Guo Rong, courtesy name Chang Rong, identified as being from Taiyuan. His father, Guo Hui, served as the Governor of Tongzhou during the reign of the Northern Wei Dynasty. At that time, Yang Jian (Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou) was the Inspector of Tongzhou, so Guo Rong's father and Yang Jian's father (ancestor) were acquainted. Later, Guo Hui was appointed as the Inspector of Xunzhou and granted the title of Duke of Ancheng County. After Yang Jian became emperor, he appointed Guo Hui as the Grand Minister of Works, but Guo Hui died a few years later. Guo Rong was tall and imposing, with a rough exterior but a meticulous heart, and people who interacted with him all quite liked him.
The Grand Chancellor of the Zhou Dynasty, Yuwen Hu, valued Guo Rong for his prudent and dependable nature, and promoted him to be a military officer in the Ministry of Waterworks. At that time, the Northern Qi army frequently invaded, so Yuwen Hu sent Guo Rong to gather intelligence on the situation in Fenzhou. Fenzhou was far from Yaoxiang Town, and Guo Rong felt that these two places were isolated and unable to help each other, so he suggested building a city between the two towns to support each other. Yuwen Hu agreed. As a result, the Northern Qi general Duan Xiaoxian attacked Yaoxiang Town and Fenzhou, but only the city built by Guo Rong withstood the attack. Yuwen Hu built a pontoon bridge, led his troops across the river, and fought against Duan Xiaoxian. Duan Xiaoxian sent many large rafts downstream to collide with the pontoon bridge, but Yuwen Hu had Guo Rong command the naval forces to remove these rafts. For this achievement, Guo Rong was appointed as the Grand Commander.
Yuwen Hu also sent Guo Rong to pacify the Jihu people who frequently caused disturbances. Guo Rong built five cities in Shangjun and Yan'an, namely *Zhouchang*, *Hongxin*, *Guangan*, *Zhaoyuan*, and *Xianning*, blocking the Jihu people's main routes and preventing them from further invasion. When Yang Jian became emperor (Emperor Wu), he took personal charge of state affairs and appointed Guo Rong as a middle-ranking officer. Later, Guo Rong followed Yang Jian in pacifying the Northern Qi, and for his military achievements, he was rewarded with twenty horses, six hundred pieces of silk, granted the title of Baron of Pingyang County, and promoted to the position of Senior Officer of Waterworks.
When Guo Rong was young, he had a strong bond with Yang Jian. Once, they sat together under the moonlight, and Yang Jian remarked casually to Guo Rong, "I observe the celestial phenomena and understand human affairs. The fortunes of the Zhou Dynasty have run their course; it's time for me to take over." Guo Rong took these words to heart. After Yang Jian became emperor (Emperor Xuan) and passed away, Yang Jian's father (Emperor Gaozu) took control of the court. He summoned Guo Rong, patted his back, and said with a smile, "My words have come true, haven't they?" He then appointed him as the Minister of Music. Not long after, he also appointed him as the Grand Master of Frontier Affairs. After Yang Jian's father became emperor, he promoted Guo Rong to be an official in the Ministry of the Interior due to his prior close relationship with Yang Jian. He was granted the title of Duke of Pucheng County, and his rank was also raised. Later, he was promoted to the Inspector of Tongzhou.
In the early period of the Renshou era, the southwestern barbarians and Lao tribes frequently rebelled, so the court appointed Guo Rong as the commander-in-chief of military operations across eight provinces and sent him to suppress the rebellions. Within a little over a year, he successfully quelled the rebellions, and the court rewarded him with over three hundred slaves.
After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended to the throne, Guo Rong was appointed as the General of the Valiant Cavalry because he was renowned for his strictness and integrity. Several years later, the leader of Qian'an, Tian Luoju, caused trouble in Qingjiang, and the populace of several counties in Yiling and various ethnic groups rallied to his cause. The emperor ordered Guo Rong to suppress the rebellion. After successfully suppressing the rebellion, Guo Rong was promoted to the General of the Left Guard. Later, he followed the emperor on a campaign against the Tuyuhun and was promoted to the Grand Master of the Silver and Blue Court. During the battle in Liaodong, he was promoted to Left Grand Master of Splendid Happiness in recognition of his meritorious service.
