Late at night on October 20, 976 (November 14, 976), the founding emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, died violently. The "History of Song" records Zhao Kuangyin's cause of death very simply, "On the eve of the ugly night, the emperor collapsed in the Hall of Ten Thousand Years, at the age of fifty. Regarding the cause of Zhao Kuangyin's death, the "candle shadow axe sound" has become an insoluble mystery, and many historians believe that Zhao Guangyi used an axe to chop Zhao Kuangyin to death.
The "Sound of the Axe of Candle Shadow" was first described by the monk Wen Ying during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song, "... Drinking, forbidding leakage of three drums, the temple snow has been several inches, the emperor yingzhu axe poking snow, Gu Taizong said: 'Easy to do, easy to do!' So he went to bed, and his nose was like thunder. On the eve of the night, Emperor Taizong stayed in the forbidden place, and the five drums were beaten, and the servants were silent, and the emperor had collapsed. Emperor Taizong was given the throne before the coffin. ”
After Zhao Kuangyin's death, a strange scene appeared on the corpse, the color of the corpse was "jade-colored and brilliant like a tang mu", and after experts interpreted Zhao Kuangyin as poisoned, Zhao Guangyi used an axe to chop him to death. Is this historical truth? We know that the official history books of ancient times are very secretive about the cause of death of the emperor, and the truth can still be found from some historical details.
Late at night on the day of Zhao Kuangyin's violent death, there was a very suspicious whereabouts, he was Zhao Guangyi's close confidant Cheng Dexuan. Cheng Dexuan is good at medicine and is proficient in various difficult diseases. Therefore, Cheng Dexuan can completely provide poison. The history books record that in the year of Zhao Kuangyin's death, Cheng Dexuan did not sleep, he ran outside Zhao Guangyi's mansion, and waited from three to five.
You must know that it was winter at that time, and the winter in the Kaifeng area was extremely cold. Cheng Dexuan is not a fool, he must have an ulterior secret in doing so, and seems to be waiting for a result. The history books record this process, "On the eve of taizu's great gradual awakening, Dexuan Su XinLingfang, at night there were people who buckled the pass and rushed to the palace. De Xuan rose up, did not have time to go to the palace, the door of the house was still closed. Fang Sangu, De Xuan did not realize himself, and Pan Huan Jiuzhi. In Russia, he saw that the King of the Inner Servant had succeeded Enchi and said that the will and testament welcomed Emperor Taizong to the throne. De Xuanyin entered from the beginning, and bai Hanlin made it. ”
If it is not a true historical record, it is easy for posterity to think that this is a forgery, and Cheng Dexuan will not predict the prophet? Know that Zhao Guangyi wants to give him an official title? As the saying goes, there must be a demon when things go wrong. All indications are that Cheng Dexuan is an accomplice, he gave poison to Zhao Guangyi, and the two are already in the same boat.
In fact, this scene has a lot to do with zhao Kuangyin's failure to clearly establish the choice of prince before his death, after all, the throne is too tempting. In addition to Cheng Dexuan's strange deeds, the behavior of the eunuch Wang Ji'en also made people suspicious. It is said that after Zhao Kuangyin's death, Empress Song immediately asked the eunuch Wang Ji'en to summon Zhao Defang into the palace. Unexpectedly, Wang Ji'en directly went to Zhao Guangyi with the will, "And the night of the collapse, Emperor Taizong is in Nan Province, and Emperor Ji'en is in the mansion at night, please invite Emperor Taizong to enter." ”
The deeds of Cheng Dexuan and Wang Ji'en are recorded in the official history books of the Song Dynasty, which means that on the night of Zhao Kuangyin's violent death, something strange must have happened in the Northern Song Imperial Palace. Many people here should understand that history is often not seriously scrutinized.
References: History of the Song Dynasty, Records of the Continuing Xiang Mountains