In Kangxi's later years, a serious Kowloon seizure incident caused waves in the Qing Dynasty. Since the deposition of the crown prince, intrigue and intrigue have spread within the imperial family, bringing serious political turmoil, and this influence has continued into the Yongzheng period. History shows that the fierceness of the fighting back then can be seen.
However, we can look at this history from another angle. At that time, the power struggle was extremely brutal, and all parties did everything they could to use all kinds of conspiracies to try to achieve victory. In the end, the Yongzheng Emperor came to the fore as his successor, but his legitimacy was always questioned. Even if he won the political battle, his brothers, not to mention later scholars, were still dissatisfied.
Therefore, the question of the legitimacy of Emperor Yongzheng's accession to the throne was widely disseminated at that time, and various accusations and doubts emerged one after another. Among them, there is one thing that has attracted great attention from scholars. That is, as soon as Emperor Yongzheng ascended the throne, he ordered the execution of his close confidants who had been with him for sixty years. This plot is really puzzling, and it seems to hint at the possibility of the Yongzheng Emperor usurping the throne. What prompted him to act the way he did?Is he really a usurper?
Looking back on history, in the battle of Kowloon for succession, we can clearly see that the fourth elder brother does not occupy an advantageous position. First of all, the crown prince, as the legal heir, has a legitimate status and the support of many supporters, standing in front of the fourth elder brother.
Unfortunately, however, the crown prince's behavior was too presumptuous, and even led to a rebellion, which was eventually suppressed by the Kangxi Emperor himself. Despite this, when the crown prince fell, there were still two competitors in front of Yongzheng, they were the eighth elder brother and the fourteenth elder brother. According to historical records, Emperor Kangxi was very fond of the eighth elder brother and especially liked the fourteenth elder brother, while he was cold to Emperor Yongzheng and often tepid.
However, many people later began to think that Emperor Kangxi deliberately alienated Yongzheng just to protect him. This view is reasonable to a certain extent, but judging from the appearance at the time, it seems that the Yongzheng Emperor was so suppressed that he could not extricate himself and was immersed in the shadows. It wasn't until Nian Qianyao took refuge in him that he really brought about a change.
However, the story behind it is thought-provoking. In Kangxi's later years, although Yongzheng was ignored on the surface, he secretly brewed his own plan. He carefully observed the political situation of the Kangxi Dynasty and gained insight into the strengths and weaknesses and ambitions of his relatives. He knew that only by waiting for the time was ripe could he be ashamed.
Yongzheng endured this humiliation in silence and continued to cultivate his talents and influence. He carefully arranged his connections, looked for supporters, and formed a deep friendship with Nian Qianyao. In his heart, only by waiting for the time to be ripe can he turn the tables in one fell swoop.
Finally, the opportunity came. Nian Qianyao returned to Yongzheng and provided him with great support. Yongzheng took advantage of the situation to take action, and with a calm and firm pace, began to overturn the doubts and accusations against him. He is no longer a passive bystander, but a strategist who holds the initiative.
However, when Emperor Yongzheng suddenly turned over like a tornado, excluding the eighth elder brother and the fourteenth elder brother, everyone felt incredulous, and their hearts were full of strong unwillingness and uneasiness. Yongzheng faced great instability in the early days of his succession, and without the support of Lao 13, he might not have been able to get through that difficult journey.
Everyone was surprised by Yongzheng's rise, and they once thought that the eighth or fourteenth elder brother would become a strong contender for the emperor. However, Yongzheng turned the situation around with unexpected strength and resourcefulness. He took decisive action to exclude competitors and establish his dominance.
But this change has not eliminated people's inner dissatisfaction and unwillingness. Many people still have doubts about Yongzheng's succession, and they think that the eighth and fourteenth elder brothers are more suitable successors. However, Yongzheng did not allow himself to indulge in their shadows, and he faced the challenges with a strong will and strong leadership.
In this predicament, Yongzheng received the valuable support of Lao 13. As Yongzheng's cronies and loyal allies, Lao 13 gave him key support and advice. He had a wise eye for the situation and provided Yongzheng with invaluable help to stabilize the situation and consolidate his rule.
At this stage, rumors of Emperor Yongzheng's illegal succession spread throughout the capital. Some people claim that Yongzheng poisoned Emperor Kangxi and usurped the position of Fourteenth Elder Brother. What's more, Kangxi originally planned to let the eighth elder brother succeed to the throne, but was replaced by Yongzheng through conspiracy methods such as blockading the palace and operating the edict.
It is noteworthy that a eunuch named Zhao Chang became a detail of concern among scholars. Zhao Chang accompanied Emperor Kangxi for 60 years, and it can be said that he grew up with Xiao Kangxi when he was a young eunuch. However, what is unbelievable is that one of the actions of Emperor Yongzheng after his accession to the throne has attracted widespread attention. He ordered the execution of his father's confidant, Zhao Chang, for an unbelievable reason.
According to the order issued by Emperor Yongzheng, Zhao Chang colluded with the prince's son to privately sell palace materials and five thousand taels of silver. Although this crime involves **, it seems too ridiculous for a confidant minister.
Zhao Chang was ordered to be executed on the same day because he was suspected of being a ** of five thousand taels of silver. This sudden event was shocking and raised questions about Emperor Yongzheng. For the sake of a mere five thousand taels of silver, he even ignored Zhao Chang's loyalty for many years and executed him without hesitation.
This decision is incomprehensible, because in the court this kind of *** behavior is not uncommon. Normally, even if similar acts are discovered, the way to deal with them is to pursue responsibility and punishment, rather than immediate execution.
As a result, the incident has sparked widespread speculation and speculation. Some people think that the real purpose of Emperor Yongzheng is not just five thousand taels of silver, but that Zhao Chang has some sensitive information or has become a threat to some people. Perhaps, 5,000 taels of silver is just an appearance, and behind it lies a more complex power struggle and entanglement of interests.
