Zhang Xuanqing is a very special person.

Although he was also an imperial cook, he had never cooked for the emperor once in the first few years after entering the palace.

The main reason is because his uncle is called Zhang Taixu, who is a Taoist priest.

Zhang Taixu is not an ordinary Taoist priest, but a great real person of Longhu Mountain, and a Taoist priest who refined Jiji Dan for Emperor Yongzheng back then.

Yongzheng was the only one of the 12 emperors of the Qing Dynasty who believed in Taoism.

Before entering the customs, the Manchus had always believed in shamanism, and later converted to Tibetan Buddhism from Huang Taiji.

Yongzheng also believed in Tibetan Buddhism in his early years, but in the later period, he turned to Taoism.

The cause was that after an illness, a Taoist priest named Jia Shifang cured him of the disease, and the effect was good.

Yongzheng Longyan Dayue named Jia Shifang as a real person.

But Jia Shifang cultivates the Jiao Yi Fu and does not understand the Wai Dan refining method.

So, Yongzheng secretly ordered him to recommend Taoist priests who knew medicine to enter the palace, in fact, he wanted him to recommend people who knew how to cultivate and maintain health.

Later, under the recommendation of Jia Shifang, several Taoist priests headed by Zhang Taixu and supplemented by Wang Dingqian entered the palace and were placed in the Old Summer Palace to refine pills for Yongzheng.

In the fourth year of Yongzheng, they successfully refined Jidan in the Old Summer Palace.

This elixir is said to be a prescription handed down by Zhang Weigong, taking it can lift water and fire, nourish the gods and benefit blood, and can prolong life after taking it for a long time, making people not old.

Since then, Yongzheng has often taken this kind of Jidan, and also gave it to Ertai, Tian Wenjing and other henchmen.

It is said that Ortai reported to Yongzheng after taking it for a month, saying that it was very effective.

Yongzheng was quite complacent about this, and when he gave it to Tian Wenjing, he also said that he was taking it and never stopped.

He also asked Tian Wenjing to rest assured, and said: "This Dan Xiu is Seiko, and it works very well, so take it boldly, don't doubt it, it is beneficial and non-destructive." I know it best. ”

However, in the thirteenth year of Yongzheng, he died suddenly, and Qianlong hurriedly ascended the throne.

The cause of his death is unknown, and there are many rumors.

Legend has it that he died of exhaustion.

Due to Kangxi's lenient and inactive policy in his later years, social contradictions intensified, and the Qing Dynasty obviously showed a decline.

After Yongzheng came to power, he was strict and resolute, and he had to deal with countless twists and turns every day.

It is said that he does not patrol luck, does not hunt, and manages political affairs all year round.

Except for a few times after going to Dongling in Zunhua, Hebei, he basically never left BJ City for thirteen years, so he is called the most diligent emperor.

So many people speculate that it was because he was so tired that he died of overwork.

There is also speculation that he died of a violent illness.

Because two days before his death, Yongzheng was sick, but he was not terminally ill and could still work.

But two days later, he died suddenly.

But there is one thing that also makes people put the object of suspicion on Zhang Taixu and other Taoist priests.

August 25, the third day after the death of Emperor Yongzheng.

Qianlong solemnly made a move, that is, to expel the Taoist priests Zhang Taixu and Wang Dingqian from the Old Summer Palace and return to their hometown.

He said in his edict: "The emperor has a few spare days to take the exam, and he has heard the theory of cultivation in the outside world.

The Sacred Heart knows what is wrong, and wants to try its skills, thinking that it is a tool for leisure in the game.

Because Zhang Taixu, Wang Dingqian and several others were placed in the idle place of Xiyuan, the Sacred Heart regarded them as equal to Haiyouren, and never listened to his words or used any of his medicine.

And he knows that he is a scoundrel in the market, and it is best to make a statement, and the emperor has repeatedly asked the prince to face him. Now I will drive Yi and the others out and return to their hometowns.

Yi and others are usually restless and perverse, arrogant and perverse, confusing the world and deceiving the people, there are dry laws and disciplines, and they have long been insightful of the emperor's examination, and they are hereby expelled leniently, which is the grace of recreation.

Ruoyi and others have been walking in the inner court for several years, fabricating and claiming that they have said a word in front of the emperor of Daxing, as well as swaggering and incitement outside, and there is no reason to be exposed.

