When he was young, Tang Xuanzong Li Longji can be described as magnificent, ascended the throne at the age of 28, and with the assistance of many famous ministers, he created the "Kaiyuan Prosperous Era", which made the Tang Dynasty reach its peak. After experiencing the Anshi Rebellion, Du Fu recalled the prosperity of the Kaiyuan period and said with emotion: "Recalling the prosperous era of the Kaiyuan Dynasty, the small city actually hid thousands of mansions. The rice is fragrant, the corn is snow-white, and the state and private warehouses are abundant. ”
However, in the early days of Li Longji's rule, he was inspired to govern, but in his later years, he fell into pleasure and connived at traitorous ministers such as Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong to occupy important positions. In particular, Yang Guozhong was aggressive and good deeds, and repeatedly provoked the ambitious Jiedu envoy An Lushan, which eventually triggered the Anshi Rebellion and pushed Tang Xuanzong into an unprecedented crisis.
As the first emperor in the history of the Tang Dynasty to flee Chang'an, Tang Xuanzong's escape experience was extremely difficult. In order to appease the people, he had to force his favored Yang Guifei to die. The once majestic Tang Xuanzong lost his former glory, the woman he loved died tragically, and the crown prince Li Heng parted ways with him. In the eyes of everyone, this once glorious emperor is now a poor and hateful old man in his 70s.
Tang Xuanzong's strong desire to survive made him constantly flee, and the old man became more and more afraid of death, and only by constantly marching could he avoid the pursuit of the rebels. As for the suffering of the people after the fall of Chang'an City, it was no longer within the scope of Tang Xuanzong's consideration.
The crown prince Li Heng showed the courage that his father lacked, and personally went to Lingwu, the base camp of the Shuofang army, and was cheered by the soldiers. After Tang Xuanzong fled from Chang'an, the people were panicked, and the rebels encountered almost no resistance.
The old emperor Tang Xuanzong was greedy for life and afraid of death, which disappointed many people. After the news spread that the crown prince Li Heng personally commanded the front-line operations, many civil and military generals rushed to the scene when they heard about it, and the poet Du Fu, who was worried about the country and the people, was even more ecstatic, shouting that the Tang Dynasty was expected to be revitalized, and rushed to Lingwu after a lot of hardships, hoping to serve the Tang Dynasty.
However, when Tang Xuanzong was still alive, he learned that the crown prince had ascended the throne in Lingwu, and he instantly became the emperor. For Tang Xuanzong, who has always been power-hungry, this is like a bolt from the blue.
Tang Xuanzong's inner feelings are extremely complicated, many years ago he forced his father Li Dan to abdicate, going back to earlier, Tang Taizong also forced Tang Gaozu Li Yuanchan to give way, this round of replacement of the plot seems to be constantly staged, and now it is his turn to be forced **, everything is like a cycle in fate, he can only accept it helplessly.
He lived in Chengdu for more than a year, during which time he sent emissaries to the mausoleum of the late Prime Minister Zhang Jiuling to pay his respects. Zhang Jiuling once insisted that Tang Xuanzong eradicate An Lushan, who made mistakes, but Tang Xuanzong chose not to listen to the advice, and remorse arose spontaneously at this moment.
Regarding Li Linfu, a man of power and strategy, Tang Xuanzong commented: "Li Linfu is narrow-minded and extremely selfish. The courtiers on the side couldn't help but ask: "Your Majesty knows that Li Linfu is not a good person, why did you use him vigorously in the first place?" Tang Xuanzong fell silent and couldn't speak, because the truth is that between Dang Mingjun and Dang Dusk Jun, the latter is really more relaxed, this is the inertia of human nature.
After recovering Chang'an, Tang Su Sect sent people to pick up Tang Xuanzong to return to the capital, passing through Ma Weiyi, Tang Xuanzong was eager to visit Yang Guifei's cemetery, but was refused, feeling helpless after losing power. When the group arrived in Fufeng, the hundreds of soldiers brought by Tang Xuanzong were ordered to disband on the spot, only because Tang Suzong did not trust his father.
During his reign, Tang Xuanzong was extremely strict with the crown prince Li Heng, and in order to combat Li Heng's dissent, he connived at Li Linfu to design and frame him many times, making Li Heng walk on thin ice, and excessive panic made him gray early. Now, Li Heng has learned a skill and is careful to guard against his father.
Tang Xuanzong could only smile bitterly and let his son control the situation.
When he first returned to Chang'an, Tang Xuanzong lived in Xingqing Palace, and his life was also free. Xingqing Palace is located in the bustling urban area, Tang Xuanzong often stands upstairs overlooking the life of the people, and the people passing by shout "Long live" when they see Tang Xuanzong, which makes Tang Xuanzong, who has been forced to abdicate, feel happy and always wave in response.
When he is in a good mood, he will also generously reward some delicacies to the people around him.
Maybe this is just a whim, but for Tang Suzong, this is an ingenious move to win the hearts of the people.
The eastern capital of Luoyang was once again captured by the rebels, and Tang Suzong's mood became more and more depressed. He feared his lack of prestige and his father's intentions, fearing that his hard-earned throne would be taken away from him again.
In Tang Suzong's anxiety, his confidant eunuch Li Fuguo found an opportunity and took advantage of it. Li Fuguo, who was once under the eunuch Gao Lishi, was resentful because he did not get Gao Lishi's respect. When Li Heng hesitated to part ways with Tang Xuanzong at Ma Weiyi, Li Fuguo actively supported Li Heng to go to Lingwu and eventually became famous.
