In 1127 AD, the Northern Song Dynasty fell, and Emperor Gaozong of song established the Southern Song Dynasty, and between the two Song Dynasties, there were many characters who could sing and cry, one of which was Li Gang, the first prime minister of the Southern Song Dynasty. Although Li Gang only served as prime minister for 77 days, he has always advocated resistance to the enemy, and like Yue Fei and others, he is a respectable anti-Jin courtier of the same era.
Although Li Gang of the Southern Song Dynasty was famous, 500 years ago in the era in which li Gang lived, during the Sui and Tang dynasties, there was also a prime minister named Li Gang, and this Li Gang assisted 3 princes in his lifetime, but unfortunately, two of these three princes were killed and one was deposed, and they could not be cultivated, so Li Gang was called "prince killer". Even so, Li Gang's character is enough to be respected.
During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Yuwen Xian, the King of Qi, was a quick witted and resourceful person, and was considered to be the best in the Northern Zhou imperial family. Unfortunately, after Yuwen Yun (Emperor Xuan of Zhou) ascended the throne, he was very suspicious of his uncle Yuwen Xian and did not hesitate to design to frame Yu Wenxian to death. At Yuwen Xian's funeral, there was a minister who cried and was shocked, and this person was Li Gang.
Li Gang (李纲), courtesy name Wenji, served in the army under Yuwen Xian in his early years and was a colleague of Yu Wenxian for many years, and he admired Yu Wenxian very much. You must know that Yu Wenxian was executed for the crime of "conspiracy to rebel", the whole family was killed, many former protégés avoided it, and Li Gang even dared to cry at the funeral, which shows the wind and bones of this person.
After Yuwen Xian and several of his sons were all killed, with only one daughter and no one to rely on, Li Gang took on the responsibility of raising Yuwen Clan and was therefore praised.
Three years later, Yang Jian established the Sui Dynasty and made his eldest son Yang Yong the crown prince, and because Li Gang was a righteous man, Yang Jian appointed Li Gang as the crown prince to wash horses and assist Yang Yong. Unfortunately, Yang Yong was obsessed with silk bamboo wind and moon every day, and Li Gang repeatedly advised yang Yong to dislike Li Gang for being troublesome and gradually alienated Li Gang. Later, Yang Yong was deposed, and all the ministers of the Crown Prince's Mansion were held accountable, but Yang Jian believed that Li Gang had fulfilled his responsibilities, but did not question Li Gang.
Yang Yong was later killed by Yang Guang, and Yang Yong's death showed that the first prince tutored by Li Gang was not successful.
Later, Yang Guang gradually became powerful, and Li Gang was repeatedly framed by Yang Su, Su Wei and others because he had assisted Yang Yong, and Li Gang knew that if he continued like this, he would encounter great difficulties and was very uneasy in his heart. One day, Li Gang went out and saw a fortune teller at the door of his home, so he asked him to make a fortune for himself. Old Book of Tang Cloud:
The Prophet is said to be an outline:
After the gongyi surname, he can be a qingfu after he can get the zhi and become a qingfu. It is advisable to leave early; otherwise, there will be a defeat of the folded foot.
”
The fortune teller said to Li Gang: When the world changes dynasties, you will be able to attain the goal and rank in Zaifu. You should have retreated early now, or you would have been doomed.
No one knows the name of this fortune teller, but his gua is not only accurate, but also directly affects Li Gang's life.
When Li Gang heard this, he resigned his post and went into hiding, and indeed escaped the disaster. In the last year of the Sui Dynasty, when a peasant revolt broke out, a rebel leader named He Panren found out about Li Gang's whereabouts and forced Li Gang to come out as an official. At that time, Li Yuan had just established the Tang Dynasty, and the sages of the four sides defected one after another, Li Gang was 71 years old at this time, and the good birds chose to live in wood, and Li Gang chose to defect to Li Yuan.
After Li Yuan saw Li Gang, he was very happy and appointed Li Gang as the Rebbe Shangshu and concurrently served as the crown prince Zhan Shi, specifically teaching the crown prince Li Jiancheng. At first, Li Jiancheng had great respect for Li Gang, but as more and more people around Li Jiancheng, Li Gang's right to speak gradually fell. Li Gang felt that he had lost the attention of the crown prince, so he took the initiative to offer his resignation to Li Yuan. Li Yuan was very strong in retaining Li Gang and promoted Li Gang to prince Shaobao. But then, Li Gang's suggestions Li Jiancheng did not listen at all, and Li Jiancheng even avoided Li Gang, who had talent and no life, and could not bend.
After the Xuanwumen Rebellion broke out, Li Jiancheng died.
With the death of Li Jiancheng, it shows that Li Gang's second assistant is the crown prince and another loser.
After Li Shimin ascended the throne, because Li Gang was an old minister of the Three Dynasties, he was very courteous to Li Gang, and not only appointed Li Gang as the Rebbe Shangshu, but also made Li Gang the prime minister and participated in the government affairs. At that time, Li Shimin's eldest son, Li Chengqian, was made crown prince, only 8 years old, and Li Shimin needed to find an old and important minister to teach the prince. In the end, Li Shimin chose Li Gang, and at this time, Li Gang was already 80 years old. Zizhi Tongjian Cloud:
Li Gang had a foot disease, and he gave him the right to take the public opinion, so that he could multiply it to the bottom, and the number was introduced into the forbidden place, and he asked about political affairs. Whenever he went to the Eastern Palace, the prince personally worshipped him. Whenever the crown prince saw things, Shang Linggang sat with Fang Xuanling.
During the Zhenguan years, because Li Gang was old and had bad legs and feet. Li Shimin specially gave Li Gang to enter the palace to ride on the foot. Crown Prince Li Chengqian had great respect for Li Gang and was treated with courtesy. Every time the crown prince went to the court to listen to the government, Li Shimin asked Li Gang and Fang Xuanling to accompany him. Moreover, Li Gang's remarks were generally accepted by The crown prince Li Chengqian, which made Li Gang very pleased.
Li Chengqian was the third prince assisted by Li Gang in his lifetime, and he was also the prince he considered the best. In fact, at that time, Li Chengqian had the teachings of Empress Eldest Sun inside and Li Gang and Fang Xuanling on the outside, and indeed he was a very talented prince, and if he inherited the unification, there might be great hope.
In the fifth year of Zhenguan, the 85-year-old Li Gang was seriously ill, and Li Shimin was very concerned about it, and sent a tai doctor to diagnose and treat him many times. Crown Prince Li Chengqian, Fang Xuanling and other former ministers visited the palace many times, and Empress Changsun also sent people to visit many times.
After all, Li Gang was old and died unexpectedly in that year. Li Gang's 5 sons all went before him. On the day of the funeral, Yu Wenxian's daughter, Yuwen Shi (aged about 60), the orphan daughter that Li Gang raised that year, personally served Li Gang's funeral, and she cried and fainted many times on the spot, which touched many people.
Five years after Li Gang's death, Empress Changsun also died, and from then on, the crown prince Li Chengqian's personality changed greatly, and he was later deposed for launching a rebellion.
Li Chengqian eventually failed to become the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, and the third crown prince assisted by Li Gang fell again.
Li Gang went through three dynasties, assisted 3 princes in his lifetime, 5 sons went before him, and raised the children of old friends, and his life, noble character, experienced vicissitudes. However, he did not have the opportunity to be an "imperial master" after all, and the failure of the three princes was not the fault of Li Gang, who fell under the insult of a "prince killer", which made people sigh.