As Zhao Yanshou said, the generals and commanders present are all the backbone of the Yan army and can be said to be the cornerstone of the army. If there is a problem with these people, the Yan army will be in chaos. It is impossible to arrest them all, and Zhao Yanshou has no idea of catching all the senior generals under his command. That would be tantamount to disrupting the situation and goes against the original intention of stabilizing the situation in Youzhou.
After all, Zhao Yanshou's goal was only to eliminate imminent hidden dangers, deal with those rebellious elements, and pave the way for Zhao Kuangzan's rise to power.
Therefore, they only captured a few chickens in a targeted manner in front of a group of monkeys, and Zhang Yan, the deputy commander of the Lulong Army Yamen, and the white-faced captain were both among the "chickens".
Such an action is very dangerous, and a slight improper operation can easily cause greater disaster. However, with the current situation in Youzhou, the army and people's hearts need to be rectified urgently, and coupled with Zhao Yanshou's illness, we must use a bold style to cut through the mess quickly, and no sloppiness can be tolerated. If Zhao Yanshou didn't take care of the matter and left it to Zhao Kuangzan to deal with it alone, Youzhou would most likely fall into collapse.
Fortunately, although Zhao Yanshou and his son's plan was sudden, they were well prepared, acted decisively, and had everything under control. Zhao Yanshou took down the chicken and successfully frightened the monkeys present. Zhao Yanshou invited the monkeys into the hall and had a heart-to-heart talk to calm them down a little.
Immediately afterwards, there was a major adjustment of the Yan army's command. Officers loyal to the Zhao family and the "pro-Southern faction" were promoted and quickly occupied important positions in the Youzhou army. As for the "Shunbei faction", they may be moved, demoted, dismissed, or imprisoned. Of course, it is inevitable that some of them will have their heads removed. At the same time, the investigation of "Khitan spies" in the army was carried out.
In such an era, coups and military coups are commonplace and not surprising. If a few people are not killed and some blood is shed, it will be an incomplete military coup. If the chickens are not killed, how can we scare the monkeys? Several senior generals of the Yan army, led by Zhang Yan, were accused of "colluding with the Khitan, deceiving the military, and conspiring to rebel".
Of course, although military rebellion is normal, harsh means and decisive measures are always only the first step. How to deal with the aftermath, stabilize the situation, and win people's hearts is the most important thing, and it is watched by the military, government, and civilians.
Killing is frightening, but it is difficult to convince others. If handled improperly, it is not impossible for the inferior to defeat the superior. Zhao Yanshou and his son clearly understood the truth.
After dealing with Zhang Yan and others, Zhao Yanshou dragged his sick body and personally inspected the army, met with the sergeants, and reassured the soldiers. Zhao Kuangzan was personally responsible for distributing all the property, land, and tenants of Zhang Yan and other families in the three states of Lulong to the other generals. He also took all the money and silk from the treasury to reward the soldiers, and also gave wine and meat to reward the entire army.
Interest has always moved people's hearts, and using money to buy people's hearts is the most direct and effective method. It's just that the price is not small. Youzhou's treasury, which was not rich to begin with, has been depleted, but it is worth it.
The major adjustments made by Zhao Yanshou and his son to the army caused the Yan army's combat effectiveness to decline sharply in a short period of time, which after all reduced the morale of the soldiers. However, in the long run, the advantages naturally outweigh the disadvantages.
The most intuitive result of restoring the Yan army from the critical situation of disintegration, calming the scattered people, and stabilizing the turbulent situation is that the messy resentments and rumors in the army will disappear.
At the same time, the "Shunbei faction" was suppressed, making the whole army's consciousness "highly unified" again, and resisting the Liao and defending the family was still the theme. The most important thing is that with the army under control, the Zhao family's rule over Youzhou has been stabilized for the time being, and they have more capital to show their value to Liu Chengyou.
Of course, although the subsequent gentle measures won the hearts of most people, the frustrated people inevitably hugged each other more closely and became a hidden danger. But this hidden danger is no longer worth going to war, you just need to be on guard against it.
With the onset of the Great Heat, King Yanshou Zhao Yanshou's condition deteriorated sharply and he fainted again. Zhao Kuangzan put down his military and government affairs and returned to the government urgently.
"The adjustment of important military and political positions in Zhuo and Yizhou has been completed, and all the trusted ministers have been assigned." Sitting on the edge of the couch in the back hall of Prince Yan's Mansion, he said to Zhao Yanshou. Since he was making a report, he also wanted to offer comfort: "Every general in the army has They have also fulfilled their duties, training has gradually begun, military morale has gradually stabilized, and combat effectiveness will slowly recover. Elite Yajun troops have been stationed to guard the city gates of Youzhou. In addition, Youzhou civil and military forces have a lot of land in the surrounding area, and they want to organize civilian forces. , provide money and food, and use the city gate as a link to help them build forts to guard their fields and protect the people against the intrusion of Hu Qi..."
After several days of tossing, Zhao Yanshou's body was completely broken. He couldn't even sit up. He looked like he was dying and could only breathe, but his breath was like a gossamer.
He obviously listened to Zhao Kuangzan's words. A hint of relief appeared on his withered face, and he said in a low voice: "As a father, I can protect you until now, block some turmoil for you, and bear some infamy. Now Youzhou's military and political power , it’s all in your hands, you can use it as you wish. But remember, with the situation in Youzhou, the most important thing at any time is to stabilize the people’s hearts, especially the military’s.”
"My son understands."
Zhao Yanshou continued to warn in a weak voice, speaking extremely slowly: "You are still young, so naturally you like to use your youth, and you should have a group of close ministers to protect you. However, I think that Zhao Siwan is quite ferocious. If used well, it will be a sharp blade, but you must be careful not to let it hurt your hands. Ghost faces are strong and dare to fight, and they can be the iron soldiers in the army. They need to take back the power and control it. Don't let them do anything they want!"
