Song Xiu

Chapter 158 Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Song Dynasty: The Khitans Were Tempted
After the reform of the Imperial Guards, the imperial court attached great importance to their training.

Although the country is currently at peace and the Imperial Guards are mainly stationed on a daily basis, Emperor Zhao Kuangyin issued an edict stipulating that the Imperial Guards should have "small drills every five days and large drills every half month".

Zhao Kuangyin not only imposed strict regulations on the training time of the Imperial Guards, but also issued another imperial edict to prevent the commanders of the Imperial Guards from neglecting their duties:
Every three months, the emperor would personally inspect the imperial guards.

The emperor's military review resembled a wartime event.

Since it is wartime, military law will be applied.

If the emperor discovers during a military review that any imperial guard unit is poorly trained, he will first punish the unit's instructor, and then punish the unit's commander.

As early as when he served as the Commander of the Palace Guards, Zhao Kuangyin had already compiled a "Detailed Training Guidelines" for the Imperial Guards.

This "Training Rules" may be the predecessor of "The Complete Guide to Martial Arts".

With Zhao Kuangyin's meticulously compiled "Training Rules" in place, as long as the Imperial Guard commanders did not slack off and trained according to the rules, the Imperial Guard's combat effectiveness could maintain a relatively high minimum level.

With the emperor personally overseeing the process, it was sufficient to prevent the generals of the Imperial Guard from committing dereliction of duty to the greatest extent possible.

Ever since he had a son, Zhao Kuangyin would habitually consult Zhao Dexiu before issuing any imperial edict.

"Prince Jin, what do you think?"

Zhao Dexiu did not disappoint Zhao Kuangyin; he offered some advice:
"Father, why don't you have this imperial edict engraved on a stone tablet and use it as the ancestral precept of the Song Dynasty?"

Every founding emperor had one hobby—establishing ancestral precepts.

The Tang Dynasty had the "Imperial Model" and the Ming Dynasty had the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions".

As for Zhao Kuangyin's idea, it was quite unique; he did not want to write the ancestral precepts in the book:
Zhao Kuangyin did not believe that his and Zhao Dexiu's descendants would be people who would actively study their ancestral precepts.

Zhao Kuangyin planned to erect a stone tablet, inscribe the ancestral precepts on it, and then place the "Ancestral Precepts Tablet" directly in the ancestral temple.

Later rulers may not be fond of reading, but very few will fail to worship at the ancestral temple, because venerating the ancestral temple is the source of the legitimacy of future rulers.

By placing the "Ancestral Instructions Stele" in the ancestral temple, later rulers could passively receive some teachings whenever they worshipped it.

Although Zhao Dexiu could not overstep Zhao Kuangyin's ancestral precepts, he could influence Zhao Kuangyin's decisions.

Since ancestral precepts must be upheld, why not establish positive ones?

Do not write things like "sharing the world with the scholar-officials".

Including the emperor's regular military reviews in ancestral precepts would have several advantages: firstly, it would have greatly slowed down the decline of military power in later generations; secondly, it would have strengthened the emperor's control over the military; and thirdly, it would have fostered a martial spirit in future rulers.

Why not do something that offers benefits to all three parties?
In addition to this, Zhao Dexiu also suggested:
"The saying 'Be the first to worry about the world's troubles and the last to enjoy its pleasures' gradually spread among the court and the people. The people all praised the Emperor as an unparalleled sage. Why doesn't the Emperor inscribe this phrase on the ancestral stele as a model for future rulers?"

Every dynasty has its own "motto," and Zhao Dexiu has no intention of copying it; the Song Dynasty has its own famous sayings!

Zhao Kuangyin was an emperor, and also a father.

Which father doesn't want to be a role model for his son?
When others praised him, Zhao Kuangyin took it as flattery; but when Zhao Dexiu praised him, Zhao Kuangyin was quite pleased.
"Very well! We shall do as the Prince of Jin says!"

Zhao Kuangyin happily slammed his fist on the table and first established two ancestral precepts.

Upon seeing this, Yang Li, a Hanlin scholar standing nearby, picked up his writing brush with a smile.

As the first top scholar in the imperial examination of the Song Dynasty, Yang Li was not only a Hanlin Academician but also a court attendant.

It seems that today's "Ancestral Instructions" will be completed by "Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong" together.

It remains to be seen how future generations will praise this father and son.
I imagine that while praising them, I would also feel proud.

