The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 377: Attack Qi
On the eighth day of the first lunar month in the first year of Wuding in the Great Qi Dynasty and the first year of Zhenbao in the Great Tang Dynasty, Li Xianzhong led the main force of the Tang army from Pianguan County, officially starting his eastern expedition to the pinnacle of power.

Before the departure, Li Xianzhong ordered General Tian Yinxiu to stay behind at Pianguan, and ordered Xianzhong's wife Ai and some of the six government officials to stay behind at Pianguan.

A group of Tang Dynasty officials, including Prime Minister Ma Jinxing and military advisor Yuan Xiance, accompanied the army and were called "Xingzai".

After the Tang army entered Pingyang, the prefect Wang Lingran surrendered. After a short rest, the army marched towards Taiyuan.

At the same time, Zhang Yan and other troops stationed in northern Shaanxi also dispatched troops according to a unified deployment.

"Cross the river from Zhizhou, attack the officers and soldiers guarding the crossing along the river, cut off the reinforcements from Taiyuan, and open the way to the west."

When the people of the Three Jins saw the Tang army, they looked forward to it like a drought yearning for rainbows or an infant yearning for its parents, because the Tang army did not kill or commit adultery and did not collect taxes wherever it passed.

In order to deal with the situation of public disintegration and defeat without a fight, Shanxi Governor Cai Minde, together with medical scholar Fu Shan and others, fabricated a letter in the name of Qin Guotai and Li Da'an.

The content of the post roughly said that the bandits in Shanxi were torturing and oppressing the people, burning, killing, looting and committing all kinds of atrocities, and were worse than beasts.

The government posted notices all over Taiyuan City, hoping to fool the people and fight the bandits to the end.

Unfortunately, the people were not fools. They had no good feelings towards either the Ming Dynasty or the Qi Dynasty. Not only did they not resist the bandits, many of them also acted as guides, leading the Tang army to attack the city.

Cai Minde was not only facing the heavy pressure of the Tang army, but the situation within the Shanxi officialdom was also not optimistic.

Lord Cai personally went to Pingyang to arrange river defense. He planned to control the Yellow River ferry and prevent the bandits from moving further east.

As there was no food or grass, Lord Cai requested the two princes of the Jin vassal state in Pingyang, Prince Xihe and Prince Jiaocheng, to take the lead in "persuading the gentry and people to donate money", but no one agreed to donate money.

The river defense plan thus completely failed, and the King of Jin in Taiyuan sent people to urge the prefect Cai to return to Taiyuan to defend the city. When Cai Minde returned to Taiyuan, the inspector Wang Zongyou impeached him for abandoning Pingyang without authorization.

In order to protect his hometown from being ravaged by bandits, Fu Shan rushed to Hebei to ask the local garrison to rescue Taiyuan, saying that only by preserving Taiyuan could the southern Shanxi region have hope of recovery and the capital area would have a protection.

Although the local defenders did not participate in the "Battle of Jingnan" led by Zhang Chun not long ago, they did not have much identification with Liu Zhaosun's Great Qi and felt that there was no need to protect the "Jifu", so they flatly rejected Fu Shan's request.

With a series of bold moves by the defenders in various places, the Tang army advanced rapidly in Shanxi.

On the sixth day of February, Li Xianzhong successfully arrived in Taiyuan.

Jin Wang Zhu Qiugui took out three thousand silver coins and sent them to the top of the city to "recruit soldiers to kill the bandits." However, Shanxi Provincial Education Commissioner Li Zhisheng deducted the silver coins and replaced the cash with Huitong commercial bills issued by Shanxi merchants, which further lowered the morale of the defenders.

On the morning of the eighth day, Guan Ying, a deputy commander of the governor's battalion, surrendered at the Xinnan Gate, and the Tang army occupied Taiyuan. Zhu Qiugui was captured alive, Cai Minde committed suicide, and the provincial governor Zhao Jianji, the Ningdao inspector Bi Gongchen, the Ningdao defender Mao Bingwen, the grain supervisor Lin Gangzhong, and the Taiyuan prefect Sun Kangzhou were all executed.

