The emperor, this supreme status, has always been associated with majesty and dignity. However, in the long history of China, there are always a few different emperors who have left a strong mark on the history books in their unique ways. The emperor I want to talk about today can be said to be unprecedented and unprecedented. He was not satisfied with the life of a high-ranking emperor, but he became obsessed with the ninth-rate business of stealing. What's even more incredible is that he picks on the minister's house, as if he is playing a thrilling game of cat and mouse. However, it was this seemingly absurd hobby that became a key step in his seizure of real power and consolidation of his rule. Who is this emperor? Why would he do such a degrading thing? And how did he rely on this means to sit on the throne? Let's unravel this little-known historical fog and discover the legend of this wonderful emperor.
1. Young enthronement: Liu Zhi, who unexpectedly succeeded to the throne
At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the situation inside and outside the imperial court was turbulent, the imperial power was sidelined, and the foreign relatives were autocratic. In 146 AD, the 8-year-old Han Emperor Liu Zhang died suddenly, and the government and the opposition were shocked. The young emperor reigned for only one year and nine months before he died in a hurry. His death not only plunged the Eastern Han Dynasty into a crisis of succession to the throne again, but also laid the groundwork for Liu Zhi's accession to the throne.
After Liu Zhang's death, the ministers of the court and China argued endlessly over the establishment of a new monarch. One faction of ministers advocated the establishment of the elderly and virtuous Qinghe King Liu Lian, believing that he could stabilize the situation. However, Liang Ji, the general who was actually in power at that time, had other plans. Liang Ji was born in a prominent background, and was the elder brother of the empress dowager Liang Yan, and had a high prestige in the court. He knew that if he set up an older monarch, it would be difficult for him to control the government. Therefore, Liang Ji strongly opposed the support of Liu Garlic, and instead set his sights on the young Liu children.
At this moment, a 15-year-old boy caught Liang Ji's attention. This young man's name is Liu Zhi, and he is the son of Liu Yi, the Marquis of Liwu. Although Liu Zhi is young, he has a noble bloodline, and is the great-grandson of Emperor Zhang of the Han Dynasty and the grandson of Liu Kai, the filial piety king of Hejian. What's more, Empress Dowager Liang was planning to marry her sister to Liu Zhi, which undoubtedly made Liang Ji see an opportunity to consolidate the family's power.
Liang Ji believed that the young Liu Zhi was easier to control and could become an ideal puppet emperor. Therefore, despite the opposition of his ministers, he insisted on supporting Liu Zhi as emperor. Under the operation of Liang Ji, the ministers of the DPRK and China finally succumbed to power and agreed to this decision.
In June 146 AD, 15-year-old Liu Zhi officially ascended the throne as Emperor Huan of Han. Unprepared, this young man suddenly became the monarch who ruled a vast empire. However, Liu Zhi's ascension to the throne was not all smooth sailing. Although Liang Ji supported him to ascend to the throne, he did not really hand over power to the young emperor. On the contrary, the Empress Dowager Liang still listened to the government, while Liang Ji firmly controlled the power of the court.
Although Liu Zhi is young, he is not a dull person. He quickly realized the danger of his situation. On the one hand, he is the titular Son of Heaven and is admired by all the peoples; On the other hand, he has no control over his own destiny, and even his daily life is under the supervision of the Liang siblings. This situation made the young Liu Zhi feel depressed and uneasy.
However, Liu Zhi did not act recklessly. He is well aware of the unforeseen lessons of his predecessor, Emperor Qian, who publicly accused Liang Ji. Therefore, Liu Zhi chose a circuitous path. On the surface, he pretended not to be interested in government politics and indulged in wine and fun, giving people the impression that he did not learn and did not want to make progress. This kind of performance played into Liang Ji's arms, making him more at ease to control the government.
In this way, the young Liu Zhi began his imperial career. On the surface, he is an absurd and unscrupulous king; In fact, he was secretly observing, studying, and waiting for an opportunity to regain power. How exactly does this seemingly weak teenager survive in the whirlpool of power and finally turn the situation around? How did his unbelievable hobby of "stealing" become the key to his turnaround?
