The south study is located in the southwest of the Qianqing Palace, it is the Kangxi Emperor's reading place, commonly known as Nanzhai, and later the Kangxi Emperor ordered the bachelor Zhang Ying, the cabinet bachelor Gao Shiqi into the south study when the straight, began to be an informal institution of the Qing Dynasty, until the Qing Dynasty perished, the straight person is called the south study walking, also known as the south study Hanlin, Jin Da's ancestor Cha Shenxing also once did the south study Hanlin.

After the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was forced to land in the Manchu Dynasty, most of the eunuchs and maids in the palace were dismissed, but most of the Hanlin in the south study were stayed. As intellectuals, although the Hanlin who were born in the imperial examination still need to be reformed ideologically, but the Taiping New Dynasty was established, and there was still a lack of people with rich cultural knowledge to come out as officials, so the poor Hanlin who walked everywhere in the palace were left behind by the King of the West, and planned to start appointing them one by one after systematic ideological training in the future.

Zhang Zhidong is the Xie Yuan of Shuntianfu in the second year of Xianfeng, and the 22-year-old Zhang Zhidong in the second year of Tongzhi (1858 of this time and space) is the Jinshi Tanhua and the first, and he is awarded the Hanlin Academy to edit and repair, and the south study walks. Zhang Zhidong didn't know that he was five years earlier than in history to be able to pass the class, the reason is that after Xingzhen came to power, he secretly wanted to train some Maverick celebrities for his own use in the future, so he specially ordered Zhang Zhidong to participate in the imperial examination in the second year of Tongzhi, and then gave the South Study a walking errand, hoping to speed up the growth of this handsome.

It's a pity that Zhang Zhidong didn't walk in the south study for two years, and he didn't do anything amazing, and the Manchu Qing Dynasty perished. At first, Zhang Zhidong was still a little disheartened, and his enthusiasm for learning literature and martial arts was sold to the emperor's family, and he was full of enthusiasm to do great things for the country and the people. But later, after the Taiping army entered the city, Qiu did not commit any crimes, and he treated the officials of the previous dynasty quite politely. That day, when the King of the West was giving a speech in front of the jade steps of the Qianqing Palace. Zhang Zhidong was also present, after listening to the words of King Xi. Zhang Zhidong began to boil again, once upon a time heard of the founding ceremony? When have you ever heard that the king of a country has set the rights and interests of the people above the law? At that moment, Zhang Zhidong had expectations for the new court, after all, this was the court of the Han people.

Later, the Taiping Army took over the various yamen in Beijing, and the Manchu officials except for those who committed major crimes and those who were reported by the people were arrested and questioned, the rest of the people were still under the leadership of the Taiping officers, and still maintained the operation of the original Manchu Yamen step by step, waiting for the arrival of the central officials of the Taiping Army in Nanjing. Zhang Zhidong is still walking in the south study of the palace, and still manages his south study.

On this day, the first batch of Nanjing peace officials arrived in the capital, and Zhang Zhidong did not respond to the call to greet them. He felt that it was better to do those face-saving efforts than to organize more books, so he had been busy in the south study and did not go to join in the fun.

At noon, after Zhang Zhidong used a little food he brought, he continued his work, and at the beginning of the unitary time, Tang Erniu, the captain of the Xiwang guard, came to the south study with a seven or eight-year-old child. Tang Erniu's person Zhang Zhidong still knows, the close figures around the King of the West are in charge of the elite guards of the King of the West outside the palace, in other words, the former ministers of the guards. But he didn't want Tang Erniu to be respectful to the child he brought with him today, Zhang Zhidong thought of the arrival of the Nanjing Taiping officials and the Xiwang family today. There are already some eyebrows in my heart, it seems that this child is not simple, he must be the son of the king of the west.

Sure enough, the boy entered the south study. I went to find the books I was interested in and looked through, and the south study room had a collection of thousands of volumes, thanks to the good bibliographic index made by Zhang Zhidong and the former Hanlin. It is very convenient to flip through the books. The child had been reading by himself, and had not said a word since he came in. Following Tang Erniu, Zhang Zhidong shouted and instructed in a low voice: "This is the second son of the West King, he is reading books here." Fetch him whatever you want, and don't slack off. ”

Zhang Zhidong's heart was hot again, although he didn't know whether the second prince was the prince of the new dynasty, but it was a great honor for the scholar to accompany the prince to study, and Zhang Zhidong nodded at the moment, Tang Erniu sent a team of guards to guard in the south study, and several female officials of the heavenly kingdom took care of the palace maids and eunuchs who did not leave, and Tang Erniu went back to recover his life after the arrangement.

