Yang Yichen, a native of Daizhou, originally had the surname Yuchi. His father, Yuchi Chong, served as the General of the Imperial Guards in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, stationed with his troops at Hengshan. At that time, Yang Jian (Emperor Gaozu) was the Governor of Dingzhou. Yuchi Chong was impressed by Yang Jian's appearance and took the initiative to befriend him, and Yang Jian was also very warm towards him. Later, when Yang Jian became the Prime Minister and Yuchi Jiong rebelled, Yuchi Chong, being related to Yuchi Jiong, imprisoned himself and sent someone to plead on his behalf. Yang Jian wrote a letter to offer him comfort, immediately sent someone to bring him to the court, and often had him by his side. In the early years of the Kaihuang era, Yuchi Chong was appointed as the Duke of Qinxing County. Over a year later, Yuchi Chong followed the Military Commander Daxi Changru to Zhoupan to fight against the Turks, fought valiantly, and died in battle. The court posthumously conferred upon him the titles of General and Governor of Yuzhou, and granted Yang Yichen the right to inherit his father's title. At that time, Yang Yichen was still young, grew up in the palace and, before turning twenty, he served as a palace guard for several years, and the Emperor bestowed many gifts upon him. One day, the Emperor casually reminisced about his former loyal ministers and, after gazing at Yang Yichen for a long time, issued a decree saying, "When I first became Emperor, rebellions were widespread in various regions, and the ability to recognize capable individuals was crucial. Yuchi Chong and Yuchi Jiong were relatives. When Yuchi Jiong rebelled in Ye City, Yuchi Chong was stationed in Changshan with his troops, being neighbors and relatives with Yuchi Jiong. He distinguished right from wrong, understood the divine will and the sentiments of the people, voluntarily pleaded to the court, and avoided being involved in the rebellion. Later, when the Turks invaded, he fought valiantly. His loyalty, integrity, and upright behavior, even though he had already received high official positions and rewards that benefited his descendants, still did not fully convey his loyalty. Therefore, I grant Yang Yichen permission to change his surname to Yang, reward him with 30,000 strings of cash, 30 barrels of wine, and 100 bushels each of rice and wheat, and include him in the genealogy of the imperial family." Shortly thereafter, Yang Yichen was appointed as the Governor of Shanzhou.
Yang Yichen was cautious and kind, skilled in horseback riding and archery, and had great military talent. The Emperor highly valued him. Later, the Turkic Khaganate invaded the border, and Yang Yichen, serving as the general of the march, led thirty thousand infantry and cavalry to attack from the White Road, encountering the enemy and winning a great victory. The following year, the Turks invaded the border again, causing severe damage in the Yanmen and Mayi areas. Yang Yichen went to fight them, and the Turks retreated beyond the border. Yang Yichen pursued them to Dajin Mountain, where they clashed with the Turks once more. General Taiping Shiwansui's forces also arrived, and together with Yang Yichen, they defeated the Turks completely. However, Shiwansui was later betrayed by Yang Su and met his end, while Yang Yichen's contributions were not recognized. In the early years of Renshou, Yang Yichen was appointed as the general of Shuozhou, and the Emperor rewarded him with armor.
After Emperor Yangdi ascended to the throne, Prince Yang Liang rebelled in Bingzhou. At that time, General Li Jing of Taidongzhou was surrounded by Prince Yang's general Qiao Zhongkui, and the Emperor ordered Yichen (Li Jing) to rescue him. Yichen set out at night from Xixing with twenty thousand infantry and cavalry, having covered dozens of miles by daybreak. Qiao Zhongkui, seeing Yichen's small force, mounted a fierce defense.
Qiao Zhongkui had a deputy named Wang Ba, who was exceptionally brave and skilled in using a weapon known as the "Maoxiao." Others found it nearly impossible to hit him, and he often led a few cavalrymen to charge into the enemy formation. Yichen found this particularly troubling and recruited someone capable of dealing with Wang Ba. General Yang Sien volunteered. Yichen, impressed by Yang Sien's commanding presence, praised him and rewarded him with a cup of wine. Upon spotting Wang Ba at the rear of the formation, Yang Sien shattered the wine cup on the ground and charged towards him on horseback.
