Tian Rengong, courtesy name Changgui, was a native of Pingliang, near the Great Wall. His father, Tian Hong, was the Grand Minister during the Zhou Dynasty. Tian Rengong was generous, kind, and had a broad mind. During the Zhou Dynasty, he passed the Mingjing examination and became a Zhongshi. Later, 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 recruited him into the court as a military official. Several years later, due to his father's merits, he was appointed as a Deputy in the Central and Foreign Offices. He followed Yuwen Hu to battle and earned numerous military accolades, and was promoted to Marquis of Xiangwu County, with a fief of five hundred households. Later, he assisted Emperor Wu in pacifying the Qi Dynasty, was elevated to the Duke of Xiyang County with a fief of two thousand households, and appointed as the Governor of Youzhou. In the reign of Emperor Xuan, he was further promoted to the Duke of Yanmen County.
After Gaozu assumed the role of Prime Minister, he summoned Tian Rengong to serve as a Junior Sima, and later promoted him to Grand General. After Wei Xiaokuan's victory over Yu Chijiong in Xiangzhou, he was honored with the title of Pillar of the State. After Gaozu ascended the throne, Tian Rengong was promoted to Senior Pillar of the State, and appointed as the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, and received high regard and favor from the Emperor. Gaozu often visited his home to feast together and enjoy each other's company, rewarding him generously. Later, he was ennobled as the Duke of Guanguo when tasked with building temples and shrines, with a total fief of five thousand households. A little over a year later, Tian Rengong passed away at the age of forty-seven. He was posthumously granted the title of Grand Minister, with the posthumous name of Jing. His son, Tian Shishi, succeeded him in his title. The accomplishments of his second son, Tian Demao, are chronicled in the "Biographies of Filial Piety."
At that time, there were also Lord Wang Jing of Rencheng Commandery and Lord Xie Qing'en of Xianyu County, both of whom held the title of Pillar of the State. Lord Xin Zun and his younger brother Xin Shao also held the title of Pillar of the State. Emperor Gaozu specially elevated them because they were all meritorious officials who assisted him in establishing his achievements, treating them with the same respect as Tian Rengong and others. However, detailed records of these events have since been lost.
Yuan Heng, styled Deliang, also known as Xiaocai, was from Luoyang, Henan Province. His father, Ji Hai, was the Minister of Works and the King of Fengyi in the Wei Kingdom. When the states of Zhou and Qi split, Ji Hai went to Chang'an to serve as an official. Yuan Heng was only a few years old at the time and stayed in Luoyang with his mother, Lady Li. Emperor Wen of Northern Qi imprisoned him due to his father's presence in the west. His mother, the daughter of Li Chong, the Minister of Works in the Wei Kingdom, was known for her intelligence and resourcefulness. She pretended that she and her child were cold and hungry and requested to go to Xingyang to beg for food. The people of Qi perceived them as merely an old woman and a child, far removed from the west, so they did not suspect anything and agreed. Lady Li entrusted Yuan Heng and her eight orphaned nephews to the local wealthy man Li Changshou, and they secretly took back roads to finally arrive in Chang'an. Emperor Taizu of Zhou was delighted to see them and recognized Yuan Heng as a meritorious official, treating him with particular favor.
When Yuan Heng was twelve years old, he formed a friendship with Emperor Wen of Northern Qi. He was appointed to the position of Qian Niu Beishen (an official title). Towards the end of the Datong era, he inherited the title of King of Fengyi and received a fief of one thousand households. On the day he received the title, he was overwhelmed with sadness. Shortly after, he was promoted to be the Regular Attendant Cavalier in the Office of Transmission, and later held positions as General of the Guards, Governor of Xunzhou, and was subsequently renamed King of Pingliang. After Emperor Min of Zhou abdicated, his title was subsequently downgraded to Duke. During the reigns of Emperor Ming and Emperor Wu of Zhou, he held successive positions as Governor of Longzhou, Palace Attendant, and Prefect of the Small Cavalry. During the reign of Emperor Xuan of Zhou, he served as Governor of Luozhou.
