History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 554 "Big Eyes Cute" Succession 1
2. I haven’t been the big brother for many years.
The one who inherited Shi Jingtang's throne was Shi Chonggui. Shi Chonggui was not Shi Jingtang's biological son, but the son of his brother Shi Jingru. Shi Jingru was originally a cavalry general under Li Cunxu, and died in battle a long time ago, leaving behind an orphan Shi Chonggui. Shi Jingtang took this nephew with him and treated him as his own son. Therefore, historical books say that Shi Chonggui is Shi Jingtang's nephew and adopted son.

Shi Jingru was Shi Jingtang's only brother, and his biological brother from the same father and mother. After Shi Jingtang died in battle, Shi Jingtang adopted his orphan Shi Chonggui. It seems that Shi Jingtang had a very deep and touching feeling for his biological brother.

However, some of Shi Jingtang's actions after he ascended the throne were incomprehensible: when official positions were posthumously conferred, Shi Jingru ranked last, after his brothers; and when the title of king was posthumously conferred, he was strategically forgotten, as his uncle and brothers were all conferred the title of king, but Shi Jingru was not.

All the civil and military officials said they could not understand and did not dare to ask.

The historians of the Northern Song Dynasty were also puzzled by this and recorded it bluntly: "This is also suspicious."

3. A family of loyal heroes

Shi Jingtang's road to becoming emperor was an extremely sad and bloody history.

3.1 Hedong War
When the Hedong War broke out, his cousin Shi Jingwei served in the imperial guards and lived in Luoyang. After hearing about Shi Jingtang's rebellion, he said to those around him: "Everyone is mortal since ancient times. My brother is about to do something big. I can't live in humiliation and hold him back, causing him to have worries." He then committed suicide calmly to avoid becoming Li Congke's hostage.

Another cousin, Shi Jingde, was arrested and executed by Li Congke before he could commit suicide.

Shi Chongying and Shi Chongyin fled to the countryside and hid in a farmer's well, but they were eventually captured and killed by Li Congke. The entire family of the unfortunate farmer was also executed.

3.2 Zhang Congbin Rebellion

This was a derivative of Fan Yanguan's rebellion in Weizhou. Zhang Congbin was ordered to support the Huazhou-Liyang front from Luoyang, but he launched a rebellion in Luoyang in response to Fan Yanguan. Shi Chongxin and Shi Chongyi, who stayed in Luoyang, were brutally killed.

Among them, Shi Chongxin was Shi Jingtang's eldest son, his biological mother was Shi Jingtang's first wife, Li, and he was Li Keyong's grandson. Except for Shi Chongxin, the origins of the other five sons are unknown.

Shi Jingtang's favorite son was his eldest son Shi Chongxin. According to records, he was "quick-witted, wise and polite". He was smart, studious, quick-witted and polite. Although his grandfather and uncle were emperors successively, he never abused his power and was always humble and low-key, which was very likable (very much praised by contemporary critics).

Before Shi Jingtang proclaimed himself emperor, Shi Chongxin had been detained in the central government and in the ranks of the imperial guards. After Shi Jingtang proclaimed himself emperor, he immediately appointed him as the governor of Heyang to increase his experience and accumulate work experience and connections.

Shi Chongxin lived up to the expectations. Less than a month after taking office, he had properly solved more than a dozen historical problems in the local area. He had a good reputation and was praised by the people. After hearing about it, Shi Jingtang specially issued an imperial edict to praise him. Shi Jingtang put a lot of thought into him and placed high hopes on him. We have reason to believe that Shi Jingtang should have planned to make Shi Chongxin the heir to the throne.

Unfortunately, fate played tricks on people. In the same year when Shi Chongxin went to Heyang, Zhang Congbin rebelled and killed him at the age of 20. The people in Heyang area were all heartbroken and "people near and far who heard about it sighed."

