Legend has it that Gaozu's maternal family, the Lv family, was relatively unknown. After Gaozu pacified the Qi state, he wanted to find their family but couldn't find anyone. It wasn't until the time of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty that Jinan County reported that there was a man named Lv Yongji, who said his aunt was named Ku Tao and was Yang Zhong's wife. After investigation, Lv Yongji was indeed Gaozu's brother-in-law, so Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty posthumously honored his maternal grandfather Shuang Zhou with titles such as Prime Minister, General of Eight Provinces, Governor of Qingzhou Province, and Duke of Qijun, with the posthumous title of Jing. His maternal grandmother Yao was also posthumously honored as the Lady of Duke Qijing. The Emperor ordered their reburial, the construction of a temple for them in Qizhou, and arranged for ten families to tend to the tomb. Lv Yongji was granted the title and allowed to stay in the capital. During the reign of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, Lv Yongji was appointed as the Prefect of Shangdang County, but he lacked the acumen and failed to perform well in his duties, so he eventually lost his position. His ultimate fate remains unknown.
Lu Yongji's uncle is named Lu Daogui, whose temperament is incredibly unruly and crude in speech. When he was first summoned from the countryside to Chang'an, Emperor Wen of Sui was so heartbroken that he shed tears when he saw him. However, Lu Daogui didn’t show a hint of sadness, only kept shouting his ancestor's name, saying, "The country is not yet stable; we cannot slack off, just like Sister Bitter Peach." Despite repeatedly offending taboos and irritating the emperor, the emperor favored him. Emperor Wen of Sui ordered Gao Feng to look after him well, forbidding him to mingle with court officials. He was appointed as a governor in Jinan and forbidden from returning to the capital. After returning to Jinan, Lu Daogui put on airs, boasting about being the emperor's uncle and parading around with a retinue in the streets, drawing the ire of both the people and officials. Eventually, the Jinan Commandery was disbanded, and Lu Daogui died at home, leaving his descendants to fade into obscurity.
Dugu Luo, styled as Luo Ren, was a native of Yunzhong. His father, Dugu Xin, first served as an official in Wei, later becoming the Inspector of Jingzhou. When Emperor Wu entered the pass, Dugu Xin left his parents and wife and fled to Chang'an, where he rose through the ranks, which resulted in Dugu Luo becoming a captive of the Gao family.
Later, Dugu Xin became the Grand Marshal of the Zhou dynasty. After Dugu Xin was killed by Yuwen Hu, Dugu Luo was released and lived in Zhongshan, impoverished and struggling to make ends meet. Dugu Yongye, a general from Northern Qi and a relative of Dugu Luo, felt sorry for him, bought him land and a house, and gave him some money.
After Dugu Xin passed through the gates, he married two more wives. Guo gave birth to the following six sons for him: Shan, Mu, Zang, Shun, Tuo, and Zheng. Cui gave birth to the Empress Dowager of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty. After the fall of Northern Qi, Yang Jian became the governor of Dingzhou. Empress Wen sent people to search for Dugu Luo everywhere and finally found him. When the two met, they were so sad that they couldn't speak, and those around them began to cry. Empress Wen then bestowed upon Dugu Luo many carriages, horses, and treasures.
Not long after, Emperor Wu of Zhou recognized that Dugu Luo was the son of a meritorious official who had suffered for a long time in a foreign land; therefore, he summoned him and appointed him as the governor of Chu'an County. Later, due to illness, Dugu Luo resigned and returned to the capital. His younger brothers, who had always looked down on him during his impoverished youth, did not treat him as a brother at all. However, Dugu Luo was generous and held no grudges against his brothers. Eventually, his brothers came to respect him.
