The biography of the eldest grandson of Empress Taizong Wende
Changsun (601-636), Xianbei nationality, ancestral home Luoyang. Empress Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, mother of Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. After his death, he was nicknamed Empress Wende.
The virtuous helper of "Heavenly Khan".
The ancestor of the eldest grandson was the head of the clan of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and when Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty reformed, he specially gave the surname of the eldest grandson. The eldest grandson family has produced many talents for generations, and the father of the eldest grandson is the famous general of the Sui Dynasty, Changsun Sheng. The eldest grandson received a good education from an early age, was familiar with poetry and books, and observed etiquette.
Changsun Sheng's elder brother and Tang Gaozu knew each other in their early years, and they admired Gaozu's wife Dou Shi very much, and thought that the son she cultivated must be very good, so he persuaded Changsun Sheng and the Li family to marry their children.
After the death of Changsun Sheng, Changsun's uncle actively promoted her to marry her to Gaozu's second son Tang Taizong, and since then they have begun a life of mutual knowledge and love, mutual respect and mutual trust.
After the eldest grandson married Taizong, he was very filial to his in-laws, and later presided over the housekeeping, keeping the Tang State Mansion in good order, and soon won the reputation of virtue. When Gaozu established the Tang Dynasty, Taizong had outstanding achievements and high prestige, and the crown prince Li Jiancheng felt threatened and often spoke ill of him in front of Gaozu. The eldest grandson often entered the palace to serve Gaozu, and always fulfilled filial piety, which won the approval of the emperor's father-in-law, and she took the opportunity to ease the relationship between their father and son.
Later, the open and secret struggle between Li Jiancheng and Taizong finally evolved into the "Xuanwumen Change" of cannibalism. On the eve of the coup d'état, the eldest grandson knew that the matter was irreparable, so he stood by her husband's side without hesitation, encouraged him to give it a go, and personally encouraged the sergeants to fight bravely, and everyone was deeply moved.
After Tang Taizong ascended the throne, he appointed Changsun as the empress. Empress Changsun's elder brother, Changsun Wuji, was friends with Taizong, and Taizong trusted him so much that he wanted to appoint him as prime minister.
Empress Changsun dissuaded: "I am already very noble in the harem, and I really don't want my mother's family to be a high-ranking official again." Empress Lu of the Han Dynasty is a lesson from the past, please Your Majesty don't let my brother be the prime minister!" But Taizong did not listen and insisted on appointing the eldest grandson Wuji as the prime minister. Seeing that she couldn't stop her husband, Empress Changsun privately persuaded her brother to resign many times, but Taizong really had no choice but to withdraw his fate.
Empress Changsun was also very strict in educating her sons. The nurse of the crown prince Li Chengqian often complained to the eldest grandson empress that the living utensils in the palace were not enough, and asked for more rewards. Empress Changsun did not agree, and said to the nurse: "As the crown prince, I am worried that my character cannot be established and my reputation cannot be spread far and wide, so why should I worry about the lack of utensils?"
For the ministers who angered Tang Taizong, Empress Changsun tried her best to defend them. Once, Tang Taizong returned to the palace and said angrily: "One day, I will kill this hillbilly!" Taizong told her that the minister Wei Zheng always embarrassed himself in public, which was really hateful!
Empress Changsun returned to the inner room without saying a word, and after a while, she walked out in full costume and said to Tang Taizong, "Congratulations, Your Majesty!" Taizong was puzzled and asked her where her joy came from. Empress Changsun said: "I have heard that only the monarch is virtuous, and the courtiers dare to speak out. Now that Wei Zheng is so upright, it just shows that His Majesty is a Ming Monarch! Isn't this worth celebrating?" Taizong was in a good mood after hearing this, and he paid more attention to Wei Zheng.
