Why did Xu Fengnian choose to retire from the rivers and lakes and return Beiliang to Liyang?

Everyone in the world knows that Xu Fengnian is the son of Xu Xiao, the king of Beiliang, but they don't know that this powerful king of Beiliang chose to retire when he became famous. There was a lot of discussion among the people in the rivers and lakes, some people said that he was afraid of the court, some people said that he was tired of fighting, and some people said that he was victimized. But what is the truth? Why would this former first person in the world give up the power in his hands and give up Bei Liang? Is it to repay Liyang's kindness, or is there something else hidden? What kind of wisdom and foresight is hidden behind Xu Fengnian's decision?

The rise of Xu Fengnian: from filial son to king of Beiliang

Everyone in the world knows that Xu Fengnian is the son of Xu Xiao, the king of Beiliang, but they don't know that this powerful young hero is a gentleman who doesn't know the world. In the sixteenth year of Tianyuan, a war report came from the border of Beiliang, and the army of Beimang pressed the border, vowing to break through Beiliang in one fell swoop. At that time, Xu Xiao was very old, and he had to let Xu Fengnian, who was only sixteen years old, take over the throne of the king of Beiliang.

Xu Feng was in power at the beginning of the year, and in the face of Beimang's iron cavalry, he was terrified. He knew that he was a shallow learner, and it was difficult for him to take on a big responsibility. One day, Xu Fengnian came to the ancestral hall of the Beiliang Palace, knelt in front of his father Xu Xiao's tablet, and cried silently: "My father is above, my son is incompetent, I am afraid that I will insult the prestige of Beiliang." "

At this moment, a white-haired old man walked slowly, it was Li Yishan, the old strategist of the Beiliang Palace. Seeing this, Li Yishan sighed lightly and said, "Why should the prince give up on himself? The old minister has a word, and he doesn't know whether to say it or not. Xu Fengnian hurriedly got up and said respectfully, "Mr. Yishan, please speak." "

Li Yishan said: "Can the prince know why your father was able to rise in the conflict of the Six Kingdoms and finally establish Beiliang?" Xu Fengnian shook his head and said nothing. Li Yishan continued: "Your father's achievements today do not rely on personal force, but on the good use of talents. Although the prince is young, as long as he can listen to the advice and make good use of the talents, why worry about the north and the cold? "

Xu Fengnian suddenly realized, and immediately knelt down to thank him: "Thank you Mr. Yishan for your advice." From that day on, Xu Fengnian governed the country diligently, humbly sought advice, and recruited talents. He continued his father's way of governing the country, reusing the veteran Chen Zhibao, the strategist Jiang Ni and others, so that the combat strength of the Beiliang army increased greatly.

In the spring of the seventeenth year of Tianyuan, the Beimang army broke through the Xuanwu Pass and approached the hinterland of Beiliang. Xu Fengnian personally led the army to meet the enemy, and in the battle of Qingshan, he won more with less and defeated the Northern Mang Iron Cavalry. After this battle, Xu Fengnian became famous, and the morale of the Beiliang army was greatly boosted.

However, Xu Fengnian was not complacent. He knows that Beiliang is located on the border and lacks resources, and more efforts are needed if he wants to maintain long-term stability. As a result, he began to reform the internal affairs of Beiliang, vigorously develop agriculture and handicrafts, and encourage trade and commerce. Under his rule, Beiliang gradually prospered and became rich and powerful, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment.

In the twentieth year of Tianyuan, Beimang attacked again. This time, Xu Fengnian is no longer the ignorant teenager he was back then. He strategized and commanded, and won many battles in a series of battles. In the end, in the battle of Yanmen Pass in the twenty-first year of Tianyuan, Xu Fengnian personally led the army to defeat the main force of Beimang in one fell swoop, completely disintegrating Beimang's offensive ambitions.

This big victory not only consolidated Beiliang's position, but also made Xu Fengnian's prestige spread all over the world. Some people on the rivers and lakes even call him "the first person in the world". However, just when everyone thought that Xu Fengnian would continue to expand his power, he made an unexpected decision.

