Chapter 51: The Fierce Eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty
Chapter 51: The Fierce Eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty
Although Liu Liu and Liu Qi were no longer as powerful as before after the earthquake in the capital, they were still able to capture famous cities repeatedly.
Gu Dayong took great pains to put down the rebellion.
However, after this battle, Gu Dayong's reputation was greatly damaged, and his status in the heart of Emperor Zhengde Zhu Houzhao was also affected, which also became the direct reason for Zhang Yongneng's comeback.
You have to know that the eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty were a product of a very special era.
The life pursuits of eunuchs in other dynasties were generally to "gain the favor of the emperor", "hold power over the inner and outer courts", and "it would be best if they could be powerful enough to depose and enthrone the emperor".
However, after the eunuchs in power in the Ming Dynasty gained "favor from the emperor" and "held great power over the inner and outer courts," a magical turn of events occurred.
Their ultimate evolution is to "gain the favor of the emperor", "hold great power in the inner and outer courts", and then "strengthen the military and launch foreign wars!"
The eunuch group in the Ming Dynasty could almost be described as a consistent war faction.
It can even be said that a eunuch without a martial spirit is not worthy of leading the inner court.
For example, the most notorious eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty were Wang Zhen, Wang Zhi, Liu Jin, and Wei Zhongxian.
Wang Zhen, a strong man who advocated war, attached great importance to military preparations. In his first year in power, he reviewed the military with civil and military ministers at the General's Platform. At that time, Ji Guang was rated first, but Wang Zhen did not even bother to make a big promise. He directly forged an imperial decree to promote the fourth-rank Wei Suo Commander to the second-rank Dudu Assistant.
Just tell me whether this matter was handled openly or not?
As the first in the martial arts exam, Captain Pei had the chance to meet Eunuch Wang, so he wouldn't have wasted his time like this today.
Although there were some pitfalls in the subsequent Battle of Tumu, the blame cannot be entirely put on eunuch Wang.
The situation at that time was indeed a bit outrageous.
The emperor wanted to check the army's rations, so he burned them overnight. The emperor wanted to check the soldiers, and Wala appeared at the border after a phone call.
Let me ask you, in this situation, should the emperor keep silent and acknowledge the reported casualty figures, or should he go and see for himself to find out what is going on on the front line?
Even if we take a step back and not talk about the magical operations of the border troops, when the Mongolian Wala attacked, the eunuchs and the young emperor bravely went to the front line to meet the enemy. Was this attitude wrong?
Let’s talk about the rather criticized door-knocking incident.
After the Battle of Tumu, Yesen, as a highly feared powerful official who was not from the golden family, the Grand Tutor and Prince of Huai appointed by the Ming Dynasty, a grassland comprador with special rights for mutual trade, and a grassland troublemaker deliberately supported by the Ming court, went to the outside of Datong City to barge in with only 2,000 people.
So, is there such a possibility that he really wanted to send back the Ming emperor who had always supported him?
Eunuch Wang has been beaten down by wind and rain, but Eunuch Wang has undisputed great military achievements.
After Wang Zhi "gained the favor of the emperor" and became the governor of the Western Factory, he had already developed the consciousness of a mature eunuch before the stage of "holding great power in the inner and outer courts" came.
A eunuch who does not expand outward is not a qualified eunuch at all.
So he began to reorganize military training, and petitioned to open a military examination, set up provincial examinations, metropolitan examinations, and palace examinations, and improve the treatment of soldiers.
Then, Wang Zhi first led his troops to defeat the three guards of Jianzhou, then led his troops to raid the Mongolian Dayan Khan, and defeated the Tatar tribe that was chasing and invading Datong.
Unfortunately, history always repeats itself. Wang Zhi, who had been fighting outside for many years and was far away from the center of power, was soon stabbed in the back.
First, his Beijing garrison troops were taken away, and then his Western Factory was abandoned. When the little Tatar prince attacked Datong again, the Ministry of War not only refused to let Wang Zhi recall his old subordinates, but also drove Eunuch Wang, who was less than 20 years old, to Nanjing Imperial Stables to retire on the grounds that Wang Zhi was not on good terms with the general.
The final result was that after Wang Zhi left, the Ming army first resisted passively, then fell into the enemy's trap, suffered thousands of casualties, and almost lost Datong.
The civil and military officials in the court were afraid that the matter would be exposed, so they kept it secret from the emperor for a whole year.
From then on, the eunuch Wang, who was less than 20 years old, was sealed in Nanjing. Every time the emperor wanted to release him, he would be fiercely opposed by the civil and military officials in the court. The next one was naturally the eunuch Liu Jin, who was known as "a capable minister in a peaceful era and a hero in a chaotic era".
Although Liu Jin was an old eunuch who became a monk halfway through his career and was in power for only a little over three years, he really dared to take action.
First, he started with the routine military reorganization, which was a good rhythm. But then, Eunuch Liu slashed at the biggest abscess of the Ming army, the Ming military settlement!
The final result of the investigation of military settlements was that Yang Yiqing, the commander-in-chief of the three borders, joined forces with Zhang Yong to accuse Liu Jin of treason.
Then, the officials who were confiscating Liu Jin's property not only found the imperial seal but also a complete set of Fuwa dolls in his home. It can be said that the evidence was conclusive and the crime was unforgivable.
So Eunuch Liu, who had just started to reorganize the military, was brutally tortured to death with more than 3,000 cuts.
The last one to take care of the matter was Eunuch Wei Zhongxian.
Jiu Qiansui was mediocre in politics and had made almost no achievements.
The only right thing to do is to fight the Jiannu with all your might!
A gambler who lost everything, cut off his own testicles, and walked into the palace.
A greedy, cunning and shameless villain.
But, we must fight to the death with the Jiannu!
He levied taxes, extorted money, bought red cannons, stockpiled gunpowder, promoted capable civil and military officials, and provided sufficient food and wages for the soldiers on the front line.
Even if a general took the initiative to attack the Jiannu and violated the military orders of the commander-in-chief, Wei Zhongxian would still interfere and promote him to a higher position.
This man who once faced despair in life never showed any fear when facing the Jurchens!
Comparing with these people, Pei Yuan clearly understood that in the current social atmosphere, people like Gu Dayong could not even be considered presentable.
The reason why both the government and the public now look up to Gu Dayong is not only because of the good situation created by the earthquake in the capital, but also largely because of the halo effect brought by the former director of the West Factory, Wang Zhi.
So now is not only Gu Dayong’s time window, but also Pei Yuan’s time window.
When the rebels in Bazhou became active again, Pei Yuan would no longer be able to deceive people by using Gu Dayong's name to cause trouble.
Soon, Butler Sun came in carrying a long box.
Sun Keding took it and unfolded it, and Pei Yuan pretended to look at it.
Tang Bohu's paintings of erotic ladies are not revealing, but rather full of lifelike interest.
As for the artistic achievements, Pei Yuan didn't quite understand them, but he knew that this thing would be worth no less than a hundred taels of silver.
Out of respect for money, Pei Yuan looked at it for half a cup of tea out of courtesy.
When he was about to return it to Sun Keding after reading it, he heard him say with a smile, "Since you like it, you might as well take it back and enjoy it. Such an exquisite item should be left in the hands of people who know how to appreciate it."
"This is not good."
After Pei Yuan finished speaking, he rolled it up carefully and handed it to Chen Toutie who was standing beside him.
Chen Toutie put the painting away and put it back in the long box.
The expression on Sun Keding's face became more friendly, and he asked someone to warm the wine again.
(End of this chapter)