Yang Wang, courtesy name Yuandu, was from Hongnong Huayin. His great-grandfather Yang Shun moved to Hedong. His father Yang Chen served as an official of the rank Yitong San Si, and when Yang Wang became successful, he posthumously granted his father the title of Duke of Pingxiang. Yang Wang was quite a handful as a child; he liked to fight with people, and no one he fought could hold their ground. As he grew up, he changed his temperament, studied diligently, specialized in the "Zuo Zhuan," and was well-versed in the "Three Rituals." He initially served as a reader under King Ji of Zhou, who held him in high regard and often remarked, "Yang is both virtuous and talented; he's my great teacher and friend!" Later, he studied etiquette under Shen Zhong and learned the "Book of Han" from Liu Zhen, both of whom praised him, saying, "We can't compare to him!" As a result, Yang Wang's reputation skyrocketed, and he rose through the ranks to become a senior officer in the Xia officialdom.
When Yang Guang became the Prime Minister under Emperor Yang of Sui, Yang Guang had him participate in military affairs and promoted him to be the Chief Minister of the Imperial Court. After Yang Guang became emperor, he appointed Yang Wang as the County Earl of Pingxiang, with a fief of two hundred households. Later, he served as the Minister of Works, Assistant Minister of War, and Chief Historian of Qingzhou, and everyone felt that he had strong administrative abilities. He later became the Left Deputy of the Ministry of Works, but was removed from his position due to a minor infraction. He then served as the Chief Historian of Jingzhou and Luozhou, and after handling public affairs, he would invite students to give lectures, earning accolades from his peers. After a few years, Yang Guang told the Grand Counselor Wang Da, "Help me find a suitable Left Deputy of the Ministry of Works." Wang Da privately told Yang Wang, "I want to recommend you as the Left Deputy; if it succeeds, I will give you a good piece of land!" Yang Wang relayed Wang Da's words to Yang Guang, and as a result, Wang Da was punished for this, while Yang Wang was appointed as the Left Deputy of the Ministry of Works. Yang Wang was well-versed in legal texts and decisive in his judgments, and everyone at the time regarded him as highly competent.
After Emperor Yang Guang ascended to the throne, Yang Wang was appointed as the Minister of Justice. On his second day in office, the emperor conducted a personal inspection of the prison. At that time, there were more than two hundred prisoners detained, and Yang Wang stayed up all night reviewing the cases. The next morning, he reported to the emperor, providing a clear and thorough explanation, which greatly pleased the emperor. A year later, he was appointed as the Sacrificial Official at the Imperial Academy. The emperor ordered all officials to study at the Imperial Academy and engage in discussions with Yang Wang. Renowned scholars from all over the country gathered there, engaging in intense debates, but none were able to out-argue Yang Wang. The emperor had the questions and answers recorded by the censor and presented to him, which made the emperor very happy and rewarded him with a fine horse. During the Daye period, Yang Wang held the position of Silver Seal Grandee. Later, Yang Xuangan led a rebellion in Henan, and Yang Wang participated in military efforts to suppress the rebellion against Pei Hongce. After their defeat, Pei Hongce privately discussed with Yang Wang on their way back but was subsequently killed by Fan Zigai, who then reported the situation to Yang Wang. The emperor grew suspicious of the incident and transferred Yang Wang to Liangjun as its prefect. At this time, Li Mi was approaching the Eastern Capital, and his forces frequently launched attacks on Liangjun. Yang Wang led the defense and consistently undermined the enemy's morale. After Emperor Yang Guang's death, Wang Shichong supported Prince Yang Tong's claim to the throne and appointed Yang Wang as the Minister of Personnel, demonstrating significant trust in him. When Wang Shichong proclaimed himself emperor, Yang Wang continued to serve him. After Wang Shichong was overthrown, Yang Wang was executed for being deemed an accomplice of Wang Shichong.
The historical records say that Lu Kai's advice was commendable, Ling Hu Xi governed the region effectively, Xue Zhou administered justice impartially, Yu Wen Bi was highly respected, Zhang Heng was known for his integrity, and Yang Wang was proud of his scholarship. However, all these people had a good start, but few could persevere until the end, just like a wall built nine feet high that eventually collapses from a single poorly placed basket of soil; what a shame! Loyalty is a good virtue, even when the wrong person is chosen, there may be problems, not to mention if you choose the wrong path and the wrong person. There's a saying that goes, "Don't be the leader of power, otherwise you have to take responsibility." Also, "Don't provoke trouble, don't cause chaos." Since Zhang Heng has provoked the root of trouble, he is actually the leader of power, and his actions are not timely; how can he avoid this fate?
In short, the historical records evaluate several officials: Lu Kai, Ling Hu Xi, Xue Zhou, Yu Wen Bi, Zhang Heng, and Yang Wang. All of them were quite capable; they all started well, but in the end, none of them could end well; they all ultimately failed. It's akin to building a house, stacking it up to nine feet high, but in the end, due to a single poorly placed basket of soil, it all collapses; such a pity! Loyalty is a good thing, but if used in the wrong place or with the wrong person, it becomes futile. Not to mention taking the wrong path and choosing the wrong person; that’s just inviting trouble. As for Zhang Heng, he brought trouble upon himself, became a leader, didn't listen to advice, and naturally, he ended up in dire straits!
