The Chenqiao Mutiny in 960 AD can be said to be the founding battle of the Northern Song Dynasty. At that time, the Later Zhou Emperor Chai Zongxun became a puppet emperor at a young age, and the actual power was in the hands of his empress dowager and prime minister Fan Zhen. When false news came that the Liao State and the Northern Han were jointly heading south, Fan Zhen decided to send Zhao Kuangyin to lead his army north to resist.
This move was actually a conspiracy. Zhao Kuangyin wittily gained insight into this, so he took this opportunity to incorporate all the soldiers and horses under his command. Subsequently, the famous "Yellow Robe Plus Body" mutiny was launched in Chenqiaoyi. With the planning and cooperation of Zhao Pu and others, the army finally supported Zhao Kuangyin as the new emperor and created the Northern Song Dynasty.
This mutiny process was quite peaceful and did not cause large-scale bloodshed, which also made Zhao Kuangyin's political skill and military strength more prominent during the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. However, later scholars have disputed the details behind this incident.
For example, why did Zhao Kuangyin consider moving the capital from Kaifeng to Luoyang after he ascended the throne? Perhaps it had something to do with his deep affection for this hometown, but this plan was strongly opposed by Zhao Guangyi, who was the governor of Kaifeng at the time.
Zhao Guangyi raised a number of objections, such as the fact that Kaifeng has become a political, economic, and cultural center, and that moving the capital will shake the country's foundations and bring a heavy economic burden. It is not difficult for us to see that this seems to be for the sake of national interests, but in fact it also contains considerations for Zhao Guangyi's own interests.
After all, once the capital is moved, the political power he has accumulated in Kaifeng will also suffer a setback, so it is natural to vigorously oppose this plan. Although Zhao Kuangyin eventually gave up the plan to move the capital, the undercurrent of this power struggle did not stop.
On the night of Zhao Kuangyin's death, it is said that there was an unsettling "axe sound and candle shadow". This bewildering event exposes the tense brotherly relationship. Some accuse Zhao Guangyi of murdering his brother, while Zhao Guangyi claims that it was just an unfortunate coincidence.
However, judging from some later events, it seems that Zhao Guangyi did have ambitions to usurp the throne. After the death of his brother, he immediately ordered the change of yuan, and also exiled his brother Zhao Tingmei and even killed other relatives of Zhao Kuangyin, which makes people have to doubt his motives.
Some scholars believe that Zhao Guangyi did not kill his brother, but took advantage of an appropriate opportunity to successfully replace Zhao Kuangyin. As Sima Guang said, he had already cultivated power in Kaifeng, so when Zhao Kuangyin died, he naturally ascended to the throne as the new emperor - Song Taizong.
Whatever the truth, this period of history is full of intertwining powers and undercurrents. Zhao Kuangyin achieved the meritorious service of the founding of the Northern Song Dynasty with his outstanding military skills and political skills, but his early death triggered a struggle between brothers to climb the throne, which eventually led to the alternation of power.
This also reflects a general pattern: when a ruler dies, there is often an undercurrent, and all forces try to take advantage of the opportunity to compete for power, which often leads to uncertainties and even unpredictable outcomes.
History is always thrilling and magnificent. This period of the founding of the Northern Song Dynasty is perhaps the best example of this. We can't help but wonder what undercurrents will flow in the shadows in any historical period when the alternation of power is quietly going on, and what kind of impact will these undercurrents have on the direction of history?
There may not be a standard answer to this question, and we need to continue to explore and think about it. However, there is no doubt that the twists and turns caused by these undercurrents are undoubtedly important historical topics worthy of our in-depth study.
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