The first thing to be clear is that Li Xian's reign is not one year, but 55 days. He ascended the throne in December of the first year of Hongdao (683) after Li Zhi's death. It was deposed in February of the first year of the reign of Emperor Sisheng (684).
Li Xian was the seventh son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and the third son of Wu Zetian. Originally, he had no chance to become emperor, and there were three princes before him, but none of them succeeded in ascending the throne. In particular, after the death and destruction of his two elder brothers, Li Hong and Li Xian, The incapacitated Li Xian was made crown prince.
After Li Zhi's death, Li Xian smoothly succeeded to the throne, that is, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang. However, after he ascended the throne, the power was not in his hands, and Wu Zetian became the empress dowager, but she did not honestly raise the heavenly age, but she was in charge of the dynasty and controlled the government. At the same time, before Emperor Gaozong of Tang died, he promoted Pei Yan to the position of minister of gu orders and asked him to assist Li Xian.
You must know that Li Xian is already an adult at this time, but he still needs to assist the government, and he also needs to be managed by his mother, which is obviously an abnormal thing.
Li Xian was confused, and his heart was clear. Therefore, he called himself empress dowager, planning to establish his own team, at least in the dprk, there will be people who support him to speak for himself.
He wanted to come and go, his own side is impossible, his wife's family is a very good choice. So he promoted Wei Hou's father Wei Xuanzhen from Puzhou to Yuzhou Assassin, and wanted him to be the prime minister.
However, he was opposed by Pei Yan, and he did not expect Li Xian to be negative: "Even if I give up the country to Wei Xuanzhen, it is nothing, let alone a waiter." ”
Such a statement is obviously inappropriate. Pei Yan turned his head and told Wu Zetian. Wu Zetian was naturally unwilling. But if it was only like this, Wu Zetian would not be able to get an education, after all, he was his own son, but Wu Zetian was very cruel and directly deposed the emperor.
The fundamental reason lies in Wu Zetian's vigorous ambitions. She saw that although Li Xian was cowardly, he was not easy to control, and this guy was thinking about his wife, which was a threat to her.
If Li Xian really promoted Empress Wei's family, he must have opposed Wu Zetian's posthumous title of emperor, which was a huge obstacle.
As a result, Wu Zetian deposed Li Xian, and instead made his younger son Li Dan emperor, and he further mastered the government of the dynasty.