Yilou Qian, styled Yangan, was a member of the Xianbei tribe. His ancestors were leaders of the Xianbei tribe, and later migrated south with the Wei Dynasty. His grandfather was the Governor of the Central Region, and his father served as the Inspector of Xiangzhou and Longzhou. Yilou Qian was honest, upright, and quite eloquent. He served as the General of the Direct Hall during the Wei Dynasty. Later, when the Zhou Dynasty overthrew the Wei Dynasty, Yilou Qian rose through the ranks and became a Senior Officer of the Court, and was even appointed as the Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry.
Emperor Wu of the Zhou Dynasty was planning to attack the Qi Kingdom, so he summoned Yilou Qian to the palace and casually asked him, "I am planning to go to war; what do you suggest we do first?" Yilou Qian replied, "As someone of my lowly status, how could I know such big matters? However, the Qi Emperor has usurped the throne and does not respect the court, immersed in revelry and pleasure all day long, neglecting state affairs. Their renowned general Hulü Mingyue has died, the court is rife with rumors, and there is discord among the people. If we were to attack now, it would be the perfect opportunity!" Emperor Wu laughed heartily and sent Yilou Qian and the Minor Judge Tuoba Wei to investigate the situation in the Qi Kingdom. The Zhou Emperor then sent out his troops.
When the Emperor of Qi learned of this, he sent his attendant Yang Xiuzhi to question Yilou Qian, "Why is the Zhou Dynasty sending troops in the peak of summer?" Yilou Qian replied, "I have never heard in my education that wars cannot be fought in summer. Even if you fortify more cities to the west and station more troops to the east, it is a normal occurrence; what's strange about that?" Yilou Qian had a junior officer named Gao Zun, who secretly informed the Qi Kingdom of the situation, resulting in Yilou Qian's detention by the Qi Kingdom. Later, when Emperor Wu of the Zhou Dynasty captured Bingzhou, he sent someone to reassure Yilou Qian, saying, "I planned to wait for your return before taking action, but I did not expect Gao Zun to betray us, disrupting my plans. This is all Gao Zun's fault!" Therefore, Emperor Wu handed Gao Zun over to Yilou Qian, giving him the authority to handle the matter himself.
Yilou Qian knelt and begged Emperor Wu for Gao Zun's pardon. Emperor Wu said, "You can let everyone spit in his face so he knows shame!" Yilou Qian knelt down and said, "Gao Zun's wrongdoing cannot be solved by spitting." Emperor Wu thought he made sense, so he did not insist. Yilou Qian continued to treat Gao Zun as before, showing his kindness and generosity. Later, Yilou Qian was appointed as the Earl of Jiyang, and his career continued to rise until he became a Prefect. During the Da Xiang period, he was appointed as a marquis and also granted the title of Kaifu.
After Emperor Yang Jian became the Prime Minister, he appointed Yilou Qian as the Governor of Bozhou, but soon summoned him back to the capital. After pacifying the rebellion of Wang Qian, Yilou Qian felt ashamed to share a name with the rebel, so he changed his courtesy name to Yangong. After Emperor Yang Jian became emperor, he appointed Yilou Qian as the Left Martial Marquis, and soon promoted him to Grand General and granted him the title of Duke. Several years later, he served as the Inspector of Zezhou, renowned for his integrity and frugality, and was deeply loved by the people. He later resigned due to illness, and the people were extremely reluctant to part with him, escorting him for hundreds of miles. Years later, Yilou Qian passed away at home at the age of seventy. His son, Yijie, inherited his title.
Tian Rengong, courtesy name Changgui, is from the Pingliang area near the Great Wall. His father, Tian Hong, was the Grand Minister of State during the Northern Zhou Dynasty. Tian Rengong was generous, kind, and had a lot of charisma. He passed the imperial examination and became a Sergeant of the Guard during the Northern Zhou Dynasty. Later, due to his father's military achievements, he was granted the title of Duke of Chunyin. The Prime Minister Yuwen Hu valued him and appointed him to a position in the military administration. A few years later, due to his father's contributions, he was appointed as the Sanchi (Three Offices) of the Household, and later promoted to a position in the central government. He followed Yuwen Hu to battle and achieved great military success, leading to his title being changed to Duke of Xiangwu with a fief of five hundred households. Later, he accompanied the Emperor in pacifying the Qi Kingdom, was promoted to Duke of Xiyang, with his fief expanded to two thousand households, and was appointed as the Governor of You Province. During the reign of Emperor Xuan, he was further promoted to Duke of Yanmen.
