The so-called living notes are a thing that records the words and deeds of the king, and the original intention was to supervise the king, and it was written by those royal historians who were as straightforward as iron, and even the king himself was not heard. However, over time, it gradually evolved into a kind of archival document, that is, the so-called "record", so that anything in the future can be checked and verified. So there are some things, the king can order "don't keep the file", and it will not leave traces in the historical materials.

It can be seen that it is a very serious matter for the people to make private living notes. First, how can the common people know everything about the royal behavior? Second, there are folk records, or there are many inaccuracies, random arrangement, close to the history of barnyard officials, or do not know how to hide the royal taboos, so once circulated, it may cause great damage.

This kind of thing, when the wind of literary prison was at its peak in the past, could set off a bloody storm, and even now, although many things have been relaxed, it is inevitable to be charged with killing the head. It seems that Anbang is too old to mix with a showman, it's not unreasonable, it's too shallow, and he can't complain that the examiner has no eyes.

However, it is not without doubt that this crime of private living notes should be convicted - the other seven "saints" are all thinking that a manuscript of more than 100,000 words involves this item, but there are only seven or eight articles and more than 100 words, and this crime should be convicted accordingly.

But there is another one, which everyone will get - Anbang is too a country guy, he has been in the city for a few years, and there are some things in the palace, how can he know that Lu Tao is so detailed? Since An Dehai said it when he went home!

With this thought, no one will open their mouths to refute it. Look at each other. Nod slowly. At the same time, everyone understands. An Dehai is dead and dead this time, and there is absolutely no reason to live, because no matter how tolerant he is as a king, he must not allow a eunuch to take out the affairs of his palace and take care of them.

In two more days, these cases that do not seem to be connected on the surface, but in fact are in the same vein, have come to an end one after another.

Li Kaishan, cut and decided.

Ampangtai Kill and decide.

Cheng Fangzhong, handed over to the Department of Prudent Criminal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and died with a rod.

An Dehai, handed over to the Department of Punishment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, died with a cane.

It was Mingshan who survived by luck. In the end, it was the identity of the banner man, and except for the article "corruption does not pervert the law", there was no other law that could be used against him, so he had to increase the severity of the crime and make it a penalty. Sent to Ula to serve as a bannerman.

*

*

The Bula Mansion is in Jilin, and there is a Mei Dezhangjing in charge. He is a subordinate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The bannermen here, called "Ula Sacrifices", are all royal clothed minions, and they have to work hard, and they are very hard.

But as far as Mingshan is concerned, this is already a happy thing - seeing the tragic situation of his fox friends and dog friends, thinking about Guan Beizi's cruel means, he has already been heartbroken, and he can't wait to plug his wings and quickly escape from under his nose, so the holy decree, accompanied by the two chasers of the criminal department, went to the house to pick up the clothes and luggage, pointed to a long entourage, and then urged the chauffeur to hurry on the road.

"When you get there, take care of yourself." Mingshan's daughter-in-law said with tears in her eyes, "Come back early." ”

This sentence is not wrong. Although Mingshan's daughter-in-law is still confused, she is still confident in her husband's methods. When I arrived in Jilin, as long as things were calm after two years and I spent more money, I could eventually get it back.

"Don't worry," in front of his daughter-in-law, Mingshan's uncle's faction came up again, "Tell Wengui not to forget to bring my wolf skin mattress with you." ”

When everything was in order, a group of four people went out. There was a lot of luggage, and there were carts pulling it, but people were walking - after all, they were prisoners, and they didn't dare to take a car in the city. It wasn't until they went out of Andingmen to the north that the four of them got into the car one after another, and Mingshan breathed a sigh of relief.

"This month, it's going to be hard for the two brothers." Mingshan said with a smile, "It's cold. ”

The two messengers were naturally stuffed with silver, and as soon as they left the city gate, they immediately became attentive, and they were not much different from the long-term servants who served him.

"Master Ming, where is this!" One of the messengers smiled and said, "Your old hand, who in the capital doesn't know the way?" It's a blessing that our brothers can serve you this way! ”

Out of the capital, no worries, Mingshan's heart is very comfortable, all the way slowly, the first day to rest in Shunyi, the second day in Huairou City in the Gaofuji Inn rest. Mingshan wanted to shake his face, and asked for two upper rooms, one corner room - one for himself to live in, one for two people to live in, and Wengui lived in the corner room.

