Chapter 18 Chapter Fifteen

Empress Dowager Cixi's face sank when she heard that she had pretended to be disdainful just now, and she paused for a while before gritting her teeth and said word by word: "He doesn't want to sit in this seat, I don't want him to sit for a long time." At the turn of spring and summer in the Summer Palace, the weather is uncertain, sometimes the sun is shining brightly, and sometimes the clouds are overcast. The Empress Dowager Cixi is lying on her side on the bed and sucking human milk. In order to supply Cixi with fresh human milk, the palace specially selected beautiful, fair-skinned young women from among the banner people to raise in the palace, and then, one every morning, they took turns to suck milk for Cixi.In the morning, when it was dawn, it was the mother's turn to breastfeed Cixi. She had to take a bath, put on new clothes, and then wait after drinking a large bowl of thick broth.Then the eunuchs took them to Cixi's dormitory, knelt in front of Cixi's bed, and let Cixi lie on her side to suck their milk...

Cixi was fed white and tender, but the mother's own babies were often starved to death because they had no milk to eat, and those who survived were yellow and thin. After Li Lianying waited for the Empress Dowager Cixi to finish sucking the human milk, she reported: "Lafayette, Prince Qing Yikuang is begging to see him. He has been kneeling outside the hall for a long time." "The main hall is waiting." "yes." After Yikuang gave the gift of the emperor and ministers, Cixi looked at his slightly swollen eyes and said, "Prince Qing, you have the blood of my former emperor of the Qing Dynasty. If the safety of the Qing Dynasty does not depend on you, who will you rely on?"

"What Lafayette said is that although I, Yikuang, am not talented, I am really brave to the court and to Lafayette." "This Aijia knows it well. Let me ask you, is that Cantonese named Kang Youwei still bewitching the emperor?" "It's not just bewitching, it's an accomplice. Prince Gong said that this man is ambitious, and I think it's true. Weng Tonghe admired him very much. The emperor read many of his books through Weng Tonghe, and said he would reuse his new methods." The Empress Dowager Congxi snorted when she heard this, and cursed in her heart: "Reform, I think Sun Wukong's Eighteen Transformations can hardly escape the palm of my Tathagata Buddha."But he said in his mouth: "Let him change, as long as he can strengthen China."

After hearing this, Yikuang thought that the queen mother was going to support the emperor, so he hurriedly said: "By the way, queen mother, the emperor wants me to tell you that he cannot be the king of subjugation. If he is not given the power, he would rather give up the throne." Empress Dowager Cixi's face sank when she heard that she had pretended to be disdainful just now, and she paused for a while before gritting her teeth and said word by word: "He doesn't want to sit in this seat, I don't want him to sit for a long time." The Empress Dowager Cixi closed her eyes after saying that, and said nonchalantly: "You go back and tell the emperor, and just say that the emperor is in power and handles affairs, and I don't care about it." Let him change, and I will naturally deal with him when the time comes.

"yes." "Come back." Yikuang was about to leave when Cixi called him back. "Tell you brothers, as long as there is Ai's family, the family law of the ancestors will not change." "Lafayette Shengming." After Yikuang knelt back, Cixi sat still in a daze, she was furious at what Emperor Guangxu said just now.OK!Zai Tian (Guangxu's name), after all, you have made progress, and you are determined to seize the power of Aijia.You are the emperor's throne, I let you sit on it, and I don't have to let you sit on it.Now, since you don't want to sit down, it's easy to do, just wait, and I'll tell you to get off the stage sooner or later.

Cixi cursed angrily again: "The Ai family is supreme, and no one has ever dared to compete with me, but whoever dares to try, then... At this time, the Empress Dowager Ci'an appeared in front of her eyes, and she was executed." My An Dehai is a signal to fight for power with me, how can I go to the underworld to apologize to Xiao Anzi? ! ...Prince Gong wanted to compete with me, but he had been sent home for ten years!And that Empress Alut who is not with me, didn't I also ask her to go to the Kingdom of Heaven to find Emperor Tongzhi? A sinister smile flashed across Cixi's gloomy face.

