In the second year of Tang Zhide (757 AD), Emperor Suzong of Tang killed his third son, Li Qian the Prince of Jianning, which was one of the most famous unjust cases in the tang dynasty's royal struggle.
From historical records, Li Qian's death seems to have been framed by Li Heng's favored concubine Zhang Liangdi (later made empress by Li Heng), and it is recorded in the New Book of Tang and the Biography of Emperor Suzong's Deposed Empress Dowager Zhang:
In the beginning, the King of Jianning was short after Emperor Yu, the Emperor Shang (Tang Xuanzong Li Longji) was in Shu, and gave the Seven Treasures saddle to the Queen, and Li Bi asked for a reward for the warriors, and li bi asked for help, so he complained and was killed.
Zhang Liangdi had already given birth to a son for Li Heng at that time, so in order to compete for the throne for her son, she was looking for various opportunities to get rid of Li Heng's remaining sons.
But Zhang Liangdi's framing was only a lead-in, in fact, Li Qian's death was probably deeply jealous of his father Li Heng.
Li Was jealous of Li Heng because he revealed talents that surpassed that of his father Li Heng and his brother Li Yu (Li Heng's default heir, later Emperor Tang of Tang).
Why? This article will talk about this matter.
In the fourteenth year of Tang Tianbao (755 AD), the "Anshi Rebellion" broke out, and Li Heng, who was then the crown prince, escaped from Chang'an with his father Li Longji, and on the way planned the "Ma Songpo Mutiny".
Later, Li Longji wanted to take refuge in Shuzhong, and Li Heng tried to get rid of Li Longji and go elsewhere to stand on his own, but hesitated.
At that time, it was Li Yi who stood up and persuaded Li Heng and his followers with a few words, so that Li Heng was firm in leaving Li Longji, going to the north to regain his strength, and leading the people to quell the "Anshi Rebellion", which is recorded in the New Book of Tang and the Biography of Li Qian:
Du Wei, the people covered the way to leave the prince, the prince envoy Yu Yue: "The supreme sowing, I can disobey the left and right?" "Contrary to chaos, the four seas are falling apart, and they do not want to revive because of human feelings, although they want to enter Shu from above, but scatter the east African countries." Fu DaXiao Mo Ruo'an Sheji, His Highness when the recruitment of Haojie, Fun Hexi, collecting herding horses. At present, there are no less than 100,000 soldiers defending the border, and the whole army of Guangbi and Ziyi is in Heshuo, and the people who plan to revive and plan are superior. King Guangping also praised it, so it was agreed.
This was the first time that Li Qiang had shown his political vision and talent, and if it were not for the "Anshi Rebellion", even Li Heng's political talent and ambition would have been suppressed by Li Longji for a long time, not to mention Li Heng's sons.
On the way north of Li Heng, it was also Li Qian who led his troops to fight in a bloody battle, escorting Li Heng all the way forward, as recorded in the New Book of Tang and the Biography of Li Qiang:
The prince crossed the Wei in the north, the soldiers fought salt and evil, the morale collapsed, and dozens of battles were fought every day. Hundreds of horses from the horse, in every engagement, always first, bloody, not to tell.
As a result, Li Heng was able to successfully reach Lingwu, ascend the throne as emperor, and become Emperor Suzong of Tang, not only embarking on the peak of his life, but also having the legal status of leading the Tang Dynasty military and civilians to resist the rebellion of An Lushan and Shi Siming.
There is no doubt that in the process of Li Heng getting rid of Li Longji and going to Lingwu to ascend the throne, Li Yigong was very successful, and he surpassed Li Heng's eldest son, the future Tang Dynasty Emperor Li Yu.
This may remind Li Heng of a man, one of his ancestors, Tang Taizong Li Shimin.
After escaping from Chang'an with his grandfather Li Longji and father Li Heng, Li Qian behaved along the way like Li Shimin when Li Yuan, the emperor of Tang Gaozu, rebelled against Sui from Taiyuan.
He also stepped forward to persuade his father to engage in some kind of political speculation, and the same pioneer escorted his father to success.
Most importantly, Li Yu was not the eldest son, and the heir to the throne in Li Heng's mind was the eldest son, Li Yu.
Li Heng's performance of such hard work, Li Heng could not avoid muttering in his heart, if he saw Li Shimin's shadow from Li Qian, was he Li Yuan?
Therefore, Li Heng began a temptation to Li Qi, and he expressed to the Qunchen that he would let Li Qian, who was an all-rounder in literature and martial arts, lead the Tang army to conquer the rebels.
According to the default rules at that time, the Grand Marshal of the Terracotta Army should be concurrently appointed by the Crown Prince, and whoever sits in this position may be the heir to the throne after Li Heng.
