Late Tang, Part 2: The Sweet Dew Conspiracy: 晚唐之初- 甘露之谋
In 827 an unassuming 17 year old prince walked into a den of vipers to take the place of his recently murdered brother, the former emperor of Tang China. He was only able to get this far- or more precisely~ be allowed to get this far because he was seen as a useful, unassuming puppet by the true master of the imperial palace, the chief eunuch Wang Shoucheng- the kingmaker behind the throne who had a hand in appointing 3 weak Tang emperors and a hand in killing one of the best ones.
However, despite the teenager's unassuming exterior, in his heart, he aimed to start a war. A war for his family, and start a deadly game of intrigue to take down the most powerful man in the realm, to take the country back for his clan. The spider web that was meant to trap him would be his to wield.
THE TIGER'S CAGE- SUBMISSIVE MUMMERY
The first years of Li Ang (Emperor Wenzong) 's reign began inconspicuously. Knowing that he was only put into his position as a puppet he did much of his duties by the book. Like his predecessors, his first acts included paying great homage to the eunuchs- physically his closest advisers within the palace (and the true master of all within the palace) Li Ang paid respects to Wang Shoucheng by promoting him to become the Great General of the Swift Cavalry Piaoqi Dajiangjun (骠骑大将军) and also the Commander of the Right Shence Army (右神策军). This placated the eunuch Grey Eminence. Doubtlessly, these were positions that Wang had long angled after and these elevations served as a badge of proof for Li Ang to ingratiate himself to the kingmaker.
Li Ang (the Wenzong Emperor) played up the core quality in which he was chosen to become the puppet emperor: Submissiveness. He played the part of a submissive facilitator, ever receptive to powerful figure's suggestions and ready to carry out their interests.
The court Li Ang waded into had 3 powerful Dowager Empresses, who all had their own network of allies and servants, he also had no true authorities to wield his eunuchs. Although they were technically his servants, by this point they had already assassinated emperors that threatened their rule and killed everyone that threatened their dominance of the imperial palace. Thus, Li Ang's reign began with placating the 3 Dowager Empresses and the chief eunuchs.
WENZONG'S RULE: DILIGENCE A PARTISAN COURT
Unlike two of his irresponsible and self absorbed predecessors, Li Ang regularly attended court and regularly heard the pleas and petitions from his ministers. Frugality and diligence defined his early reign. And his reputation carried beyond the palace. When the common people heard of their new sovereign's studiousness and diligence they were overjoyed, and hoped that his reign might lead to a new age of peace. The result however, was rather mixed. Despite his pledge of diligence, the realm he inherited was still rife with the same wars with the Jiedushi warlords and powerful empires on Tang's frontiers.
MID TANG POLITICS: INTERNAL PARTISANSHIP AND EXTERNAL PRESSURE
When key Jiedushi warlords died of old age in the north, he meddled in their succession disputes and witheld their right of succession/ or supported candidates who could be useful puppets to the Tang. Despite the Jiedushi's autonomy their office still has to be officially approved and appointed by the sitting Tang emperor- a process that did not become full automatic inheritance until the last days of Tang. Thus whenever a Jiedushi of the north died Tang often used this period of vacancy to swoop in and try to break them up or cut down to size.
WRANGLING THE HAUGHTY WARLORDS
By Mid Tang, large swaths of what is today Hebei and northern Henan province would be filled with military- governors ruling many prefectures and imperial circuits under their direct personal control. These Jiedushi 节度使 were independent and had absolute power onto themselves, with most of them fielding a private army which numbered well over 50,000. Though they were technically Tang vassals, they jealously guarded their autonomy. In order to prevent imperial seizure or (frequent) imperial military interventions during a succession crisis, many of the Jiedushi that controlled respective provinces married each each other and created a coalition alliance against Tang revanchists.
During the first 6 years of Wenzong's reign, the Tang contended in all directions, in the northeast against the warlords north of the Yellow River, in the southwest against the kingdom of Nanzhao's raids, and in the West against the Tibetan Empire (Tufan) usually to poor and mediocre results. It was a picture that befits the rest of the Mid Tang period, mixed results, impasses, and at most momentary concessions, occasional gains and temporary advantages. During these 6 years Wang Shoucheng and the eunuch's power remained unchallenged.
