Introduction: In the Zhou Dynasty, the State of Qin was not an aristocrat with the surname Qi. From the horsemen of Zhou Tianzi, to the vassals without fiefdoms and vain names; to the recognized princes, qin shi huang eventually swept through the six kingdoms, unified the world, and established the Great Qin Empire. The leaders of the Qin dynasty have all been pioneers who have worked hard to govern.
Among these many monarchs, King Zhaoxiang of Qin was one of the more obscure ones. He did not have the courage of Qin Mugong, nor the good name of Qin Xiaogong, nor was he as well known as Qin Shi Huang. Even in the Qin kingdom at the same time, it was not as dazzling as the god of war, The god of water, Li Bing, the god of water, and Empress Xuan, the founder of the curtain. However, it is undeniable that the Zhaowang era was an important era that was on a par with the xiaogong era and the Qin dynasty (known as the pre-imperial period). However, it is interesting that his mother Empress Xuan (the prototype of Mi Yue in the film and television drama) and the King of Yiqu had an affair and had two illegitimate children.
Stills of Zhao Ji
This can't help but remind people that Yingzheng's mother, Zhao Ji, and the false eunuch Concubine Yi had two illegitimate children. Speaking of which, qin shi huang yingzheng and Qin Zhaoxiang wang yingji, there are many similarities in their experiences. Yingji was the son of King Huiwen of Qin, who spent his early years as a proton (hostage) in the Yan Kingdom with his mother, and was taken back to China after the death of his brother King Wu of Qin, becoming the new King of Qin. He named his mother "Empress Xuan".
Qin Shi Huang was the son of King Zhuang Xiang and the grandson of King Xiaowen, and he also spent a period of time as a proton with his mother in the Zhao Kingdom, and after the death of King Xiaowen of Qin, he was taken back to China and became the new King of Qin. He named his mother "Empress Dowager". However, these two Qin kings showed two completely different attitudes when dealing with the issue of the empress's illegitimate son.
Mi Yue stills
Empress Xuan's illegitimate son was born in a bright and upright manner, and was still raised in the palace, but nothing happened. However, the illegitimate son of Empress Dowager Zhao Ji was thrown to death by the Qin Shi Huang pianist, and in many works depicting this history, he fell to his death in front of his mother. Later, Qin Shi Huang also tried to kill the empress dowager Zhao Ji at one point, but was stopped by everyone and finally expelled from Xianyang.
We have reason to believe that Zhao Ji dared to secretly give birth to a child of her lover because of the precedent of Empress Xuan's concubine. But why is there such a contrast in the handling of the same thing? Why can't the Qin dynasty be as magnanimous as the previous kings? Is it really just because Of Qin Zhao's benevolence and Qin Shi Huang's cruelty? It should be known that King Zhaoxiang of Qin was accused of weaving luo, and when he unjustly killed the god of war, he was not at all soft. Whoever achieves great things will not be the benevolence of a woman. The reason for this is probably for many practical reasons.
First, the time shift is easy, empress dowager Xi Xuan is strong and empress dowager is weak
Qin Zhaoxiang Wang Yingji's throne can be said to have been picked up, his father did not pass the throne to him, originally he was hopeless, only blamed his brother for dying too early, only let him pick up this big bargain. The death of King Wu of Qin was dramatic.
The "History of the Twelve Benji and the Qin Benji" records: "The king and Meng said that they were lifting up the ding, and they were absolutely inferior. In August, King Wu died. Clan Meng said. King Wu took Wei Nu as his queen and was childless. Li's half-brother is for King Zhaoxiang. Zhaoxiang's mother, Chu Ren, surnamed Qi, was empress dowager. When King Wu died, King Zhaoxiang was a hostage to Yan, and the Yan people returned and were established."
At that time, King Wu of Qin was in his prime, could he have imagined that he would hit his feet when he was born with divine power? No way? Like hitting his foot, could he have imagined that he would die so soon? Nor will it. So he didn't leave a will at all, much less wanted to pass the throne to his young and ignorant half-brother.
Initially, most of the qin courtiers expressed their opposition to Li Yingji as the king, after all, Empress Xuan was the royal family of the Chu state, and with the support of Empress Xuan's half-brother Wei Ran and others, King Zhaoxiang of Qin was able to succeed to the throne smoothly, so after Yingji succeeded to the throne, Wei Ran was made a great general. At that time, King Zhaoxiang of Qin was not yet an adult, and Empress Xuan was in charge of the administration of her son, and the Zizhi Tongjian recorded: "Wang Shao, Empress Xuan's autonomy, appointed Wei Ran as the government, and threatened the Qin state." "Those who are not good to the brothers of the king will be destroyed." Although this practice protected WinJi and maintained the stability of the new political situation, it also limited the power of King Zhao.
Stills of Zhao Ji and Yan Yi
During Empress Xuan's reign, she reused her brother and her two other sons born to the previous king, and the foreign relatives were so powerful that "Wen Qin had an empress dowager but no king". Of course, the King of Qin did not dare to treat people like that.
On the other hand, Qin Shi Huang succeeded to the throne under the support of Lü Buwei, and his authority was in the hands of Lü Buwei. Therefore, after he succeeded to the throne, he once called Lü Buwei "Zhongfu", and Bi Gongbi was respectful. But his mother, Empress Dowager, was just a Ge Ji, and she had neither strong foreign support nor enough power to cultivate her own power. All she had was the love of Qin Wangzheng's son for his mother. If she loses even this, she will have nothing.
