In the end, the Southern Han Dynasty was destroyed by the Northern Song Dynasty, and after the later lord Liu Gang surrendered, Zhao Kuangyin did not kill him. Liu Gang, the www.biquge.info of the pen "Fun", often flattered Zhao Kuangyin to save his life. He made a pearl dragon ninety-five saddle with jewelry and gave it to Zhao Kuangyin, who gave him 1.5 million yuan, but said to the courtiers on the left and right: "He likes to do skillful work, and he is accustomed to it, if he uses these hard work to govern the country, then how can he lose the country?"

Later, when Song Taizong wanted to go on the Northern Expedition, he set up a banquet to entertain the ministers, and Liu Gong also went, and said very flatteringly: "The prestige of the dynasty is famous far and wide, and the lords of the puppet court of the Quartet will all sit here in a short time, and the ministers are the first to come, hoping to be the leader of the kings of all countries in the future." ”

Taizong laughed and rewarded him, compared to Adou, Liu Gang took him a step further, Adou just said that he was happy, he still wanted to be the leader of the king, if Liu Zhi knew, he didn't know how to reprimand this unscrupulous descendant.

Liu Zhi died of illness, and was succeeded by his son Liu Jue, who was like his father, and committed many sexual abuses, and people were afraid of him, and he was soon murdered by his younger brothers Liu Sheng and Liu Chang. Liu Sheng himself sat on the throne of God, changed the yuan and should do it, he was the same as his father and brother, Liu Sheng was reckless and violent, and in a few years, he killed all his nearly 20 younger brothers, leaving no one.

This man also likes to personally torture others, claiming that his torture chamber is a hell of life, hot oil pans, broken beds, etc., all kinds of torture that ordinary people can't imagine, there is everything in it. Liu Sheng uses wine as water every day, and he is drunk all day long, and even his favorite servant Shang Yulou is not allowed to die. Once, he was happy to drink in the middle of the night, Liu Sheng was thirsty and wanted to eat watermelon, so he placed the watermelon on Shang Yulou's head, and split it with a knife, even the melon was split in half, Liu Sheng didn't know, but he felt that the watermelon juice in his mouth was thick, red and salty.

Liu Sheng reigned for more than ten years, drank too much and died, and his son Liu Gang succeeded to the throne at the age of seventeen, changing to Yuan Dabao. This kid is as cruel as his father, and he is more mediocre than he is. Liu Gang thought that the ministers could not be loyal to him because they had their own families, and all government affairs were entrusted to the eunuchs, as long as they found talented scholars, they were castrated and then used, so the scholars of the Southern Han Dynasty were the most unlucky, only when they won the top three, only when they were named on the gold list, there was no candle night in the cave room, and after wearing red and green flowers, they were crowded into the silkworm room to cut off the little chickens.

Liu Gang's most trusted ones on weekdays are the eunuch Xu Yanzhen, the witch Fan Huzi and a Persian dancing girl paid tribute by Shang Hu.

At the same time, the eunuch advised Liu Gang: "The reason why the first emperor got the throne and passed it on to His Majesty is precisely because he killed all his brothers, Your Majesty, you should also follow the example of the first emperor." ”

Liu Gang thought so and killed several younger brothers. Such a cruel dynasty, because the emperor is far away, hanging outside the ridge, from Liu Yin to Liu Gang also passed through the four generations and five lords, nearly 60 years, and was finally destroyed by the Northern Song Dynasty, a large family surrendered and was moved to Kaifeng, Liu Gang had to be pardoned, and he had to die a good death.

Therefore, after Chai Rong defeated the Southern Tang Dynasty, the small countries at that time were frightened and showed favor one after another.

After the Southern Tang Dynasty declared himself a minister to Hou Zhou, he sent Li Congshan and the minister Zhong Mo to pay tribute, and Chai Rong asked Zhong Mo: "Is Jiangnan still guarding the army now?"

Zhong Mo cautiously replied: "The Tang King has already surrendered to the Great Zhou, and he no longer dares to manage troops and defend the border. ”

Chai Rong shook his head and said: "In the past, the two countries were enemies, but now they are like a family, the righteousness has been decided, the monarch and the minister are clear, there should be no suspicion, but life is unpredictable, and the things of the future are unpredictable." You go back and tell the Tang lord that while I am in power, I will complete the city outline, repair the armor soldiers, and guard the key points, and think more about future generations. ”

After receiving instructions, the lord of the Southern Tang Dynasty dared to repair the city and increase the number of soldiers. In the troubled times of the five generations of treacherous males, Chai Rong's noble personality of honesty and generosity can almost be said to be unprecedented. Therefore, the eloquent Chai Rong really has a great strategic vision, and his most fundamental purpose is actually the Northern Expedition to the Khitan and recapture the land of Youyan.

