Then why did Cao Jixiang, the eunuch of the Ming Dynasty, rebel?
During the period of Ming Yingzong, there was a war between the Ming Dynasty and Valla, and eventually the construction of the fort was easy. Ming Yingzong was also captured by the enemy. After Ming Yingzong was captured, there was no owner in the Ming Dynasty for a while, but the country could not live without a king for a day, so Ming Yingzong's younger brother Zhu Qiyu was made emperor of Ming Daizong.
But then Ming Yingzong returned to the capital of the Ming Dynasty, and his position at that time was also very embarrassing. He is called the father of the emperor. When Ming Daizong was seriously ill, Shi Heng, Cao Jixiang and Xu Youzhen discussed the abolition of Ming Daizong and the restoration of Ming Yingzong.
After Ming Yingzong's successful reset, Ming Yingzong rewarded the person who helped him reset this time. Because of his excellent work, Cao Jixiang was deeply favored and was named Zhao, who was in charge of Beijing's military and political power. Because Cao Jixiang's weight was temporarily favored by the emperor, he was valued by many people. Of course, Shi Heng has made great contributions this time, and has also won the favor of Ming Yingzong.
After Cao Jixiang and Shi Heng came to power, they rejected dissidents, suppressed ministers, and took pride in themselves, which also attracted a lot of people's resentment.
However, there was a conflict between Cao Jixiang and Shi Heng, so the North Korean minister impeached them when they quarreled. Cao Shi saw the seriousness of the situation, so he reconciled with them without regrets. And then go to Ming Yingzong to frame their impeachers. As a result, Ming Yingzong ordered those who impeached Cao Jixiang and Shi Heng to be put in prison.
Although Ming Yingzong favored and trusted Cao Jixiang and Shi Heng, they were too arrogant and did a lot of extra-legal things. After a long time, Ming Yingzong began to alienate Cao Jixiang.
Later, Shi Heng was imprisoned by the imperial court for spreading rumors and manufacturing prohibited items. According to the law, his crime is a capital crime, but Shi Heng died in prison before being punished.
Both Cao Jixiang and Shi Heng contributed to the restoration of Ming Yingzong. At the same time, they are deeply loved by Ming Yingzong and have great rights. But when he saw what happened to Shi Heng, he was very scared.
In this case, Cao Jixiang often rewarded generals, who were afraid that once Cao Jixiang fell, their position would be affected, so they were all willing to be Cao Jixiang's confidant. At this time, Cao Jixiang began to have the idea of rebellion.
Cao Jixiang's successor, Cao Qin, once asked his men if there was an eunuch brother who was an emperor in history. His men told Cao Jixiang that his family was the Cao Wei regime in the Three Kingdoms period. Cao Qin is even more rebellious.
At the same time, Cao Qin was impeached for abusing lynching, and Ming Yingzong was going to arrest Cao Qin, but Cao Qin felt that Shi Heng had been arrested and imprisoned before but died in prison, and now it is such a means. Finally, Cao Jixiang and Cao Qin decided to rebel.
Therefore, the eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty rebelled, but the rebellion of Cao Jixiang and Cao Qin ended in failure. Cao Qin committed suicide by jumping into a well, and Cao Jixiang got what he deserved.
If you have seen the movie "New Longmen Inn", you should have some impressions of Donnie Yen's great eunuch Cao Shaoqin. His prototype is what we call Cao Jixiang today. In the TV series "Ming Fenghua", there is also a story about Cao Jixiang's help to restore Ming Yingzong. As for Cao Jixiang's rebellion, strictly speaking, it was not Cao Jixiang's rebellion, but his adopted son Cao Qin's rebellion. There are still some questions.
Eunuchs in Cao Jixiang in the Ming Dynasty were not only enslaved in the harem, but also participated in the political and military affairs of the imperial court. Some children from poor families even regard being eunuchs as a way out. For example, Wang Zhen, the great eunuch who led to the "literary change history", chose to be a eunuch in order to realize his ideal of being an official after taking part in the imperial examinations for many times.
