Qing Dynasty Secret History

Chapter 113 The Taoist Priest Visits Miss Guan Xueyu at the Door
It is said that when the county magistrate saw his sudden arrival and delivered an order to prepare meals, he was so panicked that he didn't make sense.At this time, Luanjia had arrived, and he was stationed in the county office, laying out meals in a stack of voices.Five or six days ago, servants were sent to neighboring counties to buy these few imperial meals in the barren land and poor areas.Now, let's hurry up, where can I make good vegetables?The queen mother was already hungry, and thought that she would have something to eat as soon as she arrived, but she waited for a long time before two tables of food were served.Although it is not coarse fish and meat, there are no delicate dishes, and it is almost impossible to put chopsticks on it.Frowning, he asked the eunuch to pass the decree, and asked the magistrate, if there are delicious dishes, take three or four dishes, and I don't need so many.The eunuch led the order, called to the county magistrate, scolded severely, and then said: "Lafayette is so annoyed, how do you bring this kind of vegetables in? Don't talk about people eating them, it's okay to even feed dogs in our palace." There are many of them."

The magistrate bowed to beg and even kowtowed in begging.The eunuch said: "I don't know, you have the ability to tell the Lafayette yourself. I came out according to the order, and I don't have any vegetables, how can I go back to the Lafayette?"

The county magistrate said: "It is true that the place is barren and there is nowhere to buy.

Please beg for the tactful performance, beg the queen mother to forgive, and make up for the idea, I am very grateful! "

The monitor said, and immediately said with a stern face: "Okay, how old is the county magistrate, dare to call the Lafayette general? I'll just repeat it like this, you just listen to the order!"

As he spoke, he strode into the room, and added a message, telling the Queen Mother: "This magistrate is so arrogant! The slaves passed on the orders of Lafayette, saying that if Lafayette is old, these rough fish and meat can't be chewed. , please change some delicate vegetables."

He said stingingly: "Persuade her to save trouble, don't pick this or that."Ask her when she was fleeing, why didn't she walk with delicate vegetables and eat that mung bean porridge?Now that I have fat fish and big meat, I feel tired of it again.

"There are still many unpleasant words, which the slaves dare not hear. "

The Empress Dowager's face turned blue with anger, and she shouted: "What happened? Hurry up and kill them. Take down all the family members of this ungrateful bastard, and wait for the order."

The eunuch answered "Yes" and hurriedly went out to deliver the decree, but Dezong stopped him and said, "Wait a minute."

The Empress Dowager said: "My ancestor Mingjian, forgive a small magistrate, how dare you be so presumptuous? Besides, we cut off the magistrate for the sake of food, and spread it to foreign countries, and we will make foreigners laugh!"

After begging for a long time, the queen mother's anger gradually calmed down, and then the dismissal of the county magistrate was completed.

Kaiju the next day, lucky to drive Kaifeng.This year, the Empress Dowager's Longevity Ceremony was held in Kaifeng.

Live in Kaifeng for more than 20 days.On the fourth day of the first month of November, from Kaifeng to Qiluan, he arrived at Shunde Mansion, and Yuan Gong, the governor of Zhili, greeted him.Starting on the 24th, Duke Yuan Huhe, Prince Gong Puwei, etc., went to Zhengding Mansion from Beijing to pick them up. On the [-]th, the two palaces returned to Beijing by train.Hundreds of Westerners climbed the city wall to pay their respects to Yiwei.Civil and military bureaucrats, military personnel, etc. all knelt down beside the road.The British and Austrian cavalry teams all went out to meet them.Ministers and wives of various countries came out to watch.The Empress Dowager greeted her from a distance, and the Westerners all took off their hats to salute. The Empress Dowager bowed again before returning to the palace.Bei Que is still there, and the Pearl Palace is safe, but the Yiluan Palace caught fire and was reduced to a pile of rubble because it was usurped by the commander of the coalition forces.When the queen mother saw it, she couldn't help sighing.After entering the palace, he hurried into the secret room to see the hidden treasures.This was secretly hidden when Xishou was leaving. Fortunately, I didn't lose it, so I was overjoyed.Suddenly the eunuch came in to report that the imperial concubines who had retired to other palaces all came to congratulate Lafayette when they heard that Lafayette had returned to the palace.The Empress Dowager said: "It's hard for their sincerity to say that I know that there is no need to come in. Give each of them ten taels of silver and go back to the palace."

