Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 488 Fusang Enters Zhou Land (Special thanks to book friend 2019…2101 for the 6 monthly tickets!)

In early June of the 36th year of Kaixi (995), the news of the Great Zhou Royal Navy's conquest of the entire Fuso territory was brought back to the desk of the Great Zhou Emperor Chai Zongxun in Bianjing.

The war to conquer Fuso lasted two years and six months, from the beginning of the 34th year of Kaixi, when the First and Second Fleets of the Great Zhou Royal Navy landed and started the war, until the Second Fleet pacified Hokkaido.

In this war, Dai Qi and other members of the Longxiong Guard who had been lurking in Fuso for a long time performed brilliantly. They were well aware of the intelligence of the Fuso court and local daimyos, making the conquest of the Great Zhou Royal Navy easy.

At the beginning of the war, Jing Qiong, a Uighur from Ganzhou who surrendered to the Great Zhou Empire, also made great contributions in the battle to pacify the mountainous areas. He led 100,000 Uighur troops and 100,000 Fuso mercenaries, pacified 16 local daimyo, and wiped out more than 300,000 enemies.

In total, during the Great Zhou's conquest of Fuso, more than 700,000 enemy troops were annihilated, more than 600,000 soldiers and civilians were captured, and more than 3,000 royal family members and princes, including Emperor Ichijo, were captured.

Chai Zongxun read the memorial and immediately issued an order:

He ordered Guan Mao to lead the First and Second Fleets of the Royal Navy to temporarily establish military rule over the entire territory of Fuso, awaiting the arrival of officials and garrisons sent by the imperial court to establish state and county governments.

After the captured Fuso soldiers and civilians had been properly rested, they were transported directly to Sakhalin Island by warships and landed in Beiming, where they were handed over to the local government of Beiming to arrange for the distribution of these Fuso captives to Han families who had immigrated to develop Beiming.

As for Jingqiong, the Emperor and other Fuso monarchs and ministers, they were all escorted by warships to Bian Jing to meet the emperor as soon as possible.

A few days later, on June 12, at the morning court, the emperor and his ministers discussed how to treat Jing Qiong and the emperor and his ministers of Fuso.

Deputy Minister Wang Dan came out of the class and said:
“Your Majesty, Jing Qiong killed nearly half of the Fusang soldiers in this campaign against Fusang, which shows how hard he worked.

As for the ruler and ministers of Fusang, how dare a tiny country like Fusang call itself the emperor? They are so arrogant that they have raised an army to resist the army of the Great Zhou.

I think we should abolish his title, list his crimes of disrespecting our Great Zhou, and then kill him!"

Military cabinet member Guan Lin came out and said:
"Your Majesty, in this war to pacify Fuso, the local military and civilians put up strong resistance. This is because the barbarians fear your power and do not obey your virtue. They do not know your majesty's divine power.

I also think that his title should be abolished and he should be killed!"

While Chai Zongxun was pondering, the chief minister of the cabinet, Li Hang, came out and said:

“Your Majesty, the people of Fuso are extremely cunning, but their monarch has been arrogant for a long time, calling himself the emperor even before the founding of the Tang Dynasty, and his prestige still remains among his people.

I think that now that the four seas are at peace and Fusang is pacified, your Majesty's Great Zhou has no rivals, creating an unprecedented prosperity for China. It is better to abolish the title of the Fusang monarch and support him in Bianjing, so as to win over his people and facilitate the rule of our Great Zhou."

Although Chai Zongxun still harbored deep hatred for Fuso, he also knew that what Li Hang said would be of great benefit to consolidating his rule over Fuso.

If the emperor were killed, I am afraid that decades later, among the people of Fuso, there would still be people who would rebel against the rule of the Great Zhou under the banner of revenge for the emperor.

Chai Zongxun said:

"Now that Fusang has been pacified, the first priority is to consolidate our rule over the land. I will show leniency to the rulers and ministers of Fusang.
The emperor's false title was abolished, and he was given the title of "Duke of Wakoku" and was raised in Bian Jing along with his family members.

Jing Qiong was able to pardon sins for his merits, and was granted the title of "Marquis of Ganzhou" and his wife Xiao Hunian the title of "Lady of Ganzhou".

