freenovelworld Chapter 276: A warrior is not famous
Chapter 276: A warrior is not famous
After returning to Wei, Gongsun Yan was appointed as the "West Guardian" again. However, Wei was no longer as powerful as it used to be. Therefore, Gongsun Yan tried to win over other countries and win through a joint attack.
Initially, he joined forces with Qi and Wei to defeat Zhao. After tasting the sweetness of cooperation, he embarked on the pioneering path of the vertical and horizontal alliances in the Warring States Period.
Gongsun Yan's strategy of uniting the three kingdoms aroused Qin's high vigilance. Zhang Yi used both soft and hard tactics to attack Wei, win over Qi and Chu, and break up the three kingdoms' alliance.
In response to Zhang Yi's counterattack, Gongsun Yan wooed the four states of Han, Zhao, Yan, and Zhongshan and launched the "Five Kingdoms Become Kings" movement in 323 BC. However, due to the different interests of the states, this movement ultimately failed.
In 322 BC, King Hui of Wei adopted Zhang Yi's strategy of connecting the vertical and horizontal forces because Gongsun Yan's strategy of uniting the vertical and horizontal forces failed, and Zhang Yi became the prime minister of Wei. Under the powerful offensive of Qin, Gongsun Yan temporarily lost the upper hand.
However, the situation changed. In 320 BC, Qin attacked Qi, and the Qi army won a great victory, severely damaging Qin. This battle was known as the "Battle of Shangqiu". This battle frustrated Zhang Yi's horizontal and vertical action, and Gongsun Yan's vertical and vertical strategy was able to be re-implemented.
Seeing that the situation was not going well, Wei gave up the policy of "Heng Lian", expelled Zhang Yi, reused Gongsun Yan, and started the policy of "Zong Zong". After Gongsun Yan became the prime minister of Wei, he persuaded other states to join Wei to resist Qin.
In 318 BC, under the advocacy of Gongsun Yan, the five states of Wei, Zhao, Han, Yan and Chu jointly attacked Qin. However, only Han, Zhao and Wei actually sent troops. The Qin army fought back, the coalition was defeated, Wei suffered heavy losses, and the five states' attack on Qin failed.
After Gongsun Yan's failure in launching a coalition of five nations to attack Qin, he gradually lost the trust of the King of Wei. As he was constantly involved in wars among nations, he was eventually abandoned by Wei and Han and faded out of the historical stage.
Despite this, Gongsun Yan's strategy of uniting the states had a profound impact on the political situation at the time. A contemporary of Gongsun Yan, Jing Chun, once said: "Are Gongsun Yan and Zhang Yi not true men? When they are angry, the princes are afraid; when they live in peace, the world is at peace." This shows that their vertical and horizontal alliances had a great impact on the political situation at the time.
Gongsun Yan's life was full of ups and downs. He was once revered by five countries, but he also suffered a complete defeat and was abandoned. Although the coalition he initiated ultimately failed, his competition and maneuvering with Zhang Yi were undoubtedly a wonderful game in the history of the Warring States Period.
Under the advocacy of Gongsun Yan, Mengchangjun and Su Qin later continued to carry forward the cause of the vertical and horizontal alliance, shining brightly in the Warring States Period, which was amazing.
[Read all the history of the emperor who created the peak of the Eastern Han Dynasty in one go. Trivia about the Eastern Han Dynasty]
He was a great leader who fought against his relatives and pacified the country, but he was buried by history. He was young and promising, and controlled the military order, bringing the power of the Eastern Han Dynasty to its peak. In this video, let's talk about the legendary emperor - Emperor He of Han.
The bumpy ascension of Emperor He of Han
Emperor He of Han, Liu Zhao, was the fourth son of Emperor Zhang of Han, Liu Xun, and the fourth monarch of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Liu Zhao was born in 79 AD. Unfortunately, not long after, his mother, Concubine Liang, was framed and killed by Empress Dou. Empress Dou, who was the mother of the country at the time, had no children, so she adopted Liu Zhao to her knees and raised him, and later made him the crown prince.
