Zi Zhi Tong Jian

Chapter 46
Chang'an ordered Pei Xingjian to set up Wu Zhaoyi as the heir, thinking that the country's disaster must start from here, and discussed the matter with Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang in private.When Yuan Gongyu heard about it, he told Zhaoyi's mother, Yang, to move frugally to the left and move to the governor's office of Xizhou.

Last day, when he retired from the court, he summoned his eldest son Wuji, Li, Yu Zhining, and Chu Suiliang into the inner hall.Suiliang said: "Today's summons are mostly for the Zhonggong. If you are determined, you will die if you go against it. Taiwei Yuanjiu, a hero of Sikong, should not be named as killing Yuanjiu and heroes. Suiliang started in the grass, no sweat The labor of the horse has reached this position, and he has been entrusted with it, and he will not fight to the death, so why do you go down to see the late emperor!" Said that the disease could not enter.Wuji waited until the inner hall, and went up to Gu Wei Wuji and said: "The queen has no sons, but Wu Zhaoyi has a son. Now I want to make Zhaoyi the queen, what should I do?" Suiliang said to him: "The empress is a famous family. The first emperor was married by your majesty. The first emperor Before the collapse, hold your majesty's hand and say to the minister: "I have a beautiful son and a beautiful wife, and now I will pay you." This is what your majesty has heard, and the words are still in your ears. The queen has never heard of it, so how can you lightly discard it! The minister dare not obey your majesty and disobey the late emperor life!" Shang was displeased and gave up.Tomorrow he said it again, and Sui Liang said: "Your Majesty must want to change the queen, please choose the family of the world, why bother Wu Clan! What is your Majesty doing! Please think twice! I disobey Your Majesty, and I deserve to die!" Because he put the wat on the steps of the palace, he untied the scarf, kowtowed and bled, saying: "Return your majesty's wat, begging to release it to the field." He was furious and ordered to lead out.Zhaoyi said loudly in the curtain: "Why don't you kill this dog!" Wuji said: "Suiliang was ordered by the first court, and if he is guilty, he cannot be punished!" Yu Zhining dared not speak.

【Translation】

Li Yifu, a native of Zhongshushe and a native of Raoyang, was demoted to Bizhou Sima because he was disliked by Changsun Wuji.Before the imperial decree came to the province, Li Yifu knew it secretly, so he asked Zhongshusheren and Wang Dejian from Youzhou about his plan. Wang Dejian said: "Gaozong intends to make Wu Zhaoyi the queen, but now he is hesitating. There will be objections. If you can propose to make the Wu clan queen, then disaster can be turned into blessing." Li Yifu deeply agreed with his words.On this day, he was on duty instead of Wang Dejian, and knocked on the door to play a memorial to Emperor Gaozong, requesting that the queen be abolished and Wu Zhaoyi be made queen, so as to satisfy the wishes of the people of Li.Gaozong was very happy when he heard this, and immediately summoned Li Yifu in person, talked with him, and gave him a bucket of pearls, leaving him to let him return to his original post.Wu Shi also sent people to comfort and encourage him in private, and soon he was exceptionally promoted to be the Minister of Zhongshu.From then on, Wei Weiqing Xu Jingzong, Yushi doctor Cui Yixuan, and Yushi Zhongcheng Yuan Gongyu all secretly expressed their willingness to serve Wu.

Pei Xingjian, the county magistrate of Chang'an, learned that the imperial court was about to make Wu Zhaoyi the queen, thinking that the country's disaster would begin from then on, so he discussed the matter with Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang in private.After Yuan Gongyu heard about it, he reported the situation to Wu's mother, Yang. Pei Xingjian was convicted of this and was relegated to the post of Chief History of the Governor's Mansion of Xizhou.

