神通 Shéntōng

Shentong, Prince Jing of Huai'an, was in his youth a free-spending knight-errant. At the end of the Daye era of the Sui he was in Chang'an. When Gaozu raised his troops, the officials came to arrest Shentong; he fled into the Southern Mountains and, with the bold and able men Shi Wanbao, Pei Ji, Liu Chongli and others, raised troops in support of Taiyuan. He made an alliance with He Panren, the bandit leader of Sizhu, advanced to join the troops of Princess Pingyang, and marched on Hu and took it. He appointed himself Field Army Commander of the Guanzhong Circuit, with Wanbao as his deputy, Ji as Administrator, Chongli as Adjutant and Linghu Defen as Records Keeper. He took part in the capture of the capital and became Chief Minister of the Court of the Imperial Clan, in charge of troops guarding the palace. He was made Prince of Yongkang Commandery and soon moved to Huai'an. Edit

Early in the Wude era he was appointed Grand Commissioner for Pacifying Shandong, with the Vice Director of the Chancellery Cui Gan as his deputy, and advanced to attack Yuwen Huaji at Wei. Huaji was defeated and fled to Liaocheng. Shentong pursued the beaten troops; the rebels' grain ran out and they offered to surrender, but Shentong would not accept. Gan asked him to take their surrender, and Shentong said, "The army has long been out in the open. Now the rebels' food is gone and they will fall any day; we should crush them and reward the men's fighting with their jade and silk. If they surrender, what will I have in hand to give?" Gan said, "Dou Jiande's threat is close, and Huaji is not yet put down. Caught between two rebels, we are bound to be in danger, and if Your Highness covets their jade and silk, defeat will not be many days off." Shentong was angry and imprisoned Gan in the camp. Edit

Just then Shiji [Yuwen Shiji] brought supplies to the army from Jibei, and Huaji revived. Shentong advanced his troops against his ramparts. The Prefect of Bei Prefecture, Zhao Junde, was the first to climb the battlements, but Shentong, jealous of his merit, halted the army and did not advance. Junde was furious and came back cursing, and the city was made secure again. Shentong sent troops to Wei Prefecture to fetch siege equipment; they were attacked by the people of Shen and fell back. Two days later Jiande took Liaocheng, his power grew, and the prefectures and counties of Shandong went over to him one after another. Many of Shentong's men deserted, and he withdrew to hold Liyang, relying on Li Shiji. Soon he was captured by Jiande. Later he came back from the rebels together with Princess Tong'an. When Jiande was destroyed he was again appointed Left Vice Director of the Branch Department of State Affairs of Hebei. He took part in putting down Liu Heita and was promoted to General-in-chief of the Left Militant Guard. When he died he was posthumously made Grand Minister of Works. Edit

Shentong had eleven sons. Seven of them were made princes: Daoyan, Xiaocha, Xiaotong, Xiaoci, Xiaoyou, Xiaojie and Xiaoyi; later all were reduced from prince. Another son, Xiaoyi, held the rank of duke. Xiaorui received no title; his son Qiwu became eminent. Edit