Prince Gong is critically ill and has been bedridden for many days. On this day, Prince Gong was lying on the bed, breathing weakly, knowing that he had passed away not long ago, the servant entered the ginseng soup and then withdrew. After drinking the ginseng soup, his mind became more flexible and he remembered the past. When people are about to die, they often want to look back on their own life, and whether it is painful or pleasant, they will be reflected in their minds unconsciously. Prince Gong remembered that he was the sixth son of Emperor Daoguang in his childhood. He grew up in the palace.

Prince Gong also thought that he was not the kind of power-hungry Empress Dowager. Although Emperor Daoguang loved me very much and even wanted to make me the crown prince, I gave in. I never wanted to compete with my fourth brother Yi Ning. The throne, so in order to thank me for my indomitable will, my father made an exception in his edict, one is to let Yi Ning take the throne, and the other is to make me a prince.Yi Ning appointed me as Prince Gong, and my honor ranks first among princes.However, in terms of power, even if I do not fight, the fourth brother Xianfeng is still on guard against me everywhere. When he was dying, he was appointed as the eight ministers of Emperor Tongzhi. …

When the British and French allied forces invaded Beijing and Xianfeng fled westward, I was the one who stayed in Beijing to deal with the foreigners. During the Xinyou coup, I fully supported the empress dowagers of the two palaces, and completely eradicated the aggressive Sushun Group.I also naturally got the title of King of Political Affairs.Afterwards, because I did not compete with the Queen Mother, it was logical that I was named the Minister of Military Aircraft, the Prime Minister's Office of State Affairs, and the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. What is puzzling is that although I did not dispute, I was still suspected by others. In order to protect the power of the land, the Queen Mother not only got rid of the Queen Mother, but also let me go home idle.How many years have caused the birds and horses in front of my door to fall apart...

In the First Sino-Japanese War, the enemy was about to invade Gyeonggi, so she let me come back under pressure. This woman's desire for power is too great, and her methods are too vicious... Sigh, Guangxu is her opponent.Why did she make him emperor? Isn't Sima Zhaozhi's heart known to everyone. Yesterday Yikuang came to tell me that Emperor Guangxu was going to seize power from her, alas, what a fool!It will only destroy him, so he has to be persuaded. As for reforms and reforms, no!I am right on this point. The family law of the old ancestor cannot be changed. If it is not done well, my country in the Qing Dynasty will be ruined. On this point, I have to persuade him not to listen to what Kang Youwei, Weng Tong and those people say...