It is worth mentioning that Li Zhisheng, who withheld military pay and caused the fall of Taiyuan, knelt before Li Xianzhong and cried after being captured by bandits:
"Grandpa Li Shimin, please spare my life! I have been in office for three months and have not yet entered the examination hall." Li Xuedao's meaning was very clear. He had just taken office and had not yet started working for Emperor Wuding.

It is impossible for him to work. He will never work for Liu Zhaosun in this life, let alone receive a salary of one or two taels of silver from the Great Qi State, so he should not suffer for the Great Qi State now.

Han Lin, a scholar who had surrendered to the Tang army, also pleaded for Li Xuedao. Han Lin said that Li Xuedao was "a great writer in the world" and a role model for scholars in Shanxi.

In order to win over scholars, Li Xianzhong hired this role model of Shanxi scholars on the spot, and asked Li Zhisheng to be in charge of this year's Tang Dynasty imperial examination to select talents like him who are both virtuous and capable for the emperor.

"Our Emperor is wise and virtuous. The Tang Dynasty is flourishing, and the Tang army is unstoppable! The defeat of Liu Bang is imminent!"

Emperor Zhenbao Li Xianzhong rested in Xijing (Taiyuan) for half a month, training troops, appointing local officials, arresting officials and gentry of the Great Qi, and recovering stolen goods to help with military expenses.

On February 26, Li Xianzhong led his army north to attack Ningwu. On the same day, he issued the famous Zhenbao Year 1 Edict (also known as "The Edict for the People of the World to Punish the Tyranny of Qi"). The full text of the edict is as follows:
God's observation is truly seeking only the relief of suffering. As the people come to revive, fate is unpredictable, and human nature is even more evident. By studying past dynasties, we know the reasons for gain and loss; by learning from the past and understanding the present, we always understand the reasons for neglect.

The false traitor Liu, in the past, because of the late Ming Dynasty, used his foxy charm to plot against the emperor's treasures, breaking into boxes to steal the sacred artifacts. When he inherited the throne, he had the heart of a wolf and a tiger, and began to dim the light of the Ming and the two, and eventually he took over the position of Shaoyang.

When Emperor Shenzong was seriously ill, the traitor Liu Bei was causing chaos in Liaodong. He entered the capital under the pretext of pacifying the rebellion, and then became a tyrant and poisoned the young master. He abused his power and coerced the young master, sleeping in the dragon bed at night. This is unacceptable to heaven and earth, and it angered both humans and gods! This is his first crime.

Dayu was not as valuable as a foot-long wall, and Emperor Guangwu was not as detached as a limb. Thus, they were concerned and diligent, deeply concerned about the injustices. But the traitor Liu was addicted to wine, reveling in singing and dancing, and he recruited many virtuous women to fill his harem. He even poisoned his wife, Zhang, and took a Korean beauty as his queen. He abandoned the nobles of China and surrendered to the barbarians. The punishments meted out to the King of Shang and the King of Han were minor, and the crimes committed by the King of Han were even lesser. They alarmed the people both within and without, and disappointed those far and wide. This is his second sin.

The sage's original intention was to avoid wind and rain, not to seek the splendor of cinnabar and jade, but rather the beauty of silk and brocade! Thus, the expansive construction of the Xuanshi Palace led to the downfall of the Shang Dynasty; the rise of the Afang Palace led to the fall of the Second Emperor. Yet, the traitor Liu disregarded the ancient traditions and the previous rules. He established numerous garrisons and Taoist temples, indulging in supernatural powers and depleting the wealth of the world. Even ghosts could not cope with this, and laboring human beings was unacceptable. This is his third sin.