During the Ming Taizu period, the eunuch system also developed, forming the scale of twelve prisons, two divisions and seven bureaus. Some big eunuchs enjoy the treatment of three or four officials in etiquette, and widely participate in a series of political activities such as court etiquette, document delivery (that is, document processing), and ordering (referring to sending orders and issuing orders). During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty in Zhu Zhanji, the eunuch's participation in politics had been institutionalized. The eunuch who should have been audited by the emperor was also handed over to the eunuch who approved the red, and the eunuch became the main helper of the emperor in power. As a result, the status of eunuchs was further improved.
At that time, it was very common for people to purify themselves or have them castrated. In order to put an end to this abnormal situation, as early as the Hongwu period, Zhu Yuanzhang once strictly ordered: "If anyone dares to castrate someone else's son, he should also castrate this person and let him be a slave in the government." In the twenty-eighth year of Hongwu (1395), Zhu Yuanzhang clearly stipulated in the Daming Law: "Anyone who dares to castrate others will be punished with a hundred sticks and exiled for three thousand miles." The purpose is to put an end to the bad social atmosphere of castration. However, the wind of castration cannot be eliminated, because some children from poor families really have no other way to enter the officialdom, and becoming eunuchs has become one of their choices. It was in this situation that Cao Jixiang entered the palace after being castrated.
After Cao Jixiang entered the palace, he worked under the great eunuch Wang Zhen. Because he is smart and flexible, he is very popular with Wang Zhen. At that time, Wang Zhen was the red man around Ming Yingzong. When Ming Yingzong was a prince in Zhu Qizhen, Wang Zhen waited on him. He was ordered to tutor Zhu Qizhen in his studies. Therefore, Ming Yingzong Zhu Qizhen also regards him as a teacher and listens to him. With Wang Zhen as the backer, Cao Jixiang's development in the palace is also relatively smooth.
There were many eunuchs who took part in military operations in the Ming Dynasty. For example, Ming Taizu Judy launched the "Battle of Jingnan", and later he went on an expedition to Mongolia. Many eunuchs around him made many contributions, such as Zheng He, Liu Tong, Liu Shun brothers, Wang Jing and others. Cao Jixiang also took part in many military operations after he entered the palace. In November of the first year of orthodoxy (1436), Cao Jixiang led the troops to invade Zhuanglang.
After four years of orthodoxy (1439), Cao Jixiang was promoted to the right supervisor of the company. Soon, the imperial court sent troops to conquer Lu Chuansi Renfa, and Cao Jixiang was appointed as the army supervisor. In the sixth year of orthodoxy (144 1), Cao Jixiang was stationed in Yunnan by the imperial court, and then he took part in the conquest of Luchuan. Cao Jixiang took the lead in the battle and made many achievements. After Lu Chuan was pacified, Cao Jixiang returned to Beijing the following year. Orthodox nine years (1444) in the first month, Ming Yingzong sent his troops to conquer boundless ha, Cao Jixiang, Zhu Yong, eunuch Liu Yongcheng, etc. , walked several roads, Cao Jixiang led the troops to attack Lingkou, and Cao Jixiang also made another meritorious military service in this war.
With the continuous establishment of Cao Jixiang's military achievements, his position is also rising. In the eleventh year of orthodoxy (1446), Ming Yingzong ordered five eunuchs in the palace to be rewarded, namely Wang Zhen, Gan 'an, Gao Rang, Cao Jixiang, Cai Zhong and Cao Jixiang, ranking fourth. As you can see, Cao Jixiang has a high position among eunuchs at this time. In the 13th year of orthodoxy (1448), he was once again ordered to go to Ningyang, Fujian Province with Hou and others to suppress the peasant uprising initiated by Deng, and was responsible for commanding the elite of the army, the Firearms Camp.
In July of the 14th year of the Orthodox Church (1449), the Walla army invaded the border of the Ming Dynasty, and Zhu Qizhen, Ming Yingzong, decided to March to the north. On August 15, in the sudden "civil strife", Zhu Qizhen and Ming Yingzong were captured by Wala, and the eunuch Wang Zhen was also killed by angry soldiers. Soon, Zhu Qiyu, the younger brother of Ming Yingzong Zhu Qizhen, succeeded to the throne. He was Emperor Jingtai, also known as Ming Daizong, and respected Ming Yingzong Zhu Qizhen as the emperor's father. Cao Jixiang was not implicated by Wang Zhen, but he was still valued by Emperor Jingtai. In the third year of Jingtai (1452), Cao Jixiang and Liu Yongcheng were in charge of Beijing's military affairs, and the emperor was able to put him in charge of Beijing's military defense. It should be said that Emperor Jingtai trusted Cao Jixiang very much.
