Chapter 11 cleaning

Empress Wu will never forget things.Although Chu Suiliang has gone, the old grudges against Changsun Wuji, Han Yuan and Lai Ji are gone.She still remembered that some people opposed her canonization, some people were noncommittal, and some were detached from the outside world.Xu Jingzong told her everything, and she knew everything about the minister.For example, Changsun Wuji is detached from the outside world and doesn't say a word.He disdained to be involved in political affairs, and edited "The History of the Two Dynasties of Wu De Zhen Guan" with Linghu Defen, the official historian Guozi.There are also some people who stay out of the matter and refuse to participate in cooperation.Empress Wu hated independence of thought the most, and what she couldn't tolerate most was that others had different opinions from her.Both Han Yuan and Laiji were veterans and important ministers, they were upright, loyal and straightforward, they didn't know how to flatter and flatter, and they didn't know how to immediately agree with Empress Wu when something happened.Gao Zongna

This husband, born indecisive and without courage, is not only useless to Empress Wu, but also a burden to Empress Wu. At the peak of Spring and Autumn, although it does not look like a decayed ship, it is already loose and creaking everywhere. It rang.Empress Wu loved order and law, but in her view, the court was a mess. Now is the time for Empress Wu to consolidate her power and establish a regime under her own control.Remember the story about the hummer that Empress Wu told, as well as the iron whip, iron hammer and sharp sword?Now she is going to use that iron whip and whip the whole court into a new look.Like in a circus, she first had to put on an airs and crack the whip a few times.

Attendant Han Yuan will receive the first whip, because Empress Wu's real intention is to eliminate Taiwei's eldest grandson Wuji.But Wuji is the emperor's brawn, the most prestigious person, and he should not be wooed for his own use.Empress Wu went to deal with Wuji without intervening, which is a clear proof of her political skills.Because Wuji is an important minister expected by everyone, he must first eliminate others and isolate Wuji. Han Yuan gave Empress Wu the first chance.He dared to ask Emperor Gaozong to pardon Chu Suiliang's crime.Because Chu Suiliang was relegated, Han Yuan's conscience was always uneasy.After waiting for a year, he thought that as a friend, as a servant of the imperial court, when the imperial court dealt with virtuous people unfairly, he should petition to rectify and appeal for grievances.Some of the political style of Taizong's era still exists, and virtuous ministers are willing to be stubborn about state affairs and government affairs.If necessary, even offending the monarch and losing his official position, he will not hesitate.

One day, Han Yuan carefully compiled a book, which was reported to the court: "The imperial court relegates virtuous and virtuous ministers, which is a sign of a corrupt political style. Suiliang devoted all his life to be the king, to be honest and self-sufficient, and to be as glorious as the moon. The late emperor cited it as A confidant is treated as a brother. Sui Liang is nothing but to say nothing, and he must be loyal to the country. If he speaks and criticizes, the late emperor will benefit a lot. He made a choice at the end of his life to accept the edict. Your Majesty knows all about this matter, and I will not wait for your ministers. Also. The minister Cheng En is in charge of the servant, and he is always on the alert, fearing that a small mistake will cause great trouble in the future. Today, justice is not enough, the virtuous minister is far away, and the minister indulges in silence, how can I get it?" He then went on from history. Cite examples.He said that the decline of the country and the corruption of politics are all due to alienation from virtuous, upright, loyal and admonishing ministers.The ancient sages and lords all rewarded great opinions and longed for loyal words.Therefore, I deeply hope that Emperor Gaozong will follow the example of the previous kings.He concluded: "Although Suiliang committed the crime of disobedience to the emperor, he has suffered for a year. Will your majesty forgive him for his pity?"

