Chapter 10 Section 2 Surrender to the Song Dynasty

Li Yichao defeated the army of the Later Tang Dynasty. From then on, whether it was the Later Tang Dynasty, or the Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou, the Central Plains dynasty regime no longer dared to easily send troops to Dangxiang. Dangxiang was able to recuperate and vigorously develop its own power.At the end of the Five Dynasties, Zhao Kuangyin established the Song Dynasty, and at this time Dangxiang had become the overlord of the Northwest region.So how would Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin treat Dangxiang, a strong neighbor in the northwest? In the early Song Dynasty, the leader of the Pingxia tribe was Li Yiyin, the military governor of the Dingnan Army, and Li Yichao's brother of the same generation.As soon as the Northern Song Dynasty was established, Li Yiyin immediately went to the court and asked for canonization.Then I changed my name from Li Yiyin to Li Yixing.Why not call her Li Yiyin?Because the father of Taizu Zhao Kuangyin is called Zhao Hongyin, so I have to avoid it.Emperor Taizu was very happy, how sensible this guy is!Hou Tang really shouldn't beat him, you see how good he is, he knows how to avoid my father's name.

The Song court fully recognized the Li family's right to rule the area, but only asked him to send troops to harass the Northern Han Dynasty.Because the policy of Taizu Emperor Ping Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was "first south and then north, first easy and then difficult".The Northern Han Dynasty is entrenched in Shanxi. I hate it. I want to flatten Jiangnan. It is making trouble in the north. It really gives me a headache. Can you send troops to help me harass him?Li Yixing didn't agree.He thought, if I send troops to fight against the Northern Han Dynasty, people will die. I have no grievances or enmities with it, so why do I do this?But he didn't dare to offend the Song Dynasty, so he donated 300 good horses.There was a shortage of horses in the Song Dynasty. One of the reasons why the Song army could not fight against the grassland peoples was because of the lack of cavalry. An important reason for the lack of cavalry was the lack of horses.He got 300 good horses at once, and Emperor Taizu was overjoyed. He personally supervised the construction and planned to reward Li Yixing with a fine Hetian jade belt.This is a complete loss. Li Yixing is super fat. According to historical records, his waist is ten circumferences bigger, which is close to four feet according to the current size.Emperor Taizu asked the envoy who came to offer horses from the Dingnan army, what is the waist circumference of your master?The answer is four feet.When the emperor heard this, his face turned green. How much Hetian jade does it cost?There is no way, you have no jokes, you should ask clearly before rewarding him. A ring that is given to him is twice bigger than others, let alone a jade belt.

A few years later, Li Yixing died of illness. Song Taizu dropped out of the court to express his condolences.His son Li Guangrui succeeded to the throne and continued to serve as the governor of the Dingnan Army.Because the emperor Taizu continued to weaken the power of the feudal town, Li Guangrui was terrified, worried that sooner or later such a thing as drinking and releasing military power would happen to him, so the court wanted to test it out and asked to go to Bianjing to meet Taizu. At this time in the Northern Song Dynasty, the task of eradicating the Ten Kingdoms had not yet been completed. Song Taizu still needed the Li family's regime to contain the Northern Han Dynasty, so the imperial edict made it clear that there was no need for court visits.The Qing family guarding Pingxia has a great relationship, so there is no need to enter the court, and go to contain the Northern Han Dynasty for me.Li Guangrui was overjoyed, not having to go to the capital for an audience meant that Emperor Taizu would not cut his power for the time being, so he planned to have a little trouble with the Northern Han Dynasty.Unexpectedly, the Northern Han was ignorant and could not defeat the Song Dynasty. They felt that the Pingxia tribe might be easy to bully, so they sent troops to plunder. Li Guangrui cooperated with the Song army to fight, killing more than 3,000 Northern Han soldiers and seizing a large amount of luggage.At this time, Song Taizu died, and Taizong Zhao Guangyi succeeded to the throne.As soon as Emperor Taizong succeeded to the throne, Li Guangrui immediately went to the table and said that I had changed my name. Your name is Zhao Guangyi, so I can no longer be called Li Guangrui, but I will be called Li Kerui.Emperor Taizong was also very happy. You are as sensible as your father. Like a father, like a son, you know the taboo of avoiding me.Emperor Taizong granted Li Kerui the title of Prosecutor Taiwei, the highest position for a military officer in the Northern Song Dynasty.

Two years later, Li Guangrui died of illness, and one of his sons inherited the post of Jiedushi of the Dingnan Army, and died of illness a few years later.Then another son, Li Jipeng, succeeded him as Jiedushi of the Dingnan Army.