When Yang Jian became Prime Minister, he appointed Dugu Luo as an advisor and often had him serve by his side. After Yang Jian became emperor, he issued a posthumous edict honoring Dugu Xin, Dugu Luo's father. The edict stated: "To commend merits and accumulate achievements is a tradition upheld by past dynasties. To remember ancestors and handle posthumous matters carefully is the grand ceremony of past emperors. The pillar of the state, Dugu Xin, had noble bearing, outstanding talent, extraordinary wisdom, noble character, integrity, and honesty, and was renowned throughout the world. He had grand strategies and far-reaching plans, assisted the monarch, and had great merits in helping the people. He deserved to showcase his talents in the court, but he faced difficult times, and his merits went unrecognized. I have always been mindful of this issue. Now that peace reigns in the realm and the harem is secure, I recall the tale of the Tu Shan family and do not forget the system of honoring the wise. I hereby posthumously appoint Dugu Xin as Grand Preceptor, Grand Pillar of the State, Governor of ten provinces, including Jiding, and Duke of Zhao, with a fief of ten thousand households."
Dugu Luo's younger brothers argued that their mother, who died during the Northern Qi Dynasty without receiving a title, meant Dugu Luo should not inherit the title. Yang Jian inquired of the Empress, who replied, "Dugu Luo is indeed the legitimate eldest son; he should not be wronged." Thus, Dugu Luo inherited the title of Duke of Zhao. His brothers Shan was titled Marquis of Henei, Mu was titled Marquis of Jinquan County, Zang was titled Marquis of Wuping County, Tuo was titled Marquis of Wuxi County, and Zheng was titled Commander of the Thousand Bull Guard. Yang Jian promoted Dugu Luo to the position of Left General of the Left and Right and later elevated him to the rank of Left Guard General, bestowing numerous rewards upon him. Later, he was sent to Liangzhou as the commander-in-chief and was appointed to the rank of State Counsellor. During the Ren Shou period, he was summoned back to the court and appointed as the Left Guard General of Martial Affairs. After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, he was reappointed as Duke of Shu. Not long after, Dugu Luo passed away and was posthumously honored as "Gong."
His son Zuan served as the Prefect of Heyang County. His brother Wudu also became Prefect of Heyang County toward the end of the Daye period. Their eldest son was named Kaiyuan. When Yuwen Huaji staged a rebellion and assassinated the emperor, Pei Qiantong led the rebels into Chengxiang Hall, and the soldiers guarding the hall also rebelled with the insurgents. Kaiyuan was a Commander of the Thousand Bull Guard at the time, and he and Dugu Sheng fought desperately in the hall. They were eventually captured by the rebels, but the rebels thought highly of him and let him go. Later, he was appointed as a State Counsellor. After his death, his son Lan inherited his title and became the Left Guard General, but died toward the end of the Daye period.
For several generations, this family has held official positions, starting from Zuzuan all the way to his grandson Pei Lan; their careers have been smooth, and their ranks have been high. Especially Kaiyuan, Zuzuan's son, who was able to bravely resist during the chaos of Yuwen Huaji's regicide; although captured, he ultimately saved his life, demonstrating his remarkable character and strength. Unfortunately, both Kaiyuan and his son Pei Lan did not meet a peaceful end and both met their demise toward the end of the Daye period.
Dugu Tuo, whose courtesy name was Li Xie, held an official position during the Zhou Dynasty. Due to his father's actions, he was banished to Shu County for over a decade. He only returned to Chang'an after the death of Yuwen Hu. After Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, ascended the throne, he appointed Dugu Tuo as the Prefect and as General of the Right and General of the Left. After some time, he was later assigned to Yingzhou as Inspector. Later, he was promoted to Grand General and further rose to the position of Inspector of Yanzhou. He was interested in the occult. His wife and mother had previously worshipped a Cat Demon, which then manifested in their home. The Emperor heard about this, but was not entirely convinced.
Later, both the Empress and Yang Su's wife, Lady Zheng, fell ill. The doctors all said it was the influence of the Cat Demon. Knowing that Dugu Tuo was the Empress's half-brother and his wife was Yang Su's half-sister, the Emperor suspected him and discreetly sent his brother, Mu Shi, to imply this. The Emperor sought Dugu Tuo out privately. Dugu Tuo denied any involvement. The Emperor, displeased, then reassigned him to another province as an Inspector. Dugu Tuo felt resentful and voiced his grievances. The Emperor then ordered Left Deputy Gao Feng, Counselor Su Wei, Minister of Justice Huang Fuxu, Deputy Minister of Justice Yang Yuan, and others to conduct a joint investigation into the matter.
