History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 116: Zhaozong's Medicine
【Zhaozong’s good medicine】

The disastrous defeat in Hedong made Zhaozong realize that the separatist regimes were too powerful to be eliminated and difficult to shake in a short time. In particular, this campaign to reduce the separatist regimes exposed a more difficult problem, that is, the intertwined collusion between the eunuchs and the local separatist regimes bound Zhaozong's hands and feet, making it difficult to carry out the great cause of rejuvenation.

In fact, at the beginning of Zhaozong's accession to the throne, he had already begun to plan a new "Southern Court and Northern Court Dispute", that is, to cultivate a civil service force loyal to the royal family, seize power from the eunuchs, and thereby consolidate the imperial power.

Zhaozong regarded the prescription of vigorously supporting the civil service group as a panacea. Whether it was eradicating eunuchs or cracking down on local vassal states, the same medicine remained the same.

The advantage is one investment and two returns;

The disadvantage is wishful thinking.

Because Zhaozong's goal of cultivating civil servants was to have no foundation, no background, and no backing. They were honest and upright, upright, simple and easy to manipulate. This was the basic premise that they would only be loyal to the emperor himself, and this was their value.

Zhaozong had some unrealistic ideas in thinking that he could use a few students from the crash course to simultaneously overthrow the two giants of the feudal lords and the eunuchs.

These students of the political crash course had accurately grasped Zhaozong's pulse and enthusiastically excluded the eunuchs in front of Zhaozong, especially targeting Yang Fugong and scratching Zhaozong's sore spot.

Kong Wei and Zhang Jun often suggested that Zhaozong follow the example of the previous emperor (Xuanzong) and strictly restrict the power of eunuchs.

These two guys are so annoying. Zhaozong is not Yizong, let alone Xizong. It's not that he doesn't want to restrain them, but he is unable to do so. So Zhaozong can only tactfully tell the two beloved ministers not to be impatient, take it slow, and a little impatience will ruin a big plan.

Some things can only be understood but not expressed in words, especially Zhaozong's current situation, which does not allow him to reveal the secret. He must be patient and low-key, bide his time, accumulate enough strength, and wait for a suitable opportunity.

When Emperor Zhaozong ascended the throne, Kong Wei joined forces with several officials to submit a memorial criticizing the eunuchs' (especially Yang Fugong) clothing issues, pointing out that according to the old ancestral system, when offering sacrifices to heaven, they should not wear court robes or hold tablets, etc. Eunuchs should look like eunuchs.

The memorial was submitted, but no reply was forthcoming. So he submitted another memorial, suggesting that the emperor should not indulge eunuchs without any bottom line or principle.

Finally, Emperor Zhaozong wrote a letter in his own handwriting, telling them, "My dear ministers, what you said is absolutely right, but we should be flexible in everything and not get stuck in a rut. We should not lose the big picture for the small." He clearly favored the eunuchs.

Kong Wei and Zhang Jun were both loyal but had questionable emotional intelligence. They could not read the mind of the emperor, and they regarded Zhaozong's forbearance as cowardice. As the emperor of the Tang Empire, how could he be bullied by eunuchs and not even dare to fart?
Therefore, the more low-key and tolerant Zhaozong was, the more the two prime ministers wanted to stand out.

Yang Fugong often rode in a sedan chair carried by two people (shoulder sedan), and only got off the sedan chair and walked to the Taiji Hall, which was against etiquette.

One day, Zhaozong discussed world affairs with his court officials, and his words revealed his concern for the country.

Kong Wei sneered and said slowly: "Your Majesty, to threaten the country of Tang, do you still need to trouble the vassal states on all sides? There is someone around you who wants to rebel!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the scene fell silent and everyone looked at Kong Wei in surprise.

Zhaozong was also shocked, not knowing what he was up to. "My dear, who do you think is going to rebel?"

Kong Wei raised his hand and pointed, and everyone looked in the direction of his finger - Yang Fugong!

Yang Fugong shuddered as if he had been electrocuted, "Stop... stop making trouble..."

"Humph!"

Kong Wei exuded an aura of inviolability. He pointed at the tip of Yang Fugong's nose and angrily shouted, "You, Yang Fugong, are just a servant of His Majesty, yet you dare to ride in a sedan chair to the palace. You are so bold! You also raised so many warriors as your adopted sons. Not only did you let them command the imperial guards, but you also let them serve as local governors. If this isn't treason, what is it?"

Yang Fugong's adopted sons Yang Shouli and Yang Shouxin were both generals in the central imperial army; Yang Shouzhen and Yang Shouzhong were military governors outside the capital, and they never paid tribute and ignored the court; Yang Shouhou was the governor of Mianzhou, and most of his other adopted sons were also local governors, and were collectively called "outside house gentlemen" at the time; he selected more than 600 smart and capable young eunuchs in the palace, adopted them, and then sent them to various war zones and roads as military supervisors. This wove a complex and impenetrable "Yang faction" eunuch network.

The "Yang faction" eunuchs' power, from the central government to the local governments, colluded with each other internally and externally, and echoed each other from afar, and no one dared to touch them. At the same time, Yang Fugong also secretly colluded with local vassal states (such as Li Keyong). The "Yang faction" eunuchs' power is definitely a political force that should not be underestimated.

Everyone knew it, but only Kong Wei dared to point it out to others.

Yang Fugong broke out in a cold sweat and defended himself, "My adopted sons are indeed warriors, but they are loyal to the emperor and defend the country. Why are they called traitors?"

Kong Wei's sense of justice was overflowing, his eyes widened... he was stunned, yes, why did he call him a traitor...

Most afraid of the air suddenly quiet.

