History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 804: The Huai River Exhortation
【Exhortation to conquer Huai River】

In April 955, Wang Pu's perfect composition was highly praised by Chai Rong, and its central idea of ​​"starting with the easy and then the difficult, starting with the south and then the north" also became the strategic guiding ideology for the future reunification of the motherland.

Half a year later, in the intercalary September, Wang Jing, commander-in-chief of the Southwestern Front Army, brought back the good news of the great victory at Huanghua Valley. A breakthrough had been made on the battlefields of Qin and Feng (the great victory at Huanghua Valley). Although the task of "recovering Qin, Feng, Cheng, and Jie" had not yet been fully accomplished, victory was just around the corner.

In October, Chai Rong "began to discuss the southern expedition."

On November 11, the war officially started. Prime Minister Li Gu and Xuzhou Jiedushi Wang Yanchao led the first echelon, and Han Lingkun and 1 other brave generals followed the group.

While the army was moving, Chai Rong issued the famous "Exhortation to Conquer Huai River", which issued an edict to the prefectures and counties in Huainan:

"I... don't want to mobilize the army and just show off my military achievements!"

——Do you think I’m a warmongerer? Why did I hit you? Listen to me——

"Looking at this chaotic country, we must punish it."

——You guys just deserve a beating.

"You foolish Huai Dian dared to resist a great nation. You took advantage of the decline of the Tang Dynasty and the chaos of the Huang bandits to become arrogant and domineering for nearly sixty years, occupying one side and claiming a false title."

——You guys, a bunch of Huainan country bumpkins, took advantage of the decline of the Tang Dynasty and the rebellion of Huang Chao to rule Huainan for sixty years, and even dared to usurp the throne and proclaim yourself emperor. You are really bold! This is their first crime.

"Fortunately, during the many troubles of the past dynasties, we have established links with the northern border, which has greatly stimulated the war and induced border troubles."

——During the five dynasties, you colluded with the Khitans and repeatedly caused troubles on the borders of the Central Plains. There are many traitors! Using foreign powers to bully others is the second crime.

"During the Jin and Han dynasties, the world was not at peace, but they recruited rebels and helped their brothers in their evil deeds. When Li Jinquan occupied Anlu and Li Shouzhen rebelled in Hezhong, they raised a large number of teachers and followers to support them, attacked Gaomi, and killed and looted officials and civilians."

——Since the "Jin-Liao War", you have repeatedly recruited surrenders and traitors, assisted the reactionary forces in the Central Plains, and blatantly interfered in the internal affairs of the Central Plains. First, there was the rebellion of Li Jinquan in Anzhou, and then there was the rebellion of Li Shouzhen in Hezhong. You sent troops to echo each other from afar, smashing, looting and burning in our territory, committing all kinds of evil. Recruiting surrenders and traitors and taking advantage of the situation to rob are the third crimes.

"They forced the Fujian and Yue regions to surrender their territories, and brought disaster to the people of Hunan and Tan."

——Annexing the Min State and the Southern Chu State and carrying out annexation without authorization is the fourth crime.

"Until our dynasty started, the Eastern Lu refused to govern, and sent troops to meet the rebels, waiting for an opportunity to bully the Xu tribe."

——After the establishment of the Great Zhou, you still colluded with Murong Yanchao of Yanzhou and invaded Xuzhou. This is the fifth crime of helping the tyrant.

"In the battle of Shuyang, the right and wrong are clear, but Bao Huang was still shown the fault and the crime was still investigated."

——The Celestial Empire is magnanimous. Although they beat you to a pulp, they did not continue to pursue your crimes. Don’t you have any sense? This is the sixth crime.

"Since then, the Weiyang area has suffered from famine for many years. Our country has been concerned about their famine and has been willing to buy grain for them. We have released all the soldiers we have captured and have restrained the border troops from invading. We have done nothing wrong, but they are full of traitors."

——You suffered from famine, and our Celestial Empire, in the spirit of humanitarianism, released your captured soldiers, issued an edict strictly prohibiting the border guards from harassing you, and generously sold you affordable grain to help you overcome the food crisis. But how did you repay us? You took advantage of our kindness, loaded carts and ships with our relief grain for the hungry people, and used it as military reserves as capital to fight against us in the future.

