Chapter 174 Mother and Son Monarch and Minister (14-2)

The situation in the capital is a hundred times more miserable than when Seng Gelinqin and Shengbao were defeated by the British and French allied forces in the Xianfeng period in Kinki!Because Kui Yong was in groups of three or four, barebacked and holding a knife, he casually entered the city and slashed at the closed gates of the mansion, so all the nine cities were closed and guarded by the Shenji Camp, and only entered when there was urgent business. The food store has already been robbed and robbed, and the business has been closed. For more than a month, it has been relying on the support from outside the city. Once the city gate was closed, panic broke out in every kitchen, even the imperial dining room was no exception.

The Imperial Dining Room was originally famous for wasting food, and never thought that there would be a day when no freshly slaughtered pigs would be sent in.Pork is the main ingredient. Thirty to fifty heads are used a day, and the source is suddenly cut off. What happened? I have no choice but to use more chicken, duck and seafood.The small kitchens set up by the concubines in the palaces were even worse. Not only did they have no pork, but because the deep palaces were not as good as the imperial kitchens, they could raise their own chickens and ducks, so the meat and meat disappeared.Vegetables and fruits are also out of the question.

The "princes" of the palaces themselves and the maids and eunuchs under their names suffered, and the most difficult thing was that they had no food to honor the Empress Dowager Cixi every day. "What should I do?" Concubine Jin and the maid who lived in Yonghe Palace were worried. There was a court lady named Fu Yun who was stationed in Chengdu with her parents since she was a child and knew how to cook a lot of Sichuan snacks. She had an idea and said happily: "Master, let's make bean curds to honor Lafayette!" Thinking about it, there is no way out, "Okay!" Concubine Jin agreed, "Just make bean curds. I'm afraid it's the first time for Lafayette to eat them!"

So grind soybeans and make bean curd.The seasoning requires good sauce, which is ready-made; the yellow sauce made by the eunuchs from the leftover "keshi" is many times better than the sweet noodle sauce sold on the market. When it was time to pass on the food in Leshantang, Concubine Jin arrived later, opened the food box, and put it on the table. Empress Dowager Cixi said in surprise, "Where are the tofu from?" "Back to Lafayette, this is not tofu, it's called Douhuaer, a Sichuan snack." Concubine Jin said anxiously: "It's really not a respect."

"It turned out to be bean curd! I've also heard that what poor families in Sichuan eat is called bean curd rice. I don't want to be on my meal today! " "Isn't this the servant's fault!" Concubine Jin hurriedly knelt down to pay her respects: "The servant doesn't know that it's something poor families eat, it's so disrespectful!" "No, no! You got it wrong, I don't blame you! I'm feeling it myself. To be honest, I kind of love something like your filial piety. Look! It's either a chicken or a duck! I want to eat a shrimp mix Cucumbers can't do it."

Empress Dowager Cixi ate half a bowl of millet porridge amidst this sigh, and it was considered as a meal.Usually concubines and concubines serving meals are silent, and this day is even more silent as death.After the service was over, they went back quietly. The big Leshou Hall was suddenly deserted. When Concubine Jin returned to Yonghe Palace, there was a court lady named Shou'er who said happily, "Cui Yugui asked Lafayette for a day off and went home." "Oh," Concubine Jin was a little happy, she thought for a while and said, "Is there any bean curd left? Take some for her!"

"She" is Concubine Jin's younger sister, Concubine Zhen who was imprisoned behind Ningshou Palace.The Ningshou Palace is divided into three roads, the East Road and the Middle Road, which are often visited by the Empress Dowager Cixi. The palaces and pavilions are neat and luxuriously furnished.The place where Concubine Zhen was imprisoned was a dilapidated hut next to the residence of the court lady. The original door was canceled and a fence was installed, which was no different from a prison.The walls inside are all empty, the plaster is peeling off, and the bricks used to build the walls can be clearly seen.Some of them are flexible. Concubine Zhen has a hair comb box, and some old clothes are hidden in it. When needed, she pulls out the flexible green bricks and takes them out, and puts them back in place after use.If it weren't for this, even this little thing that the poor and small households don't think is precious will be searched.

Cui Yugui was always the one who brought people to search.He was appointed by the Empress Dowager Cixi to take full responsibility for guarding Concubine Zhen.Except for him, all the maids and eunuchs who could get close to Concubine Zhen had a sympathetic attitude towards her.Therefore, whenever Cui Yugui left the palace, he would definitely come to the Yonghe Palace to notify him when he was sure that he would not barge in.Of course Concubine Jin dared not take the risk of going to visit her younger sister, but she often helped her with food and clothing.This errand is Shou'er's sole responsibility, she is very popular and is taken care of everywhere, so Concubine Jin always sends her.

