What is Zhang Lande's life like?
one
Although there are many eunuchs in history, their power is overwhelming. But in the eyes of most people, being a eunuch is absolutely contemptible. Therefore, the eunuchs in the Qing Dynasty were all poor and forced by life. The family sent their son to the palace as a eunuch, hoping to "get rich" in the future and jump out of the misery at home. After Zhang Lande's father died, his family declined, and his mother Dong Shila dragged him and his younger brother, making life very difficult. In the 14th year of Guangxu (1888), Zhang Lande was twelve years old with fair complexion and fine features. Zhang Lande was very smart and opinionated since he was a child, but his poor life really overwhelmed him. Jinghai is the place where eunuchs were born. Many young children are forced to become eunuchs by life, and some have a "promising future" after entering the palace, and their families develop accordingly. This was undoubtedly a great temptation for Zhang Lan, so he became a eunuch in the 17th year of Guangxu (189 1). There were many eunuchs in the palace at that time. Zhang Xiangzhai's real name is "Lan" and his name is Zhang Lande, and his palace number is small.
After entering the palace, Xiao first served in the teahouse. Because he was handsome and smart, he would win the favor of the eunuch, so he entered the Fu Nan Opera Troupe soon after he entered the palace, acting exclusively for Empress Dowager Cixi and other concubines. In this way, he gradually had the opportunity to get close to Empress Dowager Cixi and win his favor. At this time, Emperor Guangxu had grown up. Empress Dowager Cixi played politics and returned to Guangxu for a pretence. She moved to the Summer Palace to "support her life" and stopped interfering in state affairs. Empress Dowager Cixi was willing to listen to Peking Opera, and Zhang Xiaode almost found a master in the pear garden and introduced him to the palace for acting. Leading figures in Peking Opera, such as Tan Xinpei and Wang Yaoqing, have friendship with Xiao and are often introduced to the palace to sing, so Empress Dowager Cixi appreciated Xiao very much and transferred him to her side. At first, he was in charge of the tower of Babel for the queen mother, also called the manager of the tower of Babel. Eight treasures are paper, pen, ink, inkstone, jade seal, inkpad, Buddha beads and Tibetan incense. Later, he was in charge of clothing. Also known as Shangyi Manager. Zhang Xiaode has his own way of pleasing his master. He once boasted that there should be three more ways to serve people than to be served. For example, when you go out with the Queen Mother, you should first look at the weather, predict whether it is cold or warm, and take good clothes. Don't forget to bring her favorite daily necessities; Look at what you said, you can arrive as soon as you call, and you can arrive whenever you want. Empress Dowager Cixi likes to write the word "Fu" whenever she is happy. Empress Dowager Cixi said that it was already ready here. The Queen Mother likes playing cards, so he plays with her on the ground. In a word, she can try to figure out her master's psychology anytime and anywhere to please her. Zhang Xiaode served Empress Dowager Cixi with satisfaction, so he was praised as "diligent" and gradually became one of Empress Dowager Cixi's favorite eunuchs.
Xiao Zhangde's shrewdness lies in that he not only courted Empress Dowager Cixi as a master, but also courted Emperor Yulong of Guangxu, and served Emperor Guangxu who lived in Yingtai wholeheartedly.
In the 24th year of Guangxu (1898), Emperor Guangxu carried out political reform with the help of reformists, which was strongly resisted and opposed by the stubborn conservative forces headed by Empress Dowager Cixi. The provincial governors waited for perfunctory, and even resisted the new deal decree issued by Emperor Guangxu. Empress Dowager Cixi made up her mind to put on the New Deal and sent people to plot with Rong Lu, the governor of Zhili, to prepare for a coup. At the critical moment, Emperor Guangxu panicked and sent a secret letter to Yang Rui, telling Empress Dowager Cixi and fatuous ministers that they were opposed to political reform, and that they had no right, and the throne was in jeopardy, and asked Yang Rui, Xu Lin, Tan Sitong and Liu Guangdi to "raise business as soon as possible". The reformers were helpless when they got this ominous letter. In desperation, they took risks and tried to woo Yuan Shikai to deal with the threat of force from Empress Dowager Cixi and Rong Lu. On the night of September 18, Tan Sitong went to Yuan's apartment in Beijing alone to persuade Yuan Shikai to support Emperor Guangxu and kill Rong Lu. Yuan Shikai swore allegiance to Emperor Guangxu face to face, but when he turned around, he immediately betrayed the reformists and told Rong Lu. In the early morning of September 20th, Empress Dowager Cixi staged a coup, killed the reformists, imprisoned Emperor Guangxu in Yingtai, Zhongnanhai, and received political training again.
