Chapter 653: Nanping Finally Exits the Stage

He Jingzhu was skilled at archery and of a brave, decisive nature. In his humble days he was a household servant of Li Jian, the military governor of E.

Most of the material on He Jingzhu that later generations can find comes from Zheng Wenbao's *Southern Tang Miscellany* of the early Song, or from Wu Renchen's *Spring and Autumn of the Ten Kingdoms* of the Qing period.

This man seems hardly worth mentioning when set beside those arrogant, overbearing, yet brave and battle-hardened fierce generals of the Central Plains during the chaotic Five Dynasties.

But Zhang Zhao, living in this very age, gradually came to see the full measure of this ugly, short-statured fierce general of the Southern Tang.

Even in the Five Dynasties, this man ranked among the finest.

It can be said that after Li Bian died and Li Jing succeeded to the throne, the Southern Tang relied on three men in military affairs.

In the Huainan region they relied on Liu Renzhan as a nail, holding back the infantry and cavalry from the Central Plains.

On the Yangtze they relied on He Jingzhu to hold Ezhou, so as to avoid a repeat of how the Sui destroyed the Southern Chen.

After both of these men passed away, they could basically rely only on Lin Renzhao as the pillar of the state.

The rest, such as Zhu Lingyun and Chai Kehong, either fell short of their reputations or were not granted long life, and could not truly be counted as pillars.

Of the three, although He Jingzhu was less renowned than Liu Renzhan and Lin Renzhao, in reality he was even more important to the Southern Tang's expansion of territory.

The year before last, when the Southern Tang destroyed Wang Min, the main force of Wang Min's army was in fact shattered by He Jingzhu.

Historically, the greatest credit for the Southern Tang's destruction of Ma Chu was not actually Bian Gao, "Bian the Bodhisattva."

Rather, as early as when Ma Xi'e attacked Ma Xiguang, He Jingzhu, by order of the Southern Tang ruler Li Jing, first sent out the naval forces of the Wuchang Army at Ezhou to join with Ma Xi'e in capturing the key town of Yuezhou and killing its Prefect, Wang Yun.

Afterwards he also assisted Ma Xi'e's army in controlling the water route of the Xiang River and took part in the assault on Changsha.

It can be said that before Bian Gao entered Ma Chu, He Jingzhu had already swept away Yuezhou, the greatest obstacle to Southern Tang control of the Chu lands.

From then on the water route from Wuchang to Changsha was open all the way, and only thus could Bian Gao set out from Yuanzhou (Yichun in Jiangxi) without worrying about manpower and supplies.

One point must be made clear, however: unlike Liu Renzhan, who bitterly defended Shouzhou with unwavering resolve and undivided loyalty, and unlike Lin Renzhao, who was willing to sacrifice himself to help the Southern Tang recover Huainan, He Jingzhu was not so ready to sacrifice himself.

Perhaps it was his servant origins in youth that gave He Jingzhu a degree of forbearance rare among ordinary military men; even when the great achievement of destroying Wang Min was stolen from him, he endured it.

At the same time, it meant He Jingzhu held somewhat less loyalty toward his superiors.

Historically, when he saw Liu Renzhan die of illness and the Southern Tang's national strength decline further, with no hope of preserving the state, he immediately chose to resign and retire.

Thus he became the only one of the Southern Tang's three great pillars to meet a good end.

At this moment, He Jingzhu was in a towering rage in the headquarters of the Wuchang Army.

It was not only because Li Jing had been far too hesitant over the scheme to seize Jiangling and Yuezhou, but still more because Li Jing, after being rebuked by two successive waves of envoys from the Great Zhou, had actually chosen to shift all the blame onto He Jingzhu.

This made He Jingzhu's hair stand on end at once, because in his view, Li Jing, as the ruler of a state, ought to have shouldered the matter himself.

And at worst the consequence would have been another scolding plus some compensation; the Zhou state could not really do anything to Li Jing.

But pushing the matter onto his head, He Jingzhu's, was simply underhanded.

For the Zhou state to deal with Li Jing would require too great a commotion, not worth the cost, but to target him, He Jingzhu, would be very easy.

Sure enough, the Zhou envoy had already begun sailing down the river, and the attendant sent ahead to notify him had now arrived at the water city of Wuchang.

He Jingzhu could only put on a black face and have the yabing guards around him brandish swords, spears, halberds, and pikes, putting on a ferocious, murderous display, as if he meant to cut the Zhou envoy down with a single stroke.

