Chapter 44 Section 1: The Birth of a Prefix

Let's say that Li Tong's rebellion plan was stillborn, and sixty-four members of the Li family were killed.Fortunately, only a few people such as Li Tong and Li Song knew about the alliance between the Liu family and the Li family, and they all escaped smoothly. Therefore, the Liu family has not been implicated for the time being.Although Li Tong is missing as an ally, if the original heroes from all over Nanyang don't back down, the rebellion plan might go ahead as usual.Therefore, as soon as the case of Li Tong's extermination came out, Liu Yan immediately sent guests to various counties to reiterate his previous intentions, and he would not waver in raising troops.However, seeing that the government had been alarmed, the heroes knew that the government must be prepared, so they did not dare to act rashly. It's not very convenient these days, why don't you, Liu Yan, get in first.

The sudden change of mind of the heroes made Liu Yan suddenly depressed, and the shattered dream was broken into pieces of sadness everywhere: Why is it so difficult to rebel! With foreign aid in vain, if Liu Yan wants to continue raising troops, he can only hope for the Green Forest Army in Jingzhou and the Fan Chongjun in Qingzhou and Xuerzhou. As long as they can win a crucial victory, they will severely set back the court's prestige and expose the government and army as paper tigers. , the situation will turn around immediately. However, the performance of the Green Forest Army disappointed Liu Yan: Four months ago, the Green Forest Army, which once reached nearly 60,000 people, suddenly encountered a plague, and nearly half of the victims died of the disease. Not one, no one is willing to obey the other, and in the end they simply broke up and split into two, each seeking a way out.Wang Chang, Cheng Dan and others led troops westward to Nanjun and renamed them "Xiajiang Bing";After the plague and division, the Green Forest Army, which was once strong for a while, has been greatly weakened and reduced to a poor bandit. Like a candle in the wind, its light will not last long.Although two months ago, there was another refugee army in Pinglin, Nanyang. Chen Mu and Liao Zhan gathered more than a thousand people, known as the "Pinglin soldiers", but it was just a small fight, and it was also difficult to make a big deal.

Fortunately, the performance of Qing and Xu Erzhou Fan Chongjun gave Liu Yan great encouragement and comfort. We should still remember that last year Fan Chongjun had a bad year, and under the pressure of Qingxuzhou Mutian, he was in a precarious situation, almost on the verge of destruction.Then Wang Mang dispatched two generals, Jing Shang and Wang Dang, with 20,000 central troops, to Qingxu Erzhou to assist Tian Kuang in encircling and suppressing Fan Chong's army.However, Jing Shang and Wang Dang relied on the emperor's appointment and did not pay attention to Tian Kuang, the local governor. They were eager to make contributions and blindly acted on their own.On the other hand, the central army is all foreign soldiers, and has no affection for the land and the people here. Wherever they go, there are many dilapidated ones, almost the same as Fan Chongjun, or even worse.The military discipline is so corrupt, its combat effectiveness can be imagined.As a result, the Central Army encountered the main force of Fan Chong's army, and was defeated in World War I. Jing Shang and Wang Dang were also killed by the rebel army, becoming the highest-ranking officers and soldiers killed in battle so far.This is February of this year.

The news of Jing Shang and Wang Dang's death spread back to Chang'an, shaking the whole court.Wang Mang was furious and decided to send a more powerful central army to wipe out Fan Chongjun in one fell swoop.When determining the new commander-in-chief of the Central Army, Wang Mang spent a lot of brainstorming, and finally decided that the Taishi Wang Kuang and Gengshi General Lian Dan would jointly lead the army.As soon as the candidate was selected, all the officials were stunned: too extravagant, really too extravagant. The coach lineup composed of Wang Kuang and Lian Dan is indeed extremely luxurious.From the point of view of official position, Taishi is the respect of civil servants, and General Gengshi is the crown of military officials.From the point of view of prestige, Wang Kuang is the nephew of Wang Mang's clan, a relative of the clan, so rest assured that he is there; Lian Dan, a famous general who has fought many battles, is extremely brave, so he is at ease with him.

A famous minister plus a famous general is a perfect match.There were even more flatterers who felt sorry for Wang Kuang and Lian Dan's Eastern Expedition, saying: "This time, Ergong's eastward journey, Chang'an's starry sky will be half dimmed." Wang Mang placed high hopes on Wang Kuang and Lian Dan's trip.These two are like the models of the imperial court and the image spokespersons of the empire.Because of this, Wang Mang spared no expense to equip the two with the strongest army, the soldiers were selected by the two, and the horses, warehouses, and treasuries of each county were also allowed to be used by the two at will.