Carrying a porcelain pot of bean curd, he sent it in through the gate. Shou'er smiled and said, "Master Zhen, eat it while it's hot! This is what Master Jin entered Lafayette today." "Douhuaer!" Concubine Zhen lifted the lid and took a look, "I haven't tasted it for a long time." Although the situation is so dire, Concubine Zhen still maintains a calm demeanor, puts the porcelain pot on the ground, sits down cross-legged, lays an old red cloth on her knees as a meal list, and then takes the only valuable thing she has on hand, a long With a silver spoon, scoop the tofu curd, dip it in some condiments, and slowly deliver it to your mouth.

"Master Zhen, what did I bring in for you today?" The so-called "what is brought in" refers to the food delivered.Usually it is always rough food, but this day is different. "Hey!" Concubine Zhen laughed, "I am rich today, with fat chickens and big ducks." Shou'er was taken aback for a moment, and after thinking about it, he understood, "I've never heard of it. There is no pork in the dining room, and Lafayette wants to eat dried shrimp mixed with cucumber." Shou'er sighed, "On the contrary, Master Zhen is here. It's the same as Lafayette's."

"Hedong in 30 years, Hexi in 30 years. It will change, no one can predict." Concubine Zhen slowly stood up, and looked carefully at the gate, Fang Shi then said: "What's the news outside? " Concubine Zhen heard a lot of news. When the eunuchs and maids saw that Cui Yugui was not around, they would find time to chat with her.However, those news are hearsay, bizarre and absurd, even contradictory, so there is no agreement, so Concubine Zhen wants to ask Shou'er.She has one advantage, she doesn't have the habit of talking nonsense like ordinary maids, she just smiles at things she doesn't know, or says: "Who remembers so clearly?" So although her information is incomplete, it is more reliable. There are redeeming qualities. "Master Li came from Jiangnan. Lafayette thought highly of him and summoned him several times. When he led troops out of Beijing a few days ago, he asked Lafayette for an 'Eight Treasure Sword'. I don't know how he defeated him all at once. Tunjin is looking for death! Lafayette seems to be very sad about this matter!" "Then who is Lord Li?" Concubine Zhen couldn't think of it: "It can't be Li Hongzhang, can it?" "Master Zhen, you mean Li Zhongtang from Guangdong? No!" "By the way, Li Hongzhang is in Guangdong. Didn't you say you want him to come to Beijing?" "He didn't come here!" Shou'er curled his lips, looked around, and said in a low voice: "It is said that Prince Duan has become determined after eating the weight! The day before yesterday, he killed three ministers..." "Killed three more?" Concubine Zhen was startled, "Who are they?" "Master Youli! Poor." Shou'er shook his head, "If you don't have money, you will suffer. If you have too much money, you will die! Money is really not a good thing." Concubine Zhen didn't care to listen to her discussion, and rushed to ask: "Who are the other two?" "I'm not sure. I heard that one of them is from Zhejiang, and he's almost 80! It's unavoidable that he will suffer a knife attack. Prince Duan really committed a crime." "People from Zhejiang, almost eighty!" Concubine Zhen murmured to herself, thinking about these two points one by one, and quickly thought: "That's Xu Yongyi!" "Yes, yes, my surname is Xu." "there's still one?" "I heard that there was another one who was a bannerman." Shou'er said, "The bannermen only killed this one, and the Han people killed many more, so Li Zhongtang didn't dare to come, for fear that he would lose his old life in the hands of Prince Duan in a foolish way." inside." "Then," Concubine Zhen asked, "Where did the foreigners go?" "We've reached Tongzhou!" "We've reached Tongzhou!" Concubine Zhen was shocked, "How close Tongzhou is to the capital, won't Lafayette panic?" "That's right! Two days ago, I ordered people to arrest the car, but later the car couldn't be caught, and Rong Zhongtang advised Lafayette not to leave, he had to stay in the palace. I don't know what will happen in the future?" Concubine Zhen didn't make a sound, and sat down slowly, peeling off her fingernails and thinking about something.Seeing this scene, Shou'er felt that it was time for him to return to the palace. "Master Zhen, the servant is leaving, but what can I say for the servant to take back?" "Slow down, don't go!" Concubine Zhen got up again and asked Shou'er while holding the gate: "Did you see the emperor gone in the past two days?" "See, it's still the same." "Your Majesty, do you have a little..." Concubine Zhen struggled to find an adjective, and after thinking for a long time, she asked, "Do you seem a little restless?" "That can't be seen." "Shou'er, wait a moment and bring me a letter to your master." Shou'er is most afraid of this errand.Because Concubine Zhen was writing letters inside, I had to keep an eye out for her outside. It was the worst thing to be worried about, and sending messages was the most taboo thing in the palace!The oral letter can be denied, but the black and white letters are ironclad