Zheng Yi, whose courtesy name is Zhengyi, is a native of Kaifeng, Henan. His grandfather Zheng Qiong served as the Grand Preceptor of the Wei Kingdom, and his father Zheng Daoyong was the Minister of Works in the Wei Kingdom. Zheng Yi was quite cultured, knowledgeable about music, and skilled in horseback riding and archery; he was a true polymath. His great-grandfather Zheng Wenkuan married the Princess of Pingyang of the Wei Kingdom, who was the younger sister of Emperor Yuan, the founder of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. As this princess had no children, Emperor Yuan adopted Zheng Yi as her son. Therefore, Zheng Yi enjoyed Emperor Yuan's favor from a young age and often played with the emperor's sons.
When he was in his teens, Zheng Yi once visited the Prime Minister's Mansion and was playfully teased by the Chief Scribe Li Changzong in front of everyone. Zheng Yi quickly composed himself and said to Li Changzong with all seriousness, "Your position is honorable; we younger generations admire you so much, and you are teasing me like this, isn't that a bit out of line?" Li Changzong then regarded him with newfound respect. Later, after Zheng Wenkuan had two more sons, Zheng Yi returned to live with his biological parents.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Zhou Dynasty, he initially served as a junior official, and was later promoted to the position of Silver and Blue Grand Minister, and then transferred to the position of Left Attendant. He and Yitong Liu Fang often served by the emperor's side. After his wife passed away, the emperor ordered him to marry Princess Liang Angu. When the emperor personally handled state affairs, he was promoted to the position of Yuzheng Xia Daifu, and shortly after transferred to the position of Palace Intendant of the Crown Prince. At that time, the Crown Prince had many faults, and Wuwanguigui, the Grand Minister of Internal Affairs, often advised the emperor to depose the Crown Prince and install the Prince of Qin, which made the Crown Prince increasingly anxious. Later, the emperor ordered the Crown Prince to campaign against the Tuyuhun, and the Crown Prince confided in him, saying, "The Prince of Qin is the emperor's most beloved son, and Wuwanguigui is the emperor's most trusted minister. If I go to battle now, will it be like what happened to Fusu?" He replied, "I hope Your Highness will focus on showing filial piety and not lose sight of your duties as a son, without worrying about anything else." The Crown Prince listened to his words. After quelling the rebellion, in recognition of his significant contributions, he was granted the title of Kaiguozi, with a fief of three hundred households. Later, due to his close relationship with the Crown Prince, the emperor became furious and reduced him to commoner status. The Crown Prince summoned him back, and he remained as close to the Crown Prince as ever. He also said to the Crown Prince, "When will Your Highness be able to control the world?" The Crown Prince was very happy and became even closer to him. When the emperor passed away, the Crown Prince ascended the throne, becoming Emperor Xuan. He was immediately appointed as Kaifu, Neishi Xia Daifu, granted the title of Duke of Guichang County, with a fief of one thousand households, and entrusted with court affairs. Shortly after, he was promoted to Neishi Shang Daifu, elevated to Duke of Pei, with a fief of five thousand households. His sons were also enfeoffed, with Shanyuan appointed as Duke of Guichang, and Yuancong appointed as Baron of Yong'an County, and he was also tasked with supervising the compilation of national history. He held considerable power, and once when the emperor went to the eastern capital, he secretly appropriated government materials to construct his own mansion, which resulted in yet another demotion to commoner status. Liu Fang advocated for him several times before the emperor, and the emperor summoned him back and treated him as he had before. The emperor assigned him to oversee internal affairs.
He rose through the ranks from a humble attendant, with his official position getting higher and higher at an envy-inducing speed! First, he was appointed as a Silver Grand Master of the Qilin, then promoted to Left Attendant Senior Officer, gaining proximity to the emperor, serving alongside Liu Fang. Later, after his wife passed away, the emperor even married Princess Liang Angu to him, what an incredible privilege!
