Hu Sengyou, with the courtesy name Yuanguo, was a notable figure from Nanyang. He was brave and courageous since he was young. He achieved the high rank of Grand Master of Ceremonies in Wei and only returned to his homeland in the second year of the Datong era. After returning, he frequently submitted suggestions to the emperor and was highly regarded, being appointed as a General, a Military Commander, and a Chief Commander of Civil Virtue, and was sent to defend Xiangcheng. However, Xiangcheng was lost, and he was captured by the Wei forces.
In the first year of Datong, Chen Qingzhi escorted the Prince of Beihai, Yuan Hao, to Luoyang, and Sengyou returned to Liang. The court appointed him as the governor of Nantianshui County and Tianmen County, and he performed well in his official duties. He enjoyed reading but was not particularly skilled at organizing and summarizing. Nonetheless, at official banquets, he would push himself to write poetry, which were often crude and ridiculed by others. However, he was not bothered by it and grew even prouder of his poetry.
When he was young, he served under Emperor Wu as a Records Officer of the Western Garrison. During Hou Jing's rebellion and the barbarian uprisings in the west, Emperor Wu sent Sengyou to suppress the rebellion and ordered the execution of the rebel leaders. Sengyou disagreed with this approach and advised the emperor, which infuriated the emperor and resulted in his imprisonment.
In the second year of Dabao, Hou Jing besieged Wang Sengbian in Baling, prompting Emperor Wu to release Sengyou from prison and appoint him as a General, a Brave General, and the Marquis of Xinshi County to aid Wang Sengbian. Before departing, Sengyou instructed his son to prepare two gates, one painted red and the other painted white. He said, "If I win, I'll come out through the red gate; if I lose, I'll come out through the white gate. If I don't return this time, it means I have lost the battle!" Emperor Wu admired his bravery upon hearing this.
When they reached Yangpu, Hou Jing sent his general Ren Yue with five thousand elite troops to occupy Baiji, waiting for Seng You. Seng You then took an alternate route to the west; Ren Yue, believing Seng You was afraid of him, decided to retreat. Seng You quickly caught up and chased him to Nan'an Qiankou. Ren Yue shouted, "Boy from Wu, why didn't you surrender earlier? Where are you running to?" Seng You completely ignored him, quietly withdrew his troops, and met up with Lu Fa at Chisha Pavilion. The two joined forces to attack Ren Yue, achieving a decisive victory, capturing Ren Yue, and sending him to Jiangling. When Hou Jing heard about this, he was terrified and fled.
Emperor Wen appointed Seng You as Attendant, General Leading the Army, and summoned him back to Jingzhou. In the second year of Chengsheng, he was promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry and appointed as a household official with three simultaneous offices, while keeping his other positions. Later, when the Western Wei army attacked, Emperor Wen appointed Seng You as Commander of the Eastern Garrison, in charge of defending the eastern city. The Western Wei army attacked from all directions, and everywhere was filled with enemies. Seng You personally led the charge, day and night, encouraging the soldiers, clearly rewarding and punishing them. Everyone was deeply moved, swore loyalty, fought bravely, and the enemy did not dare to approach. As a result, Seng You was struck by an arrow in battle and died at the age of sixty-three. When Emperor Wen heard about this, he rushed to mourn for him. The people in the city were filled with fear, resulting in the fall of the city.
Xu Wensheng, also known as Daomao, was from Xuzhou. His family had served as generals in the Wei Kingdom for generations. His father, Xu Qingzhi, returned from the north with over a thousand men to surrender to the Liang Dynasty during the Tianjian period of the Southern Dynasty, but unfortunately died before they could arrive. Xu Wensheng took command of his father's army and gradually earned some accolades, and Liang Wudi held him in high regard. As the Daitong period was drawing to a close, Liang Wudi appointed him as Commissioner and Governor of Ningzhou.
Before, Ningzhou was remote, and the ethnic minorities under its jurisdiction lacked understanding of etiquette, morals, and shame, greedy for wealth and indulgent in pleasure, often robbing and fighting each other. The previous governors had failed to maintain order among them. Xu Wensheng, however, pacified them with care, showing both his authority and benevolence. He won over those people with his actions, and the local customs changed as a result.
In the year 505 AD, upon hearing that the country was facing difficulties, Wensheng recruited tens of thousands of people to join the army. Emperor Liang Wudi greatly appreciated him, granting him several official positions and sending him to the east to fight. The positions included: Commander, Cavalry Commandant, General of the Left Guard, Inspector of Liang, General of Renwei, and Inspector of Qinzhou, among others. The Emperor also devised a battle plan for his eastern expedition.
