Chapter 2 2. Stay away from morality: making excuses

At the end of a glorious era, in its long-term accumulation process, the elites bred by the highly developed culture and economy will inevitably emerge explosively.Intense social conflicts are also prone to various opportunities, allowing various characters with real talents and learning to find their own stage.It is precisely because of this that there is a saying that "troubled times create heroes".It's hard to tell whether heroes are born in large numbers to create troubled times, or troubled times provide a platform for heroes to display their ambitions. Under the chaotic political environment at the end of Tang Dynasty, Huang Chao, as a heroic representative who was unwilling to endure tyranny, swung his arms and overthrew Tang San's century-old empire building.As a member of this team, Zhu Wen also reprimanded Fang Qiu, hoping to gain more space to display his ambitions.However, after Huang Chao captured Chang'an and proclaimed himself emperor, the various ills of the peasant uprising army began to be gradually exposed. The internal affairs and external defense were a mess, lacking organizational planning.Under such circumstances, the capable generals under his command gradually complained.When Huang Chao confronted Wang Chongrong, the Tang Dynasty Hezhong Jiedu envoy, he accepted the advice of the counselor Xie Tong and defected to the Tang Dynasty instead.After Zhu Wen descended to the Tang Dynasty, he was reused by Tang Xizong, who was in exile. He was successively awarded the important positions of General Zuo Jinwu and the Deputy Envoy of the Hezhong Camp, and he was also named "Quan Zhong". Use Zhu Wen to counterattack Huang Chao and restore the rule.

Tang Xizong and Huang Chao both had expectations for Zhu Wen, but Zhu Wen disappointed them all.Zhu Wen first rebelled against Huang Chao, and finally wiped out Huang Chao for the Tang Dynasty.After gaining trust and rising to the top, he rebelled against Tang Xizong, completely erasing the name of Datang from history. After Huang Chao's defeat, his subordinate Qin Zongquan led the rest of his troops to continue to fight against Tang.Zhu Wen joined forces with Zhu Jin of Yanzhou and Zhu Xuan of Yunzhou to annihilate him.At this time, Zhu Wen had become a tyrant who controlled the regime of the Tang Dynasty, and his eyes were fixed on Zhu Jin and Zhu Xuan who had helped him.Counselor Xie Tong said to him: "Although Qin Zongquan led most of Huang Chao's troops, after our repeated pursuits, the remaining remnants are no longer enough to pose a threat to us. Currently, the most powerful teams, except Li Ke Yong is Yang Xingmi and others from Huainan, but these people are not afraid of them because the mountains are high and the roads are far away, but Zhu Jin and Zhu Xuan are too close to us. Once there is an accident, it is difficult for us to guard against it, so you have to act early Intend."

Zhu Wen nodded and said: "Actually, I have long been on guard against Zhu Xuan and others, but this time I defeated Qin Zongquan, if he hadn't cooperated with me and achieved three-sided attack, maybe I couldn't win so easily. So, now To launch an offensive against him suddenly will inevitably attract the blame of the world and become an unkind and unrighteous person." Xie Tong said: "Now the world is in chaos. As long as there is strength, there is no one who does not want to expand his territory and strengthen his army. In the plunder, who abides by morality? Those saints who flaunt themselves with benevolence and righteousness, It has long since disappeared in the flames of the battlefield."

In fact, these remarks often surfaced in Zhu Wen's mind. He is not a gentleman.In order to gain today's power, Zhu Wen's path is full of criticism.Under Xie Tong's suggestion, he decided to officially launch an offensive against Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin, vowing to get rid of these two unstable factors closest to him.He ordered people to call Yang Neng, Ge Congzhou and others who were also former members of Huang Chao's former department to the meeting hall to discuss countermeasures. Zhu Wen first stated his purpose, which was to eliminate the two forces of Zhu Jin and Zhu Xuan, and then let the generals express their opinions.General Huo Cun said: "Although Zhu Jin and Zhu Xuan are one in Yanzhou and the other in Yunzhou, because they are cousins, they have always been united with each other. Once we attack one of them, the other will definitely attract attacks." , so it seems that the difficulty of things has increased.”

But Xie Tong said: "This is actually beneficial to us. We can take down both of them in one fell swoop. Wouldn't it save us a lot of energy to fight?" Yang Neng said: "When I was fighting Qin Zongquan, I sent troops with Zhu Xuan. He was very brave in fighting on the battlefield, but he was also very irritable. The soldiers in the army would be severely punished for the slightest disobedience. There are always complaints in the army." After hearing these words, Zhu Wen suddenly said to Yang Neng: "You once stayed in Yunzhou for a while, but Zhu Xuan treated you very well. Why do you think that is?"

Yang Neng thought for a while and said, "I was sent to Yunzhou by you. His hospitality to me is actually his respect for you. He even once said that he would come to see you in person." Zhu Wen smiled and said: "If Zhu Xuan is in awe of me, it is because I am stronger than him for the time being. If one day he is stronger than me, then he will definitely not treat me like this. I I heard that there is a lack of brave soldiers in his army, so he has been searching for talents, and this time he entertained you so much, I think it is also for this purpose?" Yang Neng quickly said: "Even if I was lured by a high-ranking official and generous salary, I would definitely not take refuge in him."

