Why did Heshen attract the trouble of being killed?
The image of the oily, uneducated, big corrupt official Heshen is a household name. Heshen is indeed a famous figure in history. During the Qianlong period, he did the Mandarin Hall university sergeant, the chief military minister, the power is only under the Qianlong. So, what kind of person is the historical Heshen?
Review of his life
The biography of Heshen is the original archives organized during the Jiaqing period, which recorded Heshen's life and his experiences in detail.
Heshen (1750-1799), the word Zhizhai, formerly known as Shanbao, Nuhulu clan, Manchurian Zhenghong Banner people. He was born in the fifteenth year of the Qianlong reign, and his father's name was Changbao, who served as vice-captain of Fujian. His ancestors were from Qingyuan County in present-day Liaoning, and he entered the country with the Qing Emperor in the early Qing Dynasty, living in Beijing's Donkey Hutong within Xizhimen.
Heshen was born in a not rich military official family, but he and his younger brother and Lin were better educated from childhood, and when he was ten years old, he was chosen to enter the Xian'an Palace official school, to accept the Confucian classics and the education of Manchu, Chinese and Mongolian characters. Heshen is gifted, hardworking, outstanding results, and thus get the teacher Wu Shenlan and other people's respect.
In the thirty-fourth year of the Qianlong reign, at the age of 20, Heshen inherited his ancestor's title of Third Class Light Car Captain. The next year, to participate in the Shuntian Province, the examination, did not win the lifts. However, there is no merit and Shen, but later because of quite talented in charge of many cultural and educational endeavors.
In November of the 37th year of the Qianlong reign, 23-year-old Heshen Kun was appointed as a third-class guard (the fifth grade), becoming an important turning point in his life.
Turn of career
There were many guards of the emperor, but why did Heshen get Qianlong's appreciation?
Yongan Notes records: one day Qianlong to go out, in the haste to find the ceremonial yellow cover, Qianlong asked, "Whose fault is this?" The guards were too scared to make a sound, only Heshen answered: "The person in charge of this matter can not be blamed!" Qianlong immediately promoted him.
Another story is that one day Qianlong was reciting the Analects of Confucius in a sedan chair, and forgot the rest of the text, and Heshen recited it in passing, to Qianlong's delight. In short, the young Heshen handsome, but also quite talented, may be in a chance opportunity to attract the attention of Qianlong, and from then on, the time has come, soaring.
Forty years of Qianlong leap October, 26-year-old Heshen was promoted to the Qianqing door guards, November and then promoted to the imperial guards, and the award of the blue flag vice president. In the first month of the forty-first year, he was awarded the left chamberlain of the Ministry of Revenue, in March, he was awarded the Minister of Military Affairs, and in April, he was awarded the Minister of General Internal Affairs ......
In just half a year, Heshen went from being an ordinary retainer to entering the highest echelons of power in the Qing dynasty and becoming a close and favored minister of the Qianlong Emperor.
Checking the case in Yunnan
In the biography of Heshen, it is recorded that in the first month of the 45th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1780), the 31-year-old Heshen accepted an important mission to travel to Yunnan together with the minister of the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, Kanin'a, to check the case of the embezzlement of the university scholar and governor of Yunnan and Guizhou, Li Shiyao.
When Heshen arrived in Yunnan, he first interrogated Li's housekeeper and obtained evidence, forcing the shrewd and capable Li to bow down and admit his guilt. It took Heshen more than two months from the time he accepted the assignment to the time when Qianlong issued the imperial decree to punish Li Shiyao.
Afterwards, Heshen reported to the emperor that Yunnan's administration was in chaos, with many counties in the red, and needed to be thoroughly cleaned up and reorganized, a report that was immediately praised by Qianlong.
In May of that year, after Heshen returned to Beijing, and further to the emperor expressed the desire to rectify the Yunnan salt, money law and border defense affairs of the specific comments, have been Qianlong's affirmation.
Yunnan case Heshen did very well, really showed his talent, so Heshen in the way back to the capital, was promoted to the Ministry of households.
Bridging Royalty
A month later, Qianlong gave Heshen's 6-year-old son the name Fengshen Yinde, and promised his favorite youngest daughter, Princess Hexiao, to Fengshen Yinde, and the two were married in the fifty-fourth year of the Qianlong reign.
