Chapter 70 Section 70

Of course, there were changes in the emperor's daily life, and the traces of the changes were left on the diary files in the study room. The emperor lived in that palace on that day, and the concubine he summoned on that day was clearly recorded, because this was clearly recorded in the empress's concubine. If you are pregnant, you can calculate the day of conception. But the Empress Dowager Cixi knew the emperor's whereabouts day and night without looking at the diary, because every day the eunuch she appointed went to inquire clearly and played back to her.One concubine, one concubine and two concubines. Calculated, the emperor and the empress spend the most nights together, followed by the concubine Yu of Seguan Harem, and the third concubine Hui. rain and dew.

Although Concubine Hui was not "backing the list", the Empress Dowager Cixi still felt that she was too wronged, hesitated for a few days, and decided to intervene. "Look at you," she scolded the emperor lovingly, "you are so thin!" After marriage, the emperor was much more sophisticated, and he touched his face calmly, "My son thinks he is in good spirits." He said, "I read a book every night, and I always have to wake up before going to bed." "Hmph!" The Empress Dowager Cixi sneered slightly self-deprecatingly, "That's what you said, let me listen to you!"

Like this, it seems that people have dropped too many flower guns, and they can no longer trust the words. The emperor has long been used to it, and he usually doesn't take it seriously, but now he takes it seriously. "It's about reading it every day. My son doesn't need to lie to my mother!" said the emperor.He pronounced the word "yes" very emphatically, and his voice was quite hard, as if he was dissatisfied in his heart. The Empress Dowager Cixi got a little angry, her face sank, and she reprimanded in a hurried voice: "You just talk to me like this!"

The emperor still doesn't know where he is wrong?After thinking about it again, I realized that my tone was not submissive, but I didn't want to admit my mistake, so I just didn't say anything. "You have grown hard wings, where do you still remember mother!" When I mentioned this, I triggered my memory, and felt more and more resentment in my heart. Now, how can you be today? If you haven’t taken charge of the government, you don’t care about your mother. After a few days, who taught you to be like this?” Hearing these last two words, the emperor was both horrified and annoyed. "There are not a few days", doesn't it mean that the wedding has just reached the full moon?

But the following sentence "Who taught you to be like this"?The queen, of course.It's not a matter of shadows!Suspicion for no reason, but actually came out of the mouth of the biological mother, the emperor felt terrible! "My son doesn't dare!" He knelt down, but he was still wronged, and he argued with the reasonable voice, "No one dares to instigate my son to be unfilial, and my son will never listen. What Eniang said taught my son how to be a human being and why For you?" "If you say that, I have wronged you?" "It doesn't matter if you wronged your son..." The emperor suddenly stopped, and realized that the following sentence could not be said, but it was too late!

The Empress Dowager Cixi raised her eyes suddenly, but she could no longer find the soft light that a woman usually had in her eyes. The emperor's heart skipped a beat when she stared at her.Then she raised her face and asked, "What's the matter? It doesn't matter if you are wronged, but who is wronged? Tell me!" The emperor knew it was broken, swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and said with difficulty: "My son is wrong. Mom, don't be angry!Always the son is unfilial. " The Empress Dowager Cixi could no longer lose her temper with harsh words, and at the same time it was inconvenient to publicly criticize the emperor for protecting the empress, she just sneered repeatedly, wondering what the empress had said to the emperor on the pillow?Thinking about how to inquire?Instead, I forgot what I wanted to say.

After paying a lot of money and saying a lot of good things, the turmoil was calmed down.The emperor returned to Qianqing Palace alone, feeling deeply annoyed, and sat alone under the window of Xinuan Pavilion, not speaking for a long time. Xiao Li didn't dare to make a sound, and waited for the emperor's face to look better, before reminding him that he hadn't been to Zhongcui Palace that day, which meant that he should accompany the Empress Dowager Ci'an to have a chat.Everyone around the emperor knew that as long as he was in front of the Empress Dowager Ci'an, the emperor's troubles would naturally disappear.

The emperor was reminded and decided to go to the Zhongcui Palace to complain about his grievances, but he never thought that instead, the Empress Dowager Ci'an would kindly reprimand him. "I heard you talked back to your mother?" "It's not talking back." The emperor stretched the corner of his mouth and said, "I don't know why my mother lost her temper with me so much." "There is always something wrong with you." The Empress Dowager Ci'an said, "You should also be sympathetic to your mother. If you follow her in everything, won't everything be fine?"

