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Chapter 1486 The Temple of the Six Loyalists in Suizhou

The Earl of Yongning and his entourage entered the south city from the north city.

The old and new cities of Suizhou are connected in the north and south, but the city gate in the middle has been preserved. However, since it is located inside the city, this section of the city wall is not covered with bricks, and the city gate has become almost a decoration and is never closed.

However, after Luo Rucai and others moved into the old city in the north, the city gate connecting the old and new cities was also repaired and closed every 5-7 PM to prevent bandits from crossing the city and causing trouble.

Although the leaders of Cao Cao's camp had strong opinions about this, including Luo Rucai himself, fortunately Ji Gui intervened and persuaded him. Although Luo Rucai had some objections, he did not break ties with Yuan Shu. He was also able to control his subordinates and soldiers, adhere to military discipline, and prevent any forced buying or selling.

Both sides then each guarded their own city, and lived in peace.

After the Earl of Yongning and his party entered the new city to the south, they immediately felt that it had become lively, with crowds of people and a touch of urban prosperity.

At this moment, it was early afternoon. People who had come to the new city to buy various items were returning to the north city, and many peddlers carrying loads were also returning from the old city.

Everyone wanted to get back to their side before the city gates closed!
The coming and going of the crowds perfectly illustrates the ancient saying, "The world is bustling, all for profit; the world is bustling, all for gain."

As they entered the new city, they traveled a short distance along the north-south avenue. Not far to their left was the Temple of the Six Loyalists. Yuan Shu and Zhang Cheng, the Earl of Yongning, rode side by side, and Yuan Shu explained the origin of the Temple of the Six Loyalists to him.

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The Temple of the Six Loyalists was first built in the second year of the Zhide era of the Tang Dynasty. It was built to commemorate Zhang Xun and other loyal martyrs who died for their country during the An Lushan Rebellion. It was originally named the Temple of Loyalists, also known as the Twin Temples, and was dedicated to Zhang Xun and Xu Yuan. Their general Nan Jiyun was also enshrined in the temple.

Later, Lei Wanchun and Jia Ben were added to the temple. The name of the temple changed with the number of worshippers. It was renamed the Temple of the Five Kings and also the Temple of Loyalty and Martyrdom. During the Song Dynasty, Yao Yan was added to the temple, and it was renamed the Temple of the Six Loyalty.

Zhang Xun was a native of Nanyang, Dengzhou, during the Tang Dynasty. He ranked third in the imperial examination at the end of the Kaiyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. He initially served as a tutor to the Crown Prince, and later was transferred to Qinghe County as magistrate. Due to his outstanding political achievements and integrity, he was transferred to Zhenyuan County as magistrate.

In the winter of the fourteenth year of the Tianbao era, An Lushan, the military governor of the three towns of Hedong, rebelled. Yang Wanshi, the prefect of Qiao County, surrendered to the Yan army. Zhenyuan County was located within the jurisdiction of Qiao County.

Zhang Xun not only refused to surrender, but also raised an army to fight against the rebels. He first defended Yongqiu City. Since the rebels Linghu Chao and Li Tingwang had repeatedly failed to capture Yongqiu for several months, they built Qizhou City to cut off Zhang Xun's food supply. At the same time, the rebel general Yang Chaozong led 20,000 infantry and cavalry to attack Ningling to cut off Zhang Xun's retreat.

Therefore, Zhang Xun voluntarily abandoned Yongqiu and led 300 horses and more than 3,000 soldiers eastward to defend Ningling City again. He then joined forces with Xu Yuan, the prefect of Suiyang, and Yao Yin, the magistrate of Chengfu, in Ningling. They held Ningling for more than two months, but due to the weak city walls, they had no choice but to lead their troops to Suiyang City to join forces with Prefect Xu Yuan to resist the rebel army.

It was during this period that Zhang Xun, due to his outstanding military achievements, was appointed as the Deputy Military Governor of Henan by Emperor Suzong of Tang.

In the second year of the Zhide era, the rebel generals Yang Chaozong and Yin Ziqi led an army of 130,000 to besiege Suiyang. Xu Yuan, believing himself to be inferior to Zhang Xun in ability, recommended Zhang Xun as the commander-in-chief, while he himself was in charge of procuring military provisions and war supplies.

This led to an earth-shattering and awe-inspiring Battle of Suiyang!

Suiyang City was a vital transportation hub connecting the north and south, and an important military stronghold. The An Lushan rebels originally intended to conquer Suiyang in one fell swoop and then seize the rich lands of Jianghuai.

