Li Yan, courtesy name 'Bado', was from Xiangping, Liaodong. His father, Li Bi, was the Grand Preceptor of the Zhou Dynasty. Li Yan practiced martial arts from a young age, had a bold personality, and was very strategic. During the reign of Emperor Taizu of Zhou, he directly rose from a commoner to become a commander of a thousand troops, and was granted the title of Duke of Huairan County. Later, he was promoted to become the Duke of Puning County and served as the Governor of Yizhou. He then followed Wei Xiaokuan to guard the city of Yubi, fighting numerous battles against the enemy, who feared him. After pacifying the state of Qi, he was promoted to Grand General for his military achievements, granted the title of Duke of Zhenxiang County, appointed as the Earl of Zuo, rewarded with three hundred bolts of silk and twenty servants, and his son Li Zhongwei was granted the title of Duke of Fuyang County. He later served as the Inspectors of Dingzhou and Fuzhou.
During Wang Qian's rebellion, the Emperor appointed Li Yan as the Commander-in-Chief, and together with Liang Rui, they quelled the rebellion. For this, Li Yan was promoted to Grand General and rewarded with two thousand bolts of silk. In the first year of the Kaihuang era, he was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief to suppress the rebellious barbarian tribes, successfully pacifying the rebellion. He was promoted to the rank of Pillar of the Nation and rewarded with two thousand bolts of silk. He was also appointed as the Governor of Lizhou. The following year, when the Turks invaded the border, he led the troops as the Commander-in-Chief to confront them; although he did not encounter the Turks, he returned safely home. He was later transferred to serve as the Inspector of Jiezhou. Several years later, when the court prepared to attack Jiangnan, Li Yan was ordered to prepare warships in the area of Xiangzhou.
When the massive attack on the Chen Dynasty began, Li Yan was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief and led troops from Xiangyang with Prince Qin Yang Jun. For his military achievements, he was rewarded with three thousand bolts of silk and six hundred stones of rice. He was then appointed as the Governor of Anzhou, where he enacted numerous policies that benefited the people. Over a year later, he fell ill and returned to the capital, where he passed away at fifty-seven. His son, Li Zhongwei, inherited his title.
Li Changya, the grandson of Li Yan, married Princess Xiangguo, the daughter of the founding emperor Gaozu, and inherited his father's title, becoming the Duke of Heyang Commandery. In the early years of the Kaihuang reign, he was appointed as a general and Cavalry General, later serving as the Minister of Internal Affairs, Inspector of Hezhou, and Acting Governor of Qinzhou.
Li Mi, the great-grandson of Li Yan, is documented separately.
Yilou Qian, styled Yangan, was a member of the Xianbei people. His ancestors were leaders of the Xianbei tribe and later migrated south with the Wei Dynasty. His grandfather served as the Governor of the Central Region, and his father served as the Inspector of Xiangzhou and Longzhou. Yilou Qian was known for his integrity and eloquence. He served as the General of the Direct Pavilion during the Wei Dynasty. After the Northern Zhou replaced the Northern Wei, he was promoted to Senior Official of Xuanna and later became the Commissioner, Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry.
Emperor Wu of Zhou was preparing to attack Northern Qi and casually asked Yilou Qian in the palace, "I am planning for war; what do you think we should do first?" Yilou Qian replied, "As a humble man, how could I possibly know about such important matters? However, the Northern Qi regime has usurped the throne, acting arrogantly and indulging in decadence, neglecting state affairs. Their powerful general Hulü Mingyue has died, and the court is rife with slanderous rumors, causing discord among officials, and the people are dissatisfied. If we were to march now, I believe it is the right time." Emperor Wu laughed heartily and sent Yilou Qian and Tuoba Wei to investigate the situation in Northern Qi. He then led his troops into battle.
