Hello everyone, this is Li Yuan! The true founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty was also the fastest to unify the country among all the unified dynasties in Chinese history.
Of course, for the Tang Dynasty, many people are more familiar with it, maybe my second son Li Shimin. Even many people believe that Li Shimin is the real pioneer of the Tang Dynasty. And I only became the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty because it was his father.
However, today I must solemnly declare one point: This concept is absolutely wrong!
As for why it is absolutely wrong, let me talk about my life first, and you will know.
I was born in 566. This year is the first year of Northern Zhou Dynasty. It is 15 years before Yang Jian established the Sui Dynasty. At that time, Yang Jian was even the son of a great general. He hadn't inherited his father's position, and was far from the level of power that he later became so powerful. However, even if he was not the emperor at the time, I still had to kowtow when I saw him, because he was my uncle, the elder of my closest relatives.
Speaking of my relationship with Yang Jian, we have to start from the beginning.
Everyone knows that my grandfather Li Hu is one of the famous Eight Pillar Kingdoms of the Western Wei Dynasty. The fact that the eight people jointly sealed the Kingdom of Pillars had a profound impact on later history. These eight people were the greatest officials in the Western Wei Dynasty at that time. Among them is Yuwentai, the most powerful, you can understand it as the Western Wei version of Cao Cao. After Yu Wentai's death, his descendants snatched the throne from the Yuan family of the Western Wei Dynasty and became emperor by himself. This is the Northern Zhou Dynasty.
The year I was born, Beizhou has just been established for nine years.
was in the Northern Zhou Dynasty. Because everyone is a top family, it is a normal period to marry each other. Among the Eight Pillars Kingdom, there was a man named Du Guxin. This man was really a thief, and he was called the most powerful man in ancient times. He had three daughters in total. The eldest daughter married Yu Wenyu, who was the first emperor who came to the throne in the Northern Zhou Dynasty. So his eldest daughter is also equivalent to the first queen of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. His second daughter, married to my father, is my mother, and later I became queen after I became a king. His third daughter married Yang Jian and later became the first queen of the Sui Dynasty.
Yes, the three daughters of Duguxin later became queens, and the key is three different dynasties. In the entire ancient history of China, it seems that there is no better old man than him.
And from this relationship, everyone should also see that I should call Yang Jian a little uncle. As for his son Yang Guang, Emperor Sui Yang, that is my cousin.
was born in such a top-notch family. Naturally, everyone can imagine the resources I could enjoy when I was a child. In addition, let me just say that my family is not a nouveau riche. My seventh ancestor was Li Hao, the founding emperor of Xiliang. Up to the sixteenth generation, Li Guang, the famous parachutist in the Western Han Dynasty.
However, when I was seven years old, I ushered in the first turning point in my life.
This year, my father died of illness.
My father's death was undoubtedly a major blow to me at the time. Fortunately, these relatives in my family are still relatively hard, so my life is not bad. After my father passed away, I inherited his title of Duke Tang. Because my father is gone, and my grandfather is long gone, my uncle Yu Wenyu died six years before I was born. So the one who was most able to help at the time was my little uncle Yang Jian. So later generations always said that I was raised by Yang Jian. To some extent, this argument is not bad.
Then, when I was sixteen years old, I ushered in the second turning point in my life. This year, Yang Jian usurped the throne and established the Sui Dynasty.
Watching my little uncle who grew up became the emperor, my life will naturally be better. As a little uncle, Yang Jian actually loved me a lot. First he made me the head of the palace guards, and then when I was a little older, I was appointed Qiao (now Bo County, Anhui) and Qi (now Fengxiang, Shaanxi). The governors of the three states of Long (now Long County, Shaanxi).Under Yang Jian's care, my career has gone smoothly. During this time, I married another daughter-in-law. The daughter-in-law's surname is Dou, and she is also the niece of Yu Wenyong of Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty.
Of course, compared to family background, the most important thing is the few children she gave me. Dou gave me a total of four sons and one daughter. The four sons were Li Jiancheng, Li Shimin, Li Yuanji, and Li Xuanba. My daughter was later named Princess Zhao of Pingyang. I was Li Jiancheng when I was 23 and Li Shimin when I was 32. These two wicked barriers, but then they broke my heart!
Then, when I was 38 years old, Yang Jian died of illness, and his second son, Yang Guang, became the emperor of Sui Yang.
My cousin! Although he is infamous in history books, in fact, he still has two brushes. What he did was actually not much different from when my second son was in power. It's just that he was too anxious to make everyone feel bad, so he became a faint king. As for me, I can only say that it is average, neither reusing nor squeezing out. After all, when I was young, I had a normal relationship with him, and I didn't help him win the throne. After he ascended the throne, he made me the prefect of Xingyang (now Xingyang, Henan) and Loufan (now Jingle County, Shanxi). Later, I was appointed as the junior superintendent in the palace and the Weiwei Shaoqing. My career can be regarded as step by step. Climb up.