In the second year, the emperor planned another campaign against Liaodong. Guo Rong believed the country was already weary, and the emperor should refrain from frequent expeditions. He advised the emperor, saying, "The disrespect of the barbarians is a matter for my subordinates to handle. I heard that powerful crossbows aren’t used to catch mice, let alone personally risking danger to lead a large army against a small enemy." The emperor did not listen to him. Guo Rong still followed the army to attack Liaodong City. He personally charged into battle, risking arrows and stones flying at him, wearing his armor day and night for more than a hundred days straight. The emperor often sent people to secretly observe the performance of the generals. Knowing that Guo Rong was so loyal and dedicated, he was very pleased and often offered him comfort and encouragement.
Nine years later, the emperor arrived in the eastern capital Luoyang and said to Guo Rong, "You are getting old and not suitable for long stretches on the battlefield. I intend to appoint you as a county governor. You can choose one yourself." Guo Rong did not want to leave the emperor, so he knelt, kowtowed, and sincerely declined, his sadness evident, moving the emperor. Therefore, the emperor appointed him as the Grand General of the Right Guard. A few days later, the emperor said in front of the officials, "People as loyal and devoted as Guo Rong are truly rare!" It can be seen how deep the emperor's trust in Guo Rong was. Later, when Yang Xuangang rebelled, the emperor ordered Guo Rong to guard Taiyuan. The following year, he accompanied the emperor to Liucheng, fell ill, and the emperor sent people to visit him frequently, inquiring about his condition, with messengers coming in endless succession. In the end, Guo Rong passed away in Huaiyuan Town at the age of sixty-eight. The emperor suspended court for a day in his honor, posthumously promoted him to the position of Minister of War, bestowed upon him the posthumous title "Gong," and rewarded him with a substantial amount of fabric. He was survived by a son, Guo Fushan.
Pang Huang, courtesy name Yuan Xian, hails from Yulin. His father, Pang Qiu, was the Grand General of the Cavalry during the Zhou Dynasty. Pang Huang was a well-born son of a respectable family since childhood. Later, the governor Du Da recognized his talent and appointed him as the provincial governor. After Emperor Taizu took control of Guanzhong, he appointed Pang Huang as the Grand Commander and had him lead his personal troops in his retinue. Pang Huang then relocated to Guanzhong. Later, he was promoted to General of the Cavalry and inherited the title of Marquis Biyang.
When Prince Wei, Yuwen Zhi, was stationed in Xiangzhou, Pang Huang followed him, without a change in rank. Soon after, he and Grand Duke Changhu, Yuan Ding, launched an attack on Jiangnan but were ultimately killed in battle. Several years later, Prince Wei sent Pang Huang's younger brother, General of Chariots and Cavalry, Pang Yuanjun, to retrieve Pang Huang's body by paying eight hundred bolts of silk.
Pang Huang was then able to return to the court. The court appointed him as Senior Yitong and rewarded him with two hundred pieces of colorful silk, and he continued to serve Prince Wei.
When Gaozu (Li Yuan) became the governor of Suizhou, he passed through Xiangyang, and Prince Wei, Li Huang, went to meet him. Li Huang sensed that Gaozu was exceptional and befriended him. Later, when Gaozu stepped down and returned to the capital, Li Huang welcomed him in Xiangyi. Gaozu was very happy, and Li Huang said to him, "You have an extraordinary appearance and are destined to be remembered in history. When you ascend the throne as emperor in the future, please do not forget me!" Gaozu laughed and said, "You're just joking!"
After a while, a cock pheasant in the courtyard called out, and Gaozu asked Li Huang to shoot it, saying, "If you hit it, there will be a reward. When I become wealthy and prosperous, I will take this as a sign." Li Huang shot it with one arrow, and Gaozu clapped and laughed, "This is a sign from heaven. You hit it because you moved the heavens!" He then bestowed two maids upon Li Huang, and they grew very close.
When Emperor Wu (Yang Jian) came to power, Li Huang became the Governor of Changshan, and Gao Zu became the Governor of Dingzhou. The two of them often interacted with each other. Shortly after, Gao Zu was promoted to the Governor of Bozhou and was about to take up his new position, feeling uneasy. Li Huang advised him, "The Yan and Dai regions are both places with elite troops; if we mobilize the army now, it will be difficult to control the situation." Gao Zu held Li Huang's hand and said, "The time isn’t right yet." Later, Li Huang was also promoted to the General of Chariots and Cavalry.
After Gao Zu became the Governor of Yangzhou, he requested Li Huang to accompany him. Later, when Gao Zu became the Prime Minister, he promoted Li Huang to be in charge of the left and right affairs as the Chief of Staff, valuing him highly. After Gao Zu ascended to the throne, he said to Li Huang, "The omen of shooting game birds in the past has come true today, right?" Li Huang bowed deeply twice and said, "Your Majesty has followed the will of heaven, gained the support of the people, and ruled the world. Do you remember what you said back then? I am truly happy!" Gao Zu smiled and said, "How can I forget the words you said!" He then appointed Li Huang as the Senior Advisor to the Imperial Guards, appointed him as the General of the Right Guard, elevated him to the rank of Duke, and granted him a fief of one thousand five hundred households.
