Yuan Ang, from Chu, styled Si. His father used to be a bandit and was later exiled to Anling. Under Empress Dowager Gao, Yuan Ang worked for Lü Bu. When Emperor Xiao Wen ascended to the throne, Yuan Ang's brother Yuan Kuai recommended him to the palace as a low-level official.
Marquis Jiang became the prime minister. After attending court, he strut around, and the emperor was very polite to him, always walking him out. Yuan Ang stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, what do you make of the Prime Minister?" The emperor said, "He is a pillar of the state!" Yuan Ang replied, "Marquis Jiang is at most a meritorious official, not a pillar of the state. A pillar of the state is one whose rise and fall are tied to that of the nation, whose prosperity is the nation's prosperity, and whose downfall is the nation's downfall. Think about the time of Empress Lü. The Lü clan ran the show, handing out titles like candy, nearly wiping out the Liu family. At that time, Marquis Jiang was the Grand Commandant, in charge of the military power, but failed to protect the state. When Empress Lü died, the ministers rebelled against the Lü clan together, and Marquis Jiang, because he controlled the military power, got lucky and achieved merit. How can he be considered a pillar of the state? Now, Prime Minister, you are so arrogant, Your Majesty, you are so humble, and the officials follow suit; I think this is bad for you!" The next day, the Emperor was more serious, and the Prime Minister more careful. Later, Marquis Jiang saw Yuan Ang and said, "I have a good relationship with your brother, but you ruined me in court today!" Yuan Ang ignored him.
Later, Marquis Jiang was dismissed and sent back to his fiefdom, where someone accused him of treason, and he was jailed. None of the royal relatives dared to speak up for him, except Yuan Ang, who testified to Marquis Jiang's innocence. In the end, Marquis Jiang was released, and Yuan Ang was instrumental in this matter. After that, Marquis Jiang and Yuan Ang became good friends.
King Li of Huainan was a total tyrant; he killed the Marquis of Biyang and acted like he owned the place. Yuan Ang advised the emperor, saying, "The princes are too arrogant; sooner or later, they’ll cause chaos. It’s best to cut them down to size." The emperor didn’t listen. King Li of Huainan became completely out of control. Later, when Chai Wu's son, the Marquis of Jipu, was caught plotting a rebellion, it implicated King Li of Huainan, who was called back to the capital. The emperor simply sent him packing to Shu, in chains. Yuan Ang was a general at the time, and he advised the emperor again, saying, "You let that guy run wild, Your Majesty, never reined him in, which led to today’s situation. Now you’re coming down on him so hard. That guy's got a stubborn streak a mile wide; if he kicks the bucket on the road, people will think you offed your brother 'cause the kingdom was too small for the both of 'em. What then?" The emperor still didn’t listen, and King Li of Huainan was exiled.
King Li of Huainan croaked in Yong. When the emperor heard the news, he went without food and bawled his eyes out. Yuan Ang went in, bowed low, and begged forgiveness. The emperor said, "It’s because I didn’t listen to your advice that this happened." Yuan Ang replied, "Water under the bridge, Your Majesty. You’ve done three good things; this won’t hurt your reputation." The emperor asked, "What are my three good things?"
Yuan Ang replied, "Sir, when you were in Dai, the Empress Dowager was ill for three years. You never slept or even changed your clothes. If you didn't personally taste the medicine, you wouldn't give it to the Empress Dowager. Even Zeng Can, a regular guy, couldn't pull that off. Later, the Lus were running the show, and the ministers were acting like total jerks. But you galloped across a thousand miles to the capital from Dai. Even the brave warrior Ben Yu couldn't match your courage. After arriving in Dai, you offered the throne five times. Xu You only abdicated once, but you abdicated five times, four more than Xu You. Furthermore, you exiled the King of Huainan to Yong, hoping to teach him a lesson, but his guards let him die."
Upon hearing Yuan Ang's words, the Emperor, finally at ease, asked, "So what now?" Yuan Ang replied, "The King of Huainan has three sons; they're all yours to decide on." Therefore, Emperor Wen appointed the three sons of the King of Huainan as kings, and Yuan Ang became a big shot at court.
