【The end of Zhu Youzhen】
In the first year of Longde (921), there was a mutiny in Zhenzhou. Zhang Wenli massacred Wang Rong's family. Using Princess Puning as a communication channel, he contacted Houliang, saying that he had already contacted the Khitan, and asked Houliang to send 10,000 elites to cooperate, from Dezhou and Dizhou north. Crossing the Yellow River, when the time comes, the Houliang army and the Khitan army will respond to each other from the north to the south. I will cooperate with the outside in Zhenzhou. Li Cunxu in the east of Hedong will definitely die without a burial place!
Zhu Youzhen summoned the ministers to discuss.
Jingxiang advocated sending troops immediately to respond, pointing out that this was a once-in-a-lifetime God-given opportunity that cannot be missed and will never come again. Don't hesitate and send troops quickly!
The "foreign relatives gang" strongly opposed it, saying that we and Li Cunxu were at an inextricable fight. Where could we spare 10,000 elites? Besides, Zhang Wenli is cunning, cunning and capricious. He is just using us to pull chestnuts out of the fire for him. We will not gain any benefit from it. Let him fend for himself.
Different positions lead to different opinions. Jingxiang's starting point is the national interest, while the "Wai Qi Gang" is guided by their group interests.
At this stage, the "foreign relatives gang" has eliminated a group of veterans such as Liu Wei and penetrated the military system. However, they have not completely controlled the army. There are still a group of veteran generals such as "Wang Tiejian" Wang Yanzhang who are still unable to control the army. Willing to obey the "foreign relatives gang". If Hebei is supported and, as Jingxiang said, brilliant achievements are achieved, then the power of the "old veterans" such as Jingxiang and Wang Yanzhang will be greatly enhanced, thereby dividing the interests of the "Wai Qi Gang" and squeezing the "Wai Qi Gang" living space.
During the period when the "wai Qi Gang" was in power, all national policies were the result of the "wai Qi Gang"'s struggle for power and profit, and all reflected the interests of the "wai Qi Gang" small group.
Jingxiang beat his chest and watched Zhu Youzhen lose the eternal opportunity to regain Heshuo.
Although the "foreign relatives gang" blocked the plan to rescue Zhang Wenli in Zhenzhou, they ordered Duan Ning to attack Weizhou and then regain the land of Heshuo to the west of Chanzhou and south of Xiangzhou. This is the best reflection of the true intention of the "foreign relatives gang": I am not opposed to sending troops, but depending on who leads the troops and who reaps the war dividends, it must be my "foreign relatives gang", not Jingxiang and Wang Yanzhang.
In the third year of Longde (923), Li Siyuan made a surprise attack on Yunzhou. Zhu Youzhen beheaded the defeated general of Yunzhou and relieved Dai Siyuan from the post of commander-in-chief. The Houliang Empire reached a critical moment of life and death.
Jingxiang couldn't bear to sit back and watch the empire's demise, so he decided to die to dissuade him. He found a rope in advance and hid it in his boot. He went to the palace to see Zhu Youzhen and said, "I don't want to brag or be slanderous. The late emperor conquered the world and never thought that I was incompetent. My suggestion , and none of them have been rejected. Today, the enemy is getting stronger day by day, but Your Majesty still refuses to listen to a word from me. What is the use of my life? I might as well die in front of His Majesty!"
After saying that, he took out the rope and prepared to hang himself. Zhu Youzhen stopped him quickly and asked him what strategy he had to retreat from the enemy.
Jingxiang said: "Wang Yanzhang must succeed Dai Siyuan as commander-in-chief, otherwise I will die in front of you now."
Therefore, Wang Yanzhang, the "Wang Tiejian", was ordered to take command and go on the expedition. Under the operation of the "foreign relatives gang", Duan Ning went with the army as deputy commander to supervise Wang Yanzhang.
Jingxiang teamed up with Li Zhen and approached Zhu Youzhen many times, asking to replace Duan Ning.
Zhu Youzhen was very unhappy and said casually: "Duan Ning didn't make any mistakes, why should he be replaced?"
Jingxiang and Li Zhen were so anxious that they stamped their feet, "By the time he makes a mistake, it will be too late!"
