Shiwen Zhe is from Dai County. His grandfather was the Left Chancellor of Northern Qi, and his father was a General of the Imperial Guards and the Governor of Sizhou. Shiwen has a proud and upright personality, rarely interacting with neighbors and relatives. He loved reading from a young age. After the fall of Northern Qi, he inherited the title of Prince of Zhangwu County and rose to the rank of General of the Leading Army. When Emperor Wu of Zhou defeated Northern Qi, most of the officials and nobles in Shandong went to welcome the Zhou army, but Shiwen remained behind closed doors. Emperor Wu of Zhou found him remarkable and gave him an official position, appointing him as the Governor of Suizhou and Supervisor of the Palace Attendants. After Emperor Yang Jian of the Sui Dynasty declared himself emperor, he further promoted Shiwen, granting him the title of Count of Hubei County, and later appointing him as the Inspector of Beizhou.
He was known for his integrity and frugality, never accepting any supplies from the government, leaving his household with no surplus. When his son was caught pilfering bread from the government kitchen, Shiwen locked him up in jail for several days, administered a hundred lashes, and then escorted him back to the capital. The household servants were too afraid to leave, having to venture to other counties to buy salt and groceries. The doors had to be secured whenever someone entered or exited the house, and he cut off all contact with relatives and friends, even for celebrations. He enforced the law strictly, with officials trembling in fear, ensuring that nothing went missing on the roads. He imposed harsh punishments even for minor offenses.
Once he entered the court, he happened to come across the emperor hosting a banquet for the ministers, allowing the officials to pick rewards from the left treasury as they pleased. Everyone took a lot of things, but Shiwen only held a silk scarf in his mouth and two in his hands. When the emperor asked him why, Shiwen replied, "My mouth and hands are full; I don’t need anything more." The emperor was very surprised, granted him additional rewards, and then let him go back. After returning to Beizhou, Shiwen took a strong stance against corrupt officials. He didn’t overlook even the smallest amounts of embezzled goods, such as a few yards of cloth or a few liters of rice. He investigated over a thousand people, reported his findings to the court, and the emperor sent all these people to Lingnan. Their relatives and friends came to see them off, crying throughout the entire state. In Lingnan, due to the unfamiliar environment, most of them died, causing their parents and wives to weep and curse Shiwen. Upon hearing this, Shiwen had those individuals arrested and brutally beaten, which only led to more tears.
At that time, the Sima of Beizhou was Weikun from Jingzhao, and the county magistrate of Qinghe was Zhaoda from Hedong. Both were known for their strictness; only the Chief Historian was somewhat lenient. People at the time created a rhyme: "The governor is ruthless, the Sima is like a viper, the Chief Historian smiles in judgment, Qinghe breeds cannibals." Upon hearing this, the emperor sighed, "Shiwen's cruelty is even more severe than that of wild beasts!" In the end, Shiwen was dismissed from his position. Not long after, he was appointed as the Chief Historian of Yongzhou. Shiwen told others, "I have always strictly enforced the law; I won’t play favorites with the powerful. I will definitely die in this position." Upon taking office, he continued to enforce the law strictly, unafraid of the powerful, and guests were too afraid to visit him. Many people expressed their grievances against him.
Shiwen's aunt was the concubine of the Emperor of Qi, and she was beautiful. After the downfall of Qi, she was given to Lang, the grandson of Duke Xue, as a concubine. Lang's wife, Lady Zheng, was very jealous and slandered her in front of the Empress. The Empress then ordered Lang to cast her aside. Shiwen felt ashamed and cut ties with Lang. Later, Tang Junming, the governor of Yingzhou, married Shiwen's sister after his mother's death. As a result, both Shiwen and Tang Junming were brought to the attention of the imperial censor. Being strong-willed, Shiwen died in prison a few days later from anger. With no wealth left at home, he left behind three sons who struggled to get enough food, and relatives and friends refused to help them.