In winter, it is not the season to hurry, and the inn is naturally not lively, and when it is time for dinner, there are only four or five tables.

When it came to the wine and food, Mingshan looked at the four people at the next table, and saw that it was an old, a middle-aged, and two young, dressed well, but they didn't look like officials.

The journey was lonely, and there was nothing to talk about with the two vulgar solutions around him, but now seeing these people, Mingshan couldn't help but have a heart to talk.

"Where are these old brothers?"

"Jilin." The middle-aged man was stunned for a moment, then he also arched his hand and said with a smile.

"Yo, then we're all the way!" Mingshan came to be interested.

After a few more words, I realized that these merchants were merchants who went to Jilin to collect leather goods. Ginseng and leather goods in the Northeast are marketed all over the world, although the imperial court has banned them in the early stage and listed them as special management, but now, this rule has long been unusable. As for himself, Mingshan only vaguely said that the Internal Affairs Office went to Jilin on business.

"Dig ginseng in autumn and harvest fur in winter," Mingshan nodded and smiled reservedly, "That's also hard work." ”

"You're always a connoisseur!" The middle-aged man surnamed Yu had a light of surprise in his eyes, and said enthusiastically, "Come on, sit together." ”

After finishing speaking, he greeted the shopkeeper and explained the account of the table on the mountain, and wrote it on his head.

was so bold, Mingshan had a good impression in his heart, and he went over to sit unceremoniously. He knows a lot and is in a good mood, so he is very interested in talking. Eat it at the same time. While chatting. By the time it was time to hold the candle, he was almost drunk.

"Enough wine...... Enough wine......" Mingshan said with a big tongue, "Disturb a few brothers today, tomorrow, I'll please." ”

When Wengui helped him up, he staggered into the upper room, fetched hot water to wash his feet, and Mingshan poured it down. I fell asleep soundly.

When I woke up again, I don't know what time it was, the house was dark. I wanted to move my hands and feet, but it was like a nightmare, I was pressed by something, and I couldn't move at all.

"Master Ming," a man whispered in his ear, "don't move, it's not fun to wake up others." ”

Mingshan heard it. This is the voice of the middle-aged man who drank together. Then there was a faint candlelight, and Mingshan realized it. He was lying upright on the kang, and the two young men were riding on him, pressing their hands and feet to death, and his head was being held by the middle-aged man.

At this moment, I was so frightened that I almost fainted, thinking: Am I being a thief?

Who knows not. After a while, I saw the old one, holding a piece of mulberry paper, and gently covering Mingshan's face, but took a sip of wine in his mouth and sprayed it carefully from bottom to top on the mulberry paper.

Mingshan couldn't see, but his mouth and nose suddenly felt that he couldn't breathe, so he instinctively puffed up his mouth and blew, wanting to blow the paper away, but the mulberry paper was wet with wine mist and sticky on his face, where could he blow it open for a while?

In his heart, he suddenly remembered an extremely terrifying thing, and he couldn't help but open his mouth and shout! However, the middle-aged man only pressed his index finger on the small socket under his Adam's apple, and his voice was cut off.

"Master Ming, bear with me, and you will be able to finish it soon." The middle-aged man said softly.

The old one, his hands were very sharp, and the second piece of mulberry paper was covered with Mingshan's face, and he still took a sip of wine and sprayed it carefully. When the fifth one was sprayed, Mingshan's body twitched for a while, and then he didn't move. The old man continued to do the same meticulously, and did not stop until he had used up seven sheets of paper.

"Uncle Sima, why spend two more good pieces of paper." The middle-aged man said while watching the two men under him swing Mingshan's hands and feet away and cover the quilt.

"The rules for opening and adding officials, that's it." The old man lowered his head and packed up a small burden, and said in an old and muddy voice, "It is also the rule to start with my master and serve those princes and adults on the road. ”

After that, he walked to the side of the kang and peeled off the seven pieces of mulberry paper, which had been glued together and had almost dried into a paper shell. Although Mingshan has long been out of breath, the shape of his eyes, nose and mouth is firmly printed on the paper, with clear concave and convex shapes, like a delicate mask.