2. Pretending to be crazy and stupid: Liu Zhi's way of survival
After Liu Zhi ascended the throne, he soon found himself trapped in an elaborate cage. On the surface, he is the son of heaven, but in fact, he is firmly controlled by the Liang family. Liang Ji, as a general, held the real power of the imperial court, while the Empress Dowager Liang monitored the young emperor's every move in the name of listening to the government.
In this case, Liu Zhi adopted a seemingly absurd, but in fact clever strategy - pretending to be crazy and stupid. He began to show no interest in government politics, and indulged in lust all day long. The laughter of the emperor and the palace maids was often heard in the palace, and sometimes even at court meetings, he was absent-minded. This kind of behavior made the ministers very unhappy, but it played into the hands of Liang.
Liang Ji believes that an unenterprising emperor is exactly what he needs. He can take this opportunity to interfere more brazenly in the government and expand his power. Therefore, Liang Ji not only did not stop Liu Zhi's absurd behavior, but secretly encouraged and even arranged more entertainment activities for him.
However, this performance of Liu Zhi is just a disguise. In the inner courtyard of the Deep Palace, he often silently observed everything around him and recorded every move of the Liang family. He found that although Liang Ji was powerful, there were also many people who were dissatisfied with him. In particular, some old ministers complained about Liang Ji's monopoly on power.
In order to further reduce Liang Ji's vigilance, Liu Zhi even began to show his dependence on the Liang family. He often asked the Empress Dowager Liang about state affairs, and also showed great respect for Liang Ji. This behavior made the Liang family even more convinced that the young emperor was nothing more than an incompetent person who could not threaten their position at all.
However, this performance of Liu Zhi also brought some negative effects. Some of the court's loyalists began to become disillusioned with the young emperor, believing that he could not become a Ming emperor. Some ministers even began to consider whether they should appoint a new king. This situation made Liu Zhi realize that he could not maintain this state forever and must find a breakthrough.
That's when a chance encounter changed the situation. One night, while Liu Zhi was strolling around the palace, he accidentally discovered a group of thieves stealing the palace property. To everyone's surprise, Liu Zhi did not immediately summon the guards to arrest these thieves, but quietly followed behind them and observed their movements.
This experience gave Liu Zhi a bold idea. He realized that if he mastered the art of stealing, he might be able to sneak into the ministers' mansions and obtain some valuable information. Although this idea was ridiculous, under the circumstances at the time, it became Liu Zhi's only chance to turn the tables.
From that day on, Liu Zhi began to secretly learn the art of stealing. He found some people who were proficient in this way and kept them in the palace for various reasons. To outsiders, these people were nothing more than the emperor's new playthings, but in fact, they became Liu Zhi's secret teachers.
As time passed, Liu Zhi's stealing skills became more and more sophisticated. He began to sneak out of the palace in the middle of the night and sneak into the ministers' mansions. At first, he just wanted to test his abilities, but later found that this behavior brought unexpected gains. Not only did he get some valuable items, but more importantly, he heard many secret conversations that no one else knew.
These secret conversations gave Liu Zhi a deeper understanding of the real situation in the DPRK and China. He found that although Liang Ji was powerful, there were also many people who secretly opposed him. Some ministers are even plotting how to weaken the Liang family's power. This information became an important basis for Liu Zhi's future counterattack.
However, Liu Zhi did not take immediate action. He knew that dealing with a powerful minister like Liang Ji would require more preparation and more careful planning. As a result, he continues to maintain a lifestyle of absurdity by day and stealing by night, while secretly accumulating power and waiting for the opportunity to come.
And just like that, a seemingly incompetent emperor is actually engaged in a thrilling power game. Every time he steals, he prepares for a future counterattack. And this counterattack will completely change the political pattern of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
3. Night Visit to the Minister: Liu Zhi's Secret Operation
As time passed, Liu Zhi's stealing skills became more and more sophisticated, and his nocturnal actions became more and more daring. On a dark and windy night, Liu Zhi decided to venture into Liang Ji's mansion. This is a dangerous operation, and the slightest mistake can expose your identity or even lose your life. However, Liu Zhi believes that only in this way can truly valuable intelligence be obtained.
