Chapter 28 Section 1 Smooth transfer of power
The old emperor woke up at three o'clock in the morning again.The personal eunuch had expected this a long time ago. As soon as the old emperor's slight snoring stopped, he stood up from the ground and began to dress Qianlong one by one.Then, the old emperor sat quietly on the imperial couch with his clothes hanging down, waiting patiently for the sunshine three hours later.
This has been the norm in recent years. "Records of Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty" records that after the fifty years of Qianlong (1785), sleep began to decrease.
Not to mention how special today is.Just three hours ago at the time of Jiaozi, the reign title of Qianlong, which was used by the Qing Empire for 60 years, became history forever.Today is the first day of the first month of the first year of Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty (1796).Qianlong woke up nearly an hour earlier than usual because he was thinking about today's "Zen Ceremony".Being meticulous by nature, he calculated all the links in his mind again, and confirmed once again that everything was safe.
Since the mid-Qianlong period, the issue of successors has become the focus of concern for the entire Qing Empire.
Qianlong, who was always striving for the first place, did not surpass his grandfather in the number of children.Kangxi had thirty-two sons and twenty daughters in total, while Qianlong had twenty-seven children in his lifetime.Seventeen of them were men and ten women.Among them, five sons and five daughters died early, so seventeen people grew up.
Among the seventeen sons, Qianlong's favorite was undoubtedly the two legitimate sons born to Empress Xiaoxian.
In the view of Qianlong, who was determined to surpass his predecessors in everything, the biggest regret since the establishment of the Qing Dynasty was that no emperor succeeded to the throne with his eldest son. What people have not done, invite the blessings that the ancestors cannot obtain."
But helplessly, the two sons-in-law both died early. After the loss of two sons-in-law, for more than twenty years, the emperor did not mention the matter of establishing a reserve.
The emperor didn't mention it, but the subjects couldn't think about it.For those scholars who take the world as their own responsibility, "empty storage" is a great danger to the country.Once the emperor has a cause, the world will inevitably be in turmoil.In the forty-third year of Qianlong (1778), when the emperor visited Shenyang eastward, Jin Congshan, a student from Jinzhou, blocked the way and submitted a speech, asking the emperor to appoint a prince as soon as possible, saying: "It is not suitable for the Qing Dynasty to establish a prince. How can I treat myself with bad luck?" (Tang Wenji's Biography of Qianlong)
The emperor was furious when he heard the words. It seems that people in the world have generally believed that he did not appoint a prince because he was "greedy for the throne".How could the most face-saving Qianlong tolerate such an attack?So after killing Jin Congshan, the emperor promulgated the "Mingfa decree" to the whole country, announcing his plan to the world.The emperor said that he was by no means a person who was greedy for power and position. As early as when he first ascended the throne, he had silently sworn to heaven that he would only be emperor for sixty years, leaving his grandfather Kangxi the longest reign record:
People in the world may whisper that I am greedy for the throne and refuse to establish a reserve.Don't you know that when I first came to the throne, I burned incense and prayed to heaven, saying: "My emperor has been in power for sixty-one years. I dare not compare it. If I can rule for sixty years, I will definitely pass on the throne when I am eighty-five years old." Retire himself. ("Records of Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty")
The emperor also told the world that as early as the winter of the thirty-eighth year of Qianlong (1773), he had secretly established a reserve.However, he only told a few military ministers about this, so people in the world would have such a misunderstanding.
As soon as this edict came out, speculation about who the heir would be became more intense among the people.For ordinary people in the market, guessing which elder brother will be the next emperor is also an excellent topic of conversation.
In fact, this riddle is difficult to say, but simple to say.
In the thirty-eighth year of Qianlong, among the seventeen sons, the elder brother, the second elder brother, the third elder brother, the fifth elder brother, the seventh elder brother, the ninth elder brother, the tenth elder brother, the thirteenth elder brother, and the fourteenth elder brother Elder Brother and Elder Sixteen both died one after another.
Among them, the death of the elder brother was related to Li Chu.
