The emperor is an identity that countless people envy, they turn their hands into clouds, overturn their hands into rain, and can decide the life and death of ordinary people and even the fate of the dynasty by personal preference. They enjoy supreme privileges and are the pinnacle of power.
The emperor had the wealth of the whole country, and he could have almost everything he wanted. Whether it is the world's delicacies, rare treasures, or the beauty of the country, as long as the emperor gives an order, it is just like probing for things.
However, the above scenario is actually somewhat idealized. As the decision-maker of a country's military and political affairs, the emperor still has countless chapters to read and decrees to issue. In addition, the emperor is also a high-risk position, from birth to face the ancient low level of medical care, other princes to seize the concubine, the power of the power of foreign relatives, and mutinies and uprisings that may occur at any time. Xiao Yan, the Emperor of Liangwu who was starved to death, is a good example.
So why did he end up here?
According to the Book of Liang, in the eighth year (464) of the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of the Song Dynasty, Xiao Yan was born in Zhongduli, Nanlanling (in present-day Danyang and Changzhou, Jiangsu Province), and his ancestor was Xiao He, the famous Han Dynasty minister. It is said that Xiao He's grandson Xiao Biao moved to Lanling County, Donghai County, because he was dismissed from office.
A few generations later, the Xiao clan produced a Xiao Wangzhi who ranked third in rank, and the Lanling Xiao clan ushered in its first prosperity.
By the end of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the Lanling Xiao clan once again ushered in prosperity.
The blessing of the Tuo family, Xiao Yan was born in a family of official eunuchs, and his father Xiao Shunzhi was a wei wei who was one of the nine secretaries. Later, it was precisely because of his extraordinary birth that Xiao Yan successfully entered the army and served as an aide in the palace of Wang Jian, a major minister of the State of Qi. Soon, Xiao Yan was appreciated again, and since then he has been promoted many times, and his luck is quite good.
In the second year of Jianwu (495), Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei, who was famous for his Sinicization reforms, led an army of 300,000 people to the south to attack the State of Qi, and Xiao Yan took the initiative to request to serve as a forward to meet the enemy and won a big victory.
Under Emperor Qi Ming, Xiao Yan was reused. After the death of Emperor Qiming, Xiao Baojuan, who succeeded to the throne, was inferior to his father, he fainted and tyrannical, forcing many ministers to plot rebellions, and Xiao Yan was one of them.
Soon, Xiao Yan captured the capital and established Xiao Baorong as emperor.
In the second year of Zhongxing (502), Xiao Yan forced Xiao Baorong to make zen concessions and established the Liang Dynasty.
After a period of vigorous efforts, the economy of the Southern Dynasty has developed very well. But Xiao Yan embarked on the old path of the emperors of the feudal dynasty, that is, after achieving certain achievements, he gradually slackened off.
In his later years, Xiao Yan not only abandoned political affairs, but also firmly believed in Buddhism. It is also in the Daxing Temple of the Southern Dynasty, resulting in the Southern Dynasty becoming the scene of "four hundred and eighty temples in the Southern Dynasty, how many buildings are in the smoke and rain" in Du Mu's poem.
From the eighth year of the ordinary year (527), Xiao Yan became a monk four times. Each time, the ministers had to plead bitterly and pay a huge amount of money to the temple to redeem him, which showed his old age. In this case, the appearance of a character eventually leads to the tragedy of Xiao Yan, who is Hou Jing, a member of the Qi people.
After the end of the Western Jin Dynasty, the Central Plains were occupied by an influx of ethnic minorities. Among them, the most representative is the five ethnic groups of "Xiongnu, Xianbei, Xianbei, Xianbei, Xian, and Qiang", so later generations also call this period "Wuhu Chaohua".
Legend has it that among the five major clans, the Qi were the most bloodthirsty and cruel, and their leader Shi Le had established the Later Zhao regime in the Central Plains.
Later, Later Zhao was destroyed by the Han people Ran Min, and the People fled, including Hou Jing's ancestors.
In the fourth year of the Northern Wei Jingming Dynasty (503), Hou Jing was born in Shuozhou, and his growth coincided with the collapse and demise of the Northern Wei, so he took advantage of the chaos in the world and defected to the heavy minister Erzhu Rong. In the military, he showed extraordinary military talent, and soon rose through the ranks.
However, Hou Jing's ascension was accompanied by his replacement of the lord. He was first under Erzhu Rong's account, and after Erzhu Rong's forces were destroyed by Gao Huan, Hou Jing turned to Gao Huan, who was powerful. After Gao Huan's death, his son Gao Cheng succeeded his father as chancellor. Hou Jing lacked discipline and soon led his people to defect to Emperor Xiao Yan of Liangwu.
In order to use Hou Jing's forces to carry out the Northern Expedition, Xiao Yan made him a great general and the king of Henan. Soon, Gao Cheng sent troops to attack Hou Jing. Xiao Yan sent his son Xiao Yuanming to help Hou Jing, and as a result, Xiao Yuanming was accidentally captured, and Xiao Yan sought peace talks with Gao Cheng. In order to test Xiao Yan, Hou Jing wrote to him in the name of Gao Cheng, proposing to exchange Hou Jing for Xiao Yuanming, and Xiao Yan actually agreed.
At this time, Hou Jing saw that Xiao Yan could easily give up on himself in order for his nephew to rebel again.
Soon, Hou Jing led his men to attack the Liang capital Jiankang and put Xiao Yan under house arrest. And because Xiao Yan did not meet Hou Jing's requirements, Hou Jing also treated his body in the way of a man. Shi Zai: "What the lord asks for is not fulfilled, and the drinking and eating are also cut, and the sorrow and anger become a disease." ”
In the third year of the Taiqing Dynasty (549), the eighty-six-year-old Xiao Yan died of grief under the condition of restricted freedom and continuous reduction of diet.
Later generations' evaluations of Xiao Yan were generally more positive, such as the Kangxi Emperor's evaluation of him: "Emperor Wu of Liang was also a hero in entrepreneurship, and later in his old age, he was forced by Hou Jing, so there was the disaster of Taicheng." In the eyes of many historians, the main reason why Xiao Yan was starved to death was that he was old and unknown, and he lured wolves into the room.
Just as the so-called "raising a wolf is difficult to look after the family as a dog", Xiao Yan raised Hou Jing, a hungry wolf, and wanted him to be a dog that looked after the Liang Dynasty, which was really ridiculous and sad.