When Emperor Wen of Sui was prime minister, Yu Chijiong rebelled, and people from Luoyang, including Liang Kang and Xing Liushui, also took up arms in support of Yu Chijiong. Within ten days, the number of rebels swelled to over ten thousand. Wang Wenshu, the prefect of Luozhou, secretly conspired with Liang Kang to plot against Yuan Heng. Yuan Heng became aware of their conspiracy, so he selected 2,000 soldiers from Guanzhong to serve as his personal guards, captured and executed Wang Wenshu, and then led his troops to attack Liang Kang and Xing Liushui, defeating them all. After Emperor Wen of Sui ascended the throne, he summoned Yuan Heng to serve as the Minister of Ceremonies and also increased his food estate by seven hundred households. Shortly after, he was sent as the governor of Weizhou and appointed as Grand General. The people of Weizhou were simple and honest, and Yuan Heng governed the area with his authority, greatly improving the local customs during his eight-year term. Later, due to old age and illness, he submitted a request for retirement, and officials came to the palace gate to request that he be allowed to rest at home. The emperor sighed deeply at this. That year, Yuan Heng became seriously ill and requested to return to the capital. The emperor sent envoys with medicine to check on his condition, exchanging greetings on the way. A year later, Yuan Heng passed away at home at the age of sixty-nine, posthumously named Xuan.
Du Zheng, who was styled Huangyu, hailed from Duling in Chang'an. His grandfather, Du Sheng, served as the General of the Straight Cabinet of Wei and the Prefect of Yingchuan; his father, Du Bi, served as the governor of Weizhou. Du Zheng was very elegant from a young age. When he was nine years old, his father passed away, and his grief caused him to become emaciated. He was extremely filial to his mother, and his reputation spread far and wide. As he grew up, he was brave, skilled in battle, and strong, with a passion for reading Sun Tzu's and Wu Qi's military strategies. As the reign of Northern Wei came to a close, he inherited the title of Marquis of Wuxiang. Emperor Taizu of Northern Zhou regarded him as a trusted confidant. Later, he served the son of Yuwen Hu, the Duke of Zhongshan, Yuwen Xun, and was highly esteemed. Before long, he rose to the rank of commander.
During the reign of Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou, Du Zheng served as a court eunuch, rising through the ranks to become equivalent to the rank of Sanqi, and was later appointed as the governor of Wuzhou. He fought alongside Emperor Wu to subdue the Qi state and was rewarded with promotions, being appointed as the Duke of Pingyuan County with a fief of one thousand households. He later returned to the court to serve as a Senior Official of Merit. During the time when Emperor Wen, Yang Jian, was the prime minister, Du Zheng was promoted to Kaifu. After Yang Jian became emperor, he further promoted Du Zheng to Duke of Changguang and appointed him as the Left Martial Guard General. He served in this position for several years, resigned following his mother's death, and later returned to resume his duties.
In the sixth year of Kaihuang, the Turks invaded the border, and the court ordered Wei Wang Yang Shuang to lead the troops on a northern expedition, appointing Du Zheng as the commander and chief of staff. They reached Hechuan but returned without engaging the enemy. Du Zheng confidentially proposed a strategy to the emperor for attacking the Chen state, which the emperor greatly appreciated, and appointed him as the marching general to guard Xiangyang. He passed away shortly after, at the age of fifty-five. Emperor Wen was saddened by the news and bestowed upon him four hundred bolts of cloth and four hundred measures of rice, and posthumously honored him with the title of "Xiang." His son, Du Kai, succeeded him and eventually attained the rank of Kaifu.
Du Zheng's younger brother, Du Su, also showed ambition and integrity from a young age. During the early Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty, he served as the Tongzhi Sanqi Changshi and the Prefect of Beidi.
Li Che, also known as Guangda, is a man from the Shuofang Yanlv people. His father, Li He, served as a pillar state general during the Kaihuang period. Li Che is a person with a strong and capable personality, tall and mighty in appearance, and skilled in martial arts. The Grand Chancellor Yuwen Hu took a liking to him, appointed him as his trusted aide, and eventually promoted him to be the Palace Marshal, gradually advancing him to the position of Commander of the Imperial Carriage. Yuwen Hu held Li Che in high regard for his caution, integrity, and talent, and treated him exceptionally well. When Yuwen Hu's son, the Duke of Zhongshan Yuwen Xun, was appointed as the Inspector of Puzhou, Yuwen Hu sent Li Che to accompany him in his original capacity. Not long after, Li Che was promoted to the Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry, with the title of Yitong Sanqi.
During the reign of Emperor Wu, Li Che followed the Crown Prince to fight against the Tuyuhun tribe, achieved merit, and was granted the title of Baron of Tongchang County, with a fief of three hundred households. Later, he joined the Emperor in attacking Jinzhou. After the Emperor returned to the capital, Li Che and Prince Qi Yuwen Xian camped at Jiqi Yuan. The Emperor of Qi, Gao Wei, led his army to attack, prompting Yuwen Xian to retreat westward to avoid confrontation. Gao Wei sent his fierce general Helan Baozi to lead elite cavalry to pursue Yuwen Xian, leading to a battle north of Jinzhou. Yuwen Xian's army was defeated, but Li Che, along with Yang Su, Yuwen Qing, and others, fought fiercely to defend Yuwen Xian's forces. Later, they followed the Emperor to defeat the Qi army on the north bank of the Fenshui River, pursued their advantage, captured Gaobi, and took Jinyang, and finally captured Gao Ji in Jizhou. Li Che made significant contributions in these campaigns.
