Return to the Huainan battlefield. As soon as Chai Rong left, the Southern Tang Dynasty recovered the states one after another. Zhu Yuan recovered Shu and 2 states, Li Ping took Qizhou, and the Zhou Dynasty guards in Chuzhou also learned from Xiang Xun and Han Lingkun, and gave up the city by themselves. The results of Chai Rong's expedition to Huainan were suddenly in vain. And that's not all. The two supreme leaders who presided over the military at the front line: Li Chongjin, the boss of the guard division and Guo Wei's nephew, and Zhang Yongde, the boss of the palace front division and Guo Wei's son-in-law, had a conflict. Zhang Dianjian caught a Tang Army spy on the Xiacai front line (the pontoon bridge had been moved from Zhengyang to Xiacai): I have come to contact General Li Chongjin. General Lee wants to cooperate with us. Zhang Yongde immediately sent a secret letter to Kaifeng: As soon as the emperor leaves, Li Chongjin will rebel.

Chai Rong had more than Zhang Yongde's secret letter in front of him. Another one, no. It's two secret letters. One is from Li Chongjin, and the other is from Li Jing, the lord of Tang.

Li Chongjin also caught a Tang army spy, searched his body, and found a letter of persuasion from Tang lord Li Jing: Jun crossed the river to Henan and returned, how should I be...

"Why do you think I have the potential to be a traitor?" the envoy stepped forward and sneered, "General Li, you are older than Chai Rong, and you are the nephew of your first emperor." But why did your first emperor pass on the throne to Chai Rong instead of you? This is an injustice to the general. Even if the general is generous, I am afraid that Chai Rong will be suspicious of the general. If the general returns to my southern country, our lord will give the general a heavy army for the Northern Expedition, and then the throne of the Central Plains will be restored, and the general will "nod and ask" is it finished, "the messenger raises his head" and finishes "entering" or so! Dragged the spy out and beheaded, "the messenger was greatly alarmed," Li Chongjin was reluctant to explain. On the same day, in front of the first emperor's sickbed, I bowed my head and admitted defeat, convinced.

After killing the lobbyist, Li re-studied a letter. Together with Li Jing's secret letter, it was delivered to the imperial front. Three letters were placed in front of Chai Rong. It's clear who is right and who's wrong. It's hateful that Li Jing can't beat it, but he plays yin. In a fit of rage, Sun Sheng became a substitute for the dead ghost. He was killed in Bianliang on November 17, 956, the 3rd year of Xiande, and fulfilled the oath he made when he came to be a negotiator that day to "never live up to a cup of soil in Yongling (Li Yu's mausoleum)".

Chai Rong is loyal to Li Chongjin. But Zhang Yongde didn't know what to do. After a long time, some words will always reach Li Chongjin's ears. One day in late October, Li Chongjin rode alone to Xia Cai and entered Zhang Yongde's military camp. After a calm feast and a heart-to-heart conversation, he finally dispelled the estrangement between the two generals and began to attack Liu Renzhan's Shouzhou City together.

Before this, Shouzhou City had been besieged for nearly a year, and Liu Renzhen was waiting for help. But those reinforcements either stopped halfway, or were completely wiped out by the Zhou soldiers. And the worst thing is that some reinforcements have helped out.

Although Li Jingda, who was defeated in six and lost all his prestige, had 50,000 soldiers and horses stationed in Haozhou, his military power was no longer in his hands. Overseer Chen Jue turned support into solidarity.

In August of the 3rd year of Xiande (956), Lin Renzhao (known as Lin Huzi. The famous general of the Southern Tang Dynasty in the future. The prestige even made Zhao Kuangyin deeply jealous) led land and water reinforcements to Xia Cai, and wanted to learn Zhou Yu's fire attack strategy to burn down Xia Cai's pontoon bridge. However, he did not have Zhuge Kongming's ability to borrow the east wind. The sudden 180-degree change in wind direction made Lin Renzhao scold the heavens and the earth, and urgently ordered a retreat. Zhang Yongde shouted luckily, returned to the camp and asked his subordinates, knowing that this plan was used by Zhou Yu in Chibi that year, Cao Cao connected the boat with iron cables, and returned defeated. Oh? Ironways? Zhang Yongde ordered ten steps away from the pontoon bridge to cut off the Huai River with iron cables, and then tied huge trees to the iron cables to prevent the enemy from impacting.

On November 23rd, the German "Iron Cable? A good way to "partial generals" The enemy army is familiar with water warfare, and there is no need to seek stability with iron cables" Virtue does not answer, but asks rhetorically "There are three brothers of the Ruan family in the army who can know the water nature" partial general A, and there are three brothers in the army, and they are quite knowledgeable about the water nature, and the "moral order" is passed on to the three people, and Zhang Yongde taught Ruan Laosan, Ruan Laosi, and Ruan Lao 6 in person.

In the Tang camp, Zhao "What sound" Tang Jiangyi "is the sound of nailing wooden boards. Could it be—" Zhao Da was shocked and immediately called some people who were good at water to go down and have a look. Zhou Bing came to scuttle the ship."

