Real Histories
During the Kaihuang and Renshou periods of the Sui Dynasty, Wang Shao wrote an 80-volume "Book of Sui," which was organized by category and divided into chapters. However, it did not follow the common biographical format found in official histories (which lists events and biographies by time and person).
In the fifth year of the Wude period of the Tang Dynasty, Palace Attendant Linghu Defen suggested compiling the "History of the Five Dynasties" (referring to the Liang, Chen, Qi, Zhou, and Sui dynasties). In December of that year, the emperor ordered the Minister of the Imperial Library, Feng Deyi, and Palace Attendant Yan Shigu to compile the "History of Sui." After several years of effort, the project remained unfinished.
In the third year of the Zhenguan period, the emperor again ordered the Secretary of State, Wei Zheng, to compile the "History of Sui," with Left Chancellor Fang Qiao responsible for supervision. Wei Zheng also proposed the establishment of a Secretariat within the Imperial Secretariat, where the former Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Yan Shigu, Censor Kong Yingda, and Director of the Imperial Library Xu Jingzong would write the "History of Sui" together. Wei Zheng oversaw the overall editing, making many revisions to ensure simplicity and accuracy. Wei Zheng wrote the preface and all the commentary in the book. In the end, it was completed with five volumes of imperial biographies and fifty biographical sketches. On the Renzi day in the first month of the tenth year of Zhenguan, Wei Zheng and his team presented the book to the emperor.
In the fifteenth year of Zhenguan, the emperor again ordered Left Chancellor Yu Zhining, Imperial Historian Li Chunfeng, Director of the Imperial Library Wei Anren, and Assistant in the Imperial Office Li Yanshou to compile the "Records of the Five Dynasties," totaling thirty volumes across ten chapters. On the day of Jimao in the fifth month of the first year of Xianqing, Grand Commandant Sun Wuji and his team presented the book to the emperor, who ordered it to be kept in the imperial library. Later, this work was later included in the "Book of Sui," though it was kept separately and referred to as the "Records of the Five Dynasties."
(There are some inconsistencies here: Wei Zheng's biography states that he became an Imperial Attendant in the seventh year of the Zhenguan era, completed the "Records of the Five Dynasties" in the tenth year of Zhenguan, was granted the title Duke of Zhengguo, and was appointed as a Special Advisor upon his retirement. Many versions now refer to him as a Special Advisor. However, the "Catalog of Classics" only mentions him as an Imperial Attendant and the Duke of Zhengguo, as recorded by Wei Zheng. The biography of Changsun Wuji states that he was only appointed to supervise the editing in the third year of Yonghui, which raises doubts as to whether it had already been completed before, and Changsun Wuji just submitted the completed work. Currently, the biographical accounts are attributed to Wei Zheng, whereas the historical records credit Changsun Wuji, based on the majority of versions. Some biographical versions also state it was written by the Prince's Tutor Xu Jingzong. However, the biography of Xu Jingzong indicates that he became a clerk in the eighth year of Zhenguan, participated in the editing of national history, and was later promoted to the Imperial Secretariat. In the tenth year of Zhenguan, he was sent to Hongzhou as a military officer. It was not until the third year of Longshuo that he became the Prince's Tutor. This does not align with the dates and official titles recorded in the text, possibly altered by later generations. Fang Qiao and Yu Zhining were initially appointed to participate in the editing. The biography of Li Yanshou states that he was ordered to edit the "Records of the Five Dynasties" together with the Assistant Clerk Jing Bo. Li Yanshou was ordered in the third year of Zhenguan to edit the "Sui History" with Yan Shigu, but he resigned that year due to a family funeral. Many current versions omit the names of Fang Qiao and others. The "Treatise on Astronomy," "Treatise on Calendar," and "Treatise on the Five Elements" were all written by Li Chunfeng alone. The preface of the "Treatise on the Five Elements" is attributed to Chu Suiliang in many versions, but this is not mentioned in his biography, indicating that he probably only wrote a preface, so his name is not included here.)
In the second year of the Tian Sheng era of the Song Dynasty, on the 11th day of the 5th month, the Imperial Pharmacist Lan Yuan was instructed to deliver a copy of the "Sui History" from the palace to the Chongwen Institute. On the fifth day of the sixth month, the emperor ordered officials to proofread (at that time, officials Chen Shou and Chen Ye were responsible for supervision, and Right Imperial Historian Zhang Guan and others were responsible for proofreading. Zhang Guan later became the judge of the Ministry of Revenue and was subsequently replaced by Huang Jian), and then to publish it.
Duan Da, from Wuwei Guzang, his father served as the governor of Shuozhou during the Zhou Dynasty. Duan Da inherited the title of County Duke of Xiangyuan at the age of just three. When he grew up, he stood eight feet tall, had a handsome beard, and was very skilled in horseback archery. When Gaozu was Prime Minister, he appointed Duan Da as Grand Commander, leading a trusted army and frequently accompanying Gaozu. After Gaozu became emperor, Duan Da was appointed as Left Zhaizhai, and later he steadily advanced to the rank of General of Chariots and Cavalry, while also serving as an officer in the army for Prince Jin. When Gao Zhihui and Li Ji rebelled, Duan Da led ten thousand soldiers and captured Dingfang and Chuzhou, for which the emperor rewarded him with a thousand bolts of silk and promoted him to Yitong. He also defeated Wang Wenjin and others in Xuanzhou, was granted the title of Kaifu, and received fifty slaves and four thousand bolts of silk as rewards. During the Ren Shou period, he became the Deputy Commander of the Left Guard of the Crown Prince. In the early years of Daye, due to his previous service in the imperial palace, he was appointed as the General of the Left Yiwu. He participated in the war against the Tuyuhun and was later appointed as a Grand Master of the Golden Purple Light. When the emperor campaigned in Liaodong, the people were conscripted for labor and suffered greatly. Qi Xiaode from Pingyuan, Zhang Jincheng from Qinghe, and others gathered many people to become bandits, breaking through many cities that local officials could not resist. The emperor dispatched Duan Da to combat them, but he was defeated several times by Zhang Jincheng and others, incurring significant losses. Those bandits scorned him and referred to him as "Duan Lao." Later, he employed the strategy devised by Yang Shanhui, the magistrate of Shu County, to fight the bandits again and finally achieved victory. Upon his return to the capital, he was dismissed from his post due to official matters.
In the second year, the emperor went to campaign in Liaodong again, leaving Duan Da to guard Zhuo County. Not long after, he was appointed as the General of the Left Imperial Guard. Wei Dao'er of Gao Yang gathered more than 100,000 people, who referred to themselves as "Lishan Fei," and looted and plundered in the Yan and Zhao regions. Duan Da led the garrison of Zhuo County, along with Guo Xuan, to defeat them. At that time, there were many bandits, and the fighting between the officials and soldiers was intense. Duan Da missed the opportunity to achieve a decisive victory, only cautiously defending and stocking up on food and supplies. He seldom gained military accolades, and people at that time said he was timid and afraid of trouble.
In the twelfth year of Daye, the emperor went to Jiangdu Palace, leaving Yuan Wendo, the Minister of Works, and Duan Da to guard the Eastern Capital. Li Mi occupied Luokou and sent troops to attack the vicinity of Luoyang. Duan Da, along with Pang Yu, the Commandant of the Gate, and Huo Ju, led the imperial troops out of the city to resist. They made some achievements and were promoted to General of the Left Xiaowei. After Wang Chong was defeated, Li Mi advanced and occupied Beimang, reaching Shangchun Gate. Duan Da, along with the Left Minister Guo Wenyi and the Minister Wei Jin, led the troops to resist. Duan Da, seeing the enemy soldiers, fled. Li Mi seized the opportunity, and the army was defeated, with Wei Jin dying in battle. From then on, the enemy forces grew increasingly powerful.
After the emperor's death in Jiangdu, Duan Da and others supported Prince Yue Yang Dong's claim to the throne. Duan Da was appointed Minister of War while also serving as an imperial counselor and being granted the title Duke of Chen. Yuan Wendo and others wanted to kill Wang Chong, but Duan Da secretly warned Wang Chong and offered his assistance. When the plot was revealed, Prince Yue Yang Dong handed Yuan Wendo over to Wang Chong for retribution. Wang Chong was very grateful to Duan Da and held him in high regard. After defeating Li Mi, Duan Da and others persuaded Prince Yue Yang Dong to grant Wang Chong the Nine Rites in anticipation of his abdication. After Wang Chong became emperor, he appointed Duan Da as Minister of Works. After the Eastern Capital was secured, Duan Da was executed due to his involvement in these events, and his wife, children, and property were all confiscated.
The historians say that those who were originally mediocre, who, due to imperial favor, benefited for generations, while individuals like Wang Chong, who had shallow insights and a narrow perspective, were promoted and rewarded even more than the veteran officials because they happened to be in the right place at the right time. Yet, when the country was on the verge of collapse, they failed to serve the country wholeheartedly. Instead, they exploited the chaos, conspired, led rebellions, and turned traitorous, utterly destroying the nation's foundation and even tarnishing their own official titles and court robes.
