History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 360: Inside and Outside

1.2 Hedong
The remnants of Li Cunxu (Li Cunba and Li Cunwo) fled to Taiyuan Prefecture in Hedong and plotted a comeback, but were discovered and strangled in the cradle by Taiyuan Inspector Li Yanchao in time. Li Yanchao remained calm in the face of danger and helped Li Siyuan's new regime control the situation in Taiyuan, ensuring order and stability in the best area of ​​Hedong, which was a great contribution.

After Li Siyuan was enthroned, he immediately sent Li Yanchao's younger brother Li Yanqing to appease and win over Li Yanchao, as he was worried that Li Yanchao would split off from Hedong. Li Yanchao immediately went to Luoyang in person to meet Li Siyuan and express his loyalty. Li Siyuan then promoted Li Yanchao to the post of Jinzhou Jianxiong Army Retainer. Soon after, he was promoted to Taiyuan Retainer.

1.3 Fengxiang
Fengxiang Jiedushi Li Jihuan (son of Li Maozhen) followed the army into Sichuan. When he passed through Fengxiang on his way back east, the Fengxiang military supervisor eunuch Chai Chonghou refused to receive Li Jihuan and urged him to return to Luoyang immediately to report. It was February of the fourth year of Tongguang, and Li Cunxu was still the emperor in Luoyang.

This was a very dangerous move, because Li Jizhuo had just surrendered Fengxiang to the Later Tang Dynasty, and Chai Chonghou's move could easily cause misunderstandings, making Li Jizhuo think that the central government was going to take action against him and annex his Fengxiang. History did not give more clues, and it is unknown whether the eunuch Chai Chonghou's move was a secret order from the central government (Li Cunxu) or a personal act. In short, it was a dangerous move that could force Li Jizhuo of Fengxiang to rebel.

After Li Siyuan came to power, he immediately sent people to kill Chai Chonghou.

Li Jihe was given the title of Acting Grand Tutor and Minister of the Central Secretariat, and was given the name "Li Conghe" ("Ji" is the generation name of Li Cunxu's sons and nephews, and "Cong" is the generation name of Li Siyuan's sons and nephews), as a sign of favor. Then Li Jihe was allowed to return to Fengxiang to continue serving as the Jiedushi of Fengxiang.

1.4 Sichuan
Shu had just been conquered. It was a hotbed for separatism and had a unique geographical advantage. None of the troops stationed there were Li Siyuan's direct subordinates. The main political and military forces here were the natives of Shu, who had been managed by Wang Jian and Wang Zongyan for nearly 40 years. The auxiliary forces were the expeditionary forces sent by Li Cunxu to attack Shu. Therefore, the situation in Shu was very delicate.

Li Siyuan gave the title of Inspecting Taifu and concurrently Shizhong to Meng Zhixiang of Xichuan, and the title of Inspecting Taifu to Dong Zhang of Dongchuan.

"Murphy's Law" says that what you fear will come true. Li Siyuan was indeed unable to retain Shu. Under Li Siyuan's deliberate operation, Meng Zhixiang eventually split off Shu and established the "Later Shu". This is a later story.

In general, when Li Siyuan first became emperor, he was able to temporarily stabilize Shu and obtain financial support from Shu, helping the new regime overcome economic difficulties.

1.5 Youzhou
Zhao Dejun, the governor of Youzhou Lulong Army, was the first to respond to Li Siyuan's call and helped him march to Luoyang to seize power. After Li Siyuan became emperor, he naturally did not forget this hero who had followed him. He gave Zhao Dejun the titles of Imperial Tutor and Prime Minister, and married his daughter Princess Xingping to Zhao Dejun's adopted son Zhao Yanshou.

1.6 Jingnan
Gao Jichang, the governor of Jingnan, was promoted to the position of Grand Commandant and concurrently the Minister of the Chancellery. Gao Jichang petitioned to return the three states of Kui, Zhong and Wan to Jingnan, and Li Siyuan agreed.

As repeatedly emphasized in the previous article, the geographical location of Jingnan is very important. It is not only the southern gate of the Later Tang Empire, but also a place of four wars. It is connected to the Later Tang, Shu, Chu, and Huainan. It is really a domino effect. Therefore, although Gao Jichang has a small territory, weak people, few soldiers and generals, he has never won a war and never lost a game. He turned the military disadvantage into a geopolitical advantage, sandwiched between Qi and Chu, but he was able to get along with both sides and play with the Central Plains Dynasty and Huainan, which are more powerful than him.

