Xue Andu is from Fenyin, Hedong, Shanxi. His family is a prominent local clan, with over three thousand households sharing the same surname. His father, Xue Guang, is also a notable aristocrat. His grandfather was appointed as the Prefect of Shangdang after the founding emperor pacified the Guanzhong and Hedong regions. Xue Andu was known for his bravery from a young age; he stood an impressive seven feet eight inches tall and excelled in equestrian archery. Later, he assisted the Qinzhou Inspector, Bei He Mi, in defeating the rebellious Hu people known as Bailongzi. Because of this, he was appointed as the commander of the nominal Yongzhou and Qinzhou. Although each state has an inspector, the commander is the one who actually manages affairs.
In the twenty-first year of Yuanjia, the Northern Wei Emperor Tuoba Tao was defeated by Rui Rui. Xue Andu and his kinsman Xue Yongzong rebelled together. While Xue Yongzong camped in Fenqu, Xue Andu captured Hongnong. At this time, the Northerners led by Gai Wu also rebelled, and they all rallied together to resist Northern Wei. Tuoba Tao personally led a large army to attack Xue Yongzong, annihilating his entire family, and then went to attack Gai Wu. Seeing that he was outnumbered, Xue Andu, along with a few trusted warriors, abandoned Hongnong and retreated. Emperor Taizu summoned him and sent him back north to recruit soldiers and gather volunteer troops in Hedong and Shaanxi. The emperor agreed and rewarded him with one hundred bolts of brocade and three hundred bolts of other fabric. Xue Andu attacked Hongnong again, but Northern Wei had reinforced their defenses, making the city impregnable. With Gai Wu also dead, he retreated to Shangluo. Later, Emperor Shizu stationed himself in Xiangyang and appointed Xue Andu as General of Yangwu and Prefect of North Hongnong.
As Northern Wei grew increasingly powerful, Xue Andu returned to Xiangyang. His uncle, Xue Shen, also returned and later served as General of Suiyuan and Prefect of Xinye.
In the 27th year of the Yuanjia era, Emperor Wen of the Song Dynasty appointed Wang Dan to appoint Xue Andu as General of Jianwu, following Liu Yuanjing's army to Guanzhong and Shaanxi. Xue Andu led infantry and cavalry to take the lead, advancing like a hot knife through butter, winning every battle. For more details, refer to Liu Yuanjing's biography. After the army withdrew, Wang Dan appointed Xue Andu as Rear Army Officer. In the 29th year of Yuanjia, Xue Andu was appointed as Northward Army Officer for Prince Shixing Liu Jun and was also conferred the title of General of Jianwu. Lu Shuang attacked Hulao Pass, and Xue Andu once again followed Liu Yuanjing northward, quickly took control of the pass, planning to cross the Yellow River and seize Puban together. As a result, Lu Shuang retreated, and Xue Andu led the troops to withdraw with Liu Yuanjing. Afterwards, he went to subdue the Western Yang Five Waters Barbarians.
When the emperor was suppressing the rebel army, Xue Andu was promoted and appointed General of Ningshuo, leading troops in battle. He set out with Liu Yuanjing, and on April 14th, they arrived at Zhuque Hang. Xue Andu held a long spear, glaring, and pointed at the rebel generals Huang Fu Anmin and others, shouting angrily, "You killed the emperor's father, yet you dare to show your face in this world!" After the emperor ascended the throne, Xue Andu was promoted to Right Army General. On the 4th day of the fifth month, he charged straight into the palace hall. At that time, there were still several hundred rebels, but they all fled in fear. Because of his great achievements, he was appointed as the lord of Nanxiang County, with a fief comprising five hundred households.
Later, Xue Andu followed the army to fight in Guanzhong and Shaanxi. When he arrived at Jiukou, he had a dream of looking up at the sky and seeing the gates of heaven swinging wide open! Excitedly, he said to the people around him, "Did you see the gates of heaven open?" When everything settled down later, he sighed and said, "I dreamt of the gates of heaven opening; could this be a sign of a resurgence?" His younger brother Xue Daosheng also became a Grand Marshal due to his military achievements. Unfortunately, Xue Daosheng committed a crime and was punished by the county magistrate Yu Shu. Xue Andu was livid upon hearing this and immediately mounted his horse, taking dozens of people with him, with their spears in hand, to avenge his brother by killing Yu Shu.