In the spring of the twenty-second year of Tianyuan, Xu Fengnian suddenly announced the dissolution of the Beiliang Mansion and returned the Beiliang to the Liyang Imperial Court. This decision shocked the entire Jianghu, and countless people speculated about the reason. Some people say that he is afraid of the court, some people say that he is tired of fighting, and some people say that he is victimized.

What was the reason for this mighty King of Beiliang to make such a decision? What are the considerations behind this? Let's move on to uncover this long-held historical mystery.

The contradiction between Liyang and Beiliang

Although Xu Fengnian's rise consolidated the position of Beiliang, it also deepened the contradiction between the Liyang court and Beiliang. The roots of this contradiction can be traced back to the period of Xu Xiao and Zhao Li.

Zhao Li and Xu Xiao were originally sworn brothers and fought on the battlefield together. However, as Xu Xiao's exploits grew, Zhao Li became jealous. In the first year of Tianyuan, Xu Xiao swept through the six countries and expanded the territory for Liyang. Although Zhao Li praised it on the surface, he was secretly worried about Xu Xiao's prestige.

One day, Zhao Li was walking in the imperial garden and happened to meet the minister Wang Yun. Wang Yun saw that the emperor's face was gloomy, so he stepped forward to ask. Zhao Li sighed and said: "Xu Xiaogong is a high master, holding heavy soldiers, I can't sleep at night." When Wang Yun heard this, he offered a plan: "Why doesn't Your Majesty take advantage of the Baiyi case in the capital to weaken Xu Xiao's power?" "

Zhao Li listened, and a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes. Soon after, the white-clothed case in Beijing broke out, and although Xu Xiao didn't know the inside story, he was implicated. Zhao Li took the opportunity to reduce Xu Xiao's military power and transferred him to Beiliang to guard the town. Since then, the incense of the Xu and Zhao families has completely collapsed.

After Zhao Li's death, his son Zhao Dian succeeded to the throne. Zhao Dian was even more jealous of Xu Xiao than his father. He ordered to restrict the flow of grain and grass into Beiliang, and appointed Gu Jiantang and King Huainan to contain the Beiliang army. In addition, Zhao also set up many obstacles in the imperial examination, making it difficult for Northern Liang scholars to enter the imperial court.

In the tenth year of Tianyuan, there was a great drought in Beiliang. Xu Xiao sent people to Beijing to ask for help, but Zhao Dian ignored them. The people of Beiliang were displaced, and Xu Xiao had to pay out of his own pocket for disaster relief. An old farmer knelt in front of Xu Xiao and sobbed: "Lord Wang, why does the imperial court treat me so harshly in Beiliang? Xu Xiao was silent for a long time, and finally only said one sentence: "The children of Beiliang have the backbone of the children of Beiliang." "

As time went on, Bei Liang's situation in the Central Plains became more and more embarrassing. In the fifteenth year of Tianyuan, the Central Plains was invaded by Beimang. When the ministers of the court were discussing countermeasures, someone proposed: "It's better to let the Northern Liang Army block the sword for us." As soon as this statement came out, no one objected.

The Northern Liang Army fought bravely to kill the enemy and suffered heavy casualties. However, when the Beiliang soldiers triumphed, they were greeted by the cold eyes of the people of the Central Plains. A Beiliang veteran drank bitterly in the restaurant and heard the diners at the adjacent table discuss: "These Beiliang barbarians are also worthy of being called Zhongyuan people?" When the veteran heard this, he slammed his wine glass on the ground and roared angrily: "We are waiting to shed blood for the Central Plains, but you despise us so much!" "

This scene was seen by Xu Fengnian, who was passing by. He left silently, and after returning to the Beiliang Palace, he immediately convened the ministers to discuss. Xu Fengnian said: "Everyone, my sons and daughters of Beiliang shed their blood for the Central Plains, but in exchange for discrimination and neglect. How to break such a predicament? "

The ministers were silent. At this time, a young strategist stood up: "Lord Wang, if Bei Liang wants to get out of the predicament, there are only two ways. One is to completely break away from Liyang and establish himself as the king; The second is to integrate into the Central Plains and resolve differences. "

Xu Fengnian listened to it and thought thoughtfully. He understands that whichever path he chooses, there will be great challenges. If it breaks away from Liyang, it will inevitably lead to a new war; If it is integrated into the Central Plains, how should it resolve the long-standing contradictions?

