Introduction:
Tu Lichen, a cautious old minister who was favored by the emperor in the Yongzheng Dynasty. He is tactful, leaning towards the government and the opposition, and has almost become Yongzheng's right-hand man. However, at the critical juncture of the "Eight Kings Discussion", Tu Lichen made a major mistake and failed to prevent Long Keduo from entering the palace to replace the Imperial Forest Army, which made Yongzheng very angry. Tu Lichen, who has always been alert and thoughtful, how could he take it lightly at such a critical moment? Was he really a mistake or did he have ulterior motives?
1. Genealogy of Ancestors and Grandchildren: Descendants of the Zhou Haitu School
When it comes to Tu Lichen's family lineage, we have to start with his grandfather Tu Hai. Tu Hainai was a famous minister admired during the Kangxi period, and he made outstanding achievements, and he made great contributions to the pacification of the rebellion of the three feudatories. At that time, Wu Sangui and other vassal kings colluded to make rebellion, and the power was difficult to resist, just when the Qing Dynasty and the opposition were gloomy, Tuhai was ordered to lead the warriors to meet the rebels, and finally repelled the invading Chahar iron cavalry, winning a precious respite for the emperor.
After this battle, Tuhai's reputation spread far and wide, and it was highly valued by Kangxi. He was not only an outstanding military strategist, but also held important positions in the cabinet, and can be described as a pillar of the court. Later, after his meritorious work in quelling the rebellion, Kangxi canonized Tu Hai as the "Marquis of Yongyi", and his grandson Tu Lichen was able to soar and become a dignitary of the government and the opposition.
However, Turichen did not rely solely on the shadow of his ancestors to obtain such a special encounter, but his own ingenuity was the foundation of victory. Since childhood, he has been clever and good at observing words and feelings, and Tu Lichen is well versed in the philosophy of "tending to inflammation and attaching to the trend", no matter how difficult the situation is, he can always be at ease and not chaotic in the face of danger. After taking up his post in Beijing, he gave full play to this skill.
Tu Lichen always figured out the emperor's thoughts, neither humble nor arrogant, and amiable to the subordinates. He is shrewd and capable, handles documents to grasp the main idea, and is not verbose; In his spare time, he can help the emperor adjust his mood, and he is really a capable virtuous servant. Kangxi admired a cautious and honest person like him very much, and the relationship between the two became more and more intimate.
Trade-offs in a difficult situation
At the beginning of Yongzheng's accession to the throne, the government and the opposition did not make any waves on this matter. However, with the passage of time, a powerful force from the emperor's relatives is gradually forming - this is what later generations called the "Eight Princes". As Yongzheng's imperial uncles, these princes have great influence in both the government and the opposition, and they secretly collude with each other to steal the power of the court and threaten Yongzheng's dominance.
The sharp turn of the situation has put Tulichen in a dilemma. On the one hand, as Yongzheng's confidant and important minister, he should have done his best to assist the emperor and severely punish the "Eight Princes" for their rebellious behavior; But on the other hand, after his careful consideration, the power of the "Eight Kings" has become so strong that it is impossible to resist. If you recklessly force the past, I am afraid that it will lead to a catastrophe.
Faced with such a difficult situation, Turichen had to make difficult trade-offs. He clearly realized that although he had a direct subordinate unit of the Imperial Forest Army as a close confidant of the emperor, this elite division was fighting alone after all, and it was not at all the opponent of the strong force of the "Eight Kings Party". Forcibly blocking Long Keduo from merging into the new Royal Forest Legion will only set himself on fire and add more variables to the Yongzheng Dynasty.
Moreover, the current situation is confusing, and it is difficult to predict who will eventually take the power of the government. Tu Lichen had to take into account the growth and decline of the forces of all parties and avoid putting everything on the bet of Yongzheng. According to his trade-offs, the wisest option would be to make concessions first and avoid heavy losses, so as to preserve his strength for the time being.
Therefore, when Long Keduo personally led troops to the door and asked for a "change" of the Royal Forest Army, although Tu Lichen was extremely helpless, he could only withdraw his cronies and silently hand over the defense power. He explained to Yongzheng: "Your Majesty, taking care of the dragon's body is the best policy, and Weichen has retreated first to preserve his strength. Although these words were vague, Yongzheng understood immediately.
3. A subtle strategy for retreating to advance
On the surface, Tu Lichen was defeated and retreated in the turmoil of the "Eight Kings Discussion", and he allowed Long Keduo to act recklessly and failed to keep the power of Yongzheng's Imperial Forest Army, which was a major mistake. However, for an old fox as alert as him, this temporary concession is actually a kind of elaborate layout, in order to do more in the future.
As a powerful minister in the DPRK, Tu Lichen had his own foresight. He clearly realized that although the "Eight Kings Party" is currently gaining momentum, their strength is indeed not impregnable. As long as the time comes, he is fully capable of regaining the dominance of the government and the opposition. Therefore, he chose to avoid his edge first and accumulate strength for counterattack.
