Chapter 75 Chapter Three Chasing Power

Dominate military aircraft and seize power He Shen has a strong desire for power, just like his desire for money, which is innate.He Shen wished he could be the emperor and hold all the power.Therefore, not only can he not tolerate someone among his colleagues who is superior to him, but he always tries to hold all the military and political power in his own hands.In the late Qianlong period, He Shen almost controlled the power of all important departments of the Military Aircraft Department, forming a dominance situation in the actual sense. The Military Aircraft Department was established in the sixth year of Yongzheng (1801), when the Qing government was trying to put down the rebellion in Junggar, Xinjiang; in order to mobilize military supplies in a more timely and effective manner, the Military Aircraft Office was established. This institution was the predecessor of the Military Aircraft Department.After the rebellion was quelled, the Qing government felt that the military supplies room had played an important role in combat, so it kept it and changed it to the military aircraft office.This is actually a tradition in Chinese history. In order to better concentrate power and compete with the bureaucracy headed by the prime minister for ruling power, feudal emperors always set up an agency in charge of themselves near the inner palace to handle state affairs.

But as this institution gradually takes shape, it will gradually become a part of the bureaucratic system and become a new place of struggle for power and profit between the ministers of the DPRK and China.The emperor had to re-establish new institutions in such a cycle without end. This is a historical cycle that cannot be crossed by a high degree of autocracy. There was no prime minister in the Qing Dynasty, and the power was divided into six departments. However, the Military Aircraft Department established by Yongzheng actually performed the duties of a prime minister and was in charge of almost all major affairs of the country. Military aircraft played an important role in the administrative system of the Qing Dynasty.

During the more than 20 years from the 40th year of Qianlong to the 4th year of Jiaqing, Heshen served as Minister of Military Aircraft for 23 years, served as Minister of Military Aircraft and Commander of the Infantry for 22 years, and served as Minister of Military Aircraft and Commander of the Infantry Army for 22 years. He has been the Minister of the Ministry of Households for fifteen years, and even Emperor Jiaqing said: Heshen's dictatorship is based on Heshen's military affairs minister and former imperial minister.During this period, only He Shen held the power in the Military Aircraft Department.Even if one or two people occasionally dared to go against his intentions, He Shen would strike without hesitation.It can be said that He Shen went smoothly and peacefully at the military plane, but it was difficult to hide the crimes behind the shady scenes.Wang Jie, who was also Minister of Military Aircraft at the same time as He Shen, was an example of being excluded by He Shen.

Wang Jie, courtesy name Weiren, was born in Hancheng, Shaanxi, and was a Jinshi in the 26th year of Qianlong (1761).Later, he was appreciated by Qianlong, and successively held important positions such as cabinet bachelor, household minister, Zuodu imperial official, military minister, and military aircraft minister.During Wang Jie's tenure as Minister of the Military Aircraft Department, it was the time when He Shen was in the limelight and most favored by the emperor. There is also such a record in the "Drafts of Qing History": At that time, He Shen was good at deciding things, and the same column forbeared and kept silent, and Jie Yu had to fight hard.He Shen has always wanted to take advantage of the emperor's special favor on him to dominate the military aircraft department, so as to realize his dream of power.But Wang Jie could not be shaken, and relying on Qianlong's appreciation, Wang Jie always opposed him everywhere.As a result, He Shen was always unable to succeed. In desperation, he unexpectedly came up with a shameless strategy.

It turned out that Wang Jie, who had served as Minister of the Ministry of War and Minister of Military Aircraft, was not only not a man of five big and three rough, but also because he was good at health preservation, his body was always well maintained and his skin was quite delicate.One day Wang Jie was on duty in the Military Aircraft Department, and He Shen had a plan in mind, so he came over specially when he saw the opportunity, and while Wang Jie was sitting by the kang alone, he held Wang Jie's hand leeringly, stroking it while touching it. I praised him for being good at keeping in good health, especially mentioning that his skin is so delicately maintained, even those girls and daughters-in-law who don't leave home and don't step out of the door will be envious to death.When Wang Jie saw He Shen say these unsavory words, he was already unhappy in his heart. He didn't expect He Shen to say such words.