When Liu Zhao was 10 years old, his father Emperor Zhang of Han died. Liu Zhao, the crown prince, succeeded to the throne. At that time, he was still young and his foundation was not stable, so Empress Dowager Dou took charge of the government. From then on, Liu Zhao began his many years as a puppet emperor.
The Absolute Power of Foreign Relatives and the Counterattack of Emperor He of Han
During the Eastern Han Dynasty, it was not uncommon for relatives of the emperor to monopolize power. Empress Dowager Dou relied on Liu Zhao's young age to vigorously support members of the Dou family, just like another Empress Lü. In order to quickly improve the status of her brother Dou Xian, Empress Dowager Dou decided to let him gain prestige by attacking the Northern Huns. In 89 AD, Empress Dowager Dou's brother Dou Xian launched a war against the Northern Huns. In the following years, Dou Xian repeatedly inflicted heavy losses on the Huns, and after the Battle of Baishan, he defeated the Northern Huns. After that, Dou Xian's prestige became even greater, his power dominated the world, and he became more and more arrogant and domineering, with a hint of Wang Mang's disaster.
Although the Dou Clan was extremely powerful, its various tyrannical behaviors not only disregarded Emperor He of Han, Liu Zhao, but also aroused the anger of officials in the court. At this time, the young Liu Zhao showed his outstanding personal ability. At the age of 14, he not only secretly learned about the Dou Clan's conspiracy to murder him, but also took the initiative to counterattack. He established his own group of confidants by making use of some eunuchs.
In 92 AD, Liu Zhao, who was only 14 years old at the time, launched a coup, used the imperial guards to close the city gates, and wiped out the Dou clan. After this series of amazing operations, Liu Zhao, who was only 14 years old at the time, took control of the power and began to rule the country himself.
The Civil and Military Achievements of Emperor He of Han
After taking power, Liu Zhao was tolerant and loving to the people at home, and had proper military strategies for foreign countries. During the reign of Emperor Zhang of Han, the Eastern Han Dynasty had given up the Western Regions due to the invasion of the Northern Huns. During the reign of Emperor He of Han, he vigorously managed the Western Regions and made remarkable military achievements. In 90 AD, Ban Chao defeated the invasion of the Western Regions by the Kushan Empire. In 94 AD, Ban Chao pacified the Western Regions and made more than 50 countries in the Western Regions submit to the Han Dynasty. Countries in West Asia also sent envoys to pay tribute. Against this background, Emperor He of Han appointed Ban Chao as the Protector General of the Western Regions and rebuilt the Protectorate of the Western Regions. It can be seen from this that the Eastern Han Dynasty had established a relatively stable rule in the Western Regions at that time.
Facing the powerful enemy of the Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu, after the Eastern Han Dynasty repeatedly inflicted heavy losses on the Northern Xiongnu, the Xianbei Grand Protector Su Pujian, who was appointed as the governor, led the Xianbei to defeat the Northern Xiongnu and forced them to migrate westward to the northern desert, leaving the land empty. After that, the influence of the Northern Xiongnu in the northern desert almost completely disappeared. In addition, Emperor He of the Han Dynasty also quelled the Qiang Rebellion, established the Xihai County, and incorporated Qinghai Lake into the territory. In the year when the Western Regions Protectorate was restored, the Han Dynasty sent Gan Ying to the Qin Dynasty (Roman Empire) and returned to the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. Although Gan Ying and his entourage failed to reach Europe, their footprints were among the best in ancient China.
According to historical records, the population of the Eastern Han Dynasty reached 5325 million, the highest in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Cai Lun's improvement of papermaking, the compilation of "Han Shu" and "Shuowen Jiezi" also took place during the reign of Emperor He of Han. During the reign of Emperor He of Han, the power of the Eastern Han Dynasty reached its peak, and the glory of the Han Empire was at its peak. People called him "the dragon that reigns supreme", and the Yongyuan period was also known as "the prosperity of Yongyuan".
The untimely death of Emperor He of Han
However, in the process, Emperor He of Han seemed to have exhausted his energy. On February 106, 2 AD, Emperor He of Han, who was less than 13 years old, died of illness due to overwork in Luoyang. It can be said that this is also an important reason why he is relatively unknown in later generations.
