Zhang Wei, who is this person? There isn't much historical record about him. His father was Zhang Chen, the Prefect of Hongnong County during the Northern Wei dynasty. Zhang Wei grew up tall and strong, very ambitious, proficient in horseback riding and archery, and significantly stronger than most. During the Western Wei era, he participated in wars multiple times, rising through the ranks to become the General of the Pillar of the State and the Intendant of Jingzhao, and was even titled as Duke of Changshou County with a fief of one thousand households.
Later, when Wang Qian rebelled, the Emperor appointed Zhang Wei as the Commander of the Armies, following Marshal Liang Rui to suppress Wang Qian. When the troops arrived at Tonggu, Wang Qian's general, Li Sanwang, commanded elite troops who held their ground. Liang Rui then ordered Zhang Wei to lead the vanguard. Initially, Li Sanwang kept the camp gates shut and refused to engage, so Zhang Wei had people loudly insult them to provoke them. Li Sanwang fell for the trap and led his troops into battle. Zhang Wei ordered his warriors to charge bravely, resulting in a defeat for Li Sanwang's forces, with over four thousand captured and slain.
The army continued to advance to Kaiyuan, where Wang Qian's general, Zhao Yan, commanded an army of one hundred thousand, camped over thirty miles long. Zhang Wei led his soldiers to cut a path through the mountains, circling from the West Ridge to launch a surprise attack on Zhao Yan's army from behind, forcing Zhao Yan to flee in panic. Zhang Wei pursued all the way to Chengdu, fighting a major battle against Wang Qian, personally commanding the central army. After Wang Qian was pacified, Zhang Wei was promoted to Senior General and appointed as the Intendant of Luzhou. After the Emperor ascended the throne, Zhang Wei went on to serve as the Intendant of Youzhou and Luozhou, and was re-titled Duke of Jinxi County. Shortly after, he was then appointed Chief Secretary of the Hebei Circuit, and later oversaw the affairs of the Prince of Jin's military office. A few years later, he was appointed as the Intendant of Qingzhou, and was rewarded with eight hundred thousand coins, five hundred measures of rice, and three hundred bolts of silk.
When Zhang Wei was in Qingzhou, he focused more on developing his own business and even sent his household servants to sell radishes in the local markets. His household staff, relying on his power, oppressed the people. When the emperor found out about this, he was very angry and criticized Zhang Wei harshly, demoting him back to his hometown. Later, when the emperor went to Mount Tai to worship and passed through Luoyang, he addressed Zhang Wei, saying, "Since I have been conquering the world, I have always entrusted important positions to you; I have trusted you completely. Why do you not pay attention to your reputation and morals and only focus on making money? You have not only betrayed my trust but also tarnished your own reputation!" The emperor then asked Zhang Wei, "Where is the tablet you use in court?" Zhang Wei kowtowed and apologized, saying, "I have committed a crime and feel ashamed before Your Majesty. I dare not use the tablet anymore and have hidden it at home." The emperor said, "Bring it to me." The next day, Zhang Wei presented the tablet to the emperor, who said, "Although you have not followed the rules, your contributions are indeed significant. I will not forget your contributions. Now I return the tablet to you." Therefore, the emperor appointed Zhang Wei as the governor of Luozhou, later granting him the title of Duke of Xuan Cheng County. Shortly thereafter, he was reassigned as the governor of Xiangzhou, where he eventually passed away in office. His son, Zhang Zhi, rose to the rank of Wuben Langjiang during the Daye period.
He Hong was from Runan. When he was young, he excelled in martial arts and displayed exceptional bravery, standing out among his peers. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, he followed the emperor into battles multiple times, gradually rising through military achievements. Eventually, he became the Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry and was equivalent to the Three Excellencies, reaching a high rank.
