History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 863 A glass of wine releases military power

【Release military power over a cup of wine】

After eliminating Li Yun of Luzhou and Li Chongjin of Yangzhou, the political situation of the Song Dynasty had improved greatly. However, Zhao Kuangyin could not sit back and relax for the time being. Hidden dangers still existed, and the threat to the imperial power had only shifted from the local to the central level.

From Guo Wei to Chai Rong, they achieved great results in reducing the power of the feudal lords, making the central imperial army the strongest armed force in the world, and the local feudal lords were no longer able to compete with the central court. The rapid crushing of the "Yang-Lu merger" is a strong proof of this.

An Zhongrong once said a wise saying: "Does the emperor have any kind of blood? He is the one with strong soldiers and horses." This sentence reveals the truth of the replacement of feudal regimes. The separatist rule of the feudal lords is just a manifestation. Its fundamental logic is "strengthening the local areas and weakening the central government". The power comes from the barrel of a gun. Therefore, although the Later Zhou weakened the feudal lords, the country was eventually usurped by Zhao Kuangyin, who controlled the military power of the imperial army.

Now, Zhao Kuangyin was going to take over the baton from Chai Rong and complete the second step of strengthening central power for him: confiscating the military power of the central imperial guards.

Like the "Chenqiao Mutiny", this scene is known to everyone, and enjoys a high reputation in history. There are even illustrations of it in history textbooks, and the name of the illustration is "Releasing Military Power with a Cup of Wine".

However, this well-known story has caused great controversy in the academic community. Some scholars have directly put forward a sharp point of view: this matter is completely fictitious!

The idea of ​​"releasing military power over a cup of wine" is false. This view can be said to have shattered many people's three views. There are not a few people who hold this view. According to the convention of this book, we will temporarily put aside the controversy, seek common ground while reserving differences, and follow the old routine, first briefly describe the conventional version, then raise questions and analysis, and finally give a conclusion.

According to historical records, after pacifying Li Chongjin in Yangzhou, Zhao Kuangyin summoned his chief strategist Zhao Pu and said that since the end of the Tang Dynasty, in just over 50 years, there have been eight surnames and 12 emperors, and wars have continued, and the people are living in misery. Why is this? I want to end this chaos and allow the people to recuperate. Do you have any good ideas?

Zhao Pu bowed respectfully and said that it was a great blessing for the people that Your Majesty had such a broad mind and ambition (Your Majesty said this, it was a blessing for the heaven, earth, people and gods)! The chaos of the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties was caused by the separatist regimes, and the fundamental reason was that the emperor was weak and the ministers were strong. To change it, three paths must be taken at the same time: slightly deprive them of power, control their money and food, and collect their elite troops, so that the world will be settled!
Zhao Kuangyin slapped his thigh and said, "No need to say more, I understand everything! It's exactly what I thought."

Slightly deprive them of their power, control their finances and food, and collect their elite troops. These twelve words became the central guiding ideology of Zhao Kuangyin's series of reform measures to strengthen central power.

On the evening of July 961, 7, the second year after the founding of the Song Dynasty (the second year of Jianlong), Zhao Kuangyin gathered together Shi Shouxin, Wang Shenqi and other "meritorious officials" who held the power of the imperial guards to drink and reminisce.

Halfway through drinking, Zhao Kuangyin dismissed the idlers, then said to his brothers with a worried look on his face and sighed, "If it weren't for your efforts, I wouldn't be in this position. I am grateful for your contributions from the bottom of my heart. But you don't know that being an emperor is too boring. It's not as free and happy as when I was a governor. Since I ascended the throne, I haven't slept well. Oh, I'm so worried!"

Everyone hurriedly put down their glasses and asked, "Is there anything else that can worry Your Majesty?"

"Hey..." Zhao Kuangyin frowned even more and pointed at his buttocks, "Who wouldn't want to sit in this position?"

Shi Shouxin and the others were so frightened that they left the table immediately and knelt down in front of the wine table, kowtowed and expressed their loyalty, "Your Majesty, the world has been settled, who dares to have other intentions?"

Zhao Kuangyin said slowly with a mysterious smile: "Of course I believe you will not have any other intentions, but...if your subordinates also want to seek wealth and honor and put the yellow robe on you, then you will have no choice!"

Although Shi Shouxin and his men were brave generals who had fought all their lives, some of them were actually frightened and cried on the spot. Who knows if this was the Hongmen Banquet? The generals knelt down and kowtowed, crying bitterly, saying, "We are stupid, and I hope Your Majesty can show us a way to survive!"

