Chapter 182 Chapter 181

In October of the tenth year of Tianbao, Gao Yang died, and Gao Yin, 15, was enthroned as emperor in Jinyang (now Taiyuan City, Shanxi) according to the will. Gao Yin's grandfather Gao Huan and father Gao Yang were all Han Chinese who were completely Xianbei, but they often despised the Han people and insulted the Confucian classics.Gao Yin was very different from him, he had deep Confucianism, and when he was a child, he was tutored by Guozi doctors Li Baoding and Xing Zhi to study Confucian classics.Gao Yin is talented and intelligent, and he is very familiar with various scriptures within a few years.In the winter of the seventh year of Tianbao (556 A.D.), Gao Yang held a debate on Confucian classics in the court. The 12-year-old Gao Yin was in the midst of many old Confucian scholars, eloquently eloquently eloquently explaining trivial matters and righteousness, and sometimes questioning and refuting the group of Confucians, which is amazing.In the ninth year of Tianbao (558 A.D.), Gao Yang went out to inspect Jinyang, and Prince Gao Yin supervised the country.Gao Yin lost no time in personally hosting a seminar on "Book of Filial Piety".

Gao Yin is very honest and kind.Once, Gao Yang ordered him to use a sword to chop off the head of a prisoner for fun, but Gao Yin couldn't bear to do it for a long time, and urged him repeatedly, but Gao Yin couldn't lift the sword in his hand.Gao Yang was so angry that he raised his horsewhip and beat Gao Yin severely. Gao Yin was bruised all over his body. In order to prevent the usurpation of the throne, before Gao Yang died, he ordered Shang Shu Ling, Shang Shu Zuo Pushe and others to assist the young master Gao Yin.With Gao Yin's support, Yang Min planned to carry out comprehensive reforms to rectify the political order and strengthen the imperial power.In order to imitate the example and set an example for the world, Yang Min first asked Gao Yin to exempt him from the King's Award for Kaifu, and then ordered all soldiers over the age of 70 to be awarded honorary positions. Retire, and depose with great fanfare those who have no talent or morality, and who seek official titles by bribery and flattery.Yang Min's rectification caused an uproar among the government and the public. Those sycophants who were deposed were resentful and took refuge in the hands of the second king (Gao Yan and Gao Zhan). At that time, the princes in the court were very powerful. Changguang Wang Gao Zhan and the Empress Dowager actually controlled the military and political power of the Northern Qi Dynasty.Gao Yan has been busy cultivating power, and once the feathers are full, he is ready to seize the throne.Yang Min's reforms intensified the conflict between the two factions.

In the first year of the Qianming Dynasty (560 A.D.), Yang Min and Gao Yin secretly discussed the appointment of the two kings as governors, with the intention of removing the power of the prince and strengthening the imperial power.Gao Guiyan, king of Pingqin, was also in the same party as Gao Yin and Yang Min at first, but after weighing the interests and interests, he felt that Gao Yin was young and alone, and might not last long, so he betrayed Gao Yin and leaked all the plots to the second king, and the two kings became furious Angry, he used his plan and took advantage of the opportunity of going to Shangshu Province to "pay a visit" to take up his post, surrounded thousands of soldiers, and captured Yang Min and others on the spot at the banquet. With fists and sticks, Yang Min and others were beaten bloody.After dealing with Gao Yin's capable cronies, the two kings put on a firm grip and escorted Yang Min and others to meet Gao Yin.Walking to the gate of the East Pavilion, the governor Cheng Xiuning pulled out his sword and sternly stopped the second king and others from entering, but when the surrounding guards saw the second king coming, they knew that the young master could no longer be relied on, so they all dropped their weapons one after another. Seeing that it is difficult to sing alone, I had to give up with a long sigh.The two kings and others entered the Zhaoyang Hall and charged Chen Yangmin and others with the "crime" of the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was so angry that she scolded Gao Yin's mother, Empress Li: "Should we Xianbei people still suffer from you, an old Han woman?" At your mercy!" Empress Li hurriedly knelt down in front of the Empress Dowager to apologize.Gao Yin was at a loss for what to do in a hurry, and his troops came to the city at the same time. The Empress Dowager stood by the side of the two kings, but was coerced and issued an imperial edict.All major military and political affairs are decided by the prime minister Gaoyan.The young emperor, who had only been on the throne for one year, ended his political career in this way, and Yang Min and others were beheaded immediately.

In August of the same year, Gao Man proclaimed himself emperor, and the Empress Dowager demoted Gao Yin to Jinan King and moved to another palace.In the second year of Huangjian (561 A.D.), Gao Yan secretly ordered Gao Guiyan to kill Gao Yin at the age of 17. —— In August of the first year of Huangjian (AD 560), after Gao Yan became emperor, he immediately rectified the political order drastically.He issued a series of edicts: all servants and maidservants over 60 years old shall be released as free persons; law enforcement officials such as Tingwei and Zhongcheng must be punished according to the law, and those who engage in malpractice for personal gain shall be sentenced to death; Set up officials to supervise classes.

