2.1.2 Hangzhou Qianliu
Compared with Qian Liu, Wang Yanhan is just a younger brother. Qian Liu can say with great pride: "No one knows political blackmail better than me."
At the end of the Tang Dynasty, Qian Liu from Hangzhou, Yang Xingmi from Huainan, Wang Jian from Xichuan, Li Maozhen from Fengxiang, Li Keyong from Hedong, and Zhu Wen from Bianzhou were all in the first echelon of the feudal town. Although there are differences in strength, on the surface they are all equal bosses. But when Zhu Wen usurped the Tang Dynasty and established his own country, except for Hangzhou Qian Liu, several big bosses expressed their incompatibility with Zhu Wen's back Liang and chose to fight against him. However, Hangzhou Qian Liu chose to surrender to Zhu Wen and was willing to be Zhu Wen's younger brother. Take the initiative to downgrade politically.
As a result, those big guys gained a powerful enemy - Hou Liang. Only Qian Liu received the title of "King of Wu and Yue". Later, the Later Liang Dynasty continued to confer titles such as "Shang Shu Ling", "Shang Fu", "General Marshal of the World's Soldiers and Horses", and was allowed to open a government and appoint hundreds of officials, but the edicts were not named...
When Hou Liang was about to perish, he was granted the title "King of Wuyue" and allowed to establish the country. Note that most of the "Ten Kingdoms" established their own states and were illegally separated from the legal point of view. Only Qian Liu's "Wuyue Kingdom" was canonized by the central dynasty and was a legal state. This is a political asset that is hard to buy.
After Li Cunxu destroyed Houliang, Qian Liu blackmailed him into obtaining the Jade Book of the Book of Heaven and the gold seal, which were specifications that could only be used by the emperor. This marked the further improvement of Qian Liu's political status, so much so that foreign countries such as Silla and Bohai at that time also applied to Qian Liu for canonization. Qian Liu had almost the same international status as the central court.
After Li Siyuan overthrew Li Cunxu, Qian Liu continued to blackmail him. However, Qian Liu could no longer be granted the title unless he "conceded", so Li Siyuan could only grant Qian Liu's son a title, give Qian Yuanyuan an additional city, and Qian Yuanhuan an additional city and a mansion.
Qian Liu keenly captured the several turmoils in the Central Dynasty since the end of the Tang Dynasty, and he was able to successfully blackmail each time and make a lot of money. Within a few decades, from an ordinary soldier to a dominant king, the counterattack process was nothing short of miraculous.
After squeezing out the last drop of oil from the Central Dynasty (Li Siyuan), Qian Liu finally made a plan and changed the founding of the country to the Yuan Dynasty, changing the first year of Tiancheng to the first year of Baozheng. The establishment of his own reign mark marked Qian Liu's formal break from the central dynasty.
However, before Wu Yue State surrendered to the Central Dynasty, it systematically destroyed evidence that it had changed its reign name, such as inscriptions, official letters, etc., to conceal the fact that it was independent and split.
Moreover, Qian Liu first used his own reign title in the early Later Liang Dynasty, "Tianbao" in 908 and "Baoda" in 924.
Some historical records say that Qian Liu never changed his reign name. That is because the evidence had not yet been unearthed when that historical record was written. From the late Southern Song Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty, relevant inscriptions were unearthed in what is now Zhejiang, making the truth clear.
Comrade Sima Guang who wrote "Zi Zhi Tong Jian" was from the Northern Song Dynasty. At that time, the cultural relics with the "Tianbao" and "Baoda" year titles had not yet been unearthed, so his authoritative history book is not authoritative enough in terms of Qian Liu's reform of the Yuan Dynasty. It is not surprising that he.
This is also the fun of history. Many of today's conclusions are often overturned by cultural relics and documents suddenly unearthed tomorrow, presenting us with a truth that is completely opposite to our previous knowledge and subverting our knowledge. For example, Wang Xizhi's original painting "Beijing welcomes you", or the Tiga Ultraman figurine from the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin, and the Qinglong Yanyue AK-47 used by Guan Erye.
