History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 42: Death of Wang Liao
【Death of Wang Liao】

Wang Liao was the former governor of Ruzhou. When Wang Xianzhi invaded Ruzhou, Wang Liao personally went into battle and guarded the north and south gates with his subordinates. However, they were outnumbered and captured when the city was finally breached. From then on, he was held hostage by Cao's army.

The seemingly plain words above are actually full of praise, portraying Wang Liao as a hero. However, if we make a comprehensive analysis, I am afraid that Comrade Wang Liao’s image is not so positive, at least not so glorious.

First, let's talk about his "heroic resistance". There is a lack of detailed historical materials about this heroic act, only a few simple words, as mentioned above. And in this brief account, there is a description that "he supervised the brave warriors and his general Dong Hanxun to defend the south and north gates. When the city fell, Hanxun died fighting hard."

Wang Liao and his general Dong Hanxun guarded two city gates respectively. Dong Hanxun died gloriously in battle, and Wang Liao was captured alive. Was he captured because of exhaustion, or did he surrender voluntarily?
Secondly, after being captured, Wang Liao's behavior was even more different from that of a "hero". He assisted the enemy and urged the court to recruit him, which caused the court to lose the best opportunity to eliminate the enemy and eventually led to a disaster.

Moreover, after Ruzhou fell, the imperial court demoted Wang Liao to the position of Sima of Shaozhou, which shows that Wang Liao's "resistance" was widely criticized at that time.

Wang Liao and his brother Wang Duo failed to understand the greater good and put the interests of the whole society before their own. They put their personal interests above public interests, which made the court cautious in dealing with the Cao army. Wang Liao thus became the most valuable amulet in the Cao army.

So what is the fate of this amulet, death, escape or redemption?

The answer is A. He died. He was killed by Cao’s army.

The history books only say that he was killed by Cao's army, but the details are not clear enough, and the time and place of the murder are not recorded.

This is the selling point of this book:

When Wang Liao was captured, Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao were still brothers in the same trench until the Qizhou surrender failed and Wang and Huang separated. Pei Wei, who was also a hostage, escaped during the chaos, but Wang Liao was still detained.

So the question is, who detained Wang Liao? Was it Wang Xianzhi or Huang Chao?

Let's try to continue analyzing:

1. If it was Wang Xianzhi. It seems reasonable that Wang Xianzhi knelt down and begged for amnesty and held on to Wang Liao tightly. Would he reluctantly give up and kill Wang Liao? Maybe, for example, he was deceived by "surrendering in Dengzhou".

Then the question arises again. The "Dengzhou Surrender" itself is a historical unsolved case. As analyzed in the previous article, whether Yang Fuguang surrendered in accordance with the emperor's order and Song Wei intercepted him, or Song Wei killed the enemy and Yang Fuguang took the credit, the Central Special Investigation Team more than 800 years ago could not find out.

We can only continue to list two situations and analyze them separately:
1.1 Yang Fuguang surrendered. This was what Wang Xianzhi had always dreamed of, so he sent his confidants to express his willingness to surrender to the court.

Wang Xianzhi is my heart towards the bright moon, but the bright moon shines on the ditch. Xianzhi is very silly and naive, Song Wei is very pornographic and violent, and the plan to recruit him is ruined again.

Wang Xianzhi was furious because he had no hope of being recruited. Don't forget Wang Xianzhi's background and his job - the leader of the salt gang, a well-known gangster. It was reasonable for him to kill Wang Liao, who had lost his usefulness, to vent his anger.

1.2 Yang Fuguang took the credit. Song Wei was still as skilled as ever, and defeated Wang Xianzhi's army in one fell swoop, captured many important generals of the Cao army alive, escorted them back to Beijing, and beheaded them. Wang Xianzhi suffered a devastating disaster, but he managed to escape, and in desperation, he killed Wang Liao to vent his anger.

Summary: If Wang Liao was detained by Wang Xianzhi, then he must have died after the "Dengzhou surrender", when he lost his usefulness and was executed as a vent of anger.

2. If Wang Liao was detained by Huang Chao, why did Huang Chao kill him? Or, why did he keep him until now?

If he wanted to kill him, wouldn't it be the best time to kill Wang Liao to show his determination after Qizhou surrendered and Wang and Huang separated? Killing Wang Liao would show his uncompromising attitude of fighting to the end and not compromising?
Of course, if you keep him, you can use him as a shield to continue to threaten Prime Minister Wang Duo, and then threaten the court. Then why did you kill him again? Wouldn't it be better to keep him?
Conclusion: Huang Chao's logic of detaining and killing Wang Liao is illogical. The person who killed Wang Liao should be Wang Xianzhi.

