History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 133 Annexation of Youzhou
Li Keyong was sitting in the central military tent with a furious look on his face.

Li Cunxiao knelt on the ground, kowtowed and apologized, crying bitterly, "Dad, I just made a small contribution, how dare I be proud of it? Cunxin has been framing me. It is all because of him that I have been forced to this point today!"

Li Keyong was furious. He picked up a pile of letters and proclamations on the dragon desk and waved them in the air, saying, "This is your letter to Zhu Wen and Wang Rong. It insults me in every way and the words are very vicious. Did Li Cunxin teach you to write this?"

After saying that, he threw the letter towards Li Cunxiao with all his strength.

Black words on white paper fluttered in the sky and slowly fell down like snowflakes in June or paper money at a funeral.

Li Cunxiao lowered his head and said nothing, only two lines of tears rolled down his cheeks.

Li Keyong was furious and announced the verdict: torn to pieces by a chariot!

The place was very quiet.

Li Cunxiao raised his eyes to look at Li Keyong one last time. He did not beg for mercy, nor did he cry out for injustice, nor did he get emotional. He just slowly and silently kowtowed to his godfather again.

At that moment, Li Keyong was struggling in his heart, and no one could understand the pain. He looked around and saw that all the generals lowered their heads slightly, looking at their noses, their noses looking at their mouths, and their mouths looking at their hearts, and they kept silent.

Li Cunxiao's poor interpersonal relationships were fully demonstrated at this moment. When he was about to die, no one was willing to plead for him, and no one was willing to say a word for him.

Li Keyong was even more desperate than Li Cunxiao. In his heart, he was reluctant to kill Li Cunxiao. In his imagination, after he shouted "torn to pieces", the people around him should come out one after another, either kneeling or clasping their fists, saying something like "Lord, please calm down", pleading for Li Cunxiao, and then he could take advantage of the situation and do a favor, "The death penalty has been spared, but the punishment for living cannot be escaped, so I will beat him with a few military sticks, and this will not happen again."

Unexpectedly, the generals around him all wanted Li Cunxiao to die quickly. Only among his peers was there naked hatred.

Li Keyong was disappointed. He looked at Li Cunxiao with pity, and then glanced around with great anger. He kicked over the dragon desk and left with a wave of his sleeves. He ignored government affairs for ten days.

"Li Cunxiao" became an eternal pain in Li Keyong's heart, and no one dared to mention this name in front of him.

Four months later, Kang Junli, the governor of Zhaoyi Army, went to Taiyuan to report on his work. Li Keyong hosted a banquet for generals at all levels, where everyone drank, gambled, sang, and danced happily.

When they were having a great time, Li Keyong suddenly mentioned Li Cunxiao. He was overwhelmed with grief and could not help bursting into tears.

Kang Junli also drank a lot, and under the influence of alcohol, he said: "Although that guy is brave and invincible, he has the intention of usurping the throne. I think he is worse than..."

Li Keyong was furious. He drew his sword and slashed Kang Junli, then gave him poisoned wine and killed him.

Kang Junli, as early as the first month of the fifth year of Qianfu (878) during the reign of Emperor Xizong, took the lead in supporting the rebellion of Li Guochang and Li Keyong and established a separatist regime in Yunzhou. He was the oldest veteran meritorious official and the first of the "first heroes of the uprising". After that, he always loyally followed Li Keyong, including the invasion of the Tatars, the expulsion of Huang Chao, the Shangyuanyi Incident, and the crushing of Zhang Jun's encirclement and suppression of Hedong... He served at Li Keyong's side, and although he had no merits, he had also worked hard.

Kang Junli was the oldest and most senior veteran of the Hedong Group, bar none. He was mercilessly killed by Li Keyong just because he praised or criticized Li Cunxiao after drinking.

From then on, the name "Li Cunxiao" became the highest taboo in the army, and no one dared to talk about it. "Li Cunxiao" was like "One-eyed Dragon", and whoever mentioned it would die.

Hedong is a fierce tiger, Youzhou is a wolf, Zhenzhou is Wang Rong is a little lamb.

Li Kuangchou of Lulong launched a fierce offensive against the Chengde Army. Wang Rong could not resist and could only urge Li Keyong to fulfill his alliance obligations and assist the Chengde Army in fighting the Lulong Army.

Li Keyong had a man under his command who constantly urged him to go to war against Lulong. This man was Liu Rengong, the former general of the Lulong Army.

This gentleman appeared a long time ago, when Li Keju was the governor of Lulong. Liu Rengong followed General Li Quanzhong (father of Li Kuangwei) to attack Chucun, the Prince of Yiwu. Liu Rengong attacked the city by digging a tunnel, and thus earned a resounding nickname "Liu Kutou".

