Preface
In the river of history, there is an intriguing story that the eunuch actually put a prince known as a "fool" on the throne, but this seemingly harmless "fool" issued a holy decree at the next head, which caught the eunuchs off guard.
Is all this just a historical coincidence, or is there a deeper level of power and cunning? What kind of historical secrets does this incident that makes the eunuchs cry bitter reveal it?
Monitoring of changes in the transition to the throne
When the news of Tang Wuzong's death spread in the Tomb Spring Temple, the entire Chang'an City was filled with grief and panic. The arrival of the Grim Reaper heralds the coming of a power change, the outcome of which will determine the future of the country. So, at a time when the situation is suddenly changing and embattled on all sides, who can become the new master of this country? This is undoubtedly the focus of attention of tens of millions of subjects.
In the depths of the palace, a special class of eunuchs was operating in secret. A group of eunuchs led by Ma Yuanzhen were wrestling, and they exchanged heads and ears, scanning the surroundings with eyes soaked in calculation. As the most influential privileged class in the court, the eunuchs occupy an extremely crucial place in this battle for the throne.
They realized that only by manipulating the next monarch could they retain their inflated privileges during this alternation of power. These eunuchs are accustomed to the change and decline of power, and they know that only by controlling the center of power can they be king and hegemonic in troubled times. Therefore, they could not wait to plan and elect their men to embrace the dragon chair.
Li Chen, the king of light, was the first to become the focus of the eunuchs' attention. This titular relative of the emperor is not good at words on weekdays, giving people a dull appearance. The eunuchs soon realized that such a simple puppet met all the requirements of the "ideal emperor" in their eyes.
A puppet, a decoration, a symbol of power at the mercy of others; This is exactly the image of the emperor that the eunuchs dreamed of. So a conspiracy gradually took shape: they wanted to put Li Chen on the throne and become a puppet in their hands. "There are people who can be used again", Li Chen's ascension to the throne will undoubtedly make the eunuchs laugh in their hearts. They can already see the image of themselves returning to power through the hands of puppets.
However, the eunuchs thought very highly of themselves and had not yet discovered Li Chen's true face. This stupid prince is extremely intelligent in his heart, he is well versed in the unspoken rules of the court, and he has long seen through the true purpose of the eunuch. But Li Chen knew that if he exposed his decisiveness, he would only be subjected to a dark arrow. In this chaotic palace, wisdom and sharpness often mean danger.
Therefore, he chooses to forbear, choosing to play a coward with a dull appearance to avoid the undercurrents of the court. On the surface, he was respectful to the eunuchs, but in fact he had already seen through their conspiracy. Li Chen was just waiting for the opportunity to give the eunuchs a fatal counterattack in the best way.
In the competition for the throne, Zhijiang won the game alone
Whenever darkness fell and drowsiness had not yet hit, Li Chen lit a candle and read heavy military books and classics in the dim light. He meticulously figured it out, sketching out the strategy on paper from time to time
Those usually dull eyes were shining brightly at this time, as if they wanted to absorb all those ancient wisdoms. Li Chen knows that if he wants to be the king in this troubled world, he must break common sense and break through the traditional pattern; And the key to all of this lies in a deep understanding of power and resourcefulness.
Once, Li Chen's trusted confidant Zhang Shen came to visit in the middle of the night, and accidentally bumped into the scene where Li Chen was reading alone at night, and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Li Chen glanced up at him and replied lightly: "There are many treacherous people in the palace, who are smart but are killed, and only by keeping a low profile can they live in peace." Above the court, the strong is the king; The way to survive is to deal with it carefully. ”
After hearing this, Zhang groaned slightly, remembering the past when he was framed by his colleagues when he first entered the office, and couldn't help but have a little more admiration for Li Chen's hidden style. He also knows that if he wants to live peacefully in this troubled world, he must learn to forbear and retreat; And a forbearant and wise king like Li Chen must be able to resolve the power and scheming and save the people from fire and water.
The manipulation of the eunuch and Li Chen's recognition
Before Tang Wuzong's funeral ended, the secret activities of the eunuchs had quietly begun. Ma Yuanzhen and others took advantage of their privileged position in the palace to woo ambitious people and buy henchmen, the purpose of which was to support Li Chen to climb the dragon chair.
Behind the trust of the royal family, they secretly formed a party for personal gain, and manipulated public opinion to support Li Chen as emperor; the powerful, co-opt and instigate; Those who have no power are bought with money. The eunuchs used their network of contacts throughout the government and the opposition to spread rumors of Li Chen's accession to the throne, intending to use public opinion to build momentum and force the royal family to submit.
