Wang Changshu, from Bicheng in Jingzhao Prefecture. His grandfather, Wang Pi, was the Grand Commandant during the Northern Wei Dynasty, and his father, Wang Qingyuan, was the Governor of Huaizhou during the Northern Zhou Dynasty. Wang Changshu was a striking figure from a young age. At the age of eight, Emperor Taizu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty saw him and was very surprised, saying, "The Wang family has such a grandson; he truly brings honor to our ancestors!" As an adult, he was appointed as an Assistant Cavalry Officer and was granted the title of Count of Chang'an. He gradually rose through the ranks to become a General of the Imperial Guards, a Grand Minister of Ceremonies, and an Attendant to the Heir Apparent.
Wang Changshu lost his father at a young age and was raised by his grandfather, Wang Pi. After Wang Pi passed away, Wang Changshu observed the mourning period with great diligence, surpassing the customary requirements. The court issued a special commendation for his efforts. After the mourning period, he inherited his grandfather's title and was enfeoffed as the Duke of Fufeng with a fief comprising three thousand households. He was then appointed as a Gentleman-in-Waiting of the Palace Library, responsible for compiling the imperial annals, and was further enfeoffed as the Duke of Longmen. He accompanied Yu Jin in pacifying the Battle of Jiangling, where he distinguished himself in battle, and his fief was increased by five hundred households. After the Northern Zhou Dynasty abdicated to the Sui Dynasty, his fief was subsequently increased to a total of four thousand seven hundred households. He was then appointed as the Minister of Rites.
Subsequently, he was appointed as the Inspector of Jinzhou and then transferred to serve as Chief Steward of Yubi. Shortly after, he was appointed as the Chief Justice and later served as the Inspector of Guangzhou. During his tenure in Guangzhou, he was well-respected and benevolent, adored by both the people and officials. Within a few years, over thirty thousand households of local tribes pledged their allegiance to him. The court recognized his contributions and promoted him to Grand General. He later successively served as the Chief Steward of Xiangzhou and Renzhou, achieving notable successes in governance.
When Yang Jian, the Emperor Wen of Sui, became Prime Minister, Wang Changshu was appointed Governor of Xinzhou. There were still some ethnic groups in Xinzhou who had yet to surrender, so Wang Changshu led troops to pacify them, and he was promoted to Grand General. Prince Qian of Yizhou rebelled and sent envoys to Wang Changshu. Wang Changshu captured the envoys, presented the letters to the court, and proposed strategies to attack Prince Qian. Emperor Wen of Sui was very pleased and rewarded him with 500 taels of gold, appointing him as the commander of the expedition to lead troops against Prince Qian. Due to his achievements in defeating Prince Qian, Wang Changshu was promoted to Grand General.
During the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty, he presented strategies to the court to pacify the Chen Dynasty, actively built warships and prepared as the vanguard. Emperor Wen of Sui admired his talents, rewarded and comforted him several times, and personally wrote a letter saying, "Every time I see your insight, I greatly admire it. When we go to war in the future, you must be the marshal!" Several years later, he was appointed commander of the expedition to conquer Nanning. Before reaching the destination, he died of illness on the way. Emperor Wen of Sui was very regretful, sent envoys to mourn his passing and pay tribute to him, and posthumously appointed him Grand General and Governor of Jizhou. His son Wang Mo inherited his title and lands. Wang Mo's younger brother, Wang Gui, served as the magistrate of Dongju during the Daye period. Wang Changshu's youngest son, Wang Wenkai, later became a minister.
Li Yan, styled Bado, was from Xiangping in Liaodong. His father, Li Bi, was the Grand Tutor of the Zhou Dynasty. Li Yan trained in martial arts from a young age, had a bold personality and was very talented. Under the rule of Emperor Taizu of Zhou, he was appointed commander of the cavalry, and was titled Duke of Hairen County. Later, he was promoted to General of the Army, renamed as Duke of Puning County, and then became the Governor of Yizhou.
