In the later years of Kangxi,during the two deposed crown princes, a battle for the throne was unconsciously set off within the court.
Ai Xin Jue Luo Yin Rong (stills of "Kangxi Dynasty")
History is called - nine sons to seize the wife.
The nine princes who participated in the nine sons' conquest were the Eldest Brother Yin, the Crown Prince Yin, the Third Brother Yin, the Fourth Brother Yin, the Eighth Brother, the Nine Brother Yin, the Tenth Brother Yin, the Thirteenth Brother Yinxiang, and the Fourteenth Brother Yinchen.
The most powerful of the nine people who participated in the struggle for the throne was the Eight Brothers, led by Brother Eight, because Brother Eight was good at recruiting officials and letting these high-ranking officials speak well for themselves in front of the emperor.
Kangxi, who had always been benevolent and peaceful, was furious when he saw this, and executed all those who supported the party struggle. Because in the final analysis, the so-called benevolence and righteousness of Yin Yu in the mouth of the hundred officials are only disguised.
Late Kangxi Emperor (stills from "Yongzheng Dynasty")
As for the other princes, the three brothers had good academics, but lacked political courage; the eldest son of the emperor had believed in witchcraft, was suspected of killing the prince, and was imprisoned; the rest were basically vassal forces, but two people were not.
The two of them are the mystery of Yongzheng's ascension to the throne that modern society talks about- the fourth son of the emperor and the fourteenth son of the emperor.
There are rumors that the Yongzheng Emperor changed the "fourteen sons of the succession" to "the fourth son of the succession".
This statement itself is wrong, first of all, "Yu" at that time was not like it is now, but written "Yu"; and according to the system of the Qing Dynasty, the prince had to write several sons of the emperor in the edict, like "Emperor Yu Four Sons", the Yongzheng Emperor would not change a sick sentence no matter how much he changed it; finally, in the last edict, it was written simultaneously in Manchu Chinese, even if he could change the Chinese language, he could not change the Manchu language. Moreover, at that time, the fourteen-character Yin Yu was leading soldiers out to fight, and he couldn't find time.
In summary, there is no doubt that Yin Chan's succession is legal and reasonable. There is no need to speculate too much.
In the sixty-first year of the Kangxi Dynasty, in 1722 AD, the fourth brother Ai Xinjue Luo Yin chan succeeded to the throne, and the following year changed to Yuan Yongzheng.
Yongzheng Emperor (stills from "The Biography of Zhen Huan")
After ascending the throne, the Yongzheng Emperor did not face a prosperous scene. On the contrary, due to the corruption of the Kangxi Emperor in his later years, the rampant corruption of corrupt officials, and the stagnation of social development, there were millions of taels of silver left in the treasury, and the burden of the Yongzheng Emperor was very heavy.
Faced with this situation, the Yongzheng Emperor first consolidated his imperial power. With the exception of a few who survived, he eradicated all his former brothers. Deprived the Fourteen Brothers of their military powers in the great northwest, imprisoned the Eight Brothers to death, and gave them the names "Archina" and "Seth Black", meaning pigs and dogs are inferior. In this regard, Yin Yu only wants to say one sentence, you can close me, what does it mean to give me this broken title?
In the second year of Yongzheng, in 1724 AD, the Yongzheng Emperor promulgated the "Theory of Friends and Parties", emphasizing that gentlemen and ministers should move forward with one heart and strictly prohibit the formation of parties for personal gain.
In addition, the Yongzheng Emperor also conveniently eliminated all the important ministers who assisted him in ascending the throne, Nian Qianyao and Longkeduo.
For feudal dynasties, centralization of power was always the top priority. The vast majority of those who threatened the imperial power, whether good or evil, inevitably ended up in a tragic end.
After solving the problems of the central government, the Yongzheng Emperor began to solve the problem of the governance of officials throughout the country.
As we all know, the Yongzheng Emperor was a famous reformer. Where exactly are the reforms? There are roughly the following points:
In terms of taxation——, unify the central government of local additional tax revenue and reduce the people's burden; it has reduced the gap between the rich and the poor and reduced the feudal personal shackles on the people.
In the southwest region, after the elimination of the overbearing toast, the backward system of hereditary sub-feudal toast in the minority areas of the southwest dominated by the local toastmasters was abolished, and the central government uniformly dispatched officials to implement the same administrative system as in the interior, also known as the inland
In terms of important state affairs, the Yongzheng Emperor set up an office next to the emperor's residence, directly conveying the emperor's orders, which also marked the arrival of the peak of the monarchy.
Military Aircraft Division
In other aspects, the Yongzheng Emperor implemented it, and some small prefects could also hand over to the emperor a huge information network throughout the country, improving administrative efficiency; at the same time, in view of the succession of successive dynasties, it ensured a smooth transition of imperial succession, objectively promoted the progress and talent of the prince, and strived to become the one who was secretly selected.
In Tibet, the Yongzheng Emperor achieved de facto control over Tibet.
Territory of the Qing Dynasty during the Yongzheng Period
The Yongzheng Emperor was an excellent reformer, and at the same time, a very careful person.
When he inspected officials, from the central to the local level, and even the officials of a small county, they had to ask about his character and political achievements, and this degree is unimaginable to us, which is extremely rare in the entire history of China!
From the life of the Yongzheng Emperor, it is not difficult for us to see that the Yongzheng Emperor was an extremely fierce person. However, as an author, I prefer to understand it as courage to take responsibility.
Because during the thirteen years of the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor, he never slackened or slackened.
Sleep only four hours a day, four hours, friends, how many people can stand sleeping four hours a day now? Moreover, the Yongzheng Emperor did not run to the harem like in the palace fighting drama, on the contrary, he was constantly handling government affairs and caring for the country.
If an emperor is not accountable to the country, what is the point of everything he does?
It is said that the Yongzheng Emperor is sinister and fierce, but he is also making a necessary move for the stability of society; as for the strengthening of the absolute monarchy, this is not only the Yongzheng Emperor alone, was not the Qin Emperor Han Wu also strengthening the imperial power?
The Yongzheng Emperor loved Xinjue Luo Yin chan
He was the most assiduous emperor in Chinese history, Kang Yongqian was prosperous, without the struggle of the Yongzheng Emperor, perhaps just a dream. Although he is indeed very harsh and mean, it is not worth mentioning compared to his great achievements.
The Holy Patriarch was still lenient, and Sejong followed him with strictness. Commentators are better than Han Zhiwen and Jing.
- Draft History of the Qing Dynasty