The Sadness of Qin Shihuang: The Sad Ending of 34 Children

According to the "Historical Records", the talented and roughly Qin Shihuang had 34 children, including 24 sons (including Hu Hai) and 10 daughters. Due to the lack of historical data, many princesses of Qin Gongzi did not leave their names and related deeds. In 221 BC, after Emperor Qin Shihuang established the Qin Dynasty, at a banquet in the Xianyang Palace, Dr. Qi Renchunyu Yuejin said: "The minister heard that the king of Yin and Zhou was more than a thousand years old, and he was a servant of his son. Today, your majesty has domestic, And the children are husbands, and there are officials of Tian Chang and Liu Qing, and there is no help. How can we save each other? Those who can last without learning from the past are not heard." From this conversation, it can be seen that Qin Shihuang did not divide the title. My own sons are called kings, and the princes do not have the imaginary title of a clan member.

秦始皇像

In July 210 BC, Emperor Qin Shihuang died in the sand dunes on his way back home. Zhao Gao decided to risk the world's bad faith, conspired with Hu Hai and Prime Minister Li Si, and set Hu Hai as the crown prince, and forced his son Fusu to commit suicide in the name of the emperor. After Hu Hai ascended the throne, in order to consolidate the throne, Zhao Gao suggested: "The plan of the husband dunes, all the princes and ministers are suspicious, and all the princes are the emperors, and the ministers are placed in the emperor's place. This is the beginning of your majesty. Those who are stunned and unhappy will not accept it, and they are afraid of change.” Therefore, they should “strictly enforce the law and punish the guilty, until they conquer the clan, destroy the minister and leave the flesh and blood." After Qin II succeeded, the important minister was executed. There were many generals, such as the brothers of Meng Yi and Mengtian, the right prime minister Feng Quji and the general Feng Jie committed suicide, and the prime minister Li Si was cut.

For the princes who might threaten the throne, under Zhao Gao's advice, Hu Hai affirmed the decree according to Zhao Gao's suggestion and began to punish the princes. As a result, all 23 sons who were eligible to compete with Hu Hai for the throne were killed. And their methods of death are also different.

The first way to die is to be ordered to commit suicide, such as the three brothers Fusu and the son Jianglu. The son of Fusu was originally the successor determined by the edict of Qin Shihuang. Before his death, Emperor Qin Shihuang gave the son Fusu to the seal book and said: "I will be buried in Xianyang at the funeral." Although it is not stated that Fusu will take the throne, but Fusu is required to go from the north. The frontier rushed back to Xianyang to bury himself together, which has fully explained the meaning. Therefore, Hu Hai and Zhao Gao would not let their son Fusu go, and under the guise of the first emperor, they sent an envoy to the dead son Fusu. After receiving the edict, the son Fusu obediently committed suicide regardless of Mengtian's advice. In addition to Fusu, the eldest son of the emperor, the biggest threat to the throne of Hu Hai was the three older sons of Qin Shihuang, the three brothers, Jianglu. In 209 BC, shortly after Huhai ascended to the throne, Zhao Gao sent people to bring the three brothers, the son of Jianglu. Go to the palace to ask the crime. Zhao Gao sent people to say to the three brothers of Jianglu: "The son is not a minister, and the crime is dead, and the officials shall act in accordance with the law."" Jianglu questioned: "The court ceremony, I dare not follow the guest praise; I have not tasted the position of the gallery. I dare to lose my way; when ordered to respond, I don't even dare to lose my word. What is not a minister? Willing to die after hearing the crime. "The messenger replied: "The ministers can't make plans, they are only engaged in the book. "Jian Lu looked up to the sky and shouted, calling the sky three times: "God! I am not guilty! "The three brothers were very helpless and wept, and finally had to draw their swords to commit suicide.

The second way to die is to be collectively killed. After the killing, it was shown to the public. For example, Hu Hai sent people to kill six sons in Du County, a suburb of Xianyang, and publicly executed twelve sons in the capital city of Xianyang;

The third method of death was to be forced to choose to bury the first emperor of Qin, like the son of Gao. After learning that Hu Hai wanted to kill his brother, Gao originally planned to flee to avoid the pursuit, but he was worried that he would hurt his family members after escaping, so he planned to sacrifice himself to protect his family. So he wrote to Qin II, saying that he suffered from the emperor’s Ende, with rich clothes and food, requested that Qin Shihuang Yingzheng be buried at the foot of Lishan Mountain. Ying Huhai and Zhao Gao were very happy with Gongzi Gao’s positive attitude towards death. They gave one hundred thousand money to the burial and the Gongzi Gao family was also spared.

What is puzzling is that the daughters of Qin Shihuang, who had no emperor inheritance according to tradition, did not escape Qin.The second kills. Did not escape. According to the "Historical Records", Qin Ershi Hu Hai ordered all 10 sisters to be executed in Duxian by splitting their bodies, and they were still "to death", which was equivalent to dismemberment. . So, what is the reason why Qin Ershi Hu Hai did this?

First, Hu Hai has already killed the red eye and decided to cut the grass thoroughly. Although in general, women do not have the right to inherit Datong. There has never been a female monarch in the history of Qin, but in history, the mother of King Qin Zhao, the Empress Dowager Mi, had actually controlled Qin's dynasty as a woman, and had long held King Qin Zhao empty. For these sisters, Hu Hai can kill or not, but after all his brothers have been executed, Hu Hai still feels that all hidden dangers must be completely eliminated, even the sisters who pose little threat to him.

The second is to prevent married sisters and their beloved husbands from uniting against challenge themselves. According to records, Qin Shihuang had ten daughters, but only seven of them were named. They are: Huayang Princess Ying Yuanman, Ying Yinman, Ying Shiman, Huating Princess Ying Weiman, Ying Huiman, Ying Liman , Ying Jiman. Although the specific ages of the princesses are mostly untestable, they are not very old. However, according to the excavation of the burial pit of Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum in the last century, it was found that the burial pit of the son and princess who was suspected to be executed was severely misplaced during his lifetime, and they were all around the age of 20. In the tomb, a waist card with the word Yangzi was found. Yangzi should be Qin Shihuang's favorite daughter, Ying Yinman.

It is not unreasonable speculation about Qin Shihuang's betrothed daughter to honorable heroes, but has historical basis. "The Collection of Ancient and Modern Books" records: In the 22nd year of Emperor Qin Shihuang, Li Xin, who led an army to fight against Chu, returned after a defeat. At this moment, Wang Jian is ill and is treated at home. Qin Shihuang personally put the general's seal on Wang Jian, and handed over the command of the 600,000 troops across the country to Wang Jian. In order to stabilize his relationship with Wang Jian, Qin Wang Yingzheng thought of a political marriage matchmaking method. Ordered her daughter Huayang Princess to select a hundred beautiful court ladies, went to Pinyang to meet Wang Jian, and quietly issued an edict with Princess Huayang on her back. The edict said: "We will get married immediately." Princess Huayang only thought of her father. Let yourself go to meet the general, not knowing that he will marry Wang Jian, who is over 50 years old. Due to the lack of information, we can’t know which princesses married the honorable heroes. However, in the eyes of Hu Hai and Zhao Gao, the combination of these princesses and the husband behind may threaten the emperor and Zhao Gao. Get rid of it together with the ministers.

Reference materials: "Historical Records Qin Benji" "Ancient and Modern Books Collection"