Battle of Canhe Slope - Later Yan Campaign Prior To The Battle of Canhe Slope

Later Yan Campaign Prior To The Battle of Canhe Slope

By 395, Tuoba Gui was not only no longer submissive to Later Yan, but was openly pillaging other tribal vassals of Later Yan. Murong Chui, despite contrary counsel from his advisor Gao Hu (高湖), decided to launch a punitive campaign against Northern Wei, putting Murong Bao in command of 80,000 soldiers, assisted by his other sons Murong Lin and Murong Nong the Prince of Liaoxi, to attack Northern Wei, and putting 18,000 other soldiers under the command of his brother Murong De and nephew Murong Shao (慕容紹) the Prince of Chenliu as a secondary army. Tuoba Gui's advisor Zhang Gun (張袞) suggested to Tuoba Gui that he intentionally display weakness to draw Later Yan forces in. Tuoba Gui agreed, and he sent his troops and livestock far to the west away from his capital Shengle (盛樂, in modern Hohhot, Inner Mongolia), crossing the Yellow River into the Ordos Desert. Meanwhile, Later Yan forces advanced to Wuyuan (五原, in modern Baotou, Inner Mongolia), receiving the surrender of some 30,000 households who were Northern Wei vassals. Later Yan forces then built Fort Hei (黑城), north of Wuyuan, and began to build boats to cross the Yellow River. Tuoba Gui, at the same time, also sent his official Xu Qian (許謙) to Later Qin to seek aid. The Later Qin emperor Yao Xing launched a relief force commanded by the general Yang Fosong (楊佛嵩). (Yang, however, did not arrive in time for further battles.)

The armies stalemated across the Yellow River, but Tuoba Gui managed to cut off communications between Later Yan forces and the Later Yan capital Zhongshan (中山, in modern Baoding, Hebei) by lying in wait for Later Yan messengers and capturing them. He then had the captured Later Yan messengers publicly announce that Murong Chui was dead, causing apprehension in Murong Bao's own army as to whether this was true. The sorcerer Jin An (靳安), serving Murong Bao, claimed to foresee disaster and suggested an immediate retreat. Murong Bao refused. Meanwhile, Murong Lin's subordinate Muyu Song (慕輿嵩), believing that Murong Chui had died, plotted a coup to have Murong Lin made emperor. Muyu's plot was discovered, and he was put to death, but this brought suspicions between Murong Bao and Murong Lin. As the armies stalemated into winter, Murong Bao decided to withdraw, and he burned the boats that he had built and began the withdrawal on November 23, 395. At that time, there were blocks of ice on the Yellow River, but it was not fully frozen, and therefore Murong Bao did not believe that Northern Wei forces could cross easily. However, on December 1, there was a sudden storm, and the lower temperature caused the Yellow River to freeze. Tuoba Gui took 20,000 cavalry soldiers and gave chase.