In the last years of the Qin Dynasty, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang blew a clarion call against Qin, and the voices of the uprising were endless. However, among the many rebel ranks, one team was very eye-catching, not only becoming the most important force in the anti-Qin army, but also becoming a beautiful talk that has been circulated for thousands of years, which is the eight thousand Jiangdong disciples of Xiang's uncle and nephew (Xiang Liang, Xiang Yu).
Are these eight thousand soldiers really all Xiang Clan disciples? What kind of influence did Xiang's uncle and nephew use to bring them together?
And listen to the water come slowly.
1. Fugitive nobles
The Xiang clan, originally a nobleman of the Chu state, was a general for generations, and was given the surname because of his title of Xiang (in the area of present-day Xiangcheng, Henan).
In the last year of the Warring States, the Qin army attacked Chu on a large scale, and a large part of the territory of the Chu state belonged to the Qin state. During this period, the Xiang clan also moved eastward like most of the nobles of the Chu state in order to avoid the threat of the Qin army, and their final foothold stayed in Xiaxiang County, Surabaya County (present-day Suqian, Jiangsu). However, the qin dynasty's army did not let them "wait" for too long, and it was very convenient to carry the momentum of swallowing thousands of miles like a tiger and attacked and killed them.
In 223 BC, the famous general Xiang Yanzhan died in the south of Pu County (蕲县, in present-day Suzhou, Anhui), and the Chu army completely collapsed, and the Chu state was destroyed. Xiang Liang took the ten-year-old Xiang Yu and scattered in Xiaxiang County like some of the tribesmen, and lived like a commoner.
Liu Bang and Xiang Yu, at this time, one located in the northwest of Pengcheng and the other in the southeast of Pengcheng, were only four hundred miles apart, and it was these two "fellow villagers" who later changed the history of the whole of China.
As the son of the famous general Xiang Yan, Xiang Liang Wentao's martial strategy and military strategy are naturally involved, but the gap in status is still difficult to accept for a while. Therefore, after a confrontation with the population, Xiang Liang killed the other party with his hand, formed a vendetta, and could not continue to stay with each other.
As a result, Xiang Liang once again fled with Xiang Yu. This time, they crossed the river and came to Wu County, Huiji County, in the southeast.
2. Civil leaders
It is often said that "trees move to death, people move to live", and this escape of Xiang's uncle and nephew has indeed brought a turnaround to their lives.
Huiji Commandery was originally the land of Wuyue, occupied by the State of Chu in the middle and late Warring States period, and the county after the Qin Dynasty destroyed Chu, which roughly included the southern part of present-day Jiangsu, the Shanghai area, and most of Zhejiang, and Wu County was its county seat, roughly in the area of Wuzhong District in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu. At this time, there is a legacy of Wu Yue, the folk style is fierce, brave and fierce, the style of rangers is prevalent, and the concept of master-subordinate attachment in the Warring States period is still there. Although it is not possible to raise soldiers as in the Warring States period, it will still form "associations" due to financial resources, material resources, personality charm and other reasons.
After Xiang Liang was originally a famous general Xiang Yan, he also had a certain prestige in Jiangdong, coupled with his righteousness and outstanding talent, he soon gathered a large number of sages and doctors, willing to belong to his disciples. With the continuous improvement of his status, many major events in the local area were also hosted by him, and he became a local folk leader and a leading figure, and even the county governor had to look up to him, and the county sheriff and the county order were even more important. Junzhong Haojie did not obey his command, and even many Haojie were proud of being ordered by Xiang Liang, and were not ashamed of Being Favored by Xiang Liang.
Xiang Liang also continued to organize training for his children in this process, observing the available people and examining their abilities. Xiang Yu also grew up in this process, more than eight feet tall, able to carry ding, born with a pair of divine powers, Wu Zhongzi' disciples, all afraid of him.
The prestige and power of Xiang's uncles and nephews in Wuzhong were enough to play a pivotal role.
Three or two cruises
The two parades of the emperors of the Qin Dynasty may not have had a great impact on Xiang Liang, but they greatly stimulated Xiang Yu's nerves.
1. The fifth parade of Qin Shi Huang
In 214 BC, when Qin Shi Huang made his fifth parade, he entered Huiji County, passing through his county of Wu County, and Xiang's uncle and nephew also came out to watch. From a distance, although it was impossible to see what the First Emperor looked like, the long procession of carriages and horses was enough to shock people's hearts.
