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Luo Tong, courtesy name Gongxu, was a native of Wushang County, Kuaiji Commandery.

Luo Tong (193-228 AD), courtesy name Gongxu, was a native of Wushang County, Kuaiji Commandery. He was the son of Luo Jun, the Chancellor of the State of Chen, and a general and scholar of the State of Wu during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period.

Luo Tong lost both parents at a young age and returned to his hometown of Wushang with his sister to live with his stepmother.

At the age of twenty, Luo Tong had already become the prime minister of Wucheng Kingdom, where he achieved remarkable results, bringing the number of households in the kingdom to over ten thousand.

Later, he was promoted to the position of Chief Clerk and then to Cavalry Commandant. Luo Tong repeatedly advised Sun Quan to respect the virtuous and recruit talented people, reduce corvée labor and allow the people to rest. He also submitted a memorial reflecting the heavy taxes and difficult living conditions of the people, suggesting that Sun Quan should cherish the people and allow them to survive so that the country could become stronger.

Luo Tong once served as General Jianzhong, commanding Ling Tong's troops. Due to his military achievements, Luo Tong was promoted to Lieutenant General, enfeoffed as Marquis of Xinyang, and appointed as the Governor of Ruxu.

Luo Tong once discussed with Lu Xun a plan to burn down the 700-mile-long camp to deal with Liu Bei.

During Cao Wei's campaign against Wu, Luo Tong and Yan Zaigui resolutely resisted Cao Ren at Ruxukou and defeated him.

In the seventh year of Huangwu (228 AD), Luo Tong passed away at the young age of thirty-six.

Luo Tong, courtesy name Gongxu, was from Wushang County, Kuaiji Commandery. His father, Luo Jun, served as Chancellor of the State of Chen. He was assassinated by assassins sent by Yuan Shu because he refused Yuan Shu's request to borrow grain.

In the fourth year of Jian'an (200 AD), Luo Tong's mother remarried Hua Xin as a concubine. Luo Tong was eight years old at the time, so he returned to Wushang with his relatives.

His mother came to see him off. After Luo Tong bid farewell to his mother and got into the car, he faced forward and did not look back. His mother followed behind the car, crying.

The driver said, "The lady is still there." Luo Tong said, "I don't want to add to my mother's worries, so I won't turn around to look at her."

He served his stepmother with great respect. At that time, there was a famine, and most people from the village and those from afar were living in poverty. Luo Tong reduced his own food in order to help them.

His sister was kind and virtuous. After returning to her parents' home as a widow without children, she was very saddened to see Luo Tong's appearance and asked him many times what was wrong.

Luo Tong said, "The scholars and officials can't even get enough to eat, how can I possibly be concerned about feeding myself?"

His sister said, "It's true. Why didn't you tell me? Why did you torture yourself like this?"

So she gave her own grain to Luo Tong and told her mother about it. His mother also thought he was very virtuous, so she ordered people to distribute the grain as alms, and Luo Tong became famous as a result.

In the seventeenth year of Jian'an (212 AD), Sun Quan served as the General Who Subdues the Barbarians and concurrently as the Prefect of Kuaiji. Luo Tong, who was twenty years old at the time, was put on trial as the Chancellor of Wucheng. The people of Wucheng numbered over ten thousand households, and they all praised his benevolent governance.

Sun Quan commended him, summoned him to serve as Gongcao (a minor official position), and appointed him as acting Cavalry Commandant. He also gave him his cousin Sun Fu's daughter, Jia, as his wife.

Luo Tong was dedicated to remedying and investigating current affairs, and if he had any observations or insights, he would never let the matter linger overnight.

He often advised Sun Quan to respect and receive virtuous and capable people, and to diligently investigate the current affairs. During banquets and when bestowing rewards, he suggested that everyone be allowed to meet him separately, to show them warmth and care, to inspire and guide them to speak their minds, and to observe their interests so that they would all be grateful and have a heart of gratitude. Sun Quan accepted Luo Tong's advice.

Sun Quan was able to promote trustworthy officials, was eager to seek out talented people, and cared for the people like his own children in his early years.
At the same time, the principles of assigning tasks according to ability, being tolerant of others with virtue, and showing affection through kinship are inseparable from Luo Tong's sincere and honest character, upright conduct, and willingness to offer advice to others to make amends.

Luo Tong later served as Jianzhong Zhonglang General, leading 3,000 archers. After Ling Tong's death, he took command of Ling Tong's army.

