Chapter 541: The Thirteen Loyalties of Xingjiao Sect
If any of the Jiedushi envoys of the later Jin Dynasty were truly kind to Zhang Zhao, it would be considered a blessing.
When Zhang Zhao and Li Congyu clashed at the foot of Mawei slope, it was Kang Fu who persuaded General Ya to watch temporarily.
In the struggle between Zhang Zhao and Shi Jingtang, it was Kang Fu who took the initiative to give up the territory of the Qinzhou Xiongwu Army Jiedushi, allowing Zhang Zhao to obtain a key place to open the door.
Moreover, Kang Fu had made an agreement with Zhang Zhao that if Zhang Zhao could enter the Central Plains, Kang Fu would help him recruit Daibei military ministers in Kaifeng Mansion, Tokyo, and marry him a granddaughter.
It's just that it's not a holiday. By the time Zhang Zhao entered Kaifeng Mansion in Tokyo, Kang Fu had already passed away for almost four years.
Uh! In fact, it can be said that Zhang Zhao's rise is really a bit slow.
Especially with the golden finger bonus, in fifteen years, not even half of China was obtained.
However, considering that Shazhou, where Zhang Zhao lives, is far to the west of China, the Han people are in decline, and the journey is long, it is actually not bad.
Kangfu Mansion, although Kangfu has passed away, his three sons Kang Yannuma, Kang Yanze and Kang Yanshou are still there.
By the time Zhang Zhao arrived, the three Kang brothers who were the masters, as well as An Shenqi, Fu Yanqing, Gao Xingzhou, Yao Yuanfu, Xue Huairang and others who had been summoned were already there.
It could be seen that these people looked a little embarrassed and nervous. Zhang Zhao even thought that if he didn't recruit them today, these people would probably find a way to escape.
And not only them, but also all the warriors in Hebei Province will surrender to Liu Zhiyuan.
Now that Liu Zhiyuan only occupies a few states near the Taihang Mountains, it must be because these people are blocking him, but this blocking is not firm and can be seen as a wait-and-see approach.
Therefore, after exerting extreme pressure, they will be used anyway. Zhang Zhao behaved in a very friendly manner, as if the person who put An Shenqi and others under house arrest for more than two months was not Zhang Zhao.
"Teacher An is an old acquaintance of a certain family. He is regarded as an elder brother. Is there any reason to ask an elder brother to bow down?"
Just as everyone was bowing down, Zhang Zhao rushed over and helped An Shenqi up.
Then he looked at Fu Yanqing, who was handsome and full of righteousness, and asked in a lively manner: "But Fu Guanhou, who was the leader of the Xingjiao Sect in the past?"
A trace of astonishment flashed in Fu Yanqing's eyes, because in his opinion, things in the Xingjiao Sect were not very glorious. He, Fu Yanqing, could not even protect the temple, and finally left it.
However, Zhang Zhao doesn't think so. In fact, Fu Yanqing and the other thirteen people in Ban Xingjiao's sect have indeed tried their best.
It is not necessarily true that people like Tian Heng and Huangfu Yu were loyal ministers. Fu Yanqing and others only left Zhuang Temple after their deaths, which is already quite good.
"I am Fu Yanqing who is unable to protect the master of the Xingjiao Sect!"
Zhang Zhao waved his hand and said, "The temple favors the actor and treats the soldiers harshly, but in the end the actor raises an army and kills him. It's really fate.
Thirteen of you have followed us to the end, and we are exhausted. Even the people in Zhuang Temple's pillow have abandoned us. You are still guarding us. Your loyalty is commendable!"
Well, Zhang Zhao is the emperor now. If he says he is loyal, then he is loyal. Fu Yanqing was finally sure that Zhang Zhao was not trying to ridicule him with the Xingjiao incident, and his face instantly felt much better.
After Zhang Zhao sighed, he took a large wine vat from the waiter, poured a large bowl of wine and handed it to Fu Yanqing.
"With this bowl, I wish you to be the loyal guardian of Fu Guanhou Xingjiao, and wash away the shame of submitting to the Khitan!"
Fu Yanqing was not an easily moved person, but in the past few months, it was indeed too difficult. The humiliation of succumbing to the Khitan and Zhang Zhao's attitude made him suffer internally.
Fu Yanqing couldn't help but burst into tears when he heard Zhang Zhao mentioning his feats in the past and personally offering him a bowl of wine to wash away the shame of submitting to the Khitans.
He first knelt down and kowtowed three times, then took the wine bowl with both hands and shouted with tears in his eyes.
"My lord, Fu Yanqing! I thank the saint. I will not avoid life and death in the future, regain Yanyun, and destroy the northern captives to atone for my sins."
Zhang Zhao held the wine jar, looked around at the people around him, and said, "That's right! Although we have expelled the northern barbarians, it is not enough.
The Northern Barbarians must be eliminated in order to avenge the people in Henan and Hebei who suffered from the Khitan people's grass-grazing valleys.
