A puzzling kinship, an unconscionable marriage, an overwhelmed secret. 18-year-old Emperor Liu Ying of the Han Dynasty married his 11-year-old niece Zhang Yan, and on the wedding night, he actually said to Zhang Yan: "When no one is present, you still call me uncle." What kind of story is hidden behind this? Why is there such an absurd marriage? What is the relationship between Emperor Han Hui and Zhang Yan?
Empress Lu's conspiracy
Lu Hou came from a humble background and was originally an ordinary peasant girl. In 208 BC, she married Liu Bang, a Pengcheng nobleman, and became Liu Bang's little wife. At that time, Liu Bang was just a small county magistrate, and he was far from expecting that he would one day dominate the world.
After Qin Shi Huang unified the Six Kingdoms, the tyrannical rule of the Qin Dynasty triggered a nationwide peasant uprising. Liu Bang also joined the ranks of the uprising, and soon rose to prominence with his extraordinary resourcefulness and courage, becoming one of the main leaders of the peasant rebel army.
In 206 BC, Xiang Yu and Liu Bang joined forces to destroy the Qin Dynasty, but then broke up over the struggle for a unified world. The two sides fought a decisive battle at Kangling, and Liu Bang eventually defeated Xiang Yu and established the Western Han Dynasty.
After Liu Bang ascended the throne, Empress Lu's status naturally rose. She gave birth to two children, one was her daughter Princess Lu Yuan, and the other was her son Liu Ying, who later became Emperor Hui of Han. Empress Lu doted on her son Liu Ying, and she also knew the importance of power, and she hoped to be able to firmly control the power of the court.
In order to achieve this goal, Lu Hou worked hard. She believes that if her son Liu Ying can marry her granddaughter Zhang Yan as his wife, then the power can be firmly in her own hands. So, Empress Lu began to carefully lay out for this.
At that time, Zhang Yan was only in her early 10s, while Liu Ying was already 18 years old. According to common sense, an uncle and a niece cannot be married, which is contrary to ethics. But in order to achieve her goal, Empress Lu insisted on bringing the two together and forcibly married them.
Empress Lu said to her son Liu Ying: "Although Zhang Yan is your niece, your relationship is not within the five suits, so you can be married completely." Besides, although Zhang Yan is young now, she will grow up in two years. ＂
Liu Ying strongly objected to this, but Empress Lu was indifferent. In the end, under the coercion and temptation of Empress Lu, Liu Ying had to marry 10-year-old Zhang Yan as his wife. This is undoubtedly a heavy blow to 18-year-old Liu Ying.
The indissoluble bond between Emperor Han Hui and Zhang Yan
The relationship between Emperor Hui of the Han Dynasty, Liu Ying and Zhang Yan, is really puzzling. According to common sense, an uncle and a niece cannot be married, which is contrary to ethics. But under Empress Lu's arrangement, the two had to embark on a ridiculous road of no return.
The relationship between Liu Ying and Zhang Yan starts with their family background. Liu Ying was the son of Liu Bang and Empress Lü of the Han Dynasty, while Zhang Yan was the daughter of Princess Lu Yuan, Liu Bang's eldest daughter. In other words, Liu Ying and Zhang Yan are uncles and nieces.
According to the etiquette of the time, uncles and nieces were not allowed to intermarry. But in order to consolidate her power, Empress Lu insisted on bringing the two together and forcibly married them.
When Empress Lu proposed the idea, Liu Ying expressed strong opposition. He thinks that this is against ethics, and Zhang Yan is still young and not suitable for marriage at all. But Empress Lu was indifferent, and she insisted on marrying the two.
Empress Lu said to Liu Ying: "Although Zhang Yan is your niece, your relationship is not within the five suits, so you can become husband and wife." Besides, although Zhang Yan is young now, she will grow up in two years. ＂
In the face of her mother's insistence, Liu Ying had no choice but to reluctantly agree. So, under the leadership of Empress Lu, 18-year-old Liu Ying was forced to marry 11-year-old Zhang Yan as his wife.
After getting married, Liu Ying said to Zhang Yan: "Yan'er, I am still your uncle." Don't worry, your uncle will never touch you. Liu Ying did what she said, never stayed in Zhang Yan's palace, and every time she fell asleep, she would go to the bedrooms of other concubines.
But Empress Lu was very dissatisfied with this. She hoped that Liu Ying and Zhang Yan would be able to give birth to an heir in order to consolidate her position in the court. But the relationship between the two exists in name only, and they can't have children at all.
So, Empress Lu began to play a conspiracy. She ordered someone to send a pregnant palace maid to Zhang Yan's palace, and after the palace girl gave birth to a child, she took the child over, claiming that it was born to Zhang Yan. In order to prevent the secret from being revealed, Empress Lu also killed the palace maid.
Since then, the relationship between Emperor Hui of the Han Dynasty, Liu Ying and Zhang Yan, has become even more awkward. Liu Ying was deeply angry at her mother's conspiracy, but she was helpless. And Zhang Yan became a victim of Empress Lu's conspiracy and was forced to get involved in this conspiracy.
