Yuan Xiong, styled Shilue, was a man from Le Du, a place in Xiping. His grandfather Yuan Huai and father Yuan Zuan both served as the Prince of Longxi in the Wei Kingdom. Yuan Xiong was generous and kind-hearted since childhood, and he was also tall and strong. He started as a secretary in the Wei Kingdom and soon rose to the rank of General of the Northern Campaign. Later, his father was killed by the Gao clan, so Yuan Xiong quickly escaped, changed his name, and fled to Chang'an. Emperor Taizu of Northern Zhou took a great liking to him and granted him the title of Duke of Longxi Commandery. He followed Emperor Wu of Zhou in the campaign against the Qi Kingdom, and for his achievements, he was appointed as a Palace Official and later as Duke of Shuofang Commandery, and then appointed as the Inspector of Jizhou. At that time, the Turks often troubled the borders, so the court assigned Yuan Xiong to Pingzhou as Inspector to secure the frontier. Shortly after, he was appointed as the Governor of Xuzhou.
When Gaozu became Chancellor, Wei Jiong rebelled. At that time, Yuan Xiong's family was in Xiangzhou, and Wei Jiong secretly sent letters to entice him, but Yuan Xiong was not moved at all. Gaozu wrote to Yuan Xiong, saying, "Your family is in Ye City. Although you are separated now, the rebels will soon be eliminated, and you will easily reunite. From today, it will only be a matter of months before you can meet again. Don't worry, I will figure something out. Xuzhou is very important, as it is the gateway to the southeast, close to the enemy of the Wu Kingdom, and needs to be well managed. I have great confidence in your abilities, entrusting you with the crucial responsibility of border defense, hoping you will achieve great things and live up to my expectations." Wei Jiong's general Bi Yixu occupied Lanling, while Xi Pi captured Changlu and Xiayi. Yuan Xiong sent the Inspector of Xuzhou, Liu Ren'en, to defeat Bi Yixu, and sent Yitong Liu Hong and Li Yan to attack Xi Pi, ultimately bringing them under control.
Seeing the ongoing chaos in the Central Plains, Chen Guojian sent generals such as Chen Ji, Xiao Moha, Ren Manna, Zhou Luohou, and Fan Yi to invade the regions north of the Yangtze River, stretching from Jiangling in the west to Shouyang in the east. Along the way, many common folks rallied to their cause, and the Chen army captured many towns. Yuan Xiong, together with the governors of Wuzhou, Yu Yi, Yangzhou, He Ruobi, and Huangzhou, Yuan Jingshan, defeated the invaders and reclaimed the lost territory. Cao Xiaoda, the governor of Dong Tongzhou, staged a local rebellion, and Yuan Xiong sent troops to kill him. Yuan Xiong was promoted to Grand General while continuing his role as the governor of Xuzhou. Several years later, he was transferred to the governor of Huaizhou, and soon promoted to the governor of Shuozhou. Whenever the Turks invaded and raided, Yuan Xiong was always able to catch and kill them, and the Turks were very afraid of him.
Legend has it that when Emperor Gaozu launched his campaign against Chen, he issued a special decree stating: "Oh! You, the Grand General and the Duke of Shuofang, you truly possess great insight, sound judgment, and remarkable courage! When you were the governor of Xuzhou, you encountered enemy disturbances; you raised your banners in Mayi and pacified the northern tribes. Your brilliant strategies eliminated external threats at the border, and your prowess in battle quelled the enemy's arrogance. The various tribes north of the desert all benefited from your grace, and the people around Mount Luoyang are especially grateful for your kindness. Now, the small Chen state in the Jianghuai region has dared to rebel, and I will lead the army to quell the rebellion. Therefore, I appoint you as the marching general; go! Remember my words!" So, the general set off from Xinzhou with Prince Qin Jun.