Wanting to establish a son-in-law failed, but the emperor took his anger out on the son-in-law.The emperor's attitude towards sons and daughters is different.He is an amiable and loving father in front of his daughter, who can even bow his head and be willing to be a bully when he is happy, but keeps a straight face in front of his son.His attitude towards his elder brothers is entirely from a political point of view.In order to suppress their political ambitions and prevent the repetition of the history of fighting for the crown prince, Qianlong was extremely strict with the princes.Until the thirty-first year of Qianlong (1766), except for the fourth and sixth sons of the emperor who were awarded titles because they became the sons of the clan princes, the other princes had no titles. No matter how old they were or whether they were married or not, they could only behave Ji stays in the palace and studies all day long, and is not allowed to interact with the outside world arbitrarily, just like a senior prisoner.For the two princes who have titles, the use of their utensils is also strictly restricted, and the prince's uniform is not allowed, and it is stipulated that "one should take it, and still follow the prince's example." ("Records of Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty") The strict restrictions and low treatment of the prince surpassed any period in Chinese history.At times, he was wary of his son to the point of nervousness.
When Empress Xiaoxian died, the eldest son Yonghuang was twenty-one years old, and the third son Yongzhang was seventeen years old.The successive deaths of two sons-in-law obviously greatly increased the probability of the two of them inheriting the throne. Therefore, although they were well-mannered at the empress's funeral, the emperor was not pleasing to the eye.How did the emperor look at them, and how did he feel that their grief was faked.As soon as Empress Daxing's Zi Palace (coffin made of Zi wood) was transported to Tongzhou, the emperor issued a strict decree without thinking, accusing the eldest elder brother of being at a loss during the funeral, because "filial piety and etiquette have not been fulfilled." There are many places."The queen's funeral had just passed a hundred days, and the emperor, in front of the princes and ministers of Manchuria, reprimanded the elder brother for "not being ashamed of mourning" for the death of his aunt, and the third elder brother for "absolutely incapable of being a son of man."The emperor's tone was very severe:
Let's see that Eldest Brother is already twenty-one years old. Is everything that Yi did for the Empress this time worthy of attention?My parents were lucky enough to be in Shandong, but my father came back to Beijing alone. He has a little heart of a son, but the elder brother doesn't mind how much he should grieve. Also dissatisfied, he is fourteen years old and has no knowledge at all.This time about the Queen's matter, Yi Yu's way of being a son of man is absolutely incomprehensible... Yi and others are all my sons, it seems that I don't understand the general situation, but I am deeply ashamed, what else can I say!
In the era of autocracy, unfilial piety is a great sin.But the emperor was still not satisfied, and said murderously, the elder brother and the third elder brother gloated over the death of the queen mother, and had the ambition to covet the artifact.Therefore, these two people must not be candidates for the crown prince: "The elder brother and the third elder brother are so unfilial. I can't bear to kill them because of the love of father and son. But after a hundred years, the two of us will definitely not be able to inherit the emperor's lineage! Da Er Brother and Third Brother, if you feel dissatisfied in the future, you will stop until your brothers kill each other. Instead of letting their brothers kill each other, it is better to kill them in my day!" The angry emperor turned his face and warned the ministers of Manchuria. So please set up the crown prince, "I will make him a law-breaker, and he will never be lenient"! ("Drafts of Qing History")
In fact, everyone could see clearly that there was nothing wrong with the behavior of these two princes.These fierce words of the emperor were just one of his abnormal actions at the funeral of Empress Xiaoxian, but the two sons could not bear such a violent blow.Because of this fright, the elder brother Yonghuang fell seriously ill and died of fear in the fifteenth year of Qianlong (1750), only one year and nine months after the severe court training.
Hearing that the eldest elder brother became sick with fright, the emperor who woke up from the queen's funeral also regretted it very much.When he was dying, the emperor visited the prince's bedroom to see the sickness. The elder brother in the plain curtain tearfully said to the emperor who came to see the sickness in person: "My son is not filial, so I can't send the emperor to my father!"
The emperor regretted it unceasingly.
