History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 999: Past Events in Quanzhou (Part )
In order to prevent Chen Hongjin from taking revenge, Zhang Hansi mobilized almost all the guards he could to guard the headquarters, "always keeping the troops in readiness for Hongjin." Since the assassination attempt failed, he would kill him openly.

Chen Hongjin's two sons, Chen Wenxian and Chen Wenhao, were both senior military officers (commanders). When they heard about this, they were indignant and immediately mobilized their troops to rush into the commander's mansion to fight, but were sternly stopped by Chen Hongjin.

Chen Hongjin is a seasoned man. As long as he led his troops to attack the Marshal's residence, it was a rebellion. This is a question of nature. You said they were holding a Hongmen Banquet. Do you have evidence? Besides, even if it was really a Hongmen Banquet, you can seek legal means to resolve the conflict. You can call the municipal hotline, you can petition and report, and you can also go through legal procedures... You can't fight back. Fighting back is mutual fighting. What kind of legitimate defense? It doesn't exist!

This is also the reason why Zhang Hansi only "tightened the troops to prepare for Hong Jin's advance" and took a defensive stance instead of taking the initiative to lead troops to search the houses.

Chen Hongjin was very brave, and he chose to go alone. Chen Hongjin only brought his two sons and entered the general's mansion through the main gate. There were hundreds of guards in the mansion. Before they could react, Chen Hongjin glared at them and yelled, "What are you looking at?"

Hundreds of guards were stunned... Chen and his son were high-ranking military officials. It was normal for them to clock in at the Marshal's Mansion. Why did the security guards stop them? They didn't bring any soldiers, guards, or even weapons. The three of them came to work unarmed. Why did the security guards stop them?

Just when the guard was at a loss, Chen Hongjin glared and cursed: "Try to look at one more person, and get out of here!"

Hundreds of soldiers left in response. Just like that, Chen Hongjin strode into the mansion as if he were in his own living room.

Zhang Hansi was resting in the inner room, so Chen Hongjin closed the door and locked Zhang Hansi inside. Then he asked someone to knock on the door and say that the soldiers unanimously asked Comrade Chen Hongjin to take charge of military affairs, and that the public opinion could not be violated, so Comrade Zhang Hansi was asked to hand over the seal.

Zhang Hansi had no idea how Chen Hongjin had quietly eliminated hundreds of Ya soldiers. Kept in the dark, he was terrified and had no choice but to hand over the seal through the crack in the door as ordered.

Afterwards, Chen Hongjin transferred Zhang Hansi to another place for detention and sent his confidant to report to the Southern Tang. Li Yu, the last ruler of the Southern Tang, immediately appointed Chen Hongjin as the governor of Qingyuan Army in Quanzhou and the governor of Quanzhou and Zhangzhou, recognizing Chen Hongjin's legal ruling status over Quanzhou and Zhangzhou.

After a brief period of chaos, control of Quanzhou and Zhangzhou shifted from Liu Congxiao to Chen Hongjin.

Not long after, the Song Dynasty marched south to recover the two lakes. Chen Hongjin was terrified, so he sent his confidant to pay tribute to the Song Dynasty with 1,000 taels of platinum and tens of thousands of frankincense and tea leaves, and pledged his loyalty.

Previously, Quanzhou had offered to submit to the Central Plains many times, but was rejected. Now, Zhao Kuangyin was determined to pacify the world, and Southern Tang was his next target, so he gladly accepted it and told Southern Tang: Quanzhou and Zhangzhou are already an inseparable part of our Great Song Dynasty, so you should stop bothering them in the future.

Li Yu, the last emperor of Southern Tang, did not dare to object and obeyed orders obediently.

Zhao Kuangyin then changed the Quanzhou Qingyuan Army into the Quanzhou Pinghai Army, appointed Chen Hongjin as the Jiedushi, and granted him the title of Jianxiu Taifu and the honorary title of "Loyal and Submissive Meritorious Official". He appointed his son Chen Wenxian as the Jiedushi Deputy Envoy and Chen Wenhao as the Governor of Zhangzhou, thus recognizing the Chen family's legitimate rule over Quanzhou and Zhangzhou.

At this point, the "Quanzhou Incident" finally came to an end, and Chen Hongjin succeeded Liu Congxiao and was widely recognized by the international community. However, Chen Hongjin's reputation was far inferior to that of Liu Congxiao, and historical books said that he collected a lot of money from the people.

In fact, there are very important objective reasons for the different political voices of the two.