Afterwards, he followed Wei Xiaokuan to Yubi City to defend the town, fought with the enemy many times, and the enemy feared him greatly. After pacifying the State of Qi, he was promoted to Grand General for his military achievements, bestowed the title of Duke of Zhenxiang, appointed as Left Minister, and rewarded with three hundred pieces of silk, twenty servants, and his son Li Zhongwei was granted the title of Duke of Fuyang. Later, he successively served as the Inspector of Dingzhou and Fuzhou.
When Wang Qian rebelled, Emperor Gaozu appointed Li Yan as the Commander of the Expeditionary Force, and together with Liang Rui, they quelled the rebellion. Li Yan was subsequently promoted to Senior Grand General and rewarded with two thousand pieces of silk. In the first year of Kaihuang, he was appointed as the Commander of the Expeditionary Force to suppress the rebellious barbarians, successfully quelling the rebellion. He was promoted to the title of Duke, rewarded with two thousand bolts of silk, and then also served as the Governor of Lizhou. The following year, when the Turks invaded the border, he led the army as the Commander of the Expeditionary Force to suppress them; although he did not capture the enemy, he returned safely. Afterwards, he was transferred to the position of Inspector of Jiezhou.
Several years later, the court prepared to attack Jiangnan and ordered Li Yan to build warships in the vicinity of Xiangzhou. When it was time for a large-scale attack on the Chen Dynasty, he was appointed as the Commander of the Expeditionary Force and set out from Xiangyang with Prince Qin Yang Jun. For his military achievements, he was rewarded with three thousand bolts of silk and six hundred shi of rice, and appointed as the Governor of Anzhou. During his tenure in Anzhou, he ruled with benevolence. Over a year later, he fell ill and returned to the capital, passing away at his home at the age of fifty-seven. His son Li Zhongwei inherited his title.
Li Yan's son Li Changya married Princess Xiangguo, the daughter of Emperor Gaozu, and inherited his father's title, becoming Duke of Heyang. In the early years of Kaihuang, he was appointed as General, Cavalry Commandant, later served as Minister of the Interior, Inspector of Hezhou, and Acting Governor of Qinzhou.
Li Yan's great-grandson Li Mi is recorded separately.
Yilou Qian, courtesy name Yangan, was a Xianbei man. His ancestors were leaders of the Xianbei tribe, and later followed the Wei Dynasty to migrate south. His grandfather was a governor in the central region, and his father served as the magistrates of Xiangzhou and Longzhou. Yilou Qian was loyal, upright, and eloquent. He served as a general in the Wei Dynasty. Later, during the Zhou Dynasty's takeover of Northern Wei, he gradually rose in ranks to become a senior official, an envoy, and the Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry.
Emperor Wu of Zhou planned to attack Northern Qi, so he summoned Yilou Qian to the palace and casually asked him, "I intend to lead troops into battle, what do you think we should do first?" Yilou Qian replied, "As a mere nobody like me, how could I know about such important matters? However, the Northern Qi regime usurped power, acting arrogantly and disrespectfully, indulging in revelry and neglecting their duties. Their powerful general Hulü Mingyue is dead, there is infighting everywhere in the court, the people's hearts are scattered, and everyone on the streets is talking behind their backs. If we launch an attack now, it would be an excellent opportunity!" Emperor Wu laughed heartily and sent Yilou Qian and Tuoba Wei to Northern Qi as envoys to assess the situation. Emperor Wu then mobilized his troops.
The Emperor of Northern Qi, upon hearing of Zhou's plans, sent his official Yang Xiuzhi to question Yilou Qian, "Why is the Zhou Dynasty mobilizing troops in the sweltering heat, where are you planning to go?" Yilou Qian replied, "I have never heard that wars cannot be fought in the summer from childhood to adulthood. Even if you build more White Emperor cities to the west or station tens of thousands of Baqiu troops to the east, it's all normal; what's so surprising about that?" Yilou Qian's adjutant Gao Zun secretly tipped off Northern Qi about the situation, and as a result, Yilou Qian was detained by Northern Qi. Later, after Emperor Wu of Zhou took Bingzhou, he sent someone to reassure Yilou Qian, saying, "I mobilized my troops for war, intending to wait for your return before taking action, but unexpectedly, Gao Zun betrayed me, ruining my plans; it's all Gao Zun's doing!" Then Emperor Wu handed Gao Zun over to Yilou Qian for him to handle.
