If we look through the founding heroes of China's dynasties, we will find that very few people have finally been able to die well.
Among them, although some people are proud and complacent and provoke the disaster of killing themselves, but more often because of the imperial psychology of "flying birds, good bows hiding, cunning rabbits dying, and running dogs cooking".
In order to remove obstacles for future generations, the founding emperors did not hesitate to kill and eliminate possible threats one by one, and the founding heroes were the "eye nails" of the founding emperors because of their outstanding ability and deep reputation in the imperial court.
One of the most famous is the Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, who helped him lay the foundation of the world and was almost slaughtered by him, which shows his fierce heart.
Li Shimin is a very tolerant of these emperors, although he is not the founding emperor, but he has the merit of the founding of the country, and all the founding heroes were in their prime when he ascended the throne.
He even set up the famous "Ling Yan Pavilion" to include twenty-four founding heroes in it, rather than killing like Zhu Yuanzhang.
But Li Shimin can not be exempt from the vulgarity after all, among these heroes, there is one person who makes him very jealous,
Before his death, he instructed his son to kill this person, only because this person's ability was too great, and keeping him was a hidden danger to the imperial power.
Who is this person?
Founding General Li Ji
The late Sui and early Tang dynasties were a famous period in history, and the famous book "Sui and Tang Dynasties" specifically described this era of rising ups and downs, in which well-known figures such as Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, and Li Yuanba appeared.
During this period, Li Ji was also a well-known general.
In the early years, the brutal rule of the Sui Dynasty made the people unhappy, and many rebel teams emerged throughout the country, and the young Li Ji also joined the famous rebel army "Wagang Army" at that time, and became one of the generals with his superb martial arts.
The growth of the Wagang army led to a major crackdown by the Sui Dynasty army, when many of the rebels panicked and prepared to flee overnight.
At this time, Li Ji said that if he wanted to save his life, he must unite to deal with the enemy, otherwise he would definitely be broken one by one, and no one could escape.
Under the persuasion of Li Ji, the rebel army re-encouraged the period and finally repelled the attack of the Sui army, after which Li Ji led the army to fight against the Sui Dynasty many times, breaking out of a great reputation.
Subsequently, the wagang villages all defected to Li Yuan's side, and Li Ji also became a major general under Li Yuan's command, and was also given a surname by Li Yuan.
However, the famous warlord leader at that time, Dou Jiande, was red in the eyes of Li Ji, who was extremely capable, and was bent on pulling him into his own camp, so Dou Jiande sent people to kidnap Li Ji's father and force him to submit.
As a last resort, Li Ji had no choice but to surrender to Dou Jiande, but he was "in Cao Ying's heart in Han" and still wanted to return to Li Yuan's banner.
Later, Dou Jiande suffered a big loss in the battle, the whole army was defeated, and Li Ji also took the opportunity to break away from Dou Jiande's camp and re-enter Li Yuan's command.
Subsequently, Li Ji followed Li Yuan's son Li Shimin on a southern expedition to the north, making great contributions to the establishment of the Tang Dynasty.
Even after the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, Li Ji still did not stop the pace of conquest, he had successively attacked the Turks and Liaodong, and continued to open up territory for the Tang Dynasty.
In 643, Li Ji was listed by Li Shimin as one of the Twenty-Four Meritorious Servants, and the portrait was placed in the Ling Yan Pavilion and became an important courtier.
In the coup d'état, Mingzhe saved himself, causing Li Shimin to be jealous
All along, Li Ji followed Li Shimin around in the battlefield and was regarded by Li Shimin as his confidant, but in the "Xuanwumen Change", Li Ji disappointed Li Shimin.
Although the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty was Li Yuan, he did not make any great achievements at the founding of the country, but Li Yuan's son Li Shimin was both literate and martial, who not only looked good-looking, but even laid down most of the territory of the Tang Dynasty.
However, due to the traditional Chinese system of primogeniture, Li Yuan's eldest son, Li Jiancheng, although far inferior to Li Shimin's Wentao Wuluo, was made crown prince.
Li Shimin already had some resentment in his heart, the country was all fought down by me, why let him sit on the throne?
So Li Shimin launched the famous "Xuanwumen Rebellion", not only killing his brother Li Jiancheng, but also forcing his father Li Yuan to abdicate and successfully ascend to the emperor's throne.
All along, Li Ji's strategy in the dprk was to be cautious and cautious, and to protect himself, which was not unrelated to his experience of surrendering to Dou Jiande, for fear of provoking political enemies to attack him.
In Li Ji's mind, Li Shimin was also the perfect candidate for the Tang Emperor, but just when Li Shimin needed Li Ji's support before launching a coup, Li Ji hesitated.
He really did not want to get involved in the royal political whirlpool, because it was too dangerous, and one carelessness was the scourge of the door.
So Li Ji chose to close the door and remain silent in this power coup.
After Li Shimin ascended the throne, although he still reused Li Ji, he had a sense of estrangement and suspicion in his heart for this former confidant.
On his deathbed, Li Shimin decided Li Ji's fate
Since Li Shimin himself was proficient in Wen Tao's martial arts and strategies, and his personal ability to stabilize a group of founding heroes, he naturally did not have to worry about causing trouble to Xiao Wall when he reigned.
But Li Shimin's son Li Zhi is different, he grew up in the imperial family, neither experienced war nor grievances, Li Shimin is likely to be controlled by the powerful and even overthrown after his death.
Li Shimin was particularly uneasy about Li Ji, because his political ability was too great, and he was both a heavy minister of the DPRK and a famous general in the world.
On his deathbed, Li Shimin called his son Li Zhi to the sickbed and solemnly said:
You have neither affection nor coercion over Li Ji, and Li Ji is an extremely popular subject, you can't stop him, once he has a disobedient heart, the consequences are unimaginable.
He told his son that he would send Li Ji to a remote place, and if Li Ji immediately left for office, then you could recall him back to the imperial court, and at this time you would be able to control him if you had kindness to him.
And if Li Ji grinds and rubs and refuses to leave the capital,
Then he has two hearts, and he wants to kill him immediately and eliminate the troubles of his henchmen.
After Receiving Li Shimin's will, Li Ji left the capital without saying a word and took up his post in the local area, and Li Zhi also followed Li Shimin's wishes and later reused Li Ji.
brief summary:
As a great hero of the founding of the Tang Dynasty, Li Ji's choice was not wrong. It is precisely because of his low-key personality and cautious style of behavior that he was finally able to die well.
At the time of Li Shimin's death, Li Ji's arrangement for Li Ji was also full of cleverness, which not only eliminated the hidden dangers of future generations, but also reserved loyal and dedicated ministers for the country, which made people have to admire his superb political means.