[Shu officials, rat trouble]
The "Xuzhou direct lineage" is a stubborn problem in Wang Jian's heart. These veterans hold real power and control the lifeline of the country. They are proud of their merits and will never be controlled by Wang Zongyan.
In this regard, Wang Jian had already planned a big game, the most important part of which coincided with Li Cunxu's eunuch route. Let the eunuchs participate in politics, and with the tacit approval and secret support of the top leaders, compete with the elders for power, thereby weakening and disintegrating the political influence of the "Xuzhou direct lineage" and indirectly consolidating the imperial power.
Since ancient times, anyone who takes this route has shot themselves in the foot.
At first, the eunuch power was controlled by the emperor, and he was the emperor's guard dog, biting whoever he let bite. As time goes by, the eunuch group proliferates and expands, and sooner or later it will break away from the emperor's control and turn to threaten the imperial power.
In fact, Wang Jian's situation was quite similar to that of Emperor Zhaozong and Li Cunxu of the Tang Dynasty, and the ways to get out of trouble were similar. They were nothing more than the civil official route and the eunuch route, and they used political means to regain the scattered real power.
However, military majesty can only be achieved through military means, so Li Cunxu repeatedly went on personal expeditions, risking his own strength and making great achievements. Only Li Cunxu got out of the "young master's dilemma".
Wang Jianxian restored the Privy Council system of the Tang Dynasty, using eunuchs as privy envoys to control the central power. At this time, the first eunuch brother of Former Shu was Tang Wenqi. He came to the center of the political stage of Former Shu and was entrusted with important tasks by Wang Jian.
The leader of the civil servant group is Prime Minister Zhang Ge. After the "Prince Rebellion Case", Concubine Xu colluded with Tang Wenxu and Zhang Ge to conspire to make Wang Zongyan the crown prince. Zhang Ge took this opportunity to embrace the eunuch Tang Wenxu. As the son of Tang Prime Minister Zhang Jun, Zhang Ge knew full well that he had to maintain relations with the eunuch group. The importance of close relationships.
From then on, Zhang Ge became colluding with Tang Wen and Tang Wen. In order to promote the strategic alliance between the Nanya and the Northern Division, the two men were bound to work together to suppress dissidents, such as the Minister of Rites, Privy Councilor Mao Wenxi, and the Prime Minister Yu Chuansu.
Tang Wenqi and Zhang Ge deliberately searched for minor flaws in Mao Wenxi and Yu Chuansu, and continued to report them in front of Wang Jian on charges of Luo Zhi. Soon, the two seized an opportunity.
In the third year of Zhengming (917), Mao Wenxi's daughter married Yu Chuansu's son, and the two families got married. So they held a banquet for relatives and friends in the Privy Council and played music to entertain them.
Wang Jian was shocked when he heard the sound of advocacy. He hurriedly asked around and learned that it was Mao and Yu who "used music without playing it first."
In the hierarchical feudal era, all behavioral norms were strictly bound by etiquette, which was deeply reflected in all aspects of clothing, food, housing and transportation.
For example, in terms of dressing, the styles, colors, and decorations of clothes are strictly classified into different grades. Just like the military ranks on military uniforms today, they cannot be worn randomly. That is why there is a saying that "a person depends on his clothes." You can know a person through his clothes. A person's official position and social status.
For another example, when traveling, the material and color of the sedan chair and the number of bearers are also strictly restricted.
Anyone who violates etiquette and uses specifications that exceed grade restrictions is "transgression" and is guilty of conspiracy.
As for singing, dancing and playing music, they were also strictly controlled. Not only were the number of singers and dancers restricted, but even the repertoire to be played was clearly stipulated. Those who are interested can refer to the "Music Records" in the official histories, which contain detailed records of the dynasty's cultural performances. The relevant regulations are boring and cumbersome.
Because of this, if officials want to hold private banquets or concerts, they must submit relevant applications to the relevant departments in advance. The people participating in the banquet, the repertoire and scale of the performance, etc. must be reported in advance and approved by the relevant departments to confirm that there are no " "Trespass" can be held as scheduled.
However, the Mao and Yu families made this fatal mistake at their engagement banquet. Perhaps they were overwhelmed by the happy event. Both senior officials actually made this stupid mistake. They forgot to report it to their superiors and held the banquet privately.
Tang Wenxu and Zhang Ge took advantage of this "private banquet" to make a big fuss, and Wang Jian was furious.
Mao Wenxi was demoted to Sima of Maozhou, his younger brother Mao Wenyan was demoted to captain of Yingjing County, his son Mao Xun was exiled to Weizhou, all the family property was confiscated, the remaining men in the family were punished as slaves, and the women were taken as maids;
Yu Chuansu was demoted to Minister of the Ministry of Industry, and his younger brother Yu Ningji was also implicated.
What followed was a political mystery in the former Shu: Wang Jian was critically ill, and the eunuch Tang Wenqi conspired to make a coup. Wang Jian urgently summoned his adopted son Wang Zongbi to the palace to escort him. Wang Zongbi led his troops into the palace to expose Tang Wenqi's conspiracy.