Later, due to his success in pacifying Chen, he was promoted to Upper Pillar State, his son was granted the title of Earl of Duanshi County, and he was also granted the title of Earl of Anhua County, receiving a reward of five thousand bolts of cloth and continuing to guard Shuozhou. After two years, he submitted a memorial requesting retirement, and the court called him back to the capital. He passed away at home, reaching the age of seventy.
His son inherited his title and achieved the rank of Yitong. During the Daye period of the Sui Dynasty, he was transferred from Shangdang to the capital, where he served as an official of the Yu Department. Later, during a time of chaos and rampant banditry, he led troops to suppress a rebellion in Beihai and met a tragic end in battle against the bandits. He was posthumously elevated to the rank of Zhengyi Dafu.
As for Dou Luqi, styled Dingdong, he was a native of Tuhe in Changli. He originally bore the surname Murong, as he was a descendant of Murong Jing, the king of Beiyand. After the Battle of Zhongshan, he defected to Northern Wei, and at that time, those who defected to Northern Wei were referred to as "Doulu." He subsequently adopted the surname Doulu. His grandfather, Doulu Chang, was a great general of Ruxuan Town in Northern Wei, and his father, Doulu Ning, was a prominent statesman and Grand Preceptor of Northern Zhou. When Dou Luqi was born, Emperor Taizu of Zhou personally visited his family to offer congratulations, coincidentally right after his victory over the Qi army, and bestowed upon him the courtesy name "Dingdong." Dou Luqi was exceptionally intelligent from a young age and exhibited remarkable leadership qualities. He studied at the Imperial College when he was young, exploring a wide range of literature and historical subjects. In the twelfth year of Northern Wei's Great Unity, Emperor Taizu bestowed upon him the title of Marquis of Yian County in recognition of his contributions. After Emperor Min of Zhou ascended the throne, he was appointed as Xiaobo Xia Dafu and Kaifu Yitong San Si, and his title was subsequently changed to Duke of Danyang County, with a fief comprising 1,500 households. During the reign of Emperor Ming of Zhou, he held the position of Left Wubo Zhong Dafu. Feeling that his knowledge was not deep enough, he requested to step down from his official position to study at the Lu Gate School. The Emperor appreciated his eagerness to learn and allowed him to continue his studies while keeping his original position. Not long after, Prince Qi Yuwen Xian married Dou Luqi's sister as his concubine, resulting in Dou Luqi receiving favorable treatment.
After Emperor Wu ascended to the throne, he appointed him as the Governor of Qiongzhou. Before he could take office, the Shuodang Qiang people in Weiyuan revolted due to famine. Because Li Xie was talented and strategic, he was reassigned as the Governor of Weizhou. He did an excellent job as the Governor; the people were loyal, and blessings were abundant, with signs of good fortune everywhere. Bird and Mouse Mountain, referred to as Gaowulong by the locals, is where the Wei River originates. The mountain is steep and nearly inaccessible, previously lacking water, causing considerable distress to the Qiang people. But when Li Xie's horse hooves struck the ground, a spring suddenly burst forth! A white bird flew to his office, fed briefly, and then flew away, and a white wolf appeared in Xiangwu. The people composed a song: "We have Danyang (Li Xie's fief), where jade milk flows from the mountain. Saving our people and the Qiang tribe, the divine bird comes to soar above." The people called the spring Jade Milk Spring. Later, his father passed away, and he mourned deeply, surpassing the prescribed mourning period.
In the second year of the Tianhe era, he was appointed as the Governor of Shaozhou and inherited the title of Duke of Chu. He was later summoned back to the court to serve as Minister of the Heavenly Officials, and successively served as the Governor of Xinzhou, Xiazhou, and Xiangzhou. After his mother's passing, he returned to the capital to mourn. In the second year of the reign of Emperor Xuan, he was appointed as Governor-General of Lizhou, promoted to Grand General a month later, and subsequently elevated to Duke.
