The flame of the peasant uprising at the end of the Qin Dynasty was ignited in Daze Township. Chen Sheng and Wu Guang rose up, like a spark of fire, quickly burning the prairies. In just a few months, Chen Sheng jumped from a cloth cloth to a prince. His ambitions seem to be on the verge of being realized. However, the wheel of history is always unexpected. When Liu Bang and Xiang Yu, the two rising stars, appeared on the stage of history, Chen Sheng's light gradually dimmed.
Why did Chen Sheng fail to win the world in the end? Was it a strategic mistake? Or is it not strong enough? Or is it bad luck?
In 209 BC, the reign of the Qin Dynasty entered its 38th year. After the second Hu Hai succeeded to the throne, the tyranny intensified, and the people were struggling to survive. In the summer of this year, a sudden rainstorm became the fuse that ignited the anti-Qin fire.
Near Daze Township in Anhui Province, a conscription team of 900 people was trapped by torrential rain. This team was originally ordered to go to Yuyang (in the area of present-day Miyun, Beijing) to garrison the border. There are two tun chiefs in the team, one named Chen Sheng and the other named Wu Guang. They all came from poor backgrounds, but they had big ambitions.
Heavy rain continued, which prevented the team from arriving in Yuyang on time. According to the harsh laws of the Qin Dynasty, delays were punishable by death. Chen Sheng and Wu Guang realized that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They began to plot in secret, ready to uncover it.
However, it was not easy to convince 900 people to rebel together. Chen Sheng knows that wisdom must be used to achieve success. He first explained the current situation to everyone: even if the rain stops and rushes to Yuyang, it will be difficult to escape death. Even if they are lucky enough to arrive, I am afraid that very few people will come back alive. The words sent the crowd into deep thought, and fear and despair gripped the entire team.
At this moment, Chen Sheng performed a clever trick. He and Wu Guang secretly hid a cloth with the words "Chen Shengwang" written on it in the belly of the fish. When everyone was eating fish, this prophecy was discovered "by accident". At night, they imitated the cry of a fox and shouted "Da Chuxing, King Chen Sheng". This series of "miracles" immediately caused a sensation in the era when superstition was prevalent.
Chen Sheng seized the opportunity and impassionedly delivered the famous speech of "The Ambition of the Bird's Nest and the Bird" to the crowd. He pointed out that everyone is a dying person, so why not fight to the death? If you succeed, you can seal your wife and son, and if you fail, you will die. These words inspired everyone's fighting spirit, and 900 people shouted in unison, vowing to follow Chen Sheng to the death.
The rebels used wooden sticks as weapons and banners made of straw ropes as a trumpet to attack the nearby county of Qi. The defenders of Qi County were caught off guard and were quickly breached. This unexpected victory boosted the morale of the rebel army. Chen Sheng struck while the iron was hot and quickly occupied several surrounding counties.
After the news spread, all parts of the country responded. Many people came here and joined Chen Sheng. In just one month, Chen Sheng's team grew from the initial 900 people to tens of thousands, and also owned thousands of war horses and hundreds of chariots.
The rapid growth of this team reflected the people's dissatisfaction with the rule of the Qin Dynasty at that time. Chen Sheng seized this opportunity and targeted Chen County. It was once the capital of the Chu State and has important strategic and symbolic significance.
After conquering Chen County, Chen Sheng had already become a prince. He stood at the pinnacle of power and looked farther ahead. However, will this peasant leader from humble beginnings be able to take on the responsibility of ruling the world? Can his talent and heart match his ambitions? The answers to these questions will be gradually revealed in the course of the following history.
After Chen Sheng's first victory in Qi County, the flames of the uprising spread rapidly. He is like a great chess player, every move is precise and visionary. In the following month, Chen Sheng won five county seats around Qi County in a row, namely Ku, Zhe, Chen, Yu and Lai. Although these five counties are small in size, they provide Chen Sheng with valuable resources and strategic depth.
