Why did the Qing Dynasty begin to collapse shortly after killing Heshen? It's a simple principle: if you give Heshen 44 million in military funds, he embezzles 24 million, and the army can still win battles. He knew that embezzling too much military pay would affect the army's combat effectiveness.

In the first month of the Qianlong era, Heshen was thrown into prison. Yesterday he was a subordinate; today he is a prisoner behind bars. The inventory of his confiscated possessions grew longer and longer, and the accounts of 44 million taels of military funds were laid out on the imperial desk. The ministers were furious, and the emperor decided to purge him. When the sword fell, everyone thought the Qing would lighten its load from then on. But things weren’t that simple. Heshen was indeed corrupt, but he controlled the financial lifeline of Qianlong’s later years. Out of the 44 million taels, he took 24 million, leaving 20 million to ensure military supplies and silver rewards. Because he understood that once military pay was short, morale would collapse, border troubles would spiral out of control, and he would have nowhere to retreat. It was a dirty but sustaining balance—power and interests intertwined, yet still able to support warfare. Qing’s decision to kill him was a political gesture and a power reorganization. However, the real problem was not a single powerful official, but the financial emptiness, outdated military system, and bureaucratic corruption. The old central authority was removed, but a new mechanism had not been established. Money was not necessarily more abundant, and efficiency actually declined. After a few years, signs of national decline became more apparent. History reminds us: removing one person does not mean fixing a system. The essence of power is how to keep things running amid imperfection. If one only pursues the fleeting satisfaction of “cleanliness” and neglects structural rebuilding, no matter how sharp the blade, it cannot stop the storm of the times.