Wang Shiji, a native of Xinmi County, with ancestral roots in Chanxi. His father, Wang Ya, was a high-ranking official in the Zhou Dynasty, holding the positions of Commander-in-Chief and Chancellor of Yitong Sanqi, quite powerful! Wang Shiji was tall and mighty, with a waist circumference of ten units, radiating an impressive presence, clearly a capable individual. He achieved numerous military merits during the Zhou Dynasty, later being appointed as Upper Chancellor and granted the title of Duke of Changzi. When Yang Jian was Prime Minister of the Sui Dynasty, Wei Jiong rebelled, and Wang Shiji allied with Wei Xiaokuan to quell the rebellion, always leading the charge in battles and earning significant military accomplishments, ultimately being appointed as Grand General. When Yang Jian became Emperor, Wang Shiji was later granted the title of Duke of Yiyang. Gao Ke greatly admired Wang Shiji's talents and treated him exceptionally well. Once, Wang Shiji privately mentioned to Gao Ke, "We are all subjects of the Zhou Dynasty, but now that the Zhou Dynasty has perished, what are we to do now?" Upon hearing this, Gao Ke immediately rejected Wang Shiji's proposal. Shortly after, Wang Shiji was appointed as the Governor of Qizhou.
During the pacification of the Chen Dynasty, Wang Shiji led the navy from Qishui to launch a direct assault on Jiujiang. He fought a battle at Qikou against General Ji Tian of the Chen Dynasty, achieving a decisive victory! By this time, Prince Jin Yang Guang had already pacified Danyang, so Wang Shiji wrote to notify Yang Guang and sent his subordinate Qianjing Gong Quan Shizhang to attack Xinchai. Seeing the tide had turned against them, Chen Dynasty's Jiangzhou Sima Huang Sai directly fled, allowing Quan Shizhang to swiftly seize Jiangzhou City. Wang Shiji then arrived, and the Prefects of Yuzhang (Xu Di), Luling (Xiao Lian), Xunyang (Lu Zhongrong), Bashan (Wang Song), Taiyuan (Ma Ting), Qichang (Huang Zhongshi), Ancheng (Ren Guan), as well as the defenders of Poyang and Linchuan, all surrendered to Wang Shiji one after another.
Because of these military achievements, Wang Shiji was promoted to the position of Chief Minister and Governor of Jingzhou, rewarded with five thousand pieces of silk, and also given a precious belt and a land grant of three thousand households. Several years later, a man named Li Guangshi from Guizhou rebelled, and Wang Shiji was appointed as the commander to suppress the rebellion, which he quickly succeeded in doing. The emperor also sent the official Xinkaiqing to reward him. After Wang Shiji returned, he was subsequently promoted to Senior Chief Minister and rewarded with two thousand pieces of silk. The emperor held him in high regard.
The emperor felt that Yuan Shiji was too harsh, as many meritorious officials were disciplined by him. Therefore, Yuan Shiji spent his days drowning his sorrows in alcohol and stopped discussing state affairs with the ruling officials. The emperor suspected he might be addicted to alcohol, so he kept him in the palace for treatment for his drinking problem. Yuan Shiji pretended to have recovered from his illness and was allowed to return home.
Later, the court decided to send troops to Liaodong, and Yuan Shiji and the Prince of Han were appointed as military commanders. When they reached Liucheng, they encountered a plague and had to return to the capital. He was then appointed as the Governor of Liangzhou, and the court sent seven hundred cavalry to accompany him to his post. Not long after, one of his trusted subordinates, Huang Fuxiaoxie, committed a crime. When the authorities tried to arrest him, he fled to Yuan Shiji. Yuan Shiji refused to hand him over, leading to some tension. Eventually, Huang Fuxiaoxie was sent to serve as a border guard in Guizhou under the command of Linghu Xi, who also did not treat him well. Huang Fuxiaoxie struggled immensely and took a gamble by reporting Yuan Shiji to the emperor. He claimed that Yuan Shiji had consulted a fortune teller who predicted that he would one day become emperor and his wife would be empress. He also said that when Yuan Shiji led troops to Liangzhou, people around him suggested plotting something significant in the Hexi region, known for its elite soldiers. However, Yuan Shiji dismissed the idea, saying, "Liangzhou is vast and sparsely populated, not suitable for military campaigns."