Zhang Zhidong secretly thought that the second son was young, and the books in the south study room might be a little difficult for him, but he didn't expect the second son to take the fourth volume of "Kangxi Imperial Literature" and read it with relish. Zhang Zhidong became curious, he knew that the fourth volume of "Kangxi Imperial Literature" included Emperor Kangxi's investigation and experiments on scientific and cultural phenomena such as astronomy, geography, paleontology, animals, plants, medicine, and philosophy.

Zhang Zhidong saw that the second son did not speak, and he also took a book to read on the side, and suddenly the second son asked: "This Kangxi said that the shape and direction of the strip-shaped sand dunes of the white dragon pile are determined by the direction of the wind, do you think it is possible?" ”

Zhang Zhidong looked left and right, as if he was the closest, and replied immediately: "Water drops are worn by stones, ropes and saws are broken, this windy and sandy land is affected by wind and frost year after year, presumably there will be this result, but I haven't been to the field to see it, so I dare not say anything." ”

The second prince raised his eyes and glanced at Zhang Zhidong and said: "Well, if you haven't studied it yourself, you can't follow the crowd, you are right, I really want to go to the field to see it when I have the opportunity." ”

Zhang Zhidong said: "In fact, Gewu has the principle of the same origin of ten thousand laws, as long as we grasp the truth, all changes follow these truths, and we will be able to get a glimpse of the whole leopard, but we don't have to go to the field to investigate everything." However, it is the truth that we have not yet been able to grasp within our knowledge that we need to actually obtain the truth behind it. ”

The second son snorted and said, "You have a point, my name is Xiao Youfu, what is your name?" ”

Zhang Zhidong bowed down and replied, "Weichen Zhang Zhidong." Xiao Youfu nodded and said, "Well, we know each other, if you don't understand something, I'll ask you." After a few simple words, Xiao Youfu stopped talking again.

After the sky was dark, the female official brought food, Zhang Zhidong didn't expect that the second son's meal was a little simple, just four dishes and one soup, and the child was not picky, and he was reading with a book when he ate. It's just that someone ordered someone to prepare dishes and chopsticks for Zhang Zhidong to eat together.

After eating, Xiao Youfu continued to read at night. There was no extra sentence at all, so much so that Zhang Zhidong panicked. At this time, the weather was hot again, Xiao Youfu took off his coat to read, and when he saw that Zhang Zhidong was so hot that he wiped his sweat, he also allowed him to take off his coat.

After reading for a while, Xiao Youfu asked Zhang Zhidong to find another book, and Zhang Zhidong went to the innermost bookshelf to find the book, but the one Xiao Youfu was looking for was a little remote, and it took a lot of effort. At this moment, the female official outside the house said loudly: "Xiwang Niang has arrived." "I heard that Xi Wangniang was coming, and Zhang Zhidong heard it. It's just that he was disheveled and didn't dare to come out to meet, so he stood quietly behind the bookshelf and hid.

Everyone outside the south study came forward to salute together, and the West Wang Niang ordered everyone to retreat after a snort, and after entering the house, the West Wang Niang ordered someone to close the door, Zhang Zhidong secretly complained, it seemed that Xiao Youfu had forgotten him.

Then I only heard Xi Wang Niang say: "Blessed, my mother will ask you one thing alone now, and you can answer me whatever you think in your heart." All right? Xiao Youfu said: "Mother, please speak." Hearing this, Zhang Zhidong secretly complained bitterly, thinking that this West Queen Niang must be going to say some confidential things about the new dynasty, and after listening to it here, I was afraid that there would be trouble.

Sure enough, the next words of Xi Wang Niang made Zhang Zhidong break out in a cold sweat. "Blessed, my mother wants to know if you want to be the emperor?" Zhang Zhidong heard that King Xi had two sons, and this Xiao Youfu was the second son. Although he has never met the eldest son, it has always been taboo to abolish the elder and the young. I'm afraid that in the future, the new dynasty will have a disaster after a hundred years of the king of the west.