This marriage brought Heshen both economic benefits and immeasurable political benefits. Heshen had the wind at his back and the rain at his back, and even if he did something wrong, he would not be disciplined.
In the forty-sixth year of the Qianlong reign, Gansu Su forty-three revolted, and Heshen was ordered to supervise the suppression of the army together with the university scholar A Gui. The front generals were on the verge of victory, but Heshen arrived first and commanded blindly, turning victory into defeat, resulting in the death of the general Tuchenbao.
Qianlong knew the situation, ordered Heshen to return to Beijing immediately. Heshen returned to the capital, not only was not punished, but also served as Secretary of the Ministry of War.
According to historical records, Heshen had 47 important appointments in the 29 years before and after he was convicted of the crime, from the time he inherited the third-class light vehicle captain.
In the forty-first year of the Qianlong era, 27-year-old Heshen was authorized as a minister of military aircraft. 3 years later, the lead minister of military aircraft Yu Minzhong died, Yingwu Hall university sergeant Gui as the lead minister of military aircraft. Other ministers who served in the Office of Military Mechanics in that year were Wang Jie (王杰), Dong Guan (董诰), and Fu Chang'an (福長安). Agui, Wang Jie and Dong Guan all hated Heshen, and as a result there was a strange phenomenon of five ministers not working together every day.
To this end, the imperial historian Qian Feng specifically on a zhangfeng, please the emperor ordered to restore the military ministers in the office together, this zhangfeng pointed to Heshen, Qianlong admitted that the zhangfeng reflected the situation is right, but in the end, but still not settled.
Qianlong knew that Gui and Heshen do not get along, often let Gui outside to lead the army or access to the project, handle the case, the real power of the Office of Military Affairs naturally fell in the hands of Heshen. Qianlong 58 years British ambassador Macartney visited China, had heard that "many Chinese people privately called Heshen for the second emperor".
Multi-talented
What was Heshen's kung fu that endeared him to the Qianlong Emperor?
Heshen was not as uneducated as the later legend has it. On the contrary, he was very talented. According to "Heshen biography", Heshen's memory is amazing, smart and decisive, clever, multi-talented. Qianlong in the "pacification of the Gorkha fifteen meritorious ministers praise" especially mentioned Heshen is proficient in Manchu, Chinese, Mongolian, Tibetan four kinds of writing.
Another skill of Heshen was to make the best of his situation. Qianlong loved poetry and calligraphy, and Heshen made a lot of efforts to cater to him and achieved a high level of proficiency in these areas.
Qianlong's calligraphy is very see power, and Heshen's word like Qianlong, may be his deliberate copy, Qianlong's late some of the poems and plaques simply handed over to Heshen pen. Hanging in the Palace of the Imperial Palace of the Imperial poetry plaque, according to evidence is by Heshen pen.
Get money good hand
Qianlong in his later years on the country's prosperity, living in luxury, big construction. His six southern patrols, along the way to build thirty palaces; he was in the Yuanmingyuan and summer resort, imitating the scenery of Jiangnan; construction of entertainment venues; 80 years old when the ceremony was held at the age of 10,000 lifetimes. All of these required a lot of silver, and at that time the treasury was depleted, so where did the silver come from?
In this situation, Qianlong very much needed people like Heshen, because Heshen was a good hand at getting money. He found ways to fulfill Qianlong's needs without using much of the national treasury.
The emperor's 80th birthday, Heshen ordered the provinces above the third grade officers to contribute, in the Beijing ministries to donate salaries, Huainan and Huabei salt merchants to donate four million taels of silver.
Heshen also created a system of negotiation of silver, is to allow negligent officials to pay a fine in lieu of punishment, as little as thousands of silver, more than tens of thousands of two, hundreds of thousands of two. This negotiation of silver directly to the Ministry of the Interior, into the emperor's private pockets. Many governors have been subjected to such extortion, and the way they dealt with it was to spread the losses down the layers, and finally doubled down on the heads of the common people.
Scavenging
Nurhachu descendant Zhaolian in the "Xiaoting Miscellany", said Heshen multiple scavenging extortion, so that the original income is not enough to meet the House of Representatives, not a few years time to turn a loss into a profit. Qianlong's pockets are stuffed bulging, can enjoy at will, of course, happy, and more dependent on Heshen.
