Mai Tiezhang is from Shixing, Guangdong. This dude is something else—brave and strong; he can cover five hundred miles in a day, even faster than a horse! He’s a straightforward guy who loves to drink, make friends, and values loyalty. He usually gets by fishing and hunting and doesn't bother with household chores.
During the Taijian era of the Chen Dynasty, he pulled together a crew and turned into a bandit. The Governor of Guangzhou, Ouyang Wei, caught him and handed him over to the court. Mai Tiezhang became a registered resident of the court and was assigned to the palace as an umbrella holder. It sounds like an easy gig, but he took advantage of his position to go back to his old ways. After the morning court session, he walked over a hundred miles, sneaked into South Xuzhou at night, went on a robbing spree, and hurried back before dawn to continue his job as an umbrella holder.
After pulling this stunt several times, the victims recognized him, and South Xuzhou officials reported it to the court. The court officials saw Mai Tiezhang at the palace every day and didn’t believe he was involved. After a few reports, Minister Cai Zheng said, "We should look into this!" So, after the morning court session, the court offered a reward of one hundred gold coins and sent a decree to the Governor of South Xuzhou to arrest Mai Tiezhang. When Mai Tiezhang heard about the reward, he jumped at the chance, took the decree from the court, and showed up in South Xuzhou early the next morning to report to the Governor.
When the Emperor heard this, he said, "So it’s true—this guy really is a bandit!" But the Emperor also admired his quickness, so he gave him a warning and then let him go.
After the fall of the Chen Dynasty, there was a subordinate of Yang Su named Tie Zhang who moved to Qingliu County. Later, a rebellion erupted in Jiangdong, and Yang Su sent Tie Zhang, wearing a straw hat, to secretly cross the Yangtze River at night to scout the enemy. He gathered intelligence and reported back to Yang Su. Later, he went to scout again and was captured by the rebels. The rebel leader Li Leng sent thirty soldiers to guard him, tied him up, and sent him to Gao Zhihui. When they reached Qingting, the soldiers guarding him took a break to eat and saw that Tie Zhang was hungry, so they untied him to eat together. Tie Zhang took the opportunity to grab a soldier's knife, killed all the guards, mutilated their noses, and brought them back. Yang Su was taken aback by this.
Later, when rewards were given out, Tie Zhang was not promoted. Yang Su urgently returned to the capital, riding his horse quickly, and Tie Zhang followed him on foot, staying with Yang Su every night. Yang Su finally understood Tie Zhang's abilities and formally petitioned the court to appoint him as an official with the title of Yitong Sansi. Because Tie Zhang couldn't read, he was eventually sent back to his hometown.
Li Che, the Duke of Chengyang, held Tie Zhang's bravery in high regard. In the sixteenth year of the Kaihuang reign, the court summoned Tie Zhang to the capital and appointed him as the General of Chariots and Cavalry. He accompanied Yang Su north to combat the Turks and was later promoted to the position of Kaifu Yitong Sansi. After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, Prince Liang rebelled in Bingzhou, and Tie Zhang followed Yang Su to suppress the rebellion, consistently at the forefront of battles. He was promoted again and became a pillar of the state. He was then appointed as the Governor of Laizhou, but his governance left much to be desired. Later, he was transferred to be the Prefect of Runan, slowly became well-versed in laws and regulations, resulting in the disappearance of thieves in the area.
One time during court, the official Dou Wei intentionally mocked Tie Zhang, saying, "Your surname is Mai, what kind of name is that?" Tie Zhang cleverly replied, "There's no difference between wheat and beans, why are you so surprised?" Dou Wei blushed and fell silent. At that time, everyone thought Tie Zhang was very clever. Later, Tie Zhang was appointed as the General of the Right Guard, and Emperor Yang of Sui trusted him especially.
Tie Zhang felt a deep sense of gratitude towards the court and always wanted to sacrifice for his country. When it came time to fight in Liaodong, he stepped up to lead the charge. He then said to his doctor Wu Jingxian, "A man's life and death follow their own course; how can I rely on moxibustion and other treatments for such minor ailments? If the illness cannot be cured and I end up dying at the hands of my children, wouldn't that be too pathetic?"
