Yuwen Shu Yuwen Shu ( 宇文述 ) ( died 616 ) , courtesy name Botong ( 伯通 ) , formally Duke Gong of Xu ( 許恭公 ) , was an official and general of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty . He was a confidant of Emperor Yang ( Yang Guang ) and was instrumental in Yang Guang ' s displacement of his brother Yang Yong as crown prince ; therefore , after Yang Guang became emperor , Yuwen Shu became exceedingly powerful and was one of two generals who spearheaded Yangdi ' s efforts in the Goguryeo - Sui Wars . His son Yuwen Huaji later led a coup against Emperor Yang in 618 and , after killing Emperor Yang , briefly claimed imperial title in 619 , but was soon captured and killed . Another son of Yuwen Shu , Yuwen Shiji , however , was a friend of Tang Dynasty ' s founder Li Yuan ( Emperor Gaozu ) , and after Li Yuan established Tang remained an influential official . Background . Yuwen Shu ' s ancestors were originally named Poyetou ( 破野頭 ) and were ethnically Xianbei . As they became followers of the Yuwen branch of the Xianbei , their names were named to Yuwen . His great - great - grandfather Yuwen Juyudun ( 宇文侰與敦 ) , great - grandfather Yuwen Changshou ( 宇文長壽 ) , and grandfather Yuwen Gu ( 宇文孤 ) all served under Northern Wei as army officers at Woye Garrison ( 沃野 , in modern Bayan Nur , Inner Mongolia ) . Yuwen Shu ' s father Yuwen Sheng ( 宇文盛 ) was a general under Northern Zhou and eventually served as the minister of imperial clan affairs , one of the six main ministers under Northern Zhou ' s six - department governmental structure . It is not known when Yuwen Shu was born . When he was young , he became known for his skills at riding and archery . Because of his father ' s achievements , during the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou , he was made a mid - level governmental official . He was much favored by Emperor Wu ' s regent Yuwen Hu , and he became a commander of Yuwen Hu ' s personal guards . After Emperor Wu killed Yuwen Hu and personally took power in 572 , he made Yuwen Shu the deputy minister of imperial clan affairs , and eventually , he was created the Duke of Boling , and then the Duke of Puyang . In 580 , after the death of Emperor Wu ' s son and successor Emperor Xuan , Emperor Xuan ' s father - in - law Yang Jian seized power as regent , and the general Yuchi Jiong , suspicious of Yang ' s intentions , rose against him at Xiang Province ( 相州 , roughly modern Handan , Hebei ) . Yang sent the general Wei Xiaokuan against Yuchi , and Yuwen served under Wei . He defeated Yuchi ' s general Li Jun ( 李雋 ) , and later , with other generals , defeated Yuchi ' s son Yuchi Dun ( 尉遲惇 ) . Eventually , after Wei was victorious over Yuchi Jiong , forcing Yuchi Jiong to commit suicide , Yuwen ' s title was promoted to Duke of Bao . During Emperor Wen ' s reign . In 681 , Yang Jian had Emperor Xuan ' s young son Emperor Jing yield the throne to him , ending Northern Zhou and starting Sui Dynasty as its Emperor Wen . Yuwen Shu served as a general for Sui . In winter 688 , when Emperor Wen launched a major attack on rival Chen Dynasty , Yuwen Shu participated in the campaign , and after the generals Han Qinhu ( 韓擒虎 ) and Heruo Bi ( 賀若弼 ) crossed the Yangtze River to attack the Chen capital Jiankang , Yuwen advanced to the nearby fortress of Shitou to aid Han and Heruo . After Heruo and Han captured Jiankang and the Chen emperor Chen Shubao , the Chen generals Xiao Huan ( 蕭瓛 ) and Xiao Yan ( 蕭巖 ) were holding out in modern Zhejiang . Yuwen was sent , along with Yan Rong ( 燕榮 ) , to attack Xiao Huan and Xiao Yan , and he defeated Xiao Huan and forced Xiao Yan to surrender . After the completion of the campaign , in recognition of his contributions , Emperor Wen gave his son Yuwen Huaji a mid - level governmental post , while making Yuwen Shu himself the commandant at An Province ( 安州 , roughly modern Xiaogan , Hubei ) . After the campaign against Chen , Emperor Wen ' s son Yang Guang the Prince of Jin , who was in overall command of the campaign against Chen , became the commandant at Yang Province ( 揚州 , roughly modern Yangzhou , Jiangsu ) . Yuwen Shu was friendly with Yang Guang , and Yang Guang , whose ambitions included displacing his older brother Yang Yong the Crown Prince as his father ' s heir , therefore requested in 600 and received Emperor Wen ' s approval to have Yuwen ' s command post moved to Shou Province ( 壽州 , roughly modern Lu ' an , Anhui ) , closer to Yang Guang ' s post . At one point , Yang Guang consulted Yuwen Shu as to how he could displace his brother . Yuwen suggested entering an alliance with the powerful official