The Liao Empire implemented the "Five Capitals" system. Some people say it is five capitals. In fact, it is more accurate to interpret it as one capital and four companion capitals. This is also modeled on the Central Plains (Datang) to find several spare tires for the national capital. Under normal circumstances, the establishment and activation of these "political backup tires" are regarded as a shift in the country's strategic focus.
For example, the "Five Capitals" of the Tang Dynasty: Chang'an in the central capital, Luoyang in Tokyo, Fengxiang in Xijing, Taiyuan in Beijing, and Chengdu in Nanjing. These place names are all popular cities with high visibility, and they are the core of regional politics, transportation hubs, and economic centers.
The Khitans set Youzhou as "Nanjing" and Yunzhou as "Xijing". The land of "Sixteen Youyun Prefectures" accounted for two places in the "Liao Five Capitals", which is enough to show that the Khitans were very interested in managing the Han Dynasty in the Central Plains. determination and perseverance.
The Dingzhou Yiwu Army borders the "Sixteen Youyun Prefectures" and is the bridgehead for the Khitan forces to continue to encroach on the Central Plains.
Shi Jingtang also knew this, so he declined politely. The reason given was: According to our system in the Central Plains, the governor is promoted to the regimental envoy, the regimental envoy is promoted to the defensive envoy, and the defensive envoy is promoted to the military envoy. It must be done step by step and step by step. Please first send the king to the army. Comrade Wei sent him here to serve as governor first, and then to be promoted step by step to Jiedushi.
Yelv Deguang was furious, the system of the Central Plains? rule? Are you worthy of saying this? Let me ask you, dad, how many ranks and levels do you need to rise from Jiedushi to emperor?
While Shi Jingtang sent envoys to visit Khitan, bribed all the nobles, and offered some kind words for help, he also made the correct response: hurriedly appointed Wang Tingyin, the military governor of Xiangzhou Zhangde Army, as the military governor of Dingzhou Yiwu Army.
Wang Tingyin is the grandson of Wang Chucun. Wang Chucun was originally the military governor of Dingzhou Yiwu Army. After his death, his son Wang Gao succeeded to the throne. Wang Chuzhi launched a mutiny and drove away his nephew Wang Gao, who became the governor of Dingzhou. This story can be understood as the Battle of Jingnan in the Ming Dynasty. Wang Chuzhi is equivalent to Zhu Di, and Wang Gao is equivalent to Zhu Yunzhen.
Therefore, in terms of human ethics, Wang Chucun's grandson (Wang Tingyin) has a more orthodox inheritance right to Dingzhou than Wang Chuzhi's son (Wang Wei).
Moreover, Comrade Wang Tingyin was transferred at the same level, from Jiedushi to Jiedushi; while Wang Wei was not even a governor. He was promoted from a grassroots clerk to a department-level cadre in one fell swoop. It was indeed a big step. It's easy to stretch your hips and pull your balls.
Shi Jingtang is worthy of being a veteran in politics and an old fox in officialdom. He resolved the crisis in Dingzhou without any danger.
"Then...you are not allowed to do that again."
"That's what my father taught me."
3. Friends from all countries
The diplomacy of the Later Jin Dynasty during Shi Jingtang's period was relatively simple and peaceful, because no one could afford to offend him. During Shi Jingtang's reign, the Later Jin Dynasty maintained relative peace with all political entities.
3.1 Hou Shu
In March of the second year of Tianfu (937), Shi Jingtang sent an envoy to visit Later Shu to report the change of dynasty in the Central Plains. The title of the letter of credence was "Emperor of Jin Dynasty writes to Emperor of Shu", and its content is as follows:
"There are many bad things in the Central Plains, great hatred (resentment) continues to rise, the Zhu family is dishonest and the emperor and heaven are not close to each other, Shatuo is treacherous and the heaven is disappointed..." In a word, Zhu Wenwen and Li Keyong are not the same thing, so we have different talents. , each ascended to the top and formed a tripartite force. Later, Shi Jingtang expressed the hope that Shanxi and Shu would enjoy good neighborliness and peaceful coexistence.
