Chapter 211 Yingtai Sunset (13-1)

The drama of celebrating the birthday was disbanded before it started. This has never happened before. Many people remember that in the 18th and 19th years of Guangxu, the Empress Dowager Wanshou sang the Qitian opera every time. "Big light, always around twenty quarters.One day, even at Haishi, Sanqing, Sixi, Chuntai, Hechun, and Songzhu were sung by fifty Hui liners, which took thirty-one quarters. Why did you leave so early?Just because the Empress Dowager Cixi's stomach is full again, she can't sit for a long time, she has to get up to "change clothes", and when she goes and comes, the princes and ministers who are ordered to sit and listen to the opera kneel and kneel to receive them, which is so annoying that even the Empress Dowager Cixi herself I felt so boring, so I passed the decree to end the show.

"What are you doing here?" The Empress Dowager Cixi was bored, especially after Fujin ordered his wife to resign from the palace, it was quite desolate. No one could answer her words. On the afternoon of Longevity Day, it was natural to listen to a play, and no one thought of preparing something for her entertainment, so they looked at each other with embarrassment. In the end, Li Lianying came up with an idea, "Didn't Old Boiler want to take a 'Picture of Carnival'?" He said, "The photographer has been serving you for quite a while." This reminds Empress Dowager Cixi.A few days ago, Qing Wang Yikuang reported that Putuo Valley's "Ten Thousand Years Auspicious Land" was completed at the age of one year. Empress Dowager Cixi thought of Putuo Mountain from Putuo Valley, which is the place where Avalokitesvara attained enlightenment. .At that time, I said to throw it away, and now that there are photographers serving, why not just use it for entertainment?

"I want the sun to be good for taking pictures, can I do it now?" "It's irrelevant! Take it indoors, it doesn't matter if it's sunny or not." "Taking photos in the house?" Empress Dowager Cixi asked, "Where is the purple bamboo forest in the house, and where is the nine-grade lotus pond?" "Use bricks! Everything is ready." "Okay! Let's take a few photos. How do you do it?" Empress Dowager Cixi continued: "You need a talented dragon girl, and a Dharma protector Wei Tuo." "It's all there!" Li Lianying replied: "Sigege pretends to be a dragon girl, the slave girl pretends to be a good person, and the slave entrusts the blessings of Lafayette to pretend to be a Wei Tuo, and also have a bit of fairy spirit."'Then pretend! "The Empress Dowager Cixi smiled to Princess Rongshou: "Just now I heard other people singing, now I want to play for you. Immediately afterwards, the smile faded, "This is a very serious thing, fetching water to wash your hands." "

Therefore, Li Lianying sent a photographer to decorate the "Purple Bamboo Forest" outside, and Princess Rongshou served Empress Dowager Cixi as a monk in the house. .Cloud-toed shoes with khaki satin.Since the Empress Dowager Cixi has a Changlong face, she put on a majestic appearance, and Princess Rongshou couldn't help but compliment: "Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva!" The talented dragon girl also dressed up, one holding a clean bottle, the other holding a purple gold bowl, and accompanied by "Avalokitesvara" to the Qingyun Hall west of Yiluan Hall. Li Lianying was seen in red, just like Yang Xiaolou in Tianshou opera. Gao Chong played in "Picking the Pulley".

Including the Empress Dowager Cixi herself, seeing his attire, they couldn't help laughing, but they held back after all.Li Lianying herself couldn't help laughing, she quickly lowered her head, clasped her hands together, and made a gesture of respect to conceal the lack of dignity on his face. "Is everything ready?" "Ready!" "Is it his photo?" Cixi asked, pointing to a middle-aged man in a blue cloth jacket and a red tasseled cap kneeling on the ground. "Yes!" Li Lianying replied, "His name is Tong Wu, and he runs a photo studio at the back door. He is an expert in their field, and he used to serve errands."

The Empress Dowager Cixi nodded, and stepped into the hall, only to see that the tables and chairs had been removed, and they took the bricks from the play and arranged them in the shape of a "purple bamboo forest": in front was a field of lotus leaves, a pond from which the lotus came out, and a large piece of scenery behind. A piece of green bamboo painted with ten thousand poles, and a golden lacquered wooden sign in the shape of a cloud head hanging on the bamboo leaves, with the words "Guanyin Bodhisattva of Putuo Mountain" written on it. "Lafayette, please sit here!"

