The reason why Wang Shichong and Chen Sangliang, the unscrupulous men-in-law, suddenly turned against each other and went to war has always been the focus of debate among historians of later generations. I think it was caused by Chen Sangliang's too tough attitude on the issue of territorial division, and many people pointed out that the war between the king and Chen was the inevitable result of the development of the situation at that time. Wang Shichong and Chen Sangliang, who were both ambitious and greedy warlords, could not tolerate the other party's separatist regime. .
Each has its own reasons, and there are endless debates about it. There has been no conclusion for hundreds of thousands of years. Many brickmen and beasts have cheated a lot of manuscript fees by this, many treacherous booksellers have made a lot of money by this, and many innocent trees have made a lot of money because of this. After being deforested and destroyed the environment, it was sent to a paper mill to continue to pollute the environment. It can be seen that Wang Shichong and Chen Sangliang, the unscrupulous husband-in-law, have a deep legacy and endless poison.
The truth of history is always hidden under the history books written by the victors. The old general Youyun took the initiative to provoke the Eastern Capital Army, and then he heard the unfeeling reply and arrogant threats of Chen Sangliang brought back from Taiyuan by the eldest grandson Anshi. Wang Shichong No matter how good-tempered he was, he couldn't bear it anymore, so he immediately made up his mind to fight against his unfilial son-in-law, and take back the two strategic locations of Xin'an and Yiyang first, so as to consolidate the security of the Eastern Capital Army on the western front.
For Wang Shichong's decision, the father and son Wang Shiyun and Wang Renze, who almost died in the hands of old general Yun, applauded. They couldn't wait to ask for orders to lead the army to the west. Wang Shishi, Wang Shibian and other members of the Wang clan also felt that Chen Sangliang was too arrogant. , I have suffered too much from Chen Sangliang, so I have to find some ground and agree with Wang Shichong's decision to start the war. On the contrary, Dai Zhou, Li Shiying and other foreign surnames firmly opposed it. They all thought that the soldiers of the self-army were tired from fighting on multiple fronts. At this moment, we should try our best to exercise restraint against Chen Sangliang and stop setting up strong enemies. This also somewhat persuaded Wang Shichong to hesitate.
The sudden unexpected news from Hulaoguan shattered the efforts of Dai Zhou, Li Shiying and other loyal ministers in the eastern capital. He won the final victory and drove away Li Mi's best friend Yang Jishan who had resisted for more than a month in Hulao Pass, successfully regained Hulao Pass, and completely reversed the passive situation of the Eastern Capital Army's eastern front. Wang Shichong was overjoyed when he heard the news. With no more worries on the eastern front, he finally decided to send Wang Shiyun and his son to lead an army of 20,000 to attack Xin'an, and recover Xin'an City, which is basically equivalent in strategic position to Hulaoguan on the western front.
The 20,000-strong army arrived at the city of Xin'an in mighty force. Wang Shiyun and his son, who even Chen Sangliang looked down upon, naturally didn't pay much attention to the famous sycophant Yun Dingxing. It's a pity that Wang Shiyun and his son scratched their heads and found that our old general Yun is not only a sycophant, but also a person who can do practical things. With only more than ten thousand second-line troops in hand, our old general Yun took the challenge calmly. Although the tactics are not as brilliant and fierce as other famous generals in the world, they are better than the rules and there are no major mistakes. With the repeatedly reinforced Xin'an City Defense, they hit the Eastern Capital Army head-on, and killed the Eastern Capital Army in a hurry, causing heavy casualties. Thousands of troops were lost in the siege battle on the first day alone.