In order to make up for the uneasiness in his heart, the emperor posthumously bestowed on Yonghuang the title of Prince of Ding'an, making him the first prince among his sons, and his title was inherited by Yonghuang's eldest son, Mian De.As a result, Mian De became the first among the grandsons of Qianlong who did not descend to the rank of prince.The emperor also made an exception and asked Mian De to attend the funeral in another room where the eldest son of the emperor lived, without having to move to another place.Throughout his life, the emperor gave special care to the eldest son of the emperor.
Although he lost his parents and children because of excessive precautions, the emperor did not relax in the slightest in guarding against his descendants.In the forty-first year of Qianlong (1776), the emperor's eldest grandson Miande and Qin Xiongbao, a doctor in the Ministry of Rites, "met and gave gifts" in private.It stands to reason that it is not a big deal for the emperor's grandson to meet with the officials of the capital and accept a small gift, but in the eyes of the emperor, it is unforgivable.The old emperor punished him severely, dismissed the prince of Miande, deposed him as a commoner, and punished him to guard the Tailing Mausoleum.Qin Xiongbao was sent to Yili, and Lian Miande's master was also punished.In July of the same year, a small official from Shanxi sent a letter to his successor, the fourth elder brother, and was executed by Ling Chi. The fourth elder brother also died of fear a few months later because he was a scapegoat.In the forty-fifth year of Qianlong (1780), the governor of Shanxi, Kaning'a, heard that the sixth prince and the emperor's grandson were expected to build the crown prince, so he presented a film of tribute to the sixth prince Yong Rong and Mian En, and "sent a few fishes".In view of the past, Mian En and others were afraid to accept it, so they reported it to the emperor.The emperor praised Mian'en for this, and Kaning'a was ordered to do so.It was precisely because of the emperor's sternness and decisiveness that the sons and grandsons paid great attention to restraining their actions. In the end, there was no competition for the reserve in the Qianlong dynasty.
Except for the elder brothers who died, the twelfth elder brothers are not qualified to be candidates for the crown prince because their biological mother, Empress Nala, was hated by the emperor.The fourth elder brother and the sixth elder brother have already adopted Prince Lu Yunxuan and Shenjun Wang Yunxi as grandchildren respectively, so the possibility of becoming the crown prince has also been ruled out.If the emperor really wanted to decide on the establishment of a reserve, he could only make a choice within the narrow range of eighth, eleventh, fifteenth, and seventeenth princes.
The eighth elder brother, Yongxuan, is the eldest of the emperor's side. He has a good literary talent, calligraphy Zhao Meng, charming and cute, and can also draw flat and distant landscapes, but he is irritable and does things upside down.Once the emperor sent all the princes to pray for rain at Heilongtan in the western suburbs. The eighth elder brother was supposed to be on duty, but he couldn't find it anywhere.After asking, I found out that he sneaked out to the city to play with his personal attendants.In the eyes of the stern and harsh emperor, this is undoubtedly a major fault that cannot be tolerated.In addition, he had foot problems and poor appearance, so the emperor had no expectations for him. In the forty-fourth year of Qianlong (1779), he was named a Yijun king.
The eleventh son Cheng Wang Yongxuan is even more talented in literature and art.His poems and proses are concise and clean, You Gong's calligraphy, he studied Ouyang Xun and Zhao Mengshu in his early years, entered and exited Wang Xizhi's and Wang Xianzhi's brushwork, and copied famous calligraphy from Tang and Song Dynasties. Those who think that from Wang Ruolin down in the Qing Dynasty, there was only one king.Famous calligraphers at the same time also include Tiebao, Weng Fanggang, Liu Yong, and King Cheng are called the Four Great Masters.Qianlong was an elegant emperor, and he often came to Xingcheng's mansion to admire his masterpieces of calligraphy and painting.However, the emperor did not blindly agree with Brother Eleven's pen and ink.One day in May in the 31st year of Qianlong (1766), the emperor saw the name of the painting on the fan held by the fifteenth elder brother Yongyan, and the inscription was "Brother Jingquan". Fourteen or fifteen years old Eleven Elder Brother, the emperor thought that the children of the Tian family should not imitate the bad habits of the Han people, so he issued an order to reprimand that the clan and nobles were not allowed to take the nickname, because they were too weak, and it was inevitable that they would lose the bravery of Manchuria. He also said these details "The fate of the country is concerned with people's hearts, and good things are not superficial."The emperor's dissatisfaction with the eleventh elder brother didn't stop there. This elder brother was gentle and incessant, and as he got older, he became more and more eccentric and stingy.It is said that once the horse died, he was ordered to cook horse meat instead of food, and the palace would not cook on that day.When it spread, it became a joke of the entire court.Such a person obviously does not have the appearance of a king.
