Know all about the secrets of the harem

Chapter 66
In 106 AD, the little emperor Liu Long died of illness, so the issue of succession to the throne became a hot topic of debate for a while.The ministers headed by Zhou Zhang believed that Liu Sheng's disease was not incurable, and Liu Sheng should inherit the throne.Empress Dowager Deng understood that the purpose of the ministers advocating the establishment of Liu Sheng was to take power away from her.When Emperor Shang was established, she opposed the establishment of Liu Sheng, because she was afraid that he would grow up and be uncontrollable.Now the ministers put forward again that the Empress Dowager Deng strongly refuted Zhou Zhang and others' statement that Liu Sheng's "illness is not chronic", and sent her elder brother, General Deng Zhi, a chariot rider, to Qinghe Palace to meet him in a green-covered chariot that only princes who have already been crowned king can ride. When Liu Hu entered the palace, he first granted Liu You the Marquis of Chang'an, and then issued an imperial edict to make Liu Hu the emperor. This is Emperor Han'an. Emperor An was only 13 years old and could not take charge of the government. Empress Dowager Deng was still in charge.

Emperor An was getting older, but Empress Dowager Deng had no intention of returning to power.Empress Dowager Deng also showed unlimited worship and desire for power.The Empress Dowager Deng has always been strict with the children of the Deng family, but at this time the momentum has become famous all over the world, and both inside and outside the court have followed suit to the children of the Deng family.When Queen Mother Deng maintained her dominance, she also used some cruel methods to eliminate her political enemies, such as forcing Zhou Zhang to death, killing Dugan with a stick, etc., but this was inevitable for people in the status of monarchs in the past dynasties.According to historical records, she has been in power for a long time and has so much authority that even his cousin Deng Kang felt that it was too much, and because he was afraid of disasters, he excused his illness and refused to go to court.Although his elder brother Deng Zhi held a high position, he was still cautious and did not dare to do wrong.After Emperor An succeeded to the throne, Empress Dowager Deng was more tolerant to Zhou Zhang and worshiped him as Sikong, but Zhou Zhang felt that although the official position was high, he had no real power, so he conspired to launch a coup, abolished Empress Dowager Deng, made Liu Sheng emperor, and held real power himself.Later, because the incident was revealed, Empress Dowager Deng dismissed him from his position as Sikong, and he committed suicide after returning home.After Zhou Zhang's death, people representing Zhou Zhang's political forces did not give up.Since then, Deng has raised his vigilance, and anyone who mentioned in the memorials of his ministers that she should return to power will be severely punished.Langzhong Dugan wrote a letter asking Empress Deng to return to politics.When the Queen Mother saw the letter, she was furious. She knew that the courtiers forced her to hand over power. In addition, she also hinted that she used eunuchs to kill the Dou brothers when she was in power with the emperor. The Queen Mother Dou also died of depression.This made Empress Dowager Deng very frightened, so she ordered the guards to stick him to death in the court and throw him into the wilderness.Due to the care of the executioner, Dugan survived and lay down in the wilderness for three days.When the queen mother confirmed that he was dead, he got up and ran away, hiding his name, and did not come back until Emperor Shun of the Han Dynasty.Cheng Yishi, an official in Pingyuan County, also invited the Queen Mother to return to power, but was convicted and imprisoned.Deng Kang, the captain of the Yueqi School, repeatedly advised the Queen Mother Tian to retreat to the deep palace, but the Queen Mother refused, and Deng Kang took care of his illness and refused to go to court.The queen mother was unhappy, so she sent a maid to visit.The maid was chosen by the Kang family and had served the Empress Dowager for many years. At that time, the old servants were often called Mr. Zhongda, so the maidservant was ordered to visit Deng Kang, and she called herself Mr. Zhongda.Deng Kang summoned his maidservant to enter and yelled at him sharply: "You come from my family, do you dare to call yourself Lord Zhong?"Empress Dowager Deng couldn't help being furious, and deposed Deng Kang from his official position and cut off his membership.