One day, after Emperor Gaozong withdrew from the court, he summoned his eldest son Wuji, Li, Yu Zhining, and Chu Suiliang to enter the inner hall.Chu Suiliang said: "The emperor's call today is mostly for the affairs of the harem. Now the emperor has made up his mind. If he dares to disobey, he must be punished with death. The Taiwei is the uncle of the Yuan Dynasty, and Sikong is the hero. The emperor cannot be burdened with killing the uncle Yuan and the heroes. I, Chu Suiliang, was originally born in a poor family and did not make any great contributions. To be able to have the position I am today, and to accept the late emperor’s deathbed entrustment, I have to remonstrate with death, otherwise I will not be able to explain to the dead emperor!” Li Chengbing Did not go to the inner sanctum.When Changsun Wuji and others arrived in the inner hall, Gaozong said to them: "The queen has no heirs, but Wu Zhaoyi has. Now I want to make Wu Zhaoyi the queen. What do you think?" Chu Suiliang replied: "The queen comes from a famous family. , is the wife that the late emperor married for His Majesty's matchmaker. Before his death, the late Emperor once held His Majesty's hand and said to me: "My good son and daughter-in-law, I entrust it to you now." These words are heard by Your Majesty. , until now it seems to be in my ears. I have never heard of any faults of the queen, how can I abolish it easily! I dare not obey your majesty and violate the last wish of the late emperor!" After hearing this, Gaozong was very displeased. But I had no choice but to give up.The next day, he mentioned the matter again, and Chu Suiliang said: "If your Majesty must change the queen, then I request to select a famous family in the world. Why should I choose the Wu family? It is well known that the Wu family served the late emperor. The matter, the eyes and ears of the people of the world, how can it be covered? After thousands of years and generations, how will people treat Your Majesty? May Your Majesty think twice before acting! I am disobeying Your Majesty now, and I shall be punished with death." After finishing speaking, he placed the imperial wat on the steps of the hall Then he took off his turban and kowtowed to Emperor Gaozong until his face was covered with blood. He said, "Give it back to your majesty, and beg your majesty to let me go back to my hometown to retire." Gaozong was furious and ordered him to be taken out.Wu Zhaoyi said loudly through the curtain: "Why don't you just kill this old thing!" Changsun Wuji said: "Chu Suiliang is the late emperor's Minister of Gu Ming, even if he is guilty, he cannot be punished." Yu Zhining said what? I dare not say anything.

[Original text]

Han Yuan wept and admonished him because of his occasional incident, but he couldn't accept it.Tomorrow, I will remonstrate again. I will be overwhelmed with grief, and will be led out by orders.Yuan also went up to remonstrate and said: "Every man and woman still choose each other, what's more, the son of heaven! The queen's mother respects all nations, and good and evil are determined by it. Therefore, her mother assisted the Yellow Emperor, and Daji overthrew the king of Yin. "Poetry" says: "Hehezong Zhou , praise and destroy it.' Every time I look at the past, Chang Xing sighs, it doesn't mean that today's dust is a sage. If you do not follow the law, what will you think of the descendants! May your Majesty explain it in detail, and no one will laugh at the posterity! The envoys have the benefit of the country, The killing of scorpions is the division of ministers! In the past, the king of Wu did not use the words of his sons and xu to let the elk swim in Gusu. The ministers are afraid of disappointment in the sea, thorns and thorns will grow in the palace, and the ancestral temple will not eat blood. It will be a day!" Lai Ji Shangbiao Remonstrance said: "After the king is established, he must choose a famous scholar of etiquette and education, who is leisurely and virtuous. He is the hope of the world, and he is called a god. Therefore, Zhou Wen built a boat to welcome Taisi, and promoted the transformation of "Guan Ju". The common people are honored; the filial piety is indulged in lust, and the maidservant is the queen, so that the emperor's rule is destroyed and the country is ruined. Zhou Zhilong is like that, and the disaster of the great man is like this, but your majesty will investigate carefully!" None of them agree.

【Translation】

Han Yuan took the opportunity to go to the memorial and tearfully dissuaded Gaozong's plan to abolish the empress, but Gaozong did not accept it.He advised Gaozong again the next day, and was so sad that Gaozong ordered him to be taken out.Therefore, Han Yuan wrote a memorial to advise: "Ordinary couples have to choose each other before they get married, let alone the emperor? The queen's mother is a model for all women in the world. Good and evil are born because of her, so Only then will there be such history as the mother assisting the Yellow Emperor and Daji overthrowing the Yin Dynasty. The "Book of Songs" says: "The famous Zong Zhou was destroyed in the hands of Bao Si." Every time I read the history of the previous dynasty, I often think Sighing with regret, I never thought that the world of sages like today would be polluted. If you do not follow the law, what will future generations think of it! I hope that your majesty will think twice and don’t make a laughing stock for future generations. If my words can benefit the country, then Even if he was chopped into mincemeat, the minister died willingly! In the past, the king of Wu did not obey Wu Zixu's words, and as a result, Gusu, the capital of Wu, was ruined, and elks were everywhere. I am afraid that your majesty will disappoint the wise people at home and abroad, and you will leave in that way. It’s not far away that the imperial palace will be covered with thorns, and the ancestral temple will no longer be able to enjoy sacrifices!” Lai Ji also appealed to Gao Zong, saying: “The emperor should follow the laws of heaven when he appoints a queen, and he must choose a lady from a famous family of etiquette, who is elegant and demure. , virtuous and beautiful, can be in line with the high hopes of the world, and can also be commensurate with the intentions of the gods. Therefore, it is said that King Wen of Zhou had to build a boat to welcome Tai Si, and the world will only be enlightened by "Guan Ju", and the people will be blessed; Let the maidservant become the queen, thus cutting off the royal lineage, and the country and the country were overthrown. The prosperity of the Zhou Dynasty was like that, and the disaster of the Han Dynasty was like this. I hope your majesty can learn from it!" Gaozong said to these remonstrances None will be accepted.