Liu Zhi chose a night when Liang Ji went out. He put on a black night suit, quietly climbed over the palace wall, crossed the bustling streets of Chang'an, and came to Liang Ji's mansion. The mansion was heavily guarded, but Liu Zhi successfully avoided the guards' sight and infiltrated the inner courtyard with his superb skills.
In Liang Ji's study, Liu Zhi found some secret documents. These documents detail the exchange of interests between Liang and Ji and the ministers, as well as their covert manipulation of the affairs of the imperial court. Liu Zhi carefully wrote down this information, and when he was about to leave, he suddenly heard footsteps outside.
It turned out that one of Liang Ji's cronies suddenly returned home and was walking towards the study. Liu Zhi quickly hid behind a large cabinet and held his breath. The cronie entered the study, took a few papers, and hurried away. This thrilling moment made Liu Zhi realize that he had to be more cautious in his actions.
Over the next few months, Liu Zhi continued his night visits. He infiltrated the mansions of several important ministers, including Taiwei Chen Fan, Situ Huguang and others. With each action, he gets some important information. Sometimes it was the private letters of the ministers, sometimes it was their account books, and even some hidden family secrets.
This information gave Liu Zhi a more comprehensive understanding of the situation in the DPRK and China. He found that although Liang Ji was powerful, there were also many people in the court who were dissatisfied with him. In particular, some old ministers complained about Liang Ji's monopoly on power. Liu Zhi realized that these people could become his allies in the future.
However, Liu Zhi's actions did not always go smoothly. Once, when he infiltrated Sikong Li Sheng's mansion, he was almost discovered by the patrolling guards. Liu Zhi had to hide in a large water tank for a whole hour to get out. This experience made him more cautious, carefully observing the situation of the target mansion before each action and making a detailed plan.
Liu Zhi's secret operations not only provided him with valuable information, but also exercised his courage and judgment. He gradually grew from an ignorant teenager to an observant, calm and decisive monarch. Although to outsiders, he is still a faint man who is obsessed with sensuality, in fact, he is making careful preparations for future counterattacks.
As time went on, Liu Zhi's range of actions became more and more extensive. He not only infiltrated the mansions of the ministers, but also often went deep into the people to understand the living conditions of the people. In the process, he witnessed firsthand how the Liang family's greed and tyranny affected the lives of ordinary people. These experiences strengthened his determination to eradicate the Liang family.
Once, while visiting the home of a low-ranking official at night, Liu Zhi overheard news that shocked him. It turned out that Liang Ji was secretly planning a coup d'état, preparing to depose Liu Zhi and set up a new monarch. This news made Liu Zhi realize that he had to act as soon as possible or else he could lose everything.
From that day on, Liu Zhi's night visits became more frequent and targeted. He began to selectively approach ministers who were dissatisfied with Liang Ji, secretly establishing contact with them. Although the ministers did not know that the night visitor was the emperor himself, they gradually realized that there seemed to be a mysterious force operating in the court and trying to change the situation.
In the process, Liu Zhi also encountered many difficulties and setbacks. Sometimes, he almost reveals his identity because of some small mistakes. Another time, he was almost caught by Liang Ji's cronies. But every crisis has made Liu Zhi more mature and vigilant.
In this way, a seemingly absurd emperor is actually engaged in a thrilling secret operation. Every time he made a night visit, he was preparing for an impending counterattack. And this counterattack will completely change the political landscape of the Eastern Han Dynasty, allowing an underestimated young emperor to truly control the destiny of the country.
Fourth, once counterattacked: Liu Zhi's power was recaptured
In the spring of the second year of Jianhe (148 AD), the situation in Chang'an City changed abruptly. On this day, Liu Zhi changed his decadent image in the past, and suddenly severely reprimanded Liang Ji for dictatorship and misguided the country at the court meeting. This move was like a bombshell, shocking all the ministers present. Liang Ji was at a loss for a while, so he could only stand still.