"No wonder it's called Kaijiaguan," the middle-aged man looked at it and said dumbfoundedly, "It's really the same as the mask of jumping on the stage." ”

The next morning, Wen Gui couldn't wake up the master several times, and when he entered the room, he immediately cried and shouted, and the two of them rushed in. When the errand came out, the customers in the store realized that it was an exiled prisoner who had died of a violent illness after drinking.

*

*

These things, the people in the capital will not know about them, and the queen mother in the deep palace will not care. In the past few days, although Xiao Anzi and Xiao Chengzi have been disposed of quickly and chaotically, there has always been a lingering thought in her heart, and she endured it again and again, and finally couldn't help it, and sent Li Jinxi out of the palace to do this.

When Li Jinxi came back and knelt in front of her, Cixi's heart was a little chaotic, as if she was watching the treasure official want to open the cup, I don't know if it will be big or small? At this moment, she almost wanted to tell Li Jinxi to go away, so that she would never know the answer.

However, the dignity of the Queen Mother still made her settle down.

"Have you seen it?" Cixi asked lightly with an expressionless face.

"If you go back to your master, you've seen it inside and out." Li Jinxi knelt on the ground and replied cautiously, "It's just a two-entry courtyard, it's not big, it's very simple." ”

Hearing Li Jinxi say this, Cixi's heart suddenly became a little better, but there was one most important sentence that she did not ask.

"That'...... What's inside? ”

"The four white floors to the ground, quite neat, but the roof is the roof, the wall is the wall, and the slave has never seen any mirrors."

So it was, so it was!

Cixi's heart first seemed to have let go of a huge burden, and then she gave birth to a feeling of sourness, heat, and anger.

"Li Jinxi!"

"The minions are here."

"You say, usually in the palace, who else is good with Xiao Anzi!"

Li Jinxi was taken aback by Cixi's fierce tone. But speak. But it was unexpected by Cixi.

"Master, Shengming! Xiao Anzi is the chief eunuch. Seeing him on weekdays, no one dares to show his intention of being separated from him, even the slaves have flattered him. Li Jinxi kowtowed and said sneeringly, "There is no one else who is really close to him except Xiao Chengzi." ”

"Oh?" Cixi was stunned for a moment. Unexpectedly, he didn't get angry, nodded and said, "Go and pass the decree and let Guan Zhuofan hand the sign in." ”

Guan Zhuofan, who had already left the court, received Li Jinxi's edict in Beizi's mansion, and he couldn't guess what the two palaces were seeing him for. As soon as the time of the court meeting has passed, the officials have special affairs to report to the king, which is called "handing over the sign to the king".

When he entered the Heart Cultivation Palace, he found that the Empress Dowager Ci'an was not there, and he saw him today. Cixi was alone.

"Guan Zhuofan." The voice from above seemed to be missing the usual majesty. It becomes soft and melodious.

Guan Zhuofan thought to herself, she spoke like this, but it was like when she was in Rehe.

"The minister is here."

"These days, you ......," Cixi said with a little difficulty, as if she was considering her words, "is your body okay?" ”

Guan Beizi muttered in his heart, my body is naturally very good, what do you want?

"There is a Empress Dowager Lao who asked, the minister is still healthy during this period of time." Guan Beizi looked grateful for Jun'en.

"Hmm." Cixi behind the yellow curtain nodded, and the tassels hanging down from the flag head shook together with her movements, "You are the minister of state, I know that you naturally have the bearing of a minister, if there are any rumors or grievances on weekdays, don't take it to heart." ”

"The minister has never suffered any grievances, and even if he has, he will never dare to think about it." Guan Zhuofan replied respectfully, but there was a ripple in his heart.

The game has come and gone, and it has finally come to this point.

"I know you won't," Cixi sighed very softly, "and don't talk about it. You are the one who is ordered to wear the seal key of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and you will have to take care of the affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the future. ”

"Obey."

