Chapter 60 Chapter 59 Emperor Zhaowu Liu Cong

Liu Cong is Liu Yuan's fourth son. He has a flexible mind and can recite "Sun Tzu's Art of War" fluently.Liu Cong's calligraphy is good, and he is also a good at writing poems and compositions. At the age of 14, he was already proficient in classics and history, and created more than 100 poems and more than 50 poems.Liu Cong began to practice archery and assassination at the age of 15. Because of his long arms and strong wrists, he soon became a well-known martial arts master.In the first year of Yuanxi (304 A.D.), Liu Yuan was supported by the Xiongnu nobles as the Great Chanyu, and Liu Cong was named Luli King by Liu Yuan, and he managed the people on the right side of the Xiongnu.After Liu Yuan proclaimed himself emperor, Liu Cong followed his father's orders to attack Luoyang twice, and once conquered Ximing Gate.

In the second year of He Rui (310 A.D.), Liu Yuan died of illness, and Prince Liu He succeeded to the throne.Liu He believed the slander of Hu Yanyou, Liu Cheng, and Liu Rui, and sent troops to attack Liu Cong, but was killed by Liu Cong instead. In terms of merit and talent, it is not a problem for Liu Cong to inherit the throne, but Liu Cong thought that he was born in a concubine, and his younger brother Liu Yi's mother, Shan, was a legitimate queen, so he wanted to give up the throne to Liu Yi.Liu Yi was very righteous, and he didn't want to be rewarded for nothing, so he refused to agree. The ministers also tearfully persuaded Liu Cong to succeed him.After a long time, Liu Cong reluctantly said: "Since you let me inherit the throne because of the unstable situation, then for the benefit of Han, I will not refuse any more. However, I have a word first. When Liu Yi grows up, I will return the throne to you. He." So he inherited the throne, changed Yuan Guangxing, and made Liu Yi the emperor's younger brother.

Not long after Liu Cong came to the throne, he launched a fierce attack on Luoyang.In May of the second year of Guangxing (AD 311), Liu Cong sent former general Hu Yanyan to lead 27,000 soldiers to attack Luoyang. After 12 battles, more than 30,000 Jin soldiers were killed.In June, Huyanyan and Liu Yao conquered Xuanyangmen, captured Emperor Huai of Jin, and killed more than 30,000 people including Prince Sima Quan and his ministers.In August, Liu Cong's son Liu Can attacked Chang'an again. After inheriting the throne, Liu Cong made his wife Huyan the queen. However, Liu Cong had no feelings for the queen, but fell in love with his father Liu Yuan's queen Shan, and often shared the same pillow with Shan.It didn't take long for the scandal to reach the ears of Shan's son Liu Yi. Liu Yi felt ashamed to face others, so he urged his mother to be self-respecting many times.Knowing that his scandal had been exposed, Shan committed suicide at the end of the first year of Guangxing (310 A.D.).After Mrs. Shan's death, Liu Cong was in so much pain that he couldn't eat or sleep for days and nights.Later, when he learned of the cause of Shan's death, he couldn't help feeling angry with Liu Yi.Empress Huyan took the opportunity to blow pillow talk to Liu Cong: "After you die, Brother Liu Can will be killed by Liu Yi." Liu Cong said: "You have some truth in what you said, let me think about it. Empress Huyan didn't allow Liu Cong to think about it, and went further: "Seeing that Liu Can's brothers are growing up, Liu Yi will definitely try to plot against them. If any villain cheers him up, he may immediately attack him." Liu Yi Cong nodded slightly.

