Preface
In the history of Chinese literature, "Dream of Red Mansions" is hailed as the pinnacle of work, and the life and experience of its author, Cao Xueqin, are also a puzzling mystery. During the Kangxi period, Cao Xueqin's grandfather was regarded as a family member by Kangxi, however, in the Yongzheng period, Cao Xueqin was raided by the family. What kind of court situation and family ups and downs are hidden behind this?
Today, let's delve into Cao Xueqin's life trajectory and reveal why Cao Xueqin fell from family status to family raid during the Kangxi and Yongzheng periods. This is a family journey about court favors and literary giants, and a court legend with a more confusing story behind a literary giant. Follow us through time and feel the time and space of the Qing Dynasty full of literary and historical vicissitudes.
Originated in the three generations of the Kangxi Cao family
The protagonist of this story is called Cao Yin, who lived from Kangxi to Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty. Cao Yin's grandfather, Cao Xi, was originally a clothed servant in the Emperor's Taiji Mansion. Such an identity is destined that the Cao family will definitely form an indissoluble bond with the royal family.
When Kangxi ascended the throne, Cao Yin was only seven years old. And his mother, Sun, was fortunate to become Kangxi's nurse. Therefore, the relationship between Kangxi and Cao Yin is very close, like a pair of brothers.
At the age of 17, Cao Yin served as Kangxi's bodyguard. He not only participated in the operation to capture Aobai, but also made meritorious contributions with his wit and strategy. In Kangxi's heart, Cao Yin is so important! Wei Dongting in "Kangxi Dynasty" was created based on him.
In the twenty-ninth year of Kangxi (1690), Kangxi's first generous gift was delivered - Cao Yin was appointed as a weaver in Suzhou. Two years later, Cao Yin was promoted to Jiangning Weaving. Since then, the Cao family has gone through three generations and has served as this pig-fat-headed errand for 40 consecutive years!
As a result, the Cao family relied on this relationship between the emperor's relatives and relatives to dominate the Jiangnan region. As the saying goes, no profit can not be early, Kangxi will definitely spend the night in Cao Mansion every time he tours south. The extravagance and waste of eating and drinking alone is too many to count, not to mention all kinds of other gifts.
However, the emperor's favor is not a long-term solution after all. In the winter of 1712, Cao Yin died at the age of fifty. Since then, the life of the Cao family has not been as good as before.
The son died and the family attacked, but it was difficult to continue the prosperity of the Cao family
Although Cao Yin died, the emperor's favor had not completely faded. In order to take care of his old friend, Kangxi specially arranged for Cao Yin's eldest son Cao Hao to succeed him as Jiangning Weaving. His intention was naturally to let him make some money to make up for the deficit of the old Cao family in recent years.
However, the heavens did not grant people's wishes. Cao Hao died after only two years in office, leaving an even bigger hole that no one cared about. In order to save the Cao family, Kangxi had to let Cao Yin's nephew Cao Fu succeed to the Cao family and continue the weaving business in his hands.
At this moment, the relevant departments found out that Cao Yin had embezzled an astronomical amount of treasury silver and a large amount of silver taels without permission during his lifetime, and the amount was as high as 230,000 taels, and he was unable to repay it at all.
Although the Cao family is a famous family, in fact, they have already fallen into the middle of the family. For a while, he was stretched and had no power to parry. In order to take care of his old friend, Kangxi even involved Li Xu. Li Xu was originally a weaver in Suzhou, and he was also Cao Yin's brother-in-law. Kangxi asked Li Xu to repay part of Cao Yin's debts during his lifetime, but in the end he was still unable to fill the huge hole.
In desperation, Kangxi had no choice but to let his subordinates impeach the Cao family. The final confirmed figure was as high as more than 300,000 taels! Judging from the prices at that time, this amount was enough for the children and grandchildren of an ordinary family to reproduce without worry for several generations. The Cao family wants to repay, which is simply a fantasy.
However, even so, Kangxi still has some old feelings for his old friend's family. In 61, he still tolerated Li Xu and Cao Fu to make up for the arrears of public funds, and gave them two years to pay them off. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, they still couldn't scrape together enough money within the deadline.
Today, such a situation is an economic crime at best. But in the feudal dynasty, the privileged class touched the bottom line, and the consequences would only be more serious. The vigorous raiding action is about to start, and if you are not careful, you will be slashed all over the house!
The change of dynasty was unfavorable, Yongzheng ascended the throne, and the Cao family overturned
In 1722, Kangxi died and Yongzheng succeeded him. Seeing that the emperor has changed, the Cao family's life is even more difficult. Yongzheng is extremely jealous and hateful, and has vigorously fought corruption since he ascended the throne. He punished the corrupt behavior of the privileged class even more severely. In his eyes, the old Cao family is just a typical example, and he must be severely punished to set an example.
At first, he still had a trace of affection for the old Cao family. After all, Cao Yin was once a brother and sister with his father Kangxi. In order to take care of the deceased, he still gave the Cao family a three-year deadline to repay the debt.
However, Yongzheng is different from Kangxi's naïve and weak. He sent his subordinates to keep an eye on every day and closely monitor the Cao family's every move. His intention couldn't be more obvious - the Cao family will never be allowed to have any chance to make money to fill the hole!
Sure enough, under this kind of high-pressure persecution, the Cao family, who owed huge debts, knew that they were unable to repay. In 1726, Cao Fu was dismissed from his post and his family was confiscated, and he has been in a state of collapse ever since. Yongzheng even copied the Grand View Garden, the prototype of the Dream of Red Mansions, to the bottom of the sky! The entire Cao Mansion was looted, leaving only an empty shell.
Cao Fu took his family and had to return to the capital north. The Cao family has become another typical lesson in Yongzheng's pen. It was not until 17 years later, in the first year of Qianlong (1735), that this farce finally came to an end. Emperor Qianlong announced that he would pardon and exempt the Cao family from all their crimes.
Yongzheng is not as bad as he imagined
Such a cruel blow made many people feel unforgettable disgust for Yongzheng. People often assume that the emperor will only indulge in wine and waste political affairs. But this does not seem to be fair.
In fact, Yongzheng ruled the country diligently during his reign and hardly rested. He only has three days off a year, and he is still at the office at other times. He works up to 4,000 words a day, works almost day and night, and sleeps only 4 hours a night. It can be seen that his hard work is very human.
Not only that, Yongzheng also vigorously promoted anti-corruption reforms, and established a new rule that scholars and doctors must pay food and errands. These measures deserve to be openly opposed by the literati. Therefore, from a certain point of view, it is not difficult to understand the ugliness of historical works.
epilogue
We should not be biased in our judgment of Yongzheng. He also has his own difficulties. As he said in his decree: "I am also a human being, and I can be selfless?" "How can we not be ordinary people?
In the long history, the rise and fall of the palace is fate. What we should pay more attention to is the various life philosophies contained in the relationship between the monarch and the minister. That's what really deserves to be pondered.