After the emperor took the reins, his career soared even higher, becoming an Imperial Secretary, Prince's Palace Intendant, with one official title after another coming his way. However, at that time, the prince was struggling, and the Grand Master of the Interior, Wu Wan Gui, kept advising the emperor to depose the prince and crown Prince Qin instead. Can you blame the prince for being anxious? When the prince went on a campaign to the west against the Tuyuhun, he quietly asked him if he would be killed like Fusu; he reassured the prince to stay calm and focus on his duties. As a result, the prince won the battle, and he was rewarded for it, truly impressive!
However, the good times didn't last, because of his close relationship with the prince, he was demoted to a commoner in a fit of rage from the emperor. The prince summoned him back, and he kept doing his own thing, even discussing with the prince when they could take control of the world, talk about boldness! After the emperor's passing, the prince ascended the throne, and he immediately rose again, being appointed as a Duke, Grand Master of the Interior, and Duke of Guichang County, entrusted with court affairs, what a turn of fortune! Later, he was promoted and honored, and his son also benefited from his success, even overseeing the national history compilation, holding significant power! Unfortunately, in the end, due to using official materials to build his mansion without permission, he was once again demoted to a commoner. But Liu Fang always had his back with the emperor, and he was eventually reinstated, which shows he still had solid connections!
In the beginning, Yang Jian (Gaozu) and Yang Su were classmates, and Yang Su had long known that Yang Jian would have a great future, so the two had a very good relationship. Later, Yang Jian was viewed with suspicion by Emperor Xuan and, feeling uneasy, secretly told Yang Su, "I've wanted to leave the capital to become a feudal lord for a long time, and you know this. I've shared all my thoughts with you, so please keep an eye on it for me." Yang Su replied, "Based on your achievements and reputation, everyone in the world respects you. I won't forget that. I will definitely speak up for you."
At that time, the court was preparing to send Yang Su to the south to fight, and Yang Su also made a suggestion. The emperor asked him, "What do you think?" Yang Su said, "To take down Jiangdong, we must send a royal relative or a highly respected minister to guard it in order to stabilize the situation. We can send Duke Sui (Yang Jian) there and let him be the governor of Shouyang, in charge of military command." The emperor agreed. So he issued a decree appointing Yang Jian as the governor of Yangzhou, and Yang Su led the troops to Shouyang to fight the Chen dynasty.
After a few days, the emperor was still worried, so he discussed with the court official Liu Fang, with the intention of having Yang Jian deceived back to the capital to control him. Not long after, Yang Su read out the emperor's decree, and all civil and military officials obeyed Yang Jian's command. At this time, the court official Yan Zhiyi conspired with the eunuchs in the palace, intending to have General Yuwen Zhong assist in governance. Yuwen Zhong had already made his way to the emperor's side, and upon learning this, Yang Su immediately rushed in with the Grand Tutor Yang Hui, Liu Fang, Huang Fu Ji, and Liu Qiu. When Yuwen Zhong and Yan Zhiyi saw them, they were frightened and tried to escape, but were caught by Yang Jian. So, Yang Su falsely proclaimed an imperial edict and elevated himself to the position of Grand Master of the Interior.
On the second day, Yang Jian became the Prime Minister, and Yang Su was appointed as the Pillar of the State and became the Chief Historian, also overseeing the affairs of the High Officials of the Interior. When Yang Jian became the Grand Chancellor and held the power of the court, he allowed Yang Su to also lead the Ministry of Heaven and manage the affairs of six ministries. Yang Su entered and exited the imperial palace, listening to all of Yang Jian's words, and the rewards of gold, silver, and treasures were beyond counting. Every time Yang Su traveled, there were soldiers escorting him. Yang Su's son, Yang Yuanshu, was also appointed as an Assistant. At that time, Wei Jiong, Wang Qian, Sima Xiaonan, and others rebelled, making Yang Jian even closer to Yang Su. Soon, Yang Su was promoted to Upper Pillar of the State, and despite committing ten capital crimes, he was pardoned.
It is said that this interpreter had a careless attitude towards work, was not serious or responsible, and as a result, things were a complete mess. Although Emperor Gaozu had some opinions about him and didn't treat him well behind closed doors, considering his previous merits, he did not want to dismiss him directly, so he secretly told his subordinates to keep things from him. So the interpreter just sat in his office all day, avoiding any responsibilities.
