Before the era of Murong Ping came, the ancestors of Qianyan were still fighting bravely for their country to become strong, and they did not expect that the foundation they had established would be buried in the hands of Murong Ping.

In the north, Murong Chui, who had changed his name and became the king of Wu, led 80,000 cavalry to defeat Ding Lingle in Saibei, beheaded more than 100,000 prisoners, and returned with a great victory.

In the northwest, the Xiongnu led an army of 35,000 people to surrender to Helaitou.

In the northeast, the king of Goguryeo, Gao Zhao, sent an envoy to call him a minister.

To the west, the Former Qin Empire, which was founded almost at the same time as the former Yan, was still weak at this time, and under the iron cavalry of the Yan army, the former Qin Liyang was too protective of Han Gao, and Hanoi was too protective of Wang Cang Toucheng.

In the south, the Yan army went all the way south, quickly swept away the remnants of Hou Zhao and other hostile forces, and had a fierce collision with the Jin State on the front line of the Huai River.

What I want to talk about here is a few classic battles on the way of the Yan army to the south.

Battle of Lukou

In the era of cold weapons, due to the lack of heavy strike weapons, it has always been taboo for soldiers to attack the city. The southbound Yan army with the brave wind of the grassland can destroy the god of war Ran Min in the field, but when the Xianbei cavalry with fast horses and scimitars faces the strong city, they can only look at the city and sigh. Lukou (now Raoyang, Hebei) was the first fortified city encountered by the Yan army in the south.

In 352, after the end of the Battle of Liantai, Ran Cao, the son of Ran Min, fled to Lukou, and it was Wang Wu who guarded Lukou in Youzhou, Later Zhao.

In the process of fighting against Qianyan to the south, Wang Wu once fought bravely, and Wang Wu is a Han Chinese, under the "Killing Hu Order", when the Central Plains Zhuhu raised the butcher's knife to the Central Plains Han people, in Ran Cao's heart, Wang Wu is a relative.

After learning that Ran Min had been captured, Wang Wu proclaimed himself "King An" in July 352 and continued to fight against Former Yan. In August, Murong Jun ordered Murong Ke, Taiwei Feng Yi, and Shang Shu Ling Yangqi to attack Lukou.

Wang Wu gave Ran Cao to the Yan army, although there was a strong city to rely on, but the situation was no longer there, in the face of the siege of the Xianbei army, Wang Wu chose to abandon Ran Cao, who had no political value.

Murong Ke was also helpless under the strong city, since he got Ran Cao, he did not return empty-handed, and harvested all the crops outside the city, and the Yan army immediately withdrew to Zhongshan (now Dingzhou City, Hebei).

In fact, Murong Ke still won the battle, eliminating the remnants of Ran Wei (Ran Cao) and putting an end to hidden dangers; snatched Lu rations and grass (harvesting crops outside the city), and directly planted a time bomb for Wang Wu. In the years of war, food is the source of soldiers, combat effectiveness, and life. Lukou, who lacks food, is in danger without a fight.

In October, Murong Ke stationed troops in peace, accumulated grain, repaired siege equipment, and prepared to crusade against Wang Wu again.

However, unfortunately, due to Su Lin's rebellion (rising in Wuji, claiming to be the Son of Heaven), Murong Ke's trip was delayed (first crusading against Su Lin), and Wang Wu also lost the opportunity to fight with Murong Ke due to Su Lin's rebellion, in October, Wang Wu was killed by his general Qin Xing, and then Lü Hu killed Qin Xing and succeeded to the throne of An.

After a series of turmoil, there is no Wang Wu, no unity and common hatred! Lukou is no longer the impregnable city it was before. In February 354, Murong Ke again sent troops to besiege Lukou, and defeated him in March. Lü Hu fled to Yewang (present-day Qinyang, Henan). Because of the capture of Lukou, Murong Jun took Murong Ke as the Great Sima, Shizhong, Dadu Governor, and Lu Shangshushi, and was named the king of Taiyuan.

Battle of Guanggu

It is the Xianbei Duan clan that guards Guanggu, and it can be regarded as the old enemy of the Murong family, once upon a time, he almost perished Murong Xianbei, who was not yet strong, on the road of growth.