Thus, Yuan Shiji was recalled by the court for investigation. The relevant authorities reported: "General of the Left Guard Yuan Min, General of the Right Guard Yuan Zhou, and Left Attendant Gao Feng all had dealings with Yuan Shiji and even received the famous horses he sent." Consequently, Yuan Shiji was executed, Yuan Min, Yuan Zhou, and others were dismissed, while Huangfu Xiaoxie was promoted to the rank of Senior General.
Yu Qingze, a native of Xi'an, Shaanxi, was of the Yu surname from his ancestors. His ancestors served in the Helian clan regime and later settled in Lingwu. For generations, his ancestors were renowned heroes of the North. His father, Yu Xiang, was the Prefect of Lingwu during the Zhou Dynasty. Yu Qingze grew up to be strong and mighty, with a bold and unrestrained character. Standing at eight feet tall, he had exceptional courage and intelligence, was able to speak Xianbei, and often donned heavy armor and carried two bows and arrows at his waist. Skilled in archery, he was held in awe by the local renowned warriors. Initially, he made a living by hunting, but later changed his path and dedicated himself to studying, looking up to figures like Fu Jiezi and Ban Chao.
He became an official in the Zhou Dynasty, starting as an Army Officer in an external prefecture and gradually rising to the position of Military Officer in an external army, inheriting the title of Count of Qinyuan County. In the first year of Xuanzheng, he was appointed as the General of the Righteous Guards and also served as the Chief Military Officer of Bingzhou. The following year, he was promoted to Kai Fu. At that time, the Jihu people often rebelled, and Prince Yue and the Interior Minister Gao Feng led troops to suppress the rebellion. As they were preparing to return to court, Gao Feng and Prince Yue discussed the need for a person skilled in both civil and military affairs to guard the area. They recommended Yu Qingze, and the court appointed him as the Governor of Shizhou. Yu Qingze was highly respected in Shizhou, renowned for his kindness and effective governance. Many Jihu people pledged their allegiance to him, amounting to over eight thousand households.
In the first year of the Kaihuang reign, Yu Qingze was promoted to Grand General and subsequently held positions as Grand Minister of the Interior, Minister of Personnel, and Governor of Jingzhao. He was granted the title of Duke of Pengcheng and was also responsible for overseeing the construction of the new capital city. In the second year, during winter, the Turkic tribes invaded, and Yu Qingze was appointed as the Marshal to lead the campaign against them. Unfortunately, there were problems during the campaign, with many soldiers suffering from frostbite, with over a thousand losing fingers. General Dachie Changru led two thousand cavalry to intercept the enemy from another route but ended up surrounded and in a critical situation. Despite this, Yu Qingze did not send reinforcements. Consequently, Dachie Changru fought valiantly but most of his soldiers perished. However, the Emperor did not blame him. Shortly after, Yu Qingze was promoted to the position of Right Minister in the Secretariat.
Later, the Turkic leader Shetou wanted to submit to the Great Sui Dynasty and requested a high-ranking official to welcome him. The Emperor sent Yu Qingze to meet with the Turkic leader. Shetou, initially arrogant due to his power, was severely reprimanded by Yu Qingze for his past actions, which infuriated him. Yu Qingze's follower, Zhangsun Cheng, persuaded Shetou, who, along with his brother Yehu, eventually accepted the edict of the Great Sui, pledged allegiance and requested to become a vassal state of the Great Sui, paying tribute to the dynasty. Before Yu Qingze's mission, the Emperor specifically directed him: "I want the Turkic tribes to continue to exist. When they send tribute horses, you only need to accept a third." Upon meeting Yu Qingze, Shetou unexpectedly gifted him a thousand horses and even married his daughter to him. Impressed by Yu Qingze's achievements, the Emperor did not investigate his previous mistakes in battle. He bestowed upon Yu Qingze the title of Upper Pillar of State, granted him the title of Duke of Lu, awarded him a thousand households in Rencheng County, and granted the title of Duke of Pengcheng to his second son, Yu Yi.