The interpreter was also afraid and quickly knelt down and begged the Emperor to allow him to resign. Emperor Gaozu was gracious, offering him some comforting words along with many favors. After Emperor Gaozu abdicated, he was granted the title Duke of the Pillar State, permitted to retire comfortably at home, and received many rewards. His son Yuanshu was appointed as the Duke of Chenggao County, with an estate of two thousand households, and another son Yuansun was appointed as the Baron of Yong'an. His father and late brother were also posthumously honored with titles of provincial governors.
The translator always felt that the emperor had opinions about him, so he secretly invited a Taoist priest to conduct a blessing ritual. As a result, the maid in his household reported him, saying that he was superstitious and practiced sorcery. The emperor asked him, "Have I treated you unfairly? What kind of performance is this?" The translator was speechless and didn't know how to respond. Later, he separated from his mother, was impeached by the Imperial Censorate, and was eventually dismissed from office. The emperor issued a decree, saying, "This translator hasn't contributed any good ideas or strategies, but has done a lot of bad things, causing quite a stir with his notorious practices of selling offices and prisons, which is well known. If he remains in the court, he would be an unfaithful and unjust minister; if he is killed, he would be an unfilial ghost after death. His situation is really difficult to handle! Give him a copy of the 'Book of Filial Piety' and let him read it carefully!" He was then allowed to live with his mother again.
Not long after, the emperor issued a decree for him to participate in revising laws and granted him the position of Longzhou Governor and the title of Palace Attendant. He requested to return home for treatment, but the emperor ordered him to return to the capital to meet at the Li Quan Palace. The emperor hosted a banquet for him, in high spirits, and said to him, "You have been demoted for a long time; I feel for you." He was then restored to his title as Duke of Pei, and his rank was raised to Senior Minister. The emperor looked at his attendants and said, "Zheng Yi and I have been through thick and thin together, experienced many difficulties and obstacles. How can I forget that!" Zheng Yi raised his cup to toast to the emperor's health. The emperor ordered the Secretary of the Interior, Li Delin, to draft a decree. Gao Feng jokingly said to Zheng Yi, "You better get that pen sharpened!" Zheng Yi replied, "When I served as a local official, I came back leaning on a cane, not a penny to my name. What can I use to sharpen my pen?" The emperor burst out laughing.
Not long after, the emperor issued another decree for Zheng Yi to participate in the discussion of music. Zheng Yi believed that the seven-tone music system of the Zhou Dynasty had deficiencies, and since being appointed in the Sui Dynasty, he had been tasked with reforming ritual music. He revised the meanings of the "Seven Beginnings" and named the work "Yuefu Shengdiao," consisting of eight pieces. After presenting it to the emperor, he received high praise. More than a year later, he received a decree to oversee music at the Ministry of Rites, and his writings on music were recorded in the "Yinlv Zhi." The emperor commended him, stating, "You created the rules and regulations and standardized the music. You were involved in three aspects of ritual music, which is truly a great achievement!" He later returned to Qizhou. In the eleventh year of the Kaihuang reign, he passed away after a long illness at the age of fifty-two, and the emperor sent officials to express condolences and conduct memorial rites, posthumously bestowing upon him the title "Da." His son Zheng Yuanshu inherited his title. Upon ascending the throne, Emperor Yang of Sui abolished the five-tier title system. Given Zheng Yi's significant contributions, the emperor posthumously conferred him the title of Duke of Xin, which was inherited by Zheng Yuanshu.
Initially, he served as the General of Cavalry, and he was later promoted to the rank of Wubeng Langjiang. He rose through the ranks due to his military achievements, eventually becoming the Right Guanglu Daifu, then further promoted to the Right Houwei General. In the later years of the Daye period of the Sui Dynasty, he was appointed as the Administrator of Wencheng. When the rebel army revolted, their leader Zhang Lun captured Wencheng, and Zheng Yuanshu surrendered the city to him.