As for Wang Jiu's courage, it truly was great!

Zhang Zhao's arrangement was for him to wait at the Hanchuan ferry, then send an attendant to notify He Jingzhu to come to Hanchuan to receive the reprimand.

But Wang Jiu, fearing the attendant would lose his nerve and fail the task, actually disguised himself as the attendant and came to Wuchang city.

At the sight of the formation He Jingzhu had laid out, Wang Jiu only sneered. Back then the Gaochang Uyghur Khagan Xieli Pijia had truly dared to kill him, and Wang Jiu had not been afraid; how could he fear this paltry show He Jingzhu had put on?

He walked up before the killing formation of swords, spears, halberds, and pikes arrayed by the Wuchang Army's yabing guards, simply had someone bring a small square stool, sat down, and looked at the ugly, ferocious-faced warriors before him, waiting at his leisure.

Oh, right! Beside his foot, he had also placed an hourglass.

He Jingzhu waited in the headquarters for a long while, but Wang Jiu did not stir in the slightest. Only when the hourglass had already half emptied did He Jingzhu, unable to contain himself, have to come out of the headquarters in person to meet him.

"You are but a petty clerk of the Zhou state, while I am a great general of the Tang state. How dare you be so presumptuous and self-important?"

"I may be a petty clerk, but the Sacred Zhou is a superior state under Heaven. You hold the high rank of military governor, yet the Southern Tang is, after all, no more than a vassal."

Wang Jiu gave a cold laugh and went on lecturing He Jingzhu.

"I see that the military governor rose from humble beginnings, and that it has not been easy for him to climb to his present high rank. I would therefore suggest to the military governor that the one in Jiangning city is the ruler of the Southern Tang, not the ruler of Tang. Here there is only the Southern Tang state, no Tang state."

He Jingzhu was practically bursting with fury. He suddenly drew his sword and brandished it at Wang Jiu, while the yabing guards and yabing officers of the Wuchang Army around them also raised their weapons, making as if to strike and kill.

Wang Jiu knew well that at this moment he absolutely must not show fear. Not only must he not show fear, he had to act even more brazenly assured than the other side.

He suddenly sprang to his feet, kicked over the hourglass at his foot with a flying kick, then pointed at the Wuchang Army soldiers and officers closing in and shouted.

"I followed Vice Minister Wang to Jiangning, and even Li Jing dared to rebuke us. Do you think I would fear the likes of you?

Why put on this pretense? He Jingzhu, if you dare kill me, then come on. I would like to see whether all of your Wuchang Army can withstand the court's punitive expedition."

He Jingzhu's face flushed red with suppressed rage. If it were war between Zhou and Tang, he would hold Ezhou even if driven into a hopeless corner, and he would not fear.

But now the Son of Heaven in Jiangning city had already lost his nerve first. If he killed the court's envoy and caused Ezhou to be attacked by the court, Jiangning might well rebuke him for stirring up trouble.

His mind twisting and turning, He Jingzhu finally let out a long, helpless sigh and said to Wang Jiu, disguised as the envoy's attendant.

"Since the envoy of the superior state has come on orders, why does he not come to Ezhou city? Is he afraid that I, He Jingzhu, would do him harm?"

Wang Jiu said coolly, "The envoy caught a chill on the journey and is now encamped at the Hanchuan ferry. I would ask the military governor to take the trouble to go and see him there. As for Ezhou city, there is no need to trouble the envoy to come in person."

"Military Governor, you must not!" a yabing officer of the Wuchang Army loudly urged. "The Zhou men suddenly stopping at Hanchuan and not moving on is surely a trick. The military governor bears the heavy responsibility of river defense and absolutely must not risk himself."

Wang Jiu looked at the officer who had spoken with an expression of contempt. "So Hanchuan is not your Wuchang Army's territory?

The envoy, Vice Minister Wang, is a mere scholar, yet he dares come to this dragon's pool and tiger's den. A man like you, who lives by the blade and prides himself on being a hero, is still so cowardly. What a worthless wretch!"

The officer was so angered his eyes blazed, but Wang Jiu paid no heed. He turned directly to He Jingzhu and said, "I am but a petty clerk passing on a message. Whether the military governor goes or not, just give me an answer."

He Jingzhu frowned and thought for a moment. In truth, he really could not figure out why the Zhou state had sent an envoy to reprimand him, yet the envoy would not enter Ezhou city.

