It is a well-known historical fact that the eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty abused their power, acted overbearingly, and committed crimes. However, among these eunuchs, there is one who is quite unusual. Although he was also a eunuch, he had a different side. He was loyal to the Ming Xianzong and was as loyal as a dog and horse, but he also abused the Jurchen Iron Horsemen and acted cruelly. This person is Wang Zhi, one of the four great eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty. Unlike the other three, Wang Zhi was able to die a good death in the end, what is the reason behind this? What kind of encounters and turning points did he go through in his life? Let us find out.
Wang Zhi's rise to prominence
Datengxia, a remote Yao village, Wang Zhi, who lives here, has shown extraordinary alertness and wisdom since he was a child. He was gifted and learned everything quickly, and the village elders had high hopes for him. However, fate opened a new path for him in life.
During the Chenghua period, the Ming Dynasty put down the rebellion of the Yao people, and the young Wang Zhi was taken captive to the capital. He originally thought that he would be humiliated as a captive, but he did not expect to be selected to enter the Forbidden City as a eunuch. Although Wang Zhi is still young, he has already seen a lot of things, and he is determined to open up a new way out of this crisis.
Wang Zhi was assigned to Zhaode Palace to serve Wan Guifei, the favorite concubine of the dynasty. Wan Guifei was originally the accompanying palace maid of Zhu Jianshen of Ming Xianzong, and was later named a concubine because of Xianzong's love. Wang Zhi was filial to Wan Guifei, decisive and neat, and soon won Wan Guifei's appreciation. With the support of Wan Guifei, Wang Zhi gradually approached the inner circle of Ming Xianzong.
That's how the opportunity came. In the twelfth year of Chenghua, a demon Li Zilong colluded with the eunuch Wei She to try to make trouble in the palace and was arrested red-handed. Ming Xianzong was worried about this matter, and he realized that he needed a sharper pair of eyes and ears to monitor the movements outside the palace. So, he ordered Wang Zhi to disguise himself and secretly go out to investigate the news.
Wang Zhi was very effective in handling affairs, and provided a lot of valuable information for Xianzong in just half a year. Xianzong praised his performance, so in the thirteenth year of Chenghua, he officially established the "West Factory", which was specially built for Wang Zhi, and he personally served as the commander in charge of the affairs of the government and the opposition.
In this way, a Yao boy from a humble background, with his extraordinary wisdom and hard work, eventually became the leader among the eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty. His rise is destined to rewrite the trajectory of the fate of the Ming Dynasty.
The dictatorship of the West Factory intensified
Wang Zhi became famous in one fell swoop with the "Qin Lipeng case", and the power of the West Factory also swelled day by day. His men and horses are all over the streets and alleys of Jingshi, and they check everything and ask everything. Even small things like chickens flying and dogs jumping must be put under strict punishment and strict law. Ordinary people cross the streets and alleys, and as long as they behave inappropriately, they will be investigated and arrested by the people of Xichang.
At that time, every time Wang Zhi went out, he had to take a large group of his cronies with him. They shuttled through the capital, arrogant and hideous. Even some dignitaries in the DPRK and China have to stay away when they see Wang Zhi. Once, Xiang Zhong, the secretary of the military department, accidentally met Wang Zhi's team, and was insulted by Wang Zhi's subordinates on the street, and the scene was extremely embarrassing.
The power of the West Factory is increasingly abused, and the government and the opposition are afraid of it. However, Zhu Jianshen of the Ming Xian Sect was obedient to Wang Zhi and regarded him as a treasure. Not only did he not restrain him, but he indulged it. As a result, Wang Zhi's arrogance became even worse, and his actions became more reckless.
In the fourteenth year of Chenghua, an unjust case completely detonated the civil and military disputes. In February of this year, a criminal named Yang Ye absconded to the capital and was discovered by Wang Zhi's subordinate Wei Ying, a hundred households of Jinyi Wei. In order to make meritorious service, Wei Ying tortured Yang Ye and forced Yang Ye to confess that Yang Ye had a huge amount of family wealth hidden from relatives.
After Wang Zhi heard the news, without Xianzong's permission, he sent people to arrest Yang Ye's relatives Yang Shiwei's family. Yang Ye eventually died tragically in prison, and Yang Shiwei and several others were also implicated and degraded to another country. This "Yang Ye unjust case" caused an uproar in the government and the opposition, and Li Bin, the imperial historian of the left capital, impeached Wang Zhi and reprimanded Xichang for lying about intelligence and creating an unjust case.
However, Ming Xianzong was very protective of Wang Zhi. As a result, Wang Zhi's dictatorship intensified, and his men and horses were everywhere, meddling in the affairs of the government and the opposition. Even the border town of Wangfu cannot escape the prying eyes and ears of the West Factory. Wang Zhi's power has penetrated into every corner of Jingshi.
At this moment, a new contradiction quietly emerged. In order to consolidate his country, Ming Chengzu Zhu Di ordered the slaughter of a large number of Jurchen iron horsemen. Although these Jurchen iron horsemen submitted to the Ming Dynasty, they still harbored a deep hatred for Zhu Di. They secretly formed a clique and plotted against each other.
After Wang Zhi learned of this information, he immediately punished him severely. He ordered his subordinates to conduct a comprehensive search for these Jurchen Iron Horse families, and torture them all men, women, and children. Many Jurchens died tragically under torture, and their families were ruined. This brutal act shocked the government and the opposition and terrified the people.
