Yang insisted that he was the empress dowager and changed the name of the country to "Sui". Yang Jian's Zhou Dynasty was like obeying the Mandate of Heaven, which had unified the Northern Zhou in the north, and the dynasty died out only more than twenty years after its founding.
In the last years of the Northern Wei Dynasty, there was civil strife in the imperial court, and rebel armies were everywhere, among them, there was Yuwen Tai and his father Yuwen Qiu. During the battle, Yuwentai's father and several brothers were killed, but Yuwentai came to the fore in the war with his superior intelligence. It was also this talent that enabled him to successfully join the command of erzhu Rongbu's general Bao Bayue after the rebel army was suppressed. After Erzhu Rong was killed and Gao Huan completely controlled the Northern Wei Dynasty, Yuwen Tai followed He Bayue into Guanlong and began his extraordinary life.
Yuwen Tai fought on the battlefield all his life, and his battle achievements were numerous, and it was this immortal military feat that laid his position. When Yuwen Tai himself was in power, he opposed eastern Wei externally, calmed down internal strife, purged the Qing dynasty, advocated benevolence, filial piety, honesty and frugality, and at the same time, recruited talents and scholars, and was good at adopting advice. During his reign, the whole court seemed to be moving towards a good trend, but unfortunately, the good times did not last long, and in 556 AD, Yuwen Tai died of illness on the way during the northern tour.
On his deathbed, Yuwen Tai transferred power to his nephew Yuwen Hu. Yuwen Hu is also a well-known figure in Chinese history, and he has killed three times in his life. After Yuwen Tai's death, the powerful Yuwen Hu supported Yuwen Tai's son Yuwen Jue to ascend to the throne, killed the last emperor of Northern Wei, Tuoba Kuo, changed the name of the country to "Northern Zhou", and later pushed Yuwen Yu and Yuwen Yong to the throne. At this time, Yuwen Jue, who had been pushed to the throne, was only fifteen.
Moreover, among Yuwen Tai's many sons, there is also one who is quite valued by Yuwen Hu, and he is Yuwen Xian.
It is said that Yuwen Tai had rewarded his sons with good horses and let them choose for themselves. Only Yuwen Xian chose a miscellaneous horse. Yuwen Tai asked, and Yu Wenxian replied, "This horse is special in color and may be outstanding. If you fight in the military, the groom is easily recognizable. Yuwen Tai said happily, "This child has extraordinary knowledge and will become a great talent." Later, the entourage was hunting on Longshan Mountain, passing through the Guanma Ranch, and every time Yuwen Tai saw the variegated horses, he said, "This is my son's horse!" "Command his followers to come and reward him."
Yu Wenxian was brilliant and open-minded since childhood, and under the protection of Yuwen Tai, he read many books such as the Book of Poetry and the Spring and Autumn Classics, and learned the art of governing the country with Yuwen Yong. Before he was ten years old, he was made the Duke of Fucheng County, and soon after, he was promoted to the Duke of Ancheng County, and when he was less than ten years old, he dared to ask his father to take the initiative to move to the shu land. At that time, Yuwen Tai did not agree because of his young age, and Yu Wenxian argued on the basis of reason: "People's abilities are different from age, and if I don't play a role after I go, I am willing to be blamed." ”
However, at this time, Yuwen Xian was unable to go to the Shu Kingdom for various reasons, and when he was twelve years old, Yu Wen jue ascended the throne of God, and Yu Wenxian was worshipped as a great general of the Hussars, and was also the Kaifu Yi and the Third Division. At that time, the court was under the rule of Ōtsuka Zai YuwenJue, and the fierce Yuwen Jue did not hold real power, in the face of such a situation, Yu Wenjue and Li Zhi, Sun Heng, Yi Fufeng and other ministers discussed assassinating Yuwen Hu, but unfortunately, both times were recognized as unsuccessful. Subsequently, Yuwen Jue was deposed as the Duke of Luoyang and killed a month later, at the age of sixteen.
Soon, Yuwen Yu was put on the throne with the title: Emperor Ming of Zhou. In the following years, the already intelligent Yuwen Xian became more calm and alert, and during the Ming Emperor,Yu Wenxian, who was well versed in the art of governance, was assigned to Serve in Shu, which was also exactly what he wanted when he was young. At this time, Yuwen Xiansi and his father petitioned to go to Shu when they were there, I am afraid that it is also quite emotional. In that era of wars and chaos, the arrival of Yu Wenxian brought a glimmer of hope to the Shu people. During this period, he was aware of the people's feelings and was deeply loved by the Shu people, and built a monument to commemorate him after his departure.
It is precisely because of his talent in the art of governance that Yuwen Hu looks at him and attaches great importance to him. After returning to Beijing from Shu, Yuwen Xian was promoted to the position of Duke of Yongguo and Kozuka Zai. In 506, Yuwen Yu, the Emperor of Zhou Ming, who also wanted to retake the imperial government, was poisoned, and in 560 AD, Yuwen Yong ascended the throne under the title of Emperor Wu of Zhou. At this time, Yuwen Go, who had controlled the court for many years, caused dissatisfaction among the ministers and made many enemies. Yuwen Yong was not an idealess puppet, but the situation in the imperial court did not allow Yuwen Yong to be optimistic.