A DUEL OF WITS: THE FIRST ATTEMPT ON WANG SHOUCHENG
As time went by, Emperor Wenzong came to be apprehensive that those he believed to be involved in Emperors Xianzong's and his brother Jingzong's death were still in the palace, and, in particular, he became displeased at Wang Shoucheng's hold on politics and open receptions of bribery. In Wang Wenzong saw both the root of the court's corruption, the ineptitude of the imperial bureaucracy, and a dangerous converging net that all owe their position and loyalty to Wang. He thought about removing the eunuchs.
He began to discuss a way to counteract Wang with the imperial scholar Song Shenxi, and in 830- the 3rd year of his rule, Wenzong made Song chancellor. Further discussions with the chancellor included a plan to remove Wang from his position in court. However, during this conspiracy, in 831, one of the conspirators brought in to the scheme: leaked the plan, and Wang Shoucheng and his right hand man Zheng Zhu came to know about the plan.
THE CUNNING OF ZHENG ZHU- WANG SHOUCHENG'S RIGHT HAND
One of Wang Shoucheng's closest associates, Zheng Zhu maintained close association with the chief eunuch Wang, and it was said that those who wanted positions could bribe Zheng and have him persuade Wang to have them commissioned, such that people were anxious to ingratiate him. When Wenzong's plot against Wang was leaked, instead of mobilizing a single soldier or drawing a single sword, instead of defense or offense, he simply opted for a narrative.
Realizing that both the Chancellor and the Emperor were against him, Wang Shoucheng did not dare to risk open warfare against Wenzong because he lacked the legitimacy needed to take on two of the men who were supposed to be the most powerful inside the realm. Instead, Wang utilized subterfuge. Wang's brilliant aide Zheng reacted by ordering the Shence Army officer Doulu Zhu (豆卢着) to falsely accuse Chancellor Song of plotting treason to put Emperor Wenzong's younger brother Li Cou the Prince of Zhang on the throne. When Wang Shoucheng relayed the accusation to Emperor Wenzong, Wenzong believed it and was furious. Soon Wenzong had his Chancellor (and actual loyal co- conspirator) arrested.
During the Chancellor's imprisonment, the Shence Army's officers had one of Chancellor Song's secretaries grievously tortured and forced a fake confession that he had seen Chancellor Song in close contact with Prince Li Cou. This is most definitely a forced confession and fabricated by Shence officers loyal to Wang. Chancellor Song was found to be guilty and was set to be executed.
Wang Shoucheng initially wanted to take this opportunity to massacre Song's whole household, but was stopped by another powerful eunuch, Ma Cunliang (马存亮). It was at this time, many of the more astute ministers who had long despised Wang Shoucheng and the Shence Army rallied around Wenzong and urged discretion, and urged a reinvestigation by imperial government officials and not the henchmen from Shence Army. In time, Wenzong's rage mellowed and in his sobriety took their advices to heart.
Zheng, fearing that a reinvestigation would lead to discovery of the truth, suggested to Wang Shoucheng that he recommend to Emperor Wenzong that neither Song nor Li Cou be executed. Li Cou was thus demoted to the title of Duke of Chao County (巢县, in modern Chaohu, Anhui) while Song was demoted to be the military advisor to the prefect of Kai Prefecture (开州, in modern Chongqing). Thus, without even firing a single arrow and unsheath a single sword did Zheng deflect a mortal blow from Wang. He had forced Wenzong to willingly cut off one of his own arms. Little did Wenzong, Wang Shoucheng, or even himself probably know, that 3 years later, he would become one of Wenzong's new arms against Wang.
SLIP THROUGH THE TIGHT NET
In 833- the 6th year of his rule, Wenzong suffered a stroke and for some time, was unable to speak. Wang Shoucheng- who wanted a close associate near the Emperor recommended Zheng Zhu to him, and Zheng was recalled to treat Wenzong. Zheng was able to- almost miraculously help Emperor Wenzong's conditions to improve, and Emperor Wenzong thereafter associated closely with Zheng. Soon they performed many duties together (a factor that Wang Shoucheng would have undoubtedly looked on with favor since it meant his eyes were close to the troublesome emperor.)
What the chief eunuch did not realize was that when Wenzong and Zheng Zhu talked, they began to talk about how to get rid of Wang Shoucheng and massacre the eunuchs, with the long aim of restoring the imperial clan to power. By some miracle Wenzong was able to convince the wild card Zheng Zhu to his side.