Some led rebellions in person, while others resorted to poisoning in secret. Their crimes were countless, reaching such an intolerable level that they provoked the wrath of both heaven and humanity! As a result, those ruthless traitors were executed one after another, and those despicable individuals were likewise eradicated in succession, ultimately quelling the fury of the loyal and righteous and imparting a profound lesson for posterity. Ah, as courtiers, shouldn't we heed this as a warning? Shouldn't we heed this warning?
Wang Chong, courtesy name Xingman, was originally from the Western Regions of China. His grandfather was named Zhitui (original text retained here), and later moved to live in Xinfeng. After his grandfather passed away, his grandmother became a widow and had an affair with the official Wang Can, and gave birth to Wang Chong's father, Wang Qiong. Wang Can later took Wang Qiong's mother as his concubine. Wang Chong's father was an orphan in his youth and was later married to Wang Can's wife. Wang Can loved him very much and allowed him to adopt the Wang surname. Later, he became the Chief Historian of Huaizhou and Bianzhou.
Wang Chong had curly hair, a voice as rough as a jackal, and was cunning and calculating. He secretly read many books, especially enjoying military strategy, and was also knowledgeable in divination and fortune-telling. However, he never spoke of it to anyone. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, he became the Left Yiyi Guard, and later was granted nobility for his military accomplishments, becoming an official of the Ministry of War. He was very good at writing memorials and was well-versed in the law, but in reality, he was always calculating his gains and losses. If someone rebutted him, he would defend himself eloquently, speaking convincingly and with force. Even though everyone knew he was in the wrong, they found it difficult to refute him. Everyone said he had good eloquence and was skilled in debate.
During the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, Wang Chong was promoted to become the magistrate of Jiangdu. At that time, Emperor Yang often visited Jiangdu, and Wang Chong was particularly good at observing and flattering the emperor, which made the emperor pleased every time he reported to the palace. Later, he also served as the supervisor of the Jiangdu Palace, embarking on large-scale construction projects and secretly presenting treasures from distant lands to the emperor to win his favor. As a result, his relationship with the emperor became even closer.
In 612 AD, the Sui Dynasty began to fall into chaos. Yang Xuangan, particularly adept at ingratiating himself, was very attentive to the people in the palace and polite to those with abilities. He secretly recruited a large number of talented individuals and gained many followers. The people of the Jianghuai region were known for their fierceness, and with bandits rampant at the time, many people committed crimes and were locked up in prison awaiting punishment. However, Yang Xuangan used unscrupulous methods to secure their release in order to gain their favor.
Later, Yang Xuangan rebelled, and Zhu Xie and Guan Chong in Jiangnan also rose up in response, proclaiming themselves generals, each commanding over ten thousand men! The emperor sent Tu Wanxu and Yu Juluo to suppress them, but they were unsuccessful. Yang Xuangan recruited over ten thousand men from Jiangdu and won several battles. After each victory, he credited his subordinates, distributing the spoils among the soldiers and taking no rewards for himself. Therefore, everyone was willing to risk their lives for him, and he achieved many military merits.
In 614 AD, a bandit leader named Meng Rang emerged in Qijun, who raided across the region from Changbai Mountain to Xuyi, with over ten thousand men under his command. Yang Xuangan led troops to resist, feigning weakness by establishing five camps at Duliangshan and confronting Meng Rang without fighting. When Meng Rang relaxed his guard, Yang Xuangan suddenly launched a fierce attack, securing a decisive victory, pursuing and wiping out Meng Rang's army, with Meng Rang fleeing with just a handful of cavalry. In this battle, ten thousand people were killed, and the captured livestock and military supplies were too numerous to count. The emperor recognized Yang Xuangan's military prowess and strategic acumen and began to let him lead troops to eliminate the small groups of bandits, restoring peace wherever he campaigned. However, Yang Xuangan was quite hypocritical, always putting on a façade of virtue to earn a good reputation.
In the year 615 AD, the Turkic people surrounded the emperor's temporary palace in Yanmen. Yang Xuangan sent all the available troops from Jiangdu to his rescue. When he arrived at the camp, he deliberately made himself look unkempt and disheveled, cried incessantly, never removed his armor, and slept on the ground. After hearing this, the emperor perceived his loyalty and grew to trust him even more.
Twelve years later, he was promoted to be the local official of Jiangdu. At that time, there was a man named Yanci who feigned humility but was, in fact, a bandit who commanded over a hundred thousand soldiers and was entrenched in the Douzi area. He led his forces to eliminate Yanci, scaring the other bandits into submission. Later, he went to defeat Lu Mingyue and won in Nanyang, decapitating tens of thousands and capturing an innumerable number of prisoners. When he returned to Jiangdu, the emperor was extremely pleased and personally presented him with a cup of wine as a reward.
Knowing that the emperor liked beautiful women, he said there were many pretty girls in the Jianghuai region and offered to help enrich the harem, even though these girls had little chance of ever entering the palace. The emperor was even more pleased and secretly let him select the beauties, using treasury funds and tribute goods intended for the capital as dowries. The expenses were astronomical and were recorded as "special expenses by imperial decree" without specifying amounts. If the emperor took a liking to them, he would reward Yang generously; even if he did not, Yang would still receive some form of reward. Later, he sent these women to the capital by boat, but bandits attacked along the way, causing the envoys in charge of escorting to suffer, resulting in over ten shipwrecks along the Huai and Si rivers, leading to numerous drownings. Some wanted to expose this, but he managed to suppress it and quickly sought replacements to ensure the tribute continued. From that point onward, his relationship with the emperor grew even more intimate.
Later, Li Mi captured Xingluo Warehouse, and his troops reached the outskirts of the Eastern Capital, where the imperial forces suffered several defeats in several battles. Pei Renji, the Grand Master of Splendor, surrendered to Li Mi at Wulao, which infuriated the Emperor, prompting him to order an attack against Li Mi. The Emperor issued a decree appointing him as a general to resist Li Mi at Luokou. After hundreds of battles, the outcomes were mixed. Later, he led his troops across the Luo River, approaching Xingluo Warehouse. After a battle with Li Mi, he suffered a major defeat, resulting in over ten thousand soldiers drowning in the river. At that time, it was freezing with heavy snow, and after crossing the river, the soldiers' clothes were soaked, leading to tens of thousands freezing to death along the way. By the time they reached Heyang, the army was reduced to just a few thousand men. He locked himself in prison to plead for forgiveness, and Prince Yang Dong sent someone to pardon him and summon him back to the capital. He managed to recruit scattered soldiers, amassing over ten thousand men, stationed in Hanjia City, and he no longer dared to venture out.
Yuwen Huaji assassinated the Emperor in Jiangdu, and Dou Jiande, along with Yuan Wendu, General Huangfu Wuyi, and Right Minister Lu Chu, supported Yang Dong as the Emperor. Yang Dong appointed Dou Jiande as Minister of Personnel and conferred upon him the title of Duke of Zhengguo. Later, Yang Dong heeded the counsel of Yuan Wendu and Lu Chu, appointing Li Mi as Grand Commandant and Minister of the Left. Li Mi then swore fealty to Yang Dong and led troops to resist Yuwen Huaji in Liyang, sending someone to report the victory. Everyone celebrated, but Dou Jiande remarked to his subordinates, "Yuan Wendu and his group are merely bureaucrats who only know how to read and do sums. In this situation, they're bound to be captured by Li Mi. Moreover, our army has fought against Li Mi, killing many of his fathers, brothers, and sons. If we surrender to him now, we're all doomed!" He said this to incite his subordinates.
Yuan Wendu was aware of this situation and was quite frightened. He discussed with Lu Chu and the others about planning to ambush Dou Jiande and kill him when he entered the palace. They had already set a date for the ambush, but General Duan Da informed Dou Jiande about their plan, saying that his son-in-law Zhang Zhi had told him. That night, Dou Jiande surrounded the imperial palace with soldiers, and General Fei Yao, Tian Shidu, and others fought against Dou Jiande's army outside the East Taiyang Gate. Fei Yao's army was defeated, and Dou Jiande broke through the city gates and rushed in. Huangfu Wuyi managed to escape on horseback. Dou Jiande captured Lu Chu and killed him. At that moment, before the palace gates were opened, Dou Jiande had someone knock on the door to inform Yang Dong, "Yuan Wendu and others want to capture the emperor and surrender to Li Mi. Duan Da told me about this. I am not trying to rebel; I am merely eliminating those who do!"