Li Fuguo was good at observing words and feelings, and saw Tang Suzong's suspicion of the emperor. He did not hesitate to propose: "The Emperor Taishang has frequent contacts with outsiders in Xingqing Palace, Chen Xuanli, Gao Lishi and others have ill intentions, Your Majesty must be vigilant." ”
Tang Suzong responded with tears: "The Emperor Taishang will not frame me. Li Fuguo persuaded: "For the sake of safety, please ask the Emperor Taishang to live in the Taiji Palace." The geographical location of Xingqing Palace is poor, and the personal safety of the Emperor Taishang cannot be guaranteed. Tang Suzong did not explicitly agree or disagree, but his silence was acquiescence, which was his usual way of dealing with it, and Li Fuguo, who had served him for a long time, knew this.
Soon after, Li Fuguo arranged for someone to pass the decree: the emperor invited the emperor to visit the Taiji Palace.
At this time, Tang Xuanzong had no right to refuse, whether he was willing or not. Not long ago, Li Fuguo took back hundreds of horses raised by Tang Xuanzong in the name of Tang Suzong, Tang Xuanzong realized Li Fuguo's hostility towards him, and sighed: "My son is confused by Fuguo, and filial piety is difficult to complete. ”
Tang Xuanzong had just reached the halfway point, and Li Fuguo appeared in front of him with five hundred sword guards, so frightened that Tang Xuanzong almost fell off his horse, thinking that he was going to die. Tang Xuanzong spent his childhood in a palace coup, and he has long been accustomed to this kind of change.
In the past, Tang Xuanzong had deprived his three sons of their lives in one day, and now, who could be sure that Tang Suzong would not do the same to his old father?
The old slave Gao Lishi, who once led the horse for Tang Xuanzong, saw through Tang Xuanzong's panic at this moment. He skillfully supported Tang Xuanzong's back with his hands, on the one hand, to prevent him from falling, and on the other hand, to convey a sense of security, so that Tang Xuanzong understood that he was not alone.
Tang Xuanzong's panic made the powerful minister Li Fuguo very proud, and he arrogantly said to Tang Xuanzong: "For the safety of the emperor, please move the emperor to the Taiji Palace." ”
Tang Xuanzong had been shocked by the situation in front of him, those commanding eunuchs, fierce and vicious guards, all of them were a direct threat to him, and the mastermind behind all this was his own son.
Just when Tang Xuanzong was at a loss, Gao Lishi, who had led the horse for him, stepped forward and reproached Li Fuguo: "Li Fuguo, dare to be so rude, the Emperor Taishang is here." ”
Li Fuguo responded with a sneer: "Father-in-law Gao, at this point, he is still playing prestige. Gao Lishi was unimpressed by Li Fuguo's contempt, he turned to the 500 soldiers behind him, and said in a loud voice: "Fellow soldiers, do you not want to save your life when you are holding a knife in front of the emperor?" Knowing this, the soldiers put down their swords one after another, knelt on the ground and shouted, "Long live." ”
The majesty of Colliers shocked Li Fuguo, making him feel as if he had returned to the past when he was controlled by Colliers, and he unconsciously felt a burst of fear.
Li Fuguo, come here, lead the horse with me for the Emperor! Li Fuguo reluctantly stepped forward.
Tang Xuanzong, under the protection of Gao Lishi, calmed his fragile mind. However, he knew that the days ahead would be full of trouble.
Li Fuguo, who was scheming, found an excuse to exile Gaolishi afterwards, which was not only a revenge for Gaolishi, but also a blow to Tang Xuanzong. Tang Xuanzong once said that only with Gao Lishi by his side can he sleep with peace of mind. Gao Lishi has been with Tang Xuanzong for most of his life, and the relationship between the two has long surpassed the ordinary master-servant relationship.
Driving Gao Lishi away from Tang Xuanzong's side meant that Tang Xuanzong could no longer find someone to confide in. General Chen Xuanli was forced to retire, and Tang Xuanzong's younger sister, Princess Yuzhen, was also forced to move to the Taoist temple, depriving Tang Xuanzong of all the people close to him, and plunging him into endless loneliness.
In addition to deliberately sending a hundred palace maids to Taiji Palace to serve the Emperor Taishang in order to show filial piety, Tang Suzong turned a blind eye to Tang Xuanzong's real needs. As an old man, Tang Xuanzong longed for his son's care and the joy of his family. However, since Tang Xuanzong was placed under house arrest in Taiji Palace, Tang Suzong never visited him again, which made Tang Xuanzong feel desolate.
Once, Tang Suzong appeared in front of the minister with his young daughter in his arms, and said with some embarrassment: "I really like this daughter too much. The minister replied solemnly: "The Emperor Taishang is also thinking about Your Majesty." Tang Suzong was speechless.
He deliberately avoided the gray-haired old man, who had given him life, wealth, and power, but the damage he had caused was also indelible.
The family relationship between the royal father and son is already fragile and difficult to withstand the test of wind and rain.
During the days when he was under house arrest in Taiji Palace, Tang Xuanzong often chanted a poem: "Carve wood and silk into an old man, goosebumps and crane hair are the same as the truth." After a moment of silence, it is still like a dream in life. ”
Once he was a ruler whose authority no one dared to challenge, but now he was forced to live in front of his son. This huge gap made Tang Xuanzong sigh, life is like a dream.
After spending 10 long months in the Taiji Palace, Tang Xuanzong became disheartened and began a hunger strike, dying soon after at the age of 78. And Tang Suzong, who had been living to guard against his father, also passed away 13 days later, and everything came to naught.
Whether it's power or wealth, nothing lasts forever.
The Anshi Rebellion halved the population of the Tang Dynasty, a responsibility that Tang Xuanzong could never shirk. The suffering he experienced was simply the loss of freedom, and the screams, struggles, hunger, killing, and death in the chaos were the cruelest truths.