Shi Wansui is from the Du Ling region of Chang'an. His father served as the Governor of Cangzhou during the Zhou Dynasty. Since childhood, Shi Wansui has been brave and particularly skilled in horseback riding and archery. He is agile and as fast as a bird in flight. He also enjoys reading military books and is knowledgeable in astronomy and geography. At the age of fifteen, during the battle between the Zhou Dynasty and the Qi Dynasty at Mangshan, Shi Wansui followed his father to join the army. When the two armies faced each other, Shi Wansui quickly instructed his men to pack up and get ready to retreat. Soon after, the Zhou army was defeated, and his father looked at him with new respect.
When Emperor Wu ascended to the throne of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Shi Wansui directly became a guard serving the emperor. During the campaign to subdue the Qi Dynasty, his father died in battle. Because of his loyalty, Shi Wansui was appointed as the General of the Household and inherited the title of Duke of Taiping County from his father.
During the rebellion led by Wei Jiong, Shi Wansui followed Liang Shiyan to suppress the rebellion. While the army was stationed in Fengyi, a flock of geese flew by. Shi Wansui said to Liang Shiyan, "Let me shoot down the one in the middle." He shot an arrow, and the goose fell to the ground, earning the admiration of all the soldiers. In battles against Wei Jiong's army, Shi Wansui was always the first to lead the charge. During the Battle of Yecheng, when the imperial forces began to fall back, Shi Wansui said to his men, "The situation is critical, I need to charge in and break their lines!" He then charged on his horse, killing dozens of enemies, lifting the spirits of the troops. After Wei Jiong was defeated, Shi Wansui was promoted to Grand General due to his military successes.
Er Zhu Ji was killed for his rebellion, and Shi Wansui was implicated, dismissed from his post, and sent to Dunhuang as a soldier. His commander was really arrogant and often put Shi Wansui down, frequently riding deep into Turk territory alone to plunder livestock, horses, and sheep, always coming out victorious, regardless of how many Turks there were; they were no match for him. Feeling uneasy, Shi Wansui boasted that he had skills too. The commander let him try his archery skills, and Shi Wansui performed exceptionally well. The commander laughed and said, "This kid is good!" Shi Wansui asked for a bow, arrows, and a horse, and went to the Turks to seize a large number of livestock. The commander then began to look at him differently, taking him on every mission, often going deep into Turk territory, frightening the Turks.
Later, Dou Rongding led troops to attack the Turks, and Shi Wansui ran to Dou Rongding's camp to offer his services. Dou Rongding had heard of his reputation and was very happy to see him. Dou Rongding sent someone to tell the Turks, "If our soldiers have done something wrong and need to be killed, why not have a brave warrior from each side fight to determine the outcome?" The Turks agreed and sent out a cavalryman to challenge. Dou Rongding sent Shi Wansui to fight, and Shi Wansui rode over and cut off the man's head, and returned with it. The Turks were terrified and dared not fight again, so they retreated. Because of this, Shi Wansui was appointed Shang Yitong (an official title) and became the General of Chariots and Cavalry. During the campaign to pacify the Chen Dynasty, he was promoted to Kaifu (a high-ranking official) due to his military achievements.
It is said that this guy Shi Wansui, who followed Yang Su to suppress the rebellion in Jiangnan, scored a major victory. The Emperor personally led two thousand soldiers, took an alternate route from Dongyang, crossed mountains and seas, and took down countless mountain strongholds. He fought more than seven hundred battles, traveled over a thousand miles, and for a full ten days there was radio silence; everyone thought he was dead. Because it was so far away and messengers couldn't get through, Shi Wansui wrote a letter, stuck it in a bamboo tube, and let it float downstream. Someone found it, quickly informed Yang Su, who was over the moon and rushed to tell the Emperor. The Emperor, amazed, rewarded him with a hundred thousand coins and promoted him to the rank of Left General.