Tian Shi, styled Xianbiao, hailed from the Fengyi region. His grandfather, Tian Anxing, and his father, Tian Changle, both served as county governors in the Wei Kingdom. Tian Shi had a strong and decisive character, excelled in martial arts, and was particularly skilled in boxing and kicking.
During the reign of Emperor Ming of Zhou, he became a commander at the age of eighteen, overseeing the local troops. Several years later, he was promoted to the position of governor of Weinan, where he ruled with an iron fist, instilling fear in both officials and commoners. He was later promoted to the governor of his county, keeping his distance from relatives and friends and refusing any requests or favors. Emperor Wu of Zhou, upon hearing about him, admired him greatly, promoted him to the position of Master of Ceremonies, granted him the title of Duke of Xindu County, and further appointed him as the governor of Yanzhou. He assisted the Emperor in subduing the Qi Kingdom and was honored with the title of Kaifu for his contributions, then transferred to the position of governor of Jianzhou and granted the title of Duke of Liangquan County.
When Emperor Gaozu held the supreme power of the court, Wei Jiong rebelled in Ye City, and Tian Shi accompanied Wei Xiaokuan to quell the uprising. He was appointed Grand General for his accomplishments and his title was elevated to Duke of Wushan County. After Emperor Gaozu became emperor, Tian Shi was appointed as the governor of Xiangzhou, where he was solely focused on establishing his dominance. Every time he handled public affairs, he exhibited an overbearing demeanor that intimidated his subordinates to the point where they dared not meet his gaze. He showed no mercy to anyone who broke the law, even if they were family or friends. When his son-in-law Du Ning, from Jingzhao, visited him from Chang'an, Tian Shi warned Du Ning not to wander around. After staying for a long time and wanting to return home, Du Ning secretly climbed the north tower to look out into the distance, hoping to ease his homesickness. When Tian Shi found out, he gave Du Ning fifty lashes. His favorite servant once came to report to him about something, and there was a bug crawling on the servant's collar. The servant brushed it away with his sleeve. Tian Shi took this as a sign of disrespect and immediately killed the servant on the spot.
When his subordinates embezzled, accepted bribes, or when robberies occurred in the province, regardless of the scale, Tian Shi would throw them into the dungeon, forcing them to sleep in filth and endure torment. They would never be released unless they died. Whenever an imperial pardon was issued, before Tian Shi even had a chance to read it, he would order the jailer to execute the prisoners serving long sentences, and then announce the pardon to the people. His cruelty knew no bounds.
Therefore, he was condemned by the court, dismissed from his official position, and was reduced to the status of a commoner. Tian Shi felt ashamed and angry; he refused to eat. When his wife visited him, he would get angry and permitted only two attendants to serve him. He tried to obtain pepper from home to use for suicide, but his family refused to give it to him. He then secretly sent his attendants to buy poison on the street, but his wife grabbed it and tossed it away. Tian Shi was so enraged that he lay in bed. His son, Tian Xin, who held the title of Yitong at the time, ran to Tian Shi crying, "Father, you are an old minister of the court, and he has not committed any serious offenses. Many ministers have been demoted recently, but will soon be reinstated. Why can't you hold on a little longer? Why do you have to do this?" Tian Shi suddenly stood up, pulled out a knife, and tried to attack Tian Xin, who quickly dodged, causing the knife to strike the doorstep.
The emperor learned of this incident and believed that Tian Shi felt a profound sense of guilt, so he restored his official position and title. Not long after, he was appointed as the Governor of Guangzhou and eventually died while in office.
Yan Rong, styled Guigong, was from Huayin, and his father was a great general of the Zhou Dynasty. Yan Rong had a strict and stern personality, excelled in martial arts, and served as a senior palace attendant in the Zhou Dynasty. He followed Emperor Wu in the campaign against the Qi state, achieved significant military accomplishments, and was appointed as Grand Attendant and granted the title of Duke of Gaoyi. After Emperor Gaozu ascended the throne, Yan Rong was promoted to Grand General, appointed as Marquis of Luocong, and later became the Inspector of Jinzhou. He then fought against the Turks with Prince Hong of Hejian, achieved further victories, and was promoted to Senior State Official and appointed as the Governor of Qingzhou.
