Chapter 69 Wisdom, guessing, patience, might and blessing

——Empress Dowager Feng Wenming The illustrious martial arts, bloodthirsty and brutal Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty, although he could kill millions of people in a short time, but in the palace, all eating, drinking and messing were under the control of the eunuchs.While sleeping soundly, Grand Duke Zong Ai was deeply afraid that Emperor Taiwu would pursue him for allegedly slandering the prince, so he acted first and sent Tuoba Tao to the west with a rope first.People may ask, the civil and military ministers dare not look up in front of this bloodthirsty king, and can't breathe, how could a domestic slave without a second child dare to strangle this once magnificent emperor to death.You know, there is no great man in front of a slave, no matter how great, honorable or correct you are, you will fart and burp, you will hurt everywhere if you fall all over your body, you will get your bags when you are bitten by a mosquito, you will go crazy when you are drunk, and you will be happy. Even when she was young, she would dance on her own with bare buttocks. Therefore, in the eyes of the servants, the gloomy scene when she was sitting upright was worthless.Emperor Taiwu, who was twitching and struggling under the hands of the Grand Duke and the little princes, was just an ordinary human body who had lost his golden bell cover. The stinky feces that burst out when he was dying showed that the emperor's sphincter was not much tighter than ordinary people, and might even be looser.

Emperor Taiwu died violently in his prime, and the prince Tuoba Huang was dead, so it is reasonable to support Tuoba Jun, the son of Tuoba Huang.Tuoba Jun was only thirteen years old.Shang Shu Zuo Servant She Lanyan, Shi Zhong He Ding, and Shi Zhong Xue Ti knew that Emperor Taiwu's servant had been murdered. Considering that the master was suspicious of the country, he kept the funeral secret and prepared to support Emperor Taiwu's third son, King Qin. Tuoba Han, and secretly sent someone to call him to the secret room in the palace.Xue Ti changed his mind again in the middle, thinking that the emperor's grandson Tuoba Jun is the heir to the throne, and he should be established according to reason. If the king of Qin is established, I am afraid that it will cause turmoil after the news spreads.These five courtiers continued to discuss and discuss, and the news was gradually discovered by Eunuch Zong Ai.Zong Ai has an ordinary relationship with King Tuobahan of Qin, and has a very good personal relationship with Tuobayu, King Wu, the fifth son of Emperor Taiwu.Although the great eunuch is neither male nor female, he is very courageous.He kept on doing nothing, and under the guise of the Queen's order, he summoned the three of Lanyan into the inner palace.Lan Yan, He Ding, and Xue Ti thought that Zongai was an eunuch, and never looked him in the eye. They didn't expect any conspiracy, so they all came here.

As soon as the three of them entered the gate of the palace, dozens of eunuchs in full armor were waiting behind the gate, slashing one by one in the hall.Qin King Tuobahan, who had been waiting in the secret room for two or three days, was also very happy when he heard footsteps outside the door, thinking that it was the ministers who came to support him as emperor.As soon as the door was opened, a few strong eunuchs broke in and hugged him to Yongxiang. Without saying a word, he killed this master with a single blow. Tuoba Yude was established as the empress, and in order to thank Grand Duke Zongai for his "kindness", he was named Da Sima, Grand General, Grand Master, and Superintendent of Chinese and foreign military forces, and he was named King Feng Yi.

The eunuch became the prince, and the emperor in the palace was not the emperor's grandson Tuoba Jun. The ministers of the Northern Wei court talked a lot in private, and gradually felt what happened.Soon, Tuoba Yu felt that Zong'ai had too much power, so he wanted to take away his power slowly.After doing many bad things and getting more and more courageous, Zong Ai took another step ahead and sent the little eunuch to send Tuoba Yu to the west again with a rope. This rebellion finally leaked out.Liu Ni, an officer of the imperial guard, hurriedly reported the situation to Yuanhe, the minister in the palace, and Yuanhe found Lu Li, the minister in the south. Several people made a plan to arrest Zong Ai, "kill him with five punishments", and welcome the emperor's grandson Tuoba Jun as emperor. For Emperor Wencheng.

