"I first met the Late Emperor in the days of my obscurity. Born into poverty, I bared grand ambitions yet foun…
"I first met the Late Emperor in the days of my obscurity. Born into poverty, I bared grand ambitions yet found no patron to recognize my worth. I crossed the river seeking office, but corruption riddled the bureaucracy, causing me to fail the examinations time and again, I nearly perished destitute on the streets. The Late Emperor, magnanimous beyond measure, though possessing nothing more than a coarse cake, shared it with me without hesitation. Thus, I journeyed to Luoyang to aid a true sovereign, but what is a true sovereign? Emperor Yin held rightful claim yet lacked the talent to govern; Liu Zhiyuan was bold, but arrogant and greedy; Guo Wei commanded the armies but was overly cautious, and his sons were naught but mediocrities. Only the Late Emperor, who never scorned me for my failures, held the world in his heart and was peerless in both wisdom and courage. During his reign, the realm remained peaceful. It was my greatest fortune to serve him.
Alas! After the Late Emperor's passing, I could scarcely hold back my tears. Yet with Zhao Kuangyin eyeing the throne and the young prince still but a child, I could not afford to weep. A single meal of kindness must be repaid with a lifetime of loyalty, much more so a debt as great as his favor and trust!"
—Handwritten Memoirs of Wei Renpu