[History of the Song Dynasty Palace] [46] [Author: Xu Muxi]

Chapter 46:
Wang Dan, the Prince of Yishanling, Impeached the Witch Ding Wei for Colluding with Her, and Ding Wei Was Convicted. It is said that Wang Dan, when Emperor Zhenzong ordered him to recommend someone capable of handling state affairs, raised his tablet and said, "In my knowledge, none is better than Kou Zhun." Emperor Zhenzong shook his head and said, "Kou Zhun is stubborn and narrow-minded, and he often speaks ill of you. Why do you recommend him repeatedly?" Wang Dan replied, "I have been favored by Your Majesty and have long participated in state affairs; how could I be without fault? Kou Zhun serves the emperor without concealment, which is why I admire his integrity and have repeatedly recommended him. I dare not speak ill of others who are beyond my knowledge." He then took his leave.
After Wang Dan was dismissed, Emperor Zhenzong appointed Wang Qinruo as Chancellor. Previously, Qinruo, as a Privy Councilor, would always prepare several memorials before entering court, waiting to see Emperor Zhenzong's intentions before submitting them; most of them were longing to return home.
Ma Zhijie, the Vice Privy Councilor, harbored a deep resentment towards Qin Ruo. Before Emperor Zhenzong, he confronted Qin Ruo, saying, "Why don't you present all the memorials you have in your possession?" Qin Ruo's expression changed, and he forcefully accused Ma Zhijie of fabricating charges. Ma Zhijie resisted, and from then on, the two became bitter enemies, frequently arguing face-to-face in court. After court, Ma Zhijie met Wang Zeng and still felt resentful, saying, "If I were to kill this traitor with my tablet, I fear it would alarm the Emperor. Without eliminating this traitor, the court will never have peace." Because of the constant disputes between Wang and Ma, Emperor Zhenzong dismissed both of them. Qin Ruo left the Privy Council, and Ma Zhijie was transferred to the position of Military Governor of Zhangde.
Later, remembering Qin Ruo, Ma Zhijie appointed him as Chancellor. When Qin Ruo became Chancellor, people called him "The Lean Chancellor" because of his short stature and a fleshy growth on his neck. He was shameless and often said, "For the sake of Prince Ming, I was delayed in becoming Chancellor for ten years." Prince Ming was the courtesy name of Wang Dan.
Upon hearing that Qin Ruo had been appointed prime minister, Wang Dan grew even more resentful, and his illness worsened. Emperor Zhenzong dispatched imperial envoys to inquire after him, three or four times a day. Sometimes, the emperor would personally visit him, personally preparing medicine and even cooking yam porridge for him. Wang Dan did not respond, only saying that he had failed His Majesty's grace. On his deathbed, he summoned Yang Yi to his side and entrusted him with selecting his will, saying, "As prime minister, I have made many mistakes. In my will, I will only recount my life's experiences and express my gratitude for Your Majesty's grace! I also request Your Majesty to attend to state affairs daily, promote the virtuous and dismiss the wicked, and refrain from seeking official positions for your sons and brothers, lest it bring future trouble. You are my friend of many years, hence I entrust this matter to you." Yang Yi wrote it according to his instructions and gave it to Wang Dan to review. Wang Dan personally wrote a few words before ordering the revision. He then summoned his sons and younger brothers, instructing them: "My family has a pure and upright reputation, and the old family traditions are still remembered. From now on, you should all be frugal and simple, and together preserve our family's honor. I have committed no major transgressions in my life, except that the Heavenly Book was false, and I could not dissuade it, for which I am deeply ashamed. After my death, I will shave my head and become a monk, and be buried according to the customs of monks and Taoists, so that I may face my ancestors." After saying this, he closed his mouth and passed away peacefully.
It turned out that Wang Dan's father was named Wang You. During the reigns of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, he served as the Vice Minister of War. He had done many good deeds in secret and often planted three pagoda trees in his courtyard, saying that one of his descendants would become one of the Three Dukes. Therefore, the Wang family is still called the Three Pagoda Trees Hall, which is a name that has been passed down from that time. The family wanted to respect Wang Dan's last words and bury him according to the customs of monks and Taoists. Yang Yi repeatedly stopped them, but they still buried him according to the custom. The memorial was presented to the emperor, and Emperor Zhenzong was deeply saddened at the time of his death. He posthumously awarded Wang Dan the titles of Grand Tutor, Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Duke of Wei, and the posthumous name Wenzheng. After returning to the palace, the emperor suspended court for three days and recorded the names of more than ten of Wang Dan's sons, grandsons, and retainers.
