History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 640: Three Towns Rebellion 3
Cheng Wo and Wang Jingchong were from the same village. Taking advantage of this relationship, Cheng Wo went all out to analyze the fortunes and disasters for Wang Jingchong: "We are from the same village. I am just an aide and guest, but you have already risen to prominence. You are the hope of our entire village. Do you still want to gain fame and fortune through sinister and cunning means? Do you want to kill Hou Yi and then frame him for treason? The new king ascends the throne, and the court is full of intrigues. If someone catches you and attacks you, not to mention your wealth and fame, I am afraid you may even lose your life!"

Two or three compliments livened up the atmosphere and made Wang Jingchong relax his vigilance. Another sentence touched Wang Jingchong's heart. The reason why Wang Jingchong did not take action was that he was worried about this aspect. "Take advantage of it," this was the secret order given to him by Liu Zhiyuan, and the current emperor Liu Chengyou did not know about this. He killed court officials without authorization - sensitive figures in sensitive areas, and frontier officials in Guanxi area. This was an accusation that Wang Jingchong could not bear.

Cheng Wo continued, "Besides, Hou Yi also has hundreds of henchmen, so you should think carefully. I only dare to tell you this because we are childhood friends from the same village. If it were someone else, who would be so sincere to you!"

Wang Jingchong nodded repeatedly, very grateful, and left a gap for Hou Yi. Hou Yi led his men to quickly escape from Fengxiang, heading east all the way to Bianzhou.

Wang Jingchong looked at Hou Yi's back, feeling that something was wrong. He wanted to be quiet. After a moment, Wang Jingchong slapped his thigh and said, "It's bad!" It was too late to send someone to chase him.

The eastern sky had been eroded by darkness, and the setting sun in the west was about to fade away. Wang Jingchong held onto the wall, and his fingernails were filled with mud stains, which he had unconsciously picked off from the wall. He was filled with remorse, confusion, and fear. After a long time, he looked up to the sky and sighed, lamenting that this was a trick of fate. Fengxiang would be his burial place!

But when Hou Yi arrived in Bianzhou, Liu Chengyou sent someone to question him about his secret connection with the Later Shu. Hou Yi replied, "I wanted to lure them over and capture them all in one fell swoop."

Liu Chengyou sneered at this.

Hou Yi was not idle after arriving in Bianzhou. He bribed people in power such as Yang Bin and Shi Hongzhao. When Liu Chengyou held a meeting to discuss Hou Yi's problem, all officials rushed to defend Hou Yi, praising his virtues and past achievements. A criticism meeting turned into a commendation meeting.

As a result, this traitor who colluded with foreign countries not only did not receive any punishment, but was promoted to the position of Zhongshu Ling and mayor of the capital.

If Hou Yi was right, then Wang Jingchong must be wrong. Discrediting Wang Jingchong was one of Hou Yi's ways to save himself. Hou Yi tried his best to frame Wang Jingchong in the central government, saying that he was arrogant and domineering and intended to be disloyal. This was what Wang Jingchong was worried about before.

Hou Yi had bribed those in power and gained absolute power of speech. Wang Jingchong, who was far away in Fengxiang, was speechless and his fear and despair grew day by day.

At this time, Liu Chengyou sent his confidant Wang Yi to Fengxiang to recruit Zhao Kuangzan's former guards.

First, the political enemy (Hou Yi) was given an important task, and then his own armed forces were reduced. Wang Jingchong became more and more afraid, thinking that the court was going to take action against him. So he made two preparations:
One is to provoke and stimulate the conscripted soldiers.

Among these guards, there was the leader with tattooed face, Zhao Siwan. Because they were Zhao Kuangzan's direct troops - the direct troops in Hezhong. Zhao Kuangzan had already gone to Bianzhou to meet the emperor. Wang Jingchong hinted that the court did not trust them and Zhao Kuangzan was already a fish on the chopping board. The reason why he was not slaughtered immediately was because his direct armed forces - that is, you, were still at the border. Once you fell into the trap, you would immediately become lambs to be slaughtered.
Zhao Kuangzan is a prominent public figure, and what about you? Once you are killed, Zhao Kuangzan will no longer pose a threat to the court, so the court will of course keep Zhao Kuangzan and only cut off his direct lineage!

Brothers, have a safe journey. I’m seeing you off.

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhao Siwan and the others turned pale. Wang Jingchong's words made so much sense! We must not wait to be killed.

The second is to follow the mass line.

Wang Jingchong instructed the representatives of the masses and the army in Fengxiang to write a joint letter to the court, saying that all the soldiers and civilians in Fengxiang urgently hope that Comrade Wang Jingchong will take charge of Fengxiang affairs. Under Wang Jingchong's operation, the western part of the empire was once again shrouded in dark clouds.

Zhao Siwan secretly said to his confidant Chang Yanqing: "Little Taiwei (a respectful title for Zhao Kuangzan) has fallen into their hands. If we go to Bianzhou, we will just die together. What do you think we should do?"

Chang Yanqing smiled at him and said meaningfully, "You know."

We are all monks in the same temple, so don't say "Amitabha". Just do it!

When they passed through Chang'an, An Yougui, the deputy envoy of Chang'an Jiedushi, and Qiao Shouwen, the inspector, went out of the city to greet them. Of course, they were not welcoming Zhao Siwan and others, but Wang Yi, the imperial envoy who was responsible for escorting them and a close confidant of Liu Chengyou.

According to the rules, An Yougui and Qiao Shouwen hosted a banquet at a post station in the suburbs. The Haozhai Envoy in charge of building the military camp built a temporary military camp in the east of the city for the troops to stay overnight, because the army could not enter the city at will.

At this time, the leader of this team of guards, Zhao Siwan, stepped forward and reported that the soldiers' families were all in the city. We plan to go into the city to pick up the families and live together in the temporary military camp in the east of the city.

These troops were originally guards of Chang'an. When Wang Jingchong blocked the Later Shu army in Ziwu Valley, he recruited them to accompany the army and tattooed their faces to prevent them from escaping. After defeating Li Yangui in Ziwu Valley, Wang Jingchong led them westward, defeated Zhang Qianzhao in Dasan Pass, and then stationed them in Fengxiang together.

Therefore, the families of this group of guards were originally in Chang'an City.

An Yougui and Qiao Shouwen thought Zhao Siwan's proposal was reasonable, so they agreed to the request.

Zhao Siwan and his troops had no armor or weapons because they were only recruited by imperial decree, so not only had to separate the guns and bullets, but also the men and the guns. These regulations were to prevent the soldiers from mutiny midway.

Zhao Siwan entered Chang'an City from the west gate with his unarmed subordinates, suddenly attacked the soldiers guarding the city gate, seized their weapons, controlled the city gate, and then captured the armory and took out weapons and armor.

An Yougui and others were shocked by the mutiny and fled immediately.

Zhao Siwan immediately took control of the entire Chang'an City and assembled the young and middle-aged men in the city, a total of more than 4,000 people, and then organized them to reinforce the city walls, repair enemy towers and battlements. In just ten days, he upgraded the Chang'an city defense system and formed a complete combat system.

The situation in the western part of the empire suddenly became tense. At this time, Li Shouzhen, the governor of Hezhong, also raised the banner of rebellion and openly rebelled. So, in the second month after Liu Chengyou ascended the throne, he faced his test: the three towns rebelled one after another.

(End of this chapter)