preface
Zhu Houzhao, a deplorable name. The owner of this name, originally the hope of the Ming Dynasty, has also become the pain of the Ming Dynasty. He could have become a generation of wise monarchs and set a prosperous foundation. But he eventually lost his mind in indulgence and went to the abyss of self-destruction.
Zhu Houzhao was born in a mighty era, when the Ming Dynasty was just established and was in its heyday. He was gifted and intelligent, both civil and martial, and made the people full of hope for the future of the Ming Dynasty.
However, fate tricked people, and after he ascended the throne, he gradually became lost, was seduced by the eunuch Liu Jin and others, and indulged in sound all day long. He built an absurd and terrifying place, the Leopard House, as a paradise for indulgence. In the end, he lost his life in this indulgent pleasure.
Zhu Houzhao's story is a tragedy, but it also hides all kinds of undercurrents of court politics.
Zhu Yuanzhang was cruel and suspicious in his later years, and accumulated shortcomings from this
At the beginning of the founding of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang set out the great cause of driving out the Mongols and restoring the Han people. Through years of horse racing and bloodshed, he finally realized this vision. However, Zhu Yuanzhang, who had the world in mind, gradually became cruel and suspicious. He set up special agencies such as Jinyiwei to monitor hundreds of officials. In order to limit the power of the royal family, he killed the prince on several large scales. This made many ministers fearful, and also planted the root cause of the court's accumulated abuses.
In order to establish a unified centralized empire, Zhu Yuanzhang resorted to many cruel measures. He wantonly killed dissidents, even his own relatives, for fear that someone would threaten his status. This made politics in the early Ming Dynasty full of vigilance and suspicion.
In this way, Zhu Yuanzhang became more suspicious and cruel in his later years. There was an atmosphere of trepidation in the relationship between monarchs and subjects in the early Ming Dynasty. The courtiers walked on thin ice, for fear of offending the emperor and being killed. This laid hidden dangers for the future Ming Dynasty.
In 1398, Zhu Yuanzhang died during his northern expedition to Mongolia. Before dying, he stared at the earth, and his eyes could vaguely see the figure of his southern conquest and northern war. He sighed softly, his wish was not fully realized after all, but at least the foundation of the Ming Dynasty had been initially laid. He only hopes that his descendants can keep this river and mountain and let the people live in peace and contentment.
However, his cruel and authoritarian way of ruling made the courtiers walk on thin ice and also sowed the seeds of the Ming dynasty's accumulated evils. This provided a breeding ground for the future corruption of the court, and also doomed a generation of Ming monarch Zhu Houzhao to eventually degenerate.
Zhu Di strengthened his authoritarian rule, and corruption in the court increased
During the reign of Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty, in order to strengthen the imperial power, special agencies such as the East Factory and the West Factory were established, which became the beginning of the decline of the Ming Dynasty. These secretly active spies expanded their power through various means and gradually infiltrated the court. They deceived and framed loyalty, which made many courtiers terrified, and no one dared to speak out.
In 1409, Zhu Di launched the Jing Rebellion and seized the throne of his nephew Jianwen Emperor Zhu Yunjiang. After the successful seizure of power, Zhu Di understood that in order to consolidate power, it was not enough to rely solely on force. Therefore, he set up two secret agencies, the East Factory and the West Factory, whose duties were to monitor the officials and report civil movements to the emperor.
In the East Factory and West Factory, a large number of whistleblowers and crooks gathered. They anonymously collected what the officials had done, and if anyone had any words contrary or changed, they would report to Zhu Di. This allowed Zhu Di to quickly eliminate dissidents, and at the same time gave him a good understanding of the big and small issues of the DPRK. Through the eyeliner of the East and West Factory, Zhu Di's power was greatly consolidated.
At the same time, Zhu Di gradually reused the power of eunuchs. The eunuch Li Ning was in charge of the affairs of the East Factory, and the eunuch Wang Zhi controlled the power of the West Factory and became Zhu Di's most important confidant assistant. The expansion of the power of eunuchs also became one of the important reasons for the decline of the Ming Dynasty in the future.
In order to consolidate his power, Zhu Di strengthened imperial autocracy and surveillance. However, these seemingly solid measures of rule made the courtiers live in trepidation and provided fertile ground for future court corruption. The spread of eunuchs and secret services made the Ming dynasty's government darker and darker, but no one dared to speak out.
