Chapter 24 The twenty-fourth chapter Zhengan Gang Eshan tortured and tortured officials bestowed the soup pot on the emperor's favor

Although the folk Lantern Festival has gradually become lively as usual, the Lantern Festival in the royal palace is still very deserted as Qianlong will observe the filial piety for three years.On the fourteenth night of the first lunar month of Qianlong, he visited Zhang Tingyu, Ertai, Shi Yizhi, Sun Jiagan, Li Wei and other important military and political officials one by one. When he returned to the palace, he saw that there were white gauze lanterns hanging in front of the Chuihua Gate and the Yongxiang Lane. Swaying in the wind, flickering bright and dark, I feel very desolate, and I feel an inexplicable jealousy spontaneously.After thinking about it, he went back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, looked at his watch, just after the time of You, he called Gao Wuyong, and ordered him to send Shun Tian Fu Yin into the palace quickly.Gao Wuyong said with a smile: "Master, I forgot that Ding Youqin, Yin Heqin of Shuntian Mansion, was vacant last month and has not yet filled the vacancy! Do you want the slaves to pass on their fellow acquaintances to see you?"

"No." Qianlong was stunned for a moment before remembering, and said with a self-conscious smile: "I'm a little angry. It's been just a year since the late emperor passed away. Look outside, and everything seems to be fine. Those who set off firecrackers, those who walked social fire, those who played tricks There are a lot of tricks for playing a hundred operas and playing dragon lanterns! I regard leniency as my policy, and I don’t want to be indulgent. I’m so careless, I’m really a villain! You don’t have to go to Shuntian Mansion, just pass the decree to Liu Tongxun and ask him to come in.”

"tie!" Gao Wuyong agreed and withdrew.Qianlong made up his mind, and took a stack of memorials from the desk. The first one belonged to E Shan, and it was a memorial to the relief of victims after the flood in Anhui.In the beginning, it described in detail the flooding of the Yellow River and the collapse of seventeen places, and the disasters in seven prefectures and twenty counties, and then played: ... The Anhui chief envoy Xing Qiwen only used seven places to blaspheme the heavens, in order to deceive and cover up his crime of irregular river defense.The minister inspected the county of Shuizhou on the spot, and it is true that there are thousands of miles of Zeyuan, and there are more than ten rooms and nine empty spaces?Although winter clothes and quilts have been dispatched from Jiangsu by request, the victims are all over the place, sleeping in the wilderness under the severe frost, and sometimes the cold and hungry are thrown into the wilderness.Rich gentry from other provinces flocked to Anhui to buy slaves at low prices.In the human market, children in Huangkou are sold on straw labels. The sound of children crying and mother crying can be heard in the sky, and the minister's heart can't bear to hear it.Thinking about it, this is all the fault of Xing Qiwen and others who are greedy for positions, ignorant disasters, and Mengsai Shengcong.Assuming that Xing reported the truth at that time, our emperor has the virtue of being born like nature, and the hungry people are so miserable, how can we not add grace?According to a recent investigation, the members of the Bailian sect quite colluded with the victims in the name of doing good deeds.In order to prevent unexpected changes, the minister has boldly asked the king to order the flag to kill Xing Qiwen under the shaft.Beheading officials without asking for orders, the minister will know the huge crime, and the king will know the heart of the minister!

Seeing this, Qianlong's eyes jumped suddenly, and he wrote on the side of the fold with the ink pen: Well done!What is the crime?However, the congregation should be closely interviewed in order to catch the first criminal and rectify the law of the country--I am now decreed that the taboo is like a taboo, and it will be an order forever.You can pass on my will, and quickly transfer reed mats and felts from Liangjiang, Shandong, and Zhili to distribute to the victims, so as to calm people's hearts. Looking down, E Shan wrote: According to the original purpose, the food for disaster relief is far from enough.Fortunately, when the former governor Li Wei was in office, there were free warehouses in every township, which can still last until February.In accordance with the old system of the first emperor's disaster relief, thousands of victims set up a porridge shed.Since the relief was established, seven county magistrates and 473 subordinate officials have been investigated and dealt with for misappropriating disaster relief money.But the emperor silently checked his ministers' minds, learned the disaster situation thoroughly, and hoped to quickly transfer 1.2 million taels of silver to prepare for the spring famine.Xia Mai opened the sickle, and the minister should return to Beijing to report the order and pay the order. If the minister cannot make the victims of the disaster here flooded with the emperor's grace, he will really have no face to see my sage.