When they reached Zhuque Hang, they met Liu Yuanjing. Liu Yuanjing asked from afar, "General Xue, where are you going?" Xue Andu rode up to Liu Yuanjing's carriage and shouted, "That punk Yu Shu laid a hand on my brother; I'm going to kill him now!" Liu Yuanjing felt that this situation needed some handling, so he lied and said, "General, you better not go; how about we settle this with a friendly sparring match to cool you off?" Xue Andu turned his horse around upon hearing this. But after a few steps, he shouted, "I have something to tell you!" and then dismounted and got on Liu Yuanjing's carriage.
Once on the carriage, Liu Yuanjing started laying into him, "Your brother dresses and behaves like an ordinary person; even someone of status like you, Yu Shu might not recognize him! Moreover, when someone breaks the law, they should accept punishment. As a loyal subject of the court, you should abide by the law. How can you let yourself get carried away and think about killing someone in the city? Not only is this against the law, the Emperor will not forgive you!" Liu Yuanjing gave Xue Andu a serious talking-to, and finally, Xue Andu calmed down. That year, Xue Andu got the boot from his position because of this incident.
In 452 AD, Andu was brought back as the Left Army General.
In February, Lu Shuang staged a rebellion and sent An Du along with several subordinates, including Hu Zifan and General Zong Yue, with infantry and cavalry to take control of Liyang. Lu Shuang also sent General Zheng Dexuan to guard Daxian Mountain. Zheng Dexuan dispatched Yang Hu as the vanguard with light troops to assault Liyang. An Du sent Zong Yue and the Prefect of Liyang, Cheng Tianzuo, to engage in battle, defeated Yang Hu, and killed both him and his deputy. Zheng Dexuan then stationed his officer, Liang Yan, on the eastern side of Xian Mountain. An Du's subordinate Zhou Wengong set out to scout early in the morning, caught Liang Yan by surprise, and captured all his men; this left Lu Shuang's army hesitant to act recklessly. The emperor commanded An Du to leave three hundred troops to defend Liyang, then crossed the river back to Caishi, and promoted An Du to Vice Marshal of the State and Intendant of Jingling.
In April, Lu Shuang sent his younger brother Lu Yu with three thousand men to emerge from a narrow path at Xianshan, while Lu Shuang himself stationed a large army to blockade Daxianshan. He then sent Andu to command eight thousand infantry across the river, together with Liyang Prefect Zhang Youxu to attack Lu Shuang. Andu's deputy, General Tan Jin, led several dozen cavalry to challenge Lu Shuang's army, resulting in the killing of one of Lu Shuang's adjutants. Zhang Youxu, being timid and fearful, shockingly ordered his troops to retreat without consulting anyone, so Andu had no option but to retreat back to Liyang as well. Because Zang Zhi had not arrived yet, the emperor sent Shen Qingzhi to lead the various armies across the river. Lu Shuang's army suffered from food shortages and started to withdraw, so Shen Qingzhi sent Andu to lead light cavalry to pursue. On the 12th day of the fourth month, Andu caught up with Lu Shuang near Xiaoxianshan, with Lu Shuang and his trusted elite cavalry holding the rear. Tan Jin charged ahead but failed to penetrate the enemy lines. When Andu saw Lu Shuang, he immediately shouted and charged at Lu Shuang, delivering a fatal stab. Lu Shuang collapsed, and Andu's soldiers on either side immediately cut off Lu Shuang's head. Lu Shuang's ancestors had been brave generals for several generations, and he had been accustomed to battlefield combat since childhood. It was said that he alone could withstand thousands of men. Andu rode into the enemy formation alone, killed Lu Shuang, and safely returned, prompting people to liken it to Guan Yu slaying Yan Liang once more! Andu was thus granted the title of marquis, along with an additional five hundred households, bringing his total to one thousand households.
