"Once a son of heaven and a courtier", this old saying expresses the ruthlessness and changes of officialdom. Li Wei, the minister who had infinite scenery in the Yongzheng Dynasty, became an unfavored sideman in the Qianlong period. Emperor Yongzheng favored him for 13 years, which shows the extraordinary status of his status; But Emperor Qianlong respected him and stayed away, and he didn't see him, as if he had a deep mustard. Why did these two emperors have such different attitudes towards the same person? Is there any fault in Li Wei's way of dealing with people, or is there some kind of estrangement between them? Or has the change of dynasty brought about a great change in the philosophy of employing people? Let's find out why.
1. Li Wei's civilian background: a small person with no door and no household
Li Wei was born in an ordinary merchant family, and his family background is not well-off. In that era of clear hierarchies, he was destined to fail to integrate into the upper echelons of the government and the opposition. In ancient society, the hierarchy was strict, and the concept of family was deeply rooted, and only the big families could enter the road of eunuchs. And Li Wei, a businessman from a humble background, let alone being an official, even sitting at the same table with the powerful is a luxury.
However, Li Wei's family is not poor, and at least some meager assets. Although this money was not enough for Li Wei to start a career from scratch, it also paved a path for him to become an eunuch. At that time, corruption was rampant in officialdom, and power-for-money transactions were the norm, and as long as you could afford to pay for it, there was always a way to buy officials. So Li Wei's elders cobbled together a considerable donation and "donated" a small officer and soldier member Wailang for him in the officialdom.
Such petty officials are really insignificant, and they can't even rank the official establishment at the most basic level. However, for Li Wei, a little person from a humble background, even if he just lives in a humble position, it is already a call to ascend to the heights, which is of great significance. With this beginning, Li Wei's actions can be slowly rolled out. Even if the family background is not obvious and there are no relatives, as long as you are willing to bear hardships and stand hard work and be down-to-earth, you are still expected to peek into the shadow of bullfighting in the officialdom.
However, Li Wei initially did not expect to be able to rise through this small road to buying officials. He clearly knew that his "doorless and householdless" background was destined to be more humble and humble than others, and he could not rely on the gate valve like those sons of the family and hope to be the first. Therefore, even if he obtained this humble position, he was cautious in his early career as a eunuch, and did things in accordance with the rules, but he was diligent and conscientious, and did not dare to have the slightest act of transgression and presumptuousness.
But how can fate be so complacent and uncontrollable? When Li Wei was working diligently in a small position with great ambition, the majestic tide was already silently accumulating strength, and wave after wave of unevenness rose again and again. At the moment when he endured the humiliation and secretly lived in his humble position, the favor from the emperor could not hold back and burst out of the embankment......
Second, the origin of the wind and clouds: Li Wei rose rapidly
Although Li Wei's background was not very prominent, he finally became famous under the patronage of Emperor Yongzheng by virtue of his extraordinary talent and timely circumstances, and transformed from an unknown official to a leader in the government and the opposition.
At the beginning of Emperor Yongzheng's accession to the throne, it was when the government and the opposition were clear. As a generation of masters, Yongzheng knows that in order to sweep away the decay that is difficult to return, it is necessary to use a group of upstarts who are honest and brave in innovation. And Li Wei just has these qualities, especially the straightforward and unpretentious simple temperament, which is deeply appreciated by Yongzheng.
It is said that what first attracted Yongzheng's attention was Li Weiwei's official move. That year, Li Wei had already achieved the position of Langzhong of the Ministry of Works, in charge of salt administration. At that time, there was a serious "surplus" problem in the salt agency, that is, many corrupt officials took money from it, forming a sum of gray income that could not be disclosed.
As a ruler, Emperor Yongzheng is naturally determined to eliminate this evil. However, the truth is often so tightly sealed that there is no way to start it. Fortunately, Li Wei saw through the crux of the problem and decisively adopted a bold and ingenious approach.
