Han Shizu

Chapter 2085 Taizong Chapter 32 The King’s Power Is Poured in Flesh and Blood

Of course, the news that Tianfu was corrupt and Chengdu was besieged was enough to make the emperor restless. However, at this point, Liu Yang was able to stabilize himself. Above the court and in front of his officials, he could even joke about the Shu rebellion. He looked relaxed and calmly controlled the internal and external affairs and organized counter-insurgency matters. .

Even though the emperor was really anxious in his heart, he always showed restraint on his face. In the edict to Yang Yanzhao's army, he gave clear instructions not to be impatient and not to advance lightly. Let the generals obey orders and the court will ensure the supply of military supplies. ,etc.

Liu Yang tried his best to relieve the pressure on Yang Yanzhao. After all, he had been on the battlefield and knew some of the ways of military strategists. He knew that he could not be impatient and was unwilling to make any more strategic mistakes. Such measures are of course useful. To a certain extent, Yang Yanzhao, who was entrusted with important tasks, was under greater pressure than the emperor.

Even though Liu Yang was so considerate and trusted him with all his heart, Yang Yanzhao still wanted to resolve the Shu rebellion as soon as possible.

The underlying reason for the rebel army's decision, whether it was to attack eastern Sichuan or to counterattack Chengdu, was simply a desire to survive, a beast-like instinct.

Due to continuous disasters, the food shortage in Sichuan and Sichuan has not lasted for more than one or two years. When Pan You was in office, he could still try his best to coordinate relief, stabilize food prices, and appease people. However, a severe drought in the first year further aggravated the food crisis.

When the uprising broke out and wars continued frequently, the uprising vented its anger on the exploiting class for revenge against the serfs and untouchables. At the same time, it also shattered the original social security and production and management order. The land was barren, food shortages, and the hunger crisis also formed a vicious crisis. Cycle, this is also the direct cause of the recurring and intensifying chaos in Shu.

But, is Jiannan really short of food? Not necessarily, the shortage is not to this extent. However, just like the three treasures of land, salt, tea, and silk, food, a basic and life-saving material, is also concentrated in the hands of the powerful, landlords, and wealthy businessmen.

Let them use their precious grain to relieve the poor. A small amount can be used to buy reputation, but large-scale relief is a matter for the government, and no one can open a charity. You can also distribute food, and exchange money, land, or people.

The oppression of the ruling class is increasing day by day, and if they are not given a chance to survive, the working people will naturally rebel. If such a fierce resistance movement is based solely on survival, it is destined to not go far.

When he took up the banner of "equalizing the wealth and poverty", although he was followed by thousands of people and had an aura of glory, at the same time, as a leader, Li Shun also had to feed the mouths that gathered in the four states to be fed. The chaos got bigger and bigger, and more and more people gathered together. When hundreds of thousands of people opened their mouths, survival was still the first concern of the rebels.

Capture the east of Sichuan, and then go east to Huguang to eat. While breaking the prison of Sichuan and Sichuan, it can also spread the glory of the rebel army to more places in the Han Dynasty. This idea was completely shattered with the defeat in the Battle of Luzhou.

Therefore, they returned to Chengdu and continued to forage from the Chengdu Plain, the land that has nurtured thousands of Shu children. This was also a helpless choice. The insurgents, who had no production capacity and no time to engage in food creation, had no choice but to To seize existing survival resources.

Even though this choice is tantamount to trapping oneself in a cage, as time goes by, the imperial army's quelling the chaos is coming from all directions towards Shu.

If the Wang and Li uprisings still had the justice of "anti-tyranny and equalizing the rich and poor" in the early stage of the uprising, then as Li Shun's army went north and was trapped in Chengdu, as the pressure for survival increased step by step, in the face of hunger and death , that trace of justice was quickly wiped out.

In addition to the stubbornness and strength of the reactionary forces, the failure of peasant uprisings in the past dynasties was the fundamental and important reason for the limitations of the rebels themselves. Wang and Li also failed to break this rule.

