Ripple silent

In a blink of an eye, it is the early winter of the next year.

It seems that the Forbidden City has begun to get used to it. Its male master, who exists in name only, wakes up his childhood and rushes between the South China Sea and the palace wall every day.The decrees issued in the name of the emperor tore apart the brand-new blueprint he had only established not long ago.Every morning at this time, the sky is low.Watching the ministers babbling and singing at the height of the temple, and waiting for the Lafayette to say, let it go, the morning sun dared to reveal a ray of opaque light.

There was little left of the New Deal.

Only the Peking University Hall is still standing in its original place - it is more like a scar, reminding Guangxu what it means to be crushed.

He wrapped the black cloak around his shoulders tightly and shrank his body.Looking up to the sky through the southwest corner building, the gray clouds seem to be pressing down on the snow that has not yet fallen.

"Your Majesty, it's time to drink the medicine." The old eunuch who was almost sixty brought the soup as usual.

Pick up the medicine bowl and throw it away.

He clearly remembered that one day when he just started living in Yingtai, hundreds of imperial physicians lined up outside the Hanyuan Hall to see him due to an edict from the Empress Dowager.The imperial physicians walked in cautiously one by one, watched and asked about him, remained silent, and then walked out whispering to each other.Only he himself knows that he is not sick at all.And his own father clearly wanted him to be sick, and he had to be seriously ill.Later, the continuous supply of soups and medicines every day gradually made him clearly understand the situation - "disease" and "no disease" are beyond his control.

For almost a whole year, Guangxu had been waiting—waiting for the imperial order concerning "abandoned emperor" or even "death" to be issued from Chuxiu Palace.

For almost a whole year, the Empress Dowager has also been looking for—looking for any moment of public opinion to be able to completely remove this unfilial son from her political arena.However, things are far from as simple as Lafayette imagined.

As soon as the news that "the Holy Majesty has been unwell, the treatment has been taking a long time, but it has not been effective", Lan Qin sneaked a glance at her hand more than once when she was helping Lafayette beat his legs. Memorial; also read from Lafayette's furious face after reading Zhang Zhidong's telegram, he could read the unambiguous attitude of the officials in Xinjiang against the abolition of the emperor.And that day, Lan Qin had just picked fresh osmanthus flowers, and when she came back with them to grind honey osmanthus dew for Lafayette, she was almost frightened by the book that was suddenly thrown out of the warm pavilion, so that her feet were mixed with garlic. : "Good Liu Kunyi! What do you mean by 'the righteousness of the monarch and ministers has been determined, and it is difficult to prevent the mouths of Chinese and foreign countries'?! He was the one who refused to obey the order during the reform, and now he has brought up the righteousness of the monarch and ministers. Who does he have the relationship with? Righteous?!"

Just at this juncture, the British, Japanese and other ambassadors to China repeatedly asked to see the emperor to diagnose and treat his illness.

A few days later, Yikuang tremblingly brought the results of the foreigner's consultation, "I told the Queen Mother, Lafayette, the foreigner said that the emperor's flat body is a little inflamed, and his immunity is relatively low..."

Cixi interrupted him and asked: "What's the body, what's the strength, I just want to know the conclusion of the foreigners!"

"Foreigners say...the emperor is not sick."

Cixi put down the tureen with a snap, "Are you sick?!"

Yikuang knelt down and reported back: "The British "Zi Lin Xi Bao" has continuously published articles in the past few days praising the emperor's political views, and the "Times" reporter in China has also continuously sent news about the emperor back to the UK. And... these few days There are also foreign warships cruising along our coast to demonstrate." He lowered his head and said in an almost inaudible voice: "...the foreigners also said that in future diplomatic matters with the Qing Dynasty... only the word Guangxu will be recognized."

Cixi almost fell to the chair.Lan Qin quickly reached out to help.

Chuxiu Palace fell silent instantly.

Lan Qin felt that Cixi's hand holding her right shoulder was shaking, and her strength became stronger and stronger, almost crushing her shoulder, and her long nails almost sank into her flesh.Suppressing the pain, he knelt there and held his breath.

He is not sick.He is safe.At least, it's safe for now.Thinking of this, Lan Qin's eyes were slightly red.