In the process of capturing these county seats, Chen Sheng showed extraordinary military talent. He is adept at using the terrain and cleverly setting up ambushes, often winning more with less. For example, during the attack on Zhexian, Chen Sheng ordered some of his soldiers to carry tree branches to create a dusty scene on the march, so that the enemy could mistakenly believe that they had a large number of troops. This ploy succeeded in scaring off the defenders of Zhexian County, allowing Chen Sheng to take the city without a single soldier.
As the results of the battle continued to expand, Chen Sheng's reputation became louder and louder. Many people who were dissatisfied with the Qin dynasty joined his ranks. Among them, there are some talented people, such as Wu Chen, Zhou Wen, etc. The addition of these people injected new vitality into Chen Sheng's uprising.
After capturing the five counties, Chen Sheng set his sights on Chen County further away. This choice shows his strategic vision. Chen County is not only geographically important, but also used to be the capital of the Chu State, which has profound historical significance. If Chen County can be captured, it will not only obtain abundant materials and human resources, but also greatly enhance the prestige and legitimacy of the rebel army.
However, attacking Chen County was not an easy task. The city was well fortified, and the Qin troops stationed there were more elite than they had encountered before. Chen Sheng knew that this would be a tough battle. He gathered his generals and made a thorough battle plan.
First, Chen Sheng sent a small force to create a disturbance around Chen County to distract the Qin army. At the same time, he sent messengers who were good at words to infiltrate the city and spread rumors and shake the morale of the defenders. These preparations took place for a full ten days.
In the early morning of the eleventh day, Chen Sheng launched a full-scale attack. He divided the main forces into three routes, attacking simultaneously from the east, south, and west. To the north, a surprise army was arranged, waiting for the right moment.
The battle was extremely fierce, and the two sides went back and forth, and there was a stalemate. At this moment, the strange soldiers lurking in the north suddenly launched an attack and successfully broke through the city walls. The Qin army suffered from the enemy on its back, and finally failed, and Chen County was broken.
After capturing Chen County, Chen Sheng immediately set about pacifying the people and restoring order. He ordered that the army strictly forbid the harassment of the people and recruited a large number of locals into the rebel army. These measures won the hearts and minds of the people and added fresh blood to the rebel army.
Chen Sheng also set up a provisional political authority in Chen County and began to try to govern the conquered areas. He appointed a group of officials, made simple decrees, and tried to establish an orderly system of rule. This shows that Chen Sheng is not only a good general, but also has the ambition to govern the country.
However, as the territory expanded, so did the problems. How are these newly conquered regions managed? How to reconcile the interests of different places? How to deal with the inevitable counterattack of the Qin Dynasty? These are all new challenges for Chen Sheng.
At the same time, anti-Qin forces in other regions began to rise. In Chudi, Xiang Liang, Xiang Yu's uncle and nephew also raised the banner of anti-Qin. In the Guanzhong region, Liu Bang also began his uprising. The emergence of these emerging forces has undoubtedly brought more pressure to Chen Sheng.
Standing at the head of Chen County, Chen Sheng looked into the distance. His uprising has had initial successes, but greater challenges lie ahead. How to consolidate the victories that have already been made, how to deal with the rise of other anti-Qin forces, and how to finally overthrow the rule of the Qin dynasty? These problems need to be thought about and solved by Chen Sheng.
At this time, Chen Sheng did not know how history would judge his choice. He only knew that he had embarked on a road of no return, and the only way to move forward was to move forward.
After Chen Sheng gained a firm foothold in Chen County, he was faced with a major choice: whether to officially become king? This decision was not only about his personal fate, but also affected the direction of the entire insurrectionary movement.
In the political context of ancient China, "being the king" has a special meaning. It is not only a name, but also represents the pursuit of supreme power. For a peasant revolt leader from humble origins, the title to king was undoubtedly a huge leap.
Chen Sheng convened his core team to discuss this issue. At the meeting, opinions were divided into two factions. The faction represented by Zhang Er and Chen Yu advocated caution and believed that it was too early to claim the title of king. They believed that although the rebel army had achieved some victories, its roots were still shallow and its strength was limited. Rashly claiming the title of king may cause discontent among other anti-Qin forces, and may even anger those nobles who are still waiting and watching.
