Historically, the northern nomads have always been a threat to the Central Plains Dynasty, as strong as the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Khitans, Jurchens, Mongols, etc., and even some have entered the Central Plains to replace them.
The Turks who were active in the Sui and Tang Dynasties gradually rose because of the wars in the Central Plains, but because of the divisive strategy of one person, the rising Turks were infighting and gradually split, giving the Central Plains Dynasty a chance to breathe and no longer be able to become strong.
Changsun Sheng (552 – 609 CE), courtesy name Ji sheng , was a native of Luoyang , Henan , a military strategist and strategist of the Northern Zhou and Sui dynasties , who served as a general of Yi Tong Sansi , a general of Zuo Xun Wei , a general of Zuo Ling , and a general of Right Xiao Wei.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > kill two birds with one stone</h1>
Changsun Sheng has been intelligent since childhood, slightly familiar with poetry, especially good at riding and shooting, much higher than the children of ordinary nobles.
In the second year of the elephant, the Turkic Shabaoli Khan Ashina Regent requested intermarriage and affinity with northern Zhou. The Northern Zhou court, with the daughter of Yuwen Zhao the King of Zhao, marrying the Princess Qianjin, sent Changsun Sheng as a deputy envoy to escort the princess to the Turkic tooth tent.
Sha Baoli Khan had great contempt for the Sui Dynasty envoys and was not very courteous. Once, in order to show his martial arts, he deliberately let the emissaries of the Sui Dynasty follow the safari. The Turkic warriors began to humiliate the Sui emissaries by hitting many birds and beasts.
Eagles are the most difficult birds to shoot on the prairie. First, the eagle flies too high, and it is difficult for the average person to pull a full bow to shoot it; second, the eagle's strength is very large, and its flapping wings can easily knock down the feather arrow, unless the feather arrow is fast and straight through the abdomen. Even the Turkic warriors rarely shot large eagles.
At this time, there were two large eagles pecking at each other in the air, and Changsun Sheng calmly and calmly waited for the opportunity, and suddenly a feather arrow penetrated the two eagles. The Turkic khan was greatly surprised and deeply impressed, and began to treat Changsun Sheng with courtesy, and let the children of the nobles learn archery from Changsun Sheng. This is the origin of the idiom "kill two birds with one stone".
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > divisive tactic</h1>
Changsun Sheng's "two eagles with one stone" made him famous in Turkic territory, and Shabaoli Khan retained him to travel in Turkic territory for more than a year.
Taking this opportunity, Changsun Sheng began to understand the Turkic customs and customs and the terrain of the mountains and rivers, and gradually made friends with many Turkic aristocrats. He learned that Shabal Khan's younger brother Tuli Khan had few followers in Therahu, but he was resourceful and won the support of many people, and was also suspected by Shabal Khan.
The tribal leader Datou Khan's military strength far exceeded that of Sha Baoluo, but his status was not as good as Sha Baoluo, but he always had a feeling of indignation in his heart, although on the surface he still respected Sha Baoluo as a khan.
After Changsun Sheng returned to the Central Plains, he gave a detailed account of the Turkic situation to Yang Jian, the Chancellor of northern Zhou. Yang Jian was very happy and promoted Changsun Sheng to the rank of Fengche Du Lieutenant.
After the establishment of the Sui Dynasty, Changsun Sheng began to write to Emperor Wen of Sui, proposing to the Turks to "attack from afar and closely, and to separate the strong from the weak", that is, to contact the Datou Khans and Apo Khans in the west and the Turkic Khans in the east, to isolate the Sha Baoliu Khan, and wait until more than ten years later, when the Turks are in civil strife, the Sui Dynasty will come again to fight, and then the Turks can be eliminated in one fell swoop.
After Emperor Wen of Sui saw the song, he personally received Changsun Sheng. Changsun Sheng dictated the situation, painted mountains and rivers by hand, and wrote out the turkic reality, all of which were well understood. Emperor Wen of Sui was amazed at him when he heard this, and adopted all of his plans.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > differentiation disintegrates</h1>
According to Changsun Sheng's plan, Emperor Wen of Sui sent an emissary Yuan Hui to visit Datou Khan, specially gave wolf heads, and deliberately did not visit Sha Baoli Khan, and sure enough, there was suspicion between Sha Baoluo Khan and Datou Khan.
At the same time, Changsun Sheng, as a cheri general, carried a large amount of wealth to the Tuli Khan, stated the stakes, and lured him to the Sui Dynasty. In this way, Shabal Khan was isolated.
In the second year of the reign of Emperor Kai, Sha Baoliu Khan ordered Apo Khan to lead his people south to attack the Sui Dynasty, but was defeated several times by the Sui army. Changsun Sheng secretly sent emissaries to find Apo Khan, stating that Shabaoli Khan won every battle, and you often failed, and he wanted to take the opportunity to destroy your forces.
The strength of Apo Khan was originally similar to that of Sha Baoli Khan, coupled with many defeats, he began to doubt Sha Baoli's intentions, coupled with the provocation of Changsun Sheng, so he broke with Sha Baoli Khan. Shabal Khan preemptively attacked Apo Khan and inflicted heavy losses.
Apo Khan led his troops to the western datou Khan and began to oppose Shabal Khan. Under the instigation of dissension and military attacks by Changsun Sheng, the powerful Turks began to split into the Eastern Turks of Shabaoliu Khan and the Western Turks of Datou Khan, and their strength was seriously weakened.
< h1 class = "pgc-h-arrow-right" > posthumous honor</h1>
Under the divisive policy of Changsun Sheng, the Sui Dynasty helped the weak and the strong, successively eliminating the Dulan Khan and the Bujia Khan, and supporting the Tuli Khan as the Qimin Khan. Qimin Khan maintained good relations with the Sui Dynasty and the border was peaceful for decades.
In the fifth year of Daye, the eldest son Sheng died at the age of 58, and the Sui Emperor expressed his deep condolences and ordered a generous sacrifice.
In the eleventh year of Daye, the Sui Emperor went out to tour the north and was surrounded by the Turkic Shibi Khan at Yanmen Pass. At the moment of crisis, the Sui Emperor could not help but sigh: "If The eldest Sun Sheng was still there, He would not have been forced to such a point by the Turks!" ”
Later, Li Shimin, the son-in-law of Changsun Sheng, became emperor, and his son Changsun Wuji became a chancellor. Changsun Sheng, as the head of the state, was posthumously honored as Sikong, Shangzhu Guo, and Duke of Qi, with the posthumous title of "Xian".