Qin Shubao
Later, he joined another warlord, Liu Wuzhou (刘武周), near Taiyuan. The major military officer under Liu Wuzhou, Song Jingang (宋金刚), noticed Yuchi Gong's talent. Song asked Yuchi Gong to be his assistant officer. When Liu Wuzhou and Li Yuan came into a war, Yuchi Gong was extremely active during battles to revenge for the indignity he suffered in Li's camp. He led his men occupied Li Yuan's three cities during one day and eight villages during the following night. Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng were defeated. At that time, Li Yuanba was already dead, so Li Yuan had to send Li Shimin to stop Yuchi Gong. One evening, when Li Shimin and Cheng Yaojin (程咬金, or Cheng Zhijie 程知节, another warrior known for his three fighting tactics with an axe) were marching, they were ambushed by Yuchi Gong at a creek called Meiliang-Chuan (美良川). Although Li Shimin and Cheng Yaojin were both great warriors, they were defeated. Li Shimin asked Cheng Yaojin to retreat first and find Qin Shubao for help. Cheng Yaojin worried that Yuchi Gong might kill Li Shimin when he was away. Yuchi Gong told him that he would not even try to kill Li Shimin before Qin Shubao was there, or he would die under the Zhijin Gate, a major gate in Chang'an. When Cheng Yaojin left, Li Shimin asked Yuchi Gong why he did not join Li's troop as he was from Taiyuan. Yuchi Gong was annoyed because he thought it was Li Shimin who affronted him in the camp. Li Shimin explained that he was not the one recruiting in Taiyuan, but it just made Yuchi Gong angrier. Then Yuchi Gong could not stop himself from attacking Li Shimin. Fortunately, Qin Shubao arrived at that time. Qin and Yuchi engaged in fighting at once. They drew in that battle, but Yuchi Gong used three tactics with his Bian, while Qin Shubao only used two tactics with his Jian. The battle of Meiliang-Chuan was called Three Bians versus Two Jians (三鞭换两锏) in folk cultures, and that was why people usually regarded Qin Shubao was a little better than Yuchi Gong in martial arts.