Zhang Er made a generous statement at the meeting: "My lord, our cause has just started, and we still need to unite more forces. If he is king now, I am afraid that some potential allies will be discouraged. It is better to continue to expand influence in the name of 'general', and then officially claim the throne when the time is ripe. "
Chen Yu also chimed in: "Yes, lord. Although the Qin Dynasty was tyrannical, it ruled China for decades after all and had deep roots. We are not strong enough to compete with it now. It is better to call on the world in the name of the 'righteous army' for the time being, and wait until the power is greater. "
However, the other faction strongly supported Chen Sheng's claim to be king. They believe that now is a good time to take advantage of the victory. Claiming the title of king can establish authority, unite people's hearts, and also allow more people to see the hope of opposing Qin.
Wu Chen is a representative figure who supports the title of king. He stood up and said, "My lord, now the people's minds have changed, and everyone is waiting for a leader to stand up. If we don't claim the throne, someone else will. When the time comes, we will lose the opportunity. Moreover, after becoming king, we can justifiably call more people to join our camp. "
Zhou Wen also agreed: "Not bad. Now the Qin Dynasty has existed in name only, and the world has risen together. If we don't establish our position as soon as possible, I am afraid that we will be overtaken by other forces. Calling the king is not only for ourselves, but also to give the people of the world a hope, a banner to resist the tyranny of Qin. "
The argument went on for a whole day and a night. In the end, Chen Sheng made his decision: officially become king and establish a new regime.
This decision reflects Chen Sheng's ambition. Not content with just becoming a local warlord, he wanted to establish a new dynasty that would completely change China's political landscape.
In the winter of 209 BC, Chen Sheng held a grand ceremony to claim the throne in Chen County. He put on a dress that symbolized royal power, held a jade seal, and accepted the worship of his ministers. Chen Sheng announced the restoration of the state of Chu, and he was the king of Chu, with the country name "Zhang Chu". This name not only shows the inheritance of Chu culture, but also reflects Chen Sheng's determination to create a new situation.
Immediately after the proclamation ceremony, Chen Sheng set about establishing the institutions of power. He appointed Wu Guang as the Grand Sima and was in charge of the military; Appointed a military minister as a general, responsible for conquering various places. At the same time, he also set up a series of official positions, such as prime minister, taiwei, etc., and initially formed a complete government structure.
Chen Sheng's claim to the throne had a huge impact at the time. On the one hand, it gave the anti-Qin forces a spiritual pillar and gave people hope for the overthrow of the Qin dynasty. Many people who were originally waiting and watching joined Chen Sheng's camp one after another. On the other hand, it also stimulated other anti-Qin forces. Xiang Liang and Xiang Yu raised troops in Wuzhong, and Liu Bang unveiled the pole in Pei County, and the whole of China fell into a situation where the heroes rose together.
However, claiming the title of king also brought new challenges to Chen Sheng. How to maintain the majesty of royal power? How to deal with relations with other anti-Qin forces? How to deal with the Qin Dynasty's counterattack? These problems need to be faced and solved by Chen Sheng.
After becoming king, Chen Sheng stood at a new historical height. Every decision he makes will affect this great change that will affect the whole of China. History, on the other hand, will judge this peasant uprising leader with a more humble but ambitious background.
Chen Sheng was called the queen, and he was full of spirit and determined to further expand his sphere of influence. He devised an ambitious plan: to attack Qi in the east, Guanzhong in the west, and to recover the homeland of Chu in the south. If successful, this plan would make Zhang Chuguo a huge force spanning China's east, west, north and south.
First, Chen Sheng sent the general Zhou Zhang to lead the army eastward and attack Qidi. Zhou Zhang was a general who was able to fight well and made great contributions in the battle to capture Chen County. He led an army of 50,000 and marched eastward.
Qidi has always been rich and was one of the important granaries of the Qin Dynasty. If you can occupy Qidi, you can not only get rich material supplies, but also cut off an important economic source for the Qin Dynasty. Zhou Zhang was well aware of the importance of this task, and strict military discipline was imposed on the march, and soldiers were not allowed to harass the people.
However, the conquest of Qi was not an easy task. When the local Qin officials learned of Chen Shengjun's attack, they immediately organized an effective resistance. They took advantage of the complex terrain of Qidi to set up numerous defensive lines, and at the same time sent envoys to ask for help from Guanzhong.
