Author: Xu Yunhui
In 32 CE, Liu Xiu led Kou Gong (寇恂) who was promoted from Yingchuan Taishou (颍川太守) to commander of the present-day Central Garrison (present-day Commander of the Central Garrison), and the Imperial Guard personally conquered the Long Right Warlord Kui Huan. Because of the "rise of thieves in Yingchuan", Liu Xiu led his army back to the south to quell the rebellion, and encouraged Kou Ke: "Yingchuan is approaching the Beijing Division, and it is necessary to quell the rebellion as soon as possible." You are the only one who can put down the rebellion! ”
Kou Ke analyzed with confidence: "The people of Yingchuan are fierce, and the people act lightly and quickly. There must be some fanatics who have heard that His Majesty is on an expedition to Longyou and is just taking the opportunity to make waves! If it is learned that His Majesty will return to the south to put down the rebellion, 'the thief will return to death in fear', and the subject is willing to lead the elite troops to kill the enemy for the forward. ”
Sure enough, just after arriving at Yingchuan, "the thieves have descended." The people covered their way and asked Liu Xiu: "I would like to borrow Kou Jun from Your Majesty for a year!" Liu Xiu then left Kou Ke to complete the tail sweeping work of "taking care of the officials in the town and accepting the rest of the surrender" in Yingchuan.
Why is Kou Ke so popular?
(1) Wisdom and courage are both complete
Kou Ke was born from the Kou clan of Gu Commandery, and was hired as an assistant by Taishou Geng because of his talent, and was deeply respected. After learning that Emperor Gengshi had sent emissaries to Hebei and offered favorable conditions for "the first to surrender and restore the title", he advised Geng To submit to Emperor Gengshi and "welcome the emissaries from Geng to the boundary" and hand over the Taishou seal to the emissaries to show his sincerity.
According to the procedure, after the messenger accepts the seal, he can return the seal with the seal of the new regime. But the messenger was suspicious, and after receiving the seal, he "did not return the favor for a night." Kou Ke immediately made a decision, led the elite soldiers to "meet the messenger", and asked him to return the seal. The envoy refused, "I am the messenger of the King of Heaven, do you dare to threaten me?" Kou Gongyi sternly retorted: "You are not thinking carefully, rebelling, and destroying the image of the king and the country!" I advise you to return Geng Taishou's seal silk immediately to appease the people! "Because the messenger did not enter the salt and oil and ignored it, Kou Ke could not bear it, and ordered his entourage to summon Geng Quan to see him in the name of the messenger, and forced the messenger to return the seal to Geng Quan." The Messenger had no choice but to make the commandments. ”
Wang Lang, the "Emperor of Zhao Han" who was in the capital of Handan, sent emissaries to Shanggu Commandery (上谷郡) and urged Geng Quan to send troops to help resist Emperor Gengshi's crusade and Sima Liu Xiu, who was recruiting troops in Hebei. Kou Ke judged the situation and urged Geng to submit to Liu Xiu, who was "a corporal of honor and a scholar", and suggested that he join forces with Shou Peng of Yuyang County to send troops to assist Liu Xiu. ”
Kou Ke was sent to Yuyang and successfully formed an alliance with Peng Pet. On the way back to Changping, he killed Wang Lang's emissaries with his bare hands and collected his retinue. Subsequently, Kou Ke led the combined forces of Shanggu Commandery and Yuyang Commandery with Geng Yi, the eldest son of Geng, all the way south, destroyed the city and the village, and attached himself to Liu Xiu, and was made a "partial general by Liu Xiu, the Marquis of Chengyi, and a thief from the broken group." Deng Yu consulted with him many times on military affairs, and decided that Kou Ke was a wizard with both wisdom and courage, "because of the ox wine to rejoice." ”
(2) Guarding Hanoi
After Liu Xiu broke with emperor Gengshi, he captured Hanoi County, and fell into the siege of the gengshi army from north to south. Liu Xiu consulted Deng Yu: "Who can make the guards of Hanoi?" Deng Yu recommended: "Kou Kewen is well armed, and has the talent of the shepherds and the people, but this son mo can also be made." Liu Xiu then worshiped Kou Ke as the Taishou of Hanoi, and before leading his troops to "restore the Northern Expedition to Yan and Dai", he instructed him in a serious tone: "Hanoi is complete and rich, and it is an important strategic base of our army." In the past, Gao Zu stayed in Xiao Ho Town Guanzhong, and today I also entrust Hanoi to you. You have to 'stick to the transport, give enough food, and rate the horses. At the same time, complete the task of stopping other forces from crossing the north! ”
Kou Ke was well aware that Hanoi was a strategic place that "took the river as a solid, the hukou was solid, the north was connected to the party, and the south was forced to Luoyang". Immediately after taking office, he issued official documents, ordering all counties in the county to quickly carry out a vigorous mass campaign to teach martial arts and shoot, and at the same time cut down the bamboo forest of Qiyuan garden to make more than a million arrows, and "raise 2,000 horses and collect 4 million yuan in rent" to provide Liu Xiu with sufficient military funds.