Although it was finally defeated by the Murong Division, after years of dormant development, around 350 years, the Xianbei Duan Department finally made a comeback, Duan Lan's son Duan Gong took advantage of the civil strife in Later Zhao and the opportunity of Ran Wei Xinli, led his subordinates to migrate all the way, and finally moved east to Guanggu (now Qingzhou, Shandong), proclaimed himself the king of Qi, and declared himself a vassal to the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and was named the general of Zhenbei.

After Qianyan conquered Shi and Ran Wei, the territory was greatly expanded, and it became a regime across the four prefectures of You, Hebei, and Ping, and Murong Jun was immediately proclaimed emperor and founded the country. Compared with the unusually calm original suzerain, the Eastern Jin Empire, the Xianbei Duan clan, as a vassal of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, appeared to be indignant, and in 355, Duan Gong Zhishu Murong Jun criticized him for being the emperor.

That letter expounded the illegality and harmfulness of Murong Jun's claim to be emperor from multiple angles, and the meaning of criticism and persuasion jumped on the paper, his words were chiseled, his heart was fisted, and his feelings were earnest!

However, the tiger's ass cannot be touched after all. Duan Gong's letter touched Murong Jun's most sensitive nerves: even Ran Min, who was bound all over, dared to shout to his face, "Er Cao Yidi, birds and beasts are still called emperors, and I am a hero of Middle Earth, why can't I be called emperor evil!" ”

I, Murong Jun, "Why can't you be called an emperor?" ”

One can imagine Murong Jun's anger after reading the letter. Of course, Duan Niche dared to write to Murong Jun at this moment is confident, after the occupation of Guanggu, Duan Niche has greatly increased his strength, and due to the particularity of the geographical location, its strategic position is extremely important, and it has threatened the dominance of Qianyan in the Central Plains.

In November 355, Murong Jun took Murong Ke as the governor of the capital and the general of the Fu army, and Shangshu Ling Yangqi as the deputy general, and sent troops to Guanggu.

Even without the stimulus of that letter, it was imperative to send troops to fight. The former Yan Empire would not tolerate tigers on its way south, and clearing out all non-forces that had threatened or could pose a threat became a task that the southbound Yan army had to complete.

In December, the Yan army arrived on the north bank of the Yellow River, and Murong Ke crossed the river in a light boat to reconnoiter the movements of Duan Niche and test the reality of the other party.

As for how to deal with Murong Ke's attack, Duan Gong's younger brother Duan Zhen believed that Ke'er's high force value was beyond the direct resistance of Xianbei Duan's troops, and once the Yan army crossed the Yellow River and approached Guanggu City, the situation would be out of control. The best way is to base the enemy on the north side of the Yellow River, and if the attack is successful, the large army will follow up in time, and it will be a great success. If the enemy could not be prevented from crossing the Yellow River, there would be no need to defend Guanggu City, and if the city was abandoned and surrendered, the elder brother could still worship the marquis.

Duan Shrine did not follow his brother's advice, and, due to Duan Zhen's insistence, he was eventually killed by Duan Shrine.

Cutting generals in battle, a taboo for soldiers! The situation was uncontrollable from then on.

In the first month of 356, Murong Ke's army all crossed the Yellow River, more than 100 miles away from Guanggu, and Duan Gong led an army of 30,000 to meet the battle. On the thirtieth day of the first month, Murong Ke defeated Duan Shrine in Zishui, surrendered thousands of troops, and Duan Shrine fled back to Guanggu and closed the city to hold on.

Murong Ke ordered the Yan army to besiege it with a high wall and a deep trench outside Guanggu City. At the same time, with Huairou means to appease the surrounding cities of Guanggu, Duan Niche signed Xuzhou Assassin Shi Wang Teng is equivalent to surrendering Murong Ke in February of that year.

Seven months later, Duan Shrine, who was trapped in Guanggu, asked for help from the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

In August, Xun Xian, the assassin of Xuzhou in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, was ordered to lead the army to relieve the siege, but under the strong prestige of the Yan army, Xun Xian's army cowered when it reached Langya. It coincided with the attack on Juancheng by Murong Ke's general Wang Teng (originally the assassin of Xuzhou in Duan Niche, and later surrendered to Qianyan), and Xun Xian attacked Yangdu (now Yinan, Shandong) and beheaded Wang Teng. After achieving a few successes, Xun Xian immediately withdrew his troops.

The rescue of the Eastern Jin Dynasty was thus over.

Soon after, Guanggu, who had no reinforcements outside and no food and grass inside, fell into a situation of cannibalism among passers-by, and Duan Gong, who had nothing to defend, led the whole army to fight Murong Ke, of course, it was a failure, a fiasco, and the whole army was annihilated! Duan Gong fled back to Guanggu City on his own.

