Tian Shi, whose courtesy name was Xianbiao, was a person from the Fengyi region. His grandfather, Tian Anxing, and his father, Tian Changle, both served as governors of the county in the Wei Kingdom. Tian Shi had a strong and decisive personality, excelled in martial arts, and was unmatched in his combat skills.
During the reign of Emperor Ming of the Zhou Dynasty, at the age of eighteen, Tian Shi became a commander, leading the local militia. After a few years, he was promoted to the position of Governor of Weinan, where he governed with an iron fist, making all officials tremble in fear and none dared to violate the law. Later, he was appointed as the local governor, severed ties with former acquaintances, and refused all requests. Emperor Wu, upon hearing of his actions, admired him and promoted him to the title of Yitong Sanqi, granted him the title of Duke of Xindu County, and appointed him as the Inspector of Yanzhou. He accompanied the Emperor in pacifying the Qi Kingdom and was rewarded with the title of Kaifu for his contributions, later being transferred to the position of Inspector of Jianzhou and granted the title of Duke of Liangquan County.
After Emperor Gaozu seized power, Wei Jiong rebelled in Ye City, and Tian Shi followed Wei Xiaokuan to suppress the rebellion. Due to his military achievements, he was appointed as Grand General and elevated to the rank of Duke of Wushan County. After Emperor Gaozu ascended the throne, Tian Shi was appointed as the General Manager of Xiangzhou, where he prioritized establishing authority. Whenever he conducted official business outside, he adopted an intimidating demeanor towards his subordinates, making officials too afraid to meet his gaze. He showed no mercy to anyone who violated the law, even if they were his relatives or friends. When his son-in-law, Du Ning from Jingzhao, came to visit him from Chang'an, Tian Shi warned Du Ning not to wander around. Du Ning stayed for a long time and couldn't leave, so he secretly climbed the north tower to alleviate his homesickness. When Tian Shi found out, he administered fifty lashes to Du Ning. One of his favorite servants once reported to him with a bug crawling on his collar, and Tian Shi, feeling disrespected, immediately struck the servant dead on the spot.
Whether it is officials embezzling and taking bribes, or subordinates robbing and stealing, regardless of severity, he locked them up in dungeons, forcing them to sleep in filth and subjecting them to suffering; unless they died, they would never see the light of day again. Every time a pardon arrived at the state capital, before Tian Shi even had a chance to read it, he would first summon the jailer to execute the serious criminals and then announce the pardon to the people. His cruelty knew no bounds.
Therefore, he was rebuked by the emperor, dismissed from his official position, and became a commoner. Tian Shi was filled with shame and anger, refused to eat, and he would lash out at her when his wife came to visit, with only two attendants serving him. He asked for pepper from home in a desire to end his life, but his family refused to provide it. He secretly sent his attendants to the market to buy poison, but his wife seized it and disposed of it. Tian Shi lay there angrily. At that time, his son Tian Xin served as a court official, ran to Tian Shi in tears, and said, "Father, you are an old minister of the court, and you have not committed any major crimes. Many court officials have faced dismissal and humiliation, only to be reinstated later. Why can't you hold on? Why resort to such extremes?" Tian Shi suddenly sprang to his feet, drawing his sword to strike at Tian Xin, who quickly dodged, and the sword struck the doorframe. The emperor learned of this incident, believed that Tian Shi had shown deep remorse, and restored his official position and title. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed governor of Guangzhou, where he ultimately died in office.
Yan Rong, known by his courtesy name Guigong, was from Huayin, Hongnong. His father was a great general of the Zhou Dynasty. Yan Rong had a strong and strict personality, was a skilled martial artist, and served as a senior official during the Zhou Dynasty. He followed Emperor Wu in the campaign against the Qi kingdom, earned accolades, was appointed governor of Gaoyi County, and was granted the title of Duke. After Emperor Gaozu ascended the throne, Yan Rong was promoted to the rank of general, appointed as the Duke of Luocong, and later took on the role of governor of Jinzhou. He later followed Prince Hong of Hejian in the campaign against the Turks, earned further accolades, was elevated to the rank of Grand General, and subsequently promoted to governor of Qingzhou.
