Su Malagu died silently in the Forbidden City. In accordance with her will, Kangxi ordered the eunuchs of the palace to make a special trip to Xiangyang with ashes and scatter them in the surging Han water. In the next few years, Kangxi always thought of his childhood friend "Sister Su", and he was always stunned. Unexpectedly, the rest of the sorrow was over, and in September of the 26th year of Kangxi, the seventy-five-year-old Empress Dowager was also infected with scabies and could not afford to be sick. Kangxi was in Chengde at that time to see the construction of the summer resort, and by the way to Gubeikou to see the Feiyang ancient stationed in the Eight Banners Green Battalion army, was planning to rush back to Beijing to have a good winter, received a few ministers in Beijing to hand over the fold, this surprise is not trivial, immediately set off to drive back to Beijing in the starry night, the guards and accompanying eunuchs were divided into two groups, one group slept in the car, one group in the car from the line, three days and three nights, finally rushed back to Beijing.

The car entered the Donghua Gate, the sky was already dusk, the autumn color was dark, the crows were fluttering, and the withered leaves were scattered at the beginning of the golden wind. Kangxi got out of the car, didn't even care about changing clothes, only waved his hand, and ordered Suo, Ming, Xiong, and Gao to "go back and do things with peace of mind" at Donghua Gate, and rushed straight to Cining Palace.

"Zhang Wanqiang," Kangxi asked as he walked, "what symptoms does Lafayette suffer?" Are all the concubines waiting here? Zhang Wanqiang's footsteps were a little unable to catch up, and he said with a slight panting: "At the beginning of September, the third Lafayette is quite tough, and he called the imperial concubines of the palaces, and the imperial concubines and the nobles discussed, saying that when the emperor comes back, Jiujiu Chongyang will go to Yuquan Mountain to climb high to cool off the cold...... Because of the annoyance in his heart, Yi ordered the palace concubines to only meet once a day, and they were not waiting in front of him......" Kangxi nodded when he listened, and saw that the palace maids had lifted the curtain, took a few steps inside, knelt in front of the queen mother's bed, and said softly: "The grandson is back, here to Lafayette knock!" ”

Under the candlelight, the Empress Dowager was leaning on the big pillow and closing her eyes to recuperate, her face was flushed, her throat was about blocked by phlegm, and her breathing was very uneven. You sit down in front of me, I have something to say, you came back well, I'm really afraid of ......" At this point, he stopped, and only looked up and down Kangxi with his eyes. The spirit of attachment, love, and expectation made Kangxi's heart hot, and his eyes suddenly filled with tears, so he couldn't bear to let it roll out, and held his grandmother's hot hand to soothe him: "Grandmother, don't say such things, it sounds very uncomfortable, where did you get there?" You have always had a strong body and a wide heart, and you asked a blind man to tell your fortune last year, and you have a life ...... of one hundred and twenty years old," he said, his voice choked.

"Oh, one hundred and twenty ......" the Empress Dowager nodded with an inexplicable smile, and lay down again relaxedly, only holding Kangxi's hand tightly, "...... That's all coaxing, I know it in my heart! Seventy-three, eighty-four, the king of Hades did not invite himself to go - this is a Han family proverb that I listened to when I was with my grandfather, I only wanted to live to eighty-four, it seems that the Buddha is going to tell me to leave. Seeing Kangxi wiping his eyes with his sleeve, the Empress Dowager smiled, "Everyone has this day sooner or later." I will return to the west and become a Buddha, you should be happy to send me off. But a few words, say it while I understand, and that's great, can you listen? ”

"Hmm......" Kangxi replied with a crying voice, "If you have something to say, Lafayette just commands, and the grandson follows everything." ”

The Empress Dowager let go of her hand, as if gathering her last energy, closed her eyes and gasped heavily, caressing Kangxi lovingly and said: "I have entered the palace since the tenth year of the Mandate of Heaven, and it has been sixty years since I followed your Aixinjue Luo. How many difficulties and how many things you have gone through with your grandfather and father, it seems that they are always inferior to you, and they are really smart and blessed! In the twenty-six years since you ascended to the pole, our ancestors and grandchildren almost died in the hands of Aobai, and almost buried Wu Sangui, it is not easy for us to have today in the Qing Dynasty, you have to cherish it! ”

