Chapter 4 4. Empress Dowager Cixi appointed Zhang Zhidong as the scientific exploration flower of Guihai
In the seventeenth year of Daoguang, Zhang Zhidong was born in the office of his father Zhang Ying, the magistrate's yamen in Xingyi Prefecture, Guizhou.
Zhang Ying's ancestors moved from Hongdong County, Shanxi to Zhili during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, and then settled in Nanpi County.During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Zhang family in Nanpi produced many officials.Both Zhang Ying's great-grandfather and grandfather were county magistrates.Zhang Ying herself passed the examination at the age of 20, but failed in three consecutive examinations.According to the Qing Dynasty's custom, those who did not pass the three subjects can get a kind of preferential treatment, that is, such people will take another exam, and those with first-class results will enjoy Jinshi treatment and be released to the county magistrate.This method of selection is called a big pick.Zhang Ying was sent to Anhua County, Guizhou Province in the southwestern corner because of the big challenge, and later moved to Tongzhi of Guzhou, where he worked hard and was promoted to the magistrate of Xingyi.
Zhang Zhidong was talented and intelligent. Under the strict supervision of his father and tutor, he studied hard and was admitted as a scholar at the age of thirteen.At the age of sixteen, he came to his hometown to take the Shuntian Township Examination, and he came first in high school.The first place in the provincial examination is also known as Jie Yuan. The sixteen-year-old Jie Yuan is extremely rare in the history of imperial examinations.How many scholars are in their old age and are still burning ointment to obtain the qualifications of students; how many scholars are still studying hard at their desks with gray temples.As for Zhang Zhidong, in only sixteen years, he successfully passed the hard journey of the examination room that many people would never finish in their lifetime!For a time, this young master who was born in the magistrate's yamen became a prodigy who attracted the attention of the whole country.
Unexpectedly, in the following ten years, the child prodigy Zhang Zhidong suffered repeated disadvantages on the way to the examination.
First, the Northern Expeditionary Force of the Taiping Army approached Zhili, and the capital was shaken. Zhang Zhidong, who lived with his relatives, could not study in the capital with peace of mind, so he left Beijing and returned to Xingyi Mansion, where his father worked.Then, Xingyi Mansion was surrounded by villagers who rose up under the influence of the Taiping Army, and lost the quiet environment for studying.Soon his father died of illness, and he had to stay in mourning for three years.After the mourning period expired, Zhang Zhidong was about to take part in the national examination, but his cousin Zhang Zhiwan was appointed as the co-examiner of the examination, so he had to avoid it as usual.His cousin Zhang Zhiwan is not a simple character, he is the champion of Daoguang Ding Weike.Ding Weike is known as a famous subject in modern history, because this subject passed Li Hongzhang, Guo Songtao, Shen Guifen and others. Zhang Zhiwan's test papers overwhelmed these celebrities, which shows that he must have something special.In the second year, the imperial court held the Wanshou Enke for Emperor Xianfeng when he was 30 years old. Zhang Zhiwan was appointed as the same examiner, and Zhang Zhidong had no choice but to avoid it again.
In the first year of Tongzhi, when I finally went to Beijing to take part in the general examination, it had been nine years since the Zhongju.Because of the success of the juvenile exam, because of the nine years of accidents, and because of the example of this champion cousin, Zhang Zhidong, who had great ambitions and high self-esteem since childhood, was determined to win the world in this exam. .He worked very hard to do stereotyped essays and test post poems. The essays were colorful and the poems were round and jade-like.He had the confidence to win in high school.His test paper fell into the hands of a room teacher named Fan Hesheng.When Fan Hesheng saw this test paper, he appreciated it very much. He believed that the writing style had the style of "History" and "Han", and strongly recommended it to the chief examiner.Unexpectedly, the chief examiner didn't appreciate it, and Zhang Zhidong failed.Fan Hesheng felt sorry for it and went to visit Zhang Zhidong's inn.Teacher Fan is a man of temperament.While reassuring his students not to be discouraged, Enke will come back next year, he is also indignant at the history and current situation of misleading people in the examination room.Zhang Zhidong was very grateful.
