Chapter 16 5. Kill Hurin

Yelu Abaoji, Li Cunxu, and Yelu Deguang all repeated the same fate, but failed to break through the curse of success and death.History is rolling, and another page has been turned.How will the new page be written? Once Liu Zhiyuan became emperor, he immediately entrusted the feudal lords, so that these people can feel at ease. One of the main motivations for others to support him as emperor is to follow him to get promoted and get rich.Only after he was promoted and made a fortune can he work hard to make contributions to him.Liu Zhiyuan first appointed his younger brother Liu Chong as Taiyuan Yin, his younger brother Liu Xin as the envoy of the Jiedu of Yicheng and the commander of the horse army, and Shi Hongzhao as the envoy of the Zhongwu Jiedu and the commander of the infantry.Yayang Yang, the capital of the right, was promoted to be the privy envoy, and Guo Wei, the official of Kongmu, the army and horse capital of Fan and Han, was promoted to be the deputy privy envoy.Su Fengji, the judge of Dongdong Jiedu, and Su Yugui, the judge of observation, were promoted to be the Minister of Zhongshu and Tongping Zhangshi.Feng Zhenwu's regiment trained envoys Zhe Congyuan as Jiedu envoy.Liu Zhu, the left governor of Hedong, was the envoy of Heyang Jiedu.Wang Shou'en was named the envoy of Zhaoyi Jiedu, and Gao Yunquan was appointed as the envoy of Zhangwu Jiedu.Feng Kelan's envoy Zheng Lian was promoted to Xinzhou governor and Zhangguo Jiedu envoy.Yan Wanjin, the inspection envoy of Fengyuanhe, was appointed as the envoy of Jianlan, the governor of Lanzhou, and the rebels of Xianzhou.

Liu Zhiyuan dispatched general Shi Hongzhao to march southeast, broke through all the way, and captured Luzhou.Generals Geng Chongmei, Cui Tingxun, and King Xi Yelu dragged by the Liao Kingdom to garrison Heluo in Shaanxi Province, were forced to retreat to Huaizhou under the fierce offensive of the Hedong army. The Khitan collected 100,000 pieces of armor and weapons from Shi Jin's surrendered army and armory, and loaded them on ten large ships along the Yellow River into the sea, preparing to transport them to Shangjing by water.The person in charge of this escort task was named Wu Xingde.The mighty Khitan transport ships went halfway, Wu Xingde instigated his subordinates to rebel against Khitan, killed the Khitan accompanying soldiers, transported these weapons and equipment to Heyang, and wrote a letter to Liu Zhiyuan to take refuge.Liu Zhiyuan was overjoyed and immediately appointed Wu Xingde as Heyang Jiedu Envoy.

When Yeludeguang, Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty, came to Lincheng, Khitan scouts rushed to report that Wu Xingde had rebelled against him and had taken the opportunity to occupy Heyang, and a large number of weapons and luggage had been robbed.Hearing the report, Yelude let out a "wow", spewed out a stream of blood, fell on his back to the ground and passed out.The accompanying personnel of the Khitan Palace panicked and became a mess. No one expected that the emperor would have such a big reaction.Everyone pinched people in a hurry, beat their backs, and stroked their chests.After a while, Yelu Deguang finally calmed down.

Yelude only half-sat and half-lyed on the bed, looked weakly at the civil and military officials, and said with regret: "I made three major mistakes, which caused the people of the world to betray me! Searching for money from the prefectures and counties, this is The first loss; the Khitan people raided the grass valley and looted everywhere, which is the second loss; the Jiedu envoy was not sent to the post early, which is the third loss.” Everyone looked at each other, but no one spoke.Especially Zhao Yanshou and Zhang Li bowed their heads and remained silent. In the history books, Yelu Deguang was highly praised for his ability to reflect on and recognize his three major mistakes, and believed that Yelu Deguang was a generation of Mingjun, and his mind was still clear.But the author thinks that Yelu Deguang only realized the superficial, or the direct reason that led to his defeat in the Central Plains, but did not realize the deep reason.The profound reason is that Yelude only regarded the Central Plains as an occupying country and a plundering base, instead of being incorporated into the territory of the Daliao Kingdom and treating the existing Khitan land equally, and did not govern the Central Plains according to the laws of the Han people.This shows that he is not yet a wise lord who unifies the world, embraces the world, and caresses the world.

