Chapter 9: The Battle of the Khitan

Li Cunmiao officially married Xue Yumei, canonized her as Mrs. Anguo, announced to the whole country, and granted amnesty to the world. Because Yumei was reluctant to enter the palace, she still lived in the original courtyard. On the day of the wedding, all the people in Jinyang City went to the street to see the "Liyuan No. 1 Tsing Yi" riding the eight-person sedan chair to welcome the relatives and parade on the street.

In order to celebrate the marriage of the master Xue Yumei in Tsing Yi, Jinyang Red Opera Park staged a three-day drama for free viewing. For a time, all civilians and magnates in Jinyang City flocked to Jinyang Red Theater and took turns to go in to watch the play for free. The whole Jinyang City is as lively as the New Year.

Li Cunmiao broke the Houliang in the south this time, and set Youyan in the north, and shocked the world. Jiedu made Wang Rong and Wang Chuzhi send envoys into Jin one after another, and jointly promoted Li Cunqiao as Shangshu Ling. Li Cunxuan resigned three times according to the courtesy, and then accepted the post of Shang Shuling. He opened a hegemonic palace in Jinyang, established a platform, and appointed officials in the name of the emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

A few days after the wedding, Xue Yumei reminded Li Cunqiao that he should go to the court to govern. Li Cunmiao felt Xue Yumei's virtue. On the second day, the ministers were convened to discuss the government. Zhang Chengye, the superintendent, reported: "Wei Bojie made Yang Shihou die of illness. Zhu Youzhen of the Liang State took the opportunity to send troops to divide Weibo Town into two towns in order to weaken the power of the feudal town, which unexpectedly triggered the Weibo Mutiny. The mutineers imprisoned the new envoy of the Liang State, He Delun, please surrender to Jin. Guo Chongtao played: "King, this is an excellent opportunity for my Jin army to send troops, and I can take advantage of the situation to occupy Wei Bo and defeat the Liang Kingdom." ”

Li Cunqiao immediately ordered Li Siyuan and Guo Chongtao to lead troops to occupy Weizhou (Handan, Hebei). In order to deter the mutinous soldiers, stabilize the chaotic situation, and prevent future troubles, Li Cunmiao ordered the execution of Zhang Yan, the leader of the mutineers, and others. He organized Wei Boya's soldiers into a pro-army and put them under his own command. He also personally led the envoy of Wei Bojie, and then personally led the army to capture Dezhou and Shanzhou (now Qingfengxi, Henan). In July of that year, Li Cunqiao marched into Shen County and confronted the Liang general Liu Cheng.

In the second year, Li Cunqiao saw that the confrontation between the two armies had reached a stalemate, so he used tactics to lure the enemy. claimed to return to Taiyuan to lure Liu Cheng into battle. Liu Cheng really fell into the plan and wanted to take the opportunity to recapture Weizhou, but was attacked from three sides by Li Cunxuan, Li Siyuan, and Li Cunxian, the Ninth Taibao, and was defeated in the Battle of Yuancheng and fled to Huazhou (now Huaxian County, Henan). After that, Li Cunxuan took advantage of the victory to pursue, and sent Li Siyuan and Li Cunxun of the Ninth Taibao to divide his troops to capture Weizhou, Zhaozhou, Xiangzhou, Xingzhou, Cangzhou, Beizhou and other places one after another. The north of the Yellow River, except for Liyang, was occupied by the Jin State. Since then, the situation between Liang and Jin has reversed, forming a situation of confrontation across the Yellow River, which is very beneficial to the Jin state.

On this day, Li Cunmiao convened his ministers to discuss the national policy of dealing with the Khitan. Zhang Chengye played: "Since Yelu Abaoji succeeded to the position of Khitan Khan, due to the tradition of the Khitan people, the position of Khan should be re-elected once every three years. And Abaoji imagined that the emperor of the Central Plains established a lifelong and hereditary system, so when he served as Khan for three years, he continued to sit on the throne of the Khan with his strength and prestige, and refused to hand over power. This caused the dissatisfaction of other nobles within the Yelu tribe, because according to custom, the khan practiced the family election system, and after the position of the khan was transferred to the Yelu clan, the khan had to be held by the adults of the family. If Abaoji does not give way, others will have no chance to be elected.