This is like "I originally wanted to look to the bright moon, but the bright moon shines on the thatched cottage". This is like... an ungrateful wolf, the seventh sin. "I have not stopped seducing the Khitan until now, and the Jin invaders have become my enemies one after another."

——To this day, you have not stopped flirting with the Khitans, and now you are flirting with the Northern Han counter-revolutionary group. This is the eighth crime.

"This crime is beyond name, and it is condemned by both humans and gods."

——With these eight sins, you are extremely evil, too numerous to list, and hateful to both humans and gods. Don’t you deserve a beating?

"Now... we will recruit the tower ships of the right side of Zhejiang and the spears and armor of Langling, and join forces from the east and the west to attack by land and water."

——If a tiger doesn't show its might, do you think I'm Hello Kitty? I'm going to teach you a lesson. Guess what? I have two helpers, the Wuyue Kingdom to your east and the "Southern Chu" to your west. If they attack you from both sides, by land and sea, you're doomed!
Note: The "Southern Chu" here refers to the former "Southern Chu Restorationists" such as Wang Kui of Langzhou and Zhou Xingfeng of Tanzhou. Wang Kui, Liu Yan, Zhou Xingfeng and other former Southern Chu generals drove the Southern Tang army out of Southern Chu, and then controlled the Southern Chu lands such as Tanzhou and Langzhou, and pledged loyalty to the Later Zhou.

"When Wu Sunhao's plan ran out, he should surrender. When Chen Shubao's time was up, where could he hide and live?"

——Sun Hao in the Three Kingdoms period and Chen Houzhu in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the two precedents of occupying Huainan, are now good examples for the Southern Tang of the Five Dynasties!

"The soldiers and civilians of Huainan have been away from the imperial court for a long time and have not heard any teachings. Although they follow false customs, they should enjoy Chinese culture. They must choose their own safety and make plans to leave as soon as possible."

——Huainan people trapped in the pseudo-court, you are innocent. You have been deceived for 60 years. Maybe you can't distinguish right from wrong for a while. In any case, now is the time for you to choose your own destiny. Whether it is blessing or disaster, it is in your own hands. How to choose? Brother will show you a clear way——

"If you can surrender your weapons and offer money, and surrender your entire county, I will provide cattle and wine to reward your troops, and accept the imperial seal and ask for your orders. I will not be stingy with carriages, clothing, jade and silk as rewards, and I will not be stingy with land and mountains. The order of punishment and reward is as clear as painting."

——The Imperial Army asked me to bring you a message. As long as you can lay down your arms and surrender, you will be guaranteed a high position and generous salary, and will enjoy endless wealth and glory for the rest of your life.

"It is better to avoid regrets than to be obsessed with something."

——But I have to say something frankly, if you persist in your mistakes and dare to go against Master Wang, I guarantee that you will regret it.

"Wherever the king's army goes, the military and political affairs are very clear, and no one is harmed, just like the timely rain. The people and elders are responsible for living in peace, and looting and burning must be prohibited."

——Fellow villagers, come out, the imperial army will not steal food.

I give this article full marks. It has standard format, appropriate wording, clear organization, concise and concise language, and is easy to understand.

Since we were declaring war on the enemy, we had to first seize the commanding heights of moral public opinion, present facts, reason, and list the "eight major crimes" of Huainan, which was equivalent to holding a press conference, declaring the necessity and correctness of this military action, and emphasizing that we are an army of justice, and we will use justice to defeat the unjust.

The occasional swear words (笨尔淮甸) were just right, and they were involuntarily and heartfeltly expressed, appearing to be so genuine and heartwarming, making people feel refreshed and refreshed as if bathed in spring breeze.

Then we flex our muscles to the enemy, exaggerate our advantages (the combined power of the East and the West), and demonstrate our firm will to fight and our determination to win.

He quoted classics according to local conditions, using the last emperor of Eastern Wu and the last ruler of Southern Chen, two kings of Huainan who had lost their country, to draw satires on the present and undermine the morale of the Huainan soldiers.

The final ending is quite conventional, with the usual policy of "punishing only the main culprit and leaving the rest alone", emphasizing that those who obey me will prosper and those who defy me will perish, and political inducement is used to induce the military and civilians in Huainan to surrender, in an effort to defeat the enemy without fighting.

(End of this chapter)