Volume 52 Biographies 17: Han Qinhu, He Ruobi

隋書卷五十二列傳第十七

Book of Sui, Volume 52, Biographies 17.

○韓擒虎弟僧壽洪

○ Han Qinhu; his brothers Sengshou and Hong.

韓擒虎，字子通，河南東垣人也，後家新安。父雄，以武烈知名，仕周，官至大將軍、洛虞等八州刺史。擒虎少慷慨，以膽略見稱，容貌魁岸，有雄傑之表。性又好書，經史百家皆略知大旨。周太祖見而異之，令與諸子遊集。後以軍功，拜都督、新安太守，稍遷儀同三司，襲爵新義郡公。武帝伐齊，齊將獨孤永業守金墉城，擒虎說下之。進平范陽，加上儀同，拜永州刺史。陳人逼光州，擒虎以行軍總管擊破之。又從宇文忻平合州。高祖作相，遷和州刺史。陳將甄慶、任蠻奴、蕭摩訶等共為聲援，頻寇江北，前後入界。擒虎屢挫其鋒，陳人奪氣。

Han Qinhu, whose courtesy name was Zitong, came from Donyuan in Henan; his family later moved to Xin'an. His father Xiong was renowned for martial prowess. He served the Northern Zhou and eventually reached the rank of Grand General and governed eight prefectures, among them Luo and Yu. In his youth Qinhu was generous and high-spirited, and won renown for daring and resourcefulness. He was imposing in build and had the look of a great hero. He also loved learning by nature and had a working knowledge of the essential themes of the classics, histories, and the various schools of thought. When Emperor Taizu of Zhou met him, he was struck by the young man's promise and had him keep company with his own sons. Later, on the strength of his battlefield record, he was made Area Commander and Administrator of Xin'an, then gradually promoted to Yitong Third Rank and succeeded to the title Duke of Xinyi commandery. When Emperor Wu of Zhou attacked Northern Qi, the Qi general Dugu Yongye held Jinyong. Qinhu talked him into surrendering the city. He went on to pacify Fanyang, was granted the additional rank of Shang Yitong, and was appointed Inspector of Yongzhou. When Chen troops pressed Guangzhou, Qinhu, serving as Campaign Commander, routed them. He also followed Yuwen Xin in the pacification of Hezhou. When Yang Jian held the post of Chancellor, Qinhu was transferred to Inspector of Hezhou. The Chen generals Zhen Qing, Ren Man'nu, Xiao Mohe, and others backed one another and raided the north bank of the Yangzi repeatedly, crossing the frontier time after time. Qinhu repeatedly broke their momentum, and Chen morale collapsed.

開皇初，高祖潛有吞併江南之志，以擒虎有文武才用，夙著聲名，於是拜為廬州總管，委以平陳之任，甚為敵人所憚。及大舉伐陳，以擒虎為先鋒。擒虎率五百人宵濟，襲採石，守者皆醉，擒虎遂取之。進攻姑熟，半日而拔，次於新林。江南父老素聞其威信，來謁軍門，晝夜不絕。陳人大駭，其將樊巡、魯世真、田瑞等相繼降之。晉王廣上狀，高祖聞而大悅，宴賜群臣。晉王遣行軍總管杜彥與擒虎合軍，步騎二萬，陳叔寶遣領軍蔡徵守朱雀航，聞擒虎將至，眾懼而潰。任蠻奴為賀若弼所敗，棄軍降於擒虎。擒虎以精騎五百，直入硃雀門。陳人欲戰，蠻奴捴之曰：「老夫尚降，諸君何事！」眾皆散走。遂平金陵，執陳主叔寶。時賀若弼亦有功。乃下詔于晉王曰：「此二公者，深謀大略，東南逋寇，朕本委之，靜地恤民，悉如朕意。九州不一，已數百年，以名臣之功，成太平之業，天下盛事，何用過此！聞以欣然，實深慶快。平定江表，二人之力也。」賜物萬段。又下優詔於擒虎、弼曰：「申國威于萬里，宣朝化於一隅，使東南之民俱出湯火，數百年寇旬日廓清，專是公之功也。高名塞于宇宙，盛業光於天壤，逖聽前古，罕聞其匹。班師凱入，誠知非遠，相思之甚，寸陰若歲。」及至京，弼與擒虎爭功於上前，弼曰：「臣在蔣山死戰，破其銳卒，擒其驍將，震揚威武，遂平陳國。韓擒虎略不交陣，豈臣之比！」擒虎曰：「本奉明旨，令臣與弼同時合勢，以取偽都。弼乃敢先期，逢賊遂戰，致令將士傷死甚多。臣以輕騎五百，兵不血刃，直取金陵，降任蠻奴，執陳叔寶，據其府庫，傾其巢穴。弼至夕，方扣北掖門，臣啟關而納之。斯乃救罪不暇，安得與臣相比！」上曰：「二將俱合上勳。」於是進位上柱國，賜物八千段。有司劾擒虎放縱士卒，淫汙陳宮，坐此不加爵邑。

