Guo Wei suggested to Liu Zhiyuan: "Zhao Yanshou's son, Zhao Kuangzan, the governor of Hezhong, was appointed by the Khitan people. He has fear in his heart. We might as well take advantage of this opportunity to go to the river to pay homage to Zhao Yanshou with great fanfare, so that he can stop seeking refuge with the Khitans. People's thoughts are to re-enable him, but to transfer him to another place as a governor. In this way, he will definitely be grateful to Your Majesty and be loyal to the Han wholeheartedly."
This was another bad idea proposed by Guo Wei to Liu Zhiyuan. It has been slightly spoiled in the previous article. Zhao Kuangzan did not defect to the Khitan, but he defected to Hou Shu, helped Hou Shu surrender Fengxiang, and also led Hou Shu to attack Guanzhong and overthrow the plan. Liu Zhiyuan.
Second, Weizhou Du Chongwei and Yunzhou Li Shouzhen petitioned to surrender. Du Chongwei, in particular, took the initiative to ask for the town to be moved, saying that he was a brick in the revolutionary work and could be moved wherever needed.
Third, Gao Xingzhou, the governor of Songzhou's returned army, took the initiative to go to the Hajj and worship at the dock.
Isn't this a coincidence?
Liu Zhiyuan slapped his forehead and issued an edict: Du Chongwei of Weizhou and Gao Xingzhou of Songzhou were transferred to each other; Li Shouzhen of Yunzhou was transferred to Hezhong Jiedushi; Zhao Kuangzan, the Hezhong Jiedushi was transferred to Chang'an Jinchang Army; Changan Jinchang was transferred Zhang Yanchao, the military military envoy, was appointed as the military governor of Yanzhou.
In the beginning, operations such as the transfer of military envoys to towns and mutual adjustments were legal procedures, just like the garrison and replacement of troops, to prevent someone from becoming entrenched in a certain place and losing his tail. However, at the end of the Tang Dynasty, the balance of power between the central and local governments was seriously unbalanced. The central government was beyond its reach and the local vassal towns relied on their own troops. As a result, the situation of "hereditary" Jiedu envoys emerged.
Over time, town relocation became an exploratory political move by the central and local governments. If the central government orders a certain military envoy to move a town, it basically means distrust of him. If he happily accepts the order to move a town, it is tantamount to showing loyalty to the central government; if a military envoy is worried that the central government is suspicious of him, he will take the initiative Requesting to move the town shows to the central government that you have no intention of betrayal and are just letting the imperial court rule you. At this time, the central court will usually politely decline your request to move the town to show that the central government actually trusts you and don't think too much about it.
Moving towns is a tacit understanding between the central and local governments, just as retirement, "retirement", and "begging for bones" are tacit understandings between high-ranking court officials and the emperor.
Du Chongwei betrayed Shi Chonggui, betrayed the Later Jin Dynasty, betrayed the Central Plains, surrendered to the Khitan, and became the number one traitor in the Later Jin Dynasty. Du Chongwei still had some doubts about this, and he was always worried that Liu Zhiyuan would settle the score later. The reason why he took the initiative to ask to move the town was to express his attitude to Liu Zhiyuan: Brother, I accept it.
Du Chongwei hoped that Liu Zhiyuan would give him reassurance and give him a happy ending where they could meet each other and forget their grudges with a smile: Comrade Du Chongwei is worried too much, am I a small-minded person? You can rest assured and retire in Weizhou. I will never leave Weibo.
This is great, both parties have face and steps.
Unexpectedly, Liu Zhiyuan actually sent an edict to move the town, "Comrade Du Chongwei is sensible and understands the general situation. He took the initiative to ask for the transfer. He is worthy of praise and learn from Comrade Du Chongwei! In addition... come to the bowl and come to Songzhou."
Li Congke's edict to move the town forced Shi Jingtang to rebel, and Liu Zhiyuan's edict to move the town forced Du Chongwei to rebel.
Du Chongwei was accustomed to rebellion. He sent his son Du Hongxuan to Zhenzhou to ask for help from Yelumaxu. Du Hongxuan stayed in Zhenzhou as a hostage.
At that time, Zhao Yanshou failed in his attempt to separate Zhenzhou and was arrested and imprisoned. His staff generals and two thousand Youzhou soldiers were pardoned by Yelu Ruan and were still stationed in Zhenzhou. Du Chongwei requested that these two thousand Youzhou soldiers be stationed in Weizhou to assist in defense.