evidence. Once found out, it will be beaten to death by "passing the rod", or sent to the "Xinzheku" to do hard work. I have been happy all my life, and I will be ruined here for no reason. Since it is extremely unwilling. But unwilling and helpless, he just begged and said: "Master Zhen, you must hurry up and write shorter, no need to write a long story! I just say what I have to say." "I only write two sentences!" Concubine Zhen hurried inside, dug a brick on the wall, reached out and took out a notebook from it, a notebook of thick foreign paper with an elastic band on it, holding a pencil.This is the time when the emperor reformed, and the eunuch bought it in Liulichang for learning English.The reform failed, and the emperor couldn't learn English. These things were left behind for Concubine Zhen, and they were her most precious possessions in front of her eyes. Concubine Zhen was reluctant to use this foreign paper notebook that was not worth the money, so she tore off a small half of it, put it on the pad, wrote a line of words on it with a pencil, folded it into a Fang Sheng, and handed it to him through the gate. Shouer. "Soon." "Yes!" Shou'er agreed with satisfaction. "Tell your master again." Concubine Zhen looked around, waved her hand, and let Shou'er approach before she said softly, "I see it like this, we have to flee! At that time, everyone was in a mess, and everyone only cared about themselves. You tell your master, don't forget me." Shou'er, who only wanted to get away early, replied repeatedly: "No, no! If my master forgets, I will remind her." After saying that, he hurried away. After returning to the Yonghe Palace, after briefly talking about the experience, he was about to present the note to Concubine Zhen. He put his hand into his bosom, touched his pocket, and his expression changed drastically! "What's going on?" Jin Fei asked. "Where did Master Zhen ask me to bring back the letter?" Concubine Jin panicked when she heard this, "You, where did you get it?" There was a cry in her voice. As if stung by a wasp, Shou'er fumbled all over his body, but couldn't find it!I was so anxious that I was in chaos and at a loss.In the end, it was Concubine Jin who reminded her: "Go back to the same place and look for it." "Yes, yes!" Shou'er ran fast as if waking up from a dream. When I ran outside, my pace slowed down. I looked around and looked forward carefully. The more I searched, the more anxious I became, and the more I searched, the more disappointed I became.On the way, I picked up a lot of papers, and there was half an old newspaper, and I couldn't remember whether it was trash that should be thrown away, but I went step by step until I found the concubine Zhen's confinement. "What's the matter? Shou'er!" Shou'er still didn't dare to tell the truth, and didn't dare to ask her what that sentence was?Just said: "A hairpin fell out." "Is it gold?" "It's gold." "You lost the golden hairpin and you still want to get it back? Stop dreaming!" Concubine Zhen asked, "What is in your hand?" "A piece of waste paper!" Shou'er casually threw it to the corner. Concubine Zhen had already seen clearly that it was an old newspaper, so she hurriedly said, "Give it to me, give it to me!" This half of the old newspaper is more precious to Concubine Zhen than anything else.Sit down and look carefully at "Jingzhong Communication", a note reads: On the ninth day of the lunar new year, a letter from a gentleman in Beijing was recorded: "In the palace, there are only soldiers from the Tiger God Battalion stationed at Donghuamen, and the bandits are allowed to come and go. They are rampant, and the queen mother cannot stop them. The inner city of the capital is from Zhengyangmen to Chongwenmen. In Sanli, all the houses were burned down. The embassies were besieged for a month and turned into scorched earth, but the British embassy was unharmed. There were no less than 6,000 to 7,000 injured residents and foreigners. All were destroyed, and there were several cases of Beijing officials fleeing to Jingdong every day. Du Benchong of Hunan Province, Qiao Sheng, went out of the capital with his family in June, but was intercepted by bandits, stroked his stomach with a knife, and stabbed his wife with a pole to death. , Du Taishi was begged by all the soldiers, but fortunately he did not die." "The nine gates of Kyoto are all closed, and the Boxers claim to be 500,000. The residences in central Beijing are engraved, and they are searched by bandits every day, and they say they must burn incense and kowtow to welcome them. The business of Zhongxiang shops in the capital is booming. Members can’t help but be threatened. The price of gold in Beijing has risen to 60 changes, but when it is used in gold and silver, even if it falls to 30 changes, no one is willing to exchange it. The money is so tight that a certain gentleman wants to pay 300,000 yuan a day The two are stored in a certain ticket number, and this time, because I want to go out of Beijing to seek refuge, I ask for silver from him for travel expenses, and I only get one hundred and sixty gold for several round trips." There