How Liang Ji Became Eastern Han's Most Arrogant General

The Liang relatives reached the peak of power, and Liang Ji's arrogance pushed imperial authority almost against the wall.

After wet nurses, eunuchs, and imperial relatives crowded into government, scholar-officials began placing their hopes on Liang Shang.

He was Emperor Shun's father-in-law. He was also General-in-Chief. On the surface, he looked like the one person who might pull power away from the eunuchs.

Liang Shang Carried Official Hopes

Liang Shang did not win official hope only because of his rank.

He had studied the Confucian classics from childhood, had a gentle temperament, and liked to gather talented men. After Li Gu was pushed out of office, Liang Shang invited him to serve in his household.

To scholar-officials, this kind of imperial relative did not look like a bully. Liang Shang was moderate, cautious, able to control himself, and willing to listen to respected men.

The problem was that he could control himself better than he could control others.

Li Gu once wrote him a serious letter. Disasters and omens had appeared year after year, Li Gu said. The court needed discipline and upright officials. If Liang Shang used his position as imperial in-law to restore government, he could win lasting honor and separate himself from relatives who only craved wealth.

Liang Shang agreed warmly. His words sounded sincere.

But he never truly moved to reform the court.

The Liang Family First Pressed Down the Eunuchs

Even without strong reform, Liang Shang did one important thing. He spread the Liang network.

On one side, he built ties with eunuchs in the palace. Cao Jie, Cao Teng, Meng Ben, and other palace men dealt with the Liang family. Liang Shang had his son Liang Ji associate with them, and the Liang clan gained some eunuch support.

On the other side, he continued to gather scholars and common praise. During famine, he released grain for relief, and his reputation grew. Officials, famous men, and ordinary people all praised him.

As Liang power expanded, the eunuchs who had once controlled palace access grew uneasy.

The palace attendant Zhang Kui and others disliked Cao Teng and Meng Ben for drawing close to the Liang family. They falsely accused Liang Shang before Emperor Shun, claiming he planned to summon sons of princes to the capital, depose the emperor, and enthrone another ruler.

Emperor Shun did not believe it.

Liang Shang was his father-in-law, and Empress Liang was in the palace. If Liang Shang deposed him, what would happen to his own daughter? Emperor Shun saw the accusation as eunuch jealousy.

Zhang Kui and his allies then feared that the matter would turn back on them. They forged an imperial order and arrested Cao Teng and Meng Ben inside the palace.

Emperor Shun was furious. He ordered Cao Teng and Meng Ben released, arrested Zhang Kui and his group, and they later died in prison.

This time, the Liang family had pressed down the eunuchs.

Liang Ji Took the General-in-Chief Post

In 141, Liang Shang became seriously ill.

Before death, he warned Liang Ji that he had failed to serve the court well in life and did not want to burden the treasury in death. Jade for the mouth, gold-threaded burial clothes, pearls, and shells did nothing for the dead, he said. They only troubled living officials.

Liang Shang died soon afterward. Emperor Shun personally mourned him, then appointed Liang Ji as General-in-Chief. Liang Ji's younger brother Liang Buyi became governor of Henan.

Liang Ji now stood at the top of power.

While Liang Shang lived, the Liang family still looked like a shield against eunuchs. Under Liang Ji, it quickly became another pressure on the state.

Liang Ji was cruel and narrow-minded. His client Lu Fang, magistrate of Luoyang, had once told Liang Shang about officials impeaching Liang Ji. Liang Shang rebuked his son.

Liang Ji did not dare answer his father to his face. Afterward, he held the grudge and sent men to assassinate Lu Fang.

From that incident, officials began to understand that the power Liang Shang left behind had changed in Liang Ji's hands.

Zhang Gang Buried His Cartwheel

Once Liang Ji held power, Liang relatives and clients filled the court. Appointments often depended on him. Common people suffered, and administration grew chaotic.

Emperor Shun sent eight envoys to inspect the empire, punish evil, and reward good.

Among the eight, Zhang Gang was the youngest and lowest in rank. The other seven left the capital and began their inspection tours.

Zhang Gang barely left Luoyang before stopping.

He sighed that when wolves and jackals blocked the road, why ask about foxes?

The greatest harm was at the center. What use was it to inspect small local officials while ignoring the court?

Zhang Gang buried the wheel of his carriage at the capital relay station, declaring that he would go no farther. He then drafted a memorial impeaching Liang Ji on fifteen major crimes, including bribery, factional favoritism, and harming loyal officials.

The memorial shook the capital. Officials were alarmed.

Emperor Shun knew Zhang Gang was loyal and upright. But Liang Ji was the empress's brother, and Liang relatives protected one another. The case went nowhere.

Liang Ji remembered Zhang Gang.

A Single Cart Entered Guangling

An opportunity came soon.

In Guangling Commandery, a rebel leader named Zhang Ying had troubled the Yangzhou and Xuzhou region for more than ten years. A series of governors had failed to suppress him.

Liang Ji appointed Zhang Gang governor of Guangling.

On the surface, this looked like a promotion. In reality, it pushed Zhang Gang into danger. If rebels killed him, Liang Ji would be rid of him. If he failed, Liang Ji could punish him for incompetence.

Previous governors going to Guangling had asked the court for more troops. Zhang Gang traveled in a single light carriage.

When he arrived, he went straight to Zhang Ying's camp. Zhang Ying heard the governor had come and shut the gate for defense.

