away while serving as the Prefect of Yixing.
Liu Huaishen, from Pengcheng, was the younger brother of General Liu Huaisu. He was cautious and upright from a young age. He initially served as a staff officer under the General when he was a Garrison General, later promoted to General of Pacifying Might and Intendant of Pengcheng. He accompanied the General in fighting the Xianbei, always leading the charge in battles. When Guanggu was captured, Liu Huaishen's troops were the first to reach the city walls. He also resisted Lu Xun in Shitoucheng, winning several decisive victories, and was later promoted to the rank of Assistant General.
In the eighth year of Yixi, he was appointed as the Supervisor of Military Affairs in North Xuzhou, stationed in Pengcheng, and soon promoted to Governor of Xuzhou. He was strict and authoritative in his role, and the regions he governed held him in high regard. In the ninth year of Yixi, he quelled a rebellion by a fugitive Wang Lingshou. In the eleventh year of Yixi, he was promoted to General of the Northern Legion. Due to his achievements in the pacification of Guanggu and Lu Xun, he was titled the Lord of Nancheng County with a fief of five hundred households. In the thirteenth year of Yixi, during the Northern Expedition led by the General, he was appointed as the Chief of Staff and General of Conquering Barbarians, tasked with safeguarding the emperor's entourage. However, he was later dismissed due to incidents of infighting within his ranks.
Although there have been many changes in official positions, he has grown increasingly respectful and cautious. Whenever he encounters someone of a lower rank, he always dismounts from his carriage outside the gate, then ties up his belt before entering. This reflects his cautious and modest nature. After the establishment of the Song Dynasty, he was appointed as the Minister of War and also commanded the army in the north of the Yangtze River and south of the Huai River, holding the titles of General and Governor of Nanjing Prefecture. Later, he was summoned to be the Minister of Revenue and appointed as a Cavalier Attendant. When Emperor Gaozu relocated the capital to Shou Chun, he appointed Liu Huaishen to command the armies in North Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Qingzhou, and Huaibei, holding the titles of General of the Central Army and Governor of Xuzhou. Due to the entry of fugitives into Guangling City, his official rank was lowered to General Who Pacifies the Barbarians.
In the first year of the Yongchu era, for assisting the emperor, he was ennobled as a marquis, with his fief expanded to one thousand households. He was later promoted to General Who Pacifies the North. Later, he was summoned to be the Minister of War, and appointed as a Cavalier Attendant and Household Counsellor. In the first year of Jingping, he was promoted to Guard General while retaining his position as Cavalier Attendant. The emperor also granted him the special privilege of informing his relatives about the honors associated with his official position, but his family was not wealthy. In the second year of Jingping, he passed away at sixty-one. He was posthumously promoted to General Who Calms the Army and was posthumously given the title of Lord Su.
So, Son De, you want to inherit the family business, right? In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, he became a Garrison General, tasked with guarding Shitoucheng. After accepting bribes from the merchant Han Fozhi, he was imprisoned, and both his official position and land were confiscated. Later, he was appointed Prefect of Qin County. Son De had a somewhat rough demeanor, which often led to him being teased by Emperor Shizu.
Once, the Emperor's most favored concubine, Yin Guifei, passed away. After her burial, the Emperor took a group of ministers to her tomb to pay respects. The Emperor said to Zide, "If you cry enough to make me feel sorrowful, I will reward you generously." Upon hearing this, Zide immediately burst into tears, beating his chest and stamping his feet, with tears and snot running down his face, crying so heartbreakingly! The Emperor was very pleased and promoted him to be the governor of Yuzhou. He also asked the imperial physician Yang Zhi to put on a show of crying for Concubine Yin, and Yang Zhi pretended to cry loudly. A few days later, the Emperor asked Yang Zhi, "Why were you crying so sorrowfully?" Yang Zhi was actually grieving for his own deceased lover, so he replied, "I was actually crying for my beloved concubine that day!" Yang Zhi was quite humorous and good at making jokes, and the Emperor enjoyed joking with him.