There was thunderous cheers for a while, and the old concubine received the reward and went away.It turns out that this group of old concubines, the monthly division is very thin, and they are not self-sufficient. They often make needles and ask the eunuchs to sell them in the market for self-sufficiency. Therefore, there is a saying in "Qing Gong Ci": There is no division for many months. How can I ask the needle god? .

The palace slaves brought them to sell at the front door, and the embroidered dragons were all new.

The first new policy after the Empress Dowager returned to Beijing was to reward the double salary of Prince Yikuang, Rong Lu, Wang Wenshao, Liu Kunyi, Zhang Zhidong, Yuan Shikai, etc., who rewarded those with double-eyed feathers and official titles, and negotiated peace for them and jointly protected the southeast territory. credit.The Prime Minister's Yamen has rebuilt the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and because diplomatic affairs are too complicated, vacancies such as left, right, left, right, left, and right counselors are specially added.It also stipulated the school election encouragement regulations, and those who passed the examination after graduation from the school would be given titles such as tribute students.These matters have already been settled on the road, so as soon as they entered the palace, they announced the decree.At this time, Cui, the head of the eunuchs staying in Beijing, led the deacons and eunuchs to come to kowtow.When the Queen Mother saw Director Cui, she suddenly felt something, and said, "When I went hunting last year, I said that Concubine Zhen was in chaos, so it would be better to die. It was just a sentence, so why really want her to die? Cui then took her away. Push it into the well. Now that I see Cui, my heart is still pounding."

Director Cui kowtowed to beg for favor, the queen mother said: "I am thinking about your matter, I am very chilled, how dare I ask you to serve me?"

Cui knew it was irreversible, so he had to leave the palace to wait for the order.The Empress Dowager decreed to posthumously give the title of Concubine Zhen and Noble Concubine, and announced to the world that "I can't follow the retinue, I will be martyred in the palace", and at the same time ordered Cui to be kicked out of the palace.The Empress Dowager returned to the palace from Xishou, and discussed important affairs with the minister of military aircraft every day.The New Deal held, such as sending Wang Wenshao to supervise the minister of roads and mines;Yuan Shikai was reassigned to take over the supervision of the railways inside and outside the Guanzhou, and Zhang Baixi was appointed as the Minister of Management; special permission was given to the Manchu and Han marriages; all the envoys were ordered to check the laws and regulations of various countries, and Yuan Shikai, Liu Kunyi, and Zhang Zhidong were ordered to carefully select those who were familiar with Chinese and Western Lawyers are recommended to come to Beijing to wait for the Jian School; the compilation of the two halls;

Now let's say that Zhang Baixi, the Minister of Education, was in Chang'an in the west of the two palaces. He summoned Xingzai to present current affairs generously, and immediately urged the establishment of the school.At this time, he was ordered by the Minister of Education to discuss the establishment of the school with his disciple Shen Zhaozhi.Shen Zhaozhi said: "What do you mean by the teacher? The academic affairs in China started in the first year of Xiantong. At that time, Zeng Wenzheng and Li Wenzhong knew that Western methods must be admired, so they set up a manufacturing bureau, and then set up a shipping school. At that time Scholars commented that the strength of the Western Kingdom lies in the strength of its soldiers and weapons, so the study only ends here. Even the Tongwen Institute established in the early years of Guangxu was only to cultivate some translators. There have never been high-class talents. After the Sino-Japanese War, the scholar-bureaucrats gradually became self-improving. Kang Youwei wrote a letter asking for reforms, and then set up a school. Liang Qichao played for Li Duanfen, the servant, and asked to set up a university hall in the capital. Yushi Wang Pengyun also sent a letter, please set up a school. The University Hall, according to the decree, agreed to do it. At that time, Prince Gong and Gang Zhongtang did not like the New Deal and did not do it. In the year of 80, the imperial court held a New Deal and urged the drafting of the University Hall Charter. The ministers were at a loss and sent someone to call Liang Qichao to belong to the grass. More than [-] regulations were drawn up, which were roughly based on Japanese methods. At that time, Sun Zhongtang was the minister in charge of education, and he took the Fourth Princess Mansion of Xiama Temple in Jingshan as the university hall, and asked Zhang Yuanji to be the general office. Yuanji refused, and Huang Shaoji was replaced. Shaoji The trial was released again, so I asked Nian Chengge to be the general office, Zhu Zumou and Li Jiaju to be promoted, Liu Keyi, Luo Chengxiang, etc. to be teachers, and American teacher Ding Tiliang to be the chief teacher. The real power is in the hands of Ding Weiliang. Teaching courses, management The minister can't intervene. At this moment, the teacher has been ordered by grace, and it must be rectified. What is the teacher's purpose?"

