In Hejian, there was a man named Yin Shi, known for his vast knowledge and writing skills. He became famous at a young age. During the reign of Ren Shou, he served as the court historian for the Han king, who highly valued him. Later, after the Han king's defeat, Yin Shi took his own life. His relatives, Zheng Qing and Yan Qing, were also highly talented and well-respected.
In Hejian, there was also a man named Liu Shanjing, who was well-versed in various subjects and particularly adept at writing. He held official positions such as literary assistant and prince's attendant. He authored "Chou De Chuan," comprising thirty volumes, "Zhu Liu Pu," also in thirty volumes, and "Si Sheng Zhi Gui," in one volume, which gained wide circulation.
Zu Junyan from Fanyang was the son of Minister of Works, Xiaozheng, of the Qi Dynasty. He was short and spoke awkwardly, but was very talented. In the late years of the Sui Dynasty, he became the book assistant of Dongping County. When Zhai Rang attacked the county, it eventually fell into the hands of Li Mi. Li Mi treated Zu Junyan with great respect, appointing him as his historian. He was responsible for drafting all the military documents. After Li Mi's failure, Zu Junyan was killed by Wang Shichong.
Kong Deshao from Kuaiji was highly talented and served as the magistrate of Jingcheng County. After Dou Jiande proclaimed himself king, he appointed Kong Deshao as the chief of the imperial library, tasked with drafting official documents. After Dou Jiande's failure, Kong Deshao was killed.
Liu Bin from Nanyang was also quite literary and held the position of writing assistant in Xindu County. Dou Jiande appointed him as Liu Tai's attendant. After Dou Jiande's failure, he fled to the Turks with Liu Tai, and his fate remains unknown.
The historical texts record that Wei Wen Di once remarked, "Most literati, ancient and modern alike, often overlook the subtleties of their conduct. Few can stand on their own merits and integrity." This statement is true! Individuals such as Wang Zhou, Yu Chuo, Cui Hua, and Xiao Yi tend to be either arrogant, neglecting worldly matters because of their talents, or possess good knowledge but face unfortunate fates with low official positions, which leads to feelings of frustration and resentment. They are discontented, have unstable ambitions, look down upon officials and nobles, and are easily cast aside or offend others because of their eccentric behavior. This is not just exemplified by figures like Zhao Yi from Hanyang and Mi Heng from Pingyuan. Therefore, they often end up with regrets and seldom find a peaceful resolution. However, their knowledge is vast, and their writing is exquisite, like a branch in the Denglin forest or a precious jade from Mount Kun. During the Sui Dynasty's unification of the realm, many talents emerged, but only a handful were truly exceptional. The three brothers of Zheng Xuan were among them, both exceptionally talented, which is no small feat!
