First, look at Li Shimin from another angle
So-called: cunning rabbit dead lackey cooking, flying bird with bows and arrows hidden. Every great unified dynasty in Chinese history seemed unable to escape this iron law at the beginning of its establishment.
Among them, the most ruthless play is Zhu Yuanzhang, even if the founding hero holds the "death-free iron coupon" is useless, it should be killed as usual, not ambiguous at all! The most successful play was Zhao Kuangyin's "glass of wine to release the military power", which can be described as the most successful "wine table culture" in history. But if you talk about the most clever person, it belongs to Li Shimin!
There is no harm without comparison, let's say that Zhu Yuanzhang, who is known as the most ruthless, in fact, he has always been cruel to outsiders, but he can be called a "super father" to the descendants of the Zhu family. For example, the prince Zhu Biao, Zhu Yuanzhang has long begun to cultivate, so that Zhu Biao has a nickname of "the most cattle prince in history", he has never been afraid of being fired by his son!
At the same time, Zhu Yuanzhang also broke his heart about the names of the descendants of the Zhu family and came up with a pattern of "five elements living together".
The first generation, such as Zhu Biao and Zhu Di, all brought wooden side, the second generation zhu Yunjiao and Zhu Gaozi all carried fire characters, and the third generation Zhu Zhanji, etc., was with earth characters... In this way, the Zhu family has been passed down from generation to generation and has no end to life - therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang is fiercely outside, and love is inside!
Looking at Li Shimin again, it is the opposite of Zhu Yuanzhang. A change in Xuanwu Gate, even if someone who admired Li Shimin any more, could not wash it for him. Because it was Li Shimin who shot his brother Li Jiancheng with an arrow. Before that, Li Yuanji tried to kill Li Shimin many times, but he was blocked by Li Jiancheng.
Although Li Jiancheng prevented Li Yuanji from killing Li Shimin, he was more of a plan for himself. And Li Shimin and Zhu Yuanzhang are also in a different historical environment. But it is very regrettable that the result determines everything: Li Shimin's killing of his brother cannot be shirked! Therefore, Li Shimin was fierce, and the so-called fierce even killed his brothers! However, Li Shimin gave preferential treatment to the founding heroes.
Therefore, looking at Li Shimin from another angle, it is obvious that he and Zhu Yuanzhang are both fierce people in essence, and it is nothing more than to see who is cruel to them. But the reputation of the two, Li Shimin is far better than Zhu Yuanzhang. The reason for this lies in Li Shimin's preferential treatment of the founding heroes. Therefore, the author said that Li Shimin played the most cleverly.
At this moment, there must be a question, why did Li Shimin, who dared to kill even his own brothers, treat the founding heroes so favorably? In the author's opinion, as long as you understand the following two questions, you will understand.
Second, why does Li Yuan look down on Liu Bang?
Although Li Yuan was nominally the founding emperor, in fact he was deprived by later generations. One is that Li Shimin is indeed too good, and the other is that the historical environment has created it.
Li Yuan looked down on Liu Bang very much, and he once said to Pei Huan: The former emperor, who was a little lowly, worked hard to line up, and Xiao He and Cao Zanqi were also self-sword and pen officials. Solipsism and justice, after a thousand years, are worthy of the previous cultivation.
This means that before my Tang Dynasty, many of the emperor's eldest brothers could not be taken out of their origins, such as Liu Bang and his subordinates. Let's say that Xiao He, Cao Shan, and others are all small officials! Look at our old Li and your old Pei, but they are well-known aristocrats, so I dare to assert that even if a thousand years have passed, we will continue to live for hundreds of years!
If Li Yuan's words were placed now, they would be enough to be sprayed to death! But it reflects the historical environment at that time - whoever becomes the emperor is an "aristocratic game". Isn't Sui and Tang the successor of the "Guanlong Group"? Therefore, this doomed Li Yuan to look down on the heroes who were not from the nobility. On the other hand, Li Shimin is not like this, let's say that Ling Yange 24 heroes.
Wei Chigong is a blacksmith!
Cheng Biting Jin and Qin Qiong, recorded in the main history are the second generation of officials (the Sui and Tang Dynasties are grassroots).
Li Ji (Xu Maogong) is a rich man.