Zhaozong quickly tried to smooth things over for him, and questioned Yang Fugong: "Since they are going to be loyal to me, why don't you let them have the surname Li, but let them have the surname Yang?"

Yang Fugong was dumbfounded and speechless.

Emperor Zhaozong was too unreasonable.

It was popular in the Tang Dynasty to raise adopted sons, especially for warlords and eunuchs. It was common sense for adopted sons to take the surname of their parents. Zhu Wen's adopted son was surnamed Zhu, and Yang Fugong's adopted son was surnamed Yang. It was natural. According to Emperor Zhaozong, those with the surname Li were loyal to the emperor, and those with other surnames were suspected of rebellion?

Besides, Yang Fugong's surname was not Yang. His original surname was Lin. After he entered the palace, he was adopted by the eunuch Yang Xuanyi, so he changed his surname to Yang. So, if we really judge loyalty and treason by surname, only Yang Fugong's giving his adopted son the surname Lin was a sign of treason. Yang Fugong was speechless, half of which was frightened and half of which was angry.

Kong Wei did not inform Emperor Zhaozong in advance, but declared war on Yang Fugong without authorization, dragging Emperor Zhaozong into a wrong political struggle launched at the wrong time. The result is predictable.

Emperor Zhaozong took advantage of the situation and said to Yang Fugong: "I want your adopted son Hu to serve me."

The person Zhaozong named was Yang Fugong's most proud adopted son - Yang Shouli (originally named Hu Hongli). This man had extraordinary martial arts and was brave enough to defeat six armies. The imperial guards were very afraid of him. When Xizong was trapped in Fengxiang, it was he and Li Changfu who had a road rage attack, which triggered Li Changfu's rebellion.

Zhaozong was worried that Yang Shouli would become a major obstacle to the future "anti-Yang movement", so he turned his enemy into a friend and used the excuse of "surname rebellion" to win him over.

Yang Fugong had to introduce Yang Shouli to the emperor, and at the same time he hoped that Yang Shouli would become his spy beside the emperor.

Yang Shouli was a double-edged sword and the focus of contention between Yang Fugong and Emperor Zhaozong.

Zhaozong was certainly confident that he could instigate Yang Shouli to rebel.

First, Emperor Zhaozong gave him the royal family's surname, and from then on, Yang Shouli had a new name - Li Shunjie. For the sake of narrative unity, the following text will continue to use "Yang Shouli".

Secondly, promotion.

In the imperial army, Yang Shouli was promoted by the rocket, and he was also appointed as the governor of Zhenhai. He was also given the title of prime minister. In the civil official circle, he was the prime minister; in the military official circle, he was the commander of the imperial army; in the local area, he was still a vassal. He was an elite in the three realms, and all the promotions were completed in less than a year.

Yang Shouli quickly knelt down in front of the sugar-coated bullet and threw himself into the "anti-Yang movement" without hesitation.

By undermining Yang Shouli, Zhaozong saw hope of splitting and disintegrating the "Yang faction" power. With time, the poisonous tumor of eunuchs could be easily eradicated.

However, Kong Wei hated evil and had always been hostile to those warriors who used force to oppress the emperor. His political awareness was even duller. He still did not understand the good intentions of Emperor Zhaozong, and he did not understand that the rapid promotion of Yang Shouli was a brilliant political tactic.

On the day when Yang Shouli was awarded the title of Prime Minister, his staff told him that according to convention, the Central Prime Minister's Office should hold a welcoming ceremony.

So, Yang Shouli went to Kong Wei and asked about the ceremony. Should I gather all the civil and military officials to line up to welcome him? Should I give an inaugural speech directly, or give an acceptance speech first? Should I cry and tell about my miserable childhood? Should I thank this person and that person?

Kong Wei was too lazy to pay attention to him and sent someone to tell him: No need to gather.

Yang Shouli thought that all the civil and military officials had been waiting for him in the Prime Minister's Office, so he came to his workplace happily, but found that the unit was deserted, there was no welcome ceremony, no banners, no flowers or applause... Yang Shouli even thought he had walked into the wrong door.

The baby is feeling sad and he wants to speak it out.

One day, Yang Shouli finally met Kong Wei and mentioned the incident to him, seeking spiritual healing.

Kong Wei rubbed salt into his wounds, "Do you really think of yourself as the prime minister?"

Yang Shouli was so choked that he couldn't utter a word and felt very aggrieved.

Unlike the pedantic Kong Wei, Yang Shouli understood the good intentions of Emperor Zhaozong and had a deep understanding of the logic behind his favor. He knew that Yang Fugong was his token of loyalty.

Reporting Yang Fugong became Yang Shouli's daily work. With the tacit approval of Emperor Zhaozong, Yang Shouli and Yang Fugong's struggle for power and profit did not need to be concealed.

As a result, a "Yang Shouli phenomenon" quietly emerged in the court. Anyone who DISS Yang Fugong would be rewarded, and bashing and criticizing Yang Fugong was the most fashionable political correctness.

In this atmosphere, the "anti-Yang movement" is no longer inevitable.

This "anti-Yang movement" was Zhaozong's top-level design, but this design was not precise or rigorous because it lacked the most important link - the trigger mechanism.

If we restore Zhaozong's situation at that time, we can neither blame him for his wild ideas nor laugh at his overestimation of his own capabilities. He had great ambitions and firm beliefs, but apart from that, he really had nothing.

His situation was quite passive and his strength was very weak. Under such conditions, he was indeed unable to make accurate predictions and work out a timetable.

Due to the backward economy, we can only develop in a poor way.

When will the group start? It depends.

Thanks to old friends "Pure Lsp", "Feitian Shenlongzhan", "Book Friend 151023051918540", "feitian", and "Book Friend 20180121110920727" for their recommendation votes and support!
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(End of this chapter)