In 625 BC, the general Luan Zhi who once wandered with Chong'er died. In the next year, that is, 624 BC, the Jin Kingdom seemed to have a natural disaster. First, Duke Mu of Qin came to avenge Yaoshan.
Half a year after the troops were withdrawn, the old prime minister Zhao Shui died. Two months later, the Chinese general Qie Ju died. At the end of the year, the veteran general Xu Chen died again.
The Jin State lost four important ministers at once. Among the people who wandered with Chong'er, Duke Wen of Jin, only Hu Shegu remained.
Zhao Shui's son Zhao Dun took over his father's position and became the prime minister, taking full power.
Four years later, in 620 BC, Duke Xianggang of Jin fell seriously ill. Before his death, he called Zhao Dun and other important ministers to explain his affairs. He told Zhao Dun: "You must make your son Yigao your king."
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Zhao Dun faced the dying Duke Xianggang of Jin and repeatedly promised him. Several ministers surrounding him also agreed.
However, after the funeral of Jin Xianggong and when discussing the successor, Zhao Dun said: "Back then, when the late king Wen Gong passed away, before the funeral was even done, the Qin State came over. Fortunately, the new Xianggong was old and prudent, and he was quite capable.
We have the ability to defeat the Qin army. Now the situation is difficult. There is a strong Qin in the west and Di people in the north. They are all watching. Our court has lost many important ministers. This is a time of national crisis. Young Master Yigao is only seven years old this year.
, how can he support this situation? Therefore, for the stability of the country and to preserve the hegemony of the previous monarch, an older prince who can take on important responsibilities should be selected to take the throne."
Someone asked: "Who does the Prime Minister mean to choose?"
Zhao Dun said: "Zi Yong, the brother of the late king Xianggong, is a good candidate. He has been in Qin and has a good relationship with the nobles of Qin. By appointing him, not only will domestic affairs be easier to handle, but Qin and Jin will also be able to rebuild.
Diplomatic relations and peaceful coexistence.”
The ministers couldn't help but nodded, and most people agreed. Unexpectedly, the veteran Hu Shegu stood up and objected: "It's really not possible to raise a child. However, Qin has been at war with us in the past few years, and the hatred is too deep. In my opinion
Come, you can neither ask them nor expect any help from them. I suggest that you go to the State of Chen to fetch Mr. Le back. In terms of identity, he is the son of the first king Wen Gong and the brother of the first king Xianggong. In terms of character and
In terms of talent, Gongzi Le is by no means inferior to Gongzi Yong. The most important thing is that Gongzi Le has reached adulthood and can take on big responsibilities."
Hu Shegu's proposal also won the approval of some ministers. The ministers immediately divided into two groups. Zhao Dun's supporters all looked at Zhao Dun, hoping that he would make up his mind.
Zhao Dun said: "The State of Chen is a small country, far away from us. The State of Qin is a big country, adjacent to us. If you establish Gongzi Yong, you will have a strong neighbor. Needless to say, there are benefits. In my opinion, it is better to establish Gongzi Yong.
good."
Zhao Dun had far more supporters than Hu Shegu's supporters. After Zhao Dun expressed his stance, those people agreed one after another. When Hu Shegu saw the situation, she had no choice but to say nothing. So Zhao Dun assigned Xian Mi and Shihui to go to Qin
The country announced the funeral and then brought Prince Yong back.
Hu Shegu got more and more angry when she got home. In terms of qualifications, he and Zhao Dun's father Zhao Shui were the same. They were both heroes who followed Chong'er in their wanderings. But now, it was useless for him to speak in front of a junior Zhao Dun.
.This made him feel very embarrassed. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and finally he couldn't suppress his anger and wanted to do something reckless.
The next day, Hu Shegu secretly sent someone to Chen Guo to pick up Gongzi Le. He thought, as long as I bring Gongzi Le back, we will hold a court meeting and let everyone vote on who to appoint.
Zhao Dun soon learned of Aunt Hu She's move to send people out. Zhao Dun was much more ruthless than his father, Zhao Shui. He knew Aunt Hu She was a rough man, so he didn't go to Aunt Hu She to argue with her directly.
He sent a confidant named Gongsun Chujiu to go straight to Chen State and intercepted Gongzi Le on the way.
This incident angered Aunt Hu She. He thought that Zhao Dun didn't take him seriously at all. Not only that, killing Young Master Le also meant to threaten him. Aunt Hu She could not swallow this breath. He said fiercely: "
You guys dare to do this, why can’t I do this? Who is afraid of whom?"
