Pei Ju, style name Hongda, was from Wenxi in Hedong. His grandfather Pei Ta served as the Minister of Works in the Wei Kingdom, and his father Pei Nezhi served as a palace attendant in the Qi Kingdom. Pei Ju became an orphan at a young age, and he was very studious, loved literature, and was wise and strategic. His uncle Pei Rang advised him, "I see that you are very talented. If you want to become successful and wealthy, you must take an interest in state affairs." From then on, Pei Ju began to pay attention to current affairs.
When Yuwen Zhen, the King of Beiping in the Qi Kingdom, was the Governor of Sizhou, he hired Pei Ju as an assistant in the military department and later promoted him to the Literary Official of King Gaoping, Yuwen Liang. After the fall of the Qi Dynasty, Pei Ju could not find a suitable official position. When Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, Yang Jian, served as the Governor of Dingzhou, he summoned Pei Ju to serve as a secretary and valued him highly. Later, due to his mother's passing, Pei Ju resigned from his position to observe a period of mourning at home. When Yang Jian became the Prime Minister, he sent someone to urgently bring Pei Ju back and appointed him as a secretary in the Prime Minister's office. After Emperor Wen ascended the throne, Pei Ju was promoted to a Gentleman of the Palace and resigned from his previous position.
During the Sui Dynasty's attack on the Chen Dynasty, Pei Ju served as a secretary in the Marshal's headquarters. After the fall of the Chen Dynasty, Prince Jin, Yang Guang, ordered Pei Ju and Gao Feng to organize the archives of the Chen Dynasty. The following year, the court issued an edict for Pei Ju to go on an inspection tour in Lingnan, but before he could depart, Gao Zhihui, Wang Wenjin, and others rebelled, blocking the roads in the Wu and Yue regions. The Emperor had no choice but to call off Pei Ju's mission. Pei Ju requested to depart as soon as possible, and the Emperor agreed. When he arrived in Nankang, he recruited thousands of troops.
At this time, Wang Zhongxuan, the rebel leader, was besieging Guangzhou, and he sent his general Zhou Shiju to launch an attack on Dong Hengzhou. Pei Ju and General Lu Yuan joined forces to provide assistance, and Wang Zhongxuan's army established nine checkpoints at various locations, stationed at Dayuling, providing mutual support. Pei Ju led the army to launch a fierce attack, defeated the enemy, and the enemy, in fear, lifted the siege on Dong Hengzhou and retreated back to their original position at Changling. Pei Ju subdued over twenty states and was tasked with appointing those leaders as governors and county magistrates.
When he returned to report his work, the Emperor was very pleased and personally received him in the palace to commend him for his hard work. The Emperor also said to Gao Feng and Yang Su, "Wei Guang led twenty thousand troops and horses but failed to cross Nanling in time; I have been concerned about troop shortages. Pei Ju only took a mere three thousand defeated soldiers and successfully arrived in Nankang. With such a loyal minister, what more could I possibly worry about!" Because of his merit this time, Pei Ju was appointed as Kaifu, bestowed the title of Marquis of Wenxi County, and rewarded with valuables worth two thousand bolts of silk. He was later appointed as the Minister of Civil Affairs and soon promoted to the Minister of the Interior.
It is said that the Turkic forces were quite powerful at that time, and the Khan's wife, Princess Dayi, was actually a daughter of the Yuwen family, which frequently caused trouble at the border. Later, the princess was involved with the Turkic people, and Changsun Cheng was the first to discover this. He then suggested to the Emperor to send him to talk to Khan Dayi and, incidentally, deal with the Yuwen clan. The Emperor agreed. The outcome was exactly as Changsun Cheng had predicted: the princess was killed.
After that, Khan Dou Lan and Khan Tu Li fell out, and they frequently raided our borders. The Emperor then appointed Tai Ping Gong Shi Wansui as the commander of the army, setting out from Ding Xiang, and appointed Chang Sun Cheng as the Chief of Staff. They managed to defeat Khan Da Tou. Unfortunately, Wansui was later killed, and Chang Sun Cheng's credit was not recognized. The Emperor saw that Khan Qi Min had just surrendered, so he sent Chang Sun Cheng to appease him, and upon his return, he was promoted to Left Chancellor of the Ministry of Personnel.
