History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 104 New Opportunities 2
【Healing Master Zhang Quanyi】

Zhang Quanyi should be considered a clear stream in the quagmire of troubled times. He had a very distinct personality and was unique throughout the entire period of the Late Tang and the Five Dynasties.

He was not interested in sensual pleasures, did not pursue luxury and debauchery, did not covet power, and did not like killing and attacking. All the popular labels of that era never appeared on him.

The only thing he cared about was the "three rural issues". What he was best at was persuading people to engage in farming and sericulture, restoring production, and guiding the people to rest and recuperate.

He is a pure person, a moral person, and a person who is free from vulgar tastes. Learn from Comrade Zhang Quanyi.

Zhang Quanyi, who took over Luoyang, had only more than a hundred men under him, but they were responsible for guarding the city, maintaining public order, and restoring production.

Zhang Quanyi first carefully selected 18 people from the more than 18 people as "garrison commanders". Each of them was equipped with a flag and a notice to pacify the people. They were sent to counties in Luoyang to recruit people in each village and persuade and absorb refugees.

Then the punishment standards were lowered, stipulating that only those guilty of murder would be sentenced to death, while the rest would be given lenient and light sentences, usually just verbal education or flogging, in order to maximize the release of productivity.

The third is to exempt people from rent and taxes, and to motivate the people to produce to the greatest extent possible.

These were Zhang Quanyi's first three moves as a new official. After this set of moves, "people flocked to Luoyang like a market." People from all directions flocked to Luoyang like a market, laying the foundation for economic recovery.

Next, Zhang Quanyi selected experienced instructors to provide short-term intensive military education to young and middle-aged men so that they could resist the invasion of bandits.

After just a few years, Luoyang City gradually regained its former vitality, "mulberry and hemp grew luxuriantly, and there was no wasteland in the wild." Not only were the counties able to be self-sufficient, they even had enough surplus to support the army. A large county could support an army of 7,000 people, and a small county could support more than 2,000 people.

Zhang Quanyi often went out to inspect work. If he found that the crops in the fields were growing vigorously, he would call the owner of the farmland, reward him with good wine and food, and ask him to share his planting experience with his officials so that leaders at all levels could learn and discuss. When large-scale planting and breeding households had a good harvest, Zhang Quanyi would go to the farmer's home, hold a commendation meeting, and reward them with clothes, tea, etc.

Very approachable.

But, sometimes I get angry.

Whenever he saw a field barren, he would call the local people and publicly punish the owner of the field; if the owner of the field defended himself by saying that it was because of the lack of oxen and labor, he would call his neighbors and ask them why they didn't help him. Once the neighbor admitted his fault and confessed his crime, Zhang Quanyi would immediately pardon him and "never do it again."

Under Zhang Quanyi's tireless supervision day after day, neighbors helped each other, which not only increased agricultural output but also built a harmonious society.

Zhang Quanyi was well-known in the Heyang area. People spread the word, saying that there was an official who never put on airs, did not like the bright lights and wine, and only loved the fields; he never smiled when he saw singing girls and dancers, but would laugh so hard that he bent over when he saw wheat seedlings and silk.

[Parting ways]

Zhang Quanyi and Li Hanzhi were alone and without money, food or soldiers. They had to face the invasion of Cai's bandits all the time. They always felt overwhelmed when they were stationed in Heyang.

Li Hanzhi had helped Li Keyong who was in the "Shangyuanyi Incident", so he asked Li Keyong for help. Li Keyong reciprocated by recommending Li Hanzhi as the governor of Heyang and Zhang Quanyi as the governor of Henan, and sent General An Jinjun to lead troops to station in Zezhou to assist in the defense of Heyang.

In fact, Li Keyong also took the opportunity to extend his sphere of influence into Heyang, and he and Li Hanzhi each got what they needed and cooperated happily.

Both were former Heyang rebels, but why was there such a big difference between Li Hanzhi and Zhang Quanyi? Zhang Quanyi was frugal, encouraged farming and sericulture, and restored production; while Li Hanzhi was greedy, violent, mean, cruel, bloodthirsty, and plundering.

After the two took over Heyang, they swore an oath of blood alliance, became brothers for life and death, and swore a solemn oath to share life and death, weal and woe.

