The bright moon was there at that time, and it once illuminated the colorful clouds.
——Excerpt from "Linjiang Immortal: High Locks on the Tower after Dream" by Yan Jidao (Song Dynasty)
…
At the beginning of the third year of Qianyuan, the imperial court made several appointments of border officials:
Because King Yuchi Sheng of Khotan (XJHT City) and the Jiedu envoys of the four towns all went to the Central Plains to quell the rebels. On the 24th of the first lunar month, the imperial court appointed Yuchi Sheng's younger brother Yuchi Yao as the deputy envoy of the four towns to temporarily take charge of Khotan.
State affairs.
The Qiang Dangxiang tribe in the northwest of Bashu continued to encroach on the borders of the Tang Dynasty and approached the capital.
The imperial court divided the Pingning War Zone (headquartered in Pizhou, today's Binzhou City, Shaanxi Province), and established the Fangfang Danyan War Zone (headquartered in Fanzhou, today's Fuxian County, Shaanxi Province), also known as the Weibei War Zone;
He ordered Sang Rugui, the governor of Pizhou, to serve as the military envoy of the Pingning War Zone; he ordered Du Mian, the governor of Pizhou and the deputy military envoy of the Danyan War Zone in Yifang, to attack the Party Headquarters respectively.
On the 26th of the first lunar month, the imperial court appointed the veteran Guo Ziyi as the governor of the two theaters listed above, but he did not take up his post and remained in the capital, using Guo Ziyi's reputation as governor.
It is said that the eunuchs Li Fuguo and Yu Chaoen wanted the imperial court not to hand over military power to Guo Ziyi.
Speaking of Li Fuguo, Li Guangbi and Bai Fu talked all night long and talked about this person repeatedly.
Li Guangbi told Bai Fu: "To be a general, you must not only know the military, but also the government. To lead the army, you must always pay attention to what is going on in the court."
Today, the power in the DPRK is not in the hands of a few prime ministers, but in the hands of the eunuch Li Fuguo..."
During the Maweipo Incident, Li Fuguo was one of the main heroes who supported Suzong's accession to the throne.
After Suzong Lingwu ascended the throne, he granted Li Fugu the important position of Marching Sima in the Marshal's Mansion. This position was a temporary establishment during wartime and had great power: all the edicts issued by His Majesty the Emperor to the civil and military officials, and the documents and memorials submitted to the imperial court from various places had to go through
Li Fuguo's Reading Office. In addition, the most important seals, talismans and other items in the imperial court and the army were also in charge of Li Fuguo. Even the morning and evening orders in the army were issued by Li Fuguo.
After regaining the two capitals, Li Fuguo's power became more and more powerful. He lived in the palace and was specifically in charge of the Beiya Imperial Army. The emperor's edicts and orders could only be issued after being signed by Li Fuguo;
All kinds of instructions and edicts had to go through Li Fuguo's "Guanbai, Chengzhi", that is, transit.
It is equivalent to assuming the power of the emperor!
Li Fuguo works in the Yintaimen official office every day. All matters in the world, no matter how big or small, are decided by Li Fuguo alone! After the incident, he will report to Suzong.
Li Fuguo knew his identity well and acted as a eunuch, which was inconsistent with the laws of the court.
In order to consolidate power and prevent officials from being impeached, Li Fuguo set up a secret agency, the Mastiff Guard, and raised dozens of martial arts magicians who acted as hawks and dogs to spy on the privacy of officials.
Once the evidence against a political opponent is discovered, he will immediately be arrested and imprisoned, and the mastiff guards will be ordered to torture him to extract a confession. Once the crime is confirmed, the men of the family will be hanged, and the women and children will be sent to Yeyouting as slaves.
All the officials in the court changed their expressions when they heard the name of the Mastiff Guard. Photographed in the photo of the Mastiff Guard's lustful power, the six ministries in the court obeyed Li Fuguo's orders, and no one dared to resist or disobey.
As long as a serious criminal in the custody of Yushitai or Dali Temple could bribe Li Fuguo heavily through connections, Li Fuguo could bring the prisoner to his Yintai Gate official office and release him at will, even if the case had not yet been completed.
Over time, the three divisions (Yu Shi Tai, Dali Temple, and the Ministry of Justice) and the government and county yamen at all levels had to first ask Li Fuguo for instructions on trial cases, and took the initiative to send the files to Li Fuguo's mansion, and acted according to Li Fuguo's eyes.
Facing the powerful Li Fuguo, the government and the public were vying to flatter him; his fellow eunuchs did not dare to address him by his official title, so they all affectionately called him "Wu Lang"; Prime Minister Li Kui was born in a wealthy family in Shandong (east of Mount Wei), and in front of him
He also respected him as a disciple and respectfully called him "Five Fathers". Even the prime ministers respected him in this way, let alone ordinary officials.
…
After Bai Fu heard this, he looked indignant and stood up, saying: "Such a national traitor should be punished by everyone!"
Li Guangbi made a silent gesture and said: "This matter is not that simple. It involves His Majesty's imperial mentality."
Bai Fu said: "Commander, how do you say this?"
Li Guangbi said: "The Art of War says: 'The general is the auxiliary of the country. If he assists the Zhou Dynasty, the country will be strong, but if he assists Zhou, the country will be weak.'
Since ancient times, emperors must have five types of talents around them to serve them and assist the emperor in achieving his great cause: confidants, thighs, ears and eyes, mouthpiece, minions and wings."