That year, when Yan Zheng was out of the warehouse, Li Wei spread out the silver banknote register in front of the officials of the Ministry of Industry, and noted in an undisguised tone: This is a "surplus" kickback from a certain prince! It scared everyone for a while. Since then, the surplus has been greatly revealed, and the silver money has been exposed under Li Wei's open investigation and secret visit, and the prince can only stop stupidly. This kind of unscrupulous drasticism makes people dedicate their hearts to Lu Shen, and they are in the arms of Yongzheng.
With such a capable minister, Yongzheng is naturally tireless. Soon, Li Wei took charge of the important task of comprehensive reform of salt administration, and entrusted all the salt monopoly rights in Yunnan and Guangxi. This was undoubtedly a heavy trust at that time, which shows that Yongzheng attached great importance to Li Wei.
Sure enough, Li Wei frequently made great contributions in the course of his later administration. He adhered to the principle of "integrating raw and cooked food, taking into account both the government and the people", and constantly optimized the details of the policy, and finally restored order to the once chaotic and corrupt salt affairs, creating considerable financial revenue for the imperial court. With this achievement, Li Wei was soon confirmed as the salt transportation director in charge of the entire middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
Next, Emperor Yongzheng personally supported Li Wei and let him soar to the pinnacle of his life. First, he was promoted to the governor of Zhejiang, at the level of governor, and was in charge of the entire southeast coast. Soon, he was transferred to the largest governor of Liangguang in the dynasty, and with the jurisdiction of the salt administration, it can be said that he centralized power and raised funds, and became the de facto head of power in the southeast.
During the reign of Emperor Yongzheng, Li Wei rose to the top in this way, as if he had become a famous minister of the government and the opposition. He and Yongzheng are still getting closer and closer, and they have almost become a confidant and beloved, and it can be said that there is no difference between the government and the opposition for a while. However, the good times did not last long, and with the death of a generation of Ming Jun Yongzheng, Li Wei's future also dimmed...
3. Qianlong's New Deal Newcomer: Li Wei's status is not as good as before
Emperor Yongzheng died young, and was succeeded by the young Aixin Jueluo Hongli, who was the Qianlong Emperor. The new dynasty opened, and Li Wei's fate hovered at a huge turning point.
Emperor Qianlong's philosophy of governing the country was very different from that of Yongzheng, and he advocated "consistent governance" and sought a stable and orderly political operation. In terms of employing people, Qianlong personally supervised and demanded that the imperial examination system and the tradition of seniority be strictly followed, and that those protégés who advanced by leaps and bounds and came from mediocre backgrounds should never be allowed to go on a wild path.
It can be said that it is in the hands of Li Wei. As an outsider who has no sect and lacks any family knowledge, although he was already a very popular minister in the previous dynasty, he was only an opportunist in the eyes of later generations, how could he talk to those diligent and simple good officials?
First of all, Li Wei's "businessman" background is an important reason why he was given a cold reception. In ancient times, the etiquette system was strict, and all kinds of hierarchies were in it. Although the businessman was rich and prosperous, he was regarded as a lowly profession and was inevitably looked down upon throughout his life. What's more, Li Wei is not only a son of a businessman, but also has no name for the most basic imperial examinations? Of course, Qianlong could not reuse people under this rank.
Secondly, although Qianlong was young and vigorous, he had a good understanding of the matter of the eunuch of the former dynasty, and he was gifted and wise, so he had a high degree of political acumen and excellent ability to judge the situation since he was a child. He knew very well that favoring the remnants of the old ministers would inevitably lead to conspiracy and calculation, and divide the hearts of the government and the opposition, so he made up his mind to "create a new government and the opposition".
For the old generals of the Yongzheng Dynasty, Qianlong was naturally wary; What's more, Li Wei's conspiracy to seize power in the capital is well known to everyone in the early stage of fighting Yongzheng's relatives. Once this person is reused, Qianlong will inevitably be manipulated and bewitched by him, and even make it difficult to realize his new policy.