Chai Rong pacified the Southern Tang Dynasty, not only opened up the territory and greatly increased the prestige of the Central Plains Dynasty, but most importantly, the domestic economy and military strength were further enhanced. In this way, Chai Rong finally launched the biggest cause in his heart, the Northern Expedition. Chai Rong drove the expedition again and embarked on the road of the northern expedition to the Khitan and the recovery of Yanyun.

Chai Rong's Northern Expedition took advantage of the time, place and people. On the Khitan side, after Yelu Deguang died of illness, his nephew Yelu Ruan was Liao Shizong, because he launched a southern attack, his subordinates were dissatisfied, and launched a coup d'état and killed Yelu Ruan. Yelujing succeeded to the throne, Chai Rong didn't know that he was the incarnation of Qin Shihuang at this time, but he only knew that everyone called him the sleeping king and ignored the government.

During Chai Rong's southern expedition, the Khitan in the north was not honest, sent troops to plunder the interior, and did a lot of bad things. Chai Rong can't tolerate anyone's contempt for him, you don't care about it, you just can't mess with the master. Chai Rong ordered Zhang Yongde, the envoy of the Zhenning Army, to take the troops to repair the Khitans, and hurry back, don't be embarrassed.

Just as Chai Rong was ambitiously preparing to unify the world, Wang Pu, the first important minister of the Later Zhou Dynasty, who was deeply relied on by Chai Rong, suddenly fell ill without any warning, and Wang Pu died in just one night. Chai Rong was shocked when he heard the bad news, and hurried to the royal house, seeing that Wang Pu, who was still talking and laughing together a few days ago, had returned to the west at this time. Chai Rong was in pain, and cried loudly: "I and you, named Junchen, are actually close friends, I am your heart, you are my arm, my heart and arm are one, the world is going to be peaceful, how can you be willing to let me go first?

Wang Pu is Chai Rong's priceless treasure, and Wang Pu's status in the Later Zhou Dynasty is like Liu Bei's Zhuge Liang and Fu Jian's Wang Meng. A generation of wizards said that if it is gone, it will be gone, how can Chai Rong calm down? Regardless of the persuasion of everyone, Chai Rong was indifferent, tired of crying, rested for a while, and then cried again, mourning, which made people worry about their hearts.

Wang Pu is resolute, good at arguing, very fond of Chai Rong's temper, so the relationship between the monarch and the minister is excellent, every time Chai Rong personally recruits, always leaves Wang Pu to sit in the rear, Wang Pu is talented, loyal, Chai Rong is very assured. Later, Zhao Kuangyin ascended the throne, once came to the meritorious pavilion, saw the portrait of Wang Pu, Zhao Kuangyin hurriedly dressed and bowed to the statue of Wang Pu.

The attendant advised: "Wang Pu is a subordinate of the previous dynasty, and Your Majesty should not perform this heavy salute." ”

Zhao Kuangyin pointed to the dragon robe on his body: "If it weren't for Wang Pu's early death, I wouldn't have been able to wear this dragon robe at all." ”

Zhao Guangyi, Taizong of the Song Dynasty, also knew Wang Pu's weight, and often praised Wang Pu's talent to his subordinates, which shows how much Wang Pu's early death hit Chai Rong hard. It's just that I don't know if Zhao Pu, the famous minister of the ages, will knock over the vinegar bottle in his heart when he hears that the Zhao brothers have such a good reputation for Wang Pu.

Chai Rong is Wang Pu among the emperors, Wang Pu is Chai Rong among the ministers, if Wang Pu is here, Fan Zhen and Wang Pu's group of scholars are Zhao Kuangyin's opponents, if Wang Pu is replaced, it will be different.

Now that Wang Pu is dead, looking around, except for the group of martial artists, who are only the gentlemen of the dog-tailed mink crown, Zhao Jianzi cried about the death of Zhou She: "I heard the skin of a thousand sheep, not as good as the armpit of a fox; ”

Chai Rong was in such a mood at this time, but people could not be resurrected after death, and when he cried for a long time, Chai Rong issued an edict to bury Wang Pu and posthumously give it to the servant.

In March, Chai Rong issued an edict to the Northern Expedition to the Khitan, preparing to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun on the Central Plains Barrier that had been betrayed by Shi Jingjiao. As for why Chai Rong went on a northern expedition at this time, instead of the strategy of first south and then north formulated by Wang Pu before. If Chai Rong carried out the Northern Expedition before the conquest of Huainan, then several countries in the south might take advantage of the chaos to raid Chai Rong's backyard, and Chai Rong would be attacked on his back.

