Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 70 Meng Chang and Mrs. Hua Rui (Special thanks to book friend Long Live Hunan Fruit Eucalyptus for the reward!)

After the "Mid-Autumn Festival Edict to cut down the feudal vassals" was issued, it not only shocked the entire Zhou Dynasty, but also caused endless discussions among the monarchs and ministers of more than ten countries, large and small, in China at this time.

On the evening of August 20, the fourth year of Kaixi, Meng Chang, the lord of Hou Shu, and his favorite concubine, Mrs. Huarui, were drinking wine and admiring the moon in the pavilion of the imperial garden of the harem.

Meng Chang was born in the fifth year of Zhenming in Later Liang (919), with the courtesy name Baoyuan and his original name Renzan. After becoming emperor, he changed his name to Meng Chang. He was born in Taiyuan and his ancestral home is Longgang, Xingzhou.

His father was Meng Zhixiang, the ancestor of Later Shu, and his mother was Li.

Meng Zhixiang was the son-in-law of Li Keyong, Taizu of the Later Tang Dynasty, and the eldest brother-in-law of Zhuangzong Li Cunxu of the Later Tang Dynasty. In the fourth year of Tongguang (926), he was sent by Zhuangzong to preside over the military affairs of Sichuan.

After Zhuangzong's "Xingjiaomen Incident" died, Meng Zhixiang proclaimed himself emperor in Chengdu soon and established Hou Shu.

After Meng Zhixiang died of illness in July of the first year of Mingde (934 AD), Meng Chang, who was only years old, succeeded to the throne in Chengdu. The power of the court was in the hands of the veteran general Li Renhan.

Faced with Li Renhan's domineering attitude, Meng Chang began to hold back.

Meng Chang secretly set out to build his own pro-military force in the palace. After the arrangements were properly made, Meng Chang decided to take a preemptive strike and used extraordinary means to eliminate Li Renhan and his gang in one fell swoop.

Then he immediately "issued an edict to punish his crimes" and killed his son Li Jixun and party members Song Conghui and others. In order to eradicate the root cause, his clan was exterminated.

The murder of Li Renhan greatly shocked the veterans of Later Shu. From then on, Meng Chang gradually established his own military and political team.

Meng Chang was well read and literate, focused on developing the economy, and encouraged farmers and mulberry farmers to teach, which for a time created a good situation of "literary governance" in Shu.

Meng Chang drank a glass of wine with Mrs. Huarui, who was leaning in his arms, and said with a smile:
"My dear concubine, news from the Zhou Kingdom came yesterday. The eleven-year-old little emperor Guo Zongxun actually issued an edict to abolish the Jiedushi system of the Zhou Kingdom!

Speaking of which, Guo Zongxun was also a powerful monarch. When he was 7 years old, he and Empress Dowager Fu launched the "Bianjing Rebellion" in the palace to kill Zhao Kuangyin and his party. Compared with when I was sixteen years old, I suddenly launched an uprising in the court and killed the traitor Li Renhan and his party. I am 9 years younger!
Ha ha! It's just that Jiedushi can be dismissed easily?

Now it's better, the Zhou Kingdom will be in chaos! "

Meng Chang's favorite concubine in his early years was the imperial concubine Zhang Taihua.

In 941, Zhang Taihua and Meng Chang went to Qingcheng Mountain to offer incense together. The latter had a good trip and stayed at Jiutian Zhangren Temple. They were so happy that they forgot to return and did not return to the palace for more than a month.

Li Yangui, the Marquis of Du Yu, refused to listen to his repeated advice.

Zhang Taihua got up naked at night and was struck to death by lightning. According to folklore, he was punished for blaspheming the truth.

After Zhang Taihua's death, Fei Guifei was favored by the Queen of Shu and became the famous Mrs. Huarui.

Mrs. Huarui was beautiful and talented in poetry. She once imitated the poet Wang Jian of the Tang Dynasty and composed one hundred "Gong Ci".

Mrs. Hua Rui, who was in her early twenties, said in confusion:

"Your Majesty, I don't understand the meaning of your Majesty's words.

Why would the Zhou Kingdom be in chaos when Guo Zongxun, the young emperor of the Zhou Kingdom, promoted the abolition of the Jiedushi system?

Your Majesty, don't you often say to your concubines, "The governor of Shu is arrogant and domineering?" "

Meng Chang looked at Mrs. Huarui's tender and beautiful face and was lost for a moment. He sighed and said:
"My dear concubine, these military governors should indeed be banned. However, the current times have been troubled for many years, and the generals have been arrogant and cruel for a long time. I have been in power in the country for more than ten years, and I still dare not touch these military governors.

He, Guo Zongxun, is only eleven years old this year. Although the "Longxiang Army" and "Longxiang Guard" he created three years ago gained some prestige in the "Battle of Yangzhou", and he has recently captured the Nanping and Wuqing armies. , however, the Kingdom of Zhou is located in the Four War Zone of the Central Plains, and its generals are much more ferocious than those of our Kingdom of Shu.

