History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 702: Changes in the Nine Dragons Tent 2
There was nothing remarkable about Xue Wenjie's methods of making money. He was also a man of heavy taxes and plunder. What he was best at was arresting rich people and torturing them. It was not uncommon for families to be broken up and even killed as a result. The people of Fujian hated Xue Wenjie to the core.

In order to advance his career, Xue Wenjie colluded with other "experts", formed a clique to attack and exclude dissidents, and instigated Wang Yanjun to massacre meritorious old officials and members of the Wang family.

There was a local tyrant in Jianzhou named Wu Guang, who successfully entered Xue Wenjie's sight. Xue Wenjie blackmailed him, and Wu Guang, resentful and fearful, took more than 10,000 people and fled to Huainan. The defection of Wu Guang, the richest man in Jianzhou, laid the groundwork for Xue Wenjie's death.

Since Wang Yanjun came to power through a coup and a war, he was very suspicious of the Wang clan and was afraid that he would repeat the mistakes of his brother Wang Yanhan and be replaced by other brothers. Xue Wenjie and the "experts" seized on his psychology and framed the Wang clan.

In September, more than a thousand people were massacred on the grounds that Wang Jitu (Wang Yanjun's adopted son, some say his nephew) was treasoning. In December, he became suspicious of his adopted son Wang Renda, falsely accused him of treason, and executed his entire family.

During the war between Wang Yanjun and Wang Yanbing, Wang Renda pretended to surrender, tricked Wang Yanbing's son Wang Jixiong into death, and captured Wang Yanbing alive, making great contributions to Wang Yanjun. Wang Renda was honest and upright, and took credit for his achievements, so Wang Yanjun was suspicious of him. Once, Wang Yanjun asked him, "Can Zhao Gao really call a deer a horse in front of Qin II?"

Wang Renda immediately understood that Wang Yanjun compared himself to Qin Ershi and said that Wang Yanjun was Zhao Gao, so he knelt down and said, "It was because Qin Ershi was stupid that Zhao Gao could call a deer a horse, not because Zhao Gao could deceive Qin Ershi. Now, your majesty is wise and powerful, and the civil and military officials in the court are only a hundred people, and their daily lives are all under your majesty's eyes. Nothing can be hidden from your majesty's eyes. Whoever dares to be Zhao Gao, you can kill his entire clan!"

Wang Yanjun felt very ashamed after hearing this, and quickly gave him a lot of gold, silver and jewelry, and said kindly, "Don't get me wrong, I was just asking casually, not talking about you..."

After sending Wang Renda away, Wang Yanjun said to those around him, "This kid is brave, resourceful, and courageous. I can still control him, but my successor may not be able to do so. I cannot leave this hidden danger to my descendants."

So Wang Yanjun falsely accused Wang Renda of treason and executed his entire family.

Xue Wenjie reported to Wang Yanjun that there were many treacherous ministers around His Majesty, and that they must be found out by asking ghosts and gods for help. The "expert" Master Sheng Tao had this ability.

On the recommendation of Xue Wenjie, Wang Yanjun invited Master Sheng Tao to the palace to ask ghosts to distinguish loyalty from treachery.

Xue Wenjie and Sheng Tao acted together to frame the Privy Councilor Wu Xu (also known as "Wu Ying"). At that time, Wu Xu was ill and asked for sick leave at home. Xue Wenjie went to visit Wu Xu and told him that the emperor blamed him for faking illness and wanted to deprive him of his power. How good are we brothers? I told His Majesty that he just had a minor headache and would be fine in a few days. If the emperor sent someone to interrogate him, he must not let the cat out of the bag!
Wu Xi was very grateful and nodded in agreement.

The next day, Sheng Tao told Wang Yanjun in a serious manner that King Chongshun of Beimiao had appeared in his dream again last night. In his dream, he saw King Chongshun of Beimiao torturing Wu Xu, asking him why he wanted to rebel, hitting his head with a golden hammer, and nailing a large copper nail into his head.

Wang Yanjun asked Xue Wenjie whether Wu Xi, who had been on sick leave at home for a long time, was really plotting a rebellion.

