Chapter 248

【Ranking the Top Ten Corrupt Officials in History: First Place, Heshen】

【Dynasty: Qing Dynasty (Qianlong, Jiaqing era)】

【Life: 1750 AD—1799 AD】

【Background: Manchu Bordered Red Banner, Niohuru clan】

【Official Rank: Grand Councilor, Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall, Superintendent of the Imperial Household Department... (Holding dozens of key positions)】

【Title: "The Number One Corrupt Official in History"】

【Characteristics: Total corruption amount surpassing the sum of all dynasties, wealth rivaling "ten nations," 15 years of Qing dynasty fiscal revenue】

A few lines slowly emerged on the list:

"Orphaned and poor in youth, suddenly ascending the heavenly steps.

Guessing the Emperor's heart, power eclipsing the court.

Gathering wealth like the sea, wealth rivaling the universe.

Upon the Emperor's death, the new Emperor opens the feast."

【Heshen, Niohuru clan, courtesy name Zhizhai. A Manchu Bordered Red Banner man.】

【His background was not a top-tier noble family; his father, Changbao, reached the rank of Deputy Lieutenant-General of Fujian, but passed away when Heshen was nine.】

【Heshen and his younger brother Helin were orphaned and poor in their youth, and their family was once very poor, even needing to rely on loans and help from relatives to survive.】

The Heavenly Screen began to play the scene at that time.

The young Heshen, wearing old clothes with patches, studies hard under the dilapidated eaves, his eyes filled with a desire to change his fate.

He and his brother share a cold, hard steamed bun, the scene miserable.

【However, Heshen was gifted.】

【He not only studied hard, but also mastered four languages: Manchu, Han, Mongolian, and Tibetan, and had a super memory, never forgetting what he saw.】

【At eighteen, he married Feng, the granddaughter of Ying Lian, the Minister of the Imperial Household Department, which gave him some help.】

【In his twenties, he inherited the hereditary rank of Third-Class Light Chariot Commandant as a student and entered the palace to serve as a guard.】

In the scene, the young Heshen is on duty in the palace, handsome and well-spoken, standing out among the rough guards.

【The turning point of his fate occurred in the 40th year of Qianlong.】

【Once, by chance, Emperor Qianlong went out, and the special "Yellow Canopy" (a ceremonial item) could not be found in the procession.】

【Qianlong was displeased and quoted "The Analects" to ask: "Whose fault is this?"】

【The surrounding guards were all terrified and did not know how to answer.】

【At this time, Heshen stepped forward and answered calmly: "The one in charge cannot shirk the responsibility."】

【These words came from an allusion in "The Analects," the response was appropriate, and his voice was clear.】

【Qianlong was surprised, seeing his "graceful and handsome appearance," he talked with him and found that this person not only knew the classics and history well, answering fluently, but was also extremely good at guessing his own heart, with every word hitting the itch.】

【Qianlong was overjoyed and from then on remembered this young guard named Heshen.】

The elderly Emperor Qianlong sits on the imperial carriage, his face showing displeasure.

The young and handsome Heshen steps out from the crowd, bowing and answering, his demeanor neither humble nor arrogant, his eyes clear and agile.

A flash of appreciation passes through Qianlong's eyes, and after talking to him for a few sentences, he shows a satisfied smile.

【With Emperor Qianlong's favor, Heshen's official career soared like a rocket.】

【In just a few years, he was promoted from a small guard to a guard of the Qianqing Gate, a guard before the Emperor, and granted the rank of Deputy Lieutenant-General of the Bordered Blue Banner.】

【In the 41st year of Qianlong, he was granted the rank of Senior Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and soon promoted to Grand Councilor, walking in the inner court.】

【From then on, Heshen began his path of dominating the court for more than twenty years.】

In the Heavenly Screen's scene,

Heshen's official rank changes rapidly, the birds on his rank badge becoming more and more noble, from a Blue Feather Guard to a First-Rank Official, the speed dazzling.】

He enters and leaves the Grand Council and the Hall of Mental Cultivation, inseparable from Emperor Qianlong.

【Emperor Qianlong's favor for Heshen reached an extreme.】

【He married his daughter, Princess Gulun Hexiao, to Heshen's son, Fengshen Yinde, becoming in-laws with him.】

【Heshen successively served as Superintendent of the Imperial Household Department, Minister of Personnel, Minister of Revenue, Minister of Justice, Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs, Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall, and Chief Grand Councilor, gathering the power of finance, personnel, justice, ethnic affairs, and palace affairs, and his power even surpassed that of the nominal Prime Minister, A Gui, in Qianlong's later years.】

The scene on the Heavenly Screen shows the scene at that time:

Heshen's figure appears in various key government offices, issuing orders.

In the court, he stands at the very front, even Chief Grand Secretary A Gui has to give him three points of respect.

He sits privately with Emperor Qianlong, talking and laughing, like a close friend.

The Princess's wedding is extremely luxurious, highlighting the Emperor's favor for this in-law.

【After seizing power, Heshen pushed his amazing "financial management" talent (or corruption talent) to the extreme.】

【His corruption was no longer simple bribery, but a systematic, industrialized, and deep-rooted wealth-plundering empire tied to the state machine.】

The scene tone becomes glittering with gold, yet carries a chilling coldness, beginning to display his "business map."

【Controlling the Imperial Household Department and royal business.】

【Heshen served as Superintendent of the Imperial Household Department for a long time, managing the Emperor's private treasury and royal industries.】

【He used his authority to hand over many procurement, engineering, and trade projects of the Imperial Household Department to business firms controlled by himself or his confidants, extracting huge profits from them.】

【The extravagant expenses of the Emperor and the royal family became his best "money laundering" channels and sources of profit.】

In the scene, the account books of the Imperial Household Department flow rapidly, and a large amount of silver flows into business firms marked with "He Ji," "Qing Ji," and other names through complex channels.

The repair of the palace, the procurement of tribute, and the construction of gardens all have Heshen's shadow counting money behind them.

【Opening a huge financial and commercial network.】

【Heshen opened 75 pawnshops and 42 silver shops across the country.】

【These financial institutions not only engaged in usury to exploit the people, but also became tools for him to launder money, transfer assets, and manipulate local economies.】

【He also owned over 8,000 qing (over 800,000 mu) of land for rent, spread across Zhili, Rehe, Fengtian, and other places.】

【In addition, he operated various businesses such as grain shops, hotels, antique shops, porcelain shops, and lime kilns, forming a huge business empire.】

In the scene, a map of the Great Qing is marked with red dots representing pawnshops, silver shops, and fields, dense and almost covering all prosperous areas.

Silver carriages come and go, and the sound of abacuses in the accounting rooms never ceases.

【Publicly soliciting bribes, selling offices with clear price tags.】

【Heshen standardized and institutionalized the buying and selling of official positions.】

【Local officials and capital officials wanting promotion, filling vacancies, or transfer to fat jobs had to "pay tribute" to him.】

【Prices were clearly marked according to the "profit" of the official position, fair to children and old people alike.】

【There was even a "Heshen Price List" circulating privately.】

【Super fat jobs like salt administration, river engineering, and customs had sky-high prices.】

Those seeking office did not go to the Ministry of Personnel, but lined up in the alley where the He residence (the predecessor of the Prince Gong Mansion) was located.

The gatekeeper accepted the name cards and gift lists and went in to ask for instructions.

Soon, words came out: "Governor of a certain province, vacant, price 300,000 taels."

"Lianghuai Salt Administration, vacant next year, need to pay 500,000 taels deposit in advance."

Silver notes flew into the He residence like snowflakes.