History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 501: The Founding of the Later Jin Dynasty
【Establishment of the Later Jin Dynasty】

Ever since Shi Jingtang ceded the "Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun", the Khitan cavalry has been elusive in the north of the Yellow River, appearing and disappearing without a trace, galloping and wreaking havoc, posing a serious threat to the rule of the Central Plains dynasty and becoming an indelible nightmare for the Central Plains dynasty.

The influence of the Khitan on the Central Plains civilization was unprecedentedly huge, which directly led to the rise and fall of subsequent Central Plains dynasties. To a certain extent, it contributed to the "Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms" rather than the "Three Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms". Even after the demise of the Khitan, it still had residual influence on the Central Plains dynasties.

For example, a major strategic mistake occurred in the late Northern Song Dynasty, which was to "ally with Jin to destroy Liao." Tong Guan, a powerful eunuch and one of the "Six Thieves" of the Northern Song Dynasty, insisted on "allying with Jin to destroy Liao" because Emperor Taizong of Song had left a will: whoever recovered the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun would be crowned a king.

The result of "allying with Jin to destroy Liao" was that the Northern Song Dynasty was quickly destroyed by the Jin people, and the "Jingkang Change" took place.

More than 400 years after Shi Jingtang ceded the "Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun", it was not until the reign of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang that the Han people truly recovered them, ending the 400-year-long nightmare of the people in the Central Plains.

Sang Weihan, Shi Jingtang's right-hand man, spoke eloquently in front of Yelu Deguang, analyzing the pros and cons for him from morning till night, and trying his best to gain benefits for Shi Jingtang's group. With Sang Weihan's efforts, Yelu Deguang finally decided to invest in the Hedong project, so he pointed to a stone outside the tent and said to Zhao Dejun's envoy: "I have already promised Shi Lang, and I will not break my promise unless this stone rots."

After Shi Jingtang offered the tempting "three traitorous offers", Yelu Deguang said to Shi Jingtang without reservation: "I have traveled over 3,000 miles and made a huge initial investment, so I must get a return. I see that you are dignified and have an extraordinary bearing, and you look like an emperor. Let's not delay any further. I will make you the emperor of the Central Plains now."

Shi Jingtang declined again and again.

Shi Jingtang's refusal was not just a routine politeness, but a dirty idea that he couldn't bring himself to say. He was not in a position to say it, so he asked me to say it for him.

At that time, Zhang Jingda in Jin'an Village still had more than 50,000 elite troops, tying down the main force of the Hedong and Khitan coalition forces; Zhao Dejun and Fan Yanguang stopped in the east to watch; Li Congke led his troops to stop on the bank of the Yellow River; Pan Huan was in the west... The situation was not clear. Let's look at Shi Jingtang's "Three Articles of Treason". What was ceded was Zhao Dejun's territory, allowing the Khitans to "take it for themselves."

Shi Jingtang's idea was: if everything went well, he would first join forces with the Khitans to eliminate Jin'an Village, and then split his troops into two groups, with him going south to fight Li Congke alone, while the Khitans would attack the "Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun". Zhao Dejun was not good at field battles, but was good at defending cities, so in this way, it was very likely that the following situation would occur: he would destroy Li Congke, while the Khitans would fight Zhao Dejun and both would suffer losses.

By then, Shi Jingtang could negotiate peace with Zhao Dejun and join forces to fight against the Khitan, and even send Yelu Bei back to the Khitan. In this way, even if Yelu Deguang was not killed on the battlefield, he would be caught in deep domestic conflicts and overthrown by the opposition (Yelu Bei) and the powerful group (Empress Dowager Shulü).

Then a three-way confrontation between Khitan, Zhao Dejun and Shi Jingtang was formed. And the most important thing is that Shi Jingtang can take off the hat of "traitor" and "traitor to the country".

In a word, Shi Jingtang wanted to use the "Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun" as a carrot and take advantage of the Khitan, this stupid donkey.

