When it comes to Yang Jian, the Sui Wen Emperor, everyone gives a thumbs up. Because this elder brother ended the 370 years of war between the Wei and Jin dynasties and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and once again completed the great unification of the world.
So how did Yang Jian start? Many people say that he was the father-in-law of The Northern Zhou Emperor Yuwen Yun, so he had innate conditions. In fact, what really determines Yang Jian's height is definitely not the title of Guozhang, but yang Jian has a good father!
Yes, Yang Jian is also an official of the Eight Classics of the N generation, and the ancestors of the past generations are basically all dignitaries and dignitaries. In particular, his father Yang Zhong was one of the twelve generals of the Western Wei Dynasty and a great hero of the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
However, Yang Zhong's career was not smooth. Because it was a chaotic world: first there was a confrontation between the Northern Wei and the Southern Dynasty, then there was the three-legged confrontation of the Eastern Wei, Western Wei, and Southern Dynasties, and then there was the dispute between the Three Kingdoms of Northern Qi, Northern Zhou, and Southern Dynasty.
It is basically impossible to find a stable job in a chaotic world. To give a few examples, you will know how difficult it is:
First, if you were an official in northern Wei and had a stable income, and as a result, Erzhu Rong launched the Heyin Revolution and threw more than 2,000 dignitaries and dignitaries in Luoyang into the Yellow River.
Second, if you were an official in Western Wei and Yuwen Hu dragged Yuwen Tai's son Yuwen Jue to usurp the throne, if you confessed that you had to be loyal to the old Yuan family, do you think you could live long?
Third, even if you follow the Yuwen family and become a high-ranking official and nobleman in Northern Zhou. But if you have been following the Yuwen Protectors who are in power, when Yuwen Yong destroys the Yuwen Protectors, you will be unlucky again. If you don't follow Yuwen Hu, you may not wait for Yuwen Yong to destroy Yuwen Hu, and Yu Wen Hu will have to destroy you first.
Therefore, in the midst of chaos, heroes will be produced. But whether the heroes can survive has become a big question. And Yang Zhong, after the Northern Wei, Southern Liang, Western Wei, and Northern Fourth Dynasties, is still mixed up, which is really impressive. So how did he do it?
Yang Zhong and his ancestors, all of whom were courtiers of the Northern Dynasty, had become completely accustomed to the life of the Xianbei people. However, at the age of 18, Yang Zhong thought of climbing Mount Tai to see the world, and as a result, he was accidentally arrested.
It turned out that when he ran to Taishan to travel, this place happened to be defeated by the army of Southern Liang. When you go up the mountain, this is still the territory of the Northern Wei, and when you go down the mountain, it has become the territory of the Southern Liang, which is really changing rapidly.
Without even a passport, how did Yang Zhong survive in Nanliang? Of course, it depends on the mix. Yang Jian is handsome and tall, and the most important thing is that he also has a good martial art.
At first glance, it was clear that he was not an ordinary slave, so Yang Zhong not only did not suffer abuse in southern Liang during the 5 years, but was reused.
In the past few years since he left, erzhu Rong's chaotic government coincided with the rebellion of Heyin and the destruction of a large number of clans of Lao Yuanjia. Frightened, Yuan Hao fled south, so 5 years later, Yang Zhong, as a general of Zhige, followed Yuan Hao's northern expedition to Northern Wei and killed all the way to Luoyang.
Behind this, of course, there is the support of Emperor Wu of Liang, a person who has been an official in the Northern Dynasty for generations, and his first resume is actually to work for Southern Liang for 5 years, which is inevitably a bit surprising.
Yuan Hao, with the help of Chen Qingzhi, went all the way through the pass, took a large area of Jiangshan, and even captured Luoyang. As a result, Yuan Hao was actually wary of Chen Qing's heart.
Before they had taken the entire territory of Northern Wei, there were contradictions within them first, so Yuan Hao was not a person who had achieved great things at all. Yang Zhong actually hoped to rely on this Northern Expedition to return to the north and serve the Northern Wei.
Because Yang Zhong's family is in the Northern Dynasty, his network resources are also here, and only here can he really show his grand plans. Therefore, after Yuan Hao was defeated by Erzhu Rong, Yang Zhong naturally ran to follow Erzhu Dulu.
Erzhu Dulu was the cousin of Erzhu Rong, the King of Taiyuan, and one of the important members of the Erzhu family. Obviously, Erzhu Rong had the strength to be an emperor at that time, and if he had not been superstitious, he would have destroyed Northern Wei long ago and become emperor himself.