2.1.3 Tanzhou Ma Yinjia inspected the school as a grand master and kept the Zhongshu Order.
Li Cunxu destroyed the former Shu, which greatly shocked Ma Yin. Ma Yin was worried that he would become the next target, so he petitioned to retire. Li Cunxu issued an edict not to allow it.
After Li Siyuan ascended the throne, he promoted Ma Yin to a higher position in order to win over him. Ma Yin also repaid Li Siyuan with practical actions. In the subsequent war against Jingnan, Ma Yin was ordered to send troops to cooperate with the Later Tang army to attack Jingnan. Of course, Ma Yin could mainly benefit from the war against Jingnan.
In recognition of Ma Yin's contribution to the campaign against Jingnan, Li Siyuan also conferred the title of "King of Chu" on Ma Yin.
From then on, Ma Yin officially founded the country, built palaces, and appointed hundreds of civil and military officials. Everything was just like the emperor's etiquette, except that the names of some official positions were changed, so there is no need to list them in detail.
2.2 Huainan
As early as April 1, 919, Huainan Yang Wei (the second son of Yang Xingmi), with the support of the powerful minister Xu Wen, founded the country and changed the Yuan Dynasty. However, Yang Wei did not proclaim himself emperor, but instead called him King Wu, Jianyuan Wuyi. Historically known as "Southern Wu" (one of the "Ten Kingdoms"). From then on, both the Later Liang and the Later Tang Dynasty called the Huainan forces "Huaiyi" or "Puppet Wu" and did not recognize their legal political status.
Therefore, in official documents, for example, when Li Siyuan announced to the world, he used the rhetoric of "all the ways of the world and Huainan". "And Huainan" explains the difference between the Yang family in Huainan and the Ma Yin of Tanzhou, Qian Liu of Hangzhou and other forces. It is an unrecognized and illegal local government.
The relationship between Huainan and the central government has always been one of hostility and mutual denial, so there is no need for Li Siyuan to take pains to win over, and there is no need for Huainan to give Li Siyuan face.
After Li Siyuan ascended the throne, King Yang Pu of Southern Wu took a step further politically and directly proclaimed himself emperor, challenging the bottom line of the central Li Siyuan court.
2.3 Khitan
Li Siyuan sent his personal eunuch Yao Kun to the Khitan to inform him of the situation in Luoyang.
When Yelu Abaoji heard the news of Li Cunxu's death, he burst into tears and said: "Li Keyong and I are brothers. We have a long-standing relationship and we have a good relationship. His son is just like my son. I heard that his son is in China." I was in trouble, and I was about to help him, but before I could take action, why did he end up like this bear?" He stamped his feet, beat his chest, and cried loudly, feeling extremely sad.
Yelu Abaoji and Li Keyong were sworn brothers with different surnames twice, hence this theory. Of course, there is no family and friendship in the political field, only interests. For the sake of interests, there are many stories of fathers and sons killing each other, and brothers killing each other. The "brotherhood" between Abaoji and Li Keyong is even more of a plastic brotherhood. When the two became sworn brothers, Abaoji betrayed Li Keyong for profit and supported Zhu Wen. He also repeatedly sent troops to plunder the borders of the Later Tang Dynasty.
However, Abaoji's words were not just out of politeness, but also had a deeper conspiracy.
After pretending to be sad, Abaoji suddenly changed his expression, turned from sadness to anger, and angrily scolded Yao Kun: "My son encountered an accident in Nagada, Luoyang. As a minister, why didn't Li Siyuan come to his rescue?"
Yao Kun replied: "The distance was too far and the matter was too urgent. By the time we got the news, it was already too late."
Abaoji became even more furious, pounded the table and shouted: "Then he will have time to proclaim himself emperor!"