When Yan Rong was serving as an official in Qingzhou, he chose particularly strong individuals as squad leaders. Whenever an official or a commoner passed by, he would grill them. If he was not satisfied, he would whip them mercilessly, leaving them with split skin and exposed bones. The bandits were so scared that they dared not show themselves, and Qingzhou fell into peace. People from other states passing through Qingzhou were as scared as if they were facing bandits, and did not dare to stop and rest. The emperor was very pleased with Yan Rong's methods. Later, Yan Rong went to the capital to meet the emperor, who honored and encouraged him. Yan Rong's mother was aging, so he requested to only return to the capital once a year, which the emperor agreed to. Before leaving, the emperor held a banquet in the palace to entertain him and ordered the nobles to write poems to see him off.
During the war against Chen, Yan Rong was appointed commander of the marching army, leading the navy from Donglai along the coast to enter Lake Tai and attack Wu County. After capturing Danyang, the people of Wu proclaimed Xiao Rong as their leader, who set an ambush against the army in Jinling. They were defeated by Yu Wen Shu and retreated to Baoshan. Yan Rong led five thousand elite soldiers to pursue them, and Xiao Rong was defeated and captured, restoring peace to Jinling and Kuaiji. Yan Rong was appointed to govern Yangzhou, and shortly after was transferred to the position of Right Martial Marquis. When the Turks invaded, Yan Rong was appointed commander of the marching army, stationed in Youzhou. After his mother died, Yan Rong resigned from his post. The following year, he was appointed governor of Youzhou once again.
Yan Rong was cruel and imposing, and every one of the senior officials was terrified. The Lu family in Fanyang was a well-known noble family in the area, but Yan Rong intentionally humiliated them by assigning them to the most menial positions. He would whip his attendants for the slightest offense, often lashing them a thousand times until the ground ran with blood, while he casually ate and drank, completely unfazed. Once, while on patrol, he saw some thorns on the road and thought they would make excellent whips, so he had them cut down and used them to beat people. When someone claimed they had not done anything wrong, Yan Rong said, "If you mess up in the future, I'll let you off." Later, when this man made a minor mistake, Yan Rong wanted to punish him, but the man reminded him of his earlier words. Yan Rong replied, "I treated you this way even when you hadn't done anything wrong. So how much more should I do so now that you have?" And he went on to beat him mercilessly.
Yan Rong would go to the homes of any official or commoner's wife or daughter he heard was beautiful to assault them. He was greedy, cruel, and indulgent, growing more and more tyrannical. When Yuan Hongsi was appointed as the Chief of Youzhou, he feared Yan Rong's wrath and firmly declined the position. The emperor, upon learning of this, ordered Yan Rong to report, "Any punishment of more than ten strokes against Hongsi must be reported to me." Yan Rong angrily said, "This kid dares to play me!" He then sent Yuan Hongsi to supervise the food in the warehouse, punishing him harshly for even a speck of husk or bran. While each beating might not total ten strokes, he could be subjected to several beatings in a single day. This continued for several years, building resentment over the years, and eventually Yan Rong was imprisoned and his food supply cut off. Yuan Hongsi was hungry and cold, tearing the cotton stuffing from his clothes and swallowing it with water. His wife went to the palace to complain, and the emperor sent the Minister of Examination, Liu Shilong, to investigate. The investigation confirmed Yan Rong's cruelty, and he had committed many obscene crimes, so the emperor summoned him back to the capital and had him executed. Prior to this, several bushels of maggots inexplicably appeared in Yan Rong's bedroom, coming up from the ground. Not long after, Yan Rong died in the very spot where the maggots had shown up. He had a son named Yan Xun.
Zhao Zhongqing hailed from Tianshui Longxi, and his father was a general in the Zhou Dynasty. Zhao Zhongqing was hot-tempered but incredibly strong, and Prince Qi treated him especially well.
Accompanying the army to attack the Qi State, we successfully captured five cities: Linqin, Tongrong, Weiyuan, Fulong, and Zhangbi. Later, we engaged in battle against the Qi State general Duan Xiaoxian in Yaoyang City, fighting for many consecutive days, and finally defeated Duan Xiaoxian. Due to his significant contributions, he was appointed as the Grand Commander and later served as the emperor's guard. After pacifying the Qi State, he was promoted for his merits, becoming the Supervisor of Rites while simultaneously serving as the Prefect of Zhao County. Later, he went to the capital city and became a senior official.
When Wang Qian staged a rebellion, Zhao Zhongqing was stationed in Lizhou at that time, and together with the commander Dou Luji, they led troops to resist. Wang Qian attacked them, and Zhao Zhongqing led the troops into battle, engaging in a total of seventeen battles. Once Wang Qian was subdued, Zhao Zhongqing was promoted to Grand General and was granted the title of Count of Changyuan, with a fief consisting of one thousand households. When Emperor Gaozu ascended to the throne, he further elevated Zhao Zhongqing's title to Duke of Hebei.