Li Quanzhong then launched a mutiny, forced Li Keju to death and became the new Jiedushi. After Li Quanzhong's death, his son Li Kuangwei succeeded him.

Liu Rengong had many tricks and did not hide his ambitions at all, which aroused Li Kuangwei's disgust. So he was sent out to be the magistrate of Jingcheng County, and later stationed in Yuzhou. When the rotation period was over and Liu Rengong led his troops to return home, it happened that Li Kuangchou rebelled and seized power. So the people supported Liu Rengong as the leader and launched an attack on Youzhou, hoping to seize power. Unexpectedly, he was defeated by Li Kuangchou in the Juyongguan area. Afterwards, Liu Rengong led the remnants to surrender to Li Keyong.

After joining Li Keyong, Liu Rengong constantly lobbied Li Keyong to use force against Youzhou, and asked to borrow troops, making a bold statement that as long as he was given 10,000 soldiers, he could easily conquer Youzhou and the Lulong Army.

At that time, Li Keyong was besieging Li Cunxiao in Xingzhou and could only send a few thousand soldiers.

"Okay, that's about right."

Liu Rengong was full of confidence and could not wait to lead his troops to fight back against Youzhou, but was defeated again. This, in turn, emboldened Li Kuangchou's arrogance.

Li Kuangchou thought that Li Keyong of Hedong was just a name, nothing special, so he led his troops to counterattack, invaded Hedong and looted it.

Li Cunxiao's pacification, Wang Rong's request for help, Liu Rengong's instigation, Li Kuangchou's suicide... Li Keyong finally decided to launch a large-scale attack on Youzhou Lulong Army!

Li Keyong came and proved a truth with his actions: anyone who despises the Shatuo cavalry will pay a heavy price.

In December of the first year of the Qianning reign of the Tang Dynasty (894), Li Keyong officially engaged in battle with Li Kuangchou, with the target being Xinzhou (now Zhuolu County, Hebei Province). In the field encounter, the Hedong Army won a great victory, killing more than Lulong troops and capturing generals alive. They strung them together with ropes and led them to the city for the defenders to see. That night, Xinzhou opened its gates and surrendered.

On the 23rd, Li Keyong reached Huailai County, Hebei Province today;

On the 24th, Li Keyong used the tactics of the main force to contain the enemy and the death squads to outflank the enemy, and defeated the Lulong Army at Juyong Pass, capturing and killing tens of thousands of people.

On the 26th, Li Kuangchou led his family to flee to the capital;

On the 28th, Li Keyong attacked Youzhou directly, and the defenders opened the city and surrendered.

In total, in less than a month, the Youzhou Lulong Army was annexed by Li Keyong.

Li Kuangchou was killed in Jingcheng County while fleeing, and his wealth and wives were looted. His stunningly beautiful wife was still breastfeeding and could not keep up with the main force. She was captured by Liu Rengong and transferred to Li Keyong, who took her as a concubine.

Li Kuangchou was always stupid and cowardly, and was deeply despised by his brother Li Kuangwei. When he coupled and seized power, Li Kuangwei said to those around him, "My brother's foundation was taken away by my younger brother, but at least it is still in the hands of our family. But Kuangchou is not very capable, and it would be a blessing if he can last for two years!"

Li Kuangwei's prediction was too accurate. Li Kuangchou did not serve for the full two years.

Liu Rengong and Li Cunshen were the first troops to enter Youzhou. After entering the city, they sealed the treasury, appeased the people, and waited for Li Keyong's arrival.

Li Keyong was quite satisfied with their work, and immediately recommended Liu Rengong as the successor of the Lulong Army, leaving him a part of the Hedong troops to assist him in governing the Lulong Army.

Although Li Keyong annexed the twelve states of Lulong in one fell swoop and greatly increased his power, the good times did not last long. Liu Rengong's growing ambition did not allow him to be under someone else for long, and he soon broke away from Li Keyong's control in Hedong.

Mainstream historians agree that the "Li Cunxiao Rebellion" incident seriously weakened Li Keyong's power, while Zhu Wen annexed Xuzhou Shi Pu at this time and eroded the two Zhus in Yan and Yun. It was precisely because of Li Cunxiao's rebellion that Li Keyong was at a disadvantage in the "Dragon-Tiger Fight between Jin and Bian" for a long period of time.

The two Zhus of Yan and Yun sent letters asking for help when Li Keyong was besieging Li Cunxiao. Li Keyong had no choice but to send the three An brothers with 500 cavalrymen to provide assistance through Wei Bo.

Just before Li Keyong swallowed up Youzhou, news came from the battlefield of Yanyun: the three An brothers were defeated and captured.

Thanks to my old friend “feitian” for his recommendation support!
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(End of this chapter)