Kelju Rong cast bronze statues for himself many times, but he never succeeded, so he suspected that the Mandate of Heaven was not his place. Confused at the crucial moment, there is really his. As a result, Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei took the opportunity to slaughter Erzhu Rong.
As soon as Erzhu Rong died, the local tycoons of the Erzhu family went to Luoyang one after another to discuss what to do next. Among them are Erzhu Shilong, Erzhu Dulu and Erzhu Zhao.
Under the leadership of Erzhu Zhao, Yuan Ziyou was deposed and killed, and Erzhu Dulu and Erzhu Shilong made Yuan Ye the Prince of Changguang emperor. Yang Zhong made great contributions in this coup d'état, so he was awarded the title of Changxian Bo.
The Erzhu family did not have Erzhu Rong, and on the surface they were harmonious, but internally they were fighting endlessly. Everyone wants to be the boss, or that truth, internal contradictions broke out first, and foreign enemies naturally took advantage of it.
Yang Zhong knew that it was impossible to follow the Erzhu family and mix with them. Therefore, while Yang Zhong was working for the Erzhu family, he was also looking for a new patron.
The Erzhu family was easily defeated by Gao Huan, and the power in the Northern Wei Dynasty fell into Gao Huan's hands. So will Yang Zhong follow Gao Huan? Of course not, he was following Dugu Xin and planning to be loyal to Emperor Xiaowu Yuanxiu!
Yuan Xiu was the Emperor of northern Wei that Gao Huan had appointed, but after the matter was done, Gao Huan regretted it, because in Yuan Xiu's mind, there was no such word as a puppet, and he completely regarded himself as a real power emperor, giving all kinds of orders.
The officials recommended by Gao Huan were basically not used by Yuan Xiu, which could blow up Gao Huan's anger. The contradiction between the two sides is about to erupt, and the time to take sides at this time has arrived, how should Yang Zhong choose?
This time, Yang Zhong chose to believe in his old superior, Du Lonely, and followed Yuan Xiuchao. Why? I think there are two reasons for this:
First, Yuan Xiu, who was supported by Dugu Xin, was the orthodox emperor of Northern Wei. From a legal point of view, following the Yuan cultivation is definitely what a loyal subject should do, and the teacher is famous.
Second, Dugu Xin and Guanzhong Yuwen Tai are small, and the relationship is not to mention how good. Even if Yuan Xiu is unreliable, in the future, he can still go to Guanzhong with Dugu Xin and surrender to Yuwen Tai, which is also a good way out.
Therefore, Yang Zhongyi followed Emperor Xiaowu Yuanxiu without hesitation, and as a result, Yuanxiu was forced by Gao Huan to be cornered, so he had to lead the team to escape to Guanzhong, and Yang Zhong followed him into Guanzhong. Because of his merits from the dragon, he was awarded the title of General of Ansi.
But with Emperor Xiaowu Yuanxiu, can he really mix it up? I think that Dugu Xin and Yang Zhong, what they value more is actually Yuwen Tai's resources in Guanzhong, and turning to Yuan Xiu is just a cover. Purely to facilitate Yuwen Tai's desire to blackmail the Heavenly Son to order the princes.
Yuan Xiu ran away, which blew Gao Huan up, and without saying a word, he sent Jingzhou Assassin Shi Xin to attack and occupy The City. This time, Du Guxin brought Yang Zhong to recruit Xin Lu, and after the two sides fought for a while, Xin Lu was not their opponent at all.
DuGuxin and Yang Zhong beheaded Xin Lu and lived in Yongcheng for half a year, but Gao Huan did not give up the place, under the pressure of the army, Du Guxin and Yang Zhong could not resist, and the road to Western Wei was also blocked, and in desperation, they had to choose to turn to Southern Liang. I think this matter was introduced by Yang Zhong. The process of things goes something like this:
DuGu Xin was bored all day: Oh, Gao Huan, this guy is too chicken thief, cut off our way back, what do you say should be rectified?
Some people planned to surrender, some people planned to stick to it, but Yang Zhong said: Or let's turn to Southern Liang!
DuGuxin frowned: Going south is also a way, but there is no introducer, will people accept us? Don't pack us up and give it to Gao Huan!
Yang Zhong patted his chest and said: "Big brother, you can rest assured, I have experience in this regard, the old guy of Emperor Liangwu, who is very kind in heart." All you have to do is say "Amitabha" in front of him, and he will be immediately moved.