Seeing this, Qianlong couldn't help but feel hot. He stared at the bright candles in front of the case, pondered for a long time, and commented word by word at the end of the fold: Qing's loyalty to the country is as bright as the brilliance of the moon, and those who are not tempted after reading this performance are the faint emperors.The main point of my policy of leniency is to suiping the officials to govern the peace of the people in the world. The officials govern the Qing and Li Shuning, and the world is peaceful. There are many civil and military officials who are negligent and lax and whitewashing orders, and many landowners and businessmen are reckless. Those who increase the land tax, and the sons of poor and scoundrel tenants who despise the laws and regulations are really detestable!Qing took the middle way and ruled by twists and turns, which won my heart.Qing, Lu Zhuo, Li Shiyao, Qian Du, Agui, and Liu Tongxun are the newly acquired people.I used to be optimistic about Liu Kang, but now I see his shortcomings.Encourage it, don't disappoint my heart, and if you do it, you will have a kindness and decree for you!

After writing, Qianlong breathed a sigh of relief, took a sip of the milk, and took another copy, which was reported by the governor of Zhejiang Province on the closure of the Jianxinba project under Lu Zhuo's governance: ...The minister Zunzhi went to check. The dam is six feet high and seven hundred and forty feet long.However, Lu Zhuo's body was broken and his body was extremely weak!Now that the embankment work has been completed, Lu Zhuo is eager to return to Beijing to report his order. The minister thinks that the officer is too weak to go on the road immediately, so please order him to recuperate on the spot for three months before going to Beijing.In addition, the common people of the gentry here have quite a suggestion to build a shrine for Lu. This matter is too big for the minister to specialize on his own. Please order to handle it.

Qianlong suddenly felt a burst of pride in his heart. After all, his eyesight is not bad. He just approved Lu Zhuo as a newcomer in that memorial. This memorial immediately added face to himself, so he swiped his pen to criticize: Er can take Lu Zhuo into the yamen for recuperation, and I have sent the imperial doctor there.The birth of the shrine is subject to public opinion, but it is related to the system, and one must be built.Too much, I'm afraid Lu Zhuo won't be able to bear it, I love it! Just as she put down her pen and wanted to read other memorials, Qin Meimei came in quietly with the curtain lifted. Qianlong saw her in a blink of an eye and asked, "Did the queen call you here? What's the matter?" Before Gao Wuyong could answer, a court lady The curtain was raised high, Empress Fucha stepped in slowly, and a court lady following Empress Fucha was holding a large cloisonne plate in her hand, and a hot pot on the plate was boiling, whistling and whitish. cigarette.The big and small eunuchs and maids of the Palace of Mental Cultivation immediately knelt on the ground.Qianlong couldn't help laughing and said: "It's so late, it's hard for you to think about it. There are more than a dozen memorials here, and they said that they will pass after reading."

"Get up." The queen looked at the eunuchs with a smile, bowed slightly to Qianlong, and sat on the edge of the kang opposite to Qianlong, and said, "I just returned to Zhongcui Palace from the Palace of Compassion and Ning, and Lafayette said that the emperor is going to visit tonight. There is an officer outside, and I told him that I don’t need to come here today to say hello. After returning to the palace, my cook just cooked a pot of pheasant fish head tofu soup. Qianlong stood and listened to what the queen conveyed to his mother, and said "yes".Hehe smiled and said, "My 'Zitong' is still thoughtful. I just want to pass some dim sum!" Stretching out his chopsticks, he picked up a piece of white and greasy tofu from the hot pot, blew it, ate it, and scooped it up again. After tasting a spoonful of soup, she couldn't help but praise: "Good!" The queen pursed her lips and said with a smile: "The emperor also said that he doesn't like to go to the theater, and 'Zitong' has been called out. Does the subordinate not laugh?"

