"Cinderella" from Shuangliu, Sichuan
Liu Fei, whose real name is not available, is called Liu E. Liu E, one of the archetypal characters of the well-known "Tanuki Cat for Prince" story, was a native of Huayang, Yizhou (present-day Shuangliu, Chengdu). Liu E's family was poor, but she was very intelligent, able to sing and dance, and was good at playing an instrument similar to a rattle, the "Nai" (pronounced táo). In order to live, Liu E began to wander in the capital when she was a teenager. Because of her sweet appearance and gentle singing voice, the reputation of the beautiful lady soon spread in the capital. At that time, Zhao Heng, who was the King of Xiang and firmly believed that "there is a beautiful jade in the book", heard of her reputation and summoned her to the palace, and fell in love at first sight. However, this matter was strongly opposed by Zhao Heng's father, Zhao Guangyi of Song Taizong, who ordered Zhao Heng to drive Out Liu E and select a princess for Zhao Heng.
Zhao Heng did not dare to disobey his father's orders, but he was reluctant to Liu E, so he "cultivated the path of the Ming Dynasty and secretly chen cang" and secretly hid Liu E in the palace of his subordinate Zhang Qi for fifteen years, and his feelings were long-lasting. Fifteen years later, Zhao Heng succeeded to the throne, namely Emperor Zhenzong of Song, and he summoned Liu E into the palace, made her a sipin beauty, and soon made her a Xiuyi, and then a concubine, until she was finally made empress, that is, Empress Zhangxian. This ordinary woman from Sichuan folk turned out to be like "Cinderella", "sparrow turned into phoenix".
Left: Empress Zhang Xian, Right: Song Zhenzong
I'm not a "vicious queen"
Liu E had never given birth to an imperial heir, and although Zhenzong did not dislike it, it was a major obstacle to her establishment. At this time, Concubine Liu was over thirty years old, and there was little hope of having a child. At this time, Concubine Liu had a close attendant, Li Shi, chatting with Concubine Liu and saying that she dreamed that she was pregnant. This sentence reminded Liu E and Zhenzong, and they gave birth to the strategy of "borrowing the belly to give birth to a child". After Zhenzong came to Li Shi, Li Shi was really pregnant, and Zhenzong announced to the outside world that Concubine Liu was pregnant. When Li Shi was pregnant in October, as soon as she gave birth, the baby who landed on the ground was carried to Liu Fei, claiming to be Liu Fei's son, and Liu E was successfully established. This is also the original appearance of the history of the later drama "Tanuki Cat for Prince".
Although the palace maid Li Shi was the birth mother of the crown prince, she did not get the favor of Zhenzong for this reason. Liu E and Zhao Heng could not let people know the truth of the matter, and they would not "look at Li with a different eye", and did not treat Li kindly, and Li did not recognize his son for the rest of his life. According to historical records, although Concubine Liu "snatched" Li's children, she did not harm Li, and after Li gave birth to a little princess, she was promoted to the rank of talented person. In February of the first year of the Ming Dynasty (1032), Li Shi was critically ill, and at this time, Liu E, who was already the empress dowager, sent a doctor to diagnose and treat her, and promoted her to concubine, but Li Shi died of illness on the same day. Liu E listened to the persuasion and buried Concubine Li Chen, buried Concubine Li with a ceremony, treated the funeral at the Imperial Palace, and dressed Concubine Li in an empressial dress. As early as the zhenzong years, Liu E visited the Li family to be crowned officials, and after the death of Zhenzong, the Liu clan still used the Li clan, at this time, she posthumously honored Li Fei's father and promoted her brother again, Liu E still gave the Li clan the glory she could give.