Learning from the failure of the hasty siege, Wang Shiyun and his son were forced to adjust their tactics and vigorously build siege weapons, intending to launch an attack with sufficient preparations. However, the Sui army also took the opportunity to respond. He Yanyu, the chief general of the Hongnong Sui Army who had been preparing for the war in secret, personally led an army of 10,000 to Mianchi, ready to send reinforcements to General Yun at any time. The Yellow River strengthened the troops of Xiaohandao, and Chen Sangliang's uncle Li Keshi, the bird thief cousin, also strengthened the defense of Yiyang, and personally led 4,000 troops to the east of Jiuqu City to contain the flanks of Wang Shiyun and his son.
In the face of such a quick response from the Sui army, and when Wang Shiyun and his son worked hard to build the siege weapon, they were extremely dumbfounded to find that the total strength of the Sui army they had to face had surpassed them, and one of them As early as in Qi County, He Yanyu, a general of the Sui army, was already famous for his bravery. In view of this situation, Wang Shiyun and his son, who were in a weak position, naturally did not dare to continue to attack Xin'an Jiancheng. They could only send someone to ask Wang Shichong for help, and asked Wang Shichong to send reinforcements to help them.
After receiving the news that the Sui army responded so quickly, Wang Shichong also vaguely sensed that something was wrong—the unfilial son-in-law seemed to have been prepared to fight him. But things have come to this point, for his own face and strategic security, Wang Shichong still bit the bullet and immediately sent the main force who had just withdrawn from the Eastern Front to the Western Front to join the war, and ordered Duan Da and Gao Pi to lead 20,000 troops to reinforce the Xin'an battlefield, and ordered Pei Renji led an army of 10,000 to counterattack Jiuqu City to face Chen Sangliang's cousin, the bird thief. The poor soldiers of the eastern capital hurried to continue fighting on the western front without any rest.
The war between Chen and Wang started in full swing. For a while, both Xin'an and Jiuqu City were full of fighting noises, and Jin Ge continued. Going back to Yiyang to show Chen Sangliang the ancestral grave, but Wang Shiyun and his son Duan Da and Gao Pi were successfully drawn into a war of attrition by General Yun on the battlefield of Xin'an, and a large amount of Dongdu army was consumed in the battle of attacking and defending the city. With military supplies, He Yanyu also led the army eastward after the defeat of Li Keshi, walked out of Xiaohan Road to reinforce the Xin'an battlefield, and forced the Eastern Capital Army to divide troops to fight. The scale of the battle was further expanded, and Wang Shichong's already severely damaged war potential continued Weakened, with no sign of an end in sight.
At the same time, after Chen Sangliang left his cousin Li Jing in Taiyuan to sweep up the remaining enemies on the northern front, he finally led the main force of the Sui army to Puban, Hedong. With some spare energy, the newly surrendered Taiyuan generals such as Yin Kaishan, Feng Li, and Shi Wanbao were also very eager to establish meritorious service as soon as possible, but Chen Sangliang still rejected the suggestion of all the generals under his command to send troops to the Eastern Front immediately, and chose to let the main force retreat to Daxing for rest. Digest and recruit tens of thousands of Taiyuan Army and Dingyang Army elites.
In this regard, although Chen Sangliang's dog-headed army staff team knew very well that Chen Sangliang didn't want the main force to be too tired, they still warned Chen Sangliang: "Your Highness, Xin'an and Yiyang are too close to Dongdu, and Daxingtai is too close. Far away, Wang Shichong has recaptured Hulao Pass, the pressure on the eastern front has been greatly reduced, and the main force can be used on the western front. Although with the strength of our army, it is no longer necessary to care about the gains and losses of a city, a place, and the victory or defeat of one or two partial divisions. But Xin’an and Yiyang are strategically important after all, it would be a pity to lose them, Your Highness had better strengthen some forces on the eastern front, and while forcing Wang Shichong to continue to use troops to the west, we should also do our best to protect Xin’an and Yiyang.”
"Especially Yiyang." Feng Deyi added: "Your Highness, your ancestors' tombs are all in Yiyang. Once Yiyang falls, Your Highness, your ancestral tombs will definitely be lost!"
