gnovel Chapter 110 Nine days after the moon descends to the mortal realm
Chapter 110 Nine days after the moon descends to the mortal realm
Li Congke quickly calculated the relevant dates and suddenly realized the truth.
The mutiny occurred on the night of March 8th, and my adoptive father was only able to escape and reach Wei County on March 10th. Almost simultaneously, I received orders to head south without stopping, which is why I was able to travel 1,500 li in less than ten days and catch up with the opportunity to fight.
Based on this, it can be deduced that when his adoptive father set out from Luoyang at the beginning of the month, he had already sent an envoy to Shimen Town to contact him.
It seems that Wang Jianli's killing of the military supervisor was premeditated, which is why the entire operation to join forces in Zhenzhou proceeded without any delay or stagnation.
Li Congke's feelings were complicated, unsure whether he admired or felt disappointed: his adoptive father was shrewd and calculating, with meticulous and thoughtful plans that were far beyond his own capabilities.
I can't help but wonder, could Shi Jingtang have done it?
The 19th day of the third month of the fourth year of the Tongguang reign (1465), the day of Yichou
Li Cunxu's imperial carriage departed from the capital.
Before departing, the actor Jing Jin advised: "The King of Wei has not yet arrived, Kang Yanxiao has just pacified the region, and the southwest is still not at peace; Wang Yan's clan has many followers, and upon hearing of the imperial carriage's eastern expedition, I fear they may cause trouble. It would be better to eliminate them."
Li Cunxu agreed wholeheartedly and dispatched an eunuch to issue an imperial edict to execute Wang Yan, the ruler of Shu, and exterminate his entire clan.
Initially, the emperor summoned Wang Yan to Luoyang and bestowed upon him an edict to reassure him, saying, "You shall be granted land and fiefdoms, and I will certainly not treat people harshly. The three celestial bodies are above, and I will not lie!"
When Li Cunxu broke his promise, he issued an edict saying, "Wang Yan and his party should all be killed." There were more than a thousand people who followed the Shu ruler eastward.
The edict had already been sealed and signed. The eunuch Zhang Juhan was appointed as the Privy Councilor, Special Envoy, General of the Cavalry, and Director of the Inner Palace Secretariat. Previously, he had shared the power with Guo Chongtao. After reviewing the edict, he considered killing those who surrendered to be inauspicious, so he wiped the character "行" off the pillar of the palace and replaced it with the character "家".
With a single thought, the imperial edict was changed, and a thousand people were spared; this was all thanks to Ju Han.
As her son was about to be executed, Lady Xu cried out, "My son surrendered an entire nation, only to be executed instead. He has abandoned both faith and righteousness. I know that disaster will follow him soon!"
Liu, the concubine of Emperor Zhuangzong, had black hair as white as clouds and had a beautiful color. The executioner knew that Emperor Zhuangzong was fond of women, so he was going to spare her life.
Liu said, "Even if my country and family are destroyed, I will not accept humiliation!"
He then died.
March 22nd, Wuchen day.
Li Cunxu dispatched Yuan Xingqin with cavalry to patrol eastward along the Yellow River.
March 26th, Renshen.
When the imperial entourage arrived at Xingze, it was still 150 li away from Bianliang. Li Cunxu heard that Li Siyuan had already crossed Liyang, so he ordered 800 Longxiang cavalry to lead the vanguard and sent Li Congshen to inquire about the situation.
Unexpectedly, he was intercepted by Yuan Xingqin halfway there, and this time, Yuan Xingqin killed Li Congshen directly.
This may be Li Siyuan's only miscalculation in this incident.
With Li Congshen killed, there was no room for maneuver between the two sides. The vanguard reached Zhongmu, where the commanding general led his troops to Bianzhou. Wangcunzhai had tens of thousands of bushels of grain stored up, and the garrison commander also fled to Bianzhou.
When Li Cunxu arrived at Wansheng Town, he heard that the army had scattered and was in low spirits. He reluctantly led his troops to five miles northwest of Bianliang. He saw the banners waving in the city and knew that Li Siyuan had already taken the lead.
Then, standing on a high place, he sighed and said, "I am doomed!"
He immediately ordered the troops to withdraw, and the army suffered a great defeat, with many rushing to join Li Siyuan.
As the imperial carriage passed by a desolate tomb by the roadside, Li Cunxu set out wine and wept as he looked at his generals. Suddenly, a countryman presented him with a pheasant and asked the name of the tomb. He replied, "The locals say it is called the Terrace of Sorrow."
Li Cunxu was displeased and left after finishing his drink.
That night, the imperial carriage returned to Sishui Pass. When it set out, it had 25,000 troops from the Imperial Guard, but more than 10,000 had been lost by this time. Zhang Tang, the commander of Qin Prefecture, was left to guard the pass with 3,000 infantry and cavalry.
March 27th, Guiyou day.
