Biography of Xu Maogong (李勣).

Li Ji (jì) (594–669), originally known as Xu Shixun (徐世勣), Li Shixun (李世勣), courtesy name Maogong, was a native of Cao Prefecture (曹州離狐; present-day Dongming County, Heze, Shandong). A famous general in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, he was called together with Li Jing, the Duke of Weiguo.

Li Ji was born in gaoping northern ancestral house Xu clan, and in his early years he joined the Wagang army, and later accompanied Li Mi to tang. Throughout his life, he experienced the three dynasties of Tang Gaozu, Tang Taizong and Tang Gaozong, and won the trust and heavy responsibility of the imperial court. He became one of the main warlords of the Tang Dynasty in opening up its territory and expanding its territory. He was a general in and out of the picture, and his merits were outstanding, and he was relied on by the imperial court as a dry city, and was one of the twenty-four heroes of Ling Yan Pavilion.

In the thirteenth year of Daye (617), Li Mi proclaimed himself the Duke of Wei and was given the title of Official. Xu Shixun was awarded the title of Grand General of the Right Wu Dynasty and commanded the headquarters.

According to folklore, Xu Maogong of Wagang Mountain can pinch and calculate, and the prototype of Xu Maogong is Li Ji, a famous general of the early Tang Dynasty.

In October of the first year of Wu De (618), Li Mi was defeated by Wang Shichong and gathered the remnants to submit to the Tang Dynasty. The territories that Li Mi had originally commanded were taken over by Xu Shixun, who remained the governor of Liyang.

In the ninth year of Wu De (626), Li Shimin ascended the throne, and Li Shixun was made the governor of Hezhou and given nine hundred households. In order to avoid Li Shimin's secret, Li Shixun removed the word "Shi" from his name and changed his name to Li Ji.

In the eleventh year of Zhenguan (637), Li Ji was renamed the Duke of England, and the hereditary history of Puzhou was stabbed. In November of the fifteenth year of Zhenguan (641), Li Ji was conscripted into the dynasty and appointed as the Shangshu of the Bingbu. In the twenty-second year of Zhenguan (648), Li Ji was transferred to the post of Taichangqing (太常卿), still serving as Tongzhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品). Ten days later, he paid homage to Prince Zhan Shi.

In the fourth year of Yonghui (653), Li Ji was enthroned as a Sikong. Li Zhi ordered a portrait of him and personally wrote a preface to the portrait. In the sixth year of Yonghui (655), Li Zhi wanted to depose Empress Wang and make Zhaoyi Wushi (Wu Zetian) empress, fearing that the chancellor would oppose him, so he summoned Li Ji and his eldest son Wuji, Yu Zhining, Chu Suiliang and other ministers to consult, but Li Ji said that he was ill. Li Zhi secretly inquired, and Li Ji replied, "This is Your Majesty's family affair, why ask outsiders more!" Since then, Li Zhi has strengthened his determination to "depose Wang Liwu", and Li Ji has gained the trust of Li Zhi and Empress Wu.

In the second year of the general chapter (669), Li Ji died at the age of seventy-six (the New Book of Tang was eighty-six years old). He was given the title of Taiwei (太尉), the Governor of Yangzhou (州大都督), with the courtesy name "Zhenwu", and was buried with Zhaoling. Later, he was entitled to the temple court of Emperor Gaozong.

In the first year of Guangzhai (684), Li Jingye, the grandson of Li Ji, raised an army against Wu Zetian, and Wu Zetian pursued the officials of Li Ji and others, dug up their graves and cut coffins, and restored their original surname Xu.

In the first year of Shenlong (705), Emperor Zhongzong of Tang restored Li Xian to the throne, and ordered the restoration of Li Ji's official title, and re-buried him.