After Yelu Deguang suddenly fell ill this time, he was bedridden, and even he himself did not expect that his condition would get worse.When the emperor of the Liao Dynasty arrived in Luancheng, Hebei, Yelu Deguang's condition was already very serious, and the imperial doctor did not know what the cause was.Yelu Deguang, who was on the sick bed, was in a very bad mood, more depressed, and more afraid of the hot weather.The attendants had no choice but to find ice cubes and apply them to his hands, feet, chest, and abdomen, but that was not enough.Yelu Deguang asked for ice cubes and licked them one by one.Everyone looked at the emperor who possessed supreme power, but was dying from the unknown illness, and no one could do anything.

That night, there was sudden thunder and lightning, and the flames shot up into the sky. A huge meteorite flew from space, and a loud "bang" crashed outside the gate of the Khitan army. . The next day, Yelude Guangxing Palace continued to move towards his hometown.At noon, I came to a place called Killing Hulin. Yelude opened his eyes in a daze, moved his lips and asked, "Where did the march go?" The servant replied in a low voice: "The place here is called Killing Hulin." Yelu Deguang's pale hands trembled, and he murmured to himself in a low voice: "Kill Hu Lin, kill Hu Lin..." His voice became smaller and smaller, and he died after silently saying five times.

The hero of a generation, Yelude, died in peace. He died in a foreign country, in a place he didn't understand, in a place called Killing Hulin.Hu, refers to Khitan.This place name fulfilled the fate of Yelu Deguang. Yelu Deguang was forty-six years old this year. Trees fall and hozens scatter, and they stay away from their nests. The sudden death of Yelu Deguang made the hundreds of thousands of Khitan troops far away in the Central Plains panic. The danger after losing their backbone is terrible. Especially the hundreds of thousands of powerful troops with swords in their hands, everyone is a spark or even a powder keg.The consequences of losing the supreme commander are disastrous.

Now an urgent question immediately came to the Khitan civil and military Han officials, who will inherit Yelu Deguang's throne? This question cannot afford a moment's delay, and an answer must be given. Even if there is no answer, an answer must be invented. Because there is no answer for a long time, it is more terrible than the wrong answer. The first to respond was Zhao Yanshou. Zhao Yanshou hated Yelu Deguang for breaking his promise and not letting him be the emperor of the Central Plains.Now that Yelu Deguang is dead, Zhao Yanshou thinks that he has a chance to stand up, and he doesn't want to go to the Khitan border in Mobei to be angry, so he leads his troops to station in Hengzhou nearby.

Zhao Yanshou led the team away, Daliao Yongkang King Yeluruan, South Court King Yeluhou, and North Court King Yeluwa also led their troops into Hengzhou.Zhao Yanshou originally wanted to occupy Hengzhou and seek self-reliance, but the Khitan army followed. Without foreign aid, he did not dare to rashly shut down the city and reject Yeluruan and others. The Khitan civil and military forces in Hengzhou City quickly divided into two factions.One faction was Han officials headed by Zhao Yanshou, who claimed that he had received the secret will of the former emperor Yelu Deguang, authorizing him to preside over the military and state affairs in the Central Plains, and notifying all the Khitan soldiers and horses and officials at all levels in the Central Plains to bow their heads and obey orders.The other faction, headed by King Yeluruan of Yongkang, with the support of the Khitan nobles and under the guise of Yelude Guang's edict, secretly planned to succeed the emperor of the Daliao Kingdom.These two factions are in full swing, each doing its own thing, especially Zhao Yanshou has no knowledge of the secret activities of the Khitan nobles.Zhao Yanshou did it in the open, while Yeluruan did it in the dark.

The reason why the Khitan nobles are so actively seeking to establish a new king is because they have an indelible shadow and nightmare in their hearts. More than 20 years ago, Liao Taizu Yelu Abaoji won a great victory in the Bohai Kingdom, but suddenly died of a sudden illness without leaving any last words.The Empress Dowager Shulu was directly regent. In order to achieve her goal, she mercilessly killed hundreds of Khitan nobles.That scene was too bloody, too crazy, too perverted, too terrifying. Now history is repeating itself. After Yelu Deguang conquered the Central Plains, he died in a foreign land and left no last words.Is the Empress Dowager Shulu going to regent again and kill again?Who to kill?Still killing meritorious noble ministers who were close to the late emperor like last time?