At that time, the leaders of the local tribes in Longzhou, Ren Gongxin and Li Guoli, gathered forces to rebel, and the local governor, Dugu Shan, was unable to quell their rebellion. After deliberation, the court believed that He Hong had military talent and sent him to replace Dugu Shan as the governor. In just one month, he captured Ren Gongxin and Li Guoli, executing them both and publicly displaying their heads. He also subdued the remaining rebels.
Later, following the emperor to attack Heyin, He Hong was exceptionally brave in battle, successfully breaking through the west gate of Heyin City. The emperor greatly admired him and rewarded him with numerous gifts, totaling over a thousand pieces of cloth. Afterwards, he accompanied the emperor in pacifying the Qi country, and his official rank rose to Shang Yitong, being appointed as the Marquis of Beiping with a fief of eight hundred households, and also appointed as the Left Xuncao Xia Daifu. When the pillar of the state, Wang Gui, captured Wu Mingche, He Hong also made significant contributions, leading to another promotion, being appointed as Kaifu and Zhechong Zhong Daifu.
When Yu Jiong rebelled in Xiangzhou, the court appointed He Hong as the commander of the marching army and sent him to join Wei Xiaokuan in suppressing the rebellion. When the army arrived at Heyang, Yu Jiong encircled Huaizhou, but He Hong, along with General Yu Wenshu and others, defeated Yu Jiong's forces. He also defeated Yu Dun in Wuzhi. After Xiangzhou was pacified, he was appointed as the Pillar of the State and granted the title of Duke of Guangwu County with a fief of two thousand households. The cumulative gifts and rewards from the emperors amounted to over ten thousand pieces of cloth, fifty servants, one hundred catties of gold, one hundred catties of silver, and one hundred horses and cattle, which truly made him wealthy!
At that time, Dong Xia had just been pacified and the social situation was still unstable. Emperor Gaozu, due to He Hong's widespread reputation and popularity among the people, appointed him in charge of the affairs in Jizhou, where he excelled and won the people's trust. After a few years, the court summoned him back and appointed him as the supervisor of the canal, then later promoted him to the post of governor of Sizhou. When the Turks invaded the borders, the court sent He Hong as the commander of the northern army to repel the Turks. He repelled the Turks and returned only after reaching the desert region. Later, he was promoted to the commander of Xuzhou, and he passed away at the age of sixty-four.
Hou Mo Chen Ying, styled Zundao, was a native of Daijun. After the Wei Kingdom moved south, his family were high-ranking generals for generations. His father, Hou Mo Chen Chong, held many important positions during the transition between the Wei and Zhou dynasties, eventually rising to the position of Grand Minister of State. From a young age, Hou Mo Chen Ying displayed the bearing of a great general, with exceptional qualities that earned him the admiration of his peers. As the reign of the Wei Dynasty was coming to an end, due to his father's military achievements, he was granted the title of Marquis of Guangping and later promoted to the title of General of the Household.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Zhou Dynasty, he accompanied Prince Teng, Xiao You, to suppress the rebellion of the Hu people in Longquan and Wencheng. He and the vanguard general Dou Lu Ji led separate armies to attack from different routes. Hou Mo Chen Ying led his troops more than five hundred miles deep, capturing three enemy strongholds. Previously, these Hu people had frequently rebelled, raiding border villages and enslaving their inhabitants. At that time, the court ordered that any Hu people hiding innocent civilians would be executed, and their wives and children would be confiscated. Reports indicated that some Hu people were hiding innocent civilians in the village, and Dou Lu Ji planned to kill them. Hou Mo Chen Ying advised him, saying, "General, when leading troops outside, some orders can be adjusted based on the situation. Not all of these Hu people are truly rebellious; they were forced to rebel out of desperation. With the army pressing in, the leaders of the rebellion will be fearful, and those forced to participate will want to surrender. If we gradually win them over, we can achieve victory without fighting. If we kill them immediately, it will only increase their fear and complicate matters. It is better to summon their leaders, hand over the hidden civilians to them, and allow them to surrender voluntarily, ensuring stability among all the Hu people." Dou Lu Ji followed his advice. The Hu people were deeply moved and came forward to surrender, stabilizing the northern border. Hou Mo Chen Ying was promoted to the position of Military Commander and appointed as a Senior Martial Official.