When preparing to cross the Liao River, Tie Zhang said to his three sons, "Anu, prepare a light yellow garment. I have been favored by the country; today could very well be my last. If I fall in battle, you’ll be sure to live a life of wealth and honor. Remember, you must be honest and filial; you must strive to achieve it!" When they reached the bank of the Liao River, the bridge wasn't finished yet, and the enemy was coming at them from across the river. Tie Zhang leaped ashore and fought fiercely against the enemy, ultimately falling in battle. The military officers Qian Shixiong and Meng Jinchai also died in battle, and the others barely had time to react.
The emperor shed tears over this, sent someone to retrieve the body of Iron Staff, and issued an edict saying: "Iron Staff was brave and resolute, with remarkable military accomplishments. He always led the troops into battle; his integrity was noble, and his loyalty steadfast. Although he died in battle, his merits will last forever. I am deeply moved and remember his loyalty. I hereby posthumously confer upon him a high-ranking official position and generous rewards to commend his virtues. He is posthumously awarded the title of *Guanglu Daifu*, Duke of *Sui Guo*, and the posthumous title of *Wulie*." His son Meng Cai inherited his title and was later appointed as a *Guanglu Daifu*. Meng Cai also had two younger brothers, Zhong Cai and Ji Cai, who were both granted the title of *Zhengyi Daifu*. The court also rewarded them with a substantial amount of money, carriages, and ceremonial escorts with feathered banners and drums. Over a hundred generals defeated in the Pyongyang campaign, including Yu Wen Shu, came to pay their respects to his coffin, and officials of lower rank escorted him to the outskirts. Qian Shixiong was posthumously awarded the title of Left *Guanglu Daifu*, General of the Right *Tun Wei*, Marquis of *Wuqiang*, and the posthumous title of *Gang*. His son Jie inherited his title. Meng Jincha was posthumously awarded the title of Right *Guanglu Daifu*, and his son Shanyi inherited his official position.
Meng Cai, also known by his courtesy name Zhileng, was a bold and valiant man who fully embodied his father's noble qualities. The Emperor bestowed generous rewards upon Meng Cai's family for his loyalty and sacrifice to the country, and even granted his son the title of military officer. When chaos broke out in Jiangdu, Meng Cai was consumed by a burning desire for revenge. He had a strong bond with Qian Jie, a fellow military officer, and they both said to each other, "Our generations have received the country's favor, and our family has always been known for loyalty and integrity. Now that traitors have murdered the emperor and usurped the throne, the nation and its people are in ruins. We can't even express our loyalty. What right do we have to continue living in this world?" After discussing, both of them wept and strategized to rally their old comrades to ambush Yuwen Huaji at Xianfu Palace. Just as they were poised to strike, Chen Qian, the son of the Prince of Chen, learned of their plan and betrayed their plans to Yuwen Huaji. As a result, he and his accomplice Shen Guang were both killed by Yuwen Huaji, leaving their fellow loyalists devastated.
Shen Guang, whose courtesy name was Zongchi, hailed from Wuxing. His father, Shen Jundao, served as a deputy minister in the Ministry of Personnel during the Chen Dynasty. After the fall of the Chen Dynasty, his family then settled in Chang'an. Shen Guang once held the position of scholar under Crown Prince Yong, and later became an aide to King Liang of Han. After King Liang of Han was defeated, Shen Guang was dismissed from his position. Shen Guang was exceptionally agile from a young age, particularly skilled in horseback riding and acrobatics, earning the title of the best in the world. He had a basic understanding of literature and was somewhat skilled in calligraphy and painting. He was eager to make achievements and did not care much about trivial matters. His family was very poor, with his father and brother making a living by copying books. Only Shen Guang was more carefree, mingling with some unruly youths in the capital and rising to become their leader. Many people supported him, enabling him to provide for his parents, enjoy good food, and wear fine clothes, never knowing poverty. During the construction of the Chan Ding Temple, there stood a flagpole in the temple that soared over ten zhang high, and the rope broke, and no one could reach it. The monks were in great distress. Shen Guang saw this and said to the monks, "Give me the rope, I will help you put it back up." The monks were both surprised and delighted, and quickly gave him the rope. Shen Guang clamped the rope in his mouth, climbed up the flagpole, tied the rope, and then used his hands and feet to swiftly slide down from the top, landing on his palms and then walking backward for several paces. The onlookers were left in awe, and everyone was astonished. At that time, he was known as the "Flying Immortal". During the Daye era, Emperor Yang of Sui summoned the finest soldiers from across the nation to launch an attack on Goguryeo, and Li Guang also participated. Tens of thousands of people set out together, and his skills ranked among the best. Li Guang was on his way to the emperor's palace, and over a hundred guests accompanied him to Ba Bridge. He raised his wine cup and made a vow over it, "If I fail to achieve fame this time, I will die in Goguryeo and will not return to see you again!"
