Chapter 4 Love

Just as the emperor was trembling, and was about to hand over Jin Ruyi, the queen's choice, to the person he wanted, a stern shout came from behind: "Emperor!"... In the fourteenth year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, one day in early autumn, the wind was sunny and the sky was blue.The blooming autumn chrysanthemums in pots and pots of the Qing court and the resplendent imperial palace complement each other, showing the solemnity and grandeur of the Qing palace. The ceremony for Emperor Guangxu's selection of concubines will be held in the Hall of Tihe. At this time, the Empress Dowager Cixi was sitting in the middle of the hall. This woman who covered the sky with one hand in the Qing Dynasty controlled the imperial power of the Xianfeng, Tongzhi, and Guangxu dynasties.

Today she changed into the empress dowager's auspicious clothes: wearing a bright yellow satin gown embroidered with cranes, a purple satin tasseled shawl on the outside, a phoenix crown inlaid with silver and pearls on her head, and a pair of blue satin high-soled basin shoes. Hanging a string of Qibao agarwood beads, sitting with half-closed eyes, gives people an unfathomable feeling. Although the Empress Dowager Cixi is near her sixtieth birthday, she still looks like a person in her early forties with black eyebrows and a black bun. Sitting on the right of the Empress Dowager was the Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. He was wearing a jewel-encrusted court crown, a bright yellow court auspicious suit with dragon embroidered dragons, and a pair of yellow satin court shoes.The emperor is nineteen years old this year, with fair skin and delicate eyebrows, and there is a heroic spirit unique to young people in the brows.He lowered his head slightly, staring at the tip of his shoes, frowning slightly, with a slightly melancholy expression.

On both sides of the hall stood Princess Rongshou Gulun and the prince's relatives. They were all dressed in formal attire, waiting solemnly, waiting for the beauty to enter the hall. When the auspicious time came, the chief eunuch Li Lianying looked at the Empress Dowager, Cixi slightly raised his hand, and he shouted loudly: "The emperor's personal selection of concubines begins, and five beautiful women should enter the palace." "Announce five beautiful women to enter the palace!..." So, the five beautiful women who had been waiting for His Highness entered the hall slowly amidst the music, and lined up in front of the Queen Mother and the Emperor.

Following the hint of the Empress Dowager Cixi, her niece Jingfen stood in the center of the five and was half a step ahead of them.The other four were standing on either side of her. Of course, these five young girls were all golden branches and jade leaves. The one in the middle, whose father is Guixiang, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard, is the younger brother of Empress Dowager Cixi.Emperor Guangxu's mother was the younger sister of the Empress Dowager Cixi. If she was chosen, it would be more intimate.It's a pity that she has an ordinary appearance, not to mention the single eyelids in her eyes, and her eyebrows are still hanging upside down. Fortunately, her skin has the fair and clean characteristics of a bannerman.She is wearing a bright yellow cheongsam, her hair is combed twice, with expensive pearls on the front, and embroidered satin flowerpot shoes on her feet. This combination of luxurious clothes makes her look very rich.

At this moment, everyone else lowered their heads, not daring to look straight at her, but she dared to raise her eyes to peek at the Empress Dowager Cixi, her expression seemed to say: "Auntie, you have to decide for your niece!" On Jingfen's right are the two daughters of Changxu, the left servant of the Ministry of Rites, Miss Jin and Miss Zhen. The eldest is seventeen years old and the youngest is fifteen years old.They all wore pink cheongsams, looking beautiful and dignified.My sister was born with fair skin and beautiful eyebrows, but unfortunately her face is too round and her figure is too fat.

The younger sister was born, more beautiful than the elder sister, with a slim figure, especially a pair of eyes that are as charming as pear blossoms and rain, which makes people ecstasy.Both sisters were shy, with their heads half down. A pair of sisters standing on the left are the two daughters of Dexin, the governor of Jiangxi Province.Both of them opened a pair of big watery eyes, with a look of anticipation. After the five people stood up, they all knelt down to greet the empress dowager and the emperor. "Long live the empress dowager, long live!" "Long live the emperor, long live!"

"Stay flat. Get up." After the Empress Dowager Cixi said, she raised her eyelids and looked at the five beauties standing in front of her.Cixi herself is a beauty, she has seen hundreds of beauties in the palace all her life, in comparison, these five are all beautiful.Standing in the middle is my own niece, although her eyebrows and eyes are not good, but she is also fair and clean, and she has a tall figure, an oval face, a high nose bridge, and correct lips. Queen?Last night, I personally hinted repeatedly to the emperor, and made it clear to him, who should be chosen! Come to think of it, the emperor himself selected, cultivated, and single-handedly supported him. Since he was four years old, he was taken into the palace to be trained by himself, and he was helped to enthroned him, and let him sit on the dragon chair.

