Video spoilers history, starting with the blitzkrieg on Poland

The curtain continues to tell the final part.

A series of victories expanded the territory under Ran Wei's control and temporarily suppressed the counterattack of the remnants of Later Zhao.

This further demonstrates Ran Min's military talent as a powerful and ruthless leader.

At this time, the Ran Wei state, at its peak after the Battle of Cangting, possessed 300,000 elite troops, with its army's banners stretching for hundreds of miles.

Even at its peak, the Later Zhao dynasty did not possess such overwhelming military might.

But this was also its final moment of glory.

[Subsequently, Ran Min led 100,000 troops to besiege Xiangguo. After failing to capture it through direct assault, he resorted to a protracted siege.]

[Shi Zhi of Xiangguo relinquished his imperial title and sought aid from various nomadic tribes.]

[The Jie chieftain Shi Kun, the Qiang chieftain Yao Xiang, and the Xianbei chieftain Murong Jun all led their armies to reinforce the area, bringing the total number of elite troops from these three nomadic tribes to 100,000.]

Ran Min led his army in a preemptive attack, but was surrounded, defeated, and his entire army was wiped out.

Although Ran Min later defeated Shi Zhi's 70,000-strong army with a small remnant force in Ye City, and ultimately turned the tide and conquered Xiangguo.

[The remnants of the Later Zhao dynasty were essentially wiped out, and from then on, the Jie people had no further influence in the north.]

But it was during this back-and-forth struggle that...

The country's economy has collapsed, the land is left uncultivated, and only two or three out of ten people have survived.

Furthermore, after Li Nong was killed, the Ran Wei regime began to experience internal discord and disunity.

All the regions south of the Yellow River, including Xuzhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, and Jingzhou, surrendered to the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

[Ran Wei's actual control over the land is dwindling, and taxes are becoming increasingly difficult to collect.]

[This is simply not enough to support the army in Ye City.]

The Ran Wei army was driven to desperation and began to scatter. Ran Min himself could only lead the remaining soldiers away from Ye City to seek food elsewhere.

The deadly shadow is rapidly approaching from the northeast.

[Emperor Murong Jun of the Former Yan, with the assistance of renowned generals such as Murong Ke and Murong Chui, took advantage of the fact that Ran Min's main forces were engaged in fierce battles in the south and west, leaving the heart of Hebei relatively undefended.]

In October of 351 AD, he personally led an army of over 200,000 men, launching a massive southward invasion in three routes.

The Murong Xianbei army was one of the most elite forces in the north at the time.

Their Xianbei cavalry was renowned as invincible, having been famous throughout the land since the time of Shi Le.

Now, the Later Zhao is completely destroyed internally, and the Murong Xianbei, who have been developing in Liaodong for many years, have become the strongest force in the north.

Upon hearing the news, Ran Min swiftly assembled all the elite troops he could muster, personally leading them north to confront the Yan army.

In January of 352 AD, Ran Min and Murong Ke's vanguard of the Yan army first encountered each other at Anxi.

Ran Min led from the front, and the morale of the Wei army soared.

Although the Wei army consisted entirely of infantry, they repelled the Yan cavalry in their first battle, demonstrating the formidable fighting power of the core elite troops of Ran Wei.

Murong Ke is known among netizens as "Little Han Xin" for his flexible and adaptable military tactics.

Murong Ke knew well that Ran Min was brave and fierce, and that the Wei army was determined to fight to the death, their morale at its peak; a direct confrontation was not advisable.

Therefore, assessing the situation, they proactively withdrew, luring the enemy deeper into their territory.

Ran Min's rear is unstable, supplies are scarce, and he is eager for battle, wanting a quick victory.

Eager to decisively defeat the main force of the Yan army, he led his troops in pursuit.

Ran Min won ten battles out of ten.

Murong Ke then fought and retreated.

[Lead Ran Min to the pre-arranged battlefield.]

The open fields of Liantai are ideal for cavalry warfare.

This is precisely the battlefield that Murong Ke has chosen.

Outside the sky.

Cao Cao.

"The Xianbei people were skilled riders and archers, and were indeed excellent cavalrymen."

"The Murong Xianbei also have well-trained, heavily armored cavalry. Their strength is probably no less than that of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry."

"It is truly remarkable that Ran Min was able to lead a group of infantrymen with inferior numbers to victory after victory."

"It seems I underestimated his military talent."

Cao Pi, who was standing nearby, fell into thought after hearing Cao Cao's words.

