From foreign relatives to emperors new emperor Mang

After Emperor Cheng's uncles were enfeoffed, the foreign relatives of the Wang clan were incomparably noble, dressed in fresh clothes and angry horses, and their toes were exuberant, and they lived an arrogant and lavish aristocratic life, but Wang Mang's family lived a life of loneliness and poverty. Wang Mangzi was born in the fourth year of the first year of emperor Yuan, and his father, Wang Man, failed to receive the emperor's favor due to his early death. However, Wang Mang was courteous and courteous, worshiping the famous Confucian and Pei County Chen Shan as his teachers, tirelessly studying the scriptures, and at home, he respectfully served his mother and sister-in-law who were widowed early, and educated the nephews left behind by his deceased brother. In society, he befriended celebrities and Confucians, and carefully served his uncles and uncles who held the power of the imperial court. Compared with those noble princes of the Wang clan who were only entertained by sound and color, Wang Mang, who was clean and self-righteous, respectful and courteous, attracted attention and praised, and Wang Mang's uncle Wang Feng fell ill in the third year of Yangshuo (22 BC), and Wang Mang waited on the side, personally tasting medicine from left and right, taking care of him, and not undoing his clothes for several months. This further increased Wang Feng's favor. On his deathbed, this powerful minister asked Empress Dowager Yuan and Emperor Cheng to grant Wang Mang an official and a half-post. In the same year, Wang Mang became Huang Menlang, and soon became a lieutenant of the Shooting Sound School, which was a high official in charge of the crossbowmen, with the rank of 2,000 stones. He was only 24 years old.

In the first year of the Shui Dynasty (16 BC), his uncle Wang Shang, the Marquis of Chengdu, wrote to Emperor Cheng, willing to divide his own household to be crowned King Mang. Changle Shaofu Zangchong, Shizhong Jinshi, and Hu Riding Colonel Ji Hong. A group of celebrities such as Shanggu Du Wei Yangjing and Zhonglang Chen Tang also praised Wang Mang. As a result, Emperor Cheng made Wang Mang the Marquis of Xindu, and there were 1,500 households in Nanyang Xinye Capital Township. Jin Guan served as the Knight Commander Guanglu Doctor. Lieutenant Knight was a military attaché with the same rank as a lieutenant in the archery. Both Dr. Guanglu and His Attendant were all officials. With the addition of Guanglu Dafu as an official, he can participate in the politics of the dynasty and discuss major state affairs; With the addition of an official, you can serve around the emperor. Wang Mang, who was 30 years old, became a very powerful minister in the dynasty. Wang Mang is by no means the kind of person who is proud and full of ambition, the more honorable he is, the more humble he is, the more he scatters his horse clothes, and he gives to guests. There is nothing left in the family, and the famous people are accepted, and the friends will be Xiangqing Doctor. Sometimes, do something to sell fame and reputation and sensationalize the public.

In the first year of Suihe (8 BC), Wang Mang's uncle Wang Gen, who was the general of sima dai, was seriously ill, and he requested several times to leave his post to recuperate. To whom will the new Grand General Sima fall? Compared with those sons of the Wang clan who chased the sound and color dogs and horses all day long, Wang Mang appeared to have outstanding character, and by relying on the power of the Wang clan's foreign relatives over the years, he was able to become a great general of the Great Sima Dynasty. However, in order for Wang Mang to achieve this high position, he must first defeat his opponent, Chun Yuchang. Chun Yuchang was the son of Wang Junxia and a cousin of Wang Mang. Wang Zhengjun became Empress Chun Yuchang and also became Huang Menlang by nepotism. When the great sima general Wang Feng was seriously ill, he, like Wang Mang, served day and night. When Wang Feng was dying, he also recommended him to the empress dowager and Emperor Cheng. After Wang Feng's death, he was appointed as a lieutenant Zhu Cao, and soon moved to Shui Heng Du Wei Shi Zhong, and then to Wei Wei. Wei Wei was one of the Nine Secretaries of the Han Dynasty, commanding the Southern Army guarding the imperial palace. At that time, Wang Mang was still a lieutenant in the shooting sound. Chun Yuchang's official position and power surpassed that of Wang Mang.

