Wang Bian, courtesy name Jinglue, was a native of Pucheng in Fengyi. His ancestors were successful merchants. During the Northern Wei period, Wang Bian donated food to support the army and was appointed as the Acting Prefect of Qinghe. He studied military strategy at a young age, excelling in horseback archery and was known for his generosity and ambition.
During the Northern Zhou period, he was appointed as the Chief Commander due to his military achievements. In the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty, he was promoted to Grand Commandant; during the Renshou era, he was promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry. When Prince Liang of Han rebelled, he followed Yang Su in suppressing the rebellion and was granted the title of Baron of Wuning County with a fief of three hundred households. Three years later, he was promoted to Director of the Imperial Stables.
Later, he accompanied the army to conquer the Tuyuhun and was appointed as a Court Counselor. Several years later, he was further promoted to the rank of Langjiang of the Eagle Wing. During the Liaodong campaign, he was awarded the title of Senior Advisor for his achievements and soon after was promoted to Senior Langjiang of Wuben. At that time, banditry was rampant in Shandong, led by a man named Wei Dao'er who called himself "Flying Li Mountain" and commanded over ten thousand men to plunder in the Yan and Zhao regions. The Emperor summoned Wang Bian and sought his strategy for quelling the uprising. Wang Bian assessed the bandits' situation, and the Emperor agreed, saying, "If we follow your plan, what do the bandits have to fear?" Consequently, the Emperor dispatched three thousand cavalry to accompany Wang Bian on the campaign, which resulted in a decisive victory. The Emperor honored him with two hundred taels of gold.
In the second year, the leader of the Bohai pirates, Gao Shida, declared himself the "Lord of the East Sea," with a following of over ten thousand. The emperor once again ordered Wang Bian to attack, and Wang Bian defeated Gao Shida's army multiple times. At that time, the emperor was residing in Jiangdu Palace. Upon hearing the news, he immediately summoned Wang Bian, lavished rewards upon him, and sent him to govern Xindu. Gao Shida fought against Wang Bian again and was defeated. The emperor issued a decree praising Wang Bian's achievements. At that time, leaders like Hao Xiaode, Sun Xuanya, Shi Jikang, Dou Jiande, and Wei Dao'er each occupied territories in the Hebei region, with forces ranging from tens of thousands to several thousand soldiers, wreaking havoc with burning, killing, and looting. Wang Bian led his troops in a campaign, winning every battle and causing fear among the bandits.
Later, Zhai Rang instigated a rebellion in the regions of Xuzhou and Yuzhou. Wang Bian went to attack and defeated Zhai Rang's army multiple times. Zhai Rang later occupied Luokou Warehouse with Li Mi. Wang Bian allied with Wang Shichong to launch an attack on Li Mi, and the two sides remained locked in a standoff at Luoshui for over a year. Wang Bian led his soldiers to break through Li Mi's fortress, pursued their advantage, breached the outer fence, and chased Li Mi's army into defeat. As Wang Bian's army was about to enter the city, Wang Shichong, unaware of the situation, feared exhaustion among the soldiers and ordered the retreat, allowing Li Mi's remaining troops to counterattack. The imperial army suffered a devastating defeat that could not be undone. Wang Bian fled to the banks of Luoshui, only to find the bridge destroyed, leaving him with no option but to wade through the river. As he reached the center of the river, he was overrun by the panicked crowd, fell off his horse, and drowned. At fifty-six years old, Wang Bian was wearing heavy armor and could not mount his horse due to the chaos of the retreating soldiers. He ultimately drowned, leaving his soldiers in deep mourning.
People from Henan, Husi Wanshan, was known for his bravery and decisiveness, comparable to Wang Bian in fame. During the reign of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, he followed Wei Xuan to fight against Yang Xuangan, distinguishing himself in every battle. When Yang Xuangan fled, Husi Wanshan and a few others chased after him, cornering him and forcing him to take his own life. From then on, Husi Wanshan rose to fame and was appointed as a general.
Later, when the Turkic Khan besieged Yanmen Pass, Husi Wanshan charged into battle and routed the Turkic forces, causing them to scatter in all directions. Every time the enemy approached, he was the first to charge into battle, at times dismounting to sit on the ground and shoot with his powerful bow, striking down each one. As a result, the Turkic people did not dare to approach the city walls, and withdrew their troops after about ten days, all of which was thanks to Husi Wanshan's valor! He later quelled many rebellions and earned many merits, eventually rising to the rank of general.
At that time, there were several other generals, such as Lu Yuan, Fan Gui, and Feng Xiaoci, who were also celebrated for their military achievements. However, most of their stories have faded into obscurity, so they are not well recorded in historical texts.
Historical texts record: during the Chu-Han contention, only the Marquis of Jiang, Zhou Bo, and Guan Ying could truly fulfill their ambitions; during the struggle for dominance between Cao Cao and Liu Bei, only Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were able to make a name for themselves. Therefore, achieving fame requires seizing the opportunity when the world is in its early stages of stability, and achieving great deeds requires taking advantage of times of turmoil in the country. The pursuit of social ascent and success has always been a common theme. People like Yuantong, Huer, Dinghe, and Tie Zhang were all heroes of their time, but found themselves trapped in poverty and obscurity. In their youth, they remained unnoticed, and who would have guessed at their grand aspirations? In the end, they were able to overcome adversity, achieve success, fulfill their ambitions, and satisfy their lifelong desires, all because they seized the moment!
Although Juluo was wronged, it was not his fault; Wang Bian sacrificed himself for the country; his loyalty is truly commendable. Chen Leng donned mourning attire to pay his respects, and passersby were moved to tears. This act of righteousness is truly praiseworthy! Meng Cai, Qian Jie, Shen Guang, and others are grateful and remember their homeland in times of peril; even though they may not have achieved great things, their aspirations remain commendable!
