In the Daibei area, they were ordered to punish thieves and a group of Shatuo remnants were recruited. However, this group of brave and skilled Daibei warriors were arrogant and uncontrollable. They took money and did nothing. Instead of going south to beg thieves, they were robbing by nature, incapable of defending against enemies and disturbing the people.
Chen Jingsi, the eunuch who oversaw the army, reached a consensus with Li Youjin (uncle of Li Keyong), the Shatuo surrendered general, and believed that only Li Guochang and Li Keyong could control these Shatuo warriors, so he proposed to the court to pardon Li's father and son for their treason and let them He performed meritorious service and went south to pursue thieves.
Commander-in-Chief Zheng Wei approved this pragmatic request and appointed Li Youjin as the leader of the recruitment team to go to Tartar to recruit Li and his son.
Li Keyong was overjoyed and immediately asked the Tatars to borrow troops. The so-called borrowing of troops is actually a kind of loan, a military investment by the creditor.
The Tatars were very optimistic about Li Keyong's potential and readily borrowed troops.
In this way, Li Keyong led the Shatuo and Tatar coalition forces southward, and expanded his troops along the way in the Daibei area, gaining a total of 30,000 to 50,000 troops. It is conceivable that the military discipline of this army is not very strict. At least the Tatar soldiers have no military discipline. Making war fortune is their original driving force, and it is Li Keyong's promise, so Li Keyong treats them plagiarism. Qiu Xingxing also turned a blind eye.
Daibei and Hedong areas have never been affected by Huangchao grass thieves, but they have been ravaged by Shatuo for many years. They are more concerned about preventing Shatuo than grass thieves.
Moreover, the main force of the Hedong Army had just left the capital under the leadership of Zhuge Shuang, leaving the army empty.
At this sensitive moment, tens of thousands of Shatuo cavalry mobilized their troops and plundered along the road, which touched the fragile and sensitive nerves of the people in Hedong. The Hedong area seemed to be facing a formidable enemy, so Jiedushi Zheng Congdan mobilized troops to defend important checkpoints and sent a request to neighboring vassals for help and defense.
Li Keyong led the army and attacked Taiyuan Mansion in a mighty manner. He confidently asked Zheng Congchen why he violated the emperor's will. Although we were sworn enemies not long ago, now I am under orders to fight against thieves, and we are already comrades-in-arms, so why should we adopt a hostile attitude?
Forced by Li Keyong's military threat, Zheng Congchan could only condescend to go to the city to talk.
Zheng Congchan's answer was well-founded, neither humble nor arrogant. He presented the facts and made sense. Faced with Li Keyong's accusation, he gave a strong counterattack:
First of all, give Li Keyong a high hat and elevate him to a high moral position. Play hard to get.
"Your father and son are loyal to the country. Since Xiantong, they have made many military exploits (referring to pacifying the Pang Xun Rebellion). The happy life of the people in the world is thanks to your father and son."
Then he started to blame himself and started self-criticism:
"I have experienced many dynasties and hold the high position of Prime Minister. Now the thieves are raging and the people of the world are suffering from them. The emperor is lucky to be in Shu, but I can't put on my sword and fight for the thieves to repay the emperor's favor. This is my big sin! "
A reasonable explanation was given for the accusation of sending troops to defend the pass and obstruct the southward movement:
"I was ordered to guard the vassal, and it is my duty to ensure local security." Don't get me wrong, I'm not targeting you, I'm saying that everyone here is a bandit.
Finally, the theme was highlighted and Li Keyong’s bastardity was pointed out tactfully:
"The military discipline of the sergeants has been corrupted, and the general cannot escape the responsibility for neglect and indulgence. If you can really serve the country by killing thieves and bring the emperor back to the palace, then I will definitely bear the thorn and apologize for today's disrespectful behavior, and be willing to accept all punishments. I hope you, General, can respect and love yourself!"
Zheng Congdan became a Jinshi as early as the second year of Huichang (842), and worked as a drafter of edicts for the emperor (Zhizhigao). In the third year of Xiantong (862), he served as the examiner of the Jinshi examination (Zhigongju). To convince people with reason, Li Keyong chose the wrong opponent and the wrong method.