When Prince of Hejian Li Hong led troops to fight the Turks, Li Huang followed him to Mayi as the Marching General. They took another route from the Helan Mountains and defeated the enemy, killing over a thousand enemies. Li Huang was strong-willed, and at that time, Prince Guangping Yang Xiong held great power, but Li Huang often did not hold him in high regard, even disrespecting him to his face. Once, when Li Huang was sleeping in the army, Yang Xiong did not get up when he passed by, causing Yang Xiong to hold a grudge against him. Li Huang also had conflicts with Gao Feng, and these two often spoke ill of Li Huang in front of the emperor. As a result, Li Huang served in the palace guard for over ten years without a promotion. He was later sent as the Inspector of Huaizhou, and a few years later was promoted to the Governor of Yuanzhou. He passed away during the Renshou era at the age of seventy-two. Gao Zu mourned for him for three days and bestowed three hundred bolts of cloth and three hundred stones of rice, posthumously honoring him with the title "Respectful." His son Li Changshou was also well-known, achieving the rank of General of the Elite Cavalry.
Li An, known as Xuande, was a native of Didao, Gansu. His father, Li Wei, served as the governor of three prefectures in Beizhou during the Northern Zhou dynasty and was granted the title of Duke of Xiangwu County. Li An was handsome and skilled in horseback riding and archery. During the Tianhe reign of the Northern Zhou dynasty, Li An renounced his commoner status and was appointed as a Senior Right Guard, inheriting his father's title as Duke of Xiangwu. Shortly after, he was promoted to the roles of Yitong and Senior Right Guard. Later, when the founding emperor became the chancellor, he summoned Li An to serve alongside him and appointed him as a Senior Official of the Ministry of Works. The founding emperor also promoted Li An's younger brother, Li Che, to the position of Yitong.
Li An's uncle, Li Zhang, was the governor of Liangzhou at the capital at that time. He conspired with Prince Zhao of the Northern Zhou to plot against the founding emperor and attempted to recruit Li Che as an accomplice. Li Che told Li An, "If we stay silent, we are disloyal; if we speak up, we are unjust. Without loyalty and righteousness, how can we establish ourselves in the world?" Li An replied, "The founding emperor is like a father to us; how can we betray him?" So Li An discreetly informed the founding emperor of the conspiracy. Later, Prince Zhao and his followers were killed, and the founding emperor sought to promote Li An and grant him rewards. Li An quickly knelt down to express his heartfelt gratitude, saying, "My brother and I haven't done anything to deserve such great rewards. Despite our family's efforts, we cannot fully repay your kindness. I never expected my uncle to be so foolish, to be deceived by evildoers, which nearly led to the end of our family line. Your safeguarding of our family is already a tremendous kindness; how could I possibly think of seeking promotions and titles because of my uncle's actions?" With that, Li An prostrated himself on the ground, weeping inconsolably.
Gaozu was moved by his actions and said, "For you, I deliberately spared the life of your uncle." He then ordered only the punishment of Li Zhang himself. Gaozu also concealed this matter from Li An and did not make it public. Shortly after, Gaozu appointed Li An as Chancellor, and conferred upon him the title of Zhaojun Gong. Li Che also received a promotion and became Yitong (仪同). After the founding emperor of the Sui Dynasty ascended the throne, he appointed him as the Minister of Interior Affairs, later promoting him to Left Deputy of the Imperial Secretariat and Chamberlain for the Yellow Gates. During the war to pacify the Chen Dynasty, he was appointed as the deputy general under Yang Su, also serving as the commander-in-chief, leading the army from Shu downstream. At that time, the Chen army was camped at Baisha. He said to the generals, "Naval warfare is not our strong suit as Northerners. Now, the Chen army is mooring their ships relying on the dangerous terrain; they will definitely underestimate us and be unprepared. We can attack them at night and defeat the enemy!" Everyone thought his idea was good. He led the vanguard and greatly defeated the Chen army. Emperor Wen of Sui was very pleased and specially issued an edict commending him, stating, "The Chen rebels thought they were skilled in naval warfare, especially in treacherous terrain, believing that the imperial army would not dare to attack easily. You led the Chancellor's personal guards, mobilizing the navy at night, defeated the enemy forces, captured many prisoners, greatly boosting the morale of our army, and intimidating the enemy's courage. You have truly lived up to our trust. I am very pleased to receive this news." He was promoted to Senior General and appointed as the Governor of Yingzhou. A few days later, he was transferred to the post of Governor of Dengzhou. He requested to return to court for a position, but Emperor Wen of Sui valued him greatly and did not agree to his request, appointing him as Left General of the Guards. Shortly after, he was further promoted to Right General of the Army, once again given the official positions of Chancellor Yitong Sanji and General Prepared for Battle. He and his brother both commanded the Imperial Guards, and the emperor held the two brothers in high regard and trusted them greatly.
