In the eighteenth year of Jian'an (213), Cao Cao personally enlisted Sun Quan and claimed that 400,000 troops were marching south. In the first month of the following year, Cao Jun marched to The Mouth of The Great River, destroyed the northern village of Jiangsu, and forced Sun Quan to go to the Junction to resist the Cao Army. Just after the situation in Jiangdong tended to improve due to the rise of the river, Gan Ning did something to strengthen the army.
According to the "Biography of the Three Kingdoms Chronicle of Gan Ning", the commentary on the "Biography of Jiang Biao" records: "Ning Nai was a contestant under the athletes, more than a hundred people, under the Cao Gong camp, so that they pulled out the antlers, overtook the fortifications into the camp, and cut dozens of levels." The Northern Army was horrified and roared, and raised fire like a star, and Ning had already returned to the camp. ”
Ganning's "Hundred Horsemen Robbery Camp" is really amazing. Even Luo Guanzhong also moved it into the novel, thus creating a classic bridge section. No wonder, Sun Quan would say excitedly: "Meng De has Zhang Liao, lonely and prosperous, and the enemy is also." Sun Quan's weight on Gan Ning was overflowing with words. At this point, can Gan Ning take over the burden of Lü Meng and become the future bearer of the Jiangdong army?
Above_ Ganning (?) –215), courtesy name Xingba, was a native of Linjiang, Ba County (present-day Zhong County, Chongqing).
First, Gan Ning's situation in Jiangdong
Facts have shown that Gan Ning's development in Eastern Wu was not satisfactory. His situation in Jiangdong was a bit like That of Ma Chao after entering Shu: even if he was appreciated by Sun Quan, Gan Ning rarely led the battle alone, let alone took over the burden of Lü Meng. On this point, it is advisable to look at the relevant records of the ganning biography.
After transferring sun quan from Huang Zu's command, Gan Ning gave the new lord a great gift: a strategic plan of "occupying Jingzhou first and entering Shu land later". According to this line of thinking, Sun Quan successfully conquered Jiangxia County, and also solved Sun's vendetta Against Huang Zu. Therefore, Sun Quan was overjoyed, "so he granted Ning Bing and Tun Dangkou."
However, Gan Ning, who was given the right to lead the army, did not have much brilliant performance. Because in the next many important battles, Although Gan Ning also participated, he was always a supporting role.
Above_ The Three Kingdoms stand tall
Zhou Yu refused to break Cao Gong at Wulin and Cao Ren at Nan Commandery, and Gan Ning conscripted; Lu Su Zhen Yiyang, refused Guan Yu, and Gan Ning followed; and until Lü Meng attacked Wancheng, Sun Quan to Fuxukou to resist Cao's army, Gan Ning was still conscripted. After making the feat of "robbing the camp with a hundred horses", although Sun Quan praised Gan Ning, he only "added two thousand troops" to him, and did not have too many rewards. By the twentieth year of Jian'an (215), Gan Ning was still from Hefei.
At that time, Gan Ning was the general of Xiling Taishou and Folding Chong, and by the time of his death, there was no change. In such a situation, it is inevitable that it is not difficult to wonder: Gan Ning is brave and strategic, attacking and plundering Cao Ying, and defending can also deter Guan Yu, so why did Sun Quan not reuse him?
Above_ Sun Quan's inscription
Second, the attitude of Sun Quan and Huaisi Group
Regarding the word "reuse", it is necessary to add quotation marks. Specifically, Sun Quan and the Huaisi Wu general group, which held military power at that time, actually wanted to reuse Gan Ning. According to the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, "Zhou Yu and Lü Meng both recommended Da, and Sun Quanjia was different, the same as the old courtiers." ”
It is important to note the word "old minister". When Gan Ning switched to Sun Quan, it was between the eighth year of Jian'an (203) and the twelfth year of Jian'an (207). At that time, Sun Quan did not complete the "Jiangdongization" of Sun's foundation. Therefore, there is still a clear distinction between the Huaisi Wujiang Group and the Jiangdong Hao Group. The so-called "old ministers" refer to the Huaisi wujun clique on which the Sun clan relied to maintain its dominance.
In other words, Gan Ning, who was "endorsed" by Zhou Yu and Lü Meng, had already been accepted by the Huaisi Wu general clique, and Sun Quan's "listing as an old minister" also proved that Gan Ning had the opportunity to enter the core leadership circle of Jiangdong. Some people may disagree, because judging from Ganning's past resume, it should be difficult for him to receive reuse.
