Li Yuan's biological mother, Du Gushi, was a sister to the Sui Dynasty Empress Dugu Jialuo, and Li Yuan and Yang Guang were cousins. Li Yuan's second son, Li Shimin, married Yang Guang's daughter Yang Shi. Yang was Li Shimin's distant cousin, and after marrying Li Shimin, she bore Li Shimin a son, Li Ke. Li Ke was rumored to be Li Shimin's wisest son because of Li Shimin's phrase "Ying Guo is like me". The author reviewed the history books today, but found that Li Ke looked very smart, but in fact very stupid.
Li Ke was Li Shimin's third son and second son. According to the ancient principle of "standing up for the longest", Li Ke was the fifth in line to the throne of Li Shimin. The heirs in front of him were Li Chengqian, Li Tai, Li Zhi, and Li Kuan. Since Li Kuan was passed on to the King of Chu, Li Ke became Li Shimin's fourth in line to the throne.
Li Ke's status as a concubine determined that he basically bid farewell to the crown prince's throne. Li Shimin was afraid that the shuzi would do things in the capital, so he asked Li Ke and other shuzi to go to other places to take the domain. Li Shimin said to the ministers, "Don't I want to see it common?" However, ling had already set a point, so that the outside world would be a screen, and after I was a hundred years old, the brothers would not be in danger. ”
Li Shimin stills, pictures from the network, thanks to the original author.
He is also the son of Li Shimin. Li Tai served as the pastor of Yongzhou and did not have to go to other places to take the domain. Li Zhi was appointed governor of the prefecture, and Li Shimin made Li Ji the governor of Changshi and replaced Li Zhi in administering the fiefdom. However, Li Ke was sent to Qi Prefecture as the governor of Qi Prefecture, and could only leave his father and mother concubines. Li Shimin's attitude was very clear, that is, he told Li Ke: "No matter what, the successor of Yuan will be produced among the three concubines who remain in the capital, and you will not have a chance." ”
Li Shimin has done so obviously, if Li Ke is really smart. He should be like the two great uncles Li Boqi and Li Fengci, who will do nothing but good things. Li Boqi, the King of Longxi, and Li Fengci, the King of Bohai, were Li Shimin's cousins, and these two princes knew that they were not qualified to inherit Jiangshan, eating, drinking, and having fun all day, and doing some shameful things. Li Yuan and Li Shimin looked at these two princes and were very relieved about them, so they let them lose their eyes.
At the beginning, Li Ke was indeed like the two great masters, doing two humiliating things. The first thing is to go out hunting and trample on the crops of the common people. The second thing is to play money with the mother's son. When Li Shimin found out, he was very angry, so he dismissed Li Ke from his official position and cut him down by three hundred households.
Li Tai stills, picture from the network, thanks to the original author.
After Li Ke was punished by his father, he turned from evil to righteousness and did not do bad things. After Li Ke corrected it, he left Li Shimin with the impression of "Yingguo class me", indicating that his performance was still good. After Li Zhi was made crown prince, Li Shimin once told his eldest son Wuji that he would depose Li Zhi and make Li Ke crown prince instead. The eldest grandson resolutely opposed it, and the matter had to be abandoned.
Li Shimin wanted to make Li Ke the crown prince and let Li Ke sit on the crater. Li Zhi and the eldest grandson had no scruples, and from then on they hated Li Ke. If Li Ke is really smart, he should do some ridiculous things at this time and stigmatize himself in order to protect himself. For example, Li Ke's three imperial uncles, Li Yuanbao, Li Feng, and Li Yuanxiang, trampled on the crops of ordinary people everywhere in Li Shimin's later years. The common people and magistrates hated the three princes and impeached them one after another.
