The historical Zhao Gao suddenly stepped onto the stage of Chinese history because of the "change of the sand dunes", and interpreted "pointing the deer as a horse" into the highest realm of power, he toyed between hu hai, the monarch of the Great Qin Empire, and Li Si, the head of the group of ministers, and built himself into a sinner of the fall of Great Qin with super-first-class power.
However, what kind of person was he before the "Dune Revolution"? Was he really an eunuch like the later eunuchs? In what role did he have to exist around Qin Shi Huang? And listen to the water whisper.
First, Zhao Gao's origin
Zhao Gao's ancestors were also royalty of the Zhao Kingdom.
However, in that era, in order to maintain diplomacy between countries, protons were often sent to each other, Zhao Gao's ancestors were sent to the Qin state as protons. However, not every proton can be like Qin Shi Huang's father, Yiren, and great-grandfather Gongzi Ji, who can return to China as a proton to become the monarch, and many estranged protons are still left in foreign countries. When the use value is lost, it gradually fades the background of the royal family and becomes an "ordinary person", and Zhao Gao is the descendant of such an "ordinary person".
In contrast, Zhao Gao's mother's fate was more tragic, and when she was young, she was punished for sin, resulting in physical disability, and she lived in the "hidden palace" for a long time like autism, doing some labor within her ability. However, fortunately, it does not affect normal marriage and children. Therefore, by chance, she combined with Zhao Gao's father, a descendant of a fallen proton of the Zhao Kingdom, and a low-level civil judge of the Qin State, and raised Zhao Gao and several of his brothers.
Note: The Hidden Palace, a place dedicated to accommodating "people who have been physically punished for a crime, whose health is incomplete, and who are later pardoned for meritorious service", are still subject to manual labor and may be conscripted into the battlefield if necessary.
Second, Zhao Gao's talent
Zhao Gao was about the same age as Qin Shi Huang and Liu Bang, born between about 258 BC and 256 BC, more than twenty years younger than Li Si.
Although his starting point was very low, he was a little lucky, as a civil judge, his father was still a person who knew rough literature and ink and knew the laws of Qin, so Zhao Gao, who was smart and studious since childhood, gradually grew into a talent who was good at calligraphy and proficient in law under the teaching of his father. After becoming an adult, through a series of official selection examinations of the Qin State, Zhao Gao gradually improved his official position and status, and finally came to the side of Qin Shi Huang smoothly and began to do secretarial work (Shang Shu Shu Shi).
Through a period of understanding, Qin Shi Huang also noticed this conscientious and responsible young man who was proficient in law, believing that he was a talent that could be created, so he broke through among the many "secretaries", promoted him to the order of the Crucian Government, and took charge of the imperial ride, that is, responsible for the emperor's weekday carriage and horse management and travel work, six hundred stones, not high or low, belonging to one of the nine secretaries of the tai servant management, because of the long-term relationship with the emperor, but no one dared to underestimate.
After Qin Shi Huang merged with the world, Li Si proposed to "write the same text", that is, based on the great compilation of the Qin state, with reference to the six kingdoms of the script, to create a new text with a uniform and neat shape and a simple stroke, called Xiao Lu (秦纂), and promote it to replace the script inherent in the countries under the heavens. At this time, Zhao Gao, who was good at calligraphy, was also able to participate in it, and began to sort out the text with Li Si and others.
This was also the beginning of his true acquaintance and fellowship with Lisi.
At the beginning of qin shi huang and the world, the chancellor Li Sinai played the same, and dismissed those who did not cooperate with Qin Wen. Si wrote "Cangjie Chapter", Zhongche Fu Ling Zhao Gao made "Ye Li Chapter", Tai Shi Ling Hu Wu Jing wrote "Erudite Chapter", all took Shi Li Da, or quite provincial reform, the so-called small editor also. - "Explanation of Words and Words. Narration
The six chapters of the "Calendar" were also composed by Zhao Gao of the Chefu Order. - Book of Han. Yiwen Zhi
Third, Qin Shi Huang's trust in Zhao Gao
Judging from Zhao Gao's official functions, we can already see qin shi huang's trust in him. As the commander of the Zhongche Government, he not only often went in and out of the palace, but also often accompanied Qin Shi Huang's left and right, and sometimes even had to drive the emperor personally, if there was not enough trust, these were absolutely impossible. In addition, Qin Shi Huang also arranged an "additional" job for Zhao Gao, that is, to teach his young son Hu Hai to be imprisoned, that is, the method of judging cases, which was also the beginning of Zhao Gao's relationship with Hu Hai.