This is clearly a will. Kangxi reminisced about the past, his mind was shaking for a while, and he said with self-pity: "Yes, the Qing Dynasty has today, and it is all the blessings of Lafayette!" ”

"It stands to reason that I should be buried in the tomb of Master Taizong." The Empress Dowager seemed to be very calm, and said slowly, "It's only that Grandmaster Tai has been doing business for decades, and I don't want to disturb him anymore." Your mausoleum is in Zunhua, build me a palace nearby, and one day you can see my emperor and grandson every day underground, and my heart will be at ease! ”

When Kangxi heard this, he couldn't hold back any longer, threw himself into his grandmother's arms, and agreed silently: "Rely on grandmother...... My grandson, too...... I can't bear to ...... you" "Don't cry, don't cry." When you cry, my heart is in turmoil. The Empress Dowager rubbed Kangxi's braids, and for a long time, she raised her voice and ordered the palace attendants in the palace, "You all go out, don't be here!" ”

Before and after the couch, the palace eunuchs standing in the corner of the palace had already cried tears, listened to her orders, knelt down together and retreated silently, and Zhang Wanqiang guarded under the dan pier outside the palace gate. Kangxi didn't know what secret message she had, so he listened quietly with teary eyes, but heard the Empress Dowager ask:

"What do you think of this man?"

"Suo Etu is the son of Sony, the one who was used by the first emperor." Kangxi chuckled in his heart, "Seventeen years ago, Kangxi saw that he was arrogant and treated people badly, but it seems that he has changed his ...... in recent years."

"Where's Mingzhu?"

Kangxi lowered his head and thought about it, and said: "Mingzhu, like Suo Etu, is meritorious, in the past few years, he has made a lot of trouble at the bottom, and there are a few letters to sue him, and I have suppressed them." I wanted to take him down, but I was afraid that my courtiers would be suspicious. You know, the grandson is going to fight in the west, and the situation can't be messed up, creating an opportunity for the villains to take advantage of......" The words under his head were quite difficult to speak, so he swallowed it.

"Sounds like you know it." The Empress Dowager was very smart at the moment, and she suddenly heard Kangxi's extraneous voice. She breathed a sigh of relief and said categorically, "No one in the world has escaped fame." Some people are good at first, but not so much! Although you are clever, according to me, your heart is still too generous. Last year, I asked the Department of Prudence and Criminal Affairs of the Internal Affairs Department to pour the white color of Cining Palace to death with poisoned wine, you know why! ”

Kangxi knew about this matter, Bai Cai was originally the Tsing Yi of Changyin Pavilion, and was nicknamed "Cabbage Gang". Kangxi saw that she was clever and sent her to Cining Palace to relieve the empress dowager's boredom, and he was executed if he didn't want to. I didn't pay attention to it at the time, and when I heard the Empress Dowager mention it at the moment, Kangxi was a little inexplicable: "I heard Li Dequan say that Bai Cai has no rules, Lafayette fasts, and she was executed for singing "Little Widow Goes to the Grave". Isn't that so? The Empress Dowager shook her head and said, "That's what I told them to say." Bai Cai made your birth date, pinned it to the five ghosts with a needle, and tried to harm you by practicing demon methods, do you know? Kangxi's face suddenly turned snow-white, this is a major case of rebellion and rebellion, and he is unconscious! After thinking for a while, he asked, "Lafayette didn't inquire about who instructed him?" ”

"It's all over with a soldering iron, and she just doesn't say anything—there's nothing to trace from such a person." The Empress Dowager said, "Last autumn, I also found out the peach wood people in the prince's room, but I didn't find the owner, so I had to replace all the eunuchs there - these things are useless, and it can be seen that evil does not invade the good." According to my careful consideration, these things are all related to outside the palace, some of them are about the emperor, and some are about the prince. I'm afraid that as soon as I tell you, your temperament will turn the world upside down. So I held it down. Now there is no master in the palace, I will go again, I am afraid that you will not be wary of things inside and outside, in case of a mistake, I will rarely see the ancestors of the ancestors......" said that, a string of old tears flowed out silently.

