2. I haven’t been a big brother for many years.
The person who succeeded Shi Jingtang to the throne was Shi Chonggui. Shi Chonggui was not Shi Jingtang's biological son, but the son of his brother Shi Jingru. Shi Jingru was originally a cavalry general under Li Cunxu. He died in battle a long time ago, leaving Shi Chonggui an orphan. Shi Jingtang took his nephew with him and regarded him as his own. Therefore, history books say that Shi Chonggui was Shi Jingtang's nephew and adopted son.
Shi Jingru was Shi Jingtang's only brother, and he was his half-brother. After his death in battle, Shi Jingtang adopted his orphan Shi Chonggui. From this point of view, Shi Jingtang's feelings for this brother are very deep and touching.
However, some of Shi Jingtang's actions after he ascended the throne are incomprehensible: when he was awarded the official position, Shi Jingru ranked last, behind his brothers. When he was awarded the title of king, he strategically forgot it, and his uncle and brothers were all awarded the title. King, the only one who did not pursue the title was Shi Jingru.
All civil and military officials complained that they could not understand and did not dare to ask.
The historians of the Northern Song Dynasty were also puzzled by this, and bluntly recorded: "This is also suspicious."
3. Full of loyalty
Shi Jingtang's journey to becoming emperor is an extremely sad history of blood and tears.
3.1 Hedong War
When the Hedong War broke out, his cousin Shi Jingwei served in the Forbidden Army and lived in Luoyang. After hearing about Shi Jingtang's rebellion, he said to the people around him: "Who has never died in life since ancient times? My brother is about to do something big. I can't live in humiliation and drag him down." The hind legs made him worried." Then he committed suicide calmly to avoid becoming Li Congke's hostage.
Another cousin, Shi Jingde, was arrested and executed by Li Congke before he could commit suicide.
Shi Chongying and Shi Chongyin fled to the countryside and hid in a well of a farmer's house. They were eventually hunted down and killed by Li Congke. The unlucky farmer's family was also ransacked and beheaded.
3.2 Zhang Congbin Rebellion
This was a derivative of Fan Yanguang's rebellion in Weizhou. Zhang Congbin was ordered to support the Huazhou-Liyang front line from Luoyang, but he launched a rebellion in Luoyang and responded to Fan Yanguang. Shi Chongxin and Shi Chongyi who stayed in Luoyang were brutally killed.
Among them, Shi Chongxin is the eldest son of Shi Jingtang, and his biological mother is Shi Jingtang's main wife, Li Shi. He is the biological grandson of Li Keyong. Except for Shi Chongxin, the whereabouts of the other five sons are unknown.
Shi Jingtang's favorite son was his eldest son Shi Chongxin. According to records, he was "a man of great wisdom and good manners." He was smart, studious, quick-witted, and polite. Although his grandfather and uncle became emperors successively, he never Although his father is in power, he has always been modest and low-key, and is very popular (even mentioned in current commentaries).
Before Shi Jingtang proclaimed himself emperor, Shi Chongxin had been detained by the central government and was in the forbidden army. After Shi Jingtang proclaimed himself emperor, he immediately appointed him as the governor of Heyang to increase his experience and accumulate work experience and connections.
Shi Chongxin lived up to expectations. Less than a month after taking office, he had properly solved more than a dozen local historical issues. He was quite popular politically and was praised by the people. After Shi Jingtang heard about it, he specially issued an edict to praise him. Shi Jingtang put a lot of thought into him and placed high hopes on him. We have reason to believe that Shi Jingtang should have plans to make Shi Chongxin the heir to the throne.
It's a pity that fate plays tricks on people. When Shi Chongxin went to Zhenheyang, Zhang Congbin rebelled and killed him. He died at the age of 20. The people in Heyang area all lamented it, and "people who heard about it from far and near sighed for it."