Early in the Kaihuang reign the emperor quietly set his sights on bringing the south under control. Qinhu was already famed for combining literary and military gifts, so he was made Area Commander of Luzhou and charged with conquering Chen—a commission that struck deep fear into the enemy. When the full-scale invasion of Chen was launched, Qinhu was placed at the head of the army. Qinhu led five hundred men across the river at night and stormed Caishi. The garrison was drunk, and he took the place without difficulty. He pressed on to Gushu and captured it within half a day, then made camp at Xinlin. The elders south of the Yangzi had long known his reputation for authority and fairness. They came to his camp in an unbroken stream, day and night. Chen forces were thrown into panic, and generals such as Fan Xun, Lu Shizhen, and Tian Rui surrendered to him in succession. Prince Jin Guang reported the news upstream. The emperor was delighted and held a feast to reward his ministers. The Prince of Jin sent Campaign Commander Du Yan to join Qinhu with twenty thousand foot and horse. Chen Shubao ordered Palace Guard Director Cai Zheng to hold the Zhuque crossing, but at word that Qinhu was approaching the army panicked and broke. Ren Man'nu, already beaten by He Ruobi, abandoned his troops and surrendered to Qinhu. Qinhu rode through the Zhuque Gate at the head of five hundred elite cavalry. The Chen soldiers were ready to fight, but Man'nu shouted them down: "If even I, an old man, have surrendered, what are you still fighting for!" The men broke and fled in all directions. He then took Jinling and captured Chen's ruler, Shubao. He Ruobi had won distinction as well. The emperor then issued an edict to the Prince of Jin: "These two commanders planned with foresight and executed on a grand scale. I entrusted the unruly southeast to them, and in calming the country and caring for the people they have done exactly as I intended. The realm had been divided for centuries; through the service of such renowned ministers the work of unification and peace has been achieved. What triumph under Heaven could be greater than this! To hear this news fills me with joy; my satisfaction is profound. The pacification of the south is the work of these two men alone. Each was rewarded with ten thousand bales of goods. A special edict went out to Qinhu and Bi: "You have carried our might across the realm and brought the court's civilizing rule to a distant quarter, lifting the people of the southeast out of misery. Centuries of disorder were swept away in days—and that is your doing alone. Your renown fills heaven and earth; your achievement outshines the land. Search the records of antiquity as you will—you will seldom find your equal. Your victorious return cannot be far away. I miss you so keenly that every moment drags like a year." After they reached the capital, Bi and Qinhu argued over credit before the emperor. Bi said, "I fought to the death on Mount Jiang, shattered their elite forces, captured their boldest generals, and by that display of force brought Chen to its knees. Han Qinhu barely drew sword—how can he stand comparison with me!" Qinhu replied, "I was under your explicit orders to coordinate with Bi and strike the rebel capital together. Yet Bi rushed ahead on his own, met the enemy, and fought prematurely, costing us many dead and wounded. I took five hundred light cavalry, entered Jinling without shedding blood, received Ren Man'nu's surrender, seized Chen Shubao, and occupied the treasuries and the heart of their power. Bi did not reach the North Side Gate until evening; I was the one who opened the gate and let him in. He was lucky to escape blame—how can he compare with me!" The emperor said, "Both of you have earned the highest credit." Qinhu was then promoted to Supreme Pillar of State and given eight thousand bales of goods. The authorities charged Qinhu with allowing his troops to run riot and desecrate the Chen palace, and for that reason he received no further titles or fiefs.