Since then, Guangxu's life has not changed a bit.For the whole of China, he is still a sick man who needs to be recuperated for a long time, and he still continues to be his prisoner.After drinking the decoction for a long time, his complexion became darker day by day as if soaked in medicine.Until one day, the tip of his tongue could no longer taste the bitterness.His whole body seemed to have assimilated with this palace full of strong bitter taste.Perhaps, a certain recipe has a little sweetness, but that has nothing to do with him.

Very occasionally, he would fiddle with the Western clock.And very occasionally, he would smoke a cigarette.

In some late nights when I was missing my bones, I lit the paper twister and lit the shredded tobacco.Take a deep breath, and the pure herbal aroma of shredded tobacco will permeate the heart and lungs.What is breathed out again becomes much heavier because it takes away the worries.Sometimes, in a trance, he can outline the eyebrows of the woman he loves in front of his eyes.He reached out, as if he could touch her face.Her face was so young, with a shy rosiness showing from under the skin that was blown torn.He had to suck harder to make the woman's face clearer in the haze.As for himself, secretly, under the cover of the night and the smog, he vented his desire for love that had nowhere to go, and regarded it as a momentary freedom in the prisoner's life on this isolated island.

Zhen'er, he softly called out like this while panting.

At that moment, the power struggle in the court, the crisis of the country, and the miscarriage of ambition can all be forgotten, and they all seem so insignificant.

Because love cannot be separated.cannot be forgotten.Because thinking has no boundaries.

Because he is not only the king of a country, but also a person.

Chuxiu Palace.

It was nearly an hour after dinner, and the Empress Dowager, Li Lianying, and the maids were playing dominoes over charcoal fire.Lan Qin was serving tea and snacks.He knew why the Empress Dowager was in a good mood.Zai Yi, Chong Qi, and Xu Tong's joint invitation to the Empress Dowager Abandoned Li Zhe had seen it the day before yesterday.In recent months, foreigners seem to have become less concerned about the affairs of the master of the Qing Dynasty, so the Empress Dowager once again instructed the government and the public to bring the issue of Emperor Guangxu's abolition to the bright side.

Lan Qin felt that the Queen Mother had changed.He felt more and more that once the queen mother decided on something, she would become determined and reckless.As everyone knows, it is not Cixi who has become, but himself.

The tea break fruits were brought up with their skins on, but Lan Qin was so out of her mind that she didn't even notice.

"What's the matter, Xiao Lanzi?" Li Lianying picked out the unpeeled apple with sharp eyes, and quietly reminded Lanqin, "Look carefully, it will be terrible to touch Lafayette."

Lan Qin quickly took it and threw it aside, and hurriedly said: "Thank you for the reminder, Chief Manager." After speaking in a low voice, she hurriedly raised a hundred spirits and went to change the hot water for the queen mother's hand warmer.

Suddenly listened to the announcement from the little eunuch outside. "Lafayette, Rong Zhongtang is asking to see you." Rong Lu didn't wait for the announcement, he went straight into the warm pavilion and knelt down, bowed his head and said nothing.

Cixi had just won the big one, and she had to talk nonsense in this round. She was in high spirits, and when she turned her head and saw Rong Lu's appearance, she probably had guessed seven or eight points in her heart, and suddenly lost interest, so she threw away the cards. Pushed, "You all go down first." Li Lianying called the servants to leave the warm pavilion.

"Why didn't you say a word in such a big battle. What did you do to me?" Cixi asked Ronglu.

"Queen, it was the slave who made a mistake."

"Oh?"

"The servant burned Xu Tong and the others' respectful invitation to abolish Li..."

"You!" Cixi became really angry when she heard this.

"Empress Dowager, the slaves did advocate the abolition of the emperor at first, but the opinions of Li Hongzhang, Zhang Zhidong and Liu Kunyi woke up the slaves. The guilt is unknown, and foreign ministers may interfere again. This cannot be ignored."

"Even you use foreigners to suppress me!"

"Queen Mother! Today's events are no longer what they were then. If the emperor is abolished rashly, the government and the people will be in turmoil, and foreign countries will use this as a threat. If the Folk Revolutionary Party takes the opportunity to stir up chaos again, the consequences will be disastrous!"

"But me, but I have already understood the meaning of abolishing..."

"Queen, you still can't deter the emperor. Think about it, it's easy to abolish the emperor, but what's the next step," Rong Lu said in a low voice, "What should you do in the name of political training? The emperor is already in his prime, and he probably has future generations It's also difficult, why not choose a child from a close branch of the clan to be the elder brother, and the queen mother will have the final say on the future."

