Wu Zetian was a lucky monk for the first time, and the reason for his excitement was actually very simple
Wu Zetian was one of the safest empresses in Chinese history, but her life was always shrouded in the shadow of fate.
In the winter of 624 AD, Wu Zetian was born in the family of Wu Shitong, the founder of the Tang Dynasty.
Wu Zetian lost his mother when he was a child and was raised by his father. However, when Wu Zetian was eight years old, his father died. Wu Zetian, who was supposed to inherit the family business, was kicked out of the house by his brothers after his father's death, and became a helpless cripple like his mother.
Wu Zetian made dazzling achievements in the second half of his life, but his tragic childhood experience cast a shadow on his extraordinary life. The harsh environment and tragic encounters shaped Wu Zetian's tenacious character. He can only survive on his own creativity. Perhaps it was this series of blows and tribulations that created his later transcendent position on the supreme throne of power.
After spending 11 years in the harem, she caught the attention of Li Shimin's son.
After living in the harem for 11 years, Wu Zetian realized the importance of power. When she first entered the palace, she still had ambitions and ideals, dreaming of becoming a favorite concubine with her talent. But Li Shimin has always been cold to her. After Li Shimin's death, she realized that talent alone was not enough to gain power.
It is said that eleven years of loneliness sharpened Wu Zetian's character and made him feel like a spring breeze. When Li Zhi embraced him in his arms, he seized the opportunity and began to plot his own path to power.
A prostitute who had served Wu Zetian recalled:"He's obviously changed, he's no longer a simple man at the mercy of others, always planning something. Sometimes in the middle of the night, I hear him talking to himself:'I can be unkind to this person'。I think he's talking about Iha.
Perhaps it was the desire for power that made Wu Zetian cling to the powerful at all costs. In order to win Li Zhi's favor, she can give up everything. Along the way, she gradually lost a woman's most precious thing - fame.
Concubines are in groups and sit on the throne of power.
After being favored by Li Zhi, Wu Zetian began to show his strength. He knew that he couldn't control the situation with his own face alone, and that the obstacles in the harem had to be cleared. Under his manipulation, Li Zhi's empress was deposed, several other powerful concubines fell out of favor one by one, and Wu Zetian finally sat on the throne of the harem.
One historian writes"Wu Zetian is indeed very skillful, she is well versed in the art of power, in order to squeeze out her opponent, she can do whatever it takes, which is especially obvious in the harem battle. It is not easy to sit on the throne of the Empress, and even if the heart is strong, there are very few people who can do it"。
But Wu Zetian was not satisfied. He knew that the position of the harem was only a small part of the imperial power. So, he began to help Li Zhi deal with ** through various means. Once, he plotted a conspiracy with the Wuji family, the eldest grandson of the ruling and opposition powers, to help Li Zhi eradicate a major disaster. Li Zhi was deeply impressed by this, and has since reused it in the palace.
A former minister lamented"When this woman was in the harem, she was scheming, and when she arrived in the palace, she had no scruples about interacting with the ministers. She helped Li Zhi eradicate dissidents and stabilize the imperial power, which shows that she also has her own ambitions in her heart. "
The two saints ruled the world together and laid the foundation for the emperor's rule.
With the help of Wu Zetian, Li Zhi's imperial power was increasingly consolidated. What Wu Zetian longed for"The two saints are governed together"The status was realized with the help of Li Zhi. He can not only monopolize the power of the harem, but also intervene in court politics. Wu Zetian once became a powerful figure in the court.
But the good times didn't last long, Li Zhi got a strange illness in middle age and died soon after. It was during this period that Wu Zetian saw the hope of his eventual ascension to the throne. While Li was seriously ill, he quietly underwent an operation to ensure that he could still be in charge of military affairs after the emperor's death.
In 670, Li Zhi died, and the new emperor was ordered to abide by Wu Zetian's decision. One of the courtiers said worriedly"It is absurd for the emperor to make such a decision. How can a woman rule the world? The consequences will be unimaginable! "However, the situation was irreversible, and Wu Zetian still retained the position of regent.
Wu Zetian then devised a plan to depose the young emperor and appoint her son as emperor. Her ambitions were finally fulfilled – in 690, she deposed her son and officially ascended the throne, ushering in the era of the first and only female emperor in Chinese history. The celebration of power began.
The Buddha exalted the power of righteous friends.
After the victory, Wu Zetian began to eliminate his opponents and consolidate his power. But he also realized that to stay in power for a long time, he needed symbolic power. The rise of Buddhism gave him an idea.
In 675 AD, Wu Zetian met the merchant Xue Huaiyi, and the two fell in love at first sight. They fell in love at first sight. Wu Zetian could not hide the fire of power, and someone needed to satisfy him. This was an opportunity for him to cooperate with Buddhist forces.
In order to avoid suspicion, Wu Zetian sent Xue Huaiyi to the White Horse Temple as the abbot. On the surface, Xue Huaiyi works at the White Horse Temple, but the two still maintain a special relationship. Due to the emperor's favor, Xue Huaiyi's status in Buddhism has also improved.
