Zi Zhi Tong Jian

Chapter 56: The Later Tang Dynasty: A Generation of Famous Generals (1)
[Original text]

Emperor Zhuangzong of the Later Tang Dynasty, the Holy God of Light, Emperor Min Xiao, the first year of Tongguang

When the Lord of Liang heard that Yunzhou had fallen, he was terrified. He beheaded Liu Suiyan and Yan Yong in the city, and dismissed Dai Siyuan to recruit envoys.Knowing that Liang's room was in danger, Jing Xiang entered the Liang Lord with his inner boots and said: "The former emperor took the world, and he did not regard his ministers as unworthy. He planned everything. Now the enemy is getting stronger, but your majesty has abandoned your minister's words, and your ministers The body is useless, it is better to die." The guide rope will pass by itself.Master Liang stopped him and asked what he wanted to say, Xiang said: "The matter is urgent, and Wang Yanzhang cannot be saved unless Wang Yanzhang is a general." .

When the emperor heard of it, he sent his own army to Chanzhou, and ordered Zhu, the Marquis of Yu, the capital of Han and Mabu, to guard Yin and defend Desheng. "Shou Yin, Cangtou, who Wang served when he was young.

Lord Liang asked Wang Yanzhang how long it would take to defeat the enemy, and Yanzhang said to him, "Three days." Both left and right laughed.After Yanzhang left, he drove to Huazhou in two days.Xinyou, at the wine setting meeting, Yin sent people with boats to Yangcun; at night, he ordered six hundred armored soldiers, all holding giant axes, and those who carried the smelters, with charcoal, went down the stream.Before the symposium was over, Yan Zhangyang got up to change his clothes, and led thousands of elite soldiers to follow the south bank of the river to seek victory.It was raining lightly, Zhu Shouyin was not prepared, the soldiers in the boat raised the lock and burned it, because they cut the pontoon bridge with a huge axe, Yan Zhang led his troops to attack the southern city.The pontoon bridge was broken, and the southern city was broken, beheading thousands of people.It will take three days for me to be ordered.Shou Yin used a small boat to carry armored soldiers to the river to save them, but it was not enough.Yanzhang attacked Panzhang, Majiakou, and Jingdian villages, and pulled them out, gaining momentum.

【Translation】

The first year of Emperor Zhuangzong of the Later Tang Dynasty in Tongguang (923 A.D.)
Later, the Lord Liang was terrified when he heard the news of the fall of Yunzhou. He immediately took Liu Suiyan and Yan Yong to the market and beheaded them for public display. The Lord sent envoys to question Duan Ning, Wang Yanzhang and other generals defending the north, and ordered them to advance and fight.Knowing that the royal family of Houliang was in danger, Jingxiang put the rope into his boots and went to the palace to meet the Lord Houliang, saying: "When the late emperor conquered the world, he never thought that I, Jingxiang, was useless, regardless of size. Let me participate in all the planning. Now the enemy's power is stronger than before, but His Majesty doesn't listen to or even ignore my advice. It seems that I have no use for me, so let me die." The rope was pulled out of the boot to prepare to hang himself.Master Liang hurriedly dissuaded him and asked him what he wanted to say.Jing Xiang said: "The situation is very urgent now. If Wang Yanzhang is not appointed as a general, it will be impossible to save the Liang royal family from peril." Therefore, the Liang master followed his suggestion and asked Wang Yanzhang to replace Dai Siyuan as the envoy to the north. Duan Ning is still appointed as the deputy envoy.

After the emperor of the Tang Dynasty heard about this incident, he personally led his own army to guard Chanzhou, and ordered Zhu Shouyin, the Marquis of Yu, the capital of the Han Dynasty, to guard Desheng, and warned him: "Wang Tieqiang is brave and decisive. Excited momentum, suddenly coming to kill, you should be cautious and strictly on guard." Zhu Shouyin was the servant used by the later Tang emperor when he was a child.