Liu E was still modest in her treatment of harem concubines, and she always maintained a simple and low-key attitude in the palace. After Liu E became empress, she was also very simple, and restrained her palace people to dress plainly, even if she became empress, she still maintained a simple style. The maids in the empress dowager's palace saw that the maids in the emperor's palace were all brighter than themselves and complained to her, and they were reprimanded by Liu E. However, Liu E saw that the hair of princesses of Yangguo and Jingguo (Sister Zhenzong) who had entered the dynasty was sparse due to old age, and lamented with concern that "the imperial aunt is old, more precious", and gave them precious pearls and heads. Liu E demanded that she be simple, but she was also willing to see that the clothes and clothing of the emperor and nobles could show the style of a great power.
Liu E and Yang Shufei, who was also from Sichuan (in present-day Pidu District, Chengdu, Sichuan Province), had the best relationship, and after Li's son came to him, Liu E was very cherished and regarded as her own, but because of her age and lack of energy, she entrusted her little sister Yang Shufei to raise her. This child was named Zhao Hui, and later changed his name to Zhao Zhen, which was later Song Renzong. When Emperor Renzong was a child, he was weak and sickly, and Liu E and Yang Shufei cared for him, so Zhao Zhen had deep feelings for the two of them, calling Liu E "Big Niangniang" and Yang Shufei "Little Niangniang". In addition to caring for Zhao Zhen's growth, Liu E also attached great importance to his study and education, and invited the world's famous Confucians to teach him the history of the scriptures, cultivate his learning and morals, and do her best to raise the future Tianzi. After Emperor Renzong ascended the throne, he was generous and benevolent, good at receiving advice, and grew into a generation of Ming emperors.
Song Renzong
Liu E's political wisdom
"It starts with looks, it's stuck in talent." The reason why Zhao Heng fell in love with Liu E at first sight must be because of his extraordinary appearance. In the history books, there is only a simple description of it as "having a beautiful appearance". And Liu E is not only empty and beautiful, but also intelligent. A few years of "Beijing Drift" career made her personally trained; in the fifteen years of being "hidden in the snow", she did not limit herself to helpless lovesickness, but used this time to read a lot of books and increase her knowledge. According to historical records, Liu E was very astute and intelligent, and after becoming empress, because she was familiar with ancient and modern calligraphy and history, she was familiar with political affairs, and became a virtuous assistant of Zhenzong. When she listened to the emperor's lectures, she could easily remember the cause of the event. Emperor Zhenzong read the recital every day, and Liu E would accompany him. When Zhenzong goes out on a tour, he must also take her with him. Zhenzong couldn't do without her.
In 1020, Emperor Zhenzong fell ill and could not support daily political affairs, and the administrative affairs submitted to the emperor were actually handled by Empress Liu E. Later, Emperor Zhenzong became seriously ill and issued an edict: "After that, crown prince Zhao Zhen listened to the government at Zishan Hall, and Empress Xianming assisted from the side." This edict recognized Liu E's power to adjudicate political affairs.
After Emperor Zhenzong's death, Zhao Zhen ascended the throne, that is, Song Renzong, and Liu E became the empress dowager. At this time, Zhao Zhen was only twelve years old. At the beginning, in order to consolidate the back seat, Liu E cultivated Ding Zhi and others. When Emperor Renzong of Song ascended the throne, the chancellor Ding Zhi thought that Tianzi was young and that the empress dowager was just a woman, so he tried to set up Liu E and wanted to monopolize the government. This move of Ding Shu was detected by Liu E, who decisively killed the eunuch Lei Yungong, who was in collusion with Ding Shu, and then deposed Ding Shu and sent him to be assigned. Liu E quickly and quickly solved the problem of the traitor in the middle of the court, and then began to listen to the political decisions with Emperor Renzong, and officially listened to the government, which was called "Zhangxian Hanging Curtain".
After Liu E formally took power, she used a large number of talented officials such as Yan Shu, Wang Zeng, Zhang Zhibai, Lü Yijian, and Lu Zongdao. She adjusted the official structure, reformed the examination system, restored the system of science, set up school fields, changed the tea law, chi alum, reduced taxes, encouraged the reclamation of fields, rectified the flooding of the Yellow River, and built water conservancy in the south of the Jiangsu Province. During Liu E's curtain hanging, the world's earliest paper money, Jiaozi, appeared in her hometown of Sichuan, which shows that the society at that time was stable and stable, and the economy was becoming increasingly prosperous.