At that time, Zhang Zhiwan was the acting governor of Henan, so he invited his cousin to live in Kaifeng, firstly to study the classics and history, and secondly, to help the yamen draft some manuscripts for practice.Zhang Zhidong drafted several memorials on behalf of his cousin, all of which were decent. Among them, a memorial about water affairs was written better, which was praised by Empress Dowager Cixi.She personally approved eight words on the memorial: straightly report Cao's abuses, and don't avoid resentment.Zhang Zhiwan has always been uneasy because he was the same examiner twice, which caused Zhang Zhidong to lose the opportunity of the two exams. After seeing Zhu Biao, he thought: Don't bury the credit of your cousin, you should tell the queen mother, so that the queen mother has a good opinion of the cousin This is a good impression, which is good for the admission of the college entrance examination and the future career.Therefore, Zhang Zhiwan, in another excerpt not long after, mentioned by the way that the account of water affairs was drafted by his cousin Zhang Zhidong.In this way, the Empress Dowager Cixi, who lived in the deep palace, knew for the first time that there was a Zhang Zhidong who had good knowledge and writing skills.
In the second year, the smug Zhang Zhidong took the exam again, and his poetry and prose were even more brilliant than the previous year.There are really coincidences in the world.This year Fan Hesheng served as the examiner again, and Zhang Zhidong's examination paper fell into his hands again.Although the name has been blurred, Fan Hesheng, who is proficient in discourse, knew that this was the best article in the field.He gave a high evaluation, and boasted everywhere, strongly recommending it.When the list was released, Zhang Zhidong was selected as one hundred and forty-one tributes.When Zhang Zhidong's name was sung loudly, Fan Hesheng was surprised and delighted, and was extremely gratified.During the retest, Zhang Zhidong was in a great mood, and he was full of ideas on the spot, and he was ranked first in the list.
A few days later, the palace will test the countermeasures.The title of the policy discussion is: the establishment of the system and the theory of the country's selection of talents.This is an important examination that determines the rank of Jinshi.Zhang Zhidong, a young man with great ambitions, feels relieved, unconventional, wishing to pour out all his life's talents and knowledge and what he has to say.He pointed out that the lack of talents today is due to too restrictive qualifications, too long subjects, and mixed donations, so when the imperial court issued an edict to the world to recommend generals, very few responded.He also bluntly said that poverty is a major problem in today's world, officials who are poor will be arrogant, people who are poor will be robbers, and soldiers who are poor will have nothing to fight.
Zhang Zhidong only wanted to express his heartfelt joy, but unexpectedly, as an on-the-spot article, it has greatly exceeded the standard of "four flat and eight stable."However, Baowang, the chief examiner and a university scholar, admired it very much.He overcame all opinions and ranked Zhang Zhidong as the top two, that is, the fourth place.According to the usual practice, the chief examiner presents the top ten to the emperor, and the emperor himself decides the ranking.Usually the emperor does not make changes, and is delineated according to the ranking submitted by the examiner.But the 28-year-old Empress Dowager Cixi, who has just listened to the government behind the curtain, is not an ordinary ruler. She is thinking of making a difference and has her own set of ideas.
In her youth, Cixi was clear-headed and serious in her work.Like the rulers of the Qing Dynasty, she also attached great importance to the imperial examinations, not only to win over the hearts of scholars, but also to select real talents from them, so that after a period of experience, they could become the talents of the country.She carefully read Zhang Zhidong's test-taking strategy theory, and she didn't think there was anything out of the ordinary in the article. As for pointing out the current disadvantages, it was even more commendable.Cixi recalled the memorandum on water affairs that he had drafted on behalf of the governor of Henan a few months ago, which was related to his experience of entering school at the age of thirteen and learning at the age of sixteen, as well as the family tradition of his father's death and his cousin's number one scholar.He vaguely felt that the master of this theory was a worthy talent, so he picked up the ink brush and ticked Zhang Zhidong's name from the fourth to the third.Don't underestimate the change of this ranking difference, its significance is truly extraordinary.
