Chapter 4 Section 3 Changing the Course of the Empire

Despite his dedication to the role of "filial son", Qianlong's true feelings for Yongzheng are very suspicious. From a very young age, Qianlong had little closeness to this strict and demanding father.During Qianlong's long life, the male relative he respected and often mentioned was his grandfather Kangxi.Qianlong rarely mentioned Yongzheng, whom he had lived with for 25 years, and occasionally mentioned it in a flat tone. Kangxi and Yongzheng have very different temperaments and personalities.Grandfather Kangxi is famous for his "strong human touch" among the emperors of all dynasties in China.He is sincere and frank, amiable and magnanimous in his dealings with others.Xiao Hongli had a great sense of intimacy and trust from the first time he met him.But for his father, he felt more fear.Because his father Yongzheng's personality is almost the opposite of his grandfather's.

It is often said: "History is the most fair." In fact, history is usually not very fair.Many historical figures have suffered endless bad reviews from later generations just because of some flaws in their personality.Emperor Yongzheng is a typical representative. The 13 years of Yongzheng's rule was a very critical period in the history of the development of the Qing Dynasty.In Kangxi's later years, he was lenient in everything, and exhausted his efforts for the affairs of the prince. The government affairs of the country were almost abolished, corruption and corruption spread, and chaos emerged endlessly.

In this case, if the successor is a weak person, the Qing Dynasty will inevitably fall into chaos quickly.There have been countless precedents in history.Fortunately, Kangxi chose Yongzheng.Out of his sense of responsibility to the Qing Dynasty, and based on his hard-nosed personality, Yongzheng raised his butcher's knife to the various phenomena he disliked, and solved some deep-seated political problems of the Qing Dynasty. No emperor in history was as wronged as Yongzheng: he worked hard for the fundamental interests of the Qing Dynasty for 13 years, but what he got in return was the disgust of almost all social classes.Although for political needs, Yongzheng would also suppress his own nature and show great affection and concern to some confidant ministers, but his blunt and contrived performances can hardly really impress people.At the end of the Yongzheng Dynasty, although the ministers obeyed his orders, few people loved this "emotional" master from the bottom of their hearts.

There are three reasons that aroused everyone's disgust: first, his mean personality made people afraid to get close to him; second, his cruelty to his brothers and confidant ministers after he succeeded to the throne shocked everyone; third, and most importantly The reason is that he is too strict in politics.Everything can go too far. Although his series of brutal political measures consolidated the foundation of the Qing Dynasty, he also offended almost all social classes: he was too strict with officials, and he was not tolerant of all corruption and embezzlement during the anti-corruption process. He ransacked homes and fined money at every turn, causing countless officials to lose their homes and property, and gained the notoriety of "the emperor who ransacked homes".He was equally strict with the common people, believing that harsh punishments and laws are the best way to improve social order, and declared that "I rule the world, and I would not use the benevolence of a woman to relax the law of three feet." ("Dayijue Milu") What is good at the top is bound to be bad at the bottom. At one time, there were many prison cases in the Qing Dynasty, torture was indiscriminate, minor crimes were severely punished, and many people were wrongly imprisoned.He was fierce in politics, forging ahead indomitably, and made many revolutions.Some reforms, such as the Yanglian Bank system, have worked well.There are also some Xingge measures that have been out of shape during the implementation, which has increased the burden on the people.

A son who is deeply attached to his father often hates his father deeply.Qianlong in his youth didn't realize that his character had something in common with his father, he only realized his deep aversion to his father.After becoming sensible, Hongli has been feeling sorry for his father, regretting that he is thankless and can't be a man.He believed that when he was an emperor, he would never be as paranoid and stupid as his father. I don't know if it is because of that magical horoscope, Emperor Qianlong's fortune in his life is indeed very good.Not only did he ascend to the throne at the best age, but the inheritance he inherited made all the emperors envious: After 73 years of governance by Kangxi and Yongzheng, the country and the people of the Qing Dynasty were prosperous and peaceful, showing signs of peace.As the saying goes, "the country has been in succession for a hundred years, and it has been in harmony with the prosperity. As for today, it can be said that there is nothing wrong with it."The politics are clear and there is no police in all directions.There are no uprisings and famines inside, no wars and threats outside, Qianlong's throne can be described as a rock.

