Why Did Heshen Fall Instantly After Qianlong’s Death? Revealing Jiaqing Emperor’s Thunderous Strike

Hello everyone, welcome to History and Culture. If people only see the superficial prosperity of the Qing dynasty during the Qianlong era, many would find it hard to imagine that such a seemingly stable empire was once surging with undercurrents. At the very moment of power transition, at the center of this storm stood none other than He Shen, who had wielded overwhelming power in the court for decades, and an emperor who had long been suppressed yet always endured patiently, judging as the most favored minister in Qianlong's later years. He Shen had, during Qianlong's reign, reached the absolute limit of a subject's power. Almost all matters in the court—military, political, financial, and personnel—could not bypass his name. In the eyes of many officials, He Shen's status was second only to the emperor himself. And at certain times, he even held more real power than the nominal emperor. This was especially true after Qianlong abdicated. Although Qianlong, on the surface, completed the abdication in the first year of Zheqing's reign and passed the throne to his son, in reality, he had not truly relinquished power. Qianlong styled himself the perfect elder of ten accomplishments and was deeply attached to his rule. Even after retiring as emperor emeritus, he still firmly controlled major military and political affairs. For a long time after Zheqing's ascension, he remained emperor in name only. By the second year of Zheqing's reign, Qianlong was advanced in age, and his physical condition began to particularly his speech, which gradually became unclear. This should have been a stage for the natural transition of imperial power. But Qianlong's heart was filled with wariness. He feared that Zheqing might seize the opportunity to take real control. So he chose the tool he trusted most and found most convenient—He Shen. From then on, He Shen became the mouthpiece between Qianlong and court affairs. During daily court audiences, Qianlong sat on the dragon throne, with Zheqing and He Shen standing on either side. When Qianlong could not clearly express decrees, He Shen would relay them on his behalf, while Zheqing had to stand aside and listen to He Shen's explanations. This situation persisted for nearly three years, during which the nominal emperor Zheqing was thoroughly sidelined in practice. Under this arrangement, He Shen's power reached its zenith. He effectively played the role of a regent. Many officials in the court, for the sake of their careers, had no choice but to align with him. And some even set aside their dignity to actively curry favor. Even He Shen's former teacher, an official who had started as a censor, chose to join his camp. The entire bureaucracy formed a vast network revolving around He Shen. But no matter how great the power, it could never be without rivals. In real history, He Shen's political enemies were not as simplistic as portrayed in modern historical dramas and films. Ji Xiaolan never openly clashed with He Shen in court. In fact, the two had quite a close private relationship, often exchanging poetry and prose. Although Liu Yong disapproved of He Shen's character, he was tactful and cautious by nature, and never rashly took an opposing stance. The forces that truly dared to check and balance He Shen were several powerful political groups. One was the Han Chinese officials group represented by Wang Jia, Dong Gao, and Zhu Gui. Wang Jia came from a poor background, but rose to prominence through talent, becoming both a grand secretary and a grand counselor, and had even served as Zheqing's tutor. He dared to speak bluntly in court, and was one of the few who could openly embarrass He Shen. Dong Gao was steady in character, often using systems and procedures to restrain He Shen without direct confrontation. Zhu Gui, Zheqing's enlightenment tutor, was upright in his official conduct and always kept his distance from He Shen. Another force was the Manchu noble group represented by Ah Gui and Fu Kangan. Ah Gui was a famous general of the Qianlong era, capable in both commanding troops and governing affairs, and deeply disliked He Shen's methods. However, as he grew older, Ah Gui gradually withdrew from the political corps and eventually passed away. Fu Kangan was outstanding in military talent, came from a distinguished background, and both competed with and checked He Shen. But he too died young, as these heavyweight figures passed away one after another. The resistance to He Shen in the court grew weaker by Qianlong's later years. The only ones who could still effectively restrain him were a few like Wang Jia, Dong Gao, and Zhu Gui. During his tenure in the provinces, Zhu Gui had demonstrated foresight beyond his time. In Guangdong, he strictly banned opium, emphasized coastal defense construction, and even used his own salary to support shipbuilding. These actions once earned Qianlong's approval. But it was precisely this capability and integrity that made He Shen feel threatened, leading him to repeatedly speak against Zhu Gui, ultimately preventing him from entering the corps of power. Jiaqing saw all of this. On the surface, Jiaqing treated He Shen with great respect, even repeatedly praising him. But deep in his heart, he had long accumulated profound resentment toward this man who had sidelined him for so long. He understood that as long as Qianlong lived, he could not truly hold power, and once Qianlong passed away, if he did not act swiftly, the situation could easily spiral out of control. Thus, immediately after Qianlong's death, the atmosphere grew tense. Jiaqing gave He Shen no time to react. He first had He Shen preside over the funeral rites, ostensibly a sign of trust, but in reality to keep him occupied, while secretly arranging trusted aides to monitor him in the palace. At the same time, he publicly praised He Shen and continued to bestow rewards, causing him to misjudge the situation. Just when He Shen believed everything was still under control, Jiaqing had already swiftly adjusted personnel, removing He Shen's key allies, promoting veteran officials who had long refused to attach themselves to He Shen, and secretly launching an investigation. The entire process advanced rapidly yet in an orderly manner. More than ten days later, the evidence was complete. Emperor Jiaqing decisively ordered He Shen's arrest and publicly announced the charges that had accumulated over time. More crucially, he followed the advice of veteran ministers to pursue only He Shen himself, without implicating others. This decree immediately stabilized the court, causing the many officials who had once depended on He Shen to choose self-preservation and completely distance themselves from him. In the end, He Shen's political career came to a swift close. From Qianlong's death to the full stabilization of the situation, it took no more than half a month. Jiaqing's actions were swift, restrained, and precise, eliminating the greatest threat while avoiding turmoil in the court. According to comments from relevant historians, Jiaqing's rapid removal of He Shen clearly drew lessons from how Emperor Kangxi had dealt with Ao Bai years earlier, striking unexpectedly, cutting through the chaos with a swift blade while avoiding excessive purges. It was precisely this mature and calm political approach that allowed the Qing dynasty to achieve a smooth transition during an extremely dangerous handover of power. History is sometimes not about grand and fierce confrontations, but about patience, judgment, and timing. After years of patient endurance, Emperor Jiaqing, in the shortest possible time, took the most critical step and truly embarked on the path of imperial power that belonged to him. This is the History and Culture channel. Liking and subscribing are the greatest help and support to us. Thank you everyone and see you in the next time.