Before the army was dispatched, the entire court was already cheering. From then on, even in those few days when there were many rebels, there was no need to worry.Wang Kuang and Lian Dan are good soldiers, like tigers and wolves. If you say that they march eastward like this, there will be almost no need to fight, and the rebels will be scared to death. Compared with Chang'an's blind optimism, Tian Kuang, who was at the forefront of the battlefield, felt anxious, and quickly wrote to Wang Mang, urging him to take back his life.The book written by Tian Kuang clearly stated at the beginning: "Chaos can be chaotic, very chaotic. The rebels have no food to make chaos, the prefectures and counties are incompetent to make trouble, and the court is ignorant to add to the chaos. Three kinds of chaos come together, and the chaos is chaos again. It’s in chaos.” Besides, the central army should not go out lightly. If it goes out, the benefits will be few but the disadvantages will be many. He said: “I stole the imperial edict and wanted to send the grand master and general Gengshi. The two minions are important ministers. If there are few leaders, they will not be able to threaten the distance. If there are too many soldiers, the air will be exhausted along the way, and there will be nothing to support. If there are more generals in the air, the counties and counties will suffer more than the bandits." Since the central army cannot be dispatched lightly, how can we control the bandits?Only strong walls and clear fields!Said: "It is advisable to urgently select Mu, Yin and below, to understand their rewards and punishments, and to gather and leave their hometowns; for small countries without city walls, move their old and weak to a big city, store up grain and food, and stick to it. When thieves come to attack the city, they cannot go down. ;There is no food in the past, and there is no way to gather together. In this way, if you recruit them, you will fall, and if you hit them, you will be destroyed." Finally, Tian Kuang issued a military order again, saying: "Appoint minister Kuang to treat the thieves in the two states, and they will be suppressed!"

Reading Tian Kuangshang's book, every time I sigh that the new dynasty has its own capable people, it is a pity that they can't be used.As Tian Kuang said, it can be said that he knows himself and the enemy, and has a well-planned plan.The so-called confidant means that the army of the new dynasty has long been corrupted and corrupted, and is useless, so there should be no illusions.The so-called knowing the enemy means that the refugees have no ambitions and only ask for food. Once there is no food, they will naturally collapse.In view of this, the best strategy to deal with refugees is to use defense as an offense, fortify the walls and clear the country, which is a war without a fight.In the midst of the civil and military shouts of the Manchu Dynasty, Tian Kuang's foresight and sagacity had to be admired for being able to propose such a strategy calmly.And this foresight and foresight was not something Tian Kuang came up with by patting his head, but was exchanged for countless blood and human lives in the war.If Wang Mang can accept advice humbly at this time and boldly delegate power to Tian Kuang, how can there be chaos in the future and the loss of the country?

Besides, when Wang Mang received Tian Kuang's letter, he looked it over, put it aside, and began to blow his beard and stare: absurd, talking about war on paper, and a scholar's opinion!Isn't it just subduing others without fighting? Do you think I haven't read "Sun Tzu's Art of War"?How can the majestic imperial court show weakness, shrink back and dare not move forward after a defeat?Rebels, rats, imperial courts, cats.To catch a mouse with a cat, what else needs to be said about the art of war?It should be like the autumn wind sweeping the fallen leaves, and the broom dusting the dust.Only encounter battles and annihilation battles are the style of the imperial court and the demeanor of a king's teacher.The so-called strong walls and clear fields only increase the ambition of rebels and destroy the prestige of the court.Tian Kuang, Tian Kuang, do you think I don't know your thoughts?You are clearly playing with bandits to secure yourself, and raising bandits to strengthen yourself.Well, what about you, you just won a few battles, and you immediately feel complacent. Do you want to instruct the court on how to suppress thieves?If you can handle all the problems by yourself, then why do you need me as an emperor?

After all, Wang Mang was jealous of Tian Kuang.Tian Kuang's bandits were victorious one after another, but the Central Army sent by Wang Mang suffered a disastrous defeat.This is like telling the world: Tian Kuang's method works, but Wang Mang's level is not good.Originally, Tian Kuang's victory was his Wang Mang's victory, but Wang Mang didn't think so. If he wants to win, it must be his Wang Mang's victory. It is his Wang Mang's good command, not your Tian Kuang's ability. Tian Kuang was sincere and wanted to be loyal to the country, but unfortunately he made a mistake.However, never overestimate the size of the emperor. As a minister, you can be an awl, but don't pierce the cloth bag.For the sake of Tian Kuang, maybe he should list a few more strategies in the letter and let Wang Mang do the multiple-choice questions.In this way, Wang Mang not only has a sense of participation, but also satisfies his vanity.You know, Wang Mang has never been reconciled to being a rubber stamp. He thinks that since he is the emperor, he should be omnipotent.

