The queen got up nervously, and suddenly found that her clenched palms were covered with sweat. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

"The queen will help the emperor more in the future, the love of husband and wife is important in the same heart." The Empress Dowager Cixi said softly, "With one heart and one mind, this day can get better and better." Otherwise, no matter how glorious and rich it is, it will be like living in hell. ”

The queen didn't seem to blame Cixi's words when she heard it, but she felt quite sad, and her heart was a little settled.

"The daughter-in-law respectfully obeys the teachings of the emperor's mother." The queen and Concubine Hui knelt down in unison and said.

"Get up. Today, they are out to relax, talking and kneeling for a long time. The Empress Dowager Cixi said with a pleasant face.

The queen and Concubine Hui thanked and stood up, and the Empress Dowager Cixi noticed the panic in the queen's eyes, smiled slightly, and stepped forward to take her daughter-in-law's hand.

"Let's go over and have a look."

From a distance, Liu Chengyin and Li Lianying, who were supervising the construction at the construction site, saw the Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Tongzhi from a distance, and glanced at each other, each seeing a look of panic in each other's eyes.

"How many golden silk nanmu are there now?" Liu Chengyin looked at Li Lianying and asked in a low voice.

"There are less than 100 pieces ......of big wood," Li Lianying replied in a low voice.

"That means that if the timber doesn't arrive by then, the work will be stopped?" Liu Chengyin's face was gloomy and terrifying for a while.

"Yes......" Li Lianying muttered.

"Do you know what will happen to you if this project stops?" Although Liu Chengyin's voice was not loud, Li Lianying was frightened when she heard it at this time.

"Minions...... I know ......" Li Lianying recalled the days when she was exhausted because of searching for golden silk nanmu everywhere, and she had a feeling of wanting to die.

Since he grabbed the errand of this project, he thought that with so much silver, it would be easy to repair the garden, and he would not only be able to make a steady profit in this project, but also please the queen mother. He never thought that something would go wrong in the area of golden silk nanmu.

It's no wonder that Li Lianying is worried, he doesn't have much knowledge, and he doesn't know that the current golden silk nanmu is already hard to find.

Jin Si Nan can be called China's "national wood", because the royal family is dedicated to it, it is also called "emperor wood". Since ancient times, the golden silk nanmu is the royal special wood, in Chinese history, the golden silk nanmu is dedicated to the royal palace, a few temple buildings and furniture, the Ming and Qing dynasties are strictly forbidden to use the golden silk nanmu except the royal people. If someone uses it without permission, he will be guilty of transgressing the etiquette system. Emperor Xiang Jiaqing killed He Shen and announced his 20 major crimes, all of which were capital crimes, including the seizure of Heshen's family property, the Nanmu house built, and the extravagance and exceedance of the system, which was his thirteenth major crime. Since the Ming Dynasty, the royal family has a special department for the purchase of golden silk nanmu, at that time, officials around the country will be the top priority for the golden silk nanmu, the official into the golden silk nanmu can be used as a performance appraisal and promotion standard, and the civilians can be an official if they provide a golden silk nanmu. The golden silk nanmu of the Ming Dynasty to build the Forbidden City came from Emei, Sichuan, when the Shu road was difficult to go to the blue sky, and there was a saying that "a nanmu is a life". Nanmu is famous, and the people also know its preciousness, such as the description of Qin Keqing's Nanmu coffin in "Dream of Red Mansions" "One thousand taels of silver, I am afraid that there is nowhere to buy".

Golden silk nanmu mainly refers to the beauty of nanmu, the wood grain has gold wire, and some of them are sunny or form the pattern of the character landscape. The wood is hard and corrosion-resistant, and there is a saying that "water can not be soaked, ants can not burrow" since ancient times, that is, the golden silk Nanmu has the advantages that other woods can not be compared, and it is an excellent material for making furniture. Golden silk nanmu is resistant to decay and can not rot for thousands of years when buried in the ground, so the emperor's coffin is mostly made of golden silk nanmu. Golden silk nanmu has a smell of nanmu, the ancient book records that its hundred insects do not invade, golden silk nanmu cabinet storage clothes, books, calligraphy and painting can avoid insects, so the royal bookcase bookcase also stipulates the use of golden silk nanmu.

