During the period of Emperor Cheng of the Western Han Dynasty, the feud between Zhi Du and Dowager Empress Dou became a major focus of court politics. As the queen of Emperor Liu Fu, Dowager Empress Dou held great power, while Zhi Du was a talented but rigid minister. The conflict between the two eventually led to Zhi Du's loss of favor and even death. So, how did Zhi Du offend Dowager Empress Dou?

1. Conflicting personalities led to conflict

Zhi Du was upright and dared to speak his mind, a personality that made him many political enemies in the court. Dowager Empress Dou, however, was a master of intrigue and was skilled at manipulating court affairs. The differences in their personalities caused significant disagreements when dealing with court affairs. Zhi Du's frequent blunt advice not only displeased the emperor, but also made Dowager Empress Dou feel threatened.

2. Political struggles exacerbated the conflict

As Zhi Du's status in the court gradually rose, he began to pose a threat to Dowager Empress Dou's power. To consolidate her position, Dowager Empress Dou began looking for opportunities to suppress Zhi Du. During this time, some of Zhi Du's political enemies also began to take advantage of the situation to frame him, making his situation even more difficult.

3. Offending the power of the outer kin

In addition to his conflict with Dowager Empress Dou, Zhi Du also offended the entire outer kin by exposing some of their crimes. These outer kin had close ties with Dowager Empress Dou, and their anger indirectly increased Dowager Empress Dou's hostility towards Zhi Du.

4. The "Witchcraft and Sorcery Disaster" incident

Most crucially, Zhi Du was involved in the "Witchcraft and Sorcery Disaster" incident. In this incident, he was falsely accused of being the mastermind behind an attempt to curse the emperor through witchcraft. This incident directly led to his death. Although it was later proven that Zhi Du was wrongly accused, nothing could be done to reverse the situation.

Conclusion

The main reasons why Zhi Du offended Dowager Empress Dou were due to their conflicting personalities, political struggles, and offenses against the outer kin. These factors, combined together, put Zhi Du in an impossible situation. Ultimately, he was executed due to the "Witchcraft and Sorcery Disaster" incident, becoming a victim of court political struggles.

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