The young Zhu Houzhao is talented and excites the people
Ming Xiaozong Zhu Houzhao, the eldest son of Ming Renzong, showed amazing intelligence and versatility from an early age. The learned crown prince gave people hope that he would usher in a new and prosperous era.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is extremely intelligent, and he can quickly understand everything thoroughly. Poetry and diction, Qinqi calligraphy and painting, all proficient. Mr. Jiao praised, "Such an imperial prince must lead the Ming Dynasty into its heyday." ”
Indeed, Zhu Houzhao is not only brilliant and well-versed in classical poetry, but also has a high attainment and appreciation of music and various arts. He has practiced excellent martial arts and is an excellent riding and shooting master. He was deeply favored by Emperor Kenjong's father and was regarded as the ideal future monarch.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has superb riding skills, and his bows and arrows all hit the bullseye, and he is simply a perfect candidate for the emperor with both civility and martial arts." The guard officer said with relish. Such a wise and powerful prince makes the people look forward to the future.
His Royal Highness's talent and profound knowledge also made him highly praised among courtiers. His Highness is in his teens, but he knows the scriptures well, and can often make clever quotations and aphorisms, which makes the courtiers marvel. His Highness is also extremely accomplished in music and poetry, and can often respond to it temporarily, which is breathtaking. Such a wise and powerful prince is really a rare encounter in a hundred years.
Zhu Houzhao's excellence has allowed the public to see the dawn of hope. Years of accumulated abuses have almost caused them to lose trust in the imperial family, but this learned prince has surprised people again and again, showing the style of a former emperor. The people hope that after he ascends the throne, he will finally rise to the throne and make the mountains picturesque again.
Zhu Houzhao first ascended to the throne and was gradually controlled by traitors
After Emperor Wuzong of Ming ascended the throne, the eunuch Liu Jin controlled the underage emperor and guided him to indulge in wine. Liu Jin was originally just a eunuch, with no literary and martial arts, let alone political affairs. But he is sinister and cunning, and sees the wind as a rudder.
In 1510, Liu Jin and eight other eunuchs formed an internal official team to directly serve Zhu Houzhao, who was only 15 years old. They took turns pleasing Zhu Houzhao and satisfying the emperor's various physiological needs. Zhu Houzhao is kind in nature, but he has lived in the harem for a long time, and there are eunuchs who cater to him in every way, and his personality is gradually taken sideways.
Liu Jin used his influence on Zhu Houzhao to be domineering in the court, and his power was tilted towards the opposition. Liu Jin was greedy for money and wantonly searched for the people's fat and people's anointment. And Zhu Houzhao also listened to Liu Jin's advice, built flashy buildings, and squandered the national treasury.
Liu Jin has always been sinister and cunning, and seeing Zhu Houzhao ascending the throne, he knew that he could show the means of everyone in the palace sea. Liu Jin bribed North Korean and Chinese officials to expand his sphere of influence. At the same time, he took advantage of Zhu Houzhao's young and ignorant time to flatter him, making Zhu Houzhao extremely trusting himself.
Gradually, Zhu Houzhao stopped inquiring about political affairs and was at the mercy of Liu Jin. Liu Jin, on the other hand, manipulated the imperial government by various means, accepting bribes in exchange for official positions and collecting a large amount of wealth and private pockets. Liu Jin's greed left the Ming treasury increasingly empty, and its finances went astray. And he also firmly controlled Zhu Houzhao under the clutches of the devil.
The relationship between Zhu Houzhao and Liu Jin became increasingly tight, and the two were in the same stream
As Zhu Houzhao became silent, his relationship with the eunuch Liu Jin became closer and closer. Liu Jin got carried away and began to be more presumptuous. He accepted huge bribes and acted arbitrarily above the court. Zhu Houzhao not only indulged him, but also often rewarded gold and silver, making Liu Jin even more rampant.
At first, the relationship between the two was only a collusion in power, but gradually developed into a state of personal friendship. Zhu Hou looked at Liu Jin like a confidant and obeyed his words; And Liu Jin also let Zhu Houzhao indulge in sound and color, further buying his trust.
Liu Jin's power is like the sky, and no one can control it. He couldn't contain his greed and cruelty. Many ministers were wronged by him, but there was nothing they could do. Liu Jin gained more power by currying favor with Zhu Houzhao, and even dared to directly arbitrarily threaten the ministers in the court. And Zhu Houzhao also protected Liu Jin everywhere and let him go.