After Gaozu became Prime Minister, he appointed Tian Rengong as the Junior Marshal, and later promoted him to Grand General. He followed Wei Xiaokuan to defeat Yuchi Jing, and was appointed as the State Pillar. After Gaozu became Emperor, he was further promoted to Senior State Pillar, appointed as the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, and was highly esteemed by the Emperor. Gaozu often visited his home, shared lavish feasts, enjoyed their time together, and bestowed many rewards. Later, he was ordered to build temples and was promoted to Duke of Guanguo, bringing his total fief to five thousand households. Not long after, he was appointed as the Grand General of the Right Wing. Over a year later, he passed away at the age of forty-seven. He was posthumously honored with the title of Grand Minister and given the posthumous name of Jing. His son, Tian Shishi, inherited his title. His other son, Tian Demao, is mentioned in the "Biographies of Filial Piety."
At that time, there were also Duke of Rencheng Wang Jing and Duke of Xianyu Xie Qing'en, both were promoted to the rank of Senior State Pillar. Duke Dayi Xin Zun and his brother Xin Shao were also promoted to State Pillars. Gaozu regarded them all as significant contributors to his accomplishments, so he held them in high regard, similar to Tian Rengong. However, the details of their specific deeds have been lost to history.
Yuan Heng, also known as De Liang or Xiao Cai, was a native of Luoyang, Henan. His father, Ji Hai, was the Minister of Rites and the King of Fengyi during the Northern Wei dynasty. During the division of territories between Western Wei and Northern Qi, Ji Hai held a position in Chang'an. At that time, Yuan Heng was only a few years old and stayed in Luoyang with his mother, Lady Li. Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi detained him because Yuan Heng's father was in Guanzhong (near Chang'an). Lady Li, who was the daughter of Li Chong, the Minister of Rites of Northern Wei and known for her wisdom and resourcefulness, pretended that she and her child were cold and hungry, and requested to go to Xingyang to beg for food. The Northern Qi officials thought they were still far from Guanzhong, and did not suspect an old woman with a child, so they agreed. Lady Li secretly entrusted Yuan Heng and the eight orphaned nephews to the local wealthy man, Li Changshou, and they traveled along back roads, finally arriving in Chang'an. Emperor Taizu of Zhou was delighted to see them, regarding Yuan Heng as a descendant of a hero, and extended special favor to him.
When Yuan Heng was twelve years old, he made friends with Emperor Gong of Wei in the palace. Yuan Heng was appointed as a Thousand Guards officer. During the Datong era (Western Wei), he inherited the title of Prince of Fengyi with a fief that included one thousand households. On the day of his appointment, he was so overwhelmed with emotion that he cried continuously. Shortly after, he was promoted to be the General of the Guards, the Governor of Xunzhou, and was later granted the title of Prince of Pingliang. After Emperor Zhou Min abdicated, his title was demoted to Duke in accordance with the customary regulations. During the reigns of Emperor Zhou Ming and Emperor Zhou Wu, he served as the Governor of Longzhou, the Minister of Imperial Affairs, and the Junior Marshal. During the reign of Emperor Zhou Xuan, he became the Governor of Luozhou. When Emperor Wen of Sui served as Prime Minister, Yu Chijiong rebelled, and the people of Luoyang, including Liang Kang and Xing Liushui, also took up arms in response. Within ten days, the number of rebels reached tens of thousands. Wang Wenshu, the magistrate of Luozhou, secretly conspired with Liang Kang to harm Yuan Heng. Yuan Heng became aware of their conspiracy, recruited troops from Guanzhong, chose two thousand men as his personal guards, captured Wang Wenshu and killed him, 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 be the Minister of Ceremonies and also increased his fief by seven hundred households. Shortly after, he was sent to Weizhou as the Governor and was also promoted to Grand General. The people of Weizhou were known for their simplicity and kindness, and Yuan Heng, with his authority, effectively governed the region. After eight years in office, the local customs saw significant improvement. Later, due to old age and illness, he submitted a request for retirement. The officials all went to the palace to request that he be allowed to rest at home, which caused Emperor Wen of Sui to sigh deeply. That year, Yuan Heng's condition worsened, and he requested to return to the capital. Emperor Wen of Sui sent messengers with medicine and frequently checked on his condition, exchanging well-wishes. A year later, Yuan Heng passed away peacefully at home at the age of sixty-nine, posthumously named Xuan.