He asked in bewilderment, "Father, how was Ran Min able to repeatedly defeat cavalry with infantry?"

"Moreover, they were outnumbered, underfed, and exhausted infantry."

"Defeat the well-rested and aggressive Xianbei cavalry."

"This is indeed difficult."

"But could it be that Murong Ke deliberately lost the battle?"

"After all, the sky also said that Murong Ke had seized on Ran Min's mentality of wanting a quick victory and not being able to afford to drag things out."

"They actively and continuously retreated, leading Ran Min's main Wei army to the terrain most favorable to the Xianbei cavalry."

"Then deliver the fatal blow!"

"If nothing unexpected happens, Tianmu will next tell the story of the Ran Wei army, which fell into Murong Ke's trap, and was repeatedly defeated by cavalry on the plains."

It must be said that Cao Pi's analysis made a lot of sense.

But Cao Cao still shook his head.

He was even somewhat disappointed with Cao Pi's military capabilities.

But Cao Cao patiently explained:
"Feigning defeat to lure the enemy is indeed a strategy."

"But the actual battle situation was far from one where Murong Ke could have won but failed to do so."

"The Murong Xianbei had an advantage in troop strength, and their cavalry had been rested and prepared."

"If Ran Min's troops weren't truly capable, why would they have suffered repeated defeats and lured the enemy deep into their territory?"

"You must know that this involves deliberately feigning defeat, pretending to be outmatched, and luring the enemy deep into your territory."

"That is certainly a good plan."

"But the risks are also extremely high."

"If you're not careful, a feigned defeat can turn into a real rout."

"Ten consecutive defeats will cause soldiers to fear the enemy like tigers, making them more likely to collapse in subsequent battles."

"Murong Ke probably also wanted to defeat Ran Min head-on, but after the battle, he realized that it wouldn't work."

"Therefore, instead of committing all its forces, it allowed the vanguard to be defeated."

"If it weren't for the fact that we couldn't quickly defeat Ran Min."

"Why would Murong Ke risk a complete defeat and ten consecutive losses to lure Ran Min into an ambush?"

"It's because they really can't win, so they had no choice but to take a risky tactic and lure Ran Min into a trap." "However, Murong Ke's tactics are indeed not something that ordinary people can master."

"The soldiers are too easily routed."

"Murong Ke was able to use this tactic and still lose ten consecutive battles, yet his soldiers did not disperse."

"This shows that he is definitely a military expert."

"His military leadership skills are absolutely in the style of Zhou Yafu."

The curtain continues to fall:

Murong Ke is preparing for the final battle.

However, the Xianbei cavalry suffered ten consecutive defeats.

The soldiers were filled with fear, so Murong Ke selected five thousand of the bravest and most skilled Xianbei warriors in horsemanship and archery.

[Equip them with the best warhorses and double armor, and personally lead them as the main force of the central army.]

[To prevent them from being forcibly separated by Ran Min.]

Murong Ke then chained his five thousand most elite cavalry horses together, forcibly preventing them from escaping.

[Also, deploy cavalry on both sides, ready to flank the Wei army at any time.]

The decisive battle has begun on the carefully chosen battlefield.

As Murong Ke had predicted, Ran Min positioned his main infantry formation in the center, while he personally led his elite "Beggars' Army" and a portion of heavy cavalry straight towards Murong's central command tent!

Ran Min rode his prized Zhulong steed, capable of traveling a thousand miles a day, holding a double-edged spear in his left hand and a hooked halberd in his right.

[He struck with the wind at his back, unstoppable in his advance, slaying dozens of Yan generals and single-handedly killing three hundred Xianbei cavalry.]

They managed to tear a gap in the Yan army's well-organized lines!

Seeing their commander's extraordinary bravery, the Wei soldiers were greatly encouraged and pressed forward with all their might.

Under Ran Min's relentless attack, Murong Ke's central army began to falter and appeared on the verge of collapse.

At this crucial moment, Murong Ke raised the command flag.

The heavily armored cavalry, lying in ambush on the flank, surged forward with overwhelming force, crashing into the flank of Ran Min's assault force!

These heavily armored cavalrymen, both rider and horse clad in sturdy armor, possessed an extremely terrifying striking power.

The Wei army is launching a full-scale attack, its flanks completely exposed.

Caught completely off guard, the formation was instantly shattered and torn apart by this destructive force!

Murong Ke's central army also seized the opportunity to stabilize its position and launched a fierce counterattack.

The Ran Wei army suffered a crushing defeat.

