Li An, courtesy name Xuande, was a native of Dizhou in Gansu. His father, Li Wei, served as the governor of three states, Shuozhou, Yanzhou, and Hengzhou, during the Northern Zhou period, and was granted the title of Duke of Xiangwu County. Li An was handsome and skilled in horseback riding and archery. During the Tianhe period of the Northern Zhou dynasty, Li An gave up his commoner status and became the Right Senior Attendant, inheriting his father's title as the Duke of Xiangwu. Not long after, he was promoted to Yitong and Shoushi Senior Attendant. Later, when Gaozu became the prime minister, he summoned Li An to work by his side, promoting him to a high-ranking official position. Gaozu also promoted Li An's younger brother Li Che to Yitong.
Li An's uncle, Li Zhang, who was the governor of Liangzhou at the time, was in the capital city and conspired with the Prince of Zhao of the Northern Zhou dynasty to harm Gaozu, even persuading Li Che to be an insider. Li Che said to Li An, "If we don't speak up about this, we are being disloyal; if we do speak up, we are being unjust. If we lose loyalty and righteousness, how can we stand tall in the world?" Li An replied, "Gaozu is like a father figure to us; how can we betray him?" Thus, Li An discreetly informed Gaozu of the conspiracy. Later, the Prince of Zhao and others were executed, and Gaozu sought to promote Li An and bestow rewards upon him. Li An hurriedly knelt down and thanked him, saying, "My brother and I have done nothing to merit such great rewards. Our whole family is grateful beyond words and doesn't know how to repay you. I never expected my uncle to be so foolish, deceived by bad people, nearly leading to the end of our family line. It's even more painful than eating bitter herbs! You have already saved our entire family, which is an immense kindness. How can I ask for a promotion because of my uncle's actions?" With that, Li An knelt on the ground, crying uncontrollably. Gaozu was moved by his actions and said, "For you, I have spared Li Zhang's life." He then ordered that only Li Zhang be punished, and Gaozu kept the matter under wraps, choosing not to publicize it. Shortly after, Gaozu appointed Li An as Kaifu and bestowed the title of Duke of Zhaojun upon him, while Li Che was promoted to Yitong and titled as a male of Huangtai County.
After Emperor Wen of Sui ascended to the throne, he arranged official positions for the An brothers. The elder brother, An Shi, was first appointed as the Assistant Minister of An, then promoted to the Deputy Left Minister of the Ministry of Works and the Yellow Gate Official. During the war against the Chen dynasty, An Shi was appointed as the deputy of Yang Su and also served as the overall commander, leading the troops from Shu down the river. At that time, the Chen army was camped at Baisha, and An Shi told the generals, "Water warfare is not our forte as northerners. Currently, the Chen army is anchored in a strategic location, surely underestimating us and caught off guard. If we launch a night attack, we can take them down!" Everyone thought his idea was excellent. An Shi led the vanguard and defeated the Chen army.
Emperor Wen of Sui was thrilled and issued a commendation decree, stating, "The Chen rebels thought they were good at water warfare and believed the imperial army wouldn't dare to attack in such risky territory. You led the palace guards and launched a night attack with the navy, defeated the enemy, captured many prisoners, boosted our army's morale, and instilled fear in the enemy. You have completely fulfilled the task entrusted to you by me, and I am very pleased to hear this news!" Subsequently, An Shi was promoted to Grand General and assigned as the Inspector of Yingzhou. In a few days, he was transferred to be the Inspector of Dengzhou. An Shi asked to return to court for a position within the inner circle, but Emperor Wen of Sui valued him greatly and didn't grant his request, instead appointing him as the General of the Left and Right Guards. Not long after, he was promoted to the General of the Right Guards and appointed as the Palace Attendant of the Three Excellencies and the General of Readiness. Both An brothers commanded the Imperial Guards, and the emperor held them in high regard and trusted them deeply.
