Conspiracy theories are rife in history, and the Three Kingdoms period was no exception. For example, Sun Quan plotted to assassinate Sun Ce and inherit the foundation of Jiangdong; Jiang Wei assassinated Fei Yi and broke the shackles of the Northern Expedition; and there is even a saying that Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang collaborated to kill Guan Yu. Compared with traditional ideas, conspiracy theories are more outrageous and eye-catching, so they are liked by many people. There is a conspiracy theory that Liu Bei killed Liu Qi in order to completely control Jingzhou. So where does this statement come from? Can it stand on its feet? Let's talk about this matter.
Liu Qi died just right
According to the historical data, Liu Qi died of illness. But I have to say that Liu Qi's death was really just right. Liu Qi helped Liu Bei win the "Battle of Chibi"; he also used his influence in Jingzhou to help Liu Bei gain lingling, Changsha, Wuling, and Guiyang. At this time, Jingzhou was divided between Cao Cao, Liu Bei (Liu Qi), and Sun Quan. Cao Cao held Nanyang County, part of Nan County, and part of Jiangxia County in the north of Jingzhou; Sun Quan mainly had some South County, part of Jiangxia County, and possibly some places in Wuling County and Changsha County; Liu Bei and Liu Qi held part of Nan County, that is, the public security under Jiangling, plus the "Four Counties of Jingnan".
At this time, Sun Quan was in Nan County, blocking Liu Bei's intersection into the river, completely compressing Liu Bei and Liu Qi in the Jingnan area. Liu Bei first asked Liu Qi to assassinate the history of Jingzhou, and then went to fight in the Jingnan region, to a certain extent under the banner of Liu Qi. After Cao, Sun, and Liu divided Jingzhou, and Liu Bei also gained a foothold in the Jingnan region, Liu Qi fell ill and died. In this way, Liu Qi's death was very appropriate for Liu Bei. His influence in Jingzhou was exhausted, and he himself died of illness, so there was no one to compete with Liu Bei for Jingzhou anymore.
The reason why Liu Qi was killed by Liu Bei
Why is there such a conspiracy theory, and where is the argument for this conspiracy theory? The following small editor will summarize some of the reasons why Liu Qi was killed by Liu Bei. First of all, Liu Qi had a certain influence in Jingzhou, and he had 10,000 Jiang Xia soldiers in his hands. His relationship with Liu Bei is more like an ally, and both of them are figures with certain strength. Since Zhou Yutun was in Nan County, Liu Bei and Liu Qi were both squeezed in the Jingnan area. Both people want to be the boss of Jingzhou, so that contradictions will naturally arise. In order to completely control Jingzhou, Liu Bei killed Liu Qi, which had this motive.
Secondly, Liu Qi's death is too coincidental. The above xiaobian also mentioned that Liu Qi's death was very beneficial to Liu Bei. In history, Liu Qi died of illness. However, in the thirteenth year of Jian'an (that is, 208 AD), Liu Qi was still able to personally go from Jiangxia to Xiangyang to do things, indicating that he was still in good health at this time; as a result, he fell ill and died in the fourteenth year of Jian'an (209 AD).
Moreover, it was precisely after Liu Bei attacked the "Four Counties of Jingnan" and Jingzhou had no oil and water to fish. After Liu Qi,the assassin of Jingzhou, died of illness, Liu Bei smoothly led himself to Jingzhou And ruled the counties and counties of Jingzhou under his jurisdiction more justly. This is also a very big doubt.
The probability of Liu Qi being killed by Liu Bei is very low
First of all, Xiaobian does not rule out the possibility that Liu Qi was killed by Liu Bei, but this possibility is very low. There are several reasons for this.
First, Liu Qi has more than enough ambition and insufficient strength
Liu Qi was ambitious, otherwise he would not have competed with Liu Qi for the position of Jingzhou Mu after Liu Biao's death. But being ambitious and having strength are two different things. Liu Bei's huge advantage in Jingzhou is his personal reputation and ability to attach himself to the public. During Liu Biao's reign in Jingzhou, Liu Bei was only a guest army, stationed in Xinye north of Xiangyang, and was able to achieve "more and more people returning to the ancestors of Jingzhou Haojie", which caused Liu Biao's suspicions; when Liu Biao died and Liu Chun briefly ruled Jingzhou, a large number of Jingzhou people chose to leave Liu Qi and follow Liu Bei, and there was the so-called "crossing the river with the people". Liu Bei was able to soar to the sky after the "Battle of Chibi" and obtain the most benefits, which was not unrelated to the fame he established in Jingzhou.