After Emperor Wen of Sui defeated the Chen Dynasty, he happily hosted a banquet in the Jin Prince's palace, inviting the ministers to drink and celebrate. Gao Feng and the others raised their glasses in a toast, and Emperor Wen said, "Gao Feng pacified the south of the Yangtze River, and Yu Qing subdued the Turks; these are all remarkable accomplishments!" Yang Su said, "These are all thanks to Your Majesty's favor!" Yu Qing also said, "Yang Su led troops in battles at Wulao and Xiashe; if it weren't for Your Majesty's favor, we wouldn't have achieved victory." The ministers began to praise one another's accomplishments. The censor intended to bring charges against them, but Emperor Wen said, "Today is a banquet celebrating victory; let's not bring charges against them today." Emperor Wen watched the ministers entertain themselves with archery, and Yu Qing said, "Your Majesty has rewarded us with food and drink, allowing us to enjoy ourselves, but the censor is right there; I'm worried I might be charged if I get drunk!" Emperor Wen then offered the censor some wine and sent him on his way. Yu Qing raised his glass in a toast, and everyone was very happy. Emperor Wen said to the ministers, "After drinking this cup of wine, I hope that my descendants and yours will enjoy wealth and glory for generations to come, just as we do today." Nine years later, Yu Qing was promoted to Right Guard General, and soon after, he was appointed as Right Martial General.
In the 17th year of the Kaihuang era, Li Xian, a man from Lingnan, rebelled, and Emperor Wen planned to send troops to suppress the rebellion. Several generals volunteered, but all were turned down. Emperor Wen looked at Yu Qingze and said, "You are a prime minister with a noble title; the country is being invaded, yet you show no desire to send troops. What’s going on?" Yu Qingze was taken aback and quickly expressed his gratitude, and Emperor Wen then sent him to suppress the rebellion. Yu Qingze was appointed as the commander of the military campaign in Guizhou, and he also brought his brother-in-law Zhao Shezhu as his assistant prefect. Zhao Shezhu had an affair with Yu Qingze's concubine, and fearing exposure, he spread rumors far and wide: "Yu Qingze doesn't want to go to war at all." This quickly reached Emperor Wen. Previously, when ministers went to war, Emperor Wen would host a banquet and give them gifts. But when Yu Qingze was about to depart for the southern expedition, Emperor Wen's face was not good, which made Yu Qingze feel discontented and unappreciated.
After suppressing Li Xian's rebellion and arriving at Lingui Town in Tanzhou, Yu Qingze observed the terrain there and said, "The terrain here is treacherous; as long as we have enough supplies and the defenders are trustworthy, the enemy cannot attack." So he sent Zhao Shezhu back to the capital in haste to report the situation and observe the Emperor's expression. When Zhao Shezhu arrived in the capital, he falsely accused Yu Qingze of plotting treason. Following an investigation by Emperor Wen, Yu Qingze was executed. Emperor Wen appointed Zhao Shezhu as a pillar of the state.
Qingze, this guy was filial and righteous, with a bold and chivalrous spirit in his youth. He later became a trusted confidant of the Prince of Jin and even attained the rank of Yitong Sanqi. Unfortunately, due to his father's actions, he was dismissed.
When Yang Guang became emperor, since Qing Ze had worked under the Prince of Jin before, he was appointed as the Chief of the Imperial Guards and also held the position of Supervisor of the Jingu, responsible for managing the imperial gardens. He had a lot of ideas, and the emperor held him in high regard. In the ninth year of his reign, during the campaign against Liao, he was appointed as the Director of Water Transport, responsible for transporting supplies, achieving significant success. However, he was too extravagant, even using camels to carry boxes filled with water to raise fish, which he then ate himself!
