Summoning of the Great General of the Great Qin Empire

Chapter 216

Yelu Deguang, the Khitan's name is Yao Gu, he is the second son of Yelu Abaoji.He has a dignified appearance and a generous and kind nature. He is the judge of many military and state affairs.

Abaoji had great hopes for him. Among Abaoji's three sons, he and his eldest son Yelvbei were both loved by Abaoji, but Yelv Deguang was more like his father.

In the first year of Tianzan (922), he was appointed as the Grand Marshal of the Tianxia Bingma at the age of 20.He participated in a series of wars of conquest with Taizu, especially during the southern expeditions to Pingzhou, Youzhou, Zhenzhou, and Dingzhou, and the western expeditions to Tuyuhun, Uighur, and Dangxiang. He captured Zhao Siwen and was defeated by Fu Cunju.In the first year of Tianxian (926), he accompanied Taizu to destroy the Bohai Kingdom and conquered Huhan City, the capital of Bohai, as a forward.

On July 27, the first year of Tianxian (September 926, 9), after the death of Emperor Taizu of Liao Dynasty, Yelu Deguang took charge of the government. On December 6, 927, he came to the throne with the support of Queen Shulu The empress dowager is the empress dowager, the empress is the empress dowager Yingtian, and the concubine Xiao is the empress.

In the sixth year of Tianxian (930), Yelubei, the king of Dongdan who ruled the territory of the original Bohai Kingdom, fled south to the Later Tang Dynasty, and Yelude unified Khitan.

In the tenth year of Tianxian (931), Prime Minister Nerigun tried to flee south, but the incident was revealed and he was detained.

In the 11th year of Tianxian (936), Shi Jingtang, the envoy of Hedong Jiedu in the Later Tang Dynasty, begged Yelu Deguang to send troops to help him oppose the Later Tang Dynasty on the condition that he be called his son and cede the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun.

Yelu Deguang personally led 5 cavalry, defeated the Later Tang army at the city of Jinyang, and made Shi Jingtang the emperor of the Later Jin Dynasty.

Tang generals Gao Xingzhou and Fu Yanqing led their troops to fight, but Yelu Deguang pretended to retreat.Tang generals Zhang Jingda and Yang Guangyuan lined up in the west again, but before forming a line, Yelu Deguang approached them with soldiers.However, Gao Xingzhou and Fu Yanqing were intercepted by the ambush, and they could not look at each other from head to tail.Zhang Jingda and Yang Guangyuan were defeated, and the abandoned battles piled up like a mountain, and tens of thousands of heads were beheaded.

Later, he led his troops south to Shangdang to help Shi Jingtang destroy the Later Tang Dynasty.After taking the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun, Yelu Deguang adopted the rule of "government according to the customs", implemented the system of two-faced officials in the north and the south, and divided the Han people and the Khitan.Youzhou was changed to Nanjing and Yunzhou to Xijing, and the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun were built as a base for further southward travel.

In the fourth year of Huitong (942), Shi Chonggui, the emperor of the later Jin Dynasty, came to the throne and refused to be a minister.

Yelu Deguang then led his army to the south, and Du Chongwei, Li Shouzhen, Zhang Yanze and others led 20 troops to surrender. .On December 946, the 1th year of Huitong (January 10, [-]), Yelu Deguang led his army to attack Bianliang, Tokyo (now Kaifeng, Henan), the capital of the Later Jin Dynasty, captured Emperor Shi Chonggui of the Later Jin Dynasty, and destroyed the Later Jin Dynasty.

On the first day of the first lunar month of the tenth year of Huitong (January 947, 1), Yelu Deguang entered Bianliang, Tokyo with the guard of honor of the emperor of the Central Plains, and received congratulations from all officials in the Chongyuan Hall.On the first day of February in the first year of Datong (February 25, 947), Yelu Deguang issued an edict in the Tokyo Imperial Palace to change the name of the country from "Daqidan Kingdom" to "Daliao", and changed the tenth year of Huitong to the first year of Datong, and promoted Zhenzhou For Zhongjing.