Yang Su — and forming the relationship with Yang Su through Yang Su ' s brother and confidant Yang Yue ( 楊約 ) . Yang Guang therefore gave Yuwen much treasure and had him go to the capital Chang ' an to try to meet Yang Yue . Yuwen offered some of the treasures pillaged from Chen to Yang Yue , and then also intentionally lost to Yang Yue when the gambled . After he had become sufficiently familiar to Yang Yue , he revealed to Yang Yue that it was Yang Guang ' s intent to enter into an alliance with Yang Su — persuading Yang Yue that given that Yang Su did not have a warm relationship with Yang Yong , his family would be in danger if Yang Yong were to succeed Emperor Wen . Yang Yue , in turn , persuaded Yang Su , who subsequently persuaded Emperor Wen and Emperor Wen ' s wife Empress Dugu Qieluo that Yang Yong should be deposed . Emperor Wen and Empress Dugu agreed , and in 600 Emperor Wen deposed Yang Yong and replaced him with Yang Guang . Yang Guang made Yuwen Shu a commander of his palace guards and gave his daughter , the Princess Nanyang , to Yuwen Shu ' s son Yuwen Shiji ( 宇文士及 ) in marriage . In 604 , while Emperor Wen was ill , Yuwen Shu was one of the guard commanders that Yang Guang summoned to guard Emperor Wen ' s vacation palace Renshou Palace ( 仁壽宮 , in modern Baoji , Shaanxi ) . Emperor Wen soon died — a death that traditional historians , while admitting a lack of direct evidence , generally believed to be a murder ordered by Yang Guang . Yang Guang then took the throne as Emperor Yang , and he put Yang Yong to death . During Emperor Yang ' s reign . After Emperor Yang took the throne , Yuwen Shu , as one of his confidants , became more and more powerful , eventually becoming one of the most powerful individuals in the realm ; Emperor Yang also elevated his title to Duke of Xu . In 607 , Yuwen , in order to allow Yun Dingxing ( 雲定興 ) , the father of Yang Yong ' s favorite concubine Consort Yun , to join Emperor Yang ' s regime , persuaded Yun that Yang Yong ' s sons needed to die , and then persuaded Emperor Yang of the same . Emperor Yang poisoned Yang Yong ' s oldest son ( by Consort Yun ) , Yang Yan ( 楊儼 ) the former Prince of Changning , and exiled Yang Yong ' s other sons , but eventually had them all killed . It was only after the deaths of Yang Yong ' s sons that Yuwen was able to recommend Yun to Emperor Yang , who made Yun one of his chief engineers . In 607 , while Emperor Yang was conducting a tour of the northern border , he arrived at Yulin Commandery ( 榆林 , roughly modern Yulin , Shaanxi ) . Yuwen Shu ' s sons Yuwen Huaji and Yuwen Zhiji ( 宇文智及 ) , who were mid - level officials in Emperor Yang ' s government , secretly conducted forbidden trade with Tujue . Emperor Yang was incensed and ordered that they be executed , but at the last minute spared them , formally awarding them to their father as slaves . In 608 , the official Pei Ju persuaded Tiele to attack Tuyuhun , and after Tiele defeated Tuyuhun , Tuyuhun ' s Bujiabo Khan Murong Fuyun offered to surrender to Sui . Emperor Yang sent his cousin Yang Xiong ( 楊雄 ) the Prince of Ande and Yuwen to rendezvous with Murong Fuyun to accept his surrender , but once Yuwen arrived at Linqiang ( 臨羌 , in modern Xining , Qinghai ) , Murong Fuyun , fearful of the strength of Yuwen ' s force , changed his mind and fled west , and Yuwen attacked Tuyuhun ' s trailing people instead , capturing thousands of Tuyuhun ' s people . Emperor Yang thus established four commanderies over the former Tuyuhun territory . In 612 , Yuwen Shu participated in Emperor Yang ' s first campaign against Goguryeo . Emperor Yang ' s main forces put Goguryeo ' s key northern city Liaodong ( 遼東 , in modern Liaoyang , Liaoning ) under siege ( although he was ultimately unable to capture it ) , but sent Yuwen with a branch army to head deep south , across the Yalu River , heading directly toward the Goguryeo capital Pyongyang . However , on the way , his army ran out of food supplies and was forced to withdraw , and as it did , Goguryeo forces gave chase and crushed him . When Emperor Yang retreated as well , he put Yuwen under imprisonment , but still remembering his relationship with Yuwen , did not execute him , but reduced him to commoner rank . However , soon he had Yuwen ' s title restored . In 613 , Emperor Yang launched his second campaign against Goguryeo — and again , he himself headed for Liaodong while ordering Yuwen and Yang Yichen to head for Pyongyang . In the midst of the campaign , however , news arrived that Yang Su ' s son Yang Xuangan had rebelled near the eastern capital Luoyang . Emperor Yang was forced