The Emperor of Northern Qi knew that the Zhou army was coming, so he sent his attendant Yang Xiuzhi to question Yilou Qian: "Where are you going with your troops in this hot weather?" Yilou Qian replied, "Since I joined the army, I have never heard that we cannot fight in the summer. Even if you increase the garrison at Baidi City to the west and Baqiu to the east, this is all normal; what's so strange about it?" Yilou Qian's subordinate Gao Zun leaked information to Northern Qi due to personal reasons, resulting in Yilou Qian being detained by Northern Qi. After Emperor Wu of Zhou captured Beizhou, he sent someone to check on Yilou Qian, saying, "I originally wanted to wait for you to come back before making a move, but I didn't expect Gao Zun to betray me, messing up my plans. This is Gao Zun's fault." So Emperor Wu of Zhou handed Gao Zun over to Yilou Qian to deal with himself. Yilou Qian pleaded for Gao Zun's forgiveness, but Emperor Wu said, "You can get everyone to spit in his face, let him feel ashamed." Yilou Qian knelt and said, "Gao Zun's crimes cannot be solved by spitting in his face." Emperor Wu thought he made sense and didn't say anything more. Yilou Qian treated Gao Zun the same way as always. He was kind-hearted and compassionate. Later, he was appointed as the Count of Jiyang County, then promoted to Grand Marshal. During the reign of Daxiang, he was made a marquis and appointed as Kaifu. After Yang Jian became Prime Minister, he appointed Yilou Qian as the Governor of Bozhou, but soon brought him back to the capital. After quelling Wang Qian's rebellion, because Yilou Qian shared the same name with the rebel general, he felt embarrassed and only used the style name "Yan Gong." After Yang Jian became emperor, he appointed Yilou Qian as Left Martial Marquis, soon promoted him to Grand General, and granted him the title of Duke. Several years later, he became the Inspector of Zezhou, renowned for his honesty and thriftiness, deeply loved by the people. After resigning due to illness, the people were heartbroken to see him leave, escorting him for hundreds of miles. He passed away a few years after at the age of seventy. His son Yijie inherited the title.
Tian Rengong, courtesy name Changgui, was from the people of Changcheng in Pingliang. His father, Tian Hong, was the Grand Minister of Works during the Western Wei dynasty. Tian Rengong was generous, kind, and had a dignified demeanor. During the Western Wei dynasty, he passed the civil service examination and became a junior officer. Later, thanks to his father's military achievements, he was granted the title of Chunyinzi. The Prime Minister Yuwen Hu took notice of him and appointed him as an official in the military department. Several years later, due to his father's merits, he was appointed as a Supervisor in the military department. He followed Yuwen Hu in battles and gained numerous military accolades, which led to his appointment as the Duke of Xiangwu County with a fief of 500 households. Later, he accompanied Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou in pacifying the Qi state and was promoted in rank, becoming the Marquis of Xiyang County with a fief of 2,000 households, and was appointed as the Governor of Youzhou. During Emperor Xuan's reign, he was further promoted to the Marquis of Yanmen County.
When the ancestor Yang Jian was Prime Minister, he summoned Tian Rengong to serve as a junior military officer, and later promoted him to Grand General. Following Wei Xiaokuan in defeating Yuwen Jiong in Xiangzhou, he was designated as a Pillar of State. After Emperor Yang Jian ascended the throne, Tian Rengong was promoted to Senior Pillar of State and appointed as the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. The Emperor held him in high regard, often visiting his home, sharing meals and drinks together, and giving him many rewards. Later, he was appointed to oversee temple construction and was further promoted to Duke Guanguo with a fief of 5,000 households. More than a year later, Tian Rengong passed away at the age of 47. He was posthumously appointed as the Grand Minister of Works and honored with the posthumous title of Jing. His son, Tian Shishi, inherited his titles. His second son, Tian Demao, is mentioned in the "Biography of Filial Piety."
At that time, there were also Wang Jing, the Duke of Rencheng County, and Xie Qing'en, the Duke of Xianyu County, both of whom held the title of Senior Pillar of State. Duke Dayi Xin Zun and his brother Xin Shao also held the title of Pillar of State. Emperor Yang Jian treated them with special favor because they were all meritorious officials who assisted him in establishing his achievements, similar to the treatment given to Tian Rengong. However, the specific achievements of these officials have been lost to history.