Qianlong told the world in his edict that his father Yongzheng invited Zhang Taixu, Wang Dingqian and other Taoist priests into the Old Summer Palace just for entertainment, but he never listened to them and did not take a single pill from them.

Moreover, Emperor Yongzheng knew that they were scoundrels in the market, and he ordered them to be blown away before his death, and he Qianlong only carried out his father's instructions.

After the expulsion, Qianlong also warned the Taoist priests that they must keep their mouths shut in the future and strictly prohibit any mention of any words and deeds related to Emperor Yongzheng.

Qianlong made such a move in his busy schedule, which indeed seemed a bit deliberate.

Later generations are also very curious about what happened in the Old Summer Palace back then, and there are different opinions.

Since Li Yi has been possessed so many times, he has more or less heard some rumors.

It is said that Yongzheng's health has not been very good, and he has been sick since the seventh year of Yongzheng.

He himself talked about his symptoms, saying that he "seems to be malaria but not malaria, or can't sleep all night, or doesn't think about eating or drinking for a day or two, cold and heat come and go, yin and yang are refuted." ”

It means that he feels hot and cold, frightened, unpleasant, and restless.

He also revealed to Ortai, saying: "I have violated the harmony this year, and I have actually encountered a big grotesque thing. ”

No one knows what kind of "big grotesque" it is, but judging from the fact that he frequently asks Taoist priests to chant mantras, exorcise evil spirits and cure diseases, and take Jiji Dan, it should be a psychological problem.

However, when Li Yi was attached to Shuanglin and explored the cloisonné process, he watched the "Work File" of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The so-called "Work Files" are files in the manufacturing office under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which record the daily work of various tasks.

The main contents of it are the materials such as bronze gongs, saddle armor, helmets, enamel, gold and jade, box mounting, lamp cutting, oil wood, and wide wood assigned by the court decree, as well as the related matters of the Liuli Factory, the Ruyi Pavilion, the Furnace Casting Place, the Picture Room, the Painting Institute and other workshops.

Among them, on the ninth day of August in the thirteenth year of Yongzheng, it was recorded that "the second ox tongue used in the Old Summer Palace was 200 catties of black lead."

And on the fourteenth day after this huge batch of black lead was transported into the Old Summer Palace, Yongzheng suddenly died.

Therefore, there are also rumors among the people that Yong died because of an overdose of Jindan.

Some people speculate that Qianlong knew that his father was killed by taking Taoist pills, so he hated these Taoists and was eager to drive them away.

But he was afraid that they would reveal the secret of Emperor Yongzheng's taking pills, and broadcast the bad reputation of Emperor Yongzheng who did not know what happened, died of poisoning, and could not die well to the world, so he issued a holy decree to shut his mouth.

This speculation is not unreasonable, because after Qianlong ascended to the throne, he began to emphasize Buddhism and suppress Taoism.

After he ascended the throne, Chang An, the governor of Jiangxi, reported that the summer rain in the province was insufficient, so he invited monks to fasting and pray for rain in the provincial capital and the Shangqing Palace on Lushan.

But this move was severely reprimanded by Qianlong.

Qianlong said: "Today, I see that you have folded eight pieces, and the things that are not important will be listed first, and the fold of the report of Yuze and autumn will be placed last.

It is because you take the rain as a thing that can be relieved, but you do not pay attention to the people's food. The act of fasting and the monk's way is nothing but a matter of prayer.

One more monk, that is, one less peasant, is not only not ploughing but eating, and the food will be excellent; Not only will it not be woven, but the clothes will be fine.

Use the room utensils to play with all kinds of things. Striving for Huami, counting the three farmers, and deep cultivation of meat, it is not enough to give one monk Tao, and it is also contradictory! ”

Although he juxtaposed the monks and the Tao in his rebukes, after he ascended the throne, he continued to build Buddhist halls and temples of Tibetan Buddhism.

For example, the palace and the main hall are equipped with his daily incense, worship the Buddha, and chant the Buddha beads.

However, under his suppression, the Taoist people in the country fell from more than 100,000 people at their peak to only more than 20,000.

Therefore, people in later generations became more and more suspicious that Yongzheng's death was because of an overdose of Jindan, so Qianlong was angry with Taoism and suppressed Taoism.

3

(End of chapter)