At that time, Wang Xuanmo was confronting Wang Yixuan and Zang Zhi in Liangshan, with Andu commanding cavalry as support troops. The enemy's camp was set up in Wuhu, and Andu sent Lv Xingshou with dozens of cavalry to launch a surprise attack. The enemy was thrown into panic, resulting in chaos, with many soldiers killed or drowned. Yixuan dispatched Liu Zhizhi and Zang Zhi to assault Wang Xuanmo. Xuanmo commanded his troops to counterattack and ordered Andu to lead the cavalry in a flanking maneuver against the enemy's right flank. Tan Jin made three charges into the enemy ranks, exploiting the confusion to launch a fierce cavalry assault, with other generals following closely behind. That morning, the enemy's cavalry left Wuhu to provide reinforcements, but upon seeing Andu's formidable cavalry, they took refuge in the mountains and did not dare to engage. The enemy's southeastern positions remained fortified, but Andu launched a fierce attack from the side, breaking through the enemy's formation and leading to their complete rout. Andu's commander, Liu Yuanru, beheaded Liu Zhizhi aboard a ship. Subsequently, Andu was promoted to Left Guard of the Crown Prince.
In the first year of the Ming Dynasty, the enemy attacked Wuyan, and the Prefect of Dongping Liu Hu went into battle but was defeated. In February, the court dispatched An Du to lead the cavalry north for an attack, while the Dongyang Prefect Shen Fa led the navy to advance towards Pengcheng, both following the command of the Xuzhou Governor Shen Tan. The Emperor warned them, saying, "If the enemy can catch up, then destroy them with all your might; if the enemy has retreated, you can cross the Yellow River, demonstrate your strength, and then return." By that time, the enemy had already left, and Shen Tan requested to return to attack Ren Zhen, and the Emperor approved. An Du was assigned to go to Zuocheng, over two hundred li from Huatai. An Du thought it would be more advantageous to pursue the enemy at their camp, with fewer troops, and not to split up. When they arrived at Dongfang City, they came across three cavalrymen from Ren Zhen, captured one while the other two fled. Ren Zhen's men scattered after hearing the news. At that time, there was a drought, most of the wells had dried up, and both the soldiers and their horses were exhausted, rendering further pursuit impossible. An Du and Shen Fa were both dressed in civilian clothes while receiving their orders, while Shen Tan wore official attire. Ren Zhen mainly operated in the area of Rencheng, where fugitive rebels had gathered for years, and the area was overgrown with thorny bushes, making it difficult to use military force, which enabled them to sustain themselves for many years while repeatedly causing suffering to the local populace.
In the second year, An Du resumed his official position, was granted the title of Marquis of Wuchang County, and appointed as a Cavalier Attendant. Seven years later, he was further appointed as the General Who Subdues the Barbarians and served as the Left Guard of the Crown Prince for ten years, until his death, without any further changes in his duties.
It is said that after the previous puppet emperor became the emperor, An Du was promoted to the Right Guard General and was also given the position of a Palace Attendant. In the first year of Yongguang, he was appointed as the Governor of Yan Province, holding the titles of Commissioner, Commander of Yan Province's military forces, and General of the Front. In the first year of Jinghe, he was reassigned as the Governor of Xuzhou, overseeing Liang County in both Xuzhou and Yuzhou, holding the titles of Commissioner of the military forces of Liang County in Xuzhou and Yuzhou under the command of Prince Yiyang Chang, and General Pacifying the North. Later, after Emperor Taizong ascended to the throne, An Du’s official rank was elevated further, becoming the General Pacifying the North, and he was also assigned a ceremonial guard.