[Original text]

On the other day, when Li Ru saw him, he asked, "I want to make Wu Zhaoyi the empress, but Suiliang insisted that it was impossible. Since Suiliang took care of the minister, it should be done?" He said to him, "Why should you ask more about your majesty's family affairs?" Outsider!" Shangyi made a decision.Xu Jingzong declared in the court: "The old man of Tianshe collected ten more dendrobium wheat, but he still wanted to change his wife; what's more, the emperor wanted to establish a queen, so why did he have any disagreements with other personnel?" Zhaoyi ordered the left and right to hear.In Gengwu, Suiliang was demoted as the governor of Tanzhou.

In the sixth year of Emperor Gaozong's reign, Dasho Dahongxiao, Emperor Yonghui, in winter, October, and Jiyou, he issued an edict saying: "The Queen and Concubine Xiao Shu conspired to commit poisonous poison, depose them as ordinary people, mothers and brothers, and remove their names and go to Lingnan. "Xu Jingzong played: "Therefore, a special gift was given to Sikong Wang Renyou to tell him that he was still alive, so that the remnants of the rebellion would still be a shadow, and please remove it." Follow it.Yimao, all the officials asked to set up the central palace, and then issued an edict saying: "Wu's family is dedicated to Xunyong, and the land is Huayingfu. If you go to the past, you will be selected into the back court. In the past, I was in Chu Er, and I was kind to Tehe, and I often waited for my followers. From day to night, in the palace, I kept bowing myself. With the gift of the Wu family, I can serve as the same ruler, and I can be made a queen."

【Translation】

One day, when Li entered the palace to see him, Emperor Gaozong asked him, "I plan to make Wu Zhaoyi the queen, but Chu Suiliang insisted that it is not possible. Since Chu Suiliang was the late emperor's Minister of Gu Ming, now he strongly opposes it. Should the matter really be stopped?" Li replied: "This is His Majesty's housework, why do you need to consult outsiders!" Gaozong's idea after the abolition was immediately finalized.Xu Jingzong threatened in the court: "The farmer harvested more than ten dendrobium of wheat, and he wants to change his wife! What's more, the emperor wants to appoint a queen, so why should people care about so many things and raise objections?" Wu Zhaoyi Let the people around you spread the words to Gaozong.In the third day of junior high school, Emperor Gaozong issued an edict to demote Chu Suiliang to the governor of Tanzhou.

On October 655th, the sixth year of Yonghui (AD [-]), Emperor Gaozong of Tang issued an edict: "The Queen and Concubine Xiao Shu conspired to kill people with poisoned wine, and they are now abolished as civilians. Their mothers and brothers were all revoked of their titles and exiled. Go to the Lingnan area." Xu Jingzong went up and said: "The late King Renyou, who was a special gift to Sikong, still has a certificate of being an official. These will allow the remnants of the rebellion to be able to be an official. I request that his official rank be removed as well. .” Tang Gaozong agreed to his request.

On October [-]th, all civil and military officials jointly filed a memorial to Emperor Gaozong of Tang, requesting that the Wu family be registered.Tang Gaozong immediately issued an edict saying: "Wu was born in a meritorious family, and her ancestors have been officials for generations. She was previously selected into the harem because of her outstanding talents. In the harem, she has good conduct and an excellent reputation. When I was the prince, Thanks to the special favor of my late mother, she was able to serve the emperor frequently and accompany her day and night. She was very disciplined in her behavior in the harem, and she was able to handle the relationship between concubines very well. The emperor knew this very well, and often I appreciated it, so I rewarded the Wu clan to me, just like Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty bestowed the palace queen to the crown prince. Therefore, the Wu clan can be canonized as a queen."

[Original text]

In November, Ding Maoshuo, Linxuan ordered Sikong, Li Yuxi, and the Empress Wu.On that day, the queen of all officials was at Suyimen.Therefore, the empress Wang and the former concubine Xiao were imprisoned in other courtyards. They tasted and recited it, and walked to their place. They saw that the room was sealed very tightly, but the orifice wall was covered with a food utensil. They felt sorry for it and said: " Where are the empress and concubine Shu?" Wang cried and said: "Concubines and others are offended and become palace servants, why should they be called more honorable!" He also said: "If the Supreme One thinks about the past, let the concubines and others see the sun and the moon again, begging to name this court as a concubine. Go back to Xinyuan." Shang said: "I will deal with it." When Empress Wu heard about it, she was furious, and sent people to Wang's and Xiao's one hundred sticks each, cut off their hands and feet, threw them into a wine jar, and said: "Let the two women's bones be drunk. !” After a few days, he died and beheaded again.When the Wang family first heard the Xuanzhi, they worshiped again: "Long live everyone! Zhaoyi is gracious, and I will die." Concubine Shu scolded: "Awu is so cunning, so far! May it give birth to me as a cat, and Awu as my father!" Rats, choke their throats." That's why there are no cats in the palace.Xun then changed Wang's surname to Mang's and Xiao's to Xiao's.Empress Wu saw Wang and Xiao for several times, and she was bleeding as if she was dead.Later, he moved to Penglai Palace and saw him again, so he mostly stayed in Luoyang and never returned to Chang'an for life.

