Li Mi's Bull Horn Hanging Book

Li Yuan was originally a noble of the Sui Dynasty, and by inheriting the ancestral title, he became the Duke of Tang. In 617 AD, Emperor Yang of Sui sent him to Taiyuan as a garrison commander (official name) to suppress peasant uprisings. At first, he also won several battles, but later he felt calm when he saw that the rebel forces were getting stronger and more numerous.

Li Yuan has four sons. The second son, Li Shimin, was just eighteen years old at the time and was a very brave young man who liked to make friends with talented people. People also think he is generous and hospitable, and enjoy interacting with him. He saw that the rule of the Sui Dynasty would not last long and had already had his own plan in mind.

Liu Xianjing, the county magistrate of Jinyang (now Taiyuan, Shanxi), attached great importance to Li Shimin. Li Shimin also regards him as a close friend. Liu Xianjing is related to Li Mi. After Li Mi joined the uprising, Emperor Yang of Sui ordered the arrest of Li Mi's relatives and friends. Liu Xianjing was implicated, dismissed from her position, and imprisoned in a prison in Jinyang.

Li Shimin was very anxious when he heard that Liu Xianjing was in prison, so he rushed to the prison to visit her.

Li Shimin took Liu Xianjing's hand and said, "Brother Liu, I came to visit not only to renew our friendship, but mainly to ask for your help in coming up with an idea

Liu Xianjing had long known Li Shimin's thoughts. He said, 'Now that the emperor is far away in Jiangdu, Li Mi is approaching Dongdu, and there are people rebelling everywhere. This is a good opportunity to fight the world. I can help you collect 100000 troops, and your father has tens of thousands more under his command.'. If this force is used to rise up, invade Chang'an, and command the world, within six months, we can conquer the world

Li Shimin said happily, "You really touched my heart

Li Shimin returned home and thought about Liu Xianjing's words, the more he thought about them, the more he felt they made sense. But convincing his father is a difficult problem. Fortunately, at this time, the Turkic Khagan (one of the modern northern ethnic groups in China) north of Taiyuan attacked Mayi. Li Yuan sent troops to resist and connected to the defeated battle. Li Yuan was afraid that Emperor Yang of Sui would find out about this matter and hold him accountable. He was so anxious that he didn't know what to do.

Li Shimin seized this opportunity and approached Li Yuan to persuade him to rebel against Sui. Upon hearing this, Li Yuan was extremely frightened and said, "How could you say such a thing of no going up or down? If I go to report to the authorities, I will definitely arrest you

Li Shimin is not afraid and said, "If my father wants to sue, go ahead and sue. My son is not afraid of death

Of course, Li Yuan wouldn't really report it, he just reminded him not to say such things in the future.

After hesitating for a long time, Li Yuan let out a deep sigh and said, "Last night, I thought about what you said, and it made sense. I can't even come up with a clear idea. From now on, even if I'm displaced, I can still turn my family into a country, thanks to you

Li Yuan released Liu Xianjing from the prison in Jinyang. Liu Xianjing helped Li Shimin by recruiting troops and buying horses separately. Li Yuan sent someone to call back his other two sons, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, who were fighting in Hedong.

The two deputy left behind in Taiyuan saw the abnormal behavior of Li Yuan and his son and came up with an idea to obstruct it. Li Yuan used them as an excuse to collude with the Turks and arrested and killed them.

Li Yuan obeyed Liu Xianjing's plan and sent someone to prepare a generous gift to negotiate peace with the Turkic Khan, inviting him to rebel against Sui along the way. The Turkic Khagan believed that doing so would benefit them, so he agreed to help Li Yuan.

Li Yuan stabilized the Turkic faction and officially rose up against Sui. Li Yuan claimed to be the Grand General and appointed Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin as the Left and Right Commander in Chief, while Liu Xianjing was appointed as the Sima. He also referred to the soldiers as "righteous soldiers". They led 30000 troops to leave Jinyang and march towards Chang'an. Continuously recruiting troops along the way, and learning from the methods of peasant uprisings, opening official warehouses to distribute grain to the poor. In this way, more and more people are being recruited.

The Tang army arrived in Huoyi (now Huoxian County, Shanxi Province) and was intercepted by General Song Laosheng of the Sui Dynasty. The road in the Huoyi area is narrow, and it has been raining heavily for several days in a row, causing the transportation of military grain by the Tang army to be suspended. There are also rumors among the soldiers that the Turkic soldiers are preparing to launch a surprise attack on Jinyang. Li Yuan has just become strong and wants to withdraw his troops and return to Jinyang.

Li Shimin said to Li Yuan, "It's the autumn harvest season now, and there is plenty of food in the wilderness, even if there is a shortage of food! Song Laosheng is not to be feared. We summon the world in the name of righteous soldiers. If we retreat before the war, it will be disappointing. Returning to Jinyang will cut off our way back

Li Jiancheng also supports his younger brother's proposal. Li Yuan finally changed his mind and canceled his plan to withdraw troops.

One day in August, the long rain had just cleared up. Early in the morning, Tang Jun hurriedly marched along the mountain side alley and arrived at the outskirts of Huoyi City. Li Yuan first sent Jiancheng to lead dozens of cavalry to challenge under the city. Upon seeing the shortage of Tang soldiers, Song Laosheng personally led 30000 troops out of the city. Li Shimin led his troops from a high position and charged down from the southern hill, leaving Song Laosheng's men and horses in disarray. Song Laosheng quickly turned around and wanted to escape back to the city. Li Yuan's soldiers have occupied the city and tightly closed the city gates. Song Laosheng was at a dead end and was killed by the Tang army.

After the Tang army captured Huoyi, they continued to advance westward and crossed the Yellow River with the cooperation of the peasant army in Guanzhong. Li Yuan's daughter, who stayed in Chang'an, also recruited more than 10000 troops, known as the "Women's Army", to respond to the Tang army's entry into the pass.

Li Yuan gathered over 200000 troops to attack Chang'an. The Sui army stationed in Chang'an is useless to resist. After Li Yuan captured Chang'an, in order to win the hearts of the people, he announced the Twelve Articles of the Constitution, abolished all the harsh laws and regulations of the Sui Dynasty, and temporarily appointed Yang You (pronounced y ò u), the grandson of Emperor Yang of Sui, as a nominal emperor.

In the scorching summer of the second year (618 AD), news came from Jiangdu that Emperor Yang of Sui had been killed. Li Yuan deposed Yang You and proclaimed himself emperor, changing the country's name to Tang. This is Tang Gaozu.