In order to fight for this right to be elected, the brothers of Abaoji's family first rose up against him. There were three rebellions by his brothers. The first time in 911 A.D., in May of this year, Abaoji's younger brother Yelu Raig, Yelu Diera, Yelu Yin Dishi, and Yelu Anduan plotted a rebellion, and was reported to Abaoji by Anduan's wife Mu Gu, who couldn't bear to kill these brothers, so he swore to the sky with them to climb the mountain and kill animals, and then pardoned them, but demoted Yelu Lage's official position, and crowned Mu Mu Gu as the lady of the Jin Kingdom.

These brothers did not appreciate it, and the next year, under the leadership of Jerodeth, they rebelled again. In addition to the original few people, Yelu Huage also participated. In July of this year, Abaoji conquered the Shubu Department and let Yelu Lag lead his troops to attack Pingzhou. By October, Yelu Rage had captured Pingzhou and led his troops to block Abaoji's return route in an attempt to force him to attend the Khan's re-election meeting. Abaoji did not fight hard, but led the troops south, and according to traditional customs, he held a ceremony of burning firewood to tell the sky 'burnt wood ceremony' in front of them, and once again served as the khan. It proved that he had been legally re-elected, so that his brothers had no basis for rebellion. Abao's soldiers put down a rebellion without bloodshed. On the second day, the younger brothers sent people to ask Abaoji for their guilt, and Abaoji no longer pursued it, but only ordered them to repent and reform.

However, the temptation of the Khan's throne was much greater than brotherhood, and the brothers rebelled again less than half a year later. They first discussed the establishment of Yelu Rag as the new Khan, and then sent Yelu Diera and Yelu Anduan to pretend to meet Abaoji, hoping to hijack Abaoji to attend the Khan re-election meeting that they had prepared. In addition to the own tribe, the nobles of the Otomuro tribe also participated.

Abaoji discovered their plot, solved Diera and Anduan, and collected their 1,000 cavalry, and then personally led his troops to pursue Rage. Another army of the Ragar faction, led by Yin Dishi, went straight to Abaoji's palace, burned down the baggage and the tent, and also took away the symbolic banner of the khan's power and the ancestral tent. Abaoji's wife, Shu Luping, guarded the big tent, led the troops to resist desperately, and when the reinforcements came, they sent people to chase after them, but they only recovered the banners. In April, Abaoji led his troops north to pursue Rage, and he first sent people to ambush and intercept them in front, and then attacked them in front and back. In the end, he defeated Ragar and recaptured the Divine Tent. By May, Abaoji led his troops to attack and finally captured Rage.

After three counterinsurgency, Abaoji basically eliminated the opposition of his family, but his tribe suffered heavy losses, and the original horses were 10,000 horses, and now the people have to walk when they go out. ”

Li Siyuan continued: "Although the opposition of the Yeluben tribe has been eliminated, the opposition of the other seven Khitan tribes still exists, and they have forced Abaoji to relinquish the position of Khan under the banner of restoring the old Khan election system. Abaoji had no choice but to hand over the banner first, promised to abdicate, and then set up a plan to retreat. He said to the people: "I have been in the position of Khan for nine years, and there are many Han people under my subordinates, can I lead a part to govern Seoul?" Everyone agreed.

