preface
In the later years of the Kangxi Emperor, the choice of heir to the throne was quite tangled. Among the princes, the four brothers finally stood out and inherited the throne as the Yongzheng Emperor. As the youngest of the thirteenth princes, it was not easy for Yongzheng to win in the competition of his brothers.
After Yongzheng took the throne, he favored the Nian Xinyao brothers and sisters. However, in his later will, he only chose the young concubine to be buried with the empress. This decision may reveal his complex inner world.
First, the fourth brother seizes the throne: the young and promising Yongzheng
In the 40th year of the Kangxi Dynasty, on the fourth day of the first month of April, the Kangxi Emperor, dressed in a white mourning robe, took his last breath in the breeze of late spring, ending his sixty-one-year reign at the age of sixty-nine.
Kangxi had many princes during his lifetime, but the only ones who were really qualified to compete for the throne were Crown Prince Yinren and Four Brother Yinhe.
Yinren was Kangxi's favorite eldest son, and was canonized as crown prince by Kangxi as early as seventeen years ago. However, the good times did not last long, Yinren was weak in character, and he was too favored by officials, which led to the increasingly scattered politics of the dynasty. Finally, in the 56th year of the Kangxi Dynasty, Yinren was placed under house arrest by Kangxi Yan in the Qianqing Palace.
Kangxi, who was estranged from his son, turned his hopes to his youngest son Yin Yu.
Yin Yu's biological mother, Niu Cobalt Lu clan, was of low origin, and was adopted by Empress Xiaoyiren on the occasion of the full moon. The empress raised him and demanded strictly, and seeing that he was brilliant, she ordered him to follow Kangxi to study imperial politics.
Yin Yu was extremely knowledgeable about current affairs, and since he was a child, he knew how to cater to the empress's teachings and tried to please the empress. He is both literary and martial, and his performance is excellent in both riding and shooting and poetry. When Kangxi was touring the south, Yin Yu was often with him, and often replaced Kangxi in approving the recitals and handling political affairs.
During this period, Yin Yu met a powerful family that helped him rise - the Nian family.
That year, when Kangxi visited Jiangnan, he was warmly received by the Nian family for many years. The daughter of the Nian family is only fifteen years old, and her appearance is outstanding, which is deeply appreciated by Kangxi. So Kangxi gave the year to the twenty-year-old Yin Yu, and a happy event was finalized.
This marriage was extremely beneficial to Yin Xuan. After the Nian family became entrenched in the local forces, Yin Yu relied on the power of his father-in-law to show his skills in Jiangnan, eradicated the bandits who had plagued the local area for many years, brought to justice the officials who embezzled relief funds, and wiped out the accumulated malpractices in one fell swoop.
The young daughter was able to become Yin Yu's wife, took the name Niu Cobalt Lu clan, and was given the title Fujin. As a result, Yin Yu was gradually reused by Kangxi.
In the sixty years of the Kangxi Dynasty, the crown prince was deposed, and the court was deaf for this. Yin Yu ushered in a great opportunity to win the throne.
At this time, a group of princes led by Ba'a Ge Yunyu tried to join forces to seize the throne. Yun Yu was widely supported by his subordinates and Manchu officials, and had become a popular candidate for the next emperor.
The situation was extremely unfavorable for Yin Yu, and the Nian family stood up to support him at this time. At an old age, he wrote Kangxi, and Chu Chu eloquently expounded that Yin Yu was filial and diligent since childhood, and won the support of the people, and should inherit the great ruler.
In the end, under the influence of the Nian family and the empress, although Yunyu and other princes colluded with his henchmen to attack Yin Yu, Kangxi still chose Yin Yu as the crown prince before his death.
Yin Yu, who was under forty years old, ascended the throne for the Yongzheng Emperor. He is younger than his brothers, and it is not easy to stand out from the competition.
Some people think that Yongzheng is smart and capable, wise and martial, while others think that he won the imperial throne by virtue of the power of the empress, and his means are not upright enough.
After Yongzheng took the throne, he did face strong pressure from all sides. In order to consolidate imperial power, he had to try to calm the people and stabilize the situation.
2. Quell the rebellion and stabilize the imperial power
After Yongzheng took the throne, a rebellion broke out in the northwest region, and the sequelae of the Nine Sons began to appear. The government and opposition are in turmoil, factions are numerous, and it is difficult to concentrate power.
Yongzheng felt a headache. The Nian family helped him again.
The Nian family has been a military genius for many years. He made many achievements during the Kangxi Dynasty and was deeply valued by the Kangxi Dynasty. Concubine Nian is his own sister.