Then, he followed the emperor to attack Liaodong. Using a siege engine to attack the city, the pole of the siege engine was a full fifteen zhang long. Li Guang climbed to the top of the pole and fought the enemy on the city wall in close combat, single-handedly killing over a dozen enemies. The enemies swarmed him and knocked him down, but just before he hit the ground, he spotted a rope hanging from the pole, grabbed it, and climbed back up. Emperor Yang of Sui saw this and found him remarkable and was astonished, so he quickly sent someone to call him over to talk, very happy, and on that day appointed him as a court official, rewarded him with a fine sword and an excellent horse, and often kept him by his side, increasingly valuing him.
Not long after, Li Guang was promoted to a cavalry officer, with very good rewards and treatment. The emperor often rewarded him with the food and clothes he ate and wore, and his peers simply couldn't hold a candle to him.
Shen Guang felt deeply grateful for the emperor's kindness, always wanting to repay that kindness to the best of his ability. When turmoil broke out in Jiangdu, he secretly gathered loyal men, preparing to take revenge for the emperor.
Before, the emperor was very fond of a eunuch in the palace named Yuwen Huaji. Yuwen Huaji recognized Shen Guangxiao's bravery and military prowess, so he appointed him to command the imperial guards based in the palace. At that time, Meng Cai, Qian Jie, and others were secretly plotting to eliminate Yuwen Huaji. They said to Shen Guangxiao, "We have all received the country's favor and cannot watch the country perish without fighting to defend it. This would be a disgrace according to the teachings of our ancestors! Now we find ourselves serving the enemy with our heads down, taking his orders, which is truly humiliating. What is the point of living? We must kill him, even if it means we die without regrets. You are a righteous man; will you join us?" Shen Guangxiao was moved to tears and said, "This is what I have been hoping for you to do, General! I command hundreds of eunuchs who have all been favored by the late emperor and are now in Yuwen Huaji's camp. It will be as easy as shooting fish in a barrel to use these people for revenge. The legacy of our great achievements depends on this moment. I hope you'll give it your all, General!" At that time, Meng Cai was a general, leading several thousand troops in Jianghuai. They agreed to launch their attack on Yuwen Huaji at dawn, just as the camp was set to move out.
Shen Guang leaked the plan, and Chen Qian informed Yuwen Huaji about it. Yuwen Huaji was very afraid and said, "This Shen Guang, like a forged iron rod, is both strong and decisive. He's unstoppable; we must steer clear of his sharpness!" That night, he escaped from the camp with his trusted followers, leaving a messenger to inform Sima Dekan and others, sending them to capture Meng Cai. Shen Guang heard the noise in the camp, knowing that the situation had been exposed. Without time to put on armor, he immediately attacked Yuwen Huaji's camp, but returned with nothing. He unexpectedly ran into Yuan Min and killed him. At this time, Sima Dekan's army arrived and surrounded Shen Guang. Shen Guang shouted and broke through the encirclement. His men bravely fought the enemy, cutting off the heads of dozens of foes, sending the enemy into disarray. Sima Dekan then sent cavalry with bows and arrows to shoot from the side. Shen Guang, without any armor, was ultimately shot dead. His hundreds of men all died in battle, with not a single one of them surrendering. Shen Guang was only 28 years old at the time. When the warriors learned of this, they were overcome with grief.