Yilou Qian knelt and begged Emperor Wu for Gao Zun's pardon, but Emperor Wu said, "You can let everyone spit on his face together, so he knows what shame feels like!" Yilou Qian replied while still on his knees, "Gao Zun's crimes cannot be solved by spitting." Emperor Wu thought what he said made sense, so he didn't say anything else. Yilou Qian continued to treat Gao Zun as before, showing kindness and generosity to everyone. Later, Yilou Qian was made the Count of Jiyang County, and his official rank gradually rose to Prefect of Qianzhong. During the Daixiang period, he was appointed as a marquis and also received the title of Kaifu. After Yang Jian became prime minister, he appointed Yilou Qian as the governor of Bozhou, but was soon called back to the capital.
After pacifying the rebellion of King Qian, Yilou Qian felt embarrassed since he had the same name as the rebels, so he chose to go by the name Yan Gong instead. After Yang Jian became emperor, he appointed Yilou Qian as the Left Martial General and soon promoted him to Grand General, granting him the title of Duke. Several years later, he was sent to Zezhou as its governor, renowned for his integrity and simplicity, and deeply loved by the people. Later, due to illness, he resigned from his post, and the people were sad to see him go, accompanying him for hundreds of miles before parting ways. Several years later, Yilou Qian passed away peacefully at home at the age of seventy, and his son Yijie succeeded him to the title.
Tian Rengong, courtesy name Changgui, was a man from Pingliang. His father, Tian Hong, was the Minister of Works of the Northern Zhou dynasty. Tian Rengong was known for his kindness and generosity. During the Northern Zhou dynasty, he passed the imperial examinations and became a Master of Classics. Due to his father's military achievements, he was granted the title of Duke of Chunyin. The Prime Minister Yuwen Hu recognized his talents and appointed him as a military officer in charge of troops. Years later, due to his father's merits, he was appointed as the Deputy Director of the Imperial Secretariat. He followed Yuwen Hu on military expeditions and achieved many victories, leading to his appointment as the Duke of Xiangwu, with a fief of five hundred households. After the Northern Zhou Emperor pacified the Qi state, he was promoted to the Duke of Xiyang, with a fief of two thousand households, and appointed as the Governor of Youzhou Province. During the reign of Emperor Xuan, he was further promoted to the Duke of Yanmen.
When Emperor Gaozu (Yang Jian) became the Prime Minister, he summoned Tian Rengong to serve as the Junior Marshal, and later promoted him to Grand General. After defeating Yuwen Jiong in Xiangzhou under Wei Xiaokuan, he was granted the title of Pillar of the Nation. After Emperor Gaozu Yang Jian ascended to the throne, Tian Rengong was promoted to Grand Pillar of the Nation and appointed as the Grand Tutor to the Heir Apparent, highly esteemed by the Emperor. Emperor Gaozu Yang Jian often visited his home, often enjoying meals and drinks together, and rewarding him generously. Later, when assigned to oversee the construction of temples, he was promoted to Duke of Guanguo, with a combined fief of five thousand households. Not long after, he was appointed as the Grand General of the Right Guard Corps. Over a year later, Tian Rengong died at the age of forty-seven. He was posthumously granted the title of Grand Minister of Works and bestowed the posthumous title of Jing. His son Tian Shishi inherited his titles. The accomplishments of his second son, Tian Demao, are documented in the "Biographies of Filial Piety."
At that time, there were Wang Jing, the Duke of Rencheng Commandery, and Xie Qing'en, the Duke of Xianyu County, both holding the position of Senior State Pillar; Xin Zun, the Duke of Dayi, and his brother Xin Shao, also held the position of Pillar of the State. Emperor Yang Jian respected them specially because they were all meritorious officials who assisted him in establishing his achievements, treating them with the same closeness as Tian Rengong. However, the specific deeds of these individuals have been lost in records now.