A marriage in name only
Although Emperor Liu Ying of the Han Hui Dynasty was forced to marry his niece Zhang Yan, this marriage was actually just an empty shell. There was no husband and wife between the two at all, and the whole marriage was nothing more than a farce carefully planned by Empress Lu in order to consolidate power.
After getting married, Liu Ying said to Zhang Yan: "Yan'er, I am still your uncle." Don't worry, your uncle will never touch you. Liu Ying did what she said, never stayed in Zhang Yan's palace, and every time she fell asleep, she would go to the bedrooms of other concubines.
The relationship between the two exists in name only, and they can't have children at all. This made Empress Lü very dissatisfied, and she hoped that Liu Ying and Zhang Yan would be able to give birth to an heir in order to consolidate her position in the court.
So, Empress Lu began to play a conspiracy. She ordered someone to send a pregnant palace maid to Zhang Yan's palace, and after the palace girl gave birth to a child, she took the child over, claiming that it was born to Zhang Yan. In order to prevent the secret from being revealed, Empress Lu also killed the palace maid.
In this way, a child named Liu Gong was impersonated as Zhang Yan's biological son. Empress Lu declared to the public that this was the eldest son born to Emperor Liu Ying of the Han Hui Dynasty by Empress Zhang Yan, and he would inherit the throne in the future.
However, in fact, Liu Gong is not Liu Ying and Zhang Yan's biological son at all. He was nothing more than a lie concocted by Empress Lu in order to achieve his own goals.
This lie was maintained for several years, and it was not until Liu Gong grew up that he discovered the truth. After Liu Gong knew that he was not Zhang Yan's biological son, he held a grudge against Empress Lu, and even publicly complained that "when I grow up, I must take revenge".
Empress Lu was very worried when she found out, afraid that Liu Gong would make trouble. So, she imprisoned Liu Gong in Yongxiang, claiming that he was seriously ill and no one was allowed to see him. Soon after, Empress Lü simply deposed Liu Gong and secretly sent someone to kill him.
Liu Gong's death is undoubtedly another victim of Empress Lu's conspiracy. And all this is to blame for Empress Lu's unscrupulous means for power, and even did not hesitate to use kinship to push his son and granddaughter to a point of no return.
In this power game, Emperor Hui of the Han Dynasty, Liu Ying and Zhang Yan are destined to be losers. Their marriage was nothing more than a victim of Empress Lu's schemes, a pathetic puppet.
The price of power
In order to consolidate her position of power, Empress Lu did not hesitate to use her kinship to push her son Liu Ying, Emperor Hui of the Han Dynasty, and her granddaughter Zhang Yan onto a point of no return. But this series of intrigues of hers also ended up paying a heavy price.
Liu Ying was deeply angry at what her mother, Empress Lu, had done. He couldn't accept that his mother would do anything for power, and even did not hesitate to use kinship to push him and his niece Zhang Yan to a ridiculous point of no return.
What made Liu Ying even more angry was that Empress Lu fabricated a lie in order to obtain an heir, passing off the child born to a palace maid as Liu Gong, his and Zhang Yan's biological son. When Liu Gong found out the truth when he grew up, he publicly complained that "when I grow up, I must take revenge", Empress Lu actually imprisoned him, and finally ordered him to be killed.
Faced with such a cruel behavior of her mother, Liu Ying completely lost her trust and respect. He began to lose interest in government affairs, drank and had fun all day long, was depressed, and only wanted to die quickly.
In 188 BC, the 23-year-old Emperor Hui of the Han Dynasty, Liu Ying, died in decadence. His life was destined to be a victim of Empress Lu's conspiracy, and he suffered endless suffering and torture.
And Zhang Yan's fate is not much better than Liu Ying. At the age of 14, she became a widow and was forced to remain a widow for many years. Although she was later made empress, she was actually just a puppet of Empress Lu and had no right to be the master at all.
Before her death, Empress Lu asked Zhang Yan to come to the court after her death, but Zhang Yan understood that the Liu clan had long hated the Lu family, and the two sides would turn their faces sooner or later. Therefore, she did not follow Empress Lu's advice.
Sure enough, after the death of Empress Lü, the ministers of the court and the central government killed the Lü clan and supported Liu Bang's second son Liu Heng as Emperor Wen of Han. Although the ministers knew that Zhang Yan had nothing to do with Empress Lu's rebellion, she was still implicated and was kicked out of Changle Palace, imprisoned in the North Palace, where she spent the rest of her life.
In this way, Zhang Yan lived quietly in the North Palace for 17 years, until she died of illness at the age of 40. Her life was trapped in the palace and ill-fated, and finally ended with a tragic ending.
The marriage between Emperor Hui of the Han Dynasty Liu Ying and Zhang Yan was destined to be a victim of Empress Lu's schemes. For the sake of power, Empress Lu did not hesitate to use kinship to push her son and granddaughter to a point of no return, and finally paid a heavy price.