After Emperor Guangxu went to prison, Zhang Xiaode was responsible for delivering three meals a day. Before the meal was delivered, Empress Dowager Cixi had to personally check and guide him to match some Chinese and Western food and dishes. On the way, Zhang Xiaode always tried to change some dishes suitable for Guangxu's taste, so he won the favor of Emperor Guangxu. At that time, although many people in the palace sympathized with Emperor Guangxu, they were afraid to approach him, let alone help him secretly. Only Xiao did this, so Emperor Guangxu regarded Xiao as a confidant. Zhang Xiaode was willing to take risks to help Emperor Guangxu with ulterior motives, because although Empress Dowager Cixi lived in the imperial court at that time, Guangxu was still the emperor. According to the regulations, the military department must sign the magnifying glass in advance, and the Emperor Guangxu sealed it, so Empress Dowager Cixi could not represent the emperor's external power. Being favored by Emperor Guangxu undoubtedly gave him another way to earn money by selling officials and titles.
Originally, the Qing dynasty had strict control over eunuchs, and all those who were authoritarian and scheming were sentenced to death. Even if you talk to the minister casually, you will get whipped. But by the late Qing Dynasty, it was well known that eunuchs were in politics. The main reason is that the Queen Mother wants to know the outside world through the people around her, and the ministers want to find out the queen mother's mind through the eunuch touching the bottom of the palace. After his junior position was improved, he made friends with foreign officials privately, and many people bribed him with huge sums of money to let him exercise in the palace in order to get promoted. On one occasion, the military department signed and released a Jiangguan supervisor and sent it to Emperor Guangxu for seal. Emperor Guangxu disagreed and refused to seal it. The person who was released was anxious to find this vacancy. Someone showed him the way. He found Zhang Xiaode, gave him two hundred and two thousand pieces of silver, and begged him to let Emperor Guangxu seal it. As a result, Emperor Guangxu stamped the seal after Zhang Xiaode asked for it. The man gladly went to his post, and Zhang Xiaode was greedy for two hundred and two thousand.
Zhang Xiaode is a greedy man. He holds the aim of making friends and benefiting more. Provincial officials went to Beijing to see him, and he would help him as long as he was given money. At that time, Yuan Shikai, Zhang Xun and Ma Fuxiang paid the most bribes to Zhang Xiaode and had the closest relationship. Zhang Xiaode is very popular with Empress Dowager Cixi. He is so arrogant that ministers dare not offend him. Duan Fang was arrogant towards Xiao Dezhang, who was angry and retaliated, almost killing Duan Fang. Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi died in 1908. When Empress Dowager Cixi was preparing for Feng 'an, Zhang Xiaode was responsible for supervising and inspecting Linglu from Beijing to Dongling, and lived in a pawnshop in Yutian County as a temporary worker. One day, Zhang Xun and Duan Fang and others came to the pawnshop. Although Zhang De didn't know Duan Fang before, he exchanged posts with Duan Fang's younger brother, Duan Laoliu, so he respected Duan Fang very much. As soon as they met, they bowed down to the ground, and Duan Fang casually reciprocated with his arm, sitting on the sofa, sitting in a chair, crossing his legs and sitting uneasily. In a rage, Zhang Xiaode pointed his finger at the mulberry and said to Zhang Xun, "Shaoxuan (Zhang Xun's word), I am not a tea shop or a pub here. Is it because there are few people? " Duan Fang was bored, afraid to attack, and left angrily. A Feng 'an ceremony will be held soon, and Tianjin Zhangding Photo Studio bribed Duan Fang to take photos and pull up the wires along the way. Small and teamed up to take part in the performance with the words "preventing geomantic omen, destroying spiritual roads, stealing royal photos, and deliberately using reading", so please punish them for disrespect according to the Qing law. They hoped to communicate in the military museum, and the parties pleaded for help and were eventually rejected.
