Corruption and abuse of power, exploitation of the people, this kind of ** has been criticized in various historical periods, has become unbearable, often difficult to escape the consequences, and their names quickly faded out of people's memory.
However, there are always exceptions, and there is a huge corrupt person who stands out for his deep-rooted image, and the mention of his name not only carries a touch of intimacy, but also exudes an irresistible "cute" atmosphere.
He Shen, a famous ** in history, was the owner of Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing. He started a long battle of words with Ji Xiaolan in film and television dramas, he is well versed in human nature, good at dealing with changes in the workplace, and also left the proverb "He Shen falls, Jiaqing eats enough". Next, we will tell the story of his legend.
On the third day of the first month of the fourth year of Jiaqing, Emperor Qianlong died, and the end of Heshen also came. He first lost his position as Minister of Military Aircraft and Admiral of Jiumen, and then was convicted of 20 felonies on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and was finally handcuffed to prison, and all his family property was also confiscated.
The business empire that He Shen spent decades of painstaking efforts to build collapsed overnight, as if verifying the ancient adage that "Skynet is restored but not leaked, not that it is not reported, and the time has not come".
According to Jiaqing's complaint, He Shen has made 800 million taels in the past 20 years. At that time, the annual financial revenue of the Qing Dynasty was only 70 million taels, and if this accusation was true, then the people of the whole country would have to save money for ten years to accumulate the wealth that He Shen greeded.
Jiaqing once went to the prison to meet with He Shen in person, looking at the gray-haired old man in front of him, Jiaqing asked the question he had been wondering about: "He Shen, you already have so much, why are you still greedy for so much money?" Do you have a place to spend it all? ”
The corners of the old man's mouth moved slightly, and then he laughed...
Perhaps what he wanted to answer most in his heart at this moment was: "This is all a thousand-year-old cunning plan, you kid can't figure out which chatting drama I am playing." ”
He Shenzhi's ability to serve as the Minister of Military Aircraft and the Admiral of the Nine Gates was not a one-time achievement. These two positions hold enormous real power and require a superior pattern and talent.
In the case of Admiral Jiumen, this responsibility included being responsible for the defense of the Nine Gates in Beijing's inner city, that is, the security of the imperial family. Only close ministers who were trusted and relied on by the emperor could be qualified for this important position, and could not be easily handed over to mediocre people who only knew how to flatter.
He Shen was born in a family of eunuchs, and he was full of enthusiasm when he first entered the officialdom. His personal abilities were exceptional, and although he did not read much, he was adept at using clever techniques. For the books that the emperor was interested in, he always studied them carefully and made detailed reading notes to maintain a good dialogue with the emperor. This ingenious way of communicating made him stand out in officialdom.
In addition, He Shen also has an amazing skill - unforgettable. The emperor dictated once, and he was able to recite it perfectly, and the mountains of recitals could be repeated to the emperor without just skimming through them, which also laid the foundation for him to become the minister of military aircraft in the future.
Of course, talking on paper is not a real skill. The key to really winning Qianlong's trust was a "corruption case" involving Li Shuyao that he exposed when he was 30 years old.
In the forty-fifth year of Qianlong, Qianlong, who was 70 years old, made his fifth southern tour, and He Shen accompanied him as a "light car captain". Along the way, he managed to solve all possible problems in advance, ensuring a pleasant and comfortable trip for the emperor.
Qianlong also conducted field investigations while playing, and when he arrived near Guizhou, Yunnan, he found the local ** Haining to inquire about the local governance and economic conditions. Haining praised the governor of the township, Li Shiyao, saying that under the wise leadership of Master Li, the economy of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces has prospered, and the people have lived and worked in peace and contentment. His praise of Li Shiyao made Qianlong very happy, but he was quickly slapped in the face.
The next day, Haining began to complain after a few drinks in the restaurant, saying that Li Shiyao was actually a **filthy official, disregarding human life and wantonly**. The two provinces of Yunnan and Guizhou became his independent kingdoms, and the emperor knew nothing about it, but unfortunately he was cowardly and had no actual evidence, so he had to deceive the emperor in order to protect himself.
Qianlong had many intelligence channels, and Haining's drunken mantra soon reached the emperor's ears. Qianlong was furious and immediately ordered Haining to be arrested and severely tortured to punish him for the crime of bullying the king.
On the side, while calming the emperor's emotions, He Shen patted his chest and promised that he could be ordered to investigate Li Shiyao's case, give the emperor an explanation, and seek justice for the people of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces.