Moreover, Qianlong and Li Wei are fundamentally at odds with each other in terms of political concepts. Qianlong advocated diligence and thrift, and advocated political harmony and harmony. However, Li Wei is accustomed to being known for his boldness and coarseness, and his actions are blunt and flamboyant, which inevitably collides with the government and the opposition. During the Yongzheng period, he led his troops to suppress bandits and repeatedly performed miraculous feats; But in the Qianlong Dynasty, this arbitrary nature was disgusting.
In particular, when dealing with local affairs, Li Wei repeatedly had fierce disputes with the people, was unreasonable, and rejoiced in his achievements, and frequently attacked and purged the people, which undoubtedly fueled the people's resentment. Qianlong regarded himself as a "benevolent monarch", and of course he would not be happy with Li Wei's barbaric and extravagant behavior.
What's more, Li Wei still has many other criminal records and hidden dangers. For example, in Yongzheng's later years, he took the opportunity to show off his favor and offend the monarch; For example, he was too iron-fisted and violent when collecting money and food for salt and money, and he corrupted the interests of businessmen and people, which attracted slander...... All this was a great hidden danger at the beginning of Qianlong's youth.
In order to get rid of the shadow of the previous dynasty and sweep away the political obstacles of the new dynasty, Qianlong had to fundamentally expel Li Wei, a "dissident" element. Soon, he completely transferred Li Wei from the southeast town and ordered him to retire to the countryside, leaving only an idle "money" to support his old age.
In this way, this favorite minister who once served as a hussar magnate in the Yongzheng Dynasty once became a "man without authority" and a person who was not enough to worry about in the eyes of Qianlong, hesitating and helpless, and he could not care about the brocade clothes and jade food of the year. The prestige and authority that Li Wei had accumulated over the years were silently wiped out in the thought of the change of dynasties.
Fourth, the mystery of the root cause of Li Wei's alienation
Although Emperor Qianlong was determined to keep Li Wei, a "dissident", away from the core of the government and the opposition, the deep-seated reasons for this may still have some complicated hidden secrets.
Tracing carefully, what initially made Qianlong wary of Li Wei may have to start with Emperor Yongzheng. It is said that in his later years, Yongzheng severely reprimanded Li Wei for some of his behavior.
A large part of the reason why Yongzheng is like this is because Li Wei is arrogant and lascivious, drunk and obsessed. As a subordinate person, he actually showed off when he was a very popular minister, and even Yongzheng's favor was publicly boasted, this kind of words and deeds are undoubtedly blaspheming the monarchy.
Although Yongzheng dotes on him, he does not allow relatives like Li Wei to be arrogant. Therefore, he had to severely condemn and warn Li Wei not to take advantage of the situation to be presumptuous. Although these remarks were only a temporary preaching, they also became an important source of Qianlong's disdain for Li Wei in the future.
In fact, Yongzheng's dissatisfaction with Li Wei was far more than that. According to investigation, when Li Wei was in charge of the salt administration, although he implemented a series of beneficial reforms, it was also difficult to escape the flaws at the specific operational level.
The most serious thing is that in order to strengthen the monopoly and monopoly, he is often too violent with an iron fist, causing serious damage to the interests of the businessmen and the people. For example, when checking the omissions, Li Wei adopted extremely harsh measures, and the pace of rectifying the old and treating the funerals was so heavy that the people's resentment boiled in the places where he passed.
In addition, Li Wei's upright style in rectifying the administration of officials has caused many officials to fall into the predicament of being belittled. These people naturally hated Li Wei to the core, and threatened to take revenge at another time in the new dynasty.
And Qianlong, as the new monarch, naturally heard these rumors. He may not be very convinced, but he has left a deep-rooted mustard in his heart.
