In the list of ancient emperors, Zhu Yuanzhang, Emperor Taizong of Ming Dynasty, was notorious compared with Ying Zheng, Li Shimin and Zhao Kuangyin and Song Taizu, who were kind to heroes.
Zhu Yuanzhang killed the hero, which was really not painful at all. Although many heroes have ways to die, it is rare for an emotionless emperor like Zhu Yuanzhang to get rid of them.
However, Zhu Yuanzhang is not completely cold-blooded. Killing people has a purpose, threatening the imperial power, and people with major criminal facts will definitely not let go. However, as long as they don't violate Zhu Hongwu's taboo, they may not be able to finish the project with Zhu Yuanzhang.
Xu Da and Tanghe, two founding fathers of the Ming Dynasty, are good examples. Judging from their experience, Zhu Yuanzhang is not cold-blooded. Of course, it is also important to understand Zhu Yuanzhang's temper.
Xu Da, in particular, still held the military power for a long time after the founding of the Ming Dynasty, but Zhu Yuanzhang could give him a happy ending. It can only be said that different behaviors have different endings. "Ming History" commented on Xu Da like this:
Speak simply and think carefully. In the army, make full use of everything. The generals stood in awe, but the emperor was too respectful to speak. Good from the same suffering, all scholars are grateful to die, so they can overcome their difficulties. You Yan's troops are in Wu department, most of which are flat, with three provincial capitals and hundreds of counties and cities. However, the people are not suffering. On the day of returning to Korea, the bicycle will be abandoned, and Confucian scholars will be honored to hang it all day long.
Xu Da was not greedy for money, lived frugally, made good use of soldiers, had high prestige in the army, was kind to the people and respected civil servants. All these advantages are concentrated in one person. In the eyes of any emperor, he will actually doubt that he is a general who may usurp the throne.
Didn't Yue Fei in the Southern Song Dynasty arouse Song Gaozong's fear because of Yue Jiajun's tradition of "freezing to death and not tearing down houses and starving to death and not plundering" and his indifference to material luxury life?
It happened that the most suspicious Zhu Yuanzhang didn't treat the nearly perfect Xu Da, and always trusted him. The reason is also very simple, because Xu Da's awe of imperial power made Zhu Yuanzhang feel extremely relieved about him.
Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to make contributions to Xu Daci's family and give him the old house where he lived. Xu Da hurriedly declined. Zhu Yuanzhang got drunk in Xu Da and let him sleep in the dragon bed. When Xu Da woke up, he was "stunned and fell dead".
Therefore, the most important thing is that Xu Da kept his distance from the Huaixi faction that Zhu Yuanzhang was most afraid of, and did not participate in the power struggle of the imperial court: "Hu is the prime minister, and wants to make friends with him, but does not answer."
Xu Da is a professional soldier. He only does his job well and doesn't worry about anything else. Zhu Yuanzhang also believed in Xu Da's caution and awe of imperial power, so he trusted him.
The same is true of Tang He, who is older than Xu Da. He used to be Zhu Yuanzhang's immediate superior, with outstanding achievements. However, because Tanghe complained to Zhu Yuanzhang before the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang did not give him a knighthood, but deliberately lowered his knighthood and only gave him a marquis.
This kind of treatment, placed on Tang He, who has made similar contributions to the six countries, is actually an insult and a temptation. Tanghe knew Zhu Yuanzhang's mind very well. Not only did he have no complaints, but he was also more cautious when he was an official. Shi Ming commented on Tang He like this:
And in his later years, he became respectful and cautious, and did not dare to miss a word. More than 100 concubines will be sent after illness. The rewards received are divided into rural songs. When you see cloth, you can make friends, say goodbye to the old and welcome the new, which makes you happy. At that time, the princes and dukes sat on the traitor's side, studied the law successively, but they were exempt from the law, enjoyed the test of life alone, and finally gained fame.
Tanghe also maintained his caution and awe of the imperial power, and he lived and died. What he did a little more than Xu Da was to paralyze Zhu Yuanzhang with lewdness, and his efforts also paid off. In the eleventh year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang returned the title of Duke of the Kingdom that should have been given to Tanghe long ago.
Xu Da and Tanghe are senior and have made great contributions. Among the founding generals of the Ming Dynasty, it is estimated that no one can compare with them except Chang Yuchun. Can get a good death in the hands of Zhu Yuanzhang, and seal the king after death. Their behavior can serve as an example for learning.
Compared with Li Shanchang, who flirted with the ruling Huaixi faction in Korea after retirement, Aquamarine was arrogant after making achievements. Xu Da and Tanghe are really smart people. Zhu Yuanzhang is a killer, but he is not a killer. The key depends on what officials do.