Chapter 76 Chapter Fifteen

With Jingzong's support, Empress Xiao Chuo began to implement a series of reforms, which made the Liao Kingdom stronger and stronger.It's a pity that the good times don't last long. In 982 AD, Jingzong died of illness suddenly during his tour.Although he left an edict ordering his eldest son Yelu Longxu to succeed to the throne, the empress Xiao Chuo who stayed in Shangjing and the twelve-year-old Yelu Longxu orphan and widowed mother had no one to rely on. A rebellion is possible at any moment.So what can Queen Xiao Chuo do to protect herself and her young son? The situation was grim at that time. When Jingzong died, he was not in Shangjing, but died on the road of inspection, and Shengzong had to succeed to the throne in front of the late emperor's coffin.If one of the kings and ministers staying in Shangjing raised his troops to rebel, the matter would be troublesome.As I said before, everyone in the Khitan royal family wanted to be an emperor, so how can one rebel come out of so many Yelu?

Xiao Chuo summoned two confidantes, whom we mentioned earlier—Yelu Xiezhen and Han Derang.The queen cried and said: "The mother and widow are weak, the clan is strong, and the frontier defense is not peaceful, what can I do?" age, minor.The clan is powerful, as we have discussed this issue, the dynasties established by the northern ethnic groups, Liao, Xixia, Jin, and later the Yuan Dynasty, had frequent civil strife.The Liao Dynasty was the worst. The vassal kings could manage the army and protect them. At least there were a hundred or so people, and there were thousands or even tens of thousands of people. The queen could even lead 30,000 people herself.The unsettled border defense refers to the relationship with Song Dynasty at that time.In such a situation of internal and external troubles, what should I do?

Yelu Xiezhen and Handerang patted their chests and said to the queen, don't worry, with our two brothers here, we will settle your internal and external troubles for you.Although we are not from the royal family, we all have a heart of loyalty and patriotism, which is definitely better than that of the royal family. As long as you rest assured, you leave the government to us, and there is no problem between us brothers.Only then did the Queen's heart settle down. Han Derang said, Weichen has led the bodyguards to guard, and there will be no danger here. I, Han Derang, will be responsible for the safety of the queen mother and the emperor. Don't worry, there will be no problems.The queen asked, what if someone rebelled in Shangjing?Han Derang said, hurry up and make an order to prohibit the private meetings of the kings, and let me go back to the palace to contemplate my mistakes behind closed doors.How did the first emperor die, because you were mad at him to death.Whoever doesn't think about it, let him follow the late emperor.Banquets are not allowed, you are inviting friends and conspiring to rebel?The kings of Shangjing all accompanied the queen with their wives. Send your wife and children here. The queen is young and widowed, so call them to be companions.In this way, a hostage was held in Xiao Chuo's hands, and the holy emperor Yelu Longxu was able to ascend the throne smoothly.

At that time, Liao passed through the five dynasties of Taizu, Taizong, Shizong, Muzong, and Jingzong, and learned from the Central Plains dynasty. The degree of Sinicization was much higher than at the beginning, and rebellions were not as frequent as before.As soon as the queen issued a decree, the kings obediently sent their wives here, and if they wanted to leave it in the previous court, they might raise their troops and rebel immediately.Emperor Shengzong was able to ascend the throne smoothly and passed the test without any danger, Han Derang contributed the most.