Whatever the truth, the incident has raised suspicions about Emperor Yongzheng's decision-making and actions. When he first ascended the throne, the way he dealt with a confidant and old minister was so hasty and cruel. This incident has also become a haunting mystery in history, causing more speculation and doubts about the power of the Yongzheng Emperor.
Some believe that this is evidence that Yongzheng is covering up his usurpation of the throne and trying to eliminate a potential threat. Other scholars have suggested that perhaps it was all part of a conspiracy, and that Yongzheng had demonstrated his determination and authority by sacrificing Zhao Chang to deter other opponents of him.
However, from the perspective of the new emperor, such behavior is really incomprehensible, unnecessary and unsightly, and will hurt Emperor Kangxi's loyal courtiers. Despite this, Emperor Yongzheng did not hesitate to put this inconsequential eunuch to death. So, the question is, what did Emperor Yongzheng intend?
The claim that the Yongzheng Emperor usurped the throne thus became more plausible, and it was widely believed that since the eunuch was a close confidant of the Kangxi Emperor, he knew the truth of the time and even held the edict of succession in his hand. Therefore, Emperor Yongzheng had no choice but to kill him to eradicate the hidden danger.
However, is this statement plausible?In modern times, Chinese scholars have conducted detailed studies on the usurpation of the Yongzheng Emperor and eliminated the rumors about the Yongzheng Emperor at that time.
In the mystery of the succession of Emperor Yongzheng, scholars provided evidence of the precious holy decrees of the Qing Dynasty, which were clear and unmistakable, without any traces of tampering. In particular, the Qing Dynasty produced two copies of the Edict of Succession, both Chinese and Manchu, of which the Manchu script could hardly be modified. This discovery gradually overturns the falsity of many rumors.
One of the widely spread rumors is the claim that the fourth elder brother has been passed on to the throne. However, upon careful study of the decrees of the time, scholars have found this rumor to be baseless. The text on the decree is unambiguous and there is no sign of alteration or tampering. This means that the succession of Emperor Yongzheng is legitimate.
In addition, some people claim that Long Keduo had concealed the edict of succession, and Nian Qianyao and others planned a coup d'état. However, these claims are not supported by official history books, and only exist in some wild histories. After exhaustive research, scholars have not found any official records to support the veracity of these rumors. Therefore, these rumors are considered ridiculous and have no credibility.
The discovery of these evidences changed people's perception of the succession of the Yongzheng Emperor. Through an in-depth study of historical documents and evidence, scholars have revealed the truth and clarified the legitimacy of Yongzheng's succession. This discovery also warns us that history is often distorted by rumors and rumors, and that careful research and research are needed to restore the true face of history.
As time passed, historical truths gradually emerged, revealing the complexities and twists and turns in the power struggle. The actions of the Yongzheng Emperor are still perplexed, and the mysteries he left behind have become the object of constant pursuit by historians.
However, scholars eventually concluded that there was a more than 70% probability that the Yongzheng Emperor was the rightful successor. But the question arises, since his succession to the throne is legitimate, then why did he not hesitate to kill the old eunuch next to his father at the beginning of his reign?
In this case, if Emperor Yongzheng did succeed to the throne smoothly, then there may be a problem with the eunuch himself. The reason is simple, as a close confidant of the emperor, this eunuch is likely to become the object of coveting by many people, and there may be people who want to spy on Emperor Kangxi, or seek personal gain from it.
Judging from the killing of the eunuch, it is likely that he colluded with the princes except for Emperor Yongzheng, and even caused a lot of harm to Emperor Yongzheng, just like the mother of the Nine Emperor Princes back then. Therefore, it had to be eliminated, and although the charges seemed ridiculous, everyone knew it.
This confidant eunuch, who had spent 60 years with Emperor Kangxi, may have become a hidden danger that Emperor Yongzheng had to deal with because he was involved in a power struggle. Behind this decision, there are full of intrigue and undercurrents, and only Emperor Yongzheng himself really knows the ins and outs of all this. History has engraved this event in memory, leaving a lot of room for speculation and reflection for future generations.
Therefore, when we look back at this period of history, despite all the unexpected events that have emerged in it, full of complexity, as long as we grasp the premise that Yongzheng's succession to the throne is legitimate, then those twists and turns can actually be gradually sorted out for their causes.
Perhaps we can interpret it this way that Emperor Yongzheng's throne has always been questioned, not because of his improper position, but because his succession was too sudden and unexpected, which caused dissatisfaction and distrust among everyone.
As for why there are so many rumors, it has not been clarified until modern times, in fact, the answer is very simple, just like the modern Internet buzzword says: "Spread rumors with one mouth, refute rumors and break your legs". Emperor Yongzheng was also affected and troubled by rumors.
This era is full of intrigues and intrigue, and people's opinions and interests are constantly conflicting. As a relatively weak successor, the rise and success of Emperor Yongzheng seemed so incredible that it caused a lot of suspicion and distrust. Rumors spread like poisonous weeds, obfuscating the truth with the essence of history.
However, as time went on, scholars gradually conducted in-depth research on this period of history, gradually clarifying the truth of the rumors and justifying the name of Emperor Yongzheng. History needs time to wash away misunderstandings, and it needs the light of truth to dispel the shadow of lies.
In this story, Emperor Yongzheng is a legendary figure who went through many difficulties and challenges, and finally overcame everything with his wisdom and courage.
His path to the throne may have been complicated, but it ultimately proved his legitimacy and leadership. This history also leaves us with deep food for thought, reminding us to maintain an objective and comprehensive attitude when judging historical figures, and not to be confused by rumors.