Although most people's impression of Zhang Juzheng is positive, Gao Gong's deathbed suicide note reveals his unknown side. In addition to being responsible and responsible, Zhang Juzheng also has another side that is not known to the people.
He was the promoter of the reform of the Ming Dynasty and a good official in the eyes of the people, but his true appearance was a little surprising.
Gao Gong, a generation of famous ministers who once called for wind and rain in the officialdom, was troubled in his later years. Why did he write a suicide note before he died, exposing Zhang Juzheng's"Crimes", breaking the perfect image of Zhang Juzheng in people's hearts?
What is the reason for this? Let's explore Gao Gong's life and experience to understand his true intentions. Gao Gong, whose name is Suqing, was born in a prominent family of eunuchs.
His father, Gao Shangxian, once held a position in the Ministry of Works. Gao Gong showed extraordinary wisdom and talent from an early age, he had excellent learning ability, worked hard, and finally walked out of his own small world in the ninth year.
However, the career of Gao Gong was not all smooth sailing. He once clashed with Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao in officialdom, which eventually led to the overturn of his career.
This may be one of the reasons why he wrote a suicide note to expose Zhang Juzheng before he died. So, what kind of punishment did Zhang Juzheng receive after his death? What is the real purpose of the high arch?
These questions are worth pondering. In short, Gao Gong is a brilliant bureaucrat whose life is full of twists and turns. Let's take a look at his story and explore his inner world.
In the twenty-first year of Jiajing, Gao Gong achieved excellent results on the road to the imperial examination, which opened a new chapter in his life, and he officially embarked on the road of becoming an official. Gao Gong has always worked diligently in the officialdom and is conscientious and responsible for his duties.
With the growth of his qualifications, he won the position of reading the scriptures and answering doubts for Zhu Zaigai, the king of Yu, with his own efforts.
King Yu was a possible prince who could inherit the throne at the time, so Gao Gong was favored by some of the imperial ministers, including the chief minister at the time, Yan Song, and the second minister, Xu Jie.
With his own wisdom, Gao Gong successfully found a way to survive between the two major forces, not only not offending either side, but also being able to curry favor with both sides. It is in this environment that his tactfulness and intellect are revealed.
King Yu ascended the throne, and Gao Gong was crowned Shaobao and Prince Taibao, and entered the cabinet as a bachelor. Emperor Yu was reluctant to interfere in political affairs, and Gao Gong seized power with his intelligence and made remarkable achievements. However, as his power grew, Gao Gong's character became more and more domineering, crowding out and staying away from many unpleasant ministers.
Everyone understands the truth of the tree, and the smooth wind and arrogance of the high arch have attracted the envy of many people. He turned against Xu Jie, couldn't fight Xu Jie, and was forced to return to his hometown.
After Xu Jie's retirement, Zhang Juzheng asked the emperor to restore Gao Gong's position, and Gao Gong was able to return to officialdom.
Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng, who were originally like-minded and close to each other, changed from friends to enemies due to entanglements in interests. used to know each other, but now they are strangers, which is really sighing.
Officialdom is like a battlefield, and friendship is so fragile in the face of power and interests, which makes people think deeply.
During the Ming Dynasty, Gao Gong served as the chief assistant of the cabinet and had a close relationship with the emperor. When the emperor died, Gao Gong, who was the emperor's close friend, felt extremely sad, and he said worriedly, "How can the emperor who is only ten years old govern the country?" ”
Although this is just an unintentional statement, it is used by people with intentions.
Feng Bao and Zhang Juzheng formed an alliance and developed a conflict of interest with Gao Gong. Feng Bao cleverly took advantage of this opportunity to distort the phrase into "how to be an emperor for a ten-year-old child" and spread it to Concubine Li and Empress Chen.
As a result, Gao Gong was seen as a threat in the harem, was depressed, and was finally forced to leave his post and return to his hometown.
Gao Gong, a person who experienced countless twists and turns in the officialdom and finally ascended to a high position, was inadvertently framed. Will he choose to willingly let go of those who framed him?
Is a high arch a magnanimous person? At the last moment of his life, with his weak hand, he wrote a suicide note on his hospital bed.
In this suicide note, he exposes the insidious behavior of Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao, portraying them as the most mean and scheming bad people.
Although he was gray-haired and frail, his resolve remained strong. His suicide note shows us that an upright person, even at the last moment of his life, sticks to his principles, is indomitable and uncompromising.
After Zhang Juzheng's death, he left behind a legacy that put the Wanli Emperor in a difficult position. He hoped to surpass Zhang's achievements, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not reach such heights.
This sense of powerlessness made Emperor Wanli deeply disgusted with Zhang Juzheng.
The cause of Zhang Juzheng's death was full of controversy, because the political enemies he had offended and the hostility of the emperor made him not at peace after his death. When the suicide note written by the enemy on his deathbed was found and used in due course, Zhang Juzheng was already at a disadvantage.
Because there is no proof of death, when everyone is not there, the description of the event may be accepted.
The malicious slander in the suicide note doomed Zhang Juzheng to a tragic curtain call, and also broke the beautiful image he established in people's hearts. A lifetime of efforts to maintain fame and power, but after his death, they were all ruined.
Will this kind of murderous behavior make Zhang Juzheng's soul unable to find peace underground?
Behind the high position is often the threat and jealousy of others. This threat and jealousy can end up bringing disaster. Even after death, people will not let it go easily.
Zhang Juzheng's ending was that his home was raided, his family was exiled, his coffin was almost opened, and his body was almost incomplete. Although the strategy of the high arch was successful, it was despised by people.
Therefore, we should understand that power is tempting, but too much power is not a good thing. I hope everyone can understand the truth of the tree. Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng were both jealous because of their excessive power, and the final outcome was unsatisfactory.
Gao Gong was punished by dismissal and return to his hometown before his death, and after Zhang Juzheng's death, his home was raided, his home was released, and his body could hardly be preserved. Their stories provoke us to think about power.
We can see the complexity of Zhang Juzheng from another angle. In the process of pursuing his ideals and aspirations, Zhang Juzheng was inevitably attracted to power. In order to consolidate his position and gain power, he did many acts that violated personal ethics and political morality, such as colluding with political parties such as Feng Bao and framing Gao Gong.