This Weng Tonghe, at such an old age, he still hangs out with those young people to instigate the emperor to carry out some reforms. It is unbelievable. What kind of institutional bureau should be set up? It will not end well.Besides, these systems and personnel have been established by the ancestors for generations, how can they be changed casually?The emperor trusted him too much... Thinking of this, I was annoyed, so I lifted the corner of the quilt. The daughter, Princess Rongshou Gulun, came in to see her, and hurriedly pulled the quilt for her father, and asked, "Ama, do you have a fever?" "No, Ama is upset." "Ama rest well and she will get better." "Ama can't do it, daughter. Although Ama has not been as honored as the nine kings in her life, her official position is as high as one person. It can be said that she is not very powerful. However, she is punished by power and has ups and downs. She has experienced the cold and warm in the world, and the court is cruel. Although the wealth is extremely high today, the glory and wealth are nothing more than a fleeting moment, life is like this, some truths are only understood when you die, and you don’t even understand until you die.” "Rongshou, although the Empress Dowager likes you, you know how vicious she is. To be with you is like being with a tiger. You have to take care of yourself..." Yi Qi felt out of breath as he spoke, so he had to stop to catch his breath. Princess Gu Lun of course bowed to her father's earnest and earnest teachings from the sick bed.With tears in her eyes, she said, "Ama, my daughter remembers." The two were talking, when the servant came to report: "The emperor is here." "Welcome to come soon." So all the people knelt outside the gate to greet him, only Yi Qi did not kneel to greet him, because he could no longer get up. "Long live the emperor, long live the emperor." "Free gift." Princess Rongshou Gulun led Emperor Guangxu and Concubine Zhen to the inner hall, followed by a group of eunuchs and court ladies. "How is your Ama's illness?" asked the emperor. "I'm afraid it won't work." "Ah." Emperor Guangxu sighed and said, "We need to heal well." Arriving at Prince Gong's bedroom, Yi Qi wanted to get up and salute but couldn't get up, and was helped to lie down by Emperor Guangxu. Prince Gong was very moved when he saw that the emperor came to visit him in person despite his busy schedule, so he struggled and said: "My old minister...greetings to the emperor...the emperor is blessed, and the concubine Zhen is blessed." "My love is free." "Zhen'er greets Prince Gong, Prince Gong is auspicious." Concubine Zhen bowed her knees to Prince Gong. Prince Gong nodded to her to express his thanks. "This is a little tonic and tonic that I brought to Prince Gong." Emperor Guangxu waved his hand after speaking, and Wang Shang and a row of eunuchs brought in all kinds of precious tonic and tonic brought from the palace. With tears in his eyes, Prince Gong nodded his thanks. Emperor Guangxu's feelings for Prince Gong were complicated. Prince Gong was not used to the dictatorship of Empress Dowager Cixi and often dealt with it, so sometimes even Cixi was afraid of him, but on some important issues, he became Guangxu intentionally or unintentionally. resistance.For example, in the First Sino-Japanese War, Emperor Guangxu repeatedly asked Cixi to let him come back. He originally expected him to support the main battle, but he did not expect that he would side with Cixi as soon as he came back. For Kang Youwei's reform, he actually jumped out to obstruct it openly, like a stumbling block, if not because of his loyalty to the Qing court and his past achievements... But anyway, as a senior minister of the current dynasty who is critically ill, As the emperor, of course he should come to visit. "Prince Gong will be fine, don't worry." Emperor Guangxu sat down on his sick bed and comforted him kindly. Prince Gong was moved to tears when he saw it, and sighed: "Oh, your majesty, I can't do it anymore. The emperor just came today. I don't know if I should say something or not?" Prince Gong said. "I also ask Prince Gong to enlighten me." "During my illness, I heard that Kang Youwei, a Juren from Guangdong, advocated political reform. Please be careful, Your Majesty, and don't trust villains." Emperor Guangxu was very angry when he heard this, and wanted to refute a few words, but thinking that he was in critical condition, he reluctantly nodded and said nothing. Prince Gong said the advice he had always wanted to give to the emperor: "I sincerely advise the emperor to follow the Queen Mother's order in everything." Emperor Guangxu felt very heavy when he heard this: Sixth Uncle, Sixth Uncle!You did not forget to serve the