Chai Rong, a native of Longgang, Xingzhou (now Xingtai, Hebei), his grandfather Chai Weng, "often lives alone, and people think that he is the underworld", is about a person who is engaged in feudal superstitious activities as a profession, commonly known as a charlatan. His father, Chai Shouli, was an unemployed vagrant who was idle all day long and full of vices, commonly known as a scoundrel. Chai Rong was born in such a family, and it is estimated that he has not been able to get the warmth of the family since he was a child. It should be said that his childhood was still very unfortunate.

Chai Rong has an aunt, and she is also the only serious person in the family besides him, and she has a deep relationship with him. But unfortunately, when Chai Rong was five years old, it happened that Li Cunmiao, the Later Tang Zhuangzong, collected the beauties of the world, and took Chai Rong's aunt into the palace, which hit Chai Rong very hard and made him even more lonely at home.

However, just a year later, things suddenly changed. This is in April of the fourth year of Tongguang in the Later Tang Dynasty (926), the world was in turmoil, and Zhuangzong Li Cunqiao also died in the war, followed by Mingzong Li Siyuan became the emperor (see the Five Dynasties Fengyun Scroll for details). Li Siyuan is still very strict with himself, plus he is sixty years old, and he does not have much interest in women, so after he ascended the throne, he sent all the young women in the palace who had not been fortunate by Li Cunqiao back to his hometown, so that Chai Rong's aunt could go home again.

After hearing the news, the whole family was very happy, Chai Rong was because he could meet his aunt again, but the Chai family was because since Miss Chai had been in the palace for a year, she must have oil and water on her body. In addition, she is a person who has gilded the emperor's side, and her worth has naturally doubled, and maybe she will be able to climb the door to do good things after she comes back, so that the whole family can follow and borrow light. Come to think of it. Everyone in the family was very excited, and Chai Weng also temporarily gave up feudal superstitious activities that day. Enthusiastically, he led the family to the bank of the Yellow River to greet Miss Chai. However, at this moment, a very dramatic thing happened. thus completely changed the fate of Chai Rong's life.

Speaking of which, another big man also appeared on the stage, this person is, of course, Guo Wei, the later Taizu of the Later Zhou Dynasty. At that time, Guo Wei was just a small sergeant from Ma Zhizhong, with no status and no money, so poor that he was tinkling, and he only did some chores to deliver letters in the army, and he couldn't see any future. At this time, Guo Wei was sent out to deliver the letter again. But as soon as he walked to the bank of the Yellow River, there was a sudden rainstorm, and Guo Wei couldn't continue to hurry, so he had to find an inn to stay.

Coincidentally, Miss Chai had already connected with her family at this time, but because she was hindered by the heavy rain, she couldn't go home, and she lived in the same inn as Guo Wei, and it was here that the two of them met for the first time. Then quickly go on a blind date, love each other, know each other, and stay together. Then this process is very nosebleeds, whether it is love at first sight, or dry firewood, in short, after such a short contact. The two of them sparked a spark of love, and they fell in love all of a sudden, and they could no longer be separated.

But this thing. was resolutely opposed by the Chai family, because they were full of hope that they could rely on Miss Chai to bring a happy life to the whole family. In case she follows Guo Wei, the big soldier, then this plan will be completely frustrated. Especially Chai Weng, who is the head of the family. He tried his best to stop this, and he said to Miss Chai: "Why are you so confused! You are a person who has entered the palace, which is very sought-after in the marriage market, and you have to marry at least one festival envoy with your worth, how can you cheapen the person surnamed Guo for nothing? ”

Miss Chai said: "You don't understand, don't look at Guo Wei is a small soldier now, but he looks dignified, and he will definitely be a noble person in the future, you can't see this." ”

Chai Weng was even more annoyed and said, "What? I can't see that? I've been engaged in feudal superstition for so many years, I won't be able to see it? I think he is at most a big-headed soldier who died unjustly in his life, and if you follow him, it will be too late to regret it in the future. ”

Miss Chai said indifferently: "Whether it's a noble person or a layman, in short, I just like him, I admit it in this life." ”

Chai Weng said: "My family has raised you for so many years, if you dare to follow him, you will not enter my house in the future." ”

Miss Chai said: "Since you have decided so as the head of the family, then I obey your will. But you don't have to worry, my family has raised me for so many years, I won't let you bear this loss, I also have some money left in the palace, and I'll give half of it to you now, which is enough for you to spend for a while. As he spoke, he took out the money and distributed half of it to the Chai family, how much money is there? It is recorded in the "Jade Pot Qinghua" that "his daughter is counted as 100,000 yuan, half of which is divided with her parents, and the order is returned to the daimyo." This is also a large number, and then "the parents are ashamed and know that they can't take it", so they agreed to this marriage against their will.