Yelu Deguang led his troops into Tokyo, and the people ran with howls.Yelude went up to the tower and said to the people: "I am also a human being. Don't be afraid. I want to free you from tyranny. I didn't want to come here. Your emperor led me here." Officials surrendered to Khitan, and most of the towns' Jiedu envoys also surrendered.Yelu Deguang thought that the emperor of the Central Plains made a decision, and ordered the Khitan soldiers to go out and plunder in the name of herding horses, which was called "grass-grazing valley".

Khitan soldiers massacred and plundered, hundreds of miles around Kaifeng and Luoyang became white land, and in the name of rewarding the army, they strictly ordered later Jin officials to include money, no matter who they were, they had to donate money and silk, and the property they got was not distributed to Khitan Soldiers, and are going to be transported back to Khitan.Seeing that Yelu Deguang had officially proclaimed himself emperor, Zhao Yanshou was very dissatisfied and asked to be crown prince.Yelu Deguang said that the crown prince can only be done by the son of the emperor, and you can't do it.At that time, Liu Zhiyuan proclaimed himself emperor in Jinyang, and many towns and old generals of the later Jin Dynasty responded with troops.The masses of the people also revolted, with tens of thousands of people in most and hundreds of people in small groups, breaking through prefectures and counties, and killing officials appointed by Khitan.

Wang Qiong, the leader of the uprising army in Chanzhou, invaded the city and besieged the Khitan general Yelu Langwu; the Eastern uprising army broke through the three prefectures of Song, Bo, and Mi.Yelu Deguang was very frightened and was about to flee. He appointed Xiao Han as the Jiedu envoy of the Xuanwu Army and stayed in Tokyo.Yelu Deguang took thousands of demoted officials from the later Jin Dynasty, hundreds of court ladies and eunuchs, and all the property of the Jin government treasury, and left Feng Beixing.Passing through Xiangzhou, slaughtering Xiangzhou City, the men in the city were killed, the women were taken into captivity, and the babies were thrown into the air and received with the tip of a knife as a carnival. After the investigation, more than [-] people died.Yelu Deguang was forced to withdraw, killed people to vent his anger, saw desolate scenes along the way, and said to the Han officials that it was all the fault of Zhao Yanshou that it was so dilapidated, and pointed to a traitor Zhang Li and said, "You have a share too."

Yelu Deguang summed up the reasons for his failure and came up with the so-called three mistakes: the first mistake was to search for money from the people in various places; Three losses. "Of course he was very upset. He went to Luancheng (Luancheng County, Hebei Province) and died of illness at the age of 46. He was buried in Fengshan. He was posthumously titled Emperor Xiaowu.

In September of the 21st year of Chongxi (1052), he was posthumously named Emperor Xiaowu Huiwen.Liao Taizong's greatest contribution to the Liao Dynasty was the development and improvement of the political system.Emperor Taizong of Liao Dynasty brought a whole set of Han official system from the later Jin Dynasty to Liao State, together with the original official system established in the Abaoji period, finally made the Liao official system form a national official system with its own characteristics in the process of partial Sinicization.

Yelu Deguang strengthened his control over the army.He often inspected the bodyguards, various tribes, and various account troops to fully control the military power and prevent dissident forces from infiltrating it, thereby fundamentally consolidating his power.

Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty attached great importance to the development of agriculture. He not only supported the development of agriculture by the Han people in Han areas, but also allowed people to reclaim land and develop production in grassland areas suitable for agricultural development.In order to protect agricultural production and prevent intentional or unintentional destruction by the Khitan people who do not have the habit of emphasizing agriculture, Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty ordered his followers not to trample on the crops at will, and ordered the troops to avoid farmland when marching.The development of agriculture has greatly promoted the development of various economies in Liao, and also enhanced the national strength of Liao.