It is mainly distributed in Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Hubei and other subtropical areas with an altitude of 1000-1500 meters. The growth is slow, and its growth law is a late bloomer (the golden stage of vigorous growth takes hundreds of years, and becomes a pillar of wood at least two hundred years), in the Ming Dynasty, in order to build a palace, a large number of Nanmu was cut down, and at the end of the Ming Dynasty, the golden silk Nanmu has been on the verge of extinction. In the early years of Kangxi, the Kangxi Emperor also sent officials to the southern provinces to purchase Nanmu, due to the excessive cost, the Kangxi Emperor felt that this move was too luxurious, the people and money, no benefit to the state affairs, so he changed to Manchurian yellow pine, and many of the wooden pillars of the hall were spliced together with outsourced Nanmu. In the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, it was more difficult for even the Qianlong Emperor to get some Jin Si Nan to build a palace or make furniture (the Qianlong Emperor liked Jin Si Nan very much, and most of the Jin Si Nan furniture in the Qing Palace was made during the Qianlong period), and even secretly demolished the Ming Dynasty Imperial Mausoleum in order to get some Jin Si Nan wood. Li Lianying doesn't have much knowledge, where do he know these allusions, and after getting an errand, he found that things are difficult to do. But at this time, it can no longer be pushed.

To say that Li Lianying can also be regarded as extraordinary, in such a difficult situation, in order not to lose face and fall out of favor in front of the queen mother of the two palaces, Li Lianying gritted her teeth and began to collect golden silk nanmu. With his efforts, coupled with the help of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, more than 600 pieces of large and small golden silk nanmu sheets were collected, which made the garden repair project not pause at all.

But now, just as the "Heaven and Earth Family Spring" and "Jixi Hall" projects are coming to an end, these golden silk nanmu are about to be exhausted. And although Li Lianying tried her best, it was difficult to get a large piece of golden silk nanmu anymore.

Now Li Lianying already has the heart to hang herself.

"Boss, please save the minions!" Li Lianying knelt down in front of Liu Chengyin and said with tears streaming down her face.

"When I told you not to be in the limelight, you just didn't listen! Fooled and blinded you! Liu Chengyin pointed at Li Lianying with one hand, stomped on the ground with one foot, and scolded angrily, "What's going on now?" ”

"Boss! Please save the minions! The slave will repay you by making cattle and horses in this life! Never forget your great kindness! Li Lianying stepped forward on her knees a few steps, and hugged Liu Chengyin's thigh in front of all the eunuchs.

Liu Chengyin wanted to beat Li Lianying, lest he be arrogant of the favor of the West Palace, and he didn't take himself in his eyes, so he snorted heavily and deliberately struggled: "Yo! This is unacceptable! Mr. Li Er, what are you doing here? Let it go! The Emperor Xifo has seen it, what is going on!? ”

Li Lianying was willing to let go, he hugged Liu Chengyin's thigh tightly, and cried: "Boss, you pity the poor slave, show the slave a clear way, the slave is grateful for your great kindness in this life!" ”

Seeing that Liu Chengyin was still struggling, Li Lianying let go of her hand, and then kowtowed to him heavily.

"Boss! Show your minions a way out! Begging you, minions! ”

"Oops! You can't do it! ”

Liu Chengyin saw Li Lianying's head knocked down a few times, and his forehead was already bleeding, knowing that he was very sincere in repentance, so he stopped talking and squeezed him.

"Oops! What has become of this, this is! Get up! ”

"Boss! If you don't save the minions, the minions will die here! ”

"Hurry up! Don't let Lord Sifo see it! Liu Chengyin said hurriedly, reaching out and pulling Li Lianying's arm hard, "If I don't want to care about you, your head is long gone, can you still kowtow here?" ”

Hearing Liu Chengyin's words, Li Lianying was ecstatic in her heart, so she stopped kowtowing and staggered to her feet.

"Let me ask you, if all the remaining timber is used for 'Heaven and Earth One Spring', can it be completed on schedule?" Liu Chengyin said in a deep voice.

As if there was a thunder in her ears, Li Lianying raised her head and looked at Liu Chengyin blankly, as if she didn't believe what he said.

"Can it be completed? Say it! Liu Chengyin urged in a low voice.

"Yes." Li Lianying said in a voice that couldn't be lowered.

"So be it! Finish one place first, then do the district! Liu Chengyin said in a rare categorical tone.

"That 'Jixi Hall'......" Li Lianying's forehead was dripping with cold sweat.

