History is the memory of things that have been said and done. —Carl Baker
The Qing Dynasty was hierarchical and attached great importance to origin. If a concubine is not born well and has a very low rank, she does not even have the right to raise the children she has. However, Su Ma Lagu was only a maid, not even a concubine, but she was very valued by the Kangxi Emperor. Even after the death of Su Ma Lagu, Kangxi held a solemn funeral for her, building a mausoleum for her at the rank of concubine. So, why did Kangxi value this little maid so much?
I think there are four reasons for this.
1. Assist Empress Xiaozhuang to consolidate the position of the harem.
The marriage between Xiaozhuang and Huang Taiji was a political marriage. Therefore, Xiaozhuang was not very favored by Emperor Taiji.
At that time, when Xiaozhuang left Mongolia for thousands of miles and arrived in the Golden Capital City of Shengjing, marrying Emperor Taiji as a side Fujin, she was accompanied by a personal maid, Su Ma Lagu.
Su Ma Lagu is good at learning. In the language-inflexible Harem, she not only mastered Manchu through learning, but also wrote beautiful Manchu. In addition, she was very competent, taking good care of Xiaozhuang and helping him consolidate his position in the harem with many concubines.
2. Act as a liaison between Shunzhi and Xiaozhuang.
When Emperor Taiji died, Fu Lin, the crown prince born to Xiaozhuang, was only 6 years old.
Since Emperor Taiji did not appoint an heir, it triggered a battle for the throne between Dorgon and Hauge.
Behind the fierce battles of the previous dynasty, Su Ma Lagu acted as a messenger for Xiaozhuang, skillfully threading needles for Xiaozhuang and Dorgon, and finally succeeded in allowing Fu Lin to inherit the throne.
After Dorgon invaded Beijing, the young Shunzhi left Empress Xiaozhuang according to the ancestral system and lived in the Qianqing Palace, where the emperor was eligible to live.
Dorgon, who was bent on unifying the world, continued to expand his power and vigorously suppress dissidents after entering Beijing, which was quite arrogant.
For Shunzhi, Dorgon was also closely monitored, lest he threaten his power. Therefore, Shunzhi did not say that it was very difficult to get the instructions of Empress Xiaozhuang, even if he met once.
Empress Xiaozhuang knew that Shunzhi was young at this time, and many things had to rely on Dolgun, so she had to bear it. But her fears for Shunzhi are getting better and better, lest he be in danger in the midst of complex political changes.
Fortunately, Su Mala once again acted as a secret liaison, running between Shunzhi and Empress Xiaozhuang regardless of her life, and conveyed the instructions and suggestions given to him by Xiaozhuang to Shunzhi several times. Shunzhi followed the plan, and finally kept peace.
In 1650, Dorgon died unexpectedly, and at the age of 14, Shunzhi became pro-government. After the reunion of mother and son, Su Ma Lama no longer had to risk her life to pass on the order.
Third, take care of Kangxi despite the danger.
Shortly after Kangxi was born, he unfortunately contracted smallpox. This was a time when everyone was smelling. Because there is no good medical means, he can only be sent to the palace for recuperation, and no one knows whether he can be cured.
Empress Xiaozhuang loved Kangxi very much. In order to give him careful care, SuMa Lama was again assigned to be responsible for his living and education.
Every day, Su Ma Lama rode around the imperial palace and the apartment where Kangxi lived, and in the morning and evening she had to report kangxi's living conditions to Empress Xiaozhuang, and heeded the instructions of Empress Xiaozhuang, taking care of Kangxi carefully while serving as his enlightenment teacher, patiently teaching him to learn Manchu Chinese.
Under the careful care of Su Ma Lagu, Kangxi actually recovered after a long period of recuperation. After several years of companionship, Kangxi had a very deep affection for Su Ma Lagu, and from then on, he always called her Eun Niang and respected her a lot.
Fourth, devote himself to raising Kangxi's son Yin Qi.
After empress xiaozhuang died, Su Ma Lama, who had accompanied him for most of his life, rose from his heart and fell into loneliness.
In order to relieve the loneliness of Su Ma Lagu, Kangxi gave her the twelve sons of the emperor who had just been born.
According to the ancestral system of the Qing Dynasty, those who can be qualified to raise the crown prince must be above the rank of concubine. Su Ma Lama's award to this honor shows Kangxi's good intentions.
Despite her advanced age, Su Ma Lagu single-mindedly assumed the responsibility of raising Yin Qi.
Because Su Ma Lama gave Yin Qi unlimited love, at the same time she vigorously urged Yin Qi's studies. Therefore, when Yin Qi grew up, Wenzhi martial arts were very outstanding, and even Kangxi was full of affirmation of Su Ma Lama's cultivation skills.
In the later years of Kangxi's life, the deposing of the crown prince triggered the seizure of the nine sons, and Yin Qi listened to the teachings of Su Ma Lagu and did not get involved in the whirlpool of the dispute over the throne, which also made him one of the princes who were not brutally suppressed after Yongzheng succeeded to the throne.
Su Ma Lama has been through four emperors, and her lifelong filial piety has been loyal to Xiaozhuang and her descendants, not only as a participant in their smooth succession to the throne, but also as a witness to several generations of emperors in the early years of the Qing Dynasty, plus she knows how to advance and retreat, and scrupulously abides by her duties, so Xiaozhuang's grandchildren have great respect for her for generations.
Under the care of Kangxi and Yin Qi and others, Su Ma Lama's later years were peaceful and peaceful, and she always believed that these blessings were given by Kangxi, so she often chanted prayers for Kangxi and his descendants in her later years.
At the age of 90, Su Ma Lama passed away with a smile. Kangxi was on a tour at the time, and when he heard the news, he was so sad that in order to rush back to see Su Ma Lagu for the last time, he also ordered that he "stay seven days and then be buried."
Kangxi also attached great importance to the posthumous affairs of Su Ma Lagu, and he ordered that Su Ma Lagu be buried according to the concubine ceremony.
At the solemn funeral, the princes thanked Su Ma Lama for her love for them before she died, and also wept incessantly to send a funeral for her soul.
It can be said that in the entire Qing Dynasty, Su Ma Lagu, who was a maid, enjoyed all the special honors, and there was no second one except her.