In the early days of moving north, there were still a large number of people cheering and welcoming the rebels, but the situation slowly changed. The rebels want to survive, and the people around Chengdu also want to survive. Everyone can converge for the same goal. Under the pressure of survival, it may also lead to mutual hatred and harm.

After several attacks failed to succeed, the rebel army gradually deteriorated in a subtle way. Those who neither fled into Chengdu nor fled elsewhere, but chose to stay and support Li Shun's army, found out.

The arrival of the rebels not only failed to improve their lives and give them the "fairness" they deserved, but instead aggravated the chaos and even the basic peace was lost. There was a severe drought last year, which delayed agricultural work. This year, the drought has eased, but it has been delayed again because of the war.

What is even more unacceptable is that the rebel army also began to loot everywhere. In order to meet the needs of attacking Chengdu, Li Shun's men attacked in all directions, almost scraping away the land in nearby states and counties, devouring everything in sight like locusts. something to get.

At this point, it completely goes against the original intention of the uprising. As early as the beginning of Wang Xiaobo's uprising, during the process of liberating ordinary households, the rebels had always maintained a relatively good style and military discipline. Not only did they not commit any crimes, but they did not commit any abuses, even those landlords and wealthy households who were looted. , and will also leave basic rations for them.

This style was maintained in the early days of Li Shunjun's transition to the war. However, this kind of "benevolence and righteousness" is too rare and difficult to last for a group of rebels composed of ordinary households and common people.

Their narrow horizons and inefficient organizational skills force them to adopt simple and crude methods when faced with problems. After the passion wears off, they become even crazier. In the face of survival issues, no power or justice is to be feared, and all etiquette, justice and integrity are put aside.

Li Shun was also very troubled by the changes in the rebel army, but he had no good solution. Although he was the leader of the rebel army, he was not really strong in binding force on his subordinates. At the same time, he also needed various resources, especially food, to sustain his attack on Chengdu.

If Chengdu is captured, it may not be able to solve the problem, but if it is not captured, there will be only a dead end. What's more, the rebels can win the battle, firstly by the anger in their chests, secondly by the number of people, and thirdly by not being afraid of death. In the final analysis, they still rely on human lives.

The soldiers of the rebel army have sacrificed so much, and the brothers and sisters in Shu should also contribute. On the other hand, if everyone can't survive and rise up to rebel, but you can still survive, how can you be in the same boat and work together? Only when everyone becomes the same kind of people can we break the long-lasting gloom in Sichuan and win a glimmer of new hope for millions of Shu people.

Of course, Li Shun didn't do nothing. After all, they were still volunteers to save the poor, and they were all elders in Shu, so they couldn't do things too badly.

Aware of his lack of control over his subordinates, Li Shun assumed that this was the reason why his authority was not strong. Although Li Shun's army is the core of the rebel army in Shu, it is actually a trickle of various forces and sources. Although Li Shun is the leader, his subordinates respond to his leadership's call, but they are not absolutely bound by him. There is not even a clear organizational structure

Therefore, in order to establish authority and restrain the rebels, Li Shun came up with a way: proclaiming himself king.

On February 2, the second year of Yongxi's reign, Li Shun, the leader of the rebel army, proclaimed himself King of Shu in Hanzhou.

The first thing he did after becoming king was to raise his troops again and attack Chengdu. At the same time, Li Shun divided his troops in four directions and spread outward, plundering grain and soldiers. There was no other way, and the Chengdu Plain could no longer support so many troops.

However, the "Shu Army" sent to attack the surrounding areas suffered a heavy blow this time. Officers, soldiers and warriors from all states and counties tried their best to suppress the bandits. Obviously, people's hearts have changed quietly.

In particular, the 70,000 "Shu Army" who went north were almost wiped out by generals Cao Guangshi and Kang Jiying, and more than half of them were taken prisoner. Their intention to capture Jiange and block the imperial army from Beichuan also failed.

Li Shun's act of proclaiming himself king was like a farce, which not only completely angered the Han court, but also lost the last bit of public support. Except for those mud-legged people who longed for "the title of marquis and general", No one really agrees.