"Hold off for a while, and then go find wood!" Liu Chengyin said, "You should hurry up and ask the shipmaster at this time, they may have a way!" ”

"Harbourmaster?" Li Lianying was slightly stunned.

"The timber used in shipbuilding is purchased from abroad, you can ask them if there is any golden silk wood in overseas countries, and if so, no matter what the price, you can buy it as soon as possible!" Liu Chengyin hurriedly said, "You hurry up and find Lin Yizhe, he may have a way!" ”

"Lin Yizhe?" Li Lianying was stunned again.

"What are you doing? Hurry up and arrange it! Liu Chengyin saw that Li Lianying was still there in a daze, glared and roared, "If he can't do anything, you just wait to lose your head!" ”

"But...... Will he do us a favor? Li Lianying heard Liu Chengyin say that Lin Yizhe would definitely have a way, and her eyes lit up with hope.

"He's going to help with that!" Liu Chengyin nodded with great certainty, "You go to him, and you'll find out!" ”

"But I don't know him, so I can't speak!" Li Lianying lamented.

"Dead elm head melon! If you can't say it, won't you find a way to say it? Liu Chengyin reprimanded, "I remember that Lin Yizhe and Li Zhitai in Tianjin have a good relationship, and the two of them often communicate with each other, I heard that there is a special line, and they can be informed in a few days, can't you talk to Li Zhengtai?" Hurry up and find Li Zhengtai, won't it be over? ”

"But it's a long way to Tianjin, and I can't get out of the imperial city, how can I send someone to ......?"

"Alas! I'll have to help you again! Look at my work of combing Sifoye's hair, you follow aside, I will help you build a bridge, hand over the words, you cry again, and this thing will be done! You'll have to do the rest yourself! That's all I can do to save you, you know? ”

"Thank you for your life! Thank you, Mr. Steward! ”

"Wipe this face quickly! Hide some, Lord Sifo and the emperor are coming! Don't let me see you crying and mourning, and make everyone unlucky with you! ”

Li Lianying hurriedly wiped her face, Liu Chengyin didn't care about him anymore, but hurriedly took a few eunuchs and stepped forward to greet the Queen Mother Luan.

After returning from the construction site of "Heaven and Earth One Spring", Emperor Tongzhi did not rush back to see the excerpts, but returned to the Chuxiu Palace where the queen lived with the queen.

"Why did the queen think of speaking for Lin Yizhe today?" Emperor Tongzhi recalled the scene that had just happened, and asked Empress Arut with trepidation, "And I was also carried out." ”

"The concubines aren't here to relieve the emperor." Alut laughed and said, "If the emperor said that Lin Yizhe did not play the matter of marrying a woman, once the emperor saw Lin Yizhe write this in the fold in the future, wouldn't the emperor blame the emperor for being confused?" The concubine is to remind the emperor. ”

"I know what you want, it's just ...... I've wronged you today. Emperor Tongzhi sighed.

Of course, he knows how sensitive his mother is to "concubines interfering in politics". Although the Arut clan has never interfered in politics since he became the empress, and he has not helped him read the excerpt (the Alut clan's defense of Cixi is the truth), the sentence she said for Lin Yizhe just now still aroused the vigilance of her mother.

Although his mother's words today are tantamount to acquiescing to the fact that the queen can help him see the excerpts in the future, and he does need the queen's help, even if it is for the queen herself, he still doesn't want the queen to follow the path that his mother once walked.

"The emperor has treated his concubines so much, and the concubines are wronged for the emperor." The Arut clan smiled, "Besides, the emperor didn't blame the concubines." ”

"This Lin Yizhe is too, how can he offend so many people." Emperor Tongzhi sighed, "If you marry a concubine, you have to be punished." ”

"These people are unreasonable, and there may be a bigger plot behind them." The queen said, "The emperor should not be careless." ”

"Oh?" Emperor Tongzhi was stunned, "What do you think the queen thinks will be behind the impeachment of Lin Yizhe?" ”

"The concubine thought that Lin Yizhe had offended so many people, but in fact, these people impeached Lin Yizhe, not for himself, but for the garden workers." The Alut clan looked at no one around, and said softly to Emperor Tongzhi, "The emperor has wanted to repair the garden for a long time, thinking that it is a place to live in peace, but because the country is not enough, the people's power has not been restored, and the court is turbulent, so it has not been implemented, and Lin Yizhe prompted overseas businessmen to serve the royal family and donate silver to repair the garden, Shilin Qingyi naturally refused to let him go." And if you can participate in him, won't you be able to discourage the gardeners, so as to win the reputation of daring to admonish and become famous all over the world? ”

"This group is really hateful! His heart can be punished! Hearing the empress's reminder, Emperor Tongzhi couldn't help but clench his fists.