In January of the second year of Jiaping (312 A.D.), Empress Huyan died of illness. Liu Cong summoned the daughters of Sikong Wang Yu and Shang Shuling Ren Qiye to the harem, and named them Zuo and You Zhaoyi respectively for his enjoyment; The daughters of Wang Zhang, the general of the Chinese army, Fan Long, the supervisor of Zhongshu, and Ma Jing, the left servant, were made his wives for him to have fun.You Pushe Zhu Ji's daughter is very charming, Liu Cong naturally will not let her go, and made her a noble concubine.Liu Cong didn't think it was enough. He heard that Taibao Liu Yin had two daughters and four granddaughters who were all beautiful, so he planned to take them into the harem.Liu Yi resolutely opposed it, and tried to persuade Liu Cong with the principle of not marrying with the same surname.At first, Liu Cong felt embarrassed, so he went to Taizai Liu Yannian and Taifu Liu Jing for advice.Both Liu Yannian and Liu Jing wanted to flatter Liu Cong, so they said: "Liu Yin claims to be the descendant of Liu Kanggong, he has the upright surname Liu, and although our surname is Liu, it follows Liu Bang's surname. Liu’s surname does not have any blood relationship, so there is no problem of unmarried with the same surname at all.” So Liu Cong made Liu Yin’s two daughters, Liu Ying and Liu E, as the left and right concubines, and his four granddaughters as concubines. nobleman.In order to deceive others, Liu Cong said to Dahongyu Li Hong: "These six girls are all beautiful and beautiful, and they are of different blood from mine. In this way, I can feel at ease when I take them to the harem." When Li Hong expressed his understanding, Liu Cong Cong said excitedly: "Please convey this meaning to my children." Since Liu Yin's daughter and granddaughter entered the harem, Liu Cong seldom went out of the palace and rarely met ministers. Zhonghuangmen informed, and Liu Ying handled it personally.In March of the third year of Jiaping (313 A.D.), Liu Cong made Liu Ying the queen and planned to build Zhaoyi Hall for her in the backyard.Tingwei Chen Yuanda hurried to Xiaoyao Garden to find Liu Cong after hearing the news, and said solemnly: "Since you took the throne, more than 40 palaces and temples have been built, all of which have been consumed by people's fat and people's anointing, and the common people complained a lot! I heard that you It is too wrong to build Zhaoyi Hall for the queen. We all know that when Emperor Wen of the Western Han Dynasty, the country was rich and powerful, and Emperor Wen stopped building terraces, and your land is not as large as the two counties when Emperor Wen was. It’s a waste of money, it’s really disappointing.” Liu Cong was furious after hearing this, and roared: “As the emperor, I have to ask you if I can build a temple! If I don’t kill you, old slave, my temple won’t It will be completed. Come on! Take this old man and his wife to the nails and kill them!" The guards immediately rushed towards Chen Yuanda.However, since Chen Yuanda had already bound his waist with iron chains when he saw Liu Cong, seeing the guards rushing towards him, he quickly tied himself to the tree trunk with the iron chains, and the guards couldn't drag him or pull him away.Seeing this, Ren Qiye, Zhu Ji, Fan Long, Liu Yi and others knelt down on the ground in unison, kowtowed and said: "It is very rare for Chen Yuanda to dare to speak out for the sake of the country. Forgive me; if your majesty kills him because of his outspoken words, I don't know how future generations will judge your majesty." Liu Cong was silent when he heard this.

Just as the guards were rushing towards Chen Yuanda, Empress Liu quietly went to the back hall, heard what they said clearly, and quickly sent someone secretly to tell the guards to temporarily stop torture Chen Yuanda, then picked up a pen, wrote a note and sent someone to Handed over to Liu Cong.Liu Cong took the note and couldn't help reading out his voice: "The palace is ready, there is no need to rebuild it. The world has not yet been unified, so we should cherish the power of the people. Chen Yuanda's words are beneficial to the country without any harm, and he should be rewarded heavily. His killing will damage your Majesty's reputation. Your Majesty's killing of admonishers for my palace will make the ministers scold me, the people hate me, the country will be impoverished because of me, and the country will be crumbling because of me. Since ancient times, the subjugation of the country All bereaved families start with women, and I often hate those women, but I never thought that I would play such a disgraceful role today. I don’t have the face to be a queen again! I hope Your Majesty will let me die!” After reading Empress Liu’s note , Liu Cong's face turned pale, and after a long time, Liu Cong whispered to Ren Qiye, Zhu Ji, Fan Long, and Liu Yi who had been kneeling on the ground: "Get up, get up, it's all my fault .In the past few years, I have suffered from madness, moodiness, and sometimes I can't control myself. Chen Yuanda is a hero, and I wrongly blamed him." Then he called Chen Yuanda to him and said, "With you and the queen assisting me, why should I worry about it? What! In order to commend your outspokenness, Xiaoyao Garden is now changed to Naxian Garden." On that day, he hosted a sumptuous banquet in the palace to entertain Chen Yuanda.

Although Zhaoyi Hall is no longer built, the work of selecting beauties is still going on.In the first year of Jianyuan (315 A.D.), when Liu Cong went to the official residence of Jin Zhun, the Central Guard Army, he saw his two daughters Yueguang and Yuehua at a glance.Both Yueguang and Yuehua are beautiful, so they were naturally taken to the harem by Liu Cong, and they were established as the left and right noble concubines. A few months later, Yueguang became the first lady of the Han Dynasty—the Queen, Concubine Liu and Yuehua respectively. Was named left and right queen.With these three beauties, Liu Cong threw all the state affairs out of the blue. He only knew how to laugh and make trouble all day long, drinking and enjoying himself, and often got drunk and fell unconscious for several days.After Chen Yuanda knew about it, he tried to persuade Liu Cong like a cannonball. Liu Cong was naturally very annoyed, but since Chen Yuanda was famous and popular, it was not convenient to deal with him directly, so he promoted him secretly and made him a right-hand man. Doctor Guanglu.Fan Long and others saw through Liu Cong's tricks at a glance, and united to resign to Liu Cong. Liu Cong had no choice but to make Chen Yuanda the imperial doctor again.Soon, Chen Yuanda discovered that Yueguang often had affairs with others behind Liu Cong's back, so he reported Yueguang to Liu Cong.Liu Cong was furious after hearing this, and immediately abolished Yueguang; Yueguang was filled with remorse and hanged himself.After Yueguang died, Liu Cong was listless all day long, as if he had lost his soul.