Obviously, these people were not recognized by the real aristocratic circles at that time. However, it did not hinder them, they became Li Shimin's right and left arm, and they were made marquises!
It can be seen from the attitudes of Li Yuan and Li Shimin towards "Haojie". Why Li Yuan is always habitually ignored. Because of the Huangchao Rebellion at the end of the Tang Dynasty, it dealt a devastating blow to the aristocratic door valve class, which made them withdraw from the stage of history.
It can be seen from this that in the early days of Li Tang, the concept of hierarchy was so deeply rooted. Li Yuan can be "imprisoned", but what about the others? Naturally, the vast majority of people cannot jump out of this "class circle".
Li Shimin himself belonged to the GuanLong nobles, and after he became emperor, was it necessary to blackmail these heroic founding heroes?
For example, Wei Chigong and many other younger brothers recognized from their bones that Li Shimin was born as a natural big brother, and that he could strive to become a princely general under Li Shimin, and they were already grateful to Dade and were very satisfied.
That is to say, the historical environment at that time was doomed, the emperor's eldest brother could only come from the aristocratic circle, and the grassroots could only come to work. Therefore, the emperor did not have the pressure to kill the founding heroes, as long as he guarded against the "circle of nobility". That is, Li Shimin never put these founding heroes on his own opposite side - this is actually why Li Shimin was only cruel to his brothers.
Third, why is Li Shimin so bullish?
Li Shimin enlisted in the army at the age of 16 and rescued the Sui Emperor who was besieged by the Turks at Yanmen. When he was about 18 years old, because he was by Li Yuan's side, he began to tinker with his father against Sui, and was recognized by Liu Wenjing!
With Li Yuan's jinyang rising army, Li Shimin's life began!
At the age of 19, the Battle of Shallow Water Plains broke up the Xue father and son and captured Longxi for Li Yuan.
At the age of 20, Liu Wuzhou and Song Jingang were overthrown, and the true color of the god of war was highlighted.
When he was 22 years old, he ushered in the peak moment of Li Shimin, and captured Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande in the First Battle of Tiger Prison Pass! Completely stabilized the Tang Dynasty.
At the age of 23, Liu Heimin was beaten to doubt his life...
If the above achievements, can not see how good Li Shimin is? Let's see how Li Shimin fought.
The emperor's horse was killed by an arrow. Easy horses and battles, the land is both dangerous, thieves have many cards, and riding battles are slightly difficult. The emperor himself shot it, but no one had all the cards, and he fell down, and from the dawn and noon, the thieves began to retreat. (From "The Turtle of the Book of Fortune")
After Li Shimin's war horse was shot, he changed horses and fought again, and soberly realized the key to the battle situation, and it was too difficult to use cavalry to crush the other side. So he changed tactics, and Li Shimin personally shot the enemy, referring to which to fight. After a big battle for about half a day, the other side could not resist and began to retreat.
What is the wisdom and courage of both, from the details of this battle, can it be strongly felt?
There was a Turk, brave and brave, straight to Emperor Taizong. The two generals were connected, and Emperor Taizong shot a large arrow at it with a heavenly strategy, the center, the back of the hole, and died in response to the string, so he passed this arrow to the north. The Turks marveled at the sight. (From the Taiping Imperial Records)
This sentence will not be translated, the key point is to pay attention to this sentence "center, hole back". Even, the Turkic general was shot through the heart by Li Shimin's arrow! Now let's ask, cows or cows?
With records and details, who is the first hero of Datang? None other than Li Shimin! Qin Qiong, Wei Chigong, Li Jing, Li Ji, and others all had to bow to the wind!
Not only is it a Guanlong nobleman, a natural big brother, or the first hero of the founding of the Tang Dynasty, this double identity is superimposed, but it is not a simple one plus one equals two, but it cannot be shaken! Li Shimin in this position? Is it still necessary for him to kill the founding heroes? He himself is the spokesman of the Tang Dynasty heroes!
Therefore, it is not because Li Shimin is younger than the founding heroes, so he does not kill the heroes, he wants to survive the death of others, which is really a bit of a small look at Li Shimin.
So, what is the real cleverness? It is the right choice based on strength. We can't always think of those "black calculations" that can't come to the table as "clever".