In the "Old Book of Tang·Biography of Wang Duo", there is a record that confirms my speculation, "Duo's brother was shackled... Wang Xianzhi was trapped in the county city and killed." This record raises a small doubt, what the hell is a "county city"?

The basic meaning of county town is "the location of the county government, or the city wall of the county government", which can be understood as today's "provincial capital".

In other words, Wang Xianzhi killed Wang Liao after conquering a provincial capital, a political core city, or a city.

In the Complete Tang Poems, there is a collection of "Proclamation to the Officials of the Eastern Capital" written by Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty, in which there is a sentence "Wang Xianzhi and others threatened the lives of the people and attacked the counties together, only then did they capture Yangdi and break the county city."

Yangdi is today's Yuzhou City, Henan Province. When was Yangdi captured? After Wang Huangcao's army was forced out of Shandong by the Song Dynasty, they fled to Henan to commit crimes. In August of the third year of Qianfu (876), Wang Xianzhi first captured Yangdi, and the next month he captured Ruzhou and captured Wang Liao alive.

At that time, Yangdi was under the jurisdiction of the Zhongwu Army of Xuzhou, which was the seat of the Zhongwu Army, that is, the location of the Zhongwu War Zone Command. Wang Xianzhi did not dare to touch the Zhongwu Army and ran around Xuzhou. Because the Jiedushi of the Zhongwu Army at that time was Cui Anqian. Wang Huangcao's army ravaged Henan, but the Zhongwu Army in central Henan was not harmed. Therefore, this "county city" must not refer to Xuzhou.

There is a dispute between the New Book of Tang and the Old Book of Tang about the time when Wang Duo volunteered to fight, but both acknowledge that it was after the fall of Jiangling. Jiangling Prefecture was the headquarters of the Jingnan War Zone, and the fall of Jiangling was caused by the serious dereliction of duty by Yang Zhiwen, the governor of Jingnan (introduced in the previous article).

Then the "county city" in the imperial edict of Emperor Xizong of Tang Dynasty may be understood as Jiangling City. Then the "Wang Xianzhi captured the county city" in "Old Book of Tang" certainly refers to Jiangling City.

The imperial edict of Emperor Xizong of Tang was neither a documentary report nor a news broadcast script. Perhaps it used the rhetorical device of "intertextuality" to enhance the literary and artistic atmosphere. Which emperor did not speak in parallel four-line and six-line, or in the style of the first three empresses and five emperors? Therefore, this imperial edict of his was meaningless for the study of Wang Liao's death.

Although there is a lack of direct records, we can still reasonably speculate through indirect historical facts: after Wang Xianzhi "surrendered in Dengzhou", he led his troops south, captured Jiangling City, and executed Wang Liao to vent his anger, so Wang Duo changed his attitude and took the initiative to volunteer. There should be nothing wrong with the logic.

Wang Duo volunteered, and Emperor Xizong of Tang was very happy. He appointed him as the governor of Jingnan and the commander-in-chief of the bandit suppression in the south.

[Codename: Making Dumplings]

Wang Duo had previously advocated for peaceful reunification, which offended many pro-war civil and military officials, and the situation did not develop as he wished. Wang Duo's political views were therefore questioned, causing him to fall into a serious political crisis. This was also the second huge setback he faced since the persecution of the "Research Protection Party".

When his brother died, Wang Duo was like Zhu Bajie looking in the mirror - he was neither a human nor a human. With hatred for the country and family surging in his heart, he led the army to fight to the death with the Cao army. He absolved himself of the hatred for his brother's murder and washed away the hatred for his country's failure.

Wang Duo is a civil servant. But don't underestimate civil servants, and don't think he is a corrupt scholar like Yang Zhiwen just because he was a strong "peace advocate" in the past. Since ancient times, there have been many civil servants who have excelled in military management, such as Zhuge Liang in the past, Zeng Guofan in the future, and his cousin Wang Shi not long ago.

Wang Duo is a Zhuge Liang-like figure. Special note: Remember this sentence, it is useful.

After arriving at the town, Wang Duo recruited elite soldiers, repaired fortifications, and trained troops, making adequate preparations for the decisive battle.

