Western Wei Yuanqin not only "favored the harem" to Yuwen Yunying, but also "did not put a concubine"

Western Wei Yuanqin not only "favored the harem" to Yuwen Yunying, but also "did not put a concubine"

Yuan Qin, grandson of Yuan Yu, King Jingzhao of Northern Wei, eldest son of Emperor Wen of Western Wei, and the second emperor of Western Wei. Yuan Qin was intelligent and cute since childhood, very likable, and was deeply appreciated by the Northern Wei general Yuwen Tai. From the age of seven, Yuan Baoju entrusted Yuan Qin to Yuwen Tai, hoping that he would be trained in the military camp. "It is the son who is also because of the gong; not only because of the gong, the gong should be encouraged" (see "Northern History, Zhou Benji"). What Yuan Baoju said to Yuwen Tai means that whether Yuan Qin's child will appear in the future depends on Yu Wentai, and you should take him with you. This military experience shaped Yuan Qin's brave and courageous character, which in turn led to the tragedy of his later being deposed and killed.

At the end of the third year of Yongxi (534 AD), Yuwen Tai poisoned Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei, Yuan Xiu, established Yuan Baoju as emperor, and established the Western Wei regime, which officially split into Eastern Wei and Western Wei, with Eastern Wei dominated by Gao Huan and Western Wei dominating the government. In the first month of the first year of the Western Wei Dynasty (535 AD), the eleven-year-old Yuan Qin was made crown prince as the eldest son.

Although he is the emperor of a country, the major affairs of the country are decided by Yuwen Tai alone, and Yuan Baoju is actually a puppet emperor. Fortunately, Yuan Baoju was able to recognize the situation, and during his reign, he cooperated with Yuwen Tai tacitly, and the monarch and his subjects were at peace. In order to continue to control the government in the future, Yuwen Tai took precautions and took the initiative to marry his daughter Yuwen Yunying to Yuan Qin.

Yuan Qin and Yuwen Yunying have been young since childhood, with similar interests and very good feelings. In March of the seventeenth year of the reign (551 CE), Yuan Baoju died of illness, and Yuan Qin took the throne, making Yuwen Yunying empress. Yuwen Yunying was very interested in the spirited daughter from a young age, "good display of female figures, left and right", became an empress, more "Zhi Cao Ming Xiu", Yuan Qin not only "exclusively favored the harem", but also "did not put the concubines" (see "The Biography of the Northern History of the Later Concubines"). Not to put a concubine in the throne, that is, to set up no other concubines except the empress, which is not only the factor of fear of his father-in-law Yuwen Tai, but also the embodiment of Yuan Qin's "deep importance" to Yuwen Yunying. In Chinese history, the emperor who clearly recorded that he only guarded one woman in his life was probably Only Yuan Qin.

Yuan Qin was very devoted to Empress Yuwen and was also concerned about national affairs. When he was still the crown prince, Yuan Qin looked down on his father who was willing to be a puppet, and he was even more dissatisfied with his dictatorial father-in-law, so he secretly decided that after he ascended the throne in the future, he would never be at the mercy of others. Despite his ambitions, the power was still firmly in the hands of Yuwen Tai, and Yuan Qin could only follow the old order.

Yuwen Tai is indeed very capable, in just two years, not only opened up the territory, but also made the country gradually prosperous, internal stability. In February of the second year of Yuan Qin (553 AD), Yuwen Tai resigned from the posts of chancellor and Daxingtai and only served as the governor of the Chinese and foreign militaries, with the aim of making Yuan Qin take more care of political affairs. In this regard, Yuan Qin, who has always dreamed of being arbitrary in the chaogang, is obviously not satisfied. In November, "Shang Shu Yuan Lie murdered Yuwen Tai, the incident leaked, And Tai killed him." Whether yuan lie's case was related to Yuan Qin is not explicitly stated in the history books; however, Yuan Qin had quite "complaints" about Yuan Lie's death (see Northern History Wei Benji). From this, it can be inferred that Yuan Lie may be a confidant of Yuan Qin, and the murder of Yuwen Tai should be directed by Yuan Qin. After Yuan Lie's death, Yuan Qin could no longer sit still, so he stepped up his "conspiracy to punish Tai ShiTai" (see Zizhi Tongjian).

In the first month of the third year of Yuan Qin (554 AD), Yuan Qin informed the two confidants of the Linhuai King Yuanyu and the Guangping King Yuanzan of the plan of action, hoping to get their support and help. The case of Yuan Lie had already aroused the vigilance of Yuwen Tai, and coupled with Yu Wentai's military power and many wings, the two princes felt that there was no chance of victory, "and wept and advised, and the emperor did not listen" (see "Northern History Wei Benji"). At that time, Yuwen Tai's other three sons-in-law, Li Ji, Li Hui, and Yu Yi, were in charge of the Forbidden Army, and they were all Yuwen Tai's "hearts". Yuan Qin, anxious to kill Yuwen Tai and suffering from no one around him, absurdly wanted to join forces with the three brothers-in-law to launch a coup d'état against his father-in-law. As a result, without waiting for Yuan Qin to act, the three of them told Yuwen Tai in advance, "it was Master Wei who plotted to leak." Yuwen Tai saw that Yuan Qin did not know good villains, so in February of that year, he "deposed the Lord of Wei, placed him in Yongzhou, and established his brother Wang Kuo of Qi", and Yuan Qin's career as emperor ended. Two months later, Yuan Qin was "killed" by Yuwen Tai (see Zizhi Tongjian) at the age of Chinese New Year's Eve, and his title was deposed as emperor.

After Yuan Qin's death, Yuwen Yunying was distraught and soon followed Yuan Qin away "with loyalty to Wei" (see The Biography of The Northern History of Later Concubines).

Open up Hongmeng, who is the love species? Rather than saying that Empress Yuwen died "loyal to Wei Room", it is better to say that she was dissatisfied with her father and fought with death; loyal to her husband, martyred with her body. Yuwen Yunying was the first empress in Chinese history to martyr her husband. This virtuous feat may be a consolation to the dead Yuan Qin's spirit in heaven.

(End of this article)