As for the ministers and daimyo who were escorted to the capital by Fusang, they will be handed over to the cabinet for trial and punished according to their crimes. "

All the ministers in Chuigong Hall said:

"Your Majesty is wise! This is the first time in Chinese history that you have annexed Fuso and expanded our territory to an unprecedentedly vast territory!"

Nearly a month later, on July 7, the 36th year of Kaixi, Jingqiong and the Fuso monarch and his ministers were escorted to Bianjing by Royal Navy warships from the sea.

In the afternoon, Chai Zongxun summoned Jing Qiong and his wife and Emperor Ichijo to the Huangji Hall. The first to be brought into the hall by the eunuchs and the imperial guards were Jing Qiong and his wife.

After the greeting, Chai Zongxun looked at the two of them.

He saw that Jing Qiong was about sixty years old, with gray hair and a weather-beaten face; Xiao Hu Nian was a little younger, about the same age as himself.

Thinking of the fact that Jing Qiong had spent almost half his life rebelling against Chai Zongxun's Great Zhou since he became the Uighur Khan of Ganzhou, a period of more than twenty years, Chai Zongxun felt a little disgusted, but also an inexplicable sense of respect.

Seeing that the couple was quite frightened, Chai Zongxun said with a smile:
"Don't worry, my two beloved ones!
Since you two dear ministers can work together and fight bravely in the conquest of Fuso, I will not go back on my promise!

I confer upon you the title of Marquis of Ganzhou on Jing Aiqing and the title of Lady of Ganzhou on Xiao Aiqing. From now on, you will live in Bianjing and integrate into the people of our Great Zhou."

Jing Qiong and the other two were overjoyed and immediately bowed deeply to express their gratitude.

After the two men left the hall, Chai Zongxun summoned Yi Tiao to meet him.

Chai Zongxun saw a man in his thirties, less than five feet tall and wearing Fusang court clothing, hurriedly walking into the Huangji Palace under the guidance of eunuchs and imperial guards.

After seeing the ceremony, Chai Zongxun said:

"One, you, a tiny country like Fusang, have always coveted our Shenzhou!

This time, I, the Great Zhou, am going to the east to conquer Fusang, but you, the king and his subjects, dare to resist to the end. I was going to count all your crimes and then behead you in front of all the people!

I am concerned about the many casualties of your people in the wars over the past few years, and I do not want to see more casualties. I hereby pardon your crime, confer the title of "Duke of Wakoku" on you, and raise you in Bianjing!"

When Yitiao was captured and brought to Bian Jing, he had already lost all hope of survival. But now he heard that the Emperor of the Great Zhou had spared his life, and he felt somewhat happy.

Yi Tiao bowed slowly and said in the Chinese language that he had been taught by the Great Zhou Army in the past few months:

"Thank you, His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Zhou! I wish to become a monk from now on and practice Buddhism diligently to atone for my sins!"

When Chai Zongxun heard that he was unwilling to call himself a minister, he sneered in his heart:

"You are unwilling to surrender, but in fact, hasn't the entire Fusang been conquered by my army?
Why should I bother with you about such a small matter? "

Chai Zongxun immediately dismissed the order and had the Ministry of Internal Affairs send people to settle him in Bian Jing.

On the third day, on the evening of July 10, the 36th year of Kaixi, Chai Zongxun held a banquet in Huangyi Hall and invited Concubine Shu, Yelu and Gudian to attend and entertain Jingqiong and his wife together.

Yelu and Gudian had not seen their relatives from the Liao Kingdom for twenty years. When they first saw their childhood best friend Xiao Huanian, they couldn't help but feel very excited.

After chatting for a long time about the past in Liao, Chai Zongxun knew that Yelu and Gudian were eager to know the exact news about their brother Yelu Xian. He also wanted to confirm whether Yelu Xian and others had really gone to Maya Continent, so he immediately said:

“My two beloved ministers, when my army went from Linhuang Prefecture to attack the Liao ruler Yelu Xian who had fled to Huanglong Prefecture, I did not want to hear that he led the main force of the Liao Kingdom to flee without a fight, and went north across the sea and disappeared.

You two were in Liao at the time, do you know Yelu Xian's specific escape route and destination?"

Chai Zongxun paused and said:

"Don't worry, my two beloved ministers. Even if I know where Yelu Xian and his men are, and find them, I will never kill them. I will treat them well."

(End of this chapter)