Zhao Kuangyin's expression gradually relaxed, and he said gently: "A person's life is like a meteor in the sky, which disappears in a flash. The so-called wealth and honor is nothing more than enjoying a life of luxury while alive, and leaving a considerable fortune to future generations after death, so that they can continue to live a luxurious life. So, why don't you give up your military power? The world is so big, you can go and see, find a beautiful place, build a luxurious villa, add some property for future generations, buy more singing girls and dancers, sing and dance every night, and enjoy yourself. At the same time, I will marry my children to yours, and there will be no more suspicion between the monarch and the ministers. Isn't this the best ending?"

So Shi Shouxin and others thanked the emperor for his great grace.

At the morning court the next day, Shi Shouxin and others submitted their resignations, saying that they were old and weak and unable to perform their duties, and requested to retire and return home.

Zhao Kuangyin approved all of them, dismissed their imperial guards' military power, and appointed them as military governors in various places. Among them, Shi Shouxin was appointed as the military governor of Tianping Army, Gao Huaide was appointed as the military governor of Guide Army, Wang Shenqi was appointed as the military governor of Zhongzheng Army, and Zhang Lingduo was appointed as the military governor of Zhenning Army. He also gave them generous rewards.

The military power of the imperial guards was transferred to Zhao Kuangyin. From then on, neither the local vassal states nor the central imperial guards could threaten the imperial power. Zhao Kuangyin greatly strengthened the centralization of power and laid the foundation for the three hundred years of the Song Dynasty.

The above is the traditional mainstream expression of "releasing military power over a cup of wine".

Scholars who are good at nitpicking have been discussing this, finding several strong pieces of evidence and firing on all cylinders:

Reason 1: Lack of irrefutable historical evidence
The earliest records of "releasing military power over a cup of wine" are "Ding Jingong's Talks" and "Wang Wenzhengong's Notes" of the Northern Song Dynasty, but "Ding Jingong's Talks" only recorded a conversation between Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Pu, which roughly means that Zhao Pu advised Zhao Kuangyin to remove Shi Shouxin and Wang Shenqi's military power, while "Notes" recorded in more detail that Zhao Kuangyin summoned Shi Shouxin and others to drink, and said the heartfelt words mentioned above at the table, and then Shi Shouxin and others handed over their military power.

Sima Guang's "Shushui Jiwen" was more specific, saying that on the second day of the banquet, Shi Shouxin and others resigned due to illness. This version has become the most familiar version.

Therefore, some people have suggested that there are contradictions in these three records: "Tanlu" only says that Shi Shouxin and Wang Shenqi were dismissed from their military power, there were no other generals, and there was no banquet; "Bilu" says that in addition to these two people, there were other generals, and there was a drinking party; "Shushui Jiwen" vividly describes the details of the banquet, as if the author was there.

Sima Guang's "Zizhi Tongjian" stopped before the founding of the Song Dynasty (959), and later he wanted to continue writing. "Shushui Jiwen" is actually a compilation of materials he made for the continuation of "Zizhi Tongjian". In other words, when Sima Guang wrote this note, it was after "Zizhi Tongjian" was completed in 1084 AD, and 124 years had passed since "releasing military power with a cup of wine". Therefore, some scholars pointed out that how could Sima Guang know the situation of the banquet of "releasing military power with a cup of wine" and write so immersively? It is obviously unbelievable that the time is long and the details are getting more and more.

The three historical documents record progressive contents and gradually develop fuller plots, which is more like the creation process of folk novels and storytelling.

Reason 2: Zhao Kuangyin’s attitude
According to the records in "Tanlu", after listening to Zhao Pu's advice, Zhao Kuangyin set about removing Shi Shouxin and others from their military power; "Bilu" said that Zhao Kuangyin was forced to do so after Zhao Pu's repeated admonitions; and "Shushui Jiwen" said that it was a joint plan of Zhao Pu and Zhao Kuangyin.

In the three historical documents, Zhao Kuangyin has three completely different attitudes.

Reason three: Things will be different if the generals leave

In the three historical documents, there are three different accounts of what happened to Shi Shouxin and others after they handed over their military power. Some say they handed over their military power; some say they were sent to serve as governors of local vassal states; and some say they were given idle positions at home.

Reason 4: Different interpretations of “releasing military power over a cup of wine”
Some believe that only the military power of the imperial guards of Shi Shouxin and others was confiscated, while others believe that "releasing military power with a cup of wine" was a representative event of Zhao Kuangyin's large-scale reduction of the power of the princes.

