In 976, Zhao Kuangyin, the founder of the Song Dynasty, died suddenly. There is no record of his illness in the official history, and there are different accounts in unofficial history. The cause of his death has become a bizarre unsolved case in history.
According to Shan Ye, Hunan Province, on a snowy night in the ninth year of Kaibao 10, Zhao Kuangyin called his younger brother Zhao Guangyi into the palace. Two brothers are drinking in the bedroom. After drinking, it was already late at night. Zhao Kuangyin and Yufu stabbed him in the snow and said, "Work hard." That night, Zhao stayed in the bedroom. At first light the next day, he died inexplicably. Zhao Guangyi received a testamentary edict and succeeded to the throne before Ling.
"Ember Record" said that Zhao Guangyi coveted Mrs. Huarui, the concubine of Zhao Kuangyin, for a long time. When Zhao Kuangyin was in a coma, she molested Mrs. Huarui in the middle of the night, woke Zhao Kuangyin up and cut him with a jade axe. He was unable to do so and cut the floor. So Zhao Guangyi, as a lamb, killed Zhao Kuangyin and fled back to his home.
Sushui said: When Mao died, it was already four drums. The Empress of the Song Dynasty asked Wang Jien, the chamberlain, to call Prince Fang. Considering that Mao had long planned to run wild with Wang Guangyi of Jin Dynasty, Wang Jien found Zhao Guangyi. After entering the palace, Queen Song asked, "Is Fang here?" Wang Jien replied, "The King of Jin is here." Empress Song was shocked, then suddenly woke up and cried and said, "My mother and son's life is entrusted to you, butler."
In addition, it is said that as a younger brother, he inherited his brother's throne, which is the opinion of his mother, Empress Dowager Du. On his deathbed, Du Taihou said to Zhao Kuangyin, "If the Zhou Dynasty was succeeded by an elderly emperor, how could you be today?" ? You and Guangyi are both my sons. You will pass the throne to him in the future, and the country is the long monarch. This is the outline of the country! "Zhao Kuangyin agreed, so he asked Prime Minister Zhao Pu to write an oath in the synopsis of the Golden Chamber and seal it in the synopsis of the Golden Chamber. This is the so-called "Golden Chamber Alliance". This is the legal basis of Zhao Guangyi's "brother's death". All this has caused many questions.
One is the "Candlelight Axe Shadow" when Zhao Kuangyin died.
Supposedly, according to court etiquette, Zhao Guangyi was not allowed to sleep in the palace, but he did. Eunuchs and maids were not supposed to leave the emperor, but they all did. The hectic figures, the strange sound of axes and Zhao Kuangyin's cry of "Let's do it right" all tell people that this is a bloody murder planned in advance.
Second, Wang Jien forged the imperial edict.
How dare Wang Jien go against the will of the Empress Dowager Song? It was supposed to be for Zhao, but it came. If things fail, isn't it fatal? This statement only adds the crime of usurping the throne to a eunuch, and at the same time covers up the crime of killing his brother.
The third is the authenticity of synopsis of the golden chamber.
When Du Taihou died, Zhao Kuangyin was only 34 years old, in the prime of life, and his son Dezhao 14 years old. Even if Zhao Kuangyin dies a few years later, Chai Shizong will not let a 7-year-old orphan be leaderless. Du Taihou was wise all his life. How can he make this decision? In addition, The Synopsis of the Golden Chamber was published five years after Zhao Guangyi ascended the throne. Why not announce it publicly when Zhao Kuangyin died?
There are still some doubts, which also makes people criticize Zhao Guangyi.
Zhao Guangyi didn't wait until the next year, so it changed its title. -the new king acceded to the throne, and it is customary to change the calendar year to the New Year's Day the following year. However, Zhao Guangyi changed the nine-year treasure to the first year of rejuvenating the country, with only two months left. This can't wait to break the routine, and there is only one explanation: first "clear the name." Is there a ghost in his heart?
Forced to kill Zhao Kuangyin's eldest son Dezhao (then 30 years old), Zhao Kuangyin's youngest son Fang De (only 26 years old) also died of a mysterious disease. After Zhao Kuangyin's widow died, Zhao Guangyi broke the queen's etiquette. These are all accidents?
The most puzzling thing is that Zhao Guangyi's descendants believed his ancestor's statement of "killing his brother to usurp the throne" and passed the throne to Zhao Kuangyin's descendants. This is about the succession of Song Gaozong Zhao Gou.
It is said that Zhao Gou has no son. Who will inherit the throne? Ministers are talking about it. There is a strong view that Zhao Kuangyin is the founding king and should choose his successor from his descendants. At first, Zhao Gou severely criticized this argument. Suddenly one day, he changed his mind and said that he had a dream that Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin took him to the "Long Live Hall" and saw all the surprises of the "candlelight sword shadow" that day, and said: "Only when the throne is passed on to my children and grandchildren will the country have a chance to turn over." Therefore, Zhao Gou finally found Zhao Shen, the seventh sun of Zhao Kuangyin, and passed the throne to him. At this time, the bloody night of terror has passed 187 years.
This just shows that Zhao Gou admitted the sins of his ancestors and gave a basic answer to Zhao Kuangyin's death.