Although Qianlong was surprised that a 30-year-old young man dared to investigate the elders of the imperial court and the feudal officials, he greatly appreciated the courage of this young man.
However, he was also full of contradictions. After all, Li Shuyao is a capable general he trusts very much, and Qianlong has praised Li as a "genius in the world" many times at court meetings. If Li is really proven to be a **, where will his face be placed? Therefore, he hesitated, deliberately pretending to be confused, and planned to find an opportunity to call Li Shiyao back to the capital to teach him a lesson.
Seeing that the emperor was hesitant, He Shen secretly thought in his heart that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for meritorious service, and he couldn't let it go easily. He hurriedly said: "Li Shuyao has been the governor for more than 20 years, and his influence is deep, if he uses his power for personal gain, gradually cultivates power, and then relies on force, the governors of other provinces may follow suit." If this matter is not thoroughly investigated, there will be endless troubles. ”
Qianlong was most concerned about the secession of local armed forces, which could lead to the loss of substantial control of the imperial court. As soon as he heard He Shen mention the words "support the army and respect itself", the emperor no longer hesitated, and immediately appointed He Shen as the minister of the Qin Mission, responsible for the comprehensive investigation of Li Shiyao's ** case.
The minister of the Qincha is equivalent to the head of the investigation team sent to the local area today, and is a first-class official directly appointed by the emperor, and his status is equivalent to that of a modern senior cadre, which obviously shows Qianlong's high trust in He Shen. After He Shen was instructed, he chose some smart and clever entourages and went straight to Yungui to investigate.
He Shen did not find Li Shiyao directly, but traveled around the mountains and rivers in Yungui and lived a leisurely life.
Li Shiyao has a strong intelligence network in the local area and knows Heshen's every move well. At first, he felt that He Shen was unfathomable, as if he had come to overthrow him. However, more than half a month passed, and not only did He Shen not arrest anyone, nor did he show any signs of in-depth investigation, but instead began the life of a literati, writing poems and paintings, as if he had long forgotten the original intention of this trip.
Li Shuyao breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that He Shen was just a young and immature boy, and this time he was just a formality, and he didn't dare to offend him at all.
However, all this was just an illusion created by He Shen, who used himself as bait to successfully divert Li Shiyao's attention. At the same time, he secretly sent several right-hand men to conduct a secret investigation, and through the confession of Sun Shiyi, the governor of Yunnan, the focus of the investigation was on Zhang Yongshou, Li Shiyao's great butler.
Zhang Yongshou is a close confidant of Li Shiyao and his financial administrator. All the Li family's capital transactions and income and expenditure details were recorded by him in a small account book. As long as this ledger can be obtained, Li Shiyao**'s crime can be conclusively proven.
He Shen immediately ordered the secret arrest of Zhang Yongshou. At the beginning, Zhang Yongshou's mouth was very tight, and he didn't know anything about everything. But under the coercion and temptation of He Shen, he quickly explained the location of the account book.
Through the rapid analysis of the ledger, He Shen quickly locked down several ****. Through interviews and persuasion, these people all agreed to testify against Li Shiyao**, and confided their bitterness, saying that they were all forced to pay bribes under Li's persecution, otherwise they would not be able to gain a foothold in Yungui's officialdom.
After sorting out the investigation report, He Shen took these clues and went to Qianlong to report excitedly. He originally thought that the emperor would immediately order Li Shiyao** to be killed after seeing the ironclad evidence, thus making a great contribution and opening the peak period of his life. However, Qianlong frowned and fell silent for a long time, as if he was not too satisfied with this result.
According to the law of the Qing Dynasty, if the amount exceeds 1,000 taels, you should be sentenced to beheading. Considering that Li Shiyao** reached 35,000 taels**, it was enough to die more than 30 times. However, the Qing Dynasty did not strictly govern the country according to law, and the power of life and death was ultimately in the hands of the emperor.
Although Li Shiyao was addicted to **, he was not involved in rebellion. On the contrary, he made a great contribution to promoting the peaceful coexistence of the Qing Dynasty and Burma. Qianlong hesitated to kill such talents, on the one hand, because of his own face, and on the other hand, out of cherishing talents. However, the emperor could not easily abolish the court law, and someone had to stand up for him.
He Shen was witty, Qianlong hesitated slightly, and he immediately understood his master's thoughts. So, he quickly began to defend Li Shiyao, claiming that many of the 35,000 taels were valuable treasures given to him by the emperor, and there were also some tributes returned by the imperial court according to custom. If these are excluded, judging from Lord Li's official status, ** is not excessive.