Zide was an exceptional charioteer. Once, he set up two pillars, leaving only a slightly wider gap than the axle of the carriage, then cracked the whip from a hundred paces away and drove the carriage at full speed. Just as it seemed he was about to crash into the pillars, his technique was so superb that the carriage miraculously passed through the gap between the two pillars; his skill was nothing short of remarkable! When the Emperor heard about his excellent driving skills, he had him drive his newly made magnificent carriage to the residence of the Duke of Jiangxia, Wang Yigong. Zide wore a hat and a red short coat, and drove the carriage steadily and elegantly, looking particularly dignified. During the Yongguang period, Zide became the Minister of Justice and had a close relationship with Liu Yuanjing. Later, Liu Yuanjing fell into disgrace and was imprisoned and executed.
Rongzu, the cautious son, had a passion for horseback riding and archery since childhood and was quite skilled. Even the Emperor took notice of him. Later, Lu Xun led a rebellion against us. The rebel soldiers sailed small boats into the Huai River and even tore down our fences. At that time, the Emperor ordered the entire army not to shoot arrows indiscriminately. However, Rongzu was so enraged that he defiantly disobeyed the order and began shooting arrows, taking down the rebel soldiers one by one. The Emperor was even more impressed by this display. Due to his military accomplishments, Rongzu was appointed to participate in the military operations of the Grand Commandant.
He later joined the campaign against Sima Xiuzhi. In Pengcheng, the Interior Minister, Xu Da, was defeated and killed, while the other generals were disheartened. However, Rongzu eagerly volunteered for battle, and the Emperor personally removed his armor and gave it to him. Rongzu led his soldiers to charge into battle, sustaining several injuries, and finally defeated the enemy. Subsequently, Rongzu was promoted to General of Zhenwei and later participated in the Prince's campaign against the Xiongnu, being appointed as the Lord of Suicheng. When the Emperor initiated a northern campaign, Rongzu was promoted to General of the Central Army, overseeing Zhenxi and Ningyuan. During one naval battle on the river, he and Zhu Chaoshi jointly defeated the Sulu forces and captured the fortress of Liu Du. The Emperor hosted a banquet to reward the troops and said to Rongzu, "You have triumphed over many with just a few and taken strongholds. Even the renowned generals of ancient times can't hold a candle to you." Rongzu was subsequently promoted to General of the Central Army under the Grand Commandant and was given the title of General of Jianwei.
After the capture of Chang'an, Yao Hong's son-in-law Xu Zhong led the remaining troops to set up camp to defect. Rong Zu, Tan Daoji, and others attacked their camp together, and the number of enemies killed and captured was countless. In the fourteenth year, Rong Zu was appointed as the Governor of Pengcheng, and later served as a military aide to the Prime Minister. That year, Rong Zu was sent back to the capital city and appointed as a military officer of the Crown Prince's Army. In the first year of Yongchu, Rong Zu was appointed as the Chief of the Yueqi, and shortly after promoted to the General of the Right Army. Later, when the Su clan invaded from the south, the Inspector of Sizhou, Mao Dezhu, died in battle. At that time, Rong Zu was in mourning, but he was still appointed as the Assistant General of the State. Due to his contributions in the Battle of Half-City, Rong Zu was granted the title of Marquis of Duxiang. Rong Zu was generous and loyal, skilled at comforting his soldiers; however, his character was somewhat extreme and a bit petty, not quite fitting the demeanor of a scholar-official.
The General of the Leading Army, Xie Hui, valued him greatly. During the court's upheaval, Xie Hui tried to win over Rong Zu, but Rong Zu firmly refused, thus avoiding disaster. Later, Xie Hui was sent to guard Jingchu and wanted Rong Zu to serve as the Colonel of the Southern Tribes, but Rong Zu once again firmly refused. Rong Zu passed away that winter. Rong Zu's brother, Xing Zu, was appointed as the Inspector of Qingzhou.
Legend has it that the Sun brothers were all formidable figures! Let's start with Sun Huaishen's brother, Sun Huaimo, who served as Champion General, Interior Minister of Jiangxia, and Grand Master of the Palace. His son, Sun Daoqiu, also served as the Prefect of Badong and Jianping. Sun Daoqiu's brother, Sun Deng, was the Interior Minister of Wuling. Sun Deng's son is none other than Sun Liang.
