First reduce the territory, then cut the foundation, and then cut off everyone's financial resources, and then the Zhou court this set of combination punches down, so that the original strong soldiers, horses, and the division of one side of the feudal towns are weak, weak, and weak, and its intention to cut the strength of the local feudal towns has been clearly revealed. Now, in the name of reporting on their work, the imperial court has summoned a number of local festival envoys to Beijing, so these feudal towns that have been exhausted by the imperial court are not worried and worried, for fear that they will not go back to Beijing this time.

It's just that if they are not steadfast in their hearts, they really don't have the courage to disobey the edict and refuse to enter Beijing. After all, Li Yun's experience is not far away, and everyone knows very well what will happen if he does not comply with the order. Moreover, before the arrival of the imperial envoys, these feudal towns had already received news from their cronies in the capital, knowing that now nearly 100,000 "flying dragon troops" and "security forces" outside Kaifeng City had been assembled and ready to go, ready to pounce at any time to pounce on the arrogant people who did not listen to the imperial edict and disobeyed the edicts. Therefore, although he knows that entering Beijing this time will be more auspicious, even if he can save his life, he is afraid that he will lose his position of power. But in the face of the messengers with indifferent faces and solemn tones, these feudal towns who have long lost their fangs and claws and roots, either say goodbye to their families and ask their cronies to take care of their families; Either arrange the funeral in advance, and help his son, brother or other favorite clansmen to be the head of the feudal town where he is located, and then he will embark on the road to Beijing with anxiety and anxiety, and no one dares to disobey the heart and do that act of resistance.

Of course, not all feudal towns are so frightened to embark on the road to Beijing, and there are a few local festivals that are still very calm and calm about going to Beijing to report on their work. And among them, the most down-to-earth and relaxed heart is the Yong'an Army Festival Envoy Zhide Wall.

As a big family in the clouds, the Zhe family has been monopolizing Fuzhou and controlling the northwest since the Later Jin Dynasty and the Later Han Dynasty, and the Central Plains Imperial Court has always been in favor and trust in their family. In the early years of Zhou Guangshun, the father and son of Zhecongruan and Zhe Deyan were both knots, and their scenery was unique for a while. Although with the rise of the Beiping Army, the Northern Han regime was destroyed as early as the seventh year of Xiande, and the Later Zhou Dynasty no longer needed the Yong'an Army to contain and harass the soldiers and horses in Hedong, but as a close neighbor of the Beiping Army Xuanda Town, it still played a very important role in confronting and weakening the Khitans.

At the beginning of the establishment of the Beiping Army, its focus was mainly on the military strength and economic foundation of the Khitan Zhongjing Province and Tokyo Province, and not much attention was paid to the newly established Xijing Province of the Khitan after the Battle of Youyun. After the establishment of Xuanda Town, Cheng Fei, the chief military officer of Xuanda Town, who had more soldiers and horses in his hands, gradually increased the attack on the Khitan Xijing Road and the destruction of the economic foundation of the Xijing Road. However, in general, compared with Ningjin Town's attacks on the remnants of the Khitan Zhongjing Road, Shangjing Road and Tokyo Road, Xuanda Town's attacks on the Khitan Xijing Road were worse in terms of frequency and scale. It was not until the Beiping Army entered Kaifeng that the crossing team of the Later Zhou Dynasty was able to command the feudal towns in various places, and Xuanda Town, which received the support and assistance of the Yong'an Army, was able to increase rapidly in attack on the Khitan Xijing Road, and gradually had a record comparable to Ningjin Town. In other words, the Yong'an Army has made great contributions and achievements in attacking and destroying the Khitan Xijing Road, and is a close comrade-in-arms worthy of the trust of the Beiping Army and the crossing team. In addition, the Zhe family has been devoted to the Central Plains Imperial Court for decades, and when Chai Rong was still alive during the Xiande period, he even asked for internal relocation, but it was not allowed due to the needs of the northwest frontier. Therefore, for such a feudal town that is located at a key point and loyal to the imperial court, whether it is Chai Rong or the crossing team that is now in control of the Later Zhou Dynasty, it has always been favorable. Especially in the case that the current strategic focus of the crossing team is the Later Shu in the south, the Southern Han Dynasty and the Khitan in the north, and there is no intention to develop in the northwest in the short term, it is more necessary to have a stable and strong Yong'an army to echo with itself, on the one hand, to contain the power of the Khitans, and on the other hand, to balance the Dingyan army that does not reassure the crossing team - this local separatist force that broke away from the rule of the Central Plains Dynasty in the previous life and established the Western Xia regime that had existed for more than two hundred years. Therefore, after this time, the Zhou court vigorously weakened the feudal towns, but the Yong'an army has been repeatedly excluded because of its special status, and has been able to maintain its original territory and strength.

