Chapter 36 Section thirty-six

The East Four Pailou is the most prosperous in the lamp market, and even the "reminding lamps" can play tricks.The security of the inner and outer cities of the capital is under the responsibility of the infantry commander and the Xuncheng censor. Five cities and eight banners each have jurisdiction. The north of Dongcheng belongs to the Xianghuang Banner. The Beixin Bridge at the intersection of the main streets is the boundary, and the Hongjun in the west, north and east, each has its own watchman.The watchmen are all hired beggars, and at the moment when it was time to play the "reminding lamp", dozens of watchmen from the third battalion gathered at Beixinqiao unexpectedly. The gongs are played in unison, and they can play very beautiful "ideas" like a tune. They go south along Dongsi North Street. Item Yuxing.

In the bang gong idea of ​​"Cherkacha, 嘡, 嘡", Shen Guifen went home.Among the visitors was Weng Tonghe, who knew him very well, so he came up to him and straightened up his intentions. Shen Guifen was a very serious person, and he exchanged greetings in a leisurely manner, thinking in his heart that paper can't cover fire, and news can't be hidden. This group of loud voices came to calm people's hearts. So he revealed the truth in a deep and sincere voice, that the Nian Army had not only appeared in Hengshui and Dingzhou, but had actually surrounded Baoding at dawn two days ago. "Bian Ma" - the outpost of the Nian Army, once visited Gu'an.

Gu'an is on the south bank of the Yongding River, only a hundred miles away from the capital, and it is really "at the foot of the emperor", so when the guests heard this, they looked at each other and changed color. "The danger is over, the Shenji Battalion is very effective, and the siege of Baoding has been resolved." Shen Guifen said, "Song Qing of the Henan Army, Zhang Yao has already circled around the bandits, and the two armies of Liu Songshan and Guo Baochang under the jurisdiction of Zuo Jigao will immediately You can also arrive here. The situation has stabilized, and you can rest easy." As he said, he cupped his hands and urged the guests to go home and sleep.

The second half of his words are not true.Baoding's rescue was nothing more than the fact that the Nian army was afraid of breaking through the city, but was surrounded by various government troops and retreated automatically.In fact, the teachers from all walks of life who worked hard for the king had not yet arrived, and the Zicheng came first, so they asked the governor of Zhili and the Yin of Shuntian Prefecture to prepare food and grass for them. Ding Baozhen from Shandong was more active, and he brought his capable general Wang Xinyi. , has left the province, Li Hongzhang naturally has no news, Zuo Zongtang's whereabouts are unknown, only know that he is in Shanxi.For this reason, although the hearts of the people have stabilized, the Empress Dowager Cixi is still so anxious that she can't sleep at night and eat unwillingly.

But she was anxious in her heart, but she couldn't see it on the surface.On the day of the Lantern Festival, close relatives and nobles were summoned to have dinner and listen to operas at Shufangzhai, and to have a New Year reunion with family gifts.The prince Baylor and the forehead of Xuanzong's branch have all arrived, only King Chun has not arrived. "Where is Master Qi, why aren't you here yet?" Empress Dowager Ci'an asked. "I have already sent someone to remind you." An Dehai replied. Before he could finish a sentence, King Chun had already arrived in a hurry, leaving in such a hurry that his forehead was covered with sweat.He bowed to the empress dowagers of the two palaces and the emperor, and explained the reason for being late: "Shenji camp has captured a spy, and I have to interrogate him personally, so I understand it, so I can return to the two empress dowagers."

"Oh!" Empress Dowager Cixi asked very attentively, "What did the spies say?" "It is said that the Nian bandits took advantage of the excitement of watching the lights in the past few days, and prepared to disguise themselves as merchants and sneak into the city to cause trouble." "Then..." The Queen Mothers of the Two Palaces hadn't said anything yet, but King Dun shouted from the side: "Then we have to let the infantry command the yamen, and step up inspections!" This was tantamount to nonsense, and the Empress Dowager Cixi ignored him, but his other sister-in-law was honest and fearful that he would lose face, so she said perfunctorily, "Your Majesty's words are not bad."

Hearing this sound, King Dun became more energetic, "Now the situation is urgent, and the capital needs to talk about how to defend. I have discussed it with many people, and I want to make a case with the two empress dowagers." He said, "The minister's statement, there are three in total." Seeing the seriousness of what he said, the Empress Dowager Cixi felt that she might as well listen, so she nodded, "Say it!" At the same time, she looked at King Gong and King Jin, meaning to ask them to listen carefully. "First, additional troops should be stationed outside the city for the purpose of detective rescue."