Cixi pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "Ronglu, get up." Then she rushed out of the Nuan Pavilion loudly, "Little Lizi, come here quickly, keep playing, I will lose this card immediately."

Lan Qin was pouring hot water into the Empress Dowager's hand warmer, and somehow burned her hand.

The next day, the Empress Dowager announced to the princes and ministers that Pu Jun, the son of Duanjun Wang Zaiyi, would succeed Emperor Mu Zongyi as his son in order to prepare for succession.

The child's name had nothing to do with Guangxu.

After a few days, Guangxu really received Yizhi.It was said that Lafayette wanted to invite Lord Long Live to listen to an opera in Changyin Pavilion, and by the way asked the elder brother who had just entered the palace to study to greet Lord Long Live.Guangxu had just returned to Yingtai from the Qianqing Palace, and he didn't dare to rest, so he quickly changed his court clothes and hurried to Changyin Pavilion.

As the largest stage in the Forbidden City, Changyinge will perform big plays every New Year's Day, Shangyuan, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Chongyang and other important solar terms, and this day is neither the birthday of the empress nor an important solar term. People are discussing, what is it that makes Lafayette so interested, and even those who are cold must listen to this play.

"Deputy Chief Lan is auspicious." The court lady and eunuch in the building across the stage greeted Lan Qin in a hurry when she saw Lan Qin.

Lan Qin nodded and said: "Long Live the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and the elder brother are all here today, be alert. The Empress Dowager has already ordered the plays, and the playbook is still in the old place. Don't make a fuss if the play is changed temporarily. I can't find it. Be sure to pay close attention to the charcoal basin and hand warmer. There are too many people today, so each person must watch each other and change them frequently. Then, Shunzi, you are new here. I think you can forget about other tasks. Look. After the master sits down, put away the muff, warm it with a hand warmer, and send it back after listening to the drama. The ginger mink belongs to Lafayette, the bright yellow mink belongs to Long Live, and the crimson one The one with fox fur belongs to the empress, and the big brother’s should be made of suede skin without fur. Remember who owns who, and don’t get the colors wrong. Chun’er, prepare the snacks and tea in advance Yes, the donkey was removed from the old eight recipes and replaced with pine nut cake. Lafayette said yesterday that his teeth were sticky and he panicked. By the way, the green strips are baked with charcoal first. It's cold and humid, so turn around and serve them all It's smoke. Do you remember?"

"Remember Deputy Chief Lan, don't worry." All the eunuchs and maids dispersed.

Lan Qin hurried to the backstage of the theater again.

Seeing an old man pretending to be an old man hurried forward to salute, he cupped his hands and said, "This must be Boss Tan? Lan Qin, the deputy head of the Miscellaneous Chuxiu Palace, has heard Boss Tan's name for a long time. It’s really a blessing for three lives, the owner’s elegant demeanor. This is a gift from the Empress Dowager Lafayette.” As he spoke, he asked his servants to carry two camphorwood boxes to the back, which were nothing more than ingots and costumes.

Tan Xinpei was stretching his head, when he heard that Lafayette came with his predecessors, he quickly got up and bowed.

"Boss Tan, Lafayette wants to change the "Tian Lei Bao" published today."

"Director Lan, just give orders." Tan Xinpei hurriedly called for the names of the troupe leaders, and listened together.

"At the end of the chapter, there will be an extra five thunders and lightning mothers. When Zhang Jibao's soul sees Lei Zu, he will change into a pretty face, and after the Yincao, he will fight eighty times."

"Okay, okay, I must respect the Lafayette's order."

"Boss Tan, the miscellaneous family is waiting for Lafayette to go, you have worked hard."

Tan Xinpei and the theater troupe were busy making preparations, adding some props on the second and third floors of Changyin Pavilion, and quickly let a clown play it, ready to go on stage at the end.

Everything is ready.Guangxu arrived before everyone else.

From a distance, Lan Qin saw him at a glance.

What a thin and frail body it must have been, barely supporting the wide blue robe.His complexion was too pale for a person who had not reached his thirties, and Lan Qin couldn't even believe that this was the person he took care of day and night a year ago.

How did he survive the past 300 days and nights?

Lan Qin didn't dare to think too much, and restrained his gaze.

Suddenly someone from the Yangxingmen sang: "Your son-in-law doesn't need to talk about it, the evidence is in the court, and someone has seen Xianglian's form. The son-in-law looked closely, and it says Qin Xianglian is 32 years old..."

