The "Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun" mentioned in the TV series "Yanyuntai" is an untouchable pain of the Great Song Dynasty. In the heart of Emperor Zhao and Song, he always had the long-cherished wish to recover Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures.
So, why couldn't the Song Dynasty take back the "Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun"? And why has it caused countless bloody wars?
Military powerhouse. In 936, Shi Jingtang, the son-in-law of Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang, rebelled, and in order to obtain military assistance from the Khitans, established the Later Jin Dynasty, ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun to the Khitan (Liao), and opened the gateway to the Central Plains (the Guankou Fortress and natural barrier in northern Northern China, including the Great Wall, were in the territory of Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures), and the North China Plain was completely exposed to the iron horses of the northern nomads.
Missed opportunities. Later Zhou Shizong Chai Rong personally marched, successively recovered 6 prefectures, and saw that he was about to capture Youzhou, but suddenly fell ill, so he had to strike and return to the division, and he failed in vain.
After Chai Rong's death, Zhao Kuangyin established the Song Dynasty. Taizu was very jealous of the Liao, and many parts of the south had not yet been pacified at that time, so he set up a military strategy of first going south and then north. However, when he swept away the local forces, he missed the best opportunity for the Northern Expedition. The Liao ruler was changed from Yelü Jing to empress dowager Xiao.
Frustrated by the Sorghum River. In 979, Emperor Taizong decided to retake Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures. He annihilated the Northern Han Dynasty in three months, captured Zhuozhou, and insisted on rushing into Youzhou. Youzhou defended the city of Han Derang, tightly defended, and could not be conquered for half a month. The Song soldiers were sleepy and short of horses, and the food was insufficient.
Xiao Yanyan concurrently sent the Five Courtyards of Soldiers and Horses to aid Youzhou, and fought a great battle at the Gaoliang River, and the Song army was defeated. Emperor Taizong fled in a donkey cart, discarding countless grain and grass, and a large number of soldiers were damaged, accumulated for many years, and destroyed, and the recovered land returned to the hands of the Khitans.
Defeated QishanGou. Eight years later, Emperor Taizong of Song launched the Northern Expedition again, sending the Third Route Army to conquest. Cao Bin, the main general of Xiongzhou Road, Mi Xin, the main general of The Middle Road, Tian Zhong, the main general of Feihukou Road, Pan Mei, the main general of Yanmen, and Yang Ye, the deputy general. It was planned to use the eastern road Cao Bin's army to contain the main force of Liao, and the central and western roads took advantage of the gap to capture the Shanhou Prefectures, and the latter three divisions jointly attacked Youdufu.
After the war began, the first battle was a great victory, the west road connected 4 states, and the middle road captured 1 state and 2 counties. Mi Xin was besieged at Xincheng, and only then did he bring more than 100 people to break through, join Cao Bin's army, and successively capture Zhuozhou and 2 counties.
After Cao Bin entered Zhuozhou, he remembered the emperor's admonition to "hold heavy and slow down", and the garrison did not dare to move for more than 10 days, and the military food was exhausted, and withdrew from Zhuozhou. Emperor Taizong was furious when he heard the news, so he joined the Mi Xin army and garrisoned the troops on the spot in solidarity with the Western Route Army.
However, Cao Bin could not control the mood of the generals vying for merit and attacked Zhuozhou again. However, at this time, zhuozhou reinforcements had arrived, the grain route of the Eastern Route Army was cut off, and had to retreat, and Empress Xiao saw Cao Bin's army coming in and out of nowhere, and pursued them closely all the way, fighting in the Qishan Valley, Cao Bin's army was defeated, and the western and central route armies were also forced to retreat.
Yang Ye was captured in battle at Chenjiagukou because he did not receive the help agreed by Pan Mei in advance, and died of hunger strike for three days.
The Alliance of the Abyss. After that, the Song turned to defense, but the Liao state, under the administration of Empress Xiao, embarked on the road of Zhongxing and launched wars against the Song many times. In 1004, Empress Xiao led an army directly to Liaozhou and threatened Fenjing (Kaifeng). Prime Minister Kou Zhun stood up for the public opinion and organized a defense.
After Emperor Zhenzong of Song personally conquered Liaozhou, the two armies entered a stalemate, and the two sides concluded an alliance of Liaoyuan one by one. That is, the Song Dynasty helped the Liao Dynasty every year to help 100,000 silver and 200,000 silk horses, along the border state army, each guarding the border. This covenant brought peace to both sides for 120 years.
Lure the wolf into the house. In 1115 AD, the Jurchens rebelled against the Liao. Emperor Huizong decided to unite with Jin to destroy liao and retake Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures. As a result, the wolf entered the house, and this more barbaric neighbor gave Song a ruined empty city.
A few years later, the Jingkang Rebellion was created and the Northern Song Dynasty was destroyed.