At this moment, Yuwen Yong simply did not have the strength to take down the power of Yuwen Hu, and could only choose Taoguang to cultivate obscurity, and this hidden forbearance was a full twelve years. During this period, Yuwen Xian was appreciated by Yuwen Hu, and his talent in military command was also displayed, and he followed Yu Wen Hu in the southern expeditions to the north many times, and his reputation in the army was quite high. In 572, Yuwen Hu, who returned to Chang'an from Tongzhou, was finally killed by Yuwen Yong in the Hanren Hall, and Yuwen Hu's brilliant life came to an end. After Yuwen Hu's death, all of his sons and daughters were washed away.
Although Yuwen Xian was between the two parties and did not take sides, most of the time he followed Yu Wenxian behind Yu Wenxian, and now, Yu Wenxian's party was destroyed, and he was inevitably jealous and uneasy in his heart. Fortunately, whether Emperor Wu of Zhou was broad-minded, or really believed in his brother, or admired his talent, Yuwen Yong did not do anything to Yuwen Hu, but reused it for him. Moreover, Yuwen Xian also played a major role in the subsequent Battle of Vaqi.
Northern Zhou fought against Northern Qi for many years, and the famous general Huo Luguang in the Northern Qi camp was the biggest obstacle to Northern Zhou's Qi. Huo Luguang was known as the "Governor of the Fallen Eagle", known for his strict management of the army, good at riding and shooting, and also the same highly supported Yuwen Xian banner, but also the Northern Qi "military heart", at that time in the battle of Northern Qi for a long time could not be attacked, Northern Zhou in order to frame Huo Luguang had a rebellious intention, provoked his relationship with Gao Wei, and finally, Gao Wei listened to the rumors and ordered the killing of Huo Luguang.
And the Northern Qi, which did not have Huo Luguang, had no resistance to the menacing Northern Zhou. In 576, Yuwen Xian and Yuwen Yong successfully converged, and Northern Qi surrendered to Han Jianye, and Northern Qi collapsed.
After Banshi returned to the dynasty, Yuwen Xian did not really put his mind at ease, lest he be dissatisfied with Emperor Wu of Zhou, and often had the heart to retire from his achievements, but yuwen Yong did not agree, but instead, he was crowned as Ōtsuka Zai and Jin as the King of Qi. Yuwen Xian, who had never let go of his heart, said that when Emperor Wu of Zhou was fighting Against Ji Hu, he said that he was sick and did not want to go out with him and did not want to make military merits again. However, Yu Wenxian, who was so deliberate, did not escape his established fate after all.
In 578, Emperor Wu of Zhou personally marched, that is, on this journey, Emperor Wu of Zhou fell ill and died of illness after returning to Luoyang, when Chinese New Year's Eve 6. Yuwen Yun,the son of Yuwen Yong, succeeded to the throne, and yuwen Yun, who succeeded to the throne, no longer showed the courtesy and courtesy he had shown before, but instead indulged in pleasure and established five empresses, and even, Yuwen Yun, who was only seven years old, concentrated on becoming the emperor of Taishang and enjoyed himself. At this time, although Yu Wenxian wanted to be an invisible person.
However, as an imperial uncle, he had military merit and prestige, and he was also named Ōtsuka Zai by Emperor Wu of Zhou, so how could he not be suspected by Yuwen Yun. In the end, Yuwen Yun could hardly find even a single crime, and directly killed Yuwen Xian at the palace gate, Chinese New Year's Eve. His heirs, and similar ministers, were executed for treason. Poorly, until his death, Yu Wenxian remembered his mother and could not fulfill his filial piety in front of the bed, it can be said that Yu Wenxian's death can also be regarded as the biggest unjust case in Northern Zhou.
Two years after Yuwen Xian's death, Yuwen Yun died of overwork due to excessive alcoholism. After Yuwen Xian and Yuwen Yun died, there was no one in the court. Three years later, Yang Jian killed yuwen yan, who was only nine years old, and established the Sui Dynasty. From Yuwen Tai's laying down the Jiangshan to Yuwen Yong's unification of the north, and then to the overthrow, the Northern Zhou Dynasty was only more than twenty years old, if Yuwen Tai and Yuwen Yong had not died early, Yuwen Hu could take the prosperity of the family a little more seriously, Yu Wenxian was not so "idle clouds and wild cranes", perhaps, the Yuwen family and this dynasty could go further.
In the third year of Tang Jianzhong, yan Zhenqing suggested to Tang Dezong: "Sixty-four famous ancient generals should be posthumously sealed, and a temple should be set up for them." Among them, there is "Zhou Dazuka Zaiqi Wang Yuwenxian". Later, in the fifth year of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Song royal family set up temples for famous generals in ancient times in accordance with the customs of the Tang Dynasty, and these seventy-two famous generals also included Yuwen Xian. Moreover, in the "Biography of the Seventeen Hundred Generals" written during the Northern Song Dynasty, Yuwen Xian was also among them.
Resources:
[Epitaph of Du Lonely Tibet", "Zhou Shu, Volume XII, Liechuan No. 4", "Beishi Vol. 58, Liechuan No. 46", "Seventeen Shi Baijian Biography"]