History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 897 Barbie is Qing

【Barbie is cute】

Wang Quanbin, who led the army to destroy Shu, was demoted. The background music was "It's over, it's over, it's over, it's over..." He may not know that his fate was really in the hands of a single move.

It was a snowy night near the Spring Festival after the conquest of Shu. Zhao Kuangyin suddenly visited the home of his adviser Zhao Pu. Zhao Pu hurriedly greeted him. The two sat on the floor in the hall and grilled meat over charcoal. Zhao Pu's wife poured wine for Zhao Kuangyin, and Zhao Kuangyin respected her as "sister-in-law."

After eating a few pieces of meat and drinking a few sips of hot wine, Zhao Pu began to get to the point, asking why Your Majesty had the leisure to visit my home in such a cold weather?
Zhao Kuangyin sighed and said that he had no mood to sleep in the long night because everyone around him was sleeping soundly and he couldn't fall asleep.

Zhao Pu understood what he meant and asked him where he planned to recapture next.

Zhao Kuangyin picked up the charcoal, and the flames burned more vigorously. The aroma of barbecue filled the hall. The passionate firelight made Zhao Kuangyin's face dark and red, as strong as iron. "I want to take Taiyuan."

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhao Pu fell silent and just lowered his head to stir the charcoal fire.

After a long time, Zhao Kuangyin was the first to lose patience and said, "Speak up. What's the best plan for taking Taiyuan?"

Zhao Pu shook his head slightly, "I don't know either."

Hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin burst into laughter, "You still don't know? I don't believe it."

Zhao Pu did not stop what he was doing. Suddenly, he pulled away the mesh plate that held the meat. The roasted meat that Zhao Kuangyin had been drooling over fell into the charcoal fire, which frightened Zhao Kuangyin. "What are you doing?"

Zhao Pu finally stopped and explained slowly: "Taiyuan is located in the northwest. It is a buffer zone between us and the Khitan and other tribes in the northwest. If we can recapture it in one fell swoop, we will have to deal with the border problems alone. It is better to put it aside for the time being and unify the south first. By then, the Northern Han can be captured in one battle. If external forces interfere, we will have no worries and can focus on dealing with the problems in the northwest."

After saying that, Zhao Pu picked up the piece of barbecued meat that had been burnt into charcoal and placed it in front of Zhao Kuangyin respectfully.

Zhao Kuangyin laughed heartily and said, "How could I forget the strategic guiding ideology of going south first and north later, and going easy first and difficult later? I was just testing your attitude just now."

After re-setting the grill, Zhao Kuangyin did not rush to add meat to it. Instead, he picked up the charred piece of meat and held it in front of him, thinking: "Wang Quanbin killed the surrendered soldiers indiscriminately in Shu. Although I will not pursue him, I have always been upset. This person cannot be used again!" After saying that, he threw the charred piece aside with force, "In your opinion, who can be used?"

Zhao Pu picked up a piece of fresh meat and placed it on the mesh board, "Cao Bin," and then picked up another piece, "Pan Mei."

Zhao Kuangyin stopped talking, and Zhao Pu also chose to remain silent.

Cao Bin was the nephew of Concubine Zhang, the founder of the Later Zhou Dynasty, Guo Wei. Concubine Zhang was Cao Bin's aunt. After Zhang married Guo Wei, Guo Wei arranged Cao Bin to be with his adopted son Chai Rong. As a royal relative of the Later Zhou Dynasty, Cao Bin was extremely low-key, introverted, humble and cautious. He never attached himself to anyone, especially keeping a distance from Zhao Kuangyin's group.

After Zhao Kuangyin ascended the throne, he could not help but ask him privately, "I have always wanted to make friends with you, and I have always tried every means to get close to you, but why do you always deliberately distance yourself from me? Why are you so reserved and so arrogant?"

Cao Bin quickly knelt down to apologize, explaining that he was a close relative of the Zhou royal family and held a position in the palace. He was only worried that he would make mistakes at work, so he did not dare to have close contact with anyone.

Zhao Kuangyin appreciated him even more and promoted him greatly from then on. Whether it was pacifying the two lakes or pacifying Sichuan, Zhao Kuangyin gave him the most important positions.

But Cao Bin was not one of them. He was loyal to the court, a pillar of the country, and a talent for the country, but he was not a die-hard fan or lackey of Zhao Kuangyin. Pan Mei was also a close confidant of Chai Rong. Historical records say that he and Zhao Kuangyin had a deep relationship, but he did not participate in the "Chenqiao Mutiny" because he was in Shanzhou at the time.