Later, Lord Liang summoned Wang Yanzhang and asked him how long it would take to defeat the enemy. Wang Yanzhang replied: "Three days." After hearing this, the left and right ministers couldn't help laughing.Wang Yanzhang led his troops to the expedition, and it took two days to reach Huazhou quickly.On the [-]th, Wang Yanzhang held a big banquet and secretly sent people to prepare boats in Yangcun.At night, he ordered [-] soldiers, all armed with giant axes, to carry smelting craftsmen on board, and prepared leather bags and charcoal for blowing fire, and went down the river.At this time, the banquet was not over yet, Wang Yanzhang pretended to get up to go to the toilet, but in fact he had already led thousands of elite soldiers to Desheng along the south bank of the Yellow River.At this time, it was raining lightly, and Zhu Shouyin was not prepared at all. The soldiers on Wang Yanzhang's boat would burn off the chains on the city gate with fire, and cut off the pontoon bridge with giant axes.But Wang Yanzhang led his troops to attack Nancheng quickly.Because the pontoon bridge was cut off, Nancheng was quickly breached, and it was exactly three days before Wang Yanzhang received the order.Zhu Shouyin took the soldiers across the Yellow River in a boat to rescue them, but it was too late.Taking advantage of the victory, Wang Yanzhang launched a fierce attack on Panzhang, Majiakou, and Jingdian villages, and captured them all successively. Wang Yanzhang's momentum has been greatly boosted since then.

[Original text]

Wang Yanzhang led troops across Wenshui to attack Yunzhou. Li Siyuan sent Li Congke to fight against the cavalry, defeated his vanguard in Difang Town, won 300 soldiers, beheaded [-] ranks, and retreated to the central capital.On Wuchen, the victory came to Chaocheng, and the emperor was overjoyed. He called Guo Chongtao and said: "The victory in Yunzhou is enough to strengthen my spirit." Jisi ordered the officers and men to send their families back to Xingtang.

In Renshen, the emperor used a large army from Yangliu Jihe, Guiyou, to Yunzhou, and at midnight, marched into Yuwen, with Li Siyuan as the vanguard. At Jiaxudan, he encountered Liang soldiers, was defeated in the first battle, pursued to Zhongdu, and surrounded his city.The city was undefended, and after a while, the Liang soldiers broke out, chased and broke it.Wang Yanzhang rode away with dozens of horses. Li Shaoqi, the general of Longwu, chased him alone. He recognized his voice and said, "Wang Tieqiang!" , Li Zhijie, the governor of Caozhou, Zhao Tingyin, Liu Sibin and other more than [-] people were beheaded thousands of times.Ting Yin, a native of Kaifeng; Si Bin, a son of Zhijun's family.

【Translation】

Wang Yanzhang led the troops across Wenshui and was about to attack Yunzhou. Li Siyuan sent Li Congke to lead the cavalry to fight, defeated Wang Yanzhang's vanguard in Difang Town, captured more than 300 soldiers, and beheaded more than 200 people. Wang Yanzhang had to lead the army to retreat. Zhongdu. On the 27th, the victory news spread to Chaocheng, and the emperor of Later Tang was overjoyed and said to Guo Chongtao: "Yunzhou won the first battle, which is enough to boost the morale of our army." On the 28th, he ordered the soldiers to send all their families back to Xingtang Mansion.

On the second day of October, Emperor Later Tang personally led the army across the Yellow River from Yangliu.On the third day of junior high school, the army of the later Tang Dynasty arrived in Yunzhou. In the middle of the night, they continued to march forward, passed Wenshui, and ordered Li Siyuan's troops to be the vanguard.On the morning of the fourth day of the lunar new year, the army encountered the Houliang army and defeated the Houliang army in only one battle. Taking advantage of the victory, they pursued to Zhongdu and surrounded the city.There was no defense in the city. In an instant, the Houliang army rushed out of the encirclement and fled. The Houtang army chased them all the way and defeated the Houliang army.Wang Yanzhang took advantage of the chaos and led dozens of cavalry to flee. Longwu General Li Shaoqi pursued them alone. Li Shaoqi heard Wang Yanzhang's voice and shouted: "Wang Tieqiang!" He pulled out his spear and stabbed Wang Yanzhang. Wang Yanzhang was seriously injured and fell off his horse.In this way, Wang Yanzhang was captured alive by Li Shaoqi. At the same time, more than 200 people including Zhang Hanjie, the governor of the Houliang Army, Li Zhijie, the governor of Caozhou, Zhao Tingyin, Liu Sibin, and other more than [-] people were also captured, and they were beheaded thousands of times.Zhao Tingyin is from Kaifeng, and Liu Sibin is a descendant of Liu Zhijun.