Since Gao Huan, the price of grain in the Northern Qi Dynasty has soared, and it is difficult to transfer tribute grain.After Gao Yan came to power, he carried out large-scale farmland in the north and south of the Yellow River. As a result, more than 100,000 shi of grain could be obtained from the farmland every year, and the food shortage problem in Hebei and other places was finally solved.In order to alleviate the difficulties in the transportation of tribute grain, Gao Yan set up granaries in Hebei and other places to store grain.After Gao Yan's rectification, the protracted food crisis was finally resolved.

Among the emperors of the Northern Qi Dynasty, Gao Yan was the most prominent among the emperors of the Northern Qi Dynasty.Once, Gao Yan killed a prisoner in the court, and the blood spattered the court pillars.Gao Yan asked Wang Xi: "Should this person die?" Wang said: "He should die, but unfortunately he died in the wrong place. I heard that 'killing a person on the execution ground is a worthy death.' The imperial court is a sacred place for discussing politics. Killing people in the court without authorization?" Gao Yan immediately promised: "From now on, I will set an example for everyone and not allow this kind of thing to happen again."

Gao Yan often self-reflects, and asks the ministers to help him reflect.He said to the minister Kudi Xian'an: "I have been in power for a short time and lack experience. Please boldly say what I have not done enough." Ku Dixian said: "Your Majesty sometimes talks nonsense." Gao Yan was a little surprised: " Go on!" Ku Di Xian'an continued: "In the past, when your Majesty saw Emperor Wenxuan beat his subjects, he always tried hard to persuade him, thinking that the Lord should not do this. Now you also often beat your subjects. Isn't what you said before equal to nonsense? Is it?" Gao Yan shook Ku Di Xian'an's hand and thanked him repeatedly.

In order to keep abreast of the people's sentiments and reflect on himself, he specially allowed some ministers, such as Shangshu Yangxiuzhi, Hongluqing Cui Jie, etc., to enter his bedroom at any time to discuss the rituals and music of the past dynasties, officials, land and market, taxation and politics. In terms of gains and losses, analyze one by one which ones are not in line with the present, but are still being followed; which ones have been beneficial to the world since ancient times, but have disappeared now; which policies are appropriate and which are not.If these ministers have something to discuss with Gao Yan, they always enter the palace at dawn and come out after dark.

During the period of Gao Huan, the Northern Qi and the Northern Zhou continued to fight each other year after year.When Gao Yan came to power, the strengths of both sides changed, and the Northern Qi was stronger than the Northern Zhou.Although the Northern Qi had the strength to overwhelm the Northern Zhou, Gao Yan believed that what the country urgently needed now was stability and construction, rather than land expansion and seizing the people, so it stopped its troops and ceased its military operations, and was basically in a state of peace with its neighbors. In September of the second year of Huangjian (561 A.D.), Gao Yan killed Gao Yin out of political interests.After a few days, after calming down, Gao Yan felt guilty again, feeling sorry for his brother Gao Yang.This feeling of guilt tormented him day and night.Soon, his mind began to become a little confused, and the vision of Gao Yang holding a sword to avenge Gao Yin always appeared in front of his eyes.After Mrs. Gao Yan knew about it, she quickly called people to "exorcise ghosts", sprinkled boiling oil inside and outside the palace, and ordered the eunuchs and servants to hold torches and stand around the palace all night to prevent "ghosts" from invading the palace.

After some "exorcism", Gao Yan seemed to feel a little more relaxed.In October, in order to relax, he went hunting in the countryside with a few followers.As he was running, a cunning rabbit suddenly rushed out from the bushes. Gao Yan's horse jumped up in fright, and Gao Yan fell heavily from the horse, breaking his ribs. After Gao Yan was injured, his condition deteriorated sharply, and his previous phantom reappeared.He didn't eat or sleep all day and all night, just knelt on the ground and kowtowed for mercy.As soon as he regained consciousness, he remembered the important matter of who should inherit the throne after his death.Originally, he had made his son the crown prince for a hundred years, but when he thought about it carefully, he was a little terrified: I bullied Gao Yin when he was young and powerful, and killed the king to usurp the throne.Who can guarantee that Gao Zhan, the king of Changguang, will not kill my son and become emperor himself after my death?What's more, Gao Zhan is not that kind of benevolent person!After careful consideration, he felt that the surest solution was to change the crown prince and appoint Gao Zhan as the heir to the throne.In November of the second year of Huangjian (AD 561), Gao Yan ordered Changguang Wang Gaozhan to inherit the throne.He wrote another suicide note to Gao Zhan, begging Gao Zhan: "After I die, you must treat my wife and children well, and don't follow my example." After dealing with the funeral, Gao Yan died suddenly at the age of 27.Buried in Wenjing Mausoleum, posthumously titled "Emperor Xiaozhao".