Kangxi was one of the few monarchs of the Qing Dynasty with great achievements, ascending the throne at the age of eight and pro-government at the age of fourteen. He reigned for sixty-one years and made outstanding achievements, but when he was a teenager, he defeated the powerful minister Ao bai and for nine years he solemnized the imperial program. As an adult, he quelled the Rebellion of San Francisco, recovered Taiwan at the Battle of Penghu, and fought against the Russian invading forces to sign the Treaty of Nebuchu. The three conquests of Kaldan and the victory, the founding of the Duolun League to replace the war, laid the foundation for the prosperity of the Qing Dynasty.
The great situation of Kangqian's prosperity was created, but Kangxi did not accomplish such a remarkable feat alone, and all this was naturally inseparable from the assistance of a group of ministers under his hands. Among these ministers, Soetu was undoubtedly an extremely meritorious leader, from the capture of Na'ao to the conquest of Kaldan.
Which one thing Soetu did not participate in, in the Kangxi Dynasty, he can be called the first great hero. However, unexpectedly, Suo Ertu, who had been a loyal minister for 33 years, suddenly wanted to rebel, and finally was executed in the name of the first sinner of the Qing Dynasty. Kangxi endured him for five years, but still chose to kill all his sons. So why did Soetu rebel?
Soetu, whose full name was Hescheli Soetu, was the third son of the university scholar Soni and the uncle of Empress Hyojōjin. Suo Etu accompanied Kangxi's days, which were really very early and very long, and served as a palace guard when he was a teenager. In May of the eighth year of the Kangxi Dynasty (1669), for kangxi's plan to capture Aobai, Suo Ertu, who had been the right attendant of the official department, returned to the position of first-class bodyguard. This facilitated Kangxi's summons to plot a surprise attack, arrest Aobai and punish his henchmen.
It was with soetu's full assistance that he was able to truly preside over the imperial government, and after kangxi restored the cabinet in the ninth year (1670), he became a scholar of bohol. In this position, Suo Ertu stayed for nineteen years and devoted himself to the prosperity of Kangxi. He is indeed talented and loyal, but there is something wrong with his personality. The "Draft History of the Qing Dynasty" once recorded: Suo Ertu was born noble and prosperous, sexually wanton, and those who did not attach themselves to themselves were rebuffed.
He is a man who is arrogant and arrogant on the one hand, and on the other hand, he is corrupt and bribed, and he goes all out to suppress those who refuse to rely on him. For example, Suo Ertu wanted to woo but did not succeed in wooing Gu Badai, and out of private feelings, he even criticized him for being impetuous, resulting in Gu Badai being deposed. Another example is Xiong Zhilu, a person who was once on an equal footing with him, soeto was impeached with full force. Not to mention Mingzhu, the two fought to the death, and the subsequent downfall of Soetu also had something to do with Mingzhu.
However, these acts, Kangxi saw that for his loyalty, he would also keep some affection. So we can see that before Soetu really fell, Kangxi had beaten him three times. Soetu also realized this, and twice asked to resign and go home, but unfortunately resigning does not mean that he can quit with all his tails. In May of the forty-second year of the Kangxi Dynasty (1703), Kangxi suddenly ordered that Suo'ertu be imprisoned in the Zongren Mansion.
Then in September, he ordered the death of Soetu, and his henchmen were either killed or imprisoned and exiled. As for his two sons, Gelfing and Aljishan, they were also executed, and Kangxi even denied all the important military and political masters in which Soetu participated in his life, except for the Nebuchu negotiations. He also condemned four major sins, the first of which was demoted as a university scholar, but he did not repent. Second, as the head of the family, he failed to restrain his brother and his family because he was improperly disciplined. The third party is engaged in private affairs, privately discussing major state affairs, and not changing their mistakes.
The fourth went to Texas to serve the crown prince, and even rode to the middle gate, which was contempt for the imperial power. There is a strange thing here, Soetu has resigned, why does Kangxi want him to die? To settle the account, shouldn't it be calculated before? There are two main points, one is that Soetu was involved in the dispute between the crown princes and the crown princeling party. At that time, the contradiction between Kangxi and the crown prince was not resolved, and the year before, Soetu's younger brother Xinyu abused his family to death.
The most important thing is to participate in the dispute between the crown princes, Kangxi once said that Suo Er tried to help the prince to seek big things, what big things to do? It is obvious that it is a rebellion, and it is difficult to determine whether there is such a thing, after all, Kangxi did not give substantial evidence. All in all, even if Soetu resigned, he could not survive as a princeling. When the contradictions grew larger, kangxi who endured Soetu for a few years did not want to endure anymore. As for the so-called four major sins, plotting big things is likely just an excuse for Kangxi.
Reference: Draft History of the Qing Dynasty