Eight years later, the Turks invaded the border, and he was appointed as the commander to accompany Yang Su in resisting the Turks. He led the army to take an alternate route from Changchuan and encountered the Turks as they were crossing the river, engaging them in battle and securing a victory. In the first year of the Renshou era, he was appointed governor of Ningzhou Province, while his brother was appointed governor of Weizhou Province. His son Qiong and his brother's son Wei were raised in the palace from a young age, and it wasn't until they were around eight or nine years old that they were finally allowed to return home. This shows just how considerate the emperor was towards their family.
The Emperor Gaozu once mentioned the sacrifices made by the Li An brothers for the greater good when he was the prime minister. He felt particularly sympathetic towards their sacrifice of personal ties for the greater good. Therefore, he issued an edict saying: "The rules established by previous kings are meant to adjudicate personal matters through righteousness, to sacrifice personal ties, in order to serve the monarch wholeheartedly. This is how noble integrity is upheld, demonstrating the highest form of justice. During the decline of the Zhou Dynasty, the mandate of heaven is about to transfer to our Great Tang. I have just taken power, and the imperial affairs have only just begun, and we are in the midst of turbulent times with many treacherous characters. Li An, the Grand General, Governor of Ningzhou, and Duke of Zhao County, and his uncle Li Zhang secretly colluded with the royal family, misguided Li An's son, and conspired to commit wrongdoing. Li An and his brother, the Prefect of the Palace, Governor of Weizhou, and Lord of Huangtai County, Li Zhe, understood the righteousness deeply, were loyal and honest, exposed Li Zhang's conspiracy, and the evildoers were finally punished. I have always admired their loyalty, appreciated them, and have always wanted to promote them and reward them without delay. However, this matter involves their relatives, and I have some hesitation in my heart. I want them to adhere to the rules of propriety and express their views. I've been pondering this carefully, which is why there has been a delay over the years. Now, I have carefully reviewed the classics of the sages and referred to past examples. The bond between father and son, along with filial piety and loyalty to the monarch, cannot always coexist. Moreover, the bond between uncles and nephews is much less significant than that between fathers and sons. There is a distinction in rituals and laws; to set aside personal feelings and serve the country with complete dedication aligns with righteousness. Their past achievements should be acknowledged and rewarded generously once more."
Therefore, the emperor appointed Li An and Li Jie as pillars of the state, rewarding them with five thousand pieces of silk, one hundred horses, and one thousand sheep each. Li Jie was also promoted to the rank of General of the Bodyguard and enfeoffed as Duke of Shunyang County. Li An said to his relatives, "Although our family has been preserved, my uncle has suffered a calamity. Now that I have received the imperial decree, I feel a mix of sorrow and guilt in my heart, truly a complex array of emotions." With that, he wept uncontrollably, unable to control himself. He was already suffering from a condition of edema, which worsened and eventually led to his death. He passed away at the age of fifty-three and was posthumously given the title "Huai." His son, Li Qiong, succeeded him in his title. Li An's youngest son, Li Xiaogong, became the most renowned. Li Jie was later dismissed from office due to political entanglement and was exiled to Lingnan, where he died of illness on the way.
Historical records state that people like Yuwen Qing were all close confidants of the emperor, with close relationships, and some were even old friends of the emperor, knowing each other well. Some were trusted aides appointed by the emperor early on. They benefited from the emperor's favor, enjoying wealth and glory, rising and falling with the emperor's fortunes. They held high positions, received generous salaries, and passed on this wealth and glory to their descendants, truly enviable! However, Yuwen Xiao grew up in the palace without receiving proper education. Emperor Yang of Sui especially favored him and did not follow the rules, so what kind of future could he possibly have? Think about it, the relationship between the An brothers and the founding emperor was initially one of equals, but the founding emperor ended up killing his own flesh and blood. This is an example of "sacrificing family for the sake of greater principles," completely different from what we usually hear! Although this incident is tragic, but can it change the course of history?