Just as Xu Fengnian was hesitating, Beimang invaded again. The imperial court once again pushed the Northern Liang army to the forefront. Xu Fengnian personally led the army and repelled Beimang in a series of bitter battles. However, when he led the army to triumph, he was still greeted by the suspicion and defense of the imperial court.

At this moment, Xu Fengnian realized that the contradiction between Beiliang and Liyang had accumulated and it was difficult to return. If it is not completely resolved, not only will it be difficult for Beiliang to truly integrate into the Central Plains, but it is more likely to become a breakthrough for Beimang's invasion.

So, Xu Feng began to plan an earth-shattering plan. He wants to use an unprecedented way to resolve the contradiction between Beiliang and Liyang, and seek a long-term future for the people of Beiliang. This plan will completely change the fate of Beiliang and will also shock the entire rivers and lakes.

Xu Fengnian's political wisdom

Xu Fengnian knew that in order to resolve the contradiction between Beiliang and Liyang, it was far from enough to rely on force. He needs to use superb political wisdom in order to seek long-term benefits for Bei Liang in this intricate game.

In the spring of the twenty-second year of Tianyuan, Xu Fengnian summoned the ministers of Beiliang and announced a shocking decision: dissolve the Beiliang palace and return Beiliang to the Liyang court. As soon as this decision came out, it immediately caused an uproar in the government and the opposition.

After hearing the news, Beiliang veteran Chen Zhibao was furious and rushed directly into the meeting hall: "Lord Wang, is this going to waste the hard work of my Beiliang children?" Xu Fengnian was not in a hurry, and explained to everyone: "Everyone, please listen to me. Although Beiliang is strong, it is lonely after all. If it can't be truly integrated with the Central Plains, it will be difficult to last long after all. "

Xu Fengnian's words made everyone present fall into contemplation. Subsequently, he said: "I have a plan to ensure the stability of Beiliang for a hundred years." When the people heard this, they listened to it.

Xu Fengnian said: "We return Beiliang on the surface, but in fact, we are secretly arranged. First, it can eliminate the suspicion of the court, and second, it can give the children of Beiliang the opportunity to enter the court and participate in national politics. In this way, Beiliang will not only not decline, but can take a deeper foundation in the Central Plains. "

These words made everyone's eyes shine. The strategist Jiang Ni praised: "The prince's plan can be described as clever. "

However, it is not easy to implement this plan. First of all, Xu Fengnian needed to convince the people of Beiliang to accept this decision. To this end, he personally visited various places and communicated with the people face-to-face. In a conversation with a peasant, an old peasant asked, "Lord, will we be oppressed after we return to the imperial court?" Xu Fengnian replied: "Don't worry, my father-in-law, I, Xu Fengnian, will never let the people of Beiliang suffer the slightest grievance in one day." "

Secondly, Xu Fengnian also needed to persuade the imperial court to accept Beiliang's annexation. For this reason, he sent a confidant envoy to Beijing with heavy gifts for the audience. The envoy presented Xu Fengnian's handwritten letter to Emperor Zhao Dan, which read: "Chen Fengnian is willing to follow the work of dogs and horses and open up the territory for His Majesty. After reading it, Long Yan was happy, and immediately issued an edict to accept Beiliang's annexation.

However, Xu Fengnian did not stop there. He knows very well that in order to truly integrate into the Central Plains, it is not enough to rely on superficial efforts. To this end, he has developed a series of long-term plans.

