A mouthful of fried rice at a sky-high price, Old Tang apprenticed on the spot

Chapter 615 The Death of Yongzheng
Zhang Xuanqing is a very special person.

Although he was also an imperial cook, he never cooked for the emperor once in the first few years when he entered the palace.

The main reason is that his uncle is Zhang Taixu, a Taoist priest.

Zhang Taixu is not an ordinary Taoist priest, but a Dazheng from Longhu Mountain, and also a Taoist priest who refined Jiji Dan for Emperor Yongzheng back then.

Yongzheng was the only one among the 12 emperors of the Qing Dynasty who believed in Taoism.

Before the Manchus entered the customs, they had always believed in shamanism, and then converted to Tibetan Buddhism from Huang Taiji.

Yongzheng also believed in Tibetan Buddhism in his early years, but in the later period, he turned to Taoism.

The reason was that after a sickness, a Taoist priest named Jia Shifang cured him, and the effect was good.

Yongzheng Longyan was very happy, and named Jia Shifang as the real Miaoying.

But Jia Shifang practiced ritual talismans and did not know how to make external alchemy.

Therefore, Yongzheng secretly ordered him to recommend Taoist priests who knew medicine to enter the palace. In fact, he wanted him to recommend people who knew how to practice and keep in good health.

Later, under the recommendation of Jia Shifang, several Taoist priests headed by Zhang Taixu and assisted by Wang Dingqian entered the palace and were placed in the Old Summer Palace to refine elixirs for Yongzheng.

In the fourth year of Yongzheng, they successfully refined Jiji Dan in the Old Summer Palace.

This kind of elixir is said to be a prescription handed down by Zhang Weigong. Taking it can raise water and fire, nourish the spirit and benefit blood, and long-term use can prolong life and make people not old.

Since then, Yongzheng has often taken this Jiji pill, and also gave it to Ertai, Tian Wenjing and other confidants to take it.

It is said that Ertai reported to Yongzheng after taking it for a month, saying that it was very effective.

Yongzheng was quite proud of this. When he gave it to Tian Wenjing, he also said that he was taking it without interruption.

He also asked Tian Wenjing to rest assured, saying: "This elixir is cultivated and refined, and it works very differently. If you take it boldly, don't doubt it. It is a good medicine that is beneficial and not harmful. I know it for sure."

However, in the 13th year of Yongzheng, he died suddenly, and Qianlong ascended the throne hastily.

The cause of his death is unknown and rumors abound.

Legend has it that he died of exhaustion.

Due to Kangxi's policy of leniency and inaction in his later years, social conflicts intensified, and the Qing Dynasty clearly experienced a decline.

After Yongzheng came to power, he strictly rectified and acted vigorously, and he had to deal with countless memorials every day.

It is said that he does not patrol, does not go hunting, and manages political affairs on a daily basis, all year round.

Except for a few visits to Hebei Zunhua Dongling, he has basically never been out of BJ City in the past 13 years, so he is called the most diligent emperor.

Therefore, many people speculated that it was because of his exhaustion that he died of overwork.

It was also speculated that he died of a sudden illness.

Because Yongzheng fell ill two days before his death, but he was not terminally ill, and he was still able to work.

But two days later, he died suddenly.

But there is one thing that makes people suspect Zhang Taixu and other Taoist priests.

August 25th, which is the third day after Emperor Yongzheng's death.

Qianlong made a solemn move to expel Taoist priests Zhang Taixu and Wang Dingqian from the Old Summer Palace and return to their original places.

He said in the last edict: "The emperor heard about the practice of practicing in the furnace outside.

The Sacred Heart is well aware of its wrongdoing, and wants to try and observe its skills, thinking it is a tool for games and leisure.

Because Zhang Taixu, Wang Dingqian and others were placed in the vacant place of Xiyuan, Sacred Heart regarded them as the same ears as comedians, never listened to their words, never used their medicines.

And he knows that he is a rogue in the market, and it is best to make words and make troubles. Huang Kao has repeatedly told Lian and Prince He to face him.Now I will drive Yi and others back to their hometowns.

Yi and others are restless in their duties, arrogant and perverse, deceiving the world and deceiving the people.

If Yi and others have been traveling in the inner court for several years, they have falsely stated every word they said in front of Emperor Daxing, as well as their instigation and incitement outside. The truth will definitely be exposed. Once they are interviewed, they will be punished strictly and will be punished immediately. They will not be forgiven.

