Chapter 230: The situation in Great Qing
Great Qing had not actually been founded all that long ago; less than a century had passed.
And in those decades, Great Qing had still not fully unified this territory in the northeastern Central Lands.
Even now, most regions remained deeply chaotic.
Over the past few years in particular, the chaos had only worsened.
After Emperor Shunzhi suddenly passed away, his final edict bequeathed the throne to his third son, Xuanye. The Little Emperor Xuanye ascended the throne at just eight years old, taking the title of Kangxi Emperor. But although Xuanye had become emperor, his youth prevented him from ruling personally, and political power remained in the hands of several powerful ministers at court.
One of them was Shunzhi's imperial uncle, Dorgon, who held the powers of regency and oversaw all affairs of state.
But Oobai, hailed as the greatest warrior of the Manchu, was also a veteran of three reigns. He commanded the nation's armies and held immense power and status. Before his death, Emperor Shunzhi had also appointed him a regent entrusted with the young emperor, tasking him with assisting the Kangxi Emperor in governing.
Thus, over these years, the ministers led by Oobai had fought fiercely against Prince Regent Dorgon at court, while the young Kangxi Emperor had become almost invisible.
But after the failed invasion of Ming before the new year, in which Oobai had also died at Shanhai Pass, the officials of Oobai's faction had been suppressed one after another. Dorgon oversaw the government, with no rivals left at court. He wielded absolute authority, and none could match him.
By now, the court had become a solid slab of iron, and Prince Regent Dorgon's power dominated both court and country.
Great Qing's several Iron-Capped Princes all followed