Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang are the representative figures of the emperor's murderous heroes in history books. The former became famous mainly because it killed a rare military strategist like Han Xin, which vividly explained the famous saying "A bird hides its bow, a wily rabbit dies, and a running dog cooks". He tasted the bitter fruit. In the siege of Deng Baizhi, if there is Han Xin, it can completely avoid the lifelong shame of resentment, and the Western Han Dynasty will not pay tribute to the Xiongnu for so long. The latter is famous for its inhumanity and distorted soul. Later generations opened the history of the Ming Dynasty and entered a creepy situation from the beginning. People who died in prisons that killed innocent people were massacred collectively, which can't be compared with a big war. He also tasted the bitter fruit. After his death, the central government lost its ability to control the world and was weak. In the imperial court, almost all of them are mediocre and ignorant people, and they have no talent to bring peace and stability to the country. As a result, the captaincy attacked and swept down, the regime changed hands and the descendants withered.
In fact, there are many emperors like Ming Taizu. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Wu Yuan, Wen Zi, Wuqi, Shang Yang, Bai Qi, Wang Jian, Wang Ben, Meng Tian and Meng Yi died at the hands of Fu Cha, Gou Jian, Chu, Qin Huiwang, Qin Shihuang and Qin Ershi respectively. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, almost all emperors were cruel, and it was a hobby of life to be suspicious of heroes. Later, Emperor Wen and Yang Di, who unified the world, also inherited this tradition. The pillars of Gaoying, He Ruobi, Han Qinhu and other countries were killed one after another, and Su Yang and Tang gaozu were forced to retreat.
Of course, not all the founding heroes have no good end. For example, twenty-four strong men in Lingyange of Zhenguan, twenty-eight generals in Guangwu Yuntai, mutineers in Chen Qiao, and insurgents in Mongolia were mostly prosperous and died a fair death. Li Shimin launched the Xuanwumen coup, killed his eldest brother and younger brother, abolished his father, ascended the throne of the emperor, and began the rule of Zhenguan for twenty-four years. Emperors of past dynasties mainly adopted three methods to treat the founding heroes: first, killing; The second is to reduce the right to stay and support; The third is to continue to use it, and the authority of the MG is not lacking. Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang adopted the first method, which strengthened the centralization of monarchy and damaged the vitality of the country. Li Shimin adopted the third method. He publicly expressed his gratitude to the heroes many times, saying: In the next ten years, Skye exhausted all his strength, and his minions exhausted the strength of the bear to help Germany unify, which led to all this. Rely on heroes to continue their efforts, talk to each other and rule the world together. Twenty-four heroes of Lingyange, except a few people such as Sean and Hou, were killed because they really participated in the rebellion of the Prince and Wang Wei. Most people in Dou Rong are fully prepared for life and live a prosperous life. Even if the heroes violated the national laws, Li Shimin didn't have the heart to punish them, asked them for help, and trusted them as always. Therefore, the post-world is very appreciative of the rule of Zhenguan. Liu Xiu, the founding emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, did the same. After the unification of the world, Yuntai 28 will be appointed to a prominent position and spend the rest of his life safely. The most famous thing is that there is something called Dou Rong. This Dou Rong was originally a vassal, who participated in the activities of competing with the pack. Later, Liu Xiuen bullied the weak, surrendered to Guangwu regime, and led troops to sweep away several other emperors. This man is very cautious. He knew that he was different from Feng Yi and Ma Yuan who followed Liu Xiu from the beginning. Personal relationships are different, so he was very careful after unifying the four seas and was extremely respectful to Liu Xiu. He often refuses to participate in political discussions or associate with princes and ministers. He did it out of sincerity and necessity. Liu Xiu can't bear to see the past. He met and talked alone many times, constantly promoted his rank and publicly praised his contribution. Finally, Dou Rong was moved by Liu Xiu, reassured and made steady efforts for the country. This incident has become a typical story in which the monarch and his subjects are frank and convinced. Genghis Khan Temujin, who unified the grassland, conquered other countries and established Mongolia, also attached great importance to the heroes and treated them very favorably. He regarded them as close friends, sharing weal and woe, sharing wealth, and none of the heroes betrayed him, and he never forgot to serve them until his death. Song Taizu and Zhao Kuangyin also properly handled the problem of heroes, and the famous "drinking to drown one's sorrows" in history is about this matter. In fact, the relieving of some heroes such as Shi Shouxin, Murong Zhaoyan and Gao Huaide has not been recovered, and Song Taizu is very dependent on them.
