1. Wu Zetian Problems in her later years
In 698 AD, the 75-year-old Wu Zetian came to a crossroads in her life - whether to choose her nephew Wu Sansi or her daughter Princess Taiping as the crown prince, or to release her son Li Display or Li Dan , will you be the prince? Wu Zetian has had a headache for many years.
Wu Zetian knew very well that since she became the queen, the forces supporting Li Tang have always been able to call upon the wind and rain, and respond to a hundred responses. Even if she killed nearly twenty prime ministers for this purpose, it was useless. After killing one, another one would pop up, and there was no way she could finish them all. Now that I am 75 years old, it is time for this matter to be resolved.
Seeing this, some people may say that it was Di Renjie who finally made the final decision, which can be called the benefactor of the Tang Dynasty.
But in fact, this is just the result that history books deliberately let future generations believe, or expect to see. Because the people who really played a decisive role turned out to be Zhang Changzong and Zhang Yizhi .
Who are these brothers? We won’t go into details. Everyone knows that they are Wu Zetian's most beloved and trusted beauties in the harem. We all know that the eldest brother of the emperor has always demanded that "the harem must not interfere with politics." So how can Wu Zetian, the eldest sister of the emperor, allow "the harem to interfere with politics"?
The reason is very simple. Compared with the emperor's eldest brothers, Wu Zetian was more lonely and facing an abyss. Naturally, in this specific historical situation, the Zhang brothers were far more powerful than the ministers in the court, including Di Renjie. Inside, it all works.
2. The game behind the scenes
It must be emphasized that the Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty Ji Xu was the key figure who made the Zhang brothers abandon Wu Sansi or Princess Taiping and support the descendants of Li Tang.
Because he always "highly regarded" Zhang Yizhi, the two became good friends. So, Ji Xu, as a good friend, sent soul torture to the Zhang brothers.
If the public is lucky enough to advance, unless it makes great contributions to the world, it will inevitably be in danger. I have an immortal plan, and I am willing to implement it, not only to protect myself, but also to last for generations to come. (from " New Tang Book ")
translates to: Although you are the emperor's eldest sister's favorite, you have never made any great contributions to the world. Even though he is in a mess now, everyone has a fawning face when he sees him. But what will happen next? As a good friend of you two, I am really worried about you two!
One sentence made Zhang Yizhi almost cry, and said: "Brother, we also know this, but what should we do? Just teach us, don't beat around the bush."
Ji Xu said meaningfully: " Now there is a perfect opportunity before you. I believe you both know that the forces supporting King of Luling (Li Xian) are extremely powerful. Even the eldest sister of the emperor also has this intention. Why don't you two take advantage of the opportunity to serve the eldest sister of the emperor comfortably? When you are honest, can you say something? This will mean that you have achieved great success, and there will be nothing to fear in the future."
The Zhang brothers suddenly became enlightened. So "New Book of Tang" wrote with a stroke of pen: Yi Zhi, Changzong Chengjian was like Xu Jiao, and the later (Wu Zetian) intention was determined, and it was returned to Zhongzong (Li Xian).
means that it was precisely because the Zhang brothers also supported Li Xian that Wu Zetian made up his mind to pass the throne to his son. The so-called let Da Zhou fly for a while, let Li Tang return. Are you surprised by
? Is it surprising? It turns out that the game behind the scenes is even more exciting! At the same time, I have to say: Ji Xu, you old guy is very bad! But Datang would like to thank you.As for the Zhang brothers - I'm sorry, the credit goes to Di Renjie, Zhang Jianzhi , Cui Xuanwei and others, so they were both killed during the Shenlong Incident!
It’s normal to think about it. The majestic Emperor of the Tang Dynasty returned because of these two people’s words. Isn’t this too offensive? What's more, it was because of the Zhang brothers that Wu Zetian beat his own grandson to death, so this crime will definitely be placed on their heads.