Lai Huer, courtesy name Chongshan, was from Jiangdu. He had been exceptionally talented since childhood and had a passion for doing extraordinary deeds. When he first read the Book of Songs and came across the lines "Drumming the drums, leaping into battle" and "Wearing a goat-hair coat and leopard skin, martial and powerful," he put down the book and exclaimed, "A true hero should aspire to this! We should eliminate enemies for the country, make achievements; how can we just spend our lives toiling away in the fields!" His friends were shocked and inspired by his ambition.
Lai Huer resided in Baitu Village, which was located very close to the river. At that time, the Jiangnan region was quite unstable. He Ruobi was stationed in Shouzhou and often sent Lai Huer to act as a spy. Later, he was promoted to the rank of Grand Governor. During the campaign to pacify the Chen Dynasty, Lai Huer made significant contributions and was promoted to the position of Kaifu. Following Yang Su to Zhejiang to fight Gao Zhihui, Gao Zhihui's army occupied the riverside, with camps extending over a hundred miles and warships densely packed along the river, with the deafening sounds of battle. Yang Su ordered Lai Huer to lead hundreds of light warships to directly land on the riverbank and attack the enemy camp, crushing them in one fell swoop. Gao Zhihui had previously failed in battle with Yang Su and had nowhere to hide, so his army dispersed. Gao Zhihui tried to escape to the sea, but Lai Huer pursued him all the way to Quanzhou. With no way out, Gao Zhihui fled to the Minyue region. Lai Huer was promoted to Grand General and appointed Prefect of Quanzhou. At that time, a man named Sheng Daoyan led a rebellion that troubled Quanzhou. Lai Huer dispatched troops to defeat him. Later, he joined Li Kuan, the Duke of Pushan, in defeating Wang Wenjin in Yixian and Shexian and was promoted to the rank of Zhuguo. In the third year of Renshou, he was appointed as the Prefect of Yingzhou and was enfeoffed as the Duke of Huangxian with a food estate of three thousand households. Shortly after, he was promoted to Senior Zhuguo and took on the role of Right Imperial Guard General. After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, Lai Huer was promoted to the Right Valiant Guard General, and the Emperor held him in high regard. In the sixth year of Daye, he followed the Emperor to Jiangdu and was granted a thousand bolts of cloth as a reward. He was also allowed to offer sacrifices at his ancestors' tombs, host a banquet for the village elders, and the entire province took pride in him. A few years later, he was elevated to the position of Right Wing Guard General.
In the Battle of Liaodong, Lai Huer led the fleet and navigated the waves, entering from Ba Shui and encountering the Goryeo army about sixty miles from Pyongyang. He led his troops in a fierce attack, winning a decisive victory, and pursued the enemy to the city gates, breaking through Goryeo's defenses. Then he allowed his soldiers to plunder everywhere, leading to some disarray among his troops. Gao Yuan, the King of Goryeo's brother, Jianwu, organized five hundred brave soldiers to intercept them. Lai Huer had to retreat and camp by the seaside, waiting for the right moment. Later, upon hearing that Yu Wenshu and his forces were defeated, he led his troops back. The next year, he set out again from Canghai, stationed his army in Donglai, and encountered Yang Xuange's rebellion in Liyang, with his troops closing in on Gongzhou and Luozhou. Lai Huer, along with Yu Wenshu and others, defeated them. He was granted the title Duke of Rongguo, with a fief consisting of two thousand households. Ten years later, he led his troops across the sea to Beishe City, where the whole of Goryeo came to fight. Lai Huer scored a major victory, with more than a thousand enemy soldiers killed.