is also a letter from the family of a member of the capital: "Wang Xiekui is now living in the military aircraft department and will not be off work. The queen mother will move west in a few days. The price of rice in Beijing has risen to twenty-five taels per stone. Zhang Qiaoye's servant is accused of colluding with Russia. , so it is ordered to rectify the law. The Ministry of Punishment under the Shangshu Lishan is because the boxers play their food and teach." "The regiment bandits attacked the Yingkou Concession, and the Chinese soldiers helped them. The battle lasted all day long. Two Russian gunboats bombarded Yingkou City. The Chinese and officials below Daotai fled along the river. The Russian soldiers and the Westerners all No casualties." "It has been said that when Fangbo, the former Siting of the Zhili feudal clan, came to Beijing under the order of the neizhao, he was arrested by bandits and wanted to kill him. Zhuozhou, beyond this point, your life is not yet safe." In half of the old newspaper, there are only a few "Beijing-China Communications" recorded. In addition, there are notices from the government office and advertisements of the company. "Ninth day?" She said to herself, "It should be the ninth day of July. It was more than a month ago, and there was no talk of moving west!" Thinking about it now, I feel very proud, because the newspaper also said that the Empress Dowager will move west, which is enough to prove my judgment is correct. ※ ※ ※ "Shou'er, Shou'er!" Concubine Jin said with a gloomy face, "How did you cause such a catastrophe! If it falls into the hands of outsiders, anyway, I will die with you." "Master!" Shou'er cried out with a "wow" in anxiety, "This slave can't wait to die right away!" "It's useless if you die. Let's see the good fortune!" ※ ※ ※ Good luck tricks people, but this note was picked up by Cui Yugui's trusted eunuch Xiao Liu.When I opened it, I was shocked. I hurriedly folded it carefully according to the original folding marks. As soon as Cui Yugui returned to the palace, Xiao Liu hurriedly sent the note up. Because of his serious expression, Cui Yugui asked, "What is it?" "I can't tell, there's always going to be a catastrophe anyway!" Cui Yugui was startled, and when he was about to tear the note down, he held it down for Xiao Liu.Cui Yugui was displeased, and scolded, "What are you doing?" "Second Manager, don't dismantle it first, wait until I tell you, then you can make up your mind." Xiao Liu said in a very low voice: "This piece of paper, you can see clearly, it is a piece of foreign paper with foreign pencils inside. There is only one line in the written words 'Try to keep the emperor in Beijing and preside over the peace talks.'” Upon hearing this, Cui Yugui tore apart the note without hesitation, and upon closer inspection, it was indeed such a line of writing, and after a little identification, it was obvious that it was Zhenfei's handwriting. "Where did this piece of paper come from?" "I picked it up outside the west wall of Fuwang Pavilion." "It's you?" "Yes!" Xiao Liu said, "It's really strange! I haven't been there for more than a month. Today I had a whim and wanted to take a look. Who knows, I just picked up such a piece of paper." "Okay! Boy, you have luck." After speaking, Cui Yugui went straight to Le Shoutang.It was already five o'clock in the afternoon, although the day in early autumn was still long and the sun had not yet set, but according to the rules, the palace gate was supposed to be closed and the key was pressed. It was only because Empress Dowager Cixi summoned Ronglu for the eighth time that day, so the palace gate was not closed. , and Cui Yugui had to wait for Ronglu to leave before seeing the Empress Dowager Cixi. After waiting for half an hour, Rong Lu resigned, but the palace gate was still open, saying that Zaiyi would be summoned again.Taking advantage of this gap, Cui Yugui went straight to the Empress Dowager Cixi's throne, and asked for peace, "The slave is selling the holiday." "You're back! How's it going outside?" "It's not very good!" Cui Yugui replied, "There is no one on the street! I heard that the foreign soldiers are coming from the east." "That's up to you to say, coming from Tongzhou, of course you're coming from the east." Cui Yugui, who had hit a snag, was extremely vigilant, "Does Lafayette have time now?" He said cautiously: "I have something to answer, and I can't finish this matter in a few words." "Say it!" "Yes, the servant first asked Lafayette to look at something." When Cui Yugui took out the note, the Empress Dowager Cixi saw that it was a foreign paper, and her face immediately tightened when she thought of the emperor. After reading it, the Empress Dowager Cixi's expression changed drastically, the corners of her mouth and her right eye moved, the veins on her temples protruded, and that furious look, which Cui Yugui had seen more than once, still felt very scary. "Where did this piece of paper come from?" "Liu Yu picked it up." Liu Yu is Xiao Liu, "I picked it up at the foot of the west wall of Fuwang Pavilion." "Tell me, what's going on?" "The