Sun Liang, during the reign of Emperor Shizu of the Great Ming Dynasty, became the county magistrate of Wukang. At that time, there were many thieves counterfeiting coins in the area, and Sun Liang led people to catch them, not letting a single thief escape. He caught at least a thousand thieves! Later, during the reign of Emperor Taizong's Taishi period, he was granted the title of Marquis of Shunyang, with a fief consisting of six hundred households. He also served as a Chamberlain, the Governor of Liangzhou, and the Governor of Yizhou. During his tenure, he led a simple life, never involved in corruption or bribery, and he turned over any excess salary to the national treasury. Emperor Taizong greatly appreciated him and even issued a decree to commend him.
However, Sun Liang became obsessed with seeking immortality while serving as the Governor of Liangzhou. He invited Daoist Sun Daoyin from Wudang Mountain to create the elixir of immortality. By the first year of Taiyu in Yizhou, the elixir was finally refined, but the fire poison had not yet been removed. Sun Daoyin advised Sun Liang against taking it, but he insisted on consuming it. Early one morning, he secretly opened the city gates, ran to the well to fetch water, and took the elixir. Shortly after, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, and shortly after, he died. Later, some people reported seeing him riding a white horse, accompanied by dozens of followers, heading northwest, still speaking, which is likely what Daoists refer to as "corpse dissolution." After his death, the court posthumously awarded him the title of Champion General and he was posthumously honored with the title 'Ganghou'.
Sun Deng also had a younger brother named Sun Daolong. In the twenty-second year of the Yuanjia era, he became the Governor of Lujiang. When Emperor Wu of Jin raised his army, he gave up his position as Governor and joined Emperor Wu's cause, being appointed as a military officer of the Southern Central Command, and was also granted the title of Dragon-riding General. At that time, Emperor Wu divided the army into three branches, with Daolong leading one branch, and the other two branches led by the Central Army officers Wang Qianzhi and Ma Wengong. During the Ming Dynasty, Sun Daolong was promoted to Gentleman of the Yellow Gate Hall and also served as the Inspector of the three provinces of Xuzhou, Qingzhou, and Jizhou. During the reign of Emperor Fei, he was appointed as General of the Right Guard, Marquis of Yongchang County, with a fief of 500 households, gaining the Emperor's trust. In the early years of Taishi, he was promoted to General of the Left Guard and Central Protector because of his diligent service as Governor. Later, he was executed, with the details recorded in the "Biography of Prince Jian'an Xiu Ren."
Wang Qianzhi, whose courtesy name was Xiuguang, hailed from Linyi in Langya and was the great-grandson of Hu Zhi, the Inspector of Sizhou during the Jin Dynasty. Initially, during the reign of Emperor Wu, he served as Valiant Cavalry General, Chief Imperial Secretary, and Prefect of Wuxing. Due to his merits in the southern campaigns, he was granted the title of Viscount of Shiyang County, with a fief of 500 households. He passed away in the third year of the Ming Dynasty, posthumously elevated to the rank of Former General with the posthumous title of Su. His son, Wang Yingzhi, succeeded his title. In the later years of the Ming Dynasty, Wang Yingzhi served as the Interior Minister of Hengyang. Later, when Prince Zixun of Jin'an rebelled, Wang Yingzhi rose up against the Governor of Xiangzhou, He Huiwen, and was killed by He Huiwen. This event is recorded in the "Biography of Deng Wan," and he was posthumously honored as Palace Attendant. Wang Yingzhi's younger brother, Wang Yunzhi, rose to prominence during the reign of Emperor Shundi of Song.
Ma Wengong was from Fufeng. He was also granted the title of Viscount of Quanling County with a fief of 500 households for his merits. After Emperor Wu ascended the throne, he was appointed as General of the Guerrilla Army. He passed away shortly after his appointment.