According to the will of the imperial court, because the Yong'an Army is located on the border, the strategic location is important, and it is responsible for cooperating with Xuanda to attack and disturb the Khitan Xijing Road, so this time to Beijing to report on the work, only need to send a high-status son and nephew to see the driver, as the Jiedu envoy, there is no need to go in person. I never thought that Zhe Deran, who had always been respectful to the imperial court, decided to "resist the decree and not obey" this time, did not act in accordance with the requirements in the holy decree, insisted on going to Kaifeng in person to meet him, and made up his mind that this time he must stay in Kaifeng for retirement and not return it. For this reason, Zhe De first took over his position as the deputy envoy of the deputy envoy of the Imperial Honor, and then led his wife and concubine, followed by dozens of family servants, with a large amount of property and the imperial envoys who came to announce the decree, set off to Kaifeng.

Compared with Zhe Deran, who was in a comfortable mood and took the initiative to enter Beijing with a relaxed body, although Feng Jiye, who also did not have to go to Beijing in person to report on his work, although Feng Jiye also personally brought his family and a large number of camels, horses, and treasures to Kaifeng, he did not do it consciously and voluntarily, but was forced by the situation of the Shuofang army and had to do it.

Speaking of which, the reason why Feng Jiye is in today's predicament is completely caused by himself. Feng Jiye, who was originally the Marquis of Yu in the Yanei, in order to get the position of Shuofang Jiedu envoy, took advantage of the opportunity that his father Feng Hui was seriously ill and could not be a director, and with the support of a group of henchmen, he murdered his brother Feng Jixun, so that he was able to lead Shuofang Jiedu after his father's death, and finally moved to Shuofang Jiedu Envoy, Linghuan Observation, Disposal, Duzhi, Wenchi Taxation, etc., and became a feudal town force on the separating side. However, on the one hand, Feng Jiye's position was not correct, and he was criticized by the gentry and people in Ling, Yan and other states, and he could not win the hearts of the people. On the other hand, Feng Jiye was arrogant and arrogant, and often sent troops to plunder the surrounding Qiang tribes, making it difficult for the Qiang people to resist and return. At the same time, he was mean and unkind to the soldiers under his command, so that the dissatisfaction of the soldiers and generals increased day by day, and the complaints were full of complaints. Seeing that the trend of betraying relatives and leaving was becoming more and more obvious, and the situation he was facing was becoming more and more dangerous, Feng Jiye had to start thinking about his own retreat. So, after getting the will of the Later Zhou court to send his sons and nephews to Beijing to report on his work, Feng Jiye turned his heart and decided to give up the Shuofang Army, which was a dangerous foundation for him, and went to Kaifeng with the envoy of the imperial court with his family and all the property that he could take away.

In order to make up for the power vacuum left by Feng Jiye after entering Beijing, after getting the news, the crossing team immediately took Yang Ye, deputy chief soldier of Taiyuan Town, as the Lingzhou observation and disposal envoy, and led the army westward and stationed in Lingzhou. Considering that Lingzhou is located in the border fortress and borders on the Dingyan Army, it can play a significant role in restricting the development of the Dingyan Army. Therefore, this time Yang Ye went west, in addition to an infantry regiment and a cavalry regiment of the "Security Regiment" under the jurisdiction of Taiyuan Town, the crossing team committee also made an exception to equip it with a cavalry battalion of the "Flying Dragon Army" that originally belonged to Taiyuan Town, which can be said to be extremely important - as for the reduction of Taiyuan Town's troops, it will be filled by the Beijing Forbidden Army stationed in Kaifeng to ensure that the town's military strength is not affected.

Whether they took the initiative to go in person or were forced to leave, in short, Zhe Deyan and Feng Jiye expressed their deference and loyalty to the imperial court, and at the same time won the praise and affirmation of Wang Kunjun and other rulers of the Later Zhou Dynasty. So, on behalf of the imperial court and the "Qingyuan" brothers, Wang Feng went to Chenqiaoyi, fifty miles north of Kaifeng City, to greet the two festival envoys, and Wang Kunjun personally poured wine and toasted the two festival envoys on the banquet of the imperial court to entertain all parties, and then there was a great praise from the Later Zhou Dynasty court for the two festival envoys, and added the title of Zhi De as the Duke of Wei Guo and Feng Jiye as the Duke of Liang Guo, and also recognized the successor status of the Yu Qing and moved him to the Yong'an Army Festival Envoy.

However, as the saying goes, "some people are happy and some people are worried", Zhe Deyan and Feng Jiye were relieved and comfortable because they were rewarded by the imperial court, but the other feudal towns who came to report on their work were worried and restless. Because at the same time that the two of them were greatly praised, the Later Zhou court also issued an edict, saying that when today's son is nearly 16 years old, he will perform a crown ceremony at the beginning of next year, and the imperial court sincerely invites all feudal towns from all over the country to come to Beijing to participate in the ceremony. In order to prevent the people who went to Beijing to report on their work this time, they stayed in the capital temporarily, and then returned to their respective places after the crown ceremony of the Son of Heaven.

