Bao Zheng, Bao Gong, is a famous "Qingtian" adult in history. Legend has it that Bao Zheng's most brilliant exploit was to try a major case that occurred in the palace, the "Tanuki Cat for Prince" case, and find his own mother for the current emperor Song Renzong. Is history really as the story describes?
Zhao Zhen of Song Renzong was the son of Emperor Zhenzong of Song and the fourth emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty. In 1022, he became emperor at the age of 13 and was presided over by Empress Liu. In 1033, Empress Liu died violently, and Emperor Renzong of Song began to pro-government. Emperor Renzong of Song reigned for 42 years, the longest reigning emperor during the Two Song Dynasties. Regarding the lineage of Song Renzong, there is a saying that has been circulated to this day, that is, the story of "tanuki cat for prince".
Song Renzong
The classic Peking Opera "Tanuki Cat for Prince" has interpreted this story to a household name and is well known, and the author will not repeat it too much here. Just briefly mention the ancient novel "Three Heroes and Five Righteousness" about this: Song Zhenzong Zhao Heng was middle-aged and had no heirs, when Liu and Li Were pregnant at the same time, Zhao Heng passed on the holy will, and whoever had a son was made empress. In order to become empress, Concubine Liu and her internal servant Guo Huai set up a poison plan, and when Concubine Li gave birth to a child, she replaced the child with a skinned tanuki cat, and then framed Concubine Li for giving birth to a demon. Emperor Zhenzong then relegated Concubine Li to the Cold Palace.
So, did the historical Song Renzong really have the experience of "exchanging tanuki cats for princes"?
In fact, all of this was created by the ancient literati with their wild imagination. There is no such thing as "tanuki for a prince" in any canonical history. In the final analysis, the origin of all this story is derived from a record in the "Biography of Li Chenfei of Song Shi" about Song Renzong's birth mother Li Chenfei who did not dare to recognize her son.
Empress Liu
This incident occurred before Song Renzong's pro-government, and the whole process of this incident had nothing to do with Bao Zheng, because Bao Zheng was still a cloth at this time. It was not until 1037 that the 29-year-old Bao Zheng was admitted to the Jinshi, and due to the advanced age of his parents, Bao Zheng resigned and returned home to retire until the death of his parents. Bao Zheng left home at the age of 40 at the end of his mourning period, and during this time Bao Zheng did not go to the capital, let alone help Song Renzong find his birth mother.
Song Renzong's life is indeed mysterious. He was not Empress Liu's own child, and his birth mother was indeed Concubine Li Chen, but the truth of history is this. In the "History of Song", Li Chenfei and her affairs are specifically recorded. It turned out that Emperor Zhenzong of Song had never had a son, and was ready to make his nephew Zhao Yun, the Prince of Pu, into the palace and made crown prince.
At this time, Li Shi was pregnant with Zhao Zhen and Song Zhenzong, and was extremely excited. Li Shi was also named "Mother by Zi Gui" as "Talented Person", and later promoted to "Wanyi" and "Shunrong". Empress Liu herself was childless, and when she saw that Concubine Li had given birth to a prince, she relied on her position as empress, snatched the child, and stayed by her side to raise her.
Lee's
Li Shi was originally a palace maid beside Empress Liu, and although she was named a concubine because of the birth of a son, she still did not dare to compete with Empress Liu, and could only watch her own flesh and bones being taken away and had no choice.
In 1022, Emperor Zhenzong of Song fell ill and died, and the crown prince Zhao Zhen ascended the throne, that is, Emperor Renzong of Song, and since he was only 13 years old, he was put under the supervision of Empress Liu. At this time, his birth mother was beaten into the cold palace, watching her son ascend the throne as emperor, but did not have any opportunity to speak to him, and finally died alone in 1031, and Empress Liu ordered her to be mourned with the courtesy of a concubine.
