October 5th
Pei Du took command to conquer Huaixi
Li Suxue went to Caizhou at night
Xianzong decided to send Li Su to take charge Wu Yuanji conquered Huaixi. Because the previous four commanders-in-chief all worked in vain, this time it depends on him.
When Li Su first arrived at the front line and saw the army's mood of defeat, he followed everyone's wishes and said: "The emperor knows that I have a cowardly temperament and can endure humiliation, so he specially asked me to comfort everyone. As for offensive operations, I There is really nothing we can do." The troops were very tired and unwilling to fight, but after hearing this, they felt relieved. It did not attract Wu Yuanji's attention. 817.1 When Li Su arrived in Tangzhou, his army suffered many defeats, and the soldiers were all afraid of fighting. Su knew this. When someone came out to welcome someone, Su said to him: "The emperor knows that Su is a coward and can endure shame, so he sent him to follow Er Cao. As for fighting and attacking, it is not my business." Everyone believed in it and was at peace with it.
Li Su inspected the troops, with an easy-going attitude and concern for everyone. A confidant general reminded him: "Military discipline should be rectified and fighting spirit should be improved. We can no longer hang around loosely." Li Su revealed his plan: "The previous commanders were very humble to Wu Yuanji. I am new here. If I suddenly change my style, it will arouse the other party's vigilance, which will be detrimental to me. It is better to pretend to be weak and incompetent, paralyze the enemy, and then slowly consider countermeasures." This goal is naturally achieved. 817.1 I will keep a close eye on my soldiers, show compassion to the wounded and sick, and do not show dignity. Or he said that the military and government were not strict, and he said: "It's not that I don't know. Yuan Shangshu specializes in treating thieves with kindness, and the thieves will be easy to kill. When they hear that I am coming, they will increase their preparations, so I will show them that they are not strict. They will think of me as their leader." If you are cowardly and lazy, then you can succeed. "The Huaixi people thought that they were defeated by Yuan Ershuai, and they underestimated their fame and status, so they were not prepared.
Li Su believed that the first task was to win people's hearts.
The people in Huaixi had suffered from military disasters for many years. They ate everything and fled to Li Su. Wu Yuanji did not prohibit it, and Li Xiang accepted them one by one, did a good job in resettling them, and sent troops to protect them. The people were very grateful to him.
The Tang Dynasty army had a rule: anyone who stayed overnight or harbored the enemy's plot would have his whole family beheaded. Li Su canceled this rule and instead asked the people to treat the people sent by Wu Yuanji well. In this way, the other party's informants were inspired and became Li Su's eyes and ears, thus helping him grasp a lot of enemy information. 817.5 Whenever a soldier is surrendered, he will be questioned personally. This is because thieves are in danger and know both the truth and truth from near and far.
When the troops in Huaixi revolted and surrendered, Li Su always sincerely warned: "You are all the emperor's subjects, and you cannot leave your family alone. If you want to go home, I will give gold and silk as a means of transportation." . "This kind of leniency policy has achieved excellent results. 817.3 As a result, the Tang and Deng armies regained their morale, and people were eager to fight. Those who fall among thieves follow the path one after another and leave them as they please. When he heard that his parents were there, he sent them grain and silk and said, "You and Cao are all kings. Don't abandon your relatives." Everyone wept.
Li Su's strategy was to first destroy Wu Yuanji's peripheral minions, and then attack Caizhou with all his heart. He has a group of warriors called the "Ten Generals of Mountains and Rivers", who are very powerful. He sent ten generals, Ma Shaoliang, deep into the enemy's rear. In 817.1, Li Su planned to attack Caizhou. He asked for reinforcements and ordered two thousand infantry and cavalry from Zhaoyi, Hezhong and Fufang. Ding You sent ten generals, Ma Shaoliang, and more than ten cavalry to patrol
and captured Wu Yuanji's reconnaissance captain Ding Shiliang alive; Li Su confided in Ding Shiliang and appointed him as the commander-in-chief of reconnaissance for the former enemy. Ding Shiliang took the initiative to ask for a battle, captured the defender of Wenchengzha, and cut off Caizhou's left arm. 817.1 Encountered Wu Yuanji and captured Yuhou Ding Shiliang, fought with him, and captured him. Shi Liang, a brave general of the Yuan Dynasty, was often troubled by the east. Everyone asked him to capture his heart and promised him. When he was summoned for questioning, the good scholar showed no fear. Su said: "My true husband!" He ordered him to be released from his bondage. Shi Liangnai said to himself: "I was not a Huaixi scholar. I was subordinate to Anzhou in Zhenyuan. I fought with the Wu family and was captured by them. I died on my own. The Wu family released me and used them. I was reborn because of the Wu family, so I am Wu and his son tried their best. Yesterday, they were captured by the Duke and died. Now the Duke has given birth to him again. Please die as a reward! "Su Nai gave him clothes and equipment and appointed him as a general to catch him alive.
