Chapter 5 5. It turned out that Zhang Zhidong was short and ugly, and Cixi gave up the idea of making an exception for promotion.
Afternoon is the quietest time of the day in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.When Zhang Zhidong followed Li Lianying, crossed the threshold of Zunyi Gate, and saw the ancient dark iron bell tower in the middle of the vestibule, his heart was immediately filled with a sense of sacred purge.He paused for a moment, straightened the crystal-topped round hat on his head, stroked the eight-python five-claw robe with the white pheasant patch on his body, exhaled a long breath, collected himself forcefully, and then walked as usual Walk through the vestibule, enter the main hall, and stand with a slight bend in front of the yellow satin curtain of Dongnuange.
Li Lianying lifted the curtain and went in.After a while, he came to the door again, opened most of the curtain, and said softly to Zhang Zhidong, "Go in!"
Zhang Zhidong's heart beat suddenly, hot blood rushed to his forehead.He is about to pay his respects to the empress dowager who is so powerful in the world, how can he not be excited, excited and nervous?
This kind of excitement has been permeating his whole body since he received the order at noon yesterday.It has been sixteen years since he entered Hanyuan in the second year of Tongzhi. Except for the six years after school and politics, he has been dealing with this woman almost every day, reporting various big and small things to her, and following countless orders from her. He had heard his colleagues vividly describe her extraordinary beauty and extraordinary intelligence, and often passed various anecdotes about her in his ears, but Zhang Zhidong just never saw her with his own eyes!There is no other reason for this, but his grade is not enough.Forty-two or three-year-old, how many people at this age have already become the Minister of the court, the governor of the province, and yet they are still succumbing to the mere horse.Zhang Zhidong, who was often troubled by his poor official career, became even more depressed every time he thought about it.Suddenly a Lun voice came: I will call you tomorrow.What an anomaly!Why did the Queen Mother summon me?What will she ask me?For several hours, Zhang Zhidong has been thinking about these issues.This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, be sure to seize it!Thinking of this, Zhang Zhidong suppressed thousands of emotions, bent over and walked into Dongnuan Pavilion.The moment he stepped into the pavilion, he raised his head and glanced ahead quickly.
About ten steps away from the threshold was a thin layer of yellow curtains, from which a well-dressed woman could be vaguely seen sitting behind her.Undoubtedly, this is the Queen Mother.Zhang Zhidong didn't dare to look any further, so he bent down quickly and reported loudly, "Zhang Zhidong, the Xima official of the Department of Economics and Economics, knelt down to see the Queen Mother."
After speaking, he took a few steps forward, knelt on the cotton pad in front of the curtain, took off the round crystal hat, and touched his head on the blue floor tiles.It is said that there is an empty floor tile in the Dongnuang Pavilion, and if you touch the tile with your head, it will make a loud sound, which gives the Queen Mother a very loyal feeling.But this must be paid off to the eunuchs in Dongnuange, and they will put the cotton pad next to this floor tile.Zhang Zhidong didn't know this secret, so he didn't give him the silver in advance, so the eunuch didn't give him this benefit.Zhang Zhidong knocked his head three times heavily on the floor tiles, but the floor tiles only made a sound of "bubu", not loud.
After the sound of "bubu" disappeared, there was no other sound in Dongnuange.Zhang Zhidong wondered: Why didn't the queen mother speak?
It turned out that Cixi was carefully examining this little Beijing official from the fifth rank through the curtain.The Empress Dowager talked to foreign ministers through a curtain. This is the famous history of listening to politics behind a curtain in modern Chinese history.The curtains are specially made, and the queen mother can clearly see the servants kneeling outside when she sits inside, but the servants cannot see the queen mother clearly.
From the moment Zhang Zhidong walked into the curtain, Cixi was sizing up the well-known middle-aged man in front of her with her unique politician's shrewdness and feminine delicacy.
However, Cixi was disappointed.In her eyes, Zhang Zhidong was not as tall as the middle man, and his shoulders were thin, his legs were extremely short, and his up and down were uncoordinated.When Zhang Zhidong got closer, she saw a long, thin horse face with a big flat nose and a wide mouth under the nose.The only thing that interested Cixi was the extraordinarily bright eyes above the nose.Cixi immediately remembered the words "two eyes are like lightning" in wild history, and she felt that if these four words were transferred to Zhang Zhidong, it would not be too much.
The Empress Dowager Cixi, who has been widowed since she was twenty-six, has a strange and subtle emotion for those men and women who bow their heads in front of her.Those young men who are tall and tall, or handsome and upright, often get special attention from her, and sometimes even get unexpected benefits.Over the years, this emotion has diminished a lot with age, but it has not completely disappeared.
