The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 210 Zhu Xiu discusses history
After settling down the Feilong Army, Houzan held another grand declaration ceremony.

He asked Shi Kuangwei to summon all the officials of Jiedu Mansion, and also gathered the Yajun commanders and above-mentioned military officials, set up the incense table, burned incense and knelt down, and read out the numerous imperial edicts in a melody.

Of course, Lao Shi didn't want to make it too complicated, so he just accepted the order in private to thank him.

But Houzan firmly disagreed.

He is not stupid either. The two thousand flying dragon army is the confidence for him to dare to enter Jingzhou. The official decree is the basis for his future actions. It is also the fundamental legal principle for holding power as the deputy envoy of Jiedu.

Showing the attitude of the Kaifeng court in front of the officials and generals of the Changyi Army can more or less frighten people's hearts.

Nowadays, it is no longer an era when vassal towns can steadily suppress the imperial power. After the three dynasties of Liang, Tang, and Jin Dynasties, the trend of central military centralization has become increasingly clear. The Forbidden Army is the most powerful military group in the world, and the emperor himself is the largest vassal town.

Zhu Wen, the first to guard the Ma Bujun, was the initiator of this power centralization movement.

Lao Zhu has a rich resume. He first joined the rebel army led by Huang Chao, and gradually made a name for himself and gained territory and troops.

Looking back at the Tang dynasty, the rebel army fell apart early. They decisively accepted the court's invitation and turned into Zhu Quanzhong, Emperor Xizong's favorite general. He was a legitimate official and army officer of the court. In turn, he suppressed the old man who carried a gun and ate steamed buns together. Bros.

With a thick face and a dark heart, Lao Zhu used force to coerce the Tang court, and under the banner of the court, he conquered in all directions, grabbing territory, grabbing people, amassing wealth and expanding the army.

When Lao Zhu occupied Henan, his power was so strong that he was no longer under the control of the court. He decisively marched westward, occupied Guanzhong and controlled Chang'an. He put a knife on Emperor Zhaozong's neck and kicked his old master to Luoyang.

So far, Lao Zhu has become the actual person in power of the precarious Datang Empire.

Lao Zhu was so proud that he even went so far as to risk the disapproval of the world and kill his old master, and supported Zhaozong's son to become Emperor Ai in vain.

Three years later, the poor little emperor abdicated the throne under the power of Lao Zhu, and the Tang Dynasty, which had lasted for 280 years, collapsed.

The following year, the young emperor was given a glass of poisonous wine by Lao Zhu and was poisoned. He was only 16 years old when he died.

Lao Zhu got his wish and founded the Liang Dynasty, became emperor, and became the supreme leader of the world. On the surface, he was majestic, but in fact, his backbone was broken by the people of the world.

From the tenth festival of Tianbao to Zhu Wen's destruction of the Tang Dynasty, in the past 150 years, the power of the vassal towns almost dominated the rise and fall of the Tang Dynasty.

Zhu Wen started out as a rebel, then surrendered to the imperial court and became a vassal town. Finally, he used the power of the vassal town to destroy the Tang Dynasty. He accomplished what An Lushan, Wang Xianzhi, and Huang Chao did not do back then.

Lao Zhu can be said to be the master of the scourge of feudal towns in the late Tang Dynasty and the rise of warriors.

At the same time, he is also the person who has the deepest understanding of the war disaster in the feudal town.

So when Lao Zhu came to power, he immediately began to reform the military system, vigorously implement military centralization, split and reorganize the feudal towns all over the world, mobilized elite soldiers from each town to form a forbidden army, and set up bodyguards to take charge of the command.

Lao Zhu clearly realized that the throne of the emperor could not bring him any guarantee. What really allowed him to rule the world was the military power he held tightly in his hands.

The emperor must be the leader of the most powerful armed group in the world.

Lao Zhu took the right route, but unfortunately he was a bit unlucky.

The complicated external struggle situation could not help him, but he was killed by his own son.

Lao Zhu buried the Tang Dynasty with his own hands and ended the Li-Tang bloodline, which was despised by the world. People at the time often said that this was the cycle of nature and the principle of unfavorable retribution.

From the time Zhu Wen became emperor and began to weaken the vassal towns and strengthen the construction of the Forbidden Army, no matter whether the Central Plains dynasties changed owners like a revolving door, this national policy has been continued unswervingly for more than forty years.

Since then, there has been almost no feudal town powerful enough to destroy the central court by itself.

Emperor Zhuangzong, Li Cunxu, encountered the Xingjiaomen Rebellion, which was a military rebellion led by the Forbidden Army.

If Shi Jingtang, the governor of Hedong Province, had not ceded Youyun and borrowed Khitan soldiers and horses, he would not have been able to compete with the Luoyang court.

Liu Zhiyuan took advantage of the Khitan rebellion and took advantage of the situation. The military leader Kaifeng won the hearts of the people and became the new leader of the Central Plains.

Even according to the historical trajectory, mutinies that may occur in the future will all be carried out under the leadership of the Forbidden Army. The power of the vassal town has gradually withdrawn from the stage of history in the general trend of the world.