Yuan Ang was always outspoken and honest. There was a eunuch named Zhao Tong, the Emperor's favorite, who constantly harassed Yuan Ang. Yuan Ang's nephew, Zhong, served as the Imperial Cavalry Attendant, responsible for protecting the Emperor. He advised Yuan Ang, "Give him a public dressing-down; make him look like a fool and get fired."
One day, Emperor Xiao Wen left the palace, with Zhao Tong sitting in the Emperor's carriage. Yuan Ang lay in front of the carriage and said, "Only heroes ride with the Emperor. Although the Han Dynasty lacks talent, why are you sharing your carriage with a thug like that?" The Emperor roared with laughter and tossed Zhao Tong out. Zhao Tong cried.
When Emperor Wen returned from Baling, he wanted to quickly drive down the mountain. Yuan Ang rode a horse alongside the emperor's carriage, holding the reins. The emperor asked, "General, are you afraid?" Yuan Ang replied, "I have heard that the son of a wealthy family will not sit under the eaves, a person of modest means wouldn't ride in a carriage, and a wise ruler doesn't gamble with his life. Now Your Majesty is driving a carriage pulled by six horses, rushing down the mountain. If the horses get scared and the carriage overturns, even if Your Majesty is unharmed, how will you account to the ancestors and the Empress Dowager?" After hearing Yuan Ang's words, the emperor stopped the carriage.
The emperor went for a day out at Shanglin Park, and the empress and Lady Shen followed. When they were in the palace, they often ate and sat together. During a meal, when the palace staff had arranged the seating, Yuan Ang subtly moved Lady Shen's seat further back. This angered Lady Shen, who refused to sit. The emperor was also angry, stood up, and returned to the palace.
Yuan Ang quickly stepped forward to persuade the emperor: "I have heard that there must be order between superiors and subordinates for harmony. Now that Your Majesty has established the empress, Lady Shen is just a concubine; how can a concubine sit together with the empress? This is out of order. Furthermore, if you favor her, Your Majesty should give her generous rewards. Showing her so much favor could be dangerous for her. Haven't you heard of the horrific fate of Empress Lü's rival?" After hearing Yuan Ang's words, the emperor calmed down, summoned Lady Shen, and gave her a reprimand. Lady Shen later gave Yuan Ang fifty catties of gold as a reward.
Although Yuan Ang was unable to stay in the palace for long due to his repeated frank advice, he was transferred to be the military governor of Longxi. He treated his soldiers with kindness, and they were completely loyal to him. He was later promoted to be the Chief Minister of Qi, and then transferred to be the Chief Minister of Wu. Before leaving, a man named Zhong said to Yuan Ang, "The King of Wu is a real hothead, and the country's full of backstabbers. If you try to take them on, they'll either get you fired or have you iced. It's humid down here, so drink plenty, don't sweat the small stuff, and just keep the King from starting a war. That's your best bet for staying alive." Yuan Ang took Zhong's advice and quickly became a favorite of the King.
Yuan Ang was about to return home when he encountered Prime Minister Shentu Jia on the way. Yuan Ang dismounted to pay his respects, and Shentu Jia unexpectedly acknowledged his bow from the carriage to thank Yuan Ang. After Yuan Ang returned home, he felt uneasy about his conduct towards his subordinates, so he went to visit the Prime Minister's mansion again to seek an audience. The Prime Minister made him wait for a long time before seeing him. Yuan Ang knelt down and said, "I would like to talk to you." The Prime Minister replied, "Official business? Take it up with the relevant officials. I'll pass on their recommendations. Personal matters? I'm not interested." Yuan Ang continued kneeling and said, "Now that you are the Prime Minister, think about it: can you compare to Chen Ping and the Marquis of Ji?" The Prime Minister said, "I can't compare to them." Yuan Ang said, "Exactly, you yourself admit that you can't compare to them. Chen Ping and the Marquis of Ji assisted Emperor Gaozu, pacified the world, became generals, killed the Lü clan, and preserved the Liu clan's empire. As for you, you have risen step by step from a minor official to the position of Prefect of Huaiyang, without any remarkable achievements in attacking cities or winning battles. Moreover, since the Emperor's campaign began in Dai, during every morning court session, as long as the officials want to submit their opinions, the emperor never halts his carriage to hear them out; he either accepts or rejects their views, but he always shows appreciation. Why is that? Because he wants to attract talents from all over the world, to hear new perspectives every day, to learn new knowledge, and thus become more and more wise. But now you are suppressing dissent, making yourself more and more ignorant. Letting an enlightened emperor rely on an ignorant prime minister, your position will be untenable!" The Prime Minister then thanked him again and said, "I am a humble country fellow, I don't understand these principles. General, you have truly enlightened me." Then he invited Yuan Ang in to sit down and treated him as an honored guest.