However, Andu was unappreciative and actually rose in rebellion, along with Prince Xun of Jin'an. Earlier, Andu's nephew, Suo'er, became the General of the Front Army during the reign of the deposed Emperor Jinghe and also held the position of Direct Pavilion, participating in the act of killing the ministers. As a result, he was granted the title of Lord of Wuan County, with a fief consisting of three hundred households. After Emperor Taizong ascended the throne, Suo'er was promoted to Left General, and his position in the Direct Pavilion was retained. As Andu prepared for rebellion, he secretly wrote to Suo'er, urging him to act quickly, and even sent several hundred men to Guabu to meet him. At that time, Right Guard General Liu Guangshi was also in cahoots with Andu.
In the second year of Taishi, in January, Suo'er and Liu Guangshi were both on duty at court. Andu urged them to leave quickly, so the two fled the court, taking Andu's sons and relatives with them, and headed north. Shen Wenshu, the Governor of Qingzhou, and Cui Daogu, the Governor of Jizhou, also joined the rebellion. Shen Wenshu sent three armies led by Liu Mizhi, Zhang Lingqing, and Cui Sengxun; Cui Daogu also sent his son Cui Jingzheng and Fu Lingyue to lead troops to support Andu. Liu Mizhi and the others attacked Xiaopei from the south, while Fu Lingyue attacked Pengcheng from the direction of Tai Mountain. At this time, the Prefect of Jiyin, Shen Chan, rebelled in Suiling City, so Suo'er led Fu Lingyue and the others to attack Shen Chan. Andu had his accomplice Pei Zulong guard Xiaopei City. When Liu Mizhi and the others reached Xiaopei, they had a change of heart and surrendered, then attacked Pei Zulong. Cui Sengxun disagreed and took his troops to join Andu. When Suo'er learned that Liu Mizhi had turned back, he gave up attacking Suiling and hurried to Xiaopei. Before Liu Mizhi and his men could engage in battle, they dispersed and were all captured by Suo'er, and were all executed.
Emperor Taizong sent Shen Lingsun to Xuzhou to replace Andu. After arriving in Huaiyang, Shen Lingsun secretly harbored intentions of rebellion and sent someone to tell Suo Er: "I want to work with you, but my whole family is in Chang'an. You can bring your troops to fight, and if we lose and are captured, my family will be safe." Suo Er then sent Ling Yue to Huaiyang, where Shen Lingsun set up a battle formation with Ling Yue, pretended to be defeated, and fled north to surrender to Suo Er.
Suo Er ordered Shen Lingsun to convince Andu to surrender. After Andu surrendered, Suo Er captured and killed both Andu and Shen Lingsun. Suo Er then led his troops across the Huai River but soon ran out of provisions and started to seize food from the locals. Emperor Taizong sent Prince Qi with many generals and soldiers to the north to suppress Suo Er.
In May of that year, the army arrived at Pingyuan, where Suo Er and his five thousand cavalry and infantry prepared for battle but were defeated by the Tang army. Suo Er continued to pillage food from the locals and entrenched himself at Shiliang. Prince Qi sent generals Zhao Tianzhi and Lv Zhizhi to attack him. With no provisions or supplies, relying entirely on plunder, Suo Er's forces were on the verge of collapse and had no choice but to retreat. The Tang army pursued them to Gejiabaihu and defeated them.
Suo Er fled to the vicinity of Leping County, where he was killed by Shen Lingsun's son, Xiaoshu. Andu's son Daozhi and General Fanshuang fled to Hefei, where they surrendered to Pei Ji, the Prefect of Nanruyin.
