Chapter 61 152 Zhang Says No Perjury

After Di Renjie died, Wei Yuanzhong became prime minister.At that time, Wu Zetian favored two officials named Zhang Changzong and Zhang Yizhi.These two people were so powerful that the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty saw two of them and gave them three points.However, Prime Minister Wei Yuanzhong didn't take them seriously. Wei Yuanzhong is a well-known tough guy. When Zhou Xing and Lai Junchen gained power, he was framed three times and exiled, and was almost executed once.But he never gave in.Later, when he was the governor of Luozhou, Zhang Yizhi's servants took advantage of the power in Luoyang to make trouble and oppressed the people.Luoyang officials did not dare to do anything to him because the troublemaker was a member of the Zhang family.This incident was reported to Wei Yuanzhong, who arrested the servant and beat him to death with a board.

After Wei Yuanzhong became prime minister, Wu Zetian wanted to appoint Zhang Yizhi's younger brother Zhang Changqi as the chief historian. Some ministers catered to Wu Zetian's wishes and praised Zhang Changqi for his ability.Wei Yuanzhong said that Zhang Changqi was too young and ignorant to do such a big thing.This matter had to be shelved. For these things, Zhang Changzong and Zhang Yizhi hated Wei Yuanzhong to death, and tried every means to get rid of Wei Yuanzhong.They falsely accused Wei Yuanzhong in front of the queen mother, saying that Wei Yuanzhong was talking behind his back: the queen mother is old, so it is better to be reliable with the prince.

Wu Zetian became angry as soon as he heard it, and sent Wei Yuanzhong to prison, preparing to interrogate himself, and asked Zhang Changzong and the others to expose him face to face. Zhang Changzong was afraid that he could not argue against Wei Yuanzhong, so he secretly went to Zhang Shuo (sound yue), an official under Wei Yuanzhong, and asked Zhang Shuo to give false testimony, and said that as long as Zhang Shuo agreed, he would be promoted in the future. The next day, Wu Zetian went to court, summoned the prince and the prime minister, and asked Zhang Changzong and Wei Yuanzhong to face each other.Wei Yuanzhong said nothing and would not admit that there was such a thing.The two argued for a long time without any result.Zhang Changzong said: "Zhang said that he heard Wei Yuanzhong say these words with his own ears, and he can be asked to testify."

Wu Zetian immediately ordered Zhang Shuo to enter the palace.The officials who talked with Zhang heard that he was going to testify in court and knew what happened. An official Song Jing (sound jing) said to Zhang, "A person's reputation is the most precious. Don't go to the court to protect yourself. Go along with treacherous ministers and frame good people! Because of this, you offended the court and were exiled, and your face is also glorious." Historian Liu Zhiji also reminded Zhang Shuo: "Don't tarnish your history, and implicate future generations!" Zhang Ming knew that Wei Yuanzhong had been wronged, but he was also afraid of the power of the two Zhangs. He struggled fiercely, sweating profusely on his head. After hearing what Song Jing and the others had said, he felt a little more courageous.

Zhang said that he entered the court.Wu Zetian asked him, "Have you heard what Wei Yuanzhong slandered the court?" As soon as Wei Yuanzhong saw Zhang Shuo come in, he yelled loudly and said, "Zhang Shuo, do you want to frame someone with Zhang Changzong?" Zhang Shuo turned around and snorted, "Duke Wei is a chancellor in vain, yet he said such unreasonable words." Seeing that what Zhang said was wrong, Zhang Changzong urged him beside him, saying, "Don't worry about him, come and testify." Zhang Shuo said to Wu Zetian: "Look, Your Majesty, in front of Your Majesty, he still threatens me like this. You can imagine how he is arrogant outside the palace. Now I can't tell the truth, I really haven't heard Wei Yuanzhong say anything against it. Your Majesty's words are just that Zhang Changzong forced me to give false testimony."

When Zhang Changzong saw that Zhang said that he had changed his mind, he shouted angrily: "Zhang said that this kid is Wei Yuanzhong's accomplice." Wu Zetian is a smart person. After listening to Zhang's answer, she knew that Wei Yuanzhong was wronged, but she didn't want to let Zhang Changzong and the others fail, so she scolded Zhang and said, "You are really a capricious villain." He ordered the attendants to arrest Zhang Shuo.Later, Wu Zetian sent someone to interrogate Zhang Shuo.Zhang said that he made up his mind and insisted that he did not hear Wei Yuanzhong's words of treason.

Wu Zetian did not catch evidence of Wei Yuanzhong's rebellion, but he still dismissed Wei Yuanzhong from his post as prime minister and sentenced Zhang Shuo to exile. In 705 A.D., Wu Zetian was seriously ill, and her nephew Wu Sansi colluded with Zhang Changzong and Zhang Yizhi to seize power.Prime Minister Zhang Jianzhi and some officials took advantage of Wu Zetian's serious illness to seize the military power of the Imperial Guard, arrested and killed the two Zhangs, and welcomed Tang Zhongzong's restoration.Soon, the empress Wu Zetian, who was once prominent, died of illness.