Zhang Baixi said: "Ding Weiliang was originally a priest, running a school is not missionary after all. I think the first way is to resign Ding Jiaoshi first."

Shen Zhaozhi admired him very much. The two masters and apprentices deliberated for a while and came up with a way to use the interest bank of the East Qing Railway accumulated by the Sino-Russian Daosheng Bank as university funds. The school will be opened again after the school site is repaired.

Immediately Zhang Baixi dismissed Martin, but the American envoy refused to agree. After negotiating for a long time, he was extorted a large sum of money.Because Wu Rulun in Tongcheng was popular in the world, Zhang Baixi asked him to add the title of fifth-rank minister in Zhili Prefecture to be the chief teacher of the university, but Rulun refused to resign.Baixi was well-dressed and respected Rulun, bowed down and said: "I am the teacher of the whole country, and I should be the apprentice of the whole country. How is it like China if you don't come out?"

Ru Lun felt his sincerity and encouraged him to answer the imperial edict.So Zou sent Yu Shimei as the general office, Li Jiaju and Zhao Congfan as the deputy, Wang Yishu, Jiang Shilixuan, Sanduo, Rong Xun, Shaoying, etc., and Zhang Heling as the deputy chief teacher.A compilation bookstore was also set up, with Li Xisheng as the editor-in-chief, and Wang Shitong, Sun Baoxuan, Luo Duntong, Han Pucun, Gui Tian, ​​etc. as deputy.Yan Fu was the general office of the Translation Bureau, and Lin Shu, Yan Chu, Zeng Zonggong, Wei Yi, etc. were the deputy.

At this time, Zhang Baixi was in control of the power, squandering instructions, and everything was not as he wished.Although he exhausted his energy, the planning was very neat. Ordinary old-fashioned people, seeing his behavior like this, would be jealous and envious, which led to rumors.Rong Lu, Lu Chuanlin, and Qu Hongji all tried their best to stop them.Bai Xifang bought [-] mu of land in Fengtai, and planned to build seven universities.After this resistance, we had to make things simple and renovate the Mashen Temple University, and only set up two halls for teachers and officials.And because the chief teacher, Wu Rulun, is a major in academic affairs, he first went to Japan to investigate.

But Rong Lu was worried and sent Rong Xun and Shao Ying to accompany him; but Rong Xun and Ru Lun were at odds again.When they arrived in Japan, the students studying in Japan turned to look up to Ru Lun.Cai Jun, the Minister in Japan, was jealous.However, Wu Jingheng, Sun Kuijun and others clashed with Cai Jun in order to send students to Chengcheng School, and they led the school strike.Ru Lun happened to be happy and tried his best to mediate.Cai Jun blamed Ru Lun for his fault.Rong Lu was very annoyed, and Prince Qing declared in public that Wu Rulun should be given a canonical punishment.Thanks to Prince Su Qishan's strong opposition, nothing happened.However, Zhang Baixi has no face and is extremely depressed.

On this day, Shen Zhaozhi came to pay a visit, and when he talked about talents, he couldn't help sighing.Zhaozhi said: "I want the teacher to know that a friend came to worship yesterday and talked about Sino-Russian negotiations. He was heartbroken and sighed: "I heard that I came out of the valley and moved to the arbor. I didn't hear that I went down the arbor and entered the valley. Now Our diplomacy has become a scene of Xiaqiao entering the secluded world, how can we succeed?" The disciple asked him why, and his friend said: "I don't remember that during the reign of Dao Xian, the capital set up a bureau of Fuyi. When the barbarians looked down on them, didn’t they move to Qiaomu? After the Old Summer Palace was burned, the Fuyi Bureau was eliminated, and a prime minister’s government office was set up.