"Zhang Zhidong, are you in your forties this year?" Finally, Cixi's clear and pleasant voice came from behind the curtain.
"I am forty-three years old this year." Zhang Zhidong didn't expect that the Queen Mother's summons would start with such a very common, homely sentence, and most of his nervousness relaxed.
Cixi saw that Zhang Zhidong had a lot of gray hair on his temples, and estimated that he was about forty-seven or eighty-eight, but unexpectedly he was two years younger than herself.
"Are you Tanhua in the second year of Tongzhi?"
"Yes." For more than ten years, Cixi's special family has been engraved in Zhang Zhidong's heart, but he never had a chance to express it.The moment has finally arrived.He said with sincerity, "I will never forget the mountains and seas of kindness bestowed on me by the Empress Dowager that year. I will never forget it for the rest of my life. Even though I was heartbroken to the Empress Dowager, I will never repay you!"
After finishing speaking, he knocked his head heavily on the green brick floor three more times.When she raised her head, Cixi saw a few teardrops hanging on Zhang Zhidong's face through the curtain.
As the last powerful dictator in Chinese feudal society who was a woman, Empress Dowager Cixi was easily driven by emotion.Zhang Zhidong thanked her so sincerely, which moved her quite a bit.She immediately realized that this talented Xi Ma was a solid man who repayed his kindness, and most of the unhappiness caused by his ugly appearance was immediately eliminated.
"I heard that you put your heart into doing things abroad. Hubei and Sichuan have produced a lot of talents in recent years."
A warm current stirred Zhang Zhidong's whole body, and he straightened his waist and replied: "The family of the minister has received the grace of the country, and the minister himself has been honored by the Queen Mother. It is the duty of the minister to serve the country with all his heart."
Cixi nodded slightly and started to get to the point: "Chonghou's improper handling of affairs has damaged the dignity of the country, and the imperial court has strict orders on this."
"The empress dowager is wise!" Zhang Zhidong was very excited when he heard this, and said majesticly, "Chonghou has always flattered the outside world and flattered the enemy. Zeng Wenzheng suffered from him when he organized the Tianjin missionary case that year, and later regretted it. This time he did it again. Serving servilely in front of the Russians, he actually ceded his ancestral land to please the foreigners without authorization. I think that Chonghou must be killed, and not killing is not enough to cause the people to be angry!"
The thick and straight Beijing accent mixed with Nanyin echoed in Dongnuan Pavilion, and the walls seemed to be buzzing, and Cixi, who was sitting on the dragon chair, could not feel moved by it.She hadn't heard such a vigorous, decisive tone for many years.On weekdays, all she heard was the submissive and low voices of the ministers, without any masculinity of a man.Some ministers, especially those who are summoned for the first time, often mutter, unable to speak clearly, or even too nervous to speak.Zhang Zhidong, who entered Dongnuange for the first time, was so calm and relaxed, and he dealt with it like a instrument, which shows that this person has extraordinary courage.
"Zhang Zhidong, tell me, if the imperial court disagrees with the treaty Chonghou signed in Russia privately, will Russia send troops to invade the Qing Dynasty?"
This question raised by Cixi was the first major question that Zhang Zhidong had repeatedly discussed with Zhang Peilun, Chen Baochen and others during this period, and Zhang Zhidong had already thought about it thoroughly.He could have talked about it for an hour or two, but this is the summoning of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, not the clear discussion of the Nagarjuna Temple, so he can only choose the main points and give a brief summary. "Returning to the Empress Dowager, I believe that the first is that Russia cannot be invaded by renewing the contract; There are three reasons for this. The first is the lack of reason. The minister suggested that the injustice of this Russian treaty should be publicized both at home and abroad, and written by other countries, so that the whole world can discuss the right and wrong. The second is internal emptiness. Although Russia is known as a big country, but Since the beginning of the war in Turkey, teachers and elders have been devoting themselves to wealth and dissatisfaction with the people. In recent years, the monarch has repeatedly taken measures to prevent people from being assassinated. If he offends me again, there will be a catastrophe. It is the use of troops in Xinjiang to deter the barbarians, and Russia must be afraid. This is the main reason why Russia dare not invade this time. Of course, Russia is a country of tigers and wolves, and it has long coveted me. Defense. The old minister suggested that Xinjiang, Jilin, and Tianjin should strengthen their defenses to prevent accidents. In addition, the minister always believed that there are two powerful enemy countries near us, one is Japan and the other is Russia. Japan is small, And there is no border; Russia is big, and I have thousands of miles of territory. Therefore, Russia is more harmful to me than Japan, and I must be on guard against Russia for many years."
