One sentence frightened the pioneer officer into crying, and several people hugged each other and cried for a while. The pioneer officer held Wang Chao's hand tightly, "What can I do? Is there any way to save my life?"
When the three Wang Chao brothers saw that the heat had come, they told them everything about their plan. The two sides hit it off immediately, "Let's do it!"
A few people ambushed dozens of trusted warriors in the bamboo forest, waiting for Wang Xu. When Wang Xu passed by, everyone rushed out shouting and pulled Wang Xu off the horse. Before Wang Xu had time to understand, his hands were tied behind his back and he was pulled to the front of the camp for public display. The soldiers shouted long live and were very excited.
Some history books ("New Book of Tang") say that the pioneer officer instigating the rebellion by the three Wang Chao brothers was Liu Xingquan. Combining various historical materials ("Zi Zhi Tong Jian", "Nine Kingdoms", "Ten Kingdoms Spring and Autumn") to infer, the theory of instigating Liu Xingquan's rebellion should be a fallacy. According to common sense, Liu Xingquan was Wang Xu's brother-in-law and the vanguard of the army. How could he start a fight with his brother-in-law and overthrow his uncle just because of a few words from an outsider? Moreover, when one of the three brothers, Wang Shenzhi, was in power, he built a temple in Zhangzhou to commemorate Liu Xingquan and his younger brother Liu Dequan. The reason was that Liu Xingquan and Liu Dequan were unjustly killed because of Wang Xu's suspicion. "It is not a crime to mourn their death." This can also indirectly prove that, It was Wang Xu's execution of Liu Xingquan that triggered the mutiny.
After the Zhulin Mutiny, the three Wang Chao brothers elected the Pioneer Officer as their new leader. The Pioneer Officer refused, saying that it was the Wang Chao brothers who saved my life today. How could I be the boss? Come on, come on, you three brothers.
The four people declined each other, and no one was willing to take the lead. Finally, the pioneer officer pulled out his sword, stuck it in the ground, and said, why don't we ask God.
The rule is that four people take turns to kneel down and worship the sword. If the sword moves three times while someone is kneeling down to worship, that person will be our lord. In line with the principles of openness, fairness and impartiality, the four people began to kneel down and worship the sword stuck in the ground.
When the second brother Wang Shenzhi knelt down and worshiped, the sword suddenly rose into the air (the sword jumped to the ground). Everyone was shocked and said, "This is God's will! It's amazing!"
So the whole army knelt down to Wang Shenzhi, and Wang Shenzhi made his eldest brother Wang Chao the leader and himself the deputy leader.
Even Wang Xu, who was locked in a cage beside him, was shocked. He shook his head and sighed: "No wonder I can't kill him. God has blessed me!"
Regarding Wang Xu's death, some said that he could not bear the humiliation and committed suicide, while others said that he was killed by the three Wang Chao brothers.
After confirming Wang Chao's dominance, Wang Chao ordered the entire army, saying that the emperor was in the dust in Shu, and we should join Shu Qinwang; some history books said that Wang Chao led his troops to return to his hometown in Guangzhou. Whichever way you say it, it doesn't matter because he didn't actually go anywhere.
Because just when they were gathering their troops and preparing to go out, Zhang Yanlu, the richest man in Quanzhou, and others came with a group of ordinary people, carrying rich cattle, wine and delicacies to reward the army. They said that Liao Yan, the governor of Quanzhou, was just like the common people and was greedy, violent and cruel. The people are in dire straits, so ask them to help punish evil and promote good.
So Wang Chao acted bravely, took people's money and helped others to eliminate disasters, led his troops to besiege Quanzhou, and killed the assassin Liao Yanruo. Then he suppressed the surrounding thieves and bandits, suppressed the ground, and gained actual control of the ground in Quanzhou. It is also growing stronger.
Quanzhou was under the jurisdiction of Chen Yan, the Fujian observer envoy, so Wang Chao sent a letter to Chen Yan to apologize. Chen Yan was a sensible person, so he followed the current and promoted Wang Chao as the governor of Quanzhou.
