Among the important officials who were directly punished by the emperor in the Qing Dynasty, Nian Gengyao was the most charged, with 92 items, which is enough to show that Nian Gengyao's crimes were completely annoyed the emperor. These charges were suppressed, and he also lost all the chance to turn things around.
Yongzheng made up his mind, and the powerful general, eventually ended up being ruined and his family was completely destroyed.
Before and after Yongzheng turned against each other
As a Jinshi in the 39th year of Kangxi, Nian Gengyao was really a "savvy" in the early days. He had a very strong ability to do things. He even dared to risk losing his head when the crown princes were fighting for. From that time on, Prince Yong trusted him very much and looked at him with admiration.
As a slave, Nian Gengyao is also very good at winning the favor of his master. In order to get closer to Yongzheng, Nian Gengyao even presented his sister to the other party, and the master and servant even swore together: never let each other down.
With such a relationship, Nian Gengyao was able to walk sideways in the Qing Dynasty. He could ignore anyone except Yongzheng.
If the emperor prefers one person, it will make other ministers have opinions, then Nian Gengyao is an exception because he has real skills, which everyone can see.
On the road to becoming an official, he was promoted to governor of Sichuan in less than 10 years, and soon became the governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi again, in charge of military and political power, and truly became Yongzheng's confidant.
1723, Yongzheng even issued an edict: If there are any places where troops are dispatched or food and money are mobilized, all of them will be handled according to Nian Gengyao's opinions.
With Yongzheng's guarantee, Nian Gengyao also took charge of all affairs in the northwest and became Yongzheng's confidant agent on the western front. Other governors and generals had to wait a moment later.
That year, the situation in Qinghai was in chaos and wars frequently occurred in the western border. Yongzheng did not think too much and decisively appointed Nian Gengyao as the "General Fuyuan" and personally stationed in Xining to command the quelling of rebellion.
The following year, Nian Gengyao led his army to sweep away the remnants of the enemy, causing the opponent to collapse in a very short time, and the reputation of "General Nian" is famous in the court and the country.
Yongzheng was very happy and arranged many rewards for Nian Gengyao, and even his family could benefit from it. At this time, Nian Gengyao's identity was extremely important in the entire Qing Dynasty. He not only "shocked the northwest", but also had to take charge of Yunnan government affairs. Almost all the matters in the west were left to Nian Gengyao alone.
Over time, Nian Gengyao had the illusion of "ruler".
He seemed to have not figured out a problem: under the system of the feudal dynasty, no matter how high an official is, he is still a slave, and the only master in the world is the emperor.
In October 2, Yongzheng, Nian Gengyao entered Beijing. It was originally a very happy thing for the king and his ministers to meet each other, but Nian Gengyao became inflamed.
During that journey, he ordered the governor of the Dutong and Zhili to kneel on both sides of the road to greet him. When he passed by, he didn't even look at each other.
When he was about to arrive in the capital, all the princes and ministers dismounted and greeted him, but Nian Gengyao just nodded when he saw them. His aura was even greater than that of the emperor.
Even after seeing Yongzheng himself, Nian Gengyao's attitude was still very arrogant. The conversation between the two even exceeded the feeling of "monarch and minister", and it was more like an equal.
In this way, it is impossible to say that Yongzheng has no objection. In addition, Yongzheng felt even more uncomfortable when he learned that Nian Gengyao's hand touched the royal family.
Yongzheng's mentality began to change from this time.
After Nian Gengyao left Beijing, Yongzheng quickly issued an edict to him, roughly meaning that Nian Gengyao "careful and self-control."
Of course, the arrogant Nian Gengyao did not take these things seriously at all.
On the other hand, Yongzheng's revenge mentality began to play a role, and he also began to learn in detail what Nian Gengyao did in private, but unexpectedly, this investigation made him shocked himself.
In the election of civil and military officials, anyone recommended by Nian Gengyao will be given priority. This group of people also has a very nice name: annual election.
Especially in Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan and other places, Nian Gengyao's people have already formed a small group. They only obey Nian Gengyao's orders, and Nian Gengyao is also a person who pays great attention to cultivating private forces. Whenever the court has any "good jobs", Nian Gengyao's first reaction is to let his own people make a fortune.
In addition, Nian Gengyao was also very greedy, which Yongzheng couldn't stand it.
There is a man named Zhao Zhiyuan who defected to Nian Gengyao after losing his official position. The jewelry given alone was worth 200,000 taels.
According to the overall survey, the total amount of money and grain that Nian Gengyao embezzled and bribed was as high as millions of taels.
You should know that it was the early years of Yongzheng. The first thing every good emperor who had just taken office was to rectify the administration and severely punish corruption and abuse of power. But his most trusted "General Nian" actually embezzled so much money under his nose, which is something that no wise monarch can tolerate.
The imperial power cannot be trampled on, but Nian Gengyao didn't even have this basic look.
The official documents he sent to his subordinate officials were actually called "orders". He even treated officials of the same level as his subordinates. Even the Prince of Zasak from Mongolia had to kneel down and bow down to see him. The imperial guards who came from the court should have been treated with courtesy, but when they arrived at Nian Gengyao, they became slaves.
Just now, when Yongzheng was established, he was just establishing prestige, Nian Gengyao went further and further in the opposite direction. If it weren't for knowing that there was an emperor in the capital, many people would have thought Nian Gengyao was the largest official in the Qing Dynasty.
In November 2, Yongzheng, he really couldn't bear it anymore, but he had to work hard to deal with Nian Gengyao.
The Zhu Yu was a reminder from Yongzheng to Nian Gengyao, but Nian Gengyao at that time was proud of his achievements and had not yet discovered what was going on.
Next, Yongzheng found his confidants and asked them to draw a clear line with Nian Gengyao, and actively reported and exposed Nian Gengyao's bad deeds in order to protect himself.
