Li Shiji - Background and Service Under Zhai Rang and Li Mi

Background and Service Under Zhai Rang and Li Mi

Xu Shiji was probably born in 594. His clan was originally from Cao Province (曹州, roughly modern Heze, Shandong), but late in Sui Dynasty moved to Hua Province (滑州, roughly modern Anyang, Henan). Xu Shiji's father Xu Gai (徐蓋) was a member of the landed gentry, and both he and Xu Shiji were said to be generous, using the food yields of their land to help others regardless of whether those were related to them.

Around 616, Zhai Rang gathered a group of men to resist the rule of Emperor Yang. Xu Shiji joined Zhai, and suggested him that instead of pillaging the people of the region, which Zhai had done to maintain himself and his own men, it was inappropriate to be robbing people of their homeland. Rather, he suggested that, as there were plenty of travellers on the Grand Canal, that they should rob travellers instead. Zhai agreed, and their pillaging raids instead targeted travellers and official messengers. Many people joined Zhai, and when the key Sui general Zhang Xutuo (張須陀), who had defeated many agrarian rebels, attacked, Xu killed Zhang in battle late in 616, allowing Zhai to become even more acclaimed. Around this time, he also became close friends with another general under Zhai, Shan Xiongxin (單雄信), swearing to be brothers and to die on the same day.

Meanwhile, Li Mi, the strategist for the Sui general Yang Xuangan, who unsuccessfully rebelled against Emperor Yang in 613, was visiting rebel generals in the region, seeking to sell his grand strategy to destroy Sui. As Li Mi was of noble birth, and there had been prophecies that the next emperor would be named Li, there began to be thoughts among the rebels that Li might be destined to be the next emperor. Xu Shiji and another close associate of Zhai's, Wang Bodang (王伯當), thus persuaded Zhai to support Li Mi as leader. Zhai agreed, and after the victory over Zhang, the rebels approached the eastern capital Luoyang and declared Li Mi their leader, with the title of Duke of Wei. Xu was given a major general title, while Zhai served as prime minister. After Xu achieved a victory over the Sui general Wang Shichong, whom Emperor Yang had sent to reinforce Luoyang, Li Mi created Xu the Duke of Donghai. At Xu's suggestion, Li Mi captured a major food storage -- Liyang Storage (黎陽倉, in modern Hebi, Henan) -- and after doing so, opened up the storage to allow people in the region suffering from famines to take food. As a result, more than 200,000 men joined Li Mi within about 10 days, and a number of commanderies submitted to him, including the major rebel generals Dou Jiande and Zhu Can.

In winter 617, with a conflict between Li Mi and Zhai intensifying, Li Mi set an ambush for Zhai at a feast held for him, killing him, his brother Zhai Hong (翟弘), his nephew Zhai Mohou (翟摩侯), and his strategist Wang Ruxin (王儒信). During the ambush, Xu was injured in his neck and nearly died. Li Mi, declared, however, that his intention was only to execute Zhai Rang, and no one other than the Zhai clan was to worry. He personally attended to Xu's injuries, and had Xu, Shan, and Wang Bodang take over Zhai's troops.

In spring 618, Emperor Yang was killed at Jiangdu (江都, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) in a coup led by the general Yuwen Huaji. Yuwen soon abandoned Jiangdu and headed back north, toward Luoyang, with the elite Xiaoguo Army (驍果), leading to comprehension both at Luoyang (where Sui officials had declared Emperor Yang's grandson Yang Tong the Prince of Yue emperor) and at Li Mi's headquarters. The enemies made peace, with Li Mi nominally submitting to Yang Tong, as both sides prepared for a joint confrontation with Yuwen. As part of this arrangement, Xu also received a major Sui general title. Li Mi, who had become somewhat alienated with Xu due to Xu's criticism that he was not sufficiently rewarding the soldiers, put Xu in charge of defending Liyang Storage, and Yuwen subsequently put Liyang under siege, but Xu was not only able to withstand the siege but further fought Yuwen outside, defeating him.

Later in 618, Wang Shichong, who had opposed the peace agreement with Li Mi, killed the other key officials Lu Chu (盧楚) and Yuan Wendu (元文都), who had advocated peace with Li Mi. Another official who supported the peace, Huangfu Wuyi (皇甫無逸), fled to Chang'an and surrendered to the newly established Tang Dynasty. Wang seized power as regent. Hearing what had happened, Li Mi broke off peaceful relations with Yang Tong's regime. However, he did not pay close attention to Wang, and Wang soon defeated him in a surprise attack, seizing most of his troops. Initially, after the defeat, Li Mi considered fleeing to Xu, at Liyang, but was warned by some that Xu had nearly died when he killed Zhai and thus could not be trusted. Instead, Li Mi fled to Chang'an and surrendered to Tang.

Xu, upon hearing that Li Mi had fled to Chang'an, took effective control of Li Mi's former territory, and as Li Mi had surrendered to Tang, he decided to submit to Tang as well, but stated to his secretary Guo Xiaoke (郭孝恪):

The Duke of Wei has submitted to Tang. These people and this land are all owned by the Duke of Wei. If I submit them to Tang, I am benefiting from my lord's defeat and making it into my own accomplishment to receive glory, and I would be ashamed of that. Now, let us record the names of the prefectures and counties, as well as the census rolls of the military as well and submit them to the Duke of Wei. Let him offer them himself, and these will be considered his accomplishments.

He therefore sent Guo to Chang'an to report to Li Mi. Emperor Gaozu of Tang heard that Xu had sent messengers, but with no petitions to submit to Tang, only reports for Li Mi, and was surprised. He summoned Guo and questioned him, and Guo relayed what Xu's intents were. Emperor Gaozu was impressed and stated, "Xu Shiji remembers his lord and surrenders his accomplishments, and is really a pure-hearted subject." He thus bestowed the imperial clan name of Li (which he shared with Li Mi) on Xu, who thereafter would be known as Li Shiji. He also created Li Shiji the Duke of Cao and his father Xu Gai (thereafter known as Li Gai as well) the Prince of Jiyin, although Li Gai declined the honor and was subsequently created the Duke of Shu. Li Shiji remained in charge of the Liyang region to resist against Wang and Dou Jiande.