THE TWO PERFECT CONSPIRATORS
Wenzong was able to court another very influential official whom he trusted to his side. The brilliant Li Zhongyan (later known as Li Xun- a name we shall refer to him by in our story.) In both the Old Book and New Book of Tang it was revealed that Li Xun was a golden child, and was personally related to 2 of Tang's previous chancellors. It was said that Li Zhongyan was tall, handsome, charismatic, well-spoken, dexterous, and good at reading people's emotions. Li Xun had attained his position through bribing Zheng (the common protocol during this corrupt period) and after been made loyal to Wang's interests, he was passed on to Wenzong, who likewise was impressed with his charisma, eloquence and astute wit. Most of all? Because he was so closely related to Li Fengji~ the Chancellor whom Wang Shoucheng had cooperated for many years with and had long relied on: Li Xun was someone Wang thought of as under his own control.
Because both Li Xun and Zheng Zhu were long time close associates of Wang Shoucheng, and it was Wang who personally introduced both to Emperor Wenzong. They were not suspected by the eunuchs of any possible danger they might harbor for the chief eunuch. In reality, both men began plotting with Wenzong to destroy the powerful eunuch and purge the palace of the eunuchs.
As of summer 835, Li Xun and Zheng had persuaded Wenzong with a detailed plan that included a three-phase plan for him to pacify the empire — first destroying the eunuchs, then recovering the lands recently lost to the Tibetan Empire, then swinging east to destroy the warlords north of the Yellow River.
DEFANG THE TIGERS
To placate Wang Shoucheng and simultaneously eliminate the tripartite bloc of Wei, Yang, and Wang Jianyan, Wenzong had the three of Wei, Yang, and Wang Jianyan sent out of the capital Chang An to serve as eunuch monitors of three different circuits, and later- once they were without close access to subordinates nor their base of power, Wenzong sent them an imperial edict with armed guards and promptly ordered them to commit suicide. Their death were then hidden away from the palace and not reported. Then the noose tightened.
Also as part of the plan, Zheng was sent out of Chang An to serve as the military governor (Jiedushi) of Fengxiang Circuit to the west of Chang An (凤翔, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi), so that Zheng could gather troops to use against the eunuchs.
Li Xun and Zheng also had six eunuchs who had conflicts with Wang Shoucheng previously, to be sent out of Chang'an to survey six remote circuits, planning to eventually send edicts drafted by the imperial scholar Gu Shiyong (顾师邕) to the six circuits to order them to commit suicide later.
THE DEATH OF THE GREY EMINENCE
After all of the figurative go- chess pieces have been positioned. Wenzong, Zheng Zhu, and Li Xun directly went after Wang Shoucheng. At Zheng's and Li Xun's suggestion, Wenzong sent the eunuch Li Haogu (李好古) to Wang's mansion with poisoned wine, and ordered Wang to commit suicide. Wang, caught flatfooted by the abruptness of the demand- by now realized that he had been trapped, and all of his powerful aides were deployed far away thus unable to help him in the hour of need conceded defeat. Wang's death was soon reported back to Wenzong. But although he was elated with the report, publicly, Emperor Wenzong did not allow the details be known, and posthumously honored Wang instead. Instead- the traitor's grand funeral would be a homing beacon to draw in all of the eunuchs across the empire. The web had became the emperor's.
Instead of damning the chief eunuch, Wenzong plied the dead eunuch with lamentations. The emperor also lavished heaps and heaps of tributes in his honor. The pretext for the grand funeral of the eunuch would serve as a beacon to draw in all of the eunuchs from across the empire under 1 roof in the imperial palace.
WEILDING THE SPIDER WEB
Despite his keen skills Li Xun was a haughty man- was always desperate for high appointments and be in the limelight, was eager to receive sole credit for the purging of the eunuchs, before Zheng was able to arrive with his guards, Li Xun tried to replicate the same results with his own soldiers and personally move the time table forward by a weak. Worse yet, he had decided to do so without Wenzong's knowledge.
THE MIRACULOUS SWEET DEW
By December, nearly all of the important eunuchs across the empire had gathered in the Daming Palace to pay their respects to Wang Shoucheng. The date of burial was set to December 20, the day where Zheng Zhu would attend with large cohort of guards under his personal command. However, Li Xun's own private plan would be sprung a week before he arrives.
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