The Qing Dynasty was the last feudal dynasty in Chinese history, counting from the founding of Nurhaci in 1616. By 1912, Puyi abdicated under the edict, which lasted a total of 296 years and produced 12 emperors. The former Manchurians of the Qing Dynasty were careful and wary of the Han Dynasty no matter how capable they were. Especially in the early period of entering the customs, there were few Han chinese who could be close ministers, but in the prosperous era of the three dynasties of Kang Yongqian, there was a highly valued Han chen.
This person is Zhang Tingyu, whose name can often be seen in many Qing Palace film and television dramas, and often appears next to the emperor is a big red person. Zhang Tingyu was born in Beijing in 1672, and in fact Zhang Tingyu's father, Zhang Ying, was himself an important member of the imperial court.
Therefore, when Zhang Tingyu first became an official, he was deeply trusted by the emperor, which had a lot to do with Zhang Ying's words and deeds. Because Zhang Ying has been by Kangxi's side for many years, he has a clear understanding of Kangxi's temperament and preferences, and Zhang Tingyu naturally left a very good impression in front of Kangxi early.
In the thirty-ninth year of the Kangxi Dynasty (1700), Zhang Tingyu was admitted as a jinshi and was awarded the title of Shujishi of the Hanlin Academy. Three years later, Zhang Tingyu was awarded the Hanlin Academy review, and in April of the forty-third year of Kangxi (1704), when he was in the Southern Study, Kangxi called him to Changchun Garden, inquired about the recent situation of his father Zhang Yingzhishi's stay at home, and ordered him to write poetry.
Zhang Tingyu seized the opportunity and naturally tried his best to express himself. He composed two poems of seven words, which Kangxi greatly appreciated. Therefore, he promoted him to serve in the South Study and wear four official clothes. Later, Zhang Tingyu, who accompanied Kangxi on several southern tour of the Mongol departments and became a close vassal of Kangxi, achieved the position of Erpin official at a young age.
However, in the sixty-first year of Kangxi (1722), before Kangxi's death, Zhang Tingyu was strangely demoted to the third rank, and many people who were jealous of Zhang Tingyu's favor blossomed happily, and even deliberately came to satirize and ridicule Zhang Tingyu, but Zhang Tingyu was completely unmoved, but looked happy.
Zhang Tingyu even couldn't help laughing when he returned home, and his son thought that his father was only like this because he was stimulated by being degraded, so he comforted him bitterly. Zhang Tingyu then let his son come to his study, closed the door, and quietly said eight words to his son: "For the father, you must wait for the new king to give grace!" ”。
We know that Kangxi passed the throne to Yongzheng after his death in 1722 AD, but during the Kangxi period, Zhang Tingyu was already an important member of the imperial court, which is called "a son of heaven, a courtier". If Kangxi had ordered Zhang Tingyu to be demoted early, he was afraid that in the end Yongzheng would not have used the former emperor as a heavy subject.
Therefore, although Kangxi suddenly demoted Zhang Tingyu to the third rank without a reason, it actually gave Zhang Tingyu a better chance to show himself in the future, and sure enough, in the first year of Yongzheng (1723). Zhang Tingyu was in the South Study, and was the master of the princes with Zhu Shi and others. In April, he was appointed as the chief examiner of the township examination in Suncheon Province, and was given the rank of Prince Taibao.
This was only the beginning, and later Zhang Tingyu relied on his own ability to successively serve as the Libu Shangshu, the Hubu Shangshu, and the Official's Shangshu. Yongzheng died after only 17 years as emperor, and by the twentieth year of Qianlong (1755), Zhang Tingyu had become the only Hanchen in the Qing Dynasty who was worthy of the Temple, which showed the degree of grace he had received