Filled with anticipation and excitement, Yang Li picked up his pen and wrote:

In the tenth month of the second year of the Jianlong era, the Emperor said to the Prince of Jin, "In recent times, the governance of the country by rulers and ministers has been far inferior to that of the ancients. Why is this?"

The King of Jin replied, “The ancient sage kings all established rules and regulations to govern the country. Now, I beseech Your Majesty to follow the example of these sage kings!”

The Emperor, intrigued, then asked the Prince of Jin, "What should be the first principle of the Song Dynasty's rules and regulations?"

The King of Jin bowed and said, "To be the first to worry about the world's troubles and the last to enjoy its pleasures!"

The emperor clapped his hands in delight and said, "Excellent! The one who will carry on my will is the Prince of Jin!"

October of the second year of the Jianlong reign of the Great Song Dynasty.

At 3:45 AM, the Imperial Guard camp was bathed in morning frost. The copper bells at the gate jingled in the cold wind, and the loud training sounds of soldiers could be heard from time to time inside the camp.

The Imperial Guard camp outside the city was the core of protecting the foundation of the Song Dynasty, where tens of thousands of elite soldiers were stationed.

The Imperial Guard camp was heavily guarded; anyone who dared to approach within a few miles of the camp would be stopped by patrolling swordsmen.

Zhao Dexiu was different; he used his facial recognition to get to the Imperial Guard camp.

When Zhao Dexiu reined in his horse outside the camp, the Privy Council Academician and the eunuch behind him stepped forward first.

The two officials each held a gilded bronze box, which was secured with three locks.

Upon seeing that it was Zhao Dexiu who had come, the officer guarding the camp stepped forward with a look of fear and asked, "Your Highness Prince Jin, this humble general requests to examine the documents in the fish bag."

The fish-shaped pouch was a bag used to hold tiger tallies or official seals.

During the Tang Dynasty, tiger tallies were changed to fish tallies. Although this custom has not been followed today, the name "fish bag" has not changed.

The officer guarding the camp spoke respectfully, but his body directly blocked Zhao Dexiu's path.

The fact that Privy Council officials came together indicates that Zhao Dexiu has come to mobilize troops.

Given Zhao Dexiu's status and prestige, it wouldn't have been difficult for him to enter the main camp unless troops were being mobilized.

However, when it came to troop deployment, the officers guarding the camp could only suppress their awe and ask Zhao Dexiu for advice.

Zhao Dexiu was not angry at being stopped by a lowly officer; in fact, he was quite pleased.

Today he wanted to see for himself how the new troop deployment system was being implemented in the military.

If you can stop him by adhering to the established procedures, then others are even less likely to succeed.

Zhao Dexiu took off the fish bag and handed it over, saying loudly:
"I have been ordered by Your Majesty to come and mobilize troops for the western expedition."

The officer guarding the camp quickly checked the documents in the fish bag. Seeing that the documents were stamped with the "troop deployment seal" of the Privy Council, he dared not delay and immediately turned around and rushed into the camp.

According to the old system, Zhao Dexiu could enter the camp to mobilize troops if he had documents from the Privy Council.

In the newly implemented troop deployment system, the Privy Council's documents were merely the first step in the process.

Not long after, the sound of clashing armor came from inside the camp. Han Lingkun, the commander of the Palace Guard, Xiang Gong, the commander of the Imperial Guard Cavalry, and Liang Yansi, the commander of the Imperial Guard Navy, were rushing over together.

Behind them followed the officer in charge of the imperial guards.

The officer in charge of the tally was holding a "Tally Record" that had recently been distributed from the Privy Council to the Imperial Guards.

After Han Lingkun and his two companions arrived, they all bowed to Zhao Dexiu, who was on horseback.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Highness Prince Jin."

After the greetings were exchanged, Han Lingkun, who was in the lead, smiled awkwardly and said:
"Your Highness, please show me the talisman and the imperial edict so that I may verify them."

Out of fear of Zhao Dexiu's prestige, Han Lingkun spoke with great caution.

As soon as Han Lingkun finished speaking, Zhao Dexiu gestured to the eunuch to open the first bronze box.

The box was lined with yellow velvet, symbolizing that the bronze box was a royal item.

Half a talisman lay quietly on the yellow velvet, about the size of a palm, with a dragon pattern engraved on the front and a number engraved on the back, and tight grooves between the characters on both sides.

Previously, Zhao Dexiu had suggested to Zhao Kuangyin that a more sophisticated troop deployment certificate should be adopted.

In addition, Zhao Dexiu believed that a "Seal Bureau" should be established in the Inner Palace Secretariat to be specifically responsible for managing the military mobilization tokens.