Yuan Heng, also known as De Liang or Xiao Cai, was a native of Luoyang, Henan. His father, Ji Hai, was the Minister of Works and the Prince of Fengyi in the Wei Kingdom. During the division of the Zhou and Qi, his father went to Chang'an to take up an official position. At that time, Yuan Heng was only a few years old and stayed in Luoyang with his mother, Li Shi. Emperor Wu of Qi detained him since his father was in the west. Li Shi, being the daughter of Li Chong, the Minister of Works in the Wei Kingdom, was quite resourceful. She claimed that she and her child needed to go to Xingyang to beg for food. The people of Qi believed that Xingyang was too far from the west, so they didn't think much of it and agreed. Li Shi secretly entrusted Yuan Heng and her eight nephews, who were orphans with their widowed mother, to an influential local figure named Li Changshou. They secretly traveled along back roads and finally arrived in Chang'an. Emperor Taizu of Zhou was very happy to see them and believed that Yuan Heng was the son of a hero, so he treated him with special favor. When Yuan Heng was twelve years old, he became friends with Emperor Gong of Wei, who was still in the imperial palace. Yuan Heng was appointed as a military officer (千牛备身). As Emperor Da Tong's reign was ending, Yuan Heng inherited his father's title and became the Prince of Fengyi, with a fief of one thousand households. On the day he received his title, he was so overwhelmed with emotion that he cried continuously. Shortly after, he was promoted to the position of a court official, then became a general, the governor of Xunzhou, and was later reappointed as the Prince of Pingliang. When Emperor Min of Zhou stepped down, Yuan Heng's title was downgraded to Duke. During the reigns of Emperor Ming and Emperor Wu of Zhou, he successively served as the governor of Longzhou, the Grand Master of Ceremonies, and the Junior Marshal. Under Emperor Xuan of Zhou, he became the governor of Luozhou.
During the time when Gaozu was the Prime Minister, the rebellion led by Yuchi Jiong erupted, and people from Luoyang such as Liang Kang and Xing Liushui also raised their troops in response to Yuchi Jiong. In just a few days, the number of rebels reached tens of thousands. Wang Wenshu, the governor of Luozhou, secretly conspired with Liang Kang to plot against Yuan Heng. Yuan Heng learned of their plot through secret means, then he mobilized troops from Guanzhong, selecting two thousand elite soldiers as his personal guards. He captured and killed Wang Wenshu, and then led the troops to attack Liang Kang and Xing Liushui, defeating them all. After Gaozu ascended the throne, he summoned Yuan Heng to the capital, appointed him as the Minister of Ceremonies, and also increased his fiefdom by seven hundred households. Shortly after, he was sent to Weizhou as the Inspector, and his official position was promoted to Grand General. The people of Weizhou were relatively rough, but Yuan Heng effectively governed the area with his authority. During his eight years of service in Weizhou, the local morale significantly improved. Later, due to old age and illness, he submitted a request for retirement, and local officials petitioned the court to allow him to stay in Weizhou for recuperation. The Emperor sighed deeply about this. That year, Yuan Heng's condition worsened, and he once again requested to return to the capital. The Emperor dispatched envoys with medicine and inquired about his health along the route, exchanging greetings from afar. A year later, Yuan Heng passed away at home at the age of sixty-nine, and was posthumously honored with the title Xuan.
Du Zheng, styled Huangyu, was from Duling in Chang'an. His grandfather, Du Sheng, served as the Direct Pavilion General of the Wei Kingdom and the Prefect of Yingchuan; his father, Du Bi, served as the Inspector of Weizhou. Du Zheng exhibited grace from an early age. When he was nine years old, his father passed away, and he was so grief-stricken that he became as thin as a stick. He was notably filial to his mother, and his reputation spread far and wide. As he grew up, he was brave and skilled in battle, had great strength, and enjoyed reading the Art of War by Sun Tzu and Wu Qi. Towards the end of the Dazhong era of the Wei Dynasty, he inherited the title of Marquis of Wuxiang. Emperor Taizu of Northern Zhou regarded him as a confidant. Later, he served the son of Yuwen Hu, the Duke of Zhongshan, Yuwen Xun, and gained his favor. Before long, he was appointed as a military commander.