to abandon the campaign against Goguryeo , and he sent Yuwen and Qutu Tong ( 屈突通 ) ahead of himself , to reinforce the forces near Luoyang against Yang Xuangan . Yuwen , Qutu , and the generals defeated Yang Xuangan , and Yang Xuangan fled west , intending to attack Chang ' an . Yuwen , Qutu , Wei Wensheng ( 衛文昇 ) and Lai Hu ' er ( 來護兒 ) gave chase , catching up with Yang Xuangan at Hongnong ( 弘農 , in modern Sanmenxia , Henan ) and dealt him a final crushing blow . Yang Xuangan tried to flee further , but knowing that he could not escape , had his brother Yang Jishan ( 楊積善 ) kill him . Pursuant to Yuwen ' s suggestions , Emperor Yang had Yang Jishan and Yang Xuangan ' s strategist Wei Fusi ( 韋福嗣 ) put to death in cruel manner . In 615 , Yuwen was involved in a major massacre of a noble clan . While Yuwen was still Emperor Yang ' s guard commander when Emperor Yang was crown prince , Li Hun ( 李渾 ) the son of the senior noble Li Mu ( 李穆 ) the Duke of Shen , who had died in 586 , had become angry at his nephew Li Yun ( 李筠 ) , who had inherited the title of Duke of Shen , and he had Li Yun assassinated , while framing his cousin Li Jutan ( 李瞿曇 ) for the murder and had Li Jutan executed . He then bribed Yuwen , his brother - in - law , with a promise that if he were allowed to inherit the ducal title , he would give Yuwen half of the stipend received from the fief . Yuwen persuaded the Crown Prince to in turn persuade Emperor Wen to agree , so Li Hun inherited the title . However , after Li Hun received the title , he only paid the bribe for two years and then stopped . Yuwen , resentful of Li Hun ' s broken promise , planned his revenge . By 615 , there had been rumors throughout Sui territory that the next emperor would be named Li . Emperor Yang therefore particularly became suspicious of Li Hun ' s nephew Li Min ( 李敏 ) , the husband of his sister Yang Lihua ' s daughter Yuwen Eying ( 宇文娥英 , who was also the daughter of Northern Zhou ' s Emperor Xuan , as the Yang Lihua , the Princess Leping , was Emperor Xuan ' s wife and empress ) , because Li Min ' s nickname was " Hong ' er " ( 洪兒 ) , meaning " son of a flood , " and Emperor Wen had long ago dreamed that a flood would overflow the capital . Emperor Yang therefore tried to hint to Li Min that he should commit suicide , but Li Min did not . Yuwen Shu then had the official Pei Renji ( 裴仁基 ) falsely accuse Li Hun of plotting treason . Emperor Yang put Yuwen Shu in charge of the investigation , and Yuwen Shu manufactured evidence , particularly persuading Yuwen Eying that Emperor Yang would have the Lis executed anyway , and that she should save herself . Yuwen Eying thus wrote a confession implicating both Li Hun and Li Min . Li Hun , Li Min , and 32 of their clansmen were executed , and their other relatives were exiled . Several months later , Yuwen Eying was also poisoned . In fall 615 , while Yuwen accompanied Emperor Yang on a tour of the northern provinces , Tujue ' s Shibi Khan Ashina Duojishi made a surprise attack and put Emperor Yang ' s train under siege at Yanmen ( 雁門 , in modern Xinzhou , Shanxi ) . Yuwen suggested Emperor Yang select a few thousand cavalry soldiers to make a counterattack to break out of the siege , but Su Wei and Fan Zigai ( 樊子蓋 ) persuaded Emperor Yang otherwise . Rather , at the suggestion of Emperor Yang ' s brother - in - law Xiao Yu , Emperor Yang sought aid from the Princess Yicheng — Ashina Duojishi ' s wife and a Sui princess . Princess Yicheng falsely reported to Ashina Duojishi that Tujue was under attack from the north , and so Ashina Duojishi withdrew . Su subsequently suggested to Emperor Yang that he return to Chang ' an , but at Yuwen ' s suggestion , Emperor Yang went to Luoyang instead . In fall 616 , while Emperor Yang was inquiring about the status of agrarian rebellions ( by this point , most of Sui territory was in fact engulfed in agrarian rebellions ) , Yuwen , in order to placate him , informed him that the rebellions had largely been suppressed . Su , however , truthfully informed Emperor Yang that the rebellions were causing major problems for Sui rule . Emperor Yang , not happy about the news , soon considered putting Su to death , but eventually only reduced Su to commoner rank . Soon thereafter , seeing that Emperor Yang wanted to go back to Jiangdu , the capital of Yang Province , Yuwen formally suggested that he does so , and Emperor Yang agreed . Yuwen followed Emperor Yang there , and became ill at Jiangdu . He died in winter 616 . Pursuant to his dying wishes , Emperor Yang pardoned Yuwen Huaji and Yuwen Zhiji , returning them to governmental service .