Ming Yingzong Zhu Qizhen was captured in the National Revolution, released by Vala the next year, and imprisoned in Nangong for eight years by Jingtai Emperor Zhu Qiyu. In the eighth year of Jingtai (1457), due to the physical condition of Emperor Jingtai, plus, no children succeeded to the throne. Cao Jixiang talked with the generals and Hanlin about plotting to abolish Daizong and restore Yingzong, hoping to gain great achievements by supporting Ming Yingzong to ascend to the throne again.
In the eighth year of Jingtai (1457), on the 16th midnight of the first month, Cao Jixiang, Shi Heng and others entered the Nangong in Zhu Qizhen, initiated the "change of seizing the door", escorted Zhu Qizhen into the palace, and announced the "reset of the emperor's father". Xu Youzhen, Shi Heng, Cao Jixiang and others who participated in the incident became heroes and received generous rewards: Xu Youzhen was named as the top martial arts scholar and a college student of Gaihuatang, and entered the cabinet with the title of Minister of War; Shi Heng was promoted to loyal monarch; Cao Jixiang got a lot of real estate and houses, and his adopted son Cao Qin was promoted to the commander-in-chief of justice. Two nephews, Cao Xuan and Cao Duo, were appointed as hereditary commanders of the Royal Guard, and soon they were promoted to commander in chief. Cao Jixiang became a hot figure, and together with his sons and nephews, he was called "Four Tigers of Cao Men".
In the whole Cao Jixiang Rebellion, Xu Youzhen, Shi Heng, Cao Jixiang and others were rewarded by Ming Yingzong for their work, and gradually developed into arrogance. They wantonly accepted bribes from others, falsely claiming that these people also contributed to the "change of seizing the door" and begged Ming Yingzong for an official position. There are more than 4,000 people in Shi Heng alone, and more than 2,000 people in Cao Jixiang. Xu Youzhen, Shi Heng and Cao Jixiang sell their titles by giving others honors. After a long time, Ming Yingzong gradually disliked them and began to alienate them.
Cao Jixiang and others not only took bribes wantonly, but also became arrogant, oppressed the people, robbed fertile land, and made the imperial court malodorous. Xu Youzhen, Shi Heng and Cao Jixiang are also in a state of division and intrigue with each other. Under the conspiracy of Cao Jixiang and Shi Heng, Xu Youzhen was the first to fall out of favor and was demoted to Guangdong for political participation. Cao Jixiang and Shi Heng don't know how to integrate, but become more dictatorial. In order to relieve their worries, Ming Yingzong finally succeeded in imprisoning Shi Heng's uncle with the help of civil servants and a security guard, and Shi Heng died in prison soon.
After Shi Heng's death, Cao Jixiang had the feeling of being used for the rabbit's death. He knew that Ming Yingzong might be the next person to clean up, and he was in a state of panic. Although Cao Jixiang does things carefully every day, his adopted son Cao Qin does not converge. At that time, Ming Yingzong had secretly sent a security guard to monitor Cao Shi's sons and nephews. On one occasion, Cao Qin lynched his family Cao Fulai and was impeached by the authorities. Ming Yingzong issued an imperial edict on this matter, warning ministers to abide by the law, which was actually to beat Cao Jixiang and Cao Qin. For Ming Yingzong's intention, Cao Qin also has some vigilance, because, when Ming Yingzong arrested Shi Heng's figurehead, he also made an imperial edict first, which is obviously a signal that Ming Yingzong wants to start work on Cao Cao!
Faced with this situation, Cao Qin decided to take the initiative. Only by actively attacking Ming Yingzong can he avoid the same fate as Shi Heng. It is said that before Cao Qin decided to rebel, he asked his protege Feng Yi, "Is there any eunuch's child born on the same day in history? Feng Yi said: "Your Wei Wudi (Cao Cao) is." Feng Yi's answer also added a lot of confidence to Cao Qin's resistance.
