[When Emperor Mingzong entered Luo 1, he responded to a hundred responses]
At the beginning of the fourth year of Tongguang (926), Li Cunxu and his Later Tang Empire faced unprecedented challenges:
Li Cunxu's excessive hunting and Empress Liu's corruption and bribery left the country in a state of disrepair and became extremely ill;
Last year's drought, floods, and ice and fire took a toll on the empire;
They resorted to militancy and mobilized elites from all over the country to fight in Shu, which plunged the empire into a quagmire of war and left the rear empty;
The successive executions of Guo Chongtao and Zhu Youqian triggered a series of mutinies, which made the empire worse. The empty rear gradually lost control. It was finally possible for Li Siyuan to take command and put down the rebellion. However, Li Siyuan, the hope of the whole village, rebelled when he reached the front line...
The Late Tang Empire was already crumbling and in danger. At this time, Li Cunxu ordered taxes to be levied in advance to raise military rations, and levied taxes in advance from the people in summer and autumn, which further increased the burden on the people, and "the people were in dire straits."
Not to mention that the landlord's family has no surplus grain, and even the emperor's family has no surplus grain. But if you levy taxes in advance at this time, it is simply killing the goose that lays the egg. Li Cunxu, it’s too difficult for you.
Kong Qian, the envoy of Renyong: It’s too difficult for me!
The national treasury was about to be at its bottom. Kong Qian had no choice but to withhold military rations and the soldiers were starved of food. The morale of the army was shaken, rumors were spreading, and another mutiny was about to happen.
Still think it’s not lively enough outside? It is the rhythm of urging levy and advance collection, and the government is forcing the people to rebel; it is also the rhythm of withholding military rations and inducing mutiny. Do you think Guo Zuo is too old and tired of sitting on the dragon chair? Is the country really out of money? Others don’t know, but we don’t know?
Therefore, Si Tianjian first helped to build momentum, saying, "Guest stars invade the Tianku, and stars flow into the sky." What does it mean? Si Tianjian explained that this showed that "there are urgent troops in front of the emperor" (nonsense, the war has already started), how should it be resolved? "It is better to scatter the accumulated wealth to avoid it." Just scatter some wealth.
The prime ministers, led by civil and military officials, took Si Tianjian's "prophecy" as an opportunity to jointly submit a letter saying that the treasury is empty, but your Majesty has a lot of private money in your treasury. They can't even survive. If we don't help them, something unexpected will happen! Your Majesty, please first use your own money to help the soldiers tide over the difficulties temporarily. Even if the country borrows it from you, it will be returned to you after the famine years have passed and the treasury is full.
After all, the entire country belongs to you, why don’t you take the lead in destroying the country and rescuing it?
Li Cunxu thought what he said was reasonable and immediately agreed to use internal funds to save the country!
Empress Liu quickly stopped, "What's going on, threatening us with the army? Blackmailing the emperor? How brave! As the king of a country, my husband rules all nations. Of course he relies on the army, but he is also ordered by heaven. I Let’s see who dares to go against God’s will!”
The prime ministers were so anxious that they stamped their feet, thinking to themselves, you bitch, the national crisis is imminent and you are about to die, why do you want money rather than your life? So he went to Li Cunxu privately and secretly communicated verbally, urging Li Cunxu to stop being a miser and to spread his wealth quickly to stabilize the morale of the army.
Empress Liu sent people to hide behind the screen and eavesdrop secretly.
After a while, Queen Liu sent someone to bring out a dressing table, three silver basins, and a little prince (some say there were three) named "Manxi", and told the prime minister: "The landlord's family has no surplus food. People outside have listened to rumors, but in fact the emperor’s family is very poor, and they are short of money now - sell these to supplement the army and reward the officers and soldiers."
Queen Liu was not crying about poverty, but threatening the prime ministers. You have forced the emperor's family to sell their sons and daughters, what do you want to do?
The prime ministers were so frightened that they quickly apologized and left in a hurry.
This Empress Liu, who "scammed her father and plotted against Liu", was a famous miser, miser, and money ruthless person in Chinese history. She was drunk to the point of refusing to pay for half a bottle of wine and wanted money rather than her life.
Under her strong obstruction, Li Cunxu and his empire missed their last chance to save their lives.
The communication between Li Siyuan and the imperial court was blocked by Yuan Xingqin.
At that time, Li Siyuan's eldest son Li Congshen was in Luoyang. As usual, he served as the commander-in-chief of the Forbidden Army and stayed in the imperial palace. Li Cunxu found Li Congzhen and comforted him, saying that I know your father very well. He is a loyal man and will definitely not rebel. I firmly believe this, so I specially invite you to go to your father's place and convey it to him. What I mean is, don't let doubts arise in his mind and clear up the misunderstanding.
