Chapter 42 Forging a sword into a plow is a luxury

When the solemn-looking group of people galloped towards the outskirts of Zhangnan City on fast horses, Liu Heita, the former Duke of Han in the Xia Dynasty, was planting vegetables in the field. At first he didn't think these people were looking for him, because he felt that he had been forgotten by the world. Since Dou Jiande was defeated and captured more than two months ago, and the entire Xia Dynasty fell apart, he quietly fled back to his hometown and honestly became a farmer with his face turned to the loess and his back to the sky.Although he has hated the identity of a farmer since he was a child, there is nothing he can do now.

Because being a farmer is better than being a prisoner, and even better than being stabbed with a knife. However, when Liu Heitai endured more than two months in this three-acre field, his only feeling was that being a farmer was worse than death! At least for him.Thinking of the old life of leaping horses with swords and galloping on the battlefield, thinking of those days of drinking in big bowls and eating large pieces of meat, Liu Heitai still has bursts of blood and heart. He felt he was born to be a fighter. But the family didn't see it that way.They have disliked him since he was a child, and gave him a title - rascal.Because there is nothing about him that looks like a rascal from head to toe.He not only drank and gambled, but also idled, got into fights, and died.His father and brothers often scolded him for this, but he never changed after repeated admonitions.His father and brothers, who were originally from a poor family, finally gave up on him and simply cut off his source of income, leaving him to fend for himself.For this reason, Liu Heitai also had a hard time without eating three meals a day.Fortunately, a big brother from the same town who he made friends with was very generous and often donated money to help, so Liu Heita did not starve to death on the street.

This big brother is Dou Jiande. After the peasant uprising broke out on a large scale at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Liu Heita felt that his chance had come, and immediately defected to Hao Xiaode, the leader of the nearby rebels.Soon after, he followed Hao Xiaode into the Wagang Army and became a partial general under Li Mi's command.After Li Mi's defeat, Liu Heita was captured by Wang Shichong. Wang Shichong, who had heard of his reputation for being brave and good at fighting, appointed him as a cavalry general. Dou Jiande did not forget his past friendship, and immediately appointed him as a general and made him the Duke of Handong County.Due to his many experiences, knowledgeable experience, cunning nature, and good observation of time-changing, Dou Jiande often entrusts him with tasks such as reconnaissance and sneak attacks in the enemy's rear. , enjoying the reputation of "brave" in the army of Xia Dynasty.Just when Liu Heitai was about to roll up his sleeves and do a big job, Dou Jiande suffered a crushing defeat in Hulao, and the Xia Dynasty collapsed. Liu Heitai saw that his brilliant life that had just started suddenly turned dark again.

Fate made a big circle and returned to the original point - back to the place where Liu Heita swore to never return many years ago. At this moment, Liu Heita was staring blankly in the field leaning on a hoe. He really didn't expect that the group of people running on the official road were coming for him. He didn't expect that from the next moment he would throw away his hoe and return to the battlefield, sweep Hebei within half a year, defeat the Tang army repeatedly, and finally regain the old territory of the Xia Dynasty, replace Dou Jiande, establish himself as the king of Eastern Han, and become the king of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Compete with the Li Tang court to be the most powerful competitor in the world.

The group of dignified people got off their horses at the edge of the field and strode towards Liu Heita with big strides. Liu Heita felt a little surprised at first, but soon recognized them. The people who came were Gao Yaxian, Fan Yuan, Dong Kangmai, Cao Zhan...all of Dou Jiande's former troops and former comrades-in-arms of Liu Heitai. Liu Heita laughed, and threw the hoe in his hand far away.He already knew what they were coming for. Liu Heikai guessed right, Gao Yaxian and the others had only one purpose in coming - they wanted to embrace him as their leader and rise up again!

After the fall of the Xia Dynasty, a considerable number of generals were unwilling to surrender to the Tang Dynasty and fled back to their hometowns one after another.However, it is easy to go from thrift to extravagance, and it is difficult to return from extravagance to frugality. Not to mention people like Liu Heita who have never been a farmer, even those who have worked in agriculture in the early years, after being a majestic general for many years, return to the country. When I get to my hometown, I don’t want to take a hoe any more. What do you get without a hoe?You can't just sit and eat, can you?