When Li Cunxu passed through Yingzi Valley, the road was treacherous and narrow. Whenever he encountered guards carrying weapons, he would speak kindly to comfort them.
"It has just been reported that Prince Wei Jiji has presented another 500,000 taels of gold and silver from Naxichuan, which will be given to you all upon arrival in the capital."
The soldier replied, "Your Majesty's gift came too late, and the people are not grateful for Your Majesty's grace."
Li Cunxu merely shed tears, then demanded robes and belts to bestow upon his officials. Zhang Rongge, the head of the Imperial Treasury, replied, "The distribution has already been exhausted."
The guards shouted at Rong Ge, "This eunuch is responsible for the loss of our ruler and the state!"
He drew his sword and chased after them, but Zhang Rongge was fortunate enough to be saved. He said to his accomplices, "The Empress is reluctant to distribute the items, and the soldiers are blaming us. If things go wrong, we will be torn to pieces. I hope we will not suffer this calamity."
He died by drowning.
It's lamentable that a dragon is trapped in shallow waters and a tiger is fallen into the plains. A military genius who rose to fame at a young age, after twenty years of fighting along the river, could not even restrain his subordinates with military law. It was truly childish.
March 28th, Jiaxu day.
Upon reaching the stone bridge, Li Cunxu set up a feast in the countryside, where he wept bitterly and was filled with unhappiness.
With wine filling his sorrowful heart, he said to Yuan Xingqin and the other generals, "Ye is in chaos, with bandits rising up everywhere. The commander-in-chief is under pressure from the chaotic army, and his survival is uncertain. Now, rumors are spreading, and I am truly at my wit's end."
"You have served me with everything, from wealth and honor to hardship and prosperity. Now, in this perilous situation, I rely on your strategies, yet you remain silent and watch the outcome unfold."
"When I was in Xingze, I intended to cross the river alone to seek out the commander-in-chief and discuss strategies to pacify the rebellious troops. You all spoke frankly and explained the advantages and disadvantages. Now that I have been brought here, what do you think?"
Yuan Xingqin and others wept and reported: "Your Majesty, we are but humble men who have been raised by Your Majesty to the highest ranks of generals and ministers. In times of crisis, we have been unable to perform meritorious service to repay Your Majesty. Even if we die, we will not be able to fulfill our duty. We beg to perform our duties in the future to repay the country's kindness."
More than a hundred people took out their knives, cut off their hair, and placed their beards on the ground to swear an oath to sever their heads. Everyone above and below was filled with grief and wailing.
On that day, Zhang Jun, the garrison commander of Xijing, deployed troops for the western expedition to Luoyang, where they were seen outside the Shangdong Gate.
In the evening, Li Cunxu returned to the palace, and the situation in the capital calmed down somewhat.
March 29th, Yi Hai.
The officials, during their court sessions, remained completely silent.
March 30th, Bingzi day.
Privy Councilor Li Shaohong met with Chancellor Doulu Ge and Wei Shuo in the corridor of Zhongxing Hall to discuss military matters. He then went inside and advised: "The 100,000-strong army that led the western expedition to pacify Shu is about to return. The imperial carriage should take control of the Si River to await the arrival of the King of Wei."
Li Cunxu agreed.
At noon, he went out of the East Gate to personally inspect the cavalry and warned them that he would travel east again the following morning.
At Shenshi (3-5 PM), he returned to the palace.
……
In just half a month, various regional military governors in Hebei responded to Li Siyuan's call.
Li Siyuan sent envoys to summon Li Shaoqian, the defense commissioner of Qizhou; Li Shaoqin, the military governor of Taining Army in Yanzhou; Li Shaoying, the prefect of Beizhou; and An Shentong, the commander of the Right Wing Cavalry of Beijing.
Li Shaoqian's original name was Wang Yanqiu, Li Shaoqin's original name was Duan Ning, Li Shaoying's original name was Fang Zhiwen, and Li Shaozhen, whose original name was Huo Yanwei, were all generals who surrendered to the Liang Kingdom.
The destruction of Liang was a surprise attack and decapitation strike. Most of the Liang army's strength remained, and these powerful military commanders continued to be employed. Zhu Youqian's innocent death made them feel a sense of shared fate, and they all sided with Li Siyuan.
Wang Yanqiu and Fang Zhiwen arrived from Waqiao Pass, and An Shentong from Fenghua Army. The generals arrived one after another from their garrison locations, and the army's strength was greatly enhanced.
Initially, Li Cunxu appointed his close attendants as military supervisors in various circuits, and they all relied on his favor to vie for power with the regional military governors. When the Yedu mutiny occurred, he took the opportunity to kill them in various places.
Yang Jiyuan, the military supervisor of Anyi Army in Luzhou, attempted to assassinate the military governor Kong Qing, but was lured by Kong Qing and killed in return.
The military supervisor of Wuning in Xuzhou, Li Shaozhen, was accused of plotting to kill Li Siyuan's main followers. Chunyu Yan, the acting governor, led his generals to kill him first.