The task left to Qianlong by history is to "step-father and ancestor Yu Lie" and push the prosperity of the Qing Dynasty to the highest point. He has this ability and even more this ambition. The education Qianlong received was the most complete, systematic and strict among the emperors of all dynasties since the founding of the Qing Dynasty.Yongzheng paid close attention to the education of the princes. From the age of 6 to 25, Hongli spent 19 years in the study, studying for 10 hours a day.He is talented and intelligent, and he started to study at the same time as his younger brother Hong Zhou, but he surpassed his younger brother in every way.Every time he recited a book, he never forgot it in his photographic memory, but his younger brother couldn't memorize it for a long time, and his husband had to give him more homework.He studies very hard. "It has been a intensive study of "Yi", "Spring and Autumn", Dai's Li, Song Confucianism and other books, as well as "Tong Jian Gang Mu" and the essays of the eight scholars of history and Han. They all have their purport and interest and explore their essence." (" "The Complete Works of Leshantang") When he was a student, he wrote a lot of compositions.Looking through these articles, we found that Qianlong was a very orthodox Confucian believer when he was a student, and he had a strong idealism for future design.In his eyes, a perfect monarch should use "benevolence and righteousness" to cultivate and enlighten the world, rather than use force to implement his own policies.He said: "Governing the world should be based on virtue rather than power. Therefore, those with high morals succeed, and those with poor virtues fail." ("The Complete Works of Le Shan Tang")

In an article titled "The Theory of Tolerance Wins the Many", he clearly expressed his different political tendencies from his father: "If you can treat others leniently, forgive others' small faults, and achieve your own great virtues, then people will Everyone appreciates his kindness and is sincerely convinced. If not, what is the use of being diligent in politics, reviewing countless memorials every day like Qin Shihuang, and personally managing affairs for hundreds of officials like Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty? ?” When he was a student, he systematically studied all the famous emperors in Chinese history.With a high heart and high spirits, he "sees the ages with disdain, and has nothing to pay attention to".In his eyes, there are only three qualified emperors: Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty, Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty and Emperor Renzong of Song Dynasty.However, although Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty was virtuous, he was not good at selecting talents to assist him; although Emperor Renzong of Song Dynasty was benevolent, he was not capable enough.The only one he really admired was Tang Taizong.The privilege of youth is promises without cost, self-confidence without evidence, and a future that can be overdrawn infinitely.He is full of brilliant imaginations about his future.On the first day of ascending to the throne, he took Tang Taizong as his role model, followed Tang Taizong directly, surpassed Tang Taizong, and became the "first person" in Chinese history.To do this, you must first deny your father.

Although "it can be called filial piety if you haven't changed your father's ways for three years", a truly great politician will never let any empty moral words bind his hands and feet.Yongzheng's funeral was extremely grand, and then Qianlong sang against his father without hesitation. On the third day after Yongzheng's death, Qianlong expelled Taoist priests Zhang Taixu, Wang Dingqian and others who were trusted by his father and supported the palace.Qianlong issued an edict saying: In the spare time of the imperial examination, I heard that there is a theory of furnace fire cultivation in other provinces. Although Sacred Heart knows it is wrong, I want to try and observe its technique, thinking it is a tool for playing and relaxing.Because Zhang Taixu, Wang Dingqian and others were placed in the vacant place of Xiyuan.Sacred Heart regards him as a comedian, never listens to his words, never uses his medicine, and knows that he is a rascal in the market, it is best to make words and make trouble.There have been many times when the imperial examination asked me and the prince face-to-face!Today I drive Yi and others back to their hometowns... Ruo Yi and others have been walking in the inner court for several years, pretending to say a word in front of the Emperor Daxing, and swaying and inciting outside, there is no reason that cannot be exposed.Once interviewed and heard, it will be strictly investigated, and the law will be rectified immediately, and no loan will be lenient. ("Records of Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty")

