Sima Shao, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, was a monarch with a strong sense of enterprise, but unfortunately his life expectancy was not long. Only a little more than a year after the quelling of Wang Dun's rebellion, Sima Shao felt that his life expectancy was running out.
How do you continue to maintain your consolidated imperial power? This should be the question that Sima Shao, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, thought about the most.
In my opinion, Sima Shao's original idea of the aftermath should be like this: let the imperial family (Sima Xi the King of Xiyang, Sima Zong the King of Nandun) and the foreign relatives (Yu Yin) jointly assist the government.
The Right Guard general Yu Yin, the younger brother of Empress Yuanjing, and the Left Guard general Nanton Wang Zongju were personally appointed by the emperor, and the forbidden soldiers were forbidden, and the warriors in the straight hall were considered to be wings; Wang Dao and Yu Liang were jealous of them, and they thought that the thicker the emperor treated, the key to the palace gate was entrusted. - Zizhi Tongjian, Jin Ji XV
According to the practice of Sima Shao, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, we can conclude one thing: Sima Shao wanted the imperial family and foreign relatives to hold the imperial power in order to balance the powerful noble clan.
It was guarded by Sima Xi the Prince of Xiyang, Sima Zong the King of Nanton, and Yu Yin, and represented by Yu Liang (Sima Shao's brother-in-law), Wen Jiao (Sima Shao's close associate), and Wang Dao.
On the face of it, there was nothing wrong with the power structure that Sima Shao, the Emperor of the Jin Dynasty, designed for his successor.
But the problem is that those who can benefit from this power structure will certainly support the layout of Sima Shao, the Emperor of Jinming; and those whose interests are damaged in this power structure will certainly oppose the layout of Sima Shao, the Emperor of Jinming.
Supporters were Sima Xi (司馬羕) the King of Xiyang, Sima Zong (司馬宗) the King of Nanton, and Yu Yin (虞胤); the opponents were Wang Dao and Yu Liang (庾亮), among others.
In this context, Wang Dao must have wanted to give Sima Shao, the Emperor of Jinming, a little warning. However, due to the fact that Wang Dao's power was too large, in the initial stage of the incident, he was inconvenient to personally come forward, otherwise it might cause unnecessary trouble, so Wang Dao supported Yu Liang to fight with Sima Shao.
Yu Liang was the younger brother of Sima Shao, the Emperor of Jinming, and at this time did not have the strength to threaten imperial power, and the layout of Sima Shao, the Emperor of Jinming, obviously infringed on Yu Liang's vested interests. This is a very suitable candidate, who can show his attitude without worrying about provoking Sima Shao.
At this time, Sima Shao, the Emperor of JinMing, was already terminally ill, and all the courtiers were missing except Sima Xian the Prince of Xiyang, Sima Zong the King of Nanton, and Yu Yin. However, Luo Liang still entered the palace and gave some advice to Sima Shao, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty.
Luo Liang said to Sima Shao, the Emperor of Jinming, "These few people you trust are not reliable at all, and you should dismiss them all now." ”
After saying these words, Sima Shao immediately summoned important courtiers and held a meeting in front of the bed.
After studying and deciding at the meeting, Sima Shao elected a new auxiliary political team: Dazai Sima Xi, Situ Wang Dao, Shang Shu Ling Bian Qi, Che Qi general Xi Jian, escort general Yu Liang, leading general Lu Ye, and Danyang Yin Wen Yue.
Shortly after the rearrangement, Sima Shao, the Emperor of jinming, died.
At noon, Emperor Dazai, Situ Dao, Shang Shu Ling Bian Qi, Che Qi General Xi Jian, Protector General Yu Liang, Leading General Lu Ye, Danyang Yin Wen Yu, and received the will of the Crown Prince, and even entered the palace to send soldiers to stay directly; Ding Hai, Descending Testament; Peng Zi, Emperor Beng. - Zizhi Tongjian, Jin Ji XV
There are at least two doubts here:
I. What was Sima Shao's attitude toward Yu Liang's advice?
The Zizhi Tongjian says: Sima Shao, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, did not adopt Yu Liang's advice at all.