That year, Empress Wen Xian passed away. At that time, the court lacked specific funeral rituals, so Chang Sun Cheng and Niu Hong together, based on the etiquette of the Qi state, established the funeral rites. He was later promoted to Assistant Minister of Personnel, and everyone thought he did a good job. When Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, he wanted to build the Eastern Capital, and Chang Sun Cheng was responsible for constructing the government office and palaces, which he completed in only nine months.
At that time, many ethnic minorities from the Western Regions came to Zhangye to trade with us. The Emperor appointed Chang Sun Cheng to handle this matter. Chang Sun Cheng knew that the Emperor was thinking of expanding the territory, so he encouraged those merchants to share more about the customs and geography of their homelands. He compiled this information into a book titled "Records of the Western Regions" in three volumes, which he submitted to the Emperor. The preface of the book reads:
I have heard that Great Yu managed the Nine Provinces, diverted the Yellow River, and the river did not overflow its banks at Jishi Mountain; Qin Shi Huang unified the six states, establishing defensive works reaching Lin Tao. Thus, I understand that the mixed Hu people of the Western Regions live in remote areas, where etiquette has little influence, and historical records are scarce.
Since the establishment of the Han Dynasty, the expansion of the Hexi Corridor marked the first recorded names of the Western regions, totaling thirty-six countries, which later fragmented into fifty-five smaller states. The Han Dynasty also appointed Colonels and Protectors to pacify them. However, these countries were constantly in rebellion or would submit, leading to frequent wars. By the time of the Eastern Han Dynasty, these official positions were often abolished. Although we have a rough idea of their population starting from Da Yuan, the names of the mountains and rivers in each of these countries were not accurately recorded. Details such as surnames, customs, clothing, and specialties remain completely unknown.
Furthermore, due to the passage of time, the merging and conquest of countries, and shifts in power, some places had their names changed, and some ethnic groups adopted new appellations. Along with the intermingling of various ethnic groups, border changes, and language barriers, it is very difficult to verify things clearly. According to historical records, there were over thirty countries to the north of Yutian and to the east of Congling. Later, these countries fought each other, leaving only a dozen or so countries. The remaining countries vanished, leaving only ruins that are impossible to verify.
Your Majesty, your benevolence and love for the people transcend distinctions between the Han and the local peoples. People across the realm admire your teachings. Your grace reaches from sunrise to sunset, with countries from the Western regions coming to pay tribute, regardless of distance. As I oversee the management of the border markets, I have consulted historical records and spoken with the local peoples to clarify various uncertainties. Based on their clothing and features, I have illustrated the likenesses of both kings and commoners, compiling the "Records of the Western Regions," which consists of three volumes, documenting forty-four countries. I have also created a map, marking important locations.
From the southern regions of the Western Regions to the North Sea, the distance from east to west and north to south is about twenty thousand li. Thanks to the wealthy merchants and traders who traveled extensively throughout the Western Regions, they have become very familiar with the circumstances in various countries there. However, some remote areas are difficult to investigate, making it impossible to guess without evidence, resulting in some places being inadequately documented. During and after the Han Dynasty, records of the Western Regions referred to populations of tens of thousands as kings, though they were merely titular. The book I am currently writing only records countries with populations exceeding a thousand households, all of which are located near the Western Sea and are rich in treasures and exotic goods. Small tribes residing in mountainous areas, lacking national names or being relatively minor, are not documented.
From Dunhuang to the Western Sea, there are three distinct routes, each with its own path. The northern route starts from Yiwu, passes by Pulei Lake, the Tiele tribe, and the court of the Turkic Khan, crosses the Beilu River, reaches the Fuli Kingdom, and ultimately arrives at the Western Sea. The central route starts from Gaochang, Yanqi, Kucha, and Shule, crosses the Congling Mountains, passing through Bohan, Suiduoshana, Kang, Cao, He, Xiaoxian, and Mu kingdoms, reaches Persia, ultimately arriving at the Western Sea. The southern route starts from Shanshan, Yutian, Zhu Jubo, and Hepantuo, crosses the Congling Mountains, passes through Humi, Tuhuoluo, Yida, Fanyan, and Cao Kingdom, reaches the Northern Brahmin, and finally arrives at the Western Sea. The countries along these three routes also have their own roads, linking north and south. Kingdoms such as Dongnuo and Southern Brahmin are also located along these routes. Thus, Yiwu, Gaochang, and Shanshan serve as gateways to the Western Regions, while Dunhuang is a vital strategic point.