In the second year of Tai'an (456) of Emperor Wencheng, the Feng family was made the queen, who was later the empress dowager Feng Wenming.Then, Emperor Wencheng made Tuo Bahong, who was only three years old at the time, the crown prince.In the Wei Dynasty, "the son and mother died", according to the system, Li Gui, the prince's biological mother, was given to commit suicide that night. In the history of Chinese civilization since written records, most of the powerful men are male rulers. Whether they are immortal or infamous, emperors and kings are either tyrannical, or heroic, or tyrannical, or lewd, or cowardly, or decadent. Either elegant or vulgar, right and wrong are easy to judge, and grievances can be named.In the feudal history of China, where Confucianism was the main ruling ideology, there were very few female rulers, who could not compete with male emperors in terms of numbers, but they were all famous in terms of fame. , Empress Dowager Cixi, no matter how well they govern the country, it seems that these four are more ambiguously connected with derogatory terms such as "fornication", "vicious" and "dedicated", and there is also a "henji division" The idiom "Morning" specifically satirizes female rulers.In view of the danger to the country and the clan after Empress Lu came to the court, Emperor Wu of the Han wanted to make his youngest son Liu Fuling as his heir in his later years, but he was worried that his mother, Mrs. Gouyi, would have trouble in the future.Emperor Wu of the Han thought that Liu Fuling became emperor after his death, and Mrs. Gouyi was in her prime of youth, so becoming queen mother might be extremely detrimental to the Liu family.The old emperor first selected a few assistant ministers for his son, and after thinking about it for a few days, he suddenly called Mrs. Gou Yi to the front of the palace and loudly condemned him.Seeing the emperor's sudden thunderous anger, the young beauty was terrified, took off the hairpin on her head, knelt down and kowtowed. "Take her down and put her in Ye Ting Prison!" Emperor Wu shouted.The young mother, who suffered from misfortune, was completely powerless. When she was supported and dragged by the guards, she turned her head and looked at Emperor Wu with tears in her eyes.Emperor Wu was decisive by nature, and shouted loudly: "Go quickly, you can't live!" So he died in prison.A few days later, Emperor Wu of the Han had nothing to do, so he asked the left and right: "How is the outside reaction to the death of Mrs. Gouyi?" The left and right replied: "Everyone said, since you want to make your son the queen mother, why kill him?" What about the birth mother?" Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty replied: "This is beyond the comprehension of you foolish people. In the past, the country fell into chaos precisely because the master was young and the mother was strong. She. Haven’t you heard the story of Empress Lu? So we must get rid of this hidden danger first.” At that time and later generations of historians talked about Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, often accusing him of extravagant palaces inside, attacking the barbarians from outside, believing in gods and monsters, and wasting people and money, but for him The act of setting up a son and killing a concubine often holds positive comments, thinking that it can prevent the erroneous progress and care about people.Even so, it was rare for later emperors of the Han nationality to kill the mother of the crown prince before his death.It was the Tuoba family of the Northern Wei Dynasty who really regarded the creed of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty as a rule.

In the last years of Tuobagui, Emperor Daowu of Wei Taizu, he decided to make his son Tuobasi the emperor, so he killed his biological mother first, and then summoned Tuobasi to his seat to lecture: "In the past, Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty would make his son and kill his mother. Participating in the state affairs will cause chaos among other families. You should inherit the rule, so I am far away from the Han and Wu, and this is a long-term plan." In fact, the Tuoba tribe civilized relatively late, and the era of Daiguo was only a short time after breaking away from the matrilineal clan society. During the period of patriarchal patriarchy, the custom of respecting brotherhood and motherhood has always been stubborn.Influenced by the feudal system of the Han nationality, the Tuoba family gradually maintained the long-term stability of the empire with the system of "father and son family under heaven".In order to be more preventive, Emperor Daowu made "the death of the son and mother" a custom of the Wei Dynasty. Although the method was cruel, his starting point was still to consider the eternal foundation of the dynasty.After Tuoba Si succeeded to the throne, although he was grateful for his biological mother, the "ancestral family law" of the Wei Dynasty was not abolished. It was passed down from generation to generation. was given death.Of course, there is no clear history as to whether it was suicide or the palace servants did it for them. In short, these beauties who are overwhelmed by the country and the city are really suffering. Once a few years old are established as princes, although the mothers are in their youth, they will soon die. , I will never see the day when my son will be on the 9th Five-Year Plan and the yellow robe will be added.In the future, if he is honored as a posthumous posthumous title, the dead are ignorant, and can only blame the destiny.