Yuan Wendu entered the palace after hearing the developments and took Yang Dong to Qianyang Hall, arranging for soldiers to guard him. He also ordered the generals to go up on the city wall to resist, but they were defeated, leading to Yuan Wendu's capture and execution. Yang Dong ordered the city gates to be opened for Dou Jiande's entry. Dou Jiande had the original guards replaced, then went in to meet Yang Dong. He knelt and wept, saying, "Yuan Wendu and others are too unreasonable, colluding to kill each other. The situation was urgent, which forced my hand; I dare not betray the country." Yang Dong formed an alliance with him. Later, Dou Jiande sent Wei Jie and others to convince Yang Dong to appoint him as the Left Chancellor, overseeing all military affairs inside and outside, and appointed his brother Dou Yun as the Minister of the Interior, who took up residence in the imperial palace.
Not long after, Li Mi defeated Wang Shichong's army and returned in triumph. However, his elite soldiers and warhorses sustained significant losses, and the soldiers were exhausted. Wang Shichong wanted to attack Li Mi while he was weak, but was afraid that no one would listen to him, so he resorted to cunning tactics. He claimed to have dreamed of Duke Zhou and then built a temple to worship Duke Zhou by the Luo River, and sent sorcerers to spread the word that Duke Zhou wanted him (Wang Shichong) to quickly attack Li Mi in order to achieve great merit; otherwise, the army would be plagued and die. Many people in Wang Shichong's army were superstitious Chu people, so he used this method to deceive them. As a result, everyone requested to go to battle.
Wang Shichong selected his best soldiers and strongest generals, totaling more than 20,000 people and over 1,000 horses, and moved the camp to the south of the Luo River. Li Mi's army was on the mountain north of Yanshi. At that time, Li Mi had just won the Battle of Huaji and had become somewhat complacent and had not set up defenses. Wang Shichong took advantage of the night to send over 200 cavalry to stealthily infiltrate the northern mountain, ambush in the valley, feed the horses, eat something, and rest. Then, under the cover of night, they crossed the Luo River, galloped toward Li Mi's camp at dawn, and attacked. Li Mi sent soldiers to meet them, but before they could form a proper formation, the two armies clashed. Wang Shichong's ambush troops charged down from the mountain, secretly climbed the high ground to the north, and attacked Li Mi's main camp from the high ground. Li Mi's camp was thrown into chaos; no one could resist, and Wang Shichong's army rushed into the camp and set it on fire. The Li Mi army was in a panic, unable to organize themselves, and generals Zhang Tong'er and Chen Zhilue surrendered. Wang Shichong then went on to capture Yanshi.
At first, Wang Shichong's brother Wang Wei and son Wang Xuan followed Wang Shichong to Dongjun, but later they were captured by Li Mi and imprisoned in the city. Now, Wang Shichong has successfully rescued them all. He also captured Li Mi's chief military advisor Bing Yuanzhen, his wife, the mother of Sima Zhengqianxiang, and the families of other generals. Wang Shichong treated them kindly, secretly urging them to convince their fathers or brothers to surrender. When Wang Shichong's army reached Luokou, Bing Yuanzhen, Zheng Qianxiang, and others opened the city gates and surrendered. Li Mi fled with only a handful of cavalry, while Wang Shichong absorbed all of Li Mi's troops into his ranks. From the East Sea to south of the Yangtze River, they all surrendered to him one after another. Wang Shichong also sent Wei Jie to persuade Dong (referring to Yang Dong), appointed Wei Jie as Grand Commandant, granted him officials, and turned the Ministry of Personnel Affairs into his mansion. Shortly after, Wang Shichong proclaimed himself King Zheng. He sent General Gao Lue to attack Shou'an, but failed and retreated. He then surrounded Guzhou with his army, but withdrew three days later. The following year, he proclaimed himself Prime Minister, accepting various rewards, and no longer paid homage to Yang Dong.
A Taoist priest named Huan Fasi emerged, who claimed to interpret prophecies and omens. He was a close confidant of Wang Shichong and held in high favor. Fasi presented a book called "Confucius' Record of Closing the Room," pointing to a picture of a man driving sheep with a stick, saying, "'Yang' sounds like the Sui Dynasty; if you add a horizontal line to 'gan,' it transforms into the character for 'king.' The character for 'king' is behind the sheep, indicating that you, Prime Minister, will replace the Sui Dynasty as the emperor!" He then showed articles from Zhuangzi, explaining, "The first article mentions 'world,' and the second mentions 'fulfillment,' which corresponds to your name, Prime Minister! This signifies that you will be embraced by the world, fulfilling the mandate of heaven to become the emperor!" Wang Shichong was elated and exclaimed, "This is indeed the mandate of heaven!" He immediately bowed deeply to Fasi in gratitude and appointed him as a Grand Advisor.
Wang Shichong also captured various birds, wrote messages on strips of cloth and tied them around the birds' necks, claiming it was a divine mandate, and then released the birds. Those who shot down these birds presented them to him, and he bestowed them with official titles. Later, Wang Shichong placed Emperor Yang Tong of Sui under house arrest in a side hall, took the reign title "Kaiming," and named his state Zheng. The Tang Dynasty sent Prince Qin Li Shimin to lead a large army to besiege him. Wang Shichong launched several counterattacks, but was defeated every time, with the various cities outside the city surrendering one by one.
Wang Shichong found himself in a desperate situation and sent a messenger to request help from Dou Jiande. Dou Jiande brought elite troops to his aid, but was defeated by Prince Qin Li Shimin upon reaching Wulao. Dou Jiande was captured and brought to Wang Shichong's city. Wang Shichong sought to break the siege and flee, but none of his subordinates answered his call, and he knew there was nowhere to hide. He then surrendered. Upon arriving in Chang'an, he was killed by his enemy, Dugu Xiude.
Duan Da, from Wuwei Guzang, was the son of Duan Yan, who had served as the Governor of Shuozhou in Northern Zhou. Duan Da inherited his father's title at the age of three, becoming the Duke of Xiangyuan County. When he grew up, he stood at eight feet tall, had a handsome beard, and was skilled in horseback riding and archery. When Emperor Wen of Sui was the Prime Minister, he appointed Duan Da as the Grand Commander, leading the army he trusted and often accompanying him. After Emperor Wen became emperor, Duan Da was appointed as the Left Zhai official and gradually rose in ranks to become the General of Chariots and Cavalry, while also serving as an advisor to Prince Jin.
When Gao Zhihui, Li Ji, and others rebelled, Duan Da led ten thousand soldiers to pacify Dingfang and Chuzhou. The emperor rewarded him with one thousand bolts of silk and promoted him to the title of Yitong Sansi. He also defeated Wang Wenjin and others in Xuanzhou and was promoted to the title of Kaifu, along with fifty slaves and four thousand bolts of silk. During the Renshou period, he served as the Deputy Commander of the Left Guard of the Crown Prince. In the early years of Daye, due to his good relationship with the emperor, he was appointed as the General of the Left Yiwu Guard. Later, he was sent to campaign against the Tuyuhun and was appointed as Jinziguanglu Daifu.
When the emperor campaigned in Liaodong, the people were heavily burdened by conscription. Qi Xiaode from Pingyuan, Zhang Jincheng from Qinghe, and others gathered a large following and turned to banditry, capturing many cities that local officials could not resist. The emperor sent Duan Da to fight them, but he faced several defeats at the hands of Zhang Jincheng and suffered heavy losses. The bandits disdained him and referred to him as "Lady Duan." Later, Duan Da employed the strategy devised by Yang Shanhui, the magistrate of Shuxian, to fight the bandits again and achieve victory. After returning to the capital, he was dismissed because of this incident.
The following year, the emperor went to campaign in Liaodong again, leaving Duan Da to guard Zhuojun. Shortly after, he was appointed as the General of the Left Yiwu Guard. Wei Dao'er from Gaoyang gathered more than one hundred thousand people, calling themselves "Lishan Fei," and looted in the Yan and Zhao regions. Duan Da, together with Guo Xuan, the garrison commander, defeated him. At that time, the area was rife with bandits, leading to fierce battles between the officials and soldiers, yet Duan Da was unable to capitalize on opportunities for a decisive victory. He focused on logistics and rarely achieved any military success, which led to people labeling him as timid and overly cautious.
In the twelfth year of the Dàyè period, the emperor left the Jiangdu Palace and left Duan Da and the Minister of Works, Yuan Wendo, behind to guard the Eastern Capital. Li Mi occupied Luokou and sent troops to attack the city at the Eastern Capital. Duan Da, the gatekeeper Pang Yu and the military officer Huo Ju, led the imperial army out of the city to resist. He earned some merit and was promoted to General of the Left Valiant Guard. After Wang Chong was defeated, Li Mi advanced and took control of Beimang, arriving at Shangchun Gate. Duan Da, the Left Minister Guo Wenyi, and the Minister Wei Jin led the troops to resist. Duan Da saw the enemy troops and fled without forming a battle line. Li Mi seized the opportunity, and the army suffered a major defeat, resulting in Wei Jin's death in battle. From then on, the enemy forces grew stronger.
