The biggest tragedy of Qin Dynasty: a eunuch ruined the eternal foundation of Daqin Empire.

In 22 1 year BC, Qin Shihuang unified the six countries and completed the great cause of reunification. By the time he died of illness, in just eleven years, * * * had been on patrol five times (six times), once every two years on average. Some people ridiculed him as a modern "tourist expert". In fact, the purpose of Qin Shihuang's tour is by no means to travel around the mountains and feast his eyes, but to "show the power of the frontier and serve the power of the sea", show his merits, shock the nobles of the six countries and stabilize the new regime.

Qin Shihuang, the first emperor in history

At that time, cruising was hard work, the roads were rugged, and boats and cars were simple. Qin Shihuang's car is just a four-horse carriage. In addition to bumpy roads and hot and cold weather, we must always guard against the assassination of the killed nobles in the six countries. It can be said that cruising is dangerous, far worse than staying in the palace. Only at this point, Qin Shihuang is also worthy of being a diligent and loving emperor and an example for later emperors.

Situation map of Qin's annihilation of six countries

Qin Shihuang's last tour became his road to death and a reminder of the collapse of the Daqin Empire.

In October of the thirty-seventh year of Qin Shihuang (2 10 BC), Qin Shihuang began his fifth and last cruise. The entourage included Zhao Gao, Reese and Hu Hai. These three men are the "Three Musketeers" who destroyed the foundation of the Daqin Empire. Some people call them "Three Disasters". In order to explain the role and psychological activities of the three men in the process of plotting to usurp the throne after Qin Shihuang died suddenly on the cruise, the three men are briefly introduced first.

(0 1)

Zhao is a descendant of Zhao's family. His father's life experience is unknown, and his mother had a criminal record of being executed. Zhao Gao was born as a "hidden official", where his mother served her sentence. According to historical records, the Zhao Gao clan was alienated by the nobles of Zhao and was "humble in the world". When Zhao Gao grew up, in order to survive, he volunteered to be an official in Qin Gong. Later, because "the king of Qin heard his strength and was familiar with the prison law, he thought it was a decree in the book." The official rank of Zhongshufu is a subordinate official of one of Qin Jiu's ministers. The servant's duty is to be responsible for the royal carriage and horse travel. On Qin Shihuang's last tour, Zhao Gao followed Qin Shihuang's management of chariots and horses as a decree. On the way to the emperor's patrol, the government order of CRRC was undoubtedly an important entourage official around the emperor.

After Zhao Gao was appointed as the secretariat, he found that Qin Shihuang loved his youngest son, Hu Hai, and thought that he had an opportunity, so he approached Hu Hai in the name of teaching Hu Hai law. On one occasion, Zhao Gao committed a "great crime" (what is not in the history books), and "the crime should be put to death". However, due to the relationship between Zhao Gao and Hu Hai and Zhao Gao's consistent performance, Qin Shihuang pardoned Zhao Gao's crime and restored his position, which laid a hidden danger for Zhao Gao to manipulate and usurp the throne after Qin Shihuang's death.

(02)

Li Si, a native of Chu Shangcai, was born in cloth. After he entered Qin from the west, he won the appreciation of Ying Zheng, the king of Qin, and became Tingwei from Keqing. After the establishment of the Qin empire, he was promoted to prime minister. Qin Shihuang was not only Lisi's Bole, but also Lisi's confidant and benefactor.

Li Si's political views are consistent with Qin Shihuang's, especially in abolishing the feudal system and implementing the county system, which was strongly opposed by nobles with vested interests under the feudal system. Li Si advocated the implementation and establishment of the county system with the power of prime minister, which won the trust of Qin Shihuang. There is no doubt that Li Si was the first hero of Qin Shihuang and the Qin Empire. But whether it is loyal or not, there is still a saying.

On the eve of Li Si's expedition to Qin, he bid farewell to his mentor Xun Kuang: "It is more shameful than humbleness, and more pathetic than poverty. Being in a humble position for a long time, in the land of suffering, is not the evil interests of the world, nor the feelings of a scholar who relies on inaction. Therefore, I must talk about the king of Qin. " It can be seen that the ultimate goal of Lisi's westward entry into Qin is to get rid of meanness and poverty and pursue prosperity. And contributing to the Qin empire is only the way and means to achieve the goal.

