In the illustrious history of the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty was distinguished by its splendor and the complexity of its court struggles. The reign of Tang Xuanzong Li Longji was undoubtedly an eventful one, and his power struggle with Princess Taiping not only affected the entire government and the opposition, but even affected the peace of the harem. In this struggle, an unborn life was almost sacrificed.
Young's Pregnancy: Joy and Anxiety Together
In 710, the then crown prince Li Longji faced great pressure from Princess Taiping. Princess Taiping not only has a huge power in the court, but also intends to change the crown prince, so the palace is also full of her eyeliner to consolidate her power. In this context, Li Longji's good Yuan Yang became pregnant in the second year of Jingyun (711). Yang's great-grandfather, Yang Shida, served as the provincial minister (prime minister) in the Sui Dynasty, and Wu Zetian's biological mother was Yang Shida's daughter. Father Yang Zhiqing took Zuyin as an official. This should have been a great joy for the royal family, but Li Longji fell into deep worry. Yang's pregnancy undoubtedly gave Princess Taiping a handle to attack. He was worried that Princess Taiping would take advantage of the topic, like Yang Yong, the crown prince of Emperor Wen of Sui, and Li Chengqian, the crown prince of Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, under the pretext that the prince was too difficult to be a woman and abolished.
On the other hand, Li Longji's wife, Wang, did not have children, and Yang's pregnancy may exacerbate Wang's dissatisfaction and jealousy, affecting the Wang family's support for Li Longji. The Wang family played an important role in Lee's political career, and their support was crucial to Lee's support at the time.
Abortion pills: a victim of a power struggle?
In order to keep his position as the crown prince, Li Longji made a difficult decision - he privately asked the attendant Zhang Shuo to find an abortion pill, and personally cooked the medicine to prepare for Yang's abortion. This move is undoubtedly a ruthless strangulation of unborn life, and it is also a helpless choice under the power struggle.
However, fate does not seem to intend for the child to disappear. In the process of boiling the medicine, Li Longji had a bizarre dream in which he saw a god and a man overturned, which seemed to imply that the child had the protection of destiny. After waking up from the dream, Li Longji told Zhang Shuo about the dream, and Zhang said that he thought it was providence and suggested that Li Longji give up his plan to have an abortion. In addition, Li Longji may also realize that despite the complexity of the current situation, future generations are the continuation of the royal bloodline and are equally important to maintain his rule and influence. Therefore, this dream not only changed Li Longji's decision, but also allowed the unborn child to survive.
The birth of Tang Suzong: the destiny of heaven
On the second year of Jingyun (October 19, 711), the Yang family finally gave birth to this child in the other hall of the East Palace of Chang'an, Kyoto, and he was the later Tang Suzong Li Heng, whose first name was Li Sisheng. Instead of falling victim to the power struggle, the child later became an outstanding emperor of the Tang Dynasty and made important contributions to the stability and development of the country.
After Li Heng was born, he was not able to live with his biological mother Yang. Because the Yang family is only the crown prince's concubine, and the crown princess is the Wang family who later became the queen of Xuanzong. In the hierarchical court, the status of the crown princess (the main wife) was much superior to that of other concubines. As mentioned earlier, the crown princess Wang has not given birth at this time, and the Yang family consciously works under the princess and does not dare to enjoy the joy of being a mother alone. The Wang family took Li Heng to his side, cared for him a hundred times, loved him very much, and was "born of kindness". Li Heng was named King of Shaanxi when he was two years old.
Li Longji's consideration is the result of a combination of factors, including the cruel reality of political struggle and thoughtful consideration of his personal fate and the future of his family.
This story is not only a profound reflection on Li Longji's personal choice, but also a vivid portrayal of the cruel reality of the power struggle of that era. In the maelstrom of power, the light of humanity is intertwined with darkness, but in the end, providence and the goodness of humanity prevail over all. This story teaches us that even in the darkest of moments, there is always a ray of light waiting to be discovered and grasped.