Earlier, the barbarians in Nanning surrendered and were made governors of Kunzhou, but soon rebelled again. The Emperor appointed Shi Wansui as the commander of the expedition to fight against them. Starting out from Qinglongchuan, he passed through Nongdong, Xiaobonong, and Dabonong, and marched his way south. The bandits held the high ground, but Shi Wansui took them down. After trekking for hundreds of miles, he saw the monument of Zhuge Liang that said: "Only those who defeat me will pass this way after ten thousand years." Shi Wansui had the monument knocked down and continued on. He crossed the West Second River, entered the Qulanchuan, traveled over a thousand miles, defeated over thirty tribes, and captured more than twenty thousand people. The barbarians were scared stiff and quickly sent envoys to surrender, even bringing a thumb-sized pearl as a gift. Shi Wansui erected a monument there, praising the achievements of the Great Sui Dynasty.
Shi Wansui sent someone to quickly return the battle report to the capital, requesting to report to the emperor, and the emperor approved it. However, Cuan Wan was uneasy and did not want to go to the capital, so he secretly gave Shi Wansui many treasures of gold and silver in an attempt to bribe him. Shi Wansui accepted the treasures and then returned home. At that time, the King of Shu was in Yizhou and learned about this, so he sent someone to retrieve the treasures. Upon hearing this, Shi Wansui quickly threw all the gold and silver treasures he had received into the river, leaving no trace. The emperor praised him for his great achievements and promoted him to the rank of Pillar State. Prince Jin Guang held Shi Wansui in high regard and treated him as a friend. The emperor also valued Shi Wansui's talents and put him in charge of military affairs at Prince Jin's residence.
The following year, Cuan Wan turned against them again. Li Xiu, the King of Shu, accused Shi Wansui of accepting bribes, releasing enemies, causing unrest on the border, and demonstrating a lack of ministerial integrity. The emperor ordered a thorough investigation of the matter, which was found to be true and deserving of death. The emperor scolded him: "You took money and let the enemies go, wasting the soldiers' hard work. I can't sleep well or eat well every day. Are you still a minister of the court?" Shi Wansui said, "I left Cuan Wan behind because I was afraid of chaos in his state and wanted him to guard the area. I had just arrived at Lushui when I received the emperor's decree, so I did not go to the capital. I really did not accept any bribes!" The emperor thought Shi Wansui was being evasive and angrily said, "I took you as a good person; you hold a high position and receive a generous salary, yet you have become a traitor to the state!" The emperor turned to the officials and said, "He will be executed tomorrow!" Shi Wansui was frightened and quickly confessed his guilt, begging for mercy.
Left Supervisor Gao Feng, Left Guard General Yuan Min, and others quickly intervened on his behalf, saying, "Shi Wansui is exceptionally brave. Every time he leads troops into battle, he is at the forefront and especially good at comforting the soldiers. The soldiers are willing to die for him. Even the ancient famous generals cannot compare to him!" The emperor calmed down a bit and removed his official position, allowing him to return home and live as a commoner. After more than a year, he was reinstated in his official position and title, appointed as the Inspector of Hezhou, and continued to serve as the commander of the military to guard against the barbarians.
During the later years of the Kaihuang era, the Turkic leader launched an invasion across the border. The Emperor ordered Prince Jin Yang Guang and Yang Su to lead troops from Lingwu Road, while Prince Han Yang Liang and Shi Wansui led troops from Mayi Road. Shi Wansui led officials Zhang Dinghe, General Li Yaowang, Yang Yichen, and others to the border, reaching Dajin Mountain where they encountered the Turkic army. The Turkic leader sent a messenger to inquire, "Who is the general of the Sui Dynasty?" The scout replied, "It is Shi Wansui." The Turkic leader asked again, "Is he a frontier soldier from Dunhuang?" The scout replied, "Yes." Upon hearing this, the leader was afraid and ordered a retreat. Shi Wansui pursued and defeated the Turkic army, killing thousands and chasing them deep into the desert for hundreds of miles, causing the Turkic forces to flee in disarray.