Therefore, Dugu Xin and Yang Zhong joined Yang Zhong and defected to Southern Liang. This was already Yang Zhong'er entering the palace, and Emperor Wu of Liang was overjoyed, completely forgetting that he had not returned from the last time he had been on the Northern Expedition, and without saying a word, he was appointed as the commander of Wende and the Marquis of Guanwai. The refugees have such a good treatment, Yang Zhong is really not simple.
Emperor Wu of Liang did not mention yang Zhong and DuGuxin. They lived in Nanliang for 3 years, good food and drink, three days a small feast, five days a big feast, not to mention how refreshing the day.
But Yang Zhong and DuGuxin always had a heart to return to the north, and Emperor Liangwu was actually touched by their true feelings, not only let them go back, but also gave them a bunch of gold and silver jewelry, really a living bodhisattva!
Since then, the moment when Yang Zhong has made meritorious achievements in the battlefield has officially arrived, and this year, he is 35 years old.
First, Yang Zhong has been mixing with Yuwen Tai since then, and has been deeply appreciated by Yu Wentai. In the Battle of Xiaoguan, Yang Zhong led a team to sneak up on Gao Huan's general Dou Tai and force him to commit suicide.
Second, in the Battle of Shayuan, Yang Zhong defeated Gao Huan's army, so he was given the title of General of Zhenxi and Duke of Xiangcheng County.
Third, in the Battle of Heqiao, Yuwen Tai was defeated, but Yang Zhong was able to take 5 men to guard the bridge, forcing Gao Huan's army not to dare to advance. For his merits, he was awarded the title of Yunzhou Assassin History.
Fourth, in the Battle of Yaoshan, Yuwen Tai was almost killed, but Yang Zhong was able to take the lead, charge into the battlefield, and make a great contribution. As a result, he was given the title of Grand General of the Horse Riding, and later promoted to the Rank of The Great General of the Horse Riding.
Therefore, Yang Zhong's position in Western Wei was completely based on his own battle achievements. There is any casual success in this world, and any war may kill him, but he is fierce.
Emperor Wu of Liang reused Hou Jing, but the result led to Hou Jing's rebellion, and he himself was trapped in Taicheng and starved to death. Southern Liang was in chaos, and Yuwen Tai felt that his opportunity had come.
Emotionally, Yang Zhong was absolutely reluctant to enlist Southern Liang, after all, Emperor Wu of Liang was kind to him. However, now that Emperor Wu of Liang was dead and each of them was his master, and Southern Liang was in great turmoil, Yang Zhong had to accept orders to attack Southern Liang.
Yang Zhong himself only had 2,000 men and horses, but he played a trick and constantly let the troops change their flags to take turns at the parade, causing Xiao Chen, the king of Yueyang in Southern Liang, to mistakenly believe that Yang Zhong had brought 30,000 troops, so he had to submit to Yang Zhong with satisfaction.
Southern Liang's more powerful Sizhou assassin Shi Liu Zhongli was not at all convinced that Western Wei was interfering in southern Liang politics, so he led troops to defeat Western Wei's large army many times. After Yang Zhong came, he made an operation to defeat Liu Zhongli to the point of being outnumbered, beating liu Zhongli unable to take care of himself and seizing all the land in Eastern Han.
After that, Yang Zhong repeatedly invaded Southern Liang, and under the operation of the Liang yuan emperor Xiao Xuan,Yang Zhong defeated Xiao Lun, the king of Shaoling, and successively took all the territory east of hanshui. After that, the Liangyuan Emperor Xiao Xuan suffered his own consequences, and Yang Zhongshun invaded Jiangling City with him, destroying this selfish person to the extreme.
Yang Zhong was really too fierce, and he made many military achievements in Western Wei, and he became one of the twelve generals of Western Wei all the way. After Yuwen Tai died of illness, his son Yuwen Jue, with the support of his cousin Yuwen Hu, succeeded to the throne as emperor and established the Northern Zhou Dynasty.
Yang Zhong also became the Chancellor of Northern Zhou, and this time there was no need to choose at all, because everyone could see that the Yuwen Family was the must.
In this year, Yang Zhong was already 53 years old and was given the title of Duke of Suiguo of Northern Zhou. He's not in a hurry to retire, and there should be a lot more to do. After that, Yang Zhong led troops to attack Northern Qi many times, laying the foundation for the Northern Zhou Emperor Yuwen Yong to destroy Northern Qi.
Yang Zhong himself also became the pillar of Northern Zhou because of his outstanding military achievements. His son Yang Jian only needs to eat melon in the early stage to watch his father perform. When Yang Zhong died at the age of 62, the moment for Yang Jian to perform came.
References: Book of Sui, Book of Zhou, History of the North