Between the lotus pond and the bamboo forest, there is a two-foot-high futon. Li Lianying leads the Empress Dowager Cixi to sit down, and arranges for the talented dragon girl to stand on her right.He himself stood still in front of her left, clasping his palms together as if bowing to the Buddha, and then a little eunuch held the "Subduing Demon Pestle" between his arms, looking more and more like a Wei Tuo. So Tong Wu covered his head with a black cloth, leaned behind the camera to face the light, uploaded the film, and then got a copper plate, poured a lot of white powder on it for his assistant to hold, and Fang Ban knelt and played back: "Play the Lafayette!" , there is a very bright white light behind you, the rule is that you can only take pictures with such a light. Please don't be afraid, Lafayette, and don't blink."

"Okay! Don't be wordy!" Li Lianying scolded: "It's not the first time Lafayette took pictures." So he took paper coal to ignite the medicine powder, and a white light passed by, and the "Putuo Mountain Guanyin Master" was captured by the camera.Tong Wu was afraid that it would not be safe, so he asked for another photo, and the Empress Dowager Cixi agreed. After half an afternoon of tossing around, the Empress Dowager Cixi returned to her bedroom and asked Li Lianying, "When can I see the photos?" "You can watch it tonight. However, you can't send it in at night."

"Then," said Empress Dowager Cixi, "go home tonight! Bring the photos tomorrow morning." "Yes!" Li Lianying withdrew, and hurriedly left Xiyuan before pressing the key to the palace gate. Now, among the eunuchs, Cui Yugui is the head.As long as Li Lianying was not around, he seemed to work very hard, almost never leaving the Empress Dowager Cixi.When the lights were turned on and it was time to read the memorial as usual, Cui Yugui dismissed the little eunuch who was serving the pen and ink, and took care of it by himself at the desk. There were a lot of memorials on this day, and I didn’t read them until the second watch. Cui Yugui changed the tea and twisted a hot towel, and the Empress Dowager Cixi wiped her face. She felt refreshed and had an appetite. ?”

"Boiled fragrant japonica rice porridge, steamed buns with chestnut noodles, and Jinzhou's new pickles." "Okay! Put it on!" So he greeted, and quickly brought up two dining tables. The young eunuchs knew that Cui Yugui liked to be alone in front of Cixi, so he arranged the dining tables and quietly retreated without waiting for orders. "Is there any news outside these two days?" Empress Dowager Cixi asked while eating porridge. "Yes, there is, but the servant dare not say." " Empress Dowager Cixi thought for a while and said, "It must be talking about the emperor's illness?"