Wensheng then led the army eastward and arrived at Wuchang, where he encountered the general Ren Yue of Hou Jing's army, and the two sides found themselves in a stalemate. After some time, the Emperor sent generals Yinyue, Duyou'an, and Wang Xun to support Wensheng, placing Wensheng in command of their forces. They fought Ren Yue at Beiji, defeating him and forcing him to retreat to Xiyang. Wensheng then occupied Luzhou and confronted Ren Yue.
Upon hearing this, Hou Jing led a large army to support Ren Yue at Xiyang. Wensheng was reluctant to engage Hou Jing in battle. His subordinates all said, "Hou Jing's navy is rash and exhausted; now is the perfect time to attack; we will surely win!" But Wensheng disagreed. Wensheng's wife, Lady Shi, was in Jianye at the time, and Hou Jing sent her back. Wensheng, feeling grateful towards Hou Jing, discreetly reached out to him, never intending to fight. This infuriated everyone.
Du You'an and Song Zao led their troops in separate attacks, engaging Hou Jing in battle, defeating him, and capturing many ships. Coincidentally, Hou Jing secretly sent cavalry to attack and occupy Yingzhou from another route, causing Wen Sheng's army to be thrown into panic and defeated. Wen Sheng fled back to Jingzhou, and the emperor still appointed him as the commander of the northern city. However, he was particularly corrupt and engaged in bribery, which angered the emperor. The emperor ordered an inquiry into his conduct and listed ten charges against him, dismissing all of his official positions.
Wen Sheng lost his military power and felt deep resentment, and the emperor, knowing this, had him taken into custody. At that time, Ren Yue was also arrested and detained with Wen Sheng. Wen Sheng said to Ren Yue, "Why didn't you surrender sooner? You’ve put me in this situation." Ren Yue replied, "I didn’t see your troops coming before; how could I have surrendered?" Wen Sheng had no retort and ultimately died in prison.
Du Yi was from Duling, Jingzhao. His ancestors migrated from the north to the south, settling in Xiangyang, in Yongzhou, and his descendants have lived there ever since. His grandfather, Du Lingqi, served as an official in the Qi Dynasty. His father, Du Huaibao, was ambitious and principled in his youth, always seeking an opportunity to achieve greatness. When the ancestor emperor led a large army eastward, Du Huaibao stayed in Xiangyang with the Prince of Nanping, Xiao Wei, to guard the city. During the Tianjian period, he gradually made some achievements and was appointed as the Valiant General and the Governor of Liangzhou. In the early years of Datong, the Governor of Liangzhou in the Wei Kingdom, Yuan Luo, surrendered the entire state to the Liang Dynasty, and Du Huaibao was promoted to the Governor of Huazhou. Just as Yang Shao, the Di King of Wuxing under Qinzhou’s jurisdiction, rebelled, Du Huaibao defeated him. Five years later, Du Huaibao passed away while serving in office.
Du Yi is the seventh son of Du Huaibao. He has always been ambitious since he was young and was known for his courage and bravery in his hometown. He initially served as a military officer in the Lujiang Garrison. When Emperor Wenzhao Xiao Yi was in Jingzhou, Du Yi was working in the imperial court and later became the newly appointed governor. In the second year of the Taiqing era, Du Yi followed Prince Yueyang Xiao Cha to attack Jingzhou. Emperor Wenzhao Xiao Yi, who had a previous friendship with Du Yi, secretly invited him over. Du Yi, along with his brother Du An, younger brother Du You'an, and nephew Du Gan, defected to Emperor Wenzhao Xiao Yi under cover of night. Emperor Wenzhao Xiao Yi appointed him as General of Chijie and General of Xinwei, Inspector of Wuzhou. Shortly after, he was promoted to General of Xuanyi, concurrently serving as the Protector of the Southern Barbarians and Interior Minister of Wuling, and was titled the Marquis of Zhijiang County with a fief consisting of one thousand households.
The Emperor ordered him to join Wang Sengbian in the eastern expedition against Hou Jing. When they arrived at Baling, they encountered Hou Jing attacking, and after several days of fighting without success, Hou Jing fled. Du Yi was further appointed as an Imperial Attendant, General of the Left Guard, was elevated to the rank of Duke, and his fief was increased by five hundred households. He then pursued Hou Jing with Wang Sengbian to Shitou City, where they confronted Hou Jing's army at Hengling. The battle commenced, with Hou Jing personally leading his elite troops in a fierce charge. Du Yi emerged from behind the hills to intercept Hou Jing, resulting in a crushing defeat for Hou Jing, who fled to Jinling. Du Yi entered the city and captured Shitou City. After Hou Jing was subdued, Du Yi was further appointed as a Cavalier Attendant, General of Chijie, Commander of the Military Affairs of Jiangzhou, and Inspector of Jiangzhou, with his fief expanded by an additional one thousand households.