It turned out that the Jinshi admitted in the palace examination was divided into first-class, second-class, third-class and third-class.The first three, commonly known as champion, second place, Tanhua, also known as Dingjia of the subject, sit alone at the Qionglin Banquet, using silver bowls and jade chopsticks.The other Jinshi had a table of eight people, using porcelain bowls and bamboo chopsticks.After going out of the Meridian Gate to visit the Golden Street, the Jinshi had to send the three of them back to their apartments before going back to their lodgings.Not only the scenery is different, the background is different, but more importantly, the benefits are very different.
All Jinshi wanted to enter the Hanlin Academy.Hanlin Tsinghua University, promoted quickly, is most envied by scholars.The first three can directly enter the Hanlin Academy without taking the exam, and will be awarded the post of editor or editor, while the second and third will have to pass the imperial examination and then be selected for admission. The salary has been lowered for three years.In this way, the benefits of the first and third ranks are much greater than those of the second and third ranks.
After the gold list was posted, Zhang Zhidong, who was overjoyed, went to the chief examiner Baowang's house to thank him as usual, and Baowang told him about Cixi's change of ranking.Zhang Zhidong received such a heavy favor from Cixi, and he really felt that he could not repay him.It was from that moment that the young Guihai Ke Tanhua felt a strong emotion in his heart: he will always be loyal to the queen mother, loyal to the imperial court, and serve the country with all his heart!
After thanking the chief examiner Baowang, Zhang Zhidong went to the home of Fang Shi Fan Hesheng again, and thanked him for his kindness twice.The gray-haired Fan Hesheng laughed when he saw this heroic new student, and said: "No thanks, no thanks! If I really want to thank you, I would like to thank you. It is your talent and good luck, give me this The old man left a good story in the examination room. I, Fan He, have achieved nothing in my life. If it weren’t because of you as a student, future generations would not know me. Xiang Tao, after the day I revealed my name, everyone saw me again. You, Man Wei cheered. They all congratulated me, saying that this is a strange thing that has never happened in this dynasty. Wang Shaohe often said that the joy of life is better than that of immortals! I heard this, and I became more happy and wrote Here are a few little poems for you to read."
The old man took out a piece of letterhead from the drawer and handed it to Zhang Zhidong.Zhang Zhidong took it with both hands, and saw that there were four poems written on it:
Zhang Zhidong held the heavy letter paper full of love for talents, and his eyes were so excited that tears flashed.After returning to his apartment, he couldn't sleep all night and wrote three poems of Wulu to thank Master Fan for his kindness like a mountain and his love like a sea.
After reading these three poems by Zhang Zhidong, Fan Hesheng said sincerely: "Well written, well written! I know you have the ambition of a man, not an ordinary talent." ', that's what I said. If you can become a pillar of the country in the future, that will be the greatest reward for me."
Zhang Zhidong said: "Students will definitely engrave the teacher's instruction in their hearts, and never forget it for a lifetime!"
Soon, this good story spread to Cixi's ears.Cixi was also very happy, and specially rewarded Fan Hesheng with a nanmu Ruyi handle, as a reward for his public heart and talent for the country.