Qianlong smiled slightly, and just scooped up the soup with a spoon.Gao Wuyong came in from outside and said: "Liu Tongxun has arrived and is waiting outside Chonghua Gate." Seeing that Qianlong was eating deliciously, Fucha hurriedly said: "Why are you so ungrateful? Tell him to wait a while! ——It's so late What is the emperor asking him to do?" Qianlong picked up a few pieces of tofu and ate it, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said, "This tofu soup is really good—it's like this: I'm going out for a walk tonight. Except that the red light is not hung, it is no different from previous years. The national mourning has not passed for three years, so why are people so happy? Ask Liu Tongxun to go out tonight and visit the homes of the ministers. No? Even Ertai’s house set off fireworks and served wine as a treat, it’s outrageous!”

"It's not my business." Mrs. Fucha said with a smile, "Hasn't your Majesty read any books? It's human nature to say 'relatives or Yu Bei, others have already sung songs'. You are walking around the houses of the ministers tonight, and still Isn't it because it's the holidays, everyone is happy, and they go to comfort and comfort others? This way, it becomes a place to find fault with others. Is it worthwhile? Besides, Lafayette just had a decree. The relatives of the palaces have been detained for a year, and they can be relaxed, as long as they don’t need to be happy. The Palace of Compassion and Ning will hold a few banquets tomorrow night, calling the wives to come in to entertain the Lafayette! You asked Liu Tongxun to do this outside After a toss, even Lafayette's face was swept away." The queen persuaded Qianlong politely, and Qianlong also smiled.Only then did I realize that I felt lonely and wanted to force others to be lonely too.But Liu Tongxun has already called, and he has no official business at hand, so what can I do?Thinking about it, he ordered: "Call Liu Tongxun to come in." Fucha got up and was about to leave, but Qianlong stopped him and said, "This is an upright minister, and he is in the prime of life, someone Yonglian will need in the future, you see that there is no harm. Only then did Mrs. Fucha sit down.