On the deathbed of Empress Dowager Cixi, an imperial decree was issued: Empress Yulong was promoted to Empress Dowager and planted as Regent, but in case of military affairs, she must ask the Empress Dowager. Yulong achieved the same status as Empress Dowager Cixi, but his political talent could not be compared with Empress Dowager Cixi. Yulong is a mediocre man with no knowledge, and he has no opinion on major issues, which provides Zhang Xiaode with a better opportunity to go into politics. Empress Yulong loves Zhang Xiaode best, and lets him eat a stove with herself when eating. At that time, the martyrdom princess, jade princess and golden princess of Tongzhi emperor were dissatisfied and planned to crowd out. Xiao woo the minister of the interior office for personal gain, mutual use and consolidation, so he became more and more popular and was promoted to be the eunuch general manager. When he became the general manager, Zhang Xiaode, relying on Yulong's favor, pulled down all the other powerful eunuchs in the palace. Durand, Li Lanfang, Yan, and Wan Baozhai, the general manager of Yulong Palace, are known as 36 friends and have great influence. Finally, they were reprimanded by Zhang Xiaode and punished as servants. At the same time, he expanded his power by becoming sworn brothers and forming alliances with disciples, and placed his confidants in various places. For example, Yao Mengshan, his sworn brother, was promoted from the eunuch in charge to the second manager of the Queen Mother, and another promoted his younger brother to the manager, while Ren Fuxiang, his apprentice, was promoted from a young eunuch to a eunuch in charge of cases, and Xin Meng, his apprentice, was promoted to the eunuch in charge of the kitchen, and soon he was promoted to the manager. In this way, Zhang De's power in the palace is growing. In the end, even his master, Empress Yulong, had to listen to him. He is responsible for the life of Empress Dowager Cixi. You can't eat this and that on the grounds of taking care of your master's health. Later, Yulong couldn't eat what she loved. Zhang De seems to be the master.
In the third year of Xuantong (19 1 1), Wuchang Uprising kicked off the Revolution of 1911. By 1 1 9, thirteen provinces and Shanghai declared independence, and the rule of the Qing Dynasty collapsed. In this case, the Qing government was forced to use Yuan Shikai, who "opened a vacancy and returned to his hometown to support his family". 10 14, the Qing government appointed Yuan Shikai as the governor of Huguang and ordered him to lead the Beiyang New Army south to suppress the revolution. However, Yuan Shikai wanted to take the opportunity to demand greater power and refused to go out on the pretext of "illness". The Qing government was forced to appoint him as an imperial envoy, and soon appointed him as the Prime Minister of the Cabinet to organize the Cabinet. Yuan Shikai mastered all the military and political power of the Qing government. The wily Yuan Shikai used the strength of revolutionaries to coerce the Qing government to grant him full military and political power, and then used the force in his hand and false promises in favor of * * * to force the revolutionaries headed by Sun Yat-sen to accept the condition that as long as Yuan Shikai supported * * * and forced the Qing emperor to abdicate, he would become the interim president of the Republic of China. Yuan Shikai played a two-faced trick. After getting the exact guarantee that the revolutionaries agreed to cede power, he immediately threatened and lured the Qing emperor into the palace. He instructed Duan and other Beiyang generals to jointly generate electricity, demanding that * * * or he would lead the army to Beijing. At the same time, Yuan Shikai proposed that as long as the Qing emperor abdicated on his own, his title would remain unchanged, and he would temporarily live in the palace and move to the Summer Palace later. The new Republic allocates 4 million yuan every year for the royal family to enjoy.
Facing Yuan Shikai's threats and inducements, the Qing royal family was at a loss. Although Zai Feng, the prince of alcohol who is the Regent, resolutely opposes abdication, there is no effective way. Empress Yulong is indecisive. When she encounters extremely difficult things, she can only cry to others, but there is nothing she can do. The Empress Dowager Yulong was slow to announce the abdication edict, and Yuan Shikai gave Yi Xu and Zhang Lan 3 million taels of silver each to put pressure on them from the inside. The queen mother Yulong often listens to Zhang Lande, especially when she is in trouble. After accepting bribes from Yuan Shikai, Zhang Lande threatened to seduce the Queen Mother Yulong, saying that Yuan Shikai was loyal, but the provinces were independent one after another, and the former enemy forces could not withdraw. If you don't agree to the conditions of the revolutionary army, the revolutionary army will kill Beijing, and your life will be in jeopardy; If you can comply with the abdication, what's the advantage? You can still live in the palace. The pavilion is noble and rich. Yi Xu and Zhang Lande echoed each other from a distance, practicing both inside and outside, which was not accepted by Yulong. In order to save the title and life of the emperor, on February 12 of the first year of the Republic of China, the desperate Queen Jade Dragon promulgated the imperial edict of the abdication of the Qing emperor Boyi, and the Qing Dynasty perished. Wang Kaiyun said in the Chronicle of the Beginning: "Even in the last years of Dezong, the world only talked about wealth, and abdication was also a bribe." In the second year of the Republic of China (19 13), the queen was worried about her death, and she lost her patron in the palace. At the same time, due to the influence of the Great Revolution, the palace became increasingly chaotic. Zhang Xiaode was tired of life in the palace and left the palace to accept happiness.