He charged twice without success, and General Yi sent a dozen cavalrymen to follow him. Yang Si'en finally charged into the enemy lines, killed several enemies, and pressed on all the way to Wang Ba's flag. As the two sides engaged, the cavalrymen who had followed Yang Si'en turned and fled, and Yang Si'en was slain by Wang Ba. Wang Ba pursued his advantage, and General Yi's army retreated northward for over ten miles. Later, General Yi retrieved Yang Si'en's body, sobbing inconsolably, and all the soldiers wept along with him. Those fleeing cavalrymen were all punished severely.
Feeling that his forces were still too few, General Yi rounded up thousands of cattle and donkeys from the camp, as well as hundreds of soldiers, each with a drum in hand. They secretly herded the cattle and donkeys into a valley, then mounted a surprise attack. In the afternoon, General Yi once again battled with the army of Qiao Zhongkui. At the start of the battle, he ordered the cattle and donkey drivers to charge quickly. The drumbeats echoed, dust flew, and Qiao Zhongkui's army, unaware of what was happening, mistook it for an ambush and faced a devastating defeat.
For this military achievement, General Yi was promoted to Grand General, awarded two thousand bolts of cloth, five hundred bolts of colorful silk, ten courtesans, and twenty fine horses. Not long after, he was appointed governor of Xiangzhou. Three years later, he was recalled to court to serve as Minister of Ceremonies. Not long after, he was elevated to Minister of Works. Later, he followed the emperor to campaign against the Tuyuhun, stationed at Pipa Gorge, where his camp extended eighty miles, to the south bordered by Yuanshou and to the north by Duan Wenzhen, jointly besieging the Tuyuhun king at Fuyuanchuan.
Afterwards, he participated in the war against Liaodong, serving as the vanguard commander and leading the attack on Sushen Road. Upon reaching the Yalu River, he battled with the Goguryeo general Yizhi Wende, winning seven battles every day. Later, the entire army suffered defeat, leading to his dismissal. He was reinstated shortly thereafter. The following year, he was appointed as the deputy commander, and he joined Yuwen Shu in attacking Pyongyang. Upon reaching the Yalu River, they faced a rebellion led by Yang Xuangan, prompting the army to retreat, and he was appointed as the magistrate of Zhaojun.
Later, bandits under the command of Haigong gathered to rebel, causing chaos in the Fufeng and Anding regions. He was ordered to quell the rebellion and swiftly secured victory. Afterwards, he followed the emperor in another campaign against Liaodong and was promoted to Left Guanglu Daifu. At that time, the Bohai man Gao Shida and the Qinghe man Zhang Jincheng gathered tens of thousands of rebels, overrunning many counties. The emperor dispatched General Duan Da to suppress them, but he was unsuccessful. The emperor then ordered him to lead tens of thousands of troops retreating from Liaodong to attack them. He defeated Shida, killed Zhang Jincheng, surrendered many rebels, entered Douzi, attacked Ge Qian, captured him, and reported the situation to the court.
The emperor feared his reputation and hastily summoned him back to the court, resulting in the rebels growing more arrogant. He was promoted to Guanglu Daifu in recognition of his merits, and shortly after, he was appointed as the Minister of Rites. He passed away not long after.
Wei Xuan, courtesy name Wensheng, was from Luoyang, Henan. His grandfather Wei Yue was the Minister of Agriculture in the Wei state, and his father Wei Piao served as Palace Attendant and General of the Left Guard. Wei Xuan showed intelligence and talent from a young age. When Emperor Wu of Zhou was still a prince, he summoned Wei Xuan to serve as a secretary. Later, Wei Xuan was promoted to the position of a court official, inherited the title of Xing Shi Gong, with a fief of four thousand households, and was appointed as the Exemplary Official of Xuan Na. After Emperor Wu personally took the throne, he appointed Wei Xuan as the Chief Steward of Yizhou and rewarded him with a belt inlaid with ten thousand studs. He was later promoted to the position of Chief of the Imperial Household, managing the affairs of the Interior Ministry, and also served as the Prefect of Jingzhao, where people at the time considered him to be very capable. During the reign of Emperor Xuan, he was dismissed for disobeying the emperor's orders.