Now that he is an adult, the government will belong to him after the wedding. If the queen does not choose her own person, the consequences will be disastrous.Therefore, today I must exercise my supreme power. However, the queen mother thought that the emperor is my godson, and she has always acted according to my winks. She dared not disobey me for such an important matter as choosing a concubine, so she took a deep breath and voted for her niece Jingfen. look. Empress Dowager Cixi looked at Changxu's two daughters first with a scrutinizing gaze. The elder sister looked very happy and handsome, but her face was a little round, but a pair of dimples were very lovely. Cixi thought it was very pleasing to the eye. Concubine is okay.

The younger sister is not only more beautiful, but also has a more graceful figure than her older sister, seeing that she keeps her head down.Cixi thought that choosing a queen is a political election, and choosing a concubine is a beauty pageant, so let's be the emperor and lose your purse! Cixi looked at Dexin's two ladies again, they were indeed a stunning pair, Cixi admired, she suddenly saw the younger one's winking eyes, she had a vicious feeling, reminded her of Emperor Xianfeng, when she was in the Old Summer Palace She was still a little concubine who once hid behind the bushes and saw Emperor Xianfeng approaching with the pregnant Concubine Li in her arms, and secretly scolded Concubine Li for being a fox.So Empress Dowager Cixi's face darkened, thinking that such a beautiful woman must not be selected into the palace to become a disaster.

Of course, these five beauties were also being scrutinized by all the royal relatives who were invited today, and each of them guessed in their hearts who would become the current Empress Chitose. Li Lianying gestured again, and the court band began to play softly. Empress Dowager Cixi said to Emperor Guangxu solemnly: "Emperor, you choose the queen!" So Li Lianying put a gold ruyi inlaid with jade on the table on the plate, put her hands on her head, and knelt down in front of the emperor. Emperor Guangxu took the ruyi and walked slowly towards the five beauties. And then, everyone watched with bated breath...

