In the era of wealthy politics in the Tang Dynasty, how did a young man from the bottom of the bottom reach the pinnacle of power step by step with his extraordinary wisdom and courage? Zhang's job search experience is breathtaking. He not only dared to speak out and persuade Wu Zetian during his reign, but even openly reprimanded his colleagues at banquets, such "presumptuousness" often made the emperors laugh. What kind of "routine" did Zhang Jiazhen use to make the two emperors, Wu Zetian and Tang Xuanzong, repeatedly attacked? What can his story tell us? Let's find out.
1. Struggle under the "Gate Valve Politics".
The Tang Dynasty was an era of gate-valve politics, and the officialdom could be said to be the gate-lord clan holding the highest power. Zhang Jiazhen was born in a poor family and suffered from social status discrimination since she was a child. He can only rely on his own talent and hard work to develop his career in this era of attaching importance to gate valves.
Zhang Jiazhen was brilliant since childhood, and at the age of 19, he took the imperial examination and was awarded the position of Pingxiang County Lieutenant with excellent results, thus embarking on a career in public service. As a low-level youth, it is not easy to get a career at such a young age. However, the good times did not last long, and Zhang Jiazhen made some mistakes in handling cases during her tenure and was finally removed from her official position.
Since then, Zhang Jiazhen has started a 17-year wandering career. As a son of a poor family, he has no powerful relatives and friends to rely on, let alone a shady road to follow. Having lost his fortune, he could only barely survive on a few acres of thin fields in his family. During these 17 years, Zhang Jiazhen lived a simple and poor life, but he never gave up his ideals and pursuits.
Despite the hardships of life, Zhang Jiazhen still maintained noble ethics and firm beliefs. He was dismissive of the children of the powerful, believing them to be "ruined by the outside." For some suggestions that advocated that he should join a wealthy family, Zhang Jiazhen categorically rejected it, preferring to live a shabby life rather than deviate from his principles.
It is with this perseverance and perseverance that Zhang Jiazhen has survived 17 years of suffering. Despite the hardships of life, he never gave up his thirst for knowledge and his dream of pursuing a career. It was this dedication to ideals that gave him the opportunity to show his strength later. In the Tang Dynasty, where gate politics was rampant, it was really admirable that a son of a poor family could do such a great thing.
2. The "little trick" in front of Wu Zetian
In the second year of Chang'an (702), a seemingly accidental opportunity re-showed Zhang Jiazhen's talent. At that time, Zhang Xunxian, the imperial servant, went out to patrol the Hedong region as an interview envoy. As a supervising envoy, Zhang Xunxian's main responsibilities are to inspect local prisons, understand the situation of the people at the grassroots level, and evaluate officials.
However, due to limited time and a lack of understanding of the local situation, Zhang Xunxian encountered some difficulties in his inspection work. His assistant is also powerless, and can only act as a "follower". Seeing that the work was at a loss, Zhang Xunxian, who returned to the post house, couldn't help but complain to the post officer, questioning whether there was no decent candidate in Hedong to help.
This casual complaint actually attracted a compliment from the post officer, who said that there was indeed one outstanding talent in the Hedong area, and that was Zhang Jiazhen. It turned out that although she was reduced to a country man, Zhang Jiazhen had already become famous in Hedong with her extraordinary knowledge and talent.
After learning of this situation, Zhang Xunxian couldn't wait to see this "celebrity". When Zhang Jiazhen appeared, his tall and handsome appearance and eloquent talent immediately conquered Zhang Xunxian. In the face of a mountain of copywriting, Zhang Jiazhen can be clear and insightful about the ins and outs of everything and the solution, which makes Zhang Xunxian breathtaking.
After Zhang Xunxian returned to Chang'an, he immediately made a statement to Wu Zetian, strongly recommending Zhang Jiazhen's outstanding talent, and was willing to give up his official position to Zhang Jiazhen. Although Wu Zetian is over seventy years old, her thirst for talent is still hot, and she readily agrees and is ready to meet this "great talent" in person.
When meeting Wu Zetian, Zhang Jiazhen showed extraordinary wisdom and courage. Wu Zetian hid behind the bead curtain, but Zhang Jiazhen bluntly asked her to open the curtain, so as not to affect the communication due to some estrangement. This "sharp" request made Wu Zetian laugh, and he couldn't help but look at this young man differently.
