Preface
Zhang Quanyi, a political and military figure who was unrivaled in power during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in the late Tang Dynasty, why did he willingly endure the trampling and humiliation of his wife and daughter by his superiors? Is there any unknown inside story hidden in this?
Zhang Quanyi, who was born in a poor family and was promoted step by step
Zhang Quanyi was born in an ordinary peasant family, and was originally a small local yamen official, and his ordinary life was destined to stop here in his life. However, sometimes the gears of fate turn quietly at unexpected moments.
Zhang Quanyi's county government is not large, and the county order has insulted Zhang Quanyi many times for no reason, making him feel humiliated. A county magistrate publicly teased Zhang Quanyi at a gathering of friends, which completely angered Zhang Quanyi. He gave up his decent official position as a yamen and had the idea of getting ahead.
At that time, the peasant rebel army led by Huang Chao was in full swing, and Zhang Quanyi decisively joined the rebel army. He is well versed in the rules of the game of power, and he flatters his superiors with great flattery, and makes great achievements from birth to death. After the capture of Chang'an, Zhang Quanyi finally realized his wish and served as the official position of the secretary of the ministry, which can easily decide the life and death of thousands of troops.
However, the good times were short-lived. After the failure of the uprising, Zhang Quanyi shrewdly found a new backer - Zhuge Shuang, who was powerful at that time. Zhang Quanyi spared no effort to curry favor with the new chief, and finally obtained the first fief of his career in Zezhou. As Zhang Quanyi, who was born in a poor family, it is an unimaginable honor to have his own territory.
The powerful Zhang Quanyi
Just when Zhang Quanyi thought that he could start to develop production in a down-to-earth manner and govern Zezhou to be prosperous and prosperous, his mentor Zhuge Shuang died suddenly. Zhuge Shuang's general Li Hanzhi and another general competed, and Zhang Quanyi was forced to join the battle. However, Li Hanzhi made it difficult in every way, and Zhang Quanyi felt that he was in a difficult situation.
Under the cover of the night, Zhang Quanyi secretly sent his henchmen to the court to make friends with the ministers. Finally, with the assistance of Li Keyong, Zhang Quanyi not only successfully got out of trouble, but also successfully occupied the Heyang area and proclaimed himself the envoy of the Heyang Festival. For a time, he became the most powerful warlord in the vicinity of Luoyang, commanding a large army.
At this moment, Zhang Quanyi is like Mount Tai sitting in Luoyang City, holding heavy troops and commanding the world. He was so elated because he had achieved a grand deed that was unimaginable when the county magistrate humiliated him - now, those who once looked down on him had to look up and even do their best to please him, the envoy of the Heyang Festival!
The flesh and blood were humiliated, and Zhang Quanyi forbeared
When Zhu Wen's army returned from defeat and his body was still sick, Zhang Quanyi immediately extended an enthusiastic invitation - hoping that the emperor could stay in his own home and avoid the scorching heat. As everyone knows, this invitation has made the darkest memory of his life.
Maybe it was because of the wine, or because he had been missing the softness of the battle for a long time, Zhu Wen's eyes fell directly on Zhang Quanyi's two gorgeously dressed and elegant female dependents. He was unreserved, in front of Zhang Quanyi, and proposed to ask the two female attendants to sleep to please him.
At this moment, Zhang Quanyi's heart was calm and light, or was it turbulent? He knew very well that they were his wife and daughter, and his own flesh and blood! But in the face of the emperor with a lofty position and powerful force, he did not resist in the slightest, but only smiled flatteringly and respectfully agreed.
Since that day, Zhu Wen has lived in Zhang Quanyi's house for a long time, indulging in sex with his wife and daughter, and galloping at will. Whenever he thinks of these promiscuous scenes, what kind of mood does Zhang Quanyi spend his time? He gritted his teeth and secretly sharpened his knife for revenge; Or is it expressionless and his heart is like water, or, in the face of his high power, these are just commonplace?
And Zhang Quanyi's son obviously doesn't think so. When he raised his knife to kill the lewd and disturbing faint king, Zhang Quanyi did not hesitate to stop it, and said righteously: "Zhu Wen rescued me from danger that day, and I just did my best to repay his great kindness. ”
Zhang Quanyi who compromises reality
Zhang Quanyi's life can be said to be smooth sailing. He rose from an inconspicuous petty bureaucrat to the de facto ruler of Luoyang, who held a heavy army. However, it is precisely under the confusion of this power and status that he will allow his bottom line and dignity to be trampled on, and see his wife and daughter become the playthings of others.
Because he understands the vagaries of power, Zhang Quanyi chooses to be merciful. He can be gentle and frugal, and he can endure the grievances, but after all, he still died in Zhu Wen's suspicion. After the erroneous recommendation to rehabilitate Li Siyuan, Zhang Quanyi was quickly removed by Zhu Wen's poisonous hands and ended his life in a hunger strike.
In a snap of his fingers, Zhang Quanyi jumped from an unnamed official to a general who commanded the world. However, why does he still have to watch his flesh and blood humiliated? In the face of power, can a person's bottom line be adhered to? These questions are only known to Zhang Quanyi.
Analyze Zhang Quanyi's life choices
Why did Zhang Quanyi tolerate the unruly humiliation of his wife and daughter without a bottom line? What kind of strategic considerations are hidden in this?
1) Survival instinct drive
The humiliation of the county officials in the past made him understand that if he wants to survive in this troubled world, he must rely on the powerful. Zhu Wen has a heavy army, and Zhang Quanyi has related interests, so he can only compromise and seek perfection. It was the survival instinct that drove him to bear the humiliation.
2) Longing and yearning for power
From the Huangchao Rebel Army to Li Hanzhi, and then to the final Zhu Wen. Zhang Quanyi climbed all the way up the tree, and his desire for power became almost instinctive. To endure humiliation is to rejoice in the bitterness of reaping power.
3) Persistence in repaying gratitude
Once in dire straits, it was Zhu Wen who rescued Zhang Quanyi. Returning the favor is not only a responsibility for him, but also a hope to turn the tide, and a bargaining chip to save his life. This gratitude sustained him through the pain of humiliation for his wife and daughter.
4) Thoughtful strategizing
Zhang Quanyi may have calmly analyzed, and enduring humiliation can win Zhu Wen's trust, thereby consolidating his power. This is his far-sighted political tactic, and it is also a realistic compromise that chooses to protect himself.
5) The bitterness of taking into account the overall situation
Zhang Quanyi stopped his son from killing Zhu Wen, saying "just to repay the kindness". Behind this sentence is his consideration for the stability of the overall situation, and he does not want to set himself on fire and save the lives of his family. It was precisely because he took into account the overall situation that he had to compromise with the faint king.
epilogue
In a snap of his fingers, Zhang Quanyi completed the transformation from a small official to a person in power. His life was a steadfast pursuit of the vision of power, but also a sinister and helpless compromise of reality. In the moral bottom line between chasing fame and fortune and preserving himself, Zhang Quanyi chose to abandon it after all.
But what kind of helplessness is hidden in it? These questions are probably only cleared by the parties concerned. Times have passed, and we should not denigrate, but also be tolerant, because everyone lives within the limitations of their own time.