Cui Yugui deliberately hesitated for a while before answering softly: "Yes!" "How to say?" "It's said that the emperor's illness, I'm afraid it's, I'm afraid it's not good. Just in case there is..." "What if?" "In case something serious happens, Lafayette will have to worry about it." Cui Yugui said, "This is all a private discussion." "Of course it's a private discussion, so can we talk about it openly?" The Empress Dowager Cixi asked again, "What else did you hear?" "Another nonsense." Cui Yugui murmured. "Guess?" Empress Dowager Cixi put down the gold-inlaid chopsticks and asked very attentively: "Guess what? Guess who should be the emperor?" Cui Yugui's face was panicked, he took a sneak peek, and Fang Shi answered with difficulty: "Yes!" "How should I say it?" The Empress Dowager Cixi picked up the chopsticks again, without looking at him, and asked in a casual voice. "The servant dare not say." "It doesn't matter! Just chat." "Some people say that if another emperor is appointed, he must be able to handle affairs as soon as he comes up, so as not to worry about Lafayette. What is it called 'National Lai Changjun'." "That's right, that's right!" The Empress Dowager Cixi was afraid that Cui Yugui wouldn't dare to stir up trouble, so she refused to continue, her voice became softer, "Have they mentioned their names? Who can do things as soon as they come up?" "Some people say that Lun Beizi is suitable; some people say that Prince Xiao Gong is good; others say that Uncle Zhen can also be the emperor." The Empress Dowager Cixi kept the names of these three people in her heart, and then asked, "Did you mention anyone else?" "The servant has only heard these three names mentioned before." "Who mentioned it?" Cui Yugui was afraid of asking this question!He originally intended it to be a temptation, hoping to find out who he liked from the mouth of the Empress Dowager Cixi, and to burn the cold stove as soon as possible.Unexpectedly, the temptation did not bear fruit, but what I feared the most happened!I had no choice but to kneel down and say: "Shengming is no more than Lafayette, and you can't be sure about what you say." The Empress Dowager Cixi knew that Cui Yugui would go crazy if she was in a hurry, and she must ask the source to make people wary, and it will not be easy to hear the news in the future.So he smiled and said: "Get up! You only hear what you hear, and you put it in your stomach." Similarly, the Empress Dowager Cixi also kept these conjectures about who belonged to the throne in her heart, and made plans silently by herself.Neither Pu Wei nor Pu Lun is a cause for concern, but supports Li Zaizhen's theory. She feels that she would rather believe what she has than what she does not have.If you want to take action, you must guard against this. The thing is very clear, if you support Zaizhen, it must be the mastermind of Yuan Shikai, and Yuan Shikai's support is nothing but the new Beiyang army.The sixth town stationed in Nanyuan may become a confidant's trouble, and he will be the first to attack. Therefore, the Empress Dowager Cixi specially summoned Tieliang, Minister of the Ministry of Lu and the governor of the first town.The next day, Tie Liang ordered that the sixth town and the first town stationed in Laishui, Yizhou, be stationed in reverse in the name of an exercise march.Then, there was another opportunity to send Qing Wang Yikui away, Lifan Minister Shangshu Dashou, and present a Buddha statue presented by the Dalai Lama. Eliminate bad luck and increase longevity.Empress Dowager Cixi decided to order Yikuang to do this job. "The Putuo Valley project needs to be inspected and accepted, and this Buddha statue will also be sent to be resettled." Empress Dowager Cixi said, "I don't worry about sending someone else there. You should work hard!" Yikuang was greatly surprised and embarrassed, and said very euphemistically: "The empress dowager and the emperor are both saints and violators, and it seems inappropriate for slaves to leave Beijing." "What are you afraid of! I may not die in these two days!" As soon as the words came out, the Empress Dowager Cixi felt too angry, so she slowed down and said, "I feel much better today! In any case, you must do as I tell you. " What else can this say?Yikuang could only agree: "Yes!" The next day, on October 14th, he set off for Beijing in the morning. The Empress Dowager Cixi estimated that Yikuang would go to Dongling from now on, going back and forth, including installing Buddha statues and checking and accepting the project, it would take ten days in total.In these ten days, major events can be decided, but before the edict is announced to the world, one should find a way to let the ministers meet the emperor, see the dying face of the emperor with their own eyes, and feel that it is indeed wise for her to choose a successor early. But is the emperor really dying?The Empress Dowager Cixi specially sent someone to visit her, and the feedback she got was: Since October 11, the emperor's illness has increased a bit, he has become very thin, his complexion is extremely bad, and he