As they were about to capture Pyongyang, Gao Yuan grew anxious and sent someone to escort the traitor Huosi Zheng to the gates of Liaodong City, where he submitted a formal request for surrender. The emperor consented and dispatched a decree ordering Lai Huer to return to the capital. Lai Huer gathered his soldiers and said, "We have already launched three campaigns, but have yet to subdue the rebels. If we return this time, we may never have another chance. Now Goryeo is very weak, with not a blade of grass in the fields. If we fight one more battle, we can quickly defeat them. I propose we continue the attack, directly surround Pyongyang, capture their false king, and return in triumph." He replied, insisting on continuing the fight, refusing to accept the decree. The Chief Historian Cui Junsu strongly advised against it, but he remained resolute. Lai Huer said, "The enemy's power has already collapsed. If you leave it to me, I can handle it. I am in command on the front lines and should be the one making decisions. How can I seek orders from the court when I’m so far away? Delaying for a moment will waste our efforts and miss our chance. I’d rather seize Pyongyang and face any punishment than miss this opportunity!" Cui Junsu told everyone, "If you follow the marshal in disobeying the imperial decree, it will definitely be reported to the court, and everyone will be punished!" The soldiers were afraid and persuaded him to return, so he reluctantly accepted the decree. Thirteen years later, Lai Huer was promoted to Grand General of the Left Yiwu Guard and elevated to the rank of Duke. The emperor entrusted him with significant responsibilities and rewarded him generously. Later, during the Jiangdu Incident, Yuwen Huaji, feeling threatened by him, orchestrated his assassination.
The eldest son is called Kai, because his father's military achievements directly conferred him the titles of Sanqi Lang and Chaosan Daifu. His younger brother, Hong, held the positions of Guoyi Langjiang and Jinzi Guanglu Daifu. Hong's son, Zheng, became Wuben Langjiang and Right Guanglu Daifu. Zheng was particularly brave and adept at pacifying soldiers, defeating bandits in battle, always emerging victorious. The bandits were so afraid of him that they even composed a song for him: "In the Hundred Battlefields of Changbai Mountain, with long spears ten by fifteen, not fearing the hundred thousand imperial troops, only fearing the sixth son of Lord Rong." Later, a rebellion broke out and most of their family fell victim, with only the youngest two sons, Heng and Ji, surviving.
Yu Juluo was from Fengyi. He was very tall, standing at a full eight feet, with astonishing strength and a loud voice that could be heard hundreds of steps away. When he was young, he served as the emperor's personal guard, and rose through the ranks to become a grand marshal. He fought alongside Prince Jin, and for his military achievements, he was appointed as Kaifu (Minister) and rewarded with fifteen hundred bolts of cloth. Not long after, Shen Xuantui, Gao Zhihui, and others rebelled in Jiangnan. Seeing Yu Juluo's bravery, Yang Su requested his participation in the campaign. He earned merits in every battle, and was later promoted to Kaifu and Duke of Gaotang, as well as appointed as the governor of Diezhou. After his mother passed away, he resigned from his official position to fulfill his mourning duties at home.
When he returned to Fufeng, he coincidentally met Yang Su leading troops to Lingzhou to fight the Turks, and Yang Su was delighted to have him join the expedition. When they came face to face with the enemy, Yu Juluo led a few cavalrymen to charge forward, shouting loudly with eyes wide open. The enemy was thrown into disarray by his charge, as he moved back and forth like a flying bird. Due to his achievements in this battle, he was promoted to Lord of the Pillar and appointed as the governor of Fengzhou. Initially, the Turks frequently raided the border, but Yu Juluo captured and killed them, instilling fear in them, effectively halting their raids along the border.
Initially, when Yang Guang was still a prince, Juluozan followed him as a guard and later rose through the ranks to become a Grand General. After Yang became emperor, he appointed Juluozan as General of Chariots and Cavalry. Juluozan was a ruthless character, especially cruel, often abusing his soldiers. It is said that he would roast meat, and if it was not cooked properly, he would blind them with a skewer; if someone did not warm his wine properly, he would have their tongues cut out. Since Yang and Juluozan were fellow villagers and brothers, Yang could not bring himself to kill him, so he rebuked him harshly in front of his ministers and had Juluozan imprisoned to let him fend for himself. Juluozan returned home and took poison to end his life.
Yang was worried that Juluozan would stir up trouble and revolt, so he transferred him to Anzhou as a governor. Over a year later, he was reassigned to Zhao County as a prefect. Later, at a conference in the Eastern Capital, Juluozan attended. He was good friends with General Liang Boyin, and they often socialized together. Juluozan brought many gifts from the prefecture to offer to the emperor, but they were confiscated, so he gave them to other officials. The imperial censor accused Juluozan of colluding with local officials and powerful ministers, which infuriated Emperor Yang and resulted in the dismissal and investigation of both Juluozan and Liang Boyin.