Thinking of this, Hu Shegu also sent assassins to repay Zhao Dun. The target he chose to assassinate was Yang Chufu, the general of Jin State. Because Yang Chufu was once a subordinate of Zhao Shui and was very close to the Zhao family.
Aunt Hu She wanted to warn Zhao Dun - I, Aunt Hu She, am not someone to be trifled with.
The assassination operation was successful, Yang Chufu was killed easily, but something happened to the assassin when he was retreating. Yang Chufu's guards captured the assassin alive on the spot. The soldiers took the assassin to the Zhao Mansion. Zhao Dun finished listening
There was no trial for what happened, and the order was given on the spot to execute the assassin.
After the assassin was killed, Zhao Dun's retainers asked him: "Prime Minister, why don't you investigate? There must be a mastermind behind this assassin. Why don't you pursue it?"
Zhao Dun smiled and said: "I know who did it."
The news that Zhao Dun killed the assassin spread that day. On that day, Hu Shegu happened to be out hunting. He knew very well that the person killed by Zhao Dun was sent by him. Hu Shegu thought that the matter had been exposed, and Zhao Dun
Dun must have made preparations. So he did not dare to return home and fled to Lu State overnight to seek refuge - Hu Shegu's mother was from Lu State.
As soon as Hu Shegu escaped, the truth was revealed to the world. Some people suggested that Hu Shegu be captured. Zhao Dun not only refused to pursue it, but also said: "Hu Shegu wandered with the late emperor Wen Gong for nineteen years and made many military exploits. He is like this
I really can't bear to leave alone."
Half a month later, Zhao Dun sent people to send Hu Shegu's family to Lu State.
After Hu Shegu left, various rumors spread in Jiangcheng. Jin Xianggong's wife, the mother of the young master Yigao, soon learned that Hu Shegu had a fight with Zhao Dun over the issue of succession.
Yigao's mother was also a powerful figure. She found out that Prince Yong had not returned to Jin yet, so as the wife of Duke Xiang of Jin, she took Yigao to Zhao Dun's house and made a big fuss.
Not to mention this, when it was time to go to court the next morning, she brought Yigao to the court hall. She asked Yigao to stand next to the seat of Jin Xianggong, which was the place where the prince stood. And she held her hand
She took Yigao and began to scold the ministers. She said: "Yigao is the flesh and blood of the late king, and he has been made the prince a long time ago. Before the death of the late king, he gave many instructions and instructions to make Yigao king. But what about you?
You appear to have promised well, but secretly you want to establish Gongzi Yong. Is this how you people treat the great trust that the late king has placed on you? Is this how you treat your own flesh and blood? By doing this, you are worthy of the late king's treatment of you.
Where does your trust lie? I ask you, what crime did Yi Gao commit? Why did you want to depose him?"
Mrs. Jin Xianggong cried after she finished speaking, and then started talking again. The civil and military officials in the court were overwhelmed by her. The ministers all looked at Zhao Dun. Zhao Dun drooped his head and had no choice but to let Jin Xianggong's wife
Crying and fussing.
After the dispersion of the dynasty, Mrs. Jin Xianggong did not give up. She took Yigao and chased Zhao Dun to his mansion. They were still crying. She said to Zhao Dun: "If you let Prince Yong ascend the throne, we orphans and widows will be
We are helpless, and we will die sooner or later. Why don't you show kindness and kill us now, so that we, the two of us, will not die in an embarrassing way in the future."
Mrs. Jin Xianggong's tears, cries, and desperate pursuit finally made Zhao Dun soften, and he agreed to make his son Yigao the king. Then Mrs. Jin Xianggong thanked Zhao Dun and left with Yigao.
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In this way, Yigao, who was seven years old, became the king of the country and was Duke Ling of Jin.
After the young master Yigao ascended the throne, Zhao Dun quickly sent people to inform the state of Qin, telling them that they no longer need to send the young master Yong to the state of Jin. But it was too late. Duke Kang of Qin (son of Duke Mu of Qin, Duke Mu of Qin was dead at this time)
Bai Yibing was sent to lead troops, together with Xian Miao and Shi Hui, to escort Prince Yong to the State of Jin. As soon as Zhao Dun's envoys set out from Jiangcheng, the soldiers and horses of the State of Qin and Prince Yong crossed the Yellow River. It only took three to five days.