Kangxi listened to the sudden beating of his heart, gritted his teeth and pondered for a long time, he had already made up his mind, got up to tuck the quilt for the empress dowager, and comforted: "Lafayette, you are restless, don't say more." Since Sun Tzu understands, there is nothing that cannot be done. My life is tied to the sky, and the villains can't help me! Rest well, wait for you to recover, and your grandson will tell you to see the results! After saying that, he knelt down again, and called Zhang Wanqiang and said, "Lafayette is just suffering from the wind and cold, and he is a little unwell, so he has to recuperate quietly, and pick a few old palace maids to wait." If a foreign official orders them to come in and say goodbye, just ask them to kowtow outside the palace! ”

After resigning from the Empress Dowager and returning to the Yangxin Palace, Kangxi asked for a bowl of ginseng soup, took a jade ruyi and lay on the easy chair to play with it, because he saw Li Dequan coming in cautiously with a yellow box, so he asked: "Everyone who went to the study went back?" Nothing, right? After Li Dequan was beaten in Sanhe County, he was so honest that he was afraid of smashing his head if he fell off the leaves, and after listening to Kangxi's question, he hurriedly put the box on the case, and replied with his hand down: "Back to the master's words: Xiong Cixu is on duty tonight in the study, and others have just withdrawn." The slave didn't hear anything there, but only heard Xiong Cixu say that the Empress Dowager was merciful and restless, and asked Mingzhu's 50th birthday to do things simply, and the lord was worried about the humiliation of the ministers, not the time to be happy...... Xiong Zhongtang also said a lot of things, slaves and maids are stupid and can't understand. ”

"Fifty birthdays, oh, I remembered it too!" Kangxi couldn't help but smile, "It doesn't matter if the Empress Dowager's illness matters, it's time to celebrate her birthday!" I said he was going to write him a piece for his birthday, and that's what they said. After finishing speaking, he bent up, and thought for a moment before the bookcase, and wrote four big characters, "This appreciation pearl." You go and give the decree that I can't come in person, give him three days off!" ”

When Li Dequan went out, Kangxi walked out of the hall, and when he saw that it was the Wudan guard, he patted him on the shoulder and said, "You go to the study and call Xiong Cixu, and say that I have a secret message for him!" ”

Mingzhu's 50th birthday was very lively. He entered Beijing at the age of twenty-four, was begging for food from outside the Guan, almost frozen to death outside He Guizhu's Yuepeng shop, the thirtieth birthday coincided with the tense day of Kangxi's seizure of the palace in addition to worship, only invited Wu Ciyou, Wei Dongting and others to eat a few glasses of water and wine, at the age of forty, the imperial court and Wu Sangui were in full swing in Hunan, he accompanied Kangxi to stay up late to read the military newspaper, so busy that he forgot. At this time, there is nothing to do in the world, and it is time to celebrate. Huan Hai has lived for more than 20 years, he has been the prime minister for 12 years, there are emperors' favors, and there are countless protégés and former officials. Thousands of happy posts were printed, and after they were sent, there was an endless stream of gifts, and all kinds of gifts in the courtyard in front of the great fortune palace had already been stacked in the Yingting corridor.

At noon, the entrance of the alley to the front of the palace has been stuffed with all kinds of sedan chairs, Mingzhu into the inside to call the lady, the daughter-in-law with the girl, the wife and the son to receive the officials and their families. Before the butt sat down, the family rushed over and reported: "Suo Zhongtang, Xiong Zhongtang and Gao Xiang have arrived at the door, please welcome the master!" Mingzhu knew that Xiong Cilu should never be paid for these things, so he jumped up happily, and the officials who were chatting on the road in the courtyard went out, and saw that the three of them had entered the second door, and hurriedly smiled and said, "It's worth it?" It's hard to think about my brother, please come up and sit in the room, you guys will have a good meal! ”

"It's rare to have half a day of leisure," Suo Etu said with a smile as he greeted the officials around him, "It's cheaper for you to spend three days!" Xiong Cilu also smiled: "Fifty knows the destiny of heaven, and it is not easy for the pearl today!" Gao Shiqi used a folding fan to protect his chest, shook it gently, and said: "We didn't give you a gift, we ate a mouthful and left, and the master still has to discuss the matter later-didn't the master give the word?" Where, let us look at it! ”

