Author: Xu Yunhui
In 28 AD, Yuyang Commandery Shou Pengpet rebelled against the Han Dynasty, captured Jicheng, proclaimed himself the King of Yan, and recruited rebels to harm one side. Geng Ti (yǎn), a famous general who was on a southern campaign, received an edict from the Guangwu Emperor to "attack Yuyang" and fell into a dilemma:
His father, Shanggu Commandery Shou Geng and Yuyang County Shou Peng, were originally Liu Xiu's right and left arm during the arduous entrepreneurial period, "with Peng Pet". Before Peng's rebellion, he repeatedly sent emissaries to woo Geng Quan to join forces in rebellion. Geng was unmoved, and in order to make his position clear, he "cut off his envoys." ”
Although this move is bright and straightforward, Geng Yi has always been worried that it will be over-interpreted by villains with ulterior motives; and his father is guarding the ancient county, and he has a heavy army, "and the brothers are not in the Beijing Division (as hostages)." After thinking about it, Geng Yi thought about it, "did not dare to go alone", and wrote a letter requesting a return to Luoyang.
Emperor Guangwu replied: "The general was born to raise the emperor as a country, and the enemy was trapped, and the effect was particularly great. I hope that he will dispel his worries, "and share Zhuo County with Wang Chang" and strive to pass on the good news as soon as possible.
When Geng Quan learned that his son was in a predicament, he "did not feel at ease", and immediately sent his third son Geng Guo to Luoyang to "join the service (a gentle name for being a hostage)". Emperor Guangwu saw that the Geng family was so understanding of the Holy Will, and Long Yan was overjoyed, and he was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Kuimi.
After Geng Yi relieved his worries, he showed his might and cooperated sincerely with other generals to finally quell the rebellion and make new contributions to the imperial court.
Emperor Guangwu treated the heroes well, and was it purely superfluous for Geng Yi to look ahead and look back in this way?
Geng Yi's father, Geng Qi, who had been the shou of the ancient county at any time since he was a child, studied the Ming Classics and Lao Tzu, and was a good student with excellent character and learning. Shanggu County is located in Yanzhao, the people are strong, and the county examination is held at the end of the county, so that the cavalry can show their skills and teach martial arts training. Geng Yi desperately studied riding and shooting, studied the book of soldiers, and hoped to become a pillar of both literature and martial arts.
After Liu Xuan was proclaimed Emperor Gengshi by the Green Forest Army, the 21-year-old Geng Yi accepted his father's assignment and went to Luoyang with heavy gifts to meet Emperor Gengshi. On the way, Geng Yi's entourage misheard the rumors and defected to Wang Lang, the "Emperor of Zhao Han". Geng Yi went north to meet Liu Xiu, who was then the first Sima and was appointed as a subordinate official. Geng Yi repeatedly pleaded to return to Shanggu Commandery and lead a large army to capture Handan.
Liu Xiu smiled and praised: "At a young age, I have such great ambitions!" "Summoned many times and comforted him for a long-term perspective.
Liu Xiubei went to Jicheng and learned that Wang Lang's Handan soldiers were preparing to attack Jicheng. Because the soldiers were widowed, Liu Xiu wanted to return to Luoyang in the south, "Summoning officials to plan." The officials and subordinates unanimously agreed to avoid the enemy and return to the south, but Geng Yi vigorously opposed the southward march: "Yuyang Taishou Peng, is a compatriot of Sima Da; Shanggu Taishou is my father." If these two counties are mobilized, there will be tens of thousands of horses. When the time comes to capture Handan, it will be as easy as a palm! Liu Xiu's officials and subordinates unanimously opposed going north, but Liu Xiu greatly appreciated his strategic gaze and pointed at Geng Yi: "This is my master who can go north." ”
Whether to return to the south or the north has not yet been agreed, and a large-scale riot occurred in Jicheng. Liu Xiufei withdrew south, and the officials and subordinates fell and scattered. Geng Yi fled back to Chang plane to see his father, and praised Liu Xiu for having the style of an emperor. At that time, emperor Gengshi and Wang Lang were struggling to get the support of Shanggu County and Yuyang County. Geng Quan and Peng Pet were undecided, always sitting on the mountain and watching the tiger fight.
Geng Quan believed in his son's vision, and resolutely decided to send people "East About Peng's favor, each with two thousand horses and a thousand infantry" to help Liu Xiu. Geng Yi led the Yuyang army to the south, beheaded 30,000 people, and finally caught up with Liu Xiu at Guang'a.