First of all, Xu Fengnian vigorously promoted cultural education. He built schools in various parts of Beiliang, hired famous people from the Central Plains to teach, and encouraged the children of Beiliang to learn the culture of the Central Plains. At the same time, he also pays attention to the protection of the local culture of Beiliang and organically integrates the two cultures. This measure not only improved the cultural level of Beiliang, but also laid the foundation for the children of Beiliang to enter the court in the future.

Secondly, Xu Fengnian actively promoted the economic exchanges between Beiliang and the Central Plains. He sent caravans south to establish trade relations with various parts of the Central Plains. At the same time, he also encouraged merchants from the Central Plains to go north and invest in Beiliang. This not only drove the economic development of Beiliang, but also deepened the economic ties between Beiliang and the Central Plains.

In addition, Xu Fengnian took a series of measures to improve the relationship between the military and the people of Beiliang and the people of the Central Plains. He ordered the Beiliang army to strictly abide by military discipline and not disturb the people. At the same time, he also encouraged the Beiliang military and civilians to intermarry with the people of the Central Plains to promote cultural exchanges.

Although these measures have been slow to take effect, they have laid a solid foundation for the long-term development of Beiliang. With the passage of time, the estrangement between Beiliang and the Central Plains was gradually eliminated, and more and more Beiliang children began to emerge in the court.

In the thirtieth year of Tianyuan, Beimang invaded again. At this time, the Northern Liang Army had been fully integrated into the Central Plains army system. In this battle, the Beiliang soldiers fought side by side with the Central Plains army and jointly repelled the attack of Beimang. This battle not only consolidated Beiliang's position in the Central Plains, but also allowed the people of the Central Plains to truly accept the sons and daughters of Beiliang.

After the war, the imperial court rewarded meritorious deeds. Xu Fengnian was crowned as the general of Zhenbei and commanded the border defense. However, he politely declined this honor, leaving only one sentence: "The sons and daughters of Beiliang are already ministers of the Central Plains, so why should they divide each other." "

This move not only shows Xu Fengnian's political wisdom, but also points out the direction for the future of Beiliang. Since then, Beiliang is no longer the border of the Central Plains, but has become an indispensable part of the Central Plains.

Reform and development of the Northern Liang Army

With the integration of Beiliang and the Central Plains, Xu Fengnian realized that the Beiliang army also needed to be reformed accordingly to adapt to the new political pattern and military needs. This reform is not only related to the future of the Beiliang Army, but also related to the safety of the entire Central Plains.

In the spring of the thirty-second year of Tianyuan, Xu Fengnian convened the generals of the Northern Liang Army and announced a series of reform measures. First of all, he put forward the principle of "streamlining the administration of the army." Although the Northern Liang Army is strong, it has a huge number of people and is very expensive to maintain. Xu Fengnian decided to cut redundant personnel, retain the elite, and use the saved resources to improve equipment and training levels.

This decision caused no small amount of controversy. The veteran Chen Zhibao objected on the spot: "Lord Wang, every soldier in the Beiliang Army was exchanged for a bloody battle, how can you say that you will be cut?" Xu Fengnian explained: "General Chen, we are not abandoning these soldiers, but we want them to play a greater value. For the soldiers who have been laid off, we will arrange for them to engage in production and contribute to the development of Beiliang. "

Xu Fengnian's words made the generals fall into contemplation. Eventually, under Xu Fengnian's persuasion, this reform was implemented. Among the soldiers who were retrenched, some were assigned to the frontier tuntian, and some were assigned to various localities to participate in infrastructure construction. This not only solves their livelihood problems, but also injects new vitality into the economic development of Beiliang.

Secondly, Xu Fengnian proposed a new military system of "combining soldiers and farmers". He asked the Northern Liang Army to engage in production in peacetime and take up arms in wartime. This system not only reduced the economic burden on the country, but also increased the self-sufficiency of the army.

In order to implement this system, Xu Fengnian personally led an army to reclaim wasteland in the border areas. He ate and lived with the soldiers and demonstrated how to farm. One day, a young soldier asked, "Lord Wang, we are soldiers, why do we need to learn the art of farming?" Xu Fengnian replied: "How can a general who does not understand agricultural affairs sympathize with the suffering of the people?" How can an army that is not self-sufficient be stationed on the frontier for a long time? These words deeply inspired the soldiers present.