The good man sighed"The emperor is indeed very favored by this monk, but for some reason, every time he relies on the emperor's favor, the monk in the temple is also very arrogant and domineering, so the factional dispute is becoming more and more intense. "
Wu Zetian seems to have co-opted Buddhist forces in part to curry favor with Xue Huaiyi. He hoped to use Xue Huaiyi's influence in Buddhism to fight for a piece of heaven for himself. In this way, the foundation of imperial power will be more solid.
Defamation of the public**, forcible name change.
At the beginning of Wu Zetian's accession to the throne, he encountered it"It is a big mistake for women to rule the country"Target**. In order to consolidate her position, she appointed Xue Huaiyi as her spokesperson in the Buddhist community.
As a result, Xue Huaiyi lobbied everywhere, claiming that Wu Zetian's ascension to the throne was the will of God and the gospel of Buddhism, and people must believe in it. He also built the magnificent Vientiane Temple and Paradise to support this view and promote Wu Zetian.
One of the villagers said"Ever since the monk came to our village to announce the miracle of the emperor, many people have said that this is what the Buddha and elder meant. Others say that it is witchcraft that deceives people, and many people argue about it. "
Xue Huaiyi's influence on Buddhism helped Wu Zetian establish himself. Although ** is still controversial, Wu Zetian's throne has been stabilized. As he had anticipated, the support of Buddhist forces brought practical benefits.
First time using cloud technology, unprecedented satisfaction.
In the winter of 675 AD, Wu Zetian invited Xue Huaiyi into the palace for the first time. When Xue Huaiyi appeared naked in front of him, Wu Zetian's eyes immediately turned red, and an unprecedented sense of satisfaction spread in his heart.
She is used to hiding her feminine side in power games. Today, she can finally unmask the emperor and satisfy her physical and mental desires. After the sound of clouds and rain, Wu Zetian only had two words in his heart: pleasure!
A court servant recalled:"It was a snowy night, and I heard the Emperor say to himself'I'm finally free'。
For Wu Zetian, the first clouds and early rain seem to be not only the satisfaction of physiological needs, but also a breakthrough in traditional concepts. Her long-suppressed true self has finally found a way out. This is very important for a strong woman.
Two expeditions to enhance Wu Zetian's prestige.
After the change, Wu Zetian trusted Xue Huaiyi very much. Not only did he often look for her, but in order to repay her for her help, Xue Huaiyi also let her take over Buddhism.
In 674 and 676, Wu Zetian sent Xue Huaiyi twice to conquer the Turks. There are reports of Xue Huaiyi's victory. But in reality, he did not encounter any Turkish troops. Still, these two false victories boosted Wu Zetian's prestige.
One of the generals complained"We spent a month in the cold without any vectors or swords. When we returned to the capital, we found that the monks had spread the word privately. I'm afraid this won't last long. "
However, the court did not thoroughly hear the case. These two victories helped Wu Zetian achieve his goal of increasing his prestige, and he began to value Xue Huaiyi even more. It can be seen that emotions are a double-edged sword, which can both elevate and devalue a person.
Harassment leads to conflict.
With the support of Wu Zetian, Xue Huaiyi's power increased greatly, and he began to openly trample on the monks, and even stopped avoiding Wu Zetian in public. Her behavior exacerbated the contradictions within Buddhism and embarrassed Wu Zetian.
One philanthropist complained"After Xue became a monk, he thought he was the reincarnation of the Buddha. He openly harassed nuns, took advantage of women from good families, and even fought in the streets. This heinous act is blatant and deplorable"。
Wu Zetian also saw it, but he didn't stop it. His favor satisfied Xue Huaiyi's arrogance, causing her to be arrogant and lawless. Wu Zetian is also guilty of instigating Xue Huaiyi's bad behavior.
Bailiff Li Chunhua analyzed the case as follows:"The emperor was very sympathetic to the monk, so his actions were illegal. The emperor seemed to regret it"。
Xue Huaiyi's increasingly arrogant and arbitrary behavior made the voices of righteous indignation inside and outside the palace louder and louder. Wu Zetian was forced to condemn Xue Huaiyi under pressure. Xue Huaiyi became a victim of Wu Zetian's strong position.
In the winter of 680 AD, Princess Taiping killed Xue Huaiyi with her own hands at the White Horse Temple. Wu Zetian never showed up, allowing his former lover to die like this. That night, the snow was heavy and the wind was bitter.
A villager who witnessed the incident sighed"This sudden snowfall is like God's will, like a mourning for the loss of life. But in the face of the king's power, no emotion is worth a second glance. This is the true face of the cruelty of royal power"。
Wu Zetian's ideal of a family in the world is far from being realized. On the contrary, his thirst for power is endless. He can sacrifice anyone for the sake of the lust for power. This is the status and destiny of the emperor.