Heshen not only in Chongwenmen tax customs extortion merchants and officials, but also through a variety of methods to scrape a lot of silver and treasures. Heshen in filling the emperor's pockets at the same time, but also unambiguously to their own arms loaded with silver. Where the provinces tribute to the emperor's gifts, have to go through the gate of Heshen, sometimes hand over one or two pieces to the emperor, the rest are in the hands of Heshen. These jewels are hidden in many places, respectively, in the year and Shen's residence, a part of the jewelry is hidden in the special sandwich wall.
This kind of thing, under the banner of allegiance to the emperor, naturally not easy to be found, is found, who dares to say anything?
It seems that Heshen is recognized such a line: as long as the emperor's pleasure, everything else is good, even if it is guilty of what faults or by the way also to their own money, the emperor will not care. Then, Heshen since the Emperor Qianlong has been served to the extent that he could not leave him, and how will lose his life?
Heshen can become Qianlong's favorites, the power of the dynasty, not only because he gave Qianlong to get a lot of silver, but also because he is playing in the official field of power is also very clever. However, all of this failed to save his life.
Cultivating power
Heshen relied on Qianlong on the one hand to master the power of the dynasty, and at the same time the use of power tactics to gang up, cultivate close friends, and constantly expand their own power.
Heshen pulled together close military minister Fu Chang'an, Fu is Qianlong Xiaoxian Empress nephew, his father Fu Heng and brother Fu Kang'an have served as military minister and other high-ranking officials. In addition, Shandong governor Ijiang A, Heshen's teacher Wu Provincial Qin, Wu Provincial Lan, etc., have become Heshen's cronies. His younger brother, Heshen Lin, was promoted from a cabinet minister to governor of Sichuan within a few years.
Heshen on those upright ministers, they will do anything to marginalize the fight. The university scholar Songkun did not yield to Heshen and was sent to serve in remote areas. Leader of the military aircraft minister A Gui respected, Heshen always want to bring him down. The ministers of war and opportunity, Wang Jie and Dong Guan, were also targets of Heshen's suppression.
Heshen's methods of dealing with his colleagues were very clever, and pleasing the emperor was even more distinctive. From the North Korea at the time, "Li Dynasty Records" can be seen in the description of the North Korean ambassadors to China: Heshen, although the noble university sergeant, military minister, whenever the emperor spit, he immediately end a basin to catch.
Impeachment of powerful ministers
Because of Heshen's various evil deeds, there were always people who wanted to impeach him. Of course, that wasn't the legendary Lawrence Liu, who was in fact too smooth to speak out in defense of justice, but rather some lesser-ranked officials who dared to take the bull by the horns.
Fifty-one years of Qianlong "summer file" records: Cao Xibao, the imperial censor wanted to impeach Heshen's family Liu Quan, from which to open the gap. However, he was not careful and gave the draft to his fellow villager, Wu Xianqin, to read. Wu Shenqin then told Heshen about the incident, and Cao Xibao was dismissed from his post and retained in his post.
Cao Xibao and others did not move Heshen, but make Heshen alert, he decided to take the bottom of the payroll approach to end the trouble. He stipulated that: all the future to the emperor's sangzhang, must be sent at the same time to send a copy of the Office of Military Affairs, so who went to the emperor there to sue him will not be easy. He also stipulated that when the position of imperial historian became vacant, only veteran ministers over the age of 60 could be used. Heshen used his power to block almost all channels to the emperor so that he thought he could rest easy.
Jiaqing succeeded to the throne
In the first year of the Jiaqing reign, Qianlong passed the throne to his fifteenth son, Grand Prince Diem, and became the emperor himself. But when it comes to national events and important personnel appointments and dismissals, he has to personally ask.
The situation has changed, Heshen had to take measures to prevent Jiaqing. He tried to please Jiaqing on the one hand, and did his best to limit the Jiaqing cultivation of their own cronies. Jiaqing reign, his teacher Zhu Gui was governor of Guangdong, on a congratulatory sang, Heshen ran to Qianlong in front of Zhu Gui a complaint, but Qianlong did not pay attention.