【Translation】

On the first day of November, the Wu family was canonized as queen.On the same day, civil and military officials paid homage to Empress Wu at Suyimen.The former Empress Wang and Shu Concubine Xiao were imprisoned together in another courtyard of the harem.Tang Gaozong thought about the original love, so he secretly went to the place where they were imprisoned, only to see that the cell was tightly sealed, and only a small hole was cut in the wall so that food could be sent in.Seeing the misery of the two, he moved his heart with compassion, and shouted loudly: "Queen, where are you?" When Wang heard the voice of the emperor, he cried and said, "The courtiers and concubines have been punished for their crimes." Being relegated to being a slave in the palace, how can there be the honorable title of concubine or imperial concubine!" Then he said: "If your majesty can still remember the old love, then I request that the courtiers and concubines be allowed to see the light of day again, and this courtyard should be renamed Huixinyuan "The emperor said: "I will arrange it immediately." Empress Wu soon learned of this, she was furious, and immediately sent someone to beat each of Wang and Xiao, then cut off their hands and feet, and cut off their hands and feet. They threw them into the wine jar and cursed: "Let these two women get drunk!" After a few days, the two died one after another, and Empress Wu ordered their heads to be chopped off.When Wang heard the edict announcing their disposal, she bowed to Emperor Gaozong again and again, saying, "Long live the emperor! Wu Zhaoyi is favored by His Majesty, so death is my business." Concubine Shu Xiao cursed. "A Wu is a vixen, treacherous and cunning, so vicious! I just hope that in the next life I will be a cat, and A Wu will be a mouse, and I will bite her throat alive." Therefore, there are no more cats in the palace.Soon, Wang's surname was changed to Mang's, and Xiao's surname was changed to Xiao's.Empress Wu then saw the ghosts of Wang and Xiao haunting the palace many times, with disheveled hair and bleeding all over the body, just like when they died.So Empress Wu had to move to Penglai Palace to live, but she could still see the same situation, so she moved far away to Luoyang, and never returned to Chang'an for the rest of her life.

[Comment and Analysis]

Tang Gaozong Li Zhi had no talent, was fatuous and cowardly, and almost all the power fell into the hands of Wu Zetian.Wu Zetian was originally a talented person of Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty. After Emperor Taizong died, he became a monk in Ganye Temple. Later, he was recalled by Queen Wang and was named Zhaoyi by Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty.She was not satisfied, framed the queen, and even strangled her own daughter to death, which finally made Li Zhi disgusted with the queen.Queen Wang and Concubine Xiao shot themselves in the foot, and the two tigers fought against each other, which benefited Wu Zetian. In the end, it was too late to regret.

Di Gongzhong
[Original text]

Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty Dahongxiao Emperor Yifeng First Year
Dali played Quan Shancai, the general of Zuo Weiwei, and Fan Huaiyi, the general of Youjianmen Zhonglang, who mistakenly killed Zhao Lingbai. The crime should be dismissed; the superior ordered to kill them.Di Renjie from Taiyuan, the Prime Minister of Dali, played: "The crime of the two of them is not worthy of death." The above said: "Shancai waits for the Lingbai to be killed. If I don't kill it, it will be unfilial." Since ancient times, it has been considered difficult to offend Yan and directly remonstrate. The ministers thought that it would be difficult to meet Jie and Zhou, but easy to meet Yao and Shun. Today's law does not lead to death, but His Majesty specially kills him. If the law is not believed in people, what should people do? Zhang Shizhi said: "If there is a piece of soil stolen from the Changling Mausoleum, what should your Majesty do?" Today, I killed two generals with a cypress, and later generations said that it is so! Those who dare not obey the imperial edict may trap Your Majesty in the future. Dao, and I am ashamed to see that it is in the underground." Shangnu relieved a little, and the two were removed from the name and went to Lingnan.In the next few days, Renjie was promoted to serve as the censor.

In the early days, Renjie was the Facao of Bingzhou, and his colleague Zheng Chongzhi was the envoy of Jueyu.Chongzhi's mother was old and sick, Renjie said: "That mother is like this, how can she be in trouble for thousands of miles!"Ren Jisu and Sima Li Xiaolian did not leave each other, because they said to each other, "how can we not be ashamed of ourselves!"

(End of this chapter)