Duke Zan of Teng, styled Hengsheng and also known as Hui, was the son of the younger brother of Emperor Gaozu's grandmother. During the Zhou Dynasty, he was granted the title of Duke of Jingling for his military achievements under Emperor Taizu, and he also married Princess Shunyang, the sister of Emperor Wu. His official position rose from Right Attendant to Grand Master of Ceremonies. In the fourth year of Baoding, his position was changed to Minister of Personnel, and he was also appointed as an official of the Yitong Sanqi. Zan hailed from a prestigious family, married a princess, was handsome, well-read, and valued talent. He was very famous at the time and was known as Yang Sanlang. Emperor Wu had a special bond with him. During the war to pacify the Qi country, other princes went to the front lines, but only Zan stayed behind to guard the rear. Emperor Wu entrusted him with the court's six departments, saying, "The matters of the six departments are piling up like mountains; I entrust them all to you. I am going to fight in the east, and you don't need to worry about the situation in the west." This demonstrates how deep Emperor Wu's trust was in him. After Emperor Xuan ascended to the throne, Zan was promoted to Minister of Personnel and was also given the official position of Yitong Sanqi. Not long after, Emperor Xuan passed away, and Emperor Gaozu Yang Jian took control of the court, wanting to depose Crown Prince Yang Yong. He summoned Zan to discuss the matter. Zan had a poor relationship with Emperor Gaozu, and upon hearing the summons, he did not go, saying, "Even if I were to become a Duke of Sui, I am afraid I won't be able to keep my life; it would be better to just eliminate my entire clan!" After Emperor Gaozu became Prime Minister, he promoted Zan to Grand General. Shortly after, he appointed him as Grand Master of the Ancestral Temple, responsible for revising ceremonial laws. Later, he was promoted to Senior State Pillar and Duke of Shaoguo. Zan saw the instability in the court during Emperor Gaozu's rule and feared it would bring trouble to himself, so he secretly plotted against Emperor Gaozu. However, Emperor Gaozu was consistently lenient with him. When Emperor Gaozu usurped the throne, he titled Zan as King Teng. Later, he appointed him as Governor of Yongzhou. The Emperor often ate with Zan and affectionately referred to him as "Third Brother." Later, due to some incidents, he was relieved of his position as Governor of Yongzhou and returned home to reside as Duke of Teng.
Zan's wife, Lady Yuwen, used to have a bad relationship with Empress Dougu and later became increasingly melancholic, secretly cursing others because of this. The emperor ordered Zan to divorce Lady Yuwen, but Zan couldn't bear it and pleaded desperately. The emperor, left with no choice, reluctantly agreed; as a consequence, Lady Yuwen was stripped of her noble title. Because of this, Zan offended the emperor, resulting in a decline in the emperor's favor towards him. In the eleventh year of Kaihuang, the emperor went to Liyuan to play, and Zan suddenly collapsed and died. He was only forty-two years old that year. Everyone said he was believed to have been poisoned. His son, Yang Lun, inherited his title.
Lun, whose courtesy name was Binzhou, was tall and handsome, with a generous disposition and a smattering of musical knowledge. After the founding emperor ascended the throne, he was appointed as the Duke of Shaoguo, with a fiefdom as large as eight thousand households. The following year, he was appointed as the Inspector of Shaozhou. When the Prince of Jin married the Princess of Liangguo, the emperor sent Lun to present gifts, and the people of Liangguo held him in high regard. However, due to the relationship with King Mu, Lun never felt completely secure under the founding emperor's rule.
When Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, he grew increasingly suspicious of Lun. Filled with anxiety and fear, Lun felt lost and unsure of what to do, so he sought the counsel of an astrologer named Wang Chen for divination. Wang Chen said, "Your future in officialdom looks bright!" He then added, "The characters for 'Teng' and 'Teng' sound similar, which is a good omen for you." Lun also maintained close ties with several monks knowledgeable in astronomy and astrology, such as Hui'en and Jueduo, often seeking their help with celestial observations and fortune-telling.