Over the past month, General Guo Yuanjian of the Qi Kingdom attacked Yan Chaoyuan, the Governor of Qinzhou, who was stationed in Qin County. Wang Sengbian dispatched Hou Jing to provide support. Chen Baxian also hurried over from Ouyang’s territory to assist and engaged in a major battle against Guo Yuanjian at Shilin. Chen Baxian ordered his troops to use powerful crossbows, and Guo Yuanjian's army retreated. Hou Jing took the opportunity to lead the troops in a fierce attack, achieving a resounding victory, beheading over ten thousand enemies and capturing more than a thousand. Guo Yuanjian fled with his remnants.
At that time, Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, was holding Wang Lin captive in Jiangling, while Wang Lin's Chief of Staff, Lu Na, and his associates rebelled in Changsha. Emperor Wu sent Hou Jing and Wang Sengbian to suppress them. In the second year of Chengsheng, they fought against Lu Na and others at Chelun, winning a great victory, breaking through their two camps, and Lu Na and his followers fled back to Changsha to defend. Hou Jing and his forces subsequently besieged Changsha. Eventually, Lu Na and his followers surrendered. Hou Jing, together with Wang Sengbian, then marched west to confront Prince Wuling at Xie Kou, quickly defeating and subduing them. Hou Jing then returned to his post, but sadly fell ill and passed away.
The court issued a decree which stated: "Hou Jing, a descendant of the esteemed Yuan Kai from the old family of Jingzhao, has a family that has passed down knowledge for generations, and he is loyal and reliable. He voluntarily went to work in Jiangzhou, where he demonstrated integrity and effective governance. He implemented benevolent policies and earned a stellar reputation. We are all deeply saddened by his untimely death. He is posthumously appointed as a General of Chariots and Cavalry, with an increase in the number of military musicians. His posthumous title was 'Wu'." Hou Jing had nine brothers: older brothers Song, Cen, Qi, Ji, Yi, Yan, and his younger brother You'an, all of whom were renowned across the realm.
Hou An was especially filial, kind-hearted, brave, and exceptionally skilled in martial arts. During the Taiqing period, he and his brother Hou Yi surrendered to Emperor Xiaowen of Liang. Emperor Xiaowen appointed him as the General of the North, the Governor of Northern Liang Prefecture, and bestowed upon him the title of Marquis of Jiangling, with a fief that included one thousand households. Later, the Emperor assigned him to assist General Wang Sengbian in quelling Wang Yu's rebellion in Hubei. Soon after, the Emperor commanded him to lead ten thousand elite troops to support General Xu Wensheng in the campaign against Hou Jing.
When they arrived at Beiji, they encountered the general Ren Yue under Hou Jing's command. The two sides immediately engaged in battle, with You'an achieving a decisive victory, killing Hou Jing's generals Zitong, the General of Chilu, and Governor Zhao Weifang, among others, and sending their heads to Jiangling to display as a warning. Afterwards, You'an continued to advance but found himself at a stalemate with Hou Jing. He then sent troops to attack Wuchang and quickly captured it. To divert the attention of Xu Wensheng and his allies, Hou Jing crossed the Luzhou upstream to launch an attack. You'an led his army to meet them in battle, defeating Hou Jing and capturing all of his ships. Unexpectedly, Hou Jing secretly sent troops to attack Yingzhou, capturing Governor Fang Zhu and several others. Upon hearing this news, panic spread among everyone; Xu Wensheng fled from Hankou, the army fell apart, and You'an eventually surrendered to Hou Jing. Due to You'an's inconsistency, Hou Jing had him killed.
Kan was the second son of Zeng. He was brave and skilled in battle from a young age. During the reign of Emperor Taiqing, he and several uncles joined Emperor Shizu. The emperor appointed him as General of Chijie and Zhongwu, and Governor of Yunzhou, granting him the title of Marquis of Zhonglu County with a fief that included one thousand households. He followed Wang Sengbian in pacifying the Prince of Hedong. Later, he followed Wang Sengbian and then Xu Wensheng's army to arrive at Baling. Upon hearing that Hou Jing had attacked and occupied Yingzhou, they prepared to defend Baling alongside Wang Sengbian and others against the impending attack. When Hou Jing arrived, he laid siege to Baling for several months before ultimately retreating empty-handed.
Later, Gan was promoted to Minister of the Imperial Treasury, General of the North, Commander of Military Affairs in Dingzhou, and Governor of Dingzhou. He was also appointed as a Cavalry Attendant, with his fiefdom increased by five hundred households. He then accompanied Wang Sengbian in pursuing Hou Jing to Jiangxia, where they besieged the city. Hou Jing's general, Song Zixian, deserted the city and escaped, but Gan pursued him to Yangpu and captured him. In the third year of the Dabao era, the army reached Gushu, where Hou Jing's general, Hou Zijian, attempted to intercept them. Gan, along with Chen Baxian, Wang Lin, and others, led the elite troops into battle and defeated Hou Zijian, pressing on to Shitoucheng. Hou Jing personally led his forces into a decisive battle, but Gan and his troops fought bravely, defeating Hou Jing and forcing him to retreat. For his contributions, Gan was awarded the title of Pingdong General, Governor of Dongyangzhou, and his fiefdom was increased by another one thousand households.
