Why did Emperor Taizong not punish the hero? Tang Taizong: No need at all

Sima Qian recorded such a story in "Historical Records: The Family of Yue Wang Goujian", and Fan Li left a letter to Wen Zhong when he left. Fan Li warned in the letter, "Flying birds, good bows hidden; cunning rabbits die, lackeys cooking. The king of Yue is a man with a long-necked beak, and he can share adversity and cannot have fun. Why not go?"

The well-known allusion of "the bird's bow is hidden", it is widely used in the matter of the emperor's execution of the minister after he has achieved great success in the world, that is, crossing the river and demolishing the bridge. There are exceptions to everything. After Li Shimin came to the throne, he did not have a killer and a powerful minister. Why?

There is such a story in "Old Tang Book: Yuchi Gong". There was a banquet when Wei Chigong came late, and due to the seat arrangement problem, he fought with Rencheng King Li Daozong. Yu Chigong was very strong, and Li Daozong was almost blinded. Tang Taizong was very angry. He stopped drinking and eating. He severely reprimanded Yu Chigong.

"I read the history of the Han Dynasty, and I see that there are few people who have won the best of the great heroes. And since occupying a high position, he has always wanted to preserve his heroes and make his descendants inexhaustible. However, when Qing is an official who violates the Constitution, he knows Han and Peng Yi slaughter, which is not the sorrow of the Han ancestors. National affairs, only rewards and punishments, are not separate favors. , It’s not countable, and I am reluctant to do it by myself, and I have no regrets.”

This passage shows Tang Taizong’s heart and heart vividly. Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty was compared with Yao and Shun throughout his life, determined to stay in the history. For example, Hou Jun conspired to rebel, this is a serious crime to destroy the nine races. When Yushi doctor Zhang Liang informed Tang Taizong, Tang Taizong couldn't bear it because he did not have the third certification, and he was not punished until Prince Li Chengqian rebelled.

Even though Hou Jun conspired, he is still one of the twenty-four heroes of Lingyan Pavilion. In current words, Li Shimin is confident enough. Who is Li Shimin? Wenzhi martial arts history is rare, and even the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Li Yuan, is not his opponent. He firmly believes that when facing heroes, he has enough means to restrain them.

stepped back and said that Li Yuan was already a high-powered and distinguished person when he started his army. This means that anyone who goes to Li Yuan usually works for Li Yuan. For this reason, there were only four important ministers who could truly hold the military power when Datang was founded: Li Jiancheng, Li Shimin, Li Yuanji, and Li Xiaogong.

This means that other people only act as thugs for these royal family members. Take Qin Qiong as an example, no matter from which point of view, let alone Li Shimin, he is not a person of the same level as Li Yuanji and Li Xiaogong. Throughout the 2,000-year history of feudal emperors, there are two fundamental reasons for the killing of heroes, high merits and reckless actions.

Analyzing these two points, we will find that the "Gong Gao Zhenzhu" did not appear throughout Li Shimin's reign; the "wild and reckless" did not even exist, and Li Shimin's The military commander bowed his head to Li Shimin, but obeyed his orders. Therefore, no matter from which point of view, Li Shimin has no need to kill the hero.

Reference materials: "Zhenguan Political Leaders", "Old Tang Book"