The Struggle History of the Fourteenth Qing Dynasty

After crossing the mulberry garden, it is considered to have left the boundary of Hebei. Once you leave Hebei, you will enter the boundary of Jiangsu, that is, Gaoyou. After passing Gaoyou, you will enter Suzhou.

During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, Gaoyou Army, Gaoyou Prefecture (Chengzhou), Gaoyou Road, and Gaoyou Mansion were established, and it was under the jurisdiction of Gaoyou, Xinghua, and Baoying counties, and it was a prosperous place between Huaiyang and Huaiyang.

Wherever their dragon boats went, there were many people to welcome them, especially the local yamen, they were almost fully mobilized!

The Empress Dowager came along and found out that the three elder brothers who accompanied her, the twelfth elder brother was in charge of making food for her in her hometown, for fear that the old lady would not be acclimatized, it is said that the twelve elder brothers also brought the kindness from the Forbidden City The water and soil of the palace are afraid that the empress dowager will feel uncomfortable.

Every meal has Mongolian-style food, and Brother Twelve focuses on this item.

Brother Thirteen, every time he goes to a place, he introduces the local customs, historical traces, etc. to the Empress Dowager, just like a commentator, so that the Empress Dowager can understand three points about every place, and even the Empress Dowager The Empress Dowager can see the family members of the officials here if she wants. With Elder Brother Thirteen, the Empress Dowager can handle it freely.

Brother Fourteen knows how to eat!

Specialties from all over the country, from snacks to big dishes, he spoke clearly and logically, and arranged for the empress dowager to try them out.

You can't eat these delicacies in the palace, but you can eat them outside. The empress dowager fell in love with this southern tour, except that the old man was worried about the prince's illness.

Arriving in Gaoyou that day, the Empress Dowager asked Fourteenth Brother: "What's delicious in Gaoyou?"

The fourteenth elder brother opened his mouth and came: "Gaoyou salted duck eggs!"

"What's so delicious about salted duck eggs?" The empress dowager didn't say that she ate delicious delicacies all over the world, but what's so delicious about a salted duck egg?

"Huang Ma, Gaoyou's salted duck eggs are all double yolks!" Elder Fourteen was very excited: "Double yolk duck eggs are a specialty of Gaoyou. It is famous for having two yolks in one egg. The yellow eggs are because the food here is good, the duck body is strong, and they ovulate continuously, forming double yolks, or even triple yolks! Gaoyou salted duck eggs are famous for their red color and rich oil. Boil the double yolk salted duck eggs and cut them open. The egg white is like creamy white jade, and the yolk is like red orange, which is pleasing to the eye and has a unique flavor."

This description is so good that the empress dowager was a little greedy: "Then have some!"

"Come on, we must have some!" Elder Fourteen said again: "There is also Qin Youdong Tang."

"Dong Tang?"

"Qinyou Dongtang is a famous traditional product of Gaoyou. It has a history of more than [-] years. The original name is Sutang. The reason why it is called Dongtang is said to be named after the sugar made by a master surnamed Dong." said the fourteenth elder brother. : "Dong Tang is hand-crafted from glutinous rice flour, sesame, white sugar, malt and other raw materials. The color is dark wheat yellow, the thickness is uniform, the mouth is soft and soft, delicious and sweet, suitable for all ages, you must try Huangma!"

In fact, there is another saying that this candy was created by Dong Xiaowan, a famous Qinhuai prostitute in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, hence the name Dong Tang.

This kind of statement is still not told to Huang Ma.

"You must try it!" This time not only the empress dowager wanted to eat it, but also the thirteenth and twelve elder brothers.

So their breakfast was all kinds of porridge, with salted duck eggs from Gaoyou. The county magistrate of Gaoyou didn't know how to make it, but they were given three yellow salted duck eggs!

Dong Tang was also delivered, a bit like the brushed one, crispy inside, covered with white and black sesame seeds on the outside.

This candy is really delicious.

When Kangxi heard what they were ordering on the Fengzhou, he couldn't help but smile: "This must be Little Fourteen's idea. The Empress Dowager doesn't know the specialties of each place, so he just inquired about the delicious food in the cabin."

"Fourteen is only interested in this." The fourth elder brother said a little ashamedly: "Next time, I must let him visit various academies."

"Then he also went to the cafeteria in the Academy." Fifth elder brother jokingly said, "My son went to pay homage to Huang Mama, but he found that Huang Mama was fat."

What he said caused a burst of laughter again, the atmosphere was very good, and the monarch and his ministers were harmonious.

Even the empress dowager sent several dishes to the emperor.

They are all local specialties of Gaoyou, especially there is an old duck soup, which uses local old ducks in Gaoyou. It is made of old ducks that are more than three years old, which is nutritious and delicious.

Even Kangxi said it tasted good after drinking it, and when he heard that Brother Fourteen had asked someone to mess with it, he couldn't help laughing, and felt much better.

After Gaoyou is the boundary of Suzhou.

This time I came to Suzhou again. I arrived in Suzhou on March [-]th. The scene of receiving the driver was still very spectacular. All of them have their native names, welcome to Shengjia and other words.

