User:Kamek98/Deadliest Histories/Disasters
The Peak of Power
[edit]During the third year of Yongshou, which lasted from 28 January 157 to 15 February 158, there was an uprising against the Prefect of Jufeng led by Zhu Da and local barbarians. They killed the prefect. Zhu Da and his allies gathered an army of four thousand or five thousand men and went on to attack the Jiuzhen Commandery (九真) capital. Killed in battle was Ni Shi, the Grand Administrator of Jiuzhen. The Chief Commandant of Jiuzhen, Wei Lang, was sent to crush the rebellion.[1]
Locusts had later stormed the capital district. Someone suggested that the people were distressed over inferior value of coinage but a scholar named Liu Tao denied that it was so. His rebuttal cited that it was in fact locusts destroying chattel, and government seizing belongings as well, that was causing distress amongst the people. The response was powerful enough to prevent coinage changes from being made.[1]
Changsha saw the rise of a rebellion in 157 CE as well, affecting Yiyang County.[1]
During the same year, solar eclipses occurred frequently. Prefect Grand Astrologer Chen Shou[Notes 1] blamed Liang Ji for the eclipses. Liang Ji was vexed by this claim and he had Chen Shou arrested by Luoyang authorities. He was examined with torcher and he died while in prison. Emperor Huan was not pleased by this route of action and became disgusted with Liang Ji.[1]
In 158 CE, the Wuhuan, thee Xianbi, and the Xiongnu allied themselves in rebellion against the Han. They attacked nine commanderies along the frontier.[1] Zhang Huan was appointed through an imperial edict to attack the barbarians.[1] The Wuhuan and the Xiongnu had used fire against Chen Gui. The Han army had withdrawn to Chikeng. Zhang Huan, however, had managed to tie secret connections between the Wuhuan and the Han. The Wuhuan had decided to defect and they struck the armies under the Xiongnu and the Chuge. The Han and the Wuhuan successfully forced their foes into surrender.[1]
Liang Ji had accused Chen Gui of ruining dignity of the Han by giving the Xiongnu no reason to fear the strength of the state. Chen Gui lost his position and, as a result of this, Chen Gui had requested retirement. Chen Gui later returned to a position within the court and sent a letter to the Emperor Huan. The letter included accusations of crimes committed by Liang Ji and a request for the execution of Liang. It was not approved. Chen Gui was afraid of Liang Ji, so he starved himself to death.[1]
Chen Gao, after arriving at the Han camp, managed to force the Qiang into submission without further military action. He had returned prisoners of war and a promise of peacefulness towards those who surrendered without defiance.[1]
The Empress–Dowager Liang had died on 9 August 159.[1] Liang Ji had usurped power within in the court and he had placed close relatives and friends in position to report anything and all things that may threaten his position in the Han court to him. Liang Ji had forced that matters be passed before himself, then the Emperor, before they were taken to other parts of the empire.[1] Liang Ji had been so ruthless that people would give gifts to him hoping to be sparred from crimes and mistakes. Liang Ji was pleasant to some and a man named Wu Shu did not agree with Liang Ji. He had gone off and executed numerous clients under Liang. Liang had poisoned Wu Shu.[1] Liang Ji's tyranny continued on.
The Fall of Liang Ji
[edit]Liang Ji had sent assassins to kill Lady Xuan, but the plot was discovered by Yuan She. Lady Xuan reported this to Emperor Huan. Emperor Huan joined a conspiracy with the eunuchs Ju Yuan, Xu Huang, Tang Heng, Shan Chao, and Zuo Guan. Liang Ji had suspicions about Emperor Huan and the eunuchs but never had time to thwart the conspiracy. He began investigating the situation. The eunuchs had Emperor Huan declare his intentions to retake power from Liang Ji openly. Guards surrounded the residency of Liang Ji. Liang Ji did not surrender, instead he committed suicide. His wife Sun Shou (孫壽) also committed suicide. The clans of Liang Ji and Sun Shao were both slaughtered as well. The terror of Liang Ji had come to an end. The year was still 159. The five eunuchs became regular attendants. Many had high expectations of the refreshed government.[1]
Notes
[edit]1 Not the Chen Shou who wrote the Records of the Three Kingdoms.