Among all the empress dowagers in Chinese feudal society, Empress Dowager Deng is still the better one.Politically, she is relatively open-minded, and although her brother Deng Zhi holds great power, she can restrain herself.She can use relatives and eunuchs at the same time, employing people appropriately and handling things appropriately.Economically, at the beginning of her reign, flood disasters occurred for ten consecutive years. She worried about the country and the people, implemented policies to encourage agricultural production, built water conservancy, irrigated farmland, and facilitated transportation.At the same time, I advocate frugality in my life.Like her, officials did not dare to be extravagant, and used the saved funds for disaster relief.And she paid special attention to reducing the burden of military service and corvee service on the people.Culturally, she established education, attached importance to enlightenment, and promoted Confucianism.For the common people, she pays attention to relief of famines and redress of unjust prisons.

In May of AD 108, she inspected Luoyang Prison and saw a prisoner who seemed to want to say something to her. Because the jailer was around and didn’t dare to speak, she summoned her to inquire in person. Only then did she find out that the prisoner was an innocent citizen who had been framed for murder and tortured. , imprisoned in death row.She immediately sent someone to investigate and rehabilitated her and released her.As a result, before her car returned to the palace, it began to rain heavily, and the common people said that it was Empress Dowager Deng's benevolence that moved the heaven.Therefore, during the reign of Queen Mother Deng, the society was relatively stable.Empress Dowager Deng was relatively restrained in the appointment of relatives.On the one hand, she reused her elder brother as her helper in the court, and on the other hand, she learned the lessons from the dangers of Dou's relatives to the country and the death of her own family when they were in power, and kept restricting the power of Deng's family.Therefore, during her administration, there was basically no foreign relatives intervening in politics.

In the later period of Empress Dowager Deng's administration, she suffered from floods and droughts for many years, ethnic minorities invaded, domestic thieves swarmed, and the political situation was almost crumbling.Thanks to Deng Sui's knowledgeable people, and she stayed up all night every time she heard that the people were hungry and exiled, and she reduced her clothing and food as much as she could, so the Han regime was able to tide over the difficulties, so the agriculture harvested year after year, and the world was peaceful. .Deng Suiping was sympathetic and considerate to others, and the family members of the Yin family after the abolition were exiled by Emperor He.Deng Sui pardoned them all and gave them 500 million yuan in wealth.It's just that she has been in court for a long time, and she refuses to return the power to Emperor An, which inevitably leads to a tragic end for the family.

Posthumous

As early as the autumn of the third year of An Emperor Yongchu (109), Deng Sui suffered from a serious illness.At that time, people around her prayed to God for her, willing to die on behalf of the queen mother.Deng Sui was very upset when he heard about it, and ordered Ye Tingling to only pray for blessings and not to speak ominously.Before long, her body recovered.

In the second year of Yongning (121), Deng Sui's physical condition became worse and worse, and he often coughed all night long.In February, the condition became more and more serious.Deng Sui knew that he would die soon, but he still insisted on taking the imperial chariot to the front hall to meet the ministers, meet the servants and ministers, and went to the new official that the crown prince Liu Bao had just repaired.After she came back, she pardoned the world and issued an edict: "I have no virtue, and I entrust the world to my mother, but I am not blessed by the sky, and I will leave early and worry about it. At the time of Yanping, there is no master in the sea, Yuan Yuan is in bad luck, and the eggs are in danger. Diligence and painstaking efforts , not daring to take pleasure in Wancheng, wanting not to deceive the heavens and shame the late emperor, and not to disobey people's aspirations, sincerely to help the people, and to comfort the Liu family. He said that he felt the world, and he should be blessed, but lost. Internally and externally, the pain is endless. After a long period of time, the disease is stagnant, and I have not been able to serve the temple for a long time. "Deng Sui announced his illness to the people all over the world, and he was concerned about the important affairs of the court, which shows that the political outlook of the Eastern Han court during this period was still in a very normal state.