has not recovered for seven or eight days, and his anger Very busy. It looks like this, you might as well let your servants take a look.So on the morning of October 16th, she told Li Lianying, "You ask someone to send a message to the military aircraft, and I will summon you at Yingtai today. I will drop by to see the emperor." When Li Lianying sent someone to pass on the decree, all the ministers of military affairs felt that the matter was unusual, and they all speculated about the intention of the Empress Dowager Cixi's move.Zhang Zhidong has always taken it upon himself to reconcile the two palaces, and think of the best in everything, "There is nothing else! The compassionate sage is worried about the emperor's illness, so he came to visit him in person and summoned him in Yingtai by the way." He said: "Mother is kind and son is filial, I hope Every year is like today!" Yuan Shikai sneered in his heart, and picked up the list of summons that day, the first one was his old department, the new Zhili Education Envoy Fu Zengxiang, so he slipped out quietly, beckoned in the corridor to call the valet, low He said in a voice: "Go and invite Mr. Fu to come!" This Fu Zengxiang, courtesy name Uncle Yuan, was born in Jiang'an, Sichuan Province. The Imperial Academy was established in the year of 1898. Before it was disbanded, during Gengzi's catastrophe, he fled to Tianjin and joined the Beiyang shogunate. Together with Yan Xiu, he ran educational affairs for Yuan Shikai. It is famous for setting up girls' schools in Tianjin.In September of this year, I was ordered to give Zhili a student envoy to open the Jingshi Women's Normal School, and decided to go to Zhejiang to enroll students in person. Before leaving, I was ordered to see and ask for training.At this time, he was waiting for orders outside Qinzheng Hall, and suddenly got the news that he was summoned in Yingtai, so he couldn't help but panic.It turns out that the size of the palace is wide and narrow, and the location of the throne is different. After entering the palace, one should inquire about how to walk, where to stop, and which direction to kneel.Now that the location has been changed, and I don't know anything about the layout of Yingtai, I really don't know how to deal with it! Therefore, when he heard Yuan Shikai's invitation to ask someone for advice, Fu Zengxiang hurried away immediately. Arriving at Junji Zhilu, Yuan Shikai was still guarding in the corridor, gazing towards the shadows, ignoring the etiquette, and straight to the point, he said in a low voice: "Uncle Yuan! It's been half a month, and besides the doctor who asked for pulse, you are the number one courtier." A person who can see the emperor, how about the holy bow, please observe carefully." "Gongbao," Fu Zengxiang replied with a frown, "I'm afraid I'm too busy to take care of myself. I don't know what the place of the summoning is like. I'm at a loss, afraid of being rude, and I can't take care of what Gongbao said. What can I do?" "I have never been to Yingtai either. However, you don't have to worry about it. I will teach you a trick. Once you enter the hall, don't rush to move. Stand still and have a look. If you calm down, nothing will go wrong." "yes!" "Please! I'm afraid I'm screaming." Sure enough, when they arrived at the original place, it happened that Su La called.So from the court room in front of the Qinzheng Hall, go out of the Dechang Gate, cross the bridge to the south, and you will arrive at Yingtai, which faces the water on three sides.This is a general name. In fact, Yingtai is also a very large place, with uneven pavilions and tall willows. "Three words, I saw Kui Jun, the Minister of Internal Affairs standing in the corridor, and knew that he was leading the class, so I hurriedly took two steps to ask for an Ann. "Not busy!" Kui Jun pointed to the three rooms to the east, "The empress dowager is watching the emperor, and has not been promoted to the palace yet." Hearing this, Fu Zengxiang settled down, and asked in a low voice, "How is your majesty's condition?" "It will only be heavy, not light." Kui Jun seemed unwilling to talk more, and then said: "Don't be distracted! Think about it now, what will the Queen Mother ask?" After finishing speaking, he moved Footsteps, walked eastward. After a while, I saw the eunuch coming and going from a distance, acting as a warning, then Kui Jun came over and waved, and Fu Zengxiang followed him into the hall.According to Yuan Shikai's instructions, first stand still and look at the imperial case, the two palaces are sitting side by side, the queen mother is sitting very upright, the emperor is holding the edge of the table with his left hand, and leaning on the table with his right arm, as if struggling. Fu Zengxiang saw the location clearly, walked forward three or four times, knelt down and said loudly: "My minister Fu Zengxiang respectfully invites the Empress Dowager and the Emperor Shengan!" Then they met each other without their hats on, put on their warm hats after saluting, got up and walked a few steps forward, knelt down repeatedly, and waited