Of course, Li Heng did not really want Li Yu to become the Great Marshal of the Terracotta Army, and the crown prince he wanted to crown was the eldest son Li Yu.
Remarks: Li Heng divorced the original Concubine Wei because of political struggles, so when Li Heng ascended the throne, there was no canonization of the empress for the time being, all the sons did not have the distinction of concubines, the status was the same, the eldest son Li Yu, whose birth mother was not high, occupied a certain advantage, if Li Heng had not divorced, Wei Concubine was the natural empress, and the crown prince should be selected from Wei Concubine's son, the sixth son Li Yan, and the seventh son Li Yu, who lost the identity of concubine and the advantage of imperial succession because of Li Heng's divorce.
Li Heng's proposal to let Li Qi be the Grand Marshal of the Terracotta Army was only to test the attitude of his cronies and see if Li Qiang was conspiring to seize the position of crown prince.
However, the attitude of the Qunchen was still relatively clear, and they did not support Li Kui to sit in the position of the Great Marshal of the Terracotta Army, as recorded in the New Book of Tang and the Biography of Li Qian:
As for Lingwu, the crown prince was the emperor, and it was agreed that Yi Yi would be the marshal of the terracotta warriors and horses, and the king of Guangping (Li Yu) would be invited to the left and right. Emperor Yue: "Guangping is the heir of the tomb, and the marshal of An yong?" The answer was: "The crown prince is from the Fu Army, and the guardian of the country is guarded." Marshal, Fu Junye, Mo Yi yu Guangping King. "The emperor obeys...
I think that this is not that the Qunchen must support the eldest son Li Yu, but that Li Yu's rise is too short, and he suddenly appeared, and there is no chance to hand over his own forces.
The attitude of the loyal courtiers around him made Li Heng temporarily put his mind at ease, although he did not insist on letting Li Xian be the great marshal of the terracotta army, he still gave him the position of "pawn soldier" and let him guard his side.
But the temporary reassurance still can't resist the jealousy in his heart, Li Heng does not want to be Li Yuan, nor does he want his son to be Li Shimin.
Therefore, with Zhang Liangdi, who was not happy with Li Qiang, she joined forces with Li Fuguo, a eunuch who was also deeply trusted by Li Heng, to frame Li Qiang, "Hating not always soldiers, depressed and dissenting."
This was to remind Li Heng that Li Xian was dissatisfied because he had not been able to become the Grand Marshal of the Terracotta Army.
Li Heng was already suspicious, and the various court struggles before the Tang Dynasty, especially the precedent of Li Shimin bullying his father with his son, also made Li Heng particularly vigilant.
What's more, Li Heng personally entrusted Li Kui with the duty of "pawning the army" greatly increased Li Qian's threat, and if he wanted to carry out a coup d'état such as the "Xuanwumen Revolution", it would be much more convenient.
Therefore, when Zhang Liangdi framed Li Qian, Li Heng did not even have the idea of trial, and directly ordered the death of Li Qian, who was probably innocent.
The history books record that after Li Heng was given death, he briefly repented, "Russian repentance".
However, in a later conversation with his close confidant Li Bi, Li Heng still revealed his true thoughts, and Li Heng was the mastermind of his son's murder.
He killed Li Qi for fear that Li Yu would threaten the position of his eldest son, Li Yu, as recorded in the New Book of Tang and the Biography of Li Qian:
Emperor Jia Rong said: "In times of difficulty, I am really strong and powerful, for the sake of the delicate world, I want to harm his brother, I count the society, cut love and do it." ”......
It can be seen that Li Heng did not have any psychological fluctuations at all about killing his son Li Qian.
The remorse he showed was also deliberately feigned, and until he died, he did not rehabilitate Li Qian.
The year after Li Yu's death, the emperor's eldest son, Li Yu, was crown prince.
After Li Heng's death, Li Yu ascended the throne as Emperor of Tang Dynasty, and during his reign he rehabilitated Li Qian, and even posthumously honored Li Qian as emperor, as recorded in the New Book of Tang and the Biography of Li Qian:
and ascended the throne, posthumously awarded the title of King of Qi. In the third year of the Gregorian calendar, when it was difficult, there was an edict to make a grand plan, to exclude the public opinion, to make a contribution to Zhongxing, to enter the Emperor Chengtian, to take princess Ji Nu Zhang of Xingxin as empress dowager, to meditate, to bury Shunling, to worship the lord Fengtian Emperor Temple, and to share the same hall and different rooms.
This may have made Li Qian, who was talented and born at an inopportune time, who made great contributions to Li Heng's becoming emperor but was tragically framed and died, get the respect and comfort he deserved after his death.
Reference: New Book of Tang