Liu Qiu, whose courtesy name was Maoh, was from Jie County in Hedong, and he was the great-grandson of Shilong, who served as Minister of Works during the Qi Dynasty. His grandfather, Liu Tan, held the position of Left Deputy of the Imperial Secretariat during the Liang Dynasty, and his father, Liu Ming, served as a Gentleman of the Crown Prince and the Administrator of Yixing. Liu Qiu was known for his intelligence from a young age and earned a good reputation in his youth. During the Liang Dynasty, he held positions as a Gentleman of the Imperial Secretary and a Commandant of Cavalry.
Later, Emperor Yuan of Liang was under intense pressure from the Wei army, so he sent Liu Qiu to the Wei country to seek peace. Not long after, the city of Jiangling fell, and Liu Qiu entered Guanzhong. During the reign of Emperor Ming and Emperor Wu of the Zhou Dynasty, he gradually rose from a scholar at Linzhi to the prince's tutor, and was also elevated to the rank of Duke of Changle County. He was later promoted to a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Rites.
After Emperor Xuan ascended the throne, he appointed Liu Qiu as an official of the Three Excellencies and promoted him to Duke, then transferred him to the position of Grand Master of Ceremonies. After Emperor Xuan's death, Liu Qiu stayed in the palace to serve. He conspired with Liu Fang, Wei Mo, and Huangfu Ji to let Yang Jian (Gaozu) take power. Yang Jian initially declined. Liu Qiu persuaded him, saying, "This opportunity is rare; we cannot miss it! The situation has developed to this point; we should make a decision quickly. If you miss the chance given by heaven, you will be punished. If you delay further, you will regret it!" Yang Jian followed his advice.
Liu Qiu was then promoted to the position of Grand Marshal, appointed as the Chief Minister, and entrusted Yang Jian with many confidential matters. Later, Wei Jiong rebelled, throwing the realm into chaos, and Li Mu, the governor of Bingzhou, was hesitant. Yang Jian sent Liu Qiu to persuade him. Liu Qiu met with Li Mu, analyzed the situation in detail, and Li Mu was quite pleased, so he submitted to Yang Jian. Because of the successful persuasion, Liu Qiu was rewarded with three hundred bolts of silk and a nine-loop gold belt.
Later, Sima Xiaonan resisted in Anlu with troops, and Yang Jian sent Liu Qiu to persuade him. Before Liu Qiu arrived, Sima Xiaonan fled to Chen. Yang Jian quickly tasked Liu Qiu with pacifying the Huainan region and rewarded him with horses and other items. In the first year of the Kaihuang era, Liu Qiu was promoted to Grand General and appointed as the Inspector of Xuzhou. He was recognized for his integrity and simplicity during his tenure, and the people held him in high regard. He was later reassigned as the Inspector of Caozhou.
Later, Yang Jian missed the contributions Liu Qiu had made in the past and wanted to give him a higher position, planning to recall him to court. Yang Jian also asked the ministers, "When should the Governor of Caozhou return to the court?" Someone replied, "It is winter now." Yang Jian then abandoned the thought. Not long after, Liu Qiu passed away, and Yang Jian felt regret for a long time, posthumously bestowing upon him the title "An." His son Liu Huitong inherited his title.
Huangfu Ji, styled Gongming, hailed from Anding Chaoyang. His grandfather Huangfu Mu was the Longdong Inspector in the Wei Kingdom; his father Huangfu Dao served as Governor of Huzhou and Commander of Yongzhou during the Zhou Dynasty. Huangfu Ji became an orphan when he was three and grew up under the care of his maternal grandfather Wei Xiaokuan. Once, he was playing chess with his cousins, and Wei Xiaokuan noticed his lack of diligence in studying, so he urged him to apply himself more diligently, but considering his status as an orphan with a widowed mother, he showed him particular leniency. Huangfu Ji sighed, "I did not receive the teachings of my parents and was raised by my maternal family. I cannot hold myself to strict standards, so how can I achieve anything in the future?" Overcome with guilt, he ordered those around him to strike him thirty times with a paddle. When Wei Xiaokuan heard about this, he wept bitterly at this.