Not long after, the Yuechi barbarian tribes rose in rebellion and attacked the county. The court ordered Ju Luo to lead troops in civilian attire, together with the commander of Shu County, Duan Zhongkui, to quell the uprising. In the ninth year of Daye, Emperor Yang of Sui launched yet another campaign against Goguryeo, appointing Ju Luo as the military commander of Jieshi Road. Upon his return, Liu Yuanjin in Jiangnan rebelled, and the court sent Ju Luo to capture him in places like Kuaiji. At that time, the common people were contemplating rebellion, joining the ranks of bandits as casually as one would go to a market. Ju Luo defeated the bandit leaders Zhu Xie, Guan Chong, and others, winning every battle. However, the bandits grew stronger, regrouping after each defeat. Ju Luo realized that this war wouldn’t end anytime soon, and his sons were in Luoyang and Chang'an. Seeing the chaos spreading, he worried he might never return.
At that time, there was a famine in the Eastern Capital, and food prices skyrocketed. Ju Luo sent his household servants to transport grain by boat to the Eastern Capital for sale, and also smuggling other goods while secretly bringing back his sons. The court became suspicious of his actions and feared his rebellious intentions, sending people to investigate. Despite their repeated inquiries, they found no evidence of wrongdoing. The emperor then ordered the Chief Justice Liang Jingzhen to arrest Ju Luo and bring him to the Eastern Capital. Ju Luo was an unusual man, rumored to have two irises in each eye, which Emperor Yang regarded as an ominous sign and always avoided him. Liang Jingzhen sought to curry favor with the emperor, reporting that Ju Luo's army had been defeated, resulting in the execution of Ju Luo's entire family and the confiscation of his property.
Chen Leng, styled Changwei, was from Xiang'an County in Lujiang Commandery. His grandfather Chen Shuo made a living by fishing, leading a modest life. His father Chen Xian was notably brave in his youth and served as an aide to Zhang Dabao. Later, when Zhang Dabao rebelled, Chen Xian was appointed as the Governor of Qiaozhou. After the fall of the Chen Dynasty, Chen Xian returned home to live a life of leisure.
In the Jiangnan region, Gao Zhihui, Wang Wenjin, and others rebelled, and the heroes of Lujiang rallied in support because Chen Xian was their former general, and everyone elected him as their leader. Chen Xian was reluctant to accept, but Chen Leng advised him, "Everyone is rebelling. If we refuse, we'll be in trouble. It's better to play along for now and then think of another way." Chen Xian followed his advice. At that time, the army of Zhuguo Li Che arrived in Dangtu. Chen Xian discreetly sent Chen Leng to meet with Li Che to seek cooperation from both inside and outside. Li Che reported this to the court, and the court appointed Chen Leng as Grand General, Governor of Xuanzhou, and Duke of Qiao County, granting him a thousand households of land, and ordered Li Che to treat him well. Before Li Che's troops arrived, the plan was compromised, and Chen Xian was assassinated by his own men, while Chen Leng managed to escape. The emperor, in recognition of his father's contributions, appointed him as Kaifu and soon assigned him to lead the local militia. After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, he appointed him as General of the Valiant Cavalry. In the third year of Daye, he was promoted to Wubeng Langjiang. Three years later, Chen Leng and the court physician Zhang Zhenzhou set out from Yi'an, sailed out to sea, and launched an attack on the country of Liuqiu, arriving a month later. When the people of Liuqiu first saw the ships, they mistook them for merchant ships and came to the camp to trade.
Chen Ling led the army ashore and sent Zhang Zhenzhou as the vanguard. The king of Liuqiu, Huan Si, sent troops to resist, but Zhang Zhenzhou defeated them multiple times. Chen Ling reached Didan Cave, where Prince Huan Si Laomo led the resistance. Chen Ling defeated him and killed Laomo. On a foggy and rainy day, the soldiers were all very scared, so Chen Ling offered a white horse in sacrifice to the sea god. After that, the weather cleared, and Chen Ling divided the army into five routes, heading straight for the capital of Liuqiu. Prince Huan Si Laomo led several thousand men to resist, but Chen Ling sent Zhang Zhenzhou as the vanguard and drove them away. Chen Ling pursued them to their camp, where Prince Huan Si Laomo set up a defense. Chen Ling concentrated his forces and launched a fierce attack, fighting from dawn until dusk. Seeing his troops exhausted, Prince Huan Si Laomo retreated into the camp. Chen Ling then filled in the moat, broke through the camp, killed Prince Huan Si Laomo, captured his son Daotui, and took thousands of men and women captive, returning triumphantly.