Liang suspected that Zong, Yin, and his brother Wang Xiyang had a different plot, and they were expelled into the imperial bed, and when they saw the emperor drooling, Yan Xian and Zong plotted to depose the ministers, asked for help from the government, and asked for deposing them; the emperor did not accept it. - Zizhi Tongjian, Jin Ji XV
The Book of Jin says: After listening to Yu Liang's advice, Sima Shao, the Emperor of Jin Ming, had a deep understanding, and immediately asked Wang Dao and others to assist the government together, and then gave Yu Liang the rank of official.
Liang went straight into the bed to see the emperor, and the drooling was invincible. Even if Chen Xi and Zong and other ministers conspire to abolish the ministers, the rules and regulations will assist the government, and the society will be safe or not, today, the purpose of the resignation will be cut to the point. The emperor deeply felt it, led Liang to ascend to the throne, and then he and Situ Wang guided him to assist the young lord. Highlight the matter, move the book order. The empress dowager is approaching the dynasty, and the political affairs are decided by Liang. --Book of Jin, vol. 73, Liechuan 43
Who should I trust? For now, we are not sure, but we will continue to look at the second point of doubt.
Second, Sima Shao, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, was already terminally ill, and except for the three auxiliary ministers he appointed, none of the other courtiers were seen. In this context, how did Yu Liang enter the palace to see Sima Shao?
It is more reliable to say that Sima Zong and Yu Yin, the king of Nanton, were both close associates of Sima Shao, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, and jointly ruled the forbidden army. However, the powerful warriors persuaded the leading general Lu Ye, who used force to relieve Sima Zong and Yu Yin, the king of Nanton, of their military power, which led to the scene of Yu Liang entering the palace to consult Sima Shao, the Emperor of JinMing.
Sima Shao found that Yu Liang could actually break in directly and immediately realized the loopholes in his layout.
In a centralized empire, the rise and fall of officials was determined by imperial power. Even if the emperor's layout infringed on the vested interests of some people, it usually did not cause much turmoil.
However, in the dominant empire of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, if the emperor dared to infringe on the vested interests of the noble family, there was usually no good fruit to eat.
Sima Shao,the father of The Jin Ming Emperor Sima Shao, Sima Rui, the Emperor of Jin Yuan, violated the interests of the Haomen clan because of the reuse of the Hanmen disciples, and was eventually beaten to death in the Wang Dun Rebellion and died of depression.
Now that Sima Shao was trying to follow his father's old path and continue to oppose the rich warrior clan, his layout was naturally difficult to achieve.
The reason why Yu Liang dared to make such a rebellious remark was absolutely without fear. If Yu Liang had no one to support him, how could he dare to offend Sima Xi, the king of Xiyang, Sima Zong, the king of Nandun, and Yu Yin at the same time?
Someone must have made some kind of promise to Yu Liang: If Sima Xi, the king of Xiyang, Sima Zong, the king of Nandon, and Yu Yin dare to embarrass you because of this, we will definitely be your strongest backing!
Although Sima Shao, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, was already terminally ill, he was still not sick and confused. After thinking about it, he was finally afraid. Oh no, according to the Book of Jin, he finally "realized".
Therefore, in the new auxiliary political team, only Sima Xi, the king of Xiyang, was an imperial family, and all the others were noble warriors. Sima Zong and Yu Yin, the kings of Nanton, were kicked out of the auxiliary political team.
From this point of view, I am more inclined to the expression of the Book of Jin, and Sima Shao was reluctant to accept it in his heart, but he still reconvened the meeting in front of the bed and elected a new auxiliary political team.
But even so, the struggle continued, because the matter had not yet been resolved, and the nobles were not satisfied.
