Chapter 87 178 An actor becomes an official

When Zhu Wen established the Liang Dynasty, there were still two larger separatist forces in the north.One is Liu Rengong from Youzhou, and the other is Jin Wang Li Keyong from Hedong.At this time, the Khitan tribe in the north began to grow stronger, and its leader Yelu Abaoji (Yelü is the surname) unified the various tribes of Khitan and established a political power.In 907 A.D., A Baoji led 300,000 troops and invaded Yunzhou (where the government is located today in Datong, Shanxi). Li Keyong wanted to use Khitan forces to deal with Zhu Wen, so he contacted A Baoji, and the two sides met in the east city of Yunzhou. , became brothers, and agreed to attack Liang together on a date.But as soon as A Baoji returned to Khitan, he repented when he saw Zhu Wen's power, and sent another person to form an alliance with Zhu Wen.

When Li Keyong heard the news, he was so angry that he almost fainted.In the spring of the following year, he was exhausted and fell ill with malignant sores on his back.Knowing that he would never get up again, he called his son Li Cunxu (sound xu) to the bedside and told him, "Zhu Wen is an enemy of our family. You know it without saying anything; Liu Rengong was recommended by me. Later he I am capricious and seek refuge with Zhu Wen; Khitan and I were once brothers, but ended up tearing up the covenant, turning our faces and denying anyone. I haven’t breathed out these few breaths, and I won’t be able to close my eyes even if I die.”

As he spoke, he ordered his attendants to fetch three arrows, handed them to Li Cunxu himself, and said, "These three arrows are for you. You must remember the three enemies and avenge our family." Li Cunxu knelt beside the bed with tears in his eyes, took the arrow, and expressed that he would keep his father's instructions in mind.After hearing this, Li Keyong closed his eyes and died. After Li Keyong died, Li Cunxu succeeded his father as King Jin.He trained the soldiers carefully, rectified military discipline, and trained the scattered Shatuo soldiers into an elite and capable team.

Determined to destroy his enemies, Li Cunxu solemnly enshrined the three arrows left by his father in his family temple.Every time he goes out to battle, he first sends an official to his family temple to take out the arrow, put it in a delicate silk sleeve, and take it with him to the battle; after winning the battle, he sends it back to the temple. Li Cunxu sent troops to fight several battles with Liang Bing, beating the 500,000 army led by Zhu Wen dizzy and fleeing in embarrassment.Zhu Wen was so ashamed and angry that he fell ill and died. Then, Li Cunxu broke through Youzhou again, captured Liu Rengong and his son Liu Shouguang alive, and escorted them back to Taiyuan.

In 916 AD, Yelu Abaoji ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor. Five years later, he sent troops to the south.Li Cunxu personally sent troops, defeated the Khitan army, and drove A Baoji back to the north. After Zhu Wen's death, his son, Emperor Liang Mo, fought with Li Cunxu for more than ten years. In 923 AD, Li Cunxu destroyed the Liang Dynasty, unified the north, proclaimed himself emperor, changed the name of the country to Tang, and established Luoyang as its capital.This is Zhuangzong of the Later Tang Dynasty. Tang Zhuangzong avenged his father and was satisfied. He thought that the enemy had been wiped out and the Central Plains had been stabilized, so he wanted to enjoy it.When he was a child, he liked watching and acting the most.At that time, there was an opera troupe in the Prince Jin's Mansion, which was dedicated to acting for the Prince's Mansion.Tang Zhuangzong got acquainted with the actors in the opera troupe (in the old society, people who took opera as a profession were called actors) when they were young.Later, he fought desperately on the Hebei battlefield and put aside acting.When he became emperor, he became obsessed with acting. He stayed with actors all day long, dressed in costumes, and performed on stage, leaving aside state affairs.

He gave himself a stage name called "Li Tianxia". Once, when he was acting on stage, he called himself "Li Tianxia" twice.An actor went up and scratched his ears twice, beating Tang Zhuangzong inexplicably.The other actors were also taken aback when they saw it, and rushed up to grab the actor and question him.The actor who slapped the slap said with a smile: "Li (Li and Li have the same pronunciation) the emperor is the only one in the world. If you yell twice, who else is there?" Tang Zhuangzong realized he was joking with him when he heard him say it. I don't get angry when I get beaten.

The actors were favored by Emperor Zhuangzong of the Tang Dynasty, and they freely entered and exited the palace.They can fight with the emperor, but they are even more arrogant with ordinary officials.The officials were bullied by them and felt angry, no one dared to do anything to them.In order to get them to say a good word in front of Zhuang Zong, some officials had to give them gifts to curry favor.There is an actor named Jing Jin, who specially spy on the outside situation for Zhuang Zong.Anyone who doesn't please him, he will speak ill in front of Zhuang Zong, and whoever will be unlucky.Therefore, when the officials saw Jing Jin, they were all afraid.

Tang Zhuangzong wants to appoint two actors as governors.Some people dissuaded him and said: "Now that the new dynasty has just been established, the soldiers who have experienced many battles with His Majesty have not yet been rewarded. Instead, let the actor be the governor. I'm afraid everyone will not accept it." Tang Zhuangzong ignored these words at all, and still let the actor become an official. Some soldiers were really angry when they saw it.Within a few years, chaos broke out within the Houfu court, and the general Guo Chongtao was killed.Another general Li Siyuan (the adopted son of Li Keyong) was also suspected and almost died.

Li Siyuan was supported by the soldiers and decided to oppose Tang Zhuangzong.He led troops into Bianjing, preparing to establish himself as emperor. Tang Zhuangzong heard the news in Luoyang and wanted to return to Bianjing.On the way, I heard that Li Siyuan had entered Bianjing.Generals from all over the country supported Li Siyuan one after another.Knowing that he was completely isolated, he said to the left and right soldiers dejectedly: "This is the end for me!" Tang Zhuangzong returned to Luoyang and wanted to resist Li Siyuan.Guo Congqian, his pro-army commander, was also an actor, and he once recognized General Guo Chongtao as his uncle.After Guo Chongtao was killed, Guo Congqian had harbored a grudge for a long time. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he launched a pro-army mutiny and stormed the palace.Tang Zhuangzong wanted to resist but it was too late, he was shot by a stray arrow and died.

Li Siyuan succeeded Tang Zhuangzong as the emperor of the later Tang Dynasty, and this was Tang Mingzong.