Zhao Gao, who “refers to deer as horses”, has always been known for his bossy image in history. However, a historian recently pointed out in his new book that Zhao Gao is not only a eunuch but also a versatile person, and as a descendant of Zhao, he is also the mastermind of the destruction of Qin! Such an assertion of Zhao Gao’s “vindication” has triggered fierce disputes among many readers, and even shocked the historians. Is the real Zhao Gao for “revenge against Qin”, or for “selfish desires”? Why was the powerful Qin Dynasty so short? Who destroyed it? The tyranny of the first emperor? II’s stupidity? Or Zhao Gao’s director?
Introducer
Zhao Gao was a distant relative of the state of Zhao and the king of Zhao. After the fall of the state of Zhao, he was copied into the palace because of his relationship with the king of Zhao. Stealing the children of criminals into the palace is a major source of eunuchs in all dynasties. Zhao Gao is tall, powerful, refined, and good at spying on Wang’s mind. Since Shang Yang’s reform, the Qin Dynasty has governed the country by law, and its national strength has become strong. Later, successive dynasties pursued it continuously, and finally unified the world at the time of Qin Shihuang. After tasting the benefits of the rule of law, Qin Shihuang pushed the rule of law to the extreme in order to subdue the people of the six countries with a high-pressure policy. He accepted Lisi’s proposal to burn books and bury Confucianism, exterminate hundreds of theories, and let people take officials as teachers and advocate the law. Zhao Gao was smart and wise. He could recite the legal provisions, so he was deeply liked by the first emperor of Qin. He was promoted to be the order of Zhongche mansion, responsible for the emperor’s travel and seal printing, and became the most powerful person among eunuchs. Zhao Gaochang assisted in the handling of state affairs around the first emperor of Qin Dynasty, which enabled him to have full access to state secrets.
In his later years, Zhao Gao saw that Qin Shihuang was old, so he began to consider who could take over the throne of Qin Shihuang, and he could rely on it earlier. He had a detailed and profound understanding of the virtues, talents, personalities, hobbies and other aspects of the more than 20 sons of the first emperor of Qin. According to common sense, the eldest son Fusu Kuanren is loyal and has both political integrity and ability. He has the most authority among the courtiers and is certainly the most likely to become an heir. However, because he repeatedly exhorted the first emperor to treat the people with leniency and opposed to governing the country with severe punishment and cool law, he often angered the first emperor. Among the other sons, Zhao GAO found that the youngest son Hu Hai was the favorite of Qin Shihuang. So he tried every means to win over and please the arrogant, ignorant and opinionated dandy. Zhao Gao responded to Hu Hai’s psychology everywhere to meet his needs. With his ability to change direction according to the wind, be exquisite in all aspects, and be able to talk, he soon won Hu Hai’s favor. The first emperor was also very happy to see him. Later, Zhao Gao was simply asked to be Hu Hai’s teacher to teach him calligraphy, writing and prison laws. Hu Hai was deeply spoiled by the first emperor. How could he settle down to study what law? Therefore, Zhao Gao is entrusted to handle all matters of sentencing and litigation. Zhao Gao was well aware of the temperament of the first emperor, “the pleasure of killing is the power of punishment”. Therefore, in case of a criminal case, he always used harsh words to create a felony, in order to cater to the intention of the first emperor. On the one hand, he flattered Hu Hai and guided his pleasure, thus winning the favor of the first emperor and his son.
II ascended the throne
Qinshihuang later died on his way out. Qin Shihuang suddenly fell ill and finally died when the Qin brigade came to pingyuanjin (now the South Yellow River Ferry in Shandong plain). At the last moment, Emperor Qinshihuang left an imperial edict to his eldest son Fusu, asking him to hand over the army to Meng Tian and return to Xianyang to attend the funeral. In fact, it was to let Fusu return to Beijing and ascend the throne. Dune is more than 2000 miles away from Xianyang, the capital. In addition, the first emperor did not clearly set up a prince before his death. Therefore, once the news is spread, it is likely that the princes will fight for the throne, or the anti Qin forces in various places will take advantage of the opportunity. At this time, the prime minister Lisi, proceeding from the overall situation of the country, ordered the secretary not to lose his mourning and quickly rushed back to Xianyang. At that time, this secret was known only by Lisi, Zhao Gao, Hu Hai and his trusted eunuchs, a total of fiveorsix people, while others knew nothing. At that time, Zhao Gao said to Hu Hai, “the Lord has died, leaving no imperial edict to enfegate the princes, but only an imperial edict to the princes Fusu. As soon as you arrive in Xianyang, you will be emperor immediately, but you don’t even have an inch of land. What will you do?” Hu Hai was just a playboy with no idea. He said helplessly, “it’s taken for granted. I heard that no one understands his ministers better than Jun, and no one knows his son better than his father. His father and emperor died, and he didn’t enfegate all princes and sons. What’s there to say about being a son?” Zhao Gao reminded him, “you can’t say so. The current situation can’t be changed. The princes and the Meng brothers are not around. Now the power of life and death in the world is all in the hands of you, me and the prime minister Lisi. I hope you will make plans early. You should know how to make others subject to yourself and yourself to others, and how to control people and be controlled by others in the same day?” So Zhao Gao persuaded Hu Hai, and then began to work for Lisi.
