Liang Rui, whose courtesy name is Shide, is a member of the Ushi clan from Anding. His father, Liang Yu, was the Grand Commandant of Western Wei, holding a high position. Liang Rui was intelligent and steady since childhood, with exemplary conduct. During the reign of Northern Zhou Taizu, he spent several years in the imperial palace due to his father's contributions. Later, Taizu allowed his sons to play and study together with Liang Rui, forming a strong bond as brothers. At the age of seven, he inherited his father's title and became the Duke of Guangping County. As he rose in rank, he eventually became Minister of Ceremonies and was granted a fief consisting of five hundred households. Before long, he was appointed as the Grand Prefect of the province.
During the reign of Emperor Wei Gong, Liang Rui was promoted to the position of Kaifu and was also made Duke of Wulong County, followed by his appointment as the Inspector of Weizhou. When Emperor Zhou Min ascended the throne, he summoned Liang Rui to the court to serve as an Imperial Uncle. Shortly after, he was sent to serve as the Inspector of Zhongzhou, stationed in Xinan to defend against Northern Qi. Liang Rui successfully repelled the attacks from the Northern Qi forces, gaining the favor of Emperor Zhou Min. As a result, Liang Rui was appointed as the Grand General, elevated to the title of Duke of Jiangguo, and was recalled to the court as a Minister. Later, he followed Prince Qi Wuxian to Luoyang to resist the Northern Qi general Hulü Mingyue, achieving numerous victories in battle and eventually being promoted to Junior Minister, with his rank continuing to rise.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Liang Rui successively held the positions of Inspector of Fuzhou and Governor of Liangzhou and Anzhou. Under his governance, both regions thrived and the people lived in peace and contentment. Finally, his official rank was elevated to Zhuguo, a highly esteemed position.
Legend has it that Tang Gaozu Li Yuan held all the power of the officials in his own hands. At that time, the regional king Li Yuanji was appointed as the governor of Yizhou. However, upon reaching Hanchuan, Li Yuanji rebelled, sending troops to attack Shizhou. Li Shimin (also known as Rui) found himself unable to continue his advance. Gaozu Li Yuan then appointed Li Shimin as the commander of the expedition, leading a force of 200,000 infantry and cavalry to suppress him. Li Yuanji stationed Li Sanwang and others at Tonggu to hold the line; Li Shimin sent Zhang Wei to attack, achieving a resounding victory and capturing thousands of prisoners, and then the army advanced to Longmen. Li Yuanji's generals Zhao Yan and Qin Hui camped with a hundred thousand troops at Xianshan, with a camp that stretched thirty li around! Li Shimin commanded his soldiers to hold their tongues and stay silent, sneaking through a hidden route, and then launched a surprise attack from all sides, dealing them a heavy blow. The people of Shu were left in fear as Li Shimin pursued the victory and advanced all the way. Li Yuanji's generals Jing Hao guarded Jiange, and Liang Yan resisted Pinglin. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, they immediately surrendered. Li Yuanji then ordered Gao Anagong, Da Xi Ji, and others to lead troops to attack Lizhou. Upon hearing that Li Shimin's army was on the way, Da Xi Ji divided his forces to take control of Kaiyuan. Li Shimin addressed his soldiers, saying, "This guy has occupied a strategic location to stop our forces from advancing. I’ll catch him off guard and will definitely take him down!" So Li Shimin dispatched General Tuo Ba Zong to assault Jiange, sent General Yu Wen Cheng to Ba Xi, and sent General Zhao Da’s navy into the Jialing River. Li Shimin also sent Zhang Wei, Wang Lun, He Ruozhen, Yu Yi, Han Xianggui, Ana Hui, and others to attack Da Xi Ji separately. After battling from noon until the afternoon, they ultimately defeated him. Da Xi Ji fled back to Li Yuanji.
Li Shimin pressed on toward Chengdu. Li Yuanji had Daxi Xi and Yife Qian stationed to defend the city, while he personally led fifty thousand elite troops to prepare a battle formation outside the city. When Li Shimin attacked, Li Yuanji found himself unable to mount a defense. He wanted to return to the city, but Daxi Xi and Yife Qian opened the city gates and surrendered, preventing Li Yuanji from entering the city. Li Yuanji fled with thirty of his cavalrymen but was captured by Wang Bao, the magistrate of Xindu. Li Shimin executed Li Yuanji in the city to make an example of him, finally bringing peace to the Jianan region. Li Shimin was promoted to Shangzhuguo, his overall command position remained the same, and he was rewarded with five thousand rolls of cloth, a thousand slaves, two thousand taels of gold, three thousand taels of silver, and a thousand households of land. As for the situation in the Xichuan region at that time, it was stabilized, with both the barbarian and Lao tribes submitting to the court, except for the chief of Nanning, Cuàn Zhèn, who refused to submit due to his remote location.