That is to say, when Yongzheng was busy with daily affairs, he heard about alchemy techniques in other provinces that healed diseases and prolonged life. , Wang Dingqian and several others made alchemy in the shaft furnace in the spare place of Xiyuan.Yongzheng just regarded Zhang Taixu and Wang Dingqian as actors and clowns for fun, never listened to their words, never used their medicines.He also told Qianlong and the princes face to face many times that these people are rascals in the market, and it is best to spread rumors and make trouble.Therefore, Qianlong issued this decree, ordering these people to be driven back to their hometowns.

As the saying goes, there is no three hundred taels of silver here, and this decree is announcing to the world the real cause of Emperor Yongzheng's death.Such eagerness shows Qianlong's disdain and disgust for Yongzheng's trustworthy magician's behavior that deviates from the traditional emperor's way.During the Yongzheng period, he advocated Buddhism and Taoism a lot. He once held a Dharma meeting in the palace himself, calling himself "the master of release" and his dharma name "Pochen layman".He invited Zen Master Wenjue, a monk, to live in the palace and participate in state secret affairs, "relying on it like a left and right hand". He even wrote "Selecting Demons and Identifying Different Records" himself to intervene in religious and academic struggles.With his strong support, the Yongzheng Dynasty had a large number of Buddhist and Taoist religions, and it was inevitable that there would be mud and sand.