Qianlong told the world in his edict that his father Yongzheng invited Taoist priests such as Zhang Taixu and Wang Dingqian into the Old Summer Palace just for entertainment, but he never listened to them and did not take a single pill from them.

Moreover, Emperor Yongzheng knew that they were rascals in the market, and he ordered them to be driven away before his death. He, Qianlong, only carried out his father's instructions.

After the expulsion, Qianlong also warned the Taoist priests that they must keep their mouths shut in the future and strictly prohibit any words and deeds related to Emperor Yongzheng.

Qianlong made such a move in the midst of his busy schedule, which indeed seemed a bit deliberate.

People in later generations are also very curious about what happened in the Old Summer Palace that year, and there are different opinions.

Since Li Yi possessed so many times, he has heard some rumors more or less.

It is said that Yongzheng's health has not been very good, and he has been sick since the seventh year of Yongzheng.

He himself talked about his symptoms, saying that he "likes malaria but not malaria, or sleepless all night, or doesn't think about eating or drinking for a day or two, alternating cold and heat, yin and yang contradicting each other."

It means that he feels hot and cold, has palpitations and restlessness, can't eat well, and can't sleep well.

He also revealed to Ertai, saying: "I violated the peace this year, and I actually got it when I encountered a big weird thing."

No one knows what kind of "big weird thing" it is, but judging from the fact that he frequently asked Taoist priests to recite scriptures and mantras, exorcising evil spirits and curing diseases, and taking Jiji Dan, it should be a psychological problem.

However, when Li Yi was possessing Shuanglin and inquiring about the cloisonné craftsmanship, he had read the Ministry of Internal Affairs' "Work File".

The so-called "job file" is the file in the Manufacturing Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which records the daily work of various jobs.

The main content inside is the materials such as copper, saddle armor, helmet, enamel, gold jade, box mounting, lamp cutting, oil wood, wide wood, etc. assigned by the imperial decree, as well as the Liulichang, Ruyi Pavilion, casting furnace, and map room. , painting academy and other workshops.

Among them, there is a record on the 13th day of August in the [-]th year of Yongzheng, "[-] catties of black lead from cow tongues used in the second Yuanmingyuan".

And No. 14 days after this huge batch of black lead was transported into the Old Summer Palace, Yongzheng died suddenly.

Therefore, there are also rumors among the people that Yongzheng died of an overdose of Jindan.

Some people speculate that Qianlong knew that his father died of taking Taoist elixir, so he hated these Taoists and was eager to drive them away.

But he was also afraid that they would reveal the secret of Emperor Yongzheng's taking of the elixir, and spread the bad reputation of Emperor Yongzheng's ignorance, poisoning and death, to the world, so he issued an imperial decree to shut his mouth.

This guess is not unreasonable, because after Qianlong came to power, he began to emphasize Buddhism and restrain Taoism.

After he ascended the throne, Jiangxi Governor Chang'an Shangzuo reported that there was not enough summer rain in the province, so he invited monks and Taoists to set up fastings to pray for rain in the provincial capital and Shangqing Palace on Lushan Mountain.

But this move was severely reprimanded by Qianlong.

Qianlong said: "Seeing your eight memorials today, I will list the unimportant matters first, and put the memorial to Yuze Qiucheng at the end.

It's because you take Yuze as a matter of delay, but you don't pay attention to people's food.Kuang Zhai's act of monkhood and Taoism is just a matter of prayer.

One more monk and Taoism means one less farmer. If the generation does not only eat without farming, the food must be fine; not only do not weave, but the clothes must be fine and beautiful.

Household utensils, play with all things.Fighting for Huami, including the three farmers, and the deep plowing of the flesh, is not enough for the monk and Taoist, it is not contradictory! "

Although he juxtaposed monks and Taoists in his reprimands, he has been building Buddhist halls and temples of Tibetan Buddhism since he became the throne.

For example, the Hall of Mental Cultivation and Zhongzheng Hall in the palace have Buddhist halls where he burns incense, worships Buddha, and recites beads.

However, under his suppression, the middle school Taoists dropped from more than 2 people at their peak to only [-] people.

Therefore, later generations are increasingly suspicious that Yongzheng's death was due to an overdose of golden elixir, so Qianlong vented his anger on Taoism and suppressed Taoism.

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(End of this chapter)