Chapter 108 Sometimes courage and talent are really two different things
Zhang Juyan was originally a farmer from a farmer family. He used to be a clerk in the county yard, but because he was repeatedly humiliated by the county magistrate, he surrendered to Huang Chao's rebel army. When Huang Chao attacked Chang'an and established the pseudo-Qi regime, he was named Minister of Personnel and the water transport envoy, in charge of the pseudo-Chung Dynasty water transport affairs. According to historical trajectory, after Huang Chao's defeat, he indeed surrendered to Zhuge Shuang's command, and he chose to surrender. He was really not wrong in choosing the right person to surrender. According to Zhuge Shuang's evaluation of Zhang Juyan, "his name was above a certain position at the time, so he encouraged him" and submitted it to the Tang court, asking Zhang Juyan to submit it to Zhang Juyan for pardon and granting him an official.
Later, Zhang Juyan was given the title of Zhang Quanyi, and chose to support the latter during the power struggle between Liu Jing and Li Han.
However, Li Hanzhi, who was brutal and fierce, repeatedly asked for money and food, forcing Zhang Quanyi to break up with him. Li Hanzhi then asked Li Keyong for 30,000 reinforcements to launch a fierce attack. Zhang Quanyi was besieged for a long time and had no food to eat, so he had to ask Zhu Wen, the Xuanwu Army. After Zhu Wen sent troops to rescue the siege, Zhang Quanyi completely surrendered to the Xuanwu Army's vassal states.
Until the Later Tang Dynasty destroyed Liang, Zhang Quanyi surrendered to Emperor Zhuang of Tang Li Cunxu, and he still enjoyed glory and was highly valued. However, because he tried to ensure that Li Siyuan would not have the same intentions as the rebel general Zhao Zaili, the result was the opposite of his later affairs. After hearing the revenge, Zhang Quanyi died of fear at the age of 75...
Compared to the forces that Zhang Juyan (Zhang Quanyi) had successively joined in his life, what impressed Li Tianqu was more profound in his personality. Because in the strange and perverted Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, his moral integrity was shattered, and his three views were destroyed. It was also amazing.
Zhu Wen had a vicious attack during the summer retreat, and he "forced his mistress, daughter, and daughter-in-law" to Zhang Quanyi's wife, concubine, daughter and daughter-in-law. Zhang Quanyi could bear this matter, but his son could not bear it, so he intended to assassinate Zhu Wen, but Zhang Quanyi shouted sternly and scolded his son with heartache. Our lives were saved by the lord. This kind of kindness must not be forgotten, so how could he have the evil intention of rebelling against the master...
In this way, when later generations talk about this Quanyi, people often ridiculed him as a cuckold prince.
However, until Zhu Wen was killed by his son and the Liang Dynasty was inevitably replaced by the Later Tang Dynasty, Zhang Quanyi apologized to Li Cunxu for guilt and expressed his opinion that he had served Zhu's Liang Dynasty. "I once lived in a bad habit of wood and drank thieves springs, which was actually flawed." He also bribed the Empress of Later Tang Zhang as his adopted daughter. Li Tianqu said that it was understandable that he could bend and stretched for fame and fortune for fame, but Zhang Quanyi relied on being humble and betrayed things to seek preservation. It was too much and there was no lower limit. He was really scared to his grandma's house.
But Li Tianqu decisively ordered his cavalry to stop running towards Zhang Juyan's defeated soldiers. Not only did the fierce cavalry with long and short weapons stop the war horses and collect the weapons, An Renyi and several cavalry archers slowly lowered the horn bows.
In the eyes of Zhang Juyan and other remnants of the anti-army army, they suddenly braked suddenly when they saw a large number of Tang army cavalry about to come to their sight. Some of them were so scared that they sat on the ground, and their crotch was wet. Some of them subconsciously wanted to pick up weapons to resist, but their hands and feet were not in control. They thought they would inevitably be slaughtered in the end...
When Zhang Juyan saw this fierce and fierce Tang army cavalry rushed to the front, he was so shocked that he got up and wanted to escape, but his legs were weak and he suddenly collapsed on the ground. He thought he would die today, but the Tang army suddenly stopped rushing again. He didn't know what he was selling in the gourd, but he didn't care about the dust and smoke coming to his face, so he had to kneel on the ground again, shouting that the general would be kind, and hope to spare his life...
