History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 86 Xichuan Wang Jian
Zhou Xuang's strategy was to let Wang Jian find a way to persuade Wei Zhaodu to return to the court, and then seize Chengdu alone and take it for himself. In this way, Wang Jian could rule Shu and become the king.

Wang Jian agreed with this. So he wrote a memorial to the court, pointing out that Chen Jingxuan and Tian Lingzi were extremely evil and their crimes were unforgivable. He said that he was willing to die in the service of the court and would punish the two thieves at any cost.

Afterwards, Wang Jian persuaded Wei Zhaodu, "The annexation of the Guandong vassal states is a major concern for the court. You should return to the court and discuss the pacification of the Central Plains with the emperor instead of being hindered by a small person like Chen Jingxuan. Don't be blinded by a small thing! Don't worry, with me here, Tian Yan and his party will surely die."

Wei Zhaodu frowned and hesitated. This was because the imperial edict asked Gu Yanlang and Wang Jian to return to the town, but did not ask him to return to the court. Even if Wang Jian's words made sense, it was difficult to disobey the imperial edict.

Therefore, Wang Jian used his second trick. He secretly ordered his confidants to arrest one of Wei Zhaodu's cronies, falsely accusing him of stealing and selling military rations. He then cut the cronies into pieces and distributed the minced meat to the troops to be eaten raw. He also invited Wei Zhaodu to watch the whole process of torturing and eating human flesh.

Wei Zhaodu was terrified and immediately claimed that he was ill and unable to perform the job assigned by the emperor. He handed over all the official seals to Wang Jian, ordered Wang Jian to replace him in an official document, and packed his bags and fled Xichuan that day.

Wang Jian personally saw Wei Zhaodu off. He knelt in front of the horse, raised his wine glass, cried bitterly, and acted reluctant to leave.

Wei Zhaodu did not want to stay any longer, so he exchanged a few polite words and hurried out of Jianmen Pass. According to historical records, Wei Zhaodu "jumped out of Jianmen Pass".

Just as Wei Zhaodu stepped out of Jianmen Pass, he heard the sounds of "creak, bang, and crash" as the gate closed and the drawbridge was retracted behind him.

Wang Jian issued an order: The imperial army is not allowed to enter again.

The people of Shu are now surnamed Wang.

Wang Jian turned back and launched a new round of offensive against Chengdu, building trenches and beacon towers around the city, stretching for fifty miles.

A dog butcher named Wang Yao volunteered to act as a spy for Wang Jian. He forged the identity of a fugitive and sneaked into Chengdu city to spread rumors, causing Chen Jingxuan's subordinates to be suspicious of each other, and the morale of the army was weakened and the fighting spirit collapsed.

Later, Wang Yao became a "double agent" and asked to see Tian Lingzi and Chen Jingxuan directly, "betraying" Wang Jian's important secrets, claiming that Wang Jian's troops were out of ammunition and food, and had lost the support of the court and Dongchuan, and were at the end of their strength and were about to collapse. But when he came to the street, he praised Wang Jian's wisdom and courage and how powerful his army was to officials and people.

As a result, Chen Jingxuan and other high-ranking officials in Xichuan relaxed their vigilance and began to wait for victory from heaven, while the military and civilians in the city were demoralized and in a state of panic.

Wang Jian also sent his trusted confidant Zheng Wo to pretend to surrender to Chen Jingxuan. After finding out the situation in the city, he escaped and successfully brought back the intelligence.

Afterwards, Wang Jian adopted Zheng Wo as his son and changed his name to Wang Zongwo.

Wang Jian took away the prefectures under Xichuan one by one, and Chengdu’s last supply line was also cut off, so Chen Jingxuan and Tian Lingzi were trapped.

Chen Jingxuan took out the red-lettered iron certificate and the golden medal of immunity from death bestowed by the previous emperor, and went up to the city wall to declare: "Look, do you recognize this? The court has spared my life, how can you act rashly?"

Wang Jian replied: "Look carefully! The first sentence is 'Except for those who plot treason...'. You are plotting treason, so it is invalid!"

Tian Lingzi was at his wit's end and could only go up to the city wall himself and question Wang Jian as his godfather, "I usually treat you well, why are you pushing me so hard today?"