They arrived at Linghu City in the Jin Kingdom (now Qianshi County, Shanxi).
The news reached Jiangcheng, the capital of Jin State. Zhao Dun was worried that the people of Qin would blame Jin State and worried that the arrival of Prince Yongzhi would cause a massacre, so he decided to take action first. He said to the ministers: "If we establish Prince Yongzhi,
, Qin is a friend. If we don’t establish Prince Yong, Qin will be an enemy. Now that the enemy is here, there will be no need to be polite."
At this time, Duke Linggong of Jin Dynasty was too young, and all the other ministers turned to the Zhao family. Zhao Dun blocked the sky with one hand, and what he said was exactly what the king said. No one objected. So Zhao Dun ordered to conquer the peace first.
Xun Lin's father was a general, and he went out personally to control the central army. The army went straight to Linghu City to intercept the Qin army.
The Jin army intercepted the Qin army east of Linghu City. Bai Yibing and others did not know that Zhao Dun had changed his mind. When they saw the Jin army, they thought they were coming to greet them, so they were unprepared.
The Jin army suddenly launched an attack. The Qin people were caught off guard and were defeated and fled. Prince Yong died in the chaos. Bai Yibing led the defeated troops and fled back to Qin together with Xian Mi and Shi Hui.
Zhao Dun repelled the Qin army, and at the same time forced away the Jin ministers Xian Mi and Shi Hui. Xian Mie's skills were average and not important, but Shi Hui was a famous counselor in Jin and very capable. Once this person defected to Qin
The country was a big loss to Jin.
Some of the ministers fought against Shihui. Zhao Dun also felt sorry for Xianmi and Shihui. So he used the method of treating Hu Shegu again and sent people to send Xianmi and Shihui's family members to Qin.
Zhao Dun wanted to gain a good reputation, but unexpectedly, some of the ministers he had become friends with did not appreciate it. They talked privately, saying that Zhao Dun was a hypocrite and that all he did was to win people's hearts. In fact, he wanted to win people's hearts.
Cover up his various acts of dishonesty.
Five ministers secretly united and prepared to overthrow Zhao Dun. Their gathering and conspiracy could not escape Zhao Dun's eyes. Zhao Dun became ruthless again. He ordered Xun Lin's father and Luan Dun to capture all five ministers.
Thrown into prison.
In order to show that he was doing things aboveboard and not avenging personal revenge, he pretended to ask Duke Linggong of Jin for instructions when he went to court. He told Duke Linggong of Jin that five ministers had rebelled and had been imprisoned, and he was ready to punish them according to the law.
Kill these five people.
The seven-year-old Jin Linggong didn't understand anything. What Zhao Dun said was what he said.
After the court was dismissed, the child returned to his mother's palace and told his mother what Zhao Dun said in court. Mrs. Jin Xianggong was shocked and said: "How can these people rebel? Their spearheads are against Zhao Dun. They are fighting against Zhao Dun."
The shields are just fighting for power. No one has the intention to kill the king. How can these people be sentenced to death? In the past two years, the ministers in the court have died and run away, and there are not many left. Now...
It's okay to kill just five of them. You have to tell that Zhao Dun to stop immediately."
When he went to court the next day, Jin Linggong repeated what his mother had said as if he was an endorsement. Zhao Dun said: "My lord is still young and does not understand the benefits and risks involved. If the ministers in the court are not big, none of us will be able to do it."
If you don't obey anyone, you will definitely form gangs and fight for power. Once that happens, who will help you wholeheartedly? Your throne will not be stable."
Jin Linggong asked ignorantly: "Then what do you think we should do?"
Zhao Dun smiled and said, "Leave this matter to me and I will help you handle it."
As a result, all five ministers were killed.
Zhao Dun's methods were so sophisticated that all ministers in the court were afraid of him. Secretly, many people called him the Lord of Hell.
The reputation of "Lord of Hell" spread. Hu Shegu, who was far away in Lu State, said: "Fortunately I escaped, otherwise I would have died too."
The people of Lu asked him: "How do you evaluate Zhao Dun? How is this person? How does he compare Zhao Dun with Zhao Shuai?"
Hu Shegu said: "To be honest, both father and son are very powerful. However, Zhao Shui is like the warm sun in winter, everyone likes him. But Zhao Dun is like the scorching sun in summer, everyone is afraid of him."