Empress Dowager Feng came from an extraordinary background.Her grandfather, Feng Hong, was the last emperor of Beiyan. The Beiyan country was destroyed by Wei Taiwu Emperor Tuoba Tao. After Feng Hong ran to Koryo, he was killed by the king of Koryo.Her father, Feng Lang, was named Duke of the Western Regions after he joined Wei, served as the governor of Qinzhou and Yongzhou, and was later killed because of his involvement in the case.Empress Dowager Feng was sent to the palace when she was a little girl.Her aunt was Zuo Zhaoyi of Emperor Taiwu at that time, and she raised Feng herself.At the age of fourteen, Emperor Wencheng Tuoba Jun came to the throne, and Feng was selected as a nobleman based on her appearance and talent, and was later established as a queen.Emperor Wencheng died at the age of twenty-six.According to the old system of the Wei State, when the emperor passed away, his imperial clothes and utensils would be burned three days later. During the ceremony, all the court officials and concubines in the palace cried.Empress Feng lost her husband when she was young, and she was so sad that she jumped into the fire screaming, and rushed to the left and right for treatment, and it took a long time to wake up.It can be seen from this that the play of Empress Dowager Feng is really realistic. If you really want to die, there are countless gold, ropes, and scissors in the palace. If the big show of "Fire Butterfly" is to be staged in public, I don't know if the snow-flecked skin left burns or not.In any case, this leap through the ages has shown Empress Feng's incomparable courage and extraordinary wisdom.

Wei Xianzu Xianwen Emperor Tuo Bahong succeeded to the throne at the age of twelve, and respected Empress Feng as Empress Dowager Feng.Tuo Bahong's biological mother, Li Shi, has beautiful qualifications.When he entered the palace at the beginning of the year, Emperor Wencheng saw it from a distance upstairs, and his heart fluttered, and he said to the left and right: "This is really a beautiful woman!" He went downstairs immediately, before he had time to find a good place with a bed and bedding, in the warehouse Fortunately, she became pregnant with the later Emperor Xianwen.After the birth of Emperor Xianwen, the Li family was worshiped as a nobleman.In the second year of Emperor Taiwu Tai'an, his son was established as the crown prince.Emperor Taiwu's nanny, the Chang family who was named as the Empress Dowager at that time ordered her to die according to the rules of the Wei Dynasty.When he was dying, Li wrote a letter to his brother, entrusting his funeral.Before he died, when he mentioned the word "brother", Li burst into tears and wept endlessly.Emperor Xianwen later pursued his biological mother as Empress Yuan.

Fortune and misfortune.Empress Feng herself did not give birth to a prince, but escaped death safely, and sat on the position of empress dowager calmly.At that time, Yi Hun, the general of chariots and riders, took advantage of the chaos to monopolize power, and ordered to kill Shangshu Yang Baonian and Pingyang Gong Jia Airen to be banned. Whether it is big or small, Yi Hun has the final say.At that time, when the Lord Shaoguo was suspicious and treacherous ministers took power, Empress Dowager Feng showed her extraordinary wit and courage. After a short period of maneuvering, she killed Yi Hun and came to the court to listen to the government.

Tuo Bahong, Emperor Xianwen of the Northern Wei Dynasty, was resolute and determined, and also liked to study Huang, Lao and Buddhist scriptures. He was a very talented and intelligent person.He came to the throne at the age of twelve, and a few years later, the prince Tuoba Hong (father and son's names have the same pronunciation, which is rare among Han emperors) was born.Gradually, the power struggle brought subtle changes to the relationship between the nominal mother and son, and the estrangement suddenly arose. Empress Dowager Feng was not yet thirty years old at the time, and being a widow was difficult, so she had an affair with Li Yi, a courteous minister.Emperor Xianwen was a young man with a good face, he was angry when he heard the discussion outside, and felt that this Li Yi cuckolded his dead father, it was unbearable.It just so happened that Li Yi's younger brother, Li Fu, Minister of the Southern Wei State, accepted bribes when he was the governor of Xiangzhou, and was accused by others.Wei Xianzu took the opportunity to investigate the matter thoroughly, sat down with the law, and killed Li Yi and Li Fu's brothers.Empress Dowager Feng's young lover was killed, and the hatred in her heart can be imagined.But she remained calm, watching the movements of the courtiers and the actions of the little emperor whose wings had grown hard.