Third, Xu Fengnian attaches importance to the development of military science and technology. He sent people to search for advanced weapons manufacturing technology and set up a special research institute in Beiliang. In an experiment, Beiliang craftsmen developed a new type of bow and crossbow with a range twice as far as an ordinary bow and crossbow. When Xu Fengnian learned about it, he immediately ordered large-scale production and personally led the army to conduct actual combat drills.

However, the development of military science and technology has also brought new problems. Some people are worried that if these new weapons fall into the hands of Beimang, the consequences will be unimaginable. In this regard, Xu Fengnian formulated a strict confidentiality system, and also strengthened the management and protection of craftsmen.

Fourth, Xu Fengnian pays attention to cultivating compound talents. He believes that an excellent general must not only know how to use troops, but also be proficient in astronomy, geography, weapon manufacturing, and other aspects. To this end, he set up a special military academy in Beiliang and hired experts from all walks of life to teach.

During a lecture, a young officer asked, "Lord Wang, what is the use of us studying these miscellaneous studies for fighting a war?" Xu Fengnian replied: "War is not only a contest between two armies, but also a contest of comprehensive national strength. Only a well-rounded general can be invincible on the ever-changing battlefield. "

The implementation of these reform measures has enabled the Beiliang Army to gradually transform from a simple armed force into a modern army that is knowledge-based, scientific and technological, and multi-functional. Not only are they able to kill the enemy bravely on the battlefield, but they can also contribute to local development in peacetime.

In the fortieth year of Tianyuan, Beimang invaded again. This time, they sent 100,000 elites in an attempt to break through the Central Plains defense line in one fell swoop. However, what they encountered was a brand new Beiliang army.

In a small border city, the Beimang army met with stubborn resistance. They were surprised to find that the Beiliang army defending the city was not only strong in battle, but also proficient in various advanced defense techniques. The new type of bow and crossbow erected on the city wall caused heavy losses to the Beimang army.

What was even more unexpected for the Beimang army was that when they cut off the supply line of the small city, the defenders were not affected at all. It turned out that as early as peacetime, these soldiers had cultivated large areas of farmland in the city and stored sufficient grain and grass.

The battle lasted three months, and the Northern Mang army finally returned with a feather. This victory not only consolidated the defense line of the Central Plains, but also fully demonstrated the achievements of the reform of the Northern Liang Army.

After the war, the imperial court decided to promote the reform experience of the Northern Liang Army throughout the country. Xu Fengnian was crowned as the secretary of the Ministry of War and was responsible for coordinating the military reform of the whole country. However, he was not satisfied with this. In a letter to the emperor, he wrote: "The road to military reform is long, and the ministers are willing to do their best for it, and then die." "

Xu Fengnian's later years and the future of Beiliang

In the fiftieth year of Tianyuan, Xu Fengnian was over the age of six, but he was still in good spirits and worked hard for national affairs. In the winter of this year, Beimang was ready to move again, and the border situation was tense. Xu Fengnian decided to personally inspect the border to prepare for the upcoming war.

Before leaving, the emperor summoned Xu Fengnian and persuaded him to stay in the capital: "Xu Qing is old and the border is bitterly cold, why not let the young generals go?" Xu Fengnian replied: "Your Majesty, although the minister is old, the blood of the children of Beiliang has not yet cooled. This visit to the border is the last chance for the minister to serve the country. Seeing that the dissuasion was ineffective, the emperor had no choice but to allow it.

Xu Fengnian led an elite army, and after a half-moon trek, he finally arrived at the border town. As soon as he arrived, he summoned the generals of the various ministries to learn more about the situation on the border. After listening to the report, Xu Fengnian found that Beimang's attack this time was extremely well prepared, not only with a large number of troops, but also equipped with many new weapons.