Simply kidnapping him outright was the sort of thing only a ruthless man like Yuan Heng could think of; it was only normal that ordinary people could not guess it.

But He Jingzhu knew one thing: if he did not go, the Zhou state would certainly seize the chance to make trouble. Yes! That must be what they were thinking. There were only two possible outcomes.

One, he did not go, and the Zhou state seized the chance to make trouble, using the pretext to attack Ezhou while the morale of the newly absorbed naval forces of Nanping and Ma Chu was high.

Two, he went, and they suddenly seized him, using his life to make the gates of Wuchang open.

With that thought, He Jingzhu was no longer afraid. Refusing to go would give the Zhou state a pretext for war, and given the Southern Tang's current military readiness, they would certainly suffer a heavy loss.

And if he went, and the Zhou men threatened his life to force open the gates of Ezhou, then what did he have to fear from death? Besides, he could still make arrangements in advance.

So He Jingzhu clasped his hands, and at once his expression changed. "Since the Heavenly Envoy is unwell, then I shall go and pay my respects. It is only that affairs in the city are many, so I beg leave to make a few arrangements first."

With that, He Jingzhu did not wait for Wang Jiu to reply, but turned at once and went back into the government office.

He immediately summoned more than ten officers of the Wuchang Army and ordered them to take three thousand sailors out of the city at once, to cruise near Hanchuan, and to surround the Hanchuan ferry crossing the moment anything went wrong. He also ordered fifteen hundred cavalry and infantry of the Wuchang Army to move out and enter Hanchuan city by land.

Finally, he told everyone in the Military Governor's office that if the Zhou men used his life as a threat, they must absolutely not open the gates.

Only after doing all this did He Jingzhu see Wang Jiu again, and agree to go with Wang Jiu to Hanchuan to meet the Heavenly Envoy.

The next day, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, He Jingzhu boarded a fast boat and, together with Wang Jiu, headed upstream toward Hanchuan.

Once they had left the water fortress of Wuchang, Wang Jiu saw the Wuchang Army's boats, large and small, darting back and forth across the river, patrolling everywhere, and he understood at once what was going on.

He Jingzhu was watching Wang Jiu with a broad smile. "What do you think of my Wuchang Army lads? Can the navies of Nanping or Southern Chu compare?"

Wang Jiu answered solemnly, "Military Governor He is truly the pillar of the Southern Tang, a dragon of the waters."

He Jingzhu laughed heartily and was about to continue his mockery, when Wang Jiu suddenly glanced at the guard beside him. The guard took from his waist a large firecracker packed with gunpowder and lit it at once.

Boom! The explosion startled everyone around.

On the small boat, He Jingzhu's guards were just about to close in, when they saw Wang Jiu pull open his clothes. Inside, he was covered with at least seven or eight large firecrackers.

"These are Hexi Divine Fire Thunder. When they go off, not only is the body destroyed, but the very soul is annihilated. Any man who does not fear death is welcome to come and try."

Even as he spoke, five or six small boats suddenly shot out from the reeds along the riverbank, all carrying Zhou soldiers with bows.

The boatman of He Jingzhu's vessel was shot down at once and toppled into the river.

He Jingzhu was furious. "You dogs, how dare you harm me? If any injury befalls this old man, the Heavenly Envoy in Hanchuan city will also die without a burial place."

"Hahaha!" Wang Jiu laughed up at the sky. "I am the Vice Minister of Rites of the Great Zhou, the Heavenly Envoy Wang Jiu.

He Jingzhu, as a subject you do not recognize the times. You dared to incite a vassal state to resist its suzerain. For such rebellion and defiance of your lord, the Son of Heaven has specially ordered me to take you back for punishment."

He Jingzhu was shocked. Only now did he realize that this insufferable little Zhou official beside him was the Heavenly Envoy himself, and that the Zhou state did not intend to use him to force open the gates of Ezhou, but to carry him off.

For a moment He Jingzhu did not know whether to feel proud or grieved.

What made him proud was that he, He Jingzhu, should be worthy of such scheming by the Zhou Son of Heaven. He could count himself a threat certified by the Zhou emperor himself.

What grieved him was that the Zhou state's advantage over the Southern Tang was so great, and yet the Son of Heaven in Jiangning, faced with a perfect opportunity, still hesitated.

But the Zhou Son of Heaven was willing to put such effort into dealing with even a regional commander like him. The gap between the two rulers was too great.

