Kangxi was ashamed: LeaveGod, the guards died.
Emperor Kangxi, a highly praised Ming monarch in history. He has been in power for more than 60 years, working for the welfare of the people and acting decisively abroad. In contrast, he did not have Yongzheng's suspicion or Qianlong's luxury, and he was the founder of the Qing Dynasty's "Kangqian Prosperous Era".
During the establishment of the Qing Dynasty, the Manchus showed strong combat effectiveness on the battlefield with their unique cavalry and archery culture. However, even in this context, Emperor Kangxi was still able to perform well in both "civil governance" and "martial arts", and was known as the "emperor with outstanding ability".
His "cultural rule" was embodied in measures such as the construction of water conservancy, the improvement of maps, and the reform of the southern study, which laid a solid foundation for later prosperity. In terms of "martial arts", he even captured the first warrior of the Manchu at the age of 16, Aobai, quelled the rebellion of the three feudatories, recovered the Yunnan-Guichuan region, and defeated Tsarist Russia twice, showing his outstanding military talent and leadership.
However, even in the face of such achievements, Emperor Kangxi was still able to be modest and cautious, ashamed of the mistakes of a small guard, and finally wrote the "Edict of Guilt", showing his generosity, benevolence and self-reflection.
When the imperial power was secured, hunting became a unique activity for the royal family, not only as a way to show royal bravery, but also to remember the ancestors and not forget their roots.
In 1698, the Qing Dynasty suffered an unprecedented drought, and in this era when the agricultural output value was not high, there was almost no harvest, and the people lived in poverty. Emperor Kangxi sent grain for disaster relief as soon as possible, but this disaster still had a huge impact on the people.
The ancients were superstitious and believed that only by praying for blessings in their own way could they bless everyone through this disaster safely. Kangxi, as the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, decided to hold a hunting event in order to pray for the blessings of the people of the Qing Dynasty in this way.
According to the "Qing Palace Secret Files", in the autumn of the 37th year of Kangxi, he led the prince and important ministers to hunt in the Mulan enclosure in Mobei. Since the purpose of this trip was to pray for the blessings of the people, Kangxi showed unusual enthusiasm and hunted for several days and nights in a row.
However, by this time he was nearly fifty years old, and his physical condition was not as good as before, and he felt very tired after several days of continuous hunting. They decided to set up camp near the River Ison and rest for a while.
During the break, Kangxi stared at the beautiful scenery outside the plug, recalling his heroic posture on horseback, and couldn't help but feel a little lost compared to now. The ministers who could serve the emperor were the people who knew how to observe the emperor's mind the most, and they noticed that Kangxi was a little bored, so they wittily took out the chessboard to ease his mood.
Emperor Kangxi had a soft spot for playing chess, and he skillfully used it to maintain his image. After lunch, he gathered his ministers to play chess, showing great energy.
Although the Manchus were nomads, they also learned Han culture, and playing chess was one of them. In the process of playing chess, Kangxi and his confidant Li Guangdi played chess together, showing their wisdom and strength.
Through this activity, Kangxi succeeded in convincing his courtiers that he was in good physical condition, not that he was inadequate.
Li Guangdi knows Kangxi's true strength, he is Kangxi's confidant, and he is his courtier. Therefore, he understood that if he really defeated Kangxi, it would make him lose face.
Therefore, Li Guangdi let Kangxi everywhere when playing chess, leaving obvious flaws, which is often called "releasing water", so that Kangxi can win soon. However, even the emperor who won this game was not happy, because Li Guangdi's "release of water" was so obvious that even a smart person like Kangxi had already sensed that he intended to let himself win.
Kangxi searched for the capable and played with the ministers, but everyone was worried, not because they would lose, but because they did not dare to win. As a result, without exception, they all deliberately lost to the emperor.
However, "respect for the opponent is to do your best", so even if Kangxi wins the chess game on the surface, if he wins by relying on the opponent's deliberate concessions, it will inevitably make people feel contempt.
Kangxi was well aware of their concerns, but he was more eager to win the game on his own than relying solely on imperial power. For this reason, he looked for Nalan Pearl to play again.
Nalan Mingzhu is the father of the famous writer Nalan Rongruo, who is not only one of Kangxi's most trusted henchmen, but also the object of the emperor's expectation that he can show his true level.
Nalan Mingzhu's superb chess skills made it difficult for Kangxi to parry in the chess game. He knew that the Emperor wanted everyone to play fair, but if he did lose, the Emperor might be dissatisfied.
If he deliberately loses to him, it will make the emperor feel that he is being despised and betray the emperor's trust. This put him in a dilemma. On the small chessboard, there is also a fierce war.
At the beginning, Nalan Mingzhu's offensive was strong, which made Kangxi feel that he had shown his true strength. This instead stimulated Kangxi's fighting spirit and made him more involved in the chess game.
Although Nalan Mingzhu's offensive was fierce, it did not block Kangxi's way, he still hid his strength, and did not "release water" as obviously as others, showing the same level as Kangxi.