In August of the first year of Jiaqing, Qianlong was ready to call Zhu Gui back to Beijing to be promoted to the rank of university scholar. Jiaqing congratulated his teacher, and Heshen again complained to Qianlong, saying that Jiaqing enlisted people. This time, Qianlong was angry, but thanks to the advice of Dong Guan, a minister of military affairs, Qianlong stopped. But soon, Heshen still encouraged Qianlong to demote Zhu Gui from governor of the two provinces to governor of Anhui.
Heshen also sent Wu Shenlan to monitor Jiaqing's words and deeds.
In the second year of Jiaqing, the chief military minister Agui died of illness, and Heshen became the chief military minister. Wang Jie, a university scholar, retired because of his dislike of Heshen, and Dong Guan went back to his hometown because of his mother's filial piety, so Heshen was able to call the shots in the military department.
At this time, Qianlong has been old and weak, memory loss. Heshen really became the spokesman for Qianlong, his tyranny is more than ever.
Jiaqing city is very deep, he took Heshen's every move in his eyes, but did not show. When someone said Heshen bad, Jiaqing instead criticized: I am going to rely on him to govern the country, why do you say he is not it? Even some important things still let Heshen to deal with. In this way, Heshen was finally paralyzed.
The collapse of a powerful minister
On the third day of the first month of the fourth year of the Jiaqing period, the 89-year-old Qianlong died, and Heshen's backer fell. On the same day, Jiaqing appointed Heshen to be the prime minister of the funeral ceremony along with Prince Rui and others, and called Zhu Gui to return to the capital quickly.
On the fourth day of the first month, Jiaqing condemned the generals and commanders who suppressed the White Lotus Sect in Sichuan for taking advantage of the situation and dismissed Heshen and Fu Chang'an, who were mainly responsible for the incident, from their posts as ministers of war, ordering them to keep watch in the city around the clock and cutting off their contact with the outside world.
On the fifth day of the first month of the year, the officials have submitted a petition to impeach Heshen, power fraud, committed a major crime.
On the sixth day of the first month, Jiaqing made personnel adjustments.
On the eighth day of the first month, Jiaqing ordered that documents submitted to him be sent directly to him, and that no copies should be transcribed by the Office of Military Affairs.
On the ninth day of the first month, while announcing Qianlong's posthumous edict, Jiaqing announced the dismissal of Heshen and Fu Chang'an from their posts, which were handed over to the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, and ordered the seizure of Heshen's family assets.
On the eleventh day of the first month, Jiaqing announced Heshen's twenty major crimes, and asked the governors of the provinces to take a position.
On the fifteenth day of the first month, Hu Jitang, the governor of Zhili, was the first to take a stand, requesting that Heshen be executed by lynching.
On the 18th day of the first month, the ministers in Beijing requested that Heshen be executed by lynching, and that Fu Chang'an, who was in the same case, be beheaded. Jiaqing said that for the sake of the country's face, enjoined Heshen to kill himself. Fu Changan was given a suspended death sentence, but he was to be allowed to watch Heshen kill himself.
Subsequently, except for Heshen's cronies, Ijianga, Wu Provincial Lan and Wu Provincial Qin, who were disciplined, other officials who were bailed out by Heshen or paid bribes to him were not prosecuted, which ensured political stability.
Rich as a nation
Why did Jiaqing want to eradicate Heshen?
Some people say that Heshen was killed because he was too rich, the so-called "Heshen fell, Jiaqing ate", said his family assets worth 800 million taels of silver, is the Qing dynasty 10 years of revenue combined, so to attract the trouble of killing.
From the list of confiscated family property can be seen, Heshen long held Chongwenmen tax customs, soliciting and accepting bribes; a large number of annexation of land; open pawnshops silver, loan sharks; open coal kilns, running transportation ...... a large number of silver into his private pockets.
The huge wealth makes Heshen live a luxurious life like an emperor, he built a residence in Beijing, Chengde and other places. Heshen in Beijing Shichahai built a mansion (now Gongwangfu), the House and even imitation of Qianlong Ning Shougong built nanmu room, and imitation of the emperor's establishment to build the hanging flower door. Heshen also built in Beijing Haidian Shuchunyuan, that is, today's Peking University, Lake Weiming.
Heshen not only enjoys the concubines, the life, but also dreamed of dying like the emperor, he built a huge tomb in Hebei Jizhou (now Jixian), specifications even more than the Prince, the people called "and the mausoleum". When Heshen was copied, his tomb was destroyed.