Li Tianqu led the group of defeated anti-army soldiers to rush into the cavalry formation that was only a dozen steps away, and suddenly poked out a head. Along the way, Pi Rixiu was even more shocked after Li Tianqu killed Huang Chao. Fortunately, there were soldiers on both sides to guard him and not fall off the bumpy horse's back. When he looked over, he saw that Zhang Juyan was the person he knew at the beginning. However, seeing the other party's cowardly appearance of being greedy for life and fear of death, Pi Rixiu couldn't help but snorted coldly, with contempt on his face, and then retracted his head.
As for Li Tianqu looked down at Zhang Juyan who was lying on the ground begging for life, he suddenly shouted in a deep voice: "Zhang Juyan, the Minister of Personnel of the Fake Qi, since you say you have abandoned the secret and turned to the light and the heart, why don't you tell me what your identity is?"
Zhang Juyan's heart skipped a beat when he heard this, and kept screaming in pain. He thought to himself that since this general knew that I was a decree official from the fake court, he was afraid that he would take my head and ask the Tang court for credit and reward.
However, at first, Li Tianqu had a murderous intention to kill Zhang Juyan, who was unknown to the future. However, after knowing who he was, he not only did not take action, but immediately planned to recruit Zhang Juyan to use it for him.
It is true that Zhang Juyan's wife, concubine, daughter and daughter-in-law were all sleepy by Zhu Wen, but he still had to be "loyal" to him. It is no exaggeration to say that he compromised and did not know how to be shameless. However, according to Li Tianqu's thoughts, it is no exaggeration to say that when he really had a base to develop and grow, and in the early stages of the vassal state, the value and role of Zhang Juyan, or Zhang Quanyi, was even more important than famous generals such as Wang Yanzhang and Ge Congzhou.
Because Zhang Juyan's character is not bad, he was one of the most outstanding ministers in the Liang Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty during the Five Dynasties and the Ten Kingdoms.
According to the historical trajectory, after many years of war, the ground was covered with white bones and thorns, the people were not satisfied with the people, and there were no farmlands in all the fields. There were only a hundred subordinates under his command, but after Zhang Juyan's governance, Luoyang "had no severe punishment, no rent and tax, and the people returned to it like a market, and the strong men were selected to teach them to fight to prevent the bandits. A few years later, the capital Fangqu gradually restored the old system. The household registration of all counties was restored, and mulberry and hemp were bright, and the fields were no open land." The people under the rule "due to the fact that the neighbors had no help, the more families had accumulated, and they were not hungry in bad years, so they became rich." In addition to his lazy and confused governance in his old age, he encouraged farmers and serenity to revive all industries for a long time in his early years, which was indeed outstanding in political achievements.
But not only relying on humility and flattery and obedience, Zhang Juyan was able to be named kings in Liang and Tang dynasties, but also relying on real political achievements. Not only was he a high-ranking minister, but even the rule was extremely strict and made great contributions, the generals who were suspected of having two hearts and neglected political affairs, and even raised war horses to lose weight. Zhu Wen, who said that he could kill him, did not have to mean Zhao Gong, who assisted the Emperor of Zhou, and gave him the name of Zhang Zongshi.
It is true that talented people may not be virtuous, and virtuous people may not be talented... Li Tianqu sighed in his heart, but if Zhang Juyan is a shameless villain who can be used by his wife and daughter to proclaim lust for his master... But at least he has great enthusiasm for managing government affairs for most of his life, and the people under his rule praised him, "Zhang Gong is not happy to speak up, but never laughs when he sees good mai and cocoon." This is a good minister who is devoted to his work. A person's nature is not clear in black and white, but it is indeed too complicated.
In the chaotic times of the late Tang Dynasty, Zhang Juyan was particularly good at reviving and prosperous territory that was suffering from war and was in ruins. The most lacking was the ability to quickly restore local production, allowing displaced people and refugees to live and work in peace and contentment, and manage the civil affairs of agriculture, culture, merchants and civil affairs. Otherwise, even if there was a piece of land, even if there were good generals such as Ge Congzhou, Wang Yanzhang, and Zhang Guiba who were short of money, food, and soldiers, how could they compete with other powerful vassals?
In the chaotic season of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, it is impossible to pick up and promote civil and military talents. I don’t expect you to have the virtues and integrity of wise ministers such as Xiao He, Xun Yu, Fang Xuanling. As long as you have at least 60% of their political skills, I will be content... Li Tianqu looked down at Zhang Juyan who was still kneeling on the ground, and suddenly shouted loudly:
Chapter completed!