Chapter 2 2. The battle for succession

No one thought that Wu Zetian would become emperor, including herself.This is not only because she is neither a royal family nor a woman, but also because the Tang Dynasty she took over actually belonged to Li Shimin.Emperor Taizong worked so hard to govern and won the hearts of the people. If there were no mistakes, how could his regime be overthrown, and who can overthrow it? The fault lies with the successor. The successor was not a problem at first, because Li Shimin had fourteen sons, and the eldest son Li Chengqian, the fourth son Li Tai, and the ninth son Li Zhi were all descendants of the eldest grandson empress.The queen is a virtuous person with high prestige, and Emperor Taizong respects her very much.Therefore, in terms of emotion, reason, and law, the crown prince is none other than the eldest son Li Chengqian.Chengqian, who was eight years old at the time, was established as the prince two months after Li Shimin ascended the throne, which is proof.

Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty had fourteen princes, and only two of them (Li Fu and Li Zhi) died well, which made history readers sigh. "Old Tang Book" lamented: "Your son is a vassal, and the rock is the city. Arrogant and extravagant, he has no reputation!" It's a pity that the prince really didn't live up to it.Emperor Taizong hired several famous teachers to teach him, but to no avail, so that he was completely disappointed.He himself rebelled under the instigation of Hanwang Li Yuanchang and Prime Minister Hou Junji, was defeated and was deposed, exiled in Qianzhou (now Pengshui County, Sichuan Province), and died alone two years later.

According to patriarchal law, it was the turn of the fourth son of the emperor, Wei Wang Li Tai, to be the heir apparent. Li Tai is only one year younger than Chengqian, and he is handsome, smart, studious, dignified and talented, and he is always favored and favored by his father.In fact, the deposed prince Li Chengqian took the risk because of Li Shimin's eccentricity, and Li Tai's arrogance and pressing every step of the way.After the failure of the mutiny, Chengqian made a closing statement to Emperor Taizong: "Your minister is a prince, so what else can he plot?"It was just forced by Tai.If the father made Tai the crown prince, he would have fallen into his trap.

Tang Taizong's heart skipped a beat. The important officials in the court also opposed Li Tai, especially the late empress' elder brother, Changsun Wuji, and the admonishing doctor Chu Suiliang.They advocated Li Zhi, the nine sons of the emperor, Jin Wang.Li Zhi was sixteen years old at the time. Although he was a benevolent, filial and kind-hearted young man, he was famous for his glutinous rice dumplings, and he had no courage at all.Tang Taizong once said worriedly to Changsun Wuji: You all persuade me to establish Zhier, but Zhier is cowardly, what can I do? However, what Changsun Wuji and others value is precisely Li Zhi's kindness, fragility and incompetence.Perhaps, they are tired of serving Li Shimin, and they don't want another "hero".More importantly, the veteran faction has its own vested interests, but a large number of young and strong faction, mainly the children of heroes, have gathered around Li Tai.This team is his "small fleet" and the small court, ready to seize power at any time and change the world.This was something Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang didn't want to see.

In comparison, Li Zhi is much easier to control.He has no party members, ability, or experience, so he can only hide under the big tree of the veteran faction and realize the co-governance of the monarch and his ministers that Tang Taizong and Wei Zheng have always advocated.As for the weakness or cowardice of the character, it can be interpreted as "benevolence and filial piety" in a very good and positive way. This calculation was not bad, but Wu Zetian was not included.Whether it is Changsun Wuji or Chu Suiliang, it is impossible for Li Zhi to expect a woman like a snake to appear next to him.Of course they didn't expect that although Li Zhi was easy to control, he was not controlled by them, but by Wu Zetian.In the end, they helped Li Zhi to the stage, but Li Zhi put them down under the instigation of his wife.

Of course, this is something. Li Tai also made mistakes repeatedly.In order to win the favor of his father and emperor and seize the position of crown prince, he swore to Tang Taizong: "I only have one son."In the future, at the end of his life, the minister will definitely kill him for His Majesty and pass the throne to King Jin. This statement was too false, but the shrewd Tang Taizong believed it to be true, and told Chu Suiliang happily.He said: The love of father and son is in nature.In order to fulfill my wish, Taier actually proposed to make this sacrifice, which really moved me.

Chu Suiliang was alert immediately.That's right, just because the love between father and son is in nature, Li Tai must be a fake.So he stepped forward and said to Li Shimin: "Your Majesty made a mistake."May I ask, in the world, how can anyone kill his beloved son and pass the throne to his younger brother?What's more, isn't it because Chengqian's rebellion is because there are other people who seize the heirloom besides the prince?If His Majesty wants to establish the King of Wei, he must deal with the King of Jin, otherwise King Wei and Sheji will not be safe. Then things get serious.In fact, you can understand by using your brain: King Wei now has only one son.What about the future?no more?If, like his father, Li Shimin, ten or eight were born, would they all be killed?Even if Li Tai himself meant what he said, could his son just sit and wait to die?If more than a dozen sons can only die, wouldn't they unite to deal with Jin Wang Li Zhi?