When he got there, Abaoji led the Han people to farm, there was salt and iron in the local area, and the economy was also very developed, Abaoji adopted the strategy of his wife's law, and sent someone to tell the leaders of the tribes: "I have a salt pond, and I often supply it to the tribes, but everyone only knows that it is convenient to eat salt, but they don't know that the salt pond also has an owner, you should come to treat me and my subordinates." Everyone felt justified, so they came with cattle and wine, but they didn't expect to fall for Abaoji's trick. Abaoji set up an ambush, and when everyone was drunk, he killed all the leaders of the tribes. ”

Guo Chongtao said: "Now, Shouzhou Assassin Shi Lu Wenjin rebelled against the Khitan and led the Khitan army south. This time, Yelu Abaoji personally led an army of 500,000 and entered Kou Youzhou. Zhou Dewei, the defender of our Jin Kingdom, held Youzhou alone for nearly 200 days, and at the same time sent an envoy to ask the king for help. Please send troops to the rescue quickly! ”

Li Cunxuan then ordered the Ninth Taibao Li Cunxian, Li Siyuan, and Yan Bao to lead 70,000 cavalry and go north to rescue. In August of that year, Li Siyuan led reinforcements to arrive outside Youzhou City, defeated the Khitan army, and lifted the siege of Youzhou. In this battle, the Jin army captured tens of thousands of prisoners, captured countless cattle, sheep, and baggage. Abaoji was forced to withdraw his troops and let Lu Wenjin stay in Pingzhou to hold an important passage for the Khitan south.

Soon, Zhang Wenli, the defense envoy of Zhenzhou, killed Wang Rong, the envoy of Jiedu, asked Abaoji for help, and dealt with Li Cunqiao together. Abaoji went south to the Central Plains for the second time, captured Zhuozhou, and then marched to besiege Dingzhou, and fought with Li Cunqiao in the area of Shahe and Wangdu.

It was just in time for a rare heavy snowfall, and it had been falling for more than ten days, and the snow on the ground was several feet thick. Li Cunqiao consulted with Guo Chongtao, and Guo Chongtao said: "The Khitan soldiers are all nomadic customs, and they prepare their own food and forage when they go out to fight, and they rely on plundering everywhere to solve the supply during wartime. Therefore, once the Central Plains soldiers besieged them or fought a protracted war, it would be difficult for the Khitan soldiers to hold on. Li Cunqiao said: "However, at this time, the Khitan and our army are facing each other, there is a shortage of soldiers, horses, food and grass, and the wounded soldiers cannot be treated in time. The troops will be withdrawn soon, and at this time it is advisable to send troops to ambush behind their flanks, and when they withdraw their troops, take the opportunity to attack. ”

Sure enough, a few days later, the Khitan withdrew its troops, and Li Cunqiao and Guo Chongtao led the troops in pursuit. Li Cunmiao kept in mind the instructions of his father Li Ke with three arrows of revenge before his death, and rushed to the front first, chasing after the banner of the Khitan king, he knew that the flag of the Khitan king was usually planted on the chariot of Yelu Abaoji. Li Cunmiao rushed all the way to kill, and with a spear, he killed the Khitan cavalry blocking in front of him, so that he lost his armor and turned over on his horse, and killed directly into the Khitan army, leaving his own personal guards far behind.

At this time, Yelu Abaoji, who was standing on the train of the Khitan King, turned around and saw a fierce general in the golden helmet and golden armor who rushed to the front of the Jin army, so he rushed to the front and hurriedly ordered his personal guards to step forward to block. Yelu Abaoji's two personal guard officers, Ye Luxiong and Ye Luhong, turned their horses' heads and immediately blocked Li Cunqiao's way. Li Cunqiao saw that the two of them were riding high-headed horses, looking vicious, knowing that they were Khitan fierce generals, he didn't need to say anything, patted his horse and raised his gun, and aimed at Yeluxiong and shook a shot, Yeluxiong howled and raised his scimitar and slashed at the spear. Li Cunmiao didn't wait for the spear to be used, and suddenly with a turn of his wrist, the tip of the spear cut a semicircle, stabbing at Ye Luhong next to him. Yeluhong snorted coldly, and the axe in his hand slammed against the barrel of Li Cunqiao's spear. Li Cunqiao saw that Yeluhong's plate axe was heavy, and estimated that this manpower big axe was sinking, and before the plate axe touched the barrel of the gun, the tip of the spear sank along the way, and made a cut on the front hooves of Yeluhong's war horse. Taking advantage of this gap, Li Cunqiao turned the muzzle of the gun and stabbed Yeluxiong's waist, Yeluxiong just slashed the air with a knife, and hurriedly turned the horse's head, at this time the spear was about to stab his body, Yeluxiong hurriedly dodged. Li Cunmiao's series of three shots forced the second Khitan general to be in a hurry and embarrassed. Li Cunmiao didn't wait for the two to come back to their senses, and returned to the horse with another shot, stabbing Yeluhong in the back of the heart, Yeluhong heard the wind behind him, instinctively looked sideways, and Li Cunmiao's spear pierced Yeluhong's left arm. Ye Luhong was in pain and knocked away the spear with a plate axe, and slashed at Li Cunqiao with a backhand plate axe, Li Cunqiao slumped on the horse, kicked his legs, urged the horse to jump, and dodged the plate axe.

