In the history of China's feudal dynasties, there were many ministers from humble backgrounds who later rose to prominence, but they eventually fell into a tragic fate because they offended the imperial power. Nian Qianyao is one of the typical representatives. This young and promising general originally had a bright future, but after the peak of power, he suffered a transformation, and finally died in the shame of his family, which can be described as a tragedy of failure. Nian Qianyao was born in a prominent family of eunuchs during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, his ancestors were originally surnamed Yan, and later changed to Nian, and they all passed the imperial examination to enter the officialdom for generations.
Nian Qianyao's elder brother is erudite and talented, but he does not like to take the exam, so the Nian family's hopes for the imperial examination are pinned on Nian Qianyao's shoulders. Nian Qianyao was brilliant since childhood, with excellent political acumen, studied hard, and was full of enthusiasm for the imperial examination. After a long period of hard work, Nian Qianyao finally raised people in the middle and high school of the Kangxi Dynasty's township examination, and then ranked among the top three in the general examination and the palace examination, and finally won the Jinshi and the first, officially starting his career and ushering in the first peak period of his life. Nian Qianyao was quickly awarded the official position from the seventh grade, and then quickly promoted to the sixth, fifth, and fourth grades**, which can be said to be soaring all the way.
Nian Qianyao was only in his 20s and had become an outstanding ** in the Kangxi Dynasty and was deeply valued by the Kangxi Emperor. In the court, Nian Qianyao confronted celebrities and dignitaries from all walks of life and accumulated rich political experience. He was knowledgeable and politically skilled, and soon became a favored celebrity of the emperor. Therefore, Nian Qianyao is full of ambition and confidence in his future. Although Nian Qianyao rose rapidly, he was soberly aware that in order to gain a firm foothold in the court, it was far from enough to rely on personal ability, and he needed to rely on a strong backer. Therefore, he looked at the people in the court and finally chose Yinzhen, who was only a vassal king at that time.
Nian Qianyao was keenly aware that the teenage Prince Yong Yinzhen not only had outstanding political talents, but also actively planned a plan to seize the throne. So, Nian Qianyao took the initiative to approach Yinzhen and became one of his most powerful assistants. He not only took refuge in Yinzhen himself, but also married his sister to Yinzhen as a side concubine. In this way, Nian Qianyao not only won over Yinzhen, but also became a relative of the emperor through in-law, and his status was even more prominent. In Kangxi's later years, the battle for the succession to the throne was in full swing. Nian Qianyao played an important role in helping Yinzhen gradually gain an advantage, and finally succeeded in ascending the throne as Emperor Yongzheng.
His resourcefulness and active assistance played a crucial role in Yinzhen's smooth accession to the throne. After ascending the throne, Emperor Yongzheng was courteous and worthy of his name. As the envoy of the Northwest Town, he leaned to one side. He made great contributions to assisting Emperor Yongzheng to ascend the throne, making his position in the court increasingly prominent. Soon after, he was named the ambassador of the Northwest Town, and actually mastered the military and political power of the Northwest Frontier and became an important national leader. After Nian Qianyao served as the envoy of the Northwest Town, the entire military and political system in the Northwest was firmly controlled by him. Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, and other provinces basically have the final say in government affairs.
It can be said that Nian Qianyao's power is not limited to the northwest frontier, but has spread to the entire western region. With heavy troops in his hands, and he is favored by the emperor, Nian Qianyao is in power. The success or failure of the entire military defense of the Northwest depends on this ambassador who is good at using troops. Nian Qianyao was also well aware of the responsibility he shouldered, and vigorously developed infrastructure and armaments in the northwest to ensure the security and stability of the northwest frontier. Under his administration, agricultural production in the northwest region has been improved, handicrafts have also developed to a certain extent, and the people's livelihood has been guaranteed. Nian Qianyao made important contributions to the stability and prosperity of the northwest region. However, his arrogance eventually led to death.
Power often corrodes a person's heart, and Nian Qianyao is no exception. He gradually became arrogant and domineering, in stark contrast to his original humility and prudence. In the court, Nian Qianyao began to have no one in his eyes, never kneeling three times and bowing nine times in front of the emperor, but stood and spoke directly. He even rebelled against the emperor at court meetings, causing other ministers to look sideways. In addition, Nian Qianyao completely ignored his respect for Yongzheng, and instead regarded him as his nephew. Nian Qianyao thought that he had made great achievements, and Yongzheng's ascension to the throne depended on him, so he could do whatever he wanted, and even sit on an equal footing with the emperor. This obviously touched the bottom line of imperial power.
In addition, Nian Qianyao amassed wealth and became corrupt during his foreign tenure. He also connived at his family to oppress the people in the capital and run rampant. Although some people have denounced him many times, Nian Qianyao not only did not repent, but became even more obsessive and domineering. There are all kinds of signs of Nian Qianyao's betrayal and tragic ending that Nian Qianyao has long abandoned his duty as a loyal minister, but has a rebellious intention. Yongzheng couldn't tolerate this anymore. In order to maintain the supremacy of imperial power, Yongzheng decided to severely punish this rampant traitor. Nian Qianyao** was imprisoned, and eventually the whole family was destroyed. Yongzheng made up his mind to eliminate Nian Qianyao's confidant, so he began to secretly collect evidence of Nian Qianyao's crimes.
Finally, not long after Nian Qianyao left Beijing for a tour, Yongzheng ordered him to be escorted back to Beijing and thrown directly into prison. In prison, Nian Qianyao suddenly realized the serious consequences of violating the monarchy. He hurriedly wrote a letter to admit his mistake and asked Yongzheng to forgive the lives of his family. However, Yongzheng already hated this former henchman and turned a deaf ear to his pleas. Soon after, Yongzheng ordered the revocation of all official titles of Nian Qianyao and sentenced him to extermination. Nian Qianyao eventually died in prison, and his glory was wiped out overnight. His sister Nian was also executed for the crime of ** because of her involvement. The entire Nian family was executed, and Nian Qianyao's life's achievements came to naught.
It is really sad that Nian Qianyao is going to ruin because of his pride and arrogance. A famous minister of the time died in the wilderness, which also brought a profound warning to future generations. Conclusion: Nian Qianyao could have risen to prominence after assisting the emperor in his achievements, but he forgot his duty as a courtier in the self-expansion of power, and finally reaped the consequences. His tragedy shows us that no matter how capable a courtier is, he must always be vigilant and follow the king's way in order to obtain a long-term peace and stability.