37. The Empress Dowager Cixi Passed Away

After hearing these words, Bai Gui stopped thinking for the most part. read

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A book written by Xian Xia in the previous life is very good, and the Tao shows the essence of spiritual practice: Thousands of spells, infinite avenues, I only ask one question, can you get immortality?

Cultivation that does not lead to immortality is ultimately in vain.

"Senior Brother Wang, do you know who the Taoist Master is talking to?"

Bai Gui's heart moved. Mr. Zhu's status was not low. He couldn't say that he didn't interact with Bai Ding on weekdays. Bai Ding couldn't come to the academy to find Mr. Zhu carelessly. Anyone who could make friends with Mr. Zhu and talk to him for such a long time must be someone with a certain social status.

Wang Ruqin is Mr. Zhu's favorite disciple. He has been a student since Mr. Zhu founded White Deer Academy, so he has the closest relationship with Mr. Zhu.

"It's Taoist Master Liu Mingcang and his disciple Zhang Zhishun from Zhongnan Mountain, as well as two Taoist priests from Maoshan. I don't know their last names very well. I can only vaguely hear from their conversation that it should be Lin. It should be Lin." Well, Maoshan is in the same area, and I heard there are quite a few people named Lin there..."

Wang Ruqin frowned and thought back.

"Liu Mingcang? Zhang Zhishun?"

"It must be!"

Bai Gui's heart skipped a beat. Few people knew about Taoist Zhang's master, but his apprentice, Taoist Zhang, had become immortalized in modern times. He was in school at the time, and it was widely spread in the school community. When he became immortal, a strange and strange phenomenon appeared in the sky.

While he was talking, there was a burst of conversation coming from the direction of the back house.

He turned around and saw four Taoists coming out together with Mr. Zhu. Mr. Zhu was chatting happily with an old Taoist priest who was obviously dressed as Quanzhen, but when the old Taoist priest smiled, there was an imperceptible hint of sadness.

"Don't worry, Daochang Liu. This matter is related to the welfare of the people of the world. I will definitely jointly sign a letter to the Qin Province gentry and request the imperial court to release the craftsmen who built the mausoleum..."

Mr. Zhu's eyes were firm, even though he knew that this matter was not easy to accomplish.

The Empress Dowager of the West and Emperor Guangxu died at the same time, and the tombs built required more than 10,000 people to do corvee work. According to custom, these requisitioned craftsmen would be executed after building the mausoleum to prevent the royal mausoleum from being stolen.

The southern provinces have already learned about the death of the Queen Mother of the West and Emperor Guangxu through telegrams, but the news in Qin Province is blocked and it is far away from the capital, so it is slow to know the news. In addition, Zishui County is also a place where news is blocked. After this back and forth, the world knows about the emperor and the empress. The huge news of his death had not reached Zishui County even half a month later. (There is a secret but no mourning delay)

"How can I cherish this life? I just don't want the people to suffer." Daochang Liu and Daochang Lin said with bitterness. As well-known Taoist priests, one in the north and one in the south, they were also ordered to supervise the construction of the mausoleum of the Queen Mother of the West.

Once you leave, you will never come back.

They are old and they will die when they die, but the people who built the tombs are all strong men, so how can they bear it?

The students at White Deer College were also talking about it. They never expected that the Queen Mother of the West, who had ruled the Qing Dynasty for more than fifty years, and Emperor Guangxu, who was imprisoned in Yingtai, died just like this, and they happened to be one day apart.

When Bai Gui saw this scene, he didn't rush forward and asked the Taoist Master to teach me the Taoism. This was inappropriate.

Daochang Liu obviously already has a favorite disciple and will not pass him on.

Even Taoist Master Lin couldn't speak.

What's more, he is now Mr. Zhu's disciple and is studying scriptures. How can he come forward and say that I have passed the world and want to practice Taoism? Not to mention the issue of confiscation. The problem is that it is obvious that the two Taoist priests cannot protect themselves. I also begged Mr. Zhu to join the gentry in requesting pardon for the craftsmen who built the mausoleum...

"By the way, I remember that when the Manchus entered the country, Taoist priests were also required to shave their heads to change their clothes. It was not until Zhang Tianshi and Taoist Wang Changyue tried their best to persuade Shunzhi that they were spared the subsequent shaving..."

Bai Gui sighed.

Even if there is a path to immortality in this world, the most powerful Taoist priest may not be able to pass it.

