Liu Bei believed that the emperors in the last years of the Eastern Han Dynasty (Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling) were "close to villains but far from virtuous ministers", which directly led to the country's demise. At present, the mainstream view also believes that the emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty was close to eunuchs, which caused great damage to the society at that time, and the national strength and prestige declined, so that it was finally overthrown. Then the question is, why did the emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty get close to eunuchs? Moreover, the Eastern Han Dynasty fell into the political strange circle of "consorts-officials-consorts". Why did the Eastern Han Dynasty do this? Let's see why.
The emperor's short life and special authority led to the exclusive rights of consorts.
In the Western Han Dynasty, the three powers were relatively large, which easily led to the downward movement of power and threatened the imperial power. Therefore, after the establishment of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Liu Xiu began to weaken the power of Sangong. Liu Xiu rebuilt the diplomatic court and China and North Korea. First, he deprived the foreign court of its decision-making power, and all government decrees had to go through China and North Korea (Shangshutai). This reform has seriously weakened the power of the three major public offices. Since then, the three fairs have only the right to suggest, and they have basically become honorary titles (empty posts). At the same time, the level of China and North Korea is lowered, and the highest official position of Shangshutai is Shangshu, with an annual salary of less than 1000 stone and 2000 stone for foreign officials. Moreover, Shang Shuling has no right to decide. Shangshutai just sorted out the suggestions and letters of the foreign dynasties and finally handed them over to the emperor for ruling. Let's take an example and go through the procedure and you will understand.
1: There was a famine in Henan, so it was reported to Shangshutai.
2. Shangshutai gave it to the emperor and asked him to decide whether to provide disaster relief or not.
The emperor decided to provide disaster relief and asked overseas officials for advice.
4. Foreign officials' suggestions are various, and all of them are given to Shangshutai.
5. Shang Shuling and subordinate officials need to make an outline in these suggestions, or summarize several strategies and central ideas.
6. The emperor read Shangshutai's proposal and finally decided how to rescue the disaster and who to save.
7: Shangshutai sued the foreign official, and the foreign official was responsible.
The evaluation of history books is that "everything in the world belongs to Shang Shu, and it is the next three houses (three houses) with the participation of the master (emperor)" and "the positions of the three houses are just employees". This power system strengthened the imperial power, but there was a problem that the emperor was too important. Because all laws need the emperor's ruling, young people naturally don't care, but what if the emperor is a child? Any system will have certain loopholes and defects, and the exclusive power of consorts in the Eastern Han Dynasty is also based on the emperor's special authority and short life. Guangwudi concentrated all his power on the emperor, but the emperor was too young to handle government affairs, so the empress dowager began to be regent. Women frequently summon foreign officials, which will inevitably produce unnecessary words. At this time, a middleman is needed to take charge. Influenced by patriarchal clan system and consanguineous politics, the bride's family is undoubtedly the first choice for middlemen, and the imperial uncle often takes this opportunity to monopolize the regency, so you will find several basic characteristics of consorts' autocracy, namely:
1: The emperor is young and the power is in the hands of the Queen Mother.
2. The emperor's sister-in-law became a general and a link between the empress dowager and foreign ministers.
3. My uncle intervened in Shangshutai to further monopolize the regent, Huo Guang was in charge of Shangshutai, Dou Xian arranged for Deng Biao to record Shangshutai, Liang Ji suppressed Shangshutai (alien) recording, and consorts controlled Shangshutai through their own mastery, planted confidants and excluded dissidents. The purpose of this step is to cut off those suggestions and letters that are not good for you. For example, someone reported that the Huo family violated the law, but the news needed to be conveyed to the emperor through Shangshu, and Huo Guang, who was in charge of Shangshu, blocked the news directly on the grounds of "bad".
At this time, let's go through the procedure again and see how the consorts are authoritarian (taking Dou Xian as an example).
1: The emperor died (Emperor Zhang of Han Dynasty) and the power was handed over to the little emperor (Emperor He of Han Dynasty).
2. The little emperor is young (Han and Emperor), and the power is given to the Empress Dowager (Dou Taihou).
3. Influenced by patriarchal clan system and consanguineous politics, Empress Dowager Cixi promoted her family (Dou Xian), and her uncle began to serve.
4. His uncle (Dou Xian) tried his best to please the Foreign Secretary (Deng Biao), and made great achievements. At that time, she gained a good reputation and began to gradually stabilize her power.
5. The imperial uncle (Dou Xian) suppressed and excluded those opponents (Zhishou and Le Hui) through various operations, and finally the court began to be headed by the imperial uncle Dou Xian (the courtiers were shocked to wait and see).
6. His uncle (Dou Xian) planted a large number of confidants (Deng Die, Huang Guo, his own brother) and held important positions (holding Jin Wu (mastering the imperial army of Beijing), a captain of the city gate (guarding the city gate of Beijing) and a general (relieving the military)).
This is why the situation of the exclusive power of consorts in the Eastern Han Dynasty is very serious, and the essential problem is caused by the younger emperor and the special power structure. At the same time, when the consorts control the bookshelves, they can see who is loyal to them and who is against them. A few more incidents of "referring to a deer as a horse" can clean up dissidents and let court officials know whose face to look at. In this case, it is impossible for the emperor to "kiss the sages", because the real sages have been suppressed by the consorts, and only some hypocrites and acts of preserving our sanity are on the table.
The emperor was forced to "kiss the villain and be a good minister."
