Speaking of Tang Taizong Li Shimin, many people think that he is a lustful person, not only seizing the princess of his brother Li Yuanji, but even his own cousin, a half-old Xu Niang who is nearly fifty years old. As everyone knows, this half-old Xu Niang is not an ordinary person, and some of the charms on her body are indescribable. This person was Empress Xiao, the wife of the Sui Dynasty Emperor Yang Guang, the only woman in history who had married six emperors and still gained a good name.
There is a saying in Chinese history that "five beautiful queens", almost every one of them is a person with a red face and a short life, and Empress Xiao is the most special one. She was the great-granddaughter of Xiao Tong, the prince of the Liang Dynasty, and the daughter of Xiao Yue, the Ming Emperor of Liang of Western Liang. Since childhood, he has grown a beautiful face. It is said that his uncle once asked an alchemist to tell her fate, and the tall man did not ask for the birthday eight characters, just looking at her face, he said a proverb: "Mother's world, fate of peach blossoms." After that, Empress Xiao's life did not escape these eight words.
Empress Xiao's childhood was unfortunate, according to jiangnan tradition, it was ominous to give birth to a daughter in February, and Empress Xiao was born in February, and her parents did not keep her, so her uncle Xiao Qian adopted her. Soon after, her uncle died of illness and she was raised by her uncle. Later, Emperor Wen of Sui chose concubines for his son Yang Guang, and Empress Xiao won the championship in one fell swoop. After that, she went to the palace to meet her in-laws, and with her beautiful appearance and the character of Zhishu Dali, she won the love of the two old men. At the age of thirteen, she married Yang Guang and became a princess of Jin. After that, whether at the time of Yang Guang's conquest of his wife or when he quelled the rebellion in Jiangnan, Empress Xiao fully supported her husband. It can be said that Yang Guang was able to become emperor, and Empress Xiao had half the credit.
After becoming emperor, Yang Guang was full of vigor and great merit, and depleted the country's people's strength. Most undeservedly, he insisted on attacking Goryeo without a chance, which not only lost his troops, but also aroused the indignation of the people throughout the country. Amid the curses of the people, the Sui Emperor Yang Guang went to Jiangdu to hide. At this time, Yang Guang was stimulated, thinking every day about how he would die. Empress Xiao saw that her husband had begun to go crazy, and she stopped advising and began to think of ways to protect herself.
In the fourteenth year of Daye (618 AD), Sima Dejie, the leader of the Sui Dynasty's pro-army army, led by the chancellor Yu Wenhua and the main minister, rebelled and killed the Sui Emperor. Yu Wenhua and the pheasant suddenly turned into a phoenix, self-proclaimed as the Grand Chancellor, and led the troops to kill the Central Plains. Yu Wenhua had long coveted Empress Xiao's beauty, so he occupied her and established herself as empress dowager.
However, with Yu's culture and ability, it is really impossible to support a country. Outside Luoyang, Yu Wenhua and Li Mi, the leader of the Wagang Army, fought a two-way battle and were helpless to retreat to the Hebei side. As a result, on the way, he encountered the local warlord Dou Jiande, Yu Wenhua and immediately gave him the head. And Empress Xiao's name has long been spread to the world, and Dou Jiande must see her. As a result, Dou Jiande fell in love at first sight and took Empress Xiao into his harem.
In the meantime, Empress Xiao had already had skin kisses with an emperor and two grass-headed kings. Fortunately, at this time, she was still in the central plains and could not withstand the wind and frost outside the plug. However, the appearance of another woman directly opened the second half of Empress Xiao's embarrassing life.
Princess Yicheng, a cousin of the Sui Dynasty Emperor Yang Guang, married to the Turks in her early years and is now the wife of Chuluo Khan. She heard that her sister-in-law was occupied by Dou Jiande, where she could swallow this breath, so she encouraged her husband to "greet" her sister-in-law. Chuluo Khan then sent emissaries to Dou Jiande and offered to "welcome the empress". Dou Jiande could not afford to provoke the Turks, so he could only offer Empress Xiao with both hands and let the Jiangnan woman go to Saibei.
Arriving at the Turks, Empress Xiao's amazing beauty also fascinated Chuluo Khan. Soon after, Empress Xiao became a Khan concubine who sat on an equal footing with Princess Yicheng. However, just a year later, Chuluo Khan died, and his son Jieli Khan succeeded to the throne, and Empress Xiao passed on to the new Khan according to Turkic customs. Empress Xiao's beauty and charm also fascinated Jieli Khan. For the next 10 years, she became the favorite woman of Jieli Khan.
In the fourth year of Zhenguan (630 AD), the Tang Dynasty general Li Jing broke the Turks and Jieli Khan was defeated. When the news came, Li Shimin specially told Li Jing that he must bring Empress Xiao back. At this time, if you want a woman, Jieli Khan dares not to follow, and can only reluctantly let Empress Xiao go on the road.
When Empress Xiao arrived in Chang'an, Emperor Taizong of Tang held a grand welcoming ceremony for her, and publicly announced that she would be named Zhaorong and officially enter his harem. Since then, the two have gotten along more plainly, and it seems that there is no fact of husband and wife. Until 647 AD, Empress Xiao fell ill and died, and was buried with the Sui Emperor by Emperor Taizong of Tang.
Empress Xiao's last days were very surprising. Li Shimin was her junior, but he insisted on taking her as a concubine. And after the concubine was not favored, just waiting for her to grow old, what kind of medicine was sold in this gourd? In fact, as a politician, Li Shimin had long seen the huge political resources of Empress Xiao. This beautiful woman who had been displaced throughout her life had followed both the former emperors and the nobles of the former dynasty, the heroes of the grass, and even the Turkic khans, so she was related to most of the political forces in society at that time. As long as he showed enough respect for Empress Xiao, he could naturally appease these political forces. This was very important for the stability of the early years of the Tang Dynasty.
Empress Xiao's encounter is a microcosm of ancient Chinese women. They can come to the forefront with their beauty and resources, but it is difficult to control their own destiny. People see the amazing charm of Empress Xiao's charm of charming the six emperors, but the pain in her heart, I am afraid that no one will care, this is the real sadness of a woman.