Chapter 41 Chapter One

When mentioning Tang Taizong Li Shimin, people will naturally think of the rule of Zhenguan initiated by him.The Chinese nation has been plagued by many disasters, and it is rare to have a few prosperous times worthy of praise by future generations.The few so-called "governing the world" such as the rule of Wenjing in the Han Dynasty, the rule of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty, the rule of Taizu in the Ming Dynasty, the rule of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, among which the rule of Zhenguan For the most, it can be described as the extreme feudal prosperity. It was the rule of Zhenguan initiated by Tang Taizong Li Shimin that laid a solid political, economic and cultural foundation, which led to the prosperity, grandeur and illustrious prestige of the Tang Dynasty for nearly three centuries.The Tang Dynasty is undoubtedly the most intoxicating, proud, and soul-stirring great prosperity in Chinese history. No other dynasty can compare with it; and Tang Taizong Li Shimin is the most wise emperor in ancient China. The idealized emperor model has been praised for a long time in history, and no emperor has surpassed him.

In fact, Li Shimin was not the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, but the second generation monarch.According to the tradition of the eldest son hereditary system in ancient Chinese feudal patriarchal society, he was not qualified to take over the magic wand of power from Tang Gaozu Li Yuan at all.Empress Dou had four sons, Li Shimin was the second, and the third Li Yuanba died young. He, his elder brother Li Jiancheng and younger brother Li Yuanji were all meritorious officials and important figures who opposed the Sui Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty.In May of the first year of Sui Yining (AD 617), Li Yuan set up an army in Taiyuan and proclaimed himself emperor in Chang'an in just one year.Li Yuan became the emperor, and the eldest son Li Jiancheng was established as the prince logically.As the second son, Li Shimin, apart from being regarded as a loyal and reliable "pawn" by his father and brother, he did not dare to have the slightest idea of ​​the high throne.

However, he finally ascended to the throne of the emperor! It was the times that provided him with the opportunity and soil to seize power, it was his outstanding talent and strong strength that laid the foundation for him to become emperor, and it was the unstoppable greed and beastliness deep in his heart that forced him to kill his brothers. My younger brother's act of tiger and wolf is the inevitable chronic disease of feudal autocracy that directed a familiar tragedy of seizing the heir... The cruel and tyrannical regime of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty aroused strong resistance from the majority of peasants. The peasant uprising violently impacted the regime of the Sui Dynasty with a destructive force, cleaning up the muddy water of the Sui Dynasty like the autumn wind sweeping the fallen leaves.While the war pushed the Sui Empire into the abyss of destruction, it also stirred up all kinds of desires in people's hearts - the world lost a deer, and everyone got it.

At that time, Li Yuan stayed in Taiyuan County of the Sui Dynasty. He was a cousin of Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty. He could be regarded as a relative of the emperor.And Li Shimin, who has been accompanying his father all the time, showed his outstanding military skills in the battle to encircle and suppress the peasant army.At the critical moment when Li Yuan was trapped in the enemy's position and was unable to get out, Li Shimin "broke through the encirclement with light cavalry, shot at them, invincible everywhere, and pulled Gao Zu out of the crowd".It was in this decisive battle that Li Shimin not only rescued his father, but also won more with less, depending on the first battle, and wiped out Zhen Zhaier's rebel army.

Although Li Yuan and his son suppressed the peasant army in Taiyuan, they could not stop or change the national peasant uprising that had turned into a prairie fire.Government officials of the Sui Dynasty all over the country also took the opportunity to raise troops one after another to establish a feudal separatist regime.Faced with the situation that the building was about to collapse and the suspicion of Emperor Sui Yang, Li Yuan and his son had to consider their own way out. Once, Li Shimin said to his father: "Thieves and thieves are becoming more and more common in the world today. My lord is ordered to punish thieves. Will the thieves be exhausted? If you want them, you will eventually be punished." Yes, the world is in chaos, and everyone is in danger. , I can almost break through a life passage.Li Yuan had long been determined to do something, but faced his son's temptation and persuasion, he showed a calm and scheming look.In this regard, Master Wang wrote in "Du Tong Jian Lun Tang Gaozu":

The king of Qin is Li Shimin, who was entrusted by Li Yuan to Chang'an as Queen Tang.When Taiyuan raised the army, the eldest son Li Jiancheng and the fourth son Li Yuanji both lived in Hedong (now Puzhou Town, Yongji, Shanxi Province) with the Li family. The closest candidate was only the second son Li Shimin to follow.Although the decision to raise troops was in the hands of Li Yuan, who stayed behind in Taiyuan, Li Shimin was also a major decision maker, and he did a lot of liaison and organization work, which is indispensable. Li Yuan started his army in May 617 and occupied Chang'an in November of that year.In order to deceive others, Li Yuan kept a low profile and hid his edge. He respected Emperor Sui Yang as the Supreme Emperor, and appointed the acting king Yang You as the emperor.On the other hand, he "made a fake yellow axe, held envoys, supervised all internal and external military forces, ministers, and prime ministers, and became the king of Tang".

