Preface
During the Qing Dynasty, the Kangxi Emperor was considered a preeminent monarch whose rule brought long-term prosperity and stability. However, there is a love story in Kangxi's life that has attracted much attention, that is, his deep affection for the queen Hesheri and his special favor for the crown prince.
So why did Kangxi obey the Hesheri clan in a hundred ways? The prince made mistakes again and again but never couldn't bear to abolish it? In this article, we will talk about the mysteries behind Kangxi, the Hesheri clan and the prince, and interpret this court legend from a realistic perspective!
1. Political marriages
Emperor Shunzhi died, and Kangxi, who was only eight years old, succeeded to the throne. As a young emperor, he naturally could not hold power alone. Before Emperor Shunzhi died, he left four auxiliary ministers to assist the young Kangxi. They are Aobai, Soni, Sukh Saha and Suppilong.
Each of these four ministers has its own characteristics. Ao Bai is a powerful minister who leans towards the government and the opposition, holds great power, and acts recklessly. Although Sony has deep qualifications, it is too old to cope with the heavy government affairs. Sukh Saha became notorious in the DPRK because of his character problems. Only Suppilon is still a steady and reliable minister, but he lacks assertiveness and is easily manipulated by Aobai.
Such a situation naturally made the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang worried. She was worried that if she allowed Ao Bai to cover the sky with one hand, it would definitely endanger the imperial power of the young Kangxi. So, she came up with a clever plan: through political marriages, she won over those powerful ministers' families, so as to stabilize Kangxi's ruling position.
Under the arrangement of the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, Kangxi married two boudoirs: Sony's granddaughter Hesheri and Niukulu, the daughter of Suppilon. Both marriages have far-reaching political considerations.
As the head of the four auxiliary ministers, Sony has a high status and outstanding prestige in the court. If the Sony family can be co-opted, it will undoubtedly greatly enhance Kangxi's political strength and curb Aobai's ambitions. Although Suppilon is not as powerful as Sony, he is also one of the four auxiliary ministers after all, and can play a certain role in the court.
Of course, these two marriages were not entirely politically motivated. Both the Hesheri clan and the Niu Kulu clan were well-born boudoirs with good family education and upbringing. They are undoubtedly qualified candidates for queen.
However, among the two boudoirs, Kangxi finally chose the Hesheri clan. This may have something to do with Sony's status and prestige in the court, but more importantly, the Herschelis feel more gentle and generous, more in line with Kangxi's ideal wife image.
2. Wen Yao Chimi
From an early age, the Heschelis were educated to be a worthy empress. She is not only from a prominent background, but also has a gentle and generous personality. These made Kangxi very satisfied with the bride who was one year older than him.
In fact, Kangxi lacked the love of his parents since he was a child. His biological mother was not favored by Emperor Shunzhi, and his father died when he was young. This made the young Kangxi full of emptiness and loneliness in his heart.
The appearance of the Hesheri clan just filled this void. She is gentle and considerate, and always cares about Kangxi's daily life and mood. Whenever Kangxi was worried about the government, Hesheri could always give him endless comfort and encouragement.
Although their marriage was initially for political purposes, over time, Kangxi developed a sincere love for the Hesheri clan. They are like close friends, confiding in each other and sharing joys, sorrows and sorrows.
This intimate relationship allowed Kangxi to find the long-lost warmth and attachment in Heschelis. Their relationship is like a blooming flower, which grows more and more luxuriant with the nourishment of the years.
However, even with the support of the Hesheri clan, Kangxi's early reign was not all smooth sailing. Ao Bai still has a firm grip on the power and often puts pressure on Kangxi.
This situation lasted until Kangxi was 16 years old. With the help of Suo Etu, Kangxi finally eradicated the troubles of his henchmen and took control of the power himself. This was undoubtedly an important turning point, marking the real beginning of Kangxi's independent governance.
And in this year, the Hesheri clan also gave birth to an eldest son for Kangxi. For the young Kangxi, this is undoubtedly the happiest year in his life. He finally had a son of his own, and it also marked the beginning of his new journey as a father.
3. The favor of the Hesheries
However, the eldest son died at the age of four, and the Hesheris was devastated. This was undoubtedly a heavy blow, which not only made Kangxi feel extremely sad, but also plunged the Hescheri clan into deep despair.
Luckily, five years later, Heschelis became pregnant again. This is undoubtedly gratifying news, which makes Kangxi and Hesheris full of expectations. Finally, when Kangxi was 26 years old, Hesheri gave birth to a second son.
Unfortunately, Heschelis died shortly after giving birth. This is undoubtedly another heavy blow to Kangxi. After all, Hesheri was not only his beloved wife, but also his confidant and friend when he was young.
Faced with Hesheri's deathbed advice, Kangxi made up his mind to give all his favor to this newborn son. He made the baby crown prince as never before and taught him personally. Since ancient times, there has never been a crown prince who has been honored with this honor.
This prince's name is Yinren, and he has been cared for by Kangxi in every way since he was a child. Kangxi not only taught him to read and practice martial arts personally, but also always paid attention to his growth. In Kangxi's eyes, Yinren is the crystallization of him and the Hesheri clan, and it is their common heritage.
However, the crown prince was not a satisfactory student. He often makes mistakes, and even acts in a way that borders on absurdity. But no matter what mistakes Yinren made, Kangxi always forgave him magnanimously, and even connived at him.
This kind of pampering makes people sigh that Kangxi's attachment to the Hesheri clan is deep. Even though Hesheri had been dead for many years, he still poured all his love into her only son.
Perhaps, this is also Kangxi's last sustenance for the Hesheri clan. After losing his beloved wife, he pinned all his emotions on this child, hoping to continue their love in this way.
Fourth, make up your mind
It's a pity that Yinren didn't let Kangxi get his wish. His behavior is becoming more and more disappointing, even somewhat ridiculous. This made Kangxi have to look directly at a cruel truth: his favor may be ruining this child.
Finally, after a serious mistake, Kangxi made up his mind to completely depose Yinren's crown prince and demote him to a concubine. This is undoubtedly a distressing decision, because Yinren is not only his eldest son, but also the only son of his late beloved wife Hesheri.
When making this decision, Kangxi must have experienced a painful struggle in his heart. He knew very well that this was not only a punishment for Yinren, but also a betrayal of the Hesheri clan. After all, before Hesheri died, she had asked Kangxi to take good care of the child.
However, for the prosperity of the Qing Dynasty and the safety of future generations, Kangxi had to make a painful decision. He understood that if Yinren was allowed to continue to be absurd, it would inevitably endanger the stability of the entire dynasty.
seems to be a ruthless edict, but it embodies Kangxi's endless attachment and respect for the Hesheri clan. It was precisely because he loved this son too much that he had to make such a difficult choice. The hearts of a generation of wise monarchs have also struggled with such tearing pain.
However, Kangxi's decision was not achieved overnight. After deposing Yinren, he reinstated his status as crown prince shortly after. This once again shows that even if Yinren has made mistakes repeatedly, Kangxi still has difficulty in giving up his attachment to him.
Perhaps, this is Kangxi's last sustenance for the Hesheri clan. Even though she has been dead for many years, the son she left behind is still Kangxi's most cherished existence. He was reluctant to give up the child, as it was his co-product with the Hesheri clan.
epilogue
This moving love saga is undoubtedly a rare and precious chapter in history. It not only shows the inner world of an emperor, but also reflects the deepest emotions of human nature. Perhaps, this is the charm of history, allowing us to peek into the most sincere emotions in the hearts of those great monarchs.