The relationship between the two is getting closer and closer. Zhu Houzhao obeyed Liu Jinyan and favored him. Liu Jin also let Zhu Houzhao indulge in the sea of carnal desire, further buying his trust. Gradually, Liu Jin almost completely controlled Zhu Houzhao and the entire imperial court. And the two people are also conniving at each other, walking on the road of no return of darkness and decay.
Build the leopard house and open the door to hell
As time passed, the stimulation of sound and color had less and less effect on Zhu Houzhao. This once versatile young emperor now indulges in wine all day in pursuit of greater excitement. Zhu Houzhao gradually grew tired of imperial affairs and entrusted most of the political affairs to Liu Jin. He himself spent his days hunting and having fun.
Finally, one day, Liu Jin had a whim and decided to suggest that Zhu Houzhao build a private place for him to enjoy. The leopard house served as both a zoo and the emperor's personal harem. Liu Jin strongly encouraged Zhu Houzhao to build a leopard house as a place for him to enjoy himself.
Zhu Houzhao also immediately moved and decided to build this leopard house for pleasure. The leopard house was soon built, and many beautiful men and women gathered from all over the world. Here are drunk gold fans, wine ponds and meat forests, you name it. Zhu Houzhao, who was immersed in it, seemed to be in heaven, and he was full of praise for Liu Jin.
However, this leopard house became the door of sin to hell.
The leopard room is desolate and incestive. Zhu Houzhao was intoxicated by the drunken gold fans here, and lost his judgment and responsibility as the head of a country. He ignored political affairs and indulged in the singing and dancing of the leopard room all day.
Zhu Houzhao's life is completely controlled by Liu Jin. Liu Jin bribed all kinds of beauties into the palace to please Zhu Houzhao, making him unable to extricate himself. Zhu Houzhao also obeyed Liu Jinyan and allowed him to loot wealth in the leopard room. Both fell in this paradise of sin, while the affairs of the state became increasingly decayed.
North Korean and Chinese officials followed suit, accepting bribes to gain official positions and wealth. The leopard house became a microcosm of the corruption of the entire Ming regime. The originally bright emperor also lost himself here and embarked on the road of no return.
"God, our emperor has been immersed in that terrible leopard room all day, and he has completely degenerate!" The people sighed. They would never see the wise prince again. In his place is a faint lord corrupted by desire.
At the same time, Liu Jin also further expanded his power. He took advantage of Zhu Houzhao's trust to blackmail his ministers and arbitrarily judge the imperial government. Since then, the Ming Dynasty has entered a state of irreparable disaster. The construction of the leopard house became a symbolic mistake, pushing the country into the abyss of darkness and destruction.
Drowned, and the brief prosperity collapsed
In 1521, Emperor Zhu Houzhao of Ming Wuzong accidentally fell into the water while playing by the river, and after being rescued, he suddenly fell seriously ill and died suddenly in the leopard room, burning his life.
It was a spring day, and Zhu Houzhao was playing games by the river as always. Seeing that the river was clear, his heart moved, and he decided to go fishing in the net. Unexpectedly, the boat suddenly capsized, and Zhu Houzhao fell into the water and was hurriedly rescued by his subordinates.
"The emperor was choked by the river, and now the high fever has not subsided, and the situation is critical." The imperial physician frowned. Zhu Houzhao inhaled too much river water in the water, resulting in a serious lung infection and a rapid deterioration of his condition.
In this way, Ming Wuzong, who was not yet 30 years old, ended his life in a tragic way in the leopard room. Before he died, he was delirious and whispered: "I am not long dead... Please be sure to handle state affairs properly and do not repeat the mistakes of the past..."
A wise and martial young emperor disappeared in a drunken gold maze like this. The prosperity of the Ming dynasty quickly fell apart after his death. The leopard house was also quickly demolished. But the short-lived prosperity could not save the corrupt empire, and the Ming dynasty has been in a slump ever since.
epilogue
Zhu Houzhao's life was magnificent, and he was a complex and contradictory historical figure. He was once versatile and had unlimited hopes, but he eventually fell into a drunken gold fan. He built a leopard house, a symbol of desolation, and died unexpectedly by the river. His legend warns future generations that the loss of power will lead to ultimate destruction.