In the letter of credence, Shi Jingtang uses in-laws as a bond to enhance feelings. If the two countries take the wife route, their relationship will be really close, and they will be closer to each other:
Meng Zhixiang married Li Keyong's daughter (some say she was a niece), who was Queen Li; and later married Li Cunxu's concubine, who was Li Guifei. Concubine Li gave birth to Meng Chang.
Shi Jingtang married Li Siyuan's daughter.
Let’s go through it slowly:
Shi Jingtang's wife called Meng Zhixiang uncle because Meng Zhixiang married her aunt; therefore, Shi Jingtang's wife and Meng Chang were cousins.
Therefore, Shi Jingtang called Meng Chang his brother-in-law, and Meng Chang called Shi Jingtang his cousin-in-law.
Shi Jingtang traveled thousands of miles to deliver his credentials, "recounting the old in-laws." How close we are to each other! You are the biological son of my wife’s father’s godfather’s biological son-in-law. Aren’t we two brothers?
In fact, this relationship is confusing enough, let alone talking about it in detail, the two people are really not related at all, at least they are not related by blood.
Because Meng Chang's biological mother is Concubine Li, not Empress Li. If his biological mother is Empress Li, Li Siyuan is his half-serious uncle. Why is he called a "half-serious" uncle? Because Li Siyuan is Li Keyong's adopted son, not his biological son.
However, Meng Chang was born to Concubine Li Guifei, so Shi Jingtang was the husband of the daughter of Meng Chang's unrelated "mother" and unrelated "brother"... his cousin-in-law who was beyond reach.
This is still based on the assumption that Meng Zhixiang married Li Keyong's daughter. If he married his niece (that is, Li Keyong's daughter), the relationship between the two would be even more complicated.
The greatest pleasure of this book is to clarify the ethical relationships of the characters, such as "Three Congshu Great-grandfather". It's quite fun.
In short, Shi Jingtang took the initiative to express family ties to Meng Chang and recognized the political status of Hou Shu. Meng Chang was also happy to get what he was doing, and he also used the "enemy courtesy" when replying to the letter.
However, at the end of this year (937), the border guards of the Later Jin Dynasty invaded Lizhou of Hou Shu and reached Jianmen Pass in one breath, but were repulsed by General Zhao Tingyin of the Later Shu Dynasty.
Regarding this military conflict, there are no relevant records in authoritative history books such as "History of the Old Five Dynasties" and "Zi Zhi Tong Jian". Only the "Spring and Autumn Period of Ten Kingdoms" contains a sentence: "The Jin people invaded Lizhou, and when they arrived at Jian Gate, Zhao Tingyin led the troops and refused to retreat."
From this we can draw a preliminary conclusion: this military conflict should be a small-scale border friction.
From a logical analysis, Shi Jingtang would definitely not order the "defeat of Shu". We will also mention later that the warlords of the feudal towns sent troops without asking the central government for instructions. This was not a new thing during Shi Jingtang's period. In other words, maybe Shi Jingtang always None of them knew the existence of this conflict, so it would not appear in the "Records of Emperor Gaozu". The people who participated in this conflict were not famous people, so there was not a single word in the "History of the Old Five Dynasties".
The military commander of Hou Shu was Zhao Tingyin, the founder of the country, so it was recorded in the history of Hou Shu. However, due to its small scale and small influence, only 16 characters were left.
In general, Later Jin and Later Shu maintained overall peace and stability and achieved good-neighborly friendship. This is in line with the common interests of both countries and is mutually beneficial and win-win.
3.2 "Romance of the Three Kingdoms"
In the first month of the second year of Tianfu (937), Shi Jingtang had just ascended the throne for more than a month, and he gave the envoy of Tanzhou, King Ma Xifan of Chu, the envoy of Jingnan, and the king of Nanping Gao Conggui and the title of hero. The king of Wuyue, Qian Yuanguan, was given the title of "Deputy Marshal of the World's Soldiers and Horses". They were all honorary titles anyway.
