In the last years of the new Mang, in addition to the Jingzhou Green Forest Army and the Chimei Army in Qingzhou and Xuzhou, there were also many peasant rebel armies in Jizhou, such as the Tongma Army and the Qing calf Army, which rose one after another, and they saw that the world was about to be in chaos again.
At this time, not far north of the Green Forest Mountain, there was a small city called Gangling, which belonged to Nanyang County, and there were three brothers in the local area, the eldest Liu Xiuzi Bosheng, the second Liu Zhong, and the third Liu Xiuzi Wenshu. Their father was originally a small county order, so his life was OKAY, and he had to be considered a small landlord family. However, compared to his ancestors, it is absolutely declining! Their grandfather's grandfather's grandfather was the Han Jing Emperor. That is to say, they were the seventh grandson of the Han Jing Emperor, or the ninth grandson of Liu Bang.
Liu
Their father died early, and their uncle Liu Liang, who also served as a county commander, took care of their lives. The three brothers have different temperaments, and the eldest Liu Ji is very similar to Liu Bang, and it is Hao Jie who does the pie.
Do not do family business, lean into bankruptcy, make friends with the world's heroes. --The Book of the Later Han Dynasty
He didn't care about the matter of supporting his family and living a life, and his share of the family property was taken out to make friends with haojie everywhere.
The third oldest Liu Xiu was much more peaceful.
Sex is diligent in harvesting. --Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Records of the Guangwu Emperor
He was obsessed with being a rich little landlord, making a dozen small calculations every day, managing the land, and being rich.
Once, Liu Xiu joked with Liu Xiu: I said old third, can't you learn from our grandfather Gaozu, you have to have a big idea, how much can you do all day long to ask for a few acres of land.
Liu Xiu smiled: If you have a big brother, you can learn from Grandpa Gao, I will learn from our second grandfather, honestly farming, I feel very good.
Having said that, Liu Xiu was still a little touched by the eldest brother's statement, so in his early twenties, he found an opportunity to study in Chang'an Taixue. He mainly studied the Shang Shu.
A little bit of righteousness. --Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Records of the Guangwu Emperor
"Slightly through the great righteousness" is not a pejorative meaning, the ancient hero Haojie read a book, they do not do the words, drill the horns of the rotten Confucian learning, only take the practical and useful "great righteousness" to guide the practice of life.
Shang Shu
Liu Xiu only studied in Taixue for about a year or two, and then he went home and continued to be a small landlord. After a few more years, it was the year 22 AD, when the green forest and red eyebrows arose. At that time, Nanyang County was causing famine and social turmoil, and one of his eldest brother Liu Ji's subordinates committed a major crime, and Liu Xiu was also implicated, so he had to run to the home of his brother-in-law Deng Chen in Xinye County and hide.
Deng Chen's friends heard that Liu Xiu was coming, and they all came to visit and chatted: Brother, Xinye is our family's territory, you can rest assured to stay. Looking at this situation, maybe one day it will have to change back, or your old Liu family's world.
One of the people in the gang, Cai Shaogong, who had studied Tu Chen, took over: Yes, it must be changed back, and I heard a proverb:
Liu Xiudang was the Son of Heaven. --The Book of the Later Han Dynasty and the Biography of Deng Chen
Next to him: Oh, it seems that it is Liu Xiu, the Duke of Guoshi.
Liu Xiu laughed:
What is the use of knowing that it is not a servant? --The Book of the Later Han Dynasty and the Biography of Deng Chen
Why does it have to be him, maybe it's us!
Everyone laughed: maybe! The emperor took turns to do it, and when he came to my house next year, if The Liu Xiu brothers became the son of heaven, then we would all become relatives of the emperor and the state. Ha ha...... Drinking and drinking...
Then, Liu Xiu squinted at Deng Chen's house for a few days, and he couldn't stay still. He was a man who lived a life, and he had to find something to do when he was so idle. What do you do to make money? Thinking about it, I decided to sell the grain. Nanyang is suffering from famine, and things are scarce and expensive!
Therefore, Liu Xiu pulled a few carts of grain stored in Deng Chen's family and went to Wancheng, the seat of Nanyang County, to sell it, and it was indeed very profitable. Liu Xiu immediately transferred grain from other places and opened a grain store in Wancheng, and the business was booming.
