From ancient times to the present, the fate of the founding heroes often ended in tragedy. This is a very bad thing and has great harm to human nature and national culture. Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang were more famous for their cruel executions of heroes. The first thing Liu Bang and his wife did after taking control of Chang'an was to kill Han Xin. Han Xin's death made Liu Bang a representative of ungratefulness and unrighteousness in history. I think it is precisely because this reputation cannot be removed. He simply refused to do anything and killed Yingbu and Peng Yue again. Objectively speaking, as an emperor, Liu Bang's ferocity is understandable, and he had no choice but to kill Han Xin. By carefully reading the records about Han Xin and the late Qin and early Han Dynasties, we can feel how powerful Han Xin was and what a potential threat he posed to the Western Han Dynasty that had just unified the world and the Liu royal family represented by Liu Bang. We know that there is a saying about the "Three Heroes of the Early Han Dynasty", and we also know that people like Fan Kuai and Zhou Bo are called fierce generals, but in fact, when it comes to leading troops in battles, these people did not even dare to show off in front of Han Xin. They were in awe and fear. Extremely. Therefore, although Liu Bang himself knew very well that Han Xin would not rebel at all, he still tried every means to kill him. This is like the hanging dragon stone on Hengshan Mountain, hanging precariously on the mountainside. Although it has not fallen down for thousands of years, most people who walk under it will break out in a cold sweat. Only by killing Han Xin could Liu Bang sleep. As for Yingbu and Peng Yue, they were killed by the way. The unjust deaths of the three kings were, on the other hand, beneficial to the consolidation and development of the Han Dynasty. Compared with many emperors in history, Liu Bang was not a ruthless and ruthless master. Xiao He, Zhang Liang, Chen Ping, and Zhou Bo were also heroes, so he did not kill anyone. Zhu Yuanzhang's massacre of heroes was truly heinous. He elevated the killing of heroes to the level of a national policy. Regardless of whether there was a threat or not, he was determined to kill them all. From the time he ascended the throne to his death, there was no After this activity was stopped, one or two million people were killed one after another, becoming the most inexplicable, incredible and unreadable event in history. Among the heroes of the early Ming Dynasty, only six people were not kidnapped and sent to the execution ground on charges of rebellion, namely Chang Yuchun, Hu Dahai, Mu Ying, Li Wenzhong, Xu Da, Tang He, and Liu Ji. Chang Yuchun and Hu Dahai died early, both on the journey, and there was no need for Zhu Yuanzhang to take action; Mu Ying and Zhu Yuanzhang were both adopted sons of Zhu Yuanzhang and belonged to the royal family, and they had been at the border for a long time and did not interfere much with the court affairs. He died a good death; Liu Ji was a scholar. Although he had made great contributions, he always followed Zhang Liang as an example and never took credit. He was very low-key. Zhu Yuanzhang could not find an excuse. In the end, he only hinted that Hu Weiyong poisoned him to death; Xu Da, as a military general, First of all, his military exploits were similar to those of Li Jing in the early Tang Dynasty, and his behavior was also similar. He was self-denial, courteous and courteous, and stayed away from disputes. However, he was not as lucky as Li Jing. In the end, Zhu Yuanzhang gave him a roast goose, which caused his back sores to burst and died. Liu Ji and Xu Da finally retained the last bit of dignity as a human being and avoided having his body disfigured; Tang He was the only survivor among the heroes with different surnames. There were four main reasons why he did not die violently. The first was that he took care of his illness very early. He withdrew from the government, stayed behind closed doors, and looked like an old man in the field of clothes. Secondly, he was not very capable. He had always served as Xu Da's deputy general and Chang Yuchun, so he had no prestige. Thirdly, he was very old. He was seventy or eighty years old. Fourthly, he was He is Zhu Yuanzhang's childhood friend. He has followed Zhu Yuanzhang since childhood. He has always been cautious and loyal. If Zhu Yuanzhang killed even such a person, he would not be able to answer the question to the court, the world, and future generations. Although Zhu Yuanzhang was vicious and psychologically twisted, he did not care about his reputation after his death. If Tang He was left behind, he could use force to block him. Although Tang He was able to save his life by talking about everything, it was actually a life worse than death, and his life was very uncomfortable.

Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang are the representatives of emperors who killed heroes in history books. The former is famous mainly for killing rare military strategists like Han Xin, which vividly interprets the famous saying "The best bows are hidden in flying birds, and the cunning rabbits are cooked by dead lackeys." He tasted the bitter fruit. In the siege of Baideng, if there is any With Han Xin here, he could completely avoid the humiliation of lifelong hatred, and the Western Han Dynasty would not pay tribute to the Xiongnu for so long. The latter is famous entirely because of its inhumanity and twisted soul. When later generations read the history of the Ming Dynasty, they entered a horrifying situation at the beginning. People were massacred and died in an indiscriminate prison. It was a massacre. None of the battles can be compared. He also tasted the bitter fruit. After his death, the central government lost the ability to control the world and became extremely weak. Almost all the people in the court were mediocre people who were ignorant or talkative. There were no talents to stabilize the country. As a result, the vassal king launched a rebellion and swept down the country. The political power changed hands and his descendants withered.