Every use of the talisman must be strictly recorded and constantly monitored and traced.

The original troop deployment warrants were held separately by the Privy Councilor and the Commander-in-Chief.

The reason why Guo Wei's uprising was able to sweep across the country so quickly was that he was the Privy Councilor, who had the power to mobilize the elite troops of the country.

Historically, the Song Dynasty still entrusted the troop mobilization certificates to the Privy Council. To avoid a repeat of Guo Wei, Song emperors could only appoint civil officials as Privy Councilors. To prevent a recurrence of this situation, the only solution was to adopt later systems and place the troop mobilization certificates directly under the supervision of imperial power.

Upon seeing the talisman in the palace, the official in charge of the talisman did not take it lightly. According to the number on the back of the talisman, he took out the one from his own bronze box, which was called the "retained talisman".

When the talisman left behind touched the talisman brought by Zhao Dexiu, a soft "click" sound was heard at the point where the talismans were joined, and the two talismans fit together perfectly.

"The pattern on the talisman is correct, and the edges fit perfectly."

The official in charge of the talismans turned to the corresponding page in the "Talligraphy Records" and drew a checkmark under "Talligraphy Number Thirty-Seven" with a red pen.

"The number matches the record."

After the talisman was matched, a Privy Council official opened the bronze box and took out the imperial edict inside.

The imperial edict was stamped with the jade seal at the top, which read "Treasure of the Mandate of the Great Song Dynasty," and the square seal at the bottom, which read "Seal of the Privy Council for Deploying Troops."

Only after confirming that both seals were present did Han Lingkun begin to read the contents of the imperial edict:
On the fifteenth day of the tenth month of the second year of the Jianlong era, the Privy Council received an imperial decree:

He ordered the transfer of 25,000 troops from the Palace Guard Commandery, 20,000 troops from the Sun-Supporting Army, 5,000 troops from the Divine Martial Army, and 3,000 cavalry from the Imperial Guard Cavalry Commandery, totaling 53,000 regular troops, to accompany Zhao Dexiu, the Western Commander, to Guanzhong to quell the rebellion.

Departure is required within three days, without fail!

After Han Lingkun and Xiang Gong confirmed the contents of the imperial edict, they both cupped their hands and said:

"Your Majesty, we will personally inspect the troops. The armor, bows and arrows, and provisions will all be prepared in accordance with regulations. Please enter the camp and wait for us!"

After Han Lingkun and his companion welcomed Zhao Dexiu into the camp, Liang Yansi, who did not need to muster troops, gradually walked at the back.

As he walked, Liang Yansi sighed to himself, "In the past few decades, which dynasty has ever mobilized troops with such rigor? The chaotic times are coming to an end!"

Liang Yansi was a veteran general of the Five Dynasties and had witnessed the troop deployment systems of many dynasties. His observations were quite insightful.

After expressing his feelings, Liang Yansi hurriedly lifted his old legs and chased after them.

His rise from local military governor to commander of the Imperial Guard Navy was entirely due to Zhao Dexiu's promotion.

Before Zhao Dexiu led his troops on the western expedition, he had to privately ask Zhao Dexiu for his views on the development of the Song Dynasty's navy.

Liang Yansi's political awareness has always been among the best of his time.

Once the military supplies and provisions were ready, Zhao Dexiu officially led more than 50,000 imperial guards on a western expedition on the 18th.

The moment the Imperial Guards outside Bianjing moved, the news reached Guanzhong at an extremely fast pace.

Even after raising the banner of rebellion, Li Hongxin knew that Zhao Kuangyin would send troops to punish him by the end of the year at the latest.

Li Hongxin made many preparations for this day, including but not limited to requesting external assistance.

With all the preparations made, Li Hongxin thought he wouldn't be too flustered by the arrival of the Imperial Guards.

Upon hearing that Zhao Dexiu was personally leading the expedition, Li Hongxin felt not only fear but also resentment and confusion.
Why did Zhao Kuangyin send Wang Quanbin to lead the eastern expedition?

Is he more capable than Guo Congyi?
This is a complete misunderstanding!

If Wang Quanbin or another general had been in command, Li Hongxin wouldn't have panicked.

But Zhao Dexiu's reputation was earned through battle after battle.

Even the commander of the first army had little confidence after hearing the news of Zhao Dexiu's westward expedition, let alone the others in the Fengxiang army.
Before Zhao Dexiu even led his troops into Hulao Pass, some soldiers in the Fengxiang army began to desert.