As for the seventeenth elder brother Yonglin, he is probably the least capable of the brothers.This old son didn't like reading since he was a child, and his temperament was frivolous and impetuous.When I was older, I often slipped out of the palace and went to the narrow roads and alleys of the outer city in casual clothes to find flowers and ask willows.In the fifty-fourth year of Qianlong (1789), before the emperor's 80th birthday celebration, the princes were granted great titles. The sixth elder brother, the eleventh elder brother, and the fifteenth elder brother were all crowned princes, and Yonglin only granted Baylor. Give up.He once said to those close to him: "Even if there are as many emperors as raindrops, not a single raindrop will fall on me. If any elder brother becomes emperor in the future, he will be satisfied if he can give me the mansion of Hearsen." "After He Wen's defeat, his compatriot brother, Emperor Jiaqing, would indeed grant Yong Phosphorus half of the He Mansion that the princes and ministers coveted.
The only one who still hasn't disappointed the emperor is Brother Fifteen.
Compared with the other three princes, Yongyan, the fifteenth son of the emperor, is not the smartest one, but the one with the least shortcomings.
The fifteenth elder brother was only thirteen years old when he was established as the prince by Mi Mi in the thirty-eighth year of Qianlong (1773).His biological mother, Wei, was of Han origin, and was a coater in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. His maternal grandfather was in charge of Qingtai, and his status was not noble.
But this child has several other advantages that are not as good as "famous for his diligence".He thinks that his talent is average, so he studies very hard, even in the cold winter of March 9th, in the middle of the night, he often doesn't let go of the book.According to historical records, he "takes ignorance as a precept, so during the three winters and nights, he diligently retreats from food, and wanders in the books of sages and sages."In his collection of poems, there are such verses: "When you read at night, the lamp holder moves to the right, and every time you are addicted to learning, you lower the heavy curtain."
Another outstanding point is his filial piety and "duanchun".Yongyan, who grew up under the strict supervision of Qianlong, has a good character, is diligent, lives a frugal life, and treats others generously.His greatest strength is that he can restrain himself, not to be tempted by any sensuality, and not to do anything out of the ordinary.Official history notes, there are very few negative records about him.
Although in the Qing Dynasty, it was strictly forbidden for princes to handover with ministers, through the channel of the prince's master, the ruling and opposition parties were not completely unaware of these princes.It is said that among the four princes, the fifteenth son, who is only thirteen years old, is the most sensible and hardworking one.When the Korean envoys who were sent to the Celestial Dynasty returned home, they reported to their king many times: "The fifteenth son, Prince Jia Yongyan, is clever and talented, and is quite popular." The 11th, 11th, and 17th kings all have no orders and names, but the fifteenth king bowed down to study, and he just knew the precepts, and he was better than the ban, and he has a lot of reputation." ("Records of Joseon Lee Dynasty")
Time waits for no one, and Qianlong, who is over sixty years old, has to make a decision.He carefully wrote Yongyan's name in the Secret Edict of Passing the Throne, but after putting down the pen, he still couldn't get rid of the anxiety in his heart.After all, the age of thirteen is too young for an heir. No one can be sure whether this good-looking seedling can grow into a towering tree.On the winter solstice of the thirty-eighth year of Qianlong, the 63-year-old emperor went to the Temple of Heaven to offer sacrifices to heaven, knelt in the center of the mound, and silently prayed to the sky: "I have secretly appointed Yongyan as the crown prince, but this son is only thirteen years old, and his temperament is uncertain." If Yongyan has the ability to inherit the country's great career, I will pray to God to bless him with success in everything. If he is not a virtuous person, may God let him die with a short life so that he cannot inherit the great line. It is not that I don't love myself Son, I just have to do this for the sake of my ancestors." ("Records of Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty")
Although there are rich emotions, in the heart of this political superman, the love between children and the emperor's sense of responsibility is just like a feather on Mount Tai.