Thinking of this, the Khitan nobles who were away with the army couldn't help but feel the cool wind blowing from the back of their necks, as if the woman with the severed wrist had already stood behind them.Never give that woman another chance like this.This time they have to decide for themselves. So the King of the South Court, the King of the North Court, General Yelu Tulu, and the Commander of the Forbidden Army Yelu An all thought of the same thing. They all valued one person, Yelu Ruan. The reasons are as follows: Yeluruan is the eldest son of King Yelubei, a relative of the emperor, with authentic blood and red roots. Yeluruan is a heroic man with a big heart, he is good at giving favors to others, and has a good relationship with others. He has always been supported by the Khitan nobles. Yeluruan is tall and tall. Although he is weak in one eye, he is good at riding and shooting. He is superb in martial arts and Miao Zi is strong. Yelu Deguang seized Yelube's succession to the throne and pushed Yelube away.But Yelu Deguang likes Yelu Ruan, the eldest nephew, and takes him by his side to train and train.Yeluruan didn't hold any grudges against Yelu Deguang, and has been loyally assisting him. The above conditions are sufficient, enough to deal with outside discussions. What's more important than these is that these powerful Khitan nobles hold military power. They want to support Ruan, who else would dare to object?Even if they wanted to embrace vultures, no one dared to object.In the words of the Kings of the Northern and Southern Courts: "Whoever opposes, we will destroy!" The Khitan nobles have made plans, and the next step is to prepare for Ruan's enthronement ceremony. But at this time, Zhao Yanshou, who was kept in the dark, was still bluffing vigorously, advocating everywhere that he had the right to supervise the country in the Central Plains, which undoubtedly constituted a huge obstacle for Yeluruan's ascension to the throne and proclaiming himself emperor. May 947 AD. midsummer. Cicadas chirping wantonly in the treetops. The sun scorched the earth hotly. On the first day of May, King Yeluruan of Yongkang invited Zhao Yanshou, He Ning, Li Song, Feng Dao, Zhang Li and others to eat and drink.These people have their own confidantes, speak insincere words, toast each other frequently and indiscriminately.When the wine was half drunk, Yeluruan said to Zhao Yanshou: "My wife, your godmother just came to the Central Plains from Shangjing, she wants to see you very much." Zhao Yanshou and Ruan's wife have always been called brother and sister, and they have a very good relationship.Zhao Yanshou firmly believed in Ruan's words, he got up energetically, and followed Ruan Lixi into the inner house. After a long time, Yongkang Wang Ruan came out alone, but Zhao Yanshou disappeared.Ruan didn't sit down and continue to drink, but announced to the crowd: "Wei Wang Zhao Yanshou conspired against him, and he has been arrested!" Ruan's announcement was tantamount to a kiloton nuclear bomb, which directly knocked out the old bureaucrats present.They were trembling and at a loss. In their panic, they overturned their plates and bowls, and spilled food and wine. King Yongkang smiled contemptuously, and continued: "When Emperor Taizong was in Bianliang, Kaifeng, he secretly gave me an edict to allow me to preside over the military and state affairs in the Central Plains. Now that the first emperor has passed away, there is no other last word. But King Zhao of Wei Yanshou said without authorization that he had obtained the last emperor's edict, and he claimed that he could preside over the state affairs of the Central Plains. This is treason and treason!" Ruan directly cut off Zhao Yanshou's retreat from the root. Ruan denied that Yelude had new last words before his death, so Zhao Yanshou's so-called "last words" were false.But Ruan himself came up with an early edict, much earlier than Zhao Yanshou's version, and it seems to be much more credible. It was impossible to continue the banquet, and the people who were invited to dinner went back separately with anxiety. the next day. Hengzhou City. Waiting Hall. King Ruan of Yongkang convened a meeting of civil and military officials from the Fan and Han Dynasties and announced the will of Yelu Deguang, Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty: "Wang Ruan of Yongkang is the grandson of the Great Sage Emperor Taizu and the eldest son of the Emperor Renhuang. He is loved by the Queen Mother and the people's hearts aspire. It can be the emperor in Hengzhou." Yeluruan ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor immediately. He was Emperor Shizong of the Liao Dynasty at the age of twenty-nine. Ruan, who was sitting on the big horse, looked at Zhang Li and the others, and said, "Wei Wang Zhao Yanshou still has such ambitions? Even if he dares to ascend the throne here, I will lead the cavalry to kill him. Will be buried with him." He Ning, Feng Dao, Li Song and the others heard goosebumps, and their hairs stood on end. When Liu Zhiyuan received information that Liao Taizong Yelu Deguang withdrew from Bianliang and returned north, disagreements arose within the Hedong Army Corps regarding the dispatch strategy. Liu Zhiyuan called a group of ministers to discuss the military situation.Most of the generals advocated to send troops to Jingxing, go straight to calm, and