Although the Ming Dynasty fell, the descendants of the Zhu family never gave up their efforts to restore it. The remnants of the Ming Dynasty established the Nanming regime in Jiangnan, which still has great appeal in the empire. It's a pity that this small court still couldn't change the old habit of fighting among each other. It was busy fighting for power and gain all day long. As a result, it was chased by the Qing army and fled east and west all day long. In the end, he was chased into despair and escaped into the wild and hot Myanmar, finally saving his life.
It seemed that Emperor Yongli could only die silently in Burma, and the Manchu people finally let go of their hanging hearts. But Wu Sangui had different ideas. He believed that only by capturing Yongli could he completely prove his loyalty. Therefore, Wu Sangui wrote a letter requesting to enter Myanmar to wipe out the remnants of the Southern Ming Dynasty. Emperor Shunzhi thought it was unnecessary. Nanming fled into the wilderness and could not make a comeback, so he just let him go. However, Wu Sangui repeatedly pleaded and proposed that the so-called immortal Yongli had "three troubles and two difficulties", and finally convinced Emperor Shunzhi. As a result, Wu Sangui led his army on the journey to serve the Qing court.
Under the pressure of the Qing army, the Burmese had to sacrifice Yongli. Four months later, despite the opposition of others, he did not take Yongli to Beijing, but hanged him on Zizipo outside Kunming.
Wu Sangui no longer wants to rebel. His life in Yunnan was pretty good, and he really didn't want anything more. He likes Yunnan. The four seasons here are like spring, and the sky is spotlessly blue. It is a completely different world from the north. What Wu Sangui got now has exceeded his most extravagant wishes. Now, he is one of the richest and most powerful people in the world. He owns all the gold and silk children in the thousands of miles of land in Yunnan. Here, he can do whatever he wants. What else could he ask for in this life?
Although he was loyal to him wholeheartedly, those Manchus always seemed to keep a vague distance from him, and there always seemed to be a deep chill hidden under the warm appearance... This kind of twinkling gaze. , like a heavy and sharp sword hanging above his head, making him uneasy all the time.
After all, he is a traitor! The Manchus lost trust in Wu Sangui probably from the moment Wu Sangui personally entered Burma to capture and kill Yongli.
Emperor Shunzhi could understand Wu Sangui's humiliating surrender under the oppression of fate, and he could also look at him with a mixture of admiration and contempt as he tried his best to work for him across the country. However, Fulin shuddered when Wu Sangui once again pounced on his old master in order to further please him. Wu Sangui went too far, so much so that even the person he was loyal to was a little hard to accept. Can a dog that bites its old owner to please its new owner put people at ease? A person without any moral principles can do both good and bad things.
When Wu Sangui returned from Burma and devoted himself non-stop to suppressing the local rebellion in Yunnan, Emperor Kangxi ascended the throne in the 18th year of Shunzhi (1661).
Emperor Kangxi basically grew up in a peaceful environment. Unlike his ancestors who came from the White Mountains and Black Waters, he received a formal and systematic education in Chinese culture. It was not until the Kangxi generation that the Aixinjueluo family truly understood the relationship between the principles of nature and human desires and the world's human desires as mentioned by Confucian officials. Due to his inner moral creed, he could not understand Wu Sangui's original defection; he also had no appreciation for Wu Sangui's great contribution to the Qing Dynasty. He found it even more unacceptable for the prince's seller to seek glory. In his heart, he only had contempt, disgust, and deep suspicion and uneasiness for this powerful and powerful prince.
Emperor Kangxi, who had just taken office, hung a note on a pillar in the palace with the name "Three Feuds" written on it. That was the primary question that bothered him. For the long-term stability of the empire, he must use ethical principles to integrate people's hearts. The use of traitors as a barrier to the empire is an unacceptable reality. Among the "San Francisco", the one he was most worried about was Wu Sangui. This man with a large army is the greatest danger in the empire. In order to ensure the safety of the Qing Dynasty, this person must be dealt with, and to deal with this person, he must first be relieved of his military power. To remove his military power, the feudal vassal must be withdrawn. In Kangxi's view: "The 'Three Feuds' have been planning for a long time and if they are not eliminated early, they will become troublesome. If you withdraw today, you will be in trouble. If you don't withdraw, you will be in trouble. It's better to attack first!"
Just two days ago The ten-year-old Kangxi did what he said. In the 12th year of Kangxi (1673), the edict to withdraw the vassal was sent to Yunnan.
For Wu Sangui, this was indeed a blow to the head.
Yunnan was something he worked hard to leave to future generations. He conquered most of China for the Manchus, and the Yunnan fiefdom was not an excessive reward. In this regard, there was a certain tacit understanding between Wu Sangui and Shunzhi. But now, Emperor Kangxi, who had just ascended the throne, wanted to deprive him of the reward that he had spent half his life toiling, which was too much for Wu Sangui to accept.
Military power was Wu Sangui’s lifeblood. Rebellious ministers like Wu Sangui have lost their moral protection in this world. What he did has made the gentleman angry for a long time. Moreover, after surviving in the upper echelons of the military and government for so many years, he made many friends and inevitably made many enemies. Once he loses his military power, Wu Sangui's wealth and life will be seriously threatened. How many people in the court were eyeing him covetously! The reason why he is able to run amok everywhere and enjoy the spring breeze everywhere is not because he has military power! The imperial court issued edicts urging the withdrawal of the vassal state one after another. Faced with the murderous actions of the young and vigorous Emperor Kangxi, he seemed to have no choice. Wu Sangui did not expect that Kangxi would be so heartless and unjust, and that the Aixinjueluo family would cross the river and burn bridges like this. "When the birds are gone, a good bow is hidden. When a cunning rabbit dies, the running dogs are cooked." It seems to have been a common meaning throughout the ages, and it is no exception. However, Wu Sangui really didn't want to rebel anymore. Rebellion was not his patent. He originally wanted to live out his life peacefully under the protection of the Manchus.