As the counter-rebellion armies entered Shu one after another and reorganized their weapons, the countdown to their defeat also began. Even the city of Chengdu, which was extremely chaotic, was aroused by a group of "same enemies".

Of course, the fundamental reason is that the imperial reinforcements are about to arrive, and the rebel army's self-destructive approach on the Chengdu Plain has been spurned by everyone in Chengdu. No one can guarantee that after the city is broken, what will happen to the hungry and red-eyed rebels? Do something.

Therefore, the rebel attack stimulated by Li Shun becoming king became even more frenzied, but the Chengdu defenders resisted more resolutely and powerfully. From time to time, they could send elite troops out of the city to attack, causing huge losses to the rebel army and seriously hindering their attack.

When things got urgent, Chengdu's city defense power had actually been taken over by the chief envoy Xiang Deming. Shangguan Zheng and other Taoist generals gradually became executors, and at the same time they did not dare to complain at all.

Xiang Deming even drew a red line for the defenders. Those who lost their guard would be executed, those who were timid and those who disobeyed orders would be executed. But at the same time, he also said that there would be enough food, enough soldiers, and enough weapons.

Under such an attack and defense, one can imagine how cruel the fighting around the Chengdu city walls was. Death is a very common thing, but since the Shu Rebellion broke out, how many days have there been no deaths?

In fact, when the chaos has developed to this point, not only the court officials are reflecting on it, but also the dignitaries and landlords in Sichuan who have suffered heavy losses are also reflecting on it, and the poor people who have sacrificed countless bloodshed and death in exchange for the ruling class' reflection are also reflecting on it. Can’t help but reflect:

In the past, even if you were exploited, squeezed, sold into slavery, even like a dog, you always had a chance to survive. Even if they fall into banditry, so many people will not die and so much blood will be shed. The violent methods driven by fanaticism will only destroy the only stability and remaining hope, and eventually bury everyone. This is a war without hope. The winner's war.

In the late period of the Shu Rebellion, those who followed Li Shun to attack Chengdu were just a group of numb beasts with only survival instinct. The legendary Jinguan City, behind the copper and iron walls, seemed to be the hope. Stepping into Chengdu City, it was like walking into bright future.

However, this last delusion was completely shattered as the imperial counter-rebellion army moved south and west. When the rebel army completely collapsed and even the "King of Shu" Li Shun died in the battle, Chengdu, a large city The most stubborn bastion of the ruling class in the southwest still stands tall and firm as a mountain.

However, under the sunshine that pierces the dark clouds, the city made of countless flesh and blood is almost eye-catching. Behind the warm tones is a biting cold.

The fall of the rebel army can be said to be a self-destruction, like a firework that turns into dust after being released to its fullest.

Yang Yanzhao's army went south. After only four or five battles, hundreds of thousands of rebels collapsed. Of course, it may be correct to say that they were hundreds of thousands of refugees. In contrast, how to clean up the land of abundance, which seems to have been plagued by thousands of locusts, and how to settle the people or the chaotic people who have survived like worms, are more urgent, more urgent, and more challenging matters

After Li Shun, although there were lingering chaos, no matter how hard it was, the vitality of Shu was severely damaged, and the people of Shu could no longer care about their anger. Eating and surviving were still the top priority. Maybe later, consider rebuilding your home?

On the tenth day of April in the summer of the second year of Yongxi's reign, in the Chui Gong Hall, Emperor Liu Yang of the Han Dynasty was still sitting behind the imperial desk with his back upright, reading the memorials attentively. Less than two years after taking the throne, the wrinkles on his face have become deeper and deeper, and the imperial aura on his body has become deeper and deeper.

Your Highness, the three cabinet bachelors Xu Shilian, Wang Dan, and Zhao Defang were all immersed in their desks, carefully and conscientiously arranging memorials and writing official documents. The scene was extremely serious.

Accompanied by a burst of hurried footsteps, the chamberlain Zheng Yuan walked in. People who had been waiting for the emperor for a long time could tell something from the frequency of the footsteps of these chamberlains. Although they kept the movements of their hands, the ministers present acted either deliberately or unconsciously. He glanced at Zheng Yuan from the corner of his eye.