Because of his previous achievements, Li Che was appointed as Governor and also granted the title of Duke of Caiyang, with a fief of one thousand households. After Emperor Xuan ascended the throne, Li Che followed Wei Xiaokuan in pacifying Huainan, always leading the charge and serving as the vanguard. After the pacification of Huainan, Li Che was appointed as the Inspector of Huizhou, where he effectively won over the newly surrendered population, earning the support of all. After Emperor Gaozu ascended the throne, he once again conferred the title of Governor upon Li Che and reassigned him as the Inspector of Yunzhou. Over a year later, the court summoned him back and appointed him as the General of the Left Guard.
Later, Prince Jin Yang Guang was stationed in Bingzhou, and the court carefully selected talented individuals in both civil and military affairs to serve as his assistants. The Emperor believed that Li Che was an old minister with extensive experience in military leadership, so he put him in charge of the military operations for Prince Jin and granted him the title of Duke of Qian. At that time, Prince Shu Yang Xiu was stationed in Yizhou. The Emperor said to his courtiers, "If we could find someone with the literary talent of Prince Jin and the military prowess of Li Guangda, that would be ideal!" The Emperor's high regard for Li Che was evident.
The following year, the Turkic Khan Sipo Lue invaded the border again. The Emperor appointed Wei Wangshuang as the Marshal to lead the troops against them, with Yang Che, the son of Yang Su, serving as the Chief Commander in charge of military affairs. The army encountered the Turkic forces on the Bai Dao. Li Chong, the Chief Commander, said to Wei Wangshuang, "You see, the Central Plains have long been fragmented, reminiscent of the Warring States period. This situation has persisted for a long time. Every time the Turks invade, our generals only seek to protect their own troops and are unwilling to fight to the death. As a result, the Turks win more and lose less, and they become increasingly disdainful of our army. Now, Sipo Lue has concentrated all the national forces and occupied strategic positions. He is likely underestimating us and is unprepared. If we send elite troops to launch a surprise attack, we are sure to achieve victory!"
King Wei Shuang listened to Li Chong's suggestion and found it credible. However, most of the other generals expressed skepticism; only Yang Che vigorously supported this plan and offered to join the campaign. So King Wei Shuang and Li Chong launched a surprise attack on the Turkic army, achieving a decisive victory over them. Sha Bo Lue was so terrified that he abandoned his armor, including his golden armor, and secretly hid in the grass to escape. Because of this great victory, Yang Che was appointed as the Grand General by the Emperor. Sha Bo Lue was so frightened that he dutifully submitted to the court and paid tribute.
Not long after, Sha Bo Lue encountered trouble again when attacked by Aba; he quickly wrote to the court for help. The Emperor dispatched Yang Che as the commander of the expedition, with ten thousand elite cavalry to support him. Upon hearing that Yang Che was coming, Aba quickly fled. After Yang Che returned victorious, he continued to serve as the marching commander, stationed in Pingliang to defend against Turkic invasions, and was appointed Duke of Andao County. In the tenth year of the Kaihuang era, Yang Che was promoted to the title of Pillar of the State. Later, Prince Jin Yang Guang became the governor of Huaihai, and Yang Che was appointed as the Marshal of Yangzhou, and his title was changed to Duke of Deguang County, shortly after changing to Duke of Chengyang County. Later, the Turks launched another invasion, and Yang Che once again served as the marching commander and defeated them.
Later, the Left Chancellor Gao Feng made a mistake and faced punishment. Because of Yang Che's good relationship with Gao Feng, he was implicated as well, and the Emperor no longer favored him. Upon hearing Yang Che's grievances, the Emperor summoned him to the palace, held a banquet for him in the inner palace, and reminisced with him about the past. Ultimately, Yang Che was poisoned and died in the palace. During the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, Yang Che's wife, Yuwen Shi, was falsely accused of cursing the Emperor by one of his illegitimate sons, An Yuan, and was executed.
Cui Peng, with the courtesy name Zipeng, is from Anping, Hebei. His grandfather, Cui Kai, was the Inspector of Yin Prefecture in Northern Wei; his father, Cui Qian, was the Governor of Jingzhou in Northern Zhou. Cui Peng lost his father when he was young, but he was very filial to his mother and was well-regarded. He had a strong character, military talent, and excelled at horseback riding and archery. He was also well-versed in the "Zhou Guan" and "Shang Shu".
