For those who are very interested in Li Longji’s killing of Shangguan Wan’er, the History Encyclopedia editor brings a detailed article for your reference.
Because Shangguan Wan’er may become one of the obstacles to Li Longji’s ascension to power.
Shangguan Wan’er, a talented woman of a generation, was a prime minister who wielded power for her entire life, but ultimately died from it. Later generations sighed for the ups and downs of her life, but they did not know that for Shangguan Wan’er, it could be considered a well deserved death, because wielding power was one of her survival instincts.
The year 710 AD was another tumultuous autumn for the Tang Dynasty.
This year, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang passed away due to illness. His death was very sudden, without any warning before.
After the death of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Empress Wei took advantage of the situation to control the government and established a system in the court. Empress Wei and Princess Anle sought to seize power and became the second “Empress Wu Zetian”.
Princess Taiping, who had a keen sense of smell, teamed up with Li Longji’s aunt and nephew to launch the Tang Long coup. During the coup, Empress Wei and Princess Anle were killed. In another world, they can ask Empress Wu Zetian, “Why can you succeed but we cannot
At the end of the coup, Shangguan Wan’er realized the crisis and prepared a will favorable to Li Longji’s father, Prince Li Dan, and led the palace officials to wait for Li Longji’s men to come.
Shangguan Wan’er’s move is not surprising. She already has talent and has been helping Wu Zetian draft documents during her reign. There is documentary evidence that she believes Li Longji and Prime Minister Li Dan will consider her loyal to the Li Tang royal family. Moreover, as an old acquaintance with Prime Minister Li Dan, she believed that she would live peacefully like previous coups.
But this time Li Longji won’t do it. Li Longji rebuked Shangguan Wan’er for having malicious intentions and ordered her to be beheaded.
After the death of Shangguan Wan’er, Princess Taiping was very sad and paid money to send people to take care of Shangguan Wan’er’s affairs.
Li Longji took the opportunity to kill Shangguan Wan’er, and upon careful consideration, he was no exception.
The first point is that Li Longji strongly disliked the red makeup era when women were in power.
Li Longji was a generation of emperors who grew up during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian. Wu Zetian really liked this grandson and thought that Li Longji looked like a true descendant of the Li family, with courage and boldness, unlike other children and grandchildren who were scared out of their wits when they saw her. At that time, Li Longji, whose talent was leaked, was not guarded against because he was a grandson, and Wu Zetian’s main target of defense was her son.
But Li Longji and his father Li Dan lived a life of imprisonment together. There is no problem with the supply of daily necessities, but there is no freedom to speak of. After Li Longji’s mother was called away by Wu Zetian, she never appeared again, and no one was born, no one died, and no body was seen.
So later, the minister said that Li Longji and the Wu family had a hatred for killing their mother.
The second point is that the sharp Li Longji wants to cut off the arms of Princess Taiping and reduce her power.
Sort out the relationship network of Shangguan Wan’er’s power manipulation, which is all related to women.
During the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, she was her trusted assistant; During the reign of Emperor Tang Zhongzong, she had close relationships with Empress Wei and Princess Anle. The person behind many of Wei Hou’s affairs who provides advice and strategies is Shangguan Wan’er.
Shangguan Wan’er and Princess Taiping are of similar age. Shangguan Wan’er came to Wu Zetian’s side at the age of fourteen and had many contacts with Princess Taiping, forming a deep friendship. To some extent, Shangguan Wan’er may be the handkerchief of Princess Taiping.
So after Wu Zetian and Empress Wei, the person who stood in line with Shangguan Wan’er was probably Princess Taiping.
Although Li Longji and his aunt Princess Taiping launched the Tang Long coup together, it does not necessarily mean that the two nephews are his own people. This collaboration is just about adapting to the situation and taking what each person needs.
Powerful figures like Li Longji and Princess Taiping naturally understand that they are enemies only when the situation stabilizes.
From Li Longji’s perspective, since Shangguan Wan’er cannot be his help, sooner or later he will have to help another woman deal with him. Why don’t he take action first?
So, if it falls into the hands of Li Longji and he doesn’t take the opportunity to kill Shangguan Wan’er, Li Longji will be sorry for himself.
After Shangguan Wan’er’s death, Princess Taiping did indeed feel a little uncomfortable. Her childhood friend, Li Dan, is the only one left around her. Princess Taiping requested to restore Shangguan Wan’er’s identity and ordered someone to collect her articles and compile them into a collection of essays, so that her works could be passed down to future generations, which can be considered as fulfilling her wishes.
Prince Li Dan is delighted and clever. Why should we be stingy with this attitude when a person is already dead?
After the defeat of Princess Taiping, she committed suicide. In September 2013, Shaanxi announced to the outside world the discovery of the burial site of Shangguan Wan’er. After on-site investigation, archaeologists believe that the tomb was subjected to organized tomb destruction, which should have been ordered by the court. And this time point should be when Prince Li Dan abdicated after the defeat of Princess Taiping, and Li Longji became the true emperor of the Tang Dynasty. From Li Longji’s life experience, one of his proudest achievements was to completely rid the Tang political arena of the chaotic situation of women’s world, and to return the court to the hands of men again. Therefore, it is not surprising that he destroyed the tomb of Shangguan Wan’er, who had no successors to protect him, while venting his anger.