It was too late to find out. Dozens of small fireboats swam in front of them. Lin Renzhao hurriedly ordered the ship to sail to meet the enemy. The boat couldn't move anymore. The people were not digging the ship, but they just added iron chains to the Tang ship. This time, Zhang Yongde did not encounter the problem of Lin Renzhao's wind direction. The Tang soldiers were defeated and drowned. Zhang Yongde got dozens of big ships and rewarded the Ruan brothers with gold belts.

Zhang Yongde, who got the big boat, also surrounded Liu Renzhan's Shouzhou Water Village, and the last gap was blocked. A food crisis began to emerge in the city of Shouju......

In the first month of the 4th year of Xiande (957), Li Jingda, the king of Qi, who couldn't stand it, finally sent Xu Wenzhi, Bian Hao, and Zhu Yuan to send grain to Shouzhou City. The army set up a village under the Purple Mountain and began to build a grain transportation road that reached Shouzhou City and was dozens of miles long. I don't know what these people think, now that Li Chongjin is outside Shouzhou City, can this Yongdao fly over Li Chongjin's head? Another big defeat......

Liu Ren is angry! Write to Li Jingda: You transfer the pickaxe to defend the city. I went out of the city to fight the enemy to the death. How does this work? This Shouzhou City is not old for you, who can keep it? Li Jingda immediately replied: No!

At this time, Liu Ren was angry. But this is not the biggest blow to him, the following is the blow to him.

Liu Renzhen's youngest son, Liu Chongji, stole all the money, slipped out of the city, and fled. If you can escape, forget it. was caught by the patrol and sent to Liu Renzhen.

Liu Renzhen was silent for a while, and said in the end, "Son, I'll tell you a story." At that time, the son of the Mo family giant killed people in the Qin State. King Qin Hui remembered that the giant son was old and the only son under his knees, so he said: I have pardoned him" paused, and asked, "Do you know how the giant son of the Dao Dao answered" Liu Chongzhi shook his head. Liu Renzhen continued: "Thank you, King Qin. But our Mohist regulations: death to the murderer! King Qin, although you forgive his sins, but the Mo family regulations do not forgive him" The more Liu Chong listened, the more wrong he became, and he shuddered, and he quickly knelt down and shouted for his father to spare his life. Liu Renzhen ignored it, and said word by word, "This is called killing the son and obeying the law"

The general Zhang Quanyue and the supervising army Zhou Ting persuaded him, but Liu Renzhan did not listen. Zhou hurriedly went to Mrs. Liu for help. Unexpectedly, both husband and wife are hard-hearted, "It's not that I don't love my youngest son, but the military law is selfless, and the reputation is not lost." Liu's door of loyalty and righteousness will not be sorry for the soldiers"

In the second half of the first month of the 15th year of the Southern Tang Dynasty (957), Liu Chongji was beheaded. Liu Renzhen killed his son to follow the law, but he himself couldn't stand the blow. Getting sicker and sicker. But it still doesn't fall. Desperately persevering to the end, the soldiers were also inspired to defend the city to the death.

Li Chongjin, who was outside Shouzhou City, was probably desperate. Maybe he wanted to ask Liu Renzhan face-to-face: What benefits did Nantang give you? So that you are so faithful and stubborn?

On February 8, the 4th year of Zhou Xiande (957), Li Gu, who was sick from exhaustion due to a campaign in Huainan, wanted to make up for his private withdrawal from the army that day, and Shangshu asked Chai Rong to go on a second personal expedition.

On February 16, Chai Rong ordered Wang Park to stay in Tokyo, and Hantong maintained law and order in the capital. On the 17th, he led the army out of Daliang City, and at the same time ordered Wang Huan to lead thousands of newly trained sailors to also go out together. On March 2, he crossed the Huai River and came to the city of Shouzhou. On the 3rd, the army was stationed at the Purple Mountain. Zhao Kuangyin took the lead and cut off the road built by the Tang soldiers, and the Tang soldiers could not care about each other. At night, Chai Rong asked the generals to guard each village and came to Xia Cai by himself.

The strong enemy pressed the realm, and Chen Jue, one of the five ghosts, was still persistently engaging in infighting. Zhu Yuan, a general of the Southern Tang Dynasty who had recovered 2 states after Chai Rong's return to the north, was his target. On the night of the 4th, Zhu Yuan killed the general Shi Houqing, and led more than 10,000 Tang soldiers with Zhu Renyu to surrender. In the early morning of the 5th, the Tang battalion, which did not come to surrender, was unlucky. It was broken by Chai Rong with a land and water alliance. Xu Wenzhen, Bian Hao, and Yang Shouzhong were captured.

There is a very interesting scene in this battle: in the middle, the Zhou Dynasty sails aggressively. On the south bank, the future Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty and the north bank, Emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou Dynasty each led a team of cavalry to chase down the defeated Tang soldiers. Who runs fast? Who annihilated more enemies? I don't know what to do. Maybe it's Zhao Kuangyin, after all, he is younger and stronger. Maybe it's Chai Rong, after all, he's more high-spirited. The dragon of the two people marched together across the bank, riding horses and whips, pointing at the Huai River, wielding knives and chasing deer, how happy. It's just that Tang Bing suffered. A chase of more than 200 miles, at night until the Zhenhuai army under the village. Of the 50,000 Tang soldiers, more than 40,000 were killed and captured. Li Jingda and Chen Jue were only spared and fled back to Jinling. Only Chen Decheng's troops retreated in the Tang army.