In November, the shrine was opened.

In the battle of Guanggu, Murong Ke used the tactics of long siege and long-term siege, and when he was exhausted, tired, and distracted, he easily captured the fortified city, and achieved the expected results with minimal losses. This battle is a textbook method of conquering the fortified city, and it is also another masterpiece of Murong Ke's military career after Liantai.

As for Duan Gong, he did not accept his advice, killed the general (his brother) in battle, and was trapped in a lonely city, with no foreign aid. His failure is not worth regretting in the slightest.

After the battle of Guanggu, Taishan Taishou Zhuge of the Eastern Jin Dynasty led his troops to attack the former Yandong County (now Puyang, Henan), and Murong Ke led Yang Qi and Murong Zang to lead the troops to attack and was defeated. Zhuge Yu returned to Mount Tai (now Tai'an, Shandong). Murong Ke took advantage of the victory over the Yellow River and occupied part of Henan. After that, the territory of Qianyan quickly extended to the south of the Yellow River, posing a threat to the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

Battle of the Wild King

The Battle of the Wild King took place after Murong Jun's death.

Before introducing the Battle of the Wild Kings, let's take a look at the main character of the Battle of the Wild Kings - Lu Hu, who escaped in the Battle of Lukou.

Lu Hu is a villain, or rather, a pure egoist in troubled times. Throughout his life, he took refuge in the Eastern Jin Dynasty twice, in Former Yan twice, and once in Later Zhao.

In February 361, affected by the death of Murong Jun, Lü Hu, the former general of Yan Ningnan, who guarded the Yewang, secretly defected to the Eastern Jin Dynasty and plotted to lead the Jin army to attack Yecheng, the former capital of Yan.

Before the action began, the matter was revealed.

In March of that year, Murong Ke led his army to Yewang to quell the rebellion, and the Battle of Yewang began.

The outcome of the war was already doomed at the beginning, and Lu Hu was a loser without any suspense. In the face of the strong strength of the Yan army, Lu Hu, who was frightened, had no power to fight back, and the only thing he could do was: close the city and hold on.

Murong Ke then built a deep ditch and high fortress outside Yewang City, cutting off the defenders' foreign aid, so as to wait for the opportunity to attack him.

It was a rebel army, but it did not take the initiative to attack, but it fell into the predicament of besieging the city, and in one dark night after another, Lu Hu stood at the head of the city and looked at the enemy bonfires dotted in the distance, sleepless at night!

The time lasted until July of that year, when Lu Hu fell into the dilemma of having no food and grass inside and no rescuers outside, and after losing the decisive battle out of the city, he decided to find an opportunity to break through. It was still a dark night, and Lu Hu led his most elite forces to attack Murong Ke's weak link.

The breakout was successful, because Lu Hu finally jumped out of the encirclement and ran out. The breakthrough was also a failure, because our Ke'er had already prepared, and under the heavy siege, Lü Hu suffered heavy losses, lost all his subordinates, and fled to Xingyang (now Xingyang, Henan) on a single horse.

Murong Ke immediately conquered the wild king and ended the battle of the wild king.

At this moment, Qianyan's territory basically covers Pingzhou, Youzhou, Jizhou, Qingzhou, Zhongzhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Xuzhou, Bingzhou and other places, east to the vicinity of Seoul in North Korea, west to the west of the Yellow River, south to the south of the Huai River, north of the desert, a total of 157 counties, with a population of more than 10 million. This is a wolf from the north, eyeing the gentle country and the world of flowers in the south.

After the former Yan went south to the Central Plains, after a series of battles, basically eliminated all kinds of hostile forces in northern China, and the land of Shenzhou once again appeared in the situation of the Three Kingdoms, but this time it was different from the Three Kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu, the Three Kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu were in the shape of a positive "product", and the three kingdoms of Yan, Qin and Jin were in the shape of an inverted product, the south was a dominant Eastern Jin Dynasty, and the north was divided into two, the east was the emerging Qianyan, and the west was the low-key development of the former Qin. Among the three kingdoms, the strength of Yan was far greater than that of Qin and Jin.

Without the constraints of large and small forces, Qianyan began to be able to concentrate on big things. At the same time, it also laid a good foundation for the unification of the north by the former Qin, and after the destruction of Yan in World War I, there was no major war in northern China.