The daily life of the prime minister of the Qing Dynasty, thick black

Chapter 257
The chess pieces were collected one by one, Zhang Tingyu's hands were calm, and even his breath was not disturbed.

The game was decided, he lowered his eyes, and didn't seem to notice anything else.

Gu Huaishu's hands were still trembling a little. She picked up the chess piece and put it into the chess box, but her fingers caught the polished corners of the chess table, but her eyes fell on the northeast corner of the chess table that Zhang Tingyu had placed on it. The solitary white piece on the board.

All the chess pieces have been cleared away, only the white chess piece remains.

Zhang Tingyu didn't put this white chess piece into the chess box, he just heard the rustling sound in his ears, and couldn't help but glanced out of the translucent window, it seemed that he could see a piece of white on the snowy ground.

"Is it snowing outside?"

Zhang Tingyu sat cross-legged across from Gu Huaixiu, the room was extremely warm, smoke curled up from the mouth of the copper beast beside the desk, he touched the teacup carefully, and found that the tea was still lukewarm.

It was snowing, and it was falling heavily.

Pieces of flying snow fell densely, and soon covered the branches of the trees. In the silence, the sound of the fragile branches being crushed by the snow could still be heard.

Snapped.

Gu Huaishu's mind was in a mess, and he only said, "It's snowing."

"At this time, it's time to appreciate the snow."

So Zhang Tingyu took her out, wrapped her tightly in a sable fur cloak, and went out to see the snow.

It is not very far from Qinzheng Hall, it is a courtyard near Xinghuachun Pavilion, and it has no name.Now the cabinet, six ministries, and the newly built duty room of the Military Aircraft Department are also in the garden, and the emperor is currently resting in Wanfang Anhe, east of the Xinghuachun Pavilion.

In the vicinity of the other courtyard are rockery rocks and lakes, which are covered with snow, and there is a faint solemnity in the cold sky. Right opposite is a lake with lanterns hanging on the pavilion in the middle of the lake. There is no one in it, but it is a soft The dark light fell on the lake, and there were a few dark ripples.

There was silence all around, and they were the only ones who came out to enjoy the snow in such a cold day.

Along the lake, Zhang Tingyu sang a song "Appreciating the Snow at the Pavilion in the Heart of the Lake", which is quite interesting.

Gu Huaishu also got excited, played Jijulian with him, walked around the back lake, and then returned to the other courtyard to rest.

When I got up the next day, all the concubines and princes in the palace went to congratulate the emperor, and they didn't finish their work until noon. In the evening, they had a small banquet in Zhengda Guangming Hall, which was a rare relief and joy.

The wives inside and outside set up a banquet in Shangxiatianguang. This building takes the meaning of "Shangxiatianguang, Yibiwan?" in "Yueyang Tower". She can be regarded as a favored concubine in the palace, but on the lower floor is a married woman. Gu Huaishu is at the innermost table. Looking outside the building, one can see the white snow along the shore of Houhu Lake last night.

Several bachelors and wives were sitting with Gu Huaishu, and it was rare for them to come, so when they saw these scenes, they felt extraordinarily novel.

After drinking for three rounds, Gu Huaishu felt a little tipsy, and even his cheeks turned red.

Mrs. Miao, Mrs. Jiang Tingxi, who was just promoted to the University of Wenyuan Pavilion next to her, giggled: "Mrs. Zhang Xiang must not be greedy for drinking. This wine has a strong aftertaste. I heard that the old wine is called Hongxingzui. It was brought out from the palace, I heard from my master a while ago, but I didn’t expect to drink it today.”

But the name of this wine has not been heard before, Gu Huaishu smelled the aroma of the wine, and said: "The aroma of this wine is quite weak, but I was careless."

Everyone at the table laughed, seeing that Gu Huaixiu was very easy-going, she wasn't some wicked woman that was passed down in Beijing and China a few years ago, but it also made some people who had never been in contact with her feel a little closer to her.

Over the years, Gu Huaixiu has become more and more low-key in Zhang's residence. When she rarely leaves the residence, she doesn't go out for a walk. Naturally, all kinds of rumors come out, saying that there are people who say that she is withdrawn, old and lustful, but now everyone sees her. After all, she still envies and likes her.

Those who knew her in the early years only thought that she looked the same at any time, and they sighed secretly when they saw that the richer she was, the more easy-going she became.