If it weren't for the Qing Dynasty, Brother Fourteen would have wanted to see if there were any big-character posters.

Are the fellow villagers still very active in welcoming Sheng Jia?

This time, the places where the Holy Spirit came to stay were all built with brocade pavilions and galleries, decorated with lanterns and festoons, and silk, and the degree of magnificence and wealth was ten times that of the previous two southern tours.

When they arrived in Suzhou, they stayed in Jiangning Weaving Mansion.

Today's Jiangning weaving is the husband's family of Kangxi's wet nurse Sun, and Cao Yin of the Cao family is in charge.

When Cao Yin was 16 years old, he entered the palace as the Luan Yiwei of Kangxi. In the 29th year of Kangxi, he was appointed as Suzhou weaving, and three years later he moved to Jiangning weaving.After Kangxi made six tours to the south, four of them lived in Cao Yin's house.

The family history of the old Cao family is very simple. In the eighth year of Shunzhi, the regent Dorgon was found to have committed a major crime after his death. Shunzhi took Dorgon’s Zhengbai Banner under his control, and the Cao family was also transferred from the royal palace to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Coated and became the emperor's domestic slave.

At this time, Cao Yin's father, Cao Xi, was also promoted from the guard of the palace to the second-class guard of the inner court.

The "inner court" is the place where the emperor lives. If Cao Xi works in this kind of place, he will have more opportunities to get in touch with the royal family and gain their love and trust.

Three years later, Emperor Kangxi was born.According to the system of the Qing Dynasty, after the birth of princes and princesses, nurses and nannies were selected from the three banners of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, namely, the three banners of the Inlaid Yellow, Zhenghuang, and Zhengbai.

Cao Xi's wife, Mrs. Sun, was chosen as Kangxi's nanny under Azige's family.

Since then, the relationship between the Cao family and the emperor has become closer.

The Sun family grew up protecting Kangxi in the palace. After Cao Xi passed away, Cao Yin, a milk brother, became the son to take the place of his father, but Kangxi said privately to the fourteenth elder brother: "When Obai was eliminated , Cao Yin has put in too much effort."

Only then did the fourteenth elder brother guess that Cao Yin should be one of those little friends who wrestled with Kangxi Buku back then.

Those people are the most trusted by Kangxi, and now they are all important officials of one party, holding great power, and they are also loyal to Kangxi.

Jiangning Weaving Mansion is located in the Xuanwu Palace area of ​​Nanjing. It was an imperial merchant who supplied fabrics to the court in the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty went to Jiangnan six times and lived in Jiangning Weaving Mansion five times.

The place name Daxing Palace here is named after the two emperors Kangxi and Qianlong lived here.

But what the fourteenth elder brother is most interested in is that according to historical records, Cao Xueqin was born in Jiangning Weaving Mansion in the 50th year of Kangxi!

With longing for the great god of history, he took a good look around the Jiangning Weaving Mansion.

Jiangning Weaving Mansion covers an area of ​​nearly [-] square meters, with a construction area of ​​[-] square meters, including four floors above ground, including garden buildings such as Xichi, Neem Pavilion, Xuanrui Hall, and Fenglaiyi.

From the south to the north, the buildings are piled up one after another, like a landscape painting.

The palace built by the Cao family is very large, and even Xuanwu Lake has become a scene in their back garden. It can be seen that the palace is so big that it must have cost a lot to build it.

Thinking of this, Elder Fourteen was in no mood to go shopping, because the final ending of the Cao family was not very good.

Brother Fourteen was very surprised when he saw Cao Yin. Cao Yin was not as fat as he had imagined, but rather thin. He looked energetic and somewhat bookish.

"This is my fourteenth son." Kangxi specially called the fourteenth elder brother over: "This is Grandma Sun's son Cao Yin, my milk brother back then, the head of the guard."

"Hello, Mr. Cao." The fourteenth elder brother cupped his fists and gave a nondescript salute, but it was the fourteenth elder brother who could treat Cao Yin like this, and the other elder brothers just nodded.

After all, Cao Yin is a slave in their eyes.

But the fourteenth elder brother is not a slave, this is the grandfather of the great god!

Cao Xueqin, "A Dream of Red Mansions" is a cinnabar mole in the hearts of many people in modern times!

"The fourteenth elder brother beat the slave." Cao Yin's eyes widened, but he smiled: "Slave Cao Yin, please greet the fourteenth elder brother."

"Okay, don't be polite to him." Kangxi is very kind to Cao Yin, and the fourteenth brother can see that Kangxi has a kind of brotherly affection for Cao Yin.

But why did Kangxi ask the fourteenth elder brother to come to see Cao Yin alone?

Brother Fourteen didn't understand, but there was nothing he could do. After saying hello, Brother Fourteen was sent back to the Empress Dowager.

The empress dowager also needs him to meet someone.

The Empress Dowager lives in Youfeng Laiyi Garden, where the scenery is beautiful, the flowers are in full bloom, and the scenery is beautiful. After the Empress Dowager moved in, all the women of the Cao family came to say hello, but the Empress Dowager did not see her.

