I don’t know what the author of the short book " Yang Family Generals " did. In addition to making up the heroic deeds of Yang Ye's family, he also made up the famous general Pan Mei of the Northern Song Dynasty. has been uglified. Later, novels and operas related to the Yang family generals all had the character Pan Renmei , and Pan Renmei became the ugly image of a generation of traitorous officials.
But at that time, there was no one named Pan Renmei in the Song Dynasty , there was only Pan Mei, the famous founding general. It can be said that the novel is completely fictional, but this Pan Mei is indeed directly related to the death of Yang Ye, and he is indeed the emperor's concubine, because one of his daughters married Song Zhenzong Zhao Heng, and She is not the Empress of the West Palace, but the real empress of the main palace.
In the war against the Liao Kingdom in 986 ( the third year of Yongxi ), Yang Ye was defeated and killed because Pan Mei did not rescue Yang Ye at Chenjiagukou as originally planned. Song Taizong Zhao Guangyi therefore demoted Pan Mei to a third rank, but she was appointed to an important position the next year. After her death, she was given a posthumous title of Zhongshu Ling and the posthumous title Wu Hui. Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty also posthumously named Pan Mei as King Zheng , and arranged it to be worshiped in the Taizong Temple of the Song Dynasty. There is also a tablet of Pan Mei in the Temple of Heroes of the Song Dynasty.
Moreover, Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang also enshrined Pan Mei in the Emperor's Temple in the Hongwu twenty-first year (1388).
But in the novel's author's writing, how did Pan Mei become a heinous traitor? It can be seen that these novels are written with great fanfare, but in fact they are not credible.
Pan Mei was not only a loyal minister, but according to the records in "A Collection of Anecdotes of the Song Dynasty", Pan Mei also adopted the son of Shizong of the later Zhou Dynasty, raised him up, and served as an official in the Song Dynasty for several generations.
We all know that Zhao Kuangyin's empire was snatched from the hands of his mother and son, Chai Zongxun, the son of Later Zhou Shizong. Originally, Zhao Kuangyin and Pan Mei were both generals of and later Zhou . Unfortunately, Zhou Shizong and Chai Rong died young, and his seven-year-old son Chai Zongxun succeeded him. On the Spring Festival of the next year, there was intelligence that the Khitan invaded, and Zhao Kuangyin was sent to fight against the enemy. However, when Zhao Kuangyin's army arrived at Chenqiaoyi, a mutiny broke out. This was the famous Chenqiao mutiny.
Zhao Kuangyin was made emperor by Huangpao. He led his troops back to Bianliang and asked Chai Zongxun to give way. He became emperor and established the Song Dynasty.
"Compilation of Anecdotes from the Song Dynasty" said that when Zhao Kuangyin entered the palace for the first time after seizing the throne, he saw a concubine in the palace holding a child. He asked who it was, and the concubine replied: "This is Zhou Shizong. "
At that time, Fan Zhi, Zhao Pu, Pan Mei and others were following Zhao Kuangyin. Zhao Kuangyin turned around and asked: "What should we do with this child?"
Zhao Pu and others quickly said: "Get rid of him. "
Pan Mei and the other commander did not speak, so Zhao Kuangyin asked Pan Mei what to do, but Pan Mei still did not dare to answer.
Zhao Kuangyin said: "I have occupied Zhou Shizong's position. If I kill his son again, I can't bear it."
At this time, Pan Meicai said: "I and your majesty were both ministers of Zhou Shizong in the past. If you persuade your majesty to kill If you give up this child, you will fail Zhou Shizong; if you persuade your majesty not to kill him, your majesty will be suspicious of me."
Zhao Kuangyin said: "Then I will give it to you as your nephew. Zhou Shizong's son cannot be you. "
So, Pan Mei took the child home. After that, Zhao Kuangyin ignored the child, and Pan Mei didn't take the initiative to talk about it.
This child is Pan Weiji , and later became the governor. Pan Mei originally had no brothers. Historically, Pan Weiji was called Pan Mei's nephew, but this is circumstantial evidence.
However, although the "Compilation of Anecdotes from the Song Dynasty" says so, this statement is also doubtful, because Zhou Shizong had seven sons in Chai Song Dynasty. The eldest brother Yi and the second son were both killed by the later Han . King Ji Chai Xijin died in 964, and Chai Zongxun died in 973. King Cao Chai Xirang lived in Cangzhou, Hebei Province in the Song Dynasty. King Qi Chai Xijiao was adopted by Song Dynasty Lu Xuan, named Lu Xuan. .
Therefore, it is still controversial who this Pan Weiji is.
Pan Weiji later served as an official in the Tianxiong Army's garrison. His grandson Pan Su was also a famous general. His other sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons also served as officials in the Song Dynasty.
No matter how you say it, Pan Mei is not a treacherous minister, but a rare loyal minister. It should be said that the pens of those novelists are so powerful that they can turn a loyal minister into a heinous and traitorous minister, and they can make him unable to turn over for thousands of years! It’s really harmful.
I really don’t know how the Pan family offended this author!