Du Zheng, courtesy name Huangyu, was from Duling in Chang'an. His grandfather, Du Sheng, was the Directing General of Wei State and the Prefect of Yingchuan; his father, Du Bi, was the Inspector of Weizhou. Du Zheng was known for his grace from a young age. When his father passed away when he was nine years old, he was grief-stricken and became as thin as a rail. He was famous far and wide for his filial piety towards his mother. As he grew up, he was brave and skilled in battle, strong, and enjoyed reading Sun Tzu's Art of War and Wu Qi's Art of War.
Towards the end of the Daitong era of the Wei Dynasty, he inherited the title of Marquis of Wuxiang. Emperor Taizu of Zhou treated him as a trusted confidant. Later, he served the son of Yuwen Hu, the Duke of Zhongshan, Yuwen Xun, and gained his favor. Before long, he was appointed as a commander. During the reign of Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou, he served as a Senior Attendant, gradually rising to the position of General of the Household. Later, he was appointed as the Inspector of Wuzhou. He followed Emperor Wu in pacifying the Qi State, and was thus promoted to General of the Standard Bearer, with his title raised to Duke of Pingyuan County and granted a fief of one thousand households. He later returned to the court to serve as a Senior Officer of the Department of Merit. During the time when Emperor Yang Jian of the Sui Dynasty was Prime Minister, Du Zheng was promoted to the rank of Kaifu. After Emperor Yang Jian ascended the throne, he further conferred the title of Kaifu upon him, elevating him to Duke of Changguang, and later appointing him as the General of the Left Guard.
He served in this position for several years, but resigned due to his mother's passing, and later resumed his duties. In the sixth year of the Kaihuang era, the Turks invaded the border, and the court ordered Prince Wei Yang Shuang to lead the army north, appointing Du Zheng as the Commander-in-Chief and Chief of Staff. They reached Hechuan, but returned without encountering the enemy. Du Zheng secretly presented a strategy to the Emperor for attacking the Chen State, which the Emperor greatly admired, and thus appointed him as the Commander-in-Chief to guard Xiangyang. Not long after, he died from illness at the age of fifty-five. Emperor Yang Jian was deeply saddened upon hearing this and rewarded him with four hundred bolts of cloth, four hundred measures of rice, and posthumously granted him the title of "Xiang." His son, Du Kai, inherited his title and eventually became Kaifu.
Du Zheng's younger brother, Du Su, shared lofty aspirations from a young age and was known for his strong principles. During the early period of the Sui Dynasty, he served as an Attendant Cavalier in the Imperial Guards and as the Prefect of Beidi.
Li Che, styled Guangda, was from the Yanlv people from Shuofang. His father, Li He, had served as a General during the reign of Emperor Kaihuang. Li Che had a strong and capable personality, was tall, imposing, and skilled in martial arts. The Grand Chancellor Yuwen Hu recognized his potential and trusted him as a confidant, eventually promoting him to Marshal of the Palace and gradually advancing him to the position of Commandant of the Chariots. Yuwen Hu valued Li Che for his caution, honesty, and talent, treating 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 while retaining his original rank. Before long, Li Che was promoted to the Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry, with the title of General of the Household.
During the reign of Emperor Wu, Li Che accompanied the Crown Prince to the western border to fight against the Tuyuhun tribes, distinguishing himself in battle and being granted the title of Baron of Tongchang County with a fief of three hundred households. Later, he followed the Emperor to attack Jinzhou. After the Emperor returned to the capital, Li Che and Prince Qi, Yuwen Xian, set up camp at Jiqiyuan. The Emperor of Qi, Gao Wei, led his army to attack, while Yuwen Xian retreated westward to evade the main force of the Qi army. 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, and Li Che, together with Yang Su and Yuwen Qing, fought fiercely to defend Yuwen Xian's troops. Later, following the Emperor, they defeated the Qi army north of the Fenshui River, pursued the enemy, captured Gaobi, took Jinyang, and captured Gao Jie in Jizhou. Li Che proved himself in these battles.
