In feudal dynasties, it is not uncommon for princes to kill each other in order to compete for the right to inherit, such as the Qin Dynasty's Hu Hai Correctional Purpose seizure of the throne, the Tang Dynasty Xuanwumen Tragedy, etc., and the most tragic and longest-lasting princely struggle is the kangxi late years, 9 sons engaged in 14 years of imperial competition, the competition is extremely cruel. The eldest, the second, the third, and the eighth were defeated one after another, the dynasty was disordered, Kangxi had to secretly establish an heir, and finally the fourth elder narrowly defeated the old fourteenth pass, and Yongzheng was able to succeed to the throne smoothly, thanks to an Anhui man, he said 8 words, so that Kangxi finally chose Yin Chan as the heir.
During the Kangxi Dynasty, there were three most famous Han courtiers, the first was Chen Tingjing, who had served in the four Shangshu, the second was the famous honest official Yu Chenlong, and the third was the famous university scholar Li Guangdi. (Editor's note: Zhang Tingyu held a high position in the Yongzheng Dynasty and did not exist in the history of Zhou Peigong). These 3 Han courtiers are all a generation of Ming chen, very worthy of respect, especially Li Guangdi, who not only has outstanding political ability, he is also good at recommending talents, he recommended a famous cloth scholar to Kangxi, this person is Fang Bao. It was this person who had the most important influence on Kangxi's choice of heir.
Anhui Tongcheng has always been full of talents, not only has Zhang Tingyu father and son, one of the three masters of Tongcheng Fang Bao's fame is also very loud, but when Kangxi first heard the name of Fang Bao, Fang Bao was still in prison, although he was born into a soldier, but because of the preface to a "reverse book", he was sent to the prison of the Punishment Department and beheaded in the autumn. At the same time, Li Guangdi took advantage of Kangxi's opportunity to advocate "raising the sage" in his later years and told Kangxi that there was a prodigy in the prison of the Punishment Department, and that wencai was comparable to Han Ou 's (Han Yu Ouyang Xiu)'s comeback.
Fang Bao was pardoned for his major crimes and did not want to re-enter the career, so Kangxi no longer made him an official, so he appointed him as a servant of the South Study, in fact, as a "cloth staff officer" around Kangxi, except for Kangxi, everyone else called him "Mr. Fang". In his later years, Kangxi was in a troubled mood, and often asked Fang Bao to explain Confucianism to him and open his heart.
Fifty-seven years of Kangxi, the beginning of the northwest war, Kangxi was very entangled in his heart, he was not entangled in who to send to go out on the expedition, but entangled, in the end to pass the throne to Yin Chan or Yin Yu, although these two princes are a mother compatriot, but different personalities, each has its own advantages, if it is passed to Yin Yu, at this moment certainly can not let him go to the west. Kangxi asked Fang Bao's opinion in the secret room, Fang Bao did not dare to answer, Kangxi repeatedly asked, Fang Bao knelt on his knees and prostrated his head, and said 8 words: "Guan Shengsun, bao three generations of prosperity." These 8 words made Kangxi suddenly realize, and his face suddenly stretched with sorrow. Fang Bao's meaning is: If the two princes are very good, so that Kangxi cannot choose, then it depends on which prince's son is more excellent, so as to ensure the Qing Dynasty and maintain prosperity in three generations of grandchildren. It was clear that Yin Chan's son Hongli was the most outstanding of the emperor's grandchildren, and Kangxi soon decided to pass the throne to Yin Chan and let Yin Chan go to the northwest.
Facts have proved that Fang Bao's suggestion is not wrong, Kangxi's decision is not wrong, Yongzheng is a very good heir, he is diligent for the country, reform the administration of officials, reform the shortcomings of the times, in only 13 years, let the Qing Dynasty get a strong development. Therefore, Yongzheng was able to succeed to the throne smoothly, thanks to Fang Bao.