He Jingzhu suddenly found little will to resist. Since ancient times, when north and south faced off, the north had always unified the south — to say nothing of the fact that the Southern Tang did not even count as a true southern dynasty.

Of course, even if He Jingzhu had wanted to resist, it was already too late. Under the threat of the Divine Fire Thunder on Wang Jiu's body, the yabing guards on the small boat were forced to leap into the water one after another. Only a few trusted men remained at He Jingzhu's side, and they were no match at all for the four Zhou small boats closing in.

On the river, several fast boats of the Wuchang Army that had sensed something was wrong and come in pursuit were shot to pieces by the Zhou marksmen lying in wait before they could even arrive.

Wang Jiu and his men, the great deed accomplished, summoned two hundred percent of their strength and, holding He Jingzhu captive, fled toward Yuezhou.

Zhang Zhao had originally wanted to meet He Jingzhu, but before He Jingzhu even reached Yuezhou, he tore loose his hair, ripped his clothes, and covered his face with his hair to show he would see no one. So Zhang Zhao did not force the issue.

Not everyone in this world likes clinging to a powerful patron's coattails.

After thinking it over repeatedly, Zhang Zhao still granted He Jingzhu a measure of dignity.

He sent the eloquent Li Fang to denounce He Jingzhu for sheltering Gao Baoxu and plotting to seize Yuezhou. Then he issued an edict transferring He Jingzhu to be Troop Supervisor of Dezhou, in effect preparing to confine He Jingzhu in the eastern capital of Kaifeng for a time.

After receiving the appointment, He Jingzhu neither accepted nor refused it, but he did agree to write a letter in his own hand, to be taken back to Ezhou, to bring back his family of more than thirty people, and to have his trusted men escort Gao Baoxu and the others under guard to Yuezhou.

In the second year of Shaoming, the year 947, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month, Zhang Zhao, carrying a great quantity of treasure and leading thirteen thousand infantry and cavalry, set out from Yueyang Prefecture and traveled upstream back to Jiangling Prefecture.

Just as he arrived outside the city, Ma Zhaoyuan (Ma Yaozi), who had come out to meet him, brought Zhang Zhao an important piece of news.

It was that after another four or five months of struggle, Gao Conghui, King of Jing of the Nanping state, was truly at his end.

At this moment Gao Conghui had already had himself carried to the front of the Jingnan Military Governor's office, hoping to see Zhang Zhao one more time.

When Zhang Zhao heard this, he at once led five hundred personal followers and hurried ahead into Jiangling city with light equipment.

Unlike second-generation rulers such as Ma Xi'e, Ma Xiguang, and Li Jing, Gao Conghui, who bore the reputation of "Gao the Rascal" but was in fact quite capable, could still earn some respect from Zhang Zhao.

By the time Zhang Zhao arrived, Gao Conghui, who had been carried over on a shoulder litter, was almost unrecognizable. When Zhang Zhao had left, Gao Conghui had looked ill, but he had not yet lost his form.

But now Gao Conghui was gaunt and withered, almost entirely stripped of human shape, as though all the moisture in his body had been drained away.

Seeing Zhang Zhao arrive, Gao Baorong and Gao Baoyin, the two brothers, were sobbing uncontrollably beside Gao Conghui. Zhang Zhao was furious and roared at them.

"At a time like this, what are you still worried about? In such cold weather, why did you not carry the King of Jing inside sooner? Do you remember the grace of the mother who bore you and the father who raised you?"

The two hurriedly carried Gao Conghui inside themselves. And Gao Conghui on the litter, hearing Zhang Zhao's voice, actually showed a trace of color on his bark-like face. His half-closed eyes were no longer clouded, but held a hint of spirit.

"May I ask the Sage, is Southern Chu pacified?" Gao Conghui asked in a low voice.

Zhang Zhao moved a brocade stool over, sat down beside Gao Conghui, and nodded.

"The King of Jing need not worry. All went smoothly. The rebel Ma Xi'e was taken alive, and Ma Xichong has been beheaded by my own order."

Gao Conghui shook his head with difficulty. "King Wumu of Ma was magnanimous, learned, and skilled at judging and using men. He was truly a man of great talent. It is only a pity that Hunan is not a place for great undertakings."

"Ma Yin indeed deserves to be called a wise ruler," Zhang Zhao agreed with a nod.

"Not a wise ruler. He can only be counted a hero of his age." Gao Conghui actually disagreed with Zhang Zhao. He looked at Zhang Zhao as he spoke.

