Li You's Tang Dynasty

Chapter 688 The Real Li Zhi

Tang Gaozong Li Zhi was not a weak person. Tang Gaozong Li Zhi brought the Tang Dynasty to the pinnacle of prosperity. Not only was the national power extremely strong, but the country's land area also reached the largest.Li Shimin did not destroy Goguryeo, but Li Zhi completed this mission, Goguryeo disappeared from then on, and the demise of Baekje and Western Turks should also be recorded in Li Zhi's credit book.

The reason why many people say that Li Zhi is weak and incompetent is that the Gaozong era was in the period of Wu Zetian's prosperity. Wu Zetian jumped to the highest level of power with the help of Li Zhi as a springboard. So is Li Zhi really weak and incompetent?
Of course not, Li Zhi is not only not weak, he is also very smart, Li Shimin entrusted Li Zhi to Changsun Wuji, the reason why Li Zhi succeeded in ascending the throne also included the support of Changsun Wuji.Although Changsun Wuji was loyal to the Tang Dynasty, but because of his high position all the year round, he gradually became arrogant and reckless, so that the edicts under Li Zhi had to seek the consent of Changsun Wuji before they could be implemented.

So Li Zhi wanted to abolish the power minister group headed by Changsun Wuji. A few years before Li Zhi came to the throne, although Li Zhi was very diligent, the power was still in the hands of Changsun Wuji.Li Zhi has been isolated and helpless for a long time, and since Wu Zetian was allowed to re-enter the palace, this situation has only improved.

Li Zhi is naturally not a confused person. After long-term observation, he found that Wu Zetian had a high political talent, and he could be said to be a natural politician.She can win the first place in the harem, and she can also defeat the king and queen, which is not something ordinary people can do. Of course, Li Zhi also has deep feelings for Wu Zetian.

Wu Zetian wants to become a queen, and Li Zhi can use Wu Zetian's ability to help her get rid of Changsun Wuji, Chu Suiliang and others, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone.

With the help of Wu Zetian, Li Zhi began to establish his own group of cronies, and then found the handle of Changsun Wuji and others, destroying the group of powerful ministers headed by Changsun Wuji in one fell swoop, and regained the imperial power.

Li Zhi may not have Wu Zetian's political talent, but Li Zhi is very aware of the power balance. To a large extent, Li Zhi is using Wu Zetian.It's like Liu Bang is inferior to Han Xin in military affairs and Chen Ping in strategy, but Liu Bang can still secure the throne of emperor.

Even though Wu Zetian has become a queen and started to cultivate her own power, Li Zhi is still the emperor after all.Even if Li Zhi's wind disease breaks out, the power must be in his hands, which Li Zhi knows very well.

As Wu Zetian became more and more powerful, Li Zhi also began to feel jealous. He didn't want another existence similar to Changsun Wuji, so he also had the idea of ​​abolishing Wu Zetian.

Historical records: "In the early days, Empress Wu was able to bow and endure humiliation, and followed her wishes, so she stood up for discussion; when she got her ambition, she dedicated herself to being a blessing, and she wanted to do something, but her actions were controlled by her, and she was overwhelmed by her anger."

When Wu Zetian was not on the throne of the queen, she was very modest and prudent, but after gaining power, she often restricted Li Zhi's power, so Li Zhi was also quite resentful about this.Shangguanyi, the servant of Xitai, proposed to abolish Wu Zetian, and Li Zhi agreed in a huff, but because Wu Zetian had learned the news in advance to prevent this incident from happening.

If Li Zhi was really weak and incompetent, why did Shangguanyi write an edict of dismissal?In fact, Li Zhi and Wu Zetian have been in a state of interdependence and mutual checks and balances for a long time.

Li Zhi is in poor health and needs Wu Zetian to help him with government affairs. The reason why Wu Zetian is today is because of Li Zhi's imperial power. Once Li Zhi really abolishes Wu Zetian's queen, Wu Zetian will really become a prisoner.Therefore, Wu Zetian really did his best to serve Li Tang, and Li Zhi also noticed these things.

Pei Xingjian was an important minister during Gaozong's period. He participated in the defense of Tubo. In 679 AD, he participated in the Western Turkic Rebellion.

Another identity of Pei Xingjian is Wu Zetian's political opponent. Before Wu Zetian became queen, Pei Xingjian raised objections, but he was still reused by the emperor.During Gaozong's period, if Wu Zetian really covered the sky with one hand, then Pei Xingjian must be eliminated first, but Pei Xingjian has been living in peace.It can be seen that although the two sages have become a reality, the balance is still biased towards Gaozong.

Now that Li Zhi has decided to ask Wu Zetian to help assist the government, some minor flaws can only be ignored.Some people say that this is Li Zhi's weakness. In fact, it is true. Even if Li Zhi understands it, he has nothing to do.

Wu Zetian stepped on the throne of the Queen and Concubine Xiao Shu. After Wu Zetian was named a queen, the Queen and Concubine Xiao Shu were deposed as ordinary people and locked up in the cold palace.Once, Li Zhi went to visit the Queen, and saw that the courtyard had been completely closed, leaving only one food delivery, and the situation was extremely miserable.

Li Zhi felt compassionate and changed this courtyard into "Huixinyuan". Wu Zetian immediately took action when he heard about this, and sent people to cut off the hands and feet of Queen Wang and Concubine Xiao Shu, throw them into the wine tank, and behead them after death.Of course, Li Zhi knew about Wu Zetian's ruthless methods, but Li Zhi didn't say anything about it.

Wu Zetian's eldest son Li Hong and second son Li Xian are both very talented. What's interesting is that these two sons are not too cold towards their mother, and even often oppose Wu Zetian.This made Wu Zetian feel like a stick in his throat. For the sake of power, Wu Zetian moved to murder. Mothers value their sons. In theory, Wu Zetian should be proud of her son and she should delegate power.But who made her Wu Zetian, she is different from ordinary queens, what she wants is to be in power alone, not to retreat behind the scenes.

Therefore, Li Hong's death was most likely planned by Wu Ze, and Li Xian was the same. Li Zhi could only cry bitterly about this, but there was nothing he could do.

Li Zhi sacrificed a lot for Li Tang's country and society. He knew he was sick and didn't trust the so-called powerful ministers, so he put his chips on Wu Zetian.It is roughly Li Zhi's idea that even if Wu Zetian seizes power, the power will eventually return to the Li family.

Li Zhi cannot be called weak and incompetent. The world of Tang Dynasty has come to glory in his hands, but he met the powerful Wu Zetian. After weighing the pros and cons, Li Zhi chose to compromise. This may be the best result Li Zhi thinks .

But this time is different, the history has completely changed. In the previous history, Li Zhi was very useless. He had his uncle and eldest grandson Wuji before, and his wife Wu Zetian later.

But this time, he has a foreign aid, that is Qi Wang Li You, as long as Li You is there, Li Zhi can be tough in the court, because Li Zhi knows that as long as he has something to do, then his fifth brother He will definitely come to save himself.

And Li Zhi will definitely not be as useless as before, Wu Zetian may still become a queen, and Changsun Wuji may still be in power, but here I want to say that they are absolutely impossible to be as domineering as they have been in history.

Queen Wang may be demoted, Concubine Xiao Shu may be sent to the cold palace, but Wu Zetian will never dare to kill them again, because Li Zhi also has a fifth elder brother, King Qi Li You of the Tang Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)