"It's better to study first. Now that I have this relationship with you, I will ask Taoist Zhang for advice after I get the honors. If you don't believe me, he won't teach me the secret."

Bai Gui shook his head, returned to the study room, and continued to study hard.

After gaining fame and a basic family background, he would no longer be so ridiculous when he said that he wanted to join the Taoism. However, his family has not yet "become out of poverty".

Taoism is not that easy to cultivate.

He has been studying the Four Books and Five Classics for so long. It would be foolish to waste this good time.

…

Five days later.

Mr. Zhu jointly signed a petition with the gentry of Qin Province, a total of more than 300 scholars and more than 20 civil servants, to propose to the governor, requesting the governor to petition the new emperor to pardon the craftsmen after the construction of the mausoleum was completed.

"Today, the world is tired. The foreign barbarians are bullying our huge country, and the imperial court is following the old ways. We heard that the Emperor of Japan and the King of England are kind and loving to the people. Building mausoleums is only a waste of people's lives and slaughtering the people. The world is angry... …”

"I have heard that the King of England, King of Germany and other countries who died and built mausoleums are like the system of our dynasty. Please think twice and allow it to be abolished!"

Thousands of words of advice were sent to the governor's Yamen.

This incident caused quite a stir in Qin Province.

"Brother Mengzhou is confused!"

"How can your great future be ruined just because of those common people!"

After hearing about this, the ancient county magistrate hurried to Bailu Academy and asked Mr. Zhu to make amends now. It was not too late. As long as this advice was abolished, it would be no big deal. But Mr. Zhu just smiled, drank a sip of tea, and continued Chat with the ancient magistrate.

The ancient county magistrate sighed one after another and returned to the Yamen. The next day, he could not leave the Yamen, saying that he was ill.

Likewise, under the fuss about this matter.

Zishui County's county exam also started at the end of February. A few days ago, the county issued a notice, and the county exam was scheduled to be held one month later, that is, on February 23.

Candidates must go to the yamen's etiquette room within seven days to submit their names, write down the three generations of resumes of the candidates, and find a scholar student to guarantee.

Bailu Academy is the least short of scholars, and the insurance policy was also prepared early.

There are two types of guarantees. One is called the five children's mutual guarantee, which is written by five people who take the exam at the same time. There is also a guarantee called a guarantee, which is guaranteed by a local student. The former insurance policy is more dangerous. If one person gets into trouble, five people will be held responsible.

Like the college entrance examination, it does not support cross-regional examinations.

"This county exam is definitely risky. If you go, you will definitely be rejected or find a reason to be punished."

Several classmates from the same village said with some worry. They all knew that Mr. Zhu had offended the magistrate of Zishui County. Once this happened, the magistrate of Zishui County could not escape the blame for not managing Mr. Zhu well, causing a sensation in Qin Province.

"Do you think Mr. Zhu is in trouble now?"

Bai Gui analyzed casually: "The memorial was submitted in mid-January, and it should have arrived in Yanjing long ago. It has not been punished yet. It must have been detained by the governor of Qin Province himself. Although there are secret memorials from various places, no one wants to cause trouble for themselves at this juncture..."

During the reign of Emperor Kangxi, in order to strengthen control over officials, close officials were allowed to report in secret memorials. After Emperor Yongzheng, this example was expanded.

But although secret memorials can control the whole country and strengthen the monarchy, the power struggle above has not ended yet, and no one wants to make a big move at this juncture.

Of course, he was confident that he could take the exam, or he had already known the questions for the county exam, and he didn't believe that the ancient county magistrate could really make him give up the exam.

In addition...

There are recent rumors in Zishui County that a white pheasant was born in Bailu Village.

This is a good omen!

In the late Qing Dynasty, that is, a few decades ago, a white pheasant was captured in Wuwei Mountain. Scholar Wang Quan specially wrote an article, "White Pheasant Records", which reads: "The Qing Dynasty received the mandate of heaven for 200 years. The emperor was frugal and frugal. The auspicious auspiciousness of grass, trees, feathers and feathers filled the mountains and swamps. Farmers and boys passed by without noticing them, but the white pheasant was captured in Wuwei Mountain in Fuqiang at that time. The mountain man Wang Quan stroked it and said sadly: Alas, the white pheasant was tributed to Zhou, sung in Han, written in history, and engraved in music. How glorious it is. Now the saint is in power..."