On the other side of the curtain, Cixi nodded frequently.Zhang Zhidong's analysis was straightforward and concise, and she heard every sentence in her heart.
"Zhang Zhidong, many people are advocating that Zeng Jize be recruited to go to Russia to change the contract. What do you think?"
"I think so." Zhang Zhidong replied immediately, "After Zeng Jize was a famous minister, many people who met their father and son said that Zeng Jize has the style of being a father. In addition, he has served as the envoy of Britain, France and other countries over the years, and is familiar with Yi If you are familiar with Western laws, you will be able to argue with reason and fight against the Zunzu. The minister thought that the imperial court should order Zeng Jize not to show weakness in front of the Russians, and never to cede the ancestral land. If it is not possible, he can give some more money in exchange The whole territory of Yili was taken back."
Cixi pondered: This is a good idea.It doesn't matter if you give more money, the big deal is to collect more taxes and tighten the household expenses. As for the supply of the harem, it has nothing to do with the extra or missing millions of taels of silver.It is true that the land cannot be cut.Cutting an inch of land away is the sinner of the ancestors, and will be written as a traitor in the annals of history for generations to come.
With regard to the handling of the Yili incident, Cixi had roughly made up her mind through inquiries with Zhang Zhidong.She heard many people praise Zhang Zhidong for his familiarity with the classics and history, his extensive reading, his extensive knowledge, his knowledge of Yuan Yi, the earthquake in Gansu in mid-May, and the sight of Venus in the daytime since June. Empress Dowager Cixi, who didn't read much, couldn't figure out the profound truth.Why not ask Zhang Zhidong to talk about it, and let him test his knowledge!
"Zhang Zhidong, an earthquake occurred in the northwest recently, and Venus can be seen during the day, what's going on?"
The question Cixi suddenly raised was beyond Zhang Zhidong's estimation.Zhang Zhidong is well versed in classics, and he also paid great attention to phenomena recorded in classics and history books, such as landslides, earthquakes, and abnormal astrology.He is a strict Confucian believer, and he is deeply impressed by Confucius' practice of keeping silent and confusing power.He doesn't really believe in the mysterious and mysterious inferences of those prophecies and fortune-tellers, thinking that they are mostly attached to the theory.But why do all the scriptures and history books record them?After long-term study and combined with more than ten years of experience in politics, he was convinced that it was a kind of Shinto preaching by the sages, that is, using astronomical phenomena to persuade the king to change evil and do good, and to be lenient in government and compassionate to the people.He admired the wisdom of the sages, and now it was his turn to perform this sacred duty to the king.
Zhang Zhidong said awe-inspiringly: "The earthquake in Gansu, the appearance of Venus at daytime, this kind of geographical and astronomical phenomena also appeared at the same time in the tenth year of Kangxi. The holy ancestor immediately issued an edict to repair the province, and ordered the ministers to point out that Chen Que was missing. God showed me, Self-cultivation and self-reflection are the benevolence of the righteous ancestors. Today, the empress dowagers and emperors of the two palaces respect the sky and love the people, and they are well-known to all the subjects of the world. However, the astronomical phenomena and geography are the same, so they cannot be careless. I think it is appropriate to follow the example of the saints. Grandpa, use the following things to repair the province and eliminate disasters."
Zhang Zhidong paused for a moment to calm himself down, and the major issues that he usually thought about quickly came to his mind one by one: "Adopt blunt words every day. Cultivating virtue is actually improving government, and improving government must start with accepting words." Hong Kong "Fan? Five Elements" said that those who occupy the holy position should be tolerant and tolerant. The old saying says that the ruler is wise and the ministers are straight. As the saying goes, good medicine is good for the disease, and honest words are good for the deeds. If you don't practice, the authentic one is the way of ministers. "Spring and Autumn" must be written in the earthquake, and the intention is to blame ministers for not fulfilling their duties. From my point of view, there have been many cases of ministers not repairing their duties in recent years. After kneeling down, ministers should The Empress Dowager clarified them one by one."
"You must report the truth." Cixi interrupted Zhang Zhidong.