In March of the following year, Emperor Sui Yang was hanged and killed by his subordinates in Jiangdu.There was no need for Li Yuan to use the pretense of "respecting the Sui Dynasty" any longer. He simply kicked Yang You away and ascended the throne in Taiji Hall in May. Li Yuan, who was an unremarkable stayer in Taiyuan, rebelled against the Sui Dynasty. In just one year, he became the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty.This earth-shattering event left an indelible imprint on the heart of Li Shimin, who was only 22 years old, and played a subtle role in it. It is hard to say that Li Shimin's Xuanwumen Incident that he launched later was not inspired and inspired by it.

The historical curtain of the Tang Dynasty has been opened through the efforts of Li Yuan and his son. However, it is still unknown whether this drama can continue to be staged and reach a climax.Li Yuan used the momentum of the peasant uprising at the end of the Sui Dynasty to strengthen his own power, and when he took the opportunity to occupy Chang'an and establish the Tang Dynasty, he only controlled Guanzhong and Hedong.Around the Tang Dynasty, there were several powerful armed forces.Who will win the deer, no one can predict.What's more, once you become king and build a country, your goal will be big, and you will naturally "raise the wind and attract attention", attracting some tangible and intangible attacks, both open and dark, and pushing yourself into the center of the vortex.It is impossible for Li Yuan, who has already proclaimed himself emperor, to retreat from the torrent. He can only achieve the goal of securing the throne by sweeping away all the heroes and unifying the world through war.However, once sitting on the dragon chair, one has to put on an emperor-like demeanor. If it is not a decisive battle, it is naturally inconvenient to go to the battle in person; and Prince Li Jiancheng, as the legitimate heir to the emperor, has received extra care for his safety Li Shimin's whereabouts are generally limited to the capital; therefore, the heavy responsibility of leading troops to fight and conquering from south to north falls on Li Shimin.

Expanding territory, conquering heroes, and unifying China requires not only strength, but also courage, ambition, wisdom, and strategy.Li Shimin drew on the experience of the Qin and Han wars to seize the world, established the strategic policy of "Guanzhong standard", and first launched a life-and-death struggle with Xue Ju and Xue Rengao, the powerful enemies occupying Longyou. Li Shimin's greatest achievement in this war was the Longyou elite cavalry who annexed Xue Ju and Xue Rengao.Cavalry is fast, flexible, and lethal. It is the most powerful advanced arm in the cold weapon era, and it often plays a decisive role in wars.Li Shimin is well aware of the importance of cavalry, and he is also good at using cavalry. He first showed his talents when he suppressed the peasant uprising army Zhen Zhai in Taiyuan.The recruitment of elites from Longyou was a major turning point in Li Shimin's military power.Since then, he has deliberately cultivated and trained the cavalry as the main force, making it a main force that "is willing to serve the death" and competes with the heroes of the Kanto.Because of having a strong cavalry, Li Shimin can often lead the cavalry to counterattack unexpectedly from behind the enemy's formation again and again, occupying a clear advantage among the heroes in the world.

After pacifying Longyou, the Tang Dynasty had a stable rear and base camp - Guanzhong Plain; then went north to Taiyuan, marched into Hedong, eliminated Liu Wuzhou and Song Jingang who took the opportunity to "fight for the world in the south", and completely wiped out the troubles in the inner court; and then , Li Shimin followed Yingzheng and Liu Bang's actions, relying on the prestige of Qin and Han, looked down to the east, and advanced into the Central Plains. Li Shimin successfully commanded four major battles in the war to unify the world. It took him seven years to go through life and death, and wiped out Wang Shichong, Dou Jiande, Liu Heita, Xu Yuanlang and other heroes in the world one by one.Li Yuan, Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty, "made a special gift" for "King Qin's ability to control the world", and built a "Hongyi Palace" specially for him to show his praise.

Li Shimin first appeared on the stage of history as the all-powerful founding military commander of the Tang Dynasty. His outstanding military talent was fully displayed and reflected in the unification war, and he was almost invincible.According to records, when summing up his strategic and tactical experience, he once said with pride: However, the military is not Li Shimin's ultimate goal.The real success of Li Shimin and the eulogy of the past dynasties lie in that he is a great politician.He started his career by fighting and accumulated strong political capital; war is just a way and process for him to temper and forge himself; only through war can he reach the peak of power.