After the emperor passed away in Jiangdu, Duan Da and others supported Prince Yang Dong's claim to the throne. Duan Da was appointed as Grand Chancellor, concurrently serving as an Imperial Counselor, and was bestowed the title of Duke of Chen. Yuan Wendo and others planned to assassinate Wang Shichong, but Duan Da secretly tipped off Wang Shichong and assisted him. When the conspiracy was uncovered, Prince Yang Dong handed Yuan Wendo over to Wang Shichong, who was deeply grateful to Duan Da and treated him with special respect.
After defeating Li Mi, Duan Da and others persuaded Prince Yang Dong to confer the Nine Bestowments upon Wang Shichong in preparation for abdication. Wang Shichong usurped the throne and named Duan Da as Minister of Works. After the Eastern Capital was pacified, Duan Da was executed for his involvement, and his wife and children had their property seized.
Historians say that those who were originally mediocre received the emperor's favor and enjoyed generations of benefits. Individuals like Wang Chong, who had limited abilities, were promoted and afforded better treatment than the veteran ministers. When the country declined, they did not dedicate themselves to serving the country, but instead exploited the situation to incite chaos and scheme for power. They led the lawless elements to become the root of turmoil, completely destroying the foundation of the country. Some personally led rebellions, while others secretly poisoned and committed countless crimes, rendering them unworthy of both heaven and earth, inciting the wrath of both mortals and deities!
So those ferocious and brutal leaders were killed one after another; those thoroughly wicked individuals were also eliminated one after another. This not only provided solace to the loyal and righteous but also imparted a profound lesson for posterity. Alas, as a subordinate, shouldn't one heed this as a warning? Isn't it a lesson worth heeding?
Pei Qiantong, from Hedong, was initially entrusted by Emperor Yang of Sui when he was still the Prince of Jin, appointing him to various positions until he became the Chief Gatekeeper. After Emperor Yang ascended to the throne, he promoted his former followers, including Pei Qiantong, appointing him as the Minister of Benevolence, and later promoted him to Chief Gatekeeper. Pei Qiantong accompanied Emperor Yang on multiple military campaigns, eventually reaching the rank of Grand Councilor. Later, he colluded with Sima Dekan in a rebellion, opening the palace gates, riding to the Hall of Accomplished Virtue, killing General Dugu Sheng, and seizing the Emperor in the West Pavilion. Yuwen Huaji therefore appointed Pei Qiantong as the Grand Minister of Splendor and Duke of Juguo. When Yuwen Huaji marched north with his troops, he left Pei Qiantong in command of Xuzhou. After Yuwen Huaji's failure, Pei Qiantong surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, being appointed as the Governor of Xuzhou, later promoted to Governor of Chenzhou and granted the title of Lord of Chángshén. Shortly after, he was dismissed and exiled to Lingnan due to his involvement in the rebellion against the Sui Dynasty, where he ultimately met his end.
Wang Chong, courtesy name Xingman, was originally from the Western Territories. His grandfather, Zhi Tui (original text retained here), moved to Xinfeng to live. After Zhi Tui's death, his young widow had an affair with Yi Tong Wang Can, who fathered Wang Chong. Wang Can later took Wang Chong's mother as a concubine. After Wang Chong's father died, he and his mother married Wang Can. Wang Can cared for him deeply and allowed him to adopt the Wang surname, rising to the position of Chief Historian in Huai and Bian prefectures. Wang Chong had a fierce appearance and a ruthless, cunning nature, though he had read some books and had a particular fondness for military strategy. He also dabbled in divination and fortune-telling but kept it to himself. During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, he was appointed as the Left Guard and was later promoted to Yi Tong for his military achievements, serving as an Assistant Minister of War. He excelled at writing memorials and was well-versed in the law, but he also enjoyed playing with words, scheming in various ways. When challenged, he could eloquently defend himself; everyone knew he was in the wrong, yet no one could counter him. They all said he was eloquent and had strong debating skills. During the reign of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, he was promoted to the magistrate of Jiangdu County. During this time, Emperor Yang frequently visited Jiangdu, and Wang Chong was skilled at reading the emperor's moods and flattering him. Each time he reported to the emperor, he left him very satisfied. He also served as the supervisor of Jiangdu Palace, in charge of constructing palaces and ponds, secretly presenting unusual treasures to curry favor with the emperor, thereby earning even more of the emperor's favor. In the eighth year of Daye of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, things began to unravel. Yang Xuangan secretly courted capable individuals, flattering and bribing them to win their loyalty. The people of the Jianghuai region were already known for their fierceness, and with the rampant bandits at that time, many people turned to crime and ended up arrested and imprisoned. Yang Xuangan released those imprisoned through dubious means to build personal connections.
Subsequently, Yang Xuangan rebelled, and Zhu Xie and Guan Chong in Jiangnan also rose up in response, declaring themselves generals and commanding over 100,000 men. The emperor sent Tu Wanxu and Yu Juro to suppress them, but they failed to achieve victory. Yang Xuangan recruited over 10,000 men from Jiangdu and defeated the rebels several times. After each victory, he credited his subordinates with the success, giving all the captured spoils to the soldiers and taking nothing for himself. As a result, everyone was willing to fight for him, and he earned significant accolades.
During the tenth year of the Daye era, the bandit leader Meng Rang from Qijun led over 100,000 troops, burning, pillaging, and slaughtering their way from Changbai Mountain to Xuyi. Yang Xuangan used his troops to resist, intentionally pretending to have a weak army, setting up five camps at Duliangshan, and facing off against Meng Rang without attacking. When Meng Rang relaxed his guard, Yang Xuangan suddenly launched a fierce attack, achieving a resounding victory and annihilating Meng Rang's army. Meng Rang escaped with only a few dozen cavalrymen, while Yang Xuangan executed 10,000 men and captured a large number of livestock and military resources. The emperor recognized Yang Xuangan's military talent and began assigning him to quell smaller bands of bandits, where he always emerged victorious. However, he was hypocritical, pretending to be a good person but actually adept at pretending to suffer to cultivate a favorable reputation.
In the eleventh year of Daye, the Turks surrounded the emperor at Yanmen, and Yang Xuangan mobilized all the people of Jiangdu to mount a rescue. When he arrived at the military camp, he intentionally turned it into a filthy and foul-smelling place, cried incessantly, never took off his armor, and slept on the ground. Upon hearing this, the emperor became convinced of his loyalty and placed even greater trust in him.
Twelve years later, he was promoted to governor of Jiangdu. At that time, there was a man named Yanci who seemed very humble, but in reality had secretly been a bandit leader for several years, with over a hundred thousand soldiers under his command, hiding in the area of Douzi. He led troops to attack and killed Yanci, which scared the other bandits into submission. Later, he went to attack Lu Mingyue, defeated him in Nanyang, beheading tens of thousands and capturing countless prisoners. When he returned to Jiangdu, the emperor was extremely pleased and personally served him a cup of wine as a reward.
At this time, he knew that the emperor liked beautiful women, so he mentioned that there were many beautiful girls in the Jianghuai area, and even offered to help the emperor enrich the harem, but these girls had no opportunity to enter the palace. The emperor was even more delighted upon hearing this and secretly sent people to select those who were beautiful and met the criteria, then used money from the national treasury and goods originally meant to go to the capital as dowry to marry them into the palace. The amount of money spent was staggering, recorded in the accounts as specially approved by the emperor, with the exact amount left vague. If the emperor took a liking to them, he would reward them handsomely; even if the emperor did not favor them, he would still give them some rewards. Later, he sent ships to send these women to the capital, but bandits attacked along the way, and the messengers were exhausted and faced hardships, with over a dozen people perishing in the Huai and Si Rivers. Some people brought this to light, but he covered it up for them and quickly found more women to send to the palace. From then on, his relationship with the emperor grew even closer.
Li Mi captured Xingluo Granary and approached the Eastern Capital. The court's army failed in several battles; even the Grand Minister of Rites, Pei Renji, surrendered to Li Mi in Wulao. The Emperor was furious and issued an edict to appoint him as a general to confront Li Mi at Luokou. After fighting hundreds of battles, both sides had victories and losses. Later, he led his troops across the Luo River, approaching Xingluo Granary. After a battle with Li Mi, he was defeated, resulting in tens of thousands of soldiers drowning in the river. At that time, it was freezing cold, and heavy snow was falling. The soldiers' clothes were soaked after crossing the river, and tens of thousands died from freezing on the way by the time they reached Heyang, leaving only a few thousand remaining. He locked himself in prison to seek forgiveness, and Prince Yang Dong sent someone to pardon him and summoned him back to the imperial capital. He gathered the scattered soldiers, regrouped more than ten thousand soldiers, stationed in Hanjia City, and did not dare to venture out again.