However, Chun Yuchang was not as far-sighted as Wang Mang, full of ambition, arrogant and extravagant, and he had an affair with the widowed Lady Xu Ma (ma) and married her as a concubine. Xu Ma's sister was Empress Xu who was deposed and lived in Changding Palace. Empress Xu bribed Chun Yuchang through his sister to intercede for himself in front of Emperor Cheng, hoping that Emperor Cheng would restore his position as a jian. Chun Yuchang successively accepted more than 10 million bribes from Xu Hou and deceived her into saying that he had established her as the "Left Empress" for her. Every time Xu Ma went to Changding Palace, Chun Yu Chang wrote a letter to Xu and teased her in every way. As a result, Chun Yuchang's secrets were discovered by Wang Mang, and Wang Mang Liyue said to Wang Gen at the opportunity of serving the sick diligently around Wang Gen: "Chun Yu Chang was very happy to see that Sima Da had been ill for such a long time, and he thought that he was going to assist Sima Da on your behalf, and even after he came to power, who would sit in what official position and who would do anything would be decided." Then he added oil and vinegar to the ugly line of Chun Yuchang. Wang Gen was very angry after hearing this, and reprimanded Wang Mang for not saying it earlier. Wang Mang said, "I don't know your attitude toward Chun Yuchang, so I didn't dare to report it." Wang Gen asked Wang Mang to immediately report the matter to Empress Yuan. Wang Mang really rendered the long extravagant and lascivious trip in front of the Yuan Hou. After hearing the fury, Yuan Hou asked Wang Mang to immediately become emperor. As a result, Chun Yuchang not only lost his position as a general who was about to reach Sima Shi, but also lost his official position as a wei lieutenant and was driven back to his fiefdom. After returning to his fiefdom, Wang Rong, the son of Emperor Cheng's uncle Wang Li the Marquis of Hongyang, borrowed a bicycle from Chun Yuchang to ride, and Chun Yuchang bribed Wang Li with a heavy treasure, and Wang Li interceded for Chun Yuchang in front of Emperor Cheng. Emperor Cheng suspected that the two had committed adultery, and ordered the case to be examined. Youji wanted to arrest Wang Rong, but Wang Li told his son to commit suicide to kill him. In this way, Emperor Cheng became even more suspicious, and ordered chun yuchang to be arrested and sent to Luoyang for severe torture, and Chun Yuchang confessed to teasing Xu Hou and bribing Wang Li before. Emperor Cheng was furious and put Chun Yuchang to death in prison for the crime of great rebellion, exiled his wife, and Wang Li, the Marquis of Hongyang, was also driven back to his fiefdom.

Wang Mang completely defeated his opponent Chun Yuchang. Wang Gen recommended Wang Mang to assist him in his place. In the first year of Suihe (8 BC), Emperor Cheng promoted Mang to the position of Grand Sima and acted as Wang Gen's assistant. This year, Wang Mang was 38 years old. After ascending to this high position below one man and above ten thousand people, Wang Mang still practiced and hired staff of virtuous and famous people, and the money he rewarded was all used to enjoy the soldiers, and he was even more frugal. His mother was ill, and the Minister of State sent his wife to visit, and The lady Wang, who came out to greet the guests, wore a short dress and cloth skirt, and the noble ladies regarded her as a slave of Wang Mang's family.