The military disaster in the vassal towns at the end of the Tang Dynasty and the change of dynasties in the Five Dynasties were actually two different historical periods with great differences.

The so-called "the inner treasury was burned to ashes, and the bones of the ministers were trampled on the street" actually only existed in a specific period when the vassal town was powerful and difficult for the central government to control.

That was the last elegy to the splendid Tang Dynasty.

When the vassal town transforms into the central government, the rebels will also transform into new ministers.

The officials mentioned in the poem are nothing more than the last struggle of the powerful political group in the late Tang Dynasty.

The aristocratic groups that have been inherited since the Wei and Jin Dynasties have existed as a specific group of nobles for hundreds of years. Behind countless changes in imperial power, they were all controlled by aristocratic families.

After the Anshi Rebellion, the disasters in the vassal towns intensified, the martial arts group became bigger and stronger, and the aristocratic families were completely crushed in the turmoil, and finally became the burial objects of the Tang Dynasty.

The Tang Dynasty died from the feudal towns, and the Five Dynasties flourished from the feudal towns.

And the vassal town will eventually withdraw from the stage that dominates the historical process.

Shi Kuangwei was very angry at Houzan's actions of using the emperor's authority to oppress him. He returned to the study room in Jiedu Mansion. In order to appease him, Zhu Xiu once again patiently explained to him the evolution of the relationship between the feudal town and the central government.

Although Lao Shi is a military governor passed down from his family, he is actually not very good at playing games with the central court.

The historian's ability to inherit the Changyi Army for three generations was largely due to geographical advantages.

Jingzhou is located in a remote area. It is the northwest gateway to Guanzhong. Since the Tibetans in the west fell into civil war and were unable to invade the territory eastward, Jingzhou's military status has declined, and no one has mentioned the title of Guanzhong Barrier anymore.

The highlight moment of Jingzhou should be the Jingyuan Mutiny that occurred during the Jianzhong period of Tang Dezong more than 160 years ago.

The soldiers of Jingyuan were completely angered by the capricious Chang'an court. They overturned the table and captured Chang'an in one fell swoop. This frightened Tang Dezong and fled to Fengtian.

This move severely slapped the Tang court in the face, and the dignity of the Tang Dynasty was once again wiped out.

Since then, the Jingzhou area has almost always played a small and transparent role in the disputes of the past dynasties.

Looking around today's vassal towns, there are only a handful that can be passed down for more than three generations.

From this aspect, Shi Kuangwei is rare.

Lao Shi was very proud of this.

"What do you think this thing is? It's so light and fluffy. Just writing a few words can determine life and death, and take away wealth and honor?"

In the inner study room, Lao Shi held the imperial edict embroidered with brocade and gold thread, looked at it again and again, smacked his lips, and seemed quite emotional.

Zhu Xiu also had a portion in his hand. He glanced at it a few times but didn't pay much attention to it and threw it aside.

Several confession documents and talisman treasure books were all stamped with the emperor's seal.With these, Zhu Xiu was recognized by the Kaifeng court as the marching commander of the Zhangyi Army and concurrently as the governor of Jing.

Shi Kuangwei added the title of Prince Shaobao, and became a second-rank official.

Lao Shi held the imperial decree and sighed with emotion. Zhu Xiu glanced at it and said with a smile: "Look at you, you look like you haven't received the emperor's decree. You are shabby~"

Lao Shi smacked his lips and said: "Don't talk about receiving imperial edicts, I have seen several emperors."

"Then why are you feeling emotional?"

Lao Shi sighed: "It feels different now. It used to be very rare. I have been looking forward to the imperial court for many years to grant it a title."
My father was posthumously awarded the title of Sikong. What if I never reach his rank in my lifetime? What will happen to me in the future?
Wouldn't he be living up to his old man's teachings during his lifetime?Even if we can't carry forward the old historian's family, we can't hold back, right? "

Zhu Xiu consoled him: "Now that you have become the second grade official, you will not lose the face of the old historian. You can go down and see your ancestors."

"Yes." Lao Shi felt deeply, and immediately realized something was wrong, and shouted angrily: "Bah, bah, bah! Even if I meet my ancestors, it will be 50 years later, not now!"

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "If you live another 50 years, you will really become a bastard."

"Haha~" Lao Shi laughed and cursed a few times, threw the imperial edict aside casually, and laughed at himself: "It used to be rare, but now I don't think it's a big deal if I get it. I'm not too tough to wipe my butt with it! People, they are so cheap. !”

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "In the past, you thought of being loyal to the imperial court and regarded yourself as a Han official, so you naturally felt a sense of awe in your heart.

Now that you know that you will rebel in the future, this sense of awe is gone. In your eyes, the reward given by Emperor Liu has become nothing. "

Shi Kuangwei rubbed his beard and grinned: "Yes, that's the truth."

"But this is not good. People must have a sense of reverence. Otherwise, there is no bottom line in doing things and it would be too scary."

Zhu Xiu pointed to a pair of calligraphy paintings hanging on a wall, on which was written the following words in block letters: People's Republic of China.