When Gaozu was the prime minister, Wang Qian, the governor of Yizhou, rebelled. Li Ji defended the city, and Wang Qian sent his generals Daxi Chi, Gao Anagong, Yi Fuqian, and others to lead a hundred thousand troops to attack him, constructing earth mounds, digging over seventy holes in the city walls, and blocking the river to flood the city with water. Li Ji only had two thousand soldiers at the time, resisting day and night. After over forty days of fighting, the situation grew increasingly dire. Li Ji launched a surprise attack, killing thousands of enemy soldiers and capturing two thousand. Liang Rui's army was also approaching, prompting the rebels to withdraw. Gaozu sent Zhao Zhongqing to commend him and issued a decree stating, "Li Ji possesses exceptional insight, magnanimity, and effectiveness in leading the border regions. When the rebels invaded the Ba Shu region and surrounded the city, he was able to attack and defend, defeating the rebels. His loyalty and merits are great, so he is granted the titles of Jiedushi and Shangzhuguo. He is also granted the title of Duke of Zhongshan County for his son." In 582 AD, the Turks invaded the frontier, and Yang Su was appointed as the Northern Army's Marshal, responsible for defending against external enemies. A year later, he was promoted to governor of Xiazhou. The emperor valued his illustrious family background and outstanding achievements, esteemed him highly. Later, Prince Han Yang Liang married Yang Su's daughter as his consort, further deepening the emperor's favor for Yang Su.
In the year 587 AD, the emperor issued a decree saying: "Yang Su, the Grand Minister and Duke of Chu, during the rebellion in the Shu region, resolutely resisted the rebels and defended the border, repelling foreign enemies like an independent nation. His contributions were significant, and his loyalty and integrity were commendable; therefore, he was rewarded with a thousand households of land in Linjin County, Shizhou." In 590 AD, Yang Su was recalled to the capital due to illness. The emperor ordered all the princes to visit Yang Su's mansion and sent eunuchs to pay their respects. The following year, Yang Su passed away at the age of fifty-five. The emperor mourned deeply and granted him a lavish burial, with the Honglu Temple responsible for the funeral arrangements. He was posthumously given the title "Xiang." His son Yang Xian inherited his title, rising to the position of Governor of Xianzhou, Grand Master of Dali, and Lieutenant General of Wuben. Yang Su also had a younger brother named Yang Yu.
Yu, whose courtesy name was Daosheng, was ambitious and principled from a young age. When Prince Liang of Han was sent to guard Bianzhou, Yu, as the brother of Liang's consort, was appointed as the chief scribe of the prince's mansion. Later, he followed Zhao Zhongqing to the north to campaign against the Turks, where he distinguished himself and was appointed as a General of the Imperial Household.
After the death of the founding emperor, the Yang Emperor ascended the throne and summoned Prince Liang of Han back to the court. Liang rebelled, swayed by the counsel of Wang Kui. Yu tried to dissuade him, but Liang refused to listen. Yu told his brother Yi, "I’ll ride back to court alone; maybe I can save myself. This is for me, not for the country. For now, pretend to obey and then figure out a plan." Yu's elder brother, Xian, the Governor of Xianzhou, told the emperor: "My brother Yu has always been principled and won't take part in the rebellion. He’s just being forced and has no choice but to resist. Please let me join the army to coordinate with Yu; Liang should not be a concern." The emperor agreed, and Xian secretly sent a family member with the emperor's decree to meet Yu and discuss strategies.
Li Xucheng prepared to leave for Jiezhou, entrusting Yuhe and General Zhu Tao with the defense. Yuhe said to Zhu Tao, "How can I just sit back and wait to be killed, betraying my country and family? We should go to war together against him!" Tao was taken aback and replied, "How can you say something so important to us?" With that, he left in anger. Yuhe chased after him and killed Zhu Tao. At that time, Li's Sima, Huangfu Dan, had been imprisoned for advising him, and Yuhe rescued Huangfu Dan, along with Pan Shi Hou Suqinwu, Yuchang Yuwen Yongchang, Yitong Cheng Duan, Changsun Kai, Cheqi Ancheng Hou Yuanshiya, and Yuanwu Ling Huangfu Wenhao; they closed the city to resist Li.