In the third year of the Kaihuang reign, the Turks invaded the frontier, and Zhao Zhongqing followed Prince Hong of Hejian to fight at Helan Mountain. Zhao Zhongqing took an alternate route and returned without encountering any enemies. He was then sent to guard Pingliang and later served as the Inspector of Shizhou. He was notorious for his strict enforcement of the law, not sparing even minor mistakes, often whipping the chief clerk with two hundred strokes. The officials below were terrified; none dared to defy his orders, and even petty theft became a thing of the past; everyone said he was formidable.
He was later promoted to Inspector of Yanzhou, but before he could assume office, he was appointed as the commander of Shuozhou. At that time, there was a vigorous push for agricultural development along the northern border, and Zhao Zhongqing was in charge of management. If anyone slacked off, Zhao Zhongqing would summon them and administer harsh beatings to their chest and back, and at times, he would even strip them of their clothes and drag them into thorny bushes. People of that era described him as a fierce beast.
He works very efficiently, achieving bountiful harvests year after year, and the border guards no longer needed to rely on food supplies from the rear. Later, the Qimin Khan of the Turks wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Sui Dynasty, and the emperor agreed. Zhao Zhongqing seized this opportunity to sow discord among the Turks, inciting them to turn against one another.
In the seventeenth year, Qimin Khan found himself in a desperate situation and was forced to flee, seeking refuge in Hanzhen alongside the Sui envoy Chang Sun Cheng. Zhao Zhongqing led more than a thousand cavalry to support them, but he was cautious and did not dare to approach too closely. He secretly dispatched agents to lure Qimin Khan's subordinates, and over twenty thousand households surrendered.
That same year, Zhao Zhongqing accompanied General Gao Feng on the White Road to launch an attack on Datou. Zhao Zhongqing led three thousand troops as vanguard, encountered the enemy at Zuli Mountain, fought for seven days and nights, achieving a resounding victory. They pursued the enemy to Qifu Po, where they fought another battle, capturing over a thousand prisoners and seizing countless livestock. The Turks poured out, and Zhao Zhongqing arranged his troops into a square formation to confront the enemy from all sides. After five days of fierce fighting, Gao Feng's army finally arrived to join the attack on the enemy, forcing the Turks to flee in defeat.
They continued to pursue the enemy along the White Road, crossed the Qin Mountains, covering over 700 li. At that time, over ten thousand Turkish households had surrendered, and the emperor commanded Zhao Zhongqing to resettle them in Heng'an. Due to his remarkable achievements, Zhao Zhongqing was promoted to the rank of Shangzhuguo and was rewarded with three thousand rolls of cloth.
The court feared that Datou might attack Qimin Khan, so they ordered Zhao Zhongqing to station twenty thousand troops as a precaution. Han Hong, the governor of Daizhou, Li Yaowang, the Duke of Yongkang, and Liu Long, the governor of Weizhou, each led ten thousand infantry and cavalry to also station in Heng'an. Datou launched an invasion with a hundred thousand cavalry, but Han Hong's forces were defeated. Zhao Zhongqing departed from Lening Town to confront them and killed more than a thousand enemy soldiers.
In the second year, Zhao Zhongqing urged the construction of the city of Jinhe and the town of Dingxiang, and resettled Qimin Khan. At that time, someone reported Zhao Zhongqing's cruelty. The emperor sent the imperial censor Wang Wei to investigate. After investigating the matter, given Zhao Zhongqing's considerable contributions, he was not punished. The emperor reassured him, saying, "I know you are upright, just disliked by subordinates." He also granted him five hundred bolts of cloth. Zhao Zhongqing grew even more arrogant, which ultimately led to his dismissal. During the Ren Shou era, he held the position of Minister of Agriculture. When King Yang Xiu of Shu offended the emperor, Zhao Zhongqing was ordered to investigate in Yizhou. Everywhere Yang Xiu's guests passed, Zhao Zhongqing strictly enforced the law, resulting in the punishment of many local officials. The emperor acknowledged his exceptional abilities and rewarded him with fifty servants, two hundred taels of silver, five thousand shi of grain, and many treasures. After Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty ascended the throne, Zhao Zhongqing became the Minister of War and Minister of Works. He died that same year at the age of sixty-four, posthumously honored with the title "Su," and was awarded five hundred bolts of cloth. His son Zhao Hong inherited his title. Cui Hongdu, also known by his style name Moheyen, was from Anping, Hebei. His grandfather Cui Kai held the position of Minister of Works in the Wei Kingdom, and his father Cui Shuo served as the Governor of Fuzhou during the Zhou Dynasty. Cui Hongdu was naturally strong, tall, and imposing, sporting thick eyebrows and a bushy beard, with a rather stern personality. At the age of seventeen, Yuwen Hu, the Grand Chancellor of the Zhou Dynasty, recognized his potential and appointed him as a trusted confidant. He quickly rose through the ranks to become a commander, eventually attaining the title of Grand Commander.
