Liu Kuang is a person of unknown origin. He is prudent and kind-hearted, always treating everything with sincerity and tolerance. In the early Kaihuang era of Emperor Wen of Sui, he was appointed as the magistrate of Pingxiang County, and he rode alone on horseback to assume his post.
Whenever disputes arose, he would patiently and carefully explain the situation to them, outlining the importance and urgency of the matter, and never imposed harsh punishments. The parties involved would reflect on their mistakes and leave amicably. He devoted his salary to helping the poor. The locals were inspired by his virtues and encouraged one another, saying, "With such a good official around, who would dare to do wrong?"
He served as the magistrate of Pingxiang County for seven years, and the local climate improved dramatically. The prison was empty, and lawsuits became a thing of the past. The prison was overgrown with weeds, and the yard was even used for playing games. When he left office, officials and common people in the county, irrespective of their status, wept as they saw him off on the road, continuously for hundreds of miles without interruption.
Later, he was transferred to be the magistrate of Linying County, still incorruptible and upright, with outstanding achievements, and was hailed as the finest in the realm. The Minister of Works, Gao Jiang, reported his deeds to the emperor. The emperor summoned him, and after seeing Liu Kuang, the emperor praised him, saying, "There are so many county magistrates in the world, but you are so outstanding; this is truly commendable!" Then, the emperor said to the officials around him, "If we don't reward him appropriately, how can we inspire others?" So, the emperor issued a notably generous decree, promoting Liu Kuang to the position of Governor of Juzhou.
Wang Jia, a native of Zhangwu in Hebei, was a minor official in Qizhou during the late Kaihuang period of Emperor Wen of Sui. Initially, there was nothing particularly remarkable about him. Later, the governor of Qizhou sent him to escort more than seventy prisoners, including Li Can, to the capital. At that time, it was customary for exiled prisoners to be escorted in chains. When Wang Jia reached Xingyang and saw how hard the prisoners were suffering, he felt sympathy for them. He called them over and said, "You have violated the laws of the country and corrupted social morals. It is right for you to bear the punishment of wearing chains. But now, you have to carry these heavy chains yourselves on a long journey. Don’t you feel any guilt?" The prisoners expressed their gratitude. Wang Jia said, "Although you have broken the law, wearing chains is certainly very difficult. I would like to help you remove the chains. When we reach the capital, can you promise to arrive on time?" The prisoners all knelt and thanked him, saying, "We will definitely not be late!" So Wang Jia unlocked their chains, dismissed the soldiers escorting them, and made an agreement: "You must arrive in the capital by a specific date. If anyone arrives early or late, I will take responsibility for it on your behalf." Then he let them go. The prisoners were all very pleased, arrived in the capital on time, and not a single one escaped or broke the agreement.
After hearing about this matter, the emperor was greatly astonished. He summoned Wang Jia to inquire about the details and praised him for a long time. Then the emperor summoned all the exiled prisoners, having them come to the palace along with their wives and children. He hosted a banquet for them in the palace, and their crimes were pardoned. The emperor then issued a decree that stated: "All people in the world, regardless of their background, have a sense of good and evil. If they are guided with sincerity and enlightened with reason, the moral climate will improve, and people will be inclined towards virtue. In the past, due to chaos in the world and moral decay, officials lacked compassion, and the common people harbored deceitful thoughts, resulting in a litany of lawsuits and making societal governance challenging. It is my divine mandate to bring peace to the people, to adhere to the teachings of sages, and to influence the people with morality. Wang Jia fully grasped my intentions and guided the prisoners with sincerity. Li Can and others were influenced and voluntarily surrendered. This demonstrates that the populace is not inherently difficult to educate; it is only because officials have not fulfilled their duty of guidance and education, resulting in their criminal behavior and denying them the opportunity for redemption. If all officials were like Wang Jia and all individuals like Li Can, then there would be no need for punishment. Isn't this far from reality?" The emperor then promoted Wang Jia to become the magistrate of Yongzhou, where he achieved remarkable political achievements and had a good reputation.
Wei Deshen, from Julu, had a grandfather, Wei Chong, who served as the Minister of Justice and the Governor of Jianzhou in the Zhou Dynasty, and later the family moved to Hongnong. His father, Wei Pi, served as the magistrate of Yulin County. Wei Deshen initially served as a minor official under Emperor Wen, then as the secretary of Fengyi County and the registrar of Wuyang County. Thanks to his exceptional abilities, he was promoted to the magistrate of Guixiang County. He was honest and fair in his official duties, eschewed harsh punishments, and maintained order in the county.
