Zhou Peigong's speculation is not bad at all, Kangxi summoned the three feudatories to the Hajj at the same time, and the original intention was to follow Zhao Kuangyin's example to seize the army in front of the banquet. But Zhou Peigong didn't know that the person who gave Kangxi this idea was Wu Ciyou, who wrote a letter of recommendation for him. Wu Ciyou was originally a famous man in Yangzhou. During the first year of Kangxi's examination, Wu Ciyou won Kangxi's appreciation for writing "The Theory of Enclosure and Chaos in the Country" and was hired as the emperor's teacher. Before he resigned and returned to the mountain, he drafted the "Withdrawal Strategy" for Kangxi.

Since Wu Sangui didn't come, Kangxi's plan to seize the army would not work. His hot heart had to cool down, replaced by irrepressible resentment. He endured the anger of his belly, met Wu Yingxiong who saluted on behalf of his father in a pleasant manner at Qianqingmen, rewarded him with silver and medicine, and issued an edict to comfort Wu Sangui, who was "sick". After retreating, he felt more and more uncomfortable.

Anger is anger, and serious things have to be done. After the sixteenth day of the first month, Kangxi issued an edict to Shang Kexi and Geng Jingzhong, who had already entered Beijing, to enter and meet in the main hall of the Qianqing Palace. When passing by the Qianqing Gate, Kangxi lifted the bright yellow soft satin curtain and looked out, and saw Geng Jingzhong and Shang Kexi wearing new goose yellow flower dragon coats, prostrating themselves and kowtowing, they couldn't help but sigh softly, and said loudly with a smile: "The two kings are coming from afar, so it's not polite!" After saying that, Ling Chengyu stopped, jumped out in two steps, grabbed one under the Danqi, and said with a smile, "I didn't expect you to come early to be punished." Are you still used to living in Beijing? The weather here is not as good as Guangdong and Fujian, so you need to add more clothes to make it......" said while walking slowly along the Yongdao to the Zhengda Guangming Palace, with a tone and expression full of affection. In the upper study, the ministers Suo Etu, Xiong Cixu, Wang Jieshu, and the first-class public curb Bilong led the ministers of the ministry, and they were already waiting at the entrance of the palace, and when they saw them coming, they knelt down together, and waited for the three of them to enter the hall one after another.

"Where do you live?" Kangxi ordered Geng Jingzhong and Shang Kexi to sit down, picked up the milk on the royal case and took a sip, and then carefully looked at the two princes with different surnames in front of them. They have been in Kangxi for three years, and they have been separated for six years. Shang Kexi has seen great aging, his eyes have lost their former brilliance, his head is constantly trembling when he looks forward to it, and his hands and feet are a little sluggish. Geng Jingzhong was in his prime, with his chest and belly straight, sitting upright, looking at Kangxi with blazing eyes, and when he heard the question, he hurriedly leaned over from the chair, and said with a smile: "Shang Kexi lives in his son's house, and the slave lives in his brother's house." ”

Kangxi nodded and smiled. Geng Jingzhong's younger brother Geng Xinghe and Shang Kexi's third son Shang Zhili and Wu Yingxiong were his uncles, and they were detained in Jingshi to live in Efu Mansion and serve as the minister of Sanzhi. These two people are swingers who play the wind and the moon, and they don't ask about political affairs except poetry and wine, and in Xiong Cixu's words, "they have a little Jin demeanor, and there is no Han official prestige". is not as good as Wu Yingxiong, who is honest on the surface, but behind his back, he has a wide range of friends with the governors outside, and he exchanges letters with Yunnan once in three or two days. Listening to Geng Jingzhong's words, Kangxi pondered for a moment, then turned his face and instructed Xiao Maozi, the eunuch in charge of the Yangxin Palace, who was standing beside him: "Send a message to the Internal Affairs Office, and give two silver taels to each family." He smiled at Geng and Shang: "I know that you have big hands, don't be stingy." These two foreheads are good at character learning, and after a few years of training, I will still ask them to take charge of the affairs of the department......" he said, and smiled again.