Li Zhi also has problems here.Li Tai has already made a wish to abdicate after death, so why is Li Zhi waiting for his brother to die?Wouldn't he have done something to promote his brother's death?If Li Tai didn't have time to kill those nephews before he died, what would happen to him?Do you do it yourself or meet with swords and soldiers?All unpredictable. It can be predicted that, according to Li Tai's plan, Emperor Taizong will have a bloody disaster after a hundred years.Moreover, due to the presupposition of two successive princes, the ministers of the court and the central government are bound to be divided into two factions.At that time, both factions will participate in the court struggle, and even the country may be divided.Therefore, if you want to establish Wei Wang Li Tai as the crown prince, you must kill Jin Wang Li Zhi now.

Tang Taizong also understood.He said tearfully: "I can't. But Li Tai continued to jump up and down, and even threatened Li Zhi: You usually have the best relationship with Han Wang Li Yuanchang, but now he was beheaded for participating in the prince's rebellion, aren't you afraid?Li Zhi was always timid and fearful, but when he heard this, his face was frowning, and he was trembling in front of his father.It's just that Li Tai didn't expect that his cleverness reminded Li Shimin: if Li Tai is established, both Chengqian and Li Zhi will be in danger.Only Li Zhi can guarantee the safety of the three sons.

Therefore, Emperor Taizong resolutely decided to depose the prince and King Wei at the same time, and the latter was also sent to Junzhou (now Jun County, Hubei Province).Facts have proved that the idea of ​​preserving the three sons has been realized: Li Zhi expressed great sympathy for the misfortune of the two brothers, and even worried that they would not have enough clothes and food, he specifically asked his father to order the relevant departments along the way to give them help. Special care. Li Zhi is really filial. Chengqian and Li Tai's battle for succession finally died down, but Emperor Taizong felt exhausted and even disheartened.He privately said to several confidant ministers, look at what my three sons and one younger brother (Han Wang Li Yuanchang) have done!It's really boring to think about life.After speaking, he pulled out his saber and wanted to commit suicide.

The ministers immediately stepped forward and hugged him. Chu Suiliang snatched the saber and handed it to Li Zhi. Changsun Wuji immediately understood Chu Suiliang's action, and he himself didn't want to miss the opportunity, so he immediately asked Li Shimin: Who is Your Majesty going to establish? Emperor Taizong blurted out: I think it is still the king of Jin. Changsun Wuji immediately expressed his position: I would like to obey the imperial edict.If there is any objection, please cut it off! Emperor Taizong had no choice but to say to Li Zhi: Thank you uncle! Li Zhi knelt down on one knee to Changsun Wuji on the spot. Emperor Taizong said again: I don't know what will happen to public opinion? Changsun Wuji said: King Jin is benevolent and filial, and the world has returned to his heart for a long time.I implore Your Majesty to seek advice from civil and military officials.If there is any disagreement, the minister will die. Emperor Taizong approved the proposal and summoned officials of the sixth grade and above in the Taiji Hall.Li Shimin said: Chengqian is rebellious, Tai is also dangerous, and neither can stand.I plan to choose another person among the princes as the crown prince, who do you think is the most suitable? Everyone in the hall said in unison: King Jin is benevolent and filial, he should be appointed as the heir. The cowardly Li Zhi became the prince in this way. In fact, this dramatic scene was very suspicious, because Emperor Taizong quickly repented and planned to change Li Ke, the king of Wu, but was naturally stopped by Changsun Wuji.It can be said that the current prince and later Gaozong were actually pushed to power by the elders.They were able to do this, on the one hand, because Tang Taizong emphasized that the monarch and his subjects ruled the world together, and on the other hand, it was also because of the power transfer in the late Zhenguan period: Chu Suiliang had the right to initiate motions, and Changsun Wuji had the decision-making power. Of course, Emperor Taizong's soft-heartedness and concessions were also one of the reasons. Perhaps, Li Shimin, who is very talented and bold, is also short of breath in his later years.He only wanted to achieve a smooth transition of power, while Changsun Wuji and others only wanted to keep their own vested interests, and they never thought that they would make irreversible mistakes-the Tang Dynasty almost lost its country, Changsun Wuji, Chu Suiliang and the others lost their lives. The pie that fell from the sky belonged to both Li Zhi and Wu Zetian.Because although a woman cannot be an emperor, she can be a queen.

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Notes: Volume one hundred and ninety-seven. Volume one hundred and ninety-seven, May article of the seventeenth year of Zhenguan. Volume 197, the April 17th year of Zhenguan, please refer to the biography of Changsun Wuji in the two "Books of Tang" at the same time.