Volume 5 Zhou Ji 5 King Zhao 43 (272 BC) ~ 59 years (256 BC)
Last time, it was mentioned that under the influence of Cai Ju, the chancellor of Qin, Qin Zhaoxiang Wang Ji deposed his mother, Empress Xuan, the eighth son. Although Empress Xuan died the following year, she had previously been a woman in the Qin Kingdom for more than forty years, setting a precedent for the female protagonist's reign and having a profound impact on future generations. A year before her depose, King Huiwen of Zhao died, and his son Zhao Dan succeeded him as King Xiaocheng of Zhao (this jun was the King of Zhao in the "Historical Masterpiece" "Searching for Qin"). At this time, King Xiaocheng of Zhao was young, and the State of Zhao emulated Empress Xuan, with the empress dowager in power, with Zhao Sheng as the minister of state. Another year later, Tian Fazhang, the king of QiXiang, died, and his son Tian Jian ascended the throne and also handled state affairs as a queen.
Some people have asked, was it not male superiority and female inferiority in ancient times? Isn't it true that the harem can't do politics? Were these empresses able to come to power through conspiracies such as coups d'état? - It's not really. Although there is a saying that men are superior to women, there is also a saying in China's dynasties - the so-called "rule the world with filial piety". The empress dowager is the mother of the king/emperor, how can she, how dare she simply be regarded as a "harem"? Therefore, the empress dowager bowed to the government, which had a legal basis, and until Empress Dowager Cixi, it was actually in the same vein. Of course, there are also many empresses who only listen to the government in name and are subject to the ministers, so ambitious ones will also launch coups in an attempt to gain real power. But at least to obtain the title of "pro-dynasty system", there is no need to engage in any conspiracy.
Taking advantage of the death of King Huiwen of Zhao, the State of Qin sent troops to attack the State of Zhao. Zhao Guo asked Qi Guo for help, and Qi Guo asked Empress Zhao's younger son Chang'an Jun to come and be a hostage. Empress Zhao did not do it, and Zuo Shi (official name) Touch Dragon persuaded her - this is the "Touching Dragon Says Empress Zhao" in the language textbook. This was just a temptation by the Qin state.
But the State of Qin is not a dead Zhao State, don't forget that there is also a weak chicken - South Korea. Wu Anjun attacked Korea three times and finally divided Korea in two. The territory of Korea, the core of which is the Sinjeong area, is also the land of Shangdang, which is connected by the narrow land of Namyang (this is not the current Namyang). It is this junction that comes down from the white. Those who know some geographical knowledge may know that Shangdang in present-day Shanxi is a highland surrounded by mountains on all sides, somewhat similar to the terrain of the basin, and has only a few narrow mountain passes to the outside world. Bai Qi laid down this land, and its opponent was the heart of Sima Zhao, which was well known to passers-by (of course, Sima Zhao was born five hundred years later).
The Land of the Han Shang Dang (Picture reproduced from acFun article area "Qin Han Series (Fan Wai) - Historical Map of China (1)", by Bukharin)
Now, South Korea's Shangdang shou Feng Ting is in a dilemma. The Koreans were bullied by the State of Qin and did not want to surrender, so they simply defected to the Zhao State next to them. King Xiaocheng of Zhao asked Zhao Bao, the Prince of Pingyang, and Zhao Bao said, "The saint is very evil and has no cause for profit." There is no such thing as a free lunch. The State of Qin has long coveted this land and thinks that it is already in its pocket; now that we have taken love with a knife, the State of Qin will absolutely be ashamed and angry, and then we are likely to lose our wives and fold our troops. King Xiaocheng of Zhao asked Pingyuan Jun again, and Pingyuan Jun believed that heaven and Fo took and were blamed for it. King Xiaocheng of Zhao eventually accepted the surrender of shangdang and made Feng Ting the Prince of Huayang. Feng Ting was helpless to defect to Zhao Guo, so he refused to accept the knighthood, "I can't bear to sell the main land and eat it!" ”
How could the State of Qin accept such an outcome? They decisively sent their left commander Wang Gong to attack the party, Zhao Guo sent Lian Po to attack, and the two armies faced each other at Changping. The Qin army defeated the Zhao army in several skirmishes, so Lian Po could not hold out. King Xiaocheng of Zhao thought that the old man was probably scared, and sent people to rebuke him several times. However, in fact, although Lian Po was strategically passive, it was also due to the situation, and it was already a relatively good choice, and the evidence was that the Qin army had been unable to achieve a decisive victory, and if it continued like this, it would enter a long-term tug-of-war, and it would change after a long time.
Of course, the Qin State would not really dry its eyes and fight for cheap consumption. Fan Ju sent people to the State of Zhao to carry out a counter-plan, declaring that "we in the State of Qin are most afraid of the State of Zhao using horses to serve Zhao Hou's son Zhao Kuo as a general (at this time Zhao Hao is dead). An old man like Lian Po is not afraid, we can kill him in no time. King Xiaocheng of Zhao had long been dissatisfied with Lianpo, so he replaced Lianpo with Zhao Kuo. Zhao Zhilin advised, "The king is made in the name of the emperor, and the drums of the rubber pillar are like ears." The disciples can read the biography of their father, but they do not know the change. But King Zhao Xiaocheng did not listen.
