After Li Mi pacified An Lushan, Su Zong asked him what reward he wanted, and Li Mi actually said, "I want to sleep on your knees." This statement was unexpected and incomprehensible. Why did he make such a seemingly absurd request? What is the profound meaning behind it? Let us find out.
Li Mi's background
Speaking of Li Mi's life experience, he was really born in a famous family. His ancestor was the Liaodong Li family, which was one of the most sought after families in the dynasty. Li Mi has shown extraordinary talent and intelligence since he was a child, so he has spread the reputation of a prodigy at a very young age.
After such a famous family, it was naturally favored by Tang Xuanzong. In order to find a group of excellent companions for the crown prince Li Heng, Xuanzong deliberately selected a group of children from all over the country, and Li Yu was one of them. At that time, Li Mi was still young, only more than ten years old, but he was already well-read and rich. Xuanzong saw that he was indeed a dragon and a phoenix among people, and immediately ordered him to serve Hanlin and accompany the prince in the East Palace.
After entering the East Palace, the relationship between Li Mi and Li Heng became more and more intimate. The two are of the same age, both are young and old, and Li Yu is humble and polite by nature, Li Heng is obedient to him and regards him as a close friend. Once, Li Heng accidentally fell into a hand, and Li Yu saw this and hurriedly grabbed his arm, for fear that he would be injured. Li Heng smiled and said, "If you were my brother, we would be together every day." ＂
From this little thing, it can be seen how close the relationship between Li Mi and Li Heng is. Although Li Mi is just a companion, he is treated by Li Heng as a relative. The friendship between the two can be said to be rooted in each other's hearts, and they have been in love for a long time, and they have long bloomed.
The Anshi Rebellion broke out
No one thought that the time would come when the friendship between Li Mi and Li Heng was about to suffer a major test. In 755 AD, the Anshi Rebellion broke out, which brought a devastating blow to the Tang Dynasty.
At that time, An Lushan was an ambitious general, and he watched the decadent rule of the Tang Dynasty become more and more dissatisfied, so he launched a rebellion in Liangzhou at the instigation of his fellow party members and others. The rebels quickly occupied the area around Guanzhong and rushed straight to Chang'an. Tang Xuanzong was shocked when he heard the news, and hurriedly convened hundreds of civil and military officials to discuss countermeasures. However, the court and the central government have been controlled by the henchmen of Yang Guozhong, a eunuch, and no one dares to speak out at all, only Li Linfu and others bravely oppose Yang Guozhong's absurd proposition. Unfortunately, their rational words were not adopted, but were retaliated against by Yang Guozhong.
Seeing that the situation was getting worse, Tang Xuanzong finally made the decision to flee Chang'an. So, he fled for his life with his cronies and beauties, leaving only the crown prince Li Heng to hold on in Chang'an. As Li Heng's henchman, Li Mi naturally stayed. However, the rebels' offensive was too fierce for Li Heng to resist at all, so he could only watch Chang'an be captured. Yang Guozhong, the former minister, was also killed in the chaos, and poor Yang Guifei was even more humiliated, and finally committed suicide with hatred.
In the face of such a tragic situation, Li Heng had no choice but to temporarily retreat to Lingwu, and was proclaimed emperor there, for Tang Suzong. However, his situation was no better than when he was in Chang'an. The threat of rebels remains, and as a result of the war, a large number of officials have been dispersed and disappeared, leaving him with almost nothing. What's even more terrifying is that Tang Xuanzong, the biological father, actually disobeyed him and secretly supported another crown prince, Li Heng.
Just when Li Heng was in a desperate situation, he remembered his bosom friend Li Yu. Years of getting along with each other have given him a deep understanding of Li Mi's talent and loyalty. So, he immediately sent people around to find out Li Mi's whereabouts, hoping to get this old friend back to assist him.
Li Mi returned to the mountain to help
Fortunately, the friendship between Li Mi and Li Heng was not a lie, and when Li Mi learned that Li Heng had been proclaimed emperor, he immediately set off for Lingwu to defect. Although he has been in seclusion for many years, Li Mi has always been worried about the future of the country. Now that his friend is in trouble, he naturally has to stand up and contribute his own strength.
After Li Mi left the East Palace, he has been living in seclusion in the deep mountains and old forests, living the life of a monk. He was wearing a coarse cloth monk's robe and a hat on his head, looking back to the basics. My daily life is to meditate and recite the Buddha, and occasionally I will go to the village to ask for some fasting food. As a result of his long-term vegetarian diet, his complexion became darker and his body became thinner. However, these years of Qing Xiu life have made his mind more and more pure, and he has a deeper understanding of the country's major affairs.
When Li Mi came to Lingwu, Li Heng had been proclaimed emperor for some time. When the two saw each other, they couldn't help but burst into tears, hugged each other and wept bitterly. Li Mi looked at the scene around Li Heng and couldn't help but feel emotional. When they were studying in the East Palace, the two were carefree, but now they are full of vicissitudes and vicissitudes.
