History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 1007: Discussion on Taking Hedong
【Discussion on Taking Hedong】

In the first month of the fourth year of Taipingxingguo (979), on the Spring Festival, Zhao Guangyi convened a court meeting with a clear theme: "Northern Han, think of a way to defeat them."

This has long been an open secret in the court of the Song Dynasty, because "eliminating the Northern Han" can almost be said to be a political consensus. Both Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Guangyi have publicly stated many times that they want to recover the lost territories of the Northern Han. However, it was just a patriotic slogan or an empty promise before, but now it has been officially put on the agenda and the process has begun.

At the meeting, many people also raised objections, led by the prime minister Xue Juzheng who presided over the compilation of the Old Five Dynasties History. Of course, they were not against military reunification, but against acting too hastily, and believed that disputes should be shelved, the status quo maintained, and historical issues handed over to the future.

The opposition led by Xue Juzheng put forward a point of view: Comrade Zhou Shizong Chai Rong and my great-grandfather had both launched large-scale attacks on the Northern Han but failed. Even though Your Majesty is wise and powerful, could it be that... you are more awesome than Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin?
Zhao Guangyi looked displeased and asked, "Does anyone else have any other opinions?" He was talking to "others", but his eyes were directed at the Privy Councilor Cao Bin.

Cao Bin immediately stepped out of the class and said, "I have a different opinion. During the reign of Emperor Shizong, it was Shi Chao's defeat at Shiling Pass that caused the army to be demoralized and morale to be low, so the army returned. During the reign of Emperor Taizu, the troops were stationed in the grassland, and many soldiers suffered from abdominal diseases, so the army returned. It's not that Taiyuan is indestructible!"

Cao Bin’s answer can be called standard workplace rhetoric.

First of all, he cleverly avoided Xue Juzheng's logical trap and did not discuss whether Zhao Guangyi was better than Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin. Instead, he directly analyzed the root of the problem - why the first two Northern Expeditions failed.

Secondly, use details to influence the overall situation. Chai Rong failed to conquer the Northern Han because Shi Chao frustrated his morale; Zhao Kuangyin's failure was directly attributed to the epidemic...

In short, it was bad luck the first two times, not that our leader is incompetent.

Zhao Guangyi nodded with satisfaction, and then sang a little double act with Cao Bin, pretending to be doubtful and asking Cao Bin: "If we use troops against Northern Han now, how sure are we?"

Cao Bin's answer was sonorous and powerful: "Now our country has elite soldiers and everyone is united. If we march north, we will surely crush them with one blow!"

"Although we have sufficient weapons and armor, we should not attack without authorization."

A word floated slowly from the crowd, and Zhao Guangyi's joyful expression froze instantly. Everyone looked up and saw Xue Juzheng walking out of the class slowly.

"What advice do you have, Minister of State?" Zhao Guangyi's tone was filled with obvious disgust and impatience.

Xue Juzheng spoke eloquently, "During the reign of Emperor Shizong, Taiyuan relied on the Khitan's aid and fortified itself, which led to the old army returning home. When Emperor Taizu defeated the Khitan at Yanmen Pass, he drove all the people of Northern Han to move to Henan. Although Taiyuan was preserved, it was impoverished and in danger. The reason why Emperor Taizu did this was that the land of Northern Han was not enough to expand the territory if he got it, and it was not enough to cause trouble if he gave it up. I hope Your Majesty will think twice!"

Xue Juzheng was also well versed in the art of language. He did not belittle Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin, but gave Zhao Kuangyin a higher evaluation, saying that Taizu could have taken Northern Han long ago, but the reason he did not was to use Northern Han as a strategic buffer between Song and Liao. For Northern Han, the Song Dynasty adopted a bloodletting therapy, that is, it did not aim to capture cities and territories, but to plunder as many of its population, cattle, sheep and other strategic resources as possible, and used the Northern Han issue as a political bargaining chip in its diplomacy with Liao. Maintaining the status quo was the most favorable situation for the Song Dynasty, allowing the Song Dynasty to take the initiative in the relationship between Song and Liao and be able to control it freely.

According to the records of the Northern Han historians, the Song Dynasty's strategy of exhausting the enemy by cutting off the firewood from under the cauldron yielded positive results. The geographical conditions of the Northern Han Dynasty were not conducive to farming, and the population was lost in large numbers. There was an extreme shortage of domestic labor. When the grain harvest season finally came, it would encounter targeted looting by the Song army. For example, as mentioned in the previous article, the Northern Han Dynasty had to "beg for food for help" from the Liao Kingdom. The agricultural civilization actually begged for food from the nomadic people, which was unprecedented in ancient and modern times and was ridiculous.

In addition, the Song Dynasty also imposed a trade blockade on the Northern Han, making the Northern Han even more difficult.