As the Khitan Kingdom's ruling area continued to expand, in order to better manage the affairs of different ethnic groups, Taizong of the Liao Dynasty formulated the principle of "governing according to customs" and formed two complete sets of official systems in the north and the south, namely the northern official system and the southern official system. official system.

The northern official system was the official system of the Khitan people in the Liao Dynasty. The Khitan officials were in charge of all military and political affairs of the Liao Dynasty, and it was also the highest authority of the Liao Dynasty.The reason why it is called the North Face Official is because the Khitan people have the custom of worshiping the sun. They like to face the east and the left is up.In this way, the Liao king's tent faces the east, and the north is the left, which is where the Khitan officials work, so it is called the north official.Among the officials in the north, they are divided into several types: court officials in the north, imperial account officials in the north, royal account officials in the north, account officials in the north and palace officials in the north.

The North Chaoguan, which was the main institution of the official system of the Liao Dynasty, was divided into two different departments in the north and south, such as the North Privy Council Management Department and the South Privy Council Management Department.This is easily confused with the general north-south official system and should be distinguished.Among the court officials in the north, the North and South Privy Councils were the highest administrative institutions in the Liao Kingdom, which were in charge of military and civil affairs respectively, and were also commonly known as Bei Ya and Nan Ya.Among the officials facing the north, there is also the Zhongcheng Division of the North and South Privy Councils, who are in charge of picketing and prosecuting officials.The prime minister's office in the north and south also participated in military and state affairs, similar to the official affairs of the Han nationality in the official system.In addition, there is also the Great Tiyin Division, who is in charge of the political and religious affairs of the royal family.Set up the Yili Biyuan, which is in charge of adjudicating cases and prisons.Di Liema is in charge of etiquette.In the end, above the hundred officials, there was also set up a Dayue Mansion with no actual position, but an honorary title, similar to the title of the Han Grand Master.But it is very difficult for ordinary people to get the title of Da Yue, and only three people in the entire Liao Dynasty got it.

To the north is the Royal Account Officer, which also has many subordinate agencies.For example, the bodyguard division is responsible for the guards of the imperial tent.The North and South Guard House is responsible for the guard work of the two Privy Councils in the North and South.

The northern royal account officer, the descendants of Abaoji, the descendants of Abaoji's uncle, the descendants of Abaoji's uncle, and the descendants of Abaoji's brothers, a total of four systems of royal families, respectively set up camps with authority, called the four-account royal family, with a high status .In the north, there are also branches of the royal account officials, and the Onei Tiyin Division is in charge of the political and religious affairs of the four accounts.

The tent officials in the north are institutions set up for other influential tribes other than the Abaoji tribe, that is, other than the royal family, such as the Yaozhan clan and the Bohai royal family. ground control.

The palace officials in the north are mainly in charge of some daily affairs of the court.

Corresponding to the northern officials are the southern officials. After Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty acquired the sixteen states, he further improved the official system of the Han nationality, imitating the official system of the Tang Dynasty, and established a complete set of governance institutions including three provinces and six ministries.In order to attract Han people and manage the affairs of Han people.The southern officials are mainly served by Han people, and some Khitan people also serve in the southern officials. They are called Han officials and also wear Han clothes.Nanmianguan is called Nanmianguan because the office tent is in the south of the Liao king's big tent.

The branches of Nanmian Guanzhong include: Han Privy Council, which was called "Hanersi" when Abaoji was in Abaoji, and other branches include Zhongshu Province, Shangshu Province, Menxia Province, Yushitai, Hanlin Academy, etc.