After some reminiscence, Li Mi began to ask Li Heng about the current situation. Li Heng recounted the process of An Lushan's rebellion in 1510, and said that the biggest difficulty at present is that the talent is withering, and his subordinates are almost useless. After hearing this, Li Mi nodded, indicating that it was completely understandable. He said that although he has lived in seclusion in the mountains and forests over the years, he has been paying close attention to the movements of the government and the opposition, and he also has some views on how to deal with the current situation.
So, Li Mi began to give advice to Li Heng. First of all, he proposed that we should rearm and expand our troops as soon as possible. At the same time, it is also necessary to pay attention to cultivating new generals, and not just reuse those military generals with old qualifications. Second, we should also pay more attention to military salaries, and we must not be in arrears, as this will only demoralize the officers and men. In addition, we should also pay attention to employing people, not just blindly appointing the children of the gate valve, but also using some people from humble backgrounds but with real talents and learning.
Li Mi's unique pursuit of life
Li Mi gave advice to Li Heng and made great contributions. However, instead of asking for a reward like other ministers, he made a seemingly absurd request - he just wanted to take a nap on Li Heng's knees.
Such a request is incomprehensible, but for Li Mi, it is a portrayal of his lifelong pursuit. Since he was selected to be a companion in the East Palace at a young age, Li Mi has been deeply impressed by Li Heng's personality. The friendship between the two has long gone beyond the ordinary master-servant relationship, but is a bosom friend from the heart.
Li Mi was young and talented, and soon after entering the East Palace, he showed extraordinary wisdom and talent. He is not only knowledgeable, but also good at poetry and songs, and his works are all fascinating. Once, he composed a seven-character ancient style for Li Heng, describing the depth of the friendship between the two. After reading it, Li Heng was amazed and praised his talent.
In addition to his brilliant writing, Li Mi also has outstanding military strategies. Since he was a child, he has loved to read military books and has unique insights into the way of using soldiers. When he was in the East Palace, he often analyzed some historical examples for Li Heng, so that Li Heng also had a preliminary understanding of military affairs. It was with these foundations that Li Mi was able to advise Li Heng during the Anshi Rebellion and turn the tide of the war.
It can be said that Li Mi is an all-round talent who combines talent and wisdom. However, he has never been greedy for fame and fortune, and he has no interest in a position of power. In his opinion, friendship with Li Heng is the greatest pursuit and happiness in life.
Therefore, when Li Heng asked him what reward he wanted, he did not hesitate to say the request to "sleep on his knees". This is not only the highest tribute to the friendship between the two, but also his yearning for a quiet life. Li Mi hopes to be able to get along with Li Heng intimately, just like when he was in the East Palace, unrestrained and at ease.
The affection of the monarch and the minister is profound
Li Mi's request to "sleep on his knees" contains his cherishing of Li Heng's friendship, and also reflects the unique friendship between the two monarchs and ministers.
Everyone knows that in feudal society, the relationship between the monarch and the minister is a master-servant, and the courtiers should be obedient to the monarch and absolutely obedient. But for Li Mi and Li Heng, the relationship between the two has long gone beyond this level. They are not ordinary monarchs and ministers, but close friends, comrades-in-arms who share weal and bene.
From the day Li Mi entered the East Palace to accompany the study, the two formed an indissoluble bond. Li Heng was obedient to Li Mi and regarded him as a close friend. And Li Mi also assisted Li Heng wholeheartedly, and the friendship between the two became deeper and deeper with the precipitation of the years.
After the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion, although Li Yu had lived in seclusion for many years, as soon as he heard that Li Heng was in trouble, he did not hesitate to choose to go out of the mountain to help. At the reunion in Lingwu, the two hugged and cried, like siblings, which shows that their feelings have long been integrated.
Li Mi did his best by Li Heng's side, gave him advice, and turned the tide of the battle. However, he never asked for any reward, not even a small official position. In his opinion, being able to assist Li Heng is the greatest joy, and everything else is superfluous.
It is precisely because of this cherishing of friendship that Li Mi will make such a seemingly absurd request. He wanted to be able to get along with Li Heng intimately, just like when he was in the East Palace, unrestrained. And the act of "sleeping on your knees" is not the highest praise for the friendship between the two?
Li Heng naturally has a deep understanding. Although Li Mi is only a grass citizen, his favor for Li Mi far exceeds that of other cronies and important ministers. Once, Li Heng held a banquet in the garden and specially invited Li Yu to sit with his three brothers. During the banquet, Li Mi had been a vegetarian for many years, so Li Heng personally roasted two pears for him. When the brothers were salivating to eat pears, Li Heng gave all the pears to Li Mi, which shows how much he loves Li Mi.