It is estimated that the mother and child are at odds, and they despise wealth and honor. The upset little emperor will give up the throne to his uncle King Jingzhao Tuoba Zitui in a year.The ministers objected one after another, saying that giving the Zen throne to the emperor's uncle was a matter of disordering the ancestors, and that the crown prince should also be allowed to succeed to the Zen throne.After thinking about it for a long time, Emperor Xiaowen gave the throne to his six-year-old son Tuoba Hong.The child cried like tears at the Zen ceremony. The young father asked the child why he was so sad. Tuoba Hong replied: "The feeling of generational relatives is deep in the heart!" Emperor Xiaowen who shook the world.Although the throne was given to the crown prince, Emperor Xianwen still held great power. He was diligent in political affairs, strictly rewarded and punished, carefully selected officials, promoted integrity and retreated from corruption.Especially in the judgment of major cases related to human life, he changed the old practice of excessive torture in the Wei Dynasty and saved many lives. After several years of observation, Empress Dowager Feng felt that Ta Bahong was becoming more and more wise. Day by day, the mother and son became more and more estranged. Mutual suspicion aroused Empress Dowager Feng's murderous intentions. One night in the summer of 476 One day, Empress Dowager Feng sent someone to poison her stepson's wine, killing the young emperor at the age of twenty-three. Empress Dowager Feng was promoted to another level, and took charge of the country's affairs again as Empress Dowager Tai. Emperor Xiaowen Tuoba Hong is only a twelve-year-old child at this time, but he is filial in nature, he can honor his grandmother's Yan Shunzhi, personally serve him, and listen to his grandmother Empress Dowager Feng's decision no matter how big or small.In addition to being entangled in political affairs, the Empress Dowager Feng, who was in the year of the tiger and wolf, also had a rich private life, among which Wang Rui and Li Chong were the most beloved. Wang Rui, whose name is Luocheng, his father was a man in the rivers and lakes who made a living from astronomy and divination.Wang Rui inherited his father's career and was self-sufficient in art. He was a magnificent man, and he had to be received by Empress Dowager Feng because of his affairs. .Soon, he climbed up again step by step, and he was often served on horseback, served in the middle, and was appointed Minister of the Ministry of Officials. He was granted the title of Duke of Taiyuan, and the official became bigger and bigger.Wang Rui's internal reference to secrets and external consultation on political affairs have been favored day by day.In the second year of Taihe, Wenming Empress Dowager Feng and Emperor Xiaowen led hundreds of officials and palace officials to the tiger enclosure to watch tigers. A big tiger named Diaoqing ran down the pavilion road and almost rushed in front of the throne.The guards and palace people on the left and right were all scattered in fright, only Wang Rui brandished a halberd and stood in front of Empress Dowager Feng and the little emperor to block the tiger.So heroic, the tiger also backed away in fright. After that, everything needs to be said, and the trust is even heavier.In the next year, he was promoted to Shangshu Ling, named Zhongshan King, and appointed 22 royal officials. Because Wang Rui and Empress Dowager Feng are in good relationship, Empress Dowager Feng secretly bestowed countless treasures on him, and after the two of them had fun at night, the eunuchs loaded them in caravans and sent them to Wang Rui's house one by one. He also explicitly rewarded him with farmland, cattle and horses, slaves, and miscellaneous animals. In order to conceal people's eyes and ears and show fairness, when rewarding Wang Rui, he also rewarded people with the same official position as him, and spent tens of thousands of dollars.It is estimated that Wang Rui was seriously ill at the age of 48. The Empress Dowager Feng and Emperor Xiaowen visited the sick in person. Although Wang Rui is in the "Biography of En Xing" in "Book of Wei", looking at his life's deeds, except for moving the things in the inner palace of the national treasury home (not corruption, but rewards for prostitution), there is no major issue. He also gave advice in the case of monk Faxiu's treason, which saved more than a thousand deaths.When he was dying, he personally wrote a letter, proposing five key points