Yuan Ang couldn't stand Chao Cuo. They avoided each other like the plague; if one was in a room, the other would leave. Later, after Emperor Xiao Wen passed away and Emperor Xiao Jing ascended the throne, Chao Cuo became the Chief Censor and sent people to probe Yuan Ang for taking bribes from the King of Wu. Yuan Ang was convicted but later pardoned and became a commoner.
When news of the rebellion of the seven states of Wu and Chu came, Chao Cuo said to his subordinates, "Yuan Ang accepted a lot of money from the King of Wu but deliberately concealed it, saying that the King of Wu would not rebel. Now that the King of Wu has indeed rebelled, if we want to hold Yuan Ang accountable, we must think of a way." His subordinates replied, "It hasn't come out yet. Investigating him now will only backfire. The army's already west; what's the point? Besides, Yuan Ang doesn't strike me as a rebel." Chao Cuo was still undecided.
At this time, someone accused Yuan Ang. Terrified, Yuan Ang sought out Dou Ying that night, telling him the reason for the rebellion of the King of Wu and asking Dou Ying to take him to see the Emperor and explain the situation. Dou Ying reported to the Emperor in the palace, and the Emperor called Yuan Ang in. Chao Cuo was also present. Yuan Ang requested the Emperor to grant him the opportunity to explain alone, so Chao Cuo left, feeling very angry. Yuan Ang explained in detail the reasons for the rebellion of the King of Wu, attributing it to Chao Cuo, and suggested that the Emperor immediately execute Chao Cuo and apologize to the King of Wu so that the Wu army could withdraw. All this is recorded in the accounts of the Wu rebellion. Later, Yuan Ang was appointed as the Master of Ceremonies, and Dou Ying was appointed as the Grand General. These two were already thick as thieves, and after the Wu rebellion, half the powerful folks in Chang'an were kissing their rings—hundreds of carriages followed them around every day!
After Chao Cuo was killed, Yuan Ang went to the state of Wu as a court official. The King of Wu planned to hold him hostage, but Yuan Ang refused. The King of Wu wanted to kill him, so he sent a captain with five hundred soldiers to surround Yuan Ang's camp. When Yuan Ang was the Prime Minister of Wu, one of his underlings had made off with his maid. Yuan Ang knew about it but did not expose him, treating him as before. Then someone ratted him out, saying, "You know you've been sleeping with the maid, right?" The subordinate ran away. Yuan Ang sent people to chase after him, caught up with him, and rewarded him with the maid, letting him continue to be his subordinate. When Yuan Ang was surrounded in the state of Wu, this subordinate happened to be the officer in charge of Yuan Ang's security. He took out all the luggage and two jars of good wine. It was freezing, and the men were starving and parched. After drinking the wine, they fell asleep, and the guys on the southwest side were all out cold. The officer woke up Yuan Ang at night and said, "Get out of here! The King's gonna have you beheaded tomorrow!" Yuan Ang did not believe it and asked, "What's this all about?" The officer said, "I’m the one who stole your maid before." Yuan Ang was surprised and thanked him, saying, "You've got a family, I can't drag you down with me." The officer replied, "You go, I will also escape. I'm thinking of your family, don't you worry!" So he cut open the tent with a knife and walked directly out from among the drunken soldiers. The officer and Yuan Ang split up. Yuan Ang ditched his fancy belt and robe, grabbed his cane, and hoofed it for seven or eight miles. As dawn broke, he spotted Liang cavalry, and they whisked him away. He finally returned safely and reported the situation to the court.
