Wang Gui (571–639), courtesy name Shujie, posthumously known as Duke Yi of Yongning, was a Chinese official who served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Taizong (Li Shimin) in the Tang dynasty. He had previously served Li Shimin's elder brother, Li Jiancheng, with whom Li Shimin was locked in an intense rivalry during the reign of their father, Emperor Gaozu, but after Li Shimin killed Li Jiancheng and then took the throne, he knew that Wang was faithful to Li Jiancheng and was capable, and therefore retained him, eventually making him chancellor. Wang was known for his honest and blunt criticism of the emperor, and for that was honored by Taizong, who appreciated such criticism.
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Background
Wang Gui was born in 571, during the reign of Northern Qi's emperor Gao Wei. His grandfather Wang Sengbian had been a major general and later regent of the Liang dynasty, who, at one point, in order to make peace with Northern Qi, sent Wang Gui's father Wang Yi (王顗) and grandmother to Northern Qi as hostages. After Wang Sengbian was killed in a coup by the general Chen Baxian (who later founded the Chen dynasty) in 555, Wang Yi remained in Northern Qi and served as a commandery governor. In 573, after the former Liang general Wang Lin, with whom Wang Yi shared the desire of destroying Chen and reestablishing Liang, was killed by the Chen general Wu Mingche, Wang Yi, in great distress in mourning Wang Lin, died. Wang Gui, having lost his father early in his life, was said to be elegant in his behavior, having few desires and comfortable in his poverty, and not making friends easily with just anyone. His uncle Wang Po (王頗) was a highly regarded scholar at that time and was said to be a good judge of character, and Wang Po once commented, "Our clan's hopes all rest on this child."
During the Sui dynasty
Near the end of the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, Wang Gui served as a low-level imperial official in charge of ceremonies. After Emperor Wen died in 604, his crown prince Yang Guang took the throne as Emperor Yang. Another son of Emperor Wen, Yang Liang the Prince of Han, on whose staff another uncle of Wang Gui's, Wang Kui (王頍), served, rose in rebellion against Emperor Yang, and after he was defeated, Wang Kui committed suicide, and Wang Po was executed. Based on the laws of the time, Wang Gui was to be executed as well, but he fled into the Qinling Mountains and remained in hiding there for more than a decade.
In 617, the general Li Yuan rose against Emperor Yang, and later that year captured the capital Chang'an, declaring Emperor Yang's grandson Yang You the Prince of Dai emperor (as Emperor Gong) but retaining power himself as regent. Li Yuan's staff member Li Gang (李綱) recommended Wang Gui, as he knew Wang Gui's capabilities. Li Yuan made Wang Gui a military advisor to his heir apparent Li Jiancheng.
During Emperor Gaozu's reign
In 618, after news arrived at Chang'an that Emperor Yang had been killed in a coup at Jiangdu (江都, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) led by the general Yuwen Huaji, Li Yuan had Yang You yield the throne to him, establishing the Tang dynasty as its Emperor Gaozu. He created Li Jiancheng crown prince, and Wang Gui continued to serve on Li Jiancheng's staff as a trusted advisor. In 622, with Tang having mostly reunited the former Sui territory under its rule due to the contributions of Li Jiancheng's younger brother Li Shimin the Prince of Qin, Li Shimin's fame and power thus threatened Li Jiancheng's position. Wang and Wei Zheng, another advisor to Li Jiancheng, suggested that he should also try to establish some military achievement of his own and also recruit capable people to serve on staff during the campaign. Li Jiancheng agreed, and volunteered to attack one of the remaining threats against Tang rule, Liu Heita the Prince of Handong. Li Jiancheng subsequently defeated Liu, who was then betrayed by his own subordinate Zhuge Dewei (諸葛德威) in 623 and delivered to Li Jiancheng, who executed Liu. Subsequently, in 624, when Li Jiancheng was suspected of having recruited his personal guards against regulations and having encouraged his guard commander Yang Wen'gan (楊文幹) into rebelling, Emperor Gaozu briefly considered deposing Li Jiancheng and replacing him with Li Shimin, but changed his mind after intercession by the chancellor Feng Deyi, another son Li Yuanji the Prince of Qi, and his concubines (who were on much better relations with Li Jiancheng than with Li Shimin). However, he blamed Li Jiancheng's and Li Shimin's staff members for encouraging their rivalry, and he exiled Wang Gui, Wei Ting (韋挺, another of Li Jiancheng's advisors), and Du Yan (an advisor to Li Shimin) to Xi Prefecture (巂州, roughly modern Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan), blaming them for the discord between his sons.
In 626, Li Shimin ambushed Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji at Xuanwu Gate and killed them, and then effectively forced Emperor Gaozu to create him crown prince. Rather than slaughtering Li Jiancheng's and Li Yuanji's staff members, as some of his supporters had suggested, he retained many of them for his administration, including Wei Zheng. He also recalled Wang Gui and Wei Ting from exile, making them advisors. When many of Li Jiancheng's and Li Yuanji's supporters nevertheless fled in fears of reprisals and were captured by those who believed that they could receive awards, Wang informed this to Li Shimin, who then issued an order not to carry out any reprisals against the followers of Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji, or their cousin Li Yuan (李瑗, note different tone and character from Emperor Gaozu's name) the Prince of Lujiang (who had supported Li Jiancheng and considered rebelling in light of Li Jiancheng's death). Soon, Emperor Gaozu yielded the throne to Li Shimin (as Emperor Taizong). Wang continued to serve in Emperor Taizong's administration.
During Emperor Taizong's reign
Later in 626, Emperor Taizong had Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji reburied with honors due imperial princes. Wang Gui and Wei Zheng requested permission to accompany Li Jiancheng's funeral procession, and Emperor Taizong approved—and further expanded the approval to an order that all of Li Jiancheng's and Li Yuanji's staff members participate in the funeral processions.
In 627, on an occasion, Emperor Taizong stated to his high-level officials:
When a good emperor encountered evil subordinates, the empire will not prosper. When an evil emperor encountered good subordinates, the empire will also not prosper. But if an emperor and his subordinates were like fish and water, the empire will have peace. Emperor Gaozu of Han was but a farmer, but he conquered the empire carrying just a short sword. His foundation was strong, and his descendants ruled for generations, because he had good subordinates. Even though I am not an intelligent ruler, it is fortunate that I have you, Dukes, to save me occasion after occasion. I hope that you will give me good strategies to allow the empire to remain peaceful.
Wang responded:
I heard that if a tree follows a rope it will be straight, and if an empress followed suggestions she would be holy. Therefore, the ancient holy rulers always had seven advisors who were willing to speak honestly and willing to die if their suggestions were not followed. Your Imperial Majesty is willing to receive our weed-like suggestions, and I happen to be serving here in an administration that has no taboos. I am willing to offer my wild words.
Emperor Taizong approved of Wang's response and ordered that whenever high-level officials would meet with him to discuss important matters of state, officials whose responsibilities were criticism should follow them in. He treated Wang with kindness, creating him the Baron of Yongning and made him the deputy head of the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng) as well as an advisor for his son and crown prince Li Chengqian. Later that year, the head of the examination bureau, Gao Shilian, was demoted after he withheld a petition from Wang, and in 628, Emperor Taizong made Wang the acting head of the examination bureau instead—a post considered as one for a chancellor.