Chapter 84 83 The "Party Gut" Incident

After the eunuch Wuhou came to power, he behaved like Liang Ji.They control the government, sell their officials and nobles, and have their cronies from the imperial court to counties and counties across the country, making the society extremely dark. At that time, there were a group of officials from the gentry and landlords who were dissatisfied with the power of the eunuchs and advocated the reform of the government and dismissed the eunuchs; there was also a group of students from small and medium-sized landlords who could not find a way out because of social corruption and also demanded reform.They criticize the government and hate the eunuchs in power and those who agree with them.

In 165 A.D., Chen Fan became Taiwei, and Li Ying, a famous scholar, became Sili Xiaowei. Both of them were dissatisfied with eunuchs.The Tai students all supported them and regarded them as role models. After Li Ying became the captain of Sili, someone accused eunuch Zhang Rang's brother, Zhang Shuo, magistrate of Yewang (now Qinyang County, Henan Province) of corruption and extortion.Li Ying wants to investigate Zhang Shuo.Zhang Shuo fled to Luoyang and hid in his brother's house.Li Ying personally led his servants to search Zhang Rang's house, found Zhang Shuo in the wall of Zhang's house, and arrested him.Zhang Rang quickly asked someone to intercede. Li Ying had already tried the case clearly and killed Zhang Shuo.

Zhang Rang was so angry that he immediately cried to Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty.Emperor Huan knew that Zhang Shuo was indeed guilty, so he didn't make it difficult for Li Ying. As a result, Li Ying's reputation became even greater.Some scholars hoped to meet Li Ying, and if they were received by Li Ying, it would be regarded as a very honorable thing, called "climbing the dragon's gate". In the second year, Zhang Cheng, an alchemist (a person engaged in superstitious activities) who had close contacts with the eunuch, learned from the eunuch Hou Lan that the court was about to issue an amnesty order, so he condoned his son's murder.Li Ying immediately arrested the murderer and prepared to bring him to justice.

The next day, when the amnesty order came down, Zhang Cheng proudly said to the crowd: "The edict has come down, I'm not afraid that Captain Sili won't release my son." When this word reached Li Ying's ears, Li Ying became even angrier.He said: "Zhang Cheng knew about the amnesty in advance and deliberately taught his son to kill people. The amnesty should not be his son's turn." After speaking, he ordered Zhang Cheng's son to be beheaded. Where is Zhang Cheng willing to give up? He wants eunuchs Hou Lan and Zhang Rang to avenge him.They discussed a ghost idea, and asked Zhang Cheng's disciple Jianxiu to file a complaint with Emperor Huan, falsely accusing Li Ying of forming a party with Tai students and celebrities, slandering the court, and corrupting customs.

Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty received the accusation from prison repair and ordered the arrest of party members.In addition to Li Ying, there were more than 200 people including Du Mi, Chen Shi, and Fan Pang, all of whom were blacklisted by the party members.The imperial court issued rewards and issued orders to all places to arrest these people. Like Li Ying, Du Mi was also an official who dared to oppose the eunuchs in power.The two people have similar reputations, and people call them "Li and Du" together. Li Ying went to prison, and Du Mi couldn't escape, of course. Chen Shi was originally a student, but because of his reputation, he was also included in the list of party members.Someone advised him to run away.Chen Shi was not afraid, and said: "I escaped, what should others do? If I go to prison, I can also strengthen the courage of others." He said, went to the capital, surrendered himself, and went to prison.

Fan Pang, like Chen Shi, entered the prison with a straight back. The edict to arrest the party members reached the counties, and the officials of each county reported people who were involved with the party members, and there were hundreds of them.Only Shi Bi, the Prime Minister of Qingzhou Plain (phase, equivalent to the prefect of the county), did not report. Imperial edicts came down one after another to urge him, and Qingzhou sent an official to Pingyuan to inquire in person. The official called Shi Bi and asked him why he didn't report the list of party members.Shi Bi said, "We don't have party members here, why should I report?"

The official lowered his face and said, "There are six counties below Qingzhou, and there are party members in five counties. Why is there no Pingyuan?" Shi Bi replied: "The local customs are different. There are party members in other places, why must there be party members in plains?" The official was so dumbfounded by his rebuttal that he couldn't speak. Shi Bi said again: "You must wrong good people. Then, every household in Pingyuan has party members. I would rather die. If you want me to report to the party members, I can't tell a single one." The official had nothing to do with him, so he randomly put the officials in Pingyuan in prison and reported it to the court.

The arrested party members were in prison, and the eunuchs brutally tortured them.Their heads, necks, hands, and feet were all put on torture tools called "three woods", and then they were tortured one by one with their heads covered. They were locked up like this for more than a year. In the second year, Jia Biao, a native of Yingchuan, volunteered to Luoyang to defend the grievances of the party members.Dou Wu, the father of Dou Shi, the queen of Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty, also wrote a letter requesting the release of party members. Li Ying adopted the method of attacking and defending in prison. He deliberately recruited many eunuchs' children, saying that they were also party members.The eunuch was afraid now, and said to Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty: "The weather is not normal now, and the world should be pardoned."

Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty was obedient to the eunuchs, so he announced an amnesty and released all the more than 200 party members. Although these party members were released, the eunuchs did not allow them to stay in the capital, sent them all back to their hometowns, and notified their names to all places, and punished them not to be officials for life.In history, it was called "Dang Gu" ("Gu" means imprisoned) event. Soon, Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty died.Empress Dou discussed with her father, Dou Wu, and found a 12-year-old child Liu Hong from the royal family to inherit the throne. He was the famously corrupt Hanling Emperor.