先是，江東有謠歌曰：「黃斑青驄馬，發自壽陽涘。來時冬氣末，去日春風始。」皆不知所謂。擒虎本名豹，平陳之際，又乘青驄馬，往反時節與歌相應，至是方悟。其後突厥來朝，上謂之曰：「汝聞江南有陳國天子乎？」對曰：「聞之。」上命左右引突厥詣擒虎前，曰：「此是執得陳國天子者。」擒虎厲然顧之，突厥惶恐，不敢仰視，其有威容如此。別封壽光縣公，食邑千戶。以行軍總管屯金城，禦備胡寇，即拜涼州總管。俄征還京，上宴之內殿，恩禮殊厚。無何，其鄰母見擒虎門下儀衛甚盛，有同王者，母異而問之。其中人曰：「我來迎王。」忽然不見。又有人疾篤，忽驚走至擒虎家曰：「我欲謁王。」左右問曰：「何王也？」答曰：「閻羅王。」擒虎子弟欲撻之，擒虎止之曰：「生為上柱國，死作閻羅王，斯亦足矣。」因寢疾，數日竟卒，時年五十五。子世諤嗣。

Earlier a song had circulated east of the Yangzi: "A yellow-spotted gray horse, setting out from the banks of Shouyang. It came as winter was ending; it left as spring was beginning. No one understood what it meant. Qinhu had been born with the name Bao, "Leopard"; during the conquest of Chen he again rode a gray horse, and the timing of his campaign matched the ballad—only then did people see its meaning. Later, when Turkish envoys came to court, the emperor asked them, "Have you heard of the Chen emperor south of the Yangzi?" They answered, "We have." The emperor had attendants bring the Turks before Qinhu and said, "This is the man who took the Chen emperor prisoner." Qinhu fixed them with a fierce glare. The Turks trembled and dared not look up—such was the force of his presence. He received a separate enfeoffment as Duke of Shouguang county with a fief of one thousand households. As Campaign Commander he garrisoned Jincheng against northern raids and was promptly appointed Area Commander of Liangzhou. He was soon recalled to the capital, where the emperor entertained him in the inner palace with extraordinary honor. Not long after, a neighbor woman saw such a royal display of guards and banners at Qinhu's gate that she asked in astonishment what it meant. One of the figures said, "We have come to welcome the king. Then they vanished. Another man, deathly ill, suddenly leapt up and ran to Qinhu's house crying, "I must pay my respects to the king. His attendants asked, "Which king?" He answered, "King Yama." Qinhu's sons wanted to beat the man, but Qinhu stopped them. "Supreme Pillar of State in life, King Yama in death—that is glory enough," he said. He fell ill shortly afterward and died within days, at the age of fifty-five. His son Shi'e succeeded to his line.

世諤倜儻驍捷，有父風。楊玄感之作亂也，引世諤為將，每戰先登。及玄感敗，為吏所拘。時帝在高陽，送詣行所。世諤曰令守者市酒殽以酣暢，揚言曰：「吾死在朝夕，不醉何為！」漸以酒進守者，守者狎之，遂飲令致醉。世諤因得逃奔山賊，不知所終。

Shi'e was daring, quick, and unconventional, very much in his father's mold. When Yang Xuangan rebelled, he enlisted Shi'e as a commander, and in every battle Shi'e was the first over the wall. When Xuangan was crushed, the authorities seized him. The emperor was at Gaoyang, and Shi'e was sent to him there. Shi'e persuaded his guards to buy wine and a feast. "I am as good as dead," he declared. "Why not drink while I still can! He kept pressing wine on the guards until they grew careless, drank freely, and passed out drunk. Shi'e escaped and joined the mountain rebels; nothing more is known of his fate.

僧壽字玄慶，擒虎母弟也，亦以勇烈知名。周武帝時，為侍伯中旅下大夫。高祖得政，從韋孝寬平尉迥，每戰有功，授大將軍，封昌樂公，邑千戶。開皇初，拜安州刺史。時擒虎為廬州總管，朝廷不欲同在淮南，轉為熊州刺史。後轉蔚州刺史，進爵廣陵郡公。尋以行軍總管擊突厥于雞頭山，破之。後坐事免。數歲，複拜蔚州刺史。突厥甚憚之。十七年，屯蘭州以備胡。明年，遼東之役，領行軍總管，還，檢校靈州總管事。從楊素擊突厥，破之，進位上柱國，改封江都郡公。煬帝即位，又改封新蔡郡公。自是之後，不復任用。大業五年，從幸太原。有京兆人達奚通妾王氏，能清歌，朝臣多相會觀之，僧壽亦豫焉，坐是除名。尋令復位。八年，卒于京師，時年六十五。有子孝基。