Before the situation was settled, someone reported to Li, prompting him to attack. When Yuhe saw Li approaching, he misled his soldiers, shouting, "Those are enemy troops!" Li attacked the south gate of the city, and Yuhe sent the Jihu people to guard the city walls. The Jihu people could not recognize Li and shot arrows at him. Li then attacked the west gate, where the guards, recognizing him as one of their own from Bingzhou, opened the gate to let him in. Yuhe was ultimately killed, just 28 years old.
After Li was subdued, Emperor Yang issued a decree stating, "Honoring exceptional loyalty and integrity aligns with national principles, and rewards should be doubled while enforcing the law. Yuhe deeply understood righteousness, disregarded marital relations, took great risks, came up with a brilliant plan, abandoned rebellion, and surrendered to the court, dying for righteousness. He should be posthumously promoted to General, granted the title Duke of Justice County, awarded 2,000 pieces of silk, and given the posthumous title of Min."
The lad wanted to inherit his father's title, so he went to see the Yitong Sanqi. In the early days of Daye, new laws were rolled out, and the five ranks of titles were all abolished. Not long after, the emperor issued a decree saying, "The late General, the Righteous Duke Yang Yu, was able to hold his position in times of crisis, sacrifice himself for what was right and die for his country. His deeds have become a model and should be forever remembered. His son, virtuous and kind, inherited his virtues and should be posthumously honored and renamed as the Marquis of Yongqiu Min." So, the lad inherited his father's title. In the later years of Daye, he was appointed as the commander of the Qian Niu Left and Right.
Yang Tong, the brother of Yang Ji, who was also called Yang Hui, was known for his generosity and magnanimity. During the Zhou Dynasty, thanks to his father's achievements, he was granted the title of Marquis of Linzhen County, with a fief that included a thousand households. He was then made Grand Commander, and soon promoted to Yitong Sanqi. At that time, the Grand Chancellor Yuwen Hu valued him, allowing him to lead the trusted army and be renamed as the Duke of Woye County, with a fief of four thousand seven hundred households. Later, he was made Chief of the Imperial Guards, and served as the Military Officer of Wubei and the Governor of North Xuzhou. When Gaozu became the Prime Minister, Wei Jiao rebelled and sent his subordinate Wuman Ni to lead the army to attack. Yang Tong counterattacked and defeated them. The emperor rewarded him with eight hundred pieces of cloth and promoted him to Grand General. In the early days of Kaihuang, he was promoted to Duke of Nanchen County. Shortly after, he was summoned to the court to serve as the Imperial Guard. Over a year later, he was appointed as the Governor of Dingzhou. He was later transferred to be the Governor of Xiangzhou. He married Gaozu's sister, Princess Changle, and gained more and more favor from the emperor. He was later promoted to the Governor of Xiazhou and Hongzhou. He was well-known for his generosity and kindness in every role he held. In his seventeenth year in office, he passed away at fifty-nine and was posthumously honored with the title 'An.' He had a son, Yang Kuan.
He Ruoyi, courtesy name Daoji, was from Luoyang, Henan. His grandfather, He Ruofu Lian, served as the Governor of Yunzhou in Northern Wei, and his father, He Ruotong, was a General of the Right Guard. He Ruoyi was a decisive and talented individual. During the Northern Wei dynasty, due to his father's contributions, he was appointed as a noble of Rongcheng County. He gradually rose through the ranks and became the General of the Direct Command, Grand Commander, Imperial Guard Attendant, and Director of the Imperial Kitchen.