When Yan Rong was the governor of Qingzhou, he specifically selected particularly strong men as squad leaders. If any official did not perform well, he would definitely grill them mercilessly, then beat them so badly that their skin split and bones showed. The thieves were terrified and didn't dare to show their faces, and the whole province fell silent. Travelers from other provinces passing through his territory were so frightened they wouldn’t even stop to rest, as if they were running into bandits. The emperor was thrilled to hear this. Later, when Yan Rong went to the capital to meet the emperor, he received special praise and encouragement from the emperor. Yan Rong requested to only visit the capital once a year since his mother was aging, and the emperor agreed. When he took his leave, the emperor threw a banquet in the inner hall and had the nobles and ministers compose poems to see him off.
During the Battle of Fanchen, Yan Rong was appointed as the commander of the marching army, leading the navy from Donglai along the coast into Lake Tai, attacking Wu County. After breaking through Danyang, the people of Wu chose Xiao Heng as their leader, who ambushed the Tang forces in Jinling. However, they were defeated by Yu Wenshu and forced to retreat to Baoshan. Yan Rong led five thousand elite soldiers to pursue them, and Xiao Heng was defeated and captured, restoring peace to Jinling and Kuaiji. Later, Yan Rong was appointed as the governor of Yangzhou, and shortly after, he was reassigned as Right Martial General. When the Turks invaded the frontier, Yan Rong was appointed as the commander of the marching army and stationed in Youzhou. After his mother passed away, Yan Rong stepped down from his post. The following year, he was appointed governor of Youzhou again.
Yan Rong was strict and cruel, with an intimidating presence. When the senior officials would see him, they turned pale with fear and were left in a state of panic. The Lu family in Fanyang, for generations, was a prominent and respected local family, but Yan Rong assigned them to menial positions as a form of humiliation. He would often whip his attendants, and it was not uncommon for him to beat thousands of people at once, with blood flowing like a river beneath him, while he calmly ate and drank. Once, during his patrol, he saw a pile of thorns on the road, thought they would make good whips, had someone fetch them, and used them to test out on people. When someone protested their innocence, Yan Rong said, "I'll spare you if you truly make a mistake in the future." Later, when this man made a minor mistake, Yan Rong wanted to beat him. The man replied, "When you beat me before, you said you would spare me if I made a mistake." Yan Rong responded, "That's how it goes, especially when you've actually done something wrong!" and proceeded to beat him mercilessly.
Yan Rong would go to the homes of any official or commoner who had a beautiful wife or daughter and sexually assault them during his patrols. His greed and tyranny grew more severe. When Yuan Hongsi was appointed as the Chief Historian of Youzhou, he feared being insulted by Yan Rong and firmly declined the appointment. When the emperor learned of this, he ordered Yan Rong to report any offenses of Yuan Hongsi that warranted more than ten strokes of the cane to the court. Angered, Yan Rong sent Yuan Hongsi to oversee the grain storage, punishing him harshly for even the slightest impurity found in the grain. While each beating was kept under ten strokes, it was possible for him to be punished multiple times in a single day. This continued for several years, which only deepened the resentment, until Yan Rong finally imprisoned Yuan Hongsi and cut off his rations. Starving and freezing, Yuan Hongsi had no choice but to rip the cotton from his clothes, mix it with water, and ingest it. Yuan Hongsi's wife complained to the palace, prompting the emperor to dispatch Liu Shilong, a Deputy Minister of Assessment, to conduct an investigation. The investigation confirmed Yan Rong's cruelty and numerous atrocities, which resulted in the emperor summoning him back to the capital and ordering his execution. Prior to this, maggots inexplicably appeared in Yan Rong's bedroom, seemingly emerging from the ground. Shortly thereafter, Yan Rong died in the very spot where the maggots had appeared. He had a son named Yan Xun.