Liu Congxiao lived in a period when Southern Tang began to decline and Central Plains began to grow. The threat from the north and the decline of its own strength made Southern Tang unable to manage Southern Fujian, and it could only let the separatist forces in Quanzhou run wild. Although Central Plains was powerful, it was unable to reach Southern Fujian. Therefore, Liu Congxiao could flexibly move between the two great powers, enjoy the dividends of geopolitics, and devote himself to the construction of Southern Fujian. This period can be said to be the golden age of Southern Fujian.

Looking at Chen Hongjin again, when he came to power, the Southern Tang Dynasty was already on the verge of collapse, and the tentacles of the Song Dynasty also extended into the hinterland of the south. The two lakes, Sichuan, Lingnan... The southern Fujian region was already bordering the Song Dynasty. Except for Chen Hongjin in Quanzhou, there were only the Southern Tang Dynasty, which was half in the coffin, and the Wuyue Kingdom, the biological son of the Song Dynasty. Zhao Kuangyin passed the chill to everyone. Chen Hongjin had to do his best to pay tribute to the Song Dynasty, and a large amount of tribute had to be made every year. This was a huge expense that did not exist during the period of Liu Congxiao. This expense could only be taken from the people, so Chen Hongjin had to collect a lot of money from the people and extort the people's fat and blood to pay tribute to the great country of the heaven.

Having said that, Chen Hongjin's "heavy taxation" was relatively mild. For example, he stipulated that "those with private capital of more than one million yuan will be ordered to be trial assistants of music and rituals, and be exempted from labor service." By spending one million yuan, one could enter the system and be exempted from labor service. The prices were clearly marked, fair, and fair, and Chen Hongjin was the most handsome among all those who levied heavy taxes.

The wheel of history is unstoppable, crushing any unrealistic fantasies. The two lakes, two Guangdongs, Sichuan, Shu, and Southern Tang were all swept away by the rolling torrent.

Both Liu Congxiao and Chen Hongjin had a clear understanding of their own strength and would never try to stop a chariot with a mantis arm. As the Song Dynasty moved southward, Chen Hongjin's tributes increased day by day, but he did not expect Qian Hongchu to come to the court in person, inadvertently throwing a serious question to Quanzhou: follow or not?
If you don't follow, you will be the next one, for sure; if you follow, you may end up walking into a trap.

Chen Hongjin ruled out the former without hesitation, and after a little hesitation, he chose the latter. He went with Qian Hongchu, who was a wealthy man. I was just a few pounds and ounces. He went, so what should I be afraid of? Chen Hongjin sent his son to pay tribute to Zhao Kuangyin and request to come to the court. Zhao Kuangyin was very happy. Not bad, this young comrade has a high level of consciousness. Then come, and "issue an imperial edict to summon him."

After packing his bags and preparing the generous gifts for "collecting generously from the people", Chen Hongjin embarked on a journey to the north with heavy steps. Halfway through the journey, he suddenly heard the bad news: Taizu had passed away!

Chen Hongjin returned to Quanzhou without stopping. Historical records say that he was mourning for Zhao Kuangyin, but in fact he was just waiting to see whether the Song Dynasty would fall into chaos because of Zhao Kuangyin's death, and what if the world would fall apart again.

This is connected to the previous point. After Emperor Taizong ascended the throne, Qian Hongchu went to the court for the second time, while Chen Hongjin was more active. During Emperor Taizu's reign, the country had already fallen behind the Wuyue Kingdom. How could it fall behind again during Emperor Taizong's reign? How would the Song Dynasty view Quanzhou? How would it evaluate the loyalty of Chen Hongjin?
In May of the second year after Taizong ascended the throne (the second year of Taiping Xingguo, 977), he received a report from Quanzhou: Comrade Chen Hongjin was coming to meet the emperor. When you see this memorial, Comrade Chen Hongjin is already halfway there.

This is the most sincere expression. I am setting out without waiting for the imperial edict, which means I am determined to come. Even if you "disallow it" with a favorable edict, it will not work. I will come no matter what.

In the intercalary seventh month, Chen Hongjin had crossed the Huai River and was about to arrive in Suzhou. The court sent high-ranking officials to greet him, and the courtesy they gave was similar to that of Qian Hongchu. After all, they were all their own children, and the palms and backs of their hands were all Chinese territory.

In August, Chen Hongjin arrived in Bianzhou and was received by Zhao Guangyi in Chongde Hall. Zhao Guangyi was very enthusiastic about Chen Hongjin, who came from afar, and gave him "generous treatment" and gave him 8 million yuan, taels of platinum, and pieces of silk.