During the reign of Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou, he became a senior palace eunuch and gradually rose in ranks to become a Grandee, and later the governor of Wuzhou. He accompanied Emperor Wu in pacifying the Qi state and was granted the title of Grandee, with his rank elevated to Duke of Pingyuan County with a fief of 1,000 households. He later returned to the court and served as a senior official in the Bureau of Merit. During the time when Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, was the prime minister, Du Zheng was appointed as the commander of the palace. When Yang Jian became emperor, he was further granted the title of Chancellor, with his rank elevated to Duke of Changguang County, and soon after became the General of the Left Imperial Guard. He served in this position for several years, but resigned due to his mother's death, and later resumed his duties.
In the sixth year of Kaihuang, the Turks invaded the border, and the court ordered Wei Wang Yang Shuang to lead a large army to the north, appointing Du Zheng as the commander-in-chief and chief of staff. They arrived at Hechuan, but returned without encountering the enemy. Du Zheng secretly presented a plan to attack the Chen state to the emperor, who appreciated it and appointed him as the commander-in-chief to guard Xiangyang. Not long after, he died of illness at the age of 55. Emperor Wen of Sui was very saddened to hear this and awarded him 400 bolts of cloth and 400 stones of rice, posthumously conferring the title "Xiang." His son, Du Kai, inherited his title and eventually became a palace commander.
Du Zheng's younger brother, Du Su, also had great ambitions and served as an Imperial Eunuch and Prefect of Beidi during the early years of the Kaihuang period of the Sui Dynasty.
Li Che, styled Guangda, was from Shanxi Shuozhou. His father, Li He, served as the Grand General during the Kaihuang period of Northern Zhou. Li Che was known for his decisiveness, talent, towering height, and strength, with excellent martial arts skills. At that time, the powerful minister Yuwen Hu took a liking to him and regarded him as a confidant, eventually promoting him to the position of Palace Commander, and he continued to rise to the rank of Imperial Guard Captain. Yuwen Hu considered Li Che to be cautious, reliable, and talented, and treated him exceptionally well. When Yuwen Hu's son, the Duke of Zhongshan, Yuwen Xun, became the governor of Puzhou, Yuwen Hu had Li Che accompany him, maintaining his rank. Before long, Li Che was promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry, while retaining his position as governor.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Li Che followed the Crown Prince to fight against the Tuyuhun tribe and distinguished himself, being titled the Marquis of Tongchang County with a fief of three hundred households. Later, he followed Emperor Wu to attack Jinzhou. After Emperor Wu returned to the palace, Li Che and Prince Qi Wenyu Wenxian camped at Jiqiyuan. Emperor Gao Wei of Northern Qi launched a large-scale attack, and to avoid a direct confrontation, Wenxian led his troops to retreat westward. Gao Wei sent General Helan Baozi to lead elite cavalry to pursue Wenxian, and the two sides clashed north of Jinzhou. Wenxian’s forces were defeated, and Li Che, along with Yang Su, Wenxian, and others, fought valiantly to protect Wenxian's troops. Later, following Emperor Wu, they defeated the Northern Qi army north of the Fen River, pursued the victory, captured Gaobi, took Jinyang, and finally captured the last emperor of Northern Qi, Gao Wei, in Jizhou. Li Che achieved remarkable victories in these campaigns.
Due to his previous merits, Li Che was promoted to the rank of Kaifu and was additionally titled the Duke of Caiyang County with a fief of one thousand households. After Emperor Yang Jian of the Sui Dynasty ascended the throne, Li Che followed Wei Xiaokuan to pacify Huainan, always leading the charge. After pacifying Huainan, Li Che was appointed Governor of Huizhou, where he won over the newly surrendered populace, gaining their support. After Emperor Yang Jian ascended the throne, Li Che was again promoted to Kaifu and appointed as the Inspector of Yunzhou. Over a year later, Li Che was recalled to the capital and appointed as the General of the Left Guard. Later, Prince Jin Yang Guang was stationed in Bingzhou, and the court meticulously selected talented individuals in both civil and military affairs to serve as his staff. The emperor recognized Li Che as a seasoned veteran with extensive experience in military leadership and appointed him to oversee military affairs for Prince Jin, further titling him the Duke of Qian County.