Looking back at the life of Emperor He of Han, it can be said that he had great ups and downs. Although he was criticized by later generations for his heavy use of eunuchs, he was young and capable, pacified the relatives of the emperor's wife, stabilized the country, and controlled the military order. He can be called a young hero and a generation of emperors who were buried and underestimated.
[Read all the historical trivia about the famous generals of the Western Han Dynasty who were comparable to Wei Qing and Huo Qubing in one go]
He was a famous general of the Western Han Dynasty who was on par with Wei Qing and Huo Qubing. Although he was not famous, his achievements were recorded in history. He intimidated the Xiongnu, stabilized the border, and ruled the northwest for a thousand years with one policy. He was praised as a good prime minister for the revival of the Han Dynasty.
He was listed as a meritorious official in the Qilin Pavilion, a strategist praised by Chairman Mao, and the last shining star of the Western Han Dynasty. In this video, let's talk about Zhao Chongguo, a famous general in the Western Han Dynasty.
Speaking of Zhao Chongguo, a famous general of the Western Han Dynasty, although his fame is somewhat less known than that of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, his abilities and achievements are in no way inferior.
He served in the reigns of Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Zhao of Han, and Emperor Xuan of Han. He spent his life in battle, intimidated the Xiongnu, pacified the enemy in the west, and stabilized the border of the Western Han Dynasty. Yang Xiong, a great scholar in the Western Han Dynasty, once commented on him: "When a minister of the Han Dynasty emerges, the country will become stronger", calling him a famous general in the restoration of the Western Han Dynasty.
Su Xun, a writer of the Northern Song Dynasty, also said: "Zhao Chongguo of the Han Dynasty and Li Jing of the Tang Dynasty were both wise generals." This shows how highly they were evaluated by later generations.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, Zhao Chongguo once followed General Li Guangli to attack the Xiongnu. Due to Li Guangli's incompetence, the Han army was surrounded. It was only thanks to Zhao Chongguo leading more than 100 warriors to break through the siege, and Li Guangli and his clansmen followed closely behind that they were able to escape danger.
In this battle, Zhao Chongguo also made his mark. However, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, most people trusted relatives of the imperial concubines, and relationships often outweighed ability. Zhao Chongguo, who was born as a low-level soldier, needed to accumulate experience even if he had outstanding abilities.
Later, during the reigns of Emperor Zhao and Emperor Xuan, Zhao Chongguo defeated the Xiongnu many times and made great military achievements. He led troops to guard the borders, and when the Xiongnu invaded, they often retreated without fighting. However, looking back on Zhao Chongguo's military career for most of his life, the victory in the Battle of Pingxi Qiang was the capital that made him comparable to Wei Qing.
In 63 BC, the Western Qiang conspired to rebel against the Han Dynasty. When Emperor Xuan of Han heard about it, he sent Yiqu Anguo to the Western Qiang to learn about their intentions.
Unexpectedly, after Yiqiu Anguo arrived, he killed more than 30 leaders of the Xianling tribe without understanding the actual situation, and secretly sent troops to suppress the rebellion. As a result, he backfired and forced the Qiang people to rebel, and the Han army retreated.
Facing this rebellion, the last famous general of the Western Han Dynasty, Zhao Chongguo, who was already over 70 years old, came on the scene. Unlike the Wei State, his advantage was that he had a deeper strategic vision and strategy.
Zhao Chongguo believed that the emperor's army wins by power, which means that strategy is more important than fighting. The "essence of prosperity" here is what Sun Tzu's Art of War calls "conquering the enemy without fighting", which means winning by intelligence at the minimum or small cost, or even at no cost, through strategic planning and preserving strength as much as possible.
During the Han Dynasty, the Qiang people were widely distributed, and because they loved to kill each other, it was difficult for them to unite internally. Zhao Chongguo was very familiar with the habits of the Qiang people. After careful investigation, he found that the Qiang rebellion was mainly led by the Xianling tribe, and many other tribes were coerced and waited and watched.
Through analysis, Zhao Chongguo knew that relying on military force alone would never be enough to subdue the Qiang people, but would instead unite them. Therefore, he proposed a policy of garrisoning the border and cultivating land, which has influenced later generations for thousands of years. In simple terms, it means "combining soldiers with farmers", allowing the army to open up wasteland and cultivate land while guarding the land and protecting the people.
