Preface
What kind of existence is power? Is it the highest pursuit of life, or is it endless torture? In this world, how many people have paid the price of their lives? When we look back at history, we will always find heart-wrenching stories that tell the cruelty and ruthlessness of power.
The eldest prince's is not easy
At the age of 19, it is undoubtedly the best time of life for most people. However, for Li Yu, this age is destined for him to face endless challenges and hardships. In the Tang Dynasty, an era of fierce power struggle, Li Yu was canonized as the crown prince, which should have been the most glorious starting point of his life, but it hid countless thorns and crises.
As the crown prince, Li Yu must always be vigilant against pressure and threats from all sides. Although his status may seem noble, he is actually walking on thin ice. His father, Tang Dezong Li Shi, although he made him the crown prince, had a soft spot for his adopted son Li Yi, which made Li Yu always feel threatened from within. Against this backdrop, Li Yu had to redouble his efforts to ensure that he would not fall behind in this race for the throne.
Every day, Li Chen's life was surrounded by heavy court etiquette. He had to show the dignity and majesty of the crown prince in various public appearances, while also managing his complicated relationships with other members of the royal family in private, especially with Li Yi. This kind of pressure makes Li Yu often think alone in the middle of the night about how to balance these interpersonal relationships while maintaining his political stance and influence.
For Li Yu, the status of the crown prince means not only power, but also a heavy responsibility. He knows that any one misstep could cause him to lose everything.
Therefore, he behaved extremely low-key in the government and tried to avoid unnecessary controversy and attention. He studied hard, recruited talents, and hoped that through his own efforts, he would lay a solid foundation for the future way of governing the country.
However, even with such caution, a power struggle in the court was inevitable. In the dead of night, Li Yu would always ponder whether his future was full of hope or unknown dangers. This deep uneasiness and tension accompanied him every day and night. Even so, Li Yu still did not give up any opportunity to improve himself and stabilize the status of the crown prince, his heart was full of desire for the future and the persistent pursuit of success.
A contest of brothers
In the treacherous political arena of the Tang Dynasty, the contest between Li Yu and Li Yi was not only a contest of personal strength, but also a contest of the wisdom and strategy of their respective supporters. Although Li Yu is a legitimate prince, Li Yi, as Li Shi's adopted son, is no less favored and valued than Li Yu, which makes the already complicated battle for the succession to the throne even more confusing.
Li Yu was under great pressure to do this, and he knew that if he wanted to keep his position as crown prince, he would have to strengthen his position in this seemingly peaceful but actually undercurrent struggle. Not only did he have to demonstrate extraordinary political wisdom and talent, but he also had to build a solid network of supporters both inside and outside the court. As a result, Li Yu began to participate more actively in the government and consolidate and demonstrate his ability to govern the country through practical actions.
At the same time, Li Yu also knew that he had to maintain extreme vigilance. He always kept an eye on Li Yi's every move, as well as the officials and nobles who might become the support of his forces.
In this silent contest, Li Yu showed extremely high political acumen and strategic layout ability. He further strengthened his position by winning the hearts and minds of the people through his effectiveness in his administration and making friends with the world's heroes through generosity.
However, Li Yi is not an easy opponent to deal with. As a figure who also has extensive influence in the court, he also has certain supporters in the court by virtue of Li Shi's favor, as well as his extraordinary talent and charm. His existence, for Li Yu, is undoubtedly a time bomb hanging overhead, which may cause changes at any time.
In this context, the contest between Li Yu and Li Yi has become more subtle and complicated. Although the two sides maintain politeness and respect on the surface, in private, they are fighting for each other, and each is fighting tirelessly for its own goals and ideals. In this case, every banquet, every court meeting, and even every chance encounter in the palace may become a stage for the two to compete.
Struggles on the sickbed
After a long and tense political battle, Li Yu was physically and mentally exhausted. His health began to deteriorate and he eventually became paralyzed in bed due to a stroke. This is undoubtedly a great blow to him, who has always been active in the political arena. Li Yu's ward has become his new "court", and although his body is trapped, his desire for the throne has not diminished in the slightest.
Li Yu on the sickbed faced not only physical pain, but also mental torture. He was unable to participate in the affairs of the court in person, and could only learn about the dynamics of the court through messengers and henchmen. Whenever he heard that Li Yi's activities and influence in the DPRK and China were gradually increasing, his heart would set off huge waves. This feeling of powerlessness and anxiety made his condition even worse.
Despite the adversity, Li Yu did not completely lose hope. He began to listen and observe more, and in this way he exercised and improved his political wisdom. He would pay close attention to the words and deeds of the visiting ministers, and analyze the changes in the situation inside and outside the court. In this way, Li Yu tried to continue to influence and participate in political life despite his physical limitations.