All his sons were promoted an official position after the mourning period ended; their lives were filled with glory, and their deaths with honor, reaching the pinnacle of their fortunes. Wang Zeng,
however, refused the position of envoy to the Huiling Temple. Qin Ruo accused him of displaying strange behavior and slandered him before Emperor Zhenzong, resulting in his demotion to Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture
. Suddenly, rumors spread throughout the Western Capital: a monster, shaped like a straw hat, flew into people's homes at night, transforming into a large wolf and harming the people. The people were terrified, closing their doors and staying home. The rumor gradually reached Bianjing (Kaifeng), causing commotion until dawn. It then reached Nanjing. Wang Zeng, who was then serving as Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture, heard this rumor and immediately ordered the gates of the villages to be opened at night. Anyone spreading rumors about the monster was to be arrested and punished. Thanks to Wang Zeng's actions, the monster did not appear, and the people were at peace. Emperor Zhenzong, knowing of this, praised Wang Zeng's courage and considered recalling him. Because the prince was still young and the emperor himself was often ill, an imperial edict was issued establishing the prince, Shouyi, as crown prince, changing his name to Zhen, and granting a general amnesty.
In the third year of the Tianxi reign, Zhu Neng, the inspector of Yongxing Army, colluded with the eunuch Zhou Huaizheng, falsely claiming that a heavenly book had descended upon Qianyou Mountain. At that time, Kou Zhun was serving as the commander of Yongxing Army, and he presented the false book to the emperor. An imperial edict summoned him to the palace. The emperor, Lu Zongdao, reported that the treacherous minister was spreading falsehoods and misleading the emperor. Sun Shi, the prefect of Heyang Army, also requested that Zhu Neng be executed to appease the people. Emperor Zhenzong refused and instead summoned Kou Zhun to the capital. Kou Zhun obeyed the edict and set off. A student advised him, “If you go to Heyang, feign illness and refuse to enter, and instead request an official post outside the capital, that would be the best course of action. If you enter the capital and expose the forgery of the Qianyou heavenly book, that would still be a moderately good course of action; but if you enter the Secretariat, that would be the worst course of action.”
Kou Zhun did not heed this advice and went to the capital to pay homage. Coincidentally, the Taoist priest Qiao Tianyi was arrested in Shangzhou for possessing forbidden books, claiming he could command the six Ding and six Shen spirits. Qin Ruo was implicated in this and was dismissed from his post as prime minister. Emperor Zhenzong then appointed Kou Zhun to succeed him and Ding Wei as vice minister. Kou Zhun and Ding Wei were on good terms, and Kou Zhun often praised Ding Wei's talent. At that time, Li Hang was still alive and jokingly said to Kou Zhun, "How can this man be allowed to succeed?
" Kou Zhun replied, "With Ding Wei's talent, how can the prime minister be suppressed for long?" Li Hang smiled slightly and said, "He should think of my words in the future." When Kou Zhun became prime minister this time, he had already learned of Ding Wei's wickedness, but because they were old friends, he still treated him with courtesy. Ding Wei was also very attentive to Kou Zhun. One evening, during a banquet at the Secretariat, Kou Zhun's beard got dirty while drinking soup, and Ding Wei got up to brush it off for him. Kou Zhun, already intoxicated, jokingly remarked, "A minister of state, is he merely stroking his superior's beard?" These words utterly humiliated Ding Wei, his face flushed red. Unable to retaliate immediately, he harbored deep resentment! From that moment on, he secretly plotted to frame Kou Zhun, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Not long after, both Kou Zhun and Xiang Minzhong were appointed Right Vice Ministers.