Among the local official systems, the Liao Dynasty also had two sets of systems, the tribal system and the state and county system. The Khitan and other nomadic peoples used the tribal system, while the Han and Bohai people used the state and county system used in the Tang Dynasty.After Yelubei defected to the Later Tang Dynasty, Liao Taizong took the opportunity to rectify the administrative system of Dongdan, the original Bohai State.First let Yelubei's concubine preside over the government affairs of Dongdan, and then take measures to strengthen the control of Dongdan.Dongdan Kingdom was not an area under the direct jurisdiction of the Liao Central Government in the past. Dongdan was a princely state, and the King of Dongdan had full authority over local affairs.He can establish his own reign and country name, and has the right to communicate directly with foreign countries.Officials below the prime minister can be appointed and dismissed by themselves.After Yelubei left, Emperor Taizong of Liao established Zhongtai Province in Dongdan, and sent officials there to participate in government affairs management, thus strengthening his control over Dongdan.

Even so, the habits of the Khitan people could not be fundamentally changed, especially when the Liao army went south to fight in the Central Plains.Since the Liao army had no logistical supplies, the food and grass had to be settled on the spot by itself. Therefore, when the Liao soldiers went to a place, they would inevitably harass the people and rob the food and grass, which caused the Liao army to be opposed by the local people.With the loss of popular support, it will be difficult for Liao's rule in the Central Plains to continue.Yelu Deguang, Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty, did not wake up until he was dying, but it was too late.In fact, even if he knew earlier and took measures, he could not change the long-term national habits in a relatively short period of time.The Khitan ruled the Central Plains as a nomadic people, and Sinicization was necessary. Liao Taizong probably realized this before his death, but he no longer had the opportunity to implement the lessons he summed up in practice.

In addition to plundering food and grass in the Han area, many Khitans also served as officials in the Yellow River area.After consolidating his throne, Liao Taizong began to continue his father Liao Taizu Yelu Abaoji's career, using troops to the south to fight for hegemony in the Central Plains.The Khitan people have wanted to expand their territory to the banks of the Yellow River since the Taizu of Liao Dynasty, and then own a large area of ​​territory north of the Yellow River.However, the Han forces resisted the Khitan's attack. Therefore, when the Khitan used troops, they always attacked under the banner of supporting one side when the several factions in the Central Plains were fighting.It was relatively stable during the reign of the Later Tang Dynasty. In addition, the army of the Later Tang Dynasty was known as the Crow Army. They all wore black and had strong combat effectiveness. However, the Khitan people used the people as soldiers and did not have a specialized field army, so they always fought against the Central Plains soldiers. It is a disadvantage.

Therefore, no matter how powerful Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty was, he had to wait until something happened in the Central Plains to take advantage of the situation and reap the benefits of fishermen. Simple declarations of war and formal decisive battles were difficult to succeed.Therefore, Emperor Taizong of Liao Dynasty went south to the Central Plains until Li Siyuan died, and Shi Jingtang dared to send troops when he asked for help. Later Jin's defeat of the Later Jin Dynasty was also due to the surrender of the Later Jin generals.

After Shi Jingtang had conflicts with Li Congke in the later Tang Dynasty, Shi Jingtang had to ask Liao Taizong for help in order to preserve his power and proclaim himself emperor.Liao Taizong, who had been waiting for a long time, was overjoyed. Seeing Shi Jingtang's attractive conditions, he hurriedly sent troops to rescue him.Li Shi Jingtang became the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, and he got a large piece of fat. He easily brought the long-awaited sixteen states into the Khitan's rule, and a large amount of cloth was imported every year.But Liao Taizong only tasted this unexpected piece of fat for more than ten years, and finally he lost his life in the Central Plains.

No matter what happens in the future, Taizong of the Liao Dynasty has finally obtained the sixteen states, and his next goal is to continue southward and push the border to the bank of the Yellow River.After Shi Jingtang's death, Shi Chonggui succeeded to the throne. The change in the attitude of the later Jin Dynasty provided Taizong of the Liao Dynasty with a good opportunity and sufficient excuse to use troops.At the same time, Zhao Yanshou of Youzhou also wanted to be an emperor like Shi Jingtang, and persuaded Taizong of Liao to take the opportunity to attack.Yang Guangyuan, the general of the Later Jin Dynasty, also secretly informed Khitan, saying that the Later Jin Dynasty violated the covenant and took the opportunity to send troops. Moreover, a major disaster occurred in the territory of the Later Jin Dynasty, and more than half of the army died.

