Lü Yan was the first empress dowager in Chinese history to be called "Lü Wu" (Lü Wu) in the imperial title, and had monopolized power for sixteen years, and was called "Lü Wu" together with Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty. Although Lü Yan was nailed to the pillar of shame in history, it is undeniable that her outstanding political ability, in the more than ten years of her power, she promoted the governing concept of "ruling by doing nothing and resting with the people", which laid the foundation for the later rule of Wenjing.
It should be known that the Han Empire was established after three years of anti-Qin war and four years of Chu-Han War, after seven years of war, the country needs to cultivate and recuperate, the people are eager to live a stable life, the Qin Empire is still after the unification of the world still adopted the previous strategy of the great power to lead to the tragedy of Qin II's death.
If the Han Dynasty did not want to repeat the mistakes of the Qin Empire, Wenzhi Tianxia was the best choice, so Lü Yan was a very good politician. However, because her various behaviors have been criticized by future generations, such as torturing and killing Lady Qi, poisoning Liu Ruyi, and killing the founding heroes, all she did was to clear the way for her power.
After Emperor Hui of Han was killed by her anger, Empress Lü directly came to the court to claim the system, without the name of the emperor, but with the power of the emperor. In fact, Lü Hou was psychologically clear, the Han Dynasty was established by Liu Bang, Jiangshan will always be the Jiangshan of the Liu family, and Liu Bang's sons will be the obstacles to her road to power, so how does the powerful Lü Hou treat other princes?
(1) Liu Fei, King of Qi
Liu Fei was Liu Bang's eldest son, his biological mother Cao Shi, after Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu, he enfeoffed Han Xin, the king of Qi, as the King of Chu, and his advisers told Liu Bang that the State of Qi was very important and that non-relatives could not be granted the title, so Liu Bang made his eldest son Liu Fei the King of Qi.
After Emperor Hui of Han ascended the throne, once Liu Fei entered the capital to meet Emperor Hui of Han, Emperor Hui saw his brother coming, and held a family banquet in the Lü harem, Emperor Hui was weak and humble, although he was the king of a country, there was no emperor's shelf, he let Liu Fei sit on the throne, like a family banquet.
Lü Hou was furious about this, she ordered someone to bring two glasses of poisonous wine, let Liu Fei give her a toast, Liu Fei did not think much, took up the wine and prepared to toast his mother-in-law, Emperor Hui of Han watched his brother toast to his mother, he took another cup to toast himself, Lü Hou hurriedly overturned the wine glass in the hands of Emperor Hui of Han, which made Liu Fei suspicious, and he immediately pretended to be drunk and left.
Liu Fei later inquired about it and learned that it was poisonous wine, for which he felt panicked, and later someone offered him a plan, Liu Fei followed the plan, and took the initiative to dedicate the Chengyang Commandery of the State of Qi to Princess Lu Yuan, the only daughter of Empress Lü, and honored her as empress dowager (mother), before he was able to escape.
Liu Fei died four years after returning to the State of Qi, although the history books do not record the cause of Liu Fei's death, but the author believes that in order to get out of danger, he respected his sister as his mother, presumably after Liu Fei returned to the State of Qi, his heart was not a taste, most of them were depressed.
(2) Liu Ruyi, King of Zhao
Liu Ruyi, the King of Zhao, was Liu Bang's third son, his biological mother Lady Qi, and Liu Ruyi's tragedy was that he had a young and ignorant mother, and Lady Qi openly challenged the empress's position during Liu Bang's lifetime, but ended in failure, laying the groundwork for the tragedy of herself and her son.
After The Han Hui Emperor Liu Ying ascended the throne, Empress Lü also naturally became the empress dowager, and she immediately ordered Lady Qi to be imprisoned in Yongxiang and let her scoop rice every day. If Lady Qi was a wise person at this time, she should have known Lü Hou's means, because of her own ignorance, she had become a prisoner, but now Lü Hou had not yet extended her magic hand to her son after all, as long as she honestly scooped rice every day, she might be spared a disaster, but Lady Qi was very irrational when she scooped rice, and the meaning of the song was that the son was the king, the mother was a slave, wearing a prison coat and rice, at any time it was possible to lose his life, mother and son gathered for three thousand miles, who could pass a letter to king Zhao for him. The meaning of Lady Qi's song is obviously to rely on her son.
Soon this song reached Lü Hou, who in a rage summoned King Zhao to beijing and wanted to kill him, and Emperor Hui of Han was kind and weak, and in order to protect his brother, he ate and lived with Liu Ruyi. One day, when Emperor Hui was out hunting, Lü Hou sent someone to forcibly pour poisoned wine on King Zhao, and a song by Lady Qi buried her son's life.
