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Text: Yanyan
Edited by Yeon-yeon
preface
The Tang army captured Princess Tiele in a battle, but Xue Rengui, who was illustrious in battle, made a shocking decision to force her to be a concubine at the risk of killing her head.
This practice made everyone sweat for Xue Rengui's fate. However, it was only later that people discovered that Xue Rengui's decision actually contained extremely high wisdom, which can be called a clever move.
What was the reason why Xue Rengui dared to take such a big risk? What is the meaning behind his decision?
From the field to the battlefield: Xue Rengui's counterattack life
Xue Rengui was born in a family descended from the king of Hedong in the Northern Wei Dynasty, and was supposed to live a life of fine clothes and food. However, fate made people, and in his generation, his family fell into the middle of the road and became an ordinary person.
The young Xue Rengui had to work in the fields and live an ordinary and difficult life. This experience made him deeply understand the hardships of the people at the bottom, and also exercised his tenacious character.
However, opportunity always favors those who are prepared. After Tang Taizong Li Shimin ascended the throne, in order to consolidate national defense, he began large-scale conscription. Xue Rengui saw an opportunity to change his fate and resolutely enlisted in the army.
With his burly figure and extraordinary courage, he successfully joined the Tang Dynasty army and began his military career as a lowest-level soldier. This decision not only changed the trajectory of his life, but also won Datang a future celebrity.
In the eighteenth year of Zhenguan (644), Li Shimin personally conquered Goguryeo. This expedition gave Xue Rengui a stage to show his talents. In an encounter, Xue Rengui's unit was unfortunately surrounded by enemy forces.
At the critical moment, Xue Rengui stepped forward, rushed into the enemy formation alone, killed the enemy's main general, and successfully led the whole army to break through. This feat not only won the admiration of the soldiers, but also attracted the attention of Li Shimin.
Xue Rengui's courage and wit were fully demonstrated in this operation, laying the foundation for his future promotion. Since then, Xue Rengui's military career has begun to enter the fast lane. Li Shimin exclaimed: "The biggest gain in this battle is to get a talent like Xue Rengui. "
Xue Rengui was thus promoted and began his brilliant military career. This recognition is not only an affirmation of Xue Rengui's personal ability, but also reflects the enlightened system of selecting talents in the Tang Dynasty, and sets a model for future generations to select and appoint talents.
Three Arrows Set the Heavenly Mountain: Xue Rengui's pinnacle work
As time went by, Xue Rengui's status in the army became higher and higher. By the time of Tang Gaozong Li Zhi, he had become a trusted general.
However, what really made Xue Rengui's name go down in history was his amazing performance when he conquered the nine surnamed Tiele. This battle not only demonstrated Xue Rengui's military talent, but also became an important turning point in the military history of the Tang Dynasty.
The nine surnamed Tiele was a tribal alliance in the northern part of the Mongolia Plateau that had been friendly with the Tang Dynasty. But after the new leaders came to power, they began to be dissatisfied with the Tang Dynasty and even rebelled.
Tang Gaozong Li Zhi decided to send troops to quell the rebellion, and Xue Rengui was one of the main generals of this crusading army. This appointment shows Li Zhi's high trust in Xue Rengui, and it also gives Xue Rengui an important opportunity to prove himself.
At that time, Xue Rengui was over half a hundred years old, and some people doubted his ability. In order to dispel these doubts, Tang Gaozong personally tested Xue Rengui's archery skills.
Xue Rengui easily shot through the five layers of armor, showing amazing strength, and won Tang Gaozong's appreciation and trust. This scene not only proves that Xue Rengui has maintained a good physical condition, but also shows that he can still play an excellent mental quality under pressure.
At the foot of the Tien Shan Mountains, the Tang army confronted the Tiele army. Tieler's army was numerous and arrogant. In the face of the enemy's provocation, Xue Rengui was not afraid of danger and stepped forward to fight alone.
He easily defeated a dozen challengers, and then showed his courage by firing three arrows in a row, killing three enemy generals in each case. This series of actions not only shows Xue Rengui's superb martial arts, but also reflects his courage and responsibility as a general.
This scene was called "Three Arrows to the Heavenly Mountain" by later generations, and became Xue Rengui's most praised achievement. Tiele's army was shocked by Xue Rengui's bravery, and their morale was greatly reduced.
In the end, the leaders of the various tribes of Tiele knelt down and asked for surrender, and the Tang army won without a fight. This victory not only consolidated the Tang Dynasty's rule in the northwest region, but also earned Xue Rengui the reputation of "sharpshooter", which became a classic example of war praised by later generations.
