History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 1002 After the country’s subjugation
【After the fall of the country】

"Zhao, Qian, Sun, Li, Zhou, Wu, Zheng, Wang" This is the beginning of the "Hundred Family Surnames" compiled in the early Song Dynasty. Zhao is the national surname, so of course it ranks first, and the second one is Qian. The reason why Qian ranks second is inseparable from Qian Hongchu who donated land and soil. The status of the Qian family in the Song Dynasty can be imagined.

Qian Hongchu should be the king who suffered the worst ending in history.

After surrendering Wuyue, Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, continued to favor Qian Hongchu. For example, on February 979, 2, Qian Hongchu came to the court to pay tribute. Zhao Guangyi held a banquet in the back garden. Qian Hongchu got drunk, so Zhao Guangyi ordered people to send Qian Hongchu home on a "golden pole" and gave the pole to Qian Hongchu as a souvenir. The next day, Zhao Guangyi sent the imperial chef to the Lixian residence to serve Qian Hongchu, help him sober up, and regulate his body, and the corresponding rewards were not a problem.

Although he was given unprecedented favor, Qian Hongchu never forgot his identity as the king of a fallen country. He was cautious when serving Zhao Guangyi. He got up earlier than the chickens every day and took his son to the gate of the palace to queue up before dawn, waiting to punch in for work. Once, there was a violent storm, and "no one from the various military towns came." Only Qian Hongchu and his son stood outside the gate waiting for the pilgrimage regardless of wind and rain. Zhao Guangyi, who happened to be on duty, saw it and was very moved. He "praised for a long time" and then told Qian Hongchu that you are old and should take care of your health. From today on, you don't have to come early, just take time to come and take a walk. Then he gave Qian Hongchu four large candles in front of the emperor, and then invited him to drink from morning to night.

In July of that year, the Secretariat drafted a list of rewards, in which Qian Hongchu was given "an additional fief of 7 households, with an actual fief of households", and submitted it to Zhao Guangyi for approval. Zhao Guangyi took a look and immediately picked up his imperial pen to change it to "an additional fief of households, with an actual fief of households", doubling it.

A year later, in the first month of 980, Qian Hongchu was able to "enter the palace with sword and shoes" and became famous for a while.

On April 980, 4, Qian Hongchu was struck by a stroke. Zhao Guangyi was very concerned when he heard about it. He sent three groups of close officials to visit him in one day and gave him medicine, tea and fruit. He came every other day after that. On June 1, Zhao Guangyi personally visited him. On August 6, he went to Lixian's house to pay his respects. Each time he came, he brought a large amount of gold, silver and jewelry as rewards. On September 3, Qian Hongchu, who had recovered from his illness, came to the court to express his gratitude.

In early November, Zhao Guangyi was going to Weizhou to inspect the work. Qian Hongchu asked to accompany him. Zhao Guangyi granted him a sedan chair and allowed him to accompany him. On the 11th, Zhao Guangyi was in a good mood and went hunting in the east of the city. At that time, the wind was very cold. Zhao Guangyi was having fun, but suddenly he slapped his forehead and said that Qian Hongchu had just recovered from a stroke, how could he withstand the cold wind? So he quickly sent someone to pass on the message, allowing Qian Hongchu to return to Lixian House to recuperate.

Two months later, Qian Hongchu's rheumatism recurred. In the first month of 981, "the rheumatism recurred". Zhao Guangyi sent several waves of imperial doctors to Lixian's house for consultation and granted him indefinite sick leave.

During Qian Hongchu's illness, Zhao Guangyi not only gave him gold, silver, treasures, medicine, tea and fruit, but also a chess set: purple and white crystal chess pieces, placed in a gold box with a variety of precious patterns on the chessboard. Along with the chess came a letter from Zhao Guangyi, which said, "Although I am very busy, I am concerned about your condition every day, so I gave you this little toy for your entertainment while you recover from your illness."

On August 981 of this year (8), Zhao Guangyi came to Lixian's house to visit Qian Hongchu's condition. Qian Hongchu went out to greet him despite his illness, but it was difficult for him to perform the full ceremony. Zhao Guangyi hurriedly helped him up (personally dragged him and asked him many questions). In October, Qian Hongchu recovered again and went to the court to express his gratitude on October 25. Zhao Guangyi held his hand and asked him questions for a long time, and then gave him a banquet in Changchun Palace. At the banquet, Zhao Guangyi said, "Look, it's winter again. You are not in good health and should not be exposed to the cold. How about this, from now on, you don't have to go to work (from now on, you will be exempted from going to the court).

In April 982, Qian Hongchu's rheumatism relapsed again, and Zhao Guangyi sent the Royal Opera Troupe to entertain him.

Qian Hongchu's smartest point was knowing when to advance and when to retreat, or more specifically, when to retreat. In November 983, Qian Hongchu submitted a petition, saying that the country had been peaceful in recent years, weapons had been put into storage, and horses had been released to the mountains. He said that the title of "Generalissimo of the Army of the Country" was redundant, and he requested to resign from it, and to cancel the title of "Huaihai State", saying that there should be no more boundaries within a country. Zhao Guangyi allowed him to resign from the title of Generalissimo, but retained his title of King of Huaihai, and gave him an additional 11 households of food and households of actual fief.

In December 984, Zhao Guangyi had something to do in the southern suburbs. After the suburban ceremony, Qian Hongchu was named the King of Hannan, with an additional fief of 12 households and an actual fief of 986 households, and was given the title of "Ninghai Zhenguo Chongwen Yaowu Xuande Shoudao Gongchen". In February 2, he was renamed "King of Nanyang", with an additional fief of households and an actual fief of households, and was allowed to go to Nanyang, and he no longer had to be a prisoner in Lixianzhai in Bianzhou.

In August 986, Qian Hongchu became seriously ill (unwell), and Zhao Guangyi sent imperial doctors to Nanyang to rescue him; in July 8, Qian Hongchu became seriously ill again (unwell again), and the imperial doctors were again ordered to go for consultation.

Under the careful care of the imperial doctors, Qian Hongchu's condition improved in August. On the evening of August 8, Qian Hongchu asked his attendants to read the Book of Tang to him in his study, and then urged his descendants to write their reflections. Suddenly, Qian Hongchu's wind disease recurred, and at the fourth drum of the evening (early morning of the 8th), it was declared that the rescue was ineffective and he left us prematurely.

Qian Hongchu was born at the fourth drum beat on August 929, the fourth year of Tiancheng (8), and died at the fourth drum beat on August 24, the first year of Duangong (988), exactly sixty years, not a minute off (based on the date of birth and death, it is actually a sixty-year cycle).

When the sad news reached the capital, Zhao Guangyi was extremely sad and issued an edict to suspend court for seven days.

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(End of this chapter)