Liu Cui, courtesy name Daochong, was from Xiaoxian, Pei County in the Pei Commandery. His grandfather Liu Hui once served as a General, overseeing military operations in the Central River region, and was appointed as the General Who Conquers the Barbarians. Liu Cui's family resided in Jingkou. He was ambitious and talented from a young age, starting off as a military advisor. After the founding emperor captured the capital city, Liu Cui participated in the military affairs of the establishment of the Jianwu era. He followed the army in pacifying the capital, rising to the position of assistant military commander, and was later appointed as the General of Military Establishment and the Prefect of Pei Commandery. He also concurrently served as the Prefect of Xiapi and was later promoted to be a military staff officer in the Chariots and Cavalry. He accompanied the army in campaigns to suppress rebellions in Guanggu, earning notable military achievements. Due to his military achievements, he was granted the title of Marquis of Xian County. Upon the return of the army, he was promoted to be a staff officer in the Central Army Advisory Council. Later, when Lu Xun approached the capital, with great responsibility in Jingkou, and with the founding emperor being only four years old at the time, the founding emperor entrusted Liu Cui with the defense of the capital. He was later promoted to be a Guerrilla General and eventually rose to the rank of General of Military Establishment and Chancellor of Jiangxia.
Wei Yi, General Wei, was Wei Cui's elder brother. Wei Cui was deeply loyal to the founding emperor, but his relationship with Wei Yi was not good. The founding emperor initially planned to deal with Wei Yi, and everyone thought Wei Cui was at Xiakou, which reinforced the founding emperor's belief. When the army arrived, Wei Cui put forth his utmost effort to assist. After the incident, Wei Cui was granted the title of Baron of Sheyang County, with a fief of five hundred households. When his mother passed away, Wei Cui resigned from his position to observe a period of mourning.
Not long after, the founding emperor wanted to campaign against Sima Xiuzhi and appointed Wei Cui as General of Ning Shuo and Prefect of Jingling, commanding the naval forces into the Yellow River. The following year, Wei Cui was promoted to be the General Who Assists the State, and then further promoted to be the Marshal of the Right of the State, the Palace Attendant, the Marshal of the Central Army, and the Champion General, finally rising to be the General of the Left Guard. In the first year of the Yongchu era, due to his meritorious service in assisting the emperor, Wei Cui was re-enfeoffed as the Marquis of Jian'an County, with a fief of one thousand households. In the second year of the Yongchu era, due to his poor management of subordinates in his role, Wei Cui was dismissed from office. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed as Inspector of Northern Jiang and Huainan Commanderies, General Who Conquers the Barbarians, and Prefect of Guangling.
In the third year of Yongchu, Wei Cui, in his previous official position, oversaw the military affairs of four provinces—Yuzhou, Sizhou, Yongzhou, and Bingzhou—as well as the counties of Liangjun, Yiyang, and Matou in Nanyuzhou. He served as the governor of Yuzhou and the prefect of Liangjun, stationed in Shouyang, and made significant achievements in local governance. In the second year of Jingping, more than sixty households in Qiaojun were displaced and defected to the enemy. Later, six households, among them Zhao Jiong and Qin Gang, regretted their actions and returned to settle in Chenliu Xiangyi County. Wei Cui sent General Yuan Zongfu to quell the rebellious households, but before he could arrive, Wei Cui executed thirty households in Mou and others, including 137 men and 162 women and children, and sent their severed heads to the court. As a result, Wei Cui was demoted to Ning Shuo General.
At that time, the Suolu launched an invasion from the south, and Wei Cui sent General Li Deyuan to attack Xuchang, killing the pretender Yu Long, the Prefect of Yinchuan. Subsequently, Dong Mai from Chenliu declared himself the leader of the Xiaohuang League, killing Sima Shixian, the false General of Zhenlu and Governor of Guangzhou, and sending Sima Shixian's head to the capital. After Song Taizu ascended the throne, he promoted this messenger, appointing him as the commander of the six counties of Yong, Liang, Nanbei Qin, Jing, Nanyang, Jingling, Shunyang, Xiangyang, Xinye, and Sui, as well as the General of the Conquering Lu, the Chief of Ningman, the Governor of Yongzhou, and the Prefect of Xinye in Xiangyang, with an array of official titles! He ruled diligently and compassionately for the people, even dismissing over two thousand monks and assigning them to work in government offices.
In the third year of Yuanjia, the emperor sent the envoy's younger brother, Daoji, and General Longxiang Shen Changzhi to assist him in the campaign against Xie Hui. They departed overland for Jiangling. He appointed Daoji as the governor of Jingling, and together with Shen Changzhi and Nanyang Prefect Shen Daoxing, led troops to Shaqiao. They were defeated by Xie Hui's Sima Zhou Chao, suffering over half casualties, and they were demoted to the rank of Ning Shuo General. Xie Hui had previously enjoyed a good relationship with this envoy and even allowed the envoy's son Kuangzhi to serve as his staff officer. Upon receiving the order to confront Xie Hui, this envoy acted decisively and went straight there, which earned him the admiration of Emperor Taizu. Xie Hui sent Kuangzhi back without causing any trouble. The following year, this envoy passed away at the age of fifty-three, posthumously elevated to Anbei General, while retaining his other official posts.
