Story 6: Tri Cao Nung

All kings desired that whole the country they dominated was a united entity. King Thai Tong Ly was also one of them. Along the time he ruled the country, Dai Viet, he had had many policies to achieve his purpose. One of policies was political marriages. Princesses were sent and married with patriarchs who lived in the north highland of the country and the king also married with daughters of patriarchs. The king ordained them and let them manage the area but they had to obey the king. Therefore, the king didn’t need any fighting to force them to obey him.

Nung family had ruled provinces in the north highland long time. When Thai To Ly had been king he had ordained Ton Loc Nung to manage Thang Do area and his brother, Ton Loc Nung to manage Van Nhai area and his sister’s husband, Duong Dao to manage Vu Lac (now the areas were Cao Bang and Lang Son province)

When King Thai Tong Ly ascended the throne in 1038, Ton Phuc Nung killed the others and ruled their areas. He thought that the area was distant from the capital and besides, that was near Tong, the country was ready to help him whenever he requested. Phuc showed that he didn’t obey the king. He trained soldiers and established a new country, named Truong Sinh and Cao Binh (now Cao Binh, Hoa An district, Cao Bang province) was the new capital. He called himself Thanh Hoang emperor. His wife, A Nung, was ordained to be queen and his oldest son, Tri Thong Nung, was ordained to be Nam Nhai king. Phuc used to attack other areas and made borders were chaotic.

In 1039, the king sent a messenger coming and asking him to obey the king. Phuc not only didn’t listen but also dishonored the messenger. King Thai Tong Ly was angry, he himself brought solders to and fought Phuc. The way which led to the area was distant and craggy but that couldn’t stop them. When they arrived, Phuc knew that he and his soldiers couldn’t fight against the king and his soldiers. Therefore, Phuc and his family ran into the forest. They burned all camps to show the king his intent that he would fight against till he died. Soldiers of the king chased after them and caught Phuc and his oldest son. Phuc and his son were caged and brought to the capital. They were cut off their head at one when they arrived to the capital. That was a message the wanted to send others who planned to stand up him would had the same end. But, Phuc had another son, Tri Cao Nung, had escaped with his mother.

In 1041, Tri Cao Nung and his mother grouped underlings and regained Thang Do area. They established a new country, named Dai Lich. The king ordered general to fight them and it took no long time for the general could catch Tri Cao Nung and brought to the capital. The king didn’t want to kill him because he had killed his father and his brother. Therefore, he pardoned him and gave him a position named “Quang Nguyen Muc” (the position his father had had). He was responsible for management the area his father had managed and besides, Tu Lang area (Trung Khanh) though he was only 16 years old. He and his mother stood on their knees and promised that they would obey the king. In 1043, when Tri Cao Nung tributes to the king, the king ordained him to be the lord of the area he ruled. The king, besides, gifted him a new name, Thai Bao. Thought that his kindness would make Tri Cao Phung felt grateful but the king was wrong.

In 1048, Tri Cao Nung betrayed. He got the northwest of Cao Bang area by force. Another time, he established a new country with name, Dai Nam. He requested to king of Tong to merge into Tong. But, the king of Tong didn’t accept. King Thai Tong Ly ordered soldiers to attack them. That time, Tri Cao Nung requested to reconcile. He committed that he would not annoyed the borders which between his area and the country and he only expand his land in the side abutting with Tong. From that time, Tri Cao Nung attacked Tong.

Chinese history had written that Cao from the south brought soldiers coming and fighting Tong. He had wins in any where he arrived to. Besides, he was helped by people who were in other side of border, especially, he had allies, Tri Trung Nung and Kien Hau Nung who were also landlords and had same family name. Their power was tronger and stronger.

In 1052, Tri Cao Nung attacked Hoanh Son barrack then went in Ung Chau district, killed Tran Cung the mandarin of the area. That time, he established new country named Dai Nam. He called himself Emperor Nhan Hue. Then he attacked Quang Dong and Quang Tay and captured 9 districts. That was a large area. Later they went to attack Ho Nam. The name of Tri Cao Nung spread largely that made the king of Tong worried.

Then Dich Thanh, one of best general of China that time, brought soldiers to fight against them. Dich Thanh was a great general who had passed many fighting. So he was enough wisdom to solve Tri Cao Nung. Tri Cao Nung knew that he would lose. He sent a messenger to Dai Viet to pray King Thai Tong Ly to help him. King Thai Tong Ly ordered generals to go to the border and helped them at there. But they still didn’t arrived to the border Tri Cao Nung had lost and hid himself in Dai Li, a small country at Van Nam, the country had a long border with Dai Viet. King of Dai Ly scared That Tri Cao Nung would deprive his power and besides, he feared king of Tong. Therefore, he ordered servants to cut off Tri Cao Nung’s head later. The head was put into a box and was sent to king of Tong. That time, Thai Tong Ly had died and Thanh Tong Ly ascended the throne.

After Tri Cao Nung died, Thanh Tong Ly reclaimed the area which had managed by Tri Cao Nung and gave to others to manage. From that time, the border became peaceful.

THE END

"Translated by Hung Nguyen"

Read more:

Historical stories

Story 4: Thai Tong Ly, the kindness king

Story 5: Ceremony Dong Co

Story 7: One Pillar Pagoda (Chua Mot Cot)

Story 8: King Thanh Tong Ly

Story 9: Royal Concubine Y Lan

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Truyện cổ tích Việt Nam

Vietnamese fairy tales

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List of Vietnamese fairy tales

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