Yang Su, envious of Shi Wansui's success, falsely accused him, claiming that "the Turkic forces had already surrendered and did not invade initially; they were just grazing near the border." He concealed Shi Wansui's contributions. Despite Shi Wansui repeatedly reporting the situation, the Emperor remained unaware of the truth. At that time, the Emperor had just returned to the capital after his visit to Renshou Palace, where he had deposed the Crown Prince and suppressed his faction. The Emperor asked for Shi Wansui's whereabouts, and at that moment, Shi Wansui was in the court. Yang Su, seeing the Emperor's anger, falsely claimed, "Shi Wansui went to see the Crown Prince," in order to provoke the Emperor. The Emperor believed this and ordered Shi Wansui to be summoned. At that time, several hundred soldiers loyal to Shi Wansui were in the court, pleading their case, and Shi Wansui told them, "Today, I will present your case to the Emperor with reason, and justice will be served!"
After seeing the emperor, Shi Wansui said that the soldiers had made great contributions but were suppressed by the court. His tone was very excited, which angered the emperor. The emperor was furious and ordered the guards to kill Shi Wansui. Later, the emperor regretted his decision, but it was too late to catch up. He issued a decree condemning Shi Wansui, saying, "Zhu Guo, Taiping Duke Shi Wansui, I promoted you and entrusted you with command of the army on several occasions. Previously, there was a rebellion in Ningzhou in the south, and I ordered you to lead the troops to suppress it. However, the governor of Kunzhou, Cuan Wan, acted with malice and endangered the people. I issued clear orders for you to return to the capital with your troops. Instead, you accepted a substantial bribe, defied my orders, delayed your return, and ultimately allowed Cuan Wan to rebel, requiring a large amount of military force to pacify. Under the law, you should face execution. In light of your past contributions, I spared your life, and soon after, I reinstated you. Recently, I appointed you once more to lead the army against the minority groups at the border. The Turkic Khan led his forces in resistance, but seeing your military strength, they fled without a fight, and the enemy dispersed. This victory is a significant achievement for the nation, and I wanted to reward you and give you further rewards. However, when you and Zhang Dinghao submitted your battle report, you were deceitful and falsely claimed direct engagement, failing to report truthfully, being inconsistent, and manipulating the laws of the land. A loyal and upright person, free from deceit, is a true general. But someone like you, who is deceitful and seeks glory for himself, is a traitor to the nation, and the laws of the court cannot be abolished; I cannot forgive you again." On the day Shi Wansui died, people from all walks of life, whether they knew him or not, felt it was unjust and expressed their regret. General Wansui was not the type of leader who micromanaged everything. He gave his soldiers freedom and didn’t impose night watches. Yet, the enemy never dared to attack. On the battlefield, his adaptability was exceptional, and everyone regarded him as a great general. He had a son named Huaiyi, who was also a remarkable figure.
Liu Fang is from Chang'an. He has a strong and decisive personality and is extremely bold. He began his career as a minor official in the Zhou Dynasty and later rose in rank due to his military achievements. When Emperor Gaozu was Prime Minister, Liu Fang, along with Wei Xiaokuan, defeated Yu Jiong in Xiangzhou and was promoted and granted the title of Marquis of Heyin County, with a fief consisting of 800 households. After Gaozu became Emperor, he was further promoted to Duke. In the third year of Kaihuang, he followed Wei Wang Shuang to defeat the Turks at Baidao and was appointed Grand General. Later, he served as the Inspector of Ganzhou and Guazhou, yet he was relatively unknown at that time. During the Renshou period, an indigenous person from Jiaozhou, Li Fuzi, rebelled and occupied the former city of King Yue, sending his nephew Li Daquan to occupy Longbian City, while another general, Li Puding, occupied Wuyan City. Yang Su reported that Liu Fang had great military talent, so the Emperor appointed Liu Fang as the Commander-in-Chief in Jiaozhou, with Jing Deliang serving as Chief of Staff, leading twenty-seven camps of troops to march. Liu Fang strictly enforced military discipline, ensured strict discipline within the ranks, and anyone who broke military orders faced immediate execution! But at the same time, he showed compassion towards his soldiers, personally taking care of anyone who fell ill. When Chief of Staff Jing Deliang fell gravely ill in Yinzhou during the march, unable to continue, he stayed in the official residence in the city. When they parted ways, Liu Fang was saddened to see him so ill that he cried, which moved all those who witnessed it. He was both dignified and compassionate, leading everyone to regard him as an exemplary general. When they reached Dulong Ridge, more than two thousand bandits launched an attack on the imperial troops, and Liu Fang sent camp leaders such as Song Zuan, He Gui, and Yan Yuan to defeat them. Next, as the army approached Li Fuzi's territory, Liu Fang first sent someone to persuade surrender, stating that surrendering would yield favorable outcomes, while resisting would lead to dire consequences. Li Fuzi became fearful and surrendered, and was escorted to the capital. Liu Fang was worried that the more stubborn ones would rebel in the future, so he ordered their execution.
