Xu Da was a leader among the founding generals of the Ming Dynasty and won the trust and love of Zhu Yuanzhang. Defeating Chen Youliang, destroying Zhang Shicheng, overthrowing the Yuan Dynasty and sweeping the Northern Yuan Dynasty made great contributions to the establishment and unification of the Ming Dynasty. In his later years, Zhu Yuanzhang suspected the hero and slaughtered the civil servants and military commanders, but Xu Da successfully escaped Zhu Yuanzhang's suspicion and died a good death. Then why did Xu Can Da avoid Zhu Yuanzhang's slaughter of heroes?
First, take refuge in Zhu Yuanzhang
Xu Da was born in poverty, but when he was young, he was ambitious, tall and burly, and brave. In the 13th year of Zheng Zheng (1353), Xu Da took refuge in Guo Zixing, the leader of the Red Scarf Army, and worked under his subordinate Zhu Yuanzhang. Soon Zhu Yuanzhang, because he didn't like the intrigue between Guo Zixing and Sun Deya and other leaders of the Red Scarf Army, led Xu Da and other 24 people to leave Haozhou and attack Dingyuan. Xu Da defeated Yuan Army with Zhu Yuanzhang and conquered Chuzhou and Hezhou.
Guo Zixing was excluded by Sun Deya and others in Haozhou, so he went to Chuzhou to take refuge in Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu Yuanzhang gave Chuzhou to Guo Zixing because he was still a subordinate. In the 15th year of Zheng Zheng (1355), Sun Deya took refuge in Zhu Yuanzhang for lack of food and was captured by Guo Zixing. Sun Deya detained Zhu Yuanzhang. At this time, Xu Da stepped forward, hoping to exchange Zhu Yuanzhang with himself first, then Guo Zixing released Sun Deya, and Sun Deya released himself again. Guo Zixing agreed that Zhu Yuanzhang and Xu Da finally returned safely.
Second, repeatedly made meritorious military service.
Soon Xu Da crossed the Yangtze River with Zhu Yuanzhang, conquered Cai Shiji, Taiping and other places, and took Qing Ji directly. Then Zhu Yuanzhang guarded and made Xu a general, asking him to attack Zhenjiang. Xu Da conquered Zhenjiang with strict military discipline and no enemies in autumn. Zhang Shicheng was very worried when he saw that Zhu Yuanzhang had conquered Qing Ji, so he sent troops to attack Zhenjiang. Xu Da not only led the army to defeat Zhang Shicheng, but also conquered Changzhou, Ningguo and Yixing, and captured Zhang Shicheng's brother Zhang Shide alive.
In the 19th year of Zheng Zheng (1359), Xu Da and Chang Yuchun ambushed Jiuhuashan, defeated Chen Youliang and captured 3,000 people. Chang Yuchun thinks that these people are brave and good at fighting, and they should all be killed, leaving no future trouble. Xu Da objected and asked Zhu Yuanzhang how to deal with the prisoners. As a result, Chang Yuchun quietly started work that night and buried more than half of the prisoners alive. Zhu Yuanzhang was furious and ordered the release of the remaining prisoners, allowing Xu Da to control Chang Yuchun. Chen Youliang led an army to attack Longjiang, and Xu Da fought to the death and defeated the enemy.
Zhu Yuanzhang's Battle of Destroying Chen Youliang
In the 21st year of Zheng Zhi (136 1), Xu Da followed Zhu Yuanzhang in his crusade against Chen Youliang, captured Jiangzhou and pursued the Han army. Chen Youliang led the navy to counterattack, and Xu Da defended Hanyang, which made the Han army unable to advance, so he was promoted to the right of Zhongshu Province. In the 22nd year of Zheng Zheng (1362), Xu Da defeated the Han army with Zhu Yuanzhang, pacified Nanchang, and then defeated the Zhang Shicheng army and besieged Luzhou. In the twenty-third year of Zheng Zheng (1363), Zhu Yuanzhang and Chen Youliang fought Poyang Lake, and Xu Da defeated the vanguard of the Han army. Zhu Yuanzhang knew that Chen Youliang was no match for him, and worried that Zhang Shicheng, the prince of Wu, would take the opportunity to invade Yingtian, so he ordered Xu Da to defend Yingtian.
Third, for Zhang Shicheng.
In the 24th year of Zheng Zheng (1364), Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself the King of Wu and made Colonel Xu Guo Xiang. Xu Da led the army to conquer Jiangling and Hengzhou and pacify the two lakes. Then he and Chang Yuchun led an army to attack Zhang Shicheng and conquer Taizhou, Gaoyou and Huai 'an. The Yuan Army took the opportunity to attack Xuzhou in the south, and Xu Da led the army to defeat the Yuan soldiers and pacify the banks of the Huaihe River.
Zhu Yuanzhang negotiated with Xu Da and Li Shanchang to destroy Zhang Shicheng, and Li Shanchang suggested suspending the felling of Wu. Xu Da remonstrated, saying, "Zhang Shicheng is a man of luxury, and Li Bosheng and other generals are fond of beauty and treasures, so there is nothing to worry about. Advisers such as Huang Jingfu, Cai and Ye Dexin only have the opinions of scholars. With the wise SHEN WOO of the king, I can destroy the enemy. " Zhu Yuanzhang was very happy when he heard this, so he named Xu Da as the general and Chang Yuchun as the vice president to crusade against Zhang Shicheng.