Bai Fu asked: "What is the difference between the thigh and the henchman?"
Li Guangbi smiled meaningfully and said: "Let's put it this way, there is a kind of minister who can assist Emperor Zuo to do a hundred good deeds. This kind of minister is a 'guku'.
There is also a kind of courtier who the emperor is willing to take with him to do bad things. This kind of courtier is the "confidant".
The Sichuan Clan and the Tang Clan are descendants of the Shu Han, so I will take the Shu Han as an example.
A confidant represents absolute loyalty. Without such a person, the organization cannot be controlled. Therefore, Liu Bei and Liu Huangshu's confidant in Yizhou was Fa Zheng, not Kong Ming.
A man may not be loyal, but his ability can stand alone. Without the talent of a man, an emperor cannot achieve his great cause, and he may die of exhaustion and collapse in his prime. Zhuge Kongming is Uncle Liu Huang's man."
Bai Fu nodded, expressing understanding, and then asked: "What do the other types of people represent?"
Li Guangbi said: "Ears and eyes are people who have the ability to find out real information.
As an emperor, you must not be deceived by people below. Therefore, an emperor's eyes and ears can directly contact the emperor and send first-hand information to the emperor. For example, the Shuhan School Affairs Department, the predecessor of the Tang Sect in Sichuan.
A mouthpiece is a person who can help beautify the emperor and whitewash peace. For example, Zhang Shuo, the prime minister during Xuanzong's Kaiyuan period, helped Xuanzong preside over the Taishan Zen Ceremony and eulogized the prosperous Kaiyuan era.
Xu Jingye launched an army to rebel. The reason why the arrogant Emperor Zetian spared his aide, King Luo Bin, was because of King Luo Bin's petition "Pleading for War for Xu Jingye". He was so passionate and so angry that Emperor Zetian was impressed by him.
Emperor Zetian read "A handful of soil is not dry yet, how can a six-foot lone man be supported?" and sighed: "It is the prime minister's fault that he has such a talent and is reduced to nothing by accident!"
The talent mentioned by Emperor Zetian is a rare mouthpiece talent.
…
Minions, foolish, loyal and brave, can not only serve the emperor to death, but also have the strength to eliminate all political enemies for the emperor.
Uncle Liu's minions were the two generals Guan and Zhang, not Zhao Yun and Zhao Zilong.
…
Feather Wings is not the emperor's subordinate, but he can endorse the emperor. He is the flag that the emperor pulls out the tiger skin to make a big banner.
The wing of Cao Cao and Cao Mengde was Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty. He used the emperor to command the princes and subdued countless advisers and generals loyal to the Han Dynasty, such as Xun or others."
…
After Li Guangbi explained, he returned to Li Fuguo and said:
"Li Fuguo is His Majesty's minions, and his mastiff guards are his eyes and ears. Do you think Your Majesty doesn't know about Li Fuguo's various evil deeds?
In the final analysis, Lingwu ascended the throne and took the position improperly. This is His Majesty's fault.
Now that the Supreme Emperor is still here, and all the princes are eyeing him, His Majesty needs someone whom he trusts enough to control the power of the palace. At the same time, he needs to use some special means to control the officials and control the civil and military affairs, so as to consolidate his rule. For example, the Mastiff Guard.
Li Fuguo, as a former official of the East Palace, had the merit of supporting the establishment and was also a eunuch, so he was certainly the best candidate to act as a minion.
In His Majesty's opinion, no matter how domineering and authoritarian people like Li Fuguo and Yu Chaoen are, in the final analysis they are just pure slaves, and there is absolutely no way they can usurp the throne and become emperor. Compared with the royal family members and Jiedu envoys, they are more reassuring to the emperor.
Of course, if Li Fuguo's power expands too much, His Majesty will not let it go. He will use other people's hands to beat Li Fuguo.
In April of the second year of Qianyuan, Li Xian, who had just been promoted to prime minister, could not stand Li Fuguo's autocratic and chaotic government, so he collected some evidence of his corruption and perversion of the law, and then complained to Suzong, demanding severe punishment for Li Fuguo.
At this time, Suzong also realized that Li Fuguo had too much power, expressed his praise for Li Xian's integrity, took the opportunity to weaken Li Fuguo's power, dismissed the Mastiff Guards, and allowed subsequent edicts and orders to be issued by the Zhongshu Province in accordance with traditional procedures.
At the same time, all execution powers for matters inside and outside the palace will be returned to the Sixth Department and the Third Department."
Bai Fu was confused and asked: "But I heard that your Majesty charged Li Xian with "making friends", dismissed him from the post of prime minister, and demoted him to the position of governor of Shuzhou.
After Li Xian was dismissed and demoted, Li Fuguo's position in the court was not shaken, and he still had power in the government and the public. The civil and military officials of the entire court were respectful to Li Fuguo and obeyed his orders."
Li Guangbi sighed: "
After all, Li Fuguo is His Majesty's dog. Use Li Xian to beat Li Fuguo to prevent the dog from getting carried away and biting its owner. After Li Fuguo obediently tucks his tail, he will remove Li Xian and reward him with a bone.
If Li Fuguo is not appeased, there will no longer be absolutely loyal minions around him; sacrificing Li Xian will allow these minions to continue to check and balance the officials and stabilize the throne.
This is Your Majesty's imperial art - to use kindness and power at the same time, killing chickens to scare monkeys."