When more than 30,000 troops learned of Liu Xiu's Northern Expedition, Hanoi's troops were empty, and they took the opportunity to cross the river to attack Wen County. Kou Ke immediately led his troops to rescue him, and at the same time ordered each county to send troops to Wen County. His subordinates advised him to wait until the heavy army was assembled before sending troops, but Kou Ke refused: "Wen County is a barrier in Hanoi County, and once it is lost, Hanoi will not survive!" ”
Kou Ke led a lone army to aid Wen County, and met with the rescuers of various counties, "four sets of horses and horses, banners cover the wilderness", and the momentum was huge. Kou Ke had a plan in mind, causing the soldiers to enter the city and shout, "Liu Gongbing has arrived!" "The more starters were suddenly shaken and the formation was chaotic. Kou Ke took advantage of the situation to attack, "greatly destroyed, chased to Luoyang", killed the enemy generals, forced the enemy to "throw thousands of dead from the river", and captured more than 10,000 prisoners alive. "Since Luoyang was terrified, the city gate was closed during the day."
The good news reached Liu Xiujun, and Liu Xiu, who was worried about Kou Ke, was overjoyed: "I have long known that Kou Ke is trustworthy! Kou Ke's victory not only shocked the enemy army in Luoyang, but also effectively boosted the morale of the Han army. The generals struck iron while it was hot, and when congratulating Liu Xiu, they asked Liu Xiu to ascend the throne as emperor. Liu Xiu pushed the boat along the water and proclaimed himself emperor in Eun Yi.
In order to solve the problem of the urgent shortage of food for the Han army, Kou Ke personally supervised the grain transportation. Due to the serious shortage of animal power, Kou Ke organized manpower to pull carts and continuously transport military food to the front line. He not only guaranteed the supply of military food, but even ensured the normal supply of Wenwu Hundred Officials Yuezhilu Rice, and was repeatedly rewarded by Liu Xiu for his letters of consolation.
(3) Self-insurance and withdrawal
Kou Ke's fame and prestige are increasing, causing concern to his friend Dong Chong. He pushed his heart and warned Kou Ke: "The emperor has just ascended the throne, and the four sides have not yet been decided." But you are 'at this time in the big county, winning the hearts of the people inside, breaking the Su Mao outside, and threatening the neighbors and enemies', with a prominent reputation, and you are on the cusp of making the adulterers envious and jealous. In the past, Xiao He was gaozu town guard guanzhong, and shang was repeatedly suspected by gaozu. You are now leading the Kundi of the Liu Clan, shouldn't you have been a person from the past?! ”
Kou Ke was deeply impressed, and immediately said that he was ill and ignored political affairs, and when Liu Xiu attacked Luoyang through Hanoi, he asked to join the army to fight in person, but Liu Xiu refused on the grounds that "Hanoi could not be separated". Kou Ke's many requests were rejected, and he had to send two nephews to lead elite cavalry to serve as the vanguard of the Han army. Liu Xiu was very satisfied and made the two generals partial.
In order to completely dispel Liu Xiu's concerns, Kou Gong made his own destructive moves. He deliberately did not follow the procedure, punished the petitioner without authorization, and after being denounced, he was dismissed from his post as he wished, and lived a quiet life from then on.
The trees wanted to be quiet and the wind was not stopping, and after Kou Ke traveled in the mountains and rivers for several months, he was reinstated by Liu Xiu as the Taishou of Yingchuan to quell the armed rebellion of Yingchuan JiaQi and others. Kou Ke made a small plan, "For a few months, the first of the (Jia) period, the county is pacified." "For his merits, he was given the title of Marquis of Yongnu, Yi Wanhu." ”
(4) Reproduction of allusions
Jin Wu Jia Fu led his troops to garrison Runan, and his troops would kill people in Yingchuan, and was arrested and imprisoned by Kou Ke. At that time, when the Eastern Han Dynasty was first established, the founding generals basically followed the unspoken rule of "turning big things into small things", and connived with each other to cover up the crimes of their subordinates. Kou Ke showed no mercy and showed that Jia Fubu would be beheaded in the downtown area. Jia Fu became angry and swore that when he saw Kou Ke, he would kill him with his own hands to avenge his generals.