then attack Weizhou. After Hebei is pacified, Henan will be at your fingertips.Liu Zhiyuan has his own ideas, he intends to go out of the way and go to Shangdang.Deputy Privy Envoy Guo Wei talked about his views: "Although the Khitan Emperor died violently, the Khitan army in the Central Plains should not be underestimated. There are still hundreds of thousands of people standing firm in the fortress. If we go to Hebei, our army will be small, and the journey is far away. For support, if all Khitan soldiers and horses attack our army together, we will not be able to advance or retreat, and there will be no luck. If you send troops to Shangdang, the mountains are far away, the land is barren, the people are poor, and the army has no supplies. Shanzhou and Jinzhou, they have already surrendered to our emperor. If we send troops from now on and take Heluo directly, the overall situation will be settled." All the generals and Liu Zhiyuan were impressed by Guo Wei's thorough analysis. Liu Zhiyuan left his younger brother Liu Chong to stay in Taiyuan, and personally led the army from Taiyuan, and sent troops from Yindiguan to Jin and Jiang.Shi Hongzhao, the vanguard official, was unstoppable and conquered Zezhou within a few days.The Hedong army took advantage of the victory to attack and broke the siege of Heyang.The Khitan defenders in Henan were distracted, their defenses collapsed, and they abandoned the city and fled north. Shi Hongzhao was reticent and reticent, and he ran the army strictly. He was unequivocal and directly beheaded the soldiers who trampled on and harmed civilian fields and houses.Under his leadership, the Hedong army has strict military discipline and is deeply loved by the people.This is also an important reason why Liu Zhiyuan was able to fight all the way to Bianliang, Kaifeng without bloodshed and with such force. Xiao Han, the uncle of the country who was appointed by Yelu Deguang to preside over the affairs of Bianliang in Kaifeng, saw that the general situation was over, he had no intention of fighting, and wanted to return to Khitan as soon as possible.But he was also worried that if he left, there would be chaos in the south, and he would lose the infamy of the Central Plains.So Xiao Han came up with an idea that he thought was brilliant.He sent Gao Mohan to find Li Congyi, the youngest son of Li Siyuan, Emperor Mingzong of the later Tang Dynasty, from Luoyang.Why is Li Congyi here?After Shi Jingtang overthrew Li Congke, Li Congyi and his mother Wang Shufei hid their names in Luoyang to avoid disaster.Originally, life was getting more and more peaceful, but Xiao Han suddenly found him.Xiao Han insisted on supporting Li Congyi as the supervisor of the Central Plains, and presided over state affairs for him.Li Congyi and Concubine Wang Shu were terrified. They knew the cruelty of court struggles and experienced the danger of life and death. They refused to accept Xiao Han's orders anyway, and never wanted to sit on the crater of the "emperor's throne" again. But at this time, Concubine Wang Shu and Li Congyi couldn't help themselves. They had to do what they did, and they had to do it if they didn't. After Xiao Han led the Khitan army to leave, Concubine Wang Shu cried and repeatedly refused to let her son be the country supervisor, but she couldn't refuse.Then she began to settle for the next best thing, and came up with a strategy to protect herself.She and her son wrote a letter to Liu Zhiyuan, inviting Liu Zhiyuan to come to Bianliang, Kaifeng as soon as possible. Their mother and son waited for the empty table and greeted them proactively, never daring to compete with the emperor for the world.They are using this to show their hearts, lest the strongman who will rule the Central Plains in the future kill their mother and son as enemies. Liu Zhiyuan's Hedong Army marched rapidly, and soon crossed the Yellow River and entered Luoyang.The officials who stayed in Bianliang hurried to Luoyang to meet Liu Zhiyuan, and invited Liu Zhiyuan to settle in Bianliang.In the troubled times, most of the officials at all levels are fools on the wall, falling with the wind, whoever is the king will submit to him.Liu Zhiyuan sent General Guo Congyi to lead a detachment to Kaifeng to eliminate all suspicious enemies in the city and restore order and public security in the city.At the same time, Liu Zhiyuan secretly ordered Guo Congyi to assassinate Li Congyi and Concubine Wang Shu.The poor concubine Wang Shu and her son could not escape the calamity of the royal court battle, even if they didn't want to be emperors, because they had the potential legal status to be emperors, which was a huge threat to Liu Zhiyuan, the new emperor who lacked legal status. After everything in Kaifeng was under the control of the Hedong army, Liu Zhiyuan entered Kaifeng. The new emperor Liu Zhiyuan in Kaifeng City issued an edict to clarify three things: First, all Han Jiedu envoys and officials at all levels conferred by Khitan will continue to be valid, please keep your posts.Second, restore Bianzhou to Tokyo.Third, change the name of the country to Han. Although both Liu Zhiyuan and Yeluruan ascended to the throne of emperor, greater dangers still lie ahead. Whether it is the Central Plains or Khitan, there will be a new round of bloody storm. History is rolling, and another page has been turned.How will the new page be written?