In the 14th year of Qianlong, Zhang Tingyu faced the end of his life, and he was in tears. He knelt down and asked to enjoy the Taimiao after death, and Qianlong agreed, but the twists and turns of fate made him fall into endless bitterness.
The next day, Zhang Tingyu came to thank him, but he was ruthlessly scolded and forced to return to his hometown, and his family property was confiscated. In the spring of the following year, the coarse-clothed man carried a small sedan chair to the Zhang family's old house, and the deserted courtyard reflected his desolation. Zhang Tingyu, who had dreamed of returning to his hometown, was sad in the face of the plaque at the door. He got off the sedan chair with the support of his nephew, looked at the coldness in front of the door, and sighed in his heart.
Zhang Tingyu, an old minister of the Kang Yongqian Dynasty, why was he so lonely in his later years?It all started with the death of Empress Hyohyun. In the 13th year of Qianlong, the queen passed away, Qianlong was very sad, and the requirements for funeral treatment were extremely strict. The word "Quantai" in the sacrificial text aroused Qianlong's anger, and he thought that these two words were too ordinary to be worthy of the queen. As a result, Zhang Tingyu, who was in charge of the Hanlin Academy, was punished with one year's imprisonment.
Although this is not serious for Zhang Tingyu, as the first punishment in 47 years, it makes him feel signs of change. Qianlong's temperament changed abruptly, and Zhang Tingyu was worried every day, for fear that he would ruin his reputation for life if he was not careful. After a year of fear, he was a lot older. Gray hair, age plaques and patches are particularly noticeable, and a few remaining teeth are not fully good. In Zhang Tingyu's view, since the death of Empress Xiaoxian, Qianlong has become irritable and abnormal, and severely punished the minister. He is very old, and he lives in fear every day, for fear that he will accidentally ruin his life's reputation and even his life.
Finally, Qianlong was moved by compassion and approved Zhang Tingyu's request to return to his hometown. However, Zhang Tingyu laid a curse for himself. He had to ask Qianlong to write an edict for him, guaranteeing that after his death, he could enjoy the honor of the Taimiao Temple in accordance with Yongzheng's edict. This is tantamount to forcing Qianlong to write a letter of guarantee, which makes Qianlong quite unhappy. Qianlong muttered in his heart: "You can't trust me, and you moved out of my father to suppress me." Although he finally agreed to Zhang Tingyu, the resentment in his heart did not disappear at all.
Zhang Tingyu bid farewell to the court and returned to his hometown to live a stable old age, which should be a happy thing. However, he continued to make trouble for himself. He insisted that Qianlong personally issue an edict and put all the responsibility on Qianlong. This made Qianlong unhappy, and he thought: "I am kind to you, but you want to set a trap and force me to write a promise." In a fit of rage, Qianlong deprived him of his title and the entitlements of the Taimiao, and personally drove him out of the palace.
This is an incomparable shame for the former patriarch of the Three Dynasties. He returned to his hometown in the cold, the courtyard was lonely, and the glory of the past was annihilated overnight. Soon after, his in-law Zhu Quan was arrested for **, Zhang Tingyu's home was also raided, and all items related to the imperial court were confiscated. When he was helpless, he died of sorrow all year round.
When Qianlong learned of Zhang Tingyu's death, a trace of grief could not help but swell in his heart. Perhaps, this is the last consolation for an old minister who has served the country for nearly 50 years. He decided to enshrine Zhang Tingyu's tablet in the Taimiao side hall, so that he could share the honor with Emperor Yongzheng.
This is the tragedy of Zhang Tingyu, a once glorious veteran of the Three Dynasties, but in his later years he suffered humiliation. However, this was also the last party dispute incident that occurred in the Qianlong Dynasty. This incident made Qianlong more vigilant about the behavior of the court's friends. At this point, the court was restored to a state of tranquility.