According to the established strategic guidelines of the monarch and his ministers, the next step should be to recover Guangdong and Guangxi (Southern Han), Jiangnan (Southern Tang), Liangzhe (Wuyue Kingdom), and Fujian (Quanzhou). These areas were all places that had not been touched by the Central Plains since the end of the Tang Dynasty and had been away from civilization for a long time. Unlike Hedong, Sichuan, and Youzhou, the Central Plains knew all the mountains, rivers, landforms, customs, and people like the back of their hands.

He must have strong military qualities and firm political stance. He must earnestly implement the court's appeasement policy, and be flexible and courageous to respond to changes and live up to the majesty of the royal army... He cannot accept a cowardly and honest person, a cruel and ruthless person, a pedantic bookworm, or a cunning old fox... So Zhao Pu picked up two young and handsome men, Cao Bin and Pan Mei.

Zhao Kuangyin silently turned the two pieces of meat, and after a moment, he smiled, "Oh, it's cooked. Come on -"

"Come!"

"fragrant."

Zhao Kuangyin's attitude towards Northern Han was very subtle. First, Northern Han was undoubtedly an illegal separatist pseudo-regime. Liu Chong and Liu Chengjun, father and son, were "Jin independence" elements. The Central Plains never promised to give up the use of force, and there was no need for any reason or excuse to send troops to Northern Han. Secondly, Northern Han was at the bottom of the "Ten Kingdoms", a veritable scumbag. Finally, Northern Han was a vassal of the Liao Kingdom, and had the support of the Khitan father behind it, which was also the most critical factor affecting the Central Plains emperor's decision to march north.

However, the Liao Dynasty began to decline after Emperor Taizong of Liao, Yelü Deguang, and the national strength steadily declined. In particular, Emperor Muzong of Liao, who ascended the throne during the "Huoshendian Rebellion", was one of the most chaotic emperors in the history of the Liao Dynasty. However, he reigned for nearly 20 years, which led to the Liao Dynasty entering a structural bear market, and the comprehensive national strength remained at a low level for 20 years. These stories will be detailed later.

It was also during the reign of Emperor Muzong of Liao that the people of the Central Plains were able to achieve the basic unification of their motherland.

When Zhao Kuangyin ascended the throne, he sent spies to contact Liu Chengjun secretly. Zhao Kuangyin said, "I know you are a sworn enemy of the Later Zhou Dynasty, and you have a reason to rule Taiyuan. But now the Central Plains has changed. We have nothing to do with each other. The past is long gone. Why don't you return to your motherland? If you are determined to become the emperor, please come down from Taihang and compete with me for the throne of the Central Plains."

Liu Chengjun asked a spy to convey a message, saying that our Hedong is a small land with poor people, and our strength is not even one tenth of yours. Of course, we dare not offend the majesty of heaven and bring disaster upon ourselves. The reason why I am trapped in this barren land is just to keep a place to worship my ancestors (I only guard this place because I am afraid that the Han Dynasty will not pay tribute to me).

After hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin's expression changed from contempt to lamentation, thinking that the child was really pitiful. After a moment of silence, he said to the spy: "Go back and tell Liu Chengjun that I will leave him a way out."

Liu Chengjun's tragic drama moved Zhao Kuangyin, so historical records say "therefore, throughout his lifetime, he did not lead a large army to the north", which means that Zhao Kuangyin fulfilled his promise and did not launch a large-scale military operation against Northern Han while Liu Chengjun was alive.

Will politicians show compassion?
"Go south first, then north, easy first, then difficult" has long been a national policy, and it is not affected by Zhao Kuangyin's personal emotions. Moreover, the historian played a little word game here, "not marching north with a large army", not not marching north with a "large army", but not marching north with a "large army", and a small army can still be used.

In fact, during the period when Zhao Kuangyin recovered the two lakes and Sichuan, the border conflict between the Song Dynasty and the Northern Han Dynasty never stopped, and the two sides had been fighting on the border.

Just when Zhao Kuangyin was conquering Shu and planning his next target, good news came from the north: Liu Chengjun was dead.

Sooner or later, you will pay for what you have done. The Northern Han Dynasty twice sent troops to take advantage of the death of a great emperor (the "Battle of Gaoping" after the death of Guo Wei and the "Battle of Zelu" after the death of Chai Rong). Now the situation has changed, and it is time for the people of the Central Plains to take advantage of the Northern Han Dynasty's death.

Thanks to “Da Ma Hu 22” for the monthly ticket support!



(End of this chapter)