Due to his position, Zhao Gao has worked with Lisi for a long time and has a good relationship. He went to see Lisi alone to explain the situation and hoped that Lisi could help him. Although Lisi knew that what Zhao Gao said was true, he had worked under the first emperor of Qin for many years and formed a habit in his heart that the emperor’s instructions were natural and unalterable. So he still disagreed with Zhao Gao’s proposition. Zhao Gao said: “I’ve heard that saints are also fickle in dealing with the world, and they always change their practices according to the changes of the situation. How can they cling to the old method forever? Now the power and destiny of the world are in Hu Hai’s hands, and I Zhao Gao is not worried about being placed in high position. It’s only because you and I have been for many years that I can’t help telling the truth. The prime minister is mature and experienced, and should know the interests. Those who are out of the field should subdue those who are in the court, which is called confusion; those who are in the lower position should subdue those who are in the upper position Yes, it’s called making trouble. Therefore, a burst of autumn frost, flowers and plants will wither; Spring tide life, all things will flourish, this is the inevitable result ah, why are you not enlightened? ” Li Si was finally persuaded by Zhao Gao and conspired with Zhao Gao to establish Hu Hai. After Hu Hai, Zhao Gao and Li Si reached an agreement, they began to implement a palace coup that directly changed the fate of the Qin Dynasty. Although Zhao Gao was the mastermind of the coup, Li Si was the executor. Without his consent, no imperial edict could be issued. At the same time, Li Si had served for many years, and his status and prestige in China were unmatched by Zhao Gao.
Zhao Gao first destroyed the “seal book” given to Fusu by the first emperor of Qin Dynasty, and forged a deathbed will for the prime minister Lisi, setting Hu Hai as the crown prince, and ordered Fusu, the eldest son, to die in the name of the first emperor of Qin Dynasty. After the funeral, Hu Hai officially ascended the throne and ascended the throne, known as Qin II. Zhao Gaosheng was appointed as a doctor, and often lived in the palace to participate in decision-making. From then on, he began his days in the imperial court.
discriminate against those who hold different views
After Zhao Gao gained power, he remembered that Meng Yi had sentenced himself to death. It can be said that he had deep hatred and hatred. If he did not get rid of it earlier, it would inevitably constitute future trouble. He said that he would kill Meng Tian and Meng Yi. Because of Zhao Gao’s intrigue, the second emperor got the throne that didn’t belong to him. He was very grateful to Zhao Gao and obeyed his words, so he ordered Meng Tian and Meng Yi to be executed.
At this time, many people began to doubt the authenticity of the imperial edict of Qinshihuang. The second’s half brothers talked about it one after another, and the ministers and officials were also suspicious, which spread to the second’s ears and made him deeply worried. Therefore, Zhao Gao began to frame up, and the second emperor Lianxing prison. All the ministers and princes who were guilty were handed over to Zhao Gao. Therefore, Zhao Gao was able to kill and waved the butcher’s knife at the princes. Within a few days, a big prison was formed, arresting twelve princesses, ten princesses and several old ministers. Under the torture of Zhao Gao, all of them were interrogated as conspiracy against felony. As a result, twelve princes were killed in Xianyang City, while ten princesses were mutilated in du you, and all their belongings were confiscated into the official, “countless people sit together.”. Qin Shihuang’s children were all killed; All meritorious officials, except LISS, were almost cleaned up, forming a situation that “laws and punishments are increasingly profound, all ministers are in danger, and several rebels are numerous”. At the same time, Zhao Gao placed his cronies in key positions in the court. For example, his younger brother Zhao Cheng was appointed as a doctor’s order, holding the guard of the capital and the emperor, and his son-in-law Yan le was appointed as a Xianyang order. Other officials, such as the censor, the repressor, and the sergeant, have also been replaced by Zhao Gao’s people. Zhao Gao’s claws, teeth, ears, and eyes are everywhere in the court. At this time, Zhao Gao had controlled the state power through the second emperor, but he was still worried that once the second emperor understood and came to power in person, he would return to the situation of the first emperor of Qin Dynasty. Although he was favored, he could not play politics recklessly, so he looked for an opportunity to implement the “fool king” policy against the second emperor. One day, the second said to him, “life in the world is like a white horse passing through a gap. Now that I have ruled the world, I should ‘know what my ears and eyes are like, and I should be happy when I am poor.’ do you think it is OK to ‘end my hundred years of life’?” Zhao Gaoying said to him, “wise monarchs should do this, and those who oppose are stupid monarchs.” The second hated to deal with state affairs. With the encouragement of Zhao Gao, he handed over all affairs to Zhao Gao and devoted himself to playing. Zhao Gao’s “foolish king policy” was officially implemented.
Zhao Gao’s second step was to completely isolate the second from the ministers, that is, to firmly hold the second in his own hands, and no one could reflect his bad deeds to the ears of the second. For this reason, he even slandered his only comrade in arms, LISS, to death. From then on, Hu Hai only heard the voice of Zhao Gao, who had greater power than the emperor. In the following days, Zhao Gao accompanied Hu hai to spend all day drinking and drinking, which eventually led to the collapse of the state of Qin. Therefore, Zhao Gao played a great role in the collapse of the state of Qin, but this was definitely not Zhao Gao’s intention, because he had already reached the level of primary control of the country.