After assuming command, Zhang Xun first eliminated the internal traitor Tian Xiurong, and then led his troops out of the city to launch a preemptive attack on the rebels, inflicting a crushing defeat and capturing a large number of carts, horses, cattle, and sheep. It was for this great victory that the court appointed Zhang Xun as Vice Censor-in-Chief, Xu Yuan as Attendant Censor, and Yao Yin as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

Zhang Xun was appointed to a critical mission during a time of crisis. He and his soldiers shared a common hatred for the enemy and fought a desperate battle against the rebel army attacking the city. He was a brilliant strategist, winning battle after battle. He broke the enemy's siege by using goose carts, and then cleverly seized the enemy's grain. Later, he set fire to the enemy's firewood road and used straw men to borrow 100,000 arrows, which severely damaged the enemy.

Unfortunately, Zhang Xun led his troops to defend the city from the 25th day of the first lunar month until the 9th day of the tenth lunar month when Suiyang fell. That year was also the leap month of the eighth lunar month. Zhang Xun led his troops to hold Suiyang for ten months, fighting hundreds of battles, large and small, and winning every battle.

This allowed the rebel army to increase its strength from 130,000 to 150,000. Even so, Zhang Xun still lost more than 10,000 men. However, due to the lack of external support, Suiyang City was eventually captured by the rebel army because of the disparity in numbers and the lack of food and reinforcements.

After the fall of Suiyang, Zhang Xun, along with Xu Yuan and others, was captured by the rebel army. The rebel general Yin Ziqi threatened Zhang Xun with a knife to force him to surrender, but Zhang Xun refused to yield. As a result, he was killed along with Yao Menyan, Lei Wanchun, and thirty-six others. He was 49 years old at the time of his death.

Emperor Suzong of Tang later posthumously granted Zhang Xun the titles of Grand General of Yangzhou and Duke of Deng, and also granted his son an official position.

The Battle of Suiyang will be remembered in history; it was a tragic and heroic battle!

It was precisely because Zhang Xun led his troops to effectively stop the rebels from advancing south that half of the Tang Dynasty's territory and the abundant wealth of the Jianghuai region were preserved, thus winning valuable time and material support for the Tang Dynasty's counterattack. He made immortal contributions to quelling the An Lushan Rebellion and protecting the people of Jianghuai.

Three days after the fall of Suiyang, Tang reinforcements finally arrived, and the city was recaptured in seven days.

However, Zhang Xun's body was no longer recognizable. Therefore, Emperor Suzong of Tang personally issued an edict to summon his soul and bury him, and built two temples to worship Zhang Xun and Xu Yuan, with Zhang Xun's beloved general Nan Jiyun to be enshrined in the temple.

In subsequent dynasties, Zhang Xun was posthumously honored as Marquis of Loyalty and Valor, Xu Yuan as Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness, Nan Jiyun as Marquis of Loyalty and Valor, Lei Wanchun as Marquis of Loyalty and Courage, Jia Ben as Marquis of Loyalty and Compassion, and Yao Yan was granted the title of Duke.

In the fourth year of the Tianqi reign of the Ming Dynasty, a stele entitled "Tang Loyal Martyrs Shrine Stele" was erected inside the Six Loyal Martyrs Shrine.

With an army of ten thousand, Zhang Xun held out in three isolated cities for two years, during which time he annihilated more than one hundred thousand rebel troops, playing an important role in ensuring the safety of the Jianghuai region and suppressing the An Lushan Rebellion for the Tang Dynasty.

Zhang Xun is highly revered by people in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions of my country, as well as compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, and overseas Chinese. In Taiwan alone, there are more than 700 million worshippers of Zhang Xun, and more than 000 temples dedicated to him.

The Six Loyalists Shrine in Suizhou is the ancestral temple of these Zhang Xun temples.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, in order to fulfill the wishes of people at home and abroad to remember and pay homage to Zhang Xun and to promote the spirit of patriotism, the Martyrs' Shrine was moved from the city center to the south of the city in 1990. The shrine is planned to include three parts: a square area, a building area, and a cemetery and garden area.

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Yongning Earl Zhang Cheng and his entourage traveled along the road and soon arrived at the Fire God Pavilion. This place was the intersection of the two main roads in the south of Suizhou, and also the highest point in the city.

Turn east from here and walk a short distance, and you will see a tall stone archway, a three-bay, four-pillar, five-story building with the four large characters "Gongbao Shangshu" inscribed on it.

The Yuan Shangshu Grand Archway, also known as the Yuan Family Double Archway, was built by imperial decree of Emperor Chongzhen to honor Yuan Keli, the Grand Marshal of the Ministry of War in Suizhou. It is actually a pair, standing on the left and right sides of the street outside the main gate of Yuan Shangshu's residence. The east side is inscribed with "Three Generations of Marshals" and the west side with "Grand Marshal of the Ministry of War". Both are located fifty steps away from the main gate of Yuan Shangshu's residence.