【The Prodigal Son Returns】
When Li Siyuan replaced Li Cunxu, the Khitan annexed Bohai State and completed the integration of Saibei. At first glance, the Khitan could finally concentrate all its efforts to launch a large-scale war of annihilation against the Later Tang Dynasty. At this time, the Later Tang Dynasty was facing the situation of "five countries standing side by side" in the south, and was under attack from the north and the south.
What is surprising is that the Later Tang Dynasty suffered frequent defeats in the south, but it only found an advantage in the Khitan and gained the upper hand.
Before the crucial political refugee Yelvbei defected to the Tang Dynasty, two more important figures returned to the embrace of the motherland.
"Big traitor" Lu Wenjin:
Lu Wenjin was originally the cavalry company commander (cavalry general) of Liu Shouguang in Youzhou. The young man was handsome (with a majestic appearance), very tall (seven feet tall), and a foodie with excellent cooking ability (excellent in drinking).
When Li Cunxu attacked Liu Shouguang in Youzhou, Lu Wenjin was a hero because he knew the current affairs and was the first to lead his troops to surrender. Therefore, he was awarded the title of governor of Shouzhou in a distant place (Wenjin was the first to surrender and was awarded the title of governor of Shouzhou in a distant place). Li Cunxu then asked his younger brother Li Cunju to command the "eight armies behind the mountain", and Lu Wenjin commanded the 500 cavalry as Li Cunju's subordinates.
Li Cunxu fought a bloody battle with Houliang Jiahe, and the battle losses were quite serious, so Li Cunju was transferred to lead the "Eight Mountains Behind the Mountain Army" to go south for reinforcements to make up for the war losses. It is said that Li Cunju first seized Lu Wenjin's daughter. Lu Wenjin took the opportunity to incite a mutiny and killed Li Cunju. However, he was defeated by Zhou Dewei who arrived in time, so he led the remaining defeated soldiers to defect to the Khitan.
Yelu Abaoji attached great importance to Lu Wenjin. It is said that he married a Khitan princess to him, gave him an official rank, and made him stationed in Xinzhou.
Lu Wenjin was very popular in Khitan because he actively betrayed the country.
First, he served as a guide for the Khitan people, leading the Khitan cavalry to attack the ground in Hebei and plunder the people;
Secondly, in conjunction with Shu Luping's "strategy of tiring the enemy", the grain road from Waqiao Pass to Youzhou City was specially cut off. Without the guidance of Lu Wenjin, who was familiar with the local situation, Shu Luping's strategy could only remain on paper;
In the end, he brought a large amount of advanced technology to the grassland, which greatly improved Khitan's productivity and made "Khitan stronger from this."
Lu Wenjin brought valuable human resources and advanced productivity to the Khitan, making the Khitan stronger and stronger. At the same time, the people of Yanzhao were "no one has peace of mind" and "have been a patient of the Tang Dynasty for more than ten years."
For more than ten years, the Hebei region has been stuck in stagnation, its economy has been in recession, and its people have been in dire straits. All of this was “caused by Wen Jin.”
Lu Wenjin can definitely be called a "big traitor" who betrays his country and seeks glory.
After Li Siyuan proclaimed himself emperor, he sent spies to persuade Lu Wenjin, first telling him the principle of "one emperor, one minister". The reason why you left your homeland and betrayed the country and surrendered to the enemy was simply because you had a grudge against Li Cunxu and was forced to abandon the country. Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, we two There is no grievance or enmity between us. The past has been wiped out. We have to move forward. Are you willing to bear the infamy of being a "big traitor" for thousands of years? come back.
Lu Wenjin's generals were all Han Chinese. They had surrendered to the Khitan for more than ten years and had been scolded as "traitors" for ten years. Their spines were almost broken. Moreover, they all missed their wives, children and children back home in the Central Plains. Lu Wenjin summoned his confidants to conspire in private. Everyone cried bitterly. If the situation was not forced, who would want to be a traitor or a traitor? Now that the Central Plains court has settled old scores, we should also change our minds and be a new person!