Mingzhu hurriedly led the three of them to the main hall, and said: "Although I don't accept your gifts, I'm afraid that it will be inevitable to return to the banquet in the future, and I'm afraid that I will be poor for you?" When it comes to appreciating words, it is really a great grace, but where can I afford it—it's not hanging in the center of the main hall, it's just that it's too late to make a plaque. Ask someone to frame it for a while. Everybody, please—" The four men came in laughing, and when they looked up, they saw a banner framed in bright yellow silk hanging on top of the word "Shou", which read:

Ryosuke Ryobi

A book, elegant and vigorous. Gao Shiqi put his hands together and praised first: "Wonderful!" Dong Xiangguang has its god but no rhyme! Suo Etu and Xiong Cixu also exchanged envy. Seeing that the guests had arrived, Mingzhu slapped his hand and called the housekeeper and said, "Open the table!" ”

So the staggered, more than 100 tables of rich food from the middle hall to the two compartments of the ear room, thousands of large and small officials, hairpins and nobles, some shouted five and drank six, some exchanged ears, some laughed and joked, some sat in the table to toast, and there were ear punishment irrigation, it was indeed very lively. Mingzhu felt indescribably proud at the moment, holding a wine jug with a red face and persuading him to drink, and ordered someone to call the family opera troupe to sing, but he was stopped by Suo Etu and said: "It's all old-fashioned longevity tunes, who is impatient to listen!" There are Gao Shiqi, Li Guangdi, Cha Shenxing, and Xu Qianxue here, either the champion or Hanlin, so simply ask them to help them, wouldn't it be good? Li Guangdi was sitting in the second seat of the main hall, he had already heard it, and he hurriedly shook his hand and smiled: "Third master, don't be embarrassed for me, I have a way with Xiong Dongyuan, it's okay to make a poem, where can I sing a tune, this broken gong voice will laugh at everyone!" Where were several ministry officials at the same table willing to give in, they coaxed: "Rongcun sings the best, we have all heard it!" Could it be that Suo Zhongtang's face was saved? ”

Li Guangdi couldn't help it, so he had to get up with a red face and say: "It's not good to sweep everyone's interest, I have to be ugly, don't blame if you can't sing well!" With that, he cleared his throat. He has always been solemn and not smiling, seeing him like this, the people in the main hall all put down the chopsticks and listened quietly, and Li Guangdi had to sing:

There are no curtains in front of the quiet hall, and you don't get tired of seeing the strange flowers and plants. Stay alone under the moon before the flower, waiting to see you, and I'm afraid that you will talk nonsense. Put a book, light a cigarette, and only wish to come to the window to sort out the strings, and half of my heart is Penglai Immortal......

Although he sang seriously, his voice was not funny, and the official language of the Fujian people was awkward and weird, and everyone laughed when they heard it. Gao Shiqi said: "Li Anxi is really extraordinary, but it makes Lao Gao's heart itch, don't wait for you to urge, I will also make a perfunctory song!" Then he sang:

A branch of hydrangea is fresh, and the bees are dancing, and the butterflies are fluttering, flapping their wings and stirring into a ball. Mingguan Lique hung up the silk whip, wrapped on the left and right, I'm afraid that you Li Guangdi will find a leisure, rest and be serious like sitting at the five-deer banquet, and scold in your heart: It has something to do with your old high......

Before he finished singing, he already laughed at everyone. Suo Etu couldn't help but squirt a sip of wine, pointed at Gao Shiqi, and said with a smile: "It's really easy to change your temperament, I haven't listened to you scolding people in the past two years, is it possible that I'm drunk with yellow soup today?" Mingzhu was a very clever man, listening to the two of them as if they were making a song and teasing each other, and they were busy persuading each other with wine, and they were already singing with a clear eye:

Don't look at the mandarin duck treasure mirror and feel sad, and Hugh only needs to pick up the lights every night in the spring window. Because of the toast, because of the end of the world, because of the ** opened, but not to return home?