What is this called?His two younger brothers almost laughed out loud, but the Empress Dowager Cixi deliberately hurt him: "Mmm, yes, not bad!" King Dun didn't know the height of his eyebrows, but he still raised his voice and said: "It is appropriate to send more flags in the city, continue to train spearmen, and defend separately." "What's the name of 'additional banners'?" asked the Empress Dowager Ci'an. "What I mean is to transfer those stationed in places outside the city, such as the Jianrui Camp in Xiangshan, to the city."

One said that more troops should be added outside the city, and the other said that soldiers from outside the city should be transferred into the city. Isn't it contradictory?But no one wants to expose him in vain. The thirteen-year-old emperor already understood the reasoning quite clearly, and then he said: "Uncle Wu, I will settle a score with you." "yes!" "Transfer the soldiers from outside the city into the city—didn't you say just now that there are more troops to be stationed outside the city? Where did they come from? In my opinion, transfer the soldiers who were originally in the city and exchange them on both sides. It’s all added soldiers!”

The two queens and the two kings all smiled, but King Dun did not change his face. "Of course the soldiers in the city will not be transferred out," he said. Soldiers, send one over." "Okay, okay!" Empress Dowager Cixi became impatient, "There is one more thing you can say!" "The third thing is that I can see with my own eyes that there are more beggars in the city than before, so I have to find a way to take them in and feed them." "This one is pretty much the same." The Empress Dowager Cixi nodded, turned to look at King Gong and King Chun, and said, "You two brothers will discuss how to do it. See if there is enough money to build more porridge factories. Otherwise, It's going to cause trouble."

