In the long history of the Ming Dynasty, Lu Fang, as a powerful eunuch, had a career full of wits and scheming. On the occasion of his retirement, an unusual move caused countless speculations and discussions in later generations: Why did Lü Fang kowtow to his political rival Chen Hong before leaving the palace? Is there a deep strategy behind this act, or is there another plan? What does Lü Fang's "last move" mean? Is it just to preserve the peace of his side, or is there a deeper level? Did this mysterious kowtow change some of the historical course of the Ming Dynasty?
The peak of Lu Fang's power and the eve of retirement
In the depths of the Forbidden City, Lu Fang's name is like an insurmountable barrier, and for more than 40 years, he has controlled all the seemingly insignificant but life-and-death trivial things in this splendid palace. The title of the Grand Eunuch was particularly dazzling on his head, and his power was so great that all the people in the palace had to bow down to him.
Lu Fang's days seem to flow in a golden hourglass, and every grain of sand carries his wisdom and scheming. His presence was both a shelter and a fear for those who were crawling around the court. However, even at the pinnacle of power, Lu Fang also knows that everyone's power has risen and fallen, and everyone's position has changed. In this world of calculation and betrayal, there is no eternal master, only eternal interests.
As the years passed, Lu Fang's heart began to brew retreat. He knows that he must be cautious in every step he takes, and that every decision may affect his fate. In this game of thrones, no one can stand at the top forever, not even the emperor. Lu Fang began to plan his retirement, and all he wanted was a stable old age, a quiet place away from power struggles.
In the tears and reluctance of Emperor Jiajing, Lu Fang went through the retirement procedures and held the gold medal for avoiding death, which was the emperor's reward for his years of hard service. However, when he was about to leave this place of right and wrong to retire in Nanjing, Lu Fang did three things, each of which was full of deep meaning.
First of all, he kowtowed to Chen Hong outside the house. This move made everyone feel puzzled. Chen Hong, the little eunuch who brushed the toilet step by step to the position of the second-in-command of the celebrant and eunuch, his history of superiority is inextricably linked with Lu Fang. Lu Fang knew Chen Hong's ambitions and small actions, and he also understood that Chen Hong's back stabbed, arched fire, and sued the black, but he never turned his face against Chen Hong, and even chose to bow his head at this last moment.
Secondly, Lu Fang went to Chaotian to see Feng Bao and left him the gold medal for avoiding death. Feng Bao, the person who has been silently supporting Lu Fang, maybe in Lu Fang's heart, he is a trustworthy friend and a brother who can be entrusted for life.
In the end, Lu Fang took Yang Jinshui, who had been pretending to be crazy for three years. Yang Jinshui, this loyal person, his madness is to protect Lu Fang and the glory of this big family. Lu Fang couldn't let him continue to suffer, he wanted to take Yang Jinshui with him and stay away from this place full of intrigues and tricks.
Among these three things, kowtowing to Chen Hong is undoubtedly the most puzzling. Lu Fang's behavior seems to be a submission to Chen Hong, but it is actually his choice after careful consideration. He knows that every action he makes will become the focus of discussion for future generations and will become a part of history. His kowtow is not only a strategy for Chen Hong, but also an explanation of his past career.
Lu Fang's retirement is not a simple farewell, but a new beginning. Every step he takes is for the peace of the future, for the quiet place that his heart yearns for. In this whirlpool of power, Lu Fang chose the final exit, but his wisdom and strategy will become a topic of conversation for future generations.
Chen Hong's superiority and Lu Fang's strategy
In the deep palace compound of the Ming Dynasty, the game of thrones never stops. Chen Hong's road to the top, although full of thorns, is also a road where opportunities and challenges coexist. As the second-in-command of the celebrant eunuch, Chen Hong's ambition is not small, but his success is inseparable from the secret promotion of Lu Fang, the great eunuch.
Chen Hong, originally an inconspicuous little eunuch, started from the lowest level of labor and gradually climbed to the high position of celebrant eunuch. All this seems to be the result of personal struggle, but in fact, there is Lu Fang's thoughtful layout behind it. Lu Fang has reigned for more than 40 years, and he is extremely familiar with the personnel of the inner palace, and he knows everyone's weaknesses and use value. Chen Hong's cleverness and cunning make him an ideal candidate in Lu Fang's eyes.
In Chen Hong's three "stabbing" incidents, we can see Lu Fang's superb strategy. For the first time, when Zhejiang reported the news of Yang Jinshui's madness, Chen Hong was eager to inform the emperor of the matter, intending to take this opportunity to attack Lü Fang. However, Lu Fang did not react violently to this matter, but chose to bear it silently, this seemingly passive attitude is actually accumulating strength and waiting for a better opportunity.
The second time, when Lu Fang was drinking with Yan Song and Xu Jie, Chen Hong tried to climb the road to power again by informing. Lü Fang knew Chen Hong's intentions, but she deliberately showed her alienation from Chen Hong, which stimulated his ambition and made him more active in achieving his goals. This seemingly unintentional estrangement was in fact an elaborate move by Lü Fang to push Chen Hong to his political goals more quickly.
The third time, when Jiajing wanted to expel Feng Bao from Yuwang's mansion, Chen Hong once again used the opportunity to show loyalty, but this time there was a deeper calculation behind his loyalty. Lu Fang had already decided to retire at this time, and he needed someone who could continue to maintain the stability of the inner palace. Chen Hong's performance just met Lu Fang's needs, so Lu Fang chose to support him behind him, allowing Chen Hong to take over his position smoothly.