Because of his previous achievements, Li Che was promoted to the title of Duke and was additionally appointed as the Duke of Caiyang County with a fief of one thousand households. After Emperor Xuan ascended the throne, Li Che followed Wei Xiaokuan in pacifying Huainan, always leading from the front. Following the pacification of Huainan, Li Che was appointed as the Inspector of Huaizhou. He effectively pacified those who had recently surrendered, earning him much favor. After Emperor Gaozu ascended the throne, Li Che was promoted to the title of Duke and transferred to serve as the Inspector of Yunzhou. Over a year later, he was recalled to court and appointed as the General of the Left Guard. When Prince Jin Yang Guang was stationed in Bingzhou, the court carefully selected outstanding individuals with both literary and military talents to serve in his retinue. The Emperor considered Li Che to be an experienced veteran who had led troops into battle multiple times, and therefore entrusted him with the military affairs of Prince Jin's household, also bestowing upon him the title of Duke of Qian County. At that time, Prince Shu Yang Xiu was also stationed in Yizhou. The Emperor remarked to his attendants, "If only we could find someone with the literary skills of Wang Zishi and the martial prowess of Li Guangda!" The Emperor's esteem for Li Che was clear.
Next year, the Turkic Khan Shabolue invaded the border again. The emperor ordered Wei Wangshuang to be the marshal and lead the troops to fight, with Yang Su as the chief historian. They encountered the Turkic army on the White Road. The military commander Li Chong said to Wei Wangshuang, "Look, since the Zhou and Qi dynasties, the situation in the Central Plains has resembled that of the Warring States period, with power being dispersed. This situation has lasted for a long time. Every time the Turks invade, our generals only think about saving themselves, and no one dares to fight to the death. So the Turks have more victories than defeats, and they have increasingly looked down on us. Now Shabolue has gathered all the troops in the country, occupying strategic positions. He is likely underestimating us and caught off guard. If we send elite troops to surprise attack, we will surely win!" Wei Wangshuang listened. Many generals thought this idea was too risky, but only Yang Su strongly supported it and volunteered to go together. So, Wei Wangshuang and Li Chong led five thousand elite cavalry, launched a surprise attack that decisively defeated the Turks. Shabolue didn't even have time to remove his golden armor before fleeing into the bushes. Yang Su was promoted to Grand General because of this great victory. Shabolue was so frightened that he quickly surrendered and offered tribute.
Not long after, Shabolue was attacked by Aba again and quickly wrote a letter to the emperor for help. The emperor sent Yang Su as the military commander, leading ten thousand elite cavalry to support. When Aba heard that Yang Su was coming, he fled in fear. After Yang Su returned triumphantly, he continued to serve as the military commander, stationed in Pingliang to guard against Turkic invasions, and was granted the title Duke of Andao County. In the tenth year of the Kaihuang period, Yang Su was promoted to the title of Pillar of the State. Later, Prince Jin Yang Guang went to Huaihai as the governor, and Yang Su became the Administrator of Yangzhou, and shortly after, he was renamed Duke of Deguang County, and shortly after, he was renamed Duke of Chengyang County. Later, when the Turks invaded the border again, Yang Su once again achieved a decisive victory over them.
The Left Chancellor Gao Ke offended the emperor, and because of his close relationship with Yang Su, he was also suspected by the emperor and lost his position. Later, Yang Su voiced some grievances, which the emperor found out about and summoned him to the palace, where he was treated to a banquet where they reminisced about the past. As a result, Yang Su was poisoned while in the palace. During the Daye period, Yuwen's wife was falsely accused by their illegitimate son Yang Anyuan of cursing the emperor and was also executed.
Cui Peng, styled Zipeng, was a native of Anping, Hebei. His grandfather, Cui Kai, served as the Inspector of Yin Prefecture during the Northern Wei period; his father, Cui Qian, served as the Governor-General of Jingzhou during the Northern Zhou period. Cui Peng lost his father when he was young, but he was very filial to his mother and was known for his good reputation. He was known for his strong character, exceptional military talent, and skills in horseback riding and archery. He was also well-versed in the "Zhouguan" and "Shangshu," and had a solid grasp of the principles within them.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Cui Peng was promoted to the rank of Shibo Shangshi and later gradually rose to the rank of Men Zheng Shangshi. When Yang Jian (Emperor Gaozu) became Chancellor and Prince Chen of the Zhou dynasty was stationed in Qizhou, Yang Jian was worried that Prince Chen would rebel. He sent Cui Peng with two cavalry soldiers to bring Prince Chen back to the court. When Cui Peng was still thirty miles away from Qizhou, he pretended to be ill and stopped at the relay station, sending word to Prince Chen: "The Emperor's decree has arrived at your place. Cui Peng is seriously ill and cannot walk anymore. He hopes you can come here to see him." Prince Chen suspected a trick, so he arrived at Cui Peng’s location with a large entourage of cavalry. Cui Peng came out of the relay station to greet him, and noticing Prince Chen's strange demeanor, he was worried that he would not cooperate. So he deceived Prince Chen once more, saying: "It's best for the Prince to avoid others and talk privately." Prince Chen asked his followers and cavalry to stop, and Cui Peng said again: "The decree is about to be announced. Please get off your horse, Your Highness." Prince Chen quickly dismounted, and Cui Peng ordered his cavalry: "If Prince Chen does not obey the decree, you can arrest him!" The cavalry soldiers immediately arrested Prince Chen and tied him up. Cui Peng then loudly proclaimed: "Prince Chen has committed a crime. The decree orders him to return to the court. None of you are allowed to move recklessly!" Prince Chen's followers were terrified and quickly left.
