Why doesn&the emperor eliminate someone who he knows is a traitor？

摘要：In 950, Guo Wei launched a rebellion and led his troops into the Empress Dowager's palace. The Empress Dowager was greatly shocked

In 950, Guo Wei launched a rebellion and led his troops into the Empress Dowager's palace. The Empress Dowager was greatly shocked, but pretended to be calm and said, "General Guo's virtue has been recognized by the four seas. After proclaiming himself emperor, I hope to leave us orphans and widows a way out." Guo Wei fell to his knees and said, "I only want to eliminate the unruly officials and dare not declare myself emperor

In 947 AD, Liu Zhiyuan, the founding monarch of the Later Han Dynasty, ascended to the throne as emperor and established the emerging dynasty of Later Han. However, this emerging regime seems to have been shrouded in a mysterious haze from the beginning, and its fate seems to have been cast into a big question mark by an invisible force. In just two years, Liu Zhiyuan passed away, leaving behind an 18-year-old boy named Liu Chengyou to inherit this heavy throne.

After Liu Chengyou ascended to the throne, he faced a group of founding fathers who had outstanding military achievements and held military power. These generals were once his father's trusted aides, who fought in various directions and achieved great military achievements. However, in Liu Chengyou's naive and sensitive eyes, these former heroes gradually turned into hidden crises. His heart was filled with doubts and fear, which gradually transformed into extreme suspicion and distrust towards these generals.

Although Liu Chengyou's mother, the then empress dowager Li, repeatedly urged her son to cherish the loyalty and achievements of these meritorious officials, believing that they were the pillars of national stability, Liu Chengyou always found it difficult to accept this view. He even dismissed these admonitions as' women and children's talk '. This attitude fully exposes his stubborn and dictatorial personality traits, as he almost never listens to others' opinions.

Under the rule of Liu Chengyou, the atmosphere in the palace became increasingly tense and oppressive. The founding generals felt the emperor's suspicion and dissatisfaction towards them, and this emotion quickly spread among the generals, forming mutual suspicion and vigilance. And Liu Chengyou continued to spare no effort in searching for so-called threats among these generals, which undoubtedly further exacerbated the turmoil and unrest in the court.

In fact, Liu Chengyou's distrust is not groundless. In history, examples of young emperors being usurped by powerful officials are not uncommon, and Liu Chengyou clearly remembered these historical lessons and transformed them into his deep concern for power. However, his defensive strategy did not bring the expected stability, but gradually eroded the trust bond between him and the generals, making the political situation increasingly volatile.

In the year 950 AD, the ruler of Later Han, Liu Chengyou, had reached the peak of his dissatisfaction with two high-ranking officials - Yang Bin, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and Shi Hongzhao, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. Finally, in this year, Liu Chengyou took extreme measures and brutally executed these two officials, and even their families were not spared.

Although this move temporarily eliminated the threat that Liu Chengyou believed, it did not quell the turmoil in the court. Liu Chengyou's behavior has caused great panic and strong dissatisfaction among other power holders. Among them, Guo Wei, the garrison commander of Yedu and the military governor of Tianxiong Army, became Liu Chengyou's next target to be eliminated. Despite Empress Dowager Li's strong opposition, Liu Chengyou remained stubborn and sent assassins to Weizhou in an attempt to assassinate Guo Wei. However, this action not only failed, but also triggered a strong backlash from Guo Wei.

Guo Wei's military strength was extremely strong. Faced with Liu Chengyou's provocation, he quickly mobilized troops and launched a fierce counterattack against Later Han. After learning that the assassination attempt had failed, Liu Chengyou angrily ordered the killing of Guo Wei's relatives in the capital. This behavior undoubtedly intensified the conflict and hatred between the two sides. Guo Wei's counterattack was as violent as a storm, which eventually led to the tragic death of Liu Chengyou and the collapse of the regime of the Later Han Dynasty.

Subsequently, Guo Wei founded the Later Zhou Dynasty, putting an end to the rule of Later Han during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. With outstanding military strategy and political skills, Guo Wei stabilized his footing in the turbulent situation and ultimately opened up a new chapter for the country.

In the turbulent era of the Five Dynasties, Guo Wei, the founding monarch of the Later Zhou Dynasty, showed extraordinary tolerance and respect in dealing with the complex issues left by the previous dynasty and the Later Han Dynasty, especially in his handling of the former empress dowager Li, which fully demonstrated his political vision and humanistic care.

At the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty after its establishment, Guo Wei not only had to face the heavy responsibility of national unity and political consolidation, but also had to properly resolve the placement of the royal family and important figures from the previous dynasty. The most challenging aspect is how to deal with Empress Dowager Li of the previous dynasty. After all, her son, Liu Chengyou, the late emperor of Later Han, had already been defeated by Guo Wei and suffered misfortune. According to common sense, the situation of Empress Dowager Li may not be optimistic. However, Guo Wei did not repeat the mistakes of history. He did not carry out a large-scale purge of the Later Han royal family, nor did he impose any form of insult or persecution on this former empress dowager.

On the contrary, Guo Wei regarded Empress Dowager Li as his mother and bestowed upon her the noble title of "Empress Dowager Zhaosheng". This measure not only maintained the dignity and safety of Empress Dowager Li, but also provided strong public opinion support for the stability of the Later Zhou regime. In the 5000 year history of China, it is rare to regard the former empress dowager as one's own mother.

The decision of Guo Weizun to have Empress Dowager Li as his mother played a positive role in maintaining social stability and reducing political opposition in the new dynasty. It not only eased the hostile emotions that the Later Han royal family and its supporters may have, but also further won the hearts of the people. During the period of frequent regime changes and constant wars in the Five Dynasties, Guo Wei's strategy undoubtedly enhanced the legitimacy and stability of his regime.

Empress Dowager Li continued to enjoy her prestigious position in the Later Zhou regime until her peaceful death three years later. It is worth mentioning that Empress Dowager Li and Guo Wei passed away almost at the same time, making their special relationship a legendary story in later generations. Although Empress Dowager Li spent her later years under a regime of illegitimate children, the honor and security she enjoyed were extremely rare during that turbulent era.