The Zhongjing (Zhenzhou) of the Liao Kingdom stayed in Yelumama, and attached great importance to the dynamics of Weizhou, because Weizhou was of great importance, and the ownership of Weizhou would determine the initiative in the war between Han and Liao. Once Weizhou falls into the hands of the Central Plains, Zhenzhou and Dingzhou will be almost undefendable and in danger.
Yelumaxu immediately agreed to Du Chongwei's request and sent Zhang Lian, the commander of the Youzhou soldiers, to continue to lead the two thousand Youzhou soldiers to help Weizhou; he also sent Yang Gun to lead 1,500 Khitan cavalry to Weizhou to assist in the defense.
Of course, by dispatching more than 3,000 troops to Weizhou, on the one hand, it is to help defend Weizhou, and on the other hand, it is to control Weizhou. With these 3,500 troops, it is impossible for Du Chongwei to go back on his words.
Du Chongwei betrayed his country for the second time and colluded with the Khitan to fight against the central government.
Liu Zhiyuan issued an edict to deprive Du Chongwei of all official positions and titles, demote him to a commoner, and appoint Gao Xingzhou as commander to go on the expedition.
The "Battle of Weizhou" is about to become the founding battle of the Later Han Empire. In theory, this will also be a showdown between two old, weak, sick and disabled people.
Although the Khitan regime was in a mature stage, like a young man, it was riddled with all kinds of diseases and had serious internal troubles; and the newly born Later Han regime was like a baby swaddled with thorns. Weizhou is related to the military initiative and political voice for a long time in the future, so the two old, weak, sick and disabled people will definitely try their best.
However, to everyone's expectation, the war went astray in the preparation stage.
Yeluma sent envoys to Mingzhou to search for property. Xue Huairang, the defense commander of Mingzhou, was filled with grief and anger. When he heard the news that Liu Zhiyuan had taken over Bianzhou, he felt even more energetic. So he killed Yeluma's envoys and surrendered to Liu Zhiyuan.
Mingzhou is located between Weizhou and Xingzhou, northwest of Weizhou and southeast of Xingzhou.
A glance at the map will tell you the current situation in Weizhou: on the left side of Weizhou, from top to bottom are Xingzhou, Mingzhou, Cizhou, Xiangzhou, and Huazhou. Huazhou is on the edge of the Yellow River. Go right along the Yellow River. Directly below Weizhou is Chanzhou, which was formerly known as Desheng Village, or Desheng Jiacheng. From Xingzhou to Chanzhou, an "L"-shaped semi-encirclement was formed on Weizhou.
Not long ago, Xiangzhou, Cizhou, etc. all separated from the Khitan and surrendered to the Later Han Dynasty. Only the northernmost Xingzhou and Mingzhou were still within the Khitan's sphere of influence.
Today, Mingzhou surrenders to the Later Han Dynasty. Liu Zhiyuan made a decisive decision and immediately sent Guo Congyi to lead an army of 10,000 to join forces with Xue Huairang. The troops were united and the generals were attacked. Instead of launching an attack on Weizhou, he continued to expand northward and attacked Xingzhou.
The reason why Liu Zhiyuan attacked Xingzhou first was, on the one hand, to increase the strategic depth of the Heshuo area, on the other hand, to strengthen the encirclement of Weizhou, and on the other hand, because Xingzhou was a soft persimmon, and its military governor Gao Fengming was captured by Gao Tangying in Xiangzhou. After the killing, he fled to Zhenzhou and entrusted the military and political power to the commander Liu Duo. Not only was the people in Xingzhou panicked and the military morale unstable, but the transition of power was not completed and combat effectiveness was not formed.
When Liu Duo of Xingzhou heard about it, he was greatly frightened and hurriedly reported to Zhenzhou for reinforcements.
Xingzhou is between Weizhou and Zhenzhou. That is to say, once Xingzhou falls, the route from Zhenzhou to Weizhou will be cut off. Therefore, the gains and losses of Xingzhou will largely determine the fate of Weizhou. . If the Later Han Dynasty, after acquiring Xingzhou, ignores Weizhou behind it and continues to cross northward, then the army of the Later Han Dynasty will directly attack Zhenzhou City and directly threaten Zhenzhou's safety. By that time, let alone relying on Weizhou to attack and rescue the siege, it is very likely that they will rebel and return to the Han Dynasty.