Zhang Gang sent away his attendants and local officials, kept only a dozen close followers, and wrote a letter asking Zhang Ying to meet him.

Zhang Ying saw his sincerity and came out. Zhang Gang invited him to sit and explained that the court did not refuse people a road back to life. Cruel local officials had forced many people into rebellion. If they surrendered now, they could live again.

Zhang Ying wept. He said his people could not reach the court and could not endure brutal oppression. They had gathered only to survive. Now that they heard the governor's words, it was like being reborn.

The next day, Zhang Ying brought more than ten thousand followers, along with their wives and children, bound their hands, and surrendered.

A rebellion that had lasted more than ten years ended without bloodshed.

By merit, Zhang Gang should have been made a marquis. Liang Ji blocked it. Zhang Gang was not enfeoffed and later died while serving as governor of Guangling.

Child Emperors Appeared One After Another

While Liang Ji abused power as an imperial relative, Emperor Shun died.

The successor was Liu Bing, still an infant. Empress Liang became empress dowager and governed. Liang power grew heavier.

But Liu Bing died soon after and is remembered as Emperor Chong. Emperor Shun's direct line had no adult heir, so the court had to choose from imperial relatives.

The main candidates were Liu Suan, Prince of Qinghe, and Liu Zuan, son of the Prince of Bohai.

Liu Suan was dignified and careful. The Three Excellencies and Nine Ministers largely supported him. Grand Commandant Li Gu urged Liang Ji to choose an older, virtuous man who could handle government, not another child.

Liang Ji refused.

He and Empress Dowager Liang feared that Liu Suan was too grown and too hard to control. They chose the young Liu Zuan instead. After death he would be remembered as Emperor Zhi.

Emperor Zhi was only eight. Empress Dowager Liang continued to govern inside, while Liang Ji held power outside.

Li Gu repeatedly urged reform. Empress Dowager Liang sometimes accepted his advice, corrupt eunuchs were pushed aside, and people briefly hoped for cleaner politics.

Liang Ji grew to hate Li Gu.

Officials removed by Li Gu also joined Liang Ji and wrote anonymous letters accusing him. Because Li Gu had great prestige, Empress Dowager Liang did not immediately accept the accusations.

Unable to destroy Li Gu at once, Liang Ji turned toward the even younger emperor.

The Arrogant General

Emperor Zhi was small, but he was clever.

Once, after court, Liang Ji withdrew. The child emperor looked at his back and said, "That is an arrogant general."

Everyone at court could see Liang Ji's tyranny. No one dared say it aloud.

The eight-year-old emperor did.

Liang Ji heard and was frightened. If this child grew a few more years, could the Liang family keep its power?

The thought became murderous.

Liang Ji bribed an inner attendant and put poison into the emperor's soup cakes. Emperor Zhi ate them, soon suffered burning pain in the belly and intense thirst, and urgently summoned Grand Commandant Li Gu.

Li Gu came to the bed and asked how the illness had begun. The emperor could still speak. He said he had just eaten soup cakes and felt burning pain inside. He asked for water, saying that perhaps water could save him.

Liang Ji stood nearby and quickly stopped it. He said the emperor must not drink water because it would make him vomit.

Before the words were finished, the child emperor died.

The death was sudden. Li Gu wept over the body and demanded impeachment of the physicians who had attended the emperor.

Liang Ji feared the truth of the poisoning might emerge. His hatred of Li Gu deepened.

Liu Zhi Was Chosen

After Emperor Zhi died, the court had to choose another ruler.

The Three Excellencies, Nine Ministers, and marquises met. Li Gu, Hu Guang, Zhao Jie, Du Qiao, and others again supported Liu Suan, Prince of Qinghe. He had upright conduct, respected lineage, and the support of many officials.

But the eunuch Cao Teng had once visited Liu Suan and was not treated with special courtesy. The eunuchs disliked him.

Empress Dowager Liang also wanted to marry her younger sister to the imperial relative Liu Zhi. Liu Zhi had been summoned to Luoyang and happened to be present when Emperor Zhi died.

Liang Ji decided to enthrone Liu Zhi.

If Liu Zhi became emperor, he could become the Liang family's brother-in-law. He would be easier to control than the Prince of Qinghe.

At first, many officials resisted. Then Cao Teng visited Liang Ji at night and spoke to his fear.

The general, Cao Teng said, had been related to the imperial family for generations and controlled government. His guests filled the realm. Surely he had many faults. If the strict and perceptive Prince of Qinghe became emperor, disaster might follow. Better to enthrone Liu Zhi and preserve wealth and rank.

Liang Ji needed exactly that argument.

At the next discussion, he spoke fiercely. Minister over the Masses Hu Guang, Minister of Works Zhao Jie, and the others no longer dared fight. They said they would obey the General-in-Chief.

Only Li Gu and Du Qiao held to the original proposal.

Liang Ji broke up the meeting with angry words. He persuaded Empress Dowager Liang to remove Li Gu as Grand Commandant, appoint Hu Guang in his place, make Zhao Jie Minister over the Masses, and place them with Liang Ji in charge of Secretariat affairs.

Then Empress Dowager Liang sent Liang Ji with the imperial tally and a prince's carriage to welcome Liu Zhi into the Southern Palace.

That day, Liu Zhi took the throne at age fifteen.

He became Emperor Huan.

In only a few years, Eastern Han had changed emperors again and again, but the Liang family remained at the center. Whether this new emperor would always obey them depended on how far Liang Ji pushed his power.