Since then, Huangfu Ji began to study diligently and read extensively across historical texts. When Emperor Wu of Zhou was the Duke of Lu, he summoned him to be a reader in the palace. In the early years of Jiande, he was promoted to the position of Palace Minister of Zhongshi. Once, when Emperor Wu of Zhou was taking refuge from the summer heat in Yunyang Palace, Emperor Xuan was the Prince Regent at the time. Prince Wulawang rebelled, and the city gates were closed, with many officials fleeing. Upon hearing this, Huangfu Ji immediately rushed to the scene and met the Crown Prince at Xuanwu Gate. The Crown Prince came down the stairs, took his hand, and was filled with mixed emotions. Emperor Wu greatly appreciated him after hearing about this and promoted him to be a junior Palace Minister. In the early years of Xuanzheng, based on his previous merits, he was appointed as the Baron of Yiyang County, appointed as a lower-ranking official of Jibo, and later promoted to the lower-ranking official of the Imperial Zheng. After the death of Emperor Xuan, Gaozu Yang Jian took control of the government, and Huangfu Ji made significant contributions, as recorded in "Zheng Yi Zhuan." He was further appointed as the Senior Kaifu, promoted to the middle-ranking official of the Neishi, then elevated to the County Duke, with a fief of one thousand households, and soon appointed as the Grand General. In the first year of Kaihuang, he was sent as the Governor of Yuzhou, with his fief increased to a total of two thousand five hundred households. Later, he was promoted to the Minister of the Imperial Clan. Several years later, he was transferred to the Governor of Jinzhou. Before taking up his post, he knelt and said, "I feel truly inadequate and have not made significant contributions to the country. I always think of making achievements to repay the court's favor. Now that the Chen Kingdom still exists, I see three reasons to eliminate it." The emperor asked him what the reasons were, and Huangfu Ji replied, "One reason is that a great power often swallows a smaller one; another reason is that a just army should fight against an unjust one; the Chen Kingdom sheltered the traitor Xiao Yan, which gives us justification for an attack, and that is the third reason. If Your Majesty is willing to send elite troops, please let me lead the troops to battle and surely achieve great success!" The emperor admired his ambition and encouraged him, allowing him to go. After the Chen Kingdom was destroyed, he was appointed as the Governor of Suzhou.
Gao Zhihui and his followers stirred up trouble in Jiangnan. The local populace called upon Gu Ziyuan to lead troops to quell the rebellion. The two sides remained locked in a stalemate for eighty days. As a token of gratitude for Yang Su's contributions, Gu Ziyuan sent beef and wine on the winter solstice. Yang Su replied, "The emperor receives his mandate from heaven, possesses supreme power, inherits the abdication of Yao and Shun, and follows the martial achievements of Shang Tang and King Wu of Zhou. His influence extends east to Panmu, surpassing the range of Fan Shuo's explorations; to the west, it reaches further than where Zhang Qian ventured. Even in the distant north, many tribes come to pay homage; beyond the Cangling and Yugu passes, areas are requesting appointments. The previous pseudo-Chen regime obstructed the court's teachings, and the people of Jiangdong suffered greatly from the chaos of war. Thanks to divine favor, the court sent troops to suppress the rebellion, and victory was quickly achieved. The people of Jinling were revived, and the people of Wu Hui regained peace. Now everyone should be grateful, live in peace and prosperity, rather than acting like dogs, biting the hand that feeds them. You are not my people, so why send wine? I am a general of the Sui Dynasty; how could I accept your gift? Even if our forces are insufficient and resources are scarce, we cannot disclose our difficulties to you. Besides, we are now well-supplied with food and grass, strong in soldiers and horses, with high walls and thick defenses, and waiting for reinforcements, so we are not lacking in strength. Why use this kind of hypocritical etiquette to deceive me, hinder the determination of loyal officials to serve the country, and shake the morale of my soldiers? I will never accept your gift. You ought to consider how to save yourself, persuade the people to return early; it is not too late to turn back." Gu Ziyuan received the letter and bowed in apology at the city gates. Later, Yang Su's reinforcements arrived and together they defeated the rebels. Yang Su was appointed as the governor of Xinzhou, overseeing military affairs across twelve states. Shortly after, he requested retirement due to illness. The court summoned him back to the capital, provided him with imperial doctors for treatment, and the emperor sent envoys to visit him regularly and inquire about his condition. He ultimately passed away at home at the age of fifty-two and was posthumously honored with the title "An." His son, Gu Si, succeeded him and served as the head of the Shangshu Department during the Daye period.