General Wang Guang of Wu Wei followed Liu Yan into battle against Yin Yan in Shouyang. Fu Lingyue tried to escape but was caught by Wang Guang's soldiers. Fu Lingyue cried out, "I am Fu Lingyue! You've caught a traitor; why not just kill me now?" The soldiers brought him before Liu Yan. Liu Yan comforted him personally and asked why he had revolted. Fu Lingyue replied, "People across the country are rallying to the cause of the righteous army; am I the only one who feels this way?" Liu Yan asked again, "There have been rebellions everywhere, and every battle has been defeated by the court. The Emperor has always been magnanimous and values talented individuals. Why didn’t you return to the court sooner instead of fleeing to the countryside?" Fu Lingyue replied, "Xue Gong raised troops in Huainan and shook the world, but could not monopolize power and handed it over to his relatives, which ultimately led to his downfall. However, I was part of it all. Everyone must face death eventually; I truly have no shame in begging for my life." Liu Yan, moved by his resolve, decided to send him back to the capital. Emperor Taizong of Song sought to pardon him, but Fu Lingyue remained steadfast in his beliefs and refused to change his stance, and was ultimately executed. Fu Lingyue hailed from Qinghe. At that time, Cheng Tianzuo, the Deputy General of Fuguo and Interior Minister of Shanyang, took control of Andu and surrendered after a prolonged siege. Once Andu was pacified, its officials sent a delegation to Emperor Taizong of Song to express their submission, stating in their letter, "We, the humble common folk, have managed to survive in the court, received the blessings of the late Emperor Xiaowu, and are as loyal as any servant, grateful for the emperor's great favor. Thus, at the onset of the Jin'an Uprising, we chose to surrender, not seeking wealth or glory, but only wishing to serve our country. Now that the situation has stabilized, everyone has pledged allegiance to the court. We lead our men, awaiting punishment, ready to accept the consequences for opposing the court." Following Suo'er’s death, Andu appointed Liu Guangshi to guard Xiapi, and at that time, he too surrendered along with his men.
Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty, with the four directions already pacified, wanted to show military strength north of the Huai River, so he sent Zhang Yong and Shen Youzhi to lead a large force to meet Cheng Tianzuo. Cheng Tianzuo thought that since he had already surrendered, it was unnecessary to send a large force, fearing that this would be a crime, so he secretly contacted the Khitan. In the third year of the first month, the Khitan sent 20,000 cavalry led by Lord Yuchi Gouren of Boling and Lord Kong Bogong of Chengyang to provide assistance. Zhang Yong and others withdrew their troops. Cheng Tianzuo opened the city gates to welcome the Khitan army. They then appointed him as the governor of Xuzhou and the Duke of Hedong. In March of the fourth year, the Khitan summoned him back to Sanggan. In the fifth year, Cheng Tianzuo died in Khitan at the age of sixty.
At the beginning, Andu rebelled, and the Chief Secretary Lanling Yan secretly wanted to get rid of him, but ended up being killed by Andu himself. Before Andu reached Sanggan, the General of the Vanguard, Pei Zulong, conspired to kill Gouren and then surrendered to the court with Pengcheng. This plot was uncovered, and Pei Zulong was also killed. The Assistant Cavalry Officer, Sun Gengzhi, died in battle against Suo Er, as did Liu Mizhi and Zhang Lingqing. Emperor Taizong was deeply saddened by their deaths and posthumously appointed:
- Lanling Yan as the Glorious Marquis,
- Pei Zulong as the General of Ning Shuo and the Governor of Yanzhou,
- Sun Gengzhi as the Guardian of the Imperial Forest,
- Liu Mizhi as the Assistant General of Fuguo and the Governor of Qingzhou,
- Zhang Lingqing as the General of Ning Shuo and the Governor of Jizhou.
Andu's sons, Boling and Huanlong, fled to Liangzhou and Yongzhou as fugitives. Three years later, they led thousands of desperate outlaws to attack Guangping, capturing the governor (prefect) Liu Mingqiu. They then attacked Shunyang and occupied it, and also took over Yicheng and Fufeng, appointing their own officials. The Inspector of Yongzhou, Prince Balin Xiu Ruo, sent the Governors (prefects) of Nanyang and Xinye, Zhang Jing'er and Liu Rang, to fight against them, which resulted in the capture of Andu's two sons. Previously, the Governors (prefects) of Dong'an and Dongguan, Zhang Qiang, defended Tuan City (northeast of Pengcheng), initially alongside Andu, but later did not surrender to the court. Emperor Taizong appointed him as Inspector of East Xuzhou, but he was ultimately captured by the enemy.