of governance: one is cautious in punishment;Many of his articles are kind and admonishing, and he has fulfilled the righteousness of a pure and sincere courtier.Empress Dowager Feng and Emperor Xiaowen came to the funeral in person, mourning endlessly.Later, when Wang Rui's daughter was married, the Wei Dynasty married her as a princess. People at that time thought it was the empress dowager or the emperor marrying their own daughter when they saw such a big scene. Li Chong, courtesy name Sishun, was born in Longxi. His father, Li Bao, was named Duke of Dunhuang.Since Li Chong was young, he had a lot of elegance and elegance, was clean and simple, was good at making friends, and didn't play tricks. He had a very good reputation at that time.After he became an official to the Secretary of the Interior, he wrote a letter to initiate the three-head system to prevent civilians from concealing the problem. The Empress Dowager Wenming admired him very much after reading his seal, and introduced him to the court meeting with ministers and ministers.After the two met, the Empress Dowager Wenming suddenly felt love, summoned her to the palace, and handled both official and private affairs together.Soon, Li Chong was promoted to Zhongshang Ling, bestowed the Marquis of Shunyang, and then became the Duke of Longxi, just like doting on Wang Rui, from now on, Empress Dowager Feng "prepared the treasures and imperial objects closely, so that outsiders can't know about them. "Li Chong's family has always been very poor, "so it became a rich family."Anyway, the Great Wei Dynasty was powerful at that time, and there were endless tributes from all over the world. Empress Dowager Feng used the wealth of the country to spoil one or two young men, without harming the country at all.Moreover, Li Chong is a young man with extraordinary ability, extensive knowledge, and he can be humble and self-restraining when he is extremely favored, spread his family wealth, take care of others, and take care of poor people. If it is defaced, it will be called "more often than not".At the same time, he did not avoid past suspicions, and cared deeply for the sons of his enemies, as well as the orphans of distant relatives. According to the old system in the Wei Dynasty, the emperor called his princes and ministers by his first name. Emperor Xiaowen respected Li Chong, but he didn't call him by his name when he saw him, but called him "Li Zhongshu".It seems that this is a trivial matter now, but in the feudal dynasty it was a very important matter.After the death of Empress Dowager Feng, Li Chong negotiated etiquette laws, embellished the speech, and served it faithfully. The old officials and relatives at that time also respected his clarity and strictness, and the relationship with Emperor Xiaowen was also very close. After Emperor Xiaowen really came to power, he made several southern expeditions, including moving the capital to Luoyang. He was good at persuading and admonishing him, and he took many considerations. It can be said that he was exhausted for the Wei Dynasty.The Mingtang, Taimiao, and Yuanqiu in Pingcheng, the northern capital of the Wei Dynasty, and the palaces and dormitories in the new capital of Luoyang were all conceived by Li Chong.According to historical records, Li Chong was "diligent and strong, diligent and tireless. He kept records and records, and also worked as a craftsman. He accumulated several cases, and he was always in his hand. He never got tired." At the age of forty-nine, Li Chong died of illness.Emperor Xiaowen mourned for him in person, crying loudly, overwhelmed with grief. As the empress dowager, even in terms of finding a "male favourite", Empress Dowager Feng is also superior. Compared with Shen Shiqi who is around Empress Lu, and Empress Wu's brother Zhang Yizhi, the monk Miantou, Empress Dowager Feng's "good friends" are all in the end. He was loyal to the royal family, and then he was still a capable minister in governing the country. Except for the slight remarks of feudal historians, the history books did not exaggerate the affairs of Queen Mother Feng's men and women, let alone criticize them deliberately. Since the first year of Emperor Xiaowen's Taiping, the Empress Dowager Feng has come to the court with the honor of the Empress Dowager. Although she is a woman, she is intelligent by nature. She has the final say on all major national affairs, and the filial and prudent Emperor Xiaowen dared not go against his grandmother's wishes in anything, and reported everything to Queen