Yao Kun calmly and patiently explained the causes and consequences of Li Siyuan's proclaimed emperor. It was nothing more than Weizhou being hijacked and coerced, unable to control himself, an expedient measure, and supported by the ministers...
Abaoji didn't listen to his explanation at all, and directly interrupted his speech, with an angry and puzzled expression on his face, and said: "You Han people just like to talk nonsense, and you can talk about despicability and shamelessness in a high-sounding way. Why are you talking nonsense?"
Abaoji's eldest son, Yelubei, also joined in and asked Yao Kun: "Someone is holding a cow in his hand and trampling on other people's crops, and others will take his cow away. Does this make sense?"
Although Yao Kun was a eunuch, he was an eunuch who was knowledgeable, cultured, calm, flexible, and able to adapt to changing circumstances, so he was entrusted with the important task of sending an eunuch into a dangerous and dangerous situation. Facing the aggressive posture of Abaoji and his son, Yao Kun knew that passive defense was not the answer. He had to fight back forcefully and seize the initiative, so he retorted, using his son's spear and his son's shield. He said:
"There was no master in the Central Plains at that time, and the country could not live without a king for a day, so I, the king, was forced to ascend the throne and preside over the affairs of the country. This is the same reason why His Majesty (referring to Abaoji) ascended the throne in the first place. Could this be usurping the throne? Seize power?”
Of course Abaoji couldn't bury himself in this hole, so he immediately changed his attitude and softened: "It makes sense... Hey, I heard that my son (Li Cunxu) is addicted to drinking, sex, music, and hunting, and does not care about the lives of the people. No wonder it ended up like this. After I heard the bad news, my whole family stopped drinking, dismissed the actors, and released the hunting eagles and dogs. Otherwise, I would inevitably end up with the same end as him."
Abaoji kept saying "my son" in a very intimate manner, paving the way for the next rude request:
"Although my son and I have been friends for two generations, he is not very filial to his elders and often fights with me. Your current emperor and I have no grudges in the past or recent times. We should take this as an opportunity to enhance the friendship between the two countries. Well. Let him cede the land north of the Yellow River to me, and I will no longer go south."
Just open your mouth and you need half of China.
Yao Kun said categorically: "I'm sorry, I'm just a messenger, I can't be the master!"
Abaoji was furious, "Who are you with? I'm giving you face, right?" He immediately ordered Yao Kun to be thrown into prison and let him face the wall and think about his mistakes.
Ten days later, he released Yao Kun and said to him: "I have also thought about it, and the entire land north of the Yellow River is indeed a bit excessive. Let me make a concession and only give you Youzhou Lulongjun and Dingzhouyi. The military army and Zhenzhou become the German army, and the land of three towns is enough. How about it, are you full of sincerity?"
Yao Kun laughed out loud in anger.
"Come here, give him paper, pen, ink and inkstone, and ask him to give me the entire land cession agreement on the spot. We are being reasonable."
Yao Kun flatly refused.
Abaoji was furious and ordered the ignorant Yao Kun to be beheaded, "Behead him!".
Han Yanhui, Abaoji's great strategist and Prime Minister of the Liao Kingdom, hurriedly dissuaded Yao Kun, and then he spared Yao Kun's life and was thrown into prison again to reflect.
Thanks to the eunuch Yao Kun who fulfilled his mission, the Khitan became the only force that failed to blackmail Li Siyuan when he became emperor.
Know yourself and the enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles without danger. Although Li Siyuan pretended to be a grandson everywhere, he straightened his back in front of the powerful Khitan. Li Siyuan is not an angry young man. The reason why he dares to take a tough stance against the powerful Khitan is because he has mastered important information and knows that Khitan is also hampered by internal problems and is currently just a paper tiger with teeth and claws.
Khitan will not give up just yet. It covets Youzhou and other lands. This internal problem of Khitan and its seizure of Youzhou will be discussed in detail later.