Zhao Kuangzan was slightly surprised when he suddenly heard his words, and his eyelids trembled slightly. He had his own considerations and thoughts about Zhao Siwan and Gui Miandu. However, in the face of his father's earnest instructions, he did not hesitate at all and responded respectfully: "Don't worry, I will pay attention to it."
Zhao Yanshou was terminally ill and his illness seemed to have unleashed all his remaining strength, making his mind extremely clear.
After a pause, he continued: "The situation in Youzhou should be reported to Tokyo and reported to the court to show loyalty. In addition, you can ask an official to go north to supervise the army!"
Hearing this, Zhao Kuangzan frowned and said hesitantly: "If that's the case, isn't it self-inflicted?"
"Youzhou needs the support of the Han Dynasty court. It needs to reassure the court and the emperor. Otherwise, why would food and weapons be exported to the north?" Zhao Yanshou explained.
Zhao Kuangzan thought for a while and then nodded in agreement: "I remember it."
These instructions seemed to have exhausted all Zhao Yanshou's energy. His face became darker, his eyes became wandering, and he praised Zhao Kuang: "Go ahead. From now on, Zhao Kuang will be the leader of Youzhou." The honor and disgrace of our clan are all tied to you alone!"
"Yes!" After hearing his father's words, Zhao Kuangzan felt sad, but his will was strong. He knelt in front of the bed and saluted him solemnly.
He told him to take good care of the backyard and take good care of Zhao Kuangzan, and then left.
In June of the first year of Qianyou (the twenty-fifth year of Renyin), King Zhao Yanshou of Yan died of illness in Youzhou. After all, he couldn't survive the summer, but he died peacefully. He had a wife and civil and military personnel in Youzhou to see him off. Compared with the miserable death in a foreign land in the original history, it can be said that he died a good death.
...
The situation in Youzhou was reported to Tokyo as quickly as possible and put on the desk of Emperor Liu Chengyou.
In fact, a few days in advance, all military coup incidents in Youzhou were spread southward to Kaifeng. In Youzhou, there were not only "pro-Southern factions" within the Yan army, but also many informants from the imperial court.
Previously, the secret spies deployed by Liu Chengyou had been officially placed under the Privy Council, and a Military Intelligence Department was established, which was different from the Wude Department's spy agency and specialized in spying on foreign military intelligence.
The actions of Zhao Yanshou and his son were clearly under the banner of "rectifying lawlessness", but after analysis by Liu Chengyou and several important privy officials such as Guo and Wei, they naturally saw the essence of eliminating dissidents and centralizing power. However, Liu Chengyou was happy to see this happen. Previously, he was deeply afraid of the strong "anti-Han" sentiment among the Yan army.
Now, after the Zhao family's arrangement, the situation has suddenly changed. What Liu Chengyou and the court wanted was a stable Youzhou military and political group to perform the function of controlling the Liao Dynasty. As for the Zhao family becoming powerful, it is not a taboo. As mentioned before, Youzhou has its own limitations, especially after the Zhao family and his son's rectification. As long as Liu Chengyou doesn't do it himself, there will be no serious problems.
Of course, the maintenance of the relationship between the two parties needs to be treated with caution. Conflicts are inevitable. If you blindly support the north, there will be dissent in the court, which may lead to trouble. Youzhou may also be uneasy because of the turmoil in the imperial court and its dissatisfaction.
Due to its special situation, the relationship between Youzhou and the imperial court was different from the normal relationship between the central and local governments, and between the imperial court and vassal towns. Liu Chengyou still needs to keep a clear head, especially after Zhao Kuangzan takes office.
In Liu Chengyou's impression, although Zhao Kuangzan was also smart, he was young and energetic, but because of his sharpness, the way of communication with Youzhou had to be changed.
However, judging from Zhao Kuangzan's attitude in writing the letter, he was still very "obedient" and "loyal" to the court.
"The sky is merciless, and it will not take more than a year. The death of King Yan has left the great Han Dynasty with one less pillar of northern territory to help him!" In the Guangzheng Palace, Liu Chengyou summoned the prime ministers and the Privy Council officials, sighed with emotion, and then went to Fan Zhi who was waiting beside him. He ordered: "Let the Hanlin Academy write a memorial to inform him."
"yes!"
"Your Majesty, King Yan has passed away and the military and political affairs of Youzhou are in the hands of his son Zhao Kuangzan. At this time, the situation in northern Xinjiang must be unstable. If the Khitans take the opportunity to invade, people will be uneasy and may suffer misfortune. The imperial court should immediately respond In order to stabilize the situation in Youzhou!" Guo Wei stepped out and seriously suggested to Liu Chengyou.
"Guo Qing's words make sense!" Liu Chengyou nodded. He had obviously considered it for a long time. He looked at Yang Bin and other ministers and ordered: "Pass the system, with Zhao Kuangzan as Lulong's military envoy, northern camp manager, Jiataiwei, and Tongpingzhang. Matter, attack the Duke of Yan."
"Let Chengde Zhang Yanwei and Henghai Wang Jing coordinate part of the food and salary to support Youzhou. In addition, all the troops stationed along the Nanyi River are on guard to prevent unexpected events. We must ensure a smooth transition of military power in Youzhou!"
In Zhao Kuangzan's memorial, the intention of asking for help is very obvious. To put his mind at ease, the court had to make some kind of gesture. This is also the first formal exchange between the two parties after Zhao Kuangzan took over the military and political affairs, hoping for a good start.
"As you command!"