Gao Jichang's request to cede territory at this time was a clear indication of Li Siyuan's weakness and an open extortion. Li Siyuan was like a dumb person eating coptis chinensis, unable to speak out his grievances and could only suffer in silence.

Li Siyuan put the overall situation first and temporarily stabilized Jingnan, but then a fierce armed conflict broke out between the two sides. This is a story for later.

1.7 Northwestern Feudatories
Li Renfu, the governor of Xiazhou Dingnan Army, was given an additional 1,000 households; Gao Yuntao, the governor of Yanzhou Zhangwu Army, was officially appointed as the governor of Yanzhou Zhangwu Army. Northwestern regions, such as Xiazhou, Lingzhou, Yanzhou, Suizhou, etc., have been out of the control of the central government since the end of the Tang Dynasty. Although they have always been under the rule of the Central Plains dynasty, they enjoy a high degree of autonomy. During the "Huang Chao Rebellion", Xiazhou's young general, Tuoba Sigong, a Dangxiang man, was rewarded with the surname of the country and the title of "Duke of Xia", and was granted the lands of Xia and Sui. He was also given the name of his armed forces, Dingnan Army. Since then, this "Dangxiang Qiang" has long controlled the northwest of the empire.

Afterwards, whether it was the Later Liang Dynasty, the Later Tang Dynasty, or even the Song Dynasty, their leaders always paid tribute to the central dynasty and obeyed the legitimate government. In the first year of Baoyuan in the Song Dynasty (1038), their leader Li Yuanhao established a country and proclaimed himself emperor, changing the country's name to "Daxia" and establishing the reign title "Tian Shou Li Fa Yan Zuo" (a six-character reign title that was unprecedented), and it was known in history as "Western Xia".

After Li Siyuan proclaimed himself emperor, he promoted the chief of the Xiazhou Li clan (Tuoba clan) to a higher position and rank in order to win him over. This received a positive response, and the northwestern vassal states recognized the legitimacy of Li Siyuan's regime and swore allegiance to him. The northwestern border was stabilized.

2. External aspects of the Later Tang Dynasty

There are both peripheral forces within the interior and completely external (tribe) forces. The definition of "external" refers to "the interior of the Later Tang Dynasty". They are the "aftermath of Li Cunxu's attack on Shu", because the attack on Shu was a gamble when Li Cunxu was on the verge of collapse. During this period, Li Cunxu's court was weak and unable to cause any more trouble, so it had to compromise with other military and political entities and agree to all their unreasonable demands, and they, without exception, blackmailed Li Cunxu.

Li Siyuan took over in a weak position, and the regime was just beginning, so it was extremely fragile. There was no doubt that he would be blackmailed by them and compromised in every way. This was the basic "foreign" national policy of Li Siyuan's court.

For example, Gao Jichang of Jingnan mentioned above extorted the lands of Kui, Zhong and Wan states.

After Li Siyuan ascended the throne, he sent envoys to various regions, Huainan, Khitan, etc. to express his condolences and inform them of the news of Li Cunxu's death and the new ruler's succession to the throne.

2.1 Internal external line

Due to Li Siyuan's weakness, the situation of "strong localities and weak central government" gradually expanded, causing those peripheral areas of the empire to establish kingdoms one after another, accelerating the formation of the "Ten Kingdoms".

2.1.1 Wang Yanhan of Fuzhou was given additional titles of Inspector General and Co-Prime Minister.

After receiving the reward from Li Siyuan, Wang Yanhan proclaimed himself the King of Damin, built a palace, appointed civil and military officials, used the etiquette of the Son of Heaven, issued a general amnesty, and posthumously honored his father Wang Shenzhi as "King Zhaowu". Civil and military officials called him "Your Highness", did not change the reign title, and continued to use the reign title of the Later Tang Dynasty, superficially still following the Later Tang Dynasty.

By establishing a country without changing the era name, Wang Yanhan had taken an important step on the road to establishing his own regime and becoming an emperor.

(End of this chapter)