Gu Huaishu only shook his wrist, and pressed the slightly scalding wine to his throat, and took another sip.

Miao was startled, covered her lips and said, "Ma'am, be careful to get drunk."

Gu Huai waved his sleeves and said nothing.

So, Mrs. Miao thought about it, and suddenly asked: "A few days ago, my master was awarded a bachelor's degree by the emperor, and he went to the military aircraft department a few days later. I don't know where it is now. I heard that this is Zhang. Prime Minister’s idea, I always feel uneasy when I hear this military aircraft department, I don’t know Madam, you—”

Before she finished speaking, Miao felt that she was cold, and when she raised her eyes, she met Gu Huaishu's gaze, as if she had thrown her whole body into the ice water and soaked it again before coming out.

But this kind of look is probably just an illusion, because when Miao looked at it, Gu Huaishu still looked gentle.

She said indifferently: "The military aircraft department is top secret, there is no harm in going in, I heard that those who are capable will work harder, Mr. Jiang has always been a capable person, so he must not stick to these things."

"Yes Yes……"

Mrs. Miao replied twice, but didn't dare to say more.

Not long after the establishment of the Military Aircraft Department, it was opposed by the cabinet and the ministers who discussed politics. They even submitted a few books to participate in it, and even brought Zhang Tingyu with them for a while.Now the batch of military ministers who just came in from the Military Aircraft Department can be said to be struggling, and there are papers from time to time to participate. Presumably they themselves know what a big opportunity this is, but for family members who don’t understand this aspect, it’s not easy. Not a good thing.

For example Miao's.

This woman will never know that Jiang Tingxi's selection as Minister of Military Aircraft is the most important of all kindnesses.

Now the Military Aircraft Department is not yet mature, it is just issued upwards, it seems to be the same as the Six Departments, and it deals with military affairs in the Northwest, but because of the busy business, it is impossible to change places and run back and forth after finishing one thing, gradually replacing the cabinet role.

The kings and ministers discussing politics are already useless, and the cabinet that followed the Ming system should also be cleared out by now.

Yinzhen wants to control all the power in his own hands and make them obedient.

Gu Huaishu understood a lot in her heart, but she couldn't speak. She sat for a while, then found an excuse, and walked towards the pavilion on the left of Shangxiatianguang.

Unexpectedly, before approaching, Gu Huaishu looked at the palace guards outside from a distance, and he didn't know which master it was.

After a pause, she turned around and headed towards the pavilion on the right.

There are pavilions on both sides of the upper and lower skylights, and there are pavilions on the left and right.

This time, in the pavilion on the right, Gu Huaixiu ran into people, it was Xi concubine Niu Hulu and the fourth prince Hongli.

Niu Hulu's sharp eyes saw Gu Huaixiu, and guessed that she moved from the left like himself, so he said with a smile: "Tanxiang, go and invite Madam Zhang Dashi, I'm afraid I'll walk outside for a while, don't worry." It’s better to be cold.”

Sandalwood, the maid next to her, took out her umbrella and went out before Gu Huaishu left, and asked Gu Huaishu to go over sweetly: "Ma'am, Concubine Xi is also inside, I guess you are also playing." Come over to the pavilion on the left, and ask your servants to come and invite you to go over and warm your hands."

Apart from other things, Gu Huaishu didn't wear a muff when he came out, and his hands were indeed a little stiff.

How clear and clever people are?

Gu Huaishu smiled slightly, neither liking nor loathing, nodded slightly and followed Sandalwood past.

After going up the steps, thick curtains are pressed around the octagonal pavilion to keep out the wind and snow. Only two sides are opened, and you can still see the elegant snow scene.

There was a stove burning in the pavilion, and there were hand stoves and muffs next to it, and the maids were all standing on the corners. In the middle stood the slightly plump Concubine Xi, and in front of her was the grown-up fourth elder brother Hongli.

Gu Huaishu bowed and bowed: "Please greet the empress Xi, and please greet the fourth prince."

"No, get up quickly." Niu Hulu hurriedly came over to tell her to get up, looked outside again, and said with a smile, "The emperor is talking to Ning concubine over there, so it's inconvenient to disturb me, but I didn't expect my wife to be the same as me." .”