It is said that the court sent Xue Fang to serve as the Military Governor of Huanhuanzhou and also appointed Right Chancellor Li Gang as his deputy to go to Linyi for battle. Xue Fang first sent the Qinzhou Prefect Ning Changzhen, the Huazhou Prefect Li Yun, and Qin Xiong, the Prefect of Shangkaifu, leading infantry and cavalry from Yuechang. He took Grand General Zhang Xun and Marshal Li Gang by boat, rushing over from the side of Bijing.
At this time, Emperor Gaozu had passed away, and Yang Guang became the emperor. In the first month of the first year of the Daye era, Xue Fang's army arrived at Haikou. The King of Linyi, Fan Zhi, sent troops to set up defenses in strategic locations, but they were defeated by Xue Fang and fled in disarray. When the army reached the Shali River, the enemy occupied the southern bank and established their camp. Xue Fang deployed his troops, beat the drums, and caused the enemy to panic. After crossing the river and marching thirty miles, the enemy rode elephants and charged from all directions. Xue Fang used crossbows to shoot the elephants, causing them to injure themselves and trample their own troops in confusion. Our army fought bravely, and the enemy fled back to their camp, which was eventually breached, leading to countless enemy casualties and captives.
Next, the army crossed the Qushe River and marched six miles, encountering enemies on all sides, capturing prisoners in every battle. They fought all the way to the Dayuan River, where the enemy took up strong defensive positions and was defeated by Xue Fang again. Xue Fang journeyed directly to Ma Yuan's bronze pillar, journeyed south for eight days, and arrived at the capital of Linyi. King Fan Zhi of Linyi abandoned the city and fled to the sea, while Xue Fang's forces seized the golden statues enshrined in Linyi's temple, created chaos in the royal palace, inscribed their military exploits on stone tablets, and then returned with their troops.
During this expedition, many soldiers had swollen feet, and about one in four died. Xue Fang fell ill and died on the way back; the emperor was deeply saddened and issued a decree stating, "Xue Fang upheld the late emperor's strategic policies and diligently executed the mission of suppression. He was brave and fearless, treating perilous situations as if they were flat ground, launching surprise attacks on the enemy, completely annihilating them, and preventing the soldiers from being overworked, successfully pacifying the overseas territories. He was loyal to the country, made great contributions, and was posthumously honored as the Grand Chancellor and Duke of Lu." His son Xue Tongren inherited his title.
During the Kaihuang period, Feng Yu, Wang Ya, Li Chong, Yang Wutong, Chen Yonggui, and Fang Zhao were all notable figures of their time. However, the origins of Feng Yu and Wang Ya are not documented in historical records. Feng Yu was a resourceful and skilled warrior. When Emperor Wen of Sui was newly appointed as Chancellor, he appointed Feng Yu as the commander of the army. Along with Wang Yi and Li Wei, they quelled the barbarian rebellion, and he was later honored as the Grand Chancellor. During the Kaihuang period, he was appointed as the commander of the army stationed at Yifu Po, defending against the Turks. However, tens of thousands of Turk cavalry launched a sudden attack. Feng Yu and his forces fought for several days, but outnumbered, they were ultimately defeated, suffering thousands of casualties while also killing many Turk soldiers. Afterward, he remained stationed at the border for several years, achieving victory in every battle.