Unexpectedly, when Li Congjian passed through Weizhou, he was arrested by Yuan Xingqin. Yuan Xingqin planned to kill Li Congshen.
Li Congshen said: "If you don't believe my father and don't let me go to my father's place, then please let me return to Beijing to escort him."
After all, Li Congshen was under the emperor's order, and Yuan Xingqin could not kill without permission, so he released Li Congshen back to Luoyang.
In order to express his sincerity to Li Siyuan, Li Cunxu took Li Congshen with him as his own son and gave him the name "Li Jijing".
The staff around Li Siyuan were not idle either. His right-hand general and son-in-law Shi Jingtang advised: "Great events in the world are achieved by decisive killing and defeated by hesitation. Since ancient times, how can any counter-rebellion general enter the rebel city with the rebels and not be liquidated in the future?" ? No matter what the reason is, you have gone to the city to drink with Zhao Zaili, Huangfuhui and others, and the yellow mud fell into your crotch - it is either shit or shit."
You went to Fenghua Entertainment Center the night before, and when you came out the next morning, you told people that you had lectured on the Tao Te Ching all night long? Are you fooling ghosts by going to graves and burning newspapers?
"What can I do?"
Shi Jingtang said: "Bianzhou is the heart of the world. Please give me three hundred cavalry to launch a surprise attack. If you can capture Bianzhou, then you will lead the army to march westward. Luoyang will be at your fingertips! Only in this way can we seize the initiative and be able to Really protect yourself!”
Kang Yicheng, the commander of the cavalry commando, also advised: "The emperor is dissolute and immoral, and the country is incompetent, and the whole world is complaining about it. Commander, you can survive as long as you sit on the same bench with the masses; if you persist in your stubbornness and persist in your foolish loyalty, I'm afraid It will be hard to escape death (if you follow the crowd, you will live, if you follow the rules, you will die)."
Therefore, Li Siyuan finally made up his mind that his fate is up to him and cannot be placed on the mercy of others. Li Siyuan publicly raised the flag and became the leader of the resistance army. He spread the word and mobilized troops from all walks of life to unite and overthrow Li Cunxu's rule.
Wang Jianli, the general of Zhenzhou, took a preemptive strike and immediately killed the eunuchs who were supervising the German army in Zhenzhou, thus saving Li Siyuan's family in Zhenzhou; his adopted son Li Congke, who had been demoted to Shimen Town, also immediately led his troops to rush there first. Zhenzhou, joined forces with the king, and then marched to Li Siyuan's headquarters; Li Congzhang (Li Siyuan's nephew) went south from Zhenzhou, and when he passed by Xingzhou, the general of Xingzhou enthusiastically persuaded him to stay and recommended him to be the post-resident of the Anguo Army in Xingzhou. In other words , Li Siyuan gave a call, and the original Dongzhao rebel army immediately surrendered and pledged allegiance.
The road to Luoyang was blocked by Weizhou Yuan Xingqin, but this made Li Siyuan successful. Just like Shi Jingtang's suggestion, it was nothing more than another "left hook" action. When Liang was destroyed, Li Siyuan was the vanguard of the "left hook", and he was familiar with it and repeated his old tricks.
Li Siyuan allocated 300 cavalry, led by the vanguard Shi Jingtang, and his adopted son Li Congke as the rear guard. They crossed the river to Huazhou, then went south to Bianzhou, then galloped westward from Bianzhou and attacked Luoyang. Bypassing the hard rock of Weizhou Yuan Xingqin, this military plan is simply a replica of the destruction of Liang.
Three years of extravagance and debauchery greatly reduced Li Cunxu's strategic judgment. He actually ignored the experience of destroying Liang and did not realize that he might also be tricked by the "left hook". Li Cunxu ordered the Imperial Army to defend the Heyang Bridge, which is today the Yellow River Bridge in Mengzhou City, Henan Province. It was to the north of Luoyang. This move was to prevent Li Siyuan from breaking through from the front (Weizhou).
Only now did Li Cunxu realize the seriousness of the matter. At this time, Li Cunxu finally took out a large amount of gold and silver silk and satin. The actor Jing Jin and the eunuchs also dug out a lot of gold and silver silk and satin from their own pockets. He rewarded the soldiers of the Forbidden Army and hoped that they would defend Heyang Bridge.
The Forbidden Army soldiers took the rewards, but their faces became even more angry. As they walked, they scolded: "My wife and children have already starved to death, what's the use of these things!"
Li Siyuan's piece of rebellion manifesto was like a spark that instantly started a prairie fire. The people of the world, especially the people of Heshuo, had been grudges for a long time. Li Siyuan raised his arms and the world gathered in response. Soldiers from all walks of life expressed their support for Li Siyuan. Even the Central Forbidden Army was no longer willing to work for Li Cunxu.
Li Cunxu suddenly woke up, but it was too late.