Mother Feng one by one.Because Emperor Xiaowen was young, Empress Dowager Feng wrote more than 300 pieces of "Songs of Exhortation" and 18 pieces of "Emperor's Edict" to teach Emperor Xiaowen how to cultivate morality and be a good emperor.She also respected Confucianism and set up Wenxuanwang Temple for Confucius in Chang'an.Normally, Empress Dowager Feng herself is frugal by nature, so she doesn't like luxurious decorations. The imperial meals are very simple, and she dresses very casually.Of course, because the Empress Dowager Feng’s family loves Buddha, the state of Wei spent billions of dollars in worshiping Buddha, hundreds of catties of gold were used, and gold and jade treasures were embedded in buckets of Buddha statues in Buddhist halls. visible. At the same time, Empress Dowager Feng is a hostess with a strict personality and no favoritism.If the person who served her left and right made a small mistake, she beat and whipped her at every turn, sometimes hundreds of times, at least dozens of times, but she "has no regrets in her sex", and she has no grudges in her heart after the incident, and still treats it as it is As before, many people will become even richer in the future, "because everyone has the desire for profit, and will not think about retreating until death."Although Empress Dowager Feng has a violent temper, she is kind and loving to her grandson Emperor Xiaowen. Since Tuoba Hong was born, she has personally raised him. The family was unfavorable and wanted to harm him, but in the end, under the persuasion of Li Chong and others, he still started well and ended well, achieving the eternal name of Emperor Xiaowen's future relocation of the capital and restructuring. Of course, as a feudal ruler, Empress Dowager Feng was "intelligent, tolerant, able to do great things, punished with life and death, and decisive." Suspicion, killing immediately.Until the death of Empress Dowager Feng, Emperor Xiaowen didn't know who his biological mother was, which shows how powerful Empress Dowager Feng is.In the fourteenth year of Chengming, the forty-nine-year-old Empress Dowager Feng died in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.Emperor Xiaowen refused to drink water for five days and five nights, and was extremely sad. He gave him a posthumous posthumous title: "Empress Dowager Wenming", and was known as Empress Dowager Feng Wenming in history. Empress Dowager Wenming has two nieces, both daughters of her elder brother Taishi Feng Xi.The two sisters were arranged by the aunt to be with Emperor Xiaowen.The first queen is the younger sister.In the seventeenth year of Taihe, Empress Dowager Feng was canonized as queen after her final funeral.Later, her half-sister entered the palace and was canonized as Zhaoyi to compete with her for favor.Although this queen is not jealous by nature, she also has a look of shame and hatred from time to time.Feng Zhaoyi destroyed her in every possible way in front of Emperor Xiaowen. The wind was the hardest beside her pillow. Empress Feng was abolished as a commoner and punished to be a nun in a temple.Feng Zhaoyi's mother came from a humble background, so she entered the palace a little later than her younger sister.Historical Records: "The empress is charming and favored by prejudice." Emperor Xiaowen frequently traveled south, Empress Feng was unwilling to be lonely, and committed adultery with Bodhisattva Zhongguan Gao (I don't know if this great eunuch was not castrated or for other reasons, he was able to have supernatural powers and The empress had an affair), and when he heard that Emperor Xiaowen was seriously ill in Runan, he openly prostituted himself with the high Bodhisattva.After being reported, Emperor Xiaowen was extremely shocked when he heard about it.After Emperor Xiaowen returned to Luoyang, he brought the parties concerned together for trial, and they were convicted of adultery.When Empress Feng told the story of her fornication, Emperor Xiaowen left only one guard by his side and stuffed the guard's ears with cotton wool. Therefore, only she and Emperor Xiaowen knew what Empress Feng said since ancient times.Then, Emperor Xiaowen called King Pengcheng and King Beihai to sit down, and said: "It used to be your sister-in-law, but now I am a passer-by, but don't avoid it!" Title, when he was dying, he entrusted his two brothers to bestow Empress Feng after his death.Empress Feng refused to take the poison, so the two princes grabbed her and forced the poison into her mouth.The posthumous posthumous title is Empress You.