Emperor Qianlong believed in Confucian orthodoxy, was not interested in heretical teachings, and even slandered his father's belief in Buddhism.Taking the opportunity of expelling Taoist priests, Qianlong announced that in the future, monks and nuns must be given a degree of authority by the government, so as to control the excessive growth of the number of monks and nuns. Emperor Yongzheng loved auspiciousness all his life.During his reign, almost all the auspicious varieties in Chinese history appeared, such as Jiahe, Ruicoon, Yarrow, Ganoderma lucidum, Kylin, Phoenix Bird, Ganlu, Wuxinglianzhu, Huangheqing, Qingyunxian, one after another appeared in the In the official's memorial, Yongzheng said that this was his "feeling of respect and sincerity, and the blessing of the benevolent", which proved that his rule was legal and his governance was successful.This is naturally a disguised response to the theory of usurping the throne. ("Records of Emperor Shizong of Qing Dynasty") In Qianlong's view, it was too childish and ridiculous to engage in such a set.As soon as he took office, he decreed that if the people live and work in peace and contentment, although there is no auspiciousness, "it will not damage the image of peace."On the contrary, if the country's governance is not good, "even if Su Jia complains", it will be useless.He also warned ministers and workers that they should "conserve the great cause of peace with solid government, and must not use the false name of Ruiying to express praise and praise."Therefore, in September of the year he succeeded to the throne, he announced: "All auspicious things about Qingyun and Jiagu are not allowed to be played." ("Records of Emperor Gaozong of Qing Dynasty") When Yongzheng was born, a controversial policy was "playing reclamation".Yongzheng encouraged the people to open up wasteland, and measured the achievements of local officials by the number of acres of land opened up in various places.As a result, officials from all over the country falsely reported the number of land reclamation. They were promoted and made a fortune and left, but what was left was a situation in which taxes increased with the number of acres, which in disguise increased the burden on the people.Immediately after Qianlong ascended the throne, he issued an edict to the governors of all provinces: "Any report on the number of acres of reclaimed land must be checked in detail. Requirements one by one "please expel according to the facts". Not long after Qianlong came to the throne, based on the sound state of the country's finances, he ordered that the tax owed by the people before the twelfth year of Yongzheng (1734) be exempted.This is a real measure to benefit the people, which has greatly reduced the living burden of the poor people at the bottom. ("Records of Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty") Of course, among all Yongzheng's deeds, the most criticized one is the cruelty and ruthlessness of his brothers and sisters. The "Aqina" and "Seth Black" prisons are the greatest pain and embarrassment in the history of the Aixinjueluo family.Before Yongzheng, although there were constant disputes within the Manchurian royal family, they never broke faces to the extent that brothers killed each other, imprisoned each other, and expelled brothers and their descendants from the clan.No matter how necessary the fratricide after Yongzheng came to power, the methods were indeed too cruel, and the way of handling them was indeed too appalling.Both the elder brother and the second elder brother were imprisoned to death during Yongzheng's tenure, and the eighth and ninth brothers were imprisoned, stripped of their status, and executed in secret.The third brother, the tenth and the fourteenth are also imprisoned forever.Countless other clans were killed, imprisoned, or exiled.This is not only a shame to Yongzheng, but also a shame to the entire Aixinjueluo family, and even the entire Qing Dynasty.In a patriarchal society that advocates filial piety, no matter how many difficulties Yongzheng had, these behaviors are unforgivable. In the past 13 years, although no one dared to criticize this, Qianlong knew very well that this excessive move won the sympathy of almost everyone, including Qianlong himself, for Yongzheng's political opponents.In order to straighten out the high-end political relationship and win the support of the royal family and the middle and upper princes, he must correct his father's mistake. More than a month after he ascended the throne, Qianlong issued a decree that shocked the world: Aqina (Yunyu) and Sesihei (Yunyu) have done their own crimes, and there is nothing to be ashamed of, and if their sons and grandsons are also the branches of Emperor Zuren, if they are all excluded from the clan, then their future descendants will be with the common people. No difference.At the beginning to handle this matter, all the kings and ministers insisted on it repeatedly, which was not the original intention of my emperor.As for how to deal with it, the kings, Manchu, Han, and civil and military ministers... each express their own opinions, and they have confirmed their opinions. ("Records of Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty") It means that although Yunyu, Yunyu and others have died because of their own crimes, the blood of their descendants is Aixinjueluo's blood after all.It is really inappropriate to continue to expel them from their clan status, just like ordinary people.The reason why they were expelled from their ancestors was because of the repeated requests of the princes and ministers who handled this matter, not the original intention of my emperor Kao Yongzheng.How to deal with this matter, I ask the ministers of civil and military affairs of the kings, mans and Han Dynasties to express their opinions and come up with a plan to report to me. Yunyu and Yunyu are what Yongzheng called "Aqina" and "Seth Black".This decree was clearly intended to rehabilitate these political enemies of Yongzheng. All of a sudden, the ruling and opposition parties were all surprised by the courage of the new emperor. The emperor made an order, and the ministers of course knew what to do.They suggested that the emperor restore the clan status of these people.Soon, almost all the people who were expelled from the clan due to the struggle for the throne regained their status