 Kong excelled in scholarly debates, and was appointed to a high post at the age of only 30.His eminence caused envy in some established scholars, who were ashamed of being inferior to him and made an abortive attempt to have him assassinated.After the Tang dynasty replaced the short-lived Sui, Kong Yingda became one of the "Eighteen Scholars" in the court of Emperor Taizong of Tang, along with the likes of Du Ruhui and Fang Xuanling.