The emperor was very pleased and promoted Chen Ling to Right Minister of Rites, while maintaining the position of Wuben Langjiang for Zhang Zhenzhou, who was also appointed as Jinzi Guanglu Dafu. During the Liaodong campaign, Chen Ling was promoted to Left Minister of Rites for his service as a palace guard. The following year, during another campaign in Liaodong, Chen Ling was appointed as the governor of Donglai. When Yang Xuangang rebelled, Chen Ling led over ten thousand troops to pacify Liyang, killing the governor Yang Xuangang had appointed, Yuan Wuben. He was then ordered to build warships in Jiangnan. Upon reaching Pengcheng, the rebel leader Meng Rang commanded an army of a hundred thousand to occupy Duliang Palace and defend it with the Huai River. Chen Ling crossed the river downstream to Jiangdu, where he engaged Meng Rang in battle and defeated him.
Because of his meritorious deeds, Chen Leng was promoted to the title of Guanglu Daifu and titled the Marquis of Xin'an. Later, the Emperor traveled to Jiangdu Palace, Li Zitong occupied Hailing, and Zuo Caixiang's forces plundered Huaibei, while Du Fuwei stationed troops in Luhe, each with tens of thousands of soldiers. The Emperor sent Chen Leng to lead the palace guards to attack them, and he achieved victory after victory. Chen Leng was promoted to Right Imperial Guard General. He crossed the Qing River and attacked the rebel forces in Xuancheng. Shortly after, the Emperor was killed, Yuwen Huaji led his troops north, and summoned Chen Leng to guard Jiangdu. Chen Leng gathered his soldiers, dressed in white mourning clothes, held a funeral for Emperor Yang of Sui, organized the funeral rites, and relocated the Emperor's tomb to Wugongtai. He walked with a cane to the burial site, and his sorrowful demeanor touched the hearts of passersby, who praised him for his loyalty. Later, Chen Leng was besieged by Li Zitong, escaped to Du Fuwei, who soon killed him.
Wang Bian, also known as Jinglue, was a native of Pucheng, Fengyi. His ancestors made a fortune in business. During the Northern Wei period, he donated food to support the army and was appointed Acting Prefect of Qinghe. Wang Bian studied military tactics at a young age, excelled in equestrian archery, was generous and had grand ambitions. During the Northern Zhou period, he was appointed as a commander due to his military achievements.
During the Sui Dynasty's Kaihuang period, he was promoted to Grand Commander; during the Renshou period, he was later promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry. When Prince Han Liang rebelled, he followed Yang Su in suppressing the rebellion and was granted the title of Baron of Wuning with a fief of 300 households. Three years later, he was appointed Shang She Fengyu. He later participated in the war against the Tuyuhun and was appointed Court Gentleman. Several years later, he was promoted to the title of Langjiang.
During the campaign in Liaodong, he was promoted to the rank of Counselor for his achievements, and soon after was promoted to General of the Imperial Guard. Later, banditry was rampant in Shandong, led by a man from Shanggu named Wei Dao'er, who proclaimed himself "Lishan Fei" and commanded over ten thousand men to plunder in the Yan and Zhao regions. The emperor summoned Wang Bian to his presence to inquire about strategies to suppress the rebellion. Wang Bian analyzed the situation of the enemy, and the emperor was greatly impressed, saying, "There's nothing to fear from these bandits!" Therefore, the emperor sent three thousand troops under Wang Bian's command, which resulted in a decisive victory, and the emperor rewarded him generously with two hundred taels of gold.
The following year, the pirate leader Gao Shida claimed to be "Donghai Gong" with tens of thousands of men under him. The emperor again sent Wang Bian to suppress them, and Wang Bian repeatedly defeated Gao Shida's army. At that time, the emperor was in Jiangdu Palace and immediately summoned Wang Bian upon hearing the news, rewarding him generously and assigning him to command in Xindu. Gao Shida engaged Wang Bian again but was defeated, prompting the emperor to issue an imperial decree in praise of Wang Bian.