(3) Liu You, King of Huaiyang
Liu You, the Prince of Huaiyang, was the sixth son of Liu Bang, and after the death of Liu Ruyi the Prince of Zhao, Liu You, the King of Huaiyang, was renamed King of Zhao. When Lü Hou was in power, in order to win over the kings surnamed Liu, he promoted the "Liu-Lü Marriage", and gave liu You, his mother's family Lü Xu, and Queen Lü relied on Lü Hou's power and arrogance, which Liu You did not like very much. Queen Lü saw that her husband did not like herself, but liked other concubines, and she hated Liu You to the bone, so she left the Zhao kingdom in a rage and ran behind Lü to advance Liu You's rumors, saying that Liu You was very dissatisfied with Lü's becoming king and wanted to wait until a hundred years after Lü Hou to wipe out the Lü clan.
Lü Hou was furious and summoned Liu You, the King of Zhao, to Beijing, where he was imprisoned in his official residence and cut off from food supplies, and Liu You was imprisoned and starved to death.
(4) Liu Hui, King of Liang
Liu Huan the Prince of Liang was the fifth son of Liu Bang, and after the death of Liu You the Prince of Zhao, Lü Hou renamed Liu Hui the Prince of Liang as the King of Zhao, forcing him to marry the daughter of Lü Chan of Xiangguo, who was Lü Hou's nephew, who was more powerful than Liu You's queen, she was unreasonable and vicious, and sent people to monitor Liu Hui twenty-four hours a day to prevent him from interacting with other women, Liu Hui had no freedom, like a prisoner all day, and did not dare to complain, he was deeply desperate.
Liu Hui, like his younger brother Liu You, did not like the Lü family's daughters and liked other concubines, and Queen Lü, with the support of Empress Lü, sent someone to poison Liu Hui's favored concubine. Liu Hui lost his freedom and lost love, and was depressed all day long, and four months after his favorite concubine was killed, that is, half a year after he went to the Zhao Kingdom to take up his post, Liu Hui committed suicide.
When Lü Hou heard that Liu Hui had committed suicide, he felt that he had not shown up and deprived Liu Hui of his son's right to inherit the throne.
(5) Acting King Liu Heng
Liu Heng was the fourth son of Liu Bang, his biological mother Bo Ji, a month after the death of Liu Hui the Prince of Zhao, Lü Hou ordered Liu Heng to take over the post of King of Zhao, the previous three Kings of Zhao were unfortunately deceased, Liu Heng naturally did not want to go to the post, he found a good reason, the northern side of the Dai Kingdom was close to the Xiongnu, Liu Heng refused to take over the position of King of Zhao on the grounds that he was willing to guard the frontier for his mother-in-law. After Lü Hou knew about it, he not only did not get angry, but also agreed with Liu Heng.
Three months after Liu Hui's death (September 181 BC), Liu Jian the Prince of Yan died, leaving liu bang's sons with little left, and the following year Lü Hou died of illness, and the Lü clan was condemned, and Liu Heng ascended the throne with the support of his ministers, which was the famous Han Wen Emperor Liu Heng in history.
(6) Liu Chang, King of Huainan
Liu Chang was Liu Bang's seventh son, and his biological mother Washi, Who died shortly after giving birth to Liu Chang, and Liu Bang entrusted Liu Chang to Be raised by Lü Hou. After Yingbu, the king of Huainan, was killed, Liu Bang made Liu Chang the King of Huainan. Because Liu Chang was raised by Lü Hou, Lü Hou had deep feelings for this adopted son, and during Lü Hou's reign, Liu Chang was spared from disaster.
After Lü Hou's death, Liu Bang's sons were only Liu Chang and Liu Heng, and Liu Chang was arrogant because of his brother Liu Heng. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Han, Liu Chang did not use the Han royal law in his fiefdom, and made edicts without authorization, and later colluded with the Xiongnu in an attempt to rebel, and after consultation with the ministers, proposed to sentence Liu Chang to death, but Emperor Wen of Han remembered his brotherhood, abolished his throne, and exiled him to Shu County (present-day Ya'an, Sichuan), Liu Chang felt remorse and depression, and died without eating on the way to Shu County.
(7) Liu Jian, King of Yan
Liu Jian, the King of Yan, was the youngest son of Liu Bang, and his birth mother is unknown, and after Liu Bang ascended the throne, he eradicated the princes with different surnames, leaving only Lu Xie, the King of Yan, and Wu Rui, the King of Changsha, who was so frightened that he finally chose to defect to the Xiongnu.
After Lu Xuan rebelled against Han, Liu Bang made Liu Jian the King of Yan, Liu Jian died seven years after Gao, although he was not killed by Lü Hou, but his son did not escape the clutches of Lü Hou, so Liu Jian had no heirs and the feudal state was abolished.
Among Liu Bang's many sons, most of them were persecuted by Empress Lü, but Liu Heng survived by relying on his own political wisdom, and Liu Chang relied on special experience to escape the disaster, but Liu Chang did not argue with each other, which caused tragedy.