A servant girl named Xu Ani of Dugu Tuo said that she originally followed Dugu Tuo's mother and served the cat spirit. Every night, she had to offer rats to the cat spirit. She said that after the cat spirit killed someone, the property of the deceased would quietly shift to the family that served the cat spirit. Dugu Tuo once wanted to fetch some wine from home, but his wife said they had no money to buy it. Dugu Tuo then said to Xu Ani, "Go and make the cat spirit go to Yang Su's house and get some money!" Xu Ani chanted a spell, and the cat spirit ran to Yang Su's house. Eleven years later, when the emperor returned from Bingzhou, Dugu Tuo said to Xu Ani in the garden, "Go and make the cat spirit go to the empress, so she can bless us with some rewards!" Xu Ani chanted another spell, and the cat spirit entered the palace. Yang Yuan sent Xu Ani to call the cat spirit outside the gate of the provincial government.
That night, Xu Ani placed a basin of fragrant porridge and called out while tapping a spoon, "Cat woman, come out, don't stay in the palace!" After a while, Xu Ani's face turned pale as if she were being tugged, saying that the cat spirit had arrived. The emperor brought this matter before his ministers, and Prime Minister Niu Hong said, "Monsters and demons are all created by people. Killing this person can solve the problem." The emperor ordered Dugu Tuo and his wife to be taken back to their home in a prisoner's cart and prepared to execute them. Dugu Tuo's brother Si Xun, the attendant Dugu Zheng, ran to the palace to plead, so the emperor spared Dugu Tuo's death sentence, removed him from his official post, and compelled his wife, Lady Yang, to take vows as a nun.
Before, someone reported that his mother was killed by a cat spirit. The emperor dismissed it as nonsense and angrily drove the accuser away. However, this time, the emperor ordered the execution of those who worshipped the cat spirit. Dugu Tuo died not long after. Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty remembered his uncle and permitted a proper burial for him. He also issued a decree: "Due to the misfortune that befell his family and the early death of Dugu Tuo, the burial will be conducted on an auspicious day. Thinking of the feelings in Weiyang, the memories are deeply sorrowful; he deserves a proper funeral to show respect, with the posthumous title of Zhengyi Dafu." The emperor still felt it was not enough and issued another decree: "The uncle's status is noble, and the family connection is significant, yet he passed away at a young age. In honor of his ancestors, his rank should be elevated, with the posthumous title of Yinqing Guanglu Dafu." Dugu Tuo had two sons: Dugu Yanfu and Dugu Yanshou. Dugu Di, who held the position of Governor of Youzhou, passed away at the onset of the Daye era during the Sui Dynasty and was posthumously awarded the title of Jinzi Guanglu Dafu and made Marquis of Pingxiang. In simple modern Chinese, this could be expressed as: Dugu Di, who held the position of Governor of Youzhou, passed away at the onset of the Daye era during the Sui Dynasty and was later posthumously awarded the title of Jinzi Guanglu Dafu and made Marquis of Pingxiang.