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Cui Peng rose through the ranks to become a Senior Attendant and eventually a Senior Gate Officer. When Yang Jian (the Emperor Taizu) became Prime Minister, the Prince of Chen of the Zhou Dynasty was sent to guard Qizhou. Yang Jian feared that the Prince of Chen might rebel, so he sent Cui Peng with two cavalrymen to escort the Prince back to the court. Before reaching Qizhou, Cui Peng feigned illness and stopped at a relay station. He sent a message to the Prince of Chen, saying, "The Emperor has summoned you. I, Cui Peng, am seriously ill and cannot continue the journey. I hope you can come to the relay station to see me." The Prince of Chen suspected foul play and brought many followers and cavalrymen to Cui Peng's location.
Cui Peng greeted him outside the relay station and noticed the Prince's troubled expression. Concerned that the Prince might resist, Cui Peng lied again, saying, "Your Highness, avoid the others; let's talk privately." The Prince ordered his followers and cavalrymen to stop, and Cui Peng said, "I will read the imperial edict. Your Highness, please dismount." The Prince quickly dismounted, and Cui Peng ordered his cavalrymen, "The Prince of Chen is not obeying the imperial edict; seize him!" The cavalrymen swiftly seized and bound the Prince of Chen. Cui Peng loudly proclaimed, "The Prince of Chen has committed a crime. The imperial edict requires his return to the court. None of you are to make any rash moves!" The Prince's followers were left in shock and quickly retreated.
Yang Jian was very happy to see Cui Peng and appointed him as Grand Counselor. After Yang Jian became emperor, he promoted Cui Peng to be Gate Supervisor, concurrently serving as the Chief of the Right Guard Corps, and granted him the title of Baron of Anyang. Several years later, Cui Peng was promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry, and soon after to General of the Valiant Riders, always responsible for the security of the imperial palace. He was careful and attentive, working in the court for more than twenty years. Every time the emperor held court, he would sit there all day without ever slacking off, and the emperor held him in high regard. The emperor often said to Cui Peng, "When you are on duty, I can sleep soundly." The emperor also asked Cui Peng, "Your archery skills are superb; do you also understand study?" Cui Peng replied, "I have liked the 'Rites of Zhou' and 'Book of Documents' since I was young. Whenever I have spare time, I dare not put them down." The emperor said, "Then tell me about them." Cui Peng explained the importance of being cautious between a ruler and his subjects, which the emperor agreed with, and onlookers thought Cui Peng's words were very reasonable. Later, the emperor appointed Cui Peng as Minister and promoted him to General of the Prepared Body.
During the reign of Tang Taizong, he once hosted an envoy from the Turkic Khaganate in the Wude Hall. During the banquet, a pigeon suddenly started cooing from the rafters. The emperor asked General Peng to shoot it, and General Peng struck it down with a single arrow! The emperor was thrilled and rewarded him with ten thousand coins. When the envoy returned to the Turkic Khaganate, the Khagan sent another message to the Tang Dynasty, saying, "We would like to meet General Cui Peng." The emperor said, "This must be because news of General Peng's archery skills has reached the Turkic side, so they want to meet him." So General Peng was sent there.
When they arrived in the Turkic region, the Khan gathered dozens of skilled archers and scattered meat in the wilderness to lure eagles. However, most of the archers missed their shots. The Khan then called upon General Peng to demonstrate his skills. General Peng released several arrows, each one finding its target! The Turkic people looked at each other in admiration. The Khan retained General Peng for over a hundred days, during which the Tang emperor sent numerous silks and satins before he was finally returned. During the Renshou era, General Peng was granted the title Duke of Anyang, with a fief of two thousand households.
After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended to the throne, General Peng was promoted to the Grand General of the Left Army. On one occasion, when Emperor Yang of Sui traveled to Luoyang, General Peng was tasked with guarding the rear army. At that time, Prince Liang of Han had just been subdued, and his remaining forces were gathering in various places. Emperor Yang of Sui commanded General Peng to lead tens of thousands of troops to quell the rebels in Shandong and oversee the affairs of Cizhou. Emperor Yang of Sui held General Peng's integrity in high regard and rewarded him with five hundred bolts of silk. Shortly thereafter, General Peng passed away at the age of sixty-three. Emperor Yang of Sui sent his condolences and posthumously elevated him to the rank of Grand General, with the posthumous title of "Su." His son Baode inherited his title.
Historical records indicate that individuals like Wang Changshu, some of whom led regions and others who served in the imperial army, all achieved remarkable feats and ended their lives justly renowned for their merits. Yilou Qian was magnanimous, holding no grudges against past grievances, and requested forgiveness for Gao Zun's sins, embodying the true spirit of a loyal subject. General Cui Peng patrolled the palace with great dignity, effectively repelling foreign invasions. His contributions are commendable.