Ten years later, Qing Ze was accused of plotting against the emperor, and as a result, he was subsequently executed. His younger brother Chengdao, who was serving as a secretary in the Eastern Palace at the time, was also dismissed as a result of this incident. "Qing Ze was known for his filial piety and kindness, as well as his bravery and recklessness in youth; he rose through the ranks to become a trusted aide of the Prince of Jin. He was removed from office due to his father's involvement in a scandal. When Emperor Yang succeeded to the throne, he appointed Qing Ze as Chief of the Imperial Guards, also overseeing the Jingu supervision and managing the imperial gardens. He was clever and highly regarded. In the ninth year, during the campaign against Liao, he was appointed as the Director of Water Transport, achieving significant success. However, he was extravagant, using camels to carry boxes filled with water to raise fish for himself. In the eleventh year, Qing Ze was accused of plotting against the emperor and was subsequently executed. His younger brother Chengdao, a secretary in the Eastern Palace, was dismissed."
Yuan Zhou, a native of Luoyang, Henan, was the sixth generation grandson of Emperor Zhaocheng of Wei. His grandfather was the Prince of Puyang in the Wei Kingdom, and his father was the Prince of Wuling. Yuan Zhou was brave and courageous from a young age, skilled in martial arts, and handsome, not someone to be underestimated. When King Xian of Qi in the Zhou Dynasty saw him, he admired him greatly and kept him close, often taking him into battle. Later, he rose to the position of Grand General.
Gaozu was just summoned to the palace, preparing to take on a significant role. He first called for Yuanzhou, then summoned Tao Cheng, treating them as confidants and often letting them spend the night in the inner court. When Gaozu became Chancellor, he would bring his younger brother Yuanwei to guard him whenever he entered the palace with troops. When Zhao Wang of the Zhou Dynasty learned that Gaozu wanted to move the sacrificial cauldron used for Zhou Dynasty sacrifices, he invited Gaozu to his residence. Zhao Wang took Gaozu into the bedroom, not allowing anyone else to follow; only Yang Hong and the Yuanzhou brothers sat at the door. Zhao Wang said to his two sons, Yuan and Guan, "When you bring in the melons later, I will take the chance to kill him." As the wine got to his head, Zhao Wang wanted to make his move, using his dagger to cut the melon, eating and talking to Gaozu at the same time, preparing to attack him. Yuanzhou quickly said, "There are still matters at the prime minister's residence; we can't stay long." Zhao Wang scolded him, "I am speaking with the prime minister, what are you!" and dismissed him. Yuanzhou's eyes bulged with anger as he drew out his sword to protect Gaozu. Zhao Wang asked him his name, and Yuanzhou replied honestly. Zhao Wang said, "Weren't you the one who used to work under Prince Qi? You are truly a warrior!" So he gave him wine, saying, "What do I have to gain from this? Why are you so vigilant?" Zhao Wang pretended to vomit, wanting to go inside, but Yuanzhou, worried about his tricks, supported him to sit down again, repeating this several times. Zhao Wang said his throat was dry and asked Yuanzhou to fetch wine from the kitchen, but Yuanzhou did not move. At this time, Prince You of Teng arrived, and Gaozu went down the steps to greet him. Yuanzhou whispered to Gaozu, "The situation is not right; let's leave quickly!" Gaozu had not reacted yet, saying, "He has no troops or horses; what can he do?" Yuanzhou said, "All the troops and horses belong to his family. If he strikes first, it's all over. It wouldn't be a pity if I died!" Gaozu sat down again. Yuanzhou heard clanking armor coming from behind the house and quickly said, "There are many matters at the prime minister's residence; how can you do this?" He then helped Gaozu off the bed and quickly left. Zhao Wang tried to pursue them, but Yuanzhou blocked the door with his body, preventing Zhao Wang from leaving. Gaozu reached the door, and Yuanzhou followed. Zhao Wang was furious, banging the table so hard that his fingers bled. Eventually, Zhao Wang was killed, and Yuanzhou was rewarded handsomely.
