Zhang Juzheng (data map)
Zhang Juzheng compiled a textbook for the young emperor Ming Shenzong (Wanli Emperor) who was only ten years old at the time, "Emperor Jian Tu Shu" (data map)
Zhang Ju was the most powerful and influential cabinet chief of the Ming Dynasty. He assisted the ten-year-old little emperor in carrying out reforms and governing the decaying and chaotic Ming Dynasty to make the country rich and peaceful, he was the indispensable patron of the little emperor, and he was the "prime minister who saved the time" of "rising and falling". His outstanding deeds can stand side by side with Shang Martin and Wang Anshi, and he is known as the three most famous reformers in the early, middle and late feudal society in China.
However, what exactly caused the Divine Sect to turn his hand into a cloud and overturn his hand to rain, and to inflict such a poisonous hand on Zhang Juzheng, who had recently died?
According to historians, there are three main reasons for this.
First, this is the total reckoning of ten years of resentment between kings and subjects.
In a feudal dynasty, monarchy and power were a pair of contradictions that depended on each other. When the monarchy is too weak, it needs a strong phase power to support it; and too strong the phase power will dwarf the royal family and be hated by the emperor.
When Zhang Juzheng began to assist Emperor Shenzong, the little emperor was only ten years old, and in order to stabilize the regime, both the mother and son of Emperor Shenzong relied on Zhang Juzheng, respected him, and obeyed his words. However, this Yuanfu was too strict and interfered with the little emperor, and in his young mind, he had begun to change from closeness and respect to fear and disgust. This, the overconfident Mr. Zhang did not perceive.
Zhang Juzheng treated the little emperor with the attitude of a strict teacher to the students, assigning homework every day, and if the little emperor did not seriously recite or understand, he would be severely reprimanded. Once, when Xiao Wanli read the Analects of the Township Party, he read "Seboruya" as "Sebeiruye". Zhang Ju shouted in front of the ministers, frightening the little emperor to bow his head and make corrections. Usually, if the little emperor did something derailed behind Zhang Juzheng's back, Feng Bao would scare him: "Let Mr. Zhang know, see what you do?" The little emperor listened and would soon restrain himself.
However, the little emperor gradually grew up, became an adult, and began to understand the authority and weight of the emperor. However, Zhang Juzheng still controlled the government and made a blessing in his power, and even talked about his palace life, which made The Divine Sect's attitude toward Zhang Juzheng quickly reverse in the direction of hatred.
The power and high vibration of the lord is a great taboo for the subjects; Mr. Zhang is self-congratulatory and unconscious. Do you know that the power he has seized is the imperial power of the Divine Sect; Zhang Juzheng's tall and eminent figure reflects the humble and indecent deceitfulness of the Divine Sect; and the compliments of the courtiers to Zhang Juzheng are contempt for the emperor. Is it tolerable, or is it intolerable? The shenzong that grew up was bound to overthrow Zhang Juzheng and regain imperial power, eliminating the anger accumulated in the past ten years. Even if Zhang Juzheng does not die, this struggle between monarchy and power will break out in a short period of time.
In feudal society, the balance of power was always tilted towards the monarchy, so Zhang Juzheng's downfall and liquidation were inevitable.
Second, this is a big decision to get out of Zhang Juzheng's shadow and show the majesty of the emperor.
Zhang Juzheng was dead, gone, and buried; Emperor Shenzong could make a decision and show his imperial might. This was the fundamental reason why Emperor Shenzong fully demonstrated his generosity and gave Zhang Juzheng a gift to the mountain with great sorrow.
However, Emperor Shenzong did not expect that although Zhang Juzheng was gone, his ghost was still scattered, and he was still living in his shadow. Whenever there was an edict, the courtiers would wait and see, compare, and if Mr. Zhang was there, how would the decision be made; whenever there was an act, Emperor Shenzong would also weigh himself, and if Mr. Zhang was there, how would he judge. Mr. Zhang's shadow still hung high above the court, looking down on the Divine Sect, making him inferior, self-doubting, obscene, and embarrassed. His self-esteem and vanity were greatly traumatized, and at the same time, his rebellious psychology and hatred psychology began to expand extremely. He was indignant, agitated, burning in flames, unable to help himself, like magma roaring under a volcano, and he was bound to break through the crushing rocks, spitting out the blocks in his chest and then hurrying.
Initially, he gave up his "companion" with gentle means, and he felt a kind of unfettered ease, the pleasure of solitude, and the pleasure of evil revenge hidden in the depths of the soul. This surprised, shook, and was also inspired and seduced. So he was determined to crush the idol that stood high above the temple, to remove the blocks that had been suppressed in his soul, and to sweep away the shadows that hung over his head. It's a big decision, Armageddon! The battle must be successful, only in this way can he truly become an emperor who stands above all the people, is in the sky, and is looked up to by all the people! Ha, hurry!
With such thinking, can Mr. Zhang's image not be torn apart and trampled on?
Third, the Divine Sect's greed for wealth and profit also promoted the process of liquidation.
The "Ming Chronicle" recounts a conversation with the empress dowager before Emperor Ming shenzong raided Zhang Juzheng's old residence in Jingzhou.
In this year, Emperor Shenzong's half-brother King Lu had reached the age of sixteen and it was time to negotiate marriage, but more than half of the silver used to handle the wedding had not yet been landed, and Empress Dowager Cisheng was upset when she thought of this. Shen Zong listened and said indifferently, "Don't worry about this, I have a way!" Now these officials in the DPRK are extremely shameless, they must have looked at Feng Gonggong and Zhang Taishi with great power, and stored a lot of money and jewelry as gifts in these two homes. ”
When the empress dowager listened, she had some certainty in her heart, and said eagerly: "If we raid their homes, will all this money be in hand?" ”
"This Feng Bao has many tricks, and I am afraid that all the money has been quietly transferred."
Just at this time, The Yunnan Province's Yushi Yangke set up a loose song of "the late university scholar Zhang Juzheng secretly occupied the first field of the abolished Liao Province, begging for strict investigation", and the deposed Liao King's second concubine Wang Shi also played the liao wangfu "Jinbao Wanji, all entered the Juzheng Mansion". All of them have a solid basis. Coupled with Feng Bao's raid on the family and the huge amount of money he received, could this greedy emperor who was greedy for money and profit not be moved? At this point, Zhang Juzheng's family's doom could not escape.
In addition, Zhang Juzheng was the only one and had no successor, which was also one of the reasons why he was defeated so quickly and so thoroughly. He is self-absorbed, partial to listening, fond of flattering people, and cracking down on outspoken people. When the Wanli Emperor was determined to liquidate with him, everyone shouted a hundred promises and fought bravely. No one dared to speak for him, to do justice for him. On the contrary, the New Deal figures who were promoted by him and reused by him became the vanguard of anti-Zhang Juzheng. Zhang Juzheng's vigorous reforms have come to an end because of this.
Ironically, Zou Yuanbiao, who had scolded Zhang Ju as a beast, was maimed by the court staff, actually dragged a lame leg and ran for Zhang Juzheng's Zhaoxue in an attempt to recall the lost New Deal.
However, there is no choice but to spend the flowers, this ancient Empire State Building, which has experienced two hundred years of wind and rain, finally fell apart sixty years later, by the huge waves of history! This article is excerpted from "Detailing the 36 Major Unsolved Cases of the Ming Dynasty", edited by Xiang Fei and published by Hubei People's Publishing House, source: People's Daily News