Chapter 24 3. Cui Hao decides Liangzhou with one word

The Northern Wei Dynasty pacified Guanzhong and Longyou, but its rule was not as stable as expected.These areas have been the sphere of influence of Qin and Xia for half a century. A large number of Huns, Di people, and Qiang people live here, and there are constant conflicts with the Xianbei people after entering the customs.During the Yanhe period of the Northern Wei Dynasty (AD 432-434), the Xiutu tribe of the Xiongnu and the Qiang people in the Longyou area repeatedly raised troops, which caused Tuoba Tao a headache.Tuoba Tao called strong generals to guard the important town and went to suppress it, but it was still not enough to quell the chaos.In the third year of Yanhe (AD 434), the emperor himself led the army to conquer, and barely subdued the not very powerful Xiutu tribe, and the mutual attacks of the towns and generals in this area came to an end.

(Since the former Yan, except for the short ten-year rule period of the former Qin Fujian, the Kanto has always been called the Great by the Xianbei people. It has been more than 80 years, so even if the Tuoba family unified the north, the center of gravity of their rule did not leave Ji, In the prefectures of Bing and You, the population and importance of Kanto are much greater than that of Guanzhong. Cui Hao has analyzed the problems in Guanzhong a long time ago on Tuobasi. If the Northern Wei Dynasty needs to focus on solving the confrontation between the Xianbei and the Han in the Guandong, then in Guanzhong, not only the confrontation between the Hu and the Han, but also the confrontation between the Hus must be resolved, which is very troublesome. Guanzhong has become the weak link of the Northern Wei Dynasty’s rule. The split of the Northern Wei Dynasty and the war between the Eastern and Western Weis did not change until a century later. Interestingly and somewhat ironically, the final unification of the Northern and Southern Dynasties was accomplished by military forces from Guanzhong, which is a later story.)

In addition to Guanzhong, the Huns also had another main area of ​​activity, which was the Bingzhou area in Shanxi.Liu Yuan's Han Dynasty started from then on. More than a hundred years later, the Huns had been scattered all over the Central Plains. The most active in their base camp were the so-called "Shanhu". Shanhu, also known as Jihu and Buluoji, is a tribe of Hu people whose ethnic origin is difficult to test.According to the official history, Shanhu is the descendant of the five tribes of Liu Yuannan Xiongnu, but some people think that they are the descendants of Shanrong and Chidi who were active in northern Shaanxi during the Spring and Autumn Period, and some people think that Shanhu may also be mixed with people from the Western Regions species, the pedigree is very complicated.During the Northern Wei Dynasty, there were many tribes living in the northern part of today's Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, and they lived in the valleys. It was once a hidden danger in the Northern Dynasty. In the late Northern Wei Dynasty, a large-scale uprising was set off.Due to their large area of ​​activity and their ease of defense and difficulty of attack, it was not easy for the rulers of the Northern Wei Dynasty to deal with them.

Tuoba Tao moved to Xicheng (now Fenyang, Shanxi) after resolving the Hu rebellion in Guanzhong, hoping to take advantage of the victory to settle the Shanhu.He ordered Yangping King Tuoba it to lead the army to attack Bailong, the leader of the mountain beard, and he brought dozens of horses to the nearby hills to watch the battle.Although Shanhu is not a regular army, it is familiar with the terrain and understands the principles of capturing thieves and capturing kings.Bailong ambushed his subordinates in more than a dozen dangerous places in the mountain. As soon as Tuoba Tao's small team passed by, they suddenly broke out and besieged Tuoba Tao.Tuoba Tao fell off his horse and was almost captured, but thanks to his bodyguards who stepped forward to fight with the Shanhu people, killing several people in a row, they managed to protect Tuoba Tao from escape.This also made Tuoba Tao dare not despise these enemies hidden in the mountains any longer. The army of the Northern Wei Dynasty dealt with the Shanhu carefully, and finally defeated the Shanhu tribe and killed Bailong.

After these few internal turmoils were settled, Tuoba Tao was going to lead the army in the Northern Expedition to Rouran again. After Wu Ti succeeded Khan (see "The Reign of Yuan Jia"), Rouran's military power was in a slump, and he took the initiative to send envoys to seek peace. Tuoba Tao was busy dealing with other foreign enemies, so he did not make things difficult for Wu Ti, and agreed to make peace with each other. : Tuoba Tao married Princess Xihai to Wu Ti, and Wu Ti sent his younger sister to be Zuo Zhaoyi in the Northern Wei Palace. At the same time, he asked his brother Bald Puppet to donate two thousand good horses. Tuoba Tao Longyan Joy also gave Rouran a lot of things.