servant dare not guess!" "Who asked you to guess?" Empress Dowager Cixi said with a sullen face, "Don't you check it out?" "The slave has to ask Lafayette's order, and dare not do anything carelessly." That's a good answer.Empress Dowager Cixi nodded, her face changed again, this time it became very gloomy.But at this time, the eunuch came to report that Zaiyi had been summoned and was waiting outside. "Let him go back!" Empress Dowager Cixi waved her hand in disgust, and then asked: "Where's Lianying?" When Li Lianying was found, Empress Dowager Cixi handed him the note, and Cui Yugui explained the process, and then asked his opinion. "Lafayette doesn't need to take it seriously! I don't have time to deal with this mess at the moment. I don't blame it, and the blame is self-defeating." Li Lianying has always been true to her words.Needless to say, the Empress Dowager Cixi will always obey, and even if there are occasional disagreements, the Empress Dowager Cixi will tolerate it.Who knew that this time it would be a big disobedience! "Hmph! I don't know what you're thinking about! You don't have time to go away and stop talking nonsense in front of me!" These few words are not a big deal when the Empress Dowager Cixi reprimanded Zaiyi and his ilk, but to Li Lianying, it is "severe reprimand".He didn't dare to say more, and retreated quietly after meeting his head, but he was quite comforted in his heart, and he easily escaped from the vortex, so that he would not do anything to offend the emperor. Cui Yugui's ambition was aroused by Li Lianying's accusation, and he had been subdued for a long time. He had been the "Second General Manager" for many years. "People are in good spirits when they have happy events", so they are "blessed to the soul", and he figured out the matter at once, "The thing is there," he said, "Someone wrote this note and asked someone to bring it to another A person, the entrusted person, lost this piece of paper. By mistake, Liu Yu picked it up, God has eyes!" "Hmm!" Empress Dowager Cixi asked, "Who are those two people?" "One is..." Cui Yugui said resolutely: "Master Zhen." "Is the handwriting good?" "good!" "I don't know when it fell?" "It must be today. The note is still clean, and besides, it would have been swept away the next day." "You send someone to Yonghe Palace to have a look, I'll wait for your reply." Cui Yugui sent a very alert eunuch to inquire about the situation, and when he came back, he reported: something must have happened to Yonghe Palace, and everyone was crying.There was a court lady named Shou'er, who was guarded by three or four court ladies in shifts, and there were eunuchs guarding outside the house, saying that she was afraid that Shou'er would seek death. "That's it!" Cui Yugui immediately rushed back to Le Shoutang to return to his life, and at the same time suggested that he should call Concubine Jin to inquire. Empress Dowager Cixi pondered for a while and said: "No need! People from Yonghe Palace are honest. She doesn't know about it! " "This, the slave doesn't understand." "If she knew, she wouldn't be afraid that the person who sent the letter would hang herself, wouldn't she just silence it? Looking at it now, none of them knew what was written in it, but they were afraid that I would ask if the letter was found out, so they didn't dare to let the letter go. The messenger seeks death!" "Yes!" Cui Yugui said convincingly, "Lafayette is holy." At this point, the Empress Dowager Cixi stopped talking.Obviously, for Concubine Jin, she is understanding, but Concubine Zhen's "sin" is even more serious!Cui Yugui guessed that the Empress Dowager Cixi was considering how to deal with Concubine Zhen at this moment. In fact, how to deal with Concubine Zhen is not a very embarrassing thing for Empress Dowager Cixi, she is considering her own behavior.On this day, Rong Lu was summoned eight times, and the repeated discussion was whether to go or not to go?After eight times of inquiries, almost all the questions that she hadn't thought of at the moment, as well as the things that Rong Lu refused to say clearly at first, were almost discovered.However, she was not completely convinced by Rong Lu. What Ronglu repeatedly said was: "Shengjia must not go on tour! Please make a decisive decision and implement the method of calming the people. It is not enough to put Zaiyi and others in a heavy code, which is not enough to save the crisis. benevolence.” Talking about the location of the “outing tour”, Rong Lu said that neither the Jehol Palace nor the Wutai Mountain in Shanxi that was mentioned at one time is a paradise, because if there is no peace negotiation, I can go there, and so can foreigners. If you are determined to negotiate a peace, you can try to seek an armistice right now, and there is no need to "go out on tour". If the Empress Dowager Cixi really wants to leave, Rong Lu has already stated that the army is scattered all over the ground, and orders cannot be given. If he is shocked, he will have nothing to do.It would be better to live in the Forbidden City, but it will be safer.At that time, he will personally be responsible