Four years later, Zhang Zhidong served as the deputy examiner of the Zhejiang Provincial Examination.He took Fan Shi as an example and devoted himself to selecting talents for the country.After the Zhejiang Provincial Examination, Zhang Zhidong was ordered to release Hubei to study politics.In his three-year academic and political career, he rectified the style of study in Hubei based on the purpose of "not only the length of a day in Hengyuan, but also the cultivation of the foundation of the day; not only to promote literature, but to forge fame first". Jingxin Academy was established to guide scholars to study Confucian classics, historical theories, poems and fu, and miscellaneous works, and advocated the practical learning of managing the world and applying it.After the term of Hubei Xuezheng expired, Zhang Zhidong returned to the Imperial Academy.Three years later, he was released as the deputy chief examiner of the Sichuan Provincial Examination.After the exam, he stayed in Sichuan as a student.During his supervision in Sichuan, he adhered to the purpose of studying politics in Hubei, advocated a simple and practical style of study, and founded Zunjing Academy.It is this Zunjing Academy that created the study of Bashu in the future and had a great influence on the academic atmosphere in modern China.
In the second year of Guangxu, Zhang Zhidong returned to Hanyuan after finishing his post as a scholar in Sichuan.In the memorials of the governor of Zhejiang and the governor of Sichuan, the Empress Dowager Cixi knew that Zhang Zhidong was working hard and running the school with all his heart.After Zhang Zhidong returned to the capital, he cared about current affairs and spoke out bravely. His name was often spread among the population along with the names of Li Hongzao, Zhang Peilun and others. Cixi naturally knew him.What impressed Cixi the most was Zhang Zhidong's outstanding performance in the corpse case that caused a sensation in the government and the public in May this year.
Five years ago, the nineteen-year-old Tongzhi Emperor Zaichun, who had been in power for just one year, was suddenly seriously ill, and Cixi was very anxious about it.For more than ten years, Empress Dowager Cixi wholeheartedly hoped to train her son to be a resolute and courageous emperor, just like the ancestors who founded the foundation and start a business. Cowardly, revive the glory of the Qing Dynasty.After her son came to power, he had a bit of a mother's heroism, and Cixi was relieved. She decided to help her son for a few more years until he was fully mature and able to handle state affairs independently.Unexpectedly, her son was terminally ill and could not afford to lie down. When the imperial doctor told her the truth quietly, a major practical problem that could not be delayed forced her to suppress the great grief in her heart and calm down to think about who would succeed the throne. .
Emperor Tongzhi had no sons. According to the family law of passing on from son to son, one should be selected from among his nephews, but he had no brothers, so he had no nephews. The selection had to be extended to the great-grandsons of Emperor Daoguang. The first generation, that is, the grandchildren of Emperor Xianfeng's brothers.The grandson of Emperor Xianfeng belongs to the Pu family, and so far there is only Pu Lun, the grandson of Emperor Xianfeng's elder brother Yi Wei, but Pu Lun is not Yi Wei's grandson.Yiwei has no sons, and the one who inherits his title is Yiji, the great-grandson of Yongli, the eleventh son of Emperor Qianlong.Obviously, Pu Lun is not a suitable candidate.
After Cixi excluded Pu Lun, she only focused on the grandson of Emperor Daoguang, that is, the nephew of Emperor Xianfeng-Zaizi generation.There are currently only three people in the Zaizi generation, namely Zai Chen, who is 18 years old, Zai Ying, who is 11 years old, and Zai Tian, who is 4 years old.Zaicheng is the eldest son of Prince Gong Yiyi.Cixi couldn't help but be filled with anger when Zaichen was mentioned.Seriously speaking, her precious son was killed by this Zai Cheng.
After Zai Chun ascended the throne, he was still studying in the upper study room. Yiyi, who was then the king of politics, arranged for his son Zai Ji to study in the upper study room. In name, he was accompanying Zai Chun, but in fact, he created a relationship between his son and the emperor from an early age. The intimate environment laid a solid foundation for his son's future political career.Zai Chun and Zai Cheng, two cousins, are inseparable all day long because they are similar in age and similar in personality, and they are extremely close.Years later, both brothers have grown up.Yiyi's goal is being successfully realized.
