Today we will continue to introduce Yu Minzhong, a major minister of the Qing Dynasty, who said last time that because of his merits to the imperial court, he became the longest-ruling Han courtier of the Qianlong Dynasty. However, in his lifetime, there were 5 major mistakes (even crimes), of which 2 were discovered before his death, and 3 were discovered after his death, but the Qianlong Emperor granted pardons.
Portrait of Yu Minzhong
What is to be said below is: Why did the Qianlong Emperor repeatedly forgive Minzhong's mistakes? What was the final outcome of Yu Minzhong?
One. He entered the army and was pampered with his wit and talent
Being pardoned by the emperor repeatedly stemmed from Yu Minzhong's talent. He was born in a noble family, studied seriously and diligently from an early age, and became a high school champion at the age of 23. He not only had both literary and martial knowledge, but also mastered Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian and Sanskrit languages.
Secondly, Yu Minzhong worked steadily and seriously. When working at the grassroots level (going to Shandong and Zhejiang to study politics), he selected talents for the imperial court, built a palace of learning, and eliminated accumulated shortcomings, which was praised by the people. When Liu Tongxun (Liu Yong's father), a member of the Cabinet University, believed that organizing the compilation of the "Four Libraries of the Whole Book" was not an important administrative matter, Yu Minzhong vigorously dispelled his dissent, arguing on the basis of reason, believing that this matter was "in line with our great plan for ruling the world by the emperor and should be used." The Qianlong Emperor also believed that "true harmony was in harmony with the will" and appointed Yu Minzhong as the president of the Siku Quanshu and presided over its affairs.
Then, while handling other important military and political affairs, Yu Minzhong also attached great importance to the compilation of the "Four Libraries and Complete Books" and did a lot of work. With the joint efforts of the colleagues involved in the preparation of this book, it took 13 years to finally complete this huge cultural project. It left a precious treasure for the imperial court and future generations.
Originally, the Book of the Four Libraries of the King.D
Moreover, Yu Minzhong used his super strong memory to win Qianlong's dependence. Because the Qianlong Emperor usually composed poems, it was often improvised, and there was no draft in advance. When each time after the emperor chanted, Yu Minzhong memorized it in his heart, and then respectfully copied it out, and the result was word for word.
In the end, Yu Minzhong is still a talent of both culture and martial arts. For example, in the forty-first year of Qianlong (1778), he plotted and made great contributions to the pacification of the Jinchuan Rebellion, and was admired by many military generals. It also impressed the Qianlong Emperor.
Yu Minzhong's outstanding performance in all aspects won the trust and value of the Qianlong Emperor, and he was successively promoted to co-founder of the university and Hubu Shangshu, plus prince Taibao; Wenhuadian University scholar and Hubu Shangshu, chief military minister. He also gave Yu Minzhong a pair of eyes, a yellow coat, and hung his portrait in the Purple Light Pavilion. After his death, he was also enshrined in the Xianliang Temple.
Photo of the Qing Dynasty Military Aircraft Department
Whether in the imperial court or on patrol (he followed Qianlong down to Jiangnan four times), Yu Minzhong was the most conspicuous figure who was inseparable in front of the imperial court. Even in many important decisions of the dprk, Qianlong adopted his opinion and made it, and Yu Minzhong became the longest-ruling Han courtier of the Qianlong Dynasty.
Two. 5 times of mistake, all were pardoned
Now let's get into the topic of this article: What 5 mistakes did Yu Minzhong make in his life? And for what reason did the Qianlong Emperor grant pardon?
The first time: Yu Minzhong, who had just become a soldier's attendant and became a red man in front of the Qianlong Emperor. In the three years from the twenty-first year of Qianlong (1756), he unfortunately encountered the tragic death of his father, heir father (former stepfather), and birth mother. Yu Minzhong had to wear a funeral. In order to return to the imperial court as soon as possible, he hid the loss of his mother from the imperial court.
When yushi learned of this, he immediately impeached Lieutenant General Yu Min for "two personal funerals, confused into one, and went to the official in a daze." Yu Minzhong argued that the ministers serving in the six ministries were no different from the soldiers who defended the frontier, and should not affect the affairs of the country for family affairs.
Portrait of the Qianlong Emperor
At that time, the Qianlong Emperor forgave Yu Minzhong for his transgressions from the perspective of cherishing literary talents, but instead reprimanded Yu Shi for "defaming people's reputations and being not excessive." At the end of that year, Yu Minzhong was promoted to the position of Hubu Shilang.