The friendly relationship didn't last long. After only two years, Wu Ti unilaterally severed the relationship and raised troops to invade the border (regardless of his sister's life or death).Tuoba Tao was extremely furious: Rou Ran is really a white-eyed wolf, and he can only teach him with fists.In the fourth year of Taiyan (438 A.D.), Tuoba Tao personally led an army to march from Wuyuan to the north. Tuobapi, king of Leping, and Tuobajian, king of Yongchang, each supervised 15 generals, and Tuoba Tao's main force was For the Chinese army, he walked from Junji Mountain (the area south of the upper reaches of the Tula River and the Orkhon River in Mongolia today) to Tianshan Mountain.This time Wu heard the news early and fled to the northwest early. The Wei army climbed Baifu Mountain (now the northwest of the Kangai Mountains in Mongolia), but Rouran was nowhere to be seen. On the way back to the army, there was a severe drought in Mobei. Most died of hunger and thirst.

Wu Ti was very proud, and sent envoys to the Western Regions, Beiliang and other places to spread rumors: "The emperor of Wei came to beat me himself, the poor soldiers and horses died of disease, and returned in a big defeat. His brother Tuobapi was also killed I captured him alive. Now that the state of Wei is weakened, I am the strongest in the world, and you countries will not have to welcome the envoys sent by the state of Wei in the future." After the Northern Wei Dynasty destroyed the Xia Kingdom, it had been communicating with the Western Regions, especially through Beiliang, the suzerain state of the countries in the Western Regions.Now that they heard that the Northern Wei Dynasty had suffered a defeat, these small countries were unwilling to deal with it, and Beiliang was even more neglectful.Juqu Mengxun's successor, Juqu Mujian, had an affair with his sister-in-law Li Shi, the brothers had group sex together, and the harem was in chaos.Li was jealous of Mu Jian's wife, Princess Wuwei, the younger sister of Tuobatao married during the marriage between Northern Wei Dynasty and Northern Liang, so she dragged Mu Jian's older sister to poison the princess's food.When Tuoba Tao heard the news, he urgently sent an imperial doctor to detoxify the princess, but Li's plot failed.Tuobatao ordered Juqu Mujian to hand over Li Shi, but Mujian ignored him, and only placed his sister-in-law in Jiuquan, and allocated a sum of money for her to spend.

Tuoba Tao knew that if Bei Liang was not eliminated, it would be difficult to subdue the countries of the Western Regions, so he discussed with Cui Hao.Cui Hao pointed out that Juqu Mujian's betrayal has been revealed, so he must be punished.Although Rouran was reduced due to non-combat in the Northern Expedition, the main force still remained. Liangzhou was weak, and the attack must be overcome.Tuoba Tao greatly agreed, and called a group of ministers to discuss in the hall. Just after the Northern Wei Dynasty suffered from the lack of water and grass, Hongnong Wang Xijin and others opposed the expedition, saying: "Juqu is just a small country, although there are disobedient subjects, but it is still called a vassal to us. Our country has just fought a war and needs to rest. And I heard that the land in their place is desolate, there is no water and grass, if the Juqu Mujian strengthens the walls and clears the fields, once the army arrives, I am afraid that they will repeat the mistakes of the Northern Expedition."

Shangshu Gubi, Li Shun and others also said: "Within a hundred miles of Guzang City (the capital of Northern Liang), there is no grassland. Only the water from the melted snow on the south mountain of the city is used for irrigation. If our army goes to Crusade, they decided to cut the mouth of the canal, our soldiers and horses would all die of thirst, what Master Xi Jin said is absolutely true, we must not march west!" Li Shun, like Cui Hao, is a Han Chinese. His father’s generation has defected to the Northern Wei Dynasty since Houyan. He has been sent to Liangzhou by Tuobatao many times as an envoy. Obviously, he should be the most authoritative on Liangzhou topics, but Cui Hao doesn’t believe it. he.

Cui Hao and Li Shun are relatives. Cui Hao's younger brother married Li Shun's younger sister, and his younger brother's son married Li Shun's daughter.It stands to reason that the relationship should be strong, but Cui Hao is a little arrogant and looks down on Li Shun, and there are great conflicts between the two of them.Cui Hao retorted face-to-face and said: "It is said in the "Hanshu Geographical Chronicles": 'Liangzhou's livestock are for the world.' If there is no water and grass there, how can they graze? And the residence of the Han people has always been based on water and grass. Fortification. Is the water from melting snow enough to attract irrigation? What you said is a lie and cannot stand scrutiny."