"These two" are good, of course, it means that Wu Yingxiong is "not good". Shang Ke was glad to see that Geng Jingzhong was not talkative, and said with a smile: "The minions have 30,000 taels of silver, and they can't compare to these 300 taels. This time I came to Beijing, I listened to the ceremony and said, Long Live Lord is very diligent in government, and every day to do things until the second watch, the slave said a word that I don't know up and down, long live now that I am young, I don't know how to cherish my body, and I don't know until the age of the slave! Long live the billions of people tied to it, and it takes more work to save money! ”

"Why don't I want to be blessed? There are so many things that I have to do this! Kangxi looked at the snow-capped palace outside with flickering eyes, and said, "The Rakshasa devils disturbed the border in the northeast, occupied my wooden city last year, and killed more than 1,000 of my people. These people use the corpses of dead people to build a shelf and burn children to eat! Things in the northwest are even more chaotic, Geldan doesn't know what medicine he has taken, he dares to establish himself as a khan without asking for a decree, and he hooks up with Tibet's Diba Sanjie, which has the intention of advancing eastward and annexing the south and north of the desert - you are all people who are familiar with Han history, how can I watch such a thing happen in the territory? He took a long breath, and then said, "There are also the Yellow River and the Huai River, and there were thirty-four rupture last autumn, and the silt in the yamen of the governor of Henan was more than one zhang thick, and more than 200,000 people fled the famine...... Kangxi shook his head and did not say any more.

"Hooray!" Suo Etu, the minister of the Interior and the scholar who was kneeling on the machine at the entrance of the palace, suddenly took a step forward on his knees, and said loudly, "The envoy of the Rakshasa country, Goreini, is about to return to China, and before leaving, he wants to meet the emperor, how to handle the request." ”

"Where is he now?"

"Wait outside the noon gate."

"Call him in!" Kangxi said sharply, "I want to see what he is!" ”

"Wow!" Suo Etu kowtowed, got up and beat a thousand children, bowed down and exited the main hall to pass the decree.

"The emperor should be honored with prestige," Xiong Ci said with a kowtow in the middle of the class, "to show me the demeanor of the Celestial Empire!" ”

Kangxi pondered for a while, gritted his teeth and smiled: "He is not worthy!" The existing prestige also exalted him! As he spoke, he heard a voice coming in from afar: "The envoy of the Rakshasa Kingdom has entered the palace and knocked to see him!" When everyone opened their eyes and peeked, a slender figure as thin as a stalk stumbled into the Qianqing Gate, looking left and right, and then stopped talking.

Like a sleepwalker, Goreini walked into the Forbidden City. He was amazed by the richness of the place, and the abundance of gold, silver, and exquisite Oriental art, the motifs of clouds and dragons coiled around the pillars, the dazzling array of gold tripods, the jars of gold, the jade ruyi encrusted with dazzling gemstones, and all sorts of precious and huge porcelain, all of which were enough to make him one of the richest men in Europe...... But the majesty of the place made him a little less arrogant. From the noon gate, two lines of pro-soldiers, standing in a row like nails, dragged long tassels with wide-brimmed broadswords worn at their waists. The imperial guards were like statues of gods cast in iron, standing upright with their swords pressed and not blinking. On both sides of the huge palace knelt dozens of brilliant court officials, and they couldn't even hear a sound. In front of the hall, the bronze crane and the golden ao spewed out curling cigarettes in their mouths, showing a solemn atmosphere. Goreini was so distracted that he nearly tripped as he stepped through the temple door, and his body slammed into the door frame before he stood still. He shrugged his shoulders and spread out his hands, and asked Suo Etu, who came in, "Your Excellency, what should I do?" The people in the palace were stunned when they heard him speak Mandarin so purely.

"According to the etiquette prescribed by our Great Qing Kingdom," Suo Etu said coldly, "Kneel three times and kowtow nine times to my emperor!" ”

Looking at this yellow-haired, blue-eyed, deep-eyed and high-nosed man, wearing a short-sleeved tuxedo, he actually threw up his "horseshoe sleeves" in a matter-of-fact manner, Kangxi almost laughed. When he had finished his salute and was about to open his mouth to ask questions, Goreini got up on his own and cried out, "Oh! Great Bogd Khan (Emperor of China)! It is a great honour to meet you in this magical and enchanting palace! On behalf of His Majesty the Most Holy Tsar of Russia, Grand Duke Alexey Mikhailovich, I send you my highest greetings! As he spoke, he opened his arms and wanted to move forward and hug Kangxi enthusiastically.

But he only took two steps and stood still. Kangxi sat quietly, and there was a kind of light in the bottomless black pupils that was not angry but mighty, which shocked him so much that he didn't dare to be a little light. He froze for a moment, then smiled helplessly: "Our enthusiasm is manifested in our unrestrained actions, and Chinese enthusiasm is contained in a natural beauty, with an admirable subtlety that the Britons cannot match...... I think I'd better reply according to the etiquette of your country! So saying, he knelt down again.