On this day, two children of rich families came to visit: disturbed, under Li Tong and Li Yi, our brothers want to invite you to have a drink.
Liu Xiu had heard that these two brothers were famous rich people in Wancheng, and their father was an official in Chang'an, a figure, and immediately promised: "Good, I invite you."
After three rounds of drinking, Li Tong opened his words: My father's good ephemeris often told me:
谶云 "Liu's revival, Li's supplement". --The Book of the Later Han Dynasty
Your old Liu family will be revived, and our old Li family will assist you. And now that the Green Forest Army is rising and the Nanyang commotion is in the midst of the chaos of the world, the hero is born, and the eldest husband does not cheer up at this time, and when will he stay?!
Liu Xiu was shocked: This... other...... Don't dare to be in the next, don't dare to be...
Li Tong smiled: I'm afraid you don't dare to be right. Brother Liu Bosheng estimated that he had already raised an army in Lingling, can you still stand in Qingshui?
Liu Xiu's face changed drastically, and he thought: The eldest brother did reveal this to me the other day, what should I do?
At this time, Liu Xiu was only twenty-eight years old, and it was Fang Gang who was flesh and blood, and he turned his heart sideways: dry!
He and the Li Tong brothers secretly purchased a batch of swords, bows and crossbows, gathered a group of people, and returned to Lingling to meet with the eldest brother Liu Ji.
Liu Ji is mobilizing the Liu clan families in Lingling: We must oppose Wang Mang together! Take back my Liu family world!
Many people were frightened when they heard that they were going to rebel and scattered and fled. As he was fleeing, he bumped into Liu Xiu, dressed in a large crown dressed in a robe, riding a bull with a sword and arrow, and couldn't help but exclaim:
The one who is generous is also restored. --Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Records of the Guangwu Emperor
People like Liu Xiu who were so peaceful and cautious actually rebelled together! It seems that there is really no other way, just follow their brothers.
Therefore, Liu Xiu's brothers pulled up a group of seven or eight thousand disciples, and relatives and friends all participated. If you don't participate, you have to sit down and have to participate. Self-proclaimed Han Army. Let's fight!
After conquering two small cities, the Han army marched towards Wancheng, marched to Xiaochang'an and encountered Wang Mang's new dynasty army, and suffered a crushing defeat. Liu Xiu rode a war horse that had just been captured not long ago and fled. Not far from escaping, he met his sister Liu Boji, who dragged him onto his horse. The brothers rode a horse and continued to escape. Halfway through, he met his sister Liu Yuan, who was Deng Chen's wife. Liu Xiu shouted: Sister, get on the horse with me!
Liu Yuan waved his hand: You run away, leave me alone, don't rub, rub again, we all have to die here...
As the pursuing soldiers approached, Liu Xiu had to shed tears and leave. Liu Yuan and her three daughters were killed by the rebels. The second brother Liu Zhong and dozens of brothers of the Liu family were killed in battle. Liu Xiu's mother, Fan Xiandu, also died of illness during this period.
Liu Ji dried his tears, collected the remnants of the soldiers, reorganized the team, and less than half of them were left, retreating to the small city of Zhiyang. And Wang Mang's 100,000-strong army was pressing up. This newly born Han army was in danger.
What to do? Find helpers. At this time, a vanguard unit of the Green Forest Army was in Yiqiu, not far from Zhiyang, and several Green Forest generals were frightened when they heard that the Han army had been defeated so badly, and they were thinking about scattering their stalls to escape for their lives, when they overheard the report from their hands: There was a Han army general outside, calling himself Liu Ji, asking to see our leader, and there was a big matter to discuss.
Liu Ji
At that time, these Green Forest generals could not distinguish between the main and vice majors and vices, and immediately pushed a person named Wang Chang to meet liu ji as a representative. After some conversation, Wang Chang sighed:
Now the revival of the Liu clan, that is, Allah also. Sincere thinking is born for use, supplemented by great achievements. --The Book of the Later Han Dynasty, The Biography of Wang Changlie
It seems that the surname Liu wants to retake the country, which is Providence! In the next talent, willing to serve the general in the dog and horse work! You wait a moment, and I'll persuade the other generals to follow you.
Two of the generals, Zhang Wei and Cheng Dan, each had stronger troops, and both opposed: Why should we give Liu Jiao as a subordinate, how old is he?
