Today, the History Encyclopedia editor brings you an article about Changsun Wuji. Welcome to read it~
Changsun Wuji was a prominent figure on the political stage of the early Tang Dynasty. It was also a relatively influential task of the Tang Dynasty, from Li Yuan’s establishment of the Tang Dynasty to Li Shimin’s bloody palace gate and successful accession to the throne, all of which were inseparable from the intelligence and strategy of Changsun Wuji. During the reign of Li Yuan, Changsun Wuji was conferred the titles of Duke of Qi and Duke of Zhao.
Li Shimin also once said to his ministers, ‘I have the world, and there is no taboo power.’. After Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, ascended the throne, he conferred the title of Grand Commandant upon Changsun Wuji, who was also a third rank official in the Imperial Secretariat. It can be seen how much influence he had on the emperors of the Tang Dynasty.
Changsun Wuji was Li Zhi’s uncle and the biggest supporter behind him. It can be said that without Changsun Wuji, there would be no throne for Li Zhi. However, in the tenth year of Li Zhi’s reign, Changsun Wuji was convicted of “treason” and was dismissed from his position and exiled.
In just three months, Changsun Wuji was forced to commit suicide. Why did a minister who had a great influence on the Tang Dynasty end up in such a situation? It’s really unbelievable, so why did Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, kill Changsun Wuji?
1、 Changsun Wuji’s power is too great. Changsun Wuji is both a prime minister and a relative. The power of the civil servant group led by Changsun Wuji is too great, and even without their agreement, the emperor’s opinion is useless.
When Li Shimin appointed Li Zhi as the crown prince, Changsun Wuji once said, ‘If anyone opposes me, I will kill him.’ This shows that Changsun Wuji had seriously threatened the position and power of the emperor at that time.
2、 At that time, Li Zhi had already fallen in love with Wu Zetian and obeyed her words. Although Li Zhi was an emperor, he was a weak one with great power in the hands of Changsun Wuji. Therefore, Li Zhi was very angry, while Wu Zetian was a gentle wife to Li Zhi. For a passionate emperor, his wife was still important.
3、 Li Zhi wanted to depose Empress Wang and establish Empress Wu Zetian, but Changsun Wuji disagreed. Changsun Wuji believed that Wu Zetian was just a commoner’s family, and it was not appropriate for the household to be in the same household. In addition, Li Zhi was relatively weak and could not live without him. Wu Zetian was just a woman, and Changsun Wuji believed that she was no match for him. Wu Zetian was just a concubine, and if she was appointed as the empress, many people would gossip.
So Changsun Wuji concluded that Wu Zetian was definitely not his opponent, and he couldn’t make Wu Zetian, the laughingstock of the Tang Dynasty, become the empress. So where is the majesty of the royal family?
4、 Wu Zetian was a person with a strong sense of revenge. If Li Zhi wanted to kill Changsun Wuji, it would be more accurate to say that Wu Zetian wanted to kill him, because Changsun Wuji had always opposed Wu Zetian.
As the saying goes, if the ruler asks his ministers to die, they must die. Wu Zetian took advantage of Li Zhi’s situation and falsely accused Changsun Wuji of plotting rebellion. Li Zhi, who was deceived, naturally believed Wu Zetian and ordered Changsun Wuji to be stripped of all his positions and exiled to Qianzhou. Three months later, Changsun Wuji was forced to commit suicide.
The head of the twenty-four meritorious officials in the Lingyan Pavilion of the Tang Dynasty ended his life in this way. Perhaps Changsun Wuji did not understand until his death that he once thought the gentle and weak Li Zhi would become his murderer, and his painstaking efforts were just digging a huge grave for himself in advance.
