At the school he was said to have been reserved and distant in manner.
Civil Service
The classical curriculum of the imperial college held little appeal for Yang Chien, and a year after entering the college he withdrew. He was given a military appointment, for which he was well qualified, having been trained in the martial arts when he was young. He rose in the military under the Northern Chou and also held several civil posts, both in the capital and in the provinces. He held a high military command in the successful war against the state of Northern Ch'i (550-577), a war in which the Northern Chou united North China.
Yang Chien married into the Tu-ku family, one of the most powerful non-Chinese families in the state. His wife, a very able person, became his lifelong adviser and confidante. His marriage brought him closer to the inner circles of power. His connections were further strengthened when their daughter married the Northern Chou crown prince in 573.
After the Northern Chou reunited North China in 578, there was every indication that they would go on to conquer the rest of China.
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