A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 43 Perfume is poisonous
Xiao Dezhang is a very lucky eunuch. He has only been in the palace for 10 years, and he has become a great eunuch second only to Li Lianying, and was even given a name by Cixi.In the near future, he will become the last eunuch chief of the Qing Dynasty.

Originally, according to the system of "eunuchs are no more than four ranks" established by Yongzheng, eunuchs were the highest rank four.But Cixi was in power as a woman, and it was impossible to leave the eunuch by her side, so she broke the system and awarded Li Lianying the second rank, and Xiao Dezhang the third rank.

Of course, compared with those powerful officials in the Ming Dynasty, they were not too far behind.

Li Yu said politely: "So it's Mr. De, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Xiao Dezhang was also very polite, cupped his hands, and said to Li Yu: "It's a great honor for the miscellaneous family to meet Master Li to learn from you. You made a big splash in front of the Queen Mother yesterday."

Li Yu asked: "Eunuch was also in Yiluan Hall yesterday?"

"Exactly, but Zajia was beside the queen at that time, you may not have noticed."

"No wonder I didn't see my father-in-law at that time, I'm really sorry."

Xiao Dezhang waved his hand: "Miscellaneous people don't dare to blame Master Li, after all, who can be conspicuous in front of the Queen Mother, Lafayette. And last night, Lafayette really saw the star in the sky with your telescope, Lafayette I am very happy, maybe I will reward you well in these two days."

Li Yu's heart twitched, not because of Cixi's award, but because the eunuchs in Fan Palace came out to spread the word that as long as it is a happy event, you must give him some money, that is, "Hearing the sound and seeing happiness".

Although Li Yu was reluctant, he took out ten silver dollars and gave them to Xiao Dezhang, "Thank you, Father-in-Law."

"You are being polite."

Xiao Dezhang put away the silver dollars while saying so, "It's all Lafayette's meaning."

He has long been used to this kind of thing, and he accepts it with peace of mind.After all, without Li Lianying's status, there were not many courtiers who gave him money, and even if they did, they didn't give much.

The Empress Dowager Longyu who Xiao Dezhang followed was at least one Xiaozhuang away from Cixi on the wrist, so he was very loosely restrained.

"What is father-in-law doing here today?" Li Yu asked.

Xiao Dezhang pointed to a boy who was less than 10 years old behind him, "Take a child to clean himself up, so that he can go to work in the palace."

With Xiao Dezhang's support, he will naturally not suffer in the palace. Although he will lose his children and grandchildren, he may become rich and powerful. In this era, it is not a bad thing.There was no need for Li Yu to take care of him like the previous child.

Li Yu said: "It just so happened that I brought some things for foreigners' hospitals to Mr. Liu, and they will come in handy immediately."

Xiaodao Liu opened the box and liked the lancet inside very much. He was as excited as Xiao Dezhang and others when they saw their own babies: "I have long heard that foreigners' lancets shine like silver. Seeing them today is really cold." Show!"

The lancet was what people called the scalpel at that time.Although stainless steel was not yet born at this time, the research on surgery by foreigners has far surpassed that of the Qing Dynasty, and the scalpels they use are also much more professional.

Xiao Dao Liu tried the edge of the knife with his finger, "Sharp!" Then he said to Xiao De Zhang, "Elder-in-law, I will take the child away, and I will give it to you clean."

Xiao De Zhang responded, and then said to Li Yu: "By the way, the queen also mentioned you last night."

"Queen?"

Xiao De Zhang nodded: "The queen wants to ask you to do something?"

Li Yu asked suspiciously, "What does the empress ask me to do?"

"The empress was very impressed with your performance yesterday. I heard from Sigege that you have stayed in Prince Qing's mansion for a long time. You are a person who is proficient in western learning, so the empress hopes that you can help me make some perfume."

I'm dizzy!It's too far-fetched!
Li Yu is really helpless, these people!It seems that they have no idea about the sub-subjects of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology, and only know the general term of Western learning. ——Since you know Western learning, they think you know everything.

But Li Yu couldn't explain it, so he could only say: "Eunuch, I have never made perfume before, so I really don't know anything about it."

Xiao Dezhang didn't listen to his explanation at all, "What's the difficulty? You even know the stars in the sky. How can a small perfume bother you?"

"but I……"

Xiao Dezhang interrupted Li Yu: "Teacher Li, the queen rarely asks for help. If the supply of ministers from various countries was not cut off, they would not look for you."

Knowing that he couldn't refuse, Li Yu had no choice but to bite the bullet and said, "Then I'll give it a try, but the effect will be hard to say."

Xiao De Zhang Xi said: "You must be fine."

Li Yu sighed lightly. Although Empress Longyu was ugly and hunchbacked, she was still a woman, and she was a powerful and lonely woman. Could it be that she still wanted to regain Guangxu through perfume and the like? pet?
Perfume was indeed a rare thing at that time, basically imported from abroad, absolutely high-end goods.But even with the best perfume, Empress Longyu would have to cry and sing in the end: "You smell of her perfume, it's my nose's fault."

Difficult!

Li Yu asked, "What kind of perfume does the queen like?"

Xiao Dezhang thought for a while and said: "The miscellaneous people don't understand. I only know that it was given to Lafayette by the wife of the British minister before. But Lafayette didn't like the smell, so he gave it to the queen."

With some clues, Li Yu said, "I see."

"If the preparation is successful, the queen will let Sigege come out of the palace to get it."

After Xiao Dezhang finished speaking, he returned to the palace.

Li Yu really has a big head, why come to Xiaodao Liu today!I should really look at the almanac when I go out in the future.

Yes, I haven't asked him for money yet!

Li Yu returned to the house he rented, with mixed feelings in his heart. For some reason, he got into trouble with a group of powerful women. They were much more troublesome than Yiqiang, Ronglu and others.

Also make perfume, why don't you just let me teach you how to make ecstasy incense!

Not long after sitting down, Prince Qing's little follower, Ruizheng, came to the door: "Hi, Master Li!"

Li Yu was also funny, and not long after, he started calling himself Master Li, "What can you do with me?"

"My lord hosted a banquet tonight for bishop Mr. Timothy Li and Mr. Pu Lande, and I also invited you." Rui Zhengke said politely, he had clearly felt the lord's attitude towards him.

"okay, I get it."

Li Yu put away his thoughts and prepared to go out.

Ruizheng asked one more question: "Master Li, I still can't think of the second line of the pair you played at the beginning, can you teach me?"

Unexpectedly, he still remembers it until now, it is really embarrassing for others!Li Yu said: "At that time, the upper couplet I wrote was, in the picture, the dragon does not sing, the tiger does not howl, and the little book boy is ridiculous. Since your Excellency is the translator and master of the palace, the second couplet is: inside the chessboard, the car has no edge, The horse is unreined, calling Master to be on guard."

Ruizheng read it silently, and praised loudly: "Miao! You are indeed Mr. Li!"

Li Yu smiled and walked straight to Prince Qing's Mansion.

(End of this chapter)