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"What Ma Yin did is far, far below Your Majesty. Your Majesty is the sage Son of Heaven who appears once in five hundred years. The good days of all under heaven are about to arrive."

As he spoke, Gao Conghui looked toward Gao Baorong. "Sanlang, give the thing to His Majesty."

Gao Baorong nodded quickly and took from his bosom what looked like a bunch of keys.

"Sage, in the Jing Mountains west of Jingmen city, there are three temples built by the Gao clan.

Beneath the three temples are hidden storehouses. Each storehouse holds armor, swords, spears, gold, and silver — in all about eighty thousand strings of cash and two thousand sets of armor.

It is the treasure left by King Wuxin for the descendants of the Gao clan to use in rising again. Today I offer it to the state, to help the Sage unify the world."

Zhang Zhao was speechless. The Gao family really were a bunch of bandits — highway robbery was not enough for them, they had even hidden away a treasure like this for themselves.

Well then! Suddenly gaining more than eighty thousand strings of cash, two thousand sets of iron armor, and countless swords, spears, halberds, and pikes was not bad at all. Of course, it also signified the complete submission of the Gao family.

Here, before Zhang Zhao could even state his position, Gao Conghui's breathing suddenly grew rapid, his body twitching slightly. After barely catching his breath, Gao Conghui said faintly to Zhang Zhao, "Your Majesty, your servant's days are numbered!"

Hmm. Zhang Zhao thought for half a second and immediately understood. He looked at Gao Conghui and said, "We grant it. Let the King of Jing proceed according to custom."

A few turbid tears trickled from Gao Conghui's dim yellow eyes. He had Gao Baorong and Gao Baoyin help him up, and personally performed a full kowtow ceremony for Zhang Zhao.

On the fifteenth day of the twelfth month, Gao Conghui issued a decree, ordering Gao Baorong to provisionally administer the affairs of Nanping and concurrently command all internal and external troops.

On the sixteenth day of the twelfth month, he again ordered Gao Baorong to succeed to the throne of the Nanping Kingdom.

Of course, all of this took place within the Jingnan Military Governor's headquarters, and was entirely ceremonial.

Having obtained the right of succession to Nanping, Gao Baorong immediately went out and headed toward the temporary palace in the north of the city where Zhang Zhao was staying.

Zhang Zhao, there in the temporary palace, invested Gao Baorong as King of Jing, Honorary Grand Marshal, Military Governor of Jingnan, Surveillance and Disposal Commissioner of Xia and Gui Prefectures, and Grand Governor of Jiangling Prefecture.

At this point, the ruler of the Nanping Kingdom of Jing finally changed from Gao Conghui to Gao Baorong.

Gao Conghui was completely relieved. The little Nanping that his father Gao Jixing had founded would not, after all, be lost by his own hand.

On the eighteenth day of the twelfth month, King of Jing Gao Conghui died of illness at the Jingnan Military Governor's headquarters.

The next day, Gao Baorong, who had not yet begun handling his father's funeral affairs, came to request an audience, asking to surrender his territory and resign from the post of Military Governor of Jingnan.

Zhang Zhao issued a special edict of consolation, permitting him to wait until after the first seven-day mourning period.

On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth month, Gao Baorong again requested an audience. Zhang Zhao summoned him in and relieved Gao Baorong of the posts of Grand Governor of Jiangling Prefecture and Surveillance and Disposal Commissioner of Xia and Gui Prefectures, while retaining his title of King of Jing as well as the nominal offices of Honorary Grand Guardian and Military Governor of Jingnan.

Gao Baorong was overjoyed and immediately expressed his wish to escort Gao Conghui back to Shanzhou in the directly administered territory for burial. Zhang Zhao approved at once.

As he was leaving, Gao Baorong once more knelt and begged Zhang Zhao to pardon Gao Baoxu.

Gao Conghui had repeatedly instructed Gao Baorong not to concern himself with Gao Baoxu anymore, lest he incur the Emperor's displeasure, but the soft-hearted Gao Baorong still could not hold back.

After careful consideration, Zhang Zhao had Gao Baoxu severely punished with ten strokes of the rod, executed his co-conspirators, including Li Duan, the Troop Commander of the Nanping naval forces, and banished Gao Baoxu three thousand li to Shuofang to serve on frontier garrison duty.

Afterward, Gao Baorong departed Nanping with the remaining members of the Gao clan.

The Nanping Kingdom, founded twenty-three years earlier and controlled by the Gao family, father and son, for forty years, ceased to exist.

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