Is “Dou Huaizhen, relying on Princess Taiping, rebelled and was defeated and died.” true?
The 'New Book of Tang: Biography of Dou Huaizhen' records that Dou Huaizhen ingratiated himself with the powerful, and when he was Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, 'he conspired with Princess Taiping to rebel; after defeat, he drowned himself, his corpse was mutilated, and his surname was changed to Du.' In 'Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties', Chapter 78, it is written that Princess Taiping 'then formed a faction with court officials Xiao Zhizhong, Cen Xi, Dou Huaizhen, Cui Shi, and others, plotting privately.' When Emperor Xuanzong raised troops to exterminate their faction, Dou Huaizhen hanged himself. The fact that he joined the rebellion and was defeated and died is consistent with historical records.
In the official history, Dou Huaizhen ingratiated himself with Princess Taiping and conspired in a coup, but after defeat he committed suicide. The novel faithfully dramatizes his rebellion and death.
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