Chapter 66: Extraneous Branches

In March 397 AD, Fuqu Nancheng and his cousin Fuqu Mengxun led the troops to support Houliang Jiankang Taishou Duan Ye called himself Liangzhou Mu, founded the Northern Liang, and attacked the Houliang counties, when the Dunhuang Taishou Meng Min saw the rise of the Northern Liang to block the contact with the Houliang, he surrendered the city, the main Duan Ye of the Northern Liang State treated him with natural kindness, and specially ordered him to continue to serve as the Dunhuang Taishou, and agreed to recommend the Dunhuang clan Li Wei as the commander of the valley county.

In less than a year, Dunhuang Taishou Meng Min died of illness, and the Dunhuang officials immediately jointly signed the Beiliang State Lord Duan Ye, and recommended Xiaogu County to order Li Wei to succeed as Dunhuang Taishou, Duan Ye also heard that Li Wei was known as a virtuous name, so he agreed to let him serve as the Dunhuang Taishou.

In 399 A.D., the Beiliang general Suo Si was also a member of the Dunhuang clan, and he wanted to serve as the Taishou in Dunhuang, and tried to stand on his own feet in Dunhuang, so he persuaded Duan Yedao, the lord of the Beiliang State who had just been called the king: "Dunhuang Taishou Li Wei lived in Dunhuang, and his reputation was very high, and now the northwest is unstable, and the lord can send a powerful general to take charge of Dunhuang affairs." ”

Duan Ye said without thinking: "It is really commendable that the general can enter the loyalty without any worries, and he ordered the general to go to Dunhuang to replace Li Wei." ”

Suo Si was secretly happy in his heart, and immediately took the order out, and hurriedly led 500 cavalry to Dunhuang to perform his duties.

Along the way, Suo Si was full of ambition, and when he was not far from Dunhuang, Suo Si saw that it was getting late, so he ordered the soldiers to set up camp, and sent people to Dunhuang City, and notified the Taishou Li Wei to come to greet him.

At this time, Dunhuang Taishou Li Wei learned that Suo Si held the edict of Duan Ye, the lord of the Northern Liang Kingdom, and came to replace him, although he was very suspicious in his heart, but he was still ready to go out of the city to meet, and his subordinates Zhang Miao and Song Miao and others hurriedly dissuaded, Zhang Miao said: "Now the Lu family is in turmoil, Duan Ye is cowardly and incompetent, this is the time for the hero to start a business." The general sits on the foundation of the country, how can he give it up! Suo Si relied on Duan Ye's edict, believing that it was a matter of course to succeed the general, and he would never be prepared, and now he sent troops to raid and capture him. ”

Li Wei scratched his head and was silent in thought, Song Xuan saw this, and hurriedly advised: "The general is recommended by the world, but if he wants to be killed, won't he be laughed at by the world!" And the general is heroic, and he has the talent to go through the heavens and latitudes, and the great cause of Zhang's Liangzhou was not a problem. ”

Li Wei laughed and said: "I don't have grand and lofty ambitions, so I am an official here, but I didn't expect to be respected by the world." I just want to go out of the city to greet him, but I don't know what everyone wants! ”

Song Miao continued: "The general can send me to pay a visit, and I will be kind enough to stabilize Suo Hei, observe the situation of his subordinates, and then come back in return!"

”

Li Hui Dayue, then sent Song Xuan to meet Suo Si, Song Miao came to the camp of Suo Si, dismounted from afar and walked to Suo Si tent, saw Suo Si is even more groveling, said to him: "Dunhuang Taishou Li Wei heard that the general came to take over, so he did not dare to delay, in the city to check the household registration and salary, ready to pack, in preparation for tomorrow's handover, the special subordinate brought food and wine to comfort the general, so that the general is a little restless, can first garrison rest, tomorrow can be handed over." ”

Suo Si did not doubt in his heart, and laughed: "Li Wei is not a well-informed person, he is diligent and thoughtful, this general will give the king a table, and add officials to him. ”

Suo Si distributed the delicacies and wine given by Li Wei to the soldiers, and held a banquet that night, looking forward to tomorrow's delivery.

Song Xuan saw that Suo Si did not hesitate, so he quickly returned to Dunhuang City, and informed Li Wei of the situation in Suo Si's camp, Li Wei then sent his son Li Xin and Zhang Miao, Song Miao and other troops to attack Suo Si's military camp overnight, Suo Si and his soldiers were full of wine and food, they had already slept as usual, they were attacked at night, defenseless, the soldiers lost their armor and fled, and Suo Si had to lead a few horses to flee back to Zhangye, the capital of Beiliang State.

Li Wei learned that Suo Si had fled back to Zhangye, and sent Duan Ye, the lord of Beiliang State, to count the crimes of Suo Si, and request that Suo Si be executed, so as to appease the hearts of Dunhuang soldiers.

The frustrated man who assisted in the national politics was very disgusted with Suo Si because he stole chickens and rice, and persuaded Duan Ye to kill him.

Duan Ye saw that Suo Si could not succeed in his plot, which caused public anger, so he ordered Suo Si to be killed, and sent an envoy to Dunhuang to appease Li Wei and knight him.

Li Wei saw that Duan Ye, the lord of the Northern Liang Kingdom, was so cowardly that his disobedience was even stronger, so he appeased the people in Dunhuang, recruited soldiers, and raised food and wages, waiting for the opportunity to stand on his own.

In 400 A.D., Tang Yao, the general of Beiliang Jinchang, saw that Duan Ye was weak and incompetent, and Li Wei had a very high reputation and supported the army, so he raised troops to spread the word Jiuquan, Liangxing and other counties, and elected Li Wei as the general, Liang Gong, and the county guards all responded.

After Li Wei became self-reliant, he crowned Tang Yao as a general, and ordered Song Miao to lead the army to occupy the cities west of Yumen Pass, shock the countries of the Western Regions, and develop wasteland in Yumen Pass and Yangguan Tuntian, encourage cultivation, and gradually increase its national strength.

However, at this time, Duan Ye, the lord of the Northern Liang Kingdom, had no time to take care of the expansion of Li Wei in the Western Liang, because in the Northern Liang Dynasty, Duan Ye had always been jealous of the Fuqu Nancheng and the Fuqu Mengxun brothers who had the merit of supporting the country, especially when he saw that the Fuqu Mengxun had repeatedly offered good strategies when he founded the country, knowing that his ability was extraordinary, and fearing that he would threaten his throne, he had the idea that he must first settle down at home.

If you know how the main section of the Northern Liang Kingdom copes with the situation of internal and external troubles, please see the next chapter.