History can't bear to look at the complete collection

Chapter 59 The Power Seizure Mystery 7
Emperor Daoguang's posthumous edict deciphers the reasons for the demise of the Qing Dynasty

When Daoguang was 69 years old, his lung disease worsened, and the imperial doctors were unable to recover.At noon on February 1850, 2 in the Gregorian calendar, Emperor Daoguang passed away in the Shende Hall of Yuanmingyuan. The emperor who had been doing nothing all his life finally passed away. "Drafts of Qing History" stated that "Xuanzong's Spring and Autumn Period was already high, and he was sick, mourned and destroyed, and collapsed in the first month of the 25th year."

Now that the emperor is dead, there must be a new successor. In fact, Emperor Daoguang made this decision five years ago. According to the secret method of the Qing Dynasty, the new successor has already been settled.Six hours before Emperor Daoguang died, he feebly announced the candidate for the next monarch of the Qing Dynasty.

At that time, in the Shende Hall, the lights were bright, and all the ministers of the Imperial Palace, the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Minister of Military Affairs, relatives, princes and grandchildren stood by Emperor Daoguang's side, waiting for the final answer to be revealed.The eunuch brought a casket measuring 32 x 16.7 x 8.7 cm in length, width, and thickness.

The box was not locked, but a seal was pasted on it, with the words "the beginning of autumn in the 26th year of Daoguang" written on the seal.This was sealed by Daoguang himself. Now, this box will be opened in full view, the seal will be torn off, and the sealed secret will be revealed.

Inside the box were two very concise secret decrees written with a vermilion pen. Emperor Xianfeng picked up one of the secret decrees written in Manchu and read out: "The sixth son of the emperor, Yi? He was named the prince, and the fourth son of the emperor, Yi Chi, was established as the crown prince."

Then he read out the second decree: "The fourth son of the emperor, Yi Yi, will stand up as the crown prince. How are you waiting for my words? They are united in their support, and they always put the national economy and the people's livelihood as the most important thing, and have no sympathy for others."

Yi?He is a promising prince. He reused the warlords of the Hunan and Huaihe Rivers and introduced Western skills, which caused the Qing Dynasty to have a short-lived "Tongguang Zhongxing". Such a prince failed to become the crown prince in the end.Emperor Daoguang was also very embarrassed about establishing a reserve.He has a total of nine sons, and these nine sons are likely to inherit the throne and inherit the Datong.

But if you consider age, appearance, morality, intelligence, physical beauty and other aspects, only the fourth son Yi Chi and the sixth son Yi?Two people can do it.Both of them were concubines, only one year apart in age, they studied and practiced martial arts together, and the smart Yi?Even more favored by Daoguang, but why in the end?However, he did not become the heir to the throne. Regarding this passage, there is a vague record in historical materials: In March of the 26th year of Daoguang, the emperor reviewed Nanyuan, "All the princes followed, Prince Gong Yixin got the most birds, and Wenzong didn't send a single arrow. Ask." , Conversation said: "It's spring when birds and beasts are breeding, and I can't bear to hurt life to make peace with the world." Xuanzong Dayue said: "This is the words of the true emperor!"

Yi?Although there are many harvests, Yi Chi can realize the value of life, and believes that spring is the season for birds and beasts to breed, and he can't bear to kill.This is exactly the kindness that a king needs, and it is precisely this that Emperor Daoguang's balance leans towards the latter.However, after careful analysis, it is possible that Yi Chi is incompetent and unable to hunt prey, so he utters such a strong and unreasonable argument, or it may be that Yi Chi is weak and not tough enough.

But in any case, Emperor Daoguang chose Yipin to inherit the Datong, but it caused the future development of the Qing government to fall into an irreversible sinking.Yi Chi's aptitude was above average among the emperors of the Qing Dynasty, Li Suishi, but he was weak and indulgent, and soon passed away at the age of 31.

Afterwards, the Qing Dynasty kept going downhill, but Yi? , although he did not become the emperor, but he is in control of the power, and he will participate in the subsequent changes such as listening to the government behind the curtain, and the party struggle between the emperor and the empress.If one becomes emperor, the history of the Qing Dynasty will also be rewritten. Perhaps, these activities that will push the Qing Dynasty to its demise will not happen, and the Great Qing Dynasty will be able to linger on for a while longer.

(End of this chapter)