Yuan Heng, courtesy name Deliang, also known as Xiaocai, was from Luoyang, Henan. His father was Ji Hai, who served as the Minister of Works for the State of Wei and as the King of Fengyi. During the division of Zhou and Qi, his father went to Chang'an to serve as an official. Yuan Heng was only a few years old at that time and stayed in Luoyang with his mother Li. Because his father was in the west, Emperor Qi Shenwu placed him under house arrest. His mother was the daughter of Li Chong, the Minister of Works of Wei State, and always had a plan. She pretended to be cold and starving, saying she wanted to go to Xingyang to beg for food. The people of Qi State thought Xingyang was far from the west and didn't give it much thought, so they agreed. Li secretly entrusted Yuan Heng and eight orphaned nephews to a local powerful man named Li Changshou, who sneaked them through small paths and finally arrived in Chang'an. Emperor Zhou Taizu was very happy to see them and treated Yuan Heng especially well, thinking he was the son of a meritorious official.
When Yuan Heng was twelve years old, he became friends with Emperor Wei Gong in the palace. Yuan Heng was appointed as a Qian Niu Beishen official. Towards the end of the Great Unification period, he inherited the title of King of Fengyi with a land grant of one thousand households. On the day of his enfeoffment, he was so excited that he cried uncontrollably. Shortly afterwards, he was promoted to the position of Palace Attendant, later served as General of the Imperial Guards, Governor of Xunzhou, and was granted the title of King of Pingliang. After Emperor Zhou Min abdicated, his title was downgraded to Duke. During the reigns of Emperors Zhou Ming and Zhou Wu, he successively served as Governor of Longzhou, Imperial Secretary, and Junior Marshal. During the reign of Emperor Zhou Xuan, he was appointed Governor of Luozhou.
When Gaozu was Prime Minister, Yu Chi Jiong rebelled, and Liang Kang and Xing Liushui, among others in Luoyang, also raised troops to support Yu Chi Jiong. Within ten days, their forces had grown to over ten thousand. Wang Wenshu, the governor of Luozhou, colluded with Liang Kang to plot against Yuan Heng. Yuan Heng learned of their plot and gathered two thousand soldiers from Guanzhong, captured and executed Wang Wenshu, and then led the troops to attack Liang Kang and Xing Liushui, defeating them all. After Gaozu ascended the throne, he appointed Yuan Heng as the Minister of Rites and increased his fiefdom by seven hundred households. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed Inspector of Weizhou, and his official position was promoted to Grand General. The people of Weizhou had a somewhat rough demeanor, but Yuan Heng, leveraging his authority, brought order to Weizhou, and after eight years there, the local customs saw significant improvement. Later, due to age and illness, he requested retirement. The officials of the province all petitioned the court to allow him to retire in Weizhou, which moved the emperor deeply. That year, Yuan Heng's illness worsened, and he requested to return to the capital. The emperor even dispatched envoys with medicine to check on his condition and accompany him. A year later, Yuan Heng passed away at home at the age of sixty-nine years and was posthumously granted the title Xuan.
Du Zheng, whose courtesy name was Huangyu, hailed from Duling in Chang'an. His grandfather, Du Sheng, had served as the General of Wei and the Prefect of Yingchuan; his father, Du Bi, had been the Inspector of Weizhou. Du Zheng was very elegant from a young age. When he was nine years old, his father passed away, and he grieved so much that he became emaciated, only skin and bones. He was deeply devoted to caring for his mother, and his reputation spread far and wide. As he grew up, he was brave and skilled in battle, was strong, and enjoyed reading both Sun Tzu's and Wu Qi's Art of War. As the Northern Wei dynasty was nearing its end, he inherited the title of Marquis of Wuxiang. Emperor Taizu of Northern Zhou regarded him as a trusted confidant. Later, he served Yuwen Xun, the son of Yuwen Hu, Duke of Zhongshan, and quickly gained high regard. Before long, he rose to the rank of commander.
