宇文护
Yuwen Tai died later in 556, leaving his son and heir Yuwen Jue under the guardianship of his nephew Yuwen Hu. Around the new year 557, Yuwen Hu forced Emperor Gong of Western Wei to yield the throne to Yuwen Jue, ending Western Wei and founding Northern Zhou, with Yuwen Jue taking the throne as Emperor Xiaomin, but with the alternative title of "Heavenly Prince" ("Tian Wang"). Wei was made the deputy minister of the interior. After Yuwen Hu removed and killed Emperor Xiaomin later in 557 and replaced him with another son of Yuwen Tai, Yuwen Yu the Duke of Ningdu (as Emperor Ming), Wei took on the additional responsibility as an imperial researcher. (It might have been the case that this was Yuwen Hu's way of removing Wei from a military command without dishonoring him, for Wei's great friend Dugu Xin opposed Yuwen Hu and, in 557, was forced to commit suicide on account of that opposition.) In 560, Yuwen Hu poisoned Emperor Ming to death, and Emperor Ming's brother Yuwen Yong the Duke of Lu became emperor (as Emperor Wu).