Yuwen Huaji assassinated the Emperor in Jiangdu. Dou Jiande, along with Minister of Works Yuan Wendu, General Huangfu Wuyi, and Right Commandant Lu Chu, supported Yang Dong as Emperor. Yang Dong appointed Dou Jiande as Minister of Personnel and granted him the title of Duke of Zhengguo. Later, Yang Dong heeded the advice of Yuan Wendu and Lu Chu, appointing Li Mi as Grand Commandant and Minister of Works. Li Mi then swore loyalty to Yang Dong, led troops to resist Yuwen Huaji in Liyang, and sent messengers to announce their victories. Everyone was overjoyed, except Dou Jiande, who remarked to his subordinates, "Yuan Wendu and his ilk are merely bookish bureaucrats. In this situation, they will definitely be captured by Li Mi. Moreover, our army has killed many of his relatives in previous battles; if we are ever defeated, we will all pay the price!" He intended to provoke his subordinates with these words.
Yuan Wendu learned about the situation and was very frightened. He discussed with Lu Chu and others their plan to ambush Du Jiande's soldiers when he entered the palace. They had already agreed on a date. However, that same night, General Duan Da informed Du Jiande of the plan, saying that his son-in-law Zhang Zhi had told him. That night, Du Jiande surrounded the palace with his troops. General Fei Yao and Tian Shidu fought against Du Jiande's army outside the East Sun Gate. Fei Yao's forces were quickly defeated, and Du Jiande broke through the city gate and entered. Huang Fu Wuyi managed to escape on horseback alone. Du Jiande captured Lu Chu and killed him. The palace gate was still closed at that time. Du Jiande sent someone to knock on the door and inform Yang Tong, "Yuan Wendu and others want to capture the emperor and surrender to Li Mi. Duan Da informed me about this. I am not rebelling; I am only targeting those who are rebelling!"
Upon hearing about the incident, Yuan Wendu rushed into the palace. He took Yang Tong to Qianyang Hall and assigned soldiers to protect Yang Tong. He ordered the generals to go up the city wall to resist, but his forces were quickly defeated. Yuan Wendu was captured and killed. Yang Tong then ordered the gates to be opened for Du Jiande. Du Jiande sent someone to replace the original guards before entering to meet Yang Tong. He fell to his knees in tears, saying, "Yuan Wendu and others are too unreasonable, plotting to turn against one another. The situation was dire, so I had no choice. I dare not betray the country." Yang Tong swore an oath to him. Du Jiande soon sent Wei Jie to persuade Yang Tong to become the Minister of Internal and External Military Affairs. He also appointed his brother Du Yun as Minister of the Interior and had him move into the palace.
Not long after, Li Mi defeated Wang Shichong's army and returned victorious. However, his elite soldiers and warhorses took heavy losses, and the soldiers were exhausted. Wang Shichong wanted to attack Li Mi while he was weak, but he was worried that his soldiers would not obey orders. So, he pretended to have a divine dream, claiming that he had dreamt of Zhou Gong. He then built a temple to Zhou Gong by the Luo River and sent sorcerers to spread the word that Zhou Gong had appeared, instructing Wang Shichong to quickly defeat Li Mi in order to gain great merit, or else the army would die of plague. Many soldiers in Wang Shichong's army were superstitious, so he used this method to deceive them. When the soldiers heard this, they all requested to go to battle.
Wang Shichong selected elite soldiers, totaling over 20,000 men and over 1,000 warhorses, and moved the camp to the south of the Luo River. Li Mi's army was stationed on the mountains north of Yanshi. At that time, Li Mi had just won the Battle of Huaji and was somewhat complacent and hadn't set up defenses. Wang Shichong seized the cover of night to send over 200 cavalrymen to sneak into the northern mountains, set up an ambush in the valley, and ordered the soldiers to feed the warhorses and themselves. Just before dawn, they reached the vicinity of Li Mi's camp. Li Mi sent troops to fight, but before they could form a proper formation, the two sides clashed. Wang Shichong's ambush troops charged down from the mountain, quietly moved onto the northern plain, and attacked Li Mi's camp from a high vantage point. Li Mi's camp was thrown into chaos, with no one able to resist, and Wang Shichong's army stormed into the camp and set it ablaze. Li Mi's army was thrown into panic and disarray, and Generals Zhang Tong'er and Chen Zhilue surrendered. Wang Shichong took Yanshi.
At first, Wang Shichong's brother Wang Wei and son Wang Xuan followed Wang Shichong to Dongjun, but were later captured by Li Mi and imprisoned in the city. Now, Wang Shichong rescued them all. He also captured Li Mi's Chief Historian Bing Yuanzhen, his wife, the mother of Sima Zhengqianxiang, and the sons of other generals. Wang Shichong treated them all well and secretly let them call their fathers or brothers to surrender. Wang Shichong's army arrived at Luokou, and Bing Yuanzhen, Zheng Qianxiang, and others opened the city gates and surrendered. Li Mi fled with only a few dozen cavalry, and Wang Shichong incorporated all of his troops. From the East Sea to the south of the Yangtze River, many came to pledge their allegiance to him. Wang Shichong also sent Wei Jie to persuade Dong (referring to Sui Emperor Yang Tong) to appoint him as Grand Commandant, set up officials for him, and use the Ministry of Personnel Affairs as his mansion. Soon, Wang Shichong declared himself King of Zheng. He sent General Gao Lue to attack Shou'an, but failed and withdrew. He then led his troops to besiege Guzhou, but retreated three days later. The following year, he declared himself Prime Minister, accepted the Nine Gifts, and no longer paid homage to Yang Tong.
There was a Taoist priest named Huan Fasi who claimed to be able to interpret prophecies and symbols, so he became close with Wang Shichong. Fasi produced a book called "Confucius' Closed Room Record" and pointed to a picture of a man herding sheep with a stick, saying, "'Yang' is the surname of the Sui Dynasty, 'Gan' sounds like 'Yi', 'Yi' is part of the character 'Wang'. The man is herding sheep behind the sheep, indicating that the Prime Minister is destined to replace the Sui Dynasty as emperor!" He then brought out two articles from "Zhuangzi" called "Human World" and "Dechong Fu", explaining, "The first article mentions 'Shi', the second mentions 'Chong', this is your name as Prime Minister! This means you will gain the people's support and fulfill the heavenly mandate to become emperor!" Wang Shichong was delighted and said, "This is the heavenly mandate!" He repeatedly thanked Fasi and promptly appointed him as Grand Councillor.
Wang Shichong also captured all kinds of birds, wrote inscriptions on silk, and tied them around the birds' necks, claiming it fulfilled divine will, and then released them. Some people shot these birds and presented them to him, and he bestowed titles upon them. Later, Wang Shichong placed Emperor Yang Tong of Sui under house arrest in a side palace, seized the throne, renamed the era "Kaiming," and changed the country's name to Zheng. The Tang Dynasty sent Prince Qin Li Shimin to besiege him, and Wang Shichong launched several military campaigns to resist, but was defeated each time, with many cities outside the city surrendering.
Wang Shichong was cornered, so he sent a messenger to seek help from Dou Jiande. Dou Jiande brought his elite troops to his aid, but they were defeated by Prince Qin at Wulao, and Dou Jiande was captured and brought to Wang Shichong's city. Wang Shichong wanted to break out and escape in the chaos, but none of his subordinates responded. Realizing he had nowhere to hide, he surrendered. When he arrived in Chang'an, he was killed by his enemy, Dugu Xiude.
Duan Da was from Wuwei Guzang. His father, Duan Yan, had served as the Governor of Shuozhou in Northern Zhou. Duan Da was only three years old when he was in Northern Zhou, but he inherited the title of County Duke of Xiangyuan. When he grew up, he was eight feet tall, had a handsome beard, and was skilled in horseback riding and archery. When Emperor Wen of Sui was the Prime Minister, he appointed Duan Da as the Grand Commander, leading the army he trusted, often keeping him close. After Emperor Wen became the emperor, Duan Da was appointed as the Left Commandant, and later he gradually rose in ranks, becoming the General of Chariots and Cavalry, and also served as an advisor to Prince Jin.
When Gao Zhihui, Li Ji, and others rebelled, Duan Da led 10,000 soldiers to pacify Dingfang and Chuzhou. The emperor rewarded him with 1,000 pieces of silk and promoted his official position to Assistant Minister of Rites. He also defeated Wang Wenjin and others in Xuanzhou and was appointed as Governor, receiving fifty slaves and 4,000 pieces of silk. During the Ren Shou period, he served as the deputy commander of the Prince's Left Guard. During the Daye period, due to his good relationship with the emperor, he was appointed as General of the Left Imperial Guard. When Emperor Yang of Sui campaigned against the Tuyuhun, Duan Da was promoted to Jinziguanglu Dafu.
Later, when Emperor Yang of Sui campaigned against Liaodong, the people were heavily burdened by taxes and suffered greatly. Qi Xiaode from Pingyuan and Zhang Jincheng from Qinghe gathered a group of bandits, broke through many cities, and the local officials were unable to fend them off. The emperor sent Duan Da to fight against them, but he was defeated by Zhang Jincheng several times, sustaining significant losses. The bandits looked down on him and called him "Old Duan." Later, Duan Da implemented the strategy devised by Yang Shanhui, the magistrate of Shu County, to fight against the bandits again, and finally achieved victory. After returning to the capital, he was dismissed due to his military failures.
