Emperor Kangxi: Yuyu Chengxiang

Chapter 71 Filial Piety
While the ministers were drinking and talking and laughing in the Changchun Garden, they suddenly heard Xiong Cilu shout loudly: "The civil and military officials leave the table and kneel to meet the Empress Dowager!" At that time, the priests who were performing on the Waterside Pavilion also stopped the show, and a group of freshmen, clean and ugly all lay down on the stage and kowtowed.

Kangxi hurried to greet him.

The empress dowager with white hair and childlike appearance was supported by the two noble concubines, Niu Hulu and Axiu, and she walked tremblingly, looking forward to Kangxi and said: "It doesn't take so much etiquette to ask them all to get up, and still eat wine for fun. , I am happy in my heart. I am old and I don’t want to move around. I didn’t want to come at first, but it was encouraged by the fourth girl, saying that this is a great happy event for the founding of the country, and the emperor is happy. Let's join in the fun." When Kangxi watched, sure enough, Kong Sizhen was following behind, but she didn't see her good friend Lagu Su Ma.Axiu said: "It's not as windy outside as in the palace. Lafayette is an old man. Would you like to set up a felt curtain?" The Empress Dowager pulled the golden monkey's cloak and said with a smile: "You are from the west, after all. If you say it’s a felt curtain—that’s fine, let them start the show. The emperor doesn’t have to surround me all the time, the servants below have been busy for a year, so let them relax!”

"Yes." Kangxi hurriedly apologized with a smile, "It's rare that everyone is here tonight. Lafayette is in such a good mood, and my grandson should be a little filial tonight to please Lafayette." "Oh?" The empress dowager asked happily , "What do you respect me for?" Kangxi smiled and said, "If you talk about things, why don't you care about them-there is a ready-made stage here. The grandson will learn the spectacle opera tonight, and I will perform it for you old man!"

The emperor wants to act!The news immediately spread throughout the banquet.Because there was no arrangement in the ceremony, Xiong Cilu suddenly panicked.This was a grand act of Emperor Kangxi's advocacy of filial piety, a dignified and elegant matter. He is now in charge of the Ministry of Rites and he must not dissuade him.

"Blade Clothes Play is a common play." Tang Jingbao kowtowed and said, "Even if the emperor makes up new lyrics, let's try our best to curry favor - it's just that the emperor plays the role of Lao Laizi, who will play the role of Lao Fengjun?"

"Bastard!" Gao Shiqi scolded with a smile, "the old Lafayette above is naturally the old man to receive the gift! How can you ask your actors to pretend to be old lords? You just tell them to be careful and don't be stern." Tang Jingbao scolded Touching his head, he said with a smile: "Yes, Prime Minister Gao is right! The little people are confused, just ask them to wait on you carefully!"

Fortunately, Gao Shiqi reminded Xiong Cilu that he thought that the minister in the study room could not stand idly by, so he said with a smile: "I'm afraid we can't be idle, this is not a small matter!" Immediately, Mingzhu said: "I'm here to preach, Brother Suo is playing the drums!" Is it possible to play the accompaniment?" Suo'etu smiled happily: "Of course, respect as life!" Xiong Cilu frowned and said: "What should I do?... Let me shoot cloud boards! I have to have a gag with the master Ugly ugly son, in case you can’t continue the words, you can cover it up—this role is difficult!” Mingzhu smiled and pushed Gao Shiqi, saying: “This is his profession, except for Gaojiang Village, who has such sensitivity? Esprit?"

"I have to refrain from it." Gao Shiqi was eager to say this, rolled up his cuffs, took off his big hat, tied his braids on the top of his head, pointed to his nose and said, "Just paint a piece of white here, I will You don’t even need to trace the inverted eight-character eyebrows.”

An extraordinary play begins, and the script couldn't be simpler. The 80-year-old Laizi pretends to be a child to amuse his mother.Because it was a rare thing for the emperor to act, the empress dowager who was sitting on top smiled and narrowed her eyes. Seeing that Gao Shiqi was accompanying Kangxi on stage, she pointed her finger and said, "Reward him!" A string of beeswax court beads was hung up for Gao Shiqi by himself, and he said: "This is for you - make Lafayette laugh!" Axiu was born in the Western Regions, and she had never seen this before, standing behind the empress dowager with her lips pursed laugh.At this time, none of the officials had any intention of eating and drinking, and they all stretched their necks on their seats to watch.

A burst of gongs and drums sounded, Xiong Ci knocked on the cloud board, and Mingzhu cheered up, and played a kind of tune that resembled Kun and Yi, with a strange tune that was very funny.Kangxi shook his beard, wore a red robe sprinkled with flowers, shook a rattle drum, stepped on the beat of the drum to the sound of music, jumped up and down, and rolled around happily.Gao Shiqi imitated the posture of jumping into an official, circling around Kangxi beating his chest and back, making faces.After passing the door, Kangxi sang according to the beat:
The moon is bright, the wind is love,
The fifteenth day of the Mid-Autumn Festival——

He was talking nonsense, and stopped here suddenly.Gao Shiqi hurriedly wiped his face, squeezed his throat and continued to sing:

Noisy!