After Emperor Wen of Sui ascended the throne, he appointed Hou Mochen Ying as the governor of Changzhou. When Emperor Wen became emperor, Hou Mochen Ying did not take up his post but was instead granted the title of Duke and promoted to the Duke of Shengping. Not long after, he was appointed governor of Yanzhou. Several years later, he was transferred to be the governor of Chenzhou. During the campaign to subdue the Chen dynasty, he served under Prince Qin Yang Jun as they deployed troops from Lushan Road. After Chen dynasty generals Xun Fashang and Chen Ji surrendered, Hou Mochen Ying and the army commander Duan Wenzhen crossed the Yangtze River and took control of the newly surrendered territories. He was then appointed as the governor of Raozhou, but before taking office, he was transferred to Yingzhou as governor, where he achieved excellent governance. After several years in office, he was dismissed due to his close ties with Prince Qin Yang Jun. The people wept as they bid him farewell, and they erected a monument together to honor his integrity. Not long after, he was appointed as the acting governor of Fenzhou, and then as the governor of Xingzhou.
In the Renshou era, Minister of Personnel Niu Hong was ordered to inspect Shandong, and he regarded Hou Mochen Ying as the best. Emperor Wen of Sui greatly appreciated this and issued an edict praising him. At that time, the court believed that most governors and county magistrates in Lingnan were corrupt and untrustworthy, leading to resentment and uprisings among the local tribes. Therefore, they carefully selected honest officials to win their trust and summoned Hou Mochen Ying to the capital. When he was summoned to the palace, Emperor Wen of Sui talked with him about his past, and they engaged in a lively conversation. A few days later, Hou Mochen Ying was promoted to the rank of Grand General and appointed as the commander of Guizhou, overseeing military affairs across seventeen provinces. The Emperor also rewarded him with many gifts before allowing him to leave. Upon taking office, he placed great emphasis on benevolence and trustworthiness, gaining the trust of both the local populace and minority groups, who came to submit in droves from the mountainous areas.
After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, Hou Mochen Ying's elder brother, the Duke of Liang, Hou Mochen Rui, was exiled to the border region for committing a crime. The court was worried that Hou Mochen Ying would be unsettled by this, so he was summoned back to the capital. Several years later, he was appointed as the Governor of Hengshan. In that year, many areas in the Lingnan and Minyue regions did not obey the court's jurisdiction. The Emperor remembered Hou Mochen Ying's previous achievements in Guizhou, where he was deeply trusted by the local people, so he was once again appointed as the Governor of Nanhai. Four years later, he passed away while in office and was posthumously honored with the title "Ding." His son, Hou Mochen Qianhui, was also well-known.
Historical records say that Du Yandong won many battles in Xiazhou and the southern regions, later stationed in Shuozhou, where the border areas were peaceful and free of disturbances. When Gao Mei was on his deathbed, his presence was particularly imposing, and he despised the wicked, leaving behind a good reputation. Erzhu Chang had great talent from a young age but ultimately achieved contentment and joy. He rebuilt the collapsed foundation; isn't that a testament to his benevolence and wisdom?
Zhou Yao was highly regarded for his reliability, while Dugu Xin had a good reputation for caring for the people. Qifu Huineng gave away the country, and the territories under the Hou Mochen family’s governance were well-managed. Some of these individuals understood the ways of governing the people, while others practiced the principles of benevolence and righteousness, all worthy of praise. As for Hui, he was dismissed from office because of his humble tent, but he entered the court young and served under three successive emperors, ultimately receiving a pension and enjoying a long life. This was likely due to his honesty and lack of pretense.
