Many people are not familiar with the story of Wu Zetian and Li Shimin. Let’s follow the editor of the History Encyclopedia to appreciate it together.
In November of the eleventh year of the Zhenguan reign (637 AD), Li Shimin drove to Luoyang Palace and heard that there was a beautiful woman named “Rong Zhimei” in Chang’an. She was aroused and summoned to the palace, where she was conferred the title of fifth grade talent and given the name “Wu Mei”.
This woman is the famous first and only female emperor of China, Empress Wu Zetian. I think Li Shimin could never have imagined that the Tang Dynasty would be interrupted for fifteen years by a woman due to her greed.
Wu Zetian was ordered to enter the palace from the eleventh year of the Zhenguan reign (637 AD) until the death of Li Shimin in the twenty third year of the Zhenguan reign (649 AD). She was the concubine of Li Shimin for 12 years. During these 12 years, it is puzzling that Wu Zetian did not produce any offspring for Li Shimin.
What is the reason why Empress Wu Zetian, who served as Li Shimin’s concubine for 12 years, did not produce anything?
Firstly, it can be confirmed that Wu Zetian had the ability to bear children. Without this ability, she would never have given birth to four sons and two daughters for Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi.
Wu Zetian knew nothing, which was ultimately Li Shimin’s own fault.
It is highly likely that Li Shimin lost his fertility in the eighth year of the Zhenguan reign (634 AD). Although there is no record of Li Shimin losing his ability to bear children in historical books, there is reason to suspect that he lost his ability to bear children from the birth time of his offspring in historical books, because from the eighth year of the Zhenguan reign until the twenty third year of the Zhenguan reign (649 AD), Li Shimin’s many concubines did not give birth to a son again.
Imagine, if Li Shimin still had the ability to have children, how could he not have had a son during these 15 years? The only explanation for the 15 year absence is that Li Shimin lost his ability to bear children. In fact, it is possible that Li Shimin spent his entire life in war, with no eyes for swords and knives, and inevitably suffered from accidental injuries that led to physical defects. Furthermore, Li Shimin was also a diligent ruler who stayed up late to correct memorials. Moreover, from the fact that he ordered Wu Zetian to enter the palace as his consort because of her “tolerance for beauty”, it can be seen that Li Shimin was also a “lustful ruler” who certainly had unlimited demands for certain things.
Therefore, based on various events, it is understandable and absolutely possible that Li Shimin lost his ability to bear children.
Secondly, even if Li Shimin still had the ability to conceive, Wu Zetian definitely had little chance of getting pregnant. The reason behind this is that Wu Zetian was not favored. Wu Zetian was not favored, as can be seen from two things:
There is almost no record of Li Shimin and Wu Zetian in one of the historical books, and the only detailed record is Wu Zetian’s own recollection.
In the first year of the Jiu Shi era, Xu submitted a memorial and Fang Yuan introduced the present. The Empress Dowager angrily said, “What you said, I have heard of it, but I cannot say much! Emperor Taizong had a horse named Shizi Cong, but Fei Yi was unable to control him. I served as a palace maid and said to Emperor Taizong, ‘I can control it, but I need three things: one iron whip, two iron spears, and three daggers. If the iron whip does not agree, I will use a spear to strike it, and if I do not agree, I will use a dagger to cut its throat.’ Emperor Taizong strengthened my ambition. Today, how can you defile me? Dagger Evil!” – “Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 26, Under the Holy Empress of Tian Shun”
One day, Wu Zetian accompanied Li Shimin to the imperial horse farm in Chang’an. In the imperial racecourse, there is a fine horse called “Lion Cong”, which, due to its fierce nature, has yet to be tamed by anyone. Li Shimin asked the people around him, “Who can subdue it?” At this moment, Wu Zetian stood up and said, “I have a way to subdue it!” Upon hearing this, Li Shimin asked her, “What can I do?” Wu Zetian replied, “I only need three things: an iron whip, an iron rod, and a dagger. First, use the iron whip to beat it. If you still don’t agree, use the iron rod to strike its head. If you still don’t agree, use a dagger to cut off its throat. After hearing this, Li Shimin greatly appreciated Wu Zetian and generously rewarded her.
In our current view, this matter is mostly due to Empress Wu Zetian’s own efforts to boost the situation. If Wu Zetian really said that, I’m afraid she wouldn’t have survived until now. It should be noted that during the reign of Li Shimin, there was a prophecy circulating among the people that “after the Tang Dynasty and the Three Dynasties, the female lead Wu Wang will replace the Li family and occupy the world”. At that time, Li Shimin also attached great importance to this prophecy. For the sake of this prophecy, Li Shimin even killed his own love, Li Junxian, the Duke of Wulian County. Li Junxian was only killed because of his nickname “Wu Niangzi”, which sounds Wu Tongyin.
So, imagine if Wu Zetian really said that, do you think Li Shimin wouldn’t notice her? Li Shimin is not foolish. From her ability to control a fierce horse, he will surely realize that Wu Zetian is not a creature in the pool. Then, adding the prophecy of “Empress Wu Wang”, Wu Zetian will undoubtedly die. So, Wu Zetian’s memory is definitely bragging and cannot be considered true.
Therefore, imagine that historical books almost never record the interaction between Li Shimin and Wu Zetian. How could Wu Zetian be a favored concubine?
Secondly, during the reign of Li Shimin, Wu Zetian never advanced, and from beginning to end, she was only a fifth rank talent. May I ask, if Wu Zetian were truly favored, would she still be a fifth rank talent?
Therefore, from various records, Wu Zetian is definitely a concubine who was neglected by Li Shimin, and can be said to be a type of person who never saw Li Shimin for a long time. Thus, how could Wu Zetian, who had been neglected for many years, give birth to an heir for Li Shimin?
As for why Wu Zetian gave birth to a child with Li Zhi after being together for a year, it’s easy to explain. At that time, Li Zhi could be said to have favored Empress Wu Zetian alone, and they were warm and affectionate together day and night. Li Zhi was only 23 years old at that time, when she was young and full of vitality, and Empress Wu Zetian did not have infertility problems. If Empress Wu Zetian did not give birth, who could give birth?