Kou Zhun was known for his extravagance, his house overflowing with guests and filled with music and revelry. Xiang Minzhong, however, refused all visitors. Emperor Zhenzong sent an imperial envoy to observe them, praising Minzhong highly, saying he was inferior
to Kou Zhun. In the fourth year of the Tianxi era, Emperor Zhenzong fell ill with a stroke and was unable to attend court, leaving all political affairs to Empress Liu. Kou Zhun was deeply worried! One day, while paying his respects at the palace, Kou Zhun seized an opportunity to say, "The Crown Prince is of great importance to the people. I urge Your Majesty to prioritize the stability of the dynasty, pass on the imperial power, and select upright ministers to assist him, thus ensuring peace." Emperor Zhenzong replied, "Your words are very wise!" Having obtained Emperor Zhenzong's permission, Kou Zhun ordered Yang Yi to draft a memorial requesting the Crown Prince to oversee the state. However, in a drunken state, Yang Yi inadvertently let slip his request, which was overheard by Ding Wei, who exclaimed in alarm, "The Emperor is slightly unwell; why has he already appointed the Crown Prince to oversee the state?" He then informed Li Di. Li Di calmly replied, "The Crown Prince overseeing the state is an ancient practice; what is wrong with that?" Ding Wei became even more suspicious and swayed the eunuchs to report to Empress Liu, claiming that Kou Zhun was plotting to install the Crown Prince and harbored treacherous intentions. Empress Liu, who
had already harbored ambitions, forged an imperial edict to dismiss Kou Zhun from his position as Chancellor, appointing him as Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince and granting him the title of Duke of Lai, while appointing Li Di and Ding Wei as co-Chancellors. Emperor Zhenzong, unaware of this matter, feared he would fall ill and never recover. He often lay on the lap of the eunuch Zhou Huaizheng, discussing the matter of the Crown Prince overseeing the state. Huai Zheng informed Kou Zhun, urging him to establish the Crown Prince as emperor. Kou Zhun repeatedly shook his head, saying, "This is absolutely impossible."
Huai Zheng resolutely said, "Liu can be imprisoned, Ding can be killed, and you can be reinstated. Let me do it alone. If it succeeds, everyone will benefit; if it fails, I will suffer the consequences alone. Please do not worry!" Kou Zhun tried to dissuade him again and again, but Huai Zheng ignored him and left.
After Huai Zheng left, Kou Zhun secluded himself at home, secretly monitoring the palace's movements. Several days later, he heard that Huai Zheng had been imprisoned. A day later, Huai Zheng was interrogated by the Privy Council and was executed.
Kou Zhun was quite alarmed when Huai Zheng was imprisoned! Later, he learned that only Huai Zheng had been executed and no one else had been implicated, and he was somewhat relieved. It turned out that Huai Zheng's plot had been discovered by Yang Chongxun, the envoy of the Guest House, who informed Ding Wei. Ding Wei and Chongxun traveled overnight by oxcart to Cao Li's house to discuss how to take advantage of the situation to eliminate Kou Zhun. Cao Liyong, having been reprimanded by Kou Zhun for the peace negotiations at Chanzhou, harbored resentment. He then devised a memorial to be submitted at dawn. An imperial edict ordered the arrest and imprisonment of Huai Zheng, with the Privy Council appointed for interrogation. The interrogator for that day was Cao Wei, a junior official in the Privy Council. Wei, son of Cao Bin, had repeatedly distinguished himself in battle and rose to the position of Vice Privy Councilor. Unwilling to implicate others, he only questioned Huai Zheng about his crimes. Huai Zheng also stepped forward to confess, refusing to falsely accuse others. The case was submitted in a formal report, concluding that only Huai Zheng was guilty. Ding Wei and his associates were greatly disappointed and conspired with the palace officials to launch a major purge.
Just then, Emperor Zhenzong recovered from his illness, and Empress Liu, unable to act arbitrarily, seized the opportunity to provoke him. Despite his illness, the emperor held court and personally instructed his ministers to thoroughly investigate the Crown Prince for any wrongdoing. Seeing the emperor's anger, the court officials exchanged glances, not daring to speak. Li Di calmly replied, "Your Majesty has several princes, yet you issue this decree? The Crown Prince is benevolent and filial; I dare guarantee he has no disloyal intentions." Emperor Zhenzong nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, and thus only executed Huai Zheng. Ding Wei and his associates, however, were not satisfied. They conspired with Empress Liu to accuse Zhu Neng and Huai Zheng of forging a heavenly book. Because Kou Zhun had deceived the emperor in his report, Kou Zhun was demoted to Minister of Ceremonies and sent to govern Xiangzhou, while Zhu Neng was arrested. Upon receiving the decree, Kou Zhun secretly sighed, "It's fortunate I haven't met with a great calamity!" He immediately packed his bags and left the capital for Xiangzhou. Unexpectedly, when the imperial decree ordered Zhu Neng's arrest, Zhu Neng led a group to resist arrest. After the government troops suppressed the rebellion, Zhu Neng, in fear, committed suicide. Kou Zhun was implicated and further demoted to Prefect of Daozhou. When Emperor Zhenzong recovered from his illness, he said to his ministers, "Why haven't I seen Kou Zhun in my sight for so long?" The ministers then realized that the previous decrees were not the emperor's will, but rather the work of Empress Liu.