Yelu Deguang was one step ahead. He let Shi Jingtang's entrepreneurial team go through the green channel and directly IPO at the PPT stage. Letting Shi Jingtang become emperor was equivalent to implementing the "three treasonous articles". Because only the emperor of the Central Plains could cede the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, and a Hedong Jiedushi did not have this right, so you should ascend the throne and become emperor first. After Shi Jingtang became emperor, even if the Khitans and Zhao Dejun were both defeated in the future, even if he successfully defaulted on his debts, he could not wash away his infamy as a "traitor" and "big traitor". So he repeatedly declined, and this was also his intention, but Yelu Deguang easily saw through it and forced him to become emperor immediately.

In September, Yelu Deguang sent out troops and joined forces with Shi Jingtang. In October, he conferred the title of "King of Jin" on Shi Jingtang, and in November, he forced him to become emperor.

On November 936, 11, a high platform was built in the willow forest in the south of Taiyuan. Yelu Deguang took off his dragon robe, put it on Shi Jingtang, and announced the enthronement of "King of Jin" Shi Jingtang as the emperor of Central Plains and changed the country's name to "Jin" (historically known as "Later Jin").

There are a few interesting details:

1. There was a half-year overlap between the Later Liang and the Later Tang, and there was a nearly two-month overlap between the Later Jin and the Later Tang. When Shi Jingtang proclaimed himself emperor, Zhang Jingda of Jin'an Village was still resisting, and Li Congke's Later Tang court also existed.

2. When Shi Jingtang ascended the throne, he wore the clothes of the Khitan emperor, and Yelu Deguang took off his own clothes and put them on for him personally. This was a symbolic ceremony, indicating that Shi Jingtang's legal lineage came from the Khitan people's canonization. Shi Jingtang was not "divinely granted" or "supported by the people", but "granted by the Khitan people".

3. In the edict, it was clearly written "... I advise your son, the King of Jin...that is why I treat you as my son and you treat me as your father." This established the relationship between the Later Jin Dynasty and the Khitan as "father and son countries."

4. After Shi Jingtang proclaimed himself emperor, he changed the reign title and issued a general amnesty as usual. He announced that the "seventh year of Changxing" would be changed to the "first year of Tianfu". "Changxing" was the reign title of Emperor Mingzong Li Siyuan. After Li Congke ascended the throne, he changed the reign title to "Qingtai". This year is "the third year of Qingtai". Shi Jingtang's move was also a political necessity. He wanted to deny Li Congke because Li Congke usurped power through an illegal coup and Li Congke's court was an illegal regime.

After becoming emperor, Yelu Deguang personally recommended a prime minister for him, Sang Weihan. Yelu Deguang told Shi Jingtang meaningfully, "You must thank Sang Weihan!"

After Shi Jingtang proclaimed himself emperor, he appointed Zhao Ying and Sang Weihan as prime ministers. Sang Weihan also served as the Privy Councilor; Liu Zhiyuan was the commander-in-chief of the imperial guards' cavalry and infantry.

Sang Weihan was originally Shi Jingtang's number one adviser (chief secretary). According to convention, after a Jiedushi became emperor, his chief secretary must be the prime minister or privy councilor. Since the financial sponsor personally named him, then he should be the prime minister + privy councilor. Isn't that enough to give face?

The reason why Yelu Deguang personally recommended Sang Weihan was not because, as he said, this man was talented and loyal to Shi Jingtang, but because Sang Weihan was the most determined "pro-Liao faction" in Shi Jingtang's group. Sang Weihan could be said to be the mastermind of Shi Jingtang's pro-Liao and traitorous actions, and it was he who strongly advocated ceding land to Liao.

Sang Weihan was a loyal defender of Khitan interests, and it was in the interests of the Khitans to let him hold real power in Shi Jingtang's group.

(End of this chapter)