An accident almost cut off Zhao Gao's future.
I don't know what the reason was, Zhao Gao committed a major crime, and Qin Shi Huang ordered Shangqing Meng Yi (Meng Tian's brother) to try the case. Meng Yi tried it and found that he could not directly judge the case. If according to the Qin Law, Zhao Gao should be sentenced to death and removed from official status, however, Zhao Gao was after all a close minister of Qin Shi Huang's side, and the direct judgment was afraid of upsetting the emperor, so Meng Yi reported the trial results to the First Emperor. When the First Emperor looked at it, he was also a little embarrassed, he thought that Zhao Gao's crime was not appropriate to die, and he could just find a reason to forgive him, but it was not such a serious crime, but let him order the killing of Zhao Gao, and he really couldn't bear it, Zhao Gao followed him, conscientious and responsible, and won his trust.
In the end, Qin Shi Huang weighed the pros and cons, and made an exception to pardon Zhao Gao's capital crimes, and the official was reinstated, as usual.
Gao had a great sin, and the King of Qin ordered Meng Yi to rule by law. Yi did not dare to be a law, and when the high sin died, he was removed from his eunuch status. The emperor took Gao Zhi Dun to the matter, pardoned it, and restored his official title. - "Historia. The Legend of Monty
However, Zhao Gao, who had experienced life and death, had a lot of changes in his mentality, and perhaps his hatred for the Meng brothers began from this incident, and his loyalty to the First Emperor may have also begun to waver at this time. However, Qin Shi Huang's trust in him did not diminish because of this, on the contrary, it was even worse. At least before the "Change of the Dunes", Zhao Gao had already been responsible for the custody of the Emperor's Seal and issuing orders.
The illness was very beneficial, but for the seal book to give the prince Fu Su Yue: "And the funeral will be buried in Xianyang." "The book has been sealed, and in the Zhongche Mansion Order Zhao Gaoxing Fu Seal Office, no messenger has been granted. - "Historia. Qin Shi Huang Benji
4. Is Zhao Gao an eunuch?
In fact, we can say that Zhao Gao was a eunuch, or a eunuch, but we cannot arbitrarily say that he was a eunuch or an eunuch.
In Chinese history, the word eunuch appeared very early. The original intention of the eunuch is precisely the constellation that is very popular now. In ancient China, the central and brightest star in the sky was called the Emperor Star, and the four nearest stars to the west were called the "Eunuch Four Stars", and the relationship between the Emperor Star and the eunuch was just like the relationship between the monarch and the internal servant. Thus, the internal servants around the monarch were called eunuchs, and their supervisors were naturally called eunuchs.
In the pre-Qin period, although there was no shortage of eunuchs as eunuchs, not all eunuchs were eunuchs, and there was no mandatory requirement in this regard. Even in the Qin Palace, only the eunuchs who were responsible for taking care of the royal family's female relatives would completely use eunuchs, but the management was not so strict, so there was the story of Concubine Yi and Zhao Ji. Eunuchs who were truly entirely eunuchs did not gradually take shape until the Eastern Han Dynasty. As for the term "eunuch", it did not exist until after the Tang Dynasty, but at that time it was only an official name, and it was commonly used to call eunuchs, which was already in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.
Zhao Gao, as the Zhongshu Fu Order of Qin Shi Huang's side, naturally there would be no mandatory requirement of eunuchs, let alone Zhao Gao's self-castration in order to enter the palace.