Just do it!
Lu Wenjin immediately killed the Khitan general who was serving as the supervisor and returned with his troops.
Lu Wen was hateful when he left, but cute when he came back. Because he not only brought back his own troops and horses, but also brought back the people of Pingzhou, as well as all the pots and pans that he could bring back. Just like Liu Bei's "bringing the people across the river", he brought back the people who were trapped, The Han people who were taken captive to Khitan all moved back to the Central Plains, supporting the old and the young. There were as many as 150,000 people and 8,000 caravans. The southward migration team was connected end to end, stretching for more than 70 miles.
Li Siyuan was overjoyed and immediately appointed Lu Wenjin as the Commander-in-Chief of the School, Tongping Zhangshi, and the Military Envoy of the Yicheng Army in Chonghua Prefecture. The more than 400 generals who returned with Lu Wenjin each received rewards. Emperor Mingzong issued an edict to commend him.
This is not Lu Wenjin’s last rebellion, and his wonderful life will make headlines later.
"The literati were delayed by the military" - Zhang Xichong:
Zhang Xichong was originally a local literary young man in Youzhou. He loved reading "Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals" and was good at chanting. If he excelled in learning, he would become an official. His greatest wish was that knowledge could change his destiny. However, the top leader in Youzhou at that time was Liu Shouguang. Liu Shouguang hated scholars the most and only liked warriors who played with swords and guns. Liu Shouguang contemptuously threw aside Zhang Xichong's resume and told him clearly: "If you want to beg for food under me, you must throw away your pen and use your gun."
Zhang Xichong believed that he had been greatly insulted. This was not only an insult to himself, but also the greatest insult to Confucianism, culture, and tradition! So he angrily joined the army, turned his grief and anger into strength, and was gradually promoted to a company and platoon-level officer.
After Li Cunxu destroyed Liu Shouguang in Youzhou, Zhang Xichong was placed under Zhou Dewei's account. Of course, the Hedong Group has neither the time nor the interest to investigate grassroots school officers. No one will discuss life and ideals with a company and platoon-level officer. Soon, Zhang Xichong was stationed in Pingzhou.
It happened that the Khitans went south to raid and conquer Pingzhou. In Pingzhou, the Khitan captured two important figures. One was the aforementioned Zhao Siwen, who forced the Queen Mother Shulu to cut off her wrist, and the other was Zhang Xichong.
The Khitans have always attached great importance to the captives from the Central Plains. Even the most ordinary soldiers, the Khitans are willing to chat with them for fear of missing any talented person.
Therefore, the unique Zhang Xichong was discovered by the Khitan people. The Khitan people's attitude towards "scholars" is simply not very good. Yelu Abaoji personally asked Zhang Xichong, and immediately promoted Zhang Xichong to the position of judge of the Marshal's Mansion. Soon after, he was promoted to the rank of Marching Sima of the Lulong Army, and then to the promotion envoy of the Tibetan and Han Dynasties.
Although they are all civilian jobs, they are all civilian jobs in the military system, and Zhang Xichong's ideal is to become an official in the court, such as a Hanlin bachelor, an admonishing doctor, a minister of the Ministry of household affairs, a minister of the Ministry of Rites...
Zhang Xichong comforted himself, let's take it step by step. He would first work as a civilian in the army, and then choose a suitable opportunity to transfer to a local government, or directly join the central government to save the country.
The cruel reality played another joke on him, namely "Lu Wenjin's return to the country" mentioned above. After Lu Wenjin rebelled against the Liao Dynasty and returned to the Tang Dynasty, the Khitans replaced Lu Wenjin as "Pingzhou Jiedu Envoy" with Zhang Xichong, stationed in Pingzhou, and sent 300 Khitan cavalry to assist. The main purpose of the three hundred Khitan soldiers was of course to monitor Zhang Xichong.
In the eyes of others, the promotion from Marching Sima to Jiedushi should be congratulated, but Zhang Xichong was extremely painful, which meant that he was getting farther and farther away from the label of "civilian official".