Xu Da led an army of 200,000 to attack Huzhou, first defeating the enemy outside the city and then surrounding Huzhou. Zhang Shicheng sent troops to rescue Huzhou and was also defeated by Xu Da. Wu Dongjun of Huzhou saw that the reinforcements were defeated and surrendered. Xu Da then marched into Pingjiang and surrounded it. West Wu Jun attacked Pingjiang many times, constantly throwing boulders and launching rockets into the city, but Zhang Shicheng would never surrender. Xu Da asked Zhu Yuanzhang for instructions, and Zhu Yuanzhang let him play it by ear and granted him the right to act arbitrarily without asking for instructions from himself. Xu Da conquered Pingjiang and captured Zhang Shicheng to appease the people. It is forbidden to disturb the people.
Soon Zhu Yuanzhang named Xu Da as the general and Chang Yuchun as the deputy general, and led 250,000 troops to explore the Central Plains. Zhu Yuanzhang warned the people to be serious about military discipline and not to disturb the people. They can win the battle, attack and occupy it, and obey the general's orders. Xu Da led the army to capture Shandong first, defeated the Yuan army and pacified the land.
Fourth, work for Daming.
In the first year of Hongwu (1368), Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor, established Daming, and named Xu Da the right prime minister and the prince of Shaofu. Xu Da and Chang Yuchun led the army to win many battles. They first conquered Luoyang, the capital of the Song Dynasty, and settled in Henan, and then conquered Tongguan and captured Guanzhong. Zhu Yuanzhang heard that he was overjoyed and called Xu Da to discuss his next strategy. Xu Da said to Zhu Yuanzhang, "Daming pacified Heluo and Qilu, Yuan hesitated to wait and see, abandoned Guan Yu and fled to China and the West. There are not many troops left in the Yuan Dynasty, so we can March in and take the capital. " Zhu Yuanzhang repeatedly called it.
Xu Da asked Zhu Yuanzhang: "If Yuan Di gave up Dadu and fled to the north, would it be necessary to pursue it to the end?" Zhu Yuanzhang replied: "The general trend of the Yuan Dynasty has gone, and it will perish. There is no need to bother the army to pursue it. Just stick to the frontier fortress and guard against the invasion of the Yuan army. " Xu Da and Chang Yuchun joined forces, crossed the Yellow River, and even Keweihui, Zhangde, Luchang, Tongzhou and other places reached Dadu. Yuan Shundi abandoned Dadu and fled to the north, so Xu Da entered Dadu to appease the people and surrender to Yuan officials.
Fifth, eliminate the remnants.
Zhu Yuanzhang was very happy when he heard that Xu Da had conquered most of them, so he changed them to Peiping and ordered Xu Da and Chang Yuchun to continue to sweep away the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty. Chang Yuchun conquered Baoding and Zhongshan, Shengfeng and Tanghe conquered Huaiqing, crossed Taihang Mountain and seized Zezhou and Luzhou. Xu Da led the army to follow up and raided Taiyuan. Wang Baobao saw the loss of Taiyuan, so he quickly gave up attacking Dadu and saved Taiyuan. Xu Da led an army to raid Wang Baobao, defeat the Yuan Army and pacify Shaanxi.
In the second year of Hongwu (1369), Xu Da and Chang Yuchun moved from Jin to Qin, conquered Fengyuan, Fengxiang and Lintao, and Yuan surrendered. Then the Ming army conquered Lanzhou, Pingliang and Qingyang. Wang Baobao led the Yuan army to counterattack Qingyang, and Xu Da led the army to repel Wang Baobao and pacify the land of Qin Long. Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed and rewarded Xu Da.
In the third year of Hongwu (1370), Wang Baobao invaded Lanzhou. Zhu Yuanzhang appointed Xu Da as general and Li Wenzhong as deputy general, and conquered Wang Baobao. Xu Da led an army out of the West Road to attack Wang Baobao, and Li Wenzhong led an army out of the East Road to kill the royal family in the North Yuan Dynasty. Xu Da defeated Wang Baobao, captured many officials of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, and then conquered Xingyuan and other places. Li Wenzhong conquered Yingchang and captured a large number of members of the Northern Yuan imperial clan. Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed, and named Xu Da Zuo Zhuguo, a teacher, right Prime Minister and Wei Guogong, and asked him to guard Peiping.
In the fifth year of Hongwu (1372), Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Xu Da to lead Li Wenzhong and Shengfeng to crusade against the Northern Yuan. Ming army suited Mobei, Xu Da was defeated by Wang Baobao, and Li Wenzhong drew, but Shengfeng won and captured Hexi Corridor. In the sixth year of Hongwu (1373), Xu Da led the army to attack again and defeated the Yuan army in the Sea of Allah. In the seventeenth year of Hongwu (1384), Xu Da was seriously ill, and Zhu Yuanzhang sent his son Xu Huizu to visit him. In the eighteenth year of Hongwu (1385), Xu Da died of illness, and Zhu Yuanzhang was greatly grieved, becoming the king of Zhongshan in posthumous title.
Generally speaking, Xu Da was a famous soldier in the Ming Dynasty. He was good at making suggestions. He was kind to the people wherever he went, and he was kind to the captured enemy soldiers, so many people joined Xu Da. At the same time, Xu Da saved Zhu Yuanzhang's life and made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty. However, he never took credit for himself, but was cautious, and finally escaped Zhu Yuanzhang's killing hero and died a fair death.