After the Boxer Rebellion, the Prime Minister's Yamen became the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so the remaining prestige that used to be condescending and controlling the outside was completely wiped out. Isn't it Xia Qiaomu?Now it's really a deep valley to simply overwhelm the guest and take the lead, is it a pity? The disciple told him that the Fuyi Bureau and the Zongli Yamen in the past were the fault of arrogance.In the current Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the number of guests and guests is the proper way. He still doesn't believe it.Teacher, this friend is still working in the military aircraft department, but he has such knowledge.With such talents, how can the country's affairs improve? "

Baixi was about to answer, when suddenly the concierge handed in a name card, reporting that Taoist priest Gao of Baiyun Temple had come to pay respects.Bai Xi frowned and said, "This high priest actually found me here, who has the time to trouble him?"

Then he said to the concierge: "I'm not at home when I go back to him. If he comes later, you don't need to report to me. Just go back."

Shen Zhaozhi said: "Who is this high priest?"

Zhang Baixi said: "This high-ranking Taoist priest is the old Taoist of Baiyun Temple. He can be regarded as a man of immortals and a man of politics. Baiyun Temple is offering sacrifices to Changchun Immortals. The nineteenth day of the first month is the real man's birthday. They are all high-ranking officials and nobles. They all rushed to burn incense. Those who worship real people must pay homage to Taoist priests. People who pay attention to entertainment, so they regard this day as the birthday of Taoist priests. Whether they answer or not, the friendship of answering prayers is nothing more than that. Or the fame and status are not very prominent. Yes, if he directly accepts his worship and does not reply, the person who pays homage will be honored instead."

Shen Zhaozhi said: "How can an old Taoist have such power?"

Zhang Baixi said: "I heard that he and the eunuch Li Lianying had paid homage to him. The day before yesterday, a man was chatting with a high Taoist priest in Baiyun Temple. It happened that an acquaintance of a Taoist priest came to inquire about the news. The Taoist said to him: "Yesterday there was a certain You asked me to find a way for him to find a customs road. I said to him, wait a minute, now the higher-ups are collecting donations from the officials, the lack of customs is too fat, the rank of supervisors is too expensive, and the expectations are too extravagant. I am afraid that the income will not be enough to meet It's not worth it to ask for it." The man said: "My friend, Mr. Ke, distributes Shandong with the county magistrate. I heard that the master has an old relationship with Zhongcheng. Is it okay to ask for an eight-line script to be cultivated?" The Taoist said happily: "This matter is very Bento, Zhongcheng has a new book, and I'm too lazy to reply. When I reply, just add a few sentences.' Another person met a Taoist priest in a restaurant in Nancheng. After a conversation, the Taoist said to each other: "The daughter of a certain servant, tomorrow I almost forgot about my son leaving the cabinet. It just so happened that the former minister's wife came to talk about it, and she was in a hurry to prepare the dowry, so I had to take the two ends of satin from Mr. Li hidden in the trunk. , and there are two treasures, which were also given to Mr. Li by the emperor, and Mr. Li forwarded mine to her. "Think about it, an old man, for the sake of traffic internal supervision, it is shameful for a scholar-official to follow his way. Shameless?"

Shen Zhaozhi said: "Student remembered, Wanfuju Restaurant on Yangmeizhu Xie Street is good at cooking first-grade chicken. I heard that the skill of cooking and cutting was secretly taught by some high-ranking Taoist priest. He was famous as Gao Jiding. I think it must be this old man. No wonder Pu Kedi, the director of the Sino-Russian Daosheng Bank, often drank with this old man in Wanfuju, presumably to use him.

While talking, a servant suddenly reported: "The two young ladies of Yu Geng, the imperial envoy stationed in France, have been ordered to enter the palace to meet the Queen Mother." "

Bai Xi laughed and said: "Yu Geng's two young ladies have traveled abroad for a long time, so they must be well aware of the general trend of the world. Entering the palace this time may be necessary for the New Deal.

"

It turns out that Yugeng, whose name is Langxi, is from Manzhou Xiangbaiqi.He was named Duke by military merit.

