If King Xiao Ming had announced to the world and took the initiative to abdicate to Zhu Yuanzhang, would he have been able to save his life? This question has always been the focus of discussion among historians. Some people believe that Zhu Yuanzhang is a ruthless person, and even if King Xiao Ming takes the initiative to concede, he will get rid of him in order to consolidate his rule. But some people believe that Zhu Yuanzhang is a shrewd politician, and if King Xiaoming is sincerely obedient, he may not attack him. However, no matter what, the fate of King Xiao Ming is destined to be remembered in the history books.
Han Lin'er's life background
When mentioning the name Han Lin'er, many people may be confused. In fact, at the beginning of the founding of the Ming Dynasty, Han Lin'er was a well-known figure, and he was the "King of Xiao Ming" recorded in the history books.
Han Lin'er's real name is Han Chang and he was born in Guyuan, Ningxia, Yuan Dynasty. His father, Han Shizhong, was a military general in the Yuan Dynasty, and later returned to the Red Turban Army and joined the ranks of the anti-Yuan and Ming restoration. Han Shizhong was deeply appreciated by Han Shantong, the leader of the Red Turban Army, and was named the "King of Loyalty". It's a pity that the good times didn't last long, Han Shantong was soon killed, and Han Shizhong was also killed.
Han Chang grew up in the army with his father since he was a child and was baptized by war. After his father was killed, he inherited the title of "King Zhongwu" and changed his name to Han Lin'er. At this time, Han Lin'er was already a well-known warlord.
During the period from Yuan to Zheng, Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhang Shicheng, Chen Youliang and others rose up in North China and Jiangnan, setting off a wave of anti-Yuan and restoration of sight. Han Lin'er also joined the wave, and together they launched a fierce attack on the Yuan Dynasty. In this war, Han Lin'er has repeatedly performed miraculous feats and gained prestige. Especially in the campaign to assist Liu Futong in the counterattack on Henan, Han Lin'er led the army to a decisive victory, and the rule of the Yuan Dynasty basically collapsed.
Liu Futong was originally a fierce general of Han Shantong, and after Han Shantong was killed, he inherited the title of "King of Ming" and became the supreme leader of the anti-Yuan Restoration Movement. However, Liu Futong was killed in the war, which put the whole movement in a headless predicament. In order to continue to call on the heroes of the world, Han Lin'er was elected as the new "Ming King", and from then on he was the supreme commander of the movement.
The relationship between Zhu Yuanzhang and Han Lin'er
The initial relationship between Zhu Yuanzhang and Han Lin'er was actually an ally and a partner.
Back then, Zhu Yuanzhang raised an army against the Yuan in Haozhou, and soon became famous. In the fifteenth year of Zhizheng (1355), he was appointed by Guo Zixing as the left deputy marshal and fought side by side with Han Lin'er. At that time, Han Lin'er had inherited the title of "King Ming" and became the supreme commander of the anti-Yuan movement.
The two hit it off, fought side by side on the battlefield, and performed many miraculous feats. Their troops fought guerrilla attacks in the Huaixi area, forming a strong military pressure on the Yuan Dynasty. Even Zhang Shicheng, the most famous anti-Yuan general at that time, also praised Zhu and Han.
In the following years, Zhu Yuanzhang's army continued to grow, and his achievements became more and more prominent. In the twenty-third year of Zhizheng (1363), he finally conquered Huizhou, an important town of the Yuan Dynasty. With this major achievement, Zhu Yuanzhang was canonized as "King Wuhui" by Han Lin'er.
However, at this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang's attitude towards Han Lin'er began to change. On the one hand, he saw that Han Lin'er's army was declining day by day and was no longer able to control the overall situation, but on the other hand, his own strength was constantly growing, and he was fully capable of standing alone. As a result, Zhu Yuanzhang began to secretly plot to seize the command of the "Ming King".