In addition, Zhao Gao had a daughter, and it is clearly recorded in the "Records of History" that his son-in-law was named Yan Le, the "executioner" who finally killed Qin II with his own hands;
Another point, as mentioned above: when Zhao Gao committed a felony, the "Records of History" emphasized that "except for his eunuchs", Qin Shi Huang "pardoned him, restored his official titles", which shows that the eunuchs and officials here are linked, not the eunuchs and eunuchs.
Therefore, Zhao Gao may have been only a close subordinate of Qin Shi Huang's side, rather than an eunuch.
5. The change of the dunes
Speaking of this, I believe that Zhao Gao and his relationship with Qin Shi Huang, Li Si, Hu Hai, the Meng brothers and others should have been understood. If we look at Zhao Gao's performance when we look at the "change of the dunes", it is natural.
In 210 BC, Qin Shi Huang died violently in the Dune Palace, and only Li Si, Zhao Gao, Hu Hai, and five or six eunuchs knew the inside story. Li Si, who was in a high position of power, ordered the news to be blocked in order to prevent national turmoil. Zhao Gao also used this time to give full play to his "wisdom" and successfully persuaded Li Si and Hu Hai.
At that time, Fu Su's succession to the throne was not good news for Hu Hai, Li Si and Zhao Gao, the Qin state would become an ordinary prince, Li Si would have a hard time keeping his position as prime minister, and Zhao Gao naturally could not become a close vassal of Fu Su. However, the problem is that Hu Hai is not confident in becoming emperor, and Li Si still has some hopes for the future. So at this point in time, only Zhao Gao is the one who is eager to change the status quo.
He first used his close relationship with Hu Hai to give him a lot of "excitement Liu" and "strong heart needles" to make him believe that he could become the king of a country; then he took advantage of Li Si's gains and losses to directly hit the point and analyze the pros and cons for him. Although Li Si was nearly seventy years old at this time, he was still very fascinated by everything in front of him, and Zhao Gao also seized this point and successfully persuaded Li Si to tamper with the will and support Hu Hai and force the death of Fu Su, the eldest son of Qin Shi Huang.
As for the two brothers Meng Tian and Meng Yi, naturally they could not escape their clutches, and they were framed to death, and the power of the Qin government was successfully transferred to the hands of Hu Hai, Li Si, and Zhao Gao. However, in the past two years, Li Si himself has become a political victim, Zhao Gao's "plate of Chinese food" has been destroyed by the three tribes, and Hu Hai, the young emperor, has also been at the mercy of Zhao Gao, becoming a ruthless emperor who only knows how to act recklessly, kill people, frame ministers, and lust.
The Great Qin Dynasty collapsed a few years later in their "divine manipulation".
Water talk
Some people believe that Zhao Gao entered the Qin Palace from beginning to end with the purpose of destroying the Qin State.
It seems logical that a Proton of the State of Qin born in the State of Zhao (Yin Zheng) eventually destroyed the State of Zhao, and then, after a proton of the State of Zhao born in the State of Qin (Zhao Gao), also seemed to be a natural thing. However, in Shui Yibai's view, Zhao Gao did not have such lofty ambitions, and as a person of the same age as Qin Shi Huang, he was unlikely to wait until Qin Shi Huang died of illness to complete the so-called ideal, he was just "blackened" into a chaotic thief who was a thief who had brought misfortune to the Qin Empire for his own selfish desires.
Before the "Change of the Dune": he was proficient in law, good at calligraphy, hard working, positive and upward, and was one of the most trusted courtiers around Qin Shi Huang;
After the "Change of the Sand Soldiers": Also as a courtier of the Qin Dynasty, he played with power, tampered with the will, framed the ministers, deceived the monarch, and caused chaos to the court, and the collapse of the Qin Dynasty also played a role in catalyzing Liu.
If You see Zhao Gao's life as a TV series, he is more like a "good guy" who suddenly "blackens" halfway through, rather than the big villain who only wrote the word "bad guy" on his face from the moment he appeared.