Zaicheng is not an emperor, he is not bound by the palace, he can often go back to Prince Gong's mansion, and often let the servants of the palace accompany him to the market, so he knows that there are many delicious and interesting things outside the palace.He would occasionally tell his cousin these things, which made the young emperor who was trapped in the Forbidden City envious all day long, and begged his cousin to take him outside to have a look.Zai Cheng bribed the maids around Zai Chun and the eunuch who was in charge of the keys in the palace. The two brothers put on green clothes and cloth caps and left the palace through the small gate.
For the first time, the emperor at the age of seventeen or eighteen saw the prosperity of the market, the excitement of the shops and the laughter of people from the heart, and ate a lot of folk snacks that were far better than imperial meals.He seemed to feel that he was a real person at this moment, while the rigid procedures in the palace seemed to be acting, and all the characters in the palace were like lifeless pottery figurines and puppets without soul.After being in the palace a few more times, Zai Chun became more courageous and knew more.He actually heard that there was a brothel for men to have fun, and asked Zai Cheng to take him to have a look.Zai Cheng didn't dare at first, but later he couldn't stand his soft and hard words, and he was moved, so he took the current Ninth Five-Year Master to visit the brothel.The high-ranking ones dare not go there, for fear of meeting princes and nobles who recognize them there, so they have to choose the low-grade brothels where the common people go.Not wanting to go shopping only two or three times, Zai Chun contracted a serious illness.Later, Zaichun suffered from smallpox, and the imperial doctor told Cixi privately: The emperor suffered from smallpox and a serious disease, which could not be cured.Empress Dowager Cixi had a big accident, and later it was found out that it was Zaicheng's seduction. Cixi really wanted to peel Zaiji's skin off.It was only because of the dignity of the royal family that Zai Cheng had to be exempted from punishment.Can such a person still stand?Even if you put aside the deep hatred that killed your son, you can't be a king just because of your licentious behavior!
Zaiying is Yiyi's second son, but Cixi doesn't like this little nephew very much.People have sharp-mouthed monkey cheeks, and they can't leave their mouths for years.An eleven-year-old kid, not as tall as an eight or nine-year-old girl.What's more, his biological mother Tataras was weak and incompetent, and Cixi looked down on her.Such a person is definitely not a talent in charge of the Qing Dynasty.
Then there is only one carrier left.Zaiyun is the son of Seventh Master Yixuan. He is handsome, lively and lovable.He is only four years old, and he is a young seedling that has just been unearthed, and he can be cultivated according to his own wishes.In addition, Zai Tian has an innate advantage that no one else lacks: he was born of Cixi's sister.Because of this, Cixi decided to take Zai Tian into the palace even at the risk of violating the ancestral system.Thinking of the more than ten years of hanging behind the curtain to listen to the government and holding the court's keynotes, the princes, nobles, and civil and military ministers all prostrated and obeyed, and the country's plans and royal affairs were all dictatorial with the Sacred Heart, Cixi was very proud.This woman, who has had a strong desire for power since she was a child, regards this kind of scenery as the real value of life.The succeeding emperor still has fourteen years to study and study. In the next fourteen years, she can use her further proficient political skills and a more consolidated confidant group to make her past glory even more dazzling.
The Eastern Empress Dowager Ci'an lacked the ability to engage in politics, and since the Xinyou year, all state affairs, big or small, have been obeyed by Cixi.When Cixi told her her thoughts about the establishment of an heir, although she felt embarrassed about the violation of the ancestral system, she could not give a reason to object: because Cixi's consideration was correct.She is also not happy to give the throne passed down by her husband to a nephew with a distant lineage; if it is said to violate the ancestral system, it is a violation of the ancestral system for the two palaces to listen to the government behind the curtain in the year of Xinyou. As the queen of the main palace, she is the leader of this move People, until now, it is better not to mention the ancestral system.What's more, stabilizing the Qing Dynasty is the top priority. Ci'an is well aware of Cixi's political talents and selfish nature. If her nephew is allowed to rule the world, she will definitely assist him as if she were her own son. This has only advantages and no disadvantages for the Qing Dynasty.Zai Tian entered the palace to succeed, and the matter was settled like this.The Aixinjueluo family law, which has been practiced for more than two hundred years and has been passed down from son to son for ten generations, was interrupted by this woman from the Yehenala family.
