Preface
Aobai, an ambitious general, was in the early Qing Dynasty and was known as "holding an army of 400,000". He once controlled the affairs of the imperial court, pampered and arrogant, and had no one in his eyes. However, despite the power of the government and the opposition, he did not dare to rebel until he died.
Who is the backer behind Kangxi? What is the power behind this young emperor? However, history ultimately proved that the militaristic minister not only failed to usurp the country as he wished, but instead put himself in danger and finally died in prison.
So, how did Ao Bai step by step reach the pinnacle of power, and how did he fall into the abyss? In the face of the young emperor who was in the age of the weak crown at that time, what kind of mentality did he choose to surrender instead of rebelling?
The Rise of Aobai: Full of Loyalty and Merit
Ao Bai was born in a family of generals, proficient in martial arts since childhood, entered the army at a young age, with extraordinary bravery and strategic wisdom, in the early Qing Dynasty battles repeatedly performed miraculous feats, became an outstanding general.
From the Nurhachi era to the Shunzhi period, Ao Bai fought on the battlefield with the Qing army, and had an indelible relationship with almost every major battle of the Manchurian Dynasty.
He has made many contributions
Looking back on history, we can find out how great Aobai's military exploits were. At the beginning of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, Ao Bai fought on the battlefield and made a lot of outstanding achievements.
In the second year of Chongde, Emperor Taiji of the Qing Dynasty at that time decided to advance eastward and launched an attack on Phi Dao. In this battle, Ao Bai fought bravely and skillfully, and commanded the troops of Zhun Ta to storm fiercely, and finally captured Phi Dao. After this battle, Aobai was promoted to the rank of baron of the third class for his meritorious service, and was given the heroic title of "Baturu".
Just a few years later, Ao Bai once again showed his skills on the battlefield. In the sixth year of Chongde, the Battle of Jinzhou broke out, and Ao Bai went into battle, charged into battle, and won five battles and five victories, completely suppressing the enemy army. This time, he was promoted again and became a first-class Melerjang.
In the eighth year of Chongde, the Manchu Qing finally broke through the Ming Dynasty and successfully entered the Central Plains. At this time, Ao Bai took on the heavy task of defeating the peasant rebel army Li Zicheng. After many battles, Aobai finally defeated Li Zicheng's peasant army and made great contributions to the rule of the Manchus.
Immediately afterwards, Ao Bai and Prince Su Haoge defeated Zhang Xianzhong's Daxi peasant army and once again established a great military exploit. The prosperity of the Qing army is inseparable from the outstanding contribution of this brave and warlike general.
Participated in the power struggles of successive emperors of the early Qing Dynasty
Ao Bai not only made contributions on the battlefield, but also constantly showed his talent and wisdom in the power struggle of the emperors of the early Qing Dynasty.
On the occasion of Huang Taiji's death, Ao Bai, as the commander of the Yellow Flag Protector Army, held great power and became one of the key figures in this power struggle. At this critical moment, Ao Bai skillfully reconciled the contradictions between Dolgon and Fulin (Emperor Shunzhi), and finally elected Fulin to the throne as the new emperor Shunzhi.
After that, in the Shunzhi period, although Aobai was brutally suppressed by Dolgon, he was still reused and trusted by Emperor Shunzhi by virtue of his military exploits and prestige.
In the eighteenth year of Shunzhi, Fulin died and was succeeded by his son Xuanye (Emperor Kangxi). In this change of power, the four ministers such as Ao Bai were appointed as auxiliary ministers to assist the eight-year-old little emperor Kangxi in handling court affairs. This appointment once again demonstrated the important position of Aobai in the imperial court.
It can be said that from the entry of the Manchu Qing Dynasty to the early Kangxi period, Ao Bai played an important role in the government almost all the time, and his merits and prestige also increased. This military general-turned-courtier has become an indispensable and important figure in the Qing Dynasty.
Gradually control the government and government, pampered and arrogant
With the continuous improvement of Aobai's status in the court, he also gradually began to control the government. Within a few years of serving as auxiliary minister, Ao Bai not only gradually reduced the power of other ministers, but also began to unscrupulously engage in party formation for personal gain.
In the sixth year of Kangxi, Ao Bai first killed Suke Saha, who was also an auxiliary minister, and executed his entire clan. After that, he gradually replaced important officials in the DPRK and China, and installed his cronies in various ministries and courtyards. Inside and outside the court, almost all affairs, big and small, need to be checked by Aobai.