At that time, bandit leaders like Hao Xiaode, Sun Xuanya, Shi Jikang, Dou Jiande, and Wei Dao'er gathered their forces, some boasting as many as one hundred thousand men while others had several thousand, wreaking havoc, killing, and plundering throughout the Hebei region. Wang Bian led his troops against them, achieving victory in every battle, and the bandits feared him greatly. Later, Zhai Rang instigated a rebellion in the regions of Xuzhou and Yuzhou, and Wang Bian went to suppress him, defeating Zhai Rang's army multiple times.
Zhai Rang later took control of the Luokou Warehouse with Li Mi, while Wang Bian and Wang Shichong joined forces to attack Li Mi. The two sides faced off at Luoshui for over a year. Wang Bian led the soldiers to breach Li Mi's forces, pursued them in victory, and broke through Li Mi's outer camp. Li Mi's army had begun to collapse, and Wang Bian was about to take advantage of the victory to attack the city. However, Wang Shichong, unaware and concerned that the soldiers were too fatigued, ordered the retreat by sounding the horn. As a result, Li Mi's forces took the opportunity to counterattack. The imperial forces were defeated and could not be saved. Wang Bian fled to the riverbank of Luoshui, but the bridge had been destroyed, leaving him unable to cross, so he had to wade across the river. When he reached the center of the river, he was swept off his horse by the turbulent flow and fell into the river. Wang Bian was wearing heavy armor at the time, and with the defeated soldiers crowded together, he was unable to rise and ultimately drowned at the age of fifty-six. The soldiers all felt sorry for him.
Huo Siwan, hailing from Henan, was a brave and decisive man, comparable to Wang Bian in fame. During the reign of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, he followed Wei Xuan to attack Yang Xuangan and fought many battles, all of which earned him merit. When Yang Xuangan was defeated and fled, Huo Siwan and a few others caught up with him, cornering him until he ultimately took his own life. This incident catapulted Huo Siwan to fame, and he was appointed as a military officer.
Later, the Turkic Khan laid siege to Yanmen Pass, and Huo Siwan charged into battle, causing the Turkic forces to scatter. Every time the enemy approached, he was the first to charge forward to fight, occasionally dismounting to sit on the ground, pulling out a strong bow to shoot and kill the enemy, one by one. Consequently, the Turkic forces were too intimidated to approach the city walls, and more than ten days later, they retreated in disgrace, all thanks to Huo Siwan's valor! After that, he repeatedly quelled rebellions, achieved numerous military victories, and was eventually elevated to the rank of general.
Back then, there were a few generals: Lu Yuan, Fan Gui, and Feng Xiaoci. They were all military leaders who often led troops to battle and were quite famous. Unfortunately, most of their deeds have been lost to history, and there isn’t much documentation about them in historical records. Historical records state that during the Chu-Han contention, Marquis Zhou Bo of Jiangzhou and Guan Ying made significant contributions in battle; during the struggle for supremacy between Cao Cao and Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei became famous for their achievements. So, if you want to gain fame, you need to seize the moment during chaotic times; to earn merit, you must be in a time of war; and climbing the social ladder has always been the way of things. Individuals like Yuantong, Hu'er, Dinghe, and Tie Zhang were all heroes of their era, yet sadly, they were stuck in poverty and lowly conditions. When they were young and unnoticed, who could have guessed the grand ambitions they held in their hearts? Ultimately, they managed to overcome adversity, rise to success, achieve their dreams, and fulfill their aspirations. This isn’t something you can achieve alone; it also requires being in the right place at the right time!
Even though Julo was wrongfully accused, it wasn’t his fault; Wang Bian died on the battlefield for his country, and his loyalty was unwavering! Chen Leng donned mourning clothes for Wang Bian, and people along the way were moved to tears. Such loyalty is truly commendable! Meng Cai, Qian Jie, and Shen Guang understood the value of gratitude, remembered their old friends, and made sure to protect themselves in times of danger. While they may not have accomplished much, their aspirations are still worthy of praise!