The second time: In the thirty-ninth year of Qianlong (1776), after being arrested and confessing after being arrested for leaking the palace eunuch Gao Yuncong of the Qianlong Emperor Zhu's approval, Yu Minzhong asked him about the content of the Qianlong Emperor's secret conversation, and also begged Yu Minzhong to help him fight the case.
The Qianlong Emperor was very annoyed when he heard about it. Yu Minzhong quickly confessed to himself, saying that there was indeed such a thing, and he really did not agree. It would be a big mistake not to immediately participate in the performance according to the facts. The Qianlong Emperor severely denounced: Yu Minzhong was by his side every day, so why did he still listen to the eunuchs in the palace to hear about the news? Later, the Punishment Department sentenced Yu Minzhong to be dismissed from his post.
The Qianlong Emperor may have indeed been inseparable from Yu Minzhong at that time, so he personally issued an edict to treat him leniently, and still retained him in office.
Yu Minzhong image
This is the second mistake discovered by Yu Minzhong when he was alive, who knows that after his death, three major mistakes were discovered, let's see how Qianlong dealt with it.
3rd and 4th time: In June of the forty-fifth year of Qianlong (1780), Yu Deyu, the grandson of Yu Minzhong (who had died on January 14, 1780), went to the official palace to accuse his cousin Yu Shi and embezzled his grandfather's assets in Beijing, and in March of this year, he had transferred back to jintan.
The Qianlong Emperor attached great importance to it, and sent an edict to Inspector Wu Tan of Jiangsu to immediately go to Jintan in person to find out what Yu Shihe occupied in Minyuan's original family property. The results of the investigation were shocking, and Yu Minzhong, who was known for his honesty and integrity, was worth two million taels of silver in Beijing and his family property.
The Qianlong Emperor was very angry, believing that Yu Minzhong's huge inheritance "had to be righteous". However, in order to preserve Yu Minzhong's honor, the minister handling the case did not have to pursue Yu Minzhong's crimes before his death.
Immediately afterward, Su Songliang Dao Zhang Pangui privately built a garden for Yu Minzhong and was discovered. However, the Qianlong Emperor believed that Yu Minzhong's reception by local officials should be reasonable, and since he had already died, there was no need to pursue it any further, and as a result, Zhang Pangui was only dismissed from his post.
Yu Minzhong calligraphy
5th time: In the forty-sixth year of Qianlong (1781), Wang Qiwang, the governor of Zhejiang, the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, Le Erjin, and the officials of Tong Province in Gansu province were exposed in a major corruption case in the process of donation and collection. After the handling of Wang Qiwang's corruption case, Qianlong immediately realized that the culprit that caused this unprecedented huge case was not Wang Qiwang, but Yu Minzhong, who had recently passed away.
The following year, after killing the last batch of corrupt officials in Gansu Province, the Qianlong Emperor issued a thousand-word edict accusing Yu Minzhong of being wang Qiwang's immediate superior, who had covered up his deception for him, causing Wang Toang to fall deeper and deeper.
But then Qianlong turned his words around, saying that Yu Minzhong had "been preaching for a long time and has died" and that "he could not bear to pursue his crimes"! This elaborate edict once again obscures the guilt of Minzhong.
Until one day in the fifty-first year of Qianlong (1786), the Qianlong Emperor touched his feelings from an ancient porcelain from the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty while playing with antiques. He thought of the dictatorship of the traitor Yan Song from the fainting of the Jiajing Emperor, and from Yan Song to Yu Minzhong.
This time, Qianlong finally couldn't bear it any longer, and he issued an edict accusing Yu Minzhong of taking advantage of the emperor's favor to solicit power and bribes, and contacted the major corruption case in Gan Province, deducing that after Yu Minzhong had great power, he became the backstage of Wang Qiwang's bribery and corruption. Therefore, he angrily withdrew from the Xianliang Shrine in Minzhong to make an example.
In short, Yu Minzhong, a major minister of the Qing Dynasty, had made 5 major mistakes (even crimes), of which 2 were discovered before his death, and 3 were discovered after his death, but the Qianlong Emperor granted pardons.
Yu Minzhong
This was because Qianlong valued Minzhong's merits and forgave him for his sins, until he finally couldn't bear it anymore before he was punished afterwards. Yu Minzhong's experience enlightens us that it is the duty of citizens to build meritorious service for the country and the people, and the appreciation or tolerance of leaders is the affirmation of their trust and achievements. It should not be a reason or excuse for relaxing one's mind, or for making mistakes and concealing one's sins. We should be clean and honest, and do good things and not do bad things all our lives.
This article is original by "Such As Day Zhongtian 54", welcome to pay attention, learn together, and make progress together!