"Shun also has to be smooth. I am very careful every time I go, but I don't know what I said, so I put my face down!" The emperor complained, "I'm really scared. Who can teach me? One way to make my mother happy, I can kowtow to him." "Why do you do that?" Empress Dowager Ci'an laughed, "Kowtow for me, and I'll tell you a way." This was a joke, but the emperor really knelt down and kowtowed.Empress Dowager Ci'an stretched out her hand to pull him up, let him sit beside her, held his hand lovingly, hesitated a little, as if she didn't know what she said, should she say it or not?

Due to the emperor's urging eyes, she finally said: "Your mother is a person who can't be idle, unlike me, reading idle books, walking around and spending the whole day. If you want to make your mother happy, there is only one person." Way, find something to entertain her, then the world will be peaceful." The emperor nodded deeply while listening. "There is a way," he said, "to repair the garden and ask the two empress dowagers to take care of them for the rest of their lives." Empress Dowager Ci'an's expression was very complicated, as if she was applauding the emperor's filial piety, but also as if deeply regretting her slip of the tongue. "It's easier said than done?"

She said, "The money spent is probably more than a big wedding." "Hmph!" the emperor sneered, "more than half of the money for the wedding is in other people's pockets, and the garden will be repaired in the future, so I really have to take good care of it." "Let's talk about it after you kiss Zheng!" Empress Dowager Ci'an said, "I want to do something, but I'm afraid of spending money. Since your Ama was buried, I haven't visited the mausoleum yet. It's just a poor family outside. , although not to mention the two seasons of the year, the sacrifices are made on time, and the graves must be visited every three or two years. So, I think next spring, I will go to Dingling." "Yes! I should also go to the Amaling Mausoleum to kowtow." The emperor not only could not bear to violate the wishes of the Empress Dowager Ci'an, but also felt that this job was necessary, so he said very enthusiastically, "It doesn't cost much. Tomorrow I'll just tell them." "They" refers to Prince Gong and the Minister of Military Aircraft.When the "meeting" took place the next day, the emperor first mentioned this matter. The Empress Dowager Cixi felt that it was very satisfactory, so she supported the emperor, saying that she had listened to the government behind the curtain for twelve years. You can comfort your ancestors.Therefore, it is advocated to pay homage to Dongling first and then Dingling, and the date will be set around Qingming next year. Now, there are reasons and solutions, Prince Gong didn't need to say any more, he agreed to draw up the decree, and ordered Qin Tianjian to arrange the departure day before the Qingming Festival next year.As for the repairs of the roads, bridges, roads, and palaces along the way, it is up to the governor of Zhili to do the work. With Li Hongzhang, you don't have to worry about it. After this matter has been explained, it is up to Prince Gong Chen Zou to make an order. He has two things that must be reported to the superior. One is that Peng Yulin refuses to accept the position of the right servant of the Ministry of War. With the help of Peng Yulin, the new admiral of the Yangtze River Navy, Li Chengmou, after arranging the Jiang defense properly, he was allowed to return to his hometown to raise Bo. After that, Peng Yulin would patrol the Yangtze River once a year, and he was allowed to perform special affairs, and the two governors of Liangjiang and Huguang would replace him. Divide office expenses.The empress dowagers and emperors of the two palaces all felt that the method proposed by Shen Guifen was very good, and they all agreed. Another thing is troublesome, envoys from various countries request an audience.This was originally stated in the treaty, but in the past, Chinese etiquette and customs could be used, and the empress dowagers of the two palaces who were in charge of the government refused to meet the male guests because it was inconvenient. After a few reports, the main points were lost, and the envoys from all over the world were waiting to hear the answer. King Gong had to call a meeting of the ministers of the Prime Minister’s Commercial Office to discuss countermeasures. It’s all right to have an audience. Yes, that's it. It is natural to "find a natal family" if you want to discuss.The terms of the audience were stipulated in the "Sino-British Treaty of Tianjin" in the eighth year of Xianfeng. The "British Imperial Envoy" had an audience with the Qing emperor.In the tenth year of Xianfeng, Wen Zong fled to Rehe because of the "exchange of contract". Gui Liang failed to negotiate a peace, and the British and French allied forces marched into Tongzhou. British Minister Elkin made a request to meet with the Qing emperor and hand over the Queen's letter of credence.Prince Gong started from here. "At that time, Zai Yuan and Mu Yin agreed to the British translator Pacharli, and they could do so. But they knew that the report was in order, and they were reprimanded by strict orders. Zai and Mu had no choice but to cover up the case. Afterwards, I presided over the Fuju Bureau, and it took a lot of effort to cancel Elkin's request." King Gong then said: "For this reason, the seventh year of Tongzhi has come to the period of 'ten-year contract