Reason 5: It is not recorded in the official history
This is the most shocking and incredible thing. The "Releasing Military Power with a Cup of Wine" known to everyone is not recorded in "Taizu Shilu" and "Three Dynasties National History" compiled by the historians of the Northern Song Dynasty. When the historians of the Yuan Dynasty compiled "Song History", they used "Taizu Shilu" and "Three Dynasties National History" as important references, so they did not record this incident.

In other words, there is no record of "releasing military power over a cup of wine" in the authoritative history books!

This is also the "ironclad evidence" that the nitpicking scholars are most proud of. There is no record of it in the official history, and it is contradictory in the unofficial history, so this matter does not exist at all. It is completely a fabrication and deduction by people.

What they said was convincing, but it was really unreasonable.

It is better to have no books than to believe in them completely.

What is recorded in black and white in history books may not necessarily be true, such as the "Science Approaches" series of columns about emperors; what is not recorded may not necessarily not exist, for example, history books do not record emperors and generals going to the toilet. Are they all Pixiu?
We have analyzed many major historical events before. In fact, there are few direct and positive descriptions of them. It is not until we comprehensively analyze various indirect historical materials and make reasonable inferences that we come up with a more convincing so-called truth.

According to official history, Zhao Pu repeatedly advised Zhao Kuangyin to remove the military power of the meritorious officials who supported him. Zhao Kuangyin was dismissive at first, but later he began to seriously consider the issue and finally implemented it, which took about a year and a half.

According to records, Zhao Kuangyin trusted Shi Shouxin and others very much and did not believe that they would rebel one day, so he turned a deaf ear to Zhao Pu's advice. Until one day, Zhao Pu moved him with the "Chenqiao Mutiny". Zhao Pu said, "I know that Shi Shouxin and others will not betray your majesty, but from my observation, they are not good at commanding their subordinates. If one day their subordinates also put yellow robes on them, they will have no control at that time." Zhao Kuangyin was silent after hearing this, and then he "released military power with a cup of wine."

What Zhao Kuangyin said at the dinner table was exactly the same as what Zhao Pu said.

According to the "Song History·Biography of Shi Shouxin", after Zhao Kuangyin confiscated the military power of Shi Shouxin and others, he wanted the respected and meritorious veteran general Fu Yanqing to take over the imperial guards and stabilize the situation. Fu Yanqing has been introduced many times in the previous article. His two daughters were married to Chai Rong. At present, the youngest daughter "Little Queen Fu" is respected as Queen Mother Zhou and depends on Chai Zongxun for life.

Zhao Pu repeatedly advised Zhao Kuangyin, but he refused to listen. The formal process of letting Fu Yanqing take control of the imperial guards had already begun, and even the draft of the imperial edict had been submitted to the relevant departments. It only needed to be signed and sealed before it could be announced to the public and officially take effect. At this critical moment, Zhao Pu risked his life, overstepped his authority, intercepted the imperial edict, put it in his arms, and then went to see Zhao Kuangyin.

When Zhao Kuangyin saw that it was him, he immediately asked impatiently, "Is it about Fu Yanqing again? If so, shut up. I won't listen."

Zhao Pu shook his head, "No, there is something else."

Zhao Kuangyin then calmed down, and the emperor and his ministers discussed other matters. When the discussion was over and it was time to adjourn, Zhao Pu took out the imperial edict from his bosom and said, "There is one more thing..."

Zhao Kuangyin sighed, "I knew you were here for this! Tell me first, how did this edict end up in your hands?"

Zhao Pu answered frankly: "I used the excuse that some of the sentences in the imperial edict were inappropriate and tricked him into coming." It can be seen that Zhao Pu was very responsible, because privately intercepting the imperial edict was a capital crime. Even if his persuasion failed, he would not implicate his colleagues in the Secretariat. A man should take responsibility for his actions. "I hope Your Majesty will consider it carefully again, so as not to regret it!"

"Oh my..." Zhao Kuangyin was overwhelmed. "Zhao Pu, why do you have to pick on Fu Yanqing? I treat Fu Yanqing very well, how could Yanqing betray me?"

"How could your majesty betray Zhou Shizong?"

Zhao Kuangyin fell silent, and then gave up the plan to let Fu Yanqing take over the imperial guards.

This record is somewhat unbelievable. In terms of the closeness of personal relationships, Shi Shouxin and others are far ahead of Fu Yanqing. Since Zhao Kuangyin had already confiscated the military power of Shi Shouxin and others with a toast, why was he so obsessed with Fu Yanqing?

(End of this chapter)