At that time, taxes and corvée labor were numerous, and the number of households decreased due to the prevalence of plague.

Luo Tong then submitted a memorial, saying: "I have heard that a monarch governs a country by occupying territory to be strong and wealthy, by controlling power and influence to be noble, by promoting virtue and righteousness to be glorious, and by ensuring the perpetuation of his lineage to be a great blessing. However, wealth depends on the production of the people, strength depends on the power of the people, authority depends on the strength of the people, blessings depend on the cultivation of the people, virtue depends on the prosperity of the people, and benevolence and righteousness depend on the implementation of the people. Only when all six aspects are fully met can one comply with the mandate of heaven, pass on blessings, and protect the royal family to consolidate the country."

Without a ruler, the people cannot live in peace; without the people, the ruler cannot expand the territory.

The reasoning is that the people are stable because of the ruler's governance, and the ruler establishes the country with the help of the people; this is an immutable law.

Now, the powerful enemy has not yet been eliminated, the world is not yet at peace, the three armies are engaged in endless wars, the riverbanks are under constant guard, taxes and levies have been accumulating and burdensome, and the deaths and calamities caused by the plague have left the counties empty and the fields barren.

Upon hearing reports from the cities under my jurisdiction that the population was decreasing day by day, and that most of the people were elderly and disabled with few able-bodied men, I felt extremely anxious.

Upon careful consideration, the main reason for this is that the common people are ignorant of the ways of the world. They are not only attached to their homeland and reluctant to leave, but also because those who went out to serve in the army either lived in poverty and lacked food and clothing while alive, or died and had their bodies left to rot and not be buried in their hometowns, they are even more attached to their homeland and afraid of traveling far away, regarding going out far away as terrifying as death.

Every time labor was conscripted, those from poor families burdened with heavy debts were sent first. Those with a little wealth would use their money to bribe officials, regardless of the risk of going bankrupt.

The rash and reckless fled to the deep mountains and treacherous places, joining forces with bandits. The people were impoverished and exhausted, suffering from hunger and anxiety. Their anxiety and anxiety prevented them from focusing on production, which in turn led to even greater poverty. As poverty worsened, life became devoid of joy. Thus, when their stomachs were growling with hunger, wicked thoughts began to sprout, and more and more people rebelled.

I have also heard that among the common people, if a family cannot even support itself, most will not raise their sons. Even among the soldiers who are stationed in the fields, many abandon their children because of poverty.

Heaven has sent these children to be nurtured, yet their parents are killing them. I worry that this situation will offend Heaven and Earth and disrupt the balance of Yin and Yang. I also think that the country Your Majesty has established is an endless undertaking. Powerful neighbors and enemies cannot be annihilated all at once, and the border defenses cannot be withdrawn in a month or two. Meanwhile, the militia is constantly being reduced, and the younger generation cannot be raised. This is not a good scenario to persist for many years and ultimately achieve success.

A nation with its people is like a boat sailing on water. When the water is calm, the boat is stable; when the water is turbulent, the boat is uneasy. Though the people may be foolish, they cannot be deceived; though they may be weak, they cannot be oppressed.

Therefore, wise rulers value them because they determine fortune and misfortune. Thus, rulers must communicate with the people in order to formulate appropriate policies based on current events and public sentiment.

Today's officials occupy positions close to the people, yet they excel at being meticulous in their work, taking more from them than the country urgently needs. Few can govern with favors anymore, which is in line with Your Majesty's benevolence, which is as vast as the heavens and as diligent and compassionate as the people.

The administration of officials and the customs of the people are increasingly decadent and declining, and this trend cannot be delayed any longer.

"To cure an illness, one must act before it worsens; to eliminate a calamity, one must act before it spreads. I hope Your Majesty can find a moment of leisure amidst your busy schedule to reflect deeply, remedy deficiencies, plan strategically, nurture the remaining people, and increase resources, so that the nation's achievements may shine as brightly as the sun, moon, and stars, and be as enduring as heaven and earth. If my great wish, Luo Tong, can be fulfilled, it will be enough for me to achieve immortality even in death."

Sun Quan was deeply moved and took his opinion very seriously.

In the second year of Huangwu (222 AD), Luo Tong followed Grand Commander Lu Xun to defeat Liu Bei in Yidu, and was promoted to Lieutenant General after the battle.

When Liu Bei fled to Baidi City, Xu Sheng, Pan Zhang, Song Qian, and others each submitted a memorial to Sun Quan, requesting that he take the opportunity to attack the Shu Kingdom.