Shi Jingtang was even more grief-stricken, and immediately issued an edict to posthumously confer the title of Taiwei. However, relevant departments raised objections, because from ancient times to the present, no prince has been among the Three Dukes. There are many different opinions about the "Three Dukes", because different historical periods have different regulations. The "Book of History" says that the Three Dukes refer to Taishi, Taifu, and Taibao; in the Sui and Tang dynasties, they were changed to Taiwei, Situ, and Sikong. In short, the "Three Dukes" are the most prestigious official positions in the feudal period. Yuan Shao in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, "four generations of three dukes", his ancestors for four consecutive generations, were among the Three Dukes, with prominent status and huge power. Therefore, when the "Eighteen Princes Rebelled against Dong Zhuo", Yuan Shao was elected as the leader and the leader.

In order to express his grief for his eldest son, Shi Jingtang wanted to posthumously confer the title of Taiwei on him, which triggered a debate in the court. Shi Jingtang rejected all the opinions and said that this child was a good child and a good comrade, but unfortunately he met with misfortune, and he was particularly sad. Since there was no precedent, he should start with me. So he posthumously conferred the title of Taiwei on him, setting a historical precedent. In the seventh year of Tianfu (942), he was also conferred the title of Taishi.

Shi Chongyi, who was killed at the same time as Shi Chongxin, was both a scholar and a warrior. He was fond of Confucian books and was well versed in military tactics. He was also loved by Shi Jingtang. After Shi Jingtang became emperor, he appointed him as the Imperial City Envoy, and later appointed him as the governor of the Eastern Capital, stationed in Luoyang. He died at the age of 942. Shi Jingtang posthumously awarded him the title of Taifu, and in the seventh year of Tianfu (), he was awarded the title of Taiwei.

3.3 Natural Death
Shi Jingtang's youngest son, Shi Chonggao, was unlucky and died before he could even be given a name. At that time, he only had a nickname "Feng Liu". After his death, Shi Jingtang posthumously gave him the name "Shi Chonggao".

The history books say that Shi Jingtang had seven sons, but he actually had six biological sons (excluding Shi Chonggui). When Shi Jingtang rebelled, two of them were killed, and when others rebelled against him, two more were killed. God took one away, so he only had one biological son left - Shi Chongrui.

Shi Chongrui looked most like Shi Jingtang, and was therefore deeply loved by Shi Jingtang. However, he was too young and there are not many records about him.

The other one is the “big-eyed cute” Shi Chonggui.

Shi Jingtang was "unwell" and knew that his end was near. He had only two choices: Shi Chongrui, the younger son who looked most like him; and Shi Chonggui, the older son of his deceased brother who was chosen by the Khitans.

According to historical records, when Shi Jingtang was bedridden, the chief prime minister Feng Dao came to inquire about his daily life. At that time, Shi Jingtang could no longer speak, and he could only gesture weakly, signaling the eunuchs to bring out Shi Chongrui, and then asked Shi Chongrui to kneel down and kowtow to Feng Dao, paying homage to him. Feng Dao was so frightened that he quickly knelt down and kowtowed in return. Then, Shi Jingtang signaled the eunuchs to pick up Shi Chongrui and put him in Feng Dao's arms.

Although there is no record of Shi Chongrui's specific age in history books, it is not difficult to see from the small detail that he was held by the eunuch and stuffed into Feng Dao's arms that Shi Chongrui was indeed just a child.

Feng Dao was very nervous. He held Shi Chongrui in his arms and looked at Shi Jingtang who was dying on the hospital bed.

Shi Jingtang was already barely breathing at this time. He pointed at the child in Feng Dao's arms with a trembling hand, nodded slowly and slightly, and a happy smile appeared on his pale face.

Feng Dao nodded vigorously.

He understood, and everyone present understood, that Shi Jingtang meant to let Shi Chongrui ascend the throne and let Feng Dao assist him wholeheartedly. Other people's wives are good, but your own sons are good.

(End of this chapter)