Before starting his work in Cao Qin, he invited his best friend, Shao Qing Tang Xu of Taichang Temple, who was in charge of Qin Tianjian and helped him choose an auspicious day. Tang Xu chose the second day of July to start his work. Before the activity began, Cao Qin called his best friends together to discuss the concrete action plan. What Cao Qin didn't expect was that one of his best friends was Ma Liang, and he was worried that things would not work out and would be implicated. Ma Liang secretly told Hou Wujin and "Wu Cong" in a broad sense. Wu Jin and Wu Cong were greatly surprised when they learned about it, and quickly told Huaining about their boredom. At this point, the sun boring is preparing to accept Ming Yingzong's orders.
Time was short, so Sun was bored and hurriedly wrote a letter, which emerged from the crack of the door of the West Gate of Chang 'an, and reported this situation to Ming Yingzong. When Ming Yingzong got the news, he immediately ordered the arrest of Cao Jixiang in the palace, and ordered the closure of nine doors to try his best to quell the rebellion in Cao Qin. Cao Qin also got a report that the news had been leaked. At this time, he had to immediately declare an uprising. First, on orders from Ming Yingzong, he rushed to the home of a hundred royal guards who were watching him and killed him. Then he took people to the court, killed Zuodu Yushi Koushen, and beheaded the official department ministers in the Eastern Dynasty.
Then, Cao Qin and his men began to attack the imperial city. But because Ming Yingzong had been prepared, the imperial city could not fight all the time, so it set people on fire. At this time, Sun's boring and peaceful Taiping Jin led the troops to encircle and encircle others. After a fierce battle, Cao Qin and other rebels were defeated. After fleeing back to his hometown, Sun led the troops in pursuit of him. In the case of no escape, Cao Qin committed suicide by throwing himself into a well. His other brothers, Cao Duo and Cao Xuan, were all killed by officers and men. Three days later, Cao Jixiang was captured in the palace and taken to Xicheng to be executed next year. This is the whole story of the rebellion in Cao Jixiang.
Cao Jixiang Rebellion Questioning Cao Jixiang Rebellion is recorded in detail in A Record of Ming Yingzong. However, people still have doubts about this, and some records are inconsistent. For example, The Record of Ming Yingzong does not record the number of people who rebelled against Cao Qin, but there are dozens of people recorded in The Record of Yuhong by Gao Dai, a scholar in Jiajing period. And Deng Yuanxi recorded 500 people in A Record of Ming Taizu. No matter whether it's dozens or 500 people, how dare Cao Qin stand up and resist? Therefore, the rebel theories of Cao Jixiang and Cao Qin are still open to question.
From our analysis of the rebellion in Cao Jixiang, it is not a rebellion. Can only be said to be a coward, revenge him, monitor him, and report to Qiu and other royal guards. If he really wants to rebel, he should directly attack the palace. Why did he go to Qiu's house to kill Qiu first? Another, what does it mean that he asked Li Xian to help him write his defense? Really want to rebellion completely unnecessary to explain to Ming Yingzong! Thus, Cao Qin's original intention is not to kill Ming Yingzong to be the emperor himself, but to get rid of the people around Ming Yingzong who are unfavorable to Cao Cao and force Ming Yingzong to change his view of Cao Cao.
Cao Jixiang, in particular, according to historical records, according to Cao Qin's arrangement, Cao Qin took action outside the palace, and Cao Jixiang met in the palace, but in fact Cao Jixiang was not prepared in the palace, and Ming Yingzong easily captured him, saying that his rebellion was really unjust, and it was entirely the involvement of Cao Qin.
Moreover, Ming Yingzong's handling of Cao Jixiang's remaining party afterwards is also very suspicious. According to Daming Law, as long as it involves rebellion, no matter whether it is the principal offender or coercion or inducement, it must be put to death. However, Ming Yingzong's handling of Cao Jixiang's remaining party member can be said to be very lenient, and Ming Yingzong only asked them to be "officials", that is, "retire". From this point of view, Ming Yingzong also knows that the rebellion in Cao Jixiang is inconclusive.