"Yes, I must report the truth." Zhang Zhidong continued to play, "One day, I care about people's livelihood. "Book of Changes? Elephant" day, the mountain is attached to the ground, and the house is peeled off. Cheng Zi notes the day: the mountain is attached In the ground, the image of peeling and peeling, and those who live above the people and see the image of peeling, will take care of the people and make a solid foundation, so they can live in peace. The earthquake in the Northwest is just God's revelation to the people in the lower world who are restless, so please sympathize Livelihood of the people. One day pay attention to river defense. According to historical records, Venus is a change, or it dominates water. Therefore, the imperial court is requested to pay more attention to the Yellow River, Huai River and Yongding River in Gyeonggi and other disaster-prone rivers. Although it is not a good thing to see Venus in the daytime, if you see God’s warning and practice self-cultivation, you can eliminate disasters and eliminate disasters, and the country will be peaceful and the people will be safe.”
Cixi saw that Zhang Zhidong's citation of scriptures was like a sheep, she secretly admired it, and thought to herself: It's a pity that such a well-educated but not pedantic talent is succumbed to the Bureau of Economics and Economics, and he should be promoted in an exceptional way.After another thought, Zhang Zhidong is an important member of the Qingliu Party, and the court has mixed reputation, so he should be treated with caution.She wanted to hear Zhang Zhidong's own views on the Qingliu Party, so she asked: "Zhang Zhidong, it is said that there is a Qingliu Party in the capital, which specializes in impeaching Chinese and foreign officials, what do you think?"
Zhang Zhidong didn't expect Cixi to ask such a sharp question, and he didn't know where to start to answer it.He instinctively realized that the Empress Dowager didn't like the word "Qingliu Party". Emperors never liked ministers and workers forming cliques. Uneasy about it.Thinking of this, Zhang Zhidong's head was covered with hot sweat, and it was hot to the base of his neck.He concentrated for a moment, adjusted his mood, and then said calmly: "Qizou Queen Mother, I think the Qingliu Party's statement is not true. Since I returned to Beijing from Sichuan in the second year of Guangxu, I have had quite a lot of contacts with Li Hongzao, Pan Zuyin, Zhang Peilun, Chen Baochen and others. Many. One minister admired their prudent character and loyalty to the empress dowager and caring about state affairs, and the other minister shared their hobbies of learning, poetry, and gold and stone research. Although there has always been a party of gentlemen and a party of villains However, I am still wary of "forming cliques for private interests" and dare not form alliances with others in order to prove the truth. As far as I know, Li Hongzao and others have the same heart as me. And I think that the impeachment of high officials is the one. It's not all true. Let me take Chen as an example. In recent years, except for Huang Tifang who drafted the impeachment of Dong Xun, the Secretary of the Ministry of Household Affairs, the rest, whether drafted by others or signed by himself, are all rumors. Chen Ce did not focus on rectifying and impeaching officials. For example, in the Yili incident, the minister advocated severe punishment for Chonghou, but it was not specifically aimed at Chonghou. The minister drafted seven or eight scriptures for this matter, and there are still a few Before the Dao was reached, all these memorials focused on how to properly handle the return of Yili, not on how to punish Chonghou. The ministers read the books of the Confucians, and they were rough and righteous. They neither dared to form a party for personal gain, nor It is the duty of a minister to be unwilling to benefit oneself by impeaching others, and to stand sideways and pay attention to state affairs. I have always believed that the most important thing is to analyze the truth and seek good strategies, and not aim at severely punishing dismissal from office."
Cixi silently listened to Zhang Zhidong's long statement, and thought to herself: Zhang Peilun, Chen Baochen and others received the most grievances among the top figures in the "Qingliu Party", but Zhang Zhidong was indeed not attacked much. Perhaps, as he himself said, his "clear party" focuses on talking about things and seldom talking about people?Zhang Peilun and Chen Baochen played one thing today and corrected another tomorrow, and there will be a lot of grievances in the future, which may be harmful to themselves.Through the thin yellow silk curtain, Cixi stared at Zhang Zhidong for a long time, as if she saw the other side of the Economic Bureau.Is it Mingzhe, or is it well-behaved?Sophisticated, or smooth?
Out of instinctive dislike for the Qingliu Party, coupled with the unpleasing long face and uncoordinated short stature, another idea gradually prevailed in Cixi's mind: he is a down-to-earth and pragmatic , A mature and prudent talent?Is it a minister of the country who can be a great leader and deter the crowd?Have to take another look, wait!Hold off on breaking the rules and advance as usual.After Cixi made this decision, she waved to Zhang Zhidong who was kneeling outside the curtain: "Kneel down!"
Walking out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Zhang Zhidong shivered involuntarily when a gust of cool wind blew.Only then did he realize that his underwear was already soaked through.