Aobai's control over the government became more and more firm, which also made his arrogance reach the extreme. He openly disobeyed the emperor's will, mobilized his army without authorization, and imprisoned and killed those ministers who did not obey orders.
In this case, even the young emperor Kangxi, who was only a teenager, had a hard time checking and balancing the dictatorship of Aobai. Ao worships pampered and arrogant, has no one in his eyes, and even openly gives orders to the emperor, eager to take the government and the opposition into his own hands.
Although Kangxi was extremely dissatisfied with Aobai's reckless behavior, he also knew that if he wanted to fight against this military minister with an army of 400,000, his current strength was far from enough. So, he could only endure for the time being, and while waiting for the opportunity, he quietly planned a countermeasure.
The jealousy of Aobai: the killer of the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang
In the face of Aobai's strong occupation, the young Kangxi was naturally deeply disturbed. But he understands that if he wants to deal with this powerful and meritorious minister, he alone is far from enough. So, he began to turn to the people around him for help.
The "Queen of Heaven" in the edict of Shunzhi
By Kangxi's side, there is a mysterious woman who manipulates the court situation behind her back - the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang. Returning to the eighteenth year of Shunzhi's transfer of power, we can find that the appointment of auxiliary ministers in the Shunzhi edict at that time can be said to have come from the idea of the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.
In his edict, Shunzhi specially ordered that Sonny, Suke Saha, Kubilong, and Aobai be appointed as auxiliary ministers to assist the eight-year-old Xuan Ye (i.e., Kangxi) in handling the government affairs.
This approach was very different from the previous practice of the Manchu prince Baylor in discussing politics. Hyozhuang chose these four ministers who were not princes, mainly to prevent the recurrence of the usurpation of power by a regent like Dorgon.
Xiaozhuang knew that if he continued to follow the practice of the prince's auxiliary government, for the young Kangxi, he would face a greater existential crisis. Therefore, she took the initiative to break the tradition and relied on the power of ministers with different surnames, in order to better control the situation and maintain Kangxi's position.
This decision not only laid the foundation for Xiao Kangxi's ascension to the throne, but also provided a guarantee for Xiaozhuang's own status. As a woman, the empress dowager must have enough power and support if she wants to control the government in this Manchu patriarchal era.
The wisdom of filial piety
In the early days of Kangxi, Xiaozhuang relied on his political wisdom to skillfully balance the forces of the DPRK and China, and maintain the power of himself and Kangxi.
When Ao Bai and other auxiliary ministers gradually raised their heads, Xiaozhuang began to weaken their power. She first cleverly used the emperor's wedding to divide the relationship between the auxiliary ministers, making Ao Bai and Sony dislike.
Subsequently, Xiaozhuang further consolidated his influence in the court through the reward and suppression of the ministers of the court. It can be said that in the early part of the Kangxi period, the biggest wrestling in the government actually revolved around this behind-the-scenes woman.
At the same time, Xiaozhuang also kept an eye on the internal dynamics of the Manchurian royal family. At that time, although the Manchu Dynasty was peaceful on the surface, it was actually full of internal contradictions. The power struggles between the aristocracy never stopped, such as Dorgon's usurpation attempts, are a microcosm of this.
For these potential crises, Xiaozhuang can respond in advance, take corresponding measures, and maintain Kangxi's status at all times. She is good at using various political means such as edicts and marriages to skillfully balance and divide the forces of all parties, and has never let herself and Kangxi lose the initiative.
It can be said that under Xiaozhuang's planning, Kangxi was able to get effective protection at the beginning of his ascension to the throne. This behind-the-scenes woman, with her own wisdom and means, has become a key pillar supporting Kangxi's imperial power.
The jealousy of worship
For the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, who controls the court situation, Ao Bai is naturally deeply jealous. After experiencing the turmoil of the Shunzhi period, Ao Bai clearly realized that in order to be the king and hegemon in this dynasty, he must handle the relationship with the royal family. And Xiaozhuang represents an important support for Kangxi's imperial power.
Moreover, Xiaozhuang can be said to be the wisest and strongest woman in the early Qing Dynasty. In Dorgon's power struggle, she skillfully prevented the regent's usurpation plot in the way of "the queen mother married". For such a woman who can control the direction of the court, Ao Bai is naturally in awe.
Therefore, although Ao Bai held a large army and occupied a dominant position in the court, as long as Xiaozhuang was still in control of the government, he could not act rashly. Once he violates the bottom line of the queen mother, he will inevitably face the fate of being completely destroyed.
