Wei Can, courtesy name Changqian, was the grandson of General of Chariots and Cavalry Wei Rui and the son of the Inspector of North Xuzhou Wei Fang. He inherited his father's virtues, was eager to learn, ambitious, tall, standing a full eight feet tall, and quite handsome. Initially, he served as an aide to Prince Jin'an at the Yunhui General's Mansion, and soon was promoted to the Legal Department, and later to Military Officer, concurrently serving as the Military Officer of the Central Army. At that time, Yu Zhongrong of Yingchuan and Zhang Shuai of Wu County, both respected elders, worked in the same office as Wei Can, and they became close friends. When Prince Jin'an was transferred to Yongzhou, Wei Can followed and served as a secretary and the Military Officer of the Central Army, without any change in rank. After Prince Jin'an was appointed Crown Prince, Wei Can was promoted to Colonel of Infantry and appointed as the commander of the imperial guards in the Eastern Palace. Later, due to his father's passing, he resigned to return home and observe a mourning period. After the mourning period, he was appointed as an advisor to Prince Anxi Xiangdong (Xiao Yi) and gradually rose through the ranks, becoming the Grand Attendant of the Crown Prince, Left Guard Commander, while retaining his position as the commander of the imperial guards. Wei Can, relying on his previous relationships, acted impulsively, and although his position changed frequently, he often stayed in the palace, gaining notoriety. However, due to his arrogance and overbearing attitude, he was not well-liked by his contemporaries. Once, the Right Guard General Zhu Yi angrily confronted Wei Can at a banquet, "Who do you think you are, acting like a military leader in front of so many people!"
In the year 536 AD, I was appointed as the Regular Attendant of the Household, but before I could assume the role, I was sent to serve as the Commissioner, Supervisor of Military Affairs in Hengzhou, General of Anyuan, and Inspector of Hengzhou. When the Crown Prince bid me farewell at Xinting, he gripped my hand and said, "We won't be apart for long."
In the year 547 AD, I arrived in Hengzhou to take up my post. Not long after, I soon submitted my resignation. The following year, the court recalled me and appointed me as a cavalier attendant. When I returned to Luling, I heard that Hou Jing had rebelled! I quickly assessed the troops under my command, selected five thousand elite soldiers and one hundred warhorses, and rushed day and night to provide reinforcements.
Upon reaching Yuzhang, I was ordered to report, stating, "The rebels have crossed the Yangtze River!" I immediately went to discuss countermeasures with the Intendant Liu Xiaoyi. Liu Xiaoyi said, "If that's the case, the court will surely issue a formal order. How can we act rashly based on the report of a single person? What if the information is wrong?" At that time, Liu Xiaoyi was drinking, and I was furious upon hearing this. I slammed the wine cup to the ground and loudly said, "The rebels have crossed the river and are about to attack the capital. The waterways have been cut off. How can we wait for the court's order? Even if there is no order, can I just sit here and do nothing? I, Wei Can, have no mind for drinking today!" After speaking, I mounted my horse and prepared to depart.
At that moment, the Inspector of Jiangzhou, Lord Dangyang, sent someone to invite me over. I immediately went to see him and said, "Among the various states upstream, Jiangzhou is closest to the capital. Your Highness should consider the situation and fortify Jiangzhou first; however, the stakes in Jiangzhou are high and must be managed properly, not left vulnerable. Right now, we should make a strong show of moving our base to Penceng, with a portion of the troops following me, and that should be enough." Lord Dangyang agreed to my suggestion and sent the soldier Liu Xin to lead two thousand soldiers to follow me. I left my entire family in Jiangzhou and took a small boat. In Nanzhou, my nephew, the Inspector of Sizhou, Liu Zhongli, also led over ten thousand soldiers to the banks of the Yangtze River. I quickly supplied him with provisions and military gear, and even rewarded his soldiers with my own gold and silver.