The war between Wu and Chu is over, and the Emperor conferred the title of King of Chu on the Pinglu Marquis with princely honors, appointing Yuan Ang as the Prime Minister of Chu. Yuan Ang had previously advised the Emperor in writing, but the Emperor did not adopt his advice. Later, Yuan Ang fell ill and resigned from his official position to return home, where he just chilled with the neighbors and led a leisurely life. In Luoyang, there was a man named Ju Meng, a gambler, who visited Yuan Ang, and Yuan Ang gave him a warm welcome. A wealthy man from Anling said to Yuan Ang, "I heard that Ju Meng is a gambler, General, why do you associate with him?" Yuan Ang replied, "Although Ju Meng is a gambler, when his mother passed away, there were more than a thousand carriages at his mother's funeral, indicating that he is not an ordinary person. Moreover, when the chips are down, character is everything. In case of an emergency where help is needed, relying solely on relatives and friends may not be reliable. If things go south, one can truly rely on people like Ji Bu and Ju Meng. You've only got a handful of guys; what good are they gonna be in a pinch?" After speaking, Yuan Ang gave the rich guy a piece of his mind and ignored him completely. Other officials were even more impressed after hearing about this incident. Although Yuan Ang stayed at home, Emperor Jing often sent for Yuan Ang's advice on various strategies. Prince Liang was gunning for the throne, and Yuan Ang advised against it, but Liang cut him off. Prince Liang held a grudge against Yuan Ang and even sent someone to assassinate him. When the assassin arrived in Guanzhong and asked around about Yuan Ang, everyone praised him and couldn't say a bad word about him. Upon meeting Yuan Ang, the assassin said, "Liang paid me to off you, but you're an old man, I can't do it. I have found out that there are more than ten other assassins coming one after another, ready to kill you!" Yuan Ang was spooked; weird stuff kept happening around the house, so he went to see a fortune teller. Upon returning, indeed, Liang's assassins kept coming after him until they finally got him outside Anling.
Chao Cuo, from Yingchuan, studied the legalist teachings of Shen Buhai and Shang Yang at Zhang Hui's place in Zhi County and was a fellow student of Song Meng and Liu Li from Luoyang. With his knowledge, he was appointed as the keeper of records at the Taichang Palace.
Chao Cuo was upright and abrasive. During the reign of Emperor Xiao Wen, no one in the realm understood the "Book of Documents" except for Fu Sheng from Jinan, a scholar of the Qin dynasty who was over ninety years old and too old to be summoned. The court then ordered the Taichang Palace to send someone to learn from Fu Sheng. Chao Cuo was sent to study the "Book of Documents" under Fu Sheng. After completing his studies, Chao Cuo took the opportunity to present his views to the emperor, using the principles from the "Book of Documents" to support his arguments. The emperor then appointed him as the Prince's Attendant, a Grand Master, and a Family Manager. Due to his debating skills, he gained the trust of the prince and was known as a trusted advisor in the prince's residence. During Emperor Xiao Wen's reign, he repeatedly submitted memorials advising to weaken the power of the vassals and amend certain unreasonable laws. Although the emperor did not accept his suggestions, he still appreciated his talents and promoted him to a mid-level official. At that time, the prince admired Chao Cuo's strategies, while many other officials, including Yuan Ang, did not like him.
When Emperor Jing ascended to the throne, he appointed Chao Cuo as the Minister of the Interior. Chao Cuo often gave private advice to the emperor, which the emperor always followed. The emperor favored him above the Nine Ministers, and many laws were changed by him. Prime Minister Shentu Jia was very uncomfortable with this but could do nothing to bring him down. The Interior Ministry was a pain in the neck, stuck next to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, with its main gate facing east. Chao Cuo had two gates opened on the south side and a breach made in the temple wall. When Prime Minister Shentu Jia heard about this, he was livid and saw his chance to get Chao Cuo killed.