Take the knife. Although the title of general is gone, their knives are still there, and their ability to kill and rob is still there. So they simply started their old business - robbing state and county government treasuries, robbing local wealthy households, and doing everything that can make money.As a result, it has naturally become a problem among the people.The local governments of the Tang Dynasty originally wanted to deal with these remnants who were unwilling to surrender, but now they are burning, killing and looting everywhere, which has seriously violated the laws of the Tang Dynasty. After arriving, they will be tortured and severely punished.Fan Yuan and others had to leave their hometown and flee around with their families.But wherever he went, Li Tang was ruled by him. He could hide for a while, but he couldn't hide for a lifetime. He couldn't just hide like this for the rest of his life, right?

Just when they were panicking like bereaved dogs, Li Yuan issued an edict to recruit them, the former generals of the Xia Dynasty, to go to Chang'an. Gao Yaxian and others were all on the list announced by the court. It sounds like a good choice.But when Gao Yaxian and others met, everyone's opinions were highly consistent—this is a trap, and Chang'an must never go there! The reason is simple: after Wang Shichong surrendered, Shan Xiongxin, Duan Da and others under his command were all killed; if they go to see Li Yuan foolishly now, wouldn't it be equivalent to throwing themselves into a trap?

No, they will never go! Gao Yaxian and the others didn't talk about it, but when they mentioned this, they were full of blood and righteous indignation. In the end, everyone said: "Since following King Xia's army for ten years, they have gone through hundreds of battles, and this body owes only one death!"But a real man must die with vigor and vigor, and he must not use his head as a whetstone for others!Why not simply use this remaining life to create another world-class career? The decision has been made, and everyone swears to the Tianmeng—"My subordinates are all favored by King Xia. If I don't avenge him now, I will be unable to see the people of the world!" (Volume 189)

After the plan for raising troops is determined, the final step is to elect a leader. In order to comply with God's will, Gao Yaxian and others decided to burn incense for divination, and the hexagrams that were later revealed were: the Liu family is the main one, good luck.So they found Liu Heita. On this early autumn evening, Liu Heita not only threw away his hoe, but also slaughtered his only cow, moved out all the old wine in the house, and had a hearty drink with Gao Yaxian and others. His grandma's, this is the life of a person! Liu Heitai was thinking happily while eating large pieces of meat and drinking in large bowls.

The news that Liu Heikai gathered troops and captured Zhangnan spread to Chang'an. Although the Li and Tang courts were not terrified, they were also extremely surprised.On July 22, Li Yuan had to reset the administrative structure of Hebei to a wartime establishment, set up Shandong Daoxingtai in Mingzhou, and appointed Li Shentong, king of Huai'an, as the right servant of the Xingtai. For Li Tang's court, Liu Heita's group of defeated generals really didn't pose much of a threat.They felt that it was more than enough for the local army of the Tang Dynasty to deal with it. Starting from the Mid-Autumn Festival in the fourth year of Wude, the hurricane blown by Liu Heita began to sweep across Hebei. On August 12th, Liu Heita captured Qi County (now Xiajin County, Shandong), and Dai Yuanxiang, the governor of Weizhou (now northeast of Daming County, Hebei) and Beizhou (now west of Qinghe County, Hebei) led his troops to fight, and was defeated by Liu Heita. , Quan and Dai both died in battle, and all the men, horses and weapons of their troops were captured by Liu Heita.Ten days later, Liu Heita captured Liting (now east of Wucheng County, Shandong Province) and captured Tang Tunwei General Wang Xingmin.Liu Heita ordered Wang Xingmin to kowtow to him, but Wang Xingmin refused to obey, and was beheaded by Liu Heita immediately. When the battle report came, the Li Tang court finally realized the seriousness of the problem.Li Yuan immediately issued an edict to recruit 3,000 elite cavalry in Guanzhong, and ordered General Qin Wutong and Dingzhou (now Dingzhou City, Hebei) Chief Li Xuantong to lead them, together with Youzhou (now Beijing) Chief Luo Yi, to encircle and suppress Liu Heita. After Liu Heitai won the first battle, Dou Jiande's old tribe who had been living in various places gradually came to join him, and the number of tribes increased to more than 2,000.Liu Heikai then set up an altar in Zhangnan to pay homage to the soul of Dou Jiande, so as to inspire the morale of his troops and establish himself as a general. On the towering altar, a soul-invoking spirit streamer fluttered in the autumn wind, making bursts of crackling sounds.Liu Heitai stood on the high platform with a solemn face, feeling a huge and mysterious power surging in his body. Liu Heita believed that this must be the power bestowed on him by King Xia's spirit in heaven.