Jing Xiang and Li Zhen regarded the command of the army as the decisive factor in the survival of the empire, while the "foreign relatives gang" limited it to political struggles.
After Wang Yanzhang took command, he lived up to expectations, defeated the enemy in three days, and captured Deshengjia City.
Again, under the operation of the "foreign relatives gang", instead of replacing Duan Ning, Zhu Youzhen ordered Duan Ning to take charge and replace Wang Yanzhang. After the order was issued, the veterans were indignant, and even the army sergeants gritted their teeth.
The good old man and "Healing Master" Zhang Quanyi couldn't help but come forward and reported to Zhu Youzhen, saying that although I was old and weak, I was still capable enough to defend Northern Xinjiang for His Majesty, and Duan Ning was just an incompetent boy who had never He has established meritorious deeds and his reputation is not enough to command the army. Now, both inside and outside the court, and all the officers and soldiers in the army are talking about it. I am afraid it will bring disaster to the country!
Jing Xiang, Li Zhen, Zhang Quanyi and others loudly opposed Duan Ning's taking command, but Zhu Youzhen refused to listen.
Sure enough, just over a month later, "Wang Tiejian" Wang Yanzhang was defeated and captured. Li Siyuan, the pioneer of the Later Tang Dynasty, arrived in Caozhou on October 7, and the defender presented the city to surrender.
The remnant of Wang Yanzhang's troops fled back to Bianzhou and reported the news of Wang Yanzhang's capture to Zhu Youzhen, saying that the troops of the Later Tang Dynasty were marching straight in and were about to attack the city.
Zhu Youzhen hurriedly gathered her family members and cried.
After crying for a long time, Zhu Youzhen urgently summoned all civil and military officials to ask for countermeasures.
All civil and military officials remained silent.
With tears of remorse in her eyes, Zhu Youzhen said to Jingxiang: "I always refused to listen to you in the past, and that's why I ended up in this situation. Today's matter is urgent. Please don't remember the villain's fault, and don't argue with me." There's past suspicion. Look, what should we do now? I will definitely listen to you."
Jingxiang was also in tears, but unlike Zhu Youzhen, Zhu Youzhen's tears were filled with regret and fear, while Jingxiang's tears were filled with calmness and calmness.
"I have been favored by the late emperor for more than thirty years. I am nominally the prime minister of the empire, but in fact I am an old slave of the Zhu family. It is my duty to serve your majesty. I have offered advice and suggestions many times before, and all of them are full of my loyalty as an old slave. Your majesty When Duan Ning was used, I firmly opposed it, but the evil villain unanimously supported it, which led to what happened today. Now let alone me, even if Zhang Liang and Chen Ping are reincarnated, I can't save your majesty. I only ask for your majesty's first gift. Once I die, I can’t bear to watch the empire perish!”
After finishing speaking, Zhu Youzhen and Jingxiang cried bitterly to each other.
Subsequently, Zhu Youzhen did the following things:
1. Send Zhang Hanlun, the "relative gang", to rush to the north bank of the Yellow River and summon Duan Ning to return to the army quickly to rescue him.
However, as soon as Zhang Hanlun arrived in Huazhou, he accidentally fell off his horse and injured his foot, so he was unable to move forward. Zhang Hanlun fell off his horse and stopped moving forward, which is really strange. Looking back at what the "foreign relatives gang" did later, we can boldly suspect that Zhang Hanlun had his own little plan. To put it simply, he was an actor.
2. Select a few of the most trusted people, give them a lot of rewards, let them dress in civilian clothes, carry wax pills with secret edicts, and cross the river separately to summon Duan Ning.
These cronies took huge rewards and fled as soon as they left the capital, flying far away.
3. Order Wang Zan to forcibly drive the common people in the capital to climb the city wall and stand guard.
4. Self-destruction. The cousins Zhu Youliang, Zhu Youneng, and Zhu Youjie (all sons of Zhu Quanyu) who were under house arrest, as well as his brothers Zhu Youyong and Zhu Youhui, were all executed.