Yeluxiong has turned the horse's head at this time, and slashed at Li Cunmiao, Li Cunmiao used the back of the gun to block the scimitar, reversed the spear, and stabbed Yeluxiong's ribs, Yeluxiong returned the knife to block, Li Cunmiao took the spear as a club, and swept away the waist, Yeluxiong was swept in the side waist, and the pain was so painful that he almost fell off the horse. Li Cunmiao stabbed three times in a row, Yeluxiong was shot once in the thigh, and the war horse under the crotch was shot twice in the stomach, and the war horse was in great pain and ran away. Li Cunqiao saw that the Khitan king's chariot fled far away, and he did not love to fight, so he turned his horse's head to pursue the Khitan king's chariot. Seeing this, Yeluhong screamed and rushed over, Li Cunqiao ignored it, Yeluhong chased closely behind, Li Cunqiao took off his bow and arrow, suddenly turned around and gave an arrow, the two were too close to each other, and when Yeluhong reacted, the sharp arrow had been shot in the chest, and Yeluhong fell off the horse. Seeing that the two generals failed to stop the Jin generals, he ordered his guards to release arrows, and Li Cunqiao brandished his spear to shoot the arrow-like arrows. At this time, there will be more and more Khitan soldiers blocking in front. Seeing that the Khitan Wangqi was running farther and farther, it was already difficult to catch up, Li Cunqiao stuck his spear on the ground in annoyance, and sighed: "Let Abaoji escape today, it's really annoying to me!" ”

Li Siyuan and Fu Cunxian attacked behind the Khitan flank, killing the Khitan with heavy losses, and the Jin army won a complete victory. After this battle, Yelu Abaoji realized that the Khitan power was still insufficient in the war with the Central Plains, so he was forced to stop using troops to the south and instead conquer to the northeast and northwest.

Li Cunqiao said: "The Khitan is defeated and retreated, and the northern Xinjiang can be temporarily protected without worry. Zhang Chengye said: "We have been using troops for many years, and the treasury is empty, so we should make a truce for a period of time, so as to restore our national strength and reserve grain and grass for supply." Li Cunmiao disagreed: "The supervising army is reasonable, but at this time, the morale of our army is booming, and we should go all out and send troops south to conquer Liang." Li Cunmiao began to transfer troops south, and ordered Li Siyuan, Fu Cunxian, Guo Chongtao and other generals to lead the troops to push the front to the bank of the Yellow River, confront the Liang army, and fight for various key points along the Yellow River.

In December of the following year, Li Cunmiao led his army eastward, broke several camps of the Liang army, captured Yang Liucheng, an important ferry from Weizhou to Yunzhou, captured the defender An Yanzhi, and plundered to Yunzhou and Puzhou. Zhu Youzhen was in Luoyang at this time for the ceremony of sacrificing to the sky, and when he heard the news, he rushed back to Bianzhou in a hurry and organized the Liang army to recapture Yang Liucheng. However, the Liang general Xie Yanzhang used troops several times, but never recovered Yang Liucheng.