I, the wanderer of the universe, love making friends

Chapter 257: Scare the old woman Cixi

According to popular rumors, this Concubine Zhen was not only beautiful and stunningly beautiful, but also had many talents, and was proficient in all arts including music, chess, calligraphy and painting!

What is even more commendable is that she was extremely intelligent, like a shining pearl, and could always see through the joys, sorrows, anger and happiness deep in the heart of Emperor Guangxu. The two of them often confided their innermost feelings to each other, as if they were in perfect harmony.

It is also because of this that Zhenfei gradually became the most important woman in Emperor Guangxu's mind.

It’s a pity that things did not go as planned. Such a beautiful person failed to win the favor of Empress Dowager Cixi.

It turns out that Zhenfei was lively, cheerful and casual by nature. To Empress Dowager Cixi, who always attached great importance to rules and etiquette, this kind of personality was simply rebellious and unruly!
In particular, Zhenfei showed a strong interest in those novel gadgets from the West. Sometimes she even ignored the strict system of the harem and walked around the palace in Western clothes.

Later, when Zhenfei became interested in photography, she was so bold as to appoint a young eunuch to open a photo studio.

This matter eventually reached the ears of Empress Dowager Cixi, which made her very angry.

Cixi was furious and immediately ordered the arrest of the poor little eunuch. He was beaten with sticks in front of everyone until he died on the spot.

This was undoubtedly a warning to others and a wake-up call for Concubine Zhen.

Although Zhenfei was neglected by Empress Dowager Cixi, she was actually a kind-hearted and compassionate woman.

She was always kind and caring towards the servants around her, and both eunuchs and palace maids often received generous rewards from her.

As for whether it was true or not, Shen Lang was not her servant, so naturally he had no way of knowing.

I suddenly wanted to go see Zhenfei, but I remembered that when the Eight-Nation Alliance was at the gates of the city, Cixi decided to take Guangxu and others and flee to Xi'an.

Cixi used excuses such as "Zhenfei is young and beautiful, and will be insulted by foreigners, which is a shame to our ancestors" to argue that it was inconvenient to take Zhenfei away, but she was afraid that her young age would cause trouble if she kept her. Therefore, she ordered the eunuchs to open the manhole cover in front of Leshou Hall and asked Zhenfei to commit suicide, but Zhenfei refused to die.

The crowd then ordered the eunuchs to push Zhenfei into the well.

However, according to "The Life of Zhenfei" written by Shang Yanying, a celebrity in the late Qing Dynasty, Zhenfei had a grudge with Cixi because of selling official positions and was imprisoned.

However, in the Qing Dynasty at that time, selling official positions and titles was not only an open secret, but had even been legalized.

Various donation systems were actually selling official positions to solve the financial difficulties of the imperial court.

Zhenfei saw that Cixi and Li Lianying were each making up excuses for their own selfish interests and selling official positions without restraint.

Therefore, in order to solve his own financial problems, he took advantage of his favor from Emperor Guangxu and started selling official positions.

For example, he secured a lucrative position as the Guangdong Customs Commissioner for a man named Geng Jiu, and a lucrative position as the Shanghai Commissioner for Lu Boyang.

Later, she accepted tens of thousands of taels of silver from a man named Yuming and helped him get the official position of "Sichuan Salt Commissioner".

But unexpectedly, this man named Yuming was illiterate and could not even write his own name. He made a fool of himself when he was received by Emperor Guangxu.

In any case, Cixi did have evidence against Zhenfei in this matter, so she was charged with "interfering in state affairs."

Throughout China's 5,000-year history, Zhenfei was the only concubine who accepted Western ideas, dared to challenge the feudal ethics of the court, and possessed extraordinary courage and will.

Shen Lang was wandering around the palace with all sorts of thoughts in his mind.

From several eunuchs, I learned that Zhenfei lived in the prison yard inside Baizimen, on the second long street west of the palace, which is what people often call the cold palace.

Zhenfei's room was at the westernmost end of the cold palace, and the door was tightly locked from the outside with a big lock.

Of the windows, only one can be opened.

It is said that on weekdays, whether it is washing face, eating, or going in and out of the toilet, everything is done through this window.

In addition to losing the most basic personal freedom, no one dared to communicate with the concubines imprisoned in the cold palace.

Moreover, even their meals were of the lowest quality, the same as those of the palace maids and eunuchs.

In addition, on the first and fifteenth day of every month, as well as during festivals, an old eunuch specially appointed by Empress Dowager Cixi would go and scold Zhenfei.

This kind of scolding is routine and always happens before lunch. It is the kind of harsh scolding that points at the nose and face, which is more unpleasant than swearing.

When scolding, Concubine Zhen had to kneel down and was not allowed to sit or stand. After the scolding, she had to kowtow to express her gratitude.

Just thinking about it, I feel that being a concubine is not something that an ordinary person can do.

She would be banished to the cold palace at any time.

Zhenfei was sitting at the slightly worn and dimly lit desk, quietly flipping through the yellowed book in her hands.

The wind outside the window blew from time to time, lifting a few pages of the book, but she didn't seem to care and was still immersed in the world of the book.

At this moment, a dark shadow suddenly appeared in the room, as silent as a ghost.

Zhen Fei suddenly raised her head, looked at the sudden figure in front of her with horror, and cried out, "Who is it?"

The voice was filled with fear and astonishment.

The figure slowly walked out of the shadows, revealing a handsome and mysterious face.

He looked Zhen Fei up and down and asked softly, "But Zhen Fei?"

Shen Lang observed the woman in front of him curiously, feeling secretly surprised.

Because according to common sense, concubines imprisoned in the cold palace should all have haggard faces and lonely expressions, but the Zhenfei in front of him did not look so miserable at all.

Although she was dressed simply, she was still neat and decent;

She has a pretty face and her eyes reveal a calmness and composure, and you can't tell at all that she is someone who is in the cold palace.

"Yes." Zhenfei nodded slightly, acknowledging her identity.

Then, she said calmly, "Are you here to send me off? Will you give me white silk or poisoned wine?"

Her tone was unusually calm, as if she had no fear of death at all.

Shen Lang was surprised to hear her speak so frankly, and asked, "Are you not afraid of death at all?"

Zhenfei smiled lightly, a helpless look appearing on her face.

She slowly replied, "What's the point of being afraid? Ever since I was banished to this cold palace, I knew this day would come sooner or later. However, right now, all I care about is how to end this."

After saying that, she turned her gaze to Shen Lang, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes.

After carefully examining the man in front of him, he found that he was not wearing eunuch's clothes, and he was tall and straight, with a very masculine temperament, and did not look like a eunuch at all.

She couldn't help but ask again, "Who are you? If you're not a eunuch, why are you here? Could it be that I've been in this cold palace for too long, causing me to become delirious and hallucinate?"

"It's definitely not an illusion." Shen Lang said, "I happened to pass by the palace and heard that Concubine Zhen was extremely beautiful, so I came to see her."

"Oh? Really?" Zhen Fei smiled slightly. "I wonder if I could possibly catch your eye, sir?"

It seemed to her that she must be hallucinating.

Since the cold palace is heavily guarded, how could a strange man break in?
Shen Lang said, "Seeing is believing. I rarely do good things, so I only have one question for you."

"what?"

"Do you want to go out?" Shen Lang asked.

He was wondering if Cixi would be terrified to death if she found out that Zhenfei was missing.

Scare the old woman first.

Then go to the treasury to search for money to buy a house...

(End of this chapter)