The following year, Emperor Yang of Sui went to campaign against Liaodong again, leaving Duan Da to guard Zhuojun. Not long after, he was appointed as General of the Left Imperial Guard. At that time, Wei Dao'er from Gaoyang gathered over 100,000 troops, proclaiming himself as "Lishan Fei," and looted everywhere in the Yan and Zhao regions. Duan Da, along with Guo Xuan, led the garrison of Zhuojun to defeat them. At that time, the number of bandits was significant, and the clashes between the officials and soldiers were intense. Duan Da opted for cautious defense, stationed troops to transport supplies, and rarely secured any military victories. At that time, everyone said he was timid and afraid of trouble.
In the twelfth year of the Daye era, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty departed from the Jiangdu Palace, ordering Duan Da and Yuan Wendu, the Minister of Works, to stay in the Eastern Capital. Li Mi occupied Luokou and sent troops to attack Luoyang City. Duan Da, along with Gatekeeper Pang Yu and Military Officer Huo Ju, led the Imperial Army out of the city to resist, achieving several military accomplishments and being promoted to General of the Left Valiant Guard. After Wang Chong was defeated by Li Mi, Li Mi occupied Beimang and reached Shangchun Gate, while Duan Da, the Judge of the Left Cheng Guo Wenyi, and Minister Wei Jin led troops to resist. Duan Da, seeing the enemy soldiers, fled, and Li Mi took advantage of the situation to pursue, resulting in a significant defeat, during which Wei Jin was killed in action. From then on, Li Mi's power became increasingly strong.
When Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty died in Jiangdu, Duan Da, Yuan Wendu, and others proclaimed Prince Yue Yang Dong as emperor. Duan Da was appointed Grand Marshal of the Palace, concurrently serving as an Imperial Counselor, and was granted the title of Duke of Chen Guo. Yuan Wendu and others wanted to kill Wang Shichong, but Duan Da secretly informed Wang Shichong and assisted him. When the conspiracy was uncovered, Prince Yue Yang Dong handed Yuan Wendu over to Wang Shichong, who was extremely grateful to Duan Da and valued him highly. After defeating Li Mi, Duan Da and others persuaded Prince Yue Yang Dong to bestow the Nine Honors on Wang Shichong, implying a plot to usurp the throne. After Wang Shichong claimed the throne, he appointed Duan Da as Minister of Works. After the Eastern Capital was pacified, Duan Da was executed due to his involvement in Wang Shichong's rebellion, and his assets were seized.
The historian said: Those who were originally of mediocre talent, but received imperial favor, benefited for generations; while short-sighted individuals like Wang Chong, because they happened to be in a favorable situation, were also promoted and received better treatment than the veteran officials. When the country declined, they failed to dedicate themselves to the service of the country, but instead exploited the situation for personal gain, leading rebellions against the laws. Some of them personally led troops in rebellion, while others secretly poisoned people, committing heinous crimes that defy description, drawing the ire of both heaven and earth, as well as mankind. Therefore, those ruthless and savage bandits were executed one after another, and those utterly wicked individuals were likewise put to death, ultimately easing the grievances of the loyal and providing a profound lesson for posterity. Alas, shouldn't those who serve the state heed this as a warning?
Sima Dekan was from Fufeng in Yongzhou. His father, Sima Yuanqian, served as a general during the Northern Zhou dynasty. Sima Dekan lost his father at a young age and had to make a living by butchering pigs. Later, a monk named Can, who was close to Sima Dekan's mother, helped take care of him, teaching him reading, writing, and arithmetic. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, Sima Dekan became a minor official, gradually rising in rank until he became a grand commander.
He joined Yang Su in the campaign against King Liang of Han, serving in the inner camp, where he was known for his efficiency, quick wit, and cunning. Yang Su was especially fond of him. For his contributions, he was granted the title of Triumvirate. In the third year of the Daye era, he was appointed as a Langjiang of Yingyang, fought in Liaodong, was promoted to Zhengyi Daifu, and later became a Warlord. Emperor Yang of Sui was particularly close to him. Later, he followed Emperor Yang of Sui to Jiangdu, commanding over ten thousand elite soldiers stationed in the city.
As the Sui dynasty neared its collapse, Sima Dekan planned a rebellion with his troops, as recorded in "Events of Huaji." They captured Emperor Yang of Sui, and he, along with Meng Bing and others, supported Yuwen Huaji's claim to the Prime Ministership. Yuwen Huaji initially granted Sima Dekan the title of Duke of Wenguo, bestowing upon him land to support three thousand households, and appointed him as a Grandee of the Palace. However, Yuwen Huaji was secretly wary of him.
A few days later, Yuwen Huaji began appointing generals and allocating troops, under the pretense of promoting Sima Dekan to Minister of Rites, but in reality, stripping him of his military command. Furious, Sima Dekan gave all his rewards to Zhi Ji, asking him to intercede on his behalf. Upon arriving in Xuzhou, they disembarked, and Yuwen Huaji ordered Sima Dekan to stay at the rear. Sima Dekan conspired with Zhao Xingshu, Li Ben, Yin Zhengqing, and Yuwen Daoshi to launch an attack on Yuwen Huaji, and even sent word to Meng Haigong, seeking external assistance.
They hesitated without taking action, waiting for news from their contact. As a result, Xu Hongren and Zhang Kai reported this to Yuwen Huaji. Yuwen Huaji then sent his brother Yuwen Shiji to feign a hunting trip and investigate Sima Dekan's rear army. Sima Dekan was still unaware that his plans had been uncovered, so he left the camp to visit Yuwen Huaji but was captured along with his accomplices.
Yuwen Huaji blamed him, saying, "We went through life and death together to pacify the world. Now that things have succeeded, I want us to enjoy the rewards together. Why did you rebel?" Sima Dekan said, "I initially aimed to kill the tyrant, end his reign of terror, and support you. I never expected you to be worse than him. I had no choice but to act under pressure." Yuwen Huaji ignored him, ordered him brought to the camp, and had him strangled. He was thirty-nine years old at the time.
Pei Qiantong was from Hedong. Initially, during the time when Emperor Yang of Sui was still the Prince of Jin, he was held in high regard. Later on, he gradually rose in rank to become the Supervisor of the Imperial Gate. After Emperor Yang of Sui became emperor, he promoted his former loyal aides, and Pei Qiantong was appointed Grand Commandant of Propaganda, later promoted to Supervisor of the Imperial Gate. He accompanied the emperor on numerous campaigns, eventually attaining the rank of Grand Master of Palace Deliberations. He conspired with Sima Dekan to rebel, first by opening the palace gates, riding to the Chengxiang Hall, killing General Dugu Sheng, and capturing the emperor at the West Pavilion. Yuwen Huaji later appointed Pei Qiantong as the Grand Master of Splendor and Duke of Juguo. When Yuwen Huaji led his troops north, he left Pei Qiantong to guard Xuzhou. After Yuwen Huaji's failure, Pei Qiantong surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, was appointed Governor of Xuzhou, and later promoted to the Inspector of Chenzhou and titled as the Lord of Changshe. Not long after, he was dismissed for his involvement in the rebellion against the Sui Dynasty and exiled to the Lingnan region, where he ultimately met his end.
Wang Chong, courtesy name Xingman, was originally a person from the Western Regions. His ancestors were named Zhi Tui, who later moved to Xinfeng to settle. After Zhi Tui's death, his young widow had a romantic relationship with Wang Can, who held the title Yitong, and gave birth to Wang Chong. Wang Can later took Wang Chong’s mother as his concubine. Wang Chong was adopted by his father, and he later married Wang Can's wife. Wang Can was very fond of Wang Chong, allowing him to adopt the Wang surname. Wang Chong later became the Chief Historian of Huaizhou and Bianzhou. Wang Chong, who had a fierce appearance, was known for his cruelty and cunning. Although he had read some books and had a particular interest in military strategy, as well as some knowledge of divination and fortune-telling, he never shared this with anyone. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, he was appointed as the Left Yiwu Guard and was later appointed as Yitong due to his military accomplishments, and he also served as an official in the Ministry of War. He was very skilled at writing memorials, familiar with the law, but he was also skilled at wordplay and calculating various interests. If someone refuted him, he would eloquently defend himself, speaking convincingly; although everyone knew he was wrong, no one could refute him. People admired his eloquence and debating prowess. During this time, Emperor Yang frequently visited Jiangdu, and Wang Chong was adept at reading the emperor’s moods and flattering him. Every time he reported to the palace, the emperor was always pleased. He also held the position of Palace Supervisor in Jiangdu, overseeing the construction of palaces and gardens, secretly offering rare treasures from various regions to curry favor with the emperor, which earned him even greater favor from the emperor.
In the year 612 AD, the Sui Dynasty was already in chaos. Yang Xuangan appeared to show great respect to the emperor, but in reality, he secretly recruited talented individuals and won people's loyalty. The people in the Jianghuai region were already known for their toughness, and with bandits rampant at the time, many people committed crimes and were arrested and imprisoned awaiting punishment. However, Yang Xuangan exploited his power to release these individuals, using this to win people's hearts and form personal relationships.