Although there is only one royal family in the new auxiliary political team, this only royal family is the leading figure of the auxiliary political team. Sima Shao, the Emperor of the Jin Dynasty, clearly stated in his testament: "The hundred secretaries of the qing, who always listen to Tsukasa." Tsukasa is Dazai, that is, Sima Xi, the King of Xiyang.
The noble warrior clan actually wants to stand up to the orders of a prince, how do you tell them to endure? Therefore, sima shao, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, had just died, and some people began to deny his layout.
What they mean is that now that the emperor is young and unable to handle major state affairs, he should let the empress dowager come out to listen to the government.
This practice did not give sima Shao, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, any face at all, and just a few days after his death, some people came out to sing the opposite, and this statement won the support of most people.
Therefore, a few days after the death of Sima Shao, the Emperor of jinming, his layout was overthrown, and Empress Yu began to make a claim to the dynasty.
The courtiers, with Emperor Youchong, played the story of Empress Dowager Yihan and Empress Xi; the empress dowager resigned from the number four, but followed it. Autumn, September, 癸卯, Empress Dowager Pro Dynasty. - Zizhi Tongjian, Jin Ji XV
Seeing this, I always think of Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing Dynasty. Empress Dowager Cixi's pro-dynasty title system is also played in this way at the beginning.
The powerful faction, led by Prince Gong, was very dissatisfied with the auxiliary political structure left by the former emperor, so they shouted and asked the empress dowager to come out to listen to the government. After the empress dowager came to the throne, the powerful faction led by Prince Gong began to collect the auxiliary ministers.
Empress Dowager Cixi listened to the government, and I guess she also learned it from the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Because after Empress Yu came to the throne, the noble clan immediately began to prepare to take over Sima Xi, the king of Xiyang.
Sima Zong and Yu Yin, the king of Nanton, were kicked out of the auxiliary political team, and they had nothing to do. But in order to clean up Sima Xi, the king of Xiyang, the two men were carried out as targets. Yu Liang and others made up a major crime of conspiracy against Sima Zong, the king of Nanton, and Sima Zong disobeyed and disrespected him, and was finally killed. Yu Yin was demoted to the position of local taishou, and Sima Xi, the king of Xiyang, was demoted and left the center of power.
At this point, the efforts made by Sima Shao, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, to centralize power were completely in vain.
Only one person openly disagreed with the death of Sima Zong, the king of Nanton, and that was Sima Yan, the five-year-old Emperor of Jincheng, who directly asked Yu Liang: "You say that whoever rebels can kill whomever you say, and if someone says that you are plotting rebellion, what should you do?" When Yu Liang heard the emperor's words, he was so frightened that he fell to his knees and did not dare to speak.
Emperor Nanton Wangzong's Curse, the Emperor did not know, and Su Junping, asked Yu Liangyue "Always Day White Head Gong He Zai" Liang against the conspiracy to ambush, the emperor wept liang said "Uncle said that people are thieves, they killed them, people say uncles are thieves, Fu Ruo He "bright fear, change color." - Book of Jin, vol. 7, Emperor Ji VII
Sima Yan, the Emperor of Jincheng, was able to say such things, probably related to the education of his father, Sima Shao, the Emperor of Jinming.
When Sima Shao, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, first decided to let the two imperial families assist him, he should have warned Sima Yan: "You are too young to distinguish between who is loyal and who is adulterous in a sinister political struggle." You must not listen to rumors and alienate these two grandfathers. These two grandfathers of the Ben family are the protectors I have personally selected for you. "Otherwise, how could a child of only five years old say such profound words?"
Listening to what Sima Yan, the Emperor of Jincheng, said, who would dare to say that this was not the truth?
When Sima Yan, the emperor of Jincheng, said these words, Empress Yu was at his side. After Sima Yan finished speaking, Empress Yu patted him on the head and said, "How can you talk to your uncle like this?" Sima Yan suddenly looked aggrieved and said nothing.
The big thing was so easily revealed.