Maybe Han Yuan didn't know that Empress Wu was sitting behind the curtain, maybe he didn't care at all.When he had finished, the emperor said: "I admire what you said. It's just that I thought you took things too seriously. I know that Suiliang is an upright person, but he was too rude to me. He was so disrespectful to me. Was it wrong for me to demote him?" Han Yuan resolutely replied: "I don't think so. The prosperity of a country lies in the selection of loyal and good ministers, and the fact that loyal and good ministers can be in place. The question is whether your Majesty needs slaves or talents. The so-called one-fly Slightness will also stain the white cloth. Now the minister is deeply afraid of the power of the villain, and the way of the gentleman will disappear." Han Yuan lost his tongue for a moment, and actually quoted an inappropriate old saying, "It is said: 'Hehe Zongzhou, praise and destroy it.' I don't want to see the decline of the Tang Dynasty."

Quoting Baosi, who was subjugated in the Zhou Dynasty, this allusion is too inappropriate, and the words are too intrepid and not tactful enough.This seems to be a public insult to Empress Wu.During the court meeting, Empress Wu was silent, but her silence was more sinister.Han Yuan's fate is doomed. Gaozong roared, "Go down!" Han Yuan was very frustrated, and after returning home, he revised his post and resigned, but the emperor forbade it.This time he begged Emperor Gaozong to pardon Chu Suiliang, but Chu Suiliang was immediately demoted to a farther place-Guilin, Guangxi.Although the organization of the Tang Dynasty remains the same, it seems that the demise of the Tang Dynasty has already begun.

In the following year, Han Yuan and Lai Ji were accused of befriending Yan Wang Zhong and plotting rebellion.Because Empress Wu made a huge plan to completely weave those who opposed her.She remembered that the former Crown Prince Yan Wang Zhong was deposed at the age of thirteen, he was lonely and had no one to take care of him, his birth mother came from a humble background, and his adoptive mother Wang Huang died again, the circumstances were extremely special.He wanted to use Yan Wangzhong to falsely claim the throne, and with him as the central figure, devised a conspiracy to wipe out Han Yuan, Lai Ji, and all those who were at odds with him.As long as you disagree with me, as long as you hinder your ambitions, you will be included in the loyal party of King Yan, and you will be considered traitors.Therefore, in the next few years, in the politics of the imperial court, this child was the center, and the loyal and good ministers were woven together.Poor Yan Wangzhong, who was not yet twenty years old, was brutally persecuted and horrified. He only felt that his life was at stake.

Han Yuan was paired with Qiongya, in Hainan Island, Guangdong, a land of barbarians, a land of smog and rain; when he came to Ji, he was paired with Baiyue. This kind of exile was decided by the emperor at will, and Xu Jingzong did not need to provide specific charges.The crime may be reliable, or it may be false. If it is true, Yan Wangzhong will not be able to escape, and Han and Lai will also be beheaded and executed.Whether the evidence is conclusive or not is irrelevant.Whether there is evidence or no evidence, Xu Jingzong knew that Empress Wu fully supported him.After Han Yuan was exiled, Xu Jingzong was promoted to the post of servant.

Unfortunately, that doesn't count.Xu Jingzong then took great pains to frame the case, and finally insisted that the leader of the conspiracy was Chu Suiliang, who launched it in Guilin, Guangxi, and said that this is why Chu Suiliang was sent to Guilin when Han Yuan was in the servant. reason.Later, Chu Suiliang was further exiled, away from the cultural and educational state of the imperial power, and went to Aizhou (now Hanoi, Vietnam).Suiliang made a short but moving table, recalling that when Emperor Gaozong came to the throne in front of Taizong's spirit, he cried bitterly and fell on Suiliang's shoulder.Suiliang hated himself for disobeying the Holy Spirit, and asked Emperor Gaozong to forgive his crimes and allow him to spend his old age in peace.The table played up, like a stone sinking into the sea, and there was no news.

A year later, Suiliang died of illness and was buried in Aizhou.The two sons were also demoted to Aizhou, and died of illness one after another.Queen Wang's uncle Liu Shi also died in a foreign land after being exiled.This is the result of opposing Wu's canonization as queen.This also just shows Wu's consistent tactics, and those who oppose her will not end well.Chu Suiliang, a man of fortitude and loyalty, made great contributions to the country, but he ended up in such a miserable end.