When Emperor Wen of Sui became Prime Minister, he appointed Wei Xuan to oversee the affairs of Xiongzhou. Later, the tribes of Hezhou revolted, and Wei Xuan was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief to quell the rebellion. After Emperor Wen ascended the throne, Wei Xuan was appointed as the Chief Governor of Huaizhou and was enfeoffed as the Duke of Tonggui County. However, he was later dismissed from his position for misconduct. Not long after, he was appointed as the Governor of Lanzhou. During the construction of the Great Wall, he was tasked by the court with overseeing the project. Shortly after, he was appointed as the Inspector of Shuozhou. Later, he was promoted to Assistant Minister of the Guard. During the Reign of Renshou, the Liao tribes in the mountains revolted, and he was sent to serve as the Inspector of Zizhou to suppress the uprising.
After Wei Xuan took office, the Liao people were besieging Daliao Town. Wei Xuan only brought one horse and went to the enemy camp. He said to the Liao people, "I am the governor, sent by the emperor to bring you peace. Do not be afraid!" The bandits hesitated to act. Wei Xuan explained his reasoning and appealed to their emotions. The leaders were moved by his words, so they lifted the siege and left. More than 100,000 people surrendered to the court. Emperor Wen of Sui was extremely pleased and rewarded him with two thousand rolls of silk. He was also appointed as the governor of Suizhou Province, in charge of pacifying the Jian Nan area. After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, he summoned him back to serve as the Minister of the Imperial Guard. The various tribes were reluctant to see him go and sent him off for hundreds of miles. Wei Xuan said to them, "The emperor has issued an edict; I cannot linger." So he bid farewell to them, and the various tribes tearfully sent him off.
Over a year later, he was promoted to Minister of Construction. Later, he served as the Prefect of Wei County while still serving as Minister. The emperor said to him, "Wei County is a famous city and an important strategic location, with many shrewd individuals among the populace, and that's why I sent you there. Wei County is not far from the capital; you should return frequently to report on court affairs to me." The emperor also rewarded him with five hundred rolls of cloth. Shortly after, he was appointed as the General of the Right Guard, concurrently handling the affairs of the Left Guard. In the eighth year of Daye, he was promoted to Minister of Justice. During the Liaodong campaign, he was appointed as Acting General of the Right Imperial Guard, leading troops to reinforce Liaodong. Many armies suffered defeats at that time, but only the army led by Wei Xuan returned intact. He was honored with the title of Senior Grand Master of Splendid Happiness. In the ninth year of Daye, the emperor personally led a campaign to Liaodong, leaving Wei Xuan and Prince Dai Yang You in charge of the capital. He was appointed as Intendant of Jingzhao, still concurrently serving as Minister. The emperor granted him the authority to act at his discretion and ordered Prince Dai to treat him as a teacher.
