The Later Zhou conquest of Huainan was a conflict during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of China. Huainan was the territories south of the Huai River and north of the Yangtze then controlled by the Southern Tang. In 956, Chai Rong (Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou) ordered an invasion of the region. The defending Southern Tang forces were consistently crushed as their military leadership was inept. However the advancing Later Zhou forces were imperiled by the staunch resistance of Shouzhou which threatened to cut supply lines. Initial Southern Tang peace offerings were spurned by Chai Rong and the conflict continued until spring 958. The defeated Southern Tang ceded Huainan and became a vassal of the Later Zhou.
Background After the collapse of the Tang dynasty in 907 China entered the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Multiple regimes vied for control of Northern China while various states existed in Southern China. The Later Han were overthrown in 951 by the Later Zhou but retained control of Taiyuan with the support of the Liao dynasty. Ascending the Later Zhou throne in 954, Emperor Chai Rong began several military campaigns with the intention of seizing territories from neighboring regimes. An invasion was imminent from the rump Later Han forces, known by prosperity as the Northern Han, with support from their Liao patrons. He defeated them in the Battle of Gaoping on 24 April 954 and pressed an attack on Taiyuan but had to withdraw shortly afterwards. In 955 Chai Rong launched an invasion of the Later Shu and successfully seized the prefectures of Chengzhou, Fengzhou, Jiezhou, and Qinzhou. Peace was concluded in December 955 which freed the emperor to consider other targets.
Wang Pu had previously composed a plan for the reunification of China and sent memorial was sent to the Emperor Chai Rong in spring 955. In it he argued that the lengthy Southern Tang border along the Huai River made them an ideal candidate to attack as it would be too difficult to defend. The plan was approved despite protest from other advisors. Peter Lorge suggested Chai Rong had only vague aspirations of territorial expansion, without the expectation of totally destroying the Southern Tang. Dredging operations were ordered to create a canal connecting the Bian and Si Rivers. Once completed Later Zhou armies could be transported rapidly to strike against the Southern Tang. During the winter the Huai River usually became shallow enough to traverse by foot. Southern Tang commanders annually posted troops along the northern bank to protect against possible invasion. This practice was kept up until 955, when Wu Tingshao (), suggested that this procedure be cancelled to save expenses. He erroneously believed war with the Later Zhou was unlikely. Defensive operations on the northern bank of the Huai ceased, leaving the Southern Tang unprepared for the coming attack.
Invasion In December 955 Li Gu was appointed to lead the Later Zhou armies in the coming attack against the Southern Tang. Wang Yanchao () served as his deputy. The conflict would become the largest fought by the Later Zhou and began without a formal declaration of war. A pontoon bridge was constructed at Zhengyang and after its completion Later Zhou armies crossed the Huai. Li Gu advanced to Shangyao and defeated a Southern Tang army there. Once the invasion was learned the Southern Tang began mobilizing their armies. Liu Yanzhen () was given command of 20,000 soldiers to attack the advancing Later Zhou forces despite criticism from Song Qiqiu. An additional 30,000 troops were dispatched to Dingyuan under Huangfu Hui () and Yao Feng ().
Shou Prefecture () or Shouzhou was centered on modern Shouchun (). The city controlled traffic along the Huai and was a major conduit of travel to the north. Prior to the war the commander of Shouzhou, Liu Renzhan (), critiqued the defensive border cuts proposed by Wu Tingshao but was ignored by Li Jing. Capturing the city was necessary for the Later Zhou to secure their foothold across the Huai. Throughout January and February the Later Zhou scored several victories against local Southern Tang military units and began the Siege of Shouzhou. The Southern Tang army commanded by Liu Yanzhen approached the Later Zhou camp with several hundred ships. Originally Chai Rong had envisioned gaining a foothold on the southern bank of the Huai followed by an eastern advance. However the pontoon bridge was susceptible to attack from the formidable Southern Tang navy. This threatened the ability of the Later Zhou to supply their forces and project their power. Li Gu feared the bridge would be destroyed and leave the Later Zhou army without a means to retreat. Consequently, he ordered his forces to cross back to the northern bank of the Huai.
Chai Rong arrived at Zhengyang on 5 March 956 and assumed personal command of the campaign. He disapproved of the withdrawal and appointed his cousin Li Chongjin to replace Li Gu. Many Southern Tang officers became overconfident after the Later Zhou retreat and their forces became spread thinly across many miles. Among them Xian Shilang () advocated chasing after the Later Zhou army. This proposal was agreed to by Liu Yanzhen despite Liu Renzhan attempting to dissuade him from acting rashly. At Zhengyang the Southern Tang army was crushed by Li Chongjin. Liu Yanzhen died alongside over 10,000 soldiers and several of his subordinate generals were captured. In the aftermath of their victory the Later Zhou relocated the pontoon bridge downriver to Xiacai () in Yingzhou. Zhao Kuangyin was ordered to attack the Southern Tang flotilla stationed at Tushan in modern Huaiyuan County. Zhao feinted a retreated outside the Southern Tang camp, drawing over 10,000 men into a trap at the confluence of the Huai and Guo Rivers. In the ensuing melee over 50 Southern Tang ships were captured and formed the basis of the Later Zhou navy. On 18 March 956 another Southern Tang relief force of 3,000 troops were defeated about 10 km away from Shouzhou. Over 40 more ships were captured in this engagement, further bolstering the budding Later Zhou navy.