In the second year of Chengsheng, I joined forces with Wang Sengbian to attack Lu Na and his allies in Changsha, defeating them. We then went to Xiling to effectively suppress the rebellion led by Prince Wuling of Wuling. Later, Jiangling was lost, and the Qi people crowned Lord Zhenyang as emperor of the Liang dynasty. I was appointed Governor of Zhenzhou and Prefect of Wuxing. Afterwards, I was promoted to General of the Southern Region, Commander of Military Affairs in Nanyuzhou, Governor of Nanyuzhou, Marquis of Liyang County, and was even given an escort team. Later on, I was further appointed as a Cavalry Attendant and General of the East Garrison. Just as Chen Baxian launched a surprise attack and captured the capital, seizing and killing Wang Sengbian, at that time, I was serving as Prefect of Wuxing, being Wang Sengbian's son-in-law.
Because Chen Baxian had little reputation at the time, and his army was rather disorganized, when I served in the army, I didn't take Chen Baxian seriously at all. When I returned to Wuxing as the governor, I strictly held in check his family members according to the law and didn't show them any kindness, which fueled Chen Baxian's resentment towards me. After Wang Sengbian failed, I held my ground in Wuxing against Chen Baxian and sent my deputy, Du Tai, to assault Chen Qian at the Great Wall, but he was defeated by Chen Qian's forces. Chen Baxian then sent the general Zhou Wenyu to attack me. I dispatched my brother Beisou to hold them off, but he was also defeated by Zhou Wenyu. I fled to Yixing, and Chen Baxian personally led a large army to besiege Yixing. Meanwhile, the generals from Qi launched an attack on the capital, and Chen Baxian was intimidated, prompting him to withdraw his troops and negotiate peace with Qi. Upon hearing that the Qi army had retreated, I surrendered, only to be killed.
Yin Zichun, with the courtesy name Youwen, hailed from Wuwei Guzang. During the later years of the Yixi reign in the Jin Dynasty, his great-grandfather accompanied Song Gaozu on his southward journey to Nanping, where they established their home. His father Yin Zhibo was a neighbor of Song Gaozu, and they had been close since childhood. He once entered Song Gaozu's bedroom and saw a strange light radiating five colors. He held Song Gaozu's hand and said, "You are destined to become very prominent in the future; you’re not meant to be a mere subject. The world is chaotic now, and only you can bring stability to the people!" Song Gaozu said, "I hope you’ll refrain from saying such things again." From then on, their bond grew even stronger, and Song Gaozu would ask him for anything he needed as if he were part of the family. When Song Gaozu ascended to the throne as emperor, Yin Zhibo was appointed governor of both Liangzhou and Qinzhou.
Zichun, when he first started his official career during the Tianjian period of the Southern Liang Dynasty, was General Xuanhui and Governor of Xiyang. By the Putong period, he had been promoted to General Mingwei and Governor of Nanliang Province. Later, he was promoted to General Xinwei, also serving as the military commander of the three provinces of Liang, Qin, and Hua, as well as the governor of Liang and Qin provinces. In the second year of Taiqing, he went to suppress a rebellion by the barbarians in the gorges. He was later summoned by the court to serve as the Left Guard General and subsequently promoted to Attendant. During the rebellion of Hou Jing, the emperor ordered Zichun to accompany General Wang Sengbian to attack Prince Shaoling, and also suppressed the rebellion in Yingzhou. Then, he and the Left Guard General Xu Wensheng together marched east to attack Hou Jing. They encountered the army of Hou Jing at Beiji; Zichun fought bravely, always leading from the front, and defeated Hou Jing on multiple occasions. Unfortunately, Yingzhou fell, and the army was ultimately routed. In the second year of Dabao, Zichun passed away in Jiangling.
Sun Hao had a reputation from a young age. When he first started his career, he was appointed by the court and later became a Langguan in the Jin Department of the Shangshu Province. He wrote a book called "Qionglin," which consists of twenty volumes.
Historical records state: Husengyou was brave and had great military achievements; many times he charged into battle and defeated the enemy. In the end, he sacrificed himself for the country, giving up his own life; even among the loyal martyrs of ancient times, none can compare to him! Xu Wensheng initially made many contributions, but could not ultimately achieve fame because he did some unjust deeds! Du Ye was skilled at assessing situations, knowing whom to support and whom to oppose, and he led the army many times, repeatedly eliminating rebels, with remarkable achievements, eventually becoming a hero of the dynasty, truly loyal!
