Sima Qian's "Shiji Liuhou Shijia" recorded:
In the twelfth year of the Han Dynasty, Shangcong returned from defeating the Bu army, and his illness became more and more difficult, and he wanted to change the prince more and more. Stay in the counsel, do not listen, because of illness do not look at things. Uncle Sun Taifu said that he led the ancient and modern times, and fought for the crown prince with death. On the pretense of promise, it is easy to want. and Yan, Jiujiu, Crown Prince Attendant. The four of them are from the prince, all more than eighty years old, with white eyebrows and great clothes... The four of them have completed their lives and tend to go. Looking at it, Mrs. Qi instructed the four people to say: "I want to be easy, and the four of them are supplemented, and the wings are already formed, and it is difficult to move." Lu Hou is true and masterful. Mrs. Qi wept and said, "Chu dance for me, I am Ruo Chu song." The song goes: "The birds fly high, and they kill a thousand miles in one fell swoop." The feathers are over, across the seas. Across the world, when you can't help! Although paid, Shang An gives! "The song counts, Mrs. Qi sighs, gets up, and drinks away. It is not easy for the prince, and the power of these four people is also recruited.
Since then, the 32-character "Honghu Song" of the ancestor of the Han Emperor Liu Bang has been passed down from generation to generation.
Unlike the early "Great Wind Song", which expressed Liu Bang's concern about the future of the Han Empire after him, "Honghu Song" was worried about the choice of heir.
With only four sentences and 32 characters, "The Song of the Bird" depicts in concise and vivid language the magnificent scene of the full-fledged bird soaring into the sky and having no trouble, showing his powerlessness against the change of crown prince, and revealing his complex mentality of joy, helplessness, pain, and calmness.
Liu Bang's lifelong preference is only wine and color. His conjugal relationship with Lu Xi is more of a combination of interests, and the woman he loves the most is his early mistress Cao Shi, and the other is later Qi Ji. Qi Ji is young and beautiful, and has a lot of talents, is good at musical instruments, can sing and dance, and can also compose her own songs and poems according to songs. And Liu Bang is also self-taught, good at fighting, singing and dancing and writing lyrics. Although Liu Bangji has many concubines, like Qi Ji, who can not only provide him with beautiful meals but also entertain as a confidant, there is only Qi Ji.
According to the Book of Han and the Legend of Foreign Qi, Liu Bang believed that Liu Ying, the crown prince born to Empress Lü, was too benevolent and weak, and his personality was not like his own, and Liu Ruyi, the son born to Qi Ji, was more similar in personality to himself, with the intention of abolishing the elder and establishing a child. Madame Qi also followed Liu Bang around for many years, encouraging Liu Bang to make her son Ruyi the crown prince, and cried day and night.
In the twelfth year of Emperor Gaozu of Han (195 BC), Liu Bang returned from suppressing Huangbu, his illness worsened, and he wanted to make another prince more and more. Liuhou Zhang Liang, Uncle Sun Tong and others, whether it was to consult or persuade, Liu Bang agreed on the surface, but secretly still wanted to change the prince.
At this time, Empress Lu had long lost Liu Bang's favor, but she was strong and capable, and she was a good helper in Liu Bang's career. The crown prince Liu Ying was honest, although not very clever, but he treated people more leniently, and with the support of the Manchu ministers of culture and martial arts, it was very difficult for Liu Bang to replace the crown prince.
Liu Ying's becoming crown prince was Empress Lü's greatest hope for expanding her power in her later years, and it was a treasure of eternal wealth. In the future, when the crown prince ascends the throne, she will be called the queen mother because she is the queen mother, and this immediate benefit cannot be lost.
When Empress Lü was in distress, she still saw that Zhang Liang could play a role, and used nepotism to ask his brother Hou Lü Shizhi to come out to work, and he forced a soft bubble, and begged Zhang Liang to help. Therefore, Zhang Liang thought of a way to hire "Si Hao" to strengthen the momentum of Prince Ying. Inviting the famous sage Shang Shan Sihao (namely the Duke of Dongyuan, Mr. Lu Li, Qiliji and Duke Xia Huang) to assist the crown prince made Liu Bang's idea unrealized.
In this context, Liu Bang told Qi Ji with a "Honghu Song" that the method of substituting people could not be done and could not be done.
The first sentence "The hoof flies high, a thousand miles in one fell swoop", that is, the wild goose in the sky is used as a metaphor for the prince Liu Ying.
Liu Bang was declared empress, and according to tradition, Liu Ying, the son of Empress Lü, was made crown prince. However, Liu Bang later regretted it, and found that Liu Ying was too "benevolent and weak", worried that it would be difficult for him to inherit the throne. He liked Liu Ruyi, the king of Zhao, very much like him. However, Liu Ying was born to Empress Lu. Liu Ruyi was born to his concubine Lady Qi. Ruining the house is a big deal; Moreover, Empress Lu was his original match, and he had shared hardships. He refused for a while, and repeatedly sought the advice of close ministers. However, most of the ministers were former friends of Liu Bang, and they also had a relationship with Empress Lü; And Madame Qi, in addition to the favor of the emperor, did not have the same political energy as Empress Lu. Therefore, a group of old ministers, including Zhang Liang, the Marquis of Liu, advised Liu Bang not to remove Liu Ying from his status as crown prince. Liu Bang saw that the ministers supported Liu Ying, thinking that he was like a magpie, and even "killed thousands of miles in one fell swoop", which was deceived.