Zhao Zhongqing was from Tianshui Longxi; his father was a general of the Zhou Dynasty. Zhao Zhongqing was known for his rough demeanor but impressive strength, and the Prince of Qi treated him with particular favor.
He followed the army to attack the state of Qi, successfully capturing five cities: Lin Qin, Tong Rong, Wei Yuan, Fu Long, and Zhang Bi. Later, he engaged in battle with General Duan Xiaoxian of Qi at Yao Xiang City, participating in many days of combat and ultimately defeating Duan Xiaoxian. Due to his significant contributions, he was appointed Grand Commander and later served as an imperial guard. After pacifying the state of Qi, he was promoted to Prefect of Zhao Jun and also held the position of Chief Officer of the Capital. He later moved to the capital and became a high-ranking official.
At the time of Wang Qian's rebellion, Zhao Zhongqing was in Li Prefecture and led troops to resist alongside General Dou Luji. They faced Wang Qian in a total of seventeen battles. After Wang Qian was defeated, Zhao Zhongqing was promoted to Grand General, granted the title of Duke of Changyuan County, and given a fief of one thousand households. When Emperor Gaozu ascended the throne, he was subsequently appointed as Duke of Hebei.
In the third year of the Kaihuang era, the Turks invaded the border, and Zhao Zhongqing accompanied Prince Hong of Hejian to engage in battle at Helan Mountain. Zhao Zhongqing took a different route to attack and returned without having encountered the enemy. He later garrisoned Pingliang and was appointed as the Inspector of Shizhou. He was infamous for his strict enforcement of laws, punishing even minor offenses; for instance, he once whipped a chief clerk two hundred times. His subordinates feared him and obeyed his orders without question, and even petty theft disappeared as everyone acknowledged his severity.
He was later promoted to Inspector of Yanzhou, but before taking office, he was appointed as the Commander of Shuozhou. During that period, there was significant agricultural development along the northern border, which Zhao Zhongqing managed. If anyone neglected their duties, he would summon them and punish them severely, even going so far as to strip them and drag them into thorny bushes. People of that era likened him to a ferocious beast. However, due to his high efficiency, the grain harvest improved with each passing year, and concerns over food supply along the border became a thing of the past.
Later, the Qimin Khan of the Turks wanted to form a political marriage with the Sui Dynasty, and the emperor agreed. Zhao Zhongqing took the opportunity to create divisions among them and provoke them into fighting each other. In the seventeenth year of Qimin Khan's reign, he was in a difficult situation and sought refuge in Hanzhen alongside the Sui envoy Chang Sunsheng. Zhao Zhongqing led over a thousand cavalry to provide support but kept his distance. He secretly sent people to entice Qimin Khan's subordinates to surrender, and more than twenty thousand households surrendered.
That year, he followed General Gao Feng to attack Datou along the White Road. Zhao Zhongqing led three thousand soldiers as the vanguard. They encountered the enemy forces at Zuli Mountain and fought for seven days, defeating the Turks. They pursued them to Qifu Po, fought another battle, captured over a thousand prisoners, and seized countless livestock. The Turks came out in full force, and Zhao Zhongqing formed a square formation to defend against attacks from all sides. After five days of fighting, Gao Feng's army arrived and they attacked together, defeating the Turks. They pursued them to the White Road, crossing over seven hundred miles through Qinshan. At that time, more than ten thousand Turkic families surrendered, and the emperor ordered Zhao Zhongqing to resettle them in Heng'an. For his achievements, Zhao Zhongqing was promoted to the position of Senior Pillar of the State and rewarded with three thousand lengths of cloth.