At the same time, Li Yu also received the support and encouragement of many loyal people. They came to the ward from time to time to report to Li Yu the latest developments in the DPRK and China, and at the same time brought with them the concern and expectations of the outside world. The support of these loyal ministers has become an important psychological pillar for Li Yu to struggle on the sickbed.
However, what excites Li the most are the voices of the people and scholars who still have hope for him. They expressed their support and expectations for the prince in various ways, and these voices were like a spring breeze, warming Li Yu's cold heart. During this difficult period, Li Yu gradually realized that even if he was unwell, as long as he had the country and the people in his heart, his influence and authority would still exist.
Although Li Chen's days on the sickbed were full of pain and challenges, they were also an extremely important turning point in his life. During this time, he not only deepened his understanding of politics, but also re-examined his own perception of power and responsibility.
A moment of reversal of fate
On the cold winter night of 805, the news of the death of Tang Dezong Li Shi swept through the entire palace like a cold snap in winter, bringing greater uncertainty to the already stormy imperial situation. When the news reached Li Yu's sickbed, the prince, who had been paralyzed in bed for a long time and trapped by illness and frustration, set off a storm in his inner world.
At this critical juncture, the vacuum of power in the palace makes everyone feel the uncertainty of the future. The eunuchs conspired to make Li Yi the new emperor, intending to completely rewrite the future of the Tang Dynasty. And the commander Wang Chengzong, an old minister, stood firmly on Li Xu's side, he knew Li Xu's wisdom and benevolence, and believed that he was the hope of the future of the Tang Dynasty.
Wang Chengzong took a huge risk to come to Li Yu's hospital room, and he needed to confirm the prince's attitude and wishes. When he lifted the curtain and looked directly at the prince who had been bedridden for a long time, his heart was filled with mixed emotions. Wang Chengzong did not see a tired and depressed patient, but a future king with firm eyes and a weak body but full of spiritual strength.
After Li Yu learned the news of his father's death, the fire in his heart was rekindled. He knew that this was his last chance, and it was also his chance to hate for his bitter and unfair treatment for many years. Under the witness of Wang Chengzong, Li Yu showed an astounding willpower. His heart was filled with a sense of responsibility to the country and its people, as well as a firm belief in the future.
Just when everyone thought that he would end his life as a paralyzed prince forever, Li Yu made a move that made everyone unbelievable. He began to move his body with great effort, and each attempt was fraught with pain and challenge. However, there was a determined light in his eyes, which was the desire for the future, the challenge of fate.
Eventually, with the support of Wang Chengzong and a handful of loyal ministers, Li Yu miraculously stood up. This moment was not only a victory for his personal will, but also a shock to all those who were watching.
Ephemeral brilliance and eternal regret
Li Yu's miraculous rise and ascension to the throne as emperor marked the victory of his personal struggle, and he finally reached a peak in his life's journey. However, Game of Thrones is far more complicated than he thought. Although he sat on the throne with a strong will and a vengeful mindset, he found that the path of the emperor was more full of thorns than the prince's sickbed.
During his brief reign, Li Yu realized that the emperor's power was not supreme, and that he had to deal with an entrenched power of eunuchs who were at ease in the court and interfered with his every decision, either explicitly or implicitly. Li Yu's heart was filled with resentment and resentment towards these eunuchs, and he decided to take action to try to curtail their power and purge the cancer that had long plagued the imperial power of the Tang Dynasty.
However, the struggle for power is far from simple. Li Yu's every move was closely monitored and countered by the eunuchs. They used their deep roots and influence to create great resistance in the DPRK and China. Li Chen's efforts always seemed to be half the effort, and the more he tried to eradicate the eunuch forces, the more difficult his situation became.
In the eighth month after ascending the throne, faced with an increasingly complex political situation and growing pressure, Li Yu had to make a difficult decision to pass the throne to his young son Li Chun, and he himself abdicated as Emperor Taishang. This decision, although it seemed to be for the stability and future of the Tang Dynasty at the time, was in fact a sign of the failure of Li Yu's personal power struggle.
After the abdication, Li Yu did not stop his political activities, he tried to manipulate from behind the scenes and continue to purge the eunuch forces. But these attempts ended in failure. His efforts not only did not achieve the desired results, but instead put himself in an even more dangerous situation. The eunuchs' counterattack against him became more and more fierce, and his life was seriously threatened.
Against this backdrop, Li Yu's health deteriorated dramatically, and his body and mind were under tremendous pressure. Finally, in 806, the emperor, who had experienced countless storms and had miraculously stood up, fell seriously ill and died at the age of 35. His death was not only the end of his personal tragedy, but also the end of an era.
epilogue
What kind of existence is power? For Li Yu, it is not only a pursuit, but also an endless torture. His life, from the crown prince to the emperor, and then to the emperor, was full of hardships and struggles. His story makes us sigh that even the crown prince in the royal family cannot escape the tricks of fate.