Liu E's orders were strict and the rewards and punishments were measured. She was meritocratic, and an envoy named Liu Shu sent her a generous gift, wanted to be promoted, and was reprimanded by Liu E: "Do you know Wang Zeng, Zhang Zhibai, Lü Yijian, Lu Zongdao, are they all officials who gave me gifts before they were promoted?" Liu Qi was ashamed and embarrassed, and later he could not ask for an official position with heavy money. At a ceremony to award the reward, Liu E asked the ministers to report the list of their children's relatives and friends, and everyone thought that they wanted to be promoted, and they reported it one after another. Who knew that Empress Liu drew the list into a chart and hung it in the bedroom, and whenever someone recommended it, she took the list to check the table, and unless it was proved that there was a wizard, the inclusion was basically not used. She also issued the "Edict on Restraining Children and Daughters", asking ministers and officials to take the lead in teaching their children's relatives and friends to abide by the law and violate the edicts of their children and disciples. This set of practices not only straightened out the government of the DPRK, but also effectively prevented officials from forming parties for personal gain.
Don't do Wu Zetian
Liu E was the first empress dowager of the Northern Song Dynasty to bow to the government for eleven years, and she was also the longest to listen to the government. At that time, some people had already compared her to Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty. Liu E tentatively asked the chancellor Lu Zong, "What kind of person do you think Wu Zetian is?" Lu Zongdao replied, "One sinner endangers the society." Later, Chen Lin, a servant of the bureaucracy, presented her with a copy of the "Wuhou Linchao Map", calling Empress Liu a contemporary Wu Zetian, and Liu E threw the map on the ground with her backhand, saying sharply: "I will never do this thing that has negative ancestors." Later, in the first year of Qianxing, Liu E made it clear that when the emperor became an adult, he would immediately return to power.
However, Liu E still wanted to feel the taste of the next Heavenly Son. In February 1033, when the dynasty wanted to perform the Taimiao Festival, Liu E wanted to wear the Tianzi Gong Crown once before her death, so she proposed that she want to wear the Gong Crown to sacrifice the Taimiao Temple. The courtiers were in a big uproar, but they had to slightly reduce the ornaments on the emperor's clothes and present them. She wore the Tianzi Gong robe and wore the Heavenly Crown to enter the Taimiao Temple to perform the first sacrifice ceremony, and after passing the addiction of the Heavenly Son, Liu E completely returned to the government of Renzong. Not long after, Empress Liu died of illness at the age of 65.
The "History of Song" commented on Liu E: "During the years of the Holy Spirit and the Ming Dynasty, the Son of Heaven was young, the mother and queen were in charge of the dynasty, and the internal and external solemnity, the discipline of the program was established, there was no major deficiency in the government of the dynasty, and the adulterous and evil people could not act arbitrarily, which was the result of the use of officials and officials.", and the history books recognized Liu E's political ability. Liu E's eleven years of hanging curtains ensured the smooth transition from the zhenzong era to the renzong era, and laid the foundation for the prosperity of the Song renzong period. Historian Cai Dongfan commented on Liu E: "Liu Shi has the talent of Lü Wu, but there is no evil of Lü Wu", and he believes that Liu E's treatment of Empress Guo is also very respectful, and her treatment of Yang Shufei is also very modest. Although she took Li's son for herself, she did not deceive Zhenzong, nor did she mutilate Li, but just used this position, Hitu respected, although cunning, but not evil, the rumor of "Tanuki for Prince" in later generations is "catching wind and catching shadows, all absurd".
Source: Sichuan Provincial Local History Work Office
Written by: Ge Liping (History Office of the Shuangliu District Committee of the Communist Party of China)