In the 9th year of Daye, when Yang Guang conquered Goryeo, I supervised the transportation of grain and grass in Huaiyuan Town. Later, after Yang Xuangan conspired, I was ordered to guard Honghua County (now Qingyang County, Gansu), and also learned about the military of Guan You. At this time, my official was no longer young, so I started to try to make more friends. But this behavior of mine made Yang Guang suspicious. Later I had to smear myself a little bit, which saved my life.
In the eleventh year of Daye, I was transferred to Shanxi Hedong Consolation Ambassador. At that time, I was just in time for the local uprising. I brought my troops to defeat them, and then incorporated this uprising army. Later, several peasant armies were defeated one after another, and more and more armies were in hand, and they had their own direct descendants. Because of my military service, Yang Guangsheng and I became General You Xiaowei. Later, he played two games with Turks, and his strength became stronger and stronger.
Then, the time has come to the thirteenth year of the great cause, and I ushered in the most important turning point in my life.
At that time, the Sui Dynasty was messed up by my cousin. It was already precarious, and wars were everywhere. Everyone can see that the Sui Dynasty has been completely crippled by him, and it is estimated that the demise is a matter of time. Naturally, I also noticed this, and began to secretly make more people and improve my strength. But on the bright side, my two sons are doing this job.
is the same year, Yang Guang went to Jiangdu by himself for various reasons. Before I went to Jiangdu, I was promoted to stay in Taiyuan and Jinyang Palace Supervisor, and became the highest military and political officer in this area. Although I am still under the wings of the Sui Dynasty for the time being, I still have a place of my own.
It is against this background that I ushered in the most important turning point in my life.
At that time, there was a school lieutenant named Liu Wuzhou under my rule. He launched a mutiny where he was and killed the local prefect uprising. He claimed to be the emperor. Although this guy was arrogant, he did still have two brushes. After colluding with the northern Turks, his strength greatly increased, and he soon laid a territory. After Yang Guang learned of this incident, he even let me go to Jiangdu to punish me for a crime against the jurisdiction. I'm going to your uncle! I was very dissatisfied with you, okay? Originally, I wanted to turn against you. By doing this, aren't you strengthening my confidence?
So, in this year, I raised troops in Taiyuan. Because we have been preparing for many years, we still recruited a lot of troops very quickly. After killing Yang Guang's confidants in Taiyuan, the vicinity of Taiyuan has actually become completely independent.
In July of this year, I officially rose up.
Of course, when I first started up my troops, I definitely couldn't play the banner, saying that I would be emperor. If that's the case, I guess I must be crazy, and everyone will definitely attack. The banner I adopted at the time was more similar to that of Cao Cao back then, and I took the path of taking the emperor to command the princes. I wasTaking Yang Guangwudao as an excuse, he played the banner of supporting the king Yang You as emperor.
After starting the army, the next step is to compete in the world. At this time, I have to admit that I have given birth to several good sons. Both Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin are very capable. Although the two evil barriers made me bother later, at this time they were still very united. At that time, because Yang Guang had led hundreds of officials to Jiangdu, and Wang Shichong from the Central Plains was clamoring with Li Mi again, Guanzhong was relatively empty. So I decided on a strategy, first take Guanzhong, and then map the world.
In July, I started from Taiyuan, and on November 9th, I invaded Chang'an and supported Yang You ascended the throne. After taking over Chang'an, I began to clean up the entire Guanzhong area and completely grasped Guanzhong. In this way, another very important thing happened after a few months.
In March of the fourteenth year of the great cause, Yang Guang was strangled to death by the forbidden army he trusted in the past.
Yang Guang died and the world fell apart.
With Yang Guang's death, Yang Yoo in my hand became a very embarrassing card. Because even if he continues to hold him, he has no status, and no one cares about him. Therefore, after Yang Guang died, another two months passed, I forced Yang You to give me the position of Zen, and the capital was Chang'an, and the country was named Tang.
This year, I am 52 years old.
One more thing to say here is that the origin of the Tang character in the Tang Dynasty actually comes from the titles of my grandfather and my father back then. Because the titles of my grandfather and my father back then were Tang Guogong. Later I inherited Tang Guogong. So after the founding of the Tang Dynasty, we calculated strictly and found that the first emperor of this country should be my grandfather. Therefore, my grandfather became Tang Taizu, my father was Tang Shizu, and I was Tang Gaozu. My son is Tang Taizong, and my grandson is Tang Gaozong.
This is why, the founding emperors of other dynasties are Taizu, and only the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty is the high ancestor.
After becoming emperor, the next step is to level the world.
In the process of leveling the world, the first one I dealt with was Xue Ju from the west. Because only after sweeping the west, I won't be attacked by the enemy. When Xue Ju and I were dying, a large number of local forces like Xiao Milling and his like began to rise in the South. In the Central Plains, Li Mi had been breaking his life with Wang Shichong. As soon as Yang Guang died, Li Mi immediately ceased the war with Wang Shichong in order to avoid the situation of being enemies. After finally defeating Yu Wenhua and later, he was attacked by Wang Shichong and finally had to return to me. As a result, I acquired a large site out of thin air and became the ultimate beneficiary of their three wars.
Of course, Li Mi wanted to betray me again later, so I was naturally prepared for it, so I killed him.