Later, the eldest grandson queen fell seriously ill, and the crown prince Li Chengqian whispered to her: "All the medicines in the world have been used, but the queen mother still does not improve." The son wants his father to grant amnesty to the prisoners, and asks God to bless you with a speedy recovery. ”
Empress Changsun hurriedly stopped and said: "Life and death are fate, you can't force it." If doing good deeds can prolong my life, I have never done anything bad. If not, why pray to heaven? Besides, pardoning prisoners is a major matter of the state, so how can I disturb the imperial decree because I am alone?" The ministers were very moved when they learned about this incident, and asked Tang Taizong to pardon the prisoners and pray for the queen. But Empress Changsun resolutely disagreed, and Taizong had no choice but to give up.
When Empress Changsun was dying, just in time for Prime Minister Fang Xuanling to be dismissed, she persuaded Tang Taizong: "Fang Xuanling has followed His Majesty for the longest time, and has always been cautious, and he has never leaked a word of confidential and important matters that he participated in planning. If it weren't for the great sin, Your Majesty would never abandon him!" This was the only time in her life that she discussed the government.
Subsequently, Empress Changsun explained to Taizong what happened after her death: "My mother's family has been reused by His Majesty because of their in-laws, and their morality and talents are not outstanding, which is very dangerous." Please don't give them too much power, only in this way can they stay safe for a long time. I didn't contribute much when I was alive, and the funeral after my death should not be extravagant. ”
In 636, Empress Changsun died of illness at the age of thirty-six. Tang Taizong said sadly: "The queen was persuaded by routine during her lifetime, so that I corrected many mistakes. Now that I have lost this virtuous helper, I will never be able to hear her advice again, how sad it is!"
Empress Changsun gave birth to three sons for Taizong: the crown prince Li Chengqian, the king of Wei Li Tai, and the king of Jin Li Zhi. After her death, Taizong poured his affection for her into his son. Tang Taizong had high hopes for Li Chengqian, but unexpectedly he embarked on the wrong path of rebellion; Li Tai saw that Li Chengqian's position as crown prince was in jeopardy, so he secretly befriended the ministers and tried to replace him. In the end, the disappointed Tang Taizong deposed the two of them and appointed Li Zhi, the third son of Empress Changsun, as the crown prince, which was Tang Gaozong.
The eldest grandson queen is virtuous and kind, has both ability and political integrity, and Tang Taizong is close to each other, sharing weal and woe, and is promoted as a model of virtuous queen by later generations.
Biography of Xuanzong Yang Guifei
Yang Yuhuan (719-756), originally from Yongle County, Puzhou (present-day Yongji City, Shanxi Province), was born in Shuzhou (present-day Chongzhou City, Sichuan Province). Tang Xuanzong's concubine, one of the four beauties of ancient China.
Three thousand pampered concubines in one
Yang Yuhuan's ancestors were side branches of the Sui Dynasty royal family, and there were many high-ranking officials, and in her father's generation, she only served as a lower-level official.
When Yang Yuhuan was eleven years old, his father died of illness and he was raised by his uncle. She has a gentle and gentle personality, is naturally beautiful, well-educated, proficient in music, good at singing and dancing, likes to play the pipa, and is more bright and moving when she grows up. At the age of sixteen, she married Tang Xuanzong's son Shouwang Li Mao, and the husband and wife were harmonious and happy after marriage.
In his early years, Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty made great efforts to create a prosperous era of the Kaiyuan Dynasty, which made the national strength of the Tang Dynasty reach its peak. His brilliant achievements made him proud and complacent, and he began to indulge in lust and indulgence. This year, Xuanzong's favorite concubine Wu Hui died of illness, and since then his temperament has changed greatly, depressed, and some people have taken the opportunity to enter the princess Yang Yuhuan of Yanshou with extraordinary qualifications. Xuanzong summoned Yang Yuhuan into the palace, and as a result, he fell in love at first sight, and first ordered her to become a Taoist priest, enter the palace, and then canonize another princess to King Shou, and then officially canonize her as a concubine, and the favor she got was no less than that of Concubine Wu Hui back then.