Later, Yang Xuangan rebelled, and Zhu Xie and Guan Chong in Jiangnan also rose up in response, declaring themselves generals, each with over ten thousand followers. The emperor dispatched generals Tu Wanxu and Yu Juluo to quell the rebellion, but they were unable to defeat them. Yang Xuangan then gathered over ten thousand troops from Jiangdu and defeated the rebels several times. After each victory, he attributed the victories to his soldiers, distributed the captured supplies to them, and took no personal gain. As a result, everyone was willing to risk their lives for him, and he accumulated a great deal of military achievements.
By the year 614 AD, there was a bandit leader named Meng Rang in Qijun who led an army of over ten thousand to raid everywhere from Changbai Mountain to Xuyi. Yang Xuangan used his army to resist, feigning weakness by establishing five camps on Duliang Mountain to confront Meng Rang without attacking. When Meng Rang let his guard down, Yang Xuangan suddenly launched a fierce attack, decisively defeating Meng Rang and pursuing him until his forces were completely routed, with Meng Rang fleeing with only a few dozen horsemen. In this battle, Yang Xuangan personally executed ten thousand men and captured a large number of livestock and military supplies. Seeing Yang Xuangan's talent as a military leader, the emperor began assigning him to eliminate small bands of bandits, and Yang Xuangan achieved victories wherever he was deployed.
However, Yang Xuangan is actually quite hypocritical, putting on a façade of kindness; he excels at feigning hardship and acting, all to gain a good reputation. In the year 615 AD, the Turks surrounded the emperor at Yanmen Pass, and Yang Xuangan gathered all the people in Jiangdu to prepare for the rescue. Upon arriving at the military camp, he intentionally soiled his clothes, appeared disheveled, and wept inconsolably, never removing his armor, day or night, and sleeping on the ground. When the emperor heard about it, he believed Yang Xuangan genuinely cared for him and trusted him even more.
Twelve years later, he was promoted to be the governor of Jiangdu. At that time, a man named Yanci emerged, feigning humility while secretly operating as a bandit for several years, commanding tens of thousands of troops, hiding in the area of Douzi. He led the troops to attack, captured and killed Yanci, causing the other bandits to surrender in fear. Later, he went to vanquish Lu Mingyue, defeating him at Nanyang, executing tens of thousands, and capturing countless prisoners. When he returned to Jiangdu, the emperor was overjoyed and personally toasted him with a cup of wine.
He knew that the emperor liked beautiful women, so he claimed there were numerous beautiful girls in the Jianghuai area and even volunteered to assist the emperor in expanding his harem, although these girls had no chance to enter the palace. When the emperor heard this, he was even more delighted and secretly sent people to select those who were beautiful and met the criteria, then brought them into the palace as wives with money from the national treasury and goods originally intended for the capital. This cost a lot of money, and the accounts merely noted "expenses authorized by imperial decree," without specifying the exact amount. If the emperor favored a girl, he would reward her heavily; even if the emperor did not favor her, he would still give her some rewards. Later, he used boats to send these girls to the capital, but bandits came out to rob them on the way, and the envoys escorting the girls toiled relentlessly, with over ten of them drowning in the Huai River and Sishui. Some people wanted to expose this matter, but he quashed any attempts to expose it and swiftly found replacements to send. From that point onward, his relationship with the emperor grew even closer.
Li Mi captured Xingluo Warehouse and was on the verge of marching on the Eastern Capital. The imperial army suffered several defeats. Grand Minister Pei Renji surrendered to Li Mi at Wulao, which infuriated the emperor. The emperor sent a large army to attack Li Mi. He issued a decree appointing him as general to confront Li Mi at Luokou. After hundreds of battles, both sides experienced victories and defeats. Later, he led his troops across the Luo River, approaching Xingluo Warehouse. He engaged Li Mi in battle and was defeated, resulting in over ten thousand soldiers drowning. It was a freezing cold day with heavy snowfall, and the soldiers crossed the river with their clothes soaked, which led to tens of thousands freezing to death along the way. By the time they arrived at Heyang, only a few thousand soldiers were left. He locked himself in a prison cell to seek forgiveness, and Prince Dong sent someone to pardon him and summoned him back to the imperial capital. He regrouped the scattered soldiers and assembled over ten thousand troops, stationed in Hanjia City, and did not dare to venture out again.
Yuwenzhao assassinated the emperor in Jiangdu, and Dou Jiande, along with Minister of Works Yuan Wendu, General Huangfu Wuyi, and Right Commandant Lu Chu, proclaimed Yang Dong as emperor. Yang Dong appointed Dou Jiande as Minister of Personnel and granted him the title Duke of Zhengguo. Later, Yang Dong heeded the advice of Yuan Wendu and Lu Chu, appointing Li Mi as Grand Commandant and Minister of Works. Li Mi subsequently pledged his allegiance to Yang Dong and led troops to resist Yuwen Huaji in Liyang, and sent messengers to report the victory. Everyone was elated, except for Dou Jiande, who remarked to his generals, "Yuan Wendu and those people are just civil officials who only know how to write and calculate. I have no doubt they will eventually fall into Li Mi's hands. Moreover, our army has clashed with Li Mi, killing many of his kin, and has already forged a deep enmity. If we surrender to him now, we’re all in for a rough time!" He said this to provoke everyone.
Yuan Wendo knew about what happened and was so scared that he discussed with Lu Chu and the others to find an opportunity to get close to Dou Jiande and then ambush his soldiers and kill him. They set a date, but General Duan Da told Dou Jiande about this, saying that his son-in-law Zhang Zhi informed him. That night, Dou Jiande surrounded the palace with his troops, while General Fei Yao and Tian Shida engaged Dou Jiande's forces outside the East Sun Gate. Fei Yao's forces were defeated, and Dou Jiande broke through the city gates and rushed in, while Huang Fu Wuyi fled on horseback. Lu Chu was captured and then killed. At that time, the palace gates had still not opened, and Dou Jiande sent someone to knock on the door and inform Yang Dong, "Yuan Wendo and the others are plotting to capture the emperor and surrender him to Li Mi. Duan Da told me about this. I am not rebelling; I am simply eliminating those who do!"
After hearing the news, Yuan Wendo entered the palace, escorted Yang Dong to the Qianyang Hall, and led troops to protect him. He also ordered the generals to climb the city wall to resist, but his forces were defeated, and Yuan Wendo was also captured and then killed. Yang Dong ordered the gates to be opened for Dou Jiande to enter. Dou Jiande replaced all the guards with his own men before going in to meet Yang Dong. He knelt and wept, saying, "Yuan Wendo and the others are too much, actually conspiring to kill me. The situation was urgent; I had no choice. I would never betray my country!" Yang Dong swore an oath with him. Dou Jiande later sent Wei Jie and others to persuade Yang Dong to appoint him as the Left Minister of the Secretariat and the Commander of all military operations. He also arranged for his brother Dou Yun to be the Director of the Interior and took up residence in the palace.
Not long after, Li Mi defeated Wang Shichong's army and returned in triumph. However, his elite soldiers and warhorses suffered significant losses, and the soldiers were exhausted. Wang Shichong wanted to attack Li Mi while he was weak, but worried that his subordinates would not agree, so he fabricated a story about ghosts and gods. He claimed to have dreamed of Duke Zhou, then built a shrine by the Luo River and sent wizards everywhere to spread the word that Duke Zhou wanted him (Wang Shichong himself) to quickly attack Li Mi in order to gain great merit; otherwise, the army would be plagued and die. Many of Wang Shichong's soldiers were superstitious individuals from the Chu region, so he employed this tactic to mislead them. As a result, everyone requested to go to battle.
Wang Shichong selected elite soldiers and strong generals, totaling over 20,000 troops and more than a thousand warhorses, and relocated the camp to the south of the Luo River. Li Mi's army was on the mountain north of Yanshi. At that time, Li Mi had just won the Battle of Huaji, was somewhat careless, and did not set up defenses. Wang Shichong took advantage of the night to send more than two hundred cavalry quietly into the northern mountains, ambushing in the valley, ordering the soldiers to feed the horses, eat something themselves, and rest for a while. Then, they crossed the Luo River at night, galloping, and arrived near Li Mi's camp at dawn. Li Mi sent troops to meet them; before he had time to establish a formation, the two armies engaged in battle. Wang Shichong's ambush troops rushed down from the mountain, quietly seized the high ground, and fiercely attacked Li Mi's camp. Li Mi's camp was thrown into chaos, and no one could mount a defense; Wang Shichong's army rushed into the camp and set it on fire. Li Mi's army was in a panic, unable to regroup, and generals Zhang Tong'er and Chen Zhilue surrendered. Wang Shichong captured Yanshi.