During the battle between the three of them, I took the opportunity to smooth out Xue Ju and unify the northwest. After Li Mi returned, I was already the strongest force in the entire world. Next, I sent Li Shimin to fight Wang Shichong. Wang Shichong is not stupid either, knowing that he is not an opponent, he quickly asks Dou Jiande for help. As a result, Dou Jiande wanted to sit back and reap the benefits, and waited until Wang Shichong had been beaten and disabled. But he never expected that my second son Li Shimin would be able to fight so well. In the battle at Hulao Pass, Li Shimin was stunned that with thousands of troops, he defeated Dou Jiande's 100,000 army and captured Dou Jiande alive.
In this way, Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande were all flattened by me.
In addition, there is one more thing that makes me overjoyed. When I was fighting against Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande at the time, I was particularly afraid that Xiao Milling from the south would come over to reap the profits, so I sent Li Xiaogong and Li Jing to beat them. I originally hoped to contain Xiao Milling and make Xiao Milling unable to go north. . In the end, I never expected that Li Jing could fight so well, and even directly tied Xiao Milling in the first battle!
However, during the milling period, the Shandong province was finally leveled and moths appeared again. Dou Jiande's former Ministry Liu Heitai, mercenary again, caused me a lot of trouble. But later,It was still suppressed by me.
After Liu Heitai was killed, Luo Yi of Jizhou also surrendered to me. Next, I sent a large army to the south to clean up some of the chaotic forces in the south of the Yangtze River, such as Fugongyi and his ilk. At this point, the world is completely unified.
It took me only seven years from Taiyuan to fight against Jiangnan. Looking at the founding process of the past dynasties, the Tang Dynasty is definitely the shortest one!
However, I, who completely unified the world, were not too proud. Because at this time, another huge problem began to appear in front of me.
That is the conflict between the two sons.
Everyone knows that my second son Li Shimin can indeed fight. I also admit that in the process of the Tang Dynasty's unification of the world, at least half of the territory was shot down by him. But the problem is that my eldest son Li Jiancheng is not bad either! In fact, Li Jiancheng’s talents are not inferior to Li Shimin’s, and he made great contributions during the establishment of the Tang Dynasty. It's just that because he is the prince, I let him stay in the capital all the year round, so the combat exploits are slightly smaller.
But in this way, contradictions arise.
For an ordinary founding emperor, it would be great if he could have a very promising son. I have two! But this is not only not a good thing, it is a nightmare! Li Shimin gradually gathered a large group of people around him during the Southern and Northern Wars. With him as the leader, even I was not convinced. This made me quickly aware of something wrong, fearing that he would threaten his eldest brother's position, and there would be a situation where brothers might be mutilated.
Therefore, starting from the sixth year of Wude, I have consciously begun to weaken the power of my second son, try not to let him hold the army, and gradually demote his heavenly strategy. People in the house. At the same time, I added a lot of manpower to my eldest son, and let the traditional Guanlong nobles befriend him.
I originally thought that what I did was enough to suppress my second son and allow Li Jiancheng to ascend the throne smoothly in the future. In this case, there will be no siblings. But I never expected that my second son would be so cruel! He hit his big brother directly!
In the 9th year of Wu De, on June 4th, this young evildoer launched a coup at Xuanwumen and directly shot his elder brother to death! At the same time, he killed his third brother who came to rescue.
I lost two sons at the same time in one day! This year, I am 61 years old.
made me even more angry that after this kid killed his brother, he directly brought soldiers to threaten me and asked me to give him the throne. I was really angry at the time, but after thinking about it, I had no other choice. My own safety is a problem. On the other hand, my fourth son, Li Xuanba, died young, and besides their four prostitutes, my eldest son was only 9 years old at the time, and could not compete with Li Shimin. So I really have no other choice besides passing the throne to this evil man.
In the end, there was no way, I could only promise him, and watched him, the wicked man who killed his brother, ascended to the throne. On August 9th of the 9th year of Wu De, I gave Li Shimin the retreat and lived in seclusion in Tai Chi Palace. Later, I moved to Da'an Palace and became a idle Taishang.
I thought that after the Zen position, I could not live long, but I did not expect that my life span would be quite short. After the Xuanwu Gate changed, he lived for another nine years. In the past nine years, I have watched my second son take this country to become stronger and stronger. Even the Turks in the north were wiped out by him. I have to say that he is neither a good brother nor a good son. But as an emperor, he is indeed a good emperor.
In the nine years of Zhenguan, I died in Chang'an at the age of 70.
Looking back on my life, perhaps from a top nobleman to a pioneer of an era, to a white-haired person sending a black-haired person, it is really ups and downs. As the founder of a unified dynasty, my reputation is not as big as my son, which is helpless. However, if you really think that the Tang Dynasty was defeated by Li Shimin, then you are too naive. Li Shimin had just turned 20 when I started the army.In addition to being able to command the soldiers in battle, can he do well in logistical matters? The reason why he is invincible is not because my father is behind him to schedule him and give him a lot of support?
If I change to my eldest son, he can do as well as him, or even better than him!
In my life, the most proud of are my two sons. The thing that saddens me most is their two sinners.