Shi Jingtang was even more distraught and immediately issued an edict to posthumously reward the Taiwei. However, relevant departments raised objections because from ancient times to the present, princes have not been among the three princes.
There are many opinions about the "Three Gongs", because different historical periods have different regulations. "Shangshu" says that the Three Dukes refer to Taishi, Taifu and Taibao; during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, they were changed to Taiwei, Situ and Sikong. In short, the "Three Officials" were the most prestigious official positions in the feudal period. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Yuan Shao was known as the "Fourth Generation and Three Dukes". His ancestors were all ranked among the Three Dukes for four consecutive generations. He had a prominent position and huge power. Therefore, when the "Eighteen Route Princes rebelled against Dong Zhuo", Yuan Shao was publicly elected as the leader of the alliance and took the lead. Big brother.
In order to express his grief for his eldest son, Shi Jingtang wanted to posthumously present the title of Taiwei, which triggered a court discussion. Shi Jingtang went against all opinions and said that this child was a good boy and a good comrade. Unfortunately, he met with something bad. I was particularly sad. Since there is no precedent, let's start with me. So he posthumously awarded the title of Taiwei, setting a historical precedent. In the seventh year of Tianfu (942), he also presented it to the Grand Master.
Shi Chongyi, who was killed at the same time as Shi Chongxin, was good at both civil and military affairs. He was good at Confucianism and the art of war. He was also loved by Shi Jingtang. After Shi Jingtang proclaimed himself emperor, he was appointed as the imperial envoy, and later appointed as the stay-at-home guard of the Eastern Capital, out of Luoyang. He died at the age of nineteen. Shi Jingtang gave it as a posthumous gift to the Taifu, and in the seventh year of Tianfu (942), he also gave it to the Taiwei.
3.3Natural death
Shi Jingtang's youngest son, Shi Chonggao, was not very lucky and died before he had time to give him a name. At that time, he only had a nickname of "Feng Liu". After his death, Shi Jingtang posthumously gave him "Shi Chonggao".
According to historical records, Shi Jingtang had seven sons, but in fact there were six biological sons (excluding Shi Chonggui). When Shi Jingtang rebelled, two of them were killed. When others rebelled against him, two more were killed. God took back one. In this way, he only had one surviving biological son - Shi Chongrui.
Shi Chongrui looked most like Shi Jingtang, so he was deeply loved by Shi Jingtang, but he was too young and there are not many records.
The other one is the "big-eyed cute" Shi Chonggui.
Shi Jingtang was "not hesitant" anymore, knowing that his deadline was approaching. There were only two choices before him: the younger one, Shi Chongrui, who looked most like his own son; the older one, who was favored by the Khitan people and whose deceased brother His son Shi Chonggui.
According to historical records, when Shi Jingtang was ill in bed, the chief prime minister Feng Dao came to greet him. At that time, Shi Jingtang was speechless. He weakly gestured to the eunuch to bring Shi Chongrui out, and then let Shi Chongrui kneel down to Feng Dao. Kowtow and salute, Feng Dao was so frightened that he knelt down and kowtowed in return. Then, Shi Jingtang signaled the eunuch to pick up Shi Chongrui and put him into Feng Dao's arms.
Although there is no record of Shi Chongrui's specific age in the history books, it is not difficult to see from the small detail that he was held by the eunuch and stuffed into Feng Dao's arms that Shi Chongrui was indeed just a child.
Feng Dao was uneasy, holding Shi Chongrui in his arms, and looked at Shi Jingtang who was dying on the hospital bed.
At this time, Shi Jingtang was already furious. He pointed at the child in Feng Dao's arms with his trembling hands, nodded slowly and slightly, and a happy smile appeared on his pale face.
Feng Dao nodded vigorously.
He understood, and everyone present understood that Shi Jingtang meant to let Shi Chongrui ascend the throne and let Feng Dao assist him wholeheartedly. A wife is a good thing for others, but a son is a good thing for oneself.