And the Northern Han had to pay a large sum of protection fee to their Khitan father every year... The Northern Han was extremely poor.

Northern Han: Beg for economic assistance. Liao: Please tighten your belt.

Northern Han: Begging for support for the belt.

The Northern Han, which had difficulty even solving the problem of food and clothing, had long lost the ambition that Liu Chong had when he went south to suppress the bandits. It also had no strength to support the Han Dynasty and would not pose any effective threat to the Central Plains dynasty.

The above is what Xue Juzheng called "not having it will not be a problem".

Once the Northern Han was annexed, the Song Dynasty would officially border the Liao Kingdom. Of course, strictly speaking, the Song Dynasty and the Liao Kingdom had long bordered each other in the Hebei region, but both sides had special feelings for the "Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun", which will be further elaborated in the Liao Kingdom special topic later. Here is a brief explanation - both sides regarded the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun as a buffer zone.

In other words, the Northern Han and the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun together constituted a strategic buffer zone between the Song and Liao dynasties, which was an all-round buffer in military, political, economic, and cultural aspects. Both sides tacitly maintained this delicate balance. Once this balance was broken, it would be like tearing off the last fig leaf of "Song-Liao friendship". The two powers would no longer have room for maneuver. The Liao Kingdom, which represented the grassland civilization, and the Song Dynasty, which represented the agricultural civilization, would inevitably have a head-on conflict, followed by a long-term and comprehensive military confrontation between the two countries.

The Northern Han was a small country with many rugged mountain roads and little arable land that the Central Plains coveted. From an economic perspective, it was not attractive enough to the Central Plains dynasty.

This is what Xue Juzheng proposed: "What we gain is not enough to expand our territory."

There is no benefit in getting it, and there is no harm in giving it up... So, Xue Juzheng finally said the wrong thing, "I hope Your Majesty will consider it carefully", please think twice.

What do you mean? Oh, the great ancestor is a great geopolitician and strategist, but the emperor doesn't have a global perspective? The great ancestor is thoughtful and the emperor is reckless and impulsive? The emperor thinks differently from you, that is, he doesn't think seriously?
Zhao Guangyi was completely annoyed and said, "The situation is the same now, but the situation is different. They are weak and we are strong. The reason why the former emperor defeated this enemy, relocated their people and emptied their land is exactly what happened today!"

Zhao Guangyi also criticized Xue Juzheng in a tactful way. Empiricism is the most taboo in the political game. "The same situation may be different." We should analyze specific issues in light of the current actual background. How can we be afraid of the rope for ten years after being bitten by a snake? Although you have realized Taizu's "strategy of exhausting the enemy," you only know the result but not the reason. Why should we leave him with a little health and not last hit, clean up his jungle, and snatch the Overlord and Tyrant? Isn't it just waiting for the Shadow Vanguard to push?

Afterwards, Zhao Guangyi announced: "I have made up my mind, and you all should not say anything more." I have finished speaking, who agrees, and who dares to oppose?

"Your Majesty!"

It is said that there was a legendary figure who helped Zhao Guangyi make up his mind to march north. This person was Chen Tuan. Chen Tuan was a well-known figure in Taoism. He was born in the late Tang Dynasty. He was given the title of "Qingxu Chushi" by Emperor Xizong of Tang Dynasty and "Mr. Baiyun" by Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou Dynasty. Chen Tuan had many outstanding disciples, one of whom was called "Fire Dragon Immortal". This Fire Dragon Immortal also had a disciple - Zhang Sanfeng.

Chen Tuan was the leader of the Taoist profession at that time, and the leader of the Taoist school. He was good at Yixue and Xiangxue, and in short, he was a "master" who could tell fortunes. The emperors of the Five Dynasties were eager to ask him for guidance and to help them calculate their fate and national destiny. As a result, Chen Tuan retired to the mountains for a long time and refused to serve as an official. This was mentioned in the "Chenqiao Mutiny" in the previous article.

It is said that when Zhao Kuangyin launched the "Third Expedition to Northern Han", Chen Tuan strongly advised against sending troops, but the army had already been deployed and could not stop, and ended up returning in defeat. Zhao Kuangyin then died in the mysterious "candle shadow and axe sound".

However, when Zhao Guangyi planned to conquer Northern Han, the elusive Chen Tuan took the initiative to show up and told Zhao Guangyi that Hedong could be taken!
After Emperor Taizong destroyed the Northern Han, he gave Chen Tuan the title of "Mr. Xiyi". In 989 AD, the legendary Comrade Chen Tuan passed away at the age of 118, leaving us too early.

Thanks to my old friend "Yang Kui" for the generous monthly ticket support!

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(End of this chapter)