In March of that year, 41-year-old Deng Suiyi fell ill.After Deng Sui's death, he was buried in Shunling with Emperor He, and his posthumous title was Empress Xi.According to the ancient posthumous posthumous law, "Ri Xi, who has meritorious service, puts people in peace", just sums up her life of being diligent and conscientious for the Han Dynasty.

Deng Sui said that the rule was lifelong and the orders came out. Although he worked hard for the country, Emperor Andi would naturally have the idea of ​​being a pro-government when he became an adult.In addition, Andi's nurse Wang Sheng often told stories and spoke ill of Deng Sui, which made him even more angry.As soon as Deng Sui died, eunuchs Jiang Jing and Li Run set up clever charges, framing Deng Kui, Deng Hong and other relatives for plotting to depose Emperor And and support Pingyuan King.Emperor Andi then attacked the Deng family, deprived the children of the Deng family of titles, and abolished them as common people.Some Yuanliubian counties were forced to commit suicide under the coercion of magistrates.Because Emperor An failed to find evidence of his premeditated abolition, Deng Zhi was repatriated after his dismissal, and his family assets, fields and houses were all confiscated.Deng Zhi and his son Deng Feng knew that there was no way to redress their grievances, so they died of hunger strike.Deng Zhi's cousin Henan Yin Dengbao, Du Liao general Wuyang Hou Deng Zun, and general master Deng Chang also committed suicide and Deng Sui died.Even Cai Lun, Deng Sui's favorite eunuch, had framed Emperor An's grandmother, Song Guiren, because of his involvement in the dispute between post-officials.Cai Lun, who had lost his protective umbrella, was worried that he would be humiliated in the future as a Tingwei, so under pressure he also committed suicide by taking poison.

Deng Sui's body was still cold, and the Deng family and their cronies were imprisoned unjustly, and everyone in the world regretted it.Da Si Nong Zhu Chong thought that Deng Zhi was innocent and suffered an accident, so he carried his coffin in a cart, exposed his flesh to the court, and pleaded for his grievances.Then, everyone also said that Deng Zhi was wronged.Emperor An had no choice but to bury him in the ancestral tomb of Beiman Mountain in Luoyang.On the day of Deng Zhi's burial, the public and ministers died together, and everyone was sad.It was not until Emperor Shun ascended the throne that Deng Zhi's reputation was restored.

The Dugu Family: The Iron Queen Dominating the Harem

In the vast history, if you look through the books for traces, you can find many women who are comparable to the men who shine in the annals of history.Although they have been neglected intentionally or unintentionally by the historians of the past dynasties, and even their real names are difficult to keep, they are like jade in the rough, despite the vicissitudes of time, it is difficult to conceal their brilliance.Dugu, the queen of Yang Jian, the founder of the Sui Dynasty, is such a woman. She may not be as famous as Wu Zetian, but her political achievements are worthy of praise by future generations.Queen Dugu, if born in the present age, would not be a cutting-edge one.

Speaking of Queen Dugu, she is also a very distinctive queen among the many queens in Chinese feudal society.Dugu Jialuo did not confuse the emperor with her beauty, but she was able to make Yang Jian focus on nothing else, and did not favor other concubines in the harem; although she herself did not set a precedent for empress meddling in politics, she went up and down with Emperor Wen, "every time I talk to Shangyan about political affairs. , often coincides, and is called the "two saints" in the palace"; although she was born in a noble family and grew up in brocade clothes and delicacies, she can regard wealth as something outside her body, and would rather reward those who have made merit than take it for herself; although she is Everyone is a lady, who is used to the life of a lady who is served by others, but she can treat the parents of all officials kindly, and said to her daughter: "The princess of the Zhou family is like a woman without morality. She is disrespectful to her uncle. She is so close to her flesh and blood. This is not going well." This matter, you should be admonished." Dugu Jialuo was able to take the national system as the standard, not follow private interests, and kill relatives righteously, so that Emperor Wen beheaded his cousin Cui Changren according to the law; The reason of harming himself prompted Emperor Wen not to kill Dugutuo.It should be said that he played an important role in assisting Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty to implement frugal politics and formulate policies conducive to national unification and political consolidation. He was a good assistant and won the reputation of "the world thinks wise".Dugu Jialuo is not only different from those ordinary queens who spend their entire lives in the harem with mediocrity, but also different from Empress Lu and Wu Zetian who are in charge of the government and have made a difference.There are many advantages in Dugu Jialuo, making her a queen with personality.