After Wang Chao obtained the revolutionary base in Quanzhou, he worked hard to recruit refugees, encourage farmers to do farming, develop the economy, build more inner cities, expand the city defense system, train troops, strengthen troops, and pay attention to education... The people of Quanzhou were all convinced. Very supportive of Wang Chao's rule.
Five years later, in the second year of Dashun (891), Chen Yan, the Fujian Taoist observer, died of illness, and his brother-in-law (some say son-in-law) Fan Hui claimed to stay behind. Fan Hui was arrogant, extravagant, suspicious, cruel and unkind, which greatly lost the support of the people. Many of Chen Yan's old troops defected to Quanzhou and encouraged Wang Chao to attack Fan Hui.
Wang Chao sent his third brother Wang Shenzhi to attack Fuzhou (the capital of Fujian Province) and compete with Fan Hui for Fujian. When Wang Shenzhi's army was dispatched, the people of Fujian spontaneously helped Wang Shenzhi transport grain and grass. The ethnic minority tribes along the coast also provided ships to help Wang Shenzhi transport troops and supplies.
This siege lasted for nearly a year. The city of Fuzhou was so tall that it was difficult for Wang Shenzhi to make progress.
Fan Hui asked Dong Chang, the governor of Yuezhou Yisheng Army, for help, because Dong Chang and Chen Yan were related to each other. Dong Chang then sent five thousand reinforcements south to support Fuzhou.
Wang Shenzhi reported to Wang Chao that the walls of Fuzhou were strong and tall, that our troops had suffered heavy casualties, and that enemy reinforcements were about to arrive, so he suggested withdrawing the troops.
Wang Chao refused.
Wang Shenzhi was a little angry and said, "Why don't you come to the front line and see for yourself!"
Wang Chao replied angrily: "When the soldiers die, replace them; when they are about to die, replace the generals; when the soldiers and generals are all dead, I will naturally go and replace them!"
The coach was furious and scolded the frontline commander. Wang Shen knew that he was very afraid, so he personally put on his armor and took the lead, since death was inevitable, so a man would rather die in front of the formation than behind it.
Soon after, Fuzhou ran out of ammunition and food. Fan Hui knew that the situation was over, so he abandoned the city and fled, and was killed by his subordinates. After hearing the news, the reinforcements sent by Dong Chang also turned around and returned immediately.
Wang Chao entered Fuzhou City and called himself Fujian Daoliu. He changed into plain clothes, buried Chen Yan in a grand ceremony, and married his daughter to Chen Yanhui, Chen Yan's son.
Tingzhou and Jianzhou within the jurisdiction also surrendered to Wang Chao. More than 20 bandit and robber groups, large and small, in the territory were either incorporated or eliminated in the next six months. Wang Chao gained actual control over the entire five states of Fujian Province.
According to some historical records, when Chen Yan was seriously ill, he asked someone to invite Wang Chao to Quanzhou, and wanted to declare Wang Chao as the Fujian Taoist Observer and as his successor. Before Wang Chao arrived in Fuzhou, Chen Yan Yi Yi died of illness, so Fan Hui launched a mutiny, refused to accept Wang Chao, and claimed to stay in the rear.
Obviously, this is the public opinion created by Wang Chao Group after capturing Fuzhou, which means that Wang Chao's occupation of Fujian is a legal inheritance. Including reburying Chen Yan after entering the city, marrying Chen Yanzi with a daughter, treating Chen Yan's family favorably, etc., they all proved that he was Chen Yan's legal successor.
This statement and practice are not original to Wang Chao. For the rest, see Zhu Wen taking over Hezhong, Li Siyuan taking over Later Tang, etc. Routine operations after seizing power by force and conspiracy.
In September of the second year of Jingfu in the Tang Dynasty (893), Emperor Zhaozong officially appointed Wang Chao as the observation envoy of the Fujian Province; in September of the third year of Qianning (896), he promoted the Fujian Province to the rank of Mighty Army, and promoted Wang Chao, the observation envoy, to the military envoy.
From then on, Fujian entered the Wang family period.
In the second year (897) after Wang Chao was appointed as the military governor, he became seriously ill and bedridden. Wang Chao had four sons, Wang Yanxing, Wang Yanhong, Wang Yanfeng, and Wang Yanxiu. However, Wang Chao handed over the military and political power to his third brother Wang Shenzhi.
