Author: Chen Erhu
(Wang Ji'en)
(1) Wang Ji'en and his people
Since ancient times, eunuchs have been very terrible, manipulating imperial power, and the brilliant Tang Dynasty almost died at the hands of eunuchs, interfering in political affairs, and interfering in the army, so the first thing that HuangChao widow Zhu Wen did when he entered Chang'an was to kill eunuchs, which was very popular.
However, in all the dynasties, eunuchs are indispensable, because the emperor needs women, and this harem needs eunuchs, and there is always a pile of small fresh meat.
It is said that during these five generations, Zhao Kuangyin became an emperor after his yellow robe was added, and he was still a very benevolent and enlightened emperor.
But Old Zhao also needed women, he also needed a harem, and naturally he also needed eunuchs to help him manage the harem.
However, the eunuchs of the Northern Song Dynasty not only lived in the harem, but also went to the forefront to participate in politics and lead the army, such as the early Qin Han and the later Tong Guan, all of whom held military power and led the soldiers to fight.
The eunuch I want to talk about today, even more cattle than Qin Han and Tong Guan, actually influenced the direction of the succession to the throne of the Northern Song Dynasty and became a very remarkable figure.
This eunuch surnamed Wang Ji'en, it is said that since childhood was adopted as a false son by a large family surnamed Zhang, surnamed Zhang, the name Dejun, in the Later Zhou Shizong Emperor Chai Rong when he entered the palace to become a eunuch, it is said that he is smart and good at observing the color, knowing that there is a lot of wind, quite a bit of military talent, Zhao Kuangyin used to fight with him, and established a lot of merit, old Zhao Yi was happy, let him restore his original surname, give the name Ji En.
(Zhao Kuangyin)
(2) An accomplice of Emperor Taizong of Song
If this Wang Ji'en is only like this, it is not worth mentioning too much, what is important is that the second and third emperors of the old Zhao family, he is involved, and the role is very important.
He had always been a eunuch of Zhao Kuangyin's cronies, and no one probably knew better than him what had happened before Old Zhao's death.
Zhao Kuangyin left the west, and Empress Song sent Wang Ji'en out of the palace immediately to summon The Crown Prince Zhao Defang into the palace (Empress Song was Zhao Kuangyin's third empress, her father was the Left Wei general Song Wei, and her mother was Princess Yongning of later Han), this intention was very obvious, it was to let Zhao Defang come to the throne before ling, but Wang Ji'en did not follow Empress Song's wishes to call Zhao Defang, went directly to the Jin King's Palace, and very strangely met a person wandering outside the gate of the Jin King's Palace, this person was Cheng Dexuan, who was Zhao Kuangyin's brother Zhao Guangyi, the King of Jin, and the Left Guard of Kaifeng Province.
This Cheng Dexuan learned from the Song Shi 'Cheng Dexuan Biography' that this person was proficient in medical skills, especially good at medicinal properties, and was a master of poisoning. On the night of Zhao Kuangyin's accident outside the Jin King's Mansion, this was certainly not an accident, and no matter what kind of statement was given, it was very suspicious.
The next thing cheng Dexuan accompanied Zhao Guangyi into the palace with Wang Ji'en.
(Zhao Guangyi)
When the Song Emperor heard that someone was coming, he thought that Zhao Defang had arrived, and asked: "Defang Laiye?" ”
When Wang Ji'en replied that the King of Jin had come, Empress Song was "stunned" and panicked, and quickly knelt down to Zhao Guangyi, asking Zhao Guangyi to be kind to their orphans and widows.
Although the Northern Song Dynasty's "record" of Zhao Kuangyin was changed again and again, this "stunned" plea for forgiveness still implied a great conspiracy, that is to say, Zhao Kuangyin belonged to an unnatural death, the murderer was Zhao Guangyi, the poisoner was this Cheng Dexuan, and Wang Ji'en was an accomplice or coerced, and participated in Zhao Guangyi's seizure of power, it was an internal ghost, without him, Zhao Guangyi was not easy to succeed, that is, according to the historical data, he went to call Zhao Defang according to the instructions of Empress Song, then, it would not be Zhao Guangyi who took the throne.
It was precisely this Wang Ji'en who, at a critical moment in history, decided the direction of the throne.
Zhao Guangyi became emperor as he wished, and naturally rewarded him for his merits, and was promoted to the position of palace envoy, responsible for managing the affairs of the entire palace.