Sengshou, whose courtesy name was Xuanqing, was Qinhu's younger uterine brother and was likewise renowned for martial valor. Under Emperor Wu of Zhou he served as Lower Grand Master of the Central Brigade of the Palace Guard. When Yang Jian took control of the government, Sengshou followed Wei Xiaokuan against Yu Chi and distinguished himself in every engagement. He was made Grand General and enfeoffed as Duke of Changle with a fief of one thousand households. Early in the Kaihuang reign he was appointed Inspector of Anzhou. Qinhu was then Area Commander of Luzhou, and the court did not want both brothers in Huainan at once, so Sengshou was moved to Inspector of Xiongzhou. He was later transferred to Inspector of Weizhou and promoted to Duke of Guangling commandery. Soon afterward, as Campaign Commander, he attacked the Turks at Jitou Mountain and routed them. He was later dismissed after being implicated in an offense. Several years later he was reappointed Inspector of Weizhou. The Turks held him in deep dread. In the seventeenth year of the reign he garrisoned Lanzhou against the northern peoples. The following year he served as Campaign Commander in the Liaodong expedition. On his return he was made acting Area Commander of Lingzhou. He joined Yang Su against the Turks, won a victory, was promoted to Supreme Pillar of State, and was re-enfeoffed as Duke of Jiangdu commandery. When Emperor Yang came to the throne, his title was changed again to Duke of Xincai commandery. After that he was never again given office. In the fifth year of Daye he accompanied the emperor to Taiyuan. A concubine of Daxi Tong of Jingzhao named Wang was famed for her refined singing. Many ministers gathered to hear her, and Sengshou joined them; for that he was dismissed from office. He was soon restored to office. In the eighth year he died in the capital at the age of sixty-five. He left a son, Xiaoji.

洪字叔明，擒虎季弟也。少驍勇，善射，膂力過人。仕周侍伯上士，後以軍功拜大都督。高祖為丞相，從韋孝寬破尉迥於相州，加上開府，甘棠縣侯，邑八百戶。高祖受禪，進爵為公。尋授驃騎將軍。開皇九年，平陳之役，授行軍總管。及陳平，晉王廣大獵于蔣山，有猛獸在圍中，眾皆懼。洪馳馬射之，應弦而倒。陳氏諸將，列觀於側，莫不歎伏焉。王大喜，賜縑百匹。尋以功加柱國，拜蔣州刺史。數歲，轉廉州刺史。時突厥屢為邊患，朝廷以洪驍勇，檢校朔州總管事。尋拜代州總管。仁壽元年，突厥達頭可汗犯塞，洪率蔚州刺史劉隆、大將軍李藥王拒之。遇虜于恆安，眾寡不敵，洪四面搏戰，身被重創，將士沮氣。虜悉眾圍之，矢下如雨。洪偽與虜和，圍少解。洪率所領潰圍而出，死者大半，殺虜亦倍。洪及藥王除名為民，隆竟坐死。煬帝北巡，至恆安，見白骨被野，以問侍臣。侍臣曰：「往者韓洪與虜戰處也。」帝憫然傷之，收葬骸骨，命五郡沙門為設佛供，拜洪隴西太守。未幾，硃崖民王萬昌作亂，詔洪擊平之。以功加位金紫光祿大夫，領郡如故。俄而萬昌弟仲通複叛，又詔洪討平之。師未旋，遇疾而卒，時年六十三。

Hong, whose courtesy name was Shuming, was Qinhu's youngest brother. In his youth he was bold and fierce, an expert archer, and stronger than ordinary men. He served the Northern Zhou as Senior Gentleman of the Palace Guard and later became Grand Commander on the strength of his battlefield record. While Yang Jian was still Chancellor, Hong followed Wei Xiaokuan in the defeat of Yu Chi at Xiangzhou, was granted the additional title of Opening the Mansion, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Gantang county with eight hundred households. When Yang Jian took the throne, Hong was promoted to duke. He was soon appointed General of Valiant Cavalry. In the ninth year of Kaihuang, during the conquest of Chen, he was made Campaign Commander. After Chen fell, Prince Jin Guang staged a grand hunt on Mount Jiang. A savage beast broke into the ring, and everyone was terrified. Hong spurred his horse forward, loosed an arrow, and the beast dropped at the bow's report. Chen's former generals stood in a row to watch, every one of them sighing with admiration. The prince was delighted and rewarded him with a hundred bolts of silk. Shortly afterward his battlefield record earned him the rank of Pillar of State and appointment as Inspector of Jiangzhou. A few years later he was reassigned as Inspector of Lianzhou. The Turks were raiding the frontier with growing frequency, and the court, trusting in Hong's martial prowess, put him in charge of Shuozhou as acting area commander. He was soon formally appointed Area Commander of Daizhou. In the first year of Renshou, the Turk khan Datou broke through the border. Hong marched out with Liu Long, Inspector of Weizhou, and the great general Li Yaowang to meet him. At Heng'an they met the enemy badly outnumbered. Hong fought on every side, took grave wounds, and his troops' spirits sank. The Turks massed their full strength around them, and arrows came down like rain. Hong pretended to negotiate peace, and the ring of besiegers slackened slightly. Hong led his men in a desperate breakout. More than half his force was lost, but they killed twice as many of the enemy. Hong and Li Yaowang were stripped of rank and reduced to commoners; Liu Long was eventually sentenced to death. On a northern tour Emperor Yang came to Heng'an, saw bleached bones strewn across the fields, and asked his attendants about them. An attendant replied, "This is the ground where Han Hong once fought the Turks. Moved to pity, the emperor had the bones gathered and buried, ordered monks from five commanderies to perform Buddhist rites, and appointed Hong Administrator of Longxi. Before long Wang Wanchang of Zhuyai raised a rebellion, and Hong was ordered to crush it. For this success he was promoted to Grand Master of Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon while retaining his prefectural post. Soon Wanchang's brother Zhongtong rebelled as well, and Hong was again sent to put him down. His army had not yet returned when illness took him. He was sixty-three.