Empress Dowager Cixi's power until the end of your life. You helped her to close the Xinyou coup, but after she took control of the power, you still became the object of her suspicion. She was afraid of your great achievements, and finally I left you idle and returned home. I asked you repeatedly for ten years before I reinstated you. Prince Gong, why are you so confused! In fact, what Prince Gong said was a pun. He not only hoped that Emperor Guangxu would uphold the family law of his ancestors and obey Cixi's will, but also reminded Emperor Guangxu not to fight with Cixi. You are not his opponent. In the end, it is you who are unlucky.If I don't fight him, I will end up like this. If you fight him, you can imagine your fate. Emperor Guangxu did not understand his second meaning, and even if he did, he would not act according to his words. Emperor Guangxu was determined to reform and reform, and he could not be persuaded by anyone's words. Seeing that Emperor Guangxu didn't respond, Prince Gong didn't say anything anymore. He understood that he couldn't control anyone. Seeing that Prince Gong was tired, Guangxu got up and said goodbye. On the way back to the palace, in the imperial sedan chair, Emperor Guangxu said to Concubine Zhen: "Prince Gong may not be able to do so, at least he is seriously ill and can no longer stop my reform. I must seize this opportunity to reform and reform!" Concubine Zhen was very excited after hearing her sweetheart's determination. She leaned her head on Emperor Guangxu's shoulder and said, "Your Majesty is wise, the time for political reform has come, and we must not miss it." The hearts of Guangxu and Concubine Zhen collided again, their hands were tightly held, and Emperor Guangxu simply hugged her... God, God!Although I am the emperor, I have been lonely and depressed all my life. It is you who gave me my beloved concubine Zhen.Since the concubine Zhen was born, the sun has been so bright; since the concubine Zhen has been born, life has hope... Emperor Guangxu couldn't help kissing Concubine Zhen excitedly and desperately. "Zhen'er, why are you so caring, why can you give me so many good ideas, if you hadn't tried hard to persuade me, I wouldn't have come to see Prince Gong." "Your Majesty, how can you be arrogant, including those who oppose you, don't blindly reject them, and fight for what you can, so that the Emperor will not be lonely." Guangxu nodded gratefully. Summer Palace, Zhichun Pavilion. In the afternoon, Empress Dowager Cixi fell ill occasionally. Emperor Guangxu and Concubine Zhen went to the Summer Palace to pay their respects to Empress Dowager Cixi. In the evening, Emperor Guangxu and Concubine Zhen stood in front of the Zhichun Pavilion, looking at the west mountain across the lake, covered with dark clouds. "Ah, the cool wind is blowing and the heavy rain is coming. Your Majesty, let's go back to the house!" "No, Zhen'er, I want the wind and rain to wake me up." "Okay, Zhen'er is with you." "Zhen'er, it's easy to talk here, no one is eavesdropping." "Your Majesty, no matter how much wind and rain we endure, reform and reform must be carried out." "Yes, no matter how big the wind and rain, I am not afraid." The heavy rain poured down, Wang Shang and two eunuchs held up umbrellas for the emperor and concubine Zhen. "Your Majesty, it's raining too much, go back to the house." Wang Shang persuaded. "Master, go back quickly, the rain is too heavy." Xiaomei said anxiously. Both Wang Shang and Xiaomei put on their cloaks for Emperor Guangxu and Concubine Zhen. "No, I have to weather the storm." "Your Majesty, Zhen'er also weathered the storm with you." "Aifei..." "Your Majesty, Zhen'er is always with the Emperor at any time and anywhere." "My concubine..." Emperor Guangxu bowed his head and kissed her in the wind and rain. As the rain fell harder and harder, the emperor and concubine Zhen hugged each other tighter and tighter. They hugged each other under Wang Shang's umbrella for a long time. "Your Majesty, Zhen'er is a bit cold." "Don't be afraid, I will hold you tight." Concubine Zhen buried her head in Emperor Guangxu's arms. The queen, who had been observing the emperor and concubine Zhen from the pavilion in the distance, saw the two of them hugging and kissing in front of the eunuch and maid. She felt sour and hated. She stood under the umbrella held by the eunuch and was wet from the heavy rain. her hair and clothes. "Empress, it's raining too much, go back to the house." "Leave me alone! Just let the heavy rain drown me." The queen opened the umbrella and cried. "Your Majesty, your body is important." Ju'er, the personal maid, persuaded. Empress Longyu looked at the couple who were kissing wildly in the rain and swore: "Hu