The Southern Tang ordered a mobilization effort in Chuzhou to arm 100,000 men. When Chai Rong learned of this threatening development he ordered Zhao Kuangyin to attack and capture the city to prevent the effort. After the crushing defeat of Liu Yenzhen at Zhengyang the Southern Tang forces stationed at Dingyuan had retreated to Qingliu Pass outside Chuzhou. Zhao Kuangyin was able to maneuver his forces into advancing on the encamped Southern Tang army from several sides and forced their retreat into Chuzhou. In the ensuing battle Huangfu Hui was defeated by Zhao Kuangyin personally and along with Feng Yao was captured and sent to Chai Rong as prisoners. Huangfu Hui died several days later from his injuries. Chuzhou became secured by the Later Zhou and more settlements south of the Huai River began to seized.
Fall of Yangzhou Yangzhou was the Southern Tang Eastern Capital and the former capital of Wu. The Southern Tang defensive strategy depended upon armed positions along the Huai River. In consequence authorities didn't prepare Yangzhou for a potential attack. When Chai Rong learned of this situation he ordered Han Lingkun () to capture the city. On 4 April 956 several hundred cavalry managed to infiltrate Yangzhou, which surprised the garrison into retreating. The local magistrate, Feng Yanlu, tried to hide as a Buddhist monk but was taken prisoner. Members of the former royal Yang family of Wu resided in nearby Taizhou. After the loss of Yangzhou they were ordered to relocate to Runzhou. Li Jing likely feared the Later Zhou would utilize them to provoke political unrest.
Wuyue intervention The neighboring Wuyue maintained their independence from the Southern Tang by maintaining a position of vassalage to the Five Dynasties. They joined the conflict on the side of their Later Zhou overlords in April 956 despite division between members of the court. Strikes against Jiangyin and Xuanzhou were launched, with the commander of the former surrendering shortly afterwards. Changzhou became the next target of Wuyue attack, which, if captured, would imperil Runzhou near the capital of Jinling. The outer city of Changzhou quickly fell to forces under the command of Wu Cheng. A member of the Southern Tang Imperial Guard, Chai Kehong (), was ordered to lead an army designated to relieve Changzhou. This appointment received criticism as he was seen by many as an idle gambler and drunkard. Combat in Huainan left only aged men available and were equipped with dilapidated equipment and weapons. After arriving outside Changzhou the majority of the Southern Tang force was hidden. Chai Kehong met with Wu Cheng and informed him that his purpose was to escort Qiao Kuangshun (), a Southern Tang diplomat, from Wuyue back to Jinling. Wu Cheng believed him and didn't take any defensive precautions. Chai Kehong soon ordered an attack and dealt the Wuyue army a crushing defeat in which over 10,000 troops were killed. With Changzhou no longer under attack Chai Kehong requested to lead the coming attack on the Later Zhou army encamped outside Shouzhou. Unfortunately for the Southern Tang war effort however he died in Taixing from an ulcer.
Peace attempts In spring 956 Li Jing pleaded for peace and sent his officials Zhong Mo () and Li Deming (), both skilled orators, to request an end to hostilities. Once at the Later Zhou army encamped outside Shouzhou they submitted tributes of imperial clothing, tea, traditional medicine, gold, silver, silk, cattle, and wine. On 1 April 956 Chai Rong rebuffed the Southern Tang officials, and in what has been described as a bluff, demanded that Li Jing beg forgiveness in person instead: Indeed, a Southern Tang emissary had been sent to seek aid from the Liao dynasty. They were however intercepted by Later Zhou authorities and never reached the Liao court.
More attempts were made by Li Jing to end the conflict throughout spring 956. Sun Sheng and Wang Chongzhi () were sent to pay additional tributes of gold, silver, and silk to Chai Rong. With them was a submissive petition (i.e., as a subject, rather than on equal terms) written by Li Jing:
Li Deming and Sun Sheng were later sent with an offer by Li Jing to relinquish his imperial title; give annual tributes of gold and silk; and cede six prefectures—Chuzhou, Guangzhou, Haizhou, Haozhou, Shouzhou, and Shuzhou—to the Later Zhou. This wasn't an appealing proposal to Chai Rong, who rejected it. As his forces had already occupied half of these territories south of the Huai River, he believed it possible to conquer all Southern Tang territory north of the Yangtze River. Li Deming later relayed the Later Zhou demands to the Southern Tang court, arguing to cede all territory north of the Yangtze in return for peace. Despite being informed of the threatening Later Zhou military presence, Li Jing was displeased at the report. Song Qiqiu argued that ceding land had no benefit to the state. An envoy that had previously accompanied Li Deming to Shouzhou was bribed by Chen Jue into making a different assessment of the Later Zhou military. Chen Jue then stated to Li Jing, "Li Deming has sold out the empire for his own benefit." Incensed at the accusation, Li Jing executed Li Deming which ended hopes of peace at that point.
Continued hostilities