Zhu Wen said: "I don't doubt your loyalty to me, but I think we can make a fuss from here. Zhu Xuan has a violent temper. If he is framed, he will definitely fly into a rage. I want to seize this opportunity and let him get angry first. Then I can take advantage of it.” Xie Tong, Yang Neng and others hurriedly said: "I would like to hear the details." Zhu Wen said: "Tomorrow, I will write a handwritten letter, using Zhu Xuan as an excuse to lure Yang Neng to surrender. Zhu Xuan will definitely not want to admit it, and it will definitely attract verbal swords. As long as he gets angry, we will punish him." There is a chance to use force against him. And Zhu Jin will definitely come to help him, and when the time comes, he can subdue them in one fell swoop."

Everyone admired Zhu Wen's ingenious plan. Although it was an immoral trap, as long as Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin could be introduced into it, wiped out, eliminated these two powerful enemies, and strengthened their own strength in troubled times, it would be a perfect strategy. Under Zhu Wen's arrangement, Xie Tong sent someone to send a letter to Zhu Xuan.Zhu Xuan, who received the letter, thought that Zhu Wen was thanking him for helping him put down Qin Zongquan. Unexpectedly, Zhu Wen reprimanded him in the letter, claiming that Zhu Xuan was sociating and trying to induce Yang Neng to betray him. This behavior is disgusting.

Seeing the letter, Zhu Xuan was furious, scolded Zhu Wen for spitting blood, and said to the left and right: "It's fine if Zhu Wen doesn't appreciate my helping him put down Qin Zongquan that day, but also spitting blood, what a villain. There are so many strong generals under my banner, how could I do it for A general did such a thing, and he not only failed my kindness to him, but also humiliated me!" After speaking, Zhu Xuan did not listen to the advice of the left and right, and wrote in a moment of anger. Just a reply letter, and ordered someone to send it to Zhu Wen.

Zhu Wen opened Zhu Xuan's angry reply letter. In the letter, he not only refuted Zhu Wen's slander, but also criticized him verbally and in writing, enumerating his crimes of revenge.Zhu Wen smiled instead of anger, and said to Xie Tong: "Although this Zhu Xuan is stationed on one side, he is just a common man. It is a joke to keep Yunzhou with his talent. Since Yunzhou's fall will sooner or later It is better to let us subdue him, so that this land will not be baptized by a war." Using this letter of refutation and reprimanding himself as an excuse, Zhu Wen immediately dispatched troops to attack Yunzhou.He ordered Zhu Zhen and Ge Congzhou to go north from Cao County, and Yang Neng and Zhang Guihou to lead troops from the south to form a pincer attack on Zhu Xuan, and soon captured Yunzhou, which Zhu Xuan ruled.Taking Zhu Jin's help to Zhu Xuan as an excuse, he took Yanzhou with his troops.

In Zhu Wen's early wars, he did not dare to be enemies with too strong forces, and avoided Li Keyong, Yang Xingmi and other forces.Although Tang Xizong and Tang Zhaozong, the rulers of the Tang Dynasty, were held hostage at that time, Yang Xingmi, Li Keyong, Shi Pu and other forces were enough to destroy Zhu Wen. Therefore, he chose to avoid the big enemy and continued to attack areas with relatively weak forces. Use the opportunity to expand your power continuously.Under the guidance of this policy, he continued to erode the forces around him, and included Yunzhou, Yanzhou and other places in his territory. After completely pacifying Qin Zongquan, Zhu Wen established an alliance in the area along the Yellow River. He continued to show his favor to the stronger Li Keyong and others, expressing his willingness to form an alliance with him to strengthen his own strength.After gaining stability, he began to eliminate Shi Pu and other powerful enemies one by one.By sweeping away the opponents, they mastered the land of the Central Plains south of the Yellow River and north of the Huaihe River, and developed into the biggest force surpassing Li Keyong.This process took Zhu Wen more than 20 years. After a long and painstaking effort, he gradually began to move closer to the throne of the emperor he dreamed of. Under the chaotic social environment of the Five Dynasties period, the darkest parts of people's hearts were gradually exposed, and social morality experienced the most rapid decline since the Tang Dynasty.It is reflected in the political and military activities at that time, such incidents as brothers killing each other, friends turning against each other, fighting for power and gain by all means, and repeated defections emerged endlessly.Qin Zongquan was once the envoy of Caizhou Jiedu in Tang Dynasty. After surrendering to Huang Chao, he became an enemy of Tang Dynasty, and continued to oppose Tang Dynasty after Huang Chao died.However, Zhu Wen was originally under Huang Chao's banner, but was lured by Tang to surrender and defeated Huang Chao, and finally pushed Tang to perish.The displacement of the people and the scrambles between various forces became the norm in the society during this period, so the war strategy also showed a disregard for faith.The series of killings by Zhu Wen and others beyond common sense are the characteristics of the war in this period.