Liu Fang, a native of Chang'an, was strong-willed and decisive, with great courage. He served as a senior official in the Northern Zhou Dynasty and was later promoted to the position of Yitong (仪同) due to his military achievements. When Sui Wendi was the prime minister, Liu Fang, along with Wei Xiaokuan, defeated Yu Jiong in Xiangzhou and was further promoted to Kaifu for his accomplishments, and was granted the title of Marquis of Heyin County, with a fief of 800 households. After Sui Wendi became emperor, he was further ennobled as a duke. In the third year of Kaihuang, he defeated the Turks with Prince Wei Yangshuang in Baidao and was promoted to General. Later, he served as the governor of Ganzhou and Guazhou, but at that time, he was not well-known.
During the Renshou period, the local native, Li Fuzi, from Jiaozhou, rebelled, occupying the former stronghold of King Yue, and sent his nephew Li Daquan to occupy Longbian City, while another general, Li Puding, occupied Wuyan City. The Left Servant Yang Su at the time said that Liu Fang had great military talent, so the emperor appointed Liu Fang as the general manager of the Jiaozhou road, with Jingde, the assistant minister of finance, serving as his chief of staff, leading an expedition of twenty-seven armies. Liu Fang strictly enforced military discipline and maintained order within the army, executing anyone who broke the rules immediately. However, he was kind and caring to his soldiers, personally looking after the sick.
When General Jing Deliang followed the army to Yinzhou, he fell seriously ill and could not walk any further, so he had to stay at the government guesthouse in the city. When they parted ways, Liu Fang saw Jing Deliang's critical condition and was extremely sad, crying uncontrollably, which moved even passersby. He was both dignified and kind, so people praised him as a commendable general. When the army arrived at Dulong Ridge, they encountered over two thousand enemies attacking the imperial army. Liu Fang sent camp commanders Song Zuan, He Gui, Yan Yuan, and others to defeat them. The army continued to advance and reached the camp of Li Fuzi. Liu Fang first sent someone to persuade Li Fuzi, telling him the consequences of rebellion. Li Fuzi was afraid and surrendered, being escorted to the capital. Those who were more stubborn and fierce, Liu Fang, concerned they might cause future unrest, ordered their execution.
The court dispatched General Liu Fang to campaign against Linyi (now in southern Vietnam) and appointed the Right Assistant Secretary Li Gang as his deputy, co-managing this military operation. Liu Fang first sent the governor of Qinzhou Ning Changzhen, the governor of Huizhou Li Yun, and the governor of Shangkaifu Qin Xiong to lead infantry and cavalry from Yuechang, while he himself led the Grand General Zhang Xun and the Marshal Li Gang to set sail from Bijing.
As Emperor Gaozu passed away and Yang Guang took the throne, in the first month of Daye's first year, the army arrived at Haikou. King Fan Zhi of Linyi hastily dispatched troops to secure strategic positions but soon found himself defeated by Liu Fang and was forced to flee. When the army reached the Shali River, the enemy had taken position on the southern bank, erecting barricades for defense. Liu Fang ordered his troops to form up, beating drums and gongs, frightening the enemy into disarray.
After crossing the river and marching thirty miles, the enemy came again, riding elephants and attacking from all directions. General Liu ordered his men to shoot the elephants with crossbows, causing the elephants to become injured and trample their own troops in a panic. Our troops fought valiantly, forcing the enemy to retreat back to their stronghold, which we eventually breached. We captured and killed over ten thousand people. The army then crossed the Qu Su River, traveled six miles, and encountered the enemy again, capturing them in each encounter.
Advancing to the Dayuan River, the enemy fortified their position but was defeated by General Liu. The army then passed directly by Ma Yuan's bronze pillars, marched south for eight days, and finally reached the capital of Linyi. King Fan Zhi of Linyi abandoned the city and escaped to the sea. General Liu captured the golden statues from the temples in Linyi, destroyed their palaces, erected stone tablets to commemorate their achievements, and then returned to the capital.
During this war, many soldiers suffered from swollen feet, with about one in fourteen succumbing to illness. General Liu died on the return journey due to illness. The emperor was deeply saddened and issued a decree stating, "General Liu inherited the strategic policy of the late emperor, diligently executed the mission to subdue Linyi, overcame treacherous icy rivers, perceiving dangerous situations as level ground, advanced courageously, surprised the enemy, utterly annihilated them, and destroyed their strongholds, sparing the soldiers from further toil, clearing out the foreign enemies. He was loyal to the country and made significant contributions, and he should be posthumously awarded the title of Marquis of Shuzhou." His son, Liu Tongren, succeeded him in the title.
