Preface
In the history of the Ming Dynasty, the eunuch Wei Zhongxian was a controversial figure. His path to success is legendary, and the enormous power he has gained is even more jaw-dropping.
However, Wei Zhongxian, a greedy and unbridled minister, finally pushed the Ming Dynasty into the abyss from which he could never recover?
What kind of historical mechanisms and interpersonal relationships are hidden behind his power? Let us explore the legendary life of this eunuch and uncover the thrilling story of how he went from humble to powerful.
1. The life of a gambler in the streets
Wei Zhongxian came from a humble background and came from a poor family. Since childhood, he has been idle, greedy for beauty, and wanders in the streets and alleys all day long. In order to support that pitiful face, he became addicted to gambling. Whenever he spends a lot of money, the envious eyes of the people around him are his greatest satisfaction.
This vanity made him sink deeper and deeper, and soon lost all the family's savings. Since then, Wei Zhongxian has been destitute, and even food and clothing have become a problem. He owes a lot of debt, and those who collect it could break his hands and feet at any moment.
In a desperate situation, Wei Zhongxian's gambler nature was stimulated again. He made up his mind to gamble his "hands and feet". As long as he can be selected by the imperial court and enter the palace as a eunuch, those who collect debts will no longer find him. This decision can be described as a turning point in Wei Zhongxian's life. He understood that if he wanted to gain a foothold in the DPRK and China, it was not enough to rely on himself.
Someone has to have the backbone inside to pave the way for him. As a result, he began to inquire about the situation of officials of the DPRK and China, big and small, and looked for suitable candidates. Finally, he met the eunuchs Wang An and Wei Chao, and the two developed a crush on this clever little gangster and took the initiative to introduce him to the palace.
Second, the rise of eunuchs
During the Wanli period, Wei Zhongxian got his wish and entered the palace as a eunuch. Although he didn't know a few big characters, he was very good in the court. He was good at flattery, and he was quickly appreciated by the eunuchs Wang An and the Wei Dynasty. The two were full of praise for this clever little eunuch, and took the initiative to introduce him to Zhu Youxiao's nurse Keshi.
Keshi is a shrewd and capable woman who has won the trust of Zhu Youxiao. She and Wei Zhongxian quickly became good girlfriends who talked about everything. And Wei Zhongxian's real purpose was to take the opportunity to get close to Zhu Youxiao. He put all his net worth on this imperial grandson, betting that he could survive Mingshenzong and Mingguangzong, and finally succeeded to the throne.
It's a high-risk, high-reward gamble. At that time, Zhu Youxiao was only an imperial grandson, and there was still a long way to go before he ascended the throne. But Wei Zhongxian believes that as long as he can gain a firm foothold by Zhu Youxiao's side, he will definitely be able to be reused after he ascends the throne. So, he began to constantly flatter Zhu Youxiao through the Hakka family, trying to occupy a place in his heart.
3. Zhu Youxiao's favor
Sure enough, Zhu Youxiao soon succeeded to the throne and was known as Ming Xizong in history. The Hakka family was named the Holy Lady, and Wei Zhongxian also entered the court and was given an important position by Zhu Youxiao. Zhu Youxiao praised this little eunuch who praised him every day, and Wei Zhongxian's brother was also rewarded with high-ranking officials.
With Zhu Youxiao's trust, Wei Zhongxian has achieved one person and more than 10,000 people. In the affairs of the DPRK and the Central People's Republic of China, as long as Zhu Youxiao does not speak, Wei Zhongxian can do whatever he wants. He not only controlled the personnel power of the imperial court, but also controlled the two important armed forces institutions of Jinyiwei and Neicao Army. With these, he can easily purge dissidents and strengthen his position.
In just a few years, this low-level gangster jumped into the dragon gate and became Zhu Youxiao's right and left hand. His power has far exceeded the scope of an ordinary eunuch, and he can even be said to be the actual ruler of the Ming Dynasty. This kind of rapid life trajectory undoubtedly made the ministers of the government and the opposition at that time staggered.
Fourth, cultivate a group of cronies
However, Wei Zhongxian was not satisfied. He knew that his position was not precarious, and he had to expand his influence in the court. At that time, the Donglin Party had basically controlled the upper and lower levels of the imperial court and became an opponent that Wei Zhongxian had to eliminate.
At the suggestion of the Hakka family, Wei Zhongxian began to install cronies in the Jinyi Guard and the Neicao Army. These two armed forces are crucial to the power structure of the DPRK and China, and as long as they are controlled, Wei Zhongxian can easily suppress the counterattack of the Donglin party. At the same time, he also recruited a large number of civilian officials to join the gang to ensure that the whole court and the central government were his own people.
With Zhu Youxiao's support, Wei Zhongxian quickly exterminated the Donglin Party from the court. Important officials such as the Ministry of Shangshu and the Imperial History of Zuodu were expelled one after another, and overnight, the government and the opposition were under the control of Wei Zhongxian. This change of power, which swept the government and the opposition, undoubtedly shocked the political arena at that time.
Fifth, the cool officials are raging
The power finally fell into the hands of Wei Zhongxian, and his slick nature was revealed at this moment. Even if there was even the slightest discordant sound in the court, what awaited that person would only be the torture of peeling and plucking out his tongue. Jinyiwei's monitoring ability has been infinitely expanded, and even ordinary people are not immune.
It is not uncommon for people to kill good and take advantage of merit under Wei Zhongxian. A man was framed as a spy by the Dongchang people for just saying a few unfavorable words to Wei Zhongxian, and was finally sentenced to death by Wei Zhongxian. This kind of abuse of power and wanton killing of dissidents soon aroused strong dissatisfaction among the people.
Because of these bad things, Wei Zhongxian's reputation among the people was discredited, and he was relegated to dirty words such as "five biao", "five tigers", and "ten dogs". The people's hatred for this eunuch can be seen. They are afraid that one day they will become the ghosts of Jinyiwei's sword, and the entire Ming Dynasty will be panicked.
Sixth, the decline of the country
During Wei Zhongxian's reign, the contradictions between the upper and lower levels of the Ming Dynasty intensified, and there was endless infighting. Most of the imperial court's energy was spent on the power struggle between the two parties, and no one cared about national affairs. The contradictions between the peasants and the imperial court intensified, and society was in turmoil.
It was with the bane of Wei Zhongxian that the Ming Dynasty lived for at least ten years. A eunuch who went from a street gangster to a powerful government and opposition finally pushed this once powerful dynasty into the abyss of no return.
epilogue
The lesson of this history is that power is a double-edged sword, and its abuse will inevitably destroy the Great Wall. We should be wary of powerful ministers like Wei Zhongxian to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. Only by adhering to the right path and fulfilling our duties can we truly work for the welfare of the country and the people.
Wei Zhongxian's story tells us that even a street gangster from a humble background can make it all the way in the game of power as long as he has enough ambition and means. But at the same time, his fate also shows that abuse of power will be punished by God.
We should draw lessons from this, cherish the power in our hands, and seek the greatest interests for the country and the people. Only in this way can we avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and ensure long-term peace and stability in the country.