Sun Quan consulted Lu Xun for his opinion. Luo Tong, Zhu Ran, and Lu Xun believed that Cao Pi was amassing a large army, ostensibly to help Wu in its campaign against Liu Bei, but in reality harboring treacherous schemes. Therefore, they should withdraw their troops immediately. Soon after, Wei indeed launched an attack, leaving Wu besieged on three sides.

In the same year, Cao Ren led his army to attack Ruxu, and sent his generals Chang Diao and others to attack Zhongzhou. Luo Tong and Yan Gui resisted and defeated them. For his merits, Luo Tong was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Xinyang.

Luo Tong later served as the governor of Ruxu. He repeatedly presented his insightful views on current affairs, submitting dozens of memorials in total. His observations and suggestions were all very reasonable.

In particular, he estimated that the recruitment measures would encourage evil and corrupt customs among the people, and would easily cause them to rebel. He believed that this should be stopped immediately. Sun Quan debated with him repeatedly, but in the end, he decided to follow Luo Tong's advice.

In 228 AD (the seventh year of Huangwu), Luo Tong passed away at the young age of thirty-six.

After Sun Ce was assassinated, his younger brother Sun Quan succeeded him as ruler of Jiangdong. Zhang Zhao, the chief clerk who assisted in governing, actively sought an official imperial edict from the court.

At this time, Cao Cao, who was holding the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, was confronting Yuan Shao on the front line of Guandu. In order to stabilize the rear, he appointed Sun Quan as General Who Subdues the Barbarians and Governor of Kuaiji in the name of the imperial court.

In 212 AD, the seventeenth year of the Jian'an era, Sun Quan renamed Moling as Jianye, officially beginning the construction of this ancient capital of six dynasties.

When Luo Tong was twenty years old, Sun Quan appointed him as the acting governor of Wucheng.

Wucheng was a marquisate, and its prime minister held a position equivalent to a county magistrate. During the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, three people successively held the title of Marquis of Wucheng: In the third year of the Zhongping era of Emperor Ling of Han (186 AD), Sun Jian was enfeoffed as Marquis of Wucheng;

In the second year of Jian'an (197), Sun Ce inherited the title, but he didn't like it and gave the title to his younger brother Sun Kuang; in the first year of Yong'an of Emperor Jing of Wu (258).

Sun Hao was then enfeoffed as Marquis of Wucheng. In other words, the Marquis of Wucheng during Luo Tong's tenure as prime minister could only have been Sun Kuang.

During his tenure, Luo Tong was very kind and benevolent. The people of Wucheng, numbering over ten thousand, all praised his benevolent and skillful governance.

Sun Quan was very pleased and summoned him to serve as Gongcao, the chief assistant to the prefect in charge of personnel matters. At the same time, Sun Quan appointed Luo Tong to replace Xingqi Duwei, his bodyguard captain.

This shows that Sun Quan considered Luo Tong a trusted confidant in both civil and military matters. Furthermore, Sun Quan married his cousin Sun Fu's daughter to Luo Tong, further strengthening their bond.

Sun Fu was the son of Sun Qiang, the elder brother of Sun Jian. He followed Sun Ce in pacifying Danyang (governed from Wanling, now Xuancheng, Anhui), Wu Commandery (governed from Wu County, now Suzhou, Jiangsu), and Kuaiji, and captured Zu Lang, the chieftain of Danyang.

In the fourth year of Jian'an (199 AD), after Sun Ce pacified Lujiang (governed from Shuxian, present-day Lujiang, Anhui), he appointed Sun Fu as the governor of Luling (separated from Yuzhang Commandery, governed from Xichang, present-day Taihe, Jiangxi), and later promoted him to General Who Pacifies the South.

However, when Sun Quan took over Jiangdong, Sun Fu worried that Sun Quan would not be able to protect Jiangdong, so he secretly communicated with Cao Cao. After being discovered, he was imprisoned by Sun Quan until his death.

Luo Tong's ambition lies in making amends and monitoring gains and losses. If he has any insights, he will not wait until the next day to take action.

He regularly advised Sun Quan to respect the virtuous and treat his officials with respect, to be diligent in learning from their successes and failures, and to allow his ministers to come to him separately during banquets and when bestowing rewards. He would then inquire about their well-being, show them intimacy, encourage them to speak, observe their interests, and ensure that they would all be grateful and willing to repay his kindness.