Nian Xinyao was favored and trusted from the beginning of Yongzheng's accession to the throne and became a confidant minister. In the face of the northwest rebellion, he immediately led his army to quell it, which relieved Yongzheng's urgent need.
After quelling the rebellion, Nian Xinyao continued to lead his army to clear and suppress the northern Mongol departments, and made meritorious contributions one after another. He was soon promoted to general of Fuyuan and had a close relationship with Yongzheng.
Some people from the government and the public commented: "If the emperor does not have a young man, it will be difficult to achieve great deeds."
With the assistance of Nian Xinyao, Yongzheng gradually controlled the overall situation, controlled officials, and stabilized the imperial throne.
At this time, the young concubine also received Yongzheng's favor.
The young concubine was soft and virtuous, which was quite appreciated by Kangxi. She bore Yongzheng many children and helped Yongzheng properly handle internal affairs.
After Yongzheng ascended the throne, he elevated the position of concubine to the status of second only to the empress.
Nian Xinyao and Nian Guifei are one black and one white, one handsome and one beautiful, one literary and one martial, which can be described as the two heroes who supported Yongzheng's accession to the throne.
Third, arrogance and luxury, falling into alienation
In the early Qing Dynasty, imperial power was not firmly established, and the relationship between monarchs and subjects was relatively delicate.
The heavy ministers of the lord who have made high achievements are easy to arouse the emperor's suspicion. Nian Xinyao is a typical example.
After the pacification of the northwest, Nian Xinyao became powerful, and he was promoted from governor to general of Fuyuan. He held high positions and mastered the forbidden army. And the forbidden army has always been a strong backing for imperial power.
Success went to Nian Xinyao's head, he began to look at no one, greedy for pleasure, and even openly accepted huge bribes.
There are already many voices in the government and the public who are extremely dissatisfied with Nian Xinyao. The imperial historians impeached him for being extravagant and corrupt, authoritarian and arbitrary.
Nian Xinyao not only did not retreat, but also opened his mouth and asked Yongzheng to make his son the king of the county. In the end, he even killed Sun Jiacheng, who dared to impeach him, in public.
This is already a blatant contempt for imperial power. Yongzheng decided to severely punish Nian Xinyao and regain control of the army.
Concubine Nian had also fallen out of favor at this time. She was the son of Yongzheng Lian, and her body became weaker and weaker. Related to Nian Xianyao's glory and withering, as well as her physical condition at this time.
Around the time Nian Xinyao was summoned to Beijing, Nian Guifei's condition deteriorated. In order to save her mind, Yongzheng personally honored the young concubine as "Imperial Concubine".
However, it was too late, and the young concubine passed away before she could wear the new phoenix crown.
A month after Nian Guifei's death, Nian Xinyao finally failed to escape the sanctions of the imperial court, and was painfully concluded by Yongzheng and died in prison.
A generation of wizards ended tragically, and the government and the public lamented it. Yongzheng also held a grand funeral for Concubine Nian after her death to show his condolences.
Fourth, the will Tailing, unforgettable old love
During the reign of Yongzheng, the country flourished. However, the good times did not last long, and Yongzheng died in the first year of Qianlong at the age of fifty-six.
During his lifetime, Yongzheng favored the Empress Ulanara clan, and there was also a side chamber Princess Cheng'en. After Qianlong ascended the throne, he specially obeyed Yongzheng's will and buried these two concubines with Yongzheng in Tailing.
There is no doubt that the queen was buried. But what is puzzling is that Yongzheng gave up his favored concubine Cheng'en Guifei, but chose Nian Guifei to be buried.
This choice seems to reveal a trace of Yongzheng's sincerity.
Nian Guifei was his wife when he was a teenager, and the two were husband and wife, along the way. The young concubine had provided a solid backing on his road to victory.
During Nian Guifei's illness, her brother Nian Xinyao also drifted away and was finally severely punished.
As emperor, Yongzheng had to make decisions to maintain power. However, as a husband and brother-in-law, he also has residual nostalgia for the Nian brothers and sisters.
Letting the young concubine be buried in the Tailing Tomb may be a little compensation for this friendship by Yongzheng.
As emperor, he must be decisive and agile to maintain the situation of the dynasty. As a son of man and husband, he could not completely forget his feelings.
epilogue
The wheel of history rolls forward, coming and going, winning and losing, and glory and withering are easy to distinguish.
As the founding king of the country, Yongzheng was deeply loved by the people of the times. But his inner world is by no means just a power scheme.
Looking back from the long river of history, we might as well leave a little kind imagination for everyone who was once alive.