After Kou Zhun was demoted, Ding Wei seized power and acted arbitrarily in promotions and demotions, even removing officials without Li Di's knowledge. Li Di angrily said, "Since I rose from commoner to prime minister, I have received profound rewards. If I can serve the country, I will die without regret! How could I possibly align myself with a treacherous faction for my own safety?" He then carefully observed Ding Wei to prevent him from acting recklessly. At that time, Chen Pengnian had died, Wang Qinruo had been transferred to a post elsewhere, and Liu Chenggui had also lost power. The "Five Ghosts" were almost entirely gone, with only Lin Te still in the court. Ding Wei wanted to appoint Lin Te as the Vice Privy Councilor, but Li Di refused, and Ding Wei argued with him resentfully. Li Di then went to court to impeach Ding Wei, saying, "Ding Wei has abused his power and colluded with Lin Te, Qian Weiyan, Cao Liyong, Feng Zheng, and others. I am unwilling to work with such a treacherous official and am willing to be dismissed along with him. The Censorate is to investigate." These words were quite vehement, angering Emperor Zhenzong. He ordered Hanlin Academician Liu Yun to draft an edict demoting Li Di to Prefect of Yunzhou and Ding Wei to Prefect of Henan.
The next day, Ding Wei went to express his gratitude. Emperor Zhenzong said, "As a high-ranking official, how can you contend with Li Di?" Ding Wei knelt and replied, "How dare I argue? Li Di insulted me without cause, so I had no choice but to defend myself. If Your Majesty grants me your mercy, I wish to remain in court to repay your kindness." Emperor Zhenzong said, "If you are truly resolute, why should I necessarily dismiss you?" Ding Wei then thanked the emperor and left, personally delivering an oral edict, returning to the Secretariat to perform his duties, and ordering Liu Yun to revise the edict. Liu Yun refused, saying, "The draft edict has been completed; it cannot be changed without a special decree." Ding Wei then ordered the scholar Yan Shu to draft the edict, and Liu Yun was reinstated as prime minister. Liu Yun said indignantly, "How can I remain in power with treacherous officials even for a day?" He then submitted a memorial requesting an outside appointment and was sent to govern Luzhou.
Not long after, Emperor Zhenzong issued an edict: "From now on, all major military and state affairs shall be decided by imperial decree as before; all other matters shall be entrusted to the Crown Prince, the prime minister, and the Privy Council for deliberation and implementation." The Crown Prince firmly declined, and the emperor refused, thus opening the Zishan Hall for political discussions. At that time, the Crown Prince was only eleven years old; even though he was intelligent and filial, he was still young and inexperienced. Empress Liu and Ding Wei, among others, manipulated power both inside and outside the court, and the situation became increasingly precarious!
Coincidentally, Wang Zeng was summoned back to the capital and reinstated as a Privy Councilor, but he remained calm and focused on protecting the Crown Prince. Qian Weiyan secretly said, "The Crown Prince is young and inexperienced; he cannot be established without the Empress. The Empress does not rely on the Crown Prince, and the people's hearts are not yet with him. If you plan for the Empress's sake and bestow favor upon the Crown Prince, he will be secure. If the Crown Prince is secure, how can the Liu family be uneasy?" Weiyan greatly agreed and immediately replied, "Your words, Councilor, are truly a matter of national importance!" He then went to inform Empress Liu. Empress Liu also deeply agreed! From then on, she was extremely cautious in protecting the Crown Prince, and thus, nothing happened.