During the Kaihuang reign, Feng Yu, Wang Ya, Li Chong, Yang Wutong, Chen Yonggui, and Fang Zhao were all famous figures at that time. The specific origins of Feng Yu and Wang Ya are not recorded in historical texts. Feng Yu was a very strategic person with strong martial arts skills. When Emperor Wen of Sui first became Prime Minister, he appointed Feng Yu as the commander of the army, along with Wang Yi, Li Wei, and others, to quell the barbarian rebellion, and later he was honored as a pillar of the state. In the early years of the Kaihuang reign, he was appointed as the commander of the army, stationed at Yifubo to guard against the Turks. Suddenly, tens of thousands of Turkic cavalry attacked. Feng Yu fought valiantly for several days but was outnumbered and ultimately defeated, suffering heavy losses of several thousand men, though he managed to kill many Turkic soldiers. In the following years, he continued to guard the border and secured significant victories in every battle.
Feng Yu was brave in battle, had excellent archery skills, and Emperor Wen of Sui valued his military talents, appointing him as the commander of the army multiple times to guard north of the Yangtze River and resist the invasion of the Chen Dynasty. He achieved numerous military feats, striking fear into the hearts of the Chen Dynasty. During the wars of Sui's conquest of Chen and the rebellion of Gao Zhiwu, he achieved remarkable military feats and eventually attained the titles of Pillar of the State and Duke of Baishui. Li Chong was known for his generosity and strategic insight from a young age, and he was from Chengji in Longxi. During the Kaihuang reign, he served as the commander of the army multiple times, striking against the Turks and achieving notable military successes, eventually holding the titles of Senior Pillar of the State and Duke of Wuyang County. He was also appointed as the commander of Shuozhou, and his reputation spread far and wide, instilling great fear in the Turks. Later, someone falsely accused him of treason, and he was summoned back to the capital, which infuriated Emperor Wen of Sui. Li Chong was known for his integrity and uncompromising nature, and he died from grief and indignation.
Yang Wutong was a man from Hua Yin in Hongnong, with a strong and resolute character, skilled in equestrian skills and archery. He served as a military commander multiple times, fighting against the Yi people in the southwest and achieving remarkable feats. He was granted the title of Duke of Baishui County and appointed as the General of the Left Guard. At that time, the Tangut and Qiang tribes frequently harassed the border, and the imperial court valued his reputation, appointing him successively as the governor of Minzhou and Lanzhou to quell the unrest. Later, he joined forces with Zhou Fashang to suppress the rebellion of the Lao tribe in Jiazhou. Initially, Zhou Fashang's army faced significant setbacks, but Yang Wutong led a few thousand men to cut off the enemy's escape route. He ordered a halt to the advance, hid the vehicles, caught the enemy by surprise, and defeated them in several consecutive battles. Knowing that he was deep in enemy territory without reinforcements, the enemy swarmed out. Yang Wutong fought his way through hundreds of miles, surrounded by the enemy, with no escape route. He attempted to break through the encirclement with his light cavalry, but his horse stumbled, leading to his capture by the enemy. He was ultimately killed and reportedly consumed by the enemy.
Chen Yonggui was a Hu ethnic minority from Longyou, originally surnamed Bai, renowned for his bravery. Emperor Wen of Sui held him in high regard, appointing him as a military commander to guard the border on multiple occasions. He consistently led from the front, charging into battle. He was appointed as the Duke of Beichen County and held positions as the governor of Zhuguo, Lanzhou, and Lizhou. Fang Zhao was a Dai ethnic minority, originally surnamed Wuyin, renowned for his steadfast character and military prowess. He served as a military commander multiple times, fighting against the Turks and rising in rank to become the governor of Zhuguo and Xuzhou. Historical records of his exploits are rather sparse.
In historical records, it is said that these generals, including Chang Ru, have dedicated themselves to the military from a young age, and each of them is a valiant hero. They lead the army and have made significant contributions to defending the country. Chang Ru led two thousand infantry soldiers against a hundred thousand enemy troops, ran out of arrows, and still fought bravely, which was truly a sight to behold! General Zi Gan crossed the Qinghai to the west and went north to the border. The Hu people were so intimidated that they dared not act recklessly, and the border became peaceful as a commendable achievement. General Wan Sui indeed possesses wisdom and courage, excels at soothing soldiers, and everyone is willing to follow him through thick and thin, so the troops do not feel fatigued. He attacked the Xiongnu in the north, pacified the barbarian and Lao tribes in the south, and wherever the army marched, they instilled fear along the border. However, he offended powerful ministers when it came to rewards and punishments, was framed by traitors, and met an unjust end, which is truly regrettable, as he possessed courage and integrity akin to that of General Li Guang. General Liu Fang is known for his fairness and strictness in military governance. He conquered Lin Yi and pacified the South China Sea, and not a single rebellious tribe dared to defy him along the border. In short, these generals have ambitions beyond ordinary people. They hold important positions and bear heavy responsibilities. Although their achievements cannot compare to the fame of Ma Yuan in suppressing rebellions in the south or the heroic deeds of Zhao Chongguo in the Western Qiang region, when discussing their achievements and actions, they are all remarkable figures of their times.