Liu Cong had a great time in the harem, but his relationship with the emperor's younger brother Liu Yi became more and more tense.Since Shan's suicide, Liu Cong has been very angry with Liu Yi.He no longer intends to pass the throne to Liu Yi, but wants to pass it to his son Liu Can.In order to create conditions, Liu Cong made Liu Can the prime minister in the first year of Jianyuan (315 A.D.), took over the military and political power, and gradually emptied Liu Yi.Later, he listened to the false accusation by his son Liu Can's cronies that Liu Yi was going to rebel, so he ordered Liu Can to surround the East Palace.Liu can tortured the officials of the East Palace and forced them to frame Liu Yi. These people couldn't stand the beating, so they had to tell lies against their will.When Liu Cong heard that they said in unison that Liu Yi was really planning to launch a rebellion, he immediately deposed Liu Yi as the king of the north.Soon, Liu Can sent people to kill Liu Yi and his 15,000 officers and soldiers.

Besides, after Emperor Huai of Jin was captured, the general of Jin Jia Yu and others recaptured Chang'an with the support of the Han people in Guanzhong, and welcomed Sima Ye to Chang'an as emperor, Emperor Min of Jin.When the news reached Pingyang, Liu Cong became furious and sent Liu Yao to attack Chang'an many times, all of which ended in failure. Liu Yao lamented: "Jin is still strong, and it is difficult for us to win for a while!" So he led his troops to retreat north.In the first year of Linjia (316 A.D.), Liu Yao launched a fierce attack on Chang'an and captured the outer city of Chang'an easily. The Western Jin Dynasty perished.

In his later years, Liu Cong didn't trust almost any ministers, but he himself was too lazy to deal with government affairs, so he let the eunuch Wang Chen, who he thought had no ambitions and was very trustworthy, handle them.Most of these eunuchs are small-minded and know that they are despised by the ministers, so they take advantage of the advantage of being able to meet the emperor frequently to slander and slander the ministers in front of Liu Cong.In the first year of Linjia (316 A.D.), under the instigation and instigation of Wang Chen and others, Liu Cong issued a decree to punish Taizhong doctors, Shangshu Wang Yan, Tian Xin, Shaofu Chen Xiu, Zuo Wei Buchong, and Da Si. The order of Nong Zhudan and others.After hearing the news, Dazai Liu Yi, General Liu Fu, Yushi doctor Chen Yuanda, Jinzi Guanglu doctor Wang Yan and others all came to the quexia to see Liu Cong.Liu Yi and others came forward to remonstrate, and said impassionedly: "Wang Chen and others hold important positions, deceive superiors and inferiors, bully the country, accept bribes and extort bribes, form cliques for personal gain, hold power by life and death, and wantonly mutilate loyal ministers and generals. If things go on like this, the country will What has become of it! Now the Jin Dynasty is still making waves, Li Xiong of Bashu is spying on the opportunity, in order to succeed, Shi Le is going to occupy Zhao Wei, this is a great threat to us! Regardless of hidden dangers, His Majesty encouraged Wang Chen and other small People commit crimes, and if things go on like this, the country may be irreparable. For this reason, I beseech Your Majesty to dismiss Wang Chen and others and punish them according to the law." Liu Cong gave the watch to Wang Chen and others, and said with a smile: "These Chen Yuanda has spoiled the guys." Within a few days, Liu Cong made Wang Chen and others the rank of Marquis.After the news came out, there was an uproar in public opinion, and Liu Yi tried to persuade him again, but Liu Cong ignored it at all.Liu Yi became ill with anger and passed away soon.When Chen Yuanda was at Liu Yi's funeral, he was heartbroken and said miserably: "Once Liu Yi dies, the country will not exist for a few days. Since Liu Cong won't listen to us, what use is there for me to live!" After returning home, he committed suicide angrily.

After the death of Liu Yi and Chen Yuanda, Liu Cong, Wang Chen and others became more arbitrary.But soon Liu Cong died of illness and was buried in Xuanguang Mausoleum, with the posthumous title of "Emperor Zhaowu" and the temple name of "Liezong".