Wang Jian bowed and made an impassioned speech: "I will never forget the kindness between father and son, but I was ordered to fight the enemy, and I really had no choice! If Master Chen could turn back from his wrong path, what could I do to you two elders?" If there had not been a strategy of "having a legitimate reason to fight", Tian Lingzi would have been Wang Jian's thorn. At any time, as long as Tian Lingzi showed up and questioned Wang Jian with the father-son relationship, Wang Jian would have been at a loss for words, and the army would have been demoralized. He might even be instigated to mutiny by Tian Yan's words.

Now, Tian Lingzi's shield is no longer effective. Wang Jian is justified, saying that we have a private relationship as father and son, and fighting the enemy in accordance with the emperor's order is a public matter. The public and private are clearly distinguished, and I, Wang Jian, dare not sacrifice the public for the private.

That night, Tian Lingzi brought the seal and token of the Xichuan Jiedushi and personally delivered them to Wang Jian's camp.

Xichuan surrendered and the war ended.

The soldiers jumped for joy and shouted "Long live the emperor".

Wang Jian burst into tears and apologized to Tian Lingzi, asking for forgiveness, and requesting to restore the father-son relationship and treat him as a father.

Previously, in order to boost morale, Wang Jian said to his subordinates, "Chengdu is prosperous and wealthy, with gold and silver everywhere and beautiful women everywhere. As long as we take Chengdu, you will be allowed to plunder at will! Our slogan is - rob money, rob food, rob women! Not to mention money and women, even the position of Jiedushi, we brothers will take turns to sit on it and have fun."

Now, Chengdu surrendered and welcomed Wang Jian into the city. Wang Jian first appointed his general Zhang Ying as the "Commander of the Chopping and Slashing Army" (the commander of horse and foot chopping and cutting), whose main job was to maintain order and enforce strict military discipline, and he had the privilege of killing first and reporting later.

Wang Jian asked Zhang Xing to lead the troops into the city first, and then convened a meeting of all the soldiers, telling everyone not to smash, loot or burn after entering the city, otherwise they would be ruthlessly hacked to death by Zhang Xing. That guy was the most ruthless and impartial, and had the privilege of executing first and reporting later. By then, even if I wanted to plead for you, it would be useless.

Chengdu used to belong to someone else, so you could take it away. But now it belongs to me, Wang Jian, so you can’t take it away. This is a different time.

However, the soldiers besieged the city for three years, waiting for the sound of the cannon and the reward of a fortune, so some soldiers still violated military discipline and committed rape and looting.

Zhang Xing arrested more than 100 soldiers who violated military discipline, first hammered their chests, and then beheaded them. From then on, Wang Jian's troops had strict military discipline and no one dared to break the law. Zhang Xing also got a nickname because of this: Zhang Daxiong. I'll hit your chest with my little fist.

There was a low-ranking general named Han Wu who was not tactful and drove wildly in the headquarters compound several times. The officials in charge tried to persuade him patiently, but he insisted and threatened: "The Marshal said that everyone will take turns to be the governor. What's the big deal about me driving wildly in the compound?"

Wang Jian sent people to assassinate him secretly.

Wang Jian took control of Chengdu Prefecture and proclaimed himself the governor of Xichuan. He first appointed Chen Jingxuan's son Chen Tao as the governor of Yazhou, and let Chen Jingxuan and his son live in Yazhou. The following year, Chen Tao was dismissed from office, and Wang Jian settled Chen Jingxuan in Xinjin County, and used the county's taxes as living expenses for Chen Jingxuan's family. He imprisoned Tian Lingzi in Bijifang.

All talented people among Chen Jingxuan's former subordinates were employed by Wang Jian. The meritorious officials were rewarded greatly, needless to say, the greatest reward was to adopt them as adopted sons and godsons, such as Wang Zongruan (Wenwujian) and Wang Zongben (Xie Congben).

Not long after, the court formally appointed Wang Jian as the governor of Xichuan, abolished the Yongping Army, and assigned the four prefectures under Yongping to Xichuan.

Wang Jian was eager to seek talented people, was able to respect them, loved to interact with scholars, and was open-minded to accept advice, showing a broad mind and the character of a king.

The small Xichuan cannot accommodate Wang Jian, a dragon. In the future, he will stir up trouble and become the king of the people and the landlord.

(End of this chapter)