Preface
Why are brothers turning against each other suspicious until death? Can a nickname cause such a big controversy? How can a power struggle make two people who were originally siblings completely break up? What kind of secret does this period of history hide?
Why did Emperor Xianfeng and Prince Gong, who grew up together since childhood, end up turning against each other? What happened between them? What key figures were involved in this? The temptation of power led them into an irreparable abyss.
The fate of Emperor Xianfeng turned around
In 1831, Emperor Xianfeng was born in the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, and he was the fourth son of Emperor Daoguang. At that time, his life could be described as happy and worry-free, and his biological mother also became a queen at his immature age.
However, a turning point of fate came in 1840 AD. In that year, Emperor Xianfeng's biological mother unfortunately fell seriously ill and finally passed away. For Emperor Xianfeng, who was only 10 years old at the time, this was undoubtedly a huge blow. The pain of losing his biological mother made it difficult for him to accept this cruel truth.
However, fate did not let the child go. In order to get him out of the haze as soon as possible, Emperor Daoguang decided to let Concubine Jing raise Xianfeng. Concubine Jing is the biological mother of Xianfeng's younger brother Prince Gong Yiyi. Since then, Xianfeng has been living with Concubine Jing, and he has gradually cultivated a brotherly relationship with Yi Yi.
During this time, the relationship between the two of them can be described as very harmonious, like real brothers. Who would have thought that such a brotherhood would eventually evolve into a rift that would be difficult to bridge.
Immediate storage turmoil
Emperor Daoguang had 20 children, of whom there were 9 princes. On his deathbed, he had to choose an heir from among the nine princes. This is undoubtedly a tricky question, because each prince has his own ambitions and pursuits.
In this case, Emperor Xianfeng and Prince Gong became the two most likely candidates to be made crown prince. One was the fourth son of Emperor Daoguang, and the other was the sixth son. Due to the unfortunate death of his first three sons, Emperor Daoguang had to choose from among the children who came after.
Finally, in 1850 AD, Emperor Daoguang secretly appointed Xianfeng as the crown prince, and made the news public on his deathbed. This is undoubtedly a big decision, as it has a direct impact on the future direction of the entire country.
From then on, Emperor Xianfeng began his own path of governance. At the same time, the relationship between him and Prince Gong has also undergone subtle changes. What used to be a brother is now a monarch. This change in identity will undoubtedly bring uncertainty to their relationship.
The controversy caused by the nickname
In 1855, Prince Gong's biological mother, Concubine Jing, unfortunately fell seriously ill. As a filial son, Yi Yi naturally hopes to be able to give his mother the honor she deserves. So, he asked Emperor Xianfeng for an edict, hoping to make Concubine Jing the queen mother.
This request was undoubtedly a dilemma for Emperor Xianfeng. On the one hand, he lived with Concubine Jing for many years when he was a child and had a deep affection for her. If he refuses this request, I am afraid that he will appear to be too ruthless. On the other hand, Emperor Daoguang did not make Concubine Jing the empress during his reign, and it is difficult for him to make such a decision now.
After careful consideration, Emperor Xianfeng finally made a compromise decision. He named Concubine Jing as the "Empress Dowager of Kangci", and gave her a rather generous nickname: "Filial piety and Jing, Kangci Bi Tianfu Holy Empress".
However, this epithet has sparked even greater controversy. The reason is very simple, when giving this nickname, Emperor Xianfeng's attitude was obviously with some dissatisfaction and anger. This is because, in the process of asking for the decree, Yi Yi's attitude was too tough, as if if Emperor Xianfeng did not agree, he would have to take some unfavorable actions.
This tough attitude made Emperor Xianfeng feel very unhappy. Therefore, when giving the nickname, he also expressed his dissatisfaction. This undoubtedly deepened the conflict between the two brothers and made their relationship worse.
Since then, the contradiction between Emperor Xianfeng and Prince Gong has become more and more intense, and he can no longer return to his former intimacy. The estrangement between them can no longer be bridged, and they have become enemies who can never be reconciled.
Invasion by Anglo-French forces
In 1860, the Anglo-French army invaded the capital on the mainland. This is undoubtedly a huge crisis that requires a nationwide response. However, at this critical moment, Emperor Xianfeng made a surprising decision.
He blamed all the troubles on his younger brother Prince Gong, and he took his family and ministers to Rehe for refuge. This was undoubtedly a very cold-blooded decision, because under the circumstances, Yi Yi had to face these thorny issues alone.
Emperor Xianfeng made this decision in large part because he still had deep suspicions of his younger brother. Although they were once close brothers, they have become irreconcilable enemies in the power struggles that follow.
Emperor Xianfeng apparently did not believe that his younger brother was up to these important tasks, so he preferred to put everything on Yi Yi and chose to flee himself. This is undoubtedly a very selfish and ruthless decision, and it also makes people wonder what kind of considerations Emperor Xianfeng had.
Spend your last days in Rehe
On the way to Rehe, Emperor Xianfeng fled the capital, and his physical condition began to deteriorate. It was undoubtedly a very difficult journey, not only to face the threat of external enemies, but also to endure the torture of your own body.
And in Rehe, Emperor Xianfeng's life gradually came to an end. On his deathbed, he was still full of suspicion and prejudice against his younger brother Prince Gong. In order to guard against Yi Yi, he specially arranged eight ministers and two empresses to assist his son.
This was undoubtedly a very cautious decision, because Emperor Xianfeng obviously did not believe that his younger brother could truly think about his son. He was afraid that Yi Yi would take advantage of the opportunity to seek more power, so he did not hesitate to take such measures to prevent it.
However, these arrangements of Emperor Xianfeng underwent unexpected changes after his death. His two empresses, Cixi and Ci'an, united to collude with Prince Gong and finally got rid of all the eight ministers, and began to rule by themselves.
This is undoubtedly a shocking result, because all the designs of Emperor Xianfeng during his lifetime have all come to naught at this moment. He originally wanted to limit Yi Yi's power through checks and balances, but he didn't expect that Cixi and Ci'an would join forces with him and finally grasp the power of the world.
This also makes people wonder what kind of considerations Emperor Xianfeng had to make such an arrangement. Was he really so distrustful of his brother that he would take such extreme measures? Or did he not expect that his wife would collude with Yi Yi and eventually take everything into his own hands?
In any case, this result was undoubtedly unexpected by Emperor Xianfeng. His life, from the happiness of his childhood to the suspicion and disappointment at the end, all reflect the cruelty of the power struggle. And all of this stems from the irreparable rift between him and Prince Gong.
epilogue
The wheels of history roll forward, but some things can never be forgotten. The story of Emperor Xianfeng and Prince Gong is undoubtedly one of the most classic.
The brothers, who grew up together, eventually broke up because of a nickname and the temptation of power. The contradictions between them not only affected their own destiny, but also changed the direction of the entire country.
Cixi and Ci'an's scheming and calculations add a layer of conspiracy to this story. Their collusion not only made Yi Yi lose his original status, but also completely smashed all the designs of Emperor Xianfeng during his lifetime.
This history is undoubtedly a thought-provoking lesson. The temptation of power often makes people lose their minds and fight for it at all costs. And the contradictions between brothers often evolve into rifts that are difficult to bridge.
Let's learn from this history, cherish the loved ones in front of us, and don't let the temptation of power blind us. Only in this way can we avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and move towards a better future.