Later, when Li Hanzhi heard about what Zhang Quanyi had done in Luoyang, he burst out laughing and sneered, "Zhang Quanyi is just a useless old farmer!" After hearing this evaluation, Zhang Quanyi did not think it was an insult to himself. Instead, he laughed at himself and said that Li Hanzhi was right and that he was just a useless old farmer.

Zhang Quanyi advocated self-reliance and hard work; Li Hanzhi believed in fighting to support war and was warlike.

To fight a war, you need soldiers; to have soldiers, you need food and wages. So Li Hanzhi treated Zhang Quanyi as an ATM, constantly asking Zhang Quanyi for food and cloth, and Zhang Quanyi satisfied him without complaint.

Li Hanzhi was greedy and demanded more and more, and the frequency and amount of his demands became larger and larger.

After all, Zhang Quanyi was a man, not a god. He had to sow his grains one by one and weave his cloth thread by thread. As time went on, it was inevitable that he would be delayed in supply. Whenever his demands were not met in time, Li Hanzhi would arrest the officials in charge in Luoyang, put them in handcuffs and shackles, severely punish them, and parade them through the streets.

When beating a dog, one should consider the owner first, not the monk. Li Hanzhi's brutality had no bottom line. He didn't hit the Luoyang officials, but Zhang Quanyi's face.

Zhang Quanyi still obeyed him without saying a word. Han Zhi abused me thousands of times, but I still treated him like my first love.

The civil and military officials in Luoyang were all furious and accused Zhang Quanyi of being weak and cowardly, a useless waste, an old farmer, and a coward!

Faced with the criticism and accusations from his subordinates, Zhang Quanyi finally spoke up: "Why don't you give Marshal Li what he wants! It's your own fault for the delay in doing things." Then he continued to do his best to supply Li Hanzhi.

Then everyone in Heyang knew that Zhang Quanyi was afraid of Li Hanzhi. Li Hanzhi became more and more arrogant and did not take Zhang Quanyi seriously at all.

With the ATM behind him, Li Hanzhi became even less productive. Whenever he needed something, he would ask Zhang Quanyi for it. He only did one thing every day: robbing money, food, and women.

Li Hanzhi was indeed a mad dog who bit whoever he caught. His evil hands reached into the Hezhong area and plundered Jiangzhou and Jinzhou.

Hezhong was Wang Chongrong's territory. At this time, Wang Chongrong had just been killed in a mutiny, and Li Keyong recommended Wang Chongrong's brother Wang Chongying to succeed him as the governor.

When Wang Chongrong was alive, Hezhong and Hedong were in a military and political alliance. After Wang Chongrong's death, Hezhong became the sphere of influence of Li Keyong of Hedong. Li Keyong of Hedong also helped Li Hanzhi take over Heyang. Both Hezhong and Heyang were part of the Hedong forces and were Li Keyong's lackeys.

The three factions formed a tripod, supporting each other and occupying Guandong. However, Li Hanzhi attacked Hezhong, showing no sense of the overall situation and disregarding Li Keyong's dignity.

Wang Chongying was very angry, so he secretly formed an alliance with Zhang Quanyi and conspired to deal with the mad dog Li Hanzhi.

Zhang Quanyi's endurance of humiliation won him an opportunity. On this day, he secretly assembled a team of militiamen and launched a surprise attack on Li Hanzhi's residence.

Li Hanzhi was caught off guard and was beaten without any chance to fight back. In a panic, he jumped over the wall and fled on foot. Li Hanzhi's entire family and all their property fell into Zhang Quanyi's hands.

Li Hanzhi was indeed a strong and brave general. He ran all the way to Zezhou and asked Li Keyong for help again.

Li Keyong dispatched elite soldiers and brave generals and led 7,000 cavalry to rush to the rescue of Heyang.

In terms of fighting, Zhang Quanyi was no match for Li Hanzhi, let alone Li Keyong. Facing the aggressive reinforcements from Hedong, Zhang Quanyi could only close the city and hold on, while sending his wife and children to Bianzhou as hostages in exchange for Zhu Wen's support.

This connects to the previous story. Zhu Wen had just intervened in Wei Bo's internal affairs and subdued Luo Hongxin of Wei Bo when he received a letter for help from Zhang Quanyi of Heyang.

(End of this chapter)