History can't bear to look at the complete collection

Chapter 3
Wei Zheng's miserable end

The story of Tang Taizong Li Shimin and Wei Zheng was once praised by the world and passed down as a beautiful story through the ages.Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty once said: "Using copper as a mirror can straighten clothes, using ancient times as a mirror can tell rise and fall, and using man as a mirror can show gains and losses." When Wei Zheng died, he said sadly that I had lost a precious mirror.But who would have thought that shortly after Wei Zheng's death, Li Shimin personally smashed Wei Zheng's tombstone, changing his face faster than turning over a book.

Wei Zheng, a native of Hebei, was once an important adviser to Prince Li Jiancheng.After the Xuanwumen Incident, when Li Shimin interrogated Wei Zheng, he asked, "Why did you advise Li Jiancheng and oppose me?" He said calmly, "If the prince had listened to my advice, he would not have died today." Not only did Li Shimin not blame him, but he also entrusted him with important tasks.

When Tang Taizong first came to the throne, he was full of ambition and worked hard to govern. He often brought Wei Zheng to his bedroom to discuss with him his gains and losses in politics.Wei Zheng was originally a great talent in managing the country and benefiting the world. Now he is happy to meet his confidant, so of course he will help him wholeheartedly, and he will say everything he knows.Tang Taizong also readily accepted Wei Zheng's opinion, and praised Wei Zheng, saying: "People say that Wei Zheng's behavior is rude, I think this is where he is charming and cute!" More than once, he made important contributions to the emergence of social and economic prosperity in the early Tang Dynasty.

Once, Tang Taizong planned to implement a large-scale conscription of men aged 16 to 18 in the Guanzhong area.Wei Zheng strongly opposed it. He said: "If you drain the water and catch fish, you can catch a lot of fish this year, but you won't catch any fish next year. If you burn the forest to catch wild animals, then there will be no fish in the next year." The wild beasts can be caught. If even 16-year-old youths are recruited to serve as soldiers, it will inevitably lead to the consequences of reduced labor force, barren farmland, no source of taxation, and empty finances in the future." Tang Taizong adopted Wei Zheng's advice.

Another time, under the instigation of his ministers, Emperor Taizong of Tang planned to go to Mount Tai to enshrine Zen and offer sacrifices to heaven in order to show off his virtues.But this kind of action not only wastes manpower and material resources, but also brings a heavy burden to the people along the way.Wei Zheng clearly advised Tang Taizong: "Since the end of the Sui Dynasty, wars have been frequent throughout the country, and large areas of land have been barren. The serious damage has not yet recovered. If the emperor goes to Fengchan, he will inevitably bring a large number of officials and guards. What a burden to the common people!" Tang Taizong thought of the lesson of the demise of the Sui Dynasty, and immediately canceled the Fengchan plan.

Another time, Tang Taizong asked Wei Zheng: "Why are the kings in history divided into wise kings and faint kings?" , Qin Ershi and other examples of faint kings said: "If the king who governs the world can adopt the opinions from below, then his feelings will be able to reach the upper level, and he will not be deceived." Wei Zheng also often advised Tang Taizong to be prepared for danger in times of peace, from beginning to end. Maintain a conscientious attitude towards governing the country.Later, he felt that Tang Taizong was not as frugal and simple as before, caring for the people, and diligent in governing the country, so he wrote a letter of advice to remind Tang Taizong.After Tang Taizong read it, he felt that he was right, so he posted his remonstrance on the wall and read it from time to time to remind himself not to relax.

In 643 AD, Wei Zheng died of illness.Tang Taizong was very sad, and said to the people around him with tears: "Wei Zheng is my mirror. He always tells me what I did wrong. Now that he is dead, I have lost a mirror!"

But shortly after Wei Zheng's death, everything took a jaw-dropping change.Because Du Zhenglun, whom Wei Zheng had secretly recommended before his death, was dismissed due to crimes, Hou Junji participated in the conspiracy and was beheaded.So Li Shimin began to suspect that Wei Zheng, a seemingly honest person, was suspected of forming a party for personal gain.

Later, Tang Taizong learned that Wei Zheng had shown the book of remonstrance to Chu Suiliang, who recorded history, and suspected that Wei Zheng was deliberately gaining a reputation for integrity. He was very unhappy and ordered to dissolve the engagement between Wei Zheng's eldest son Wei Shuyu and Princess Hengshan.Later, the more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became, and he even smashed Wei Zheng's tombstone himself. A good story about a monarch and his ministers ended with this, which made people sigh.

(End of this chapter)