Chapter 29 2. The Eunuch's Rape

In the history of China, eunuchs abused power and disordered government, and the Eastern Han Dynasty, the late Tang Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty were the three peak periods. From Hedi Liu Zhao (successed at 9 years old) to Lingdi Liu Hong (successed at 12 years old) in the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were eight consecutive young emperors.When they succeeded to the throne, their average age was 8.6 years old, and their average life expectancy was 21 years old. The great eunuch Sun Cheng killed his relatives, abolished Emperor Shao, and changed Liu Bao to be Emperor Shun. In the late Tang Dynasty, the eunuchs controlled the army, controlled the emperor's establishment and abolition, and even killed the emperor.From Li Chun of Emperor Xianzong to Li Ye of Emperor Zhaozong, there were nine emperors successively, all of whom were controlled by eunuchs.For example, after the death of Tang Yizong Li Xuan (cui), who was supported by the eunuch, the eunuch forged the edict and made his 12-year-old son Li Xuan (xuan) emperor, and first killed all Li Xuan's elder brothers, and Li Xuan became an eunuch doll in hand.

After Yongle in the Ming Dynasty, the power of eunuchs increased from time to time. Wang Zhen, Liu Jin, Wei Zhongxian and other eunuchs disordered the government and formed eunuchs.The disaster of eunuchs in Ming Dynasty was actually the combination of officials and eunuchs.Wei Zhongxian was only one person, but the ministers of the foreign court attached to him, the officials colluded with each other, formed an eunuch party, and left ashes of his crimes, eventually destroying the country. ("History of the Ming Dynasty: Eunuch Biography" Volume 360) Next, I will introduce a few unscrupulous eunuchs.

Li Guang was the chief eunuch of Emperor Hongzhi of the Ming Dynasty.This Emperor Hongzhi was the little prince who dragged his long hair to see his father when he was a child.Li Guang is both powerful and evil, and won the favor of Emperor Hongzhi with his heresy technique of refining alchemy and water.There was a son of a rich man, Yuan Xiang, who dreamed of becoming a son-in-law and bribing Li Guang.The wedding date is approaching, the public opinion is boiling, the officials are playing, and the emperor is furious.Decree: Depose Yuan Xiang, don't choose a son-in-law.The royal family tore up the engagement, and it became a joke all over the world.Li Guang relied on projects, festivals, and bribes to make money.He was in charge of fireworks and other projects during the Lantern Festival, spending more than one million taels of silver and embezzling from it.He received bribes from officials from all over the world to build a mansion. In the garden, he cited jade springs and mountains and rivers to surround him, committing the crime of usurpation.Ye Shen, a speech official, was born in Wujiang (now Suzhou), Jiangsu, and was a Jinshi in Chenghua. He specifically impeached Li Guang for the eight major crimes. "The emperor said: Gu Zhizhi." ("History of Ming Dynasty Ye Shen Biography" Volume 180) did not overthrow Li Guang.

There are coincidences, and evil is rewarded with evil.Li Guang built Yuxiu Pavilion on Long Live Mountain.Ting Cheng, the young princess dies young, followed by a fire in Qingning Palace.Yan Guan took the opportunity to impeach Li Guang.The Empress Dowager also said: "Li Guang today, Li Guang tomorrow, it will be a disaster!" Li Guang was afraid and committed suicide by drinking poison.After Li Guang's death, Emperor Hongzhi suspected that there was a strange book in his home, so he sent eunuchs to search and found an account book, which recorded the names of many civil and military ministers and the donation of thousands of yellow rice and white rice.Emperor Hongzhi asked in amazement: "How much is the food in Guangxi, but what is the rice?" Another said: "I have been to Guangzhai, how can I accommodate so much yellow rice and white rice!" The people around replied: "Yinyuer, Huang It is gold, and white is silver." Yellow rice refers to gold, and white rice refers to silver. They are afraid of revealing the truth about bribery, so they are recorded in cryptic language. ("History of Ming Dynasty Li Guangzhuan" Volume 344)