for inquiries. "You run a girls' school in Beiyang!" Empress Dowager Cixi asked in a clear voice, "I heard that the results are very good. How many girls' schools have you run?" "I have run three girls' schools in Tianjin, and eight more girls' primary schools." "Have you run a women's normal school?" "We set up a Beiyang Women's Normal School. The first batch was graduated at the end of last year. A total of 78 students were distributed to various provinces to serve as women's teachers." "I am also in favor of promoting women's schools. But the rules of the female students are the most important, and they must be neat and serious." "Yes!" Fu Zengxiang replied: "The women's school under the minister's office pays special attention to this level, and the internal and external boundaries are very strict. The teachers selected are all seasoned, dignified and well-educated." "This is it!" The Empress Dowager Cixi immediately asked, "What lessons do you have for the Beijing Normal University to run a women's normal school?" "There are education, self-cultivation, home economics, Chinese, history and geography, arithmetic, science, handicrafts, drawing, gymnastics, music, singing, Eastern Chinese, English, etc., a total of 14 subjects." "Subjects should naturally focus on Chinese learning. Foreign language and arithmetic are just a little bit of new knowledge, and they are of no great use. Although gymnastics and music can exercise the body and cultivate temperament, they are just a matter of preparation. The importance of the homework depends on you. Be careful." "yes!" "Where are the students recruited?" "All provinces have to recruit. However, Jiangsu and Zhejiang are the main areas, where there are a lot of people and talents, and there are more literate and educated women." "How old are you going to recruit?" "Graduates from the women's normal school will be sent as women's teachers in the future. They must be of good quality and should not be too young. They are going to recruit women who are 20 to 30 years old, with pure virtue and clear writing." "Are they all girls who haven't left the court?" "Yes!" Fu Zengxiang said: "Young widows who have no children will also be admitted at their own discretion." "How many years do you have to study in school?" "Five years." "Go to school at the age of twenty, and graduate after five years, you will be twenty-five years old! After another three or five years of teaching, won't you become an old girl?" The Empress Dowager Cixi continued: "Prospering women's schools can't delay other people's lifelong events. ! This layer, you should think about it.” Fu Zengxiang said in his heart that he was ashamed. After running a women's school for several years, he never thought of this level!At that time, I had no choice but to bite the bullet and replied: "The holy concern is extremely serious. There is something wrong with the enrollment regulations. After Rong Chen goes back to think about it, he will make a separate report." "I think there are those who have already left the cabinet and are eager to learn. Aunt Weng's husband also agrees. We might as well let them apply for the exam." "yes!" At this time, the emperor couldn't hold it any longer, leaned forward with both hands on the table, and said, "Kneel down!" In this way, the meeting ended unexpectedly.When Fu Zengxiang left Xiyuan, Fang began to remember what Yuan Shikai had entrusted him with, so he hurriedly recalled the face and voice of the emperor he had seen while his memory was still fresh.Went to the city to rest for a while, and went to see Yuan Shikai return to his life. "The emperor's complexion is very bad, his voice is weak, and his physical strength is weak." Fu Zengxiang said: "Both cheeks are flushed, this is hot flashes, the emperor's lungs may not be very good." "You mean, the emperor has consumption?" "I dare not say that." Fu Zengxiang hastily declared, "I'm just guessing." "Where's the Queen Mother? Did I ask you something?" "The Empress Dowager is in good spirits, she speaks clearly, and asked a lot of questions..." Fu Zengxiang explained in detail Empress Dowager Cixi's opinions on the Women's Normal School. "The phrase 'a woman without talent is a virtue' is no longer necessary! These female students who are born in a beautiful family have passed their standard period and their eyes are higher than the top. In my opinion, they will be first-class wives in the future. However, they can only do They fill in the house." Yuan Shikai suddenly said: "Uncle Yuan, among your students, is there anyone who is willing to be a private teacher?" "This...," Fu Zengxiang couldn't think of it for a while, and replied vaguely, "I think there should be." "Then ask you to find one." Yuan Shikai said: "There are two concubines who suddenly want to study, and the older two daughters want to go to school. The wife is very old-fashioned and doesn't want young women to show their faces. I want to be in Linggao. I want to hire a female master to preside over the private school in the dormitory, do you know if there is a suitable candidate?" I heard that it