First, General Anbei, Fan Yi, the King of Poyang, sent Pei Zhigao, the governor of Xi Yu Prefecture, and his son from Hefei to lead the army from Jiangxi to the capital city, stationed at Zhang Gongzhou, waiting for the upstream army to arrive. At that time, Pei Zhigao sent a boat to bring Liu Zhongli over, and they both took up position at Wang Youyuan. Liu Zhongli's advisor, Liu Can, suggested that Liu Zhongli be elected as the Grand Marshal to lead the downstream army. Pei Zhigao, feeling ashamed to be subordinate to Liu Zhongli, thought that his age and position were superior, so he remarked, "There are still regional generals under Liu Zhongli; do I really need to command them personally?" He struggled to make a decision for several days.
Liu Can spoke loudly in front of everyone: "We are all now going through thick and thin for the country; our goal is to eliminate the rebels. Therefore, we have elected Liu Sizhou (Liu Zhongli) as the commander-in-chief because he has long been guarding the border, initially feared by Hou Jing, and his army is the most elite and unmatched by any other. In terms of official position, Liu Zhongli's rank is lower than mine; in terms of age, he is younger than me, but for the sake of the country's interests, these shouldn't be a factor. What's most important now is for us all to stand united; if people's hearts are not united, everything will be lost. General Pei, you are an elder statesman of the court, highly respected, and should not let personal interests get in the way of our mission. I request an explanation for everyone." Then, Liu Can took a small boat alone to General Pei's camp and earnestly confronted him, saying, "You opposed the previous decisions made by the generals in Yuzhou. Now the imperial palace is in jeopardy, and rebels are rampant; as subjects, we should work together. How can we be at odds with each other? If you insist on setting up your own faction, the swords will be turned against you!" General Pei cried and said, "I've been honored by the country and should lead the charge, but I'm getting old and can't do it like I used to. I hope Sir Liu can help quell the rebellion together. I thought everyone was on the same page, so I didn’t think I needed to worry. If you still have any doubts, I can lay my heart bare for you!" In this way, the generals ultimately agreed, allowing Liu Zhongli to officially take command of the troops.
Upon arriving at Xinting, the enemy army established their formation at Zhongxing Temple. The two sides confronted each other until evening before withdrawing to their respective camps. That night, Zhongli went to Can's camp to deploy the troops and prepare for the battle the next day. The various generals took their posts, ordering Can to station at Qingtang. Qingtang is located on the crucial road from Shitoucheng to the Huai River. Can was concerned that the fortifications were still incomplete, and the enemy would definitely try to seize the area. He expressed his concerns to Zhongli, saying, "I have limited abilities and cannot defend against the enemy's invasion. I only wish to die for my country. Please weigh the pros and cons carefully, and don’t let my sacrifice be in vain!" Zhongli replied, "Building a fort at Qingtang, close to the Huai River crossing, is crucial for allowing ships carrying provisions to dock. This is a vital task that only you can undertake. If you are worried about insufficient troops, I will send reinforcements to support you." Therefore, he sent General Liu Shuyin to support Can and ordered him to lead both the land and naval forces forward together.
At that time, a thick fog enveloped the area, and the soldiers got lost on the way. When they finally reached Qingtang, it was already midnight, and the fortifications were still not completed by daybreak. Jing Deng, from the tower of Chanling Temple, noticed that Can's camp was still not built, so he led the elite troops to attack. Deputy Wang Changmao advised Can to complete the fortifications before engaging the enemy, but Can did not listen. He ordered General Zheng Yi to meet the enemy and instructed Liu Shuyin to lead the navy to cut off the enemy's retreat. Liu Shuyin, being timid, hesitated to advance, leading to Zheng Yi's defeat. The enemy, seizing the opportunity, launched an attack on the camp. As others tried to pull Can to safety, he stood his ground, urging his soldiers to fight bravely. Nearly all the soldiers perished in battle, and in the end, Can also fell heroically at the age of fifty-four. Can's son Ni, and his three brothers Zhu, Jing, Gou, as well as his cousin Ang, all died in battle, with hundreds of relatives either killed or wounded.
The enemy delivered Can's head to the court and displayed it publicly in the city. Emperor Taizong, upon hearing this, shed tears and said, "The safety of the state relies on Wei Gong; how unfortunate it is that he died in battle." He then posthumously honored Can as "Loyal and Righteous" and promoted his son Ni and his brothers Zhu, Jing, and Gou to the rank of Gentlemen of the Palace Writers, while his cousin Ang was made an official of the Cavalry.