King Chun is in charge of the Shenji Camp, and the infantry commander's yamen is also under his inspection. More than half of the responsibility for public security in the capital falls on his shoulders. He refuses to admit that there are too many beggars, "I don't think there are many beggars." He said. "You see?" King Dun immediately retorted and ridiculed: "You sit in the sedan chair every day, and the 'top horse' shouts for you in front of you, and you have already driven away the idlers. Where do you go to see?" King Jin was so refuted that he had nothing to say, and everyone believed what King Dun said, because he had nothing else to do, that is, he did not put on airs as a prince.In summer, I wear a short gown made of coarse cotton cloth, hold a big cattail fan, and sit in Shichahai to enjoy the cool air, and I can have a lively chat with strangers.In winter, I often wrap up an old sheepskin jacket, sneak to Zhengyang Tower to eat roast mutton alone, and even drink "Erguotou" with the porter's sedan chair team in the "big wine tank".Therefore, among the Wuhuang nobles, no one knows as much as he does about the dynamics in the mall. "I don't understand again!" In the silence, the emperor asked again, "Why do the beggars add so much all of a sudden? Where did they come from?" "That's right!" Empress Dowager Ci'an praised the emperor, "That's a reasonable question!" This time, King Dun was stopped, but King Gong could guess it, so it didn't matter if he told the story, "I'm afraid half of them are refugees who escaped from the south of the province." He said. "It's better to find a way to settle down." "It's not just about settling these refugees." The Empress Dowager Cixi said in a low and depressed voice, "The year is over, and I have to go to the fields in a blink of an eye. It was a year of famine. Last year there was drought and famine, and this year it was a year of swordsmanship. How can this continue?" Seeing that the empress dowagers of the two palaces were deeply worried about the national economy and the people's livelihood, King Chun had an idea that he had thought about for several days, and at this moment he couldn't help but say it: "Qi Zou two empress dowagers, the situation is so bad, I will trouble the two empress dowagers." With the emperor's worries, the minister was really uneasy. I have been thinking for the past two days that the Nian bandits are roaming indefinitely, and when Baoding comes again, it will be Yizhou. The mausoleum is an important place and must be protected. I am willing to take an army out of Beijing to defend Xiling.Please the will of the two empress dowagers! " When he said this, Prince Gong's heart skipped a beat. He knew that trouble was coming again. Just as he was about to try to stop it, he found that the empress dowagers of the two palaces had expressions of approval, and his heart became more and more vigilant. This matter should not be discussed here. It is difficult to redeem the promise, so he rushed to the front and said: "What King Chun saw is very true. But this is a big matter. It is best for the military to discuss the regulations with King Chun, and then ask for the order in person." The procedure should be like this, and the empress dowagers of the two palaces agreed.During this gap, An Dehai rushed forward and asked for instructions on when the play should start. Upon hearing this, the emperor couldn't sit still for the first time, and the Empress Dowager Ci'an said, "Let them prepare!" After speaking, he stood up, and all the princes and princes Baylor came to stand in front of the palace, and waited for the queen mothers of the two palaces to come to the throne before they found their own seats and sat down.The operas on this day are nothing more than auspicious operas undertaken by the Shengping Department's serving festivals, with new costumes and lively singing, but the Empress Dowager Cixi, who knows operas, doesn't appreciate it very much.Halfway through the singing, she ordered two other plays, one was "Gong Tan" and the other was "Lian Po Pleading Sin". "Gong Tan" was easy to dress up, and the four maids led a princess to the stage and started singing.Those present, even Prince Gong didn't know what kind of drama this was about?But Chun Wang beside him is an expert in Kunqu opera, so he asked in a low voice, "Old Qi, who is this 'princess'?" "Princess Changping." "Ah!" Although Prince Gong has never seen this play, he has read "Seven Kinds of Songs of Yijinglou", and remembered that there is a book "Emperor Flower", which is about the day when Li Zicheng broke the capital of Emperor Sizong of Ming Dynasty. The sword cut off the story of Princess Changping in the Shouning Palace, and I was confused, wondering why the Empress Dowager Cixi chose such a miserable scene. At this time, the song card of "Golden Luosuo" has been changed. Because King Gong has read this song, he listened carefully, and the words are clear: "Living and fearing Chang'an is like playing chess, and the remnants of the fifth watch go to rest; The banner is tightly guarded, and the sky is sad! The emperor's family is too shabby, and the soldiers are noisy, and the officials are drunk and faint, and the vitality of Yuanyang is exhausted!" Hearing these few lines, Prince Gong felt very uncomfortable, could it be that the Empress Dowager Cixi used these few lines to scold people, he kept thinking like this. Seeing the "Lian Po Pleading Guilty" below, I feel even more moved!Zuo Zongtang and Li Hongzhang, who relied on the Great Wall of the imperial court, were supercilious, self-respecting and obsessed, and selfish, forgetting righteousness for profit.If Lian Po had the courage to admit his mistakes and help each other, the situation would not have turned into what it is today. Because of these feelings, Prince Gong is in a bad mood today.Scattered from the palace, I really want to find someone to talk to, express my depression.So he naturally thought of Bao Yun. He is a frequent visitor to Bao Yun's house, and he is welcomed into the study as soon as he arrives.Every time he comes, he is served by Wu Fu, a beloved girl of Baojun and his wife. Wu Fu is from Suzhou, but he can speak very crisp Beijing movies, and he is very familiar with the etiquette of everyone under his banner.As soon as we met, I invited a double security. In addition to saying hello, I also congratulated the Lantern Festival.Then he asked about the eldest princess, the