When Chancellor Lü Yijian heard about this, he asked to see the empress dowager alone. He said bluntly to the empress: "The minister has heard that a concubine died in the harem." When Empress Liu heard this, her face changed drastically, and she said coldly: "A concubine died in the harem, this is the emperor's family affair, what does it have to do with the prime minister?" ”
Lü Yijian replied, "The minister does not dare." The minister only reminded the empress dowager that her majesty had grown up, and if one day he heard something, would the empress dowager think about the consequences? ”
Empress Liu was inspired and empowered. Although Song Renzong did not know that his birth mother was Li Chenfei now, once he died in the future, Song Renzong would surely resent himself and even be angry with Liu's descendants, so he ordered that Li Chenfei be buried with a pint of ceremony. Lü Yijian also suggested that li Chenfei's body be preserved intact with a mercury treasure coffin, in case one day Song Renzong opened the coffin for autopsy, and secretly ordered the internal servants to dress Li Chenfei in empress costumes and put them in the well of the Great Xiangguo Temple.
After a year, Empress Liu died violently. Song Renzong was brought up by Empress Liu from childhood, and his feelings with Empress Liu were very deep, so Empress Liu's death made him very sad, and he stayed in front of the spirit all day long, tea and dinner, and the ministers could not look at it, worried about the "health of the dragon body".
Song Renzong Zhao Zhen's uncle Zhao Yuanyu couldn't help but speak, this is not a dead mother, not so! Song Renzong was shocked to hear this, and he raised his head and asked, "What did Uncle Huang say?" I'm not born to a mother? So who gave birth to me? ”
Song Renzong learned the truth from Uncle Huang's mouth. Song Renzong had doubts in his heart: Could it be that Empress Liu killed his birth mother? He immediately ordered an investigation, and at the same time sent troops to surround Empress Liu's residence. Obviously, if Song Renzong found out that his birth mother Li Shi was really killed by Empress Liu, he would take revenge on Empress Liu's family.
At this time, It was particularly important for Empress Liu to receive the help of the chancellor Lü Yijian. Emperor Renzong of Song ordered the mercury coffin of his birth mother to be salvaged from the well of the Great Xiangguo Temple, and the coffin was to be opened for autopsy. When the lid of the coffin was opened, she saw that Concubine Li Chenfei looked like a life, very peaceful, with no signs of poisoning, maiming or abuse, and wearing a back coat and a crown on her head.
At this time, Lü Yijian wasted no time in saying something fair: "Although the empress dowager has done unrighteous things, burying Concubine Chen with empress etiquette shows that she has remorse; although Empress Liu is not a birth mother, she still has the grace of nurturing her majesty and cannot be forgotten." “
Emperor Renzong of Song listened to Lü Yijian's words, withdrew his army from the Liu family, and came to Empress Liu's spirit to plead guilt. In fact, in real history, Empress Liu was a wise empress.
At the beginning of her reign as empress dowager, she said to the important ministers in power: "For the great funeral of the former emperor, you have all worked hard. You can make a list of relatives, and I will return the favor when I have the opportunity later. Empress Liu placed the list in the palace, and when the chancellor Baoju appointed officials, she first checked whether the list was there, and if there was, she would choose another faction. In this way, the courtiers were prevented from forming private parties and cultivating family power.
Someone once wrote a letter suggesting that she build the Liu Clan Ancestral Temple according to the story of Wu Zetian Wuhou of the Tang Dynasty, and some people presented the "Wuhou LinchaoTu", suggesting that she follow suit. Empress Liu looked at it, angrily threw the song on the ground, and said in a loud voice, "I will not do such a thing to apologize to the ancestors!" ”
Empress Liu bowed to the government and did not harm the world with her power. What he did was remarkable, but the matter of cutting off the love between Concubine Li Chen and Song Renzong's mother and son was indeed a little impersonal. In later generations, the saying that "tanuki cats change for princes" belongs to catching wind and catching shadows, and cannot be fully believed.