In the face of power struggle, all family affection can be ignored. It is precisely because of the allure of power that there have been tragedies of fratricide in the struggle for the throne in history.
Tang Taizong Li Shimin's actions are a typical representative of the emperors of the past dynasties, in order to be able to become the emperor, he regretted to turn against his brother and launched the Xuanwumen Change.
Afterwards, he also forced his father Li Yuan to take the throne and gave up the power in his hands to become the emperor. Theoretically, Li Yuan, who became the emperor, was higher than Li Shimin in status, but in fact, Li Yuan's later life was very miserable.
So, what's the story? Let's talk about it today.
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Forced to give way
In the last years of the Sui Dynasty, armed forces from all over the country swarmed. During these turbulent years, Li Shimin led his army to fight everywhere on the one hand, and on the other hand, he also paid great attention to recruiting and recruiting talents.
After pacifying warlords such as Liu Wuzhou, Dou Jiande, and Wang Shichong, Li Shimin's prestige and strength can be said to have reached its peak. At this time, Li Shimin had already obtained a series of titles, and he belonged to the founding heroes of the country.
From the perspective of blood relationship, Li Shimin is doing things for his own family, and it is understandable to endure hardships and hardships. But from a personal point of view, Li Shimin's merits belong to his brother Li Jiancheng.
According to the primogeniture inheritance system, although Li Shimin has many merits, Li Jiancheng, as the crown prince, is qualified to become the emperor in the future, and he can only bow down to Li Jiancheng. Such a situation is true, which makes Li Shimin feel unacceptable.
At the same time, Li Jiancheng also had the same jealousy of his second brother. Although Li Yuanji is on his side.
But Li Shimin's subordinates are full of talents, and if Li Shimin wants to compete for the throne in the future, it is unknown whether he can have the strength to compete.
As a result, Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin began to fight openly and secretly over the inheritance of the throne.
In this competition, Li Shimin, with the support of a group of nobles, ambushed and killed his two brothers in Xuanwumen, clearing the way for himself to seize the throne.
After getting rid of the two brothers, Li Shimin asked Wei Chigong to enter the palace immediately to "protect" his father Li Yuan. When Li Yuan saw Wei Chi Gong covered in blood, he asked in horror, "Who is making trouble today?" What is Aiqing doing here? ”
Faced with the emperor's questioning, Wei Chigong, who was full of murderous face, replied: "The crown prince and the king of Qi have rebelled, and now they have been pacified by the king of Qin.
The King of Qin was worried about the emperor's safety, so he specially sent me to escort him. "It's not so much answering the emperor's question as it is a naked threat.
Hearing Wei Chigong's answer, Li Yuan seemed a little overwhelmed, and asked the ministers around him in a panic what should be done after the matter had come to this point. In the end, under the advice of everyone, Li Yuan did not hold Li Shimin accountable and made him the crown prince.
Only two months later, Li Yuan relinquished the throne to Li Shimin, and he became the emperor. So far, Li Shimin has achieved his goal.
However, there was no reconciliation between him and Li Yuan, and the struggle between the two had just begun.
Subject to people
Although Li Yuan, who became the emperor, no longer had real power in his hands, Li Shimin did not continue to settle old accounts with his old father after seizing the throne.
This made Li Yuan feel that this matter was over, and it was not a pleasure to be an idle emperor. At the beginning, Li Yuan lived a very happy life.
All the government affairs in the court were handled by Li Shimin, Li Yuan drank and had fun in the palace, and was accompanied by many concubines and palace maids, and Li Shimin never raised any objections to this.
However, in fact, Li Shimin's heart has always had a trace of guilt against Li Yuan. Although he did his best for the establishment of the Li Tang Dynasty, Li Yuan's most favored person was always the crown prince Li Jiancheng.
This kind of protection made Li Shimin feel that his father was too unfair to do things, so that he had to bear a bad reputation to become the emperor.
Therefore, in order to no longer bear the infamy of "killing his father", Li Shimin can only choose to forbear. He looked extremely respectful and obedient to Li Yuan on the surface, but in fact he was waiting for the right time to liquidate his father.
In 628 A.D., there was a great drought in Chang'an, and the surrounding farmland was not harvested, and the people complained.
At this time, some ministers said that the daily expenses in the palace were too wasteful, and this drought was a warning from heaven, hoping that Li Shimin could stop the unnecessary waste in the palace and use the remaining money to help the people.
As soon as these words came out, Li Shimin was in his hands, so he took this opportunity to dismiss the palace maids around Li Yuan and let them marry each other. And it will also greatly reduce the expenses for supporting Li Yuan, and from then on, Li Yuan can no longer sing songs every night like before.
Regarding Li Shimin's approach, Li Yuan could only choose to swallow his anger. After all, what Li Shimin did was for the sake of the people of Limin, and if he, the emperor, protested, he would inevitably seem a little ignorant.
Therefore, while accepting this arrangement, he also praised Li Shimin. What Li Yuan didn't expect was that his low-profile approach led to a series of unfavorable situations for himself.
The end result
After seeing Li Shimin dismiss Li Yuan's palace maids, the eunuchs in the palace immediately realized the contradiction between the father and son, and all stood on the side of those in power.
Whether it was food or daily necessities, these eunuchs would deduct a part of it to enrich themselves, because they knew very well that Li Shimin was jealous of Li Yuan.
Even if Li Yuan and Li Shimin complained, Li Shimin would turn a deaf ear, in this case, it would be natural for him to profit from it.
Not only that, but these people also had no respectful posture at all when serving Li Yuan, so much so that Li Yuan even had the feeling of being under the fence.
Fortunately, Pei Lian, an old minister in the court, still thinks about him from time to time, although the two were monarchs and ministers before, but now Li Yuan is more like his old friend in Pei Lian's eyes.
In order not to let his old friend be too desolate in his old age, Pei Lin often went to visit Li Yuan and drank and chatted with him, which made Li Yuan feel a trace of warmth in the palace.
But Li Shimin did not intend to let go of his father, even if it was a little warm, Li Shimin would take it away from Li Yuan.
So, Li Shimin put Pei Lin in the air to beat Pei Lian. However, Pei Lin didn't care about this, but had more time to accompany Li Yuan.
When Li Shimin warned him to pay attention to his identity, Pei Lin bluntly said that he didn't want to use the Emperor Taishang to seek benefits for himself, but just hoped that his old friend could live happily.
Unexpectedly, Pei Lian's words made Li Shimin furious, and asked, "Are you saying that I didn't take good care of the Emperor Taishang?" ”
This sentence scared Pei Lin into sweat, and at this time he knew how dissatisfied Li Shimin was with him.
So, he hurriedly said that he was old and faint and could not continue to be an official in the court. Li Yuan's last friend also left his side like this.
After that, Li Shimin once again cut Li Yuan's daily expenses and placed him in the deserted Da'an Palace, where he was depressed all day.
Two years later, the emperor died there, completely free from Li Shimin's revenge on him. What do you think differently about this?
Reference: Old Tang Book