Now, who was Qian Weiyan, that he could gain Empress Liu's trust? Qian Weiyan was the son of King Qian Chu of Wuyue. He was learned and eloquent, having served as a Hanlin Academician and Deputy Privy Councilor. He was good at flattery and married his own sister, Gong Mei, to Liu Mei. Gong Mei, a silversmith, came to the capital with Empress Liu, changed his surname to Liu, and Empress Liu recognized him as her brother. Because they were relatives, and the King had used him to inform Empress Liu, she trusted him implicitly. In the fifth year of the Tianxi era, Emperor Zhenzong changed the era name to Qianxing, granted a general amnesty, and enfeoffed Ding Wei as Duke of Jin, Feng Zheng as Duke of Wei, and Cao Liyong as Duke of Nanbang. During the Lantern Festival, Emperor Zhenzong again went to the Donghua Gate to watch the lanterns. In mid-spring, his old illness recurred. On his deathbed, he decreed that the Crown Prince should ascend the throne and personally instructed Empress Liu, saying, "The Crown Prince is young; Kou Zhun and Li Di are suitable to handle important matters."
He then passed away. In total, Emperor Zhenzong reigned for twenty-six years, changed the era name five times, and lived to the age of fifty-five. Empress Liu summoned Ding Wei and Wang Zeng to the palace to draft the imperial edict, saying, "By the special decree of the late Emperor, the Empress shall handle important matters of state and assist the Crown Prince in governing." Wang Zeng immediately took up his brush and drafted the edict, adding the word "power" between the Empress's handling of important military and state affairs. Ding Wei said, "The edict from the Empress Dowager didn't include the word 'power.' Why was it added here?" Wang Zeng replied solemnly, "Our dynasty has no precedent of an Empress Dowager ruling from behind a screen. The current situation, with the Emperor still young, is a special case of 'power,' which is already a sign of national crisis. Adding the word 'power' is still a warning to future generations. Moreover, adding or subtracting from edicts is the duty of a prime minister, a matter specially permitted by ancestral rules. As the current prime minister, how can you not handle this matter seriously and disrupt the established norms?" Ding Wei had no reply and could only remain silent. Once the draft edict was finalized, it was presented to the palace. Empress Liu had already heard of Wang Zeng's discussion and, finding it inconvenient to change it, issued the edict to the court and beyond. Crown Prince Zhen ascended the throne before the coffin, becoming Emperor Renzong. Empress Liu was honored as Empress Dowager; Consort Yang as Imperial Concubine Dowager. The two central government offices, due to the Empress Dowager's regency, convened a court meeting for deliberation—a first in the Song Dynasty.
Wang Zeng suggested following the precedent of the Eastern Han Dynasty, where the Empress Dowager and the Emperor held court every five days, with the Empress Dowager seated to the Emperor's right and ruling from behind a curtain. Ding Wei said, "The Emperor is still young; all matters
must be decided by the Empress Dowager. On the first and fifteenth of each month, the Emperor should summon the ministers. For major policies, the Empress Dowager should summon the assistant ministers for discussion and decision.
For minor matters, the eunuchs can relay the message to the palace, affix their seal, and issue it." Wang Zeng angrily retorted, "With the two palaces separated, power will fall into the hands of the eunuchs, inevitably leading to disaster. How can this be allowed?" Ding Wei disagreed, and the ministers debated without reaching a decision. Ding Wei, wanting to seize power, conspired with the eunuch Lei Yungong to secretly obtain a handwritten edict from the Empress Dowager. Following Ding Wei's suggestion, the officials dared not object. Ding Wei was extremely pleased; Lei Yungong's arrogance and abuse of power had silenced the officials, who dared not contend with him. Fortunately, Wang Zeng maintained a dignified presence in court, and no further changes occurred within or outside the palace. He then bestowed the title of Prince Ding upon Yuan Yan, the Prince of Jing, and bestowed upon him a title without naming him. Yuan Yan, the eighth son of Emperor Taizong, was known for his stern and unyielding nature, and was feared both inside and outside the court, who called him the "Eighth Prince." Ding Wei was appointed Minister of Works, concurrently serving as Attendant-in-Ordinary, Minister, and Left Vice-Minister; Feng Zheng was appointed Minister of Works, concurrently serving as Attendant-in-Ordinary, Privy Councilor, and Right Vice-Minister; Cao Liyong was appointed Minister, Left Vice-
Minister, and concurrently Attendant-in-Ordinary. The three formed a clique, with Ding Wei being particularly arrogant. The Empress Dowager harbored resentment towards Li Hang for obstructing the conferment of the title of Imperial Concubine and Li Di for remonstrating with the appointment of Li Di as Empress. Li Hang was now dead, so the matter was settled. However, Li Di was now constantly plotting revenge. Ding Wei, seeking to please the Empress Dowager and having a grudge against Kou Zhun, seized the opportunity to accuse Kou Zhun and Li Di of forming a faction, requesting that they be punished. The Empress Dowager was delighted and immediately ordered the scholar Song Shou to draft an edict, demoting Kou Zhun to Military Advisor of Leizhou, Li Di to Deputy Military Commissioner of Hengzhou, and even Cao Wei to Prefect of Laizhou. Wang Zeng then said to Ding Wei, "The punishment is heavy, but the crime is light; we should reconsider." Ding Wei stroked his beard and said with a smile, "The host of the residence may also be implicated." It turned out that Wang Zeng often lent his residence to Kou Zhun, hence his words. Wang Zeng therefore could not say more.
Ding Wei then instructed Song Shou to add the phrase "In the Spring and Autumn Period, there were no generals; the laws of Han were not righteous" to the edict. Song Shou dared not disobey, but remained ambiguous about the rest. Ding Wei was very dissatisfied after reading it, and then added four lines: "When the ugly villains were interfering in the affairs of the court, at the beginning of the late emperor's misfortune, he suffered this shock and thus became seriously ill." When this edict was issued, the people of the capital all cried out for justice, and they composed a four-line folk rhyme: "To achieve peace in the world, one must remove Ding Zhun in front of you; to achieve a good world, one should summon Kou Zhun." Ding Wei did not care about the people's opinions and sent an envoy to urge Li Di to act quickly.
The emperor then ordered an eunuch to deliver an imperial edict to Daozhou, specially gifting him a brocade pouch to hold a sword before his horse, as a sign of impending execution. Kou Zhun, in Daozhou, was feasting with the local officials, having ordered courtesans to sing the "Zhezhi Tune" to accompany the wine. Suddenly, news arrived of the eunuch's arrival and the sight of wine displayed before his horse. The officials were shocked and looked at each other in dismay. Kou Zhun, however, remained composed and, with the officials, welcomed the eunuch into the court. He calmly asked, "If the court orders my death, would you like to see the imperial edict?" The eunuch had no answer and proceeded to read the edict aloud. Kou Zhun bowed and received it, then slowly invited the eunuch to join the banquet, which lasted until dusk. The next day, he went to Leizhou. At that time, Emperor Zhenzong's mausoleum was not yet completed.
Ding Wei was appointed as the mausoleum commissioner, working with Lei Yungong on the enshrinement of the coffin. As the mausoleum neared completion, Xing Zhonghe, the Director of the Astronomical Bureau, said to Lei Yungong, "A hundred paces above the mausoleum is an excellent burial site, greatly benefiting future generations. However, I fear there are stones and water beneath it." Lei Yungong replied, "The late emperor had few offspring. If we wish for more descendants, why not relocate the mausoleum?" Zhonghe said, "The mausoleum is of paramount importance. A site inspection and verification will take time, inevitably delaying the burial date. What should we do?" Lei Yungong said, "You may supervise the reconstruction. I will immediately inform the Empress Dowager, and she will surely grant your permission." At this time, Lei Yungong held immense power in the court; who dared to disobey him? Xing Zhonghe readily agreed and prepared to make the alterations. Lei Yungong then went to inform the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager said, "This is such a momentous matter; how can it be changed so easily?" Yungong said, "This servant is acting for the prosperity of the late emperor's descendants. What is there that cannot be changed?" The Empress Dowager was displeased! She said, "Go and discuss this with the mausoleum commissioner, and then report back." Lei Yungong went out to discuss the matter with Ding Wei. Ding Wei dared not disobey Yun Gong's wishes, so he readily agreed and went with him to petition for a change in the construction. The Empress Dowager then agreed and ordered the supervisor, Xia Shou'en, to lead tens of thousands of laborers to dig a new tunnel. Initially, after digging only a few feet, they encountered piles of boulders, which were eventually moved. Digging further, about ten feet deep, they suddenly encountered a small pool of clear water, causing a great uproar among the laborers. Xia Shou'en was greatly alarmed and dared not order further work. He immediately sent the eunuch Mao Changda to report to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager questioned Yun Gong and Ding Wei, but Ding Wei still protected Yun Gong and requested that another minister be sent to oversee the matter.
