Zhang Juzheng was a Ming Dynasty politician, reformer, and uncle of the Ming Dynasty. He was the first assistant to the cabinet during the Wanli dynasty, and the historical evaluation of Zhang Juzheng was very high. But it was such a powerful figure who was tragically raided by the emperor after his death, why is this?
First of all, Zhang Ju is the first assistant of the cabinet, what is this cabinet first assistant doing? Even the civil officials who assist the emperor are equivalent to the prime minister, and his political power is very large.
Zhang Juzheng proposed to the emperor on March 22, the eighth year of the Wanli calendar, that he wanted to return to his hometown. Zhang Juzheng had to be afraid that his fate would be the same as huo Guang's and Yuwen Hu's powerful subjects, very panicked, and very eager to leave. But at this time, the emperor did not want him to leave, and ordered him to stay.
However, Zhang Juzheng was not dead-hearted, and after receiving the emperor's will, he still told the emperor that he wanted to return to his hometown and wanted to retire. And clearly explained to the emperor his daily fearful thoughts and how depressed he was every day. After listening to Zhang Juzheng's words, the emperor became a little hesitant, and he decided to go back to the empress dowager's staff officers.
But at this time, the empress dowager's attitude was very resolute, and she very sincerely wanted to keep Zhang Juzheng, and said to her son: Wait until he assists you until he is thirty years old, he can retire.
At this time, it can be said that the bane has begun. At the beginning, the emperor was very admiring and respecting Zhang Juzheng, but the words of the empress dowager made the emperor feel bad. He can't do it himself, and he still says that he has to wait for the emperor to be thirty years old, so it is better to say that this Zhang Juzheng will not die for a day, and he will not be able to govern in person for a day. At this time, Zhu Yijun's feelings for Zhang Juzheng in his heart were no longer respectful, but began to hate, and began to feel that Zhang Juzheng was obstructing his eyes.
Zhang Juzheng was assisting the government for ten years, and Zhu Yijun grew up, and it was normal for him to want his own pro-government to take power. The empress dowager's words and Zhang Juzheng's prestige made the emperor feel a threat.
Second, Zhang Juzheng's reforms normally threatened the interests of many officials. The first is to unify tax standards and simplify the tax system, blocking the possibility of officials at all levels taking advantage of loopholes to make money. Second, it is necessary to evaluate the performance of officials, officials begin to have performance standards every year, and those who complete well are retained or promoted, and those who do not complete well will be demoted, which is also hated by hundreds of officials. Therefore, after Zhang Juzheng's death, the ministers of the DPRK began to impeach Zhang Juzheng one after another.
In the end, the eldest son of Zhang Juzheng, the first assistant of the generation, committed suicide, and the old mother had no one to provide for him. Although Zhang Juzheng had made a lot of great achievements at that time, he had infringed on the emperor's imperial power, but he was doomed to have a good end. Maybe Zhang Juzheng is not a fault, but he can only say that he is really too good. But such behavior was the biggest threat in the eyes of the emperor.