Wang Chang said: No, I tell you that the current dog emperor Wang Mang took advantage of the danger of people to usurp the Han Dynasty Jiangshan, and then blindly reformed and abused the people of the world.
The people's praises are not a day. --The Biography of Wang Changlie of the Book of Han
The common people all miss the beautiful life of the Han Dynasty, and they all long for the old Liu family to regain control of the world, which is the desire of the people and the will of Heaven.
If we do great things, we will obey the will of the people at the moment, and we will conform to the will of Heaven, and our deeds will be accomplished. --The Biography of Wang Changlie of the Book of Han
It is not enough to have the strength to do it, when Xiang Yu was so powerful, it was not the same as the end, we are even more unlikely to achieve things, we must hold the people of the old Liu family, in order to have a chance. This general Liu Ji was the ancestor of Han Gao, his courage was extraordinary, he was definitely the talent of the prince, and the Han army he led was really "in line with the will of the people and in accordance with the will of heaven", so if we didn't hug him, wouldn't we be a fool?
Zhang Wei and the others listened to Wang Chang's explanation and obeyed: Yes, unite with them, and our grass-headed team has also become a Han army. Good!
As a result, the Han army of Liu Ji and Liu Xiu's brothers was successfully reorganized with this green forest army. Subsequently, at the beginning of the first month of 23 AD, Wang Mang's army was defeated in one fell swoop, killing more than 20,000 people, taking advantage of the victory to besiege Wancheng, and the Han army quickly grew to more than 100,000 people.
Next, the generals discussed: Since people are thinking about Han, why don't we just appoint a general surnamed Liu as the emperor of the Great Han Dynasty.
Who are you holding? Two candidates: the first one is Liu Xuan; the other is Liu Xuan, who is also Liu Xiu's brother - Liu Xuan's grandfather's grandfather and Liu Xiu's grandfather's grandfather are the same person, and the family is in Lingling.
Liu Xuan is also a person of some heroic style, who previously suffered from crimes and joined the Green Forest Army, known as the "First General". In this way, he was closer to Liu Ji's relationship with the Green Forest Army, and he was relatively gentle, so most of the Green Forest generals wanted him to be emperor. Therefore, they sent people to call Liu Ji: We want to support the establishment of the first general as emperor, what do you think?
Liu Ji said: I am very grateful that you can support our Liu family! However, this matter should not be rushed. If Wang Mang hears that we call the emperor number, he will definitely concentrate his forces to fight us; if the Red Brow Army hears that we are called the emperor, it is likely that he will also support an emperor and come to fight with us...
Several Green Forest generals frequently nodded: "Well, that makes sense...
I overheard a loud cry: Don't say it!
People were startled, turned their heads to look, only to see the general Zhang Wei pull out his sword and poke at the ground, angrily drinking: Liu Bosheng, don't you say it!
Doubts are fruitless. There must be no two of today's discussions. --The Later Han Dynasty Book of Liu Ji Lie biography
Like you who were afraid of wolves before and tigers before, you have done nothing. Today, don't you have no objection to this matter, then it is so fixed, and the general who supports the first general is the emperor. Whoever said anything else, Lao Tzu's sword is merciless!
The Green Forest generals immediately echoed: General Zhang is right, that's it!
Liu Ji grievances: Okay.
On the first day of February in 23 AD, Liu Xuan took the throne as emperor and was known in history as the "First Emperor". Wang Kuang, Wang Feng, and other major generals of the Green Forest Army were all given the titles of Three Dukes and Nine Secretaries. Liu Ji was made the Grand Situ, equivalent to the Prime Minister. Liu Xiu was only given the title of General of taichang bias.
Next, the morale of the entire Han army was high, and it took advantage of the situation. On the one hand, the main force continued to besiege Wancheng; on the other hand, Wang Feng led Liu Xiu and other generals to the north and quickly conquered the three county towns of Kunyang, Dingling, and Haocheng in the south of Yingchuan County.
In May, wang mang's main army of the new dynasty also marched into Yingchuan County. This time, Wang Mang moved Lao Ben and sent Sikong Wang Yi and Situ Wang Xun, equivalent to two prime ministers, with an army of 430,000 recruited from various states and counties, known as millions, "the flag is heavy, and the thousands of miles are endless", to level this Han army that dares to establish a new emperor. The New Dynasty Army recruited many strange people, including a giant.