After building two cities on the north and south banks of the Huai River in Zhenhuai Army, and defeating Guo Ting's last Southern Tang reinforcements, the Southern Tang Dynasty could no longer draw decent reinforcements. Tang Lord Li Jing even thought about learning Chai Rong and personally helping. However, his generals Zhu Kuangye and Liu Cunzhong replied with the late Tang Dynasty poet Luo Yin chanting Zhuge Liang's poem "Heaven and earth are all working together, and heroes are not free". Although Li Jing exiled the two, he did not have his own personal help after all. Everything depends on Liu Renzhan's own creation in Shouzhou City.

On the 11th, Chai Rong ordered Xiang Xun to garrison the Zhenhuai army, and on the 12th, he came to the front line of Xia Cai, and on the 13th, he personally issued an edict to Liu Renzhen, persuading him to choose his own blessings and misfortunes. On the 17th, Zhou Bing held a big drill under the city of Shouzhou, but it was a cute eye for the blind to see. Liu Renzhan, who was seriously ill, almost didn't even know anyone.

The overseer Zhou Tinggou came to see him and informed him of the defeat of Li Jingda's reinforcements by the Zhou soldiers. Liu Renzhen gasped and coughed profusely. Zhou Tinggou said cautiously, "Today's plan, it's better to temporarily descend, and then think about it in the long run" Liu Renzhen suddenly straightened up, and his eyes widened angrily, "Descend?" Unless I'm dead," Zhou Tinggou said busily, "I'm just thinking about the people in the city." It's not for myself," Liu Renzhen sighed silently. Zhou Tinggou suddenly trembled and took out a piece of paper from his arms, "This is a letter of request for help from the lord of the country, please sign it" Liu Renzhen had no strength, nodded and waved his hand. Zhou Tinggou understood, took pen and ink, and wrote the three big characters of Liu Renzhen.

On March 19, the 4th year of Zhou Xiande (957), this "letter of request for assistance" was no longer in front of Li Jing, but in front of Chai Rong. It's actually a table drop! Chai Rong was overjoyed, and on the 20th, he sent Zhang Bao to continue to enter the city to reply. On the 21st, the north gate of Shouzhou City was opened! For a whole year and five months, Chai Rong finally waited for this day. But did Chai Rong know that Liu Renzhen was 'surrendered'?

On March 24, Chai Rong issued an edict and named Liu Renzhan as the envoy of the Zhongshu Order and the Tianping Festival, and Liu Renzhan who received this edict was full of grief and indignation, and even vomited blood and died. On the same day on the 24th, Chai Rong issued a second edict posthumously crowning Liu Renzhan as the king of Pengcheng County, and Li Jing also posthumously crowned Liu Renzhan as the Taishi at the same time. And it was precisely because Liu Renzhan was 'surrendered' after the most embarrassing that a ridiculous thing happened. Liu Rengen, who fought for the Southern Tang Dynasty all his life and even killed his young son, was recorded in Xue Juzheng's "History of the Old Five Dynasties" in the biography of Zhou Chen. Is this an honor or a disgrace for Liu Renzhen? Ouyang Xiu, Sima Guang and other historical giants pursued the spirit of the historian's direct letter, repeatedly verified in the vast historical materials, and finally confirmed Liu Renzhan's status as a loyal minister. Ouyang Xiu's "History of the New Five Dynasties" praised Liu Renzhan with the highest honor. There are only 3 people in the "Biography of the Dead Festival", which is listed as the first class of loyal ministers: Wang Yanzhang, Pei Yue, and Liu Renzhan!

Shouzhou has been down, and Huainan is irresistible. It is a good time to pacify the 14 states. But Chai Rong returned north on March 29 and returned to Daliang on April 12. The second expedition to Huainan ended in just over a month.

Because of a major incident in Luoyang City, he had to rush back from the Huainan front line to deal with it. What's the big deal? In fact, it's not a big deal, but it's just a murder case. Then deal with it according to the law, and kill people to pay for their lives. It's just that this person has a special identity, and he can't deal with it if he is not the emperor Chai Rong. Who is so good? Chai Rong's father, Chai Shouli!

Chai Shouli and Han Lingkun's father Han Lun, Wang Pu's father Wang Zuo, Wang Yan's father, Wang Yanchao's father and other 10 people are arrogant in Luoyang City, known as the 'Ten Fathers', they dare to act so recklessly, relying on their son's great face. No, Chai Shouli killed someone, Chai Rong, what should you do? The helpless emperor took a personal favor (after all, not everyone can be Liu Renzhan who kills his son and obeys the law), ordered the dead to be buried and doubled, but did not say a word about Chai Shouli's punishment. If you don't say it, who would dare to touch this so-called 'Emperor Taishang'? Naturally, the tenth father was even more lawless in Luoyang City.