< p> General Li Xian of Wenchengzha was very brave. After surrendering, Li Su changed his name to Li Zhongyi and treated him with sincerity. 817.3 Xiulin general Li Xian was talented and brave, so he changed his name to Zhongyi and used him. He moved his women to Tangzhou and settled in his city.He also captured Li You, the guard of the Xingqiao Gate on the right road. 817.5 Youzhe was a Huaixi cavalry general with a brave strategy. He guarded the Xingqiao Gate and often bullied the officers and soldiers.
In Gengchen, Youshuai's soldiers were cutting wheat in Zhangchai Village. He summoned Yu Hou Shi Yongcheng to warn him: "You will attack the forest with three hundred horses and send people to wave flags in front. If you want to burn the wheat accumulation." Yousu Yi's officers and soldiers will come with light cavalry to chase them, but you will ride to cover them and capture them. "Yongcheng will go as he said and capture you alive.
Treat guests with courtesy. The generals believed that Li You had killed many officers and soldiers and should take revenge. 817.5 The officers and soldiers Yiyou Xiangri killed many officers and soldiers, vying to kill them. Don't be shy, release the bondage, and treat guests with courtesy. At that time, Su wanted to attack Cai, and even more secretly planned his plan. He summoned You and Li Zhongyi alone to screen everyone, until late at night, so that no one else could predict it. The generals are afraid that your blessing will lead to change, and they will give you more advice. Treat you with kindness and benefit. The soldiers were also displeased, and every day there were ultimatums from all armies calling you the thief's internal correspondent, and saying that those who got the thief's plan would tell their story. He was afraid that the slander would come first and he would not be able to save him, so he cried and said, "Why doesn't God want to quell this thief? How come we know each other so well that we can't win over everyone." So he told the crowd, "Everyone." Since you are suspicious of You, please order him to die by the Emperor."
Li Su sent him back to Chang'an to ask the court to deal with it, and secretly wrote a letter asking the Emperor for forgiveness: "Li You is a key figure, kill him. Huaixi cannot be captured." In 817.5, Zhu You sent him to the capital and secretly stated his condition, saying, "If you kill You, you will not be able to succeed."
When Li You was pardoned, he returned. After the military camp, Li Su held his hand tightly: "It is a blessing to the country that you are alive to see me!" In 817.5, the edict was released to return Su. He was overjoyed to see him, held his hand and said: "You have gained the whole, the spirit of the country!"
Immediately appointed him as a soldier and horse envoy, equipped with a sword, followed him in and out of the military camp, and had private conversations in the middle of the night. Then he sent out scattered soldiers and horse envoys, and ordered policemen with swords to go in and out of the tent. Or he slept with him, talking secretly until dawn.
Someone eavesdropped outside the tent. Li You cried and was grateful, and couldn't calm down for a long time. Only then did the generals understand Li Su's intentions. 817.5 Someone eavesdropped outside the tent, but they heard you crying.
Yancheng is the first gateway to Caizhou. Guard Dong Changling's mother, Yang, was held hostage by Wu Yuanji. Yang asked someone to tell her son: "It is much more noble to submit to the imperial court and die than to seek life as a traitor. If you abandon rebellion and obey, you are a filial son. If I always follow rebellion, what's the point of living?" 817.4 Wu Yuanji took Dong Changling from Cai as the order of Yancheng and held his mother Yang as hostage. Yang said to Changling: "It is wiser to obey death than to resist life. If you go against it and I die, you are a filial son; if you obey the rebellion and I live, you will kill me."
So Dong Changling resolutely defected to the Tang army. Yancheng fell, and Wu Yuanji's last critical moment was exposed to Li Su. 817.4 Changling and Huaijin surrendered the city, and Guangyan led troops to occupy it. Wu Yuanji was very frightened when he heard that Yancheng was not defended.
A few days later, Li Su sent troops to attack Langshan (now Queshan, Henan), and the Huaixi army won the battle. Li Su said happily: "The enemy has fallen into the trap!" In 817.5, Li Su sent troops to attack Langshan, but Huaixi soldiers rescued them. The officers and soldiers were at a disadvantage. Everyone felt sad, but only one person said joyfully, "This is my plan!"