"Gorini," Kangxi finally spoke, "what are you asking to see me for?" ”

"I have come to see Bogd Khan," said Goreini, "in order to seek understanding of the events in the Amur region, and to ask Bogd Khan to make a wise choice!" ”

The so-called Amur is the Heilongjiang River Basin. Kangxi couldn't help but smile: "The Heilongjiang region has been my Chinese state land since ancient times, what does it have to do with your Rakshasa country, how can I 'understand'?" ”

"Of course," said Goreini, shrugging, "I have no intention of denying Your Majesty's words, but that land is nothing but small to your rich and vast China—" He couldn't pick the right Chinese word, so he had to stick out his little finger and compare, "but to my country, it's very useful, we trade with Europa, we need leather goods, you understand?" And your country needs a stable ...... on the border"

Without waiting for Goreini to finish speaking, Kangxi said coldly: "You are saying, if you want it, you will grab it, right?!" The last "yes" was raised sharply by an octave, shaking the main hall of the Qianqing Palace.

"No, no...... No...... Yes! The rapping diplomat was startled and replied incoherently. After a moment of cowardice, Goreini hardened again: "Please Your Majesty listen to me, and I am instructed by the Tsar to convey to Your Majesty that Bogd Khan should seek the Tsar's favor and care in exchange for this desolate land, and only in this way can peace and stability in Your Majesty's country be ensured." ”

"This is strange," Kangxi looked forward to the ministers, "My country's Heqing Haiyan, what's unstable?" Even if there is something, it is also my Celestial Empire's housework, what does it have to do with you Rakshasas? ”

"I'm your minister, so I might as well tell you directly." Goreini smiled roguely, "The position of the Great Khan is not secure, and it is known that several princes in the south of your country are preparing an unprecedented rebellion......"

"Hahahaha!" Kangxi suddenly burst out laughing, pointing at Shang Kexi and Geng Jingzhong and asking Goreini, "Do you know them?" ”

Goreini glanced at Geng Shang and the others, shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, "I don't have that honor......"

"They are the 'rebellious' prince you said," Kangxi said with a smile, "Our monarchs and ministers are all here at the moment, you can tell me, how can we be unstable?" ”

“？” As if he had been hit hard, the kneeling Goreini jerked. Because Suo Etu kept him tightly sealed, he didn't hear the news of Geng Jingzhong and Shang Kexi entering Beijing. Goreni's face turned as pale as snow and he muttered, "It's a rumor...... I beg your pardon for Bogd Khan and the two princes. But—" his face was flushed with blood again, "I remind the Emperor that my mighty Cossacks have been stationed in the Amur region under the command of the famous general, General Bakharov, and in your Chinese words, 'those who go along with it prosper, and those who go against it perish!'" ”

Before he finished speaking, Kangxi got up with a "snap", got off the throne, walked a few steps, pointed to Goreini and said: "You go back and tell Mikhailovich that there is no civil strife in China, even if there is, I can put down the rebellion by myself, and I don't have to work thousands of miles away to do this madness!" I am the Chinese Celestial Empire, the holy land of submission of all nations, so that he can collect his delusions early and defend the land in peace! Otherwise, one day the soldiers and chariots will meet, and I will know that I am difficult to commit in the Qing Dynasty - because of your rudeness today, I should have punished you by the head, and read that the two countries did not cut off the ancient righteousness, and pardoned you from death-come! ”

"Wow!" Wei Dongting, Wolf Blind, Mu Zixu, Su Lun and other guards had been waiting impatiently for a long time, listening to Kangxi's greeting, and responded in unison.

"Take him back to the post house," Kangxi turned his back to Goreini and coldly ordered, "Leave Jingshi before noon tomorrow!" Hmph, I don't believe it, this Bakharov will be better than Stepanov [1]

How did it end? ”

A diplomatic war of rhetoric is over. Kangxi still couldn't hold back his indignation, and couldn't help but look at the ministers in the palace, but he didn't say a word.

"Hooray!" Geng Jingzhong couldn't stand Kangxi's heavy gaze, and finally spoke, "The Rakshasa Kingdom is so rude, why doesn't the emperor send troops to suppress it?" ”

"I'm also in trouble!" Kangxi flicked the lid of the tea bowl with his fingers, glanced at Shang Kexi absentmindedly, and said, "The country has been harmed by the chaos of Aobai, and its vitality has not recovered. If I can't win the battle, how can I use my troops easily? ”

These things that happened in the Qianqing Palace today, Shang Kexi and Geng Jingzhong were very clear in their hearts, and they were talking about "withdrawing the feudal domain" everywhere. Since the death of Emperor Yongli of the Southern Ming Dynasty, there is actually no war to fight in the south, and the three feudal kings led hundreds of thousands of troops to sit on the food and salary of the imperial court, but the foreign enemies in the north were powerless to resist! Although they knew it in their hearts, Geng and Shang refused to bring the topic out. Shang Kexi has no choice, his military power has long been deprived of the letter of the eldest young master; Geng Jingzhong made up his mind and acted according to Wu Sangui's eyes - Wu Sangui's soldiers were more than the sum of their two feudatories, why should he Geng Jingzhong be this rafter?

