As another unified dynasty since the Qin Dynasty, the history of the Han Dynasty has lasted for hundreds of years. But even the Great Han Dynasty, which was called a strong man by later generations, could not avoid the fate of nearly destroying the country for a time. However, the fortunes of the Han Dynasty were endless, and although it changed from the Western Han Dynasty to the Eastern Han Dynasty, it also survived. And the person who can turn the tide and help the building to fall is Liu Xiu, the Emperor of Han Guangwu, who is now jokingly called the son of the face.
Liu Xiu was the ninth grandson of Liu Bang. Although he was a relative of the Han Dynasty, due to the implementation of the "Tui En Order", Liu Xiu's father could only be a county official in his generation. But like the protagonist in most stories, fate always has to put him through some tribulations. His father died within a few years of his appointment as county magistrate. At the age of nine, Liu Xiu lost everything he had and was reduced to a poor man, orphaned and widowed, and difficult to survive. Fortunately, his uncle took in Liu Xiu's brothers and sisters, so that Liu Xiu's family would not starve to death on the street.
With the passage of time, the Liu Xiu brothers gradually grew up, and their talents were gradually revealed. Liu Xiu's brother is bold and generous, and likes to make friends with heroes in the world. And Liu Xiu had followed the worldly famous Confucian for several years, so he was more good at power and scheming, and he also made some capable people. And this also laid the foundation for Liu Xiu's future achievements in hegemony.
In 8 AD, Wang Mang, who was jokingly called a crosser by modern netizens, called the emperor of the Han Dynasty, established a new dynasty, and the Western Han Dynasty went to extinction. Wang Mang, who ascended to the throne of God, disregarded the specific conditions of the society at that time and forcibly promoted the reform policy, which touched the interests of countless warriors and clans at home and abroad. As a result, the clan relatives of the Han Dynasty in various places who had already disobeyed Wang Mang gained the support of more people. In addition, natural disasters have continued for many years, the people have been displaced, the rebel army in the country has been everywhere, and the smoke has continued to rise everywhere.
At this time, the two Liu Xiu brothers also seized the opportunity, under the banner of "restoring the cause of the ancestors and fixing the autumn of the world", they raised an army from Ganglin, known in history as the Ganglin Army. However, the newly raised Gunlin Army was only a group of miscellaneous troops, not only small in number, but also poorly equipped. Even when Liu Xiu first went into battle to kill the enemy, he could only ride an ox. Therefore, not long after Liu Xiu's army, he suffered a major defeat and almost died. After joining forces with the leaders of the Green Forest Army in Jiangxia and several other places, he was finally able to gain a firm foothold and have the ability to counterattack the new army.
In 23 AD, the Green Forest Army proclaimed Liu Xuan emperor, and the history called him the first emperor. This move caused great dissatisfaction among the Liu Xiu brothers, but due to the large strength of the Green Forest army, it could only be tolerated for the time being. However, because of this incident, the relationship between Liu Xiu's brothers and the Green Forest Army had a huge rift, which also laid the groundwork for the subsequent rupture between the two.
In May of the same year, the Battle of Kunyang broke out. After Emperor Gengshi ascended the throne, the news reached Luoyang, and Wang Mang was greatly angered when he heard about it. Wang Mang immediately dispatched The Great Sikong Wang Yi, and the Great Situ Wang Xun led 420,000 troops directly to Kunyang. At this time, the Kunyang garrison was only nine thousand people, and everyone was afraid and wanted to abandon the city and retreat to Jingxiang. Liu Xiu said that we may be able to win when we are united, but if we disperse, it will be difficult to preserve. Everyone felt that it made sense, so they all stayed behind to stick to Kunyang. Liu Xiu, on the other hand, went out of the city overnight to dispatch troops to the surrounding areas to relieve the siege of Kunyang.
When Wang Yi arrived in Kunyang, he once issued a bold statement: "The master of a million, who deserves to be destroyed, now slaughters this city, marches in blood, sings before and dances after, and is not happy." But what Wang Yi did not expect was that his failure stemmed from this excessive self-confidence.
On June 1, Liu Xiu led more than 17,000 people to Kunyang. Liu Xiu personally led more than a thousand elite cavalrymen, took the lead, rushed into the enemy position, and rushed back and forth to kill, no one could stop them. For a while, the morale of the Han army was great, while the new army was beaten to the point of tearing up and retreating again and again. After that, Liu Xiu led three thousand death squads to smuggle across Kunshui and raid the base camp of the New Army. In this battle, the Great Situ King xun was killed, and the Great Sikong King Yi was defeated and fled. The Defenders of Kunyang immediately sent troops to attack the new army on both sides with Liu Xiu. The new army was suddenly in chaos, trampling on each other, taking the road and fleeing, and there were countless dead. At this time, heavy rain suddenly fell, the water soared, and the people who drowned in the new army actually cut off the water.
The Battle of Kunyang was almost completely destroyed by the new army, and this battle became one of the most classic battles in Chinese history to win more with less. Under such a huge gap, Liu Xiu can still win, which also makes many people dare not believe it. Therefore, modern folklore has also spread the rumor that before the war began, the meteors descending from the sky smashed all of Wang Mang's new army to death. The title of the son of Liu Xiu's face was also born.
But whatever the facts were, the victory at the Battle of Kunyang was unimaginable, including Wang Mang. Due to the battle of Kunyang, the new army was seriously injured, and in September of the same year, the Green Forest Army attacked Luoyang. Wang Mang, who was delusional to change the male lord of this feudal dynasty by himself, eventually died in the rebellion and became a stepping stone on the road of Liu Xiu's legendary life.
After the great victory in Kunyang, Emperor Gengshi plotted to kill Liu Xiu's brother, which made Liu Xiu's hatred for Emperor Gengshi even greater. At that time, although Wang Mang's regime was extinguished, warlords everywhere still respected themselves as mercenaries. Liu Xiu made a clever trick to deceive the trust of emperor Gengshi, led his troops to cross the Yellow River north, and played a large piece of foundation.
In 25 AD, Liu Xiu was proclaimed emperor in Yancheng, and the founding name was Han, and the history was called Eastern Han. After Liu Xiu ascended the throne, he quickly occupied Luoyang, and then swept through Guanzhong and broke the Green Forest Army and the Chimei Army. After that, he took over the Guandong and Pinglongxi, attacked Sichuan and Shu, and pacified the world in one fell swoop. After that, he lightly gave up his gifts and stopped doing things, so that the population could recover and the economy could grow, and the history of this period is called Guangwu Zhongxing.
In February 57 AD, Liu Xiu, the Emperor of Han Guangwu, who had written countless legends, died at the age of sixty-two. Liu Xiu was the emperor of Zhongxing, the founding prince of the country, and Wenzhi Wugong did not lose to any legendary emperor. His legend will surely be remembered by future generations.