Heshen was copied home, in addition to the various properties garden, but also copied out more than 3 million taels of silver, gold more than 32,000 taels; more than 100,000 acres of land, more than 1,000 rent houses; various pawnshops and silver, as well as a variety of jewelry, clothing and so on. Its total family property equivalent to about 10 million taels of silver. At that time, the Qing government's annual revenue was only 70 to 80 million taels.
The scourge of death
Through the Heshen imitation of the emperor's establishment to build houses, mausoleums, etc., it is not difficult to see that he is not only greedy for money, the power of the big desire has been to an alarming point. This is the main reason he incurred the trouble of killing.
Jiaqing four years, the Jiaqing in Zhang Chengji zhang folding instructions: "I do not remove Heshen, the world only know that there is a Heshen, do not know that there is me."
In fact, Jiaqing on the seizure of Heshen's family property is moderate. Jiaqing four years in the first month, he in Zhili Buzheng Minister Wu Xiongguang zhang folding clear instructions, "do not have to be too strained search. Even later, Minister Sabintu said that less than one-tenth of Heshen's family property, requesting further digging and strict pursuit, was severely criticized by the Jiaqing.
This shows that Jiaqing kill Heshen is because he has too much power, has seriously threatened the power of the emperor, Jiaqing even suspected that he might plot against the emperor.
However, Jiaqing recognized Heshen's achievements and talents. In the nineteenth year of the Jiaqing period, the Qing Historical Museum sent the biography of Heshen to the Jiaqing Emperor. Jiaqing saw the record is very simple, only recorded Heshen's official rank resume, very dissatisfied. His instructions: Heshen is not useless, he is "smart and agile", served 30 years or did a lot of things. Just Heshen "greed and contemptuous sex into, rely on the power of private, arrogance and authoritarianism", had to be heavily punished, for which Jiaqing ordered to rewrite.
Flourish and decline
Qianlong period, and Shen may be too lucky, flourish and decline. After the first year of the Jiaqing period, Heshen's family suffered a succession of misfortunes.
Jiaqing year July 7, was considered the jewel of Heshen's second son was just over two years old died, when he was driving with the summer resort, heard the unfortunate news extremely sad.
Two months later, Heshen's younger brother, the Governor of Sichuan and Lin died of miasma. And brothers and brotherhood, and Lin is a pillar of his officialdom, suddenly died, and Shen extraordinarily sad.
Jiaqing two years, and Shen's grandson died.
Jiaqing three years, Heshen married thirty years of his wife Feng also died. Although Heshen had many wives and concubines, he was most y attached to Feng.
In less than a year, Heshen himself became a ghost of the spring. After Heshen's death, his son Feng Shen Yinde buried him in Jizhou, Hebei province.
Heshen always believed that he was victimized by his own talent. Heshen was indeed a talented man, but his greatest talent was playing with power. He was able to ascend to a high position under one person and above ten thousand people, relying on the ability to cling to the emperor and please the emperor, however, this ability can not allow him to enjoy wealth and prosperity forever, and ultimately the emperor sent him to the guillotine.
Synopsis:
Heshen in power in just 25 years, has amassed such unimaginable money, in the horror, we can not help but ask: Heshen exactly what means, even in the eyes of the Qianlong Emperor, God does not know, ghosts unknowingly almost 15 years of the Qing Dynasty's treasury into the private pocket? And look at his unprecedented four means of enrichment.
So, what are the rare and exotic treasures of his huge fortune? He has what extraordinary means, can record-breaking grab so jaw-dropping money? Teacher Ji Lianhai of the Second Affiliated High School of Beijing Normal University will join us to take stock of Heshen's spectacular fortune, expose the secretive means by which he madly amassed his wealth, and explore the real journey of the first corrupt official of the Qing Dynasty, revealing the mystery of his greed. The Hundred Lectures is now on the air!
(Full text)
This lecture we introduce to you, the reasons for Heshen's greed and the performance of his enrichment. Let's continue to analyze it.
I have a set of figures here, from the end of the Qing Dynasty, a famous diplomat, the Qing Dynasty, a famous diplomat Xue Fucheng, he wrote a book called "Yongan Quanji", he this "Yongan Quanji" inside a section dedicated to the title of this section is called "checking the plagiarized Heshen list of family assets," I read to you to see Heshen's family was plagiarized when their family has how much family property.
