In the prosperous age of the Tang Dynasty, there were as many famous generals as stars, each of them was brave and good at fighting and honored their ancestors. Among so many famous generals, there is an unpopular general whose strength is inversely proportional to his fame - Su Dingfang .
Su Dingfang's film and television drama image
He is young and promising, inheriting the rich experience of his father's generation. He has repeatedly made meritorious deeds in driving out bandits and became a battlefield hero at a young age.
originally thought that he should have achieved fame when he was young, but after winning a battle, he was forgotten and hidden by Li Shimin . When he came back to fight again, he was already sixty years old, and his hair and beard were all white. Although he was feared by Li Shimin, he was respected and regarded as a famous general by future generations.
The strength accumulated at a young age
Su Dingfang followed his father to fight against bandits when he was a teenager. He is experienced and invincible. Later, as a young man, he joined the rebel army Dou Jiande .
Dou Jiande paid special attention to Su Dingfang. Following Dou Jiande, Su Dingfang fought against many bandits and thieves, and his experience on horseback increased day by day. But Dou Jiande was put down and defeated soon after.
Then he defected to Liu Heita. Liu Heitai was also one of the rebels against the Tang Dynasty . Liu Heitai was extremely powerful. Su Dingfang followed him and fought against the Tang Dynasty several times and returned in triumph.
Li Shimin was troubled by this. After many hard struggles, he finally defeated Liu Heitai and his party members. However, because he was afraid of the revenge of the other parties and in order to avoid the destruction of life, the war continued.
Li Shimin chose to execute only Liu Heita and released his men back to their hometowns. It is destined that Su Dingfang's life should not be cut off, he will be blessed later!
Made great contributions with hard work
In the fourth year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin ordered the Northern Expedition to Jieli Khan. It was far from enough to have strong generals in the DPRK. After comprehensive consideration, Li Shimin decided to make a seemingly risky decision: to recruit the old rebel army from the people and gather the forces of all parties to go out!
Su Dingfang, who had followed two rebel uprisings, became a high-quality candidate in Li Shimin's mind. At this time, Su Dingfang had nowhere to seek refuge and had returned to his hometown to farm for a living.
After receiving the olive branch extended by Li Shimin, Su Dingfang resolutely put on his SNSD armor again and joined the famous Li Jing army.
Su Dingfang's strength was not diminished at all, and he quickly penetrated into the enemy camp as bravely as ever, killing the soldiers of Jieli Khan by surprise, and all the enemy troops were captured without help! Li Shimin's major worry since he ruled the country has been removed!
Su Dingfang was officially accepted by Li Shimin because of his great achievements and was named the Left Guard Zhonglang General. The Zuowei Zhonglang General at that time can be compared to the acting commander of the current modern army.
When the commander-in-chief is absent, General Zuowei Zhonglang can immediately take his place, issue military orders, and take charge of the army. The salary is two thousand dan (60 acres of land). Under these rewards and seals, Su Dingfang felt that he was alive again. Fighting on the battlefield, galloping and waving on horseback can only make his blood boil!
The Hidden Mystery
After Su Dingfang made this hard-earned contribution, he met Li Shimin who was ambitiously planning to continue to expand the territory. The whole country and even Su Dingfang himself thought that he was definitely someone who would be reused. From then on, he rose to prominence and his official career was smooth.
However, when Li Shimin tried to regain the border countries such as Xue Yantuo in the north, Gaochang Kingdom in the west, Tuguhun in the northeast, and Goguryeo in the northeast, Su Dingfang did not appear in any of the wars.
After regaining Jieli Khan, the young and powerful Su Dingfang was no longer dispatched by Li Shimin in every important war. Even Su Dingfang himself could not understand this doubt. Historical data records that because there were many famous generals in the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin forgot about Su Dingfang, so he did not send him to fight.
However, some people speculated that it was because of Li Shimin's selfishness. At that time, Jieli Khan was indestructible, so Li Shimin took the risk and chose to recruit rebel troops to help in the decisive battle.
took full advantage of the rebel team, including Su Dingfang. Moreover, Su Dingfang was a subordinate of Liu Heitai, who had fought against Li Shimin many times.Naturally, he had a grudge and was very wary of Su Dingfang's extraordinary combat prowess. I'm afraid that it will be counterattacked after reusing him many times.
So after Jieli Khan won the battle, he hid it in the snow. Although the position is as high as Zuowei Zhonglang General, this title seems to be lower than one person in the military camp and higher than ten thousand people. However, until he loses the official command of the army, it is actually a position with no real power and no title. He was forgotten by history when he was at his most fertile and in his prime, and this forgetfulness lasted for twenty-five years.
The second half of life after a new start
After Li Shimin's victory in the campaign against Jieli Khan, the Goguryeo Kingdom fought against him many times, but they never succeeded. After Tang Gaozong succeeded to the throne, he continued Li Shimin's unfinished work of expanding the territory and national industry.
In the sixth year of Yonghui , Li Zhi did not introduce the talents of the Italian army like Li Shimin's knot, so he remembered Su Dingfang again at this time. At this time, Su Dingfang was recognized by Bole for the second time in his life, and was summoned by Li Zhi to recover the Western Turkic lands.
He obliged and immediately put on the armor again. When he first put on the armor for the country, he was young and arrogant and high-spirited. When he put on the armor for the second time, he was already in his 60s, and his temples were gray.
But this does not prevent Su Dingfang from still being brave and resourceful and invincible. When recovering the Western Turks, he was good at the tactic of capturing thieves first to capture the king before they were prepared, and he was good at using elite troops to raid, night raids and other strategies to capture alive the leaders and important soldiers of various countries.
Therefore, during the period of being reused by Li Zhi, important military achievements such as the destruction of the Western Turks, the Ping Congling Rebellion, the Yi Baekje, the conquest of Goryeo, and the Tubo victory were established ! He made a very important contribution to the Tang Dynasty’s long-lasting expansion of its territory!
Therefore, Su Dingfang was promoted to General Zuo Xiaowei and titled Xing Guogong due to his outstanding military performance. This is the second time he has been promoted since the grant was stagnant for twenty-five years.
's return and recognition this time made Su Dingfang undistracted and serve Li Zhi without hesitation.
The late bloomer Su Dingfang
Su Dingfang seems to have been born to be a talent on the battlefield. Only fighting for the country and working hard to wipe out the enemy is his destiny. Although was scrupulous and hidden after making great achievements.
However, he still achieved extraordinary results in the mission of being called back by the state. He was called the "Eternal Famous General" by the world as an unprecedented and unmatched general. Su Dingfang returned after being away for half his life, and his performance was still the same as before. Li Zhi loved him sincerely.
In his later years, Su Dingfang had spared no effort to stick to the battlefield for Li Zhi's era. In his seventies, he was still guarding the front line of the battlefield in Tuyuhun, with no intention of retreating.
Because he knows that the value of his life must be realized in fighting, living to kill enemies and living for war. The display of his talents was a precious opportunity given to him by Li Zhi, so Su Dingfang was willing to serve Li Zhi without any regrets during his lifetime.
"Su Dingfang has made great contributions to the country, and he has received praises and gifts, but the ministers and others did not say anything, so the mourning and honor did not come. After mentioning this, I feel sad." (Old Tang Book).
After Su Dingfang passed away, Li Zhi did not receive the news immediately. Devastated by the loss of his talents, he complained that other ministers did not inform him in time and failed to bestow more honors on him while he was still alive.
Later, Su Dingfang was posthumously awarded the title of General Zuo Xiao and the governor of Youzhou . From then on, Su Dingfang's life finally came true. He was born on the battlefield and spent his last days on the battlefield.
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