was the Yuan family who hired a female teacher, and Fu Zengxiang paid special attention to it, because the impression she gave Yuan Shikai was enough to represent his achievements in Beiyang in the past few years.So while thinking, he asked: "In Gong Bao's mind, what kind of person is suitable?" "First, be virtuous and virtuous; second, be generous in appearance and manner; third, be able to be persuasive. As for how much knowledge you have, it doesn't matter. Two concubines are equal to Mongolian children, and two young girls are no more than graduates from high school." To a certain extent, it can definitely be taught.” "Yes!" Fu Zengxiang suddenly thought of a person, and said happily: "There is a student who is suitable. Her surname is Zhou, her name is Zhou Di, and her name is Daoru. She is the first in honors, and her studies are not very good..." "Why?" Yuan Shikai interrupted him and asked, "Isn't it too good to be number one?" "Beyond the first class, there is the best class." Fu Zengxiang said with a smile: "Actually speaking, the first class is the second class." "The first place in the second class is also good. How is this person?" "This person is just like Gong Bao said, with a virtuous temperament, a generous manner, a good teaching method, and a persuasive approach." "Oh, are you from there?" "Yixing, Jiangsu." "Yixing Zhou's family, presumably after Zhou Yanru?" "Yes." Seeing Yuan Shikai's expression changed, Fu Zengxiang added, fearing that he would think Zhou Di was a treacherous minister, "After all, she came from a family, and her demeanor is unmatched among her classmates." "That's good!" Yuan Shikai asked, "Where is he?" "It's in Beijing. According to the regulations, one should be a primary school teacher for three years after graduating from a normal school. Zhou Di is willing to stay in Beijing, and now he is teaching in a girls' primary school in Dongcheng. When the school year is over, it will be the library in the house." "That's it, that's it! I'll issue the letter of appointment first," Yuan Shikai thought for a moment and said: "Shu Xiu, who wants to give her two thousand taels of silver a year, isn't it for Tai Fei?" "It's very generous!" Fu Zengxiang said, "But Xiangfu Guangu is naturally different." "There is one thing, it's very troublesome, please don't be rude to the teacher, now it's a female teacher, logically speaking, the wife should pay her respects in person, but the wife is clumsy in socializing, and there is no one to replace her, this...?" Seeing that Yuan Shikai respected his teacher so much, Fu Zengxiang was quite moved. They respected his students, and he could not belittle the value of the students, thinking that they would come when they were recruited, and there was no need to talk about etiquette.As for the hiring of teachers, there is no need to distinguish between men and women. If Yuan Shikai is inconvenient to visit Zhou Di in person, he can be replaced by his nephew. This naturally reminded Yuan Shikai's second son, Ke Wen, and he immediately replied: "If Gong Bao thinks that the teacher is dignified, he might as well ask Bao Cen to send the letter to him. It would be very appropriate." Yuan Shikai thought for a while, then nodded and said: "As a teacher's etiquette, there is no need to distinguish between men and women. It must be done according to your wishes. Please introduce me. When it is agreed, I will ask Xiao'er to send off the letter." Fu Zengxiang was going back to Tianjin the next day. At the same time, he felt that as a teacher, he could order Zhou Di without asking for his opinion first, so he replied: "I can make the decision. If Gong Bao decides, I can do it today." Get this done." "That's good!" Yuan Shikai ordered the servant, "Is Second Master here?" The footman agreed to go.After a while, Yuan Kewen was brought back. He was wearing a blue lake crepe velvet robe and a pair of white silk trousers. When he saw Fu Zengxiang, he bowed and shouted: "Uncle Yuan!" At present, Yuan Shikai told the truth, ordered to write a clearance letter, and paid two thousand silver in the tent. He followed Fu Zengxiang to visit Zhou Di and offered him face-to-face employment. "Yes!" Yuan Kewen turned around and asked, "Uncle Yuan, shall I accompany you now?" "I will drive back to Tianjin tomorrow morning, and I really want to take care of this matter today." "Okay! I'll go get ready right away." This is a matter of Chi Yeli, Yuan Shikai talked to Fu Zengxiang about how Zai Ze and Sheng Xuanhuai got along, and it was only halfway through, Yuan Kewen had already gone and returned. So Yuan Shikai stopped and hastily ended the topic, arching his hands and saying: "Too tired! Please!" "I should serve you!" Fu Zengxiang turned to look at Yuan Kewen, just put on a mandarin jacket, and immediately asked: "It seems that the sky has changed now, and the west wind is blowing. Baocen, you won't catch cold if you wear a pair of silk, right? " "I'm used to it! Counting nine cold days, it's always like this." "I really admire you!" Fu Zengxiang said with a smile: "This is also the makeup of the times."