Guangxu frowned, thinking who dared to make such a loud noise in the Forbidden City.I saw a fifteen or sixteen-year-old child striding into the courtyard while sang opera words and posing in the posture of the opera.

Yes, this is the "Prince" of Mu Zong.The sourness in my heart deepened again.

"Big brother, big brother, stop singing, hurry up and greet our Long Live Lord." The old eunuch next to Pu Jun recognized Guangxu and hurriedly asked him to come forward and salute.After hearing this, Pu Jun put away his posture, walked up to Guangxu, knelt down in a daze, forgot to take off his horseshoe sleeves, and shouted: "Pu Jun greets the emperor, long live the emperor, long live the emperor." After replying, he just got up and went to play.

Guangxu thought to himself, that's all, I am afraid that in the hearts of the people in the Forbidden City, he is already a deposed emperor.He didn't bother with this silly boy.

It was just a cup of tea, and the Queen arrived with Lafayette.

Kneel down together up and down, shouting "Regardly please the Queen Mother Shengan".

Cixi sat upright with a smile on her face, ordered her elder brother Pu Jun to sit in front of her, and said, "Let's start the show."

Seeing an old man on the stage going out, he read: "If you don't come back, why don't you make people feel sad."Jiaoer never came home, thinking about it all day long and crying like numbness.A sickness is dying, the body is already weak, and the crying children are old and the tears are faint. ...and saw Tan Xinpei's general as Yixusheng read: "The old eyes are dim, the blood is weak, and the kindness is to raise a son to carry on the offspring."

After a while of the play, Cixi took Pu Jun's hand and asked: "Pu Jun, you like Beijing opera so much, have you heard of the "Tian Lei Bao" performed today?"

"Go back to Lafayette, I haven't heard of it. I always listen to some big-faced plays and sing along."

Cixi just laughed, "Hey, silly boy, you don't have to listen to other plays, but you must listen to "Tian Lei Bao". You see, the old couple playing sandals on the stage adopted a child when they were young. The abandoned baby was named Zhang Jibao, and he was brought up with painstaking efforts. He didn't want to grow up but was accepted by his biological mother. Later, Zhang Jibao won the first prize, and the couple was old and sick and became beggars, so they went to look for Zhang Jibao. If You are this doll, what do you do?"

With Guangxu beside him, he could hear every word clearly.

Pu Jun said: "Of course it is to adopt this old couple, to honor them well."

Cixi said: "But you see, that Zhang Jibao turned his face and was ruthless, and refused to recognize each other. The old couple was extremely sad and angry, and they both hit a wall and died."

"Ah?! How can there be such a heartless, unrighteous, unfaithful and unfilial person in the world! On the contrary, he got a good reward!"

Cixi laughed and said: "So, even the heavens were outraged, struck Zhang Jibao to death with lightning, and sent him to hell. Do you think such a person deserves such an end?"

Guangxu bowed his head and smiled wryly.

I could only hear the god of thunder singing on the stage: "I am the heavenly god of the nine heavens responding to the sound of thunder and universalization. Today, Zhang Jibao denied his kindness to his father and mother. The Jade Emperor was furious and ordered the god of thunder to strike him to death with five thunders." Generals Lei and Shan captured Zhang Jibao's ghost and brought him to see me!"

All of a sudden, there was thunder and lightning, and the sound of drums and zither.

Cixi said again: "Brother, you must take it as a warning. Loyalty, filial piety and filial piety must never be forgotten. You can't do things that hurt the world and make people feel sad like some unfaithful and unfilial people, you know?"

Cixi suddenly turned her head and asked Guangxu: "Your Majesty, tell me, is this play good?"

"...Whatever my father likes to listen to, my son will follow suit. Let my father teach me."

"Really? Brother, look, our emperor likes it too, so we'll listen to it next time."

Guangxu didn't turn his face away, he just closed his eyes.The babbling libretto and the noisy gongs and drums on the stage pushed him to the most unbearable corner.

Lan Qin, who had been standing in the Yueshi building, saw all of this.But he dared not, nor could he reveal the slightest bit.During the whole scene, he was forcing himself not to look at Guangxu's back.And he can hardly do it.He thought silently in his heart, if there really is a heaven, why not a heavy snowfall, in front of everyone in Changyin Pavilion, to clear his grievances.

