Emperor Ruizong of Tang, Li Dan, the father of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, reigned twice, and chose to abdicate during his second reign, ceding the throne to Li Longji. After that, Li Dan served as emperor for four years. This period of history always makes people feel that the relationship between Li Dan and Li Longji father and son is very harmonious. However, through the clues, we will find that the father's kindness and filial piety are all lies! Tang Ruizong even almost jumped off the building to commit suicide, what is going on?
The matter has to start in 710, when Li Longji, who was still the king of Linzi County, joined forces with his aunt Princess Taiping to launch the TangLong coup, killing Empress Wei and her henchmen and proclaiming Li Dan the Prince of Xiang as emperor. Later, when discussing the selection of the crown prince, Li Longji, who was neither a concubine nor the eldest son, won because he played an important role in the TangLong coup. At that time, there were two political forces in the political arena of the Tang Dynasty, led by Li Longji and Princess Taiping.
In dealing with Empress Wei, Li Longji and Princess Taiping were allies, but after the coup, the two became enemies around power. Although Tang Ruizong was Li Longji's father, he sided with his sister Princess Taiping. However, Li Longji was a man with high political skill, and through a series of operations, he used the celestial factor to cause his father to abdicate. However, after his abdication, Tang Ruizong did not give up his power.
First of all, Tang Ruizong was still called Yuan, while Tang Xuanzong could only be called. Secondly, Tang Ruizong made his pilgrimage to the Taiji Hall every five days; while Tang Xuanzong could only worship at the Wude Hall every day. The Taiji Hall is the main hall, while the Wude Hall is only the side hall. The most important point is that "the three pins or more are decided by the emperor in addition to the granting and the great punishment, and the rest are determined by the emperor", that is to say, Tang Ruizong controlled the decision-making power of officials above the three pins and major events.
Although Tang Xuanzong became emperor, the real power was still in the hands of Tang Ruizong. During this period, Princess Taiping planned to depose Tang Xuanzong, and she also discussed the matter with her brother Tang Ruizong. At that time, five of the seven prime ministers in the dynasty were Princess Taiping, and of course they were appointed by Tang Ruizong. Tang Xuanzong felt a great threat, and if he wanted to keep his throne, he had to get rid of his aunt Princess Taiping and at the same time let his father and emperor "retire" completely.
So on the third day of July 713, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, took the initiative and launched an army to kill Princess Taiping's cronies in the forbidden army, and then controlled the palace from north to south. When Tang Ruizong learned of the coup d'état, he first watched the coup at Suzhangmen, and then went south to Fengtian Gate, at the same time, he issued an edict, "Ordering the soldiers of the Southern Guard to prepare for the extraordinary." At that time, Beiya's army was already under the control of Tang Xuanzong, and he wanted to use Nanya's army to resist.
But by this time it was too late, and Li Longji's army soon arrived under the Fengtian Gate. Tang Ruizong knew that the general trend had gone, and he actually wanted to end his life by jumping off the building, "Wen Donggong soldiers arrived, and he wanted to throw himself downstairs." At that time, the prime minister Guo Yuanzhen was at Tang Ruizong's side, and he hugged Tang Ruizong and persuaded him bitterly for half a day, "Personally support the holy bow, and the persuasion is stopped." Soon, Tang Xuanzong also came to the top of the city tower of Fengtian Gate, and Tang Ruizong could only accept the fate of "retirement".
Later, Tang Xuanzong issued an edict in the name of his father, "Guilty of cherishing zhen, etc., because of pardoning the world, but the rebels are not pardoned." The next day, Tang Ruizong issued another edict, "From now on, all the military and state government punishments will be punished by the emperor", surrendering all his power and retiring to the Hundred Blessings Hall. After Princess Taiping was captured, it is said that Tang Ruizong interceded, but Tang Xuanzong ignored it and directly put his aunt to death. The Song Dynasty man Hong Mai said that Tang Ruizong "did not get himself", which means that he was forced to do so, and the so-called fatherly kindness and filial piety are just the renderings of official historians.
Resources:
1. Old Book of Tang; 2. New Book of Tang; 3. Zizhi Tongjian; 4. Wenyuan Yinghua