Rui wrote a letter to the emperor, saying: "I believe that governing distant lands and securing the borders is the responsibility of emperors throughout history. Changing customs and educating the people are also fundamental strategies for the long-term stability of the country. Nanning Prefecture was called Niu Yangke during the Han Dynasty, and in recent times, it has been divided into four counties: Xinggu, Yunnan, Jianning, and Zhuti. The region is rich in gold and silver treasures. Two rivers produce fine horses and pearls, while the Yining area boasts abundant salt wells and rhinoceros horns. In the seventh year of the Taishi period of the Jin Dynasty, due to Yizhou's sparse population, Ningzhou was established. During the so-called Liang Dynasty, the governor of Nanning Prefecture, Xu Wensheng, was transferred to Jingzhou to participate in the battle against Xiangdong. At that time, the war in the eastern Xia region obstructed the expedition to Nanning. Local indigenous groups seized the opportunity to take control. Although the court appointed him as the governor, his son, Cuan Zhen, showed little respect for the court and did not pay tribute. Nanning is over a thousand miles away from Yizhou, bordering Zhuti County and Xingrong Prefecture to the north. It is said that the local people are suffering under Cuan Zhen's harsh rule and are eager for the court's grace. I urge you, Prime Minister, to help the emperor stabilize the country and build a better future for our nation. Now is an ideal time to expand our territory. With the army still engaged in pacifying Shu, we don't need to mobilize additional troops. After pacifying the Laozu tribes, we can easily pacify Nanning. Starting from Luzhou and Rongzhou, the army will need supplies from the court. After passing through there, we can levy taxes on the local tribes to support the army. It is recommended to establish a governor's office and counties in Ningzhou, Zhuti, Yunnan, and Xicuan areas, and assess the taxes from the local tribes, which would be sufficient to sustain the city's defenses and the army's supplies. This will deter the tribes and strengthen our nation. I have detailed reports on the counties and local conditions in Nanning Prefecture. General Du Shenjing knows the area well, having been there before, so I will be sending him with the report."
The emperor has not yet replied; Rui submitted another memorial, stating: "I believe that governing distant territories with a gentle approach is the key to better managing those closer to home. This reflects the lessons learned from past dynasties, as expanding territory has always been an emperor's duty. Nanning Prefecture was referred to as Niu Yangke County during the Han Dynasty, with fertile land and many Han people. It not only produces treasures but also excellent horses. If we were to send troops to conquer it now and establish prefectures there, it can not only deter distant areas but also strengthen the country's power. Nanning Prefecture is adjacent to Jiaozhou and Guangzhou, and the distance is not far. The Han Dynasty opened up roads there originally for the strategic purpose of conquering the Yue people. Now that the Chen Dynasty has been pacified, it is also a good opportunity. Taking all factors into consideration, I believe it is necessary to take down Nanning." Emperor Gaozu highly agreed with his suggestion, but considering that the country had just been unified and fearing unrest among the people, he did not immediately agree. Later, Emperor Gaozu sent Shi Wansui to conquer and pacify Nanning, which also incorporated Rui's strategy. Yang Su, known as Duke Rui, achieved great things; the people respected him and held him in high regard. Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, was somewhat wary of him. At that time, Xue Daoheng was serving in the military in Shu. During a banquet, he said to Yang Su: "The expectations of the people have all turned towards the Sui Dynasty." He then discreetly advised Yang Su to accept the abdication. Yang Jian was very happy to hear this. After Yang Su accepted the abdication, Yang Jian treated him even more extravagantly.