In this light, Luo Tong was practically a master of human resource management during the Three Kingdoms period. Sun Quan, at this time, was still relatively astute and approved all his suggestions.

Later, Luo Tong was appointed as Jianzhong Zhonglang General, commanding 3,000 Wu Sheli (Sun Wu's special long-range sniper unit).

In 217 AD, after the death of Ling Tong, a beloved general and lieutenant general of Sun Quan, Luo Tong took command of his former troops, which further demonstrates Sun Quan's high regard for him.

At that time, Jiangdong was burdened with heavy taxes and corvée labor, and plagues were rampant, causing severe losses to the people. Luo Tong submitted a memorial to the emperor to offer his advice.

He said that for a monarch to govern a country, expanding its territory is a sign of strength and wealth, restraining power and influence is a sign of nobility, promoting virtue and righteousness is a sign of glory, and ensuring that his legacy is passed down to future generations is a sign of great fortune.

However, wealth depends on the people's livelihood, strength relies on the people's power, authority depends on the people's influence, happiness is provided by the people, virtue is promoted by the people, and benevolence is practiced by the people. Only when all six are in place can one follow the will of Heaven and respond to the people's needs, thus protecting the family and prospering the country.

The powerful enemy has not yet been defeated, the world is not at peace, the three armies are constantly at war, the turmoil along the river has not been resolved, and the population is decreasing day by day. I am extremely anxious.

The reason for this is that soldiers live in hardship and die in disarray, so they are more attached to their homeland and afraid of traveling far away.

He went on to say that whenever corvée labor was conscripted, the poorest families were sent first, the wealthy families spent all their money to bribe officials, and the cunning and treacherous fled into the mountains to join bandits.

This will only make the poor poorer, and rebellious thoughts will grow daily. Moreover, because of poverty, many families will abandon their children. How can this last? A country with its people is like a boat sailing on water.

A boat is stable when the water is calm, but dangerous when the water is turbulent. The people may be foolish, but they should not be deceived; they may be weak, but they should not be oppressed. Therefore, a good doctor treats illness before it occurs, and a ruler must be considerate of the people.

May our Lord take heed and reflect deeply, remedy shortcomings, plan far ahead, nurture all people, and devise long-term strategies.

Sun Quan was deeply moved after reading it and attached even more importance to Luo Tong's opinion.

In the first year of King Huangwu of Wu (222 AD), Luo Tong followed General Lu Xun to defeat Liu Bei at Yiling, and was promoted to Lieutenant General after the battle.

When Liu Bei retreated to Baidi, his generals requested to take the opportunity to attack, but Lu Xun, Luo Tong, and General Zhaowu Zhu Ran believed that Cao Pi was gathering troops and his intentions were unpredictable, so they should withdraw their troops quickly.

In the same year, Cao Pi, who had already proclaimed himself Emperor of Wei, launched a three-pronged attack southward: the eastern route was led by Cao Xiu, with Zhang Liao, Zang Ba, Jia Kui, Wang Ling, and others leading the troops out of Dongkou; the central route was led by Cao Ren to attack Ruxu; and the western route was led by Cao Zhen, Xiahou Shang, Zhang He, and Xu Huang to attack Nanjun. This was the third Battle of Ruxu.

On Sun Quan's side, General Lü Fan led General Jianwu Xu Sheng, Lieutenant General Quan Cong, and General Yangwu Sun Shao to resist Cao Xiu, Zhu Huan led the defense of Ruxu against Cao Ren, and General Zuo Zhuge Jin and General Pingbei Pan Zhang went to rescue Nan Commandery.

In the battle of the central route, Cao Ren dispatched his general Chang Diao to supervise Zhuge Qian, Wang Shuang, and others in attacking the central region.

Zhu Huan ordered Luo Tong and General Yan Gui to attack Chang Diao's oil ships. Ultimately, Chang Diao and Zhuge Qian were beheaded, and Wang Shuang was captured and sent to Wuchang. The Wei army was forced to retreat. Upon hearing of Cao Ren's major defeat, the other two Wei armies also retreated across the board.

After the war, Luo Tong was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Xinyang for his merits, and later succeeded Zhu Huan as the fifth governor of Ruxu.

He repeatedly presented proposals beneficial to the nation, submitting dozens of memorials in total. His arguments were all very reasonable, especially his belief that forcibly recruiting soldiers from the populace would easily encourage evil and corrupt customs, inciting rebellious thoughts among the people, and therefore should be urgently prohibited. (End of Chapter)