Therefore, Wang Jian urgently summoned the prince Wang Zongyan to the palace to wait for his succession. Then he demoted Tang Wenqi to be the governor of Meizhou, and then exiled to Yazhou; his party member Wang Baohui, a Hanlin scholar, was exiled to Luzhou.
Next, Wang Jian promoted the "former sinner" Yu Ningji and the eunuch Song Guangsi. National finance, personnel appointment and dismissal, and supreme judicial power were all given to Yu Chuansu; military power was given to the eunuch Song Guangsi.
Later, the eunuch Song Guangsi and his adopted son Wang Zongbi were appointed as ministers to assist Wang Zongyan. Three days later, Wang Jian died and Wang Zongyan ascended the throne.
"Tang Wen's conspiracy" is the biggest political mystery in former Shu. It was under the secret operation of Tang Wenqi and Zhang Ge that Wang Jiancai abolished the eldest son and established a young man, and established Wang Zongyan as the crown prince. Tang Wenqi had the merit of supporting him. Seeing that Wang Jian was about to die and Wang Zongyan was about to die, Tang Wenqi was plotting a coup. It was really a bit strange. Unbelievable.
Who does Tang Wenqing want to appoint as the new emperor?
Wang Jian's most taboo was his adopted sons, fearing that they would threaten Wang Zongyan's rule, so he had always used various means to suppress them, but why did he rush to summon his adopted son Wang Zongbi to the palace to protect him at the last moment of his life? Moreover, among the Tuogu ministers, except for the eunuch Song Guangsi, they were all adopted sons of the highly accomplished emperor - Wang Zongbi, Wang Zongyao, Wang Zongwan, and Wang Zongkui.
During Wang Jian's final days, what exactly happened in the Chengdu Palace?
Let’s put it another way: is it Tang Wenqi or Wang Zongbi who wants the coup?
Historical data does not give us answers, or even enough clues. There are only a few strokes about this political crisis from the top of the empire and the doubts about the transfer of supreme power. The more words, the greater the amount of information. Like many palace coups, the "Tang Wencuo Rebellion" has become a historical mystery that is almost impossible for us to solve.
After Wang Zongyan came to the throne, he immediately gave the eunuch Song Guangsi more power - to judge the guards of the six armies and control the central imperial army. Subsequently, an edict was issued to kill the eunuchs Tang Wenxu and Wang Baohui, and to wipe out their remaining forces. Tang Wenxu's younger brother Tang Wenyi was also executed.
Faced with the imperial court's sweeping purge of "Tang Wen's party members", Prime Minister Zhang Ge, who had colluded with them, was uneasy, so he planned to resign voluntarily by claiming illness and "begging for bones" to save his life.
It's nice to enjoy the shade under the big tree. The eunuch Tang Wenqi was the big tree of Prime Minister Zhang Ge, and the prime minister Zhang Ge was the big tree of Yang Bin, the Minister of Rites. The tree wanted to be quiet but the wind stopped. After hearing that Zhang Ge intended to retire from the world, Yang Bin was unwilling to lose power, so he encouraged Zhang Ge to stay, saying that you, the old man, have contributed to the establishment of the new emperor, what do you have to worry about (public aid) There is nothing to worry about if you have done meritorious service)?
It is easier said than done to retreat from the rapids. No one is willing to give up their vested interests, especially those who are at a high level. After hearing Yang Bin's persuasion, Zhang Ge gave up the idea of retirement with a sense of luck.
Within half a month, Wang Zongyan issued an edict, demoting Zhang Ge to the position of governor of Maozhou and Yang Bin to the rank of captain of Yingjing County. Xu Ji, the minister of the Ministry of official affairs, and Pan Qiao, the minister of the Ministry of household affairs, were also classified as "Zhang Ge's associates" and were demoted. Soon, Zhang Ge was demoted to Weizhou Si Hu.
Thousands of people beat the drum. Yu Ningji, who had been ostracized by Zhang Ge, finally looked forward to the opportunity to take revenge. Shangshu continued to attack Zhang Ge, so Zhang Ge was exiled to Heshui Town. Within half a month, Zhang Ge went from being the prime minister of the empire, one person under one person and over ten thousand people, to an exiled prisoner.
Yu Ningji still didn't understand his hatred, so he secretly ordered the local chief executive, Maozhou Governor Gu Chenglun, to closely monitor Zhang Ge's every move and collect Zhang Ge's illegal words and deeds in order to further punish him.
Wang Zongkan's wife Zhang wanted to protect him because she had the same surname as Zhang Ge, so she lobbied Gu Chenglan's mother, saying that you must warn your son not to be used as a weapon by others, otherwise, one day, your son will Being used as a scapegoat.
Gu's mother thought so and warned Gu Chengyi not to get involved in the dispute between Yu and Zhang. Gu Chengyun was just a small provincial governor in a remote area with no prominent family background, no foundation or background in the court. When Yu and Zhang were fighting, Gu Chengyun did not dare to offend anyone, so he obeyed his mother's words.
Yu Ningji was furious, so he took advantage of his position to avenge his private vendetta, and gave Gu Chengyi small shoes to punish him for his crime. Later generations commented on Yu Ning's achievements: He will be repaid for his actions.