It was getting late.

Probably the queen mother is content.After eating snacks, drinking tea, listening to enough plays, and enjoying Tan Xinpei, Jingfen went back to Chuxiu Palace with her.

Probably big brother is also satisfied.Eat, drink, play, listen to Lafayette's favorite, continue to sing his beauty case and go back.

Guangxu was alone, sitting in front of the stage, watching the troupe leave the entrance, but he didn't have the slightest intention of leaving.It wasn't until the old eunuch who was with him was so cold that he couldn't stand it and asked him, is the Lord Long Live still not leaving, that he slowly recovered and stood up.

The moment his hands were inserted into the muff, he suddenly felt that there was something in the sleeve, and when he touched it, he found it was a piece of paper.He hurried back to Hanyuan Hall and sent all the servants to rest before taking out the note.I saw a line of small characters crookedly written on it:

[Tonight is ugly, the pontoon bridge will be connected.Master Zhen is waiting for you at the No. [-] North Institute.Go to Shenwumen.Be back before dawn. 】

He didn't know that it was written by Lan Qin with her left hand, and she secretly put it in when the servant warmed up the muff.

"Shunzi, the one with bright yellow sable fur belongs to Lord Long Live. Don't make a mistake."

That night.

Guangxu sent his servants to sleep early.Lying in the dark, counting the ticks of the pocket watch second by second, listening carefully to the movement outside the hall.No matter who the person who wrote the note was or what his intentions were, he decided to find out.

Ugly.He tiptoed out of bed, gently pushed open the palace door, and then gently closed it.Then he tiptoed through the courtyard and walked out of Hanyuan Gate.The new moon was very dark, but he saw the pontoon bridge that had been erected at a glance.

Wearing only a jacket, wearing single shoes in the dormitory, with loose hair, and without a lamp, he walked northward all the way to Shenwumen.

The whole Haizi was extremely quiet.There is no moonlight.The surface of the water seems to have begun to form ice floes.On Beichang Street, there are faintly a few lights, illuminating the vermilion high wall.The moat was so deep that there was no sound.The whole person is ethereal, wandering in this familiar yet unfamiliar Beijing city, dangling, the body seems to be light.He never knew that the Forbidden City in winter can be so cold.So cold, he thought he had turned into a ghost.

Just when he thought he was going to freeze to death.

From a distance, the eunuch guarding the gate of Shenwumen came up to him. "My God, Long Live God...is that you?"

After drinking a pot of ginger tea, Guangxu regained his composure, and wrapped the cotton cloak covering his body tightly.

"Master, go through the Zhenshun Gate ahead, and the row of small rooms behind Jingqi Pavilion on the left is the Beisan Institute." The eunuch knelt in front of him and showed Guangxu his fingers.

Guangxu looked at the little eunuch whom he had never met before in amazement, and unconsciously asked, "...you wrote it?"

The little eunuch looked puzzled, "What? What was written by a slave?"

Guangxu waved his hand, stopped asking any more questions, and walked to the gate of Beisan Institute in three steps in two.But I saw a huge copper lock firmly locked the door.Guangxu looked around, but there was no one there, so he knocked on the door with his hand and called out softly, "Zhen'er? Zhen'er?"

After calling twice, there seemed to be some movement inside the door.

He was a little anxious, and called again, "Zhen'er, are you there? Can you hear me? I'm here to see you..."

Suddenly, I heard a faint but familiar voice from inside the door, "Long Live God! Is it Long Live God?! Zhen'er is here, Zhen'er is here. There is not a day when Zhen'er does not miss Grandpa..." Then he sobbed.

"I came late...it's all my fault for causing you to suffer like this..." Guangxu burst into tears, and knocked on the door desperately with his hands, but the copper lock didn't budge.

The winter night is too cold, and the tears are almost frozen to ice before they flow down the cheeks.

"Long live, please don't say that... Lord, are you doing well? Lafayette, did she—"

"Lafayette is very good to me," Guangxu interrupted Concubine Zhen with a forced smile, "Lafayette only lived in the palace for a month and then went back to the garden, but...but now I can't save you. ...But don't worry, it won't be long before I can face you day and night again..."

"Master, Zhen'er doesn't ask for anything else, but the safety of Long Live Lord. As long as you are safe and sound, even if Zhen'er dies—"

Guangxu interrupted her again, "Silly boy, I don't allow you to say that. I will always be safe and sound. I want you to live well and live beautifully. Do you hear..."