During the reign of Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou, Du Zheng was appointed as a senior palace attendant and continued to be promoted, eventually becoming equivalent to the rank of Sanqi, and then appointed as the Governor of Wuzhou Province. After accompanying Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou in pacifying the Qi state, he was further appointed as Yitong, promoted to Duke of Pingyuan, with a fief of one thousand households. He later returned to the court to serve as a senior official in the Ministry of Merit. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, Du Zheng was promoted to Kaifu. After Emperor Wen of Sui ascended the throne, he was further appointed as Kaifu, promoted to Duke Changguang, and then appointed as General of the Left Guard. He served in this position for several years, resigned due to his mother's death, and later resumed his position.
In the sixth year of Kaihuang, the Turks invaded the border, and the court ordered Wei Wang Yang Shuang to lead the army to the north, appointing Du Zheng as the marching general and chief of staff. They arrived at Hechuan but returned without encountering the enemy. Du Zheng secretly presented a strategy to attack the Chen state to the court, which Emperor Wen of Sui greatly appreciated, so he appointed him as the marching general to guard Xiangyang. He fell ill and passed away shortly thereafter at the age of fifty-five. Emperor Wen of Sui was very sad when he heard the news and awarded him four hundred bolts of cloth and four hundred measures of rice, posthumously honoring him with the title "Xiang." His son Du Kai inherited his title and eventually reached the rank of Kaifu.
Du Zheng's younger brother, Du Su, also had great ambitions and integrity from a young age. During the early Kaihuang period of the Sui Dynasty, he served as the Chamberlain for Law Enforcement and Prefect of Beidi.
Li Che, styled Guangda, was a man from Yanlü in Shuofang. His father, Li He, served as a General of the Chugu during the Kaihuang period. Li Che was strong-willed, talented, tall, and powerful, with excellent martial arts skills. The Grand Chancellor Yuwen Hu took a liking to him, trusted him, and later appointed him as the Marshal of the Palace, gradually promoting him to the Commandant of the Imperial Carriages. Yuwen Hu believed that Li Che was cautious, honest, talented, and treated him exceptionally well. When Yuwen Hu's son, Duke Yuwen Xun of Zhongshan, became the Governor of Puzhou, Yuwen Hu had Li Che accompany him to retain his original position. Not long after, Li Che was promoted to Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry, and equivalent to the rank of Sanqi.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Li Che followed the crown prince to the west to fight against the Tuyuhun tribe, where he distinguished himself and was granted the title of Lord of Tongchang County with a fief of three hundred households. Later, he joined Emperor Wu in attacking Jinzhou. After Emperor Wu returned to the capital, Li Che and Prince Qi Wenyu Wenxian camped at Jiqiyuan. Emperor Gao Wei of Northern Qi launched a major offensive, and Wenxian retreated to the west to evade the enemy. Gao Wei sent his fierce general Helan Baozi to lead elite cavalry to pursue Wenxian, leading to a clash north of Jinzhou. Wenxian's forces were overwhelmed, and Li Che, along with Yang Su, Wenqing, and others, fought desperately to safeguard Wenxian's troops. Later, following Emperor Wu, they defeated the Qi army north of the Fen River, pursued the victory, captured Gaobi, took Jinyang, and captured Gao Gai in Jizhou. Li Che earned significant accolades in these campaigns.
Due to his previous achievements, Li Che was promoted to the rank of Kaifu and was additionally appointed as the Duke of Caiyang County with a fief of one thousand households. After Emperor Xuan ascended the throne, Li Che followed Wei Xiaokuan in pacifying Huainan, always leading from the front. After pacifying Huainan, he was appointed as the Inspector of Huizhou, where he excelled at winning over the newly surrendered populace and was well-liked by everyone. After Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, ascended to the throne, Li Che was once again elevated to Kaifu and transferred to be the Inspector of Yunzhou. Over a year later, he was summoned back to the capital and appointed as the Left Guard General.
Later, Prince Jin, Yang Guang, was appointed to Bingzhou, and the court meticulously chose skilled individuals in both civil and military roles to serve as his advisors. The emperor believed that Li Che, as an experienced veteran who had led troops in battle multiple times, should oversee military matters for Prince Jin's household, and he was also elevated to the title of Duke of Qian County. At that time, Prince Shu, Yang Xiu, was stationed in Yizhou, and the emperor remarked to his attendants, "If only we had someone with literary talent like Wang Zishi and martial prowess like Li Guangda!" The emperor's esteem for Li Che was clear.