The fate of a hero depends on the emperor and the hero himself. If the emperor can't do it himself, it is easy to do things with high political achievements, which may not be 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 and so on. These people are loyal ministers, but compared with the emperor they serve, their ability is much higher, which is a great threat to the emperor's prestige. Therefore, Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang was comfortable in killing Han Xin, while Emperor Gaozu Xuan Di and Liu Xun were incapable. If you meet a master like Zhu Yuanzhang, it will be a disaster of eight generations. No matter how big the world is, it will come to no good end. If Zhu Yuanzhang killed the hero for the sake of future generations at first, then later killing is untenable, because he killed too many, which is ridiculous and incomprehensible. It's a perverted method of killing. Unfortunately, whatever you do under such people, you will die.
As a hero, unless there is no way out (for example, the emperor wants to commit suicide) or there are major changes (for example, the king who inherits the throne is not good), he will not rebel, because rebellion will take great risks and he will work hard with the emperor to conquer the world. When the country is stable and the four seas are unified, there is an unspeakable fatigue and joy. Everyone wants to enjoy themselves, seal their wives and children, and go down in history. However, it is not uncommon for people who rely on merit to be arrogant, proud of merit and do evil. This is the hero's own problem, and these people often end up in ruin.
People who treat heroes well, such as Emperor Guangwu, Emperor Taizong, Song Taizu and Genghis Khan, are not only the blessing of heroes, but also the blessing of the court and the country. Heroes saved their lives, status and wealth, and the court and the country also saved their vitality and solid foundation. But people like this are hard to find. You know, killing heroes is not a question of whether the emperor wants it or not, but a question of whether it is needed or not. A founding emperor generally has four conditions, so there is no need to kill heroes: first, he has great talent and is an expert in conquering and governing the world. Liu Xiuwen's martial arts was in chinese odyssey at that time. Many talents were impressed by his personal charm and accepted this driving force without doubt. In the early Tang dynasty, only Li (actually a collection of Li Jing's abilities) could compare with his martial arts. Zhao Kuangyin was the first general of Chai Rong; Temujin's generals fought under Temujin. They are not only good at dispatching troops, but also able to take the lead, and their outstanding military talents are incomparable to any hero. Of course, Zhu Yuanzhang is also good at fighting. Although Xu Da and Chang Yuchun are fierce, they are still inferior. But Zhu Yuanzhang did not meet the last three conditions. The second is from a rich family and a noble family. Don't underestimate this. In feudal society, this is very important. Orthodoxy has long been deeply rooted in people's hearts. Before the fait accompli, no one will believe that the probability and rationality of a right-hand man becoming an emperor will be greater than that of a noble. Before the world is uncertain, people, at least most of the gentry, will regard you as a bandit, an anti-thief, despise you, doubt you and even oppose you, while aristocratic rebellion is different, which is more acceptable to everyone. This is a class problem. Liu Xiu is a royal family, Li Shimin was born in a big family, and Zhao Kuangyin's family has been a general for generations. Temujin belongs to the golden family on the grassland. Their pedigree is very noble and their status is very deterrent. Liu Bang was born a rogue, and Zhu Yuanzhang was just a beggar and a monk. Looking back on the past, how guilty and inferior he was. The third is that I am younger than the heroes. Relatively speaking, the young generally die behind the old, the hero is older than the monarch, and it is reassuring to die before the monarch. Liu Xiu and Li Shimin were in their twenties and thirties when they were emperors. Most of the heroes were in their forties and sixties, and they basically died in front of them. Therefore, it is memorable for Li Shimin to paint heroes in Lingyange in his later years. Zhao Kuangyin and Temujin are about the same age as the heroes, but on the one hand, they live longer, on the other hand, they have a fourth condition. Liu Bang was forty-eight years old when he was fighting, and he became emperor at the age of fifty-four, just like Han Xin was a young man when he was fighting. Although Zhu Yuanzhang is about the same age as Huaixi people, he has a long life, but like Liu Bang, he does not have the fourth condition. What is the fourth condition? That is, even if he dies early, his successor is very powerful, and his ability and prestige are stronger or not weaker than those of heroes. Song Taizu's successor is his younger brother Zhao Guangyi. Zhao Guangyi always followed his brother to the farmland, and all the generals took him away. Song Taizu is very assured that he will succeed him, and even malicious people dare not jump out casually; Genghis Khan's successor is Sanzi Wokuotai, who followed his father to fight in the south and won the hearts of the people. And Liu Bang's son is weak, several grades behind his father. Zhu Yuanzhang's prince and grandson are also more kind and less brave. Why don't they worry about whether their bloody battle can go on smoothly from generation to generation?
Generally speaking, the fate of heroes is not a simple personal fate, but closely linked with the fate of the dynasty. They played a dual role, both the destroyer of the former dynasty and the founder of this dynasty, both rebellious and loyal. Your own life and death, honor and disgrace, half in the sky, half in yourself, is not so clear in a few words.