Relying on the prestige of the country and the bravery of the soldiers, crossing the Yellow River and Kunlun Mountains is easy; there's nowhere we can't go! It's just that the Turks and Tuyuhun control the different Qiang and Hu tribes, hindering them from paying tribute. Now I have secretly sent merchants with sincere intentions, and they all hope to submit to the Great Han. Your Majesty's kindness and generosity extend across the land; as long as you appease them, you can ensure the stability of the Western Regions. Therefore, as long as Your Majesty sends envoys, without using the army, all countries in the Western Regions will submit, and the Turks and Tuyuhun can also be conquered. Unifying China and the Western Regions is within reach! If there is no record, the significant impact of the court's teachings cannot be demonstrated.
The emperor was particularly happy and rewarded Pei Ju with five hundred bolts of cloth. He called Pei Ju to his side every day to personally inquire about the situation in the Western Regions. Pei Ju boasted and said that there are many treasures in the Western Regions, and Tuyuhun can easily be annexed. The emperor was very pleased to hear this and decided to open up the passage to the Western Regions, and entrusted all military actions against the barbarians to Pei Ju. Pei Ju was promoted to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and before even assuming his new post, he was promoted to the Ministry of the Yellow Gate. The emperor also sent Pei Ju to Zhangye to recruit various tribes from the Western Regions, and more than ten countries came. In the third year of Daye, the emperor traveled to Mount Hengshan for a sacrificial ceremony, and all these Western countries participated. The emperor was preparing to inspect the Hexi Corridor, and he sent Pei Ju to Dunhuang. Pei Ju sent envoys to persuade King Qubo of Gaochang and others, enticing them with lucrative offers, and guiding them to come to see the emperor.
When the emperor went on a western tour and arrived at Yanzhishan, the King of Gaochang, Yiwu She, and twenty-seven other countries from the Western Regions welcomed the emperor on the roadside. They all wore gold and jade ornaments, dressed in brocade and woolen robes, burned incense, played music, sang, and danced, creating a lively scene. The emperor also ordered the men, women, and children from Wuwei and Zhangye to dress up and come out to watch. People on horseback were endless, stretching for dozens of miles to showcase the might of the Great Sui Dynasty. The emperor was very pleased to see this scene. Ultimately, the Sui army defeated the Tuyuhun, expanded their territory by thousands of miles, and stationed troops there. They gained wealth in the billions from there every year, leading other tribes from the Western Regions to fear them and come to pay tribute. The emperor believed that Pei Ju had a strategy to pacify the Western Regions, so he promoted him to the rank of Yinqing Guanglu Dafu.
That winter, the emperor arrived in the eastern capital, and as many foreign tribes came to pay tribute, Pei Ju suggested that the emperor hold a grand performance in the capital. The emperor gathered talented performers from across the country to perform on Duomen Street, with over a hundred thousand people dressed in splendid attire adorned with gold and silver jewelry. The emperor also ordered all officials and people of all ages to sit in tents and watch. Everyone wore colorful clothes, and the performance lasted a month before concluding. The emperor also ordered all shops in three markets to set up tents, stocked with food and drinks, allowing officials responsible for foreign affairs to trade with the visiting tribes and locals. Wherever they went, they were invited to sit, eat, and drink before departing. The visiting tribes were all astonished, declaring that the Great Sui Dynasty was a realm where immortals dwelled.
The emperor praised Pei Ju for his sincerity, saying to Yuwen Shu and Niu Hong, "Pei Ju understands my thoughts extremely well. All the suggestions he made were things I had already planned. He had anticipated these things even before they occurred. Who else could do this if it weren't for his dedication to the country!" The emperor sent General Xue Shixiong to build Yiwu City and asked Pei Ju to go along as the strategist. Pei Ju informed the nations of the Western Regions, "The emperor has opened up trade routes for your distant tribes, which is why Yiwu City was built." Everyone found it reasonable and stopped squabbling. Upon his return, the emperor rewarded him with 400,000 coins. Pei Ju then proposed using the strategy of sowing discord to cause Shi Kui and Chu Luo to turn against each other, the details of which are recorded in the "Turkic Chronicles." Later, Chu Luo was pressured by Shi Kui and eventually followed the envoy to the capital to meet the emperor. The emperor was very pleased and rewarded Pei Ju with a sable fur coat and treasures from the Western Regions.