Almost all historians attribute the responsibility for the "San Francisco" rebellion to Wu Sangui, but I am willing to exonerate him. The rebellion could have been avoided if Emperor Kangxi had not been deeply disgusted with Wu Sangui's personal qualities, driven by his youthful vigor and ambition to surpass his ancestral legacy. If Emperor Kangxi had been more mature and waited a few more years before taking measures after Wu Sangui, who was already 62 years old, had passed away, he could have solved the "San Francisco" issue by peaceful means, and the shock to Chinese history would have been much smaller.
The fact is that after the edict to withdraw the vassal was issued in September of the twelfth year of Kangxi (1673), Wu Sangui experienced hesitation and hesitation for more than two months. After all, Wu Sangui is already over sixty years old, and Wu Sangui no longer has the spirit of "turning the crown into a beauty in anger". It was clear that the situation was over, but he, who had always been clear-minded, was still imagining that the emperor could take back his life. However, the staff around him were more sober than him, and they encouraged him to raise troops day and night. The advice of the think tank Fang Guangchen hit the nail on the head: "Does the king want to be a wealthy man? Once he lives in a cage, the cooking is done by others!"
It is inevitable to raise troops. But, is rebellion actually his destiny?
One morning in the winter when he was sixty-two years old, Wu Sangui was once again covered in clothes. Amid the sound of drums and horns at the military training ground, he galloped on his horse and fired three arrows in a row, all of which hit the target. Although his hair is full of flowers, General Yanling is still as handsome and heroic as ever!
Wu Sangui led 200,000 troops and embarked on a journey again. Along the way, the wind and dust were blowing, and the murderous aura struck people.
At the beginning of the army, the situation was quite favorable to Wu Sangui. Wu Sangui's officers and soldiers were all experienced in all battles and were accustomed to fighting. Under Wu Sangui's command, they quickly captured Guiyang, Changsha, Yuezhou, Chengdu, Changde, and Hengzhou, winning victories along the way. Wherever they went, the Qing army was invincible.
Wu Sangui once again drank water from the Yangtze River. He personally came to Changde to take command, and Chen heavily deployed his troops on the south bank of the Yangtze River, displaying a menacing momentum. At this time, the morale of the Wu army was high. Some of the generals advocated establishing descendants of the Ming Dynasty to win over people's hearts. Some advocated crossing the river quickly and marching northward. Some advocated marching eastward along the river to control the Yangtze and Huaihe Rivers to cut off the north-south food routes. But Wu Sangui refused to express his position. Time passed day by day, and the Wu army, which was overwhelming at first, still stood still on the south bank of the Yangtze River.
Wu Sangui has his own plans. He wanted to use this move to show the court that he didn't really want to rebel, he just wanted to keep the benefits he deserved. He believed that the army's devastation was enough to scare the inexperienced little emperor. He sent someone to send a memorial to the court, requesting an armistice. At the same time, he entrusted the Japanese Lama of the Communist Party of China to "intercede" with the court on his behalf, expressing his intention to "break the soil and stop the army."
He felt that his request was reasonable and that Emperor Kangxi had no reason not to compromise.
This move exposed Wu Sangui's short-sightedness. This is the difference between him, a shrewd speculator, and a true historical great, and it is also proof that he is destined not to become a great person. People like him can navigate the gaps in history with ease, but they lack the vision and knowledge to guide and create history. Force can sometimes decide everything, but it is not an infallible argument.
When his efforts came into conflict with the interests of more people, his bravery, shrewdness, and insight became pale foam on the rocks.
Emperor Kangxi was much stronger than Wu Sangui imagined. He possesses what Wu Sangui lacks most: principle. He did not agree with Wu Sangui's logic. While Wu Sangui was standing still, he was nervously mobilizing the army and mobilizing various forces. When he initially gained a foothold and adjusted the entire empire's posture in response to the crisis, he gave Wu Sangui an answer: Wu Sangui's eldest son Wu Yingxiong and eldest grandson Wu Shilin, who were kept in Beijing as hostages, were executed, and the remaining descendants in Beijing were spared death and became slaves in the palace.
Historical records record that when Wu Sangui heard the news, he was eating. "When he heard the news, he was shocked and said: 'This young man can do this! The matter is decided!' He pushed his food and got up."
At this point, Wu Sangui’s dream was completely shattered. He gradually understood his situation, and an ominous premonition enveloped his mind that his life might end in a complete tragedy. Wu Sangui, who had struggled all his life in the historical plot, realized in his later years that his life's struggle was ridiculous. The world is so big that there is no way left for him. He thought he was smart and heroic all his life, but he never expected that he would always be on the edge of despair. With a strong sense of family, he devoted a lot of emotion to his beloved children and grandchildren. This new blow in his twilight years made him somewhat unbearable. "He refused to show himself in front of others and cried in secret. The guys (referring to the staff who encouraged him to raise an army) lost money."
With their retreat route cut off, Wu Jun had no choice but to launch another offensive. However, the opportunity was lost at this time, and the Qing army was fully prepared. After all, the power of the situation is greater than that of people, and Wu Sangui's army began to struggle. After the Qing soldiers fought back with all their strength, the brave and capable Wu army finally began to taste defeat. The war situation took a turn for the worse, and Wu Sangui's last gamble in his life soon lost any hope of success.
In the seventeenth year of Kangxi (1678), five years after the army was launched, sixty-seven-year-old Wu Sangui died painfully in desperate circumstances.
Three years later, the remaining rebels were eliminated. Wu Sangui's descendants were completely killed, including the infant babies.