The nineteen-year-old Emperor Guangxu was in full bloom. Today was his day of great joy after the election, but he was depressed because his own father, the Empress Dowager Cixi, had already made an appointment for him. He was just walking around today. , but just now it was clear that the queen mother said that I should choose the queen myself, could it be that the queen mother suddenly gave me a favor and asked me to make the decision myself? He walked over slowly, struggling with his thoughts fiercely. If he chose the cousin Jingfen appointed by the queen mother, he would suffer for the rest of his life; if he chose the one he loved, he was afraid of disaster. Emperor Guangxu walked slowly, thinking painfully... Although only a few minutes passed, Emperor Guangxu felt as if several years had passed... Emperor Guangxu had no choice but to walk towards Yehenala's Jingfen who was standing in the middle. He knew that this was the empress dowager's deliberate arrangement, and he could not go against it.Lana's Jingfen, who was standing in the middle, saw the emperor walking towards Bai Ji frowning. She knew that this was the arrangement of the empress dowager's aunt, so she smiled proudly at the emperor. It made Emperor Guangxu even more disgusted, and Emperor Guangxu couldn't help but stopped. When the Empress Dowager Cixi saw Guangxu walking towards her niece, she had a rare smile on her face. Li Lianying waved her hand when she saw it, and the band started to play. Everyone waited for the emperor to hand over Jin Ruyi to the beautiful girl in front of her.But when the emperor suddenly stopped and turned to walk towards Changxu's youngest daughter Zhen, Cixi's face darkened, and the music stopped abruptly. Emperor Guangxu stood in front of Miss Zhen. This was the beauty that his teacher Weng Tonghe secretly selected for him. When he met her dreamy eyes, the emperor trembled, as if the stars in the dark sky were shining, Guangxu The emperor felt like in a dream, there was a feeling of déjà vu.what!The Yiren in my dream was her. At this time, Emperor Guangxu was intoxicated by this beautiful girl in front of him.Confused, he handed Ruyi to the girl. Just as Miss Zhen was about to reach out to pick it up, she suddenly heard a stern voice: "Emperor!" The emperor suddenly came to his senses. It was the queen mother who reminded him. At this time, he didn't look back, but he seemed to have seen the pair of stern eyes behind him. Emperor Guangxu didn't say anything, he took two quick steps and threw Ruyi to Yehenala's Jingfen, who had already held her hands up and was about to accept the election, turned around and walked to his seat. Miss Jane shed tears of sorrow. Princess Rongshou Gulun standing next to Cixi also had tears in her eyes. The band was playing again. The royal relatives began to discuss quietly. Cixi suppressed her anger and ordered the deacon eunuch to throw the purse to Miss Jin and Miss Zhen on behalf of the emperor. Cixi thought that the queen must belong to me. As for the concubine, it can satisfy your wishes. As long as the queen is appointed, everything else doesn't matter. After Emperor Guangxu sat down on his chair, he felt extremely painful. He lamented that as an emperor, he couldn't even choose his own wife, and he couldn't help sighing softly. Seeing him sigh, the Empress Dowager Cixi just pretended not to hear, and waved to Li Lianying, who was ordered to declare: Rituals and music were played, and Li Lianying issued a second decree: The election of the emperor and concubine was finally announced in the sound of ritual and music. As soon as Emperor Guangxu returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he announced the teacher Weng Tonghe into the palace. The Hall of Mental Cultivation is on the west side of the honest and upright officials, and it is the emperor's office and bedroom.It is divided into the front hall and the back hall. The back hall is the emperor's bedroom, and the front hall is the emperor's office hall. In the hall, there is a platform throne, an imperial case in the front, a screen phoenix in the back, a panlong caisson on the top, and luxurious floor tiles on the bottom.There are incense pavilions and copper vats outside the hall, and inside the hall are bronze cranes, bronze deer and vases that symbolize "Liuhe Taiping".The inside and outside are carved with beams and painted buildings, inlaid with gold and silver, which is both solemn and exquisite.In addition, the Hall of Mental Cultivation is located in the heart of the imperial palace. It is connected to the military plane in the front, the Yongshou Palace in the back, and the Qianqing Palace and the Cining Palace on the left and right. Because it is a treasured place of geomantic omen, it has been deeply loved by the emperors of all dynasties. Emperor Guangxu has been reviewing it here Memorial and summon ministers. Weng Tonghe was the number one scholar of Emperor Xianfeng. He served successively as Emperor Tutor of Tongzhi and Guangxu. The beard and hair of the bachelor, who is over sixty years old, is completely white, with a pair of big eyes under the bushy eyebrows, and the eyes are bright and wise. He knew that the emperor summoned him must be for the selection of the empress, and he had already learned that the empress chose Yehenarashi Jingfen, the niece of Empress Dowager Cixi, which was expected.So he was not surprised, it was not easy for Miss Zhen to be chosen as a concubine, so he should comfort the emperor well. As usual, the eunuch informed, and then Weng Tonghe went inside and bowed down to Emperor Guangxu. "My humble minister respectfully invites the emperor to be safe." "Master Weng is exempt from etiquette and flattened." Weng Tonghe got up and stood aside.After Emperor Guangxu sat down, he sat upright on the chair brought by the eunuch Wang Shang. Emperor Guangxu had worshiped Weng Tonghe as his teacher since he was six years old. It has been more than ten years now.Guangxu can only tell him if he has any grievances.Of course, I can only confide to him the bitterness after today's election. "Master Weng..." Guangxu's voice choked up. His confidant Tai Lan Wang Shang waved his hand, and the two eunuchs retreated, and he himself retreated to stand on the steps outside the door. "Your Majesty, I already know that, although Miss Zhen did not choose the Queen, she can also serve as a concubine if she is chosen? The Emperor should be happy." Weng Tonghe said openly. Guangxu sighed: "Oh! Although I am the emperor, I can't control my wedding." Weng Tonghe said earnestly: "Your Majesty, if the Empress is not as she wants, even if there are concubines who can take her place, I'm afraid it will be irreparable if the country's affairs cannot be decided." Emperor Guangxu was shocked when he heard it, and then walked to the cage with a depressed expression. Looking at the golden bird in the cage, he felt like a bird in a cage. Weng Tonghe knew that Emperor Guangxu loved to listen to history since he was a child, so he told him the historical story of the love between the emperor and the concubine to help the young emperor solve his problems. He said: "Concubine Rong was originally a girl of the Hui nationality in Xinjiang. Because of her elder brother's military exploits, she followed her brother to the capital to be enshrined. Emperor Qianlong took a fancy to her appearance and talent, so she was selected into the palace. Since then, he has been favored by Emperor Qianlong. , and even after the death of the empress of the main palace, Emperor Qianlong decided not to establish a queen for the status of Concubine Rong. It can also solve problems for the emperor." Weng Tonghe also said: "Taizu Nurhachi and the concubine Ulanara had a very close relationship. After the death of the empress, the toffee was established as the official wife. When the Taizu died, the toffee committed suicide for her. Therefore, the concubine Zhen may not No chance to stand at attention..." The teacher and the student huddled together until late at night before Weng Tonghe took his leave.