Wang Zhi was subjected to bullet pressure
In the eighteen years of Chenghua, the contradiction between the West Factory and the East Factory has deepened. This year, a gang of thieves broke into the Forbidden City. Shang Ming, the commander of Dongchang, personally wiped out this gang of thieves, and Zhu Jianshen praised his performance and rewarded him generously.
When Wang Zhi learned of this, he was very upset. He thought that Shang Ming was just lucky to catch those thieves, and he was not qualified for such a heavy reward. Wang Zhi planned to take this opportunity to rectify Shang Ming and expand the power of the West Factory.
However, Shang Ming had already taken precautions. For many years, he has been secretly collecting Wang Zhi's faults and black materials. At this time, he did not hesitate to present these materials to Zhu Jianshen, hoping to get rid of Wang Zhi, a big confidant.
At the same time, Wan An, the first assistant of the cabinet, also united some eunuchs who were bullied and oppressed by Wang Zhi to jointly make a statement to Zhu Jianshen, accusing Wang Zhi of various crimes. They even alarmistly said that if they didn't get rid of Wang Zhi, it would cause a catastrophe.
Zhu Jianshen originally wanted to use Wang Zhi's power to counter the civil official group. But now, Wang Zhi's power has gradually gotten out of control, and Zhu Jianshen has to think twice. After repeated considerations, he finally ordered the abolition of the West Factory and the transfer of Wang Zhi out of Beijing.
This decision is undoubtedly a heavy blow to Wang Zhi. The former celebrities have now become prisoners, and Wang Zhi's cronies such as Wang Yue, Chen Yue and others have also been deposed. Wang Zhi's henchmen fled in all directions, and his power was gone.
In the summer of the nineteenth year of Chenghua, Wang Zhi left Beijing in a dilapidated carriage. Along the road to the states and counties, the officials who once worshipped him as a god now avoid him. Wang Zhi lay alone in a post house, accompanied only by a lone lamp.
At this time, a Zhizhou named Pei Tai came to visit. Pei Tai greeted Wang Zhi and prepared a sumptuous meal for him. Seeing this, Wang Zhi couldn't help but sigh: "I am no longer what I used to be, and my future is uncertain." Even if there is only one groom to accompany me tomorrow, I will be satisfied. ＂
Pei Tai stood aside respectfully and didn't say anything. His move shows that even when Wang Zhi lost power, there were still some people who respected him.
However, such people are in the minority after all. In the eyes of most literati, Wang Zhi was nothing more than an abominable eunuch, and they naturally did not have a good impression of him. This attitude has continued to later generations and has become the root cause of Wang Zhi's "loyalty and treachery" in the history books.
Wang Zhi's old age went into hiding
In the twentieth year of Chenghua, Zhu Jianshen died, and his son Zhu Qizhen succeeded to the throne as Emperor Hongzhi. After the new emperor ascended the throne, his attitude towards Wang Zhi immediately changed.
In the first month of the first year of Hongzhi, Wang Zhi was ordered to leave Beijing and was demoted to the prefect of Linchuan, Jiangxi. Linchuan is located in the middle of nowhere, and it has always been a demeaning place. Wang Zhi originally thought that this was just a temporary banishment, and he would definitely be able to make a comeback in the future. However, he never imagined that this would become the last official position in his life.
After leaving Beijing, Wang Zhi went to Jiangxi to take up his new post. Along the road to the states and counties, the officials who once worshipped him as a god now avoid him. Wang Zhi came to Linchuan alone and found that the environment here was closed and the life was embarrassing, which was like a cloud of rich life in the capital.
At first, Wang Zhi was deeply dissatisfied with this. He wrote to Emperor Hongzhi many times, requesting to be recalled to the capital again. However, Emperor Hongzhi ignored his letter and seemed to have completely forgotten him.
Gradually, Wang Zhi began to accept reality and settle down. He devoted all his energy to the benefit of the people and served the people of Linchuan wholeheartedly. One year, when there was a severe drought in Linchuan, Wang Zhi spared no effort to organize people to dredge the river and solve the urgent needs of the people.
Since then, Wang Zhi has been well-known in Linchuan. The local people respected him very much and regarded him as if he were a relative. Even if Wang Zhi left office later, the people of Linchuan still had infinite affection for him.
Wang Zhi has never been married during his tenure in Linchuan and lives alone. In his later years, he said: "I am no longer what I used to be, and my future is uncertain." Even if there is only one groom to accompany me tomorrow, I will be satisfied. This sentence shows his indifferent acceptance of fate.
In the twenty-sixth year of Chenghua, Wang Zhi was six out of sixty and finally passed away. Before he died, he donated all his personal belongings to the poor people in Linchuan, leaving only some old clothes. The people of Linchuan held a grand funeral for him to mourn this good official who benefited the people.
Wang Zhi has experienced ups and downs in his life, and his power has been up and down. He was once the most powerful eunuch in the Ming Dynasty, controlling the affairs of the government and the opposition. But in the end, he could only return to the countryside and live an ordinary old age. However, his deeds in Linchuan for the benefit of the people made him win the love of the people and became a special case of "loyalty and treachery are difficult to distinguish" in the history of the Ming Dynasty.
Later historians have mixed reviews of Wang Zhi. Some people think that he is a greedy eunuch with filthy hands and feet, while others think that although he has done wrong things, he is a good official who is loyal to the country after all. In any case, Wang Zhi's unique life has added a touch of bright color to the history of the Ming Dynasty.