○賀若弼

○ He Ruo Bi

賀若弼，字輔伯，河南洛陽人也。父敦，以武烈知名，仕周為金州總管，宇文護忌而害之。臨刑，呼弼謂之曰：「吾必欲平江南，然此心不果，汝當成吾志。且吾以舌死，汝不可不思。」因引錐刺弼舌出血，誡以慎口。弼少慷慨有大志，驍勇便弓馬，解屬文，博涉書記，有重名於當世。周齊王憲聞而敬之，引為記室。未幾，封當亭縣公，遷小內史。周武帝時，上柱國烏丸軌言於帝曰：「太子非帝王器，臣亦嘗與賀若弼論之。」帝呼弼問之，弼知太子不可動搖，恐禍及己，詭對曰：「皇太子德業日新，未睹其闕。」帝默然。弼既退，軌讓其背己，弼曰：「君不密則失臣，臣不密則失身，所以不敢輕議也。」及宣帝嗣位，軌竟見誅，弼乃獲免。尋與韋孝寬伐陳，攻拔數十城，弼計居多。拜夀州刺史，改封襄邑縣公。高祖為丞相，尉迥作亂鄴城，恐弼為變，遣長孫平馳驛代之。

He Ruo Bi, whose courtesy name was Fubo, came from Luoyang in Henan. His father Dun was renowned for martial prowess. He had served the Northern Zhou as Area Commander of Jinzhou until Yuwen Hu, envying him, had him put to death. At the execution block he called Bi to him and said, "I always meant to bring Jiangnan under control, but that ambition will die with me. You must finish what I began. And I am dying for my own loose tongue. Do not forget that lesson. He then drove an awl through Bi's tongue until it bled, warning him to guard every word he spoke. In youth Bi was open-handed and ambitious, fierce in battle and expert with bow and horse, able to compose prose, widely read in the histories, and widely respected in his own day. Prince Xian of Northern Zhou heard of him, held him in esteem, and made him a secretariat secretary. He was soon enfeoffed as Duke of Dangting county and promoted to Junior Inner Scribe. During the reign of Northern Zhou's Emperor Wu, Supreme Pillar of State Wuwan Gui told the emperor, "The crown prince is no emperor's material. I have discussed this with He Ruo Bi as well. The emperor summoned Bi and questioned him. Bi knew the crown prince's position could not be moved and feared for his own life, so he evasively answered, "The crown prince's virtue grows by the day. I have seen no flaw in him." The emperor said nothing. After Bi withdrew, Gui reproached him for going back on their understanding. Bi said, "When a ruler is indiscreet he loses his minister; when a minister is indiscreet he loses his life. That is why I would not speak openly. When Emperor Xuan came to the throne, Gui was eventually executed—and Bi was spared. He soon joined Wei Xiaokuan in the campaign against Chen, helped capture dozens of cities, and most of the plans behind those victories were Bi's. He was appointed Inspector of Shouzhou and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Xiangyi county. While Yang Jian was still Chancellor, Yu Chi rebelled at Yecheng. Fearing Bi might turn traitor, he sent Changsun Ping by fast relay to relieve him of command.