Shen Wenshui, whose courtesy name was Zhongyuan, was from Wukang, Wuxing, and was a student of the Grand Minister of Works, Shen Qingzhi. His father, Shen Shaozhi, had once served as a military advisor in the Southern Central Army. Shen Wenshui initially served as the registrar and historian in the county. After his teacher Shen Qingzhi rose to a high position, Shen Wenshui also started to rise in ranks, first serving as a military advisor to the Prince of Donghai, Yi, then moving to the East General's Office of the Prince of Yiyang, Chang. He later served as the magistrate of Qiantang, military advisor to the Prince of Xiyang, Shang, magistrate of Wukang, Ministry of Personnel, local magistrate, and magistrate of Jiankang. Later, due to an incident involving Prince Xunyang beating a slave, he was dismissed from his position and received a hundred lashes; he was soon reinstated. After the Former Emperor ascended the throne, Shen Wenshui became the military recorder for Prince Jian'an Xiu Ren and the Chief Officer of Archery.
In the first year of the Jinghe era, Wenxiu was appointed as the governor of Qingzhou, responsible for the military affairs of Dongguan and Dong'an prefectures, and was also appointed as the General of Jianwei. At that time, the emperor was tyrannical, and the nation faced grave dangers. Wenxiu took office in Qingzhou, with his troops stationed at Baixia. He said to his subordinate Qingzhi, "The emperor is now so incompetent and cruel; the country is on the brink of collapse, but our family has his favor. Others will think we are in league with him. Moreover, the emperor is capricious and suspicious; no one can foresee what calamities may befall us in the future. We currently have a substantial number of soldiers at our disposal; it is extremely easy to deal with him. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we cannot afford to miss!" Qingzhi disagreed. Wenxiu persuaded him bitterly, crying and begging him each time, but Qingzhi refused to agree. Later, Wenxiu left, and Qingzhi was indeed killed by the emperor.
After Qingzhi's death, the emperor sent General Jiang Fangxing to lead troops to kill Wenxiu. Before Jiang Fangxing arrived, Emperor Taizong had already quelled the rebellion and sent someone to intercept Jiang Fangxing. After Jiang Fangxing arrived, he was captured by Wenxiu but was later released and sent back to the capital.
At that time, Prince Sima Xun of Jin'an rebelled in Xunyang, and the court dispatched six armies to quell the rebellion and also conscripted troops from Wenxiu. Wenxiu sent three armies led by Liu Mizhi, Zhang Lingqing, and Cui Sengxun to support the court. At the same time, the governor of Xuzhou, Xue Andou, colluded with Sima Xun and sent a letter to Wenxiu, reporting that uprisings were breaking out across the country and urging Wenxiu to rebel as well. Wenxiu had Liu Mizhi and others reply to Xue Andou. However, Liu Mizhi and his forces ultimately surrendered to Xue Andou, as noted in the "Biography of Xue Andou." Liu Mizhi was from a prestigious family in Qingzhou, with considerable influence in the region, and his relatives rallied and moved to Beihai, seizing the city to oppose Wenxiu.
The governors of Pingyuan and Le'an counties, Wang Xuanmo and Wang Xuanmiao, occupied Langya; the governors of Qinghe and Guangchuan counties, Wang Xuanmiao, occupied Panyang City; and the governor of Gaoyang and Bohai counties, Liu Chengmin, occupied Linji City, and they all rose in rebellion. Wen Xiu's military advisor, Fang Wenqing, wanted to respond to them, but was killed by Wen Xiu. Wen Xiu sent the army commander Xie Yanshi to attack Beihai, and successfully captured it. Liu Chengmin's younger brother, Liu Bozong, joined forces with local militia and recaptured Beihai, then led the troops to attack Dongyang City, the capital city of Qingzhou. Wen Xiu mounted a strong defense; Liu Bozong was defeated and injured. His brother Liu Tianai helped him to escape. Liu Bozong said, "A true man should die on the battlefield for his country; how can I perish at the hands of my own family? Brother, you must go quickly; don’t let us both perish!" So Liu Bozong died in battle and was later posthumously honored as Longxiang General and Changguang Prefect.