Later, someone reported that Lun was discontented and had cursed the emperor, so Emperor Yang sent Wang Hong, the Yellow Gate Attendant, to investigate. Wang Hong, seeing the emperor angry, followed the emperor's wishes and reported that Lun used witchcraft to curse the emperor, deserving of death. The emperor allowed the ministers to discuss the matter, and Yang Su and others said, "Lun hopes for disasters in the country to benefit himself. His resentment stems from his family background. Now that the country is newly established, the people should come together and work as one. His ancestors had been involved in rebellion against the court. His father made mistakes before, and now his son is also making mistakes. This isn't merely about coveting power; it is about wanting to overthrow the country! He is guilty of serious crimes and unforgivable, and should be punished according to the law!" The emperor, considering his royal status, could not bear to kill him, so he removed him from office and exiled him to Shi'an. His several brothers were also exiled to remote areas.
In the seventh year of Daye, Emperor Yang personally attacked Liaodong. Lun wanted to submit a request to join the army, but was stopped by local officials. Not long after, he was exiled to Zhuyai. During the chaos in the world, he was forced by bandits to flee with his wife and children to Dan'er. Later, he returned to the Tang Dynasty and was granted the title of Marquis of Huaihua County.
Lun's brother Tan, courtesy name Wenzhou, was initially made the Marquis of Jingling County, but was exiled to Changsha because of Lun's affairs. Tan's brother Meng, whose courtesy name was Wuzhou, was exiled to Hengshan. Meng's brother Wen, courtesy name Mingzhou, was initially exiled to Lingling. Wen was passionate about learning and excelled in writing, and even wrote a "Lingling Fu" to convey his sorrow. When Emperor Yang saw it, he was furious and exiled him to Nanhai. Wen's brother Shen, courtesy name Hongzhou, had also been previously exiled to Lingling. The emperor, recognizing his cautious nature, permitted him to inherit the title of Prince Teng, ensuring the legacy of Prince Mu. He passed away in Jiangdu in the later years of Daye.
First, let's talk about the story of Wang Jing. His courtesy name was Xianzhou, and he was the son of King Zan of the Tengmu Wang clan. He was later adopted by his uncle Wang Song. During the Zhou dynasty, Wang Song was granted the title of Duke of Xingcheng thanks to the founding emperor's military achievements, but sadly died young. After the founding emperor ascended the throne, he posthumously bestowed the title of Dao King upon Wang Song, and Wang Jing inherited the title of Dao King. Later, Wang Jing died without having any sons, so the Dao King's title was lost.
Next, let's talk about King Shuang of Wei. His courtesy name was Shiren, and his nickname was Mingda. He was a half-brother of the founding emperor. During the Zhou dynasty, he was still just a baby when he was awarded the title of Duke of Tong'an County thanks to the founding emperor's military achievements. When he was six years old, the founding emperor passed away, and it was the Empress Dowager Xian who raised him, making him the favorite among his brothers. At the age of seventeen, he became an official in the Ministry of Interior. After the founding emperor took power, he appointed him as Grand General while also serving as the Left and Right Generals. Before he even started his new role, he was transferred to Puzhou as the Prefect, and his rank was elevated to Pillar of the State. After the founding emperor became emperor, he appointed him as King of Wei. Not long after, he was appointed Governor of Yongzhou, while also serving as the Left and Right Generals. He was later promoted to Grand General of the Right and concurrently served as the Governor of Bingzhou. More than a year later, he was promoted to Senior Pillar of State and transferred to be the Governor of Liangzhou. King Shuang of Wei was handsome and possessed great leadership skills, and he was highly respected for his governance of the region.
