Guo Ziyi returned military power and held a grand banquet for his fellow generals in the mansion. The table was filled with delicacies, and the atmosphere was lively with singing and dancing, yet this renowned general who pacified the Anshi Rebellion and recaptured the two capitals wore a serious expression, feeling out of place amidst the festivities. After the banquet, he summoned his sixth son, Guo Ai, to the inner chamber, the drunkenness fading, and with a serious demeanor, ordered: “Starting tomorrow, you must squander our family wealth and become the most useless young master in Chang'an; otherwise, the Guo family will face disaster!”
Guo Ai had previously achieved merit in the military and could have inherited his father's estate, leaving him perplexed by this strange command. However, he understood well that his father was steady and cautious and must have profound reasons, so he had to comply. At that time, the Guo family's notable achievements had already aroused suspicion in the court—Guo Ziyi had repelled the Tibetans and was highly esteemed, with eight sons and seven sons-in-law all serving in the court, wielding great power. Achievements that overshadow the ruler have always been a taboo between monarch and minister; the emperor feared not just the wealth of non-contributors but also their prestige and the heirs who could inherit their legacy.
Li Guangbi met his end in suspicion and despair, while Pugu Huai'en was forced to rebel and died in a foreign land. These cautionary tales kept Guo Ziyi alert at all times. The eunuch Yu Chaoren had once disturbed his ancestral grave, yet he blamed it on feng shui in front of the emperor, remaining patient and silent. Allowing his son to tarnish his reputation was his strategy for self-preservation—sending a signal to the court that “the Guo family has no intention of vying for power and has no successors,” which was more effective than any justification.
From then on, Guo Ai spent his days lingering in taverns and teahouses, extravagantly spending astonishing amounts: spending thirty thousand coins to buy useless odd stones for the family home, renting an entire tavern to listen to music, and spending lavishly to redeem a singer. The common people of Chang'an spoke of this, and even officials petitioned for Guo Ziyi to discipline him strictly. The emperor sent someone to investigate, and upon seeing that although the Guo family was wealthy, their descendants were lost in pleasure, his suspicions gradually diminished, and the court's vigilance towards the Guo family eased.
Guo Ziyi's wisdom for self-preservation did not end there; his mansion gate was open all day, allowing merchants and passersby to come and go freely, demonstrating that the Guo family had no secrets. Before his death, he ordered his descendants to return all the military books and tokens awarded by the emperor, and to register and offer the family wealth to the state, completely dispelling the court's last doubts.
In 781 AD, Guo Ziyi passed away at the age of eighty-five. In that chaotic era where many contributors were slaughtered, he not only preserved himself but also ensured the safety of his family for generations. This clarity gained by self-deprecation to avoid calamity was indeed his path to safeguarding his family, far surpassing his wisdom on the battlefield.