It turned out that he was deliberately showing weakness to the other party, as if he was vulnerable to a blow. Taking advantage of this situation as a cover, Li Su selected 3,000 warriors, known as "surprise generals", and personally trained them to prepare to attack Caizhou. In 817.5, he recruited 3,000 soldiers who dared to die, and they were named Tujiang. They taught themselves day and night, so that they would always be prepared for the attack on Cai.
In order to improve the morale and command ability of the conquering army, Xianzong sent Prime Minister Pei Du to take charge of the general offensive, and Han Yu served as marching commander, judge, and secretary-general. Before setting off, Pei Du promised the emperor: "I will never return to Beijing until the thieves are eliminated." Xianzong was so moved that he burst into tears. 817.7 Yidu served as the minister, Tongping Zhangshi, and Zhangyi Jiedu envoy, and he still served as the Huaixi Xuanwei envoy for recruitment and disposal. He also appointed Cui Qun, the Minister of Hubu, as the Minister of Zhongshu and Tongping Zhangshi. Under the system, Han Hong was already the commander of the capital. He did not want to recruit more people, so he asked him to be called the envoy of Xuanwei. He still reported to the Minister of Punishment, Mr. Ma, as the deputy envoy of Xuanwei. Han Yu, the right concubine, was the commander of Zhangyi Marching Army. Secretaries are all chosen by the imperial court, and all superiors follow them. General Du Xingxing said to his superiors: "If the thieves are destroyed, I will have a chance to go to heaven; if the thieves are there, I will return to the palace without sun." The superiors shed tears for him.
It is said that Wu Yuanji also petitioned for mercy and asked to surrender. Xianzong said that he would guarantee his wealth and life. But his general Dong Chongzhi and others controlled the situation, and Wu Yuanji had no choice but to procrastinate and pass the time.
With Pei Du as his support, Li Su devoted himself wholeheartedly to preparations for the capture of Caizhou.
He sent surrender generals Li You and Li Zhongyi to lead three thousand "surprise generals" as the vanguard, himself and the supervisors led three thousand men and horses as the middle army, and Tian Jincheng led three thousand people as the rearguard. When we set off, no one knew the direction or purpose.
Li Su sent an order: "Just go eastward!" In 817.9 Li Su ordered Ma Budu Yuhou, Suizhou governor Shi Min and others to stay in Wencheng. ③ He ordered Li You and Li Zhongyi to lead three thousand generals as the advance guard and join the supervisory army. He led three thousand people into the center of the army, and ordered Li Jincheng to lead three thousand people into the rear. The army went out, but they didn't know where they were. Suan said: "But go east."
After marching for sixty miles, night fell and the army arrived at Zhangchai Village. They launched a surprise attack and eliminated the enemies at the beacon tower and checkpoint. They entered the village and ate dry food. Feed the horses and leave 500 men to guard and cut off the road from Huiqu to Caizhou. 817.9 After traveling sixty miles, we arrived at Zhangchai Village at night, killed all the garrison soldiers and beacon sons, and occupied the gate. The soldiers were ordered to rest for a while, eat dried tartar (bèi), and tame the dí (dí). Five hundred people were left behind to form an army to suppress it, so as to cut off the Huiqu and various bridges.
The army continued to advance, and the supervisor asked him where he was going. Li Sucai said: "Go to Caizhou to capture Wu Yuanji." All the generals were shocked. 817.9 Lead the troops out at night. The generals asked for help, and said: "Enter Caizhou to capture Wu Yuanji!" All the generals were eclipsed.
The supervisor was a eunuch who was originally a coward, arrogant when things went well, and shirk responsibility when things failed. When he heard this, he was so frightened that he burst into tears: "We have fallen into Li You's trick!" He didn't Believing in Li Su's prisoner policy and employment strategy, I have always been suspicious and always thought that Li You would deceive people. Naturally, Li Su did not let the supervisor know the plan of this operation. 817.9 The supervising army cried out: "Li You's treacherous plan has come true!"
That night, there was heavy snow, the north wind howled, the flags were frozen to pieces and turned into strips, and many people and horses died. Some people were walking, feeling numb all over, falling on the snow and sliding into the valley. There is a narrow road heading east from Zhangchai Village. The officers and soldiers have never walked through it. Facing the ice and snow valley, they dare not look far. Everyone thinks that they will freeze to death before fighting. But the military order was serious and no one dared to object. At 9 o'clock in 817, there was a heavy snowstorm, the flags were cracked, and the men and horses were freezing to death, looking at each other. The sky was overcast and dark, and the roads east of Zhangchai Village were untraveled by the officers and soldiers. Everyone thought they were going to die, but no one dared to disobey them out of fear.