His son Kuangzhi carried on his legacy and later succeeded him in office as the Prefect of Jinxixi. After Kuangzhi's death, his son Chen succeeded him in office. Chen died without leaving any sons, resulting in the loss of his office. Chen's brother Liang, during the reign of Emperor Shundi of the Song dynasty, was appointed Minister of the Chariot Department. The envoy's eldest son, Huaizhi, was appointed Interior Minister of Linchuan, and later joined Zang Zhi in rebellion and was executed.
The messenger's younger brother Dao Ji initially served as an official in the Ministry of Personnel, later rose to the position of Cavalry Officer under Wang Hong, Military Officer for King Yi Gong of Jiangxia, Governor of Hedong, and was finally promoted to General of Zhenwu and Governor of Yizhou. His Chief of Staff, Fei Qian, his Attendant, Zhang Xi, and his Staff Officer, Yang Denian, were all involved in corruption and bribery, engaging in financial misconduct, while Dao Ji turned a blind eye and allowed them to act recklessly, causing public outrage. Emperor Taizu heard about this and wrote to him, warning him: "I have heard that your governance is not clean and efficient enough, and you are frequently involved in extortion. If this is true, you must change! I have heard many negative rumors recently; you should handle matters according to the law, reflect on yourself, and not disappoint my expectations!" Although Dao Ji received the Emperor's warning, his governing methods remained unchanged.
There was a guy named Sima Feilong, who claimed descent from the Jin Dynasty royal family and fled to Qiuchi during its decline. In the ninth year of the Yuanjia era, he heard that Dao Ji, the Governor of Yizhou, was not popular in his governance, so he fled from Qiuchi to Mianzhu, inciting the common people to revolt, raised more than a thousand troops, attacked Baxing County, and killed the county magistrate Wang Zhenzhi. Then he attacked Yinpings, and the Magistrate of Yinpings, Shen Faxing, burned the city and fled. Dao Ji sent troops to fight Sima Feilong, and ended up killing him.
Initially, Dao Ji appointed the people of Wucheng, Bodi Nu and Liang Xian, as Staff Supervisors, but Fei Qian strongly disagreed. At that time, many foreign merchants came to Shu to do business; some even brought millions of money worth of goods, but Fei Qian and others stipulated that each person could only bring a maximum of fifty catties of cloth and silk, regardless of the quality of the horses, each had to pay a tax of two thousand Shu coins. The government even established its own smelting operation, prohibiting the common people from smelting privately, then sold ironware at high prices, leading to endless complaints from merchants, and the common people were on the verge of rebellion. Bodi Nu, filled with anger, gathered a band of thieves and turned to banditry.
In July of that year, Dao Ji sent Luo Xi to Wucheng as the county magistrate. The bandits Ba Di Nu and others conspired, "Magistrate Luo is a trusted confidant of the governor. If we continue to be bandits, once exposed, the consequences would be dire. We must make a vow and supervise each other." So they sacrificed a cow to seal their oath. Not long after, Ba Di Nu and Zhao Guang said, "The government prohibits killing cows, but the village elders are violating the ban. If Magistrate Luo tells the governor, suspecting that we still want to be bandits, we will be finished." So they falsely claimed that Sima Feilong was still on Yangquan Mountain, and if everyone worked together, they could achieve great things; otherwise, they would soon be wiped out. Everyone was tired of the peaceful life and willing to rebel, so they followed them, gathered thousands of people, and attacked Guanghan. Dao Ji dispatched officers Cheng Zhanhui and Li Kang to lead five hundred men against them, but the entire army was defeated.