Therefore, some critics say that Reese is "a fierce figure who is committed to trying to figure out people's likes and dislikes", similar to Zhao Gao. If Reese can be loyal to Qin Shihuang and Daqin Empire, he can stop and punish Zhao Gao's perverse imperial edict with the power of prime minister.

Li Si: Qin Shihuang visited Huiji stone carving.

Qin Shihuang also knew that Reese was unfaithful, but Qin Shihuang needed Reese more than he suspected, and did not dismiss him, thus laying another hidden danger. After Qin Shihuang's sudden death, under the lobbying of Zhao Gao, Reese did not appreciate Qin Shihuang's kindness to meet him, nor did he care about the country of Qin Empire. His personal gains and losses are the primary consideration. Reese once said to himself: I am extremely rich, where is my future destination? So when he couldn't find a home, he succumbed to Zhao Gao's lobbying, and they were able to collude with each other, which not only ruined Daqin Jiangshan, but also drove himself to the point of no return. This is also the logical development of Reese's personal belief.

(03)

Finally, talk about Hu Hai. Qin Shihuang had thirty-three children, including twenty-three sons and ten daughters. But there are only the eldest son Fu Su and the eighteenth son Hu Hai in the history books.

Fusu image

Among Qin Shihuang's many children, only Fu Su was entrusted with an important task. It can be seen that Qin Shihuang intends to let him undergo exercise and increase his talents so that he can shoulder the heavy responsibility of guarding the mountains and rivers of Daqin in the future. There is an idiom in China called "There are millet in the mountains", which means that the mountains and rivers are lush and prosperous, which means that Daqin Jiangshan will be prosperous forever. It can be seen that Qin Shihuang had high hopes for Fuxi. However, due to various reasons, Qin Shihuang never officially awarded the title of Prince Fu Su, which provided an opportunity for Zhao Gao to establish an imperial edict.

Qin Shihuang did not grant Hu Hai any authority, but compared with other governors, he was partial to Hu Hai, so he always took him with him when something happened. In this way, others will look up to Hu Hai, and Zhao Gao, pretending to be Hu Hai's teacher, will be even more excited, so that he will have more opportunities to get close to Qin Shihuang and influence Hu Hai.

Qin Shihuang's trip first went down to the south of the Yangtze River and then crossed the river to the north of Langya. In July of the same year, I arrived in Pingyuan Tianjin (now Pingyuan County, Shandong Province) and felt unwell. I ordered to speed up my steps and return to Xianyang.

When the driver arrived at the sand dune platform (now northwest of Guangzong County, Hebei Province), Qin Shihuang was critically ill and stopped to rest. According to the Biography of Historical Records and Lisi, Qin Shihuang knew that his time had come when he was critically ill on the sand dune platform, so he considered the future. He ordered Zhao Gao to write a letter for his son Fu Su, saying, "Take the soldiers for Meng Tian and bury them in Xianyang." This is the twelve-character suicide note left by Qin Shihuang before his death. Fu Su was ordered to hand over the relieving to Montaigne and immediately returned to Xianyang to preside over the emperor's funeral. In ancient times, the prince presided over the emperor's funeral. According to the imperial edict, Qin Shihuang decided to assist Su as the prince, that is, the position of Qin Shihuang II.

Zhao Gao was ordered to write the testamentary edict, affix the decree and seal it. However, before the messenger set out, Qin Shihuang closed his eyes and died.

At that time, only Hu Hai, Reese, Zhao Gao and five or six followers around Qin Shihuang knew that Qin Shihuang was dead. Reese and others decided to block the news and returned to Xianyang through the Ninth Hospital.

It was hot in July, and Qin Shihuang's body quickly rotted and stinked, so the car was loaded with a rotten abalone to cover up the rancidity of the body, so that people along the way did not know that Qin Shihuang was dead.

On the way to Xianyang this time, an appalling plot to change the historical trend of China is brewing, and the mastermind is commander-in-chief Zhao Gao.