There is still another hidden reason for retiring after success
However, at the moment of triumph, Xue Rengui made a puzzling decision: he ordered the killing of a large number of surrendered Tiele prisoners, reportedly as many as 130,000.
This was controversial at the time, as the killing of generals in ancient times was often seen as a bad omen. This practice not only violated the ethics of war, but also had a negative impact on the international image of the Tang Dynasty, triggering extensive discussions between the government and the opposition.
Not only that, Xue Rengui also forcibly accepted a princess Tiele as a concubine. This kind of behavior not only violates military discipline, but also runs counter to the ethics of a respected general.
This decision not only aroused criticism among the officers and men in the army, but also cast a shadow over Xue Rengui's own reputation, making people wonder whether he had been carried away by power and victory.
So, why did Xue Rengui make such a choice? Some people think that this may be Xue Rengui's precaution. The ninth surname Tiele has been repeated many times, and if these soldiers are allowed to go back, it is likely to become a hidden danger in the future.
The act of forcibly marrying a princess may be to "join the same stream" with another general, Zheng Rentai, and share responsibility. Although this explanation exonerates Xue Rengui to some extent, it still cannot completely dispel people's doubts about his actions.
In any case, these two incidents cast a shadow over Xue Rengui's reputation. However, it is surprising that Tang Gaozong Li Zhi did not severely punish Xue Rengui for this.
On the contrary, he protected Xue Rengui on the grounds of "merit and demerit". What are the considerations behind this decision? This not only reflects Li Zhi's political wisdom, but also triggers people's deep thinking about the criteria for judging merit and demerit.
The trust of the emperor and the loyalty of the general
In fact, Tang Gaozong Li Zhi's trust and reuse of Xue Rengui was not untargeted. After the "Three Arrows Set the Heavenly Mountains", Xue Rengui led the army many times, including the conquest of Goguryeo and the Turks, and each time he achieved great results.
These feats also increased Li Zhi's trust in Xue Rengui. Xue Rengui's military talents and military exploits offset the controversy over his behavior to a certain extent, so that Li Zhi chose to continue to reuse him after weighing the pros and cons. At the same time, although Xue Rengui's behavior was controversial, to some extent, it also reflected his loyalty to the Tang Dynasty.
Trapping captives, while brutal, does eliminate a potential threat; Although it is immoral to forcibly marry a princess, it can also be understood as a helpless move to stabilize the morale of the military. These actions, while morally controversial, may be justified from a political and military point of view.
This attitude of Li Zhi also reflects his wisdom as a mature monarch. He understands that in dealing with the issue of meritorious service, we should not only look at temporary gains and losses, but also consider long-term interests.
Protecting Xue Rengui is not only a reward for the heroes, but also to stabilize the morale of the army and maintain the prestige of the imperial court. Although this practice may cause some criticism, in the long run, it is conducive to maintaining the ruling foundation of the imperial court and the cohesion of the army.
Merits and demerits: Xue Rengui's later years
Despite the controversy, Xue Rengui continued to serve the Tang dynasty in the years that followed. He went on many expeditions and made many military exploits, making significant contributions to consolidating the border security of the Tang Dynasty.
These subsequent exploits also proved to a certain extent that Li Zhi's decision was correct, and Xue Rengui was indeed a rare military talent.
In Xue Rengui's later years, the border situation in the Tang Dynasty stabilized, thanks in large part to his early achievements. In particular, the battle of "Three Arrows to Set the Heavenly Mountain" won nearly half a century of peace for the Tang Dynasty.
This long-term peace not only consolidated the rule of the Tang Dynasty, but also created favorable conditions for the economic and cultural development of the Tang Dynasty, and it can be said that Xue Rengui's exploits played an important role in the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty.
In 682 AD, the old Xue Rengui died of illness in Luoyang at the age of 71. Compared with many generals who have encountered accidents due to their high merits, Xue Rengui was able to die well, which is already a rare luck.
His good death was not only a personal blessing, but also reflected the Tang Dynasty's kindness to meritorious heroes, setting a model for future generations to treat meritorious heroes.
epilogue
Xue Rengui's life has both brilliant military exploits and controversial behaviors. But it is undeniable that he made an important contribution to the strength of the Tang Dynasty. His story has also become a classic for future generations, inspiring countless future generations.
Xue Rengui's life can be said to be a miniature version of the history of the Tang Dynasty, from which we can see the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, the reform of the military system, and the complexity of the relationship between monarchs and ministers. #长文创作激励计划#
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