Hongli stood behind Niu Hulu, and looked at his mother-in-law strangely, as if he was a little strange to her.

Gu Huaishu knew all the people in the harem by name, but he didn't know the specific battles in the harem.

She only heard that Niu Hulu's favor in the palace was mediocre, but other concubines occasionally got Yinzhen's liking.However, Yinzhen believed in Buddhism. In the early years, he didn't know whether to pretend to be in front of Lord Kangxi, or to have a good mouthful. After studying it deeply, he has always been a little indifferent about favoring concubines, and he doesn't often enter the harem.

The favor of the women in the harem is either to look at the face and body, or to look at the son.

Obviously, Niu Hulu's family is actually looking after her son, and Yinzhen has treated her better these years than when she was in Prince Yong's Mansion.

Concubine Ning entered the mansion to serve Yinzhen a few years earlier than Niu Hulu's. I'm afraid I don't know how I met him today, so let's talk over there?

It's not easy for Gu Huaixiu to intervene in matters in the palace, so he just said lightly: "Fortunately, my wife just saw someone from the palace outside, I thought it was some master in the palace, but unexpectedly it was the emperor. "

It seemed that he knew that Gu Huaixiu was not very interested in the affairs of the palace, so Niu Hulu didn't mean to say much, he just invited Gu Huaixiu to sit down first: "It's not too cold this year, But you should walk outside for a while, right? Let’s talk warmly first, sandalwood..."

Sandalwood understood, and handed the stove to Gu Huaishu.

Gu Huaishu refused for a while, but because of Niu Hulu's insistence, he still held the stove in his hand, this time it was really warm.

Niu Hulu smiled and said: "I heard that you are much older than me, but looking at you now, you are only about the same age as me."

"You are being polite." Gu Huaishu knew that she was complimenting him, but he became a little vigilant in his heart, "Now you are the youngest concubine in the emperor's concubine, and the emperor also thinks highly of the fourth elder brother, but the appearance is secondary."

These words made Niu Hulu feel at ease, this son did give her a lot of confidence.

Looking back at Hongli, Mrs. Niu Hulu took a long silver chopstick and poked out the silver carbon that had just been added to the stove. She lowered her eyes and listened to the subtle explosion of sparks. She looked ordinary: " The original imperial concubine was the youngest, and she entered the mansion late, but she was the first to be liked by the emperor. It's a pity that God treated her poorly... Even her only child went away shortly after giving birth, she left I still look the same, and now I have a child."

Gu Huaixiu didn't interrupt, just listened.

Sure enough, Niu Hulu said again: "I never thought back then that there would be today..."

Didn't expect Yinzhen to be the emperor?

In fact, Yinzhen back then was indeed the only person who could ascend to the throne.

But looking at Niu Hulu, it doesn't look like a person with no heart. Even if she didn't have it at the beginning, she has secured the position of Concubine Xi in the past few years, assisted the Liugong, and taught such a good son as Hongli. Zhang Tingyu's credit, but everyone knows how much influence the women in the palace have on their children.

Therefore, Gu Huaishu still smiled slightly, but remained silent.

Mrs. Niu Hulu glanced at her, and finally said: "The current dynasty is different from the previous one. The Long Live God has placed an edict behind the upright plaque. I'm afraid we won't see the end of the previous dynasty. But my son heard an interesting story , Said that the emperor moved the box again, but I don't know what he did..."

It seems that there are quite a few people interested in Yinzhen's edict.

However, Niu Hulu's news is obviously not very accurate.

Zhang Tingyu said that the second edict was put in, but Niu Hulu's side only knew that Yinzhen had moved the box behind the upright plaque.

Gu Huaixiu lowered his eyebrows and shook his head: "The emperor has such a disposition, maybe what will he come up with tomorrow?"

She had nothing to say, and she didn't know what was going on with the box, so she naturally had no news to tell Niu Hulu.

Niu Hulu was just trying to test it out, and he didn't know whether Gu Huaishu knew or not, and he couldn't figure out the depth of it. He knew that his morality was insignificant compared with this woman who had experienced the turmoil of the two dynasties. Simply stop asking.

Hongli came from the Zhengda Guangming Hall, and now he was talking with Er Niang for a while, and was about to leave, but he didn't want to raise his eyes to see two palace lanterns coming in front, followed by someone behind.