"My Changchun Palace, there is still a lack of a chief eunuch, who do you think is better?"

No wonder the Empress Dowager Ci'an didn't come. An Dehai's matter is a matter that makes Cixi lose face, today it is said that the head of Changchun Palace, the Empress Dowager Ci'an will naturally not come to join in the fun, so as not to embarrass Cixi.

Guan Zhuofan listened to Cixi's tone, which meant that he wanted to pay more attention to the deeds of the eunuchs for her as the minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As for who is better? Naturally, it is Li Jin's preference, this is a matter that has already been set in his heart, but this sentence can't be said from his own mouth.

"The person who serves the Queen Mother's bedroom is not trivial, and he must always ask the Queen Mother's Sacred Heart to observe and designate it personally." Guan Zhuofan said, "But according to the minister's opinion, as long as you are honest and diligent, kind-hearted, and have a good mouth, you must be good." ”

"That's right," said Cixi cheerfully, "as I thought." ”

After saying this, he raised his voice and ordered: "Call Li Jinxi in." ”

When Li Jinxi rushed over panting, entered the hall, and knelt down far away, the voice of the Empress Dowager Cixi returned to its previous appearance.

"Li Jinxi, you entered the palace with Xiao Anzi, and you have been serving me for many years."

"Only a slave can serve the queen mother, which is a blessing that has only been cultivated for several lifetimes."

"Well, from now on, you will be promoted to the head of Changchun Palace, and you will be the fifth grade."

"Minions...... Minion...... The slave thanked the Queen Mother for her great kindness! Li Jinxi, who was lying on the ground, kowtowed again and again, crying silently.

"Alright, I can't see this." Although Cixi said this, her tone revealed satisfaction, "I remember that you are from Zhili Province? ”

"If you go back to your master, the slave is a native of Dacheng County, Shuntian Prefecture, and his father once lived in Hejian Prefecture. When the slave was young, Hejian Mansion was in trouble, so he followed his parents into the capital. ”

"Well, the people in the palace are naturally from many bitter backgrounds." Cixi said indifferently, "In Beijing, what do your parents do for a living?" ”

"If you go back to the Queen Mother, the parents of the slaves are both leather-makers."

I don't know what to do, Guan Zhuofan suddenly had a strange feeling in his heart, as if he had forgotten something, but he couldn't say what it was for a while.

"That's it, from now on, you have to serve the errand with your heart." Cixi's face was a little tired, and she sighed softly and said, "The head of Changchun Palace, unlike other places, although the grade is not high, but the people in the entire palace dare not underestimate you." You have to be able to afford it yourself, don't learn from Xiao Anzi's nonsense. ”

"Huh! The minions would never dare! ”

"It's your name," Cixi shook her head slightly, "auspicious is auspicious enough, but it sounds cheesy." ”

The words are good, but if you want to talk about "not bad", it is natural that a name like "An Dehai" is much more magnificent. In the Qing Dynasty, the names of eunuchs were inconsistent, and the most severe time was when Qianlong was in power, and the eunuchs in the palace were regarded as pigs and dogs, and their names were only allowed to be cheap. Later, this rule gradually disappeared, and the eunuch's name gradually sounded better.

Cixi is a person who loves face very much, and the names of the eunuchs and palace maids under her are often ingenious, not to mention the person who wants to be the chief administrator? A name like "Jinxi" is a little bit less loud.

Cixi's words were just unintentional words, but Li Jinxi didn't know how to bless his heart, so he kowtowed at the moment and said respectfully: "Yes, the cheap name of the slave can't enter the queen mother's law, the slave is brave, please ask the queen mother to reward another name." ”

"Huh?"

This saw that Li Jinxi would be funny, and in one sentence, Cixi's mood would be changed to the matter of the name. Cixi regarded this as an interesting thing, but Guan Zhuofan on the side, his eyebrows gradually condensed, and he looked at this Li Jinxi thoughtfully. Cixi didn't notice Guan Beizi's expression, thought seriously for a while, and finally came up with a favorite name.

"You're cheap," she said with a smile, "just call it 'Lianying.'" ”

*

(Today, the two are combined, and the 5,000-word chapter is presented.) ）

*(To be continued......)