Concubine Zhen tried her best to control her tears, "Zhen'er is not beautiful anymore, if Lord Long Live sees Zhen'er again, he will not like Zhen'er anymore."

"Zhen'er... Zhener, listen to me. In my heart, you will always be the most beautiful person in the world. No one can compare to you. Did you hear me? You must be fine and wait for me to come save you."

"Zhen'er listened, heard. Zhen'er waited, waited for the master. Always waited for the master."

Pressing his hands tightly against the door, Guangxu wished he could pierce through the heavy palace gate and hug Concubine Zhen into his arms. More than 300 days and nights of hard thinking, now this yearning person is close at hand, but seems far away.

I don't know how long the tears flowed.Seeing the east is white.

The eunuch guarding the gate of Shenwumen ran over at some time and whispered in Guangxu's ear, "Master, it's time to go back."

Guangxu's heart felt like a knife was twisted when he heard this.Because he didn't know when the next time he would come to "see" Concubine Zhen.Because he doesn't know if there will be a next time.

After a long time, I decided to say goodbye to Concubine Zhen pretending to be relaxed.But it was like a lump in his throat, and he couldn't utter a word.

The little eunuch was so anxious that he wanted to pull Guangxu away.

I have to say.

"Jane."

"Father."

"Jane..."

"Father..."

Tears burst again.

Seeing this, the eunuch couldn't help wiping away his tears. "Long live Lord, don't worry, we will take care of Master Zhen. If you don't come back, something will happen."

And Guangxu couldn't say a word.With tears in his eyes, the North Third Institute was getting farther and farther away from him, and Concubine Zhen was getting farther and farther away from him.He didn't even know how he returned to Yingtai in a daze.

Everything is like a dream.He dreamed that he became a tree, a tree that uprooted itself, all the roots were exposed to the soil, and all the branches and leaves were blown away by the strong wind, leaving only jagged dead wood , fell into the torrential mud.

In a few days, it will be the Spring Festival.It was decided that on the first day of the first lunar month, the official canonization ceremony of the elder brother would be held, and the country name would be changed to "Baoqing".

Cixi was in a good mood these past few days, and the weather was surprisingly warm. Seeing Tian'er taking a nap, she asked her servants to go for a walk, and when she was tired from walking, she would rest for a while.

On this day, the wintersweet in Beihai bloomed just in time.Cixi walked from Dexingxuan to Wulongting in one breath.

Arriving at Longze Pavilion, Lanqin spread out the duck down satin mats prepared in advance, placed four or five charcoal basins, hot tea snacks, and green hookah, so that Cixi could bask in the sun warmly facing the White Pagoda of Qiongdao .

Li Lianying still asked her servants to bring the newspaper of the day to Cixi to read.For some reason, there was not a single joke in the newspapers that day, and Li Lianying even read a few headlines, such as "People's hearts are greatly shocked", "I will live and die with you" and so on.When Cixi asked why she didn't read it, Li Lianying didn't dare to say, but said that there was no interesting article.But at this stall, Yikuang hastily brought over the teleplays that had been received by the Zongli Yamen from various places opposing the change of the national title of "Baoqing".Cixi grabbed the newspaper and read it, the four big characters on the front page headline "To cover up" made her dizzy for a while.Immediately tore up the newspaper, dumped a table full of tea, tea and snacks, and smashed them onto the frozen lake, making a tinkling sound.

None of the servants dared to move.

Cixi asked Li Lianying to help her into the sedan chair and was about to return to the palace.

After walking out for two steps, he stopped suddenly and said: "It's so cold, the emperor didn't buy a thick piece of clothes, let the Ministry of Internal Affairs rush to make a decent one and send it to the emperor...Who are you going to send to the emperor?" a trip?"

A few nights later, around Xu time, the sky was completely dark.

The leading eunuch held a palace lantern to illuminate the road, another eunuch followed behind him holding a thick fur cape, and Lan Qin walked at the back by herself.

According to the report of the little eunuch guarding Shenwumen that night, Lan Qin's secretly arranged meeting with the imperial concubine was a success.Take it as a little bit of atonement for yourself.

The water surface of Haizi is completely frozen.The pontoon bridge leading to Yingtai was also crookedly frozen there.