"It's going to rain, my mother is going to get married, let him go!" Kangxi smiled with a pun. Seeing Geng and Shang pretending to be deaf and dumb, he couldn't help but feel angry in his heart, and felt that he couldn't blindly show softness to them, so his eyes swept the two princes like electricity, and said with a smile: "I invited the three vassal kings to Beijing, originally to discuss this foreign matter. Wu Sangui is 'sick', and the two of you can't be completely in charge. It's really interesting to think about the fact that the three domains are one and a half domains, but I can't even help the Rakshasa clown? He wanted to say, "Is there a Hongmen banquet here?"

"Before the slave came, he sent people to Yunnan to see Sangui." Shang Kexi smiled bitterly and defended, "Wu Sangui does have an eye disease, and he suffered from malaria a few years ago, saying that he is sick, and he doesn't seem to have any other thoughts. ”

"Let's not talk about that!" Kangxi breathed a sigh of relief, "Why did I get to this?" Please don't misunderstand my intentions, I have no intention of withdrawing the feudal domain at this time, and even if I do, I must do it above board. The court will never do things like rabbits and dead dogs, and birds hide their bows! I have been taught, and I will treat people with sincerity - first sincerity and righteousness, and then I can govern the country and level the world! The three feudal domains live up to me, and I will not fail you. You are also tired, so kneel down at that. ”

On the afternoon of the second day, Kangxi changed into civilian clothes, came to the Yamen of the Criminal Department located in the rope craftsman alley, and leisurely ate tea in the large living room behind the signing room, waiting for the results of Fu Honglie's trial. The four first-class guards Wei Dongting, Wolf Look, Mu Zixu and Qiang Donkey seemed to be preoccupied when they saw him, and they sat up straight silently.

Suddenly, a big military attache hurriedly came in, took a breath, sat on the chair opposite Kangxi, looked out uneasily, turned his face to Kangxi and said, "Hey, when will you officials come down-ah?" It's the Lord! ”

"It's Tuhai!" Kangxi saw that his face was so shocked that he even forgot to kneel, so he smiled and said, "You slave is not good to stay in the Nine Gate Admiral's Mansion for a living, what are you doing in the Yamen of the Criminal Department?" ”

Tu Hai knelt down busily, and beads of sweat on his forehead had seeped out: "If you go back to the Long Live Lord, the Yamen of the Criminal Department is interrogating Fu Honglie-ah, the slave came to see Wu Zhengzhi......"

"What is your friendship with Wu Zhengzhi? Why did it get to Fu Honglie again? Kangxi stammered when he saw Tuhai in a panic, and he didn't feel funny, "Wu Zhengzhi is interrogating Fu Honglie, what do you say when you get involved?" Admiral's hand is too long, isn't it? ”

"Wow, minions should be damned! Wu Liusheng said before his life that Fu was a loyal and good person. Today's trial, the minister couldn't hold back, and came to find Wu Zhengzhi to inquire about the news...... "As he spoke, he kowtowed again and again.

"Get up, stand over there!" Kangxi smiled and teased, "You are still a general, and you don't even have the talent to change rapidly, you came to Wu Zhengzhi's Yamen to hit the wooden bell, aren't you afraid of curing your crimes?" ”

"The slave has nothing to do with Fu Honglie, and the slave does not advocate the withdrawal of the feudal domain, and his political views are different." Tu Hai stood up, he had gradually regained his composure, his dark and purple face trembled, and he bowed down and replied, "Fu Honglie's letter to speak about politics is for the country's society. Its words should be taken from the saints; His words are inappropriate, and the saint will give it up. I thought—"

"Don't talk about it." Kangxi cut off Tu Hai's words, "You go to the signing room to pass the decree, I want to see Fu Honglie." ”

"Huh?" Tu Hai was surprised, and seeing that Kangxi had no expression on his face, he hurriedly replied, "Wow! ”

Fu Honglie followed Tuhai in. He had forty pounds of shackles under his feet, and he rattled in the silent courtyard, and although his steps were faltering, his face was as calm as that of a child who had just woken up. Wu Zhengzhi, the secretary of the Criminal Department, and a group of officials such as Manchu Han Shilang and Ke Dao only kowtowed upwards in the courtyard of the Criminal Department because they were not ordered to enter, and retreated to the side, staring uneasily at the living room that immediately became supreme.