Liu Tongxun was called into the palace at night, but was blocked outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation and waited for a long time. He didn't know what happened, and he was always hesitating.He stood outside the hanging flower door looking at the starry sky, recalling one by one the cases he had handled recently and the errands he had assigned. Find out what the emperor asked about and how to answer.Suddenly, it occurred to me that I should hand in a secret errand and ask myself to do it?All kinds of random thoughts filled his head.Hearing the call, Liu Tongxun hurriedly stepped into the courtyard, trotted up the stairs to Danbu, Hall of Mental Cultivation, and said softly, "Mr., Liu Tongxun is ordered to see you!" staggered. "Gao Wuyong," Qianlong said in the warm pavilion, "the threshold is too high, and several foreign officials have stumbled over it. Tomorrow, I will order the Ministry of Internal Affairs to redo it and drop it by three inches. Listen?" Gao Wuyong bowed hurriedly. agree.Only then did Liu Tongxun see that the Fucha family was also there, and hurriedly stepped forward and kowtowed: "My minister Liu Tongxun respectfully invites Sheng'an, and empress Jin'an! Kui Ye summoned the minister, I don't know what is the order?" Qianlong glanced at the Fucha family with a smile, and said: "Don't panic, there is nothing important. Just now, I went out for a walk and visited several ministers' homes. I also want to see you. I am sorry for you I'm just a servant, so I'm afraid there will be objections. The queen just sent a pheasant and fish head tofu hot pot. I enjoyed it very much, and I didn't want to finish it. The empress said that although Liu Tongxun's status is low, he is a loyal minister, so I will reward you. Tomorrow If you want to patrol the streets during the Lantern Festival, you won’t be able to eat it if you reward it. Just eat it here and finish it!” Fucha didn’t expect that Qianlong would handle it like this, and gave himself such a big favor. He got up and took Qianlong's leftover hot pot and put it on the table next to Liu Tongxun. "Thank you, master, thank you, ma'am..." Liu Tongxun held back the tears that rolled in his eyes, and finally let the water flow out, kowtowed to the ground, choked up, "how can you be, thank you!" The master and the empress are so caring..." He tremblingly stood up, sat on the twig, and finished the hot pot bit by bit. Qianlong and the queen have not spoken.For fear that he would feel uncomfortable eating, the empress took a piece of paper and drew embroidered patterns on it, but Qianlong read the memorial one by one. It was not until Liu Tongxun got up to thank him that he nodded, smiled and waved his hands and said, "Sit down. Just a few words are finished, and I still have something to say." After finishing writing, he put down his pen and said, "What do you think of Liu Kang?" "This person is quite diligent in his work." Liu Tongxun knew at the first glance that it was for today's affairs of the Ministry of Criminal Justice. He was secretly surprised that Qianlong was well-informed. Very good. Since I was transferred to Shanxi, there have been some criticisms in the official circles. I have been too concerned about the friendship between my colleagues and colleagues. I am like a person who is all round. Maybe it’s because I don’t want to make progress when I become a big official? This time I hit the wall of Qiandu because of this. In fact, I usually The Lu case really has nothing to do with him, and Qian Du's troubles made me think it was too much. This is a private warning, something that can be dealt with secretly, so why make it public?" Qianlong couldn't help smiling after hearing this: "This It means that there are deficiencies in the middle and it will show on the outside. Both are good, and they are enough. But Qian Du is gold in person. He doesn’t like money and borrows his name. He has the intention of gaining fame and has some minor problems. Listen to Shanxi The general said, Liu Kang didn't accept gifts before doing things, but he dared to accept them after finishing things. I don't know if it's true or not. I remember that he was a private school teacher, and he was extremely poor. He donated ten thousand silver in one go to Shandong for disaster relief. He is an honest official , Where did the silver come from? Alas... there are too many things that cannot be guessed in the world." Liu Tongxun hurriedly bowed and smiled: "Yes. I read the mansion newspaper, Fu Heng's memorial, and the Lord regards leniency as the policy. In order to seek medical treatment, the subordinate officials tried their best to flatter the holy will and whitewash the peace. In order to gain the reputation of simple administration and smooth litigation, some county magistrates dared to sue the plaintiff and the defendant with a stick, which is unbelievable. " Qianlong nodded as he listened, and sighed: "Free money and food, and repairing river defenses, these are great policies. No matter what, the subjects of the world will still get real benefits. It's just that in some places, they can't be considerate of my wishes. They either resist or don't do it, or they are negligent and slack. It's so strange that all the obvious good things have been done crookedly! There are cults in the disaster-prone places, which is a disease of scabies. These words have a lot of insight. I was born in a commoner, and I know the meaning of the situation. Most scholars have the ambition to save the world and benefit the people when they are not officials. Once they are officials, they forget these fundamentals; when they are small officials, they think of big officials. If you become a high official and want to enter the cabinet to pay homage to the prime minister, it all depends on the color of the superior, and it has nothing to do with the common people. Who would