We all know that the Kangxi Dynasty gave birth to many outstanding princes, including many outstanding politicians and military strategists. But among these many outstanding "princes", the one who finally ascended to the throne was Kangxi's fourth son Yinzhen - that is, the famous Yongzheng Emperor. So, how did the fourth son of the emperor fight his way out of the encirclement in the brotherly melee and finally win the throne?
Looking back on history, it is not difficult for us to find that on the road to the throne of Yongzheng, there were four important heroes who gave him key support and help. They are: Zhang Tingyu, Long Keduo, Nian Qianyao, and the old thirteen Yinxiang. As Kangxi's confidant minister in the last few years, Zhang Tingyu can be said to be the first hero on the road to Yongzheng's succession.
Zhang Tingyu relied on his talents to enter the South Study since he was a child, and became Kangxi's intensive edict writer. Such a status made him accumulate great influence in Kangxi's later years. What's more, Kangxi has long hidden the edict of succession behind the Zhengda Guangming plaque, and only Zhang Tingyu is qualified to contact this edict.
Historical data show that this edict was most likely written by Zhang Tingyu himself. Although Zhang Tingyu did not explicitly express his support for Yongzheng, he had key information after all, which paved the way for Yongzheng's ascension to the throne. Of course, Zhang Tingyu's father Zhang Ying was Yongzheng's teacher, and this relationship also made Yongzheng trust Zhang Tingyu very much.
After Yongzheng ascended the throne, Zhang Tingyu became one of Yongzheng's most trusted ministers, which shows that his contribution is indelible. The second hero is Roncodo. As the son of Tong Guowei, Long Keduo has a special kinship with Kangxi. His two sisters successively became Kangxi's concubines, one of whom was Yongzheng's adoptive mother, Empress Xiaoyiren.
This relationship undoubtedly made a strong bond between Long Keduo and Yongzheng. Moreover, at the time of Kangxi's death, Long Keduo also held the important positions of the commander of the Nine Gates and the commander of the infantry army, and held the security power of the palace. This has undoubtedly become an important backing for Yongzheng to win the heir. The third hero, Nian Qianyao, can be said to be Yongzheng's most loyal follower.
As Yongzheng's "brother-in-law", Nian Qianyao has already established a deep master-servant relationship with Yongzheng. Moreover, he also controlled the military funds given by the fourteenth elder brother Yinyu at a critical moment, preventing the resistance of this "fierce enemy". After Yongzheng ascended the throne, Nian Qianyao was ordered to fight many times and assisted Yongzheng to quell some rebellions.
Such an achievement naturally made Yongzheng give him great trust and praise. The last one, and the most well-known, is the old thirteen Yinxiang. As the thirteenth son of Kangxi, Yinxiang and Yongzheng are brothers. They have been raised by Kangxi together since they were children and have established a deep relationship.
Especially after Yongzheng was deposed as the crown prince, Yinxiang was imprisoned for many years, which undoubtedly became a help for Yongzheng to win the heir. Because, the "absence" during this period of time made Yinxiang miss Yongzheng's plan. After Yongzheng ascended the throne, he naturally attached great importance to this confidant brother and gave him a lot of glory.
It can be said that even if he is not the most direct hero, Yinxiang is also an indispensable part of Yongzheng's road to succession. Through the above analysis, it is not difficult for us to find that in the process of Yongzheng's ascension to the throne, these four heroes each played an irreplaceable role. But at the same time, their final outcome is very different.
Zhang Tingyu has always been Yongzheng's most trusted minister, and even received special favors before Yongzheng's death. And Long Keduo and Nian Qianyao did not die well, because they paid the price of their lives for their rash behavior. Only the old thirteen Yinxiang was finally able to "end his life" and successfully completed his life. This may also reflect Yongzheng's special feelings for his own brother.
The stories of these four heroes not only vividly show the whole process of Yongzheng's succession, but also make us deeply realize that even in the feudal dynasty, there are various complex power games and interest entanglements. Some people can ride the wind and waves and become heroes; Some people lost their lives because of their own impulses.
There are also people who, although they failed to make great contributions at critical moments, still got the final good death. Undoubtedly, all these different endings are the inevitable products of historical development. Only by objectively understanding these can we truly understand the complexity of history and better understand the various rules governing the operation of power in reality.
Perhaps through these stories, we can also gain some inspiration from them: in any era, whether you are in a high position or obscure, as long as you maintain caution, patience and integrity, and make good use of the resources at your disposal, I believe that you can eventually find your own way out of life.
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