In fact, there are still many emperors in history like Han Gaozu and Ming Taizu. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Wu Yuan, Wen Zhong, Wu Qi, Shang Yang, Bai Qi, Wang Jian, Wang Ben and his son, and Meng Tian and Mengyi brothers died respectively in the deaths of Wu Wang Fu Chai, Yue Wang Gou Jian, Chu Prince, Qin Hui Wang, Qin Shihuang, and Qin II. hand. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, almost all emperors were very cruel, and suspicion of heroes was a daily habit in life. The father and son of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty and Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty who unified the world also inherited this tradition. Gao Ying, He Ruobi, and Han Qinhu, the pillars of the country, were killed one after another, and Yang Su and Li Yuan were forced to rebel.

Of course, not all the founding heroes ended well.

For example, most of the twenty-four heroes of Lingyan Pavilion in Zhenguan, the twenty-eight generals of Yuntai in Guangwu, those who participated in the Chenqiao mutiny, and those who founded the Great Mongolia, all died in glory and wealth. Li Shimin launched the Xuanwu Gate Coup, killed his eldest brother and younger brother, deposed his father, ascended the throne of emperor, and began the twenty-four-year rule of Zhenguan. To deal with the founding heroes, emperors of the past dynasties mainly adopted three methods: first, to kill them; second, to reduce their power, retain their posts and support them; third, to continue to use them, with no shortage of titles and powers. Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang adopted the first method, which was self-centered, which strengthened the centralization of monarchy and also damaged the vitality of the country. Li Shimin adopted the third method. He publicly expressed his gratitude to the heroes many times, saying: For more than ten years since then, Si Gai has exhausted all his plans, his minions have tried their best, and worked together to achieve common deeds. , so that. Relying on the heroes to continue to work hard, the monarch and his ministers have a heart-to-heart relationship, and the government governs the world together. Except for a few of the twenty-four heroes of Lingyan Pavilion, such as Zhang Lianghou Junji, who were actually killed because they participated in the rebellion between the prince and the king of Wei, most of them were favored with great honor and wealth for life. Even if the heroes violated some national laws, Li Shimin He couldn't bear to be punished. After some persuasion, his trust remained as before. Therefore, later generations highly praise and yearn for the rule of Zhenguan. Liu Xiu, the founding emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, did the same thing. After unifying the world, the twenty-eight generals of Yuntai all received prominent positions and spent the rest of their lives in peace. The most famous one is the story of Dou Rong. This Dou Rong was originally a prince and participated in the activities of competing for the world with other heroes. Later, he was joined by Liu Xiuen and surrendered to the Guangwu regime. He led his troops to eliminate several other grassroots. Son of Heaven. This man was very cautious. He knew that he was different from Feng Yi and Ma Yuan who followed Liu Xiu to conquer the world from the beginning. Therefore, he was extremely careful after returning from all over the world and treated Liu Xiu with great respect. He often treated Liu Xiu with great respect. He claimed to be ill and idle, did not participate in discussions about government affairs, and did not interact with princes and ministers. He did so sincerely and out of necessity. Liu Xiu couldn't stand it. He had many heart-to-heart talks with him alone. He kept getting promoted and promoted, and publicly praised his achievements. Finally, Dou Rong was moved by Liu Xiu, dispelled his doubts, and began to contribute to the country in a down-to-earth manner. This incident has become a typical story of the emperor and his ministers knowing each other openly and trusting each other. Genghis Khan Temujin, who unified the grasslands, conquered other countries, and established the Great Mongolia, also attached great importance to his heroes and treated them favorably. He regarded them as confidants, honor and disgrace, and wealth. None of the heroes betrayed him until his death. They all never forget to work for him. Zhao Kuangyin, Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, also handled the issue of heroes appropriately. The famous saying "Release military power over a glass of wine" in history is about this matter. In fact, Song Taizu did not take back the military power of some of the heroes, such as Shi Shouxin, Murong Yanzhao, Gao Huaide and others. They have always been at the center of the government, and Song Taizu relied heavily on them.

The fate of the hero depends on the emperor on the one hand, and also depends on the hero himself on the other. If the emperor himself is not good enough, it is easy for him to overshadow his master with great achievements. This kind of thing is not necessarily harmful to the country. For example, Zhou Gongdan in the Western Zhou Dynasty, Han Xin and Huo Guang in the Western Han Dynasty, Guo Ziyi in the Middle Tang Dynasty, etc., these people are all Loyal ministers, but compared with the emperor they were loyal to, they were much more capable and posed a great threat to the emperor's prestige. Therefore, Liu Bang, the emperor of the Han Dynasty, had to kill Han Xin to feel comfortable. Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, Liu Xun, had no ability, and Huo Guang Being together feels like a thorn in the back. If you meet a master like Zhu Yuanzhang, you will be in bad luck for eight lifetimes. No matter how big the world is, there will be no place to die. If Zhu Yuanzhang initially killed heroes for the sake of future generations, then this statement is untenable, because he killed too many, and the killings were ridiculous and incomprehensible. It was a perverted killing method. , unfortunately, if you fall into the hands of such a person, you will die no matter what you do.