If this trend continues, it won't be long before Jingzhao Prefecture becomes a ghost town.

Just as Li Hongxin was contemplating whether to abandon the city and flee to Western Shu, a tremendous piece of good news arrived in his hands:

Emperor Meng Chang of Shu ordered Wang Zhaoyuan, the Privy Councilor, to lead an army of 50,000 northwards!
Upon hearing that reinforcements from Western Shu were about to arrive, Li Hongxin's heart gradually calmed down.

Meng Chang understood the principle of "if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold" (meaning that if one's lips are gone, one's teeth will be cold).

With the addition of 50,000 fresh troops from Western Shu, Li Hongxin suddenly felt that holding Jingzhao Prefecture was not so difficult.

To stabilize morale, Li Hongxin announced the news to the entire army.

Upon learning of the arrival of strong reinforcements, the escalating desertion trend within the Fengxiang army gradually subsided.

However, Li Hongxin's heart was not at ease due to his fear of Zhao Dexiu's military might.

Li Hongxin climbed onto the city gate of Chang'an and looked north—that was the direction of Yan and Yun.

Even after Li Yixing rejected him, he did not give up.

Li Hongxin, stationed in Guanzhong, was well aware of the ambiguous relationship between Li Yixing and the Khitan.

Li Hongxin once sent an envoy to Yanjing, hoping to persuade Yelü Wuzhi to help continue to persuade Li Yixing.

Li Hongxin's actions perfectly illustrate the saying "when you're desperate, you'll try anything."

But will his desperate attempts at treatment be effective?
it works.

After receiving Li Hongxin's plea for help, Yelü Wuzhi, the Northern King of the Khitan, summoned Xiao Siwen to his presence.

After Xiao Siwen arrived, Yelü Wuzhi informed him of the recent changes in Guanzhong.

What is Siwen's opinion on this matter?

When Yelü Wu was questioning him, Xiao Siwen carefully observed his expression.

During the reign of Emperor Shizong of Zhou, Xiao Siwen was in charge of military and political affairs in Yanjing. His performance during that period was not honorable.

When Emperor Shizong of Zhou launched his three campaigns against Huainan, Yelü Jing ordered Xiao Siwen to lead troops to attack Bianjing from the rear, but Xiao Siwen refused to move his troops, citing fear of the summer heat.

When Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou launched his northern expedition, facing the Zhou army's successive victories, Xiao Siwen, the commander-in-chief at the front, actually wrote a letter to Yelü Jing asking how to fight the battle.

This almost made Yelü Jing furious.

Left with no other choice, Yelü Jing ordered Yelü Wuzhi to urgently travel south, while simultaneously issuing an edict to advise Xiao Siwen.

From then on, everyone in the Khitan court and among the people knew that Xiao Siwen was not good at fighting.

Everyone in the court and the public knew this, so how could Yelü Wuzhi not know?

Knowing this, Xiao Siwen still questioned him about military matters, which made him wary.

Xiao Siwen was not good at fighting, but he was a master of political maneuvering. He realized that Yelü Wuzhi was testing him.

In his heart, Xiao Siwen did not agree with the Khitan's rash intervention in this matter, but he knew that Yelü Wuzhi did not want the Song Dynasty to continue to grow stronger—just like the Zhou Dynasty back then.

"Your Majesty, I will join you in submitting a memorial to Your Majesty, informing you of the growing power of the Song Dynasty."

Yelü Wuzhi was very satisfied with Xiao Siwen's performance, knowing that Xiao Siwen was close to Yelü Xian.

Yelü Wuzhi didn't care who the Khitan emperor was; what he cared about was the fate of the Khitan nation.
"The new policies of the Song Dynasty are in full swing. If we continue to sit idly by and watch them develop, it will be detrimental to our dynasty."

"It is necessary to test the military strength of the Song Dynasty. No matter how good the new policies are, they will be a joke if there are no strong troops to protect them."

After saying this, Yelü Wuzhi kicked one of the servants beside him.

The man lay prone on the ground like a dog.

"Do you agree?"

Upon hearing this, it seemed as if his painful memories were stirred up, and a look of grief and indignation appeared on his face, but it quickly disappeared.

"Your Majesty is right."

This answer made Yelü Wuzhi burst into laughter.

That person was none other than Shi Chonggui, the last emperor of the Later Jin dynasty!

Back then, after Shi Chonggui ascended the throne, he worked diligently to govern the country, just like Zhao Kuangyin, wanting to change the world, but what happened in the end?

Who knows if Song won't become the second Jin!

(End of this chapter)