After Emperor Taizu of Zhou gained control of the Guanzhong region, he recruited He Ruoyi to work by his side. On one occasion, Emperor Taizu sent him to Xingcheng, where the Ruru tribe was experiencing internal conflicts, with some stationed north of the Yellow River. He Ruoyi persuaded them to align with the Zhou dynasty using both reason and emotional appeal, which led to the surrender of over ten thousand people. Emperor Taizu highly appreciated him and rewarded him with a hundred taels of gold and silver. Later, Northern Qi sent their retainer Yang Chang to build a good relationship with the Ruru tribe. Emperor Taizu was worried that their potential alliance could pose a threat to the border, so he sent He Ruoyi to establish contact with the Ruru tribe. He Ruoyi used a large amount of money to gain their trust, and the Ruru tribe believed in him, thus forming an alliance with the Zhou dynasty and handing over Yang Chang to He Ruoyi. Emperor Taizu was pleased and appointed him as Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry, Supervisor of the Left, and Chief Secretary of Lueyang County.
After Emperor Min of Zhou ascended the throne, he appointed He Ruoyi as the Chief Archer, renamed him Viscount of Bacheeng County, and later promoted him to Count of the Left Palace, and soon after was given additional titles, including Palace Attendant. He later served as the Governors of Lingzhou and Shaozhou, as well as the Governor-General of Yuanzhou and Xinzhou, and excelled in all these positions. His brother, He Ruodun, once served as the Governor-General of Jinzhou but was later wrongfully accused and executed. This incident resulted in He Ruoyi's dismissal.
After Emperor Zhou Wu came to power, he recalled He Ruoyi and appointed him as the governor of Xiongzhou. During the war to pacify Northern Qi, He Ruoyi led his troops out of Hangu Pass, first occupying Luoyang. He was then appointed as the governor of Luozhou and granted the title of Marquis of Jianwei. Northern Qi's Prince of Fanyang, Gao Shaoyi, fled to the Turkic tribes, and He Ruoyi pursued him and they clashed in Mayi, where He Ruoyi ultimately captured Gao Shaoyi. For his military achievements, He Ruoyi was promoted to General. After Emperor Gaozu of Zhou became Prime Minister, he appointed He Ruoyi as the commander of Bozhou and urged him to take up his post quickly. He stopped Sima Xiaonan in the west and resisted Yu Jiong in the east. Later, when Li Hui, the governor of Shenzhou, rebelled, He Ruoyi pacified the rebellion and was granted the title of Duke of Fanyang, as well as appointed as Grand General.
At the beginning of the Kaihuang era, he was appointed Right Martial Guard General. Later, when Prince of Hejian, Yang Hong, led troops to the north to fight the Turks, he was appointed Vice Marshal. After the war ended, he was promoted again and became Left Martial Guard Grand General. However, he was later dismissed due to some incidents. Over a year later, he was appointed governor of Huazhou, then shortly transferred to Fuzhou as governor, and enfeoffed as Duke of Hailing. He was later transferred to Jingzhou as governor.
At that time, the Turks frequently harassed the border. The court valued his past reputation and appointed him as the governor of Lingzhou, promoting him to Grand General of the Pillar State. By then, he was already quite old, yet still in good health, able to wear heavy armor and ride a horse, striking fear into the Turks. After a few years, he requested retirement and the Emperor granted it. He was wealthy and had a villa built outside the city, planting many fruit trees. He often invited friends over for gatherings, with performances of song and dance, where everyone enjoyed themselves. He passed away at the age of seventy-seven in his home. His son inherited his title.
His eldest son, Xie, served as the General of the Cavalry; Xie's younger brother, Xiang, held the position of Deputy Director of Carriages; Xiang's younger brother, Yu, became the General of Chariots and Cavalry; his brother's son, Bi, is mentioned in additional biographies.
Historical records indicate that figures like Yu Yi and Dou Rongding had connections with the powerful in Nanyang and friendships with old acquaintances in Fengyi. They helped stabilize the country through their military achievements, received generous rewards for their contributions, preserved their official positions, and benefited their descendants. They worked tirelessly, like chopping wood without rest; their achievements will stand the test of time—truly remarkable! Dou Lu Yu sacrificed his life during a national crisis, upholding his integrity; Yin Shishi remained loyal even as the country declined, steadfast until his death. If these loyal and righteous martyrs were aware of their legacy, they would have honored their monarchs and parents.