The only one who remained motionless was Emperor Liu Yang, who didn't even raise his eyelids. After calming down his breathing, Zheng Yuan bowed and bowed: "I would like to report to the official family. I am requesting an audience with Cao Shuxiang outside the palace!"

Liu Yang finally raised his head, stared outside the hall, and said: "Xuan!"

Soon, Cao Bin's slender face appeared in everyone's sight. Everyone in the palace, including the emperor Liu Yang, put down their work and looked at Cao Bin.

Seeing the courtesy, Cao Bin seemed to be able to feel the anticipation. He held a military report with both hands and solemnly said: "Your Majesty, the chaos in Shu has been calmed down!"

After saying this, Xu Shilian and his ministers couldn't help but look happy. If it weren't for the restrictions of etiquette, they would all be excited and excited.

Liu Yang was very restrained. Shangguan Zheng had submitted a similar report last winter, but what awaited the big man was the "Li Shun Rebellion". After waving his hand, Zheng Yuan immediately stepped forward and handed Cao Bin's military report to Liu Yang.

Each memorial seems to have a little inspiration attached to it, and each letter has a different temperament. The military report to recruit Yang Yanzhao is not detailed in content, and the wording is more simple, but the one to Liu Yang But it is a strong affirmation.

After a while, Liu Yangfang raised his head and tilted his head to the southwest. His blurred eyes showed extremely complex emotions, and he murmured: "The resentment has almost dissipated."

After saying that, Liu Yang stood up, walked quickly down the steps of the palace, and walked out. The emperor's performance was surprising, but everyone followed almost instinctively.

The monarch and his ministers walked in a hurry and in a hurry, but the emperor personally took the lead, walking along the palace road, passing through many forbidden buildings, and arriving in front of the Qianyuan Palace.

Ziwei City is very big, but this was probably the most tiring walk for everyone. Liu Yang only looked up and breathed a little quickly. Then without resting, he got into the back of the palace, found the stairs, and started to climb them.

Even in later generations, the Qianyuan Hall was a tall building with more than 20 floors. There was a viewing pavilion on the top of the building. Emperor Shizu often climbed the tower to look into the distance when he was in his prime. Liu Yang also accompanied him, but this was the first time he used the emperor's name. Identity goes upstairs.

After lining up his servants, Feng Feng stood alone and looked straight to the southwest. After waiting for a long time, the servant Zheng Yuan became anxious, and then Liu Yang turned around.

"His Majesty!"

"His Majesty!"

"Official!"

Several courtiers following upstairs looked at the emperor and called out with concern. Liu Yang glanced around and waved his hand: "Come downstairs!"

I don't know whether it was because he had vented his emotions enough, or simply because he was too cold at the height, but Liu Yang's nose was red.

"Go to the Political Affairs Hall and invite all the ministers to come here to discuss matters!" Returning to the Chui Gong Hall and sitting down again, Liu Yang told Zhao Defang, saying in a serious and solemn tone: "It's time to deal with the aftermath!"

The news of the pacification of the Shu rebellion spread rapidly throughout the country under the promotion of the imperial court, and was informed to officials and people in all prefectures and counties across the country. Details of how the rebellion was quelled were also reported to Luoyang from many people and officials, allowing the court to gain a more comprehensive understanding.

After several rounds of detailed discussions, various arrangements for aid to Shu were carried out in an orderly manner under the overall control of the imperial court. The most important thing among them was to ensure the supply of various relief materials, especially food and supplies. Medicinal materials are the rarest in Shu.

For this reason, the imperial court decided to use the financial envoy Zhang Yongquan as the southwest transfer envoy to personally ensure the dispatch of supplies to aid Shu. Such an arrangement seemed to indicate something. After all, under normal circumstances, even if the Financial Secretary needs to send someone, sending a deputy envoy is enough to do the job.

As a result, throughout the spring, summer and autumn of the second year of Yongxi's reign, the imperial court raised aid supplies from various places and transported them to Shu on the water and land transportation lines leading to Sichuan.

