Week 4   The Succession, Part A: Empress Lü Seeks Advice

As her husband Emperor Gaozu lay dying, Empress Lü asked him who of his ministers could be appointed to replace the aged Prime Minister Xiao He when Xiao He died. (H1.83b) The emperor gave her a sturdy list. When asked who else might serve, he answered, “After all these men are gone, you will no longer be here to know about it.” (H1.84t) What did Emperor Gaozu mean by this chilling answer?  

One answer, that by that time she would have died of old age, is possible. She was in her middle years, mother to two youthful children, one the heir. Of the ministers recommended to replace Xiao He, most were loyal comrades-in-arms from Emperor Gaozu’s hometown of Pei. Like Xiao He, Cao Can had served as a provincial official in Pei (H1.55t) and participated in his early rise (H1.55mb56t), so they were probably highly trusted and a bit older, unlikely to survive her. Wang Ling, who “would do, but [who] is rather stupid” (H1.84.t), was also a trusted old friend from Pei (H1.124b), permitted frank and insulting speech (H1.76m). Emperor Gaozu recommended partnering this loyal but stupid Wang Ling with the “more than enough brains” but less trustworthy Chen Ping (H1.84t). Based on his rank as he flitted from army to army looking for appreciation as a junior leader (H1.118b-199t), Chen Ping is probably younger than the emperor and empress. One final name, Zhou Bo, also of Pei, who served Gaozu as a young page during the earliest uprisings (H1.369m), came with the recommendation that he be made grand commandant because “he will look out for the welfare of the Liu [imperial] family (H1.84t).”

As some were young enough to live long enough to protect her and her children, and they were recommended as much for their loyalty as their ability, we can infer that the emperor’s answer meant that if they all fell, to war, to disease, to death, to treachery, to insurrection, so too would she. “Where shall I find brave men to guard the four corners of my land?” composed the worried emperor (H1.82t). This song hints that he knew his reign was still fragile, the succession more hope than certainty, that all his work punishing the “wicked and the violent” (H1.82t) would come to naught if the succession failed.


The Succession, Part B: Empress Lü and Shen Yiji

How did Empress Lü emerge victorious in the power struggle just after Emperor Gaozu’s death?

She had first and official wife power, in two forms: her status as the official first wife (H152b-53t) and Empress, and the fact that she had been with him for a long time, a partner in his rise, tending to his parents and children during the hard times (H1.68t) of the Emperor’s protracted fight for power. Her “first wife tears” still worked, as she pleaded with her husband to protect the heir (her power source) (H1.110b-111t). She fended off challenges to her son’s position as heir apparent, with Lady Qi and her son Ruyi (H1.109t-112m). She used the power of those loyal to Gaozu’s family and avoided a struggle with Gaozu’s officials by heeding her husband’s advice on leadership appointments after his death (H1.83b), appointing (through Emperor Hui) in turn Cao Can (H1.97m), and then Wang Ling and Chen Ping as a pair (H1.124m). When Wang Ling displeased her over his refusal to set up her family members as kings, she replaced him with Shen Yiji (H1.125b), who resigned when loyal Zhou Bo, Chen Ping, and others loyal to the Liu [imperial] family overthrew Empress Lü’s family after her death (H1.126m).

Like her husband (H1.76m), she surrounded herself with loyal and capable allies and used them to rule. Shen Yiji was the one very intriguing exception made to her husband’s recommendations. He is also of Pei (H1.125b), so one might assume loyalty to Gaozu from the early days, like so many. But perhaps…his loyalties lay elsewhere (H1.125b-126t)? He led the Empress and her parents-in-law on a daring but failed escape attempt from the forces of Xiang Yu (H1.3838m) and spent time in captivity with the Empress (H1.125b) when Xiang Yu captured the Emperor’s parents, wife, and children. Could a young wife, on the run from her husband’s enemies, have fallen for a gallant young hero who served and protected her during the terror of being a captive? Shen Yiji stood by her side when Gaozu died and listened as she plotted to kill all the present leaders to protect her son and source of power. General Li Shang knew to go to Shen Yiji to explain why that was a very bad idea (H1.84m-b). She turned to her pillar Shen Yiji when she began to rule for herself and not only to hold the empire and protect her son. (H1.125b)

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