Can's eldest son Zang, styled Junli, served as a Gentleman of the Three Excellencies, the Prince's Stablemaster, and the leader of the Eastern Palace. During Hou Jing's rebellion, he stationed his troops at Xihua Gate. After the city fell, he fled to Jiangzhou, gathered his old comrades, took control of Yuzhang, but was ultimately killed by his own subordinates.
Jiang Ziyi, styled Yuanzhen, was from Kai Cheng in Jiyang and was the seventh generation grandson of Jiang Tong, a Cavalier Attendant of the Jin Dynasty. His father, Jiang Fachen, worked as a court attendant during the Tianjian reign of Emperor Wu of Liang. Jiang Ziyi loved learning from a young age, was ambitious, and because his family was poor, he ate vegetarian food all his life. He initially took on roles as a Gentleman of the Palace Writers and a court attendant. Later, he requested to study in the Secretariat, which was approved by Emperor Wu of Liang, who even specifically assigned him to work in Hualin Province. His uncle was General of the Right Guard Zhu Yi, who held great power in the court and had many guests visiting every day during his rest time, but Jiang Ziyi never visited his home, demonstrating his integrity. He gradually rose through the ranks, becoming a Gentleman of the Secretariat of the Ministry of Rites, then was sent to Suichang and Qu'e as county magistrates, achieving outstanding results. He was later promoted to Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary, and subsequently became the General of Rongzhao and the Colonel of Nanjin.
He had a son named Jiang Zisi, who later became the Minister of Finance. During the Datong era, he was promoted to Right Chancellor. The two brothers both had very strong personalities. After Jiang Zisi became the Right Chancellor, he submitted a memorial to the emperor, speaking frankly about the court's successes and failures. Emperor Liang Wudi admired him greatly and ordered the Ministry of Personnel Affairs to carefully select his suggestions for implementation. Once, when a proposal from Left Minister Shen Jiong and Minister of Works Gu Yu was rejected, Emperor Liang Wudi was very angry and scolded them sharply. Jiang Zisi quickly stepped up to defend them, speaking passionately. Emperor Liang Wudi was enraged and ordered him to be tied up. Jiang Zisi lay on the ground, refusing to rise. Although Emperor Liang Wudi was very angry, he had no choice but to release him. However, Jiang Zisi was later dismissed from his post.
When Hou Jing rebelled and captured Liyang, he was on the verge of crossing the Yangtze River. Jiang Zi gathered over a thousand sailors to intercept him downstream. Unfortunately, his deputy Dong Taosheng, whose family lived on the north bank of the Yangtze River, fled with his men. Jiang Zi was forced to retreat to Nanzhou, regroup the remaining forces, and make his way on foot to the capital. As the rebels pursued them, Jiang Zi said to Emperor Taizong, "The rebels haven't surrounded us yet. We can still counterattack before they establish a solid camp. If we wait, we will lose our chance." He then requested to lead his two sons, Jiang Zisi and Jiang Ziwu, along with more than a hundred soldiers, to open Chengming Gate and charge at the rebels. The emperor consented.
Jiang Zi Yi charged at the forefront, wielding a weapon and rushing into the enemy formation alone. The rebels attacked him from both sides, and his followers dared not advance. Jiang Zi Si and Jiang Zi Wu saw the critical situation and charged into the enemy formation together, both ending up dead. The emperor issued a decree, "The late General Jiang Zi Yi, Cavalier Attendant of the Imperial Secretariat, Colonel of Nanjin, Jiang Zi Si, Former Right Deputy of the Grand Secretariat, Jiang Zi Wu, and Marshal of the Eastern Palace, Jiang Zi Wu, have all heard of their heroic deeds. We are deeply sympathetic. They sacrificed themselves for the country and should be posthumously promoted, but we must also follow tradition. Therefore, Jiang Zi Yi was posthumously appointed as Attendant of the Yellow Gate, Jiang Zi Si as Attendant of the Imperial Library, and Jiang Zi Wu as Cavalier Attendant." After the chaos caused by Hou Jing was quelled, the emperor posthumously honored Jiang Zi Yi as Attendant of the Palace, with the posthumous title "Yi Zi"; Jiang Zi Si was honored as Attendant of the Yellow Gate, with the title "Yi Zi"; and Jiang Zi Wu was honored as Attendant of the Imperial Library, with the title "Lie Zi." Jiang Zi Yi also continued writing the "Yellow Map" and Ban Gu's "Nine Ranks," and wrote several dozen poems and essays that have been passed down through the ages.