Zhou Zhang encountered stubborn resistance under the city of Linzi. This ancient city is impregnable, and the morale of the defenders is high. Zhou Zhang adopted the strategy of besieging the city and sending reinforcements, while attacking the city, he sent cavalry to cut off the enemy's supply lines.
The siege lasted a month, with heavy losses on both sides. Just as Zhou Zhang was about to launch a final general attack, a Qin army of reinforcements suddenly arrived from the west. This support army was an elite division led by the Qin general Zhang Han, and they rushed to Qidi day and night and gave Zhou Zhang a heavy blow.
Zhou Zhang had to give up the siege and instead fought a decisive battle with Zhang Han. The two armies fought fiercely in the square outside Linzi City. The battle lasted a whole day, and in the end Zhou Zhang was outnumbered and the entire army was annihilated. The defeat cast a shadow over Chen's plans to expand eastward.
At the same time, Chen Sheng sent another army to march westward, aiming directly at Guanzhong. This army was led by Chen Sheng's confidant Wu Guang. Wu Guang was one of the central figures of Chen Sheng's uprising, and once launched an uprising in Daze Township with Chen Sheng.
Wu Guang's Western Expeditionary Army was overwhelmed at first, and several cities were conquered. However, when they approached Hangu Pass, they encountered stubborn resistance from the Qin army. Hangu Pass is the throat road into the pass, and it has always been a battleground for soldiers. The Qin army deployed heavy troops here, determined to defend it to the death.
Wu Guang failed to attack many times and suffered heavy losses. Just as he was about to change his strategy, an unexpected happened. One night, a fire broke out in the camp, and the fire spread rapidly. Taking advantage of the chaos, the Qin army suddenly launched a counterattack. Wu Guang hurriedly responded to the battle, but was defeated, and he was also killed by random arrows in the chaotic army.
The defeat of the Western Expedition made Chen Sheng's plan to march into Guanzhong completely bankrupt. To make matters worse, the Qin army took advantage of the victory to pursue, which in turn threatened Chen Sheng's base camp.
In the south, too, the situation is not encouraging. Although the generals sent by Chen Sheng recovered some of the Chu homeland, they soon became bogged down in a tug-of-war with the local Qin army. The two sides go back and forth, and neither can achieve a decisive victory.
A series of military setbacks dealt a heavy blow to Chen Sheng's expansion plans. He had to readjust his strategy, strengthen his defenses, and consolidate his existing territory. Chen Sheng began to realize that he could not overthrow the powerful Qin Dynasty with his blood alone. He needed better planning, a stronger army, and more effective governance.
In response to these challenges, Chen Sheng began to make adjustments in his domestic affairs. He strengthened the administration of the conquered areas and appointed a number of capable officials to govern the areas. At the same time, he also stepped up his conscription in an attempt to rebuild the lost army.
However, the effect of these measures is not obvious. As a result of the continuous wars, people's livelihood withered, and desertion and tax evasion occurred in many places. Although Chen Sheng's ruling area is still large on the surface, it is actually showing signs of loosening.
What worries Chen Sheng even more is that other anti-Qin forces have begun to rise. Especially in Chudi, the power of Xiang Liang and Xiang Yu's uncle and nephew expanded rapidly, and even began to threaten Chen Sheng's rule.
Chen Sheng stood on the high place of the palace, looking at the war in the distance. He is well aware that his career is facing an unprecedented crisis. How to reverse the decline? How to deal with the challenge of other anti-Qin forces? How to finally achieve the goal of overthrowing the Qin Dynasty? These problems need to be thought about and solved by Chen Sheng.
Chen Sheng's Zhang Chu regime, after an initial period of rapid expansion, began to face serious challenges. Internal and external troubles followed, and the regime, which had been established by a peasant uprising, gradually declined.
First of all, internal contradictions are intensifying day by day. Although Chen Sheng was born as a peasant, after becoming queen, his way of ruling gradually moved closer to that of the traditional dynasty. This caused discontent among some of the early followers. They believed that Chen Sheng had deviated from the original intention of the uprising and had forgotten the oath that "the prince would have a kind of Xiangning".