Of course, Zhao Gao had an accurate understanding of Qin Shihuang's 12 testamentary edict, and he also knew what this testamentary edict meant to him. If Qin Shihuang lived one more day, the testamentary edict would have to be issued, and he dared not refuse. However, Qin Shihuang is dead, the testamentary edict is still in the hands of Zhao Gao's master, and the emperor is also in charge of Zhao Gao, which is a godsend opportunity for Zhao Gao to plot evil.

After careful consideration, Zhao Gao had the intention of tampering with Qin Shihuang's will, so he decided to lobby Hu Hai first.

How many people in the world covet the position of the son of heaven, and what's more, the princes who are only one step away from the position of the son of heaven. This supreme power is too tempting for people! Throughout the ages, for this kind of power, how many court coups have taken place, how many bloody events have been staged, and how many royal children have turned against each other, even at the expense of killing their father.

As long as we follow Zhao Gao's plan and make no contribution to Daqin, Hu Hai, who has no virtue and incompetence, can reach the sky. This is beyond his dreams. Such a big pie will hit him on the head. Now God has given him such an opportunity to be emperor at your fingertips. Unless Hu Hai is a fool or a gentleman, how can he let it go?

However, Hu Hai is not a fool, nor a gentleman, so he first made a insincere and insincere refusal, and then expressed concern that if Prime Minister Reese did not agree, great things would be difficult to achieve. Zhao Gao persuaded Hu Hai, and the plot was half successful. Then he went out to lobby Reese.

As mentioned above, Lisburn is an influential person. After analyzing the current situation and the interests of Fu Su after he succeeded to the throne, Zhao Gao felt that only by supporting Hu Hai to take office could he maintain the position and power of the Prime Minister, otherwise it would not only harm himself, but also future generations. Qin Shihuang's kindness to him and Qin Dynasty's kindness to him have all been forgotten.

Zhao Gao successfully lobbied Reese, and the two men sat together to plan the details of tampering with the testamentary edict.

First, Qin Shihuang's will of 12 was destroyed, and then a book was drafted, falsely claiming that it was an imperial edict from Qin Shihuang to Reese, saying that Hu Hai was made a prince, and Hu Hai presided over the funeral of the first emperor as a prince, paving the way for Hu Hai to be an emperor.

The other forged a letter to Fu Su, accusing Fu Su of being "unfilial" and Meng Tian of being "unfaithful", and gave Fu Su and Meng Tian a gift to kill themselves.

Statue of General Meng Tian

Facing the book with my father's seal, I couldn't help but burst into tears and committed suicide in the inner room. And Meng Tian thought things were abrupt, suspected of fraud, refused to commit suicide, and was imprisoned in Yangzhou prison, waiting for the mercy (after Hu Hai acceded to the throne, the Montessori brothers gave him the death, and Meng Tian committed suicide by swallowing medicine). Soon, the emperor returned to Xianyang, the capital, by bus, made Hu Hai a prince, buried Qin Shihuang in Lishan Mountain, and made Hu Hai the second emperor.

After Hu Hai acceded to the throne, Zhao Gao was promoted to be a doctor (doctor, one of Qin Jiuqing, in charge of the palace guards, accepting officials to play, remonstrate, welcome guests and receive officials), which created conditions for the emperor, balancing officials and monopolizing state affairs, which was exactly what Zhao Gao wanted to achieve. Reese has become a very important minister and can't be promoted any more. He is still the prime minister.

In the first year of Qin Ershi, the famous Daze Township uprising broke out, which sounded the death knell for the demise of the Qin Dynasty.

Dazeshan Uprising

In the second year of Qin Ershi (208 BC), Zhao Gao bullied his superiors and deluded his subordinates. With the help of Qin Ershi, he got rid of several dissidents. Qin Ershi felt that Zhao Gao helped him ascend to the throne, obeyed Zhao Gao, even dared not disobey, and became a tool for Zhao Gao to exclude dissidents and act arbitrarily. Qin Ershi became a puppet emperor, and the Qin Dynasty became the first eunuch autocratic court in the history of China, thus accelerating the demise of the Qin Dynasty. At present, only Prime Minister Reese and Feng Quji can restrict Zhao Gao. As long as he can win the relative rights, the world of the Qin Dynasty is his. As a result, Zhao Gao quickened the pace of seizing power.