The ancients had a saying that "it is better to hear than to witness", and Zhang Jiazhen's request was undoubtedly out of consideration for judging the situation. He knew that it was difficult to leave a deep impression just by communicating with words, and if he could let Wu Zetian witness his demeanor with his own eyes, he would definitely be able to increase his weight. Sure enough, after Wu Zetian saw Zhang Jiazhen's heroic appearance, he immediately decided to use him and give him the position of supervising the imperial history.
This small "trick" successfully gave Zhang Jiazhen the opportunity to re-express herself. Wu Zetian's appointment is undoubtedly an affirmation of his talent, and it also paves the way for his future career. Since then, Zhang Jiazhen's official fortunes have begun to climb all the way, and more than ten years later, he has reached the high position in the history of the governor of Sanpin Qinzhou and the governor.
3. Tang Xuanzong's "doing the opposite"
During the reign of Wu Zetian, Zhang Jiazhen had already tasted the bitterness for the first time and had the opportunity to re-express herself. However, with the change of dynasties, his fate will also fall into new twists and turns. In 713 AD, Wu Zetian died, Tang Xuanzong succeeded to the throne, and Zhang Jiazhen's situation also changed.
At this time, Zhang Jiazhen had already served as the governor of Qinzhou and the governor of Shi. However, in the same year, he was involved in a false accusation case. At that time, someone framed Zhang Jiazhen for rebellion, but there was no evidence. Zhang Jiazhen could have settled the matter, but he did the opposite, using this as an excuse to ask Tang Xuanzong for a promotion.
Zhang Jiazhen's approach is quite surprising, not only did he not defend himself, but instead used this "false proposition" to reach out to the emperor to ask for an official. His reasoning was that such a major false accusation would definitely bring him into disrepute in the official arena and affect his future, so he should be promoted to a knighthood as a "rehabilitation".
Tang Xuanzong was pleased with Zhang Jiazhen's "coercion" method, praised him for his "deep edge", and appointed him as the middle of the imperial history, thus obtaining a higher official position. However, Zhang Jiazhen was still dissatisfied with this, and he once again asked Tang Xuanzong for the position of prime minister on the grounds that he had been falsely accused.
In the face of Zhang Jiazhen's presumptuous request, Tang Xuanzong was not only not angry, but was impressed by his "guts". Soon after, Zhang Jiazhen got her wish and was awarded the title of Dali Judge of Xiangzhou and took charge of the government. Since then, he has been in power for more than 20 years, holding power and being a prime minister for a generation.
In addition to soliciting high-ranking officials on the grounds of false accusations, Zhang Jiazhen also made a lot of achievements in another matter. At that time, Zhang Jiazhen's younger brother Zhang Handu also wanted to find an official position. Zhang Jiazhen saw the opportunity and praised his younger brother's talent in front of Tang Xuanzong at a banquet, hoping that the emperor would enable him.
This is undoubtedly a self-serving use of brotherhood. However, Tang Xuanzong was impressed by Zhang Jiazhen's "straightforwardness", and not only did not reprimand, but appointed Zhang Handu as the imperial historian. Since then, the two brothers have been in power together and have become well-known "Zhang Erxiang" in the government and the opposition.
Zhang Jiazhen repeatedly showed his "cunning" side during the Tang Xuanzong Dynasty, whether it was to seek high-ranking officials through false accusations or to seek a position for his younger brother at banquets, he spared no effort to seize every opportunity to benefit himself. And this kind of "doing the opposite" style just won the favor of Tang Xuanzong and made him finally reach the highest peak of his life.
Fourth, Zhang Jiazhen and her colleagues' discord
Although Zhang Jiazhen's power in the DPRK and China shines, there have always been contradictions and discord in his relationship with his colleagues. Zhang Jiazhen's sharp style and upright work are in stark contrast to the style of some colleagues, so there is often friction.
Among them, the contradiction between Zhang Jiazhen and Cheng Zhang in the imperial history is the most acute. Zhang said that he is cautious, and his habits are procrastinating, leaving room everywhere. And Zhang Jiazhen is straightforward, cheerful and neat, and the styles of the two are completely different.
