Chapter 23 Section 23

At the end of November, there was an edict first: "Now that the joint bow is in violation of the peace, all banquets that should be promoted to the palace during the year and the first month of next year will be stopped. On the first day of the first month of next year, my relatives will lead the princes and officials to pay homage to the emperor. Hall, salute in front of the empress dowager." This means that all the sacrificial ceremonies should be saluted by the emperor, and will also be sent to respectfully. There are further signs of abolishing the establishment, and then a question that everyone in the court cares about naturally arises, who is the new emperor?Therefore, after Li Lianying had a secret talk with King Qing one night, she let out the rumor that Zai Zhen might be the one who inherited the Datong.At the same time, they sent people to inquire about everyone's reaction to the news.

Really bad response!Because Zai Zhen is an out-and-out dude. "It's him?" Someone said with a sense of relief. "No way? This uncle doesn't look like a gentleman." Some people criticized it like this. There is another point of view: "Absolutely not! Don't say anything else, just talk about closeness, the princes, county kings, Baylor, and Beizi of Xuanzong's branch, are you willing to hand over your position?" The person who made this comment is a clan member Most of the officials from the government and the Ministry of Internal Affairs are relatively close to relatives and nobles, and their views are indeed well-founded.Xiang Zaiyi once said: "Old Qing Feng Wang thinks it's too cheap! Can his family produce an emperor?"

Li Lianying was very opportunistic, seeing this situation, she didn't dare to mention Zaizhen again, instead she advised Empress Dowager Cixi to look for children of the "Pu" generation.Therefore, on the 17th day of the twelfth lunar month, a decree was proclaimed: on the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, a meeting of princes and princes of the nearby branches will be convened. Anyone who is a minor with the word "Pu" will be brought into the palace by his father and brother to wait for the summons. On that day, the children of the "Pu" generation in the near branch will all wear special little gowns and gowns according to their grades.But even though the mother and the nanny repeatedly told him to obey the rules when he was at home, and his father and brother scolded him after entering the palace and took precautions, but the childlike innocence did not change because of the official uniform, and everyone winked and winked. playful.

On this day's meeting, there was also the emperor.The way of sitting today is different from that before she was in power. At that time, the Empress Dowager Cixi sat behind the imperial case, and the emperor sat in front of the imperial case.Now it is modeled on the way that Empress Liu and Renzong's mother and son consulted politics together in the Song Dynasty. The empress sat side by side, one on the left and one on the right. After the salute, the Empress Dowager Cixi pushed it away, not knowing whether it was cold or afraid, so the blue-faced emperor said, "Tell everyone!"

"Yes!" The emperor replied feebly, and then, with his hands on the imperial case, he looked down and said, "I have been ill for a long time, and I have no prince. I am really ashamed of my ancestors and the grace of Lafayette for raising me. The great plan of the clan , should have had a proper idea early on, especially to ask Lafayette to preside over it and make an heir for Mu Zong. If you have anything to say, return it to Lafayette as soon as possible." Since the political training, the Empress Dowager came together. As usual, the emperor gave an opening speech, and then the Empress Dowager Cixi added, "You have heard what the emperor said!" She said, "Since April, the emperor has always felt that he was wrong. , melancholy, and not suitable for his body. For more than three months, the emperor has repeatedly told me to let him take a breather. I can't make my own decisions on this matter, so I come to you today and listen to you It means that everyone has something to say, this is a big event that can’t be bigger, don’t be shy about it! If you don’t say it now, there will be a lot of gossip when you step back, don’t blame me for not caring about your face!”

It was originally intended to encourage speech, but because of the threatening meaning of the last sentence, everyone shivered in fright, and dared not say it even if they wanted to. "Pu Lun!" Empress Dowager Cixi urged by name, "You are Xuanzong's eldest grandson, what do you say?" "It is right to set up an heir for Mu Zong." Pu Lun replied, "As for who? Let Lafayette decide." "If you want to make an heir for Mu Zong, of course you will choose among your little brothers." Empress Dowager Cixi asked: "Look, who is more promising?"

As soon as this remark came out, the princes of the "Zai" generation who had sons who were expected to succeed Mu Zong as heirs were all nervous.Of course, Empress Dowager Cixi would not make a decision based on his words, but preconceived words are easy to hear. If there are two people who are indistinguishable in Empress Dowager Cixi's mind, then thinking of Pu Lun's words at that time, the relationship will be too big.Therefore, they all held their breath and listened to how he played right? Pu Lun was also very sophisticated, he didn't want to offend any of his cousins, so he thought about it and replied: "According to slaves, everyone except slaves is promising."