高祖受禪，陰有並江南之志，訪可任者。高熲曰：「朝臣之內，文武才幹，無若賀若弼者。」高祖曰：「公得之矣。」於是拜弼為吳州總管，委以平陳之事，弼忻然以為己任。與壽州總管源雄並為重鎮。弼遺雄詩曰：「交河驃騎幕，合浦伏波營，勿使騏驎上，無我二人名。」

After Yang Jian took the throne he quietly set his mind on unifying the south and asked whom he could trust with the task. Gao Jiong answered, "Among the ministers, no one matches He Ruo Bi in combined civil and military talent. The emperor said, "You have named the right man." Bi was then made Area Commander of Wuzhou and charged with conquering Chen—a mission he accepted with evident satisfaction. He and Yuan Xiong at Shouzhou together anchored the empire's southern front. Bi sent Yuan Xiong a verse: "The flying-cavalry pavilion at Jiaohe, Fubo's camp at Hepu—when glory mounts the qilin's back, let not our two names be missing from the roll."

獻取陳十策，上稱善，賜以寶刀。開皇九年，大舉伐陳，以弼為行軍總管。將渡江，酹酒而咒曰：「弼親承廟略，遠振國威，伐罪吊民，除凶翦暴，上天長江，鑒其若此。如便福善禍淫，大軍利涉；如事有乖違，得葬江魚腹中，死且不恨。」先是，弼請緣江防人每交代之際，必集曆陽。於是大列旗幟，營幕被野。陳人以為大兵至，悉發國中士馬。既知防人交代，其眾複散。後以為常，不復設備。及此，弼以大軍濟江，陳人弗之覺也。襲陳南徐州，拔之，執其刺史黃恪。軍令嚴肅，秋毫不犯。有軍士于民間沽酒者，弼立斬之。進屯蔣山之白土岡，陳將魯達、周智安、任蠻奴、田瑞、樊毅、孔范、蕭摩訶等以勁兵拒戰。田瑞先犯弼軍，弼擊走之。魯達等相繼遞進，弼軍屢卻。弼揣知其驕，士卒且惰，於是督厲將士，殊死戰，遂大破之。麾下開府員明擒摩訶至，弼命左右牽斬之。摩訶顏色自若，弼釋而禮之。從北掖門而入。時韓擒虎已執陳叔寶，弼至，呼叔寶視之。叔寶惶懼流汗，股忄栗再拜。弼謂之曰：「小國之君，當大國卿，拜，禮也。入朝不失作歸命侯，無勞恐懼。」既而弼恚恨不獲叔寶，功在韓擒虎之後，於是與擒虎相詢，挺刃而出。上聞弼有功，大悅，下詔褒揚，語在《韓擒虎傳》。晉王以弼先期決戰，違軍命，於是以弼屬吏。上驛召之，及見，迎勞曰：」克定三吳，公之功也。「命登禦坐，賜物八千段，加位上柱國，進爵宋國公，真食襄邑三千戶，加以寶劍、寶帶、金甕、金盤各一，並雉尾扇、曲蓋，雜彩二千段，女樂二部，又賜陳叔寶妹為妾。拜右領軍大將軍，尋轉右武候大將軍。

He submitted ten stratagems for the conquest of Chen. The emperor approved them and gave him a treasured sword. In the ninth year of Kaihuang the empire launched a full-scale invasion of Chen, with Bi as Campaign Commander. Before crossing the Yangzi he poured wine as an offering and swore an oath: "I take the court's grand design upon myself, carry our nation's might to distant shores, punish the guilty and succor the people, root out evil and end tyranny—Heaven and the Yangzi are my witnesses. If Heaven truly rewards virtue and punishes wickedness, may this army cross in safety; but if fate turns against us, let me lie in the bellies of the Yangzi's fish—I will die without regret. Earlier Bi had arranged that whenever the Yangzi garrison forces rotated duty, they must muster at Liyang. He then planted banners on a massive scale until tents and pennants covered the fields. The Chen court believed a full invasion was at hand and mobilized every soldier and horse in the realm. Once they realized it was only a routine rotation, the armies dispersed again. After that they treated such alarms as routine and stopped preparing defenses. This time Bi crossed the Yangzi with his full army, and the Chen never noticed. He struck Southern Xuzhou by surprise, took the city, and captured its inspector, Huang Ke. Discipline in his army was iron—not even a stalk of grain was touched. When a soldier was caught buying wine in town, Bi had him executed on the spot. He advanced to Baitu Hill on Mount Jiang, where Chen's generals Lu Da, Zhou Zhi'an, Ren Man'nu, Tian Rui, Fan Yi, Kong Fan, Xiao Mohe, and others barred his path with elite troops. Tian Rui attacked first; Bi drove him off. Lu Da and the rest pressed forward one after another, and Bi's line gave ground again and again. Bi judged the enemy overconfident and his own men growing slack. He rallied his officers and men to a fight to the death and broke the Chen army completely. His officer Yuan Ming, holder of the title Opening the Mansion, brought Xiao Mohe as a captive. Bi ordered his guards to drag him out for execution. Mohe's face never changed. Bi released him and received him with full courtesy. He entered the city through the North Side Gate. By then Han Qinhu had already taken Chen Shubao prisoner. When Bi arrived he summoned Shubao to face him. Shubao broke out in a cold sweat, his legs trembling as he kowtowed again and again. Bi told him, "A ruler of a lesser state greeting an officer of a greater one—that bow is proper etiquette. When you appear at court you will still be made Marquis Who Surrenders. There is nothing to fear. Afterward Bi brooded over having missed capturing Shubao himself and taking second place to Han Qinhu. He quarreled with Qinhu and went for his blade. When the emperor heard of Bi's success he was delighted and issued an edict of praise; the full account appears in the biography of Han Qinhu. Prince Jin Guang, angry that Bi had forced a decisive battle ahead of schedule in defiance of orders, handed him over to the military judges. The emperor summoned him by fast courier. When they met, he welcomed him with praise: "Pacifying the Three Wu was your doing." He had Bi take a seat beside the throne and showered him with rewards: eight thousand bales of goods, promotion to Supreme Pillar of State, elevation to Duke of Song, a fief of three thousand households at Xiangyi, a precious sword, belt, golden jar, and golden platter, pheasant-tail fans and curved canopies, two thousand bales of colored silk, two bands of palace musicians, and Chen Shubao's younger sister as a concubine. He was made General of the Right Army of the Guard, then transferred to General of the Right Military Guard.