Eight years later, the Turks invaded the frontier. An's older brother was appointed commander and accompanied Yang Su in his campaign against them. An's older brother took an alternative route and set out from Changchuan, which led to a resounding victory when he encountered the Turks crossing the river. In the first year of the Renshou period, An's older brother was appointed governor of Ningzhou, and An's younger brother was appointed governor of Weizhou. An's son Qiong and An's brother's son Wei grew up in the palace from a young age and were only permitted to return home at around eight or nine years old. This shows just how much the emperor valued them.
Emperor Gaozu once spoke of his time as prime minister, recalling how the Li brothers sacrificed their own kin for the greater good of the nation. He issued a decree saying, "The rules established by our predecessors prioritize righteousness over familial bonds. For the sake of the monarch's great cause, one can sacrifice family ties in order to promote noble character and demonstrate selflessness. The Zhou Dynasty's fate has come to an end, and the mandate of heaven is about to descend upon us. I have just begun to rule; the royal enterprise is still in its infancy, and it is during this chaotic era, with many deceitful characters. The Grand General, the Governor of Ningzhou, and the Duke of Zhaojun, Li An, whose uncle Li Zhang secretly colluded with the clan's power, incited Li An's sons, and plotted evil deeds. Li An and his brother, the Chief Minister of the Imperial Guards, the Governor of Weizhou, and the Lord of Huangtai County, Li Che, were deeply principled and unwaveringly loyal, exposing Li Zhang's conspiracy, which led to the capture of the criminals. I have always admired their loyalty and have been wanting to reward them generously. However, because this matter involves their relatives, I have been hesitant and wanted them to follow the rules of propriety and have a reasonable solution, so I have delayed addressing this until now. Now that I have carefully examined the classics of the sages and consulted history, the dynamics of father-son relationships show that filial piety and loyalty do not always align, let alone the bonds between uncles and nephews are inherently less strong than those between fathers and sons. Etiquette distinguishes between personal feelings and national interests; prioritizing the latter is the rightful path. Their contributions should be acknowledged and they ought to be richly rewarded."
Therefore, the emperor appointed Li An and Li Jie as Dukes, each giving them 5,000 rolls of silk, 100 horses, and 1,000 sheep. He also promoted Li Jie to be the General of the Guard and conferred upon him the title of Duke of Shunyang. Li An said to his relatives, "Although our whole family has been saved, my uncle has suffered as a result. Now that I have accepted this imperial decree, I feel a deep sorrow and guilt, truly overwhelmed by mixed emotions." With that, he began to cry, overcome with grief. He was already suffering from edema, which worsened, and he passed away shortly thereafter at the age of fifty-three. He was posthumously honored with the title Duke Huai, and his son Li Qiong inherited his title. Li An's younger son, Li Xiaogong, became the most renowned. Li Jie, on the other hand, was later dismissed for misconduct and exiled to Lingnan, where he died on the way.
Historical records say that individuals like Yuwen Qing had previously enjoyed a close relationship with Yang Jian; some were old friends, while others had shared a bond of life and death since their youth. Having benefited from the emperor's favor, they rose with the emperor, gaining high positions and generous salaries, ensuring the benefits were passed down to their descendants. Yuwen Huaji grew up in the palace without receiving a proper education. Yang Guang treated him specially, not following the rules. What kind of future could he possibly have? Thinking about Yang An and Yang Jie's lack of respect for Yang Jian, they were killed by Yang Jian, which is seen as "sacrificing family for the greater good," entirely different from the tales we typically hear. Though it's tragic, what can we do?
To put it bluntly, people like Yuwen Qing had close ties with Yang Jian in the past. Some were old friends, while others had built mutual trust over the years, relying on one another. They benefited from Yang Jian's rise to emperor, advancing in rank and wealth together, and attaining high status and power. Their descendants also enjoyed a life of luxury, which made others envious! Yuwen Huaxiong grew up in the palace from a young age, received little education and was particularly spoiled by Yang Guang. With his disregard for rules, what could he possibly achieve? Consider the attitude of the brothers Yang An and Yang Jie towards Yang Jian; they completely disregarded the ruler-subject relationship, and in the end, they were both killed by Yang Jian. This truly exemplifies "sacrificing family for the greater good," completely different from the stories we usually hear. While this incident is indeed tragic, what difference does it really make?