That year, the court appointed Wei Wang Shuang as the Grand Marshal, leading 70,000 troops to guard against the Turks. He marched to Pingliang, only to return without encountering the enemy. The following year, the court launched a large-scale northern campaign, and he took up the role of commander-in-chief once more. Prince Hong of Hejian, Dou Luji, Dou Rongding, Gao Feng, Yu Qingze, and others led troops to battle, all under Wei Wang Shuang's command. Wei Wang Shuang personally led four generals including Li Chongjie from Shuozhou, encountered the Turkic Khan Shabolue on the White Road, secured a decisive victory in battle, captured over a thousand enemy soldiers, and seized countless cattle, sheep, and horses. Khan Shabolue was seriously injured and fled. Gaozu was highly pleased and rewarded Wei Wang Shuang with a thousand households in Liang'an County. Six years later, Wei Wang Shuang served as commander-in-chief again, leading 150,000 troops to attack Hechuan. The Turks fled at the mere sight of them. The following year, he was summoned to the court and appointed as a counselor of state. Gaozu held him in high esteem.
Shortly thereafter, Wei Wang Shuang fell gravely ill. The emperor dispatched the shaman Xue Rongzong to attend to him, and Xue Rongzong claimed that numerous spirits were causing trouble. Wei Wang Shuang instructed his attendants to banish the spirits. A few days later, ghosts really attacked Xue Rongzong, who was so scared that he fell down the steps and died. That night, Wei Wang Shuang passed away at the age of twenty-five. He was posthumously honored with the titles of Grand Commandant and Inspector of Jizhou, and his son Wang Ji inherited his title.
As for Wang Ji, he was initially appointed as the Prince of Suian and later inherited Wei Wang's title. During the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, favor towards the feudal princes diminished significantly, and suspicion grew heavier. Wang Ji felt anxious and fearful, uncertain of what to do, so he consulted a fortune-teller named Yu Puming, seeking rituals for peace.
Consequently, someone reported that Jizi was cursing the emperor, and the department in charge of criminal law swiftly took action on the case, claiming that Jizi had committed a grave offense and deserved execution! The emperor let the ministers discuss the matter. Yang Su and others said, "Jizi secretly engages in nefarious practices, even resorting to witchcraft to openly curse the emperor and his family, showing no shame whatsoever! He utterly disregards human decency and violates the ancestral codes; he is a traitor to both the emperor and the state and cannot be forgiven. He should be dealt with according to the law!"
At that time, Teng Wanglun was on good terms with Jizi, and the emperor was somewhat hesitant to impose a severe punishment, so he issued an edict saying, "Lun and Ji, like lotus flowers growing side by side on a branch, are as close as father and son. I conferred upon them noble titles not due to their merits. Ideally, they should share the nation's joys and sorrows, yet they harbored malicious intentions and indulged in wrongdoing. They disregarded even the most basic principles of the relationship between ruler and subject, with no semblance of filial duty. The ministers all said this, and I feel uncomfortable about it. Although all are equal before the law, and those deserving of death must face it, the law must also take into account the royal family, and etiquette demands respect for familial ties. If I were to have them executed, I would carry a heavy burden of guilt!"
Therefore, in the end, Jizi's title was stripped, and he was exiled to the frontier. Eventually, chaos engulfed the land, and no one knew what ultimately became of Jizi.
Cai Wang Zhiji, the son of Chenliu County Duke Zheng, who was the younger brother of the founder of the dynasty. His father, Zheng, was granted the title of Chenliu County Duke during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Zhou Dynasty for his military achievements under the founder. He was later promoted to Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry. He fought alongside Emperor Wu to pacify the Qi state, all the way to Bingzhou, where he fought bravely and died in battle. When his father became Prime Minister, he posthumously granted him titles such as Pillar of the State, Grand Minister of Works, and Governor of the Eight Provinces of Ji, Ding, Xiang, Huai, Wei, Zhao, Bei, and Yan. After his father became Emperor, he posthumously granted him the title of King of Cai, with the posthumous title of King Jing. Then he allowed Zhiji to inherit the title of King of Cai. He also granted his younger brother Zhiming the title of Duke of Gaoyang and Zhicai the title of Count of Kaifeng. Not long after, Zhiji was appointed as General of the Household with the rank of Three Offices, and was also appointed as the Governor of the same province, with a grand procession to mark his new appointment.