Feng Yuxiao was valiant and skilled in archery. Emperor Wen of Sui recognized his exceptional talent as a military commander and appointed him as the commander of the army stationed north of the Yangtze River to resist the forces of the Chen dynasty. He achieved numerous victories, instilling fear in the hearts of the Chen dynasty's soldiers. He made significant contributions during the attacks on the Chen dynasty and the rebellion led by Gao Zhihui, eventually attaining the title of Duke of Baishui Commandery. Li Chong, from Chengji in Longxi, was bold and courageous from a young age, with great strategic thinking. During the reign of Emperor Kaihuang, he served as a commander multiple times, defeating the Turks and achieving military success. He was promoted to Duke of Wuyang Commandery and appointed as the commander of Shuozhou, earning a fearsome reputation among the Turks. However, he was falsely accused of treason and summoned back to the capital, which infuriated the emperor. Li Chong, with his already fiery temperament, became increasingly despondent and ultimately succumbed to his grief.
Yang Wutong, from Huayin in Hongnong, was known for his resolute and commanding demeanor and excelled in horseback riding and archery. He served as a commander multiple times, leading military campaigns against the southwestern tribes and achieving remarkable feats. He was appointed as Duke of Baishui Commandery and promoted to Grand General of the Left Guard. As the border was frequently harassed by the Xianbei and Qiang tribes, the court valued his reputation and appointed him successively as the commander of Minzhou and Lanzhou to suppress them. Later, he joined forces with Zhou Fashang to suppress a rebellion by the Lao tribe in Jiazhou. Initially, Zhou Fashang's forces encountered difficulties, but Yang Wutong led a few thousand troops to cut off the enemy's retreat. He ordered the horses to be secured and the chariots halted, launching a surprise attack, routing the enemy in successive engagements. Seeing him advancing alone without reinforcements, the enemy swarmed out. Yang Wutong fought for hundreds of miles, but was surrounded by the enemy and trapped from all sides. He attempted to break through, but his horse stumbled, leading to his capture and eventual killing, and his remains were devoured by the enemy.
Chen Yonggui was a Hu ethnic group from Longyou, originally had the surname Bai, and was famous for his bravery. Emperor Wen of Sui highly valued him and appointed him as the military commander to guard the border on several occasions. He always led his troops into battle at the forefront. Eventually, he rose to the rank of Governor of Lanzhou and Li Prefecture and was granted the title of Duke of Beichen County. Fang Zhao was a Dai ethnic group, originally surnamed Wuyin, known for his resolute character and military prowess. He served as a military commander on multiple occasions to fight against the Turks and was promoted to the position of Governor of Xuzhou due to his achievements. However, historical records concerning him are quite limited.
Historical records indicate that these generals, including Changru, started their military careers at a young age and were all courageous and skilled heroes. They all led armies and made contributions in defending against foreign invasions. Changru led two thousand infantry soldiers against a hundred thousand enemies, fighting until they ran out of arrows, yet still displayed incredible bravery. General Zigang crossed the Qinghai River to the west and reached the northern borders, intimidating the Hu and ensuring peace along the borders, which is commendable. General Wansui was exceptionally wise and brave, skilled at reassuring his soldiers, who were always willing to follow him through thick and thin without complaint. He repelled the Xiongnu to the north, pacified the Yi and Lao tribes to the south, and wherever his army went, their reputation instilled fear in the border regions.
Later, when it was time to reward achievements, he was blunt and offended the court officials, which led to him being framed by traitors and meeting an unjust death. Everyone felt sorry for him, noting that he resembled General Li Guang in character. General Liu Fang led his troops fairly and justly, maintaining strict discipline in his army, successfully pacifying Lin Yi and bringing stability to the South China Sea. The border tribes all submitted to him. In short, these generals have ambitions that surpass those of ordinary people. Some charge into battle while others support the emperor at court. Although their achievements may not be as renowned as Ma Yuan's in quelling rebellions in the south or Zhao Chongguo's in subduing the West Qiang, when discussing their merits and achievements, they are all considered heroes of their time!