eldest young master, and the second young master from Liufujin, without missing any one.Finally, the wine was poured, Prince Gong was a bit western, and Wu Fu poured him a glass of red wine for tea from a crystal cup. "Have you eaten yet?" Bao Jun asked. "I want a bowl of porridge." Prince Gong said, "All I need is pickles." "Coincidentally." Wufu smiled and said, "I happened to cook fragrant rice porridge and Jinzhou pickles." In addition to pickles, there is also a plate of dried shrimp mixed with cucumber. The melon is as thin as a finger, and a shallow plate is just such a small dish, which is worth a whole table. King Gong recited two lines of bamboo sticks when he saw it: "Cucumber is better than ginseng when you first see it. Small as a hairpin is worth gold." After reciting, she shook her head with a look of disapproval. "What's the matter?" Wu Fu asked: "In the first month of that year, there were cucumbers, which were always delicious, but today I don't like them!" "Ah!" Prince Gong suddenly sighed, "Where do you know the world outside?" As soon as these things were mentioned, Wu Fu stopped talking.Everyone's rules are strict, and you are never allowed to interrupt indiscriminately when you don't know the situation. "Is it very lively in the palace today?" "It's very lively." Prince Gong took a mouthful of porridge and said with a wry smile: "The fifth one is going to Chen, and the seventh is going to lead troops to protect Xiling again." "Won't that cause more trouble for the local government?" Bao Jun frowned and said, "I asked for money, but I didn't have it! The household department is extremely poor." "Hmph! It seems that he is still very energetic. Today he let me get away with it, how about tomorrow?" "How about tomorrow?" Bao Yun thought for a while and asked, "Even if we let him go, there are generals but no soldiers, but it won't work." "We must not let him go!" Prince Gong said with great determination, "People from all walks of life gathered in Beijing to scatter, just to suppress Zhang Zongyu's gangsters. Do you grow other people's ambitions?" "That's right! If Seventh Master wants to mention this again tomorrow, let's use this reason to persuade him." "Hey! Don't talk about these things. Have some fun!" "Let's go and see the lights?" Bao Jun suggested, "This year's lights in the Ministry of Industry are quite new." Prince Gong thought to himself, going to see the "Six Lights" is naturally a private act in low clothes, I'm afraid some officials will know, saying that the times are so difficult, and relatives and noble ministers have the leisure to go out and watch the lights, isn't it heartless?It doesn't count to be scolded for no reason, it's better to be quiet. At this time, Chong Lun, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, sent a letter, saying that the secretary office of the Ministry of Industry had sent many lanterns, and the secretary of the Ministry of War had sent many fireworks and fireworks.He called another group of miscellaneous operas, including Bao Jun's favorite "Book of Disciples", and specially sent a note to invite him to "conspiracy for an overnight pleasure". "The fun is coming!" Bao Jun pointed to the letter and told Prince Gong about Chong Lun's invitation. Chong Lun is known as a rich man, and these tricks are played all year round. Prince Gong has also been there several times, and every time he returns with full enjoyment. But at this moment, his interest suddenly faded. "Forget it! What year is this? It's not good to spread the word." "Then I'll resign him." Bao Jun went to the desk, opened the ink cartridge, took out a fountain pen, stood and wrote a reply, asking the servant to tell the Chong family that there was a distinguished guest and he couldn't be separated, thank you very much. "Five Blessings," Prince Gong stood up and walked to the brazier to sit down, "Pour me another glass of wine." When Wu Fu brought the wine and fruit plate, he stretched his feet, she took off his boots for him, took a mahogany stool to rest his feet on, and then went to bring a Russian blanket, wrapped it around his lower body, and tucked the blanket Tuck it tight. "Isn't this very comfortable?" Prince Gong took the cup in his hand and wanted to talk about business, "I don't understand, what exactly does Li Shaoquan mean?" "He also has his difficulties. First, he doesn't want to work with Zuo Jigao; second, he is afraid of being thankless. Li Shaoquan never does things in vain." "It's a good word. But the court treats him well, even if it's difficult, they can't help but buy the court's face. Just ignore him, what is this called?" "For a Zongyu Zhang, three lords will be suppressed, plus two first-rank officials, it is really a joke to say, plus a prince, it will be even more lively." "Of course Lao Qi can't ask him to go." Prince Gong paused and said, "Guan, Zuo, and Li, who will be in charge in the future?" "Officials run the grain station, and Zuo Zongtang commands the front line." "How about Li Hongzhang?" "I can only persuade him to feel wronged." "It's good to be persuaded to listen." Bao Yun thought for a while and said, "If someone has something to say, he might listen." "Zeng Disheng?" "By the way." Bao Jun said again, "Tomorrow I will write a letter to my old fellow." "That's fine. But don't make any wishes." Prince Gong warned: "The higher-ups have big plans now, and Xiao Anzi is acting as her eyes and ears for her, and all the hearsay is being used by the higher-ups. Things are getting more and more difficult. done." Bao Yun was silent.After resting for a while, he said: "It will be fine when the emperor is in charge." This reminded Prince Gong: "The emperor looks like a grown-up." He said excitedly, "I will find an opportunity to mention it to my superiors. Every day when military planes meet, let the emperor listen to it and learn a little bit." "Hmm!" Bao Jun asked again: "I heard that the empress dowagers of the two palaces are planning to establish a queen, do you have such a saying?" "I've mentioned it before. I plan to appoint a queen when the emperor is sixteen years old. There are still three or four years to go. Don't be busy." "I think the emperor's body is thin, so it's not advisable to get married too early." "You're saying it the wrong way." Prince Gong lowered his voice, "The emperor's wisdom is developed early, so it's better to get married early, lest those little eunuchs lead him to mess around and