There are many dynasties in history, after the death of the founding emperors, the later lords did not argue, and the regime was quickly destroyed by foreign enemies and became the kings of the subjugated countries, such as the Qin Dynasty, shu Han, Xiao Qi, and Sui Dynasty. The same is true of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in modern times.
The difference is that the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was not destroyed by the Later Lord, but was already on the verge of extinction when the founder, Hong Xiuquan, was alive.
In June 1864, Tianjing City had been besieged for nearly two years, with no rescue troops outside and no grain and grass inside. The Xiang army outside the city was constantly digging tunnels to attack the city, and the people in the city, from the monarchs of the kingdom of heaven, the soldiers who guarded the city, to the common people were hungry and powerless, and under the demonstration of Hong Xiuquan, they ate sweet dew (wild grass) for food. In the end, Hong Xiuquan did not know whether he ate too much sweet dew, was poisoned, or committed suicide by taking poison, and died on the first day of June anyway.
After Hong Xiuquan's death, his fifteen-year-old son Hong Tianguifu ascended the throne as emperor, and this child knew almost nothing, relying on the bare support of Hong Renjie, the king of Gan, and Li Xiucheng, the king of Zhong, and the situation worsened.
Only a month after Hong Xiuquan's death, the Xiang army broke through the city and entered.
After the city was destroyed, the Xiang army slaughtered the city, and the soldiers and civilians suffered heavy casualties, and Hong Xiuquan's two brothers, one of whom threw himself into the water and died, and the other was captured and Ling Chi. Hong Tianguifu, however, was protected by Li Xiucheng and escaped from the city, and after Li Xiucheng was captured, he fled all the way south to Guangde, Zhejiang, under the leadership of Liu Qinghan, the prince of Zun.
Later, according to the records of the zhengshi and the confession of Hong Tianfufu himself, he first stayed in Huzhou, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and then went to Jiangxi to meet Wang Haiyang and Li Shixian under the escort of Huang Wenjin, the king of Jiangsu. There were still more than 100,000 people in Zhejiang, all the way chased by the Qing army, with the death of Huang Wenjin, the troops died or scattered, and finally reached Shicheng, Jiangxi, there were less than 10,000 people left. At Yangjiapai in Shicheng, the Taiping Army was attacked by the Xiang Army at night in Baotianbu, and the entire army was destroyed, Hong Rengui, Huang Wenjin's younger brother Huang Wenying, etc. were all captured, and after Liu Qinghan, the King of Zun, was captured, he was too badly wounded, and the Xiang army, fearing his sudden death, chose to lingchi on the spot.
Hong Tianfufu mysteriously fell into a large pit that night, escaped a disaster, met a white-haired old man in the mountains, sent him a gluttony to fill his hunger, a few days later went down the mountain to find food, and then went to a Family family surnamed Tang to cut rice, because he could not work and was sent off, and then wandered on the road for many days, and finally bumped into the Xiang Army barracks, was captured by the guerrilla Zhou Jialiang, and sent to Nanchang.
After Hong Tianguifu was captured, in order to survive, he not only truthfully confessed many secrets, such as his father had more than eighty wives and 4 of his own. In addition, in order to beg for his life, he also wrote many oil poems to flatter the Generals of the Qing Army, indicating that he would draw a clear line with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and change his heart and face to become a man again. Like what:
"It is difficult to follow the long hair, and it is dangerous to fly east and west." Now with my brother home day, go back to study and test Xiucai.
Now I don't do long hair, I am bent on assisting the Qing Dynasty. Long live the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and it is always difficult for chaotic thieves to run.
Now when I follow Brother Tang, I can only do my best to be respectful. I feel more for my brother's kindness, and I am glad to thank my brother for more and more. ”
Hong Tianguifu's surrender did not earn a pardon from the Qing court, and he was later executed by Shen Baozhen Lingchi, the governor of Jiangxi, along with Hong Rengui and others. The scene of Hong Tianguifu's execution is extremely bloody and cruel, and there are many introductions on the Internet, so I will not say more here.
Regarding the capture of Hong Tianfufu, there is another theory on the Internet. It is said that after he went down the mountain, he ran to a broken temple to hide, just when a tailor surnamed Deng passed by the broken temple that day, found him when he went in, saw him pitiful, and took him as an apprentice and taught him to learn the craft. One day, Hong Tianguifu was taken to the home of a squire to make clothes, and there was a groom in this family, who had previously participated in the Taiping Army, and when he saw the young king, he quickly knelt down. This kneeling completely exposed the identity of Hong Tianfufu.
After returning to the broken temple, under the questioning of Deng Tailor, Hong Tianguifu revealed his origins, and in order not to involve Deng Tailor, he asked Deng Tailor to tie him up and send him to the official palace. Tailor Deng was a little unbearable. However, at this time, the general of the Xiang Army, Zhou Jialiang, had already heard the news, and Hong Tianguifu was captured.
It is worth noting that there has always been another theory on the Internet, saying that Hong Tianguifu did not die, as early as Huzhou, he was arranged by Huang Wenjin and others, secretly sent to the coastal areas, and finally escaped from the country and came to South America. Thus, it was concluded that the young Heavenly King captured by the Xiang Army was a fake, but only a boy scout of the Taiping Army.
Stories of Taiping soldiers fleeing to South America and becoming mercenaries can be seen everywhere, and rumors that Hong Tianguifu did not die may also arise. When you think about it, this argument seems untenable.
As early as the destruction of Tianjing City, the Zeng Guofan brothers were reprimanded for saying that Hong Tianguifu died in the rebellion, and was exposed by Zuo Zongtang for his falsification. Xi Baotian, Shen Baozhen and others are unlikely to be counterfeited twice.
Of course, in order to cut off the hopes of the remnants of the Taiping Army, it was possible for the Qing court to get a fake young king to execute. But judging from Hong Tianguifu's performance after he was captured, as well as those confessions of 1510, and ridiculous oil poems, he could not be fake. If he was a false prince, he could not have known So well about Hong Xiuquan's family life.
In addition, there is the most important point, the young king is a major criminal in the court, and if he is caught, he will inevitably be punished with capital punishment, and no child is stupid enough to be willing to pretend to be him.