Having said that, Tian Kuang's suggestion of withdrawing the Central Army is actually not in line with the time.The Central Army has begun to gather, and the movement is so big that everyone in the world knows it. How can it be said to withdraw immediately.Furthermore, even if Wang Mang agreed to withdraw the troops, the two coaches Wang Kuang and Lian Dan would not agree.Tian Kuang wants to be famous in history, why don't Wang Kuang and Lian Dan not want to?In their view, the Eastern Expedition is like hitting an egg with a stone, easy and happy.After returning from a round trip, add some oil and vinegar, and you can directly publish and pay the official biography of the National History Museum.With such a great chance of immortality, how could they be willing to let it slip away so easily?Therefore, Wang Kuang and Lian Dan went to see Wang Mang and asked Tian Kuang to be transferred from Qingzhou and Xu Erzhou. Wang Mang obeyed their words and ordered Tian Kuang to visit Chang'an in the west and worship him as a teacher. , Special order to enter Beijing for promotion.

Tian Kuang burst into tears when he received the edict, and knelt down to Chang'an, saying, "One year of Xu Chen's rebellion is enough to reduce half; We can start our journey west now.This is March of this year. In April of this year, Wang Kuang and Lian Dan led 100,000 elite soldiers from the central government to formally march out of Qingzhou and Xuzhou. Wang Mang personally escorted them outside the gate of the capital.Seeing this ominous omen, some elders sighed secretly: "It's for the Weeping Army! I'm afraid my sons will not return home." When the army arrived in the east, Fan Chong took the initiative to invite the soldiers to fight, ready to give the officers and soldiers a dismount, but also worried that it would be difficult to distinguish the enemy from the chaotic battle, so he ordered the soldiers to dye their eyebrows red to identify each other.The famous "red eyebrow" name came from here. However, beyond Fan Chong's expectation, the officers and soldiers also learned Tian Kuang's strong walls and clear fields, avoiding and not fighting.Guarding important cities, storing more grains and holding them hard, is fortified walls; scattered households, moving their people and property, and placing them in the city is for clearing the fields. Obviously, it was not Wang Mang's intention to fortify the wall and clear the field. How could he show the majesty of the Celestial Dynasty if he put on a defensive posture as soon as he came up?Tian Kuangzheng was dismissed for proposing to fortify the wall and clear the country. Who would dare to stand up to the wind, sweep Wang Mang's face, and criticize the emperor's rebellion? Lian Dan dare!The one who decided to fortify the wall and clear the country was Gengshi General Lian Dan.Lian Dan, the successor of Zhao Guolian Po, has experienced many battles and made outstanding achievements. He was the most famous general at that time, and his prestige was unmatched.At this time, Lian Dan was in his sixtieth year, and his old eyes became more and more vicious. As soon as he was young, he knew that the best strategy was the best strategy. Grand Master Wang Kuang is Wang Mang's nephew, and he understands Wang Mang's thoughts best - this battle must not only be won, but also fought hard.Although Wang Kuang is the head coach in name, he is just in his early thirties. After all, his qualifications are still low. Compared with Lian Dan, he can only be regarded as a young boy, and he is intimidated by Lian Dan's great reputation. can acquiesce. However, the strong wall is acceptable, but the side effects of Qing Ye are extremely serious.Wherever the officers and soldiers went, they looted and looted, and the hooves and bones were messed up. The ferocity was even worse than that of the red eyebrows, just like the folk songs of Qing and Xu Erzhou: "It is better to meet the red eyebrows than to meet the grand master! The grand master is okay, Gengshi kill me!" The suffering of the people in troubled times has been the same since ancient times.In the early years of the Republic of China, there was also a folk song in Sichuan that said: "Bandits are like a comb, soldiers are like a grate, warlords are like a razor, and officials have cramps and skin." Lian Dan not only did not stop the indiscriminate killing of his subordinates, but deliberately condoned them.Mercy does not command soldiers, righteousness does not control wealth, in Lian Dan's view, the logic of war is cruel: if the officers and soldiers do not rob these common people who are scattered in the wild, they will be robbed by Chimei; If the officers and soldiers don't kill them, then they may be coerced into joining the Red Eyebrow Army and turn against the officers and soldiers.Temporary kindness can't bear it, it will only take advantage of the red eyebrows and harm himself. The so-called strong walls and clearing the field are fighting a war of attrition and a protracted war. However, in September of this year, seeing that the officers and soldiers had no results and the red eyebrows were still at ease, Wang Mang's patience finally ran out and he issued an imperial edict to Lian Dan. The imperial edict has sixteen characters in total, saying: "The granary is exhausted, the treasury is empty, you can be angry, you can fight!" Since ancient edicts, there is no one who