think about reading sage books and setting up the country? Xian favored it. So those who went to the yellow door gave money, and those who went to the popular door gave women away, all kinds of strange and scandalous things came out. It's just white cloth, soaking it in this dye vat, is there something good?" Qianlong laughed loudly and said: "Yi Looking at you, Liu Tongxun, how should I correct it?" "There is no way." Liu Tongxun shook his head with a smile, "Since Zulong, there have been two hundred and seventy-two emperors, and no one has cured this rule. In the past, Empress Wu Zetian claimed control, hated corrupt officials, set up a whistleblower box, allowed the people to report directly to the imperial court, and appointed cruel officials. During open and unannounced visits, officials killed batches after batches. Every time a new jinshi entered the imperial court, the eunuchs would say, "There is another batch of dead ghosts"—corrupt officials can't stop killing them. Why? Do There is no substitute for the taste of fine wine and fine wine. Only human beings can observe the sentiments of the people, take the will of the people as God’s will, tremble like walking on thin ice, and rectify the current problems at any time. The common people can almost delay the revolution.” Qianlong and the queen couldn't help being terrified when they heard his remarks.After meditating for a long time, Qianlong got up, pacing boldly, then suddenly turned around and said: "Tomorrow, the decree will be made, and you will also be the censor of the left deputy, um - Fu Heng will be out for a long time, and you will be an imperial envoy." Let me inspect Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan, Gansu, Shanxi, and Zhili for me, and tell me the truth about the situation below. It’s getting late, so please kneel down and talk about it tomorrow.” Qianlong stayed at the Queen's place that night.Knowing that the empress was weak and hot, and had a slight cough, Qianlong was startled, and only after careful inquiry did he find out that the Fucha family hadn't come to Guishui for two months.Qianlong laughed and said, "It's shocking, it turned out to be Xi! I'm going to add another dragon son!" The queen seemed to be very worried, her petite body nestled in Qianlong's arms, she shook her head slightly and said, "It's Xi. I have a body too. Sickness. This nameless fever has been going on for some time." Qianlong stroked her hair, and said slowly: "You always lose your energy, and your talent is thin, and you have a little cold and fever. How can you not be sick? You are my mother. Empress of love, mother of the world, everything I have is yours, you should be cheerful and happy!" The queen didn't answer, for a long time, she turned around slowly, and even pulled off the handkerchief to wipe her tears quietly. "What's wrong?" "Nothing, happy." "Crying when you're happy?" "Women are not as happy as men are." "I don't know why." Qianlong couldn't help laughing, and was about to speak, but the queen said, "If I die, what posthumous title will the emperor give me?" The smile froze on Qianlong's face. Huo Di sat up, held Fucha's shoulders, and asked eagerly: "What's wrong with you? What's wrong?" The queen sat up, looked at the candlelight in the gauze lantern, sighed and smiled and said: "I'm thinking of the old concubine Guerjia who also had a nameless fever, coughing, and before she was 20 years old... she didn't even have a posthumous title. It's no use since the first emperor loved her. I'm going to die, and the emperor will add me to her." Put the word 'filial piety', and you will rest in peace." Before she finished speaking, Qianlong covered her mouth and said, "I will not allow you to say such things again. There have been many things since you ascended to the throne. Your body It’s not good, I didn’t spend more nights with you. We have been together since we were young, and you still don’t know me? Don’t think about it... sleep..." The next day, Qianlong woke up at dawn, and saw the queen with her snowy arms exposed outside the quilt, breathing evenly, sleeping peacefully, with tears hanging from the corners of her eyes, and gently covering the corners of the quilt for her, wearing a middle coat, quietly Foot out to the outer hall.Several maids of the night watch came over to serve in a hurry, Qianlong waved his hand away, and asked Qin Meimei to come over and ask, "How much food does the empress eat a day?" Seeing Qianlong's gloomy face, Qin Meimei carefully whispered: "Your Majesty's food is not tasty, All vegetarian meals, two regular meals, the slave watched from the side, one meal was no more than two taels of old rice. Occasionally, a little lychee, melon and fruit were added in leisure time. However, the meat dishes prepared by the front cook Zheng Er were delicious. After Zheng Er left, The servant has never seen your mother eat meat and vegetables." Qianlong asked: "Where is Zheng Er now?" Qin Meimei smiled and said: "He stole a chicken blood red porcelain bottle from the imperial kitchen, buried it in a cinder cart and transported it outside, and asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs to find out. , hit——" Before he finished chatting, Qianlong waved his hand to stop, and said: "You will pass the decree in a while, and ask Zheng Er to come in and wait on him, and the monthly routine will be increased. If you have money, you will stop stealing. Tell Zheng Er, Master and Empress, if you buy a tael of meat, I will reward him with a tael of silver!" "Ah, Za!" Qianlong paused for a moment and asked again: "Who is the imperial doctor who showed the pulse of the empress?" It's hot, it's the heart and blood, and fresh bear bile is needed. This medicine is too rare in winter, and dogs and cats don't come out of their nests in winter. Where did you get so many fresh bear bile?" "You should go back to me about