The bandits continued to kill their way to Fucheng, and the Ba Xi people Tang Pin also responded with his men and horses. General Ningyuan, the prefect of Ba Xi and Zitong, Wang Huaiye, sent troops to resist twice, but were defeated, losing the city and fleeing. The prefects Ruan Hui of Fuling, She Xuanqi of Jiangyang, and Feng Qian of Suining heard that Fucheng had fallen, and also abandoned their counties and fled. The people of Shu began to rise up in rebellion. Terrified, Dao Ji disbanded the thirty-six Wu camps, forcing them to return to civilian life. He also established the counties of Songxing and Songning, recruited merchants, released the slaves of Taoism and Buddhism, and managed to gather around four thousand soldiers. However, the rebels numbered in the tens of thousands, establishing camps to the west and north of the city, leaving Dao Ji with no choice but to defend the city.
Zhao Guang, using his wits, gathered a crew and set up camp outside the city, but the legendary Flying Dragon never showed up. His men were getting jittery and wanted to bail. Panicked, Zhao Guang took three thousand men and some flashy ceremonial guards to deceive everyone into thinking they were going to meet the Flying Dragon. When they got to Yangquan Temple, he found a Taoist priest named Cheng Daoyang and threatened him, telling him, "If you claim to be Flying Dragon, you'll enjoy wealth and glory; if not, I’ll cut off your head today!" Daoyang was scared stiff and quickly agreed. Zhao Guang, who was from Fuhang, renamed him Long Xing, appointed him as the King of Shu, General of Chariots and Cavalry, Governor of Yiliang, and even declared a new era named "Taishi Year One," setting up a whole bureaucratic setup. He also appointed Daoyang's brother, Daozhu, as General of the Cavalry, King of Changsha, and stationed him in Fucheng. Zhao Guang appointed himself as the Military Commander, gave himself various titles such as General of the Ba Di Nu Conquest, General of the North, and appointed his associate Zhang Ning as the Inspector of Qinzhou and Yan Xia as the General.
Later, Zhao Guang returned to Chengdu with Daoyang, having built his army up to over a hundred thousand men, surrounding the city tight. Zhao Guang caught up with Dao Ji and said, "If you just hand over Fei Qian and Zhang Xi, we’ll withdraw our troops." Dao Ji sent his deputy Pei Fangming and Ren Lang, each leading over a thousand men, to meet them at the west gate, but they both got their butts kicked. In November, Fangming and his men went out to battle again and this time they came out on top, torching the enemy's supplies. A man named Yang Mengzi from Jiangyang camped with over a thousand men in the south of the city. Dao Ji's aide, Liang Junzhi, stationed on the south tower, talked with Yang Mengzi several times and even wrote letters to him, talking sense into him and tugging at his heartstrings, persuading him to surrender. Yang Mengzi agreed and, upon meeting Dao Ji, was given a job as a registrar, and Dao Ji even sent his kid to help him out in quickly eliminating Zhao Guang's forces.
Zhao Guang learned about Yang Mengzi's plan, which frightened Yang Mengzi. He fled with his men to Jinyuan. Wen Zhongxing, the Prefect of Jinyuan, gathered scattered soldiers and mercenaries, gathering over two thousand men, to resist Zhao Guang alongside Yang Mengzi. Zhao Guang sent his associate Yuan Xuanzi to attack Jinyuan, but Yuan Xuanzi was killed by Wen Zhongxing. Zhao Guang then sent Bodi Nu to attack, and after numerous battles, Wen Zhongxing's forces were defeated, resulting in the deaths of both him and Yang Mengzi. Fang Ming then launched an attack from the east gate, defeating three enemy camps and beheading hundreds. Despite the defeat, the enemy quickly regrouped. Fang Ming feigned an attack from the north gate but quietly slipped out to strike the camps in the north and west. The enemy army was completely defeated and scattered. Dao Yang retreated to Guanghan with seven thousand men, while Zhao Guang led more than five thousand remaining soldiers back to Fucheng.
At the beginning, Zhang Xijia suggested Dao Ji open the granary to distribute supplies, but the enemy army had already surrounded Chengdu by the end of September. By the end of December, the food had run out. Fang Ming led two thousand men out of the city to search for food, but they were overwhelmed by the enemy, leaving only him to escape on horseback. The enemy army pursued closely and gathered more troops. At night, Fang Ming used a rope to scale down the city wall in the west. Dao Ji prepared food for him, but Fang Ming, out of fear and exhaustion, couldn't eat and just cried. At that point, Dao Ji was gravely ill, but he still tried to comfort Fang Ming, saying, "You're not a real man if you let a small setback get to you. The enemy's power is weakening, and the imperial army will arrive soon. Just come back; what do you have to fear from the enemy army?" Then, Dao Ji recruited dozens of his men to assist Fang Ming.
