 After he became a teenager, he served in the palace guard corps, and when Emperor Wen saw him, he was reminded of Yuchi Chong's contributions.He therefore issued an edict giving Yuchi Yichen a moderate amount of wealth, while bestowing the imperial clan surname of Yang on him and conferring him the status of the emperor's grandnephew.Soon afterwards, Emperor Wen made him the governor of Shan Province (陝州, roughly modern Sanmenxia, Henan).