Instead, after calling the fourteenth elder brother, he asked his three grandsons to accompany him, and summoned Cao Sun, the former wet nurse of Kangxi.

The Cao Sun family is already in their 70s.

When she was in Kilometers back then, she and the Empress Dowager were regarded as a master-servant relationship. They took care of Kangxi when they grew up together. When they met, Cao Sun wanted to greet the Empress Dowager, but was excused by the Empress Dowager.

"Nurse Sun, long time no see." The Empress Dowager looked complicated when she saw Sun Nanny.

"That's right, Master and Madam, even the slaves and servants have never thought about seeing you again!" Nanny Sun is an old woman with silver hair. Although she is dressed grandly, it can be seen that she is a little out of date.

Being supported by two young girls, it is a little bit of a stretch to say that it is a gift to the empress dowager.

The empress dowager not only waived the courtesy, but also gave her a seat.

"Thank you, my lord, for your seat." The old lady has been away from the palace for many years, but the rules are still there, she pointed to the two girls beside her and said, "These are the two granddaughters of the servant."

The two girls greeted the empress dowager, and the empress dowager rewarded each with a jade ruyi.

The Empress Dowager pointed to the three elder brothers and said, "This is the twelve elder brothers raised by Su Mala."

Elder Brother Twelve smiled heartily at Nanny Sun: "Hello, Nanny Sun!"

"Okay, I have no regrets seeing the child raised by Aunt Su Mala!" Nanny Sun and Aunt Su Mala also know each other, and they are old acquaintances.

"This is Elder Brother Thirteen, the son of Concubine Min."

Nanny Sun also greeted Thirteenth Brother, Thirteenth Brother now has a chivalrous demeanor, and is quite popular with the old lady.

The empress dowager pulled the fourteenth brother over: "This is the fourteenth brother, the youngest son of Concubine De, if he is the pistachio of Ai's family."

"Hello Sun Nanny!" Elder Fourteen said with a playful smile, "Huang Ma, we are all your pistachios."

"Yes, you are all the pistachios of Ai's family." The Empress Dowager said with a smile: "Mother Sun, do you still remember Concubine De?"

"Remember, the year the old slave left the palace, Master De was still a young master. In a blink of an eye, his son has grown up so much." Nanny Sun and the Empress Dowager recalled their past.

So many people lived in the other courtyard of the Cao family. It was said that it was the other courtyard of the Cao family, but it was actually the palace built by Jiangning Weaving Mansion for Kangxi.

Spending money is like flowing water, filling in the gold and silver seas is not enough for expenses.

What's more, Kangxi's longevity is coming!

Not only did Sheng Jia stay in the other courtyard of the Cao family, but Kangxi also celebrated his birthday here. The Cao family was really like what Cao Xueqin described, with flowers blooming brocade and cooking oil over fire.

All kinds of preparatory work are carried out intensely and orderly.

On March [-]th, on the birthday of Kangxi, there are countless songs and hymns blessed by the scholars and people, which are divided into four volumes... The harmony of heaven, earth and man symbolizes the meaning of longevity.

There are also rare treasures of water and land in the south of the Yangtze River, which are displayed like flowing water.

Jiangnan Peach Blossom Crab, Jiangbei White Rice Cake.

But all the delicacies from the south of the Yangtze River have been brought up. Brother Fourteen doesn't know how Kangxi eats, but Brother Fourteen is very satisfied with what he eats, especially the peach blossom crab.

This thing can't be obtained without the crabs brought over by the authentic peach blossom flood in the south of the Yangtze River.

And this crab eats peach petals, which has a unique flavor!

And that night, Kangxi ate the birthday noodles prepared for him by his fourteenth son again, but this time the birthday noodles were made from local seafood, and even brought double-yellow duck eggs from Gaoyou to make poached eggs. It was very delicious, and Kangxi still ate it clean.

After eating, I couldn't help feeling: "The things these people donate are not as sincere as this bowl of birthday noodles."

Elder Fourteen smiled: "Those things are the birthday gifts presented by the courtiers to the emperor; this bowl of noodles is the filial piety presented by the son to Ama, how can it be the same?"

Kangxi sighed unceasingly, his heart was always heavy, the fourteenth elder brother tried his best to make Kangxi happy, but the effect was not satisfactory, but Kangxi comforted him instead: "Huang Ama is fine, don't worry."

No wonder!

Fourteenth elder brother is depressed, it's no wonder if you don't worry: "Huang Ama, are you happy?"

"Happy." Kangxi answered seriously.

"Liar." Elder Fourteen replied seriously.

But they don't have much time to worry about such happy or unhappy things.

After Kangxi's longevity passed, news came from Dezhou, Shandong, that Suo'etu stayed for more than a month, and Crown Prince Yinfeng recovered from his illness and returned to Beijing together.

He didn't come to Suzhou, he didn't give Kangxi a birthday gift, he didn't even show a congratulatory form, he went back to Beijing!