Who was the military general who survived Qin Shi Huang Liu Bang and finally became the emperor?
While opposing the Han Dynasty, he single-handedly created the glory of the Nanyue Kingdom. Who still remembers Zhao Tuo's legendary life today? This is a story of ups and downs from lieutenant general to emperor, and Zhao Tuo is closely linked to the achievements and glory of the Nanyue Kingdom.
We can't help but ask, how did an ordinary Qin general settle down in Lingnan and finally ascend to the throne? How much effort and wisdom does it take? How does his complex relationship with the Han Dynasty reflect the political game of the troubled times at that time?
Qin Nan conquered Lingnan, and Zhao Tuo showed his majesty for the first time.
After unifying China in 219 BC, Qin Shi Huang decided to expand his territory even further. He set his sharp eyes on the Lingnan region and was determined to conquer this exotic region by force. At this time, Zhao Tuo was only a lieutenant general of the Qin army, and his superiors ordered him to conquer Baiyue.
Faced with the humid and rainy climate in the Lingnan region, Qin Jun felt a little uncomfortable. Here cicadas are constantly chirping, the forests are lush, and there are many hills and hills. The Baiyue people relied on this place for their survival, and occasionally captured the Qin army. These sturdy warriors would weave through the forest, silently and quickly attacking the Qin army's baggage caravans with trebuchets and poisoned arrows.
The commander Tu Youyou is experienced, but the enemy is very cunning. These deep mountains and old forests are like the Baiyue people's own back garden, and they know everything about every place that can be ambushed. On this day, the Baiyue people set a trap halfway up the mountain...
Tu Xu fell to the ground with an arrow, and the Qin army was in chaos. At this time, Zhao Tuo stabilized the morale of the army, quickly adjusted the deployment, and carried out a strategic retreat. In order to avoid another ambush, he personally led the team that opened the way and cautiously returned to the camp.
That night, fear and sadness filled the camp. The soldiers wept and mourned for their comrades and commanders. At that moment, Zhao Tuo's mood was also very heavy. He knew that if he wanted to win in this land thousands of miles away, he had to change his strategy, otherwise he would end up in blood and tears.
Zhao Tuo raised his eyebrows at the two generals of the southern expedition.
In 214, the Qin court again marched south. This time, Ren Huan was appointed as the chief general, and Zhao Tuo continued to serve as the deputy general. After years of training, Zhao Tuo became an experienced commander. He consulted Ren Huan many times, carefully studied the topography of Lingnan, and summarized the tactics of the Baiyue people. This time, the officers and men of the Han army were well prepared and excellent. The vanguard marched through the forest, alert for a possible ambush. The main force followed and quickly set up camp. Baggage trucks follow closely to minimise**.
After a series of fierce battles, Zhao Tuo finally found the weak link in Baiyue's defense. He personally organized a night attack and captured the Baiyue camp in one fell swoop. As a result, the morale of the Qin army was greatly boosted, and the tribes of Lingnan surrendered one after another. The southern expedition was a complete success, and Zhao Tuo became famous because of it!
In order to strengthen the management of Lingnan, the Qin court set up three counties in Lingnan. Because of his outstanding political achievements, Zhao Tuo was promoted to the commander of Longchuan County and began the journey of pacifying Lingnan. During his tenure, Zhao Tuo began to improve people's livelihood, build water conservancy, promote agricultural technology, and ensure local stability.
Zhao Tuo stabilized the situation and took control of Lingnan.
But the good times didn't last long. In 210 AD, civil strife broke out in the Qin Dynasty, and the ** dynasty collapsed overnight. This news is undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for Lingnan **. Many ** are overwhelmed and even leave their jobs to save their lives.
Le Zhaotuo calmly analyzed the situation and believed that this was a great opportunity to take the position. He quickly closed all the mountain passes in Nanling to stop the news from spreading. A month later, the outside world only knew that Shannan was peaceful, and did not know anything about the regime change in Shanbei.
In the days that followed, Zhao Tuo tried to weaken the Qin dynasty's power in Lingnan. He carefully bought hearts and minds and pacified his subjects. Many generals and ** were loyal to him and became his confidants. By 196, Zhao Tuo was firmly in control of Lingnan.
In 196 AD, the Han Dynasty named Zhao Tuo the king of Nanyue.
Liu Bang, the ruler of the Han Dynasty in the north, also noticed the changes in Lingnan. He sent an envoy, Lu Jia, to find out the truth. Lu Jia was surprised to find that a man named Zhao Tuo had taken control of Lingnan and proclaimed himself king.
When Zhao Tuo met the Han envoys, he was courteous and polite, indicating that he still regarded the Han Dynasty as a sovereign state. Lu Jia was impressed by his wisdom and astuteness. After some negotiations, Zhao Tuo accepted the title of King of Nanyue and became a courtier of the Han Dynasty.
This strengthened Zhao Tuo's dominance in South Vietnam and officially incorporated this fertile land into the Han Dynasty. After Zhao Tuo was officially recognized by the Han court, he continued to promote political, economic, and cultural reforms. He worked hard to develop agriculture, conserve water, reuse talent, simplify taxation, and integrate the Central Plains and Lingnan cultures to make this small border country more prosperous.
Zhao Tuo dominated and rebelled against the Han Dynasty.
But the good times didn't last long. After Gaozu's death, Empress Lü, who had coveted the throne for a long time, took over power. She suspected that the princes were too powerful, so she began to purge them. Zhao Tuo, the king of Nanyue, watched the changes in the north, fearing that his position would be threatened. So in 196 BC, he categorically declared the independence of South Vietnam, proclaiming himself Emperor Wu of South Vietnam!
This move angered Empress Lu. She immediately sent troops south, wanting to kill Zhao Tuo. But she underestimated the cunning king. Zhao Tuo had long been prepared for a fierce battle with the Han army in the familiar jungles and swamps. The time and place were favorable, and the South Vietnamese army won a complete victory.
After years of fierce fighting, the Han army was almost at a stalemate. At this time, Emperor Wen Liu Heng ascended the throne and decided to mend relations with South Vietnam, and sent Lu Jia back to apologize to Zhao Tuo. Zhao Tuo expressed satisfaction with Han Ting's formal apology and once again submitted to Han Ting.
Subsequently, under the wise leadership of Zhao Tuo, the state of South Vietnam flourished. He introduced a series of reform measures and achieved remarkable results. In Zhao Tuo's later years, Nanyue became a prosperous and powerful kingdom. In the beautiful city, the children's laughter is endless.
In 137 BC, Zhao Tuo died at the age of 100. His exploits have left a deep imprint in the hearts of the people, and the reputation of a generation of kings has been passed down through the ages. His grandson, Zhao Hu, inherited the throne of the Nanyue Kingdom and established the Nanyue Dynasty on the basis of its merits, which continues to this day.