Next year, the Turkic Khan Sha Bolue invaded the border again. The Emperor appointed Prince Wei Shuang as the marshal and also appointed Che as the chief of staff. The army encountered the Turkic army on the White Road. The military commander Li Chong said to Prince Wei Shuang, "Look, since the Zhou Dynasty and Qi Dynasty, the situation in the Central Plains has been fragmented like during the Warring States period, with power being dispersed for a long time. Every time the Turks invade, our generals only think about saving themselves and no one dares to fight to the death. So the Turks have more victories than defeats, and they look down on our army more and more. Now Sha Bolue has gathered all the troops in the country, holding strategic terrain. He will likely underestimate us and won't be on guard. If we send elite troops to sneak attack, we will definitely win!" Prince Wei Shuang listened to Li Chong's advice and found it plausible. Most of the other generals deemed the idea too risky, but only Che firmly supported the plan and volunteered to go with them. So Prince Wei Shuang and Li Chong led five thousand elite soldiers to launch a surprise attack on the Turkic army and achieved a resounding victory! Sha Bolue didn't even have time to remove his golden armor and fled into the bushes. As a result of this military achievement, Che was elevated to the rank of Grand General. Sha Bolue was thoroughly intimidated and came to pay tribute, pledging his allegiance.
Not long after, Sha Bo Lue was bullied by Aba Khan again, so he quickly submitted a letter requesting rescue from the Sui dynasty court. The emperor appointed Che Dang as the commander of the marching army, leading ten thousand elite soldiers to support him. When Aba Khan learned that the Sui army was approaching, he was frightened and quickly fled. After the army returned triumphantly to the capital, Che continued in his role as the commander of the marching army, stationed in Pingliang to prepare for potential invasions by the Turks, and was granted the title of Duke of Andao County. In the tenth year of Kaihuang, he was promoted to the position of Pillar of the State. Later, Prince Jin Yang Guang went to Huaihai as the commander, and Che was appointed as the commander of Yangzhou, Sima, and was renamed the Duke of Deguang County, and shortly after was renamed the Duke of Chengyang County. Later, when the Turks attacked the border again, Che once again served as the commander of the marching army and defeated them.
The Left Supervisor Gao Feng offended the emperor, and because Che had a good relationship with Gao Feng, he was also implicated, and the emperor no longer favored him. Later, when Che expressed his grievances a few times, the emperor found out and summoned him to the palace, hosting a banquet for him in the inner palace and chatting with him about the past, and Che was unexpectedly poisoned and died. During the Daye period, his wife Yuwen Shi was falsely accused of cursing the emperor by their illegitimate son Anyuan, and was executed.
Cui Peng, also known as Zipeng, was a native of Anping, Hebei. His grandfather Cui Kai was the Yinzhou Governor of Northern Wei, and his father Cui Qian was the Governor of Jingzhou of Northern Zhou. Cui Peng lost his father at a young age, but he was very filial to his mother, earning a stellar reputation. He possessed a resolute character and exceptional military talents, was skilled in horseback riding and archery, and was also well-versed in the "Zhouguan" and "Shangshu," grasping their profound principles.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Cui Peng rose to the rank of Senior Attendant of the Court and later gradually advanced to Senior Attendant of the Gate. When Yang Jian (Emperor Gaozu) became Prime Minister, Prince Chao of the Zhou dynasty was sent to guard Qizhou. Yang Jian feared that Prince Chao might stage a rebellion, so he sent Cui Peng, accompanied by two cavalrymen, to bring Prince Chao back to the court. Before Cui Peng reached Qizhou, he pretended to be sick, stopped at an inn, and sent word to Prince Chao: "The Emperor has issued an edict for you. Cui Peng is very ill and cannot walk; please come to the inn to see him." Prince Chao suspected a trick and brought many cavalrymen to where Cui Peng was staying. Cui Peng came out to greet him, noticed Prince Chao's unusual demeanor, and worried he might not comply, he deceived Prince Chao again, saying: "It's better if we talk privately, away from others." Prince Chao then had his cavalrymen disperse, and Cui Peng said: "I will read the imperial edict; please dismount." Prince Chao quickly dismounted, and Cui Peng quickly ordered his cavalrymen: "Prince Chao disobeys the imperial edict; seize him!" The cavalrymen immediately grabbed Prince Chao and tied him up. Cui Peng declared loudly: "Prince Chao has committed a crime; the imperial edict commands his return to court; no one is to move without orders!" Prince Chao's attendants were terrified and hurriedly fled.