Although Chen Yingliang's ancestral grave was dug up, he wouldn't do Chen Sangliang's business, but it's a pity to lose Xin'an and Yiyang, strategically important places in the Central Plains, so after careful consideration for a while, Chen Sangliang Still asked: "How is Yu Wenhua and the situation over there?"
"It's miserable." Yuan Tiangang replied: "We failed to attack Wei County and Wuyang County. He squandered all the food left in Liyang Cang. He even gave up Cangcheng. The number of defeated troops is less than 30,000. People, who are currently stationed in Hanoi say they are preparing to counterattack Luoyang, but in fact they are eating and drinking and waiting to die. They tried to take advantage of the fire during the decisive battle between Wang Shichong and Li Mi, but they were beaten away by Pei Renji."
After all, Yuan Tiangang carefully reminded: "Your Highness, if you want to pretend to form an alliance and use Yu Wenhuaji to share the pressure on our Eastern Front, I am afraid it is unrealistic. Yu Wenhuaji was defeated in the Eastern Capital War before. We are too shady, hate us to the bone, and probably won't be fooled again."
"Not necessarily." Chen Sangliang smiled, and said: "Yu Wenhua and the current situation are no longer worthy of forming an alliance with this king. Send someone to recruit him. As long as he sends troops to attack the traitor Wang Shichong, this king will pardon his regicide." Given his current situation, he should be tempted."
After hesitating for a while, Feng Deyi said cautiously: "Your Highness, Yu Wenhua and the king-killer are here, and the world will discuss it together. Your Highness, you are still a courtier of the Sui Dynasty. I am afraid that it will be bad for your Highness's reputation if you issue a Jun decree to pardon him. About this matter, His Highness, will you seriously consider it..."
The voice of the well-known sycophant Feng Deyi became smaller and smaller, and finally became inaudible. He was afraid of offending Chen Sangliang and causing displeasure to his boss. But fortunately, Chen Sangliang was able to listen to the persuasion. Concerned about his hypocrisy and good reputation, Chen Sangliang hesitated for a while, then nodded, and said: "Feng Nei Shi, what you said is a word of loyalty. As a minister, this king cannot forgive the king-killing traitor, otherwise, this king will not be able to explain to the people of the world. However, this king does not want to make the main force too tired... "
"Your Highness, why don't you send an army to conquer Hanoi?"
Seeing that Chen Sangliang accepted his objection, Feng Deyi gradually became more courageous, so he suggested again: "Most of Yu Wenhua and his soldiers are Guanzhong soldiers. They are homesick and lack food and grass supplies. For Yu Wenhua and continue to work hard. Your Highness can send a partial division to conquer Hanoi, and at the same time issue a decree, announcing that only Yu Wenhua and his brothers will be punished, and the rest will not be pursued. Then as long as you see our army flag, Yu Wenhua And the soldiers under his command must surrender in anticipation of the wind, and Yu Wenhuaji must also flee westward. After our army seizes Hanoi, we can directly threaten Luoyang from a condescending position, force Wang Shichong to strengthen the defense on the northern line, and indirectly share the huge pressure for Xin'an and Yiyang. It will also be very beneficial for our army to send troops to the Central Plains in the future."
"Not a bad idea." Chen Sangliang nodded in satisfaction, and said with a smile: "Xiaoguo elite soldiers have suffered enough crimes, which can barely offset their crimes of helping the tyrant, and it's time to help them out. Let's do this, from our main force He and the Hanoi local soldiers and the newly surrendered soldiers each drew 5,000 troops to form 15,000 troops to march westward to conquer Yuwenhua and the rebels. If the food and grass were transported by water from Changping Cang to Yuan County, we would not be under great pressure."