Second, unlike the biological father, false castration cannot be compared with the King of Yiqu
Empress Xuan's fornication was committed to the King of Yiqu, an ancient ethnic group active in the area from the north of Jingshui to the Hetao during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, and had long been at war with the Qin state. In 331 BC, civil unrest broke out in Yiqu, and King Huiwen of Qin sent Shu Changcao to quell the civil unrest. In 327 BC, King Huiwen of Qin set up a county in Yiqu, and the king of Yiqu declared himself a vassal to the state of Qin.
Stills of The King of Yiqu
In 319 BC, the State of Qin attacked Yiqu and captured Yuzhi (郅, in present-day Eastern Qingyang, Gansu). However, the following year, Yiqu participated in the Battle of Qin by Gongsun Yanhe of the Five Kingdoms of Chu, Han, Zhao, Wei, and Yan. Taking advantage of the fact that the main force of the Qin army was engaged in a war with the Five Kingdoms, the Qin army was defeated at Li Shuai (present-day east of Tianshui City, Gansu Province). Although the Return of the Qin State won the Victory over Yiqu again, it did not take much advantage of it in the end. For this dangerous element at the doorstep, no one will easily provoke it without full certainty, and how can it be easy to execute the son of the Yiqu King? Keeping it as a hostage is obviously a better option.
And what about the object of the empress dowager's adultery? He was just a fake eunuch that Lü Buwei had presented to the empress dowager in order to avoid trouble. It is to be favored by the empress dowager to heaven, that is, a face. Even the empress dowager did not have real power, let alone him? Of course, his children were of no value to the Qin State, but only the shame of the King of Qin.
Stills of Qin Wang Yingzheng
Third, the timing was different, and the King of Qin was in a different situation and fell victim
As mentioned above, when the children of Empress Xuan and King Yiqu were born, King Zhaoxiang of Qin was in a weak position, and the empress dowager and foreign relatives were in a strong position. When the children of empress dowager and empress dowager Yi were exposed, it was just when Yingzheng was coming of age, and he urgently needed to establish the prestige of the king, change his position that had been under lü Buwei's suppression, and strive to regain the power of the King of Qin.
At this time, the affairs of the empress dowager and Concubine Yi were all over the city, and some people ran to Report in front of Yingzheng, and Concubine Yi was recommended to the empress dowager by Lü Buwei. Using drastic means to deal with this matter is undoubtedly a good opportunity. Therefore, the execution of Concubine Yi, the fall to the death of young children, and the punishment of the empress dowager are all just preludes to the overthrow of Lü Buwei.
Fourth, Empress Xuan was sober and understood her position, and the empress dowager was too "overheated"
Finally, and importantly, although Empress Xuan had an affair with King Yiqu, she did not forget that she was the empress dowager of the Qin state, let alone the duties of the empress dowager. In 272 BC, Empress Xuan lured King Yiqu into Qin and killed him at Ganquan Palace. The State of Qin seized the opportunity to send troops to attack Yiqu and established three counties in the homeland of Yiqu: Longxi, Beidi, and Shangjun. What Qin Xiaogonghe and King Huiwen did not do, she helped King Zhaoxiang of Qin to do. Some historians even believe that the purpose of Empress Xuan and King Yiqu was to destroy Yiqu with the "beauty plan", and she always thought of winning this son and facing the Qin kingdom. Because of this, King Zhaoxiang could also understand his mother's behavior.
However, the empress dowager had a feeling of being "overwhelmed by love". According to the "Saying Yuan Zhengyi", the final exposure of Yan Yi was due to a fortuitous quarrel. When Yan Yi was favored by the empress dowager, she could not avoid getting carried away. One day, Yan Yi and the attendants in the palace drank and had fun, played games, and quarreled. Yan Yi took advantage of the wine and said loudly: "I am the emperor's false father, how dare the son of the emperor be with me!" "(I am the stepfather of the great king, and your boy dares to call me a fight?" Frightened, the crowd dispersed, and the man turned his head and sold him.
Using the seal of the King of Qin and the seal of the Empress Dowager, Yan Yi mobilized the army of Xianyang County, the army of the guards in charge of the palace guards, the government's cavalry units and other government forces to launch a large-scale rebellion and prepare to attack the Punian Palace in Yongcheng. This could not have been without the support of the empress dowager.
Stills of Qin Zhaoxiang King
Qin Guomin is rough and rugged, and it is not uncommon for the empress dowager to raise a noodle head. But the mother gives birth to a child for the first time, and really regards it as a "husband", which is more important than herself, which is difficult for anyone to accept. Hindered by human morality, Qin Shi Huang did not kill the empress dowager, but she would definitely kill the two "bastards".
King Zhaoxiang of Qin did not have a seizure at that time, but he later followed Fan Ju's advice and deposed Empress Xuan and expelled Wei Ran to take power personally. The two children are also no longer recorded after the fall of Yiqu, and it is said that they died in the war. Qin Shi Huang did a desperate job at that time, but he still personally took back the empress dowager and retained her title, still living in Ganquan Palace. In the end, no one is more benevolent, no one is more cruel, everything is just the trend of the situation.