Dugu's father was Duguxin, the Great Sima of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. Duguxin had seven daughters, the eldest daughter married to Emperor Ming of the Northern Zhou Dynasty as queen, and the fourth daughter married to Li Yuan's father Li Yan (after Li Yuan established the Tang Dynasty, he named his mother the Queen Mother Yuanzhen) , the seventh daughter is Dugu Jialuo, who married Yang Jian and became the later queen of literature.This is the so-called Dugu surname "one family and three queens, and the honor is incomparable".At that time, Yang Jian was a very peculiar figure. His ancestor Yang Zhen had been the Taiwei of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and his father Yang Zhong was the Great Sikong of the Zhu Kingdom in the Northern Zhou Dynasty.Yang Jiansheng has a unique figure, with a long upper body and a short lower body, the proportions are seriously out of balance, and he has a majestic expression. When princes and princes see him, they often feel at a loss involuntarily.The Taizu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty once prophesied: "This character is not like the people of the world." Therefore, although Yang Jian was sheltered by his ancestors and became an official at a young age, he was often suspected by the royal family. .Such a strange person was spotted by Miss Seven of the Dugu family, and through a matchmaker, he married into the Yang family when he was a teenager.

Twenty years later, although Yang Jian tried his best to be humble, he was named the Shangzhu Kingdom of the Northern Zhou Dynasty because of his outstanding achievements.The Dugu family gave birth to a daughter and five sons for Yang Jian. Their daughter grew up and became the queen of Emperor Xuan. If my father offends me, I will kill your whole family!"

The Yang family seemed to have been living under the pressure of the royal family, but it did not weaken the momentum of Yang Jian's development. At this time, he was already heavily armed and full-fledged. If he made a real move, the emperor might not be his opponent at all!
Soon, Emperor Xuan, who was in his prime, died of illness, and was succeeded by the young and weak Emperor Jing.Yang Jian, in the name of Emperor Jing's need for help when he was young, entered the court to take over all state affairs. Although he did not claim to be emperor, he had already grasped the power of the country.For this reason, Yu Chihui, the general manager of Xiangzhou, was not convinced, raised his troops to rebel, and proposed to attack Yang Jian. Unexpectedly, he hit a stone with an egg and was wiped out by Yang Jian within a few days.Yang Jian heard that Yuchi's return to the army was related to the instigation of the kings of the Yuwen clan. After the rebel army was wiped out, he immediately put the kings of the Yuwen clan under house arrest.

Due to the situation, Emperor Jing granted Yang Jian the title of King of Sui Dynasty, and broke many court etiquette for him, allowing him to bring a sword to the palace, to enter the court without going, and to prepare the gift of nine tins, and the treatment was higher than that of other princes; At Yang Jian's request, he was given the twelve-prong crown and the emperor's flag that only the emperor could wear, which exceeded the highest limit of etiquette that the courtiers could enjoy. bit to.In 581 AD, Yang Jian proclaimed himself emperor, changed Yuan Kaihuang, and was known as Emperor Wen of Sui Dynasty in history.As a matter of course, the princess Dugu became the queen, and the eldest son Yang Yong became the prince, and killed all the kings of the Yuwen family to avoid future troubles.

Queen of iron fists, assisting the government with all her heart

At this time, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty was 40 years old, and Queen Dugu, who was the mother of the world, was also 37 years old, and her daughter had already been a queen before her.After the establishment of the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty recognized that the reason for the decline of the previous dynasty was exaggeration and falsehood. With great foresight, he tried to reform the official rituals, rectify the government, and set up a Ming dynasty.Queen Dugu is not a short-sighted woman who is limited by family affairs. She helped Yang Jian in the process of winning the throne, and she was very flexible; A huge plan to strictly govern the post-officials was brewing in his heart.