In my analysis, the reason why Ming Yingzong sentenced Cao Jixiang to "rebellion" is probably that Ming Yingzong used it as a means to crack down on Cao Cao's forces and eliminate Cao Jixiang's interference in imperial power as a hero of "regime change". Ming Yingzong only magnified Cao Qin's behavior and used it as an excuse to get rid of Cao Cao.
Cao Jixiang (? 146 1 year), from Luanzhou (now Luanxian County, Hebei Province). Yingzong entered the palace as an official before he ascended the throne and had a family. The reason why he "leads an honest and clean life" is unknown. Since Cao Jixiang entered the palace as a eunuch, he has been under the control of Wang Zhen and attached to this powerful eunuch. "The change of civil fort", Yingzong was captured and Wang Zhen was killed. Zhu Qiyu, the younger brother of Yingzong, succeeded Jingdi.
In the spring and summer of the first year of Jingtai (1450), Yingzong was released and returned to Beijing, where he lived in Nangong, the imperial city, and was called the emperor's father. Seven years later, in the first month of the eighth year of Jingtai (1457), with the help of eunuch Cao Jixiang and others, Jingdi became seriously ill and ascended the pole again, which was called "the restoration of Nangong" in history. In the first month of the eighth year of Jingtai (1457), Daizong was seriously ill. Taishou and Hanlin Shi Zhong asked the eunuch to discuss the abolition of Daizong and the reconstruction of Yingzong. So he decided to take advantage of Cao Jixiang's convenience in getting in and out of the palace to contact Yingzong. On the 16th day of the first month, at midnight, Xu Youzhen entered the palace ahead of schedule. Shi Heng and others led more than 65,438+soldiers to sneak into the Chang 'an Gate, with Cao Jixiang as the inside, and went straight into the Nangong. Under the escort of Cao Jixiang, Shi Heng and others, Yingzong got into a sedan chair and ran to the palace. Wait until dawn, Cao Jixiang bells and drums, open the door of the temple. The ministers who were waiting for the early dynasty did not expect that it was Yingzong who was sitting in the court. They looked at each other and were at a loss. I only heard Xu Youzhen say, "The emperor's father was restored. Why don't you go and see him? ! "
Cao Jixiang, who participated in the "Restoration of the Nangong", soon became a red man in the eyes of the British Sect and was deeply loved. After the successful restoration of Yingzong, those who supported him were rewarded for their meritorious service. Cao Jixiang was appointed to be in charge of Li Si Prison and the 3rd Battalion of the Governor, and mastered the military and political power of the capital. Shi Heng became a knight loyal to lord protector, and Xu Youzhen became a martial arts master. Cao Jixiang and others became important figures in the imperial court overnight.
Cao Jixiang influenced Yingzong, and the first thing they did after taking power was to suppress the upright ministers in the DPRK. They first pointed the finger at Yu Qian, the direct commander of Beijing's defense war. Yu Qian, a loyal minister who served the country faithfully, was finally killed for drinking unjust wine on charges of "unwarranted".
Cao Jixiang of Donghuamen in the Forbidden City deceived Yingzong, excluded Zhongliang, and even dreamed of becoming an emperor one day. Cao Jixiang, the central organ in charge of the imperial court, was able to enter and leave the court at will; His sons and nephews all hold the relieving power, and Cao Qin, the heir, served as viceroy and tongzhi, and soon became the title of Zhao, and his nephew and Cao Duo became viceroy. Since then, the next generation of eunuchs' children have been knighted. Cao Jixiang is surrounded by a group of Nuo Nuo-worshippers, whose arrogance is comparable to that of "old-timer" Wang Zhen.
In July of the fifth year of Tianshun (146 1), Cao Jixiang also knew that a catastrophe was coming, and decided to take risks and strike first. It was agreed with Cao Qin that Cao Qin led the troops into the palace and led the imperial army to meet them, thus abolishing Yingzong in one fell swoop. But the news leaked out. Yingzong quickly arrested Cao Jixiang and ordered the four gates of the palace and nine gates of the capital to be closed. After fighting with the guards, Cao Qin committed suicide by jumping into a well, and Cao Duo and his family, old and young, were massacred.
The mutiny launched by the Cao Jixiang family was suppressed overnight. Three days later, Cao Jixiang's limbs were cut off, and his cronies Tang Xu and Feng Yi were punished.