A typical incident occurred in Chen County. One of Chen Sheng's old subordinates, named Li Jia, was dissatisfied with Chen Sheng's approach and openly criticized: "We revolted in the first place to overthrow the tyrannical Qin and establish a fair world. But now? What is the difference between King Chen's approach and that of King Qin? These words aroused strong repercussions among the people.
When Chen Sheng learned about it, he was very angry. He sent someone to arrest Li Jia and behead him in public. Although this move temporarily quelled the opposition, it also made many people lose confidence in Chen Sheng.
At the same time, successive military defeats also plunged Chen Sheng's reign into crisis. After the defeat of Qidi, the main force of the Qin army, led by Zhang Han, began a counteroffensive. They adopted the strategy of besieging Wei to save Zhao, and did not directly attack Chen Sheng's base camp, but attacked other anti-Qin forces first.
Zhang Han first attacked Wei Di and defeated Wei Bao's army. Then he turned to Zhao Di and defeated Zhao Xie. These victories not only weakened the overall strength of the anti-Qin alliance, but also allowed the Qin army to gain valuable experience in warfare.
Chen Sheng realized the seriousness of the situation and decided to make a desperate bet. He personally led the army and prepared for a decisive battle with Zhang Han. Fierce fighting ensued between the two sides near Yingshui.
The battle lasted three days and three nights. Although Chen Shengjun was superior in numbers, he was powerless in front of the well-trained Qin army. On the first day, Chen Shengjun's forward troops were crushed by the Qin army's strong crossbowmen. The next day, the cavalry of the Qin army raided Chen Sheng's camp, causing great chaos. By the third day, Chen Sheng's army was exhausted, while the Qin army launched a general attack.
The result of the battle was a major defeat for Chen Shengjun. Although Chen Sheng himself escaped, he lost most of his elite troops. This defeat marked the severe weakening of the power of the Zhang Chu regime, which could no longer compete with the Qin army.
After being defeated and returning to Chen County, Chen Sheng was faced with a gloomy cloud. Many local forces that had been attached to him began to waver, and some even openly announced their independence from Zhang Chu's regime. To make matters worse, other anti-Qin forces, notably Xiang Yu's forces, began to eyeing the area controlled by Chen Sheng.
In this case, Chen Sheng had to take some extraordinary measures. He ordered heavy taxes, forced conscription, and tried to regroup. However, these practices have further exacerbated popular discontent. In some places, riots even broke out against Chen Sheng.
Just as Chen Sheng was struggling to support it, an even bigger blow came. One of his most trusted generals, Wu Chen, was killed by his men during an expedition. When the news came, Chen Sheng was discussing countermeasures with his staff. He stood up suddenly, his face pale, and he was speechless for a long time.
Wu Chen's death was not only a military loss, but also a huge blow to Chen Sheng's prestige. After this incident, Chen Sheng became suspicious and reticent, and often couldn't sleep all night. He began to doubt everyone around him, even his most loyal followers.
In the winter of 208 BC, Chen Sheng was assassinated in Chen County. The assassin was his personal bodyguard, named Zheng Chang. Zheng Chang took advantage of Chen Sheng's solitary walk in the back garden when he suddenly drew his sword and stabbed Chen Sheng in the back. Although Chen Sheng resisted hard, he was defeated after all and fell in a pool of blood.
The news of Chen Sheng's death spread quickly, and the entire Zhang Chu regime was immediately thrown into chaos. Some careerists seized the opportunity to declare independence, while the Qin army and other anti-Qin forces took advantage of the situation and carved up Chen Sheng's territory.
In this way, this rebellion initiated by an ordinary peasant rose vigorously in a short period of six months, and then rapidly declined. Although Chen Sheng failed, his uprising became the spark that ignited the prairie and paved the way for Xiang Yu, Liu Bang and others to overthrow the Qin Dynasty.
After Chen Sheng's death, some of his old subordinates continued to fight in various places. Although they were also unsuccessful in the end, these sporadic revolts kept the anti-Qin flame alive until a new hero rose up, finally ending the rule of the Qin dynasty.