History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 864 Glass of Wine 2.0

Eight years later, in the second year of Kaibao (8), Zhao Kuangyin staged the 969 version of "releasing military power with a cup of wine". He invited the meritorious officials of the vassal states to drink. During the banquet, Zhao Kuangyin sighed and said: "You are all meritorious officials of my Song Dynasty. You have served the people for a long time and have been entangled in official duties. You have no leisure time to enjoy life. This is not my original intention to treat loyal officials with courtesy!"

All the generals were confused, but Comrade Wang Yanchao, the governor of Fengxiang and the minister of the Central Secretariat, understood what he meant and immediately expressed his opinion. He said that I actually didn't have any merits to speak of, but I was just relying on the wise and powerful Majesty to help me show off and fly. Now I am old and useless. My biggest wish is to land safely, retire gloriously, and enjoy family happiness. I hope Your Majesty will grant my wish!
Zhao Kuangyin said tenderly, "Yes, you have worked hard for most of your life, it's time to enjoy yourself. OK."

The other generals immediately understood that Lao Zhao was not a decent person!
As a result, Wu Xingde, the governor of Anyuan Army and the Minister of the Central Secretariat, Guo Congyi, the governor of Huguo Army, Bai Chongzan, the governor of Dingguo Army, and Yang Tingzhang, the governor of Baoda Army, all vied with each other to recount their glorious achievements and revolutionary histories, and the situation was on the verge of getting out of control.

Zhao Kuangyin listened to their stories quietly with a gloomy face. When they were out of breath and dry-mouthed, and looked at him expectantly, wanting to ask for an explanation, Zhao Kuangyin replied coldly: "This happened in a different era, so why bother discussing it!"

The next day, several people were all dismissed from their posts and forced to retire with unimportant titles such as Prince's Tutor. In addition to Wang Yanchao who was the first to respond to the call, and Wu Xingde who committed crimes in defiance of the call, many other generals also had their military power confiscated. Although the history books did not give specific names, they added at the end that "all the Jiedushi and Yan at that time were dismissed from their posts and replaced by other officials." "Yan" means banquet, which means that all the Jiedushi who attended the banquet were dismissed from their titles.

So some people say that the 969 version of "releasing military power with a cup of wine" in 2.0 is the widely known authentic version; others believe that the one at the beginning of the founding of the country is the original and authentic version, and the one in 969 is obviously a repeat of the old trick...

Let’s put this debate aside for now and consider another issue, which was the issue that broke out at the dinner table in 969: What if someone objects?
For example, Wu Xingde and others expressed their dissatisfaction with the leader's decision on the spot. Imagine if Zhao Kuangyin gathered together Shi Shouxin and other founding heroes who held heavy military power, and said at the dinner table that he would confiscate their military power, and then everyone collectively opposed it, slamming the table and glaring, how would Zhao Kuangyin end it?

Did they smash the cup as a signal for the ambushing assassins to come out one after another? Or did they just smile and let it go?

Or let's think from another angle. Why would Shi Shouxin or Wang Yanchao surrender their military power? How could it be so easy to reduce the power of the feudal lords?
Salary cuts, benefit reductions and even layoffs are also problems that modern companies may encounter. Of course, capitalists will not use the harsh word "layoffs". Instead, they will use euphemistic expressions such as "the company needs to carry out structural optimization", "encourage wolfishness and eliminate petty bourgeoisie", "supply talents to society" and so on to tell workers, "Congratulations on graduating from the company."

When ordinary workers are bullied by capitalists, they will beat the capitalists to the ground with their heads against their ears. The capitalists will not have any concerns. Even if they have the character of "never abandoning any brother", they will perfectly resolve the issue with a sentence "Those who just want to get by are not my brothers."

However, what if the graduates are senior executives who were the founding members of the company? For the mass layoff of such employees, we need to pay attention to the methods and means.

The general routine is to divide and disintegrate, and defeat them one by one. Before the formal company meeting, the big boss will have secret contact with some of these people, leak the company's next decision to them in advance, and then force them to comply through coercion and inducement. Those who are secretly contacted in advance may be "weak-willed" good kids, or they may be potential "opposition leaders." After appeasing these people, the meeting can be held. The good kids will serve as the atmosphere group, and the opposition leaders who have been "recruited" will remain silent. In this way, even if other personnel want to sing a different tune, they are leaderless, and under the influence of the atmosphere group, they can only raise their hands to agree.

So think about the first few sporadic records, that is, small-scale banquets for key groups... If you can raise the question correctly, the problem is half solved.

At this point, we can finally restore the truth of the whole "releasing military power with a cup of wine":
"Releasing military power over a cup of wine" is a general term for a series of reforms carried out by the Song Dynasty court to strengthen central power, not a specific drinking party on a certain day of a certain month of a certain year. Using a banquet to confiscate military power is just a romantic way of expression.

Similar to the "Chenqiao Mutiny" that changed the dynasty, the "Releasing Military Power with a Cup of Wine" was also the result of long-term conspiracy and planning, and it completed a major change involving the survival of the regime in a rare and gentle way. It was a stroke of genius and unprecedented.

With the help of his think tank Zhao Pu, Zhao Kuangyin formulated a reform strategy of "difficult first, easy later". Reform should be difficult first, easy later. You should first hit the tiger, then swat the fly. If you swat the fly first, it will encourage the tiger's arrogance, and the slapped fly will not accept it, saying that you are bullying the weak and afraid of the strong.

Zhao Kuangyin's killing stick first started with Shi Shouxin and Wang Shenqi, the two most meritorious officials, and then extended it to other meritorious officials.

Shi Shouxin and Wang Shenqi have both handed over their military power, why are you still so stubborn?

All the heroes who supported the emperor have surrendered their military power. Why are you still so stubborn?
The last small question is Zhao Kuangyin’s true attitude in this great change. Was he forced to participate reluctantly after Zhao Pu’s repeated persuasion, or did he readily agree after Zhao Pu’s one persuasion, or did he originally plan it together with Zhao Pu.

Personally, I am more inclined to the last answer, that Zhao Kuangyin was always Zhao Pu's "accomplice".

If you believe the records in history books and think that the chief architect of the "Releasing Military Power with a Cup of Wine" was Zhao Pu, and that it was Zhao Pu who "dragged Zhao Kuangyin into the water" with his earnest advice, coaxing and intimidation, then... you should also believe that Comrade Zhao Kuangyin was also a victim of the "Chenqiao Mutiny". He was indeed forced to wear a yellow robe without his knowledge, and then was forced to become emperor in a painful struggle.

The reason why history books whitewash "Releasing Military Power with a Cup of Wine" and "Chenqiao Mutiny" is the same. They must establish a positive image of our dynasty's Taizu as a great, glorious and correct person. They cannot portray Taizu as a despicable villain who is ungrateful and ungrateful, right?
Our great grandfather certainly trusted Shi Shouxin and others very much. It was all because of that pretty boy Zhao Pu who sowed discord and used all his tricks to force our great grandfather to abandon his brothers...

(End of this chapter)