The New Book of Tang records that when Tang officials heard that they were to be sent to li yuan infants, Li Feng, and Li Yuanxiang's fiefdoms as officials, they refused to go. There is a popular saying in the Tang Dynasty officialdom that it is better to go to Lingnan as an errand boy than to go to the fiefdoms of Li Yuannian, Li Feng, and Li Yuanxiang to take up office. (Those who have won the officialdom are unwilling to do evil, so the saying goes: "It is better to go to Dan, Ya, Zhen, and Bai, and not to Jiang, Teng, Jiang, or Yu.") ”）
Li Ke stills, pictures from the network, thanks to the original author.
Li Boqi, Li Fengci, Li Yuanbao, Li Feng, and Li Yuanxiang were notoriously foolish princes in the eyes of Tang officials. Li Shimin and Li Zhi were very relieved about them, knowing that they just wanted to rebel and did not have the appeal. If Li Ke, like the two great uncles and the three uncles, began to defile himself from the seventeenth year of Zhenguan, to the point that no official was willing to run an errand for him. I dare to assert that Li Zhi and the eldest grandson Wujie would not have wrongfully killed him.
Cao Zhi's situation, similar to Li Ke's, was also a failure to fight for the position of prince. After Cao Zhi was made crown prince by Cao Pi, he opened the mode of mud not being able to support the wall. Cao Cao asked Cao Zhi to lead the army to fight, and Cao Zhi was actually too drunk to go to the post. Cao Cao died, and Cao Zhi did not run to mourn, but actually sang drunkenly. Cao Zhi was drunk during his father's funeral, and ruled the country with filial piety in ancient times, which was definitely a crime of great rebellion. Cao Zhi stinked his reputation and escaped Cao Pi's butcher's knife.
When Li Shimin died, Li Yuanbao, the King of Teng, was drunk and singing. Li Zhi was very angry and scolded Li Yuanbao. Although Li Yuannian was scolded, he lived a leisurely life. If Li Ke can also make a drunken song within the period of his father's death, let Li Zhi find an excuse to punish him, and also make his reputation stink, he can be as blessed as Li Yuannian. Unfortunately, Li Ke did not do this.
Li Zhi stills, picture from the network, thanks to the original author.
Soon after Li Zhi ascended the throne and became emperor, he made Li Ke a Sikong, and Du Du'an followed Wen Tofu the military forces of the Five Prefectures and assassinated an prefecture. The following year, Li Ke was also made crown prince. Li Zhi constantly gave Li Ke the title of official, and if Li Ke was really smart, he should be like Li Xian in the future, as long as he was rich and beautiful, he resigned and was given an official position.
Li Xian was the eldest brother of Li Longji, who had been made crown prince and deposed. After Li Longji ascended the throne, he also made Li Xian a Sikong. Li Xian repeatedly pushed back the official position, and then opened a list for Li Longji and asked for many treasures and beauties. When Li Longji saw that his brother wanted money and no power, he let his brother die a good life. After Li Xian's death, he was posthumously honored as Emperor Jean by Li Longji.
Li Zhi gave Li Ke a promotion, and Li Ke honestly and unceremoniously accepted. Li Ke loved power and had a high prestige, and in the words of the New Book of Tang: "Emperor Gaozong is on the throne, and he worships Sikong and the governor of Liangzhou." He is good at riding and shooting, and has literary and martial talents. His mother, the daughter of the Sui Dynasty Emperor, was highly respected and foreign. ”
Such an all-rounder in literature and martial arts, and a prince with high prestige was by Li Zhi's side, and Li Zhi was also afraid. In case One day Li Ke ascended to the throne, the old Sui relics would respond one after another. For Li Zhi and the eldest grandson Wuji, Li Ke is a time bomb. In order to eliminate hidden dangers, Li Zhi and the eldest grandson Wuji had to kill Li Ke.
Historical sources of this article: "New Book of Tang", "Old Book of Tang", "Zizhi Tongjian"
"Sui and Tang Dynasty Past" series of posts, original by Wang Fuxing. Code words are not easy, please respect the original, unauthorized, reproduction is strictly prohibited. I have signed a contract with a rights protection company to entrust a rights protection company to protect my rights. Unauthorized reprinters, the rights protection company will defend the rights on behalf of the person.