Liu Xiu was doing his best to attack Wang Lang, when the Erjun soldiers led by Geng Yi suddenly appeared, and Liu Xiu's subordinates mistakenly thought that they were Wang Lang's reinforcements. Geng Yi led his troops to meet Liu Xiu, and Liu Xiu was overjoyed and made a wish, "When you work with Yuyang and Shanggu Shifu, you should do this great feat." He made Geng Yi a general and Marquis of Guiyi, and appointed Geng Yi and others as partial generals, each leading his troops to follow him to capture Handan.
Liu Xiu destroyed Wang Lang, according to Zhao Wei, and his voice was greatly shaken. In order to limit the development of Liu Xiu's power, Emperor Shishi sent emissaries with an edict to recruit Zhao Yong, the Taishou of Dai Commandery, to become an official in the dynasty.
Geng Qiang urged Zhao Yong to answer the call and change his route to Handan to meet Liu Xiu. Liu Xiu greatly appreciated it and ordered him to continue to serve as the Taishou of Dai County.
Unexpectedly, The successor of Emperor Dai commandery, Taishou Zhang Ye, announced that he would no longer accept Liu Xiu's command, and colluded with the Xiongnu and Wuhuan in an attempt to compete with Liu Xiu. Geng Quan sent his second son Geng Shu to lead the Shanggu army to attack Zhang Ye and quickly retake Dai Commandery. After Geng Shu was appointed by Liu Xiu as the general of Fuhu, "more than 200,000 thieves from the five schools went up to the valley", and Geng Shu and his father "broke it in a row, and the thieves all retreated", making outstanding contributions to Liu Xiu's stabilization of the north.
(Liu Xiu)
Liu Xiu's "growing prestige" aroused the suspicion of the emperor. Emperor Shi made liu xiu the king of Xiao and "ordered the strikers and generals to return to Chang'an"; he also sent "Miao Zeng as Youzhou Mu, Wei Shun as Shanggu Taishou, and Cai Chong as Yuyang Taishou", in a vain attempt to disintegrate Liu Xiu's forces. Geng Yi was so worried that he went to the Wenming Hall of the Handan Palace to face Liu Xiu, who was taking a nap, and first advised Liu Xiu not to surrender his military power and return to Chang'an, and then said, "I am willing to return to Youzhou and increase the number of elite troops, so as to gather great plans." "Liu Xiu daxi," nai bai yi was made a general, and Wu Han sent ten counties of Youzhou in the north. ”
Geng Yi returned to Shanggu Commandery and, with the cooperation of his father, cut off the "Wei Shun and Cai Chongzhi" appointed by Emperor Gengshi. "Wu Han" also cursed Miao Zeng, so he sent Youzhou soldiers to the south to follow Liu Xiu to sweep away all the forces that divided the territory. Geng Yi was a pioneer in battle, "often riding the fine horse as a military front, and breaking away." "After several years of southern conquest and northern warfare, Liu Xiu finally pacified the north and became emperor in 25 AD." Bai Yi is the Great General of Jianwei".
After Geng Yi was awarded the title of Marquis of Qi and the Two Counties of Yiyi by virtue of his military exploits, and after defeating Yan Cen, who claimed to be the King of Wu'an, he accompanied the Guangwu Emperor Geng Yi on his tour of the Xingling Tombs, and put forward the strategic concept of "fixing Peng's favor in Yuyang, taking Zhang Feng in Zhuo County, also taking Fuping and Obtaining Suo, attacking Zhang Bu in the east, and leveling the land", which was praised by Emperor Guangwu.