Jumbo, one foot long, ten girths. --Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Records of the Guangwu Emperor
It's almost two meters three, and it's very stout. There are also capable people who tame beasts, bringing a large group of tigers, leopards, elephants, rhinos, etc., to help the army.
Since the prosperity of the Qin and Han dynasties, there has not been a taste. --Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Records of the Guangwu Emperor
Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, the army that went out to fight in the war had never been so large-scale.
On this day, Liu Xiu and a group of generals with thousands of soldiers were fighting a guerrilla attack in Yingchuan, staring far away at the dust in the direction of Luoyang in the northeast, the sound of cars was thunderous, and the New Mang army was getting closer and closer. When I looked up, I was suddenly frightened: My mother, run for your life!
They turned their horses around and fled back to Kunyang City in a hurry, and they were all panicked when they were about to go back to their homes after laying the covers. Only Liu Xiu is particularly stable: don't panic! Listen to me. At this critical time, we must concentrate! If we really lost Kunyang City, Wang Mang's army would be able to kill Wancheng in one day, and the Han army besieging Wancheng would be attacked by the enemy on its stomach and back, and it would definitely be completely destroyed. In that case, none of us can run, and we are all dead ends. Only by uniting and fighting to the death can we have a chance to survive.
Wang Mang
The generals skimmed their lips: Well, little white face, small mouth, don't you just fight your eldest brother Liu Bosheng, and dare to teach us a lesson.
Liu Xiu smiled and said nothing.
At this time, spies from outside came to report: Wang Mang's army had approached the north of the city!
The army was hundreds of miles away, and it was not seen behind. --Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Records of the Guangwu Emperor
There is no edge, and it is impossible to say how many people there are.
These Han generals were dumbfounded, including Wang Feng and Wang Chang, who looked at each other: What to do? What to do?! Oh, General Liu, what did you say just now, just now we said something heavy, don't go to your heart, you show everyone the way.
Liu Xiuyi rolled up his sleeves: Well, then I can say, we can do this...
The big guys listened to it and obeyed: General Liu analyzed every sentence, we listen to you!
Therefore, Liu Xiu arranged for Wang Feng and Wang Chang to stay and garrison Kunyang City, and he himself took a dozen retinues out of the South City Gate to move the rescue troops to Dingling and Haocheng.
Liu Xiu left Kunyang, and more than 100,000 people led by Wang Yi and Wang Xun surrounded Kunyang City.
At that time, Wang Yi had a famous general under him, yan you, who had previously been sent by Wang Mang to fight Goguryeo and had a great success. Yan You suggested to Wang Yi: Leave 20,000 or 30,000 people to besiege Kunyang, and the large army will continue to go south to save the siege of Wancheng and fight the main force of the Han army.
Wang Yi didn't think so: So many of us, is it still called something to take down this little Kunyang? Let's break it up and crush it first, so that it doesn't just show our military might? Come on people, get ready to siege the city!
The Han army in Kunyang City was only 8,000 or 9,000 people. Hundreds of thousands of Wang Yi's army gathered under the city one after another, encircling dozens of circles inside and out, and firing arrows and crossbows in unison. It rained like rain in Kunyang City, and the Han army suffered heavy casualties. Moreover, it was the cloud ladder that attacked the city outside, dug tunnels, and hit the city gate with a huge rush. Wang Feng and Wang Chang, who were guarding the city, soon couldn't hold on, and they discussed: Let's surrender. After surrendering, it is estimated that at most we will kill these generals, and the brethren should still have a way to live.
They fired a white flag at the head of the city. Wang Yiyi pouted: You want to surrender and live, right? It's late! This commander wants to slaughter the city to deter the enemy's courage and invigorate the army's might! Keep on the rampage!
Wang Feng and Wang Chang had no choice but to continue to defend the city desperately, trying to do everything they could, supporting them bitterly, and they were stunned to hold out for several days.
Seeing that such a small city of Kunyang could not be taken down even for several days, Yan You went to Wang Yi again and said: The art of war is exquisite:
The siege of the city was over. --Zizhi Tongjian Hanji 31
The people in the city can only resist to the end with an iron heart, and they must leave a gap for them, so that they can forget to abandon the city and flee, let them have two hearts, and this city will be easy to attack. Moreover, even if it is not a bad thing to really let go of some anti-thieves, they will definitely run to Wancheng to report the news, describe the momentum of our army, and may directly scare the anti-thieves of Wancheng to death, and they can yield without fighting.