At that time, Prince Shu Yang Xiu was also stationed in Yizhou. Emperor Yang Jian said to his courtiers, "If only there were someone with the literary talent of Wang Zishi and the military achievements of Li Guangda!" This clearly shows the emperor's high regard for Li Che.
Next year, the Turkic Khan Sha Boli invaded the border again. The emperor appointed Wei Wangshuang as the commander to lead the troops to fight against him, and also appointed Yang Che, the son of Yang Su, as the chief military officer in charge of military affairs. They came across the Turkic army on the White Road. The march general Li Chong said to Wei Wangshuang, "Since the Zhou and Qi dynasties, the situation in the Central Plains has resembled that of the Warring States period, with power being scattered. This situation has lasted for a long time. Every time the Turks invade, our generals only think about saving themselves, and no one dares to fight desperately. So the Turks win more and lose less, and they look down on our army more and more. Now Sha Boli has gathered all the troops in the country, occupying strategic locations. He must underestimate the enemy and not be well prepared. If we send elite troops to surprise attack, we will definitely win!" Wei Wangshuang listened to this. Many generals thought this plan was too risky; only Yang Che fully supported the plan and actively requested to go together. So Wei Wangshuang and Li Chong led five thousand elite cavalry to surprise attack the Turkic army and dealt them a crushing defeat. Sha Boli was so terrified that he abandoned his golden armor and secretly fled into the bushes. Because of this great victory, Yang Che was appointed as the Grand Marshal. Sha Boli was scared enough to submit and become a vassal of the Great Sui. Not long after, Sha Boli was bullied again, this time by Aba Khan. Sha Boli quickly wrote to the emperor for help. The emperor appointed Yang Che as the march general and sent ten thousand elite cavalry to support him. Upon hearing that Yang Che was coming, Aba Khan was terrified and fled. After Yang Che's victorious return, he continued to serve as the march general, stationed in Pingliang to defend against Turkic invasions, and was also granted the title of Duke of Andao.
In the tenth year of the Kaihuang period, Yang Che was promoted to Grand General. Later, when Prince Jin, Yang Guang, went to Huaihai as the overall commander, Yang Che was appointed as the commander of Yangzhou and was granted the title of Duke of Deguang County, and shortly thereafter was renamed Duke of Chengyang County. When the Turks invaded the borders again, Yang Che led his troops into battle and emerged victorious once again. The Left Chancellor, Gao Feng, offended the emperor, and because of Yang Che's close relationship with Gao Feng, the emperor grew wary of him and ceased to rely on him. Later, Yang Che voiced some grievances, and when the emperor found out, he summoned him to the palace, entertained him, and reminisced about the past with him. Ultimately, Yang Che was poisoned in the palace. During the Daye period, Yang Che's wife, Lady Yuwen, was falsely accused by their son, Yang Anyuan, of cursing the emperor and was subsequently executed. Cui Peng, also known as Zipeng, was from Anping in Hebei. His grandfather, Cui Kai, served as the Inspector of Yinzhou during the Northern Wei; his father, Cui Qian, served as the commander of Jingzhou during the Northern Zhou. Cui Peng lost his father when he was young, yet he was renowned for his filial piety towards his mother. He was strong-willed and had notable military talent, excelling in horseback riding and archery, and he also possessed a deep understanding of the 'Zhouguan' and 'Shangshu', grasping their core principles.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Cui Peng was promoted to the rank of Senior Attendant and later gradually rose to the rank of Chief Attendant. When Yang Jian (later known as Emperor Gaozu) became the Chancellor, the Prince of Chen from the Zhou dynasty was appointed to guard Qizhou. Yang Jian was worried that the Prince of Chen would rebel, so he sent Cui Peng with two cavalrymen to bring the Prince of Chen back to the court. When Cui Peng was thirty miles from Qizhou, he pretended to be sick and stopped at the post station. He sent a messenger to inform the Prince of Chen, "The Emperor has issued an edict to be delivered to you. I am seriously ill and cannot travel any further. I hope you can come to the post station to see me." The Prince of Chen grew suspicious and brought a large contingent of cavalry to Cui Peng. Cui