Hou Junji's involvement in Jia Liulou's jieyi, and his various experiences in the Wagang Army, exist only in the Yanyi novel. In fact, he had joined Li Shimin's palace against the Qin Dynasty early, and his dealings with the Generals of Wagang had only begun after Li Mi returned to Tang.
Hou Kimishu Image
Hou Junji was born in a family of eunuchs (his ancestors, great-grandfathers, grandfathers, and fathers all had official titles), and after joining the Qin Dynasty, he accompanied Li Shimin in various battles, and was promoted to Marquis of Zuoyu and a cheqi general for his merits, and was knighted quanjiao county. (This official title is actually not very high, indicating that Hou Junji really does not have any outstanding performance)
Hou Junji's entry from a marginal figure to the center of power was his participation in the Xuanwumen Revolution, which helped Li Shimin seize the throne. In the ninth year of Tang Wude (626), because Li Jiancheng sent someone to assassinate Li Shimin's confidant Wei Chigong, he completely tore off the disguise of his brother and brother Gong and put the contradiction and struggle to seize the concubine on the surface. Li Shimin, with the support of Hou Junji, Du Ruyi, Fang Xuanling, and others, launched the Xuanwumen Incident and murdered his brothers Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji and their closest subordinates.
Gaozu Li Yuan was forced to "zen throne", Li Shimin ascended to the emperor's throne, and Hou Junji, one of the nine heroes of the Xuanwumen Revolution, was given the title of General of Zuo Wei, Duke of Luguo, and Given Yi Qianhu (from viscount to heaven to duke). Later, he was awarded the title of Grand General of the Right Guard, and he also held the title of Shangshu of the Bingbu Department.
In the ninth year of Zhenguan (635), after Li Jing led Li Daozong and Hou Junji to attack the Eastern Turks, he was ordered to attack Tuguhun. After the army defeated Tuguhun Fuyun at Kushan, the army continued to pursue in two ways. Among them, Hou Junji broke through the Luozhen Valley, Han Weeping Mountain, Xingsu River, Baihai and other places, until Jiyu Mountain returned to the division to meet Li Jing in the Dafei River, and the banshi returned to the dynasty. After this battle, Hou Junji was awarded the title of Assassin of Chen Prefecture and Duke of Chen.
In the twelfth year of Zhenguan (638), Hou Junji paid homage to the official Shangshu and Guanglu Dafu. Hou Junji, who had not read any books since childhood, began to participate in the selection of officials, surveys and other civilian work, and became a capable official who entered the xiangwen and martial arts, and was in the limelight for a while.
The real merit that made Hou Junji Qingshi famous was the war of annihilation against the Gaochang state in the western region. In the thirteenth year of Zhenguan (639), The King of Gaochang, Qi Wentai, severed commercial ties between the Western Regions and the Central Plains. Li Shimin appointed Hou Junji as the grand commander of the Jiaohe River March, and Qifu He Li as the deputy commander of the Onion Mountain Road to lead a large army to the crusade. In the fourteenth year of Zhenguan (640), Hou Junji captured the Gaochang monarch Qi Zhisheng and his hundred officials (by this time Qi Wentai had died of illness) and followed the example of Huo Zhiyi before returning to the dynasty.
This battle made Hou Jun integrated into a famous general who was like Li Jing (Breaking turks), Su Dingfang (Kaixi Regions), Li Ji (Ping Liaodong) and others who had performed the work of destroying the country. However, Hou Junji, after attacking Gao Changguo, privately disposed of the captured personnel, seized gaochang state assets and treasures, and plundered by the army, and a series of other acts were impeached by the korean and Chinese officials and imprisoned for this, fortunately, Zhongshu Lang Cenwen interceded and was released, and Li Shimin decided not to punish him.
Hou Junji thought he had made a great contribution, but he was imprisoned because he only embezzled a little money, and he resented it ever since. He also said to Zhang Liang, the governor of Luoyang, that he would rebel, and when Li Shimin found out, he did not blame him, and he was included in the Twenty-Four Meritorious Servants of Ling Yan Pavilion to show his merits.
Hou Junji's resentful remarks attracted the attention of Li Chengqian, the crown prince who was in crisis at the time and was preparing to emulate Emperor Taizong's xuanwumen, and was lured into the "Eastern Palace Rebellion Case" by his son-in-law Helan Chushi, who was serving in the prince's palace. After Li Chengqian's affairs were exposed and deposed, Li Shimin remembered that Hou Junji had made great contributions to the state and did not want to punish him, but he could not persuade the courtiers, and eventually executed him for treason.
Looking at Hou Junji's words and deeds in the later period, there were indeed many acts of death, and he was proud of his achievements but did not punish his own mistakes. The emperor's repeated tolerance could not dissolve the fire of resentment in his heart, and even the idea of plotting rebellion dared to be put into action, and finally he "made" himself on the guillotine.
Hou Junji was buried in Xianyang City, xunyi county (present-day Sanshui County, northeast of Jifu Mountain, which has been destroyed). His wife and children were pardoned and moved to Lingnan.
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