Since the ancient Ming Jun is characterized by generosity and benevolence, and the strong conquest by force will often have the opposite effect. This is true of being an emperor, and it is also true of being a man. Doing things without doing absolutely, leaving room for everything, this is the true meaning of doing things.
01
Cao Bin was the first general of the Founding State of the Northern Song Dynasty, Cao Bin's aunt Zhang Shi, married the Later Zhou Taizu Guo Wei, cao Bin was actually a serious imperial relative. And at the beginning of the founding of the Northern Song Dynasty, the pacifying of the Later Shu and Southern Tang Dynasties had the merits of the world, and they were the immortal wizards of the Northern Song Dynasty.
Before Zhao Kuangyin's yellow robe was added, Cao Bin and Zhao Kuangyin had a good relationship, but after Zhao Kuangyin became emperor, Cao Bin stayed away.
Emperor Taizu was puzzled by this, he understood that Cao Bin was a rare talent. Once, Zhao Kuangyin called Cao Bin to the front and asked him, "I hope that our brothers can be closer, why do you always avoid me?" ”
Cao Bin immediately knelt down and replied: "I am a relative of Hou Zhou, do my duty well, I am afraid of mistakes, even if I dare to make friends with the emperor again." The original text is "The subject is a close relative of the Zhou Chamber, reinstated in the internal post, Jing Gong guarded the throne, I am afraid that I have been captured, and An dares to make friends in vain?" ”
When Taizu heard this, he trusted Cao Bin even more. Cao Bin knew that it was necessary to keep a low profile as an official, and Taizu had just ascended to the throne, which was the key stage to establish his authority, and at this time, he needed to be low-key and do his job well. In this way, long-term development can be guaranteed, and Cao Bin has been cautious in his words and deeds in the subsequent life, never proud and complacent.
No matter how high the status, it should also act humbly, and it is easier to be trusted and more likely to succeed in a low posture. Doing things cautiously and being low-key is Cao Bin's style and one of the reasons why he is reused by Song Taizu.
02
In 963, after pacifying Jinghu and Jinghu, Zhao Kuangyin set his sights on Houshu, a place of perennial peace and sufficient wealth to conquer. Immediately, Taizu ordered Xichuan to deploy Wang Quanbin and Cao Bin, the capital supervisor, to attack Houshu in two ways.
Wang Quanbin was an old minister of Zhao Kuangyin, who had made great contributions to the neutrality of the Chen Qiao Mutiny, and although this person was good at using soldiers, he had the habit of killing well. After conquering the Sword Gate Pass, Wang Quanbin did not restrain his subordinates and wantonly killed and looted in the city. This also led to the People of Later Shu being forced to revolt, and the Later Shu rebellion lasted for three years, and the Northern Song Army suppressed it for three years to calm the situation.
Cao Bin was different from Wang Quanbin in the march, he restrained his subordinates very strictly, prohibiting the indiscriminate killing of innocents, prohibiting looting, he was not the main general, but he did everything he should do, and it was precisely because Cao Bin was there, and Later Shu was only in turmoil for three years, otherwise it would be impossible to clean up. After Cao Bin returned to Kaifeng, Taizu was promoted to envoy of Xuanhui Southern Courtyard because he did not kill and plunder indiscriminately. Wang Quanbin was scolded and demoted to an official post.
Conquering people's hearts and minds by force alone cannot be done, and if the People of Houshu are treated with an equal attitude instead of tyranny, then Houshu will not be in turmoil for three years, and the scourge left behind will not be solved in the short term.
03
Because of Cao Bin's outstanding performance, the important task of attacking Southern Tang was entrusted to Cao Bin, and in 974, he ordered the southwestern camp horse infantry army to deploy Cao Bin, Pan Mei and other five-way armies to attack Southern Tang. The deployment of Zhao Kuangyin this time is very meaningful, the Southern Tang is one of the stronger countries in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, Zhao Kuangyin wants to surrender the army without a fight this time, so he sent Cao Bin.
Pan Mei was the main force in this campaign, and the commander-in-chief was Cao Bin, and in order to serve the people, Song Taizu also gave Cao Bin the sword of life and death. Holding this sword has the power to cut first and play later. Pan Mei was the founding general of the Northern Song Dynasty, with outstanding military merit and outstanding military ability, and was the lord of hard battles. Cao Bin is cautious by nature, strategic and then moves.
War is like a car, and the steering wheel is Cao Bin, and the engine is like Pan Mei. The car can start up quickly, but there can be one thing missing, that is, the brakes, the brakes of this war are Cao Bin, without him, then the war will absolutely fail.
Cao Bin led the water army to build a pontoon bridge at the quarry, and Pan Mei rushed directly to the quarry from the land, and after passing quickly from the pontoon bridge, he took Jinling, the capital of the Southern Tang Dynasty. After solving the last strength of the Southern Tang Dynasty, Zhu Lingyun, Jinling City no longer had the strength to fight back, and Li Yu, the lord of the Southern Tang Dynasty, could only look at the city and sigh, "How many sorrows can the Emperor have, just like a river of spring water flowing eastward."
Jinling City was heavily besieged by the Northern Song Dynasty, and Li Yu did not surrender. Now it was time to test Cao Bin's ability, Jinling City was like a big cake, and all the soldiers wanted to go into the city and loot it and pack the money full. Cao Bin did not do this, he first sent his subordinates to send a letter of persuasion, and Li Yu shirked it for various reasons.
After many unsuccessful attempts, Cao Bin's generals began to be impetuous and advised Cao Bin to move as soon as possible to conquer Jinling. At the crucial time, Cao Bin was actually sick, and on the sickbed, he called the generals to the bedside and said to them: "I am sick now, if you listen to me, after arriving in Jinling City, if you do not kill a person in vain, my illness will be better." Not far away, the sword given by Zhao Kuangyin was right in front of them.
In fact, Cao Bin could take out the Shang Fang Sword and then kill one or two generals to establish his prestige, but he did not do so, he treated his subordinates with tolerance, and stabilized the situation with both grace and power. Soon Jinling City was conquered, and Cao Bin's troops entered the city in an orderly manner, without killing the people or looting property.
The first step of the Northern Song army was to surround the Southern Tang Imperial Palace and issue a strict order to prohibit anyone from entering, Li Yu finally surrendered peacefully, and the Southern Tang almost retained the status quo. The unification war of the Southern Tang Dynasty was the most moderate, and it was precisely because of Cao Bin's existence that the people of the Southern Tang Dynasty were spared from disaster and various historical books and classics could be preserved.
The people of the Southern Tang Dynasty would thank Cao Bin, and they would also thank the Great Song, and when Cao Bin returned to Kaifeng, there were only some clothes and books in his package, and nothing else. With his ability and position of power, he is tolerant and generous to others, not arrogant and impatient, not only to the enemy, but also to his subordinates, which is rare and deserves to be respected.
04
Those who win the hearts and minds of the people win the world, and having a general like Cao Bin is a fortunate thing for the Great Song Dynasty and a fortunate thing for the people of the Southern Tang Dynasty. Our modern society is extremely impetuous, and there is nothing wrong with the capable and the mediocre. But being a person must leave a way back for yourself, no matter how good and powerful you are, doing things will never have good results.
We should face things with a tolerant mentality, be forgiving and forgiving, a little more tolerance can be less disputed, and everyone who has a grateful heart has a principle and a bottom line. Just like Zhao Kuangyin's highest evaluation to Cao Bin, "Those who do not deceive their masters, cao Bin'er alone." (Text/Contributing Author: Nine Fish Pavilion.) This self-media welcomes historical contributions)