At that time, Yuwen Hu's son, Duke Yuwen Xun of Zhongshan, was appointed as the Governor of Puzhou, with Cui Hongdu following him. Once, when they climbed a tower together and reached the highest level, approximately four to five zhang above ground, looking down, Yuwen Xun exclaimed, "How frightening!" Cui Hongdu retorted, "What’s so scary about it?" and then he jumped down swiftly without a scratch. Yuwen Xun was amazed at his agility. Later, due to his military achievements, Cui Hongdu was appointed as an Yitong official. He served under Emperor Wu of Zhou in defeating Northern Qi, received promotions and titles, becoming Shang Kaifu official and Duke of Ye County, and was awarded three thousand bolts of cloth, three thousand stones of grain, a hundred servants, and countless livestock. Subsequently, he served under Duke Yuwen Shenju of Runan in defeating Lu Changqi in Fanyang.
After Emperor Xuan of Zhou ascended the throne, he accompanied Duke Wei Xiaokuan of Yunguo to pacify the rebellion in Huainan. Cui Hongdu, Yuwen Xin, and Helou Zigang arrived at Feikou, where General Pan Chen of the Chen Dynasty led several thousand troops in resistance, establishing a formation across the river. Yuwen Xin sent Cui Hongdu to persuade surrender, explaining the stakes, resulting in Pan Chen fleeing under the cover of night. Later, during the attack on Shouyang, the defending general of the Chen Dynasty, Wu Wenli, surrendered, with Cui Hongdu playing a pivotal role. Due to these military achievements, he was promoted to Senior General, inheriting his father's title as Duke of Anping County. When Wei Jiong rebelled, the court appointed Cui Hongdu as the Expedition Commander, following Wei Xiaokuan to suppress the rebellion. Cui Hongdu recruited several hundred brave warriors from Chang'an to form an elite unit that was unstoppable in battle.
Cui Hongdu's sister married Yu Jiong's son. When Ye City was breached, Yu Jiong had no way out and climbed to the top of the city tower. Cui Hongdu pursued him closely, heading straight for the tower's peak. Yu Jiong bent his bow and prepared to shoot Cui Hongdu, who removed his helmet and said, "Do you still recognize me? Today we each serve our own master and cannot consider personal feelings. Considering our kinship, I advise you to lay down your weapons and not let the soldiers harm the people. The situation is already settled, so you might want to think about your future sooner rather than later. What are you waiting for?" Yu Jiong threw his bow down, cursed the chancellor, and then took his own life. Cui Hongdu told his brother Cui Hongsheng, "Go and take Yu Jiong's head." Cui Hongsheng then beheaded Yu Jiong. As a result, Cui Hongdu was promoted to the rank of State Pillar. At that time, generals in command of military forces were usually enfeoffed as dukes, but because Cui Hongdu did not kill Yu Jiong in time and allowed him to say some unpleasant words, he was demoted by one rank and enfeoffed as Duke of Wuxiang County.
In the early years of the Kaihuang reign, the Turkic tribes invaded, and Cui Hongdu, as a general in command of military forces, defended the region of Yuanzhou. After the Turks retreated, Cui Hongdu moved his forces to Lingwu, returned a month later, and was appointed as the governor of Huazhou. He also arranged for his sister to marry Prince Xiao of Qin. Shortly after, he was promoted to the commanding general of Xiangzhou. Cui Hongdu had always been in a prominent position, was very strict with his subordinates, and was quick to punish them. Officials were very afraid of him and would tremble at the mere sound of his voice. Wherever he went, there was order, and crime vanished. When Prince Liang Xiao Cong came to visit the emperor, the emperor appointed Cui Hongdu as the commanding general of Jiangling, stationed in Jingzhou. Before Cui Hongdu assumed command, Xiao Cong's uncle Yan Yong stirred up a rebellion among the locals, and Cui Hongdu was unable to catch up. The people of the Chen dynasty were very afraid of Cui Hongdu and didn't dare to even peek at Jingzhou. In the campaign against the Chen dynasty, Cui Hongdu, as the commanding general, followed Prince Xiao of Qin out of Xiangyang. After the Chen dynasty was destroyed, he was awarded five thousand bolts of cloth.