Emperor Taizong of Tang sent the Inspector of Qingzhou, Ming Senghao, and the governors of Dongguan and Dong'an counties, Li Lingqian, to attack Wen Xiu. Xuanmiao, Chengmin, and Senghao together attacked the cities, but each time were defeated by Wen Xiu. They would retreat and then attack again, repeating this back-and-forth more than ten times.
In the second year of Taishi, in August, after the pacification of Xunyang, Emperor Taizong sent Cui Yuansun, the Minister of Revenue, to visit and comfort various rebel factions. As a result, Cui Yuansun was killed in battle alongside Monk Hao, and was posthumously granted the titles of General of Ningyuan and Governor of Jizhou. The Emperor sent Wen Bing, the brother of Wen Xiu, to deliver a message to Wen Xiu, saying: "The Emperor previously appointed you as the commander of military affairs in the two counties of Dongguan and Dong'an in Xuzhou, the General of Jianwei, and the Governor of Qingzhou. Last year, I pacified the rebellion, and the credit for this spread throughout the country. Your family has received special treatment, and you’ve managed to survive until now. Whose credit is this? Why did you betray the country, forget your gratitude, and conspire with the rebels? Now that the world has been pacified and all directions are stable, why are you still guarding a broken city alone? What are you up to? Besides, your family, which numbers in the hundreds, is all in the capital, not to mention your ancestors' tombs. I believe you’re not heartless; you must have some worries. That’s why I specifically sent Wen Bing to explain to you. As for the leaders of the rebellion, if they surrender in person, I won’t pursue any charges against them. This is the message Wen Bing brings to you. Who do you think you are, declaring yourself king? Hurry up and surrender with your subordinates; I’ll issue a separate order not to hold you accountable. If you do not surrender, there are laws in this country. Not only will your entire family be killed, but your entire lineage will be wiped out, and your tomb will be destroyed. This is not just to explain things to the people of Qi Tu, but also to reward the soldiers. That’s why this decree was issued." In the second month of the third year, Wen Xiu surrendered and confessed, and was subsequently restored to his original position.
At the beginning, Cui Daogu, the Inspector of Jizhou, was also at odds with the court in Licheng and was defeated by the local uprising forces. He and Wen Xiu wrote a letter to the enemy seeking help; the enemy dispatched General Muyu Baiyao with troops to rescue them. Wen Xiu had already received an order from the court at that time, so he took advantage of the enemy's lack of preparation and led his troops in a surprise attack, killing many enemies. The enemy then began to attack and surrounded the city. Wen Xiu was very good at calming and commanding the army, and the soldiers fought valiantly. They consistently defeated the enemy in battle and successfully raided the enemy's camp. The emperor appointed Wen Xiu as Fuguo General.
In August of that year, the enemy's Prince Bashi of Shujun led tens of thousands of cavalry and infantry in an attack from the west and reached the city. Wen Xiu dispatched Fuguo General Yuan Chen to repel them. In September, the enemy attacked the eastern city wall again. In October, the enemy attacked the southern city wall. Wen Xiu sent Deputy Cavalry Attendant Huang Mizhi and others into battle, resulting in the deaths of several thousand enemies. Four years later, the emperor promoted Wen Xiu to Right General, granted him the title of Marquis of Xincheng County, and awarded him a fief of five hundred households. The Inspector of Qingzhou, Wang Longxian, was defeated by the military commander Gao Chongren in Anqiu County, resulting in the death of hundreds of people. The enemy had long besieged Qingzhou, and the reinforcements sent by the emperor were too afraid to advance. Therefore, Wen Xiu's younger brother, Weng Jing, was named Fuguo General and commanded the armies of Gaomi, Beihai, Pingchang, Changguang, and Donglai counties to rescue Qingzhou by sea.
When Weng Jing arrived at Buqi City in Donglai County, he was intercepted by the enemy and unable to enter, so he had to defend the city to protect himself, but he was also attacked by the enemy. He won many battles and was promoted by the emperor to Eastern Qingzhou Inspector. Four years later, the enemy breached Buqi City, and Weng Jing died in battle.