In the process of suppressing the Western Qiang Rebellion, Zhao Chongguo, on the one hand, strictly enforced military discipline, refrained from killing innocent people, and resolutely isolated and attacked the rebel leaders; on the other hand, he adopted the policy of appeasing the Qiang tribes that were involved.
It was through this "planning, planning, and war" ideology, combined with engineering, that the Qiang people were successfully divided and disintegrated, and their rebellion was easily quelled. This coincides with the idea of "conquering the enemy without fighting" in Sun Tzu's Art of War.
It was also because of Zhao Chongguo's victory in the war against the Western Qiang that the safety of the passage to the Western Regions was ensured, which led to the establishment of the Western Regions Protectorate. From then on, as stated in the "Book of Han: Biography of the Western Regions": "Han's orders were distributed to the Western Regions, and the Western Regions became an inseparable part of our country's territory."
The Southern Dynasty historian Fan Ye praised Zhao Chongguo for "opening up the Western Regions through military farming."
As the founder of the frontier garrison system, Zhao Chongguo's method of using soldiers to farm was emulated and adopted by later political and military strategists, which played a vital role in the Central Plains dynasty's management of the Western Regions and has been passed down for thousands of years. Even the corps we are familiar with later is its inheritance.
In addition, more importantly, Zhao Chongguo was also a key figure in the historical evolution of the Han Dynasty. From the reign of Emperor Wu to Emperor Xuan, the strategic thinking of the Han Dynasty was mostly "conquering the enemy".
Although the achievements of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing in fighting the Xiongnu for 300 times are undeniable, the Han army also suffered heavy losses behind the victory, and the treasury was completely depleted. This was because the Han Dynasty could not cross the Mongolian Plateau and reach the northern desert, nor could it kill all the people.
As long as there is time, the Xiongnu will soon be able to quickly recover their population and become a serious threat to the Han Dynasty again. For the Han Dynasty, the war consumed a lot of resources and manpower, but it could only defeat the Xiongnu, but not completely eliminate them.
Compared with military means, which are extremely direct and effective quickly, "attacking the enemy's plans" naturally takes a longer time because it is slow to take effect, but it is undeniable that it is more cost-effective, and the effects are more stable and long-lasting, making it more convincing.
It was based on this point that Zhao Chongguo, after Huo Guang's death, had real military say by virtue of his position, age and qualifications. "The best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans" rather than "attack the enemy's troops" gradually became the guiding principle of the Han Dynasty's military strategy.
The lesson that Zhao Chongguo gave to Emperor Xuan of Han and others in the process of pacifying the Qiang Rebellion is a typical example. We are also very clear about the actual course of history, when the Xiongnu killed each other. By dividing the enemy, you can defeat the enemy without fighting. This is also a policy that has been tried and tested in all dynasties.
Therefore, from a strategic level, it truly turned the tide and dispelled the determination of Emperor Xuan of Han and others to start a war. This is the true value of high-dimensional strategy, and it is also the true embodiment of Zhao Chongguo's "the best military strategy is to attack the enemy's strategy, and those who are good at military strategy have no great achievements."
[The founding hero whom Liu Bang felt most sorry for, historical knowledge, Western Han Dynasty]
As a famous general of Hanzhong, Peng Yue had made outstanding achievements. Why was he unjustly killed by Liu Bang and chopped into meat sauce? He was born a thief, but he could become a local lord, which is very inspiring. What kind of story does he have? In this video, let's talk about Liang Wang Peng Yue.
Peng Yue, courtesy name Zhong, was a famous general in the early Western Han Dynasty and also a vassal king of a different surname.
He, Han Xin and Ying Bu were regarded as "one and the same", and later generations used to call them "the three famous generals of the early Han Dynasty". In the wave of the anti-Qin uprising, Peng Yue's debut time was no later than Liu Bang in terms of seniority.
At the end of the Qin Dynasty, Peng Yue, who was born into a fisherman family, could not bear the heavy corvee labor, so he took a group of fishermen who were also living in poverty and started a "murder and robbery" business in the waters near his home, and was wanted by the government.