Kou Ke was reluctant to make an enemy of him, and when Jia Fu led his troops through Yingchuan, he took the initiative to avoid it, "I don't want to meet with him." He ordered the county to provide a sumptuous banquet for Jia Fu's team, and he himself "went out to greet yu Dao and returned the disease." Jia Fu wanted to lead the army to pursue and kill him, but because "the officials were drunk", he lost the opportunity to pursue and kill Kou Ke, and he was annoyed.
Kou Ke sent the faction to take the initiative to explain the details to Liu Xiu, and Liu Xiu summoned Kou Ke to meet him. When Kou Ke entered the capital to pay homage to Liu Xiu, just when Jia Fuzheng and Liu Xiu were having a good conversation, he wanted to withdraw and retreat. Liu Xiu saw the situation and mediated for the two: "The world is undecided, the two tigers have a private fight? Kou Ke sat down with Jia Fu to push the cup to change cups, and released his previous suspicions, "riding out together and making friends", perfectly replicating the scene of "will be harmonious" similar to Lian Po and Lin Xiang.
(5) Surrender to rebel generals
Kou Ke governed Yingchuan County well, "Thieves do not enter. Subsequently, he was ordered to be the Taishou of Runan, leading his troops to fight the thieves, and the cattle knife tried to "the thieves are quiet, and there is nothing to do in the county." After eliminating the thieves, Kou Ke, who was "a good learner", adapted to local conditions, "is to cultivate the township school, teach students and apprentices, and hire those who can be recruited for the "Spring and Autumn of the Zuo Clan", and personally learn from them." "Because of his outstanding political achievements, he was promoted to the position of executive Kingo. So Liu Xiuxi marched to the right of Long and returned to Dingying River. After Yingchuan was settled, Kou Ke continued to follow Liu Xiu in his crusade against the Kui general Gao Jun.
Gao Jun once "supported tens of thousands of troops, according to Gao Ping's first (place name)", and was given the title of Marquis of Guannei after surrendering to the Han Dynasty. After the Han army returned to Kui Huan without success, Gao Jun saw the wind and returned the rudder to the Kui Huan camp. After Kui Huan's death, Gao Jun, deeply afraid of the Retaliation of the Han Army, stubbornly defended Gao Ping and resisted the Han Army for more than a year. Liu Xiu once again marched in person, causing Kou Ke to persuade Gao Jun to surrender.
Kou Ke carried the seal to Gao Ping, and Gao Jun sent his military division Emperor Fuwen to see him. After Kou Ke killed The impolite and frivolous Emperor Fuwen, he ordered his deputy envoy to return gao Jun: "The military division was beheaded by the Han army for rudeness. If you want to descend early, if you don't, you will die! "Gao Jun" panicked and opened the city gate to descend on the same day. ”
(6) Conclusion of the coffin
Kou Ke was well versed in scripture and had good conduct. He was charitable and often divided between relatives and friends and subordinates. He humbly confessed many times: "I have gone from being an ordinary scholar to today's high position, how can I enjoy the blessings alone?" Therefore, the people of the time regarded him as a highly respected elder, and unanimously believed that he had the strength of a prime minister.
After Kou Ke's death, "Marquis Wei of The Imperial Title", ranked fifth among the twenty-eight generals of Yuntai (the first four were all famous generals of military merit), Kou Ke ranked first among the wenchen, because the Liangwu Emperor Xiao Yan said in a word: "In the former Xiao He Town Guanzhong, Han Zu had to become the industry of Shandong; Kou Ke guarded Hanoi, and Guangwu built the foundation of Hebei." "Kou Ke is to Liu Xiu, just like Xiao He is to Liu Bang. Kou Ke almost relied on copying the story of Xiao He's full body retreat in order to both preserve his reputation and die well. Companions are like companions, nouveau!
【About the author】Xu Yunhui, male, graduated from the Department of Chinese of Yunnan Normal University in 1984 and is now a senior lecturer at Baoshan No.1 Middle School Education Group in Yunnan Province. He has published two monographs and published more than 600,000 words in literary journals at or above the provincial level.
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