Suddenly, Xiang Yu said coldly, "He can take his place!" This means that Qin Shi Huang can also be replaced. Xiang Liang was shocked, and hurriedly covered Xiang Yu's mouth and said, "Don't talk nonsense, this will bring endless disasters to the whole clan." But despite this, from then on, Xiang Liang looked at this nephew even more differently. Xiang Yu has something extraordinary to see.
2. Qin II's cruise
In July 210 BC, Qin Shi Huang collapsed in the sand dunes, and The Second Hu Hai took the throne.
Remembering his father's six parades, although it was hard, the scenery scene made him move. Therefore, in the spring of the first year of the second century (209 BC), Hu Hai and the Wenwu Hundred Officials began his own cruise - going north to Liaodong, coastal south, crossing Mount Tai, Wanglangya, crossing the Yangtze River, arriving at Huiji County, and in April, taking the Nanyang Wuguan Road back to Xianyang. At this time, it was only three months before the uprising of Chen Sheng and Wu Guangzexiang.
As an important stop on the second parade, the liveliness of Huiji County will naturally attract the attention of Xiang's uncles and nephews, "other people" have been changed, "new people" have just been established, but I don't know what high theories Xiang Yu has made at this time, only that it is not far from the day when they started their army.
Fourth, borrow the head and use it
In July of the first year of the second century (209 BC), Chen Sheng and Wu Guang rebelled, and the Kwantung rebellion was great, and it was naturally impossible for Huiji Commandery to stay out of the way.
Gunshou Yintong was not a stubborn person, and seeing this scene, he decided to take the lead in opposing Qin. To this end, he specially summoned the "folk leader" Xiang Liang to discuss the grand plan, and said: "The west of the Great River has already rebelled against Qin, this is the rhythm of the heavens to destroy Qin, just as the so-called, preemptive attack, the second attack is subject to people, I plan to raise an army against Qin, with you and Huan Chu as generals, lead the army, and achieve great causes." ”
Yin Tong's move was also reasonable, but the problem was that he had found the wrong person, Xiang Liang had been preparing for this day for a long time, anti-Qin was the big plan he had in mind, what he was waiting for was just an opportunity, and it just so happened that Yin Tong gave him this opportunity.
Since Huan Chu was fleeing at this time, Xiang Liang summoned Xiang Yu to meet him on the grounds that "Xiang Yu and Huan Chu have a very strong personal relationship and know where they are". Yin Tong did not know the depth, so he asked Xiang Yu to come in. But what he didn't expect was that soon after Xiang Yu came in, he saw Xiang Liang's eyes, so he drew his sword and cut off his head. Subsequently, Xiang Liang held Yin Tong's head in his hand and hung the seal of the county sheriff on his body, standing in the palace and giving the command.
Suddenly, the dragons were leaderless, and the county sheriff's mansion was in chaos, and between the quarrels and shouts, Xiang Yu killed a hundred or so people. At this point, where else would anyone dare not bow down and obey, and the anti-Qin horn of Xiang's uncle and nephew was sounded like this. As for whether Gunshou Yintong's original intention was anti-Qin, who would care? His head was "borrowed" by Xiang Liang, which became a clear proof of their determination to oppose Qin.
Five or eight thousand sons and daughters
Xiang Liang summoned the local Haojie and The Sage Doctors who usually followed him, as well as the officials of Huijian County and Wu County, to express their anti-Qin wishes and seek their opinions. The civil forces have long been the leader of Xiang Liang, and Wu County Ling Zheng Chang also stood up to show strong support, so, under the recommendation of everyone, Xiang Liang became the new Huijian County Shou, ordering the whole county to jointly accuse Qin.
Subsequently, Xiang Liang ordered his men to go down to take over the counties under the jurisdiction of Huijian County, and began to mobilize conscripts. In the end, under xiang liang's careful selection, a powerful military force composed of eight thousand elite soldiers was formed, which was often mentioned later as the eight thousand Jiangdong disciples of the Xiang clan, and its officers at all levels were also composed of local Haojie of Huiji County.
Therefore, from the very beginning, the army of Xiang's uncle and nephew showed a combat effectiveness that was completely different from other rebel armies, whether it was individual combat effectiveness, execution, or loyalty, etc., all of which showed a superior level. Jiangdong's disciples also became the foundation of The Xiang clan's foothold, and the core strength of the Chu State was the basis for the later victory of the war with less.