Xu Shixun has always been a smart person, and he has also acted quite measuredly, and knows the way forward and backward.
He was originally a general of Li Mi, and later Li Mi was defeated by Wang Shichong, who was guarding this part of Li Mi's territory "east to the sea, south to the river, west to Ruzhou, and north to Wei County", but because Li Mi was suspicious of him, he did not dare to go to the place where Xu Shixun was guarding, so he went straight to Guanzhong to join Li Yuan.
Li Mi has descended to Li Tang, so where should Xu Shixun go? Did he cut off the claim to be king himself, or did he join Li Mi in surrendering to Li Tang? Or turn to Wang Shichong?
Xu Shixun thought about it and said, My territory belongs to Duke Li Mi of Wei, and I have to join him in voting for Tang, but I can't be a vassal myself, isn't this to ask for merit and trap Duke Wei at a disadvantage? Therefore, I had to transcribe the number of household registrations of the prefectures, counties, armies, and people I controlled and give them to Duke Wei, and let Duke Wei himself dedicate it to Li Tang!
This is the way Xu Shixun behaves, he is very clever, not only will not let him take less benefits, but also to gain a good reputation as a "pure minister".
Therefore, Li Yuan not only gave him the surname of Li, but also made him the Duke of Cao, at this time Xu Shixun became Li Shixun, and later became Li Ji because of avoiding the name of Emperor Taizong.
Since Li Ji was so clever, knew how to measure up, and knew how to advance and retreat, why was he later given a "coffin dissected" by Wu Zetian, and why did Wu Zetian let people dig up Li Ji's grave and call Li Ji cunning?
In fact, as an "old and good man", Li Ji had a certain credit to Wu Zetian, and the reason why Wu Zetian was able to become Li Zhi's empress was indispensable to his contribution.
Wu Zetian was originally a talented person of Tang Taizong Li Shimin, but for various reasons she could not get Li Shimin's favor, so her life in the palace was not satisfactory, and later after Li Shimin's death, she was sent to Ganye Temple as a nun to meditate and chant.
But Wu Zetian is also very sophisticated, isn't Li Shimin not interested in her? She hit the idea on Li Shimin's son Li Zhi, and as early as when Li Shimin was seriously ill, she had already taken Li Zhi's line and successfully made Li Zhi fall in love with her.
Therefore, not long after Li Shimin's death, Li Zhi broke through the shackles of secular etiquette and the opposition of courtiers and advised her to go to Ganye Temple to take her back to the palace, turning her from "stepmother" into his own concubine.
This is not to mention, Li Zhi also wanted to make Wu Zetian an empress, so he triggered the "abolishing Wang Liwu" incident, which made the chickens and dogs jump in the hall.
It was precisely because of Li Ji's attitude and stance in this "deposing Wang Liwu" incident that li zhi and Wu Zetian not only won victory, but also successfully defeated the Guanlong clique.
Why is it said that Li Ji's attitude and stance in the "deposing of Wang Liwu" incident helped Li Zhi and Wu Zetian?
At that time, the most fierce opposition to Li Zhi deposing the empress dowager and establishing Wu Zetian was the Guanlong clique headed by Changsun Wuji, and after Li Shimin's death, changsun Wujie's power suddenly fell to the opposition, and even Li Zhi had to give up three points, or that Li Zhi's imperial power was suppressed by Changsun Wuji and the Guanlong clique.
Therefore, the "abolition of Wang Liwu" is not a separate event, behind it is the struggle between Li Zhi and the Guan Long clique.
Li Ji was Li Shimin's entrusted and important minister, and before his death, Li Shimin said to him, "Li Shimin will belong to the young orphan, and he will not be able to think of the Qing Dynasty", and he is also the elder of the Three Dynasties, Li Zhi wants to establish Wu Zetian as the queen, of course, he has to ask Li Ji's opinion, if he can get his support, Li Zhi will be able to have a greater chance of winning.
When Li Zhi summoned Li Ji and asked him, "Li Aiqing, I want to make Wu Zhaoyi empress, but Chu Suiliang said that they didn't agree to anything. ”
Li Ji knew that Li Zhi had summoned himself for this matter, so he had already thought out his words long ago, and he only answered Li Zhi's eleven words: "Why should you ask outsiders more about this family affair of Your Majesty!" ”
Li Ji's words could never be uttered by people who had been infected in the officialdom for a long time, he seemed to be maintaining a neutral state before, and he was in a state of peace, but this sentence immediately completely exposed his position - he chose to side with Emperor Li Zhi, and who the emperor wanted to appoint as empress was the emperor's own business, and what was the matter with your eldest grandson Wuji and Chu Suiliang?
After Li Zhi received the support of Li Ji, he had no scruples and attacked the eldest son Wuji and the Guan Long clique, crushing the Guan Long clique to strengthen imperial power, and at the same time smoothly established Wu Zetian as empress, Li Ji was also trusted by Li Zhi and Wu Zetian.
Li Ji's wisdom and knowledge saved his life, and he was not suspected by Li Zhi until his death, and there was also mourning after his death, but 15 years later, Wu Zetian let people dig up his grave.
The reason why Wu Zetian did this was not that Li Ji did something that made Wu Zetian unhappy before he died, but that Li Ji's grandson Li Jingye angered her.
After Li Zhi's death, Li Xian took the throne as emperor, but after less than two months as emperor, she was deposed by Wu Zetian, and then she made Li Dan emperor and single-handedly controlled the government, which caused the anger of the people and the anger of the courtiers.
Li Jingye took this opportunity to win over a group of people to take the lead in making trouble, gathered more than 100,000 troops, and raised an army against Wu Zetian under the banner of King Qin.
Unfortunately, Li Jingye had no ability, no vision and no pattern, and after starting an army, he wanted to cut off the land and stand on his own, and finally he was defeated.
At that time, Wu Zetian, who was on the gas head, could not do anything with Li Jingye for a while, so he sprinkled his anger on the heads of Li Jingye's dead father and grandfather.
As a result, Li Ji was "dissected and cut into a coffin", the grave was excavated, and the coffin was split, but Li Ji's body did not lie in the coffin.
After Wu Zetian heard the reply of his subordinates, he couldn't help but sigh that Li Ji was really an old fox, and he actually calculated this fate after death.