Unexpectedly, Wang Mang sat in sima s seat for more than a year before he was ousted. Here's the thing,

In the second year of Suihe (7 BC), Emperor Cheng died childless, and Liu Xin, grandson of Emperor Fu Zhaoyi of Yuan and son of Liu Kang the Prince of Dingtaogong, took the throne as Emperor Wai. After he became emperor for a month, he honored Fu Zhaoyi as Empress Gong, his father Liu Kang as Emperor Gong, and his mother Ding Ji as Empress Gong, and posthumously honored Fu and Ding as their late fathers and brothers. Empress Dowager Wu was Fu Zhaoyi's niece. In this way, with Emperor Wu being pushed to the throne, the Fu and Ding families became relatives of the emperor and the state, and clashed with the foreign relatives of the Wang clan in the distribution of rights and interests. In order to maintain the stability of the political situation, the Yuan Dynasty asked Wang Mang to resign and take the country. Emperor Wai had heard from an early age that Wang's foreign relatives were arrogant and prosperous, and his heart was very dissatisfied, but since Wang Feng became the Grand Sima (大司馬), Wang's foreign relatives had controlled the government for 26 years, and the forces were intertwined Emperor Wai did not dare to immediately touch Wang's foreign relatives, so he issued an edict praising Wang Mang's foreign relatives for their contributions to protecting the country, and also praised Wang Mang, retained them, and also sealed Wang Mang's households with 350 households.

However, this was only a temporary tolerance for the foreign relatives of the Wang clan.

After a month, Lieutenant Colonel Xie Guang wrote a letter to impeach Wang Gen for perverting the law, oppressing the people, rejecting dissidents, monopolizing power and usurping etiquette, and fornicating himself. He also impeached Wang Gen's brother Wang Shang's son, The Marquis of Chengdu, for marrying a nobleman from the imperial court. To rebuke Wang Gen and Wang Guan for having no courtesy is greatly disrespectful and immoral.

Emperor Wai immediately issued an edict saying, "The first emperor treated Wang Gen and Wang With great kindness, but they betrayed their kindness!" Stripped of his title as Marquis of Chengdu and spared him the title of Shuren; Wang Gen, Wang Quan, and the officials recommended by Wang Shang were all removed from their posts; Wang Gen once welcomed the Emperor of Sorrow, retained his title, and was driven back to his fiefdom to recuperate.

Not long after, a Gaochang Marquis named Dong Hong proposed to give emperor Wu's mother Ding Shi an honorific title in the sense of "mother is precious to her son". In a hierarchical feudal society, the name was a sign of power and status, which was another signal that Fu and Ding were vying for power and profit. Wang Mang immediately joined forces with the left general Shi Dan to impeach Dong Hong for misleading the country and forcing Emperor Wu to spare Dong Hong from being a shuren.

However, Emperor Wu could not completely eliminate the power of Wang's foreign relatives, and especially did not dare to touch the empress dowager Wang Zhengjun in the slightest. This left Wang Mang with the hidden danger of his comeback.

The Emperor of Sorrow died. Emperor Wai was childless, and the empress dowager ordered that the military and political power of the Han Dynasty be handed over to Wang Mang. Wang Mang dismissed Sima Dongxian and re-ascended the throne of Sima Da himself. Emperor Ping (given the name Liu Yan) was young, and the Yuan Dynasty reigned as emperor Mang. Wang Mang forced empress Dowager Fu to commit suicide on the charge that Empress Dowager Zhao had killed the crown prince and Empress Fu of mourning, and drove the ding and Fu families out of the capital. He also forbade Emperor Ping's mother, Wei Renjing. In this way, Wang Mang monopolized power and played Emperor Ping above the palm of his hand. He rejects dissent and forms parties for personal gain; And sell fame and reputation, widely give favors; At the same time, he constantly asked the empress dowager for a more honorable title. In the first year of the Ping Emperor's reign (AD), he was given the title of "Duke of An Han".

At that time, the elderly empress dowager still held considerable power. For this empress dowager, Wang Mang did not dare to provoke. Therefore, he instructed his minions to write a letter, saying that the Empress Dowager should not be overworked, and that some small things did not have to be done personally. The empress dowager adopted this suggestion, stipulating that only the matter of knighthood must be heard of her, and everything else should be decided by the Duke of AnHan and the Minister of State. Since then, the power of the government has been completely controlled by Wang Mang.