"Why go home?" Xu Qianxue complained because he heard Cha Shenxing, and knew that he had wine, and he often walked around under the Mingzhu Gate, so he couldn't help but maintain it, because he smiled and said, "Are you still unhappy?" The Holy Father gave him the honorific title of 'Smoke Wave Angler', and chose to be a bachelor in the Dictionary Museum, who can compare to this Qingfu? Compared to your same year, they are still sitting there making Chinese books, helping others copy and paint, what does it mean? ”

He was originally well-intentioned to persuade him, but unexpectedly, Jin Xianting, the secretary of the Ministry of Industry sitting next to him, was born in a Chinese book, and he couldn't listen to it, so he smiled and said: "Lao Xu, you are the champion, and our brother obeys your knowledge." Qian'er Yali was returned to Lu and burned down the Yimen, I took someone to check and repair, Li Wenhan of the Qia Hanlin Academy came and said a pair, but no one came out, can you? As he spoke, he looked up at Xu Qianxue and read:

There was a fire in the Ministry of Water, and Jin Sikong was building a large number of buildings

Singing the tune leads to making pairs, and the question is full of five elements, all of the people present are masters in this, and they can't help but be full of interest, even Xiong Cixu, Gao Shiqi and Li Guangdi also frowned and thought about it. Cha Shenxing woke up at the moment, and listened to what Jin Xianting said about this coupling, which was really embarrassing, and he also locked his eyebrows and groaned. Gao Shiqi's eyes swept around, and he saw a young man in his twenties sitting in the corner of the hall smiling silently, knowing that he already had it, so he paced over and asked, "It seems that you have a good idea, why don't you say it and appreciate it?" Mingzhu saw that Gao Shiqi didn't know him, so he hurriedly came over and introduced: "This is Zhang Tingyu, the eldest son of Zhang Luosonggong, a university scholar, who entered the Hanlin Academy the year before last. ”

"Yes, there is," Zhang Tingyu was a young man with an elegant temperament, a gray cloth robe washed cleanly, and when he saw the famous Gao Shiqi Zun asking for advice, he hurriedly got up and said: "I only dare to say that I must ask all the adults who have done Chinese books here to forgive me." Everyone had been waiting for a long time, and a few people laughed and said: "Linwen is not a minor, you just say, we are not to blame!" Zhang Tingyu pursed his lips and smiled shyly, and said:

The northerners are in the south, and the Zhongshujun is something

Everyone laughed again, so they sat down to eat and drink and laugh, exaggerating that Tingyu was worthy of being a scholar, and he was really quick-witted. For a while, the housekeeper came in and said, "Ming Xiang, Master Guo Xiu, the imperial history of the Imperial Palace, is here to congratulate him on his birthday!" "Please!" Mingzhu became more and more happy, and left his seat to greet him while talking. Guo Xiu was already wearing a new cluster of divine sheep complements at this moment, and the sapphire on the top of the big hat was shining, looking very energetic.

As soon as this person who never went to the banquet appeared, he immediately attracted the attention of the officials in the house, and even Suo Etu and Gao Shiqi were stunned and stood up.

"Mingxiang, congratulations on your fiftieth birthday!" Guo Xiu entered proudly, threw his hand to the ground, and said, "Guo is late and disrespectful, I hope to beg for forgiveness!" ”

Mingzhu saw that he was neither yin nor yang, neither humble nor arrogant, and he didn't know what the origin was, so he checked his heart, returned the salute with his waist, and said with a smile: "Where do you dare to be?" Please take a seat, everyone is having fun at the moment! ”

"That's better," Guo Xiu glanced at everyone, took out a few pieces of paper from his sleeve, unfolded it, and said with a smile: "I also know how to write, a gentleman loves people with virtue, my articles don't flatter, and I don't blame each other!" With a light cough, he read:

Guo Xiujuan, please ask Mingzhu to bribe and corrupt the law, form a party for personal gain, and Gu the country and the sick people

Minister Guo Xiu knelt and played: Check my court study minister, the minister of the guard, the prince Taibao Mingzhu, since Kangxi entered the cabinet counselor court affairs, repeatedly received the grace of the saint, entrusted with no second appointment, with high hopes, should be diligent and cautious, thrifty and love the people, loyal to the master, in order to repay the eventuality. The officer......

It turned out to be the bullet seal of the impeachment of Mingzhu! Everyone was stunned and stunned!