Tracing China: Through history, dialogue between ancient and modern

Chapter 237 Song Taizong is not Tang Taizong

people of later generations.

For Song Taizu, it can be said that there are mixed praises and criticisms.

Those who criticize Zhao Kuangyin's incompetence actually have the upper hand in a certain period of time.

For example, the key is what did Zhao Da do during his 17 years in power?
He did nothing for the first 3 years of his succession.

It was destroyed in 963. Strictly speaking, it cannot be regarded as the destruction of the Wuping Army, and then recuperated for more than 2 years without doing anything in between.

In 966, troops were dispatched to destroy Houshu, which took a total of 66 days. You can imagine how rotten Houshu was), and then it took more than a year to put down the rebellion, and then recuperate for more than 3 years without doing anything in between.

The Southern Han Dynasty was wiped out at the end of 970, and then recuperated for more than 3 years without doing anything in between.

In 975, troops were dispatched to destroy the Southern Tang Dynasty. The Southern Tang Dynasty was completely disabled during the Chai Rong period. The population of the Southern Han Dynasty was less than one million. How could He De be worth your time to prepare for the war?

Opportunities are fleeting, how much time do you have to waste?At this rate, with the strength of the Khitan national power, Zhao Kuangyin will survive the Northern Expedition to Khitan, at least 20 years of preparation.

……

What about the attitude of critics?
If we want to evaluate the ancients, we must look at the problem from the perspective of the ancients and the general environment at that time.

At that time, it was catching up with the general environment of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, and the world was extremely chaotic. An important problem that caused the chaos was that from the end of the Tang Dynasty, the warriors continued to make chaos. Things.

And he didn't pay attention to things. Although the emperor had the grace to know the generals in power, once the generals usurped the throne, it was a basic operation to slaughter the original royal family.

Zhao Kuangyin himself also came up in this way, but he was a little more kind than other warriors, and gave the original royal family a more decent status and treatment.

Do you think he dares to make big moves casually?
Send a general to go out, maybe you will rebel when you get the military power...

Personal conquest, maybe the guarding generals in the rear will rebel...

Not to mention impossible, the general environment at that time was like this. The theme of the past century has been rebellion, rebellion, self-reliance, and murder one after another. The warriors have ruined their reputation accumulated for thousands of years in the past hundred years.

Therefore, there was also a reason why the Song Dynasty emphasized civility over military affairs. The people of the Song Dynasty even supported it. In fact, in that era, the reputation of warriors was really bad, and the status of warriors was low due to the civil and military seizure of power after the civil and military fortress change in the Ming Dynasty. are different.

If you were sitting in that position, you would not dare to make any big moves. You must quickly stabilize the internal affairs and take back the military power of the powerful generals. This is the most important thing.

After all, it's not a game. In the game, there are data to check the loyalty of the generals. Try it in reality!

His biggest shortcoming is actually that he passed the throne to his unreliable younger brother. He rushed to the Northern Expedition and returned in a big defeat. As a result, the entire Song Dynasty has been passive in strategy. It may be better to pass it on to his own son. It was not until the whole family survived that the younger brother was chosen instead of the son.

of course.

Regardless of praise or criticism.

Song Taizu can be regarded as an absolutely excellent emperor.

In the lens.

Regarding the question from host Lin Feng, Zhao Kuangyin said:

"Why Zhao Pu was able to be the prime minister for 10 years? He has a deep and deep heart. Although he is very restrained, he can take the affairs of the world as his own responsibility. As long as he can benefit the people of the world, this is enough."

"There are also frontier military envoys, why aren't they frequently mobilized? At that time, the Song Dynasty was troubled internally and externally, and wars broke out frequently. If they were not given military power within a certain period of time, the Great Song Dynasty would probably fall into the chaos of war and chaos again."

For this explanation, the audience can still accept it.

Put any modern person in the position of this ancient man, who can do better?
Lin Feng said again, "Senior, there are historical records saying that you are extremely vengeful, is it true?"

It is said that Zhao Kuangyin treated the old officials who were loyal to the Later Zhou Dynasty leniently on the surface, but in fact he had murderous intentions against them. Yang Huizhi was an example.

In addition, Zhao Kuangyin ordered the removal of the portraits of Han Tong and his son, which also reflected his fear.

