The number one scholar in ancient times was very powerful. However, during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, the first number one scholar appointed by Qianlong was hated by Emperor Jiaqing after his death. Who was this person?
This person is Bi Yuan. I wrote a policy essay during the exam, and was directly selected as the number one scholar. After becoming the number one scholar, I started cheating in my life. At the age of 43, he became the governor of Shaanxi and the top local leader. What happens next? He just wanted to use his abilities. But when He Shen turned out to be his fortieth birthday, many officials gave him gifts. However, he was a man of letters and liked to write poems and paintings, so he wrote 10 short poems as a gift. A congratulatory gift was given to He Shen.
Bi Yuan's behavior was not a big deal at the time. After all, in the officialdom, many friends have many paths, and many enemies have many walls. Only by respecting each other can we achieve better development. If you didn't give anything at that time, the two of them would just meet each other and it would be awkward to talk to each other, don't you think? If Heshen had thought about it at that time, and you had not sent it, would your feet not fit the shoes you were wearing? That's also possible. Therefore, I personally felt that it should be given away, and he did so.
In the second year of Jiaqing, Bi Yuan suffered from numbness in his hands and feet. The medicine given by Emperor Jiaqing was ineffective, and he eventually died of a serious illness at the age of sixty-seven. Emperor Jiaqing posthumously gave him the post of Taibao. Later, when Jiaqing was liquidating Heshen, he found these poems. Maybe he just ransacked the house out of anger. As for whether he hated them deeply? I think it is definitely not the case. These few birthday poems cannot represent or explain anything. They may just be the temporary mood of Jiaqing, and I will reflect on it later.
Bi Yuan is quite good as the number one scholar. He was recognized by two monarchs when he was still alive. Do you think he did the right thing by celebrating his birthday?