It can be seen that Miss Chai can also be called a woman with a very strong personality, very modern consciousness, and has the courage to pursue her own happiness and love, even at the expense of breaking with her feudal family. In the end, Miss Chai's family did not approve of the marriage between the two of them, but they were powerless to interfere. So Miss Chai and Guo Wei held a wedding at the inn on the spot, and they didn't invite any emcee and band, and they didn't even go home. After the marriage ended, the two families went their separate ways, and it was not until Guo Wei made his career that there was contact again.

Miss Chai's courage is very admirable, but at the end of this matter, there was a very strange thing, that is, when the two families broke up, Chai Rong did not go back to Xingzhou with his family, but was taken away by Guo Wei and Miss Chai, and changed his surname to Guo (Chai Rong was called Guo Rong for a long time, but in this book, for the sake of uniformity, he is still called Chai Rong below). Because in this year, Guo Wei was only twenty-three years old, and Miss Chai was even younger, and both of them were married for the first time, so there should be no need for adoption. And Chai Rong is the only son of the Chai family, and the Chai family is not unable to raise him, so why would they hand over the only such son to them and take it away? This is indeed unreasonable. So can it also be assumed that Chai Rong, who was only seven years old at the time, also had great courage like his aunt, and this was at this critical moment. took the initiative to draw a line with his feudal family, and resolutely decided to follow his aunt to run away from home. If this assumption can be true. It seems that Chai Rong can also find some basis from the aspect of personality for the reason why Chai Rong will become an eloquent emperor in the future.

This thing. The impact on Chai Rong is still very great, because Miss Chai's eyes are bright, Guo Wei finally became a nobleman, and he is a person who cannot be more expensive - the founding emperor of a dynasty. It's a pity that Miss Chai had a thin life and died relatively early, so she didn't be able to see this day, which is still a pity.

Since Guo Wei married Miss Chai, his life has gradually begun to improve. There has been some progress in his career, but he is not a nobleman. So throughout Chai Rong's adolescence, like ordinary people, he didn't have any privileges. By the time he was a teenager, he began to learn to do business, and at first, he made small fuss, maintained a small household, and is said to have pushed his own cart and sold it. But later. Guo Wei's social status gradually improved, and Chai Rong's business became bigger and bigger, often going to Jiangling (the capital of Nanping Kingdom, now Jiangling, Hubei) to sell tea. This period. Chai Rong's purpose in doing business is obviously not as simple as maintaining his family, but mainly to help Guo Wei raise funds for activities. Because at this time, Guo Wei has already made a name for himself in the political circles. There was certainly no need to worry about life, but politics at the time was relatively corrupt. Many problems need money to solve, so this business activity engaged in by Chai Rong will naturally come in handy. Therefore, he has helped Guo Wei in his career at a very early age.

In 947 AD, this year was still very critical for Chai Rong. Because in this year, Liu Zhiyuan led his troops from Hedong to the Central Plains, founded the country as emperor, and established the Later Han Dynasty, while Guo Wei was named a privy envoy as the founding hero of the Later Han Dynasty. At this time, Chai Rong also trembled, and was awarded the military position of the general of the left prison guard by the imperial court, even if he officially transferred from the business world to the military world. However, at that time, the official positions were overflowing, as the so-called "Mitian Taibao, everywhere", Chai Rong's name as the general of the left prison guard sounded bluffing, but in fact, he had no real power, he couldn't do anything, and he couldn't even be taken into account by a county order.

However, in the third year of Qianyou of the Later Han Dynasty (950), the situation was completely different. Guo Wei was appointed by the imperial court to stay in Yedu to control the soldiers and horses of all walks of life in Hebei, and at the same time still served as a privy envoy, and his power was overwhelming, so Chai Rong naturally followed the rising tide and was named the commander of the capital of Yanei, becoming the supreme commander of Guo Wei's pro-army. However, things changed so quickly that everyone expected. In November of this year, there was a big incident in the court, Liu Chengyou, the emperor of Han Yin, slaughtered the military party, and the three major cadres of the general party left in the court were all killed, Yang Wei, Shi Hongzhao, and Wang Zhang, and sent people to kill Guo Wei in Yedu. Guo Wei had no choice but to rebel, and a month later, he led his troops to attack Daliang, and then became emperor.

This incident is a golden opportunity for Chai Rong, because after Liu Chengyou killed Yang, Shi and others, he sent Kaifeng Yin Liu Bao to destroy Guo Wei's family, Guo Wei's two sons Brother Rong and Brother Yi were also killed, Guo Wei had no own son, only Chai Rong's righteous son remained, so Chai Rong became Guo Wei's closest person in the world, and also became the most promising heir to the throne of the Later Zhou Dynasty.