Liu Zhi's move was not a whim, but the result of long-term preparation. Prior to this, he had secretly contacted a group of ministers who opposed Liang Ji, including Taiwei Chen Fan, Situ Huguang and others. Although these ministers are usually submissive to Liang Ji, they have long been dissatisfied with his authoritarian behavior. Liu Zhi used the information he obtained during his night visit to skillfully win over these ministers and form a secret anti-Liang alliance.
After the court meeting, Liu Zhi immediately ordered the blockade of the imperial palace, and at the same time sent people to the palaces of the ministers to read the edicts. The edict detailed Liang Ji's various crimes, including embezzlement and bribery, unauthorized appointment and dismissal of officials, and interference in government affairs. Most of these charges came from evidence collected by Liu Zhi during his night visit, and the authenticity is irrefutable.
After Liang Ji received the news, he immediately convened his cronies to discuss countermeasures. However, he soon found himself in a situation of being left alone. Those officials who had once attached themselves to him defected and supported the emperor. Even some of his cronies began to waver, and some even took the initiative to report to the emperor and expose more crimes of Liang Ji.
Just as Liang Ji was about to mobilize the army to counterattack, Liu Zhi struck again. He sent a secret force to raid Liang Ji's mansion. The commander of this unit was none other than a low-ranking officer whom Liu Zhi had met during his night visit, and he knew the layout of Liang Ji's mansion well. During the raid, most of Liang Ji's cronies were captured, and important documents fell into the hands of the emperor.
Liang Ji saw that the situation was not good, and escaped from Chang'an City overnight. However, Liu Zhi had already prepared and laid a net outside the city. Liang Ji was captured shortly after leaving the city and escorted back to Chang'an City.
In the following days, there was a large-scale purge of the Liang clan in Chang'an City. Officials who had followed Liang Ji were arrested or dismissed. Liu Zhi personally interrogated Liang Ji and asked him to confess his crime in public. This scene was deliberately arranged in the square in front of the palace, so that the people could witness the downfall of this once powerful minister.
However, Liu Zhi did not immediately execute Liang Ji. Instead, he took a more subtle approach. He ordered Liang Ji to be placed under house arrest in a remote palace, and only the simplest diet was given to him every day. This way of disposing not only showed the emperor's benevolence, but also made Liang Ji lose any possibility of turning over.
At the same time, Liu Zhi began to reorganize the imperial court. He promoted a group of capable ministers found during the night visit, such as Zhang Yan, Liu Hong and others. Although these people do not hold high official positions, they are capable and loyal to the country. Liu Zhi also reused some old ministers who had been suppressed by Liang Ji, such as Chen Fan, Hu Guang, etc. This combination of the old and the new not only ensured the stability of the imperial court, but also injected new vitality into the government.
Liu Zhi has also taken a series of measures to improve people's livelihood. He ordered tax reductions and encouraged agricultural production, while at the same time tightening supervision of officials and severely punishing corruption. These policies quickly paid off, and support for the new government rose sharply.
However, Liu Zhi did not let his guard down because of this. He was well aware that there were many potential threats in the imperial court. Those officials who were once attached to Liang Ji may still be dissatisfied in their hearts, although they are superficially subservient. For this reason, Liu Zhi continued to maintain the habit of visiting at night, but this time the purpose changed from collecting intelligence to inspecting the people's situation.
In this way, a young emperor, who was once regarded as a faint king, successfully regained his own power through a series of ingenious operations. His counterattack not only changed his own fate, but also injected new vitality into the Eastern Han Dynasty. However, this is only the beginning of Liu Zhi's political career, and more challenges await him.
5. Consolidation of political power: Liu Zhi's road to the Ming Dynasty
With the fall of Liang Ji, Liu Zhi finally grasped real power. However, he knows that this is only the beginning, and there is still a long way to go before he can truly become a Mingjun. In the spring of the third year of Jianhe (149 AD), Liu Zhi convened a special court meeting and announced a series of new policies.