As a hero, he will not rebel unless he is forced into a desperate situation (for example, the emperor wants to kill himself) or there is a major change (for example, the successor cannot do it), because rebellion involves huge risks. Taking risks, working hard to conquer the world with the emperor, and when the country is stable and the world is unified, there is an indescribable tiredness and joy, and they all want to enjoy their blessings, have a wife and son, and leave a name in history. However, it is not uncommon for people to be arrogant and proud of their merits and do evil things. This is the problem of the heroes themselves. These people often end up with a ruined reputation.

Kings like Emperor Guangwu, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, Taizu of the Song Dynasty, and Genghis Khan who can treat their heroes well are not only a blessing to the heroes, but also a blessing to the court and the country. The heroes retained their lives, status, and wealth, and the court He Sheji also preserved its vitality and solid foundation. But a monarch like this is rare. You must know that killing heroes is not a question of whether the emperor wants to do it, but a question of whether he needs it or not. A founding emperor generally must meet four conditions before he needs to kill heroes: First, he must have great talents and strategies, and be a master in conquering and governing the world. Liu Xiuwen's martial arts skills were unparalleled by anyone in the world at that time. There were many talents who were impressed by his personal charm and accepted the challenge with sincerity. In the early Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin's martial arts skills were only surpassed by that of Li Xiaogong (actually a combination of Li Jing's abilities). ) compete for talents; Zhao Kuangyin is Chai Rong's first general; all the generals under Temujin fight under Temujin. Not only are they good at marching and forming formations, but they are also able to charge into battle. Their outstanding military talents cannot be compared with any other hero. Of course, Zhu Yuanzhang is also very good at fighting. Although Xu Da and Chang Yuchun are powerful, they are still slightly inferior. But Zhu Yuanzhang did not meet the latter three conditions. The second is to come from a wealthy family and have noble blood.

Don't underestimate this. In feudal society, this is very important. Orthodoxy has been deeply rooted in people's hearts for a long time. Before there is a fait accompli, no one will believe that the probability and rationality of a commoner becoming emperor is greater than that of a noble. Before the world was pacified, people, at least most of the nobles, would regard you as a bandit or a rebel, despise you, doubt you, or even oppose you. However, it is different when a noble rebels. It is easier for everyone to accept him as the new emperor. . This is a class issue. Liu Xiu belonged to the royal family, Li Shimin came from a wealthy family, Zhao Kuangyin's family had been generals for generations, and Temujin belonged to the golden family on the grassland. Their bloodlines were all very noble, and their identities were very intimidating. And Liu Bang was born as a gangster and a petty official, while Zhu Yuanzhang was just a beggar and had been a monk. Looking back on the past, he felt so guilty and inferior. The third is that compared with other heroes, I am relatively young. Relatively speaking, the younger ones generally die after the older ones. The heroes are older than the monarch and die earlier than the monarch. This is a reassuring thing. When Liu Xiu and Li Shimin became emperors, they were only in their twenties and thirties, and most of the heroes were in their forties, fifties, fifties, or sixties. Basically, they all died before them, so Li Shimin painted pictures of heroes in Lingyan Pavilion in his later years. Something to remember. Zhao Kuangyin and Temujin are almost the same age as the heroes, but on the one hand they live longer, and on the other hand they have the fourth condition. Liu Bang was already forty-eight when he raised his army, and he did not become emperor until he was fifty-four. Han Xin was still a young man when he raised his army; and although Zhu Yuanzhang was about the same age as the Huaixi generals, he was considered to have lived a long life, but he was also as young as Like Liu Bang, he does not meet the fourth condition. What is the fourth condition? That is, even if you die early, your successor will be very powerful, and his ability and prestige will be stronger or not weaker than those of the heroes. The successor of Song Taizu is his younger brother Zhao Guangyi. Zhao Guangyi has been following his brother to conquer the world. All the generals obey him and he will succeed him. Song Taizu is very relieved that even if there are people with evil intentions, they will not dare to jump out; Genghis Khan's successor is Sanziwo Kuotai, Wo Kuotai followed his father in the north and south, and won the hearts of the people. And Liu Bang's son is cowardly, several levels behind his father; Zhu Yuanzhang's prince and grandson are also more kind than brave, so why don't they worry about whether the country they won through bloody battles can be passed down smoothly for generations to come.

In general, the fate of the heroes is not a simple personal fate, but is closely linked to the fate of the dynasty. They played a dual role, as the destroyers of the previous dynasty and the founders of the current dynasty, with both rebellious and loyal sides.

One's own life, death, honor and disgrace, half lies in heaven and half lies in oneself, it is not so clear to say in a few words