Looking at the guard of honor, there was no one else in the palace except the emperor.

Sure enough, after only a few steps, Yinzhen had already arrived in front of the pavilion: "Just now I saw that Hongli was not at the banquet, so I just asked by the way and found out that you came to see your mother-in-law."

As he said that, he looked up and saw Gu Huaishu, he didn't shy away from it, he walked in, with no expression of joy or anger on his face, and said: "The troublemaker is here too."

Gu Huaixiu was not polite and blessed himself: "Greetings to Lord Long Live, Lord Long Live is auspicious."

"auspicious."

As soon as Yinzhen beckoned, Su Peisheng brought up a wooden tray, which contained some beads mixed with gold and jade, all loosely tied in a bag, and there were eighteen, the same number as the string of beads in Yinzhen's hand.

"The previous dynasty rewarded the ministers, and there are more, so reward you."

"The minister's wife thanked the emperor for the reward."

Su Peisheng took a bag for Gu Huaixiu, with the word "Fu" embroidered on the outside, it looked really festive.

Yinzhen looked back, and said again: "Concubine Xi has worked hard to help take care of the Six Palaces this year. Give the rest to Concubine Xi, and send the four princes to Concubine Xi."

"Whoo."

Su Peisheng broke out in a cold sweat secretly.

Then Yinzhen said: "Concubine Xi and Hongli go back to the banquet."

He didn't say anything else, Niu Hulu bowed and retreated when he heard the words, but Hongli frowned slightly when he left, and took a sneaky look at Gu Huaishu before leaving.

As soon as the people left, the maids in the pavilion also withdrew, and Su Peisheng stood outside with winking eyes, listening with his ears up.

Although Yinzhen's face was illuminated by the red charcoal in the stove, there was some warmth, but his eyes were icy cold: "Shall I tell you what's in the storage box?"

When Gu Huaishu saw Yinzhen's face change, he felt cold all over, and he put down the stove, but now he knelt down neatly: "I don't dare."

"Now you know you are called a slave again?"

Yinzhen sneered, wishing he could kick the troublemaker over with one kick, he flicked off the hand stove on the stone table, the ashes in it fell to the ground, and it was quickly extinguished.

The sound of "dang clang" made Su Peisheng outside shrank his neck.

Gu Huaixiu bowed his head and kowtowed, not daring to speak.

"I thought you, Gu Sanduo, had a lot of backbone, but you were just a stalker!"

Yinzhen remembered that he wanted to show her the imperial decree back then, but this woman didn't read it, but now she was talking and laughing with Concubine Xi, which inevitably made Yinzhen suspicious of something.

Gu Huaixiu didn't argue, but said: "The only thing in the world that is hard to raise is women and villains. A slave is both a woman and a villain. It is reasonable for Long Live Lord not to like slaves."

The more she said this, the more crooked she was!

Yinzhen looked down at her with a gloomy face, and already smelled a faint scent of sweet wine, thinking that this woman came out after drinking.

And her sight?How can you see Yinzhen's boots embroidered with gold thread? , and see nothing else.

"Besides, when Concubine Xi asked, it's not that this servant is afraid to say anything, it's just that he doesn't know anything."

Now he finally knows how to excuse himself.

Yinzhen was naturally suspicious and fickle, so he only took two steps with his hands behind his back: "Today I will give you a poisonous wine, and it is a kindness to you!"

It is related to the establishment of a reserve, how can the harem talk too much?
Before he died, someone was thinking about his throne.

Yinzhen sat down towards the stone table with a golden knife, and saw her kneeling on the ground with low eyebrows, and even brought a bowl of tea to drink. After taking a sip, she handed it to her: "Have a sip of tea, and talk to me again." quibble?"

"The servant dare not."

Gu Huaishu never dared to reach out to pick up the tea, let alone raise his head.

Withdrawing his hand, the jade wrench on Yinzhen's thumb lightly touched the edge of the tea bowl, the sound was clear and sweet, one could tell that porcelain is good porcelain, and jadeite is also high-quality jadeite, so the wrench worn on the emperor's hand is naturally unusual.

Yinzhen just stared at her like this, and said, "Why did Concubine Xi ask you?"