Fu Xi, the military governor of Pinglu, led his army to attack Yedu. Upon hearing of the defeat of Li Siyuan's army, he withdrew his troops. When he reached Zizhou, the supervising military commissioner Yang Xiwang launched a counterattack. Fearing for his life, Fu Xi led the Zizhou and Qingzhou armies westward to surrender to Li Siyuan. Wang Gongyan, the commander of Qingzhou, attacked and killed Yang Xiwang and then occupied the city.
Even in such a predicament, Li Cunxu's chances of winning were still not low.
The army that had pacified Shu was returning, having already passed Chang'an and was approaching Weinan, only about 600 li from Luoyang. Once this army entered the capital, even if it couldn't immediately turn the tide, maintaining the balance of power between the two sides would not be difficult.
The next few days presented Li Siyuan with his only window of opportunity, which he seized.
Li Siyuan ordered: "The emperor has not understood my intentions, which has led to this military situation. We should proceed to the capital immediately."
He then ordered Shi Jingtang to lead the vanguard and advance towards Sishui Pass.
April 1st, Dinghai day.
Li Siyuan's army arrived at Yingzi Valley, which was only a day's journey from Luoyang. They stayed there, as if they had anticipated something about to happen in the capital.
On that day, the Xingjiaomen Incident broke out.
At dawn, the imperial carriage was about to depart for the capital. The cavalry accompanying the emperor were arrayed outside the Kuanren Gate, and the infantry were arrayed outside the Wufeng Gate.
After Li Cunxu finished his meal in the inner palace, Guo Congqian, the commander of the horse guards, led his troops from their own camp, drew their weapons, and went to Xingjiao Gate. He shouted loudly and, together with the Yellow Armor Army, drew their bows and shot at the gate.
Guo Congqian, a court actor who had distinguished himself in the military, became sworn uncle to Guo Chongtao because they shared the same surname. He was also the adopted son of Li Cunyi, the emperor's younger brother. When the two offended each other, Guo Congqian repeatedly used his private funds to entertain the officers of the Imperial Guard, weeping as he spoke of Chongtao's injustice.
Previously, five soldiers, including Wang Wen, from the Ma Zhi army, killed the military commander and plotted a rebellion. They were captured and executed. The morale of the army was already unstable, and signs of trouble were emerging. Li Cunxu, however, did not reflect on his actions and jokingly said to Guo Congqian, "You have betrayed me by siding with Chongtao and Cunyi, and now you have instigated Wang Wen to rebel. What are you trying to do?"
Guo Congqian grew increasingly fearful. After leaving, he privately told his officers, "Because of Wang Wen, the emperor will wait until Yedu is pacified before burying you all alive. We should use all our possessions to buy wine and meat, and not think about the long term."
As a result, the imperial guards were all uneasy; this was yet another case of cause and effect.
Upon hearing of the uprising, Li Cunxu led his princes and guards from the palace to defend against the rebels, driving them out of the palace. The rebels then burned down the Xingjiao Gate, scaled the city walls, and climbed the palace walls, shouting and cheering.
Li Cunxu commanded his personal guards in a fierce battle, and his close ministers and veteran generals all laid down their arms and fled. Only Fu Yanqing and Wang Quanbin, along with a dozen others, resisted the attack and killed over a hundred rebel soldiers.
Suddenly, an arrow flew from an unknown place and struck Li Cunxu. The eunuchs helped him back to Jiangxiao Palace, where he leaned against a pillar under the eaves, half-lying and half-sitting.
Li Cunxu was seriously injured and thirsty. Empress Liu ordered a eunuch to bring him food and drink, but did not go to visit him herself.
Ge Hong's "Emergency Prescriptions for the Elbow" states: "When a wound bleeds, the person will be thirsty. One should endure the thirst and eat dry and fatty foods to quench it. One should be careful not to eat salty foods. If one drinks too much porridge or liquid, the bleeding will start and overflow, which can be fatal!"
Li Cunxu drank the bowl of cheese milk, and his bleeding continued until noon when he died at the age of forty-three.
The surrounding area scattered, but Shan You, the man from the Fifth Quarter responsible for raising the hawks and hounds, gathered the musical instruments from the yurt, piled them on top of the corpses, and lit a fire to burn them. When Li Siyuan entered Luoyang, he only managed to collect the remaining ashes.
A son should be like Li Yazi, who rose from a position where no hero in the world could rival him, to a life of death and national ruin, becoming a laughingstock for the world. He fell from the highest heavens to the mortal realm in just a month.
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Place Name Comparison
Xingze: North of the ancient Xingzhen town, northwest of Zhengzhou city, Henan Province
Wansheng Town: Now Wansheng Village, 24 li north of Zhongmu County, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province
Wangcunzhai: now Wangcun Town, Xingyang City, Henan Province
Poppy Valley: West of Sishui Town, Xingyang City, Henan Province