is more surprised than this edict. It uses four "Yi" characters one after another. It does not appear to be cumbersome and repetitive.Presumably Wang Mang had ghosts in his wrists, so he could write such a wonderful essay. Although Wang Mang's article is wonderful, Lian Dan has no intention of appreciating it, let alone the pleasure of serving wine with edicts.As an old courtier of Wang Mang, he understands the weight of these sixteen short words too well.When Lian Dan received the imperial edict, he was terrified. He summoned Feng Yan, an official, to show it in a letter overnight, and sighed: "Your Majesty is furious, and the imperial edict is to blame. I am afraid that I will not be able to repay my kindness if I don't die in the middle of the country." Feng Yan saw that Lian Dan wanted to smash the pot and die in battle for Wang Mang to see, so he couldn't help but persuade Lian Dan to simply separate the side and wait for the opportunity.Feng Yandao: "Nowadays there is chaos in the sea, and people cherish Hande more than the poet thinks about the Duke; people sing and dance, and the sky will follow it. Now it is the general's plan, and Mo Ruo is stationed in a large county. A man who accepts Xiongjie, asks for advice on loyalty and wisdom, promotes the benefits of the country, and eliminates the harm of thousands of people, then the blessings will flow endlessly, and the meritorious service will be immortal. He Yu's army was overthrown in the Central Plains, his body was anointed in the grass, and his achievements were defeated. Famous mourning, ashamed as ancestors!” Lian Dan smiled wryly and said, "Don't mention that again. Otherwise, the military law is ruthless." In Feng Yan's opinion, the secessionist rebellion is not so simple!Not to mention that his family in Chang'an will lose their lives, but if he really wants to separate the regime, 70,000 of the 100,000 troops are in the hands of the commander Wang Kuang, which he cannot take away, and the 30,000 soldiers under his command, How many people are really willing to follow him to betray the court? Not long after Lian Dan received the imperial edict, Suo Luhui, the magistrate of Wuyan County in Dongping County, and others made friends with Chimei and rebelled against the city.Seeing that Lian Dan was condemned by the imperial edict, Wang Kuang became courageous and advocated an attack, and Lian Dan had no choice but to follow.In one day, Wuyan County was captured and more than ten thousand beheaded. The victory was huge and easy.Wang Mang was overjoyed when he heard the news, no matter how strong the wall was, no matter how clear it was, it was not as effective as his own tough strategy!So Zhonglang was sent to the labor army, and Wang Kuang and Lian Dan were made dukes, and more than ten officials who made meritorious service were also rewarded. Having won the first battle, Wang Kuang was full of confidence. It turned out that Chimei was only mediocre, and it was time to take advantage of the victory and start a full-scale war.It happened that Dong Xian from the Chimei Bie School led tens of thousands of people to settle in Liang County, and Wang Kuang ordered an attack. Lian Dan tried to persuade him: "The new city should be rested and raised, and it should not be taken lightly, let alone a long-distance attack. !" Wang Kuang didn't listen, and sarcastically said, "General Lian is old and can't eat." He led his troops forward alone. Lian Dan had no choice but to lead the crowd along with him.In case Wang Kuang made a mistake, it was Wang Mang's eldest nephew, and he couldn't bear the responsibility. When the officers and soldiers went to Chengchang, they encountered Dong Xian's ambush. For a while, soldiers rose up everywhere, and I don't know how many.Wang Kuang was terrified, and before he could fight, he hurriedly led his men to flee.Lian Dan was in the midst of a bitter battle, when he heard that Wang Kuang had fled, the veteran general in Kansai was very sad, and he was in tears when he was stationed in the horse. "The horse rushed into the red eyebrow formation, fought hard and died. Lian Dan's lieutenants Ruyun, Wang Long and more than 20 people saw Lian Dan's life and death in battle, and wept like rain, saying: "Mr. Lian is dead, who shall I live?" , Kill everyone, and all die with blood.Of the 100,000 Central Army, most of them were killed or injured. Wang Mang was very sad when he heard that Lian Dan was killed in battle, and he decided to take the initiative to die in battle, even though he could escape. Seeing the fall of a generation of generals, and Wang Kuang's difficulty in becoming a great leader, Wang Mang couldn't help but began to worry about the candidate for the main general.The national general Aizhang took the initiative to invite Ying, saying: "At the time of the Yellow Emperor, Zhong Huangzhi was the general, and he defeated and killed Chi You. Now I am in the position of Zhong Huangzhi, and I wish to pacify Shandong." Wang Mang knew that Ai Zhang was even more incompetent than Wang Kuang, but Wang Mang believed in his own vision, but believed in superstition even more. Since Zhong Huang Zhi had a precedent for defeating Chi You, it was a good idea to send Ai Zhang, so he ordered Ai Zhang to lead five Thousands of soldiers rushed to help Qingxu, and together with Wang Kuang, they wiped out Chimei.This was at the beginning of October this year.