First of all, Liu Zhi vigorously promoted the system of "promoting filial piety and honesty". This system originally existed in the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, but it was gradually ignored in the previous troubled times. Liu Zhi re-emphasized this system and asked local officials to recommend people with good conduct and profound knowledge. This move not only improved the overall quality of officials, but also injected fresh blood into the imperial court.
Second, Liu Zhi promulgated the policy of "reducing taxes". He ordered tax relief in some areas, especially those affected by natural disasters. This policy has greatly lightened the burden on the people and won the hearts and minds of the people. At the same time, Liu Zhi also encouraged agricultural production and ordered the reclamation of wasteland, which greatly increased agricultural output.
In the judicial aspect, Liu Zhi pursued a policy of "combining leniency and severity." On the one hand, he severely punished corrupt officials and corrupt officials, and on the other hand, he also gave minor offenders a chance to turn over a new leaf. He has also personally tried some of the most important cases to ensure fairness and justice. This practice not only demonstrated the imperial power, but also made the people feel the justice of the imperial court.
In order to strengthen the central government's control over the localities, Liu Zhi implemented an "inspection system." He sent his confidants to regularly inspect the localities to understand the situation of the people and supervise local officials. This system not only strengthened the centralization of power, but also effectively curbed the corruption of local officials.
In terms of culture and education, Liu Zhi has also made a difference. He ordered the revision of the Five Classics and promoted Confucian education throughout the country. He also set up the "Taixue" to recruit outstanding students from all over the country and cultivate talents for the imperial court. These measures not only improved the cultural level of the people, but also reserved a large number of talents for the imperial court.
Liu Zhi also attached great importance to the military. He personally inspected the frontiers, expressed his condolences to the officers and soldiers, and ordered the reform of the military system to improve the combat effectiveness of the army. Under his rule, the border areas gradually stabilized, and ethnic minorities began to take the initiative to pay tribute to the imperial court.
However, Liu Zhi's reforms were not all smooth sailing. Some old forces have complained about the new policy and are secretly stumbling up. In particular, some local tyrants, whose interests were affected by the New Deal, began to secretly oppose the imperial court.
Faced with this situation, Liu Zhi adopted a cautious but firm attitude. On the one hand, he continued to implement the new policy, and on the other hand, he also took care to appease these old forces. He often summoned these people and listened to their opinions, but this did not change the established policy direction.
Liu Zhi is also good at exploiting contradictions. He found that there were contradictions between the powerful in some places, and he skillfully used these contradictions to make them check and balance each other, thus weakening their overall strength.
In terms of foreign relations, Liu Zhi adopted a policy of "valuing peace." He took the initiative to establish friendly relations with neighboring countries and resolved some potential military conflicts through diplomatic means. This peaceful policy not only reduced military spending, but also created a favorable external environment for the country's development.
Liu Zhi also attaches great importance to people's livelihood. He often makes private interviews to understand the real living conditions of the people. On one occasion, during his inspection, he found that a village was facing famine because of drought. He immediately ordered the transfer of grain from the royal granary to help the villagers. This pro-people move greatly increased his popularity among the people.
As time passed, Liu Zhi's new policy gradually showed results. The country's economy is prosperous, culture and education are developing, its military strength is increasing, and the people's lives are improving. The ministers who used to be dismissive of him now have to admit his abilities.
However, Liu Zhi did not become complacent because of these achievements. He knows very well that it takes long-term hard work to truly become a Ming Jun. He continued to maintain the habit of visiting at night, constantly learning about the people's situation and adjusting policies. He also often held court meetings to listen to the opinions of ministers and brainstorm ideas.
In this way, a young emperor who was once regarded as a faint monarch, through his own efforts and wisdom, gradually embarked on the road of a Ming monarch. His reign not only changed his own fate, but also brought a brief period of prosperity to the Eastern Han Dynasty. Although this prosperous era did not last long, it left a valuable experience of governing the country for future generations.