History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 330 "Smashing the Pot" Operation

[Operation "Smashing the Pot"]

On the eleventh day of the first lunar month in the fourth year of Tongguang (926), the eunuch Ma Yangui returned to Luoyang to report. Li Cunxu immediately issued an edict to announce Guo Chongtao's "crimes" and ordered the execution of his sons who stayed behind. Guo Chongtao had five sons in total. Guo Tingxin and Guo Tinghui died with him in Shu, Guo Tingshuo was killed in Luoyang, Guo Tingrang was killed in Weizhou, and Guo Tingyi was killed in Taiyuan. Their property was confiscated. Guo Tinghui and Guo Tingrang each had a son who was saved by the full rescue of relatives and was raised by Guo Chongtao's wife in Taiyuan. The great hero finally left a bloodline and did not die out.

Guo Chongtao was loyal, diligent and devoted. He helped the Tang Dynasty to destroy the Liang Dynasty and pacify Bashu during the difficult times. His contributions were invaluable. After the news of his death spread, people all over the world cried out for justice for him. Not only the people in the Central Plains, but even the people of Shu whom he conquered and his foreign friends believed that his death was unjust and that "the barbarians and the Chinese felt that he was wronged."

Later historians accused him of being "arrogant and lawless" after entering Chengdu, accepting bribes, and transporting precious treasures and goods in an endless stream every day. His home was piled with gold and silver treasures. When his house was finally confiscated, the mud seals of these treasures were not even dry (the mud seals were still wet on the day of confiscation). This means that Guo Chongtao lost his integrity in his later years and quickly became corrupt and degenerate in Shu, leaving people with handles to frame him.

This statement is very one-sided.

First of all, there were only two sons who entered Shu with Guo Chongtao, Guo Tingxin and Guo Tinghui, the so-called "sons".

Secondly, we have repeatedly emphasized the explanation that Guo Chongtao accepted bribes. Even Li Jiji believed that Guo Chongtao was guarding the country's wealth and stabilizing the surrendered generals and ministers in Shu, which was an important part of the united front work. This can also reasonably explain why when the house was searched, the "mud seal was still wet", no matter how much money he "embezzled" or "accepted bribes", Guo Chongtao never touched a penny from beginning to end, leaving it intact.

Finally, it was only two months from the time Guo Chongtao entered Chengdu to the time he was killed. If most of the treasures were still wet, then there is another terrifying possibility - frame-up. Before the house was searched, someone urgently transported the treasures to Guo Chongtao's house to increase the amount of "stolen money".

In fact, we have already sorted out and summarized the reasons for Guo Chongtao's murder in the previous article. It was nothing more than offending almost everyone. When his political allies, such as Meng Zhixiang, learned that the emperor had the intention to kill him, they could only try to delay this idea. They advised Li Cunxu not to kill people in Shu and requested to take Guo Chongtao back to Luoyang first. When they learned that Empress Liu had issued an order to kill Guo Chongtao, they could only sigh to the sky.

Of course, Meng Zhixiang had done his best by doing this. He knew that he could still fight back against Li Cunxu, but in front of the eunuchs, actors, and the queen, he could only be like an ant trying to shake a tree or a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Historical books say that Guo Chongtao made too many enemies and his opposition was too broad. "Inside, the actors and street vendors were furious; outside, the colleagues and veteran generals were heartbroken." He offended all the civil and military officials in the court, so it was reasonable that his entire clan was exterminated.

Finally, the Old History of the Five Dynasties gave the final verdict: "History of the Five Dynasties was successful and famous, but he was respected but in danger." Guo Chongtao, who destroyed Shu, did not learn from Fan Li, who destroyed Wu, or Yue Yi, who destroyed Qi. He could not retreat bravely and protect himself. This is a warning for future generations.

Guo Chongtao was a powerful person, and he had offended the eunuchs, so...was Guo Chongtao's death really just a superficial one? Not necessarily.

There is actually no essential difference between the eunuch group and other political forces. Take the civil service group for example. The intuitive feeling between the "Southern Court and the Northern Court" seems to be incompatible and irreconcilable. In fact, this is just a common misunderstanding. Civil officials and eunuchs also have a honeymoon period of collusion and collusion. Everyone gets what they need and coexists peacefully. The reason for this misunderstanding is that only when the two sides fight fiercely will some shocking cases occur, and only then will they leave a rich and colorful chapter in the annals of history and become the historical traffic of that period; and when the two sides are flirting with each other, even if some conspiracies are carried out, they will be done without leaks, will not leave waves, and will not attract people's attention.

The relationship between the Southern Court and the Northern Court was very delicate. Neither side had the will to completely eliminate the other, nor did they have the ability to do so. Because everyone knew that the court could not be without civil officials, and the emperor could not be without eunuchs to serve him. So neither side could be completely eliminated. Of course, there were exceptions, such as He Jin and Yuan Shao in the late Han Dynasty and Cui Yin in the late Tang Dynasty, who all tried to kill all the eunuchs, and the final results were obvious to all.

Therefore, all pragmatic and far-sighted eunuchs and civil servants are trying to build an ecological balance, that is, while maintaining cooperation, both sides try to make their own forces gain the upper hand and have more say in order to maximize and stabilize the interests of the group.

In most cases, the struggle between the "Southern Yamen and Northern Si" is also a struggle for the right to speak and the initiative.

In the three years since Li Cunxu entered Bianzhou, the two major camps of civil servants and eunuchs have risen. When the two groups have completed their internal unification, friction and collision are bound to arise in the process of further external expansion, which requires the leaders of both sides to formulate a new order.

Generally, the two sides will have varying degrees of temptations and confrontations during this period. After several rounds of competition, a new order of Southern Court and Northern Court will naturally form according to the level of strength. Then, in the following period of time, each side will be inward-looking, and finally one side will rise or weaken, the balance of power will be broken, and then a new order will be redefined... and so on. This is true in any historical period and any political entity.

The eunuch group of the Later Tang Dynasty dominated the country with the secret support of Li Cunxu, while Guo Chongtao used various means, some of which were fair and some were dirty and despicable. In short, Guo Chongtao also rose rapidly within three years, with the momentum of challenging the entire eunuch group and breaking the ecological balance of the eunuchs' right to speak. However, this was only the reason for the dissatisfaction of the eunuchs, not the reason for the final break.

In fact, the eunuch group has been waiting for Guo Chongtao's "spoils-sharing agreement", that is, Guo Chongtao, who holds the initiative, will redefine the boundaries of interests between the "Southern Yamen and Northern Yamen" and regulate the new order. Small conflicts may break out during this period, with the purpose of bargaining.

However, the eunuchs never expected that Guo Chongtao wanted to be the second Cui Yin, and actually encouraged Li Jiji to kill all the eunuchs after he ascended the throne. This price was too high, forcing the eunuchs to fight back.

Like He Jin, Yuan Shao and Cui Yin, Guo Chongtao, who held high the banner of "killing all eunuchs", was finally killed by the three reactionary forces of eunuchs, actors and the queen.

The execution of Guo Chongtao was the most important political event in Li Cunxu's era, and its impact on the Later Tang Dynasty was enormous. It was the Pandora's box that released the demons, and it was the domino that caused the empire to collapse.

Less than half a year after Guo Chongtao's death, Li Cunxu, Li Jiji, Empress Liu and others died one after another, and the country fell into the hands of others.

(End of this chapter)