How miserable was Li Longji’s later life After losing Yang Guifei, he was forced to become the Empress Dowager again

How miserable was Li Longji’s later life? Below, the editor of the History Encyclopedia will introduce the relevant content in detail.
Li Longji was the third son of Prince Rui Li Dan. He did not have the opportunity to become emperor, but in the fourth year of Jinglong, Empress Wei conspired with Princess Anle to poison Emperor Tang Zhongzong Li Xian. After removing Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Empress Dowager Wei wanted to emulate Wu Zetian and proclaim himself emperor. However, Prince Li Longji of Linzi did not want to see the Li Tang kingdom fall into the hands of outsiders again, so he joined forces with Princess Taiping to eliminate Empress Dowager Wei’s party and supported his father, Prince Rui Li Dan, to become emperor.
As the throne was taken by Li Longji, Li Dan appointed Li Longji as the crown prince.
But later on, Princess Taiping and Li Longji both wanted to monopolize power, so they became stumbling blocks on each other’s path to power. Princess Taiping wants her brother Li Dan to depose Li Longji as crown prince, and Li Longji also wants to get rid of his aunt Princess Taiping. As the two of them drew their swords and crossbows, Li Dan sensed the signs and voluntarily gave the throne to Li Longji, tacitly allowing him to eliminate his sister, Princess Taiping. After Li Longji executed Princess Taiping, he achieved absolute power.
Li Longji, who ascended the throne for the first time, can be regarded as a virtuous ruler. Without the restraint of Princess Taiping and others, Li Longji focused his energy on governing the country. Not only was he diligent in national affairs, but he also highly valued figures such as Yao Chong, Song Jing, and Zhang Shuo, who were responsible for rectifying officials, valuing talented individuals, and streamlining bureaucratic structures. The country quickly showed signs of rejuvenation, and the Tang Dynasty, which originally had a strong family background, ushered in another prosperous period – the Kaiyuan era.
After creating a prosperous era, Li Longji experienced a situation of neglect and laziness in governance. He began to be satisfied with the status quo, addicted to pleasure, and the previous diligent and frugal style disappeared. The appearance of Concubine Yang aggravated the absurdity. Li Longji and Yang’s sisters were having sex in the harem, which led to the situation that the emperor was not in the early dynasty. The court placed great emphasis on Li Linfu and other treacherous individuals, leading to political chaos, frequent wars, and unbearable suffering for the people.
In the 14th year of the Tianbao reign, An Lushan, taking advantage of the decline of the Tang Dynasty, united with ethnic groups such as the Tongluo, Xi, Khitan, Shiwei, and Turkic to launch the An Lushan Rebellion. The An Lushan Rebellion was a turning point in the life of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, and his prosperity came to an abrupt end. It was also a turning point for the prosperous Tang Dynasty, which went from prosperity to decline. After the outbreak of the An Lushan Rebellion, due to the poor response of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Luoyang, Tongguan and other places were successively lost, and Chang’an also faced danger.
At a critical moment, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang abandoned the people and fled west in haste with Yang Guifei and others.
When passing through Mawei Slope, the soldiers were starving and cold, unwilling to move forward any further. The soldiers felt that their tragic fate was caused by the treachery of Yang Guozhong and others, so in the midst of public outrage, they killed Yang Guozhong and others. But fearing retaliation from Yang Guifei after the incident, Tang Xuanzong forced him to kill Yang Guifei. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang did not want to kill Yang Guifei, but by this time the soldiers had already mutinied. If they did not obey, they would be in danger, so they had to endure the pain and kill Yang Guifei.
After the Ma Weipo Incident, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang continued to flee westward, while Crown Prince Li Heng stayed behind and led the troops of the world to suppress the rebellion. In the same year, with the support of his ministers, the Crown Prince declared himself emperor in Lingwu and fled to Shu. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was forced to become the Grand Emperor. After power fell into the hands of Tang Suzong, he began to mobilize troops and horses from all over the world to conquer An Lushan. With the efforts of Guo Ziyi, Li Guangzhou and other famous generals, the Tang Dynasty finally put an end to the An Shi Rebellion in eight years.
After An Lushan was pacified, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang returned to Chang’an, but he no longer intervened in political affairs. During his reign as the Supreme Emperor, although he had his sister Princess Yuzhen, former palace maids, and pear garden disciples entertaining him, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was always unhappy. He felt guilty about Yang Guifei’s death and even ordered eunuchs to search for her remains, hoping to reburial her. However, since the eunuchs did not find Yang Guifei’s remains, the matter could only be left unresolved.
In the first year of Shangyuan, eunuch Li Fuguo once again advised Tang Suzong that Yang Xuanli, Gao Lishi, and others conspired to support Tang Xuanzong’s accession to the throne as emperor. In July of the same year, Li Fuguo took advantage of Tang Suzong’s illness and issued a decree forcing Tang Xuanzong to relocate to the Ganlu Hall in Taiji Palace (West Inner). During the relocation process, Li Fuguo led five hundred cavalry to stop them. Tang Xuanzong was scared by Li Fuguo’s murderous formation and almost fell off his horse. Fortunately, Gao Lishi stepped forward and Tang Xuanzong safely moved to the Ganlu Palace.
Li Fuguo committed a heinous act, but Tang Suzong not only did not blame him, but also comforted him with a few words, as if it was Li Fuguo who was bullied.
As soon as Tang Xuanzong moved into the Ganlu Palace, his close aides were purged, and Gao Lishi was exiled to Wuzhou by Tang Suzong on charges of “colluding with the enemy”; Chen Xuanli was ordered to retire; Princess Yuzhen was also forced to move to Yuzhen Temple. After Gao Lishi, Princess Yuzhen, and Chen Xuanli left, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was truly left alone. Without a confidant around him, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang lived a melancholic life for two years before passing away at the age of 78.