Table of the relationship between the main characters of the five generations

Rear beam:

Zhu Wen (852-912): Later Liang Taizu, the first hero of the five dynasties. Zhu Wen was originally a scoundrel in Dangshan, a young man who joined the Huangchao Rebel Army, and later returned to the Tang Dynasty, and was awarded the Xuanwu Army Festival Envoy by the imperial court for suppressing the peasant uprising, and ruled Bianzhou. Later, relying on Bianzhou, after more than 20 years of bloody battles, he finally stood out among the major warlords of the late Tang Dynasty, and forced the last emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Tang Zhaoxuan Emperor Li Ji to abdicate in 907 AD, becoming the first emperor of the five dynasties. In 912, Zhu Wen died tragically at the hands of his son Zhu Youqi.

Zhu Youqi (?) - 913): Zhu Wen's third son, King of Fengying. In 912 AD, Zhu Youqi killed his father to stand on his own, and in the second year, Zhu Youzhen, the fourth son of Zhu Wen, was forced to commit suicide because of the coup d'état, and was posthumously deposed as a concubine.

Zhu Youzhen (888-923): Zhu Wen's fourth son, born to his wife Zhang, was crowned king of Jun after Zhu Wen founded the country. In 913 AD, Zhu Youzhen united with Yang Shihou, Zhao Yan and others to launch a coup d'état, and after success, he ascended the throne and became the last emperor of Liang. In 923 A.D., Li Cunqiao invaded the Great Liang, and Zhu Youzhen committed suicide in defeat, known as the late Emperor of Liang.

Yang Shihou (?) ——915) a famous general of the Later Liang Dynasty, the first general of the Later Liang in the early Five Dynasties, was proud of his achievements in his later years and was not subject to the control of the imperial court. In 915 A.D., he died of illness in Weizhou, which caused the Great Rebellion in Weizhou.

Liu Jun (856~920): A famous general of the Later Liang Dynasty, known as "one step and one hundred strategies". In 920 A.D., he surrendered his military power because he was defeated by the Jin general Li Cunzhen in the river, and was poisoned by Zhu Youzhen, the emperor of Liang.

Wang Yanzhang (863~923): A famous general of the Later Liang Dynasty, known as "Wang Tiegun". After the founding of the Later Liang Dynasty, he successively served as the assassin of the states, the defense envoy and the envoy of the festival, and later served as the envoy of the northern camp of the Later Liang. In 923 AD, on the eve of Li Cunmiao's annihilation of Liang, he was defeated and captured, and died without surrendering.

Jing Xiang (?) - 923): Zhu Wen's number one strategist, after the founding of the Later Liang Dynasty, successively served as the envoy of the Chongzheng Yuan, the prime minister and other important positions, but lost power after Zhu Wen's death. In 923 A.D., on the day Li Cunqiao destroyed Liang, Jing Xiang was martyred by hanging.

Zhao Yan (?) - 923) The son of Zhao Li, a famous general in the late Tang Dynasty, he was insidious and cunning, but he had been deeply favored by Zhu Youzhen because he had helped Zhu Youzhen, the late emperor of Liang Mu, to launch a successful coup d'état. On the eve of Li Cunmiao's annihilation of Liang, Zhao Yan fled to Xuzhou for refuge, and was beheaded by Wen Zhaotu, the envoy of Kuang Guojiedu, and sent back to Daliang.

Hou Tang:

Li Cunmiao (885-926): The first legendary figure of the Five Dynasties, the founding emperor of the Later Tang Dynasty. In 908 AD, Li Keyong, the king of the old Jin Dynasty, died, and Li Cunmiao, who was only twenty-four years old, was ordered to inherit the throne. In the next fifteen years, Li Cunqiao led the Jin army to level Liang, destroy Yan, defeat the Khitan, win a hundred battles, establish the Later Tang Dynasty, and stage the myth of "three arrows to avenge three revenge". However, in 926 AD, Li Cunqiao allowed Empress Liu to unjustly kill Guo Chongtao, the commander of the Shu War, which directly caused chaos in the world. On April 1 of that year, Li Cunqiao died at the hands of the rebellious army, known as Tang Zhuangzong in history.

Li Siyuan (867-933): The second emperor of the Later Tang Dynasty and one of the four famous generals of the Jin army. He followed Li Guochang, Li Keyong, and Li Cunqiao all his life, and made countless military achievements. In 926 AD, Li Siyuan was ordered to go to Weizhou to crusade against the rebels, but was coerced into the city by the rebels and forced to rebel. Soon after, Li Cunmiao died in the chaos, and Li Siyuan led the army into Luoyang to claim the emperor, creating a "well-off era" in the middle of the five dynasties, known as Tang Mingzong in history.

Li Conghou (914-934): The son of Li Siyuan, nicknamed Bodhisattva. In 933 AD, Li Siyuan died of illness, and Li Conghou, who was only nineteen years old, succeeded to the throne. But in the second year, Li Siyuan's adopted son Li Congke rebelled in Fengxiang, and Li Conghou fled from the capital after being defeated, and was hanged in Weizhou by Li Congke, known as Emperor Min of Tang in history. (To be continued.) )