Peng stepped out of the post station to greet him and, seeing the Prince of Chen's unusual expression, fearing he might not cooperate, he deceived the Prince of Chen, saying, "Your Highness, please step aside from the others. I have important matters to discuss with you privately." The Prince of Chen then had his cavalrymen disperse. Cui Peng said, "I will now read the imperial edict. Your Highness, please dismount." The Prince of Chen promptly dismounted, and Cui Peng commanded his cavalrymen, "The Prince of Chen is defying the imperial edict. Capture him!" The cavalrymen immediately grabbed the Prince of Chen and tied him up. Cui Peng loudly announced, "The Prince of Chen has committed a crime. The imperial edict summons him back to the court. You are all forbidden from acting rashly!" The attendants of the Prince of Chen 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 be the Gate Supervisor, concurrently serving as the Chief of the Right Guard Corps, and also granted him the title of Lord of Anyang County. Several years later, Cui Peng was promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry, and shortly after to General of Valiant Cavalry, always in charge of guarding the imperial palace. He was cautious and meticulous, serving in the court for more than twenty years. Every time the emperor held court, he would sit there all day without fail, and the emperor highly appreciated him. The emperor often said to Cui Peng, "I feel at ease when you are on duty." The emperor also asked Cui Peng, "Your archery skills are unmatched; do you also study in your spare time?" Cui Peng replied, "I have always liked 'The Rites of Zhou' and 'The Book of Documents' since I was young. Whenever I have leisure time, I never dare to stop studying." The emperor said, "So, tell me about it." Cui Peng then talked about the need for caution and care between rulers and subjects, which pleased the emperor greatly, and onlookers thought Cui Peng made a lot of sense. Later, the emperor appointed Cui Peng as Kaifu and promoted him to General of the Guard.
During the time of Tang Taizong, he once hosted an envoy from the Turkic Khagan at the Hall of Martial Valor. During the banquet, a pigeon suddenly started cooing from the rafters. The emperor instructed General Peng to shoot it, and General Peng shot it with one arrow! The emperor was overjoyed and rewarded him with ten thousand pieces of silver. When the envoy returned to the Turkic Khagan, the Khan sent word to the Tang court, asking, "Can General Cui come to meet us?" The emperor said, "It must be General Peng's renowned archery skills that have impressed the Turks, which is why they want to meet him." Thus, General Peng was dispatched to meet them.
When he arrived in the Turkic Khaganate, the Khan gathered dozens of skilled archers, then threw meat into the wilderness to attract eagles, and let those warriors take their shots, but many arrows missed. Then, the Khan invited General Peng to try his hand. General Peng shot several arrows, all hitting the target with a satisfying thud! The Turkic people were astounded and praised his exceptional archery skills. The Khan was delighted and kept General Peng for more than a hundred days before finally letting him return, and even gifted him a considerable amount of silk fabrics before his departure. During the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, General Peng was promoted to the position of Left General of the Army. At that time, the remnants of Prince Liang of Han had just been subdued, and Emperor Yang commanded General Peng to lead tens of thousands of troops to quell the rebellion in Shandong and manage the affairs of Cizhou. Due to General Peng's integrity, Emperor Yang rewarded him with five hundred bolts of silk. Shortly thereafter, General Peng passed away at the age of sixty-three. Emperor Yang sent envoys to express his condolences, posthumously elevated him to the rank of Grand General, and honored him with the title of "Su." His son Baode inherited his title. Historical records indicate that figures like Wang Changshu, some commanding regions and others serving in the palace guard, all achieved great military feats, ultimately earning their place in history due to their well-deserved achievements. Yilou Qian possessed a magnanimous spirit, not harboring past grievances, and requested forgiveness for Gao Zun's crimes, truly exemplifying the character of a loyal subject! General Cui Peng defended the nation's security at court, valiant and steadfast, successfully repelling foreign invaders. Their merits are worthy of praise!