Li Keyong came here arrogantly, thinking that he was justified in traveling all over the world, but Zheng Congchan said a few words to him, and he was speechless and speechless.
After a long time, Li Keyong came up with another reason.
"I have been ordered to fight against thieves. I should provide food and grass and reward the soldiers along the way. Now that I am passing through your land, my lord, you should reward the soldiers of the three armies."
Zheng Congchen agreed.
So Li Keyong retreated slightly and waited for Zheng Congfan to reward the three armies.
The army gathered outside the city, loaded with guns and ammunition, showing off their power. This was not asking for reward, but extortion. Zheng Congchen verbally agreed, but he still refused to ship the goods.
After waiting for a few days, Li Keyong once again led his troops to the city and threatened them with force.
Zheng Congchen had no choice but to come up with some small tricks.
However, this trivial thing is really not interesting enough: one thousand guan of money, one thousand dou of rice.
Li Keyong brought between 30,000 and 50,000 troops.
If calculated as 30,000 yuan, the average person would be 33 Wen, plus less than half a catty of rice. It is indeed the market price paid by a beggar.
If calculated based on 50,000 yuan, the average income per person is 20 cents and 2.5 meters. Even beggars are stingy.
Li Keyong was furious, thinking that this was a deliberate trick by Zheng Congchan and an insult to his character. Therefore, Li Keyong tore off his disguise and openly launched troops to plunder.
After receiving the news, the Hedong Corps that went to the capital to embarrass the capital urgently turned around and returned to defend their hometown; Zhenwu Jiedu envoy Qibizhang led the Tuyuhun and Turkic tribes to aid Hedong.
Li Keyong's claws spread from Daibei and Hedong areas to Hebei area.
The imperial court also mobilized the Tiande Army and the Datong Army to support Hedong.
Li Keyong's troops grabbed a lot of money and returned home with a full load.
At this point, before and after Huang Chao occupied Chang'an, Li Keyong twice raided the area north of the Yellow River. The two echoed across the river, causing harm to the Central Plains. Li Keyong committed an unforgivable crime against Datang.
Li Keyong also kept track of the imperial court. On the one hand, he kept petitioning for mercy and begging for peace. On the other hand, he separatized the Daibei area, invaded Bingzhou and Fenzhou, and robbed Loufan Mu Horse Prison.
Now, Yang Fuguang, the eunuch in charge of the army, was far-sighted and pointed out that in order to bring peace to Huang Chao, Shatuo Li Keyong must be pardoned and recruited again.
Yang Fuguang and Li Keyong were "family friends". As early as 808, when Zhu Xie's family in Shatuo took refuge in the Tang Dynasty, they passed through Yanzhou. At that time, the eunuch overseeing the army in Yanzhou was Yang Fuguang's godfather Yang Xuanjiao. Yang Xuanjiao and his leader Zhu Xiezhiyi agrees with each other and calls him brother and brother. Zhu Xiezhiyi was Li Guochang's father and Li Keyong's grandfather.
Therefore, Yang Fuguang pointed out that for the sake of the two elders, Li Keyong would definitely give them face.
Facts have proved that Yang Fuguang was right.
Wang Duo, the commander-in-chief of the "anti-pornography and grass-cutting" campaign, was sitting in the river, so he approved the proposal of Yang Fuguang, the eunuch in charge of the army, and issued an edict to pardon Li Keyong for all his past crimes, ordered him to raise troops to serve the king, and sent an official letter to Zheng Congfan to say hello and eliminate the misunderstanding.
In November of the second year of Zhonghe (882), Li Keyong led 17,000 Shatuo cavalry and rushed to the river to join forces.
This time, Li Keyong did not take the route to Taiyuan Prefecture in Hedong Province, but detoured to Lanzhou (today's Lan County, Shanxi Province). During this period, Li Keyong led hundreds of personal cavalry to the gate of Taiyuan Prefecture to bid farewell to Zheng Congdan, who gave him a gift. Gifts such as famous horses encourage him to fight bravely and serve the country. Li Keyong also presented gifts to thank the adults for not forgetting the faults of the villains.
The two old enemies settled their differences and laughed away their grudges when they met.