3000 houses, 8000 hectares of land, 42 silver stores, 75 pawnshops, 60,000 taels of red gold, pure gold, 100 large gold dollars, some people say only 100, I'm not finished, 1000 taels of a, 100, how much, 100,000 taels; 56,600 small silver dollars, this is not much ah, 100 taels of a, 5,660,000 taels. I'm not done yet. This is just a drop in the bucket. Read on. 9 million silver ingots, 9 million, 58,000 yuan in foreign money, 1.5 million in coins, copper money, 1.5 million. It's not over yet. Jilin ginseng more than 600 catties, more than 1,200 handles of jade ruyi, how many does the Emperor's family have? They have more than 1,200 handles, pearl strings 230 strings, and pearls, your pearls do not count, I said the pearl is as big as the cinnamon pearls, people remember is the cinnamon big pearls, 10 grains, 10 large rubies, large rubies, large sapphires 40, it seems that the ruby is still worth the money, silver bowls 40 tables, let's say a table of 10, who is only set a table of 10 ah, silver bowls, 40 tables, coral tree 11, each branch are more than a meter high, then not so remember, more than three feet, coral tree 11 branches. Also, satin and silk, silk and satin, do clothing material, a **** 14300 pi, tweed beige 20000 board, fox skin 550, sable 850, and other skin and all kinds of thick and thin skin 56000, copper and tin 361000 pieces of precious porcelain 100000 pieces. There are also beds, what beds, into a bed, full bed is a bed, a bed, what beds, made of gold, openwork gold eight treasures bed 24, 460 Western bells, 7,000 pieces of seasonal good clothes, 606 family members, 600 women. The seizure once Heshen's family property organized into 109, of which 26 has been valued at how much money is worth it? Worth two hundred and sixty-four million taels of silver, there are 83 did not value. If we estimate the value of another calculation, and there should be more than 800 million two, that is to say Heshen's family property a *** how much, a *** have 1.1 billion two, 1.1 billion two is a concept, it is really hard to say.
The Qing Dynasty's annual treasury income of 70 million two, 1.1 billion, what concept? 15 years of the Qing Dynasty's treasury income, and how many years Heshen was in power? 25 years less than his own family property, how much? 15 years of the Qing Dynasty's treasury income are given to him, too much embezzlement, too much money, so much money how to get it, you have to move a while, right, the Qing Dynasty treasury 15 years of income to let you move will have to move, where he got it, there are many people who have been in the treasury of the Qing Dynasty, but they are not in the treasury. Where did he get it? Some people asked me, "What is the reason? Is there something wrong with the Qing system? You do not say, the Qing Dynasty supervision system is not a problem, the problem lies in what, I give two examples, we said last time, this Heshen served as Secretary of the Ministry of the household, the management of money, but also served as a what official ah? The official in charge of the official, the Minister of Supervision is also his, his own corruption and their own investigation, you say can be found out? It is not a matter of the system, he took advantage of the Qianlong Emperor's excessive trust in him, which is the secret of his success in enrichment.
Let's take a look at the first move, bribery.
He took bribes, unlike others, some people give you money, bribes, he was passive. Indeed Heshen bribe are people actively give him money, and especially willing, especially happy, happy to give him money, why? We can think of, you as a local official, you as a small official, you want to rise, how to rise ah? How do you get promoted? Do you have to try to find a way, ask for information, and see what's going on up there? What should I do? So that time is not net to see these people, local officials collusion, collusion eunuchs, why collusion eunuchs ah? Eunuchs next to the emperor, he is good to see the emperor ah, once you see the emperor, the emperor a sentence will know, oh, I should do, so the history of this kind of thing more. What about Heshen? Heshen dozens of official positions in one, from him a careless run out of a sentence is not their own can be promoted? So a lot of people are especially willing to give gifts to Heshen, this gift and also be able to see immediate results. You have been promoted, Heshen I tell you a word, you have been promoted, you have been promoted, you make a lot of money, you can not return me? You must return me Heshen, and Heshen made money in this way.