Empress Dugu was docile, respectful, filial, humble and self-defensive, and was very much loved by Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty.When Emperor Wen came to court, she entered the imperial court with the emperor and stopped at the pavilion.Waiting for him to return to the government together after he retired from the court, eating and sleeping together, caring for each other happily.My daily life is frugal, not gorgeous, and I like to read books, knowing the past and the present.If there was something wrong with Emperor Wen's administration, she faithfully persuaded him, and did many useful things.At that time, there was a trade between Turkic and Sui Dynasty. There was a box of pearls worth 800 million. Yin Shou, the general manager of Youzhou, asked her to buy it. .” This move was immediately rumored by the government and the public, and was praised by all officials.Governor Cui Changren is the cousin of Queen Wenwen, who violated the laws of the country and was punished by beheading according to the law. Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty wanted to pardon his crime because of the Queen's favor.The queen remonstrated and said: "How can national affairs be selfish." Then Cui Changren was executed.Dugutuo, the queen's half-brother, was accused by the queen for drinking heavily and murdering the common people, so he held a grudge.Although the queen was so angry that she didn't eat for three days, she finally asked Emperor Wen to forgive her crime. The queen said: "If Dugu Tuo's government harms the people, I dare not intercede for him. But now Dugu Tuo committed a crime because he cursed me, so I ask for his pardon." So Tuo was saved from death.

"Xiao Lianyu's body was spread over Chen Ye, and she has reported to Master Zhou to enter Jinyang." The story of the former dynasty's subjugation is still fresh in Queen Dugu's memory. Zhang Lihua's beautiful hair in the Southern Dynasty turned the Chen Dynasty upside down. In order to preserve the long-term stability of the Yang family's court, Queen Dugu's first thought was to help the emperor's husband put an end to internal strife.She asked for power from the imperial husband, rectified the palace system, abolished the practice of three concubines and six concubines, advocated simplicity, prohibited women in the palace from heavy makeup and dress, and had strict regulations on their words and deeds. The concubine got close to the emperor at will.Under the control of Empress Dugu, the entire empress government formed a quiet and solemn atmosphere. Because of Empress Dugu's supreme status and strong wrists, the concubines in the harem had to obey on the surface even though they were dissatisfied.

In addition to managing the concubines well, Empress Dugu also paid great attention to maintaining the relationship with the emperor. She knew that she must use her tenderness and consideration to envelop the emperor's husband so that he would not be confused by other women.Whenever the dawn bell rang, Empress Dugu carefully waited for the imperial husband to wash and dress, and then sat on the same chariot with him and sent him to the court pavilion. , and returned to the inner palace with the chariot, she insisted on such actions day after day, so that Yang Jian never dared to neglect the morning court.In the inner palace, she took care of the emperor's husband's daily life in every possible way. She personally asked about the emperor's recipes for each meal, daily attire, etc., and arranged them properly so that Emperor Wen could specialize in government affairs without distraction.When sleeping together late at night, she often recalled the friendship of the past in Emperor Wen's ear, detailed the love between husband and wife, and tied Wen Emperor's heart with tenderness and sweetness.Fortunately, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty was working on state affairs, and had no extra energy to have fun among the post-official fans; and the various measures implemented by his wise and capable wife could closely cooperate with his government reforms, so he naturally strongly supported them. of.

Once, Empress Dugu made an agreement with Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty: "In this life, I will love each other forever. The sea will dry up and the rocks will rot, and my love will never change. I swear that I will not have a son of another child." Thinking of his wife who has shared weal and woe with him for decades, she always helps him wholeheartedly. , Emperor Wen's heart became hot, and he immediately agreed to the queen's oath.Afterwards, Emperor Wen proudly boasted to his ministers: "There is no concubine by my side, and my five sons share the same mother, so they can be called true brothers! How can it be that the previous generation has many domestic favorites?" In fact, the reason why Empress Dugu restricted Emperor Wen from having the same The half-son is also out of the consideration of guarding against the half-son's seizure of power.

(End of this chapter)