The bandits outside the city shouted, "Fang Ming is dead, you can come to retrieve the body now!" The people in the city were terrified. Dao Ji lit many torches at night, and when Fang Ming walked out on his own, it reassured everyone. Dao Ji moved all the money to Beishetang and allowed Fang Ming to recruit soldiers. At that time, rumors circulated in the city that Dao Ji had died, so no one came to enlist. Liang Junzhi said to Dao Ji, "General, you are very weak now, and there are conflicting reports about your life and death outside. The military strategist has suffered repeated defeats in battle, and the enemy has not been eliminated yet. If anything were to happen to you, Chengdu would be in jeopardy! You should publicly claim that you are only slightly ill and let your subordinates go home to rest temporarily; otherwise, it will be all over!" Dao Ji followed his advice, called more than thirty of his subordinates, and told them, "I have been ill for a long time, and it has been hard for you to follow me. I am only slightly ill now, so you all go home and rest for a few days, then come back." Once the subordinates returned home, their families and friends inquired, "How many days has the lord been dead?" The children replied, "The lord's health has greatly improved; who said he died!" Everyone told each other, and the people in the city finally felt relieved, so more than a thousand people enlisted in one day.
In the tenth year, during the first month, the bandits launched a massive attack on Chengdu. Dao Ji passed away, and Liang Junzhi, Fang Ming, and a few of his old friends and students buried him in the back hall. They employed someone with handwriting similar to Dao Ji's to manage official matters, replying to various official documents just like before, so even Dao Ji's mother and wife did not know he had died.
In the second month, Dao Yang was about to lead three thousand men to attack while offering sacrifices at Huijin Bridge. The enemy formed a defensive line and fought fiercely in front, until they were finally defeated late at night. During the battle, Fang Ming killed over eight hundred enemies, including the false General Zhao Shi. Afterward, Dao Yang and his troops retreated to fortify Guanghan.
This month, General Pingxi, Prince of Linchuan, appointed General Yangwu and Prefect Zhou Ji as the military commanders of the five counties of Baxi, Zitong, Dangqu, Suining, and Bajun. They were also appointed as the Prefects of Baxi and Zitong, and were ordered to lead the Pingxi army, General Fei Dan, General Longxiang, and two thousand soldiers to reinforce Chengdu. They were stationed in Guanghan, guarding P County and the surrounding areas, setting up more than a hundred camps and defense lines everywhere. Zhou Ji, Fang Ming, Fei Dan, and others attacked P County and captured it. They then retreated to the county seat and defended themselves by relying on the bamboo forest. General Luo Meng led the troops to pursue Wang Xu and others with all their strength. Zhang Xun led twenty thousand soldiers from Fucheng to support them, while Fang Ming and Fei Dan cut down bamboo to open up a road to intercept them. They were defeated and retreated to P County. They then moved their camp to Jian Gan Qiao, where Fang Ming defeated their six camps, pursued them, and chased them all the way to Guanghan. They escaped back to Fuxian and Wucheng.
On the tenth day of April, a funeral was held for Dao Ji. In May, Fang Ming led the army to attack Fucheng. Zhang Xun and Tang Pin crossed the water to resist, but Fang Ming defeated them, captured and killed the pretender General Biaoqi, the Governor of Yinqin, Sima Longshen. This Sima Longshen was associated with Dao Zhu. The county official Yan Daodu killed Yan Xia, causing their forces to scatter, thus pacifying Fucheng and Shudu. Not long after, Zhang Xun broke through Yinpings and reunited with Dao Ji. The Ba Di forces attacked Guanghan, and Fei Dan urged General Zhong Song and others to fight against them, killing more than one hundred people including their Governor of Liangzhou, Du Cheng.
In September, the Governor of Yizhou, Zhen Fachong, arrived in Chengdu, executed Fei Qian, and returned east with the funeral of Dao Ji and Fang Ming and others. They led more than two thousand households to flee to Qishan, while the remaining rebels hid with their families and occasionally emerged to rob, leading to ongoing theft and banditry.
