When it comes to the Tang Dynasty, especially the early Tang Dynasty before the Anshi Rebellion, almost everyone feels "doubly cool". See who is not pleasing to the eye, beat it until the other party is completely convinced. Therefore, it is said that there were many generals in the early Tang Dynasty, and it is precisely under the efforts of these famous generals that Datang has won a nickname of "Giant Tang".
Perhaps in terms of popularity, the famous generals of the early Tang Dynasty are not as high as the famous generals of the Three Kingdoms. No one can do this, a three-point true and seven-point fake "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", it laid the foundation for the three kingdoms of the famous generals to lead the way. And "Sui and Tang Yanyi" and "Speaking of Tang", although they have produced a Sui and Tang Eighteen (13) good men, but the real famous figures in history are only Qin Qiong and Wei Chigong, who are still ranked low.
As for the first few Li Yuanba, Yuwen Chengdu, Pei Yuanqing, Xiong Kuohai, etc., they are all fictional. Under such a casual situation, the natural Tang Dynasty famous generals are no better than the famous generals of the Three Kingdoms - the so-called famous or not, the exposure is very important!
However, if we talk about the quality of famous generals, it is obvious that the famous generals of the early Tang Dynasty have crushed the famous generals of the Three Kingdoms as a whole. So much so that a certain general wants to seize the title of "famous general", if he does not have the experience of destroying the enemy country, he is embarrassed to squeeze forward. Even Qin Qiong and Wei Chigong, such figures who have become gods, can only be pasted on the door and serve as bodyguards for our common people!
Therefore, why is it that Qin Qiong and Wei Chigong, although they are very well-known and very powerful, are not eligible to enter the list of the four famous generals of the early Tang Dynasty? It is due to the lack of qualifications to destroy the enemy country. Nowadays, since there is this "hard standard", who are the four famous generals of the early Tang Dynasty?
The first: the well-deserved god of war, Li Jing
Veteran Tang Dynasty fans know that there are only two so-called tang dynasty war gods. The first was Li Shimin, but later he "did not do the right thing" and became the emperor. However, Li Shimin's military ability was praised even by his old man: since ancient times, there was no one who could stand out from Li Shimin's right, followed by Zhu Yuanzhang'er!
But Li Shimin admired Li Jing. It is known that in his later years, Li Shimin defeated Goguryeo - in fact, it was not a military defeat at all, but failed to achieve the strategic goal of destroying the country. This is where the mighty Tang Dynasty lies, if Li Shimin's record of conquering Goguryeo was put into other dynasties, it is estimated that it would have been blown up long ago, but Li Shimin did not think that he had lost!
After returning, Li Shimin was very puzzled, so he went to Li Jing and asked why he was defeated? Li Jing told him bluntly: This Daoist Sect has solved!
This means that Li Daozong has already given you advice. Li Shimin was confused. Li Jing continued: "Li Daozong once suggested that a surprise attack on the capital city of Goguryeo was attacked, but the boss only cared about pushing flat and crushing. ”
The subtext is that the art of war says "to win with the right combination, to win with the odd", Li Shimin pushed flat, crushing is "positive", and the surprise attack on the capital of Goguryeo is "strange". Li Shimin was extremely annoyed and said: There were too many things at that time, why did I forget it?"
Obviously, Li Jing pointed out the root of "defeating Goguryeo with one sentence, and Li Shimin also recognized it very much.
It is also because Li Jing is too cattle, such as the famous Southern Ping Liang State (Ping Xiao Milling), the Northern Turks and so on. Therefore, in the "Sui and Tang Dynasties" and so on, Li Jing directly became a god - that means as if to say: You don't want to fight the god, directly become a god, otherwise others will compare with you, how to shine, how to play?
The second: Li Xiaogong, who will have great wisdom, a famous general
Who is Li Xiaogong? It is estimated that many people will be confused. Why don't we change the way: Among the 24 heroes of LingYange, the eldest grandson wujie ranks first, so who ranks second? Congratulations, yes! It's Li Xiaogong.
Li Xiaogong is Li Shimin's cousin. After Li Yuan raised an army and conquered Chang'an, he ordered Li Xiaogong to be the "Ambassador of Southern Province" to attack jingzhou and bashu and other regions, where an alternative demon king named Zhu Cang was entrenched. He is the prototype of the man-eating demon Zhu Can in the "Sui and Tang Dynasties".
As soon as Li Xiaogong struck, he beat Zhu Cang into a bereaved dog. According to the Old Book of Tang, Xiao Gong attacked Zhu Cang and broke it. The generals said, "This man-eating thief is also deeply harmful, please pit it." Filial piety: "No! Since then, they have all been in the east, and they are all in the realm, and if they hear about this, will there be anyone who has come and fallen? "Forgiveness without killing, from the book to the book, successively reduced."
This means that after defeating Zhu Cang, people demanded that his men be killed. Li Xiaogong said: We can't just look at the present, killing people is very simple, but what do we want? Isn't it just to settle down here? Or do not kill as well, otherwise others who will surrender. Sure enough, Li Xiaogong used the Huairou technique of "pardoning but not killing" to deal with the region in one fell swoop.