Wei Mo was a native of Jingzhao and served as the Minister of the Interior in the Northern Zhou dynasty. Emperor Wen of Sui believed that Wei Mo had made significant contributions to the stability of the state, promoting him several times and eventually granting him the title of Senior State Official and Duke of Puan. In the early years of the Kaihuang reign, he passed away while serving as the Governor of Puzhou.
Lu Ben, styled Zizheng, was a native of Fanyang in Zhuo commandery, Hebei Province. His father, Lu Guang, was the Grand Marshal and Duke of Yan during the Zhou dynasty. Lu Ben was somewhat knowledgeable in literature and music, and was regarded as talented. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Zhou, Lu Ben inherited his father's title and became the Duke of Yan, overseeing 1900 households. He later served as the Prefect of Luyang, the Chief Minister of the Crown Prince's Palace, and the Equal of the Three Excellencies. He distinguished himself by pacifying the state of Qi, was granted an additional 400 households, and received promotions, eventually becoming the Senior Commander of the Army. At that time, Yang Jian (Emperor Gaozu) was the Grand Master of the Army, and Lu Ben felt that Yang Jian was extraordinary, so he actively cultivated a relationship with him. After Yang Jian became emperor, Lu Ben was promoted to Grand Marshal.
When Yang Jian first came to power and the people's hearts were not yet settled, he had Lu Ben follow him. Yang Jian intended to take Lu Ben to the Eastern Palace, and the officials were unaware of his intentions. Yang Jian secretly had Lu Ben lead soldiers to protect him, and then gathered the ministers and said, "If you want to get rich and hold office, follow me!" The ministers whispered among themselves, with some wanting to leave and others wanting to stay. When Lu Ben arrived with his troops, no one dared to act rashly. They reached Chongyang Gate, but the guards at the Eastern Palace refused to let them in. Lu Ben tried to reason with them, but when they didn't listen, he sternly glared at them, and the guards relented. In this way, Yang Jian was able to enter. Lu Ben was responsible for Yang Jian's security, and when Yang Jian asked him about certain matters, Lu Ben said, "The fortunes of the Zhou dynasty have been exhausted, and the common people are all counting on you. You should seize the opportunity to become emperor! The mandate of heaven is in your hands; if you turn it down, you'll have to bear the consequences!" Yang Jian found his words to be reasonable.
After Yang Jian became the emperor, he put Lu Ben in charge of cleaning the imperial palace and to continue overseeing the night watch. Lu Ben suggested changing the flags of the Zhou Dynasty and proposing more appealing names. The Blue Dragon Flag, the Zouyu Flag, the Vermilion Bird Flag, the Black Tortoise Flag, the Thousand Autumn Flag, and the Ten Thousand Years Flag were all designed by Lu Ben. Later, Lu Ben was promoted to Cavalry Commandant and also held positions such as Left Imperial Secretary of the Crown Prince, Left Leading General, and Right General.
At that time, Gao Feng and Su Wei held great power in court, which Lu Ben found unacceptable. When the Minister of War Liu Fang was being sidelined, Lu Ben secretly conspired with Liu Fang, Chief Minister Yuan Xie, Li Xun, and the Provincial Governor of Huazhou, Zhang Bin, to oust Gao Feng and Su Wei and jointly support the emperor. They also planned to remove the Prince of Jin from power and make Yang Jian's son the crown prince. Lu Ben even privately told the crown prince, "I often visit you, but I'm worried the emperor might hold it against me. Please understand my difficulties." As a result, their plan was leaked, and the emperor investigated the situation. Liu Fang and the others pushed the blame onto Zhang Bin and Lu Ben, and the court officials unanimously declared that both of them deserved death. However, the emperor, in light of their past contributions, could not bear to kill them, so he stripped them of their titles and sent them back home as commoners. Zhang Bin passed away shortly after.
More than a year later, Ben was promoted again, this time appointed as the Minister of Ceremonies. Ben discovered that in ancient palace music, the number of suspended notes varied, sometimes seven and sometimes eight, with no unified standard among the great scholars of the past. So he wrote a memorial to the emperor saying, "Before the Yin and Shang dynasties, the pentatonic scale was widely used; after King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty and received auspicious signs, such as the quail fire and the heavenly horses, the music scale was changed to use seven tones. After the establishment of the Han dynasty, the number of bells was increased to sixteen in a set. Zheng Xuan commented on the 'Rites of Zhou,' saying that sixteen bells, which is also known as twenty-six, constitute a complete musical instrument set. This shows that the use of seven or eight notes has a long history. However, throughout history, the usage has changed, and during the time of Emperor Wu of Zhou, the scale was reverted to seven tones, with the Lin bell as the keynote. Music is the foundation of governing a country, so there is nothing more effective than music. Wu Qi judged the rise and fall of a country by observing music. Therefore, the role of music is to move heaven and earth and invoke spirits, express human emotions through sound, and reflect the order or chaos of the country accordingly. King Wu of Zhou using the Lin bell as the keynote is probably a sign that the country is about to perish! Furthermore, the scale of the Lin bell is actually a secondary scale of the Huang bell. The Huang bell represents the monarch, while the Lin bell is a secondary scale, representing the ministers, which clearly contradicts the symbol of the royal 9-5. In addition, the Yin number represents the ministers but occupies the position of the monarch, further highlighting the signs of the country's imminent downfall. This is entirely a matter of fate and unrelated to human affairs. I earnestly request Your Majesty to wield the power of the world; your governance surpasses that of past emperors, and now that you have achieved fame and success, creating new musical scales aligns perfectly with your earlier strategies. I have heard that the music scales of the Five Emperors and the ritual music systems of the Three Dynasties were adjusted according to the changing times, but they have not lost their dignified and traditional essence." The emperor finally agreed to his suggestion, changing back to using eight tones, with the Huang bell as the keynote. The emperor also ordered Ben and his colleague Yang Qing to jointly revise the music scales of the Zhou dynasty and the state of Qi.
Not long after, Ben was appointed as the Governor of Yingzhou, and shortly after, he was transferred to the position of Governor of Guozhou. Later, he was promoted to Governor of Huaizhou. He dug a channel for the eastward flow of the Qinshi River, which he named the Benefiting the People Canal, and diverted water into Wen County, naming it the Warm and Moist Canal, to irrigate saline-alkali land, which greatly benefited the local farmers. Several years later, he was transferred to be the Governor of Qizhou. At that time, the people were starving, and food prices had skyrocketed. He forbade the locals from selling grain and personally organized grain sales to aid the locals. As a result, he was ultimately dismissed from his post and became a commoner.
Later on, I followed the Emperor to Luoyang, and the Emperor casually remarked to Ben Xiaoye, "When I first became the Grand Marshal, you were completely devoted to me. Later, when I was in charge of the officials, you were often by my side, and we were practically old friends. If you hadn't been colluding with those bad guys, you could have been as high up as Gaofeng! Now that you have been dismissed from office, think about our past relationship. I initially wanted to give you another local position, but you didn't even think about repaying me, and it turned out like this! I can't bring myself to kill you—this would be favoritism!" Ben Xiaoye quickly bowed down to apologize, and the Emperor ordered his reinstatement to his former position.