After the founding emperor ascended the throne, he promoted Yuanzhou to the position of Grand Minister, granting him the title of Duke of Wuling with a fief of three thousand households. Later, he was promoted to Left Guard General, and shortly after, he was further promoted to Right Guard General. The founding emperor remarked casually, "Protecting my safety and establishing today's foundation are all thanks to Yuanzhou's efforts!" A few years later, Yuanzhou was appointed as the Inspector of Yuzhou, and later held positions as the Inspectors of Bozhou and Xizhou. At that time, the Turks often raided the borders, and because of Yuanzhou's reputation, the court appointed him as the Governor-General of Lingzhou, striking fear into the northern nomadic tribes. Later, he was recalled to the court and appointed as Right Guard General, with the emperor placing even more trust and reliance on him.
I remember one time on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the emperor and his courtiers were taking in the view from a high vantage point, and Yuanzhou happened to be on duty. The emperor urgently summoned him, and upon seeing the emperor, he said, "It's much better to be with you than with anyone else enjoying the view!" The emperor then threw a banquet, and everyone had a great time. Prince Jin, Yang Guang, also frequently paid his respects to Yuanzhou. Later, when Prince Fangling was deposed, Yuanzhou was part of the scheme.
During the emperor's severe investigation of the Eastern Palace, General of the Left Guard Yuan Min pleaded with the emperor, but Yang Su stirred up trouble. The emperor was furious and immediately arrested Yuan Min. Yuanzhou, who was on duty at the time, stayed at his post and instead reported, "The reason I did not leave my post was to guard against Yuan Min." This only made the emperor angrier, who ultimately killed Yuan Min and granted Yuanzhou a thousand bolts of silk. Later, Prince of Shu, Yang Xiu, got into trouble, and because of his association with Yang Xiu, Yuanzhou was dismissed from his position.
After Yang Guang became the emperor (Emperor Yang), Yuan Zhou was never given another chance. At that time, the Governor of Cizhou, Shangguan Zheng, was exiled to Lingnan for wrongdoing, and General Qiu He was dismissed from his position due to his crimes. Yuan Zhou and Qiu He were already acquainted and often hung out together. Once, after drinking too much, Yuan Zhou said to Qiu He, "Shangguan Zheng is quite a character. Now that he's been exiled to Lingnan, he won't be able to achieve anything big, right?" Then he patted his stomach and said, "If it were someone like you, he wouldn't just let it go like that!" The very next day, Qiu He rushed to report this to the emperor, and as a result, Yuan Zhou was executed. Later, Shangguan Zheng was appointed as the General of the Valiant Cavalry, and Qiu He was appointed as the Governor of Daizhou.
In historical records, it is said that if Han Xin hadn't missed his chance at Gaixia, Xiang Yu might never have been defeated; if Ying Bu hadn't stirred up trouble in Huainan, the power of the Han Dynasty wouldn't have risen so quickly. These two individuals had such great achievements, yet they were both killed in such tragic fates. What about those who didn’t do much but still felt disgruntled? Liang Shiyuan and Yuwen Xin were both famous warriors at the time, rising to fame in turbulent times with their bravery and strategies. They thought their accomplishments were all thanks to their own skills. Those handing out rewards grew tired of rewarding them, yet they were still not satisfied, wanting to rise up and chase their dreams. In the end, they ended up in ruin and disgrace, all of their own making.
Wang Yi, Yuan Xie, Wang Shiji, Yu Qingze, Yuan Zhou, and others have faced hardships, while others have a longstanding friendship with Liu Bang. However, once they achieved success and fame, they were gradually forgotten by Liu Bang. They felt deeply wronged and often thought highly of themselves. Although Liu Bang could be quite harsh, they were often impulsive in their words and actions, which led to their own troubles. You see, those who helped Liu Bang build his empire rarely ended well; only a handful were honored in the ancestral temple to receive worship from future generations. This was mainly because, in the early days of the new nation, things were chaotic, methods were harsh, and people were divided. As time went on, their bonds naturally weakened. Seizing land from the people was indeed wrong, but Liu Bang's actions were excessively harsh—how could they not harbor resentment? Using lofty justifications to punish them, Liu Bang's narrow-mindedness and excessive suspicion are quite evident. It’s incredibly difficult for their descendants to enjoy any blessings!