Li Shun blushed anxiously, and argued, "Seeing is worse than hearing. I saw it myself. Why do you argue with me?" Cui Hao sneered: "I think you have accepted money from other people, speak up for them, don't think I'm cheating because I didn't see it with my own eyes!" Li Shun really felt guilty and couldn't say a word.When he was sent to Beiliang, Juqu Mengxun gave him a lot of benefits.After he came back, he managed the ministers of civil and military affairs up and down, spreading the saying that "Liangzhou has no water and grass".Cui Hao's words exposed Li Shun's lies and strengthened Tuoba Tao's determination to go west. In the fifth year of Taiyan (AD 439), Tuoba Tao left his prince Tuobahuang in Pingcheng to supervise the country, and the general, Changle Wang Ji Jing and the Fuguo general, Jianning Wang Tuoba Chong sent 20,000 troops to Monan , Guard against Rouran, and then lead the army to set off from Pingcheng, and drive to Liangzhou.His teacher was famous, so he ordered his subordinates to draw up a crime statement, reprimanding Juqu Mujian for his rebellious behavior, and advised him to surrender early to save his life. The Northern Wei Dynasty also found a good guide in this march, that is, the bald-haired Poqiang, the son of the bald-haired Xitan, the last monarch of Nanliang.After the fall of Nanliang, the bald Po Qiang defected to the Northern Wei Dynasty. Tuoba Tao admired him for his dignified appearance and tact, awarded him a title and made him a general.The bald family and the Tuoba family have the same origin, and Tuoba Tao also gave the name "Yuanhe".Yuan He said to Tuoba Tao: "Guzang City was originally occupied by my bald family, and now there are four Xianbei tribes outside the city, all of whom were my father's subjects. I would like to lead the army to promote the military might of our Great Wei, Those old troops will definitely come and surrender. Then we will besiege Guzang Gucheng, and it will be easy to get." Wei Jun acted according to his plan, and quickly recruited most of the troops in Hexi, tens of thousands of tribes, and hundreds of thousands of livestock. Juqu Mujian was isolated, so he had to stick to Guzang and sent someone to ask Rouran for help.Rouran Khan Wu Ti boasted that although he didn't make drafts, he was not very good at fighting.He led the army to invade the fortress, but Sun Daosheng, the head of Sikong in the Northern Wei Dynasty, refused to defend. His elder brother Qi Liegui was defeated by Ji Jing and Tuoba Chong in the north of Yinshan Mountain.Not only did Wu Ti fail to help Cheng Beiliang, but he also caused himself to lose his army and flee to Mobei. Tuoba Tao came to the city of Guzang, looked at the surrounding fields, and saw the abundance of water and grass, he admired it in his heart.He excitedly said to Cui Hao who was with the army: "What Aiqing said really came true." Cui Hao replied: "I dare not tell the truth, but that Li Shun accepted the bribes from Juqu Mujian and his son, and deceived him." Your Majesty, it almost hurt the country." Tuoba Tao originally loved and trusted Li Shun, but after this series of events, he began to loathe Li Shun.Cui Hao took the opportunity to speak bad things about Li Shun in his ears, and people from Liangzhou reported that Li Shun had accepted bribes. Tuoba Tao finally ordered Li Shun to be beheaded three years later. (Cui Hao's strategy has been successful repeatedly, which is the main reason why Tuoba Tao trusts him, but he used these public affairs to avenge his personal revenge, tried his best to retaliate against Li Shun, and forced him to death, which is not kind enough. So although Cui Hao He has extraordinary knowledge, but in the Northern Wei Dynasty, he had deep grievances. He planned for the Tuoba clan all his life, but he was murdered.) Under Juqu Mujian's domestic and foreign difficulties, he brought all the civil and military officials to face him and surrendered. Liangzhou entered the territory of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and the Northern Liang of the Juqu clan perished. (The Juqu Clan’s regime also had a small end. Mujian’s two younger brothers, Wuji and Anzhou, fled to the Western Regions and captured Gaochang Kingdom. They survived for more than 20 years and were finally destroyed by Rouran. ) A few years later, the Northern Wei Dynasty captured Qiuchi, which was established by the Di people between Song and Wei.The Xianbei people became the final winners of the northern game, and the two remaining forces other than the Northern Wei Dynasty: Rouran and Tuyuhun were also offshoots or Miao descendants of Xianbei.