Yang Su once again offered Yang Jian a strategy for subduing the Chen dynasty. Yang Jian greatly appreciated it and issued a decree saying, "Your remarkable talents have shaken the world, and your ingenious plans seem to flow endlessly. The prospect of pacifying Jiangnan feels almost within reach. I have read your memorial several times and am quite pleased. Since you possess such high talent, if I were to put you in command of the army to bring peace to the realm, it would be a breeze. However, I've just taken the throne, and the political situation is still shaky. It might not be wise to start a war right now. Previously, Gongsun Shu and Wei Xiao were rebels of the Han dynasty. Emperor Guangwu even made peace with them and called them emperors. King Weitu of Nanyue initially did not submit to Han Gaozu, and Sun Hao's letter to Emperor Wen of Jin was still quite tough. Some people later surrendered, while others were eliminated. Emperors need to think about the bigger picture and focus on appeasement. Even though the Chen kingdom has paid tribute, they haven't completely fulfilled their obligations as a vassal. According to your plan, they should certainly be punished, but I’d prefer to hold off on any execution for now. I hope you understand my reasoning. The Huai River region is still unsettled, and military action is inevitable. If I send you to lead the army in this campaign, victory is sure to follow. You've dedicated your life to the country, and there's nothing more to add." Yang Su then withdrew his suggestion to advance the troops.
Yang Su recognized the strength of the Turks and feared they would pose a threat to the border. He proposed more than ten strategies to defend against the Turks and wrote a memorial saying, "I believe that the nomads have consistently posed a threat to our borders, and defending against them has always been challenging. Therefore, the Zhou Dynasty did not have a good strategy, and the Han Dynasty's approach was suboptimal, as the nomads appear and vanish without a trace, gathering and dispersing like clouds and mist, invading the border when strong, and not being able to completely eliminate them when weak. Now, the Sui Dynasty has just been established and the world is unified, but only the Turks pose a threat to the border. Therefore, I find myself unable to sleep, consumed by thoughts day and night. Before the Xiongnu were subdued, Wei Qing had resigned from his official post, the Xianbei were still causing chaos, and Zhang Chongguo even requested punishment. While my abilities may not match those of the renowned generals of antiquity, my ambitions align with theirs. I have meticulously detailed plans for the establishment of northern border towns, beacon towers, personnel, military forces, provisions, operations, and defense, with accompanying maps for your review." Yang Jian looked at it for a long time, praised it, and rewarded Yang Su generously.
Li Rui originally thought of himself as an old minister of the Zhou Dynasty, holding important positions in the local area for a long time, feeling uneasy in his heart, and repeatedly requesting the court to summon him back to the capital. Later, the court finally summoned him back to the capital. The emperor was delighted to see him and permitted him to enter the court, where the two of them held hands and chatted happily. After Li Rui came out, he told his close associates, "My achievements have been made, and now it is time to retire after success." So he resigned from his official position and returned home on the pretext of illness, avoiding the main entrance and refraining from socializing with others. The emperor also rewarded him with a beautifully decorated carriage, and every time he attended court, the imperial guards would carry his carriage into the palace.
Li Ruigang, when he first started to suppress Wang Qian's rebellion, worried that his high reputation might make him a target of resentment from the court, so he accepted many bribes, which ultimately tarnished his reputation. As a result, his record of merits contained many inaccuracies, and there were over a hundred people who claimed he had wronged them to the court. The emperor ordered an investigation into the matter, and many investigators faced punishment. Li Ruigang was terrified and quickly submitted a memorial to apologize, requesting to be appointed to the Dali Temple by the court. The emperor reassured him before assigning him there.
Fifteen years later, Li Ruigang followed the emperor to Luoyang, where he died at the age of sixty-five. He was posthumously granted the title Duke Xiang. His son, Li Yang, inherited his title and later became the Inspector of Songzhou and Xuzhou, as well as the Wubeng Langjiang. In the sixth year of the Daye era of the Sui Dynasty, the court posthumously honored Li Ruigang as Duke Dai and allowed Li Yang to inherit the title of Duke Dai.
Historical records comment that both Li Mu and Liang Rui were distinguished officials of the Zhou Dynasty and were highly valued in the early stages of the Sui Emperor's newly established dynasty. Therefore, Li Mu initially took on a mentor-like role, and Li Ruigang eventually received great favor. From their ability to take action based on changing circumstances, they were considered relatively foresighted individuals at the time. However, compared to those loyal and righteous individuals of the Wei Dynasty, such as Wang Ling, they seemed somewhat less impressive; and compared to loyal ministers of the Jin Dynasty, they were not as impressive as Xu Guang. Li Mu's descendants prospered significantly, producing dozens of high-ranking officials and nobles who traveled in luxurious carriages. However, as they had fallen out of favor with the court, they soon encountered misfortune. Their wealth and status were not acquired through honorable means, which serves as a cautionary lesson for future generations!
