The emperors of the Ming Dynasty were famous, the empresses of the Ming Dynasty were also famous, and even the eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty were very famous. When it comes to the eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty, we have to mention Wang Zhen, because he was the first generation of eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty. Emperor Mingwuzong's favored eunuch Liu Jin took Wang Zhen as an example.
In fact, Wang Zhenyuan was a reader, and his ambition was also to enter the army through the imperial examination, so why did he enter the palace as a eunuch?
It turned out that Wang Zhen only had a brief understanding of the scriptures, which was far inferior to those talents who had learned to be rich in five cars, and he was only a fallen talent when he came and went. Wang Zhen gradually lost confidence and became a private school teacher in his hometown. But the little Mr. Teaching was not wang Zhen's imaginary life at all, so he had a crossed heart and castrated himself into the palace and became a eunuch.
Wang Zhen entered the palace in the last year of Yongle, he was sleek and cunning, and soon emerged from many eunuchs and won the appreciation of Emperor Xuanzong. Emperor Xuanzong of Ming made Wang Zhen the Head of the Eastern Palace bureau and served the crown prince Zhu Qizhen, and because of this, Wang Zhen was able to accompany Zhu Qizhen to grow up.
In the tenth year of Xuande, Emperor Xuanzong of Ming died, and Zhu Qizhen, who was only nine years old, took the throne as Emperor Mingyingzong. At this time, Wang Zhen had become the most trusted person of Ming Yingzong, and he also slowly extended his hand to the court. However, at that time, Empress Zhang was still alive, and the government was mostly handled by the "Three Yangs", and Wang Zhen did not dare to be too arrogant.
After Emperor Mingyingzong ascended the throne, Wang Zhen was promoted to the post of eunuch, which was the most powerful official position among eunuchs, and also paved a broad road for Wang Zhen to abuse his power later.
With the death of Empress Dowager Zhang and "Sanyang", Wang Zhen's time to abuse power gradually matured, and he slowly replaced all important official positions in the central government with his own henchmen.
In the fourteenth year of orthodoxy, Wang Zhen thought that as long as the emperor personally marched, he could scare them back, so he instigated Emperor Ming Yingzong to drive the conquest. Bingbu Shangshu Kuang, Shilang Yuqian, and The Official Shangshu Wang Zhi all stepped forward to stop it, but Ming Yingzong was convinced of Wang Zhen and could not listen to it at all.
Ming Yingzong and Wang Zhen gathered 200,000 troops in two days, but claimed that there were 500,000, and even grain, grass, and weapons were not equipped and set off. Although the British Gong Zhangfu, Bingbu Shangshu Kuang, Hubu Shangshu Wang Zuo and others all went out with them, they had no right to speak, and everything in the army was decided by Wang Zhen.
Wang Zhen had no military ability at all, but he refused to listen to the advice of others, which eventually led to being besieged in Tumu Fort. Ming Yingzong saw that there was no hope of a breakthrough, and could only sit still, and as a result, he was captured by the enemy army, and Wang Zhen was killed at Tumu Fort.
After Emperor Mingyingzong was captured, the courtiers supported Zhu Qiyu the Prince of Li to ascend the throne. The courtiers all believed that wang Zhen's fault was wang Zhen's fault for the change of tumu fort, and they all pleaded for the destruction of his family. Therefore, Zhu Qiyu ordered that wang zhen and his henchmen be killed and all their family property confiscated.
Everyone hated Wang Zhen to the bone, believing that he had died for the rest of his life, but Ming Yingzong still believed him. After Emperor Mingyingzong was restored to the throne, he missed Wang Zhen very much, so he ordered him to be named, and he also built a jingzhong shrine in the capital to sacrifice the dead.
Wang Zhen interfered in government affairs without permission, brought calamity to the country and the people, and the courtiers and the people all hated him to the bone, so why did Ming Yingzong trust him so much? I think there are three reasons.
First, Wang Zhen grew up with Ming Yingzong
When Ming Yingzong was very young, Wang Zhen was sent by the Ming Xuan Sect to serve him, so in Ming Yingzong's heart, Wang Zhen was like an elder. Therefore, Ming Yingzong has always affectionately called Wang Zhen "Wang Companion".
People are usually grateful to the people who have always taken care of themselves, and the emperor is also a person, and he will also thank the people who have taken care of themselves since childhood, whether they are eunuchs or slaves. Just like Ming Yingzong's son Zhu Jianshen, he had a special love for wan shi, the nurse who took care of him from childhood, and even wanted to set up wan shi as his queen.
In the same way, Ming Yingzong had feelings for Wang Zhen, as a prince, he had no friends, and the closest people besides his parents were the teachers who taught him from childhood, as well as the people around him.
Second, Wang Zhen is cunning
Although Wang Zhen is not well read, and he has repeatedly lost his name to Sun Shan, he has other strengths, that is, he is good at observing words and colors. Therefore, he would be appreciated by Emperor Xuanzong of Ming and given the opportunity to serve Zhu Qizhen.
He has been serving Ming Yingzong for a long time, in other words, he grew up watching Ming Yingzong, so Ming Yingzong's temper and hobbies, Wang Zhen can be said to know it well. He knew which set Ming Yingzong ate, so he could always poke at his heart. Ming Yingzong believed that it was rare to have someone around him who knew him so well, so he trusted Wang Zhen very much.
It is like once when Emperor Mingyingzong set up a banquet, according to the rules, eunuchs were not allowed to participate. However, Wang Zhen complained to Emperor Mingyingzong, and even compared himself to the Duke of Zhou, comparing the emperor to a king. Ming Yingzong also felt that Wang Zhen was not there, and it was not interesting to set up a banquet, and when he heard him say this, he felt indebted to him, so he made an exception and let him attend the banquet.
Third, Wang Zhen crossed the sea in disguise
Emperor Mingyingzong gave Wang Zhen a great deal of power, so that he had the opportunity to cultivate power. Wang Zhen, as the eunuch in charge of the seal, had the power to help the emperor "approve the red". "Approving red" means that the emperor's final ruling is approved on the fold with a red pen.
Wang Zhen often took advantage of this advantage to change Ming Yingzong's will, and if he saw someone impeaching him, he would take the lead in taking this person down, and then make up a charge for Ming Yingzong to execute him.
The famous minister Yu Qian looked down on Wang Zhen, and once he was ready to see Ming Yingzong, someone suggested that he send some gifts to Wang Zhen first, but Yu Qian insisted on refusing. Later, when Wang Zhen learned of this, he framed him for being dissatisfied with the emperor and imprisoned him. Fortunately, under the pressure of the officials and people in Shanxi and Henan provinces, Wang Zhen had to release Yu Qian.
Not only Yu Qian, but also many ministers were framed because they disobeyed him, and some even died innocently. Ming Yingzong knew nothing about the truth, always listened to Wang Zhen's one-sided words, and praised him for doing a good job.
In summary, Ming Yingzong was dependent on Wang Zhen, and he believed that Wang Zhen would not harm him, so he pushed his heart and mind. In addition, what Wang Zhen did was a black-box operation, and what was reported to Ming Yingzong was completely different, so Ming Yingzong was so deeply convinced of him that he almost ruined Daming.
(Reference "Myashi")