ruin his health." "I heard that in the 'west side', the palace guard is as close to the emperor as the thief guard. Xiao Anzi was assigned this task of 'inspection'. " "Xiao Anzi," Prince Gong said casually, "one day there will be bad luck." From here, they talked about the current situation in the palace, and whatever Prince Gong wanted to know, Bao Yun could satisfy him.Just when the conversation was going on, the servant came to report: "Lord Chong is here." Before the figure arrives, I see the ice lamp first, which is carved out of a whole block of solid ice. It is said that a unique and secret "medicine" is added in it, which can last for a long time.There are four ice lanterns in total, carved into the patterns of the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, which Chonglun brought with him. "You're not at home looking at the lights, listening to "What's Not Free" and "Books for Children", what are you doing here?" Chong Lun is over seventy years old, he is well-preserved, and his waist and legs are still light and healthy. He greeted Prince Gong with a clean and tidy greeting, and replied with a smile: "I heard that Master Liu is here, so I came here to serve you." "Don't think that you are looking down on you if you don't come to your house to look at the lights. It's really messy and I don't have that kind of leisure time." "Actually, those lamps are the same every year, so there's nothing to see, but let's use an excuse to talk with them." Chonglun said, "I was also thinking that the times are bad, and these routine things are worse than avoiding them." Yes! But some people say that if you are used to playing every year, but suddenly changed your appearance this year, it must be because the bandits made too much trouble. Thinking about it is important to calm people's hearts, so I got some lights to hang as usual." King Gong knew that this was Chong Lun's uneasy explanation, just listen to it and don't need to talk further, otherwise it would seem like a really brooding heart that couldn't be relieved, so he changed the topic. "I heard that in the past few days, there have been more beggars on the ground than usual. Is there such a thing?" "That's for sure. After the lights are on, every family has to go out for a stroll. If you don't do street work at this time, when will it be?" "What is 'making a street'?" Bao Jun intervened and asked. "That's their 'jargon'." Chong Lun said with a smile: "When you go to the street to beg for food, it's called 'street'." "Aren't there refugees trapped inside?" "No way," Chonglun replied, "Although their line of business is a low-level business, the rules are very strict, and each has its own location. No one is allowed to mess around, let alone outsiders. Besides, it is not possible to escape to the capital. If you have two coins in your hand, you have close relatives and friends you can rely on, so why beg for food?" King Gong kept nodding his head and said to Baojun, "If you don't know anything, you don't gain wisdom. Sri Lanka is also called. " "What's the matter?" Chong Lun was confused, "It's all right, Master Liu mentioned this!" "Fifth Master played at the top today, saying that there have been too many beggars in the capital recently, so we have to find a way." Prince Gong said again: "You have the task of commanding the yamen of the infantry, and you also have a share in the affairs on the ground! " Chonglun was also in command of the left-wing general of the Yamen's infantry, and he was in charge of the eastern half of the city, so he said easily at this moment: "That's easy. Don't dare to say, just in this first lunar month, I guarantee that the fifth master will go to court, and there will be no beggars. " He said he could, and he could do it. That night, he sent someone to look for the "beggar's head" - a common name for the beggar's head. He said that he would give five hundred coins to the capital. During this half month, he was not allowed to "do street work" in the inner city. "The one on the pole" is also called "the one who catches up with the son". According to them, the correct name is "catch up and eat", which was granted by Ming Taizu.It means to eat free food according to the order. If there are weddings and weddings in that family, there will be leftovers to eat when they catch up.Of course, as a "beggar" who is on the pole, he neither needs to "work in the street", nor does he know how to eat what he begs. At this time, the "catch-up man" in the capital, surnamed Ding, nicknamed "Judge Ding", had a wife and two concubines in his family, and lived the rest of his life comfortably. He was no longer in charge, but his authority was still there.After listening to the written note sent by Chonglun, after all, Judge Ding said that there are many temple fairs in the first month, which is a good time to "do street work", but: "Since Master Chong ordered it, then accept it!" Sure enough, from the next day onwards, there was no beggar in the inner city, and they were all driven out of the nine gates.The same is true for beggars, and the same is true for those who command the army to deal with the Nian army. In particular, Zhili Governor Guan Wen, who was dismissed from his post and stayed in office, always uses the word "throw out" as his secret formula for using soldiers, hoping to drive the Nian army out of Zhili. In the provincial border, it is all right to go east to Shandong, south to Henan, and west to Shanxi, but you can't go north, because the north is the capital. At this time, Ding Baozhen, the governor of Shandong, the teacher of the King of Qin from all walks of life, arrived first to reward him with an order.Then Li Hongzhang also had a very practical replay. Except for Liu Mingchuan's "sickness is true, and it is temporarily difficult to make a trip", the rest of the army has been dispatched to help. .In this way, plus the Yu army in the south; Zuo Zongtang's army from Niangziguan in the west; The situation is about to take shape again, and the official document's hope of chasing the Nian army out of Zhili province seems to be in vain. According to the idea of ​​the Empress Dowager Cixi, the army gathered, except for the Ming army, all the elites had been concentrated, and the encirclement and suppression would be like a wandering soul at the bottom of a pot, and it would not be difficult to quell it all at once. So I thought of a very interesting thing in my spare time, and I should do it.