Of course, there was also Li Xiaogong as commander and Li Jing as his deputy, the Battle of Nanping Xiao Milling. Although the main credit for this battle was Li Jing's, who can deny that there was no merit for Li Xiaogong? So-called, contention is not dispute, non-contention is contention. Li Xiaogong is such a famous general with great wisdom.
In his later years, Li Xiaogong was well aware of the dangers of the Lord, and began to eat, drink and have fun, engaging more than a hundred singers and prostitutes, and "playing music and dancing" every day. Before dying, he sold the magnificent mansion and left only the small mansion to his descendants, explaining: "If my descendants have the ability, they will be able to guard this small mansion." If you are a loser, you will also save yourself from bringing disasters to the big house and cheapening others. ”
Third place: Xu Maogong (Li Ji), who makes people happy and worried
Li Ji's original name was Xu Shiji, the character Mao Gong. Originally one of the three giants of Wagang Mountain, due to the surrender of Capital (Chengchi, etc.) to Li Tang, Li Yuan gave the surname Li, thus changing his name to Li Shiji. Later, Li Shimin became emperor, and in order to avoid the word "shi", he changed his name to Li Ji again
In short, his name is too messy, it is better to follow the "Sui and Tang Dynasty" Shuangli, just call him Xu Maogong!
Xu Maogong is also known as the God of War of the Tang Dynasty. Li Shimin also compared him to Li Jing, saying: Li Jing and Li Ji, Gu Zhihan (Xin), Bai (Qi), Wei (Qing), and Huo (to the disease) can not be more than enough!
Xu Maogong's most cattle battle was that he brutally abused Xue Yantuo, 6,000 prisoners and 50,000 prisoners! Sheng Sheng turned Xue Yantuo upside down! However, it must be explained that Xu Maogong's battle took place after Li Jing destroyed the Eastern Turks. During the destruction of the Eastern Turks, Xu Maogong also followed Li Jing on a campaign and was instructed by Li Jing.
Therefore, he abused Xue Yantuo in this battle, obviously reproducing Li Jing's method of fighting against the Eastern Turks. So-called: fast as the wind, as fast as electricity, as evil as a tiger, greedy as a wolf, where there is no grass left. Of course, it can also be understood as: Li Jing does not retreat, and Xu Maogong is difficult to get out.
The reason why Xu Maogong was ranked third was because he had lost to Dou Jiande first and was captured alive. Later, he was attacked by Liu Hei min's hammer - Hei Min chased after Shi Ji, etc., broke it, killed 5,000 infantrymen, and Shi Ji was only spared.
This is really gratifying and worrying, so it ranks third. This is also the reason why in the "Sui and Tang Dynasty", Li Jing became a god, but Xu Maogong could only be a "half immortal".
The fourth place: Lao Ji Futuo, Su Dingfang, who is determined to be thousands of miles
Su Dingfang is a famous Tang dynasty general who has been seriously smeared! Due to the three generations of feuds with Luo Cheng's family, during the Battle of Yanshan, Su Dingfang shot Luo Yi with a dark arrow. What else did Zijin Guanwai kill Luo Cheng and so on. Therefore, Su Dingfang became the first villain image in "Sui and Tang Dynasty".
But in fact, su Dingfang in history can be called the trump card in the hands of Tang Gaozong. And if only from the indicator of "destroying the enemy country" to examine, Su Dingfang was the first general of the early Tang Dynasty.
According to the Old Book of Tang, the Three Kingdoms were destroyed before and after, and all of them were born to capture their masters. That is to say, Su Dingfang destroyed the enemy country like a game, and also conveniently captured the king of the people and brought it back to Tang Gaozong.
What is even more valuable is that Su Dingfang truly interpreted the meaning of what is called "Old Ji Futuo, Determined in a Thousand Miles". He initially mixed with Dou Jiande. Later, after Dou Jiande was destroyed by Li Shimin, he followed Liu Heimin. Therefore, the author doubts that in the battle of Liu Heimin's explosive hammer Xu Maogong, Su Dingfang was not involved?
After the defeat of Liu Heimin's army, he lived in seclusion for a period of time before defecting to the Tang Dynasty. Naturally, with his experience, coupled with the famous generals in Li Shimin's hands, Su Dingfang was initially not valued by Li Shimin. But Li Jing admired him and let Su Dingfang act as a striker. That is to say, Su Dingfang, like Xu Maogong, is also equivalent to Li Jing's apprentice.
So by 655 AD, Su Dingfang was already in the age of Huajia, a veteran in his sixties, and he followed Cheng to bite the gold and conquer the Western Turks. As a result, the battle of Cheng biting Jin was smashed, and Tang Gaozong ordered Su Dingfang to be the commander. This unveiled the prelude to the famous Tang Dynasty general Su Dingfang, "destroying the Three Kingdoms and capturing its master".
So how much time did Su Dingfang take to achieve such a brilliant record? Only 12 years! In 667, Su Dingfang fell ill and died in the front line of the conquest of Tuguhun. It was during Su Dingfang's conquest that the territory of the Tang Dynasty reached its peak during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang.