Imitate handwriting, scribble instructions
Liang Shicheng, a native of Kaifeng, was originally an unknown little eunuch in the Book and Art Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Later, he was responsible for spreading the imperial edict and gradually gained the favor of Song Huizong. He became the highest-ranking official-Tai Wei, Xuan He for four years (1 122), and he was the "ambassador" with the Kaifu Instrument Department III. Eunuch Liang Shicheng knows a little about poetry grammar.
In addition, he was clever and won the trust and favor of the emperor, allowing him to act as an agent and participate in the political affairs. Later, not only did "the imperial edicts all come from his hands", but he also selected many small collectors who were good at calligraphy, imitated Song Huizong's handwriting and forged Song Huizong's "imperial edicts", that is, "imperial calligraphers' edicts".
And then mixed with other official documents issued. Because these "imperial books" are exactly the same as the emperor's handwriting, the recipients naturally don't know that they are fake, just like the emperor's imperial edict. It is really shocking that Liang Shicheng has brought disaster to national affairs. If the so-called "imperial edict" did not prevail in the Song Dynasty and the emperor took the lead in sealing officials and handling government affairs with white stripes, Liang Shicheng would not be so unscrupulous.
Of course, Liang Shicheng was not the initiator of publishing documents and writing instructions by imitating the emperor's handwriting, but he already had it. For example, The Biography of Southern History and Enxing describes more than 20 "Enxing" (people favored by the emperor). These "Enxing" officials are not high, but they are "powerful". For example, as early as when Xiao Daocheng, the father of Emperor Wu of Qi, was the leader of Liu and Song Dynasties in the Southern Dynasties, Ji Monk Zhen, who was favored by san huang of Southern Qi, served as the principal book (secretary) in the government.
Xiao Daocheng trusted him very much and asked him to imitate his own handwriting and sign the document notice. Over time, monk Ji's font is exactly the same as yours. From then on, all documents that need to be issued and approved are represented by monk Zhen Ji. Because the handwriting really imitated by monk Ji can be confused with the original, he smiled and said, "Even I can't tell."
If there is a fake in the fake, treat it as a fake.
False imperial edicts distinguish between true and false in form and handwriting, but what about true imperial edicts? Can their content be guaranteed to be true? Not necessarily. In fact, many real imperial edicts are true, false and even false. After the Anshi Rebellion, the separatist forces of the Tang Dynasty spread from Hebei and Shandong to all parts of the country, resulting in the confrontation between the buffer regions. After Tang Xianzong and Chun Li ascended the throne, the separatist regime in the Tang Dynasty basically ended.
Temporarily unified the whole country, but the situation that the buffer region is rich and heavily armed has not changed much. Many buffer regions only respect the imperial court on the surface, secretly go their own way, and pay no attention to the imperial court at all. This is the case with Zhu Kerong in Youzhou. In the second year of Tang Jingzong Baoli (826), the court sent eunuchs to Youzhou to give Zhu Kerong a spring dress.
Instead of being ungrateful, Zhu Kerong accused the court of giving the spring clothes a poor texture and detained the eunuchs. The imperial court had no choice but to send eunuchs to Youzhou with new clothes to offer condolences.
However, Zhu Kerong regarded the court's concession as weak and deceivable, and even pushed his luck. He reported to the court that this year, the soldiers in this town lacked spring clothes and asked the court to supply "300,000 horses for one year, otherwise the three armies would be uneasy". In the report, Zhu Kerong also pointed out that he intends to lead 5000 soldiers, horses and craftsmen to help the court build a palace in Luoyang, the eastern capital.
Tang Jingzong was afraid that Zhu Kerong would send his troops to revolt. In order to avoid trouble, he intends to send another prestigious minister to Youzhou to appease and rescue the detained eunuchs. Pei Du, the prime minister, disagreed, saying that as long as the imperial edict was issued, the problem could be completely solved. He said: "Zhu Kerong is extremely rude to the imperial court and will surely bring about his own destruction. Like a wild animal, he can roar and jump in the forest, but he dare not leave his nest.
Therefore, I suggest that your majesty should not send someone to Youzhou to appease or return the eunuch. After 10 days, he will consider giving an imperial edict to Zhu Kerong, saying,' I heard that the eunuch lost his whereabouts after he arrived in Youzhou, and I will deal with it when he returns to Beijing.' As for Zhu Kerong's proposal to lead troops to help the imperial court build a palace in Luoyang, it is actually a complete lie, with the aim of intimidating the imperial court.
If your majesty wants to directly thwart his treacherous plot, he should pretend to agree to his invitation in the imperial edict, saying,' Send the soldiers and horses and craftsmen to help repair Luoyang Palace Que as soon as possible, and I have ordered all places along the way to arrange reception.' After receiving this imperial edict, Zhu Kerong will surely panic. Tang Jingzong was very happy after hearing this, and readily adopted Pei Du's opinion.
The imperial court finally drafted this imperial edict according to Pei Du's meaning, which contained fallacies, and was rigorous and reasonable. Zhu Kerong didn't make a move because he couldn't understand the details of the imperial court. Soon, there was a mutiny in Youzhou, and soldiers killed Zhu Kerong and his son. If you do more wrong, you will hang yourself. Everything is as Pei Du expected.