The second sentence is "The wings are ready, across the seas." Continuing to say that the crown prince Liu Ying, Liu Bang was still blinded by the false image. Empress Lu knew Liu Bang's thoughts, secretly anxious, and she also knew the eternal way of "mother to son": whose son is the emperor, the biological mother is the empress dowager, and she is supremely honorable. So she spared no effort to carry out frequent behind-the-scenes activities, turned to the minister, and even did not hesitate to condescend to kneel and ask Zhang Liang for help. In the end, according to Zhang Liang's idea, she asked Liu Ying to befriend the four famous men at that time, "Shang Shan Sihao". These four are top worldly masters. Zhang Liang asked the four old men to be the prince's teachers. "Si Hao" once refused Liu Bang's invitation and refused to go out of the mountains to become an official, but now he traveled with Liu Ying, making Liu Bang mistakenly think that Liu Ying had talent and was expected by everyone.
At this time, although Han Xin, Peng Yue, Yingbu and other kings with different surnames were cut off, the princes surnamed Liu were weak for many years, and Liu Bang urgently needed more loyal and resourceful people to assist the successor kings, and it should not be too late to select talents after Yi Chu. But now, Shang Shan Sihao, who is famous all over the world but has always refused to serve the Han Court, actually bowed to the side of the crown prince Liu Ying, and Liu Bang must be very shocked.
The last two sentences "Across the seas, what can you do?" Although there is a payment, what is Shang An? Liu Bang faced Mrs. Qi's crying, expressing his feelings of helplessness and helplessness.
After Liu Bang became seriously ill, he knew that the limit was not far away, and once again mentioned the succession issue with the ministers. In addition to Chen saying the benefits, the ministers all praised Liu Ying, so that Liu Bang finally dismissed the idea of changing the crown prince. When he informed Mrs. Qi of this situation, Mrs. Qi was very sad and could not cry. Liu Bang comforted her and said, "Chu dance for me, I am Ruo Chu song." ”
"Bird's Song" is such a worried and emotional song.
On June 1, the twelfth year of the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Han (195 BC), Liu Bang died with regret.
Although Liu Bang established the Han Empire, this empire was in turmoil. There are Xiongnu in the outside world, and the domestic princes are very difficult to control. However, what caused Liu Bang the most headache was the safety of Lady Qi and her son Liu Ruyi, because Empress Lu and the crown prince Liu Ying were already full of wings like a honghu, and once the honghu flew high, it could "kill thousands of miles in one fell swoop" and "cross the four seas", and no one could control it.
The reason why Liu Bang did not insist on abolishing the elder and establishing the child in the end was that the world was initially decided, a hundred industries were waiting to be prosperous, and peace was inseparable from the ministers of Fubi. The fierce advice of the ministers in the dynasty clearly showed the unpopularity of the Qi mother and son, and handed over the world to this lonely lady, wouldn't it be a repeat of the mistake of the death of the second emperor of the Qin Dynasty?! Prince Liu Ying still can't lead a master to beg thieves, how can Liu Ruyi, who is not yet a minor, control the disgruntled courtiers?! Although Liu Bang is old and sick, he is not confused. It was about the country, and for the sake of Jiangshan Stability, he resolutely made a decision and completely abandoned the Yi Chu plan.
Looking at the historical records, in the major events after Liu Bang's death, the figure of the four elders was never seen again, and Liu Ying did not spread his wings and soar as Liu Bang expected. Liu Bang was actually severely deceived once, and it was Liu Hou Zhang Liang who hid behind the scenes to plan all this. The reason why Shang Shan Sihao had the power to turn things around was not because they were good at planning, but because Zhang Liang was well versed in Liu Bang's mentality, and only by relieving the monarch's worries could he be forced to make a decision early and avoid the turmoil caused by the deposition of the crown prince to the newly established Han Dynasty.
Liu Ying retained the crown prince's throne and successfully ascended the throne, known as Emperor Hui of Han. Empress Lü became the Empress Dowager and was able to monopolize power for more than ten years. The chicken dogs of the Lu clan ascended to heaven, and the power fell to the wilderness. Uncle Sun Tong is naturally disaster-free and harmless, the official fortune is prosperous, and Zhang Liang is even more dependent.
Qi Ji's mother and son finally ended up like this: Mrs. Qi was cut off her hands and feet, gouged out her eyes, smoked her ears, and was thrown in the toilet by Empress Lu; Liu Ruyi, the king of Zhao, was poisoned by the liquor.
Whenever I read Liu Bang's "Honghu Song", people often involuntarily think of Xiang Yu's "Song Under the Bow". Both Xiang Yu and Liu Bang explained their ending with the Mandate of Heaven, but Liu Bang's emotions at this moment were more complicated. The magnificent joy of the weather, the sober and profound pain, the helpless sorrow, and the unspeakable sorrow accumulated in thirty-two words, undoubtedly deeper than Xiang Yu's single anger that he did not realize until death.