The Empress Dowager Cixi was angry and funny, and scolded: "Where did you learn the glib tongue?" Then she asked Pu Wei by name: "You have become a prince! You should be allowed to speak. What's your opinion on this matter?" Pu Wei is the eldest grandson of King Gong, the son of Zai Ying, and the heir of Zai Li, who died as early as the eleventh year of Guangxu.Zaicheng was the closest to Mu Zong, and Empress Dowager Cixi loved Zaicheng the most among all her nephews, so when King Gong passed away, Puwei was specially ordered to inherit the "hereditary" prince, and everyone called him "Little Prince Gong". ".

"Little King Gong" himself has the qualifications to join the Great Reign, and the Empress Dowager Cixi asked him by name, which meant that he was an outsider.Thinking of this, Pu Wei couldn't help feeling discouraged, and said perfunctorily: "Your servant is young, so I dare not talk nonsense about such a big matter! Everything is up to Lafayette." Not only Pu Wei, but other people also said the same way, which surprised the Empress Dowager Cixi.I thought that although everyone would not fight openly, they would find many reasons to restrain each other and form a stalemate.

Who knows that the so-called meeting is actually a meeting but not a discussion.This also made Empress Dowager Cixi realize that these juniors are certainly not as talented as their fathers and uncles, but their own power is greater than before.It seems that there is nothing to talk about with them, so I have to find someone else to discuss it. This person was not Li Lianying. She knew very well that Li Lianying could only obey her will and try to do what she wanted to do.Whether one thing should be done, or not to do this thing, and do another thing instead, only one person dares to talk in front of her.This person is the eldest daughter of Prince Gong, and she was raised by Empress Dowager Cixi as her own daughter. According to the example of the emperor's daughter from the middle palace, she was named Princess Gulun, and the title was "Rongshou".

From the Empress Dowager Cixi to the eunuchs and court ladies, Princess Rongshou Gulun is called the "Eldest Princess".Everyone in Xuanzong's family who lived in the generation of "Zai" is the younger brother of the eldest princess, but no one dares to call her "big sister", and they all call her "eldest princess".Part of it is because of the system, and part of it is because of awe of the princess. Even the Empress Dowager Cixi has a three-pointed fear of the eldest princess. Whenever a married woman enters the palace and presents novelty and brightly colored clothes, the Empress Dowager Cixi always earnestly warns her left and right: "Don't let the eldest princess look like this." The princess knows!" Empress Dowager Cixi never talked to the eldest princess about the abolition of the establishment, because she was afraid that she would object. However, she knew that the Eldest Princess was very calm, and if things had to be done, she would not object in vain, but would help her with ideas on how to do things well. "Where is the eldest princess?" Empress Dowager Cixi said to Li Lianying, "I have something important to tell her." So Li Lianying sent someone to spread the edict of Xuan Yi.As soon as the eldest princess arrived, he waved away all the eunuchs and maids, and personally patrolled around the palace, not allowing anyone to approach. Because he had already guessed what the Empress Dowager Cixi was going to talk to the eldest princess about. The middle-aged eldest princess, widowed early, is the only one who can have a seat in front of the Empress Dowager Cixi.However, she seldom enjoys this privilege, especially when the emperor, empress, and kings Fujin—her aunt or aunt—will not sit down.Only when this kind of mother and daughter depend on each other and don't stick to etiquette, will she hold a small stool and sit beside the Empress Dowager Cixi, gossiping about family affairs.Of course, occasionally participate in big plans. On this day, the Empress Dowager Cixi convened a meeting of the princes and princes of the nearby branches, and announced that the young children of the "Pu" generation were ordered to enter the palace. When Bu's mother or Rong Lu's wife entered the palace, they were mostly looking for a partner. I heard that she was only summoned by herself, and that she would be summoned by the outer palace as soon as she returned to the inner palace. Things. Thinking of this, the eldest princess's heart tightened!For many years, the emperor thought that there were only two people who could rely on him, one was "Master Weng" and the other was "Big Sister".Who would have thought that something unexpected would happen, and the emperor would end up in this state today!Every time I heard people say that the emperor who was secluded in Yingtai didn't have enough food and clothing, and would always cry behind closed doors, but she couldn't help in private, and she didn't dare to speak to the Empress Dowager Cixi.Because she knew the eunuch's insidiousness, if she was punished by the Empress Dowager Cixi for this, she would definitely turn her anger on the emperor, and she would come up with some vicious tricks to torture the emperor. From autumn to winter, she spent many sleepless nights thinking about the emperor's future.At first, when I thought of abolishing Li, I would be anxious, wishing to find Zaiyi and others immediately, and reprimand them, but gradually I couldn't help but wonder, is it really unbearable for the emperor to be abolished?On the other hand, I thought, as it is now, what interest is there in the emperor?Looking far away, what hope is there? These perplexing thoughts lingered in my mind day after day, but never got an answer.And finally one day I realized it!That was after the French minister recommended a doctor to see the emperor.It is said that the translator accompanied by the French doctor revealed to people that the emperor's food contained nitrate powder, and over time, he was poisoned and died without anyone knowing.From this point of view, abolishing the establishment is a good thing, at least it can save the emperor's life!