At this moment, Gu Huaishu felt something was wrong. He was stunned by the question just now and was so frightened that he was careless for a while. Thinking about it, Yinzhen came from that side just now. It is impossible to hear her and Xi right away. Concubine's words.Even if someone sent a message, it would take a round trip. No one had left just now, and the inside and outside of the pavilion could be seen clearly, so they knew what was going on.

That is to say, it is impossible for Yinzhen to know that Concubine Xi asked her something, because today she and Concubine Xi met by chance!

She was lied to by Yinzhen!
At this moment, Gu Huaishu almost wished he could call himself a pig. After living in peace for a long time, he didn't see such tricks.

After not hearing Gu Huaishu's answer for a long while, Yinzhen curled his lips coldly: "Why don't you speak?"

The thin blue veins on the back of the hand are about to pop out, and you still stay silent, presumably you have figured out the ins and outs by now?
Yinzhen didn't hear anything before, just came in and had a fit.

Who is the Son of Heaven?

He has sticky sticks, and he has good eyes and ears. Gu Huaishou knows all these things clearly, and he also knows how powerful Yinzhen is.She had such an impression in her heart, so when Yinzhen had an attack, she didn't even have time to think that he was cheating on her.

After all, a master and a slave always tell the truth more often than they lie.

He asked Jianchu directly when he opened his mouth, and even Yinzhen deliberately skipped the questioning of Concubine Xi earlier, Gu Huaixiu was easily tricked.

Now seeing this woman gritted her teeth with hatred, but did not dare to attack, it really made Yinzhen feel happy.

"You are smart, but you are mistaken for being smart. There are many smart people in the world, but you are not as good as me."

The emperor has been in office for a long time, and his methods have become more sophisticated.

Some things cannot be learned without being in that position.

Gu Huaixiu's chest heaved for a moment, and then slowly calmed down, then he slowly raised his eyes and looked at Yinzhen: "Concubine Xi only said that she heard an interesting incident a while ago, that the emperor moved the box again, but she didn't know what she did. The slave only said that you can't figure out your mind, but didn't say anything else."

I finally feel good.

When Yinzhen was drinking tea, his eyes flickered and looked at her: "I'm sorry you don't know, let alone tell Concubine Xi."

One sentence almost made Gu Huaixiu spit out a mouthful of blood, she was a little bit internally injured.

Knowing that he still asked her and lied to her, this master is really...

Are you tired and full?

Of course he didn't dare to say it, but Yinzhen could see it.

"Concubine Xi just hasn't seen much of the world. Now that she is in charge of the Sixth Palace, she has gradually cultivated her eyesight. She was just an idiot in the mansion before. Her worry is normal. I just added an edict to go in. ..."

In fact, it's not really a secret, Yinzhen just got sick a few days ago, and suddenly thought of it, and he had already thought about it recently, so he wrote the imperial edict and threw it in.

"You want to know? I can tell you. Come on, little white dog, call me twice."

In a blink of an eye, Yinzhen seemed to be in a better mood again, bent down, stretched out his hand towards her who was kneeling, and hooked his hands, looking very interested.

This time was different from the past, Gu Huaishu thought about it, she really wanted to know what was in the edict, so she was far less calm than last time, and did not dare to raise her head.

What's more, she is just a dog of Lord Yongzheng, but she can't learn how to bark.

Putting his head down, Gu Huaishu ignored Yinzhen's hand teasing the puppy, and didn't speak.

The smile on Yinzhen's face gradually disappeared: "Is it cold to kneel?"

"Cold." Gu Huaishu replied honestly.

"Then keep kneeling."

Yinzhen didn't have the slightest sympathy for the fragrance and jade, just sat in the pavilion, while the palace people outside stood tremblingly, not to mention daring to make a sound.

It was really cold on the ground, even if Gu Huai was wearing thick sleeves, he still felt a little pain in his kneecap, not to mention the cold air coming from the ground.

This time she violated Yinzhen's taboo, and she was lied to again, saying that everything she said was useless, so she really just knelt down like this.

The cup of tea in Yinzhen's hand slowly drank half of it. Hearing the sound of snow outside, he took another look at the charcoal burning in the stove, and then turned to Gu Huaixiu: "You are a slave!" You have to look like a slave, do you still want to ride on the body of the master?"

After finishing speaking, Yin Zhen paused for some reason and let out a laugh.

"However, if a dog that bites does not bark, it is not in vain for me to raise you."