for guarding Ouchi and protecting Shenggong.As for the negotiation of peace, Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong have been appointed as the first and second-class plenipotentiary ministers respectively. When negotiating with foreigners in Shanghai and Hankou, they can act cheaply and the war will soon cease.In the capital, Rong Lu believed that the gift of melons, fruits and food according to Yi's decree had left a good room for change.In the end, Rong Lu still left behind a game of chess. After withdrawing the Gan army, he took advantage of the fatigue and relaxation of the foreign soldiers in the embassy to hijack the ministers of various countries, forcing the foreigners to make peace. The words are very reasonable, but the Empress Dowager Cixi still cannot clearly declare that she will not leave.First, the thought of the coalition forces besieging the Forbidden City made me palpitate; second, this catastrophe was caused by the 1898 coup, and the foreigners probably put forward such a condition, that peace can be negotiated, and the emperor should be restored first.Then, I have to hand over the political power!But if the "outing patrol" is outside, then dodge and prevaricate, and you can think of a way. Now that there is this note from Concubine Zhen, Empress Dowager Cixi feels that what she saw is not bad.However, if you want to leave, you have to convince Rong Lu first, and who to send to stay behind and preside over the peace talks is also a big problem. "Oh!" She sighed unconsciously: "It's so annoying!" "The boat will go straight when it arrives at the bridge gate." Li Lianying, who appeared beside her at some unknown time, comforted her and said, "Lafayette, please be at ease. I have gone through many storms and waves, and I will never believe that this time I will not make it through!" "This time it's different than usual." Empress Dowager Cixi sighed again: "It would be nice to have someone like Liu Ye here at the moment." "Six Masters" refers to Prince Gong Yisu.When Wenzong took refuge in Rehe, the overall situation in Beijing was stabilized because King Gong stayed behind and presided over the peace talks with Britain and France.Looking around the royal family now, there is no one half as good as Prince Gong.Even a loyal and capable minister, how can Ronglu compare to Wenxiang back then?Looking back at the present and looking back at the past, Empress Dowager Cixi felt a sense of bleakness and desolation when the good times withered and the trees and leaves were bald. Because of this, the past of fleeing in a hurry to avoid Luanyang forty years ago still haunts her heart.At that time, my soul was scattered, I only felt that I was lucky to be able to escape with my life, but looking at the past now, it is impossible to hope for the situation back then!At that time, there were monk kings and Shengbao resisting in Tongzhou. Although Sushun was hateful in Beijing, his talent was still good. Wherever he went, the guards were strict and the supplies were in good condition. The military aircraft Zhang Jing still carried the silver seal of the military aircraft office. "Catch Wudun", you can issue an edict at any time along the way.What about now?It is difficult to even grab a few large cars, so what else can you talk about? Thinking about it this way, she felt even more troubled, "Let's leave it to fate!" She said, "Anyway, it's death anyway!" "Lafayette!" Li Lianying hurriedly knelt down: "You must hold on to yourself! Otherwise, the palace will be in chaos first!" These words surprised the Empress Dowager Cixi!Immediately thought of the note from Concubine Zhen, what would happen if the palace was in chaos?Will the emperor suddenly shake his head and come forward to ask questions?Just turn to this thought, don't need to think too much, Empress Dowager Cixi's heart immediately lifted up again. After thinking about it carefully, I felt that I had to make a final decision, "Lianying," she said, "you quietly go and prepare a set of clothes, just like what an old woman from a small Han family would wear." "Yes!" Li Lianying was taken aback, thinking, this is Qiao Zhuang disguised as an refuge, and it was very inappropriate for others to see through her. Just as she was about to raise her doubts, the Empress Dowager Cixi said again: "Go and do it right away!" "yes!" "Where's Cui Yugui?" Empress Dowager Cixi said, "Come find him!" When the two changed shifts, the Empress Dowager Cixi ordered Cui Yugui to summon Concubine Zhen immediately to wait for the order in Jingqi Pavilion. "Go by yourself! You don't have to say anything to her." "Yes!" Cui Yugui agreed, and immediately rushed to the concubine Zhen's confinement place to announce the decree. Concubine Zhen was of course very surprised.In a flash, thinking of the note I wrote and Shou'er's flustered look when he came to find Nobile, I couldn't help but feel very uneasy. "Yugui," she asked, "Lafayette summoned me, do you have any questions?" "Then I don't know. Master, please go up! Once we meet, don't you know?" Concubine Zhen touched a soft nail, she couldn't help feeling a little