The imperial court was worried that Datou would attack Qimin Khan, so they stationed Zhao Zhongqing with twenty thousand troops as a precaution. Governor of Daizhou, Han Hong, Duke of Yongkang, Li Yaowang, and Prefect of Weizhou, Liu Long, led ten thousand infantry and cavalry to guard Heng'an. Datou led a hundred thousand cavalry to invade, and Han Hong's army was defeated. Zhao Zhongqing departed from Lening Town to intercept and killed over a thousand enemies.
The following year, he oversaw the construction of the cities of Jinhe and Dingxiang and settling Qimin Khan. At that time, someone lodged a complaint against Zhao Zhongqing for cruelty. The emperor sent the imperial censor Wang Wei to investigate, confirmed the situation, but because of Zhao Zhongqing's great contributions, he was not punished. The emperor consoled him, saying, "I know you are honorable, it's just that you are disliked by your subordinates." He also rewarded him with five hundred lengths of cloth. Zhao Zhongqing grew increasingly arrogant and was ultimately dismissed from his post.
During the reign of Ren Shou, he served as the Minister of Agriculture. When the Shu King Yang Xiu was implicated in a crime, he was ordered to investigate in Yizhou. Wherever Yang Xiu's guests passed through, Zhao Zhongqing strictly enforced the law, and most of the local officials were punished. The emperor believed in his strong ability to handle matters and rewarded him with fifty servants, two hundred taels of silver, five thousand dan of grain, and many treasures.
After Yang Guang ascended to the throne, Zhao Zhongqing held the positions of Minister of War and Minister of Works. That year, he passed away at the age of sixty-four, posthumously honored with the title 'Su,' and the court also posthumously awarded him five hundred pieces of cloth. His son Zhao Hong succeeded him.
Cui Hongduo, styled Mo He Yan, was from Anping, Hebei. His grandfather Cui Kai was the Minister of Works of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and his father Cui Shuo served as the Inspector of Fuzhou in the Zhou Dynasty. Cui Hongduo was exceptionally strong, tall and imposing, with thick eyebrows and a full beard, and a stern demeanor. At seventeen, he caught the eye of the Zhou Dynasty's Prime Minister, Yuwen Hu, who took him as his trusted aide. Soon after, he was appointed as an official, eventually becoming a commander.
At that time, Yuwen Hu's son, the Duke of Zhongshan, Yuwen Xun, became the Inspector of Puzhou and had Cui Hongduo follow him. Once, they went up to the top floor of a building, approximately four to five zhang high, and looked down. Yuwen Xun said, "This is so scary!" Cui Hongduo shot back, "What’s so scary about this?" and then jumped down abruptly, landing safely. Yuwen Xun was amazed by his skill. Later, due to his military achievements, Cui Hongduo was titled Yitong (a title of honor). He followed Emperor Zhou Wudi in the conquest of the Qi Kingdom, receiving promotions and titles, being appointed as the Senior Prefect and Duke of Ye County, and was rewarded with three thousand pieces of cloth, three thousand dan of grain, one hundred servants, and countless livestock. He later accompanied Duke Yuwen Shenju of Runan in defeating Lu Changqi at Fanyang.
After Emperor Xuandi ascended to the throne, he followed Duke Wei Xiaokuan of Yunguo to quell the rebellion in Huainan. When Cui Hongdu and Yuwen Xin, along with Helou Zigang, arrived at Feikou, Chen Dynasty general Pan Chen led a few thousand soldiers to resist, arraying his troops across the river. Yuwen Xin sent Cui Hongdu to persuade surrender, and Pan Chen fled by night. During the attack on Shouyang, Chen Dynasty defender Wu Wenli surrendered, and Cui Hongdu distinguished himself. Because of these military achievements, he was elevated to Grand General and inherited his father's title as Duke of Anping County. When Wei Jiong revolted, Cui Hongdu was appointed as the commander of the expedition and followed Wei Xiaokuan to suppress the rebellion. Cui Hongdu recruited hundreds of elite warriors from Chang'an to form a formidable elite force.