as nobles, and those clan princes who were imprisoned by the high wall saw the light of day again.The emperor ordered that the descendants of "Aqina" and "Sethhei" be allocated a considerable amount of property for their living.Even the most important criminal, his father's biggest competitor at the time, the former fourteenth elder brother Yunti, was released and given to the Duke with superior living conditions so that he can live in peace in his later years.According to Korean historical records, Qianlong also wanted to return Yunti's salary after being imprisoned for 13 years, but he gave up because Yunti insisted on resigning. ("Records of Joseon Lee Dynasty") This major move wiped away the resentment towards Yongzheng and Qianlong among the princes of the royal family at once, and the new emperor's "benevolence" was indeed like a spring breeze, allowing them to regain their lives. The next move is to win the allegiance of the bureaucracy. When the throne is changing, the new emperor's character and style are of course the focus of the world's attention.To everyone's delight, the new emperor's character is gentle and elegant, which is obviously different from the old emperor. The relationship between monarch and ministers during the Yongzheng period was a typical cat-and-mouse relationship.Emperor Yongzheng always thought of his courtiers with malice, strictly observed their every move, and never let go of a single mistake. But the new emperor makes people feel warm when they look at it. Generally speaking, there is one emperor and one courtier in one dynasty. At the beginning of each generation of monarchs, a group of old officials should be dismissed and a group of new ones should be appointed to promote their own ruling ideas.Qianlong did not do this.He respected Zhang Tingyu, Ertai and other veterans left by his father's period very much. At the beginning of his ascension, he called them "Mr."After all, he is a novice in politics, inexperienced on many issues.He imitated Tang Taizong's graceful demeanor in facing his admonishing ministers everywhere. Whenever he was in doubt, he always consulted the old ministers humbly; when he had something to go out, they handled and conveyed the daily affairs of state. Following his grandfather's example, he treats his subordinates with leniency, and always considers problems and solves difficulties for them from the perspective of ministers.Under Yongzheng's severe punishment, a large number of officials were imprisoned, and many officials went bankrupt and wandered around because they wanted to recover money from embezzlement.Proceeding from the principle of "leniency wins the masses", Qianlong released those officials who were punished severely. For example, the famous generals Fu Erdan and Yue Zhongqi were sentenced to death for delaying military planes, and Qianlong released them.The sympathetic key prisoners of the literary prison, such as Zha Siting and Wang Jingqi, had been executed by Yongzheng, and their exiled family members were released by Qianlong.At the time of Yongzheng's death, all officials who lost their homes or even their families due to the recovery of stolen money were given leniency.He ascended the throne for three months and exempted 69 officials from their arrears at one time.He ordered the investigation of deficit cases over the years, "those whose crimes of affection can be lenient will be exempted, that is, real estate that has entered the government and has not changed in price, and the yamen in charge will also be ordered to investigate and return it."In total, in the early years of Qianlong, more than 2,100 officials were dealt with lightly. ("Records of Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty") This move immediately won the favor of the bureaucracy.During the reign of Emperor Yongzheng, every official was worried and anxious all day long.Now, the bureaucratic group finally let go of their 13-year-long tension. The giant ship of the Qing Dynasty quickly changed its course, from "strict" to "wide". Qianlong did this for multiple reasons. First, when the new king ascends the throne, the first thing to do is to win the hearts of the people.To effectively win people's hearts, the most direct means is undoubtedly to let them get immediate benefits immediately. Second, as a Confucian believer who aspires to "practice benevolence and righteousness" and be a "righteous monarch", he will naturally take "lenient benevolence" as his basic policy policy. Third, and very important, after 13 years of father's rule, the social and political discipline of the Qing Dynasty was strictly enforced, and corruption was effectively controlled. .When turning strictness into leniency at this time, you can not only enjoy the fruits of your father's strict governance, but also enjoy the gratitude of the people to yourself, so why not do it. The leniency policy has achieved obvious results.After Yongzheng's 13 years of wind and frost rule, everyone's feeling for Qianlong is that the spring breeze is blowing on the face, and the feelings are happy. "Xiao Ting Miscellaneous Records" said: "When Emperor Qianlong came to the throne, it was after Emperor Yongzheng's strict governance. He governed everything with leniency, stopped land reclamation, stopped donations, emphasized agriculture, and restricted monks and nuns. The people are happy, and the praises are like thunder. In the south of the Yangtze River, there are ballads such as "Qianlong Bao, Zengshou Kao; Qianlong Qian, Ten Thousand Years"." "Lang Qian Jiwen Erbi" said: "Emperor Qianlong ascended the throne, and the edicts issued by him are endless. In the four seas, everyone is cheering." The subjects of the whole country have a very good impression of Qianlong, thinking that he is a benevolent, kind, and even a little weak virtuous monarch.Even the North Korean envoys in Beijing at that time praised Qianlong's early administration repeatedly.One envoy said: "There are no major flaws in the new government's decree, or it is a disease of weakness, so there is nothing to worry about at the border." Another said: "Yongzheng has a harsh reputation, but Qianlong practiced a lenient government. In other words, if you don’t talk about oligopolies and lacks, whether ministers are right or wrong, as for crimes and admonitions, you can be called a virtuous king.” ("Records of the Joseon Dynasty Li Dynasty")