
ollow the History Encyclopedia editor to explore the real Li Yuanji in history.

After the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Li Shimin not only killed his older brother Li Jiancheng and younger brother Li Yuanji, but also went all out as a villain, cutting grass and eliminating roots. He killed all 10 of his brothers’ sons, that is, his own nephew, which can be described as ruthless. But when it comes to his brother’s wife, Li Shimin is much more generous. The Crown Princess Zheng Guanyin was beautiful, and the Queen of Qi was no less. Historical records show that the Yang Dynasty had a “jade like appearance and snow-white skin, with picturesque features.” Li Shimin had long coveted this younger sister, but was struggling to seize the opportunity to do so.
I’m sure everyone has heard of the two famous concubines of Li Shimin. Among them, the little Yang consort was none other than the former Qi queen Yang Guimei. According to records, this Yang Guimei was charming in appearance, enchanting in temperament, and knowledgeable in poetry and literature. She was also skilled in singing and dancing, and Li Shimin had long admired her. Therefore, after becoming emperor, he did everything possible to capture Yang Guimei’s heart.
It’s not that Li Shimin had multiple colors here, in fact, it was a custom at that time. Due to the influence of Xianbei culture, the Tang Dynasty allowed the winner to seize anything from the loser after a battle. Not only the military, but also their families. This custom was also brought back to the early Tang Dynasty, so there were many cases of incest in the early Tang Dynasty.