After quelling Peng's rebellion, Geng Yi was instructed to "fight with Wu Han to attack Fuping, obtain the thief in the plain, and destroy it, and surrender more than 40,000 people." He set up officials for 40,000 troops, and was once again ordered to attack the warlord Zhang Bu who was occupying Langya County. After Geng Yiqiang crossed the Yellow River, he skillfully calculated, "Ping more than forty battalions, and then settled Jinan." ”
After conquering Jinan County, Geng Yi pushed Zhang Bu's capital City Of Ju County (present-day changle county, shandong). He adopted tactics such as psychological warfare and showing weakness with strength, and successfully induced Zhang Bu to go out to fight a decisive battle with the Han army. During the fierce battle, Geng Yi was shot through the thigh by a stray arrow, and the blood flowed like a flood. Geng Yi drew his sword and cut off the arrow, and continued to charge into the battlefield, "Left and right ignorant." ”
Emperor Guangwu was in Ludi, and Wen Geng Yi and Zhang Bu were fighting, and hurriedly led reinforcements. The general advised Geng Yi: "The enemy soldiers and horses are strong, and you are wounded by arrows, do you temporarily avoid the battle and wait for the emperor's rescue?" Geng Yi said angrily, "When the Son of Heaven arrives, the courtiers should kill cattle and drink wine to entertain the civil and military officials who accompany the driver, how can they trouble Shengshang because the enemy army is strong?" "He" is a great battle of troops, from the day to the end, the restoration of the great destruction, the killing and wounding of countless people, the city is full of trenches. "The enemy army was defeated and retreated, and was chased and killed by the ambush troops that Geng Yi had pre-set on both wings," the zombies belonged to the eighty or ninety miles. ”
A few days later, Liu Xiu personally went to linzi laojun and praised Geng Ti's march into Qilu in person, which was comparable to the previous Han Xin's march into Qilu, and the difficulty was higher than That of Han Xin, praising him for "those who have lofty ideals can accomplish anything!" ”
Geng Yi chased after Zhang Bu with a drum, and Zhang Bu was cornered, "It is the meat that bears the axe and shoots at the military gate." Geng Yi escorted him to the Guangwu Emperor, captured more than 100,000 enemy troops, and captured "more than 7,000 taels". After the land of Qilu was completely subdued, Geng Yi led his troops back to Beijing in triumph.
In 30 AD, Geng Yi was instructed to "resist Kui Huan in the west and defend the army in Qi", and then accompanied emperor Guangwu to attack Longyou, slash and conquer the generals, and finally completely eliminate Kui Huan's Longyou clique.
Geng Yi was regarded as the god of war who had pacified a total of forty-six counties, slaughtered three hundred cities, and never suffered setbacks. The six fathers and sons of the Geng family were loyal to the Eastern Han Dynasty regime, and the four were made marquises and two generals, and their good names spread to the world.
The world says that it is good to be high, but it is not cold to be in the high place. The Geng family enjoyed such respect, relying on unconditional obedience and wolf-free ambitions. During Geng's tenure as shanggu county guard, he made selfless contributions to Liu Xiu's pacification of the north. However, in the name of caring, Liu Xiu, after quelling Peng's rebellion, sent his uncle to Shanggu County, where Geng Quan led all his people to move to Luoyang.
After Geng Was welcomed back to the capital, Liu Xiu "bestowed Jia Di" to enjoy the political treatment of idle high-ranking officials and made Geng Shu the Marquis of Muping. This move seems to respect the elderly, but it is actually residential surveillance. During Geng's serious illness, Liu Xiu visited him many times and personally gave him medicine. After Geng's death, Liu Xiu posthumously honored him as "Marquis of Lie".
After Geng's death, Emperor Guangwu again added Geng Yi to the throne. Geng Yi knew this in his heart, and immediately took the initiative to hand over the great general Yin Shuo, and attended the imperial meeting as a marquis, gaining Liu Xiu's complete trust. When Emperor Guangwu saw that he knew him so well, he regarded him as a political adviser, "Whenever there is any objection from all four parties, he is summoned to ask for advice." In the fifty-sixth year of geng yi, Yongping died in the first year of the year, and he was posthumously honored as the Marquis of Huan. ”
Geng Yi ranked fourth among the "Twenty-Eight Generals of Yuntai", relying on his outstanding battle achievements and survival wisdom. On the merits of war, Geng Yi may not be the first in the Eastern Han Dynasty, but on the wisdom of survival, Geng Yi is definitely commendable. The blood of the fathers and sons and brothers of the Geng family is thicker than water, and they are loyal to Liu Xiu with one heart and one heart, and while establishing outstanding merits for the Eastern Han Dynasty, they also protect themselves by being willing to be a hostage and handing over the seal silk, such a survival wisdom will be more superior to the rapids and courage, which is absolutely amazing!
【About the author】Xu Yunhui, male, graduated from the Department of Chinese of Yunnan Normal University in 1984 and is now a senior lecturer at Baoshan No.1 Middle School Education Group in Yunnan Province. He has published two monographs and published more than 600,000 words in literary journals at or above the provincial level.
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