Even when Ouyang Xiu compiled "History of the Five Dynasties", he did not dare to write a biography for Han Tong. It can be seen that this king is not only a taboo for Zhao Kuangyin himself, but even an official taboo for the Song Dynasty.

In addition, Zhao Kuangyin usually shows generosity on the surface, but likes to make things difficult for people he hates in small details.

For example, while treating the emperor kindly, he disgusted Liu Yu and Li Yu with insulting titles such as "Marquis of Grace" and "Marquis of Disobedience".

It is said that if a courtier makes a slip of the tongue after drinking, it is not a big deal, but Zhao Kuangyin will definitely keep it in his heart, and maybe one day, he will suddenly commit a crime and kill you by surprise.

"real!"

Zhao Kuangyin didn't hide anything, and said directly, "Before I wear a yellow robe, I have served in the imperial army, the commander of the imperial guards, and the Jiedu envoy, etc., and I know that people's hearts are far away..."

To put it bluntly, the heart of defense is indispensable, and the heart of harming others is also necessary.

Lin Feng didn't get entangled in this, and said, "Senior, did you say that you will use a sum of money to buy back Yanyun Sixteen States?"

This statement is still criticized by people, who think Zhao Kuangyin is very naive and funny.

Can land in Jiangshan be bought with money?
Do you really think that the enemy Khitan in the north is a fool?

"Said."

"But I have another sentence, I wonder if people in the future will know it?" Zhao Kuangyin said calmly.

"Is there another sentence?" Lin Feng frowned. He had looked up historical materials and only knew that Zhao Kuangyincheng had mentioned it many times that he would pay a sum of money to buy back Yanyun Sixteen States from Khitan. There is no other more detailed content.

"I mentioned saving money to buy Yanyun, but there is also the second half of the sentence. I said that if the Liao people don't know each other, then this money is the military salary and reward for defeating Liao."

After finishing speaking, Zhao Kuangyin looked at the stars beyond the sky and said with doubts:

"Xiao Lin, you are from a millennium later generation. As far as you know, have you successfully recovered the Sixteen States of Yanyun in the end?"

Lin Feng shook his head and replied, "No!"

Zhao Kuangyin was quite excited, "Why? I have clearly planned everything. In the near future, after a few years, when the wealth of the Great Song Dynasty has accumulated to a certain level, I will go to the Northern Expedition again. Could it be that my second Northern Expedition, again? Return without success?"

Taking back the land of Huaxia and eradicating the barbarians in the north was indeed a plan that Zhao Kuangyin had already prepared.

For example, there is an allusion of "making a policy on a snowy night".

The founding of the Song Dynasty ruled only the areas along the Yellow River and Huaihe River basins. The Song Dynasty had Northern Han and Khitan in the north, Houshu in the west, Jingnan, Southern Tang, Southern Han, Wuyue and other countries in the south. Each country had its own independent Power, and they are all spying on the attitude of the Song Dynasty.

Under such a situation of being covetous, the Song Dynasty could not sit back and relax. It was necessary to eliminate or subdue these small countries or foreign tribes in order to complete the unification of the world and lay the foundation of the Song Dynasty.

On a tumultuous night, Zhao Kuangyin had a meaningful dialogue with Prime Minister Zhao Pu.

Zhao Pu asked, "It's cold in the middle of the night, why did His Majesty come out?"

Zhao Kuangyin replied: "I can't sleep! Beyond the couch, it's other people's world, so I came here to meet you."

Zhao Pu: "Does Your Majesty feel that your world is too small? Now is an excellent time to conquer the South and North to unify the world. I wonder what His Majesty thinks about the direction of the march?"

Zhao Kuangyin deliberately said: "I want to attack Taiyuan, the capital of the Northern Han Dynasty first."

Zhao Pumo said after a long time, "I don't understand this."

Zhao Kuangyin asked: "Why?"

Zhao Pu analyzed: The Northern Han had the Khitan as a backup, and the attack would be harmful and not beneficial. Even if the Northern Han was destroyed, it would have to bear the strong pressure of the Khitan alone. countries, and then focus on the north.

He and Zhao Pu's words made Zhao Kuangyin finally determine the strategic policy of "first south and then north" and "first easy and then difficult". This incident is the famous "snow night policy" in history.

later.

After the funeral pacified all the small countries in the south and became stronger, Zhao Kuangyin really led his troops to the Northern Expedition.