In order to achieve his goal, Zhu Yuanzhang first used the name of Han Lin'er to proclaim himself "King Wu". Then, he sent his confidant Liao Yongzhong to Chuzhou to lure Han Lin'er out in the name of "greeting". On the way, Liao Yongzhong actually ordered Han Lin'er to be drowned alive in the Yangtze River.
This scene undoubtedly made Zhu Yuanzhang very happy. From then on, he completely cleared the last obstacle and became the sole leader of the anti-Yuan Restoration Movement. And Han Lin'er, the former "King of Ming", also disappeared and was forgotten by history.
The causes and consequences of Han Lin'er's murder
Han Lin'er was finally killed by Zhu Yuanzhang's confidant Liao Yongzhong, which was a suffocating event. What are the reasons and what are the consequences?
According to historical records, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Liao Yongzhong to go to Chuzhou at that time and invited Han Lin'er to "welcome". When he arrived at Guazhou, Liao Yongzhong suddenly ordered Han Lin'er to drown alive in the Yangtze River. For this crime, Zhu Yuanzhang did not hold Liao Yongzhong responsible, but later when he was a hero, he also specially commended him for "forgetting his body and resisting the enemy, which can be described as a strange man".
So, why did Liao Yongzhong kill Han Lin'er? There is an argument that Liao Yongzhong's move was purely impulsive and was bewitched by some slanderous rumors. Another theory is that Liao Yongzhong took the initiative to get rid of this "potential threat" out of flattery and stammering with Zhu Yuanzhang.
However, judging from Zhu Yuanzhang's treatment of Liao Yongzhong, it seems that this is not the case. After all, if it is really flattering Zhu Yuanzhang, the latter will naturally be greatly rewarded, and it will not just be a matter of "sealing the marquis and being unfair".
It is more likely that Liao Yongzhong made this decision out of selfishness. He may have seen that Han Lin'er was declining, so he wanted to take the opportunity to get rid of the title of "King Ming" in order to make a difference in his future.
In any case, Han Lin'er's death undoubtedly cleared the last obstacle for Zhu Yuanzhang. From then on, Zhu Yuanzhang became the sole leader of the anti-Yuan Restoration Movement, and eventually established the Ming Dynasty.
And Han Lin'er, the former "King of Ming", disappeared and was forgotten by history. Even in later generations, his name was only occasionally mentioned in some history books.
Historian's comment on Han Lin'er's murder
Han Lin'er's misfortune has caused widespread comments and controversies in history. Different historians have different views and evaluations on this matter.
Some historians believe that Zhu Yuanzhang's killing of Han Lin'er was a senseless act of brutality. They pointed out that at that time, Han Lin'er's army was already declining day by day, and it was simply powerless to fight against Zhu Yuanzhang. Even if Han Lin'er retains the title of "King of Ming", it will not pose any substantial threat to Zhu Yuanzhang's rule. Therefore, killing Han Lin'er was completely superfluous, and it smeared Zhu Yuanzhang with a brutal and unjustified stain.
Other historians take a different view. They believe that Zhu Yuanzhang killed Han Lin'er out of the need to maintain his rule. Although Han Lin'er's strength at that time was no longer a concern, he still had the title and prestige of "King Ming" after all. If it is not removed, it is likely to become a major hidden danger for Zhu Yuanzhang in the future. Therefore, killing Han Lin'er is an act of prevention and reflects Zhu Yuanzhang's foresight.
There are also historians who have analyzed this matter from another angle. They pointed out that the reason why Han Lin'er was killed was not due to Zhu Yuanzhang's own will, but to the impulse of Zhu Yuanzhang's confidant Liao Yongzhong. Although Zhu Yuanzhang did not hold Liao Yongzhong accountable later, he did not reward him too much, which shows that Zhu Yuanzhang did not do it single-handedly.
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In any case, the murder of Han Lin'er was undoubtedly an important link in the process of the founding of the Ming Dynasty. It marked that Zhu Yuanzhang had completely cleared the last obstacle and became the sole leader of the anti-Yuan Restoration Movement. From this point of view, Han Lin'er's sacrifice can be regarded as paving the way for the founding of the Ming Dynasty.