Wang Zeng volunteered to go, and within three days, he had returned to the capital after his re-inspection. It was nearly night when he entered the palace to request an audience, asking to be seen alone. The Empress Dowager then summoned Wang Zeng to the palace and inquired about the re-inspection in person. The emperor kowtowed and secretly reported, "I was ordered to inspect the imperial mausoleum, and there is absolutely no way to change it. Ding Wei harbors treacherous intentions, colluding with Lei Yungong to move the coffin to a dangerous location; his crime is unforgivable." The Empress Dowager was greatly alarmed upon hearing this, saying, "The late emperor treated Ding Wei with the utmost kindness. How dare he harbor such intentions? This is intolerable!" She immediately ordered her attendants to draft an edict to punish Ding Wei and Lei Yungong, ordering their execution. Feng Zheng, upon hearing this, entered to advise, "The execution of Ding Wei is insignificant. However, the emperor has just ascended the throne; to so hastily execute a high-ranking official would likely shock the world." The Empress Dowager, still enraged, immediately ordered Lei Yungong to be arrested and questioned before further action was taken.
Feng Zheng had no choice but to obey the imperial decree, arresting Lei Yungong, interrogating him, and ordering him to commit suicide. Xing Zhonghe also surrendered, and Lei Yungong's property was confiscated. They discovered that Ding Wei had instructed Yungong to order artisans in the imperial garden to forge secret documents in gold wine vessels. They also found that Lei Yungong had entrusted Ding Wei to recommend him for management of the Imperial City Guard and the Three Departments. The Empress Dowager then summoned the court officials to show them the original documents and issued an edict: "Ding Wei, as a high-ranking official, willingly colluded with eunuchs. He was assigned important duties at the imperial tombs, yet dared to arbitrarily alter them, nearly ruining a great undertaking. Previously, when he and Yungong presented their reports, they always claimed to have discussed them with you, so we mostly complied. Is this truly the case?" Feng Zheng and the others knelt and replied: "Since the late Emperor's passing, all matters have been decided solely by the two of them. They claimed to have received the Empress Dowager's decree, so we dared not disobey. Now, thanks to Your Majesty's wise discernment in exposing their treachery, it is truly a blessing for the dynasty." She then summoned the Imperial Secretary to draft an edict, demoting Ding Wei to Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince and assigning him to oversee the Western Capital. Wang Zeng was promoted to Chancellor, Lü Yijian and Lu Zongdao were appointed Vice Chancellors, and Qian Weiyan was appointed Privy Councilor.
Lü Yijian was Meng Zheng's nephew. When Emperor Zhenzong was performing the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai and the Fen River, he passed through Luoyang twice and visited Meng Zheng's private residence both times, inquiring whether Meng Zheng's sons were capable of great things. Meng Zheng replied that his sons were incompetent, except for his nephew Yijian, who had the talent of a prime minister. When Emperor Zhenzong returned to Bianjing, he immediately summoned Yijian to serve in the government, and he was promoted several times to Prefect of Kaifeng, where he gained a good reputation for his administration. Now, he was appointed Vice Chancellor. Lu Zongdao was often the Right Censor, upright and incorruptible. Emperor Zhenzong called him "Lu Zhi" (meaning "upright and honest"), and thus they were promoted together. Wang Zeng requested that the Empress Dowager assist the new emperor and rule from behind a curtain every day, which the Empress Dowager agreed
to. Previously, Ding Wei was fond of flattering ghosts and gods. Hearing that a female Taoist priest named Liu Demiao was skilled at impersonating ghosts and gods, he invited her into his home to divine good and bad fortune. Therefore, Liu Demiao frequently visited Ding Wei's private residence. Liu Deming was quite beautiful and had an affair with Ding Qi, the third son of Ding Wei. Ding Wei, unaware of the affair, said to her, "How much money can you make by being a witch? Why not pretend to be possessed by an old spirit and say you can know the past and future? Wouldn't that be more appealing?" Liu Deming readily agreed. Ding Wei then had three rooms cleaned in the garden to serve as Liu Deming's place of practice, hanging many statues of deities. He also recruited many disciples and invited several guest masters, all young women. Every day, they chanted scriptures and performed repentance rituals, the sounds of bells and drums filling the air, and cymbals shaking the ground. Entering the temple resembled a shrine, attracting men and women throughout Bianjing to burn incense and make wishes. Lei Yungong was one of the biggest benefactors, never missing a day. Knowing that women most believed in worshipping gods and Buddhas, he took Liu Deming to the palace to meet the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager, however, was quite discerning and was not fooled by her. Ding Wei, still unwilling to give up, found a green-haired tortoise and a spirit snake while digging on the mountain. He brought them back and gave them to Liu Demiao, instructing her to take them to the palace. He told her that the Empress Dowager would surely question them, and she should say they came from a grotto in her garden. If the Empress Dowager inquired about Laozi, she should say that Ding Wei was no ordinary man, but a celestial being descended to earth, and that the Empress Dowager would know the truth by asking him. However,
the Empress Dowager, upon seeing the tortoise and snake, acted as if nothing had happened, and did not inquire where they came from. Thus, Ding Wei's schemes were in vain, and he could not deceive the Empress Dowager. This was before.