Above_ Liu Yan (?) -194)
According to the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Yan's biography, quoted in the "Hero's Record": "When Yan died, Zizhang took the place of the assassin. ...... Zhang's generals Shen Mi, Lou Fa, and Gan Ning counterattacked, defeated Zhang, and walked into Jingzhou. ”
Shortly after Liu Yan's death, Gan Ning conspired with others to betray the old lord Liu Zhang, which was obviously disgraceful. But from the wu's point of view, Gan Ning's move does not seem to have attracted criticism. See the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms and the Biography of Ganning, quoting the Book of Wu: "The People of Nanyang, Ningben, whose ancestors were in Ba County. Ning was a bureaucrat who raised his plans, supplemented Shu County, and abandoned his official position and returned home. ”
Comparing the two historical materials, it is not difficult to find that Gan Ning's disgraceful experience of betraying Liu Zhang was beautified by the Wu people as "abandoning officials and returning home". It should be noted that the Book of Wu was written by Wei Zhao, the minister of Eastern Wu, and to a certain extent represented the views of the Wu people. Since the Wu people did not think much about it, Gan Ning's origin could not be used as a reason why he was not "reused".
Above_ Zhou Yu (175-210), also spelled Gongjin
Looking back, looking at Zhou Yu and Lü Mengqi against Ganning, it is not difficult to understand. On the one hand, Gan Ning and Huaisi Wu will be "outsiders" and have common interests, so for the Huai si Wu General Group, which is weak in succession, Gan Ning can of course be close and co-opted; on the other hand, it also benefits from Gan Ning's own outstanding ability. He fought bravely and planned well; what is even more rare was that GanNing also had a strategic vision.
According to the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms and the Biography of Zhou Yu, "Yu Nai Jing saw Quan Yue: 'Now Cao Cao is newly folded, and Fang is worried about his heart, and he has not been able to deal with the general company. Beggar and Fenwei both forge ahead of Shu, and get Shu and Zhang Lu, because they stay fenwei to stick to their land, so as to help Ma Chao. Yu also held Xiangyang with the general to rub the exercise, and the north could also be tu. 'Right to grant it.' ”
Above_ Jingzhou (Wu)
Zhou Yu's strategic concept to Sun Quan was to "defend himself according to Jingzhou and enter Yizhou to reject Cao"; according to the above, Gan Ning also made similar suggestions after he switched to Sun Quan. It can be seen that its strategic vision is consistent with Zhou Yu and others.
In addition, Gan Ning's experience from the conquest is quite similar to Lü Meng's early years, and combined with Zhou Yu and Sun Quan's appreciation of Gan Ning, it is not difficult to see that they intend to cultivate Gan Ning; even, it is not impossible for Gan Ning to take over Lü Meng's class. Unfortunately, Ganning's luck seemed to be a little worse.
Above: Lü Meng (179–220)
Third, the times are uneven, and the fate is uncertain
Gan Ning is "cheerful and strategic, light wealth and respect for soldiers, can raise healthy children, and healthy children are also happy to use their lives", is a natural commander-in-chief. However, due to his reckless personality of "rough and easy to kill", Sun Quan and Lü Meng are afraid that they will have to temper it. And this is the premise of their reuse of Ganning.
Of course, Gan Ning's delay in not being able to take the opportunity to lead the battle alone may also have something to do with the process of "Jiangdongization" of Sun Wu's regime.
It should be noted that the Huaisi Wu general group has suffered many losses in the perennial conquest; what is worse is that they are far away from their homeland and cannot replenish fresh blood. Under this circumstance, the Jiangdong Shi clan, which had reached a preliminary reconciliation with Sun Quan, gradually grasped a lot of discourse power in the court and competed with the Huaisi Group.
When the two sides are playing, Ganning's best performance opportunity is to establish his position in the army through a big war. Otherwise, why would Ganning serve the public? Therefore, in the twentieth year of Jian'an (215), Sun Quan re-enlisted Hefei, and Gan Ning was conscripted. If Ganning's performance in this battle is still outstanding, he has a great chance of "rebirth" and successfully justifying his name.
Above_ Geographical location of Hefei
However, the world was uncertain, and the 100,000 troops of Eastern Wu came with great momentum, but they encountered an epidemic on the way; not only that, Zhang Liao, who was compared by Sun Quan to Gan Ning, actually completed the feat of eight hundred strong men against the tens of thousands of troops of Eastern Wu in the Battle of Xiaoyaojin.
The defeat in the Battle of Hefei not only made Sun Quan nicknamed "Sun Shiwan" by posterity, but also caused Gan Ning to lose the opportunity to make meritorious achievements. Shortly after the war, Ganning died of illness in office. It is a pity that a generation of tiger ministers, who have not yet made meritorious achievements, have died of pain and disease.
Here, borrowing the words of Wang Bo's "Preface to the Tengwang Pavilion", he hanged Ganning: "Oh! Bad luck and bad luck. Feng Tang is old, Li Guang is difficult to seal. Qu Jiayi is in Changsha, not without a holy lord; is it not clear when Liang Hong is in Haiqu? The gentleman who relies on him sees the opportunity, and the master knows the fate. ”
The gentleman who relies on him sees the opportunity, and the master knows the fate. Gan Ning was brave, but unfortunately he was a little lucky...
Author: Yingzhou Haike Correction/Editor: Lilith
Reference: Romance of the Three Kingdoms
The text was created by the History University Hall team, and the picture originated from the Internet and the copyright belongs to the original author