During the emperor's inspection of the northern border, he accidentally arrived at the camp of Qimin Khan. At that time, Goryeo had already sent envoys to the Turks. Qimin Khan did not dare to hide this and brought the Goryeo envoy to meet the emperor. Yang Ju then reported, "Goryeo's land originally belonged to the State of Gojoseon. It was granted to Jizi during the Zhou Dynasty, divided into three commanderies during the Han Dynasty, and was under the jurisdiction of Liao Dong during the Jin Dynasty. Now it has become an independent foreign country that does not submit to us. The late emperor was very angry and had wanted to conquer it for a long time. It's just that Yang Liang was incompetent and failed in the military campaigns. Now that you have become the emperor, how can you tolerate this situation? How can we allow this territory to become a barbarian land? Now that the Goryeo envoy has gone to meet the Turks and was seen by Qimin Khan, the whole nation is aligning with the Turks. They must be afraid of the majesty of the Tang Dynasty and worried about being destroyed in the future. If we give them a little scare and make them come to meet us, we will surely succeed."
The emperor asked, "What should we do?" Yang Ju said, "Please rebuke the Goryeo envoys in person, then send them back to their country. Send someone to inform the Goryeo king to come and meet us quickly. If they do not obey, then bring troops to join the Turks and immediately attack them!" The emperor adopted his suggestion. The Goryeo king did not obey, so the court began to plan to attack Goryeo. The emperor led troops to attack Goryeo, and Yang Ju was promoted to the rank of General of the Imperial Guards. The following year, he followed the emperor to Liaodong. The Minister of War, Husi Zheng, defected to Goryeo, and the emperor put Yang Ju in charge of the military affairs of the War Ministry. Because of his successful battles crossing the Liao River twice, Yang Ju was promoted to Right Guanglu Daifu. At that time, the court was plagued by corruption; many people were betraying and defecting, and powerful figures like General Yu Wenshu and Minister Yu Shiji were in power, with bribery being prevalent in the court. Only Yang Ju adhered to his principles, without any corruption scandals, and was praised by the people.
When I arrived in Zhuojun, the emperor happened to hear that Yang Xuan'gan had quelled the rebellion, so he sent me to Longyou to pacify the people and organize military affairs. When I arrived in Huining, I reached out to the Hesa tribe and sent people to attack the Tuyuhun, winning many battles and capturing a lot of loot, bringing prosperity to the tribes. When I returned to Chang'an, I reported the situation to the emperor, who rewarded me generously.
Later, I followed the army to Huaiyuan Town, where the emperor appointed me to be in charge of military affairs of the northern minority ethnic groups. I found that the power of Khan Shibikan was growing, so I suggested to the emperor that he weaken his power by marrying a royal princess to his brother, Chijishe, and appointing him as the Khan of the South. Chijishe dared not accept this title, and when Khan Shibikan heard about it, he began to resent me.
I said to the emperor again, "The Turks are generally straightforward and easy to sow discord among, but they have many other crafty individuals among them who are instigating trouble. I’ve heard that Shishu Huxi is particularly treacherous and holds Khan Shibike’s trust. We can use him." I said, "We can figure out a way to eliminate him." The emperor said, "Good idea!"
So, I sent someone to tell Huxi, "The emperor has brought many treasures this time and is now in Mayi, wanting to trade more with your border tribes. If you come, you will get many good things." Huxi, who was greedy and overly trusting, did not inform Khan Shibike and quickly led his tribe, herding all his livestock, eager to be the first to reach Mayi for trade. I set up an ambush in Mayi, lured them over, and then killed them all.
I then reported to Khan Shibike, "Shishu Huxi suddenly brought his tribe here, claiming he had betrayed you and asking us to protect him. Since the Turks are my subjects, if he dares to betray you, I have to help you deal with him. Now I have killed him and come to inform you." Khan Shibike learned the truth as well and no longer paid tribute to the court.
In the eleventh year, while the emperor was on an inspection tour of the north, Khan Shibike led hundreds of thousands of cavalry and besieged the emperor at Yanmen. The emperor instructed Yu Shiji and me to be on duty in the court every night, ready to respond to the emperor's questions at a moment's notice. Once the siege was lifted, I accompanied the emperor to the eastern capital. Coincidentally, Khan Shikui sent his son to bring various ethnic minorities from the west to pay tribute. The emperor instructed me to host a banquet for them.