Li Chen knew this, but still pretended to be ignorant and allowed the eunuchs to move. He realized that only by taking the last step of this ruse would he be able to deliver the fatal blow at the best time. On the surface, he was respectful to the eunuchs, but in fact he had already seen through their conspiracy. Li Chen was just waiting for the opportunity to give the eunuchs a fatal counterattack in the best way.
The eunuchs were not completely dull, they were still cautiously observing Li Chen's every move, for fear that the prince would suddenly turn his face and deny people. But Li Chen did an excellent job of hiding his attitude, even in front of the eunuchs, he bowed and worshipped, and was respectful. This further consolidated the impression of Li Chen's "stupidity" in the eyes of the eunuchs. The eunuchs were triumphant, believing that their plot was complete and that the new monarch would be at their mercy. However, Li Chen's recognition and counterattack are quietly preparing.
When the puppet ascended the throne and the imperial power became independent
In this way, under the manipulation of the eunuchs, Li Chen soon got the right to inherit the throne. When the power was crowned on Li Chen's head, the eunuchs laughed in their hearts: This puppet has finally sworn allegiance to me. However, they will soon have to pay a terrible price for their stupidity. As soon as Li Chen ascended the throne, he decisively deposed the power-leaning prime minister Li Deyu.
The latter is not only in the position of prime minister, but also the highest authority in the eunuch system. This hand not only changed the color of the Manchu Dynasty's civil and military affairs, but the eunuch power was immediately on the verge of collapse. Only then did they suddenly realize: What kind of emperor they were facing! An iron-blooded emperor who was determined to wipe them out!
Immediately afterwards, Ma Yuanzhen was strictly forbidden by Li Chen to contact any powerful ministers, and his whereabouts were also monitored at various levels. Li Chen also purged the eunuchs who were close to Ma Yuanzhen inside and outside the palace ban. This series of actions hit the eunuchs like a series of cannonballs, catching them off guard.
Only then did they realize that they were just a chess piece in Li Chen's hands, and they were led step by step to the abyss of destruction. The eunuchs were filled with grief and indignation, but they were powerless to return to heaven. The long-planned dream of seizing power was shattered by Li Chen's accurate identification, and the eunuch could no longer claim hegemony in this power game.
The emperor is king, and the eunuchs are obedient
Li Chen decisively seized all power in the hands of the eunuchs. He abolished all political eunuch positions and strictly limited his functions to palace affairs. A group of henchmen and supervisory bodies were also set up to closely monitor the words and deeds of each eunuch. They were like ghosts that lingered, so that the eunuchs did not dare to have the slightest idea of trespassing. The eunuchs were deprived of their privileged status and had to return to the working people.
At this point, the power of the eunuchs completely collapsed. Ma Yuanzhen, a figure like Ma Yuanzhen who called for wind and rain back then, can only shrink back and be a civilian at the moment. Li Chen completely destroyed their network of power that had been entrenched for many years, and systematically took the imperial power back into his hands
The courtiers were amazed: they finally understood that the new monarch was not a thing in the pool, but a strong man who planned to act later. Li Chen's innate wisdom and decisiveness proved his extraordinary ability to rule. And behind all this, it is based on the experience of hard study when he was young.
epilogue
History will eventually favor the wise. When the eunuch's conspiracy was revealed and the power structure of the court was reorganized, Li Chen finally proved his foresight. An emperor who really has the corresponding courage and means is exactly the navigator that the giant ship of the Tang Dynasty needs.
Even if fate makes people, Li Chen also relied on his wisdom and determination to finally turn against the guest and become the guiding light for all sentient beings. The eunuch class returned to their rightful state—loyal assistants and ministers of the imperial power.
The occurrence of this series of events not only reshaped the pattern of court power, but also enabled the Tang Dynasty to obtain institutional protection at this difficult moment of power transfer. The eunuchs lost their qualifications to manipulate imperial power, and the emperor's position was further strengthened.
A situation of checks and balances was thus established, and a symbiosis between imperial power and oversight. This undoubtedly laid the foundation for the long-term peace and stability of Datang in the future, and proved the strategic significance of Li Chen's move. Compared with the short-sightedness of the eunuchs, Li Chen's gentle and wise attitude towards the country and the people will eventually guide Datang to a brighter future.