弼時貴盛，位望隆重，其兄隆為武都郡公，弟東為萬榮郡公，並刺史、列將。弼家珍玩不可勝計，婢妾曳綺羅者數百，時人榮之。弼自謂功名出朝臣之右，每以宰相自許。既而楊素為右僕射，弼仍為將軍，甚不平，形於言色，由是免官，弼怨望愈甚。後數年，下弼獄，上謂之曰：「我以高熲、楊素為宰相，汝每倡言，雲此二人惟堪啖飯耳，是何意也？」弼曰：「熲，臣之故人，素，臣之舅子，臣並知其為人，誠有此語。」公卿奏弼怨望，罪當死。上惜其功，於是除名為民。歲餘，複其爵位。上亦忌之，不復任使，然每宴賜，遇之甚厚。開皇十九年，上幸仁壽宮，宴王公，詔弼為五言詩，詞意憤怨，帝覽而容之。嘗遇突厥入朝，上賜之射，突厥一發中的。上曰：「非賀若弼無能當此。」於是命弼。弼再拜祝曰：「臣若赤誠奉國者，當一發破的。如其不然，發不中也。」既射，一發而中。上大悅，顧謂突厥曰：「此人天賜我也！」

Bi was then at the height of power and prestige. His elder brother Long was Duke of Wudu and his younger brother Dong Duke of Wanrong; all held prefectures and field commands. Bi's household overflowed with treasures, and hundreds of maidservants and concubines dressed in silks; contemporaries regarded his station as the summit of honor. Bi believed his achievements outranked every minister at court and openly expected to be made chancellor. When Yang Su became Right Vice Director while Bi remained only a general, Bi's displeasure showed plainly in words and face. He was stripped of office, and his resentment only deepened. A few years later Bi was thrown into prison. The emperor confronted him: "I made Gao Jiong and Yang Su my chancellors, yet you kept saying they were fit for nothing but filling their bowls. What did you mean by that? Bi replied, "Jiong is an old friend of mine, and Su is my nephew by marriage. I know both men well, and I did say it." The officials reported that Bi's resentful talk amounted to a capital crime. The emperor valued his past service, however, and reduced him to commoner status instead of executing him. After a year his titles were restored. The emperor still mistrusted him and gave him no further appointments, yet at every banquet and grant he treated Bi with unusual generosity. In the nineteenth year of Kaihuang the emperor feasted the princes at Renshou Palace and ordered Bi to compose a pentasyllabic poem. The verses were bitter and resentful, but the emperor let them pass. On one occasion when Turks came to court, the emperor arranged an archery display. A Turk hit the target on his first shot. The emperor said, "Only He Ruo Bi can answer this. He then summoned Bi. Bi bowed twice and prayed aloud: "If I serve the state with a loyal heart, let my first arrow find the mark. If not, let the arrow miss. He loosed one arrow—and hit. The emperor was delighted and said to the Turks, "Heaven gave me this man!"