In September, Qian Hongchu sent his son Qian Weijun to pay tribute and to serve as a scout for him. The court also sent high-ranking officials to Sizhou to welcome and reward Qian Weijun. After Qian Weijun arrived in Bianzhou, he was also generously rewarded.

It was not until February of the following year (the third year of Taiping Xingguo, 978) that Qian Hongchu officially set off. After the Song Dynasty received the news, it immediately sent high-ranking officials to welcome him. In March, it also sent Qian Weijun to Songzhou to welcome him, so that the father and son could reunite in advance and help Qian Hongchu dispel his doubts.

I don’t know whether the Song dynasty attached too much importance to Qian Hongchu or Qian Hongchu was too arrogant. Since September last year (977), historical records have recorded that Qian Hongchu “will enter the court” and he posted on WeChat Moments “I’m going to pay homage, so excited”; until February this year, historical records also recorded that “Wu Yue Wang Chu will arrive”, and Qian Hongchu posted nine consecutive photos on WeChat Moments, “Hangzhou, goodbye, Bianzhou is waiting for me”; in March, it was still “Wu Yue Wang Chu will arrive”, and he sent his son Qian Weijun to Songzhou to welcome him, and Qian Hongchu posted on WeChat Moments again, “I see Dabao, his mother is not here, oh yeah!”

It was truly a long-awaited event. At the end of March, Zhao Guangyi finally met Comrade Qian Hongchu, whom he had been thinking about day and night, in Chongde Hall.

It took Qian Hongchu a full six months from threatening to meet the emperor to officially arriving in Beijing. Chen Hongjin traveled a longer distance but took less time. It is also worth emphasizing that during this six months, Chen Hongjin had always been well taken care of by Zhao Guangyi.

Chen Hongjin arrived in Beijing in August 977 and stayed in Bianzhou for 8 months until April 978. During these long 4 months, Chen Hongjin received a high-level reception, with countless banquets, gifts, and rewards. His sons were also awarded titles such as training envoy and governor. The courtesies were thorough and the favors were generous. However, there was one problem: there was no real work.

Whether at a banquet or playing in the back garden, they only talked about trivial things and never mentioned any key issues.

What is the "real business" or the key issue? Chen Hongjin and Zhao Guangyi have different understandings.

Chen Hongjin thought that returning to the vassal state was a serious matter, just like Qian Hongchu's first visit to the court, they paid tribute and pledged loyalty, exchanged generous gifts, and then "Master, come and visit often", and then everyone went back to their own homes and mothers. Qian Hongchu only stayed for a month last time before shedding tears and parting, Chen Hongjin had already lived for 8 months, but Zhao Guangyi never mentioned the matter of returning to the vassal state.

Zhao Guangyi believed that surrendering was the right thing to do. Quanzhou and Wuyue were fundamentally different. Quanzhou's secession had no legal effect. Legally, Quanzhou was the territory of the Central Plains Dynasty from the beginning to the end. The so-called secession was illegal, without a property certificate. Wuyue had obtained the privilege of establishing a state since the Later Tang Dynasty and enjoyed the political status of a country within a country, which was a legal secession. Can you, Chen Hongjin, compare with Qian Hongchu? Don't you have any idea?
Logically speaking, whether the Song Dynasty asked Chen Hongjin to move to another place or summoned him to serve as an official (promotion in name but demotion in reality), it was all a matter of a transfer order. However, if that were the case, it would be a bit disrespectful to Chen Hongjin and it would be indecent. So what is decent? Of course, Chen Hongjin took the initiative to propose to move to another place, to retire... In short, he took the initiative to offer Quanzhou and Zhangzhou, so that everyone would be decent.

Chen Hongjin and Zhao Guangyi both thought that the other was playing dumb, pretending to be confused when knowing the truth, which is called "idiot" in our northern dialect. At the state banquet, the royal orchestra should play "Red Berries in Bloom", "I don't have the courage to tell you, I am just hesitant, let my sweetheart guess for herself."

Both parties thought that they were giving the other a chance to end this pretentious and lingering offline date in a dignified manner, and they secretly sighed that the other was a master at pretending to be confused.

In April 978, Chen Hongjin collapsed and said, "I'm done pretending. I'm going to show my cards. I admit defeat."

Thanks to my old friend “江湖刘白” for the monthly ticket support!

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(End of this chapter)