"As a person in power, you should know how to fear all the people and the common people! This calligraphy was produced by a famous artist and is specially given to you."

Lao Shi hadn't been to the inner study for a long time, and he didn't know when such a picture was hung. He took a closer look and found a small seal stamped in the lower left corner: Mr. Si You
Lao Shi suddenly rolled his eyes.

"Houzan is going to convene officials tomorrow to discuss the division of powers and responsibilities. What do you think?"

Shi Kuangwei leaned on the imperial chair, crossed his legs and hummed.

Zhu Xiudao: "He is the deputy envoy of Jiedu, so of course he will ask for decentralization of power. Let's act accordingly."

Shi Kuangwei hesitated and said, "Tomorrow, Guan Tieshi and Wei Hu should also be back."

Zhu Xiu glanced at him and said, "What do you want to say?"

Lao Shi put down his legs, rubbed his palms, and said hesitantly: "I will tell him about Wei Hu's matter, and I will definitely give you an explanation."

Zhu Xiu smiled: "You don't need to explain to me, he doesn't owe me anything."

Shi Kuangwei breathed a sigh of relief and grinned: "I know you are a man of measure."

Zhu Xiu said calmly: "You can make it clear to him that I, Zhu Xiu, am not a heartless person. As long as he sincerely admits his mistake and promises not to do it again in the future, I will let the matter of Longshan Pass go.

Old Shi, you understand me. Taking charge of Changyi's military is not my ultimate goal. I just use this as a springboard to seek advancement.Wei Hu and I actually have no internal struggle, but I think I can manage the Chang Yi Army better than him.

As long as he keeps his peace, he will still be the commander of the Changyi Army in Yadu. If he is qualified in the future, I can completely hand over the power to him.

Jingzhou is a frontier fortress. Facing the threat of the Tibetans, it is necessary to integrate local forces to block the eastward advance of the Tibetans for the court, so for a period of time, the Jiedu authority of the Changyi Army will be retained."

Lao Shi nodded like a fool, stretched out his thumb and said: "You still understand the truth! Don't worry, I will convey what you said. After all, Wei Hu has been with me for ten years, and he is half of my son like you. If you two start a fight, I’m not a human inside or out, and I’ll get a headache just thinking about it.”

Zhu Xiu smiled, stood up and cupped his hands and said, "If I have nothing to do, I'll leave first. I haven't read the documents that Song Shen sent."

Lao Shi sent him out of the inner study with a smile. When he was the only one left in the room, the smile on his face was replaced by fatigue and disappointment.

"Wei Hu, Wei Hu, you wolf cub is really disturbing."

Shi Kuangwei took out a secret report from the mezzanine of the bookcase. Guan Tieshi sent someone back in advance. The content was related to Wei Hu's actions at Longshan Pass.

"I raised you as my son, but in the end you wanted to take a piece of me off."

Old Shi cursed angrily, his black face full of sullenness.

"Oh~oh~that's all, you saved my life, I will save you no matter what."

Skuangwei put the secret report close to the candle and lit it. Looking at the black smoke, the burning paper fell to the ground and was quickly burned to ashes.

"If it hadn't been for what happened at Longshan Pass this time, I really wouldn't have known how ambitious you were.
But why don’t you understand that force alone cannot support the Chang Yi Army? You can only be a fierce general who charges into battle, but you cannot be a commander who is responsible for the death of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians! "

Shi Kuangwei sat slumped on the Taishi chair, muttering to himself, with a complex look on his face, sometimes angry, sometimes disappointed, and sometimes regretful.
"I hope you can figure it out on your own, otherwise."

The light in the inner study shifted to the west window, and the place where Shi Converse sat fell into shadow.

Zhu Xiu left the inner study and walked all the way to the front office office.

Lao Shi is a person who cherishes old friendships. Even though Wei Hu was holding his own troops at Longshan Pass, he was unwilling to break up with each other and wanted to save his life.

Therefore, we have to be careful when dealing with Wei Hu. Zhu Xiu is not willing to create a rift in his relationship with Lao Shi.

It's a pity that Lao Shi kept things simple. Wei Hu's evil intentions have been around for a long time, and they can't be resolved by calling him back and scolding him.

Lao Shi only knew that Wei Hu was making small moves at Longshan Pass, but Zhu Xiu had evidence that Wei Hu secretly connived at the mutiny of the Ya Army traitors more than a year ago.

Since the establishment of Zangfeng Camp, Anding County has been used as its foundation to operate.

Ma Qing's ability is beyond doubt and he has made great achievements in intelligence.

Even old account books from more than a year ago can be dug out completely.

These evidences have not been shown to Shi Kuangwei yet. Since Wei Hu is willing to come back, Zhu Xiu decided to wait a little longer.

After all, Wei Hu was the tooth commander of Zhang Yi Army. Although his foundation had been completely destroyed after the reorganization of the Ya Army, his reputation still existed, and Zhu Xiu did not dare to move lightly.

Once you make up your mind to move, it will definitely be a thunderous strike.

The Chang Yi Army will never allow a second unrest to occur.

(End of this chapter)