Wang Yi listened impatiently and waved his hand: "Why do you want to grind this, keep fighting!"
But the whole Xinmang army was a little discouraged, at this time, the spies came to report: There was another team of anti-thieves in the west, and there were more than a thousand people.
Wang Yi immediately divided several thousand men to meet the battle.
Where did these more than a thousand people come from? Of course, Liu Xiu brought it. Liu Xiu went out of Kunyang to dingling and yucheng to move the rescue troops, these two Han troops were greedy for the property in the city, and they couldn't hold on: we couldn't save it when we went, so it was better to stick here.
Liu Xiu smiled: Haha, look at your little thoughts, how much money can there be in this small county town? If we defeat Wang Mang's army, how much treasure will it be? Ten thousand times more than this county! On the other hand, if you don't send troops and wait for the people to come and break them, and your heads are gone, what goods will you covet?
Two City Generals: Also to Ha, hit the bitch! General Liu, let's go!
Liu Xiu
Therefore, Liu Xiu first took more than a thousand people to fight the forward and killed Kunyang. Seeing that the thousands of people facing the new army were getting closer and closer, Liu Xiu took dozens of cavalry warriors, leading the way, and directly burst into battle! Like an arrow off the string, rushing into the new mang army, like a tiger entering a flock, killing in, killing out, in the blink of an eye, beheading dozens of levels.
The Han generals who caught up behind shouted in unison: Good! General Liu is mighty!
General Liu has seen small enemies in his life, and now he sees great enemies and bravery, which is even strange. --Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Records of the Guangwu Emperor
In those small battles fought before, General Liu was just so-so, and he could not see any courage. Today, the great enemy is so brave. Good! Let's surprise him again, brothers, rush together!
Liu Xiu and several generals and dozens of warriors broke through the enemy again, and they killed and killed, and beheaded dozens of levels.
All of a sudden, the morale of the Han army was beaten up, and the heart said: After half a day of trouble, Wang Mang's army is all collecting chicken feathers and dusters, so good at fighting. kill!
In one fell swoop, these thousands of new mangy troops were defeated.
Liu Xiu took advantage of the situation and went straight to Wang Yi and Wang Xun's Chinese army to kill them.
Wang Yi and Wang Xun were quite calm and asked: How many reinforcements from the anti-thieves have come?
The general who had just been defeated replied: They have about three thousand people.
Wang Yi narrowed his eyes: What?! Three thousand people, just beat you like this, what a waste! Come people, order ten thousand soldiers and horses, and I and Wang Xuntu will personally destroy them. You are all watching from the sidelines, and you are not allowed to get started. See how we kill them.
As a result, as soon as the two sides fought, Wang Yi and Wang Xun were a bit overwhelmed. The other generals did not dare to assist in the battle, because just now Wang Yi said not to let others get started--this is not unlucky -- and soon Wang Yi's ten thousand soldiers were defeated, and Situ Wang Xun was killed. The Han army in Kunyang City took the opportunity to clamor out, attacking inside and outside, and the killing sound was tremendous. The entire hundreds of thousands of new mangs were suddenly in disarray, the soldiers were defeated like mountains, scattered and fled, trampled on each other to death, squeezed into the river, killed by the Han army, and counted. In the end, Wang Yi, Yan You, and a few thousand others were left to flee back to Luoyang.
This is the famous Battle of Kunyang in history. After this battle, the main force of Wang Mang's new army was destroyed, the world Haojie was moved by the wind, and the county and county governments in various places were occupied by the rebel army, and then waited for the edict and reward of the first emperor of the Han Dynasty.
Here, the so-called "haojie of the world" is actually mostly the landlord class, and Wang Mang's reform of the wangtian system has harmed their interests, so they rise up to overthrow Wang Mang, rectify the chaos, restore the previous land system, and take back their land. In this sense, this is a historical regression.
(This article is an excerpt from the fourth part of the "History of the Rise and Fall of the Eastern Han Dynasty", "GuYuan Talk Tongjian", which will be published by The Chinese Publishing House in the first half of 2022.) ）