[Original text]

Yanzhang said to people: "Li Yazi, a cockfighting boy, why not be afraid!" In the end, the emperor said to Yanzhang: "You often call me a kid, have you accepted it today?" He asked again: "Your name is a good general, why don't you guard Yanzhou? There are no barriers in the central capital, how can we strengthen ourselves?" Yanzhang said to him: "The destiny is gone, and there is nothing to say." The emperor cherished Yanzhang's talent, wanted to use it, bestowed medicine on his creation, and repeatedly sent people to lure him.Yanzhang said: "Yu Benpifu, Meng Liangen, the supreme general, has fought against the emperor for 15 years; now the army is defeated and poor, and he died at his own risk. Even if the emperor pity me and give birth to me, how can I see the people of the world with my face! How can you be a Liang general in the morning and a Tang official in the twilight! I will not do this." The emperor sent Li Siyuan back to him, and Yan Zhangwo said to Siyuan: "Aren't you arrogant and fierce?" Yan Zhang was light Heir source, so call it by nickname.So all the generals congratulated him, and the emperor raised wine to Siyuan and said: "Today's achievements are due to the power of the public and Chongtao. According to Shaohong's previous words, the big event is over."

It was the evening, and Siyuan was in command of the former army.In Yihai, the emperor sent Zhongdu, and Wang Yanzhang followed him. He sent an envoy to ask Yanzhang, "Is my trip restrained?" Turning against the enemy is almost impossible to overcome." The emperor knew that it would be useless in the end, so he beheaded him.

【Translation】

Wang Yanzhang once said to people: "Li Cunxu is a cockfighting boy, what is there to be afraid of?" Now, Li Cunxu, the emperor of the later Tang Dynasty, said to Wang Yanzhang: "You once said that I am a child, do you admit defeat today?" He asked Wang Yanzhang again: "You are a cockfighter in name." Heroic generals, but why didn’t they stick to Yanzhou? No fortifications were built in Zhongdu at all, so how could it be kept?” Wang Yanzhang replied: “The destiny is gone, I have nothing to say.” Later Tang emperors cherished Wang Yanzhang’s Talent, wanted to use him, not only gave him medicine to heal the wound, but also sent people to persuade him many times.Wang Yanzhang said: "I was originally a commoner. Thanks to Liang Guo's favor, I was promoted to general and fought with Your Majesty for 15 years. Now that the army is defeated and exhausted, it is my duty to die. Even if Your Majesty pities me I am alive, how can I face the people of the world? How can I be a general of the Liang Kingdom in the morning and a minister of the Tang Dynasty in the evening? I can’t do this.” Later Tang Emperor So Li Siyuan was sent to persuade him in person, and Wang Yanzhang lay on the bed and said to Li Siyuan, "Aren't you Miao Jilie?" Wang Yanzhang always looked down on Li Siyuan, so he just called him by his nickname.At this time, all the generals were toasting to celebrate the victory, and the emperor of the later Tang Dynasty also raised his glass and said to Li Siyuan: "Today's achievements are all due to the strength of you and Guo Chongtao. If you listen to Li Shaohong and others, then my big event will be taken by the court." Delayed."

That night, Li Siyuan led the forward troops to march towards Daliang at high speed.On the fifth day of the lunar new year, Emperor Later Tang personally led his army to set off from Zhongdu, followed by someone carrying Wang Yanzhang.The emperor of the later Tang Dynasty sent an envoy to ask Wang Yanzhang: "Can we defeat Daliang this trip?" Wang Yanzhang replied: "Duan Ning commanded an elite army of 6 people. It's difficult for them." The Emperor of Later Tang knew that he would not be used by Later Tang after all, so he ordered him to be beheaded.

[Comment and Analysis]

Wang Yanzhang was a well-known general in Houliang, known for his bravery in battle.He fought with Zhu Wen everywhere, was very brave, and made a lot of military exploits.Because he is good at making an iron gun, he is called "Wang Tie Gun".Li Cunxu, Emperor Zhuangzong of the later Tang Dynasty, admired Wang Yanzhang very much, threatened and lured him, but he couldn't use it for himself, so he killed him.

(End of this chapter)