"The state is not enough, it is not appropriate to repair the garden, and now the silver of the garden is the overseas businessmen to serve, in the country without any offense, and this garden work is opened, how many unemployed people in the suburbs have the capital to make food! Not only is it not harmful, but it is beneficial, so why can't they allow the garden to be repaired? Emperor Tongzhi said angrily.

"The emperor is angry! Concubines should not chew their tongues in front of the emperor, make the emperor angry, and ask the emperor to punish him! As he spoke, Emperor Tongzhi was about to kneel, but Emperor Tongzhi hurriedly supported her.

"The queen is thinking about me, so she said something heart-wrenching, what is the crime?" Emperor Tongzhi took the empress's hand and said softly, "I just wanted to ask the empress how to deal with Lin Yizhe's matter." ”

"The concubine is not allowed to interfere in politics, but it is the ancestral training of the Qing Dynasty, how dare the concubine give the emperor ideas." Arut lowered his head and said softly.

"Hey! But it doesn't hurt for the queen to say! If you have a good idea, I will be rewarded! Emperor Tongzhi looked at the queen's gentle appearance, his heart was happy, and he put his mouth to the queen's ear and whispered.

"Lin Yizhe assisted in the garden, and sent foreign envoys to ask for treasures in the garden, and the emperor has always remembered his merits." Alut's face turned red, and he said softly, "Huang Eniang didn't say a word about this matter today, but just asked Lin Yizhe if he had reported this matter, doesn't the emperor still understand Huang Eniang's thoughts?" ”

Emperor Tongzhi suddenly realized, "The queen is right, but I am confused!" ”

At this time, Emperor Tongzhi was full of gratitude for the queen's reminder, he looked at the queen steadily, took her hand, and slowly hugged her into his arms......

At night, a horse galloped to the door of the Cheng'en Mansion, and the man on the horse turned over and dismounted, handed over the horse to the porter, and hurried into the house.

Chongqi, who was fidgeting in the inner hall, saw the person coming and immediately asked, "What's wrong?" ”

"Back to my lord's words, the queen mother said that she has already done it." The person who came said respectfully.

Chongqi let out a long breath and nodded, and the person who came immediately withdrew. Chongqi immediately came to the study, ordered someone to spread the paper and polish the ink, and then began to write the letter, and the title of the letter was the words "Your Excellency Kunyu Shaoren Brother".

The next day, the Forbidden City, early morning time.

In the early Qing Dynasty, the special word of the court was called "calling", which was the highest form for the emperor or the empress dowager to summon the ministers of military aircraft, princes, scholars of the Manchu and Han dynasties, or officials of the six ministries, as well as officials of the feudal realm, to convey the edict, listen to the recital, and accept the audience. It is usually after 7 to 8 a.m., about an hour (two hours).

At Yin Shi (three o'clock to five o'clock), in the bedroom of the Empress Dowager Cixi, the lights were on, and the two palace maids who were originally on night duty in the house were waiting at the door of the bedroom at this time, and the other two palace maids who were on night duty at the palace gate were dealing with other palace maids who were doing rough work. At the time of Yin Zheng, the palace door was locked, and the palace maid who did rough work brought a bucket of hot water from outside the palace and prepared it outside the door. The copper stove faintly glowed red on the southwest corner, and it was an old eunuch boiling white fungus, preparing for the first offering after the Empress Dowager Cixi got out of bed. There is a saying in the palace that people often eat white fungus to look old and stay young forever. When the palace maids who waited for the bed shouted "Ancestor is auspicious" (this is actually a signal), everyone knew that the Empress Dowager Cixi sat up and began to go down to the ground. After folding the quilt for the Empress Dowager Cixi, she then served a basin of hot water with a silver basin, and the Empress Dowager Cixi finished washing her hands and face, and sat in front of the dresser, and the palace maid who was sleeping gently gathered her temples, put some powder, and smeared some rouge on her cheeks and palms, and then passed the eunuch to comb her hair.

Combing her hair was a very formal and grand thing for the Empress Dowager Cixi, because the Empress Dowager Cixi was strong by nature and neat, and would never let the people below see her unkempt appearance.