Although the Shi family was immoral and lost his country, and Shi Chonggui often abused the people, he was once the lord of the Central Plains, and now he is bullied by the barbarians in Liaodong, which is also a great shame for us.
You all should work with me to take back the Shi family and wash away the humiliation imposed on us by the Northern captives since Shi Jingtang ceded Yan Yun and claimed to be the son emperor."
This was a beautiful statement, and Zhang Zhao also thought so in his heart. Even if Shi Chonggui was not good at all, he was still the lord of the Central Plains.
If he was beheaded by Zhang Zhao, it was his own fault, and there is no grievance to be discussed.
However, being imprisoned by the Khitans in the forests of Liaodong, he was humiliated and humiliated so arbitrarily that even Zhang Zhaona's face was disgraced.
So as soon as Zhang Zhao finished speaking, all the officials of the Later Jin Dynasty in the room bent down and crossed their hands and responded, "I will follow the saint's teachings, and we are willing to follow the saint to defeat the northern captives."
Zhang Zhao nodded with satisfaction. It seemed that two months of persecution was still effective. Otherwise, these people would not be so tame, at least not when they faced Shi Chonggui in the past.
After receiving satisfactory expressions from everyone, Zhang Zhao was in a good mood and raised the wine jar in his hand again.
"Are there any loyal ministers from the Xingjiao Sect who were present today?"
As soon as he finished speaking, an old man with gray beard and hair emerged from the crowd.
"Veteran Hou Yi also guarded the Zhuang Temple at the Xingjiao Gate."
Regarding Hou Yi, Zhang Zhao's senses were very complicated. When he was young, he was simply a model of loyal ministers in the world.
He fought under Zhuang Zong without fear of life and death, made many military exploits, and was loyal and honest.
After that, Wei Bo's army mutinied, and Mingzong Li Siyuan went to quell the rebellion, but was kidnapped by the rebels and proclaimed the emperor, while Zhuangzong rebelled and abandoned his relatives.
Hou Yi was by Mingzong's side at the time. He gave up his support and ran back to Zhuangzong alone overnight and guarded loyally at Xingjiao Gate.
However, after Zhuangzong died in the Xingjiao clan, Hou Yi seemed to be a completely different person. He only knew how to preserve his strength and seek wealth, and gradually transformed into a typical Five Dynasties warrior.
"Hou Weng set an example for the world in the past, and Hou Renbao also made great contributions to the new dynasty. He deserves a bowl of wine!"
Although Hou Yi had lost the advantages of his youth at this time, Zhang Zhao still respected Hou Yi because of Hou Renbao's contribution to Shaanxi Province.
After Hou Yi finished his drink, Zhang Zhao continued to look around, "I heard that there was a military academy named Wang Quanbin at Xingjiao Gate in the past. He was commendable for his loyalty and bravery. Is he here?"
Everyone looked left and right, and finally at the outermost edge, a very poor general wearing coarse cloth came out, and then knelt down in front of Zhang Zhao and cried bitterly.
"I, Wang Quanbin, the commander of the original guardian army, came to see the saint."
Wang Quanbin really wants to cry. Historically, after the Khitans entered Tokyo, Yelu Deguang received Zhao Yanshou's advice and was very good to the Jin army who stayed in Tokyo.
But in this time and space, in order to defeat Zhang Zhao as soon as possible, Yelu Deguang could only indulge the Khitan armies in Tokyo. Wang Quanbin's house was robbed several times, and his father's money collected from the Kelan Army Envoy was basically robbed.
Zhang Zhao already had a very difficult time entering Tokyo.
"A man should not shed tears easily! And after eating my glass of wine, I heard that you have lost your family property and that father, son and brothers can only live in thatched hut. This is not the treatment that a loyal minister and righteous man should have.
I will give you fifty guan of money and a hundred bolts of cloth, and I will find a house to rest in."
What can I say about Wang Quanbin? He cares less about wealth than about people. He has the support of many soldiers and generals, and he is not afraid of death in battle, but he is easy to get carried away.
Moreover, his subordinates are too tolerant and often cannot even restrain their own tooth soldiers. They are the typical fifth-generation tooth generals who rely on coaxing and raising tooth soldiers to ensure their combat effectiveness.
"I thank Your Majesty for the reward, and I am willing to go through fire and water to serve as the King's minion!"
Wang Quanbin actually came in shamelessly because the family really couldn't open the door.
He didn't think about being able to strike up a conversation with Zhang Zhao or anything like that. He just thought about whether he could rely on the reputation of Dai Bei and Hedong General to borrow some money from other people so that he could go back and make a living.
Unexpectedly, he would be rewarded for his loyalty to the Xingjiao Sect in the past. He was so grateful for Zhang Zhao's gift that he burst into tears on the ground.
While Wang Quanbin was kowtowing, Gao Huaide, the son of Gao Xingzhou, who was admired by Zhang Zhao and had just finished gilding Shanshandu and was about to take up the post of commander of Zuojinwu Guard, came forward.