In order to further consolidate his power, Wang Mang went to great lengths to make his daughter the empress of the Hanping Emperor. Soon after his daughter became empress, Wang Mang was given the title of "Zaiheng" and was crowned Duke. Wang Mang was very proud and asked Yushi to engrave him a seal of "Zaiheng Taifu Grand Sima ".

Soon after receiving this special gift, Wang Mang sensed that the growing Emperor Ping was dissatisfied with him, so he killed Emperor Ping first, and installed Liu Bao, who was only 2 years old, as a "widow", and became the "regent emperor" himself. Wang Mang's self-reliance on behalf of Han is already well known to passers-by. Dongjun Taishou Zhai Yi and Chang'an man Zhao Ming rebelled against recklessness and were suppressed one after another. The elderly empress dowager had no power and no power, and there was no longer any power to prevent Wang Mang from establishing himself on behalf of Han.

In the third year (8), a rogue mourning chapter in Zitong County saw that Wang Mang had the potential to stand on behalf of the Han Dynasty and decided to take a big political adventure. He forged two bronze seals, one of which reads "Emperor Xingxi JinKuiTu" and the other that reads "The Red Emperor Xingxi Passed on to Emperor Jin Ceshu". "So-and-so" refers to Liu Bang, the ancestor of Han Gao. The book says that Wang Mang succeeded the Han Dynasty and was the true son of heaven, and the empress dowager should honor the Mandate of Heaven. Both the picture and the book bear the names of Wang Mang's eight ministers, and he created two names, Wang Xing and Wang Sheng, as well as his own names, saying that these eleven people were the assistants of the new dynasty. One evening, wearing a yellow robe and holding a copper dagger, Ai Zhang ran to the ancestral temple of Liu Bang of Han Gao and handed the two copper kui to the servants. The servants immediately reported the king's burial. The next morning, Wang Mang solemnly came to the High Temple, worshipped the bronze dagger, and put on a crown to meet the empress dowager, indicating that he would inherit the mandate of heaven and stand on behalf of the Han. Then, he came to the front hall of Weiyang Palace, sat down on the emperor's throne, and announced that he had stood on behalf of the Han Dynasty, and the name of the country was "New", with December as the first month of the first year of the founding of the country.

On New Year's Day of the first year of the founding of the People's Republic of China (9), the enthronement ceremony of the new emperor of the new dynasty was solemnly held in the front hall of Weiyang Palace. Wang Mang led gongqing to see the empress dowager, presented the seal of "Empress Dowager Wenmu of the New Chamber", and removed the title of Han Dynasty. He made his wife Wang Shi empress. Wang Mang had four sons: Yu, Yue, An, and Lin. Wang Yu and Wang Yu had committed suicide, Wang An was delirious, and Wang Mang made Wang Lin the crown prince and Wang An the "New Jia pei"; His grandson and Wang Yu's six sons were all princes. Amnesty for the world. He also decreed that his widow and infant would be the "Duke of Anding" and the land of 5 counties and hundreds of miles, including the Plains (present-day southwest of the Shandong Plain), with tens of thousands of households, as the fiefdom of the Duke of Anding, where the Liu Clan Sect Temple would be erected, Han Zhengshuo would be enshrined, and Empress Xiaoping would be the Empress Dowager of Anding. After reading out the policy order, Wang Mang pulled liu infant, who was only 5 years old, to a drooling and said, "When the Duke of Zhou was in charge, Emperor Cheng returned to power when he grew up. I also wanted to emulate Zhou Gong, but I had no choice but to violate the Mandate of Heaven and not to do so. After lamenting for a long time, Zhongfu took Liu Bao down to the temple and claimed the title of vassal to the north. Then, Wang Mang obtained the "Han ChuanGuo Seal" from the empress dowager. Since the third year of Yangshuo (22 BC), Wang Mang has risen from Huang Menlang, Lieutenant Commander Of Shooting, Lieutenant Guanglu of qidu, Grand Sima and Emperor Regent, and finally established his new dynasty on behalf of han.