angry, and proudly replied: "Of course I want to go up! What are you afraid of?" After finishing speaking, he brushed his temples with his hands, went out and followed Cui Yugui to the north, and after a dozen steps, he arrived at Jingqi Pavilion.As usual, Concubine Zhen stood in the corridor for a while, waiting for Cui Yugui to go in and report. "Call her in!" Concubine Zhen heard the sound from inside, and without waiting for Cui Yugui to pass it on, she lifted the curtain and went in, bent her legs to say hello, and said in a calm voice: "Slave, please greet Lafayette!" "Kneel down for me!" Empress Dowager Cixi said hurriedly, "Do you know your sins?" Concubine Zhen, who was kneeling on the green brick floor, raised her face slightly, and her eyes were sideways. I don't know where to look?This contemptuous attitude of not looking straight at people made the Empress Dowager Cixi furious.However, as soon as the anger came up, I quickly suppressed it, because among the people she met, they often made her angry, and they were often helpless. There were only two people, one was the former "Fifth Lord" King Dun One is the concubine Zhen in front of her, who is not afraid of soft coaxing and hard scaring.If you lose your temper so much that you can't step down, it's better to be smart and not lose your temper. Therefore, the Empress Dowager Cixi just asked with a livid face: "Who has been to your place today?" "There is no one except the food delivery person." Concubine Zhen answered quickly. "Who is delivering the food?" Empress Dowager Cixi turned to Cui Yugui. "Back to Lafayette," Cui Yugui replied, "It's irrelevant! Food deliverers are reliable." That is to say, if the person who delivered the food could not pass on information, there must be someone else, who actually already knew that it was Shou'er from Yonghe Palace.Concubine Zhen neither admitted it, but showed her the evidence. "You wrote the words on this paper, didn't you?" When the Empress Dowager Cixi took out the note wrapped in the silk handkerchief, Concubine Zhen was taken aback and felt chills running down her spine, but immediately turned her heart away, and when Cui Yugui took over the secret note she had written , has made a decision, and refuses to admit it. "The slave has never written such a piece of paper." This answer surprised the Empress Dowager Cixi!She thought Concubine Zhen was very stubborn and would admit it straight away, but who knew she would deny it! However, Lai Zhen's so-called "desire to conceal the truth" can be confirmed to be written to Concubine Jin, asking her to try to forward it to the emperor.The reason why she wanted to deny it was just to protect her sister. So the Empress Dowager Cixi had to consider it.If it is necessary to know the truth, Concubine Jin is currently sending people to guard Shou'er, waiting anxiously for questioning, as long as the news comes, Shou'er can tell the whole story without using a stick.However, she couldn't ignore the consequences. This consequence will lead to a legend that if foreigners invade the capital, the Empress Dowager Cixi will flee, but the emperor will not.He still has to negotiate peace with foreigners! According to this legend, there are many hidden dangers.Think about it and decide to let Concubine Jin go, and this is also a way to win over in a disguised form. It is not a mistake to lose and benefit. After making up his mind, he sneered and said, "There are times when you can't be hard-spoken! The reason why the country is what it is today is because you coaxed the emperor into doing things wrong. If foreigners don't attack, it's fine. I'll be the first to kill you!" Hearing these words, Concubine Zhen was so excited that her face flushed, and she felt that there was no lie in the world that was more inconsistent with the truth than the words of Empress Dowager Cixi.Obviously she herself listened to the words of Zai Yi, Xu Tong and others, and condoned the catastrophe caused by the Boxers, but who would have lightly shifted the responsibility on the emperor and herself, wouldn't it be hateful! She had no choice but to spit on the Empress Dowager Cixi's face, so she could only vent her anger as much as possible in her attitude, raised her face, turned her head, and replied loudly: "Whatever you want to do!" This is an even more blatant offense. It can be said that no one has ever dared to speak to her like this.However, the Empress Dowager Cixi endured it and left with a sneer of "hey, hey". Concubine Zhen, on the other hand, felt relieved.When she contradicted her, she already thought that the Empress Dowager Cixi would turn livid with anger and tremble all over, hoping that this appearance would bring her the pleasure of revenge, and slightly compensate for the sufferings of being confined for more than two years.Then, suffer with flesh and blood, and when the Empress Dowager Cixi blames her, she will go over it unceremoniously, and take the opportunity to express her long-standing and deep-seated complaints and resentments, and then she will die without hatred. Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager Cixi would endure the unbearable, and everything she expected was completely in vain. Instead, she left a lump in her heart, constantly thinking, what will the Empress Dowager Cixi do? That is of course a very severe punishment!But how severe it was was beyond her imagination.Sitting alone in a room without lights, staring blankly at the dim moon hanging low on the palace wall, wondering what it feels like in my heart? I don't know how much time passed, suddenly found that the gunfire from the east was denser, not only dense, but also different from the usual ones.However, this is just a feeling that passes in my heart, anyway, the sound of gunfire is commonplace, so it is not surprising.And in order to forget the din of the gunfire, she often forces herself to recall the past. Only in the memory can she forget everything in front of her eyes. At this time, what emerged in the mind was a strong shadow.She always found it strange that the tall, fat and almost stupid "Teacher Wen" - Wen Tingshi, could write such clear and beautiful words, how can he say that his writing is like a person?It is really an exception in Wen Tingshi! A gust of wind passed by, adding a deep chill to her. Remembering the poem Teacher Wen taught her, Huang Zhongze: "The whole family is in the westerly wind, and the clothes are not cut in September." I'm afraid it's not much better than Huang Zhongze! "The sea breeze blows the sky, what do you think of a gentleman?" She groaned in a low voice, and the Wen Ting style, which was somewhere in the sky, evoked a series of memories, and passed most of the night. ※ ※ ※ Nine cities are isolated, and every house is closed. If anyone goes out, it is likely to find out the real news.However, no one knows which sentence is the truth and which sentence is a rumor. Some said that outside Dongzhimen and Chaoyangmen, the forerunners of the allied forces had arrived; . This statement can be determined to be a rumor, and the Empress Dowager Cixi still lives in Ningshou Palace.Of course, she also heard the rumors that the enemy had arrived at the city. Thinking of the gunfire from the east that lasted all night the night before, she knew that the time to break the city was approaching. "I have something to do!" She stood up talking to herself, and ordered loudly, "Look for Cui Yugui!" Cui Yugui is leading forty fast gunners to guard the dance and gate of Tongda Nei of Ningshou Palace, which is to the west of Le Shou Hall, very close to each other, and they can arrive as soon as they pass. "Send her to ask!" "She" is Concubine Zhen.Cui Yugui, who had already had a tacit understanding, agreed, hurriedly moved to the north, and went to summon Concubine Zhen in person. Then, the Empress Dowager Cixi also left, without a maid or eunuch, she came out from the West Nuan Hall of Leshou Palace, passed the Yihe Pavilion around the West Corridor, and walked to the West Corner Gate, where Cui Yugui greeted her. "We'll be there soon!" Cui Yugui said, helping the Empress Dowager Cixi out of the West Corner Gate. Outside the door is a hallway to the west of Jingqi Pavilion, and beyond the west wall is the large courtyard between Fuwang Pavilion and Juanqinzhai, which has been desolate for a long time.The old tree was over the wall, and two or three crows were screaming "croak, croak". Few people pass by this hall, and it is empty, without any furnishings.Cui Yugui wanted to find a chair, but the Empress Dowager Cixi shook her hand to indicate that she didn't need it, and sat on the stone steps to the south. When she looked up, she could see a well, which was the only well in Ningshou Palace besides the small kitchen. Soon, Concubine Zhen arrived, she couldn't help being surprised when she entered the door, why did Empress Dowager Cixi summon her here?Of course, she was not allowed to think about it at this time, so she calmly walked in front of the Empress Dowager Cixi, knelt down and said, "Good luck, Lafayette!" "Foreigners are coming to Beijing, do you know?" Concubine Zhen was startled, and then her face returned to calm; she said slowly: "The sound of the cannonball last night was different from usual, I think the foreigners came from the east." “你倒全都知道。”慈禧太后用一种略带做作的声音问： “洋人要来了！那么，你瞧该怎么办呢？” 珍妃想了一会答说：“国家大事，奴才本不该过问，既然老佛爷问到，奴才斗胆出个主意，老佛爷尽管出巡热河，让皇上留坐在京里，跟洋人议和。” 话还未毕，只听慈禧太后断喝一声：“谁问你这些？”珍妃亦不示弱，“既不问这些，”她说：“奴才不知道老佛爷要问些什么？” “洋人进了京，多半会胡作非为，那时莫非咱们还遭他们的毒手？” “果然如此，奴才决不会受辱！” “你怎么有这样的把握？” “无非一死而已。”珍妃说道：“一个人拚命了，还有什么大不了的事？” “说得不错。可是也有一个人求死不得的时候，你既然有此打算，何不自己在此刻就作一个了断？” 一听这话，珍妃颜色大变，但还能保持镇静，“求老佛爷明示。”她说。 “你不是有殉难的打算吗？”慈禧太后以略有揶揄意味的语气说：“怎么这会儿倒又装糊涂呢？” “奴才不糊涂，奴才到死都是明白的。”珍妃激动了：“奴才死并不怕，不过想明白，是不是老佛爷要奴才死？” “你要这么说也可以！其实，你早就该死了！”接着，慈禧太后大声喊道：“崔玉贵！” “喳！”崔玉贵先答一声，然后转脸对珍妃说：“请主子遵旨吧！” “这是乱命……。” 一语未毕，将慈禧太后昨天积下来的怒气，惹得爆炸了，厉声喝道：“把她扔下去！” 于是崔玉贵上前动手，刚扯着珍妃的衣袖，她使劲将手往回一夺，趁势站了起来，虎起脸喝道：“你要干什么？” “请主子下去！” 顺着他的手指一看，珍妃似乎第一次发现有一口井在她身后不远之处，怔怔地望着，仿佛一时拿不定主意似的。“请主子下去吧！”崔玉贵哄着她说：“主子下去，我还下去呢！” 谁知这句话惹得珍妃大怒，瞪圆了眼睛斥责：“你不配！” “是！奴才不配，请主子一个人下去吧！” 人随话到，崔玉贵蹿上两步，拉住珍妃的手臂，使劲往前一带，等她踉踉跄跄往前扑时，崔玉贵顺势导引，一直拖到井边，当然有所挣扎。井口不大，井栏不高，要想推她入井，不易办到，崔玉贵便从她身后，拦腰一把抱紧，自己身子往后一仰，珍妃的一双脚不由得便离了地。接着，崔玉贵一脚踏上井台，又是往后一仰，等珍妃的双足套入井栏，随即身子往下一沉，双手松开，只听“扑通”一响！崔玉贵的手法极快，不等井中有何呼喊的声音发出来，便将极厚的一具枣木井盖盖上了。