Gu Huaishu just said bluntly: "Thank you, master, for your kindness."

"You can only thank flattery, and you have been ignorant of flattery all your life."

Yinzhen sneered again, and finally put the teacup on the table, his movements were still meticulous.

"A man lives in the world, he will be a marquis in life, and he will be a temple food in death. This time, let Zhang Erzhi of your family praise you too!"

Live as a marquis, die as temple food.

This sentence...

Gu Huaixiu's heart skipped a beat, and then he heard Yinzhen say: "He has made great contributions to the affairs of the Military Aircraft Department, and he has taught the princes how to do it. After the emperor's success, I will leave him as a minister to assist the government, to enjoy the imperial temple, and to be incensed forever. , it can be regarded as the favor I gave him as a capable official, lest someone will say that I am a heartless and ungrateful person..."

So much has been said while talking, Gu San, a troublemaker, hasn't called out yet, what is he doing in such a hurry?

Thinking about it, Yin Zhen got up, waved his sleeves and said, "Get up."

"Thank you, Lord Long Live, for your grace."

Gu Huaishu wanted to get up, but found that his legs were numb, and he was kneeling on the ground and couldn't get up.

Walked three steps, saw that she was about to leave the pavilion, it was snowing heavily outside, Yinzhen didn't see her get up, looked back and sneered: "Su Peisheng, help her out, it's useless!"

Su Peisheng heard the order of Ji Ling, and hurried in, and helped Gu Huaixiu up. Before he could figure out who this "useless thing" was scolding, he saw that Gu Huaixiu's face turned pale, as if it was his leg. pain.Looking back, Yinzhen has already gone out. Previously, Yinzhen's order was to help people out, and there was a banquet in the sky, so he couldn't stay here.

For a while, Su Peisheng didn't dare to speak, he helped Gu Huaixiu and followed him out, but Yinzhen had already gone a long way.

Gu Huaishu cursed him in his heart that sooner or later he would go fast, go fast!

But on her feet, she still followed obediently.

Snowflakes fell one after another, Gao Wuyong held up an umbrella for Yinzhen, and Su Peisheng also wanted to hold up Gu Huai's sleeves, but Yinzhen turned around and said, "Let her be cold."

Su Peisheng didn't dare to move anymore, so he could only help the person to walk without an umbrella, his hair was covered with snow, and Gu Huaixiu was wearing a lot of sleeves, so he wasn't cold for a while.

She followed a group of people from the emperor's side and walked up and down the sky.

Unexpectedly, not far from the lake in front of Shangxia Tianguang, an eunuch from somewhere called "Fourth Master", Yinzhen stopped in his tracks, and turned his head to look at the lake.

A young eunuch didn't see anyone here, so he took an umbrella and there was a boat beside him, which seemed to be going to the lake pavilion.

The little eunuch was so cold that he shivered and handed the umbrella to the front respectfully: "You should bring an umbrella when you go there, there is no umbrella here."

Then came Hongli's voice: "It's a caring one, come back to Master to receive the reward."

"The slave bows down to thank the fourth elder brother for the reward."

On the cold ground, the little eunuch knelt down.

Then I heard the sound of gurgling water, and it was someone rowing a boat to the pavilion in the middle of the lake.

Gu Huaishu's eyes were complicated for a moment, and he saw Yinzhen's unpredictable expression.

This fourth master, that fourth master.

In the past, Yinzhen was also the fourth prince. He has been called "Fourth Master" for so many years. Now when he hears it, he thinks it is a dream come back. He only looks at a ripple in the center of the lake from a distance. Yinzhen stands for a long time. Then he turned his back and headed towards Zhengda Guangming Hall.

Naturally, Gu Huaishu didn't dare to follow, so he stood still, and Su Peisheng trotted up to keep up.

I only heard Yinzhen's deep voice in the snowy night: "The fourth prince Hongli has a dignified character and won my heart. He will be enshrined as Prince Bao today and given him a residence... Forget it, let him live in Lama Temple."

Prince Bao?
No one will call Hongli "Fourth Master" and "Fourth Brother" in the future, right?
Also a quirk.

Gu Huaixiu bent over and rubbed her knees, Qingdai dared to come up to help her now, but Gu Huaixiu murmured: "I don't know how this fleeting time has passed, I changed it secretly..."

(End of this chapter)