Resumen del episodio 35 de Swords into Plowshares
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After the court session, Hu Jing hurried after Hu Jinsi, believing that Qian Hongchu's rectification of the Old Eight Prefectures Army today was merely to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys. Everyone knew that the military affairs of the Old Eight Prefectures Army were slack and there were numerous phantom positions. The previous two monarchs, including Qian Hongzong, had all tolerated it, fearing to implicate old subordinates and trigger internal strife.
Yet Qian Hongchu actually let Shen Yin expose it in public, which was clearly a slap in Hu Jinsi's face in front of everyone. Before he could finish speaking, Hu Jinsi slapped his son with a backhand. Qian Hongchu returned to his bedchamber to accompany Sun Taizhen in coaxing their child, having new considerations regarding the court affairs. Hu Jinsi had commanded troops for many years; how could he not know the accumulated malpractices in the army?
However, the generals and officers of the Old Eight Prefectures Army were intermarried for generations, and the descendants of old subordinates and children of old friends were deeply intertwined. Bound by personal connections, he found it inconvenient to play the villain, so Qian Hongchu decided to play the villain for him. "
"" On the other hand, in the Central Plains, to quell the war between Southern Tang and Wuyue and to open up trade routes, Li Gu, Wang Po, and Zhao Kuangyin formed an envoy mission to Southern Tang. Ostensibly to mediate and form an alliance, in reality, they were secretly tasked with assessing the true situation of Jianghuai, paving the way for future unification.
The group first arrived in Jinling, where they witnessed night banquets with music and singing continuing non-stop until dawn among the various court officials. The Minister of the Secretariat raised his cup and recited new poetry, and Xu Xuan responded with a poem in harmony. Just as everyone else applauded and cheered, Prince Zheng Li Congjia (Li Yu) appeared, composing a poem on the spot.
His words subtly carried contempt for the Central Plains, and he compared the northern envoys to uncouth barbarians, causing the three men to angrily leave their seats, pack their bags, and intend to go to Qiantang. The next day, the envoy's carriages and horses arrived in Runzhou, Southern Tang, where they personally witnessed widespread poverty among the common people, famine victims everywhere, and ragged clothes.
Zhao Kuangyin ordered his men to take out the delicacies packed from the banquet and distribute them, but this only attracted minor officials wielding whips to disperse the hungry people. Wang Po and Li Gu looked at both sides of the official road and could not help but lament, "The rich revel in wine and meat, while the poor freeze to death on the roads."
The prosperity of Jiangnan was renowned throughout the world, yet who knew that outside the wealthy mansions, it was already a terminal illness. Now, the Inner Imperial Army needed rectification to strengthen its foundation. Qian Hongchu deeply knew that without a strong army, benevolent governance would have nothing to rely on.
So, he personally sought out his eldest elder brother, Qian Hongjun, and apologized on behalf of his sixth elder brother, Qian Hongzuo, further entrusting him with state affairs and explaining the current predicament. Qian Hongchu hoped his eldest elder brother would reorganize the Inner Imperial Army, and Qian Hongjun readily agreed, proposing to borrow Shen Wenqi to assist.
Soon, the Central Plains envoy mission arrived in Hangzhou, finding that the people's livelihood in Wuyue was relatively stable and governance was orderly. Wang Po and Li Gu stayed at a posthouse. Although the posthouse was simple and unadorned, not as luxurious as Jinling, the markets and streets were bustling with noise and activity, far surpassing Southern Tang. On the other side, Zhao Kuangyin proactively sought out Qian Hongchu for a drink.
Seeing that he was no longer the impulsive young man from Bianjing city back then, he felt a deep sense of emotion. After a few rounds of drinks, Zhao Kuangyin probed Qian Hongchu's attitude towards "ceding territory and submitting." Qian Hongchu stated magnanimously that the land of Wuyue was not the private property of the Qian clan, and its true masters were the myriad common people who toiled and traded there.
When it came to formally discussing the important economic matter of "southern grain transportation to the north," Wang Dezhao and Shen Wenqi came together to negotiate. The envoy mission unexpectedly learned that Wuyue had not only not expanded its military preparations but was cautiously culling redundant soldiers to conserve national strength.
Furthermore, Qian Hongchu proposed expanding overseas trade, using commercial profits to supplement grain taxes, and using boats and ships instead of weapons of war, transporting the abundance of the Southeast to the Central Plains via sea routes, and also introducing exotic treasures to the Central Land. As soon as this strategy was proposed, Wang Po, Li Gu, and others all nodded in approval.
This was definitely not a strategy of merely seeking temporary peace in a corner, but rather to bind the Central Plains with economic ties, transforming potential military conflict into mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. Cutting military spending to show no threat; opening up maritime trade to demonstrate sincerity in cooperation. Every step was carefully considered, not only preserving their current foundation but also paving a path for future potential changes that would be more easily accepted by the Central Plains.
After this series of inspections and discussions, the Central Plains envoy mission gained a deep understanding of the Wuyue Kingdom. Qian Hongchu adhered strictly to the etiquette of a vassal and eventually, as a matter of course, received the imperial edict from the Central Plains and was officially enfeoffed as the King of Wuyue. As the envoy mission's return journey was imminent, Zhao Kuangyin bid farewell to Qian Hongchu. Unexpectedly, news of Guo Wei's critical illness came from Bianliang.
At this moment, Guo Wei, from his sickbed, instructed Guo Rong on posthumous affairs, emphasizing that "The foundation of the state lies in the people, not in the army," and that he should govern the world with benevolent rule. In the first month of 954 AD, Guo Wei passed away due to illness, and Guo Rong succeeded to the throne, becoming Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou.
With the old order transitioning to the new, and the national mourning not yet concluded, Liu Chong, the ruler of Northern Han, allied with the Khitan, forming a formidable joint army, menacingly advanced south, intending to overthrow Later Zhou in one swift move. Guo Rong's decision to personally lead the expedition caused a huge uproar in the court.
A group of veteran high officials led by Feng Dao fiercely advised against it, reasoning that Guo Rong had just ascended to the throne, his foundation was unstable, so he should remain in the capital; moreover, during national mourning, it was inappropriate to wage war on a large scale; furthermore, the combined forces of Northern Han and Khitan were mighty, and the risks were extremely high.
However, Guo Rong's will was firm; he deeply knew that only by personally leading the battle could he stabilize the hearts of the court and the people. At the same time, Qian Hongchu, to support Later Zhou and tie up Southern Tang's military forces, also decided to personally lead a large army northward, deploying troops to Jiangbei.