Soon after, due to Zhiji's cautious and careful nature, he earned a reputation for his prudence, which the Emperor greatly admired. He never indulged in leisure activities or hunting while serving in the province; instead, he would diligently read books after completing his official duties. He rarely left home and never met guests casually. He had a personal attendant named Gongsun Shangyi, a Confucian scholar from Shandong, as well as his aides Yang Junying and Xiao Deyan, who were all cultured individuals. Zhiji often invited them to his home for simple gatherings with only biscuits, fruits, and a few glasses of wine. Although he had female entertainers at home, they only performed on special occasions with the Empress Dowager's approval. His lifestyle was extremely simple. In fact, when the Emperor was still a commoner, King Jing (Zhiji's father) had a strained relationship with him, and the relationship between King Jing's Empress Wei and the Emperor's Empress Dugu was also strained. As a result, Zhiji lived in constant fear, always downplaying his status and exercising extreme caution. The Emperor knew of his situation and felt sympathetic towards him.
Some people advised Zhi Ji to acquire some properties, but he said: "The wealth of the Pingyuan Jun family was once abundant, but in the end, they lost everything. I’m lucky to have no family property, so why should I trouble myself to acquire any?" He had five sons, whom he only taught to read the Analects of Confucius and the Classic of Filial Piety, and he did not allow them to interact with outsiders. When asked why, he replied, "You just don’t get me." Perhaps he was afraid that his sons would be too talented and attract trouble. In the twentieth year of the Kaihuang era, Zhi Ji was summoned back to the capital, but he did not hold any official position and stayed at home, only going out to pay respects to the emperor.
After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, Prince Teng and Prince Wei were framed by others and punished, and Duke Gao Yang Zhi Ming was deprived of his title due to his poor relations with others, which left Zhi Ji quite fearful. In the seventh year of Daye, he was appointed as the Prefect of Hongnong, handing over all political matters to his subordinates and living a peaceful life. Later, Yang Xuangan rebelled, leading his troops from the eastern capital to the west. Zhi Ji told his subordinates: "Yang Xuangan has heard that the imperial forces are approaching and he wants to attack Guanzhong in the west. If he succeeds, his foundation will be solid. We should find a way to delay him and prevent him from advancing. We will catch him within ten days." When Yang Xuangan's army arrived at the city, Zhi Ji went up to the city wall and cursed him, which infuriated Yang Xuangan, prompting him to order a fierce attack. When the rebels set fire to the city gate, Zhi Ji ordered an even larger fire to prevent them from entering. After a few days, reinforcements led by Yu Wen Shu arrived and together they defeated the rebels.
In the twelfth year, Zhi Ji followed the emperor to Jiangdu and fell seriously ill. The emperor was distant from his relatives at that time, which left Zhi Ji feeling anxious. Even when he got sick, he didn’t bother to call for a doctor. On his deathbed, he said to his close ones: "Today, I finally understand that being able to keep my head and have a proper burial after death is a real blessing." People back then felt sorry for him. He had a son, Zhi Daoxuan.
In historical records, it is said that the Zhou Dynasty placed great importance on kinship, while the Han Dynasty compared kinship to the cornerstone of the state, promoting internal harmony and unity, and external stability for the people. Only in this way could the state's foundation be solid, and the imperial family remain strong. When the country is stable, everyone shares in the joy; when the country is in danger, everyone shares in the difficulties. This is a long-standing truth. After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, many dynasties failed to adhere to ancestral traditions, each pursuing their own interests. If they are suppressed, their power becomes indistinguishable from that of common people; if left unchecked, their power equals that of the emperor. Overreacting is not a matter of days. The successes and failures of past dynasties are well documented in historical records, so I will not analyze them in detail. Sui Gaozu’s relationship with his brothers was strained, and their family often had conflicts. The situation deteriorated further when Sui Yangdi ascended to the throne. Therefore, when Prince Teng died violently, everyone whispered in private; when Prince Cai was on his deathbed, he considered himself fortunate. Only Prince Wei, raised by the Empress Dowager, received special treatment, while other princes were exiled and faced uncertain futures. They were provided with nothing but straw and mud, deemed the foundation of the state, but had no military protection, living just like ordinary citizens. They lacked a sense of security both at home and abroad, facing numerous difficulties. What could they possibly hope for?