Yang Xuangan launched a rebellion and besieged the Eastern Capital, Luoyang. Wei Wensheng led seventy thousand infantry and cavalry to provide assistance. Upon reaching Huayin, he had Yang Su's tomb opened, burned the remains, and leveled the grave to inspire his soldiers to fight to the death. After passing Tongguan, there were concerns about ambushes at Mount Xianyu and Hangu Pass, suggesting they go east along the Yellow River to Heyang and launch a rear attack on Yang Xuangan. Wei Wensheng said, "I believe this strategy is beyond what an ordinary person could conceive." He then ordered the troops to continue their advance. After passing Hangu Pass, as expected, he sent Wu Benlang to lead Zhang Jun's troops as a decoy on the southern road, while he led the main force straight to the north of the city. Yang Xuangan fought back, with both sides clashing while falling back, and Yang Xuangan finally stationed his army in Jingu. Wei Wensheng cleaned the camp to pay homage to his ancestors and delivered an impassioned speech, stating, "I, Wei Wensheng, Minister of Justice and Imperial Censor, respectfully report to the spirit of Emperor Wen, our esteemed ancestor: Since the founding of the royal family, it has been more than thirty years, with military successes and enlightened governance, blessings extending beyond our borders. Yang Xuangan has betrayed the holy grace, as treacherous as snakes and as brutal as wild boars, leading a rabble to threaten our great Tang dynasty. I, Wei Wensheng, have received imperial grace for generations, dedicated to serving the court, leading elite soldiers, swearing to eliminate these rebels. If heaven protects the state, these evil doers should be wiped out; if the situation is lost, I am prepared to lay down my life for the country." Wei Wensheng's fervent speech brought tears to the eyes of all the soldiers.
At that time, we had fewer troops and were at a disadvantage in multiple battles with the enemy, suffering heavy casualties. Yang Xuangan put all his effort into the attack, while Wei Wensheng fought valiantly, shedding blood, managing to repel the enemy, and then took up position at Beimang. At this time, reinforcements led by Yuwen Shu and Lai Huer arrived, and Yang Xuangan, fearing defeat, fled westward. Wei Wensheng sent Chief Councillor Husi Wanshan and Supervisor Pang Yu to lead the vanguard in pursuit, joining forces with Yuwen Shu and others in Wanxiang, decisively defeating Yang Xuangan.
The emperor arrived at Gaoyang, summoned Wei Wensheng, and praised him, saying, "You are a loyal minister of the state! Thanks to your efforts, I can rest easy." He then issued a decree stating, "Recently, chaos has erupted in the Guanzhong and Hedong regions. Wei Wensheng led his soldiers to fight bravely, responded in time, attacked from both inside and outside, and defeated the rebels; he should be promoted and generously rewarded. Promoted to Right Guanglu Daifu!" He also granted him fertile lands, lavish estates, and considerable wealth.
Wei Wensheng returned to the capital, and the emperor said to him, "The defense of the Guanzhong region is now your responsibility. Your safety ensures the safety of the state; your peril endangers it. You must have guards for your comings and goings, be vigilant even when sleeping; that's the principle. I am assigning you a special guard of one thousand soldiers." He also granted him a jade unicorn token.
Eleven years later, the emperor once again dispatched Wei Wensheng to pacify Guanzhong. At that time, bandits were rampant, and the people were starving, yet Wei Wensheng struggled to provide effective aid to the people, and corruption and embezzlement ran rampant in the government. Feeling that he was getting old, Wei Wensheng submitted his request for retirement. The emperor sent the Imperial Secretary Feng Deyi to persuade him, saying, "The capital is the cornerstone of the nation, the foundation of our royal authority, and the ancestral temples and tombs are all there. We need loyal ministers like you to stabilize the situation. For the greater good of the country, I cannot agree to your request, so I've sent Deyi to clarify the situation for you." Wei Wensheng then complied.
Later, the rebel forces invaded Guanzhong. Wei Wensheng realized he couldn't hold the city, filled with worry, and pretended to be ill, avoiding court and neglecting political matters. After the city defenses fell, he returned home. He passed away during the Yinian era at the age of seventy-seven.
Liu Quan, courtesy name Shilue, was from Fengxian, Pengcheng. His grandfather, Liu Gui, had served as the governor of Luo Prefecture in the Qi state. Liu Quan had a strong sense of righteousness from a young age, kept his promises, was honorable and just, harbored fugitives, to the point where even officials dared not approach his home. Eventually, he changed his ways, dedicated himself to study, and began to follow the rules. Initially, he worked as a registrar in the state, then served in the Qi court, and was promoted to the position of Langzhong in the imperial court. After the collapse of the Qi dynasty, Emperor Wu of Zhou appointed him as the provisional governor of Huaizhou. After Emperor Yang Jian of Sui declared himself emperor, he appointed Liu Quan as the General of Chariots and Cavalry, in charge of local troops. He later followed Prince Yang Guang of Jin to pacify the Chen dynasty, and due to his military achievements, he was appointed as the Governor of Kaifu Yitong Sansi and was rewarded with three thousand bolts of fabric. Duke He Ruobi of Song held him in high regard. In the twelfth year of the Kaihuang reign, he was appointed as the governor of Suzhou and was granted the title of Duke of Zongcheng County. At that time, Jiangnan had only recently been pacified, and the people's hearts were still unstable. Liu Quan employed kindness and trust to win over the people, gaining their loyalty.