But I heard Xiao Youfu say: "Mother, what is the emperor?" Is it OK to eat? Zhang Zhidong almost couldn't help laughing when he heard this. Although these two sons are young, they definitely don't even know what the emperor does, this sentence is obviously a joke.

Sure enough, Naxi Wang Niang said with a little annoyance: "Blessed, my mother is serious with you." Xiao Youfu said: "I'm also serious, this emperor's position can't be eaten, what's the good of being an emperor?" After becoming the emperor, I have to be like my father, dealing with those ministers and generals every day, I don't have my own time at all, I don't like this, I only like to read books and do learning, I want to have my own time to do my own things! ”

Zhang Zhidong was shocked when he heard this, and secretly thought that although the second son was young, he also looked at things clearly, and indeed once he became the emperor, he couldn't help himself.

At this moment, Xi Wangniang was silent for a moment, the silence in the room was very quiet, Zhang Zhidong could almost hear his heartbeat, and then Xi Wangniang finally spoke: "Okay, my mother knows your thoughts, so let your eldest brother be the emperor?" ”

Xiao Youfu said: "Whoever is the emperor is good, I have no opinion, but mother, this kind of thing is better to follow the example of the Western world in the future, and it is best to elect the emperor, otherwise you will have to worry about who will take over after the eldest brother." Zhang Zhidong shook his head secretly when he heard this, he only felt that the second son was too whimsical, how could this emperor be elected?

I only heard Naxi Wang Niang say: "That's a matter for the future, so far, our country can only arrange it like this first, I hope that the kind of system you said can appear in our country in the future." ”

Zhang Zhidong's heart began to be confused, could it be that Xi Wangniang also felt that the emperor could be elected? I only heard Xiao Youfu say: "Mother, there is nothing else, I want to live here tonight and continue to read." ”

I only heard Xi Wangniang sigh lightly and said, "You can do whatever you like." After that, I only heard the sound of footsteps and the sound of opening the door one after another, and it seemed that Xi Wangniang had left. Zhang Zhidong settled down and walked out with the book he found, Xiao Youfu took the book and looked up at him and said, "I forgot that you were inside." ”

Zhang Zhidong opened his mouth wide and wanted to say something but didn't know how to say it, Xiao Youfu said: "Do you think I'm stupid?" Without waiting for Zhang Zhidong to speak, Xiao Youfu continued: "In fact, being an emperor is a thankless task, and what annoys me the most is this kind of thing, and a fool will become an emperor." ”

Zhang Zhidong felt a little dizzy, the first time he heard such remarks, he didn't know how to answer for a while, Xiao Youfu said: "Seeing that you are also tired, let's go home first, forget what you hear, it will be good for you." ”

Zhang Zhidong put on his clothes and hurriedly left the south study, but he didn't expect to be stopped by several Taiping guards on the palace road outside the south study, and then took him to the side, in a corner, Zhang Zhidong saw a noble lady wearing Hanfu.

The noble lady waved her hand and ordered people to retreat, glanced at Zhang Zhidong and asked, "I looked at the official roster of the South Study, today is your Zhang Zhidong on duty, are you Zhang Zhidong?" ”

As soon as Zhang Zhidong heard the voice, he recognized that this noble lady was the West Wang Niang just now, and he was about to kneel down as soon as his legs were weak, and he said with some anxiety in his mouth: "Weichen is exactly." ”

Xi Wangniang hummed and helped him and said: "You don't have to kneel, I just came out and someone told me that there was a Hanlin left in the south study just now and didn't come out, so you are in it." ”

Zhang Zhidong knew that it was bad when he heard it, and hurriedly knelt down and said: "Weichen didn't mean to eavesdrop...... Xi Wang Niang raised her hand to interrupt him: "You don't have to worry, my new dynasty is not like the previous dynasty will have any palace secrets, it doesn't hurt you to listen to what you said just now, just remember not to spread it, it's good for you." It's getting late, so you can go back first. ”

Zhang Zhidong's heart was relieved, and he was about to leave after hurriedly saluting, when he suddenly heard Xi Wangniang say: "By the way, you don't have to come to the south study tomorrow, and you will report to the Secretariat of the Qianqing Palace of the West King tomorrow. Zhang Zhidong was still a little stunned when he heard this, and only after a while did he brow, and only after thanking him for his grace did he leave.

Looking at Zhang Zhidong's back, Hong Yun'er held her forehead and muttered: "Everyone has their own creation, ......" (to be continued......)