In the history of our country, the Tang Dynasty can be said to be the most proud dynasty of the Chinese people. It’s okay if you don’t know, the history encyclopedia editor will tell you.
I believe everyone knows that in ancient China, the emperor had supreme power, which is an indisputable fact. Whether it is high-ranking officials in the court or ordinary people at dawn, everyone must obey the emperor’s orders. However, during the Tang Dynasty, in order to consolidate his position, the emperor also granted marriages to his ministers to win the hearts of his courtiers.
As a relatively enlightened emperor, Emperor Tang Zhongzong also used this method to successfully win the hearts of several ministers. However, he also once married his 50 year old wet nurse to him on New Year’s Eve in order to humiliate Prime Minister Dou Huaizhen. After seeing such a situation, although Dou Huaizhen felt unwilling, he showed great excitement on the night of his marriage.
Because my wife is the emperor’s wet nurse, I am also one generation higher than the emperor. Perhaps it was for this reason that Dou Huaizhen did not feel resentment, but instead was very grateful to the emperor, and it also became a topic of conversation among the people of the world.
1、 Dou Huaizhen’s Experience
Dou Huaizhen, born into a noble family, came to Qinghe as a county magistrate after Dou Huaizhen reached adulthood because his grandfather Dou Yan was a founding hero of the Tang Dynasty. It was during this period that Dou Huaizhen enjoyed a high reputation. He was not only kind-hearted, but also had outstanding political achievements, which quickly gained recognition from higher-level officials.
Five years later, Dou Huaizhen was successfully promoted to the position of Governor of Yuezhou, which was also a very joyful thing for him. As a mature and talented official, Dou Huaizhen undoubtedly made great contributions to the Tang Dynasty.
Perhaps it is for this reason that Dou Huaizhen gradually became a Grand Censor, which is also a very rare thing for ordinary officials. Perhaps because she walked too smoothly, Dou Huaizhen also became drifting in the following time.
In daily life, Dou Huaizhen, who is proficient in interpersonal relationships, also began to flatter and flatter others. This not only opened up a pathway for him to rise, but also quickly caught the attention of the current emperor, Emperor Tang Zhongzong, who promoted him to the position of prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, and for a time, his glory was boundless. In ancient times, a prime minister was a position below one person and above ten thousand people.
2、 Dependent on the Queen
As time passed, Emperor Tang Zhongzong also devoted more energy to food, drink, and entertainment, and entrusted the affairs of the court to the empress and her daughter. After seeing this situation, Dou Huaizhen also began to flatter the empress and changed her name. Because the Empress’s father, named Wei Xuanzhen, shares the same name as Dou Huaizhen.
From such a simple matter, everyone can also see that Dou Huaizhen went to great lengths to curry favor and flatter, which is also a very regrettable thing. Moreover, in daily life, Dou Huaizhen is also very wary of the eunuchs around the empress. During each trial, even if Dou Huaizhen sees someone without a beard, she will mistake them for eunuchs.
One day, Tang Zhongzong was in a mood, so he got up early and went to the court. What Tang Zhongzong did not expect was that Dou Huaizhen had started to flatter the empress after not attending court for a few days, which made Tang Zhongzong find it difficult to accept. After all, he is the true king, and if he stubbornly gives in, it may be detrimental to his own throne. Therefore, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang decided to teach Dou Huaizhen a lesson.
3、 Marrying Dou Huaizhen
On the evening of New Year’s Eve, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang specially prepared a sumptuous banquet and invited Dou Huaizhen and several other ministers to join him. After three rounds of drinking and five flavors of cooking, Emperor Tang Zhongzong suddenly turned his head and asked Dou Huaizhen, ‘I heard that your wife has been dead for many years?’? Upon hearing the emperor’s concern for her personal life, Dou Huaizhen was filled with gratitude, almost to the point of tears.
Tang Zhongzong also reported the process of his wife’s death to the emperor, and to everyone’s surprise, Tang Zhongzong changed the subject and wanted to reward Dou Huaizhen with a beautiful woman. After hearing the reward from Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Dou Huaizhen was moved to stand up and kneel down, because he could finally find a balance between the emperor and the empress, which was also a very pleasant surprise.
Dou Huaizhen never expected that the beautiful woman mentioned by Tang Zhongzong was actually his wet nurse, who had been staying in the palace for over 50 years and had not been able to marry. In this way, not only can it relieve one’s own hatred, but it can also find a good home for the wet nurse, which is also a good thing. So Tang Zhongzong also followed the flow of the river and accomplished the beautiful thing between the two.
4、 Dou Huaizhen’s performance
After finishing the banquet, Dou Huaizhen returned home excitedly, waiting for her bride to come to her door. Not long after, the wedding procession arrived at Dou Huaizhen’s doorstep beating drums and gongs. Dou Huaizhen has already arranged servants and is waiting at the door to prepare for the wedding. According to traditional customs in ancient times, Dou Huaizhen’s butler arranged everything properly and soon allowed Dou Huaizhen and his wife to worship heaven and earth and enter the bridal chamber.
When Dou Huaizhen lifted the red veil, he realized that what the emperor had given him was not a beautiful woman, but an old and frail old lady. After all, in ancient times, human lifespan was generally between 40 and 50 years old. So, for example, the wet nurse of Emperor Tang Zhongzong, at the age of 50, is already very rare. Even using the term ‘old lady’ to describe her is not an exaggeration.
Although Dou Huaizhen was extremely angry at the beginning, he realized that since his wife was the wet nurse of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, he would also be one generation higher than him, which is a very commendable thing. And Tang Zhongzong’s wet nurse, originally a lowly maid, also enjoyed glory and wealth during the power struggle, which was truly a great blessing in life.
In 713 AD, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, launched a coup and captured all the followers of Princess Taiping, including Dou Huaizhen, who had already been demoted to the position of Left Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. In this situation, Dou Huaizhen felt that the situation was hopeless, so he also hanged himself during his escape, ending his life of flattery, which was also a very regrettable thing.
In fact, many people know that when Dou Huaizhen was young, he also made very impressive achievements through his continuous efforts. According to this development strategy, although Dou Huaizhen cannot hold an extreme position as a minister, she can at least have a good ending. However, to everyone’s surprise, Dou Huaizhen has always been dissatisfied with the current situation, which has led him into an irreparable situation.
In ancient society, examples like Dou Huaizhen were abundant. On the one hand, they relied on the power of the court, but on the other hand, they also did things that were detrimental to the people. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason that officials like Dou Huaizhen were ultimately crushed by the wheels of history, which is truly shocking.