In the chess game, the strength of the two is comparable.
In the game with the emperor, Nalan Mingzhu deliberately left a small flaw, allowing the emperor to take the opportunity to break through, and finally lost the game. This was a very sensible move, because the emperor would have thought that he had won the game because he had won the game.
Sometimes, we need to give people a little space to play so that they feel very smart. Nalan Mingzhu's chess skills became famous under high pressure, and Kangxi was very happy to win him after a hard battle, feeling that his chess skills had improved by leaps and bounds.
However, the accompanying courtiers would pretend to lose to Kangxi, which made Kangxi feel bored and not enjoyable at all.
Kangxi issued a challenge to all the entourage, he said: "Whoever can defeat me, a hundred taels of silver, and an official promotion!" Regardless of the official position, you can come to take on the challenge. This condition is tempting and everyone is eager to try, but still no one takes the initiative to meet it.
Except for the ministers and princes, most of the rest were guards and eunuchs, and not many of them could play chess, because it was the entertainment of the Manchu nobility at the time. There is only one little guard named Na Renfu who can play chess, he has liked Han culture since he was a child, and usually loves to play chess, and when he has nothing to do, he is thinking about the changes in the chess game, so he can be said to be a "chess idiot", and his chess skills have been unanimously recognized by everyone.
But despite this, he still did not dare to fight. It's not that he didn't think about giving the emperor face, but under the strict class concept and the mythical rendering of the emperor in ancient times, he knew that his status was very low, and he really didn't dare to play chess with this "true dragon emperor", for fear of breaking the rules and being punished by God.
Kangxi had nothing to do one day, so he took the ministers to the mountains to play. Unexpectedly, an exquisite stone chessboard was found on the hillside, which Kangxi greatly appreciated. When he saw the beautiful scenery in front of him, he couldn't help but rekindle his desire to play chess, and challenged everyone present, but was met with a dead silence.
This embarrassed Kangxi, and he realized that if no one picked up his stubble, it would be not for the emperor. Everyone understands that Kangxi should be given a step, but they don't want to be the "first bird".
Kangxi's face began to become gloomy, and the atmosphere gradually became tense. At this moment, the father-in-law, who was well versed in human nature, came out to save the scene under pressure, and he chose to let the little guard come out to fight.
In this way, a possible bloody storm was averted.
He praised Na Renfu very well, which aroused Kangxi's strong interest. Subsequently, Kangxi decided to summon him. Looking at the timid little guard in front of him, Kangxi asked curiously, "Do you really know how to play chess?" ”
Na Renfu nodded firmly. This "chess idiot" who loves chess was also a little moved when he saw the chessboard, Kangxi saw his mind and encouraged him to try the next game.
After receiving the "Son of Heaven's Message", Na Renfu's anxious mood calmed down a little, but because he didn't dare to sit opposite the emperor, he knelt in front of the chessboard. Looking at the cautious and timid little guard in front of him, Kangxi repeatedly emphasized that he must go all out to play chess, and comforted him that he could temporarily put aside the courtesy of the monarch and ministers, but he must not be sloppy, the key is to show his true strength.
Na Renfu has an upright personality, and when he heard Emperor Kangxi's advice, he decided to go all out. At the beginning of the chess game, from the moment the first chess piece fell, Kangxi felt that the little guard Renfu was extraordinary, and he was overjoyed: "This game has to be watched." ”
Sure enough, Na Renfu's chess skills are exquisite, and he seems to be bold but is actually thoughtful. Under his step-by-step operation, in just half a cup of tea, Kangxi was already at a disadvantage.
Even those who are familiar with chess can see that if this continues, Kangxi, as the emperor, will be defeated. Everyone was a little nervous in their hearts, if the emperor lost to a small guard, once he lost face, he might anger the others present.
Everyone looked at the little guard, hoping that he would see the opportunity to make the emperor win as soon as possible. However, Renfu, a "chess idiot", was completely immersed in the game and did not notice the hints of others.
As the emperor's advantage in the chess game gradually expanded, the eunuchs around him also breathed a sigh of relief, thinking: This young man is really a smart man with a unique vision. Everyone relaxed a string in their hearts, but Renfu was merciless on the chessboard, he took advantage of the situation to eat one of Kangxi's "rooks", you know, "rooks" are very important chess pieces in chess, once lost, they will fall into passivity, and it is difficult to get them back.
At this moment, Kangxi couldn't help frowning, every move needs to be carefully considered. However, Renfu remained calm and calm, and soon, the emperor's "rook", "horse" and "cannon" were all eaten, and it can be said that he had lost completely.
Everyone present pinched a cold sweat for him, and it happened that at this time, a sika deer ran by in the distance, and the eunuch had an idea, and reported to the emperor in a very surprised tone: "Your Majesty, look!