Considering that Liu Hekai was too exhausted during the Northern Expedition, and at the same time that Qin Qiong suffered too much aggrieved during the Northern Expedition, Chen Sangliang decided to appoint Qin Qiong as the main general of this partial division, supplemented by Fan Wenchao, Liu Dewei and excellent political ability Du Ruhui's younger brother, Du Chuke, asked them to deal with the Xiaoguo army with grace and power. At the same time, he issued a call to action early on, declaring that the targets of this dispatch to Hanoi were only Yu Wenhua and Yu Wenzhi and his two brothers, and the rest would not be pursued, psychologically disintegrating Yu Wenhua and the last remaining defeated general under his command.
Upon hearing the news that Chen Sangliang sent troops to Hanoi, Wang Shichong even laughed out loud for a while, thinking that his unfilial son-in-law got his head in the water after a series of victories, set up enemies everywhere, and fought on multiple fronts to kill himself. But soon, Wang Shichong couldn't laugh anymore, because after Qin Qiong and Fan Wenchao led the Sui army's partial division across the Zhongtiao Mountains, they had just arrived in Yuan County. Jiang Xiaolang was still devouring the wine and meat rewarded to him by Qin Qiong and others, while impatiently volunteering to recruit Xiaoguo army companions for the Sui army. Qin Qiong and others agreed, and sent Jiang Xiaolang's subordinates to sneak into the hinterland of Hanoi with the surrender letter to recruit other generals of the Xiaoguo Army.
The ensuing battle in Hanoi was even smoother than Feng Deyi's analysis. After the Sui army crossed the Zhi Pass, Feng Pule, the general of the Xiaoguo Army guarding Jiyuan, also surrendered to the Sui army. Two thousand came to reinforce Jiyuan, but Fan Wenchao, the stubborn and unworthy son of Old Fan, led the army to fight. After shouting a few times in the battle, the two thousand Xiaoguo army mutinied and killed Yuan Wuda and surrendered to Fan Wenchao. Yu Huaji, who had already proclaimed himself Emperor Daxu in Hanoi, was so shocked that he even came up with the brilliant idea of asking Wang Shichong for help, and immediately sent his confidant Yang Shilan to cross the Yellow River south with heavy gifts, begging Wang Shichong to send troops to reinforce Hanoi.
Wang Shichong is far more shameless than his son-in-law. Although he knew that helping Yuwenhuaji would attract people from all over the world, but for the safety of the northern line, Wang Shichong accepted Yuwenhuaji's request for help through gritted teeth, and sent generals Qiu Huaiyi and Xi Bian to lead the army together. Wanwuqian crossed the Yellow River to the north to reinforce Yuwenhuaji, which was already in decline. Li Shiying, Dai Zhou and other loyal people strongly opposed Wang Shichong's decision to scold him, but Wang Shichong didn't listen at all.
Wang Shichong's helpless decision only slightly slowed down the speed of Yu Wenhuaji's failure. When the Dongdu Army crossed the Yellow River and approached the battlefield of Hanoi County, the Sui Army's partial division not only did not retreat, but also divided up without hesitation. After receiving 5,000 troops, they went directly to the southern suburbs of Hanoi and the Dongdu army. Although Yu Wenhuaji hurriedly sent troops to help the battle after hearing the news, they were stopped by the troops led by Fan Wenchao and Liu Dewei. The world was turned upside down, the sun and the moon were dark, and the fierce battle was from morning to night, and there was no winner for the whole day.
At the critical moment when the three armies were exhausted, the Dongdu army lost its chain. Out of consideration for preserving its strength, Qiu Huaiyi and Xi Bian led the army to retreat for the time being after dark. The first-line battlefield declared that the Dongdu Army had been defeated. The Xiaoguo Army believed it was true when they saw the torches of the Dongdu Army going away, and immediately collapsed and scattered. The remnants of the defeated generals fled eastward, holding all the civil and military officials, Empress Xiao and others hostage. Fan Wenchao wanted to pursue with all his strength, but Du Chuke held Fan Wenchao back, and whispered to Fan Wenchao, "What are you going after? You rescued the Empress Dowager and Pei Zuoxiang, do you think your nephew King Tang will thank you? Three provinces in the court Will the members of the Sixth Department thank you? They are back, how will His Royal Highness Tang arrange them?"