Faced with this situation, Xu Fengnian immediately formulated a detailed defense plan. He ordered the engineering troops to work day and night to strengthen the city's defenses; At the same time, scouts were dispatched to closely monitor the enemy's movements. More importantly, he made full use of the advantages of the Northern Liang Army's "combination of soldiers and peasants" and ordered the army to reclaim farmland outside the city, reserve grain and grass, and prepare for long-term operations.

In the spring of the fifty-first year of Tianyuan, the Beimang army arrived as scheduled. The two sides engaged in fierce exchanges on the border. Although the Beimang army was numerous, it was never able to make a breakthrough in the face of the stubborn resistance of the Beiliang army.

The battle lasted for three months, and the supply of the Beimang army began to have problems. The Northern Liang Army relied on self-sufficiency, and morale was still high. At this moment, Xu Fengnian decided to launch a counterattack. He personally led a group of surprise troops to the rear of the Beimang army, cutting off the enemy's retreat.

This strategic decision completely changed the tide of the war. The Beimang army was attacked by the enemy and soon fell into disarray. In the end, General Beimang had to raise the white flag and surrender. This great victory not only shattered Beimang's ambitions to invade, but also won a ten-year period of peace for the Central Plains.

After the war, Xu Fengnian was not in a hurry to return to the capital to receive merit, but stayed on the border and began to arrange post-war reconstruction work. He ordered his soldiers to help the people rebuild their homes, but he did not forget to settle the surrendered troops. He said to the surrenderers: "Since you have surrendered, you are the people of our army. In the future, we must prove our loyalty with practical actions. "

This tolerant policy not only appeased the surrendered troops, but also injected new labor into the border areas. With Xu Fengnian's efforts, the once war-torn border soon regained its vitality.

In the fifty-third year of Tianyuan, Xu Fengnian finally set off to return to the capital. Along the way, the people greeted each other in the middle of the road, and the cheers were endless. An old farmer knelt on the ground and kowtowed: "General Xu, thanks to you, we can live a stable life." Xu Fengnian picked up the old farmer and said, "This is my responsibility." "

After returning to the capital, the emperor summoned Xu Fengnian and wanted to crown him as the Grand Master. Xu Fengnian politely declined: "The minister is old, and he only wants to return to his hometown and support the people for His Majesty." The emperor thanked Xu Fengnian for his merits, and finally played it.

Before bidding farewell to the capital, Xu Fengnian summoned the children of Beiliang and said to them: "We, the sons and daughters of Beiliang, have completely integrated into the Central Plains. In the future, you must put the interests of the Central Plains first and contribute to the prosperity of the country. "

After returning to Beiliang, Xu Fengnian did not enjoy his old age in peace, but continued to care about state affairs. He often summoned the children of Northern Liang, inquired about the policies of the imperial court, and put forward his own suggestions. At the same time, he did not relax his requirements for the Beiliang Army, and often personally inspected the training of the army.

In the winter of the fifty-eighth year of Tianyuan, Xu Fengnian fell seriously ill. On the sickbed, he summoned his henchmen and explained the aftermath: "After I die, I will bury the soldiers and myself." Use the money saved to renovate the school and train talents. "

After the news of Xu Fengnian's death spread, the whole country mourned. The emperor personally wrote a eulogy for him, praising him for "doing his best and dying". The imperial court posthumously named Xu Fengnian as the Taishi, and was nicknamed "Zhongwu".

Although Xu Fengnian passed away, his spirit and ideas are deeply rooted in the land of Beiliang. In the years that followed, Beiliang continued to make important contributions to the stability and prosperity of the Central Plains. The Northern Liang Army has become the backbone of resisting foreign enemies and has made many achievements.

In the seventieth year of Tianyuan, Beimang invaded again. This time, it was the new generation of Beiliang generals trained by Xu Fengnian who stepped forward and led the army to repel the enemy. After the war, the young general saluted Xu Fengnian's tombstone and said, "Lord Xu, the sons and daughters of Beiliang have lived up to your expectations. We will continue to protect this land forever. "