Since Chinese history is a feudal absolutist centralized system, this leads to everyone's desire to become an emperor, and the emperor has absolute rights and interests, he can not only command the heroes of the world, but also control the power of life and death of everyone. How to inherit the throne has also become an important problem faced by the feudal ruling class: the patriarchal system and the primogeniture system were always undermined in ancient times, because some of the emperor's eldest sons were not valued, and some of the younger sons became emperors.
The Old Book of Tang Taizong Benji Shi Chen said: "Or: The sage of Emperor Taizong lost love to Kundi, and lost his teaching to his sons. Yue: However, Shun can't be benevolent to the four sins, Yao can't train Danzhu, Si Qianzhiye. When the god Yao is in charge of the year, the day of the completion of the taboo.
For example, in the Tang Dynasty, the change of Xuanwu Gate lashed out at the emperor's inheritance method. Although Li Shimin was neither the eldest son nor the crown prince, he launched a military coup through bloody revolution and killed all his brothers, thus successfully forcing his father Li Yuan to give the throne to himself.
Such a way naturally became a means for later generations to emulate, for example, Ming Chengzu Zhu Di also ascended to the emperor's throne in this unconventional and atypical way. However, we are to understand today the impact of the bloody revolutionary coup on the throne and the details of the Xuanwumen revolution.
Because Li Shimin had made meritorious achievements before the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, he not only quelled all the peasant uprisings in various places, but also took the opportunity to expand his power, making his army even larger and enjoying higher prestige in every place.
Therefore, Li Shimin's brother Li Jiancheng and younger brother Li Yuanji were very jealous of Li Shimin, and they believed that once Li Shimin ascended to the throne of the emperor, he would not have any good treatment for himself, which made the internal party struggle on the verge of breaking out. If you want to kill Li Shimin, you naturally need a perfect plan and a long-term process, Li Shimin's brother Li Jiancheng's younger brother Li Yuanji and the two people have long colluded with Li Yuan's concubine, and they hope to be able to frame Li Shimin in secret.
In 621, Li Shimin was once again enfeoffed by his father as a general, and at the same time, Li Shimin established a literary library that brought together talents from all walks of life, and made his most outstanding strategist Du Ruyi the head of literature, that is, the zhonglang general at that time, who managed his own system of counselors for Li Shimin. At this time, Li Shimin also often discussed various literary manuscripts with Du Ruyi, and often forgot to eat and sleep.
Such behavior was seen by Li Shimin's brother Li Jiancheng, so his brother hoped to be able to conspire with his younger brother Li Yuanji to get rid of Li Shimin's confidant. If he wanted to get rid of Li Shimin, it was natural to expel the most useful and outstanding strategists around him from his door, so Li Jiancheng personally played a song for his father, hoping to expel Fang Xuanling and Du Ruyi from the capital.
In 626, Li Jiancheng took the opportunity to win over Wei Chigong, an important defender around Li Shimin, but Wei Chigong was at this time awe-inspiring and refused such a solicitation. Therefore, Li Jiancheng was ashamed and angry, and he hoped that he could take advantage of this to eliminate Wei Chigong and cut off Li Shimin's left arm and right arm. Such a plan did not succeed, so Li Jiancheng once again played to his father, hoping to push Li Shimin's confidant Wei Chigong into prison.
Such a step-by-step pressure made it difficult for Li Shimin to breathe, and under Li Shimin's bail, his general Chi Gong once again returned to Li Shimin's side. And after Wei Chigong returned to Li Shimin's tent, he immediately told his lord that Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji wanted to murder Li Shimin in the place of KunmingChi.
When this matter reached Li Shimin's ears, he immediately summoned the eldest grandson Wuji and his confidant generals, hoping to take certain measures. But because Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin are good brothers, their blood is thicker than water, so Li Shimin is not willing to kill the killer.
At this time, Wei Chigong once again stood up and offered advice, he believed that if at this time, because of the small loss, the benevolence of the woman, then the Jiangshan Sheji would inevitably fall into the hands of others in the future. Therefore, they all suggested that Li Shimin should not hesitate, and if Li Shimin did not agree to take advantage of the opportunity to preemptively attack, then Wei Chigong and Changsun Wuji would flee immediately, because they did not want to die with the monarch.
This is how the whole Xuanwu Gate has become. Through such a process, we can also feel the murderous opportunity of this matter from a detailed point of view, and it is precisely because of the change of XuanwuMen that everyone in the future wants to seize the throne through a military coup. But does this approach work? We also need to analyze in depth the impact of each military coup on the succession of emperors.
Reference: Sima Guang, Zizhi Tongjian, Vol. 191, Tang Ji VII