Xiao Kui, courtesy name Renyuan, was the grandson of Crown Prince Xiao Tong of Liang Zhaoming. His father, Xiao Cha, was initially appointed as King of Yueyang and stationed in Xiangyang. During the chaos of the Hou Jing Rebellion, his brother, Prince of Hedong Xiao Yu, and his uncle, Prince of Xiangdong Xiao Yi, had a bad relationship, resulting in Xiao Yu being killed by Xiao Yi. After Xiao Yi ascended the throne, Xiao Cha sought refuge in Western Wei and requested that they send troops to attack Xiao Yi. Emperor Taizu of Western Wei appointed Xiao Cha as King of Liang and sent General Yu Jin to lead fifty thousand cavalry to attack Xiao Yi and defeat him. Xiao Cha then established his capital in Jiangling, occupying Jingzhou and the western region of Pingzhou, with a territory stretching three hundred miles, proclaimed himself emperor, and adopted the same customs and attire as other emperors. He also appointed a governor of Jiangling and stationed troops there. After Xiao Cha's death, Xiao Kui succeeded to the throne, with the reign title Tianbao. Xiao Kui was handsome, eloquent, knowledgeable, and had a keen interest in studying Buddhist scriptures. After Emperor Wu of Zhou extinguished Northern Qi, Xiao Kui went to congratulate him. Emperor Wu of Zhou was delighted and personally played the pipa, asking Xiao Kui to dance. Xiao Kui said, "Your Majesty is personally performing; how could I possibly dance like a wild beast?" After Emperor Yang Jian proclaimed himself emperor, he bestowed even greater favor upon Xiao Kui, sending five hundred taels of gold, one thousand taels of silver, ten thousand pieces of cloth, and five hundred horses. When Xiao Kui attended court, Emperor Wu of Zhou respected him greatly, ordering that Xiao Kui's status be above that of the royal officials. Xiao Kui's exquisite attire and graceful demeanor attracted the attention of the emperor and the envy of the officials. He was rewarded with countless treasures. A month later, Xiao Kui returned to his fief, and Emperor Wu of Zhou personally bid him farewell at the Chan River.
Later, Emperor Wu of Zhou also grandly married his daughter to Xiao Kui's daughter, making her the Jin Princess, and intended to marry Princess Lanling to Xiao Kui's son, Xiao Yang. This shows that Emperor Wu of Zhou was growing closer to Xiao Kui. Empress Xian said to Emperor Wu of Zhou, "The Prince of Liang is one of our own, a trusted ally; why do we still need to be suspicious and guard against him?" Emperor Wu of Zhou agreed and thus cancelled the position of Jiangling General, allowing Xiao Kui to completely control his own country. A year later, when Xiao Kui appeared in court again, Emperor Wu of Zhou rewarded him with ten thousand pieces of silk and many treasures. When Xiao Kui left for his country, Emperor Wu of Zhou personally held his hand and said, "The Prince of Liang has been in Jingchu for so long, unable to return to the capital, feeling homesick; I understand very well. I intend to lead the army across the Yangtze River to send you back." After Xiao Kui thanked him, he left.
In May of the same year, Xiao Kui fell seriously ill. Before his death, he submitted a memorial to Emperor Wu of Zhou, saying, "I am foolish and incompetent, receiving your favor, rewards that exceed those given to other vassal kings; your grace is as great as Mount Tai. Even my children have received your kindness; my daughter became a Jin Princess, and my son is to marry a princess. I have always longed to don armor, charge into battle, defeat the enemy, and repay the court’s kindness. But my health is poor; I suddenly fell seriously ill and am about to leave this world. I can only silently express my gratitude for your kindness. I will forever leave the era of sage rule, my heart is filled with reluctance. My son is still young, and I humbly request your mercy. I wish you good health and the continued prosperity of the country; even in death, I will have no regrets." He also presented his gold sword that he wore. Emperor Wu of Zhou was very saddened upon seeing this. Xiao Kui reigned for twenty-three years and passed away at the age of forty-four. The officials of the Liang Dynasty posthumously bestowed upon him the title of Emperor Xiaoming and conferred upon him the temple name Shizong. His son, Xiao Cong, succeeded him. Xiao Kui authored "The Book of Filial Piety," "Commentary on the Book of Changes," and "The Profound and Subtle Teachings of the Great and Small Vehicles," consisting of fourteen volumes, which have been passed down through the ages.