Previously, Zhu Youneng rebelled and failed and was placed under house arrest; his younger brother Zhu Youjie was the military governor of Shaanzhou Town. Zhu Youzhen was afraid that he would also rebel, so he transferred him back to the central government and placed the three brothers under house arrest.
Zhu Yougui's murder of his father and Zhu Youzhen's murder of Zhu Yougui are two major mysteries in Chinese history. As we said before, they are full of doubts. Zhu Youzhen took extremely tight precautions against his brothers. When the army of the Later Tang Dynasty was about to attack the city, Zhu Youzhen was worried that they would take the opportunity to seize power, so he killed all his brothers.
When Zhu Wen was dying, he made a prophecy that the Zhu family's descendants would be executed by Li Cunxu. He was only half right, they were all dead, but he didn't bother Li Cunxu, his own son Zhu Youzhen did it for him.
Zhu Youzhen's final struggle can be simply summed up as calling on Duan Ning to mobilize all the people to eliminate hidden dangers.
Later, Zhu Youzhen convened the ministers again to discuss the solution.
Some people suggested that Zhu Youzhen fled to Luoyang, and then summoned the troops from all over the world to serve the king; some people suggested that Zhu Youzhen fled to the north of the Yellow River and joined Duan Ning's main force.
Huangfulin, the pro-army commander (commander of Konghedu), objected to taking refuge in Duan Ning, saying that Duan Ning was a loser to begin with and relied on the royal family's favor to become the commander-in-chief. At this time of life and death, he was expected to be fearless, adapt to changes, and adapt to danger. Turn defeat into victory? What a joke! Moreover, when Duan Ning heard that Wang Yanzhang had failed, he was so frightened that his liver and gallbladder split. Now, who can guarantee that he will still be loyal to His Majesty?
Huangfulin hit the nail on the head. When the emperor was in danger, he took refuge with a general who had a large number of soldiers, only to be betrayed by the general. This kind of story will be repeated in the near future.
Prime Minister Zheng Jue had an idea and came up with a plan: "We will send someone to carry the imperial seal and go to the Later Tang military camp to fake a surrender."
"Then what? Why should we deceive him?"
Zheng Jue lowered his head and pondered for a long time, then raised his head and said firmly and sincerely: "I don't know either."
In the court hall, the terrifying and oppressive atmosphere was finally broken by a burst of uncontrollable laughter.
"You are truly your grandpa's grandson!"
Zheng Jue was also from a famous family, the Zheng family in Xingyang. There were a total of 13 prime ministers named Zheng in the Tang Dynasty, 12 of whom were from the Zheng family in Xingyang. For example, Zheng Congfan, Zheng Changtu, Zheng Tian, Zheng Yanchang, "Zheng Wu after Xie" and Zheng Qi mentioned above. Zheng Jue is Zheng Qi's great-nephew.
The Zheng family of Xingyang is the top wife of a wealthy family - one of the "Five Surnames and Seven Clan". The others are the Li family in Longxi (Li Shangyin, Li Juchuan), the Li family in Zhaojun (Li Deyu), the Cui family in Qinghe (Cui Yin), the Cui family in Boling (Cui Yuan, Cui Hang), the Lu family in Fanyang (Lu Xi), and the Taiyuan family. Wang family (Wang Pu).
The figures in parentheses are only those who have appeared in the previous chapters of this book or are well-known figures in history. There are far more prominent people in their clans. There are many people who rank among the three princes, become generals, prime ministers and assistants, and become consorts and queens. They are a serious and noble family, so arrogant that they even disdain to marry into the royal family. Compared with these families, the Li Tang royal family is scum.
Since Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, in order to strengthen the centralization of power, they have begun to use every means to weaken the political influence of noble families and even use administrative power to interfere with their marriages. Therefore, they are also called "forbidden marriage families."
The more severe the suppression, the more intense the backlash will be. The emperor's edict prohibiting marriage further increased their social influence, making them more unique, aloof and noble. By the end of the Tang Dynasty, after more than two hundred years of suppression from the royal family, the clan concept not only did not disappear, but became even more serious than in the early Tang Dynasty.
The concept of family status often interspersed in the political struggles in the late Tang Dynasty. For example, Cui Yuan, who was born in the Boling Cui clan, looked down upon Liu Can, the grandson of the Liu Gongchuo clan.
