A Rivalry For The Ages
Emperor Taizong (also known as the Tang prince Li Shimin) was not yet worthy of his status as Emperor of China, and first needed to dispel two rival warlords—Dou Jiande (leader of the Xia regime) and Wang Schichong (the self-declared Zheng Emperor). While this 1v2 may have seemed disadvantageous given the 100,000-strong army that Dou Jiande commanded, Taizong had a few tricks up his sleeve.
With fewer than 10,000 soldiers at his disposal, Li Shimin had already cemented himself as a general capable of victory after blockading Wang in his capital of Luoyang and seizing the remainder of Henan province. Following this disappointing victory, Wang Schichong joined forces with Dou Jiande to bolster his defence in preparation for the next battle.
A Battle Of Wits
In April of 621, Dou Jiande led his massive army to confront the Tang forces, at which time Li Shimin’s generals urged him to protect Shanxi and surrender the northeastern plains (the heartland of China). Unwilling to give up these territories, Li Shimin took a risk and instead led his small force to occupy the strategic Hulao Pass.
These advantageous defensive positions held off the Xia forces for weeks until Li Shimin made the ultimate decision to pretend to order part of his forces to carry out a northerly attack. Dou Jiande took this bait readily and advanced his troops to prepare for an attack, but Li Shimin was one step ahead. He ordered his troops to hold back for several hours, exhausting Dou Jiande’s soldiers, who were forced to wait under the hot sun for hours in formation. When dissent began to break out amongst the tired ranks, Li Shimin attacked, breaking the army and capturing Dou Jiande.
With his partner in battle captured, Wang Shichong had no option but to surrender. Both of their states were then absorbed by the Tang. The Battle of Hulao is credited with the collapse of the Sui Dynasty, and heralded the arrival of the powerful Tang.
Emperor Taizong
Stay tuned for more Conqueror’s Tales during Dragonrise!