revision', and the Prime Minister's Yamen specially made a request for it. The invoice said that the first item of consultation with the governors and generals of the provinces is to "discuss and ask for an audience." Zeng Disheng, Li Shaoquan, and Zuo Jigao all thought it might as well allow him to enter the audience. Only one person objected, that is, the official document. His bones are not cold, and I also Let’s not talk about him. At this point, it is impossible to prevent envoys from various countries from entering the palace! I think Shaoquan’s method may be feasible, let’s take a look at his original book first.” So he called Zhang Jing, and recited Li Hongzhang's memorial "Phili Shangchen" at the end of the sixth year of Tongzhi. The first article was also "Ask for an audience." Please hold it again for the memorial. At that time, it will be weighed by the holy order. If you show your grace, it may be all right." He also said: "I heard that foreign monarchs and ministers are almost equal to ordinary people. Even if they celebrate the festival, they are no more than the emperor. Sitting and standing, it seems almost obscene. As a last resort, the power should be moderate. In the future, when the emperor ascends to the palace and the "Yumen" major ceremonies, he must be included in the civil and military ranks of the censors and censors. You don’t lose yourself within a few days, and you don’t lose others outside. But I’m afraid that he will want to call his opponents to honor him!” After reading this, Prince Gong interrupted with a wave of his hand, and asked everyone who was discussing with him: "Shaoquan's trick, let's see if it works? On the day of the pro-government ceremony, let the envoys of various countries arrange their shifts among the deacons of praise, wouldn't they be able to stop kneeling? " This approach was almost inconceivable, but Prince Gong expressed his approval, so it was inconvenient for everyone to refute it directly. They looked at each other in blank dismay and remained silent for a long time. In the end, Chong Hou, who was in charge of negotiating with the ministers of various countries, had to bite the bullet and speak. "The method is good, but it is what Li Shaoquan himself said, 'If you want to call, you will be honored.'" The envoys of various countries have long had such an idea: they are guests, and the host has always refused to receive them, which is not treating each other as guests. From my point of view, it is impossible to ask them to kowtow, and now there are only two ways to discuss, one is whether we can think of a plan and not teach them to enter the pilgrimage? The other is whether we can persuade the emperor to show his grace?" "Even if the emperor Yourong, there are still people gossiping." Dong Xun shook his hair and complained: "Qingyi, Qingyi! I wonder how much it is worth per catty?" As soon as the two of them started talking, there was a lot of discussion, and they couldn't agree on what to say.In the end, there is only one way to delay, let Chong Hou report back to the ministers of various countries, saying that it is too early to be in charge of the government, and we will talk about it at that time. A meeting broke up without any results.But the days are ruthless, and each day passes quickly. In a blink of an eye, it is the winter solstice.In order to be in charge of the government soon, the queen mothers of the two palaces and the ministers of the king agreed that starting from this year, the emperor will personally sacrifice, "to be strict with the more, and to show respect and sincerity." Therefore, according to the prescribed etiquette, Siqian fasted, and the emperor stayed alone In the fasting palace, Zai Cheng, who "walks in front of the imperial court", was sent to accompany him in the sleeping hall. Heaven, son, father, heaven, mother and land, so offering sacrifices to Yuanqiu in the winter solstice and offering sacrifices to Fangze in the summer solstice are extremely solemn ceremonies.The fast lasted for three days. The first two days were spent in the fasting palace east of the Qianqing Palace, and the last day was spent in the fasting palace outside the Chengzhen Gate of the Temple of Heaven.Forbid concubines and imperial concubines, prohibit drinking and vegetable food, do not hold banquets, and do not listen to music.For the old emperor, these three days of asceticism were good for his health, but for the current seventeen-year-old emperor, it was three days of loneliness. Thanks to the company of Zai Li, he was able to pass the long night. But in Zaicheng, it is a big hardship.The result of Zhangtai walking around and laughing at thousands of dollars has brought about an ulterior hidden disease, frequent urination, impatient waiting, talking with the emperor for a long time, standing there, not pretending to move in bits and pieces", It's like a thorn in the back. "What's the matter?" The emperor found out and couldn't help asking: "You don't want to imitate, just imitate Boyan Namoge!" Boyan Namoqian was born with such a problem, he loves to move but not to be quiet, even if he is standing in front of the imperial court, he will have to lift his feet and twist his shoulders after a short period of time. Zaicheng is not imitating him, but It was also difficult to explain, so I just agreed: "Yes!" I tried my best to endure it. However, there is no way to bear the internal urgency, and when I couldn't bear it anymore, I had to kneel down to say hello, blushing