Liao Taizong couldn't help being moved. In order to seize this rare opportunity, he launched a crusade against the Later Jin, and fought three times in a row until the Later Jin was destroyed.In the three-year war that lasted after the Jin Dynasty was destroyed, Liao Taizong's superhuman willpower was fully demonstrated.This shows that he had prepared and waited for a long time to use the Central Plains, and he would not give up if he did not achieve his goal when he encountered a favorable opportunity, and finally realized his wish for many years.Although the victory was due to the surrender of the late Jin army, Liao Taizong's willpower is indeed admirable.

In the process of using troops, Liao Taizong's extraordinary strategy was also fully used.He made the most of the ambitions of Han officials to become emperor and the contradictions among them, which had a lot to do with Emperor Taizong of Liao's years of understanding and mastering all kinds of political and military intelligence in the Central Plains.

He first took advantage of Zhao Yanshou's ambition to want to be the emperor of the Central Plains, and let him act as a vanguard in the battle against the later Jin Dynasty.Promising Zhao Yanshou to let him be the emperor after the destruction of the Jin Dynasty convinced him that he would fight very hard.For the first time to send troops, only Zhao Yanshou's troops all the way achieved some results.When the Later Jin Dynasty was finally destroyed, Liao Taizong kept silent about his original promise. Zhao Yanshou shamelessly proposed to make himself the prince, but Liao Taizong said that his son should be the prince, and he was not suitable.Even when Zhao Yanshou was appointed as an official, the minister proposed to cross out the "supervisor of all Chinese and foreign military forces" given to him.

The cunning and fickle Emperor Taizong of Liao made a big fool of Zhao Yanshou.For another character, Du Chongwei, Emperor Taizong of Liao Dynasty also promised to be the emperor. After Du Chongwei surrendered, let him wear the ocher yellow robe worn by the emperor, just like Zhao Yanshou was asked to wear the ocher yellow robe to comfort the soldiers of the later Jin Dynasty. The scum who wants to be the emperor has played enough like a monkey. If the two of them talk together about how they feel about wearing ocher robes, they will probably be similar.In the end, Emperor Taizong of Liao took the seat himself, but he also paid a high price. He took his old life into it, and suffered a lot of crimes before he died.

In the war against the later Jin Dynasty, due to the heroic fighting of the patriotic soldiers of the later Jin Dynasty, Emperor Taizong of Liao also fought very hard. When he sent troops for the second time, he was defeated by generals such as Huangfu Yu, Murong Yanchao, and Li Shouzhen of the Later Jin Dynasty. Disasters also occurred, a large number of people and livestock died, and the tribes also became war-weary. Moreover, after mother Shulu learned that when the Later Jin sent envoys to discuss peace, she also tried her best to persuade Liao Taizong to stop the army and make peace.Empress Shulu said to her son: "If the Han people are kings of Khitan, is that okay?" Emperor Taizong of Liao Dynasty said: "No." Empress Shulu said: "Then why do you insist on becoming King of Han?"

Taizong of the Liao Dynasty said: "Shi's ungratefulness cannot be tolerated." Shulu Hou advised him: "Even if you get the Han land, you can't stay for a long time. If there is any accident, it will be too late to regret it." Foresighted, Liao Taizong also died in the Central Plains.Emperor Taizong of Liao did not follow his mother's advice and insisted on ceding Zhenzhou and Dingzhou in the Later Jin Dynasty before he would truce. In fact, he did not want to lose this opportunity so easily.Although he failed for a while, Emperor Taizong of Liao sent troops to attack again in the second year. As a result, he seized the opportunity and took advantage of Du Chongwei's weakness of cowardice and wanting to be emperor to persuade him to surrender. Soon after, Jin was also wiped out.