Once, when Zhang Jiazhen was investigating a case, Zhang said that he actually interrupted in the back, accusing Zhang Jiazhen of being too reckless. Angry, Zhang Jiazhen criticized Zhang Shuo's cowardice and incompetence on the spot. Since then, the contradiction between the two has fallen to a freezing point.
In addition to Zhang Shuo, Zhang Jiazhen and the imperial historian Jiang Jiao and others also have disagreements from time to time. Jiang Jiao follows the rules and likes to follow the old rules, while Zhang Jiazhen often breaks the routine and innovates. The style of doing things of the two is naturally incompatible.
Once, when Zhang Jiazhen presided over a court meeting, Jiang Jiao criticized his suggestion. Zhang Jiazhen immediately shot back and scolded Jiang Jiao for being "confused as an official". Such fierce language immediately caused an uproar in the audience.
Zhang Jiazhen not only has a strained relationship with her colleagues, but also often argues with people during banquets. Once, at the banquet in front of the emperor, Zhang Jiazhen and Zhang Shuo had an argument again. In front of Tang Xuanzong, Zhang Jiazhen accused Zhang of "corruption and incompetence" and "bending the law for personal gain", and fiercely attacked him.
In the face of Zhang Jiazhen's wild words, Zhang Shuo was speechless and could only reluctantly defend himself. And Tang Xuanzong, who was on the side, turned a blind eye to Zhang Jiazhen's "presumptuous" behavior and didn't seem to mind.
The reason why Zhang Jiazhen can be so upright and unscrupulous is not only due to his own personality, but also inseparable from his position of power in the court. As the prime minister, he controls almost the entire political power, so he is naturally not afraid of obstruction and threats from his colleagues.
Although his style often angered his colleagues, Zhang Jiazhen never flinched and always adhered to her principles. In the face of the criticism of Zhang Shuo, Jiang Jiao and others, he never showed weakness, but fought back with sharper language, showing strong fighting spirit. It is with this fearless courage that Zhang Jiazhen can win a lot of hope from both the government and the opposition.
5. Final Honor and Sacrifice
Zhang Jiazhen has pursued power for a long time all her life, and finally obtained the highest honor and status in her later years. In 733 AD, at the age of 60, he was awarded the title of Tai Lieutenant and became the most powerful prime minister in the government and the opposition. However, this glory is destined to be short-lived.
At that time, Tang Xuanzong was already old, and the power of the court was actually fought for by the Wu Zetian Party in the harem. In order to consolidate their own strength, Wu Zetian's party began to crack down on dissidents, and Zhang Jiazhen became a thorn in their side.
Zhang Jiazhen repeatedly expressed his strong opposition to Wu Zetian's party, but was directly rejected by Tang Xuanzong. Finally in 733, Zhang Jiazhen's old illness relapsed, and when he was seriously ill, he angrily denounced Wu Zetian's party for relying on power to interfere in politics and endanger the country. Tang Xuanzong was furious at this, so he ordered Zhang Jiazhen to be sent from Guanzhong to Chang'an outside the city to be demoted to the prison army.
On the way to the debasement, Zhang Jiazhen was in a trance and traveled for many days to reach her destination. The entourage and family around him were all stopped, and only his elderly wife and two sons were with him. The local officials could not bear to let the old prime minister be displaced, so they prepared a simple residence for them.
It was in this humble house that the former lieutenant Zhang Jiazhen spent her last years in an environment of poverty and illness. He was once selfless and indulged in wine, and he was drunk for several days. It wasn't until the crying of his wife and children brought him back to his senses that he realized that he had reached the end of his life.
Despite such humiliation, Zhang Jiazhen made a final summary of her life before her death. He rebuked those who flattered the villains and warned future generations not to repeat the mistakes of the past. At the same time, he also reflects on his excessive desire for power, which led to the destruction of the end.
Just before these words fell, Zhang Jiazhen swallowed her last breath. At this time, it was the height of summer, and his body quickly decomposed and deformed, emitting a foul smell, and even his wife and children could not bear to stay for a long time. In this way, Zhang Jiazhen, the captain who once covered the sky with one hand, could only be buried in a hurry and buried in an obscure small village.
Zhang Jiazhen's final ending is undoubtedly tragic, but his lifelong pursuit of power and outspoken spirit are worth remembering for future generations. It is this kind of perseverance that allows a young man from a humble background to finally reach the peak of power and create a legend.