Kangxi smiled, turned over, and sang again:

Lao Laizi, eighty-year-old man, there is a——

He couldn't write any more, Gao Shiqi sat down on the ground:

Old birthday boy!

Because they didn't reveal anything, those who didn't know really thought they had arranged it in advance.The empress dowager laughed so hard that she heard Kangxi sing again:
After a hundred years of life, you will be happy, and the people will live in peace and prosperity.

The hand-cranked flower drums rattled, and Gaotang was happy——

He really couldn't think of what words to fill in, so he pretended to be careless and fell to the ground.But Gao Shiqi bowed his waist and sang:
——Child-hearted!

Kangxi was not good at being funny, so he listened to Gao Shiqi fluently.Get excited.Suddenly, Gao Shiqi had a whim, and Gao Shiqi danced and said:
Suddenly I heard the Yellow River roaring——

Gao Shiqi couldn't help asking: "It's so unlucky, how can we turn it around?"But soon calmed down, and said:

——Longyan cut off the water demon in a rage.

The colorful clothes are full of filial piety,
Long Zu on the seat laughed.

Kangxi heard the music and sang again:

The air of Taihe fills the nine layers,
Let him have a typhoon in the East China Sea!
"Typhoons always come and go!" Gao Shiqi was afraid that he would say something wrong, so he hurriedly read a sentence.But I heard Kangxi sing again:

——Taiwan back to my arms.

The four seas and nine states are like auspicious,
The entire kingdom worships the imperial court.

—Bring the peaches and fruits from the sky,

For thousands of years, we will worship the Qing Dynasty!

Gao Shiqi thought, Kangxi had finished all the good words, how could he answer them? ——I had no choice but to twist and jump, and Fang sang at the top of his voice:

The real ones are: Kujiliang, Tianziming,

Filial piety, heaven and earth are right!
Lafayette Fubi Donghai Water, Long Live God passed Nanshan Pine——

At this time, Gao Shiqi's words were exhausted, but the song was not over yet, and there was still a sentence to be completed, so Gao Shiqi had to mumble and sing a sentence, the words were vague, and it was difficult for anyone to understand.

Kangxi was already sweating from dancing, he took off his beard and asked with a smile: "Gao Shiqi, what did you sing last? I didn't hear it clearly when I was in front of you." "Back to Long Live," Gao Shiqi giggled He said with a smile, "The servant sings 'Ping Ping Zing Zing Ping Ping'." Kangxi chuckled and said, "This is the rhyme of poetry, and you have a time when your talents are exhausted!"

"Nowadays the whole country celebrates the pacification of Taiwan, and the monarchs and ministers sing the song of peace, isn't it 'pingping'?" Gao Shiqi explained, "The master advocates the holy way, governs the world with filial piety, and sings and dances for Lafayette to celebrate his birthday, shouldn't it be' Praise' (tsk tsk), I wish the empress dowager good health and peace, and the world is peaceful, isn't it "pingpingping" again?"

With this explanation, everyone on and off the stage immediately burst into applause.Xiong Cilu, who has always been unsmiling, couldn't help but smile.The Empress Dowager laughed so hard that tears flowed, she pointed at Gao Shiqi and said, "This monkey cub is really smart, no wonder your master loves you..."

This newly edited "Lao Laizi Spotted Clothes Play" was a wonderful success. Seeing the beginning of the main play, Kangxi came to the Empress Dowager to have fun.Seeing Kangxi's tired face, the Empress Dowager smiled and said, "I have a large group of people waiting here, so I don't need you to set the rules. You are tired all day, and you tilt your head to the front. It’s also good to raise your spirit.” Kangxi hurriedly agreed with a smile: “This place is so lively that you can’t raise your spirit. Since Lafayette loves his grandson, I’m going to be so presumptuous that I’ll rest in Fangting later.” After that, After serving two glasses of wine to Lafayette, he came forward, patted Mu Zixu on the shoulder and said, "You come with me."

About halfway through the meal, Mu Zixu came back from Kangxi's place again, walked up to Li Guangdi and whispered, "The emperor is in Huifang Pavilion, and he has a decree to summon your lord, please move."

Li Guangdi straightened his clothes and left his seat in a hurry after Mu Zixu.He Zhu'er, the inner prisoner, had long since guided her to the Huifang Pavilion.The guards Su Lun and De Lengtai are already waiting there, please wait a moment for Li Guangdi, and then go in to report.It took a while to hear Kangxi's order: "Li Guangdi? Come in."

Although this place is called "Ting", except that the roof vaguely looks like a hexagonal pavilion, there is actually a small hall underneath.The inside is very spacious, separated into three rooms by glass screens.Kangxi had already changed his clothes, with a velvet and satin platform crown on his head, and a river silk jacket covered with a stone blue silk silk cotton and gold dragon jacket, and he was sitting on the kang in the inner room drinking tea.Li Guangdi knew that it was a formal meeting, so he hurriedly announced his title loudly and entered the door to salute, kowtowed and said: "Your servant Li Guangdi is ordered to have an audience with Long Live!"

(End of this chapter)