At that time, this coincided with the war in Liaodong. There were various types of taxes, and officials were sent everywhere to collect them, shifting the responsibility to the various counties. The court's discipline was lax, and officials were corrupt, extorting the populace at every turn. Only in the county governed by Wei Deshen was the situation a stark contrast. There were ample supplies, no oppression of the people, taxes were paid on time, and the people lived in peace and contentment. This county was considered a model at that time. Banditry was rampant, and many cities in the Wuyang area fell to bandits, but the county under Wei Deshen remained unscathed.
County magistrate Yuan Baozang was ordered to chase the bandits. Every battle was lost, weapons and equipment were depleted, so he drafted labor from the locals, often enforcing military discipline, repeating this several times. Other counties concentrated people in government offices to build defensive works, while officials blamed each other, creating a ruckus day and night, yet the defenses were still not completed. Wei Deshen, on the other hand, asked everyone what they needed, then let them do it themselves. The government office was quiet, as if nothing was amiss. He only restrained the county officials, making sure the defensive works weren't better than those in neighboring counties, to prevent overburdening the people. Despite this, everyone worked hard, and the county's defenses consistently turned out the best.
Later, Wei Deshen was transferred to Guantao County to serve as the county magistrate. When the officials and people of the county heard about it, they all sighed with regret, weeping uncontrollably. When Wei Deshen was about to leave, the entire town's residents came to see him off, crying loudly as he left. Upon arriving in Guantao County, all the local people treated him like their own father. There was a local troublemaker named Zhao Junshi, who had a close relationship with the county magistrate Yuan Baozang, and none of the previous magistrates could stand up to him. After Wei Deshen took office, Zhao Junshi hid at home and didn't dare to go out. Those who had fled returned in droves, creating a bustling scene like a market day. The elders and villagers of the county, overcoming the hardships and dangers, traveled to the capital to plead with the court to keep Wei Deshen, and the emperor agreed.
The people of Guantao County went to the county government to complain again, saying that the memorial from Guixiang County was fake. The county government couldn't make a decision. Just then, the envoys Wei Ji and Du Zheng arrived. Both counties went to the envoys to complain, and the envoys ultimately ruled in favor of Guixiang County. The officials and people of Guixiang County celebrated with singing and dancing, while the people of Guantao cried inconsolably. As a result, several hundred households relocated. Yuan Baozang was deeply envious of Wei Deshen's abilities. Later, King Dong of Yue conscripted soldiers from the county, and Yuan Baozang sent Wei Deshen with a thousand men to the eastern capital. Shortly after, Yuan Baozang surrendered to Li Mi. The soldiers under Wei Deshen's command were all from Wuyang; their hometown was occupied by Li Mi. Wei Deshen thought of his relatives and friends, walked out of the city gate, wept for his hometown, and then returned. Someone advised him, "Li Mi's army is near Jinyong City, only about twenty miles away. If you want to go back, no one would stop you. Why make it so difficult for yourself?" The soldiers all cried and said, "We came here with County Magistrate Wei and can't bear to leave him behind. Why would we care about the distance?" Wei Deshen gained the love of the people in this way. Later, Wei Deshen died in battle against the enemy, and the people of Guixiang County and Guantao still honor his memory to this day. At that time, there was a magistrate in Liyang County, Gao Shiheng from Bohai; the magistrate of Xiaoxian was Liu Gao from Pengcheng; and the magistrate of Chenggao County was Liu Chi from Hongnong. These three officials were known for their virtue. As the Sui Dynasty was nearing its end, many officials were corrupt, but Gao Shiheng, Liu Gao, and Liu Chi remained even more honest and upright than ever! They managed their areas well, with not a single prisoner in the jails, and the people sang their praises.
In history books, it is said: the ancients believed that those who were good at managing water could guide its flow smoothly; those who were good at educating the people could soothe them and ensure their stability. When water flows smoothly, it won't breach the banks; when the people live in peace and contentment, they will not violate the law. Therefore, to change customs and habits, relying solely on harsh punishments is not enough; it also requires officials who are upright and honest! People like Gao Shiheng, who embody righteousness and genuinely care for the people, have governed their regions effectively. After they leave, the people miss them greatly. As for Jing Mao, who curbed evil and promoted virtue; Guan Yi, who empathized with the people's suffering; Liu Kuang, who educated the region under his jurisdiction; and De Shen, who was deeply loved by the people, their merits surpass those of even renowned officials like Xincheng, Du Shi, Zheng Hun, and Zhu Yi in history! The Book of Songs says: "A benevolent and virtuous gentleman is like a father and mother to his people." This is absolutely true!
Unfortunately, Gong Yi (referring to Empress Gongyi), despite her exemplary behavior and multiple instances of the emperor's favor, and even though the emperor forgave her past mistakes, she still ended up in exile, which is indeed a pity! Also, after Liu Jian resigned from his post, his family fell into such poverty that they could barely support his wife and children; when Zhao Gui's term ended, he bid farewell with a simple toast of clear water, demonstrating remarkable integrity!
