Yongzheng asked Sun Jiacheng to ask for rain, and as he said, he wanted "the hearts of the people."
Nian Qianyao returned from the northwest to suppress the rebellion, and although Nian Qianyao had great merits, his acts of being proud of his achievements, having no monarch in sight, and forming parties for personal gain had aroused widespread dissatisfaction in the court, and Sun Jiacheng was one of them. Unlike other officials who dared to be angry and did not dare to speak out, Sun Jiacheng could be said to be undaunted by power and upright, impeaching Nian Qianyao in front of Yongzheng, and criticizing Nian Qianyao with the view that "Jingshi Jiuqian must be a traitor in the dynasty". Therefore, Yongzheng asked Sun Jiacheng to go outside the noon gate to ask for rain in order to defend his loyalty.
In fact, at this time, Yongzheng was caught in a dilemma.
On the one hand, Nian Qianyao's credit is too great, not only to quell the rebellion and stabilize the political situation, but also to stabilize his own throne, but at this time Nian Qianyao did do something excessive, but at this time, Yongzheng could not have any negative accusations against Nian Qianyao, so now Yongzheng is very much in need of Nian Qianyao.
On the other hand, Nian Qianyao had already aroused the wrath of the people, and most of the officials above the court expressed their extreme dissatisfaction with Nian Qianyao, either explicitly or implicitly, and if Yongzheng did not express it, it meant that the hearts of the hundred officials were chilled.
In this case, Yongzheng himself does not judge and judge, but gives this to God to judge, so that no matter what the result is, Yongzheng will have something to say, more importantly, whether it will rain or not, everything is providence, at least it can help Yongzheng to cross the storm of public opinion at this time, and not let it fall into the passivity of public opinion.
Therefore, Yongzheng decided to let Sun Jiacheng ask for rain.
In fact, Yongzheng nominally asked Sun Jiacheng to ask for rain, in fact, this is also a great warning to Nian Qianyao.
At this time, Yongzheng, in the face of Sun Jiacheng's impeachment of Nian Qianyao, did not show any expression, or directly punished Sun Jiacheng, and Nian Qianyao at this time could be completely relieved, because Yongzheng showed Yongzheng's absolute trust and support for him, and its position in Yongzheng's heart could not be shaken.
However, instead of punishing Sun Jiacheng, Yongzheng asked Sun Jiacheng to ask for rain, which proved that Nian Qianyao's status in Yongzheng's heart had been greatly reduced, and Yongzheng was already dissatisfied and resentful of Nian Qianyao.
Nian Qianyao made great contributions to the suppression of rebellion in the northwest, Yongzheng called Nian Qianyao his "benefactor", and was willing to become a "model for kings and subjects throughout the ages", under such grace, Nian Qianyao began to flutter, really regarded himself as Yongzheng's "benefactor", and thus began to act proudly in the process of death, what "only know the general order and do not know that there is an emperor" can be said, which shows how rampant Nian Qianyao has become rampant.
In fact, Sun Jiacheng's impeachment just spoke to Yongzheng's heart, but Yongzheng had no way to deal with Nian Qianyao at this moment, and Yongzheng could only wake up Nian Qianyao by arranging for Sun Jiacheng to ask for rain, and it was also a warning to Nian Qianyao, but Nian Qianyao did not understand Yongzheng's meaning until his death.
Whether Sun Jiacheng asked for rain or not, Yongzheng would not punish Sun Jiacheng.
If Sun Jiacheng asked for rain, it showed that the content of Sun Jiacheng's impeachment of Nian Xiangyao was indeed true, and even The Lord of Heaven could not see it, and Yongzheng naturally could not dispose of Sun Jiacheng, and the behavior of favoritism toward Nian Qianyao was too obvious, so as to press the table and leave a foreshadowing for the later treatment of Nian Qianyao.
If Sun Jiacheng can't ask for rain, it means that Sun Jiacheng and the hundred officials above the court cannot become a proof of "traitors in the court", which can smoothly resolve this crisis of public opinion, temporarily maintain the good relationship between himself and Nian Qianyao, and at the same time temporarily calm the mood of the hundred officials.
Therefore, let Sun Jiacheng go to ask for rain, no matter what the result is, Sun Jiacheng will not be punished, he is just a pawn in the game with Nian Qianyao, but Sun Jiacheng is ultimately killed by Nian Qianyao, which makes people feel some regret for his tragic end.