Wang Jie was originally a scholar, with a thin skin, how could he have suffered such shame and humiliation?He even felt that he could no longer stay in the military aircraft department, but he couldn't tell others about it, so he finally had to retire and return to his hometown in the first year of Jiaqing (1796) under the pretext of his unhealed foot injury.It was not until four years later that Emperor Jiaqing came to power and He Shen was confiscated and questioned, that Wang Jie re-entered the Military Aircraft Department. He Shen used this despicable method to drive out a confidant, and he became even more lawless in the military aircraft department.He believed that the whole eradication of Qianlong, who was old and dizzy, had some restrictive effects on himself, and the rest of the people were not a threat.

Not only that, he also firmly controls the assessment and appointment of officials across the country.In the administrative system of Chinese feudal society, there has always been a complete system of selecting and inspecting officials, which is presided over by the Department of Examination under the Ministry of Officials, which is divided into two types: Jingchao and Daji.Jingcha is aimed at officials who are officials in Beijing, while Daji is an inspection system set up for local officials.Examination and selection of officials has always been the most important power in administrative power. Through the appointment and removal of officials, one can cultivate one's own power and attack dissidents.It was through his years of hard work that He Shen was able to secure his position on the throne.This power was firmly controlled by Heshen when he was the Minister of the Ministry of Officials.Later, when Jiaqing ascended the throne, he appointed Liu Yong as Minister of the Ministry of Officials, and abruptly took away Heshen's power.

However, Liu Yong was loyal to Jiaqing and was an upright official, which inevitably threatened Heshen.Heshen's power has been left behind, and Liu Yong will inevitably discover the nasty things he did during his tenure. Therefore, Heshen wanted to transfer the power of selecting officials from the Ministry of Officials to the military aircraft he controlled, mainly to ensure that the power could not be held in the hands of Jiaqing and Liu Yong. .Therefore, He Shen wrote a memorial to Qianlong, saying: Since the Supreme Emperor took the throne and the emperor took charge of the government, the world has been stable and there has been no major chaos. Therefore, the inspection and selection of officials is really a top priority. The servant believes that the examination of merit alone is not enough to take on this important task. Such a major event should be handed over to the officials. For the Military Plane Department, it is jointly handled by all the ministers, and the Ministry of Officials can perform the responsibility of assisting the Military Plane Department.

Heshen presented two copies of this memorial to Qianlong and Jiaqing respectively, so Emperor Jiaqing immediately understood Heshen's intentions, but because his own strength was too weak, sometimes he couldn't even protect himself, let alone others. He is just a puppet emperor in name only, and the power of the military and the country has always been controlled by Qianlong. He can only argue with reason, hoping to persuade Qianlong not to change it at will: According to the system of the Qing Dynasty, the selection of officials has always been presided over by the Ministry of Officials. I think that the Kaogong Division has handled this matter for many years, and has a clear understanding of the status of officials and has rich experience. Moreover, Liu Yong, a scholar of the Ministry of Officials, is capable, honest and upright.

Qianlong was really in a dilemma, with his favorite minister He Shen on the one hand, and his son-in-law on the other, he decided to think about it before making a decision.He Shen took the opportunity to slander Qianlong behind Jiaqing's back: the Supreme Emperor, the emperor's move is to control the power to select officials from all over the world, so that he can choose to appoint officials who are loyal to him and expand his power. He Shen deserves to have followed Qianlong for many years, and even understood Qianlong's taboos clearly.These few words just touched on Qianlong's sore spot. What Qianlong was worried about was that he would lose power after he abdicated and returned to power.Hearing what He Shen said, he immediately decided to hand over the right to select officials to the Military Aircraft Office, and the Ministry of Officials only assisted.

He Shen miraculously won the battle for power between the monarch and his ministers, and his high prestige was hard to match for a while, so he couldn't help but feel elated.Little did he know that extremes lead to opposites, when he gathered power more and more tightly, the power began to gradually dissipate from him, like a stream flowing quietly.