Xue Wenjie put on a righteous face and said seriously: "How can such a thing be taken lightly? Your Majesty, please send someone to check it out."

Wang Yanjun thought it made sense, so he sent someone to visit Wu Xi's home. The envoy replied that Wu Xi insisted that he was not sick, but just had an inexplicable headache and should be fine in two days.

Wang Yanjun looked at Sheng Tao and said, "Master, it is true!" He then arrested Wu Xi and put him in prison, and sent the righteous and upright Xue Wenjie to interrogate him.

Under Xue Wenjie's torture, Wu Xu finally couldn't bear it anymore and confessed his intention of "rebellion". As a result, Wu Xu was beheaded along with his wife and children. Wu Xu was popular in the army when he was the Privy Councilor, but he was falsely accused and executed. The army hated Xue Wenjie very much.

The historical records clearly state the role played by Xue Wenjie in the affairs of Jianzhou local tyrant Wu Guang and Privy Councilor Wu Xu. However, there is no detailed description of the framing of Wang Yanjun's two adopted sons, Wang Jitu and Wang Renda. It only says that Xue Wenjie suppressed the Wang clan, causing dissatisfaction among the Wang clan.

Soon, retribution came.

Wu Guang, a local tyrant from Jianzhou who had fled to Huainan, would not easily swallow this humiliation. He asked Huainan for help and was willing to help Huainan attack the Kingdom of Min.

Jiang Yanhui, the governor of Xinzhou under the jurisdiction of Huainan, sent troops on his own without the approval of his superiors, and joined forces with more than 10,000 people of Wu Guang to march south to attack Jianzhou.

Wang Yanjun sent people to Hangzhou to ask for help from the Qian family of the Wuyue Kingdom.

In the first month of the following year (934), Jiang Yanhui of Huainan defeated the Min army in Pucheng and besieged Jianzhou. Wang Yanjun sent his younger brother Wang Yanzong and others to lead an army of to support Jianzhou.

When Wang Yanzong was halfway through his journey, he sent an envoy to Fuzhou: The soldiers refused to move forward unless Xue Wenjie was captured! Whether to get Xue Wenjie or to mutiny, please let Long Yi Tianjue.

The imperial court was greatly horrified. The empress dowager and the prince Wang Jipeng cried in front of Wang Yanjun, saying that Xue Wenjie was abusing his power and was hated by both gods and humans. The civil and military officials in the court and the people of the world had long hated him. Now, the Huainan army has penetrated deep into the border, and our army is on the verge of mutiny. Once Huainan destroys us, what is the point of keeping Xue Wenjie around?

Xue Wenjie was standing nearby. He jumped up when he heard this. "Your Majesty, please don't fall for the evil schemes of the traitors! Today they want me, Xue Wenjie, and you give it to me. Tomorrow they want the prince Wang Jipeng, will you give it to him as well? The day after tomorrow they want you, Your Majesty, will you still give it to them? You dare to threaten the king with a mutiny. What else can this be but rebellion?"

The two sides argued with each other. Wang Yanjun was in a dilemma. He sighed and said to Xue Wenjie: "I really don't know what to do. Well, you can do it yourself."

When Xue Wenjie walked out of the palace, Wang Jipeng had already hidden behind the door. He used a tablet as a weapon and hit Xue Wenjie hard with a club, subduing him by surprise. Then he ordered his men to tie him up, put him in a prison van, and quickly escort him to the front line, handing him over to Wang Yanzong's troops to let them deal with him as they pleased.

When the people of Fuzhou heard that Xue Wenjie had been arrested, they took to the streets, picked up broken bricks and tiles, and rushed towards him, smashing and cursing at him.

Although Xue Wenjie was in a mess, he remained calm and composed. It was said that he often interacted with "experts" and learned some divination skills. He said contemptuously to the soldiers escorting him: "Believe it or not, I will be pardoned in three days. Just wait!"

When the soldiers heard this, they dared not delay and traveled day and night, and sent him to the front line in just two days.

(End of this chapter)