In this series of events, Lu Fang has always maintained a high degree of calmness and calculation, he is not only protecting his power from threats, but also leaving a stable situation for his retirement. He knows that only by cultivating Chen Hong into a strong enough successor can he retire with peace of mind and enjoy his old age.
In addition, Lu Fang also carefully arranged the whereabouts of several key people in the process to ensure that they could also be properly accommodated after his departure. This included taking Yang Jinshui away to ensure that he was not implicated again, as well as keeping Feng in Chaotianguan so that he could continue to maintain some influence.
Through these meticulous layouts and strategies, Lü Fang not only ensured a smooth transition of his power, but also laid the foundation for the future stability of the Ming court. Although his actions may seem full of personal ambition and calculation at the time, in the long run, they were an important contribution to the stability and development of the Ming Dynasty.
The deep meaning of the kowtow incident
In the long history of the Ming Dynasty, Lu Fang's kowtow, although it was just a simple action, caused waves in the imperial court. This is not only a personal choice, but also a deliberate political calculation. On the eve of Lu Fang's imminent retirement from the Forbidden City, he chose to kowtow to Chen Hong in full view of everyone, and the meaning behind this act went far beyond superficial submission or simple etiquette.
First of all, this kowtow is Lu Fang's public recognition of Chen Hong's political status. Chen Hong climbed from a humble little eunuch to the second-in-command position of the celebrant eunuch, and his process was full of intrigue and power calculation. Lu Fang's behavior seems to be a submission to Chen Hong on the surface, but in fact it is a recognition of Chen Hong's political status. In this era full of power struggles, Lü Fang's move undoubtedly gave Chen Hong a political justification and made his position in the court more stable.
Secondly, Lu Fang's kowtow is also a summary of his political career. As a veteran minister who has experienced many dynastic changes, Lu Fang knows that his political career is coming to an end. This kowtow is not only a political courtesy to Chen Hong, but also an explanation of his political career for many years. In this action, Lu Fang showed his generosity and selfless concern for the future political situation. Through this act, he showed the world the demeanor of an old statesman, and also drew a successful end to his many years of political career.
Moreover, this kowtow is, to a certain extent, also an arrangement for the future political situation. Lu Fang knew very well that once he retired, there would inevitably be a power vacuum in the DPRK and China. By publicly kowtowing to Chen Hong, Lu Fang is actually making arrangements for the political situation after his retirement. This act not only strengthened Chen Hong's position, but also indirectly helped the imperial court smoothly transition to a new political stage. In this way, Lü Fang ensured the stability of the government after his retirement and reduced the possibility of political turmoil.
In addition, Lu Fang's kowtow is also a hint of Chen Hong's future behavior. In a world of political calculations, every action can have far-reaching implications. Lu Fang's kowtow is ostensibly a sign of respect for Chen Hong, but in fact it is also a reminder to Chen Hong that even though he has retired, he still pays attention to Chen Hong's behavior. This is a warning from old politicians to new politicians, and it is also a silent constraint on Chen Hong's future behavior.
Lu Fang's kowtow, although it was only a momentary action, had a far-reaching impact. It is not only a political recognition of Chen Hong, but also a summary of his political career, and a thoughtful arrangement for the future political situation. In the Ming Dynasty, a stage full of intrigue and struggle, Lu Fang's kowtow is undoubtedly another demonstration of his political wisdom.
Lü Fang's Historical Evaluation and Legacy Issues
In the long history of the Ming Dynasty, Lu Fang, as a eunuch, had far more influence than ordinary court people. His political career, especially his retirement strategy and support for Chen Hong, not only influenced the political landscape of the time, but also left a deep mark on later generations. Lü Fang's historical evaluation is complex and multifaceted, with both praise and criticism, and the problems he left behind have also become an important topic for historians to study.
First of all, regarding Lü Fang's political skills, historians generally believe that he was a very strategic and intelligent politician. During his more than forty years of court career, Lü Fang successfully manipulated the power of the inner palace and influenced the decision-making of many emperors. His political strategy is not only reflected in his subtle response to hostile forces, but also in his precise control of his power and timely exit. This ability allowed him to effectively avoid direct threats to imperial power most of the time, maintaining relative independence and stability of power.
However, Lü Fang's political career has not been without controversy. Some historians point out that while Lü Fang displayed extraordinary political prowess at court, some of his practices also exacerbated power struggles within the court and may even pose a threat to the stability of the Ming dynasty. In particular, his promotion and support of Chen Hong, although it seems to stabilize the political situation in the short term, may have cultivated an ambitious and ruthless successor in the long run, which is a hidden danger to the political stability of the late Ming Dynasty.
In addition, Lu Fang's retirement strategy, although ingenious, also left some legacy problems. Through a series of carefully crafted steps, he ensured that he was able to retire safely, while also arranging a proper place for his cronies and supporters. However, this overly shrewd transfer of power may also lead to the accumulation of some unstable factors. For example, his excessive trust in Chen Hong may not have fully taken into account Chen Hong's political performance after he came to power, which may have exacerbated the later court struggles to a certain extent.
In cultural memory, Lu Fang's image is equally complex. In some literary works and folklore, Lü Fang is portrayed as an intelligent and sinister character, and his stories are often used to symbolize the corruption of power and the complexity of human nature. The shaping of this image not only reflects people's general perception of power struggle, but also reflects the understanding of the complexity of Lu Fang, a historical figure.
Lü Fang's political career and his historical evaluation show the survival and struggle strategies of a court eunuch in an extreme power environment. His story is not only a narrative of personal fate, but also a reflection of the political dynamics of the era. Through the study of Lü Fang, we can understand more deeply the complexity of court politics and the multifaceted nature of the characters of that era.