Preface
Since ancient times, some people's lives are like a magnificent picture, in which every stroke carries the honor and disgrace of the times. And one of the lesser-known but shocking stories is Nian Qianyao's unique role in the Qing Dynasty.
With his extraordinary talent and military ability, he stepped up to the pinnacle of his life step by step and became a powerful general of Fuyuan. However, just when his power was at its highest, he was shattered by arrogance and greed.
So, what level was he at that time as the general of Fuyuan, and what was the astonishing degree of power?
First, young and promising
In 1679, Nian Qianyao was born into a prominent family of eunuchs. His father, Nian Yaoling, was the governor of Huguang, and his elder brother, Nian Xiyao, was also a famous painter and official in the Qing Dynasty. In such a privileged family environment, Nian Qianyao received a good education since he was a child and showed extraordinary talent and talent.
Nian Qianyao has been tireless in learning since he was a child, he loves poetry and songs, and he also has unique insights into the art of war. In 1700, the 22-year-old Nian Qianyao was admitted to the Jinshi in the imperial examination that year with the top three grades, and Zhang Tingyu (later Yongzheng's confidant) was the same year and the first, which can be described as a young achievement.
Such an achievement was already very rare at the time. Jinshi's background means that Nian Qianyao has a good cultural accomplishment and governance ability, and he has also shown wisdom and talent beyond his peers. Many people believe that such a young man will definitely make a difference in the future.
After Jinshi and the second, Nian Qianyao was soon appreciated by Emperor Kangxi. Emperor Kangxi commented on him, "In our dynasty, only Long Keduo and Nian Qianyao have the talent of generals." This is undoubtedly a high affirmation of Nian Qianyao's military talent. Sure enough, Nian Qianyao rose all the way in his career, and at the age of 30, he was promoted to the governor of Sichuan and became an important member of the town guard.
Such a rapid promotion is enough to show that Nian Qianyao already has a high status and influence within the imperial court. As a young man, it is really enviable to be able to obtain such a high official position in such a short period of time. This also makes Nian Qianyao's future brighter, and he will definitely make a difference in his future career.
Second, military talent is gradually emerging
As governor of Sichuan, Nian showed outstanding administrative and military prowess. He rectified the administration of officials, built water conservancy, and improved people's livelihood, and was deeply loved by the local people. All this shows that he not only has excellent governance skills, but also can truly care about people's livelihood and seek well-being for the people.
At the same time, Nian also actively quelled the rebellion in the border areas and made a major contribution to the country's reunification and stability. At that time, there were frequent rebellions in the border areas of the Qing Dynasty, which not only threatened the rule of the central power, but also brought great distress to the lives of the common people. As the governor of Sichuan, Nian Qianyao naturally had to take on the heavy responsibility of maintaining stability in the frontier.
In the Kangxi Emperor's three campaigns against Galdan, Nian Qianyao took the lead and personally led the army to the battle, showing outstanding military command skills. This style of leading the way not only won the respect of the soldiers, but also further enhanced Nian Qianyao's prestige in military affairs.
In 1718, he was given the position of governor of Sichuan, responsible for quelling rebellions in Tibet and Qinghai. In the battle of expelling the quasi-preservation, he strategized and won a decisive victory, completely incorporated the Qinghai region into the territory of the Qing Dynasty, and made great achievements. This battle not only consolidated Qing rule in the northwest region, but also further demonstrated Nian Qianyao's military prowess.
It can be said that during this period, Nian Qianyao's military talent has gradually emerged. He not only excelled in administration, but also showed extraordinary talent in the military field. These achievements undoubtedly paved the way for his future career and made his position within the imperial court more stable.
3. The pinnacle of power
After Emperor Yongzheng ascended the throne, Nian Qianyao was once again reused. In 1723, he went to the northwest and commanded the pacification of the Lobzang Danjin Rebellion as the general of Fuyuan. In this battle, Nian Qianyao strategized and won a decisive victory, completely incorporated the Qinghai region into the territory of the Qing Dynasty, and made great contributions to defending and consolidating the unity of the multi-ethnic country.
The success of this battle not only further demonstrated Nian Qianyao's military talent, but also made his position in the heart of Emperor Yongzheng more stable. As an important minister with close kinship, Nian Qianyao was naturally highly trusted by Emperor Yongzheng.
After the war, Nian Qianyao was promoted to a first-class duke for his outstanding achievements, and was awarded a variety of honors and official positions, becoming the general of Fuyuan who shocked the government and the opposition. The importance of this position is self-evident, it represents the highest military command in the border regions.