It is somewhat ironic to say that the whole of Sichuan and Shu, especially Jiannan, has exported money, grain and materials for more than thirty years. This is the first time that it has been reported, but it is obtained in this way, which is somewhat cruel. Crying children have milk to eat, and bleeding children have meat to eat.

While the court was beginning to deal with the aftermath of the Shu Rebellion, a team carrying the emperor's secret orders also set out from Luoyang. Xu Shilian, a cabinet bachelor, will go to Chengdu Prefecture to succeed Wang Shenrui as the prefect of Chengdu.

Accompanying him were Lin Te, the martial arts envoy, and Xiang Minzhong, the newly appointed minister of the Ministry of Justice. They went to Chengdu with one thing in mind: to arrest people.

Whether it was the death of Pan You or the rebellion in Shu, although it was full of filth and many details were destroyed by the war, it still allowed the court to grasp a lot of things. Not to mention the various reports made by people with lofty ideals in Shu who were heartbroken because the land of Tianfu was destroyed, Wudesi alone collected a large amount of criminal evidence in the process of quelling the chaos.

During the siege of Chengdu, every one of those who rushed into the city to take refuge was, strictly speaking, guilty. Of course, small fish and shrimps are not worthy of the court taking it seriously and going to war.

The first person to be taken down was none other than Wang Shenrui, the former prefect of Chengdu! Immediately afterwards, more than 300 Sichuan and Sichuan nobles, bureaucrats, and some powerful landlords who had committed serious crimes were captured one after another. Each of them was a person with a name and a respectable figure.

What shocked Sichuan and Sichuan was that even the heads of the "Two Kings" family, Wang Shenjun and Wang Zhaoyong, were also detained. There are many crimes, but there are only two core ones: deceiving the emperor and disrupting the law, and the culprit of the chaos in Shu!

These people could be said to have held more than 60% of the say in Shu before. If the imperial court was so implicated in arresting them, then an incident might have occurred in a matter of seconds. However, the chaos was over, and strong troops were in Shu. When the imperial order comes, arresting people or killing them is a piece of cake.

In the autumn and September of the second year of Yongxi, after nearly half a year of arrests, interrogations, and convictions, 317 officials (citizens) who were guilty of the Shu rebellion, headed by brothers Wang Shenjun and Wang Shenrui, were taken to Luoyang Nanshi for execution. The people of Luoyang were crowded with spectators and responded enthusiastically. After all, it had been many years since they had witnessed such lively mass executions.

Of course, this is obviously not just an edict and execution. In order to reach this resolution, in the past few months, the court had countless struggles. Some supported heavy punishment, while others suggested a lighter punishment. Generally speaking, the latter was the majority.

A thing hurts its own kind, a rabbit dies and a fox is sad. From nobles to bureaucrats, most people are not willing to see such a large-scale execution of their own class colleagues.

What's more, this kind of precedent is the authority that only Emperor Shizu has, and it is also the atrocities of Emperor Shizu that have been criticized by scholar-bureaucrats. He is a benevolent master, how can he learn from the late emperor?

Therefore, before Emperor Liu Yangzhu came to a conclusion, there were voices of admonishment and numerous resistances imposed on him. However, to the surprise of many people, despite allowing him to make noise, the kind emperor did not hesitate at all when he criticized the death penalty.

With the flash of the sword, more than 300 heads fell to the ground, and the second year of Yongxi was smeared with a layer of bright blood. However, compared to the hundreds of thousands of casualties suffered during the Shu Rebellion, these more than 300 heads alerted the nobles, bureaucrats, landlords and wealthy households all over the world.

It turns out that Renhou is also so ruthless when he kills people now. Especially when it involves high-ranking dignitaries.

Wang Quanbin worked hard and worked hard to earn the title of Duke through the destruction of Dali. At this point, not to mention that it was passed down from generation to generation, all his family property was lost, all his immediate relatives were exiled overseas, and he was completely removed from the upper class circles of the Han Dynasty!

At this point, Emperor Yongxi's authority was truly established. It is unforgettable and engraved in the soul. Without thunderous means, it is obviously impossible to do it just by being kind, courteous and thrifty.

(End of this chapter)