Shen Wenxiu was besieged by the enemy for three years, with no reinforcements outside. The soldiers all followed his command, and no one betrayed him. They fought day and night, their armor covered with lice. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month of the fifth year, the city was finally breached. On the day the city fell, he took off his armor, changed into civilian clothes, sat quietly, and had his usual official seal brought to him by his attendants. As the enemy rushed in with swords drawn, they asked, "Where is Shen Wenxiu, the Governor of Qingzhou?" Wenxiu loudly replied, "I am here!" The enemy then captured him, brought him to the audience hall, and stripped him naked. At that moment, Bai Yao was in the southwest corner tower of the city. He had the naked Wenxiu brought before him, and the guards demanded that Wenxiu kneel before Bai Yao. Wenxiu said, "We are both ministers of our respective countries; there's no need for us to bow to each other." Bai Yao then ordered that his clothes be returned to him, set up a banquet for him, and had him escorted to Sangqian. The rest of the people were slaughtered by the marauders, and many died. Earlier, the Emperor sent the Imperial Secretary Gonglun Lang He Ruzhen to Qingzhou to select civil and military officials, but he was also killed by the enemy. Wenxiu lived in Sangqian for nineteen years before dying of illness in the fourth year of Qi Yongming, at the age of sixty-one.
Cui Daogu was from Qinghe. During the reign of the Shizu Emperor, he was recognized for his talents by the court and served as the Colonel of the Prince's Tuntian Cavalry and the General of the Left Army. In the third year of the Daming era, he was appointed as the Prefect of Qi County and Beihai County. When the local residents discovered an ancient tomb and found a pair of jade armor, Cui Daogu inspected it and presented it to the court, resulting in the arrest of local resident Jiao Gong. Later, he entered the court and served as the North Zhonglang Yamen Advisor to Prince Xin'an and the Left Army Sima to Prince Yongjia. In the first year of the Jinghe era, he was appointed General of Ning Shuo and Inspector of Jizhou, stationed in Licheng. In the second year of the Taishi era, he was promoted to Assistant General of State and later promoted to General for Conquering Barbarians. At that time, the Inspector of Xuzhou, Xue Andu, rebelled, and the court sought Cui Daogu to replace him as the Inspector of Xuzhou. However, Cui Daogu did not accept the appointment but instead sent his son Cui Jingwei and the army commander Fu Lingyue to lead the troops to suppress Xue Andu. As a result, they were attacked by the local uprising, suffered repeated defeats and could only defend themselves. Once the situation stabilized, the court sent envoys to pacify, and Cui Daogu complied with the decree. Before this, he and Shen Wenshu jointly defended against the enemy invasion. When the enemy arrived, he defended the city and resisted, which led to their being besieged. Every time the enemy attacked, Cui Daogu repelled them. Three years later, he was appointed Commander of Military Affairs for Jizhou, Qingzhou, Yanzhou, Youzhou, and Bingzhou, the Frontline General, Inspector of Jizhou, awarded the military seal, and later promoted to General Pacifying the North. That same year, he was captured by the enemy, taken to Sanggan, and died at their hands.
Historical records say: In the "Spring and Autumn Annals," it is recorded that when ministers of the states committed crimes, they would generally first surrender their fiefdoms before leaving. However, the three ministers from Zhu and Ju were explicitly labeled as "defectors" in historical records because their fiefdoms were too important. The strategy of supporting the king of An (referring to the king's rescue efforts) should have received strong support from the vassal states, but they fled beyond the borders, committing an offense as serious as that of the three defectors. The Book of Songs says, "Who has given birth to these steep steps, that still hinder us today." Is this what it refers to?
This indicates that in ancient records, officials who made mistakes would generally surrender their territories before leaving. However, the three ministers from Zhu and Ju were explicitly described as defectors because their fiefdoms were too important! The plan to support the king of An should have received strong support from neighboring small states, but they fled beyond the borders, committing an offense as serious as that of the defectors! There is a line in the Book of Songs: "Who has given birth to these steep steps, that still hinder us today." This is what it is talking about!