"Saint, there is another person in this room, who is also a loyal minister of Xingjiao in the past!"
"Oh? Who is here? Even Zangyong admires him so much, please come out and see him."
Before Zhang Zhao finished speaking, a strong man with a leopard head and ringed eyes came out to greet him.
"My lord, He Fujin, the former defense envoy of Zhengzhou, pays homage to the saint."
Zhang Zhao was not familiar with this man, but he was also a loyal and brave man in history. He first rebelled with Li Rong in Dingzhou, and then guarded the border for several years, causing the Khitan and Northern Han Dynasties to invade the border many times without success.
Zhang Zhao then poured out all the wine in the wine vat, just enough to fill two bowls.
He took the bowl himself and sent the other bowl to He Fujin. He Fujin knelt down on one knee and took the bowl. Zhang Zhao also raised the bowl in his hand.
"A good general must be a loyal minister. I employ only those who are capable and only those who are loyal and filial."
Hou Yi, Fu Yanqing, He Fujin, and Wang Quanbin were commendable for their loyalty to Xingjiao in the past years.
The imperial edict ordered Hou Yi to ascend the throne and inspect the school as Grand Master, grant him the title of Jie Xiupe, grant him a settlement for 200 households, grant him a house, and grant him 200 guan of money, so that he could enjoy his old age in peace.
Fu Yanqing came to the throne to inspect the Taibao, and was appointed as the Secretary of the Central Military Commission. He was appointed as the military commander of the Yongqing Army in Beizhou and the commander of the Zuo Longxiang Guards.
Jia He Fu entered the school to inspect the Taibao, and then became the military envoy of the Anguo Army in Xingzhou.
Wang Quanbin is appointed as the Marquis of Yu, the capital of Youlongxiang Guards, and he will listen to you in front of the tent!"
As soon as Zhang Zhao took action, he sealed off the two Jiedushi envoys. The former Jiedushi envoys of the Later Jin Dynasty in the room burst into cheers. They had finally waited for this day, and Zhang Shengren still wanted to use them.
"We are grateful for the saint's kindness. However, my father, Prince Baqing, and his soldiers were built by the Khitans on the banks of the Hutuo River, and their bones are still exposed in the wilderness!"
A quick look at the gate revealed that it was Wang Shoujun, the son of Xizhou governor Wang Qing who died in battle on the banks of the Hutuo River.
As soon as he came out and begged, Liang Hairong, the son of Liang Hanzhang, the former Beizhou Yongqing Army Jiedushi, also rushed out.
He held up the riding whip that Liang Hanzhang had collected after his death in the battle and presented it to Zhang Zhao, kowtowed and cried loudly.
"After my father, Duke Liang, died in the Hanzhang War, he did not receive a gift from the court and died with his eyes closed, so he was not buried. I beg your majesty to grant my father a gift for the sake of his loyalty to the country."
After Zhang Zhao took the riding whip from Liang Hairong, Guo Tongxiao, the son of Guo Lin, the governor of Yizhou, also cried and knelt down.
"My father, Guo Gongbalin, was killed by the Khitan thief Geng Chongmei. So far, no body remains. I beg the saint to let me take the thief Geng Chongmei and disembowel his wrists and heart to pay homage to my late father."
It turns out that Geng Chongmei, who killed Guo Lin, was captured after the Xiaoyi Bridge was broken during the battle of Yanshi City and is being imprisoned in Kaifeng Mansion, Tokyo.
Zhang Zhao looked up to the sky and sighed. After recalling the deeds of Liang Hanzhang, Wang Qing, Guo Lin, Huangfu Yu and others, he couldn't help but shed a few tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Zuo Yu Lin Wei Lang General Zhang Xi Bao commanded Zuo Yu Lin Wei 500 cavalry, went north to the Hutuo River at starry night, retrieved the bodies of the king's governor and the loyal soldiers, and ordered Fu Yanqing to send 2,000 troops from Hebei to support them.
Wang Qing, the former governor of Xizhou, was posthumously given the title of Taifu, Duke of Ming State, and General Zuo Jinwuwei. He was buried with the rites of a county prince.
Liang Hanzhang, the former Beizhou Yongqing Army's military governor, was posthumously given the title of Taiwei, Ying Guogong, General Youjin Wuwei, and was buried with the rites of a county king.
Guo Lin, the former governor of Yizhou, was posthumously given the title of Taifu, Duke of Taiyuan, and General Zuo Longxiangwei, and was buried with the ceremonial ceremony of a duke.
The traitor Geng Chongmei was taken out of the prison, and his heart was disemboweled to pay homage to the loyal minister."
After the three of them listened, they all fell to the ground weeping.
An Shenqi stood up at this time and said: "We are so grateful for the saint's kindness. If you dare to invite the saint to the backyard, we will have wine and meat to offer you!"
Zhang Zhao noticed that when An Shenqi finished saying this, a trace of discomfort flashed across Fu Yanqing's face.
He didn't know why, didn't think much about it, and readily agreed immediately.