Cui Hongdu's sister married Wei Jiong's son. When Ye City fell and Wei Jiong had no way out, he climbed to the top of the city tower. Cui Hongdu pursued closely and went straight to the top of the tower. Wei Jiong bent his bow to shoot Cui Hongdu, who removed his helmet and said to Wei Jiong, "Do you recognize me? Today, we each serve our own masters and cannot consider personal feelings. For the sake of our relatives, I urge you to lay down your weapons and prevent your soldiers from acting recklessly. In light of the circumstances, you should think of your own future sooner rather than later. What are you waiting for?" Wei Jiong threw his bow on the ground, cursed the Grand Chancellor, and then committed suicide. Cui Hongdu told his younger brother Cui Hongsheng, "Go and take Wei Jiong's head." Cui Hongsheng promptly severed Wei Jiong's head. Consequently, Cui Hongdu was elevated to Senior Pillar of the State.
Military commanders at that time were typically granted the title of Duke, but Cui Hongdu was demoted one rank because he did not kill Wei Jiong in time and allowed Wei Jiong to speak ill of him, and was thus made the Duke of Wuxiang County. In the early years of the Sui Dynasty during the Turkic invasion, Cui Hongdu served as a military commander, stationed in Yuanzhou to resist. After the enemy retreated, Cui Hongdu moved to Lingwu and returned a month later, and was appointed as the Prefect of Huazhou. He also arranged a marriage for his sister with Prince Xiao of Qin. Shortly after, he was transferred to be the military commander of Xiangzhou.
Cui Hongdu held a high rank and was extremely strict with his subordinates, often punishing them. The officials were very afraid of him, quaking at the sound of his voice. Wherever he went, his orders were carried out, and criminals went into hiding. When Prince Xiao of Liang came to visit Emperor Wen of Sui, Emperor Wen appointed Cui Hongdu as the military commander of Jiangling, guarding Jingzhou. Before Cui Hongdu could assume his position, Prince Xiao's uncle Yan Yong led a local rebellion, but Cui Hongdu was unable to quell it. The people of the Chen Dynasty feared Cui Hongdu and dared not spy on Jingzhou. In the war to pacify the Chen Dynasty, he set out from Xiangyang as a military commander following Prince Xiao of Qin. After the fall of the Chen Dynasty, he was rewarded with five thousand rolls of cloth.
When Gao Zhihui and others rebelled, he was appointed as a military commander again, setting out from Quanmen, under Yang Su's command. Although Cui Hongdu and Yang Su held the same rank, Cui Hongdu was older. Yang Su always made him take a subordinate position, a situation Cui Hongdu resented. He frequently disregarded Yang Su's orders, but Yang Su was still somewhat lenient towards him. After the rebellion was quelled, Cui Hongdu was appointed as the military chief of Yuanzhou, continuing as a military commander to defend against the Turkic threat. He successfully repelled the Turkic invasion, and Emperor Wen of Sui highly appreciated him, arranging a marriage between Cui Hongdu's daughter and the Prince of Henan. During the Renshou era, Cui Hongdu served as the Minister of Works.