At the same time, Gao Pian also submitted his "encirclement and annihilation" plan to the court. There are also different versions of this plan in historical materials, and we cannot and do not need to examine it in detail. Although the specific deployment is slightly different, the overall combat strategy is basically the same, and it is highly recognizable. At first glance, it is from Gao Pian's hand, and the words reveal murderous intent.

This plan not only detailed the marching routes of the various armies, but also the commanders and number of troops in each unit, as well as the garrison locations, not to mention who would attack first, who would make a feint, and who would provide support. In other words, he not only helped his own people develop an attack plan, but also helped Huang Chao develop an escape route and tailored an ambush for him.

Looking at this plan objectively and impartially, we have to admire Gao Pian's military talent. Throughout the ages, in an excellent military action plan, combat is only a small part of it. Many seemingly insignificant parts such as logistics support, marching and retreat routes, etc. are often the key to determining the final victory of the war. Otherwise, it would be reckless and arrogant, which is a taboo in military strategy.

For example, in the well-known Battle of Red Cliff, Zhuge Liang's cunning was not reflected in borrowing the east wind or using fire attack, but in accurately predicting that Cao Cao would take the Huarong Pass. If you want to kill him, send Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun; if you want to live, send Guan Yu. In terms of fire attack, Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang were equally good, and the "Huarong Pass" was the perfect embodiment of Zhuge Liang's superior skills.

Gao Pian’s strategic thinking can be summarized as: defend the north, advance eastward, attack southward, and retreat westward.

Let's draw a map of Guangdong Province. Huang Chao's bandit army is entrenched near Guangzhou. The Northern Route Army of the imperial court's anti-bandit army is stationed in the northern part of Guangdong Province. They are bluffing and pretending to attack, but in fact they are strictly guarding and blocking the route of the bandit army's escape to the north.

The Eastern Route Army was led by Gao Pian himself, crossing mountains and ridges, and unexpectedly attacked Huang Chao's main force in Guangzhou.

The southern army took the sea route from Runzhou (now Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province), landed in Guangzhou, and took the enemy by surprise;

The Western Route Army waited in wait in Duanzhou (now Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province) and ambushed the defeated Cao Army.

The three-dimensional battle between land and sea, blocking one side and attacking two sides, swept Huang Chao into a pocket formation. It can be called a textbook encirclement and annihilation plan.

However, this perfect essay was rejected by the imperial court. The imperial court issued an edict: Not allowed!

When Gao Pian received the notice that his military plan had been rejected, he was so angry that he wanted to spit out blood. He cursed the corrupt officials in power. Who did he curse? He cursed Wang Duo, accusing him of bureaucracy and blinding the emperor's wisdom.

To settle old scores, it was because he was partial to personal feelings, missed the opportunity to fight, allowed the enemy to mislead the army, and brought disaster to the country and the people; to settle new scores, it was because he put on airs and was resentful.

Because in Gao Pian's plan, the person in charge of the "Northern Line of Defense" was Wang Duo.

Wang Duo was the commander-in-chief, Gao Pian's superior, and the prime minister of the dynasty, but Gao Pian was bossing him around. Would Wang Duo obey Gao Pian's orders? Or would he interfere? Was he worried that Gao Pian would take the credit for suppressing the bandits and was jealous?
Personally, I think it shouldn't be that bad. He is unhappy, but not so narrow-minded as to sacrifice personal interests for public interests again. Although Wang Duo has a criminal record, it was because of brotherly love. Now he is seeking revenge for his brother's murder. Even if his subordinates exceed their authority and usurp authority, in the final analysis, they are still helping him.

At that time, another prime minister, Lu Xie, strongly supported Gao Pian, so it should not be him. So who voted against it? History does not give a direct answer.

In fact, Gao Pian really blamed Wang Duo wrongly, because the person who asked the court to reject his plan was not in the court, but Huang Chao who was entrenched in Guangzhou.

When we look at the map, I believe Huang Chao is also looking at it. In film and television works, the commander always frowns and stares at the map.

Huang Chao was no longer a fledgling salt gang leader, he had many years of experience in struggle, military sense, and he was clearly aware of the dangerous situation of the Cao army, which was once again facing a critical test of life and death.

You can deal with all kinds of changes by staying the same. No matter how many tricks you have, I can get out of it with just one trick.

This strategy requires no technical skills, is taught until you master it, and has worked every time. This is - false surrender.

(End of this chapter)