Dominate the Country

[It’s Dragon Boat Festival, time to eat Zongzi. I really like to eat pure white rice…]

Qianlong, who was born in the 50th year of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, is already 60 years old this year. According to the rules of this era, he is already 58 years old. This age has entered old age in the fate of many emperors in the past Chinese history. For example, his father Yongzheng was 58 years old when he died. But for Qianlong, who was able to live to 89 years old and still hold power in the original long river of history, 58 years old is still very young.

His youngest son, the 17th prince Yonglin, was just born last year, which seems to be a clear proof that Qianlong is in good health and full of vitality.

Emperor Qianlong, who controls the land of China, is arrogant, arrogant, and loves to enjoy himself. The Qing Dynasty reached its peak under his leadership and also went downhill under his leadership, just like Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Li Longji a thousand years ago. The two have too many similarities in their personalities and destinies. Of course, Qianlong was much luckier than Li Longji. The White Lotus Rebellion in Sichuan and Hubei in his later years did not destroy the dignity and order of the Qing court in one fell swoop.

But after his reign entered the 32nd year, Qianlong began to feel angry.

First, Burma. Since five years ago, they have attacked and infiltrated the areas under the jurisdiction of the two inland chieftains of Mengding and Gengma. The local government of Yunnan deployed defenses along the Gunlong River, but still preferred appeasement and did not want to make trouble. So in the second year, the director of a mine on the border led his troops across the river to capture and kill Burmese soldiers, and they were all considered to be "killing innocent people for merit" and executed. However, Myanmar did not intend to restrain itself. When the inland chieftains of Mengding and Gengma were slightly calmer, the area under the jurisdiction of Cheli chieftain (now Xishuangbanna) was still not peaceful. From the 27th to the 29th year of Qianlong, the Burmese Menggen chieftain led his troops and the army of the Konbaung Dynasty to harass the border year after year. Especially in the 30th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign, the scale of harassment suddenly escalated, and Burmese soldiers entered many places of Cheli Tusi to extort money and plunder the people.

From the perspective of Myanmar, this was the stage when Myanmar and its historical enemy Siam were fighting fiercely. The Burmese ruling class formulated a policy to attack Siam along the line of Chiang Mai and Vientiane, and Cheli was on the side of its marching route, requiring a large amount of money, food and labor to provide logistical support for the army's march.

But did Emperor Qianlong need to consider Myanmar's position? Emperor Qianlong was furious.

The newly appointed Governor of Yunnan and Guizhou, Liu Zao, urgently sent troops to pursue and suppress, but there was no result except for capturing 5 people. The two sides "contacted" for three or four months, and the Qing soldiers did not achieve much results. On the contrary, about 600 Qing soldiers were ambushed by Burmese soldiers on the way to rescue Meng'a, and were defeated, with more than 10 casualties. Emperor Qianlong was furious when he heard the report and dismissed Liu Zao.

Then Emperor Qianlong made the decision to go to war with Myanmar. However, the Qing army was at a disadvantage as soon as the battle started. The Qing army was defeated in the Battle of Diwa River, and Admiral Li Shisheng was imprisoned. In the summer, when the Chen family army suddenly appeared in the heartland of Henan, the Qing army's expedition to Burma failed again. When Emperor Qianlong mobilized the army of four provinces and prepared to suppress the rebellion in the heartland with thunder and lightning, the Burmese army had already marched north to invade Yunnan. Yang Yingju, the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou who falsely reported his military exploits, was convicted and executed. Qianlong appointed Fu Heng's nephew Fu Cha Mingrui as the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou and the minister of the Ministry of War to go to Burma.

Before there was any good news about the Yunnan war, Qianlong received the defeats of Shaanxi Admiral Wang Tenglong and Henan Green Camp one after another. In particular, the Shaanxi Green Camp, which Emperor Qianlong had placed high hopes on, could not capture a small town of rebels with 8,000 people, and faced the main force of the rebels with only half the number of its own troops, and collapsed completely. Qianlong was so angry that he wanted to sentence Wang Tenglong to death directly. If Wang Tenglong had not been very self-conscious, he would have imprisoned himself in his residence as soon as he returned to Luoyang, and submitted a very sincere memorial to Beijing.