and said: "I ask the emperor for leave!" "What are you going to do?" "Chen, I want it convenient." The emperor couldn't help laughing. He was used to joking with Zai Cheng, so he scolded: "Get out! Don't drown in your pants!" The first time was not a big deal, but the second time, the emperor suddenly realized, "Dare you have a disease!" He asked with concern: "Why do you have this disease?" Zai Li was extremely smart, and he knew early on that he couldn't hide it. Sooner or later, the emperor would ask questions in doubt, so he planned his answer in advance. Cheng said confidently, "As long as you are tired, you will get sick." "How did you get into this useless disease?" The emperor frowned and said, "Then you go home!" When Zai Cheng heard this, he begged An Xie'en, but he also said that it didn't matter, as long as he went to see a doctor and took the medicine of "Li Xiao Shui", he would be fine.So the emperor took half a day's leave, and Zaichen found a doctor who specialized in curing diseases of willows and flowers. After the diagnosis and treatment, he returned to the fasting palace with the medicine to work as an errand. "How is it?" the emperor said displeasedly, "I have a lot to talk to you about, but you are sick again, so you need to rest!" "The minister is completely cured!" Zai Cheng said energetically, "The emperor has something to say, and he will do what he tells you." The emperor nodded, "Have you ever dealt with foreigners?" He said, "Are you red eyebrows and green eyes?" "There are green eyes, but I have never seen red eyebrows." "Oh, do you know the rules of foreigners?" the emperor asked, "For example, when a small official meets his boss, how do you greet him?" "This, I have never seen before." Zai Cheng replied, "The rules of foreigners seem to be that women are superior to men, and women take precedence wherever they go. For example, there are men and women in a room. If there is a big When the official comes, the men have to stand up, and the women can sit down." "What? Are men and women really mixed?" "Yes!" Zai Cheng replied, "foreign women don't care! Not only are men and women mixed together, it doesn't matter if you touch a foreign woman's hand, and there are even kisses." Hearing this, the seventeen-year-old emperor was very interested.But they belonged to the monarch and ministers, and they were fasting. Talking about foreign women touching hands and kissing lips, I felt that it was not in line with the principle of "respecting the heaven and the ancestors".If you don't talk about it, it's really uncomfortable.After hesitating for a while, I finally asked, but the tone of the question was not like chatting. "Have you ever touched a foreign woman's hand?" the emperor asked with a straight face, his voice sounded like he was asking for a confession. Of course, Zai Cheng understood the emperor's psychology, so he kept his face sour that there was no smile at all. He straightened his waist and replied in a serious voice like answering some important military affairs: "I have touched it. Once the wife of the American minister brought her daughter to Looking at Chen's mother, I didn't know, so I broke in at once. I saw that it was a female guest, and I hurried to withdraw, but I knew that the wife of the American minister could speak Chinese, so I told him not to leave, and shook hands with him. Wait a minute When I got up, I felt numb in my heart, because the backs of the hands of foreign women are full of hair." "Isn't that like a monkey?" "Yes!" Zai Cheng replied solemnly, "better looking than a monkey." The emperor almost laughed out loud, and quickly pretended to cough twice before covering it up, and then asked with great interest, "Can foreign women still speak our Chinese?" "Yes! You won't gain much." "What did she say?" Zaicheng thought for a while, and answered in a tongue-in-cheek way: "She told the minister: 'Master, sir! It doesn't matter, you don't want to go!'" Zaicheng was very naughty since he was a child. Go, it can be fake.Once Woren heard it, even the old-fashioned "smile Huang Heqing" was amused.At this moment, imitating foreign women to speak Chinese, without distinguishing between the four tones, and looking weird, the emperor couldn't help it, and laughed so hard that he rubbed his stomach. The emperor himself knew that this was inappropriate, but he couldn't joke anymore.So he talked about seriousness, "Zaicheng, let me ask you," he said, "foreigners don't kowtow when they see me, what should you do?" This made it difficult for Zaichen to answer. He knew that his father was worrying about this, so he couldn't encourage the emperor to kowtow, but he didn't dare to say no to kowtow, because that would be "disrespectful". After thinking about it, he had to Dodge: "I don't understand the differences between Chinese and foreign etiquette, so I dare not speak rashly." Of course, these words did not satisfy the emperor, but there was nothing to be blamed for, because even Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang didn't have a real word when they talked about this problem, so Zaicheng naturally couldn't have any good ideas. "Let me ask you again," the emperor changed the subject, "I want to repair the garden, do you think it will work?" "Nothing is wrong," Zai Cheng said casually after being in front of the emperor for a long time, "as long as you have money." "Just because there is no money." "Then we have to think of a way to repair the garden without money." Zai