However, Liu Yu is still "merciful", because Liu Jun's sixth son, King Xunyang Liu Zifang, also raised troops to respond to Liu Zixun. After the failure, he was captured and sent to Jiankang. Liu Yu didn't know why. The reason was that he only spared his 11-year-old nephew and demoted him to "Songzihou". For Liu Jun's other nine sons, he treated them "as usual". But after Liu Xiuren returned to the capital from Xunyang, he said to Liu Yu: "Brother Songzihou is still here. I'm afraid it won't be a blessing to the country in the future. You should make plans early." Liu Yu thought it was reasonable, and in early October As soon as the imperial edict was issued, Liu Jun's remaining 10 sons were included: the sixth son Songzihou Liu Zifang (11 years old), the ninth son King Yongjia Liu Ziren (10 years old), the eleventh son King Shi'an Liu Zizhen ( 10 years old), the sixteenth son Huainan King Liu Zimeng (8 years old), the 18th son Nanping King Liu Zichan (8 years old), the 21st son Luling King Liu Ziyu (up to 7 years old), the 25th son Liu Ziqi (up to 6 years old), the 26th son Liu Ziqi (up to 6 years old), the 27th son Dongping Wang Liu Zisi (4 years old), the 28th son Liu Ziyue (up to 4 years old) together He was granted death, so "the twenty-eight sons of Shizu (Liu Jun) died here" (Volume 131 of "Zizhi Tongjian"). Poor Liu Jun's 28 sons, the most "lived" is the tyrant's eldest son Liu Ziye . Among the 10 people Liu Yu later killed, the eldest Liu Zifang was only 11 years old. The four others had no clear age. Liu Ziyu, Liu Ziqi and Liu Ziqi should be between 4 and 8 years old, and the youngest Liu Ziyue , only 4 years old at most. In other words, of Liu Jun's 18 sons who were lucky enough not to die young, two were killed by his brother Liu Ziye, and the remaining 16 were all killed by his uncle Liu Yu. Among Liu Jun's 28 sons, the oldest Liu Ziye was only 17 years old.
After killing all the sons of the fifth emperor, his brother Liu Jun, Emperor Ming Liu Yu should deal with the sons of the third emperor, his father Liu Yilong, who were his own brothers.
Let’s first talk about Emperor Ming of Song Dynasty Liu Yu’s life experience. His mother Shen Rongji was originally just a "beauty", only a thirteenth-level concubine. After giving birth to Liu Yu, she was promoted to the 10th-level " Jieyu " and was favored by her husband Liu Yilong. But "the power of God is unpredictable". One day, for unknown reasons, Liu Yilong lost his temper and sent a decree to "death" her. At that time, the jealous queen Yuan Qi Gui had died of illness. It was said that "small spiritual responses often came to her after her death": the Huiyin Hall where she lived during her lifetime had five rooms, but they had been closed for many years after her death. Shen Rongji came to the Huiyin Palace and said loudly with tears: "Today I have no sin, but I am going to die. If the late empress is alive in heaven, she should know my grievances!" Strangely enough, all the windows in the palace " The response suddenly opened."
Shen Rongji (414-August 18, 453)
The officials in charge of palace affairs hurriedly went to report to the emperor. Liu Yilong "looked at it in shock" ("Song Book·The Biography of the Concubines·Queen Wenyuan Yuan"), and Shen Rongji only picked it up. A life was saved - maybe Shen Rongji was popular, maybe there were some well-wishers in the palace who sympathized with her innocence and directed this "supernatural" drama. Fortunately, the supreme emperor in the world was also a little in awe of the unattainable sky. , a weak woman was lucky enough to save her life. Shen Jieyu died of illness in the 30th year of Yuanjia (AD 453) at the age of 40. Liu Yu was already 15 years old at that time. However, this record may be wrong. Because according to the "Song Book: Records of Emperor Ming", Liu Yu "lost his birth early", that is to say, he lost his biological mother when he was very young; in the same book "The Biography of Emperor Wen Lu Shuyuan", Emperor Ming Liu Yu also claimed: "I was prepared to be punished hard, and a flea infant was orphaned. I was specially nurtured by the holy teachings of Empress Chongxian." Translated into vernacular, it is: "My mother died before I was an adult, and I was alone as a child. I was especially grateful for the education and upbringing of Empress Dowager Chongxian. ." This "Queen Mother Chongxian" is the title given to Liu Yilong by Liu Yu after he ascended the throne, and the title given to Liu Jun's biological mother, Lu Huinan. In other words, when Liu Yu was very young - apparently before the age of 15, his mother Shen Rongji passed away, and he was raised by Lu Huinan.Between the adopted son and the adoptive mother, one is "devoted to everything" and the other is "loving and devoted", as if they were biological children. For this reason, when Emperor Xiaowu Liu Jun was on the throne, all his other brothers were jealous, but Liu Yu was the only one who was trusted. The Queen Mother had a headache and fever. The emperor's brother was busy with work, so Liu Yu served tea and water and waited on the medicine. However, after he ascended the throne, Liu Yu not only killed the emperor Liu Ziye who threatened his life, but also killed King of Yuzhang Liu Zishang. They were the eldest and second grandsons of Lu Huinan! In order to comfort his adoptive mother, Liu Yu made her two nephews, Lu Xiuzhi, the Minister of Huangmen and Lu Maozhi, the Minister of Zhongshu.
Lu Huinan (412-466)
However, in less than two months, on the first month of the second year of Taishi (AD 466), Queen Mother Lu suddenly "died" at the age of 55. Neither "Song Book" nor "Zizhi Tongjian" mentioned the cause of death, but it was obviously due to illness; while "Southern History" and "Song Lue" both said: Lu Huinan heard that his other grandsons Liu Zixun, Liu Zisui, etc. They were secretly happy to raise troops in other places. In order to help them, Lu Huinan invited Liu Yu to drink, but the wine was poisoned. When Liu Yu was about to drink, an attendant quietly pulled at the corner of his clothes. Liu Yu understood, and not only did he not drink, but he also used the glass of wine in return to Lu Huinan, saying that he was celebrating the Empress Dowager's birthday. Lu Huinan could not refuse, so he drank it and died from the poison that day. Of course, the superficial words still need to be sufficient. Not only did "funeral events be treated as rituals," Liu Yu also issued an imperial edict describing the "empress dowager's kindness." He also served three months of filial piety for the empress dowager and gave her the posthumous title of "Empress Dowager Zhao." The mausoleum is also named "Xiuning Mausoleum". Eight or nine months later, when Liu Yu killed all Liu Jun's sons, he also "clicked" away Lu Huinan's two nephews, Lu Xiuzhi and Lu Maozhi.
("It's Cold at High Places - The Emperor and His Concubines" Series No. 253)