How could the governors of the Zhou Kingdom agree to Guo Zongxun's plan to "cut down the feudal vassals"? Wouldn’t everyone rebel against the little emperor Guo Zongxun?
Ha ha! In the past, Emperor Guo Rong of the Zhou Dynasty captured the four states of Qin, Cheng, Jie, and Feng. His army's combat power is still terrifying to this day.

Now that the Zhou Kingdom is in chaos, our Shu Kingdom can rest easy!
My beloved, don’t you think this is a great thing? Mrs. Huarui smiled and said:

"I see. Then according to what His Majesty said, this little emperor of Zhou is quite reckless!

If the Zhou Kingdom is in chaos, we, the Shu Kingdom, can live a comfortable life without worrying about the possible invasion of the Zhou Kingdom army every day. "

The two of them couldn't help but start drinking happily with their hearts on display.

In the next few days, Meng Chang also feasted with Mrs. Huarui in the harem every day and ignored state affairs.

At about midnight on September 22, Wang Zhaoyuan, a confidant and privy envoy, went to the palace to ask for an audience with Emperor Meng Chang.

Meng Chang had just used the Fangzhong technique he had learned from the alchemist the day before yesterday. He had fought three rounds with Mrs. Huarui last night. He was still sleeping soundly when he was woken up by his personal eunuch. He was very impatient.

After hearing what the eunuch said was "an important matter concerning the Great Zhou Dynasty," he reluctantly got out of bed.

After the maids washed up and got up, Meng Chang had breakfast and then walked slowly to the Wencheng Hall.

Wang Zhaoyuan had been waiting in the palace for a long time. When he saw Meng Chang, he saluted him.

Meng Chang said casually:

"Wang Aiqing, what on earth is going on? Are you in such a hurry?"

Wang Zhaoyuan was ambitious and talented but often compared himself to Zhuge Liang. He was also talented in literature and good at flattery, which he thought Meng Chang liked.

Wang Zhaoyuan said:

"Your Majesty, the situation is not good!

The news came back from the fine work stationed in the Zhou Kingdom yesterday that Fu Yanqing, the military governor of Tianxiong, and Li Jun, the military governor of Zhaoyi, actually agreed to the strategy of "cutting down the feudal vassal" by the young emperor Guo Zongxun of the Zhou Kingdom, and put down their military power to govern Xiazhou. The government was placed under the direct jurisdiction of the Zhou Dynasty.

The young emperor Guo Zongxun conferred the title of King of Wei on Fu Yanqing's family background. He was in charge of Daming Mansion and had thousands of households living in the city. He was given an "iron certificate of alchemy book" and it was said that he agreed to make Fu Yanqing's eldest granddaughter Fu Zhenzhen the queen.

Li Jun was granted the title of "Righteous Duke of the State", and was given the "Iron Certificate of Dan Shu", a settlement of 6,000 households, and the Duke's Mansion. The whole family moved to Bianjing.

These two men were the most powerful among the military governors of the Zhou Dynasty, and all military governors followed them.

Now, the various Jiedushi envoys of the Zhou Kingdom who were ready to make a move and were waiting and watching saw that these two people had obeyed the imperial edict of the young emperor Guo Zongxun and had no intention of rebelling. Most of them also submitted memorials expressing their willingness to comply with the imperial edict, dismissed the Jiedushi envoys, and moved their families to Bian. Live in Beijing.

The young emperor Guo Zongxun granted these military envoys and their trusted generals and advisers a large number of titles, totaling more than 700 of them, with the rank of marquis, uncle, son, and baron, and their settlements ranged from 100 households to 3,000 households.

After discussions with the Prime Minister Li Tao, the Second Prime Minister Wang Zhu and others, the young emperor Guo Zongxun has chosen to send the imperial army to the former Jiedushi areas, set up state capitals directly under the jurisdiction, stationed troops, and comprehensively implemented the new farmland, water conservancy and commercial policies in various parts of the Zhou Kingdom. !
His Majesty! Although Guo Zongxun was young, he was able to use the "five princes to release military power" without any bloodshed and return the territories of various military governors to the imperial court. This shows that he has superb strategic skills and has a high prestige in the Zhou Dynasty!
In this way, the state of Zhou is in a state of great disarray. I am afraid that the young emperor Guo Zongxun will attack our country of Shu in the near future, and there will be no hope of disaster! "

When Meng Chang heard this, he broke into a cold sweat.

A fool can also see that if Guo Zongxun, the young emperor of the Zhou Kingdom, completely reorganizes his internal affairs and implements new policies at home, it will not be long before the great Zhou Dynasty, with its rich country and strong military, will launch an external conquest and seek to unify the world.

Meng Chang stood up suddenly from the golden throne and asked:
"My dear sir, is it possible that no one of these arrogant and domineering governors from all over the country, who have held military power for a long time, wants to rebel against such a major matter?"

Wang Zhaoyuan pondered for a long time and said hesitantly:
"Your Majesty, in the Great Zhou Dynasty, there are probably only two people who may have objections!"

(End of this chapter)