When Gao Zhihui and others rebelled, he was appointed commander of the army, marched troops out of Quanmen, and was under the command of Yang Su. Cui Hongdu and Yang Su held the same official positions, but Cui Hongdu was older than Yang Su. Yang Su always made him take a subordinate role, which left Cui Hongdu feeling quite uneasy. Yang Su did not accept many of his suggestions. Nevertheless, Yang Su was fairly lenient with him. After suppressing the rebellion, Cui Hongdu was appointed governor of Yuanzhou and also served as the commander of the army to guard against the Turks. He successfully prevented the Turks from invading, and the emperor highly appreciated him, arranging for his brother's daughter to marry the Prince of Henan. During the Renshou period, Cui Hongdu was appointed Minister of Finance. His family had two daughters who became princesses, but he remained humble despite this. He often reminded his subordinates, "One should be honest and forgiving, and never deceive others." Everyone agreed.
Once, Cui Hongdu was eating soft-shelled turtle, with seven or eight attendants serving him. Cui Hongdu questioned each of them, "Is the turtle delicious?" The attendants were very afraid and all said yes. Cui Hongdu shouted, "How dare you servants lie to me? You haven't even eaten it, how do you know if it's delicious?" He then had each of them receive eighty lashes. Officials and craftsmen who witnessed this were sweating profusely and dared not deceive him again. At that time, there was also a strict official named Qu Tutai. A saying circulated in Chang'an city: "Rather drink three liters of vinegar than see Cui Hongdu; rather eat three liters of mugwort than encounter Qu Tutai." Cui Hongdu was equally strict at home as he was in his official duties. His descendants' hair went gray, and he often scolded and beat them. The family discipline was exceptionally strict, and people at the time praised him highly.
Shortly after, the Qin King’s consort was executed for her wrongdoing, and the Queen of Henan was also deposed. Cui Hongdu fell ill from grief and indignation, and requested leave from the court to stay home. His brothers had all moved away, and he grew increasingly despondent. When Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, the Prince of Henan became the Crown Prince, and the Emperor intended to reinstate a member of the Cui family as consort, sending envoys to deliver the decree. When the envoy arrived at the home of Cui Hongsheng, Cui Hongdu was unaware of the matter. Upon the envoy's return, the Emperor asked, "What did Cui Hongdu say?" The envoy replied, "Cui Hongdu said he was sick and couldn't get up." The Emperor remained silent, and the matter was left to linger. Overwhelmed by grief and indignation, Cui Hongdu passed away shortly thereafter.
Hongsheng, styled Shangke, held a position equivalent to a senior official during the Zhou Dynasty. Later, when Wei Jiong rebelled in Xiangzhou, he and his brother Hongdu led troops to fight, achieved great success, and were appointed as Upper Yitong officials, with their ranks elevated. Shortly after, he was promoted to Kaifu, titled as the legitimate Marquis of Huangtai County, with a fief of eight hundred households.
After the founding emperor ascended the throne, Hongsheng's title was elevated to Duke, and he was appointed as the General of Cavalry, a highly esteemed military position. He served as a palace guard in the imperial palace for over a decade, and due to his status as a veteran, he was appointed as the Governor of Cizhou, equivalent to a top local official. After a few years, he was transferred to Zhengzhou as the Governor. Although his title did not change, Zhengzhou was more important than Cizhou. As his ties to the imperial family strengthened, his待遇 improved, and he was promoted to the Governor-General of Xiangzhou, with a larger jurisdiction. Sadly, his fortunes took a turn, as he was dismissed from office due to the Queen of Henan's error.
After Yang Guang became emperor, Hong Sheng was restored to his former position and successively served as the Governor of Jizhou, the Prefect of Xindu, and was even promoted to the prestigious position of Grand Master of the Yellow Gate, a high-ranking civil official title. Later, he was transferred to be the Prefect of Zhuo Commandery. During the war in Liaodong, he was temporarily appointed as the Left General of the Guards and was responsible for attacking Pyongyang. However, they lost the battle, and he and Yu Wen Shu, along with others, returned in disgrace. Shortly after, he fell ill and died at the age of sixty.