After the Dazeshan Uprising broke out, the nobles of the former six countries who were destroyed by Qin declared their independence one after another, and court officials were worried. Qin Ershi still lives in the palace, indulging in debauchery. Li Si, the left prime minister, and Feng Quji, the right prime minister, repeatedly asked for interviews, but they were all rejected. Instead, he said, "I have been in the throne for two years, and thieves have risen together. You can't ban it. You want to stop what the first emperor did. You didn't repay the first emperor, but you didn't do your best for me. How can you be in office? " So Qin Ershi listened to Zhao Gao's slanderers and ordered the arrest and punishment of Prime Minister Feng Quji and General jie feng. Erfeng "will not be humiliated" and committed suicide. Reese and his son Li You were jailed for treason, and Zhao Gao was in charge of the trial. Reese was played by Zhao Gao again.

In July of the second year of Qin Ershi, Li Si was sentenced to "all five punishments" and "foreigners' three departments" and was beheaded in Xianyang. Qin Shihuang, the first hero, turned away from his master and helped others to kill, and was finally guillotined by the powerful villain and the emperor who supported himself. That's pathetic! Before being punished, Reese lamented to his son, "If I want to go out with the yellow dog and chase the cunning rabbit at the East Gate of Shangcai, how can I get it?" Since then, "Shangcai Yellow Dog" has become an important lesson for later authorities.

After Reese's death, Qin Ershi worshipped Zhao Gao as "Prime Minister of China" (Zhao Gao was a eunuch and a prime minister, so he called it "Prime Minister of China"), and "regardless of size, it depends on the level". Zhao Gao's autocracy has the characteristics of eunuch autocracy and powerful minister autocracy, so it is more harmful. Now Zhao Gao is "under one person, above ten thousand people", but he is still not satisfied and wants to be an emperor. In order to control Qin Ershi, he played a series of tricks. First, "a deer is a horse", Qin Ershi said "a deer is also", and Zhao Gao and his left and right sides all called it a horse. The loyal minister who told Hu Hai the truth was convicted and even killed, and II was frightened.

Another day, the second man went hunting and killed a group of people. Zhao Gao said, "If the son of heaven kills for no reason, there will be disaster. We should avoid the palace and kill them. " Hu Hai has to "look out at the foreign palace".

A few days later, Zhao Gao lied that a thief had entered the palace, mobilized thousands of soldiers, ordered his son-in-law Xianyang to lead Yan Le into Wang Yigong, and killed Hu Hai. Hu Hai first demanded "I would like to be the king of the county" and "I would like to be the king of every household". Finally, he demanded that he "would like to be a leader with his wife more than all his sons" and was forced to commit suicide. Hu Hai, who killed his brother and usurped the throne, finally got what he deserved.

Hu Hai is dead, and Zhao Gao is eager to be crowned emperor. He wore the emperor's decree and wanted to perform the ceremony, but few people answered. It is said that when he came to the main hall, the palace was already crumbling, which shocked him. He knew that "rich in wealth, princes and ministers" had to give up the emperor's dream and find another heir. Zhao Gao decided to let Hu Hai's nephew Ziying take the lead.

Zhao Gao said: "Qin is a kingdom, and the emperor ruled the world from the beginning, so he called himself the emperor. Today, the six countries are re-independent, and the territory of Qin is small. They can no longer be called emperors in the name of emptiness, but should be kings as before. " So Zi Ying was named King of Qin, so it is called "II died" in history. Zi Ying knew that if Zhao Gao was not removed, the State of Qin would be difficult. So he conspired with his son to assassinate Zhao Gaoyou and destroy the three clans, and Zhao Gao was rewarded. Only 46 days after Zi Ying began to reign, Liu Bang led the troops to attack the overlord, and Zi Ying Fengtianzi sealed his surrender.

Another month passed, and Xiang Yu led his army into Xianyang, where he established himself as the overlord of Chu and enfeoffed the princes. Among them, the land of Qin was divided into three parts, nicknamed "Sanqin". Xiang Yu "killed Zi Ying and Qin Gongzi's people. Slaughter Xianyang, burn his palace, capture his son, and collect his treasures, and the princes will share them. " The magnificent Daqin Empire was completely destroyed, only four years before the death of Qin Shihuang. Subsequently, the history of China entered a troubled time in which Chu and Han contended.