On the other hand, Liu Qi's fame in Jingzhou, even his brother Liu Qi could not compete, Cai Mao, Zhang Yun and others all supported Liu Qi; the prestige of Liu Qi and Liu Biao was even more incomparable, after Liu Biao's death, the Jingzhou Shijia prefecture officials immediately surrendered to Cao Cao, Liu Chun was completely wrapped up in it; Liu Bei was still able to make Liu Biao feel jealous, Liu Qi and Liu Bei were more famous, as if like a child and Hercules breaking their wrists.
The only thing Liu Qi could rely on was the 10,000 Jiangxia soldiers, but Liu Qi had been in Jiangxia for less than a year, and he did not have time to label himself on this 10,000 Jiangxia soldiers; then the "Battle of Chibi" broke out, and the entire situation in Jingzhou was reshuffled, and this 10,000 Jiangxia soldiers also had a high probability of throwing themselves into the "Battle of Chibi". Liu Bei defeated Zhou Yu in the "Battle of Chibi" and increased his prestige in the army. Whether this Wanjiang Xia Bing was inclined to Liu Bei or Liu Qi was still unknown.
Second, Liu Bei did not have to compete with Liu Qi for the position of Jingzhou Mu or Jingzhou Assassin
Liu Qi was originally a Jingzhou Assassin, and after his illness and death, Liu Bei took jingzhou mu himself. This gives people the illusion that Liu Bei and Liu Qi are vying for the position of Jingzhou Mu or Jingzhou Assassin. In fact, Liu Bei had no need to do this at all. In the chaotic world, the fist is the last word, the place at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty has been completely autonomous, and the officials of the imperial court have no authority to speak of. Liu Shu was originally appointed as the Assassin of Yangzhou, but Yuan Shu, who was hindered by Huainan, did not dare to cross the river, and it was not until Yuan Shu personally arranged Liu Shu to be in Wu County, and Liu Shu had the opportunity to confront Yuan Shu. Liu Bei and Liu Qi are also a truth. Liu Bei's strength is strong, Liu Qi is nominally the Assassin of Jingzhou, in fact he can only act as a vase.
Moreover, from the perspective of official positions, Liu Bei was a general of the left, while Liu Qi was only the assassin of Jingzhou, not the pastor of Jingzhou. The official rank is only six hundred stones, if it is really more true, in Jingzhou there is only the right to supervise, not the administrative power. Liu Bei could have done exactly like Yuan Shu and Sun Jian (Yuan Shu was a later general, and asked Sun Jian to be the assassin of Yuzhou, and his official position was almost exactly the same as that of Liu Bei and Liu Qi), and liu qi was regarded as a subordinate rather than a competitive relationship. If Liu Qi has ambitions, he can also be neutralized, and there is no need to kill him.
Third, Liu Bei's killing of Liu Qi was detrimental to his reputation
Liu Bei played the banner of loyalty and benevolence, whether he was sincere or not, what bad deeds he had, in short, his banner was like this. "Every time you have a reaction, things can become ears." The time of Liu Qi's illness and death was too coincidental, and even people after 1,800 years ago had doubts, let alone the people at that time? In full view of everyone, it was very difficult for Liu Bei to perfectly forge the illusion of Liu Qi's illness and death.
If Liu Bei harmed Liu Qi and then leaked it out, then this would be a very big blow to Liu Bei's personal reputation in Jingzhou. In fact, not only Liu Bei, but also other warlords during the Three Kingdoms period. Yuan Shao used a ruse to take away Jizhou Mu's position from Han Fu and did not harm Han Fu; Liu Bei snatched Liu Zhang's Xichuan and did not harm Liu Zhang; except for the capricious tyrants like Lü Bu, Zhang Lu, Liu Chun, and others also lived well with Cao Cao. There was really no need for Liu Bei to take such a big risk to harm Liu Qi. Therefore, in summary, Liu Bei's motive for killing Liu Qi is not obvious, the risk is too high, and there is no sufficient evidence, and the possibility is very low.
References: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Book of the Later Han Dynasty