In addition to expanding the land and population, the first conquest of Huainan also dealt a serious blow to the southern countries, especially the Southern Tang Dynasty and Houshu, which was equivalent to actually relieving the border troubles in the south. Moreover, Chai Rong's Northern Expedition was not to destroy the Khitan, but only to recover the Sixteen Prefectures, and did not attack the Northern Han Dynasty by the way, which did not violate the overall strategic thinking of Wang Pu's "Pingbian Policy".

Chai Rong stayed in the Xuanhui Southern Yuan to make Wu Tingzuo guard Tokyo and take charge of Kaifeng affairs. Fei Zhao Yiwu Army made Sun Xingyou curb the Xishan Road to guard against the Northern Han Dynasty. Chai Rong led the three armies, left Tokyo, marched to Cangzhou, and used Xue Juzheng, the doctor of Zuo, as the squire of the criminal department to appease the people of Cangzhou. Chai Rong continued to advance north to the Ganning army, and the Khitan Ning Prefecture Assassin Wang Hong, who was stationed here, saw that the Zhou army was menacing, and knew that Chai Rong was not here to travel, so he simply surrendered.

Chai Rong developed the habit of taking a boat in Huainan, and asked the German army to lead Han Tong to lead the horse infantry army to the north along the river, and he led the Zhou army and the naval division to go straight forward. The Khitan guard general Zhong Tinghui, who guarded Yijin Pass, had a flexible mind, and Wang Hong was down, why did he bother to work for Yelujing and waved the white flag. The front waterway is narrow, the big ship can't pass, Chai Rong abandoned the boat and got on the horse, the Zhou army went straight to Waqiao Pass, Zhao Kuangyin's troops are currently sweeping the road, and Yao Neiyun, who worked hard for the Khitan, learned from Wang Hong's good example and became a righteous citizen of the Great Zhou.

Chai Rong's army came to Mozhou, and Liu Chuxin, the assassin of Khitan Mozhou, chose to surrender without hesitation, and Gao Yanhui, the same Khitan Yingzhou assassin, also surrendered.

In less than a month, the Zhou army recaptured Sanzhou, Sanguan, and 17 counties without a single wound or a single shot. The surrounding Khitan military village has long heard of Chai Rong's name, no one wants to fight Chai Rong alone, and they surrendered one after another, Chai Rong changed Waqiao Pass to Xiongzhou, and Yijin Pass to Bazhou.

For such a Northern Expedition, the current surrender of Chai Rong is the Han army, and has not yet encountered the main force of the Khitan, if the Khitan army and the Zhou army fight, the outcome is unpredictable. Even if Chai Rong meets Yelu Huge, who is known as the first general of the Khitan, Zhao Kuangyin's ability can still deal with a Yelu Hugh.

On the one hand, these Khitan Han army generals were oppressed by the Khitan nobles in Khitan, and on the other hand, they also knew Chai Rong's heroic deeds in Huainan.

Effortlessly took Sanzhou, Chai Rong was naturally happy, and he was ambitious again, preparing to use the main force of the forbidden army to attack Youzhou, an important defensive town on the southern line of the Khitan, and drive the Khitans back to the desert.

Many of the civil and military ministers disagreed: "It has been 42 days since Your Majesty sent troops to Beijing, and the soldiers have not been bloody, and the horses have not broken their feet, so they have brought three states under their command, and within the four seas, who dares to disobey? However, Youzhou is a large county of Liao, the city is high and the pond is deep, and the Khitan army and horses are strong, so it is not appropriate to underestimate the enemy. Besides, the Khitan waited for my tired army to travel thousands of miles with a guarded Yi division, which is unfavorable in the art of war, please think twice before acting. ”

Chai Rong was displeased: "I have been in the world for five years, and where the soldiers point, they are invincible. Jiangdong, a big country that has been Panshi for 50 years, was swept away by thousands of troops, and I am sincerely afraid, and I worship me in the north. Twenty years ago, Jin Gaozu sold me Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures to the land of danger and obstacles, and the Khitan people in the north took advantage of the situation to invade the south every time, killing my people and robbing my cattle and sheep, who can endure it? Although the Khitan is strong, I am not afraid, I will definitely frustrate the prestige of the Khitan people today, not to mention that there is no one in the Central Plains. You have been with me for several years, don't you know my temper? If you are afraid of the Khitan Liao Kingdom, you can stay here by yourself, and I will lead a group of troops and horses north to storm Youzhou City. ”

Chai Rong ordered the three armies to prepare for battle, and set up early tomorrow morning to go north to Youyan. Which of the ministers didn't know Chai Rong's temper? As long as it was something he believed, he would never bend and never look back, so he had to sigh and come out.

But on this night, Chai Rong came to Waqiao Pass, climbed the high platform to watch his army, and saw that the three armies were majestic. The local elders offered cattle wine and labor, and Chai Rong asked, "What is the name of this place?"

The fathers replied, "It has been passed down from generation to generation, and this place is called Sick Dragon Terrace. ”