Chapter 176 Chapter 175 Xiaowu Emperor Yuanxiu

In the third month of the second year of Zhongxing (532 A.D.), Gao Huan defeated the Erzhu Group, which was monopolizing state power.In April, Gao Huan entered Luoyang. He not only abolished the puppet monarch Yuan Gong established by the Erzhu family, but also abolished the title of Emperor Yuanlang on the grounds of estrangement of blood, and appointed Yuanxiu, the grandson of Emperor Wei Xiaowen and Prince of Pingyang, as emperor.This year was changed to three years successively. At the beginning, it was changed to the first year of Taichang, and at the end of the year, it was changed to the first year of Yongxing, and within a few days it was changed to the first year of Yongxi.

Yuanxiu appointed Gao Huan as the prime minister, general of Tianzhu, and grand master. He was hereditary governor of Dingzhou and sealed off 150,000 households in Shiyi. "General Tianzhu", an unprecedented title in the Northern Wei Dynasty, was created by Er Zhurong, a powerful warlord. Warlords and power ministers, so they resolutely refused to accept it, and asked to reduce the closure of 50,000 households to show that they are not greedy for power and wealth.But the political power of the Northern Wei Dynasty was actually controlled by Gao Huan. He was based in Jinyang and controlled Luoyang remotely. Yuan Xiu was just acting as a puppet emperor.

Yuan Xiu is usually a man of few words, but he is fond of martial arts.He was 23 years old when he was proclaimed emperor. He was full of vigor, unwilling to be manipulated by others, and the conflict with Gao Huan became increasingly prominent.He killed Gao Huan's confidant Gao Gan with an excuse, and Gao Gan's younger brothers Gao Ang and Gao Shen both defected to Gao Huan.The relationship between Luoyang and Jinyang became extremely tense. Yuan Xiuchong served as Hu Sichun, the general of Yuaner Zhu's tribe, and Hu Sichun planned to expand the guards.Hu Sichun often used the name of hunting with Yuanxiu to command and train the imperial army.Yuan Xiu also wanted to use He Bayue, the former member of the Erzhu family who supported Guanlong, as a powerful support, and appointed He Bayue's elder brother He Basheng as the governor of Jingzhou (Zhi Rangcheng, now Deng County, Henan).At the beginning of the third year of Yongxi (534 A.D.), He Bayue was killed by Hou Mo Chenyue who was attached to Gao Huan, and Yuan Xiu supported Yuwentai's forces in Guanzhong to fight against Gao Huan.

In May of the third year of Yongxi, Yuanxiu adopted Hu Sichun's suggestion and issued an edict to conscript troops and horses from all states in Henan, claiming to lead the army to attack Xiaoliang in the south, but actually attempted to attack Jinyang in the north.In July, Yuan Xiu assembled in the northern outskirts of Luoyang City and ordered He Basheng to lead his troops into action.Although Gao Huan is in Jinyang, he knows the political situation in Luoyang very well.Knowing that Yuanxiu was recruiting soldiers in the summer heat, the people were resentful and their morale was weak, so he preemptively led an army of 200,000 to separate routes to the south, and also declared that he would attack the local forces in Xiaoliang, Guanzhong, and Jingzhou in the south.The two sides faced off across the water on both sides of the Yellow River.Gao Huan defeated Hu Sichun's younger brother Husi Yuanshou and others in Huatai (now Huaxian County, Henan Province), and Hu Sichun dared not continue to resist.Yuan Xiu had no choice but to flee to Guanzhong with Hu Sichun, and defected to Yu Wentai in Chang'an.He Basheng was defeated and fled to Xiaoliang.Gao Huan entered Luoyang.In October, Gao Huan made Yuan Shanjian, the 11-year-old clan of the Yuan Wei Dynasty, the emperor, and moved the capital to Yecheng (now Linzhang, Hebei).

When Yuan Xiu came to Chang'an, Yu Wentai only regarded him as a puppet emperor.Yuan Xiu was very dissatisfied.At the end of the winter of the third year of Yongxi, Yu Wentai killed Yuan Xiu, and made Yuan Baoju the emperor, with Chang'an as his capital.It is said in history that the Wei Dynasty that moved its capital to Yecheng was called the Eastern Wei Dynasty, and the one that established its capital in Chang'an was called the Western Wei Dynasty.The Northern Wei Empire was thus divided.