Chapter 3 third quarter

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, after the court congratulations, the emperor summoned the military aircraft as usual, and only issued an edict: "Next year will be the Empress Dowager Cixi's 70th birthday. This year, Guimao will hold the Enke Township Examination; next year, Jiachen will hold the Enke General Examination." In the year of Ziwu Maoyou Township Examination, Chenxu Chouwei went north by bus. He originally had a regular course, but he really joined Enshilin and opened another subject. According to the rules, it should be the township examination next year, and the next year's examination.Now only Zhengke is changed to Enke, which is actually the so-called "combination of Enke and Zhengke", and there is no gain.And the reason for this edict is just to remind everyone, don't forget that next year will be Empress Dowager Cixi's 70th birthday.

I don't want this edict to bring "hidden worries" to people.When the Empress Dowager Cixi was fifty years old, there was a war between China and France; However, some people think that this is a mediocre worry, that is, the group of celebrities in the Ministry of Internal Affairs headed by Na Tong.He went around telling each other, saying that "Lafayette's 50th and 60th birthdays were both interrupted by foreigners. Next year's 70th birthday, 'Life's 70th birthday, it's going to be very lively! " However, it is still too early to repair gardens, view scenery, and celebrate birthdays. There is an errand in front of us—the two palaces will visit the Xiling Mausoleum, and we must curry favor with the Empress Dowager Cixi. .

Unexpectedly, if you can't do it with strength, the mission of Yeling is not handled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but by the Zhili Governor's Yamen and the Luhan Railway Bureau.Sheng Xuanhuai arrived in Tianjin in casual clothes long after the Lantern Festival, and personally directed the layout of the floats. The iron bed and "Ruyi bucket" are just like the old rules in the year of Huiluan, and they have been improved, especially the furnishings in the car.Sheng Xuanhuai entrusted someone to ask Li Lianying, which antique shop should handle this matter?The response I got was: "Liu Mazi from the back door is very expert."

Liu Mazi opened an inconspicuous antique shop called "Tianbaozhai" inside Di'anmen.The antiques, jade, calligraphy, and famous paintings that were brought out all came from the inner palace, and they were veritable treasures of the heavenly family.A bill was issued, and the total amount was more than 146,000 silver, plus a "salary" of 3,000 taels of silver. "What's the use of three thousand taels of salary?" Sheng Xuanhuai expressed his dissatisfaction, "It's not a troublesome thing to hang around!" "My lord, there is a lot of attention here. The installation is not secure, and a vase or something is broken, and it costs more than three thousand taels of silver."

This is not bad, and since it was recommended by Li Lianying, it cannot be considered as a rule. Sheng Xuanhuai paid as much as he wanted, but told him to arrange it properly. Everything was ready, and Yuan Shikai was invited to see the float, but he felt that it was rich and elegant, and there was nothing wrong with it. After thinking for a long time, I finally thought of it. "The scene is very good, but the car dealership vibrates, and the hanging screen falls off, which is a crime of disrespect! How dare you?" "Please Wei Shuai to try the fastest car. If it is not suitable, then think of another way." Sheng Xuanhuai said with a smile.

Yuan Shikai also wanted to know what happened, so he agreed without hesitation.However, Yuan Shikai, or anyone who is qualified to inspect the floats, had thought about this question, and how to solve the doubts, the most immediate and effective means, had already been thought out. Therefore, only waiting for Sheng Xuanhuai to make a gesture, the "foreign station master" immediately issued an order, the whistle blared, but the wheels turned silently, and slowly left the station, gradually getting faster and faster, two hours back and forth, and walked two hundred and twenty Inside, while the car is full of furnishings, it does not move at all.

"Very good, very good!" Satisfied, Yuan Shikai turned to the director of the Beiyang Railway Bureau and said, "Everything about our floats is arranged like this." "yes." "These things," Yuan Shikai asked Sheng Xuanhuai, pointing to a Kangxi kiln colorful vase and a "crab shell green" Xuande furnace next to the vase, "where did you get it?" It was entrusted to Tianbaozhai Antique Shop at the back door. " "Is it the shop opened by Mazi Liu?" "correct!" "Sure." Yuan Shikai praised. On the second day, Li Lianying was invited to see the float.He was wearing plain clothes, a fox fur gown with a blue cloth burqa, a black and green Zhigong woolen waistcoat, and he was not wearing a cap. He held a short pipe in his hand.When he got in the car, he stood still and looked around, looked left and right, and kept nodding.

"Everything is fine, only the way to get in the car is not good." "Ask Manager Li," Sheng Xuanhuai asked, "What's wrong?" "It's inconvenient to step on." Sheng Xuanhuai thought for a while and said, "That's easy, we have our own way. Please come back to see Mr. Li tomorrow and make sure it's all right." "Okay!" Li Lianying said again: "The emperor's car has to be the same as Lafayette's, and it can't be any different. Otherwise, it doesn't matter if the emperor is not happy. The most important thing is It's Lafayette who doesn't want to be misunderstood, thinking that the emperor's enjoyment is inferior."

"Yes. I must be careful." As soon as Li Lianying left, Sheng Xuanhuai immediately ordered Tao Lanquan to build a platform, which was as wide as the door of the car and more than three feet long, with one end lower and the other higher, but the slope was so gentle that he didn't notice it. .As long as the Empress Dowager Cixi steps onto the platform, she can walk over the railing as if walking on flat ground. After I tried it, I invited Li Lianying to come to see it. When I saw it, I was very impressed, and said: "When I went back to the palace yesterday, I showed Lafayette the furnishings in the car. Lafayette explained that such a valuable thing should be ordered to follow." Those who go, be careful, don't break it, so that someone Sheng will pay for it. The above has such a meaning, I have to tell Mr. Sheng."

"Yes, yes!" Sheng Xuanhuai cupped his hands and said, "I'm so grateful." But what did Li Lianying mean by saying this?Sheng Xuanhuai studied it carefully and realized the truth. This is a hint that all the furnishings may be damaged, and if they are destroyed, they will be destroyed in vain, so why not make them more beautiful?So what he meant by these words was to tell everyone clearly that it would be better to treat all the furnishings as tributes. Therefore, a batch of yellow silk signs were made immediately, and Gong Kai wrote: "Chen Sheng Xuan Huai respectfully advances." Pasted on the treasures.A few days later, Yuan Shikai came to see the car again. He was stunned when he saw it. He turned his face to look at his entourage and sighed: "For ministers! For ministers!" It's like I can't bear to say.

The copywriter was an acquaintance with Tao Lanquan, and felt that he should tell him the situation, so that it would be reasonable for each other to take care of each other. Unexpectedly, Tao Lanquan smiled after hearing this, "Brother," he said, "Yuan Gongbao sent Director Liang to come here just now, and asked about everything carefully. I know everything I want to say, and I can’t stop talking, but Director Liang, who is from Canton, can’t understand me, so I entrust my fellow villager Lin Zhidao to talk about it in detail. Yuan Gongbao has already planned to do the same." Sure enough, Yuan Shikai also ordered Liang Ruhao to go to Tianbaozhai to connect with Tianbaozhai, arranged for the display of floats, and used things that were even better than Sheng Xuanhuai. A list was issued, which was 155,000 silver.