Fortunately, God seems to be quite satisfied with Yongyan. From the 38th year of Qianlong (1773) to the 60th year (1795), Yongyan has always been in good health, and his performance has been more and more affirmed by Qianlong.At the moment when the succession ceremony was held, in Qianlong's heart, he gave eighty points to this successor.
There are four things that satisfy the emperor:
First, from the perspective of personality, the fifteen sons of the emperor are young and mature.The biggest feature of his character is his strong self-control, perseverance and perseverance.He lives a regular life, behaves well, studies diligently, works conscientiously, and never steps beyond the rules.This is what Qianlong admired the most.
Second, the character of this person is "duanchun", treats people sincerely, and is good at thinking about others.He is compassionate and very emotional.He is always self-denying and forbearing, living a frugal life and never pursuing his own personal enjoyment.The most rare thing is that this prince has excellent self-cultivation, is humble, rarely gets angry, and never speaks harshly when dealing with others.
Thirdly, from the academic point of view, after more than 20 years of strict, systematic and high-quality imperial education, Yongyan's achievements are very outstanding.Yongyan has a lot of experience in the Confucian theory of the principles of heaven and the human heart.His self-cultivation is built on the basis of learning, so the foundation is solid.In addition, although this son's martial arts riding and archery performance is not as good as his father and great-grandfather, he is also second to none among his brothers.
Fourth, from the outside, Emperor Jiaqing was the most upright and photogenic emperor among the emperors of the Qing Dynasty.Emperor Jiaqing's appearance can be said to have almost no shortcomings: he is of medium build, neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin.He has fair skin, regular facial features, well-proportioned flesh and blood, and a graceful and luxurious appearance.The face shape is between a square face and a round face, showing the balance and reason of his character.After training in appearance since childhood, he always behaved dignifiedly and calmly when he attended big occasions.
At the moment when the emperor was granted and accepted, the Supreme Emperor sincerely felt that God had always treated him favorably.You see, the child who now accepts the throne is thirty-six years old.This age is full of energy and experience.Life has changed from the greenness of adolescence and the enthusiasm of youth to the stability and strength of early middle age. It is the best age to take charge of a huge empire.
In line with Qianlong's good mood, the ceremony held on the first day of the first lunar month in the first year of Jiaqing (1796) was grand and gorgeous, the atmosphere was peaceful and peaceful, and even the weather was so sunny and brilliant.At nine o'clock in the morning, Qianlong, wearing a black fox warm hat, a yellow dragon robe and a sable hood, sat on the throne of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.The old emperor’s benevolent and majestic piercing eyes slowly swept towards the square in front of the hall. On the square in front of the hall, thousands of princes and ministers with brilliant feathers and colorful court clothes were in the solemn "Zhonghe Shaole" , Kneeling up like a tide.At 9:32, as Qianlong sitting on the throne handed the three-inch-wide and one-inch-thick sapphire seal "Emperor's Treasure" to Emperor Jiaqing who was kneeling in front of him with a smile, a An unprecedented record was born: the smoothest power transfer in Chinese history was successfully completed.
The transfer of power has always been the most vulnerable sore in China's authoritarian political system.One of the most obvious disadvantages of the tenure of supreme power is the uncertainty and stability of power replacement.Under the tenure system, there are standardized time and procedures for the transfer of power, and the grantor and recipient have sufficient preparation time.However, in an autocratic system, you cannot predict exactly when the older generation of rulers will die, so the timing of power transition is uncertain.Under the tenure system, both parties to the power transferee are usually in a healthy state, which ensures a smooth and natural transfer of power.However, under the hereditary system, the handover of power will inevitably occur when the ruler is critically ill or dead. The adventurers rushing out of the world took it away, or the older generation of rulers were forced to worry about the heirs of Night Chang Mengduo launching the runway ahead of time, or after the death of the old emperor, the scepter fell to the ground, and there was a period of power vacuum full of crises.Therefore, when the power is handed over in the past dynasties in China, it is either bloody and bloody, killing families and families, or it is full of doubts and shadows.
