The Battle of the Gentleman's Pavilion
The Battle of the Gentleman’s Pavilion.
The Battle of Junziguan took place in the winter of 986 (the fourth year of Tonghe of the Liao Dynasty and the third year of Yongxi of the Song Dynasty). During the Song-Liao War, the Liao army attacked Yingzhou of the Song Dynasty (governing today's Hejian, Hebei Province). Northwest of Hejian, Hebei Province) defeated the Song Army in a battle.
The Song army was defeated by the Liao army when the weather was too cold to use bows and arrows. Liu Tingrang's troops were "completely wiped out, with tens of thousands of dead", and the Song army's Hebei defense line was severely damaged.
In the third year of Yongxi's reign, after the Battle of Qigou Pass between the Song and Liao Dynasties, the Song army withdrew to Gaoyang (now east of Gaoyang, Hebei), Dingzhou (the public security was good, now Dingzhou, Hebei), Daizhou (now Dingzhou, Hebei) Dai County, Shanxi Province) front-line defense. Taizong Zhao Guangyi ordered Li Jilong to deploy for Cangzhou capital, Yang Chongjin to deploy for Gaoyangguan, Liu Tingrang to deploy for Yingzhou military and horse capital, Tian Chongjin to deploy for Dingzhou capital, Zhang Qixian knew Daizhou, divided his troops to guard the key areas of border counties to defend Liao. The Liao Dynasty took advantage of the Song Dynasty to switch to the defensive and launched a large-scale attack.
In November, Empress Dowager Xiao Chuo appointed Brother Yelvxiu as the vanguard commander, leading tens of thousands of cavalry to march into Yingzhou, and then led a large army to follow. At the same time, Pu Nuning, the king of the Northern Court, was ordered to lead his army out of Fengshengzhou (now Zhuolu, Hebei) to feign an attack on Daizhou to contain the Song Dynasty's western front army from the east. He also ordered Xiao Jiyuan, the commander of Ma Du, and others to strictly guard the southern border.
On November 28, 986 (the third year of Yongxi reign of Song Taizong and the fourth year of Tonghe reign of Emperor Shengzong of Liao Dynasty), the Liao army arrived in Tangxing County and began to clash with the Song army. At that time, the Song army was stationed in the north of Hutuo Bridge, and Liao selected generals to attack, firing a volley of troops and advancing to burn Hutuo Bridge. On the 29th, Lu Bugu, the military envoy of Liao's Chu Special Department, and Yelvpan, the governor of the Liao Dynasty, clashed with the Song army in Mancheng. Because Lu Bugu escaped before the battle, the Liao army failed. On the other hand, Liao general Tuaci Shuangguli encountered the Song army's vanguard at Wangdu. They fought for a while, captured nine people, and captured eleven armored horses.
After several small-scale battles, Liao Shengzong issued rewards and punishments: Lu Bugu, who was defeated because he escaped from the battle, was arrested and his charges were announced to the entire army. All of them were punished with sticks, and Yuzhan Langjun Hua Ge Quanchu was appointed as the governor of the special ministry, and Hengzhang Langjun Foliu was appointed as the capital supervisor to replace Lu Bugu and Yelvpan respectively; while the victorious Tuaci Shuangguli said " Give him wine and silverware."
The Song Dynasty had actually already known that the Liao army was about to invade and was well prepared. However, the Liao army's initial attack was very sporadic and the scale of the battle was quite small, unlike the imminent war. From late November to early December, there was no major war for a long time. Song Taizong became a little impatient in Bianjing, so he ordered the Dingzhou capital to deploy Tian Chongjin to take the initiative to attack Liao Qigou Pass, and ordered the Yingzhou military and horse forces to deploy Liu Tingrang to prepare. March north to find the main force of the Liao army and fight it.
Tian Chongjin was ordered to lead troops out of Dingzhou on the fourth day of December, and successfully attacked Qigou Pass on the fifth day of December, but did not find the main force of the Liao army. On the same day, the Liao army's vanguard commander Yelvxiu Ge's troops defeated the Song army in Wangdu.
At this time, Liu Tingrang, who was deployed in Yingzhou in the Song Dynasty, was ordered to defend the enemy. Knowing that the Liao army was strong, he discussed with Li Jilong, who was deployed in Cangzhou, in advance, and left the elite troops with Li Jilong's troops as the rear guard, thinking that they would be urgent reinforcements, and made an appointment with Li Jilong. Li Jingyuan's troops joined forces and promised to take Youji directly.
When Brother Yelvxiu learned that Liu Tingrang had come to resist, he first sent troops to seize the dangerous point, and then cooperated with the main force of the Liao army to encircle the Song army. It was very cold at that time, and the Song army was wearing thin clothes, their hands and feet were numb, and they could not control their bows and crossbows, which was very disadvantageous. On the ninth day of the lunar month, the Liao army intercepted the Song army's baggage and burned its grain and grass. On the tenth day of the lunar month, the main force of the Liao army defeated the Song army in Mozhou, and finally surrounded the Song army in the Junziguan area.
Before the start of this battle, He Lingtu, the pioneer of the Song army and the governor of Xiongzhou, received a message from Brother Yelvxiu through a spy: "I have been convicted of Khitan, and I am willing to return to the Southern Dynasty." At that time. He did not realize that this was a false surrender, but instead believed in his words and privately gave him twelve taels of heavy brocade.
At this time, the Song army was surrounded, and Brother Yelv Xiu sent people to spread the word: "I would like to see Xiongzhou He Shijun." I came to accept the surrender as previously agreed, and I was very happy. He wanted to monopolize this "great achievement", and without discussing with the generals, he personally led dozens of cavalry to "visit" the Liao camp in a ostentatious manner.
This move is tantamount to sending a sheep into the tiger's mouth. Brother Yelvxiu saw that he had really taken the bait. He sat on the bed and cursed: "You have tasted the longitude side affairs, but now you are sending yourself to death!" "Immediately ordered to kill his subordinates and captured He Lingtu.
The Song army was heavily surrounded by the Liao army. Liu Tingrang could only count on Li Jilong's reinforcements at that time, but Li Jilong did not rescue him as promised, but instead retreated to protect Leshou. Liu Tingrang's orders were not answered every day, and the land and earth were ineffective. He was unable to win the battle and was unable to break out of the encirclement. The Liao army's offensive was fierce. The Song general Zhongzuo's brave commander Sangzan led his troops to fight vigorously from morning to afternoon. However, the Liao army continued to receive reinforcements. Sangzan was defeated and fled with his troops. The Song army was completely annihilated.
Liu Tingrang escaped with his life on the horse of his subordinates, but Yang Chongjin, the defense envoy of Wuzhou of the Song Army and deployed at Gaoyangguan, died in a fierce battle (the history of the Liao Dynasty said that Yang Chongjin was captured alive, and the original biography of Yelvxiu Ge also said that he killed the Song general Li Jingyuan) . The Song army suffered heavy losses in this battle, with tens of thousands of people killed.