Meizi, don't be so crazy, you have caused me such great pain, I will never let you go." Seeing that they were still embracing each other, Queen Longyu was so angry that she couldn't stand it any longer. She almost gritted her teeth, then turned her head and said, "Go to Le Shoutang." "yes." The Empress Dowager Cixi had just finished taking a bath, and she changed into plain clothes and was lying on the couch for Li Lianying to give her a massage. Li Lianying massaged the Empress Dowager Cixi every night. She closed her eyes slightly, enjoying Li Lianying's cheek massage for her.The reason why Cixi's face, which is over sixty years old, is so soft and lustrous, apart from applying various cosmetics to maintain the face in the morning and evening, is because of Li Lianying's massage. After the head and face massage, came the chest massage. Li Lianying put down the veil, got her head and body inside, and then put her hand into the queen mother's underwear to massage. Li Lianying was an eunuch, so he might not feel the feeling of massaging the breasts, while Cixi did. It is the one who needs this kind of benefit the most. Back then, An Dehai didn't know if there was any eunuch. After he massaged Cixi, they both slept together.It is said that once being bumped into by the Empress Dowager Ci'an, Cixi naturally received the Empress Dowager's eyes, and Cixi hated the Empress Dowager even more from then on.Therefore, when Li Lianying was massaging Cixi, the court ladies and eunuchs absolutely did not dare to enter the house. When Empress Longyu asked to see her, the maids did not dare to report, but seeing the empress was tearful and her clothes were wet again, she thought something had happened, and she was the empress again, so she dared to report quietly outside the door. Empress Dowager Cixi answered after a while: "wait in the outer hall." After another half an hour, Li Lianying came out after the massage, and Empress Longyu shivered into the Empress Dowager's bedroom. Cixi, who was lying on the bed, hated the empress coming at an untimely time, but when she glanced at the empress, she was startled, thinking that something had happened, and hurriedly asked: "What's the matter, why is it like this? What happened?" Empress Longyu told about the scene of seeing Emperor Guangxu and Concubine Zhen making out by the lake in the evening. Cixi didn't take it seriously at first when she heard it, and said, "You! Besides, it doesn’t bother you if they make out with each other, are you still afraid that the queen’s hat will fly off.” Seeing that she was crying, Cixi suddenly felt pity. After all, she was her own niece, so she sat up, told her to take off the wet clothes, and ordered the maid to change her dry clothes, and then comforted her: " How many times has the emperor's father told you that as long as the emperor's father is here, no one will try to touch you. But you have to fight for yourself. If the concubine Zhen can hold the emperor, why are you so incompetent? .” When the queen heard the word "hug up", her brain suddenly opened up, and she said: "Father emperor, do you know what concubine Zhen used to hug the emperor? My nephew learned that concubine Zhen used her brother's will to hug the emperor." Rui and the books brought by her teacher Wen Tingshi are close to the emperor's." When Cixi heard this, she seemed to be alert. She sat up from the bed and asked Li Lianying to pass the cigarette. After Cixi took a few sips, Empress Longyu said again: "It is this vixen who has been instilling in the emperor how the West is, and what the Japanese are doing so that the emperor is fascinated, and he wants to make reforms all day long." "Hmm." Cixi replied thoughtfully. Empress Longyu saw that Cixi was on alert, so she said directly: "Father Emperor, do you know that Concubine Zhen is still dissatisfied with you, and always provokes the emperor to ask him to take power." Empress Longyu's words about power worked, and Cixi sneered and said, "The emperor's father has already expected that, this vixen's ambition is not small." Empress Longyu thought that if she said too much, it would arouse the empress dowager's disgust, so she stopped talking. After being silent for a while, Empress Longyu raised her head and saw that Cixi's face with half-closed eyes gradually turned livid, she knew that her words were deeply rooted in her heart, and her hatred was deeply rooted in her bones, so she said softly: "Father Emperor, rest early, my son is leaving. " After leaving the Queen Mother's door, Empress Long Yulei let out a long breath, thinking, the Queen Mother is addicted to power, anyone who wants to compete with her in this aspect will not end well, little fox, don't be so happy Too early, just wait!