In September of the second year of Kaibao, Song Taizu sent Li Jixun to lead troops to attack the Northern Han Dynasty, but returned without success because of the Khitan army's aid.

In October, Taizu personally conquered the Northern Han Dynasty.

The Song army built Changlian City to besiege Taiyuan. The Northern Han general Yang Ye went out of the city to invade the Song Dongxizhai, and was defeated. The Liao army rescued the Northern Han in two ways.

Later, the city of Taiyuan was flooded and the city was terrified. Minister Guo Wuyu tried to surrender to the Song Dynasty and was killed. The Khitan sent troops to help the Northern Han Dynasty, and Taiyuan was saved.

The Song army was unable to attack for a long time because of the garrison under the city of Taiyuan, and lost soldiers and generals. Because of the summer rain, the soldiers were sick, so they sent troops to the army.

This first Northern Expedition was not considered a failure on the whole, after all, it took back a certain amount of land and demonstrated the national prestige of the Song Dynasty.

……

What about Zhao Kuangyin's second Northern Expedition?

He didn't fail.

Because he has no chance to send troops at all.

why?
I have saved enough money.

The man died suddenly in the palace, and he was a 49-year-old with integrity and golden age!
"What? Will I suddenly die suddenly at the age of an upright man?" Zhao Kuangyin's expression was alarmed for the first time.

Lin Feng said, "About your death, there is an allusion of an eternal mystery."

The murderous look in Zhao Kuangyin's eyes became stronger and stronger, "Allusions?"

The historical allusion of "the shadow of the candle and the sound of the axe".

This is also the mystery of Zhao Kuangyin's death. Even after a thousand years, no one can solve the mystery.

History has been sealed.

The ancients are dead.

No matter how strong your professional ability is, how can you determine what happened thousands of years ago?

It is said that in 976 AD, Taizu Zhao Kuangyin was seriously ill, and Zhao Guangyi, king of Jin, was recruited to discuss matters, and he was not heard from left and right.

During the banquet, someone saw the shadows of candles shaking in the palace, as if Zhao Guangyi had left his seat to retreat, and after a while, he heard the sound of an ax poking the ground.

That night, Taizu died, and Empress Song asked Wang Jien to call Qin Wang Zhao Defang, but at this moment, Wang Jien suddenly shouted, "King Jin is here!" Empress Song was shocked when she saw Zhao Guangyi! She begged Guangyi: "My mother and son! Fate is entrusted to the officials."
Zhao Guangyi cried and replied: "To protect wealth and honor, don't worry!" Later Jin Wang Guangyi succeeded to the throne, known as Taizong in history.

"The sound of the candle shadow and the axe? Is it the younger brother I have always valued?" Zhao Kuangyin's veins swelled up, and with an iron fist, the wine glass in his hand exploded.

Zhao Kuangyin was very angry, which is understandable, after all, it is related to his own life and death.

No matter what.

At the point in time that Lin Feng traveled through at this time, Zhao Kuangyin still had a few years to live, so Lin Feng could not know whether Zhao Kuangyin's death a few years later was related to Zhao Guangyi.

"Did my younger brother also make the sound of the candle shadow ax in the change of Emperor Taizong's Xuanwu Gate?"

Zhao Kuangyin read out every single word, and at this moment he was already like a violent tiger about to go berserk.

Lin Feng was ashamed.

Compare Song Taizong Zhao Guangyi with Tang Taizong Li Shimin?The two are not on the same level at all!

I don't know how long ago.

Zhao Kuangyin sighed, his expression sank, his pupils dimmed and his facial features seemed to have aged a lot in an instant, and he asked faintly:
"Didn't Zhao Guangyi take back the Sixteen States of Yanyun after succeeding to the throne?"

Lin Feng replied, "No!"

no way.

After all, Zhao Guangyi is Song Taizong, not Tang Taizong!
The military level of the two is different by several dimensions.

Zhao Kuangyin was not reconciled, and asked again, "What about the later Emperor Song? Can't do it?"

Lin Feng said, "Before the Great Song Dynasty perished, the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun were always in the hands of foreigners."

"I @#￥%..."

Zhao Kuangyin, who is as strong as the ancient Mingjun, couldn't help but utter a national curse at this time.

……

(End of this chapter)