In the tenth year of Huitong (AD 947), Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty entered Kaifeng, the capital of the Later Jin Dynasty, with the guard of honor of the emperor of the Central Plains.Designating Shi Chonggui, who surrendered, as Marquis of Injustice, apart from irony, this official position has no other meaning.The later Jin Dynasty was established because of the Khitan, and finally perished because of the Khitan.

It is difficult for a dynasty established by others to survive for a long time.Before proclaiming himself emperor, Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty Yelu Deguang made some superficial gestures and abdicated the throne. However, the ministers of the later Jin Dynasty were already very grateful to him for being pardoned, and no one dared to say anything else, so they all said "the people of Yi and Xia" They are all willing to support the emperor." Taizong of the Liao Dynasty did not give in, and happily sat on the emperor's throne that his father Yelu Abaoji had long wanted to sit on.When Taizong of the Liao Dynasty became the emperor of the Central Plains, he also changed the name of the Khitan state to "Liao" and the reign name to "Datong".In some books, for the sake of simplicity, the Khitan before this period is also called Liao.

After Abaoji died, Empress Shulu presided over the ceremony of selecting a new emperor. Under the suggestion of Empress Shulu who was in power, all the ministers agreed with Yelu Deguang's succession, so Yelu Deguang held the Khitan traditional burnt firewood ceremony. Li, formally succeeded as the new Khitan emperor.Later, he went south to the Central Plains to destroy the Later Jin Dynasty, but he himself died in Luancheng on the way back to the army.After his death, his temple name was Taizong, and his posthumous title was Xiaowu Huiwen Sisheng Emperor. In history, he was generally known as Liao Taizong.

Yelv Deguang made great contributions to the Khitan, especially after he succeeded to the throne, he promoted the Khitan politics, economy and development in many aspects.In terms of politics, he improved the control that started with Abaoji and made it systematized.He also continued to expand the Khitan's territory and brought the Khitan to a period of strength.During his reign, Khitan's agriculture also developed greatly.In addition, the Khitan national culture has also developed to a very high level.

Tuotuo: Taizong Fu determined many directions, and the distance and nearness were changed.For the founding of the country, prepare the laws and regulations, as for the general administration, read the names and facts, record the prisoners, teach farming and weaving, and match the widows and widows.If you seek outspoken people, you will get Langjun Haisi, and you will be promoted to Xuanhui.Zhang Jingda of the Jiatang Dynasty was loyal to his lord and was buried with ceremonies.He stopped traveling in Henan and accepted the Qing Dynasty of Sanke, and gave orders to rest and recuperate in pity on the soldiers.Conquering the state of Jin in person, the precious face is bound.Si can be said to be both powerful and virtuous, and you can see it in the British Lue.After entering Bian, there is little arrogance and the training of "three losses". "Biography" says that Zheng Bo's goodness wins, "Book" enters "Qin Oath" and can repent, Taizong Gai has both, it is so outstanding!
Wen Weijian: In a rich and noble family, there are dead people. The abdomen is cut with a knife, and the intestines and stomach are taken. The fruit is washed with fragrant medicine, salt and alum, sewn in five colors, and the skin is stabbed with a sharp reed tube, and the ointment and blood are drained. Gold and silver are used as masks, and copper threads are used to bind his hands and feet.The death of Yelu Deguang was based on this method, and people at that time regarded him as the emperor, so they believed it.

Wang Fuzhi: Liu Yuan, Shi Hu, Fu Jian, Yelu Deguang, Wan Yanliang, doom is imminent, those who don't know the time, still think that there is nothing to do, and the previous defeat is punishment.sad husband!
Zhao Yi: I don't hear that Gongye is sad, and he is willing to make the soldiers lose the emperor.

(End of this chapter)