Let's take an example, this example is said to have a person called Guotai, I checked, the history of the inside of the tube he called Guotai, in fact, surnamed Liu, the Han army, should have a surname, but no one said. Guotai was a very small official, a magistrate in Siyang County, which is now in the Weishan Lake area. Siyang is now under the Weishan Lake, I can't find it, Siyang County was in Shandong, he was the magistrate of Siyang County, and he was the governor of Siyang County. The official is too small, and then think of a way, no, I have to be promoted, take the initiative to give gifts to Heshen, the results of Heshen remembered, Guotai this person. Said 1780, the Qianlong Emperor's fifth southern tour, Heshen seized the opportunity, immediately wrote a secret letter to the state of Thailand, the letter said, this year, so-and-so time, so-and-so month, so-and-so day, Qianlong's fifth southern tour began, Qianlong's life there are six southern tours of the ah, the start of the fifth tour of the south, I estimate that he must go to Taishan this year to sacrifice to the heavens, and also certainly want to go to the Confucius Temple to sacrifice to Confucius, sacrificing to Confucius, Confucianism, Confucianism, Confucianism, Confucianism, Confucianism, Confucianism, Confucianism, Confucianism, Confucianism, Confucianism. Then he ran from Shandong to the Jiangsu side of the go, that the road will certainly pass through your Siyang County, in your Siyang County, he will not live with you here, you want him to live with you here how to do, and he did not enter the county, he went to the Avenue, I calculated that the Qianlong master from your county where to pass it, the county directly east, 50 miles, that the road on the side of the pass, you want to have the heart to you to give me there to build a palace, to the emperor to look at, to repair a good look! A little bit, to repair with the paradise, not with the same as Beijing, Beijing has a palace you have there, the emperor look not annoyed, you have to repair a little change. Guotai heard immediately recruited the county's skilled craftsmen began to repair, repaired and began to dry the house, drying the house.
The Qianlong Emperor really moved in 1780, really on the southern tour, he moved on the southern tour, but also really after the Confucius Temple, after the sacrifice of Mount Tai, after the sacrifice of the Confucius Temple is also really over the Siyang County, on the road, just listen, because he was on the road, very small road, surrounded by the land, but also not next to the county, just listen to the sound of the gurgling water, as if how to be so good here ah, and see then Heshen Then Heshen led the emperor, you see whether there is something moving over there? Look, Heshen led him to the palace inside, the Qianlong master look, so happy, ouch, paradise, great, who repaired it? Heshen said, this county magistrate called Guotai, you want to summon him? Summoned, immediately called over, the Qianlong master let Heshen called the state of Thailand, the state of Thailand early and Heshen collusion, so the face of the emperor to speak at length, asked a reply, answered very well, and Heshen knocked on the side of the gong side, the state of Thailand is a rare talent, the emperor is not promoted? Qianlong master a happy, immediate decree, ascending Guotai for Daotai, not governor, what is it, Daotai is equivalent to the mayor of a prefecture-level city, when the official, the mayor. You think, a letter from Heshen, Guotai from the governor as the mayor, spend whose money? The government's money. Whose pleasure is it? One person is happy, the emperor is happy, think about it, this Heshen did not bother. So with this incident, Guotai immediately rolled 200,000 taels of silver from his family to send to Heshen, thanks to Heshen. He should be thanked, other people who defected to Heshen, did not defect to Heshen those who do not move the heart. Alas, look at others Guotai, life is good, and Shen a word, I also hurry to send gifts to go, send gifts tomorrow maybe I will be promoted. Heshen's doorstep is full of people, can he not send? This is the first of Heshen's wealth, bribery, and human wealth, legal, think about it, right? Heshen to Guotai ideas when he did not want to Guotai give me how much money, I just give you an idea for nothing, just the emperor from there, piggybacking on the hand, you do a good job is your credit, do not do a good job with me no matter, to please the emperor is happy to promote you as an official, the emperor promoted you to be an official, you have to thank me, give me the money, this kind of bribe should say that at that time no one to blame, this who all take it for granted that, in the society at that time, Heshen this kind of practice is very normal, but also to give me money. Heshen this practice is very normal, now do not see, not that. This is the first means of Heshen's wealth, bribery.
Heshen's second means of enrichment is corruption.
