In the Xuanwumen Revolution in the ninth year of Wude, the power struggle within the imperial family showed a cruel side. Li Shimin seized the life of the crown prince Li Jiancheng with a bow and arrow, successfully usurped the throne, and turned his father Tang Gaozu Li Yuan into a "puppet" emperor, and his power was weakened.
The situation is chaotic, and the people's livelihood is difficult. In this chaotic era, outstanding political and military leaders have risen one after another, among which Li Shimin stands out. He is the second son of Tang Gaozu Li Yuan, who has been fighting with his father in the north and south since he was a child, and has made outstanding military exploits. After Li Yuan established the Tang Dynasty, he ordained his eldest brother Li Jiancheng as the crown prince according to tradition, but Li Shimin was dissatisfied with the status of second son.
He believes that his talent and hard work are no less than Li Jiancheng's, and he should enjoy equal status. Li Shimin displayed outstanding military talent and won the support of the soldiers.
However, his talent was not fully recognized, making the cowardly scholar Li Jiancheng the crown prince, and Li Shimin was dissatisfied. He began to aggressively enlist supporters and plot a plan to usurp the throne. Li Shimin vigorously bribed his supporters and appointed the world's heroes, attracting many talented people to join him.
This aroused the alarm of Li Jiancheng, who realized the threat of Li Shimin and began to consolidate his position. The open and secret rivalry between the two brothers made the court appear calm, but in fact it was turbulent, which led to the turbulence of the situation at that time.
After the outbreak of Yang Wengan's rebellion, Li Shimin took the opportunity to propose to Li Yuan that if he could put down the rebellion, he should be renamed the crown prince. Faced with the crisis, Li Yuan agreed to this proposal because he believed that Li Shimin was the only one who could save the Tang Dynasty. Li Shimin decisively quelled the rebellion and captured Yang Wengan.
Although Li Yuan originally wanted to break his promise, in the face of Li Shimin's momentum, he had to depose Li Jiancheng and appoint Li Shimin as the crown prince. However, Li Jiancheng was unwilling to condescend to the background, spreading rumors about Li Shimin's usurpation of the throne everywhere, creating unease in the government and the opposition.
Li Yuan sensed the change in his sons, but he was no longer in control of the situation. In the end, Li Shimin staged a mutiny to seize power, killed Li Jiancheng, and became the new emperor of the Tang Dynasty. After the Xuanwumen Change, Li Yuan was deprived of his imperial power and became the Emperor Taishang.
Li Shimin put Li Yuan under house arrest in the Taiji Palace, ostensibly respecting him, but in fact depriving him of the right to participate in politics. Li Yuan, who had lost power, felt empty and lonely. Emperor Li Yuan began to indulge in lust, indulged in the harem, greatly increased the size of the harem, and used the beauties of the harem as a plaything to relieve loneliness.
His life became decadent and fell into the indulgence of the harem. However, Li Shimin began to limit the size of Li Yuan's harem, making his life rudimentary, in stark contrast to the luxurious life of yesteryear. Li Yuan's neglect and decadent life caused Li Shimin to seize his power and wealth and put him under house arrest in the dilapidated Da'an Palace.
In Da'an Palace, Li Yuan's life became more and more decadent, and he felt lonely and helpless. Li Yuan eventually died of illness in the Da'an Palace, becoming a victim of Li Shimin's consolidation of power. The staging of this tragedy makes people think about the unfortunate ending of the power struggle and the dictation of fate.
In the depths of the court, how should those people who are at the mercy of fate view this helpless fate?
The struggle between father and son and the battle of power in history seem to be a definite number that cannot be changed. Perhaps, goodwill and justice in human nature still have a value that cannot be ignored, and I hope to find a new answer in the reincarnation of history, so that the world will be peaceful and similar tragedies will not happen again.