3. Li Chongrun ’s Sorrow
After Wu Zetian solved the problem, he began to let himself go and enjoy life thoroughly and unscrupulously. According to the "New Book of Tang": After the Yan Dynasty (Wu Zetian), every time Yan gathered, there would be two martial arts attendants, who would fight for power for fun, or ridicule the ministers, and the evil spirits would show up, and they would no longer be ashamed and fearful. What does
mean? The author will not translate it. Later, Wu Zetian was worried about the scandal being leaked, so she publicized: Zhang Changzong and others were accompanying me to write articles and so on. ( Later, I realized that the scandal was very serious, so I wanted to cover it up, so I ordered Changzong to ban the treatise )
In short, the Zhang brothers' power reached its peak! When Wu Sansi saw them, they all ran to lead their horses, and Li Xian and Li Dan also ran to Wu Zetian and said: These two brothers should be crowned kings - there is no way, if they don't flatter the Zhang brothers, they will almost meet each other. Not to Wu Zetian.
Fortunately, Wu Zetian didn't completely lose her mind and refused. Wu Zetian must also understand that Li Xian and Li Dan are just trying to please herself. Since you are both so well-behaved, I feel relieved.
But the problem is, someone is very naughty. Who is it? This person was Li Xian's eldest son Li Chongrun, known in history as: Prince Yide-but this title of prince was posthumously granted.
It was one day in 701 AD. Someone ran to Wu Zetian in fear and said: "Sister of the Emperor, I heard that Li Chongrun, his sister Princess Yongtai (Wu Zetian's granddaughter) and son-in-law King Wei (consort), three people We often talk about the various disputes between the Zhang brothers and you, which makes the Zhang brothers very stressed." Wu Yanji and others secretly discussed why Zhang Yizhi's brothers could enter the palace freely. )
Wu Zetian was immediately angry. I said why the Zhang brothers are different from usual. Dear Li Chongrun, don't look at how my husband Li Zhi liked you so much. He would hug you and play with you when he had nothing to do - it seemed that he still had me, and he named you the emperor's grandson. But now that I, Wu Zetian, am the emperor, I must not coddle you any longer!
So Wu Zetian issued an order: ordered the staff to kill ! Just beat him to death with a big board!
Poor Li Chongrun was only 19 years old when he died. His biological sister also died. "New Book of Tang" records that he was beaten to death together with Li Chongrun. "Old Book of Tang Dynasty" records that she was implicated in this incident and was frightened to death in childbirth. It can be seen that she was pregnant at the time and she was only 17 years old when she died.
4. So that’s how
looks speechless? indeed! Obviously, the Zhang brothers cannot escape the blame for Li Chongrun's death. But the point is Wu Zetian's cold-bloodedness. In other words, in order to stay with the Zhang brothers, she gave up even the flesh and blood ties!
It should be noted that after Li Chongrun was born (in 682 AD), Li Zhi was very fond of him. Not only was he named the emperor's grandson, he also wanted Li Chongrun to open a government office and set up officials. The minister Wang Fangqing couldn't stand it anymore: Your precious grandson is less than one year old, so what kind of government should you open and what kind of officials should you set up?
But the problem is, how can you say this directly to Li Zhi? That's courting death! So they used etiquette to say, "Three kings will not attack each other with rites", and this stopped the matter.I'm afraid Wu Zetian must have been happy at that time, looking at the beauty, the more she looked at her eldest grandson, the happier she became, but what about now?
Therefore, the author instantly understood why Zhang Jianzhi, Cui Xuanwei and others knew that Wu Zetian had passed the throne to the descendants of Li and Tang Dynasty, but when the overall situation was determined, they did not wait for Wu Zetian to die of old age before brazenly launching the Shenlong Change. Drive her out of office.
That’s it! It is true that the Zhang brothers succeed and fail. For these two people, Wu Zetian even gave up family ties and dared to beat her own grandchildren to death. What if one day she kills Li Xian and Li Dan again for the Zhang brothers? Kill it too...