Ancient sage kings used divination and tours of prefecture and state, lasting five years during the Tang and Yu dynasties and one for the Zhou. They intended to personally inquire about the sufferings of the people and to understand rumors, but instead they stored firewood and fodder, preparing abundant food supplies. When the righteous rule of the world is maintained abroad, the barbarians will not invade the Chinese, and virtue is not a danger. Yet, the traitor Liu pursued the Qin dynasty, building a new base and raiding its ruins. Corpses covered the fields, blood flowed like rivers, and resentment filled the mountains and rivers, while wails shook heaven and earth. This is his fourth sin.

East of the Liao River lies the land of Korea, where the sun rises in the east, the land of Fusang. The "Tribute of Yu" considers it a barbaric and unruly state, abandoned by the King of Zhou and refusing to submit. Taizu considered it a state unconquered, not seeking to expand its territory. Yet, the traitor Liu relied on his numerous strength, building up his army and indulging in war, intent on annexation, without considering long-term strategies. Fuchai's fall from grace was due to the Treaty of Huangchi; Fu Jian's destruction stemmed from the Battle of Shouchun. He sought to capture the chirping cicada, unaware of the ammunition behind. They glared at each other, their hair combed, and marched in formation. The righteous man gnashed his teeth, the brave man clenched his fists. This is his fifth sin.

The key to appointing officials and assigning duties is to evaluate and assess them; investigating and investigating crimes is to avoid corruption. Yet, the traitor Liu appointed people based on personal connections, formed factions to suppress dissidents, and promoted cruel officials. He exploited the stench of money for the sake of public office. Liang Ji accepted a snake in exchange for gold, while Meng Tuo recommended grape wine. This led to the destruction of traditional ethics, the establishment of government through bribery, and the rule of gentlemen in the countryside while traitors in power. He followed the advice of Ji An, and his pockets were not enough to harm Zhao Yi's tribute. This is his sixth sin.

Since the tyrant usurped the throne, he has been on annual tours, touring the north and south, and conquering the east and west. He has conquered Japan in the east, Mongolia in the west, occupied the White Lotus in the south, and defeated the Rakshasa in the north. The number of foreign troops is countless. Those who have achieved meritorious service must be rewarded with official titles. But the traitor Liu is untrustworthy and fickle. He bestows honors in times of crisis, but disregards his decrees when victory is secured. He is like Shang Yang bestowing gold, like Xiang Yu cutting off his seal. Among all the brave men, who does not harbor grudges? As for the humblest of men, who have kept their promises, yet now in the imperial carriage, they double-cross their virtues. This is his seventh sin.

If even one of these things is present, it is certain that the country will perish. Moreover, if the four directions are not extended, the three spirits will be exhausted, no matter how great or small. Even fools, both men and women, agree that the Yin dynasty will fall, and all know that the Xia dynasty will be destroyed. Even if the bamboos in the Nanshan Mountains are exhausted, the crimes of the Liu traitor cannot be exhausted; even if the waves of the East Sea are broken, the evils of the Qi River cannot be fully described.

I, rising from humble beginnings, have witnessed the haggard appearance of the common people and felt their pain. Thinking of the entire land, all of them are suffering from hardship. How could I bear to see the people of Yishui and Yanshan not recover from the disaster? I have personally gone to Hengji to pacify the people of Qian. I am still worried that you, the ruler and your subjects, have not yet grasped the emperor's heart and understood my intentions.

Therefore, I solemnly warn you: If you can understand Heaven and remember your ancestors, and measure your virtue and discern your destiny, I will extend my benefits to those who came before me, without sparing any extraordinary number. Like Qi and Song, may your sacrifices be eternal, demonstrating your filial piety; may you have a home and a family, and may the people celebrate, demonstrating your benevolence. May all craftsmen strive to protect their livelihoods, continue the generous salaries of their descendants, and carry on the good reputation of their guests. May you diligently carry out your plans, and may your friendship be unwavering.

Like the barking dog of Yao, blinded by the thought of success, clinging to the wrong path and refusing to turn back, you will set Kunshan on fire, destroying everything, and then you will regret it too late! The Yellow River, which flows across the land, confirms my daily words; the bright sun, which shines across the sky, understands my diligent intentions. Announce this throughout the land, so that all may know.

(End of this chapter)