The first thing to do in the next step is to call Chun Wang Yixuan into the palace and tell him the decision.How could Yizhen be unhappy that his son was about to become emperor!But like his two older brothers, Emperor Xianfeng and Prince Gong, King Chun's talents are fragile.Firstly, he was afraid that the royal family would accuse him of violating the ancestral system, secondly, he was afraid that Yiyi would be jealous, and thirdly, he was afraid that in the future, as the emperor's own father, he would have a difficult relationship with the two empress dowagers, especially Cixi. few.After carefully considering Yizhen's concerns, Cixi gave him a trick.Therefore, there is such a record in the history books: Yizhen, who had no inside information in advance, entered the palace together with several princes of the near branch and ministers of military affairs, and knelt down to listen to the empress dowagers of the two palaces announce the benevolent decree of the heir.When he learned that his son had been selected, Yizhen kowtowed and cried, fainted on the ground, and was carried back to the palace.After waking up, he repeatedly asked the queen mother of the two palaces to take back her order.The next day after I was not allowed, I went to Shu: Please leave all the vacancies, leave a deposed king with a vain title for heaven and earth, and leave a dull and talentless son for Emperor Xuanzongcheng.On the third day, I will go to the book again: I will only keep the vacant title of Prince Chun, and I will never add any titles in the future. In order to prevent villains from advancing in the future, please save this book as a proof.
All the obstacles to Zai Tian's succession have been cleared, and there is only one major issue that is difficult to clear, which is the issue of the heirs of Emperor Tongzhi.If an ordinary commoner has no sons, he can still adopt the sons of other people as his sons. What's more, an emperor who has been in the world for more than ten years will die when he dies. Doesn't he even have a person to inherit the incense?As a biological mother, Cixi did not want to see her son so bleak after his death, so she made a hasty decision: Zai Tian would have a son in the future, who would be Zai Chun's heir.On the day of Zaichun's death, a decree was promulgated in the name of the queen mothers of the two palaces: "Zaiyun inherits Emperor Wenzongxian as his son, and everyone inherits Datong as his heir. If Emperor Qisi has a prince, he will inherit Emperor Daxing as his heir. " Immediately afterwards, the enthronement ceremony was held for Zai Tian in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Yi Yi was very unhappy about choosing Zai Tian instead of his son as emperor.One is that the empress dowagers of the two palaces have made a decision, and as a courtier, he cannot object; the other is that Yizhen's subsequent performances have also blocked his mouth, so he can't complain anymore.Yiyi didn't object, so the other three powerless younger brothers of Emperor Xianfeng naturally couldn't object either.Although several princes with close branches were very dissatisfied with Cixi's Lizai family and not Lipu's family, but it was a fact that it was useless for them to oppose it. Moreover, they also knew Cixi's methods, and offending her was not a good thing.So in the past five years, the royal family has lived in peace.
In fact, peace and harmony is only on the surface, and it is not peaceful inside.Not long after Zai Cheng ascended the throne, there was a private discussion in the royal family.They said that the Yizhi said that when the emperor gave birth to a son, he would inherit the emperor Daxing as the heir, and the meaning here is very vague.If it's just succession, it's like ordinary people, only inheriting the incense, not the grand order; but the god of the Daxing Emperor will enter the Taimiao in the future, and only the emperor has the right to enter the Taimiao to worship ancestors, and others do not have it. In this way However, the god-lord of Emperor Daxing still has no descendants of his own to worship in the future, and succession becomes empty talk.If the heir is the successor, the eldest son of the emperor will be the heir of the Daxing emperor in the future, that is, the prince, which is a big taboo.
