On the fourth gengshen day (July 2, 626) in the first month of June of the ninth year of Wu De, the Qin dynasty, after some conspiracy, decided to launch a mutiny, kill the crown prince, and force the emperor Li Yuan to take the throne. Li Shimin led Changsun Wuji, Wei Chigong, Hou Junji, Zhang Gongjin, Liu Shili, Gongsun Wuda, Dugu Yanyun, Du Junqiu, Zheng Rentai, Li Mengyu and others into the dynasty, and laid an ambush near Xuanwu Gate.
Old Book of Tang: "On June 4, Wu Ji and Wei Chi Jingde, Hou Junji, Zhang Gongjin, Liu Shili, Gongsun Wuda, DuGu Yanyun, Du Junqiu, Zheng Rentai, Li Mengzhi and nine others entered xuanwu gate to discuss Jiancheng, Yuanji, and Pingzhi. "The nine of them are all military generals of the Qin Dynasty, which is more credible than this era.
The crown princes Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji did not know the conspiracy, and they also entered the dynasty normally together, riding through xuanwumen on horseback. At this time, Gao Zu had already learned of this matter, so he summoned Pei Ning, Xiao Yu, Chen Shuda, Feng Deyi, Pei Zhi and others to prepare to deal with this incident.
Sima Guang's Zizhi Tongjian Vol. 191 Tang Ji VII (Jiancheng, Yuanji) is all in, interesting Xuanwumen. Shangshi had summoned Pei Ning, Xiao Yu, Chen Shuda, and so on, to do as they were.
Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji led the guards to the Linhu Hall, sensed the danger from some details, and immediately turned the horse's head and prepared to return to the East Palace to the east. Li Shimin found out that the matter was exposed and immediately chased after them on horseback. Li Yuanji was weak-hearted, and first shot his bow and arrow at Li Shimin, but because of panic, he did not pull the bow full three times in a row, so the arrows shot did not pose the slightest threat.
Seeing that he could not catch up, Li Shimin ordered the release of the arrow, so he personally took the bow and shot at Li Jiancheng, resulting in an arrow that killed him.
Sima Guang's Zizhi Tongjian Vol. 191 Tang Ji VII the people of the world thus called out, Yuan Ji Zhang bow shot the people of the world, and repeatedly did not hesitate, the people of the world shot built, killed.
At this time, Wei Chigong, who was following Li Shimin, led more than seventy ambush troops to arrive one after another, and the soldiers around him shot Li Yuanji with arrows, and Li Yuanji fell off his horse.
But at this moment, Li Shimin's mount was suddenly frightened, and he ran into the woods next to the Xuanwu Gate with Li Shimin, and Li Shimin was hung by the branches of the forest, fell off his horse, fell to the ground injured, and could not get up for a while.
Seeing the opportunity, Li Yuanji quickly arrived, grabbed the bow, and prepared to strangle Li Shimin, just at this time Wei Chigong quickly rushed to the front and drank him loudly. Li Yuanji knew that he was not an opponent, let go of Li Shimin, and wanted to quickly run into the Wude Hall to seek the protection of his father Li Yuan, but Wei Chigong did not give him the opportunity to shoot him dead with an arrow.
On June 4, the Old Book of Tang Dynasty Wei Chi Jingde's Biography, after the completion of the death, Jingde led seventy horses to heel, Yuan Ji walked east, shooting left and right to fall off the horse. Emperor Taizong's horse was wandering under the forest, and he was swept away and could not be happy when he fell. Yuan Ji came to grab the bow, and he wanted to strangle him, and Jingde Prancing Horse Lingzhi, so he walked away, wanting to return to the Wude Hall, and Jingde Ben shot it one by one.
When Feng Li, a subordinate of Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and the general of yiwei chariots, learned of Jiancheng's death, he sighed: "Is it possible to receive favors before the prince's death and escape the disaster as soon as the prince dies?" Therefore, he and his deputy protector Xue Wanche and Qu Zhifu left the car to ride Xie Shufang led the elite soldiers and horses of the Eastern Palace and the Qi King's Palace to rush to Xuanwu Gate, preparing to avenge the prince and the King of Qi.
After Feng Li and others killed the Yunli general Jing Junhong and the Zhonglang general Lü Shiheng, who were involved in the coup d'état, feng li and other Xuanwu gatekeepers said to his subordinates: "This can also be a little bit of a reward for His Highness the Crown Prince." Xue Wanche beat the drum and shouted, preparing to lead an army to attack the Qin King's Palace, and the Qin King's Mansion was greatly frightened.
At this time, Wei Chigong carried the head of Jiancheng and Yuanji to Xue Wanche and others, and the people of the Eastern Palace and the Qi Palace lost their hearts and quickly broke up, and Xue Wanche and dozens of cavalry fled into zhongnan Mountain. At this point, the coup d'état ended in the victory of Li Shimin, the King of Qin.
Although Li Shimin's mutiny was planned for a long time and was finally successful, the process was extremely dangerous.
There are great variables, such as when the news is leaked, if the crown prince Li Jiancheng escapes back to the prince's palace, or flees to the emperor's residence, the outcome will be reversed, and Li Shimin will be executed as a conspiracy. If Li Yuanji, the King of Qi, shot and killed Li Shimin, then king Qin's men would also feel that the tide had gone and flee for their lives. Unfortunately, there is no if!
The most admirable thing is that Li Shimin can immediately and decisively shoot the crown prince Li Jiancheng when the situation is urgent, which is the only way to achieve the goal, and he must be a natural king!