I was sent to Jiangdu Palace to handle affairs. At that time, thieves were rampant across the land, and the reports from various counties were too numerous to count. I spoke some uncomfortable truths, which infuriated the emperor, so he sent me to the capital to welcome foreign envoys. I pretended to be ill and declined. Later, when the rebels broke into Guanzhong, the emperor sent Yu Shiji to my house to ask for my strategy. I said, "Taiyuan is in turmoil, and the capital is also in disarray. Issuing orders from so far away risks missing the chance for battle. Only if the emperor returns to the capital early can the world be pacified." I returned to my duties. Not long after, the news of the valiant General Qu Tutong's defeat arrived, and I quickly reported it to the emperor, whose expression changed dramatically.
I tend to work diligently and with caution, never contradicting others. Seeing the chaos in the world, I feared bringing disaster upon myself, so I treated people exceptionally well, often exceeding their expectations, which made even the lowest servants very satisfied with me. Many elite soldiers who had accompanied the emperor fled, and the emperor was quite worried and asked me what to do. I replied, "The emperor has been here for two years now. These elite soldiers have no families, and being alone, they naturally cannot stay for long. I suggest allowing the soldiers to settle down and establish families here." The emperor was delighted and said, "You are truly resourceful; this is a good idea!" So he entrusted me with this responsibility, arranging marriages for the soldiers.
I gathered all the widows and unmarried women from Jiangdu and brought them to the palace, giving the generals and soldiers the freedom to choose. I also allowed voluntary surrender, pairing up those who had previously committed adultery, including nuns and female Taoists. As a result, the elite soldiers were all quite pleased, saying to one another, "This is the grace of Pei Gong!"
It is said that Pei Ju got up early one morning to prepare to go to court. When he reached the neighborhood gate, he encountered several rebel soldiers led by Yuwen Huaji, who took Pei Ju's horse away to Meng Jing. The rebels insisted, "This has nothing to do with Minister Pei!" Shortly after, Yuwen Huaji arrived with more than a hundred cavalry, and Pei Ju hurried forward to pay his respects. Yuwen Huaji reassured him and then invited Pei Ju to participate in establishing the ceremonial rites, the enthronement of Prince Hao of Qin as the emperor, and appointed Pei Ju as an inner attendant, following him to Hebei.
After Yuwen Huaji became emperor, he appointed Pei Ju as the Right Deputy Minister of Personnel and granted him the title of Guanglu Daifu, as well as Duke of Caiguo, appointing him as the Pacification Ambassador for Hebei. Later, when Yuwen Huaji was captured by Dou Jiande, Dou Jiande, knowing that Pei Ju was an old official of the Sui Dynasty, treated him especially well, appointing him as the Minister of Personnel. Before long, he was promoted to Right Deputy Minister of Personnel, specifically responsible for selecting officials. Dou Jiande rose from being a bandit, so he lacked formal etiquette, and Pei Ju helped him establish court ceremonies. Soon, the court's regulations and systems were nearly perfected, giving the appearance of a legitimate dynasty. Dou Jiande was particularly pleased and frequently sought Pei Ju's advice.
Later, Dou Jiande crossed the Yellow River to confront Meng Haigong, while Pei Ju and others, including Cao Dan, stayed in Mingzhou to defend the city. Consequently, Dou Jiande was defeated at Wulao, and his generals were at a loss about what to do. Cao Dan's Chief Li Gongyan and the Tang envoy Wei Zheng advised Cao Dan to surrender to the Tang Dynasty. Cao Dan agreed and sent Pei Ju, Wei Zheng, and Li Gongyan with eight imperial seals to offer Shandong's territory to the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty appointed Pei Ju as Left Imperial Secretary and later promoted him to Chamberlain of Law Enforcement and Minister of Civil Affairs.
The historical records state: Pei Ju was renowned in his youth for his integrity and selflessness, as well as his literary talent. After the downfall of the state, he faced many hardships but was still given significant responsibilities. He participated in court politics and military affairs, never considering his own safety during national crises; even when the emperor was inept, he refrained from offering counsel. He engaged in selling official titles and exploiting the prison system, was excessively greedy, and ultimately led to his own downfall. Pei Yun was inherently treacherous and malicious, adept at flattery and self-serving behavior, focused only on personal gain. How could calamities be averted with someone like him? Pei Ju was knowledgeable, talented, diligent, and devoted to public service day and night, qualities seldom found among the ancients. Despite being involved in politics for many years, he maintained integrity and prudence even in times of turmoil, a truly exceptional trait. However, by yielding to the whims of his superiors, communicating messages that resulted in foreign invasions, and instigating unrest in the Guanzhong region, Pei Ju was partly responsible for these events.