Qianlong could not make a decision about Wang Tenglong's memorial for a while. The fact that the Chen family rebels were wearing armor was completely beyond his cognition. He was determined that this was Wang Tenglong's excuse, but he felt that Wang Tenglong would not dare to lie to him at this point. Moreover, he also understood his ministers. In his impression, Wang Tenglong, the newly appointed governor of Shaanxi, was not a cunning and slippery person, which made Qianlong very suspicious, "Is that true?"

Of course, the attitude expressed in Wang Tenglong's memorial satisfied him very much.

Many times, superiors are not unable to forgive the mistakes and failures of their subordinates. Many superiors, especially emperors like Qianlong who are above ten thousand people, attach great importance to a person's attitude. So he did not immediately issue an order to sentence Wang Tenglong to death.

Then came the urgent report from Kaifeng. The Henan Green Camp was defeated in Xuzhou, and Asiha asked for death. With Asiha, the governor of a province, at the forefront, Wang Tenglong's crime was much less. Although Asiha was a bannerman and Wang Tenglong was a Han Chinese.

After the defeat of the rebellion led by Fode, Qianlong's perception of the Chen family army changed. This matter was no longer a mess caused by the subordinates, and he could turn a blind eye and let the subordinates solve it themselves. This has already threatened the majesty and ruling order of the court. So he was angry at the incompetence of the Henan government and annoyed at Asiha's stupidity. On the other hand, he was still patient and mobilized the army to quell the rebellion. He first quelled the chaos and then settled the accounts later.

As a result, the result..., the four provinces and five armies were defeated in two routes. The strong combat effectiveness shown by the Chen family army made Qianlong have to look at it sideways.

Qianlong mentally spared Wang Tenglong and decided to let him serve in front of the army in the subsequent battle to avenge his crime and make meritorious service. Although Asiha was stupid and incompetent, causing such unforgivable chaos under his rule, he was still his own servant under the banner of Xianghuang. There were many people interceding for him these days, and Qianlong had decided to let him go. I gave up my official position and went home to retire.

But, but, the 13,000 Manchu and Han troops along the way to Yongrui were also defeated. Not to mention that he himself was seriously injured, the admiral of Huguang, the deputy commander of Jingzhou, the deputy general of the Jingzhou City garrison, and the general of Xing'an Town died in the battle one after another. Of the 13,000 troops who fled into Xinyang, only 3,000 were left. Of the 2,000 flag soldiers stationed in Jingzhou, less than 500 survived. The news spread rapidly to Jingzhou. Both Manchus and Han people in Jingzhou City cried loudly, and every family paid filial piety.

"Take my decree to Kaifeng and give Asiha the death penalty."

Qianlong slapped his palm on the table so hard that the jasper ring on his thumb was shattered. Doesn't his thumb hurt? Maybe, anyway, Qianlong couldn't feel the pain in his hand at this moment. What hurts him is his heart. There are 1,500 people. At least 1,500 Banner soldiers were killed or captured. There were not that many Eight Banner soldiers lost during the Great and Small Hezhuo Rebellion.

Although most of the Qing generals who pacified Xinjiang were bannermen, with some bannermen and Xishan Jianrui Battalion under their command, the main force was the Green Battalion stationed in western Gansu and Barkol.

1,500 flag soldiers were lost in one battle. Since the Kangxi Dynasty pacified the San Francisco dynasty, no matter whether it was Kang Mazi's three campaigns against Galdan or the battle of Hetongbo that made Emperor Yongzheng heartbroken, there were not 1,500 pure flag soldiers killed in one battle. Death precedent. The impact of Yongrui's defeat was so huge that Qianlong couldn't bear it.

"Remove to Yongrui and serve as a favor to the Duke of the country. Withdraw your support and lead. Take it to the capital."