煬帝之在東宮，嘗謂弼曰：「楊素、韓擒虎、史萬歲三人，俱稱良將，優劣如何？」弼曰：「楊素是猛將，非謀將；韓擒虎是鬥將，非領將；史萬歲是騎將，非大將。」太子曰：「然則大將誰也？」弼拜曰：「唯殿下所擇。」弼意自許為大將。及煬帝嗣位，尤被疏忌。大業三年，從駕北巡，至榆林。帝時為大帳，其下可坐數千人，召突厥啟民可汗饗之。弼以為大侈，與高熲、宇文弼等私議得失，為人所奏，竟坐誅，時年六十四。妻子為官奴婢，群從徙邊。

While he was still crown prince, Emperor Yang once asked Bi, "Yang Su, Han Qinhu, and Shi Wansui are all called great generals. How do they rank against one another? Bi answered, "Yang Su is a fierce fighter, not a strategist; Han Qinhu is a duelist, not a commander; Shi Wansui is a cavalryman, not a supreme commander." The crown prince asked, "Then who is the supreme commander?" Bi bowed and said, "That is for Your Highness to decide." In his own mind, Bi was already the supreme commander." Once Emperor Yang took the throne, Bi was kept at an even greater distance and watched with suspicion. In the third year of Daye he joined the emperor's northern tour as far as Yulin. The emperor pitched an enormous tent that could seat thousands and summoned Qimin Qaghan of the Turks to a feast beneath it. Bi considered the display outrageously lavish and privately debated its folly with Gao Jiong, Yuwen Bi, and others. Someone informed on them, and Bi was executed at the age of sixty-four. His wife and children were enslaved to the state, and his kinsmen were exiled to the borderlands.

子懷亮，慷慨有父風，以柱國世子拜儀同三司。坐弼為奴，俄亦誅死。

His son Huailiang was generous and spirited like his father and, as heir to a Pillar of State, was appointed Yitong Third Rank. Implicated in his father's fall, he was enslaved and soon executed as well.

史臣曰：夫天地未泰，聖哲啟其機；疆埸尚梗，爪牙宣其力。周之方、邵，漢室韓、彭，代有其人，非一時也。自晉衰微，中原幅裂，區宇分隔，將三百年。陳氏憑長江之地險，恃金陵之餘氣，以為天限南北，人莫能窺。高祖爰應千齡，將一函夏。賀若弼慷慨，申必取之長策，韓擒虎奮發，賈餘勇以爭先，勢甚疾雷，鋒逾駭電。隋氏自此一戎，威加四海。稽諸天道，或時有廢興，考之人謀，實二臣之力。其俶儻英略，賀若居多，武毅威雄，韓擒虎稱重。方于晉之王、杜，勳庸綽有餘地。然賀若功成名立，矜伐不已，竟顛殞於非命，亦不密以失身。若念父臨終之言，必不及於斯禍矣。韓擒虎累世將家，威聲動俗，敵國既破，名遂身全，幸也。廣陵、甘棠，鹹有武藝，驍雄膽略，並為當時所推，赳赳干城，難兄難弟矣。

The historiographer writes: When heaven and earth are not yet at peace, sages and worthies seize the moment; when the frontiers remain blocked, warriors and champions bring their strength to bear. Zhou had its Fang and Shao; the Han had its Han Xin and Peng Yue. Every age produces such men—it is never a matter of one moment alone. From the decline of Jin the heartland was torn apart and the realm sundered—for nearly three hundred years. The Chen court trusted in the Yangzi's natural defenses and Jinling's residual prestige, believing heaven itself had divided north from south and that no foe could cross. The Founding Emperor answered the summons of the age and set out to reunite the realm. He Ruobi, bold and high-spirited, laid out the strategy that would surely win; Han Qinhu threw himself into the fight and spent his last reserves of daring to lead the charge. Their momentum was like thunder, their blades swifter than lightning. With this single campaign the Sui made their might felt across the four seas. Measured against heaven's way, dynasties rise and fall in their season; measured by human design, the conquest was truly the work of these two ministers. In daring strategy and sweeping design, He Ruo had the edge; in martial resolve and commanding presence, Han Qinhu was the greater name. Set beside the Wang and Du of Jin, their achievements would still have stood with room to spare. Yet He Ruo, once his fame was won, never stopped boasting of it and in the end died an untimely death—he had also failed to guard his tongue and paid with his life. Had he remembered his father's dying warning, he would never have come to such ruin. Han Qinhu came from generations of military houses, and his reputation shook the realm. Once the enemy state fell, he won lasting fame and kept his life—a piece of good fortune. The dukes of Guangling and Gantang were both skilled in arms; in boldness and resource they were admired alike—fierce bulwarks of the state, brothers each the equal of the other.

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