Zhang Sheng, styled as Sishan, was the son of General Zhenbei Zhang Ji. He was upright and composed from a young age, with aspirations and integrity, and was eloquent. When his father was killed by the local people during his tenure in Qingzhou, Zhang Sheng, due to the family's misfortunes, led a life of vegetarianism and wore coarse clothing, never touching a blade. He was recommended by the province as a promising scholar. He initially served as a Secretariat Gentleman and gradually rose through the ranks to become a Prince's Attendant, Imperial Stableman, Left-West Scrivener of the Ministry of Works, and Gentleman of the Imperial Library. He was then appointed as the Interior Minister of Yongyang, and upon returning to the court, served as the Marshal of the Prince of Xuan City and Cavalier Attendant. He was later appointed as the Chief Historian of Zhen Nan Xiangdong Wang and the Administrator of Xunyang. In the first year of Dafu, the court called him to serve as the Minister of the Grand Repository, and shortly after, he was soon transferred to serve as the Administrator of Wuxing. In the year 548 AD, when Hou Jing laid siege to the capital, Shenzhou Governor Shen Yue's brother Shen Sheng sent his brother to lead thousands of local soldiers to the rescue.
In the year 549 AD, the imperial palace was breached, and Shen Jun, the Deputy Imperial Censor, risked his life to escape back east. Shen Sheng went to visit him and said, "The rebels are rampant, the country is in imminent danger; this is the time for loyal subjects to stand by the country! I want to recruit soldiers and gather troops and resources now to defend our Shengzhou. Even if heaven turns its back on us, my loyalty cannot waver; even if I die in battle, I have no regrets!" Shen Jun said, "Although our Shengzhou is small, as long as it is a righteous act to resist the rebels, who would dare disobey?" He strongly urged Shen Sheng to rebel. So Shen Sheng began to recruit soldiers and strengthen the city defenses.
At this time, Prince Shaoling fled to Qiantang (now Hangzhou). After hearing about this, he sent someone to appoint Shen Sheng as General of the East and granted him titles and rewards. Shen Sheng said, "The court is in danger, the emperor is wandering and homeless; what kind of reward is this?" He only accepted the appointment letter.
The rebel commander Liu Shenmao broke through Yixing and sent envoys to convince Shen Sheng to surrender, saying, "If you surrender early, we will let you continue to be the county magistrate, and we will also bestow titles and rewards upon you." Shen Sheng ordered the envoy to be killed and sent his military commander Wang Xiong and others to counterattack Liu Shenmao at Lidi (a place name), defeating him and forcing him to retreat.
Hou Jing heard that Liu Shenmao was defeated, so he sent his central army commander Hou Zijian to lead twenty thousand elite soldiers to support Liu Shenmao in attacking Shen Sheng. Shen Sheng sent his military commander Fan Zhilang to resist in the west of the county, but was defeated by Liu Shenmao and had to retreat. The rebel army, emboldened by their victory, pursued, burning down the camp and causing the soldiers inside to panic and scatter. Shen Sheng took off his armor and sat in the government office; as rebel soldiers armed with swords closed in on him, he never surrendered.
In the end, the rebels captured Shen Jun and sent him to Hou Jing. Hou Jing executed him in the capital, and over ten of his family members were also killed. Shen Jun was 62 years old at the time. After the rebellion was quelled, Emperor Xiaowu posthumously appointed him as Imperial Censor, General of the Guards, and Left Guard General, and bestowed upon him the posthumous title of "Loyal and Faithful."