Yang Jian was very happy to see Cui Peng and appointed him as the Grand Master of Ceremonies. After Yang Jian became emperor, Cui Peng was promoted to the position of Gatekeeper of the Imperial Palace and concurrently served as the Chief of the Right Guard, and was granted the title of Marquis of Anyang. Several years later, he was promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry, and shortly after to General of the Cavalry, responsible for guarding the imperial palace. He was cautious and careful, serving in the court for more than twenty years. Every time the emperor held court, he would sit there all day without showing any signs of laxity, and the emperor greatly appreciated him. The emperor often said to Cui Peng, "I feel at ease when you are on duty." He also once asked him, "Your equestrian skills are truly outstanding; how are your studies?" Cui Peng replied, "I have loved the 'Rites of Zhou' and the 'Book of Documents' since I was young. Whenever I have leisure time, I cannot bear to put them down." The emperor said, "Then tell me about them." Cui Peng discussed the importance of vigilance and prudence between ruler and subject, which greatly pleased the emperor, and onlookers found his words very reasonable. Later, the emperor promoted Cui Peng to General of the Household. During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang, he once hosted a banquet at the Wude Hall to entertain envoys from the Turkic Khagan. During the banquet, a pigeon suddenly cooed from the rafters. The emperor ordered Cui Peng to take aim at it. Cui Peng shot an arrow and struck it! The emperor was especially pleased and rewarded him with ten thousand pieces of gold.
Later, after the Turkic envoy returned, the Khan sent someone to the Tang Dynasty saying, "We want to meet General Cui." The emperor said, "This must be because Cui Peng's archery skills have spread to the Turks, so they want to meet him." So Cui Peng was sent. When he arrived among the Turks, the Khan gathered dozens of skilled archers, scattered meat in the wilderness to attract eagles, and let those skilled archers take their shots, but many of them missed. Then, the Khan asked Cui Peng to shoot arrows, and Cui Peng shot several arrows in a row, each arrow hitting its mark! The Turkic people looked at each other in admiration. The Khan kept Cui Peng around for more than a hundred days, and then sent him back with many silk and satin as gifts.
During the Renshou period, Cui Peng was appointed as the Duke of Anyang County, with a fief that included two thousand households. After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, Cui Peng was promoted to Grand General of the Left. When Emperor Yang of Sui went to Luoyang, Cui Peng was tasked with guarding the rear of the army. At that time, Prince Liang of Han had just been pacified, and his remnants often gathered to cause trouble. Emperor Yang of Sui sent Cui Peng to lead tens of thousands of troops to suppress them in Shandong, and appointed him as the Governor of Cizhou as well. Emperor Yang of Sui thought highly of his integrity and rewarded him with five hundred bolts of silk. Not long after, Cui Peng passed away at the age of sixty-three. Emperor Yang of Sui sent envoys to express his condolences, posthumously elevated him to the rank of Grand General, and bestowed the posthumous title of "Su." His son Baode inherited his title.
Historical records say: people like Wang Changshu, some commanding a region, some serving in the palace guard, all achieved great military feats and ultimately ended their lives with fame and glory, which was well-deserved. Yilou Qian was broad-minded, forgiving past grievances and offenses, and requested forgiveness for Gao Zun's crimes, demonstrating his exceptional qualities as a pillar of the state. As for Cui Peng, he guarded the palace with an unassailable dignity and made significant contributions in defending against external enemies, deserving praise!