Initially, Wang Shichong's brother Wang Wei and son Wang Xuan followed Wang Shichong to Dongjun and were later captured by Li Mi and imprisoned in the city. Now, Wang Shichong has successfully rescued them all. He also captured Li Mi's Chief Historian Bing Yuanzhen, his wife, the mother of Sima Zheng Qianxiang, and the sons of other generals. Wang Shichong treated them well and permitted them to discreetly summon their fathers or brothers to surrender. Wang Shichong's army arrived at the Luokou, and Bing Yuanzhen, Zheng Qianxiang, and others opened the city gates to surrender. Li Mi escaped with just a few dozen cavalrymen, and Wang Shichong absorbed all his troops. From the East Sea to south of the Yangtze River, many came to submit to him. Wang Shichong also dispatched Wei Jie to persuade Dong (referring to Sui Emperor Yang Tong) to acknowledge Wang Shichong as Grand Commandant and establish his residence in the Ministry of Personnel. Soon, Wang Shichong proclaimed himself King of Zheng. He sent General Gao Lue to attack Shou'an, but after failing, withdrew his troops. He then led his troops to surround Guzhou, but pulled back three days later. The following year, he proclaimed himself the Prime Minister, accepting all nine ceremonial treasures, and ceased to pay homage to Yang Tong.
There was a Taoist priest named Huan Fasi, who claimed he could interpret prophecies and was quite close to Wang Shichong, enjoying his favor and trust. Fasi took out a book called "Confucius's Record of Closing the Room" and pointed to a picture of a man herding sheep with a stick, exclaiming, "'Yang' is the surname of the Sui Dynasty, add a stroke to 'Gan' and it becomes the character 'Wang.' The man is herding sheep behind the sheep, indicating that the Prime Minister (Wang Shichong) is destined to replace the Sui Dynasty as the emperor!"
He also brought out Zhuangzi's "Human World" and "De Chong Fu." Fasi explained, "The first article talks about 'world,' and the second article talks about 'fulfillment,' which is exactly the Prime Minister's name! This suggests that the Prime Minister will have the support of the people, fulfilling the heavenly mandate to become the emperor!" Upon hearing this, Wang Shichong was overjoyed, exclaiming, "This is the heavenly mandate!" He immediately bowed deeply to Fasi in gratitude and then appointed Fasi as a Grand Councillor.
Wang Shichong also caught various kinds of birds, wrote messages on strips of cloth and tied them around the birds' necks, claiming it was a heavenly decree, and then released these birds. Those who shot down these birds and presented them to him, Wang Shichong also bestowed titles upon them. Later, Wang Shichong imprisoned Emperor Yang Tong of Sui in another palace, seized the throne himself, changed the reign title to "Kaiming," and renamed the state "Zheng." The Tang Dynasty sent Prince Qin Li Shimin to lead the army to surround him. Wang Shichong launched multiple military campaigns in resistance, but suffered defeat each time, and the cities outside the walls surrendered one after another.
Driven to desperation, Wang Shichong sent a messenger to seek help from Dou Jiande. Dou Jiande marshalled an elite force to his aid, but upon the army's arrival at Wulao, they were defeated by Prince Qin, and Dou Jiande was captured and brought to Wang Shichong's city. Wang Shichong wanted to break through with his army to escape, but none of his subordinates heeded his call. He realized there was no refuge, so he surrendered. After arriving in Chang'an, he was executed by his rival, Dugu Xiude.
Duan Da, a native of Wuwei Guzang, was the son of the Inspector of Shuozhou in the Zhou Dynasty. When Duan Da was young, at the age of three, he inherited the title of Count of Xiangyuan. Upon reaching adulthood, he stood eight feet tall, boasted a striking beard, and was proficient in mounted archery.
When Gaozu was the prime minister, he appointed Duan Da as the Grand Commander, leading his most trusted soldiers and often having him by his side. After Gaozu became emperor, Duan Da became the Left Zhi and gradually rose to the position of General of Chariots and Horse, and also served as an army officer for Prince Jin. When Gao Zhihui and Li Ji rebelled, Duan Da led ten thousand soldiers and conquered Dingfang and Chuzhou. The emperor rewarded him with a thousand bolts of silk and promoted him to Yitong. He also defeated Wang Wenjin and others in Xuanzhou, was promoted to the position of Kaifu, and rewarded with fifty slaves and four thousand bolts of silk. During the Renshou period, he served as the Vice Lieutenant of the Left Guard of the Crown Prince. During the Daye period, due to his prior service in the imperial palace, he was appointed as the General of the Left Yiwu. Later, he went to campaign against the Tuyuhun and was promoted to Jinzi Guanglu Dafu. When the emperor campaigned in Liaodong, the common people were worn out. Qi Xiaode of Pingyuan, Zhang Jincheng of Qinghe, and others gathered forces and turned to banditry, attacking and capturing many cities that local officials could not defend. The emperor sent Duan Da to fight them, but he was defeated several times by Zhang Jincheng and suffered heavy losses. The bandits looked down on him and gave him the nickname "Duan Lao." It was not until he used the strategy of Yang Shanhui, the county magistrate of Shu County, that he finally won. Upon returning to the capital, he was dismissed from his position due to official matters. The following year, the emperor again campaigned in Liaodong and left Duan Da to guard Zhuojun. Shortly after, he was appointed as the General of the Left Yiwu. Wei Dao'er of Gaoyang gathered over a hundred thousand troops, calling themselves "Lishan Fei," and plundered the Yan and Zhao regions. Duan Da, together with the garrison commander Guo Xuan of Zhuojun, defeated him. At that time, there were many bandits, and the battles between the officials and the bandits were fierce. Duan Da failed to seize the chance for a decisive victory, instead playing it safe by stockpiling supplies, without winning many battles. At the time, people said he was timid and averse to conflict.
In the twelfth year of the Daye era, the emperor went to Jiangdu Palace, leaving Duan Da and the Grand Minister Yuan Wendu to defend the Eastern Capital. Li Mi occupied Luokou and sent troops to attack the city at the Eastern Capital. Duan Da, along with Pang Yu and Huo Ju, led troops out of the city to resist, gaining some merit and earning a promotion to General of the Left Valiant Guard. After Wang Chong was defeated by Li Mi, Li Mi advanced to Beimang and reached Shangchun Gate. Duan Da, along with Left Minister Guo Wenyi and Minister Wei Jin, led troops to resist. Duan Da panicked and fled upon seeing the enemy troops, which allowed Li Mi to pursue them, leading to a significant defeat, which resulted in the death of Wei Jin. From then on, the rebel forces became increasingly powerful.
After the emperor's death in Jiangdu, Duan Da and others supported Prince Yang Dong as emperor. Duan Da was appointed as the Palace Supervisor and concurrently served as an advisor, and was granted the title of Duke of Chen. Yuan Wendu and others plotted to kill Wang Chong, but Duan Da secretly tipped off Wang Chong and acted as his informant. When the conspiracy was uncovered, Prince Yang Dong handed Yuan Wendu over to Wang Chong, who was very grateful to Duan Da and treated him with great respect. After defeating Li Mi, Duan Da and others advised Prince Yang to confer the Nine Bestowments on Wang Chong, hinting at his ascension to emperor. After Wang Chong became emperor, he appointed Duan Da as Minister of Works. Duan Da was killed after the Eastern Capital was pacified, and his wife, children, and property were all seized.
The historian said that those who were originally mediocre and incompetent were ungrateful and accumulated sins across generations. People like Wang Chong, with their shallow understanding and narrow-mindedness, were promoted and even received better treatment than the veteran ministers because they happened to be in the right place at the right time. When the country was on the brink of collapse, instead of dedicating themselves to the country, they took advantage of the situation to cause chaos and plot to seize power. Leading a band of idle miscreants, they became the root of the turmoil, utterly undermining the foundation of the nation, even tearing apart official garments and smashing their crowns. Some personally led rebellions, while others directly committed murder and assassination; their crimes were as egregious as calling a deer a horse, and their actions were as vile as cannibalism. Neither heaven nor earth could tolerate them, and both mortals and deities were equally indignant. Therefore, those ruthless bandits and villains were killed one after another, and those cunning scoundrels were also executed in succession, soothing the anger of the loyal and imparting a profound lesson for future generations. Hey, shouldn't those who serve as subjects take this as a warning? Shouldn't they take this as a warning!
This record by the historian is about those lacking real skills who rose to power through sheer luck, only to turn ungrateful and bring harm to several generations. People with small ambitions like Wang Chong were promoted even higher than the veteran ministers because they were in the right place at the right time. When the country was about to fall, these people not only did not strive to save the country but took the opportunity to cause trouble and attempt to seize power. They led a group of villains, becoming the culprits of the chaotic times, plunging the nation into chaos, even tearing official robes and smashing hats. Some led rebellions directly, while others committed direct murders; their actions were outrageous, provoking indignation among both mortals and deities! Therefore, these villains were killed one after another, which brought relief and served as a warning to future generations. Alas, those who serve as subjects must truly take this as a lesson! Must truly take this as a lesson!
Select your language