This is Zhao Kuo, who hangs up the label of "talking on paper.". When Zhao Kuo was a child, he liked to study the art of war, and every time he discussed with Zhao Hao, he could say that he was dumb and speechless, but Zhao Hao never thought that he could bring good soldiers. Zhao Hao's wife was puzzled, so she asked her husband why. Zhao Hao said: "Leading soldiers to fight means that they are always accompanied by death, and they must be cautious and cautious; but Xiao Kuo does not have this kind of consciousness at all." If Zhao Guo uses him to lead the troops, something will definitely happen. "Now that King Xiaocheng of Zhao is using Zhao Kuo, Zhao Kuo's mother remembers her husband's words and writes a letter against it." Of course, King Xiaocheng of Zhao did not listen, and Zhao Kuo's mother begged that if Zhao Kuo's army was defeated, they should not be punished for this. King Zhao Xiaocheng felt that this was a worry, but he casually agreed.
As soon as the Qin side heard that Zhao Kuo was coming, it secretly sent Bai Qi to replace Wang Gong as the main general - so Bai Qi was the insurance of the Qin State, as long as there were hard bones, send Wu Anjun, it was right! However, Bai Ming's name was too big, and the Qin people were afraid that Zhao Kuo would be vigilant, so they strictly ordered that "those who dare to leak Wu Anjun will be beheaded!" Zhao Kuo also thought that the opposite side was Wang Gong, so he changed lianpo's strategy of sticking to it and attacked Qin in a big way. Bai Qi used the classic tactic: luring the enemy deeper, and then dividing the encirclement. After Zhao Kuo was surrounded, several times the breakthrough was unfavorable, and he had to hold out for help. When King Zhaoxiang of Qin heard that Zhao Kuo had been besieged, he mobilized men over the age of fifteen in the kingdom to go to Changping and cut off reinforcements. Zhao Kuo was besieged for forty-six days, the army ran out of food, and even some non-commissioned officers began to eat their comrades. Zhao Kuo, embarrassed, personally led the elite troops to break through, and as a result, he died in the middle of the line. The Zhao army was in chaos, and 400,000 people surrendered.
The following is the most appalling scene in Chinese history - Wu Anjun Baiqi lowered these 400,000 pawns and buried them alive! In the end, only the two hundred and forty young people were left to let them go back—and at the same time bring the fear back to the Zhao Kingdom. Coupled with the previous battle, the Battle of Changping, Zhao Guo lost 450,000 people and was seriously injured.
To this person, the record in the history books is basically that King Zhaoxiang of Qin sent him to beat people and won; he sent him to beat people and won again. His life seemed to be moving from one victory to another. Other than that, what about his personality? What do you like? Hate what? What gossip... And so on, I don't know. It's as if he's a robot who only knows how to lead soldiers to war— and that's probably the case. Compared with killing 400,000 pawns in this pit, it is not as simple as a murderous demon head in vain, but more out of cold calculations-"Zhao Pawn repeatedly, not to kill them all, I am afraid of chaos." "Killing these people is the most efficient means of pacifying the Party, while reducing the enemy's living strength and deterring the enemy, killing three birds with one stone—and that's all."
As for Bai, whether it is to be a pioneer in battle and establish the image of a military god in the Qin army, or to kill all prisoners and create a notoriety of a demon head among the enemy, I am afraid that it is just a move made by him out of completely rational thinking, and there is only one purpose - that is, victory. This kind of person completely abandons the influence of human feelings and makes various decisions solely on the premise of victory; his subordinates, friendly troops, and enemies are only his pawns and can be discarded at any time; even human feelings themselves are in his calculations. However, the so-called Ci bu is not in charge of the soldiers, and it is precisely this kind of person who is easy to become a famous general.
But the thought of such a person really exists, I always feel chills.
Originally, Zhao Kuobing was defeated and killed, and according to the law, his family would be implicated; but since King Xiaocheng of Zhao had already promised Zhao Kuo's mother, he finally spared their family. In addition, at that time, there was no such thing as "talking about soldiers on paper"; even when Sima Guang compiled the Zizhi Tongjian, he did not equate the paper soldiers with Zhao Kuo - putting this label on him should be a matter after the Ming Dynasty.
After Bai Qi Changping defeated the Zhao army, he continued to attack the Zhao state. Han and Wei were afraid, so they sent Su Dai to fool Fan Ju and say, "If Wu Anjun destroys the Zhao Kingdom, then his status will definitely surpass yours." Fan Ju fooled King Zhaoxiang of Qin: "Now that we have reached the end of the crossbow, it is better to give up for the time being and allow the Zhao state to cut the land and ask for peace." King Zhaoxiang of Qin agreed. After Bai Qi knew, he had a conflict with Fan Ju - Bai Qi finally showed some people's feelings, but this also meant that he was not far from death.
In fact, it was King Qin Zhaoxiang who finally made the decision to truce. Fan Ju's words do have a certain truth, the Battle of Changping, in fact, the loss of the Qin State is not small, after all, it is directly with the Zhao State. This can be seen from all the zhuangding over the age of fifteen in the kingdom initiated by King Zhaoxiang of Qin. The Qin state's battle was also a national strength, and it really needed a break at this time.
But everything is only temporary, the so-called take advantage of your illness to kill you, soon, the Qin state will send troops to attack Zhao again.