But there are almost no painted barriers on the Hanyuan gate, and the vermilion lacquer is poor, just like a folk house.Entering the courtyard, I saw that the windows of the Hanyuan Hall were all covered with paper, which had been withered for a long time, and no one repaired them.Right now it is the twelfth lunar month of winter, the wind is harsh, and the snow is falling heavily. How can the people in the house bear it?

Lan Qin felt sad for a while.But he could only say loudly: "The Empress Dowager Lafayette has arrived."

After a while, Guangxu lifted the curtain and came out.Looking at each other, Guangxu stared blankly, lowered his eyes, and knelt down on one knee in front of Lanqin.

This kneeling made Lan Qin almost forget what she was going to say.How could he have imagined that he would kneel down to himself one day with this ninety-five honor?Trying to suppress his emotions, he said: "The queen mother Lafayette said that the emperor worked hard all day long to rule and work for the people, so he fell ill. The New Year is approaching, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs is specially ordered to make a mink velvet cloak to show his compassion."

"My son... thank you, father, for your kindness." Guangxu thanked him in a cold voice.

Lan Qin hurriedly reached out to help her, but was pushed away by Guangxu's trembling hand.Lan Qin's heart sank.

Sure enough, it was out of my mind.

Only then did he realize that he was only wearing a black cotton robe over his unlined clothes—it seemed to be very old, and he didn't know how long he had been wearing it.I want to ask too much, I want to say too much, for a long time, I just say, "Long live Lord... how are you doing these days?"

"Okay." A faint word.

"It's still warm in the house?" He expected him to tell the truth.

"Warm." He even avoided his eyes.

At a loss, Lan Qin called the servants to come, took the cloak and shook it off, thinking she would put it on him.

Guangxu took a step back as if refusing, and motioned for the old eunuch beside him to take the cloak. "If Director Lan has nothing else to do, please go back." In the darkness, his eyes were still lowered, and he turned around to leave after speaking.

"Long Live Lord..." Lan Qin looked at the two young eunuchs behind her, and she seemed to have something stuck in her throat, but she still said: "Lafayette tells you... the buttons of this mink velvet cloak are all pure gold."

Guangxu was startled, turned around and walked in front of Lanqin.He asked word by word, "What did you just say?"

Lan Qin knelt down, but raised her head to look directly into Guangxu's eyes and said: "These buttons are all made of pure gold..." Although her tone was unquestionable, her eyes were filled with anxiety, and there seemed to be a layer of mist in the darkness .

With a crisp "pop", Guangxu raised his hand and gave Lan Qin a mouthful. "Lan Qin, please listen to me, this cloak is very warm, I accept it. As for the rest, you go report to your master, I will take good care of myself, I don't need her to bother!"

Lan Qin's face immediately had five streaks of blood. "Long live God's Holy Body Jin'an. The slave will leave."

When the queen mother said that she was going to make a golden button cloak, it was Lan Qin who volunteered to take over the hot job.Because he had to witness Guangxu's attitude towards "birth" with his own eyes anyway.No matter how Lafayette punishes him, no matter how much resentment he will have towards himself, as long as he still has the desire to "live" and the desire to live, everything is worth it.

Yep, he wasn't broken.Even in such a cold northern winter.

According to the Western Gregorian calendar, this year marks the beginning of a new century.Brand new, another century.

The early morning of the first day of the new year. "Guangxu" was not changed to "Baoqing" in the end.

Early in the morning, Pu Jun went to worship the ancestors and heaven on behalf of Guangxu.

The owner of Yingtai seemed a little bored, he saw a cobweb in the corner of Xiao Mingxuan, he found a bamboo pole to pick it up from nowhere, the old eunuch saw it and reached out to help, but he waved his hand and said no.

Walking to the frozen water of Yingtai, I saw a few guards from the Forbidden City in the distance pushing boats and digging ice on the shore.Probably, it was because he was afraid that he would step on the ice and run somewhere.This time, I really want to fly without wings, and want to cross without boats.

The flowing water passed away.It's hard to hate.

But today is a holiday.The Spring Festival is the most important festival of the year for this nation.Must be happy.He told himself he had to pull himself together.So he specially asked the eunuch to find out the bright red hot stamping paper, ground the ink himself, and asked the eunuch to stick the red paper with "good luck" on the door.

In the ear is the sound of firecrackers in the capital.The morning light is mixed with a strong smell of sulfur, sprinkled on this small island.

He said softly to himself: "Happy Chinese New Year, Zai Tian."