two
Zhang Lande was a penniless little eunuch when he entered the palace, but he was rich when he left the palace. He once owned more than ten hectares of land in Jinghai County and fifty hectares in Beijing Nanyuan. Zhu Bao Temple on the hill opposite Wanshou Mountain in Xiyuan is also his private property. Twelve buildings have been built in the British Concession in Tianjin, and a magnificent mansion has been built in Yongkang Hutong in Beijing, imitating the style of the health hall in the imperial garden of the Forbidden City. In addition, two pawn shops, Yongqing and Yongcun, were opened in Xianyukou and Beigouyan outside Qianmen, Beijing, with hundreds of thousands of funds; Also with Wang Ziyuan, Li Laoting, Wei Binqing and eunuch Yao Mengshan, they invested 202,000 yuan to set up Xiangyi Silk Store, and Zhang Lande invested 142,000 yuan. He also opened a Tianxin satin foreign goods store. He also owns a lot of shares in Zhizhong Bank, so he is the managing director of the bank.
Let's look at Zhang Lan's life in Tianjin after he left the palace, and we will know how much money he received in the palace.
When Zhang Lande first arrived in Tianjin, he lived in Chongqing Road. Although he was a eunuch, he married his fourth wife, Zhang Xiaoxian, who was a virgin after he arrived in Tianjin. His family hired dozens of housekeepers, accountants, concierges, cooks, handymen, maids, and four or five eunuchs he brought from the palace to burn cigarettes, pour tea and set meals for him. Everyone calls him master except his mother. His family rules are very strict. He locks and unlocks himself every day. His wives and concubines are never allowed to go out. Being locked in the house is like going to jail.
In the 11th year of the Republic of China (1922), Zhang Lande's mother died. In order to add luster to the family and win the name of dutiful son, he specially invited Wu Guodong, the top martial arts scholar in the late Qing Dynasty, as a family sacrifice. Gao, then Prime Minister of Beiyang Government, took the lead and read thirteen tents, including lamas, monks, Taoist priests and nuns. All the paper men and horses were made of fine silks and satins, which was extremely luxurious and was one of the best funerals in Tianjin at that time.
After Zhang Lande's mother's funeral, Zaizhen took a fancy to his house. After discussion, he exchanged more than ten acres of empty foundation on Zhengzhou Road for more than a dozen houses on North Road. Later, Zhang Lan built a new house on Zhengzhou Road. When laying the foundation, he said to the workers, "You lay the foundation firmly, and I will give you an inch-thick foreign currency." Every afternoon, he takes 100 yuan to the construction site for inspection. When he was satisfied with the foundation, he threw the ocean into the foundation pit. When robbing money, the workers shouted, "Thank you for your reward!" " Zhang Lande enjoys it. After the building is completed, the floors in the building are all inlaid with soft and hard wood, and the patterns are extremely beautiful. There are also glass pavilions and west buildings, and the interior furnishings are magnificent and extremely luxurious.
Xiao Dezhang adopted his brother's son Zhang Binru as his stepson. Zhang Binru is very abrasive, lazy and addicted to opium. When he had no money, he secretly sold Xiao Dezhang's property. Zhang Binru stole and sold many properties until he died of drug abuse. Zhang Xiaode knows, but he doesn't ask. Zhang Jihe, Zhang De's second grandson, idled around since childhood and developed a rogue habit, eating, drinking, whoring, gambling and smoking. He is omnipotent, omnipotent. In order to get money, he stole from home, only small and valuable things. There are 60 or 70 precious stones stolen and sold by him alone, not to mention other antiques.
After I arrived in Tianjin, although I was very rich in life, I was already rich but not strong. He is mentally bored. Besides keeping goldfish, planting flowers and feeding many puppies, he writes three or five words every afternoon to amuse himself. He died in Tianjin in 36 years (1947).
Poetry day: I am arrogant when I steal power, once it disappears like ice.
The fortune of life is natural, and the heaven is clear.
Zhang Lande, a favored eunuch, was able to amass so much money, which shows the political corruption in the late Qing Dynasty.