Liao Shizong Yelu Ruan

Yelu Ruan, Shizong of Liao Dynasty (917 - 951 AD), was the third emperor of the Liao Dynasty. He was the heir of Liao Yizong (posthumous title, but actually did not succeed. He is also the son of Yelu Bei, King Dan of Liaodong, the nephew of Yelu Deguang, Taizong of Liao, and the grandson of Yelu ABaoji, Taizu of Liao. Yelu Bei abandoned the country and fled to the Later Tang Dynasty in 930 AD. He and his mother did not follow him and stayed in Liao. In 946, Taizong of Liao attacked Jin and was granted King Yongkang. In the same year, Emperor Taizong of Liao died and became emperor in Zhenzhou by the generals of the Southern Expedition. It was for Emperor Shizong of Liao. He also defeated Empress Dowager Shulu and Yelu Li Hu Bing in Shangjing (now Balin Left Banner, Inner Mongolia). After the dissuasion of Minister Yelu Wuzhi, the two sides reconciled. Sejong officially ascended the throne and changed the year name to Tianlu. In the fifth year of Tianlu (951), Sejong was killed by Yelü Chache at Huoshen Dian during his southern expedition. He was only 34 years old at that time and reigned for 5 years. He was buried in Xianling, Liao Dynasty. The posthumous title is Emperor Xiaohe Zhuang Xian, and the temple name is Sejong.

Yelu Ruan, Shizong of Liao Dynasty, was named Wuyu in the Khitan. Born in 917, he was the grandson of Taizu of Liao Dynasty, the eldest son of Yelubei, King of Dongdan, and his mother, Queen Xiao of Rouzhen. King Dongdan fled to Tang Dynasty, but he and his mother stayed in Liao instead of following him. Taizong regarded it as his own. He is broad-minded internally and strict externally. He is good at riding and shooting, and enjoys giving. People will come to him.

In the ninth year of Huitong (946 AD), Taizong invaded the Central Plains on a large scale on the grounds that Emperor Shi Chonggui of the Later Jin Dynasty refused to surrender, and Yelu Ruan accompanied him in the army. The following year (947 AD), the Khitan army entered Kaifeng Prefecture, the capital of the Later Jin Dynasty, in Tokyo (now Kaifeng City, Henan Province). Shi Chonggui, Emperor of the Jin Dynasty, surrendered and the Later Jin Dynasty perished. Taizong of Liao changed the country's name to Da Liao and Datong in the Kaifeng Palace. Yelu Nguyen was granted the title of King Yongkang.

Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty passed away on his way back to the north of the Jin Dynasty after the destruction. The generals were afraid of another massacre after Shulu and sympathized with the fate of King Dongdan, so they discussed supporting Yelu Ruan to inherit the throne. But at that time, there were still two people qualified to inherit the throne. One was Li Hu, the younger brother of Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty, and the other was Yelu Jing, the eldest son of Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty. Because the Empress Dowager Shulu often said that Li Hu would inherit the throne, Yelu Ruan was very hesitant at first. He asked Yelu Anbo to discuss it.

Others such as Yeluhou, King of the South Court, and Yeluwa, King of the North Court, also believed that if they asked the Empress Dowager Shulu, Li Hu would surely be allowed to ascend the throne, and Li Hu was cruel and unpopular. Yelu Anbo is the son of Yelu Dieli, who in the past supported Yelu Nguyen's father Yelu Bei to ascend the throne and was executed by the Empress Dowager Shulu. At this time, he was Yelu Ruan's confidant. He believed that Yelu Ruan was smart and tolerant, and was Yelu Bei's eldest son. He should make a decisive decision to avoid losing the opportunity. In the end, everyone unanimously supported Yelu Ruan to the throne in Zhenyang (now north of Luancheng, Hebei), for the Liao Shizong. Shulu Ping was very angry when he learned this and sent Li Hu to attack Yelu Ruan. Li Hu returned after a defeat. Empress Dowager Shulu personally led the army, and the two sides faced each other on the crossing of the Henghe River. Fortunately, Yelu Wuzhi persuaded him to make peace and finally reached an agreement to cross the river. Shulu Hou and Li Hu were forced to recognize Sejong's throne.

After Sejong's throne was stabilized, he changed his name to Tianlu. Empress Shulu and Li Hu were also imprisoned in Zuzhou. However, the core of Liao's rule did not fully obey Sejong, so the nobles continued to rebel. In the second year of Tianlu (948 AD), Han and Princess Abuli contacted King Yelu Anduan of the Ming Dynasty to plot a rebellion. Yelu Wuzhi received a letter and reported Yelu Ruan. Yelu Ruan killed Xiao Han, and Abuli died after being sent to prison. Anduan's son Chaco was very cunning. He pretended to expose his father's crimes and cried bitterly, deceiving Yelü Nuan's trust. As a result, Yelü Nuan only demoted his father An Duan to a foreign country to lead the tribal army. Chage stayed in the court, laying a hidden danger for the future. Investigate one thing on the surface and the other behind, secretly planning to usurp the throne. This did not escape Yelu Wuzhi's eyes, but Yelu Ruan refused to believe it when he reported to Yelu Ruan. When Yelü Wuzhi again advised him to take measures, he said: "Chacol will abandon his father and assist me. Nothing will happen.¡»

In the fifth year of Tianlu (951 AD), at the request of Liu Chong, Emperor of the Northern Han Dynasty, Shizong convened the leaders of various departments to discuss sending troops to attack the Later Zhou Dynasty to assist the Northern Han Dynasty. Due to years of war and the depletion of people's strength, the leaders were unwilling to invade the south. Yelu Ruan forced them to lead their troops south on schedule. He also led his troops to Xianggu Mountain in Guihua Prefecture in September and stayed at Huoshen Lake at night. The leaders of various departments also led their troops here. One day, after offering sacrifices to the spirit of King Dan of Liaodong, Yelü Ruan gave a banquet to entertain his ministers and leaders of various departments. He was drunk and was helped into the inner tent by the left and right. Late at night, Yelu Chaga, King of Yan, and Yelu Uoliseng, son of King Wei, led a group of chiefs into the inner tent. Yelu Chaga raised his knife and killed Yelu Ruan who was sleeping. Yelü Wuzhi escaped and led reinforcements to destroy the Yelü Chague rebels. Yelu Nguyen was only 34 years old when he died and reigned for 5 years. His posthumous title is Emperor Xiaohe Zhuangxian, and his temple name is Sejong.