It turns out that the establishment and storage system of the Qing Dynasty is different from that of previous dynasties.At the beginning of the founding of the Qing Dynasty, like previous dynasties, the crown prince was established first.In the early years of Emperor Kangxi, the crown prince was appointed first, which later caused many political disputes, so that the crown prince was established and abolished, and the prince was abolished and established, and the princes fought endlessly for the throne.In view of this, Kangxi established a rule in his later years: not to establish a prince in advance.After the emperor identified the prince, he wrote his name behind the upright and bright plaque of the Qianqing Palace.After the emperor's death, the secret edict of passing on the throne hidden on his body was compared with the name taken from the upright plaque, and the close princes of the royal family and court ministers jointly verified that it was correct before publishing it.
Kangxi's decision was indeed very wise. It not only eliminated the internal scramble among the princes, but also allowed the emperor to have a long period of time to inspect the princes in order to select talents and pass them on.This is beneficial both to the royal family and to the country.Therefore, since Kangxi, all dynasties have firmly followed it and cannot change it.
Therefore, it is absolutely impossible to establish a prince in advance.
So, what exactly does Yizhi mean?
This matter, everyone just discussed it like this, and no one brought it up, because once it was brought up, it would be difficult to solve it properly.
Cixi soon realized the dilemma brought about by Li Zaitian, and she also found it difficult to deal with it, so she had to adopt an attitude of setting it aside for the time being and then acting out of camera later.
Unexpectedly, this dilemma was revealed by a person outside the royal family.
At the beginning of May, the tomb of Emperor Tongzhi, whose temple name was Mu Zong, had been built, and the court held a grand ceremony for the permanent enshrinement of Mu Zongzi Palace.There is a chief in the official department named Wu Kedu, an old man who is over sixty years old.The principal was a junior official with a sixth-rank rank, and he was not qualified to be an official, but Wu Kedu begged hard, so he had to be allowed to participate.After the ceremony, on the way back to Beijing, Wu Kedu hanged himself and died suddenly, and everyone found a legacy from him.What the last book talks about is exactly what is discussed inside the royal family.According to the zhezi, when Mu Zong was in great power at that time, the queen mother's edict only talked about succession but not succession. There were precedents in history for succession but not succession. Let the Datong fall aside, please ask the queen mother to immediately establish an heir for Mu Zong, and explain that the heir is the heir, and even if the emperor has a hundred princes in the future, he can no longer covet the throne.
Wu Kedu knew that wearing dragon scales would make life difficult in the future, so he simply died, and a corpse remonstrance unique in the Qing Dynasty came.
Facing Wu Ke's will, all kinds of feelings of compassion, anger, grievance, and embarrassment flooded Cixi's heart.
This dead old man is really thinking about her son, hoping that Mu Zong will have a son, and hope that Mu Zong's son will inherit the throne from generation to generation.If it was an ordinary empress dowager, she would be very grateful and sympathetic to such a loyal courtier.Of course, Cixi has the mood of an empress dowager, but it was she who decided to set up the throne, and she is in control of the current government affairs. If the political situation is stable and people are united in one mind, wouldn't the legacy of this ghostly old man stir up conflicts in the royal family and cause uneasiness among internal and external officials?Cixi thought aggrievedly: Was it completely selfish when Li Zaitian was established?Is it easy to live in peace for the past few years?How troublesome is it to choose a unified matter? How can you, a small chief, know the complicated situation inside the royal family.Since you don't know, you don't need to say much; even if you have something to say, you can ask someone to teach you a secret book.Now there is a corpse remonstrance, which forces me to answer publicly, but how can I answer this matter?You said that Mu Zong should establish an heir immediately, who should he establish?