He was sent to Japan and then to France.She has five children. The third lady's boudoir name is De Ling, and the fifth lady's boudoir name is Long Ling.When I was in France, I was on official business, and the young masters and ladies were very helpful.At present, Imperial Envoy Yu returned to China from France, Beijing, and Paris on the Annan ship. He was delayed in Shanghai for a few days, changed ships to Tianjin, and then arrived in Beijing by train.

Today, Prince Qing Zhenbei and his son came to pay their respects, and passed on the Queen Mother's order. Tomorrow at six o'clock, Mrs. Yu and the two young ladies were summoned to meet you in the Summer Palace.After receiving the decree, Mrs. Yu said to Prince Qing: "I've lived in a foreign country for a long time, and I'm used to wearing suits, so I don't have a matching flag dress, what can I do?"

King Qing said: "This festival has already been announced, and the Empress Dowager also hopes that the lady's suits will look good, so you don't have to stick to the flag clothes, because you want to see how our bannermen wear suits."

After Prince Qing and his son left, Mrs. Yu and her three daughters hesitated, thinking about what clothes and hats to wear.Mrs. Yu said: "Your sisters are also used to dressing up. This time we have an audience, we must always wear the same color clothes."

Long Ling said: "Let's just wear the light blue velvet jacket. This color suits me very well, and my sister always does too. Sister, what do you think?"

De Ling said: "Let's not make up our minds randomly, open the box to pick out, and wear whatever color matches."

Mrs. Yu said: "It's still the third girl's idea.

"So the three women opened the box to choose, but De Ling chose a red velvet jacket. Long Ling didn't want to wear it, and Mrs. Yu also said that the red dress didn't look good. De Ling laughed: "My sister is young, It's okay if you don't know, why did Mom say that?I'm not trying to look good on myself.Because the queen mother is old, she must like auspicious colors, and wearing red clothes is nothing more than to please her. "

After hearing this, Mrs. Yu praised De Ling for her thoughtfulness.So the two ladies were chosen to be red velvet coats, red hats, emerald feathers, red shoes and red socks, looking like two red Guanyin statues.Mrs. Yu wears a sea-blue gown with purple goose down, a black velvet hat, and white feathers as decorations.After picking out the clothes, Mrs. Yu said: "Let's go to bed early. From here to the Summer Palace, the road is 36 miles. It takes three hours to get there by sedan chair. I summon you at six o'clock in the morning and leave at three o'clock in the middle of the night. gone."

When it is not dark, rest.Unexpectedly, I went to bed early, and the two sisters couldn't sleep anymore.Thinking of the dignity of the Queen Mother, I can't help but feel panic; thinking of the scene of the palace, I have seen something I have never seen before, and I can broaden my horizons, and I feel happy again.

At two o'clock in the middle of the night, the whole family was busy getting up, washing their faces and dressing up.After eating snacks, the family reported that the sedan chair had already been prepared.So three of the women got on the sedan chair, four people carried it, and two people on the left and right each supported the sedan chair.Because of the long distance, two groups of bearers were used.There are 24 bearers in the three-shoulder sedan chair. In front of each sedan chair, there is a top horse, a foreman, two horses behind the sedan chair, and three mule carts for the bearers to rest.A group of 45 people, nine horses, and three carts took a route out of the city and headed straight for the Summer Palace.

In an instant, when I arrived at the city gate, I saw that the city gate was opened. The city gate official said: "by the king's order, the gate is open to wait for the ladies to go out of the city."

When we left the city, it was still dark.

De Ling was in the sedan chair, his thoughts fluctuated, thinking: I don't know what kind of person the Empress Dowager is?For us, how do we treat each other?I heard people say that with our status, we can have the hope of staying in the palace.Sure enough, if we can do this, or try our best, we can persuade the Empress Dowager to reform politics, which will benefit China a lot.Thinking of this, I am very happy.Suddenly seeing a ray of red light, seeing the sky from a distance, knowing the weather today, it must be good.The sky is getting brighter, everything can be distinguished, gradually see the red palace wall, ice hidden in front of the eyes, along with the mountain, the roof of the wall and ridge, are covered with blue and yellow tiles, reflecting the sun, gorgeous like a painting.I was looking at it and arrived at a village. The family members reported: "This is Haidian, only four miles away from the palace gate. Madam, can you take a break and change clothes?"

Mrs. Yu ordered to rest before leaving.If you want to know what happened next, let's listen to the next chapter.

(End of this chapter)