Cheng said again: "The emperor might as well summon the officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and ask them to show their conscience and think about it." The emperor also felt that this was the only way to do it right, but no matter what, he had to wait until he kissed the government to discuss it, and there was no way to talk about it right now. "Your Majesty, please rest early!" Zai Cheng knelt down and said, "There is still a grand ceremony tomorrow." In the early morning of the next day, it was the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the sky. Accompanied by the princes and ministers, the red tape ceremony was held. It took half a day from "first promotion" to "thank you blessings and send off the gods" before the ceremony was completed. When driving back to the palace, it is natural to go to the empress dowagers of the two palaces first to say hello.The deep palace is just the opposite of the folks. The folks yearn for the inner courtyard of the palace, and they don't know how rich it is, but the deep palace yearns for the folks, and they don't know how lively it is.Therefore, when the emperor went out of the palace, he would naturally have the scenery of the Nine Cities seen in the imperial chariot, and he would entertain his relatives by talking about it in detail.Zhong Cui and Changchun palaces each sat for a long time before returning to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. At this time, the empress had already been summoned, and she was waiting first. When she saw the emperor entering the Xinuang Pavilion, she immediately stepped on a very steady pace. She first greeted her with a friendly smile, and then greeted her with her hands down, saying, "Your Majesty." Back to the palace!" "I've been back a long time ago." The emperor is also like a newly married couple in the folk. They haven't seen each other for three days. It feels like how long it has been. He must take a good look at his wife's face to know how long the "how long" has been. What has changed? The queen was the same, but she couldn't stare at his face unscrupulously like the emperor, and even had to avoid his gaze.In front of eunuchs and court ladies, she had to put on the majesty of commanding the Six Palaces, so she restrained her smile, and said to the left and right in a very clear voice: "Serve Long Live Lord to change clothes!" "Cha!" Xiao Li agreed first, and then led the "Four Deacons and Eunuchs" to Meiwu behind the Sanxi Party in Xinuang Pavilion—the place where the emperor changed his clothes. "The two empress dowagers have ordered that neither of them need to serve meals today, so I have to take a good rest." The emperor changed into a white fox fur robe covered in maroon red satin, and ordered to Xiao Li, "Go to the dining room." Look, is there anything delicious?" "My servant has already gone to see the whitebait and pheasant imported from abroad; yellow sheep imported from Gansu; winter bamboo shoots imported from Anhui; drunken crab imported from Zhejiang; my servant asked them to prepare a number one hot pot." "Okay!" the emperor looked out of the cloud-covered window, "'It's going to snow in the evening, can you have a drink?' You inform the dining room, and wait for the queen to serve the meal and then pass it on!" "Yes!" Xiao Li said again, "for dinner tonight, the Empress will serve at Zhongcui Palace." That would be even better, the Empress Dowager Ci'an is sympathetic to the queen, and in fact she is also sympathetic to the emperor. Every time she serves a meal, she always urges the empress to return to the palace before she finishes eating herself, so that the young couple can reunite, but the empress must do her best. She always refuses to go first, which prevents Empress Dowager Ci'an from enjoying it slowly. "Don't be so gluey!" The emperor specially told the queen that day, "If you go back to the palace, you can just kneel down, come back early today, and don't let me go hungry!" The queen laughed, and seeing the maid standing far away, she said softly, "That's so pitiful! I'm afraid I'm really hungry after eating fast these two days?" "No! I have to make up for it today." So the queen naively waited for the Empress Dowager Ci'an to speak up, and immediately knelt down and returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, changing the routine rules of passing meals, leaving two maids in the house, only Xiao Li served on the corridor, and the queen accompanied her The emperor, drinking lightly and laughing non-stop, had a very satisfying dinner. There are not many times like this, and when the new year comes, there are many ceremonies in the palace, from changing the decorations to serving the "Qu Yan" of the two queen mothers, the queen has to worry about it.The imperial palace also has ceremonies such as Taimiao, Fengxian Hall, "Tangzi" salutes, and banquets in the outer court.After the "Broken Five", there is another big event that needs to be prepared: the Ministry of Rites, Taichang Temple, Honglu Temple, and the House of Internal Affairs will arrange the Hall of Supreme Harmony, perform ceremonies and set up music, and wait for the twenty-sixth emperor of the first lunar month to visit the Hall of Imperial Harmony , Dedicated to the great government.On that day, when hundreds of officials enter the palace, they will be in a different mood - the period of "common rule" between the two palaces is over, and it depends on how the emperor will carry this burden?