Seeing that Qianlong breathed a sigh of relief slightly, He Shen continued: "I also heard one thing, there is a female dependent named Xi'er in the Li Mansion. She once went to Yunnan to purchase tribute on the order of Lord Li to congratulate the emperor on his 70th birthday, which was also a commendable filial piety. ”
Qianlong looked at the list of tributes, which listed all kinds of precious jade, porcelain, and wood, totaling more than 80 pieces, with an estimated value of at least tens of thousands of taels**. It seems that Li Shiyao is not only innocent, but also shows filial piety.
Qianlong, who turned from anger to joy, looked up at He Shen and said slowly: "He Qing, I am a little tired, and Li Shiyao's case will be handled by you with full authority." ”
In the end, under the skillful mediation of He Shen, Li Shiyao saved a small life, although he was deprived of his official position, he was inherited by his younger brother, and later it was reactivated, and the official was promoted to the third rank, the crown prince Taibao.
Due to his outstanding performance in this case, He Shen was awarded the title of Household Secretary by Qianlong on his way back to Beijing, and was soon promoted to "Imperial Minister".
For He Shen, Li Shiyao's case is not only a promotion path comparable to that of a rocket, but also makes him deeply realize the true nature of Qianlong, the master. Qianlong is not Bao Qingtian, and the laws of the imperial court are just an ornament, and he values those ministers who are talented, know how to handle things skillfully, and are full of filial piety.
As long as you can serve the emperor according to your preferences, it is equivalent to getting a gold medal for avoiding death. It doesn't matter if it's a little money, even if the treasury is empty. Qianlong inherited the rich foundation left by the previous two generations of emperors, and looked at money indifferently, but cherished feelings very much, and was a typical temperamental person. As long as someone treats him well, he will surely reciprocate.
However, Qianlong is not immortal, and all the investments and bets of He Shen on him came to naught at the moment of Qianlong's death. He is bound to face retaliation from the party that lost his original interests, and Jiaqing will bear the brunt of it.
Generally speaking, in a feudal society based on filial piety, the new emperor would not immediately take extreme measures against the old ministers of the previous dynasty when he ascended the throne, so as not to cause discussion. And Jiaqing was nearly 40 years old at this time, so why did he take the risk of punishing his father's most relied on courtiers?
Jiaqing was eager to take action against He Shen the day after the death of the Emperor, but he could not ignore the plight of reality.
As the saying goes, you can't be rich for three generations. During Qianlong's reign, he spent extravagantly, ruining the property left by Kangxi and Yongzheng, leaving Jiaqing with a veritable mess.
All kinds of problems can be solved slowly, but the most important thing is that there are less than 20 million taels of silver left in the national treasury. Even if it replenishes the deficit of the local government treasury, it is not enough to maintain the normal operation of the government treasury at all levels. At the same time, in order to maintain the stability of the frontier, the imperial court has been unable to make ends meet with military spending, and the sergeants can only rely on drinking gruel every day to survive, which not only reduces the combat effectiveness, but may even lead to a mutiny.
In addition, under the leadership of He Shen, there are almost no **people inside and outside the court. Taking disaster relief as an example, the imperial court originally stipulated that the affected people could receive 10 taels of silver per person, but after layers of exploitation, less than 1 tael actually reached the hands of the people. This led to a lot of complaints from the people against the imperial court, and riots and riots broke out in various places.
In fact, for Jiaqing, it is not just a multiple-choice question of "whether to execute He Shen", but a question that needs to be answered urgently, and there is only one correct answer.
So, how much wealth did He Shen have? Is he really a rich country?
Dai Shixiang, the director of the Dai Family Collection Museum, has a valuable cultural relic in his hand - "List of items in the first month of the fourth year of Jiaqing". This list records in detail the family property confiscated from the Heshen Mansion, and after the appraisal of the cultural relics department of our country, it was confirmed that it was the authentic work at that time.
According to the list, Heshen's real estate includes 33 sets of mansions with seven entrances, 62 sets of emblem-style buildings, gardens, terraces, and more than 100 warehouses for storing various treasures, with a total of more than 2,000 units; He owns 800 hectares of land (1 hectare = 66,666 square meters), which is equivalent to 53 square kilometers; There are 75 pawnshops, 12 antique shops, 4 jade shops, 2 silk shops, 2 foreign goods shops and 1 leather shop. As for antiques, gold and silver, jewelry, jade, etc., there are countless treasures, and these treasures are piled up together and even enough to fill the entire Qianqing Palace, which cannot be accommodated.
*Originated from the Internet, if there is any infringement, contact to delete.