Shen Jun, styled Shuyuan, was from Wukang, Huzhou, Zhejiang. His grandfather, Shen Xian, served as a Cavalier Attendant in Southern Qi, as noted in the historical records of Southern Qi. Shen Jun was talented and knowledgeable from a young age, demonstrating exceptional abilities. He served with distinction as the magistrate of Shanyin County, Wuxian County, and Jiankang County. Later, he rose to the imperial court as the Gentleman of the Palace Library and the Deputy Left Minister.
When Hou Jing's army approached the capital, Shen Jun was promoted to the Deputy Imperial Censor. At that time, reinforcements from the court were arriving continuously, so Hou Jing petitioned for peace, and the Emperor consented. However, shortly after the agreement was signed, Hou Jing heard about an epidemic in the city and harbored ulterior motives, and delayed his departure. A few days later, the Crown Prince dispatched Shen Jun to Hou Jing. Hou Jing replied, "It's too hot to march right now. How can I pull back an army of 100,000? If you want to earn favor with the court, you could help me negotiate with the court."
Shen Jun said, "General, are you suggesting that you want to seize this city? There is enough food and supplies in the city to last a hundred days. Your supplies are running low, and the imperial reinforcements are on their way. How will you sustain a hundred thousand troops? Are you trying to threaten the court with such words?" Hou Jing placed his sword across his knee, glaring angrily. Shen Jun sternly rebuked Hou Jing, "General, you are also a subject of the court. How could you raise arms against the court? The Emperor has already pardoned your sins, we have just formed an alliance, and the ink on our alliance is barely dry, and you want to go back on your word? I'm sixty this year, and I am here on the Emperor's orders. Life and death are predestined; would I fear the sword of a traitor like you!" With that, Shen Jun walked away without looking back. Hou Jing remarked, "Now this is a true Grand Master of the Imperial Secretariat!" but secretly nursed a grudge against him. Later, after Hou Jing defeated Zhang Sheng's army, he found an excuse to eliminate Shen Jun.
Liu Jingli was the grandson of the Duke of Qingyuan. His father, Liu Jin, was an official serving the Crown Prince. Liu Jingli and his brother, Liu Zhongli, were known for their bravery and valor from a young age. Liu Jingli started as a low-ranking official and gradually rose through the ranks to become the Prefect of Fufeng.
Later, when Hou Jing rebelled after crossing the Yangtze River, Liu Jingli led three thousand cavalry and infantry to rescue Jiankang. Upon reaching Jiankang, he occupied Qingxidai and frequently fought against Hou Jing, always leading the charge with great courage and earning a great reputation. After the fall of Jiankang, Hou Jing captured both Liu Jingli and Liu Zhongli. Hou Jing sent Liu Zhongli to attack the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, leaving Liu Jingli as a hostage and giving him a token position as a guard.
Hou Jing hosted a banquet for Liu Zhongli at Houzhu, and Liu Jingli quietly said to Liu Zhongli, "Hou Jing is coming to drink with us now. When I grab him, bro, you gotta pull out your sword and take him out! Even if I die, I won’t regret it!" Liu Zhongli was moved by his bold words and agreed to his plan. After a few rounds of drinks, Liu Jingli looked at Liu Zhongli, but Liu Zhongli saw that Hou Jing's guards were heavily armed and did not dare to act. This plan ended up failing.
Later, Hou Jing wanted to attack Jinxi, and Liu Jingli and Prince Xiao Huili of Nankang conspired to attack Hou Jing's city. When the time was right to act, but then, Jian'an Hou Xiao Ben found out about it and told Hou Jing about their plan, which led to Liu Jingli getting killed.
Historical records evaluate that people like Liu Jingli, who value loyalty more than life itself, have been noted throughout history. This is one of the most cherished qualities by ancient sages. Mencius once said, "Life is what I want, loyalty is also what I want. If I cannot have both, I would rather give up life and choose loyalty." Just like Zhang Xun, Xu Yuan, and others, who laid down their lives for the country, they faced death without fear, and their heroic deeds have been passed down through the ages. Future generations will recognize that the Liang Dynasty produced loyal figures like Liu Jingli.