A year later, Yang Guifei was pampered and arrogant and was kicked out of the palace by Tang Xuanzong. Without Yang Guifei's company, Tang Xuanzong began to lose his temper, scolded the waiter, and refused to eat all day long. Seeing this, the personal eunuch Gao Lishi hurriedly took Yang Guifei back overnight. After Yang Guifei returned to the palace, she asked Xuanzong to punish her, and Xuanzong was in a good mood when he saw her, so he hurriedly stepped forward to comfort her, and the two reconciled.
A few years later, Yang Guifei angered Tang Xuanzong again and was kicked out of the palace again. Soon after, Xuanzong relented and ordered the eunuch to send her imperial food. Yang Guifei cried and said to the eunuch: "Please tell Your Majesty that the concubine offended Tianwei and deserved death." Everything I have is a gift from His Majesty, and there is nothing to commemorate it. Parents who have received their body hair and skin, let them use a bunch of green silk to reward Your Majesty's favor!" After speaking, cut off a lock of hair and let the eunuch bring it to Xuanzong. Xuanzong regretted and felt distressed, and hurriedly sent Gao Lishi to take Yang Guifei back to the palace.
Yang Guifei was kicked out of the palace twice, not only was she forgiven by Tang Xuanzong twice, but her grace was even better than before. Her unique charm lies in the fact that she is not only proficient in music and rhythm like Xuanzong, can sing and dance, but also does not be like other concubines, who are submissive to Xuanzong, and appear full of personality. Having two awkward quarrels in a row did not affect the relationship between them, but made Xuanzong love her even more, reaching the level of collecting the favor of the three thousand beauties of the harem.
Yang Guifei liked to eat lychees, so Xuanzong ordered local officials to pick lychees, and then use fast horses to transport them to Chang'an, the capital thousands of miles away, through the post road that transmitted emergency military information, so as to keep the lychees fresh. Seeing the fast horses passing on military information entering and leaving the capital, the uninformed people thought that there was a war on the border. Therefore, the late Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu has a poem: "When the concubine laughs on the red dust, no one knows that it is a lychee." ”
Since Yang Guifei became favored, her three sisters and two cousins have all gained a respected status, and their lives are very luxurious. Tang Xuanzong was busy entertaining with Yang Guifei, and handed over all state affairs to her cousin Yang Guozhong. The Yang family is powerful and domineering, and even the princess and the concubine offend the Yang family because of trivial matters, and they will be punished by Xuanzong. Seeing this, the ministers greeted each other one after another, looted the people's fat and ointment, and curried favor with the Yang family, so the officials were bad, causing a huge social crisis.
At that time, An Lushan, a general of the Hu nationality who concurrently served as the envoy of the three feudal towns in Hebei, took a fancy to Yang Guifei's power and recognized her as his adoptive mother. In 755, An Lushan led an army of 150,000 to formally raise troops to rebel in the name of killing the rebel minister Yang Guozhong. Due to the lack of preparation and improper command of the Tang army, An Lushan soon approached Chang'an, and Tang Xuanzong had to hurriedly lead Yang Guifei and his ministers to flee to Shu.
However, as soon as they arrived at Maweiyi (in present-day Xingping City, Shaanxi Province), the escort army unanimously demanded that Yang Guozhong, the culprit of the "Anshi Rebellion", be killed, and then hacked Yang Guozhong to death without waiting for the edict. After killing Yang Guozhong, the sergeants refused to disperse for a long time, and said to Tang Xuanzong: "Although Yang Guozhong is dead, the root of the curse is still there, please Your Majesty forbear the pain and cut your love and give Yang Guifei death!" Xuanzong couldn't bear it, Gao Lishi explained: "The soldiers are worried that Yang Guifei will settle accounts after the autumn, and they will not give up, so they should make a decision as soon as possible." In desperation, Xuanzong had no choice but to give Yang Guifei an order. Yang Guifei was Chinese New Year's Eve eight years old.
Yang Guifei's legendary experience and tragic end, leaving endless reverie for future generations, has become the creative material of many writers, and the Chinese and Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi's "Song of Long Hatred" is a popular poem.
This article is excerpted from "Twenty-four Histories Read Now, Language and History Are Progressing" - the eighth volume of "Old Tang Book", which is officially authorized to be published, welcome to continue to pay attention.