In the middle of the night, the snow became heavier and heavier. After a difficult trek of seventy miles, we finally arrived outside Caizhou City. There was a large goose and duck pond near the city. Li Su asked the sergeant to throw rocks at it, causing the ducks and geese to flutter and scream, covering up the sound of the marching team. In the middle of the night of 817.9, the snow got worse and worse, and we traveled seventy miles to Zhoucheng. There is a goose and duck pond near the city, and the order is startled by the sound of a mixed army.
Since Wu Shaocheng separatist power, Caizhou has not seen any official troops for more than 30 years and has never taken any precautions. At the fourth watch, Li Su arrived at the edge of the city, but no one noticed him. Li You and Li Zhongyi used pickaxes to create holes in the city wall and climbed up first. The troops followed closely. The sergeants guarding the gate were stabbed to death in their beds without even making a sound. The officers and soldiers only kept those who were on watch, and they continued to bang the wooden sticks. 817.9 Since Wu Shaocheng refused the order, the officers and soldiers did not arrive at Caizhou City for more than 30 years, so the Cai people were unprepared. Renshen, four drums, went to the city, but no one knew about it. Li Su and Li Zhongyi? [jué] Their city is a barrier, so they can climb it first, and the strong men can follow it. When the gatekeepers were well asleep, they killed them all, but left those who attacked the watchmen, so that they could attack the watchmen as usual, and then opened the door to welcome the people.
The city gate opened, and the army poured into the city, but there was still no response. The rooster crows, the east turns white, and the heavy snow pauses. Li Su entered Wu Yuanji's foreign residence. Someone reported to Wu Yuanji: "The officers and soldiers are coming!" 817.9 It was the same as in the inner city, and no one in the city was aware of it. The cock crows, the snow stops, and I enter Yuanji's outer house. Or he told Yuan Ji: "The officers and soldiers are here!"
Wu Yuanji was sleeping soundly, but he was very impatient: "It's the prisoners who are causing trouble. They will be executed after dawn!" Then someone reported urgently: "The city We've been trapped!" Wu Yuanji couldn't think of anything for a moment: "It must be Huiqu's troops who came to ask for cold clothes." 817.9 Yuanji went to bed and said with a smile: "The prisoners are the thieves!" Another complainer said: "The city is in ruins!" Yuan Ji said: "I will beg you for help, brother, I will ask you for cold clothes."
He got up slowly, and in the evening he heard someone outside the hall. The order was sent: "The order from the permanent attendant has arrived!" There seemed to be thousands of people who responded. Only then did he feel something was wrong: "Who is the regular servant? How did you get here?" He immediately led his guards to the city to resist. From 817.9 onwards, I listened to Yu Ting and heard the order of the Su army: "Always serve as a messenger!" There were nearly ten thousand people who responded. Yuan Ji began to be afraid and said: "How can a regular servant do this!" The commander went to Yacheng to resist the war.
Originally, Wu Yuanji's general Dong Chongzhi had more than 10,000 elite troops and was stationed at Huiqu, which was the last pass of Caizhou. Li Su avoided this road and took another mountain road to enter.
He knew that Wu Yuanji placed all his hopes on Huiqu's support, so he found Dong Chongzhi's family members, personally comforted him, sent a lot of gold and silk, and asked his son to bring a letter to enlighten his father. Dong Chongzhi then rode alone to see Li Su and expressed his sincerity in surrendering. Wu Yuanji was still in the dark. In 817.9, Dong Chongzhi gathered more than 10,000 elite soldiers to occupy Huiqu. Su said: "What Yuan Ji hopes for is to pay attention to quality to save his ears." He visited Zhongzhi's family, cared for him kindly, and sent his son to preach and hold books and edicts to pay attention to quality. Since he was heavy on quality, he rode alone and surrendered.
Li Su sent the rearguard to destroy the Yacheng gate, occupy the weapons depot, and burn the south gate. The people scrambled to carry firewood and grass, and fires shot into the sky. The enemy troops on the city also wanted to counterattack, but below there were thousands of crossbows and arrows like locusts. 817.9 Su sent Li Jincheng to attack Yacheng, destroy its outer gate, seize the armory, and obtain its equipment. Guiyou attacked again and burned its south gate. The people scrambled to help him with wages, and the arrows on the city were like hedgehog hairs.