Chao Cuo heard that the Prime Minister wanted to sue him, so he hurried to see the Emperor that night and explained all the ins and outs of the matter. The next day at court, when Prime Minister Shentu Jia reported to the Emperor, he said that Chao Cuo had illegally breached a wall near the temple without authorization and requested the Emperor to hand Chao Cuo over to the court for punishment. Emperor Jing said, "That was not even a temple wall, just a wall next to the temple, so it's not a crime." Prime Minister Shentu Jia had to admit his mistake. After court, Shentu Jia angrily told the Chief of Staff, "I should have killed Chao Cuo first before reporting to the Emperor, but instead I went to consult the Emperor first and got outmaneuvered by this kid. It was a mistake!" Prime Minister Shentu Jia died soon after, consumed by illness. Chao Cuo became more favored because of this incident.
Later, Chao Cuo was promoted to Grand Master of Records, and he began to accuse the feudal lords of their wrongdoings, suggesting to reduce their fiefs and reclaim some of the counties under their jurisdiction. He reported these suggestions to the Emperor, who ordered all officials, marquises, and members of the imperial family to discuss the matter together. Everyone was too scared to oppose, except for Dou Ying who dared to stand up against it, thus creating a feud between Chao Cuo and Dou Ying. Chao Cuo revised a total of thirty laws, causing resentment and hatred from princes across the country. When Chao Cuo's father heard about this, he rushed from their hometown in Yingchuan and said to Chao Cuo, "When the Emperor just ascended to the throne, you used his trust to push through radical changes, weakening the power of the feudal lords and alienating the relationship between the Emperor and the imperial family. Now many people are cursing you behind your back, do you know why?" Chao Cuo replied, "I know, this is inevitable. If I don't do this, the majesty of the Emperor cannot be established, and the ancestral shrines will not be at peace." Chao Cuo's father said, "The Liu family's rule may be secure, but the Chao family is doomed. I can't stand to see what happens to you; I'm leaving!" With that, he committed suicide by poison, saying before he died, "I can't watch you go down."
After more than ten days since Chao Cuo's father died, the Wu and Chu states rebelled, using Chao Cuo's execution as their pretext. Later, Dou Ying and Yuan Ang advised the emperor, and Emperor Jing ordered Chao Cuo to be publicly executed in the East Market, dressed in his official robes.
After Chao Cuo's death, Deng Gong, who was responsible for delivering the emperor's order, was appointed as a military commander and led troops to fight the Wu and Chu forces. After the battle, he gave the emperor a military report and asked to see him. The emperor asked, "I heard Chao Cuo was dead when you got back. Did the Wu and Chu rebels disperse?" Deng Gong replied, "The King of Wu's been rebelling for ages. This time, under the pretext of weakening the Wu and Chu territories and killing Chao Cuo, it wasn't really about Chao Cuo! Furthermore, I'm worried that people with talent will clam up!" The emperor asked, "What's the story?" Deng Gong said, "Chao Cuo was worried about the power of the vassal states, so he suggested weakening them to strengthen the central government—a vital move for the country's future! But as soon as the plan started, he was killed. That shut up the loyalists and gave the rebels their chance for revenge. I think Your Majesty shouldn't have done that." The emperor remained silent for a long time before saying, "You are right, I regret it too." He then promoted Deng Gong to be the Commander of Chengyang.
Deng Gong, a brilliant strategist from Chenggu, always had clever ideas. During the Jianyuan era, the emperor was looking for talent, and Deng Gong was highly recommended by the ministers. At that time, Deng Gong had already resigned, but the emperor asked him to come out and be one of the Nine Ministers. A year later, Deng Gong resigned from his position again due to illness and returned home. His son, Deng Zhang, was known among the court for his knowledge of Huang-Lao philosophy.
Sima Qian said: Yuan Ang, although not very studious, was good at reading the emperor's mind, a decent sort, and spoke passionately. He came to power just as Emperor Xiao Wen took the throne, and with his talent and timing, he was able to make his mark. During a time of upheaval, he made suggestions about the Wu-Chu rebellion, but ultimately failed. He liked to boast about his reputation, and in the end, that reputation led to his downfall. When Chao Cuo was in charge, his advice was repeatedly ignored by the emperor; later, when he gained power, he made many changes. When the nobles rebelled, he didn’t act quickly to save the situation, instead seeking revenge, and ultimately lost his life. As the saying goes, "Messing with the system always bites you in the butt." Didn't Chao Cuo know better?!