His family produced two princesses, but he did not become proud or conceited because of this. He often warned his subordinates, saying, "One should be honest and generous, and never deceive others." Everyone said, "Yes." Once, he was eating soft-shelled turtle, with seven or eight attendants serving him. He asked each of them, "Is the soft-shelled turtle delicious?" The attendants were all terrified and sweating profusely, and they all said, "Delicious." He angrily scolded them, saying, "How dare you lie to me? You haven't even eaten it; how do you know it's delicious?" Then he beat each of them with eighty strokes. Officials and craftsmen who saw this were scared and dared not deceive him anymore. At that time, there was a strict general named Qu Tutu. It was said in Chang'an City, "I would rather drink three liters of vinegar than face Cui Hongdu; I would rather eat three liters of mugwort than encounter Qu Tutu." Cui Hongdu was as strict at home as he was in his official life. His children and grandchildren were already gray, and he often scolded and beat them. His family discipline was exceptionally strict, and people at that time praised him. Not long after, the Queen of Qin was executed for her crimes, and the Queen of Henan was deposed. Cui Hongdu was very sad and angry about this, and he requested retirement. His brothers also moved away from him, and he grew increasingly despondent. After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, the Prince of Henan was made crown prince. Emperor Yang of Sui wanted to reinstate the Cui clan as concubines and sent envoys to deliver the imperial decree. When the envoys arrived at Cui Hongsheng's residence, Cui Hongdu was not aware. When the envoys returned, Emperor Yang of Sui asked, "What did Cui Hongdu say?" The envoys replied, "Cui Hongdu said he was sick and could not get up." Emperor Yang of Sui remained silent, and the issue was quietly dismissed. Cui Hongdu was filled with melancholy and anger, and soon passed away from this world.
Hong Sheng, courtesy name Shangke, was a senior official in the Zhou Dynasty, equivalent to a high-ranking official. Later, Wei Jiong rebelled in Xiangzhou, and Hong Sheng and his brother Hong Du fought together to suppress the rebellion. Due to their achievements, they were both appointed as Senior Yitong, and their official positions were elevated. Shortly after, he was promoted to Chief Minister, given the title of Marquis of Huangtai, with a fief of eight hundred households, which meant he received the taxes from these households as his income.
After Emperor Yang Jian ascended the throne, Hong Sheng's title was elevated to Duke, and he was appointed as General of the Gallant Cavalry, a very important military position. He served as a palace guard for over a decade, and due to his seniority and experience, he was appointed as the Governor of Cizhou, equivalent to a local administrative official. After a few years, he was further promoted to the Governor of Zhengzhou, with an even broader jurisdiction. Later, as his ties to the imperial family strengthened, his status improved, and he was promoted to the Governor of Xiangzhou, with greater power and a wider jurisdiction. Unfortunately, he was later dismissed from his position due to a scandal involving the Queen of Henan.
When Emperor Yang Guang (Emperor Yang) ascended the throne, Hong Sheng was reinstated and went on to serve as the Governor of Jizhou and the Prefect of Xindu, with his official position elevated to Grand Minister of Golden Purple, and later transferred to the Prefect of Zhuojun. During the Liaodong Campaign, he was temporarily appointed as the General of the Left Guard, responsible for leading the campaign toward Pyongyang. Unfortunately, he and others were defeated in this battle and hurriedly fled back. Consequently, he fell ill and died at the age of sixty.
Yuan Hongsi, from Luoyang, Henan, was the grandson of the Yuyang King from the Wei Dynasty and the son of the Yuyang Duke from the Zhou Dynasty. Hongsi inherited his title at a young age and became a Left Guard at eighteen.
In the ninth year of the Kaihuang era, he accompanied the Prince of Jin in pacifying the Chen Dynasty and was appointed as Senior Yitong for his achievements. In the fourteenth year, he was appointed as the Chief Secretary of the Governor of Guanzhou. During his tenure in Guanzhou, he was notoriously strict, and his subordinates harbored significant resentment toward him.
Twenty years later, he was transferred to Youzhou as the Chief Minister. At that time, the Governor of Youzhou was Yan Rong, who was extremely tyrannical and often bullied Hongsi, frequently beating and berating him. Hongsi felt humiliated, and Yan Rong eventually imprisoned him, intending to kill him. After Yan Rong was killed, Hongsi took control and ruled even more harshly. When interrogating prisoners, he would often force vinegar into their nostrils or jab their genitals with bamboo sticks, ensuring they confessed, and the wicked were all honest.
