Kong Rong faction 孔融

Kong Rong, while Chancellor of the state of Beihai, summoned men of that state to office. He recommended Bing Yuan of Zhuxu County as 'Possessing the Way' (youdao), but Bing Yuan, saying that the Yellow Turbans were at the height of their strength, went to Liaodong. In the Chuping era Kong Rong made Wang Xiu of Yingling County his Registrar and had him serve as acting Magistrate of Gaomi; Wang Xiu surrounded the powerful Sun family of Gaomi, who had been harboring bandits, made them hand the bandits over, and so brought the powerful families into submission. When Wang Xiu was recommended as Filial and Incorrupt, he wished to yield the honor to Bing Yuan, but Kong Rong would not allow it. Records, Wei 11 §68 · 54–55

Some time later a rebellion broke out in the commandery, and Kong Rong said to those around him, 'The only one who can brave the danger and come is Wang Xiu!' No sooner had he spoken than Wang Xiu arrived. Kong Rong again appointed Wang Xiu his Officer of Merit and had him serve as acting Magistrate of Jiaodong, where bandits were numerous. Wang Xiu beheaded Gongsha Lu and his brothers of Jiaodong, who had refused to answer the levies, and banditry subsided. Chen Shou wrote that whenever Kong Rong was in trouble Wang Xiu hastened to him, and that Kong Rong always relied on Wang Xiu to escape disaster. Records, Wei 11 §56–57

Shi Yi of Yingling County, who served in the commandery, was teased by the commandery's Chancellor Kong Rong, who said that the character 氏 (shi) was the character 民 (min) missing its top and could well be changed to 是 (shi), and he finally changed his surname. Records, Wu 17 §2

Kong Rong, hearing of Taishi Ci of Donglai, thought him remarkable, and while Taishi Ci was taking refuge in Liaodong he repeatedly sent people to ask after his mother and send her gifts. At that time, as the Yellow Turbans ran rampant, Kong Rong had gone out to station himself at Douchang, where he was besieged by the bandit Guan Hai. Taishi Ci, returning from Liaodong and hearing his mother's words, went alone on foot into Douchang and asked for troops to go out and fight, but Kong Rong wanted to wait for help from outside. Records, Wu 4 §21–22

No help came and the siege tightened day by day. Kong Rong wished to report the emergency to Liu Bei, Chancellor of Pingyuan, but no one could get out of the city, so Taishi Ci volunteered to go; shooting his way through the siege, he went to Pingyuan and persuaded Liu Bei. Saying, 'So Kong of Beihai knows that there is a Liu Bei in the world!', Liu Bei sent 3,000 picked troops, and the bandits, hearing that troops were coming, lifted the siege and scattered. Kong Rong valued Taishi Ci all the more, saying, 'You are my young friend.' Records, Wu 4 §22–26

After Tao Qian's death, when Liu Bei hesitated to take charge of Xu Province and suggested handing it over to Yuan Shu at Shouchun, Kong Rong, Chancellor of Beihai, said that Yuan Gonglu was hardly a man who worried about the state and forgot his own family, that he was merely dry bones in a tomb, and that if one did not accept what Heaven gave, later regret could not undo it. Liu Bei at last took charge of Xu Province. Records, Shu 2 §9–11

Chen Shou's main text does not record how or when Kong Rong lost Beihai. In the 3rd year of Jian'an (198), when Cao Cao came to face Yuan Shao, Kong Rong said to Xun Yu that Yuan Shao, with his wide lands, strong troops, scheming ministers and brave generals, would surely be hard to defeat, and in the 4th year of Jian'an (199), as Privy Treasurer, he was on friendly terms with Zhang Hong, whom Sun Ce had sent. Records, Wei 10 §28–29Records, Wu 8 §3

At the end of Cui Yan's biography, Chen Shou wrote that the Grand Progenitor was jealous by nature and would not tolerate those he could not bear, and that Kong Rong of Lu, and Xu You and Lou Gui of Nanyang, all presumed on old ties, behaved without respect and were put to death. The assessment of Records of Wei 12 does not deal with Kong Rong. Records, Wei 12 §19 · 99