these things. "Qianlong said with a blank face: "There are more than a dozen bears in Lupu in Changchun Garden! Let's use it first. I asked General Heilongjiang to catch live bears and send them here. What a joke! Can't Maodong catch bears? "Speaking of this, Qianlong felt a little cold, so he realized that he was talking in a small coat. When he got up and went in to ask, Fucha had already woken up, his eyes were shining. Fate is short. I will not be able to do anything for a while. Your Majesty, you are too serious, but I can't bear it." "Respect the destiny and do your best, otherwise what do you want people to do?" Qianlong smiled and said, "You should let go of your mind, and I will know it after asking." Several court ladies kneeled or stood busy to dress Qianlong, A mink fur golden dragon gown with a stone blue silk tapestry was worn over a black fox gold dragon robe with a two-color gold surface and a yellow silk tapestry. A pair of green satin felted soap boots were worn under the feet, and a mid-hair smoked mink satin Taizheng bead crown was worn on the head. crown.The queen met her, and came over to tie a gold-inlaid Biya tie for Qianlong in person, revealing the gold silk tassels, and then said with satisfaction: "You go to the serious business." In front of the curtain, he asked, "I don't know when you came in." Niu Hulu looked at the loving couple with a slightly sour face. Hearing the queen's question, she quickly squatted down and said with a smile, "I just came from Lafayette's side. Lafayette said, go and see the bones of the mistress, I It’s okay to say, the empress’s kang table is not heavy, I went to see it yesterday, and my complexion is much better, or..." She said that Qianlong laughed, and said: "The queen is used to you, so you might as well make fun of her. You first Go through the Palace of Compassion, and when I come back from burning incense, I will go to greet my mother. Foreign officials order wives to come in, and make a list for me and the empress to see." Niu Hulu smiled and said: "The list enters Ci Ning It's time for the palace! Don't worry, the emperor, you will be guaranteed to see what you should and want to see!" "That's good." Qianlong heard the chiming bell strike seven times in a row, and said without further delay, "I'll go over when I burn the incense." Then he came out and sat in the warm sedan chair, and the eunuchs Ma Baoyu and Wu Jinxi who were in charge of the stove led him Outside the Shunzhen Gate, guards Selenge and Su Lun had already received the furnace, and the old guard Zhang Wuge led the way. He first went to Dagao Hall to burn incense, then turned to Shouhuang Hall to salute, and then went to Qin'an Hall and Doutan to burn incense and pay respects. The west case, north case, and Zao Jun of Kunning Palace were also sacrificed, and they went to the East Nuan Pavilion to respectfully salute in front of the god tablet and Buddha.Just passing by the hall where Jinxia committed suicide, Qianlong's heart moved, and he ordered Chengyu to stop, and Ma Baoyu, who was accompanying him, smiled and said: "This hall has been deserted for a year, and the list of rites and ceremonies sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs did not arrange sacrifices. This palace..." Before he finished speaking, Qianlong's eyes swept over him, which made Ma Baoyu tremble.Qianlong said: "Did I listen to the Ministry of Rites, or did the Ministry of Rites listen to me? If I don't go anywhere else, I must sacrifice to this palace. Open it!" This partial palace has been locked up since Jinxia's death, people in the palace heard that there were often crying and crying inside at night, and the night watchmen all walked around the road.Qianlong pushed open the gate, and immediately a few snow chickens flew out screaming and screaming. The eunuchs were startled, so they had to follow Qianlong in, but the wormwood growing from the cracks in the green bricks was as tall as a person. , The dust locks the key, and the verandah is as silent as an ancient temple that has been abandoned for many years.Qianlong's face was sad and joyful, and he walked to the front of Jinxia's original house on the dry wormwood path. When he looked in through the window paper, the light was very dark, and he saw dust everywhere, which seemed to be printed with many mice and weasels. A few old books were piled up in front of the tavern, and the sea-red curtain beside the bed was still drawn—everything was the same as that night, except a stool was overturned under the corner of the beam, and a statue of Maitreya Buddha on the wall had disappeared. It became dark, Buddha's belly half opened, and he looked at the room with a smile, as if he wanted to say something... Qianlong couldn't help trembling: Jinxia put the silk rope around her neck on this stool! "I missed you, I failed you..." Qianlong took a step back and bowed slightly to the window lattice, and said with tears in his eyes, he lit the Sanzhu incense and placed the small incense burner on the stone steps, thinking silently: "This life is destined for this life Goodbye, I have no destiny in this life and wish to have a next life..." In the desolate wild smoke and vines, he paced back and forth, moaning sadly: The old dressing table of the remnant official is full of wormwood. Where is the pink now?But Yu Yi shed tears! Just as he was full of melancholy and had nothing to do with it, Gao Wuyong hurried in and stood behind Qianlong and said: "Your Majesty, the Neqin Zhongtang has called the servants to come over to ask for an order. All the officials above the second rank in Beijing have gathered in Qianqing Palace. Please come over to the Emperor." Congratulations." "It's gone." Qianlong waved his hand, "Tell them to kowtow to the throne and go back for the festival!" "tie!" "Come back." Qianlong suddenly changed his mind again, "I'll go there now!"