Yuan Hongsi, a native of Luoyang in Henan, was the grandson of the Prince of Yuyang from the Wei Dynasty and the son of the Duke of Yuyang from the Zhou Dynasty. At a young age, Hongsi inherited his title and became the Left Imperial Guard at the age of eighteen. In the ninth year of Kaihuang, he fought alongside the Prince of Jin to suppress the Chen Dynasty and was granted the title of Shang Yitong in recognition of his achievements.
In the fourteenth year, he was appointed as the Chief Administrator of Guanzhou. While serving in Guanzhou, he was known for his strictness, which bred resentment among his subordinates. In the twentieth year, he was transferred to be the Chief Administrator of Youzhou. At that time, Yan Rong was the Governor of Youzhou and often bullied Hongsi, even often resorting to physical abuse. Feeling aggrieved, Hongsi was imprisoned by Yan Rong, who intended to kill him. After Yan Rong was executed, Hongsi took power and ruled with even greater severity. During interrogations, he often forced vinegar into the nostrils of prisoners or used bamboo sticks to torture their lower bodies, ensuring that no one dared to hide the truth and suppressing corrupt practices.
As the Ren Shou era was coming to an end, he was appointed as the Director of Woodworkers and tasked with construct
In the second year, the emperor launched another military campaign against Liaodong. Just then, the Turks were raiding Longyou. The emperor ordered Hongsi to lead an attack against them. When Xugan rebelled and approached the Eastern Capital, Hongsi stationed his forces in Anding. He was accused of conspiring to support Xugan. Prince Yang You sent agents to arrest him and bring him to the emperor's location. Although there was no evidence of his rebellion warranting his release, the emperor remained suspicious. He stripped him of his position and exiled him to Jinan. Hongsi died on the way there at the age of forty-nine. He had a son named Renguang.
Wang Wentong hailed from Yingyang County, located near the capital. He was intelligent, good at distinguishing right from wrong, and very talented. During the reign of Sui Emperor Wen, he was bestowed the title of Yitong upon him for his military accomplishments and soon appointed as the Sima of Guizhou. After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, he summoned him to the capital to serve as a Gentleman of the Yellow Gate. However, because Wang Wentong offended the emperor, he was demoted to the position of county magistrate of Hengshan.
There was a very arrogant and overbearing man in Hengshan County who frequently harassed local officials. The previous county magistrates feared him and felt powerless against him. As soon as Wang Wentong arrived, he quickly summoned this notorious man and reprimanded him. Then, he had workers fashion a
Later, Emperor Yang of Sui launched a military campaign against Liaodong and ordered Wang Wentong to inspect various counties in Hebei. When Wang Wentong saw the vegetarian monks reciting scriptures, he believed them to be demons and monsters, and arrested them all and locked them up. When he arrived in Hejian County, he summoned officials from various counties, and those who arrived a little late were all tackled to the ground and beaten to death with clubs. He considered several hundred monks and elders gathered to discuss scriptures and engage in Buddhist activities as a threat, and he killed them all. He stripped the monks and nuns bare for inspection and discovered thousands of inappropriate relationships between men and women, all of whom he executed. The wails of men, women, and children echoed throughout the county, and the counties were terrified and quickly reported to the court.
The emperor was furious upon hearing this and sent an envoy named Da Xishanyi to escort Wang Wentong. In Hejian County, he had him publicly beheaded to quell the people's anger. Wang Wentong's enemies dug open his coffin, cut off his flesh, and devoured it all quickly.
Historical records comment: Good governance doesn’t rely on complex strategies; good politics does not depend on harsh punishments. Therefore, although both leniency and severity are used, with rewards and punishments clearly distinguished, the best governance is one that does not require harsh punishment to make the people obedient, as valued by wise rulers of the past. People like Wang Wentong, under an emperor like Emperor Yang of Sui, in that era without particularly vicious and cunning individuals, he was devoid of moral understanding and filled with cruelty. He treated people like wood and stones, disregarding human life, treating them worse than sacrificial dogs. He committed countless atrocities, never repented, and ultimately either faced execution or died in despair. All honest people see this as the cycle of justice! Alas! Later scholars and officials, even if they cannot achieve high positions and wealth like Zigao, must they also have their mothers mourn their sons’ graves while tending to their own?