Yang Jian was very happy to see this and appointed Cui Peng as a Senior Official. After Yang Jian became emperor, he promoted Cui Peng to the position of General of the Gate Guards, concurrently serving as the Chief of the Right Guard, and also granted him the title of Lord of Anyang County. Several years later, Cui Peng was promoted to the General of Chariots and Cavalry, and shortly after to the General of the Elite Cavalry, responsible for the security of the imperial palace. He was vigilant and meticulous, working in the court for more than twenty years. Every time the emperor held court, he would sit there all day without a hint of negligence, and the emperor greatly appreciated him. The emperor often said to Cui Peng, "I can sleep soundly when you’re on duty." Another time, the emperor asked Cui Peng, "Your archery skills are truly outstanding; do you practice regularly?" Cui Peng replied, "I have loved the 'Rites of Zhou' and 'Book of Documents' since I was young. Whenever I have time off, I make it a point to keep studying." The emperor said, "Then tell me about it." Cui Peng explained the importance of being cautious between a ruler and his subjects, which the emperor wholeheartedly agreed with, and onlookers found his words to be very reasonable. Later, the emperor appointed Cui Peng as the Chief Minister and promoted him to the General of the Imperial Bodyguard. During the reign of Tang Taizong, he once hosted an envoy from the Turkic Khan in the Wude Hall. During the banquet, a pigeon suddenly cooed from the roof beam. The emperor immediately commanded Cui Peng to shoot it, and Cui Peng struck it with a single arrow! The emperor was overjoyed and rewarded him with ten thousand coins.
After the envoy returned to the Turks, the Khan of the Turks sent someone to the Tang Dynasty requesting, "Can General Cui come to see us?" The emperor said, "It must be because Cui Peng's archery skills are renowned in Turkic lands, that's why they are seeking to meet him." So the emperor sent Cui Peng. When he arrived in the Turk territory, the Khan gathered dozens of skilled archers and threw meat in the wilderness to lure eagles, allowing the skilled archers to shoot, but most missed. Then, the Khan asked Cui Peng to shoot arrows. Cui Peng released several arrows, each hitting the bullseye, and they landed perfectly! The Turks exchanged glances, each one filled with admiration for him. The Khan kept Cui Peng for over a hundred days, refusing to let him leave, and finally the Tang Dynasty eventually sent a considerable amount of silk and satin to secure his release.
At the end of the Renshou era, Cui Peng was appointed as the Duke of Anyang County, with a fief consisting of two thousand households. After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, Cui Peng was promoted to Grand General. Once Emperor Yang of Sui went to Luoyang, Cui Peng was in charge of commanding the rear guard. At that time, Prince Liang of Han had just been pacified, and his remaining forces were still regrouping across Shandong. Emperor Yang of Sui sent Cui Peng to lead tens of thousands of troops to suppress the rebellion in Shandong, also appointing him as the Governor of Cizhou. Due to Cui Peng's integrity and uprightness, Emperor Yang of Sui honored him with five hundred bolts of silk. Not long after, Cui Peng passed away at the age of sixty-three years. Emperor Yang of Sui sent envoys to express his condolences, posthumously conferring upon him the title of Grand General and the posthumous name of "Su." His son Baode inherited his title.
Historical records say: Individuals such as Wang Changshu, some of whom commanded regions, some serving in the imperial army, all made significant contributions, and ultimately ended their lives with honor and fame, which they rightfully earned. Yi Louqian was open-minded, did not harbor past grievances, and requested forgiveness for Gao Zun's crimes, demonstrating his noble character. Cui Peng patrolled and guarded the palace, his authority was respected, and his commitment to defending against foreign invaders was commendable.