Those who can sit in this position are smart people. Everyone quickly understood what was going on, so they followed Yongzheng's footsteps and stood opposite Nian Gengyao.
Nian Gengyao himself weaves a huge net. His family is prominent, and no one is picked out is not an ordinary person.
He had two wives, the first one was the daughter of Nalan Xingde , but this wife died several years after marrying him.
The second term is Prince Ying Ajige's great-granddaughter, and the daughter of Su Yan, the Duke of Fuguo, and also has a high status.
And all of his sons are officials. Except for the youngest son Nian Shou has been with his father, everyone else is outside serving as officials.
plus his party members are spread all over the country. Yongzheng really has to spend a lot of effort to win him.
After several months of preliminary preparation, by the first month of the third year of Yongzheng, Yongzheng's dissatisfaction with Nian Gengyao had been made public. He asked Nian Gengyao to instruct the governor of Shanxi to participate in the Shaanxi Post Road, saying that it was Nian Gengyao's appointment of private parties and arbitrarily formed cliques, and he did not approve the report.
3 In March, "Auspiciousness" appeared in the sky, and Nian Gengyao also congratulated him according to the process, but he was careless and wrote a word incorrectly. Yongzheng immediately seized the opportunity and said that this was a manifestation of his "not paying attention to it", and said that he was proud of his contribution and showed disrespect.
The emperor wants to deal with him, so he can find any reason, but this happened just now. If there is no heavenly appearance, it will be the same if he finds other excuses.
Soon, Yongzheng replaced officials from Sichuan and Shaanxi, and removed Nian Gengyao from his post as governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi, and ordered him to hand over the military seal of Fuyuan General and be transferred to Hangzhou General.
The ending of the family's destruction
This "redirection" is very spiritual. Of course, a discerning person can see what this means at a glance.
Officials inside and outside had been bullied by Nian Gengyao for a long time. They finally found the emotional outlet and the "barometer", so they went to expose Nian Gengyao's crimes.
Now, Yongzheng had sufficient reasons, and he also took the opportunity to step down and cut off all the official positions of Nian Gengyao by "obeying the opinions of his ministers", and in September 3, Yongzheng escorted Nian Gengyao to Beijing for trial.
On Nian Gengyao's way to Hangzhou, he also knew the ending he might face, but he also fantasized that Yongzheng could think of the friendship over the years and was even unwilling to continue moving forward after arriving in Yizheng, Jiangsu.
The news reached Yongzheng's ears, and Yongzheng became even more angry. He immediately ordered Nian Gengyao's "Thank You Memorial": You don't know how to repent.
Of course, the original text is full of lines of words, and there is only one central idea to express: Get rid of you, Nian Gengyao, has made up your mind and it is impossible to change it.
In December of that year, the Minister of Political Consultative Affairs handed over the trial results of Nian Gengyao to Yongzheng, including the crimes of "great rebellion", "exclusive crime", and "user-investment". After decomposing the crimes, Nian Gengyao committed a total of 92 crimes, more than 30 of which could be beheaded.
Now, even Nian Gengyao's heads are not enough to cut them.
But if you deal with Nian Gengyao in a too cruel way, it seems that Yongzheng is a person who has no feelings in his heart. The world will definitely think that Yongzheng is cruel and ruthless. In addition, Nian Gengyao made contributions to quelling the rebellion in the past, so Yongzheng had to think of executing Nian Gengyao in some other ways.
Soon, Yongzheng said that he was "gracious" and asked Nian Gengyao to commit suicide in prison.
Nian Gengyao received the order from Yongzheng to commit suicide, but he was reluctant to take action. He still placed his last glimmer of hope on Yongzheng, thinking that Yongzheng would be likely to be open to him.
But Yongzheng's attitude is: Nian Gengyao had already committed the crime of Lingchi, and now he has left him with the last dignity, and he must be ungrateful.
In the eternal separation of the king and his subjects, Yongzheng was still using Buddhist preaching to make Nian Gengyao completely "convinced" and dared not "resent" the emperor until he died.
His last "last words" were still to see Yongzheng again, but Yongzheng had already issued an order. Only after the "sincere official" scolded him, Nian Gengyao finally committed suicide.
Nian Gengyao did not swear to death in the end. It was obvious that he knew the Qing Dynasty's handling process. If he couldn't say a word at this time, the nine clans might not be able to save it.
Yongzheng also understood this truth, and he also knew very well that "the roots must be eradicated", so he also specially arranged for the return of Nian Gengyao's family.
His wives, concubines, women and family members were arrested, and were then escorted to the capital and imprisoned in the jail of the Ministry of Justice. Yongzheng's cruel methods can also be seen from this incident: it was Nian Gengyao who made a mistake alone, but his wives, concubines and servants at home were not even spared.
And many of Nian Gengyao's father and brothers are all officials, because of this matter, all of these people were dismissed.
According to records, Nian Gengyao had several sons, all of whom were sent to the border areas to be exiled, and all of the Nian family's property was also confiscated.
Not long after, Nian Guifei also died of illness, and the influence of the Nian family basically disappeared, completely ending the price of a family being destroyed.
Of course, Yongzheng was not a tyrant. He handled this matter so cruelly at that time just to serve as a deterrent effect. He was still sure of Nian Gengyao's achievements.
The most prominent manifestation is: in the fifth year of Yongzheng, the matter came to an end completely. Yongzheng personally pardoned Nian Gengyao's sons and found someone to take special care of them.
However, the Nian family without Nian Gengyao basically withdrew from the historical stage of the Qing Dynasty.
reference
misjudgment and arrogance Zhu Guowei; Bookstore
historical and realistic mirror of Gengyao's promotion but defeated Ma Jie Leadership Science