After a few days, when Ben Xiaoye presented his memorial, he made another mistake, boasting about his accomplishments while also complaining. The emperor was furious and turned to the ministers, saying, "I will appoint him as a provincial governor to see if he can handle it!" At that moment, the crown prince interjected, "These people have all contributed to supporting the emperor. Although their characters are a bit frivolous and adventurous, we can't just abandon them entirely." The emperor said, "I'm merely giving them a chance to save their own lives! If it weren't for people like Liu Fang, Zheng Yi, Ben Xiaoye, Liu Qiu, and Huang Fuji, how could I have come this far today? However, these people are all so unpredictable! Back in the days of Emperor Zhou Xuan, they won favor through their cunning ways. When Emperor Zhou Xuan fell seriously ill, they wanted to have a royal prince assist in governance, but they schemed and handed power over to me. I wanted to govern the country well, but they wanted to create chaos! So Liu Fang plotted rebellion earlier, and Zheng Yi later used witchcraft. People like Ben Xiaoye are all unwilling in their hearts. If you promote them, they become arrogant; if you don't use them, they complain endlessly, which makes them incredibly hard to trust! It's not that I refuse to promote them; it's that they are simply untrustworthy! Seeing this situation, people might privately discuss and claim that I don't value my loyal subjects enough, but that's not the case at all!"
At this point, Su Wei stood up and said, "Emperor Han Guangwu, to appease his loyal subjects, enfeoffed them as marquises and allowed them to receive salaries in the court. Your Majesty, you are kind and generous; you can also appease them in this way." The emperor said, "Yes!" So Ben Xiaoye was permitted to retire and stay at home, and that same year, Ben Xiaoye passed away at the age of fifty-four.
The historical records say: Gaozu established the royal enterprise, Fang and Yi indeed initiated his plan, held significant power, and no one disagreed. But they could not forget their own safety, were eager for success, used loyalty to cut ties, only cared about immediate interests, and sought to enjoy wealth and glory in peace. When the emperor moved the capital to Mingde, they felt that their merits were not worth mentioning, like salt and pepper, eventually returning to their original positions. They reminisced about the past, overcome with discontent, ashamed to be ranked behind Wu Qi and Geng Bing, embarrassed to associate with the Marquis of Jiang and Guan Ying. Serving the monarch wholeheartedly was never their intention; failing to honor their parents, they faced public criticism. During the Zhou Dynasty, they did not show loyalty and integrity; during the Sui Dynasty, they did not serve with all their heart. They covered up their previous merits with dishonorable actions, accumulated resentment, sowed the seeds of future troubles, and hoped to avoid punishment and preserve their lives, which proved to be quite difficult! Liu Qiu, Huangfu Ji, and Lu Ben relied on others to succeed; they acted in concert, but ultimately did not participate in core decision-making. This was largely because they aimed to please others and did not care if others criticized them, which is quite natural. Yan Ying once said: "One heart can serve a hundred monarchs, but a hundred hearts cannot serve one monarch." This statement was exemplified in the cases of Fang and Yi.
Historical records comment that Emperor Gaozu, Liu Bang, established the foundations of the Han Dynasty, and Fang Heyi indeed made significant contributions, holding important positions, with no one opposing them at the time. However, they were always preoccupied with their own safety and eager for fame; in the name of so-called loyalty, they even overlooked past favors, only thinking about their current stability and benefits. Later, when the emperor relocated the capital to Mingde, they felt their contributions were trivial, like salt and plums, ultimately returning to their original positions. In retrospect, they felt deeply aggrieved, believing their contributions paled in comparison to those of Wu Qi or Geng Bing, and were ashamed to be compared with figures like Duke Jiang and Guan Ying. They served the emperor wholeheartedly, but without sincerity, disrespectful toward their parents, which earned them considerable criticism. During the Zhou Dynasty, they displayed no loyalty; in the Sui Dynasty, they failed to put forth their full effort. They attempted to mask their injustices with their past contributions but instead accumulated resentment, sowing the seeds of disaster, and deluded themselves into thinking they could evade legal consequences and preserve their lives—how could that possibly happen! Liu Qiu, Huangfu Ji, and Lu Ben succeeded by relying on others; even though they worked well together, they never broke into the inner circle of power. This was largely because they sought to please others, indifferent to how they were perceived, which is quite common. Yan Ying once stated: "One heart can serve a hundred monarchs, but a hundred hearts cannot serve a single monarch." Fang Heyi embodies this principle.