At noon, the whole city was captured. Wu Yuanji had no choice but to kneel on the top of the city to plead guilty. The officers and soldiers put up a ladder and took him down. The next day, they loaded him into a prison car and sent him to Chang'an. At this time, more than 20,000 soldiers from Shenzhou (today's Xinyang) and Guangzhou (today's Huangchuan) and various towns surrendered one after another. The Huaixi Jiedu envoys who were separatist and hegemonic were completely subdued by this time. In the afternoon of 817.9, when the gate was broken, Yuanji went up to the city to plead guilty and went down the cheng ladder. In Jiaxu, Su sent Yuanji in a chariot to the capital, and reported it to Pei Du. On that day, more than 20,000 soldiers from Shenzhou and Guangzhou and various towns came to surrender one after another.
Li Su ordered: All sergeants and people in Huaixi, as well as Wu Yuanji's family and servants, are not allowed to be harmed. Li Su's army was in good order, and the chickens and dogs were calm. Then, he led the army to camp at the training ground and waited for the arrival of the commander-in-chief Pei Du. 817.9 He was captured from Yuanji, and he did not kill anyone. All Yuanji officials, soldiers in tents and kitchens and stables were restored to their posts to make them not suspicious, and then they were stationed in the court to wait for Pei Du.
The teaching field was completely silent and the orders were solemn. Pei Du sent his deputy commander-in-chief, the General of Soldiers and Horses, to Caizhou to comfort him, and he led more than 10,000 generals into the city. Li Su, fully dressed in military uniform, greeted him on the left side of the avenue. On the 24th of 817.9 Gengchen, Pei Du sent General Ma to Caizhou to comfort him. On the 25th day of Xinsi (the 25th day of the Xinsi period), during the Jian Zhangyi Army Festival, more than 10,000 soldiers were sent into the city. Li Julu went out to meet them and bowed to them on the left side of the road.
Pei Du wanted to avoid this set of etiquette. Li Su said: "The people of Caizhou have not seen the majesty of the imperial court's officers and soldiers for decades. There is no distinction between superiors and inferiors, and there is no law. Please set an example for them. Knowing the dignity of the imperial court, Pei Ducai inspected the troops and ordered them to rest according to formal etiquette. 817.9 Du was about to avoid him and said: "The Cai people are stubborn and do not know the difference between superior and inferior. They have been there for decades. I hope the public will show it to them so that they can know the dignity of the imperial court." Du accepted it.
When Li Su returned to his tent, the generals came to ask him for advice: "The general was defeated at Langshan first, but he was happy; then he won at Wufang, but he did not occupy it; he did not rest in the wind and snow , Don’t worry if you go deep alone, we can’t imagine that we will win in the end. Please explain it to us and enlighten the ignorant, okay?” In 817.9, Li Su returned to Wencheng, and the generals asked: “Shigong was defeated at Langshan. Worry, it is better than Wu Fang without taking it, brave the strong wind and snow without stopping, go deep without fear, and then succeed, but everyone does not tell you, dare to ask the reason?"
Li Su? He smiled and said: "If Langshan loses, the enemy will despise us and take no precautions; if we occupy Wufang, the enemy will flee into Caizhou and strengthen the city's defense forces; the sky will be filled with snow and beacon fire will not work, and the enemy will not get information; When the army goes deep alone, everyone knows that the only way to survive is to fight to the death, and the attack power will naturally double. When you see the distance, you don't have to worry about the near; when you think about big things, you don't need to pay attention to the details. If you are happy with a small victory, but regretful with a small defeat, you will be defeated first. How can you still talk about defeating the enemy and achieving meritorious service?" After hearing this, all the generals admired him wholeheartedly. 817.9 Su said: "Langshan is unfavorable, so the thieves will underestimate me and not prepare for it. If we take Wu Fang, all the people will rush to Cai and hold on tightly, so we keep it to divide our troops. If the wind and snow are dark, the beacon fire will not be received." , I didn’t know I was coming. If the army goes deep alone, everyone will die, and the battle will be doubled. If you look at the distance, you will not care about the near, and if you are concerned about the small victory, you will be worried about the small defeat, and you will have no time to make contributions! "Everyone is convinced.
Xianzong beheaded Wu Yuanji at the Duliu execution ground. On 817.11, he was captured at Xing'anmen Gate, so he dedicated Wu Yuanji to the temple and beheaded him under Duliu. Li Shidao of Shandong was soon subdued. Until then, after more than sixty years, the situation of separatist vassal towns and military hegemony caused by the "Anshi Rebellion" was finally subdued and the whole country was unified.