In the Zhaozong Dynasty, in order to eradicate the power of eunuchs, Zhaozong formulated the "civilian line" and began to seek descendants of famous families to serve as prime ministers and other high-level central positions. After Zhu Wen usurped the Tang Dynasty, he urgently needed the endorsement of his platform by having high-ranking families. Act as a political vase.
For example, Zheng Jue, although he came from a famous family, his qualifications were mediocre and he failed to pass the exam for 19 consecutive years. Later, through the relationship with the "healing master" Zhang Quanyi, he got a part-time correspondence education with a Jinshi degree. From then on, he entered the political arena and thrived under Zhang Quanyi's cultivation. Zhu Youzhen, who had a shady path to the throne, urgently needed a political vase. , so Zheng Jue, the grandson of Zheng Qi, the prime minister of the Zheng family in Xingyang and Zhaozong Dynasty, "Zheng Wu", became the prime minister.
As an aside, Zheng Jue has an indissoluble bond with the number "19". He took the imperial examination for 19 years before passing the imperial examination (related household), and his ranking was 19th. Later, he served as prime minister for 19 years, and his family ranking was also No. 19, a very interesting coincidence.
Zheng Jue served as prime minister in the Later Liang Dynasty, but he did nothing and did not say a word or plan. He only proposed the strategy of "false surrender" on the eve of the demise of the Later Liang Dynasty, which successfully enlivened the atmosphere and alleviated the horrific and sad atmosphere when the country was destroyed and the family was destroyed. Even funnier than his uncle Zheng Qi.
The civil and military officials in the Manchu Dynasty were helpless. Even Jingxiang said that even if Zhang Liang and Chen Ping were reincarnated, it would not help. All Zhu Youzhen could do was cry.
After crying for a long time, Zhu Youzhen returned to the bedroom, wanting to take one last look at the Imperial Seal and say goodbye to it. When I opened the wooden box, I found it was empty. His cronies had long since stolen the imperial seal and presented it to the army camp of the Later Tang Dynasty to report their merits and receive rewards.
Zhu Youzhen closed her eyes in pain and despair.
Someone hurriedly reported the urgent military situation, saying that the army of the Later Tang Dynasty had crossed Caozhou, and the dust was flying, covering the sky and the sun. I don’t know how many troops there were!
Zhu Youzhen slowly opened her eyes and nodded, "I understand."
At this moment, the army of the Later Tang Dynasty was about to approach the city, and the civil and military ministers were each making their own plans. Zhu Youzhen, the king of a subjugated country, faced the dilemma of being betrayed by all his relatives and separated from his relatives, leaving only the last confidant around him - Huangfulin, the commander of the army.
Zhu Youzhen said to Huangfulin: "Our Zhu family has a feud with the Shatuo people. I must not be captured alive by them, and I don't have the courage to commit suicide. Please help me chop off my head."
Huangfulin burst into tears, "I am willing to kill the enemy with a sword for Your Majesty, and I am not afraid of dying in front of the battle, but I dare not accept this order."
Zhu Youzhen said angrily: "Could it be that you want to betray me and use me to receive the reward?"
Huangfulin fell to the ground and cried bitterly, "I am willing to die to prove my innocence!" After saying this, he was about to commit suicide by wiping his neck.
Zhu Youzhen quickly held his hand and said, "Let us die together." The emperor and his ministers cried at each other. The scene is too Qiong Yao.
In the end, Huangfulin beheaded Zhu Youzhen with tears in his eyes, and then committed suicide in front of Zhu Youzhen's body.
A few hours later, Li Siyuan led his troops into Bianzhou to take over and pacify the people. A few hours later, Li Cunxu entered Bianzhou.
Li Siyuan led Hou Liang's ministers and generals to line up at the city gate to greet him. Li Cunxu grabbed Li Siyuan's clothes with great excitement and said, "It is all the credit of your father and son that I can win the world. I should share the world with you father and son!"
History really knows how to joke, and a joke made by the people of Bianzhou City was indeed fulfilled in the future. Li Siyuan and his adopted son Li Congke actually sat on the throne of the emperor of the Later Tang Empire one after another.