In addition, Li Wei's background is also a factor that cannot be ignored. As a son of a businessman with a big man, although he is already in a humble position, he can't completely get rid of his old habits after all. As a result, he is often rude and incoherent in dealing with affairs, and it is inevitable that he will offend the powerful and the will.
Once, he acted ineffectively in a local affair, and was reprimanded by Qianlong in the court. At that time, Qianlong was furious, denounced Li Wei as a "reckless man" and "has no authority", and asked him "where did he come from and why he came here". For a while, Li Wei's face and status were lost, and he could only retreat silently.
It can be seen that Qianlong has been a mustard for Li Wei for a long time. not only inherited some of Yongzheng's dissatisfaction, but also suffered frequent criticism because of Li's hygienic indulgence and lawlessness. Once he ascended the throne, he channeled these knots together, no wonder he avoided Li Wei.
Of course, there may be a deeper reason behind this. Some people pointed out that an important hidden reason for Li Wei's conviction actually lies in the series of struggles made by Qianlong at the beginning of his succession to get rid of the shadow of the eunuchs of the previous dynasty. Because Li Wei had a close relationship with the eunuchs during the Yongzheng Dynasty, he was regarded as the "eunuch remnant"...
Fifth, the pearl of the sea of Huan: Li Wei's late festival can be called the return of the prodigal son
Although Li Wei's future was overshadowed by the cold reception he suffered in the early years of the Qianlong Dynasty, he eventually re-established himself with a tenacious attitude.
From his dismissal to his death at an advanced age, Li Wei seemed to have suddenly understood many obstacles ahead, and gradually faded from that glitz and arrogance in his later years. He immersed himself in the countryside, retreating to a quiet life, like an enlightened monk, but more transcendent than ever before.
Some people say that Li Wei's changes are largely due to Qianlong's constant enlightenment and leniency. Although Qianlong was unhappy with him, outside of some political contests, the private friendship between the two sides was not completely severed.
It is said that at the beginning of Li Wei's retirement, Qianlong repeatedly relieved his doubts and advised him not to give up on himself. Maybe it was because he recalled that he had made great achievements for the Yongzheng Dynasty, or maybe it was also out of basic sympathy, in short, Qianlong did not completely ignore him.
For many years, Qianlong has been enlightening Li Wei with sincere persuasion in private. In the end, Li Wei seemed to have really woken up and understood that peace, frugality, and humility are the way of a generation of virtuous people, and if they are still blindly publicized, they will delay their future.
As a result, he began to abandon the arrogance and lasciviousness of the past, and quietly transformed into a simple and honest character. As a businessman, he should have been happy and profitable, but now he shows a simple attitude towards life.
He no longer pursues luxury, let alone covets wealth, but just keeps to himself and cultivates the world. Compared with the situation of his family in his childhood, he is now a real old gentleman who is indifferent to fame and fortune.
Some people have seen Li Wei's figure at home, he is dressed plainly, and he walks slowly, just like an old man in cloth. The majestic and heroic eunuch of Huanhai back then seems to be long gone.
He renovated the old house and expanded the new garden to create a quiet and beautiful rural living environment. Every day, Li Wei focuses on reading and learning calligraphy, picking melons and fruits in the garden, or frolicking with his children and grandchildren, living a carefree and leisurely life.
Occasionally, relatives and friends came to visit each other, and Li Wei was even more deferential, never singing the faces of the old magnates. Sometimes give a good work, sometimes give a gift to the garden, never again grovel and flattering, there is a transcendent and independent style.
As Qianlong said, in his later years, he has indeed completely become an "idler outside things" and a "prodigal son". He not only completely changed his mind, but also showed a simple and natural true face with his modest and polite demeanor, which won the universal respect of the people of the world.
It was this transformation that allowed Li Wei to finally get rid of those stigma and shame, but it can be regarded as half a life of hatred and a lifetime. A generation of madmen finally became a reclusive old man with both grace and longevity, which is quite satisfying.