In order to solve this problem, the emperors of all dynasties racked their brains and tried every means.The most common is to establish a prince in advance, but anyone who is familiar with Chinese history knows that it is not easy to be a prince.From ancient times to the present, there are only a handful of princes who have had a smooth sailing, and there are many people who are frightened and dangerous.There are too many such examples, let’s take the princes of the Tang Dynasty as an example:
The first prince, Li Jiancheng, died at the hands of his younger brother Li Shimin.Li Shimin's prince Li Chengqian also turned against his father, was abolished for treason, and was imprisoned to death; the first three princes Li Zhong, Li Xian, and Li Hong established by Tang Gaozong and Wu Zetian were all killed by Wu Zetian.Tang Xuanzong's prince Li Ying was first deposed as a commoner and then given to death; since Xianzong, almost none of the princes appointed by the emperor during his lifetime can ascend the throne. Most of the princes were killed by eunuchs as soon as the old emperor died...
There was a transfer of power in the Qing Dynasty, although it was not as bloody as the Tang Dynasty, it also had a lot of problems.The most failed incident of establishing a prince in history undoubtedly occurred during the period of Qianlong's grandfather Kangxi.In order to solve the problem of succession, Kangxi established a prince early, during which he abolished and reinstated. After decades of tossing, the final power transfer was still bloody and bloody, and it was unclear.
Only Emperor Qianlong went smoothly on this issue.Lai's father established the secret reserve system, and his accession to the throne was quite smooth; now he wants to go to the next level, solve the succession problem while he is alive, minimize the shock of power transfer, and make the Qing Dynasty Stability is not under any threat.
It can be said that among the Chinese rulers after Yao and Shun, only Qianlong really succeeded in implementing "abdication".Since three generations later, "abdication" has become a beautiful dream in Chinese autocratic politics, and a symbol of the ruler's "sanctification and godhood".It's a pity that all imitators are not anti-dogs.In 318 BC, King Kui of Yan followed the example of Yao and Shun, and took the initiative to grant the Zen throne to his son.But this abdication did not bring any benefits to Yan.Three years later, "the state of Yan was in chaos, and the people complained," and the state of Qi almost destroyed Yan.The "abdication" that appeared after this was even worse than the previous generation: it was not synonymous with the old emperor being forced to be forced to be seized by the younger emperor, such as Tang Xuanzong and Tang Suzong; it was a fig leaf for powerful officials to usurp the throne, such as Cao Wei Daihan.The only voluntary Zen position occurred in the period of Song Gaozong, but that was because Song Gaozong was wary of powerful enemies outside and lazy inside, which was not worth mentioning.
This moment is nothing less than the most glorious and greatest moment in the history of Chinese autocratic politics.The bloody, tense, energy-self conflicts at the time of the power transfer of successive dynasties were all deftly resolved by Qianlong.In Chinese history, this is indeed an unprecedented creation, and it is a perfect example of the smooth transfer of power in the autocratic era.Historians unanimously spoke highly of Qianlong's move, among which the words of Qing Dynasty historian Zhao Yi are the most representative:
But I, Emperor Gaozongchun, have the luck to be the great unification. I have been in the imperial court for sixty years, and I have personally passed on the throne.At that time, he was diligent in political training, and he lived to the age of eighty-nine; now, after receiving Zen, he respects and raises him very much.Sincerely, there is no day without kissing and laughing. Looking at Song Xiaozong's one month and four dynasties, it was never enough to count.However, the two palaces give and receive, benevolent, filial and prosperous, with great blessings, which has never been seen since the real opening, isn't it prosperous!