Now, Ding Wei was convicted, and the Empress Dowager was investigating his past actions. Liu Demiao, whose fate was still unknown, staggered to the palace to see the Empress Dowager. Upon seeing Liu Demiao, the Empress Dowager suddenly remembered that she lived in Ding Wei's house and must know what he had done. Without showing any emotion, she ordered her men to seize her and hand her over to the head eunuch for interrogation in the inner court. Liu Deming, unable to withstand severe torture, confessed to all her past misdeeds. When questioned about other matters, she feigned ignorance. The Empress Dowager then sent men to her residence, where they found a eulogy written by Ding Wei and presented to Liu Deming. The eulogy bore the inscription "Emperor Hunyuan," and its language was particularly bizarre and absurd. The Empress Dowager was furious upon seeing it, exclaiming, "For this one act—a prime minister colluding with a witch and misleading the masses with heretical teachings—is enough to punish him!" She ordered Liu Deming imprisoned forever, all her religious statues burned, and Ding Wei demoted to Military Advisor of Yazhou, his property confiscated. Countless riches and jewels were found in his home, gifts from officials both inside and outside the capital over the past two years. The edict demoting Ding Wei was drafted by the scholar Song Shou, its first four lines being, "The warning against generalship is clear; the crime of immorality is punishable by unforgivable law." The people of the capital were overjoyed upon seeing this edict! It is said that retribution is swift and infallible! Yazhou is even farther than Leizhou.
Ding Wei, having been ordered to depart, was bound to pass through Leizhou, where Kou Zhun was still serving as a registrar. Hearing of Ding Wei's impending arrival, Kou Zhun prepared a whole lamb and sent it to him as a travel fare.
Ding Wei accepted the lamb, but shamelessly demanded to see Kou Zhun. Kou Zhun firmly refused to see him.
Although Kou Zhun did not desire revenge, his servants, young and impetuous, seeing their master suffer at his hands and forced to endure hardship in Leizhou, were now eager to seek revenge upon their unexpected encounter. Knowing this, Kou Zhun quickly gathered his servants, allowing them to gamble for a day, and personally locked the gate, forbidding anyone from leaving until Ding Wei had gone far away. When Ding Wei arrived in Yazhou, his cunning nature remained unchanged; outwardly he feigned repentance and chanted scriptures, but inwardly he continued his schemes. That day, he suddenly wrote a letter home, first expressing his self-pity, then recounting the great favors he had received from the country, and finally warning his family not to harbor any resentment. After finishing, he summoned an old servant and ordered him to deliver the letter to the Western Capital, not to send it directly home, but to ask the Prefect of Luoyang, Liu Yaoqing, to pass it on. He also instructed the servant to find out the day the Prefect was hosting a banquet before delivering it directly. The old servant obeyed. Prefect Liu, upon receiving the letter, was quite surprised. Moreover, to suddenly correspond with a disgraced official in front of everyone, he feared incurring the stigma of being associated with treacherous officials, and thus devised a plan.
What was this plan? Let's find out in the next chapter.

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[History of the Song Dynasty Palace] [46] [Author: Xu Muxi]

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