"Fu Honglie," Kangxi twisted the pearl on his chest and said to Fu Honglie, who was lying on the ground, "What are you thinking in your heart here and now?" ”

"The criminal is thinking about ......" Fu Honglie's body trembled, he didn't expect Kangxi to ask this at all, he couldn't help but look up at Kangxi, and replied, "This place has been the place where the state is in charge of punishment since the former Ming Dynasty, and it is only a stone's throw away from it to its destination." Thousands of wicked people have been punished here, and there are also people with lofty ideals who have been wronged and humiliated here...... At this time, the criminal minister did not want to meet the holy face, and as soon as he complained, although the minister died, how fast would it be! ”

"What do you have to say?" Kangxi changed color and said, "It's just a small prefect, who dares to talk about the country's major policies, and separates the monarch and the ministers from harmony, it's not that he is innocent!" Although the voice of these words was not high, it was full of great pressure, and Tu Hai, Wei Dongting and the others couldn't help but shudder in their hearts.

"The Holy Lord's words are wrong!" Fu Honglie was heartbroken, and said in protest, his eyes were shining. Everyone present was taken aback, but they heard Fu Honglie say loudly, "The rise and fall of the country is the responsibility of the husband, not to mention the minister's position in the pastor!" The ministers saw that Wu Sangui and Shang Kexi father and son were perverse and lawless, if they kept silent and protected themselves, they would be guilty of bullying the king; If you directly admonish the face, there is also the crime of vain talking about the government-if you advance, you will die, and if you retreat, you will die, which is better? Ask the Holy One to make a clear decision! ”

Kangxi felt as if his heart had suddenly sunk from the sky, and the words "sacrificing his life for righteousness" flashed like lightning, making his heart ache: such a character was not discovered until today! He pondered for a moment, raised his voice and shouted out, "Wu Zhengzhi, you come in!" Wu Zhengzhi agreed, stepped in three steps and two steps, and before he knelt down, he heard Kangxi ask: "How are you going to deal with Fu Honglie?" ”

"Cut in half!" Wu Zhengzhi replied without thinking.

"Can't it be lighter?"

"If you go back to Long live, the minister can only be condemned according to the law." Wu Zhengzhi said, "Grace comes from above, and the commutation of the sentence should be given by the emperor." ”

"Hmm. Then ...... Abandon the market. Kangxi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief under heavy pressure, glanced at Fu Honglie, and said, "You just said it very well, I will fulfill you-don't complain about my cruelty, the court has the difficulties of the court-do you have anything else?" Oh, your old mother and young son, I should take care of the household department and take care of it......" Kangxi said as he looked at Fu Honglie.

"The criminal has nothing to say......" Fu Honglie heard the old mother and young son at this moment, and he was really more sad than ten thousand arrows. With tears in his eyes, he forced himself not to cry, but just knelt down respectfully and bowed three times and bowed nine times, and said in a trembling voice: "Thank you......" stood up and made a long bow to Tuhai and Wu Zhengzhi, and said with a tearful smile: "Brother Wu, Brother Tu, brother farewell!" Then he took the big shackles and walked out of the hall.

"Stop!" Kangxi suddenly got up and snorted. His face suddenly turned blood-red, and he stepped out of the hall in a few steps, staring at Wu Zhengzhi with his eyes like electricity, and said one after another: "Give him punishment!" As he spoke, he kept approaching Fu Honglie, and while watching the two officials hurriedly unlock the lock and go to punishment, he stroked Fu Honglie's shoulder and said, "Okay! Sure enough, it's a brave person, and it's really a fierce husband! Kill a courtier like you, won't I become a king? ”

Fu Honglie was stunned by this sudden change, but when he understood, where could he still control himself, and he fell to the ground and cried.

"You live in Beijing first." Kangxi picked up Fu Honglie, patted the dust off his arm for him, and said softly, "Many of your friends are working in Beijing, and Zhu Guozhi has also been transferred to Beijing." You are raising your body in their house, what are your performances and suggestions, for the time being, Tuhai will present them on your behalf, I want to use your stone to ask you to go back to Guangxi to be an official, do you dare? ”

"Why don't the minions dare?" Fu Honglie replied loudly.

[1]

Stepanov: Russian general, during the invasion of China's Heilongjiang Valley, was killed by the Qing general Shaerhu at the mouth of the Songhua River.