When Wang Xiaobo and Li Shun of Sichuan rebelled, Zhao Guangyi appointed Wang Ji'en as an envoy to Xichuan, led the Beijing division to ban the army into Sichuan to suppress it, and was fully responsible for the military, which could be cut first and played later, which showed Zhao Guangyi's trust in him.
When this Wang Ji'en made meritorious contributions to the suppression and awarded the post of envoy to Xuanzheng, it was very glorious. However, this Wang Ji'en did not return to the dynasty in time, stayed in Chengdu, feasted and drank day and night, connived at the plundering of his children's golden veils, and was summoned back to the capital.
(3) The attempt to establish a new monarch again failed
It is said that Zhao Guangyi has been hesitant to establish the crown prince, the emperor's eldest son Zhao Yuanzuo was snubbed by Zhao Guangyi because he was dissatisfied with his father Zhao Guangyi's treatment of Zhao Tingmei and Song Taizu's sons Zhao Dezhao and Zhao Defang, it is said that there was something wrong with his spirit, he burned the palace where he lived, was "deposed as a shuren, sent to Junzhou for resettlement", and the second son, Zhao Yuanyi, the prince of Xu, died suddenly and did not establish a reserve for a long time.
Zhao Guangyi was injured in the Battle of GaoliangHe and his health was getting worse and worse, so he summoned Kou Zhun of Qingzhou to enter beijing for consultation, and established his third son Zhao Yuankan the Prince of Xiang as Kaifeng Yin, changed the name of King Shou to Zhao Heng, and made him crown prince, and Kou Zhun also served as a counselor.
Empress Li, the second daughter of the meritorious li chuyun, preferred the emperor's eldest son Zhao Yuanzuo.
When Emperor Taizong of Song died, Empress Li colluded with the eunuch Wang Ji'en to support Zhao Yuanzuo.
Wang Ji'en summoned the chancellor Lü Duan to discuss who would succeed him, and when Lü Duan discovered his plot, he deduced that Emperor Taizong of Song had given the Ink Book Secret Edict to be placed in the book cabinet, tricked Wang Ji'en into going inside to check it out, and took the opportunity to lock Wang Ji'en inside to see Empress Li.
Empress Li told Lü Duan that he should be made chief, that is, to make Zhao Yuanzuo emperor.
Lü Duan retorted that Emperor Taizong of Song had already made Zhao Heng the Crown Prince and should have taken the throne.
As a result, Zhao Heng ascended the throne, and those who opposed him becoming emperor were not only Empress Li and Wang Ji'en, but also Li Changling, the Privy Councillor, Zhao Rong, the Zhizhi Hu Dan, and Empress Li's brother Li Jilong.
When it stabilized, on the charge of "Wang Ji'en was secretly fierce, communicated with Li Changling and others, and leaked the forbidden language of the palace", Li Changling, the governor of the government, was demoted to the rank of Sima of Wuzhongjiedu, the governor of Hu Dan was demoted to Sima of the Anyuan Army, and Wang Ji'en was demoted to the rank of Right Gate General, and was given the title of Junzhou. Zhao Rong, a member of the Privy Council, was appointed as an envoy to Shouzhou, and was relieved of the post of commander of Li Jilongdian and appointed as an envoy of the Zhen'an Army.
(Song Zhenzong)
Wang Ji'en died of illness shortly after arriving in Junzhou. Through clues, wang Ji'en participated in the two events of the change of the throne, although not the mastermind, but a very important figure, whether it is a conspiracy to gain power or get involved in the incident, his existence can move left and right, the first should have been because Song Taizu's son Zhao Defang succeeded to the throne, he summoned Zhao Guangyi; the second time, if it were not for the cleverness of prime minister Lü Duan, he might have let the throne fall aside again.
Wang Ji'en was able to gain the trust of Zhao Kuangyin, the grandfather of Song, and Zhao Guangyi, the emperor of Song Taizong, and it can be seen that Wang Ji'en is not an ordinary person.
Later generations believe that he carried the black cauldron for people in both imperial events, and this is not necessarily the case.
History is a living drama that continues to be staged, and how much truth is sealed in time with the years.
【About the author】Chen Erhu, pen name Hongye, is a Khitan of the Mongolian ethnic group. Deputy Secretary-General of the Weng Niu Te Banner Writers Association.
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