As the Ren Shou period was coming to an end, he was appointed as the Supervisor of Carpenters, tasked with constructing the Eastern Capital. In the early days of the Daye period, Emperor Yang secretly planned to attack Liaodong and sent Hongsi to Donglai Port to build ships. The laborers summoned from various provinces endured brutal whippings and torture, forced by officials to work day and night in the water, barely able to rest. From the waist down, they were covered in maggots, and thirteen or fourteen people died.
Later, he was promoted to the position of Yellow Gate Attendant and then to the Palace Attendant. During the Liaodong campaign, he was granted the title of Grand Master of Splendid Happiness. The following year, Emperor Yang initiated another campaign against Liaodong at the same time the Turks invaded Longyou, so Hongsi was sent to suppress the rebellion.
When Xuangang rebelled and approached the Eastern Capital, Hongsi deployed his troops in Anding. Someone reported Hongsi as conspiring to support Xuangang, and Prince Yang You sent people to arrest him and escort him to the court. Although no evidence of rebellion was found, and he should have been released, the Emperor remained suspicious and ultimately dismissed him from office, exiling him to Rizhao. Hongsi died on the way there at the age of forty-nine, leaving a son named Renguan.
Wang Wentong hailed from Yingyang County in Jingzhao Prefecture. He was intelligent, skilled in debate, and talented. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, he was appointed as a Yitong in recognition of his military achievements and later served as the Sima of Guizhou. After Emperor Yang succeeded to the throne, he summoned Wang Wentong to serve as a Junior Minister of Splendid Happiness. However, Wang Wentong's defiance resulted in his demotion to the position of Magistrate of Hengshan County.
In Hengshan County, there was a local thug who was particularly arrogant and often caused trouble, making it difficult for the county magistrate. Previous magistrates were unable to deal with him. When Wang Wentong took office, he heard about the guy's misdeeds and called him in for a good yelling. Then, he had a big wooden stake made and buried in the yard, leaving only a foot exposed, with four small stakes buried at the four corners. He ordered the guy to lie on the stake with his limbs tied to the small stakes and then beat his back fiercely with a stick, leaving his back a bloody mess in no time. The whole county was freaked out, and the officials were all too scared to breathe.
Later, Emperor Yang of Sui campaigned in Liaodong and sent Wang Wentong to inspect the various counties in Hebei. Wang Wentong saw the vegetarian monks and thought they were up to no good, so he arrested them all and imprisoned them. In Hejian County, he gathered the officials from various counties, and anyone who showed up even a little late got thrown to the ground and beaten to death. He also found hundreds of monks gathered together for scripture recitations or Buddhist activities, thinking they were leading people astray, and had them all killed. He made the monks and nuns strip down for inspection and found thousands of men and women engaged in improper relationships, all of whom were killed. The wails of men, women, and kids filled the county, and the other counties were also frightened, reporting to the court one after another.
Emperor Yang of Sui, upon hearing this, was livid and sent someone to go arrest Wang Wentong. In Hejian County, Wang Wentong was beheaded in public to calm everyone down. Wang Wentong's enemies dug up his coffin, cut off his flesh, and devoured it all in no time.
The historical records say: good governance doesn't depend on complicated strategies; effective governance isn't about harsh punishments. Therefore, although using both leniency and severity, with clear rewards and punishments, the best way to govern is to gain the people's obedience without the need for severe laws and punishments, something that wise rulers of old valued. During the enlightened reigns of Emperor Wen and Emperor Yang of Sui, figures like Wang Wentong didn't have to deal with particularly vicious or cunning people. They did not understand Confucian ethics, were cruel and brutal in their hearts, showed a disregard for human life, treating it with less care than they would for grass or dogs. They committed numerous evil deeds, never showed any remorse. Some met their end through punishment, while others died from grief and anger. All decent people see this as the cycle of divine justice! Alas! Later scholars and officials, even if they can't achieve the high status and wealth of someone like Zigao, shouldn't let their mothers still hope for their return while visiting their graves, implying that mothers still hope for their sons' return even after they've passed.