As the general of Fuyuan, Nian Qianyao obtained the supreme right to rule the front-line theater, and could control the governor, governor, admiral, general and other high-ranking officials in the theater. He also holds the power of government affairs in the theater and has absolute decision-making power over personnel appointments and dismissals, as well as the dispatch of money and food. This means that in the Northwest Territories, Nian Qianyao actually became the supreme ruler.
What's more, because Nian Qianyao has a kinship relationship with Emperor Yongzheng, he has an extra layer of trust from the emperor in addition to the normal conferring of positions. Emperor Yongzheng specially issued an edict authorizing Nian Qianyao to have part of the emperor's power in dispatching troops and using food and salary. This made Nian Qianyao's power in the northwest region even more unshakable.
It can be said that during this period, Nian Qianyao's power has reached its peak. He not only has absolute command in military affairs, but also has almost unlimited power in political affairs. This concentration of power will make Nian Qianyao have a kind of conceit and pride.
Fourth, arrogant and domineering
The pinnacle of power made Nian Qianyao complacent, and the experience of being young made him think that he was very intelligent, and even the emperor could only sit firmly on him by relying on him. After becoming a relative of the emperor, he became even more unpopular, not even the emperor, and his behavior began to become violent and perverse.
Nian Qianyao's arrogance and arrogance were first manifested in his attitude towards the emperor. When he entered Beijing to meet Emperor Yongzheng, the princes and ministers went to greet him with extremely grand courtesy, and he rode his horse and galloped past, and his arrogance was already overflowing. This contempt for the emperor was undoubtedly a provocation to the entire imperial court.
In life, Nian Qianyao was also extremely extravagant and luxurious, and even openly ridiculed Prince Yi's shabby and shabby family. This contempt and ridicule of others highlights his conceit and pride even more. In his opinion, he is already on top of the ladder and no longer needs to take into account the feelings of others.
Such behavior will naturally cause dissatisfaction among the people around you. Nian Qianyao had already offended all the people he could offend, but he didn't know it. He was completely immersed in his power and position, unable to realize that his actions had been seriously out of proportion.
Gradually, Nian Qianyao's corruption was gradually exposed. He took advantage of his position to embezzle public funds at will to enrich his own pockets and live a life of extreme luxury. This kind of greedy behavior also caused the emperor's dissatisfaction.
When the charges were listed in front of Emperor Yongzheng, Emperor Yongzheng's face became more and more solemn. As an emperor who went through a brutal struggle to finally sit on the dragon chair, Yongzheng was able to forgive Nian Qianyao for all his mistakes, but he would never allow a person with great power to betray him.
Fifth, once shattered
Eventually, the Yongzheng Emperor severely punished Nian for his actions, accusing him of "arrogance and greed" and ordering him to be stripped of his official position and title. This was undoubtedly a heavy blow to Nian Qianyao, who fell from the peak of power to the bottom all of a sudden.
Demoted to the rank of general of Hangzhou and placed under house arrest in the capital, Nian Qianyao's power and status rapidly declined, and his life was in trouble. This is undoubtedly a great shame and pain for a general who once leaned towards the government and the opposition.
From the pinnacle of power to the shattered bones, Nian Qianyao's experience is undoubtedly an extremely tragic life. With his talents and opportunities, he climbed to the pinnacle of power step by step and became one of the most important military generals of the Qing Dynasty. But in the end, he failed because of his pride and greed.
This turn of fate also brought a huge blow to Nian Qianyao. From a great general who was highly trusted by the emperor, to being degraded, placed under house arrest, and even given to death in the end, this huge contrast was enough to make him feel hopeless and painful.
Nian Qianyao's experience also gives us a profound lesson. Game of Thrones is a double-edged sword that needs to be approached with caution, otherwise you will be blinded by power and end up reaping the consequences. No matter how strong a person's ability is, if he is not worthy of virtue, it is easy to fail. The original intention of the establishment of the position of General Fuyuan was to protect the people, but Nian Qianyao failed to understand its true meaning.
epilogue
Nian Qianyao's life is like a wonderful historical drama, let us taste the essence and lessons of it. His story warns us that no matter how capable a person is, if he is not worthy of virtue, he can easily fail.
The original intention of the establishment of the position of General Fuyuan was to protect the people, but Nian Qianyao failed to understand its true meaning, which was also the fundamental reason why he could not die well.