Pang Tong vs Sang Hongyang

Pang Tong left Zhou Yu's service and joined Liu Bei as a county magistrate. Liu Bei initially undervalued him, but after an interview with Lu Su and Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei promoted him to a key advisory role.

Pang Tong presented three strategies to Liu Bei for taking Yi Province from Liu Zhang: a direct attack, a feigned retreat to lure Liu Zhang's forces, or a slow consolidation. Liu Bei chose the middle strategy, leading to the eventual conquest of Yi.

During the siege of Luo County in Yi Province, Pang Tong was struck by an arrow and died. His death was a significant loss for Liu Bei, who mourned him deeply and later appointed his father to a post.

Sang Hongyang established government monopolies over the production and sale of salt and iron. These monopolies generated substantial revenue for the Han treasury, enabling Emperor Wu's expansionist policies, but also faced criticism for stifling private enterprise.

Sang Hongyang introduced the 'equalization and standardization' (junshu) system to stabilize prices and transport goods. The government bought surplus goods in regions of abundance and sold them in areas of scarcity, controlling commerce and increasing state revenue.

Sang Hongyang was appointed as Superintendent of Agriculture (Da Sinong) under Emperor Wu of Han. He became the chief financial officer responsible for implementing state monopolies on salt, iron, and liquor to fund military campaigns.

After Emperor Wu's death, Sang Hongyang was accused of conspiring with the regent Huo Guang's rivals. He was executed along with his family, ending his economic reforms temporarily, though many were later reinstated.