Fan Wenchao, who is indeed the father and son of the tiger, woke up after hearing the words, and immediately pretended to seize the city with all his strength, and only sent a small number of troops to pursue Yu Huaji. The defeated general went straight out of Linqing Pass and fled into Jijun. The cities in Hanoi that had been tormented by Hua and his brother also surrendered to the Sui army one after another. After Qiu Huaiyi, Xi Bian and others learned that Yu Wenhuaji fled to the east, they could only quickly withdraw to Heyang and defend the city. , while obediently strengthening the deployment of troops on the northern front, it further consumed the already limited war potential.
The melee in Hanoi also brought another unexpected consequence. Because of sending troops to reinforce the king-killing rebel Yu Wenhuaji, Wang Shichong, who was still a courtier of the Sui Dynasty in reputation, was scolded very miserably. As soon as he gritted his teeth and smashed the jar, he simply made the rebellious minister to the pinnacle-asked Yang Tong to abdicate the throne! Yang Tong categorically refused, but Wang Shichong ignored it, forged a Yang Tong edict and promulgated it to the world, announcing that the emperor would be surrendered to him in Yang Tong's honor, but he still refused to do so, so he had to be an emperor who was even more miserable than the migrant workers. He appointed the country as Zheng, changed the year to Kaiming, and granted the eldest son Wang Xuanying the crown prince. Because of his strong opposition, Dai Zhou, a powerful counselor, was dispatched by Wang Shichong to work in Hulaoguan, out of sight and out of mind.
After Wang Shichong proclaimed himself emperor, another incident happened that made the soldiers of the Sui army fly into a rage. Pei Renji, a general under Wang Shichong's command who cheated his father, couldn't attack Yiyang city for a long time. Not very afraid of him. At the same time, in order to show his loyalty and please Wang Shichong, Pei Renji habitually got his head in the water, and even ordered his soldiers to dig up Chen Sangliang's honorable ancestral grave, and dug out the bones of Chen Sangliang's honorable ancestors to set off the ashes!
As a result, after the news spread, not only the generals of the Sui Army's Eastern Front division roared like thunder, but also the Red Eyes and the Eastern Capital Army—now it should be called Zheng Jun—red eyes and Zheng Jun desperately fought in Xinfeng, Yiyang and Heyang defeated Zheng Jun for a while on the three battlefields. After the news reached Guanzhong, all the main Sui army officers and soldiers in Guanzhong also had bloodshot eyes. Regardless of the exhaustion of the Northern Expedition, they unanimously demanded to send troops to the Eastern Capital to conquer Wang Shichong to avenge their hatred—although many of them were feigned anger.
The lackeys under his command were so angry, the person involved, Chen Sangliang, naturally had to burst into tears. After placing the spirit card of the dead ghost Chen Yingliang's unlucky ancestors on the Wude Hall, Chen Sangliang cried to death in front of the spirit. Fainted out, Wang Xueji obediently brought her son to kneel in front of her husband's ancestral throne to plead guilty, and vowed to sever ties with her father and brother in public, and she would never ask her husband how to deal with her family from now on!
"The children and grandchildren are not filial! The children and grandchildren are not filial! The children and grandchildren are incompetent! The children and grandchildren are incompetent!"
While lying in front of the coffin crying with red and swollen eyes, Chen Sangliang, who didn't like wasting time, was still pondering in his heart, secretly said: "There is a justifiable excuse to start the war, and it is not enough enough. When will we do it? After the New Year Should I take down Luoyang in the summer of next year? Well, this matter has to be asked by Yuan Tiangang, when the rain is less, he will do it. And my question of proclaiming the emperor, should I be the emperor now? When Wang Shichong is overthrown, can he unify both East and West and then sit on the dragon chair in a legitimate way?"