Thinking of this, Cixi's heart suddenly brightened: at present, only Zaichen's two-year-old son Pu Zhuo is the only descendant of Kilometer Pu, the king of the nearby branch, and Wu Kedu means to make Pu Zhuo his heir.So, is he speaking for Lao Liu?Lao Liu didn't fight for the throne for his son, so now he uses Wu Kedu's old life to seek the throne for his grandson?
"Hmph, don't think too much!" Cixi gritted her teeth and made a decisive decision: to make Wu Kedu's legacy public, and let princes and ministers, Liubu Jiuqing, and Han Zhan Kedao discuss it. Use this to see the reaction of Prince Gong's Mansion, and also use this to check whether there are any knowledgeable and resourceful people in the court who are sincere in solving her problems.
But to Cixi's surprise, there was no reaction at all from Prince Gong's Palace, and there was no obvious movement in other nearby palaces.The courtiers believed that whether it was establishing an heir or establishing a line, it was a family affair of the royal family, so how could outsiders talk too much?Several days later, Xu Tong, the co-organizer of the University, Pan Zuyin, Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, Weng Tonghe, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, and others submitted a few notes, saying that Wu Kedu's move was out of date, and that there had been a clear order to establish an heir for Mu Zong, so he should not challenge him again. trouble.Cixi was naturally willing to hear these words, but she always felt that she missed the point.It wasn't until she saw Zhang Zhidong's memorial that she felt relieved.Zhang Zhidong answered Wu Kedu's provocation point by point.
First of all, Zhang Zhidong clearly explained the edict of the empress dowagers of the two palaces five years ago: to establish an heir is to establish a reunification.In this way, what Wu Kedu said about Mu Zong's great rule cannot be established.Secondly, from now on, Mu Zong's heir is the present's own son. Since he is his own son, there is absolutely no reason to do harm.Wu Kedu's worries are unnecessary.Third, as Wu Kedu said, one cannot be pre-appointed to be both heir and successor, because this violates family law.In the end, Zhang Zhidong boiled it down to one point: "there are many princes in the future, so there is no need to designate who to inherit. In the future, the one who inherits the great rule will inherit Mu Zong as heir. As for obstacles."
After reading Zhang Zhidong's memorial, Cixi couldn't help sighing: "Using such concise and clear language, he analyzed the complex problem of establishing an heir and establishing a lineage raised in Wu Ke's posthumous papers so clearly. He also made up for the gaps in the hastily issued Yizhi's decree seamlessly; the truth that he wanted to say but couldn't explain, was actually explained so completely by this person, it's really rare.Among the courtiers, there are too few such talents, they should be promoted!
Cixi was thinking about finding a suitable official position to promote Zhang Zhidong, but unexpectedly, the Yili incident followed one after another, and Zhang Zhidong once again showed his loyalty and talent in it.It seems that the matter of promotion cannot be postponed any longer.
Thinking of this, Cixi resolutely lifted the quilt and got out of bed, causing all the maids to dress and tie her in a panic.She moved slowly in the room, and Zeng Guofan, who had passed away seven or eight years ago, came to her mind again.She knew that Lord Daoguang had made an exception to promote Zeng Guofan, who was only thirty-seven years old, from the fourth rank to the fourth rank, which made Zeng Guofan endlessly grateful to the royal family, and only then did he exhaust his efforts and die as a loyal minister of the three dynasties.Yes, like Master Daoguang, Zhang Zhidong should be promoted in an extraordinary way, so that he can feel the special honor of the court, and in the future, he will repay himself twice as Zeng Guofan did.
However, Cixi has never met Zhang Zhidong, nor heard him speak.what does he look likeIs he in good spirits?Is he responsive?Does he have the demeanor of a court minister like Zeng Guofan, with the majesty to appease the people and deter the crowd?
Summon Zhang Zhidong!Cixi quickly made this decision in her mind.Although the ancestral system stipulates that the rulers of the country should not summon officials below the fourth rank, even such a major event as governing and establishing a government dares to break through the ancestral system. What is this small rule in the eyes of Cixi!