There's a tiger there! ”
When Kangxi heard that there were fierce tigers, he immediately stood up and wanted to hunt them. Because tigers are extremely rare and ferocious in hunting grounds, it would be a rarity to capture them, and they would be a rarity and a testament to royal majesty.
However, although the game here has been decided, it is not completely over, so Kangxi instructed Na Renfu to wait here, and wait for him to capture the tiger and come back before he has a good game with Na Renfu.
Then, Kangxi led a huge team to go straight to the direction pointed by the eunuch, in order to hunt the "tiger" that did not exist in the first place. As a result, of course, I didn't even see the shadow of the tiger, and only caught a sika deer.
It was late at night, so Kangxi and the ministers went directly back to the palace to rest, forgetting all about the matter of Renfu. It stands to reason that the eunuchs around him should remind the emperor of the things he has forgotten.
But remind the emperor that there is still a game of chess to be lost yet? How is this possible, the eunuch's performance of "pointing the deer as a tiger" is precisely to prevent the emperor from going back to play the game of chess that must be lost!
When they returned from the hunt, they tacitly "forgot" about it, and no one dared to say a word about the little guard. Kangxi has been dealing with the government in the palace under the mountain and has not gone out, and fifteen days have passed before the emperor goes out hunting again.
Kangxi revisited the mountain half a month later, and suddenly remembered an unfinished game of chess. He was shocked, afraid that Na Renfu was still waiting for him in the same place, and immediately returned to the chess place. When he saw Na Renfu next to the stone chessboard again, he was stunned.
The little guard was still kneeling beside the chessboard, guarding the unfinished game, but the man was already starving to death. Because he said that he would come back and continue to play chess, Na Renfu stayed there all the time, and he did not leave half a step for half a month, and he did not even change his kneeling posture until he died.
Seeing this scene, Kangxi was ashamed, and he promised to come back and continue to play chess, but he failed to do so, resulting in the loss of a life. He couldn't help but sigh with the emotion that has been passed down to future generations: "If you have no faith, how can you be a king!" ”
Kangxi, who was deeply touched, ordered that Renfu be buried thickly, but his life was irretrievable. He reminded himself to keep his word, and wrote a "guilty edict" to warn himself: "The courtier Panasonic guards the platform, and his life has declined when he returns from chasing the tiger."
The king did not know the promise lightly, and regretted that he would come with a horse. ”
04 Outside the chess game, the emperor is the core of power and the source of awe for the courtiers. The ancients emphasized that "the chess field is like a battlefield", and every minister who plays chess with Kangxi needs to act cautiously, and every move is carefully considering how to lose to Kangxi, which is a self-evident "unspoken rule".
And Kangxi was constantly looking for people to play chess and compete before, he not only hoped that others would show their real skills, but also hoped to defeat them on the "battlefield", behind this seemingly contradictory idea, in fact, he wanted to show his strong desire.
Na Renfu is a straightforward person, he only sees wins and losses, but he doesn't see the deep psychology of Kangxi doing this. When he violated this "unspoken rule", his tragedy was already doomed.
On the surface, he starved to death, but in fact, it was all hidden in the old eunuch's calculations. This old eunuch is the real "human spirit". When the emperor wanted to show his ability but encountered a cold spot, he first pushed a less important "unlucky egg" out to top the thunder, which provided a step for the emperor.
If no one stood up at that time, and the emperor wanted to punish the ministers in a rage, it would inevitably affect Kangxi's image as a "wise monarch through the ages". On the contrary, if the emperor let the matter go undone, then he would fall into a situation where he could not step down, which would damage the royal majesty.
The emperor, who was about to lose in the chess game, directed and acted in a good show in order to save face, and successfully ended the game. Although"Refers to the deer as a horse"would have been regarded as a crime of deception, but the old eunuch guessed the emperor's mind with his insight.
He exaggerated a deer as a tiger, giving the emperor a good reason to stop the game. If the game continues, it is likely that the unlucky one will be Na Renfu. But the old eunuch always thought of the emperor's thoughts in advance, and his actions were not to protect the little guard, but to foresee the emperor's situation after losing the chess game.
Disgrace in front of the ministers was inevitable, but how the emperor dealt with this opponent was a difficult one. Punishing benevolence will damage one's own image, and failure to punish will lead to the loss of the credibility of imperial power.
Na Rende's fate is like a chess game, doomed to him to be unable to escape defeat. Although he left food and water behind, his death was inevitable, because only in this way could the unfinished chess game and the emperor's defeat be completely ended.
Perhaps the emperor did not forget on purpose, but that there was some tacit understanding between him and the old eunuch, and they understood the embarrassment of this situation, but Na Rende did not understand it, and paid the price with his life for it.
In this world, some things are as difficult to navigate as a tiger. For these "propositions", the smartest way to solve it is to imitate Nalan Mingzhu, lose decently and smartly, and leave no traces.
Just like the horse elephant cannon cart on the chessboard, the sophistication of people outside the chess game also needs to be skillfully dealt with. Reference**: Qing Palace Secret Files