In June of the year 426 AD, Emperor Taizu sent General Xiao Wang of Ning Shuo to lead an army to suppress the rebels. When the army arrived at Qikou, a man named Bodi Nu cut off the head of the pretender Wei General Sima Feiyan and presented it to Xiao Wang as a sign of surrender. Xiao Wang then defeated Dao Yang, who fled back to Qishan.
In April of the year 427 AD, Zhao Guang, Zhang Xun, and Liang Xian each led their own troops to surrender. The pretender Assistant Military General Wang Dao'en killed Dao Yang and presented his head, and the remaining rebels were also defeated. The court relocated Zhao Guang, Zhang Xun, and the others to the capital. By the year 429 AD, Zhao Guang and Zhang Xun conspired with Sima Jinglin, the County Magistrate of Guoshan, to rebel and were subsequently killed.
Before that, Dao Ji, Zhenwu Sima, and Shu Jun Prefect Ren Hui, although not knowledgeable in military affairs, handled matters very well, and the court promoted him to a higher rank as a Zhengyuan Official. Pei Fangming, who was originally a General of the Tiger Guards, later served as a military advisor for Yiqing Pingxi, Longxiang General, and Hedong Prefect. Fei Dan became the Captain of the Stables for the Prince. Zhou Ji later became the Governor of Yizhou Province.
General Tan Daoji's younger cousin Tan Sun, styled Ziqian, is also the younger cousin of Tan Yi, Tan Daoji's cousin. His father, Tan Zhen, styled Zhongde, also attained high official positions thanks to Tan Daoji's prominence, but later retired to Jingkou and never accepted the court's summons. He often told Tan Daoji, "You will definitely ruin our family in the future!" Tan Daoji was very afraid of his father, and every time he returned to the capital, he dared not pass by his father's house with his escort. The court once summoned Tan Zhen to serve as Left Minister of Rites, but he did not go. In the year 420 AD, when he was over ninety years old, he died at home. During the Yuanjia period, Tan Sun served as the Prefect of Yixing. At that time, the eastern region was suffering from famine, and Emperor Taizu sent Yangzhou Zhongshu Ling Shen Yanzhi to the east to provide disaster relief. Tan Sun was regarded as a good official for his effective pacification of the people. He eventually rose to the position of Wu County Prefect and was posthumously granted the title of Tai Chang.
Historians note that emperors who seize power cannot sustain their rule without the merits of quelling rebellions and governing with virtue to win the people's hearts. Since the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, good customs have gradually declined, and success in governing the country has revered power and military force. Even sitting on the throne and proclaiming themselves as Xuanyuan and the Yellow Emperor, no one can escape the reliance on military power to dominate.
The founding emperor Liu Yu came from a commoner background, did not enjoy popular support, did not have wise advisers like Cao Cao, and did not have the foundation to assist the Wei state like the Sima family. Yet suddenly, he led a ragtag army and seized control of the state in less than a day. Although his achievements were significant, his virtue was lacking. Therefore, Wang Mi fled everywhere out of fear, and Wang Sui got into trouble because of external insults. If he had not established notable accomplishments during challenging times and shocked the world with great power, he would not have been able to inherit the imperial mandate bestowed by heaven and unify the hearts of the people.
After the Yixi period, Liu Yu continued to establish significant accomplishments. Wherever Huan Wen's army went, everyone presented treasures and complied with his orders. When Jin Yong City requested officials and distinguished men were to be promoted, the nine Heaven-sacrificing ceremonies had already been conducted, and the tokens of abdication had been delivered. He was about to inspect troops again between Hangu Pass and the Wei River, utilizing natural fortifications in warfare, achieving military feats unparalleled in history. If he were to retire and disband the army, only to be held accountable for his previous merits in case of future failures, a single mistake could jeopardize his illustrious career. Could he continue to reside in the imperial palace and serve as a loyal minister to the waning Jin Dynasty? It was only when his power waned and he could no longer defend key passes that he came to understand that wise strategy entails winning before engaging in battle. Wang Zhen'e led his troops straight to Huanglong, with no formidable enemy forces in his path, truly as courageous as the legendary general Fang Shu of the Song state!