How to identify a virtuous minister under the background of the exclusive rights of consorts? How does the emperor "kiss the sages"? Let's simulate a dialogue and you will understand.
Han Hedi: What about the exclusive rights of the consortium?
Keyboard Man: Dear Sage!
Han Hedi: Who is the saint?
Keyboard Man: Listen to everyone's opinions and see who is the saint?
Han Hedi: Before, everyone said that Wang Mang was a wise minister, but the Western Han Dynasty perished. How do I know if the virtuous minister touted by everyone will be the second Huo Guang?
Keyboard Man: Dear Sage!
Han Hedi: Besides, I can't summon foreign officials. Even if he is a good minister, how can I communicate with him?
Keyboard Man: Dear Sage!
Han Hedi: Even if I break through all kinds of difficulties to find a good minister, what should I do if the good minister sells me backhand?
Keyboard Man: Dear Sage!
The question of this dialogue is why the emperor kissed the villain at that time. The main reasons are as follows:
1: How to define whether a person is wise or not?
It's hard, hard, hard. You know, before Wang Mang usurped the throne, he was honored as "the Duke of Zhou". Keyboard man has God's perspective, and he can definitely see who is a wise minister, but Han and Emperor don't. At that time, Han and the emperor were still children. It is impossible to define the wisdom of courtiers, which is the biggest problem.
2. How to contact Minister Xian?
The sage is a foreign minister, and the emperor lives in the palace for a long time. How do they contact? Friends of game consoles are everywhere. If you subpoena someone today, that person will commit a crime the next day, and then be demoted or killed. At the beginning, Huo Guang was able to collect Liu He's illegal activities under the nose of Liu He, which showed the degree of penetration of consorts into the palace. Liu He has taken a detour, but he didn't pay attention to the result and was abandoned. However, both Han and Emperor have seen The Legend of Consoles. He knows very well how Liu He was ruined. How can he make another detour?
3. What about selling teammates?
Han and the emperor lived in the deep palace for a long time, and he couldn't tell who was a saint. In case he finds a saint and tells him his plan to eliminate his spouse, the saint directly reveals the news to his spouse. What should the emperor do? The military power is in the hands of the general, and the consorts have mastered the guards of the capital and the palace. If the consorts attack ahead of time, how will the emperor face it?
To sum up, the emperor's best choice in this situation is not to choose a virtuous minister, but to choose someone who is loyal to himself. Whether this person is a good minister or not, it must be like this if you want to solve your consort. The eunuch who lived in the palace for a long time and grew up with the emperor naturally became the best candidate, so Han and Emperor began to plot with Zheng Zhong to get rid of Dou Xian. After Emperor Gaozu got rid of Liang Ji, it was the same reason. For various reasons, the emperor was forced to appoint eunuchs. It is not that the emperor is unknown, but that the conditions do not allow the emperor to "kiss the sages."
The process of the game between the two sides
The emperor and his confidant (eunuch) jointly brought down the consort, but the consort was also inactive, so the two sides started a game. Let's take Emperor Han and Emperor as an example to see how the emperor relied on eunuchs to bring down his consorts.
1: The emperor (Emperor Han and Emperor He) identified his ally (Zheng Zhong) and made a plan to kill his consort (Dou Xian).
2. The emperor (Han and Emperor) firmly controlled the imperial army (Zhi Jinwu and the five captains of the Northern Army) in the capital and palace, arming himself as much as possible and weakening each other. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty cut off Dou Xian from the outside world, and Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty directly culled Liang Ji. In fact, there is no difference in essence. They all mobilized troops to surround their consorts, but they should prevent them from mobilizing other military forces and avoid the escalation of the scale of shopping between the two sides.
3. The Emperor (Han and Emperor) recovered the seal of General (Dou Xian) and regained the military power.
The emperor removed the minions of his consorts one by one, and then filled the vacancy with his own confidants or talents.
finally
The emperor's youth, special power structure, patriarchal clan system, blood politics and many other factors contributed to the power of consorts, which led to the emperor being forced to work with eunuchs to deal with consorts. As a confidant, eunuchs naturally enjoy dividends and can share the cake with the emperor. However, all their power came from the emperor. Once the emperor dies, the consorts of the little emperor will definitely regain their exclusive rights, and the above process will repeat itself. Dou Xian, as a consort, was autocratic, and Emperor Han and Emperor took down Dou Xian with eunuchs, which went through a process. However, after the Eastern Han Dynasty, when the little emperor came to the top, Liang Ji, the consort, began to be authoritarian, and Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty brought down Liang Ji with eunuchs, which went through another process. On the political stage of the Eastern Han Dynasty, "consorts-eunuchs-consorts-eunuchs" turned round and round, but it was not until the "Black Swan Incident" that the third-party forces (powerful landlords) grew up.
They need to depend on their consorts when they are dictatorial, eunuchs when they are dictatorial, and the third party forces are played with them. At first, Han and Emperor were able to keep a balance. After the defeat of Dou Xian, some officials occupied by Dou Xian were assigned to third parties. However, Emperor Huan of Han Dynasty was very dissatisfied with the courtiers. After defeating Liang Ji, he reused eunuchs and ignored the third-party forces, which made them dissatisfied. After that, the third party forces poured their emotions into the eunuchs, and the third party forces headed by Yuan Shao killed the eunuchs under the banner of revenge for their consorts. The original political pattern was broken, and the dispute between consorts and eunuchs that lasted for a hundred years ended.