After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, he was appointed as the Minister of War and later promoted to the position of Silver Grandee. In the fifth year of Daye, Emperor Yang of Sui campaigned against the Tuyuhun, with Liu Quan leading the army from Yiwu Road, encountering and defeating the Tuyuhun army. They pursued the enemy to Qinghai, capturing over a thousand people, and successfully reached Fusicheng. Emperor Yang of Sui then ordered Liu Quan to pass through Mantou and Chishui, establishing Heyuan County and Jishi Town, initiating large-scale agricultural development, leaving him to guard the western border. He stayed on the frontier for five years, with all tribes submitting and paying tribute regularly, while the remnants of Tuyuhun fled far away, with the roads clear and unobstructed. He was subsequently summoned back to court and was further honored as the Golden Purple Grandee. Shortly after, he was appointed as the Administrator of Nanhai.
On his way to Nanhai, when he reached Poyang, he encountered a local bandit uprising that prevented him from proceeding, and the court ordered Liu Quan to recruit troops to suppress them. Liu Quan led his army to meet the bandits, but instead of engaging them in direct combat, he first went alone by small boat to the bandit camp, reasoning with them and appealing to their feelings, explaining the benefits and consequences. The bandits were touched by his sincerity and surrendered en masse. Emperor Yang of Sui greatly appreciated his actions. Upon arriving in Nanhai, Liu Quan made significant political achievements. Several years later, faced a bandit uprising that attacked the county seat, many powerful individuals were willing to elect Liu Quan as their leader to resist the bandits, but he remained steadfast in defending against external threats. His son, Liu Shiche, secretly sent a letter to Liu Quan, saying that the world was in chaos, heroes were emerging, and the timing was right for rebellion, urging him to rise up. Liu Quan convened his subordinates and immediately executed the messenger, showing no inclination towards rebellion and remaining loyal to his duties until his death. He passed away at the age of seventy. His son, Liu Xiaozhe, rose to the positions of Attendant Officer of the Palace Library and Assistant Officer of the Ministry of War, but passed away at a young age.
Lao Shiche, with a free-spirited and unconventional character, was quite popular at the time. During the chaos of the Sui Dynasty, when warlords were vying for power, he inspired fear wherever he went, captured several times, and eventually killed by the bandit chief Xu Yuanlang of Yanzhou.
Quan Congfu, styled Zijiang, was a handsome man with great leadership skills, rising to the rank of Eagle-Soaring General. His son, Dewei, was also well-known.
Historical records say: Ziga was truly a talented and responsible person, upright, quick-witted, with a sense of justice, calm in times of danger, able to make quick decisions, defending the entire city, truly diligent and meritorious! When Yang Liang rebelled, Shi Xiang alone achieved victory; when bandits raided everywhere, loyal officials won three battles, all of whom were famous and renowned. When Yuanshou submitted a memorial to uphold Confucian morality, his achievements paled in comparison to those of the loyal officials, and the rewards he received from the court were quite substantial! When Wensheng lifted the siege in the eastern capital, he also had merits, but when he served as a defense commander in the western capital, he rose to power through bribery, which was both despicable and unworthy of mention! Liu Quan, a member of an old clan in the Huai-Chu region, had a reputation early on. During the chaos of the realm, he defended against temptations while stationed at Weituo, did not plot treason; although he did not respond to the call of the loyalists, he can still be regarded as a man of integrity and righteousness.