Xiao Cong is a person who is gentle and refined, kind-hearted and magnanimous, open-minded and free-spirited, and is also well-educated and talented. He is also an exceptional equestrian. Once, he had people lie on the ground as targets, and he rode his horse galloping past, hitting all ten arrows right on target. The target holders were completely unfazed. He was initially given the title of King of Dongyang and later appointed as the Crown Prince of Liang. When he ascended to the throne as emperor, the emperor wrote him a letter that said: "You carry the heavy responsibility of governing the nation. Even if it is hard work, you must depend on your own efforts. Manage both internal and external relations effectively, appoint talented individuals, and continue to build upon the legacy of our ancestors. This is what I expect of you. Your borders are near the State of Chen; especially during the rainy season, it's crucial to bolster your defenses. Although Chen has recently paid tribute, the border areas are still not fully stable. You need to have confidence that 'they won't dare to invade easily,' and never underestimate the enemy or let your guard down. We have been on friendly terms with the State of Liang for generations, and with our family ties, our relationship is even deeper. The Jiangling region has many tribute materials; for the good of the country and its people, you should practice frugality, regularly distribute porridge to help those in need, and uphold your status through proper etiquette." The emperor also wrote a letter to the ministers of Liang, encouraging them to support Xiao Cong effectively.
At that time, Xiao Cong's era name was Guangyun. Some people said, "The character 'yun' implies that the army is in retreat. Is our emperor trying to escape everywhere?" That year, Xiao Cong sent General Qi Xin with the navy to attack the city of Gong'an in Chen Guo, but the attack failed, and they returned in disgrace. Later, the emperor summoned Xiao Cong's uncle Cen to the court, appointed him as Grand General, and bestowed upon him the title of Huaiyi Duke, then kept him in the court and did not allow him to return. The emperor also appointed a commander in Jiangling to supervise Xiao Cong. Xiao Cong's appointed general, Xu Shiwu, secretly contacted the Chen Guo general, Chen Ji, and conspired to rebel. As a result, the conspiracy was uncovered, leading Xiao Cong to execute Xu Shiwu. Two years later, the emperor summoned Xiao Cong to the capital, and Xiao Cong arrived in the capital with over two hundred officials. The people of Jiangling wept, saying, "Our emperor may not come back!" Upon Xiao Cong's arrival in the capital, the emperor dispatched General Cui Hongduo to station troops in Jiangling. When the army arrived in Yuezhou, Xiao Cong's uncle Yan and his brother Huan were afraid of a sudden attack by Cui Hongduo, so they conspired with Chen Guo forces to seize the city, leading to the fall of the Liang Dynasty. The emperor dispatched the Left Chancellor Gao Feng to suppress the rebellion, granted clemency to all death row inmates in Jiangling, and exempted the people from taxes for ten years. Each of the two emperors of the Liang Dynasty had ten families assigned to guard their tombs. The emperor appointed Xiao Cong as Pillar of the Nation and bestowed upon him the title of Duke of Jiguo.
After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended to the throne, he was very close to Xiao Cong, who was a relative of the empress. He was appointed as the Minister of State and later granted the title of Duke of Liang. Members of Xiao Cong's family, including cousins and above, were promoted and given important positions based on their abilities, so many of the Xiao brothers became court officials. Xiao Cong was indifferent to his official position and often drank after court sessions. The Minister of State, Yang Yue, was at the same level as Xiao Cong, and the emperor ordered Yang Yue to issue a warning to Xiao Cong. Yang Yue spoke to him in a familiar manner. Xiao Cong replied, "If I took everything seriously, how would that be any different from you?" Yang Yue laughed and left. Yang Yue's brother, Yang Su, was the Minister of Works then. When he saw that Xiao Cong had married his sister off to Qian Ershi, he said to Xiao Cong, "You are a relative of the emperor, from a noble family. How could you marry your sister off to Qian Ershi?" Xiao Cong replied, "I had already married my sister to Hou Mochen before. What’s so strange about that?" Yang Su said, "Qian Ershi is Qiang, while Hou Mochen is Xiongnu. How can they be compared?" Yang Su believed that Xiongnu were better than Qiang. Xiao Cong replied, "What’s the difference between the Qiang and the Xiongnu? I’ve never heard of that before." Yang Su felt embarrassed and didn't say anything more. Although Xiao Cong held a position in the court, he never bowed down to the powerful noble families in the north. He had a good relationship with He Ruobi, and after He Ruobi was killed, there was a children's rhyme that went, "Xiao Xiao is going to rise up too." Emperor Yang was wary of him because of this, so he removed him from office and sent him home. Not long after, he died and was posthumously appointed as Left Minister of Guanglu. His son, Xiao Xuan, served as the magistrate of Xiangcheng. Later, the emperor appointed Xiao Cong's nephew, Xiao Ju, as the Duke of Liang. Xiao Ju's nickname was Zang, and Emperor Yang favored him greatly, appointing him as a commander of a thousand soldiers to enter and leave the palace with Yuwen Shuo, overseeing internal and external affairs. Whenever the emperor held banquets, Xiao Ju was often present and committed many wrongdoings in the palace. During the Jiangdu Rebellion, he was killed by Yuwen Huaji.