Talking about embezzlement, how do you embezzle? You have to use the authority to embezzle, and what is the easiest authority for Heshen to embezzle? Minister of Finance, the management of money, Heshen in the Ministry of households on the appointment, 28 years old as the Minister of households, has been serving until 49 years old, 21 years. So you say, he has to use this authority to embezzle how much? So Heshen could have used this authority to embezzle. Gentlemen, I am saying that he can, not that he must. Why? I've checked, I've checked the official history, and there is not a single piece of official history of the Qing dynasty that proves that Heshen embezzled in this official position. There is not a single piece of history that proves that Heshen was corrupt in his official capacity, no. What there is isn't official history, it's all wild stories about how he was corrupt, and the stories he made up were very good. One of the best proofs of his corruption that I've seen, and you can hear it, is that the wild history says that there was only one tax gate in Beijing, only one gate, and where was it? Chongwenmen. In and out of the people you come here have to be taxed, the tax people include several parts: part of the businessmen here on the tax, part of the officials have to be taxed, and part of you go to Beijing, three years to take the test, three years to take the examination of the first degree, the lifelong examination of the first degree you have to be taxed, the three parts of the people on the tax. Some people say I'm a businessman, I sell spinach, that's not taxed, not counting, small business does not need to be taxed. But the three of us, the officials, the merchants and the students, have to pay taxes. The more official you are, the more taxes you have to pay, this is the Chongwenmen tax gate. We all know, Beijing Chongwenmen tax officials that the most fat, and then fat will not be fat here, the Qianlong emperor is not assured of others, I'm this corner I give someone else, others are embezzled to go, full of the dynasty I look at, but also Heshen, also worthy of my trust, so he did it, and Heshen served as the head of the Chongwenmen tax pass.
One day, Shandong's Buzhengzhi, Buzhengzhi is equivalent to the governor, governor of Shandong Province, from Shandong to Beijing, your time as an official, every three to five years you have to come to Beijing, meet the emperor, quiz quiz you, see how you do? This year just in time for him to come. What is the name of the Minister of the Shandong Province? Called Lu Zhongchen. Such a person, he came to Beijing from Shandong, he did not know the rules of Beijing, so to Chongwenmen in, people do not let in, you pay taxes, I have no money, where do I have money ah? No money, not allowed to enter. No way, people know that he is an official, the official does not let in, the official wants to enter, you have to pay, he thought, forget it, put the official hat next to the official clothes off, I'm a commoner, that's my family, he took three people, the clothes off, take off the hat, so that the two people to me to watch, put the quilt there, mattresses put there, some people say there are mattresses? Yes, at that time, the foreign officials to the capital, you have to go by post, you have to go to a fixed place, there is a post station to live, the post station inside the provision of horses, do not provide bedding, you come to the capital on your own back with bedding, so Luzhongcheng put a change of clothes, the quilt, bedding, official clothes, official hat are set aside next to the person this time I went in, I am a common people, to money, I'm a common people, people couldn't, gave him a common people, I'm a common people. The people can't, let him in, come in, and other ministers to borrow clothes, borrow official clothes, official hat, borrow bedding, he must have two friends, so it is considered to see the emperor.
What I saw, Heshen in the Ministry of households on the Secretary of corruption, this is the most typical. So after I read this, I had a couple of thoughts, I think, this incident does not prove that he embezzled.
First, in the Ministry of households, Heshen embezzlement has not? History, not in the official history, this is wild history, wild history is not credible in the first place. Second, even if this is true, can not prove that he embezzled, not only can not prove that he embezzled, but also can not prove that his subordinates embezzled, why? Collecting taxes, this tax to take their own family, there is no evidence to prove that he took his own family, the wild history did not say. Third, even if his subordinates embezzlement, this can not prove that Heshen embezzlement, at most to Heshen a what crime? It is the improper use of people, the use of people failed to check, bear joint and several responsibility, and Heshen is not directly responsible, so I say this is called what, it is possible to embezzlement, but does not prove that he is indeed embezzlement.
In addition to the Ministry of the household, and Shen is also in charge of a number of positions related to money, such as a few facades of the Ministry of the Interior, a grain storehouse of the Ministry of the Interior, you say that the Emperor's family ate a meal how much food, has anyone ever counted? Today, the shipment of ten tons, ten tons to eat a few days, I do not know, transported into the Heshen family who do not know, the grain depot, the grain depot of the Ministry of the Interior, Heshen is the Ministry of the Interior General Manager, this we introduced earlier, this is the first pipe job.
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