In the matter of the seizure of power from the Imperial Forest, Tu Lichen secretly never stopped arranging. He withdrew his cronies, but instead of disappearing, he began to operate in the shadows. Using his network of contacts in the DPRK, Tu Lichen quietly co-opted many neutral people and gradually expanded his sphere of influence.
More importantly, Turichen did not openly pro or oppose either side, but skillfully stood in the gap between the two forces. This allows him to take advantage of the opportunity to regain a piece of the pie no matter which faction prevails in the end. It can be described as a trick in the game of thrones.
In addition to the layout in the DPRK and China, Tu Lichen is also secretly accumulating strength. He quietly gathered a private army formed by his cronies and secretly prepared for war in case of emergency. He has always been good at this and calls on people's hearts to yearn for it. With the passage of time, this private army has gathered many powerful generals.
Although he temporarily lost control of the Imperial Guards, Turichen did not give up on himself. He has his own plans, as Yongzheng said, "more difficult than I imagined." All this is to pave the way for turning things around in the future and regaining power in the government and the opposition.
4. Patience and accumulation of spare energy
In the face of the arrogance of the "Eight Kings Party", Tu Lichen chose to tolerate it for the time being, without saying a word to refute it. This seems to be a gaffe and weak gesture, but it is precisely his intention to accumulate spare strength. Once the confrontation is fierce, both sides will be defeated and their physical strength will be wasted; On the contrary, retreating from the battle can avoid unnecessary internal friction and create conditions for turning the tide in the future.
Of course, Tu Lichen's failure in the matter of the Imperial Forest Army made Yongzheng very angry. However, as a scheming military advisor, he has long been destined to this passive situation to be unavoidable. If you act recklessly, how can you resist the leaderless team of the "Eight Kings Party" with a single waist pole of the Royal Forest Army? During the change of power, storms are inevitable, but the key is whether you can preserve your strength and wait for the rain to clear.
It is precisely because of such a far-sighted vision that Tulichen was able to survive this crisis. When Roncodo's new army approached the palace in a murderous manner, he quietly avoided the raging tide of gunsmoke and chose instead to secretly accumulate his strength for the future. In fact, any head-on struggle that does not measure itself will be swallowed up by the surging men and horses of the "Eight Princes". Only by enduring humiliation can we make a comeback after the tide.
However, this does not mean that Turichen is in seclusion and has nothing to do all day. On the contrary, it was during this special period that he used his spare energy to act in secret, fully preparing for the future turnaround. For example, to win the hearts and minds of the DPRK and China, expand the sphere of influence, and to gather private troops to prevent accidents. It is with such calm and calm resourcefulness that he can stand tall in the troubled times, and finally wait for the opportunity to make a comeback.
Taking a step back and opening up the sea and the sky, this is the philosophy of life that Turichen relies on to succeed. Only by using the attitude of wanting to promote and suppress first, and always maintaining a certain degree of low-key and humility, can we surprise and turn things around at critical moments. This age-old ability to forbear reflects his deep understanding of the game of thrones.
5. Yongzheng's admiration and suspicion
Tu Lichen's performance in the turmoil of the "Eight Kings Discussion" left a deep impression on Yongzheng. On the one hand, Yongzheng admires this scheming military advisor. When the power of the Imperial Forest Army was seized, Tu Lichen did not fight to the death, but was alert and secretly arranged, avoiding unnecessary internal friction. This wisdom of "retreating in the face of difficulties" is in line with Tu Lichen's philosophy of "suppressing first and then promoting", showing his skillful control of the power wrestling game.
On the other hand, Yongzheng also has some indescribable wariness of Tu Lichen. This seemingly gentle old minister is often unpredictable. When the "Eight Kings Party" was about to move, Tu Lichen did not say a word, and did not stop the change of power of the Imperial Forest Army, which really makes people wonder if he has other hidden intentions. How could a person in an important position turn a blind eye to the changes in the imperial situation? Could it be that he also secretly colluded with the forces of the "Eight Kings Party"?
Faced with such a suspicious situation, Yongzheng decided to continue to implement the way of employing people who are "pro-virtuous and far-reaching" and temporarily retain Tu Lichen's position. After all, this veteran minister has experienced a lot of battles, and if he can control him in his own circle of power, he will definitely be of great merit. At the same time, Yongzheng also sent the eyeliner of his cronies to closely monitor Tu Lichen's every move to prevent trouble.
In fact, Yongzheng's suspicions about Tu Lichen have their roots. Since the beginning of the Kangxi Dynasty, this old military division has been favored by the emperor. He has a low-key and cautious style of action, and rarely takes the initiative to support any side, but he is comfortable and invincible. For the game of power in the government and the opposition, he has long been accustomed to it and is calm. The failure to succeed in the battle of the "Eight Kings" may be just a part of his long-term layout.
Faced with such a suspicious old fox, Yongzheng had to think long-term. On the one hand, he had to admit that Tu Lichen was indeed a famous general and an indispensable adviser in military affairs; But on the other hand, it is also a precaution against this suspicious old man. It is under the influence of this ambivalence that Yongzheng will continue to adopt a "suspicious but not ignore" attitude towards Tu Lichen.