Prologue: Emperor Yuan of Han was an idealist, abandoning the concept of combining law and Confucianism since Emperor Wu, governing the country with a pure Confucian way, killing Confucian practitioners such as Xiao Wangzhi, reusing retro Confucian masters such as Kuang Heng (the protagonist who chiseled the wall and stealing light), and turning the imperial court into a miasma, and the rise of foreign forces. This is also the origin of the Western Han Dynasty's imperial power usurped by Wang Mang decades later.
Events directly related to Wang Mang's usurpation of power began with Emperor Yuan of Han's inadvertent visit. It's really a coincidence that it's incredible, but history is really happening.
Chance 1:
Sima Liangdi cursed on his deathbed
Sima Liangdi's favorite concubine of Emperor Yuan of Han, Liangdi was the title of crown prince concubine, and Liu Yi was also the favorite concubine of the crown prince. In 54 BC, before Liu Yi ascended the throne, he fell ill and died, only in his twenties. Before she died of illness, she said that she did not die by destiny, but that the other concubines in the harem did not get the favor of the prince, and they cursed me with jealousy and wanted my life alive. Emperor Yuan was deeply impressed and no longer paid attention to those concubines. Emperor Xuan of Han was also anxious when he saw that his son was sullen and unhappy and angry, so he ordered the empress to select five palace girls for the crown prince to choose.
(The Book of Han and the Later Biography of the Yuan Dynasty: "Sima Liangdi, who was loved by the Crown Prince, was ill, and his death was said to be the Crown Prince: 'The death of a concubine is not the destiny of heaven, but the concubines of the concubines are even more willing to curse and kill me.'" 'The prince has mercy on him, and thinks so.'
Stills of Emperor Yuan of Han and Sima Liangdi
Occasional 2
Wang Zhengjun came to the crown prince one night
Speaking of this Wang Zhengjun is really also a woman with a magical fate, she is one of the longevity queens in history, who has experienced two dynasties and six emperors, and the two husbands before the death of the third Jiangshan, this life is too hard.
Although we are not superstitious, but in the Western Han Dynasty, a woman married 2 times, and her husband died before she passed the door, such a life, no one dared to marry again. Her father was helpless and paid for her to be a palace maid, which also began a more legendary life.
Wang Zhengjun had a gentle temperament, and initially entered the palace as a family member to serve the crown prince Liu Yi. Ganlu gave birth to her son Liu Xiao three years ago. After the Han Yuan Emperor Liu Yi ascended the throne, Wang Zhengjun was given the title of Empress Dowager, but was increasingly snubbed. After the Hancheng Emperor Liu Xiao succeeded to the throne, she was honored as empress dowager and vigorously promoted the Wang family. After the Han Emperor Liu Xin succeeded to the throne, she was honored as empress dowager. With the great increase in the power of the foreign relatives Fu and Ding, the Wang clan gradually lost power. After the death of Emperor Ai of Han, Wang Zhengjun seized the Imperial Jade Seal and supported his nephew Wang Mang as the Grand Sima and the Official Shangshu shi to control the imperial court. Later, when he learned that Wang Mang had usurped the throne, he was furious and smashed the Chuanguo Jade Seal on the ground, causing the whip on the seal to shatter a corner.
Stills of Wang Zhengjun
Above:
Sima Liangdi's death made Liu Yi sullen and unhappy as a whole, and When Emperor Xuan of Han saw himself like this, he was afraid of grief and indignation, so he ordered the empress to select five palace girls for the crown prince to choose concubines. And Wang Zhengjun is in these 5 palace women, she is wearing a beautiful dress embroidered with red lace, just sitting on the seat closest to the prince, the prince is still trapped in the grief of missing the concubine Sima Shi, no intention of choosing a concubine, the queen is urging next to her, Liu Yi casually pointed to a palace girl close to her, the empress saw that Wang Zhengjun's appearance was still reasonable, not to mention the crown prince nodded, so he was busy ordering someone to send Wang Zhengjun to the East Palace. In this way, the plain-looking Wang Zhengjun became a princess by chance, and the prince did not like Wang Zhengjun, who knew that Wang Zhengjun stayed overnight and became pregnant and gave birth. After that, the crown prince Liu Yi never came to her again.
Occasionally 3
Liu Xiao was the only absurd emperor of the Western Han Dynasty, and was caught up by Wang Mang, and these coincidences were difficult to form without a ring of Wang Mang's usurpation of Han.
Emperor Hancheng had a male favorite Zhang Fang, the history books record that he was "young and beautiful, sexually open" Emperor Hancheng was very fond of him, and on weekdays, "he was very fond of him", and also promoted Zhang Fang to become a middle lang general, the two often micro-served private visits together, And Emperor Hancheng pretended to be Zhang Fang's family when he went out to play, which shows the degree of Zhang Fang's favor at that time.
This incident caused dissatisfaction among the courtiers, and various remarks reached the ears of the empress dowager, and coupled with the incitement of several uncles, the empress dowager exiled Zhang Fang on trumped-up charges. Emperor Hancheng could not bear the pain of missing, and repeatedly summoned Zhang Fang to return to Beijing for a reunion, and then was forced to exile Zhang Fang under pressure, according to the historical records, "so he often wept and sent him", so repeatedly, in addition to Emperor Cheng's "endless questioning of the seal book", thousands of miles to pass on letters; then he was afraid that the favored concubine Zhao sisters would no longer proceed; and Zhang Fang "thought of crying and dying".
After that, Emperor Cheng spoiled the two sisters Zhao Fei and Yan Zhao Hede, and drank and entertained all day long, ignoring the government, and the imperial power was controlled by foreign relatives. Laid the foundation for Wang Mang's seizure of power.
Emperor Liu Biao and Zhao Feiyan of the Han Dynasty
Three accidents and one inevitable, for decades the Western Han Dynasty was usurped by the rapid decline of extreme strength.
The Han Yuan Emperor had low eyes and low ambitions, but his ability was insufficient to abandon the unity of Law and Confucianism, and pure Confucianism ruled the country retroly, resulting in the rapid regression of the country. This was an inevitable consequence of the decline of imperial power. The premature death of Empress Sima Liangdi, the sudden appearance of the magical Wang Zhengjun, and the appearance of the only absurd Liu Xiao were all indispensable key links for Wang Mang's usurpation of Han.
Maybe this is history, there must be some accidents, there are logical and many incredible.