Su Peisheng, the violation of palace etiquette should start from the Ming Dynasty.After the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, it was not uncommon to see "counter food" and "vegetable households" in the palace.Before the flowers and under the moon, they swear to each other, sing and return, just like a couple.Some court ladies like the new and hate the old, empathize with other eunuchs, jealous of eunuchs, leave the palace to become monks, and never return. (Volume 6 of "Wanli Yehuobian") In the early Qing Dynasty, the handover between the eunuch and the maid was strictly prevented. The palace rules: eunuchs and maids are not allowed to be regarded as relatives, eunuchs and maids are not allowed to laugh and make noise, eunuchs and maids are not allowed to fight for the road.After Qianlong, the palace ban was gradually relaxed, and the old diseases of the Ming Palace relapsed.The phenomenon of eunuchs and maids recognizing relatives and worshiping sisters appeared. ("Current Regulations in the Imperial Palace") The eunuch Su Peisheng was a popular person in front of Emperor Yongzheng. Emperor Qianlong issued an edict to criticize him as soon as he succeeded to the throne: the chief eunuch has a good relationship with the mothers in the palace, and he will be in front of my brothers for half a day. Kneeling to pay respects, holding hands to inquire, or even sitting side by side with Prince Zhuang, who is in charge of internal affairs, is rude.And in Kyushu Qingyan openly sat and ate with the prince and others.If the chief eunuch and others see Elder Brother and others by themselves, they must kneel down to say hello, and Elder Brother and others will sit on the ground when they are given a seat.That is to say, the family members of the inner palace, although the promise is slight, the chief manager must bow down and worship. ("Decree" in November of the thirteenth year of Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty) Su Peisheng obviously forgot the folk proverb: "The one-year-old master is a hundred-year-old slave." He was severely reprimanded by Emperor Qianlong.

Eunuchs are people close to the emperor. Although they are not involved in government affairs, they cannot be offended.Tell two stories. Guangxing, a Manchurian inlaid yellow bannerman, is the twelfth son of Gao Jin, a bachelor.Shao is smart, familiar with copywriting, and recites the files like a bottle of water, leaving no words.The minister of the Ministry of punishment and the Minister of Internal Affairs.The eunuch E Luoli, who served as a close attendant since Qianlong, was over seventy years old, and regarded himself as an elder, sat and talked with Guangxing in the hallway.Guangxing (fu, unhappy) said: "You eunuchs, you should stand respectfully and respectfully, and talk about friendship with ministers?" E Luoli hated Guangxing deeply and wanted to find revenge.One time, the quantity and quality of silk and satin supplied by the inner treasury to the palace was not enough, and the quality was also poor. Eroli played the blame on Guangxing.Emperor Jiaqing ordered Guangxing to be questioned, but Guangxing didn't know it was an order, so he defended himself.Eluoli entered to play Guangxing and sat down to listen to the decree.Emperor Jiaqing was angry and confronted Guangxing.Guangxing defended and accused the eunuch.Emperor Jiaqing ordered him to be removed from his post because he could not tell the truth.At this time, the officials who were at odds with Guangxing attacked Guangxing and were imprisoned for discussion.Emperor Jiaqing became angry and strangled Guangxing. With his family property, his son was stationed in Jilin. (Volume 206 of "Records of Emperor Renzong of the Qing Dynasty")

Dai Xi was born in Qiantang, Zhejiang.Daoguang Jinshi, minister of the Ministry of officers and soldiers, and minister of Zhinan study.Dai Xi is good at handwriting, especially good at painting.To learn from Guangdong, your majesty said: "The ancients had to travel thousands of miles to paint. This trip traversed mountains and rivers, and the painting should improve." ("Drafts of Qing History · Dai Xi Biography" volume 399) When he was in Nanshufang, he was not good at serving eunuchs, and suffered a great loss.Emperor Daoguang ordered Dai Xi to write on the fan. He wrote a variant character, and Emperor Daoguang ordered the eunuch to pass an order for him to correct it.When the eunuch delivered the decree, he didn't tell the reason, so he was ordered to write another one.Dai Xi wrote another one, but the typo remained the same.After reading it, Emperor Daoguang thought that Dai Xi deliberately resisted the order, so he dismissed him as an official. ("Qing Barnyard Banknotes Devon Festival Unkindness Internal Eunuch") Of course, eunuchs also have sages.