Shen Qinwen, intelligent and quick-witted from a young age, was very good at writing. He earned a solid reputation as the governor of Jingzhou during the Liang Dynasty. Later, when Cui Hongdu led troops to attack Yuezhou, Shen Qinwen was afraid, so he fled to the Chen Dynasty alongside his uncle, Shen Yan. The Emperor of the Chen Dynasty appointed him as a Palace Attendant, General of Eastern Peace, and Governor of Wuzhou. He was very good at handling political affairs, deeply admired by the local populace, and praised as a gentleman by the people of the Sanwu region.
After the fall of the Chen Dynasty, the people of Wuzhou supported Shen Qinwen as their leader. Seeing that the emperors of the Liang Dynasty, Emperor Wu, Emperor Jianwen, as well as Xiao Cha and Xiao Kui, all became emperors as the third sons, and realizing that he himself was also the third son of Xiao Kui, he grew increasingly proud and arrogant. At that time, there was a man named Xie Yi, who was well-versed in the ebbs and flows of history. During the transition period between the Liang Dynasty and the Chen Dynasty, his prophecies were very accurate, and the people of Jiangnan respected him greatly. After Chen Shubao was captured, Xie Yi also turned to Shen Qinwen for support, so Shen Qinwen was even more supported by everyone.
The Duke of Baoguo of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Yuwen Shu, led troops to attack him. Shen Qinwen sent Wang Ai to guard Wuzhou while he personally led troops to resist Yuwen Shu. Yuwen Shu sent troops to sneak attack Wuzhou from another route. Wang Ai, in a panic, donned the robes of a Taoist priest and abandoned the city and fled. When Shen Qinwen's army heard this news, they lost their morale and were ultimately defeated by Yuwen Shu in battle. Shen Qinwen fled to Taihu with a few trusted followers, taking refuge in the homes of ordinary citizens. He was eventually captured, taken to Yuwen Shu, and executed in Chang'an. He was just twenty-one when it happened.
His younger brother, Shen Jing, served as a court official and as an imperial guard. Another younger brother, Shen Yang, held the titles of Weiwei Qing, Secretary of the Secretariat, and Marquis of Taoqiu. There was also another younger brother, Shen Yu, who served as an Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Interior and Prefect of Hechi.
The historical records state: those wise emperors, who are prudent in their planning, countries ruled by relatives and kin rarely enjoy long-lasting peace; those ruled by empress dowagers almost always meet with failure. From the Han Dynasty to the Jin Dynasty, there were frequent changes of dynasties and periods of turmoil, all because those in power did not follow the rules, resulting in their swift downfall. If Empress Dowager Dugu had wielded as much power as Empress Lv or Huo Guang, she would certainly have failed during the Renshou era; if the Xiao clan had wielded as much power as the Liang or Dou clans, they would not have survived beyond the Daye era! Some families today have retained their ancestral foundations, while others have even thrived more than their ancestors. Is this not due to their adherence to morality and their avoidance of power struggles and greed?