Despite being in dire straits, Ran Min still unleashed astonishing fighting power.

Ran Min fled eastward after the encirclement, attempting to break through the siege.

Wherever they went, the Yan army suffered heavy casualties.

However, while Ran Min himself could fight for a full day and night, his warhorse could not.

[The Zhulong horse, exhausted, collapsed and died after fleeing for more than twenty miles.]

Ran Min, having fallen from his horse, was surrounded by the swarming Yan army and, exhausted, was captured.

Soon after, Ye City was besieged, and people resorted to cannibalism. After holding out for several months, it fell, and the Ran Wei state was destroyed.

Ran Min was escorted to the Former Yan state.

[Emperor Murong Jun of the Former Yan Dynasty rebuked Ran Min: "You incompetent servant, how dare you presume to call yourself the Son of Heaven?"]

Although Ran Min was a prisoner, he still retained his pride and responded with his head held high:

"The world is in chaos, and you barbarians and beasts still call yourselves emperors. Why can't we, the heroes of the Central Plains, be emperors?"

This resounding reply thoroughly enraged Murong Jun, who ordered the man to be whipped three hundred times and sent back to his hometown.

In May of 352 AD, Ran Min was executed at Eling Mountain in Longcheng.

[It is said that after his death, all vegetation within a seven-mile radius around the mountain withered, locusts swarmed, and a drought began in May and lasted until December.]

Murong Jun was filled with fear, believing it to be the work of the spirit of the fallen hero. He therefore sent envoys to offer sacrifices and posthumously honored him as "Martial and Mourning Heavenly King."

Heavy snow fell that day.

……

Barrage:

Anyang produced two extraordinary figures: Yue Fei and Ran Min!

If Yue Fei is no longer a national hero, then Ran Min should be the hero.

"Good riddance to the Jiehu! This feud may be irreconcilable, but it can be avenged even ten lifetimes ago!"

Are they really just low-tier versions of Xiang Yu and Han Xin?

"Shi Min was merely a rare individual who sided with the Jie people; you've mistaken him for someone else."

At the time, Ran Min was a notorious and treacherous person with a terrible reputation!

"When Ran Min's father was cast into the coffin, Ran Min wasn't even born yet. Is that considered rare?"

"Shi Zun deceived Ran Min by promising him the position of crown prince, but later reneged on his promise. Can we blame Ran Min for betraying the Shi family?"

Ran Min killed far more Han Chinese than he killed Hu people.

"Is it really speechless that they don't praise Zu Ti and Liu Kun, but instead idolize Ran the Butcher?"

In chaotic times, one can't worry about such things; between two evils, choose the lesser; better to kill the innocent than the guilty.

"After Ran Min's actions, a million Hu people died, thus establishing the numerical advantage of the Han people in the Hebei region."

The Jie people were white, and were almost completely wiped out by Ran Min. Otherwise, if the Jie had ruled for several more decades, perhaps half of northern China would have been white.

"Aside from being a fierce warrior, Ran Min had zero political acumen. How did he become so highly regarded?"

He brought down the Later Zhao dynasty, but also the Ran Wei dynasty, and betrayed the Han people who supported him.

It was mainly brought up and promoted during the late Qing Dynasty to oppose the Manchus.

Judging by actions, not intentions, Lao Min's series of actions utterly destroyed the Later Zhao dynasty, and the barbarian Jie were directly executed. His merit in killing the barbarians is unparalleled throughout history.

"Shi Li Ran Min's original intentions were bad, but since he destroyed the Shi clan, he wasn't so bad after all..."

"The title 'Martial Mourning Heavenly King,' given to Murong Jun, sounds quite nice."

"The phrase 'Wu Dao' (武悼) aptly conveys the meaning of sorrow and immorality."

"Ran Min was emperor during his lifetime, but only a Heavenly King after his death, which is equivalent to a demotion."

Compared to Ran Min, Murong Ke's military and moral standards were clearly superior.

"However, the governance of the Former Yan and Later Yan dynasties was also a mess, and the people of Hebei suffered terribly under their rule."

Regardless, although I'm a critic of Ran Min, his last words were indeed powerful: "You barbarians and beasts dare to call yourselves emperors, so why can't we, the heroes of the Central Plains, be emperors?"

"To leave behind this dying wish, coupled with 'Any barbarian tribe, both inside and outside the capital, whoever dares to wield weapons shall be beheaded!', is truly a worthwhile endeavor in history!" (End of Chapter)