Hunting the World, Part One: The Six Garrisons Rise

The Six Garrisons rebellion, which defended Pingcheng, the Northern Wei Empire’s old capital, sounded the death knell for the dynasty. War brought bloodshed and endless darkness, yet a faint glimmer shone in a small frontier garrison. No one could have imagined that this was where the founder of the glorious Sui and Tang golden age would emerge! In the depths of winter in 524, after the Northern Wei court had put down the Six Garrisons rebellion, it resettled the displaced people in Hebei but took no effective measures to secure their livelihood. This sparked an uprising among the refugees. Ge Rong, a general stationed at Huaishuo Garrison, launched a revolt in Zuoren City, which grew into one of the largest refugee uprisings in Chinese history. Yang Zhen took in refugees in Zuoren City, but Ge Rong captured the city and killed him. His son, Yang Zhong, was left adrift in the Southern Liang and sought refuge with Chen Qingzhi, a marquis in Guanzhong. A young blacksmith known as Little Monkey escaped Zuoren City, wandered the desert, and vowed to forge the sharpest weapons in the world. Yang Min, Yang Zhen’s younger brother, led the people of Hebei in building a new fortified settlement on the north bank of the Yellow River: Fangtou Fort. Three years later, Ge Rong, commanding a million soldiers, declared himself emperor and prepared to cross the Yellow River and attack Luoyang. Fangtou Fort, positioned at the crossing, was directly in his path and once again faced disaster. Yang Zhong, stranded in the Southern Liang, grew through the hardships of war. By order of Emperor Xiao Yan, he led three hundred Liang soldiers to escort Princess Lü Tao’er of Beihai back north and garrison Fangtou Fort. He shot and killed Ge Rong’s general Ren Bao, then helped the people of Fangtou Fort repel Ge Rong’s army.