It can be said that for Ao Bai, a powerful minister, Xiaozhuang is the person he needs to be most afraid of. As long as this female member of the government and the opposition is still there, he will not be able to really grasp the power, let alone try to replace Kangxi on the dragon chair.
Conflict erupts: Kangxi's counterattack
Although Ao Bai was once as powerful as a wolf, under the hidden resistance of the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, it was difficult for him to really step on the road to the throne after all. As time passed, Kangxi also gradually grew up and began to desire to get rid of the constraints of this powerful minister.
Kangxi's growth and awakening
Although Kangxi was young when he ascended the throne, his intelligence had already been revealed. Under Xiaozhuang's earnest teachings and careful training, Kangxi gradually walked out of the confusion of his childhood and began to show extraordinary wisdom and foresight.
Kangxi has felt the domineering of Aobai since he was a child. Although on the surface, he still has to obey the minister's will, but deep down, he has begun to have a strong dissatisfaction with Aobai's rampant and domineering.
As he grew older, Kangxi's political awakening became more and more obvious. He began to realize that in order to take control of the situation in the future, he must first break free from the control of this powerful minister. However, how to seek his own way out under the strong suppression of Aobai is undoubtedly a huge challenge for Kangxi, who is only a teenager.
Fortunately, under the careful guidance of Xiaozhuang, Kangxi gradually realized that if he wanted to deal with Aobai, his own strength alone was far from enough. He will have to find a stronger backer in order to finally take down this formidable opponent.
The guidance of Xiaozhuang
With his own political insight, Xiaozhuang judged Kangxi's thoughts. She knows that if she wants to completely get rid of the constraints of Aobai, it is far from enough to rely on Kangxi's young and vigorous will. Therefore, Xiaozhuang decided to personally intervene to provide a strong backing for the young emperor.
First of all, Xiaozhuang was extremely prudent in arranging a loyal pro-army force for Kangxi. She selected a group of battle-hardened soldiers, trained and brainwashed them rigorously, and made them loyal to Kangxi. When the critical moment came, this personal soldier became the most reliable weapon in Kangxi's hands.
At the same time, Xiaozhuang also used various means to stabilize Kangxi's foundation in the court. She skillfully adjusted the layout of the ministers of the DPRK and China, alienated Aobai's cronies, and promoted more cronies to important positions. This not only strengthened Kangxi's political foundation, but also fundamentally weakened Aobai's influence.
Under Xiaozhuang's careful planning, Kangxi gradually got rid of the control of Aobai and gradually grasped the power of the court. When he finally had the ability to face this formidable opponent directly, Hyozhuang also gave him solid backing.
The final showdown
Under the careful guidance of Xiaozhuang, Kangxi finally made up his mind to attack Aobai. He orchestrated a brilliant coup d'état and succeeded in capturing and imprisoning the powerful minister.
Kangxi first used the chess game as an introduction to invite Ao Bai into the palace. In the palace, he pretended to be ignorant and asked, "Do you fear me, or do you fear worship?" As soon as the words fell, the pro-soldiers who had been waiting for a long time responded and captured the unsuspecting Ao Baisheng.
Subsequently, Kangxi quickly cleaned up Aobai's henchmen. Dozens of Aobai's cronies have been dismissed, imprisoned, and even executed. This series of purge actions completely destroyed the foundation of Aobai's power.
Just when Aobai's situation was at its most dangerous, he finally realized his situation. He begged to be able to meet Kangxi and tried to exchange his years of service for his country for forgiveness. However, Kangxi finally forgave him only because of the emperor who had saved him back then, and only dismissed him from his post and imprisoned him, but did not make up his mind to kill him.
In this way, after a fierce power game, Ao Bai was finally imprisoned under Kangxi's conspiracy and could no longer control the government. This minister, who was once in power and opposition, was completely defeated and lost his last reliance.
epilogue
Looking back on the ups and downs of Ao Bai's life, we can find that this once important minister could not escape the fate of being confined by power in the end.
Although he has a strong military force, he never expected that his biggest weakness came from the mysterious woman behind him - the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang. Under the secret manipulation of Xiaozhuang, Kangxi was finally able to get rid of Aobai's control and take power independently.
And Aobai, although he once reached the top of power, ended up being a pathetic pawn played by power. The ups and downs of Aobai may be a microcosm of the Game of Thrones. His fate has undoubtedly left us with a profound inspiration.