Although it was clear that the imperial court was taking itself hostage, in order to further weaken the power of the feudal towns, and even deprive the people of their real power. But as the so-called "people are under the low eaves, they have to bow their heads", now that they are in the capital, not only are they hundreds of thousands of miles away from the soldiers and horses of the town, but even the personal soldiers and guards brought from the town have been cut again and again by the imperial court for various reasons, and even a room is not satisfied, and where can they have the ability to compete with the imperial court. As for the pro-confidants who stayed in the town in each section, they did not dare to risk the life of the lord in the capital to rebel, and they did not have the courage to use the little bit in their hands because of the limited financial resources, they had to reduce again and again, and now they have few soldiers and horses to challenge the strong combat power of the imperial forbidden army, and they can only watch their own lords being encircled in the capital that have not been built long ago, luxurious, spacious, magnificent, but heavily guarded, it is difficult to have a bright day.

As the local feudal towns were forcibly retained in the capital for a long time, the shape of their towns slowly changed. Before he was trapped in the capital, they may have been consistent with their own towns, and his cronies and subordinates were also obedient and disobedient to him, and they could also be respectful and loyal to his designated successor. But the problem is that as time goes by, the hope of getting out of trouble and leaving Beijing is getting slimmer and slimmer. Moreover, because of the relationship between the big transfer and the big adjustment, the control power of the Jiedu envoys over the new town is much lower than that of the old town that they have been operating for many years, giving people who have a heart an opportunity to take advantage of. In addition, the Later Zhou court and the crossing team deliberately broke the local protection barriers of the local feudal towns that were self-contained and excluded outsiders, and the officials appointed to the local areas by the local court and the local families who were interested in the imperial court secretly provoked and promoted the internal contradictions of the local feudal towns without a trace but effectively. Therefore, some people who are unwilling to live under the people forever and want to go to the next level, or feel that they have worked hard and their achievements are disproportionate, and their income is disproportionate to their merits, they have begun to move their minds, intending to be a strong man and a hegemon in this era when force is respected and the law of the jungle is the strongest. As a result, starting from August and September of the lunar calendar of the fourth year of Jianlong, the "good show" of brothers seizing the heirs, usurping power by generals, and competing for the throne began to be staged in local feudal towns.

However, the process of seizing the throne is fierce and full of blood, and those local feudal towns where the succession, usurpation, and competition for the throne have all been full of swords and swords, and blood is flowing all over the ground. In response to this kind of chaos, the Hou Zhou court, which had been prepared for a long time, was very resolute and decisive - sending troops to calm down and never tolerate it.

Since troops are sent to quell the rebellion, there will inevitably be battles, and if there are battles, there will inevitably be casualties. As the saying goes, "the sword has no eyes", the shape on the battlefield is changing rapidly, and anything can happen, and no one can predict it in advance. Therefore, while the traitors who tried to usurp power and seize the throne were completely exterminated by the soldiers and horses of the imperial court, it was normal for those orthodox successors designated and supported by the Jiedu envoys to be damaged or even killed in the chaos. As a result, when those ill-intentioned people were afraid of the military might of the imperial court and no longer dared to act rashly and take risks, more than half of the 29 festivals that were forcibly left in the capital by the imperial court had no successors, and all the soldiers and horses were lost, and they became the commanders of the light poles.

There are no successors, no subordinates and cronies, and no soldiers and horses, so such a local feudal town will naturally not become its feudal town. But the problem is that the feudal town government office is gone, but the local people are still there, and they still have to survive and develop. Therefore, in order to heal the wounds of the war and to comfort the local people, the Later Zhou court, which loved the people like a son, immediately sent new officials and new guards to these places after the end of the anti-rebellion war, so as to restore the local people's livelihood and maintain local order. Of course, considering that the Jiedu envoys in these places were in the capital when the rebellion broke out, even if they wanted to put down the rebellion, they were powerless and beyond their reach. Therefore, the Later Zhou court did not pursue them for the crime of lax control, and also retained the title of Jiedu envoy for them, and continued to keep them to live in the capital until the people's livelihood and economy in their towns were "fully restored" before returning. As for when the people's livelihood and economy in these places will be able to "fully recover", it depends on when these Jiedu envoys, who have become the commanders of the light pole, will be able to recognize the shape and take the initiative to propose to the imperial court to give up the festival town and military power, and live in the capital for a long time.

As for those feudal towns that did not have infighting, due to the influence of the previous series of chaos in the local feudal towns, their remaining personnel are no longer monolithic, but have become suspicious, wary of each other, suspicious of each other, and it is no longer possible to work together and unite with the outside world as before. For such a scattered feudal town, the imperial court only needs to work hard to divide it, infiltrate it, and finally eat it in one bite. From this point of view, I am afraid that this action of cutting the feudal domain of the Later Zhou Dynasty will be completed in a short time.