217 Mother of Xiaohui

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Empress Dowager Lü was the wife of Emperor Gaozu when he was poor and humble. She gave birth to Emperor Xiaohui and his daughter Empress Dowager Lu Yuan. When Emperor Gaozu became the King of Han, he got Concubine Qi (Consort Qi) from Dingtao and doted upon her. She gave birth to Liu Ruyi, the King Yin of Zhao. Emperor Xiaohui was kind and weak. Emperor Gaozu thought he was not like himself, so he always wanted to abolish the crown prince and establish Concubine Qi's son Liu Ruyi because Liu Ruyi was like himself. Concubine Qi was favored and often followed Emperor Gaozu to Guandong. She cried day and night, hoping that Emperor Gaozu would establish her son to replace the crown prince. Empress Dowager Lü was old and often stayed in the capital. She rarely saw Emperor Gaozu, and the relationship between husband and wife became more distant. After Liu Ruyi was named King of Zhao, he was almost made replacing the crown prince several times. Fortunately, the ministers dissuaded the emperor, and with the strategy of Liu Hou, the crown prince was not abolished. 

Empress Dowager Lü was strong and resolute. She assisted Emperor Gaozu in pacifying the world. Most of the killings of ministers were Empress Dowager Lü's plans. Empress Dowager Lü had two elder brothers, both of whom served as generals. The eldest brother Marquis Zhou Lü died for the country, and Gaozu named his son Lü Tai as Marquis Li, another son Lü Chan as Marquis Jiao; the second brother Lü Shizhi was named Marquis Jiancheng.

On the 4th month of the 12th year of Gaozu (195 BC), Gaozu died in Changle Palace, and the crown prince inherited the title of emperor. At that time, Gaozu had eight sons: the eldest son Liu Fei, who was the elder brother of Emperor Xiaohui and not born of the same mother, was named King of Qi; the rest were all younger brothers of Emperor Xiaohui, and Concubine Qi's son Liu Ruyi was named King of Zhao, and Lady Bo's son Liu Heng was named King of Dai. The sons of other concubines Liu Hui were named King of Liang, Liu You was named King of Huaiyang, Liu Chang was named King of Huainan, and Liu Jian was named King of Yan. Gaozu's younger brother Liu Jiao was named King of Chu, and his elder brother's son Liu Bi was named King of Wu. Wu Chen, the son of Wu Rui of Fan Jun, a meritorious official who did not belong to the Liu family, was named King of Changsha.

司马迁·史记卷九·吕太后本纪第九

吕太后者，高祖微时妃也，生孝惠帝、女鲁元太后。及高祖为汉王，得定陶戚姬，爱幸，生赵隐王如意。孝惠为人仁弱，高祖以为不类我，常欲废太子，立戚姬子如意，如意类我。戚姬幸，常从上之关东，日夜啼泣，欲立其子代太子。吕后年长，常留守，希见上，益疏。如意立为赵王后，几代太子者数矣，赖大臣争之，及留侯策，太子得毋废。

吕后为人刚毅，佐高祖定天下，所诛大臣多吕后力。吕后兄二人，皆为将。长兄周吕侯死事，封其子吕台为郦侯，子产为交侯；次兄吕释之为建成侯。

高祖十二年四月甲辰，崩长乐宫，太子袭号为帝。是时高祖八子：长男肥，孝惠兄也，异母，肥为齐王；余皆孝惠弟，戚姬子如意为赵王，薄夫人子恒为代王，诸姬子子恢为梁王，子友为淮阳王，子长为淮南王，子建为燕王。高祖弟交为楚王，兄子濞为吴王。非刘氏功臣番君吴芮子臣为长沙王。